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 Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:44 pm
It wasn't the hunting he hated; it was the feeling of changing into someone else completely. Whenever the thirst for blood reached dire levels, Alu felt himself transform into something decidedly brutal, something like the great cat he had a little scuffle with the other night, whose sole interest was the business of self-preservation and survival. In that mood he would never have been able to entertain Khalidia's imaginative chatter, or paid much attention to Silarial's gentle guidance - those tasks would be completely beyond him.
I become a monster, don't I?
He meditated on that thought as he listened to his own footfalls echo off the walls of the cave, not really paying attention to where he was going. If he was a monster, then he didn't belong with the other two - and yet he sensed that he did, and they accepted him as a mock-herd. Alright, so Khalidia didn't know that he drew blood from other animals, and he hadn't directly told Silarial anything about his condition. But if he was truly a monster, they could have sensed it immediately... just as he had sensed the cat's intentions were not benevolent.
Besides, he wasn't like this all the time; just when he hadn't properly fed for a while. Also, a monster would intentionally go out to cause others harm - he always let his prey escape alive, and the thought of hunting another Kirin sickened him.
In that case... I'm not a monster at all, Alucard concluded happily. It was only then that he realised he was at a part of the cave unknown to him. A side tunnel, perhaps. He was just about to backtrack to the main artery when he heard a small squeak.
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:40 am
The Runt had known she was in trouble the minute the ceiling rumbled, a shower of pebbles glancing off her back. Her frantic flapping of leather wings to escape the tunnel had ended in failure. Back leg pinned under a rock the size of her furry body, the vampire bat had ceased struggling after realising she wasn't strong enough, and starved for the past day.
She had been fully prepared to die - she never expected to live this long and had fought the hardest she could. When she saw Alucard, however, both beady eyes lit up. Bats couldn't talk to his kind, sure, but they had enough in common: a home, sleeping hours, food preference. He could help her, if he knew she was there.
The Runt swallowed, moistened her parched throat, and let out as loud a squeak as she could.
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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:53 pm
Even with eyes accustomed to night and gloom, Alu had trouble picking out the source of the sound. Luminous moss lit the cave faintly everywhere but here. It didn't take him long to figure out why - the pile of rocks told the whole story.
At the base of it all the vampire Kirin noticed something twitch. He gave a snort of satisfaction and lowered his head to find himself nose-to-nose and eye-to-eye with another cave resident.
"It's you again!" He exclaimed in delight, snuffling the bat. Last time they met, he was sprouting longer legs and they were chasing the same mouse. Only one small family out of the entire population of cave bats drank blood like he did, and Alucard greeting each member happily whenever he saw them. He'd always felt sorry for this one, though - it was the smallest of the young ones, and always getting bullied.
"Out for another night by yourself? How are you doing?
... How did you end up on the ground?"
Pile of rocks, animal that usually flies about stuck on the ground. Right. Khalidia would have figured it out immediately, straight after she'd finished visualizing the tunnel caving in. He just wasted time trying to get reacquainted. With a lingering sense of guilt and shame he studied the lone rock thoughtfully, figuring out which way to roll it so his large-eared friend would not be crushed further. All the while she gazed at him with hopeful, tired eyes.
Carefully he manoeuvred his way to the other side, and, using his horn like a lever, pushed the rock away.
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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 2:44 am
Freeeee! Once the weight was off, The Runt took flight. Nevermind that her leg still hurt - she'd defied the odds once again. As the stallion straightened up she circled him once, twice, three times, celebrating.
But the bat was much weaker than she thought. Tired, hungry and thirsty, she slowed and finally hooked the good leg on a ridge somewhere along Alucard's horn. Just a little nap...
Alucard watched his bloodsucking friend fall into a half-lidded doze with his eyes crossed, admiring the way she hugged herself with her wings. What a clever way to keep warm, and she looked so neat sleeping in a leather-wrapped package.
With a new weight on his horn, the vampire trotted back to his part of the cave as smoothly and quietly as he knew how.
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