LJI WK 14
With a bear close on his heels, Otter burst through the trees, and into the clearing. A rush of air sent warning chills down Otter's neck, and he launched himself sideways into the scrub grass, waiting for the roars and blood curdling screeches to rip the air around him. The apex predators, engaging in battle, would give Otter his best chance for escape.
It was his fault. Today, in his joy gathering some rare herbs, his attention slipped. Not realizing the bear was near, Otter allowed it to get to close. Chanting a death prayer for the bear, thanking it for the noble sacrifice of its life, seemed only fitting.
Having remembered this scarred firebreak's fierce residents from other foraging trips, Otter led the bear here, to its certain destruction, and its dying a grisly death from the Pterogracks' and their two foot, razor sharp, beaks.
Pterograck's, with a wingspan of around twenty feet, were the fastest flying creatures on Earth. Their ability to strike at high speeds, enabled them to punch their pointed beaks through the thickest of hides, or skin, making them extremely lethal.
Usually, the only warning of being in their sights was a downdraft of air, and a fleeting shadow, before they pierced you through.
Living in the world's mountainous caverns with enough room to fly in, or amongst the high towers in the breaks, where they built their nests, they thrived.
However, in the density of the black forest, the gracks' didn't have enough room to unfurl their wings, or maneuver. And on land, they were slow and ungainly, making them easier to evade.
Pterogracks lived in family groupings, and with the bear now occupying this colony's attention, Otter should be able to make it across the break.
Notching an arrow in his bow, and ready to kiss the dirt again at any stirrings of air, or shadow, Otter, raced full tilt across the break, until disappearing into the safety of the trees.
Otter thought of the time long past, the time story tellers call Moreau. Speakers tell of strange vibrations, and pulsating lights coming from the metal towers rising in the breaks. How these vibrations went about changing many creatures, but especially the birds.
Their constant flying through tower resonances, easily mutated their hollow bones and beaks; Both, becoming elongated and more dense, and their feet, turning into talons.
Humans, living along the breaks at the time, weren't immune to the tower pulses either. Some of them evolved, with parts of their brains changing to give them extraordinary abilities. (Otter's foresight and hearing, standing in testament.)
Then there were the others, born twisted of body, or of mind. Nature claimed these other-born, and acted in judgement as it saw fit. "Those others are best not to be thought about." Otter told himself.
Legend also told of a day all the towers in the thousands, upon thousands, of breaks began humming. Their vibrations growing stronger and stronger, and more intense, until every every single tower was arcing blue flame to join its neighbor.
The Elders say the very stars came together to strike at the towers, driving the burning blue flames down into the ground. The resulting explosions of noise and fire left the Earth quaking, and with gaping wounds.
Many living things died of disease and deprivation in the aftermath. The world of men had stopped knowing their place, the elders said, and now once more, humans were questioning their purpose.
Otter could tell them what it wasn't. It was not playing at creation.
***All concrit is welcome!
Please read the wonderful entries and hopefully vote for me and any others in the LJI poll, Thank You! 🐭🐁
https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1039537.html
It was his fault. Today, in his joy gathering some rare herbs, his attention slipped. Not realizing the bear was near, Otter allowed it to get to close. Chanting a death prayer for the bear, thanking it for the noble sacrifice of its life, seemed only fitting.
Having remembered this scarred firebreak's fierce residents from other foraging trips, Otter led the bear here, to its certain destruction, and its dying a grisly death from the Pterogracks' and their two foot, razor sharp, beaks.
Pterograck's, with a wingspan of around twenty feet, were the fastest flying creatures on Earth. Their ability to strike at high speeds, enabled them to punch their pointed beaks through the thickest of hides, or skin, making them extremely lethal.
Usually, the only warning of being in their sights was a downdraft of air, and a fleeting shadow, before they pierced you through.
Living in the world's mountainous caverns with enough room to fly in, or amongst the high towers in the breaks, where they built their nests, they thrived.
However, in the density of the black forest, the gracks' didn't have enough room to unfurl their wings, or maneuver. And on land, they were slow and ungainly, making them easier to evade.
Pterogracks lived in family groupings, and with the bear now occupying this colony's attention, Otter should be able to make it across the break.
Notching an arrow in his bow, and ready to kiss the dirt again at any stirrings of air, or shadow, Otter, raced full tilt across the break, until disappearing into the safety of the trees.
Otter thought of the time long past, the time story tellers call Moreau. Speakers tell of strange vibrations, and pulsating lights coming from the metal towers rising in the breaks. How these vibrations went about changing many creatures, but especially the birds.
Their constant flying through tower resonances, easily mutated their hollow bones and beaks; Both, becoming elongated and more dense, and their feet, turning into talons.
Humans, living along the breaks at the time, weren't immune to the tower pulses either. Some of them evolved, with parts of their brains changing to give them extraordinary abilities. (Otter's foresight and hearing, standing in testament.)
Then there were the others, born twisted of body, or of mind. Nature claimed these other-born, and acted in judgement as it saw fit. "Those others are best not to be thought about." Otter told himself.
Legend also told of a day all the towers in the thousands, upon thousands, of breaks began humming. Their vibrations growing stronger and stronger, and more intense, until every every single tower was arcing blue flame to join its neighbor.
The Elders say the very stars came together to strike at the towers, driving the burning blue flames down into the ground. The resulting explosions of noise and fire left the Earth quaking, and with gaping wounds.
Many living things died of disease and deprivation in the aftermath. The world of men had stopped knowing their place, the elders said, and now once more, humans were questioning their purpose.
Otter could tell them what it wasn't. It was not playing at creation.
***All concrit is welcome!
Please read the wonderful entries and hopefully vote for me and any others in the LJI poll, Thank You! 🐭🐁
https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1039537.html