we were made to never fall away

Gabriel de le Poer · 10-26-2010, 10:51 PM

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private. backdated to july 15th

For two days, he had worked.

He had taken time to wash the demon’s blood from his fur, but he could not rid himself of the smell of smoke. Gabriel’s eyes were hollow and focused ahead. The wounds on his face had finally stopped bleeding. They would scar. This was perhaps appropriate. He had to be reminded of his mistakes. This was the way of things, as it had been since the day he had gone to Scintilla.

In one hand he grasped a still bloody trophy, carrying it tightly. There was purpose in this action, just as there had been purpose in the fire. Gabriel made his way towards the caves and sought his mother’s home. He lingered in the doorway, swaying as he did so, and called for her with a low and wordless noise. It was an odd, child-like thing. He had not made a noise like it since he was a boy.

Kaena Lykoi · 10-26-2010, 11:01 PM

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The coyote woman had known only sleep these last few days, drifting in and out of consciousness. She had hardly eaten anything, unable to so much as hunt for herself. Halo had brought her food over the past few days, but even those visits were terse and quiet. Kaena thought once or twice Halo might even chide her for her actions, but no such reprimand came; instead, the coyote woman had been allowed to peacefully drift back to sleep, and when she next groggily awoke, Halo was gone. Maybe it was luck that the silver-shaded woman was awake when that noise echoed through her usually quiet cave. She stood up slowly, limping her way to the entrance of the cave. Her yellow-golden eye peered at Gabriel, her eyes drawn to the marks along his face and his body, then down along his arm, peering at the trophy he clutched there. She did not need to ask what it was. Her silence was neither fearful nor reverent; there was simple exhaustion shown in her one-eyed face, drooping limbs and fresh wounds of her own to display. The glory had not been hers, and this jaw was symbolic of that. Whatever monstrosity he had been was no more, and it was Gabriel who had been the one to pierce his heart.

thanks to james for the header image

Gabriel de le Poer · 10-26-2010, 11:11 PM

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He did not come for her praise. He did not come to show her she was weak. He had come for the same reason his father had come to her all those years ago. There was power in the death of an enemy, and power in taking their flesh and bone. Tendrils of black hair obscured his face, though his eyes—her eyes—burned behind them for as hollow as they were.

Gabriel had not felt anything since he had burnt Haku’s heart.

If there were words, he did not know them. The coy-wolf held out his hand. It had to be enough. He did not know what more he could do for her.

Kaena Lykoi · 10-26-2010, 11:29 PM

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The scarred coyote understood what he offered, and in that moment she did not want to touch the jawbone. She did not want contact with it; residual power coursed through those teeth. They had touched her flesh before, burned and seared it and made it bleed. She hesitated a long moment, and took the thing. It was dead and cold in her hand; nothing stirred within it and nothing stirred within her. She looked at it with her tired eyes, and then set it down, pushing it aside. There was too much exhaustion and not enough energy within her to feel even pride for this victory; she could only bring herself to care that her eldest son still stood. The silver-shaded Centurion stepped forward and put her arm around him, holding him in a loose, careful hug. She did not want to jostle his wounds or have her own bumped; she laid her head on his shoulder, sighing heavily. There was no sweetness to be held in this victory, anyway—they had both been alive long enough to know by now that another monster would always step up to take Haku's place.

thanks to james for the header image

Gabriel de le Poer · 10-26-2010, 11:43 PM

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Her movements were slow and full of pain. He realized then how old his mother actually was and wondered how long it would be until death came for her. She had escaped it for so long, but there was always another trial on the horizon. He thought of his son, and his daughter, and he thought of the pain that they too had felt. It was cruel that their family should be so cursed.

She cast aside the dead thing and came to him. Though his face did not change, he shut his eyes and rested his chin atop her head. With their enemy finally destroyed all that remained was the crevice he had carved into their lives.

That emptiness was bitter.

Kaena Lykoi · 10-26-2010, 11:54 PM

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derp

The silver-shaded coyote had not asked for Gabriel and his siblings; she had not even wanted them, not immediately. She had believed she was doomed to failure in motherhood, and more than anything, she was afraid of another Kerberos, another Maeryn. Something had changed with this litter, though—she had been able to change for her family. It was as if there was a divider in her life, separating who she was before them and who she was after them. It was the largest of such divides in her life, to be certain—no other thing had provoked such a whole and complete transformation from the scarred woman.

She doubted herself more than ever, now—her strength was nothing compared to what it was, and her old bones were lucky to still have their fleshy encasing. Gabriel was not so young, either; he deserved a subleader of more resilience. She might have had a mind for this position, and a natural inclination to serve where she was, but the silver-shaded coyote did not know that she was quite so capable anymore. Certainly, she could not have lead them if he was to die or leave. The first coyote with a drive for the Aquila position and the strength to take it would probably be able to. She would not fight again.

The soft weight of his chin against her head did not disturb her, and her yellow-golden eye roamed once more to the jawbone, pearly white and still with a vaguely pinkish film clinging to it in places. Those sharp, yellowed teeth still formed their half-grin back at her.

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