Welcome to Gaia! ::

Name: Ankou
Meaning: A fairy's version of the Grim Reaper
Temper: Proud
Prompt:



'The opportunities that await you, son! Think of all the terror and fear you could could cause, and strike in the heart of them! Make me proud, Ankou. Make me proud, son.'

The words circled around in the young adult's head, as he watched the Soquili herd before him with wide, amber eyes. They stood in a circle around a small fire, prancing and whinnying in joy as they celebrated their festival of Halloween. The flickering flames reflected off of each Soquili, creating dark shadows in the clearing, accenting the colours in each of their coats alongside their features, which allowed him to calculate a rough count of how many there were, awe well as their ages and abilities. There were few with bulging muscles, but Ankou knew well that appearances weren't everything. Despite the herd being predominantly female, with a large portion also being either elderly or young, he knew that charging it alone was unlikely to result in much other than a blind panic. He snorted, air rushing out of his nostrils as he narrowed his eyes, thoughts flickering around in his mind. What to do, what to do?

He didn't want to hurt anyone - that was a certainty. His parents may have been cold, ruthless villains, but their son wasn't. He wouldn't necessarily call himself a hero, but Ankou was a proud, noble horse, and hurting others went against all he believed in. But what else was there to do? He couldn't deny his heritage nor what he was - a Skinwalker. If he didn't remain with his parents, where else was there to go? No others would accept him into their community, and he knew that he didn't want to be alone. Currently, his family lived within a small herd of Skinwalkers - there were about ten of them in total. They weren't all necessarily mad or crazy, but they all enjoyed the taste of raw meat, and none of them would hesitate about charging the herd. It was impossible to deny who he was, or the beliefs he held, but his pride had already been bruised earlier in the week, when he'd hesitated and allowed a meal to get away. Oh, how he'd been punished. As much as it was impossible to deny his who he was, it was also impossible to deny his heritage, and more than anything Ankou wanted to make his father proud.

Eyes narrowed as his equine form began to melt, almost liquidizing as his body grew smaller, the pelt on his back sliding forwards so it covered his whole face. As he shrank in size, the pelt was able to cover more and more of his body, until finally it melted together into one full body, amber eyes opening once more, but no longer as a Soquili. Oh no - now he was a coyote, tiger-stripes running down his back and over his face. One might've thought him prettily coloured and even considered approaching him to pet, if they knew not what he was planning.

All of a sudden, sounds became sharper, and the variety of scents around him increased. He could not only smell the herd before him, but the damp vegetation, and the pungent smell of death that hung over him, unable to be erased. But with all of these expected sounds and smells came a newer, much different one, causing his to snap his head around, upper lip curled back to reveal razor-sharp teeth in a silent snarl. He could hear the sound of bells and merry music, alongside giggles and laughter. Amber eyes turned back to look at the celebrating herd for a few moments, before his whole body turned, the coyote beginning to stalk towards the source of the other sounds. If he ever wanted even a chance at getting accepted into the Soquili community, he'd take it. They'd be safe for tonight.

Keener eyesight allowed him to pick his way slowly through the vegetation, paws carefully placed to prevent any snapping of twigs that might alert the surrounding forest, and therefore both the herd and this new source of potential, to his presence. Chaos was all he wanted to cause - chaos and panic, to make his father proud. He didn't want anyone's blood on his conscience. Coming to the other edge of the forest, his amber eyes flicked at the sight before him. Of course, the village! How could he have forgotten about the village? They seemed to be having a celebration of their own, since the source of music was a small band playing in the village square, and the giggling and laughter came from the children, who ran around the streets, knocking upon doors and receiving what seemed to be food. What kind of celebration it was, he hadn't a clue, but none-the-less he hugged his body to the ground, slowly creeping his way down the small hillside.

As he stepped into the village, no-one was there. No guards with swords or spears. It seemed they'd not planned for his visit tonight, and a small piece of laughter escaped his throat. It seemed his entrance would be one of surprise, then. As he crept through the empty streets, towards the village square, lights from street lamps casted long shadows, making him seem larger and more fierce. His striped, golden pelt glowed in the light, perhaps even giving the appearance that he might be heavenly. Ankou looked up towards the lights, narrowing his eyes once more. He wasn't heavenly - he'd committed too many sins, whether they be against his will or not. But he didn't want to go to Hell, which was where his family, and the rest of the Skinwalker herd, were destined. They found it to be a honor, being Hell-bound. Ankou wasn't so sure.

He continued into the village, forced to keep to the shadows as the number of people increased the closer he came to the square. Slipping into the actual square itself, it wasn't difficult to find a small corner, full of shadows, just behind a gathering of people. He crouched there, surveying the scene before him, slowly calculating how he'd go about this. Fear was what he wanted to produce. Fear and screams, that his father would be able to hear, and know Ankou had done his deed.

Pulling himself back to the present, a strong scent rushed into his nostrils, causing his upper lip to curl back once more, and this time a small growl rumbled in his throat. A small child stood before him, her long blond hair ruffled and messy, large blue eyes watching Ankou inquisitively. A finger was in her mouth as she just stood there, watching him with bright eyes. For a few moments, he was taken aback, growl halting as he watched the young girl. What did she want? Why wasn't she running in fear? He found himself becoming intrigued by the girl. He didn't want to scare her - he didn't really want to scare anyone. But he did have to make his father proud, no matter what he really wanted. It was for this reason he leapt forwards, loud snarl ripping from his mouth and vibrating around the whole square, bringing all eyes on him.

He landed just in front of the girl, not wanting to harm her, yet his display of aggression caused her to scream, running back to who he only assumed was his mother. If his snarl hadn't attracted the attentions, then her scream certainly had, and it was mere moments before more screams rose, mass panic breaking out. Instruments were discarded, as were bags of sweets, as mother grabbed their children and fled to the streets. Ankou took two more leaps forwards and found himself on the stage, where the band had been playing, and where there were now numerous discarded instruments, which ne proceeded to shred. The taste of woods wasn't much to his liking, but crunching something between his jaws made them stronger, which again pleased his father.

Ears caught the sound of footsteps, and his head snapped up with narrowed amber eyes, glaring at the two men who were slowly approaching him. They wore no armor, but on held a club, whilst the other held a spear, a sharp piece of flint on the end. A snarl escaped his maw as he snapped his teeth together, showcasing just how large and sharp they were. The men paused, hesitating for a few moments, before slowly advancing again, weapons held high.

Eyes flickered from one to the other as Ankou rushed hurriedly through his options. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but at the same time he himself didn't want to get injured. A split second decision rushed through his mind and he leapt forwards, landing with a snarl squarely on the chest of the man with the club, knocking him over and causing him to land on his back. Ankou snarled, planning to simply scare the man , then run off. However, he hadn't counted on the other one, and instead of a fierce snarl, it was a strangled snarl of pain that escaped his maw, as he felt the spear embed itself in his right flank. His own warm blood stained his coat, and Ankou turned with a bloody snarl.

It was like he'd been taken over by a monster. He watched as his body sailed towards the man's, jaws going straight for his throat. Blood stained his maw, but this time it wasn't his. It didn't seem this monster inside of him was done, however. The man was dead - limp on the ground, his companion having turned and fled. The monster then went for the face, maiming it so it was no longer recognizable. Breathing heavily, Ankou suddenly seemed to gain control of his limbs once more, and felt them shaking. He felt like jelly. Running tongue over his teeth, he shuddered as he tasted not just wood - blood. This innocent man's blood.

Unable to look down at the man again, he fled. Ran as fast as he could, through the streets. Everything was a blur as he slowly began to grow larger and larger, pelt ripping away from his body as it grew taller and rounder, and overall more horse-like. He was soon a horse once more, his pelt sitting atop of his body, coyote tail streaming behind him as he galloped out of the village, up the hill and back into the vegetation before he finally allowed himself to stop and catch his breath. Standing still he stood there shuddering for a few moments, before finally turning his head to the sky, and the moon that was visible through a small gap in the canopy.

Perhaps he was more like his father than he'd ever wanted to be...

( I named him Kin meaning “golden”. )

All around the pelted male was noises of laughter and happy voices making it seem like he was being surrounded by thousands of happy little people. He sniffed the air getting the scents of both human and soquili alike, but now was his major dilemma. Which one to hunt? He stood there in the woods that was on the outskirts of both of the gatherings thinking heavily on this. He was hungry, but he didn’t want to have to fight for his food right now. No that wasn’t his intention at all. Hmm maybe I can feast on the humans, but what if they have weapons. Though the soquili would fight me off as well if there is a good amount of strong males present. He thought all this in his brain not sure which feast he should disturb in the literal sense of the word.

Walking towards the human village, he gazed at the fires and people dancing to tunes of celebration finding the sound to be irritating. He didn’t understand the human kind for their way of life was ridiculous and a bit pointless in his mind. “Ah the children.” He licked his fangs knowing they would be the easiest kill there and it was something he wanted. Something easy, but filling. He pressed on towards the sounds of melodies that burned his eardrums and made his body quiver in anger. His gleaming eyes burned through the darkness as he spotted his prey on the edge of the forest. First meal will be the easiest tonight. He thought to himself as he eyed the drunkard that was to busy rambling incoherent dribble and swaying side to side to even notice anything going on around him. Stepping swiftly behind the trunk of a tree, he eyed the man with pure blood lust before darting out quickly.

Silence, was heard as the swift quick kill was made breaking the man’s neck with a single bite to the neck. Watching the people in the distance, Kin did not move. They were blinded in celebration to even take notice to the poor slain victim lying at his feet. With a smirk creeping on his muzzle, he leaned down taking mouthful after mouthful of flesh marveling in the glory of the blood that stained his muzzle. The richness of it even though it was his first out of many meals tonight, he savored every tiny piece he ate loving it with every feeling he had left in him.

After eating what he wanted of the man, he left the rest of his mangled corpse there before he walked slowly towards the unsuspecting group. He made many selections for his next kills painting pictures in his mind of what they were wearing so he wouldn’t forget as he crept closer and closer to them. Then a loud shriek of fear coming from a women off to his right that he hadn’t noticed before caused the village to scatter in panic. Growling at his failed attempt to kill a few before they could get away, he swiftly killed the woman from his anger. He then shifted his eyes to the men seeing them all go to get weapons, but wasn’t about to run off without something. He bit the dead woman’s shoulder and drug her into the woods to a tree before seeing the men coming in with torches. There empty hand held anything from a axe to a pitchfork. He growled before running in the other direction angry more at himself for not being more careful as he crept into a cave not even seeing them following him anymore. "Stupid humans."He muttered under his breath with distaste on his tongue the more he thought about it.

He wasn’t about to let his blood thirsty heart try to tame for the night even if his stomach was half full. He needed more meat preferably some Soquili flesh before he finally rested his bones. Walking out of the cave after about 20 minutes of waiting, he licked his muzzle mostly clean of the blood before continuing to the other celebration that seemed to be quiet now. Did they hear the screams from the village? He was assuming now that they did because there was nothing to be heard. Reaching the edge of the woods, he peeked his head out only to see something that made a smirk creep on his muzzle. He was happy for once the quiet was more overwhelming then the noise.

The soquili before him were listening to a older looking male tell ghost stories and myths that were okay to hear, but they weren’t anything true. When he heard something about a Skinwalker, it made his insides tingle with laughter even though nothing like that crept on his face. When they finished, they began laughing, but it was too late for them. He picked out all the ones that jumped to the stories knowing they would be the most frightened to run from him. A weaknesses are a beauty to the likes of me. Come my dear feast. Your blood with sustain my hunger. He spoke softly in his head before giving a loud growl. One that broke through the woods sending sleeping birds flying out of their homes. He watched as fear struck the soquili before he darted out behind the bush.

His golden brown pelt and fur glistened making him look almost harmless before his fangs gleamed a pearly white once the moonlight hit them. Screams, cries, and shouting could be heard as he did his work. The crazy bloodlust in his mind that drove him insane was speaking to him more making his fangs and claws rip at the flesh of any soquili that was in his line of sight.

Silence, was all that was heard again. Four soquili laid dead in their own blood while the rest were no where to be seen. A child, a mare, a stallion, and his most precious prize, the stallion that told all those story form lies were laying there immobile. His golden brown pelt was stained crimson with it running down into his own skin and mane. He looked up to the moon seeing it full and giving a howl of praise for he was in a fest of his own tonight. His face yielded an expression not of sadness, but one of mischief and insanity. He was victorious in his slaying of the filth and putrid scum that laid beneath him. Yes that is right. Beneath him and lifeless, where they belong.

Foolish creatures. Who do they think they are? Letting there guard down like that with not even the slightest thought that someone could be watching in the darkness, there is ALWAYS someone watching, remember that. I am apart of one of the most feared breeds within these lands, they always scream, their screams like melodies to my ears, ringing through like chimes. If I had my way they would always be that sound... Unfortunately it never happens too often, the slightest wrong move. 'click' they scurry, its always fun to tease and watch of course but never... Is there any shed of a tear or the pleading for safety, forgiveness. They say if you pray for forgiveness then you shall be forgiven, no one can be truly forgiven. You commit what is wrong and that is how it is.

Either side sounds flutter through my ears, the sound of celebration, what gives them the right to be so happy? Whatever there rights... I bear a snarl, teeth shining a brilliant white within the gloomy darkness slowly edging closer... I take a leap into the air, a quick dart for a small child, my mind is not its own and the furry. anger of something i cannot understand overwhelms me to a stage of no control. What is happening? even I don't understand with a devious smirk Is stare down at the tiny being under one of my powerful tabby colored paws. I chuckle evilly, victorious? No. Just a twisted call of my own feeling until the flickering flames dance my way, I hesitate to move unknown of what is happening, then move backwards slipping my paw from the girl.

Why didn't I strike at the first chance..? Odd.

Tingling itches flare upon my side, I see the large bright sparks fly into the air and black smoke rise, luckily it wasn't so bad, I throw my large powerful head aside knocking one of the villagers aside, they have no meaning to me, I do not care what their fate might be, another I claw and the rest that had swarmed like flies only moments ago again scatter, my prey at a loss. Still, they buzz in my ears, the targets playing in my vision as I laugh draconian like, snorting away the burning colors that were once tearing away at my side.

Its not that easy... My mind repeats to them. They're your prey don't let them beat you

I find myself chasing them, a game now starting to develop into a ravishing challenge, too eager, I find myself blinded, hypocritical soon I am pushed along the dirt, rolling, stones and sticks ripping at the visible flesh. As I stare up at the attacker, a large unicorn stands, digging at the ground with one mighty hoof.

you didn't see that one coming now did you? laughs the voice in my head. I growl at this and climb to my feet, only to be greeted with a rush of pain... I had been pierced, the blood leaked along my rich clean pelt a grunt of irritation leaving through a hum in my throat. As the enemy heads for another direct attack, a glowing aura sweeps in front of my gaze a soft feeling, gentle touch pushes through me, I feel enlightened? How, what was it? For a moment I feel myself the rage... furry gone.

Run... Another melodic whisper ran through my ears, they flickered back, eyes shaking scared of this feeling, before I had chance to retaliate, ignore the order I was running, paws pounding the terrain to pieces until the faded wail of an innocent creature sounded. I came to a desperate halt where then, the only sound that lingered was silence and the creatures cry of pain... This wasn't a melody, it was torturing, unnerving, unfamiliar...

You coward...

My vision blurred, slowly another figure with the same aura greets me, by this time my slender body hits the ground, weak, strained...

everyone deserves to be forgiven... Even you

Darkness stirred, and then, only silence spared my ears of the faint whispers, the horrible shriek of pain. Please never. Never again...

They were making this too easy.
Enraged beyond words, Belial sank his claws into the ground, waiting to see red blood pour up from the earth.
How dare they!
Not a sentry, not a single whinny of alarm, not one rolling eye, or gibbering tongue! Did they think they were allowed to freely celebrate such festivities?! By all rights, they should be cowering behind strong walls of wood, crying for daylight, and the thin protection it offered them. There was a Skinwalker among them! Were they really so naive?
Belial's snarl of mad rage slowly, oh so slowly, turned into something worse.
"Clearly, they need to be taught a lesson." he said in low sing-song, and stalked closer to the unsuspecting groups, head held jauntily with pleasure at what was to come.
He observed that both parties seemed to revolve around a theme of looking like something they were not. The pathetic two-leggers covered their heads and frail limbs in ragged bits of fur and feather. Even through the resemblance was crude, he could see eagles, bears, wolves, and even horses. The Soquili were doing something similar, he observed. Draped with vine and bits of plants, as they gracelessly stomped about a fire. Filthy things.
His stalking had brought him gradually closer to the two-leggers' celebration, as he was of a mind to dispense punishment for daring to cover themselves with fur like a Skinwalker.
Just as he was about to leave the shadows of the trees, however, a young two-legger burst from her piddling bundle of sticks and hide, grinning, laughing, and make all kinds of disgusting noise. Belial froze, bloodlust rising in him like warm, molten gold. He shivered in pleasure, as he watched the brat's parent emerge with a bundle of feathers in her arms.

"Hold still, Aponi!" Matoaka chided her daughter, as she struggled to pull the carefully woven costume over her head. She laughed as Aponi's face appeared through a wash of brilliantly colored feathers. "You must have feathers before you fly off, little bird!"
Aponi giggled and settled down then, letting her Mom add the last pieces of her blue jay costume. When the last thong had been drawn snugly, Aponi marveled at the little wings attached to her arms, and flapped them about energetically.
"Look, Mom, I'm a bird!" she cried, drawing indulgent laughter from Matoaka.
"Yes, you are, aren't you!" she replied, and caught her daughter up in a hug before shooing her off to the celebration. "I just need to finish adding a few beads to my costume, and then I'll join you, okay? Go on now, and mind the feathers!"
Matoaka smiled maternally as she watched her young daughter run off towards the dancing figures and firelight. Sighing, she ducked inside the teepee, and its warm closeness to pick up her needle and nearly finished costume.
Quickly falling into the rhythm of needle and hide, Matoaka was startled when the opening to the teepee was pushed aside, and a golden dog poked its nose in, panting.
Puzzled, for she hadn't seen this particular dog before in thier village, Matoaka put her costume down, and got up to shoo it outside where it belonged. Perhaps a visitor had brought it with them?
"Shoo, go on, doggie." she said, not unkindly. But the dog instead wagged its tail, and came the rest of the way into the teepee. It looked up at her with startlingly beautiful eyes, and whined in a pleading fashion.
Matoaka laughed then, a bent down to pat the dogs' head.
"You remind me of my Father's dog when I was little." she observed, and stood back up. "Let's see if you know any tricks, eh?"
"Sit." she commanded, and the dog sat obediently. Matoaka clapped, then commanded, "Jump!"
Muscles uncoiling, mouth agape, the dog leaped for her throat.

Over where the Soquili danced an elaborate pattern around their bonfire, Mab paused in her steps, nearly causing the Soquili to her left to run into her. He snorted, annoyed, but Mab had her ears pricked to the wind.
"Do you hear that?" she asked him, confusion crossing her pink muzzle. The stallion grumpily listened for something, expecting to hear only the fire crackling, and the stomp of hooves. Surprised at what he did hear, he looked toward the human celebration with an expression of growing fear. Why were the humans screaming?
As the sound steadily grew, each and every Soquili stopped their dance to stare and listen. What was going on?
The Stallion swallowed, and finally spoke.
"We should go see what's wrong." he suggested, and started towards the sounds.
However, a rustling in the bushes met him halfway, and he halted. Something stepped out of the bushes. It's body looked like a horse, but it was covered in some strange, limp hide, two glowing eyes peering out from a ruin of skin. With a dawning horror, the Soquili recognized its shape.
Belial grinned bloodily from behind his 'costume', and giggled into the silence.
"Look. I'm a human."

Hisham had been told his name meant "generous". As he stood watching the lights of fires twinkling in the distance he knew just how generous he was going to be that night. Celebrations were abound, wishes made, joys shared, laughter expelled...it was perfect. He leaned forward ever so slightly, his smile hidden in the night. He took the nimble form of a coyote, leaping through the grass towards the human settlement. He would visit both celebrations, after all there was...enough of his intentions to go around. But he had to start somewhere.

He slipped among the fires, ducking into the shadows or hiding in the glow. As the humans danced and played, he listened closely to what they had to say. He was searching for the ideal subject. Finally he pinpointed a young woman sighing off to the side, her eyes stolen by a young man not far away. With a leap and a flick of his tail he darted stealthily to her side, just out of site of the others.

"What is it that you desire?" he asked her in a coarse whisper, "Tell me and I shall grant it to you."

The woman was surprised, but also clearly distracted. She answered immediately without thinking, her eyes glued to the young man, "I wish I could have his heart..." She sighed at her own half-poetic response.

A chuckle bubbled up in Hisham's throat, "I shall grant your wish."

Before moving on he left her a gift, the stilled, bleeding heart of her desired sweet-heart spilled at her feet.

He moved along to the celebrations of the soquili. There he kept a greater distance, knowing the range of their hearing. Again he waited, the evening flying away with the cold October breeze. But once more he found a subject of his attention. A mare had wandered away briefly to a pool of water to fix her mane.

Drawing close he whispered, "What is it that you desire? Tell me and I shall grant it to you."

In the dark all she saw was a little canine, and, with frustrating building at the failure of her appearance she blurted, "I wish I was the most beautiful mare here...it'd be so much easier."

"I shall grant your wish," he murmured and was gone.

By the end of the night she was the most beautiful; the faces of all the mares had been ripped apart beyond recognition.

Both celebrations, due to the terror, had disbanded. The humans took care of their own as did the four legged ones. While the humans remained in the same area, mares, stallions, and foals headed off to their nightly resting places further out. It was then, when Hisham had thought his work was done for the night, that he came upon a lonely foal.

He didn't even need to ask the question.

"I wish I had a purpose," the foal mumbled drearily, his sorrow perhaps too drowning for one so young.

"I shall grant your wish," Hisham growled, towering over the small form. He spent the rest of the night devouring him slowly and taking his reward for his good work.

Perhaps they had forgotten that Hisham also meant "to crush".

The Moon... The full, golden moon.

It called to him, but held no sway over him at the same time.

It was a glorious night. Full of carnal desires. His desires.

And by the way his sensitive ears picked up soft shouts of revelry, his desires would be sated tonight. A snarling bark of laughter escaped his muzzle as he crept closer to the encampment. His tiger-striped fur was no help for camouflage, but that didn't matter. He was entering the far side of the Native's camp...creeping closer and closer until only one teepee separated him from a glorious night.

Yes. He would dance in their blood this night. And when the ground was saturated and red, he would bathe in the remainder of it...and there was always, always more. And the challenge of tearing through the soft flesh of those weak, hen-pecked Soquili was alluring. Still, this was merely a side event to that... The main show.

But it didn't mean he would enjoy it any less.

No. Human blood and flesh had a unique taste, unlike that of any other.

It was a delicacy.

He called upon the change as easily as he breathed; it was a natural action. Even the pain of bones shifting, splitting, and reforming was like a sigh of wind against his ears. Huge paws flexed, muscles beneath his pelt quivering in anticipation. They were dancing around the fire, their drums echoing in a rapid tattoo that matched the pounding of his heart…and as the climax sounded and the drums beat at a furious pace, he gathered himself, feeling the viable, endless amount of strength within. If it were possible, the drums seemed to gain speed, and he struck, tearing out from behind the teepees with a vicious howl that couldn‘t have come from a normal Soquili‘s throat.

It was ravenous, psychotic, and it carried death on every note.

The shrieks from the once joyous celebration turned to discordant screams that were, undoubtedly, the Skinwalker‘s melody.

A strong Brave was his target, but he didn‘t snap his neck. No...

The screams were part of it; their fear added to the flavour. A paw on his shoulder, another on his pelvis, and the skin walker bent his great head over the pathetic, squirming human while his mate howled her horror and grief. The flesh gave easily beneath his teeth, and blood rushed into his mouth as he tore through the skin to the insides beneath. Intestines were ripped out, the man shrieked and howled, thrashing in his ever-weakening attempt to escape.

Lifting his head, he snarled, violently shaking it to forcibly remove the long length of entrails, blood flying and splattering upon his otherwise pristine coat, his markings of victory for the night. A few minutes of delicious, divine ripping and tearing until the human moved no more...and he heard the sounds he knew would come.

The thunder of hooves, the cries of some of the braver Soquili from their celebration not far off.

He grinned ferally, blood glistening upon his maw and sharp teeth. 'Yes. A glorious night indeed!'

Leaving the mutilated carcass upon the ground, as it served no further use, he turned to go meet his challenger. A wild battle cry tearing itself from deep inside, he raced out of the village, muscles tensed and ready for the glorious fight and feast ahead of him.

All Hallow‘s Eve...

The full moon...

They were witnesses to his great, unstoppable desires. His desires that were ultimately sated by blood and flesh and the screams of the frightened and dying.