The Forgotten Zodiac

Luen watched silently, sighing. He rubbed his eyes wearily, then replaced his arms around Forin, leaning on the Tartaran. He rested his chin on the creature's shoulder, saying "I love Diana. She reminds me so much of Jewel that...it...well, it almost hurts. I miss her so much, but Diana helps quench that sadness." He sighed heavily, nuzzling Forin's shoulder, then said "You're like a sibling to me to, Forin. You treat me better than Nelu ever has..."

Forin closed his eyes, but only for a moment. "Nelu...I cannot accept that she was your sister. Kin of this world are supposed to treat each other with kindness and respect, not like how we treat each other on Tartarus." He was silent for a long while, then opened his eyes. He then said something unexpected. "I fear...my time to live is quickly coming to a close. Just...whatever happens, Luen...take care of her."

Luen flinched hard, jerking back from the Tartaran like he had been burned. "Wh-what?" he stammered, greatly confused. "What do you mean? What's wrong? What happened?" His emerald eyes were so full of fear and sorrow that it was nearly palpable. "What do you mean by that?" he asked fearfully, quickly looping his arms tightly around the creature. Like he could hold on and never let him go.

"I...I don't know, myself..." He said quietly, shaking his head. "I just...I don't know. It's this feeling I have in my gut, that...that something is going to go terribly, terribly wrong. And if I don't pay the price for it, someone else will. And...I won't ever, ever let that happen. Because it could be you, or Diana...I don't care what happens to me. So long as you're safe..."

Luen trembled at his words, his frail body quivering. His arms shook as they slowly tightened their hold around Forin, holding on desperately. "But...you just got back... After two long years...I'm with you and Diana again..." he said softly. "You can't leave me now. Please! I...I can't..."

He didn't have many memories of his time with Cern. But they had been very, very bad. He got a few nightmaric flashes of that time and pressed as close to Forin as possible, simply breathing in his scent and trying to keep him close.

Forin shook his head, but he didn't pull away from Luen. "I'll...I'll do what I can to avoid it, but...when it comes down to it, with you and Diana safe, I don't think I would mind dying. I...I'm sad too, but whatever happens, I'm certain that it has to be done..."

Luen was still for a moment longer, then stood up and took deer form. He stood strongly enough; his time unconscious had given him a span of rest that had helped him a lot. He bent his muzzle and took Forin's sleeve into his mouth, pulling on it. He tugged the Tartaran up, saying "Come on, then." He pulled the Tartaran up and pushed him towards his back, nudging him towards his flanks.

"Wha...okay, I guess..." Forin said, climbing up onto Luen's back. "But wait, we can't just leave Diana..." He said, looking back at the sleeping girl.

"I can watch her," Airlia spoke up, approaching from down the hall. When Forin looked at her suspiciously, she smiled. "Not even the guards will get past me."

"Oh...okay..." Forin nodded after much thought. He didn't really have a reason not to trust Airlia; he knew her from two years back. Even if she didn't talk much at all, she always seemed kind and willing to help. Forin eyed her carefully before he allowed Luen to take him away.

((Don't make the fight happen too soon after this. That would just be strange. :T))

(('Course not. It'll be laterz.))

Luen trotted along the halls, his hooves click against the tiles. He made his way outside and broke into a gentle canter, wiry muscles rippling under his solid white coat. He tossed his light tan antlers, which glinted in the sunlight, then started running. He made it out to the building-free fields of the world, just running along. "You promised," he said back to Forin. "That one day, you would laugh me for. The one time before when we ran, you said you held back. Don't hold back now, for me."

Forin gripped the fur around Luen's shoulders, leaning into the heavy galloping of his deer friend. He watched the world whip by, though not a trace of smile slipped onto his face. He was having a hard time so much as thinking happy thoughts; he focused on the bad feeling he had, wondering what on earth could possibly go wrong. About what could possibly happen. He wasn't sure if he could smile or laugh at this point.

But...he had promised, indeed. So what could he do? Forin took a deep breath, thinking hard. Then...he just let go. He cleared his mind, wiped his thoughts, focused on the world passing him by. It was then that he smiled, feeling the wind through his hair, the pounding of his friends hooves, the movement as Luen ran. It was oddly freeing. He felt...happy. There wasn't any other way to describe it. He was happy.

They passed a white forest, a shimmering river, sparkling plains made of clouds. Amnarius really was a nice place; Forin didn't like the brightness of pretty much everything, but it was a paradise of happiness for all creatures.

And at last, after several minutes of running, Forin finally let out a laugh. His was a nice laugh, coated with joy, but clearly burdened with years of suffering. It was almost as though he had never laughed before; he himself was a bit surprised at the sound, but he didn't stop.

Luen flicked his ears back, listening intently, then smiled and kept going. His long legs held Forin's weight easily enough as the kirin bounded along in graceful, even strides. He tossed his head again, his eight tines glinting, then sped up. He extended himself completely, racing over the ground in long, leaping bounds.

For a moment, in the thin sunlight, Forin could swear that snowflakes were drifting off of the kirin's noble head.

Luen ran on, letting out a high-pitched bugle of happiness.

Forin let out a short yelp of surprise as they sped up, but he only held on tighter and laughed all the more. He pushed away his thoughts that pressed for attention, ignoring everything but himself, Luen, and the world around them. He was happy. A new thing for him, really.

They ran on, until Luen decided to turn back. He dropped into a walk now, breathing hard. He was still too skinny and severely underweight, after all. He walked steadily enough, however, and managed to take each step to carry Forin back to the city. He walked calmly along, his gait smooth and even. With his head held up and his large, handsome antlers, he walked with a proud step that was untainted by his current state.

Forin was still smiling as they headed into the city. Instead of insisting upon going straight to the guest house so he could return to Diana, Forin directed Luen to the castle. Once there, he slid off and led his friend to the kitchens. "I'll pick up some dinner for the others, while we're here. But you need to eat right away, Luen," He said.

The kirin followed with his head close to Forin, sighing when he spoke. "Yes," he said. "You're right. I'll...work on that. I should warn you, though, I can no longer eat things that are soild meats. I image that's obvious, what with my new form." He laughed softly, then nuzzled Forin's shoulder. "I can eat things with a bit of meat content in them. Like, stew is fine. But I have to eat greens at some point." He put his slender black nose against the Tartaran's neck, breathing in and out softly.

"I'm sure they can get you something to accomodate your needs," Forin smiled. It would still take a lot of getting used to, though; Luen had gone from a wolf...to a deer. From a hunter to the hunted. It was a bit of a...downgrade, in Forin's opinion, but he only cared that Luen was safe and alive. Though really...a lot of humans would probably get the wrong idea and attack Luen for the prize that his new form was.

Forin made a mental note to warn Nate about that before the bad thing - whatever it may be - happened.

Speaking of, Nate was propped up on one of the beds, his eyes only halfway open. "I wonder when the healers will get here," He said, speaking to no one in particular, though Tasia was in the room with him. The pain was getting blinding, though, apparently. His arms and legs had locked up entirely, and it now took all his strength to so much as move his head. He knew that he could be fixed with the aid of the healers, but he couldn't keep his mind off of the image of him, hunched over in a wheelchair. That also meant he was quickly growing impatient.

((You know Luen will eventually be shot by a hunter.))

The female dragonian tilted her head slightly to the side, looking on in concern. "Seria said she would go and speak with them. I image she'll be fast enough," she murmured. She moved over and leaned over her boyfriend, kissing him gently on his brow. "I love you," she murmured, brushing his hair back gently with one delicate, twisted hand. In a dragonish trait that she learned from Vaira raising her, she lovingly licked once just over his eye, thrumming a soft hum in her throat.

((Shot. Not killed. :T))

"I...I suppose," Nate breathed, longing to reach up and wrap his arms around Tasia. He actually tried; the locking up had come on while he was in Zephyr's paws, so it wasn't too long ago. But he was reminded that his arms were now refusing to move. Painfully. Instead he closed his eyes, a tear slipping from the corner of his eye. Yet again, he felt...useless.

((9.9))

Tasia held him gently, pressing her forehead against his until the healers arrived. Seria opened the door first, holding it open for the seven Divine healers that walked into the building. Many of them dispersed at once, either cloaking themselves in invisiblitly, standing in a corner, or moving to a different room. The head healer, Namanai, make herself known at once. "Greetings, fruath," she said. "Fruath is the word for a pair of dragonians, a 'couple', if you will. The proper term for you two, as passed down from the first two, would be leianaran, which means dragonian mated pair, but as I sense that such a thing has not happened between you two. I explain these things so you will understand, as I am not aware of all of those in this room knowing this." She tucked a stray strand of grey hair back into her well-kept bun, then said "I have been informed of your condition, Nate-durinthuath*, and me and my sisters wish to lend our hand to you. I must hear the acceptance through your own mouth, of course. This process could potentially go wrong, you are well aware of?"

*a sign of even respect, meaning she sees him on equal level, no higher and no lower

"Yes," Nate said quietly, opening his eyes again. "But as long as there's a chance..." He knew how badly it could go; the regrowth of his spine was the most risky part. It could grow incorrectly, not attach to his ribs properly, and a number of other things that Nate really didn't want to think about right now. He swallowed hard, then strained to lift his chin and look up at Namanai. "I accept the risks and ask that you go ahead with the procedure anyways." He dropped his head back again, trying his hardest to keep his eyes on the head healer.