Ch. 4
"Akhlut"
I wake up surrounded by fur and sleek skin. I feel the movement, up and down, its breathing. I feel the heat. Soft and thick. I embrace the familiar scent, the earthiness of the dirt and a pinch of water. The scent that has filled many of my days throughout my childhood. The scent I would search for during games of hide and seek. The scent that filled the arena mats while I trained. The scent that coaxed me to sleep on uneasy nights. I missed his scent. I missed him. I lean into the beast that surrounds me and covers me. My fingers running through its gleaming white fur...my fingers... Shit.
I must have changed when I fainted. Shit. I shove myself further under the large beast. Exposed. I start to envision my new, but old form. Thoughts flood my brain, images, behaviors, sounds. I feel the wings forming on my back across my shoulders. My ears are coming to a point. I feel myself compressing, bones cracking and reforming into the body and arrangements that I have filled myself in over the last few days. A creature of the night that roams through the forest air, that usually is harmless and unnoticeable. Not me recently, though, sadly.
I first peek around the edges and slowly moved out from under the beast that lays over me, protecting my true form, my true self.
Did "he" see me? Did anyone or anything see me? How reckless I am, and was becoming…My head starts to ring, and it rumbles through my skull.
Once out from under my protector, I stumble trying to gather my footing. I move my wings to my head. I will never get used to this feeling. This time was more intense and took so much from me, more than anything I have practiced back at the castle.
The sound in my head gradually starts to fade, but lingers into a dull sharp pain. As if someone is forcefully caressing the edges of my mind, my soul, too exposed. I slam a mental block, pushing through it. No. Remain, focus. Allow nothing out and nothing in. Bring forth the light. I remind myself. Deep within me Devlyn's voice echoes through my skull around the sharp pain. As if her voice is cutting through it. Everything starts to flood back.
My eyes finally land back to the beast. The one that guarded me, like he always has.
His resting appearance is a large and powerful body of a wolf, but with the size of the great white bears of the north, the ones that roam in Osnya. He has white fluffy fur that has dried many of my childhood tears. His pointed ears always listening with the black tips moving and twitching with each passing sound. The markings on his body are of a whale that is so cunning and fierce that many sailors dare not try to hunt one. An orca, the killer of the sea. His current tail is that of a wolf, long and powerful, used when he needs to balance his commanding paws, but I know he can switch it to a forceful whale tail fin whenever he sees fit.
I look to the beast's eyes, shining gold and ginger, practically glowing in the night. The beast grins in my direction, his fangs moving past his lips, able to crush any man. I pause and look at the beast fully. He is clean, mostly, just a few specks of mud, but nothing that resembles…blood... I look around, scanning the area and I spot a shadow within the trees roughly a few strides distance away. Always with darkness seems to be a common thing for him.
"I'm guessing you know this...Akhlut." He moves from the shade of the trees, and the darkness stays, his powers faded without a trace. At least the ones I could see.
Oh, Nyx did it work? The moonlight shines against his now exposed skin, his shirt and tunic slashed in pieces, his cape long gone. I can barely make out something that is either dried blood, dirt, or mud, or possibly tattoos along his neck and now exposed arm. His boots are layered with mud. The moon is directly above us. I was gone for hours. What had happened? Did my beast do that to him? My head throbs, again. Almost knocking me over. Remain, control, steady, echoes from Devlyn voices in my skull. Everything is loud in this skull of mine. Annoying. Wait, how does he know of Akhluts?
He watches my beast carefully, not daring to step closer. I try to fly on to my beast but fail and stumble back to the ground. The beast lowers his head at me, kneeling close to the earth. I quickly grabbed my satchel that laid next to him, he must have found it, thank Nyx.
I climb up his face and rest on the top of his head and lean against his ears to steady myself. "This is ... Halfy…" I manage to say with a raspy, dry voice. "Did he do that to you?" I motion to his shredded clothes.
He waits, watching, and then says, "Halfy? Unique choice. He, Halfy, chased me up a tree... the tree did most of the damage..." He wipes the torn pieces of his clothes. "He laid on top of you for hours...Guarding you."
"I named him when I was like eight.” I can see the mortal vampire’s eyes flick to me at the word eight. Shit. Do bats live that long? Fuck. His eyebrows push together. I continue to try and move past my slip up. “We are bounded by an unbreakable bond. He always finds me... eventually." I let out a small laugh and wince as it passes my throat. I am not surprised Halfy found me before anyone else. I bet he left the castle walls as soon as he realized I was gone, and I can only imagine how pissed he is at me.
Bonds are an interesting thing in our world. Unless one knows how bonds work and how to spot them, they go missed. Unable to see in this form, but my true form on my left hand, on the index finger is a rune for familiars. The same one is inked inside Halfy’s left ear, the very ear I’m leaning against, thankfully, or I would be toppling back down to the ground below.
Akhluts are rare creatures only ever spotted far north past the vast sea on an island called Espa. There are no fully written books on them in the grand library, only from what we have learned from Halfy. How did this mortal now, vampire then know about them. How many days, years, centuries has he been exploring this world? I feel my stomach ping with what I am going to assume is jealousy and not from wanting to vomit as my head spins. Decades spent behind stone walls, I can’t even imagine traveling the lands for centuries…
"Halfy is an akhlut, yes. A wolf/orca shape shifter. As you already know…" The way he looks over every part of Halfy as I speak, he has seen them before, he knows something. His expression is not of fear like most who see Halfy for the first time, and I mean, especially after Halfy chases them. Akhluts do not climb. There is no need. Most of their time is spent either running along the earth or under the water surface. He knew that. Just as quickly as I finish my thought, the twinkle in his eyes vanishes.
I watch his face and can see that he is weighing his options or trying to think of something snarky to say I assume and then he says, "I have been in existence for a very long time. I have seen and explored many things. But I have never seen a bat…Hmm not bat… that can also have human…female looking hands..." He gives the faintest of smiles, exposing his teeth. No fangs, no more. "And with a bonded Akhlut.” The smile fades just as fast as it appeared. " Interesting tattoos by the way..."
Well, shit. He saw at least a part of my true form. Shit. I pondered for a moment. My thoughts swirling around in my head trying to dodge the sharp pains that are bouncing off the edges of my skull. Just maybe, I can spin this into something that could benefit both of us. He can provide information to me and in turn for the clan. If he knew of Akhluts, what other information could he have? Then maybe I can offer the possibility of getting his powers and immortality granted back to him. Maybe, maybe not.
Hmm... I look at him. He is shivering slightly. Being mortal does not protect you from the cold. The autumn breeze ruffles some of the fur on Halfy's head where I sit. I push closer to Halfy’s ear.
"Did not want to run? Or escape from the mean bat who took your immortality and powers?" I say with a cracked voice and a big smirk resting on my tired face.
He glances from Halfy to me then down to his clothes. "Where else would I go? I have not been a mortal in centuries. I know the forest is not safe at night and I am like a plump stuffed fowl out here just waiting to be feasted on..." He shifts his weight and pulls on the tunic that is falling off his arm. He slowly inches closer to where Halfy stands. He watches Halfy's every move, every breath he takes. "Plus, I figured if I stay within range of your… Halfy...he would be alerted to anything that comes close to you, and within range of me as well..."
Even though he is mortal, he is still clever, still smart, or at least smart enough to know how to survive the night within the endless forest, where no mortal chooses to be willingly. Not smart enough to let this bat go though. I chuckle slightly at the thought. Stupid mortal vampire.
"I do believe..." He continues while motioning to his ripped clothing. "I am owed some new clothes..." He is about twenty feet away now. Excuse me? I owe you NOTHING.
His eyes linger on Halfy and then they move to me. Blue battling orange in his irises. "Or at least get to know the name of the little not bat, with female tattooed looking hands, who takes immortality and powers, who has the scent of pure power that could knock any mortal on their ass and then there is your own scent…” He shifts his weight. “With a bonded Akhlut."
I huff instinctively. Well shit. Look at this predicament I have gotten myself into. My head still rings. Fuck it. I reveal, "Mihaela."
Shit. Mothers number one rule broken. I exposed a part of myself. As the moment continued, I did not care. We are too far in this situation to not at least give some formalities, I guess. Plus, I feel like if I am going to get any information from him, it is going to be a give and take unfortunately.
He walks a bit closer to where Halfy stands. Closing the gap. I can feel Halfy get taunt. He watches Halfy's body and then looks at me, again.
"Hmm, one who is like god?" He moves a little closer. “Mihaela…” I freeze at the sound of my name on his mouth. On his lips. My breath catching on exhale. Halfy lets out a low grumble deep in his chest. “Mihaela who?”
I pet Halfy's ear with one of my wings. Sending thoughts to Halfy to reassure my beast.
It is all right Halfy. He is smart, but mortal now. I whisper down our bond.
“First name bases for now. Still don’t trust that you won’t take a bite out of me when I’m not looking.” I say while studying him.
He continues to walk closer to us, edging a few steps at a time watching Halfy carefully. Testing the water of the guardian beast, my guardian beast. He says, "Fine, as you wish.” Inches a step closer. “Your mother must have great plans for you...to name you as if you are to be a god." He is testing me as much as he is Halfy. He moves closer. I can sense the fur rise along Halfy's spine. "Did your powers come...from her?"
I pause for a moment, gathering my thoughts, powers, but choose to act oblivious to his choice of words. We need to gather information for the clan, I need to gather information for me. To show Mother I can be beneficial outside the castle walls. This whole situation may be able to benefit us, me, after all.
Trust me, Halfy.
"She is the only one who can grant you, your powers, your immortality back." I say barely more than a whisper. I need to still remain cautious with this mortal now vampire man and since we are still in the endless forest.
I am not one to tip toe around, unless it benefits me that is, but with this, getting straight to the point is needed. Whether I can or can't grant one's powers back is not something to speak about here, during the night while in the endless forest. I feel my instincts ring to scan our surroundings. Even with Halfy we cannot be too careful. My gaze moves back toward the trees, pass the mortal vampire man. We have already talked more than I would normally be comfortable with, especially out in the open, within this forest at night.
He looks at me up and down, from the tips of my large ears, my golden night seeing eyes, and past my wings wrapped around one of Halfy's ears. "It would be a pleasure to meet her..." He says. I doubt he will be saying that later. He is about an arm's length away from us now. He could easily reach out and pet Halfy if he wanted. Which he probably did, but wisely chose not to...for now. "Zanir..." He bows before us. “Zanir Strife.”
I feel Halfy's eyes narrow under me. He is measuring and calculating how quickly he could rip this now mortal man apart. Probably under five seconds.
Akhluts could kill a man in the blink of an eye if they choose. Ferocious when he wants to be. Tamed by no means other than a devotion to what my Mother gave to him, and in return, the bond, to guard her only child from the creatures that rule the nights in the endless forest and everything in between, mortal vampire man included. I am not surprised Halfy chased him when he found us, too bad he didn’t catch him.
I look at Zanir. His eyes flicker at me, a small flame behind those cerulean eyes. As if Halfy saw it too, and a low growl passes from his fangs.
Halfy...As much as I would love to see you pull this man piece by piece…I feel he may be to some use to us…
Halfy eases a bit, but only slightly. Muscles still ridged, ready to pounce if needed. "We can take you to see her, but only she can determine if you are worthy to have your powers and immortality back.” I say, trying to steady my voice while remaining soft and gentle. Which just sounds wrong coming from me, but my energy is still weakened, and this stupid head of mine won’t be quiet or stop spinning.
Zanir brushes his torn tunic off, as it barely drapes along his shoulder in pieces, looking at me still, but watching Halfy out of the corners of his eyes. Up close, and probably still worrying about being eaten or chased again. Do not get too comfortable mortal vampire man.
Zanir is a tall man, but Halfy reaches his shoulders. His cerulean eyes piercing through the night sky, at us, at me. His dark hickory hair is slightly disheveled, from running and then climbing a tree I assume. Ha. Conveniently his ears are still covered. I will figure that answer out at some point. I can see the marks from the trees through the rips of his clothes, his muscles scratched, and dry blood drips down a few of them. Mortal healing, slow, and weak. Now closer than before, I can now tell that what I was seeing earlier was in fact tattoos along his arm. My head is spinning too much to try and figure out what the ink is though.
He notices me looking him up and down, and he smiles, "Halfy is quick, but not quick enough." Halfy lets out a low growl.
“It is ill advised to insult a beast that could break you in two with one snap of his jaws, while you are only a few feet away…:”
His eyes remain on me, never breaking. I am getting the feeling that he is trying to figure out what I truly am, or does he already know? Doubtful. I am a creature of many mysteries. He is waiting to see if I falter...again? Not again. I am still questioning if he is trustworthy or not, but if needed Halfy will not mind dragging him to the nearest water depths if I say so.
Halfy do not hate me. I know what I am doing. I promise.
More so that I am just willing to chance it. I am doing this to prove I am an asset, not just a pretty ornament for the castle walls. We need to know about the vampires, their clan, anything, any possible new or important information. Such as why was he meeting with the Muma Padurii, mother of the forest? If I can turn this whole experience into something good for the clan and prove myself, that is all the matters now.
"Hop on." I motion towards Halfy's back. I can feel Halfy become stiff and then relax as I pet his ear with my wing again. The trust he has in me, I hope it never breaks. Zanir is analyzing all his options, I can see it on his face. "You could instead walk if you prefer."
He quickly strides over to us closing the mere feet between us as if some of his vampire speed still lingers, and says, "Walking, as a mortal, is awful. Each step aching more and more than the last. I can feel my joints cracking with each trek. I have put this corpse through hell over many centuries and am feeling it now." He rubs his lower back, "Being mortal is awfully dim. More so than I remember."
He pauses, his eyes still locked on me, but he quickly glances at Halfy. Halfy remains looking forward, refusing to meet Zanir’s observational type stare. May not be able to contain himself if he did. He walks to Halfy's left side, and slowly reaches toward Halfy, he retracts slightly, but then gradually continues. Zanir is still watching Halfy's face. His fingers gently touching the white fur of the marvelous beast. Halfy does not flinch or move at his touch.
Thank you, Halfy.
I glance at Zanir, and I can tell memories are flooding back to him. He knows of Akhluts. I wonder what kind of experiences he has with them. Halfy is the only one I have ever seen.
His hand moves through Halfy's fur and onto his sleek porpoise skin. For a moment the edges of his lips curl, but quickly disappear. As someone who was taught vigorously about noticing everything, I saw it, and as someone who, I am guessing, is trained to hide everything, it vanishes from him instantly. He has stories to tell. Interesting. He grabs a hold of some of Halfy's fur, and pauses, looking towards me a little suspicious...
"You won't hurt him...and he won't hurt you...unless I say so …" Halfy if I told him would rip off every limb slowly from his now mortal corpse. Don’t forget that vampire mortal man. But, Halfy isn’t what you should be afraid of.
He smirks at me then grips the fur and pulls himself onto Halfy’s back. He leans into him, into his fur. "I didn't realize how cold I was." He said quietly into Halfy. "It is a miserable feeling. Even though he chased me...I do appreciate that Halfy came looking for you..." He is silent for a few moments before saying… "After you bit me... taking my powers...an Akhlut's wrath is not something I want to be at the end of...immortal vampire or not..." He lets out the tiniest chuckle, so quiet that it is almost not heard against the brisk autumn breeze still blowing all around us in this valley. Cold winds are coming down the nearby mountain ranges as the night continues.
“Why do you call him Halfy?” Zanir says with his face still buried within Halfy’s fur.
“Because he is half wolf and half orca…and I was like eight when Mother brought him to the castle…” I sometimes forget that Halfy has been with me sense I was very young. Memories from certain parts of my childhood are hard to recall, but Halfy has always been a constant.
Zanir raises his head and tilts it toward me. I feel myself smiling and then quickly let it fall. Shit.
"Let's get moving... Hold on tight" I pat Halfy's head with my wings and he starts running through the endless forest without a second thought or word from anyone... Thank Nyx.
Ch. 4
"Akhlut"
I wake up surrounded by fur and sleek skin. I feel the movement, up and down, its breathing. I feel the heat. Soft and thick. I embrace the familiar scent, the earthiness of the dirt and a pinch of water. The scent that has filled many of my days throughout my childhood. The scent I would search for during games of hide and seek. The scent that filled the arena mats while I trained. The scent that coaxed me to sleep on uneasy nights. I missed his scent. I missed him. I lean into the beast that surrounds me and covers me. My fingers running through its gleaming white fur...my fingers... Shit.
I must have changed when I fainted. Shit. I shove myself further under the large beast. Exposed. I start to envision my new, but old form. Thoughts flood my brain, images, behaviors, sounds. I feel the wings forming on my back across my shoulders. My ears are coming to a point. I feel myself compressing, bones cracking and reforming into the body and arrangements that I have filled myself in over the last few days. A creature of the night that roams through the forest air, that usually is harmless and unnoticeable. Not me recently, though, sadly.
I first peek around the edges and slowly moved out from under the beast that lays over me, protecting my true form, my true self.
Did "he" see me? Did anyone or anything see me? How reckless I am, and was becoming…My head starts to ring, and it rumbles through my skull.
Once out from under my protector, I stumble trying to gather my footing. I move my wings to my head. I will never get used to this feeling. This time was more intense and took so much from me, more than anything I have practiced back at the castle.
The sound in my head gradually starts to fade, but lingers into a dull sharp pain. As if someone is forcefully caressing the edges of my mind, my soul, too exposed. I slam a mental block, pushing through it. No. Remain, focus. Allow nothing out and nothing in. Bring forth the light. I remind myself. Deep within me Devlyn's voice echoes through my skull around the sharp pain. As if her voice is cutting through it. Everything starts to flood back.
My eyes finally land back to the beast. The one that guarded me, like he always has.
His resting appearance is a large and powerful body of a wolf, but with the size of the great white bears of the north, the ones that roam in Osnya. He has white fluffy fur that has dried many of my childhood tears. His pointed ears always listening with the black tips moving and twitching with each passing sound. The markings on his body are of a whale that is so cunning and fierce that many sailors dare not try to hunt one. An orca, the killer of the sea. His current tail is that of a wolf, long and powerful, used when he needs to balance his commanding paws, but I know he can switch it to a forceful whale tail fin whenever he sees fit.
I look to the beast's eyes, shining gold and ginger, practically glowing in the night. The beast grins in my direction, his fangs moving past his lips, able to crush any man. I pause and look at the beast fully. He is clean, mostly, just a few specks of mud, but nothing that resembles…blood... I look around, scanning the area and I spot a shadow within the trees roughly a few strides distance away. Always with darkness seems to be a common thing for him.
"I'm guessing you know this...Akhlut." He moves from the shade of the trees, and the darkness stays, his powers faded without a trace. At least the ones I could see.
Oh, Nyx did it work? The moonlight shines against his now exposed skin, his shirt and tunic slashed in pieces, his cape long gone. I can barely make out something that is either dried blood, dirt, or mud, or possibly tattoos along his neck and now exposed arm. His boots are layered with mud. The moon is directly above us. I was gone for hours. What had happened? Did my beast do that to him? My head throbs, again. Almost knocking me over. Remain, control, steady, echoes from Devlyn voices in my skull. Everything is loud in this skull of mine. Annoying. Wait, how does he know of Akhluts?
He watches my beast carefully, not daring to step closer. I try to fly on to my beast but fail and stumble back to the ground. The beast lowers his head at me, kneeling close to the earth. I quickly grabbed my satchel that laid next to him, he must have found it, thank Nyx.
I climb up his face and rest on the top of his head and lean against his ears to steady myself. "This is ... Halfy…" I manage to say with a raspy, dry voice. "Did he do that to you?" I motion to his shredded clothes.
He waits, watching, and then says, "Halfy? Unique choice. He, Halfy, chased me up a tree... the tree did most of the damage..." He wipes the torn pieces of his clothes. "He laid on top of you for hours...Guarding you."
"I named him when I was like eight.” I can see the mortal vampire’s eyes flick to me at the word eight. Shit. Do bats live that long? Fuck. His eyebrows push together. I continue to try and move past my slip up. “We are bounded by an unbreakable bond. He always finds me... eventually." I let out a small laugh and wince as it passes my throat. I am not surprised Halfy found me before anyone else. I bet he left the castle walls as soon as he realized I was gone, and I can only imagine how pissed he is at me.
Bonds are an interesting thing in our world. Unless one knows how bonds work and how to spot them, they go missed. Unable to see in this form, but my true form on my left hand, on the index finger is a rune for familiars. The same one is inked inside Halfy’s left ear, the very ear I’m leaning against, thankfully, or I would be toppling back down to the ground below.
Akhluts are rare creatures only ever spotted far north past the vast sea on an island called Espa. There are no fully written books on them in the grand library, only from what we have learned from Halfy. How did this mortal now, vampire then know about them. How many days, years, centuries has he been exploring this world? I feel my stomach ping with what I am going to assume is jealousy and not from wanting to vomit as my head spins. Decades spent behind stone walls, I can’t even imagine traveling the lands for centuries…
"Halfy is an akhlut, yes. A wolf/orca shape shifter. As you already know…" The way he looks over every part of Halfy as I speak, he has seen them before, he knows something. His expression is not of fear like most who see Halfy for the first time, and I mean, especially after Halfy chases them. Akhluts do not climb. There is no need. Most of their time is spent either running along the earth or under the water surface. He knew that. Just as quickly as I finish my thought, the twinkle in his eyes vanishes.
I watch his face and can see that he is weighing his options or trying to think of something snarky to say I assume and then he says, "I have been in existence for a very long time. I have seen and explored many things. But I have never seen a bat…Hmm not bat… that can also have human…female looking hands..." He gives the faintest of smiles, exposing his teeth. No fangs, no more. "And with a bonded Akhlut.” The smile fades just as fast as it appeared. " Interesting tattoos by the way..."
Well, shit. He saw at least a part of my true form. Shit. I pondered for a moment. My thoughts swirling around in my head trying to dodge the sharp pains that are bouncing off the edges of my skull. Just maybe, I can spin this into something that could benefit both of us. He can provide information to me and in turn for the clan. If he knew of Akhluts, what other information could he have? Then maybe I can offer the possibility of getting his powers and immortality granted back to him. Maybe, maybe not.
Hmm... I look at him. He is shivering slightly. Being mortal does not protect you from the cold. The autumn breeze ruffles some of the fur on Halfy's head where I sit. I push closer to Halfy’s ear.
"Did not want to run? Or escape from the mean bat who took your immortality and powers?" I say with a cracked voice and a big smirk resting on my tired face.
He glances from Halfy to me then down to his clothes. "Where else would I go? I have not been a mortal in centuries. I know the forest is not safe at night and I am like a plump stuffed fowl out here just waiting to be feasted on..." He shifts his weight and pulls on the tunic that is falling off his arm. He slowly inches closer to where Halfy stands. He watches Halfy's every move, every breath he takes. "Plus, I figured if I stay within range of your… Halfy...he would be alerted to anything that comes close to you, and within range of me as well..."
Even though he is mortal, he is still clever, still smart, or at least smart enough to know how to survive the night within the endless forest, where no mortal chooses to be willingly. Not smart enough to let this bat go though. I chuckle slightly at the thought. Stupid mortal vampire.
"I do believe..." He continues while motioning to his ripped clothing. "I am owed some new clothes..." He is about twenty feet away now. Excuse me? I owe you NOTHING.
His eyes linger on Halfy and then they move to me. Blue battling orange in his irises. "Or at least get to know the name of the little not bat, with female tattooed looking hands, who takes immortality and powers, who has the scent of pure power that could knock any mortal on their ass and then there is your own scent…” He shifts his weight. “With a bonded Akhlut."
I huff instinctively. Well shit. Look at this predicament I have gotten myself into. My head still rings. Fuck it. I reveal, "Mihaela."
Shit. Mothers number one rule broken. I exposed a part of myself. As the moment continued, I did not care. We are too far in this situation to not at least give some formalities, I guess. Plus, I feel like if I am going to get any information from him, it is going to be a give and take unfortunately.
He walks a bit closer to where Halfy stands. Closing the gap. I can feel Halfy get taunt. He watches Halfy's body and then looks at me, again.
"Hmm, one who is like god?" He moves a little closer. “Mihaela…” I freeze at the sound of my name on his mouth. On his lips. My breath catching on exhale. Halfy lets out a low grumble deep in his chest. “Mihaela who?”
I pet Halfy's ear with one of my wings. Sending thoughts to Halfy to reassure my beast.
It is all right Halfy. He is smart, but mortal now. I whisper down our bond.
“First name bases for now. Still don’t trust that you won’t take a bite out of me when I’m not looking.” I say while studying him.
He continues to walk closer to us, edging a few steps at a time watching Halfy carefully. Testing the water of the guardian beast, my guardian beast. He says, "Fine, as you wish.” Inches a step closer. “Your mother must have great plans for you...to name you as if you are to be a god." He is testing me as much as he is Halfy. He moves closer. I can sense the fur rise along Halfy's spine. "Did your powers come...from her?"
I pause for a moment, gathering my thoughts, powers, but choose to act oblivious to his choice of words. We need to gather information for the clan, I need to gather information for me. To show Mother I can be beneficial outside the castle walls. This whole situation may be able to benefit us, me, after all.
Trust me, Halfy.
"She is the only one who can grant you, your powers, your immortality back." I say barely more than a whisper. I need to still remain cautious with this mortal now vampire man and since we are still in the endless forest.
I am not one to tip toe around, unless it benefits me that is, but with this, getting straight to the point is needed. Whether I can or can't grant one's powers back is not something to speak about here, during the night while in the endless forest. I feel my instincts ring to scan our surroundings. Even with Halfy we cannot be too careful. My gaze moves back toward the trees, pass the mortal vampire man. We have already talked more than I would normally be comfortable with, especially out in the open, within this forest at night.
He looks at me up and down, from the tips of my large ears, my golden night seeing eyes, and past my wings wrapped around one of Halfy's ears. "It would be a pleasure to meet her..." He says. I doubt he will be saying that later. He is about an arm's length away from us now. He could easily reach out and pet Halfy if he wanted. Which he probably did, but wisely chose not to...for now. "Zanir..." He bows before us. “Zanir Strife.”
I feel Halfy's eyes narrow under me. He is measuring and calculating how quickly he could rip this now mortal man apart. Probably under five seconds.
Akhluts could kill a man in the blink of an eye if they choose. Ferocious when he wants to be. Tamed by no means other than a devotion to what my Mother gave to him, and in return, the bond, to guard her only child from the creatures that rule the nights in the endless forest and everything in between, mortal vampire man included. I am not surprised Halfy chased him when he found us, too bad he didn’t catch him.
I look at Zanir. His eyes flicker at me, a small flame behind those cerulean eyes. As if Halfy saw it too, and a low growl passes from his fangs.
Halfy...As much as I would love to see you pull this man piece by piece…I feel he may be to some use to us…
Halfy eases a bit, but only slightly. Muscles still ridged, ready to pounce if needed. "We can take you to see her, but only she can determine if you are worthy to have your powers and immortality back.” I say, trying to steady my voice while remaining soft and gentle. Which just sounds wrong coming from me, but my energy is still weakened, and this stupid head of mine won’t be quiet or stop spinning.
Zanir brushes his torn tunic off, as it barely drapes along his shoulder in pieces, looking at me still, but watching Halfy out of the corners of his eyes. Up close, and probably still worrying about being eaten or chased again. Do not get too comfortable mortal vampire man.
Zanir is a tall man, but Halfy reaches his shoulders. His cerulean eyes piercing through the night sky, at us, at me. His dark hickory hair is slightly disheveled, from running and then climbing a tree I assume. Ha. Conveniently his ears are still covered. I will figure that answer out at some point. I can see the marks from the trees through the rips of his clothes, his muscles scratched, and dry blood drips down a few of them. Mortal healing, slow, and weak. Now closer than before, I can now tell that what I was seeing earlier was in fact tattoos along his arm. My head is spinning too much to try and figure out what the ink is though.
He notices me looking him up and down, and he smiles, "Halfy is quick, but not quick enough." Halfy lets out a low growl.
“It is ill advised to insult a beast that could break you in two with one snap of his jaws, while you are only a few feet away…:”
His eyes remain on me, never breaking. I am getting the feeling that he is trying to figure out what I truly am, or does he already know? Doubtful. I am a creature of many mysteries. He is waiting to see if I falter...again? Not again. I am still questioning if he is trustworthy or not, but if needed Halfy will not mind dragging him to the nearest water depths if I say so.
Halfy do not hate me. I know what I am doing. I promise.
More so that I am just willing to chance it. I am doing this to prove I am an asset, not just a pretty ornament for the castle walls. We need to know about the vampires, their clan, anything, any possible new or important information. Such as why was he meeting with the Muma Padurii, mother of the forest? If I can turn this whole experience into something good for the clan and prove myself, that is all the matters now.
"Hop on." I motion towards Halfy's back. I can feel Halfy become stiff and then relax as I pet his ear with my wing again. The trust he has in me, I hope it never breaks. Zanir is analyzing all his options, I can see it on his face. "You could instead walk if you prefer."
He quickly strides over to us closing the mere feet between us as if some of his vampire speed still lingers, and says, "Walking, as a mortal, is awful. Each step aching more and more than the last. I can feel my joints cracking with each trek. I have put this corpse through hell over many centuries and am feeling it now." He rubs his lower back, "Being mortal is awfully dim. More so than I remember."
He pauses, his eyes still locked on me, but he quickly glances at Halfy. Halfy remains looking forward, refusing to meet Zanir’s observational type stare. May not be able to contain himself if he did. He walks to Halfy's left side, and slowly reaches toward Halfy, he retracts slightly, but then gradually continues. Zanir is still watching Halfy's face. His fingers gently touching the white fur of the marvelous beast. Halfy does not flinch or move at his touch.
Thank you, Halfy.
I glance at Zanir, and I can tell memories are flooding back to him. He knows of Akhluts. I wonder what kind of experiences he has with them. Halfy is the only one I have ever seen.
His hand moves through Halfy's fur and onto his sleek porpoise skin. For a moment the edges of his lips curl, but quickly disappear. As someone who was taught vigorously about noticing everything, I saw it, and as someone who, I am guessing, is trained to hide everything, it vanishes from him instantly. He has stories to tell. Interesting. He grabs a hold of some of Halfy's fur, and pauses, looking towards me a little suspicious...
"You won't hurt him...and he won't hurt you...unless I say so …" Halfy if I told him would rip off every limb slowly from his now mortal corpse. Don’t forget that vampire mortal man. But, Halfy isn’t what you should be afraid of.
He smirks at me then grips the fur and pulls himself onto Halfy’s back. He leans into him, into his fur. "I didn't realize how cold I was." He said quietly into Halfy. "It is a miserable feeling. Even though he chased me...I do appreciate that Halfy came looking for you..." He is silent for a few moments before saying… "After you bit me... taking my powers...an Akhlut's wrath is not something I want to be at the end of...immortal vampire or not..." He lets out the tiniest chuckle, so quiet that it is almost not heard against the brisk autumn breeze still blowing all around us in this valley. Cold winds are coming down the nearby mountain ranges as the night continues.
“Why do you call him Halfy?” Zanir says with his face still buried within Halfy’s fur.
“Because he is half wolf and half orca…and I was like eight when Mother brought him to the castle…” I sometimes forget that Halfy has been with me sense I was very young. Memories from certain parts of my childhood are hard to recall, but Halfy has always been a constant.
Zanir raises his head and tilts it toward me. I feel myself smiling and then quickly let it fall. Shit.
"Let's get moving... Hold on tight" I pat Halfy's head with my wings and he starts running through the endless forest without a second thought or word from anyone... Thank Nyx.
