Solo Of lives I've lived

[Octarus]

Octarus floated amongst his brothers and sisters, reveling in a thousand different sensations that blended into one pure experience within his minds eye. This was the revel, the eternal bliss he’d enjoyed for seasons beyond counting with his exalted siblings. Here there was no pain, no pleasure, only the indescribable experience of basking in the presence of the divine. When he had the presence of mind to look around, he saw the faces of loved ones, for all around him were near and dear to him. At peace in the clouds among his kin, he closed his eyes. He allowed himself to be swallowed up in a warm darkness. There was a crack of thunder, and then a cold spray of rain across his face. He opened his eyes to see a horse staring back at him. Above a reddish black sky churned ominously as fat drops of rain fell from the clouds. Akav, his strider whinnied at him, pawing him into action. Octarus quickly snatched up his pack and Yvas, outfitting Akav quickly. As soon as he was secure on his back, they were off, flying across the grass towards where their pavilion waited for them. Distantly, a glassbeak trilled. Trusting Akav to steer them true, Octarus retrieved his bow and strung it before binding a clutch of arrows to the Yvas. He held on to his strider with his knees while he set the bow. If it came down to facing down a pack, best he could hope for was to make the chase last longer. A few well-placed shots might buy him enough time to make it back to the pavilions. Out here on the grass they weren’t the only worry. A fierce storm was brewing and he wouldn’t weather it without protection. Another glassbeak called out, closer this time. Octarus started to look in that direction when Akav cocked his head in the opposite direction and started veering towards the sound. His eyes quickly tracked that way, his bow ready. Not long after, he spotted what Akav had smelled, a dark shape making its way through the grass to cut them off. Twang. He quickly set another arrow as the other one skipped off the beasts armored hide. Reorienting a way ahead of the beast, he shot another arrow, and the shadow disappeared with a screech. Other shadows made themselves briefly known before disappearing further into the tall grass. Akav snorted and turned back onto the direction they had been heading before. Great, so there were glass beaks on both sides of them, Octarus groaned, his bow still at the ready though it was hard to keep oriented at this speed. To have the nose and ears of a horse would be a real fine thing right about now. Standing up in the Yvas with his bow drawn, he looked for any more disturbances in the grass, but they were all out of bow shot. They would only move close in the direction he wasn’t looking, darting away when he was. Ahead the dark plain stretched, not feeling him with confidence on whether or not they would make it. Gritting his teeth, he fitted a whistler, and sent it high in the direction of the largest group he could spot. They scattered, but quickly regrouped a little farther back. Maybe that would be enough time he thought as he settled back into the Yvas, urging the strider on.