Songbird of Zaun

Fire and Ash

(cross-posted on AO3- All updates go there first! Songs to Listen to while Reading: Game of Survival- Ruelle)

You remember the fire glinting off the soldiers' armor more than anything. They marched into your city, your home, burning everything and everyone to ashes. You remember the screams, remember watching your Fathers scrambling to grab essentials before running out the door, clutching you tightly in their arms. There was blood and bodies everywhere. The green, green grass you had played in all your life was drenched red with the blood of those you had once called friends and family. All around you there was screaming, the wheezing gasps of the dying, and the final war cries of your Village's Warriors. Though you were young, you knew you would never be able to go home again and your loud sobs mixed with the cacophony of terrified screams.

Then there was a blur. Someone had shoved your Papa so hard, that you both hit the ground, and you were thrown away from him. Before he could grab you, the crowd dragged him away, your screams drowned out by the stampede. You felt as if you were drowning, surrounded by a tsunami of sound and bodies, and any attempt to save yourself was thwarted by the other people desperately trying to stay afloat.

"Daddy!! Please Daddy, help!" You wanted to go back to this morning. When your Papa was making breakfast and your Daddy was dancing with you in the living room. You imagined you were there so hard that you felt yourself being lifted in the air as if your Daddy was twirling you again. You caught a blurry glimpse of red hair when you opened your eyes and realized you were in the air.

A red-haired Vastayan was holding you, somehow managing to easily move through the crowd. Far off, you could see a woman with a blonde lion's mane of hair, viciously and effortlessly cutting through the invaders. As you watched her crush several soldiers with a Lance as tall as her, you wondered if gods had come to save you and your people. When the red-haired man chuckled, you realized you spoke out loud.

"Not quite, pup." He mumbled, making sure to tuck your head close to his chest and soothingly petting your twitching ears. You sniffled and curled up tighter against his chest, your tail wrapping around his arm just as tight. "Not to worry, little vixen. We couldn't save your home but we can help those of you who are left."

With the invaders being decimated by the Titan of a woman, the path to the boats was less chaotic. Though still frantic, desperation no longer seemed to sit heavy on everyone's chest. You knew you should take this time to look around. You knew your parents must be frantic with worry and you so desperately wanted to be held by them but you were afraid. Afraid to open your eyes again and see what was left of your once beautiful home. Afraid to see the lifeless eyes of another friend staring through you. Opening your eyes meant accepting the truth. That nothing would ever be the same. And you desperately needed everything to be the same.

"Nari! Has anyone seen Nari?! Nari!"

"Papa!!" Hearing the desperate cries of your parents, you finally forced your eyes open, frantically looking around from the safety of your savior's arms. He quickly put you on his shoulders, trying to make sure you could be visible to whoever was calling for you. You were wailing, tears and snot pouring down your face as you screamed for your Papa over and over again. You were desperately wiping your eyes, trying to clear them so you could see but it just made you sob harder. You were shaking so hard, that your savior held you in his arms again, petting your ears again in an attempt to soothe you.

"I think I have a Nari here!" His voice rang clearly over the din of noise and you could hear the relieved shouts of your parents and the grunts of people who were shoved aside in their haste to get to you. You looked up as you were snatched from your savior's arms and saw your Papa's face, dirty and tear-stained and your face screwed up as you loudly started wailing again. He didn't hesitate to tuck your face against his neck, clinging to you so tight it almost hurt and whispering comforting words to you. You felt your Daddy put his forehead against the side of yours and you turned your head towards him, letting his comforting scent surround you as he rubbed his cheek against yours, whispering your name over and over again. You felt your Papa look up and mutter something to your savior and though you didn't hear the response you felt a large clawed hand run its fingers through your hair and you looked up, clearly able to see for the first time in what felt like years but was probably only hours, if not minutes.