Deviant Blood

DB6

Work around their imperfect conditions and continue to seem meek. Siana dragged a cool hand down her face, running her fingers over parted lips. She’d get away, somehow she was going to show them just how clever she really was. With her mind made up, she began the short walk back to her belongings.

A few hours of sleep would do her body some good, ease her mind in some way as well.

He’d not slept a full nights sleep since having to leave the child in his room. A battle was what he’d been called away to, and just like any warrior he took up the call. But his mind kept racing back to Siana, the girl’s whose blood was causing him to crave a sweetness no sweetbread could cure.

Mindlessly spinning his spoon in stew War stared at it with about as much interest as falling leaves. Alone with a field of battle axes and swords, War grunted placing his bowl on the log he occupied. Men around him raised brows, but spoke not a word. They knew of his kind, knew the power he wielded in a single blow.

This was nothing more than a job for him. For them any man seeking such work had to know what he was getting himself into, or have a mighty death wish. When War rose they watched under heavy lids. Advised to allow him such luxuries such as never asking where he may be off to was given to them by a high ranked leader.

A leader who had hired War many times, knowing of his attention on the battlefield. It made War a very interested man among the lords who roamed about in hopes to gain more land.

Tired feet stepped over rubble as he walked past the leader himself, who sat upon a log eating his rashion. Looking up at War he nodded before returning to his meal. Walking straight into the black woods War’s double axes hugged his back silently. His weapon of choice, though he could manage any if an axe wasn’t present.

Lifting his head as eyes closed he inhaled the smells around him. It would rain soon, washing the carnage below the valley away. No more was the calling of horns, sounds of screaming men headed for their deaths silenced with the light pitter patter of tiny rain drops hitting leaves. They slid down falling the rest of the way to darkened earth.

Just like the first row of warriors charging into battle the rain soon began to thicken with its foot soldiers. Becoming louder challenging the sounds of hooves to pound faster than ever before. He could almost hear clashing of swords, a warriors calls to his men as they pushed forward. Crashing of thunder gave way to streaks of fast moving lightning, they wined through dark clouds.

Soaked all the way through his armor War stood unmoving. His body use to harsher conditions, making this so called thunderstorm nothing more than a drizzle. The trickling water washing down was no more water than the blood running through his veins. Deep breaths could pick the fresh clean smell from the tainted death ones.

Raising a hand to rub up his face all the way to the nape of his neck, he held it there when eyes opened slowly to stare at nothing but woods. For him to be thinking of anything but the battles that he may be needed for, was puzzling him inner soul. Like he was bred for fighting, all he ever did was drift from one battlefield to another.

Gone for longer than any other time, War cleared his throat returning to the leaders tent. With one flap of his tend open the leader waved War to come inside. Keeping both arms to his side War walked in, coming to a halt a few feet away from the man.

“Am I to presume you are leaving us?” He asked calmly while sipping a spirit War hadn’t bothered to try yet.

“Yes” Was all he gave as the man nodding downing the last bit of his drink.

“Very well, you have aided my men and I well. I shall pay you what we agreed upon, you’ve earned it” Without further talk he reached down grabbing a satchel, with a light fling he sent it towards War. He caught it without bothering to check the contents.

Nodding in his dismissal War headed out the door, his ears picked up the soft spoken words of the leader before he vanished.

“May your travels be blessed, old friend”

Horse saddled War headed back in which he came. Having very little word on what was becoming of Siana and his home, he grew anxious. With the growing fog War made his way through the heart of a black forest, his horse lightly stepping over fallen trees and babbling streams.

The bay was hearty, well bred from stock of War’s choosing.

Solid hooves pranced on envious ground as the blackest mane flaided in the tossing of his thick neck. A tail swished with the aggravation of steel pushed over tongue and held back from allowing his full potential to be released. Just like its rider, the bay was brewing with power, ambition and the will to charge straight into a blazing fire without a second thought.

Patting his neck in reassurance, the bay snorted his disapproval for his masters affection. He knew where they were headed, had known once his master had put foot to stirrup. This pathway lead to one area, a well known route him and War took to make fast time home. With the knowledge of hot mash waiting for him in his stall, he was eager to pick up the pace.

Feeling the steeds willpower flowing through his feet War sighed, he couldn’t blame the beast. He to was far more eager to reach the bottom of the hill to where his home lay. The smells of his brethren, a hint of what Margaret was cooking. But most of all a reassurance that all was the way he left it, a taste for that would be filling enough.

Melted chocolate eyes peered as far back to War as they could, chewing on his bit the bay waited. His signal would be unnoticeable, and just like his movements flawless. War gave the surrounding area a good look about before he was content in his decision. The one hand that held heavy leather reins dropped slightly to the black mane, his heels had already dropped down way before his hands.

Just as expected his bay pumped his back hooves off soft clay making impressional imprints, allwhile springing a good man lengths ahead. What could've been called thunder echoed throughout the woods, scaring any potential meal far away. An owl called into the night, annoyed with the sudden competition to be had late into the night.

Pulling his hood over brows War lowered just a bit to the steeds neck, cutting wind resistance and giving the final go signal to his mount. Raging above them was the eye of the storm, dashing through it the two became almost unseen by the naked eye. A flicker of silver would sparkle here and there as moonbeam ray would get a chance to grab hold of its craftsmanship, but nothing more than a taste.

Fallen trees, fast moving rivers were nothing to deter the steed from his goal, a mission to get both himself and master home was something of pride for the animal. With only the gesture of where to place his feet War gave the stallion free choice as how fast and how much power to put into each muscle.

His breathing seemed to match his gait, a mixture of heavy beats from steal shoes collided against stones calling out to the cracking lighting above. They competed for dominance. Breaking through the trees into a wide tall grass valley, the wind blew harder wiping the stallion mane around. He snorted never breaking his gait.

Lightning crackled overhead, sending streaks in every direction lighting the blackish blue clouds with a wondrous vibe. Even the cold rain felt good on the faces of the two, seemingly cooling their eagerness to be already be at their destination.