 Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 9:20 am
Asylum  "There, there, dear. Calm your tears," the gentle voice crooned, cutting through the child's hiccuping sobs. A large black claw brushed away a tear with deceptive delicateness. For a moment, the child paused, falling to quiet sniffles before throwing himself at the female demon in an attempt to seek shelter beneath her...apparently.
Dyani sighed, no longer alarmed by such behavior as she had once been, instead expertly shifting to avoid any unpleasant contact with the child's horns; small, but sharp, she had learned early on. Already, his panicked mind was attempting to barrage hers with images of death and destruction, hopeless images of the battlefield, torn apart, fallen Winiko sprawled on the ground...
She fought back, closing her eyes to focus on answering with calming images, visions of peace, free from war, free from death and violence, a purple meadow, red river of the InBetween flowing peacefully at its edge, a bright sky, cotton candy clouds floating lazily by...
This mental war waged back and forth for a few images, some disturbing bleed over from one to another once or twice, but slowly, her older, more disciplined mind began to triumph, the peaceful images outnumbering and overpowering the tragic images in the child's mind. His crying softened, soon ceasing, though he remained pressed into Dyani's side. After a while, she was pretty sure that he'd dozed off into an exhausted sleep, but she still didn't move. Today was an otherwise quiet day, and they'd had few come through needing help.
She wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad sign. "Thou have'st a way with the young ones."Dyani barely stirred, only inclining her head slightly at the winged Elder's approach. Best not to wake the boy if he was getting sleep at last, if only a little. "I only do what little I can," she answered telepathically."Mayhaps so," Aponi replied, taking a seat beside the smaller female, though her eyes were on the boy. "But that which seems 'little' to you may mean the world to those thou touch'est."Dyani seemed to weigh the elder's words quietly, then in a soft tone as if changing the subject while looking at the boy, murmured, "Another for Sanctuary, I think. He'll calm and come to terms in time on his own."Nodding once, Aponi's beads clicked together with the movement of her head. "With thine help, I am sure that he will. With time, of course. By misfortune, I fear there are few others who will'st take sanctuary this day. Perhaps we should'st retreat, lest danger find us again?" She stood, then paused, looking down at the boy. "Can'st thou manage?"Sighing softly, the smaller shook her head. "No, no, go on ahead. We'll be right behind." As the Elder stood to go, keeping an eye on the paths behind as well as those ahead, Dyani attempted to wake the boy. "Come now," she crooned, nudging his side lightly. She smiled, but did not relent as he whined and tried to remain buried in her side. "We're to go away from this place. Up now, little one. I'll carry you, if you'd like. Just climb up on my back, then you can relax again. I'll watch over you." Her calming words and tone seemed to coax the boy to movement. There was some awkwardness in climbing onto her back and finding a balanced position, and she had to admit...he was a bit heavier than she'd imagined...but, she'd make due. It wouldn't be too far, she hoped, before they could make camp for the night. Then, off to Sanctuary. ---
[FIN]
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