Julius Calendar 908
Month Of The Weakest Solaris
21st
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A young boys exasperated voice echoed within the dense foliage that nestled amongst the depths of the Axe. “Talon that's the third set of Aroncole prints we've seen, I think we're deep enough.” There was a more than a hint of uneasiness weaved within the chords of the youthful voice.
Amidst a gloomy forest scene a ten year old Talon was crouched down upon the rugged leafy floor observing something that was partially illuminated by the strong sun rays that sparsely filtered through the dense canopy overhead. Blonde hair that shone the same striking colour as the golden sun tumbled about and pooled on the floor below her as she crouched. Sporadically dotted throughout her blonde locks were fragment of twigs and leaves that cast her in a feral manner. She was clad in a pair of deer hide shorts and shirt that clung to her slender lithe frame, her feet were bare and dirty. Within her dainty dirty hand was clasped a birch bow, upon her back a shoddily crafted wicker quiver host to three roughshod arrows. Blue eyes that hosted a spirit of adventure and shimmered with vibrant excitement were currently tracing the contours of a set of tracks upon the ground, desperately trying to fathom the secrets that they told. The tracks were of a great size and sported six elongated claw marks that cut sinister imprints into the ground. As if having fully analysed the tracks secrets her delicate face that was tight with concentration relaxed and flowingly morphed into a shining grin.
Fluidly rising from a bent crouch her slim frame revealed itself to be of a tall stature. Turning about and glancing across to her brother whom was currently in the process of awkwardly navigating a bush seeking to catch up to her, her small features crinkled deeper as her exuberant grin grew. “Fourth set Fang, we’re on our fourth.” Her voice was loud and bright, overflowing with vigour and spirit.
Fang who had been endeavouring to cover the ground his sister had so effortlessly put in between them stumbled then paused as he heard her reply. Raising his head from the surrounding bush he glumly glared at the grinning blonde girl whom he had gotten to within fifteen yards off. Fang wasn't as tall and slender as his sister instead being of a far more compact and stocky build. Moving through the dense forest her lithe frame and agile and deft nature gave her a clear advantage over the stout little legged Fang who forever seemed to be following his sisters lead. Following her lead and then pulling her back just as she was about to unwittingly dive nose first over a cliff edge.
His expression that was currently shrouded by an unwilling glumness was slowly growing to become defined and handsome, his curly black hair was like a disorderly birds nest atop his head. He was clad in nothing bar a pelt loincloth, similar to his sister he had bare calloused feet. Strapped across his back was a bow and quiver near identical to his sisters. Before the beginning of the unpleasant impromptu expedition he had worn a crimson fox skin as a cloak however just a few minutes ago it had gotten caught in a bramble bush and his damned sister wasn't waiting about for him. So here he was in nothing but loincloth chasing after his reckless twin.
“Talon you know we’re in way to deep. What’re you gonna do if an Aroncole finds us huh? Have you even thought about that?” Fangs tone was sharp and cutting, in his opinion his sister most assuredly hadn't thought about it. In his opinion his sister didn't really think about anything.
Talon gave a nonchalant slight shrug of her slender shoulders and turned about fluidly weaving through bushes deeper into the dark dangerous bowels of the Axe. As she departed she left behind an answer and a crystal clear laugh. “If an Aroncole finds us I'll run of course, run a lot faster than you will.”
Fang gawped at the audacity of the reply as he watched his twin disappear. He knew she wasn't wrong ether. She would run a lot faster than him if an Aroncole came chasing. Nervously looking about him Fang lipped his lips. His green eyes flitted from tree top to tree top, niggling nervousness tickled his belly as he thought about the truthfulness that lay within his sisters joke. Softly cursing that he was born Talons twin he hurriedly set off in pursuit of her rapidly disappearing slim figure, tempted to shout at her to slow but far too worried about what the noise could potentially attract.
Five days ago the twins had simultaneously unlocked their seventh Gates. Since Jasper had placed the two of them atop the daises during the freezing winter four years ago they had continued to diligently commit a few hours each day to sitting upon the daises absorbing the earths gentle energy that pulsed below them. Despite the lack of physical features the two twins shared it seemed the sizes of their Gates were identical. The three Gates the pair had unlocked so far had been achieved practically simultaneously.
After recently unlocking her seventh Gate Talon had become somewhat more restless than she normally was. She intrinsically felt a burning desire to roam and run free, her personality was boisterous and adventurous. Confident in her own recently enhanced physical attributes whilst uncle Jasper was away hunting she had flown off to explore the depths of the Axe. By her very nature she lusted to try and unearth some of the Axe’s many mystical secrets that uncle Jasper had told them tale off.
Fang was just an unwilling, unfortunate and unenthusiastic accomplice to his sisters dangerous antics. That was something that had turned into a regularity as the pair had grown up. In some ways it was a testament to the bond that existed between the twins, no matter what dangerously stupid situations his sister leaped into Fang was at her side. Well, either at her side or desperately trying to catch up.
So it was that the pair scrambled and flew further into the Axe's heart. The leading Talon leaping and bounding across the forested moguls whilst the trailing Fang scurried and scampered across the same ground after her, his knitted brow clearly conveying his unwillingness to continue venturing onwards. But venture on he did.
Abruptly the slender form in front caught sight of something, gracefully she halted her tracks before fluidly dropping to the floor onto her stomach. The creases upon Fangs brow deepened as he observed from afar his sisters unexpected stop and concealing tactics. Fang slowed his pace and cautiously crept through the bush, clearing the remaining forty yards to his sister. Jasper knew the fickle Axe to be a place of many hidden subtle dangers and many obvious ferocious dangers. So he had tried to instil a cautious nature in the twins from a young age. It had only really developed in Fang.
As Fang stealthily crawled to her side and lay beside her Talon pointed out a tree about fifty yards from their current stationary prone position. Squinting for a moment Fang quickly noticed what she was pointing out. About twenty yards up a great gnarled oak was a large spherical ball fashioned from sticks and dried dirt. It took an extended moment for Fang to realise what it was he was looking at. Turning he fixed his deep green eyes that swum with nervousness and fear upon his sister whom was beaming as if she regarded her discovery the most spectacular thing ever to be found. Not even daring to make a noise he silently mouthed “Aroncole nest.” Talon beamed and nodded an exuberant confirmation back at him.
The shocking aspect of the construct was its titanic size, it looked as if it could easily accommodate both the twins and even uncle Jasper with all his great burly bulk. It was built about two large sturdy branches that sprouted from the twisted roughshod main oak trunk. The twigged nest was built in an exceedingly intricate manner. It rested atop the thicker of the two branches whilst it was built about and around the second higher branch. The lower branch took the weight of the great structure and its occupants whilst the second branch firmly rooted it in place. The nests ravenous black entrance led out onto the jutting lower branch which was parallel to ninety degrees to where the twins lay, the pair could only just make out the side of the nests deep opening.
Fascination and youthful wonder sparkled within Talons eyes as she marvelled at the architectural feat concealed up high within the trees. Turning to Fang she softly whispered no louder than a breath “Think there's baby's up there?”
Fang contemplated the question for a moment calculating the passage of the seasons in his head before he slowly gave his answer “Yeah I think so, it's the right time of year for young and I don't think Aroncoles are the type of animals to make nests unless they’re having kids.” It was a well thought out reply. Thinking more about the implications of his sisters question and her massively impulsive nature Fang suddenly turned on Talon who was still grinning brightly. “You’d better not be thinking of going anywhere near it Talon.” He growled out a hissed whisper.
Rolling her crystal blue eyes at her brothers nagging she didn't even bother paying him a glance as she answered, instead keeping her fascinated young gaze firmly affixed on the nest nestled amongst the tree tops. “I don't want to get that close to an Aroncole.” She paused before softly adding “maybe if it was a baby...”
“Talon!” Fangs voice was still whispered however markedly heavier than it had been, panic raised it a note. Glancing out the corner of her small tender eyes she watched her twin whom was intently glaring at her, seemingly ready to pounce and drag her away if she made the slightest of moves towards the nest.
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Reminiscent in noise of trickling springs her gentle giggling bubbled forth at her brothers irate actions, she found him so easy to wind up. “Fang you know how strong we are after we unlocked our seventh Gates! We can get away from any slow Aroncole. Besides how great would it be to actually see a wild one”
Fang sized up his sister quizzically wondering if they were really twins or whether his entire life was just one big hoax. Personally “great” was very near the bottom of the long list of words he'd use to describe the experience of seeing a wild Aroncole. He'd be more inclined to use “traumatic.” Shaking his head free of the numerous negative and dark words that bounced around his young mind Fang irritatedly whispered to his sister “Uncle Jasper keeps one back at the glade, let's go have a look right now”
Talon narrowed her shimmering blue eyes at her brothers snappy response. “A breathing Aroncole, not some dusty old skin. Your like a scared little rabbit always hiding away in a burrow.”
Fang softly scoffed at his sisters cutting remark before replying slightly smugly “The rabbit that hides in his burrow lives a lot longer than the one that climbs into the nest of an Aroncole.”
Talon’s fierce glare quickly deflated into a rather deadpan look. Turning her gaze from her smug brother she spoke in a flat tone “you sound like uncle Jasper, Fang.”
Fangs smugness crumbled and a look of horror surfaced as he realised she was entirely right. “Tch no I do-“ before he could finish his sentence Talon quietly and suddenly tightly grabbed ahold of his shoulder. Her dirty hands had flushed white from the strength with which she grabbed him. Turning to look at his sister he found her small crystal blue eyes had widened to the size of saucers as she stared at the distant nest. Talon was transfixed in a fascinated terror as a gargantuan leg that was scaled like a birds stepped out of the nest onto the branch.
Fang followed her gaze and his rosy face drained of blood as he saw the insidious claws that effortlessly gripped into the robust oaken wood below its paws. A second forelimb emerged and but a moment after the Aroncoles insidious head came forth from the interior of the twigged nest. From the side view the twins enjoyed they could easily appreciate the full size of its viciously hooked yellow beak that radiated a wicked air. A large pair of chilling cold yellow eyes swept across their general direction as the Aroncole turned its head toward them.
Talons hand that remained upon Fangs shoulder unconsciously tightened into a clench. Both of them had started to inhale heavier as soon as those yellow callous eyes had swept over them. Remaining stock still like a pair of frightened rabbits the twins strongly wished the beast away back into its nest.
Another layer of fear was cloaked over the dense shroud of terror that swirled about within the two pairs of glistening young eyes as the great Aroncole agilely pulled half of its body from the nest. Seeing the luxurious coat of black fur that hid the hunters muscled body a soft scared whimper escaped from Talon. Displaying a powerful flexibility the Aroncole turned on itself. In a single smooth motion it drew it's back half out and lazily leapt and grabbed ahold of the main thick trunk below the nest with its powerful scaled limbs. The back half of its body stretched out of the deep dark nests entrance in a lazy feline like manner. After but a breath the Aroncole drew its long back legs round and rapidly began descending the tree beak first. It's movements were fluid and lithe only taking a few seconds to traverse down the twenty yard stretch of trunk to the forested ground.
Seeing the natural powerful hunter stand upright upon the ground amidst its natural habitat the twins couldn't help but allow the cold chilling shiver that had taken them within its grip to intensify. The Aroncoles were a matriarchal species. The females were the formidable hunters and larger animals, equipped with weaponry that was all the more lethal compared to their male counterparts. Of course the two children weren’t aware of this. All they were aware of was that the Aroncole that lazily stretched just fifth yards away from them was far bigger than the skin uncle Jasper was so dearly fond of.
The beast towered an impressive five foot tall, equal in stature to Talon. It's sinuous body was near nine foot in length and combined with the lazy six foot long tail that sashayed in the air made it a breath taking terrifying size. Satisfied by the fulfilling stretch the Aroncole turned and began slinking away from its nest. Because of its great head that sat parallel to its back its appeared to be fluidly prowling. Prowling straight towards the two cowering twins.
Watching the encroaching creature that seemed to have no inclination they were lying directly upon its path Talon and Fangs young little hearts jumped in horrified fright. Neither of them dared take their eyes off the sinister beast that unknowingly slinked towards them but if they were to take a moment to glance at their twin they would find a look of aghast horror that identically mirrored their own. Talons trembling hand had slipped to the bow strapped across her back, the familiar feel of birch within her grasp comforted her slightly.
A tense two breaths passed and the Aroncole had already come within thirty yards of the cowering two. Talon couldn't bear the heavy suspense that sat upon them any longer and frightfully whispered a panicked squeak “Fang!”
Fangs mind was a whirling blur as he juggled their best options. The beast was unhurriedly prowling straight for them and it was just a matter of breaths before it recognised them as living breathing prey with soft flesh that it could sink its claws and beak into. They couldn't stay on the floor and wait to be noticed and the idea of fighting was dismissed as a death wish. In but an instant he decisively made his mind and under his breath hurriedly whispered to his panicked sister “It can only go for one of us, we split, you go left. Straight back to the glade get uncle. On three. One. Two. Three!”
Before he had even started whispering he had circulated warm frantically beating energy from his ninth Gate into his legs. As soon as the breath that the word three was carried upon had passed his lips Fang burst from the leafy floor and tore away to the right. Shaky panicked breaths ripped air into his gasping lungs as his stubby legs explosively pumped his body forwards fuelled by his surging energy. After but a few seconds of such frenzied flight morbid curiosity brewed within his frightful heart and he turned his head over his shoulder.
What met his gaze made his knotted stomach drop like lead. The Aroncole hadn't wasted time acting surprised. Acting surprised isn't what successful hunters do. It was bounding away from Fang towards Talon, the one who had reacted and fled just marginally later than the counting Fang. Fang watched Talon as she too glanced over her shoulder past her flying wild blonde hair and saw the snapping beak attached to the frenzied beast that was rapidly bearing down upon her. Her already pale face drained of what little colour it had held. Her gaze caught her brothers fleeing form and for a brief moment two distraught and despaired stares intertwined. Looking at the panic and fear saturated in her glistening blue eyes Fangs heart wrenched into tangled knots.
Nearly exactly ten years ago Jasper had been similarly chased by an Aroncole. The difference being that he could've fled from it on foot with a bit of effort had he so wished. At the time he had been an eighteen year old who had unlocked his sixth Gate a good portion of time prior to being chased by the male Aroncole. Talon was a ten year old who had only just unlocked her seventh Gate five days ago being chased by a stronger more agile female Aroncole. She was fleeing rapidly but the beast behind her was eating the distance up, it was just a matter of mere moments before its beak would be clamped about her delicate neck.
Fang could easily envision the inevitable outcome of the chase and his heart hesitated for a moment. Only a moment. Then he resolved himself to a rare course of reckless abandon. He veered from his original path of escape and moving faster than he had ever done so before he careered after his terrified sister. The birch bow on his back was useless as of now, things were unfolding far to quickly for him to take time to stop, load and shoot. Talon would've fallen victim to the snapping hooked beak by then. Fang had only moved just twenty yards from his original cowering position before he resolutely made his brave choice. Yet again Fang found himself chasing after Talon.
Talons little heart was frantically trying to burst out of her chest as she glanced behind herself again only to see that the Aroncole was rapidly closing in. Terror was balled into a tight knot that sat heavily within her stomach. Had she not been desperately gasping as much stagnant forest air into her constricted chest as she could she would be shrilly screaming. A loud roar that ripped free from a young boys throat crashed and echoed about behind her “Talon duck!” Hearing her twins cry she acted instantaneously without thought and catapulted herself off to the side. Six incisor like claws slashed where the soft nape of her neck had been not even a second earlier. Instead of sinking into tender flesh they ripped into the bow and quiver upon her back wrenching them away from her.
Watching Talon barely dodge the Aroncoles lethal leaping dive Fang felt his heart slightly loosen as she escaped what had seemed like a certain imminent death. Seeing his sister scrambling forward upon the floor whilst the Aroncole rapidly stalked after her Fang who was just fifteen yards away let loose the turbulent emotions that raged and toiled inside of him as a hoarse roar. It was a shout composed of a twisted mixture of crazed bravado, terror and a budding crimson rage. He desperately wished to draw the creatures attention away from his vulnerable sister whom thrashed upon the forested floor. Terrified tears cascaded down his face and spittle flew from his open mouth as he watched the Aroncole pay him no heed and sink its claws ahold of Talons slender shin halting her crawling escape. A shrill girls scream echoed joining a young boys raging roar.
Fang had no intention of slowing down at this point and was committed into hurtling across the last ten yards that lay between him and his sister into the Aroncole. His green eyes glistened with tears, as well as a frenzied resolution. The Aroncole swiftly stepped forward and pinned the screaming Talons back down with its free forelimb before slightly opening its wickedly hook beak. Yellow callous eyes intently bored into the writhing little girls neck ready to clamp its beak down and relish the hot squirting of fresh blood.
Fang was frenziedly pouring every last ounce of energy he could beckon into the channels that flowed to his legs, ramming his pathways full with reckless abandon. He was summoning every bit of speed he could coax from his stubby legs so he could hit the Aroncole as hard as he could. He was but five yards from the beast. Faintly he felt disassociated from the entire situation. His sisters shrill screaming and his own hoarse shouting softly rung within his ears as if it was coming from far far away. Fang closed his eyes.
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Julius Calendar 908
Month Of The Weakest Solaris 21st
Talon and Fang are attacked by an Aroncole
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