Zavien
Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil.
The trip was long and harrowing, full of brutal Deepfrost winds that made his side ache and too much time with his own thoughts. Although overjoyed to be heading home, he couldn't seem to calm his nerves. The words continued to fail him, and sleep still illuded him, making his heart race with anticipation. There was so much explaining to do, so many decisions to be made, so much still to process. Zavien wasn't sure he was strong enough to face it all, but he owed it to Lena to at least try. But how would she respond to the news? He already felt so much shame and guilt. Would she blame him further? Would she hate him for not saying something sooner? For not being more careful? All the catastrophic possibilities swirled in his mind, making his heart numb and cold with dread.
Wearing one of the thick coats Deimos had left him, the Dragoon made his way through the empty streets. No purple shadows (that he could see) lingered in between buildings, perhaps unable to compete with the darkness under his eyes. He pulled the jacket close, hoping the Family might not notice or care that he had been resurrected, yet not wanting to be too cautious. When his dreams weren't plagued by death's void and roaring yetis ripping through his body, he feared for his friends and what may happen to Stormbreak next. Would they all be infected? Would the Family decide they'd need to finish the job the yeti started? Or make an example of someone close to him? Like they'd done to Flora?
His feet began to move quickly, as if tied to his racing thoughts and heartbeat. If he'd had more strength, he might have sprinted through the streets just to get there a moment sooner, but his feet felt heavy, laden with exhaustion and the weight of recent events. Even his breath puffed before his eyes, showing the effort it took just to traverse the city. When he finally spotted Lena's house through the crisp morning air, Zavien stopped suddenly, half from fatigue and half from the pivotal moment before him. He could have stood there for hours, trying to muster the brave face that he knew like a second skin. It felt buried deep in his chest, stuck against the acceptance he hadn't quite breeched, slowly growing stale until he brushed aside the dust with care, letting it slide back into place with surprising effort.
The smile fell for a moment when he spotted a golden figure diving towards him. Upon Zavien's approach, Sol had become fidgety, looking into the distance as he let out small whines and high-pitched grumbles. His tail twitched, wings fluttering as he prepared to take flight. The bond felt raw, like fresh skin over a burn that pulled and itched with hypersensitivity. Zavien could also feel it faintly through his emotions, but to Sol it was like a lifeline, a golden cord that had been momentarily severed, ending everything he'd ever known in an instant. To sense his companion within range again was enough to send him into a small frenzy of energy. He took flight without notice, speeding through the air as fast as his little wings would take him. And by the time he was in the Dragoon's tight embrace, the practiced smile had been carefully stitched back into place.
Zavien held the small dragon, taking deep breaths against the constricting feeling of his physical and emotional pain. His voice was soft as he whispered, "I missed you, too." Sol let out what may have been a whimper, pressing his head into Zavien's hair to take in the scent, the snorfles of air bringing out a real smile for a second. "I know. I'm so sorry you had to go through that." His words nearly caught in his throat, but he pushed it aside to rub a soothing hand over the golden scales. There was still more to do. "Let's go see Lena." Understanding rang through his head as Sol seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. Although reluctant, he crawled out of Zavien's arms to walk at his side, his tail and wing tip brushing against his leg with the protective proximity, eyes glued to his companion like he'd never look away again.
Rolling his shoulder to ease out the strain against his sealed wound, he bit the inside of his lip to keep the smile in place. Despite the shadows of his eyes, the strange assortment of clothes, and the unkept appearance of his hair and beard, he hoped he wasn't too grueling of a sight. He didn't know that his smile was strained, or that his green eyes held a depth that hadn't been there before. Or that, even with effort, he still hadn't been able to say the truth aloud.
Yet when he saw Lena tending to her garden, he forgot all of it, his mind going blank. He waited, taking her in like a ray of sunshine floating in on a summer breeze. For a moment, he only thought of her and how much he wanted to hold her in his arms, to hear her musical laugh, to smell the dirt and lavender in her hair. It was like a need to breathe, stealing his every thought. Zavien couldn't describe the feeling as he finally made his way forward in a haze, trying to find the word that might encompass it all. The only one that made it past his lips was both a prayer and a plea, "Lena."
Wearing one of the thick coats Deimos had left him, the Dragoon made his way through the empty streets. No purple shadows (that he could see) lingered in between buildings, perhaps unable to compete with the darkness under his eyes. He pulled the jacket close, hoping the Family might not notice or care that he had been resurrected, yet not wanting to be too cautious. When his dreams weren't plagued by death's void and roaring yetis ripping through his body, he feared for his friends and what may happen to Stormbreak next. Would they all be infected? Would the Family decide they'd need to finish the job the yeti started? Or make an example of someone close to him? Like they'd done to Flora?
His feet began to move quickly, as if tied to his racing thoughts and heartbeat. If he'd had more strength, he might have sprinted through the streets just to get there a moment sooner, but his feet felt heavy, laden with exhaustion and the weight of recent events. Even his breath puffed before his eyes, showing the effort it took just to traverse the city. When he finally spotted Lena's house through the crisp morning air, Zavien stopped suddenly, half from fatigue and half from the pivotal moment before him. He could have stood there for hours, trying to muster the brave face that he knew like a second skin. It felt buried deep in his chest, stuck against the acceptance he hadn't quite breeched, slowly growing stale until he brushed aside the dust with care, letting it slide back into place with surprising effort.
The smile fell for a moment when he spotted a golden figure diving towards him. Upon Zavien's approach, Sol had become fidgety, looking into the distance as he let out small whines and high-pitched grumbles. His tail twitched, wings fluttering as he prepared to take flight. The bond felt raw, like fresh skin over a burn that pulled and itched with hypersensitivity. Zavien could also feel it faintly through his emotions, but to Sol it was like a lifeline, a golden cord that had been momentarily severed, ending everything he'd ever known in an instant. To sense his companion within range again was enough to send him into a small frenzy of energy. He took flight without notice, speeding through the air as fast as his little wings would take him. And by the time he was in the Dragoon's tight embrace, the practiced smile had been carefully stitched back into place.
Zavien held the small dragon, taking deep breaths against the constricting feeling of his physical and emotional pain. His voice was soft as he whispered, "I missed you, too." Sol let out what may have been a whimper, pressing his head into Zavien's hair to take in the scent, the snorfles of air bringing out a real smile for a second. "I know. I'm so sorry you had to go through that." His words nearly caught in his throat, but he pushed it aside to rub a soothing hand over the golden scales. There was still more to do. "Let's go see Lena." Understanding rang through his head as Sol seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. Although reluctant, he crawled out of Zavien's arms to walk at his side, his tail and wing tip brushing against his leg with the protective proximity, eyes glued to his companion like he'd never look away again.
Rolling his shoulder to ease out the strain against his sealed wound, he bit the inside of his lip to keep the smile in place. Despite the shadows of his eyes, the strange assortment of clothes, and the unkept appearance of his hair and beard, he hoped he wasn't too grueling of a sight. He didn't know that his smile was strained, or that his green eyes held a depth that hadn't been there before. Or that, even with effort, he still hadn't been able to say the truth aloud.
Yet when he saw Lena tending to her garden, he forgot all of it, his mind going blank. He waited, taking her in like a ray of sunshine floating in on a summer breeze. For a moment, he only thought of her and how much he wanted to hold her in his arms, to hear her musical laugh, to smell the dirt and lavender in her hair. It was like a need to breathe, stealing his every thought. Zavien couldn't describe the feeling as he finally made his way forward in a haze, trying to find the word that might encompass it all. The only one that made it past his lips was both a prayer and a plea, "Lena."
