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 Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 3:13 am
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It had been with considerable effort that they had managed to settle the white lion into his new home, the term 'settled' really should have been used very loosely. No sooner had they got him to lie down, than he was up again and pacing back and forth like nobodies business. It was saddening, and frustrating, to watch the white lion act in this manner, particularly when it was abundantly clear that this behaviour was most likely caused by something so significant that it had left lasting trauma.
The lioness was not a stranger to brutal visions, but she had never been in such a state that she had been driven to complete and utter madness. This was the only measure of the lion's personality that she could currently give as she regarded Spectre. Once again he was on his feet, and once again he was pacing back and forth in. Words rippled from his mouth rapidly, often incoherently, and he seemed to be completely lost in his own world.
Solomon had warned them of this, that his father was entirely there, but she hadn't anticipated that it would be quite this bad...
"Well?" It was Peregrine who interrupted her reverie, slipping into the den they had carefully selected for the task at hand. He didn't need his mother to answer him though, as he could observe enough of the events that were unfolding before his eyes on his own. The white lion was at it again, though even in this very brief moment of time, Peregrine had already noted that there was a particular pattern to the manner in which the lion seemed to speak...and the references he made always seemed to be the same.
"No change then," he said finally and shook his head.
"I think it's in our best interests to give him space for a short while," Chessa remarked, offering the white lion a small smile.
Spectre did not return the favour, though he wasn't expected to by either of his new companions. He simply couldn't settle, he was sure, so confident, that any moment the shadows would find him and they would drag him into the very depths of hell. Every fiber of his being told him to run, and yet for the first time in his life, he couldn't feel that urgency... If he were to sleep, would he even dream of them, would he even see them?
Chessa's assumption that he needed space was an accurate one, and for now, it seemed that they would give him this, as both the mother and her son soon departed from the den and left the lion very much to his own thoughts...
Words: 447
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Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 3:25 am
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"He's like nothing I've ever seen before," Chessa sighed as she glanced over her shoulder towards the den, even now she could see the flicker of white as it passed back and forth. He was circling, as he seemed to have a habit of doing - he was in his very own little cage and didn't seem to have the ability to see that there weren't any walls surrounding him.
"What, insanity?" Peregrine hazarded and shook his head. "I'm sure there are others, but the capabilities you have, and by extension he seems to have, aren't exactly normal," Peregrine pointed out. Her son was right of course, even he possessed the sight to some degree and he had yet to experience a vision so overwhelming, and so powerful, that he simply couldn't function. She wouldn't have wished that on anyone, but in a way, she knew that Peregrine was right.
"He's worse than -"
"You are?" Peregrine offered a wry smile and glanced towards the white lion, who had bizarrely, come to a halt and was gazing directly towards them both. He gave a nod, and returned his gaze back to his mother. It was with a raised paw that he patted her shoulder reassuringly. "You haven't been subject to wave upon wave of visions, one might go so far as to say your tale would be very different if you had not found solace here."
"True, very true," Chessa murmured and took a seat. "Perhaps if we were to identify his triggers, we might go a long way towards assisting him," she knew that it had helped her. Truth be told, her entire demeanour had changed once she had reached the Bahari and realised that tragedy didn't really seem to follow them here... Each time she saw a pregnant mother, or a small cub, she wasn't met with a flash of destruction to come; instead she was met with absolute silence.
If what triggered Spectre's visions wasn't here then surely...
"A good way to do that might be to quiz him on what those shadows are..." Peregrine paused half way through his sentence, and peered towards the white lion with interest. He was no longer in the depths of the den and had taken several steps towards them, standing close to the 'door' as though he was considering his next move...
Words: 392
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Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 3:53 am
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His son was here, and his son was safe. Solomon had come to him with such an aura of confidence that it was clear that he hadn't suffered at the hands of the shadows. There had been no air of sadness, no mention of his mother's demise, so he could only assume they had never been found. He hadn't really understood how that was possible given they had been all seeing, and all knowing, they should have found his family in time but...they hadn't.
He hadn't been able to work out how it was possible that Solomon, and by extension the rest of his family, had managed survive. Or rather he hadn't been able to when he had arrived immediately, it was only when he stood still tat he realised that the world was completely and utterly silent.
...it was as if the shadows weren't here, or they couldn't see it.
He had managed to find a moment of clarity and peace as he slowly approach the mother and son, quietly listening in to their conversation as they considered his 'predicament'. As expected, they seemed to be attempting to make him 'better', but they didn't yet understand that there was nothing wrong with him, at least he didn't believe there was anything wrong.
They hadn't seen them yet, nor did he want them to...but if they did, then perhaps they might have understood why he needed to run.
"Where am I...?" he asked hoarsely as he regarded both lions.
"Literally?" Peregrine asked, a response that was met by a smack from his mother. A lack of tact was not something best suited to this particular situation and she would sooner she didn't take one step forward and thirty back because of a misunderstanding!
"You are in the Bahari'mtoto, your son lives here," she replied and motioned to the sand.
"But where is here?" Spectre queried as he gazed down at the pristine white sands and furrowed his brow. Unsurprisingly, Chessa wasn't entirely sure of how to answer that question, she could give the geographical reply but she wasn't entirely certain that was what he meant.
"You're on sacred ground," Peregrine replied at last, stepping in as his mother floundered. "You could say that this land possesses some rather unique qualities," he paused and glanced briefly towards his mother with a smile. "Including the ability to shield those from what would harm them most," he finished.
"It repels them?" Spectre asks quietly, a touch of confusion in his voice.
"In a manner of speaking, yes," Chessa replied quietly as she had realised where Peregrine might have been going with his explanation. "There is a belief that this region is favoured among several deities, and as such, no harm can come to those who live here," she smiled warmly and peered at Spectre with renewed curiosity.
"It seems your arrival was expected," Peregrine winked and gave his mother a nudge as he turned on his heel to make his way towards the water's edge. "And it would also appear that on this occasion the divine have accepted you -"
"For want of a better phrase, you are under not just our protection, but those of much greater power would prefer to see your well being secured as well," Chessa reassured him. It was at this point that she gave him a quick glance and cleared her throat. "That in mind, perhaps you should have something to eat before you disappear entirely," she advised and shook her head. "Then we can answer any other questions you might have..."
As the lioness walked away, Spectre was given another rare moment to simply stand and watch, before it was with a small nod and a tiny murmur of encouragement, that he finally began to make his way after the pair. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever sat down for a proper meal, let alone a chance to sate any form of curiosity...
It would be foolish to waste such an opportunity, or so he thought in this rare moment of peace.
Words: 680
Total Words: 1519
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