Blackfoot Forest every year is getting shorter

@Fire, @Kalganov; other tags for reference

They traveled for what could have been mere hours or days--Maegi lost track in her haste to escape. Even the burning in her pads took a backseat to the primal fear that sat in her stomach. She poked her head out at the surface near Otter Creek, but decided to forge on; the creek was still too close for comfort. No, they continued, and Maegi wasn't quite sure where they would end up when they reached the next exit.

There was a tremendous amount of guilt in leaving her pack behind, but she would be back. This move was all about @Mou, and keeping him safe. She was willing to sacrifice it all if he came out unscathed in the process. The Blackfeathers would be fine. At least, that was what she kept telling herself.

She was the first to emerge in a quiet, dim-lit forest, the sounds of unfamiliar birds--she felt a deep pang, thinking of Blue--and rustling wind all around. Maegi resisted the urge to flop over onto her side, turning and waiting for the others to pull themselves from the tunnel. She swallowed, trying to keep the fear from her face. It had been a hell of a time, these past few hours (days?), and she was at once overwhelmed and exhausted.

Daylight had never tasted so sweet.  It'd been only weeks since her capture, but it felt like years since she'd seen the sunlight in full.  The moment she escaped from beneath the tunnels, her quaking legs threatened to collapse as she drew her nose to the sky.  

It wasn't home, but god, it tasted sweeter than anything else.  She turned to look at Kalganov, at Mou — but wait, where was he?  The sweetness of the sunlight was forgotten as her blood ran cold.  Her eyes flickered between Maegi and Kalganov, and she prayed that if Maegi stayed true to her promise that Kalganov would protect her.

(Fat chance).

He was not sure how he had wound up in this situation. It was an odd one but he had stayed for his own selfish desires. Kalganov had taken up a position in the rear, letting the females lead as he stayed bait for anyone who might be following after them. Soon though they emerged into unknown lands. His acid washed eyes squinting at the welcoming light. It was dim-lit but it was still bright for him.

Kalganov drew close to the fiery girl and if she did not pull away or shove him away, he would aim to press his nose into her hip lightly. To remind her why he was here. It was not for Mou, Maegi or anyone else who existed in his life.

He was a selfish boy trying to be a man.

First the girl emerged into the leaf-dappled light, and Maegi felt something akin to sorrow as relief suffused her features; the Melonii's heaven had been her hell. Not long after, another form came, and her happiness to see Mou again turned into utter confusion as not her friend but Kalganov stepped out instead.

A breath. . .then another. . .then another--

Mou did not emerge.

Maegi remained puzzled for a long moment before it morphed into icy trepidation. She lurched forward, sniffing around at the exit, chest heaving. "Mou?" she called, voice echoing down, down, down--

"Mou!"

Down, down, down--

She whirled around, turning a gimlet stare onto Ceara (she'd deal with Kalganov later). "Where is he?" she demanded, bristling. "You were closer to him than I was down there--where is he? Where did he go? When did he leave?" More panicked than furious at this point, Maegi hobbled closer to the girl, chin thrust out pugnaciously. "Where--is--he--?!" she shrieked.

Kalganov touches her flank, and her eye draws from the cave to him.  She can't help the flicker of fear that draws upon her expression as Maegi calls into the empty chamber.  Mou wasn't there.

It's only a moment before Maegi begins to round on her, and her hackles ripple in defense.  I don't know! she mouths exaggeratedly, clicking her teeth in the air between them to demand space.  Now that they were out here in the open (and so far from the Redhawks) she didn't fear the girl as openly.  

Despite Kalganov's assurances, she didn't know where his loyalties lie; but two versus one were way better odds than however many would've bore down upon her in Blackfeather.

He snarled with displeasure at the sudden distressed sharpness from Maegi and the harshly mouthed words from his fiery company. His hackles raised and he aimed to shove himself between the two of them. We do not have time for this. Not now. He hissed sharply, staring down Maegi before giving a sharp look to the fiery female. Just becuase he might have fancied her a touch did not mean she was going to be given better treatment.

His tail lashed and straightened behind him, threatening to curl. His orders had been clear enough and while Mou and his own definition of safe probably differed, Kalganov was not about to let the two girls scrap it out over the tattered male. And likely wound up injuring each other. He was gone (for now? forever?). And that was that.

They had bigger fish to gut now.

Then she was faced with Kalganov, mad at HER for some ungodsly reason. She returned his snarl with one of her own, bristling. She thought it was only fair to inquire of Mou's whereabouts and focus those inquiries first on the girl, who was the lone outlier in this situation. That was, unless Kalganov was some sort of spy...

Traitors, Maegi hissed, eyes flashing between the two of them. You'll pay for this.

Then, without warning, she turned on her heel and wiggled back into the tunnel, racing back down again. Moving at twice the speed, searching for the end of Mou's scent trail.

Kalganov's smoldering glare is not missed by her, but there are precious few seconds in which Maegi is still attainable, where she might still be able to be kept safe.  She could have -- should have -- run, but she'd made a promise, and her freedom is owed to Maegi.  Mou will meet his maker beneath the jaws of Tegan and his backup (please god, let him have brought backup).

There is something of an apology written on her face as she breaks from Kalganov's reach and bolts after Maegi.  She has the advantage of having four functioning legs, and she's always been known for her agility.  Her intention was to skate past the young Melonii and entice her to fight her way through - only if Maegi's fangs found her, she wouldn't retaliate.

(Blood for blood).

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Why couldn't anyone just listen to him this one time? Maegi took off and their captive seemed to follow. It caused his tail to curl and he loped off after them although this time he did not try to get between them. An aggravated, annoyed snarl built in his chest. He would wait to see if either one of them truly initiated something. For now he would try and block the cave exit.

Kalganov was determined to make everyone get along before they went anywhere. Either that or he would take it upon himself to leave them all to die from others, injure themselves or simply rot. He had not signed up for a babysitting task.

He had wanted one thing and she was proving more trouble than she might be worth.

Her determination, dogged, turned suddenly savage as the fiery girl overtook her and blocked her path. Growling like some demon let loose, Maegi feinted suddenly to one side and then, like a small, pale shadow, slipped by, disappearing into the darkness. Take that, bitch.

She was tempted to throw the insult over her shoulder, but. . .no. Her chief concern was finding Mou, and so instead the Melonii raced through the tunnel at a hobbling trot, traveling twice as fast as the journey before, all the while calling out her friend's name.

She did not rest until she emerged into the murk of Namira's Mire.

She doesn't pursue her captor, now the only instinct is to run.  She bites it back, though, for Kalganov blocks the way and he is 

(handsome)
(blackfeather)
(enemy)

She doesn't know what to do.  She wants to force herself past him but she feels like she owes him something.  But he looks frustrated with her and that scares her — what if he decides she is no use and kills her anyway?  What if he decides to keep her and forces her to stay?

She swallows her fear and walks up to him brave-faced, and boldly makes to touch the curve of his jaw with her nose.  I'm sorry, comes the form of her silent apology.  But anyone who loves her (even for a moment, even if it's not real) should expect to get burned.  She's fire.  It's all she's capable of.

A lump built in his throat. His whole fictions world came crumbling down, swift and fast. The tender touch of the Redhawg solidified this feeling. There is no denying the mouthed words she made. An apology. It all felt too harsh, too much of a stab in his back. He had fucked up by trusting her, by admiring her and most certainly by letting himself care as much as he did. He hadn't cared a lot but it was obvious it had always been too much.

You're not. He whispered because he refused to accept that she would be sorry for her actions. Kalganov did not attempt to strike her down and keep her here, there was no point. Her worth had been lost the moment Maegi had fled and Mou had pushed the responsibility of them onto him. The end of everything was very much in sight and even his deluded thoughts could not hide the outcome. But don't cross me again. I'm no coward like the ones who got you first, I just like the chase. Despite the harshness such words might carry, his tone was soft and tender just for her.

His words hit her like a slap in the face, and it stung worse for the tenderness they carried.  Her expression shifted, her face an open book to the swirling terror and shame that rose within her.  

She swallowed past everything she wanted to say and let her eyes flicker to the opening, and then without another word she padded past the brute and out into the wild, casting more than one look over her shoulder at the man she'd seduced to get free.

archiving this.

He was glad he had rendered her speechless, that she took her leave while she could. Kalganov would linger to watch her disappear into the open world and he made himself a promise. If anyone was to strike her again it would be him. He alone would be the one to bring her crimson to the surface. To finish what everyone else seemed so keen to start. If only to soothe his own boiling blood.