|
Post by Squish|Flint on Aug 29, 2010 21:01:48 GMT -5
Some backstory: Had peace ever existed between the Avians and Lycans? Between Birds and Wolves? The answer has been forgotten. As is the reason for this war. It would appear they were just too different. Looking too much like predator and prey to co-exist peacefully. One thing became apperant rather quickly though: the Avian's had the advantage. They had numbers and the ability of flight. The 'war' very swiftly turned into something of an extermination. The Lycans retreated to the thick forests, their species nearly decimated. It had been many generations since the war had begun, but its ferocity has not died down, each side teaching fear of the other to their children.
A bit about Avians: Avian's are a civilized species, living in grand cities, their royalty living in a magnificent stone castle. They have a orderly, slightly cold lifestyle, but it is a safe and satisfying one. Families are close, but not 'touchy feely' with their emotions, and their diet consist of fruit, vegetables and cheese. When unshifted, they look like ordinary humans. They have the ability to draw out their wings in a half-state, and are able to transform completely into their avian state. They've put up a curfew, Avian's having to return indoors before the sun falls as the patrols set out.
A bit about Lycans: These werewolves a ruly and rough, down-right cave-man like when you compare them to the avians. Their numbers are few. They have various small packs, all with their own alphas, but one supreme group with the Head Alpha. They are carnivores, but usually ingest anything edible. They are closely knit within each pack, forever bumping and brushing against each other as signs of affection, annoyance or aggression. They are capable of growing out their claws and teeth in their half-state, changing into wolves in their full transformation. Lycan's are highly aggressive in both lifestyle and battle. It is them who rule the Night.
Niamh= My friend LiLi
Tristan/Lilian= me ^^
Niamh sat with her head turned, away from her father, her honey-glazed eyes gazing out the window on the far end of the court. A small sigh slipped from her pale lips as a breeze wafted in from the open window; she longed to be back outside, in the gardens with the roses and their soft, wondrous petals. She could almost smell them upon the soft breeze and her heart slowed, the want of being free only growing inside of her. But she sat, erect, by her father. Why she had been summoned she was unsure, and as unwilling as she was to leave her gardens, she would not question her father. While she would never voice her curiosity, she wondered. The silence the seemed to stretch endlessly between father and daughter, and guards, seemed to break as her father cleared his throat and sat, as if it were possible, straighter upon his white marble thrown. Within seconds the air stirred and the doors to the throne room were opened, a pair of guards walking in a tall, dark form. Niamh controlled herself as the stench of fur filled the room. It was overpowering, but she made not a move. It couldn't be, the man couldn't be. Her father would never allow it. "So, this is the young wolf you found wandering about." Niamh audibly sucked in her breath. A wolf? She had heard terrible thing of the wolves. Monstrous things; things that permitted her never to be outside well before sundown. Her skin prickled at the sight of the young man, wolf. How could her father allow such a creature to be in the castle? Niamh stole a glance at her father, but he was as calm as ever; his face was smooth and contained no worry. His golden eyes narrowed in thought for a moment, before nodding to his guards. The guards dropped their hold on the young man and took a step back, but their eyes held fast to the wolf. Niamh's father blinked once before slowly opening his mouth. "What is your name?"
---
Damn. Tristan's face was impassive but he internally winced as the Avians harshly gripped him bisceps. That would probably bruise, maybe even break the skin. No matter. There was nothing he could do about it now. The air in the yard was light and flowery. The overwhelming scent of roses, lilies and numerous others hit his sensitive nose. It make his head swim. Tristan sneezed. "Filthy dog." One of his captors jabbed at him, yanking on his arm. Tristan bared his teeth in a silent snarl, but still did not resist the force of the two Avians escorting him inside the building. It could've been a beautiful, magnificent structure...if the wolf had actually seen it. His hazel eyes -more green than brown in the bright sunlight- were fogged over, clouded with thoughts. He had been stupid. And cocky. He thought he could out-run the guards...even without the dense treeline to help him. Tristan snorted. Well there went that theory. Inside the castle was almost as bright as the outside, save for the air. It was cool and dry, and Tristan felt seperated from it. Not like the warm, comforting air of a nice den. Everything here seemed...sterile and isolated. All the guards stood apart in their neat and tidy uniforms. Tristan knew he had no place here. His black cotton pants were ragged and dirty, his black shirt in no better condition. They bore irregular patterns of his tanned, shining skin. He wasn't as tall as someof the Avians, or as built. He was more compact, his steel muscle clenched tightly. His brown hair was covered in a fine layer of dust, dirt smudged along his face. He had taken quiet a tumble when the Avians hadknocked him to the ground. It was his eyes that set him apart. They were more grey now that he was out of the direct sunlight. They held a wild light in them. An animal spark. His body was tense, and coiled, but he walked without fighting to stand before the assembled Avians. Avian royalty. The man sat ramrod straight , his golden eyes watching him with a blank expression. The younge woman to his right was easier to read. Clearly she was shocked at the prospect of a wolf standing before her. She was light and dainty and beautiful and possessed the elegance that all Avians seemed to have. Tristan met her eyes with his own, steely ones for only a moment before turning towards the King once more. The gaurds released his arms and the king asked him a question. 'What is your name?' Tristan coolly observed the guards that placed themselves around their monarch. Eight....then the two behind him. Another two stationed at the door... Tristan had his eyes on the ceiling when he answered in his quiet, dangerously soft voice. " Don't you know it's rude you ask someone's name before offering your own?" Only after did the wolf ask the question did he look at the king, hard eyes glimmering with fierce humour. There was still a leashed tension that seemed to wave off of the lone wolf, lashing out angrily at the refined shape-shifters. Tristan ran his hand through his hair, dislodging most of the dust from the glossy brown strands.
---
Niamh's cheeks blazed with colour as the wolf's eyes drifted over here. For a moment she held his gazed, but it was not in any challenging way. She was an animal, prey, caught in the eyes of a predator. The wolf's eyes caused chills to cascade down her spine while leaving her soft cheeks red. Niamh dropped her gaze to her lap as she tried to remain calm. Her heart was a hammer in her chest and her blood thunder in her ears. Never before had she been this close to a wolf. She controlled herself not to stare. Studying his wild eyes was enough and she did not want to further explore the things that could easily kill her. Like his hands. "Daring words for an unwelcome guest," The king's voice was light as he spoke. "I am Farden, King of the Avian's." He glanced at Niamh. "My daughter Niamh." Niamh dared one more glance but it was soely ouy of respect. "Now. What is your name and what did you think you would gain by venturing onto my lands? Were you alone?"
---
Tristan snorted at the words 'unwelcome guest', muttering, " You brought me here....nimrod," under his breath. My....did King Farden like his questions. Tristan narrowed his eyes at the prying inquiries. Maybe he should stay silent, just to spite the proud, over-confident king. But he found his mouth was moving. " I was alone." His voice was a bit rough, his throat dry, lips cracking. He ran the tip of his pink tongue over his lips to moisten them, looking very much like a wolf licking his chops after a meal. "As for my name...." Tristan watched his hand. he clenched it into a fist, hearing some of his joints crack, before loosening them again, inspecting his fingernails. " I really don't think I want to tell you. " One of the guards that had dragged him here came up behind him and harshly gripped his forearm, while angrily spitting, " You will answer His Majesty's questions and you will do it respectfully. Tristan's body convulsed as he tried to hold back the change the guard had almost triggered. His heart rate had sky-rocketed, and the furious energy warped and shimmered around him like an invisible viper. It was almost tangible. There was a frenzied look in his eyes as he glared at the guard that roughly grabbed him. The guard almost flinched back, clearly not having any experience in being up-close and personal with a wolf. 'Have any of these people ever seen a wolf when it wasn't shrouded by darkness and trees?' He thought to himself, hysteria making the thought seem extremely funny. " As for why I was here..." His turned his eyes to the Royal family, eyes lingering on the King and his daughter. Niamh. He offered them a savage smile. " I was hunting." and with that the coiled tension exploded. Tristan reached over and grabbed the guard's arm, snapping back his other hand to slam his fist into the the Avian's gut, he listened to the air wheeze out of him before throwing him into the other scout that had brought him here. The wolf could hear someone approaching him from behind so he pivoted and leapt forward, arm flying forward as they both went tumbling to the ground. Tristan hand was blocked before it could hit the guard square in the face. Which was probably a good thing for the Guard, because Tristan wasn't making a fist. His fingers were extended, long, white claws that were delicately curved a mere foot from the avian's face. The guard's face looked strained and his arm shook with the force of trying to keep the wolf's talons away from his skin. His other arm was pinned and bleeding, thanks to Tristan and his sharp claws. Tristan's laughter was almost like the bark of a dog. " Nighty night, songbird." Tristan bared his teeth. The guards eyes widened in horror as he watched his canines elongated, the rest of the wolf's teeth becoming jagged sharp teeth meet for tearing a shredding. Fangs trying to reach the Avian's throat. The guard was struggling to push the Wolf's jaws away as they snapped heavily near his face. Sweat beaded on his brow at he felt hot, animal breath fannning the exposed skin of his throat. Just then, one of the other guards struck Tristan in the ribs with the staff end of his spear. Tristan tumbled off with a surprisingly animal sounding yelp. When he finally flipped up onto all fours, he was encircled by Avian guards and their spears. He remained on all fours, wildly twisting, desperately trying to see all enemies at once, or at least which enemy would strik first. His jagged teeth were bared, the canines almost seeming like they were too big to fit in his mouth. Tristan opened his mouth and growled. It was a deep, grating noise that lack any humanity what-so-ever. It was a raw, rough, terrifying sound, like the sounds of a Hellhound. Every once and awhile the unbroken growl was spiked with a soul-shattering snarl, and the sound of Tristan snapping his jaws. The ears barely hidden behind his messy hair were pointed. The whites of his eyes were gone, completely taken over by his liquid iris and dark pupil. His pupils were wide, dilated with fury so the hazel was only a slight rim around he blackness of his eye. Tristan, half-sane, half-wild, and fully dangerous looked up at the Royal family and snarled his defiance.
---
Niamh's eyes widened with obvious fear as the shape-shifter defied her father's guards. His lack of interest in explaining himself was enough to unsettle her, but he the wild look that now raged within his eyes only proved that he was in no position to negotiate or peacefully talk. Every nerve within Niamh urged her to flee the room, run to anywhere so long as the wolf could not harm her. But she stood her ground, her cheeks flushing now with the heat of the moment and adrenaline. The struggle seemed to last eternity, but guards finally swooped in and encircled the wolf from all sides. Niamh held her breath as the wolf turned and eyed both her father and her, a deep growl emitting from the depth's of the wolf's throat. She let out a small breath of air, turning her eyes to the floor. She could not handle the intensity that lurked within the wolf's wild eyes. "Take him to the holding cells and chain him up. If he wants to act like an animal, we shall treat him as such. Niamh," Her father glanced at her, "Go with them."
Niamh's heart palpitated, ice running through her blood and chilling her to the bone. At first, she was unsure of whether or not she heard her father correctly, but as the silent seconds passed by she knew she had heard him correctly. Who was she to argue? No one disobeyed Farden's orders. "Yes, Father." She slowly stood, her golden hair flowing over her shoulders in two, long strands; most of it was pinned to the top of her head in two, neat buns. Her dress fluttered around her feet, silk so soft it was as if she were dressed in clouds. Despite her fear and hesitation, her dress flowed like a stream of silk, giving her an air of grace. Her only show of stress was a slight twitch in her wings, which were now exposed as she walked onto the floor.
---
Animal. Well what did King Farden expect when he forcibly brought in a rebel wolf? Tristan obeyed no man. Well...except maybe his father, on occasion. These Avians were so used to their stable, easily controlled life....and Tristan was a new kind of animal. A beast of its own free will. The growls soon quieted, and the wolf straightened from his crouched position. all the spears followed his every movement. His claws receeded, his eyes and ears returning to their orginal state. When he spoke, his fangs were nearly gone, his teeth only looking a tad sharper. There was still the energy coiled inside him, as if he could strike out with no notice. Then she came down the stairs, looking for all the wrld like an angel, with her fine, gold-coloured hair and her snowy, almost floor length wings. Avian wings. She was just like the rest of them. Except she was female, which these guards weren't. 'God dammit! It's like he knows' Tristan thought darkly, supressing more growls. She most definitely didn't know Tristan's weakness, as when ever he seemed to meet her eyes she flushed and quickly averted his gaze. His eyes narrowed on her face. So King was going to send his precious daughter? "You must not really care for your little girl, if your going to send her to trail after me." He avoided the tip of a spear as it flew past him, the blade cutting a new tear in his shirt. He watched Naimh as she came closer, and spoke to the King while doing so. " Maybe you shouldn't expect her to come back." This time he was fast enough to avoid the spear altogether. "Get moving." Growled one of the armed guards, pushing his spear forward so Tristan would have to move. They took turns jabbing at him, herding him away from the bright room. The holding cells were darker, and his hazel eyes seemed a darker brown now that the light was fading. The Avians wings seemed to shimmer. Darkness. Good. Wolves have been living under the cover of darkness for many years now. There was a dip in the stone wall, a small three sided room. There were shackles chained to the centre of the space, the bright steel seeming to glow in the limited light. The scent was dry and bland. " No other visitors for awhile, huh?" He looked over at the princess Avian, baring his teeth in a lop-sided grin. The blade was quick, and Tristan couldn't avoid it completely, the sting of metal slicing a small line along his ribs making him wince. Two guards dropped their spears and forced him back by his shoulders. Tristan complied with minimal struggle, but grimaced as the shackles were closed. They were tight, cutting into his skin. He nearly growled. Changing into a wolf wouldn't help. They were just too small. Just as the guards started to pull away after chaining him, Tristan lunged forward, snapping him jaws. They stumbled backwards with startled shouts. Tristan was leaning forward, his arms behind him, the chains stetched tight. He chuckled. It was a low, dagerous sound, with a sharp, mocking edge. He hadn't even retracted his fangs. "Edgy are we?" Tristan could go no further that the invisible line the edge of the two walls made. Any one who stayed beyond that line was safe. Tristan jumped back from the thrusted spears, resting against the back wall. The guards crowded around, but all of them were careful, trying not to cross the invisible safety line. The wolf watched the floor like a hawk, fierce eyes waiting for some to even stick a toe past the line. The moment someone does....they were his. " You have really jumpy guards Princess." Tristan's eyes never left the floor. "It's a wonder you can feel safe around them." The guards ground their teeth, edging forward, toeing the line even, but not crossing it. They knew what would happen if any of the should cross it, the memory of sharp, flashing canines all too fresh in their memory.
---
Niamh wanted to protest as the guards jabbed at the wolf with each word he shot at them, but what was the use? At this point he seemed more animal than man, and a crazed one at that. She longed for the safety and comfort of her garden. Why had her father sent her? The wolf-man's earlier words rang clear through her mind, chilling her blood; the words almost brought tears to her eyes. She was frightened, she would not deny that. The air grew thicker and damp as they moved closer to the holding cell; she had never wandered down the holding halls, always too frightened when the other children wanted to go on an adventure. She enjoyed the flowers and sunlight to any "dangerous" adventure. The wolf-man's aggression only worsened as he was chained and for the first time out of the whole walk Niamh dared a glance at him. Her honey eyes took him in, liquid and bright despite the surrounding darkness. "They are not used to having your kind in their home. It's unsettling for them." Niamh shot a comforting glance at her guards. She had always trusted them, felt safe with them, and she did not blame them for their current "edginess". "It doesn't help that you are trying to frighten."
She walked closer to the wolf-man, swallowing her fear. "You're big with your words, but in all honest I think you're the frightened one here." Niamh paused, only an arm's length away from the wolf-man as he strained against his chains. "But you shouldn't be frightened, they won't hurt you unless you give them reason and I apologize for the harm they have already caused." Niamh nodded toward the tattered and blood-stained rips. "They shouldn't have done that, but they weren't sure of your motives or actions. We've lost too many already." She drew in a deep breath and curled her hands into fists. She could smell him, taste him almost. Being so near to the wolf made her unsteady; she was shaking, but only a little bit. She did not know why her father asked her to tag along, but she would not make herself useless. Why not try to calm the raging beast? No one had yet tried that, they all assumed the worst. That was savage upon their parts.
"Would you like some water, or food?"
---
Tristan couldn't help but grin at the Avian's words. "Unsettling huh? Maybe I'll tone it down a bit. God forbid the Avians are frightened by their prisoner in their own home." Her big, golden eyes watched him fearfully, wavering, but holding strong. She walked closer, so close he could've reached out and grabbed her if he had the use of his arms. She was frighened. He could smell her fear scent, the adrenaline laced in her blood. hell, he could almost hear her heartbeart. He smiled slightly, impressed despite himself. She was a flowery waife like the rest of them, but she had spirit. A wolf like himself could appreciate that. But his eyes narrowed at her words. Frightened. Was he frightened? He couldn't tell. The adrenaline, pain and fury that flowed through his veins drowned out everything else. Tristan would've scoffed at the latter, " we've lost too many", but he too, had felt the deep-seated pain of losing your brethern. He wasn't completely silenced though. He took a step away from Niamh, the chains going slack. He lifted his wrists, rubbing away the blood spotted there while saying " You do realize you talking to an endangered species, right?" he looked up at her with his light brown eyes. He bore her teeth again, but it was only in a smile. A bitter smile full of black humour, but a smile none-the-less. The skin around his wrists had broke from his pulling, but even with the slick surace the shackle was too tight to slip out of. Tristan retreated, away from the princess and her rose-petal scent. He leaned against the far wall, sliding down it to sit on the floor. He winced as it jostled the cut on his left side. He put a hand over it, pressing his shirt to the wound. His eyes drifted to the floor, a few feet in front of Niamh's feet. To the invisible line that kept them safe. Waiting for someone to cross it. " I could use some water." Tristan met her eyes then, a slight narrowing appearing," I already fed."
---
"Being in our home does not make us safer." Niamh dropped her eyes from the wolf-man as he looked up to meet her eyes, a bitter scoff rising from his throat. She flushed, this time out of embarrassment. Was he making fun of her? Mocking her? She was unsure. She merely glanced at him as the sound of his chains rattling rose her attention. He had taken a step or two back, relaxing some; it was some progress, to say the least. "A dying breed or not, you are still dangerous to us. How are we to know you have poison on you? One knick of a blade or claw bathed in any sort of poison," She lifted an arm and gently traced a vein, "and it will enter an Avian's system within seconds, destroying any or all organs necessary for life." Niamh dropped her hand and stared at the wolf. "A wolf much like yourself crossed our border once. He was alone, like you. He came upon a group of young one's. Our guards were quick to close in on him, but they weren't quick enough. He scratched one of the children and..." Niamh drew in a small breath. "We had lost her before we were even able to try to help her."
Niamh looked over her shoulder, to where the guard's were positioned. "Deldran, bring some water, please." She turned back to the wolf and slowly lowered herself so she was kneeling on the dirty floor of the cell. "So please, again, excuse my father's guard's. They blame themselves and aren't so willing to loose another innocent life." A shiver ran down her spine as she excused the man's words of feeding. She was under the impression he was merely attempting to ruse more fear, but she couldn't be so sure. Was he implying he fed upon one of her people? Niamh shook her head and dared to raise her honey eyes to the wolf-man. "Why were you over the border? What were you trying to accomplish?"
---
Tristan observed the fair haired femme before him, with her now-fimiliar scarlet cheeks. "You blush a lot." He said, quite randomly, just stating a fact he had come across. Which was quiet comical He even thought he heard one of the guards clear his throat to cover a snort of amusement. He was startled by her reference of poison. " Huh." he furrowed his brow. " Why didn't I think of that?" Tristan shook his head. " Nah....that's too..." He wrinkled his nose, " Under-handed." He listened to the story of the Avian child, eyes seeming to lose their light. "In war, there are only victims." His eyes were far away seeing another scene. A meadow with a raven-haired beauty kneeling amoung the wildflowers. Her ever-changing eyes smiling along with her rose lips and sparkling white teeth. A bright smile with two long, sharp fangs. And then the sun was blocked from the sky and Tristan's world exploded. Niamh's questions brought him back to the present. Tristan rolled his brown eyes, "Like father like daughter huh?" Another lop-sided grin. " Anyway...I was tellign the truth before. I was hunting. My quarry tried to escape over the borderline and I followed. End of story. " Tristan's wrists were bothering him, the dripping down the back of his hands tickling the light hair there. Instincts still reeling from the near change, his more animalistic side took charge and he brought his hand to his lips, washing the blood away with his tongue. The coppery liquid made his nose wrinkle but the crimson was the only fimiliar thing in this place. "There was no intention other than hunger. No wolf spies checking out the terra. No rebel invasion to worry about. You can tell Pops he can relax and his perfect, little kingdom is in no immeadiate threat." The guard -Deldan? Derdelan? Oh yeah! Deldran!- came back with the water his mistress asked of him. But stopped at the invisible line, looking stressed. Tristan offered a smile that could not be consindered sincere. " Well we're in a spot of trouble aren't we? I need water, but I just don't think I have the control nessisary to stop myself from taking a good chunk of you in the process." He bared his teeth , flashing a fang that had not been there a moment before. Deldran looked over at his mistress, clearly uncertain of what he should do.
---
Niamh watched with disdain as the wolf-man licked the blood from his skin. Her stomach clenched and it took her all she had not to turn away. Ignoring his comment about her blush, Niamh turned her attention to Deldran. "I'll take the water." She smiled softly at the guard and gently took the water from him, allowing him to return to his post. She was unaware of any invisible line the wolf had drawn, and quickly over-looked his comment to Deldran. She had done nothing to the wolf, so why would he display any source of contempt toward her? Relying upon her trust in the good she knew was in every being, she steadied her breath and willed her heart to stop hammering inside her chest. He was a dog, afterall, and dogs could sense fear, right? "Here." Niamh offered the wolf-man what remained of her smile as she stepped ever closer to him. She knelt before him, just inches away, and lifted the cup to his lips to make the burden of drinking that much easier.
---
Tristan held back a growl. Dammit. Why did she have to take it? Weren't terrified Avians supposed to flee? Was she brave, or stupid? She was so close, he could almost taste her fear on his tongue. It teased his wolf instincts. Terrified prey was easy prey. His body trembled with the nerves. So badly his body wanted to attack, but he could not. She was female. Tristan had never raised his hand to a female, unprovoked, in his entire life. And he would not start now. The Guards looked stiff but incredulous, clearly wondering why it was taking so long for him to attack, as he said he would. Tristan raised his bleeding hand and took the cup, not facing her. His head was facing the ground to his left, his hazel eyes on her face. His body was tense. He grabbed her wrist suddenly, pulling her closer. Their faces were inches apart and he stared hard into her eyes, his head cocked to the side like a curious dog. The Guards shouted with alarm but dared not move if it would mean hasten Tristan's attack. Tristan's voice was a light whisper, so much different from the from the careless, almost lazy voice he spoke with before. " You are a very odd Avian. Are you not frightened? I can taste your fear, you know. Us wolves can do that. " He didn't know why he was saying these things. Maybe to frighten her away, so that he could torment the guards instead of torture himself with her presence. " I could kill you right now...If I wanted. But I fancy my life at the moment, as..." Tristan swallowed the word depressing and substituted it with, " boring as it is right now." he released her wrist, and shifted away from her, into the corner of the stone room tipping back his head to swallow the clear liquid and sate his thirst. He allowed the guards to rush in and pull back Niamh, across the limit of his chains. " Are you unharmed, My lady?" They asked her. Some of the closer guards were clearly trying to decide if they would get in trouble for stabbing him to death with their spears. He smiled a devious, charming smile, and downed the last of the water.
---
Niamh watched the wolf closely. For a moment she thought that perhaps his threat was all in vain. If he were to hurt her, he would have done so in the first few seconds, right? The second the thought crossed her mind the wolf-man corrected her. His hand clutched tightly to her wrist and she winced as he pulled her close to his face. A small squeak of pain flowed from her lips and her eyes widened with fright; their liquid depths brightened and shone with clear tears. He was going to kill her, she knew it. Her heart hammered against her ribs, begging for release; her blood roared within her ears and made her almost deaf to everything but his words; which did nothing to ease her mind. A lone tear streaked down her porcelain cheek. Before she could utter any protest, however, the wolf released her and she inched away as quick as she could before her guards swarmed her. Her wrist ached and she knew, by morning, there would be a bruise. "I'm alright." Niamh's voice cracked, it was barely a whisper as she stared at the wolf-man. Her eyes had never left him. Her throat was tight, making it difficult to swallow. Why had her father sent her? Did he really believe the savage not to hurt her? Did he not love her? The thought made her choke and she tore her eyes from the wolf as he drank; his smile made her want to wretch. Her chest suddenly felt horribly heavy, an ache spreading across her chest; the pain in her wrist suddenly felt insignificant. The thought that her father would do this to her weighed heavily upon her. "I want to go now."
"Just a moment, M'lady." A guard, obviously shaken with anger, glowered at the wolf. Without another word he unsheathed a dagger from his thigh and stalked toward the wolf-man. He raised his dagger-wielding hand, ready to strike the shape-shifter where he knelt.
---
Oh god. He had made her cry. Tristan's smile faltered and he turned his head sharply to the side so he didn't have to see the diamond like tear fall from her golden eyes. "Why do you seem so surprised?" he whispered, a slight waver to his voice. "I'm an animal after all." The guard's movement's barely disturbed him, as he stared forlornly at the ground. He hated seeing girls cry. It made his heart twist painfully. But when the dagger flashed toward him, the tension in him snapped once more. He took out his frustrations on the guard. The wolf grabbed the oncoming wrist, pushing it at a painful angle so that the guard yelped and dropped to his knees. The dagger fell out of his hand. Tristan didn't expect the avian to recover so fast, using his other hand to roughly yank at the chains, the metal cutting into Tristan's skin. The wolf released the guard and the stricken avian stumbled back, past the line where Tristan could not reach him. But he had made on fatal error. In his haste to escape, he had left the dagger lying at Tristan's feet. The lone wolf picked up the shining, steel weapon and he could hear every guard draw their breath in almost in synchronization. Their shock made Tristan chuckle. he inspected the blade for a moment, a playful look in his eyes. On the inside he was reeling. Why hadn't he killed the guard? He most definitly had a chance, even if the counterblow surprised him. But Tristan knew the answer already. He didn't want to frighten Niamh any more than he had to. He didn't want to damage her soul with the blood of her own brethern. Tristan once again sat in the far corner of the room, toying with the sharp metal. " You may retrieve it if you wish, Princess. But you alone. " He gripped the blade of the knife, and offered her the hilt. When one of the guards shifted forward, Tristan motioned his hand and the blade was facing the oncoming avian. " My Princess you've put on a lot of weight." He glared at the guard. He switched he gaze again, twisting the knife so he was once more offering her the hilt.
---
Niam wanted to shout as the guard came upon the wolf, but her voice was trapped within her throat and she could barely manage a small moan. She was tired of violence and pain. It was not the life she knew. "Lile. Stay back." It was more a plea than an order as the guard stumbled away from the wolf. Niamh eyed him as he held the blade of the dagger. She had never touched one, never wished to. But what choice did she have? She felt a guard stir beside her and the shapeshifter's quick words. "Who is to say you won't grab her again?" Another guard questioned. Niamh studied the wolf. Her wrist ached in reminder of her last approach. But still. What would he gain from hurting her again? The guard who spoke reached out and placed a hand on Niamh's shoulder as she moved to take the blade. "I want his word that he won't touch you."
---
Tristan bared his teeth, as if the question personality offended him. Which it did. Him? Attack a lady? Never. But they didn't know that. Tristan snorted, rlling his eyes. " I promise...that I will cut anyone who is not a princess that tries to take this blade from me. So unless you wanna putz around in a crown and test my word you will be silent and let your Princess decide wether or not she wants to leave a dagger in the possession of a rebel wolf." The guards clearly weren't pleased. Tristan rested his head against the wall to his left, a small smile on his face. It wasn't mocking, on angry. Almost...almost ...sad-looking. He looked like a predator lazing about in the sun. Which was quite contradictory, since the sun was setting, and the dark area was getting darker.
---
Niamh sighed, growing tired of the whole situation. She wanted to retreat to her room, slip into a bath and forget the whole ordeal. The wolf wasn't going easy on the guard, and she seemed to be in the middle of it all. She touched her wrist, the ache already seeming to dim. "Alright. I will take it." Niamh smiled softly at the guard who had taken a step toward the wolf, letting him know it was alright for him to step back. She went to take a step toward the shapeshifter when the hand on her shoulder tightened, both startling her and causing her to wince. "Let me go, it is alright." She glanced over her shoulder at her guard, a small flicker of fear lurking within the depths of her eyes. She already hurt, she didn't want to any more bruises.
"He is a scoundrel and is not to be trusted."
Niamh turned her gaze to the wolf, the look in her eyes melting from fear into that of a plea. "He won't hurt me," She moved her shoulder under the weight of the guard's hand. "Now please, let me go."
---
Niamh's wince made Tristan's body twitch. It was wrong, hurting her. Tristan himself hadn't ment to hurt her, and now her own guard was trying to manhandle her? He didn't think so. "I'm the scoundrel, huh?" Tristan's voice was more growl than anything. " At least I don't harm people I am charged to protect. A girl no less. And your Princess dumbass!" Tristan lurched forward, anger burning in his darkening eyes. He brought the dagger to his mouth, keeping the blade steady between his teeth, before jumping, the chains went taunt, like before, but the momentum made his bottom half swing out from under him, giving him added length. His feet slammed into the guards chest, the air rushing out of his body in a gust. Tristan fell to his side, biting back a growl as the ground slammed into his earlier cut. The guard hadn't been thrown back from the attack, but simply stood there, swaying, before collapsing to his knees and hands, coughing and gasping; effectivly releasing Niamh. Tristan dragged himself back to the back of the room, his breath fast an shallow. His wrists ached, and were bleeding thanks to his little stunt, and he vowed not to do something like that again, even if he needed to get out a little farther. He removed the dagger from his mouth and offered it hilt first. "Now, please, somebody take this bloody dagger from me before I decide to throw at someone. Namely you." He glared at the fallen Avian.
---
Niamh stepped away from the guard as he staggered, obviosly stricken breathless from the wolf's strike. As much as she felt hurt from watchig her guard being stricken, she felt immese relief in her shoulder. With wide eyes she watched as the wolf himself collapsed from the effort, his chained wrists bleeding worse than before. Niamh would have eventually forgiven him for her wrist but in that moment she forgave him. She stole a glance at her guards before scurrying close to the shapeshifter. "I will take it." She gently took the offered hilt ito her hads. It was heavier than it appeared. Niamhleaned in closer, so only the wolf could hear. "I will be back with fresh water and food before the sun rises. I will also bring with me some herbs," She nodded toward his bleedig wrists. "Thak you." Niamh offered a smile before stepping back and hurridly leaving the cell. A bath and a calming talk with Lillian awaited.
---
Tristan never took his eyes off the Avian. Hmm. She was surprisingly kind to him, for an Avian. The wolf said not a word to Niamh. He didn't even look at her. His hazel eyes were on the floor to the left of her. He did nod when she spoke of bringing him food, water and medical care. She left and her guards left with her. Tristan sighed, completely deflating. The rage and adrenaline left him and he retained only pain. He once again washed his tongue over his hand once more, like he would in wolf shape, but the bleeding was already drying, stopping the flow. Tristan curled up in a small ball, allowing himself a slight whimper in the darkness. It appeared Niamh was right. Tristan did feel fear, in this cold, unfimiliar place. He sighed, and drifted off into a light, uneasy sleep. __________________________________________________________ The night air was mild, the sky nearly cloudless and the stars twinkling brightly in the swathing darkness. Lillian relished the feel of the cool wind rushing over her snowy wings. The King had temporarily sent her out to scout over the border, seeing as she was one of the most skilled Avian warriors in lethal, silent combat. Which was the very same reason she was charged with protecting His Majesty's daughter, Niamh. It was strange the King would send her away from her mistress. He had acting kinda strange, leaving abruptly, saying her had to attend some sort of meeting. The Avian finally landed on the balconey of Niamh's room. Still in full armour, the female looked striking. her hair was white/silver and her eyes were golden like the Princess's. She tossed her straight hair out of her glowing orbs, pushing away the satin curtains of the doorway. "Hey," She called, her voice soft, melodic," Niamh? Are you still up?" Her and the Princess had been friends even before she was put in charge of safekeeping her. The warrior had often come to the Princess when she was in need of someone to talk to, or just to chat.
---
Niamh had wandered into her bedroom only to find it empty. It was odd to not find Lillian sitting at her desk or on her bed. She found it odd enough that her closest friend wasn't beside her or walking in the shadows, but for her to be fully absent was beyond bizaare. Niamh took in a deep breath and curled on her bed. It was then that she noticed she still held the blade. Holding back a shiver, she studied the dagger and ran a finger over the hilt. Niamh wasn't completely lost in thought not to hear the soft fluttering of wings. She heard Lillian's decent ever before the Avian spoke and a smile rose to her lips. "Lillian! You are back! Where have you been?" A gentle frown of disappointment crept over her face, brightening her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" Niamh sat up on her bed and patted a spot beside her, beckoning for Lillian to sit next to her.
---
Lillian's brow furrowed elegantly as she unlatched her sword and placed it on the edge of the bed. "You mean King Farden didn't tell you?" Her silver armor clinked as she sat crossed legged on her friends mattress. " He sent me over to scout the border from the air, to see if any wolves were sulking around." she tucked a silvery strand of hair behind her ear, and her wings folded away, dissappearing from sight. " I was reluctant, but he said you would be with him during some meeting and would be fine with the other guards there. Then he just up and flew away!" Lillian was still clearly exasperated by her superior's actions. " So...did you just get back from the meeting? Bet it was a drag, having to sit inide all day." Lillian chuckled, knowing how Niamh preffered being outside in her garden then being cooped up in the castle.
---
"Father did not tell me! He summoned me from the gardens and..." Niamh let out a tired sigh. "I wish hehad not sent yyou away. They found a wolf, Lilly! A wolf, a real wolf! He... They angered him and he became rough." She touched her bruised wrist as she said this and looked down into her lap. "They have him chained like an animal. If you had been there I know it would have been different." Niamh glanced at her friend and for a moment her honey eyes were that of an eight year old and not eighteen year old. Mischief gleamed within her eyes, like during the days of Lillian and her adventures. "I am going to bring him food and water, would you like to come?"
---
Lillian nearly swallowed her tongue. "What?!" She whisper-shouted, as not to wake the entire castle, her jaw loosening. "They captured a wolf? Alive? " The warrior was amazed. Wolves usually fought to the death. They either killed their attacker or died trying, which was why wolven prisoners were so rare. The Avian's eyes sparked angrily at the sight of her Mistress's injured wrist. "the wolf got close enough to do this?! What were the guards thinking? I most deffinitly wouldn't have allowed....oh Niamh you must've been so frightened! Attacked by a wolf!" Lillian fretted, wriggling in her armour. " I wish I hadn't gone either. I swear, you father is a brilliant man and all, but sometimes I feel as if I could knock his block off." While her frustration was real, her words were joking. She would never harm the King. But the words coupled with a shaking angry fist was comical. Niamh seemed distressed at the thoughtt of the wolf being chained, but Lillian thought it nessisary. He was a wolf after all, dangerous and emotionally unbalanced. Wolves could attack without notice, lightening fast as well. But..wait..." You want to feed it?..Him? Whatever! Why? Wolves are dangerous Niamh! Surely you can understand that? There's a reason we're at war with them you know." The thought of her gentle friend around such a volitile creature frightened her. None of the other guards could talk to the Princess of Avians like she could. The warrior was her best friend, after all. Lillian was flustered. " Of course I can't stop you, Niamh, but I wouldn't advise you to go. You know what they say about feeding wild animals...." The avian slapped a hand over her eyes, " I just know this is coming back to bite me in the butt, but I'll go with you if your dead-set on feeding this wolf." She laughed suddenly, the chime-like sound slightly hysteric. " I would have never thought it would ever be you trying to convince me to go to the holding cells and me being the scardy cat. " She quieted her giggles. " before we go, I have to know everything you know about this wolf. His name, where they found him, what seems to set him off, what form he's in...stuff like that." Lillian had her 'warrior' face on, so that she looked like an ice princess herself, her fine features sharp and angular. " I'm going to have to be fully informed about him, as he is a potential threat to your being." Lillian was known for her strong emotions and iron will, almost as much as her refined skill in the deadly arts and stubborness. But her golden eyes were soft for her friend.
---
"A good knock to the head might do Father some good." Niamh giggled as Lillian playfully waved a fist in the air. "He has bee making soome odd decisions. He had me accompany the wolf." She frowned a bit and sighed as she caught a look within her friend's eye. "He may be a wolf and an enemy, but he is not some wild animal. He is still a man and deserves more than chains. They cut into his wrists..." Niamh shook her head. "By chaining him we are no better than he." She wiggled on her bed as she thought over each of Lillian's questions. "He has not given a name andhe said he was hunting. That is all the information I recieved frorm him. As for the other." Niam paused and thought back on what had happened. "He doesn't seem capable of truly hurting a female. He was gentler with me."
---
Lillian shook her head. " I wish your father didn't send you after the wolf. You're not used to such violence. Nor should you be. Everyone has a right to live out their life in relative peace." Niamh defended the wolf's humanity and the warrior shook her head. " Yeah, yeah, I know...it's just...it goes against everything we are taught. Never to get close to the wolves' border. Never stay out after sun down. Run for your life, get a guard, blah blah blah." These were the rules they had drilled into their head since birth. " But if we must we will feed the creature for you. But I'm bringing Araidia. " Lillian ran her fingertips down the scabbard of her beautiful sword. "Just in case," She assured her mistress. Lillian listened to the sparse information gathered about the wolf and nearly winced. "So we know absolutely nothing, then? Except for what he ate." The warrior recalled suddenly. " When I was flying over the borders I saw the body of a silver stag half a mile or so into our territory. Poor creature. That must have been what he was chasing." At Niamh's claim Lillian's eyes narrowed. "Chivalry is not practiced amoung the wolves, Niamh. Wolf males fight over who takes the girl, and then lords his dominance over her. And if this," She pointed to the Avian's wrist," is gentle, I'd hate to see him when he's being rough." Lillian got up stretching. "well, no time like the present. Shall we be off?" the female thought for a moment, " If his wrists are bleeding I can get some salve and bandages for him. And you could get the food. We could meet down their and save half the time of having to wander around the entire castle. Take a lantern with you. Oh! And if you get down there before I do, wait before I get their to do anything, please." Lillian reattached the scabbard of Araidia to her waist. "It's a good thing I kept my armor on." She grinned wryly.
---
"Oh, Lilly!" Niamh gleamed with appreciation as she nearly bounded off the bed. She stood on tippy-toe, nearly twirling as she did so, and planted a sweet kiss upon Lillian's cheek. "Thank you! And no, I will not be needing a lantern. The lantern would only attract attention." She smiled brightly at her friend, truly glowing. "I will meet you half-way, and I promise to stay put and not do a thing until you arrive." Niamh giggled, blue eyes bright with thrill and excitement. Spinning on her heels, Niamh padded out of her bedroom, barefooted; the only sound emitting from the hem of her gown as it brushed against the cobblestone floor, a whisper against the walls. She took servant doors and passageways, from which she learned from her many adventures with Lillian, to make her way to the kitchen silently and unseen. Niamh pulled a silver tray from a cubboard, piling cheese and bread upon it's surface. She paused for a moment, staring at the meal. While satisfying for an Avian, she knew that the meal would be close to nothing for the wolf~ but what was she to do? Avian kitchens lacked meat of any sort; an Avian diet consisted strictly of breads, fruits and nuts. While it may not be a satisfyingly tasty meal, Niamh stirred a mixture of milk and honey for extra stomach satisfaction; the wolf would at least have a full stomach. Before anyone noticed her presence, the avian spun on her heels and flitted out of the room, careful not to spill any of her treasures, and made her way to the middle area where she promised to meet Lillian.
---
Lillian rolled her eyes but she was smiling. She loved seeing her friend happy. She didn't even nag her to take the lantern. Lillian absently stroked Araidia's sheath as she easily stealthed her way through the halls. The Avian knew she didn't need to ask so suspitious, but moving silently came second nature to her. Her glowing golden eyes flitted over the fimiliar clothes and salves of the medical shelf. She had needed the attention before so she knew which items did what. Unsure of the full extent of the Wolf's injuries she grabbed what she hought was sufficient and then turned to hurry to her charge. Niamh would mostly likely wait for her but she didn't want to give the excited Princess any time to reconsider waiting for her. Lillian promptly dismissed the mild worry. Niamh had promised and she had never known her friend to break a promise. She tucked the supplies more securely under her arm as the Avian princess came into view. " Okay...let's go feed the beast." Despite her slightly cynical words, she smiled. Truth be told, Lillian was probably just as eager as Niamh was. The chance to study a living wolf, up-close was very tempting indeed. It was the chance of a lifetime. She wouldn't have been surprised if the had to wait in a line just to see him. Nothing but shadows greeted them. Despite Niamh's earlier rejection, the warrior grabbed a lantern as they neared the holding area. It would only get darker. When they finally reached the dungeon Lillian paused. It was customary for royalty to enter a room before the Royal Guard. That's what the King believed anyway. " I really should knock him around some." The female's voice was a discontented grumble. "Lead the way, Princess." she grinned at her long time friend, adjusting the bingings under her arm. ___________________________________________________________ He was running. The stag was fleeing and he was running it down. It was a beatiful creature, it's silver pelt catching in the sunlight, black antlers a strack contrast to the light fur. It's liquid onyx eyes were wide with terror, the beast's breath heavy and laboured. And he followed. He loved this body. The powerful limbs that thrust him foward, his black nails digging into the soft earth beneath him, tearing up the grass. The sleek lines of his slim, wiry body. The scent of fear and blood on the wind that rushed to his angular face. He raced past a meadow that played host to a giant willow. Some part of his mind called him back to that space. It had ment something to him. To all wolves. Something important. But he couldn'y care less right now. He was hunting. And then he was feeding. Nourishing warmth that felt heavy in his stomach. A nice, good feeling. Incomplete though, since he was alone. He could deal with being alone. He wished for a warm den and pack members to nuzzle him and share this victory, but he didn't need them. He had gotten rid of them himself. But then a noise. Calling. Shouting. Shriekings of hawks. He froze. Shriekings of Avians. Leaving his unfinished meal he turned and fled, heart poundingin time with his paws and the sound of beating wings. He had made it to the meadow. He didn't want to keep to the tree. He was sure he could make it through the open patch without being caught. He was fast. He was cocky. He didn't even make it half way. As soon as he was in the open the Avian's swooped, changing form and plowing into him from above. The impact caused him to smash into the ground. He yelped in surprise. Then there was only tumbling ad rolling, pain in him limbs. He changed. It gave him more flexibility, so he wouldn't snap legs and arms. Looking up, blinking away dust, watching the sun being blocked out by foriegn faces. Avian faces. Tristan jumped, startled out of his dream. Or rather, memory. There were footsteps and soft voices. A glow coming nearer and nearer. The wolf sat up, wincing as he did so. His body ached, and the skin around his wrist crackled as dried blood flaked off. He detected the sounds of clicking armor. More guards. Tristan's sigh was silent. He sat as he had before, casually leaning in the corner of his cell, forearm resting on his knee, head propped up by the adjoining wall. He chased away the lingering fear of his nightmare. He couldn't afford to be frightened in this place. Was it the Princess and the promise of food? His stomach gurgled at the thought. Or just guards come to torment him? How many guards? Tristan tried to listen but heard nothing. He could smell nothing but dust and his own blood. The was no warm, fresh wind to bring him scents. His chains rattled as he reached up to run his fingers through his hair. Meaningless preening. An almost nervous action, although it was more aticipation than nervousness. He just wanted to get it over with. All this stress was pulling at his already frayed nerves, the wild energy inside him twisting and writhing, wanting him to act with abandon. He sat in his relaxed pose, waiting for his visitors to make themselves know, a hungry light in eyes that were dark brown in the darkness.
---
Niamh's arm ached as she looked into the darkened entrance to the holding cells; she hadn't completely forgotten her last meeting with the wolf and truth be told she was a little uneasy. Would he hurt her again, this time more than a bruise? There was nothing stopping the wolf from holding back his claws and teeth. She glanced over her shoulder to Lillian, a calm wave spilling over her at once. Niamh felt safe with her friend; shame wriggled within her chest and a light blush of indignation surfaced. With Lillian present she should not have felt unsafe at all. Taking in a deep breath of air, ignoring the dank and stale air that filled her lungs, Niamh walked forward with new found courage. "I have brought food," Her voice filled the darkened halls as she called out to Tristan, feeling the heavy air of nervousness before she even found his cell. "As I promised." Niamh paused in front of his cell and turned toward Lillian, the bearer of the key. "I gathered what I could, and what I thought would make the most suitable meal, but our kitchens lack most of a wolf's diet." Niamh shuffled her fit a bit as she stared down at the tray of food. "My apologies."
---
The Avian warrior looked at Niamh with a look that said 'are you serious?' she wassneaking around in the middle of the night and she was worried the wolf wouldn't find the meal satisfactory?when he probably deserved no more than a blow to the head? She shook her head, small, incredulous smile pulling up her lips. Niamh was a special kind crazy. And thats why she loved her. Lillian followed Niamh, brandishing a brass key. If she wasn't so intimately aware of the danger a wolf presented she might have thought chains and a cage seemed a bit much. "I'm warning you now, wolf. You better be on your best behaviour for the Princess. You might have been able to get the best of the guards, but I won't let you harm her so easily." The wolf was in the corner of the cell, looking relaxed and predatory. She entered the cell first, stepping to the side so her mistress could step forward. Looking at his wrists, she cold see Niamh had been right. In the light of the latern she could see the dark rim around the edges of the manacle. "Niamh I'm going to have to lock us in if I'm going to fix up his wrists. I'll have to remove the chains to do it properly." Her eyes were on the wolf. She couldn't help it. He was long and lean, his dark eyes taking everything in but giving away nothing. Hair falling in his eyes, the tattered clothes. He really did look the part of a rebel wolf. " I hear you haven't given a name." Lillian knelt on the ground, sorting out the medicinal items in front of her. " Would you give it if we asked nicely?" she was toying with him, just a little. Who knew when she would have the chance again? The next time they might she might have orders to kill him or something. Which was actually unlikely. Live wolves were hard to come by and chances are the King had some plans this one.
|
|
|
Post by Squish|Flint on Aug 29, 2010 21:26:25 GMT -5
It was the Princess. Tristan had to stop himself from melting into a puddle of nerves. She was close enough now that he could smell the food she brought. He passed his tongue over his lips, an invonluntary reaction. "The food is fine, Avian." He grinned at the Princess, flashing a sharp fang he had drawn out to intimidate. He was surprised she was apologizing for their lack of meat. Apparently the guard she brought with herthought the same thing because she gave Niamh a funny look when she apologized. Tristan examined the newcomer as she unlocked the cell. She was sharp and angular, her golden eyes wary and her silver hair tinted yellowish by the lantern. She didn't have her wings out but if she did he would have thought them to be thin and glossy. Like an eagle or some other sky raptor. And she was very obviously female. Damn. Her words brought him to attention and when he looked over over again he added something else to his observation, which seemed obvious now that he looked for it. He wouldn't get past her as easily. Because she wasn't a guard. She was a warrior. Her informality with the Princess was surprising. Weren't Avians big on the royalty thing? Tristan almost choked on air when she said they were taking his chains off. It was the oppertunity of a lifetime. He could have easily over powered the Princess and her one guard. It would matter if the cell was locked. he cold take the keys from them and be gone by the time anyone realized he was gone. He could have done this, would have done this if it weren't for the fact that they were irritatingly female! God damnit! Tristan scowled, irritated beyond belief. His perfect chance, ruined by his self-imposed rule. Damn damn damn. Tristan's hand flexed into a fist before he relaxed it. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, taking a deep breath. He had to calm down before he did something he would regret. Like harm either one of them. 'would you give it if we asked nicely?' The warrior's question made him open his eyes. He clenched his teeth, but then relaxed, he looked over at Niamh, a quick glance. Wear the warrior was feircely beautiful, Niamh was...lovely. She looked even softer in the dim light of the lantern. So fragile....he despately tried to calm himself down. Her bruised wrist leapt out at him, demanding his attention. he looked back at the Warrior with a grin. " maybe." was his answer, his voice dark, regret tinging the edges no matter how hard he tried to shove it back. It was the least he could do, after harming the soft female.
---
"He will give us his name in good time, Lilly." Niamh walked in after her guard, passing her an affectionate glance. "Be patient." With a shaky breath she knelt in front of the wolf and set the tray of food in front of him. "We have also brought salve to help with your wrists." Her cheeks burned slightly as she looked up and caught his sharp gaze on her, eyes burning under neither a current of dark hair. She could not read his thoughts, not even through the hard look in his eyes. Niamh smiled softly, nervously, almost, at the wolf before turning her attention to his wrists; she moved slowly, careful not to startle the wolf should he still be in the mood she left him in. Her fingers brushed gently against the skin surrounding the shackles that pressed fiercly into the wolf's skin. It was barbaric, really. Wasn't a wrought iron cage enough to suppress the man; he wasn't a beast nor a monster. Her soft features darkened, her golden-honey eyes glowing with rare intensity. Without another word, she suddenly stood and quickly reached for the keys that Lillian held, words about the cell needing to be locked flying right over her head. "This is ridiculous, he hasn't done a thing." Niamh cursed, her soprano voice a chorus of striking bells. She would face Lillian's certain anger without a shred of guilt or regret, allowing the wolf to be kept as such was against her very morals. The Avian fed the key into the shackles keyhole. A sigh of relief fell as the first shackle fell free, and then the next as she reached for it; Niamh was more than confident that the wolf wouldn't harm her, especially with Lillian behind her not only with the promise of medicinal herbs, but the promise that he would be worse off should he do anything to harm her. Like any other animal, he was also hungry; ravenous, probably. "Eat, we will clean your wrists afterward." Niamh stepped back and knelt once more, sliding the tray of food closer to the wolf.
---
Lillian did have time to react when Niamh suddenly stood up and removed he keys from her hand. "Nia- wha- you jus-" Lillian had the good sense to close the door at least. The warrior was surprised at her friend's determination, which was why it took her a moment to react. " Niamh." She said, voice dangerously soft. "Please refrain from doing something as dangerous as that again." The Avian female was very still, hard eyes on the wolf, daring his to strike out, or even twitch. She continued," It will make my job to protect you harder if I have to supress the urge to knock you senseless." She grabbed the salve and dressing, quickly placing herself to the left and just behind Niamh. She was close enough to protect Niamh if she had to, but far enough to be able to leap in the path of the wolf before he could escape. After a few heartbeats she sighed, her face losing the icy edge and she began to hum softly. It was a slow, sweet song. A lulliby taught to her by her mother. Lillian used to hum it to Niamh when they were kids and when the young Princess was frightened by a nightmare or any other sort of fright. She was letting her friend know she had forgiven her for her dangerous outburst. Telling her she had indeed been angry, but she wouldn't stay mad at her closest friend. __________________________________________________________ Tristan eyed the food that was placed in front of him, nose twitching with the scent. He allowed the avian to look over his hand. His lip lifted , exposing his bright teeth- a reluctant albeit scary show of pain. Her reaction was surprising. She promptly stood up, grabbed the keys, and began to unbind his from his chains. His eyes actually widened. She sighed when they came off, as if it had been her that had been chained. The warrior's reaction was comical. She stood frozen for a second or too, completely stunned and sputtering before scrambling to close the door. A door simply fastened by an easy latch. Tristan looked between the warrior and Niamh as the spoke, a look of disbelief on his face before he tossed back his head and laughed. It was an infectious, pleasant laugh that made his eyes crinkle at the corners and was a little rough around the edges, just like himself. When his laughter sudsided into quiet chuckles he looked at the Princess with bright eyes. "You, Princess, are a very odd creature indeed." He inspected his wrists, still chuckling softly. There were two incomplete scarlet rings around both wrist, ringed with the burgandy of drying blood. It wasn't a pleasant sight. His hands started trembling slightly as blood rushed back into the proper circulatory route. He clenched his fists a couple of times, not caring if it reopened his wounds now that he knew they were to be binded. He normally would've snapped at anyone being so close to him as he fed but his previous fit of laughter left him in a surprisingly good mood. A better mood then he thought he could be in while trapped in an Avian prison. He devoured the food set before him, happy to have the walls of his stomach expand. He liked the cheese. Since it was not a natural occrance in nature, Tristan could only have cheese if he planned to steal it from the caravans that were foolish enough to pass close to the borders of the forest in which he dwelled, which was not often. It took him a second to realize there was a low hum of contentment in his throat. Thankfully low enough to be near-impossible to hear without the advanced hearing of wolves. He quickly stopped it, but allowed himself his light mood. He chased down his meatless, but satisfying meal with the sweetened milk, once again, passing his tongue over his lips. He looked over at the bandages and the woman holding them, naturally untrusting.But He sighed and let his good mood get the better of him. " if you have so much bandage..." Tristan lifted his tattered shirt over his head, exposing the two or three open cuts, "Would you mind?" Tristan seemed to lack any bashfullness at being half naked infront of two enemey females. His body was hard and compact, his muscle flexing sinuously beneath tanned skin. There were pale, swooping scars across his abdomin and upper arms, although his face and neck were flawless. Tristan held out his shakle free wrists to the warrior, gaze drifting between the two of them.
---
Despite the soft tones of Lillian's voice, Niamh inwardly flinched from Lillian's words. There was no denying that Lillian was angry with her, but she felt not guilt for her actions. She regretted nothing. She would not be able to live with herself if she allowed the cruelty continue. "I am sorry, Lilly, but I cannot stand for what my father is doing. It is unfair," She glanced at the wolf with soft, apologetic eyes. "I would understand if he was being unreasonable, but even now, wounded, he is as calm as any sane being would be. He isn't an animal," Niamh smiled as a giggle softly flowed from the depths of her throat. "At least, to some extent." As if on cue the wolf laughed, the genuine happiness flowing into the air and lightning the tension that seemed to settle around them. It was a pleasant sound, but the words that followed caught her off guard. An odd creature? Niamh's brows furrowed and confusion undulated down her face. Was she to take offense to that, or was it a compliment? Being odd wasn't something she grew up knowing as a good thing. She quickly shook his words off, her face softening pleasantly as she heard Lillian's soft humming. Even Lillian seemed to lighten after the bout of laughter; Niamh had been forgiving, she knew. She turned her attention back to the wolf as he spoke, and her eyes widened in disdain and embarrassment as he shed what remained of his upper body clothing. Niamh's face grew a pleasant shade of red and she quickly averted her eyes, never once seeing a man as naked as the wolf now was. "I am sure Lillian will be able to help you," She quickly murmured, ashamed that a part of her wanted to look. Curiosity poke at her, tempted her to peel her eyes from her lap. "Or at least fetch more bandage if we lack enough." Niamh took the chance, her mind leaping forward. "As long as you will at least tell us your name. I am interested in your story," She stole a glance at the wolf, willing herself to stick only to his eyes, as she felt rude for not giving him her full attention, "But I will settle for your name."
---
Lillian was surprised at the wolf's laughter. She shook her head and smiled softly, unble to help herself. He was and animal, silly Niamh. Lillian covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the laughter that nearly spilled out when Niamh looked at rebel, confused at being called odd. When the wolf finished his meal, rather quickly, he pulled off his shirt in preperation of being fixed up. There were three cuts along his ribline and his wrists looked worse now that they were out of the manacles. She sighed and moved forward, bringing her stuff with her. 'So many scars...' "This is going to hurt." She warned the male wolf a split second before pouring the antiseptic onto his wrists. She grabbed them, firm but gentle, to keep him from pulling back. She rubbed someslave over the wound and then grabbed the white linen and started to wrap the wounds. When she finished, she moved onto his chest wounds, using different bandags, ones with special adhesives to firmly stick to his skin, so she wouldn't have to use up a castle length of cloth. She sat back, inspecting her handiwork. "There. All fixed." She sat, waiting for the wolf's answer, hiding a grin behind her curtain of silver hair. So Niamh had gone in for the kill. The warrior wondered if the male would yield ________________________________________________________
Tristan chuckled again, with more amuesment than mirth. He had caught the Princess' blush. Her statement though, about his name, had been met with silence. Until very softly he said, " My stoy isn't a fairytale, Princess" Then the silver avian poured what felt like acid over his open cuts. Tristan bared his teeth, a low growl sounding deep his his chest. It was anger, but pain as the sting traveled from his wrist to his shoulders. The salve wasn't much better, but once bound tight the feeling of creeping infection had died away. The adhesive bandage pulled uncomfortably on his skin, but it was better than stinging. His body tingled from the antiseptic. He said nothing during the entire process, simply watching Lillian's hands as they worked. When she pulled back, Tristan lifted his wrist to his face, delicately sniffing. The strong scent made his eyes water. " Well...at least its clean." He looked at the ground, fiddling with his shirt that was in his lap. Then so quietly it was nearly inaudible," Tristan." He looked up, a smile that could have been described as soft. He didn't give his last name. God knows the chaos that would have sprung up if he revealed it.
---
Niamh frowned slightly at the wolf's words. "I am not looking for a tale to put me to sleep, or a story that will leave me with hope for a better future." Despite her obvious defense, Niamh's voice was as gentle as ever. "I take offense that you think me so naive." And with that she looked up, seeing for the first time the wolf's naked torso. She studied his skin, the markings. His very being screamed with strength. He was the very definition of a predator, but she found his scars much more interesting. Waiting for Lillian to be done, and the wolf's growling to sieze, she leaned in close and reached out. Her fingertips gently brushed across the wolf's bare chest, tracing one of his scars. "Your story seems it would be an interesting one. Your scars alone tell a tale, one obviously of pain, but something else. Honor," She paused and withdrew her hand, pushing the fact that Lillian would be most upset with the contact to the back of her mind. "Perhaps just a battle wound, but I highly doubt that." She settled back and smiled, quieting down. "Thank you for telling us your name, I promise to keep it to ourselves." She glanced at Lillian, signifying that the Avian had no say in the matter. Tristan obviously didn't say his name at the start for a reason. She would be a fool to break what little trust, if you could call it that, she had gained. "Are you feeling better?" She questioned, drifting to a different, less tension-filled subject.
---
Tristan held back the smile that formed when she said she had taken offense to his words. She was about as terrifying as a floppy kitten.His smile vanished when she touched his skin. His eyes sharply flickered up to hers, and unspoken question in their depths. His muscle had clenched, startled by her warm, soft fingers. Was she really an avian? So timid, yet so bold. Her voice was sweet and curious. "Honor? Hmm..I guess you could call it that." His body relaxed when she pulled away, his fists unclenching. He hadn't realized he had closed them in the first place. "Each one of these scars was inflicted on my by nothing less than a warrior of my own kind. As you may notice, they all stop somewhere along here." He held a hand and inch or two below his neck. "Because anyone whose gotten claws or teeth close enough to leave a mark, didn't live long enough to claim their scar. Besides...it's only us lone wolves that need to protect our own necks." He gave the warrior an appraising look. " From our own kind that is." Was he feeling better? He smiled softly as he clenched and unclenched his fist. He then reached out, lightening quick, and grabbed the hand attached to the wrist he had harmed earlier. He was a gentle but irrisitable force as he drew her hand near, careful not to harm her. With his free hand, he gently traced the purple bruise with a long finger. He answered her question with a question of his own. "Are you?" His large hand dwarfted her dainty one, so small and fragile against his fingers. He released his grip before her guard cut off his hand. _________________________________________________________ Lillian had to stop herself from swallowing her own tongue when Niamh reached out and touch the wolf's chest. Then she bit her lip softly, not quite hiding the fact that she was grinning. She liked him! That was the only logical explaination for all this. She found him interesting. A being part of a darker, more mysterious world and Niamh was curious. It was a dangerous crush, but no less. Lillian wanted to squeal and ask the princess a billion questions but she held it back to hear what the wolf was saying. And what he was saying was not pleasing the female. It was like he was purposefully trying to frighten Niamh. And then he grabbed her. Lillian was already half extended, one fooot and one knee on the ground, hand at Araidia's hilt, Golden eyes waiting from him to make the slightest violent move so she could tist her wrist and amputate his hand in the most painful way she could think of. But the wolf was indeed on his best behaviour and soon released her hand. "Let's keep our hands to ourselves shalls we?" She nudged the Princess, chuckling into her ear. "Unless you just can't help yourself." Lilly giggled, a very feminine noise to be coming from such a feared avian assasin.
---
Niamh's eyes widened as Tristan spoke. A million questions buzzed through her mind as he told the story, or basic story, of his scars. She frowned, deeper than ever. "Why would your own kind.. hurt you in such a way?" It was baffling to her, was the world outside her safe, warm home truly that unkind? Or was it that the wolf truly was as monstrous as her father first thought. The answer evaded her, it didn't make sense. Tristan /seemed/ gentle enough, and more than regretful about hurting her. She saw it in his eyes whenever they fell upon her wrist. But it only brought her back to her first question, the one she voiced. Why would they harm him? She glanced at Lillian for help, wondering if she had more insight on the subject than herself. Contact on her skin brought her attention snapping back to Tristan and she stiffened with fright, feeling his hand take her own. Her heart hammered within her chest, her cheeks pink with adrenaline. Niamh expected another bruise, but after a moment she realized that Tristan meant no harm. She relaxed, but only a bit. "I am fine," She murmured, thankful when his hand released her own. Niamh shot Lillian a terrified stare as her friend spoke. "Lilly! Don't be rude!" But, honestly, she couldn't blame her friend. The way she acted was most inappropriate. Shame filled her and she bowed her head, more embarrassed than before. Niamh withdrew from Tristan completely, careful not to look at him. "I am sorry, I was the rude one. I should not have.. touched you, it was inappropriate and.." Her head buzzed and her brows furrowed, growing more distraught. "I think it is time to leave, Lilly. I-I.. am tired." Niamh was only being curious, she meant nothing by what she did. But it did not take away from the fact that she touched a man, a half-naked man. She shivered, the shame reaching her very core. A wolf-man, at that. "Lillian will check on you in the morning, to see how your wounds are." Niamh softly glowered at Lillian, though it was more of a pout than any true scowl.
---
Lillian snickered but held her tongue. She helped her friend to her feet, gathering up the excess of the medical materials as she went. "You should be tired... so much activity in one day...you'll be asleep 'till noon tomorrow." she turned to the wolf. "And try not to get in anymore fights...I'd hate to have to kill you so early in the game." Her warning was clear, quite blatantly actually. she pulled her wings out of hiding. Large, beautiful, soft snowy wings, there were a few small black flecks near the bottom of her wings, like black stones in the snow. She stood outside the cell, keeping a watchful eye on the captive wolf whie the door was open, wings half extended in threat. She had brought the lantern with her, the the shadows quickly encroached the pair remaining in the cell. " Come on Niamh, the beastie is probably dead-tired. You're pretty odd for a wolf." she addressed the shadows that hid Tristan. " Our time was...interesting." ________________________________________________________ Tristan watched the confusion on her face. Of course she wouldn't understand...t would take to long to explain it to her. He just wanted to give her a taste. A teasing tidbit of information to keep her wondering. Instead of answering he finally put his shirt back on. Lillian's whispered words were quite easy to hear with his advanced hearing. He chuckled, part playful, part dark amusement that put a seductive edge to the throaty sound, when she stumbled on her apology. "No need to apologize, Princess. No harm done." Lillian's words drew his gaze and darkness cloaked him. " I've no notion to what you could mean. I have been rather angelic if I do say so myself. " Her wings wasn't what he was expecting. They were soft and fluffy and white, not dark and glossy like he had expected. Was everything about her contradicting? He was almost tempted to ask, but that would've implied he cared. " Guess this means its time to go." He shuffled away from her slightly, stretching out, laying on his uninjured side on the floor. He looked up at her with dark eyes and softly said," Sweet dreams....Niamh." He let the name roll off his tongue. Not Princess, or Avian, or girl. Just....her name. He smiled, white teeth flashing in the darkness.
---
Niamh said not a word as Lillian spoke, keeping to herself by the cell door. Even as the wolf said her name, she paid no attention. But he informality of it shook her, almost unnerved her. Only two people, ever, called her simply by her name. The fact that the wolf to take it upon himself to include himself in the small group made her feel strange, not quite angry or upset, but bothered. She was, quite plainly, irritated. "Good night," She murmured as she followed Lillian out of the cell. Niamh didn't wait, she kept walking down the darkened hall; even without the aid of the lantern. She yearned for the safekeeping of her room. "Lilly?" She called, glancing behind her as she entered the hall outside the entrance to the holding cells.
---
Lillian locked up quickly as her charge swiftly left the area. "Night, wolf." she ruffled her wings lightly as she walked away, her armor chinking slightly as she moved. "I'm coming, Niamh!" She called, picking the pace up a bit. She caught up and grinned at the female. " You didn't me our intruder was such a handsome fellow. I was expecting some beast-man with tree-trunk legs and a partial....what's wrong?" The air around her friend seemed muted. " You seemed...unsettled. Not that I blame you.' she tossed her siver hair. " Chit chatting with a rebel wolf isn't exactly a regular practice amoung us Avians. I can't believe the nerve of that guy, grabbing at you....again." Lillian shook head head with disdain. "Tell me what troubles you Princess. You know You can talk to me about anything." The wink that followed was mischevious, but her words were sincere. She let her wing stretch out behind her friend, their light brush reassuring.
---
Niamh let out a small, dismal sigh. Lillian's words only deepened the annoyance she felt. The wolf /was/ handsome, and in his own way he was even charming. More than the Avian men were. She shook her head, willing herself not to blush or think of it further, delicate hair falling over her shoulder in a cascade of golden waves. "He doesn't belong here, Lilly. He hasn't done a thing." She felt as though she were a broken record, doomed to repeat herself until someone finally cared to listen. "Yes, he touched me again, and while it was unnecessary.. he meant it in a kind way. It wasn't like earlier, there was no menace in his eyes. Even the first time.. he was not intending to be malicious. He was frightened. Wouldn't you be?" Niamh paused in front of her bedroom door, turning to her friend. "He is no beast, nor a wild animal. He should be able to go home.." Another small breath of air escaped her lips as she entered her room, eyes transfixed on her bed as the words leaped from her mouth before she could think of them. ".. He is rather handsome.."
---
Lillian thought about it for a moment " If I ever actually got caught alive by a band of wolves...." The warrior faltered for a moment. Admitting weakness was not easy. " I would most likely be worse off than the wolf. I mean,' Lillian smiled," I can handle pressure okay, but the thought of being helpless doesn't sit too well with me." The avian pulled her wings back into her body and sighed. ' Okay, I guess I see your point. But what can we do about it? His Majesty won't let him go that easily...you know your father better than anyone. He's smart....he'll find a use for the wolf...and it might not exactly be the most pleasent." Then Niamh said Tristan was handsome and Lillian paused for a moment before quieting her laughter into quiet giggles. " I knew it!" She gently poked her friend's arm. " My female intuition is as sharp as they come, you know." The avian chuckled. " He has a bite mark on his lower back you know....and it doesn't exactly look like a wolfbite" Lillian snickered " Maybe it was a love bite?" She didn't mention that while it didn't look like a wolf bite it wasn't human. More like someone had charged him from behind and bit him while only half changed. "We'll figure something out 'kay?" The joking tone had left and was replaced with a softer edge. "Don't worry so much...you'll ruin those looks of yours. " and then the joking tone was back " maybe we could train him and you can walk him around on a leash!" Lillian giggled again. For someone who could decapitate a charging wolf thirty feet away with nothing more than a rubber band and shard of glass, she really was a gossip.
---
Niamh blushed severely as she settled upon her downy covers, looking into her lap as Lillian spoke. Love bite? She frowned and looked up to her friend. "Why would you mention something like that? If that is what it is, it is private and you shouldn't speak of it." She shook her head, forcing a giggle down. "You're just trying to make me jealous." Niamh nestled back against her pillow and twirled a strand of blond hair between her fingers, biting thoughtfully at her lip. She knew, full well, that her father wouldn't allow the wolf to return home. Somehow, along the way, her father grew to be bitter. He was no longer the kind man she knew when she was younger. That man died long ago, when her mother left them to be in a better place. A shallow sigh slipped from her pale lips. Lillian's words were playful, but she couldn't find any amount of humor within them. "It shouldn't be like that, Lilly. But.." She thought, contemplating the scenario. "If he were put on a leash, someone would have to lead him, correct?" A small smile hinted within her eyes, lighting their honey depths. "We could always free him." Her eyes glinted and sparkled with mischief once more. "We could free him, right now!"
---
Lillian laughed " I was just kidding, Princess. I'm not sure, but I don't think even in wolf culture that love bites leave scars. Plus...I like teasing you." The avian seated herself on the corner of the bed, smiling devilishly," I'm naturally a bully you know." The warrior chuckled. " Yes, someone would have to lead him...I bet he'd make one killer pet. " Lillian rethought that statement." Although ' killer' might not be the best word to promote it. Although probably most accurate." She snickered. It was Lillian's turn to sigh when the other femme spoke about freeing the wolf. "Niamh you know we can't do that. The guards would kill him before he left the castle. He'd be lucky to make the edge of our side of the forest. Freeing him would end his life." Her golden eyes were very serious. She had to make sure her friend understood. Even if she had to be harsh. " Maybe we can gain audience from the King. In a few days though...we have to give him time to settle down. He'll be okay for a couple days." Lillian thought for a moment. ' You could probably visit him any time you liked....unless the King forbade it. I don't know about you but I know I'm curious."
---
Niamh nodded, finding reason in Lillian's words. Even if they were to reach the border with the wolf, it would only be time before the Avian Guard found him and restrained him once more. Of worse, killed him. It was not worth chancing his life to save it when, despite the unsatisfactory living conditions, he was alive at the moment. "I am curious as well," Niamh murmured. "He doesn't seem as wild as he attempts to come off as." She frowned and glanced at Lillian. Perhaps she was reading far into the wolf's behavior, or maybe she was only seeing what she wanted to see. The last thought sent a trickle of sadness within her, but she quickly waved it away; Niamh feigned exhaustion, not wanting to read too far into her own emotions. She reached out a foot and gently prodded Lillian with one extended toe. "Your bulky armor is distracting me from sleeping." She cooed, a playful smile rising to her lips.
---
Lillian started for a moment, a thought popping into her head as Niamh spoke about her opinion of the wolf's wildness. " Huh." she said, voice soft. " I was under the impression he's actually more wild than he appears. which is why I am curious. Is he simply trying to appear less of a threat? Hmmm." When Niamh accused her of being distracting Lillian shook her head, smiling her angel's smile. " I guess it is past your bedtime." Lillian snickered, standing up even as she said so. " I'll think I'll sneak in a few hours of sleep before the King announces what to do with our handsome brute. Sweet Dreams, My Princess Niamh." With a wink and a kiss blown from her fingers Lillian disappeared onto the balcony. It was a few seconds before her silvery head appeared again, pushing through the satiny drapes. " And my armor is not bulky!" she said with playful indignance before throwing herself off the balcony, laughing into the night as her snowy wings unfurled.
---
Niamh smiled after Lillian and settled back into her pillows with a gentle sigh. She fell into the world of dreams, though it felt more like a nightmare than any land of warmth, desire and longing. Fangs, a racing heart, all senses buzzing. Fury and fright is what she remembered when she woke with a start, heart hammering against the enclosure of her chest. A dark pelt and claws lingered in her mind, but she quickly dismissed further thoughts of the things she saw in her sleep. Niamh gathered her pillow to her chest, willing happy thoughts to present themselves. But they denied her. With a grand sigh she slipped from her bed and hurried to wash and dress herself; she knew Lillian would already be awake and in the company of her father. Niamh yearned to find out what was happening, if anything at all. Finding a more comfortable dress, one that barely passed her knees and fell loosely from her body, being made of a light, almost cloud-like material, Niamh flitted out of her bedroom and made her way to the throne room where, without a doubt, her father would be with Lillian.
_________________________________________________________
Farden leaned back against his throne, a thoughtful look sparkling within the depths of his golden eyes. "What is on your mind, Lillian? What do you think of my proposal?" He trusted her opinion; Lillian was one of his top advisers.
---
Lillian was dazed. She ran her fingers through her fair hair. her armour was lighter today, the lilac cloth she wore underneath visable through the spaces of protection. On the one hand, the possibilities were dazzling. Never before had such a chance come across the Avians. The thought of how much more effecient the Guard would be at defending precious Avian lives was nearly exciting. They could learn so much! Her troops would be so much more efficient at defending themselves and others with this knowledge. Yet on the other hand sat a guilty conscience that looked strikingly like a petite avian woman with golden hair and white wings. Lillian supressed the urge to groan. She finally spoke, choosing her words carefully. "The knowledge we could gain from your proposal would be crucial to the future of protecting our nation. I think the method of aquiring it is rather cruel but-" As soon as she said the word 'cruel' the other advisors had acted up, squaking indignantly, stateing acts of cruelty the wolves had commited, the lives they had lost..."But!" Lillian said with more force, flaring out her snowy wings, the black dots near the base looking like glittering black eyes. " If you have your heart set on it, of course I will support you, My King." Lillian bowed from the waist down. Dammit....Niamh was goig to kill her for this. Or perhaps give her a strongly worded lecture. Lillian winced. She was hoping for the former.
---
Farden's eyes hardened as he shot his guards a reproaching look, demanding their immediate silence with a simple pass of his eyes. They silenced, but even still he heard Lillian's voice rise above the filled room. A smile reached his lips and he bowed his head, satisfied with her answer. Lillian's near awkwardness and hesitation did not go without notice, however. He rose one thin, white brown in question. "Something bothers you about this, Lillian. Please," He motioned from the guard to step closer, "Tell me what is on your mind, my friend." But he already knew. Somehow, someway, he knew it had something to do with his daughter. Inwardly, he chuckled. His daughter always managed to find a way into his decisions. But this was one he would not back down from. As Lillian had stated, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. They could learn so much from the wolf, and his chosen way of acquiring the skills was, in retrospect, the only way. The wolf, he knew, would not be so willing in helping his foes.
________________________________________________________
Niamh frowned and stared at the guard by the door, her brows bunching up in the middle with show of frustration that seemed out of place upon her porcelain face. "I am going through." It was not as if the guard would touch her and physically stop her from opening the door. And with that she quickly reached from the door to the throne room. The door's hinges creaked as she slowly opened the grand door, stepping into the large room. At once she spotted the marvelous white wings of Lillian and she flitted quickly to her side. Years of bonding allowed her to notice, at once, the guilt that raked down Lillian's body, like some wetness that left her shaking and cold. Niamh's frowned deepened and her honey eyes took on a rare appearance. Their naturally warm depths clouded with anger and she shot a glare at her father. "What have you done?" The wolf. Her heart raced in her chest with worry. What decision did they come upon, that would leave Lillian feeling so... guilty? She turned quickly to her friend, distress written upon her face. "What is it, Lilly?!"
---
Lillian winced. " As sharp as ever, Your Majesty." she offered a wry smile. " You know....Niamh.....with all her heart and soul she is gentle. She only wants the best for everyone. She'll be a little more than displeased with me when she hears about this....And I do hate disappointing her." Her golden eyes were tired, whether from her late night or stressful morning she really couldn't tell. "At least..." She thought for a second, before widening, " You won't make her go will you? Does the Princess really have to attend?" All of a sudden she was very, very flustered, her wings ruffling. Just at that moment, Niamh entered the Throne room. Again the avian swallowed a groan. "Shh, Niamh." She whispered, not wanting to provoke the King. But Lillian knew what she wanted to be told. " Tr-...the wolf's use has be determined. At least once a day, he will fight against one of our warriors. " Lillian had to keep her voice cold, and strong, but she was begging Niamh with her golden eyes so no one could see. "It will help train our warriors against wolf attacks. The matches ends when the wolf inflicts damage on the warrior, in which case another warrior will be substitued, or the wolf ..." she faltered for only a moment." or the wolf is no longer able to stand. He will then be led down to his cell were he can rest and eat. If he kills a warrior, he will be slain. This practice will go on everyday until we have nothing more to learn from him. Which he will then probably be discarded." She didn't know the last part for sure the the Kng she knew pretty well. He didn't keep things he didn't need around. Especially if they were as dangerous as a rebel wolf. "People are free to watch the training for their own purposes. The first match starts in an hour." The next part was the hardest, but a flickering look at the King hardened her resolve. Her face froze into an imperial, icy mask, making her look like the predator she was. "Which means the wolf must be collected now." She turned her hard eyes to the nearest guard." Fetch him." They saluted and left. Damn it, Niamh was going to be furious with her. She bit the inside of her cheek, hoping her friend would understand she was just following orders. she just hoped Farden would exempt her from watching. He had to have an ounce of mercy in there...right?
---
The breath caught in Niamh’s chest, like some invisible hand reached into the confines of her throat and snatched it from her very throat. She choked, tasting her own dismay upon her tongue. “L-Lillian.” She shooked her head in disbelif. Anger rose within her, but not shot toward Lillian, her dear friend. Niamh was not as naïve as people thought her; this was all her father’s doing. She turned sharply on her hells, barefeet slapping against the marble flooring as she took a few more steps toward her father’s throne. “You cannot do this, this is wrong!” Her cries echoed in the grand room, coming down upon her as they only intensified her distraught emotions. It wasn’t just because she had spoken to the wolf and realized that he wasn’t just some animal. What her father proposed was /not/, morally, right. He had trapped the wolf in a game of either extreme pain for reward, or death. Either way, Tristan lost. He had no chance, where was the diplomacy in that? “Father, please.” Niamh’s voice cracked as she silently begged her father, unable to speak her thoughts correctly. She turned to Lillian. “Lilly… please.” Her words were no louder than a whisper.
Farden closed his eyes as his daughter spoke Lillian’s name, knowing that there was more to come. It was all he could do not to physically show his lack of interest in her feelings and thoughts. Her words passed right through him, and as she whispered he allowed them to fall upon deaf ears. “Ask Lillian for all the help in the world, daughter, but it will not make a difference.” He frowned, staring down at Niamh in hopes of silencing her. “They are /my/ orders she follows. You should learn from her, Niamh. It would do you well.” Farden leaned back and nodded to his guards, who stood, questioningly, by the doors. He glanced briefly at his daughter. “Stop making a scene before I have you removed.”
---
The taste of anger was sweet on Lillian's tongue, still, she dared not raise a hand to the King. He had faded the image of him once being kind and caring. He was still sharp minded and intelligent, but he lacked compassion. Still, a King was a King. when he spoke of her loyalty she felt as if her insides had turned to acid. She bit the inside of her cheek. Hard. When Farden spoke of the possible removal of his daughter from the room, the avian tilted forward, whispering into her friends ear. "Niamh," her voice trembled a moment, " Please.hush now. It won't do the wolf any good if you are thrown out now. Be patient. " Her mistress's emotions seemed hard-wired to her own. her white wings were ruffled, hunched over her shoulders. ________________________________________________________
Tristan's sleep was inturupted by the clang of metal bars. His brown eyes flew open, but the slight hesitation in his movement -caused by his groggy disorientation- was his downfall. Two guards wrestled him up to his feet, and braced him against the cell wall. Tristan was unable to move as they clamped the thick, black metal band around his neck. Like a collar. Four heavy chains were attached to the four opposite corners. So they had learned from yesterday he required more security than two lone guards. The wolf's smile was not a nice one. They led him up to the room he had first entered upon arrival. The throne room. There was a guard to each chain, all of them out of reach. Changing would only strangle him. Tristan contented himself with a long stream of snarls. Tristan jerked his head one way and the other three would pull him tight. He hated it. He could feel his canines grow as he bared his teeth in a grimace, growls grating through them. Then, once again, he was in the presence of the King of Avians. Feared by all the wolf children. He looked apathetic. The guards had informed him on the way up what the King had thought up. Tristan looked forwar to it with a sick sense of anticipation. He needed to vent. He caught the the figures of both The Princess and her vassal. Both looked distressed, Niamh more so than her armored companion. The four guards held him steady and his eyes, grey in the light of the throne room, snapped back to the winged patriarch. Tristan growled, unable to do more....yet.
---
Lillian’s words were like a sweet poison. They didn’t settle right with her and left her with a slight sting in her chest, but she calmed herself and managed a small, complient smile. But it soon vanished as the guards dragged Tristan in, chains and all. One chain would have been suffiecent, but the guards surrounded him. Her eyes narrowed and she turned quickly to her father. “LOOK at him! And you expect him to fight your guards for his food?” Niamh’s gaze turned cold, her once warm eyes turning a startling mute brown. “Father.. You are treating him as if he were a wild animal,” Niamh glanced over at her shoulder at Tristan and for a single moment her eyes softened. “And that is how he is acting, considering you have unfairly starved him.” A small twinge of relief flitted through her chest with the thought of his secret meal; at least he wouldn’t be without complete strength. “He will fight for your food, but I can almost guarentee that he will do everything in his power to get it.”
“Niamh, hold yo-“ Farden started, anger dripping from his words. But he was cut off as Niamh shot her eyes back to him, raising her voice.
“You’re being cruel! You expect him not to fatally harm your guards when you have done all this to him! You’re purpsefully instigating him!”
“I told you to hold your tongue, Niamh!” Farden’s voice boomed over Niamh’s as he stood, suddenly, from his throne. His eyes mimiced Niamh’s. For a moment Niamh stood silent, shocked by her father’s outburst. Her cheeks turned a soft shade of scarelt, but she drew in a small breath of strength and courage.
“ I will not be silent.” Niamh took a step forward. “You’re going to make him a killer, just so you can have a small taste of victory.”
“Who is to say that he isn’t already a killer?! He is a WOLF, Niamh.” Farden visibly shook with anger. “I was going to spare you from watching, I was going to give you that. You should have chosen your words, Niamh.” He took a step toward Niamh as his physical display of anger faded, turning into a tranquil air of calmness that did not yet reach his eyes. “Lillian. Escort my daughter out of here. Bring her to the arena. Now.”
---
Tristan's struggling ceased as he watched the exchange. His growls had even quieted to muted rumbling in the back of his throat. She was defending him against her Father's plans. She seemed quite determined too. He watched Niamh, her cheeks flushed with anger. When she looked back at him, eyes soft, his rumbling ceased. Why? Whay was she doing this? Tristan could not fathom the answer. She was too kind hearted for her own good. She was going to get herself in trouble. But what she had said was true, to his surprise. He was going to try and injure the guards, as bad as he could. for food, and for his own, personal distaste. He stopped for a moment, frozen. Would he have to fight the female warrior? Lillian? As long as she attacked him first, he would attack. But, even though it meant he could attack her, it didn't mean he wanted to. She was the one who bound his wrists, and she was the friend of the lovely female avian with soft golden hair and smelled of roses. Farden's comment on his being a killer wolf, dulled the lights in Tristan's eyes. It was an comment he was all too aware of. He was a murderous wolf. They were the cruel avians. It had been that way for many years, and would continue to be that way for many years after this one. Needles pricked at his stomach as the King announced her daughter's mandatory attendence to the fight. Tristan didn't want her to have to see. Didn't want her to hear.
____________________________________________________________ At the King's order Lillian was actually eager to obey. She wanted her friend away from the cruel King, wanted to take her away from this shouting, angry environment. The warrior wrapped her arms around the smaller femme, gently pulling her back. It was more of an embrace than a restraint, but she was stronger than the golden haired Princess. "come on. It'll be fine.. come on." Soft, encouraging words to try and keep Niamh calm and moving. She had her wings half-extented, shielding her from the gazes of the other avians' cold stares. The wolf kept his hazel eyes on the floor as they passed. His struggling had ceased. The guards opened the doors and as Lillian shepperded the distraught female out the wolf spoke. "Niamh?" He looked over his shoulder, blinking. "You worry too much." His sharp toothed grin showed no humour. And the guards ushered them out the of the hall and closed the doors. Not before Lillian saw someone yank on one of the chains attached to his collar, probably discipline for talking to the Princess. Lillian gripped Niamh tighter, resting her head against the Princess' shoulder, wings drooping, resting against the ground. "I'm sorry Niamh." her voice shook with guilt. "I couldn't do anything. I had to okay the fight. But don't be angry, not now. You have to get through this....so we can approach this a different way. So we can show the King that this won't work. Just...don't fight. Not yet." Lillian pulled away, golden eyes weary. Although the wolf did not matter so much to the warrior, Niamh was everything. And seeing her like this was disturbing her insides. "Let's go." She tugged Niamh's hand. " We'll fly there." Lillian managed a small smile. " It seems like we haven't flown together in forever." She raised her wings off their melancholy place on the floor, beating them once, the air buffeting herself and the Princess. "Come on."
---
“I’ll never be able to stand against him.” Niamh spoke as if she hadn’t heard Lillian at all. She moved as ifshe were no more than a doll, moving to Lillian’s whim and nothing else. Tears gathered in her eyes and she choked back a cry. “I don’t want to see them tear each other apart. I don’t want to see him kill our people.” A tear betrayed her and broke free from her eyes, staining her porcelain skin as it trailed down her cheek. “I don’t want to see him die. Why can’t there just be peace, Lilly?” She turned to her friend, but it was the wolf’s face she saw in her mind. That grin. “.. Why?” Niamh shook her head, golden hair falling in front of her face. She tasted her own tears, but refused to wipe them from her face. There was nothing she could do. She replayed Lillian’s words, but she could find nothing there to hold on to. She was powerless, her fight had been futile. Nausea played with her stomach and she moved to reach for Lillian’s hand, only to find it already where she needed it; instinctively she tightened her hold on Lillian’s hand. Flying; that had always been Lillian’s cure for whenever she was exceptionally upset. A small breath escape Niamh’s lips, and with her exhale wings grew from the two slits in the back of her dress. They grew and expanded, soft and a tender white, like a newly fallen snow. No marks, no colour, and they were nowhere near as grand as her friend’s. A dove’s wing. She sighed, already feeling the wind caress her wings gently as if to greet a new friend. “I will fly with you.” She whispered, managaing a small smile. “Just.. promise not to leave me when we get there. For anything.” Her golden eyes probed into Lillian, insinuating something invisible in her words.
---
Lillian gently lead her friend furthur onto the balconey. There were many balconies like this one installed around the castle for this exact purpose. As she pulled she spoke. "No one will let Tristan kill anyone. And no one will kill Tristan. The King wants more than one of these damn fights. A lot more. " Anger flared in the warrior's golden eyes. "Foolish King. Nevermind...let's forget as we fly. It is a short reprieve, but a release non-the-less." Lillian didn't want to see her friend cry anymore. At Niamh's simple request, the avian turned to look at her, eyes flashing in acknowledgement. Lillian's grin held her old spark. " I wouldn't dream of it." And then she threw herself off the balcony, letting herself plummet. The cool wind rushed at her, pulling at her hair, running through her wings as if begging her to open them. Which she did. Her fluffly feathers weren't just for asthetic reasons. They made it so she flew silently through the air. It was her wings that allowed her such skill in the art of assasination. She was a rapture of the sky and she loved it. Lillian laughed as she climbed upwards, strong wings carrying her swiftly through the air. The beautiful scenery, the bright sun and nearly cloudless sky. It was easy to forget why she had been upset moments ago, all her problems blown away by the wind. She stopped, high above the balcony, wings pumping rythmically to keep her in place. She altered herself slightly, letting her other side start to intoxicate her. She only changed enough that when she opened her mouth, a loud, chirping call fluttered down to Niamh. A playful chittering noise. She waited for Niamh, cool wing calming her heart. _________________________________________________________
Tristan was silent as the avians lead him to the arena. He didn't struggle and the guards seemed alarmed by it. They were wary. But the wolf wasn't paying attention, like a lion ignored the fluttering of songbirds above its head. He was going to get to fight. Why? Whay would they make him fight? It made no sense. And these ridiculous rules. What did the King have to gain from all this? Someone yanked a chain and Tristan snarled in response, not bothering to lunge. He was content knowing he would be let loose on a willing Avian. Tristan grinned a toothy grin. Tristan would show the King was a mistake is was to let a wolf loose on his flock.
---
Lillian’s words eased the tension that seemed to run throughout her entire being. A true smile surfaced at the sound of Lililan’s call and the depths of her eyes swirled their warm, honey tenderness. Without hesitation she followed Lillian and leapt from the edge of the balcony, twirling once, as if diving through the very air, before allowing her wings to spread and catch her. Flying, there was no other remedy. Wind gently caressing her wings with their every beat, the air and her body dancing as if one, was a feeling she couldn’t explain, it was sheer happiness. It was enough for her to forget their purpose for flying, but only for a moment. Niamh opened her eyes with great difficulty, determination falling over her face. Somehow, someway, she was going to stop her father. She quickly retreated into her thoughts, quickly deciding to keep them even from Lillian. She loved her, with all her heart, but Lillian, she was sure, would object to what she was next planning. To mask it further, Niamh forced a smile and drew in a breath of fresh air before swooping next to Lillian. “Catch me if you can.” She cooed, making the dismal flight into a “fun” sort of race.
Farden, walking into the arena with Tristan and the guards, passed a glance at the wolf. “What energy you have.” His voice was monotone, casual almost. Uninterested. “It’ll be interesting to see how long you will last.” He quirked a rare smile, and took a sweeping glance over his guards. “Heid. You’re first.” Farden didn’t go for his largest, strongest guard. He chose his swiftest, most nimble and most cunning guard first, the one most likely to tire the wolf out. The king blinked at his guard. “Have fun.” And with that he spread his grand eagle wings, taking flight to his perch from where he, Niamh and Lillian would soon watch the battle unfold.
---
It did Lillian good to see Niamh jump into the air, her beautiful, delicate-looking white wings nimbly weaving through the air. At her playful words Lillian laughed, the sounding chiming through the open air. She angeled her wings, darting at the Princess, her silent descent enthralling. She dashed underneath Niamh before twirling up and around her friend. The sky was her home. Too soon they reached the dreaded spot. The King and his group had taken a short cut in the tunnels so they had arrived here first. They could've done that but nothing beat flying. She landed beside the King, bowing her head formally before taking her spot at his right. His right hand warrior. Somehow the though made her cringe internally. __________________________________________________________ Tristan was lead onto the grassy field. The battleground. Tristan scowled at the King as he left, soft growl in his throat. The guard, Heid. Grinned at him, pulling out his thin sword before flying out to the other side of the field. His wings were black. Like a raven's. Cunning, sharp minded birds. Tristan's eyes narrowed. His eyes followed the descent of the two avian females. Their white wings stood out against the blue sky, like clouds. He turned his attention back to the black winged guard. He didn't have much armor on, but it was armor non-the-less. And he was armed. The thin blade flashed through the air like a silver snake. The collar felt heavy around his stiff neck. as if by remote, the metal band unfastened, dropping to his feet, the chains going slack as the guards let go of them. The relief was ecstacy. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the cracks run along his body, the bones already shifting. Tristan snarled, canines lengthening, claws growing. There was pain. There was always pain. Clawed hands tore at the already shredded shirt, reducing it to a little more than a pile of torn cloth. There was a sheen over sweat over his bodyand he stood, now half-naked infront of the handful of Avians. Most Avians looked frightened. Others sick. Tristan smiled, teeth full of dagger-sharp teeth. Then he collasped to all fours, and he changed. His pants, made of the fur of wolves, seemed to skin into his skin even as he grew fur. A thousand needle pricks through his skin. His bones swiftly crunching into his new form, a involuntary snarl of pain erupting from his throat. is spine lengthened, becoming a plumed tail. He was a large wolf. Though more tall than muscular. His thick, wood brown fur was the colour of tree bark. His ruff was soft-looking and impressive, white tying in like cream in hot chocolate. His face, serene, was smooth and handsome, his ever changing eyes more green in the sunlight. His ears were velveteen triangles place atop his head. His tail was nt held high in defieance, but hung limply, swaying slowly back and forth. The raven guard Heid, so confident before, looked a little unnerved. Apperantly he had never seen a olf change before. Tristan wondered how many of these Avian's had. Tristan ran his pink tongue over his black lips. He took a single step forward, head lowering. Then his smooth face contorted, fearsome lines etched into his faces. Long white incisors gleamed in the sunlight as hellish sounds poured out from between them. His tail lash out once behind him; a challenge. His black claws dug into the dirt. Tristan was one angry puppy.
---
Niamh followed Lillian's direction, more or less copying her fllight pattern than attempting to win the race. Even on a good day she lacked the skill to out fly the Avian guard. Lillian was a true flyer, her flight seeming more a dance than anything. All too soon she decended with Lillian and padded off to the far right as her barefeet touched a solid holding. She kept her gaze from her father, dread filling her every sense as she looked upon the scene unfolding below. Tristan was in the process of changing. at least her father gave him that, as she noticed his lack of weapon. She frowned as she caught a slight glimmer of sunlight from the end of the field. Heid, of course he was allowed a weapon. Niamh's heartt ached and she glanced at Lillian. Her father was truly going through with it... ... Farden smiled as he caught sight of his daughter, but it lacked complete warmth. He switfly cast his gaze back to the shifted wolf and his lone warrior. He He nodded his head once, signalling for his black-winged warrior to begin an onslaught of attacks.
|
|
|
Post by Squish|Flint on Aug 29, 2010 21:59:47 GMT -5
The Raven winged guard immeadiatly took to the air, dashing at the wolf with blinding speed. He was only about ten feet in the air, and when Tristan jumped up to grab the Avian's ankle, Heid's blade came down to meet him. It sliced the through the air where his head had been. Tristan landed, rolling as he did so as Heid lunged. Tristan snapped at the Avian's retreating hands. That blade was going to be a problem. It was quick as a viper. Heid lunged again, still airborn, cutting a small line along Tristan's shoulder. He had misjudged the density of the wolf's fur. Tristan watched, judging the speed, and frequency of Heid's attacks as he nimbly dodged the flying steel. The whining it made through the air annoyed him. The tip stung Tristan's chest. Heid lifted his blade, going for another lunge. As the blade came down, Tristan the wolf bellowed, and grabbed the blade between his teeth, wrenching the weapon out of the guards hands. The guard stumbled back, using his wings to put distance between him and the wolf. The thin sword snapped un the wolf's jaws, and the pieces fell useslessly to the turf. Heid seemed to pale a bit. The wolf's body tensed and then, like a spring released, he flew through the air, teeth sinking into the avian's calf. Heid let out a pained cry and he was dragged back down to earth. The fall dislodged the wolf from his post, but he rolled up onto his feet before leaping forward, ontop of the fallen avian, jaws snapping, teeth stained crimson. The avian crowd was shouting, crying out to their brother. Terrified. Does the King see now? he thought venomously. Does the King see what creature he unleashed on his sheep? Heid had his hand at Tristan's throat, pushing away the heavy jaws. Tristan lashed out with a large paw, black claws screeching against his armor, leaving scors in the metal. Pain then lanced through his side and the wolf yelped, instinctively rolling away from the threat. A second guard had come up and slammed his side with the butt of his spear. He Swiftly helped Heid to his feet, and both of them took to the skies once again, Tristan's fangs snapping inches away from their feet. Tristan crouched low to the ground, ears flattened, sounds like thunder thrumming through his chest. His ears twitched as what sounded like rain his the grass to his left. Blood from Heid's leg falling down to earth as he hovered. It seems round two was about to begin.
---
Farden was most unpleased when the wolf managed to injure Heid. He had not thought for a second it would have ended so quickly. He stirred where he stood, gazing down at the wold with great disdain. The wounds, no matter how small, would take their toll. The swift battle had to have drained the wolf. Farden too pleasure from this and leaned to the right. "Lillian. You may choose who fights next." He only hoped his warriors were watching, studying, and ready.
---
Lillian had jumped when Farden had spoken to her. The warrior had been so wrapped up in the fight she almost hadn't heard the King speak. Lillian was learning. Analyzing the wolf's movements. She couldn't help it. It was her nature to observe and understand. Damn Farden and his ability to understand her thinking process. Lillian looked at the second warrior who had saved Heid from a fate worse than simply a torn calf. "Sal is fine. Heid is not too badly injured." Lillian felt bad, but the King has been waiting for an answer so she had to give it. All she could do was watch the fight and learn. Niamh was been awfully silent. Lillian wondered what she was thinking, but then Sal dove and her attention was drawn back to the fight. __________________________________________________________
The second warrior lunged, spear dancing in his hands. it was clear her was a master of his weapon and the spear tip opened up a gash on the wolf's flank. Tristan cried out in his wolven speech, as the avian swooped back up again to circle and attack. Tristan hadn't expected the shriek and the black form clawing at his eyes. Heid had shifted, his amor laying in a heap near the sidelines. As a large raven, one clawed foot tucked close to his body, he used to the other to grip onto the wolf's face, wings flapping into the wolf's face. Tristan roared, swiping at the smaller figure, clipping a wing with his claws that passed harmlessly through the loose feather. Finally Tristan snapped his heavy jaws on one of the raven's wings and with a flick of his head, tossed him away. He was just in time to see A grinning Sal pull his arm back, ready to throw the spear Tristan would not be able to dodge.
---
Niamh watched the first fight draw to an end and though her heart ached with sorrow for the pain Heid undoubtedly was in, she sighed with relief. It wasn't quite as painful as she had thought it would be and she was more than happy with the outcome, save for Heid's leg. Before she could turn her head to her father she caught movement from the corner of her eyes. The second warrior lunged. Her breath caught in her chest and her heart stopped, fear undulating down her body like a waterfall. Heid shifted. Niamh shook her head in dismay as Heid swept in, attacking Tristan as Sal made to attack. Everything slowed. She leaned over the railing, honey eyes wide with fright. Tristan shook Heid off but he was not fast enough. Sal raised his arm. His spear glinted dangerously in the sunlight. Niamh drew in a deep breath, adrenaline bursting throughout her entire body. "Stop!" Her scream echoed throughout the entire stadium, as if she were the one in way of the spear. She turned on her heels. "I am sorry," She whispered fiercely as she swept passed Lillian. Niamh's eyes burned as she neared her father. She raised a hand and slapped him clear across the face, her palm stinging from the force of it. He stood, unflinching. "Enough! One on one, that's what this was! THIS!" She motioned behind her. "This is barbaric! He doesn't stand a CHANCE."
"Lower your voice." Farden's voice was cold, eyes narrowing dangerously; the calm before the storm.
"I will not stand for this, this is wrong." She was no longer shouting, but her voice held a small hint of venom. "Tristan defeated your guar-"
"Tristan?" He growled, eyes snapping wide as if the slap only just registered. "You're on first-name basis with the wolf? And you're defending him? You're acting as if he is your FRIEND. And if that is the way you see it, then so it shall be."
"He is not my friend, but he certainly isn't my enemy. I have no reason to wish THIS upon him." Niamh paused for a moment, staring questioningly at her father. "What do you mean?"
"You have went against my ruling, my judgment. Anyone else by now would have been thrown in the holding cells, but I have allowed that to slide on account that you're my blood." Niamh winced. Was she no longer seen, in his eyes, as his daughter? "But you've raised your hand to me, you struck me without any care. That alone would warrant you losing a hand, or two." Niamh's heart raced. What was her father saying? "Take Niamh to the cells. For a night, she will live like a wolf."
"Fath-"
"Silence." His words were not loud, but they were enough to bite. Niamh quieted immediatly, too frightened to think. She turned to Lillian, her body starting to tremble. "No accommodations. Forget who she is, anyone caught bringing her food or attempting to make her stay in her cell comfortable will be given worse punishment." Farden waved his hand to two of his guards. "Take her out of my sight."
"Pl-"
"Lillian, you are staying put." Niamh's heart sank. He had taken everything from her. She sank to her knees, barely able to breath. Farden smiled, as if satisfied, and turned away. "Go now, I am finished with her inappropriate outbursts."
---
Lillian was at the edge of her seat, golden eyes flickering rapidly. Oh no....The wolf was in for it now. Lillian winced as Tristan sank his teeth into Heid's wing. That was going to take some time to heal. A flicker of motion drew the warrior's attention. Sal was going to kill him. Her golden eyes widened. No! It was defeating the purpose if they killed the wolf. Niamh's screamed had stopped all motion. Before Lillian could make a move, Niamh had stalked past her with a curt sorry. She then promtly walked up tp the King of all Avian's And slapped him across the face. If Lillian was already staring transfixedly she would have done a double take. Holy shit she slapped the King. If the situation wasn't so dire she might have even laughed. But no. Lillian watched the whole exchange with horrow widened eyes. She had revealed his name, nearly got disowned, and was going to be thrown to the holdings cells, all in one exchange. Lillian didn't know what to do. For the first time in her life, she was stunned into motionless. Which was how she would stay, apperantly, as Farden ordered her to remain here. "I-" Lillian had no idea what to do. Her mind was still replaying Niamh slapping the King over and over. "My King, as her caretaker I am also at fault for her actions." She was half standing half sitting, snowy wings ruffled in their agitation. "please allow me to..." As always, her sharp eyes caught a flicker of movement in the corner of vision. She sharply turned her head. What what seemed like the millionth time today, her eyes widened. "My King....END IT QUICKLY!" She looked back with panicked eyes. Then the turned back. "SAL!" ______________________________________________________________________________________ The sharp killing pain did not come. The wolf saw the avian's gaze was trined to some other commotion. Tristan turned, seeing the golden head of Niamh. He could barely hear them. The blood pounded in his ears and his side burned from the gash there. He was still crouching, sounding more like a hellhound than anything. As King and Princess fought, Tristan watched the Avian above him. His chocolate wings pumping up and down...and up.......down.......up..........down! Tristan uncoiled his muscle and leapt high into the air. His timing was deadly accurate. He latched his fangs into the boney part of the warrior's wing and he cried out as the unexpected weight sent them both crashing to the ground. Unlike the last time he plucked Heid out of the sky, the wolf did not let go, even as his flank sent waves of crippling pain shooting through his body. Sal reached for his spear but Tristan dragged him away by his wing. Sal yelled, grabbing at the grass, panicked. Tristan leapt forward, grabbing the avian's arm with his jaws. When the warrior went to pull his away Tristan puled back, snarling. He circled before leaping again, this time only to be kicked in the chest. Tristan collasped, breath knocked out of him. The avian turned, trying to get up, flexing his injured wings. Trying to retreat into the sky. Not going to put up with that, Tristan kicked out, claws raking across the man's back, bloody furrows carved into his skin. The avian fell forward, with a shout, cursing in pain. Tristan flipped onto all fours and pounced onto the fighter's exposed back, jaws snapping. What would've been a killing bite to the neck was jostled to the avian's shoulder. Tristan snk his teeth deep into the fleshy muscle. The warrior was in full-flight mode, desperatly trying to escape. He was terrified and panicking and probably would've fell to his knees and begged for his life if Tristan had allowed it. The wolf twisted his head, canines tearing into Sal's shoulder as he desperately tried to dislodge him. Tristan's claws scrabbled along grass and flesh, trying to find a purchase to drag the man fully to the ground. The fight bucked, throwing out his wings and Tristan was dislodged. The avian turned and caught the wolf's claws across his chest, matching the innumerable claw marks aalong his back and side. Sal lifted his hands protectively just as Tristan lunged, aiming for the man's neck. They landed on the ground, Tristan snapping his jaws above the avian's neck as the avian used his one good arm to fend his off. The smell of blood was thick in the air and the stench of fear was nearly palpable. Blood dripped off his crimson maw as his jagged teeth reached inched closer to the man's neck with each snap.
---
Farden clenched his teeth tightly together and took one, grand step to the ledge of the balcony. The wolf was more cunning than he had expected, acting as any natural wild animal would and taking advantage of the distracted Avian warrior. Sal had no chance. In a matter of minutes the warrior was struggling, tapping into survival mode and doing everything to get away from the killer jaws of the wolf. Farden snarled with frustration, silently damning his daughter, and turned to Lillian. "Break them apart and get that THING restrained and put in his cell." Taking in a calming breath of air, he sighed. "Give the dog his food, he has earned a meal for the day."
---
Niamh felt detached from the world around her. Even as her father shouted orders, him and Lillian both distressed, Niamh felt... nothing. Everything seemed dim and far away, even as the guards gently took hold of her arms and led her away from the scene; they took the underground passage and she was silently grateful. She wasn't at all too sure she could fly. Breathing was a chore, and if it were not for the burning sensation in her chest she would have stopped long ago. The guard's words of comfort fell on deaf ears. Nothing would help the situation at all. Blindly, she stepped into the empty cell given to her and shuffled to the left, back corner. The guards fell into submission and quickly left. No food. No water. The dim light she had left with the guards as they closed the door behind them. Not even a lantern or candle. Niamh curled into herself and clenched her chest. She was alone. Sobs came in heavy, hard chokes as she folded her wings around herself for security and warmth; a cell within a cell.
---
Within seconds of the order Lillian was shouting order before shooting up into the air. She came up onto the wolf, fast and silent. She rammed into his side, shoving him away, using her wings to keep her steady so she, too, didn't go flying. With the wolf out of the way she turned to Sal, who was shaking. "Sal! Where do-" when she reached for him he threw up his hands "No! God no!" Lillian was taken aback " Sal? Sal its alright. You're okay now. " The guards she'd ordered had descended upon the wolf like avenging angels, kicking and shoving and prodding the wolf into his 'collar'. Lillian looked over to where Heid lay. He had shifted back, his arm and leg bloody, and avians from the medical wing where attending to him, four more swiftly fly ing over to where she kneeled beside Sal." You'll be okay. " Truthfully, he looked bad. His arm was bleeding and his torso was a mess of claw marks and raised welts. His wings were sticky with blood. The worst wound was his shoulder. The flesh around it was torn and purple, his arm stained red. Blood flowed profusely from the wound. "Hurry up!" She snapped at the four avians. Sal's eyes were wide and he was gripping his troat with two hands that shook, as if the wolf's teeth were still snapping at it. Lillian stood back as the Avians went to work on him, shaking her head. Would this really continue tomorrow? She looked at the King's figure for a moment. Her work done and Niamh down in the cells, Lillian took over, flying toward her rooms, trying to think of a way out of this mess. ___________________________________________________________ Tristan was suddenly rolling, tumbling on the ground. When he finally righted himself, scores of Avian guards were already encircling him. His body twitched with frayed nerves, blood making the fur of his muzzle and paws sticky. The guards smelt like fear. His side bled at a sluggish rate, already slower than it had been before. In wolf form, Tristan healed faster. The wolf was wrestled to the ground, the black clasp fastened around his neck. The guards hauled him away, still snarling. He quieted a bit when they entered the tunnel, a fimiliar scent tickling his nose. If only he could remember. His blood hazed mind tried to think back. His wet claws clicked against the stone floor. He would have to remain a wolf until his wounds had suitable healed. He was surprisingly docile as he was led back into the his cell. A tray of food was left in the far corner. The words, "My Princess" made his head snap to attention. The guards inclined their heads to the cell opposite to his and left. The wolf padded closer, and saw the slender, white wings. He suddenly remembered who the fimiliar scent belonged to. Niamh. Her sobs echoed in the small space, striking at his ears. Unable to say anything, Tristan simply stared. In this darkened cell he would look like a monster to her. His jaws and claws stained crimson, cut running along his own body. His now brown eyes seeming to glow with an inner, animal light. Tristan whined, pawing at the iron bars infront of him, trying to get her attention. He sat, bringing a bloodied paw to his muzzle, washing it off in a fimiliar gesture. He passed his long tongue over his black lips, removing the stain of red along them. He barked, laying down with his muzzling sticking through the bars, into the small hall that seperated them.
---
Niamh remained enclosed upon herself as light once more returned to the holding area, voices and footsteps slowly growing louder as people entered. The sounds of chains echoed off the walls; they had brought Tristan. She ignored the guards as they acknowledged her, choosing to make it easier on them to stick to her own punishment. If she returned their acknowledgment it would, most certainly, make the situation harder on them than it would for herself. The doors closed and locked behind them and darkness fell over her once more. She remained still until Tristan, or Wolf Tristan, whined. The sharp pang of claws meeting metal sounded and she shifted, daring a glance at the wolf. She could barely see him, but she wasn't without complete sense. "You're bleeding." There had to be a lot of blood if she so easily smelled it from where she sat in her dark, lonely corner. Niamh jumped as Tristan barked and she let out a small sigh, scooting closer to the front of her cage. "Are you badly injured?" Instead of waiting for an answer, doubting she would get one in his current form, she bit her lip and took a deep breath. She'd have to let go of her own make-shift security to be able to see properly. She drew her wings back. Waving away the sudden rush of cold air and vulnerability that hit her, Niamh made her way to the front of her cell. Her petite fingers curled gingerly around the wrought iron bars as she blinked into the darkness. She could only barely make out an outline, but she could see enough to see Tristan laying in, as she knew, wolf form. She blinked her honey eyes sympathetically and reached out of her cell for as far as she could. Her arms were long enough for the very tips of her fingers to brush lightly over Tristan's wet muzzle. She questioned if it was blood she touched. Her stomach turned uneasily, but she fought against it and kept her hand outstretched. "I am sorry." Just as swiftly as her sobs had stopped, more tears sprang to life in her eyes. They stung, begging for release, but she blinked them back. She would not cry in front of the wolf.
---
Tristan waited with staring eyes. He could not answer and she had not pulled back her feathered defense. When she brought back her wings, his plumed tail wagged once and he wriggled forward a bit more, his breath coming out in a snort. He blinked in surprise when she reached out to him, but his more animal side scooted closer to nose her hand. Her fingers smelled like saline and sadness. Tears. The wolf whined. Even wolf-tristan didn't like to see girls cry. He hadn't even looked at the food in the corner yet. He got up and turned to the side. Showing her the answer to her question. The gash wasn't nearly as long as it was, and now that the wolf had cleaned the blood away from it, it didn't look nearly half as bad as it once did. His bronze fur glowed faintly in the darkess. He didn't know how to reassure her in this form. he reached through the bar with his muzzle and licked her fingertips, laying down once more, tail wagging briefly. He rumbled low in his throat, the cross between a growl and a hum. Like a purr's wilder, rougher cousin.
---
Niamh's face fell as she saw the wound inflicted upon Tristan's side, but before she could become work up over it his tongue gently flicked the ends of her fingers. She half-smiled. Was that his way of telling her not to worry? A small sigh slipped from her lips and she closed her eyes, listening to the low rumbling flowing from the wolf's throat. The iron bars were cold against her skin and she shivered. The thin material of her dress did nothing against the drafts in the holding area. She envied Tristan's coat as she ran her fingers through the thick fur of his muzzle. The sound of his breathing, the beating of her heart, and the overall loss of energy she felt mixed together. It was as if sleeping dust was suddenly sprinkled over her. Niamh's breathing slowed as she mentally latched onto the only comfort within her reach, literally. She was most certain sleep would have evaded her the whole night if it had not been for Tristan's presence. The darkest sheet fell over her eyes, numbing her mind.
And suddenly her breath caught and she jerked upright, startled from her sleep. Someone was coming. With a small gasp she sprang back from Tristan and retreated to the back of her cell, just as the door opened. A single set of footsteps sounded and a figure emerged. Niamh's heart lurched. She knew the outline well. "Niamh." His voice was deceivingly soft. Niamh would not play into it. She stayed where she was. Rattling sounded from somewhere near the front of her cell. Keys. The door creaked with life as Farden stepped through the door. "Look at yourself." The softness was gone, replaced with coldness. He scoffed and shook his head.
"Look at where you put me." Niamh gasped, startled by her own boldness. Farden's eyes burned within the darkness.
"You left me no CHOICE." He was on top of her within two steps. She held his gaze, but mentally, inside, she felt so small.. so weak. "How can I call you daughter, after defending HIM?"
"How can I call you father after what you have done?" Niamh's eyes filled with tears. "You used to be such a good king.. but something happened. Somewhere along the way, you lost yourself. Where did my father go?" She was tired of fighting, tired of his coldness. She needed to reach him, somehow. Niamh started to reach for her father, to place a palm on his face~ but he reacted before she had a chance. He struck her. She made no sound, and had it not been for the wall behind her she would have fallen to the ground. Niamh shook, her breath coming in small gasps. Something wet and repugnant in taste stained her lips, falling down her chin and marking her dress.
"Watch your tongue, Niamh." Farden took a step back, and as he did Niamh slid down the wall to her knees, placing a small hand to her already bruising lip. "You don't want to extend your stay, do you?"
---
It was almost peaceful in this dim place. Tristan calmed, his breathing slowing and deepening. But he was alert. And rightly so. The sound of feet whispering against the ground. Tristan moved back when Niamh did, laying tensely by the far wall. he only grew stiffer when he saw who it was. A soft growl vibrated his throat. His shouts had Tristan half crouching, eyes hard and intense. Her words were soft, nearly pleading. Adn he responded by striking her. There was the scent of blood. The metal bars shook as Tristan slammed into them, half bark half snapping. He reared up, slashing at the bars with his claws and they shrieked in protest. He slammed against them again, the bars trembling as if they were frightened. Which they should have been. tristan's eyes had gone wild, and the wolf had been letting out a continuous stream of hellish barks and snarls. His paws flew through the bars, scraping the stone just outside his pen as he pounded against his cage. He thew his body against the metal. It bent. It bet enough that Tristan could actually stick his angular head through the space it provided. He did so, claws scoring the ground as he tried to get his body through. When he figured out he couldn't he puled his head back and then threw himself at the cage again, the metal structure jolting and graoning from the pressure. Tristan bit at the metal, trying to pry it back. Family was precious to wolves. It was the most treasured aspect in pack life, even if only two of three wolves in a pack were actually related by blood. A pack was a family, a sacred bond between living creatures. To violate that bond was a gross contortio of nature. If Tristan had been angry before, he was furious now. Not only was she his daughter, she was most obviously female. The beyond angry wolf continued his assualt on the metal bars, determined to rip this place apart if it meant getting a chance to sink his teeth into the King of Avian's throat.
---
Farden smiled. He could hear the commotion behind him; he could smell the rage leaking from the wolf. The wolf was, literally, eating away at his cage. With every groan from the metal the wolf got closer to freedom. He drew in a small breath and took a step back from Niamh. "Look at him, Niamh. Look at the monster you so bravely, and foolishly, fought for." He shook his head in a clear display of disappointment. "Let's see if you fought in vain, shall we?" He turned and stalked from the cell, swiftly dodging the wolf in his madness, and headed for the entrance of the holding area. Niamh, who had shrank into herself the moment Tristan started slamming furiously into his cage, glanced up as her father left. Her fright escalated, striking the very breath from her lungs. "N-no. No. NO!" Niamh's voice rose with each cry, ending with a cry as she ran from her cell, following her father. He shut the door behind him, locking it from the outside. Her small hands slammed against the door. "Please, don't do this! Please!" Her tears were drowned out by her fists slamming against the solid door. She ignored the pain that jolted from her wrists to her elbows. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest. Tristan was insane, mad with rage. Niamh sank against the door, her begging turning to terrified sobs. There was no where she could run, and Tristan was nearly out of his cage. "Lilly." She choked on her friend's name, wishing she were here to protect her from... everything. Just like always.
---
The wolf continued his barrage. Words were lost on him. He was a rabid dog, all he lacked was a foaming mouth. When the King passed, Tristan's black claws sailed millimeters away from his arm. He's was getting away. The thought enraged Tristan even, more, if it were possible, and he put more vigor into tearing these bars apart. He rammed into the bars, bending them, making them shriek and quake. Tristan shoved his head through the opening, snarling wildly, his right shoulder through. He scrabbled his paws against the floor, the grinding sound of claw against stone coupled with the protest of metal sounded like the very gates to Hell opening up. And then Tristan was through. With a wriggle of his body he wormed through the self-made opening. Once out, he shook out his fur, body trembling with fury. He then ran at the door, launching himself high into the air, striking the door near the top, before bouncing off and tumbling toward the ground. Tristan's body ached and his breath came in ragged gasps. The wolf jumped forward and clawed at the bottom corner of the door, like he completely unaware of the femme just inches away. He reared up, striking the door with his claws, a foot above her gold hair. He attacked beside her and above her. If it wasn't for the fact he was biting and swiping at everything around her, one might have thought the wolf didn't even see her at all. His claws, as wide swung as they were, did not cut her.
---
Niamh curled into herself as she heard Tristan finally break through his cell. He was at the door within seconds, ramming into it with his body as if his life depended on it. A small cry leaked from Niamh's throat as she shrank closer to the floor. Her hair stirred with every swing of Tristan's claws. She could feel the heat radiating off his body. Tristan, if that was who he was at the moment, was so close to her, it was unsettling. But her fear slowly ebbed away as it became apparent he had no intention of harming her. He made no attempt to attack her. Niamh drew in a deep breath and gathered her courage. Her father was gone, he was not coming back. There was no point to Tristan's blind rage, there was nothing he could do. With a small whimper, Niamh slowly raised a frail hand and outstretched it to touch the underside of Tristan's body as he lurched above her. She had to attempt to reach the man inside the animal's body. "Tristan, it's okay." Her voice was weak and as small as she felt and her heart screamed with fear that he might, in his blind rage, attack her with her sudden and unexpected touch.
---
A soft, warm touch surprised Tristan. He shoved back, crouching, lips pulled back in instinctive snarl. But at the sight of the frightened face of Niamh, his head jerked up, ears up and alert on the top of his head. She look terrified. Guilt jabbed him in the chest and he lay down promptly, chin on his paws. He blinked big, liquid brown eyes at her. He scooted forward then, nosing her knee. His body was still trembling slightly, the rage leaving his nerves a mess. He reached forward with his muzzle, shuffling it under her dainty hand. He looked up at her with repenant eyes, his fluffy ears flickering uneasily. The tip of his tail wagged, encouraging. He whined softly.
---
Niamh didn't flinch as Tristan pulled away from her, crouching like the predator he was and snarling. As swiftly as he had acted, he calmed and laid down like a guilt-ridden pup. In any other situation, it would have been endearing. She did, however, manage a small smile as he nosed her knee and then her palm with his muzzle. Running her fingers through his fur, Niamh gently petted the wolf, hoping, willing, he understood not to feel so guilty with his actions. If anyone were to be ashamed of their actions, it was her father. Immediately, questions flooded her mind. Why? Why would her father do this to her? How could he be so cruel? The answers escaped her, despite how longingly she reached for them. A shaky breath escaped her lips and the tears started again. They stung her eyes, but she did not hold them back this time. They ran down her face and suddenly she leaned forward, collapsing into Tristan's body and burying her face deep into his pelt. Exhaustion tore through her body, but it was the silent tears that shook her body before her breathing finally eased. Unwillingly, she drifted off into a restless sleep, clinging, desperately, to the wolf.
---
Tristan rumbled pleasantly as Niamh ran her finger through his fur. His tailed swished lazily. It felt nice, her warm fingers trailing over his skin. He was alarmed when collapsed ontop of him, sobbing. It stung, her tears falling onto his pelt felt like acid to his soul. Damn the king. He nuzzled her softly, quiet whines escaping his throat. He was relieved when she fell asleep. Sleep also tugged at his mind, weighing down his eyes. He curled himself around the Princess, rumbling softly. He let out a deep, animal sigh before falling into oblivion.
---
Farden looked carelessly out his window as the sun peaked over the top of the trees, branching it's warm, yellow fingers into the sky. Sleep evaded him all night, his mind troubled with thoughts of Niamh. He was expecting the worst back in the cell, but he hoped that wasn't the case. In truth, he merely wanted to scare Niamh into submission. Her wild thoughts were far too big for her. They were dangerous. His deep, cold honey eyes narrowed with thought. What would he tell his people if his daughter was found dead? The wolf had escaped and killed her? That was the most simplistic situation, and most plausible. His foot tapped against the floor and he cast a look over his shoulder. He had summoned Lillian, but she still wasn't present. Tardiness was not common for the Avian. She, surely, would be questioned when she arrived.
---
Lillian had practically flown to the throne room where the King had summoned her. She had barely a winks sleep last night, tossing and turning. Thoughts of Niamh down in the cell room, alone with the wolf. she strode through the door, stopping before the King, bowing from the waist. "My apologies, Your Majesty. Yesterday's events have left me slow to react this morning." There were light semi circles below her golden eyes. "You called?" Lillianwanted to hurl accusations and demand that Niamh be released. She had spent her night. But the Avian's face was kept professionaly smooth, as she was taught. Lillian was nothing if not loyal. ________________________________________________________
It was dark. Uncomfortable. A weight on his back. Tristan whined, ears flickering back and forth. He changed, the motion swift and smooth. He pulled the warmth ontp his chest, propping himself up against the wall. His eyes stayed closed, his half awake mind swiftly disappearing. He hugged the body closer. Soft and warm. The scent of roses was faint on her skin. He snuggled tighter, like a child clutching their toy. He leaned his head against the wall and gave up on his consiousness.
---
Farden narrowed his eyes at Lillian as she swept into the room, giving a more than suitable answer before he could even voice his questioning. He mentally smiled. "Yes." He drew in a small breath and blinked, ignoring the noticeable distress that lay beneath Lillian's eyes~ giving her away. He found some odd satisfaction that Lillian would, if things played out as he thought they did, be the one to find Niamh. He hoped only to strengthen his warrior, however. Niamh was only slowing her growth. "I need you to check on things in the cells." His honey eyes glinted with some twisted humor. "I've heard word that there was a bit of commotion. If need be, I need the mess taken care of. Properly." He turned away from her, clasping his hands behind his back and under the folds of his wings. "Go now."
__________________________________________________________
Niamh's mind remained sheltered under the blanket of sleep as Tristan shifted and pulled her closer to him. She nestled, easily, into his chest and tucked her head under his chin, completely unaware of her own moving body as it fought for comfort. A satisfied sigh sneaked from the small Avian as Tristan's hold grew tighter around her. In what seemed like forever, she felt safe and warm, and she was able to shift into an even deeper sleep; if only for a moment. Her father's eyes peered at her in her sleep and she instinctively shifted away from them, waking herself in the process. She moaned lightly, nuzzling into the warmth that rested below her head. It felt nice, soft but strong. But smelled lightly of blood. Niamh's eyes snapped open immediately. A light blush undulated down her entire body and her heart fluttered with embarrassment as she stared up at the sleeping face of Tristan. She was completely nestled into his lap, secured tightly in his arms. Even if she wanted to, she could go nowhere. Taking in a settling breath, Niamh bit her lip, watching Tristan sleep. A childish, serene look had fallen over his handsome face; it was enough to cause a stirring within Niamh's chest. Her eyes innocently trailed over Tristan's handsome features, to his neck. It lay open, soft and exposed. To her bewilderment, she thought of it as something kissable. She gently shifted, moving as not to disturb Tristan, and gingerly brush her finger tips over the skin of his neck, trailing downward to his collar bone. She had never once kissed a man, anywhere, and she questioned what it felt like. Shamefully, she pondered the thought of kissing Tristan's skin as he slept; Niamh quickly tamed her thoughts with a quick mental slap to her wrist. It was neither the time, nor the place. She pressed her palm to Tristan's chest, closing her eyes and nestling back into the nape of his neck, breathing in his almost-earthy scent. Warmth was what she was after now, settling contently into his arms and willing sleep to take her once more.
---
Lillian felt relief when The King said she was to go to the cells. She was permitted to check up Niamh. But relief was short lived. She kept her face schooled into a neutral expression even as her blood ran cold. Commotion? Mess? She quickly shoved the thought away. Both Niamh and the wolf were in their own seperate cages. She should be fine. Right? Lillian was relatively calm hen she said, "As you wish." Even lifting her lips for a small, passive smile before leaving the room before he could change his mind. She was going to see Niamh. The thought made her happy. She only hoped niamh was alright. The warrior had to stop herself from running down the halls. __________________________________________________________ Niamh's fingertips raised a trail of goosebumps on his skin. His body squirmed slightly. The movement coupled with Niamh's slight wriggling about shifted Tristan's weight. Slowly but surely, Tristan's body slipped and with a sudden thump, was laying on his back. As his grip on Niamh had not loosened, she came along with him, pulled onto his chest. Tristan grunted, clearly not enjoying the bump to the head. His eyelids fluttered open, a grey-green in the light of dawn. They focused on Niamh's face for a second, confusion as to who she was and why in the world she had decided to wake him from his sleep. But then the peices clicked together, his eyes sharpening as his woke up. He still had his arms loosely around her waist. His chuckle was deep and throaty. "Why, hello there." His voice rumbled slightly, as if he still used his wolf speech to talk. He smiled, flashing bright, white teeth.
---
Niamh, on the verge of sleep, gasped as Tristan's entire body moved. His arms never loosened, bringing her down on top of him even more than she already was. She heard the thud to his head, slightly feeling the vibrations from the impact, and her eyes flew open. Her soft, honey eyes filled with worry as she stared down at Tristan, for a moment forgetting his arms around her and her legs, now, entangled with his. "Are you alright?!" She mewed lightly, blinking down into his eyes. It wasn't until he spoke, his voice a deep, blush-provoking rumble, and smiled that Niamh realized she thought their current position was funny. "Good.. morning?" Her quiet murmur was more question than anything, embarrassment surfacing as Niamh attempted to ignore their bodies pressing so closely together. The blush returned to her pale cheeks and she turned away; to her dismay, catching a glimpse of her dress, which normally only reached an inch below her knees, now lay at mid-thigh from the sudden shift. She squealed and squirmed slightly in Tristan's strong arms, her heart beating painfully within her chest, as she attempted reaching the hem of her dress.
---
Lillian rushed through the halls, her single thought getting to the holding area, When she got there, she expertly plucked the key from her hip, and in one sooth movement had it turned in the lock as she pushed it open. "Nia- What the-" as soon as she had stepped into the room she tripped over something, making her stumble a bit. She turned swiftly, haand flying to her sword. And then she gaped. Her jaw actually dropped and she stared. Niamh was lying flush agianst the wolf, who held her onto of his body with the arms her encircled around her waist. Tristan was smiling seductively at her, there was a light flush across Niamh's cheeks. Oh. An her dress was hitched up to her thighs. All Lillian's worries liquified into hysteria and the rush of it made her laugh. Hard. She doubled over, arms around her stomach, her laughter bouncing off the walls. She laughed until tears shone in her golden eyes. "Oh my.." she gasped, trying to calm down. "And I thought I had a long night." Which made her laugh again. Once she composed herself -as much as she was able- She leaned against the closest cell, eyebrow raised. "Fraternizing with the enemy, Princess?" Her shoulders shook as she tried to supress her giggles. "Come on, break it up. I think you've explored enough enemy territory for one day." Lillian's eyes sparked. __________________________________________________________
Tristan threw back his head in silent laughter as she blushed. He tightened his hold in reaction to her wiggling. It was almost involuntary. He was almost surprised. But then he door opened and some tripped over his leg. It was the female warrior, most likely checking up of Niamh. Her laughter made Tristan wish he could lay his ears flat against his head. It struck his sensitive hearing, jostling his tired brain. He released the princess from his grasp, pushing himself up with his arms, therefore forcing her up as well. He said nothing but he unsuccessfully tried hiding his smile at her not-so-subtle comments.
---
Niamh looked up, bewildered, as Lillian entered in a frantic motion, only to stumble over Tristan's legs. Her cheeks burned scarlet as her eyes met Lillian's. Her heart lurched at the sight of her friend, but it quickly plummeted as Lillian began laughing at her. A curt frown fell over Niamh's face, more of a pout than anything, as Tristan, as well, began laughing. What was so funny?! She felt herself being lifted as Tristan stood, retracting his arms from around her. Humiliated, and now cold, Niamh fixed her dress and let out a small sigh, trying not to let Lillian's words bother her. She hadn't done anything with Tristan, it wasn't at all what Lillian thought. If it were for her overwhelming sense of excitement, she'd have continued her pout further. But a smile broke across her face for the first time in what felt like ages. Her honey eyes sparkled and she couldn't contain herself. "Lillian!" She squealed her friends name and threw herself at the Avian, wrapping her arms around Lillian's neck and burrying her face against her friend's neck. "Oh, Lillian! I am so glad you are here!" Niamh pulled back far enough so she could look into Lillian's eyes, a playful light flickering over her warm eyes. "Even if you came to only add to my torture. We didn't do anything, and he kept his hands to himself." She glanced over her should to where Tristan stood, her eyes softening further. "He.. protected me...?" Her tone grew questioning as she spoke. That is what Tristan did, wasn't it? It left a dull ache in her chest, to know that a strange wolf had protected her against her own father. Her right hand fell from the back of Lillians' neck, slowly reaching up in search of her lip. She winced at the slightly pressure of her fingers against her bottom lip. It was bruised, possibly split. But at least it wasn't bleeding anymore.
---
Tristan move to his feet when Niamh went to attack. He winced, sagging against the wall, hopefully unseen by the females. Dark purple bruises lay fully formed along his shoulders, sides and back for where had had thrown himself at the bars. His knuckles and finger joints were a bit red too, from his nails poundng against iron. The gash he received yesterday was simply a scrlet line down his side, the end dipping down just past the waist of his pants. His body was sore, but he had gone through worse. A lot worse. So he simply stood, leaning against the wall. Letting the girl's have their moment.
_________________________________________________________
Lillian smiled broadly as Niamh blushed once more, her fimiliar pout pulling at her heartstrings. How worried she had been, restless, being unable to sleep, plauged with terrible nightmares when she managed to close her eyes. When Niamh hugged her aroud the neck the warrior hugged her fiercly back. "Don't ever scare me like that again." At the comment of the wolf keeping his hands to himself the Lillian snorted. "Yeah I noticed." she teased gently. The wolf protected her? Although Niah didn't sound too sure herself. When she turned back from looking at the wolf Lillian finally got a good look at her friend's face. And then gasped. "Niamh! What happened?" The warrior reached out as if to touch her. She looked over at the wolf, an involuntary reaction. The deep bruises drew her attention. She then saw the door she just opened. The back was littering with dents and claw marks. A shot of ice ran through her veins. She really must have been releived to see Niamh if she missed all these details. Like why they were out of their cells in the first place. Lillian whirled around and froze. While Lillian's open and obviously unlocked cell explained her slight freedom, Tristan's cage told a different story. The bars were bent and twisted, their sides unever, as if someone had taken a saw to them. And their was a wolf sized gap between two of the abused bars. Lillian's eyes narrowed She turned, facing the wolf. "What happened here?" Her voice was angry. Commotion alright. Lillian's white wings appeared, as if called, flaring out threateningly behind her.
---
Niamh reacted at once, reading the accusation within Lillian's words the moment the warrior spoke. And just as she suspected, Lillian turned to Tristan for the answer. "No, no, Lilly, listen to me!" Niamh stepped around Lillian, stepping in front of Tristan and out of the way of Lillian's accusing eyes. "I.. tried to protect me, is what I should have said." She squirmed in place and fiddled with her hands, dropping her eyes. Tears stung her eyes, wetting them. She didn't want Lillian to see. "Please don't be angry with Tristan, he really tried his best.. it..." Her hands suddenly flew to her face and the sobs came, unexpectedly even for her. She sank to her knees. The sadness hurt everywhere, especially in her chest. She felt it with every breath she took. It was as if despair cloaked her, suffocating her. After a moment of relentless sobs, Niamh drew in a shaky, but steadying breath. She managed to find her voice, but she didn't dare look up as she spoke, keeping her face hidden by her hands. "Ple-please, Lilly, don't bring me back to my father."
---
Lillian's wings fluttered behind her, distressed. While Niamh tried to explain the warrior looked between the wolf's face and the princess'. But why would he...and from what? Niamh fell to the ground and Lillian shot forward. "Niamh!?" She wrapped her arms around her friend, her wings creating a canopy above them."No. No sweetheart. I won't take you to him. It's alright. I'm here now. Tell me what's wrong hun." Lillian held her friend tight, golden eyes closed. She hadn't seen Niamh this broken in a long time. "I won't take you to him. It's okay" _________________________________________________________ Tristan tensed at the accusation but Niamh leapt to his defense before he could say anything. He vaguely remembered a scene yesterday....her yelling at her father. This was twice now. And all he ever did was frighten her. The imbalance felt wrong. He would have to make it up to the slight femme somehow. Tristan stopped leaning against the wall, half-reaching forward half recoiling. He was crying again. The snowy wings -as well as the sharp tongued warrior herself- kept him at bay. If he had wolf ears they would be pressed flat against his skull. He really hated it when girls cried. "The King hit her," Tristan's voice was flat, emotionless, as if he had used up all his rage breaking out of the cell. He didn't use the word father. The King didn't deserve the title.
---
Niamh's heart eased with the gentleness of Lillian's voice. She leaned into the warmth of her friends arms, clinging to Lillian with all she had. Her own wings retracted into her back, giving her more wiggle-room to snuggle closer to Lillian. Already, presence alone, Niamh felt safe. The feeling only intensified as Tristan's deep voice sounded from behind her. She shook at the mention of her father and his actions. "He isn't thinking clearly, Lilly. He isn't... he is sick. He has to be." She blinked back another onslaught of tears and looked up to her friend, pleading, almost. "What has happened to him, Lilly?" But before she gave Lillian the chance to speak, she shook her head. A flurry of golden hair circled her head as she did, the threads of her hair settling in a messy crown around her face. "I won't go back, Lilly. Please.. please.." Her heart jolted for a moment. Why had Lillian been so frantic when she entered the cells in the first place? True, she had been ordered not to help, but that wasn't a normal frantic. Niamh swallowed hard. She could no longer ignore the truth, and she almost choked. "He left me to die..." Her words were a small whisper, a near moan of pain. "... Is that why you are here, Lilly? Did he send you to see if I was dead?" That was cruel~ of all people to send to fetch her dead body, he sent Lillian. Her heart lurched painfully. "So he thinks me dead..." Niamh closed her eyes, speaking before she had chance to think. "... So let him think so. Tell him I died. Tell him," She shuttered. "Tell him there was nothing left to find. Lilly," She buried her face into Lillian's body, for a moment allowing the sweet scent of her friend calm her. "Take me away from here." Niamh pulled suddenly from Lillian, glancing over her shoulder at Tristan where he sat against the wall. "Tristan, too. Please, Lilly? Please?" Perhaps it was lack of sleep that spoke for her, or the stress from earlier events; perhaps she wasn't even thinking rationally. But she knew, wholeheartedly, that she could not return to her father.
---
Tristan's chest twisted painflly when she spoke of the King being sick. Sure he's sick...sick in the head. Tristan scowled. Bastard King. He was going to pay. Tristan nearly took her away himself when she begged Lillian to bring her away from this place. But then she asked to bring him with them. Tristan winced. the repercussions were too great. The King would slaughter them all if they were caught. " There's no wa-" He was surprised when the warrior cut him off. __________________________________________________________
"We'll go to a secret place I found, in the woods on the grounds." Lillian glared at the wolf in a way that said, 'Shut up or I'll neuter you with a broadsword.' "We won't be able fly thanks to the mutt, but no one will find us there. It's very pretty there Niamh. You'll like the flowers. We might even see a Silver Stag. But we might have to bring a leash in case Tristan tries to eat our frolicking wildlife." Lillian's wings rested against her back now. "We'll go. Just me, you and the castle pet." The warriors words were light, teasing. "You wanna know why I think we can go?" Lillian continued without pause. " Of course you do. You're curious by nature. It's because when I tripped into the room and saw you I didn't even think about closing the door. And all this time I was busy with you, Tristan could have easily taken off. " Lillian could practically feel the waves of surprise rshing from the wolf and knew without looking that he was only just seeing how the metal door hung open, just how Lillian had left it "Don't tell Mr.Wolf." she stage-whispered much too loudly to even be considered whispering. "But I think he likes you." Lillian pulled back to see hr friends face, winking a golden eye.
---
Niamh's eyes widened as she listened to Lilly speak of the secret place. It sounded wonderful, magical almost~ hope buzzed warmly within her heart, warming her. She was far too lost in the marvelous place Lillian spoke of that she allowed the teasing of the wolf to pass over he head, giggling even at some of it. She calmed herself as Lillian spoke of the door being opened and glanced at it, as if to make sure. It was the truth. The wolf could have left at any point in time, but he didn't. Why? As if on cue, Niamh blinked as Lillian pretended to whisper, her friend's words causing her to blush. She peered into her lap, shaking her head. "You are delusional from lack of sleep." She muttered, a moment laughter giggling softly before sniffling, wiping a small hand under her already-dry eyes. "But... I do like flowers.. and it's been a while since I have seen a silver stag." Her eyes glistened with hope, her skin radiating with excitement now. "B-but how will we get there without anyone seeing? And when?" She frowned, looking to Tristan. Her eyes drifted over his bare chest, lingering on all the small wounds. "He's hurt.."
---
"We'll go right now." Lillian smiled, jumping at any chance to make her friend happy. "I know the tunnels like the back of my hand." She tugged gently. "We could be there in half and hour." Lillian shook her head. "Tristan is fine. Another hour or so in this other nature and he'll be good as new." She turned her golden eyes on his."Won'cha? Plus..it'll do you both good to get some fresh air. Tristan will be more inconspicious if he's in wolf form. Our path has wild grass on either side. He could run through there. Don't worry, pet." Lillian looked at her friend earnestly. "I'll take care of everything. You just follow kay? I'll go see if the coast is clear. You two stay here for a sec. Be nice...just not too nice." Lillian laughed as she flounced out of the room, closing the door behind her. __________________________________________________________
Tristan was staring at the door, his mouth nearly hanging open. How had he not noticed that? It made no logical sense. The talk of silver stags made him feel faintly guiltly. He had, after all, hunted one not two days ago. Then, with another overtly sexual comment which seemed to be her specialty, she pranced out of the room. Tristan shook his head. Avians were crazy. Tristan looked at Niamh, brown eyes inquiring. "You guys could get in a lot of trouble bringing me out." The wolf looked even more dangerous tha the first day, the bent and clawed door serving as a backdrop to his rugged shape. He walked forward and brushed past Niamh heading for his warped cell. Gripping a bar with both hands, he pulled hard. The already weakened metal groaned as it bent for him, as if recognizing him as the superior. Tristan squeezed through the cold metal and scooped up the tray full of food. He had fogotten about it last night but now his stomach complined at him he remebered its presence. He set it on the floor before Niamh, sitting across from her. 'Eat." He said, plucking a roll of bread for himself. She looked pale. His brown eyes looked uncompromising. Obviously he wasn't asking for her to eat. It wasn't an option in his mind. He blinked, wondering if the Princess would challenge him.
---
What was with all the sexual comments? Niamh blushed for what felt like the umpteenth time and shook her head, a small smile finding it's way to her lips. She couldn't help herself, Lillian was truly taking her away from her father~ and bringing Tristan from Farden's sick and mindless game! Her eyes glowed with the thought of Tristan not being held captive any longer and she turned to him, just as she spoke. "Trouble?" Niamh smiled, though a sadness lingered behind it. "With the way my father is, it would be more like death.. But I can't stand to see anyone else wounded just because my father is sick with power." She shook her head as she watched Tristan walk; for a moment she stared, transfixed by the way his muscles moved under his skin. Niamh looked away, bewildered. "This is nothing but a game to him, I am sure. He's like a bored child, but a dangerous one." She frowned. What had happened to her father? Tristan's voice stirred her from her thoughts and found him sitting in front of her, a roll of bread in his hand. Her stomach objected to the thought of food, making her rather nauseous. "No thank you." She murmured, lowering herself to the floor in a sitting position.
---
Tristan raised a brow, looking at the avian female with amusement. "If you don't eat now you won't be top strength when we get to this place. I'm still stuck on the 'no meat' diet thing." He had polished off the roll and was moving onto the cheese. Meat, of course, was one of the main contributing factors to a wolf's diet. "That one one of the factors you know...that started the war I mean." Tristan twisted a grape between his fingers before popping it into his mouth. He wrinkled his nose at the sight of his skin, nearly a dull brown from as the dirt and dust accumulated throughout the days. " I hope there's a stream or pond or something on the way. No wonder you all think I'm a filthy dog." The wolf chuckled, flashing white teeth. he knew he was being awfully chatty, but he figured it was his good mood. It wasn't often Avian's offered chances of escape. Tristan curled his fists into a fist, cracking the joints, before straightening them again, small smile on his lips. He had complete control over his body. He let his claws lengthen, the white ivory showing no sign of the blood bath they endured yesterday, or the bashing they received last night. They were long and sharp, slightly curved and in perfect condition. His hand moved slowly as he reached forward, lowering his clawed fingers to the ground. Applying pressure, he dragged them back. The sound of grinding rock tickled his ears as the scored the floor, five lines running along the stone. It was nothing like last night. There was no frantic, furious energy. Yet this seemed almost as frightening. Such destruction with such lazy carelessness. Without effort or thought. Wolves often sharpened their claws on tree trunks, or scored rocks to mark territory. Such destruction was part of everyday life, not counted as destruction at all. So different from the other side of the border. Tristan's deep chuckle was all dark humor and sharp edges. It most certainly wasn't kind. "You should eat...but it's not like I can force you can I?" Tristan retracted his claws, his smile two parts wolf and one part man
|
|
|
Post by Squish|Flint on Aug 29, 2010 22:14:32 GMT -5
Niamh knew he was right, what good would she be if she didn't keep her strength up? She would make them fall behind or possibly get caught. Wining at the thought, Niamh shook her head; but she still couldn't force herself to eat. Her stomach truly detested the thought of food. "Why would your diet have anything to do with the war?" Niamh made a small face as she questioned Tristan, though it disappeared with his next words. A giggle flowed from between her lips. "I never once called, or thought, you a dirty dog. That would be incorrect~ you're a dirty wolf. But nothing a good bathing won't fix." She offered him a smile her eyes watched his hand closely; they widened, with interest, as claws extended from his fingers and raked, without any effort at all, against stone. She shuddered what those claws could do to flesh. "I know I should eat... but..." Niamh frowned, glancing at him. "If you thought to intimidate me with your claws, it didn't work. I am not going to eat. At least not now, nor here. I will eat when we get there." She shifted, glancing at the door. Worry gripped her heart as there was still no sign of her friend. How long had it been since she left? She moved closer to Tristan, closing the space between them, and resting a dainty hand on his bare arm~ clearly frightened. "Where is Lillian?" Her voice was hushed, eyes trained on the door all the while.
---
Tristan closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh. "It's not really about the food itself...its about the different opinions. Your kind and mine...we are at different ends of the spectrum. We are carnivores. You are not. We are predators. And you can deny it as much as you want, but you are prey." Eyes still closed, he smiled softly. " We are meat-eaters. Life-takers. It is our nature. It is who we are. So...my diet actually has a lot to do with what started the war." He sank his teeth into the soft cheese, the substance didn't seem sustaining enough. He needed to hunt. her reaction to his claws was natural, but he wasn't looking for a reaction. It was natural, as instinctive as breathing. When she commented on any ulterior motives for bringing out his claws, Tristan finally opened his eyes and threw back his head in silent laughter. "Just because they're scary...doesn't mean I trying." She was so odd. Such a flower....so frightened yet so stubborn. And now she was touching him, such fear in her eyes, her fingers so trusting. " A warrior like her doesn't get into trouble. She'll be fine." Tristan's eyes flashed for a moment, before a slow grin spread over his face, it was part playful, part seductive. "And for the record." He leaned toward her, forcing her against the wall with a strong, gentle hand. His face came closer, inches away, eyes glittering. He dipped slightly, and breathed in the scent at her neck, purposely exhaling hotly on the exposed flesh. His lips were at her ear then. " If I wanted to intimidate you, you'd be on your back and my teeth would be at your throat." And just for added measure, Tristan rumbled deep in his throat, half growl....half something else. __________________________________________________________
Lillian flitted through the halls. They were empty and she smiled. That is...until she saw Lyle guarding one end of the hall. Dammit. Lillian thought for a moment before sashaying over to him. "Hello Lyle." Her voice was smooth and detached. He turned and saluted, smiling aftwerwards."Hey Lillian. What are you doing down here?" Lillian returned his gaze. " Relieving you." Lyle frowned. "The King himself ordered me to stay here until he gave me.." " Lyle?" "Yeah?" " You wanna go upstairs?" Lyle looked flustered. "But the King..." Lillian grabbed his shoulder, slamming him into the wall, forearm across his throat. " Wanna leave now?" Lillian pulled back her fist and slammed it into his face, rendering him unconscious. She never liked Lyle anyway. After locking him into a random room, She returned to the holding cells. " Hey Niamh, the halls are clear. Let's-" She stopped. " What are you......I thought I said to keep your hands to yourself." She put a hand on her hip, golden eyes glowing with unconfined humor.
---
Niamh frowned, but Tristan was right and she could not argue the point. The Avian's weren't fighters, for the most part. Lillian and a few others were an exception, defying nature; they were predators. But for the most part Avian's were set in their peaceful ways. She was lost in her thoughts of the war and the key causes that Tristan spoke of. She still couldn't imagine why they couldn't live peacefully, why the Avian's couldn't except the wolves for their ways and vice versa. Niamh was drawn from her thoughts as Tristan spoke of Lillian and she smiled softly. Lillian was strong, but still. Not having Lillian in her view was worrisome. "When do you th-" Her words were cut short as she watched Tristan's lips turn upward in an almost devious smile. She blushed wildly, blinking. Devious wasn't it~ it was something else, something she wasn't use to. And then his hand was at her neck, forcing her gently back against the wall. Her breath caught in her chest, heart pounding wildly~ but not out of fright. Electricity seemed to flow through her veins, heightening her senses as she felt his hot breathe on the skin of her sensitive neck. His words caused her no fear, her mind still on his lips just barely touching her throat. Niamh squirmed slightly in his grasp, biting her lip, as he added in a rumbling growl that, in turn, provoked a gentle squeak from her. "Please, let me- Lilly~!" Her blush deepened, eyes widening, as her friend walked in. She shook her head in objection to Lillian's words. "It isn't what you think!" Niamh's cry turned into a short pout as her eyes turned wildly to Tristan. Her heart almost seemed to fall at the idea of his hands falling away from her, his scent leaving her as he pulled away, but at the same time she desperately longed for him to separate from her. It wasn't their way to be so close, so intimate, and her very nature fought with the pleasure his words seemed to evoke. It was wrong. Niamh squirmed, looking to Lillian for help. "May we go now, please?!"
---
Lillian raised her hand to her mouth, her body trembling with chuckles. She knew she shouldn't be laughing at her friend's panic, or at least be a little angry at the wolf for being so inappropriately close to the vulnerable Princess, but she just couldn't help herself. It was all too clear that Niamh was unaware how close wolves got to each other. Sleeping in bundles, constantly wrestling, grooming and feeding with each other. So different from the Avian lifestyle. Lillian nearly doubled over at the thought of Niamh looking like she wouldn't mind finding out just how close wolves could get. The warrior finally quieted her laughter, moving forward, "All right now, down boy. Before I forcibly remove you." Now unapprovement settled in. She didn't like how intimate he was acting with her Avian friend. He was a wolf. Sure, he hadn't done anything...yet. But Lillian knew all too well how cunning and dangerous wolves really were. How he could be. The femme pulled her friend's hand. "Going now was the plan...preferably before Lyle wakes up." She didn't give the Princess time to respond as she flounced out of the room, seemingly excited. She wove through the halls, pausing to listen to the other side of the door Lyle was locked in, before finally making it to the secret exit. She paused there, making sure she had both members from her party here. _________________________________________________________
Tristan turned. The warrior sure had the worst timing. Things were just starting to get fun. He pulled away with a deep chuckle, balancing on the balls of his feet. " Don't think you can order me like some trained house pet, warrior." His voice was amused, but edged, like a hidden blade. He watched them as she spoke, polishing off the rest of the platter. The name Lyle would've made his ears perk if they had been a bit more flexible. Lyle? As in, the bastard who grabbed the Princess Lyle? Maybe he would pay the Avian a visit. A short visit, but to the point. When the warrior left, Tristan rose smoothly onto his feet, eyes on Niamh. He swept his arms to the door in an elegant manner, tinged a bit by a playful energy. "Ladies first, Princess." He smiled a sharp-toothed smile at her.
---
Niamh smiled sweetly as Tristan pulled away from her. Lillian's words and his words both held some sort of threat, but there was no menace or malice behind them. Were they playing? She had to control herself from giggling. Her mood shifted back to serious as she took in a breath, only then catching Lillian's words. Lyle? "Wait, what did yo-" she was cut off as Lillian, quite literally, flitted out of the room. Niamh let out a small, frustrated sigh. Her friend had done that on purpose. What had she done to Lyle? Niamh wasn't quite sure she wanted to know. She followed Tristan to the door and smiled softly as he nearly grinned at her, offering for her to go first. "Seems like Lillian won't have a problem training you afterall." Stepping out of her comfort zone for only a second, Niamh winked at Tristan before skipping out of the room and swiftly padding after Lillian~ her steps silent as she ran barefoot. It didn't take her long to find Lillian. She held back the urge to call to her friend, and instead quietly approached her, touching her hand gently to Lillian's, before glancing behind her to see if Tristan had followed.
---
Lillian smiled at Niamh, like someone who knew she was being naughty and was loving it. She pushed on the heavy door and it opened. It revealed a thin, beaten down dirt path, tall yellow grass on either side on the winding ribbon of earth. Once outside, in the golden sunshine, she brought out her wings. The sunlight softly reflected off her fluffy feathers as she shook them out. She rarely kept her wings away, but this time was also for precaution. An avian could outmatch any wolf in open areas. But once inside the density of trees, an avian's wings had a hard time keeping up to the forest bound wolves. At least she knew she was at an advantage. At least...until they reached the treeline. Then Lillian would have to keep an especially close eye on him then. We'll have a bit of walking to do, but it's worth it." She pulled at Niamh hand. "This way!"
_________________________________________________________
He was not a dog. Tristan scowled as Niamh skipped past him, but he held his tongue. He wanted out. The wolf followed the avian pair through the winding corridors, feeling a bit edgy. He kept expecting a guard to pop up from around a corner. But, true to her word, the halls were clear. He could scent the place where Lyle and Lillian encountered each other, but he didn't have enough time to root out where the warrior put the wayward guard. And Tristan really wanted to say hello to him. Pity. The wolf barely paused before he exited the castle. The open air. He breathed deepky, taking in the different scent. The sun was hot on his bare chest, the light wind was also warm as it moved across his skin, tussling his hair. His eyes were green/grey in the sunlight. Tristan was apart for the females, taking in the world. He wasn't even listening to Lillian as he started to growl. He panted, chest heaving, eyes closed with pain. He doubled over, and was a wolf before he hit the ground. He stopped growling, shaking out his pelt instead. He licked his black lips, as if he could taste the air on his tongue. As Lillian moved forward, dragging Niamh with her, the wolf disappeared into the long grass with a flick of his plumed tail. He wasn't stupid enough as to try and escape in the open field. Not twice anyway. You coud hear his pawsteps, the the grass rustled as he moved. But nothing of him showed. No flash of fur or eyes. Just a soft rustling that could have easily been caused by the wind.
---
Niamh's face lit with a smile as she stepped out into the open. The sun kissed her skin and she shivered with delight, retracting her wings and allowing the wind to caress the delicate feathers. She glanced behind her, hearing an abrupt growl from Tristan, and smiled gingerly to see him following in wolf form. "How far of a walk is it?" She whispered, turning her attention back to Lillian before sparing a wary glance behind them. ".. Will they follow?" The thought of her father's men finding them suffocated her and she crept closer to Lillian
---
Lillian felt slight unease at the prospect of not being able to see the wolf, but she chased it away. Niamh was her priority.If we make it to the treeline without being spotted we'll be in the clear. But don't worry. No one is watching this side of the castle right now. Most guards are eating breakfast at the moment." The sun was still relatively low in the sky, not yet fully awaking. "Well!" She clapped her hands together,"No time like the present. Let's go. And don't fall behind, wolf." Since she didn't know his exact location she just poke in his general direction. Lillian flitted forward, turning to walk backwards, "Come on Niamh!" The way across the field was uneventful. They soon reached the forest's edge, the air darkening, cooling slightly. Green plantlife twisted over the overgrown path, the ground virtually unsee-able just a couple feet on either side of the interrupted ribbon. The warrior led them on without hesitation, but stopped Niamh with the raise of her wing. She listened carefully, body frozen. Then she turned, wide-eyed. She swore. "He's gone....where'd that mutt go?" Lillian listened again, but didn't hear anything but the light wind shaking the long grass and wild bushes. To her right, she heard a faint sound. Her head snapped in its direction. "Come on Niamh...He went this way..." She reached for her friend's hand, and started bush whacking, heading toward where she had heard the noise. In the ground below them, large, clawed paw prints were their guide.
_______________________________________________________
The wolf followed the pair, their slow pace excruciating. He wanted to run. But he couldn't, for fear the warrior might think him fleeing. When the trio made the transition between open field and forest, Tristan felt the tension leak away from his bones. Not the right forest, but it was better than nothing. A lot better. The beast was still silent, taking in the cool, moist scents of the vegetation around him. The smell of something wet was surprisingly very much desirable to him. Water. Quite a bit of it too. He veered, moving stealthily toward it. By the time they noticed he was gone he could already be back. Once a suitable distance away, he ran. The feeling was euphoric. The ground thumping wetly under his heavy paws. The air rushing smoothly over his face and into his fur. The feeling on freedom. He didn't even pause when he came to the large pond. He simply jumped, the resounding splash echoing through the still-sleeping forest. The water was already warming thanks to the sun powerful rays. He changed underwater, exchanging claws for fingers and toes. He surfaced for only a moment, taking a deep breath, before plunging back under. He felt the dirt and blood drift away from his body like stains of ink. He then simply relaxed, floating under the surface of the water, holding his breath, feeling more serene than he had for days.
---
Niamh halted as Lillian signaled with a gentle raise of her wing. Her golden eyes swept around the forest; she hadn't heard anything nor had she seen someone. "Why are we goi-" Niamh's question abruptly ended as she silently answered her own question. She hadn't heard anything. The faint whisper of Tristan's paws, that would be unheard if you weren't aware of his presence, was no longer there. "Tristan." She sighed, disappointment and worry shooting through her body; Lilly would find him, and Lilly would kill him. Or worse, lecture him. What was he thinking?! Niamh inwardly frowned, but Lillian pulled her from her throughts. Just as she predicted, Lillian found his trail. It led them to a grand pond, but no wolf. "Where is he, Lilly?" She questioned. Her gold eyes swept over the area until something in the water caught her attention. A faint, dark flicker beneath the surface accompanied by the smallest of ripples along the waters edge. Niamh gasped, startled. Immediate worry shimmered down her body. "Is he drowning!? Lilly, do something!" But she acted before she waited to see if Lillian would, in fact do anything. She shed from the confines of her dress and slipped effortlessly into the water, in nothing more than the slip she wore under her dress.
---
Lillian trudged through the underbrush, slipping her wings away. She cursed under her breath the whole time. Idiot wolf. What was he trying to pull? She was going to beat him when she finally got her hands on the brute. The tracks led to a large body of water -a small lake, really- and she connected the sound she heard earlier with the ripples she saw making their way along the surface of the water. He had jumped in. And there he was, floating just below the surface. Lillian's eyes narrowed. So he thought he could hide huh? Well, according to her knowledge, wolves weren't aquatic creatures. They breathed air, not water. So as soon as that wolf needed to come up, Lillian was going to get him. She contemplated the thought of shoving him back under until the bubbles stopped. Stupid wolf. But then Niamh spotted him. The warrior had not anticipated the princess' reaction. Before Lillian could even reach forward, Niamh was making her way into the water, already dressed down. "Niamh! He's jus-" Lillian threw her hands up with an " I give up!" and then promptly sat down, cross-legged on the ground.
___________________________________________________________
The cool water around him was soothing. But he had better go back now. The avians would probably already know he's missing or were about to find out. Just as he thought this, loud splashes resounded through the water near the western edge of the pond. Tristan's eyes opened, and he squinted against the water. Below the water all he could see were legs. Squinting above the water, he saw what looked like a blurred, golden orb. The wolf grinned. He was moving then, diving deeper, letting the pond's murky bottom mask his outline. As quick as any fish, he arched around, so he swam up beside her. He was lucky Niamh managed to wade into the lake as far as she did, the depth made it easy to sneak up on her. When he couldn't swim any farther, he stood up. The water balked, and Tristan's body appeared. The water poured off Tristan's body, down his chest, arms, stomach, dripping off his face and hair. In one smooth movement, he wrapped his arm around the Avian's waist, pulling her flat against his soaking body. "Miss me?" His voice was deep with rumbling laughter, his smile dotted with too-sharp teeth. "You didn't think an over grown puddle was enough to do me in did you?
---
Niamh readied herself to dip below the cool surface of the water, but she hesitated. Did the dark blur under the water move? Yes, yes it did. A small gasp flowed from her lips as she jumped back, despite the fact that her eyes followed Tristan's rising body. Tristan's sudden emergence from the water startled her, but it was quickly replaced with annoyance. His words didn't help any, especially as his arms snaked around her waist and pulled her tightly to him. Warmth flowed over her body as she felt his soft, damp skin pressing through the thin material of her slip. "No, no I did not miss you!" She squealed back, her soprano voice raising an octave higher with the presence of her stress. "I thought you were drowning andand-" Niamh cut herself off and narrowed her eyes at Tristan. Unable to control herself she brought one, small fist to his chest and beat him, though it was all in vain. For once she wished she wasn't weak, and she eased her futile beating on Tristan's chest before her hand fell back to her side. A disappointed pout fell over her face and she turned away from him. "Let me go."
---
Lillian's wings bristled, startled by the wolf's sudden appearance. But she let him go his own way, not bothering to chastise him. Niamh had wanted to 'save' him...let her deal with the hormonal wolf. Nevertheless, she kept a watchful golden eye on the pair, making sure he was behaving himself. After awhile she spoke up. "Alright now, let's go. It's almost noon by now, thanks to your little detour." She glared accusingly at the wolf. "And stop making her squeal. The castle guards can probably hear her from here." The last part was the inevitable jab at their -once again- compromising position. It's like the warrior couldn't help it. She rose from the ground, dusting off her legs and heading back to the path, knowing they would either follow now, or Tristan would follow the scent later.
___________________________________________________________
Tristan smiled as she spoke, using his free hand to push his water logged hair out of his eyes. He chuckled softly. Him? Drowning? He would've laughing some more if Niamh didn't look like she was going to scalp him. And then Niamh -peaceful, gentle Niamh- tried to beat him into submission. It bumped against one of his purple bruises, sending a tiny jolt of pain into his chest. His stomach clenched involuntarily, but he disguised his wince as a grin. "Careful Princess....you wouldn't want to break me would you?" The most endearing pout fell over her face and Tristan managed to fight off the urge to kiss it away. Barely. It was a surprisingly recalcitrant urge ...especially toward an avian. His smile faded, and he watched her as she looked away, eyes dark with thought. Now why would that be? Why would he...? No matter. He was going to leave when they went to head back to the castle anyway. Even the warrior female could not move fast enough to catch him. The forest was his domain. Almost literally. He released her, stepping back, sinking back into the water until his head disappeared. A few seconds later, a dark, slim muzzle poked out of the water. The wolf swam back to shore, his nose, eyes, and tail tip the only thing above water. He looked for all the world like a crocodile. Once on solid ground again, his fur pressed flat against his long body, he shook, like any dog would. What seemed like a ton of water flew in a massive spray of liquid. his fur gleamed like liquid chocolate in the filtered light of the forest. He trotted forward, following the warrior's scent. He turned back around, waiting for Niamh. He gave out one, low bark, nose twitching, before he turned again, weaving through the trees.
---
"Lilly, wai-" Niamh started but quickly hushed herself, watching as Lillian turned without hearing her and headed back to their previous path. To make it worse, Tristan pulled from her and with him his warmth. A shiver ran down her spine, and secretly she wished Tristan hadn't let go. She could still feel the presence of his arms around her even as he slipped back into the water and shifted. It left her heart sinking as she watched him swim to shore, shake excess water off his coat and dash back into the cover of the forest. She was alone.. she was alone. Niamh held back a shout to both her companions as she waded out of the water, snatching her dress from the ground, and sprinting into the forest after them; they left her! "Tristan, Lilly." She hissed through her teeth, keeping her voice low in case of catching someone's attention who was not her Lillian or Tristan.
---
Lillian stopped, hearing Niamh calling for both her and Tristan. The warrior turned, stalking back the way she came. She soon found the Princess and she shook her head with a smile on her face. "I told you...don't deal with the wolf unless you know you can do just that....deal with him. Lillian pulled at Niamh's hand. "Come on...we'll never get there at this rate." The warrior led them back to the narrow path. It didn't seem like much time went by when Lillian stopped, but by now the sun was high in the sky. "There it is." Lillian breathed, pushing her way through the last few bushes. It was breath taking. A large, mostly open space filled with the golden sunshine that sifted through the natural canopy above them. A meadow indeed. Lillian strode forward, smiling back at Niamh. The warrior turned to her side letting her fingers trail through some gorgeous blue flowers, admiring their delicateness. "Oh Niamh look!" Lillian ran forward, dropping to her knees, "What an odd flower!" A purple flower with so many angles and decorative ornaments it was hard to believe it was real. The meadow was full of bizarre and beautiful flowers, each one more colorful and artistic than the last.
____________________________________________________________
The wolf followed the females as they walked, moving near-silently through the underbrush. So many scents. It was heaven after being locked away in a musty, breeze less cell. A distinctly flowery scent made his head swim. He stayed back as the avian's explored the meadow, giving them their privacy.
---
Niamh paused before the meadow, her eyes widening as she took in the beauty of the secret area. Golden light seeped in through the overhanging trees, soaking the flowers and brush in a shimmering shower of warmth. It was breathtaking. "This place is wonderful!" She squealed with delight, turning to Lillian as her friend called to her. Niamh flitted to her side within seconds and studied the flower; it truly was an odd little thing, but beautiful nonetheless. She reached out and gently ran her fingers across the petals. It was softer than it appeared and she let out a breath of relief, for the first time feeling safe and something close to happy. "It's so.. perfect!" And it truly was, until Niamh felt it. Her stomach made a low rumbling noise and a sheepish smile played over her lips. "But what about food?"
---
Lillian smiled, basking in her friend's approval. "Isn't it just?!" The warrior spun, arms circling with her. "And the canopy above us protects us from any peeping toms." A not-so-subtle reference to the mostly male avian guards. The warrior sighed contentedly. She had stumbled upon this place by chance. she had been trying to practice an aerial maneuver and crashed here. From above this place looked like any other unbroken expanse of forest. You could probably still see the Lillian-sized hole in the natural umbrella above them. A small rumble drew Lillian's attention, and she giggled when Niamh spoke. " Well there's these lovely raspberries here." The warrior pointed to the jewel-coloured red berries that grew in the shade not far away. "There is fruit around here somewhere....I saw a massive watermelon last summer....maybe there's more..." Lillian flitted around the green-gold meadow, ruffling through the vegetation. "Oooooo! Look Niamh~Strawberries!" Lillian inhaled a couple right then, the sweet taste of ripe fruit making her groan in delight. "Mmhhhhh..... they tashte shooo gooood." The femme called around a mouthful of fruit. she picked the good ones and ran back to where Niamh is, licking her berry stained lips. She looked over Niamh's shoulder. "Come and be social ya mangy wolf. don't make me come in there and get you." The threat was half-hearted, she was simply too content to care. Tristan could probably run off and she wouldn't have cared.
_________________________________________________________
The wolf slunk out of the forest and into the light shadows. His nose twitched as took in the bitter-sweet scent of all the wild-flowers. He was the only dark coloured creature in this place and he didn't want to ruin it for the females. But then Lillian called out to him. Well dammit. So much for staying out of the way. He heaved a wolf sigh, dragging his body up and trotting forward. The buttery sunshine made his chestnut brown pelt shine golden brown, highlighting the cream accents that ran through his fur. His eyes were lighter, greener than they normally were, as if reflecting the vitality of this perfect, peaceful place. His fur was still slightly damp from his bath so he sprawled out in a patch of sun, long limbs splayed in every direction.
---
Niamh squealed with sheer delight at the mention of raspberries. They were her favorite of all berries, and rare in the castle. There weren't many bushes of them around the grounds and most of the time servants were too afraid to wander too deep into the forest to pick them. Her eyes lit to just about the same golden tenderness of the sun, and just as warm. She watched Lillian with wide-loving eyes as the warrior flitted to a patch of strawberries, clearly delighted and thrilled. Her heart warmed at the sight. "It sounds like they are good!" Niamh cooed at Lillian as she caught sight of her friend's open mouth; Lillian could barely talk passed the mouthful of strawberries. The sight was priceless, and hysterical. A giggle slipped through her lips as he eased herself down onto her knees in front of the bush and quickly picked the plump, maroon delicacies off the vine; once three rested in her palm, she opened her mouth and made to pop them in. But she stopped herself before they even reached her lips. At the mention of Tristan, she glanced over her shoulder and watched him pad closer to them before flopping onto the thick floor of the meadow. His pelt was striking in the sun and he looked nothing like a predator~ it was enticing. "Tristan!" The call was more like a squeak as she suddenly turned back to her bush and picked nearly four handfuls. The petite Avian carried them in the bottom of her dress, using the hem as a make-shift basket. She flopped down enthusiastically beside the wolf, tilting her head and smiling. "Look, Tristan! Berries!" Niamh blinked softly, biting at her lower lip before scooting closer to the wolf. "I picked them for you to try. Have some? They are delicious, I promise." She could only assume that the wolf was not accustomed to a variety of fruits, and therefore missed out on the sour, yet equally sweet, taste of raspberries~ which was a complete shame.
---
Lillian swallowed the lump of fruit, laughing as Niamh giggled. They were like children, discovering everything for the first time. Lillian tossed a couple more strawberries into her mouth before dashing around again, looking for more food. That's when she discovered the watermelons. The smallest ones were the size of her head. Lilly squealed. Why drink from streams when you has a fruit that was practically made from water? Naturally, Lillian had her eye on the biggest one. She plucked the dagger from her hip and one handedly threw it, expertly severing the vine that held it in place. But moving it from one side of the meadow to the other was going to be the tricky part. She was going to need both hands. But the trouble was, Lillian still had four strawberries held in one hand. The warrior's dilemma lasted all of ten seconds. The femme shoved the remaining strawberries in her mouth, stooped to retrieve her dagger, and then clapped her hands together, readying herself for the lift. "Leth's do thish." Her strawberry-slurred words were directed at no one in particular. Lillian put a hand on either side of the watermelon, struggling to keep the strawberries in her mouth. She heaved, the heavy fruit coming about an inch off the ground before thumping back into place. Daamn. This thing was heavy. The avian harrumphed to the best of her abilities while housing so much food in her mouth while fixing her stance and trying again. She managed about a foot before letting it thud to the ground. Lillian stood up, hands on her hips, still chewing. She was not going to loose to a watermelon. She was still excited despite herself and she skipped to the other side of the watermelon, and pushed it. It rolled. Lillian swallowed hard, nearly choking on the remains of the strawberries, and then grinned. Would she compromise her dignity by having to roll a watermelon over to her desired location? Hell yeah. She would roll it to the bloody castle if that's what it took. Lillian shoved the massive fruit and was surprised when it moved farther than she intended. And then kept moving. Down the slight incline. In otherwords...her prized watermelon was rolling down a hill. Lillian's eyes widened twice their size. And then she scrambled after the runaway melon. she managed to catch up with it before it ran into a tree. At least it was more than three quarters the way now. Lillian shoved and pushed the watermelon the last few yards, licking the last of the strawberry juice from her lips. "Looky...." Lillian paused slightly to catch her breath,"What I found!"
________________________________________________________
Tristan's head shifted as Niamh plopped down beside him, almost surprised. One second the females are squealing about berries the next the Princess is right there. He blinked slowly, and then looked down at the fruit she offered, head tilted to the side. With a shake of his head, he changed. His body eased back into human shape, his head propped up by his knuckles, his body laying on its side. "Thank-you." He smiled, reaching forward with his free hand, plucking a couple from the pile, tilting his head back to drop them in his mouth. They started off sweet and ended with a tart note, the fine seeds no match from his sharp teeth. He hummed his approval, sampling some more. "I used to pick these things when I was a kid...." His smile was soft and fond as he stared at the little red fruit between his fingers. The warrior appeared then, shoving the largest watermelon he'd even seen. Tristan shook his head, grinning as his popped more raspberries into his mouth. Avian's were crazy.
---
Niamh watched Tristan intently, and nearly squealed at his approval of the fruit. "You're welcome." She mewed back softly; his liking of the berries, though, was all the thanks she needed. The small avian glanced at Tristan and couldn't help herself; she blushed. He seemed so.. content laying on his side, head resting on his knuckles, as he at the berries she had collected for him. At the sight of his smile her heart nearly buzzed before a warming sensation cascaded down her chest; was she melting? As quickly as the frivolous thoughts surfaced she just as quickly waved them away. Niamh nodded at his words and offered a smile as she too ate some of the berries piled on her lap. "My mom." She paused for a moment, the name feeling odd on her lips. Mom. The fluttery feeling she felt only moments before faded and she found it difficult to keep smiling~ but she managed. "She would take me out for walks around the gardens. She had her very own and oh, it was so marvelous. I never saw anything like it. We'd sit down by her raspberry bushes and pick them... she'd let me eat a few, even though they were meant for dinner... I vaguely remember what she looks like.. but I still remember her voice, and her smell." Niamh bit her lip, her forefinger gingerly playing with a berry. "I miss her." She glanced up, and just in time. Her eyes widened at the sight unfolding in front of her; she couldn't help herself, and squealed. "Lilly! That watermelon weighs more than you do!" Niamh shook her head and giggled. "Looks like it almost got the best of you, too." She teased gently, noting the flustered yet proud and victorious look that just about radiated off of her friend. "I hope you don't attempt to eat all of that by yourself. You'll explode!" An image of Lillian stuffing her face full of watermelon until she burst sped through Niamh's mind, and she couldn't help but giggle. "We'll help you~ won't we Tristan?"
---
Tristan listened intently to the avian's words. Her mother? The wolf hadn't seen any Queen in his short stay at the castle, and by the way Niamh spoke of her, he doubted he wouldn't see her no matter how long he stayed there. He would've said something more, but Niamh had noticed the melon -toting warrior. All traces of sadness were gone, replaced by awe of the watermelon. Which wasn't surprising. It was pretty impressive. Niamh's giggle warmed his chest more than any sunbeam did. When she asked if he would help, he didn't really think their was a choice. His lips pulled up into a small, but sincere smile. "Of course, Niamh." He hadn't spoken her name since that night in the castle, when they were sneaking him food. Yet again it rolled so casually off his tongue, like sweet syrup. He blinked, shifting positions, so he sat crosslegged, his elbow resting on his knee, and his chin upon his palm. He was calm here, in this forest, more so than he ever was in the cell. The 'relaxed' ruse he had pulled wasn't even close to this complete surrender.
________________________________________________________
Lillian scoffed. " First of all, I'm not that much of a glutton.."She giggled, licking strawberry juice off her fingers,"And secondly I would not explode!" Lillain stood up, looking at the sword at her belt. She never thought she would ever use Araidia to hack open a watermelon. But she pulled out the fine weapon and with a flick of her wrist, the watermelon fell open, baring it's glistening, red-pink insides dotted with night-black seeds. A couple more movements and there were enough watermelon pieces to feed an army. Within seconds Lillian had a slice in each hand, her lips wet with sticky, light pink juice. Her giggle was, naturally, a bit distorted.
---
Niamh returned Tristan's soft smile; when he had spoken her name her eyes lit up. It sounded so much.. sweeter coming from him. For a moment she focused on the warmth that fell over her, but Lillian's words distracted her. She turned to her friend with feigned shock, her mouth hanging open just a bit to pull off the look. Before she said anything, however, Lillian pulled Araidia from her sheath and sliced the watermelon open. And as if that wasn't show enough, Lillian dove in. Watermelon in each hand, the Avain warrior ate as if she were a starving prisoner. Within seconds her face was covered with sticky, sweet juice. Niamh giggled and quirked a brow. "You're right, Lilly. You're not a glutton... You're an outright piggy!" She reached out and snatched a piece of watermelon, acting as if, if she didn't move quick enough Lillian would eat it all. Niamh took a small bite of the fruit; it was sweet, incredibly sweet. The juice filled her mouth and she savored the flavour before swallowing. Her eyes widened. Nothing had ever tasted so good! "Here, Tristan." She glanced at him, offering the piece she had already bitten out of.
---
Lillian half-laughed, half-choked on the watermelon when Niamh called her names. But she sat in silence, munching the sweet wetness that was watermelon. Lillian probably could shove down this entire watermelon is she were hungry enough. The warrior was notorious for being a black hole. Although she couldn't do the same with meat. Warriors were one of the only Avian classes who were permitted to hunt, not even the Royal Guard, unless they were warriors out of active duty, like Lillian was. She didn't hunt often, but she found the little mice and small creatures she caught felt heavy in her stomach ad made her sleepy. The female's golden eyes drifted to the wolf. She could fathom how any creature could fill themselves like the wolves could. A small group of maybe three could strip the flesh off a good sized silver stag. Not even regular wolves could do such a feat. These wolf men were the true blackholes of nature. Which made her want to have Tristan as full as she could. She easily polished her peices off, reaching for a third. "This place is perfect." She breathed, looking around her, hand trailing over the emerald grass beside her. "It's so.... peaceful." Lillian sighed, smiling as she nibbled on the dripping fruit. Not even the capricious wolf could dampen her spirits, although she was painfuly aware of him and his ravenous hunger.
_________________________________________________________
Tristan shook his head, soft, muted chuckles gently shaking his frame. These two were just so....childish. Niamh was innocent, and if Tristan didn't have a self-imposed rule about how warriors couldn't be innocent, he might have called Lillian that as well. But even while playing and teasing, he caught the intelligent, golden eyes flickering to him, always aware, as ways ready. No, warriors couldn't be innocent. But they could be kind, Tristan decided. The wolf blinked as Niamh offered him yet another peice of fruit. While he had seen watermelons, he had never tried them. Children and wolf pups would mark the surface of the watermelon, throughing stones and dragging claws over it until it broke, then fall onto it like a pack of ravenous...er..wolves. And most children didn't eat the watermelon, simply enjoying jumping on the little squishy bits and licking the juice from their fingers. Tristan had not par-taken in the watermelon eating, but rather the beating, as he, too, had enjoyed the feeling of tearing his little claws into the fruit and stomping the soaking watermelon squishing between his toes. Tristan took the offered peice, eyes watching hers until he opened his mouth, his own bit overlapping the smaller bitemark. He bit into the soft flesh, avoiding the black seeds, letting the juice trickle down his throat. Although it had no particular smell, the water and pulp tasted like sugar water. Any thirst he had was quenched. Tristan swiped his tongue over his lips, catching any escaped liquid. "And now, you're not getting it back." The wolf chuckled, taking another large bite out of the saturated, sticky treat. Some wolf instincts were easier to control than others. Like the need to snap at people who got too close while he fed. But, even so, his eyes glittered, a dark spark flickering in his light eyes.
---
"You couldn't have picked a better place, Lilly." Niamh mused quietly as she, for a moment, turned her attention from Tristan and to her friend. The teasing drifted from her voice as she faded from her small giddy-high. "It was as if this place was designed especially for us. As if it knew..." She allowed her words to trail off. The small Avian refused to bring her father into such a special place; he would not taint the beautiful meadow with his horrid soul or memories. Niamh shifted where she sat and turned back to Tristan, and just in time. She squeaked as he leaned in and took a bite out of the same area she bit out of. His bit easily covered her mark, and then some. Her golden eyes took in the juice that trailed down his jaw, drawing a path down his throat. Without thinking she reached forward and gently brushed her thumb against his lips, wiping the sticky mess first from his mouth and then his chin. Niamh's fingers gingerly brushed down the expanse of his neck, though this touch was more than simply wiping away excess watermelon. Her fingertips lingered, before she caught what she was doing and sharply drew back. She blushed, thoroughly embarrassed. "I'm sorry." She hastily murmured, glancing at Lillian and inwardly groaning. Had the Avian warrior seen, or was she too concentrated on her watermelon and vegetation? Niamh hoped for the latter. "You can keep it, I don't want it anymore." Her voice was a low whisper as she spoke to Tristan, turning her attention briefly to him before peering down at a flower by her knee. She studied the pink, velvet petals that were quite numerous, finding it so much better than peering into the wolf's eyes or suffering any teasing from Lillian.
---
Tristan didn't enjoy the reference to the King. His eyes hardened and he might have even spoken if he hadn't been distracted by Niamh's touch. Although it wasn't noticeable, all functions stopped and Tristan's body froze. He could simply watch as the fingertips that brushed his lips drifted down to his neck. The neck was a dangerous place to touch a wolf. As the male had told them before, no one who ever got into a wolven fight got scars on the soft flesh. If teeth ever managed to sink themselves into your neck, you were dead. Therefore, instinct told wolves contact to their neck meant danger, death. But Tristan foud this strong instinct easy to over-ride, as this gentle touch could not possibly be dagerous. It felt too good. Not even the scent of flowers could drown out her scent at this range. But Tristan was hungry. He could feel his will draining away with every passing second. It felt as if the acid in his stomach was eating away at him. She jerked her hand away then, and Tristan fought the surprising strong urge to snap at it. The wolf shifted, crouching on the balls of his feet, the rest of the watermelon already gone, the green outside dropping to the ground. " I'm going to hunt." He stood, walking away, his bare feet tracking soundlessly through the grass and wild flowers. Before either of them could protest he turned, light eyes watching and spoke, "Unless, of course, you would mind me taking a bit out of you." He Changed, moving swiftly to his other shape, shaking off the pain in his bones and taking off into the forest. His nose twitching, taking in the scents the creatures around him had to offer.
_________________________________________________________
Lillian's sigh was contented. "This place made the fall worth it." The femme looked over to see the Princess tracing over the wolf's lips. Lillian clearly didnn't understand the pair. Niamh, always flushing and pulling away from the wolf's devious contact, but now she was reaching out. It looked suspitiously like a game to Lillian. An intimate one. And the warrior couldn't say she particularly liked it. It didn't matter if the wolf hadn't attacked them yet, or Tristan seemed kinda nice. The fact remained he was a wolf. A dangerous wolf. Sal was in the hospital wing, tied down to his bed. When he wasn't screaming in his sleep he was moaning from his injuries, his shoulder seriously damaged. Heid's wing was tattered, the medical avians unsure of whether it would be permentant or not. Both guards might never be whole again. There was no doubt this wolf was as dangerous as they came. Lillian flinched as Niamh's fingers drifted to the wolf's throat, but Tristan did nothing. The twitch of his fingers gave him away though. Niamh's touch did not come with out effort for him, which only made the warrior unsure still. Before she could say or do anything, Niamh pulled away and the wolf was leaving. Lillian opened her mouth, but the wolf cut her off. She snorted, something sounding like "I'd like to see you try" muttered under her breath. She couldn't follow. She had to stay wih Niamh, and the warrior didn't feel like isking her life. Hunting wolves were dangerous wolves. They would chase and kill anything that ran. "Well we should leave him be, for now." Lillian, dropped the rind of her third slice of watermelon. "If we're lucky he might get lost...." Lillian rolled her golden eyes, shoving her silvery hair out of her face. She was half-joking and half ready to help him along on the lost thing. 'Stupid wolf,' she mentally pouted. 'Making me nervous.'
---
Hard. Dark. Dangerous. There were no other words to describe what lay within the depths of Tristan's eyes. The cunning and frivolous flirting that had, only moments before, lit their charming depths were no longer present. They disappeared behind a veil of darkness that captured every inch of the wolf's iris. A cold shiver swept through Niamh and she instinctively inched closer to Lilly; the bird inside her was suddenly frightened of the hungry creature that was before her. His words were hardly reassuring. Sadness lay heavily over her shoulders as Tristan suddenly changed and flitted away, leaving her wondering what it was she had done to provoke such a reaction. She softly took hold of a few strands of golden hair and twirled them nervously between her fingers. "I do not wish him to get lost." Whether the words were playful or not Niamh did not know, but in light of what had happened there was no humor glittering within her eyes. She glanced at guard with a chastising look before sweeping her gaze back to the path where Tristan had run off. Her heart slowed with remorse as Lilly's words played into her thoughts. Was it possible for a wolf to get lost? And if not, would he even come back? There was nothing stopping him from running off and never returning. Perhaps that was what he wanted all along; freedom. And what better way than to trick the princess and her guard into getting him out of the castle with them and into a hidden area of the forest? If he left them now he would be a free man. "I-I didn't mean to make him leave.." Her gentle voice cracked as her throat tightened. Something stung her eyes and she blinked, her vision growing blurry for only a moment before a tear fell down her porcelain cheek. "What if he doesn't come back?!" Niamh turned to Lilly now, pushing her golden hair over her shoulders and crawling frantically to her friend's side. Her hands were shaking as she reached out to take her friend's hand. "Lilly, please tell me he is coming back." Her chest ached. If Tristan left then they were stranded. Lillian was tough, a fine warrior, but without Tristan... And then there was that mysterious feeling that engulfed her heart. It was fleeting and quick, but it was crippling. The thought of his smile, his face, his eyes... the thought of never seeing them again... it was almost unbearable~ a feeling she asserted with her mother. Niamh swallowed hard as she searched Lillian's face. "Please." She already missed the wolf and the realization that he might not come back left her feeling more damaged than her father condemning her.
---
Lillian looked over at Niamh, alarmed by the melancholy edge to her voice. The 'look' the princess gave her did its job; she felt bad for saying he should get lost. Out loud at least. "He couldn't get lost if he tried. A wolf's sense of smell is incredible." But whatever Niamh was thinking, apparently it wasn't working, as the avian was soon so upset she shed tears. Lillian flitted over, gently resting her forearm along her mistress' back. "Niamh! don't cry! It'll be fine. If he doesn't come back in an hour or so I'll go track him down. 'Kay? And can you name anyone better than tracking than me?" She didn't give her time to answer."Of course you don't. I'm the best at everything remember?" Lillian faltered for a second, but continued. "He'll come back Niamh. Trust me, its not your fault. Actually...I think it because he was worried that he left. Hungry wolves are not nice wolves. He was just worried, Niamh. He'll come back. Don't worry" Lillian's outside was gentle. She patted her friend's shoulder, resting her temple on the princess' shoulder. But she was calculating. And condeming all stupid males to horrible fates. He'd better come back . But even she couldn't be sure. Truth be told, there was absolutely nothing holding him back, and at this point all Lillian could do was wait and plan out just how she was going to find this damn wolf. _________________________________________________________ Tristan launched himself through the forest, his frustration pouring through his paws, making him go faster. Frustration at his weakness. he needed this hunt, but he hated himself for it. But he couldn't think about it for long. As the scent of wild boar caught his attention, his wolf self took control and he surrendered himself to it, everything going blissfully black.
---
Niamh delved deep into the warmth of Lillian's side as her friend quickly moved to comfort her. The arm laying across her back did her in and she collapsed completely into the gentle crook of the other Avian's arm. The words that rushed from Lilly's mouth eased her mind, willing herself to believe that Tristan would indeed come back to them. She swallowed, the tears already drying up and no longer flowing from her eyes. Tristan was merely hungry. He left because he needed to, and he would come back as soon as he could. But the doubt still lingered in the back of her mind like some dagger taunting her, frightening her. She closed her eyes and fought the terrible thoughts of never seeing the wolf again. "He has an hour, then." Niamh's voice was soft, unwavering, as she pulled away. Any sign of tears vanished by this point and she gathered her strength. Warmth flowed back to her eyes and she forced herself to smile at Lillian. Her eyes swept over her friend's features and her heart eased, her shoulders suddenly not as heavy. That was the power Lillian held over her. No matter the situation, Lillian was able to calm her, comfort her, and make her feel safe. The love that she felt for Lilly was like nothing else, but purely platonic. Niamh bit at her lip as she breathed in and glanced around. "But what are we to do until the hour is up...?" They lacked books and art supplies and Niamh was without her sowing materials, so reading, painting and sewing was out of the question. Honey-glazed eyes fell upon the pink-stained petals of a group of flowers, and suddenly it hit her. Niamh gently squealed and turned to Lilly. "Let's make flower jewelery!"
---
As Niamh calmed, Lillian did too. There was no question that the warrior was tied to Niamh, that they had an unbreakable bond. Niamh was her sister in everything but blood. Nothing was too great a price if it meant Niamh could be safe and happy. "An hour then." Lillian smiled her great big smile. But the thought of what they would do for that hour also perplexed the avian. As Niamh went through the list of things they could do if they had the materials, one thing was beginning to grow alarmingly clear. For activities, they needed materials. And what material was in abundance in this clearing? Flowers. which could only mean....."Flower jewelery." Lillian sounded playfully unenthused. "I should fix my earlier statement. I'm the best at everything....except this." Lillian narrowed her eyes at the flowers and then sighed, knwoing exactly where this was going. "Alright then," she huffed,"Ill be your model." she rolled her eyes. She was always the model. Lillian got up, walked over to the nearest patch of flowers and sat with her arms outstreched and her eyes firmly closed. "Do your worst." ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Tristan came back after washing off all traces of his meal. He was full and content, the hunt taking no more than three quarters of an hour. He traced his own trail back to the flowery meadow, changing into his bipedal form beforehand. He really needed another shirt. Upon entering the meadow, his hazel eyes flickering around the sunlit place to find them. And what he saw made him stop in his tracks. "Wha-" What had gone on when he had left??
---
"Oh hush, Lilly." Niamh cooed as she giddily followed her friend to the patch of desirable flowers she had her eye on. She smiled sweetly with a slight roll of her eyes as she gently collapsed beside Lilly. "You always act like you don't enjoy being smothered with flowers, but I know you secretly like it. You are a girl, after all." Niamh cocked an eyebrow and examined Lillian before gently plucking her first flower. The petals were as white as a cloud but as they moved inward the colour turned, drastically. The inner part of the flower was a vibrant pink before deepening to something that looked chillingly like freshly spilled blood. The flower was a beauty; stunning, with a hint of danger. In a way, it reminded her of Lilly. "You don't fool me one bit." The petite Avian let her words fall on deaf ears as her fingers worked their way around the stem of the flower, an art she learned from her mother. The emotions she felt over Tristan's absence flowed through her arms and fingers as she plucked and molded the flowers to her will. Frustration. And the flowers were taking the blunt of the attack, Lilly her next victim. It wasn't long before...
_____________________________________________________________
She heard Tristan long before he ever talked. Niamh didn't spare a glance as she studied Lillian. The Avian was unrecognizable. Her hair was non-existent beneath a flowing veil of multi-colour flowers. A fine tiara sat atop the rainbow veil, fused only with yellow flowers. A living necklace lay strewn around her neck, every nimble finger wrapped with the smallest, blue flowers that were connected to form rings. Niamh's cheeks were puffed out with pure concentration as she worked on another piece, her hair tousled. Unlike the Avian warrior, her own body was untouched save for a simple ring of flowers that lay curtly atop her head like a sweet halo. "Tristan." Her quiet voice was filled with as much determination as her eyes as their golden depths flickered toward the wolf. "Sit." Niamh's eyes flickered to a lonely pile sitting beside Lillian. Tristan's pile. Payback for him leaving. It would teach him, right?
---
Lillian had closed her eyes, determined to remain rigid for the duration of this torture, but she found it wouldn't be so. She relaxed under the gentle ministrations of her friend, enduring the occational hair tugs. It was clear she would be decorated until the wolf came back, as she felt the 10th ring being tied around her finger. "You know," Lillian had opened one of her golden eyes just a crack, grin on her face. "I think you're probably the most dangerous thing out here at the moment." The avian giggled, carefully trying not to disturb her new, flowery hair. not soon after, the wolf appeared, much sooner than she could've hoped. Niamh's demand made Lillian want to laugh but suddenly she feared the wolf would disappear again and Lillian would be subject to sitting her for the rest of the hour. "If you even think of running I will hunt you down like the dog you are." Lillian, as per usual, was hiding distress behind threats. she wasn't sure if it was working ___________________________________________________________ The female warrior was covered in flowers from head to foot. Flowers everywhere. If Tristan wasn't so shell-shocked he would've laughed until he broke something. Death by laughter was also another possibility. But it was too late for that now. Niamh had spotted him, and there was something in his eyes that made him feel wary. He paused after her command, but then the flower-laden Lillian spoke up. Tristan couldn't help the small chuckle. "Sure thing, Lily." The wolf rolled his eyes even as he moved forward. He was full ad warm, his body almost drowsy. He sat docilely, settling his larger frame next to the females, looking all arms and legs as he hunched, looking at what Niamh was doing. "You've been busy." His voice was low and muted, his eyes -green in the sunlight- meeting her's, calm and collective. He was under control of his other self once more.
|
|
|
Post by Squish|Flint on Aug 29, 2010 22:22:34 GMT -5
"My mother taught me this when I was younger." Niamh spoke softly as she finished her flowery project. A necklace, similar to Lillian's. She leaned out toward Tristan and slipped it over his head, immediately calmed by his presence as well as the tone in his voice. The way he spoke, body and voice, told her he felt better~ and that made her glad. But the real happiness, which she held inside with him showing, started to leak through with his mere presence. "It's soothing, relaxing. It's hard to think about things while handling the flowers. They're so delicate, the slightest movement could break the chain. You need a blank mind. It's hard to be angry or upset, because you're handling such fragile material." Niamh swallowed and paused as she reached for her flower pile. "I was neither, I assure you." A small smile, warm and gentle on her pink lips, lit her face and sparked the honey depths of her eyes. She studied Tristan's face before resting on his eyes. She ignored the small flutter in her chest. "I.. was worried." Niamh bowed her head before taking another ring of flowers, smaller than the one she held previously, and set it gently atop Tristan's head. "I kept telling myself you were coming back... but.. I didn't think... I was scared I wouldn't.." The smile fell slowly from her lips as she leaned back and searched Tristan's eyes; for what she didn't know, but she was looking, and it bothered her. Niamh blinked and shook her head, a hesitant giggle flowing from her chest before she turned to Lillian. "Thank you for amusing me, Lilly. You can take the flowers off if you wish. But you do look so beautiful! I wish you could see." She dared a glance at Tristan; the flowers were out of place and stood out among his rigid, locked arms and legs and hunched form. The sight was almost endearing, and if she was frustrated with him before then she couldn't remember why. He was.. cute. And she once more felt safe.
---
Tristan was caught off guard by her movement. She wasn't really going to...... He looked down at the ring of flowers that had been placed around his neck. It was as if he'd aquired some flowery growth, so unnatural looking against his hard, tanned body. He looked up as she started speaking again, slight bewilderment in his eyes. He listened though. She was worried? Why should she worry? His silent questions were answered soon enough though. Tristan's mind blank. Run away? The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. And that was perplexing. How could he have forgotten he was a prisoner? One that could've simply ran away. He felt so stupid. Yet again he had missed an opporunity. Opportunity he keeped missing. There was nothing stopping him from taking off right now. The avians were fast, but this was his advantage. Even if he wason the wrong side of the border, the forest was his home. She leaned away, golden orbs meeting his. His gaze would hold nothing but distance and confusion. "Sorry for worrying you, then." He met her gaze again, the crown of flowers slipping, the one side flopping into his eye, forcing it shut. He brushed it out of the way, his swift fingers skillful and gentle, not damaging even one petal. The air seemed to lighten a bit at the mention of the living flower tribute to his other side. "Ah yes, Lillian." The wolf's regular tone had returned, bitingly sarcastic and careless. "As beautiful as a bouquet." He grinned even as his crown slipped again, making him look like some devilish flower goblin. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Lillian grit her teeth at the wolf's pun but didn't say anything as Niamh was already speaking. It broke her heart to see Niamh worring over some rotten wolf, but the dog had at least the common sense to look like he regretted it. But she remained silent. when she was finally addressed, Lillian straightened, shaking a bit, a shower of flower petals floating around her sharp face. only a handful of flowers remained in her silver hair, her tiara still intact. Five rings -spread over both hands- remained from the original ten. Her neckalace remained untouched. "There." she said, rolling her shoulder. "I should look relatively humaniod by now." The warrior grinned, flower petals still sporadically dropping from her hair. she glowered at the wolf, who looked absurd with his flower accesories. "Oh shut it, dog. Or maybe I'll make you a leash out of flowers as well?" she was bluffing, of course. It was already said she could do nothing of the sort. But tristan didn't have to know that. "Not that you need it, of course." The last part was said in a low whisper, to quiet for even her to hear. She knew the wolf would though, and she smirked, looking like a cruel flower princess. "What shall we do now? Sunset will be upon us soon." It was true. The trio had spent the whole day loosing themselves in frivolous activities.
---
Niamh sighed with content as she stood and stretched, not truly paying attention to Tristan and Lillian as they spoke. Tristan was back and she felt comfortable and safe; it seemed a more than opportune time for the day's turmoil to finally settle upon her. Exhaustion fluttered down every limb, tingling her fingers and laying heavily upon her eyelids. A soft sigh parted her lips and she closed her eyes and brought a hand to her forehead before forcing her eyes to open. Lillian's last words caught her attention. Sunset. Fingers of golden light stretched through the branches and leaves of the surrounding trees, but they were the last of the day. It wouldn't be long until the sun slipped behind the horizon and settled in for the night, allowing the moon to rise from his bed. "It's been a long day." The small Avian mused staring off into the last light of day. "I think I may sleep... but..." She glanced around, frowning. "W-where exactly are we going to sleep?" Of course, she wasn't expecting a bed like she had back in her room, and her question may have come off that way, but they hadn't paid attention to the sleeping details all day.
---
Tristan watched as Niamh began to show signs of drooping, wilting in the wake of drowsiness. It was almost comical, the way she tried to fight off the inexorable sleepiness she must have felt. He stiffened at the warrior's whispered words, having to fight back a snarl. Stupid bird. Niamh spoke, seemingly in a trance. Tristan inclined his head, agreeing to her words. It had indeed been a long day. It appeared the avians hadn't thought as far ahead as sleeping arrangements. Tristan, of course, was fine. He could sleep anywhere. "Over there." He pointed to a patch of plain looking, silvery-green plants not far from where they stood. "Lamb's Ear should make suitable bedding. " They used it in the nursuries to protect the pups soft feet. The flowery crown fell into his eyes yet again, making him scowl, which was ruined, of course, by the pink petals covering his eyes. _________________________________________________________ Lillian stuck her tongue out at the wolf. Stupid mutt. But niamh had posed a very good question, one Lillian didn't have the answer to. Sure, escape to the awesome meadow and then what? Go back to the castle to borrow the beds? Smooth Lily. Smooth. The delimma was solved by Tristan, who pointed to some plant or other. Figures. Stupid mutt and his stupid forest. The warrior slunk over to the large patch of leaves and bend, grabbing a hold of one of the plain, green plants. "Oooo....soft." Lillian flopped down immediatly, her sharp face nuzzling the velveteen leaves. "Niamh sleeps with me. " Lillian glared at the wolf, as if his presence alone could corrupt Niamh's innocence.....which it probably could. "Come on Niamh....Did you just want to sleep on them like this or make a big giant pile?" Lillian plucked one of the leafs, rubbing it between her fingers, the soft fur covering the plant smoothing over her pale skin.
---
At this point, Niamh could have cared less if Tristan pointed out a pile of sticks and stones. She would have laid upon the pile and would have enjoyed it. Her body screamed for her to sit and take a rest, her eyes begged to shut, so she more than willingly shambled toward Lillian as the other Avian flopped down upon an interesting pile of plants. Her eyes drifted in and out of focus, as did her mind. Lillian's words fell on deaf ears. What had her friend said? Niamh made a face, as if tasting something truly awful, and shook her head. Dainty fingers gently came to rest on her forehead as she closed her eyes and shrugged, only guessing as to what Lillian had said. "Sure. That sounds like a great idea." The words seemed sharper than she had meant, colder and straightforward. Niamh felt a jolt of regret, and she strained to smile at her friend as if to say 'whatever your heart desires'.
---
Lillian watched as Niamh tottered over to where she lay and flop down next to her. The warrior watched her struggle to make words and had to fight off the laughter. Her friend was very tired, that much she could tell. She had gone through a very emotionally and physically straining day. It would be cruel to keep her awake any longer. The sleepless night and stressful morning had caught up with the avian warrior and she gave a weary sigh. "Sleep, Niamh. We're safe here." With that, the warrior drew her snowy wings around her, blanketing herself with downy feathers before sinking into oblivion. _______________________________________________________ Tristan watched both avian females stumble towards the Lamb's Ear, both looking groggy and worse for wear. Tristan also felt the weariness settle into his bones. He shifted into his wolf form, numb to the pain. He padded closer to the females and lay down about ten feet away, eyes brown in the darkness. They watched the avian warrior drop into unconsciousness fairly easily. Humph. So much for the guard. But he didn't blame her. It was safe here. Not many things foolishly attacked a place were a wolf rested. Especially not where Tristan lay. The wolf gave an animal yawn before closing his eyes, easily settling into sleep. -----What seemed like only minutes later, Tristan woke, stirred by some sort of noise. The meadow was bathed in darkness but the wolf could see fine with the silvery light the moon offered through the foliage. The wolf shifted his head to the two slumbering females, his alert eyes showing no signs of the sleepiness he had felt before. This was his time. The night was a wolf's domain. But a scent that drifted on the wind toward him made him think back, and wonder if a little avian female would want to share this darker domain with him. He shifted into his humn form and slunk closer to the females, still on his hands and knees. He reached forward, gently brushing his knuckled against her cheek, pushing the golden hair out of her face. "Hey. Wake up Princess." He whispered, his fingertips drifting down her neck and softly gripped her shoulder. "Come on now, wake up. Don't be a party-pooper." Tristan lowered his head, his lips at her ear," Wake up, Niamh."
---
Niamh needed no further coaxing as Lillian urged her to sleep. She nuzzled closer to her friend's side and drew in a short breath before closing her eyes and finally granting her body the sleep it so strongly craved. It was pure bliss, like nothing she had ever felt. She never felt such extreme exhaustion before in her life, but at the same time she had never felt what it was truly like to sleep. Sleep before seemed so.. simple. It wasn't until now that she realized she had taken sleep for granted. The darkness that had slipped over her so quickly was interrupted with vivid colours; melting brown, like burnt honey, and swirling blue, like the raging ocean tides. It was as if she were running through an endless fog of shifting colour, until she found herself in a place she knew well. The faint smell of roses drifted to her nose, tainted with the scent of moist rock. The fog had settled, exposing her mother's garden. The stone bench and the stone wall surrounding it... the scene looked so real. But the feeling of safety that usually greeted her was replaced by fear. Don't turn around. Niamh closed her eyes. She was dreaming, she knew she was. Leave. And yet she stayed, not able to wake herself. Was she, then, not dreaming? Leave now. Despite the warning jolting through her body, Niamh opened her eyes and turned around. Her heart stopped. "Father." But it was not her father. Sharp, mangled and terrifying teeth filled the man's mouth~ he was grinning at her. It resembled her father. His height, his face, his eyes. But a coldness settled over him, even as he smiled at her. Nimah willed herself to wake. Before she had time to register what was happening, he leaped at her~ teeth met the delicate skin of her neck, even as she threw her hands up to guard herself.
It was the scream, however, that woke her. The sharp pain that seemed so real was slowly fading, but the man's body still remained. He had her. He was real. Blood raged through her ears as her heart hammered within her chest and she whimpered out of fright. Her hands worked faster than her mind and she reached out toward the face that hid behind the dark, slapping the figure that stood over her as her legs moved out to kick.
---
Tristan was startled by the whimpers. Was the Princess having a nightmare? His heart stopped at her scream. before he could react, though, she lashed out suddenly, her hand swiping across his cheek. The wolf was startled, instinctively grabbing the hand. Her legs began to rise, and Tristan moved, the same instincts prodding him to restrain the possible threat. He moved ontop of her, straddling her waist so flailing legs were of no issue. His large hand easily grasped her smaller wrists, and his other went to gently, but firmly cover her mouth. "Hey. Calm down, Niamh. Wake up. You're okay now. You're safe now. Wake up Princess. It was just a dream. Come on now. His face hovered anxiously above hers, brown eyes calm, but worried. His voice was reassuring and quiet, not once raising an octave. "You awake now? You alright?" __________________________________________________________ Lillian was having the most wonderful dream, though she couldn't particularly remember why it was so wonderful. Just swirling colours drifting round the back of her eyelids.. something about a water melon. Something jolted through her body. Something fimiliar, nearly rousing er from her dead-sleep. Danger? No....no danger. No danger.....Lilian clutched her wings tighter to her body, soft, peaceful sighed escaping from her.
---
A hand quickly whisked her efforts to defend herself away as the body moved swiftly on top of hers, rendering her legs useless. She was done for, there was nothing more she could do; Lillian made not a sound all the while, staying blissfully asleep. She whimpered against the hand, but it was muted. Niamh's golden eyes pleaded with the figure above her, the worst images possible flashing through her mind with what was to come. All fear dissipated, however, as the soft, deep of Tristan filled her ears. Her nerves quickly calmed as he spoke, confusion instead flooding her mind. Why was he on top of her? Why was he restraining her? And better yet, why had he been touching her before she had even woken? Unclouded, she was able to make out his brown eyes and features. She felt stupid, how could she have not realized it was Tristan? The avian gently nodded under the wolf in answer to his questions, hoping he would free her from his grip and allow her to speak.
---
Tristan watched as the avian wriggled futilely under his grasp. He waited until the cloud of the nightmare had vanished from her honey-tinted eyes. He remained still andunmoving until she nodded her head, lips brushing against his palm. He removed himself from her, crouching on the ground next to her, eyes carefully watching. "Are you alright?" He kept his voice soft, mindful of the avian warrior beside her. not that it seemed to matter any. It didn't seem like a falling tree ould wake her up. She must have been dead-tired. "Your guard worries about you." Tristan comment was random, but well-placed. Niamh could probaly use som reassurance right now, and what better than to remind her of the people who so obviously cared? The wolf pondered, idlely toying the idea of poking the warrior with a stick to see if it would rouse her, but common sense and an avian princess kept him from doing anything too reckless. "Do you need a second? Think you're up to a little midnight stroll?" Tristan bared his white teeth in a sly grin. "I promise it'll be worth your while, Princess." The male scooted away a bit, beckoning with a finger. "Come on Princess. You can't tell me you're not curious." Tristan's voice went even lower with the next sentence, darkness touching his tone and his form as he edged closer to the forest. "Come. Let me show you the world as I see it. The world of Wolves." A dark and mysterious world indeed, one not too many avians got to see and enjoy. To see and live, for that matter.
that's all for now ^.^;;
|
|