Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Mon Aug 20, 2012 7:30 pm

Beatrix was watching her feet as she walked, listening to Gael's deep, soft voice.
She could hear a slight bitterness in his voice, but it was hardly noticeable. She didn't want to look at his face while he told this story. She was afraid she would start being emotional again, and that is not natural at all for a Chimaera.
"You must have really loved your sister....What a fantastic mystery, all this love that surrounds humans."
She nodded in his direction.
"Go on."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:20 pm

"Love is what makes us strong," Gael said quietly, suddenly turning his head to study her for a moment. Her head was bowed too and her eyes seemed to be on her feet. Maybe she was avoiding his eyes, but he wasn't going to investigate the matter. "But it also makes us weak." Then he shook himself; he was being stupid. "Sorry, didn't mean to be sentimental. Got carried away. You wanted to hear the rest..."

The werewolf cleared his throat softly and then began again. "It was the year that I turned sixteen that the tolerance of the villagers began to wain. At first, when I first got bit, it wasn't so bad. They tolerated me, but it was clear that I was unwelcome around their children and the women. I guess that I should have expected it, but it still disappointed me. What friends I did have left me and I found myself alone. It wasn't just me, though, it was Adir too. Her friends in the rest of the village were too scared of me to be around her and too afraid of what everyone else thought to risk the chance of unpopularity and rumors if they were seen with the werewolf's sister." Once again, his voice had turned bitter.

"I dunno, I was almost proud that I had managed to survive what I had been through... To hell to the fact that I was scared for life; at the end of the day, I still managed to stay alive. I mean, I always did what I could to be as far away from people as I could when the time of the full moon came... I did what little I could to keep them safe. But I was a monster; and, that was all they saw. They killed Adir and eventually my parents died, trying to give me enough time to run... I lost my faith in humanity around that time. They're the real monsters in this story."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:51 pm

"Always are..... It not what they call the 'monster' itself, it is the fact that all they can see is a monster. In reality, the 'monster' is doing what it feels is right and natural, or the 'monster' is being forced to act that way. I should know. I am what they would call a monster. Have you ever heard the story of Bellaphron? off to fight the evil Chimera, who had the head of a snake, a goat and a lion? There two sided to that story. And the hideous hybrid they depict? That was just a representation, trying to show that Chimeras were more than one creature, and yet still one. Humans fear me, but animals do not, for they know Chimeras to be what they are, and not what the society says they are."
Beatrix smiled curiously, surprised by the constant flow of words coming out of her mouth.
"There is safety in a group, and yet wisdom comes when you are alone."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:08 pm

"A person can be smart on their own," Gael said tiredly. "As soon as you get them together in a group, that intelligence deserts them."

Contempt had entered his voice and he stopped himself. "Oh, gosh, I'm sorry, Trix," he groaned, passing a hand through his hair. He was, quite simply, horrified with himself. He had just done himself what he had mentally scorned Beatrix for doing. He had thought of himself as above other humans for the sole reason of being different from them... As if being a werewolf made him better than all the others when, in fact, it made him so much worse. Just because he was different didn't make him lesser or greater or have any special knowledge that they didn't. As he walked on, he realized that he was starting to think of humans as a group... Not individually as souls who really mattered. He was treating them like an enemy or opposition. How could he let himself be so stupid? He was one of them too!

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:45 am

Beatrix stopped in her tracks, her feet wet and cold as she stared at Gael.
"Why do you say you are sorry? Nothing has been done to be sorry for."
Beatrix genuinely did not understand why Gael was apologizing. And she never truly would. It is not in a Chimera's nature to understand the guilt of holding yourself higher than others. Chimeras actually are higher than most other creatures, their knowledge only exceeded by some dragons, their strength only exceeded by some dragons, and their life span only exceeded by those cursed with immortality or some dragons. Not even all dragons exceed the immense power of a seasoned Chimera. They are, by their very nature, incredibly powerful, and they understand it. And because they understand it, they accept it.
Beatrix would never understand Gaels guilt.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:26 am

"Because, here I am, telling you exactly how horrible humans can be when I'm still one of them!" Gael could have kicked himself. "Just because I'm a werewolf doesn't mean that I'm any better than they are... It makes me worse, dammit!"

The werewolf was horrified with himself and that horror made him miserable. How could he have let that happen? How could he have been so stupid as to fall into the same trap that so many others had before him? It wasn't right... It was a disgrace. It was... It was...

No. Gael took a deep breath. It wasn't all bad. It wasn't the end of the world, he would just have to make sure not to make the mistake again. He was no better than any of those humans that he came from. He was in the wrong and he knew it. Unfortunately, he couldn't do anything about it now. In future, he would have to tread lightly. With a sigh, he brushed some snow off himself. A few seconds later, new flurries settled on him and he sighed again. What was the use?

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:51 am

Beatrix cocked her head to the side.
"No, you are not worse than them. We just spoke of this. Society, humanity, they are the monsters. You are just a victim of terrible circumstance and human fear. You should not be disgusted, as I can tell you are. You are a victim. It was never your fault that you were bitten by a werewolf, nor was it the werewolf's fault that he was born a werewolf or that he bit you. Things happen, and most are not good, but they cannot be prevented and there is no use being upset over them.
Beatrix stared at a bird flying in the distance as she went on.
"I have heard of a lot of Werewolves similar to you, and yet not similar at all. They are placed in the positions that you are, but instead of living, some kill themselves. But some deal with it, joining other werewolves, believing that that is their community now. And some turn all out Monster, sometimes purposely hunting down particular, innocent humans."
Beatrix shifted her feet awkwardly, feeling a slight anger at her confusion.
"And please don't be emotional. My species is not emotional."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:58 am

Don't be emotional...

Gael shivered. Well, that wasn't hard for him. He had spent years blocking out emotion, learning to live with a forever cold expression on his face, to keep the storms within him out of sight. If she wished him to bottle it away as he always had, he would hardly have to try. Four more nights until the full moon... three days. With a shudder, he forced his thoughts away. Very well. He could hide from her as well.

"Do you wish for me to continue?" he asked her, his voice expressionless and his face a hard mask. "There isn't much more to tell after I was run out, unless you want to hear what little I know of my attacks on people..."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:02 pm

Gael shivered. Beatrix hoped it was because he was upset. How would she deal with that?
Gael asked if she wanted him to continue his story. Beatrix looked up at his expressionless face. She was sure she had upset him, but why stop now?
"Of course! Tell me as much as you possibly can, and leave nothing out. I want to know everything."

ooc: Sorry about all of my posts being so short, I just can't come up with all the deep, awesome stuff you put into yours......

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:16 pm

"I am not aware of anything that goes on during the attacks," Gael warned her. As usual when he spoke, his voice was cold and rough from lack of use. "I go berserk... but in the form of a giant wolf. I would slay my best friend if he stood in my way; I wouldn't be able to tell the difference." He looked at her, very seriously. "When the time of the full moon comes, I would suggest that you take some bird form so that I have no hope of destroying you. A human form would be far too dangerous as humans are the only creatures that can become werewolves... Elves and Dwarfs can be bitten, but not turned. I'm not sure how or why this is the way things work, but that's the way it is."

He kept walking, thinking about what he was, or should, tell her. What was safe to tell her without her fearing him and then running away? There was nothing for it and he was too honest a soul to tell her anything, except the exact truth.

"I did a lot of wandering after I was forced to flee," he began. "During those first three years, six people fell because of me... Everywhere I went, I always did what I could to stay away from people and travel off the roads in the wilds. Those that had a price on their heads, were simply cautious or lost... those were the types of people to have the ill fortune to come across me at the full moon."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:26 pm

"Have you killed many unknowingly? Do you even remember what happened after you turn human again?"
Beatrix was ignorant of the questions that could cause Gael more pain. Beatrix's golden eyes wandered over the mountaintops as they walked.
"It is sad, and I'm am sorry that you have killed. But it is as much of who you are now as...Fishing used to be."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:39 pm

Gael's mind cringed at her questions. Yes, he had killed quite a lot of people... at least twelve, but after yesterday... How many now? Did he even want to think about that now? Did he dare? Why was he doing this to himself, though? Why was he digging up old and painful memories just because she asked him to? It was cruel to do such to himself and it was unfair to her as well. She was too innocent to see what she was doing to him.

"In werewolf form, I have not yelled killed a soul while I was in my conscious mind. You see... I think that if I was in posession of my human mind during the time of the transformation that I would never harm a creature; friend or foe." Gael forced his lips to move, to tell her these things. It was costing him every ounce of his will to plow onwards, though his face remained a cold mask. His voice gave nothing away of what he was going through inside; not even a hint. He sounded cold, calm, and detached... almost as if it were easy for him to do this. "Before yesterday, I think I had killed twelve..."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:42 pm

"And what happened yesterday?"
Beatrix asked without hesitation, but quickly decided he might not want to tell.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 1:14 pm

Gael sighed and shook his head. Why did it up? For the love of Heaven and Earth, why was he doing this?

"It's alright," he said, voice even. Cold, but even. There wasn't a trace of fear, pain, or self-hatred in it. He took a deep breath, readying himself. "I ran into an assassin yesterday," he said calmly. “He was a man with many enemies, and before we had gone onward a quarter of a mile, the hunt had caught up with us.” He shook his head, still hardly able to believe the numbers. “Men and dogs, more than I could count in the little time there was to ready ourselves. Unless I wanted to die with him, there was no choice left to me but to aide him in the fight; and aide him I did. By the time we were done, not a soul remained alive. I burned the bodies.”

He sounded completely emotionless, as if the retelling was no big deal, as if he killed like that all the time. In truth, he had never harmed a soul in his right mind. Now that he had, he was still trying to adjust to the change. The knowledge that he had intentionally killed people numbed his brain, still made everything around him seem to be only a dream.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 4:43 pm

"Hmmm... Interesting."
Beatrix turned to look at Gael. "You try very hard to be a human, more human than you are, anyways. And yet, there are thousands of humans who have killed thousands of other humans and felt nothing, no guilt, no shame. Some even enjoy it. And yet, The kind of human you seem to want to be still takes lives. Lives of insects, lives of mammals, lives of fish. And yet humans feel no guilt for those who do not look like them. Rabbits have feelings, you know. They have families, homes, lives. Just because they live differently, speak differently and act differently doesn't mean it's OK to kill them. And yet again I come back to being a monster. Hunters believe tat it is best that rabbits die, and so they kill rabbits. But you may as well just go out hunting other humans, for the effects it has. Rabbits mourn their family and friends, just as we do. I have met some good, nice rabbits, killed by human hunters. The rabbits understand that it is just the way that life is. Life is full of death It always has been, and it always will be. But we have to accept it, or it will destroy us."
Beatrix's golden eyes glinted with centuries of intelligence. If Chimera's had stronger emotions, they would kill themselves.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:38 pm

"You're right, and I know that," Gael said.

He was frustrated him with himself in the extreme. Why was he having this kind of a reaction? In a way, he had always held other people in contempt for being so stupid, so unintelligent, unaware, all of it! So why was it now that he was suddenly finding himself so horrified? The simple answer was simply that he had also looked down on Beatrix for acting so high and mighty. It had taken her attitude to finally show him what he himself was really like. And what he saw, shocked him.

"Just... forget it," Gael muttered, waving a hand. "I'll think on it for the time being, but my mind needs a while to take all that in."

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:04 pm

Beatrix shrugged. She was sure that he was suffering from some internal unhappiness, and that she could do nothing about it. What brought it, though, Beatrix had no idea.
"Just say the word if you would like me to do something."
Beatrix tried to smile warmly, but it was just too cold for that.
They walked for a little while longer, and Beatrix was beginning to become bored. But she refused to upset Gael again, for she didn't know what he would do if he was angered....She would just have to wait it out.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:37 pm

"You going to tell me anything about yourself?" Gael asked Beatrix after what seemed hours of walking on with nothing but silence between them. His mouth was parched and dry, he'd need to grab some snow to chew on soon. "It feels weird having you know so much of me and I know so little of you... But if you'd rather me not know, that's fine too."

He really didn't know what to say. Breatrix was nice and all, but he felt uncomfortable not knowing anything about her but her name and species. It was strange because he was used to either knowing someone really well or not at all. He felt like he sort of knew her, for he understood her personality for the most part and could predict how she would respond in a situation, but he didn't know her. Did she have something to hide or had they just not gotten to it yet? He wasn't sure, but he was curious about her.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:54 pm

Beatrix stopped and stared at him, a knowing and slightly amused look on her gentle face.
"You don't really want to know. You don't even know what you think of me or how to deal with me yet. I will tell you my story, though it has never been told before. You will be the first to hear the tale of Beatrix, and her tale isn't even over yet."
Beatrix began walking. "My story is not a terribly interesting one, but it is rather long, if I include every adventure. Let me start you off with a simple fact: I am 237 years old."
Beatrix didn't look at Gael's face, afraid that there might be fear and shock in the deep brown eyes of her traveling companion.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:08 pm

Gael was surprised, but the shock didn't register on his face. He felt disappointed, but he was unsure as to why he felt so. It wasn't like the detail was important, for that couldn't be very old in Chimera years; they could probably live a lot longer than humans. In fact, he felt like he should have expected it or guessed at the fact that she was far older than she appeared a long time ago.

"That's pretty old in our time," he commented, voice indifferent. "I suppose that can't be very old for you, though."

He wasn't sure what to make of her. One moment she was sweet and warm... the next she was cold and angry. Her mood swings made it hard to keep up with, but it wasn't anything that he wasn't used to, or hadn't been at one time. His little sister's moods had been as fickle as the wind before he had lost her.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:23 pm

Beatrix smiled faintly, though she didn't know why.
"I think I'm about 22 in human years.....You're somewhere around that age, aren't you?"
Beatrix continued without letting him answer. "I was born 237 years ago to a fox named Lindl. I also had two brothers. They were both regular foxes. Chimeras are born with knowledge of what they are. I told my mother as soon as I could, and, in revulsion, she threw me out. Luckily, though, I had a sense of how to change shapes, so I was able to survive. As all Chimeras do, we go on a quest to find our true name. This can only be told to us by another Chimera, for only Chimeras can realize what a creatures true name is. So, I searched for 49 years until I found an elderly Chimera by the name of Silas, and he told me my true name, Beatrix, immediately. Until then, my name had been Gwen. Is this all making sense so far?"
Beatrix stopped and glanced at Gael, wondering what he was thinking.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:05 pm

Gael nodded his head, taking this in. He could understand why her mother would have rejected her, upon discovering her difference. She had probably been scared of what her presence might mean for her as well as horrified that she had had a child that was so different from all the others. Humans, it seemed, were not the only creatures that were adverse to difference. The thing about the true names interesting, though. Did only Chimeras have true names, or did all creatures have them and just never know it? Was his name truly Gaelgathor? He decided to ask her, come what may.

"So, do only Chimeras have true names, or do other species posses them as well?" he asked her, voice curious yet cold, but face expressionless.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Wed Aug 22, 2012 7:37 pm

Beatrix started, surprised by his curiosity.
"Everything has a true name. You have a true name. That bird has a true name. Even that tree has a true name. Every living thing has a true name, but it takes certain creatures to see and understand. Chimeras can only tell the true names of other Chimeras, sadly. Only extremely powerful wizards and dragons can tell the true name of even the lowly creatures, like beetles. But," She added after a moment. "Your true name is most likely not Gaelgathor. Very rarely is a being given his true name to be called by. There are a power in names, you know, and that power should be kept safe."
The whole time Beatrix was speaking, she never looked at Gaels face. She could tell that he had been severely upset and would be as emotionless as possible. Beatrix sighed inwardly. Humans were far too complicated.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Thu Aug 23, 2012 7:04 am

There werewolf took a few minutes to think. It seemed logical to him and there were no holes in the explanation that he could see. So everything had a true name... Even he. "I suppose that makes sense," Gael said, after a few minutes of thinking that over. "It's too bad that very few ever discover theirs."

He blinked snow out of his eyes as tree branch deposited its load on top of his head. Shivering, he shook his head to try and get the cold stuff out of his hair, for he could already feel it starting to melt. Brilliant. Just what he needed right then, too. The wind was to his back, so he managed to pull his hood over his head and it stayed, for once. His over-large eyes studied his feet as he moved steadily on, keeping up with Beatrix.

"So what happened after you discovered your true name?" he asked her, shooting a glance her way as he spoke.

Subject: Re: Dark Creatures Live In The Dark Forest Thu Aug 23, 2012 12:40 pm

"When I got my true name, I became free to travel the world; and so I devoted my life to learning all that I can. Little since then has happened that is worthy of note, but I have met rare and fantastic creatures. And I have fought some of those. But those aren't stories that would interest you. Those are the humdrum bits of my long life."
Beatrix thought for a moment, implying that her story was over.
"How do creatures other than animals react to you? Have you ever had a conversation with a wolf? I find them to be most charming creatures."
Beatrix turned her innocent face to Gael.

» Gavin Pritchard