[PRP] Dazed, Confused, Adopted? (Lethe x Barracus) *fin*

[Faithofthefallen]

Barracus paused in his contemplation and appraised the foal before him coolly. "Wise of you." he rumbled in his deep silky tones, "But then, what do you want, my pet?" He was maliciously pleased that his manipulation was already bearing fruit. The young were easily swayed, it seemed. Although her fear and blood would have been a delicious banquet, the chaos and destruction he could bring forth through her would be sweeter. Still, a wave of revulsion shuttered through him as he contemplated what he must do next. She was young, unschooled, and would require his guidance to be cultivated into the merciless monster he truly desired to unleash on the world. He had tried violence, blackmail, and bloodshed and that had failed. Despite how satisfying it had been to so thoroughly shatter Karloff's spirit, the colt had escaped him for the time being. He had offered to bring about Karloff's cursing as a release from the madness and pain his life had become. He wanted Lethe to see it as a reward, to yearn for it, to offer up one who was already cursed would be interesting. Perhaps she would bypass all that tiresome guilt so many cursed walkers experienced in the beginning. Once she was unleashed, he could move ion, satisfied that another being had been torn asunder by has manipulative claws and that yet more lives would be destroyed by his handiwork... Not quite as satisfying as peeling flesh from bone himself, but he couldn't be everywhere at once. And once he grew bored, then perhaps he would kill Lethe too. It was the cycle of life after all, what he had brought into being, he would take out as well.

tefla

 

[tefla]

What did she want?

Lethe's mind flickered briefly to the hazy memory of waking up confused and alone. The memory caused her to flinch as the phantom pains flared up once again. To find out who had attacked her would be a blessing as it would allow her to banish the unknown from her mind. In order to heal the memory the identity of her attacker needed to be unlocked. Until that moment came it was possible that every sudden newcomer would be treated to an unwelcome surprise of distrust from the foal. Perhaps now the only one, who could be trusted, in a way, was the stallion that she stood next to of her own free will.

Besides the vague impression of standing so freely at her mother's side this was the perhaps the safest, and at the same time, most perilous feeling in Lethe's young life. Why did it take another who had the apparent ease of being able to end her life make her feel right at home? It seemed as though it was a very heady and dangerous mixture that had Lethe gazing at Barracus with something akin to trust. He had allowed her near to him and hadn't chased her away. He had even allowed her access to feed. Her stomach gurgled happily at the reminder. She wasn't hungry anymore. Finally she was able to find her voice, "what do I want?"

Her words parroted his before she continued, "I thought at first that I would have wanted to locate my mother but that would mean that I'd need a whisper of her whereabouts. I don't have the luxury of wandering around these lands alone. I'd be picked off rather quickly."

Lethe gave Barracus a knowing look. She still felt uneasy around the large stallion. He was still a skinwalker. He'd shown her what she believed was courtesy and it confused her greatly. She cleared her throat, "but maybe I should wait for that moment to come naturally. What do you think I should do?"

Lethe left the question hanging between herself and Barracus. A patch of white on her front leg was dripping in red. She lowered her gaze from Barracus and dutifully began cleaning the soiled area. A lingering taste of blood hit her mouth and Lethe hummed in satisfaction. She would have longed to finish off the deer carcass but that would mean that she would turn her back and walk away from Barracus. In the back of her mind Lethe knew it wasn't a wise decision to do something like that. She contented herself to the faint taste that she was receiving from her actions. Her talons clenched the earth as she finished. Her hunger was sated. Now what was going to happen?

Faithofthefallen

 

[Faithofthefallen]

Barracus pulled himself to all fours and stalked over to where the filly stood, cleaning the blood from her leg. His smile was chilling as he tilted her chin up with one paw to look at him, his long claws were unsheathed ever so slightly so that their sharp points pressed gently against the tender flesh almost hard enough to break the skin but not quite. He enjoyed unnerving her, confusing her, would enjoy making her blood flow, but time enough for that later.

"I am curious..." He purred as he peered down into her eyes, "What exactly are you, little morsel?" He was well within reach of those lethal looking claws, but the potential for violence brought him more excitement than trepidation. She would bleed out convulsively in moments if he sliced her jugular, there was no real danger for him. "I have never seen, nor smelled your like."

tefla

 

[tefla]

Lethe had almost finished cleaning the soiled fur from her legs when she felt Barracus's presence home in on her location. She gave an imperceptible flinch when she felt his paw rest underneath her chin. She gave into the motion and raised her chin to meet his piercing gaze. Lethe swallowed reflexively before hearing his statement questioning what she was.

How could she go about answering this? She had known her mother and what she was, but she'd been removed from her siblings while still in her basket. She'd yet to even meet the other parts of her family. "I am unique then," it came out more as a question than a statement and Lethe decided to elaborate. "I cannot exactly say what I am. All I've known is the parent that raised me. She wasn't exactly a model parent as was very quiet on my origins. Truthfully I have no idea what I am."

Faithofthefallen

 

[Faithofthefallen]

Barracus' stare was hungry and intense, he let out a sharp laugh, "You almost smell like a skinwalker. But there's something else there... Something alien. I think I will keep you, until I have unraveled your mystery... And then I think I will kill you... Once you are no longer amusing, of course... How does that sound?"

His lips spread in a gruesome smile, his teeth still stained with blood, his hot breath washed over the filly, tinged with the odor of rotting flesh. "Your parents may have been substandard, but you should be thankful to them all the same. Your strange appearance and scent have curbed my appetite for the night...." His sharp gaze swept across the forest around them, "There is much I could teach you before your time arrives, but will you accept my lessons Lethe, or will you cower and squirm like another foolish piece of meat? Follow me home, or be dragged, its of no concern to me."

tefla

 

[tefla]

To hear that Barracus wanted to unravel the mystery that was her uniqueness would have flattered Lethe if it weren't for the words at the end of that same sentence. The filly felt herself shiver once at the prospect of dying at the paws of this skinwalker but it didn't cause her to run off. There was not anything in her genetics that was truly unusual but perhaps it was that strange meeting that Terra had only told her about once before never bringing the subject up again. To be dissected by a skinwalker's curiosity was bringing a sense of dread to her mind but Lethe stood her ground. This study might last a while ... perhaps then she'd be able to find herself away from this strange stallion who'd taken an interest in her.

Lethe's ice blue eyes met Barracus's own squarely. Was it honor that she felt at being able to learn from such a creature or false bravado? Whatever the sensation that Lethe was feeling she knew that her next answer would seal the deal for what she was going to expect from the rest of her youth and the beginnings of her adult life. Her life would be a haze of pain and death and blood. It was no different if she couldn't learn to fend for herself. Her best option was to stick near to Barracus. He'd for surely feed her if he needed her to keep up with her ability to learn from him. Her gaze burned brightly as she spoke, "I am willing to learn all that you have to teach. I do not wish to be seen as prey but as a predator in my own right."

Faithofthefallen

 

[Faithofthefallen]

Barracus turned without word and led the foolish morsel towards his cave in the mountains, beyond hope of escape or redemption. His golden eyes were ripe with evil intent and his glistening fangs were bared in sadistic amusement.

This would be fun.

FIN