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For as long as you or your ancestors can remember there has never been a day like this one. Something is sliding ominously across the sun in what should be full daylight. But as the hours pass, the darkness and the horror it brings grows. What’s wrong? Is this some prophecy coming to pass? Is this an omen? Did you or your herd know this was coming or were you caught completely unaware?
Eventually, something blocks out the sun entirely and all the sounds of the little creatures who live on this planet ominously stop. It’s as if the world is collectively holding it’s breath. Will the sun come out again? What are you thinking? Are you afraid?
Tell us what happens during the hours of the first full solar eclipse in memory.
Eventually, something blocks out the sun entirely and all the sounds of the little creatures who live on this planet ominously stop. It’s as if the world is collectively holding it’s breath. Will the sun come out again? What are you thinking? Are you afraid?
Tell us what happens during the hours of the first full solar eclipse in memory.
"It is time."
Amdusias stood on the edge of a clearing, his head turned up towards the sun blazing down on him. He took a deep breath, filling his nostrils with the scent of the forest around him. The air smelled afraid, every animal in close range to him cowering somewhere, hiding away from something. Him, perhaps. He was feeling especially bloodthirsty today. Darkness always did do something extra to him and this was going to be a special kind of darkness. He could see it, creeping along the clear blue sky towards the sun sitting high in the sky. This was a time when the world was at its brightest, the shadows small. A perfect time for prey animals to go about their business, knowing most of what they had to fear preferred to hunt in the darker hours of the day. But it was soon to be just that and they knew it, too. The closer the dark spot crept towards the sun, the quieter the world around the Shifter became. Until finally, it covered the light and everything went silent.
A chilling grin spread across his face. Now it was time to play.
Nearby, a pair of small equines was also watching the sky. They were huddled close together, a large blue bird sitting on the back of one, his neck scrunched down towards his body in fear of what was happening above him. The darkness didn't bother him, but this was an unnatural darkness. It should be bright day right now. None of them knew what kind of event was taking place nor how to navigate it. Fionn gave a shrill cry of distress.
Yuurei laid one ear back, wanting to comfort her friend but feeling too afraid to move. She couldn't see the world around her. Couldn't see what was causing both Fionn and Aiolos distress. Didn't need to. Ever since she'd lost her sight, the Nymph had become much more aware of the world around her. She could feel the change in the air and was starting to worry before Aiolos pressed close and she could than feel his shivering. Something was going on around her and she wasn't sure if she had the courage to ask about it.
The third mini that had been with them had gone off by himself only a few days past. She had come to really like Enlil. They had felt like a herd, something she so dearly missed. Something had caught his attention and he'd left for a few days, saying he would find them once more later. With this approaching terror she felt in her bones, Yuurei hoped he had gotten himself somewhere safe. There really was something in the air that was making the world feel so primal.
Aiolos, however, was fine with the other Putti being gone. He was exactly the type of mini he didn't like. So energetic and talkative, he could never sit still and enjoy the peace and quiet of nature around him. It was exhausting to listen to. Still, as his blue eyes watched the dark patch creeping towards and eventually swallow the sunlight, even he wished Enlil was safe somewhere. He wasn't a bad stallion, just noisy and thus not deserving of anything terrible happening to him.
"I think we should..." he started to say, but than stopped. Do what? They had left their cave behind and he didn't know this area. Every part of him was screaming danger. He wanted to run, to run back where they had come. Back to their cave where he knew safety lay. He even looked behind them, turning his head just slightly. There was nowhere to go.
Aiolos turned back around, the world around them now dark and quiet. He didn't want to finish his sentence and break the silence. Clearly neither did his companions. They stood still and held their breath, waiting for whatever it was they were waiting for. They didn't have long to wait before the sound of heavy movement came from the forest to his left. He pushed against Yuurei, forcing her to side-step away from it. She didn't put up any resistance, happy enough to put some distance between her and the noise. He kept peering into the darkness, waiting for something horrible to manifest. He wasn't disappointed. A pair of red eyes stared out at him, at a level close to his own height.
"Hello, small ones. Are you lost?"
The voice sent chills down Yuurei's spine. If she could see the world around her, maybe she would have taken off in a run, though she knew it would do no good. Running always seemed to set these predators off the most. Not that standing still would be any better. She was offering herself up to the beast.
Seemed like they had come to the end of their adventure. What a short lived one it had been. She liked Aiolos and wanted to spend more time with him. Wherever death took them, she hoped it would put them together somewhere.
"Not going to run?" Amdusias continued, stepping further out of the shadows and raising his head, towering over the two. Small. More like a snack on their own. Together they'd make a fine meal. And their fear would only make them tastier. "That's no fun. Than if you aren't going to run, I wonder which one first?"
He needed to do something, but what could he do? He could conjure up small tornadoes. That was all he could do. Barely useful against something of this size.
As he closed his eyes, awaiting what was to come, a sudden screech in hsi right ear made him wince, lowering his head against the sound. Aiolos opened his eyes just as something big soared past his face. Fionn had launched himself from Yuurei's back and flew towards the strange equine, claws extended towards his face. The Putti saw the larger creature's eyes going wide before he was blocked by the blue bird. Clearly he was just as surprised as the rest of them were. With a screech of his own, the red beast staggered back, tossing his head and swiping up with claws Aiolos had not noticed until now.
Yuurei's panic increased tenfold when she felt the weight leave her back. She knew what Fionn was about to do and she didn't like it. She turned towards all the noise, wanting to help her old friend and guide, only to have Aiolos pushing back against her, trying to turn her away from the fight. She fought against him, trying to dart around him, but he was always too fast. Eventually her fear overtook her in the excitement and she finally ran in the direction Aiolos wanted her to. He overtook her and galloped in front of her, leading her away from the shrieking behind them.
"Be safe, old friend," she whispered into the wind.
Pain and anger were the things Amdusias was feeling now. Though this was just a minor inconvenience to him, it didn't sting his face any less. If he could just get one foot up, he could hook the bird in the stomach and throw it off his face. Try as he did to do just that, the bird was faster, darting around his head, clawing and pecking at him. He could feel the blood flowing down his face, getting into his eyes.
Just as soon as the attack came, it stopped, and he heard the flapping of wings fade into the distance. The Shifter growled out a response, unable to see. When he opened his eyes, the world was in red and black. The two smaller equines were nowhere in sight and he hadn't heard where they went through the furious flapping of the bird's wings by his ears. Smart. Now he was unable to chase any of them. The day had been ruined. Now he'd have to stumble around until he found a source of water to wash away the blood from his sight.
Amdusias spread a wing towards his face, trying to wipe at his eyes the best that he could.
Far up in the air, Fionn flew a distance behind the creature, keeping him in his sights until it seemed obvious he wasn't going to be followed. Than he turned around, giving a wide arch around the furious equine and went off in search of his two friends.
Yuurei and Aiolos were running without stopping, fear and adrenaline spurring them on. The blind mare followed in the stallion's steps, both ears forward to listen to the sounds of his hooves hitting the ground. She could feel her legs tiring and was sure he was, too. But still they ran, until they couldn't run anymore. And than they stood still, their heads dipped down to the ground as they breathed in gasps and quick breaths. The sky remained dark above them and the world around them quiet, the only sound coming from them. She had never seen anything like that before. She prayed to whatever higher powers their was that the other members of the Mini herds hadn't meet an end to such a creature.
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