Rise of The Fallen

–Elazar–  

The sound of the night filled the forest around me like a song of woes willing me to sleep, but I was far from ready to give in to the darkness.

I was wide awake and alert to everything around me as I sat on a large tree limb high above the entrance to the hunting cave. Night had fallen hours ago and I have been patiently keeping watch over the entrance ever since I was turned away by kora.

I haven't tried returning since. As much as I wanted to go back inside, apologize and treat the wound that I had so blindly missed on Koras arm, I knew she needed space. And I was still ashamed for what I had done.

I'm supposed to be caring for the human female, giving her all that she needs and showing her that I am a capable male but instead I let my emotions get the better of me. Where I should have been holding her close and taking care of her, I shoved her aside to let my worries, the beliefs of my tribe and our traditions blind me with rage.

Kora said she was attacked. Killing pakus brother was done in self defense. Why she would steal from his body and desecrate it i still don't know the reasoning to and that's what bothers me the most. 

For the short time I've known kora I still can't see her as someone who would do such a thing. Was Roku and the others' judgment on the situation wrong? Were they mistaken? 

Leaning my head back against the trunk of the tree I looked up through the gaps of the canopy and gazed at the stars.

My mind wandered to the nights when kora sometimes looked up at the twinkling Dots littering the sky before looking away as if to shun them. She didn't seem fond of the place she came from, and I have my reasons to believe she didn't want to go back.

Although I'm glad she wishes to stay here I can't help but wonder why she dislikes her old home.  Glancing down at the cave I could see no light from within and could smell no smoke from the vent. 

She must be asleep.

The cool air of the night washed over me making my tail shudder as I stayed within my perch high up in the tree's. Nights have become much colder, at least with the new furs I brought from my den. Kora should have no issue keeping warm, I'm sure she will appreciate them.

Perhaps in the morning if it seems safe enough I'll bring back some fresh meat for her to make amends. 

Closing my eyes I found some solace in the idea. I didn't like seeing Kora so distressed and angry at me. 

I'm not sure what I'll do about our predicament with the tribe, once the first sun comes over the horizon, but I know I can't just let things stay as they are.

—--

Sitting outside of the cave's entrance I mindlessly sharpened the tip of my spear while keeping watch. It had been hours since I awoke and the first son appeared. I've yet to see any moment from the forest or the cave. 

Pausing my work after swiping a smoothstone over the speartip I leaned back and gently moved the vines –hiding the entrance– with my tail to peer inside. 

The bundle of food I left there still sat on the ground untouched and there was still no light from a campfire. 

I pulled my tail away letting the vines fall back in place and stared at the weapon and tool in my hand. Kora should've woken up by now. With a sigh I set my spear against the wall and the smoothstone in my pouch I got up and entered the cave.

Kora still lay in the same spot that she had been in last night. She was curled up on her side with her back turned towards me and the entrance. Watching the slightest movement of her body as she breathed I could tell she was awake but refused to look at me or even get up.  

She still had the old worn out blanket wrapped around her instead of the new ones I had brought back, and the firepit was cold meaning she didn't even get up to try and warm herself during the night. 

My gaze moved to the bundle of food on the ground at my feet and my sack that  the blankets were still attached to. I leaned down to grab both and took a few steps inside. "Kora, you must eat. Come I brought meat, I will start a fire so you may 'kook" it."

She didn't make any moves to get up and instead wrapped the old furs more tightly around her body, refusing to look at me or say a word.

My tail dropped at the rejection and I kneeled down to unstrap the soft new blankets from my sack. "You must be cold. I've brought you some new furs, much better than those ones. They are soft and have hardly been used. They shall keep you warmer than those old ones!" 

I held out one of the furs moving a bit closer to the small female but still she refused me and even tried to hide her face away from my sight as I sat crouched a short distance behind her. 

My enthusiasm about the new blankets was quickly smothered by her rejection of my offerings. She must still be displeased by my words and actions last night, simple foods and furs will not make up for my mistake and disregard for her injuries. 

My first priority when I found her yesterday should have been checking her over for any wounds yet instead i…

Closing my eyes I set the food and blankets down beside the firepit and stood up. Glancing back at the small female once more I could tell she wanted nothing to do with me at the moment so I turned away and left the cave.

Upon stepping outside I retrieved my spear and scanned the surrounding forest. I needed to make amends and restore kora's trust in me but as things were, there was very little I could do to accomplish such.

I cannot go far from the cave and leave kora alone, but I needed to do something about my tribe. I need to figure out a way to make them stop their hunt for the human they believed to have killed paku's brother. And unfortunately all the signs point to kora.

 with one of the hunters potentially dead, their hatred and need for vengeance shall be even worse than before. Who had she killed though? Roku mentioned that paku and talok were part of the hunting party along with a few others. So who did she encounter?

For now the hunting party was limited when it came to searching this area. No one would want to risk encroaching too far into drakov territory for a single human.

Based on what I have seen, they do not know what area kora is hiding. Only that she is somewhere across the river. 

There's a good chance they haven't found the boy yet but once they do… 

I gripped the shaft of my spear tighter and stood taller. I need to hide her tracks and make sure they do not find us here. With one last look at the cave I took off into the forest in the direction I found kora in the night before. As I went I made sure to banish any signs left behind by the small female. Covering the scent of her blood with herbs, dispelling the tracks in the mud with the use of branches and forest debris. 

I did my best to hide any evidence of kora's presence. As I followed the trail left  behind in her panic I stopped. There was the sickening scent of blood in the area and an eerie quietness.

Carefully I scanned my surroundings for any signs of danger but found none. Pushing forward with more caution I felt uneasy as the scent of blood grew stronger. Moving some ferns out of the way I froze, seeing the sickening sight before me.

Scattered across the ground before me were multiple dismembered and disemboweld corpses of treedwellers. Nearly a dozen of the small creatures lay lifeless, their remains left to rot and poison the grounds. 

My worry only grew as I quickly rushed past the dead creatures, following the trail left by kora. Soon enough I came across a clearing and felt the blood drain from my face. 

Lying on the ground was a dead xandisian. His eyes were gouged out and his body disemboweled. Bones were scattered around the area, encircling the wooden post that once kept the dead hunter bound. Ropes that had blinded him were cut and now lay useless beneath the post.

My mind reeled as I stepped back looking at the scene before me. This is a drakov ritual sight. And that dead xandisian…their most recent draven sacrifice.

 Backing away I started pacing and grabbing at my hair. Faux! I need to get out of here… I need to warn everyone in the tribe about this, about the drakov performing rituals again if they are creating more draven then everyone is in danger, the hunters in the area could be captured and used as hosts, all of this explains why the drakov scout attacked me across the river! Why people have gone missing-

I flinched as realization dawned on me. Kora. 

Looking back to the body I could see signs of a struggle on the ground, and a stab wound on the victim's shoulder. Kora was here when the parasite hatched, she was attacked by the host, not a hunter. The drakov probably know she's been here, they now know there's a human wandering about in their territory.

I should've listened to her. I shouldn't have gotten so angry and lashed out at her. She must've been so scared and confused. I need to apologize and talk to her. I need to fix things with her but at the same time if I don't warn the others- 

Once again I feel torn between my people and her. Grabbing my head in frustration I growled as my tail lashed out behind me. If I go back to the tribe I'll be gone for days, it will be harder for me to come back out here alone and being away for so long will put kora in danger. She doesn't know enough about the draven or the drakov warriors, she can't defend herself against them alone.

But if I go back to her and let the others deal with this problem on their own… I looked at my hands after pulling them away from my head. All the scars that my skin bore told stories of the fights I've been through, all the fights I've survived because I was strong enough to do so.

All I can think of is how soft and small kora's hands are. How she lacks claws to defend herself. How she bears so few marks on her skin.

Balling my hands into fists I turned away from the ritual sight and ran back towards the cave. 

The tribe can take care of themselves, they are strong enough and well equipped to do so. But Kora, she's alone and she needs me.

I can't abandon her. Not like those who banished her from the stars. I won't let anyone bring her harm, not the Drakov, my tribe, not even the Draven queen itself. 

No matter what happens I shall protect her with my life.