Not that anybody asked, but I wanted to show you guys the horse that inspired the one described in the story. This is my girl, her name is Brandi. 🥰 She's a 16yr old Arabian mix that I rescued off the slaughter truck seven years ago. She is my world. 🥰🥰
Any who, I wanted to remind everybody about the deadline for the cover photo competition. It's January 31st at midnight, after that I'll be posting the photos on a separate thread so you guys can vote on your favorites!
Enjoy and don't forget to comment/ vote! Thank you Thank you!!
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The people didn't even pause to wonder why the gate suddenly opened, they simply wailed with relief as they bolted into the surrounding forest, quickly disappearing into the shadows of the trees. Kinta and Hisoka slowly made their way out the gate, stepping around and over various bodies that sizzled as the heat built around them. Various animals escaped out the gate as the two of them stepped through, walking a few feet away before turning to watch the compound burn.
Hisoka's eye's fell on the red horse Kinta had seemed so fond of, the mare came trotting out of the gate, head held high, the whites of its eyes flashing behind its brown irises as it snorted triumphantly. Obviously afraid of the fire and glad to have finally escaped, the animal stopped for a moment. It was hard to tell with it's wide-set eyes if it was looking at them or the area around them, but realization seemed to dawn on it.
The horse was free, nothing but lush forestry surrounded it now. No small wooden stall walls, ropes or humans to impede it. The animal was well and truly free of it confindes. With another triumphant snort, the horse kicked up its heels and galloped for the tree line, running so hard that it threw clumps of dirt behind it, it's hooves thundering over the roar of the fire behind it as it too disappeared into the shadow of the trees.
A soft laugh from Kinta caught Hisoka's attention again as he turned back to the girl, her blank expression was gone. A broad, almost manic, smile pulled at her lips as the flames danced in her emerald eyes. Another soft laugh escaped her lips as she watched the fire reach up towards the sky, but despite her happy expression, a singular tear rolled down her cheek.
"I cannot read your emotions right now~" The magician cocked his head at her as he reached out and gently wiped the tear away with the back of his finger. "Are you alright, kitten~?"
Kinta turned towards him, her smile never faltering as she looked up at the magician. "Even if my father still comes after me, he can never bring me here again. We've wiped out most of his forces, so he won't have the kind of power he had to begin with anyways."
Hisoka said nothing, simply raising an eyebrow at her as he waited for Kinta to get to her point. She simply laughed at his expression.
"Don't you see, Hisoka?" Kinta motioned to the burning compound, bringing both hands up in a dramatic display as another loud laugh erupted from her chest. "I'm free!" She exclaimed excitedly as he aura flared. "I'm finally free!"
A low chuckle rumbled from Hisoka's chest as he watched her laugh gleefully, spinning in a small circle before turning to watch the flames again. Kinta smiled from ear to ear, the flames illuminated her face, her eyes shining brightly as the sea breeze whipped the loose hairs from her ponytail around her face. The shock of today had finally worn off, replaced by childish wonder and joy. Hisoka had never seen her so happy, like the weight of the world had finally been lifted from her shoulders.
It was odd to think that when Hisoka first met Kinta, he'd intended on this very moment happening. When this weight was finally lifted off her shoulders, is when Kinta would finally be at her most powerful. He'd wanted her to feel on top of the world, ecstatic with her victory over her father so that it'd be all the more satisfying when he knocked her off her pedestal and destroyed her. But now, watching her dance and laugh gleefully as the fire consumed her hell on earth, the urge to fight her was still there but destroying his pet was the last thing Hisoka wanted to do. He no longer wanted to knock her off the pedestal, he wanted to keep her there. He wanted to feed the fire in her eyes, watch it grow as she grew stronger. He'd keep her on that pedestal for as long as it pleased both of them, as far as he could see now, she'd be there for the rest of their lives.
"Hisoka-" Kinta suddenly stopped, turning to face the magician. Her smile didn't falter, but her eyes changed from manic glee to a new, strange, emotion that he couldn't place. "Thank you."
He chuckled at her and slowly shook his head. "No need to thank me, this is just as much fun for me as it was for you~" He motioned to the fire in front of them.
"Not just for this." Her face suddenly grew very serious as she stepped towards him, a slight blush beginning to form along her cheeks. "For everything. For taking me under your wing when nobody else would. You not only sheltered me, you gave me the strength I needed to fight on my own. If it hadn't been for you, I would have died long before I got anywhere close to this-" She motioned to the wreckage behind her.
"Hmm~ it was all for my own selfish reasons~" The magician rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively.
"And you think mine weren't?" Kinta slowly shook her head. "I was just going to use you to get stronger and then kill you as soon as I no longer needed you."
"We had the same goal~" Hisoka chuckled, an amused smile pulling his lips. It was awfully cute that Kinta thought she could kill him.
"But now-" Her voice trailed off as she gazed back at the fire. "What happens after this? After Arthur is dead, do you still want to have our grand showdown to the death?"
"Hmm~ A showdown~? I still want to fight you, Kinta." Hisoka felt Kinta tense next to him as he slipped a hand under her chin and turned her to look at him again. "But kill you? No~ Where would I be now without you~?" He chuckled lightly as he watched Kinta's face slowly turn red, he let his fingers trail down her neck until he hooked a finger in her collar, pulling her even closer to him as he bent so their faces were inches apart. "This collar is an extension of my elastic love~ If you ever want to leave our contract, the only way I'll let you go is through a fight to the death~"
"That'll never happen." Kinta spoke firmly.
"I don't see it happening either~" He purred, a soft smile spreading across his face. "We can still fight, Kinta~ but instead of calling it a death match, we can just call it foreplay~"
Kinta's eyes widened slightly as her blush grew, she opened her mouth like she was about to say something but Hisoka wasn't waiting for her response. He pulled her forward by her collar and pressed a tender kiss against her lips, slipping his free arm around her back as he pulled Kinta against him, dipping her slightly as they kissed. Hisoka released her collar and cradled the back of her head with his hand, deepening the kiss as their lips passionately moved against each other. The heat from the fire licked their skin as they locked themselves in a tender embrace, Kinta's arms wrapped around the back of his neck. The fire roared behind them, slowly starting to light the surrounding brush on fire, but neither of them seemed to care.
"I love you- Hisoka." Kinta finally pulled away, slightly breathless from their embrace, her lips swollen from his kiss.
A low chuckle rumbled from his chest, smiling down at her before tucking Kinta against his chest and wrapping his arms around her. Hugging her as he watched the compound burn behind her. "I love you too, Kinta~"