Flo's Challenge to me

[22tabby]

Oh these are so nice! I suppose this is a quiet little mark <3

[TheSongOfTheStars]

Thanks! I hope you enjoy these!

[Ranger of the North]

Hiram is now my BFF. Peppermint chocolate is The Best. although now I remember peanut slabs and, and I don't even know anymore
So those were the characters from your upcoming NaNo novel, yes? c:


Also, welcome to the fandom, Tabby! c;

[TheSongOfTheStars]

(There is not a fandom Ranger and I don't know what peanut slabs are)

Yes, they are for Nano, but the scene would take place in book three if I ever wrote it. And now, I'm going to have to write all this stuff down about who likes what or else I'll forget about it and feel dumb.

[Ranger of the North]

(There is not a fandom Ranger and I don't know what peanut slabs are)

Yes, they are for Nano, but the scene would take place in book three if I ever wrote it. And now, I'm going to have to write all this stuff down about who likes what or else I'll forget about it and feel dumb.

(There is a fandom, Free, and peanut slabs are God's gift to mankind if you live in NZ at least. One day I shall send you one. #EducateAmerica. XD)

Cool! :.D
Hahaha, okay then XD

[TheSongOfTheStars]

I looked them up, they look sorta like Hershey's bars with peanuts. Or Reese's peanut butter cups but in bar form.

[Ranger of the North]

The word 'Hershey's' rings a bell, but I've never heard of 'Reese's peanut-butter cups' XD *summons google*

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"Please, don't cry..."
766
As the first wave crashed over her body, the haze of the dream faded, replaced by a crystal reality.
She was awake now, she could taste the salt and feel the water, but her mind rebelled against the reality . For her body was no longer her own, shape and form bled away to the whims of the sea, now she was crafted to swim, dance in the water. The pulsing of the waves thrummed in her own heart and pulled her further into the blue.
Logic abandoned her and she released all the burdening cares that she would've obsessed over if only she had been on land. They simply weren't important as the waters grew deeper and her every fiber rejoiced in the speed her body whipped through the rolling waves.
She surfaced with a blast of spray, laughing so hard that she couldn't catch the breath she'd come up for.

She sensed a presence and turned in the water.

It was him, from the shore, the solid sand that seemed so far away now, as if it was the dream and not the ocean that surged around her.
He was different as well, but she knew, though how she wasn't sure, that it was still him.

Come
He did not use words that travelled through the air to communicate, but still she understood him. Was it the way he tilted his head or the way he turned in the ocean's swells or perhaps something deeper?
Back to the shore

I don't want to she replied in the same mysterious way I don't ever want to go back
Not even to say goodbye to your mother?

The blinding clarity faded and the haze of the dream bled away, cold fear replaced the high emotions with her own logic again and her mind was her own, though her body was not.
What was she thinking?!?
What was she doing?!?
What was she?

As the dreamy instincts bled away she tried to scream with her own voice, but choked on the foam that pressed against her lips and the water seemed to pull her down.'
Change me back! she screamed I want to go back!
Calm yourself child he nudged against her cheek Wait until we return to shallower waters and then I will explain

Now that she was afraid of the water it seemed that the sea now was rejecting her and in its vindictiveness it pulled her away from the familiar land.
The alien blue world tried to drag her down, but she was already in the breakers.
How do I change back? she shouted above the rolling thunder of the waves.
Throw off your form like you would throw off a coat, recall your old shape, it is simple as breathing

She didn't give panic to set in and shrugged her whole body. Suddenly the Selkie skin was flapping around her in the water, obscuring her vision.
She tried to gasp for air and received a mouthful of foam and sand. Frantic, blind, and drowning, she thrashed wildly, until a wave hurled her up into the air then slammed her into the shore.

Lungs and nose burning, she hacked out on the sand, her whole body convulsing in throbbing pain.
Gentle fingers pressed against her shoulder and pulled her up into his tilted arms.
"I'm sorry," He whispered, letting her head rest against his chest "I should have waited until we were on land. I-I know so little about mixed bloods. There hasn't been one for centuries."

She closed her eyes and ignored his words, focusing on breathing, drawing in the precious air.
The first thing she heard, past the roaring of her own blood, was a soft crying, muted by the sea surf.
She pushed away from him and struggled towards the boulders, the heavy wet coat dragging her down, he didn't stop her.

Two of the boulders met, forming a small corner. Darkmoon's back was pressed against it, her knees curled up against her chest as she sobbed with muffled hysterics.

"Mama, Mama, I'm here, I'm not leaving," Shyshie sank down and threw her arms around Darkmoon's neck "Please, please don't cry, Mama, don't cry, I'm not leaving, I promise."
Darkmoon shuddered and looked up with tear swollen eyes.
"I'm not leaving," Shyshie whispered "I promise."
Darkmoon tried to choke out words, but couldn't manage anything out past her swollen throat, but her arms wrapped around Shyshie with fierce strength.

"I thought you...."
"I know, I'm sorry! Please, please, please don't cry."

[Ranger of the North]

C':

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"A stake through the heart would kill anybody..."
1,875
"For the record," Darkmoon gasped as she and Shyshie ducked into the lower deck, leaving the chaos of the fight behind them "I am not happy about this and you are never to do it again."
"I know. But to be fair, it was Horeth's idea."
"Great," Darkmoon rolled her eyes "And just when I begin to think he's a trustworthy babysitter."
Shyshie giggled "Can't take me and can't leave me."
"Indeed," Darkmoon rolled her eyes and slowed her pace as she realized that her daughter was panting for breath "Though I'd much rather leave you out of situations like this."
"What? And make me miss out on all the adventure?"
Darkmoon's reply was cut off abruptly by a yell and a flash of silver in the darkness. Instantly, Darkmoon whipped her sword out, blocking the wild stab from the pirate and throwing herself in front of Shyshie at the same time.
The pirate flung himself towards the cats, his cutlass raised for a second stab, but before he even raised the blade fully above his head, Darkmoon lunged and brought him to a swift end.
"Having fun on your adventure?" Darkmoon asked as she toed the limp form.
Shyshie shivered and swallowed hard, not looking down as she edged around the pirate.
Darkmoon pulled her close and tucked her arm around Shyshie's shoulders, placing herself as a shield between the girl and the shadows as they ploughed forwards.
"Do you know what we're looking for?"
"Yeah, it's a gold cylinder. With a seal etched into its side."
"Why gold?" Darkmoon squinted as their corridor ended with a door on their left and right 'Seems like a waste."
"Doesn't corrode in water," Shyshie followed her mother as they went left "Which is important when it's an artifact of a race that spends half their time in the ocean. Where are we going?"
"Well, the most obvious place is the captain's cabin."
"So that's not where we're going?"
"No. That's exactly where we're going, didn't I just say that?"
"Mama."
"What? Why wouldn't we go there? Doesn't that make sense?" Darkmoon's lips twitched "I don't understand why you're confused."
"Oh no, no idea. You're very funny."
Darkmoon's twitch spread into a smile and she squeezed Shyshie's shoulder "Just teasing."
"I know."

Several more silence drenched minutes passed as they quickly walked through the abandoned corridors, until they came on a door with golden candlelight stabbing out through the cracks.
Darkmoon glanced down and Shyshie nodded, stepping back.
With one hand she twisted the handle and with the other she gripped her sword, then with a single fluid motion she flung the door open and hurled herself forwards.
The five pirates standing in front of the table with the map unrolled out before them turned in shock, their blades in their hands.
And the first one fell before he closed his mouth.

Shyshie shivered as she listened to the cacophony, the yells and the clashing, and she huddled in the shadows, praying that it would be her mother to open the door.

The chaos in the cabin lessened each time Darkmoon's blade found its mark, until it was her facing the captain.
She was gasping, covered in the blood of his confederates. He was grinning, standing back from the fight, his unstained sword held loosely in his hand.
Staring him dead in the eye she wiped away the sweat and blood trickling into her eyes with the back of her hand, then raised her sword again.
He met it with ease, then whipped back with the flat of his blade towards her head. She blocked, sending his stroke wide and creating an opening for herself. But as the needle point of her rapier reached out for him, he swiveled sideways, taking the blow with his arm rather than his heart, then with a snarl of anger and pain he crouched and whipped his blade towards her feet.
She leapt backwards, arms flung wide for balance, and he followed his swipe immediately with a sideways cut to her leg.
With a yell she collapsed to her knees and with a triumphant yell he brought the sword down over her head.
But a second before the keen edge bit into her, Darkmoon bolted to her feet, and the pirate's eyes widened as her sword passed through him.
She stepped back and let him fall.

Then, shaking slightly, she turned and staggered back to the door.
"Are you alright, Mama?"
Darkmoon forced a strained smile over her face "I'm fine, now come on, I want you to look at this and tell me if it's what we're looking for."

"Yeah, that's it," Shyshie beamed as she looked down at the map stretched out on the table "Did you see its container? I don't want it to get wet when we take it up."
"Ah, no, I didn't."
They both paused as they heard heavy boots pounding in the corridor, then Darkmoon stepped in front of Shyshie, sword at the ready. But as a blue clad figure burst in, his fighting staff held high, she relaxed.
He lowered his staff and nodded "The ship is secure."
"Great, then you can help us look for the metal cup that we're supposed to shove that thing in," Darkmoon found herself leaning heavily on the table for support as the adrenaline from the fight began to wear off and the pain from her cut began to race up her leg to her head.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine stuffed shirt, now where's that gold tube?"
"Oh, it's right here," Shyshie picked the cylinder off the floor "Coe, can you help me roll it up? I'm afraid to tear it."
"Of course," he stepped closer, then his gaze fell on the long marks around the map and he leaned closer, tracing the borders marked out "Fascinating."
"What? What is it?" Shyshie's nose poked over the edge of the table as she peered alongside him.
"Well, you see this coastline? Then that island? Well that's Churam I believe and... there's not an island there, not today."
"Could there have been one there a long time ago?"
"Quite possibly, these markings could definitely indicate the age of the map."
Darkmoon grinned as her cousin and daughter leaned over the map, both engrossed with the small details.
"You guys," she shook her head "We're supposed to be getting out of here."
"I know," Shyshie sighed "But what if they decide to destroy it? I'll never get a chance to look at it again!"
"I highly doubt they'll destroy it," Coe said, tracing the lines "It's the only known map of the Selkie coves in the area. Since the colony's have grown so isolated, they'll most likely want to use it to try and contact others."
"Yeah, but I bet they still won't let me look at it."
"I'm certain they will."
Darkmoon laughed and sheathed her sword "You two are so strange. Come on, we need to go."
"Alright," Coe carefully began to roll the map up while Shyshie twisted the top off the container so he could slide it back in.
Darkmoon watched, still grinning at their enthusiasm.
No one saw as the pirate captain staggered back to his feet behind Darkmoon, eyes glowing with violent malevolence, his sword gripped in his bloody hand.
"Alright, let's get back to the Lune del Mar," Coe tucked the container into his coat and glanced down at Shyshie"Ready?"
"Yes, let's get out of here. Mama, can we still get that tea?"
"Of course," Darkmoon grinned "I'd more than love to get that tea."
"I do wonder if these symbols along the side of the cap have to do with anything," Coe held the cylinder out as he and Shyshie stepped towards the door.
Darkmoon shook her head. Some people.... refused to change.
She stepped forwards, her smile softening as she watched Shyshie leaning closer to her cousin to see the markings, her eyes wide with fascination. And some people were changing constantly, for the better.
As she stepped forwards, the dying pirate lunged, and his blade pierced through her back, through muscle and bone, until she was staring down at the metal tip that protruded from her chest. Her body writhed silently around the unmoving steel, her shoulders arching backwards as liquid came rushing into her lungs, then spurting out through her mouth and nose.
"Mama? Was it peppermint tea or blackberry I can't reme-"
Shyshie turned back as she asked the question and her voice cut off into a shriek.
Coe whipped around and in an instant his staff was in his hand, the cylinder falling to the floor, as he cut the pirate's feet out from under him.
As the pirate fell, so did Darkmoon, and Coe let his staff clatter to the floor as he caught her, slowly crumpling to his knees as he cradled her head.
"Ma-" Shyshie's voice faltered as she collapsed next to them, reaching for Darkmoon's shaking hand.
"Sing," Coe whispered hoarsely as Darkmoon's eyes began to glaze over "You have to sing, Shyshie."
Gasping, Shyshie faltered over the first lines of her healing song, her voice cracking with every word as she watched her mother's blood pulse out with every heart beat
She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the words, tried not to break as she heard her mother gasp and choke.
"It's not working!" Coe shouted, clutching Darkmoon as her body writhed in a death throe "Starwalk why isn't it working!?"
"I don't know!" Shyshie sobbed as she continued choking out the words, but to no avail.
Panting for a breath she would never take, Darkmoon struggled to raise a shaking paw to Shyshie.
The useless song dying in her throat, she wrapped both hands around her mother's and leaned over it, tears raining down.
Darkmoon struggled to form words past the pain and the blood in her mouth, but what escaped was only broken wheeze.
"Mama?" Shyshie loosened her grip on her mother's hand in order to wipe away the blood from the corner of her mouth "Mama I'm sor...I'm...I'm sorry...I can't..."
With a throb of effort Darkmoon raised her hand to touch the tears gathering beneath Shyshie's eye, then a shudder ran through the length of her body, her hand dropped, her neck stiffened, and her eyes locked onto the space beyond Shyshie before they fell closed.
"No!"
Shyshie fell forwards across her mother, wrapping her arms around Darkmoon's shoulders, sobbing out her song in desperate agony.
Coe didn't move, his mouth slack and tears running through his fur before he could even fully process the situation.

Suddenly a tremor ran through the ship, then a noise ripped through the air like a storm rushing down on them.
"Fire!" came the distant scream and it forced Coe to react, even though his mind was still numb.
As the flames came eating through the wood with a terrible speed, he pulled Shyshie away from Darkmoon's body and carried her out of the room and off the crumbling ship.