#also fuck hooved beings I hate drawing their legs

[altairtalisman]

I’ve been seeing some people with Sixtended OCs being asked about what monsters their OCs will be in @spooner7308’s Monster AU, and I was inspired to come up with my own. So yeah... this is the monster Jane Parker would be in the Monster AU.

Thanks again @redlover411 for having the bloody brilliant idea of making Jane a deer if she was an animal as well as showing me a drawing of a Tariaksuq!

The left is a picture of my fucking sketch as I attempt to copy the picture Red had shown me, and the right is the end result of Tariaksuq!Jane.

Anyways, information on the events leading up to her transformation below the cut (I would suggest reading @pandora-dusk‘s post on Amalia and the events leading up to becoming a phoenix to understand better...)

I was thinking that Jane’s transformation started when Amalia flew out from her window after burning everything into dust, and Jane was the one who saw her leaving. 

Jane doesn’t know what happened, apart from the fact that a large red bird left Amalia’s scorched room with the German woman being nowhere to be found. She connected the dots later and realised that the bird and Amalia were the same being, and Jane would start stressing out over how she could’ve done something to prevent the transformation.

Bear in mind that Jane still doesn’t know the triggers behind Amalia’s transformation, all she knew was that something happened and that despite being one of the closest to Amalia, she didn’t notice the signs. Jane started to blame herself for not noticing, for being unable to be a pillar her girlfriend could lean on for support, for not being able to do anything to help Amalia. 

Overtime, Jane’s self-blaming turned into self-loathing, and she hated herself for not being able to help her girlfriend, to take care of her like what she had promised Anna, to be useful in helping the rest search for Amalia. 

During this period, Jane has been going through a transformation of her own, albeit very slowly. She started to grow more hair that was thicker and resembling more like fur, something that she doesn’t notice because she’s too absorbed with hating and blaming herself over Amalia. 

She only starts to notice when her feet starts transforming into reindeer hooves as well as developing a splitting headache, and god, they hurt a lot for her. Jane didn’t care, she feels that this pain is punishment for not being able to be there for Amalia. 

Jane also starts growing taller during this period, quickly looming above @chimkennumget‘s Percy and starts being unable to enter doors without bending over. Her hands had also grown bigger, with her fingers resembling more like a beast’s than a human’s. 

These changes don’t bother her though, in fact she welcomes the pain the transformation had brought about as she views them as punishment for being unable to help Amalia. Her head was also slowly transforming into a reindeer’s but without the antlers, and this aroused whispers about her changing appearance. Jane hated the constant attention, but accepted it as she felt that this was what she deserved for all her failures. 

What truly completes Jane’s transformation into a Tariaksuq is overhearing Anna making an offhand comment to someone else that Jane should’ve noticed the signs in Amalia. After overhearing this particular conversation, Jane ripped a black curtain out from its hinges and returned to her room. She had locked herself in there, whittling away her time alone while fashioning her signature coat out from the curtain as all her clothes were too small for her. Days had passed, and her headache had gotten much worse. 

She went to the mirror one day and saw that she barely looked like herself, that she resembled a grotesque monster than a human now. She bitterly laughed to herself, her reflection was indeed right in showing her that she was less than human, for if she truly was human, she would’ve been able to help Amalia, to not burden others, to not fail them. She placed a hand on her reflection, the words she whispered serving as the trigger to complete her transformation.

“I wish I could just disappear into the shadows.”

Within seconds, antlers shot out from the top of her head, with Jane crying at the sudden intensity of pain that threatened to break her frontal skull. Pain spread through her body, followed by sickening bone cracking sounds that left Jane howling in pain. 

Once the pain fully subsided, she glanced at the mirror and stared at the monster reflected. It was neither human nor any kind of deer Jane had seen before, rather it was a mix between the two species. She cried at the sight, not because she was no longer human, but rather the pain she experienced wasn’t enough to kill her, to help her to disappear from the face of the globe. 

Furious knocking broke her out from her thoughts, and before she could react, the door was instantly broken down by Anna, who gasped at the sight of Jane. Jane didn’t want anyone to see her in her hideous form, and all of a sudden, she was transported into a world of nothingness. All she could see was black, and as much as she knew she should be worried about her current whereabouts, Jane could only feel relief. 

No one was staring at her, no one was talking about her, no one was disappointed with her. Jane cracked a faint smile, she had finally found a place where she could be forgotten by everyone, to melt into the shadows, to truly suffer alone for all her failures. 

She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, and when she woke up, she was surrounded by trees that loomed above her imposing figure, filtering out most light from the sky. Jane sighed, she could see no one around her, which suited her just as well. 

[the-phoenix-heart]

Sorting Hat Chats - The Last Unicorn

I don’t care if literally no one else cares about this but me WE ARE SORTING THE LAST UNICORN CHARACTERS WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!

(You can find the basics of the system I’m using here, by @sortinghatchats​!)

(Also my reference for this is the 1982 movie and the 2010 graphic novel. As Peter S. Beagle, the actual author of the book, wrote the screenplay for the movie and the graphic novel has everything else the movie missed+an author’s note from Beagle I think it’s safe to say that I’ll get an accurate read on these characters.)

(Also also you don’t know just how long this has been in my drafts)

THE UNICORN, or AMALTHEA as she’s known in human form, is a Badger primary. It’s important to remember that Badgers are loyal to people, but what they view as people doesn’t have to be a human. The Unicorn views other unicorns as people and it’s why at the beginning she’s willing to leave behind her entire forest that she cares for, just for the small chance that she might be able to save them. Also, her saving the harpy, despite the fact that the harpy would surely kill her. She does that because the harpy, Celaeno, is real like her. “We’re two sides of the same magic.” It doesn’t matter if Celaeno is a creature that would kill all the other animals she’d just freed or Mummy Fortuna. She’s ‘real’ like her, and therefore people to The Unicorn. 

When she’s been transformed into a human she says, “How can anything that is going to die be real?” Dehumanizing is a thing Badger primaries do a lot of the time, and here The Unicorn is literally saying that what is ‘real’, what is people, are immortal magical creatures (and regular animals), and anything else isn’t ‘real’, isn’t people. 

The Unicorn’s secondary is harder to get a grip on, seeing as for half of the story she spends her screen time standing melancholic on high twisted towers looking out into the sea. Turning into a human is her moment when she burns. As Amalthea she is lost and forgetting herself, and also almost certainly has developed depression. Lir says that Amalthea heard about his horses burnt legs and she immediately went to it to try and heal it, only for nothing to happen. She literally tried to unburn something but it didn’t work guys. Before all that though, as a unicorn, I think she was a Lion secondary. 

When she finds out she might be the last unicorn in the world she decides to charge out into the world and find them, or die trying. When she’s mistaken for a simple (but pretty) mare she goes off on that little farmer. She stands her ground when the harpy is gonna kill her. She saves Schmendrick from the tree he accidentally made fall in love with him just by marching up to it and shutting it up. She saves Molly and Schmendrick from thieves by rearing up and threatening them with her hooves (she’ll stomp you with her fucking hooves if you even think of looking at her friends). And at the end she saves her friends from The Red Bull by charging at it and herding it into the sea. She’s described as “rearing up like a scimitar” and screaming (which no immortal has ever done) when she fights back. Even when she is transformed into Amalthea. When she’s still just been transformed she stops Mabruk pretty much by staring him down and possibly using her magic. Even at her most burnt, when she is willing to give up on the other the unicorns, she does so by being blunt and standing her ground.

Lion secondaries also have a habit of collecting people, like a Badger secondary, but I still say The Unicorn is a Lion secondary because the way she collects people (’people’ it’s two people and you can’t count Lir because he fell in love with Amalthea who was so burnt it wasn’t really her) isn’t because she is exceptionally nice (she’s not, not by human standards) or because she’s so hardworking (she doesn’t work that much in the story, because as a unicorn she doesn’t have to), but because she’s so magnificent, so true, so powerful. Those are Lion traits drawing people to her.

And honestly it makes sense that she’s a Lion secondary. As a unicorn she’s close to all powerful, nothing can touch her. She doesn’t have to put in the work like a Badger, doesn’t have to gather the knowledge like a Bird, and has no use for Snake transforming. I wouldn’t be surprised if all unicorns had a Lion secondary. Honestly I love seeing how non human characters are sorted because they are so different from human characters. 

SCHMENDRICK is a Bird primary. He truly believes in the system of the world working like a fairytale and unlike a lot of stories where this would be a bad thing and disproven at the end, Schmendrick is right about the system. He doesn’t have to learn to be right about the system, he’s right about it from the start and it’s not like he hates how the system works, he loves and finds comfort in it. A lot of great lines go to him. And you can also see Lion primary Molly and Snake primary Lir are questioning just about everything he spouts. 

Molly: “They deserve their fate, they deserve worse. To leave a child out in the snow-” Schmendrick: “Well if they hadn’t then he wouldn’t have grown up to be the hero of all this. That’s the way these things go.” Molly: “But if he’s the hero, what is [The Unicorn]?” Schmendrick: “[You and I] are the tale-but [The Unicorn] is real. [The Unicorn] is real.”

Schmendrick: “If it changes a unicorn into a human being, then that was the only thing to do. I am a bearer, I am a dwelling, I am a messenger-” Molly: “You’re a stupid messenger, and a stupid, stupid magician.”

Lir: “You have to do something.” Schmendrick: “I can’t.” Lir: “Do something. You have power. You changed her into a unicorn. Do something to save her. I will kill if you don’t.” Schmendrick: “Not all the magic in the world can help her now. If she will not fight him, she must go into the sea with the others. Neither magic nor murder will aid her.” Lir: “Then what is magic for? What use is wizardry if it cannot save a unicorn?” Schmendrick: “No-that is what heroes are for.”

Molly: “Oh, the poor man. Poor Lir.” Schemdrick: “It’s not altogether bad. Great heroes need great sorrows and burdens, or half their greatness goes unnoticed.”

(I could quote this book for eons people I swear)

He’s also the one who tells Lir he has to rule over the people of Hagsgate when Lir is two steps away from killing his birth father who says it was good he abandoned Lir so he could one day become king. He thinks that he has done The Unicorn more evil than Mommy Fortuna or Haggard or the Red Bull because he turned her into a human and turned her back into a unicorn. He tries to comfort Lir about The Unicorn by telling him his land is blessed because all the unicorns ran through it in freedom, and how The Unicorn will remember him, “when men are fairytales in books written by rabbits.” (god I love that quote)

As for his secondary, he’s a total Snake secondary. He pickpockets, he lies to villagers about being an actual great wizard, he haggles for good payment in Hagsgate so long as he assassinates Lir (which he has no intention of fulfilling), he lies his way into the castle, when he needs to get the wine to drink itself he just drinks it and gives it to a skeleton who can’t tell the difference between and empty bottle or a bottle of wine. 

There is however one time in the story where Schmendrick drops his rhetoric about how the world works. They’re in the Red Bull’s cavern and Amalthea doesn’t want to become The Unicorn again and wants to stay with Lir.

Schmendrick: “Let it end here. Let her marry the prince and live happily ever after.  Molly: Schemendrick, if we don’t do this there will never be another chance. All the unicorns of the world will remain his prisoners, forever, except one, and she will die. She will grow old and die. Schmendrick: One good woman more in the world is worth every single unicorn gone. Let it end.

This is not what he believes. It’s him tricking Lir, making Lir remember that he is a hero, and to let there be no more unicorns would go against his being a hero. Molly tells him he forced him, and that he did it so he could become a real magician. Schmendrick disagrees. Like a Snake he doesn’t see it as forcing Lir to make a choice, he sees it as the right thing to do, and only way to do it.

MOLLY GRUE, lovely Molly. She is a Lion primary, who was burnt by something in the past, which is probably how she ended up with Captain Cully, and she unburns at the sight of The Unicorn. Molly’s beef with The Unicorn at first is that she never visited her when she was young, despite her love of unicorns. It’s such a Lion primary thing to me to ask something like a unicorn why they never came to her, and then to forgive a unicorn when unicorns are not to be questioned or forgiven. Molly as soon as she learns of The Unicorn’s quest doesn’t even go back to get her things. She leaves right that second with her, saying that her things don’t matter now that she has seen The Unicorn. Molly hears about what the people of Hagsgate did to baby Lir and she is willing to throw down with them right then. 

Lion primary Molly doesn’t want to poke holes in the system of the world. She could care less about understanding the system, she just does things because her moral compass says it’s right. She doesn’t care that ‘unicorns are not to be forgiven’ she’s going to forgive The Unicorn dammit (it’s a pride thing. Molly feels she was wronged even though technically unicorns don’t owe anything to people, pride is also very Lion primary). I 

She has a Badger secondary. When she was burnt she found a community for herself to live/work in-Captain Cully’s Band of Freemen. When she’s in Haggard’s castle she gets a job as the cook and cleaner and puts herself to work to survive. She gets information from the talking stray cat, and she helps out Lir as much as she can, quickly becoming his friend.

PRINCE LIR, is a total Snake primary. He falls hard for Amalthea, and then decides that he’s gonna start doing great deeds and become a hero just so he can woo her. He doesn’t really care for anyone but Amalthea and Molly, he’s willing to kill Schmendrick if he doesn’t save The Unicorn after she’s transformed back into herself. Molly says that Schmendrick reminded Lir that he was a hero, but what Schmendrick really did was remind Lir that he was a hero for Amalthea. 

He’s willing to kill his own birth father for abandoning him, and when he is to be king he talks about how much he hates it because he’ll rule over people he hates and be alone the rest of his life. When he dreams about The Unicorn, and she doesn’t say anything to him, he takes this as her not caring about him like he loved her, a betrayal. The real reason why she didn’t say anything to him is because she remembered him, and his love, and loving him, and cared more about him, but Lir just doesn’t understand that.

His secondary is a Badger. When he falls for Amalthea his idea of courting her is doing great deeds and working to be a hero. He’s slain black knights, basilisks, seas serpents, and five dragons, he’s faced fatal riddles and glass mountains. He starts trying to write poetry after all these fail to touch her. He puts in as much work as he can to try and woo her. He literally sacrifices himself for her, not as a Lion charge, but instead as using his body as a tool. His sacrifice is so that The Unicorn will fight back. 

I will say however that he has a definite Lion performance. It isn’t a model, because he actually doesn’t care about the Lion secondary it’s just him performing as a Lion secondary hero to try and woo Amalthea, which doesn’t work. 

When he’s confiding in Molly he words a Badger secondary in love perfectly, “I want to serve her...I wish to be whatever she has most need of.”

KING HAGGARD is super fucking burnt, and a Snake primary. What he only cares about is trying to be happy, and keeping his unicorns with him. He gets cursed by a witch that one day his castle would sink into the sea with him in it, and his reply was that any good tyrant’s castle needed a curse. He wants to be happy of course but he doesn’t really care if he dies. He dies laughing. The scene where he monologues to Amalthea about how he has all the unicorns is my favorite, and he pretty much gives the perfect description of his primary. 

King Haggard: “All things die when I pick them up. I do not know why they die, but it has always been so, save for the one dear possession that has not turned cold and dull as I guarded it-the only thing that has ever belonged to me.”

King Haggard is greedy. He wants to own things. He wants to have his Snake connections like a healthy unburnt Snake but that doesn’t work. It’s never worked. He found Lir and decided that since he’d never been a father maybe he could have a Snake connection and be happy, but the connection did the same as all his other connections. The connection died, even if Lir didn’t. There is only one thing that has ever brought him the happiness of a Snake connection, and that was the unicorns. It’s a one sided connection, but he does truly love them. He does also have the Red Bull, but we don’t know what that relationship is like and it’s likely he views the Red Bull as more of an extension of himself (in my take of the character that’s how I view it). 

He hoards the unicorns, and in a way that while very Snake Primary is also very Bird secondary. Haggard collects things, and tries them out so that he can figure out what makes him happy. What doesn’t work he usually throws away, and what works (the unicorns) he hoards. He collected Mabruk not in a communal way, but in the way that he would collect a book, and when the book isn’t good enough he throws it away and picks up another. He’s also super fucking smart for a bastard. He explains about how he figured out Amalthea was a unicorn and talks about how her every action no matter how small was his spy.

It’s also a neat parallel that both Lir and Haggard are Snake primaries. The book ends with Lir resigning himself to be as unhappy as Haggard when he loses Amalthea. However, I do think that Lir will probably end up better than Haggard because he had some support from Schmendrick and Molly, and the book ends with a princess being sent to Lir to seek help. Lir will end up a healthy snake. 

So...

The Unicorn - Badger primary that sees immortal creatures as people/Lion secondary, both of these burn when she becomes Amalthea

Schmendrick - Bird primary/Snake secondary

Molly - Previously burned Lion primary, unburns after she sees The Unicorn/Badger secondary

Lir - Snake primary/Badger secondary, Lion secondary performance

Haggard - Burnt Snake primary/Bird secondary

[zahneundklauen-retired]

Uncaged||Nessa and Alcher

TIMING: Sometime before the dream stuff started PARTIES: @dance-with-sum1 and @zahneundklauen​ SUMMARY: #FreeTheAnimals

Nessa never liked the zoo. Animals shouldn’t ever have to be in cages, particularly not for human enjoyment. It wasn’t right. They were wild and untamed and should live a life that mirrored that. Feeding on what they want, when they want, doing whatever they want, whenever they wanted. But humans liked to try to tame things that were different from themselves. It was one of the things Nessa despised about them. They were so intriguing in so many other ways, and yet, some of her mother’s stories weren’t wrong. Some of them were so disgustingly terrible to the things that were here long before them. Maybe that’s why the glaistig not often found herself in this part of town. It made her both too sad and too angry, two emotions she did not enjoy feeling if she could help herself. But today’s meal had led her all the way down Hambry road, much further away from the bustling scene of Downtown than she was used to. She gazed up at the building, sadness washing over her as the lights went off and the humans went home to their families while the poor animals stayed in the same small cages locked away from their own kin. It just wasn’t fair. 

 Zoos were atrocious places. Alcher had spent almost the last of her money to get inside-- such a strange, human concept, paying to see imprisoned animals-- and now she stood, anger in her eyes, facing the cage of her brethren. Anger surged in her veins. How dare these humans imprison the wolves, they deserved to be free. And their cousins, the foxes, so near by. And so many others, trapped here. Nails scratched down a wall as her anger manifested physically. The intercom told her it was time to leave, but Alcher wasn’t going to leave without them. She slipped inside a backroom, lock picked with a nail, waiting for her chance. She waited until the time was right before slipping out, feet silent across the ground. Just like she’d trained to be all her life, a mere shadow and whisper. As she slipped around the back of the building, she hardly noticed the on-looker, too focused on her task. The smell in the air hadn’t changed, just a sour tinge, and so she continued her work. 

 Nessa’s body buzzed with anger, a feeling she didn’t often possess, until she couldn’t stand still anymore. She began to pace back and forth, wondering what, if anything, she could do for these poor souls. Later, of course, she could find the owner of this monstrous place and give them a piece of her mind, perhaps with a big heaping of nonsense. Maybe she’ll lock them in their homes for a few years, see if that doesn’t change their mind on animal cruelty. But at the moment there were more pressing issues. A quick movement caught the fae’s eye, so indiscernible it was nearly missed. Instinctually, Nessa followed at a distance, curious to see what business someone might have after hours, around the back and creeping around like a ghost. She narrowed her eyes for a moment...no, not a ghost. Her hooves crunched a few leaves along the way, the only sign of her presence as she neared the other person, craning her head to see what they were up to. 

 It was finally the crunching of hooves that alerted Alcher to her on-looker. She did not move to confront them right away, but rather, waited for a minute to see what they would do. The sour air told Alcher that whoever this was, they were not human-- human had such a distinct smell, and so much of the world smelled of them. She hated it. Finally, she turned her head to look towards the noise, eyes sharp and glinting in the little moonlight that showed from the waning sliver. “If you wish to follow someone,” she called out, eyes searching the darkness, “you ought to take more care with where you step.” She turned her body fully then, ready to strike. Even without claws and teeth, she was a vicious fighter.  Her human-like form was not her favorite, but it was a part of who she was, and her father had taught her well on how to use it. “Come out,” she called, her voice still hushed. There was no need to draw more attention to this spot. “There’s no point hiding anymore.”

 Nessa fought the urge to disappear, a defense mechanism from so many years in the Aos Sí hiding from humans. But this person wasn’t human...not fae, certainly, but they didn’t seem quite human. So probably not robbing the place… Nessa crept out of the shadows, craning her head to see the woman more clearly. “Perhaps I wanted to be heard. It’s rude not to give some sort of heads up if you’re not intending on ambushing someone.” She took a tentative step forward. The woman was in a fighting stance, clearly having some sort of training, but whether or not it was Hunter training was yet to be seen. “I can’t say I expected to see anyone here this late, mind if I ask what you’re up to?” Her voice was light, holding no accusatory tones, simply full of curiosity. It made no difference to her if they were trying to deface the place, so long as the animals were left alone.

 Alcher didn’t reply to that first comment. She didn’t need to. Her body untensed for now, but she was still alert and ready, listening and waiting. Whoever this other woman was, she did not seem hostile-- she could tell by the intonation of her voice. But people could be liars and people could easily fake intention. She stayed where she was as she looked her up and down. “I can say the same,” she answered, voice low. She didn’t need to look around them to know they were alone. “I am here to let my brethren free. Humans keep them caged like they own them, and they deserve to be free. If you are here to stop me, I will tell you now, I will not allow that.” There was danger in what she was doing, but her entire life had been nothing but facing danger. If staring down a hunter loaded with silver bullets didn’t scare her, than neither did a human police officer.

 Nessa cocked her head to the side, a sly smile creeping across her face. “Your brethren?” Curiosity and intrigue washed over her, replacing the sadness and anger that was there only a few moments before. If this woman was talking about letting the animals in this wretched place go, she was in. She was all in. What luck? How was she supposed to know that the one night she ended up in the saddest place in town would be the one night she ran into an animal vigilante? Shifting her weight from one leg to the other, Nessa settled into a comfortable stance, crossing her arms over her chest. “You want some help with that, love? ‘Cause if you’re about to set these angels free, then the last thing I wanna do is get in your way.” 

 The smile that crept across the other woman’s face caught Alcher slightly off-guard. Not many people-- humans and other alike-- were on board with committing such a crime. They believed, even as non-humans, that human law was the only one to follow. Alcher did not believe this, and it seemed as if this other woman also did not. Alcher’s body entirely relaxed. If this was a rouse, it was a good one. Though distrustful still, she allowed her intrigue to pass. “You wish to help me? Even knowing that this is frowned upon?” she asked, making sure the other woman knew exactly what she would be getting into here.

 Nessa scoffed, moving her hands to her hips as if to deft human law. The only “law” she prescribed to was the law of fae, and even that was a bit hazy depending on who you were speaking to. Certainly it did not contain any limitations on fucking with human buildings or cages or anything else. “Frowned upon! You know what’s frowned upon? Caging innocent creatures. Ripping them from their homes, shoving them into tiny boxes away from their families and communities and for what? The enjoyment of a lesser species? Hah!” Nessa felt her mother’s words flowing out of her. It was rare when she agreed with the woman who’d raised her, but as much as she enjoyed watching and living amongst humans, they were still fragile, frail, disgusting little creatures at their base. Nessa ticked her chin at the back door, a conspiratorial grin popping up on her lips. “So are we gonna do this or not?” 

 A smile curled onto Alcher’s lips. The statement was bold, but shared. Finally, her body relaxed entirely, though still at the ready for any other noise or intruders, ears sharp. “I could not agree more,” she said, stepping aside to let the other woman approach. “You are not human, but you are not animal, either.” She sniffed the air again. “Forgive me, but I do not recognize your scent.” Alcher knew of fae, but the fae tended to keep their distance from wolves. Sometimes they even frowned upon interaction with them, considering most wolves were humans made into weres. Born weres, on the other hand, held a higher status. Alcher would correct any and all who called her human. “You are...of fae, yes?”

 Nessa took a step forward, her skirts swirling around her hooves. She tilted her head, sizing up her accomplice for the night, just as the other woman was doing to her. Not fae, she would have recognized her immediately. But obviously not human. But the way she was sniffing the air, probably some sort of lycan. Not ideal, but still not entirely human. Not that Nessa had the prejudices so many of her kind had, honestly being half human was almost even more intriguing to her. “Fae, yes. You, however, are not.” Nessa gestured for them to creep alongside the outer wall. “Not human, though. I mean, you could be some sort of activist but you hold yourself too strictly,” she mused aloud. “But you don’t have to tell me. Really, I don’t care. Only that you’re on the right side of all of this,” she gestured to the prison, malice alight in her eyes. 

 Alcher tilted her head as the other woman approached. “I have not met too many fae,” she said back, stepping back towards the door she’d been attempting to unlock. She pulled out the lockpick she always kept on her and went on her way with it. “I am a werewolf. Born. I do not identify as human whatsoever. Though I have form of one, it is not who I am. Just as your glamour is not who you are,” she spoke slowly, carefully. As much as she despised being called human, she was aware of the misformation people had about werewolves. Even some weres were misguided in this way, clinging to their more human side. The lock clicked quietly and she opened the door. “Soon, we’ll all be on the ‘right side’ of this wall,” she gestured.

 Nessa knelt down, watching the woman expertly work the lock. “Ah, that explains the,” she sniffed the air, smelling nothing out of the ordinary, though she was sure this wolf could smell much more. She smiled, her head listing to the side. “You’ve probably met more than you realize if you’ve been in this town for any amount of time.” Nessa chuckled to herself. It wasn’t giving anything away, if a wolf felt comfortable here, why would any other species not feel the same? The lock clicked and Nessa beamed. This would be an acquaintance worth having. “After you,” she bowed overdramatically before following the woman inside. “But I don’t think I caught your name. I’m Nessa. If we’re going to be setting these babies free, I’d love to know who I have the pleasure of helping.”

 “I’ve only just arrived in White Crest,” Alcher said, slipping inside, “but I’m inclined to believe you still.” She closed the door behind them quietly, and glanced around the darkened room. With her night vision, things bloomed in and out of view as she glanced around. “I met a few in my years. My pack in Canada was close to a community of Leshy who lived with us in the woods. They smelled of dirt and fresh bark, lilacs.” She turned to look at Nessa. “You smell of spice and earth. Similar but not quite as...leafy.” She ruffled her nose. “Sorry, my English is...limited.” She glanced around the room again, going over to the desk with the computer. “There must be some mechanism to unlock the animals’ doors…” she muttered, “do you see anything?”

 Nessa smiled lightly. “It’s best you do.” Not that she’d stop any of her sisters from pulling anything on this wolf, but Nessa liked her. It was best she knew to watch her words around town. Her eyes lit up as they found their way into the computer room. “Leshy! Awww I love the leshy! They’re just so sweet!” The glaistig breathed in deeply, remembering the scents she was speaking of. Earthy, deep, yet so nuanced depending on which leshy you were near. It felt like home. Gods, it had been ages since she’d seen one. She giggled, shaking out her curls. “I do appreciate not being quite so leafy,” she tittered, moving deeper into the room. Her eyes might not be as good in the dark as a wolf, but they weren’t half bad. “It’d just be so easy if they had a ‘MASTER CONTROL’ button with a giant sign that said ‘DO NOT TOUCH’, wouldn’t it? Like in the movies!” Her fingers danced over a set of switches, most of which labeled with shorthand she didn’t understand. “What abouttttt this one!” She slammed her hand down on a large red button, hoping for the best. “It’s big an red and- oh!” A loud ringing echoed around them, soft red light pulsing from under the door. A crunching mechanical noise shook the foundations. “There’s the alarm! But that’s normal, right? That’s gotta be it!” She skipped over to the door, placing her ear against it, listening for any sort of animal commotion. Goodness could you imagine a stampede? How wonderful that would be?

 Alcher moved along the desk, looking for any sign of something to let them unlock the cages. It was likely a set of keys. Her eyes went over to the fae, prancing about the room excitedly. It reminded her a little bit of her youth, when she could be free-spirited and awed, discovering the forests for the first time. “I’m Alcher, by the way,” she said, turning back towards the wall of buttons the fae was hovering around. “For personal reasons, however, I go by Ada in public.” Hiding from hunters wasn’t fun, but if they didn’t know you existed, then it was much easier to hunt them down. “Wait, don’t--” she started, trying to stop Nessa from pushing the clearly marked alarm button. But she was too late. The noise grated against Alcher’s ears and she winced, slapping her palms over them. “Turn it off!” she snapped, trying to find the right off button, but it was no use. Footsteps echoed underneath the loud beeping. “We need to go,” she said, rushing to Nessa and throwing the door open, glancing around. “This way.” Gliding down the hallway almost silently, ready to transform at any moment, should the need arise.

 Nessa froze, her smile fading quickly into a frown. “I’m sorry! I don’t know how!” One hand raced over the series of buttons as she slammed down on the big red one again, hoping if she pressed it again it would turn off. She cringed at the noise that continued to blare all around them. “But we don’t have the keys or anying!” The fae nearly pouted as she followed Alcher out into the hall. Well she’d certainly made a mess of things. Luckily it seemed like the place was running with a skeleton crew, as no one immediately jumped into their path, but Nessa knew it had to be a matter of time. A small bit of hypnosis could help if it was only one or two guards, but she stretched her fingers, preparing her long nails just in case. She wasn’t a fighter by any means, but she could at least distract a few so Alcher could get away, should she need help. Glancing down at her claws, an idea popped into her head. “Hey-” she reached out as quietly as possible, placing a light hand on the woman’s shoulder. “We might not need keys,” She grinned, letting her long claws dance in front of her eyes, hoping they could at least get to one of the cages before they had to escape.

 The claws danced in front of Alcher’s eyes and she felt her chest alight. Nessa was more courageous than Alcher initially thought. She’d have to give her credit for that later, once they were out of here and safe. She lifted her glance to Nessa’s eyes and gave a nod, running them down a dark alley as two guards ran by. Waited until she was sure they were gone before pulling her back out into the path with her, pointing to one of the cages. “Them first,” she said, leading her over to the wolves’ cage. “I want to help them first.” Alarm blaring behind them, lights flashing. They didn’t have much time, but hurrying this could cause them to mess up. Footsteps echoed closer and Alcher looked over her shoulder. Shit, the cameras. “They know we’re here,” she hissed quietly, “we have to work quickly.”

 Nessa fell behind Alcher and let the other woman take the lead as they silently made their way to the first cages, bypassing a few guards. Nessa’s breath was taken away. This whole thing was just so exciting and exhilarating! It had been far too long since she’d done something fun like this. As they approached the wolf enclosure, the fae’s heart sank. They looked so helpless, so forlorn. Of course Alcher would want these babies taken care of first. “Of course,” she whispered, hurrying over to the lock. Her long nails slipped easily into the mechanism, but it took a few moments for her to remember how to pick a lock like this. “Sorry- it’s been a few- Ah!” A soft click announced her job was done, at least for this cage. “Come now, loves!” She yanked on the heavy metal door, swinging it open and gesturing for the creatures to move out towards their freedom. “What next?!” Her eyes alight with excitement, Nessa bounced on the tips of her hooves for the next target. 

 Alcher waited slightly impatiently as Nessa fiddled with the lock. It took her a long moment before she heard the click. A little rush of relief. They yanked the doors open and Alcher whistled to them, in a pitch her father had taught her to get the attention of their more wild cousins. But before they could be sure they were heading towards their freedom, footsteps sounding in a nearby hallway. “Now,” she said, tugging on Nessa, “we must run.” The girl was more excitable than Alcher thought, but she certainly didn’t mind. Unfortunately, not leaving now would leave them in a position she did not want to be in. Killing human security officers would draw too much attention. The best move for now was to escape in the shadows of night and return another day to finish this job. “We will come back for the rest,” she said to her, giving her an earnest look, “I promise.”

 Nessa’s face fell as the soft paws of the newly freed wolves disappeared, quickly replaced with the pounding of very human boots. The night wasn’t a total waste, but she really wished they could have helped more. That was on her, however, and her lack of tact in the control room. She’d berate herself for being so impulsive later, but for now her focus had to be on getting out of here unseen. More importantly, she didn’t want to screw up Alcher’s night even more than she already had. Nodding and gritting her teeth, Nessa followed the woman’s lead, knowing all too well the benefit of living to fight another day. “You promise?” She asked, halting them before they went any further. If the woman knew anything of fae, she knew how powerful those words were. 

 Alcher had been told tales of the fae and their trickery. They had power over words, and special phrases. Promise, she’d been told, was one of them. It had a binding effect to it. Her father had told her to watch her tongue around them, but the few fae Alcher had met in the forests had always been kind and generous with their words to her. She wanted to believe Nessa was like that, too. And she owed her at least a chance at trust. If she betrayed her, Alcher would not hesitate to kill her. She was not wolf, after all, and they were the only ones that truly mattered. She looked into the other woman’s eyes and nodded. “I promise,” she said, reaching a gentle hand out to brush her shoulder, resting on it. “I never answered your question earlier, either,” she went on, knowing they had a moment of reprieve here, “I am Alcher.” Then the footsteps were back and she nodded towards the exit. “Shall we?”

 Nessa smiled lightly, tears welling up in her eyes. What they had done here tonight was not enough, not by a long shot, but Alcher promised. Nessa didn’t often use promises as weapons, only ever betrayed the binding spell if it was in jest, but she had no intention of using it against this wolf. She nodded, her curls bouncing around her face. “Then we will be back for the rest of these poor souls.” A joking smile replaced her tearful one. “I’ll be holding you to that, Alcher.” She whipped her head back towards the awful stamping of human security. “Lead us out of here, friend!”

[nevofthewilds]

S25: Exhalations

The wind blows, a wolf howls, and warriors scream as the Mudwangs descend from the bluffs overlooking the Timberfall valley. Vax notes that units of Wild Wevir infantry are continuing to pour forth from the forest. As Rucker carries a gagged Hallehaig beneath his arm, the heroes quickly rejoin with the Easthome detachment left at the catapults, along with Reinchen. Hoping the capture of the enemy’s leader will help sway the battle, Taerus sends Aeyeres ahead to try and connect with the Marshal.

After battling through more Wild Wevir attackers, they are near the town’s outer walls when Taerus catches sight of two groups of Wild Wevir battling fiercely. It takes him a moment to realize that one of the groups is composed of Kijiwan, Gusten, and their allies in the Ikkidur tribe. As the Captain Galva calls back to his allies on the development, the snow banks around them erupt as a pack of concealed yeti’s burst forth. Taken completely by surprise, Vax is savagely gutted and hurled into the snow, unconscious and bleeding heavily.

Taerus and Rucker rush forward, exhausted but determined to protect their fallen ally. Taerus deftly dodges the bloody claws of one alpine hunter while Rucker draws the attention of another with a defiant bellow. The yeti lunges at the goliath, jagged claws cutting deeply through his armor into flesh. Before everything goes black, Rucker spends his moment of consciousness to channel a blast of hellish energy into the yeti’s insides. Together, they collapse heavily into the snow, unmoving.

Temloc and Shakan were dealing with another hairy beast when suddenly a ragged and bloody direwolf bursts from the trees with a howl. As it lunges at the yeti and bites down on it’s neck, Shakan suddenly hears a familiar voice inside his mind: [Why the fuck am I always saving you from big, hairy monsters, Shake?] It is their departed friend, Willow Bumblefoot! Though the reunion is welcome, it quickly turns dire as the restrained yeti fights back, savagely pummeling the wolf. Willow cannot maintain his wild shape form and reverts back into a bloodied halfling just as the yeti bites into him.

The three standing Mudwangs are finally able to dispatch the remaining beasts. Kijiwan and her forces have fallen back, actually protecting the group from the numerically superior Wild Wevir attacking them. Suddenly, the pounding of hooves is heard as a force of mounted knights, led by the gilded Marshal Trest and Aeyeres, cleave through the aggressors like wheat. Aeyeres ensures the Marshal does not engage with Kijiwan and her remaining warriors yield. Temloc spends what little energy he has left to stabilize his allies Rucker and Vax. Taerus rushes to find the halfling druid of the moon coughing up blood, bleeding from several gaping wounds. With smiles and tears, each expressed their gratitude for the other’s brief friendship. As he utters a final, sarcastic expletive, Willow Bumblefoot, Hero of Southome, Druid of the Moon, the Wily Wanderer, closes his eyes and meets the Stag.

---

The fighting continues for several hours, though without the leadership of Hallehaig and his other top generals to direct the assault, the Wild Wevir begin to fracture and fall back. Though the losses have been great, and the rebuilding process will last many months, Timberfall and it’s inhabitants remain under Kjollden control. For the next few days, the main focus is on recovering fallen allies and saving those who had not already perished. Rucker is back on his feet soon enough, though Vax seems caught in a powerful, though stable, torpor.

Taerus spends much of his time assisting the remaining soldiers of Timberfall to maintain order and recovery efforts. He spends what other time he has amongst the Wild Wevir dissidents, as do Temloc and Rucker. They each attempt to gauge and understand the state of those who chose to turn against and resist Hallehaig and his forces. Though they’d made the choice to stand against Hallehaig’s hate-mongering, there still existed much trepidation about their treatment from the Marshal. Many are concerned about the family and noncombatants left at the Nest. Temloc and Taerus also speak with Kijiwan, trying to convince her that she amongst all of the tribal leaders could be a uniting voice for the Wild Wevir in the peace talks, though she brushes off such praise. As Temloc moves on to offer prayers and blessings to others, Taerus spends many an evening in the company of Kijiwan and her still cheerful assistant, Gusten.

Shakan does what he can to help the various tribes observe appropriate burial practices, offering his magical flame for to enhance funeral pyres. However, as the events of the past few weeks settle in- the mission to the Spy Post, consuming the Tome of Leadership, surviving the assault on Timberfall- Shakan is exhausted. He makes his way back to the calming Temple of Aerevall near the river to rest and recover, where he is welcomed by Gurmeg, the half-orc monk who resides there. Over the next several days, the two meditate and speak on the nature of understanding. Gurmeg offers to teach Shakan the ways of introspective enlightenment. After some thought, Shakan agrees, hoping to find a new way to approach his quest for knowledge.

Rucker checks in on the comatose Vax, who is healing slowly, and then returns to offering his strength around the town. One day, he sees a convoy approaching on the roar- it is a group of survivors from Southome, which was also besieged. For several fearful moments, the goliath feels his anger and sadness growing as the green light within him burns brighter, but the friendly waving of a still living Balan puts Rucker at ease. He joyfully (for a goliath) reconnects with his friend, riding back with him to Timberfall.

---

Eventually a meeting is called between Marshal Trest and the leaders of Wild Wevir dissidents. The Mudwangs attend as mediators between the two groups. Along with Kijiwan and Gusten, Kazrik joins along with several other leaders as they sit down with Marshal Trest, Major Halvtor, and a handful of other Kjollden commanders. After several moments of tense silence and measuring up, Marshal Trest stands up and welcomes the Wevir, thanking them for their assistance. This diplomatic gesture helps set the mood, and discussions begin.

It is Kazrik who first brings up the main issue of Kjollden occupation, tactfully suggesting the foreigners simply leave? Trest counters with the fact that while many wish for history to be different, at this point many of their cultural identifies have begun to blend, with Wevir and Kjollden living in relative peace and proximity here on the frontier. When Kijiwan brings up the fear of retribution, the Marshal admits that he has already stamped down calls for resuming violence.

Temloc raises the point on Wevir being allowed greater autonomy, or perhaps, representation in the direction of rule in Virpresque. Trest hedges slightly, and points out that the actions of a few may yet negatively impact a people as a group. All that being said, his aim is peace, and is willing to work for it. On that note, his scouts have noted that the fleeing Wild Wevir have appeared to scatter as opposed to regrouping for another assault, and so it seems as if the war has ended for now.

After another hour or so of negotiations and agreements, the Wild Wevir representatives depart, soon followed by the Marshal’s men. Alone with Trest, the Mudwangs recognize the great weight this man has carried in working with his potential allies. Together, they share a bottle of strong ale as they all take a breath. To their further surprise, he removes an artificial leg and begins to reminisce about the losses and successes of the past few days. The men spend several minutes simply talking before the Marshal brings up their planned reimbursement. While he cannot begin to possibly repay them for their aid in not only defending Timberfall but also capturing Hallehaig, he asks what he may do for them?

Temloc brings up the chance to speak with Hallehaig and Reinchen, as there is some business left to be settled between them. Taerus shows the magically runed hilt he recovered from Northome, and requests it perhaps could be joined with the broken blade of his brother-in-arms, Jekehm. Rucker merely hoped that he could perhaps be aided in acquiring a new set of armor. Shakan merely requests that should they leave Timberfall they be able to take horses or a wagon if possible. Vax, having recovered a few days ago but been uncharacteristically distant, says nothing. The Marshal acknowledges their requests and promises he will do everything within his power to grant them their wishes before dismissing them. 

Outside they are met by Cpl. Delbin, chief of Inventory and Deliveries, who hands over a weathered and crumpled letter to Shakan. The sorcerer is perplexed at the delivery, though the handwriting seems familiar. Inside he finds a scathing note written by a former rival from the academy at Bøfkasmaur, Larrius Dennith, the Younger. He levels the charge that Shakan’s actions at the Gold Sands Rectory nearly two months ago have endangered and damaged the reputation of the academy and their Master, Elder Gikandi. Larrius, who is now running the Academy following Gikandi’s suspension, demands Shakan return to Bøfkasmaur Academy and stand for his actions.

---

That night, as the sun is preparing to rest behind the mountains, Rucker of the Blacktails, Captain Taerus Galva, gothi Temloc Orison, Shakan Bake, Vax Shadowsworn, Kijiwan, Gusten, Old Balan, and Kazrik Boom-Mace gather around a stage of wood near the edge of the Timberfall forest. Lain on top is the shrouded form of the druid Willow Bumblefoot. Though many in the gathering had never met the halfling, all paid their respects to a fallen comrade. Taerus and Shakan spoke briefly on his bravery, his vulgarity, and his fierce spirit. Having come so far in the past month since wandering into a random town just a few miles away, the original Heroes of Southome reckoned with the fact they'd grown into more than mere acquaintances or strangers- they'd become a tribe. The Mudwangs and their extended family thus watched respectfully as Shakan sets one last funeral pyre alight. As the fire crackled and smoke ascended into the sky, the cries of wolves were again heard, calling out as Tuginna the Moon appeared overhead to look across the land for her missing half. At the same time, the sun finally dipped behind the gigantic shape of the Stag Mountain, casting a pall over the valley and its inhabitants.

[flurrys-creativity]

Nyika Mtoto - Child of the steppe 4

Summary: Kito works as a thief with a lot of other kids. They all are subordinates from the same evil man. Though Kito hates stealing from others he has to do it to save his own life. But everything changes when he met a foreign girl on the market. The security he had through that godforsaken job vanished when she stepped into his life.

Rating: 12 and older

Warnings: A lot of sensitive themes.. stealing, physical punishment, mentions of death, poverty

Wordcount: 1.710

A/N: Damn it gets harder to meet my own standards with posting this series.. like getting this out twice a week is harder than I thought.. I have to edit more than I thought too.. definitely not fun.. but I still manage it.. somehow.. So please, Enjoy!

Kito felt the vibration of the panicked buffalo herd beneath his feet even before he could see them. 

"Hurry up!" Cleo shouted, "They will be right next to us any minute." 

He tried to speed up, but almost all of his energy was used up. He felt the buffalo snorting on the back of his neck and then he saw the first one running next to them. 

"What are we going to do?" Cleo shrieked in a panic. 

Kito had to swallow: "Keep running! If we stop, they'll run over us. Dodging is too risky. We have to hope that they run to the lake and overtake us enough so that the crocodiles attack and eat them and not us.” 

“Crocodiles, what?”

"Yes, crocodiles. They live on the lakeshore. The buffalo will be reluctant to go into the water because they know there is danger. But in the crowd due to the pushing from the back the front animals are thrown into the water. The crocodiles pounce on them and are busy. We probably need to escape through the water as well. Hopefully without meeting one of the predators.” He explained, panting heavily.

"And that's going to work?” 

Kito had no idea, but it was their only possible way out. At least the only one he could think of in this kind of situation. They just had to risk it.

By now they were in the middle of the herd. There were buffaloes on all sides that encircled them. 

Kito could already see the water in the gaps in front of them. Soon the animals would notice too. He looked around. The jeeps were gone. They did not steer the herd fully into the lake, which meant that the animals would take a curve and won´t run into the water. "Do you see the jeeps behind us?" He yelled over the sound of hundreds of hooves trampling on the ground. 

She craned her neck and searching the area carefully. "They are where they started the herd," she shouted back. 

‘So we can't slow down and escape from this. They would discover us immediately.’ Kito thought, clenching his jaw in annoyance. Soon he wouldn't be able to keep up the running. 

The first animals turned away from the water and ran away again. 

That moment Kito discovered a small group of trees right in the line where the herd was moving towards. Slowly but surely he let himself fall back further and further. The minute they passed the group of trees, he quickly reduced his speed. When the last animal ran past him, he sprinted to the side and sought shelter between the trees.

After he was sure that they could stay here, Kito leaned exhausted against a tree trunk. His heart was racing and he unconsciously pulled Cleo closer. 

"Holy Mother! I was sure we were going to die. My heart almost stopped.” Cleo gasped. 

Kito closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. "They knew where we were." he noted, "If those guys had wanted to hunt they would have followed the herd, but they didn't care. They wanted us to get overrun.”

Cleo stared at him with wide eyes and a shocked expression. “You mean they wanted to kill us?”

He nodded. 

Cleo started to tremble and Kito pressed her even closer to his body. "We have to get out of here. When night falls, we have to disappear. For now we have to prepare." He explained calmly, still a little out of breath.

To follow his words he sat Cleo on the ground before him and searched through the surrounding environment, while still keeping an eye on those jeeps.

They were still where they started the panic, which wasn't that far away, but beefy looking men got out.

“Shit.” Kito hissed and grabbed Cleo’s arm. “We need to get out of here and find a place to hide.”

“What about this cave?” Cleo asked, prying here arm out of his grasp and crawling inside of it.

Panicked Kito grabbed her leg, pulling her back. “If something lives in there, it's going to attack us.”

“I see no animal feces. And I´d rather crawl in here than being caught by those men.” She whispered back harshly, crawling inside of the small cave again.

Kito closed his eyes and even sent a quick prayer to the sky before he followed the girl.

The space inside was barely big enough for the two of them. Gladly the entrance was small and they could move away from it so they wouldn't be seen from the outside.

“So comfy.” Cleo grumbled sarcastically.

“Be quiet!” Kito hissed and pressed his hand in front of her mouth to make sure she actually would stay quiet.

Shortly after they heard footsteps and the faint voices of the men. “We must have missed something.” One of them said, getting only an annoyed huff as a response. “Then let’s go back. Those kids will die out here anyway. Who cares about them?”

This time the other man answered. “I care! And Mr. Bolo! Despite with this boy missing we have a worker less and that white girl is a threat for us. If you still not understand, should she tell what happened people will believe her! They will search through the warehouse and Mr. Bolo would have to invest a lot of money so no one notices anything about his business. Wasted money. So we will keep looking!”

Listening intently to the conversation, it took Kito a while to notice that his hand started to feel wet. Confused he turned his head and looked at Cleo.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Musing it had to do with what those men said he stroked her hair comfortingly but it was to no use.

She kept looking into one corner. Her eyes almost pleading to follow her gaze.

When Kito did so, he finally noticed the snake, wrapping itself around her arm.

Cleo whimpered. 

"I think I heard something here," the second guy said, followed by upcoming steps. 

Without thinking Kito grabbed the snake and threw it out of the cave.

At first it wanted to go back into the cave and probably attack them but as soon as it spotted the men it’s attention turned. 

"Fucking bastard! Get out of there.” Growled the second guy. 

The snake snapped forward and disappeared from view. 

"Damn snake. It actually wanted to bite me!” The guy roared. 

"Dude! Get out of there. That thing is highly venomous. A drop in your blood circulation and you're gone.” 

The next sounds Kito heard were a threatening hiss, angry cursing and then a shot. 

"Damn that bastard won't bite anyone anymore!" Came the first voice again, then "Let’s go, we get out of here, at least the two of them aren't here!" With those words both men retreated back to their cars.

It was only long after the footsteps had faded that Kito crawled out of the cave and pulled Cleo after him. "We are lucky that we had the snake interfering.” 

Cleo, however, did not look so enthusiastic: "Lucky? Lucky do you say? Really? Lucky that we encountered an aggressive snake?"

“Yes! We were lucky. If it were not aggressive, the men would have found us! And then we would not be here and probably not alive too." Kito yelled back. Fear was still in his bones and he just couldn’t hold himself back. 

She immediately fell silent. 

"You can stay here now. We still need something to drink and eat.” He said, standing upright. 

The jeeps were gone and Kito was able to wander around the area to search for food. Without further ado, he let Cleo sit there and went slowly to the river. 

They needed water, but they couldn't just drink that from the lake. Though they did not have a vessel to boil the water, and starting a fire was too dangerous at the moment.

It occurred to him that he also had to take care of Cleo's ankle. He walked along the water, keeping a safe distance. At some point he sat down in frustration. He didn't knew what to to and how he could provide them with anything. Accompanied by guilt for pulling her into this mess. But did he actually? After all, SHE had followed HIM. He definitely hadn’t asked for that.

Kito heard a sob from the group of trees and his heart contracted painfully. He got up and went back with hanging shoulders. "Everything okay?" He asked Cleo when he crouched in front of her. 

She looked up at the boy with red eyes. She bit her lip and shook her head slightly. 

Kito looked at her pityingly. Still, he didn't know how to deal with her now.

To draw her attention elsewhere, Kito asked about her ankle, "Can you move it? Or strain?” 

Again she shook her head. 

He exhaled loudly. "Do you have things in your bag for this?"

She rummaged in it with shaky hands. In between, she wiped with the back of her hand over her eyes. 

"Wait. Let me have a look.“, he suggested and took the bag from her hands. Kito found a small pocket knife, handkerchieves, a manicure kit as well as a mobile phone and other small things that were not really usable to treat a sprained ankle. "Take your phone and call your father while I make you a splint." 

"And .. and what should I say to him?", sniffed Cleo, "I don't even know where I am. And .. and you said that we can’t go back."

Kito took her trembling hands in his: “Ok, wait for the call. I don't want to worry your father unnecessarily. Listen. We're not going back, that's right. We are heading east. To Coast. Either we can call your father when we reach the Kilimandscharo or when we reached the coast. Don't tell him about Mr. Bolo, his men, or the danger. Otherwise he is as deep in it as we are. He shall keep researching for the time being."

Cleo nodded along quietly.

"Wait here. I'll get some things for your ankle.” The boy mumbled and stood up.

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