If Not For You

Anu · 04-18-2010, 11:55 PM

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WARNING This thread contains: graphic sexual content, graphic violence, or extremely offensive material starting with the second page of posts. Reader discretion is advised.

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There was something that made Anu wander. It was in her blood, in her past and wrapped up in the memories of old. But it had been almost two years since she ventured away, and never had she stayed so long in one place with one pack. She had lived in Jaded Shadows, and left only to return that the familiar mountain a year later. This was where she would live until the end of her days, along side the wolves of Crimson Dreams. Never had she felt so cemented in one place, and never had she wished stay planted in one spot. But she was ingrained, and only roamed as far as her roots would allow.

The ties she wore to her Dreaming home stretched out into the eastern lands, rounding Dahlia and giving the territory plenty of room to breathe. Her mind was still weary of it, not knowing of the truce that had come between the to warring packs. News and knowledge of the wellbeing of the coyote clan was her initial purpose, but she sought the company of one in particular. It had been too long in her water-hued eyes, and a knot built in her gut as she neared the Inferni border that she had grown used to.

When it appeared there was nothing of the familiar landscape, and at the sight of the charred earth Anu walked freely into a territory she had never fully stepped upon. It was burned, blackened in places where green life would have flourished. The rain had settled the soot, but she knew well what the destruction of fire could do. Her reaction was unnatural, and instead of retreating home to where her comfort lay the female moved quickly and fluidly over the broken wasteland. There was determination on her face, and yet beneath it she had crumbled, her calm nothing but shambles and a rolling wave of emotion that fought to pierce her surface.

The clouds above hid all notion of the Sun, being night more quickly and casting a shadow over the world. If it had not been for the scent Anu wouldn’t have noticed, the fallen remains of another cast in the undergrowth that had survived whatever destruction had been laid upon her friend’s home. A hand went to her mouth, covering it as her panic banged at the door of her features. Who or what it might be was unrecognizable, but whatever it was it was dead and had been for some time.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-19-2010, 12:13 AM

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Even though the fire had been long gone, the scent of smoke and ash clung to Inferni as Gabriel knew it would until the rain washed the soot away. He was certain of this because he had seen it before. Twice, in great mass, and once on a much smaller scale. The gamble of burning Haku and Dahlia alive had not paid off—though in the long run it had, sending the pack against their blue-eyed leader and banishing him from his thrown. A boy led now, one that Gabriel believed would know better then to come near Inferni. Haku might have survived their assaults, but a child would not.

Though their borders had moved, Gabriel still passed near the charred corner of the Waste as he did his patrols. Every day he would see the scorched earth at least twice, and it reinforced the need within him. Haku had to be found, and he had to be destroyed. Now that the war had ended, Gabriel was slowly loosening himself from Inferni’s lands. Anselm had made a point to stay within the borders as much as possible, and having him there reassured Gabriel enough.

He was traveling east along the marked border, long limbs carrying him at an easy gate. In the weeks since the last battle, all of his wounds had begun to heal. More then this, his presence had changed. Weight had lifted from his shoulders, and he had begun sleeping better. Though a shadow—more specifically, his shadow—still haunted him, the Aquila did not focus on this. If he did, it would destroy him. Destiny would draw them together soon enough; of this, Gabriel had no doubt.

A figure appeared in the distance, standing at odds with the ruined landscape. This puzzled the dark faced man, who quickened his pace. It was obviously a woman, and being upwind, Gabriel could not tell for certain who it was. Once her face became clear, an exasperated sigh escaped his chest. “Anu!” He called out, lifting his head and drawing closer. “What in God’s name are you doing here?” He asked sharply, though there was no anger in his voice.

Anu · 04-19-2010, 12:32 AM

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Who was it? Anu would never know. She should be home, she should be in a place that’s warmth and reassurance wrapped it self around her like a heavy blanket. Not in the cold and the open air of this place. It was too distant, the trees and the plants seemed beyond her reach and she felt alone in such a barren landscape. The bones, and what ever else was left haunted her. They came to her blue eyes and broke the hard look that her determination to find Gabriel had given her. It wasn’t him, and it wasn’t Haku either.

Anu felt trapped, locked in place. Her feet rooted to a new home and she did not want it, as she loved Crimson Dreams. It filled all of her senses, clouded her mind and when a voice came to her she did not hear it at first. His scent did not even pass the barrier that the old faceless corpse had created. Then, the question. Anu turned to see the black accented features of the Aquila, his voice felt heavy in her ears, and they turned backwards at the weight.

He stood before her, so obviously alive. He had told her not to fear, not to worry and that anything would happen to him or the clan he lived to protect. Anu had said she would trust him, yet that had faltered. She could see the changes in him, as small as they were. Eyes like water washed over his face, and relief filled her gaze. Allowing herself to feel it fully also brought the wave of emotion that she had fought to protect herself against. The panic, the fear, and the sorrow at sight of the maimed creature who was nameless and unknown and still Anu felt the need to cry for them. She held them back.

I came looking for you. she breathed.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-19-2010, 12:48 AM

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The ground had changed here. Gabriel, who had long ago turned his ears deaf to the earth, could sense this. It was heavy and pulled the weight of the air down. Air that still, even now, crawled into his throat and nose and filled his head with soot. Rain would wash this away, but it could not come soon enough. This he could sense, in that heavy air, and he prayed that one more storm would be enough. Anything to get rid of the stench.

Gabriel’s eyes bored into her face, but it was like staring into the ocean. He saw a thousand emotions, saw her shift and waiver, and he knew then he had made a mistake. The tone he had used was wrong, and his ears turned back suddenly, like a child. It hurt him to be so oafish when here before him was a woman as fragile and shimmering as glass. Suddenly, he became aware of the world around him, and spared a glance to the corpse that had been left for the elements. His feet moved, placing himself between this image and her, as if to be a shield.

Certainly, this he could try and be. “You found me,” he teased gently, sensing the distress in her body. “I told you not to worry.” But, like the sea, he doubted he had any control over her.

Anu · 04-19-2010, 01:04 AM

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A swift wind rolled over the landscape. No trees were planted here to catch the gust and shield them from it. But Anu did not feel its touch. His swift movement blocked the hold that the laying figure tried to confine her in, and the Dreamer instantly felt the security that was never far when in his presence. The wind, the shift in the air and the pressure went unnoticed and Anu watched him greedily. His words were different, his tone seemed to remember her and she came into light before him. It was softer, and though seemingly unnatural to escape his mouth in another’s ears it was the only way Anu thought of him.

She was silent for a moment, simply taking it in. She was always transparent, and in front of the Inferni leader she felt no different and even more stripped and open for him to see. I’m still learning how not to worry over you. She responded, a small smile flickering to life upon her face. There was a sudden urge to embrace him, to know that he was real and not the same sort of thing that lay beyond his form that moved and haunted her so easily. But she was frozen in place. What happened here? she asked, not caring how long or detailed the answer would be. Anything, she would be easily satisfied now. Unlike before, she would believe everything he told her.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-19-2010, 11:36 AM

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His bones and muscles felt heavy. Perhaps it was not just the air here, but the weight of the days. War was over, and it had been ended, but something about this area brought this back. Gabriel looked better then he had, but there was no doubt that months of conflict had taken a toll on the Aquila. The luster in his dark fur had faded. Only his eyes remained as fierce and bright as they had been.

The woman before him was a moonbeam, a trick of the light. She was too soft, too fragile. The Waste, the scarred earth, it was at odds against her. Everything outside of that forest of her’s was too dangerous and too sharp. Anu was made of soft lines and softer colors, and he did not believe that her being would survive here. Instinctively, he believed it was his duty to protect her. The Sun she worshiped was hidden behind thick storm clouds, black and gray and blue, and it would not grant her light. Even now, above them, the turbulent clouds rolled. The air smelt like rain and in the distance he could hear thunder.

It was her voice that drew him back from the cold wind. Both ears swiveled to a black crown atop his head, and his face darkened tremendously. “Haku,” he nearly spat. “He wants to destroy us. We were lucky the fire burnt out where it did.” A gesture with his head to the north. “Most of the clan lives just over that ridge, up in the caves.”

Anu · 04-19-2010, 06:04 PM

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Her strait shoulder cropped mane ruffled in the passing winds, The cold chill of the north finally hitting the back of her neck. She felt a small urge to look to the sky, to see if the shift clouds would give any sight to the god above, a peak at the warmth that she so desperately desired in the barren Waste. She understood why she had never demanded entrance here, only skirting the outer rim and leaving with a polite escort more then once. But he had drawn her in, the need for him and the connection that they held had pulled her further out of her comfort zone then she could ever remember. Still, she didn't feel out of place. Not entirely.

His tone grounded her, centering her back into this world and to a place that she had never belong to. Not before meeting him. Dahlia still hunts you? She spoke with a soft, even tone. But it was not the same panic. She was learning, and something he owned, a piece of him she could not place or picture, taught her. Haku had done this, as he had done so much to the lives around her, as to her own. She hated him, as much as Anu could ever hate another. It was an ugly side of her, bitter and one that she did not change into now. When she thought of the blue eyed creature, his features distorted by her fear and her hatred the wolf looked nothing like his true self. Anu saw beyond the facade, she saw the monster. Yet she could not reach to it, a veil of lack lust brown and black shielded her. The haunting never drawing to close. Your borders have shifted, but you look well. She stated something quiet obvious, but at the same instance something perhaps a bit sporadic.

Eyes danced over him, and her thoughts flitted and she smiled for a brief moment. Thinking something, something odd that Anu could not express. But as fleeting as was to arrive, with her smile it was gone in a passing second.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-20-2010, 01:52 PM

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There was no sun and no warmth for her here. Scarred as the land was, it was impossible to remember anything had ever grown there. Certainly in their northern territories there was beauty—there was something hidden amongst the mountains and the jagged ridges that made this land beautiful. In the time since the war had begun, Gabriel had seen no beauty in the world. All he could see was the path before him, and that road had been drenched in blood.

A sharpness came into his eyes, and his dark face tightened. She was not supposed to be here. She, like his sister, would be destroyed in this land. Behind him, there was certain proof of that. Gabriel had seen the bastard burning as he had run after Haku, but he had not considered the truth of the matter for a long time after. One more wolf dead meant nothing. It was a brutality that lived in Gabriel, one that demanded he raise those walls and turn to stone. Anu did not believe this in him, and with her standing before him, Gabriel believed that maybe she was right. “He hunts alone,” the Aquila explained. “His son ousted him before we could kill the bastard.”

Inhaling the cold air, a heavy sigh escaped his chest, and the corners of his mouth pulled up to mimic her own smile. “I told you,” he said shortly, though his voice was warm.

Anu · 04-20-2010, 07:28 PM

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She was as soft and supple as he was rugged and course. Their differences, the cool calm of her eyes, the bright fire of his, the obvious marks of war upon his body, her hidden unknown scars; they knew no end. And still the two were fated to meet, and with a power unknown meant to be linked in a small yet powerful way. For Anu it was easy to draw him into the small circle of those that she cared for, and he was held closer to her heart then she would ever know. Even with the apprehension she had felt the first time she had found in him in her lands, there was none of that doubtful shadow left in her thoughts when he came her mind.

His news was not pleasant, but the female had come to expect that the things he reported would not be full of joy. It was simply not the life that his clan lived. But it was a small victory, she could make herself believe. To know that Haku no longer ran with an army but alone and weakened. Consciously she didn't know Haku's son, Conor had never exposed that truth to Anu. But if she could see the young male, his cinnamon coat and light lavender eyes filled with the love that he had for someone secret, as alpha Anu would be proud of him and hopeful for the Dahlians. Haku's death had yet to be fulfilled, the curse hit her ears hard, turning them backwards for an instance. She felt the hate Gabriel felt course through the air around them. Still, as misplaced as she might have been Anu felt his strength and took it to use as her own. Hopeful, believing, He'll be weak without his pack. she spoke and felt as truth. They were all weaker alone, every wolf, coyote.

Can we walk? She asked, feeling the presence of the fallen beast beyond Gabriel's body. Blue orbs flickered beyond him, growing soft and fluid. How ever safe she felt in his company Anu was not immune to the corpse that's mangled limbs and face would stay in her memory for some time. Anu could not remember the last lifeless canine she had seen.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-22-2010, 10:01 PM

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Soon, and very soon now, Gabriel would leave Inferni and find his enemy. It would not be in the way he wished, and it would not be pleasant. One step closer would be enough to move him forward, down that path soaked in blood and misery. Things had quieted, but they would never be quiet long enough. A constant battle existed as so long as there were those in the world that craved power. After all, that was all that drove the deeds of such men. Gabriel understood this because he was such a man. He could recall the sensation of bone cracking under his hands. He could intoxicate himself with the sound, Oh God, that sound—

Her voice pulled him away from that dark place of his mind, pulled his eyes out from inside and back onto her face. There was age there now, as if she too had felt the weight of days. Certainly, he felt older. An eon must have passed to bring them to summer. The dead man behind him could have been fossilized, uncovered by the fire. Those hollow sockets bore into his back, but Gabriel did not feel them. He gave no power to the dead, and never had. Still, he did not intend to leave his companion uncomfortable, and nodded quickly. A gesture put them in motion, Gabriel at her side like a faithful dog of long lost yesteryears. “Despite its name,” he said, leading her further past their borders. “The Waste isn’t as horrible as people think.” Sure enough, acres of tall grass spread out before them, swaying in the cold wind. Above, the storm clouds continued to toss and turn, making the sky seem large and full, pressing down on them.

Anu · 04-22-2010, 11:11 PM

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In the confides of her pack lands Anu had feared Haku would find her, would find the woman she had come to so easily love. He had followed her everywhere she went, never far from her thoughts. This was where Haku ran from, this was where he no longer plagued her. Anu had thought it was opposite, seeing Gabriel as one that carried Haku so closely and her own light and life out of place in the desolate atmosphere. But Anu was safe, the plague gone at last. She had feared for him so deeply that she had been blind to the feeling, a feeling of freedom.

Quickly and without question the doggish male turned at her small request. She did not wish to disturb the beast, whom ever it was and what ever side they had fought upon, from its eternal rest at last. Anu hoped it have been a quick and painless death, as she prayed for all beasts. The silver and tan wolfess walked beside him, poised in a form she had never been in while in his company. Eyes looked from his face to the lands that spread out before them. Blue gazed danced over it, taking in differently now that he spoke of it in such a tone.

It was a sea, or a lake much like the Dreamer’s own. The waves of grasses touched every end of the horizon. It was an ocean for them to stand among, and its thin fingers touched her legs lightly. He made her aware of it, ultra sensitive and they brought a tickle to her skin and a small smile to her face. At the smallest persuasion of the breeze it flowed from left to right, never resisting. He was right, and Anu was not sure if she would have been able to see it without his small comment. Many don’t see true beauty at a passing glance. It would be wrong not to take a moment to see beyond just the scarce vegetation. She had never been so deep into his homelands, and she was a bit surprised that he drew her further away from the borders.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-24-2010, 09:10 AM

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Wanna make it rain and get this ball rolling? Big Grin

There was no mercy from Gabriel de le Poer. He had sought to destroy all of those who had stood against him; with or without an easy death. A part of him, and a very dark part at that, thrived in slaughter and pain. It demanded these things because, if nothing else, someone had to do them. Morality was a fickle beast within the dark-faced Aquila’s head, and it was one of the things which plagued his honesty. What he believed was righteous had condemned many to die. Yet he had done so because it was the way, and for whatever else he believed, Gabriel knew that God was cruel.

He studied her, as one might an unfamiliar dog or a stranger’s child. She was entirely new to him, a force from outside of his world. This he did not fear. Something else stirred deep in his soul, something that he had forgotten of a long time ago. Despite the smile on his face, his eyes remained hard—they were the eyes of a man who had killed many times before, and would again. Gabriel had aged far beyond his years. Unsure of what to say, afraid he might ruin her perception of his land, the doggish male moved along an obviously coyote path, one worn by years of patrol. It snaked through the tall grass, but at his pace, they were not moving near fast enough to break the field for some time.

“Most of this place is pretty barren,” he admitted suddenly. “There’s the ocean to our west and mountains to the north. Half of the clan grew up on a beach, so I didn’t see a need for us to live in a forest.” Though they had acquired some, lord yes. Tactical. Always tactical with Gabriel, who so often forgot about the beauty of the world.

Anu · 04-24-2010, 09:39 AM

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I would miss the trees. She said, a mix of warmth as well as sorrow in her tone. There was something about the old and wise creatures that Anu had always loved. They were a constant, a guardian that stood to protect against the winds and the elements. They held something, like memories of ages beyond any of them. They would out live them all, and she found a stability in their rooted forms. The fact that they did not live among them did not bother her, as he had explained it well; they grew up on sands and were well adjusted. She had lived among the forests and even fruit trees that her father had tended. Anu had her own orchard of sorts, though small and disorganized. They would flower soon, a mix of pinks and soft whites. Each season she watched their petals unfold, and felt as if it was the first season she had ever seen such a beauty. It was always new, it was always breathtaking.

The pair walked through the endless sea of grass, her fingers extending mindlessly to touch a long stray strand. It was a beautiful place; she could feel that now. It was hard to find, a hidden glory behind all the harshness of this place. It suited him well; the sky seemed as hard and ominous as his gaze, the ground as rough and dark as his pelt. She wondered if such a place had made him, or if it was the other way around. The clouds rolled above them, and Anu did not acknowledge the storm until a roll of thunder rumbled and she felt the vibration though the ground she walked upon. Fat drops hit her nose, tapping her eyes shut as they hit her face. They were few and sporadic at first. And she looked at her companion and smiled. Just a spring shower. Her voice was light and her face bore a smile.

But the rain did not pass as she thought it might. The sky opened, parting its veil and holding nothing back. Her ears turned, the thunder clashing more harshly now. Sheets of rain poured down on the two canines, unrelenting and unrestrained.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-26-2010, 10:33 AM

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He smiled ruefully, finding her love for the forest unfamiliar. It suited her, to have those ancient walls protecting from all outsiders. Gabriel was used to exposure, and to having been made to withstand the elements. Perhaps because of this he had chosen such a wide-open land, believing it would keep Inferni hardy. Coyotes were not made to hide in thick forests. Here, in this tall ocean of amber, nearly all of the clan could vanish in an instant. It was tactical. Gabriel was always tactical.

A drop of water hit his face, then another. Gabriel snorted and shook his head, turning to Anu’s voice. As if to prove her wrong, the sky did not simply begin to rain, but instead tore open an sought to drown them. Water soaked his coat, darkening it to the point he was nearly black. With a grunt, the coy-wolf nudged his companion and spoke loudly over the rain and thunder. “Come on,” he called, and began leading her north and towards the caves. With the torrent of water, no one would notice him bringing a wolf this far into clan territory. It was not as if those around him would mind—Anselm was keeping busy with his African Queen, and Hybrid…well, Hybrid was Hybrid.

The mouth of his den was a black eye, a hole in the side of a hill. He clambered in, standing to the side so she could enter.

Anu · 04-27-2010, 01:03 PM

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There would always be a place in her heart for the tall silent towers, and her thoughts drifted to their boughs and branches; arms and fingers twisted and turned sky ward. They were worshipers of the same god, reaching for the Sun just as her hopes and sprit did. Nothing about the lands they stood reminded Anu of the lush greens of her own home. But it was not any further from the sun as the trees that yarned and wished for her warmth. the waves had been kissed with the color of their nurturer, his god of the cross was not the only deity that created it’s followers in their image.

But all was blanketed, a dark cast that wrapped itself around the two creatures and closed in their world. Anu gladly let him take the lead and followed as he traveled north. She did not worry or fear about venturing further into the coyote’s lands, though she did allow herself to silently question how many wolves were welcomed here. The pair remained quiet, the sound of the sheets of cold rain filled the air and their ears with it’s white noise. The female was so occupied with trying to travel behind him and not loose her footing at the same moment that the hill and dark cave etched into it came upon her suddenly.

Blue eyes watched, squinting against the rain, as Gabe climbed into the dark entrance and turned to wait for her. Anu followed, moving past him with the unspoken invitation. She did not walk deeply into the cave, but just beyond the entrance and then turned to face him. She wanted to look around, the heavy scent that lingered telling her that this was his. Her eyes danced only lightly around where she stood, Your home is nice. Anu complimented, sounding polite but meaning it whole heartedly as well. A hand went to her rain sodden mane, sweeping the lost sorter strands from in front of her gaze. It was nice to out of the rain. As the thought ran through her mind a vibrating roll of thunder cracked beyond the hill, sending her ears backwards to search for the origin.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-28-2010, 12:55 PM

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300+

There wasn’t much in the mouth of his den, a passage just large enough for single figure to pass through. Gabriel led her through this, and was not surprised that Anu had to crouch in order to enter. He had bottle-necked the den to avoid allowing heat, cold, and enemies into it. Once inside, the room expanded into two separate areas; a larger family space, and a smaller one now filled with books and things scavenged from the human world. The Aquila took a few moments to shift to his Optime form, gritting his teeth as his bones ached and twisted. A mass of black, blonde, and red hair fell around his face and the scars along his body expanded, though most remained hidden under his thick coat. Snorting, he shook the water from his coat.

“Thanks,” he replied, and smiled faintly. “You can go sit down, I don’t think we’ll be getting out of here anytime soon.” As he said this, another rumbling of thunder shook the land. Gabriel did not frown; he loved storms. He loved the power and might of the world around him, loved seeing the fury of a God that was both love and cruel. The storm filled his body with electricity and brought lightning into his eyes. This, however, might have been attributed to the flint he was striking, gently coaxing a small fire into life. There was enough air to pull the smoke out into the rain, something he had made sure of years ago when making this cave his home.

Gabriel joined her on the pile of blankets and furs, one hand hitting a glass bottle as he did so. The whiskey had remained out since Rikka had been healing, and occasionally, he used it to sleep. “Sorry,” the dark-faced man said. “I guess you won’t be seeing much of Inferni.”

Anu · 04-28-2010, 08:25 PM

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As they traveled down the small entrance that opened up into the main living space Anu took the liberty to look around. She did not venture far, but allowed her eyes to wander. She knew that he began to change into his upright form, and allowed him to do so without a prying gaze. There was nothing extravagant about his furnishings, and appeared just as Anu would imagine he would live. When he spoke she turned to face him, finding him far different then his four legged doggish body. Blue eyes traced the scar along his muzzle and looked to the amber eyes that were most familiar in this new stance of his. She had to cock her head back at bit to catch his gaze.

Anu cleared her throat quietly as he gave the invitation for her to sit. She turned hastily and rested against the pile of hides and ragged edged blankets. They were soft and comfortable and she watched as he gathered the flint needed to start a new fire. The storm raged, the torrents of rain and striking thunder made her even more grateful for the small fire and the roof over her head.

The Inferni leader came to sit beside her, and Anu gave him a smile. I’ve seen more today then in my last three trips combines. She confessed. No one had ever trusted her enough to allow her passage beyond the borders. And you did not get to see my house, so I might have an advantage. Anu replied with a smile, joking lightly. They had avoided the Manor when she had taken him around Crimson Dreams. She didn’t think she could be any deeper and exposed to anymore of his homeland then she was at that moment. Do you live alone here? the question came through her mind off her tongue before she could stop to ponder over it. Eyes looked around again, falling lightly what lay by his hand before settling on his gaze, searching them as they rested there.

Gabriel de le Poer · 05-04-2010, 10:17 AM

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300+ sorry for the delay

Gabriel was, by and large, a simple man. He did not value the material, and did not live a life of excess. The only items he hung onto were simple, like himself. Worn bags and books, all dog-eared and stained. They smelt like dry-rot and dust, mysteries and ancient secrets. Of all the things he held onto these perhaps were the most opposite of his lifestyle—Gabriel was not a man of science or education. He had been, once, a long time ago. Before the second fire. Before the first war (though it was not the first, and would not be the last). He had died many times, and each time, been reborn like Christ.

She had been here before, despite his warning. This caused a shadow to dim his eyes, however slightly. Women, he had learned, were by and large predictable creatures. Given a barrier, told no, they would rebel. His mother had done this, his daughter had done this, and he supposed every woman in the wide world had done this many times over. Still, her smile brought one to his lips. In the firelight, this looked very terrible. The crescent shaped scar on his muzzle burned bright against his black face. The question, though it stung, was not unexpected.

“Yes,” he answered, tilting his head and spilling his too-long hair into his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he had cut it. “I’ve lived alone for a long time.” His children had left first, with Fatin. Faolin had followed. None had returned to this home, save for the times when they had been gravely injured. Ezekiel had resented being cooped up, and Rikka had been so upset she had barely spoken for days. Both had left as soon as they were able. In a way, Gabriel had expected this. Everyone abandoned him eventually; everyone except Hybrid, whose loyalty Gabriel had never questioned. He suspected that Hybrid would follow him to the ends of the earth if asked, though he did not know why.

Anu · 05-04-2010, 12:03 PM

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so sorry if this stinks/keeps things dragging ><;;

There were so many that lived beyond that the earth had made them. Higher then the dirt and grass, taller then the trees. It was where the humans had placed themselves all those years ago. Beyond what had created them. It had destroyed them, she had always believed, and it despite their efforts it was the ground and soil that they returned to. Anu reached for and praised a deity that was beyond, higher then all creation. But she never forgot the ties that rooted her to the simple things and to the things that seemed to now be beneath their kind. What had been left behind by those that wished to be separated from the Earth was of very little use or value, their teachings and knowledge not something that she had every come to understand. His home, was not something that Anu felt horribly ordinary or boring. It was just life, as simple and natural as any other pleasure or comfort that their kind would search for. He was ordinary, but such a thing was seen as negative in her eyes. How could someone or something that came from and lived so closely to the Earth, as she saw it, be anything but wonderful?

They were not unlike the other, and Anu nodded and watched his face as he spoke. The shadows the fire bore along his features were deep and dark. Riding along the scar, his mane casting darkness over his eyes and shadowing them from her sight. A long time Anu knew what that was like. A few had filtered into her life, staying as they pleased and moved away when they wished. It all seemed beyond her control, it was always beyond her control. She stayed, she was unmoving and yet the world drifted away.

She touched his face, her fingers moving along the surprisingly soft fur before she realized what she was doing. They traced lightly to the locks that hid his gaze from her, reaching to push they away. She didn’t know why, but the simple touch was natural, comforting even to have his fire licked amber eyes back on her own. He wasn’t alone, she wished to say but remained silent as her hand drifted away. Not alone in the abandonment, if only emotional in some instances. Shocked herself that she had passed the barrier that they had unspokenly set between them, Anu sat still and unable to move from the closeness; rooted and unmoving and waiting for him to drift.

Gabriel de le Poer · 05-04-2010, 12:45 PM

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No no, I feel bad for lagging. So Gabriel is getting his creep on. I saw you're going to be gone, so if you want we can wrap this up today. <3

Her touch was like electricity; he felt something rush out from her fingertips and into him, and his face turned to meet her. The hair left his eyes, left his face exposed for the worn and road-weathered thing it was. How many years had been taken from him between three wars? The firelight played tricks and made him flicker between an old man and a young one. Gabriel was a monster, and he had done terrible things. Murder, torture, sacrifice at the whim of a power greater then his own. Yet here was a woman, a frail, fragile thing of a woman, willing to look beyond that. She saw a sun in him, one that had not forgotten it too was a star.

One palm—scarred with a self-made stigmata—rose and cupped her cheek. She was incredibly beautiful, the way she was. Moonlight on a lake, mist over the mountains. Perhaps she wasn’t meant to be part of this world. Perhaps she belonged to something more ancient then he understood. A second and more powerful heat rose deep in his belly, and he felt hot lust race up his spine. His eyes did not break from her own, and the flame in them changed, deepened. Gabriel was a predator. He was a creature of fire and blood.

Suddenly, and ultimately, he wanted her.

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