after supper walk a mile

Gabriel de le Poer · 01-25-2010, 01:42 AM

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Word Count: 530

In Character

She didn’t know how to hunt. This concept was alien to him, and one that made Gabriel wonder exactly what had been going on in her southern home. Still, he was pleased to hear that she was okay, which meant that even though he had a cut on his side he wouldn’t have to explain to his mother as to why her woman-child had ended up being killed by a deer, of all things. It was a cruel thought, but a smile danced across his face, wondering just how Kaena would take such news. Well, it didn’t matter—they had survived, they had food, and he had a better understanding of just how pathetic his mother’s ward really was.

“No, it’s not your fault,” he said quickly, sighing and shaking his head nearly dumbfounded. “You really,” he continued, pushing himself to his feet with a grunt. “Need to speak up more. I didn’t know.” Had he, there would have been little point in taking her. Despite her ignorance, she had performed well until the end. They had been incredibly lucky; if she or he had been seriously injured hunting, he would have been furious. Inferni could not afford anyone to be out of commission, even someone who barely knew how to hunt. Despite the fact he ached all over, there was no way Gabriel would be able to drag the deer back to Kaena’s den with his teeth alone. Holding his breath, the Aquila began to shift to his Optime form. It was a slow process, and as he did so, the ache in his shoulder and the cut on his side both twisted and screamed out in pain. Gabriel exhaled, and grimaced as his side began to bleed more openly.

Staggering up to his feet, the coy-wolf bent over, grabbing the doe by her hind legs. He had no doubt that Vieira would follow him if he began walking, so he did not stop to ask her to follow. Pulling the deer down to the flat section of the area around them, he squatted down and gripped the legs of their prey, lifting it over his shoulders as one might carry a calf. The journey back to the caves was slow going, because even though the deer was skinny, the weight felt horrible against his aching shoulder. Still, Gabriel refused to let his be apparent, and walked on with only the faintest grunts to indicate he felt any pain at all. The wound on his side stopped bleeding, but his fur remained stained with a darkening reddish brown. It was not major, and by all accounts if not for the smell and the fact his fur was matted, it might have passed for his much darker top coat.

As they neared the caves, Gabriel slowed, finally, and stopped to speak. “Go tell Kaena to come help me,” he said, and slid the deer off of his shoulders and onto the snowy ground. It had been far too much, and his shoulder screamed with each moment. Once his mother made it out and to him, they could both drag the carcass up and take care of it inside her den.

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