a r l o

Confutatis. I had been sent after the blood traitor, the one who had deserted us. She had been one of us, so entwined with the crazies that she had been our second in command. Nobody left the padded walls of the Asylum and lived to tell the tale, and she most certainly wouldn’t be the exception that proved the rule. If I couldn’t leave, then no-one else could. I wasn’t foolish enough to believe that I would be the one to bring her down, but the vulture known as Histe wouldn’t be too far behind. All she would have to do was follow the scent of the blood-spill, the very thing she craved. I was merely the distraction to keep the bitch in one place long enough for the carrion seeker to strike, as she had not been around when the seekers had tracked her down to an area of jungle just North of Helovia. And so, my journey had begun,dressed in black spandex with a massive hood, blacked out eyes and a scythe tied into my tail. I had no idea what this was all about, but I’m sure Seele had her reasons.. I moved swiftly, covering ground at speed, fuelled by the anger, the anger that she had escaped the institution, and yet I was stuck, surrounded by the unkindness of the unhinged. She would pay for my pain, that was for sure.

Eventually, after several long hours of travelling, I made it to the locale where the spies had seen her last. It was dawn, the sun was sending the skies a mixture of purples and reds, much like the shades of blood that was about to be sprayed everywhere, and the colour of the bruises that would soon be scattered over the both us when this was finished. It was a perfect setting to a battle that would end all battles. The traitor would die the undignified death of a deserter.

The jungle was dense, and there was a light, April shower that served to cool my skin, but to make the leaves beneath my hooves slippery. Moving at the speeds that I was, it was difficult to maintain footing, and several times I nearly hit the deck. As I regained my balance for the third time, I was distracted from my path as a low rumble became audible, much like a growl. Before I could ponder any further, something pounced on me from behind, claws sinking into my flank and ripping my odd costume. SHIT. I flung myself around, bucking and rearing, finally unseating the feline beast and causing it to scatter, but not before it had left one very deep reminder of his presence. I winced as the adrenaline started to wear off and my rump started to sting like hell, every step I took caused to open, blood oozing everywhere. I gritted my teeth, my rage masking the pain and pushed on.

Finally, my eyes alighted on the prize, the bitch that had my life; she was standing just in front of a rather large tree, a good few meters ahead. “Well hello, traitor. You know what we do with mutineers like you don’t you?” The adrenaline was pumping, my flank was agony and I was ready to kill. “We make them walk the plank! Are you ready for this bitch?” I snarled. She would pay for having the guts for doing what I so craved. With that, I pinned my harks back bared my ivories and launched myself, muscles contracting and relaxing, pushing me forward, venom oozing from every pore. The wound on my flank opening and closing, causing me to wince, but it didn’t matter, not now.

When I was a few yards away from her, I bunched myself up and launched forward with all the strength I had, head held low, attempting to batter her into the tree behind her, if I broke a few ribs in the process, then that was just a bonus. Just as I reached where she should be, I opened my maw and attempted to scrape at her belly with my teeth. This war had only just begun, and I was more than ready.

[[697 words, 1/3, Arlo is dressed as the Grim Reaper!]]



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Fugue
697 words.
@[Confutatis]

&CROWS WILL FLEE THE SCENE,
AS IF TO REMIND ME
HOW LONG ITS BEEN SINCE I'VE SEEN A DOVE.