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.....Keiran Scarlet
17th Day of Winter, 509 AV
"Keiran! Let's fly over the Moonlight Escape before heading over to the Camps!" she screamed over the rush of the winds at him. 
Auburn hair flailing behind her, lit softly by the moon and stars above them, as they flew a couple chimes before the rest of the group. Keiran never did see anything so beautiful as when she smiled up at him from Fenirri. The golden glow of her eyes as they pierced his unique hazel ones and the way her body moved so fluently as she waved him to follow her. IT was moments like that he could never forget.
"Race you down, Alrya!" Keiran exclaimed with a smile as he sped Skalori passed Fenirri. The giant eagles playfully nipping at each other as they dueled for their rule in the sky.
The two pairs soared silently into the clearing, maintaining their hunting instincts and keeping their senses pointedly outward. Keiran arrived first, dismounting Skalori as he began walking towards the shimmering lake. He stared into the deep waters as they reflected the moon back on itself for only a tick before Alrya was behind him. Wrapping her arms around his waist as he enveloped her hands in his own.
"You cheated." she said teasingly, squeezing him a bit. Keiran couldn't see her, but he knew she had that small smile she had when no one was looking.
"I didn't cheat," he said grinning, turning around in her embrace to kiss her on the forehead gently, "I just took a head start."
She didn't respond with words, but shook her head as she drew her arms around his neck and brought their lips together. The sweetest embrace that always made unimaginable oaths in the silence. Keiran's fingers traced the curve of her neck as her own glided down to the small of his back. For a moment, the only sound became the music of the lake behind them. It was for that moment, their favorite soundtrack.
Keiran looked up for a moment and saw that Skalori and Fenirri were nestled together against the one of the larger trunks a few paces away. Their gear resting neatly on either side of the saddles they adorned. Knowing they were safe, he gently pulled Alrya down to the grassy floor and laid down beside her. With her nestled into the crook of his shoulder, they stared up at the evening lights. Content smiles twitch happily with desire to taste each other again.
Keiran closed his eyes and let his mind drift into the area round them. He heard the rustle of their eagle's feathers as it mixed to the lullaby of the grass. The way the leaves of the towering trees along the mountainsides matched the symphony with the howling winds above them. Small drops of rain played the baseline and the river sang the harmony to the chorus their hearts were playing. Nothing was stirring around them, and as the rain fell a little harder he smiled; Alrya loved the rain almost as much as he did.
He sat up, kissing a gently dozing Alrya on the cheek just enough to get that soft smile in response. Walking to the edge of the clearing, Keiran went to the bush that carried small white flowers on their branches. He pushed into the bramble a bit to find one he liked, keeping a flickering eye on the darkness that leered just beyond.
With the rain falling, he couldn't smell very well which could have cost him the chance at any game that was roaming just beyond the edge. However, he had hoped to get at least a glimpse of prey. Shaking his head at the attempt, he pushed a bit further and caught the dim light of a beautiful flower. Its pedals were still full of new blossoms and lightly coated in the mist from the rain. Smiling, Keiran wrapped a couple fingers around its stem and nicked it from its place.
Something caught him in the stomach, swift and hard. Knocking him from his feet and onto his back, ripping the breath from his lungs. A sharp scream behind him made him reel on himself, watching in horror as the environment around them became suddenly alive. Barreling on a collision course for where Alrya was scampering to her feet.
A thump beside his head shook Keiran back into the situation as he gazed up at a towering figure made of moss, leaves, and other things. Dreadfully beady eyes glared down on him. Raising a fist, or what could be called a fist, into the air, the being drove it towards the earth faster than Keiran would have guessed possible.
Rolling away and to his feet only just in time before it made contact with the ground, Keiran reached for the small dagger he had strapped to his boot. Another ear splitting blow smacked into his side, and tendril like fingers gripped his ribs. Before Keiran could even react, he was thrown clear across the clearing before smashing into the now muddy ground below. Except it wasn't all mud, and mud didn't have tinges of red in it.
Terrified Keiran searched the clearing as he struggled to get his feet under him and breathing under control. He found Skalori and Fenirri furiously battling four large monsters, tearing into their bodies with huge talons. Behind them, Alrya was in a match against three more. Her talon blade was stained in darkness and her side shared the resemblance. Her eyes flickered over to Keiran for an instant.
"Focus on them!" Keiran bellowed as loudly as his lungs could manage, running as fast as he could to where Skalori and his gear were. Behind him, the other two monstrosities followed in pursuit. He dashed past one of the three engaged with Alrya, allowing his eyes a brief second to overlook her status. He didn't need long to know that she was badly hurt.
"Skalori, hang on!" Keiran yelled over the roar of the battle, ripping his talon blade from its sheath on the eagles side. Skalori turned his head towards him so that one magnificent gold eye gazed at him intently. Keiran understood his partner more than anyone, and that look meant he would be fine. They only needed moments, and Keiran was charging the other way, ready to intercept the two following him before they reached Alrya.
The ground around them was thick with mud and dark splotches that splurted from the enemy when their blades plunged into them. The rain came down in torrents now, and their breaths came out in rasping gasps as the oxygen became more humid.
Keiran shook his head, training his eyes on the next attack. Ducking under another critical blow, he swept right and separated the limb from the body. Dousing himself in blackness. Alrya made the same motion, and almost simultaneously stabbed the creature in the belly, ripping skyward as the thing crashed to the earth.
Breathing heavily, Keiran wiped his brow before peering back into the fog of the rain.
"Keiran..." Alrya whispered slowly.
"Yeah... I know." he answered. All he could see were the shadows.
Auburn hair flailing behind her, lit softly by the moon and stars above them, as they flew a couple chimes before the rest of the group. Keiran never did see anything so beautiful as when she smiled up at him from Fenirri. The golden glow of her eyes as they pierced his unique hazel ones and the way her body moved so fluently as she waved him to follow her. IT was moments like that he could never forget.
"Race you down, Alrya!" Keiran exclaimed with a smile as he sped Skalori passed Fenirri. The giant eagles playfully nipping at each other as they dueled for their rule in the sky.
The two pairs soared silently into the clearing, maintaining their hunting instincts and keeping their senses pointedly outward. Keiran arrived first, dismounting Skalori as he began walking towards the shimmering lake. He stared into the deep waters as they reflected the moon back on itself for only a tick before Alrya was behind him. Wrapping her arms around his waist as he enveloped her hands in his own.
"You cheated." she said teasingly, squeezing him a bit. Keiran couldn't see her, but he knew she had that small smile she had when no one was looking.
"I didn't cheat," he said grinning, turning around in her embrace to kiss her on the forehead gently, "I just took a head start."
She didn't respond with words, but shook her head as she drew her arms around his neck and brought their lips together. The sweetest embrace that always made unimaginable oaths in the silence. Keiran's fingers traced the curve of her neck as her own glided down to the small of his back. For a moment, the only sound became the music of the lake behind them. It was for that moment, their favorite soundtrack.
Keiran looked up for a moment and saw that Skalori and Fenirri were nestled together against the one of the larger trunks a few paces away. Their gear resting neatly on either side of the saddles they adorned. Knowing they were safe, he gently pulled Alrya down to the grassy floor and laid down beside her. With her nestled into the crook of his shoulder, they stared up at the evening lights. Content smiles twitch happily with desire to taste each other again.
Keiran closed his eyes and let his mind drift into the area round them. He heard the rustle of their eagle's feathers as it mixed to the lullaby of the grass. The way the leaves of the towering trees along the mountainsides matched the symphony with the howling winds above them. Small drops of rain played the baseline and the river sang the harmony to the chorus their hearts were playing. Nothing was stirring around them, and as the rain fell a little harder he smiled; Alrya loved the rain almost as much as he did.
He sat up, kissing a gently dozing Alrya on the cheek just enough to get that soft smile in response. Walking to the edge of the clearing, Keiran went to the bush that carried small white flowers on their branches. He pushed into the bramble a bit to find one he liked, keeping a flickering eye on the darkness that leered just beyond.
With the rain falling, he couldn't smell very well which could have cost him the chance at any game that was roaming just beyond the edge. However, he had hoped to get at least a glimpse of prey. Shaking his head at the attempt, he pushed a bit further and caught the dim light of a beautiful flower. Its pedals were still full of new blossoms and lightly coated in the mist from the rain. Smiling, Keiran wrapped a couple fingers around its stem and nicked it from its place.
Something caught him in the stomach, swift and hard. Knocking him from his feet and onto his back, ripping the breath from his lungs. A sharp scream behind him made him reel on himself, watching in horror as the environment around them became suddenly alive. Barreling on a collision course for where Alrya was scampering to her feet.
A thump beside his head shook Keiran back into the situation as he gazed up at a towering figure made of moss, leaves, and other things. Dreadfully beady eyes glared down on him. Raising a fist, or what could be called a fist, into the air, the being drove it towards the earth faster than Keiran would have guessed possible.
Rolling away and to his feet only just in time before it made contact with the ground, Keiran reached for the small dagger he had strapped to his boot. Another ear splitting blow smacked into his side, and tendril like fingers gripped his ribs. Before Keiran could even react, he was thrown clear across the clearing before smashing into the now muddy ground below. Except it wasn't all mud, and mud didn't have tinges of red in it.
Terrified Keiran searched the clearing as he struggled to get his feet under him and breathing under control. He found Skalori and Fenirri furiously battling four large monsters, tearing into their bodies with huge talons. Behind them, Alrya was in a match against three more. Her talon blade was stained in darkness and her side shared the resemblance. Her eyes flickered over to Keiran for an instant.
"Focus on them!" Keiran bellowed as loudly as his lungs could manage, running as fast as he could to where Skalori and his gear were. Behind him, the other two monstrosities followed in pursuit. He dashed past one of the three engaged with Alrya, allowing his eyes a brief second to overlook her status. He didn't need long to know that she was badly hurt.
"Skalori, hang on!" Keiran yelled over the roar of the battle, ripping his talon blade from its sheath on the eagles side. Skalori turned his head towards him so that one magnificent gold eye gazed at him intently. Keiran understood his partner more than anyone, and that look meant he would be fine. They only needed moments, and Keiran was charging the other way, ready to intercept the two following him before they reached Alrya.
The ground around them was thick with mud and dark splotches that splurted from the enemy when their blades plunged into them. The rain came down in torrents now, and their breaths came out in rasping gasps as the oxygen became more humid.
Keiran shook his head, training his eyes on the next attack. Ducking under another critical blow, he swept right and separated the limb from the body. Dousing himself in blackness. Alrya made the same motion, and almost simultaneously stabbed the creature in the belly, ripping skyward as the thing crashed to the earth.
Breathing heavily, Keiran wiped his brow before peering back into the fog of the rain.
"Keiran..." Alrya whispered slowly.
"Yeah... I know." he answered. All he could see were the shadows.
"Nari" | "Common"
