He had been napping in his den when the call reached his ears. Lost in the world of dreams as he was, at first the boy had thought it something from beyond the realm of reality, but as he fully woke up he realized that the howl was anything but fake. It was Haziel and his mentor would surely not howl for help if there was not something very wrong. Begging his hind limbs to move, Viserys had managed to drag himself to a sit but couldn't manage much more. It was horribly frightening, being unable to move when he knew that something was happening.
Viserys whimpered as finally, feeling returned to his hindquarters and he was able to move his legs again. It was rare that they would become so weak that he couldn't move, and of course it had to be right now. He stood, then, moving forward at a ragged trot that eventually was able to speed up into something resembling a lope. His legs were still weak, but fear propelled him onwards. What could be wrong? A death? No, the call sounded more... urgent, and he doubted that Haziel would call to the entire pack. The boy tried to stretch out his legs as he ran, tried to work out whatever kink that had caused them so much weakness.
Soon enough the smell of blood was in the air and Viserys heard the snarls and ragged cries of wolves, and something else far less familiar. As the gruesome scene came into view the boy couldn't help but let out a quiet gasp, his teal eyes widening. As calm as he usually was, Viserys couldn't help but display shock at the gory scene in front of him. His tail drooped as he watched the wolves tear into the bear, even Haziel was doing his part to bring down the beast. Vis didn't know that his mentor was such a ferocious warrior, but in a way, he wasn't surprised.
All he could do was watch as the bear crushed Ifrit's skull and Neirin's body, watch as the bear was ripped to pieces by wolves defending the pack so ferociously, watch as the beast finally fell and the light faded from the golden wolf's eyes. Viserys trembled slightly, both from his exertion and from the sight before him. He saw Everlyse pull Ifrit from the bear's jaws, and he knew that the red man did not have much time left.
He wanted to do something, but it was as if he was trapped in place- watching the intimate last moments of the white wolfess and her mate. He can not make out the words that he shares with her, but Viserys can see her break. He wants to step forward and comfort her, somehow, but Everlyse is beyond that. He watches as she lunges and tears into the bear, her blind fury filling him with the strangest of emotions. For a moment, it's almost as if Viserys is far away from here, far away from all the pain and suffering and blood.
He barely recognizes Everlyse as she emerges from the bear, holding it's heart in her maw like a trophy, before collapsing next to Ifrit once more. Viserys had never lost another, while his sister was away she was still alive- and he realizes in this moment that he never wants to feel this raw pain, never wants to experience this suffering as Everlyse had. To live was to suffer; but perhaps there was a way around it. Perhaps he could live as the clouds did, free from any earthly attachments. His head was reeling, though, and he felt so sick. There would be time to dwell later.
Viserys didn't know what to do, to help. He took a few steps forward and glanced around, ears pressed against his skull. "Haziel?" he called, his voice trembling only slightly. "I am here to help." The words were confident but his voice was not, as this would be the first time his minimal skills would be put to use, after all.
|