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Post by Dedrallow Omen on Jun 30, 2013 15:16:55 GMT -5
“I’m sorry for…” Dedrallow paused for a moment. He wanted to choose his words carefully; after all he knew that anything he said would set her off. She wouldn’t understand. Compared to him she was a babe in this world. He did not know her past, he did not know what she had been through – all he knew was his own experience. “That you had to witness that…” he finally stated. “Life is unfair and not everyone is treated like equals. That is the way it’s always been and how it will continue to be. I have seen death a million times; I have come immune to it. It happens every day. When I looked upon them, I saw a scene I have seen many times…” once before Dedrallow had more compassion for those of less fortunate and took pity on the poor, but he soon realized that the world would not change – and that is just how life is. He didn’t think he was heartless, just realistic. If he broke down for every person that died, would that do any justice? Would that bring someone back? No, it was meaningless.
“Rouge is different…” Dedrallow said as he looked down at her, “I will protect her with my life – as I suspect anyone will protect a love one. Rouge is my life.” Dedrallow stated. Dedrallow ignored her statement about her brother; he wasn’t really one to pry into another’s life. That was her life and he honestly wasn’t interested to learn about all her burdens or what not. So he just shrugged it off. He shot her a glare though when she went on to yell at him about letting that man point a sword at her. Didn’t she understand already? He sighed, he almost lost his temper, but then the ignorance of this girl almost made him feel pity toward her. “What would you have done if you were alone? You wouldn’t have anyone there to help you. You have to learn to rely on yourself before anyone else. I did help you defeat them, now didn’t I? And because the fact I am a changeling, I was able to help you to bury the girls, didn’t I? And here you call me a heartless asshole and not even thank me once?” He snorted as he turned and looked away from her, crossing his arms.
He turned and looked when she brought out a flask and began to drink it. At first he suspected she was just thirsty, but the way she drank it – made him suspect that it was alcohol, but he didn’t say anything. She had insulted him enough. Did she really think of him that way? Was she so closed minded that she didn’t look outside the box and at the world around her? He half wondered how she even survived as long as she had. He watched as she tore off a piece of jerky and handed it to Rouge, who happily glopped it up. She then asked where he had gotten Rouge. He knew that question was bound to pop up. After all, Rouge was an usual animal, in fact pretty much one of a kind. There were some known animals that could change forms – but most of those were probably demons, while Rouge was just like a changeling. He store at Rouge for a long time. An image of a young girl flashed through his mind, long blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, laughing as she ran through the field. The vision faded as he turned back and looked at her.
“You’re right…” he whispered to her, almost in a sad voice, “you will not find anyone else like Rouge. You can search for as long as you want…but you will come empty handed.” He remembered the day he met Rouge. He fell in love with her instantly – and since then, he had decided that no matter what he would protect her and that she was his only reason for still wanting to live, to have her by his side. Rouge leaned forward and nudged her head against his legs, whimpering softly. Dedrallow turned back and looked at the banshee. Would she even believe him? He could lie to her, and he felt the urge on the tip of his tongue, but he stopped himself. What could he possibly say? He found her? Someone gave her to him? He felt no matter what he said, it wouldn’t be good enough, that he would be seen through. He doesn’t know why…he never told anyone before…but for some reason he felt an ease over him as he looked at her right in the eyes and spoke those words:
“She’s my daughter.”
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Post by Nikita Lancashire on Jul 2, 2013 11:54:25 GMT -5
Nikita looked at Dedrallow a little less harshly, her gaze softening if only but a touch.
“No... no one is equal”, she agreed. “But they should be. I've only ever seen immortals such as ourselves live the life of freedom. Whereas those that are mortal buy and sell others like them on the whim of a coin. Why must we be the ones that have the luxury of freedom when others cannot? Animals live, it's a natural thing for any man to want to live free... and in his own country. As long as I am standing, people like those girls have a fighting chance at freedom”.
She took another swig from her flask of alcohol, before fishing out some more jerky, she extracted three pieces, taking one for herself before offering the other two the changeling.
“Here. You need to eat”, she said quietly. “Go on, take it. You're drained... I can see it in your face”.
The banshee closed her eyes lightly and sat there for a few moments, chewing on her piece of jerky quietly. “I used to fly over these woods when I was little. I would walk amongst these trees and pray for rain, just to see it survive another day”, she murmured quietly. “Never thought I'd come back here”.
Nikita opened her eyes and absently stroked the feathers on Luna's back lightly. She was a good owl, forever loyal... if she did make a mockery of Nikita at times. Getting Luna had literally come down to choices between the owl and a hawk. But Luna's pearly white feathers had sung out to Nikita that day, reminding her of her own moonlight wings.
People had often confused Nikita for something known as an 'angel', purely based on her wings, because pure white banshee's were extremely rare. Most had black, dark brown or even golden brown wings... or two toned... some even had grey. But not many had white wings, complete with stark white hair. In some circumstances Nikita could have been classed as an albino, had her eyes been red instead of blue. Luna even had the same blue eyes as Nikita, so the pair of them were not common. Nikita had acquired Luna from some pompous merchant that had a penchant for birds of prey: eagles, hawks, falcons, kites, owls... even a vulture, you name it, the merchant probably had one. But the man had been vicious... Nikita had seen him strike Luna and one of the hawks when they failed to retrieve the prey he had been hunting. The banshee had seen red and that night she had actually stolen Luna from the merchant... she had had to make a choice between the poor birds, and in the end she had chosen Luna. Luna had been her faithful bird ever since.
She nearly scoffed at his insistence that he had helped her defeat the slave traders and bury the girls. As far as she could recall, he had disappeared and Rogue had been the one to hang around. “I usually fight alone. People don't offer to help, and I never ask....” the banshee left it at that. Looking up with 'startled' written across her face when Dedrallow admitted to Rogue being his daughter. “Your.... your daughter....?” she whispered before looking at the hound. Nikita couldn't even tell what breed the hound even looked like, but what did it matter when it could turn into a wolf or a raven.... or a goat if it so chose?
The first thing she noticed, now that she was looking – really looking, was the blue eyes that the hound possessed. They looked canine on the surface but as Nikita starred at her she felt herself falling into those eyes as if they were drawing her into them, entrancing her... trapping her. Luna didn't have those kind of eyes, they just starred at her blankly most of the time... but Rogue eyes, they ensnared her, held her attention – there was so much more to Rogue than what she had assumed. There was something very much human behind those eyes.
For the first time since she had encountered these two shifters she was speechless, genuinely speechless. The banshee had to tear herself away from those eyes to look at Dedrallow, her breath shaking. She believed him. There was a girl behind those eyes... she could see it within them. Nikita wasn't even entirely sure how she knew that there was, but she felt it was true.
“H-how?” she finally managed. “How did she become like this?”
The banshee looked back at Rogue. She had wronged her. Then she did something different, she leaned forward to reach out and wrap her arms around Rogue, hugging her close.
“Oh.... Rogue”, she whispered to the hound softly, fighting back the tears she would have shed. Nikita did have a soft spot for children and animals... and this creature was both it seemed. “I've done you an injustice. I treated you like an animal... but you're so much more aren't you?”
Regaining her composer Nikita let go of Rogue, hoping the creature would forgive her for how wrong she had been about her. Then she looked up at Dedrallow and clearly saw something that she had not seen since she was a teenager – the love of a parent. And it was clearly directed at Rogue. “I was wrong about you”, she commented. “You're not completely heartless”.
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Post by Dedrallow Omen on Jul 2, 2013 12:57:32 GMT -5
Dedrallow just stood there as she showed sympathy and sorrow for the way she treated Rouge. When she had asked what happened, he felt himself stiffen up. That day was burned in his memory, even though it happened four hundred years ago. He watched as she brought Rouge into a hug, asking for her forgiveness, Rouge licked her face lovingly. Dedrallow never told anyone before; this was the first time he revealed that secret. He honestly didn’t think she needed to apologize for anything, after all Rouge had been an animal for a majority of her life; it wasn’t the banshee’s fault for not knowing that. Sometimes Dedrallow did that injustice to her, but maybe that was because that Rouge herself – that was all that she really knew. She was just a little girl….when that happened. Dedrallow shifted his weight as he looked at Nikita. She said she was wrong about him….but once she knew the truth…would she take back those words? The unforgivable sin that he committed to his own flesh and blood?
“It’s my fault that she became like this,” Dedrallow started to say in a soft voice, not looking directly in the banshee’s eyes, “it happened over four hundred years ago. Rouge was born to me and of another. Rouge was a beautiful little girl; she was so happy and carefree. She took after me, she was a changeling. She always shifted into small animals and go running out into the woods. My partner didn’t know I was a changeling at that time….and when they saw our daughter was one, they knew and believed I would leave. Changelings are not known to love. After all we sneak into the homes of others and steal their children away. I indeed left. Even thought she was begging me to stay, those beautiful eyes called out to me, but I left…” Dedrallow remembered that day perfectly. Rouge had clung herself around his leg and cried and cried, pleading for him to stay or to take her with him, but he denied her all of that, he left her behind and didn’t look back. He done it so many times before, why would it be different this time around? But…it was a little different this time around. He felt guilty.
“It was a few years later, when I came back to that village, and I heard about a witch that lived on top of the hill. That is where I used to live. I thought about Rouge and I ran up there….when I found a child about ten years old, raven black hair and bright blue eyes – I knew it was her when I saw her. She was covered in blood, her clothes were ripped from her body, she was glowing – I looked and saw my partner on the ground….” Dedrallow paused for a second. It was his fault that this happened. He had left his daughter…to a monster. There was no one else to blame. It was as if Dedrallow had done it himself. It was as if he was the once that wronged his once innocent little girl. “She lost her innocence. Now I know why she begged for me to stay, begged me to take her…for four years she had to go through torment all alone, until she could no longer take it and killed the man that was her father…” Dedrallow paused at this. He had been choosing his words carefully before, but it seem came to the point where he couldn’t hide the fact that Dedrallow’s ‘partner’ was in fact a man and was Rouge’s father – Dedrallow was a changeling, and lived as a woman on numerous occasions. He continued on though…as if it was nothing.
“Her psyche was completely broken. It was then I knew she was more than just a mere changeling. Her power was too much for her body to handle and it broke. When she saw me, she stood there for a long time, before she shifted into a dog – and fell to the ground. I ran over to her, I called to her, but she did not wake up. Her breathing was shallow; I could feel her slip away from me…” Dedrallow paused as he knelt down, placing his hands over his head. Rouge whimpered as she lay down in front of him. Her bright blue eyes staring at him as she leaned forward and licked him, telling him everything he needed to know. “I took her away and cared for her and soon she healed…however she never would be the same. Her powers had brought a curse upon herself. She could no longer shift into a human, and any creature that she shift’s into – is as black as the night sky. Her powers are sleeping silently inside of her, where it laid dormant for four hundred years.” Dedrallow looked up at Rouge. She was his daughter. He had promised to care for her, to risk his life for her, to do whatever he could to make it up to her, because of him she was lost, she could never live a normal life.
“It was my fault,” Dedrallow said as he shook his head, “I had left her all alone. I should have known, but I was too selfish to see the signs that she was being abused. I’m sorry…I’m sorry Rouge….I’m sorry…” Dedrallow broke as a few tears rolled down his cheek and onto the forest ground below. Rouge barked and pressed her face against his, trying to comfort him. He stood there for several seconds before he quickly wiped his tears away and stood up, turning away from the banshee. It had been so long, he had hoped that one day, he could get Rouge to shift back – but she was unable to…she lived as an animal for four hundred years, and she was slowly slipping away - holding onto the human part of herself for dear life and he was afraid one day, he would lose her forever.
“No, you were right about me….” He spoke softly. “I am heartless.”
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Post by Nikita Lancashire on Jul 2, 2013 15:32:02 GMT -5
Nikita sat in silence as she listed to Dedrallow's tale of how he had left his daughter behind to later find her out of control and cursed. Rogue had become a dog because of psychic state being broken. She had lost all her innocence. The banshee looked at Rogue sadly, the loss of innocence was something she was all too familiar with – she had lost her innocence long ago as well. And she had broken apart as well... she might have turned into a bird if it was possible. Then Dedrallow drew her attention again by agreeing that he was heartless. Nikita stood up quietly and walked around to look at his face again.
“No.... I was wrong”, she said quietly. “Regret is not something the heartless can feel. Those men we killed, they wouldn't feel regret over those girls dying at their hands. You're different, you feel regret because you didn't... couldn't save your daughter from a monster. But you saved her life in the end. She's alive and that's what counts.”
The banshee looked at her feet, returning her flask of alcohol to the pocket within her cloak.
“Trust me.... I know regret... I've lived it every day”, she muttered. “I was fifteen, I already had my powers, I could sense death everywhere... and which direction it was, so much screaming in my head. I still hear the screams.... it gets so loud at times I can't even think straight....”
Nikita shook her head to bring her back on track when she realized that she was digressing and beginning to ramble.
“I was raised by humans in a village not far from here actually. I'd wandered away from my birth parents as a toddler, and they never found me. Gods – it's been so long now that I can't even remember what they looked like. The humans raised me as their daughter though, so I became an older sister to their son.... in every sense he was my brother.....”
Nikita almost smiled and nearly laughed at the memories of all the mischief she had gotten up to with her brother. So many happy memories from better, and innocent times. Things had been so simple back then to the mind of a child – the world had seemed black and white, things were either right, or wrong. Back then there had been no shades of grey where morals overlapped.
“We'd gone out racing... Jon on his horse, and I was flying. When we came back our village was ablaze. It had been attacked by bandits.... none of the young folk had been stolen for slavery, was just an attack, and whatever gold we had was stolen. Some of our old friends were dead.... killed simply because they had resisted being robbed.”
The banshee lifted her head and stared off into the distance, seemingly in the direction that her old village actually lay. She could still feel the heat of that blaze on her face even now.
“I never sensed their deaths.... we had been so close to the village and I hadn't predicted what was about to happen. My brother and I raced back to our cottage.... but we were too late. We were in time to see the walls splashed red and the lifeless bodies of our parents......”
Nikita's gaze hardened, clenching her hands until her knuckles turned papery white.
“I failed them... I didn't sense anything. They took me into their home and I failed them”, she snarled, mostly at herself. “I kill those bastards every time in my thoughts”.
Nikita took a deep breath, clamped her eyes shut, banishing her past back to the deep recess in her mind where she left it behind her as much as she could manage.
“I feel nothing but regret..... every single day. I've lived with that regret for ten years already. My brother is mortal... and I will never die”, she murmured softly. “My brother became a healer, he saves lives now. And I..... I protect him now... from everything, and everyone”.
Suddenly the banshee drew one of her daggers and hurled, the blade spinning through the air until it struck a tree trunk with a dull thunk. She done it simply to harden her exterior once again. She had lowered her guard momentarily, to a stranger. But he'd told her what had happened to Rogue, now it was like a case of 'Show me yours and I'll show you mine' type scenario. Nikita looked down at the shifting creature that was Rogue. 'Just a little girl locked away in there somewhere', the banshee thought to herself. 'Does that mean there's a little girl locked away inside me as well?'
Nikita crouched down to talk to Rogue again. “You're a special girl...” she told Rogue. “It's a good thing you have him... to look after you. Brave girl”.
The banshee looked into those blue eyes again. She hoped that Rogue may regain her human form again... in time. Nikita reached out and stroked Rogue's cheek lightly before standing up again. “Nikita”, she said to both shifting beings. She didn't know why she admitted to a name, but she knew both their names – without introductions – it seemed only fair to return the favor now. “My name is Nikita”.
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Post by THE ROGUE GIANT on Jul 2, 2013 19:25:23 GMT -5
She didn't know what to make of the strange new scents in this part of the playpen she was in. She didn't even know where the walls of this particularly playpen were -- it was that big. She quite liked it, though. She could roam where she pleased, as long as she kept on an eye out for the nasty-orange-stuff-that-burns-breathing-things.
She stopped to scratch her arm and inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of this place. It was different than the other places she had been. Each of them had had their own unique scents, but this one even more so. It had a certain spicy scene to it, flavorful and strong, not altogether inviting. She stepped forward and then something caught her eye.
Two of those little snack-sized-things she had seen earlier were at her feet. The snack-sized-things-with-wings seemed to be quite popular, for this was the second one she had seen that day. She was hesitant to reach for it, though. Last time she had tried to eat one of the snack-sized-things-with-wings, not only had it managed to escape from inside her mouth, but one of those nasty-orange-stuff-that-burns-breathing-things had caused the nasty-orange-stuff-that-burns to go on the ground. She merely growled, contemplating the merits of plucking it from the ground and eating it.
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Post by Dedrallow Omen on Jul 2, 2013 21:18:49 GMT -5
Her words were like a dagger into his heart. He believed that she would yell at him and hate him. For so long he lived with that regret, and yet here she stood and told him that he protected her…and that at least Rouge was alive now. He nodded his head, hardly able to speak or able to think. He turned to look at Rouge…he was also surprised that she forgave him and followed him, she didn’t run away, even back when she still had a full human conscious. Rouge gave him a smile (the best she could form as a dog) and he felt his heart melt. He took a deep breath and regained his composure. He wasn’t one to just lose it like that. He felt slightly embarrassed that he was seen crying. “Thank you,” those were the only words that he could muster up. He really was thankful. He then quickly listened as she spoke of her own tale of regret. It seemed like they had more in common then they original thought. They both lived with regret. Wishing they could do something different to protect those they loved.
“It seems like we are similar,” Dedrallow said at the end of her tale, “and as immortals…are we to live with this regret forever?” It was a rhetorical question really. He knew that for as long as he was alive, he would hold that regret in his heart. The only way he might ever get over it – is if Rouge was ever set free – and he would do anything if that was ever a possibility. Rouge wagged her tail happily when Nikita spoke to her. Rouge leaned forward and touched her nose to Nikita’s. She was happy that the both of them weren’t at each other’s throats anymore. Dedrallow too knelt down and placed a hand on Rouge’s head. He couldn’t help, but wonder if what he was doing for her was enough? Did she deserve more? He turned and looked at the banshee when she spoke her name, finally introducing herself. “Nice to meet you, Nikita.” Dedrallow said with a small smile as he looked into her eyes. A lot has happened in their short meeting, but he was glad that they had crossed paths. “You know I-“ he started to say, but his words were cut off when he sensed something. He shot up and looked around.
“Oh no…” he whispered. That sent was too familiar. He knew exactly what it was. It wasn’t too long ago when he had ran into it, back by the river with the other young banshee Cassander. He soon spotted the creature walking toward them. The giant’s mind was like a toddler and hunger knawel at her, he was sure of that; she would try to do what she did back then. He had to do something quick (and be a little smarter about it, unlike last time) “Rouge. Get away now!” He ordered Rouge, who quickly obliged and ran off into the woods. He turned back to Nikita. “Don’t think, just do it. Fly out of here now!” He ordered her. He knew if she was quick she had a chance to escape the giant. But, they couldn’t wait long, they had to act quickly, before it was too late.
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Post by Nikita Lancashire on Jul 2, 2013 22:33:51 GMT -5
Nikita paled when she felt the earth shuddering beneath her feet, glancing around before she saw it. Towering high above them both, with hands of a colossal size that could crush them into the ground like a hammer on a nail purely on the whim of the being itself. Her blue eyes shot wide open and she actually found herself shaking as terror gripped her.
“Don’t think, just do it. Fly out of here now!”
The banshee couldn't even shift her feet despite her wings fluttering anxiously, she was held in place by fear as she gazed upon this enormous creature. “Giant....” she whispered helplessly. It was female, to say the least... but it was intimidating. Nikita was actually afraid, for the first time in a very long time.
“FLY YOU BIRD-BRAIN!”
The words were screamed in her brothers voice, but he was no where in sight. No, it was her subconscious, snapping her back to reality and realizing what was at stake. If she didn't fly then it was fairly certain that she would be eaten – immortal or not. Her feathers puffed up slightly in indignation at her own mind calling her a bird-brain, resisting from letting out the trademark squawk that she usually sounded at such an insult. Nikita was not a bird-brain.
“What about you?!” she asked, casting a glance at Dedrallow. But then she figured he could take care of himself. I was hundreds of years older than her. No doubt he had survived the odd giant attack here and there.... possibly? Kicking her sword up into the air to catch it with one hand the banshee scrabbled backwards first before spinning on her heel and taking flight, flapping her wings as fast and strong as she could to carry her quickly away. She struggled to reattach her sword to her belt as she flew away, the leather straps slipping threw her fingers as she attempted the simple task, making it appear more difficult than it actually was. But her hands were shaking and sweaty, making the leathers slippery, refusing to cooperate.
The banshee actually let out a gasp as the straps slid through her fingers completely and her sword fell, tumbling towards the ground below. Nikita dropped into a dive, catching her precious weaponry just above the forest floor, rolling forwards to stand up with her wings flared out and her feet skidding across the leaf litter. It was an impressive move really, and would become particularly handy in a battle.... but now was not the time to battle. Especially when your opponent stood at twenty-one feet and probably weighed about two tons.... and could squash you like an insignificant insect beneath your boots. This time, with her sword attached securely to her belt, Nikita took wing again.
She dared not look behind her to see if the giant had fancied her a better snack or if it had already gobbled up Dedrallow. No way was she looking behind her. No f*cking way. Nikita had never flown this fast before, and it was exhausting.... to say the least. Sure, she'd raced against her brother before, but never had she raced for her LIFE!
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Post by THE ROGUE GIANT on Jul 8, 2013 13:59:48 GMT -5
She turned to the ground, zero-ing in on the snack-without-the-wings, but then, in a flash of white, the snack-sized-thing-with-wings launched itself into the air. There was a brief glitter in the air and she tilted her head to one said to catch sight of it. Then the snack-sized-thing-with-wings fly past her and she easily reached out and plucked it from the air, holding it fast between her forefinger and thumb, and this time, it wouldn’t get away.
Instead of immediately consuming it, she held the snack-sized-thing-with-wings up to her face, peering at it through the narrowed slits of her eyes, squinting to bring it into focus. It was quite the ugly specimen. It had a tiny little face, big eyes and sickly white skin. She had to admit that its swings were sort of pretty: white and fluffy-looking. A thought came to mind and she wondered it she could pluck the wings off before eating it. Moving the snack-sized-thing-with-wings to her other hand and holding it carefully, as not to crush it before she put it in her mouth, she used her left hand (she was left-handed) to grip one of the snack-sized-thing-with-wing’s wings and pull on it.
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Post by Dedrallow Omen on Jul 8, 2013 22:29:08 GMT -5
“Darn it,” Dedrallow muttered to himself as he jumped out of the giants way and watched as it plucked Nikita from the sky. He was hoping that she would get away; well he was hoping they could all get away. Now what was he going to do? Luckily the giant didn’t catch him, which made things easier. However, whatever he was going to do, he needed to do fast. He watched as the giant studied Nikita, and Dedrallow knew it was a matter of seconds before she plopped her in her mouth. He looked toward the bushes, when suddenly Rouge came running toward the giant. “ROUGE!” Dedrallow called, but she didn’t listen, she shifted into a large black bear, growling at the giant. Dedrallow really had to do something now.
“Nikita, I’m coming!” He called to her, hoping that she didn’t think that he would leave her hanging. He knew he did a dick move and didn’t help her before, but things were different now. He hardly knew the banshee and hey he only learned her name a few minutes ago – but still…she knew Rouge’s secret. He couldn’t deny the special bond that Rouge had with Nikita and that was why Rouge was risking her life for someone that she just met. Although Dedrallow wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about Nikita, he knew one thing for sure, she wasn’t a bad person and he had to protect her and Rouge. He began to take off his clothes (he didn’t have to time to hide for covering) while he was doing this he was going through what he could shift into, a dragon was out of the question, another giant like Rouge did last time? Should he just try to snatch Nikita and fly away? But, he had to protect Rouge, she was more important. He watched as she got close to the giant, who then swatted Rouge and she flew into a nearby tree, falling to the ground, and didn’t get back up.
“ROUGE!” Dedrallow hollered, racing toward to her, however before he could reach her an arrow out of nowhere came and pierced him on the right shoulder. He turned and saw several men on horses; Dedrallow was to distracted to sense their presence. Great, that was exactly what they needed. What were they doing out here? Were they more slave traders or were they here to get the giant? (but why did they shoot him then?) He wasn’t sure, but before he could do anything, another arrow pierced him. He howled in anguish as the men jumped from their horses and began to attack Dedrallow. He pulled out his sword and began to swing at them. “I don’t have time for this shit!” He screamed as he looked at Rouge’s still body. He needed to get to her. He had to make sure she was okay. He couldn’t lose her….not again!
“Leave me alone!” He called out as he closed his eyes and swung his sword. When he opened his eyes, he realized that no one was around. He dropped his sword and fell to the ground. No one was ever there. He was fighting thin air. Did he finally lose it? He felt tears burn in his eyes as he pushed himself up. “Rouge…” He whimpered as he looked at her body, he then looked up at the giant. He was pissed now. Rouge…Rouge…his best friend…his daughter….was she gone forever now? his vision was blurry with the tears that were streaming down his cheek and his mind was fading out. He could hardly concentrate on anything. He couldn't lose Rouge....she was his everything...what would he do without her? It hurt to much to even think about that.
“I’LL KILL YOU!” He shouted toward the beast as he tore off his clothes and shifted into a dragon (but he knew better not to blow fire this time) he let out a ear clenching screech as he made his way toward the giant. Blind about everything else. All he knew is that he wanted this giant dead.
((Sorry PIP for powerplaying the Giant a little bit ))
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Post by Nikita Lancashire on Jul 9, 2013 0:20:58 GMT -5
One moment the world had been rushing past her, the next moment it stopped, no matter how hard she flapped her wings she could not gain any ground. Daring a look, Nikita finally realised what had happened... her flying away had ultimately drawn the giants attention. Fear gripped her again, and she struggled, hoping to draw her sword and stab at the fingers that held her, but no matter how much, Nikita couldn't manage it. The world seemed to slow as the giant starred at her, and Nikita found herself doing something that she never thought possible.
She gave up.
The banshee ceased struggling, closed her eyes and waited to die. What point was there to fighting any more if she was going to be eaten anyway? Time ticked by and Nikita waited... and waited. She wasn't afraid to die, she had stared death right in the face... but the sooner it happened the sooner it was over. Her brother would be fine without her.... hopefully. Then a voice filled her ears and Nikita snapped to attention again. “Nikita, I’m coming!” The banshee's eyes snapped open and she searched around for the source, finding Dedrallow on the forest floor.
“NO!” she shouted began, begging to struggle again. If she could just reach her sword... “Find Rogue and run! Find my brother! Jon Lancashire.... find him... GO!”
Rogue had other ideas it seemed when she came racing in and shifting into the form of a bear. “Rogue! No... no.... run! RUN!”
Nikita watched in horror as the giant swept the little changeling aside like a mere toy, toppling her into the trees. The banshee's blood ran cold and could only stare at the still body while Dedrallow hacked and slashed, rampaging in fury at invisible foes.
Nikita focused on the body, dreading the moment that she would have to keen for the little girl that had been trapped within. Nikita returned her attention back to the Giant. There was no way that she could kill it... size being a great advantage to the fearsome beast. But that was all it was to Nikita: a beast. It was an ugly, stupid beast! Finally, a moment of free movement and Nikita managed to draw her sword, there was one thing that she did not expect. The giant swapped her into it's other hand and took hold of her wing and began to pull. Nikita shook her head desperately. No... not her wings, anything but her wings!
Nikita stabbed at the hand that held her with her sword. She stabbed at it, again and again, attempting to force it to let her go. Drop her if it wanted, just let her go. All the while she screamed out in pain. The pain was more than she could bare... it was one thing to have an arm or a leg ripped off, but a wing... pain laced it's way down her back, originating near her shoulder blade. She continued to scream through the pain before, suddenly, there as a sickening 'pop'. Even with her limited knowledge thanks to her brother's extensive one, Nikita knew that pop meant her wing had just been pulled out of its joint: dislocation. Her dislocated wing dropped uselessly... there would be no flying now... that's if she wasn't eaten.
The hilt of her sword slipped through her fingers as her grip went lax, the blade tumbling down towards the forest floor to land with a distinctive thud, the point stabbed into the ground while the whole blade shuddered. Nikita tried to reach for at least one of her daggers but in her pain filled haze she spotted another terrifying creature. A dragon. Was there no end to monsters appearing?
“Kill me now....” she muttered beneath her breath.
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Post by THE ROGUE GIANT on Jul 9, 2013 16:13:03 GMT -5
She heard a noise and saw a little black thing come running towards her and she brushed it aside. She would deal with it later. First, she had to pull the snack-sized-thing-with-wings out. She was busy! After she had eaten this delicacy, she might feel up to a second, smaller snack-sized-thing.
Apparently, the snack-sized-thing-with-wings had teeth, or something, because she felt a biting feeling in her fingers that had to becoming from the thing. Well, that was annoying. Letting out a grunt of frustration, she heard a snapping sound and the wing hung limp on the snack-sized-thing-with-wing’s back, but it didn’t fall off completely. What was this? She had just pulled it off, so why didn’t it fall off? Stupid… She started work on the second wing, but then she felt the biting tips of arrows pierce her flesh. Arrows. It was a word she knew, along with spears. Her keepers had shot arrows and spears at her when she had been bad. She was bad a lot of the time, according to the number and frequency of the arrows and spears that got thrown her way.
If that wasn’t enough, one of the orange-stuff-that-burns-breathing-things showed up and she immedieately dropped the snack-sized-thing-with-wings, turned and stomped away. All she was trying to do was have a meal. Was that too much to ask?! Every time she tried to eat a snack, someone showed up to tell her she was bad. What had she done wrong this time?
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Post by Dedrallow Omen on Jul 9, 2013 17:53:26 GMT -5
Dedrallow growled loudly when the giant suddenly let go of Nikita and left. Without missing a beat, Dedrallow still in his dragon from, reached out and grabbed Nikita before she could fall to the ground, knowing that she was probably not in the best condition to fly. Dedrallow laid her softly on the ground. He shifted back and quickly put his clothes on. He turned and saw Rouge lying perfectly still to his right and in front of him was Nikita. What was he to do? His head was throbbing and tears were still streaming down his cheek. He walked over to Nikita and bent down over to her. He placed a hand upon her cheek and whispered “I’m sorry,” before he got up and rushed to Rouge’s side. It wasn’t as if he didn’t care about Nikita’s health, but he knew she would understand, she knew how important Rouge was to him.
“Rouge…” He made his way to her and picked her up in his arms. He felt like crying loudly when he felt her shallow breathing. She was alive. Thank god she was alive. He pulled her close to him and wept happy tears. She was still there with him, she wasn’t gone, and he didn’t lose her. It was as if all his emotions that he was holding up, released in that moment. “Rouge….I’m sorry…” he whispered over and over again. After several minutes he laid her back down on the ground. There were no visible scars on her, but it seemed that the giant had knocked her unconscious, there wasn’t anything that he could do for her now, only hope and pray that she would wake up. He took off his shirt and placed it under her head, as if she was still his little girl (which she was) he leaned down and kissed her cheek “I love you,” he whispered as he got up and made his way to Nikita – after all there wasn’t anything else he could do for her. It was up to Rouge now, to wake up.
“Are you okay, Nikita?” He asked as he fell down to his knees in front of her. He whipped his tears away as he looked over. All he could think about Rouge, but he knew that he had to remain strong. Crying wasn’t going to get her to wake up. She was strong. He knew that she would wake up. Everything would be okay in just a few minutes. “I’m sorry that this happened, it should have been me and not you….or…” he didn’t say Rouge’s name….he couldn’t, it hurt too much. He looked down at Nikita, a sure hell of a lot has happened. He felt much different toward the banshee then he did earlier. Back then it seemed as they both wanted to rip each other’s throat out. However, because of Rouge, they have calmed down a bit. Rouge…why did it have to be her? Hadn’t she gone through enough? Dedrallow was the one that deserved pain – not her. She was an innocent child. She got dealt a bad hand in this life and Dedrallow was the dealer – where was his punishment? Why couldn’t it have been him?
“Is there anything I can do?” He asked her. “I’m not an expert….but I will do whatever you want or get whatever you need, no matter what.” He felt like it was his fault that both Rouge and Nikita got hurt – while he walked away free. It wasn’t fair, but then again, when was life ever fair?
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Post by Khalidah Leaf-Fall on Jul 10, 2013 1:56:23 GMT -5
NIKITA LANCASHIRE
Nikita fell. She had been dropped..... the Giant had actually dropped her! All because of a dragon? No, wait... the dragon wasn't a dragon at all, it had caught her rather than burning her up into a crisp. “Dedrallow?” she asked through the haze of pain before it laid her down on the ground. The changeling she remembered reappeared and ran to Rogue who was lying motionless where she had landed. Nikita didn't care... no, she didn't mind that he had seen to the little creature first... she understood, better than most would have. If the roles had been reversed at her brother Jon had been lying there and Dedrallow had been the one lying broken, Nikita would have run to Jon first too.
She pushed herself up onto her knees, her dislocated wing hanging uselessly down her back. She wasn't able to move it at all, not even to fold it up neatly as she would normally to carry it with dignity. No, it hung there like a puppet that had its strings cut, at least the pain was subsiding though... gradually fading until it was just a dull numbness that hung around where she should had felt her wing. Nikita could still feel her other wing, but there was no sensation in all in her damaged on.
The banshee looked over at Rogue, casting out her senses... if she felt a need to keen then she definitely would keen her loudest for the little changeling, she sighed in relief when there was no such sense. Nikita could even see her sides shifting lightly during the inhale and exhale of air.... breathing. Rogue was still breathing. Good, there would be no keening necessary. Now the little creature just had to wake up.
“Come on, Rogue.... wake up precious girl...” she whispered faintly. No, she didn't hate Dedrallow enough to deny him his daughter's life, mostly because she knew how she'd feel if, and when, her brother passed away. It would break her heart.
Nikita nodded slightly when Dedrallow asked if she was alright. She was, relatively, now that the Giant wasn't trying to pluck off her wings as if she was a flying insect. She had never understood why people liked pulling the wings off flies... now she did, it made them vulnerable. And now she was vulnerable due to one of her wings being dislocated.
“I'd rather put myself in harms way than anyone else.... given the choice”, she countered. “I do it every time I protect my brother. It's better I get hurt than him... or anyone else. Don't count me out yet... I'm immortal remember”.
Nikita remained sitting there on her knees as Dedrallow walked away.
“My wing...” she called out to him. “That beast dislocated my wing.... I need to reset it or it will never heal. And my brother is too far away... it's faster if I fly but, walking on my own feet I'd never get there in time”.
The banshee gestured with her head.
“Mind giving me a hand.... I can't exactly do it myself”, she commented. It was a very back handed question, after all, Nikita NEVER asked for help. But this was as close as she was going to get. “I wont deny that it wont hurt like bloody hell, but I'd appreciate it. You can call it payback for me almost throwing a dagger at you before....”
((OOC: Stupid bloody proboards..... *grumbles*))
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Post by Dedrallow Omen on Jul 10, 2013 11:19:47 GMT -5
“Just because we are immortal, doesn’t mean we can’t get hurt,” Dedrallow reminded him. He knew the code of the immortals, it was very hard to die as an immortal and he knew that she wasn’t going to die on him like this, but Dedrallow still felt responsible, but he wasn’t really sure why. He knew Nikita was a tough girl and she was more than capable of handling anything that dished her way; he knew that from the moment they met. At least the giant was gone, they didn’t have to worry about it for now, but other worries will come to them? First the slave traders and then the giant? Not mentioning that Dedrallow had a hallucination that he was being attacked….but he didn’t want to bring that up, he wasn’t sure what that exactly meant. He looked at her wing when she mentioned it was dislocated, it looked pretty bad, but it could have been worst – the giant could have completely torn it off. It would take a real miracle to reattach a wing.
“You want me too?” He asked her. He never thought she would ask his help for anything, but he supposed he was the last option she had. He nodded his head, but he was a little nervous. Dedrallow could shift into something with wings - but he never really dealt with them, nor was he a doctor. He knew basic car, but he never had to do something like this. He couldn’t help, but smirk slightly when she mentioned that this was payback for almost throwing the dagger at him - at least she didn’t lose her humor. “Alright…I’ll do it as quickly as I can…” he reached forward and gently touched her wings. He knew that it was going to hurt, but there wasn’t anything he could do to ease her pain. He took a deep breath as he whispered.
“Okay…three…two…one…” And with that he quickly pushed the wing back into its socket, as quickly as he could.
Rouge shifted her weight, but yet she still did not awake. She was trapped in a long lost dream. Back when she was normal, a little girl running in the tall grasses laughing. Her parents hugged her tightly and she felt like the happiest girl in the world. However, the pleasant dreams were soon torn apart as she ran across the field, screaming and crying for her mother not to leave her alone with him. The nights he crept into her room, stroking her, telling her not to tell anyone. Then soon the house was on fire and there was blood everywhere – a man was nearby with a familiar sent, before it went all black. Rouge whined in her sleep, a tear rolling down her cheek, but she still did not awake. In her dreams she was screaming out to someone to help her, but she was trapped in the memories, forced to relive them once again.
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Post by Nikita Lancashire on Jul 10, 2013 12:27:49 GMT -5
Nikita nodded her thanks when Dedrallow agreed to reset her wing back into the joint for her. At least she wouldn't have to listen to Jon telling her that she should be more careful. Yes, she was brash and reckless, and a downright pain in the rear end to his existence much of the time... but she loved her brother and she would do anything to keep him safe, even if that meant not being careful. Also this meant that he wouldn't have to grumble over having to mend her wings, yet again. Okay, Nikita had dislocated her wings at least once or twice before... but that had been from falling out of the sky and having them get caught on tree branches to get pulled out of the sockets. She had always broken a wing once... by way of the same typical type of accident – falling through trees. But never had she experienced a Giant try to pluck off her wings before! It was a miracle that her wing was still attached considering.
The banshee sat up straighter, pulling off her belt and removing her daggers from it. She had a reason for doing this. Resetting an arm was painful enough (she'd been through that too), but resetting a wing would make Nikita scream bloody murder. Holding the ends in one hand Nikita placed the loop between her teeth, preparing to bite down on the leather belt instead of biting her tongue by mistake. Feeling hands resting lightly on her injured wing Nikita took a deep breath and nodded, giving a final consent to the treatment.
“Okay…three…two…one…”
The banshee squeaked out in pain as she bit down on her belt, clenching her fists tightly, resisting the urge to scream as Dedrallow pushed her wing back into its socket. When it was all over Nikita let the belt drop away from her and she doubled over. She was breathing hard, blind with pain, and the world around her became hazy once more. After a few intense moments Nikita finally allowed herself to breath normally again, sighing in relief when she could finally feel her wing again... every muscle and each individual feather. Deciding to led herself, and her wing, recover for the time being, the banshee chose against folding it up just yet.
“Thanks...” she muttered softly, the word feeling strange on her tongue. Other than asking for help, shaking thankyou was just as foreign to her. Once again the flask of alcohol made an appearance as she took a swig to try and dull the residual pain that still remained somewhat. But she froze mid-swig, her gaze turning towards Rogue. Her senses could pick up something.... and it felt like death. But it was faint... distant.... dulled even, as if.... as if it were in a dream.
Hesitantly she made her way over to the little changeling, stroking her fur lightly before placing her ear against her side. Yes, she was still breathing and there was a heartbeat too. It wasn't Rogue dying that she sensed then.... but it felt like it had something to do with Rogue. What was it exactly then? Nikita brushed back to fur from around an eye and saw it flickered slightly beneath the eyelid. “She's dreaming....” she said softly before her fingers touched something wet within the fur. A tear. Then there was a whine. “Bad dreams...” she amended.
Nikita wondered if Rogue was dreaming of her past? Maybe... maybe the death of her father? The banshee had certainly not missed the fact earlier that Dedrallow had unwittingly let slip that he had once been female. The fact didn't bother her in the slightest, changelings could and did change gender whenever it suited them, he was no different in that regard. But her guess at the bad dreams would explain why the death that Nikita could sense felt so faded. Nikita often had nightmares about her parents dying... she'd wake up screaming to find herself already wrapped in her brothers arms.
The more she spent in the company of these changelings, the more she saw of herself in both of them... and the prospect scared her. Part of her wanted to run away, flee and never look back.... friendships and attachments weakened you! Nikita could only allow Jon to be her weakness.... her only weakness. But why couldn't she bring herself to move the longer she knelt there beside Rogue? Nikita glanced at Dedrallow, wondering if he had thought the same.
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