54th, Summer 515AV
Just North of the horizontal road, where forest meets plains.
“Come on!” Beodan grunted, has hand grasped firmly on a the end of a root where it met the stock, his knuckles growing white from exertion. “I don’t like you, and you don’t like me. But I am going to get you out of there, one way or another. Phaa-leese,” he begged melodramatically. As this had been just meant to be a ride to the fields for a long grazing session, he had neglected to bring the tools for this sort of thing, as well as any clothes. He stopped his labors to catch his breath, his hands on his knees, panting hard. It must have been a very mature Elentai plant for its roots to be this well grounded. Or one had wrapped around a rock or something. He gave it a look of pure disdain.
In his breathless state and focus on the plant, he did not notice two men creep out from the edge of the woods until one of them spoke. He jumped clear off the ground, the unexpected voice scaring him. “Freak, stay where you are, or I’ll gut you where you stand. Why don’t you come with us, we love Freaks like you, don’t we Grim?,” the man in front of him said, wielding some sort of large knife in his right hand. A voice behind him rasped his agreement, “Sure do,” causing Dan to crane his head to look at him. This one was also thug like, but held two large half circles made of metal, held together by a hinge. A collar? Why would he have a-.. Oh.
The Kelvic’s eyes widened in terror at the realization. Had they followed him? The knew he was a Kelvic somehow. But they had not attacked at his tent, so maybe the did not know where he lived. He could only hope. He had more pressing things to concern himself with though. Acting on instinct, a bright flash of light lit up his body. He bucked his hind legs, catching the man behind him in the sternum, feeling the cracking of bone. The man in front had recovered quickly from his surprised, swinging his knife threateningly, causing Beodan to rear up on his hind legs, falling back down to the side to avoid the knife blow. He must have had practice with this sort of thing, to be so unfazed by the sudden shifting. Steel proved fast though, as the blade dug into his hind leg, below the knee at an angle. The wounded horse squealed and whined in protest, desperately shooting his good hind leg at his opponent.
The second strike caught something and the man fell back. His vision tinted red with hurt and rage, the fight or flight response in high gear. Flight was no longer an option. Dan limped over to the man and slammed his front feet down on the man’s body, breaking bones. Red ichor of life flowed freely from his wound, clotting in his hair. He shifted back once more and wrapped his hands around the horizontal gash, trying to stop the blood flow. The adrenaline effects were fading, and he could feel it clearly now. A source of terrible pain blotting out all other thoughts. His hands were soon dyed red, but the blood flow was only hindered. He needed help.
Just North of the horizontal road, where forest meets plains.
“Come on!” Beodan grunted, has hand grasped firmly on a the end of a root where it met the stock, his knuckles growing white from exertion. “I don’t like you, and you don’t like me. But I am going to get you out of there, one way or another. Phaa-leese,” he begged melodramatically. As this had been just meant to be a ride to the fields for a long grazing session, he had neglected to bring the tools for this sort of thing, as well as any clothes. He stopped his labors to catch his breath, his hands on his knees, panting hard. It must have been a very mature Elentai plant for its roots to be this well grounded. Or one had wrapped around a rock or something. He gave it a look of pure disdain.
In his breathless state and focus on the plant, he did not notice two men creep out from the edge of the woods until one of them spoke. He jumped clear off the ground, the unexpected voice scaring him. “Freak, stay where you are, or I’ll gut you where you stand. Why don’t you come with us, we love Freaks like you, don’t we Grim?,” the man in front of him said, wielding some sort of large knife in his right hand. A voice behind him rasped his agreement, “Sure do,” causing Dan to crane his head to look at him. This one was also thug like, but held two large half circles made of metal, held together by a hinge. A collar? Why would he have a-.. Oh.
The Kelvic’s eyes widened in terror at the realization. Had they followed him? The knew he was a Kelvic somehow. But they had not attacked at his tent, so maybe the did not know where he lived. He could only hope. He had more pressing things to concern himself with though. Acting on instinct, a bright flash of light lit up his body. He bucked his hind legs, catching the man behind him in the sternum, feeling the cracking of bone. The man in front had recovered quickly from his surprised, swinging his knife threateningly, causing Beodan to rear up on his hind legs, falling back down to the side to avoid the knife blow. He must have had practice with this sort of thing, to be so unfazed by the sudden shifting. Steel proved fast though, as the blade dug into his hind leg, below the knee at an angle. The wounded horse squealed and whined in protest, desperately shooting his good hind leg at his opponent.
The second strike caught something and the man fell back. His vision tinted red with hurt and rage, the fight or flight response in high gear. Flight was no longer an option. Dan limped over to the man and slammed his front feet down on the man’s body, breaking bones. Red ichor of life flowed freely from his wound, clotting in his hair. He shifted back once more and wrapped his hands around the horizontal gash, trying to stop the blood flow. The adrenaline effects were fading, and he could feel it clearly now. A source of terrible pain blotting out all other thoughts. His hands were soon dyed red, but the blood flow was only hindered. He needed help.
