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[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

Isfet scooted forward only marginally, only enough to avoid getting clawed at. “It’s just dawning on me again that this is an insane fucking scenario.” Any tremble in his steps could be chalked up to general fatigue, or adrenaline even. Regardless, he clearly was not eager to approach the river any further.

Arden reached the end of their tether. One way or another, this vampire would leave their forest-- burned to a crisp, missing a limb, or clean. The latter would be much easier for the both of them. The last thing the harpy wanted was another undying hound sniffing around their nest, interrupting their way of life.

There was a rush of air as their wings unfurled, lifting them into the air with a few powerful strokes. They snagged the back of Isfet’s shirt with their talons, hoisted him up a foot or two, and dropped him unceremoniously into the shallows of the river.

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

Isfet only slowed to avoid bright patches of sunlight filtering through the trees, and did his best not to snap too much at Arden in return. His pace picked up, however, for the brief passage through the ground littered with bones. No. Nope. No thank you. He did not want to be here. No no nope no. Did his haste mean he nearly tripped, multiple times? Yes. Did he hurry right on through pockets of sunshine instead of avoiding them because it was quicker? Yes.

Did he regret his speed the moment he saw the river? Yes.

The bone yard hadn’t been so bad, in retrospect. And if old bones didn’t attract predators, what the hell did it matter if Isfet smelled like iron? He slowed nearly to a stop, much before he had gotten even a little bit close to the river’s edge.

Arden did not have time for slowing, let alone stopping. They crowded behind Isfet, small clawed hands snapping at his back. Perhaps disposing of a body would have been less of a headache in the end. Bodies did not complain. They did not have opinions. All things considered, they were much better company than this landlocked, witless vampire.

“Baby rabbit. What now? The water will not bite you. I cannot promise the same.” 

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

Bold to call him the one with weird feet when Isfet’s were perfectly normal for people that live on this planet. He threw up a hand to make sure he didn’t take a pebble to the eye, and frowned up at the strange bird person. What were they anyway? A harpy?

“Alright, mama bird, I’m standing I’m standing.” He grunted as he got up; sleeping on the forest floor had not exactly been comfortable, and his muscles were sore for it.

“I am not your mother,” they huffed, wings rustling quietly as they were tucked against Arden’s sides. “This way.”

They guided Isfet through the copse of trees, across a suspicious-looking boneyard that snapped and crackled underfoot. If Isfet’s pace flagged, Arden heckled proportionally. It was their form of encouragement. 

Eventually they reached the water’s edge-- a large, winding river that curled through the forest and disappeared around a rocky outcropping. It was wide enough in these parts to warrant swimming across, but area by the bank was shallow enough, as promised. And it was slow-moving. No risk of Isfet being swept away, even if that would be infinitely more convenient.

“Scrub the iron away. And wear this.” They dropped the bundle of clothes on a flat-topped rock nearby. “Burn the rest.”

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

There was another moment of silence (to commemorate the passing of the remainder of Isfet’s dignity), and then he finally poked his face out from under the fallen trees. The blanket was pulled up over his head like a hood, but his face was still visible as he squinted up at Arden.

“You could still just point me in the right direction…” He know that wasn’t going to happen, but it was worth a shot. “I know my norths, souths, easts, wests,” he continued, accompanied by gestures in their respective directions (and accurately).

Isfet was far from confident about any of this, but he still crawled the rest of the way out. He didn’t stand just yet, though. He was content to crouch here on the leafy ground and try and convince this being to, quite literally, leave him alone.

Impressive, that Isfet could guess the directions correctly. Their expression remained as skeptical as ever.

“Stand on your weird little feet.” They flapped their wings once, twice, sending loose dirt and pebbles skidding across the forest floor. “You will walk there or I will drag you. Your choice.”

Not that they would give him very long to decide either way.

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

“No I don’t know how to swim,” he huffed. Good a reason as any to not want to go playing around in a goddamn river.

The offer of the blanket oddly only served to make Isfet even more testy. Hard to deny help when it was offered, and trying to make excuses for it was exhausting (even if some of the excuses were legitimate).

There was no further reply for a moment. All was still.

And then the blanket disappeared between the cracks in the wood, and there was a soft grunt and some rustling sounds. Then, “Which direction is the river.”

They didn’t trust Isfet to find his way out of a paper bag. He was stuck in a log, in the woods, lost. Arden had no confidence in his navigational skills.

“I will... take you there,” they said slowly, carefully, as if the thought pained them. “You would not find it.”

Their talons tightened around another bundle of cloth. It wasn’t their nicest pair of clothes, just some old thrifted items that would fit Isfet (poorly). And they wouldn’t reek. Small price to pay for some peace and quiet.

“Out, out, out. Get out.”

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

This fucking… bird… person… was insufferable! As awkward as Isfet felt around people in the city, at least he had a good baseline for what was normal or not. This scenario he had no experience with. He was relieved when they flew off, even if it kicked up more dust and debris into the air for a moment. But he knew they’d be back.

And then there was a moment of true relief. The small space between the logs was covered, not just with this being’s shadow, but an actual piece of cloth. Not that the relief lasted long when he realized he wasn’t just being left alone to rest in peace (ha) but still being coaxed out of his hidey-hole.

They just weren’t gonna give up, huh?

There was no movement from below, not even to grab the blanket. Just a grumbled question: “How deep is the river.”

This vampire was grating on every single one of their nerves.

“What? You do not know how to swim? Want a puddle instead? Splash around like a fledgling?” They hopped off the log and to one side, rustling their feathers as they settled.

“...there are shallows,” they added after a moment, reluctantly. “You will survive. If I do not kill you first.” The threat was mostly empty, but Isfet didn’t need to know that. Disposing of a body would be more trouble than it was worth. And the crackling, metallic smell had turned their stomach.

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

Isfet heard that fuck you and the only thing stopping him from responding in kind was him quite literally biting his tongue. Augh!

He squirmed to wedge himself as far back as he could now, and a beam of beautiful, soft daylight landed gently on his hand. “Fuck! Stop that! Weren’t you listening? I’m a vampire! I have to stay out of the sun!

“Soft baby,” they said, each word dripping with scorn. “Fine. Wait here.” There was a rush of air, the powerful beat of wings, and then they were gone-- for a time. Just long enough to return to their nest and pick up one of their older, rattier blankets. A gift from Enok, when the first frost had set in and the air grew sharp.

They flew back to the log, dropping the blanket on top of the crack without much fanfare.

“Cover up. Time for a bath.” 

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

“I came from the city. I’m going to…” He sputtered as a tiny piece of bark landed in his mouth. Out of frustration, Isfet launched a kick up at the trunk above him. It didn’t help anything, it made more wood debris fall on him, and it was stupid to antagonize so close to those huge raptor claws, but it had made him feel better for a good full second. Sort of.

“I’m not sure where I’m going, but it’s not… here. Christ, the quicker you let me get some fucking sleep the quicker I’ll be in tip top shape to leave you alone!”

The solid thunk from below didn’t startle them, considering Isfet’s empty threats and spitfire attitude, but it did succeed in provoking them. Their feathers fluffed, eyes narrowed.

“Fuck you,” they muttered quietly, before slowly, vindictively tearing away another piece of wood. The gap widened an inch, sunlight trickling past Arden’s large, looming sillhouette.

"Ugh. How will you leave, like this? Twig legs. And bloody. You will bring hunters to my woods.” Their talons tightened on the edge of the gap, threatening to tear it even wider. “Wash first, then sleep. There is a river nearby.”

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

“Sure. Hiding, taking shelter, whatever you wanna call it. I’m not as soft as I look.” He grimaced up at Arden, just barely stopping himself from baring his teeth at them; that was a primal instinct that meant virtually nothing when faced with big talons like those. “But I appreciate the concern,” he sneered. The longer this conversation went on, the more on edge he was becoming.

"I am not concerned,” they said flatly, as if offended by the very notion. “Where did you come from. Where are you going. You use many words and say very little.”

A cloud of dust and dirt showered Isfet as they shifted, pacing the length of the trunk. 

“Tell me.”

[treenest]

imthesameimthesame​:

“What? If you get it for me, of course I’ll wear it!” Harper turned around indignantly, pointing at the star on the front. “It looks great! But I can’t wear it out of the store. They wouldn’t like that, haha!”

They pulled it back over their shoulders and slipped back into their original shirt, completely unaware of Arden’s secret thoughts and feelings.

“We can pay for these, and then go get something to eat! How does that sound?”

More useless rules. Arden swapped the purple shirt for Harper’s jacket, giving a sharp, quick nod. The motion was bird-like-- not very human at all. They were still growing used to this body of theirs.

“...what can we get? You can only drink. I only hunt.”

Enok had told them not to catch or kill any small creatures running around the city. Not only was it frowned upon, but apparently they weren’t clean. Disgusting. This was never an issue back home, or on Vitromi, for that matter.

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

Isfet peered right back up at them through a space between the logs. He didn’t appreciate the sudden patronizing manner, and it showed in the way his brows furrowed as he frowned up at them. “No one’s coming after me!” he snapped. “Anyone who would want to thinks I’m already dead. Problem solved. You can keep your peace and quiet or whatever.”

“I can see why. You look dead.” Arden debated yanking up some of the brittle, dead wood, antagonizing the vampire even further. Maybe he would scamper away. Arden had missed the thrill of the chase. 

“...what are you doing here, if not running? Hiding? You do not belong here. Too soft.”

[treenest]

For this ask meme, sent by Bell: What do they like that nobody else does?

They like the taste of summer air warmed by twin suns overhead. They like the scent of sky and rustfowl, the quiet creaking of the Valdenwood in a storm. They like the thrill of a proper hunt, down paths they have traced a hundred times before. They like the snap and chirp of their native tongue, the songs that would fill the forests come spring, the scalding sands of the valleys.

They are alone, in this liking.

No one else is here to remember them. 

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

Isfet jumped when the bird-person hopped up, but at least managed to avoid smacking his head a second time. He curled up a little smaller.

“Yeah, well you’re not exactly rose scented yourself, bud. And I’m not hiding, I’m keeping out of the sun!” He smacked the side of his fist against the log above him, just for emphasis. “Vamps and sun don’t mix well, got it? I said I’d leave and I will, just not yet.”

Then the vampire shifted a little so he was a bit further from where those talons were. “How’s it causing trouble for you, huh?”

They stared at him in quiet disbelief. He... couldn’t be serious. Could he? Was he really that dense?

“...whatever you are trying to escape... will come looking for you,” they explained slowly, as if speaking to a small toddler. “I do not want more branch-breakers here, scaring off every creature in the forest. Tell me. Who is coming.”

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

“Huh??” Isfet leaned forward a bit, to give this new stranger a scrutinizing look, but then retreated just as quickly as they approached. He tucked himself as far back as he could while still being able to keep an eye on them.

“I’m a vampire,” he said, in a terse, matter-of-fact way. “Are you new here or something?” He leaned out further a moment. “And I don’t see your fuckin’ name anywhere. You wanna keep out trespassers, make a damn sign!”

Then he remembered the situation again and he disappeared out of sight back under the cover of the logs. Ohhh, stupid. Just because the last guy he’d spoken pleasantly with had turned out to be a douche didn’t mean doing the opposite here was going to help him any.

His voice was a little muffled now, but he continued the conversation anyway. “I’ll go, soon as the sun goes down. Won’t catch me on your property again. Okay?”

Vampire, the term rang a very small bell. Insignificant. Tiny teeth, blunt nails. They were no threat, even if they had overrun the area like shiver bugs. Al’thea.

“I do not read.” They circled the small clearing around Isfet’s makeshift shelter, hopping up onto the fallen tree trunks. Wood splintered quietly as they tightened their grip, steadied themself.

“You are here now, and you stink. That will cause trouble, for me. What are you running from? Little baby rabbit in its den. Why are you hiding. Who are you hiding from.”

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

“The fuck?” Broken rain?? What in the goddamn…?

“I don’t want shit, I’m just trying to fuckin’– sleep without getting burned by the goddamn sun!” He was feeling particularly snarly right now, for a variety of reasons, none of which really had to do with the fucking bird person interrogating him but the fucking bird person was here and as good a target for his vitriol as anything. “What are you doing here?”

Despite his sneering, Isfet remained largely tucked into his shitty little shelter. His eyes didn’t miss those sharp talons or the way they tore into the soft ground earth below.

Arden bared their teeth-- visciously sharp, like the rest of them-- none too pleased by Isfet’s attitude. Who did he think he was? Flimsy paper man. Crisping like a dried leaf.

“This is my home. Burn.”

They took a few steps closer, striding with the same swaying gait as any large raptor, only larger. 

“...you. What are you. Not a human, not a star. Do you bleed? Do you heal?”

[treenest]

stealoncepaytwice​:

Initially all Arden got in response was a gasped, “Huh?!” Then silence. Isfet’s hand clamped over his mouth as if he were a cartoon character.

Then his sleepy and rattled mind caught up with the fact that he’d clearly already been heard, and this little ‘shelter’ was not going to protect him from anyone who meant him harm, so…

Tentatively, he peered his head out halfway, to get a look at whoever it was this time. His brows furrowed when he was met with feathers and talons. “What the fuck are you?”

“Asked you first.” They dug their talons into the loose dirt and leaves, churning them with quiet fury. This was already turning into more of a nuisance than they expected. Bright golden eyes tracked Isfet’s every move, no matter how small.

“You stink of rain. Broken rain. And blood. Who are you. What do you want from here.”

[stealoncepaytwice]

Things That Go Bump In The Day

“FUCK!”

—

His clothes were dry. So that was a victory. Isfet was still hungry (hungrier, hungrier) and sore and tired, and maybe more lost than he’d been a day ago, but he was dry! He’d take it. He’d take anything at this point.

And, as a nice bonus, today’s hidey hole had presented itself without him even needing to look for it. One mossy tree stump, a couple of dead trees fallen in such a way that he could crawl beneath for shelter and use his jacket as a cushion… Win-win.

He still looked longingly at his phone, but this time he left it set safely nearby instead of clutched in his hands. He wouldn’t tempt fate a second time.

Not that he had to. Fate always found him anyway. Isfet had fallen asleep a bit more comfortably than his first morning, and a bit deeper. A little calmer. Just enough that when midday came and the sun positioned itself just right for a nice beautiful little beam to come shining through the gap between logs, just right for it to land on his uncovered cheek, he didn’t wake. Not immediately, anyway.

It was only when it really began to sting, then burn, that he awoke with a terrible start. And it wasn’t even the crackling burn that had him shouting. It was the way he jolted up and smacked his head directly into the wood above him that had him yelling out and breaking the otherwise serene, lovely sounds of nature.

“FUCK!”

[treenest]

The woods were quiet before dawn, a creature of roots and earth, holding its breath as the sun began to rise. Creatures had just begun to stir and venture from their hideaways. Birds, from their nests.

A harpy, ready to resume the hunt.

Arden stretched their wings languidly, the tips of their feathers brushing against the low-hanging branches of nearby trees. They always liked these hours of stolen time, when there were no gryphons to hassle them or wayward hikers to send them scrambling. It gave them a chance to lean into their instincts, lose themself to the sights and sounds and scents of the forest. Quiet their mind, if only for a little while. No Odies here. No door knobs, either. Just moss, and peat, and—

And—

And a strange lump of a creature, tucked beneath boughs of fallen trees. It reeked. Like iron and ozone moments before a storm. Heat and metal. Their nose wrinkled as they inched closer, peering into the darkness.

Feh. They weren’t allowed to eat people, but there were no rules about something that had already died, were there? Not that it would taste very good, like this. And left alone, it would attract all sorts of unwanted attention… Maybe they should dispose of it, then, and save themself the trouble. It was too close to their nest.

No sooner had the thought crossed their mind that the lump stirred, let out a sharp cry and a curse. Arden startled, feathers fluffing in alarm.

“Fuck you,” they hissed emphatically. It was their favorite word they had learned from Enok. Finally, a fitting opportunity to use it. “Who are you. Trespassing.”