02-20-2021, 11:34 PM
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[sup]© tikki[/sup]WITH EVERY STORY COMES A STALEMATE
( tw for vague descriptions of v//miting in 5th paragraph )
Shieldkit had discovered from an early age that he was a rather big fan of birds. He found them to be fascinating creatures, and just so very different from what he was used to. They were not covered in the thick and soft fur that he and his siblings had, but instead had feathers. Feathers that could be rough or soft, and feathers that made up wings that allowed them to fly. It was an incredible thing to witness, staring up into the sky as the winged creatures flung themselves up from the trees, carrying themselves on the wind and up, up, up into the air. Eld had spent hours of his first few days outside just... watching in wonder, utterly baffled as he tried to figure out how they did it. Of course, once he had managed to ask his mapa and look at a couple of nature books, he had figured out that their bones were hollow. That was even more incredible to the young tom, who could feel the solid thunk whenever he accidentally knocked one of his limbs into something like a piece of furniture.
This meant that when Shield had been told the story of Icarus, he had immediately written it off as ridiculous. A mere myth, and a story for children like himself. After all, if Icarus was someone just like them, then his bones weren't hollow. He'd only end up plummeting down with wings that couldn't soar. It was because of this that Eld had never decided to try something similar, knowing that it would only end in bloody and gruesome disaster. This only seemed further confirmed when he had sought out more information about the story itself, his heart slowly sinking as he saw paintings depicting Icarus, his body plummeting down from the sky. Some of them were truly upsetting, not focused on Icarus, but instead on those around him. People who either had no idea of what was going on, or simply didn't care. A father and son just walking along, focused on their own lives while Icarus burned away behind them. After that, Eld hadn't liked the story so much, and had instantly closed his eyes whenever he could hear the opening words of it come from one of his parents' mouths.
It seemed as though Mazekit hadn't felt the same, however. Shieldkit hadn't been keeping an eye on his brother, the young boy instead curled up outside of his family's home, eyes closed and body relaxed. He had gone and done a bit of exploration on the boardwalk that morning, so he didn't feel like moving around much more. Of course, that was what ultimately proved to be his downfall - or rather, Maze's downfall. Perhaps if the kit had been awake, he would've caught on to what his brother was planning on doing, and could've stopped him. Shield certainly wasn't usually one of the more responsible siblings - that was really more Gunkit's department - but he still would've been able to see what a horrendous idea what Maze was doing was. He wouldn't have necessarily snitched on Mazekit in the same way Gun would have, but he certainly would've tried to talk Maze out of it, or even trick him into doing something else. Surely he could've figured something out that would've been more exciting, and less dangerous.
However, he hadn't been awake. He hadn't stopped Mazekit. Instead, he had only been woken up when an earsplitting shriek tore through the air, horrified and pained. As Shieldkit's eyes flew open, he felt his stomach turn painfully, bile raising up in his throat from the sheer terror of what he heard. Maze. That was Maze's voice, screaming out in agony as he fell through the air. He couldn't help the shout that left him in response, his blood running cold, "Maze... MAZEKIT!" He could barely process what was going on around him as he threw himself forward, his paws spraying up sand as he quickly followed the footsteps of both Win and Wyvernkit. Deep down inside, Eld knew that it was too late for him to do anything of note. The way that the screaming had been harshly cut off was indication enough of that. In the back of his mind, the boy even wondered if Mazekit was... if Maze was gone. He shoved that possibility away immediately, though. That couldn't be true. If it was, he... he had no idea what he would do. All he knew was that it wouldn't be good - not in the slightest.
The young Pendragon arrived not so long after Wyvernkit, his entire body freezing when he saw Mazekit in his mapa's arms, huddled tightly against Win's chest. Eld couldn't tell if the other was breathing at all, and he suddenly began to feel lightheaded, turning and rushing off behind one of the nearby rocks. His head was spinning as he heaved, his entire body shaking until it was finished. When he managed to stumble his way back to where Win, Ares, and Wyv were, he only managed to mutter weakly, Maze...? Mazekit, please open your eyes..." His voice was weak and rough, throat torn up as he dropped himself into a sitting position. Tears were stinging his gaze, and he repeated, a bit more firmly, "Maze... open your eyes. You need to. For me. For mapa and dad... for all of us." This was his fault. It was all his fault... none of them would be hurting, if only he had been awake. What was wrong with him?
Suddenly, he didn't feel quite so tired anymore.
Shieldkit had discovered from an early age that he was a rather big fan of birds. He found them to be fascinating creatures, and just so very different from what he was used to. They were not covered in the thick and soft fur that he and his siblings had, but instead had feathers. Feathers that could be rough or soft, and feathers that made up wings that allowed them to fly. It was an incredible thing to witness, staring up into the sky as the winged creatures flung themselves up from the trees, carrying themselves on the wind and up, up, up into the air. Eld had spent hours of his first few days outside just... watching in wonder, utterly baffled as he tried to figure out how they did it. Of course, once he had managed to ask his mapa and look at a couple of nature books, he had figured out that their bones were hollow. That was even more incredible to the young tom, who could feel the solid thunk whenever he accidentally knocked one of his limbs into something like a piece of furniture.
This meant that when Shield had been told the story of Icarus, he had immediately written it off as ridiculous. A mere myth, and a story for children like himself. After all, if Icarus was someone just like them, then his bones weren't hollow. He'd only end up plummeting down with wings that couldn't soar. It was because of this that Eld had never decided to try something similar, knowing that it would only end in bloody and gruesome disaster. This only seemed further confirmed when he had sought out more information about the story itself, his heart slowly sinking as he saw paintings depicting Icarus, his body plummeting down from the sky. Some of them were truly upsetting, not focused on Icarus, but instead on those around him. People who either had no idea of what was going on, or simply didn't care. A father and son just walking along, focused on their own lives while Icarus burned away behind them. After that, Eld hadn't liked the story so much, and had instantly closed his eyes whenever he could hear the opening words of it come from one of his parents' mouths.
It seemed as though Mazekit hadn't felt the same, however. Shieldkit hadn't been keeping an eye on his brother, the young boy instead curled up outside of his family's home, eyes closed and body relaxed. He had gone and done a bit of exploration on the boardwalk that morning, so he didn't feel like moving around much more. Of course, that was what ultimately proved to be his downfall - or rather, Maze's downfall. Perhaps if the kit had been awake, he would've caught on to what his brother was planning on doing, and could've stopped him. Shield certainly wasn't usually one of the more responsible siblings - that was really more Gunkit's department - but he still would've been able to see what a horrendous idea what Maze was doing was. He wouldn't have necessarily snitched on Mazekit in the same way Gun would have, but he certainly would've tried to talk Maze out of it, or even trick him into doing something else. Surely he could've figured something out that would've been more exciting, and less dangerous.
However, he hadn't been awake. He hadn't stopped Mazekit. Instead, he had only been woken up when an earsplitting shriek tore through the air, horrified and pained. As Shieldkit's eyes flew open, he felt his stomach turn painfully, bile raising up in his throat from the sheer terror of what he heard. Maze. That was Maze's voice, screaming out in agony as he fell through the air. He couldn't help the shout that left him in response, his blood running cold, "Maze... MAZEKIT!" He could barely process what was going on around him as he threw himself forward, his paws spraying up sand as he quickly followed the footsteps of both Win and Wyvernkit. Deep down inside, Eld knew that it was too late for him to do anything of note. The way that the screaming had been harshly cut off was indication enough of that. In the back of his mind, the boy even wondered if Mazekit was... if Maze was gone. He shoved that possibility away immediately, though. That couldn't be true. If it was, he... he had no idea what he would do. All he knew was that it wouldn't be good - not in the slightest.
The young Pendragon arrived not so long after Wyvernkit, his entire body freezing when he saw Mazekit in his mapa's arms, huddled tightly against Win's chest. Eld couldn't tell if the other was breathing at all, and he suddenly began to feel lightheaded, turning and rushing off behind one of the nearby rocks. His head was spinning as he heaved, his entire body shaking until it was finished. When he managed to stumble his way back to where Win, Ares, and Wyv were, he only managed to mutter weakly, Maze...? Mazekit, please open your eyes..." His voice was weak and rough, throat torn up as he dropped himself into a sitting position. Tears were stinging his gaze, and he repeated, a bit more firmly, "Maze... open your eyes. You need to. For me. For mapa and dad... for all of us." This was his fault. It was all his fault... none of them would be hurting, if only he had been awake. What was wrong with him?
Suddenly, he didn't feel quite so tired anymore.
SHIELDKIT PENDRAGON — PALM GLADES — PENNED BY STILLY
— Reggan