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 Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:06 pm
 It was getting late, and it was far past bedtime.
"Smoooooolder!"
The stallion was tired, but refused to give up. When his youngest failed to come home that evening, at first Daray simply assumed he was toddling behind. He was old enough to go out for a little while on his own without supervision, but Daray had never imagined that Smolder wouldn't have come home at all.
Gazing at the forest's edge, Daray looked back towards the cave he had long since called home. Aita and his other two little ones were tucked away safe and warm from the cold, and the dark stallion swore to bring their littlest back with him and they could once again be the happy little family they had started off as earlier that morning.
Taking a deep breath, his protective parental instinct overwhelmed any nervousness, and the older stallion took a step into the dark forest, his orange eyes searching desperately for the little babe.
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Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:19 pm
 As if on cue, nearly half a mile away, tiny eyelids fluttered open. Slowly waking up, the young colt winced in pain as he realized his head was throbbing from a splitting headache. Where was he again? Why was it so dark? And why did his thigh hurt so terribly bad?! As he attempted to raise his head, the memory of hours earlier flooded back into his mind. The scared feeling, the aloneness, the... the Skinwalker. Ignoring the pain, his head jerked around, suddenly fearful that the monster had returned with the second thought of devouring him. There seemed to be nothing amongst the trees, but looks could be deceiving. He sniffed the air for the scent of that wretched powder, but it seemed to have absorbed into his own skin from the attack, so he was unable to catch the scent of anything else that might be nearby. The POWDER! Glancing down at the horrible looking bite mark on his leg, the young foal attempted to bend over and get a better look at the wound. Sure enough, tiny gray specks seemed to dot the area, and the little creature immediately began to stress. Would this mean he would turn into what THAT thing had been?! Or maybe the powder wasn't the thing that changed the skinwalker... maybe it was something else. Leaning over, he tried to lick off the powder from the wound, but his neck couldn't stretch that far. He needed to find something to wash it off with... there was a creek nearby, wasn't there?! Still grimacing from pain, Smolder forced his tiny legs up and off of the ground, his headache returning to his attention with a vengeance. He needed to find that creek, and he needed to find it FAST.
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Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:25 pm
Daray used to take pride and considered himself to be a fast runner, but age and fatherhood had long since slowed his speed down tremendously. Keeping at a brisk but quiet trot, the stallion walked amongst the trees, his eyes keeping low to the ground in search of a dark little colt with white and yellow hair. Why Smolder had drifted so far from the cave, he didn't know, but at this point didn't care. Why or how didn't matter anymore; the only thing that mattered was getting him home safely.
He called his name out once more, the presence of kalonas or other night dwellers be damned. Daray was determined to find his son, no matter what the cost.
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Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:56 pm
Hobbling, the young foal made his way past the looming trees, careful to keep each step as quiet as he could. He was trembling, certain that the monster that struck before would strike him down and finish him off.
The howling rang in his ears, the sound never leaving his mind. Dad has briefly mentioned skinwalkers before, but that was in a tale that was meant to spook Smolder and his siblings. He never expected them to actually exist. How logical was that, a horse that turned into a coyote!?
Blinking, he paused as he heard the gentle sound of running water in the distance. He must be getting closer to the creek.
Logically, horses shouldn't turn into coyotes. Logically, horses also shouldn't have fire on their hooves and hair. Which would make Momma and brother just as illogical as a Skinwalker.... so Smolder gave in to the knowledge that Skinwalkers HAD to exist, and that was more than likely the creature that had attacked him, though he hadn't see her turn into a coyote before his very eyes.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:12 am
He opened his mouth again to call out his son's name, when a horrible stench found its way into the older stallion's nostrils, and Daray felt his mouth clamp shut as his nose scrunched up. It wreaked of death and disease, of rot and filth.
His ears now perked high, he kept a cautious eye out to his surroundings. Whatever created this scent surely wasn't something Daray imagined he'd like to meet. Instinct told him to turn back, to return to the warmth and comfort of his cavern home, but his love for his son kept his backbone strong and in place. He was not leaving the forest without Smolder.
Keeping his wits about him, the older stallion walked on, wary of the new smell that filled the air, but still determined as ever to find his youngest.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:18 am
He had finally reached the creek.
Careful of his sore legs, he gently eased himself into the shallow creek, the cold water chilling him with every step. He could feel his skin growing goosebumps all over as the icy water got deeper, the cold now rising higher as he submerged himself further into the creek. He could feel the moment his injury touched the water, oh how it stung so much!
Feeling a tear form in the corner of his eye, he gritted his teeth and forced his leg deeper, his thigh now completely submerged in the freezing water. His legs felt numb, and a constant tingle was now passing through his shoulders and stomach. It must mean the water was cleansing him!
He walked along the creek, allowing the water to do this stinging 'cleansing', and finally turned to draw himself out of the water, figuring he'd cleaned his wound enough to prevent further damage. All of a sudden, he heard a crunching sound a few yards away, among the nearby forest trees. Someone was walking on the leaves that were scattered across the forest ground, and they were coming towards HIM.
He ducked his head low, scared red eyes looking out into the shadows. Had the monster returned for him?
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:26 am
At first, he had thought the forest was playing tricks with his hearing. But, soon enough, the sound of a splash grew louder. Something must be in the creek nearby, and Daray was going to find out if that certain something was his certain something.
Stepping further, he didn't realize he himself was creating a noise with the leaves below, until it was too late, and he was already out of the clearing.
Peering over towards the creek with orange eyes, Daray glanced about to see if he could find anything swimming about in its waters. Being a moonless night, there was nothing to reflect off of the running water, so he was forced to take steps closer towards the creek to get a better look.
"Smolder?" he called out again, his voice lower and much more quieter.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:38 am
The familiar voice rang out in the darkness like how Momma's fire lit up the cave, and Smolder felt himself quickly rise up, and struggle to scamper out from the freezing creek.
"Daaaaaaaaad!" he cried out, choking back a sob. Emotions were overtaking him, and his initial, childish response was to run up and cling to the father he'd known since the day he was born. The lovable stallion who cared for him, protected him... kept him from harm.
Wait just a damn minute. Kept him from harm?!
The little colt skidded to a halt, a few feet away from the stallion, despite the ache and protest his little limbs made from the quick jerk. This wasn't a father that loved him... this wasn't a father that loved him at ALL. This was a father who had left him in the hooves (or paws?) of that horrible skinwalker, and by the grace of another wolf's howl had kept the monster from eating him. No, his father hadn't done anything to protect him, not in the least.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:50 am
He was startled when the sudden move from the creek bounded towards him, but as his eyes recognized the scurrying form of his youngest son, Daray felt a huge wave of relief wash over him. Smolder seemed fine... why he was in the water was beyond him, but physically, he seemed fine.
When the young foal's desperate expression flew into a scowl, Daray's eyebrows rose. The running had stopped as well, and now the foal stood before him, glaring at him. If anyone should be glaring, it should be HIM, since Smolder was the one who had run off!
"What's wrong, son?" he asked, concerned, as he stepped forward to nuzzle the small colt. "You had us worried, Smolder. What were you doing?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 11:12 am
He gritted his teeth together, fighting against their urge to clatter from the icy wetness soaking into his fur.
"What were YOU doing, Da?" he snapped back, the tears in his eyes quickly fading away, replaced by an angry stare, "What were YOU doin' with that... that THING found me?!"
Little brown hooves dug deep into the earth below. He was cold, more than cold, but wasn't about to approach an unloving father in attempts to get warm again. No, he'd rather freeze. Freezing was such a better option.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 11:20 am
Daray froze.
"What thing got you, Smolder?" he asked slowly, his eyes widening in alarm. The foal appeared to be physically fine, but after taking a brisk circle around him, eyed the deep gash in the foal's side. He felt his heart plummet into his stomach at the sight... the bleeding had stopped, but it was horrible looking all the same. His son was attacked, and Daray hadn't been around to stop it.
"Oh... Smolder." he whispered, his eyes unable to quit looking at the mark, "What the hell happened?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 11:40 am
The little colt defiantly turned sideways, breaking the view between his father and his new wound. He sounded like he cared... maybe he was really sorry he hadn't been around when it happened? He sounded sorry...
No, he wasn't sorry. He was just pretending to care because that's what fathers HAD to do. If he'd really have cared for him, he wouldn't have let him run off at night for so long.. wouldn't have let that skinwalker attack him.
"It was nothing." he snapped, trying to appear much older than he truly was, "A skinwalker, I think. But it's over, I washed off the bite mark in the water." He motioned his head, pointing towards the creek. "Not that you'd care or nothin'."
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:29 pm
Concern spread over the father's face. Why was his son acting this way?
He accounted it up to the fact he had his mother's Nightmare blood running through his veins, and whenever Aita would get upset, she'd throw an unforgettable tantrum. Perhaps that's why Smolder was lashing out like this. But he had never acted like this, never at all. What had gotten into the little guy?
"A skinwalker, eh?" He asked gently, moving around to once again to get a better inspection of the wound. Daray was nearly positive his son hadn't met up with a skinwalker. Daray himself had never encountered one before, but knew for legend and lore that skinwalkers were the type to never let anything live. And Smolder, as bright as he might be, would have no chance up against a monster like that. So it had to have been something else... maybe a coyote, perhaps? Though still a foal, his youngest had spark to him.
"Was it a dog, then, Smolder?" he inquired, glancing closer at the bite marks. They seemed far too large to be from a wolf or coyote... hell, it looked almost as wide as Aita's or his own mouth's size!
He drew away from the mark with a shudder. There was no telling what it could have been, not with the forest being so dark. Had there been more light, he might have been able to see the scattered remains of gray dust specks lodged deep within the wound, their mystical power continuing to absorb into young Smolder's body, its evil magic already beginning to twist the young colt's mind and DNA.
Nudging the colt forward with his muzzle, Daray motioned for him to start walking. "Let's get back to the cave, Smolder."
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:53 pm
He grunted, and jerked away from his father, ignoring the painful stings that ran up his legs with every movement.
"It was NOT a dog, it was a SKINWALKER." he growled, getting more upset. First his dad doesn't even show up when he's attacked, and now he doesn't even believe him?! Smolder was beginning to wonder what he even SAW in this stallion to make him want to love him. Pft... love didn't matter. It was obvious enough his family didn't care about him. Why should he care about them? Or anyone else, for that matter? Nobody helped Smolder, so Smolder would just help himself!
Still scowling, he shot yet another glare at the stallion as he was nudged, and the colt started off in the direction pointed out for him. He'd go back to the cave, but he wasn't going home. As far as he was concerned, Smolder no longer had a home. These creatures didn't care for him because they wanted to, they cared for him because they were obligated to.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 1:03 pm
"Alright, alright already, so you saw a skinwalker!"
Daray gave up, not wanting to start an argument over it. His son most definitely ran into something that bit him, but it seemed like Daray would never discover exactly what that something was. All he could hope for was that the predator wasn't poisonous, nor carried any disease with it. He'd heard tales from the nearby two-walker's village about a horrible plague that cursed some canines, made them foam at the mouth and snarl at everything. It couldn't be possible for that to transfer to a horse, could it?
Just for reassurance, he glanced over at his son's angry face. It was a scowl, but no foaming. So they were safe in that area.
Skinwalker or not, Daray put aside his worries. The only way, from legend, a horse could turn into a skinwalker would be through some powder that certain two-leggers possess, and that a skinwalker itself couldn't curse another into becoming a skinwalker. It was a small relief, but a relief nonetheless.
"Your mother's been worried sick over you, you know," he said lightly as they continued the trek back towards the cave, "She's going to be thrilled to see you."
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