Damon took to the wilds. He couldn't think straight, couldn't see straight, could hardly walk straight. Once he was deep in the wilds, he changed form and just ran. He ran hard, claws digging into the earth as he crossed the miles. Damon eventually passed from the island to the mainland in that flash of magical transport and kept running. He ran until his lungs felt as though they would burst, until his legs wouldn't respond any more. He collapsed in a heap, sides heaving. His head rested on the ground as he panted to catch his breath. The ground was warm and he could hear water nearby, birds in the trees. His ears flicked, gathering up the sounds. For a moment it was peaceful.
Eventually, sleep. He didn't recall drifting off but he did wake with a start. He heard something. His head lifted, feline gaze sweeping the glen where he'd come to rest. His legs gathered under him as he shifted his weight, he flowed to standing and stretched. It felt good to get the blood moving through his body again. His tail flicked as he turned his head again, ears twitching toward a sound. His body shifted from relaxed to alert, muscles on alert.
He padded from the more open area to cover near the lake. His nerves were on alert. His figure faded into the brush and then he took off again at a loping run that shifted into the feline lightening that he'd enjoyed prior to his nap. The area wasn't entirely familiar but sometimes familiar wasn't friendly.
The whole ordeal that led up to this wild run haunted him. The comments. The barbs. The looks. The challenges. And then her look. He hadn't meant it. He was lashing out at Chas but he was gone and she was there and it was Miha who ended up hurt. He couldn't get the look on her face out of his mind. He'd had to leave even if he hadn't wanted to. But she didn't want him there and neither did anyone else. Why even go back?
They needed him. that's why. Each one had his or her role and he was the guardian. Akiko was good though. She could deal with things just fine.
He let his gait drop from all out run to loping again. His head tipped to the side as he turned slightly to regard his surroundings. There were fewer birds and not so many warm spots of sun on the ground. He huffed a sound and turned to adjust his path back in the direction he had come from.
It was the growl that caused him to stop. The whiff of wind that passed over him gave him more information that he'd been lacking. Hunters. His feline lip curled up slightly. He would not lead them back. Damon set off in another direction, a speedy darting path taking him into brush again.
He didn't notice the dart.
Eventually, sleep. He didn't recall drifting off but he did wake with a start. He heard something. His head lifted, feline gaze sweeping the glen where he'd come to rest. His legs gathered under him as he shifted his weight, he flowed to standing and stretched. It felt good to get the blood moving through his body again. His tail flicked as he turned his head again, ears twitching toward a sound. His body shifted from relaxed to alert, muscles on alert.
He padded from the more open area to cover near the lake. His nerves were on alert. His figure faded into the brush and then he took off again at a loping run that shifted into the feline lightening that he'd enjoyed prior to his nap. The area wasn't entirely familiar but sometimes familiar wasn't friendly.
The whole ordeal that led up to this wild run haunted him. The comments. The barbs. The looks. The challenges. And then her look. He hadn't meant it. He was lashing out at Chas but he was gone and she was there and it was Miha who ended up hurt. He couldn't get the look on her face out of his mind. He'd had to leave even if he hadn't wanted to. But she didn't want him there and neither did anyone else. Why even go back?
They needed him. that's why. Each one had his or her role and he was the guardian. Akiko was good though. She could deal with things just fine.
He let his gait drop from all out run to loping again. His head tipped to the side as he turned slightly to regard his surroundings. There were fewer birds and not so many warm spots of sun on the ground. He huffed a sound and turned to adjust his path back in the direction he had come from.
It was the growl that caused him to stop. The whiff of wind that passed over him gave him more information that he'd been lacking. Hunters. His feline lip curled up slightly. He would not lead them back. Damon set off in another direction, a speedy darting path taking him into brush again.
He didn't notice the dart.