04-30-2021, 06:37 AM
[align=center][div style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 8pt; max-width: 65%; text-align: justify; line-height:120%"]Too much condensed, pressed into the frame of a few meagre days. Promise made and maintained, departure coming full circle, the joyous reunion diminished. Their supposed haven breached, target chosen a mere child, expected even as it was barred from his thoughts. And again the security of night tarnished, silent sobs a beacon, beckoned forth to aftermath he could barely comprehend. Always more, minor infractions occupying the space between, reprieve never offered.
Thus it was taken, severed the ties of responsibility, if only for the time that spanned the rise and fall of the sun. Selfish it, condoned all else left in wake, the fine veil of dawn his, a warmth unbound tracing fine strands. Was it not to be alive to taste such bountiful feast, reveal in the greed of stolen privacy, necessary evil. Maybe it was, and maybe it was not, for the moment he might pretend it was.
Prolonged his departure, hours whittled away without care, barren land inspected without care. Still nerves alight, touched with an energy verging on restless, traversed the edge of too much. A release sought, anything to dull the sensation that seemed almost like trapped electricity beneath his skin. Underbrush surveyed, movement wished for, silent the press of each step against stone beneath. There. Minute it, the twitch of something started, still as awaited further stimuli to announce friend or foe lay in wait. Smooth the transition, height cut down until belly touched the cool earth, tall standing the rounded ears he kept within sight.
Old the instinct, the drive that pushed him forth a few more slow steps, muscle familiar with the roll of his weight. Clumsy the launch, startled cry a sharp and piercing note, silenced as teeth found a home in pliable flesh, copper strong against his tongue. Too late the realisation, satisfaction waning, replacement bitter as jaws slackened. A hare, not limp for still did it struggle, kicking out in weakening throes, voice stolen. It was not him. Meagre the comfort derived from such thought, held as eyes closed, repeated as though amplified may it be if made a broken record. It never exceeded that miniscule amount, dwindling instead as it fell still.
Thoughts turn, occupied for a moment with leaving it, evidence adorning chin hidden easily enough. Invited unsavoury predators, those whose drive came down to hunger, need making king instinct buried. Teeth tighten, throat closes as the trickle of blood invades, choking on it. His this prize even as his mind rebelled against it, bore no wish to bring it in proximity of Fraggle, a child that had found and utilised the cracks in his defences. A war, silent as it raged on, staged in furrowed brow, in the twitch of lips edge.
Heavy it, against chest striking with dull pressure as each step was completed, a reminder. The choice not his own even as understood the falsehood of that unspoken statement, duty bound though unsavoury some. No malicious intent was behind the act, no desire to spark any thoughts that hated the child, or possibly any further depths that thought may dip into, idiocy his only driving force.
The quiet gurgle of the creek that which hinted at his proximity to the cavern, and the one possibly housed within, thickly swallowed the moisture that was not present. Averted his attention from the mouth veiled in shade, time enough to handle such. It was the bank of the creek he was drawn towards, unceremonious the drop of his catch a distance enough away it may not be caught by it. Assured it may not be swept away the water took his attention, surface broke as paws moved forth, solid terrain exchanged for the slick sediment.
Thus it was taken, severed the ties of responsibility, if only for the time that spanned the rise and fall of the sun. Selfish it, condoned all else left in wake, the fine veil of dawn his, a warmth unbound tracing fine strands. Was it not to be alive to taste such bountiful feast, reveal in the greed of stolen privacy, necessary evil. Maybe it was, and maybe it was not, for the moment he might pretend it was.
Prolonged his departure, hours whittled away without care, barren land inspected without care. Still nerves alight, touched with an energy verging on restless, traversed the edge of too much. A release sought, anything to dull the sensation that seemed almost like trapped electricity beneath his skin. Underbrush surveyed, movement wished for, silent the press of each step against stone beneath. There. Minute it, the twitch of something started, still as awaited further stimuli to announce friend or foe lay in wait. Smooth the transition, height cut down until belly touched the cool earth, tall standing the rounded ears he kept within sight.
Old the instinct, the drive that pushed him forth a few more slow steps, muscle familiar with the roll of his weight. Clumsy the launch, startled cry a sharp and piercing note, silenced as teeth found a home in pliable flesh, copper strong against his tongue. Too late the realisation, satisfaction waning, replacement bitter as jaws slackened. A hare, not limp for still did it struggle, kicking out in weakening throes, voice stolen. It was not him. Meagre the comfort derived from such thought, held as eyes closed, repeated as though amplified may it be if made a broken record. It never exceeded that miniscule amount, dwindling instead as it fell still.
Thoughts turn, occupied for a moment with leaving it, evidence adorning chin hidden easily enough. Invited unsavoury predators, those whose drive came down to hunger, need making king instinct buried. Teeth tighten, throat closes as the trickle of blood invades, choking on it. His this prize even as his mind rebelled against it, bore no wish to bring it in proximity of Fraggle, a child that had found and utilised the cracks in his defences. A war, silent as it raged on, staged in furrowed brow, in the twitch of lips edge.
Heavy it, against chest striking with dull pressure as each step was completed, a reminder. The choice not his own even as understood the falsehood of that unspoken statement, duty bound though unsavoury some. No malicious intent was behind the act, no desire to spark any thoughts that hated the child, or possibly any further depths that thought may dip into, idiocy his only driving force.
The quiet gurgle of the creek that which hinted at his proximity to the cavern, and the one possibly housed within, thickly swallowed the moisture that was not present. Averted his attention from the mouth veiled in shade, time enough to handle such. It was the bank of the creek he was drawn towards, unceremonious the drop of his catch a distance enough away it may not be caught by it. Assured it may not be swept away the water took his attention, surface broke as paws moved forth, solid terrain exchanged for the slick sediment.