|
|
re: Something From Below
 by Hunter Angellis on 2010/01/19 4:30 pm
The blistering, cold winds ripped mercilessly through the Storm Peaks as though beating down the mountains themselves. From above, on it's rocky perch, a frigid protodrake took interest in two tiny specks, barely noticeable in the blindingly white blizzard, crossing the snowfield.
Angellis, Sin'Dorei hunter, alongside his friend, a gray saber wolf, found shelter between two rocks. There they sat and waited. The hunter pointed off into the distance at a small, slowly moving herd of rhino. "Any moment now," he said to his snarling companion, Eyolf. One of the larger rhinos, too busy finding food to graze upon, could not have been aware of its plight. In the land of giants, one moment you could be happily chewing on an unearthed root or perhaps some frost lotus, and the next you can be encased in a thick boulder of ice.
Eyolf did not even need the command to attack. He was off in a sprint heading right for the trapped rhino, as an enormous shadow converged toward the same target. From a distance, Angellis took aim towards the sky above the rhino with his sizable rifle. He found his mark, a gorgeous sapphire blue frigid protodrake, circling its kill and preparing to dive and reap the rewards. The hunter followed the winged beast with his scope as Eyolf closed the distance. The timing was perfect and just as the wolf lunged at his target to startle it enough in hopes of forcing it to expose it's weaker underside, Angellis pulled his trigger, trying to keep his aim true on the swift drake. The world spread away from him as the sound blasted and bounced in every direction. That is why he thought what he felt beneath his feet were merely the vibrations from his shot. But, soon they seemed too strong, with the Blood Elf barely able to stay upright.
Eyolf became unusually startled and missed his mark. Instead of going in for another attack, he fled further away from Angellis. Even when he was called for, the wolf continued his retreat. Fear? Then he realized he was alone with a single frozen rhino and an enraged protodrake who had obviously found its shooter. For a moment, it seemed as though the world had emptied and abandoned him. It would take more than a single shot to bring this aggressive creature down. Perhaps two? Angellis took aim and readied another shot as the protodrake clawed its way to claim its tiny, Blood Elf morsel.
"...Eyolf?" Angellis whispered faithfully to the wind, sure that his friend would come to his aid. But it was not Eyolf that changed the hunters fortune. He was hardly able to get off his last shot before he lost his footing, falling into the feet of fresh snow.
The world shook more forcefully.There was something from beneath that was large enough to violently disturb the snow all the way to their highest peaks. The protodrake, once interested in having both a rhino and blood elf as meals seemed to suddenly change its mind as it clumsily took flight. Angellis smiled a little, at least knowing that he managed to give it a mind to not be so bold as to threaten a hunter. Then he remembered he really must get up out of the snow and find Eyolf, never mind whatever made the ground tremble, his friend was priority.
Unfortunately, Angellis came to realize that any tracks Eyolf might have left were already hidden by the newly made snow cover. The Blood Elf eyed the frozen rhino, briefly considering returning and making use of its precious hide, but for now passed it and continued in the direction Eyolf had seemed to take. There was no trace of where Eyolf had ran so he continued forward, towards the craggy rock face that held an opening to one of many caves.
Behind him, a strong breeze moved the snow and uncovered traces of blood trailing in the same direction Angellis headed.
He picked up on a low growling and stopped to try and determine whether it was just the low, rumbling quake or something else. Silence. Everything suddenly went still and the thundering ceased. Angellis became nervous, more than when it seemed as though the old gods were coming up from the depths moments prior. Slowly, the world seemed to show some semblance of normalcy once again.
Whatever the trembling had been, Angellis knew it had to be something beyond what he had imagined, for he had never witnessed such a strong reaction from so many different creatures, other than the typical reactions from events such as fires and deforestation. They all seemed to share the same emotion for that moment. Fear. Angellis was, more than ever, determined to find his friend and was again able to pick up on the low, guttural growl with which he had grown very familiar. It was coming from the cave.
The glowing of Angellis' green fel eyes became more distinct in the dimness within the cavern. "Eyolf?" He spoke as loudly as his bravery would allow. He cautiously continued towards the back of the cave as it grew darker around him. He saw a darker form, withdrawn into the deepest section and from it came the same growl. "Eyolf!....Eyolf?" The form was still and did not respond, other than with the same snarl. It was too late when Angellis realized that this was not his friend. Something blue and bright crackled around its shape like lightning...it was lightning. Its eyes blazed with blue fires. The hunter tried to make his retreat quickly. His mind whirled with the realization that this was a spirit beast. Never before seeing one in the wild, he always thought them to not show aggression. Perhaps there were exceptions, like environmental anomalies or making an unscheduled and unwelcome visit into its den.
The Blood Elf escaped into the snow, more blind from the bright daylight than before. He fell forward right after passing the threshold and found himself unable to get up. A heavy weight bore down on him and the fog of a wolf's snarling breath near his face gave truth to his situation. He was taken unexpectedly and was sure his fate had finally come. But the creature released him. He did not miss his opportunity to ungracefully crawl away and get back on his feet. He certainly felt humbled.
The wolf-like spirit beast stared Angellis down with the same wary growl. He then noticed, he was not being threatened, but warned. Warning for what? He studied the spirit beast's stance and noticed its legs were trembling as though in fear. The Sin'Dorei looked longer, finding this spirit beast more than familiar, despite all of its differences.
"Eyolf? It's alright." Angellis reassuringly gestured for the spirit beast to come closer. The creature leaped at Angellis but he knew that this spirit beast was no longer a danger. "What happened to you boy?" The creature was affectionate enough, but showed lingering signs of agitation, occasionally whining and pawing at Angellis. He was both relieved to find his friend and worried what all this might mean "Were you trying to warn me?" He looked searchingly at his friend for any answers but all Eyolf, or this creature he assumed to now be Eyolf, gave him were icy licks and small whimpers.
"And...what is to happen to us?" Angellis looked out into the endless horizon, knowing that whatever was coming, there would be no place to hide.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Back in the cave, a calmness made the place seem almost welcoming. But, in a small nook, the corpse of a gray saber wolf lay lifeless, a small bullet hole in its side, never to be discovered.
_________________ 
|
