[fancypost bgcolor=; border: none; width: 450px; padding: 0px; font-size: 10px; line-height: 14px; text-align: justify]( this is longer than i originally planned it to be and was a lot easier to write, but i lost interest near the end, which i am sure is clear, anyway this is the beginning of memories of the past and now isena is gonna have constant visions of various timelines, what happens in em will be secret )
Sleep was a fleeting thing, a shaft of light that comes and goes without any warning behind the departure, never leaving a hint as it sweeps over the mind. It is there only when it wishes to be, even in the inconvenience of the one it comes to take, and upon that chilly autumn afternoon Isena wished they had not fallen into that darkness, had somehow been able to fight it off but such efforts are futile in the end.
As each day came and went the cold of winter seemed to seep in, a chill that bites at the skin and drives many indoors, yet never getting to the point it is cold enough to snow, not yet. Never had they truly enjoyed the cold, it was the chill that seeped into the bones and left their body heavy and sluggish that was most hateful, but on this day something was different. Beneath their paws the leaf litter crackled and popped, seemingly eaten away by invisible flames as the dried fauna crunched with each step, soft, low strings of bird song filling the air, weaving through the soft rustle of the branches above. Curling over them the canopy cast a shifting mass of shadows and light, their mind finding hands in those gleaming pools of light and the darkest depth of shadow, yet he swung at them almost playfully, batting at the ground. There was no fear, an occurrence they had not thought possible for each day seemed dogged by that insistent black cloud of fear which hung above their head, just a simple light hearted joy.
Soft chattering rose and they watched as a pair of squirrels darted by, laden with acorns they had come to collect, some of the last to be found. The corners of Isena's lips curled, a soft, slight smile and once more they continued on once the critters had passed, enjoying the little stroll through the forest. It was peaceful beneath the canopy, little life present but what was made a symphony of sound, a song of nature. Their lips parted and their chest came to puff out, a deep breath draw in through their mouth only to rush forth once more, escaping through their nostrils.
Never had they thought things would end up this way, that somehow they would find happiness in a place they had been taught was filled with murderers, rapists, and more, the stories nothing but glorified lies. They were glad that it had all turned out false, that they had found a home, a place to call their own. Still they were unused to so many face, some familiar but most proved strangers, greeting them each day but it had become a part of it they loved, to see so many and know that things were good, even in just a small part of the world, it made them happy for, though seemingly unimportant, to know at least one soul was genuinely happy lifted their own spirits.
Still it wore down on them, however, to have these duties to the clan they had not had before, true hunting and patrolling was the same as what they had done before, they had been the one to feed and protect their family for the most part, and those moments alone were nice. Wandering, as they did now, was what they usually did to get their mind off of things and give them a chance to get away from it all, but sometimes bad things come to find you no matter how far you run.
With a crackle of branches breaking away from it's place and a surprised cry the deer erupted from the forest, an elegant, graceful beast that bounded away, twisting and turning as it moved through the trees. Startled by this sudden appearance Isena watched in confusion as yet more deer followed after the first, all running as if chased yet they saw nothing pursuing them, a few seconds passing after the last bound away before Isena was off. Twisting around they ran after them, more interested in the run itself than actually capturing a deer but that would be a nice bonus, though such seemed unlikely for- they were not made to traverse forests but clear open ground.
Finally they caught sight of a white tail and a spotted rump, hanging back they followed a short distance behind so they would not be kicked in the head, keeping low to the ground as they ran. It was all so wonderful, the feeling of wind tearing at their fur, the budding warmth that spread through their body, the slight ache that radiated out from their joints, the simple pleasure of the run. Everyone is prone to being cocky every now and than, to driving themselves further than they should for they believe strongly they could do something when they know, deep down, they can't, and Isena was cocky in those moments, spelling out the beginning of the end.
Pushing themself the cave lion came parallel with the herd, running close by them before they made their move, running ahead only to twist around, throwing themself into the middle of the herd. All around were hooves and heaving flanks, scared cries raising all around as the deer tried to get away, the scent of the lion amongst them only driving them to fight back. Their claws hooked into flesh, tearing at it and warmth flooded as the blood soaked their toes, so close, but pointed hooves kicked out at them. From all around they were battered as the deer kicked, blood seeping from the cuts that these moves inflicted, the pain not quite reaching them just yet, a mere numbness taking over.
After a long minute the deer darted away into the underbrush to leave only one standing; the bull. Standing tall the golden brown figure was terrifying, puffs of steam rising from it's nose as each breath was released, a series of wheezes touching the air. Pressing themself low the batter Isena slowly crept backwards, sliding each paw back, trying to not give the deer a reason to charge. It was all too late, however, with a trumpeting cry the deer reared before it sprang forward, brandishing it's antlers. Taking a chance they rose once more, making a fatal mistake as their flank was left exposed when they tried to get away, the collision dragging them and the deer down which thrashed atop them.
Darkness flooded the edges of their vision and they tried hard to fight it off, lifting their head to snap at the deer, feeling skin tear and warmth flowed over them, a soft groan raising from the as the bull thrashed all the harder.. In the end the darkness won out, the deer forgotten even as it slumped, a dead weight pinning them to the ground, yet such was lost on them, the darkness sweeping over their mind.
Blood, pain, screams, a knife. This is what flooded their mind when they were drawn from the depths of their dreams, a cry raising to their lips, pain exploded out through their belly. The only sound that was drawn from them was a wheezing cough, melting into a coughing fit, the heavy weight pressing against their chest leaving the simple act of breathing hard to perform. They couldn't quite recall what the dream was about, yet they felt it wasn't truly a dream, a memory maybe, but not a dream, nor what it was that had left them terrified.
Now was no tie to dwell on such things, working their paws beneath the carcass of the deer they shoved at it, feeling it lift slightly before it fell back into place, driving the breath from their lungs and leaving them coughing once more. Wiggling around they shoved at the bull, trying to dislodge it and this did indeed seem to work though it took five minutes to get it down to their legs, which proved easy to slip out from underneath it. Drawing themself up they almost came to collapse once more, their legs like jelly but somehow Isena found a way to keep themself upright, for the moment at least, regarding the deer.
All over it were scars from past battles and newer cuts that they had inflicted in the struggle to get it off, but it was the throat that was most interesting. Low down, close to the collarbones, a large hole gaped like a second mouth, a wet, red grin, crimson staining it's chest. So this was the damage they had done before they had fallen into the darkness of sleep. Once more images flooded their mind, a knife deep in the belly of a child, crimson welling around that wicked blade and hands came to grasp at the handle uselessly, batting at it yet the fingers couldn't grip it.
A scream tore from their lips, pain tearing at their own stomach though there was nothing there, no knife as there had been in the child, but that did not stop the plain as their stomach clenched. Taking in a few deep breaths they tried to push the images away, they fixed their jaws around the deer's throat, dragging it along as they made the trek back to the main camp, never realizing that the sun had begun to set, speaking of the hours they had been asleep.[/fancypost]
[fancypost bgcolor=; border: none; width: 450px; padding: 0px; font-size: 8px; line-height: 8px; text-align: center]we might be only animals -
information - battle - abilities - biography
