ANGEL ❝ AURUM ❞ TANGLEWOOD

Breathe in, breathe out.

A brutal harmony of injured insides, all playing together in a wounded symphony, threatening to break down and cave in. Harsh was the breath that passed through Aurum's lips, forced and aching as he continued his death march forward. That was, in fact, was he considered it to be at this point – a death march. He had little hope of actually getting back to his home, his one eyed gaze desperately seeking the tall trees of the swamp and coming up short. He didn't even really know where he was, the world spinning and lurching around him in a way that made him want to puke his guts out. Not that anything would really come of that, considering how long it had been since he had eaten. Clenching his jaws at the thought, the lion ignored the roar of hunger that came from his belly, desperately trying to gain attention from him. He ignored it, knowing he had little chance of hunting in his current state anyways. Not when he was practically dragging half of his body with every step, placing weight on bones that were already fractured and festering, threatening infection.

Breathe in, breathe out.

There was a cruel wheeze from the angel's lungs as he continued forward, trying to think of how he had ended up in his current state. It seemed so ridiculous, that someone as powerful as he would be grabbed and pulled from the place he considered safe. Evidently the hyenas that had taken over his pride's old home weren't satisfied with only sending him back to Tanglewood injured once. They wanted him to suffer, and they wanted him to die, so that they'd never have to worry about the pride they had practically eradicated ever coming back. He had tried to tell them over and over again that he had no interest in ever reviving the old home that had caused him so much agony, but they weren't keen on listening. That became crystal clear as fangs dug into his shoulder, and claws pressed against his flank, the clan intent on doing as much damage as they could. It was agonizing, and time had seemed to pass so slowly, with Aurum eventually losing track of how long he had been away from Tanglewood for. Days, weeks, months... they all just blended together, in a haze of red, and pain.

Breathe in, breathe out.

He tried not to remember his escape, as glorious of a moment as it should've been. Because really, it wasn't glorious. He wasn't brave, or heroic as he had broken free of his captors. He had been vicious, and unyielding. Flames licking at his jaws and his claws, with blood splattering the ground and dying his golden pelt red. The hyenas hadn't expected him to still be so strong after months of punishment, and he supposed he should've been glad they hadn't – although even he hadn't expected himself to be, after such a long time. Either way, he had earned his escape, with all of the bloodshed and screeching that came with it, the entire world narrowing down to only goal in that moment: get home. He was willing to do anything for that, and many a member of the clan had learned that, as he brought his jaws down upon their skulls, or set their pelts ablaze. He wasn't sure how many were dead by the time he ran off, but he found it was best not to know. He wasn't truly sure if he would've been able to forgive himself, if he knew how many fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters had died for his own selfish goals.

Breathe in, breathe out.

His trip through the uncharted lands had been similarly brutal, without any of the glitz or the glamor one would expect of finally finding one's way home. The lion had been left with very little sense of where he was, near death, struggling just to figure out where he was going. He had initially ended up on the border of The Pitt's desert before he was finally able to point himself in the right direction, more than eager to leave. Even in his half dead state, Aurum could feel bile rise in his throat just from being near The Pitt's territory. He wasn't willing to admit weakness to them, even when he desperately needed the help. Really, that could've been the end of him. In fact, it probably should have been the end, considering how damaged he was. He should've died as a result of his stubbornness, if there was any justice in the world. Then again, the angel was also too stubborn to just go and die, even when all of the odds were against him, so he continued on. He continued his walk, feeling his determination and life force drain slowly with each day that passed, blazing sun giving way to soft moon far too many times for him to count.

Breathe in, breathe out.

The silent command that had kept him going for his entire journey stammered slightly, purely because he had finally reached his goal. The trees of Tanglewood's swamp were finally surrounding him, and it felt as though a massive weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Of course, there was no guarantee he would live through all of this, even now, but at least if he died while he was here, he could be buried in the grounds of his home. Maybe he could be buried beside Moth, and he could finally find the peace that he so desperately ached for... still, it was not the time to die, yet. With a herculean surge of effort, the lion managed to drag his injured body up onto a nearby log, draping himself over it. After a few seconds to catch his breath, he called out as loudly as he could, "Help. Help me, please..." He could only hope that someone nearby could hear him, since he could already feel the cold hand of death nearing closer. With a soft groan, the lion let his eyes fall shut, waiting to see if anyone would approach as his body laid limply over the log.

Breathe in, breathe out.

( injuries ; fractured shoulder, fractured back leg, broken wing, burn wounds on neck, deep scarring on flank, kinked tail )

ANGEL ❝ AURUM ❞ TANGLEWOOD

Tanglewood.

The scene of the swamp was comforting as it curled against the roof of his mouth, his breath coming in long, slow gasps. He could hear movement from the trees nearby, but he wasn't able to do much to acknowledge it, merely shifting slightly and letting out a quiet grunt. A gentle voice entered his mind, rousing him from his near-death state, one blue eye slowly opening so that he could see Kiira. Her presence made him smile, having grown used to her previous absence. However, his expression quickly turned to a grimace, wincing as he felt the healing sting of aloe vera against the burns that covered his chest. Taking in several more shuddering breaths, the lion was finally able to force out words between clenched teeth, "I hear you... it's good to see you around again. S... S-Sorry it isn't in better circum... stances..." Each word was accompanied by a soft wheeze, a scowl coming to his face at his own agony. Sharp claws dug against the log he laid upon, trying to ground him even through the pain.

A sharp and gasping voice from nearby caused the former proxy to lift his head slightly, his one eye searching around before it fell upon Vigenere. It was good to see that the other was still around and well, even a couple of months later. Aurum had suffered worse losses in much shorter amounts of time, so he couldn't say it wouldn't surprised him if the feline was gone, or worse. As he placed his chin back down against the rough wood of the log, the angel grit out, his one broken wing raising weakly in a faux greeting, "Vig... sorry I've been gone so long. M.. Maybe if I get through th-this, Kiira can give me a doctor's note..." A weak chuckle left him at his own little joke, wincing in pain at the sudden aching jolt that passed along his side. He was trying his best to keep the mood light despite the circumstances, mainly for his own sanity. He couldn't help the panic that permeated the air around him, brought on by the wounds that covered his entire form.