another drabble
Inspiration: “Howl, seven days to the wolves. Where will we be when they come? Seven days to the poison and a place in heaven. Time drawing near as they come to take us.” - Nightwish ; 7 Days to the Wolves
H o w l
- - -
“Shizuru! It’s not far now!”
Viridian eyes swerved around, glancing over a dark shoulder. Ears perked on the creature’s black cranium, jaws parted only slightly. Her chest constricted, breathing ragged and shallow. She was exhausted, wilting with each step across the blanket of snow stretching seemingly endlessly along the land. Her paws quivered on the white ground, blood splattered wherever she stepped onto.
The clouds circled ominously above them, almost like dark gray vultures readying themselves to overwhelm the two pitiful beings below. A chill brushed against her raven fur and her lips pulled wider back, fangs beginning to peek through. She crouched lower on the snow and blinked into the breeze, flakes hitting her eyes. Was a snowstorm on the way? She dearly hoped not, for she doubted they’d survive at this rate. Shizuru was-
Shizuru!
Natsuki’s muzzle snapped upward, eyes raking about as she searched vainly in the dark. Her companion hadn’t returned her call and there was no sight of her. With the clouds clustering ever closer and the night consuming the last hints of the bleak day, it was becoming harder to see. She rushed forward, skittering down the banks of eerie white snow on all sides of her. Even in this wasteland, where trees withered and flowers died, where beasts lay on their deathbeds, the snow remained ever untouched save for the reek of death and the stain of blood.
Like it was staining now.
Natsuki crested the high banks, almost losing her footing as she leaped the last few feet. Crumpling forward, the wolf heaved as the wind left her lungs, a splash of blood from her mouth following. She shook her black crown and shut her eyes tight as an aching began to pound at her skull. The wolf meekly raised her gaze, staring at the image before her that opened a fresh wound, this time where her heart was.
Shizuru had stopped to rest it seemed, weakened. Her muzzle rested awkwardly on her paws, eyes closed softly. Her breathing was even, deep as she exhaled and inhaled. She looked as if she was only sleeping, as if the wounds cruelly lashed on her form didn’t bother her. Natsuki knew better though and the female crept closer, evergreen eyes beginning to glow with sorrow. She hoarsely called, fearing the worst, “Shizuru?”
A flutter of eyelids, russet irises opened and Natsuki found she was able to breathe again. Shizuru’s eyes were dim; she was fatigued, but alive, alive and that was all Natsuki cared for. The black wolf lowered her snout until it brushed her confidant’s, breath warm on the other’s face. A blink, a whimper and then a tongue licked Natsuki’s cheek, wishing to reassure. It calmed her, made a relieved sigh escape her lips. She nuzzled the fallen wolf, clenching her eyes against the stench of blood that was almost potent enough to overcome her. A shudder racked her body, tail rising and paws pressing hard into the snow. She urged the fallen to rise, nudged her limbs and whimpered, “Shizuru, on your feet. Please. We’re almost there, so close. It’ll be ok soon, just stand.”
Shizuru grunted, face tensing as her paws shifted from under her. Natsuki stepped back, expression twisted in worry as Shizuru’s body grew taut for a moment, before rising. Haggard breathing, bleeding wounds, but she was standing. Shizuru lurched forward, almost collapsing were it not for Natsuki scuttling forward and catching the wolf. The tawny beast panted against her side, leaned on the other canine as Natsuki cautiously stepped around and dragged the two of them forward. So close, so close. She murmured, “We’re almost there.”
Deep russet hues implored her, begged to rest, but if they stopped now, the storm would be upon them. The snow would be their deathbed, would be hers first, and Natsuki wasn’t willing to take that chance. We have to keep going, we have to keep going. The ground drank the blemishes of red that dared coat it. Natsuki cried, shaking as agony gripped her limbs first before snaking up her spine. Shizuru shivered and her rusted eyes rounded, pale body darkening with the cruor trickling from her wounds.
Natsuki growled and careened a few steps onward. She began to rise up the hills of snow, making sure not to lose sight of Shizuru. The lighter wolf’s presence was heavy at her side, her scent close and heady. She inhaled, flared her nostrils at the musky smell. It stank of blood. Shizuru crumpled, a cry tearing from her lips. Natsuki dodged, mortified and winced as blood splattered her muzzle. The taste was familiar, but still awful, more so since it was her blood.
“Shizuru! Get up! Now!”
Shizuru’s russet eyes stared morosely at her; snow stained blood. Natsuki pushed her muzzle into the tawny fur, gently tugged with teeth and tried to coax her into rising. She licked her ear, nudged her paws and gave piteous whines. Desperation voiced into the air, increased in octaves with each passing second.
“Shizuru! It’s not far now!”
A gasp; the snow became the deathbed. Natsuki continued crying still. The clouds refused to disperse; shadows lengthened. Black paws disappeared into the darkness. Tawny was dragged on the snow. They stayed close, ever still as both melded in the eerie white, stained scarlet.
Desperation, it wasn’t enough to keep them going onward.
- - -
Soo.. what do you think? Longer than I thought it would be. o-o;
H o w l
- - -
“Shizuru! It’s not far now!”
Viridian eyes swerved around, glancing over a dark shoulder. Ears perked on the creature’s black cranium, jaws parted only slightly. Her chest constricted, breathing ragged and shallow. She was exhausted, wilting with each step across the blanket of snow stretching seemingly endlessly along the land. Her paws quivered on the white ground, blood splattered wherever she stepped onto.
The clouds circled ominously above them, almost like dark gray vultures readying themselves to overwhelm the two pitiful beings below. A chill brushed against her raven fur and her lips pulled wider back, fangs beginning to peek through. She crouched lower on the snow and blinked into the breeze, flakes hitting her eyes. Was a snowstorm on the way? She dearly hoped not, for she doubted they’d survive at this rate. Shizuru was-
Shizuru!
Natsuki’s muzzle snapped upward, eyes raking about as she searched vainly in the dark. Her companion hadn’t returned her call and there was no sight of her. With the clouds clustering ever closer and the night consuming the last hints of the bleak day, it was becoming harder to see. She rushed forward, skittering down the banks of eerie white snow on all sides of her. Even in this wasteland, where trees withered and flowers died, where beasts lay on their deathbeds, the snow remained ever untouched save for the reek of death and the stain of blood.
Like it was staining now.
Natsuki crested the high banks, almost losing her footing as she leaped the last few feet. Crumpling forward, the wolf heaved as the wind left her lungs, a splash of blood from her mouth following. She shook her black crown and shut her eyes tight as an aching began to pound at her skull. The wolf meekly raised her gaze, staring at the image before her that opened a fresh wound, this time where her heart was.
Shizuru had stopped to rest it seemed, weakened. Her muzzle rested awkwardly on her paws, eyes closed softly. Her breathing was even, deep as she exhaled and inhaled. She looked as if she was only sleeping, as if the wounds cruelly lashed on her form didn’t bother her. Natsuki knew better though and the female crept closer, evergreen eyes beginning to glow with sorrow. She hoarsely called, fearing the worst, “Shizuru?”
A flutter of eyelids, russet irises opened and Natsuki found she was able to breathe again. Shizuru’s eyes were dim; she was fatigued, but alive, alive and that was all Natsuki cared for. The black wolf lowered her snout until it brushed her confidant’s, breath warm on the other’s face. A blink, a whimper and then a tongue licked Natsuki’s cheek, wishing to reassure. It calmed her, made a relieved sigh escape her lips. She nuzzled the fallen wolf, clenching her eyes against the stench of blood that was almost potent enough to overcome her. A shudder racked her body, tail rising and paws pressing hard into the snow. She urged the fallen to rise, nudged her limbs and whimpered, “Shizuru, on your feet. Please. We’re almost there, so close. It’ll be ok soon, just stand.”
Shizuru grunted, face tensing as her paws shifted from under her. Natsuki stepped back, expression twisted in worry as Shizuru’s body grew taut for a moment, before rising. Haggard breathing, bleeding wounds, but she was standing. Shizuru lurched forward, almost collapsing were it not for Natsuki scuttling forward and catching the wolf. The tawny beast panted against her side, leaned on the other canine as Natsuki cautiously stepped around and dragged the two of them forward. So close, so close. She murmured, “We’re almost there.”
Deep russet hues implored her, begged to rest, but if they stopped now, the storm would be upon them. The snow would be their deathbed, would be hers first, and Natsuki wasn’t willing to take that chance. We have to keep going, we have to keep going. The ground drank the blemishes of red that dared coat it. Natsuki cried, shaking as agony gripped her limbs first before snaking up her spine. Shizuru shivered and her rusted eyes rounded, pale body darkening with the cruor trickling from her wounds.
Natsuki growled and careened a few steps onward. She began to rise up the hills of snow, making sure not to lose sight of Shizuru. The lighter wolf’s presence was heavy at her side, her scent close and heady. She inhaled, flared her nostrils at the musky smell. It stank of blood. Shizuru crumpled, a cry tearing from her lips. Natsuki dodged, mortified and winced as blood splattered her muzzle. The taste was familiar, but still awful, more so since it was her blood.
“Shizuru! Get up! Now!”
Shizuru’s russet eyes stared morosely at her; snow stained blood. Natsuki pushed her muzzle into the tawny fur, gently tugged with teeth and tried to coax her into rising. She licked her ear, nudged her paws and gave piteous whines. Desperation voiced into the air, increased in octaves with each passing second.
“Shizuru! It’s not far now!”
A gasp; the snow became the deathbed. Natsuki continued crying still. The clouds refused to disperse; shadows lengthened. Black paws disappeared into the darkness. Tawny was dragged on the snow. They stayed close, ever still as both melded in the eerie white, stained scarlet.
Desperation, it wasn’t enough to keep them going onward.
- - -
Soo.. what do you think? Longer than I thought it would be. o-o;