[ PRP] Between a rock and a hungry stomach

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

It was dark, dark unto death....

The faint cries that came form a patch of sunken earth has started since morning's shadow passing. The pit, was the cubben's santuatcy and it's prison.

The sun had climbed to the highest point of the sky, and my fur has not settled from standing on end just yet. I didn't even know if the small creature had survived it's brutal attack. It was only till I heard the faint heart wrenching cries, that my heart filled with hope....hope not for its safety, but that it had survived.

My paws and wings have been pinned tightly as if heavy stones of my commitment and promise-Nay, my duty-kept them fixed to the earth....

I have never known the weight of my mask to burden my heart as it did so with this...



It was sticky, and it felt as if the warm sun had reached out and scotch his face. It was after all the only reference the small Light cub knew of a more intense feeling on his maw after a nap in the sun. Except this warmth, didn't feel normal, and the light he usually gained from it wasn't there. And...and he didn't feel good. He had thought the nap would have made himself feel better. But it didn't...He had been so tired, but something gripped inside him and told him something was wrong. It woke him...

And...

It...it was frightening. He couldn't open his eyes like usual, and his body was shaking and...hurt. His paws felt raw, little glass like claws where broken and torn.

His little cub mind tried to work out why, he couldn't open his eyes. It was dark, and he hated the dark it was scary. It caused his scales and body to shake. Which, welcomed the fear and the reminder of what happened the night before. The darkness had tired to take him. Grabbed on to his horn, and took him high into the night of the sky. He had twisted and fought to be free! Imagines flashed though his thoughts and caused him to cry out. Profusely. Which only caused his body to shake more, as his mind and soul started to recalled why he was in the hole. That little hole amplified little cub wails. It's dramatic nature was only challenged with how much his wet tail and dirty fur puffed. Brave little paws quickly pushed himself up in a panic and he felt was was the earth and twigs of roots reaching out for him. A hiss left the cub as he felt one of the roots touch his trembling frame. He let out a mewl in a alarm. He had hopped to feel the painful slam of the wall of earth in the tight space that was his unknowing saving grace.

That thing had been chasing him, it had attacked him...

It had been too dark, for little Victor to know vary much of his Attacker. Just that he knew it was as black as it was for him now...

That and he was trapped.

He was trapped...

It really was a strange feeling that gripped his little heart. It caused his eyes to water and burn. His heart to cry out. It was only a panicked squeak. Calling for help, for anyone to help him...to feed him, to help his face from hurting. His head from pounding

Panic paws lept for something and claws grabbed for anything. However, to his luck and yet misfortune, he didn't hit a ceiling but his paws slipped down the what seemed to be a endless wall. Broken claws scrambled to get a hole of something. Anything! Only to grasp at nothing.

A cry left the kitten, as he at least managed to fall back down on his hunches. Tumbling his body twisted and hopped back up. tail whipped wildly behind him. Bum wiggled, as his upper half crouched. He could do this.

With another leap, Victor tried once more to scale the wall. However, and once again claws with paws scrambled to grip on the ledge. This time, the cub's struggle causing small rocks and bark to rattle as it fell into the hole on top of the trapped b'alam. Landing in the dirt once again, more pebbles fell on top Victor in a muddle shower.

A rumble of his stomach, reminded him that not only was he hurt, couldn't see and trapped...but he was hungry. His tiny body was starting to feel woozy and weak.

This familiar feeling is what had gotten him into this hole, which only caused the defeated cub to cry out even more. Tears welled up in the small cubins blood sealed eyes. A paw swept over his maw, and a flash of pain struck like lightning across the Cubs eyes. Which only called to more desperation to his pathetic mewls. He was stuck, he was lost-and going to fade away in this hole....

Slapping his paw down, hind legs sprung more desperately in repeated attempts to get out of the pit. Each leap became weaker then the last, and his limbs would not stop shaking. He found the more he tired, the more the darkness started to swim into his thoughts. Tired and hungry, his little heart would not stop pounding.

What he didn't know, however was that if someb'alam didn't help him soon, that pit would double as a grave. His strength was fading from him, so he just wailed out....

Curled in mud, and covered in defeat he meowed out once more. He was no longer white like the clouds, but splotchy and covered in dirt. Once well groomed fur was flattened and darkened by clay.

Please help...someb'alam....help....weaver, someb'alam?

He couldn't get out of this dark hole by himself....

Pleading sharp meows became soft as Victor laid his head down in the wet mud, that had been made moist by his own tears. Meows started to fade, as he felt himself become more and more tired as he laid his head down. No one, was around to help him, maybe if he took a nap someone could come by and help him. His ears would remain perked and ready, he would save his energy until he could hear someb'alam nearby.

His pounding head, thundered though his skull, in a strange way it gently lulling his thoughts to sleep. Never did it occur to him, that he may not wake to see another day. His body was going against what his instinct had warned, but he was just so tired....and he was a good listener, he would hear is anyb'alam would be near. Right?

yeah, so for now little cries turned into gentle self comforting purrs. Sticky muddy tail curled around his face and trembling body

~soft kitty warm kitty, little scaled ball of fur....

Ririka

[/quote

 

[Ririka]

The sunlight was a welcome sight for the small band of travelers that were making their way through the unfamiliar territory. From what the once adviser could map with his eyes there seemed to be more water than forest in the area. That knowledge could only mean one of two things, that the lands were a swampy or marsh like territory, or they were now in the Water Tribe territory. On one hand it was welcome news because they would never thirst and could travel with a small amount of leisure since Zobek was betting those of the Dark Tribe had not sent out word to the other Magi, yet. On the other hand if Lord Gabriel had sent out word upon hearing the news of the kidnapping, then there would be much trouble ahead. The Water Tribe would most likely be the first to hear of the news, besides the Light Tribe.

Zobek took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling. His eyes carefully scanned the area around the small party. There did not seem to be much movement in the forest, besides the occasional rustling of the tree branches and movement caused by lesser creatures such as, well, the Light B'alam did not know what the heck he was seeing with his eyes. Was his mind playing games? Were his eyes seeing what was not really there? Maybe his eyes did see something, but his mind did not know how to process it so it was doing its best to guess by piecing together this and that to make some sort of sense of the creature in the distance. It possessed a head similar to that of a bolf, in a way. Its ears were floppier, and body much much longer. MUCH longer. Two sets of paws held the body up, and a third set sat on its upper body to be used freely to paw and grab at items. And its tail. THE TAIL. IT HAD THE TAIL OF A FISH! Why? What purpose did the creature have? Why would the Weave create such a thing? Yes, as far as Zobek was concerned it was a thing.

"Let us keep on with this journey. We cannot afford to become distracted for too long. Come along then."

He needed to get further south. They would be safe there, at least that is what he hoped for. If the information he obtained was true then there should be a desert in the south. And near the desert should sit a forest that seems to be misplaced in a sense. Because why would a forest sit near a desert and survive, if not by the Weaver's blessing? There they would find safety. Hopefully the combination of heat and lack of places to launch into the air would keep the Dark tribe members, and Gabriel himself, at bay. Hopefully. If so, then he need only worry about others.

But, yes, he would need to collect more to aid him in this battle.

"Kolinda..."

It was then that his paw steps paused as he waited for one of his aids to approach. She, at least to him, was not the smartest B'alam in existence, but she had her uses. The poor thing believed his words. She believed he was helping Marie escape a terrible relationship with Lord Gabriel, just as he did. Though, she did not know the whole truth. She did not know the true monster that Gabriel was. But Kolinda did not need to know all the information.

Once she was near he looked around once more before giving the Dark female his attention.

"You will not be able to travel with us for much longer, but please help me one more time before we part ways, at least for now. Before the sun reaches the tree tops, could you scout ahead for a bit and tell me if there is danger near? And do be careful about it."

Zobek watched as Kolinda nodded before running off ahead. Once in the distance he turned his attention to his "cargo". Marie, mate of Lord Gabriel, and Trevor, one of the two young lords. Marie, of course, did not seem at all pleased with the present situation, having been tricked into following Zobek. Trevor was oblivious of the whole situation as a cub should be. He need not know yet.

It would be a lie to say that he did not feel some amount of guilt when it came to the situation. He did not want to trick Marie into running off with him to safer lands. He did not want to tear her away from her family, her happiness, but in his mind it was for the best. She would have a happier life in safer lands. She would not be tied to such a cruel beast. She could raise her children to be kinder souls. Sadly though, he could not bring Alucard along, but for all he knew the young lord was already tainted by his father.

'Such a waste, but Marie and Trevor will be better off without such taint. Still...'

"Trevor, could you come here please?"

No one had talked much since leaving the Dark lands, especially Marie. He knew well enough Marie would not talk to him unless needed, at least for now, but that did not mean he could not attempt to talk to Trevor. The cub could tell him what the Lady could not, which would have its use.

Zobek put a smile on his face as the young cub scampered over to him with a smile on his own face.

"Trevor," he said while reaching out to pat him on the head. "How are you holding up? Will you be able to stay strong and make it the rest of th-"

It was then that he heard something. Was it a cry?

His ears perked and slowly turned to pick up the sound a bit better. Yes, it was a cry. A child? But what would a child be doing alone in the forest?


[1010]  

[Ririka]

Trevor did not understand what was going on at the moment. Confusion and panic was slowly starting to bubble up within in stomach, but so far he had done his best to stay strong for his mother's sake. He had guessed that was what his father would expect of him. He had to stay strong for mother. He had to make his father and his brother proud. He had to show uncle Zobek he could be mature during scary moments, even if uncle Zobek was the reason for the scary moment. Was his uncle lost? Did something happen during the festival and no one wanted to talk about it because they thought he would be scared?

Looking to his mother, Marie, Trevor gave her a small smile before gently rubbing his head against one of her front legs. It was not only for his own comfort, but he hoped it would bring her some amount of comfort as well. When she returned the show of affection, a low purr building between the two of them, it brought him happiness. She was happy! Happy!

He may not have seen her smile since leaving the caves, and maybe it just did not seem right, but maybe she was just tired from the walk. That had to be it.

'Maybe Uncle Zobek will find the way back home soon. Daddy and the others have to be looking for us, right?'

It was then he was taken away from his thoughts and brought to a paws, but not before almost tripping over his own paws.

"Um..."

Trevor, with a confused look painted on his face, he looked up at his mother as if waiting for an answer. She looked down at him with worry on her own face, but once again smiled before gently shoving him in Zobek's direction.

"Yes Uncle Zobek?" he questioned while scampering towards him.

"I, um..." He looked between the two adults, his attention going back to Zobek when he had stopped talking. He didn't even get the last part of the adviser's question, but he didn't want to seem like he wasn't paying attention or had no answers. "I am doing okay!" he stated with a nod.

"I am tired. And I think mama is tired too, but we can make it! Where are we going, Uncle? And when will we get home?"

When would they be getting home? Did papa know they were going on this journey, and if so then what was the reason behind the journey? He had so many questions he wanted answers to, but he didn't want to seem ungrateful in any way. That would be bad, or so he was told before.

Silence.

Tilting his head, Trevor did his best to understand what was going on. It was then that he heard the echoing cry.

Oh. OH! It wasn't a good cry! Not at all!

Should he help? Should we wait for someone else to help? No. NO! Daddy would help right away!

Nodded at the thought, the cub took off running into the forest, not paying any attention at the screaming of his uncle and mother. Sure, he would be in trouble later, but he had to help. He had to.

"Hello? HELLO!"

Okay, so it was not the best idea to go running into the forest when he had no idea where he was going, but he would make the best of it. After all, he was sure the cry was coming from the general direction he was running towards. He just had to listen to his instincts, yes? Whatever those were...

Slowing to a walk, Trevor kept his ears perked and his eyes wide.

"Hello?"

It was silent, which worried the young lord.

Then he caught sight of what seemed like a hole in in the distance. What was a hole doing in the middle of the forest anyway. Weird. Still, it would not hurt to investigate, right? Just as long as he didn't fall into it, because who would be stupid enough to fall in a hole? Only a fool. And, there was a fool, or something in the hole.

Carefully, Trevor crawled to the edge to get a better look at whatever was down there. A log? A bork? No, it looked like a sad lump of mud.

"Hm. I think it's sleeping..."

[725]

 

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

The soft quick snapping of twigs and brushes caused Victor's dirty white ears to twitch and bounce. The sounds prodded him to wake. Slowly, his situation was brought to his foggy mind. Wet, in pain, sticky, tired and worse of all...hungry.

"Y-yes?" Victor mumbled picking up his head, little paws pulled his painful body to four paws. Looking up he tried to open his eyes, either he couldn't open his eyes-or darkness was all around him.

His ears perked more, as he thought he heard more-like a shifting above him. Turning himself he tried a different postion. Maybe that would help his seeing? His round body waddled unevenly back and forth like a marble rolling on a tilted and round surface.

"Heh-" Victor's voice cracked. "Hey!" The cub tried again. His heavy ended half, wiggled a little as if to charge the strenght needed to jump once more. Trying to hop, his body tripped under him. And such a attempt was only meet by a sore maw, and a rocket of 'lights' across the darkness of his eyes.

That hurt!

He let out another cry as he couldn't really find more words for his current predicament. other then the sound of trapped pain, in the form of a cub's desperate cry.

Ririka

 

[Ririka]

The young cub watching with great amusement and curiosity as the mud covered log at the bottom of the pit moved around in an attempt to do whatever it was living logs do. Wait. No. Are logs even supposed to move around in such a way. No. Logs are not living creatures like B'alam. So it could not be a log, but for now he would refer to whatever the creature was as a log. Either way, it was clear that whatever the creature was, log or not, it was awake and now moving around.

But the more important questions was not what was the creature. No. The more important question was what was the creature doing at the bottom of the pit. Maybe the creature had accidentally wandered into the hole while walking around at night? But if that was true then what was it still doing in the hole? It would make more sense that the hole was some kind of trick or trap, but if that theory was true then certainly someone should have come by to check on it, right? Nothing was making much sense at this point.

Quickly, all questions escaped the cub's mind when the thing, the creature, finally lifted its head in an attempt to look around for him. While it was looking in the correct general direction it did not look directly at him. Still, Trevor finally got a nice little look, and in a way...regretted it...

"..."

The cub's eyes sat wide and full of fear when he finally registered what it was he was looking at. And it was definitely no log or silly creature.

"Oh my. Your face," Trevor whispered more to himself than the creature below. Hopefully it did not hear what he had said, lest it get angry and find the strength to jump up at him. "Something...is wrong with your face..."

Something was definitely wrong with its face! True it was covered in mud, but there was clearly something there that was not mud! It was not mud at all! It was something he could not necessarily identify, but he knew. HE KNEW IT WAS NOT MUD! Berries maybe? Blood? Paint?

It didn't matter! WHAT DID MATTER WAS THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH ITS FACE! IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE A FACE! IT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE EYES! BY THE GRAND WEAVER! IT LOOKED LIKE A MONSTER FROM ONE OF THE STORIES HIS PARENTS WOULD TELL HIM DURING SLEEP TIME! Well not any story that Marie had told him, but a story his father loved to tell him and his brother while asking them to promise never to tell their mother. Yes.

"MAMA!" he screamed out while darting back in the direction he came. "MAMA! SOMETHING IS WRONG ITS FACE! SOMETHING TOOK ITS FACE! MAMA!"


Panic erupted through Marie's soul as she chased after her son. She did not care how Zobek felt about her running off. She did not care to hear whatever he was yelling towards her as he chased after her. She had to find her son in order to ensure he remained safe. But then again, what did cubs know about remaining safe? The world just seemed like a giant play area for them. Plus, it did not help that Trevor knew little about the dangers of the world, being born into the safety of a family and a tribe.

Oh, where was he? Where could he be? By the Weaver, when she got her paws on him-

"Trevor?" she questioned when he heard his screams of fear. What was he screaming about? Someone's face?
Maybe he ran into someone else's kill.

She ran towards the small life as he ran towards her, a smile showing as he ran between her legs for comfort and an attempt to hide.

"MAMA! MAMA!" he chanted in panic, eyes still wide and darting here and there as if the creature would rise from its trap and come after him. "The thing! The thing has no face, Mama!"

Why the heck was his mother smiling down at him like that? Did she not understand the danger they were in? The potential danger the thing was in?

"It is serious, Mama!"

It was then that he once again pulled himself from his mother's safety and glared at her. "You have to believe me, Mama! No face! No eyes! It looks like a monster! Come see for yourself! Come on! Come on!"

Quickly, Trevor bumped her leg before running back towards the hole.

Trevor's imagination had to be running high at this point. Something must have spooked him and his mind just warped his thoughts. A monster with no face. Gabriel had to stop telling him tales of such things. Though, where had Gabriel heard those stories?

"Alright, Trevor. Alright. I am right behind you. I'm sure this monster is not going anywhere."

She followed after her son with amusement, a bit of curiosity rising as they arrived at a hole.

What and why? The Lady looked to her son before peering into the hole and that is when her heart sank. Something really was in the hole, she could both feel and see that. But it was no monster as her son insisted. It was a cub.

"Oh no no no...."

Without even a second thought she shoved herself off the edge and into the hole. There was no way she would just leave the poor soul trapped in such a place. What if the poor cub had a family that was looking for him? And if orphaned, oh she did not want to think about what would have happened had her son not found him.

"Are you alright, little one?" she asked softly while gently lowering her head to nudge the cub.

[586]
[379]

[ Radical Dreamer ]

 

[[ Radical Dreamer ]]

Victor felt his heart sink as the voice sound took off screaming. It was like salvation was right there, only to be ripped from him just like the darkness did him from the ground. This couldn't be!

" No! " Victor cried out, and tried to hop once more to reach the edge of the hole and be free. Don't leave! Oh please don't go! Please don't leave! His paws finally manged to spring him upwards. Front paws scrambled trying to grab on to the ledge. The sound of rock and claw sent a rattle of sound though the air. Broken claws tried desperately to grab on to something-anything! However it was unsuccessful and the cub was once more pushed down by gravity; left only to fall and land heavily back in the dirt.

" No-no-no!" The cub started to cry frantically as the voice ran away. Tears started to spew from his muddied and bloodied face in full force.

"Please...." Victor sobbed in a vary pathetic plea. "Please...." Sitting in the mud, his dirty and sopping wet tail curled around his body as a soft whimper started to come forth from the cubbin.

"Help..." His voice was weak and scratchy. The tired cub's little frame trembled all them more as he sobbed. He was going to be stuck in this hole forever!

Ear turned and twisted and turn as he heard another voice. This time it was sweet-and caring. The voice was warm, just like the warm rays of the sun. It was almost too good to be true. In fact it had to be. No one had came from him, and when someone did-they ran off!

Whimpering, muddy paws pressed closely together, his broken face hung past his shoulders. Each green scale on his withering frame shivered with each heavy breath. His world was darkness and pain. He couldn't even remember anything outside the whole, aside from the darkness and the pain that it caused to him. It was most likely going to try and get him again! It was most likely only a matter of time.

Feeling the gentle nudge at his face, the warmth of another pulled him away from his frightening thoughts. It was then that the hope that there might actually be someone there to help him, crept and started to comfort his thoughts. Like a warm hug, or nuzzle of another....

The gentle nudge caused his shivering body to teeter slightly. His large body wobble and shifted to the movement. All that could leave the cub at that moment was a withered sob. He was cold, he couldn't feel his face and he was HUNGRY!

"-It hurts" Left the dirty and defeated cub. His face was manged and dirty with fresh lacerations across his maw and eye. What was more disfiguring was the pointy nub that was all that was left of a horn, that was once perched. The Light tribe horn that all of their kind was missing from the cub's crown. It looked as if a great monster, had mauled and snapped off what was the the 'jewel' of a triber's scaled crown. Who or what would do such a thing to a poor and almost defenseless cub? The idea of even another harming a cub was just...evil.

What was more, The cub didn't know why it hurt, just that it did. He couldn't recall much of anything. His chipped and broken claws remained poised and out as they gripped the earth under him. Desperately. As if the ground was going to pulled out from under him at any moment.

"I-I..." There was a pause. "-it's dark." Victor heaved in a sob. His words where almost drenched completely out by the whimper in his voice. His white and muddied tail curled more tightly around his round-yet starved body. It's tip had curled upon it's self making a tight and frighted 'c'. Heavy and awkwardly large paws lifted and fumbled with the earth. His whole body shook with another shiver, as he was too tired to move once more. The cub was exhausted....

His head turned, as he tried to open sealed shut eyes. One still worked, however it was for now sealed by blood and dirt that was matted with ripped scales and fur. He did recall being able to 'see', but he couldn't now. It was like the darkness must have taken that away as well. It was all the small cub could fathom at that moment.

That and-

His stomach made a growl, voicing it's own concern. harmonizing with the cub's whimpering....

Hungry....He was hungry...very hungry.

Surely this was the 'end ' for the cub and all he would know would be hunger. Oh weaver help him, from such a cruel fate. [2014 claimed for magus]