|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 12:14 pm
Hermes also startled when the tree fell, and he jerked away from Akkhana in his fear reaction. His nostrils flared and his eyes rolled, showing whites. His wings snapped open, prepared for a quick retreat. He almost leaped into the sky right then, but one look upward at the thrashing branches helped it get through to even his panicked mind that this was not an escape.
"It's blocking the path!" he babbled, barely coherent. There was a ringing in his ears from the cacophony of noises that had been assaulting him. A small rational part of his brain recognized that he was on the verge of panic himself, but he didn't know that he could stop it, not with the storm raging all around them...
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 12:17 pm
Emiko surprised herself. Though she was as afraid as the rest of them, the way she processed it was different. There had been many other fears in her life and many other stressful situations. Her memory harkened back to a time when she performed her first dance in front of a human audience. She knew that there were high ranking nobles in the audience and had been truly afraid then, afraid of some misstep that would show her to be little more than a novice. She had pushed past that fear to dance, and a similar feeling gripped her now. She was afraid, but she must still perform.
"We will go around the tree," she said. Her voice was trained for oration and song, and it cut through the noise. "We will go around the roots, and avoid the leaves. Everyone, come!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 12:21 pm
Akkhana wasn't exactly a sociable soquili, but she decided that she could be able to think highly of Emiko. Impressed by her force, she found that something of her presence of mind was returning. "Yeah, let's go!" Her voice was still hoarse and shaky, but it was much clearer now.
She still walked with the support of Emiko's tail, but she was able to pick up her pace. As a group hey strode forward. The tree had completely unearthed itself, roots and all. They skirted past the hole in the ground left by the tree, and hustled back on path. Akkhana was glad to be moving, but it was clear that the storm was now almost directly overhead. She wondered if there was even a chance of them finding some sort of cover before they were right in the middle of it....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 12:25 pm
Bernadette felt ashamed of her previous panic. Everyone else seemed to be so calm and to be holding themselves together so well. She tried to take strength in that, but really she just felt smaller and more damaged. If they were all going to die, she knew in her heart that the spirits would know she had died a coward. It was something that she had realized throughout her life, but that didn't make it hurt any less at a time like this.
She forced herself to walk in the middle of the group, hoping that the presence of other soquili on either side of her would keep her from bolting. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but with the pelting rain, there was no way for anyone else to know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 12:29 pm
It was like the heavens themselves had split open above her. Diantha knew that it was time to take cover. If she didn't get bludgeoned by a falling branch, she'd be impaled by a bit of flying debris. She looked around, trying to figure out any sort of vaguely safe shelter.
Her eyes caught on a muddy channel, home to a small stream. It had carved a gully about as deep as her shoulder, and the creek was far to small to pose a danger. That would have to do. She jumped in, lay down, and pressed herself against one muddy wall. She did have some shelter from the storm here and a bit of protection against falling debris as well. It'd have to do, she just hoped it would be enough.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 12:33 pm
A mouse fell off Dumah that needed to be rescued with a careful swipe of his paw. He knew the other animals were suffering as well, but they were so close to shelter. When they finally saw it, he let out a desperate sigh of relief. It wasn't really a cave, more like an overhanging rock with space underneath it. It was still wet and damp down there, but the winds didn't blow so hard, and only small twigs managed to make their way underneath.
He carefully put down the turtle, let his various passengers off, and then checked to make certain that all other animals had made it under all right. Then, he stared out into the deluge. Diantha was still somewhere out there where the tornado was brewing. Could he really just abandon her like this?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:27 am
A strand of long black mane whipped around Emiko's face. Her mane had beeswax helping keep it in place, but it was starting to come undone in the fury of the storm. She could feel the pins holding her floral kanzashi hair ornament in place loosening. She might lose it, but it was better to lose her kanzashi than her life.
More of her mane was pulled loose as the winds increased. Between the blowing debris, the rain, and the wind, it was getting ever more difficult to see. Emiko glanced over her shoulder at the body of the storm... and quickly regretted her decision.
There behind them was a monstrous funnel cloud. It was as dark and churning as a nightmare, and it was getting closer by the instant. Now was no longer the time for being careful. "The tornado is coming! Run! Run!" She could no longer suppress her instincts. She bolted forward, hair unwinding into a black banner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:34 am
Akkhana had only just started to walk on her own when Emiko's cry of alarm came. She followed Emiko's horrified stare, and became full of fear herself. Automatically, she spread her wings in preparation for a fleeing flight. A pain in her wing instantly told her this was a bad idea, and she snapped them shut. Besides, even if she was healthy, flying would only lead to death. There was no creature that could navigate these howling winds without being smashed to the ground. Instead, she ran.
Her hooves chose to follow Emiko, remnants of a strong herding instinct. She had been still limping along in pain before, but her body pushed pain into the background. Survival came first. Tending to her injuries would be later. She just hoped there would be a later for her...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:38 am
Just as Bernadette began another round of mentally scolding herself for being so panicked, the group bolted. She had been barely holding herself together before, and now there was no chance of rational thought. She ran like her life depended on it, which it did. The world was a riot of movement and chaos. Sights that would have been familiar to her, a wild rose bush, a graceful willow tree, a grassy meadow, became churning enemies. All she knew was that she had to escape.
A branch fell. It was slender and unable to crush her, but it lashed against her back and caused her to yelp in pain. The twigs of the branch became tangled in her wings, and it was caught against her. The strange sensation spurred her to even greater panic, and she began to keen a high-pitched whinny. The sound was lost in the storm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:45 am
More and more animals were streaming under the overhang to hide, but they no longer needed Dumah's assistance. There were undoubtedly others out there sheltering in place, but he didn't have a hope of finding them and knew it would probably be safer for them to stay where they were. Smaller creatures had an easier time of it than larger ones in the midst of certain disasters such as this. It was his sister that he was more worried about.
Dumah clenched his teeth, conflicted but arriving at a decision. He would try to find her. He stepped out from underneath the shelter and spread his wings, but instantly decided against flying. The tornado was too close. Even if he did manage to stay aloft, he was sure he wouldn't be able to see anything on the ground. Instead, he ran out on land. His claws and paws gripped the ground now far better than hooves could.
"Diantha?" he called her name, even though he knew she wouldn't be able to hear it above the roar.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:50 am
Emiko would have been ashamed at her lack of composure if she'd had the presence of mind to be. Instead, she just was preoccupied with not dying. She was aware of the howling wind growing ever closer. It sounded like they were about to get run down by the tornado, and she felt a stab of despair. That's when she heard it, a lone voice shouting in the wind.
"Someone is there!" She immediately turned to run towards the source of the sound. Maybe they could help. If not, at least the lone stranger would have come company, whatever happened.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:54 am
Akkhana didn't hear the voice, so was confused about what Emiko was reacting to. Had she gone insane? Akkhana couldn't imagine anyone else being out in the storm. Still, she followed, and was shocked to see that not only was there a soquili, but that it was it was some sort of angeni. Something looked off about the wings, but she didn't have time to think about that or the fact that he had glowing red eyes. What she did know was that angeni were good. An angeni would help.
He looked surprised to see them as they all gathered around him, sopping wet and with leaves and twigs tangled in manes and tails. "Help us..." gasped Akkhana, breath huffing too swiftly through her nostrils to speak any more than that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:58 am
Bernadette was the last to reach Dumah and the most distressed when she did. She was hyperventilating now. Darkness circled her vision, and it was as if she was viewing everything through a steadily lengthening tunnel. The branch was still tangled upon her back, and the sensation of the twigs scraping against her almost made her scream.
Dimly, she was aware that they stood before an angeni. She couldn't find any hope in this. What could even an angeni do against this? They were going to die. That was the only thing she could think of. She would never see her family again. She would never have children. She would never grow old. She was going to die.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:02 am
He hadn't found Diantha, but he had found a group of four incredibly bedraggled and terrified soquili. They all looked to him like he could save them, and he knew they weren't wrong. He knew of a place to find shelter, after all. He froze, undecided. He wasn't a rescuer of soquili. He just wanted to find his sister and bring her back. Heroic actions were never something he aspired to, or even thought were worthwhile.
Even as he thought through this, he realized he had no choice. Some part of his conscience cared about their survival and suffering, even though he fought against it. With aggravation, he shouted at them, "Follow me!" and began to lead them to safety.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:17 pm
Straining against the wind, Emiko followed after Dumah. Fuuka was reduced to a miserable and sodden furry lump one her back. She may have been crying, she didn't know at that point in the rain and the fear. She could see the make-up from her face running down her neck and over her chest scales, but if she survived unscathed but disheveled she would still consider herself blessed. She stole a glance at her companions. They had started out the day strangers, but they were certainly all companions now. No one could fight for their life in a storm like this and come out strangers.
Lightning arced overhead and she tried to be brave, forced herself to keep putting one hoofed foot in front of the other. It felt like forever, though she know it couldn't have taken long. Finally, she saw Dumah gesturing with one wing ahead. It was a cave! Grateful, she dashed forward to shelter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
