Heirot

Now she could place the voice in her head, but, it didn't seem possible...

"But you're still hurt... Ad..on..is..." she said the name carefuly. She could be wrong, and if she was wrong the horse would probably leave her, and if she was right... Would he hurt her? She thought he had been dead, but then, maybe this was her mind skirting off again.

Adonis made a dull whinnying sound, tossing his head slightly. Great, if she wasn't insane, he was going to have to play horse a while longer. If she recognized him, it would only be a matter of time before she remembered how he'd trapped them in the village and nearly killed them with his curse. He'd fully intended to, too. Things just didn't seem to be progressing according to his plans anymore.

...and what would be the worst case scenario if she did know who he was? She was too hurt to injure him. If she turned him away, he could be free of this whole situation. But, he could already be free of it if he chose. Maybe he just didn't want her to hate him? That thought scared him. The very last thing in the world he wanted to do again was love a human.

But he would have to think about it later, because just then, his ears caught the very faint sound of running water...

He turned to Neko a nickered, showing her his back and trotting over to Kratos expectantly. If he could get them both there, they could wash off the blood and he could stop thinking such crazy thoughts.

Laya stood behind Telanis, placing a hand on him. "Telanis..." she breathed worriedly, afraid to speak much louder. She was afraid of spooking the already aggitated beasts. "Maybe... we should run..." she whispered faintly.

"I think... we should run..."

The voice of Adonis was gone, maybe she was going insane and she just imagined it? Following what the horse intended (horse or not, it was still very smart for a horse) Neko went over to a daze, but alive Kratos.

"Can you stand?" she asked him gently. Kratos nodded meekly, unable to speak yet for his throat was impossibly dry. She helped him to his feet with difficulty, but finally managed him to at least lean on the horse. Then she helped him climb up, which lead Kratos to almost fall right off but Neko caught him in time.

Mounting up behind her worse-for-wear brother, she steadied Kratos and squeazed the horses sides with her legs to signal they were ready.

"I th.....think so, too," Telanis said, his voice strained as he stared straight at the monster. The beast loomed over them booth and screeched, but then seemed to redirect its attention back the way it had been heading originally. The crashing in the forest was getting closer. Something slick and wet was glistening in dark patches on the beast's fur. Telanis stiffened, looking at Laya with the whites showing in his eyes, as if he were struggling to move, and couldn't. "But I d....don't...think I can," he mumbled dizzily.

Laya shook her head, pushing on Telanis's back legs. "Come on! Now isn't a time to freeze on me!" she said, pushing with all her might to get him to move. "Come on Telanis, please!" she said moving to tug on his jaw lightly. "Please!" The sound was getting louder and louder. She noticed the dark patch in the fur and the way the creature acted. There was something it was more frightened about and she felt now as if the creature was warning them about something. Or maybe freaking out because it felt trapped.

Laya saw it in the distance. Men on horses riding through the trees as if there were no tomorrow. They road with a feircesness that only determination and greed could bring forth.

"Shit!" she said, turning to Telanis quickly. She pushed as hard as she could. "Telanis we have to go now! We have to go or they'll kill you! Remember the hunters in the forest! Please, run! I'll catch up with you if you get a head, okay?! Run!"

The beast at the moment was blocking there view... Hopefully they hadn't seen Telanis yet...

Telanis shuddered with effort, but the smell of blood seemed to be all around him now. He could barely even speak. Then Laya was pushing against his legs. He felt them move stiffly, but his front legs could barely follow. He managed a few steps, looking for all the world like a leggy foal as he stumbled away clumsily.

"We've got him! Take aim, and don't damage the head!" Shouted a woman's gruff voice from the head of the hunting team that had now nearly reached them. A volley of spears flew toward the ape beast, several lodging in its flesh. "You put up quite a fight, my valuable friend," cackled the woman, approaching the beast on horseback as it began to swipe dizzily at the air, then toppled backwards.

Telanis looked back at the beast, its pain radiating through his own mind. He wanted to go back and help it. But Laya...he needed to protect her also.

Laya pushed Telanis behind a large bush. "Lie down and be quiet, okay?" she told him as she kneeled behind the thick brush. She looked at Telanis, petting him gently to try and calm him. She looked through a hole in the brush, watching.

She had an urge to rush out and attack on of them to steal there bow. She remembered she used to be a master bowman.... She glanced back at Telanis, petting him gently again.

Telanis staggered behind the bush and then sank to his knees, dizzily collapsing onto his side as Laya had recommended. His held still and tried to be silent, but his panting breath wasn't as inconspicuous as it should have been.

"Did you see something else here?" one of the men shouted from beyond their hiding place. Telanis closed his eyes tightly as he felt the creature's life pass.

"Looked like a deer."

"Too white to be a deer," challenged another hunter.

"A moonglow hind, then?" said the first man excitedly.

"I've never heard of one on this island before."

"Ok, shut your gobs. Which way did it go?"

Telanis tried for all he was worth to regain control of his senses, his chest panting under Laya's soothing hand. Gorrilas had much more blood than he'd ever thought possible.

Laya hugged Telanis tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck now, leaning against him. She heard foot steps growing closer and closer to the brush and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She clutched Telanis tightly, praying the Gods that they would not be discovered. "Shh..." she said into Telanis's ear...

Then she came up with an idea. She took the long sleeve of the kimono and put it so the horn when through the sleeve and she rested her hand on the top of his head... Hiding the horn. Just encase they were caught.

A soft canine growl came from the other side of the bush.

"Hey, looks like Skipper found something."

Two men walked around the side of the bush and looked down at Laya and Telanis in momentary confusion. Then they smirked. "Interesting."

"Well? What is it?" came a voice from nearby.

"A girl and a ..... horse. I think. Prettiest damned one I ever saw."

A moment later, the band of hunters was gathered around Laya and Telanis.

"And just what might you be doing out here, young miss?" Demanded the female leader, glancing curiously at the horse.

"I was out riding... The gorilla frightened me... Then the sound of you coming scared me more... I came to hide... Thank you for killing it! It was horribly frightening..." She said, rubbing Telanis's head.

She tried to act as innocent as possible. Hopeing they would think of her as a foolish girl and leave her be. Hopeing.

"Your animal appears to be sick," speculated one of the men craftily.

"Dreadful pretty thing, isn't it?" crooned another hunter. "Think it would fetch a good price in J'ra?" he turned to the leader.

"Idiots, we're in the business of trophies, not livestock," she snapped, but even she kept staring at Telanis curiously. She walked up in front of the others, close enough to touch Laya, holding the dead ape's severed head in her left arm. Telanis winced, his horn pulling lightly against the inside of Laya's sleeve.

Laya tried to recover, trying to keep anyone from seeing Telanis's horn. "Please, my horse is very skiddish... the ape frightened him just as much as it frightened me... Would you mind putting that away?" she asked softly, rubbing Telanis's neck gently.

"I hate to burst your bubble, kid, but that tea party crap doesn't work with our ilk," the woman laughed in genuine amusement. She threw the head back behind her, where one of the men caught it and turned to stow it away with the horses.

"You'll be coming with us. Clearly the beast's in no shape to ride, and we should have use for you on board. It's not a suggestion," she said.

Telanis opened one lid warily, fierce defiance glowing in his eye.