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 Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:30 pm
Zach didn't know where he was at this point. He had to get away from everyone. Hiding wasn't good enough. Avery, Colche, and another man he'd almost killed and he didn't even know why. Where were the caves here? He needed to find a cave. They must be higher up... It would be theraputic, he supposed. There were caves in the mountain. But the mountain was so tall... he wouldn't make it up there easily. He couldn't look down. That was the main thing to remember. His bandaged tail twitched and curled in fear.
He followed the mountain path, less and less on two legs and more on three. Before leaving he had deliberately shoved his terrible feet into shoes, and they were hurting badly from it. He'd stop and take them off here. The claws were stuck in the leather, so he sat down a good distance from the cliff to dislodge them and look for a place to rest. He panted as he pulled at the boot.
The sound of a pained voice echoed from behind him. He turned around. Someone was in a cave here, and they didn't sound like they were enjoying themselves. What was another person doing all the way out here? He abandoned his efforts and crawled, slowly, into the darkness of the cave. If they came at him, or if he got too close to them, he'd run. He'd just have to mind the cliffs or he'd fall to his death.
"Hello?" he called out.
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:38 pm
Emelyn jumped at the sound of someone coming. More and more these days, the hedgehog within her pushed insistantly, begging to come to the surface to deal with these split-second decisions. Regardless of its last intrusion into her life- and how it had saved her life...Emelyn was still wary of handing herself over to the animal.
So although deep in her mind, an animalistic voice begged her to hide- to curl in a corner, to pretend she heard nothing... Emelyn swallowed back a lump of self-doubt... and answered the voice.
"Hello?" She said tentatively, reaching over for her makeshift knife, hiding it in her palm... just in case.
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:51 pm
Zach slid against the wall of the cave until he heard the voice answer him back. It sounded... familiar. Oh god, it was someone he knew. It was Emelyn! He was torn. Her voice really didn't sound good. The predator, still pissed from the previous day's failure to catch live prey itched him mentally at that. It would settle for something sick or wounded... He noticed and fought the urge back all he could. He'd never let that happen again. Reaching in the darkness, his hand only hit cold rock. Good. He wasn't close enough to her for anything bad to happen instantly.
He was still panting from his endless uphill trek, and sank to his knees to keep himself from being as much of a threat to her. He couldn't see in this darkness. The old mining helmet wouldn't have fit now, anyway. Not with the two footlong horns curving up over his head. "Emelyn... oh my god... where are you?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:59 pm
Emelyn finally recognized the voice. It was Zach. She calmed, dropping the flint knife, and silencing the hedgehog fear within her. Zach wouldn't hurt her. He was such a sweet soul.
"I'm probably just above you," she said, her voice thin from being silent for so long, "Your voice sounds close. There's an entrance to a shallow cave after you come to a flat precipice in the rock."
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:21 pm
Zach nodded and followed the directions, though it was a little slow thanks to his feet. He felt along the floor until he hit the woven basket. That meant he was close. He backed up carefully after that, not wanting to endanger her. Where was she? He could hear a little breathing if he listened carefully. He jumped when his tail scratched against the wall, and he grabbed it to hold onto it. He didn't want Emelyn to know what had happened to him.
He felt his own heart pounding. For an instant back there - before Emelyn had answered him back - he'd had the most horrible flashback. His left shoulder twinged, unusually painful as it had been since the transformation. He was sweating everywhere there weren't scales to stop it.
He squinted to no avail. "You sound sick... is everything okay?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:29 pm
Emelyn saw him clearly as soon as he kicked the empty basket she kept just inside the door. ...And her breath left her- suddenly, almost irrevocably. Zach had transformed- and into something monstrous. Emelyn didn't recognize what he had become- but in a way she'd never been before Jamal had attacked her... she was wary of him, and her hand returned to the knife. This time- she didn't pick it up- but simply left her quavering hand upon it. Just in case.
"No... I'm... not sick." The pause that followed was ominous. "...I see you've changed," she said softly, drawing her knees up to her chest.
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:50 pm
"Oh, that's a relief. It sounded like you were..." He was about to ask about her cave, but there was an awkward pause.
His mouth suddenly went dry as she stated what he knew was true. He grimaced, though he forgot that it showed off his terrible new teeth. How she could see him was a mystery, but he heard the quaver of fear as she spoke it. There was no doubt that she really did see the horns, and the tail, and the yellow eyes.
It didn't hurt like some of the injuries he'd sustained the other day, but it was a different kind of hurt and it seemed most tragic at the time. He worked his mouth a moment, but nothing really seemed to come out. "I... y-yeah..." His claws dug into his tail as he stood holding it with embarassment. All the terror over his new features had once more been drained from him, as he'd earlier reassessed his appearance. He was still disgusted by his lizardy looks though. Emelyn brought it all back.
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:55 pm
"What are you doing up this high?" She whispered, her hand hesitating on the knife- his voice sounded so sad. Did she really think he'd attack her?
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:02 pm
Was she defenseless? wondered the predator. Zach shifted uncomfortably on his feet. He wouldn't lie to her about what he was doing here, but he didn't want to make mention that he'd nearly attacked three seperate people just out of hunger.
"I'm running away," he answered wistfully. He had been in such a panic he'd almost forgotten how fearfully tall the mountain was. The caves were safe, though. He didn't feel as scared in the dark where he couldn't see heights.
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:06 pm
She heard a strain of fear... and maybe even self-pity in his voice. Emelyn herself would have pitied the man- were her mind free of the occupation of... suspicion.
"It's hard to run, Zach... when there's nowhere to go." She said simply.
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:14 pm
"You have a point." He let go of his tail, which resigned itself to curling and uncurling as he spoke, a hint of deliberating madness in his voice. "But I'm too... dangerous... to just stay in the village. Something happened. I just have to keep my distance from all the islanders." He wasn't going to use the term 'freaks' in front of the hedgehog-girl, for no matter how much he felt himself to be one among many, she wasn't a freak in his eyes.
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:23 pm
"You're... dangerous?" Emelyn's voice held the presence of her mind- which had practically snapped. Her hand tightened around her knife. "Zach, if you've attacked people... if you're thinking of doing it to me- I'm sorry- I know it's not your fault... but if you come near me and you even think you might hurt me, I'm going to stab you." Her voice was low, ragged, and nearly hysterical.
"Jamal almost killed me a few days ago. I can't go through that again."
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:40 pm
He blinked in surprise. How had she known? Maybe he wasn't going crazy. He couldn't see the knife, but he didn't doubt she had something to protect herself with. Personally, he really didn't want to be stabbed, but he couldn't know when this damn... thing... would lash out again. Zach gave a short gutteral growl as his fear was taken advantage of by his predatory instinct. He shut his mouth quickly and put his hand to it to keep himself silent.
He had to leave. Now.
He backed away unsteadily, several claws now poking through his shoe material. His yellow eyes looked sorry as he made one last scan of the dark little cave for her spiny form. He saw nothing.
The news that Jamal had attacked her was confusing. Jamal had seemed calm, collected, and above attacking other islanders. Had something happened to him? Emelyn wasn't -- he stopped in mid-thought. Oh dear. He wasn't alone in this strange bloodlust. Was there no way to control it?
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:51 pm
Emelyn gasped at the sound of the growl, pushing up against the cave wall even though it put painful pressure against her infant spines. She refused to let herself feel guilty for her words- not when he'd given a growl such as that one- such a predatory, primal sound of- what? Anger? Disappointment? Emelyn steeled her eyes against the leaving form, and called after him with a sort of resolution and resolve.
"I'm sorry Zach, but I can't take the chance. Not when you've already said you're dangerous."
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:05 pm
In contrast to Emelyn gaining confidence, Zach was losing his. He was filled with self-defeat, unable to control his animal desires. Even his friends were becoming enemies. There was no future for him. He didn't stop moving till he was back outside in the light of the sunset.
It was getting cold outside. He'd head back down the mountain while there was still light. A fall from these heights would kill him, and he didn't want that. He didn't like the heights at all. What a stupid choice to seek refuge up here. What a stupid choice to wear the shoes.
Exhausted and lonely, he left.
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