A Rude Awakening (Alea, Yuros)

by **Alea Davenport** on May 22nd, 2012, 2:37 am

It wasn't until Yuros was looking into her eyes that her mind caught up with what had happened. Her sleepy mind had not had time to register the danger of the falling ice before she was wrapped tightly in Yuros' safe arms. The wind whipped her hair around as she looked around. A large chunk of ice was sitting where she had been moments before. That think could crush a person to death...

Wait, there was someone missing. "Lunar?" she called tentatively. There was no response and she couldn't see him anywhere. "Lunar!" He couldn't have been... but he was standing right next to her, and now he was gone. "No! Lunar!" She struggled against Yuros' grip, trying to get to the block of ice and move it, trying to save her buried friend.

It was all so surreal. One moment they were laughing and playing--well, ok, she was wandering around half-asleep, but Lunar was laughing and playing--and the next, everything had changed. She could no longer hear her screams over the sound of the wind, which only made her scream louder. The weather was beginning to become hazardous, but all she could think about was that she had to save her friend.

by **Yuros** on May 22nd, 2012, 3:29 am

The Huntress' distress confused the Kelvic, and when she began to struggle he almost lost his grip. Wrapping his arms firmly about her waist, Yuros almost lifted the struggling girl from her feet in an effort to keep her from rushing into further danger. After a few moments more of flailing limbs, and several scratches on Yuros' part, the Kelvic managed to trap the girl against his chest, pinning her arms to her side.

"Be still your breath and calm your thoughts." Yuros spoke in a deep, slow voice close to the girl's ear, "It is not safe here. We should return to our dwelling."

Yuros held the Huntress close to his chest until her struggles lessened, and her demeanor calmed, if only slightly. After a time the Kelvic sighed and set Alea back on her feet, though he kept his hands on her shoulders.

Yuros looked at the pile of ice and snow, where stood moemnts before the strange creature who had accompanied Alea and himself. The Kelvic sniffed the air, straightening his back while keeping his hands firmly on Alea's shoulders, "It had not sent, no trace that I could follow." Yuros turned his eyes to examine the Huntress, "There is no one there."

by **Alea Davenport** on May 22nd, 2012, 3:48 am

Yuros' voice calmed her, though she was still agitated. "He's not human, he might not have a scent. If there's no one there, where did he go? Maybe... maybe there's something there that will tell us what happened to him!" A blind, desperate hope gripped her then. She knew nothing about Lunar except that he was not normal. Who knew what strange abilities he had? Had he somehow escaped? But what if he needed her help?

Wrenching her shoulders, she broke free of Yuros' grip, and before he could grab hold again, she dashed past him to where the chunk of ice had fallen. She dropped to her knees and tried with all her might to move the block, straining her muscles against it. She kept calling out Lunar's name at the top of her lungs, hoping that wherever he was, he could hear her somehow, and know that she was coming for him...

by **Yuros** on May 22nd, 2012, 4:30 am

Looking up, Yuros felt a shift in the winds, and upon the horizon there swelled a blackness that set the Kelvic's nerves on end. In the distance Yuros could hear the sound of the city animals calling to one another. The mew of cats and the bay of dogs all spoke the same message... Something was coming, and the Kelvic could feel it as well.

Stepping closer to the Huntress, Yuros kneeled down to rest a hand on Alea's shoulder, his eyes still searching the horizon, "We must seek shelter. The calls of life within this place are growing distant." He looked down and tightened his grip on the girl's shoulder, "Please let us go. There is no one to be found here."

As if to confirm this statement, Yuros sniffed the air and shook his head, pulling on Alea in the hopes that she would come with him. If she did not, the Kelvic was determined to carry her away kicking and screaming. In the distance, the sound of a great storm was brewing, and the hairs on the back of the Kelvic's neck stood on end. His movements grew a bit more agitated, and his voice more urgent, "Alea, we must go now."

by **Alea Davenport** on May 22nd, 2012, 5:40 am

Alea shoved Yuros away and kept trying to move the ice, which was rapidly melting. Everything up to Alea's knees was completely soaked in the inexplicable melt. Alea wasn't even sure she's be able to walk at this point, her legs were so cold, but all she could think about was that she had never seen a friend die before, and she didn't know what she would do if she let it happen. She still had not noticed the tears streaking down her face...

OOCShort, like I said. She won't do much more until you drag her away.

by **Yuros** on May 22nd, 2012, 7:11 am

It was here. The hair's on the Kelvic's head stood on end with the thread of sparks in the air, and the howling of the wind was growing as quickly as the sky was growing dark. Yuros felt a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach, and his calls to Alea grew more desperate. When she did not move, the Kelvic cursed. Finally, casting one final glance at the darkening sky, Yuros did what he had to do. One hand grabbed Alea's upper left arm, the other grabbed her upper right, and with a feral growl the Kelvic gripped and dragged the Huntress, kicking and fighting, from the piles of ice and snow.

"There is no one there," he tried to reason with her once more, but it seemed that she was too far gone to think straight any longer. Thus he wrapped his arm about her waist and lifted Alea from the ground, throwing her over his shoulder and turning in the direction of the hold, setting off at a quick trot.

We must seek out shelter, but we must do it quickly.

The people of Avanthal seemed to have awakened to the dangers of the coming storm, for now crowds of people began milling about, seeking shelter for themselves. Yuros found himself ducking and dodging bodies, bounding over crates and side stepping wayward bodies to the point that he was gaining little ground at all. This coupled with the still struggling girl on his shoulder made for much slower travel than he would have liked, and the worst of the storm was just about to hit.

Turning down a side alley, Yuros set the girl down on her feet, gripping both of her shoulders and leaning down to look her in the eye, "Be still your struggling. There will be time for that later, but now we MUST seek shelter." When Alea did not stir to protest, Yuros nodded and began removing his clothing, speaking as he did, "The way is bared from my two legged self, and so I shall carry you upon my back to the stables. Hold tight to me Alea."

Once all his clothes were off Yuros bundled his boots and trousers in his cloak and handed them to Alea, and then in a flash of light the Kelvic stood in his Stag form. Kneeling down so that his belly was on the ground, Yuros waited just long enough for Alea to settle on his back. When he was sure she was on well enough that she would not fall of Yuros stood and bounded from the alley, leaping over the heads of several unsuspecting citizens.

The waves of milling bodies parted as Yuros streaked through the melting snow and raging wind. The pounding of his hooves on the ground resounded loud as thunder among the wild storm. Waves of people parted upon seeing the giant stag, and it was within a couple of chimes that Yuros and Alea arrived back at the stables.

Without waiting for Alea to clamber off, Yuros charged straight through the open stable doors, bending down to allow Alea to fall onto the bedding. The horses within the stable all seemed agitated, a mood that the Kelvic clearly reflected as he settled down between Alea and the stable doors. The howling of the wind grew louder, and a peal of thunder struck loud enough to shake the dust from the afters. Lowering his head, Yuros kept Alea as close as possible.

by **Alea Davenport** on June 1st, 2012, 11:10 pm

Alea fought when Yuros tried to take her to safety. She flailed wildly, kicking out, and driving an elbow into the back of Yuros' head. Either because she was too much a weakling to hit very hard, or because she wasn't aiming very well, the blow glanced off and did not slow the Kelvic at all. By the time they reached the alley, the tears which should have been frozen on her face were being blown away by the wind, and she had lost the energy to fight. Lunar was gone, and there was nothing she could do...

She numbly accepted his clothes, and climbed on his back more out of habit than conscious thought. She choked on sobs as she clung tightly to the stag, gripping his mane in fists clenched with grief and rage. She did not notice when the had reached the stables until she was tumbling off the stag's back, a not unfamiliar sensation, although straw was a bit more comfortable a landing than snow.

As Yuros settled himself around her, she clung to his neck, her raucous crying drowned out by the howl of the wind. Even when other Frostfawn closed the doors to shelter the animals, the sound of the storm was deafening. But even after the storm finally ceased, Alea could not stop crying. She had lost a friend today. Not the kind of loss where they leave to go on adventures without you, but the permanent kind of loss. The kind where they never come back. She cried all day, long after her throat became tired and sore. Yuros stayed with her the whole time, and even after she had finally exhausted herself and fallen asleep, he still did not move from her side.

by **Valkyrie** on June 25th, 2012, 10:56 pm

Thread Award

Lunar Scathefire :

Alea Davenport :

Yuros :

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