A breath stirred the still forest air, a great wash of sound that instantly put iron into the aberration's spine. The following shifting of shadows, of a ghostly mass moving in the murk, had her shifting her weight into a battle stance. It was familiar, this feeling, the heart-pounding rhythm of imminent battle, of a threat unknown and unspoken. A part of her had missed it. A part of her loathed it. Though she already rested her right hand on her sword, she called more magic into her left; her blood sang in her veins as her adrenaline spiked, her yellow eyes flashing dangerously as she peered through the dark.
And then Katriel froze, stunned and wide-eyed, as a huge, six-eyed spirit creature stepped into the light.
Fen'Harel. The thought whispered into her mind like an echo of the past, and she once again stood in the shadows of a great ballroom, watching as ancient nobles and Evanuris alike drifted across the floor to ethereal music that emanated from the air itself. It was a common scene, and a regular occurrence. In the beginning, when she'd been new-made, Ghilan'nain had brought her to many such galas - a shiny toy, a fancy accessory to display - only to abandon her to the shadows when something else drew her attention away. And all too often at these events, a wolf had stood at Mythal's side - and when asked to dance, he'd shifted into the shape of a man. Ignored and discarded, Katriel heard the whispers that named him the All-Mother's Chosen - and later, much later, when she'd escaped from the labs, when Ghilan'nain had forgotten her existence entirely, she had heard the whispers naming him the Evanuris' bane. She'd known him - known of him - in both guises, both loyal dog and dread rebel.
But she had not expected to see him here.
Immediately her thoughts were sent into a spiral. Confusion reigned, questions sparked and died like embers in a dying fire. If He was here...Her nostrils flared, but she managed a tiny bow after a moment of silence, never taking her eyes away from the wolf before her. "Andaran atish’an, Fen'Harel." She slowly drew her hands away from her sword, knowing that such would be useless against one of the Evanuris - but she did not banish the magic that cloaked her other hand, ready to be shaped into a weapon in itself. She was cautious, wary, but not foolish. He had not attacked her, and so she would grant him the benefit of the doubt...but that did not mean she would trust him.
At a loss, however, she said the only other thing that popped into her mind. "Ma tel'ema unvena ena'lin, ema?"
And then Katriel froze, stunned and wide-eyed, as a huge, six-eyed spirit creature stepped into the light.
Fen'Harel. The thought whispered into her mind like an echo of the past, and she once again stood in the shadows of a great ballroom, watching as ancient nobles and Evanuris alike drifted across the floor to ethereal music that emanated from the air itself. It was a common scene, and a regular occurrence. In the beginning, when she'd been new-made, Ghilan'nain had brought her to many such galas - a shiny toy, a fancy accessory to display - only to abandon her to the shadows when something else drew her attention away. And all too often at these events, a wolf had stood at Mythal's side - and when asked to dance, he'd shifted into the shape of a man. Ignored and discarded, Katriel heard the whispers that named him the All-Mother's Chosen - and later, much later, when she'd escaped from the labs, when Ghilan'nain had forgotten her existence entirely, she had heard the whispers naming him the Evanuris' bane. She'd known him - known of him - in both guises, both loyal dog and dread rebel.
But she had not expected to see him here.
Immediately her thoughts were sent into a spiral. Confusion reigned, questions sparked and died like embers in a dying fire. If He was here...Her nostrils flared, but she managed a tiny bow after a moment of silence, never taking her eyes away from the wolf before her. "Andaran atish’an, Fen'Harel." She slowly drew her hands away from her sword, knowing that such would be useless against one of the Evanuris - but she did not banish the magic that cloaked her other hand, ready to be shaped into a weapon in itself. She was cautious, wary, but not foolish. He had not attacked her, and so she would grant him the benefit of the doubt...but that did not mean she would trust him.
At a loss, however, she said the only other thing that popped into her mind. "Ma tel'ema unvena ena'lin, ema?"
04-18-2023, 10:24 AM
