Of Monsters and Fairies [Bran]

[Oni]

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[atrb=background,http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/sketchedesigns/onimid.png] The sun hesitated over the horizon, casting its last brilliant rays of pink and purple and orange before it retired for the day. A slight mare wove through the redwoods, moving quickly and stealthily in the cover of the fading light and shadows. Her wings were tucked neatly against her sides and her ears were pricked, ready to scoop up any sound that came her way. Oni was confident that she was noiseless - her hooves were silent on the loamy earth. She had bathed in the Blackwater Sound on the trip over and then rolled in nearby mud in an effort to mask her scent, or at least smell like a Carna. She was determined to only be noticed if she desired to be. Oni rounded a turn and stopped suddenly, so much that she skidded forward. Standing not ten meters from her was a monster. He was huge, much larger than her, and vaguely equine in stature. But he was definitely not a horse. Her amber eyes quickly grazed over his deformed body, lingering on his tail and scales. Yikes. Since arriving in the Menagerie she’d seen plenty of spliced animals - she was now one of them - but seldom anything this scary. She was struck with the overwhelming urge to turn and flee, to put as much distance between her and this... this creature as she could, but she pushed it aside. No, this was her first scouting mission in ages, and she would not abandon it so easily. For now, at least, the horse-creature appeared to be oblivious to her presence. She might have to reroute, but she should be able to get around him... Her gaze stayed locked on the Carna as she began to backtrack. Her speckled legs were trembling slightly, and she was paying him more attention than she should; she side-stepped carelessly away, forgetting the survival tricks she’d learned while imprisoned in this great glass dome. The Bellator walked right into the waiting snare. All of a sudden a sharp pain struck one of her hind legs. A series of jabs along her underbelly and chest followed, and before she knew it her leg was tugged out from under her and she was twisting and struggling against some unknown force. She inhaled and bit back a cry as she thudded to the ground. Everything was turned upside down and blurry; the pain in her hind leg grew and she realized she was flailing. The mare went still, but the pain did not recede. She rolled her head to the side and studied her body. Blood was rolling out of her stomach and down her sides, the red a brilliant contrast against her mainly white coat. A noose of barbed wire wrapped around her left hind leg. No, it was not merely wrapped around her leg - it was embedded in it. More blood cascaded down from the wreath of barbed wire, and Oni had to look away. Barbed wire, she couldn’t believe it. That’s barbaric, she thought, sickened, but could do nothing about it. Her legs were her greatest asset, and she could not risk shifting into her human form; she was too entwined with the trap. So Oni waited, and try as she might to come up with a plan to free herself, she could only think wistfully of the sword she carried with her in her human form.

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[SURMA]

It all seemed quite trivial to him; Battles between squabbling children, allies, enemies. Rings, they are called. You are of the Carna Ring. We are your family now, and we protect our family, Mistress had said darkly. It didn’t matter to Surma; he would do anything she asked. The Bad Men no longer had a hold of him, and Mistress was like a flame in the night … nothing and no one else mattered.

It had been weeks since that day, the day Seija had been both his rival and savior. His fear had been pushed back into a quiet understanding within the palms of her hands, and he worshipped her for it. Anger continued to radiate from him, pain and memories plagued him often – but it simply took her touch and he settled. With time and patience he had been relearning language, however, the babbling of others meant nothing to him. With focus, Mistress could make things clear to him. Last night she had sent him out for the first time on his own.

"Surma, go to where our land stops," her digits traveled through the air as if they were walking. "and follow it … Twice," she held up two fingers. Her free hand rested against his large face, her finger pads gently brushing as she moved to one side of his nose. "Do you understand?" He fixed a large blue eye to her and lowered his head, seeking her contact. His large nostrils expanded with his hot breath. Mistress was so tiny. Her body, hip to shoulder was smaller than his entire head. His nose shoved her gently. He understood.

Now, he scaled a ridge - his thick legs and muscle machining his passive armored body easily up the incline. His nostrils flared as a scent caught his attention and he paused. His ears flickered, and he almost dismissed it when he heard a noise from farther down. It was surprising how quickly he moved considering his size, and within moments he stood watching a strange white creature caught up in what looked like wire. For a solid minute, he stood watching – waiting for her to still before he moved forward.

His features echoed that of an armored war horse, large impenetrable scales plated his nose, marched down his spine and formed into a long prehensile tail. His chest, neck, and flanks too were covered in the turf colored plates, and as he drew near long raptor like claws twitched in anticipation.

Female, equine, young. Not Carna, not shifter, as the information filtered through his senses into his mind he quickly decided her threat level was exceedingly low. This encounter alone likely served as ample warning to stay away. He blew sharply through his nose dismissively and turned slowly, intending to walk away.