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 Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 7:22 pm
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~ RP takes place after the summer carnival, but before Xiulan becomes a pupa ~
Though she was taking her time riding the thermals and not racing to their destination, still the winds whipped Takeko's hair 'round and she'd long ago given up on trying to keep it constantly out of her face. The braid kept most of it back, but the loose strands...there was no hope, so why bother? Instead, the angel laughed lightly into the winds, glancing down at her precious passenger.
She'd wrapped a blanket securely around her middle to make a sling, more as a secondary safety measure for what she carried carefully in her arms. It was certainly risky, but it was a much faster way to travel...and she seemed to love it so...
Giggling and letting out a shriek of glee, Xiulan's tiny hands clung tightly to Takeko's arms, wrapped securely around her. She knew not to squirm while they were in the air...Mommy had fussed at her for that before. But, she could barely contain her excitement when Mommy took her flying! She just wanted to wiggle right out of her skin!
The caterpae had clearly never had any issue with heights, frequently needing to be pulled down from the ceiling and high shelves of Mommy's house. Still, Takeko hadn't quite expected the child to love flying as much as she did. Pity the poor thing didn't have wings of her own, though. It was all she could do to take her flying herself when she could.
The flight had been nice and leisurely, but now their destination could be sighted below. "Here we go," she called over the wind, shifting her wings to begin the descent towards the Clearing. Wings beating the ground, she ran a few steps before she could halt, safely on the ground again. "There we are! Safe and sound!" She shifted the small child from the makeshift sling and set her gently on the ground to explore a bit while she 'unpacked.'
The blanket, as it turned out to be, was unbound and spread over the grass. Then, a second pack that had been strapped securely to the small of the angel's back was removed and unfastened. She removed several containers, each packed with delicious treats, from fruit salad, to cut garden veggies, to honey coated oat bars for dessert. She seemed to have packed enough food for four Pae, not a single adult and a child. Though, the way Xiulan had been eating lately...
...well, safer to have too much and have to take some back than not enough.
"Okay, sweetie! Lunch is served!" she called to the little blue caterpae, still well within sight as she explored the clearing.
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:24 am
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As part of the guardian's of the tree, Lisian took it upon himself to not only keep an eye on everything, but to help any of those involved with the tree and its daily care as he made his rounds. As the harvest was nearing, he knew that everyone was in a scramble to prepare the tree and themselves. This meant his daily rounds were taking longer and longer to complete, though this wasn't a problem to him if it meant that everything was getting done that was necessary. He enjoyed holding this, moving that, or lifting everything in order to help relive some of the burden from others.
He'd just finished helping Titus with some branch work and was back to his own duties. In his smaller form, he landed gently on one of the tree's branches to take a moment to look out on the clearing. This was home, this is what they lived and fought for. He crossed his arms reflecting on the things that had been happening to them recently- activity from unknown sources coming in waves. Why now? Of all the seasons why were trouble befalling them now?
His eyes shot to the sky when a shadow fell over the clearing. His heart began to race when he saw a being descending into the clearing. Was this really happening again? As he slipped deeper into the foliage, his hand shot to his chest where a carved, wooden whistle was hanging. He immediately blew into it, a sound that couldn't be distinguished from wind to the untrained ear, but for them would have them darting into their tree for cover instantly. He watched below him as his family disappeared before he glanced back at the figure in the clearing.
His blood ran cold when he caught sight of the package that the being set down. It was one of their young ones! Could it be one from their own tree? He blew his whistle again, but this time a pattern that was meant for his Queen. He would have much rather respectfully gotten her himself, but he didn't want to risk taking his eyes off the pair. He noticed his breathing had picked up and he took a moment to level it and hims mind. He didn't know if he was excited to see one of his own so well taken care of or scared that this being was using it as bait for them. He'd have to wait for his Queen and see what she could make of the situation.
Oh he hoped for the best, for the little one's sake.
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Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:24 pm
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 Belwen had been working on bringing the water to the tree lately because Shaylee was no where to be found. She was likely off flirting again. I swear that girl... It was physical work, but in truth, she was okay with doing it, knowing it was helping the colony. She may have been first-hatched, or chosen by Forn Sheedhiel to lead the colony, but physical work was not beneath her. And someone had to do it.
She heard the warning sound to retreat into the tree and immediately reduced her size, as did all the other flutters. She helped usher them from the fields to the safety of their tree. Still a few left to return, and she was about to head out find them, when she heard Lisian's other alarm. Oh dear.
Immediately she flew off towards his sentry post.
"Lisian, what happened?"
Belwen's eyes followed Lisian's focus. "Oh!" A giddy excitement presented as her immediate reaction. "One of ours!" But quickly, the excitement faded as she noticed the other thing near the precious little one. "And one of them." she scowled.
"We need to get that child back."
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Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:09 am
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Waiting for lunch to be set up, Xiulan distracted herself from her hunger by setting out to explore the clearing. Still excited from the flight, she shifted seamlessly into 'adventure' mode once on the ground. She was a brave explorer, setting out to see things that no Pae had ever seen before!
Like that flower over there!
Ack! What was that? Something flitted into view. Buggie! Instantly, the pudgy little tot tried to flatten herself against the ground. Better for sneaking up on her target, of course. She wiggled and squirmed forward, watching the fluttering wings of the insect with fascination. Her antenna waved in reply to the bug's, and she let out a very not-serious-adventurer giggle in response. Reaching up, she attempted to touch the shimmery wings...
"Okay, sweetie! Lunch is served!"
...the bug swiftly launched into the air and buzzed away, much to Xiulan's disappointment. It was a momentary setback, however, as she realized that the call from Mom meant food! Smile returning, she turned and scrambled back towards the blanket and the waving angel.
Setting out two plates, each already piled with delectable goodies, Takeko finished setting their places and reached out for the returning adventurer. "There's my big girl," she cooed, bending down to kiss the child's head. "Now, more adventures after you share a picnic with your old mom."
Pouring them each a cup of water to go with their food, Takeko reflected on her fortune. Her family had seen a number of additions lately and she couldn't be happier. Even if her house was never really 'quiet' anymore, she didn't mind. She'd always preferred the hustle and bustle of family in her home as opposed to the quiet of solitude. And her new little one always had playmates about, even if she found herself busy for a time.
So many strange things were associated with this clearing in the angel's mind. Mysterious messages and tasks, odd plants, and now...a child, from a seed. She couldn't help but note the similarities to what she'd seen and heard of the Faun coming from acorns...and admittedly, Xiulan seemed to be land-bound as they were...however, she looked little like a baby Faun, Takeko thought. Far from it, really. Puzzling, yes, but until she found some other clue to the child's nature, the mystery would have to remain just that.
Not that it really mattered in the long run. While it was a curiosity, of course, it wouldn't change the way Takeko felt about her one way or another, whether she solved the mystery or not. Xiulan was her child. That's all that mattered, really.
"More fruit salad, dear?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 12:33 pm
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Lisian was relived when his Queen appeared by his side in no time. He wasn't sure how long the pair would be remaining in the clearing, and he didn't want to lose this opportunity. He could guess what his Queen may want them to do about this happening, but a part of him wish it wasn't so. He had no idea how the 'captor' may react and didn't want to see his home destroyed by her hands, but he also knew he couldn't leave his own kind behind.
He gave his Queen a quick bow of the head in greeting, before diverting his eyes back to the scene before them. His eyes were following the little one as she explored the world around her. She seemed so curious, the vibrance of life filling her. She was so unlike the Flutters he grew up with who were so scared of everything that moved around them. Had the outside world made her this way? Or was she just special? A part of him felt a flurry of jealousy hit him. He hadn't the shackling fear that kept him rooted, but he quickly fanned those emotions away.
His eyes flickered to his Queen as she spoke. He grimaced slightly at her words, but knew in his heart it would have come to this. Why was he so reluctant? Why wouldn't he want to rescue his own? Though she didn't seem hurt (or going without food for that matter) he knew it was best for her to be with her own kind, right? He took a deep breath trying to reason this out in his head. He couldn't allow his fear of the unknown keep him from doing what was right, what his Queen needed him to do.
“What do you propose?” he asked. “I don't trust the other, and fear she may come after us if we attempt anything in front of her...” his voice grew quite with those last words. Would they put the whole tree in danger for one young one? He could see the amount of joy and hope it would bring all those in the tree, thinking they could rescue them all, but at the same time if any got hurt...
He could see the pros and cons to this so he looked to his Queen for her final say. He trusted her wisdom and knew she'd ultimately do what was best for the tree. Even this nagging worry wouldn't keep him from fulfilling his duties. It was for their best, he hoped.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 4:02 pm
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"She is our sister. This is her home. We will fight any who threaten our family. We protect our own." Belwen spoke quietly, trying to not only reassure her sentry but herself. She felt the same anxiety with angering the stranger, but she also felt a quiet calm from the angel in the clearing. She's taking care of the young one. She was no threat.
But they still couldn't expose themselves, no matter what. It'd only escalate if even one stranger saw them or knew of their home. "We have to be tactful. I can create a diversion if you will fly in and rescue the young girl. We must be certain that neither of them see us. Especially the outsider. She can't know we're here."
A sharp pain to her heart jolted a sudden reality of the situation. Will that creature just let the child go? Would she search? They had to risk it in order to rescue the child. They were all family, and all Belwen could concern herself with is the loss of a young, vulnerable family member. This was their chance to fix that. "Lisian. We have to do this. She belongs with us, not the outsiders."
"When you see my signal, shoot the tree by the path in the east with this," She handed over a fragile ball with liquid swirling colors inside and put her own slingshot in his other hand. She pointed towards the path and the tree. "When the outsider is distracted, I will use a [rainbow] mist bomb to temporarily eliminate visibility. I'll continue to add to the distraction while you fly in to recover the child. I'll lead the outsider away from this area. Don't worry about me, just get the child to safety in the tree."
Belwen, remaining small as a butterfly flit out in the field towards the picnicking pair. The sun was high and it was a nice, calm and warm day with just a whisper of a breeze. Not a cloud in the sky. As she approached, she sent a simple, dim rainbow overhead. She flit between flowers, keeping suspicion non existent.
The rainbow became a little brighter and an oh-so-delicate dusting of sparkles filled the air, carried on the slight breeze to surround the little girl. It was perfectly innocent, and a little magical. Nothing out of the ordinary for the Fae Clearing.
And in an instant, a colorful misty cloud burst out of nowhere right in front of Takeko, between her and the young flutter. The mist continued to swirl around, stirring the colors and hovering around the angel outsider.
Teigra Sorry if I pushed the action ahead too far, and sorry for the huge delay.
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 2:36 pm
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Having filled her belly at last, combined with the warm sunshine streaming down from above, the chubby little caterpae had yawned widely before curling up on the edge of the blanket sleepily. Perhaps a peaceful after-picnic nap before more adventures...
Takeko chuckled softly, watching the sleepy child drift off. She moved the empty wooden bowl aside before the little one toppled into it, ruffling her bright pink hair fondly. What an appetite...there was little food left to be put away for the trip home. She stacked up empty bowls and plates, returning them to the small pack and otherwise cleaning up the mess from their late lunch. She could let Xiulan rest a bit, and enjoy a nice afternoon before they made the flight back, she supposed. If she were going to nap, maybe Takeko could take the time to replenish some of her herb supplies from the local fauna.
Only drifting off the sleep, but not quite gone yet, Xiulan yawned and rolled over to look up at the bright blue sky above. Bright blue...just like her! She grinned to herself sleepily, just now noticing the pretty rainbow up above, reaching across the clear sky. So pretty! She reached up for it, giggling as the glittering sparkles rained down from above. So bright and shiny!
Little distracted by the child's movement and giggles, Takeko chuckled to herself and finished cleaning up so that she could relax as well, Eh....maybe a nap would be nice after all...
The sudden appearance of the colorful mist in front of her startled the angel enough that she fell back from her crouched position onto her bum. "Ow! What in the Guardians' names...?" she puzzled, leaning back on her hands and staring at the colorful cloud forming in the air around her. Though it seemed nothing more than a misty cloud at the moment, it had formed suddenly and from nowhere. Takeko had enough recent experience with strange things happening in the Fae Clearing in the past...some good, some...definitely not so good....that wary confusion seemed to be her immediate response.
Instinct told her to keep back, which explained her immediate response and why she'd fallen backwards. But now that she was in a more stable position, she frowned and stared at the mist....what could it be?
Please, not another hallucination.
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:58 pm
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Lisian nodded to his Queen, he wasn't sure if her words were meant to just encourage him alone or if she needed it as well. She did so well at hiding her emotions behind a strong voice he feared he may be the only one who felt unsure about this. How could a loyal sentry question motives that were best for their colony? He knew this was right... didn't he?
“Not with outsiders.” he whispered softly to himself. She was right, how could this being know what was best for their kind? It wasn't only good for the young one, but the colony as a whole. They needed every hand they could manage in order to survive. She nodded firmly setting his resolve, he would do whatever his Queen asked of him. It was his duty as the colony's sentry after all.
Lisian glanced down at the orb in his hand. Gently he turned it around with his finger and thumb, inspecting it closely. It was familiar to him, having used them during a playful event with the whole tree of Flutters. A ghost of a smile brushed his lips at the memory. How curious it is that something so beautiful could be used for both joy and deception. The smile disappeared as he looked at the item in his other hand. The Queen's own slingshot... He looked up at her as she began to explain her plan, a ball of nerves starting to tie themselves in his gut. Was he worried? Nervous? He looked at her for a moment before finally speaking, “Please be careful out there.” the concern was evident in his voice. He knew his Queen could handle something like this, but it was always something to worry about. What would they become if they lost both of the Queens?
He then watched her flit away, disappearing into the world around them. His hand clasped gently around the orb, working on getting the sling shot setup and ready for her signal. It wasn't moments later that he saw it, but to him it felt like eternity. His hands had taken up a sheen of sweat, but his body stood ready. He couldn't be the sentry of this colony if he allowed nerves to get in the way of his duty. He lifted the slingshot and easily released its package, waiting but a moment before taking off after it.
He pushed himself off of the branch he was stationed on, pumping his wings as fast as they would go. Thanks to much practice he managed to bridge the gap between himself and the child in no time, choosing to remain in his smaller size right up till the moment necessary. Through it all his heart was racing, but his mind remain clear thanks to his Queen's words. He slipped unnoticed behind the child and was able to shift to a normal size. The feeling was so foreign to him so far away from the tree. He felt exposed and uncertain of himself for a moment, but as soon as his eyes landed on the child they disappeared. He gathered her up and didn't take the time to check if the outsider had spotted him. He trusted that his Queen had his back so he took that time to instantly turn back towards their tree. Safety.
He wasn't out of the clear yet, but so far he felt elated that it had worked! He had the young one in his arms and the tree quickly approaching. There couldn't be anything that could ruin this! Could there?
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 1:55 pm
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No, not a hallucination...at least, it didn't feel like one, with the dust tickling the back of her throat and making her cough. Though, the last hallucination had felt real too...so what would a hallucination 'feel' like?
Coughing into one hand, Takeko waved the other in a vain attempt to clear the air around her. The colored mist obscured her vision and the dust continued to tickle her nose and throat. What was this? Where was it coming from? Some sort of freak dust storm? She hadn't felt the wind pick up that much. Only a light gust had previously stirred the long grasses of the meadow and now the cloud seemed to swirl in a tight pattern, as if she were in the eye of some unseen storm.
The sleepy child had been drifting off in the warm sunlight when she was stirred by the sensation of being lifted up. Was it time to go already? It seemed like they'd just gotten here. Though, if it was time to go, at least Mommy was going to carry her back when she flew. That was the best part anyway.
Except that this wasn't Mommy. They weren't nearly so soft and comfortable. All...hard and...not comfy. She recognized the sensation of taking to the air, yet...it was different. There wasn't the familiar rush of wind from Mommy's feathery wings beating the air. It was more like they were just...suddenly airborne. The sleepy sluggishness began to fall away and she blinked her eyes open slowly.
That wasn't Mommy.
She didn't know the dark stranger at all; all she knew was that he had her and was taking her...somewhere. Mommy always taught her not to wriggle too much when they flew, else she warned she might drop her and Mommy didn't want her to get hurt. However...Xiulan didn't know where this Pae was taking her and she didn't want to find out. Squirming and kicking with her tiny feet, she struggled in his grasp to move to see where Takeko was. She didn't care if he dropped her. It was better than being taken away from Mommy.
"Mommy?" she questioned, looking around, but not seeing the angel within hearing range, lifted her voice in volume. "Mommy?!?" Struggling against the stranger's hold, she took a deep breath and prepared to scream...
Doubled over in a coughing fit, Takeko felt the breeze pick up for a moment and stir the lingering fog. Hands over her face, she spread her wings and flapped in a manner to encourage air movement over lift. Slowly, the air began to clear and after several beats, she felt able to open her eyes and take a (mostly) clear breath again. That...had been strange, even for the Fae Clearing.
Waving away the lingering dust, she noted some of it still clung to her arm. Odd. Having not heard anything before due to her coughing and the distance, she remained calm, if cautionary, turning towards her small charge. "Xiulan? Honey? Are you okay?"
The blanket was empty.
She was alone.
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Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 8:01 am
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Lisian could almost feel the comfort of their home enveloping him. How great it will be to be wrapped up in the protectiveness of home. How much greater it will feel when the other's would see the precious bundle they had delivered back to their home. Yes, her could almost see the joy and excitement on the other's faces now-
A small voice broke his thoughts. He glanced down at the small child in a mild shock. Why would he be shocked to find she could speak? No, it wasn't that, he was scared. Scared the little one's voice could be heard. His ears twitched at his own Queen's voice and his heart lurched. Something was wrong, and this small Flutter could make it worse!
"Gah!" he grunted as he saw her opening her mouth to speak again, but this time she was taking a huge breath! No no! Without much thought he clapped his hand over her mouth hoping it would hold back her voice long enough for them to make it into the tree and out of sight and sound range. He then risked a glance over his shoulder to check on his Queen. His whole body tightened at the sight- the being was clearing the air faster than expected! At that moment his heart was torn. He needed to get the small one out of view, but he also needed to get his Queen out of the way as well!
He looked away and set his resolve- no, this is the duty she had requested of him. She had taken care of herself in the past, and he trusted her to be able to handle this situation as well. He'd never worked his wings so hard before, but it was working out for him. He was within darting distance of the tree and could already feel the warmth of its security. Just a few more beats of his wings...
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 12:26 am
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Just before she could unleash a scream, the stranger's hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her effectively. Xiulan's eyes widened, momentarily confused and startled. No...where was the stranger taking her? Her struggles renewed as she lost sight of Mommy. She was being taken away from Mommy...it didn't matter where it was, she didn't want to go! The stranger was flying towards a tree...it got bigger and bigger, which should have been alarming, if not for the fact that she was already more upset by this whole turn of events. This flight wasn't as fun as others. She wanted down. She wanted Mommy. She couldn't even scream.
She could do something else though.
Without further hesitation, she sank her tiny teeth into the stranger's hand covering her mouth.
Panic had gripped her heart. The sort that affects any parent when their child is out of sight, knowing that anything could be happening...no, no, calm down, Takeko. Maybe the dust had bothered her, woken her, made her seek refuge from the cloud. No, not hiding beneath the blanket, nor anywhere in sight. How far could she have gone so quickly?
"Xiulan?!?" Takeko's eyes scanned the area, searching for the bright blue hues of her skin against the green grass. Her bright magenta hair would surely stand out. She had to be somewhere nearby...just moved, that's all. Still somewhere within sight.
Despite her best efforts to calm herself, the truth was, panic was creeping in and seizing control of her thoughts. Her heart pounded heavily, echoing in her head. Where had she gone? Where could she have gone? Where was she?
Clearly, she was no longer here.
"XIULAN!!!"
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 3:48 pm
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The leave's shadows played against his dark skin. He'd never felt so thankful for the cover in his life before! His home was surrounding him and the excitement of a well executed plan was hitting him. He wouldn't lie though that the screams of the female were hitting dead in his heart. Did it really care? Or was it just upset to lose something so precious? It sounded more concerned than that...
But they did it! No time now to question what went on. His Queen knew what was best for them and he'd do what she'd ask of him. How could he not when they secured the future of the tree in this tiny little bundle-
"ARG!" he growled, biting down on his lip to stop the painful yelp from coming out too loud. Had she really done that!? He glanced down as they darted into the tree and sure enough- tiny little teeth were in a death clamp on his hand.
Quickly he was shoving her off of him. What in the earth's name was she thinking!? Oh, right, she was a child and they just grabbed her. Well, suppose he couldn't blame her for doing what she had to- Wait had he just dropped her onto the floor!? He gathered her up again (though not so close, he may have been holding her a bit at arms length) hoping that no one, especially the Queen, had seen their little interaction.
"Sorry!" he said softly to her, frowning. His hand was pounding making it hard to hold her up. He tried to keep the sore spot away from any mouths. He didn't need her going after it again. Once he was sure any fingers were secured, he glanced back out, feeling relieved to see the Queen had managed to get away as well. How had they managed that? It seemed like only a dream that something like this would happen- finding one of their own again and saving them.
He looked down at the little one, "Better get you to someone who will actually tend to you." he said mostly to himself, but hoped if he used a calm voice it would be helpful. He didn't want to come off as a monster after that... exchange.
What were they getting themselves into with this one?
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Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:22 am
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Several Hours Later
*****
The air was cooling rapidly as the sun set, stirring up gusts from the south. The wind whistling by his ears took that sense out of the equation from up this high, but the demon's eyes were locked on the land below. He didn't normally like flying, if only because he felt that it separated him from the environment below. However, right now, he needed to cover a lot of ground and quickly.
Not that he was worried or anything.
Still...
Takeko and the kid should have been home hours ago.
The family knew that they'd been headed to the Fae Clearing, so that was his starting point. If he had to, he could start the search on the ground from there, tracking their scents from the meadow. If something had happened on the way home...
Nah, they're fine. Lost track of time or something. Silly woman. Probably found some flowers or something stupid...
He left Vika preparing dinner at the house. He hadn't said anything to alarm anyone, especially not the kids. Just said that he'd be back soon. In time for dinner.
The fading light was no issue for his vision; his eyes caught the few remaining rays of light from the horizon and amplified it as he scanned the ground below. Every tree and opening in the canopy was checked, looking for signs of movement, or maybe a crash or...
Dammit, stop being stupid.
Though he kept telling himself that everything was fine, his brain kept running through the worst case scenarios possible. It didn't help that he couldn't shake this feeling that something had happened. He didn't know what....only that Takeko wasn't one to just disappear without warning or do anything to worry her family at home.
The Clearing loomed ahead finally, a sizable break in the ocean of trees below. Kane began pitching his wings to descend, skimming over some of the treetops while keeping his eyes ahead to spy a place to land. A flash of gold against all the green, even in the dying light that muted the colors, nearly caused him to drop out of the sky. Dropping into a dive, the demon's mind blanked except for the sight of the crumpled form below.
"MOM!"
He flared his wings at the last second, stirring up a cloud of dust and pollen as he landed beside the fallen angel. Kneeling, he immediately began looking her over for injuries...he didn't smell any blood though... Only when he was sure he wasn't about to hurt her worse, he reached out to shake her shoulder. "Mom? Come on, Mom, talk to me..."
The initial shout caused the angel to stir, though waking fully would take more time. She was lying mostly face down, clutching the picnic blanket like a lifeline, her wings spread limply to either side. The touch on her shoulder, coupled with the frantic calls for 'Mom' jolted her awake fully, her breath hitching as she raised up suddenly. "Xiu--!"
No, not Xiulan.
Her face was streaked with dirt and tear tracks as she met her oldest son's worried gaze. Any sign of hope in her expression immediately fell, despair taking its place. No, she remembered now...she'd searched and searched, eventually dropping from exhaustion...
Kane, on the other hand, was relieved at least to see her stir. However, he'd caught the first syllable on her lips as she awoke...and the despair that filled her gaze afterwards. Frowning, he tried to help her up while dread preceded his next question. "Mom? Where's Xiulan?"
Though she thought she'd had nothing left after dropping earlier, Takeko's eyes began filling with tears once more. Her lip quivered and she didn't want to say it, because somehow, voicing it aloud would make it true. She'd held out hope to deny what was clearly truth, but now...
With a choked sob, she threw herself into her son's arms. "She's....she's gone...!"
The demon's eyes widened momentarily as he caught the angel in his arms. Gone? How is she...gone? An unfamiliar unease stirred within him and after a moment of surprise, he allowed her to bury her face against him. He didn't have to think about the action, he simply shifted himself to be seated and cradled the sobbing angel against his chest. "...alright, alright....we'll find her," he muttered, attempting to soothe Takeko before he could begin the search for the little one.
"S-someone....someone took her...!" Takeko choked out between sobs. She was trying not to give in to hysterics...but her baby...her baby was missing, nowhere to be found.
A hint of a growl creeping into his voice, Kane responded, "Then, we'll get her back." Glancing down, he supported the angel with one arm and reached to smooth her hair with his free hand. Her braid was falling loose, hair slipping free in all directions. And still, she clung to him like a child, sobbing.
It felt like the roles had been reversed, with he suddenly becoming the parent, and she, the child.
"...'s alright, Mom. It'll be alright..." They were empty tokens of comfort and they both knew it. The only thing that would fix this situation would be finding Xiulan safely. Where could she have gone? Could someone have actually taken her? Why? Who? He'd have to try to get more details on what had actually happened here as soon as she was able to share, but for now...
He guided Takeko to rest against his shoulder as her sobs quieted, though she continued shaking. A chill night wind blew past them and Kane flared his wings forward to wrap around them both as a buffer. His first priority was taking care of the angel in his arms. He needed to get her home and taken care of. After that, the search was on.
And if someone was involved in this, they'd best start praying to whatever gods they believed in.
*****
[FIN] |
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