The silence of the forest was calming. The voice of the ocean was a distant roar, muted by the white trees and blurred into perpetual background noise, accented by the hiss of the wind through the branches as a bow on strings. The cold crawled across Murdock’s skin as he stood waiting, icy fingers sinking into his coat and pulling gently at his curled hair. The woods seemed empty, devoid of life save the rhythmic beating of his own impatient heart. He listened for a reply from Ktulu, ears straining to detect her voice or the sound of her approach, though he heard neither.
He was about to push on further, to make his way deeper into the forest as perhaps she was not in this area. The Edge was a very large place, of course, and she could be anywhere across their lands. However, before he could take another step, the sound of snapping twigs and huffing breaths caught his attention. He turned around to see a large bear ambling through the trees, its broad frame pushing past firm trunks and wading through the snow directly toward him. You’re not Ktulu, he thought, panic gripping his heart as the beast drew closer. Much to his horror, he discovered the bear was accompanied by a smaller one, a cub perhaps.
He stepped away from them, backing through the deep snow as the pair closed in on him with purpose. His wings lifted from his sides, feathers brushing against bark and the prickly brush of coniferous trees. Flight was not an option in the dense forest, though perhaps his wings would make him appear larger and more threatening to the creatures before him. He backed away as far as he could, his body freezing as his hips pressed in between two large trees. His eyes were wide with fear as they came to a halt before him, perhaps sizing him up as a suitable lunch.
However, they did not leap at him with tooth and claw bared to tear his flesh. Instead, the large one began to change, its body transforming slowly into a tall, slim, dark figure with hair as white as the snow. A thin, pale horn rose from its forehead, the tip sharply pointed and dipped in scarlet. His eyes widened further as, in place of the beast, Ktulu stood before him. The smaller bear remained at her side, seeming unphased by its companion’s transformation. The sergeant greeted him casually, and he opened his mouth to respond, but found no words. Instead, he nodded weakly in response to her question, not yet trusting the steadiness of his voice.
He hoped she had not noticed the look of terror upon his face when she arrived, but of course, that was unlikely. He had never seen such a transformation before, though, and it both fascinated and frightened him. Oh, the trouble he could cause if he possessed such an ability. He attempted to regain his composure, stepping forward and looking into the depths of the white-washed forest ahead. Hesitating for a moment, he allowed the pair to reach his side. He turned to look at Ktulu, his head tilted curiously. “That’s quite the trick you have,” he smiled slightly. “Where did you learn to do that?” He had never had much experience with magic. Though he possessed his own, he had rarely found reason to use it.
"talk talk talk talk"
@[Ktulu]
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