Skyshire's pads were bleeding... again. It was at that point though that she couldn't feel them anymore, she had run too far and too long to really take notice or care at this point. She had been running for days, or was it weeks? It didn't matter, the more distance she put between her and those bastards the better she felt.
The heat was starting to get to her though, she had to lay down and rest again, her leg was still sore. Her eyes were half closed against the late afternoon sun and her pink tongue lolling out of her mouth. She wasn't paying enough attention to her surroundings and finally tripped on a sharp rock that made her legs crumple beneath her. If she hadn't been panting while her chin rested on the ground she would have fallen asleep right then and there. The few moments of stillness with her eyes closed let her hearing come back, her heart had started to finally rest and get out of her ears. She began to notice that she had started to cool off and a bubbling, gurgling sound came from her right. Well, every sound, more or less, mostly came from her right.
She focused on slowing her breathing, and let the newfound coolness wash over her. She finally opened her eyes to the white aspen trees that surrounded her and provided some much needed shade. Looking up over the grassy stalks she saw that the gurgling stream was only a few short leaps directly ahead of her. That water will feel good on her paws. Gathering that last ounce of strength she tried to stand and her legs could barely hold her without shaking from the exhaustion. The injury to her hind leg was making it a mountains worth worse. She crawled to the stream at a sloth's pace. Her toes finally caressed the smooth rocks of the river's edge, a little bigger than she originally thought, and she nearly collapsed again but found herself slowly slipping into the water to the point that she could lay down with her head up and the let water surround her. The water only rose over her paws thankfully, so she wouldn't be swept away.
«Hey there. May I? :)»
All Cry could remember was something no less than the sky going itself apart, picking him up, and flinging him through the Wilds. He had no say-so in the destination, and he regretted such, for it seemed he was lost. He had wandered from his drop off spot, looking for anything that might resemble The Bay. Listened for the sound of that familiar Sea that cooled his flaming spirit, but could be useful now for his equally burning pads and ribs.
Nothing.
The obsidian Prince studied his new whereabouts with a frosty stare, and continued his trek in silence.
The scent that followed in his entrance to a skeletal first of Aspens was that of another wolf. A swift recap of the scent process she was alone, not of pack, and nearby.
Only then did the frozen irises catch movement father ahead of him, and he continued forward.
She lay prone in the waters that swam around her, and the shadow child observed her state. First, he has to see if she was conscious. Maybe she hasn't succumbed to the hysteria of hypothermia, yet.
"Are you alive? Or are you at least edible, girl?"
((Sure!!))
The feeling in Skyshires limbs had come and gone. It was nice to finally relax in some cool clean water. At least she had assumed it was cool and clean when she approached it with delirious vision. She was content to just lay there, letting the water wash over her torn and bloody paws, and wash out the gathering infection in her leg.
She was completely oblivious of the world.
"Are you alive? Or are you at least edible, girl?"
Yanked out of her reverie, adrenaline ran through her system so hard she leapt out of the stream and away from the voice before she knew what she was doing. The water had half froze her limbs though and her legs wouldn't move as fast as she thought they should go. The result was a comical jumping splash that landed her in deeper water that she struggled to fight through in order to get to shore and away from the strange voice. Finally her brain kicked in and made her freeze in place, legs splayed out, hair on her back raised, panting, heterochromia eyes wide in fear, and brown ruddy water rushing over her ankles.
One blue eye and one brown eye stared wide eyed at the newcomer, watching him to see his reaction. Would he chase her and try to kill her like those brutes from before? Or was he different? She had never met a male that was different. She had literally only known the wolves of her birth pack until now and nothing had prepared her to meet a stranger.
What had he said? Whether she was edible? That didn't sound good.
"No, not edible. Not in the least. Who are you?" Was he sent after her to take her back to that terrible place? She was standoffish, she couldn't run away or hide at the moment, she felt cornered with her dead numb limbs and the wound on her leg was starting to throb again. The dirty water from the latest disaster (that she had no inkling of) would probably make it worse.
As if his very words brought her back from the watery depths of her grave, the heterchromatic orbed female sprang from the shallows, and landed in the deeper recesses of the small water spot.
A dark eyebrow raised at her ridiculous performance, however no other emotion showed on his face.
"That is for me to know, and you to have to earn. The main concern of mine is what we can do for each other to prevent death of one another."
Cry had no reason to slaughter the girl, but he wasn't a sadist, either. She was obviously frightened. What did that mean to him? The same value as names. Nothing.
Crystal ice eyes framed by shadows watched her every move, his auds patiently awaiting a response from the pale and stricken fae.
((Getting some weird font/html feedback, like its not working and showing me the code everywhere O.o Is that part of the new upgrade we're in the middle of? ))
What? What was the point of being vague like that? Now she was thoroughly confused, but at least he didn't seem to want to hurt her, for now. From what she could piece together from what he was saying, he was more concerned about what they could do for one another to keep each other from dying.
She had nothing to offer him, but if he figured that out he might just take all she had left and leave her to die, or worse. Her legs were shaking again, the cold was starting to creep up, but the sun was already drying her off. Keeping an eye on the black male she slowly waded through the detritus filled water to the rocky bank. The feeling in her pads came back at full force though and Sky winced as she felt the sun bathed rocks on her peeling and bleeding pads. Her limp was obvious despite her best efforts to hide it, her hind leg had a nasty bite mark. She made her way tenderly to the soft grass and after glancing at the mysterious male, laid down with a grunt.
Fine, if he was going to be all weird about names, she didn't see a reason to offer her own and she wouldn't put him down as friendly either. His unknown intentions made her hackles raise more than knowing the intentions of her past bullies. At least she knew what to expect from them but this was very unfamiliar.
"So, what I could do for you then?" He made it obvious from his statement that he was expecting something from her, but whatever she felt she had left to give was too high a price for a stranger. She had just escaped but that potential hell and she didn't think she had the energy left to escape from this one if it turned for the worse.
«unfourtionately, yes. It was like that for my Joining thread on another character...frustrating, isn't it? :(»
As still as stone, he observed not only her walk, but the way she breathed. Cry attempted to see if she had any broken bones, but other than the disastrous rip she had on her hind, and the metallic scent of blood from her digits, she seemed harmless.
However, fear put into the equation could turn tables.
"You're more hurt than I am."
A simple and obvious statement.
Rather than waste anymore breath, the death resembling wolf smoothly turned and disappeared in the trees. Reappearing a few seconds later, he clutched the bark of a pine tree in his ivory dagger lined jaws, and silently chewed it into a pulp. Spitting it out at her paws, he went back through the trees, and gathered a bit of mint.
Returning, he pushed the emerald leaves into the semi dry brown matter, and mixed it with his paw.
Frozen irises looked down at her, and in a soft tone, he spoke.
"This will not only stop bleeding, but remove small infection of wounds. Use it sparingly."
Then he sat back to lap up a few mouthful of the frosty waters. The female hasn't known she had already helped him by locating water. Along with pain from a shattered rib, he was suffering from dehydration.
In a way, this was him returning the favor, but he wasn't giving her any power over him, in the slightest.
She didn't know what do with his statement, but before she could contemplate a reply and what he meant by his statement he whipped around and disappeared into the brush. She listened intently for is return as he rustled through the brush and came back with a bunch of bark, chewed it up, spit it on the ground, then turned around again. Curious, Skyshire tipped her head, much like a confused puppy, and watched him come back with strong smelling mint and added it to the spit bark pile.
And then he softened his voice from what it was before and told her that it would help her wounds. Without moving she watched him turn toward the river and take a drink.
Quietly she inched closer to the concoction, not quite sure if he was telling the truth about it, but all she could smell was the acidic pine scent and an equally strong mint smell swirled in there. It reminded her of the time her own Omega mother crawled out of the shadows and tended to her scrapes making sure the beta or alpha didn't notice.
Sky dipped her sore pads into the mixture, she sucked in a hiss of breath as her pads stung against it. It must be doing its work. She took a look at her leg and it was in one of those difficult to reach places. Hence why she had trouble cleaning it. The only way she could get this stuff on her leg is if she layed in the stuff and carefully made sure it only got on her leg. So she maneuvered around and trying desperately not to waste the stuff on her white fur she dipped the back of her heel into the stuff and laid down, accidently letting out a low whine from the pain. The effort made her pant, but once she was settled the stinging started to numb out and become more bearable.
If she caught the males glance through her half lidded eyes she said, "Thank you."
An ear flicked in the direction of the hurt dame, and he was pleased to assume she had put the medicine in her wounds. It wouldn't do complete job of healing without scar tissue, and his medical expertise didn't know of a concoction that did, but it would get the infection out of her system before it could enter her bloodstream, and kill her.
He was so thirsty.
He might even drink this river dry.
Without looking up, the silent shadow continued to drink, only pausing for air, and
"Don't mention it, but don't forget it, either."
The midnight hessian locked his winter irises on her duo color gems, the brief contact giving meanings ranging from a single threat to a single shard of 'you're welcome'.
Back to draining the lake.
"Can you walk?"
She sighed in contentment as the pain started to lose its edge. She flicked her gaze back at the male and watched him nearly down the entire river. He paused just long enough to gruffly reply a "don't mention it" with a more hostile connotation attached with an odd... look. She didn't think she'd ever understand him. Was this what most loners were like?
He was going to bloat himself he kept it at it. He had turned back to swallowing the river whole and came up again asking if she could walk.
Walk? She had done all the walking in the world, running even, heck she probably couldn't stand at this point what with numb toes and all. Never hurt to try though.
Without commenting she just glared at him wondering why he was so eager to get them both moving and not just leaving her here to be eaten by bears. She huffed and brought her paws up beneath her. Her legs ached.
She struggled to get up and found her feet under her again.
She looked over at him again as she stood shakily.
"You're going to get bloat if you don't stop soon."
The dust started to coat and cake her paws, sealing the paste against her wounds. She walked tenderly to the water's edge and got her own drink. It tasted nasty, the water was brown, the debris was almost making it hard to drink. She wondered what could have caused such devastation as she started to actually look around her. Trees had fallen way down south where the river led.
"I can walk, but not for long or very far. Why?" She asked, she'd rather just lay down again and take nap until morning in this lovely shade. It was late afternoon, maybe early evening at this point.
If it wouldn't have hurt his chest, he would have laughed. Was that supposed to stop him from drinking?
Adorable.
The ethereal hessian regally faced her, clear droplets falling free of his sheathed jaws.
"My being is not of your concern."
Him wasting time to talk to her would only and inevitably make him lose his thirst, which happened. Of course.
Gently, he placed a flint shaded paw on the surface of the more still waters.
He loved water.
It was a serene body. It was life. And without it, you were nothing.
"Don't put to much pressure on your limbs, then. Relax."
As sudden as a blink, he strided to her, face to face. Eye to eye. And as solemnly as death, he spoke to her.
"Decide. Will you have a better chance with me, or should I continue my own path. Will you make the choice of staying with me, or living on your own terms. Decide."
These could be the last words she would ever hear from the mysterious male. A man who entered swiftly into the lives of many, only to leave just as quickly. However, instead of following through, he was giving this girl a choice.
Ice glacials stared into her own gems, his breath held, and he waited for her own words
She was looking around and didn't catch his stance as he pulled away from the water and said that he was no concern of hers. She glanced at him though to watch him slowly paw at the water. Entranced by it somehow.
As she was settling down again after he mentioned her to relax she froze as he suddenly wheeled on her. He came up to her so quickly and so close she caught her breath as he came within kissing distance. That was the last thing on her mind, she was sure he just flip decided to flay her alive.
"Decide. Will you have a better chance with me, or should I continue my own path. Will you make the choice of staying with me, or living on your own terms. Decide."
Her mismatched orbs flicked between his stark icy blues peering as if from the deep shadows of a moonless night. Her ears flicked between forward and back uncomfortably, and she stood one fore paw raised and her neck craned back. What was WITH this guy? Was this how all the wolves of this place spoke? She stood frozen and silent for several moments and as her muscles started to strain from being held for so long she slowly let her paw down and crouched on her back legs, waiting to spring. Though he was so close he could throttle her before she had enough time to launch herself away.
He was dangerous, unpredictable, and. just. too. weird. But she had no idea if denying him her company would mean he would have to kill her for his strange code.
"Uhhh, I thiiink... at this point I'll try my own terms for a while. Don't really know what those are really. Thank you-" she slowly started to put some distance between them by slinking lower and stepping away, a very submissive move so as not to anger him. Putting into practice a very effective endeavor that got her out of more than few scrapes. "-for making my wounds feel better. I'll remember that, pine bark and mint. Thanks." There was no place immediately near for her to hide in. She was used to rocks, caves, dens, hiding holes, the sides of cliff faces, even the damn snow. Not beautiful sun bleached meadow and sparse trees as far as the eye could see. Though across the river the trees did get denser. Maybe she could make her escape that way.
That took a massive burden off of his chest. He wouldn't have to carry around a hurt girl. Good.
After staring at her for another second, he exhaled.
She backed away slowly, her body beginning to give off the pheromone that confirmed her new feeling of him.
Fear.
She was submissive in her crawl. The ebony had no idea why it made him sick. She was creeping from him as if he was a monster who was out for blood.
He had to remember exactly who he was, for a fraction of a second.
He turned from her slowly fleeing frame, and stared yet again at the chilly waters he had drank from. The shadow had no quarrels with the girl, and she seemed reasonable enough in her head when to get herself out while she still could. Maybe he lacked in that.
Of course he lacked in that.
"My name...is Cry."
Padding silently to the sparkling river, he spoke again just before reaching it.
"I have a shattered rib, and I was dehydrated. Several. It hurts to breathe, let alone talk."
He started at his reflection, the eyes that nearly matched the waters surface.
"I appreciate the help you've given me. It saved my life."
It would have been a shame if the female actually thought she would survive on her own, but then again, looks deceived. It would have been doubly shameful if she was already gone, and he was talking to thin air.
Skyshire watched him pad back to the water, the ferocity and the adversity had gone out of him like a puff of wind. He must have been more stressed about taking care of HER than he had let on. It was still very hard to judge him and his demeanor. She knew better than to let her guard down again.
But then here he was opening up to her like a flower in the morning. His name... Cry, his injury, broken ribs, he was dehydrated, she had at least noticed that with the way he was swallowing the river. He stared at the river, probably his reflection. Then he said something completely out of the blue.
“I appreciate the help you've given me. It saved my life.”
Was he talking to her? Was he serious? What in the deep recesses of shadowy hell had he crawled out from? She had done nothing except accept his medicine. Was he laying a trap for her? Was he trying to set her off guard with this ridiculous statement?
“I'm not sure I understand, but okay. Your welcome, I guess.” He was giving her a headache. Was she dreaming? Was all this just a fantasy of the afterlife because those brutes had actually gotten her and she died? Was she going crazy? Was HE crazy? At this point with the way he was acting, so unpredictable she decided this was real life and he was the one trapped in a fantasy, acting crazy. She needed to run away again, no way was she giving him her name to track her down. She watched him cautiously and started to watch for ways to cross the river. Thankfully due to the recent disaster, there were several fallen trees, quite big ones too. She tried to silently and stealthily make her way to the nearest one that reached across the river. She'd have to jump to the next one to get to the other side. Her legs ached and she wondered if her body would be able to make the jump, but at this point anything was better than wondering what he would do next.
He heard the almost inaudible creak in a log with weight placed on it. It sounded farther from his initial track of her location.
She was still trying to leave.
"Not that way. There's nothing but sludged mud. I came from that way. You won't have the strength to get out of the mud."
He didn't have to look her way. He remembered the direction she was trying to sneak to, and ironically it was where he came from. Again with trying to help a girl who was obviously not asking for it.
With a gesture of his thickly cloaked tail and his right ear, he pointed in the opposite direction, one a bit south of his direction , but safe from what he remembered.
"There is a abandoned coyote den I had spent the night in. With it, I dug a cache and put in hare and two winter fowls. They're still fresh. It's as safe as it gets, because the previous owners are dead. If you want, take it. I'm not going back to it."
He gave her food. Shelter. Medicine. Care. And a choice to stay with him. Being a loner was no fun, nor was it safe. His sympathy only went so far, though.
He turned his muzzle over his ethereal shoulder, and said,
"After you say the word, I will leave this entire vicinity, and I will never come back. You will be safe, if you stick to what little I taught you. Now, say goodbye and I'm gone forever."
Then he turned back to the river, awaiting that word.
Skyshire froze as he noticed her escape, and from what she could see from here he was right. While the bushes grew thicker over there, the mud must have been higher. When he mentioned an old coyote den with game in it she had to admit she was tempted but for some reason she couldn't shake the smell of a trap. He didn't have a lick of sense in him according to her. Why in all the stars was he helping her? It must be to lure her to his den where she couldn't escape. Where the nightmare she just escaped from would try and repeat itself.
She leaped off the log and back to the ground with a grunt. Maybe if she headed north she could find a safer crossing, or the pond that fed this river. If he wanted it to be so final, fine. She was thankful for his help but she didn't need to keep guessing his next mood all the time.
“Thanks... goodbye.” And before he could say anything more to stop her she urged her aching legs to head off north, along the river, at the fastest pace she could muster, leaving him behind.
((This was fun! Sorry she thought Cry couldn't be trusted. She's still working on trusting in general. She'll definitely remember him!))
«it's perfectly fine, C. I purposely portrayed him that way. You even went according to plan. :D. Good thread. »
With that, the ebony was gone.