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 Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 8:09 pm
“There is something…that I do need you two to do.” She paused and bit her lip hesitantly before removing a dagger from the pack at her side. It was made of a weird ore and had markings from another time on it. “The fire…only blood connected with it can burn out the fire.” She looked pointedly at the boys, “I need to steal a bit for the blade.”
At the comment about Ashierra the wind cattaur did have a small smile, “I’ve known your mother for a while now.” Replied Jade calmly, “I have faith in her.” Crackling overhead made the cattaur flinch. They had to get moving, “I need to speak with her quickly. So can we go find her now?”
Ross stood rooted on the ground, but finally had to make himself move. “You want…us to cut ourselves with that blade?” His gaze widened. Why did Jade need to use a blade for this? To save their father? Was…this the only way that she spoke of?
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Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:20 pm
Reed's brow rose, ears pinning back. She wanted them to do what?! He looked at the blade suspiciously, his nose wrinkling. Ears twitching back up at the crackling noise and Jade's reaction to it, he grabbed the bade and turned to head back the way they'd come. If it was the only way to help mother in this... "What do you mean by our blood putting out a fire?" he asked as he sliced the sharp edge across his leg, wincing at the sting. Maybe mother wouldn't notice the cut on his leg with all the fur there...
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Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:57 pm
Stealing the blade from his brother Ross clenched his jaw before following his brother’s idea of slicing his leg. Still he couldn’t help but to wince as the cut slid across his skin making the blade damp and sticky. Letting out a sharp gasp he singed the cut back closed as it was used to doing whenever he managed his way out of a scrape. His gaze widened slightly as the blade seemingly drank both his and his brother’s blood before returning to its dark obsidian appearance. Though once he tilted it just right…there was a hue of crimson to it. He looked over at Jade. Just how many times had this blade been used before in this way?
At Reed’s question Jade paused uncertain about what reply to give the two. “It’s a dark past that just finally caught up to him is all.” She stated vaguely, “I can’t really explain it, but it has to end soon.” Before he was completely engulfed and lost to them. He gaze slid towards the ground at the thought before she looked back up towards the boys, “As it is we really should find your mother now.”
Ross frowned. He didn’t like how this was going. Something was missing to this puzzle and the teen wished she wasn’t so vague about it. “Fine.” Turning his back on the other two Ross started walking back the way they had come, back towards town.
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Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 6:05 pm
Reed didn't notice the blade's curious absorption. He was focused on Jade's expression, and reply. The past caught up... well that sounded familiar. What was happening to them right now?
End? End how? How definite was this end? Brow knitting, he sighed and followed after Ross. He was too confused to argue the point any further.
As it was, Ashierra was just reaching the inn when she caught the scents of her sons. Fresh. ...Of course they did. Right back into the forest. She'd known better. ..So why had she allowed them to stay behind?
Grumbling at her own foolishness, she turned toward the forest in time to see Jade and the boys through the treeline. "Nice to know that you two know how to follow directions," she growled, though her irritation didn't last. The looks on the boys... She swallowed her concern though, and turned. "Come on. Time to go." No need to waste another moment here.
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 9:49 am
“We aren’t going to leave here mom.” stated Ross quietly with his heart sinking in his chest at the words. Still his face was full of determination as he gazed towards Ashierra. He swallowed and looked over to his brother as he focused all his nerves into one place that he could shove aside, “There’s someone who needs our help.” His gaze softened as he felt a wave of sorrow at the thought, “We know who he was mom…is.” The teen looked away, “I refuse to leave here until something happens. You can try to drag me, you can leave but I’ll stay here even if I have try on my own.”
Ross looked back towards Reed with a faint grin, “Reed?” He would stay with him as well right?
Jade bit her lip thoughtfully. This whole mess…her gaze looked up towards AShierra’s, “Ashierra. He’s right though. I- “ She paused and shook her head, “No. Alek needs your help.” Her hand clutched at the satchel hanging from her side where she had hidden the blade, “But I must speak to you and you alone Ashierra.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 2:50 pm
Reed frowned, brow knitting tightly. This was such a disaster. What started out as a simple visit to the beach... He took a deep breath and moved to stand at Ross' side. "You need to listen to Jade, mother. It's important."
Ashierra's steps froze. Needed their help... They knew who... Important... Alek. Her fur spiked on end, and she spun with a pained, furious expression. "Needs our help? Since when? Why should I give a damn about what he needs?" She turned her hard gaze on Jade. "Where was he when we needed him? Huh? They were just babies, Jade. Babies! He abandoned us- he abandoned them! Why should I-?!" She gasped in and held her breath between clenched teeth with her head turned away. She didn't care! She didn't! She didn't!
.....Damn it. Why did she care?
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Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 6:35 pm
Ross looked over at his brother with relief. If there was anyone in this world he could count on it was always going to be Reed. The teen nudged his brother playfully before nearly jumping at the sudden anger from his mother. Damn. That was one pissed off fire cat. But he understood her reaction. A part of him had always rebelled against the idea of his father. Who needed him? The stupid guy who had broken their mother’s heart and deserted the whole family…he always felt bitter towards him.
But still that connection bothered him.
Maybe the guy did have his reasons…Ross looked towards Jade and was surprised to see actual anger on the wind cattaur’s features. Did their mother hit a point then?
“He saved you!” Jade replied her own fur spiking up on end with the air temperature dangerously dropping with it. “Don’t you understand that?” Her hands reached out at her sides as air swished around them coiling around the female who was finally breaking in her emotions, “It was because he loved you so much that he broke every promise he ever made to try! He wanted to stay so badly! But the boys-“ She gritted her teeth, “And you were so precious to him that he was afraid of destroying the very things so dear to him just like what happened years ago. He-He told himself that he would never do the same...” Tears stung at her eyes, “Don’t you dare turn your back on him! If he…if he loved you that much then I know that you had to love him just as much in turn.” Not anyone could just touch that male’s heart like that female had. Jade turned her gaze away from Ashierra before quietly settling the wind around her down. She hadn’t meant to lose control like that, “I’m sorry.” She whispered peeking up at the female before her, “But he really needs you Ashierra. He tried so hard to keep you away from this, but he can’t do it alone. Not anymore.”
“Reed.” Ross grabbed at his brother’s hand and tugged gently, “Let’s give them some space to talk.” He turned around and silently started back up the path. Though he wanted to listen so badly…but after what he heard he felt like his mother was the one who needed to hear this the most.
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Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 9:24 pm
Reed returned a weak smile to Ross before grabbing his arm in surprise. His ears pinned down into his hair and closed his eyes. He didn't want to see their mother like this. Her expression was surely as horrible as her voice was right then... And then Jade's soft voice turned... He could feel the air thickening... Looking to Ross, he gave a tiny nod. He gave the women a small glance before walking alongside his brother. "Ross... What should we do?"
Red hair whipping around in the new winds, Ashierra didn't flinch. Who was Jade to get angry?! Alek was the one who turned his back on them! Alek was the one who left without any explanation. Alek was the one... The one... He'd been her one. Her teeth were clenched tighter than her fists as she glared down at the ground. Sorry. Sorry... She didn't want sorry. She just wanted to know.
"Do what alone?!" she yelped, tears finally overflowing down her cheeks as her eyes rose, too worn to even glare now, shaking her head roughly. "I don't even know what he's fighting... Why he left..." Slowly, she took a couple steps forward. "It's that black fire.. isn't it. Why did it make him..?" She bit her lip, gnawing it hard. She wanted answers, but what were the questions? There probably wasn't even time for answers. "What.. what will happen to him if I help? What about the boys?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:11 pm
“Give them space.” Ross replied quietly. His heart sunk at the thought of having to leave things to his mother, but the teen was secretly still remembering the stark terror he had felt when that creature – his father- had his hands on him. Those dark eyes…a pit opened in his stomach. But still as he looked towards Reed the cattaur worried, “But you know. I’ve learned when some ladies have to figure it out then you give them space. Unless you like hand prints on your face.” He tried smiling with the joke, but it fell short of his eyes.
Jade lowered her hands, but lifted her gaze to watch Ashierra. “So you do remember then.” The wind cattaur hugged her arms around herself as a slight breeze wrapped along each arm, “I never understood fully why or what it does…he wouldn’t even tell me why his family was so twisted.” Her gaze flicked away. She had heard some more, but Alek didn’t know the extent of what she knew. He didn’t know the reason why. “If you help him you can free him before…before he becomes something completely different from the Alek you knew.” Her paws dug into the earth, “I don’t know about the boys. He thought that if he was away from them then…they would be safe.”
The wind carried the knife out of her bag towards the other cattaur, “Only you can get close enough to help him. He recognizes you still Ashierra…when you find him by the water then he’ll tell you what to do.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:45 pm
Reed shook his head. "You would know all about getting female hand prints on your cheeks," he tried to tease back, though even his lips barely twitched. "Ross, I swear I'd rather have both sides slapped red than leave mom alone to this." He crossed his arms, and glared to the side. Why weren't they strong enough to help.
"How could I forget?" she replied tightly, unconsciously stretching and clenching the hand that had once been burned. That black fire... was something from his family? So, he'd had it even before... She bit down on her lip hard. Running to keep the fire from them... Fool.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the blade coming toward her. What a wicked looking thing. How was she supposed to help him with that?! "He's still around then," she said quietly, reaching out to grab the knife. Finally confronting Alek, and she was going in to help him. How cruel life was...
Sighing, she took a deep breath and sniffed the air. By the water... "Watch the boys for me. You know they'll try to follow at some point. I don't want them near there at all." She stepped away a couple feet, and then paused. Slowly, she looked down at the knife in her hand. "Jade... Just one more thing. Can you tell me... Do you know... Was I actually close to him?" She felt the tears well up, and quickly blinked them away. "The Alek I knew... Was he real?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:00 pm
“I know.” His smile flickered away from his face, “That’s why even though I want to say just watch out for forest fires I know we can’t stay put.” He patted his brother’s arm, “Come on we’re sneaking through some more trees. But no jumping into action…just watching to make sure that mom is okay.” He veered from the path and towards the woods. Quickly before they could be caught and held back.
Jade looked towards the ground, “I know.” The fire was something that most would never be able to forget once it touched them. She couldn’t even begin to tell the stories. The reason why Alek had run. How he had watched his own mother burn before him because of the same fire overcoming his father. Not that his father ever had a heart like him. He was the only one from all of them to really try to shine. Against all odds he had tried…for so long he had struggled. Was this really the outcome?
“I can try to keep them at bay from you two. Don’t worry.” She looked up in surprise though at Ashierra’s question, “Was he real?” She actually chuckled softly, “He was different. For you he really was something.” Her breath was a sigh, “He loved you Ashierra…so much.” She paused before moving forward, “Come. I’ll show you the trail which will lead the way.” She brushed past the other cattaur and towards the forest.
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:16 pm
Ears perking, Reed looked at his brother in surprise, and then grinned sharply. "I should have figured.." His sharp grin morphed into a snarl as he ran after Ross. Mother... Dad... What had to be done to save them?
Love... Again, she kept the extent of her emotions at bay. She had more important things to do instead of standing there crying. Slowly, she followed after the green cattaur, only slowly picking up her pace. She didn't want to face this, but then again, she did. After so long... but what was he anymore? He wouldn't be what she remembered. That thing attacking her boys... She shook her head and straightened up, pulling out that old Ashierra attitude to bolster her commitment. To save Alek from himself...
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:33 pm
Ross stumbled to a halt as the noises moving through the forest caught up with them. So he had been right, the path that he and Reed had been on which had the scent of water ahead was the way that Jade was taking their mother. Was their father resting there? Pausing he leaned against the rough bark of a tree and attempted to peer through the branches.
As the sound of water filled her ears Jade stopped. “Here.” Pointing towards where a cascade of water flooded off of the cliff side the cattaur looked back towards Ashierra, “He’s resting in there. The water keeps him from losing completely.” It wasn’t normal that the steam was rising so sharply from the crashing waters. It was this area that she had been guarding for weeks now, ever since the shadows had drawn out the darkness within her friend.
As her paws touched the shallows of the water Jade had to stop. Here she could see the silhouette that the water caressed. “I can’t go much further, but I’ll be close and watching you. Don't worry.” Her winds moved about her as she reached out towards the skies, "I'll keep a barrier up around this area for you as well."
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:04 pm
Reed followed silently, stalking through the trees with his tail twitching and ears swiveling for sounds. A muffled note of Jade's voice slipped into his hearing, and he took his steps even more carefully.
A snort of the irony slipped out of her nose. "The water helps him.." Her clan had all been water magic based. All except for her. Couldn't manipulate a drop if she tried. Her frown deepened slightly as Jade ended her part of the journey, and she watched Jade vanish before looking where she'd been bidden to go. A barrier? Was that really necessary?
......What was she doing? She felt her paws moving, but they almost didn't feel like her own. This was crazy! This was insane! This was- ...Alek. Her hands tightened as she pushed through the undergrowth, eyes narrowing to peer through the steam. Her voice was caught in her throat as her front paws touched the heated water, stopping on the edge. Alek....
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:38 pm
Wind. Ross cursed lightly under his breath before reaching out to grab his brother and pull him against him and the tree. “Hold on.” His fur bristled as the wind magic swept past them forming a barrier just past the trees where they were sheltered.
Someone was moving nearby. But his head was pounding, just as much as the water which was pushing down at him. What was going on anymore? He felt so weighed down. There wasn’t anything stirring around him anymore. Nothing to fight, just the water…but there was. Someone was out there…who was out there? Was it just the wind again? His eyes opened to narrow slits as he tried to focus past the water which was blurring his vision even more so than his scrambled mind.
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