Post by The Stranger on Jun 6, 2008 14:05:50 GMT -5
Anyone Smell A Rat?:
Gawyn groaned and tossed on his straw mattress. He'd experienced the sweltering heat of the Sapphire Isle, but the tight,airless closeness of the city was a marvel, and the cause of much discomfort to him as he lay awake.
He could hear them moving, many of them. Well, he thought, It's not as if I joined the King's Men for the luxury. Thankfully Gawyn had no fear of rats, and even as they grew louder he made no move to chase them off. It was pointless. They'd be back. They knew the passageways of the Red Keep better than Maegor the Cruel himself had. Rolling over onto his side, he managed to block out the snores of his comrades and found himself on the verge of slumber. The last thing he saw before his leaden eyes closed was another pair of glimmering red eyes staring back at him.
Something was wrong. His sight was sharper, clearer than it should be. He went to rub his eyes, than gasped in shock as a furred paw waved in front of his line of vision. At least, he meant to gasp. All that gushed forth was a high pitched squeak, and just as Gawyn began to panic he felt a strange tug at his consciousness. Suddenly it didn't seem so strange, and the part of his mind that housed the young Stormlander receded into the background as instinct took over.
Hunger. He scurried to the small fissure in the wall, squeezing through. He padded along the dark skirting, knowing well where he was aimed, the scent fresh in his nose. Hunger. The sounds of the two-legs carried easily through the stone, resounding all around him, soft murmurs and occasional hoarse grunts as the hairless giants mated. There were many twists and turns in the darkness, many rises and falls, but he never strayed. Hunger. His nose would guide him.
He emerged into the light once more, his eyes easily adjusting as he scanned the area. Great red earthy smelling trees surrounded him, as many two-legs jumped and spun making loud noises as they did. They seemed to be struggling, and he went unseen as he scurried through the confusion. He reached the great white mountain on which the two-legs left all their sweet smelling food. He was spoilt for choice, and a small part of the rat was able to put names to the dishes and knew that "the great white mountain" was in fact the long trestle table. This part of his sub-conscious was not strong enough to gain dominance, however, and faded back into the darkness, no more than an unheard whisper.
The rat was so absorbed in it's feast that it saw the giant two-legs too late. A great hairless paw smashed down beside him, and the rat leaped as the beast roared. The shock was deafening to his sensitive ears, and something in his mind tore loose as he fled.
Gawyn woke with a start, collapsing to the floor, where he writhed, still tangled in his sweat-soaked sheets. That had been the strangest dream of his life. It had almost seemed real.... his train of thought was interrupted as one of his comrades grunted sleepily. "Take your wet dreams somewhere else, boy," was all he said before turning over and promptly falling asleep again.
Gawyn sat on his bed as the sun rose. Not the dreams again, he thought. I'm rid of them! Dreams just as real as those had plagued him as a lad, had been part of the reason he'd grown up so isolated from his family. He'd thought he'd grown out of them, and his father had been coldly pleased when his halfwit son had ceased speaking of talking to the horses...
A loud chirp made him start. He looked up as a small wren alighted on the window sill outside. An idea struck him then, and he rose, staring at the bird intently. He reached with his mind, as he'd done unknowingly last night, and the bird paused, looking at him. Then it took to the air, flying into the room and circling aimlessly above the still-sleeping Kingsmen. He tried again, and felt that now-familiar tug at the edge of his consciousness. It was the barest of ones, and as he held out his arm and willed the bird to land, it seemd that it would. Untilit swerved away and alighted on Danwell Farrings headboard. Then it shit on his snoring face.
Gawyn grimaced and sighed. It seemed he'd discovered his lost skill. Though mastering it would take one step at a time.
Gawyn gains Skinchanging at beginner
Gawyn groaned and tossed on his straw mattress. He'd experienced the sweltering heat of the Sapphire Isle, but the tight,airless closeness of the city was a marvel, and the cause of much discomfort to him as he lay awake.
He could hear them moving, many of them. Well, he thought, It's not as if I joined the King's Men for the luxury. Thankfully Gawyn had no fear of rats, and even as they grew louder he made no move to chase them off. It was pointless. They'd be back. They knew the passageways of the Red Keep better than Maegor the Cruel himself had. Rolling over onto his side, he managed to block out the snores of his comrades and found himself on the verge of slumber. The last thing he saw before his leaden eyes closed was another pair of glimmering red eyes staring back at him.
Something was wrong. His sight was sharper, clearer than it should be. He went to rub his eyes, than gasped in shock as a furred paw waved in front of his line of vision. At least, he meant to gasp. All that gushed forth was a high pitched squeak, and just as Gawyn began to panic he felt a strange tug at his consciousness. Suddenly it didn't seem so strange, and the part of his mind that housed the young Stormlander receded into the background as instinct took over.
Hunger. He scurried to the small fissure in the wall, squeezing through. He padded along the dark skirting, knowing well where he was aimed, the scent fresh in his nose. Hunger. The sounds of the two-legs carried easily through the stone, resounding all around him, soft murmurs and occasional hoarse grunts as the hairless giants mated. There were many twists and turns in the darkness, many rises and falls, but he never strayed. Hunger. His nose would guide him.
He emerged into the light once more, his eyes easily adjusting as he scanned the area. Great red earthy smelling trees surrounded him, as many two-legs jumped and spun making loud noises as they did. They seemed to be struggling, and he went unseen as he scurried through the confusion. He reached the great white mountain on which the two-legs left all their sweet smelling food. He was spoilt for choice, and a small part of the rat was able to put names to the dishes and knew that "the great white mountain" was in fact the long trestle table. This part of his sub-conscious was not strong enough to gain dominance, however, and faded back into the darkness, no more than an unheard whisper.
The rat was so absorbed in it's feast that it saw the giant two-legs too late. A great hairless paw smashed down beside him, and the rat leaped as the beast roared. The shock was deafening to his sensitive ears, and something in his mind tore loose as he fled.
Gawyn woke with a start, collapsing to the floor, where he writhed, still tangled in his sweat-soaked sheets. That had been the strangest dream of his life. It had almost seemed real.... his train of thought was interrupted as one of his comrades grunted sleepily. "Take your wet dreams somewhere else, boy," was all he said before turning over and promptly falling asleep again.
Gawyn sat on his bed as the sun rose. Not the dreams again, he thought. I'm rid of them! Dreams just as real as those had plagued him as a lad, had been part of the reason he'd grown up so isolated from his family. He'd thought he'd grown out of them, and his father had been coldly pleased when his halfwit son had ceased speaking of talking to the horses...
A loud chirp made him start. He looked up as a small wren alighted on the window sill outside. An idea struck him then, and he rose, staring at the bird intently. He reached with his mind, as he'd done unknowingly last night, and the bird paused, looking at him. Then it took to the air, flying into the room and circling aimlessly above the still-sleeping Kingsmen. He tried again, and felt that now-familiar tug at the edge of his consciousness. It was the barest of ones, and as he held out his arm and willed the bird to land, it seemd that it would. Untilit swerved away and alighted on Danwell Farrings headboard. Then it shit on his snoring face.
Gawyn grimaced and sighed. It seemed he'd discovered his lost skill. Though mastering it would take one step at a time.
Gawyn gains Skinchanging at beginner