Despondent Winter

[Kikuyu_Black_Paws]

Kikuyu and Degorram before the Pen~

 

 

 

She stretched lazily, extending each limb like a cat, her calm eyes staring at the wall before her. Smoke hung in the air from the fire being stoked far too high with no exhaust, an attempt to seal as much of the heat as possible, but such a small thing did not matter.

 

Kikuyu stood and rotated her shoulder, scanning a welt on one hand. She rubbed it absently, wrinkling her nose in discomfort. A quick fingering of her hair assured her that it was still there and she opened the door of the smoke-clogged room to step out into the freezing night of mid-December.

 

She hated the cold. Had it not been for the stiffling heat of the room she had just come from, the ninja would never have set foot out of doors. She sniffed again and blinked up at the sky. No stars or moon blinked at her. A calm, chill drizzle pattered gently in the pine trees and the broad oaks, tinkling against her many wind-chimes and glass ornaments. She shivered suddenly, feeling the chill pierce through the heat that had clung to her from the room, felt it bleed through her clothing and touch her skin like many cold finger-tips of the dead. It made her shift up on her toes and give a little shake. She coughed and went back into the house, leaving the door of the smoke-filled room open so that it could air out.

 

Her eyes burning from too much smoke and cold, the ninja climbed the rotating stairs up, up, two floors to the top of the house. Here there were no barring walls. The entire fourth floor was open in a large room. On one side was a messy bed with far too many quilts and pillows. On the other side was a tidily made bed. Each had a window. The messy bed looked out on an open forest, easily accesable by the sun. The tidy bed had as many window-shades as possible thrown across the opening so that not a scrap of outside light could penetrate the cool darkness of early morning.

 

At a long desk, caligraphy pen in hand, the shifter paused in her inking to look up at her sister. "Still raining?"

 

Kikuyu sniffed and nodded, wrapping herself in the thickest blanket she could find near at hand. She hugged a pillow to her chest and settled down in her large reading chair, eyeing nothing in particular, sinking into her winter muddled thoughts.

 

"Oh stop moping," Dego said absently, turning back to her caligraphy. She added another stroke but frowned, pausing again to look up at her sister. "What's wrong?"

 

Kikuyu shifted and glanced out the window above her bed at the invading darkness. "Something's different," she whispered, her haunted eyes staring hollowly at the night. "Something darker and colder than a normal winter night."

 

Dego half-stood, staring out the window with her. She put her caligraphy brush on its stand and moved to look out the window. "Are you sure your fox friends aren't playing a trick on you?"

 

Kikuyu shook her head. "They know my mood in winter. They know yours, too. They'd like to keep their furs for the next season."

 

"So what is it..." Dego murmured.

 

They both paused as they listened to a slow moan of the wind circling the house. Kikuyu shuddered again, wishing deep in her heart for spring and light and colors. For storms that sang instead of cried with the voices of the dead. For rain that came in torrents instead of this accursed drizzle that chilled the bones and pattered the spirits away. Kikuyu raised dark eyes and the tattoo under her lashes turned from grey to gold. "There's a different kind of storm coming," she whispered. "It's not a seasonal storm, either. Something completely different."

 

"What can we do?"

 

Kikuyu turned her eyes to the walls and felt their feeble protection was a lie. Outside the elements battered down at her spirits, unprotected from whatever was coming. "We can wait," she said firmly, her eyes hard as flint with the prospect of a challenge in her dead season. "And we can be ready for anything."

 

Dego grinned and slid a hand through her hair. Where her hand brushed, the black strands turned vibrant red with excitement of a brawl. "Then that's what we shall do."

Edited December 24, 2007 by Kikuyu Black Paws

[Degorram]

Degorram stirred the contents of the large mug before her, feeling the heat of the drink seep through the glass and into her frozen fingers. A shiver crept up her spine and she bent forward, inhaling the steam, praying that it would bring some comfort against the cold. A taste of relaxation soothed her bones, and then flitted away as if it had never been.

 

She shivered again and sent a stony look at the darkness beyond the windows. Winter nights were long and deathly silent in the forest. The sounds of her friends were not heard under the stars anymore. No creature dared wander among the drizzles. Even if the precipitation refused to freeze, it was an easy killer, piercing its cold dampness through to the very lifesource and snatching it away.

 

Turning her back against the dreary night, Degorram walked up the stairs into the upper levels of the little home. The bottom of her overcoat swept out behind her, brushing against the floor with a gentle swishing noise. Careful not to spill the drink in her hands, she approached the massive pile of quilts in the corner and poked it.

 

A muffled grunt barely made its way through the avalance of blankets.

 

"I have tea," Degorram said softly, again glancing at the windows. The oppressiveness of the rain made her feel watched, calculated, trapped. A chill again swept up her arms and back. She narrowed her eyes, which swiftly transitioned from icy blue to a blazing red.

 

Kikuyu's head and arms appeared from within the blob of warmth and she gratefully took the mug of tea, sipping at it. A satisfied sigh crept through her. "You should get some blankets too," she said, looking at her sister's lack of layers. "It makes me cold just looking at you." She noticed her twin's face and frowned, following the strained gaze to the windows.

 

Degorram walked over to the window, placing her gloved hands on the frame, peering out into the darkness. Her breath steamed heavily on the frozen pane of glass, fogging her view of the forest. "There's something out there," she murmurred. "I can feel it watching. That storm of yours.....I think it's coming."

 

Kikuyu cocked her head to listen to the rain, closing her eyes. The center of her brow furrowed a tiny bit in concentration. "It's there," she agreed. "Closer than before."

 

Degorram turned away and looked at herself in the mirror on the wall. The black cloth that formed a tight fit on her body didn't seem like enough to guard her from winter's bite. Even though she was wearing her overcoat, it too moulded to her body like a second skin. Against the cold, she seemed dangerously unprotected.

 

"Please put something else on," Kikuyu said.

 

Degorram turned to look at her, a miserable face among a mountain of blankets. The look on Kikuyu's face brought an unwelcome discouragement. "We're not ready for this battle, are we?" she asked.

 

Kikuyu looked into the swirling contents of her drink, suddenly distant as she considered the question. No answer was needed for either of them, and it hung in the air like a bad odor.

 

Degorram wrinkled her nose against it, baring her teeth as she faced the window again. "Let the day come," she whispered. "Let the sun rise."

 

"Please," Kikuyu echoed, also looking at the window.

 

The night darkened around them.

[Kikuyu_Black_Paws]

Light glittered briefly on droplets of water falling from branches and leaves, shining like miniature jewels. But only briefly- the clouds shifted and cut off the tiny shaft of morning glow, casting the world beneath into darkness again. Dawn had come.

 

Kikuyu and Degorram stood on the balcony outside of their bedroom. Both wore their traditional clothes of trade: Degorram in long trench-coat and gloves, her hair fluttering behind her in the wind. Kikuyu fingered the fox necklace at her throat, her usual type of grey tunic, this one resplendant in ribbons and beads of different colors, pulled over several black sweaters. Thick black leggings accompanied by black and grey striped leg-warmers kept her knees from trembling, and her hands were covered in long black gloves. She had painted a dark blue stripe from the corners of her eyes to her temples.

 

The sky roiled with dark grey and black clouds, looking like a sea overturned. Greenish lightning flickered eerily over its surface, and every now and then a bump would appear and disappear, as if some creature were moving above the waves of cloud.

 

Kikuyu straightened from her place leaning on the balcony rail and placed two fingers on her forehead. Closing her eyes, she sent a tiny wave of fey energy forward. Degorram watched her, tense, as she waited for the dreaded answer. Kikuyu opened her eyes and shook her head, face white. Her large eyes glittered blue green, the grey that usually accompanied them disappearing into the color of the clouds above. "It stretches for miles in a 180 degree field in front of us. We would have to retreat backwards to escape it."

 

"What is it?"

 

Kikuyu shook her head gently, her lips pressed tightly together. "It doesn't have a mind like we do."

 

Degorram glanced at her sister, weighing the possibilities of such an answer. "What do you mean by that? Is that good or bad?"

 

Kikuyu turned away, her fingers straying over the bandolier of obsidian knives under her tunic. She stroked the long katana at her back. "As in he thinks on a level far surpassing our own."

 

"So it's a he now."

 

Kikuyu looked up and stared at the clouds. "It's like he traveled out of my nightmares. I've been dreaming him lately. Did he plant those dreams into my mind, or did he escape from my thoughts?"

 

Degorram felt a chill turn her skin grey and her hair flashed an indistinct color. "Maybe both," she whispered. "How do we beat him?"

 

Kikuyu turned away. "We can't beat his storm, but when he shows himself, we'll fight." Kikuyu paused, staring at the house. "We may have to leave everything we know, if he proves too strong."

 

Degorram shrugged. "It's time," she murmured. "It seems these issues follow us everywhere and bare their ugly heads whenever it's time."

 

Kikuyu sighed and shook her head. "I'm going to get some tea. He'll come tonight."

Edited July 26, 2008 by Kikuyu Black Paws

[Kikuyu_Black_Paws]

Kikuyu sat anxiously watching the sky. The green laced clouds raced from their birthing place, growling and winging their way across the sky with such a speed that it made Kikuyu fee slightly sick. She shifted her gaze back to the field that grew blacker as night drew on.

 

Tiny lights began to appear across the field. They bobbed up and down, green and silver, blinking out for a moment only to appear again in another area. They looked like gleaming eyes, each with a dark pit at the center.

 

Degorram appeared at Kikuyu's side and watched their approach. She seemed surprised. "Kiln," she named.

 

Kikuyu shifted. "What are they?"

 

"A necromancer can take the eyes from dead or dying creatures and force the spirit of that creature into the eye. Once there, he can control them to do his bidding. Thus: Kiln. Fortunately, a necromancer can't perform the operation on anything human. Half humans, though, are up for grabs, as well as any animals that have half a brain."

 

Kikuyu shuddered and wondered if any foxes stared at her from the field. It was probably likely. "When will he show himself?"

 

"Necromancers usually use Kiln for spying out terrain or for analyzing potential threats. I suspect he'll make his appearance very shortly."

 

Degorram almost ate her words as a shape stepped from the darkness. Two Kiln were sitting on his shoulder. Dressed as he was in a long black coat and sleek black dress slacks, he seemed to shift in and out of the shadows. Kikuyu blinked hard to keep him in focus. Beside her, Degorram's eyes glittered with light as she took the eyes of a nocturnal creature or other.

 

The man glanced between them. "I want this land," was all he said.

 

Kikuyu sniffed. "We're sort of living on it," she said blandly. "Sorry."

 

The man smiled faintly. "That can be easily taken care of."

 

Degorram smirked. "Stop with the greater-than-thou-bad-guy jargon," she said. "We know perfectly well you're a necromancer, so act like one."

 

The man stiffened and straightened. The Kiln on his shoulder shivered, blinking rapidly. "Fine," he said coldly. "Leave this place now, and I will see you leave with your lives. If you don't, I'll harvest your souls to feed my pets."

 

Kikuyu shifted again before she stood. "You're stronger than us," she said. "But don't think you'll just take our home without a fight."

 

As the man opened his mouth Kikuyu's hands flashed. Two blades slammed into his chest. Degorram snapped wings open from her back and sent a gust of wind shooting at the man. He stumbled, bleeding. The Kiln on his shoulder bobbed away, blinking ever more rapidly with alarm. Another blade darted out to slice into the necromancer's hand as he raised it to cast a curse.

 

When the man looked up, the girls were gone.

 

* * * * *

 

Kikuyu rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she packed clay into a large mound about the size of three bowling balls stacked together. Degorram watched her from afar. "Are you sure this is safe?"

 

"If we have to leave," Kikuyu said with disgust, "I want to go out with a bang. If we're lucky, he'll be inside when it goes off."

 

"I know," Degorram said. "But that's the most clay I've seen...ever. Where did you get it all from?"

 

Kikuyu grinned at her twin. "This is the last of my private store," she said. "I'll have to make more when we arrive at wherever it is we're going." She patted the clay one last time. "It's ready. Do you have everything?"

 

Degorram hefted the pack with her belongings onto her shoulder. "Yeah," she said sadly. "This sucks."

 

Kikuyu took up her own bag. "It was about time to go anyway," she said. "I wish we could have waited 'till spring though. I won't get to see my roses bloom."

 

"And my venus fly traps!" Degorram complained. "Who will look after them?"

 

"I suppose they won't need looking after when this is through," Kikuyu said, glancing down at the pack of clay. "Let's get out of here."

 

* * * * *

 

The necromancer watched with a smug smile as the two girls disappeared into the forest. "I knew they'd run," he snarled. "Cowards. Come my pets," he said. "Let's go see what they left us."

 

The man entered the large house and eyed it. "Very lavish," he said. "It'll serve us well for a few months." He paused and sniffed the air. "Children, show me where it is."

 

The Kiln bobbed down the hall, deeper into the house. They led the necromancer down a flight of curving stairs into the den. On the table was a message scratched into the wood. Goodbye, fool.

 

The necromancer whirled. A ball of clay turned bright colors. "Wh--"

 

* * * * *

 

Kikuyu smiled grimly from her place up in the tree as she saw the house disintegrate into smoke with a huge bang. "He was in there," she said. "Entered to gloat about his spoils. Hopefully he died."

 

Degorram sniffed and turned her face away. "Where to?" she said.

 

"Down the mountain. I think there's a place down there, heard a traveler mention it once. Supposedly it has a large library."

 

 

...Kikuyu and Degorram looked around them as they entered the gates of the wide city. The cobbled streets were tidy, except where random sheets of scribbled-on paper had found their way out of trash bins or open windows. Various people went about their way, glancing at the newcomers with a smile or a look of mild disinterest. Some did not look at all, so preoccupied were they.

 

A large scaly thing inserted itself between the two girls. Kikuyu turned, ready to plant a fist into the stomach of whoever had slung their arm around her shoulders, but stopped in shock.

 

"Hello ladiesssss," the creature said. He looked something like a dragon, in an almost sort of way. "New to the Pen? Let me sssshow you around."

 

"Who are you?" Degorram asked.

 

"Wyvern'sss my name," the almost-dragon hissed. "Elder here. I'm in charge of resssumessss, applicationsssss, and geld sssnatching of any kind, along with cookie ssswindling."

 

"We just need a place to stay," Kikuyu growled.

 

"Well of courssse, of courssse," Wyvern said with a wink. "We'll sssettle you down right away! Where are you from?"

 

"Off," Degorram said, lifting the scaly arm off of her shoulder. "We'll be taking those rooms now. Don't mean to be rude, but we're very tired and not very friendly at the moment. We had to leave our home in a...erm...hurry."

 

"Ssorry to hear that," Wyvern said, and he sounded like he meant it. "I'll sssee what I can do. While we wait, though, maybe you'd consssider throwing in an application. We have a wide variety of writersss here at the Keep. You'd probably find your place here quite nicely."

 

Degorram attempted a smile. "Right," she said. "We'll do that."

 

Kikuyu shifted. "Do you have a garden around here, somewhere I could plant some roses?"

 

Wyvern glanced at the girl dressed in all black. She stuck her chin out stubbornly at him. "Sssure," he said. "We could inssstall a window box for you outssside your window."

 

"And venus fly traps!" Degorram added. "Those are essential."

 

Wyvern winked. "I'll ssssee to it perssonally!" He dragged them off towards a series of buildings, chattering about his various inventions and the events that went on at the Keep. Kikuyu cataloged a few of the people she saw wandering around. A sleek cat, an aged man, a girl wearing clothing with a definite Eastern influence, another sage, a person carrying around the portrait of a sleeping man with a book in his lap. Two people were arguing over an open manuscript. Wyvern nodded to them. "Appy, Ozy...how'sss it holding up?"

 

The two people ignored him, still shouting over the book. A man dressed in neat, fashionable clothing with a woman on his arm...Kikuyu clapped a hand over her eyes. She was naked. The man cast Wyvern a strange look, tossing a piece of shimmering gold in front of him. Wyvern tripped...no, he was diving for the shiny. He made a pouting face as it turned out to be chocolate, but munched down anyway. The man continued on his way, but called over his shoulder "That's another one to my count, Wyvern!" before he continued his conversation with the naked woman about tango lessons and chocolate fondue.

 

Kikuyu and Degorram glanced at each other and said nothing, but the conversation in their eyes was clear as they dragged Wyvern to his feet. This was going to be an interesting place to live...they might be tempted never to leave again.