|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 8:03 pm
 He knew not how much time had passed since his encounter with the cursed mare. Time passed strangely when one wasn't aware of it... Even moreso when one wasn't aware of themselves. He lingered between worlds, mind drifting closer to the spirits as his body struggled to maintain itself for the first day. Somewhere he heard Crow's caw. What was it that the natives believed? Why was it they had feared Crow? Crow... Some believed that, when someone died, a crow carried their spirit to the other world. He had known that. He'd always known that. Afterall, Crow had been his companion since she had been taken from him along with their entire herd. Crow... Was Crow coming to carry him home now?
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 8:22 pm
She wasn't quite sure where she was anymore but it couldn't be all that far. The mountains were still off in the distances and she couldn't see the beach so she had to be somewhere at least slightly familiar. Shaking her head she slipped her way though the grass.
Eventually she caught sight of a rather ominous black form. Birds were not something you wanted to be around when you were small enough to look like food. Setting her hooves on the dirt she let her body fall into the form that matched those without transparent wings.
Looking up at the bird again she frowned. He seemed to be watching something. Taking careful steps though the grass she caught the scent of blood. Oh my ....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 8:34 pm
The cursed had dragged him away from the open plains, leaving him where he would be sheltered from whatever elements there had been since she'd left him to live... Or to die. Crow had stood guard over him and with this strange mare's approach its defenses rose once more. Crow cawed loudly, clicking its beak at the mareas it stretched out its wings to seem more 'imposing'.
A soft groan came from the mass of horseflesh not far from the bird. The noises... He'd heard them even if he couldn't properly react. Crow was not coming to claim him. Crow was warning him, yet he couldn't defend himself. He could barely move.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 8:45 pm
"Oh come on how feather brain. Do i really look dangerous to you?" She knew she was dark and could, given the right circumstances, look strange but when you were her kind you weren't known for being threatening.
She stopped at the edge of a small overhang. There was something under there, whatever the crow was guarding, and it was making noise. Looking again she was slightly taken aback. There was a stallion under there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 9:02 pm
Beady black eyes narrowed slightly as the bird tilted its head to stare up at the mare. There was something about her and, while it couldn't understand her words, it understood the tone. It clucked at her once more before hopping closer to its fallen companion.
There were fang marks on the stallion's body; scratches on flesh that had closed as he lay there. His body was bruised inside and out... If he stayed where he was there was no chance he'd ever make it back away from the edge. He could fall off of the cliff into oblivion and never be seen from again.
Something had kept him from falling though... Something was keeping him here now... He couldn't get away from it. It was around him; within him. In him... Air. He took a deep breath, feeling it sear his lungs with a fresh wave of pain, carrying a soft whine as it was released. Breathing deeply... That was a good first step.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 9:09 pm
She eyed the crow again for a few moments before she moved closer to the fallen stallion. At least he was still alive and she hadn't come upon one already gone from this world. That happened too much and she much preferred to find them still here. She could hazard a guess as to what had done this to him and was amazed he was still mostly in once piece.
"You don't want to pass from this world." She leaned down, thankful for her small stature so she didn't have to lean far, and nosed his neck softly. "If you would take this for another then you are needed here."
She didn't know him but she would be sad if he passed. No one would be stupid enough to withstand all this on their own. No he had to be protecting something.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 9:23 pm
Her touch, as tender as it may have been, caused him to wince. There were bite marks near where her soft nose had touched and, while they were no longer open, they still ached as if fresh. He could feel again and, with each breath, those feelings intensified.
Hear... He could hear a voice speaking to him; something beyond Crow's caw. The voice gave him an anchor. He reached out for it, eyes opening slowly. Through blurred vision black and red danced before him. Too dark to be an angel... What was she?
His eyes closed once more as he drew in another rattled breath. He was going to make it... The voice, whoever it belonged to, was right. He had to. Nostalgia would never forgive him if he left this world without saying farewell to she and her children.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 9:36 pm
"There we go." His breathing might have been rattling but at least he was doing so. The fluttering of his eyes was another good sign. She took a step back so that he had room should he decide to shift and try to stand up. He probably wouldn't but you could never be sure.
She looked at the crow again, raising a brow at it, before her attention turned back to the stallion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 9:48 pm
Standing was something that he cared not to think of. His limbs still felt heavy, as if they were no longer attatched. Flashes of the night that had brought about this torment flickered through his mind. Cursed... A larger stallion... Had she...?
His brows furrowed as he winced once more, legs twitching as if he were dreaming. A dream. Was he? Dreaming?
At the movement Crow hopped closer, clicking its beak as it hopped carefully up onto the stallion's side. Its movements were clear; the stallion was under its protection. There would be no carrying off of souls on its watch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 10:00 pm
"Don't give me that look you feather ball. I'm not doing any such thing." She'd been trying to tell him to stay here after all. If she was going to do anything nefarious she'd have already done it and disappeared off into the night.
"He'll be perfectly fine. Too much drive to protect whoever it is for him to die yet." She tossed her curls and looked up at the first stars that were starting to appear. "Cloudy night ..... not good for getting to the Ancestors anyway"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 9:57 am
Slowly he opened his eyes once more. This time his vision was clearer. The grass around him was a brilliant shade of green even in the dark of night. The leg nearest him was... A leg? His gaze lifted to catch traces of pattern; flashes of bright, red light in the darkness.
"... Angel?" Had he caught a twitter of wings? "No..." He closed his eyes once more, head shaking slowly. Crow came to collect souls, not angels. "Who...?" His throat was dry. Water was something he recalled as if it too had always been a dream and words were harder to come by as a result. How long had he been lying there lingering between worlds?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 10:06 am
As she heard his voice again her head turned and she chuckled softly. "No angel's tonight. Kochu'Akai." Angels were far grander than she was and probably far more stuck up. She tilted her head and leaned down to carefully turn his head so it rested against a small patch of flowers rather than the dirt.
It would be better if he could get up since there were bound to be hunters out at this hour. He was nothing more than a beacon to a free meal at this point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 10:20 am
"Draven..." He took in another deep breath, suprised by the fragrance of flowers that touched his nostrils as she moved his head. "Eric." Three times now he'd given his full name since his arrival on the plains. This time he ignored the strange feeling he felt upon saying it. Was that really who he was now?
Most 'hunters' had avoided him because of the cursed's scent lingering in the area. They feared that she would come back and claim them after they came to view the 'bait'. Crow couldn't have kept any of them at bay had it tried.
He shifted lightly, tilting his head so that he could gaze up at the mare again. There was something about her eyes; something that he couldn't place. "Not safe... Here." Obviously he was speaking about her; not himself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 10:27 am
"Well Mr. Draven. It seems like you've gotten yourself into a world of hurt." She shook her head as she snickered slightly. "At least it was worth it." He seemed like the kind who would gladly give up his life to protect something so whatever he had been doing must have been worth the pain.
"It's not truly safe anywhere. Not anymore." Death could crawl up on you at any moment from even the least likely of places. "I respect whatever is out here. If the Ancestors decide it is time for me to return to them then i shall go happily."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 10:33 am
He would have laughed were he able to do so without hurting. As it was, he settled with a smile along with a soft cough. "Must not be my time... Crow kept watch but he wouldn't claim me." He closed his eyes once more, a wince forming on his face. "It's... Amazing... The things one can live through..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
