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Post by Moo on Mar 12, 2014 18:12:56 GMT -5
What seemed like a hundred voices all entered his thoughts at once. Kind of like a swarm of wasps he'd seen chase a rather bewildered animal in the forest. Each voice seemed to prod at his head now, demanding something...but what were they demanding? There were so many though, that they all disappeared into a wall of noise. This hurt. This really, really hurt. No mind at the best of times would be able to cope with the sheer amount of noise directed at them. Let alone now. His right side flared up with an intense pain. Great. Ow. This would probably drive him insane very soon. These voices were silenced, almost in unison. His hurt side also calmed down. That felt good. A feeling of relief swept over him. But...why? What made them stop? His ears began to twitch, trying to find out why. Well, progress. They seemed to work better than before. Shame he still couldn't hear much, if anything out of them after that noise attack. He had a feeling he was about to find out, as he felt a link form between he and that dragon that sounded like Selene's family member.
The link was there, but nothing came through. That wasn't good. She's alright. Fairing much better then you are. Your braveness saved her life. Next time be more careful, you almost... he didn't really care much for her lecture. She was probably carrying on, but he didn't give it any attention. He heard what he needed to hear. She was alright. His senses felt like they had lit up a little. Not enough for them to actually do anything with them, but that feeling was something special. He'd saved her life. Again. His stricken side once more flared up with a strong, throbbing pain, almost as if to remind of the cost of keeping her safe. It still felt like it was on fire when tried to even think about breathing deeply, let alone anything else. He felt the ground move below him. It felt like many creatures were shuffling towards him. That was something new. He could feel the ground below him move again. A pleasant surprise quickly turned to something more sinister. Were they coming to inspect him? Or worse?
OK, brace...breath in...ow. Ow! Ow! Ow! That was probably not worth the pain. He smelt a large group of night fury's very close to him. They had begun to ask questions at him. Nothing like before, but it was there. No more than two lengths of him away. His heartbeat quickened. Why were they closing in on him? Were they going to kill him? Now? In that same breath, he caught a scent. An unmistakable scent. Of her. Selene. She was alright. She was quite close, and seemed to be getting closer. He felt her sprinting towards him. Her paw had seemingly healed. How long has he been out for? She had entered the group around him, but he couldn't feel anything else. Someone burst forward, past the crowd to him. He took another breath to figure out who. Again, his side flared up in pain. This time, it was definitely worth it. Something rubbed against his skin. It had to be Selene; no-one else would have done. Her skin was much harder than he remembered. As if she had matured. He wished he could see her now.
Something covered his body. It didn't touch anywhere on his right side, where most of the pain was. Like he was being shielded from the others covering him from their thoughts. It helped him calm down about what was going on around him. A link was formed, and he knew exactly who had formed the link. Colt... I need you... Be strong... I... I can’t lose you.. I’m falling for you Colt. You can’t die. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me... Please... if you can hear me... Hold on.. please hold on, please fight... For me… This meant more than words could describe. It gave him something extra. The extra bit of fight he needed. To survive. To live. He felt her head against his. She was being very, very tender with him. To avoid hurting him. Once more he willed his eyes to open. To see the world. To see her. Finally, at last, they reacted. He felt the sunlight enter his eyes. It stung his eyes, but it didn't faze him. Not now. His golden eyes once more were open to the world around him, but they were extremely tight. He had to wait a while for his vision to focus. All he could see was a wing covering his head. And finally, Selene's face. He still couldn't move his head. He felt pain fly through his body just by being able to see again. His eyes began to open a little more. Not much more, but enough to let him see enough her clearly. She had grown up. And she looked startling. She looked a lot more mature, with her wings ready to fly unlike before. And her paw able to walk again. He couldn't think of what to say to her, so he tried to meet her concerned eyes, and smile a toothless smile...
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Post by thenightandthefury on Mar 12, 2014 18:29:04 GMT -5
As she was laying there, her wing wrapped around him, she got a chance to look at him.. At his wound, the severity of it.. She held back a grimace, closing her eyes. As she tenderly laid her head next to his she listened for his heart beat. It didn't take long before she had honed in on it, listening to every quaky beat it made. The other night furies were around her, she could smell them. She lifted her head and gave a soft growl of warning. If anyone was going to try and bother him, they would have to go through her. The crowds slowly thinned, until it was just her and Colt once more. Her head ducked under her wing, she gazed at him, feeling pain at how ill and how helpless he looked. The realization slowly hit her, that he had risked his life for her.. and might very well die as a result. Finally, after what seemed like a life time, there was movement from him. Her ears twitched forward and her head perched to look at him, as his eyes seemed to slowly pry themselves open. Colt! She said softly, joy to her tones. Oh how short lived that joy would be, only she couldn't possibly realize it yet. The cost of him fighting to be awake when his body wasn't ready might be too great.. But somehow the great spirits had bigger plans for him.. Perhaps for both of them.
A gummy smile greeted her and she felt her heart thunder, her whole body shivering with eagerness, nervousness, and renewed hope that he would be okay. She carefully licked his maw, running her tongue over his cheek and nose. Hey.. You gave me quite the scare... She said softly through her link.. A soft smile, her own gummy and elegant smile shone down at him. Little did she know at what cost he had forced himself awake at. She started to sense something was off, something wasn't right. The heart beat she had listened to... Something was off... What was happening? Colt.. Are.. Are you alright? She said with worry in her voice through her link. She could sense that something was not right. Something told her that he was not as healthy as he appeared..
Glancing at his sides, how hard it seemed for him to just breathe, it hit her.. Was he.. dying? Nooo.. No, no.. Colt, hang on.. Please hang on.. She said softly, panic in her voice. Was that why the crowds had formed? Were they preparing for him to die? She nuzzled against him tenderly, the tears hitting her eyes. No, Colt, noo... She said softly, pleading with him to stay awake. Look at me, keep looking at me.. Stay with me, please... She could sense something was not right, something very was wrong, very wrong. Things had just taken a tragic turn, but how could she know now that he would be okay? The sad truth.. She couldn't...
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Post by Moo on Mar 12, 2014 19:14:22 GMT -5
He felt absolute elation at being able to see Selene alive and well. With none of the other night fury's nearby it was just...perfect. That what he had done was worth it all. Even if it cost him his life. His right side had begun to burn as if it had taken another shot. His senses began to burn as they had done before they had been treated. His body wasn't ready to be awoken from its slumber, and now he may well pay the ultimate price for it. He managed to stop himself from screaming in agony in his link to Selene, but he knew she knew he was in serious trouble. He coughed, and a searing pain ripped into his body. The pain wouldn't relent, and he knew he had only a few seconds to talk to Selene for was most likely the last time. The pain relented enough for him to get a message to Selene. Selene, I don't have much time. You need to know...I..I...Love. You. I'll do what I can to live. For you. His heart leapt with happiness. A strange paradox if there was one. He knew he was probably going to die, but his heart was filled with happiness. And hope. Why? As he finished this, he coughed violently. He seemed to cough up something warm and runny. He didn't want to know what that was. The pain came back to him. If he stayed awake and tried to fight the pain as it was, it would definitely be the end for him. No-one would be able to survive that. He felt something warm run out his nose. Blood? His heart began to flutter now. Guilt crossed his mind; the same guilt he felt when Selene hurt herself. He had put Selene through a lot; he was not going to put her through this. His heart recovered its beat and he did what he could to strengthen what was left of his resolve, and prepare it for the fight. He allowed himself to drift into an unconscious state. His last, desperate shot for survival; the last bastion of hope and life in a doomed situation. The last feeling he felt came from the Sun, and the sunlight on his skin. It felt...good.
Something made his mind stir one more time. He couldn't feel anything. Actually, his mind felt something. It felt...peace. Was he dead? Was this it? The end? He found his soul in a completely white, open space. There were no features. Just a strong white light that illuminated everything around him. It wasn't a light that blinded, but one that let him see. He saw something of an entrance begin to form ahead of him. The peace he felt vanished as a pitch black darkness began to take form behind him; the light that was there began to fade. He sprinted towards that entrance; he knew that darkness was bad. The entrance he went through shut tight, shutting the darkness out and that same comforting light illuminated the way ahead. The room began to darken, with no way out. He couldn't escape. This was it. Colt. Selene's voice! The darkness quickly backed up, and the light returned once more. He felt hope. Now, a pathway had formed from where the darkness had receded. He sprinted towards it, not caring about anything else. He had a good feeling about this pathway. Twisting, turning, a forest just seemingly appeared out of either side of the pathway. And the darkness began to return behind him. His soul focused and kept moving down that pathway. It closed in on him fast, he couldn't out run it. Colt. Once more, the darkness retreated away from her voice. The path straightened out, and the forest began to recede. He saw the end of the pathway. It had two paths. One lead up, one lead down. Which one should he follow? Colt! Selene's voice once more blasted through this surreal place, and the path leading down filled with a blinding light. He knew which one to follow. He edged towards the path leading down. Down to the unknown. He tried to see what was at the bottom before committing to it. An unknown force pushed him down it...
He felt himself reawaken...
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Post by thenightandthefury on Mar 12, 2014 20:19:59 GMT -5
Noo.. noo...Colt... She felt the tears sting her eyes, and nuzzled against him. Please stay with me.. She pleaded through her link, and yet she could see him fading. His coughs filled the air and made her wince, she nuzzled him again and pulled back as she felt a wet substance on her nose. Blood. It was a sure sign he was dying. And as he lay there, he confessed his love to her and she laid her paw over his shoulder.. his once strong shoulder.. and her head on his chest, the part that wasn't burned. The sobs shook her as she managed to say through her link Noo... noo.. don't leave me. But only silence answered her, an eerie silence.. She realized he might have passed.. Her next words came but moments too late for him to hear.. I love you.. And the eerie silence that was his dead link seemed to leave her there, with only her own thoughts.. She realized his body had shut down.. And she stayed there, for what seemed like hours, until hunger made her get up.
What she didn't know was that a night furies body could remain in a shut down state without food or water for days, even weeks.. as it built itself back up. Which was what his body was doing now. In her mind he had surely passed, and she spent her time practicing flying long hours, strengthening herself. He would want her to be strong, he would want her to be.. happy.. But happiness did not come for her. No, she found a large hole in the pit of her gut.. And kept willing herself on each day, her sorrows seemingly endless. It was on one night that she was flying over where she had met Colt, when two young night furies flew beneath her.. Come on! It's happening! The hero rogue is awakening! They were flying off as fast as their wings could take them towards.. Her homeland?
Confusion struck her.. It couldn't be.. It had to be some mistake, right.. Some sick joke.. He was dead, she had seen him die. But the faint hope that there might be something left of him drove her to fly as fast as she could back towards her homeland... As she soared past dragons crowding the skies to go towards her homeland she focused on her homeland, just ahead of her. Landing, she saw him there, and let out a scream in her link so loud that it came out as a roar... COLT!!!! At her roar the crowds cleared, making a path before backing off and away so it was just them..
And there he was.. Bigger, stronger.. Healthier.. Alive.. She looked at him, taking in every inch in seemingly disbelief. Colt.. You're.. You're alive... She said in disbelief, her joy rising in her tones. You're alive! Came her joyous realization, and she rushed towards him, wrapping her wings around him and nuzzling him as her paw fell around him. Oh I love you! Don't ever scare me like that again! Don't ever.. ever leave me again.. She said softly and nuzzled against him, the familiar sparks returning as the empty hole seemed to disappear.. joy filling its place, as her gummy smile came to her elegant features. Don't ever let me go again..
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Post by Moo on Mar 13, 2014 4:56:59 GMT -5
Sunlight once more touched his skin, bringing him round. The cold he felt before had finally dissipated, and the pain he had felt before had died down. This time, it wasn't a struggle to listen. He could hear everything around him; the birds chirping, the trees rustling...the other night fury's talking. His ears worked again. One down. He took a deep breath. It still caused some discomfort, but nothing like it was before. It smelt like...that there weren't too many near him right now. It wasn't like before where he was surrounded by them. A few minutes past while he just lay on his side, taking in the moment. He would be...alright. A joyful feeling pulsated round his body. He remained still as he opened his eyes once more. It wasn't a highly laboured, concentrated effort now. He slowly opened them to a point where they were no more than a slit. But that was enough. None of the other night fury's had picked up he was alive yet. Selene wouldn't have done either.
Well, everything seemed to be in order. Carefully, he tried to move his hind left leg. Just a little. And...it moved! Obviously a night fury had looked at him as he did so, as a flurry of thought and activity sparked into life as he did so. He still couldn't move much, but he was finding that he was getting feeling back to where it was lost with every minute that past. His right side was still sore, but nothing that wouldn't pass. He could see everything going on around him now, though they didn't know that. It seemed like the entire clan was out to see him wake up, but...where was Selene? He felt a buzz in the air from what must have been at least 20 night fury's all wondering the same thing. Is he alright? He's alive! They were...happy to see him alive? Had Selene convinced them he was someone good while he was gone? Each minute, more and more of the clan appeared to surround him. This time, they didn't appear hostile to his presence.
It must have been at least 10 minutes while he moved every part of his body slightly, checking they were OK. Now, this was the time to stand. He gradually brought his left side paws to a point where they could lift his body. The surrounding night fury's saw this and began to their shouts were filled with joy. Now this was the big one. His right side.The side that was nearly obliterated. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He slowly, slowly brought his right legs into a position to where they would be able to support him. Strange. He seemed. Taller. Larger. Stronger than he remembered himself. Just how long had he been out for? Again? The hero rogue is awakening! Someone had called that out in the distance. He liked that. Hero. There was some discomfort coming from his right side, but nothing that would stop him from standing. He pushed himself up off the ground. Slow and steady... sudden burst of pain from his side nearly made him fall, but someone from the crowd propped him up, and that steadied his balance. He turned his head for the first time in what felt like eons to examine his right side. A stiff neck reminded him of how long he had just been lying there. He had grown considerably. He'd matured like Selene had done. He found there was a large, dark grey stain that ran along most of his right side. He really had taken a nasty shot, and he thought that he really shouldn't be alive. As if he didn't already know that. Regardless of that, he did notice something else. Even though he'd nearly been killed, he was physically a much stronger night fury than any of the others in this clan. And a wingspan that dwarfed anyone else's.
The entire clan must have known about him waking up now, as all he could see all around him were night fury's of all sizes and ages. He suspected he saw who was probably the clan leader of the group, as it was older than the others. It was a she. Before he'd passed out after he'd taken the shot, he caught a glimpse of something up in the sky in the corner of his eye. A silhouette of some kind, though he only passed it off as a bird or something. Her body matched that silhouette. He knew she wanted answers. She would get them. Looking back ahead, he saw another night fury flying in as fast as they could go. Why on earth would they... Hang on. Was that...? COLT!!!! The shout seemed to scare most of the crowd into moving out her way! He couldn't believe it. Selene! She had grown so much! And looked magnificent. She landed perfectly from such a high speed and darted towards him. Colt.. You're.. You're alive... You're alive! Well, her paw was better at any rate. That selfishness he had felt way back when he first met her fell away at last. She examined him as she came forward, and her wings wrapped around him. It would be alright. She felt her nuzzle against his maw. From her link, she quietly spoke Oh I love you! Don't ever scare me like that again! Don't ever.. ever leave me again.. She had a gummy smile on her face. The same kind he gave to her before he'd passed out again. He lowered his maw onto the top of her head, gently. He sent a message back. I missed you so, so much...
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Post by thenightandthefury on Mar 13, 2014 10:37:09 GMT -5
Believing her love to be dead had to be one of the hardest things Selene had ever been through, yet harder still was witnessing him pass. One couldn’t know what it was like to hear their final words and feel their final emotions before they slipped away. The fear, the uncertainty; it rang in her mind all the time, along with remembering the moment his link had gone dead.. That solemn silence, that eerie, and quiet mind that spoke no more. And upon this night, she was out on one of her usual flights. Upon her flight, one of many, she was looking at the place where she had met Colt… She could still see the broken branch where her first blast had knocked down some branches and killed some birds. Just a little ways over was the skeleton of the monsterous nightmare, its body long picked clean by scavengers… Only its bones remained now, a solemn reminder of what had happened that night. Yet as she had been gazing at it, it seemed to come to life, firing at her. The shock of it made her dodge flames.. that really weren’t there.. Blinking hard, it was soon the skeleton again, and she shook herself to try and shake her mind. It had been happening more and more, seeing things again from that night, reliving it.. to the point where it almost seemed real. Thus the main reason she came back was to try and keep the memories of Colt close to her heart, maybe even relive it.. But it seemed only the bad memories came alive in her mind. It was only then that the young night furies flew by, struggling to go as fast as they could as they spoke of a hero rogue awakening.. heading towards her land..
Flying towards her land, after believing he had been dead for so long, was hard.. Her mind told her not to be foolish, that this couldn’t possibly be the same rogue she knew.. Couldn’t possibly be Colt.. He was dead, she had seen him die. But her heart thundered and made her strive to know for certain, propelling her wings to beat hard against the wind.. Her speed was unmatched, and she landed.. And there he was, alive..
Upon reuniting she had her wings and paw around him, and all was joyous.. That is, until she happened a glance at where his wound had been. A gray scar was in its place, but within moments it melted back into the horrible, burned and bloody wound it had been. Pulling back in shock, she blinked hard… finding that it was still just a scar. She heard his words, that he had missed her, and smiled a little, that gummy smile.. To feel his link and hear it again.. It felt good, but at the same time the fear that at any moment it would die.. just like it had before, rose in her. She closed her eyes, pressing her face into his shoulder. What’s wrong with me… She whispered in her link, to which a voice happened to answer.
Nothing is wrong with you. Rest. She looked up to see her mother, peering over at her. Her impressive size and wingspan was unmatched by any other female in her clan, save for her daughter who was just about her size. The only difference was that she was older, and had more scars on her body. She was the leader of the clan, and led with kindness but a firm authority. The scars were a reminder to all what happened when her authority was challenged. And although older, she still was the most experienced fighter in the clan, her scars proof that she could hold her own against even the toughest of opponents.
But now, her eyes were slits and showed concern. Go rest. Now. Selene looked hesitant, why was her mother suddenly wanting her to rest? But upon a stern look, she nodded and gave one final nuzzle to Colt before heading off to her sleeping quarters..
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The day her daughter had gone missing was a hard day for all, but perhaps the hardest for Tessa. Upon finding her and bringing her home, she grew into a more mature dragon as she lay sleeping.. It seemed the rogue had rescued her, but why.. What reason did he have to save a dragon, that was a child at the time? Most dragons his age would have gone straight for the kill, for a child dragon that was alone in the woods was an easy meal. So.. why hadn’t he? But her questions would have to wait, for as he seemed to pass she witnessed it, watching sadly as the same thing that had happened to her once happened to her daughter.
Only he wasn’t dead. She could sense life in him, and being the leader could sense the emotions and hear the links a lot better then anyone else. But her main concern was her daughter, who in retaliation to his death had started to fly long distances. The guards had reported seeing her repeatedly go to a certain spot in the forest, hovering and circling over it.. Just a short distance from where she had been found… Tessa was no fool, she knew this had some deep meaning that had to be about the rogue. And from her own experience, she knew how badly she would want to remember the few moments she had with him.
But more then that, something had happened.. Something Tessa couldn’t shield her from; she had witnessed his link die… And while most would think nothing of it, the truth be told is that it is an incredibly hard thing when a link dies while you are in tune with it. The simple death of a link while one is listening can have consequences.. For Tessa knew all too well she had not just heard his dying thoughts; she had felt them, had felt his fear, felt his pain in his link.. Something that her mother had gone through as well once, a long time ago.
And now, upon seeing her daughter there, staring at his scar, she knew she would have to try and help somehow.. She told her daughter to rest. Little did her daughter realize, was that her mind did not need to go through the emotions again and again.. and that every time she forced herself to remember and feel them again she was making it worse. Perhaps that was over with but the damage was done. She could see her daughters fear as she stared at the scar, jumping in alarm before squinting back at it.
As she lumbered off to her sleeping quarters, Tessa looked to the rogue. She’ll be alright. She said quietly. She looked to him. I need you to do something. No matter how hard it is, do not remember the night you died. Her eyes followed Selene, and she looked back to him. She’ll be fine. I’ve been through this once.. It happens when your mind is connected to someone at the moment they die. She looked down, folding her wings. Only mine didn’t reawaken.
Glancing to him, she finally said quietly.. What she needs is rest. She’ll more then likely want to be up and about but it is crucial that she rests her mind. If she doesn’t, it’ll drive her mad. Looking at him, her eyes soft.. She needs you more then you know. But no matter how hard it is, you can’t let her remember that night. The more her mind goes back to those thoughts, those feelings, the harder it will be for her to recover. The simplest of things can trigger her to go back to it, so be careful. The best thing you can do is just love her and take care of her.. Create new memories, ones that won’t bring her back to her past.. Not until she’s ready. She got up, walking off. You should go be with her now. She needs you.. more then you know. Good luck. With that, she walked off, sighing. She’d done what she could.. Hopefully, he would listen.
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Post by Moo on Mar 13, 2014 12:43:37 GMT -5
He listened to every word she said to him, ensuring that he would not forget even the breath between each sentence. This was absolutely crucial. He knew that what Selene had gone through would be one of the hardest things anyone could go through. The fact was though, that she'd been through something, very, very few could dragons suffer; in a way it was like survivors guilt. She'd been in a link with him when his body...shut down. Died. He had actually died on her. His mind was thrown by how he'd survived, and the experience had scarred his soul as much as it scarred his body. When was coming to, he could still remember the strangest, most dis-empowering thing he felt he could ever experience: A bright light, surrounding him. Telling him to wake up. But at the time he felt he couldn't. He felt helpless. That he was stranded in that space, forever with no way out. That's all that he could remember between passing out, and waking up for the second time; it was something he didn't want to remember. It haunted the back of his mind. He needed to be able to forget this harrowing experience as much as Selene needed to forget her memories of that night. And the rest. In a way, he had to do this for his sanity as well as hers; the thought of him being dead... a cold sweat went down his neck and he shivered. He had to find a way to get this off of his mind for good. Or, at least until he reached a time where he could accept it.
Something took him of this line of thought; he was quite grateful for it. He had a feeling that he owed this leader something. But what? It wasn't an apology. No, not even a feeling that he owed her...her... aha! That was it! An explanation. He saw in her mind, and in her link that she wanted to ask him how he came to know Selene. Why he didn't kill her. Why he so, so nearly sacrificed himself for her. About why he did what he did. And about him and his past. She was moving away, but he knew he needed to explain to her...everything. It was the least he could do for her, after what she was trying do for him. And for Selene, her daughter. He made a fast paced walk towards her. His right side was still sore, but it didn't concern him. He matched the pace of her walk after he caught up. I know you want to know more about my past. About what I did that night. I feel like I...owe you an explanation. For it all.
He took a good, long breath of the crisp evening air and continued; this was going to be hard. He wished he'd forgotten these memories, but he hadn't. They were as fresh as the day they were imprinted into his mind: I'm the last of my clan. They managed to keep me safe... in exchange for all their lives. There were five of us. Mum, Dad. Whip, Julienne. Me. We'd lived in the forest for many, many generations. Our home was there for the last 3. He had to stop for a second and recover his composure. OK. We were a very isolated group; we never saw more than maybe one or two other dragons in our life time, but we were well rehearsed in how to fight them regardless. About a year and a half ago, they were... He couldn't bring himself round to saying it, and he looked away. He was aware there was a silence. It was late at night. We were ambushed in our home by around three Monstrous Nightmares. We had early warnings systems in place which always worked; a few family secrets. Secrets I'll never know. They didn't work that time. They burst into our small cave and set everything on fire. Dad and Mum were at the front, fighting two of them. They were keeping us three safe. We had a small hole at the back for emergency use. We crawled through it; small enough for someone of Selene's size when we were lifted back here. Whip and Julienne went out ahead of me, as I was struggling to get through. That 3rd one got them both. I was unlucky enough to watch. A tear came to his eye. I could hear the two in the cave. They'd got through my parents. I just hid in that gap. Those in the cave eventually gave up trying to reach me. He had to take a moment. He wished he could forget all of this. The third one was still trying to get to me. To kill me. It made a hole large enough for it to reach me by burning away the rock where I was. I fired my second plasma bolt into his face. I couldn't watch its final moments. That made me vow to myself only to take a life if I had no other choice. No-one should have to go through what I went through, unless they endanger a life I care for. That's why I left Selene alone to begin with, before I got to know her. To love her. It would have been unfair on the parents of her. On you. I may be a rogue, but I'm not a murderer. Breathe. Breathe. OK. This was nearly as bad as taking that shot. I had to kill the Monstrous Nightmare. To keep her safe. It's why I took that shot from its mate. I wasn't going to let her take the blame for taking a life she didn't take. He looked at his scar. It ran from a little under his wing to about half way down his tail.
That was brutal. He stopped to compose himself. He hoped for as long as he lived he never had to recall that.
Now, he needed to see Selene, and darted off towards where Selene had gone...
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Post by thenightandthefury on Mar 13, 2014 13:25:35 GMT -5
The older dragon spoke, giving him advice, and to her slight relief the young rogue seemed to listen. As she turned, sighing, she thought of all that had happened. Perhaps she would never know, and it would be wrong of her to ask this rogue why he had done what he had done. After all, most night furies were born killers; it took either a very bad experience or a very enlightening one to change their path from killer to something better. She knew that most of the dragons in her clan would kill if need be, but she didn’t tolerate them killing unless it was a life or death situation. For she knew all too well at what cost a life was taken, and what it could and would do to ones mind. She knew that once that life left their eyes, it destroyed a piece of the one who had fired that fatal shot, just to know that they had done it. For no matter how fierce or scary a dragon looked just when one fired that fatal shot, there was no doubting the utter fear in their eyes, and for a few who are unfortunate enough to be near enough to them, their link is sometimes shared with their killer. Shuddering at the thought, rapid steps made her pause, to see the young rogue catching up, saying he owed her an explanation. Young dragon you don’t need to…
But he started telling his story, and she stopped talking and listened. Perhaps, though he didn’t realize it, he needed to tell somebody about this just as much as he needed her to listen. Perhaps in some way the comfort of someone else sharing the burden would be a form of healing for him, and who better then a well trained mind like Tessa was. So, she reclined on her hinds, listening as he told her the sad story of the rogue family.. Her own memories came to her, as she remembered her mate, who had been killed by the same group of rogue monsterous nightmares. It had been a time when those rogues were looking to overthrow all night furies, and as she remembered they often had targeted small families.. Ones without the protection of a clan, for the death of these small families was often enough to put out a message to the clans.. and put fear in them.
His story filled her ears, how he had hid when he was younger, the rest of his family being killed, as he had given the final blow to kill the monsterous nightmares.. Yes, she had heard this story.. The fall of some of the nightmare rogues, rumored to be by a night fury who had been to young to know what he was doing. Yet listening, it seemed he had known exactly what he was doing; attempting to save his family, or at least himself. She recalled when her own mate had been killed by the monsterous nightmares, how she had given the final blow and sent her clan to finish them. It was a deed she would be guilty of for the rest of her life; a life for a life, but what’s more… for many, many lives. For she had known that if they didn’t die, they would continue to destroy the island of all night furies, and then move on to other dragons, for those rogues had had a lust for power.. Something that was a great destroyer of any conscious they had. Perhaps in their final moments, they felt the same fear her mate had, the same fear this young rogue and his family had.. when they had killed his family and in turn he had had to kill one of them.
Turning back to look at him, she said in a barely audible tone.. What you did saved not only yourself, but many more.. If you recall, one clan had to destroy the rest after that attack.. that attack on your family.. For they wouldn’t stop, and we knew that; they were killers, and what’s more.. They lusted for power.. As you have said, killing should only be if a life depends on it.. During that time many lives depended on it.. It was my clan that had to save what little remained.. What you did saved not only your life, but the lives of all the other rogue families they would have targeted next. But remember young one; never lust for power.. Power is not the greatest thing in the world.. The greatest thing you will ever achieve in this life time is something that power has no part of.. and that, dear rogue.. is what you have with Selene.. You love her.. That love.. is something that I hope you will hold dear to your heart and let guide you through the hard times, pushing all lust for power into a dark corner from which it will never awaken. The best dragons fight for love, not power. She finally looked at him, turning and walking away.. Go to your love now, young rogue. Fight for it, live for it, and remember to keep it close to your heart. With that she lifted her wings, flying off into the distance. She would return, later. For now she knew her daughter needed that rogue.. and the love only he could give her…
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Selene had gone into the caverns, laying down.. Closing her eyes, she found a sort of peace for a few moments.. The steady dripping of the water off of the cavern ceiling.. The sun shining in through the entrance, and yet the shadows that allowed her mind to rest in a quiet place. Yet moments later she looked up, hoping to see Colt. Her mind raced, she thought back to that night. Thoughts of him being hit by the fire flew through her vision, and she half screamed in her link, before heaving a breath, wide eyes staring out at the entrance. She had risen to her paws, but it wasn’t fire.. It was just the sun coming out from behind the clouds.. Relaxing, she laid back down, closing her eyes tightly. Her heart thundered, and in moments a new memory arose..
Her own heartbeat morphed into his weak heart beat in his last moments. No! She screamed in her link, opening her eyes and lifting her head. Inhaling and exhaling quickly, she found that she was still alone, and it was only her own beating heart.. Still steadily beating in her chest… Blinking hard, she looked around, and spotted her mother and Colt.. What were they doing there? Why was he talking with her mother?
Curiosity formed in her, before she closed her eyes, letting her mind wander.. It led her back to that night, when she had been in the forest, fearful of something watching her. Her heart thundered, waiting for him to appear in her memory; she knew he would be there, just like he had been that night. But instead a monsterous nightmare lunged and fired at her. She let out a scream that was a half a roar and half a scream, as she shot to her paws, legs splayed as her head was bent down, her sides heaving. Would this torment ever end?
Colt.. She called, her mind link wavering with a fear in it.. She looked around herself, finally coming out into the sunlight. The sun, how it shone down on her and warmed her scales.. It was a good feeling, a sort of reminder that she was still here, that she was still okay. Little did she know how healing the sun could be, and combined with love it was a strong medicine. She peered out, stepping out into the sun. Her eyes lifted to the sky, watching the clouds. A small smile formed on her maw, she looked back and saw the young hatchlings playing around with an egg that had yet to hatch, their mother quick to get them away from it, yet still nuzzling against them lovingly. A sudden longing to be that mother night fury hit her, and she found herself thinking about it.. It was a nice change of pace from her fears, as she sat there watching the hatchlings. Oh what wonders the sun brought, for it not only brought light and warmth but spring.. and with spring came new life and.. new hope.
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Post by Moo on Mar 13, 2014 14:34:57 GMT -5
His mind reeled from what she had revealed. She had...avenged the death of his family, in a sense. Because he'd managed to kill one of those monsters, it gave her the spark to end the terror those...things had instilled in so many night fury's across the land. He didn't feel pride though. Not at the cost it had come with. But, he did feel something he had yearned for. It was something only she could have provided in that moment. Closure. A closure on his darkest day in his life. In his clan's life. His old clan's life. He did what he needed to do to survive. To live. And because of that, it was time to look forward and not back. He sat back on his haunches as this set in. Go to your love now, young rogue. Fight for it, live for it, and remember to keep it close to your heart. Her departing link echoed with a sentiment he would never let go of in his heart. Thank you! He hoped she heard that. It was time to find Selene.
He took off in the direction he saw Selene head in, before he'd talked to her. He needed to find out the her name; he still didn't know it though that would have to wait. He'd only be in the air for a few seconds when he heard Selene's link burst out of a cave below. Was she in trouble? Hurt? There were a few gaps she could be resting in, but he knew which she was in. An instinct had just been discovered; one that that could help him find her. Colt... There was a certain tinge of something in her link. Fear? He slowed himself down and landed, so that he wouldn't startle her as he came into the cavern. As he came over the crest of the cavern's entrance, he saw her looking out towards the Sun, smiling. He, however, knew she'd been spooked by something because of her scream from her link. What her mother said suddenly echoed in his mind 'you can’t let her remember that night. The more her mind goes back to those thoughts, those feelings, the harder it will be for her to recover' He knew he had to do something to get her mind off it, though it seemed like that had already been taken care of.
He caught her looking at a mother and her new hatchlings and soon to be hatchlings. He saw her take in how she was lovingly taking care of her babies. That must have taken her mind off that night. He felt some relief over that. At least she was alright. For now. As he came over to rest beside her, he made sure to approach her in that he could hide his scar from her view. His wing made for a good cover. He felt the sunlight on him as he settled down next to her, his skin against hers. He put his wing over her body. Bliss. He would make sure to remember this moment. He hoped she would too. A thought came forward. Hang on... he wondered. Did she... was she... did she want to be a mother? He thought about this quickly while he put his maw on top of her neck. He decided it may be wiser not to broach on the subject; didn't want to be a dad yet! When he was flying over to her, he saw what was probably a waterfall in the distance. It was in the opposite direction of where he'd been shot. It was early evening, so they could still get there and get back by nightfall, and he knew that by now she'd be able to make it there comfortably. Selene, I saw something that you might like. It's probably about 10 minutes away from here. You want to hang around there for a while? He tenderly nuzzled against her cheek...
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Post by thenightandthefury on Mar 13, 2014 15:28:36 GMT -5
The hatchlings playing with the egg brought a warm smile to her maw, as a small part of her had started to form into what would one day become a strong desire. For now, it was a simple warmth in her heart, just by looking at the young hatchlings, and how tenderly the mother cared for them. Little did she know that growing up came with an inner clock that would start ticking at maturity.. Some said males didn’t have it, or at least not as severely so. But most females had it, and it had started within her.. The simple thing she hadn’t noticed before, about how cute the hatchlings were, and the simple warmth it gave her to watch them. She knew she was no where close to being ready to be a mother, but the thought that one day.. Perhaps far into the future.. she would have this with Colt... gave her a warm feeling in her heart. She felt a warmth against her skin, a gentle pressure and a wing falling around her made her look up, and there was Colt. A smile formed on her maw, her heart fluttering at his touch. Her eyes went back to the young hatchlings, as they suddenly started biting into each other and screaming their little heads off as the parents pried them apart. The warmth that been there quickly disappeared and she nuzzled against Colt gently. Hatchlings could certainly wait, she decided as she listened to the whining roars and growls as the hatchlings were put into their nest for a nap.
Just then her mind link formed with Colts, and he mentioned a place not far from here… Perhaps a ten minute flight, and asked her if she wanted to go with him. A playful growl formed in her. What are you planning mister? She asked playfully, then swept her tail in anticipation. Race ya to the skies! She said as she took off, a familiar thing that she had done the night she left. A memory of her first flight hit her, but as she caught control of her flight it was pushed from her mind as she swooped back down, hovering over him. Come on! Scared you’ll get beat by a girl? She teased with a playful tone, though there was obvious affection in it. She took off to the skies, stretching her wings as she climbed higher and higher. It was an incredible feeling, to feel the clouds moisture on her skin, her smaller wing flaps billowing in the wind as they balanced her. Her tail was her guide, guiding her just as she had learned it should. Making a sharp turn, she spiraled into circles and launched herself downwards, swooping back upwards in a swift turn of her body. Her lighter build and strong wingspan allowed her agility. Thus as she propelled herself upwards she spun herself, before letting herself free fall…
The falling was in a way scary, yet at the same time it was a rush, and she knew that she would have to catch herself. Little did Colt know this was one of her favorite moves to practice.. And, it usually scared the wits out of the creatures below, and for good reason. In her mind she counted the seconds, and her fall came closer and closer to the earth.. Perhaps only fifty feet parted her from a crash landing when…
Her wings spread outwards, and she gave herself a mighty twist… Her body turned, wings spreading out wide as she leveled herself, before soaring back upwards. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth as she climbed the skies… She felt her mind still linked to Colts. Laughter filled her link.. Betcha didn’t know I could do that… She knew he was somewhere nearby, perhaps in the clouds or maybe he was still on the ground.. She was close enough to the ground to hear his link, yet still high enough that she could hear him even if he was a good distance higher then her. So.. Where is this secret place? She asked as she hovered in the skies for a moment, looking around to try and see what place he might be taking her to.
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Post by Moo on Mar 13, 2014 16:07:00 GMT -5
Oh, it was on. She wasn't going to beat him! His pride was at stake! She was already up and away by the time he got moving. Oi! That's a head start! Cheat! She circled back over him as he took to the skies with her. He got a response. Come on! Scared you’ll get beat by a girl? He sensed the playful tone in her link. And something else. Affection. Did she really think she could beat him in a race!? She was delusional! He soared up into the air, and levelled out to her right side, keeping his scar out of sight. Out of mind. Hopefully, at some time in the future that scar would fade away, along with the memories she would have of him dying. Actually, he was somehow quite proud of that scar: it made him feel more...manly! OK, so faded but not completely gone. She'd started to get ahead of him by swooping lower and using that increased momentum in a straight line. No matter. He could fly higher and go quicker.
He'd pulled ahead of Selene by a good distance by the time they'd reached the waterfall. Hah! And you thought you cou- err? Where was she? Oh no. She was falling! He saw her begin to free fall out the sky. His protective instincts for her kicked in as she fell. He was effectively a flying dart as he tried to save her. Was he going to reach her this time? Stop her hurting herself? He had flashbacks of her falling during that fateful night. Why wasn't she calling for help? Had she passed out? She was only seconds away from hitting the forest canopy. He was only seconds away from catching her. She suddenly spread her wings and arrested her fall only a matter of feet above the canopy. Too friggin' close. Please, please please please please don't do that again! He would have said he nearly had a heart attack, but recent events stopped him from telling her that. He felt her link as he flashed passed her. Betcha didn’t know I could do that… He sighed the sort of sigh you might hear when a child intentionally goes out their way to scare you and then realise it's a joke. He saw the funny side to it at least. Just. Kind of. He bet she enjoyed doing that. So.. Where is this secret place? Selene asked.
He slowed himself down so Selene would be able to see him. He was still kind of peeved about her scaring him witless, but he didn't show it. This was Selene he was dealing with. He probably should have expected something like that. Over here. He glided over the top of the forest and perched himself on a thick branch that overlooked where the water fell off of the waterfall. Down here! He saw what could only be described as something magical. He saw the clear blue river run off down into the horizon. The golden sun off centre to his right. All kinds of creatures were going about their business around him. Them. It was all so perfect. He hoped she was taking this in. There were fish occasionally jumping out of the water down below them. Actually, speaking of fish...
One sec. He dove into the water, as he did before he met Selene when catching food. He was seriously hungry. He couldn't see much under the water, but his mouth did catch a few fish. Yum. He pulled up out of the water, with his catch in tow, and circled around and landed back on the branch. Hungry? A fish came out of his mouth, and landed on the branch. He swallowed the other fish he had stored...
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Post by thenightandthefury on Mar 13, 2014 16:25:39 GMT -5
As she was falling she felt free, completely free of any burden.. That is, until Colts mind link hit her, his pleas for her to never do that again as she came over to him. Her laughter and comment made him sigh, and she saw the expression on his face. Her laughter quickly faded as he turned, flying ahead of her. Although he was trying to hide it, she had seen how upset he was when he saw that she was laughing about it. A guilty expression on her face, she landed in the canopy, looking at the waterfall as he asked if she was hungry. A fish landed on the branch next to her.. She didn’t eat it, still feeling guilty for scaring him.. Why was it such a big deal, she was fine, it wasn’t like she’d died or anyth-
The sudden memory of that night, of falling out of the skies and crash landing, only to see the monsterous nightmare there, ready to fire at her.. Colts horrified expression before he killed it.. The horror in his mind as she heard his link that night.. It ran through her mind in flashes, and she blinked hard as she looked back down at him, her teeth coming out so she could eat the fish. She remained quiet.. It wasn’t like she had been dying just now.. She had been fine, right.. His face after she had first leveled herself came to her mind, the horror on it.. It reflected the same emotions she’d seen that night..
Coming down from the branch, she landed beside him. Colt.. I.. I didn’t mean to scare you.. I.. She looked at the water, tears filling her eyes. She could sense the emotions through her link, feel them coursing through her.. I thought it’d be fun, I just wanted to show you.. y’know.. that I can fly now.. impress you.. Her tears filled her eyes as she looked to him. Her next words came through the link in a mere whisper… I’m sorry..
She turned, giving one pump of her wings as she landed in a tree, just above him. She curled up against its broad trunk.. Why was life so difficult now? Was it always going to be this way? Was there always going to be this pain.. this fear.. Haunting her, haunting Colt.. Forever? And although she was alone in that tree, the last thing she wanted was to be alone… Not at that moment, not ever. Slowly, she came down from the tree, going over to Colt.. Hesitating, she could feel all the emotions building in her that were in both their minds.. And without another moments hesitation she sprung forward, pressing her face into his chest, as she pressed herself to be as close to him as possible.
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Post by Moo on Mar 13, 2014 17:09:30 GMT -5
He felt her land on the branch as he put the fish down on the trunk. She held back for a moment before taking it. He felt an emotional link form. Colt.. I.. I didn’t mean to scare you.. I.. She looked away in shame, and he saw tears starting to form in her eyes. He felt dreadful. Worse than dreadful. She must have known he was annoyed. Not anymore. I thought it’d be fun, I just wanted to show you.. y’know.. that I can fly now.. impress you.. Now he felt cruel. What she had done was pretty damn good. Seline, it's alright. That was some amazing flying you di- She wasn't listening. He wanted to hold her against him. To say it was alright. … I’m sorry... He felt her head press into his chest, as a way of apologising. He wrapped his wing round her. He made sure that his scar was out of her sight. Look, it's alright. That was some amazing flying! Her tears ran down his chest. He held her against, and tried to reassure her it was all fine. He lowered his maw on her neck, as a way to say they were as close as ever. Look, I love you. You could scare the living daylights out of me and I would still love you the same. In fact, you do scare the living dalights out of me sometimes, and I still love you the same!
He had an idea. It involved a thin tree, and that patch of grass over there. Look. He waited for her to calm down, before he took off. He circled around the edge of the waterfall, and found the tree he needed. Be one second! He dived as fast as he could safely manage and landed by the tree. Nearly done! He called out. It took a few tries, but the tree came loose. Got it! This tree was heavier than it looked. He flew back up to the top of the waterfall. This was actually a real effort, and he began to sweat. After what felt like an age he managed to climb above the top of the waterfall and begin to work on his masterpiece. I know I look stupid, but you'll see! He looked at her, squinting his eyes to capture every detail of her. Right, OK. He glided towards that open patch of grass. Where to start? The face would probably be a good idea. He forced the sharp end of the tree into the ground and drew what hopefully looked like her head. That's her eyes... nose.. He took another look at her. OK. And now her mouth. Aaaand...done? He was breathing quite heavily due to the effort. He wasn't finished. There was enough room for more. Still going! Can you see what I'm doing yet? He took a good look at her, and got back to work. He proceeded to carve up the ground further and drew her body. First her torso...OK, tail...tail fins...what am I missing...Oh. Right. Wings, legs and paws. He carved up the ground a little more. He spat the tree to one side when he finished the final paw. Taa daa! I'm...going to need a minute. He fell on his stomach, legs splayed out and taking long, hard breaths. I'm OK, don't worry! He gave a gummy smile. The things he does for her sometimes...
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Post by thenightandthefury on Mar 13, 2014 17:28:25 GMT -5
Through her tears and memories she found a moment to look at him. He didn’t look angry any more.. Moments later his link filled her with a compliment..His wings wrapped around her, and she tilted her head.. You’re.. not angry with me? She questioned, then as he told her he loved her she felt a low rumble in her throat, not a growl but more like a purr. She nuzzled against him before he pulled away, going over to a tree and taking it down. Tilting her head, she watched curiously.. Okay, so he could take down a tree and what was he doing… Dragging it across the earth, and in circles.. His link came to her and she smiled, looking at what he was drawing in the earth. Although to humans it would look like a tangled mess of lines, to her it was a masterpiece. He kept on going and she looked at it..
Realizing he was drawing her she smiled a gummy smile, then as he collapsed and called back that he was okay she jumped down, careful to avoid stepping on any of his art.. and making her way over to him in a sort of hopping and skipping motion. Finally at his side, she curled up, and got a chance to look around herself, and really take in what was around her. The crystal blue waterfall, the fish jumping out of it, and nearby birds chirped and deer frolicked in a meadow just a short distance away.. Little rabbits scampered past now and then, and she looked back at him. Smiling, she nuzzled against him, wrapping a wing around him.. How did you find this place? She asked softly..
It was an amazing place, and she knew it.. Nudging him gently, she got up and strolled over to the waters edge, letting herself go into its depths until she was up to her neck, her wings and spine, head and part of her neck still out of the water. She went over to the falls, reaching her head back and letting the water cascade over her, before looking back over at Colt. A soft call came for him, not through her link but a soft, rumbling call that held affection and love for him. Her eyes held affection as she gazed at him, realizing how truly handsome he was.
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Post by Moo on Mar 13, 2014 18:01:13 GMT -5
That. Was. An. Effort. A real, real effort. He still was splayed out as he recovered his energy. He wasn't really sure what to expect when he saw the waterfall over here, he only hoped it would be something memorable. And boy was it. He thought about rolling his tongue out to the side, as a dog would to cool down. He thought better of it. Wet ground doesn't leave a good taste. While he was laid out, he saw her leap off the tree, and carefully move towards him, making sure she avoided his art. His heartbeat quickened; he forgot to cover up his scar; she could see it...but she didn't pay it any mind as she settled down next to him. You..you...you like it? Even his link sounded tired! He waited for a reply... no response? He glanced up to see why. Oh. He smiled, though she didn't see it.
He saw her just really take in her surroundings. Like she had never truly seen the world like this. Honestly, he hadn't done that often enough either. She felt her nuzzle against his head. A link opened between them, and her gentle voice came through How did you find this place? He didn't answer immediately. She didn't seem to mind as she looked memorised by this place. This was real progress. To help her forget what happened to him. To them. He thought of an answer, but she had already lost herself in this place. He felt her nuzzle him again as she made her way to the waters edge. She just seemed to sink into the water, until only her head was visible to him. She really was lost in this place! He found the energy to lift himself back onto all four paws again. Before rolling onto his haunches. Songbirds were out in full chorus, and this distracted him from her. He just watched them dance around the scenery while Selene relaxed in the water. He looked back to Selene, and not a growl, but more a purr from her, inviting him over to her. He began to walk over, with the Sun still out. It was getting dimmer, but there was still plenty of time before they had to make their way back.
The water was running up half way his chest, before he lowered himself further into the pool. He let his wings unfurl with a unfelt weightlessness. He made a odd sounding rumble as his muscles relaxed in the water. After creating that piece of art, this was niiiiiice. This probably looked and sounded quite funny to her...
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