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Post by Blackfeathr on Mar 16, 2008 22:59:47 GMT -5
And again his protecting angel was smitten again with a kamikaze twig, sending him growling audibly into the wind.
The Sentry stood up quickly, looking back at him and from the look of her eyes, it was time to go. She mouthed the words, the wind was so loud Armageddon could not hear them, but he knew what she said. He stood on shaking bony legs and stood beside her, and nodded.
He kept close beside her as they both stepped out in unison in the flying, raging tempest boiling above them. Armageddon was instantly stung with hail by the hundreds, wincing and yelping at their relentless barrages. As his black and tan companion picked up speed, so did he. His hair whipped wetly into his eyes, and his gangly legs pushed into the shifting mud and back out again with a loud squelching sound. He could see nothing now. He was sure the sun had gone from the earth and all that was left was this Hell-storm. Slowly... painfully, he used his teeth to gently grab NightBloods nape-fur, to signify that he was there... and to ensure him that she was there as well.
Just as quickly as the hail had begun to beat down on him it stopped, and the solid rock ground sent Armageddon tripping and tumbling into NightBloods den. Panting heavily, he looked out the mouth of the cave, seeing NightBloods silhouette collapsed on her side and beyond her, the lightning flashed and thunder crashed.
His weary form grew joyous--they made it. His tail wagged slightly and then slumped back to dripping water on the ground... he was simply too tired to show emotion. Head hanging, he drug his feet toward NightBlood, and he dropped his bony frame next to her, resting his head on her shoulder, his stinging eyes wanting to close, his weary, tortured form wanting to sleep...
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Post by nightblood on Mar 17, 2008 11:27:23 GMT -5
There was no pain with Armageddon locked onto the back of her neck. She was reassured that he was still with her. She ran on until she couldn't run any longer and fell down in the safety of her cave. She heard Armageddon's claws clattering on the stone floor. They became louder. She sighed as she realized he was coming toward her, eyes refusing to open to greet him. She was just to tired. She did, however, manage to thump her tail on the ground once to show him that she was, at the very least, still alive.
A crimson eye opened when she felt pressure on her shoulder. Her tired face had enough feeling to make an attempt at smiling as she wagged her tail a few more times. It was as if his presence made her, mentally, at least, able to take on the world. She even made an attempt to raise her head and and lick his cheek. With her eyes closed, however, she had no idea where she hit. She knew she managed to locate his face, but she could have licked his eye for all she knew. Thoroughly exaughisted, she let her head hit the floor and, within a few minutes, was in a deep sleep and soon began to dream.
A dark, brown-eyed face appeared in a mist of black. As the eyes began to turn blood red, the face was clawed through as if it had been a piece of fabric and replaced by another face, one with green eyes and an angular appearance. It was kinder and more loving than the one before it. This one, however, was quickly pushed aside by an unknown face, shrouded in darkness with dark blue eyes. It's expression was fierce and powerful. It lingered for a long time, but began to fade after a while, being replaced, again, by the greened eyed face that came before it.
NightBlood woke up suddenly, eyes snapping open. She was quickly reminded of where she was and what had happened by the weight on her shoulder. She didn't move, not wishing to wake Armageddon if he was asleep. Looking outside, the Sentry was surprised to see that the hail had turned back to sleet and the wind had died down. She must have not been asleep for very long. She sighed, feeling the weight move with her. A smile flitted onto her face. Whatever the dream was, it had ended with Armageddon. This she knew. And this, however fierce the blue eyed face had been, put her at peace.
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Post by Blackfeathr on Mar 17, 2008 18:58:36 GMT -5
Armageddon smiled as he rested his head on her shoulder, letting her slumbering heartbeat be his lilting lullaby. The sounds of the rain and wind soon began to fade as Armageddon drifted into a deep sleep.
A mixture of darkness and light fought each other like thrashing fish in his fitful dreams... a tinge of red... and then his father.
The great Patamon stood atop a den, not too different than NightBlood's... in fact, it was NightBlood's... The rain and wind whipped his fur all around, the lightning crashed... but no sound came. The weather swirling about him was silent. The tyrant cocked his head in mock curiousity and looked down at Armageddon, who was curled up on the ground next to NightBlood, who was sleeping peacefully as if nothing were wrong.
Patamon flashed a smile of pearly fangs, glaring down at them with cold grey eyes.
"You think you can escape me that easily..." Patamon drawled in a low, hoarse voice, "...using love."
He spat the word "love" as if it were poison.
Armageddon trembled. The clouds above Patamon began to swirl like a hurricane. With each passing moment, Patamon grew more and more amused.
"Join me... and you'll have everything you'll ever want. Strength, confidence, power... love," he ended his sentence in a snakelike hiss.
Armageddon paused, looking at him with a blank expression. But as he did, he looked back at NightBlood. Her form began to fade away, and he looked back at Patamon in rage.
"You LIAR!"
Patamon sprung from NightBloods den as Armageddon came to meet him, tooth for tooth. The force of the impact seemed to wake him up from his nightmares.
He almost screamed, but held back. Panting feverishly, he frantically looked around. He was in Night's den, safe and sound. The weather had calmed significantly, and by NightBloods breathing and heartbeat, Armageddon could tell that she was awake. The right side of his cheek ached painfully now that he was fully aware of his surroundings, and his eyelid was nearly swollen shut. He could not remember what caused this pain though. A dark form careening towards him... thinking about it made his bruises hurt even more. But he had bigger fish to fry.
"Hey..." he whispered to NightBlood feebly, voice still hoarse from yelling all last night... or was it tonight... this morning? He had completely lost track of time.
"How are you feeling?"
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Post by nightblood on Mar 17, 2008 22:48:36 GMT -5
"Hey..."
An ear twitched when Armageddon's voice rang in the cave. She grunted in reply, too tired to move her jaw. Her smile widened as she looked up at him, twisting her neck around to view him. The pain of every bruise she had seemed to jumped on he all at once. She whimpered a little, but knew that she must move in order to get her blood flowing. She stretched under him, pushing her legs forward and spreading her toes apart, flexing her muscles.
"How are you feeling?"
She grunted again, but drew it out into a tired whimper and then into a growl. "Like I was just run over by a couple thousand stags," she answered, turning over in order to pick herself up. She'd be happy to be Armageddon's pillow again, but she felt a need to walk around for a few minutes, just to stimulate blood flow. The Sentry was in no mood to battle with stiff joints in the morning. She'd already made this clear by attacking her own leg during the fight with Archer.
Slowly but surely, Blood dragged her legs under her and pushed up from the ground, raising herself up. She arched her back and then proceeded to stretch out her front legs. Following that, she stretched her back legs and then shook her whole body in order to wake herself fully. She paused, glancing at Armageddon. There was a touch of fondness in her eye, but she turned away, hoping he hadn't caught it.
The female walked, slowly and painfully, to the mouth of the cave and sat down, staring at the storm outside. She looked up at the clouds, black with nature's fury. Lightning blasted in the distance with a thunder's echo. Silently, she wondered if she would have been able to make it without Armageddon by her side. But that was in the past now. They could only heal and move on. Next time she would make for the den at the first sign of bad weather instead of waiting for it to fall.
"Storms are beautiful..." she said, watching as the sleet began to melt once more into rain. Sighing, she looked back at Armageddon.
"When you're not caught in them," she added with a laugh.
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Post by Blackfeathr on Mar 17, 2008 23:35:12 GMT -5
The black male twitched his ear at NightBlood's grunts, and thinned his lips in concern to her statement. She slipped away from under his chin, and he held his head up, tucking his tail closer to him as she walked to the mouth of the cave.
He wanted to follow her, but his muscles and bones very much protested. He forced himself anyway, hearing his joints pop. He followed suit with stretching, looking down at his paws and digging his toes into the earth a few times. When he was confident that he could move without much difficulty, he walked slowly and carefully and lowered himself to sit beside NightBlood, staring at the same black sky she was. The swirling clouds flashed a memory into his mind... as if in a dream... but he quickly forgot about it when NightBlood spoke.
"Storms are beautiful... when you're not caught in them." she laughed.
Armageddon laughed hoarsely. "Definitely. I know thats something I'll never do again, and I hope you won't either." he looked at her and smiled, though the smile was painful when his lips reached the bruise on his cheek.
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Post by nightblood on Mar 17, 2008 23:52:42 GMT -5
"I don't plan on it," she laughed, smiling weakly as she looked at him.
A sudden wind blew the rain in towards them, getting the front of NightBlood's coat slightly wet. She jumped back, muscles crying out at the quick movement. The Sentry walked a few paces away from Armageddon and began to shake herself dry. She clenched her teeth at the pain, but would not voice it. She was not weak.
All the same, she looked back at her black companion, still with that fondness in her eye. She could see his discomforting wounds from this distance and knew that he had put his life on the line patrolling with her that day. Turned around to face him properly, she began to approach him, her head low at first, but then bringing it up in an attempt to nuzzle his neck and chin. The feeling she had with him was greater than with Archer's. She knew he would always be there with her, no matter what she did.
"You are welcome to share my den for as long as you like..." she said, trying, and failing, to avoid having to say the words that truly nagged at the back of her mind.
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Post by Blackfeathr on Mar 18, 2008 0:52:19 GMT -5
As he laughed at NightBloods last statement a wet and cold wind blew in the entrance of the cave, misting his face with freezing water. He spat, shaking the water off. Icy sleet still pattered on the roof, and in the distance, he could hear echoes of branches cracking and falling. This was one hell of a storm. The thunder was all but rumbles in the distance, only few were preceded by lightning, now only small flashes above the clouds. The worst was over. He'd hoped that the other inhabitants of Arnlan were not harmed by this freak storm.
He could see small breaks in the clouds now, where small pin-pricks of light shone through. It was dark. And getting colder. The gangly wolf's body trembled.
Slowly, he began to hear the sounds of night-- some crickets chirping, insects, and frogs making noise in the distance. It seemed to be the beacon to resuming normal life.
He felt like he was being stared at, and he turned around, the Sentry's fond expression now mirroring his. He smiled serenely, turning his form around to embrace her in a nuzzle.
"You are welcome to share my den for as long as you like..."
His smile deepened. "You are as kind as you are beautiful."
The feeling reared and roared within him. Its wings threatened to break the chains that restrained it.
"I... I feel that..."
With a mighty twist and yank, the chains broke loose and the feeling-creature spread its wings and escaped him, escaped all restraints, all control, unbridled and free.
"...I love you."
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Post by nightblood on Mar 18, 2008 13:53:49 GMT -5
"You are as kind as you are beautiful."
She laughed at his statement as she raised her head to look at him, loosing herself in his eyes. He didn't mean that. Surely not. Not when referring to this heartless piece of work.
"I... I feel that..."
She was suddenly pulled back into reality, pulling herself out of his eyes and focussing on his expressions. She knew what was coming, only, instead of being afraid of his words, like she had been with Archer, she welcomed them.
"...I love you."
At the same time he said those words, her mind had remembered the day with Archer. The memory suddenly took over her. She pulled her ears back and looked to the cave floor for a moment, then backed away from him without a sound. Though she wanted desperately to cry out or even growl, she would not show weakness. She moved to the back of the cave, glancing at Armageddon and looking away. The Sentry turned her back to him and sat down, facing a rock wall, enveloped in her thoughts.
Trust me...
There's no need to fear...
In her mind, a picture of her last lover formed. He looked at her, aggression and anger plastered on his face, brown eyes flashing red every so often. He bared his teeth and began to snarl at her. She would have liked to attack him then, the urge to avenge her fallen cousin taking her over. Had it not been for the chains that held her down. What were they? What ailed her in her quest to overcome this traitor?
Everyone's here...
Waiting for you to finally be one of us
Figures formed behind Archer, her enemies from long ago. Dravirian warriors and her old attackers, their eyes blood shot and fierce. Is this what kept her from really living? The need to always be strong? All the lessons that Draviria and her father had ever taught her? Why did they keep her from life? What else was there that was so dangerous? Why must she always be angry?
Come down...
You may be full of fear...
But you'll be safe here...
Her view was repositioned and her eyes landed on a hilltop. An image of her younger self formed there. She began to walk forward, toward the group that had formed at the bottom. Her ears were folded back and her tail hung low. She was so small that she could walk directly under the chins of all who gathered there. They guarded her, forming an immovable shield around her against some unknown enemy. What was there to fear?
When you finally trust me,
Finally believe in me-
Her eyes watched as her younger self grew. Her form was rock-solid and her own appearance made her quake. So this is what others used to see, a threatening warrior... a warmonger! Why hadn't she seen it before? Well, there was all the praise she got from Draviria. She was a tool for them to use to strike fear into the hearts of the alphas of surrounding packs.
I will let you down
I’ll let you down, I’ll
A figure collapsed in the center of the shield. Her father had fallen. The shield dissipated and faded. All that was left was Archer. He watched her emotionlessly as she conversed with Arnlanians. She was in her new home. Mortilitas Umbra, RavenShard, Mordecai, BladeWind, Sofika, Karolek, and numerous others were sitting there with NightBlood. Another figure formed on the hill and went to join them. ShadeBlood had arrived. Without hesitation, the black assassin jumped up and took her cousin's life away from him.
When you finally trust me,
Finally believe in me...
Stricken, the younger NightBlood jumped up and, along with Mortil, ran to attack Archer, but he faded before they could get to him and all they caught was black smoke.
Trust me...
I’ll be there when you need me...
You'll be safe here...
Thunder rumbled loudly in the distance. It wasn't loud, but it was enough to bring her back into reality. She looked to the storm. She had not been daydreaming that long. Her eyes focused on Armageddon. He was not her first black knight, but Archer had never told her that he loved her. Not in those exact words. And Archer had not been with her when the earth collapsed around her. Armageddon had been with her when the storm started and when it ended.
When you finally trust me,
Finally believe in me...
NightBlood knew in her heart that she could trust him. Her experience with males, however, told her to be alert and wary. She felt she could have confidence in him, but she did not want to be fooled again. What would happen if another 'Archer situation' occurred?
I will let you down
I’ll let you down, I’ll
"I... I feel I love you as well," she stuttered, lowering her head, but keeping her eyes on him, a scared, but lonely look on her face, "B-but..."
When do you finally trust me,
Finally believe in me...
"I don't want to be hurt again..." she finished, turning away from him and leaning the top of her head against the rock wall.
Down... Let you down...
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Post by Blackfeathr on Mar 20, 2008 21:13:19 GMT -5
Armageddon could tell that she was plagued by memories of the past. Her feelings were hurt sometime in her life, whether it involved a mate or not. His aquamarine eyes were shining with dismay as she backed away from him as if fearful. He wanted to call out to her, but he could not say a word; his throat was choked by some unknown force. The feelings he now identified as love, once free and soaring out of him, was once more chained up, defeated.
He sat down in resignation, furrowing his brow at the ground, trying to keep tears from welling in his eyes. What was wrong with him?!
He shut his eyes tight, and what emerged from the darkness was a angular, lurid, thinner figure than he, with cold, grey eyes, staring right through him, right into his very soul. With a low, hoarse voice, he talked in monotone.
"Trying to escape again, son?"
No... I'm not running... you are far away... you are dead to me...
"I am closer than you think. I am your father. I am inside you. I am a part of your soul. And I am very, much, alive."
No... you're not... I dont believe you... leave me alone!
"Don't try and distract yourself with love. You are my son. You only want power, not love. You are meant to be... me..."
The figure grew dim and finally faded to black and all Armageddon could see was the darkness of his eyelids. Suprisingly he had kept himself calm throughout this ordeal.
He looked up to see NightBlood was looking at him again. He stood up slowly, carefully. It seemed like she had mixed feelings.
It felt colder in the cave. He felt an odd presence... like something didn't want him there but something else wanted him to stay.
"I... I feel I love you as well," NightBlood stuttered, and Armageddons heart leapt. Then her expression turned downcast, lonely. "B-but..."
"I don't want to be hurt again..." she finished, and turned back around to lean her head against the rock wall.
Armageddon looked down at his paws, dug his long claws into the earth, and walked carefully, precisely, toward NightBlood.
"I... I don't know what experiences you've had in the past, Night... but... I'll never let it happen again, even if we're not... together," Armageddon gulped, but leaned in close to her ear, whispering, "I'll always protect you."
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Post by nightblood on Mar 20, 2008 23:01:31 GMT -5
Armageddon looked down at his paws, dug his long claws into the earth, and walked carefully, precisely, toward her. NightBlood pulled her head off the wall and looked at him, lowered herself as he approached her. She kept her ears back, frightened at the thought of what he might say to her.
"I... I don't know what experiences you've had in the past, Night... but... I'll never let it happen again, even if we're not... together..."
She looked up into his eyes, horrified. It was as if the simple concept of her not being with him was a fate worse than death. Tears welled in her eyes. She wanted to embrace him, give him a touch of some sort to tell him that she wanted to be with him, but all she could do was look at him.
Armageddon gulped, but leaned in close to her ear, whispering, "I'll always protect you."
A single tear fell as she inclined her head forward, leaning it on his chest. She breathed heavily, tears coming in bucket loads. She didn't want him to leave her side. Ever. He promised that she would not be hurt again. How could he be sure? She gave up quickly on the answer, however. She wanted nothing more that to spend the rest of her life with him. Nothing could make her change her mind. She leaned her head deeper into his fur, taking in his sweet scent. She filled her lungs with it, never wanting to forget it. She cried into his chest and lingered like that for a few moments before lifting her head back up and forcing herself to look into those deep green eyes.
"I love you," she said, bringing her head up under his chin. There was nothing more she could say. There was nothing more she could do, considering her lowly rank as a Sentry and him being a Subordinate. They could be mates, but they could never actually breed. That was left for the Alphas and Betas. To become Beta was her ultimate goal, but who would promote such a crippled wolfess?
It took a moment before she suddenly realized that roles were reversed. When she had seemingly been 'in love' with Archer, he had been the one to want to breed. She had been the one to avoid him. Now, with Armageddon, NightBlood was the one to have such thoughts of breeding. Did he feel the same way? And what's more, would he acknowledge the rule or would he ignore it?
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Post by Blackfeathr on Mar 21, 2008 0:39:13 GMT -5
He never felt such a mixture of anguish and love in his life than that moment when NightBlood leaned her head into him, crying. He gently pushed closer, resting his head over hers and breathing deep into her fur, taking her scent in and holding it. He brought one paw up to embrace her tightly.
He'd finally found what he was looking for... what he was put on this earth for in three years, he'd found someone that completed him. It's been so long... since he could love and be loved unconditionally. But this creature... hurt by others before him... he couldn't stand it. He wanted to make everything better. Tears rolled down his cheeks to rest in her fur.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." he breathed into her fur.
She withdrew from him, looking back into his eyes and he looked into her deep red eyes warmly, a smile crookedly arching upward through the tears.
"I love you,"
He nuzzled her head. "I love you too. I want you to be happy," he murmured.
A rumble of thunder resounded in the distance, the death throes of the hellion storm, the rain and sleet now a rhythmic pitter-patter on the top of the cave.
Voices echoed inside his mind. He could hear screaming. The more he felt for NightBlood, the more frantic the screaming, though the more the screaming faded away. It was the screams of the darker part of his soul. He willed the sounds away and captured himself in the moment. Him. Her. Together.
Though his birthpack was more lenient on the rules of breeding, his mother took in a pregnant wolfess who bore pups, his father--rather, the father that was there for him in his childhood-- taught him that in orthodox packs, only the Alphas and Betas could breed. Now that he was in Arnlan, he was a subordinate, NightBlood, a sentry. Both ranks were insufficient for breeding.
He was saddened by this, but he would not leave NightBlood to chase after a beta female... that would be chasing power... he did not want power... he wanted a normal life.
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Post by nightblood on Mar 21, 2008 18:53:32 GMT -5
"I love you too. I want you to be happy," he replied.
Thunder rolled in the distance, but no amount of force could tear NightBlood away from Armageddon's embrace. Nothing but her own pain. Her front legs buckled under her. They could no longer handle the strain of holding her up. She could have made them fight through it, but the calmness she felt while she was with her black knight made her relax enough to be able to show her weaknesses.
"I am happy," she answered, looking up at him after shaking her head and neck, recuperating from her fall, "I'll be happier once I've healed up a bit more."
That said, she began cleaning the wounds on her paw. The scratches stung, but not enough to make her cry or whimper. The hailstones that were buried in her other wounds had long since melted away. The cool water left in them kept the pain away. Slowly, her eyes began to travel to Armageddon's legs. As her paw wounds were soothed, she moved and began to clean his wounds. She didn't know who was injured more, but it didn't concern her. She only wanted to keep him safe. The wounds she saw on him pained her more than those on her own body.
"The storm is fading, but I doubt I'm going to leave the den any time soon," she stated, "I want to be with you..."
She trailed off as her eyes traveled over to his. The look in them was that of a loyal mate. As soon as her goal of Beta was reached, she'd have him to herself officially. Perhaps they would even share the title one day.
"... forever."
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Post by Blackfeathr on Mar 24, 2008 1:28:35 GMT -5
NightBlood fell to the ground and Armageddon made a noise of concern, dropping down next to her and sniffing at her wounds.
Worriedly grunting, he leaned forward and licked her wounds on her paws as she leaned to tend to his.
The sleet had since faded, transitioning slowly to soft white flakes of snow that occaisionally blew in the mouth of the cave, sticking to the ends of his fur.
He turned around to see the late winter whiteout just outside the cave, thanking the heavens that the worst was over. He turned back to NightBlood as she spoke.
"The storm is fading, but I doubt I'm going to leave the den any time soon, I want to be with you..."
Armageddon gazed intently at her, a soft serene expression on his face. He too wanted to stay with her...
"... forever."
He wanted to say he loved her, he wanted to say it a million times but mother nature and father time would sooner grind the cosmos to dust before he could state a fraction of how much he wanted to spend his life with her.
He leaned in, hesitantly, but gently, closed his eyes serenely, tongue flicking out slowly, giving her a wolven kiss. All was right with the world
(Beh, writerz block)
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Post by nightblood on Mar 24, 2008 19:07:28 GMT -5
NightBlood's lip twitched into a smile at the touch of his tongue on her fur. She could have jumped up and chased her tail in joy had she not been in so much pain. The only thing she could do was lean in and return the favor. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth and landed on the end of his muzzle near his nose. Drawing back, she began to lower her head onto her front legs when she realized how close they were to the mouth of the cave.
Sighing, the Sentry pushed herself to her feet and walked away from the entrance. She lumbered along, exhausted, but happy with what had just transpired. She found a warm area and curled up, glancing at Armageddon and almost expecting him to follow. She did not call to him, however. She wanted to observe his actions.
Right now, she was the happiest she'd been since she came back to Arnlan after loosing Ziko. NightBlood dreaded the thought of anything being traumatizing enough to take her down from this high cloud she was on. Pushing those thoughts aside, she focused on her new mate, he eyes looking over him as if he were a gift from the spirits to be held and treasured.
{{Crap, crap, crap, crap... Xp }}
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Post by Blackfeathr on Mar 27, 2008 22:47:38 GMT -5
Armageddon took a few paces back when she rose and moved to the farther end of the cave. He tilted his head as she curled up, eyeing Armageddon almost expectantly.
The snow that blew in chilled him, and with NightBlood no longer at his side, it made him even colder. He trotted straight toward NightBlood, wanting to be closer to his lover again.
He circled behind her, and finally curled around her, resting his head on her shoulder, sharing the warmth between them.
He felt like he could drop to sleep at any moment, his eyelids, heavy from the blow from the wayward branch, got heavier and refused to stay open. Colors and blurred objects swam in his vision as he teetered on the edge of the line between earth and his unsettling dreams. In a long exhale through his nose he whispered, "NightBlood..." quietly as if to wake one from a light slumber.... "Can I keep you?"
((Short post for the lose. But, Casper reference for the lulz.))
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