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 Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 1:48 pm
A sliver of moon hung in the sky above him as he flew. The night was yet young but Xelloss was already filled with a restlessness. Such a restlessness it was. It had taken hold of him the night he had failed to find his mistress. Beastmaster had been his mistress, his owner, since the day she had claimed his basket from whatever parents he once might have had. He had never missed them, though. How could he when his lady had been everything he had ever wanted in the universe? She guided him, ordered him, kept him in order when he might have slid into chaos.
She was gone now. Dead or otherwise, he could not find her.
And the restlessness plagued him more and more.
"Really now," he muttered to himself dryly over the wind that rushed past his ears. "Have I fallen apart this quickly?" His voice had a bitter bite... bitter and something else. It was something that was like despair but not so wholesome. It was darker than despair. She wasn't coming back to tell him what to do with himself. It was all up to him.
He heard laughter and moments later realized it was his own. He was free! What a wonderful and terrible concept to envision. Freedom! Freedom to his restlessness... restlessness and hunger.
His wings folded slightly, bringing him closer to the ground. His violet eyes were slitted open and he scanned the terrain below him. Maybe he'd be able to find something down there to satisfy both of those aches....
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Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:28 pm
 The world was dull. That was just how it was. Thorn had, at one point in her life, journeyed down from the mountains once a year to see the snow and ice. Without the journey the ice wasn't as pretty she had come to find. There also was not much of it at all this year.
Her eyes narrowed before she kicked out at the innocent tree in front of her. It trembled but did not drop any snow. There was no snow to drop, it was all on the ground. It was all very frustrating. She did not like the snow on the ground, it had turned brown and yellow in places and was horribly disgusting. She only liked pretty things. Where were her berries and apples? Where were her flowers and fires? Where were her beautiful angels?
The sound of laughter drew her attention to the sky and brought hope to her eyes. Was it Krad or maybe it was her precious painting, Seraphia! Her dark olive eyes scanned the heavens for signs of her golden beauties. She saw no sign of either of them and frowned. Their light colors made them stand out in the dark which left her with one conclusion, it wasn't them.
But, if not them, then who was it? She focused her eyes on the dark sky using the little light provided by the moon to assist her search. After several long moments she saw something moving against the starry backdrop. It was very clear that this creature was not any of her beauties. She frowned and flicked her tail feeling rather annoyed by this.
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Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:04 pm
The sparse moon and starlight was enough to give everything beneath him a silvery glow. Xelloss supposed he might have found it beautiful if he possessed any appreciation for such things. As it was, he didn't. It was just another aspect of the landscape and one readily ignored. It was-
He spun sharply, angling himself into a circling glide as he squinted down. There was something down there far more silvery than moonlight alone could account for. It was something big. Something soquili-sized. Something. Or someone.
His heartbeat, already marching swiftly from the exertion of flying, quickened more still. Someone.
He had neither master nor mistress now. He had no missions, no games. Nothing to hide. No masks he needed to wear. Nothing holding him back from doing whatever he might like. Nothing. At. All. His eyes were fully opened now and their slit pupils widened with anticipation.
It was then that he swooped down. It was a reckless dive more than anything else. His wings folded almost flat against his body and only flared to break his speed the moment before he hit the ground. Though he was still on all four hooves the sudden impact and change in altitude left him disoriented. For a brief moment he stared at the soquili in front of him as if unaware of what she was or where she had come from.
Then he remembered. "Heeeello there." He said this greeting through a false smile and past many sharp teeth that tonight he wasn't bothering to hide. "Nice night for a walk, isn't it?" He giggled, a high-pitched sound that carried far in the otherwise empty forest. Every thing about him, from his lashing tail to his strained and strange smile suggested a creature on the edge.
Freedom. Is this what freedom is? He was almost breathless with excitement and arousal... that or he still hadn't caught his breath from the sudden dive, not that the cause mattered to him at this moment. The only thing that mattered was those aches within him and the target that he thought might hold the cure for them...
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Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:40 pm
She watched, somewhat alarmed, as the shape was was watching all but fell from the sky in her direction. She took several steps backward until her hindquarters met with the bark of the tree she had attacked earlier. Afraid of whatever this was she was not but she was cautious. Thorn was none to fond of being snuck up on, or dive bombed. Only when the other had landed did she step away from the tree.
Dark olive eyes narrowed at the greeting. It was the same stupid greeting she received where ever she went and she rarely received it well. She only returned it pleasantly when she found herself in favorable company, this person was not in that category.
Dark and speckled like dust, spoke like every other creature out there, had ugly horns atop his head and disgusting tail. The only saving qualities were the few feathers on the unfortunately leathery wings and the red marks on him. She scoffed and laughed slightly. "Yes it is a nice night for a walk. So perhaps you should be on your merry way then." She said rather dismissively with a matching toss of her head.
She had no desire to spend time with rather ugly creatures. Her time was better spent seeking out the icicles that didn't exist. Without another word she turned to go do just that. She could care less that his teeth were pointed like a predator, she simply did not feel threatened. Why should she?
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:40 am
Xelloss didn't know whether to laugh or sneer. Speaking with the races other than kalona was usually an interesting experience for him. Many were frightened and would run at the sight of his serpentine tail. More than he would have predicted didn't show any fear at all, though that was through inexperience rather than bravery. It was the ones that did attempt to show some sort of bravery that were... contemptible? Pitiable? Admirable? No... not that last one. Why would flinging yourself into the jaws of something that you knew could bite be something to be proud of?
It seemed to him like this mare was attempting such bravery. His strange smile only grew wider. "Be on my merry way, you said?" He tilted his head and paused, seeming to give it consideration. "Hmm.... how about..."
His body seemed to make the decision to strike before Xelloss himself did. With the last breath of "about" he was jerking his hindquarters around and with it his barbed tail. His tail swung in a horizontal arc on level with the mare's legs. He didn't want to hit anything vital... not yet, at least. He just wanted to give pain. Pain to mirror the pain he felt at losing his mistress. Pain to mirror the restlessness that would not let him be.
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:45 am
Out of sight out of mind. This was true for her at least. The moment she could know longer see the strange stallion her mind wandered elsewhere. Her mind wondered over where she could find ice. On the mountains was the most likely location. Her thoughts helped block out the outside world but she could still hear the stallion speaking behind her.
"Yes...in other words leave..." She said turning to give him a cold almost mocking look. She turned away as he spoke again and shortly after, wished she hadn't. Pain shot up her leg as his tail bit into her. Her eyes widened and she screamed. Never before had she been hurt in such a way. Thorn had never been in a fight and had never been attacked, until now.
Blinking back tears she turned to face the winged stallion again. "Wh-what the hell was that for?" She asked somehow managing to keep her usual arrogant tone. She had been raised like a princess and could not imagine why someone would be treating so poorly. She could care less what he was it made no difference to her. All she knew is that he was being cruel for nor conceivable reason. At least to her.
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:00 pm
No longer the contained giggle, Xelloss threw back his head and laughed. Was he laughing at her pain or her reaction? He himself didn't even know. For all he knew, it was both. It was laughter at the release of something that had been winding up inside him for a long time and it was laughter at the unexpected reaction of his victim.
He tilted his head back downwards and his eyes sparkled with a combination of malice and mirth. "What the hell was that for? Now, I don't know if you've noticed... but I'm a kalona." He opened his webbed wings wide in demonstration and his tail had taken up lashing behind him. "Doesn't that mean..." He hesitated in the middle of this sentence and seemed to take a moment to gather his thoughts. In that moment his smile, previously stretched wide with glee both frantic and cruel, narrowed. It now looked as if it could belong on the face of a hungry cat. It was controlled, calculating, hungry...
"Doesn't that mean," he repeated. "That I'm supposed to go terrorizing you poor helpless creatures?"A bitter edge took his voice though his smile did not change. "After all... it isn't as if I have anything better to do."
No, for the first time I truly do have nothing better to do. It's liberating and pathetic at the same time... but I might as well enjoy it. It was her move. Would she run? Would she continue on this streak of attempted bravery and stand up to him? Maybe even fight him? He tried to keep the frantic anticipation at bay, but inside him he knew he couldn't wait to find out....
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:57 pm
Laughing? He was laughing? At her? An angry fire lit itself behind her eyes. No one laughed at her. No one. She snorted as he showed his wings. Like she hadn't noticed those things earlier. They were mostly hideous and hard to miss really. She really couldn't care what he was it meant nothing more to her then a name to her daughter. Still, she could not ignore the shot of fear that rushed through her veins at the look on his face. He was going to eat her?
The fear was short lived. "Poor? Helpless?!" It was not bravery she displayed in reacting this way. Really it was more of a lack of common sense then anything else. A creature with fangs, horns and a spaded tail was just another eyesore to her. In her mind's world there was no room for such vicious creatures so they would all behave naturally. However, it should be noted that there was nothing natural about anything in her world.
"How dare you, you glorified bat!" she snapped taking a few steps forward. "I demand an apology at once!" Once she got one she would be on her way and all would be forgotten. Even an ugly monster had to have some manners of course, right?
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Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 7:16 am
Xelloss had seen bravery before and didn't think that this was a particularly good example of it. To be brave, one had to first be afraid. He didn't see fear in this creature. She didn't even realize the danger she was in enough to be afraid. All she had was the blustering swagger of someone who had never been bested, had never been hurt. He could change those. His tail tip was positively quivering with anticipation at the thought. Would this be the first great fear of her life? It might... and depending on how fun she was, it could be the last time she was anything in life.
He decided to play along for now. Let her continue living in her little fantasy world for a moment longer. "An apology? How... quaint." Mockingly insincere, Xelloss bowed his head to the offended mare. "Will this do? I'm terribly sorry for everything I might have done to upset your delicate sensibilities. Sorry for everything that is... except for this."
With his head lowered before her it was the simplest thing to twist and bring his head sharply back up again... with horns pointing towards her. Would he draw blood? He could only hope. He'd let his horns have a taste of it first and then once they had their fill perhaps it would be time for his fangs. When had been the last time that he had allowed himself to taste of his prey? It had been too long... far too long... but that was about to change.
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:58 am
Even Thorn could tell that she he was not being serious. Her lips pursed together at the very fake apology. Perhaps she was wrong about monsters having manners. Very wrong. She wanted to yell at him like she did whenever she was upset with someone. She wanted to but was largely unable to do much of anything while being attacked.
All she could manage was step back alarmed. It didn't seem she had moved fast enough or far enough to get out of range. She felt a small sting but did not look down to where the pain was coming from. Her eyes didn't seem willing to look away from the demon before her. She was in shock. Not only had he not apologized but now he had attacked her twice.
Her face couldn't seem to settle on an expression. Her eyes shock and wandered, her eyebrows rose, fell and knitted together and the corners of her mouth were twitching slightly. She was not scared just very confused. She could not put together a reason in her mind why she would be attacked by a monster or anyone else really. There were plenty of useless creatures in the world that would make perfect targets. Why go after her?
Ever so slowly her eyes traveled down to gaze at the fresh wound. Blood trickled out in small rivers and she gasped at the sight. She had always found blood to be beautiful, it had the most exquisite color but she did not like it when it was her blood. It meant that her skin and coat had been messed up.
With watery eyes she looked up. "H-how could you?" She asked clearly upset.
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:19 pm
"It never fails to surprise me how your type reacts." Xelloss' voice was thick with the aching cravings that coursed through him. He tilted his head slightly and a drop of blood rolled down his horn. It ended in his violet hair as a dark blotch. It was just the first. Soon he would be covered.
"Again, I must remind you that I. Am. A. Kalona." He punctuated his words with snapping of teeth. Talking was starting to become... too much effort. He was sick of the oily smile he gave those he wanted to deceive. He was sick of the strain it took not to rip the throats out of every simpering soquili he had ever met under these conditions. Without a purpose of his own there was little purpose in such deceptions.
And it seemed like the bleeding mare in front of him was being deliberately blind to the real situation. It was time to open her eyes.
"Now listen." He put the last of his false charm into this final effort even as the moon glinted in his half-closed eyes. "I'm going to tell you what is going to happen and I'm not going to change my mind. I'm going to count to five." He beat his wings five times, illustrating his point. "And when I've finished I'm going to do my best to kill you."
"So run." His voice had dropped low, dangerous. "Run and maybe you'll find someone to help you before I find you first."
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:03 pm
It was apparent, from his words, that she was not the first he had attacked like this. Her dark eyes followed the bead of her blood made it's way down his horn. She was having a hard time believing what she was seeing and hearing. The pain was very real and while it had faded it was still there.
Thorn stared as he continued to speak not sure what to do. He had hurt her, marred her skin, and that upset her. What she wanted to do and what her instincts were telling her to do did not agree in the slightest at the moment. Red flags were going off with every passing second and yet she remained firmly rooted in place. It was impossible for her to comprehend what was going on.
She was Thorn! She was a princess to her parents and a goddess to her daughter. Could his kind really just ignore all this so easily? It bothered her.
The inner-workings of her mind quieted as he began to speak once again. He was going to kill her? Her mind went numb. An attack was one thing, one could live through an attack. One could not live through death, that would defeat death's purpose. Death was the end. She couldn't die. She wouldn't allow it.
'Run'. She heard this loud and clear. For a moment she remained still as ever. She never ran but right now it seemed like an acceptable plan. She took a few steps backwards keeping her eyes locked on the monstrous creature in front of her before she turned sharply. She took off at top speed narrowly missing the tree she had sought shelter behind earlier. Her dark mane and tail streaked out behind her like ribbons as she made tracks for anywhere that he wasn't.
Where were her angels? She needed them. She needed there help and their wings. "Krad! Phia! Where are you?!" She cried to the heavens keeping her pace. She was finally scared. After all, her life was very clearly now hanging on the line.
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Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:05 pm
"One." He hadn't even said the first number yet before she tore off. That was better. Much better. He had been starting to wonder if she was going to simply stand there and let him kill her. This way had more sport. "Two." This way had more thrill. More wind rushing in his ears and blood coursing through him.
"Three."
Her bright form was out of sight now but he could hear her voice as it shouted for help. If she did have friends around it was a good idea. If she did not... then it was a bad idea. It would only lead him to her all the faster.
"Four."
The trees were close but winter had sheared them of their leaves and much of their cover. He could find her better from the air than he could crashing after her.
"Five."
And to the air he went. He sprung aloft with the swiftness of a striking snake and flapped a few quick wingbeats to take himself higher. For a moment the world swung dizzily about him before he righted himself and began to swoop low over the trees. Wherever she had gone he'd find her soon enough. She could run far and fast... but nothing could best him at speed in the air.
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:12 pm
Her cries for help were unanswered and it was at this point she realized she could not hear the vile kalona's counting over the thundering of her hooves. Had he already stopped or perhaps he was just messing with her. This was the thought that brought her to a halt. The fear that had driven her out here had all but washed away. That monster was probably just trying to make her look like a fool and she would have none of it.
With a fire burning in her body and eyes she turned to look back to where she had run from. Dread hit her like a falling log when she realized that the winged creature was not where she had left him. The sound of wing beats drew her gaze to the sky and it was there she saw him once again. It hadn't simply been a plot to make her look like an idiot after all and she was wasting precious time.
A sound similar to a whimper managed to slip from her dry throat before she bolted once again. Her gait was awkward as one not used to running. She preferred to walk, it was much more appropriate for a lady like herself. Right now, however, she got the feeling that if she were to walk it would not be long before the beast was at her throat. The trees would provide her with shelter for now, but how much? If she could see him didn't that mean he could also see her?
The thought made her shudder and spurred her on. Her breathing was shallow and seemed oh so very loud to her. She tried to slow her breaths to their normal rate but found that made her burn on the inside and decided against it. It was too loud though! It would get her caught and her angels had not come to her still. She didn't want her breathing to be the end of her! It was simply too ironic.
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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:18 pm
"I'm loooooking for you!" Even over the rush of the wind his words echoed over the night forest. He dipped sharply in one direction and then another. Still no sign of her. Even without their leaves the trees still provided thick cover.
Which would only make finding her all the more fun.
"I see you... THERE!" He slammed his wings almost flat against his body and shot downwards like an arrow. He whizzed past trees that he barely avoided crashing into and flared his wings out again just prior to smashing into the ground. He veered up dizzingly once more and smashed his tail intentionally against a thick branch of a tree as he passed. The resulting sound struck like thunder in the silence.
A feint.
Xelloss hadn't actually seen the fleeing mare yet. It was a ruse to try to get her to cry out, to run into the open, to do anything that would bring him swiftly to her. Would she fall for it? Would she? He scanned the forest beneath him with redoubled scrutiny. He'd find her.
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