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good morning?
Nov. 20th, 2011 01:46 amGetting out of bed in the morning is an act of false confidence.
Jules Feiffer
Jules Feiffer
Nov. 20th, 2011
Death does not always stay
Nov. 20th, 2011 03:46 pmPrompt: Conflict
Word Count:1362
Genre: Urban Fantasy
A/N This is part of a continuing challenge this month with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
keppiehed
Coyote sniffed into the wind and the worlds, trying to remember where he had left her. He finally decided to check for his own scent. Just as he was about to leave he felt a sharp stab and yelped. He turned around to see Raven holding a large tuft of his fur in one claw. A talon had a single drop of blood on it. There was a predatory look about Raven that he had never seen before. Kitsune and Badger had both backed up against the railing to put as much distance between themselves and Raven as they could.
Raven moved up next to Coyote. “Just making sure you do not get lost there,” he whispered..talon, now a finger, trailing blood along Coyote's cheek.
Coyote thought of saying something witty, but looking into Raven's eyes combined with a well hones survival instinct made him think twice about it. Something was going terribly wrong with this entire plan of his, even more than it ever had before. Raven had turned somewhat berserk. No, not somewhat. He had gone a lot berserk on them. He and Raven had always their issues in the past, but you could always depend on Raven to be level headed when all was said and done. This new Raven made him terribly uncomfortable and itchy, as though his soul had developed mange just because of one foolish, plain human girl that Raven was far too attached to. It was not his fault, could not be his fault. He was, after all, Coyote.
And yet he ran sideways in the low slinking way of his cousins in an attempt to get away from...Raven? Himself? Poof and a dusty explosion into the dust and cactus of where he thought he had left the silly girl. He checked under rocks, he checked in caves. He folded himself in whispers of there and then but could not find her. And all the while there was a prickling of the bald spot where Raven had plucked his fur and his safety, he could almost say his sanity but certainly this girl was not worth that much to Raven and certainly not to him
At last he rose up with the scent of her, mixed in with his own musk. But it was a long, long way from where he had left her. And across a plain that he had to cross without magic. Such a day it was turning out to be. He should never have .no that would be admitting the impossible. He took a deep breath and, trying to keep his tail erect, he began the long trek across the hot sand.
Badger and Kitsune were not happy, not one little bit. “You know,” said Badger to Kitsune “I have candy at home. And Tea, nice, relaxing herb tea.”
Kitsune looked over to where Raven was pacing back and forth, twirling the tufts of Coyote's fur between his talons. He looked like he might take flight sideways at any moment, and that it would not bode well for Kitsune's brother if he did. He had tried talking Raven into a calmer state earlier and nearly had a talon raked across his snout. And the longer that Coyote was gone the more nervous he had become about Coyote's safety when he and Raven did meet again.
He turned slowly to Badger with his left ear half turned down in worry. “I would love to Badger, but I am worried about Coyote.” He lowered his voice and edged closer to Badger “He should have been back with her by now. And the longer he takes the madder Raven is going to be, you know that.”
Badger looked over at his friend Raven. Even with his eyesight, Badger could see the moonpools of loosening anger in Raven's eyes. Badger wanted more than anything to be home. Or on a cruise. Or in a safe hospital being tested for some exotic disease that it would turn out that he did not have. Badger had never been to Hospital but he had heard it was a place where things got better. And things could certainly be improved around here, he thought. The thought of being anywhere near a final battle between Coyote and a quite possibly insane Raven frightened him to no end. Or given the strength and power of the two of them, perhaps the end. At least for the quiet world that Badger had found for himself here. The problem was that they were all his friends, and his family in a way that humans, with their short life spans, could never quite understand. He certainly could not leave Kit here by himself.
There was a long series of loud pops. Badger looked up to see the Christmas tree lights blowing out as Raven paced back and forth. Badger trembled a bit and moved his chair closer to Kitsune's. To be protective of course. He debated taking off his glasses so he could not see what was happening around him but then in a rare moment of bravery left them on. But then it seemed many people were changing tonight.
There was an increasingly disturbing mix of moon and sun shimmering off the sand that was getting Coyote nervous. At least it gave him something to keep his mind off himself. He was having thoughts that he was not used to. He had always thought that a Trickster with a conscience was nigh unto useless.
Suddenly he stopped. There was a magic in the sand and air, a bad magic that he had been too preoccupied to notice. He saw the shadows fall across a rock cropping far too late.
Raven had been twirling the tufts of Coyote's fur between fingers turned talons turned fingers as he paced back and forth. Suddenly in a scream of “No” turned guttural “Caw” his form blended winglike and he flew sideways as though he were caught in a maelstrom. The remaining bulbs blew at once, the flash of light and sounds like a cannonade opening up a battle.
Kitsune slid in his here to here to there sort of almost furred fish way until he reached the tufts of fur. Badger blundered over as even he could see the sense of shock that was taking over his friend's entire body.
The tuft began to trickle out Kitsune's listless fingers one hair at a time, like a small dry shower of desperation. “Badger,” Kitsune said in a near whisper. “Coyote,,”
Badger looked over at him. “Kitsune, here, have some water. Have a seat. Tell me what is wrong.”
Kitsune moved to a chair and curled into a ball, casting a near foxlike shadow as he whimpered. “Badger, Coyote is gone.”
“”Never saw someone torn up like that”
“Is he going to make it?”
“I would have said no when they brought him in. Seems as he is doing better though.”
Coyote wondered who they were talking about. Then he realised he could not move. His first thought was to shift but somehow that had been damaged too. He didn't even know that was possible. And everything was dark.
“Hey there Cotton Gin. How you doin'?”
“Fine,Doctor Rhine. How is the patient?”
“Seems to be doing better. I would say you can take the bandages off. “
“Any idea who he is yet?”
“None a 'tall. I just hope he will be able to tell us if and when he comes around. We already have one person with amnesia in the town. No offense meant lass.”
None taken, Doctor. I still have hope someday I will remember. In fact, you know there is something about this fellow that seems a bit familiar. Probably just a case of wishful thinking I reckon.”
Coyote felt slender fingers unwrapping the bandaging around his head. He blinked and looked up at a pair of dishwater blue eyes that seemed to examine him with no knowledge of what he had done to her. For the first time Coyote wanted to be someone else. Anyone else.
Word Count:1362
Genre: Urban Fantasy
A/N This is part of a continuing challenge this month with
keppiehedCoyote sniffed into the wind and the worlds, trying to remember where he had left her. He finally decided to check for his own scent. Just as he was about to leave he felt a sharp stab and yelped. He turned around to see Raven holding a large tuft of his fur in one claw. A talon had a single drop of blood on it. There was a predatory look about Raven that he had never seen before. Kitsune and Badger had both backed up against the railing to put as much distance between themselves and Raven as they could.
Raven moved up next to Coyote. “Just making sure you do not get lost there,” he whispered..talon, now a finger, trailing blood along Coyote's cheek.
Coyote thought of saying something witty, but looking into Raven's eyes combined with a well hones survival instinct made him think twice about it. Something was going terribly wrong with this entire plan of his, even more than it ever had before. Raven had turned somewhat berserk. No, not somewhat. He had gone a lot berserk on them. He and Raven had always their issues in the past, but you could always depend on Raven to be level headed when all was said and done. This new Raven made him terribly uncomfortable and itchy, as though his soul had developed mange just because of one foolish, plain human girl that Raven was far too attached to. It was not his fault, could not be his fault. He was, after all, Coyote.
And yet he ran sideways in the low slinking way of his cousins in an attempt to get away from...Raven? Himself? Poof and a dusty explosion into the dust and cactus of where he thought he had left the silly girl. He checked under rocks, he checked in caves. He folded himself in whispers of there and then but could not find her. And all the while there was a prickling of the bald spot where Raven had plucked his fur and his safety, he could almost say his sanity but certainly this girl was not worth that much to Raven and certainly not to him
At last he rose up with the scent of her, mixed in with his own musk. But it was a long, long way from where he had left her. And across a plain that he had to cross without magic. Such a day it was turning out to be. He should never have .no that would be admitting the impossible. He took a deep breath and, trying to keep his tail erect, he began the long trek across the hot sand.
Badger and Kitsune were not happy, not one little bit. “You know,” said Badger to Kitsune “I have candy at home. And Tea, nice, relaxing herb tea.”
Kitsune looked over to where Raven was pacing back and forth, twirling the tufts of Coyote's fur between his talons. He looked like he might take flight sideways at any moment, and that it would not bode well for Kitsune's brother if he did. He had tried talking Raven into a calmer state earlier and nearly had a talon raked across his snout. And the longer that Coyote was gone the more nervous he had become about Coyote's safety when he and Raven did meet again.
He turned slowly to Badger with his left ear half turned down in worry. “I would love to Badger, but I am worried about Coyote.” He lowered his voice and edged closer to Badger “He should have been back with her by now. And the longer he takes the madder Raven is going to be, you know that.”
Badger looked over at his friend Raven. Even with his eyesight, Badger could see the moonpools of loosening anger in Raven's eyes. Badger wanted more than anything to be home. Or on a cruise. Or in a safe hospital being tested for some exotic disease that it would turn out that he did not have. Badger had never been to Hospital but he had heard it was a place where things got better. And things could certainly be improved around here, he thought. The thought of being anywhere near a final battle between Coyote and a quite possibly insane Raven frightened him to no end. Or given the strength and power of the two of them, perhaps the end. At least for the quiet world that Badger had found for himself here. The problem was that they were all his friends, and his family in a way that humans, with their short life spans, could never quite understand. He certainly could not leave Kit here by himself.
There was a long series of loud pops. Badger looked up to see the Christmas tree lights blowing out as Raven paced back and forth. Badger trembled a bit and moved his chair closer to Kitsune's. To be protective of course. He debated taking off his glasses so he could not see what was happening around him but then in a rare moment of bravery left them on. But then it seemed many people were changing tonight.
There was an increasingly disturbing mix of moon and sun shimmering off the sand that was getting Coyote nervous. At least it gave him something to keep his mind off himself. He was having thoughts that he was not used to. He had always thought that a Trickster with a conscience was nigh unto useless.
Suddenly he stopped. There was a magic in the sand and air, a bad magic that he had been too preoccupied to notice. He saw the shadows fall across a rock cropping far too late.
Raven had been twirling the tufts of Coyote's fur between fingers turned talons turned fingers as he paced back and forth. Suddenly in a scream of “No” turned guttural “Caw” his form blended winglike and he flew sideways as though he were caught in a maelstrom. The remaining bulbs blew at once, the flash of light and sounds like a cannonade opening up a battle.
Kitsune slid in his here to here to there sort of almost furred fish way until he reached the tufts of fur. Badger blundered over as even he could see the sense of shock that was taking over his friend's entire body.
The tuft began to trickle out Kitsune's listless fingers one hair at a time, like a small dry shower of desperation. “Badger,” Kitsune said in a near whisper. “Coyote,,”
Badger looked over at him. “Kitsune, here, have some water. Have a seat. Tell me what is wrong.”
Kitsune moved to a chair and curled into a ball, casting a near foxlike shadow as he whimpered. “Badger, Coyote is gone.”
“”Never saw someone torn up like that”
“Is he going to make it?”
“I would have said no when they brought him in. Seems as he is doing better though.”
Coyote wondered who they were talking about. Then he realised he could not move. His first thought was to shift but somehow that had been damaged too. He didn't even know that was possible. And everything was dark.
“Hey there Cotton Gin. How you doin'?”
“Fine,Doctor Rhine. How is the patient?”
“Seems to be doing better. I would say you can take the bandages off. “
“Any idea who he is yet?”
“None a 'tall. I just hope he will be able to tell us if and when he comes around. We already have one person with amnesia in the town. No offense meant lass.”
None taken, Doctor. I still have hope someday I will remember. In fact, you know there is something about this fellow that seems a bit familiar. Probably just a case of wishful thinking I reckon.”
Coyote felt slender fingers unwrapping the bandaging around his head. He blinked and looked up at a pair of dishwater blue eyes that seemed to examine him with no knowledge of what he had done to her. For the first time Coyote wanted to be someone else. Anyone else.