"Hey. Hey, wake up, you can't stay here."
The tap of sharp talons against stone, the peck of a beak near fluffy ear, the little god began to stir. The darkness that had held him for how long he could not have said began to break. A gray form that had most certainly appeared lifeless began to show signs of movement, dull blue eyes showing signs of life, beginning to open in the fading daylight. A quiet groan, barely audible, what...what had happened?
"Come on, you have to get up, it's not safe here."
Who? NO! Images, memories, nightmares came flashing back to his mind as a horrific torrent. His eyes closed tight against the flood, curling into himself as the surge of burning pain struck, the ache in his wounds still fresh. Gashes along his back, neck, and shoulders still throbbed, blood seeping and trickling through his once beautiful fur. Wings in tatterns, the grind of bone against bone with every movement. Everything hurt, his head throbbed, eyes stung against the drip of blood. She had attacked him, she had tried to kill him! Why?
Suddenly his eyes opened wide, the cloud of unconsciousness snapping away in an instant. Panic, terror, what if the lioness was still nearby! Would she return to strike him again, to finish what she had started? His breath was heavy and ragged as he struggled to find his paws, to stand, to run, but his limbs would not obey, he could not stand, NO! HELP ME!
"She is gone, but you have to get up now."
The little god fell silent, his head turning, for the first time seeing the creature who had spoken to him. A raven? Judeau tried to blink away the blood in his eye. The bird seemed....familiar? Was it the same raven as before? Had it seen what had happened? Had it been trying to warn him all along?
"Who...who are you?"
"My name is Corkus, but that is not important now. Come on, get up."
Judeau tried again, finding one forepaw, then the other. He pushed against the ground, trying to pull himself to his feet, only to be greeted with another surge of blinding pain that sent him sprawling back to the rocky ground.
"I...I can't."
"Yes you can, you have to."
"....why bother."
Maybe he'd have been better off if she had finished him, then he would not feel as he did now. He would not feel pain, he would not feel hurt, he would not know or remember the pain of betrayal and broken trust. He could forget, forget everything.
The dark raven cawed in frustration, it's wings spreading as if he thought to thwack the stubborn little god to snap him out it, to remind him that he was alive, that he should continue to live, giving up as not an option!
"Get up now! What about your brother, how would he feel if you perished here?"
Judeau looked away, it was his search for his brother that had led him here, perhaps it was better if his brother forgot him. The god closed his eyes laying his head on his paws, it seemed he had given up, what was the point in going on? A sharp caw, his eyes opened with a start. No, he couldn't give up, Van would never forgive him. Okay, he'd try again.
Finding his motivation, Judeau drew his paws under him again pushing against the ground with all the strength he could find. It hurt, his paws were slipping, he couldn't, come on, he had to. He felt something push against him, the raven was at his side, pushing against one foreleg, shoving the god to his feet. Come on, get up, on your feet!
His chest heaved, every breath a painful reminder, fresh blood flowing from throbbing wounds with every movement. For a moment he considered giving up, laying back down and surrendering to whatever fate would come. But the raven would not let him, continuing to shove against his foreleg until at last the god was standing on his feet. Huff huff, step one down, now....for the next million.
"Come on, I know a safe place to rest."
Judeau took a cautious step forward, following the path as the raven hopped to one rock, and then another, leading the god along the safest path.
"How do I know you won't try to hurt me too?"
"I have no reason to harm you, but I suppose you will have to trust me."
"I trusted her too..."
"I know."
A quiet sigh, Judeau had no choice but to trust the raven. His choice was to stay here and die, or follow the raven, he would choose the latter.
"Where are we going?"
"To start with, down from these cliffs. There is a land nearby, it is isolated, and there are plenty of caves to rest in. There are lions that dwell there, but they will not bother you, they will probably not even know you are there."
"How far is it?"
"Not far, though I suspect it will take longer in your condition."
"Yeah..."
It may not have been far, but to the god of penance, at that moment even the shortest distance was an eternity away. Every step was a new throb of pain, every movement of his wings, every stumble and stagger of unsteady paws. There were several times he considered giving up, when he thought of not bothered to stand again every time he tripped or stopped to rest. Judeau did not know what kept him moving forward, maybe it was that he could think of nothing else to do, maye it was his body moving without him, or maybe it was Corkus cawing at him every time he thought to surrender. He did not know how much time had passed, did not know how far they had walked, he was numb, moving without thought, putting one paw in front of the other in silence.
"We are almost there, just a little further."
"Okay."
His voice was quiet, barely looking up to acknowledge the raven who guided him, his eyes blind to the scenery that changed around him. He did not see the beauty in the land, the crystals that refracted the light, the softening of the ground beneath his feet as stone gave way to grass, trees, and sand. Corkus led him down from the cliffs to the lands he had spoken of, finally stopping in front of a cave near a small clear pool of water. It was isolated, no other creatures in sight save for birds chirping in the trees, and certainly no mortal lions.
"You can rest here as long as needed. You can heal in peace, and no one will bother you."
Judeau nodded, stepping toward the cave. He paused at the pool, suddenly realizing that he was thirsty. His head lowered to take a drink, lapping at the water, his throat soothed by how cool it was. Maybe he'd--his reflection. Judeau's eyes widened, seeing himself for the first time since his nightmare. His horn, it was broken! Fresh tears welled in his eyes as he turned away, retreating into the nearby, curling against the furthest wall in the darkness. His head dropped, paws over his eyes, the tears flowed, his body racked by his sobs. It was gone, everything, his horn, his brother, everything he had ever known shattered and broken. Tears flowed freely, streaks staining through his fur as they fell from his eyes to land softly on the ground beneath. What was he going to do now? What would his brother think of him?
No, he would not let his brother see him, never again. From this day on, he was no longer the god of penance, he would be a raven, he would never appear as a god to another being ever again. Never again would he ever be so naive, never again would he trust another mortal.
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