Note: Hunter (the male protagonist) tends to call Skylar "Dorothy" as a Wizard of Oz reference. :)
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Her companion took a few steps into the clearing, then let out a long, high-pitched, trilling whistle. After a short pause, he repeated the sound, and Skylar flinched uncomfortably as it made the Bitters scream louder, their horrible cries making her wince. She barely noticed, at first, the smooth form that rose from its crouch on the cabin roof. It wasn't until it stretched the long, thin wings on its back and dropped silently to the ground that she really saw it, and stared in awe as a pair of glowing emerald orbs - the creature's eyes - approached them. It stopped about ten feet from the treeline and stretched again, and though she couldn't clearly see anything more than its silhouette, it was clear that it was some sort of large cat, easily mistaken for perhaps a lion or a cougar if not for the fifteen foot wingspan.
"This is Creed," the man told her. "You don't leave base unless he's on watch, you understand?" He leaned over and picked up a thick piece of fallen wood from the ground and hefted it against his hand. "Think you can run?"
"To the cabin?" she asked.
"I can't imagine wanting to run anywhere else right now."
"You know, it wouldn't kill you to be the slightest bit -"
"Running with your feet, Dorothy. Not your mouth."
Skylar bristled, her temper flaring despite her normally impeccable self-control, and she found herself taking a step toward him with every intention to drill her fist into his face. One step was all she managed, however, before the piece of wood he held lightly thumped her chest, resting on her sternum.
"Listen, girl," he said softly. "You're only alive because Daniel wants you alive. It would be a real shame to go back there and tell him the Bitters got you first." He tilted his head, and even without being able to see his face, she could feel his eyes burning into her. "Are we clear?"
Her mind raced. This man wasn't Daniel? How was that even possible? The wolves, the Bitters, even the odd lion-thing could easily be explained, but a fully developed avatar that wasn't the owner of the mindstate? It didn't make sense - she'd never seen anything like it.
"Then who are -" she began without thinking.
"Are. We. Clear?" he repeated, thumping the piece of wood against her chest with each word.
"I... yes. Yes, we're clear."
"Then you better start running." As if on cue, the Bitters let out a new chorus of screams, and the sheer proximity was enough to get her moving. She sprinted out of the trees and into the clearing - the cat was immediately beside her, its paws thudding heavily against the ground. She was only halfway, however, when she slowed and turned, realizing that her companion hadn't joined her.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2012-11-04 01:01 am (UTC)----------
Her companion took a few steps into the clearing, then let out a long, high-pitched, trilling whistle. After a short pause, he repeated the sound, and Skylar flinched uncomfortably as it made the Bitters scream louder, their horrible cries making her wince. She barely noticed, at first, the smooth form that rose from its crouch on the cabin roof. It wasn't until it stretched the long, thin wings on its back and dropped silently to the ground that she really saw it, and stared in awe as a pair of glowing emerald orbs - the creature's eyes - approached them. It stopped about ten feet from the treeline and stretched again, and though she couldn't clearly see anything more than its silhouette, it was clear that it was some sort of large cat, easily mistaken for perhaps a lion or a cougar if not for the fifteen foot wingspan.
"This is Creed," the man told her. "You don't leave base unless he's on watch, you understand?" He leaned over and picked up a thick piece of fallen wood from the ground and hefted it against his hand. "Think you can run?"
"To the cabin?" she asked.
"I can't imagine wanting to run anywhere else right now."
"You know, it wouldn't kill you to be the slightest bit -"
"Running with your feet, Dorothy. Not your mouth."
Skylar bristled, her temper flaring despite her normally impeccable self-control, and she found herself taking a step toward him with every intention to drill her fist into his face. One step was all she managed, however, before the piece of wood he held lightly thumped her chest, resting on her sternum.
"Listen, girl," he said softly. "You're only alive because Daniel wants you alive. It would be a real shame to go back there and tell him the Bitters got you first." He tilted his head, and even without being able to see his face, she could feel his eyes burning into her. "Are we clear?"
Her mind raced. This man wasn't Daniel? How was that even possible? The wolves, the Bitters, even the odd lion-thing could easily be explained, but a fully developed avatar that wasn't the owner of the mindstate? It didn't make sense - she'd never seen anything like it.
"Then who are -" she began without thinking.
"Are. We. Clear?" he repeated, thumping the piece of wood against her chest with each word.
"I... yes. Yes, we're clear."
"Then you better start running." As if on cue, the Bitters let out a new chorus of screams, and the sheer proximity was enough to get her moving. She sprinted out of the trees and into the clearing - the cat was immediately beside her, its paws thudding heavily against the ground. She was only halfway, however, when she slowed and turned, realizing that her companion hadn't joined her.