The Blessed Escape (Hatchet)

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/s63cl3.jpg] Kayden’s paws made imprints in the dirt, tiny and closer to fox prints than wolf prints. She sighed. She was smaller than most grown wolves, and a few pups! Yet, for some odd reason, sometimes it seemed to her that people trusted her more for her petit-ness. They didn’t take her as seriously as they did the large wolves, though Kayden could hold her own. But still, the island hadn’t been entirely without friends. She’d survived an encounter with the mysterious male known as Fenris, and the healer Nefertiri. In Arabesque she’d found an unexpected link to happier memories in the desert. And Auburn… No. She thought. She would not think about Auburn just then. It was far too confusing. She cared for him a great deal, but he was too protective of her sometimes, and he didn’t understand her faith in the desert spirits to keep her safe. Furthermore, he had lied to her. She was a Warrior to the marrow of her bones, and he had told her the Revolt was helping them along. He only wanted me to stay with him, she thought sadly, but if it came to that, I would have. I don’t know how, but I would. He shouldn’t have lied to me. Kayden didn’t like liars. They weren’t ranked as high as arrogant males, ignorant males, or stupid males on her hate list, but they had at least made the top ten. It hurt to think that she still cared so much for Auburn. So she forced her mind away from him. The frost that had spread over the ground that morning was melting. Winter was finally leaving the island, but the chill remained. Kayden was always cold. Heat was one thing she missed terribly about the desert. She was accustomed to cold nights, but the frigid air of Traum was beyond even the worst of desert evenings. Sunlight provided a little extra warmth, but it wasn’t much. Kayden took it all the same, walking in the spots of yellow sunlight that bathed the frozen ground in light. She was a small thing, her fur the color of caramel, tinted in places with redder clay color and gold. The sunlight brought out those tints, and the gold on her sides reflected off of the patches of snow faintly. The black patch on her foreleg and shoulder felt warmer than the rest of her, and the scar on her muzzle was aching again. She sighed. Even if she hadn’t already experienced the warning once or twice, she knew enough stories about battle scars to know that a storm was coming. I should find some shelter, she thought, but she was reluctant to leave the sunlight in search of a den or nook to hole up until the weather passed. A bird trilled from a nearby branch, and Kayden turned to look. A swift. She had always been fond of swifts. They paraded the desert like they owned it. In a pinch, Kayden had hunted for the birds, but for the most part she preferred to watch. The swift sang after her, the music eerily reminiscent of a lullaby her mother had sung to her every night. Kayden could still remember the words. She wondered if Auburn’s mother had ever sung it for him. No! Thinking of Auburn led to nasty places. Kayden sighed. What she could really use, what she really needed, was a distraction. A way to get past Auburn. Male, female. It didn’t matter. Kayden was feeling reckless. Normally, Kayden was impulsive and impatient. But sadness and the longing to get past it was making her more daring. She wanted, for the first time in her life, to waste time. Kayden strode forward, thinking hard. She had never tried to be anything but herself before. Was it possible to escape herself, if only for a conversation’s length? She didn’t know- couldn’t tell for certain. The only way would be to test it, and even if it worked, what kind of person could she be? Kayden shook her head. A ditz was out of the question. A brash warrior? Too similar to herself. A vulgar easywoman? That wouldn’t work- Kayden blushed at even the mention of topics like that. An independent adventurer? Already covered. Kayden sighed. She only wanted to escape herself. It hurt too much to be Kayden just then. She shook her head. If only she could be someone else… OOC: This is for Vanceh's chara Hatchet, and mebbe his brother Malkahl, too!

[vance74]

While I was swimming through the ungodly cold waters, I realized that Old Man Winter still was fighting for control over these lands. Where I had swam from, my camp, not too far away, the waters were clear and warm, like my trips down here when I was younger. But here? The current was fast and the chill brutal; if I didn't find fish fast, I would have to get the hell out of the water if I didn't want to lose my tail or a paw.

Swimming against the current, I finally spotted a glimmer of hope; a dash of red, shooting through the murk made by the slush melting back into the river. I couldn't catch it, swimming up-stream was bad enough without having to be fast. So I swam over to the wall of dirt and pressed my hind legs against it. Gathering a breath from the surface, I fought to spot it again. A glimpse, and I shot after it with all the power in my hind legs. I gnashed at the water till I gave up. It was long gone. I drifted for a second, rage boiling in my blood like a stovetop. Suddenly, a brush against my face of scales, I chomped one more time, and was rewarded with the taste of a savory fish. With scaly prize in my jaw, I swam to the surface, breaking away from the cold water. The huge rocky walls closing in this part of the river sent me swimming for the nearest place to get out, and by the time I was out, I was shivering like no other. But damn, it was worth it. One bite into my prize and I remembered why I swam so far upstream to get it. I gnawed away, savoring the amazing taste.

Licking my maw, I realized the cold still took it's toll on my body. I dug a small hole and balled up in it, grumbling about how I was usually warm at all times, but the wet fur and wind chill were busting my balls. Ten minutes later, I was still shuddering, so I did what I always did; run. Sprinting across the mush created by the snow, the now Wofsickle-making wind dried my fur, and the cold just stopped. I finally relaxed my muscles, running now merely to run. It was an addiction, once you got up to speed, you never want to stop. But eventually, something stops you.

My legs were kind of frozen.

After the next few steps, my legs jammed up, feeling like ice. Panicked, I tried to skid, sitting my rear down, but ended up skipping across the dirt on my ass, bouncing twice before I slid to a stop a hundred or so yards later. Whimpering inside my head, I got up gingerly and stretched out my legs, getting feeling back everywhere but my ass. Hobbling round a rocky corner, I noticed I wasn't alone. A female, shaking her head, facing the other direction. Straightening myself up, and wincing at the pain. I cleared my throat. "Whatever it is, can't be that bad."

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/s63cl3.jpg] Kayden sighed as the wind brushed her fur. The days were getting warmer and warmer. Sunshine spilled onto the surface of the water, adding sparkle and shine to the otherwise-bland landscape. The light was nearly blinding, but Kayden was too mesmerized to look away. She put a paw into the water and drew back, shivering. It was too frigid for her to even consider swimming. Kayden wasn’t the strongest of swimmers, though she had managed to get to Traum. But she was drawn to water. She enjoyed the sight of the bright blues or greens or clear of the island’s many streams and rivers. Here in the Mystical Falls, they all met up in one place. Kayden sucked in a lungful of cold air. The sting made her feel reborn. She closed her eyes and exhaled. Thought it was the last thing she wanted, she couldn’t help but to think. She had left him. Left him all alone. She’d abandoned him in the middle of a war, a war she was no longer certain was even taking place. And all because she’d gone crazy in the middle of a storm. Or because she’d been too high-strung and gotten overly emotional over his little lie. She missed Auburn terribly now, and couldn’t help but blame herself for leaving him. He’d been faultless in the whole affair, hadn’t he? No, she thought. It was his fault. Auburn had lied to her! He had twisted her heart and her faith and been more selfish than she could bear. If he’d been honest from the first, she wouldn’t have left him. She didn’t know what she would have done, but she wouldn’t have left. It was his own fault. And the spirits had come to her. She knew that. Even if it contradicted everything their principles represented, even if it was against every law of her faith that an angel would come to a female, she knew what she had seen was no mirage. She was right. Auburn was wrong. She loved him anyway. Her battling emotions closed in, seizing control one after another. It was too much; she squeezed her eyes tight. She wished she didn’t love him. She wished she could love someone else, or pretend to be someone else. Both, if possible. As she was in the middle of these thoughts, she was aware of a ruckus coming from behind her. Kayden’s cool olive eyes snapped open and she whirled around. It was a male, larger than she (as almost everyone was) and light brown. He was built for speed, lithe and thin, but with the unmistakable air of a fighter. Kayden recognized it as the same expression she carried herself. He cleared his throat. ”Whatever it is, can’t be that bad.” Kayden lowered one eyebrow and raised the other. She glanced off to one side briefly. ”Are you talking to me?” she asked, her Arabian accent very pronounced in the morning air. It reminded Kayden of her mother’s voice, exotic and musical. She took a step away from the strange male, settling into a defensive stance. She eyed him with mixed disgust and disbelief. ”Who are you?” she demanded. ”What are you doing?”

[vance74]

"Are you talking to me?"

I chuckled under my breath, looking up in sarcastic disbelief. "Naw, I'm talking to he fish I just ate. The wolf pulled back into a defensive position, looking like she was preparing to strike out at me. "Who are you? What are you doing?" I sat back on my hind legs, not showing an ounce of surprise or fear towards her reaction at my presence. "Well, as for the who, my name's Hatchet, and there ain't no reason to get all huffy at me. Because, for the what, I'm merely making polite conversation. There isnt a law against that, last I checked. Now, there's no need to scrunch up your nose and crouch like that. Ive got no intention on hurting anything other than the fish I just caught today. Chill out, and maybe this conversation can be spared." I sat there, a vacant and serious face gracing my persona for the first time in decades. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, however, a toothy, stupid grin returning to its rightful place. I got up, and walked up to her, completely ignoring the fact that she still looked like she wanted to bite of several vital parts of my anatomy. "So. I told You what my name is, did I not? Don't you think its common courtesy to do the same?" I mocked, as I walked away slowly, circling around to walk back to where i got up. I curled up into a ball when i got there, a rather disappointed look crossing my face. I had noticed that with her exotic looks, tough looking scars and features made her look like the "too cool for you pond scum" type. I felt that was a sad development, as that meant there was a high chance this conversation would end well. Ive never been good with those types of people.

"Or is talking to the jokey male wolf to much effort for someone like you?"

[Aylenni]

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[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/s63cl3.jpg] ”Naw, I’m talking to the fish I just ate.” Kayden didn’t know whether to laugh or growl, so she settled for just blinking, surprised by the wolf’s cavalier manner. When she demanded his name, he sat back, the picture of careless nonchalance. ”Well, as for the who, my name’s Hatchet, and there ain’t no reason to get all huffy at me. Because, for the what, I’m merely making polite conversation. There isn’t a law against that, last I checked. Now there’s no need to scrunch up your nose and crouch like that. I’ve got no intention on hurting anything other than the fish I just caught today. Chill out, and maybe this conversation can be spared.” ”What, like you?” she asked, but she was unable to keep a grin off of her face. He was serious for a moment, and then he broke into a toothy grin. Kayden chuckled. ”All right, then, Hatchet. I’ll ease up. You don’t seem half as harmless as you make out, but I like you just the same.” She was vaguely surprised to find the words coming out of her mouth. Normally she didn’t like or trust wolves she’d just met, but for some odd reason, she felt herself warm to the cool wolf in front of her. He got up and walked around her in a slow circle. Kayden blinked again. She didn’t turn her head to look, but gulped. ”So. I told you what my name is, did I not? Don’t you think it’s common courtesy to do the same?” His tone was only slightly mocking. He sat back down and curled into a ball, his face taking on a disappointed cast. He looked at her face, and Kayden hid the shiver that went up and down her spine. He had hazel eyes, hazel eyes that seemed to change color even as she watched. They were so deep, going from the deepest blue she had ever seen, like the color of the ocean, to the emerald green of the spring leaves. She shook her head slightly, trying to clear herself out of the daze. ”Or is talking to the jokey male wolf too much effort for someone like you?” Kayden frowned. ”Now wait just one minute!” she said. ”What is that supposed to mean, ‘someone like me’?” She mimicked his deep voice, but couldn’t lose her accent. ”I am Kayden al Howaitat,” she said. ”And you, Mister Hatchet,” she said, pronouncing his name like “Hachet”, ”I’ll thank you not to just assume things about me just because I happen to be cautious!” All the same, she couldn’t resist returning his grin. Kayden battled the smile, fought it for every inch of her face, but the smile was winning. Kayden ducked her head. ”So answer me one more question,” she said, struggling to keep the smile out of her voice. ”Just why is it you have mud all over your shaggy brown arse?” She lifted a playful eyebrow at him, unable to keep a smile off of her face.