[PRP] Contemplation [Omen/Howl] [Fin!]

[Ruriska]

The pool was not as clean as he would have liked. There were leaves floating across the surface, ready to stick to his hair, and each step kicked up muddy plumes from the bottom. But for Omen, it was enough for now. It was at least better than a mud puddle, which were hard to avoid when you lived in a swamp. The buck waded into the deepest part of the pool, and lowered himself down until strands of dark hair were spreading out either side of his head.

Omen forced his muscles to relax, releasing the tension that had been coiled tight ever since that night. It had been his choice in the end and right now he regretted it, especially so with the tumult of emotions that it had stirred up. He felt bad for his quick exit, the way he had left Jinx so suddenly after their unfortunate joining. She was his friend and she deserved an explanation for why he had not spoken to her for days now. Of course, first he had to figure out the truth himself.

He had never spent much time thinking about does or anything remotely romantic. As a young Kimeti he had kept himself busy watching over his siblings, prying into their lives. Now there was no not thinking about it, certainly not when faced with his sudden aversion. The dalliance with Jinx had felt wrong and wondered if it was simply because it was his first time with his best friend or something else, something deeper.  

[Amorpheous]

The trees were clustered too closely, to densely, for Rush of Wind to run the way he wanted to. Instead, he let Chase the Wind guide him forward over logs and around bogs, past trees that presented themselves to him in large, unmoving blurs. Sand-scarred eyes, the color of the desert, roved in a near unseeing dance, giving Howl a muted, grey glimpse of the swamp. A slender rox was draped over his neck, cold from the kill already and Gale dragged a ramcat in her jaws. Loyal companion, quiet and true, a hunter and guide.

They were headed in no particular direction, meandering because Howl was quiet, no rush, not clamoring cries that made him run, no whispered dreams. Perhaps it was because he was a born hunter, but his still moments, quick fleeting things, were still filled with death, but rather than creating it, it was contemplation. For a buck who wasn't meant to live, the thoughts came naturally filled with dark thoughts of biting sand and white blindness. It was a dark wondering, but Howl lived in a dark world filled with shades of grey.

What Howl didn't expect was to meet another kin. It was smell that gave it way first, never sight. He stopped, the ground beneath his hooves even more waterlogged than usual swamp ground, so he must be by a pool; he could smell the water too, clearer than just the usual scent of swamp. Gale went forward, her light paws padding to the edge of the pool before stopping. He now knew where the water started and in it, Howl could just barely make out a pale blur with darker slashes of black and horns, turned up, the shape, thought unclear, marking this one in front of him as a kimeti.

Not certain he wanted company, but too still to simply take his chances with the trees and take off running, to feel the wind catching his tail, Howl spoke, his voice a deep low baritone, all rushing wind, crying sand, and warm blood, "Hello..."

And then he fell quiet, words something that fell flat to his ears.  

[Ruriska]

Omen was disconcerted by the intrusion. Pulled from his thoughts, he was paralyzed by the Acha’s arrival. He watched as the dog stepped forward, then his gaze shifted, almost guiltily meeting the others gaze. There was no recognition there, the Acha saw but did not quite see. That much was obvious. Omen did not move, creating only the smallest of ripples with each breath. Then the Acha spoke…

“… hello.” He replied after a momentary pause. There was no need for him to be rude, even if he was still put-out by the sudden company. His own voice was a sigh, and as he spoke, he lifted his body up out of the pool. Water rushed in little rivulets down his body and dripped from his hair.

“If you’re here to bathe… I am done.” The buck felt awkward, an emotion he did not welcome, and he fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Amorpheous

 

[Amorpheous]

The other kin, a buck from his voice, rose, just a dark shape out of the water. Howl couldn't make out any details. No. That was untrue. The buck had hair, just a darker, black void against what must be the buck's head, a lighter body and the glint of what Howl knew to be light coming through the trees and hitting the water running down the buck's sides at just the right angle. He could see this without seeing, it was simple light and movement, but those were his details. It was like knowing when a hare would bolt before it could be consciously registered by the mind, that space between not know and knowing. It was the strange grey area of instinct and desire, body before mind, despite the mind being what controlled the body.

All this, it came to Howl like a sigh, running through his quicksilver mind as easy as deciding whether or not to chase after that impossibly fast bird that had started to take flight. Of course. Always. It was easy, thinking this quicksilver thoughts in his stillness, when blood was not the only thing on his mind. The other buck offered the water to him, but did not move. In response, Howl gave a shake of his head, shifting the rox on his shoulders as he did. No.

But then he realized he should probably vocalize his thoughts and he let his disuse-rusted voice slip free, light rumbling echos of desert shakes that formed tall dunes and strange shapes of rock and heat, "No. No, I don't intend to bathe."

"I apologize for interrupting your solitude," He picked up on the true issue, understanding without really trying the tension in the buck's voice. With that, Howl gave a quick click of his tongue. Gale swung her head around, ramcat dragging against the damp ground, and she returned to his side unquestioning. He gave a short, aborted movement with his head and she edged around him, ready to lead him in whatever direction he chose.

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

"Ah…" was all the buck could think to say. He remained where he was, water dripping its soft ‘plink, plink, plink’ and watched uselessly as the Acha turned to leave. There should have been more words. Perhaps he should apologise for making the other fellow apologise? Perhaps he should attempt to strike up a conversation? It wasn't so much that he disliked his solitude being interrupted; he merely hadn't been expecting it.

"Have a… have a good day…" The moment the words left his mouth, Omen would have kicked himself if it were physically possible.

Fed up with himself completely, Omen decided he may as well call bath time over and also began to turn away, preparing to exit from the opposite side of the bank. He was perhaps even the slightest bit grateful to the unknown buck. Being dragged forcibly out of his thought-trail had been a blessing.

Amorpheous

Haha, getting them together might be an ordeal. xD;

 

[Amorpheous]

Half-turned and ready to leave, Howl was caught by the sound of water dripping from the buck's hair, the sound hypnotizing for one who based so much of his existence of listening and seeing through his ears. Shaking himself free from the sound without much outward expression of his reverie, Howl began to walk away, thinking that the buck had accepted his apology and meant to end their meeting there. Gale wove herself between his legs, matching his slow pace before reaching her usual position by his right side, the sound of the ramcat dragging allowing him to track her just away much as the feeling of her movements against her leg.

His movements came to a slow, fluid stop, as if another extension of the movement itself, when the buck spoke. Howl tilted his head, listening to the rush, push, and shift of water as the buck moved, probably turning.

A slow blink over his cloudy eyes and he ventured to speak once more, voice like the crush of dead leaves, "Are you hungry?"

Gale looked up at him, already sensing intention, ready to set the kill she was holding down for the other kin.

Ruriska

A fun ordeal. xD I imagine that Howl, regardless of whether Omen says yes or no, is going to run off in the next post. So maybe we could do a time skip where they bump into each other on accident again?

 

[Ruriska]

Half out of the water, he stopped. The buck took in a deep breath and let it out slowing, looking over his shoulder at the similarly paused Acha. The question was a simple one but Omen wasn’t sure what to make of it. Did he want Omen to stay, to eat with him, to talk? Or was it just a casual query?

"Ah, no, no, I’m fine thank you, goodbye."

He just needed to get away, back to being on his own. Omen hurried out of the pool, giving a flick of his head to remove water and debris from his hair and hurried off out of view, doing his very best not to look back.

Amorpheous

yep, bump into each other again! xD gosh Omen, you're emotionally constipated really

 

[Amorpheous]

Howl listened to the buck go, watching the retreating smudge of grey go as long as he could, but very quickly the other buck blurred into the rest of the Swamp and Howl turned back around to walk away. He paused again in his movements, just a heart beat, perhaps to apologize for disturbing the buck so thoroughly that he had to leave, but ultimately what was done was done.

The quiet stillness was broken. Even if Howl wanted to, he could not deny the desire to run that coursed through his veins. It sang to him, whispering promises to him, feeding his obsession. He closed his eyes, trying to savor this last moment of stillness before clicking his tongue and taking off as fast as he could amongst these clustered trees, trusting instinct to keep him from tripping among the roots.

------

The short encounter long forgotten, Howl was running again. Faster than any kin as blind as he should, but it was beyond him to stop when he felt like this, when he had his quarry leaping with eyes and sense clear away and away. He chased the small quick creature as it tried to evade him simply by running. Movement was easy to follow, it registered as instinct that went beyond the sight that most kin possessed. He did not need his eyes to see in color and shapes to hunt. Trees became inconsequential so long as he followed the small creature.

Closer and closer he came until, with one quick strike, Howl struck it down, the small creature, exceedingly quick for its size. A spray of blood, nothing but a blur for Howl, arced through the air, speckling his legs and chest with it's warmth. Breathing deeply, Howl took in the scent of the hunt, pleased with the kill, but ultimately unsatisfied. Closing his eyes, trying to sate the need to hunt, he imagined it as clearly as he could, but it was worthless in comparison to his dream.

He let out a soft, pained breath before bending down to pick up the kill, furred this time. He whistled and Gale was immediately at his side, nudging him with her wet nose to let him know she was with him, but not attempting to comfort him.

Ruriska

Well, at least they're emotionally constipated together.

 

[Ruriska]

For Omen too, the meeting was mostly forgotten. In his mind it became merely one uncomfortable day amongst many. His time after that was spent wandering, far from his siblings, far from his children, far away from everything. It was his version of running. The escape from the life he had known. It was frustrating to know something was wrong and yet not understand quite what it meant.

Then the day came when he heard the sound of the hunt. Grey streaked past his vision, moving through the trees like a shadow. Omen followed; a spur of the moment decision. It was rare for him to abandon his dignity and let his hair stream out and the blood rush through his veins. But today he did.

The prey had just met its end as he skidded to a halt. His chest heaving in desperate breaths, he watched as the Acha bent down to the kill. There was something both horrific and beautiful about the blood-splattered scene and Omen would not have been able to look away if he tried.

Ah, wait now, he knew this kin. The pool.

Not wanting to interrupt and keenly aware of his dishevelled appearance, Omen began to back up.

Amorpheous

 

[Amorpheous]

In the hunt, Howl was blind, literally and figuratively, to the rest of the world. He was focused so keenly on finding his mark that it would take an exceptional distraction to shake him out of the space between awareness and unconsciousness where instinct lived. After the hunt though, it was only through his sharp senses that he was able to live without his eyes. Stilling, kill held firmly in his mouth, Howl felt another presence nearby but did not look up until hoof steps appeared.

Creature swinging perversely in death from his mouth, Howl lifted and turned his head in one fluid motion towards the kin, just a vague grey blob. He focused his eyes on the retreating form as much as possible, but could not make up any more details. The hunt was still pulling at Howl's limbs, but something kept him from simply running off in search for the perfect kill, the one hunt that would stop the fever dreams of blood, red, and sky, blue bright, that drove his every moment. Taking a halting step forward, he tilted his head, breathing and scenting past the smell of blood.

It was not the other kin's faint scent itself, but its association with blood that raised the forgotten memory from the bog of his mind that swallowed everything except his naming dream. He remembered water, cold blood, and short words.

With the as of yet unidentified creature in his mouth, Howl could not speak, but he nodded in greeting. Gale was calm and still beside him, watching but not interfering. Unsure of what to do, Howl could only stare with his golden eyes.

Ruriska

Ah- Ruri, do you have an AIM where we can plot? I don't want to clog up your pairings thread or the main thread~

 

[Ruriska]

Omen paused in his retreat. His breathing had finally begun to slow and he jerked his head awkwardly, trying to coax a hunk of dark hair from his face. His gaze roamed from the dead beast to the dog and up to golden eyes that pinned him in place.

One more breath, a heavy desperate one and Omen took hold of his emotions. He stood taller, pulling together his dignity and the regal air that had once been his without trying. His eyelids lowered; his gaze suddenly unconcerned.

"I hope I'm not bothering you," he said, voice purposefully neutral, as if he had not just chased the unknown buck through the trees, “"my name is Omen." That was better. Much better. There was no point in falling apart all over the place.

Amorpheous

 

[Amorpheous]

The change in posture was lost on Howl, who despite sensing the movement has no impression of what it actually changed. He also couldn't judge Omen's facial expressions. Those must be seen up close and with the deep contrast of light and dark, and even then, the full effect was beyond his perception. What he could judge, however, was tone of voice.

This was certainly the same buck, the same voice, but not the same emotion. Righting the angle of his head to gaze straight and steady at the other buck, Howl let a pause of silence hang in the air before shaking his head no at the buck's question. He weighed his options, never once looking away despite the pointlessness of his gaze, before bending to hand his kill to Gale.

Blood stained his mouth, running macabre down a stretch of his neck and mingling with the splatter on his chest. He spoke, stringing words together smoothly, but expelling them with the rattle and rustle of disuse, "And my name is Rush of Wind."

He looks down at Gale and the kill then, registering her comforting, soft blur, and wonders if he should offer the other buck his kill, again.

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

"Well met then," the buck said.

Even if he wasn't a bother, Omen had the feeling he wasn't necessarily wanted either. The Acha didn't look the talkative talk and surely wanted to enjoy his meal in peace.

But he couldn't bring himself to leave just yet.

"You’re the quite the hunter." The comment was muttered in the same bland, sophisticated voice. It did not adequately portray Omen’s admiration. He was no hunter at all and could barely catch a mouse. Though half the time it was because he didn't quite want to. There were more than enough vegetables around to keep him full without squashing some small animal.

"Well…" Omen looked away from the blood-stained buck. "I’ll be on my way then."

Amorpheous

 

[Amorpheous]

Howl nodded, echoing the buck like the thunder echoes lightening, lower and less Swamp shattering for its second coming, "Well met."

He shifted his weight as the other buck seemed to consider next actions, and if this was anything like their last meeting, the choice must be fight or flight. When the buck, Omen did not immediately excuse himself, Howl assumed that he had chosen fight, as so much as interaction must be a fight for him and if Howl were any less comfortable in his own skin, a fight for himself as well.

He started softly, too softly it seemed, "Thank-"

And then the buck was taking his leave and Howl, still caught in the grips of the hunt, still stuck earlier in the buck's conversation, could only nod in respect of the other buck's wishes. He stood still though, not sure what to do, unable to run off in pursuit of his next hunt while the buck was still there, unwilling to be the first to flee.

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

If the buck had called after him, if Omen had sensed the slightest desire for him to stay and talk, he would have lingered.

But this meeting had been chance and there was no more that Omen felt he could give. There was too much space between himself and the hunter.

So he left, sliding away into the darkness and back into his self-imposed exile.

Amorpheous

And he's gone.