StarfrostedFox

The Sickness (Polarize X AutumnFrost)

Of course! :)

And you’re welcome! Ha ha!

The Sickness (Polarize X AutumnFrost)

Steadily, Kaylia pulled the brush over her horse’s coat, pulling a few stray burrs from his tail as she went, until at last, she was satisfied. Patting Storm’s shoulder, she left the stallion to graze at some of the dry vegetation and returned the brush to her bags, waving a hand quickly in front of her face to discourage a hopeful night time insect before pulling out a small cooking pot and one of her water skins. Carefully, she used some sticks to balance the pot over her fire, pouring out some water to start the process of getting the liquid boiling for some soup. Luckily for her, she hadn’t used up the lunch she had packed for herself. The man she had sold the horses to had insisted she stay for lunch and when his wife started pleading with her as well, she found that she just couldn’t say no.

“Which is probably why you and I are in this mess now.” Kaylia sighed, glancing over at Storm with a wry smile. The horse, of course, didn’t respond.

Retrieving a small bundle of cloth that was tied around a dried soup mix that her adopted mother had taught her to make, Kaylia then paused with her hand brushing a couple of carrots that she had packed. She had intended to feed them to Storm, but... Well, She would give him one and add the rest to the soup. The idea appealed to her stomach. Separating out one of the orange root vegetables, she whistled to her stallion, getting his attention before tossing him the carrot. He happily lipped it into his mouth, crunching noisily for a moment before he began snuffling around for another.

“No! You only get one!” Kaylia laughed helplessly as Storm nuzzled her shoulder with his nose. Carrots, after all, were his favorite treat. He snorted in patiently, bumping her shoulder a little harder. “Fine! Fine! Take it, you greedy adorable beast!” She squeaked, laughing all the more as she surrendered another of the carrots. “But that’s it! These other two are for me.”

Storm eventually, though rather reluctantly, acquiesced when she started cutting up the remaining carrots and dropping them into the cooking pot along with the soup mix, shuffling away to nibble at the sparse grass once more. Kaylia shook her head, the laughter fading into a few residual bubbles of sound as she stirred her dinner, grateful, Not for the first time, that she had her horse for company.

The Family Curse (Noxxis X AutumnFrost)

Ah, I know how that goes. I’m glad you’re back! :)

The Family Curse (Noxxis X AutumnFrost)

Oh, no worries. I checked out your profile and you mentioned in your status that you were going to be turning your phone off. I Believe you mentioned before that you use your phone to role-play, so I figured you’d be gone for a few days. It’s no problem. Did you have to have your phone fixed or were you getting a new one?

Human disguise (ThatWeirdChick x AutumnFrost)

As Anna spoke, Cinead listened carefully, thoughtful, and was a little surprised when she leveled herself up to look at him, her smile reassuring. He looked back into her face for several seconds before one corner of his mouth finally turned up. “Well, since you have already gotten me used to the idea of kissing and eating pizza, and since you yourself are most certainly human, I concede defeat and admit that my charade hasn’t been the most convincing. I still don’t know how I am suppose to react to all of this either... But if you are willing to teach, I will listen.”

He sighed after a moment, touching the backs of his fingers against her cheek. “ and if you say you are all right, I will except it. Although being around me as a dragon might be... dangerous. I would never intentionally hurt you, but I have never spent time around humans as a dragon before. I might move too fast suddenly, or breathe fire when I did not intend to.” He was starting to babble a little, a very rare occurrence in his case, but the idea of spending more time with Anna in his natural form was a frightening unknown to him.

The Sickness (Polarize X AutumnFrost)

Welcome back! I’m gladd to hear that things are starting to get better. I’ve been there a time or two. And sometimes, we just need to take a break to deal with real life. I really am happy that you’re back and enjoying the opportunity to do some riding again.

Aw, thanks again. I really liked your character! And I loved your introduction! It was so much fun to read! I didn’t find anything wrong with it, aside from One small typo, but that’s really no biggie. ;)

Flight From Death (Stone Dragon X AutumnFrost)

At first, Aneira hadn’t been sure of what she was seeing in the dark, flickering on the edges of her vision. But as the horses drew closer, she blinked and the flickering resolved itself into a fire. She started to wonder if lightning had already begun to strike the land when she noticed a few shadows moving around the flames, figures gathered around them. She pulled up on the reins as soon as she realized this, her horse automatically beginning to slow. She heard Tannith give an impatient huff, but he too slowed his own mount.

One of the figures stood up, stepping forward slightly, silhouetted by the light of the fire. Guiding her mare to stop a few feet from the stranger, she had just opened her mouth to call out her own greeting when there came a crack of thunder and a brilliant flash of lightning and she found her voice trapped in her throat. For in that instant, she found herself looking not into the face of a man, but a beast. A dog with fur black as pitch with brilliant golden eyes. But then she saw the figure fold his arms across his chest and she blinked in further shock. Not a beast, not entirely. But some sort of man with the head of a beast.

And then the man, if that was what he was, spoke. His words were accented oddly, though clearly spoken in common. He welcomed them to he and his companions camp and offered a place of rest for the night. Aneira felt a momentary shudder shiver through her body and she quickly shared a look with Tannith. She subtly nodded her head to him, signaling him to take the lead.

Lifting his voice, the soldier called back over the storm. “ we thank you for the welcome. And we would gladly except a place to stay for the night. I wouldn’t want to get caught out in this storm. Thank you.”

The Family Curse (Noxxis X AutumnFrost)

Nami’s gaze flickered towards the back of the house, as if trying to catch a hint of sound that would clue her in on what Kyo was doing outside. She sighed. “Probably trying to find some way up on the roof again.” She said in a resigned sort of voice, unknowingly echoing Mayumi’s own conclusion. Before she could say much more on the matter, The girl had turned to Yuki, talking about how Kyo was probably upset by the idea of living under the same roof as him. The woman quite abruptly stiffened with a sense of dread, an expression of a child caught with their hand in a cookie jar mixing with a chagrined resignation on her face. Slowly, she looked at Yuki.

A look of pure horror crossed Yuki’s own face, mouth falling open slightly, just as Mayumi turned her attention back to Nami. As soon as it did, the look morphed into one of anger, a glare turned directly on Nami. She winced slightly, but otherwise tried not to show outwardly any other reaction, not with Mayumi looking at her. ’Not how I wanted to tell him... but the cat‘s out of the bag now. Literally. She thought, a little despairingly. Outloud, she said, “ i’m putting you in the room right next to Moku, If that’s all right. Second door in at the top of the stairs on the right.”

“ i’ll take your things to your room. You should go help Nami get dinner ready.” Yuki offered, his voice soft. Only those who knew him really well would be able to hear the dangerous under tone to his voice.

Nami sure could.

The gray haired teenager simply gave her a furious look over Mayumi’s head before stepping forward and picking up the suitcase, turning stiffly and heading back up the stairs, anger quivering in his stomach. How dare she. He fumed silently as he stalked down the hallway, throwing open the door to the second bedroom. “That stupid cat!” He hissed under his breath, setting the suitcase down on top of the small set of drawers against one wall. “He’s going to ruin everything for me.”

Back downstairs, Nami Felt as if she had just dodged a bullet. She sucked in a deep breath, held it for a second, and then let it out in a great rush. Nothing said that there weren’t more bullets for her later. But she wasn’t going to worry about that now. Shaking her head a little, she instead turned a smile on Mayumi, starting off in the direction of the kitchen. “It’s really not that much work. I got takeout for us.“ She admitted, instinctively glancing towards Moku as she brushed aside the fabric hanging in the top of the doorway to the kitchen and stepped in.

Moku glanced up from where she had been staring at the half filled cup in her hands, her expression a little wary. She blinked as she looked from Nami to Mayumi, But chose not to say anything.

“Mayumi was just going to help me set out dinner.” Nami said cheerfully, going over to the cupboard and pulling out some plates and bowls. ”I hope you guys are hungry. I kind of overdid it with how much I got.”

At last, Moku seemed to stir. It probably had something to do with the fact that her stomach was rumbling, but she couldn’t just stand idle while there was work to be done. “...What can I do to help?” She asked in a soft, tentative voice.

Nami beamed at her. “Well, why don’t you go and let Kyo know that we are having dinner and then you can fill a pitcher with some water. Kyo should be up on the roof and you’ll find some pitchers in the top cupboard over the sink.”

After a quick glance at the cupboard over her head, Moku gave an understanding nod of her head before she set her glass down on the counter and headed towards the back door. Her stomach twisted slightly. She couldn’t remember ever personally meeting the person cursed with the spirit of the cat before. But she had definitely heard about him enough. Nervously biting at the inside of her cheek, the girl stepped outside and glanced up towards the roof. She thought she spotted the edge of a knee...

“...Kyo? Dinners ready if your hungry.” She called, Wincing slightly at the sound of her own raised voice. It had been so long since she had spoken above a whisper it felt like.

Human disguise (ThatWeirdChick x AutumnFrost)

A bubble of a growl rumbled quietly in Cinead’s chest at the mention of the ember boar, but he forced the feeling away as Anna continued on, admitting to a sense of disbelief that had started to overcome her. He mentally filed away a reminder to himself to hunt down the fiery pig before it made a nuisance of itself before focusing on pulling his fingers gently once through his mate’s curls.

“... i’m not sure how to reassure you that you haven’t imagined the whole thing. Other than my word that it did happen, I can do no more. Unless there is something you think I might be able to do to reassure yourself that you are not going insane.” He said saufley, wishing there was more that he could do.

Flight From Death (Stone Dragon X AutumnFrost)

Wind rattled the branches of a massive oak tree as it gusted ahead of a thunderstorm, pushing the branches against the window the tree grew in front of with a high squeal. A distant rumble of thunder sounded, carried on the back of another burst of wind and Aneira knew that they would be in for a storm before the night was out. She stood, head tilted slightly to one side, and regarded the oncoming storm interestedly with cool gray eyes.

Aneira Vallier was a tall, slender woman with hair the color of pale gold. Her hair hung loose and wavy to the center ofHer back, with shorter fringes framing a long oval face. She had heard some say that she carried about her person a rather classic beauty, but she didn’t see it herself. When she looked in the mirror, she just saw... Aneira. Nothing more.

Long crimson skirts swishing around her as she turned, the young Lady of the Vallier steadhold couldn’t help but give a small smile as she met the gazes of the three Young men standing in a loose circle behind her, armor glinting in the torchlight, each with a hand ready on the pommel of their swords. Despite the stiffness of their stances, each man returned her smile with a brief one of their own, for even though they were the Lady‘s personal guard, they had also become her friends in the course of their service. And she encouraged such behavior. After moment, she sighed, Starting down the hallway.

“ I think it’s time to retire to bed.” She then murmured thoughtfully, listening to the men fall in to step beside and behind her.

“ and I think that’s a good idea.” One of the men responded. He stood to her right, dark hair cut short and his face clean shaven, taller than her by a hand’s breadth. His own green eyes littered with momentary amusement as the Lady glanced in his direction, soft laugh escaping from her.

“You would.” Aneira replied in kind, voice light.

As the four figures continued heading down the hallway towards the Lady‘s Chambers, the wind continued to buffet The outside of the building, rattling windows and trees, guttering torches where it manage to sneak in through a drafty crack. Yet despite it all, a figure stood just on the lip of one of the windowsills, watching The woman and her entourage with narrowed eyes, Ignoring the oncoming storm entirely.

They were almost entirely covered with black cloth from head to foot, the only skin showing as slits just around their eyes. And as they confidently stepped backwards off of their perch, absorbing they’re landing on the balls of their feet, they looked towards a secondary figure standing nearby that was dressed in a similar fashion. With a nod of confirmation, the two headed off around the building, crouched low.

•••

“Allow me, my Lady.”

The guard to Aneira’s left stepped forward as they reached her chambers, twisting the handle of the door and pushing it inwards. He had just turned to smile at her when it happened. Hands reached out of the darkness of the room, grabbing the unsuspecting guard around his face and shoulders, a knife sliding across the man’s throat and dropping him to the floor with a look of surprise in his dark eyes. Quick as thinking, the man to the right of Aneira drew his sword with a hiss of steel, leaping forward to plunge it into the chest of the assassin as they started to emerge from the room, bloody knife still held in an upraised hand. They fell with a gurgle, clutching at their chest.

Feeling as if she had suddenly been thrown into a nightmare, Aneira stared in open mouthed horror at her fallen Guard, her dying friend. A clash of steel on steel caused her to start painfully, head jerking up to see The captain of her guard dueling a second assassin. She heard a noise from behind her and the guard that had been at the rear of the formation stepped into view, his own sword drawn.

“Run Tannith!” The Captain abruptly growled at the other soldier, panting lightly as he parried a blow meant for his gut from the assassin.

“ But Sir..!” The young man began to protest.

“Run! Take our Lady and run! That’s an order!” The captain shouted in return, screaming in pain as the assassin‘s blade caught him in the thigh.

Tannith hesitated for only one more heartbeat before he whirled, One leather gloved hand closing around Aneira’s wrist and pulling her into a run, a low curse hissing out through his teeth.

“ don’t stop running! We have to make it to the stables!” He huffed, ice gripping at his heart.

Air puffing from her mouth as she ran, Aneira barely managed to get an affirmation out of her mouth, the word broken on her lips. It was only at that moment that she realized she was crying, hot tears streaking down her cheeks. She blinked several times to clear them away, but to no avail. They just continued to fall. And she continued to run.

The pair soon made it to the stables, running through the wind, and Tannith threw Open the door before her, pulling her inside. There were no grooms attending the horses at that moment, which was good, because it meant it didn’t slow them down as the soldier hastily saddled two of the equine shapes, the horses snorting with alarm and tossing back their heads, but otherwise making no move to get away. He grabbed a pair of emergency saddle bags, throwing them over the beast’s backs before fitting both with bits and reins. Tannith then moved hastily over to Aneira, putting his hands around her waist and lifting her into one of the saddles. She quickly pulled her skirts up, freeing her legs until she could sit a stride the saddle, gathering the reins into her hands and directing the mare towards The open doors. Tannith quickly mounted his own stallion, nudging the horse in the ribs and prompting him into a sprint, Aneira’s mare leaping quickly forward to follow after.

Across the courtyard, through the front gate, together they escaped the steadhold, the storm at their backs.