Are you the predator or the prey? - Kalon 1500

[ThatPinkThing]

Kalon Adopts - My Kalons - Kalon 1500

There's something in their past that they are running from. What is it, and why are they afraid to face the consequences? Is it something they would change if given the chance to go back? How would they change it, and how would that affect the future?

Username: ThatPinkThing
Name: Arturo
Gender: male
Prompt:
After the accidental killing of a man who intended to kill him, Arturo is haunted not only by dreams of what happened, but also by the daughter of the man he killed.

Departure [529 words]
Hunter [923 words]
Solitude [677 words]
Haunter [702 words]
Alternate [1036 words]
After [642 words]

[4509 total words]

[ThatPinkThing]

xxxxI never sleep. At least, I try not to. Haunted by far off memories that reopen like wounds, my dreams are never sweet. In the moments that led to my isolation, I was forced to make a choice I never imagined I'd be faced with. While my choice preserved my life, I can't help but wonder if the other path could have been better. Or perhaps, there were more than two roads. I would never know.

xxxx"There's a weird hunter, Turo, he hunts... kalons... he hunts the different. He's heard whispers of you, he considers you the ultimate prize. You have to get out of here," my best friend had told me desperately. She was near tears as she told me, fearing the worst. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I'd never done anything to anyone-- in fact, I was head of the town guard. I was a protector, not a predator. But now I was being hunted, and I'd need to be on my own. Away from anyone who could get caught in the crossfire. I pressed my forehead to my friend's as we swallowed the truth.
xxxx"Thank you for warning me," I whispered, "I promise I'll come back when it's safe."
xxxx"Okay. Okay." She convinced herself.

xxxxI headed home, throwing necessities in a bag and donning a heavy cloak. The material weighed down my feathers, giving my silhouette the appearance of a normal large kalon's, but my hind legs were still a give away. With a heavy heart, my mother wrapped my legs in bandages, binding them and trying to help me blend in. Some of the elders bound their legs to help with pain. I supposed my new identity would be much older than my true one. The awkward wobble of walking on bound feet lent itself to my disguise as well. She gently patched my upper arms, covering my feathers. As she did, she ran her thumb along them one last time. Neither of us spoke. We may not see each other again, and I didn't want to say goodbye. She kissed my forehead as I left the house I'd grown up in.

xxxxI gathered the guard. "If he comes, tell him I've abandoned you," I said, looking each of my fellow kalons in the eye. "It is, in a sense, the truth."
xxxx"Arturo-" my right hand man tried to argue, but I shook my head.
xxxx"In order to keep you safe, I can't be here. I've trained with you all for years. I've fought by your sides. I know I leave this place in capable paws." I smiled wistfully. "... Be safe."
xxxx"Be safe," my companions echoed, the simple prayer of our town being the last words I'd hear from any of them.

xxxxI left at night, with rain pelting the leaves above my head on the trail toward the badlands. I could make camp there briefly, but I would need to stay on the move. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the town had lit the mourning tower. Fear began to pick away at my mind, and it would continue to do so for years to come.
xxxxI didn't want to die.

[ThatPinkThing]

xxxxSometimes, I push the limit. Going for days on nothing but winks and 20 minute naps. Eventually, though, my body grows as weary as my mind, and I have to give in and sleep. On these occasions, I'm sure to lock myself away, either deep in a cave or high on a mountain. I'm no longer being chased, but I can't... stop... running...

xxxxThe dream is the same every time. I feel like there's two of me-- the me who is reliving the memory, and the me who's watching. It always starts when I left. Sometimes I can force myself awake before the real hunt begins, but this time I can already tell that I'll be here until the end. I drift into deeper sleep while the same old story plays, only coming back to the dream when the nightmare begins.
xxxxI had to run. Evening in farmland is quiet and peaceful, but this night would be different. This night would change my world. I'd been along the edge of the woods when I spotted him. I'd seen glimpses of him before while running, but this time, our eyes met. I turned and dashed into the brambles, heading as deep into the woods as I could as the true chase began.
xxxxThorns tore at my bandages, freeing my legs and feathers as I ran. No point in hiding them now, I figured as I stretched my aching toes. My feet had grown stiff in the wrapping, and the transition from creeping to running spurred a sensation I can't explain. It was as if growing pains dotted with thorns shot up my legs from toe to thigh with every leap. But it would hurt more if I was caught.
xxxxI didn't dare to look back, instead gauging my pursuer's range by sound. All ears swiveled back, twitching and listening for details. In sync with my heavy footsteps, another set was getting louder. He's gaining on me! I thought in panic as I weaved down into a steep ravine. I leapt from ledge to ledge easily, my hind legs gripping better than an average kalon's ever could. The muscles were more refined than others' too, and I launched from side to side, trying to shake my pursuer. I glanced up, seeing him still following, but at the top of the ravine's edge. He wasn't bold enough to follow me into the depths. I ducked into a small cave, a couple of my feathers catching on jagged rocks as I squeezed through. They were plucked from my skin rather painfully, clinging to the cave walls and remaining there. I closed my eyes and prayed he wouldn't see them if he came down to follow.
xxxxThe path narrowed for a stretch of a few hundred meters, and at points, I was half digging to get myself through the mess. I began to panic, thinking I may be digging my grave deeper, but with a whiff of fresh air, I realized the dull grey ahead was the other end of the tunnel and not just a dot in my dust-blurred vision. I fought my way to the opening, bursting out and taking a moment to shake the dirt out from under my scales.
xxxxAn immense weight dropped onto my back, and I yelped in alarm, thrashing around and trying to get back on my feet. The more I fought, the more I felt trapped. A net, I realized, he's dropped a net on me. I kicked again weakly, looking around to see where the hunter was. Still descending the hillside. He must have incredible aim, or this way a preset trap. My stomach flipped, and I felt like I'd be sick.
xxxxI inched toward the edge of the net, shaking and freeing about half my body by the time he arrived. He stood at the base of the ravine, approaching slowly. The scariest part, though, was that he himself was a kalon.
xxxx"You're like me," I choked out. "We're both kalons, we're both just trying to survive, why are you doing this?" He didn't reply. A brief crouch, and he leapt toward me, snaggle-toothed fangs much like my own bared in an excited snarl. I ducked, head angled away from sharpened claws.
xxxxA struggle in the dirt. Bite after bite, he aimed for my shoulders and neck. I retaliated, head-butting him away for moments and pushing him away with struggling arms. I managed to bring my legs up, and with a mighty kick, I threw my attacker off me. The raptor claws and muscles were enough.
xxxxHe lay still, a few meters away, my scales and feathers still stuck between his claws. It took a moment as I stood shakily, but with a lurch, I realized what I'd done. Tears spilled over my cheeks, and I turned away, running and pacing in circles as I came to terms with the truth. Sickness. Dizziness. Anger and anguish. This was not at all what I had... ever thought would happen. I hate reliving it.
xxxxJust as in reality, my dream self turned to look at the hunter one last time.
xxxxThis time, though, another figure stood over him, looking down. I lurched. This was an addition to the dream. And while the figure looked almost like the hunter, they were... different. Their head snapped up, meeting my gaze with five narrowed eyes.
xxxxI woke, choking on my breath and clutching my chest. "What was that?" I breathed aloud, blinking away the traces of sleep.
xxxxNo way would I sleep again soon.

[ThatPinkThing]

xxxxAfter the weird alterations to my nightmare, I loaded up my belongings and headed towards the mountains. Climbing always calmed my nerves, and the crisp air would be a welcome wake up call. I donned my cloak and bag, rolled my blanket around my pillow, and strapped it all on. I completed my usual post-nightmare ritual of scrubbing for ages at my hind claws. The weight always came back after seeing it all again, and I wanted to be rid of it. For a few years now I'd done this, and in that time had ditched the wrappings that bound my raptor feet together. I didn't need to hide them so much now, and since I rarely went into town, it was rare for others to even be around to see them. It felt better to stretch them out.
xxxxI hiked towards the mountains, walking through the night and stopping just before dawn to rest. I laid at the edge of a creek, occasionally drinking or batting at the water. I stared at my reflection, watching my head tilt side to side. I looked exhausted. An accurate reflection.
xxxxI scaled the mountains with practiced ease. Wide gaps and steep inclines were no match for me, and as I worked out my body, I began to think less. Before I knew it, I had reached the peak. Traveling through a couple nights and days, I made my way up much faster than others could. I stared around the world, admiring the rolling hills and snaking rivers. Each and every thing below me had toughed it out for so long just so that I might gaze upon them, I liked to imagine.
xxxxYou have toughed it out long enough. The thought struck me. It was unusual, honestly. Showing compassion to myself was not something I'd done in recent years. To give myself affirmation of my struggle was new, but welcome. I thought again - calmly, this time - about the figure from my dream. Who were they? Why did they appear now, years after the event? And most of all, how did they get in my head? I decided I wanted answers more than I feared them, and I began the long trek back down the mountain. If I was going to sleep to meet them again, I wanted to do it comfortably.
xxxxTime to go into town.

xxxxTowns in this country were bigger than the one I grew up in. They were more dense, with houses and shops being practically neighbors. I wondered briefly what my hometown looked like now. Did they miss me? I missed them. Would they accept me? ... I imagined not.
xxxxI paid the motel owner for a night. Money wasn't an issue for me. While I spent most of my time roughing it, during busy seasons, I worked for farmers, building up money for rainy days. And for days of soul searching, apparently. The members of the town watched me come in. Kits gazed in awe or fear at my legs, but were quickly shooed away by parents. A couple even apologized for their children's staring. My voice was rough from disuse, but I managed to tell them, "Don't worry, I'm used to it." In the motel, I heard the manager whisper to a maid something about ripping sheets by accident. I sighed to myself. What a small issue to be concerned with. I supposed it was better than assuming I'd do harm on purpose.
xxxxI ate in the dining hall downstairs for dinner, then quietly went back to my room. I laid my cloak over top the made bed-- I wanted to protect their sheets, since they seemed so concerned about it. And besides, I got too hot sleeping under most normal bedding. I showered thoroughly for the first time in a while before bed, feeling like a new kal when I curled up under my own blanket on the bed. An image of five narrowed eyes flashed in my mind as I closed my eyes.
xxxxI knew I would be getting answers.

[ThatPinkThing]

xxxxThis dream was different. Rather than a split sense of being, I felt as though I had woken up in a different realm. Additionally, instead of beginning at home, the dream began with where it usually ends. The clearing where I'd fought for my life, except the hunter's body wasn't there. I tensed, expecting him to jump out at me. I turned in a circle, looking around for a few moments. "H-Hello?" I asked the emptiness.
xxxx"Hello," a toneless voice answers me from behind. I look over my shoulder, meeting two of the eyes that had stared at me last time. The middle and far eyes were closed, giving the face a fairly normal appearance. The eyes stared at the ground below me. I turned to face them slowly, cautiously.
xxxx"Who, uh... are you?" I asked them gently. They sat, still staring below me. I realized they were staring at my hind legs.
xxxx"My name is Veronica," they answered, "the hunter's daughter." I had to admit, I was a little surprised. For a girl, she looked so incredibly much like her... father. Rough and intimidating. Eventually, her two open eyes met mine, and we stared at each other for ages, neither knowing what to say. I decided to be the one to start.
xxxx"How did you get here? And... where is 'here'?" I asked. She took a deep breath.
xxxx"'Here' is your dream, fool-" ow "-and I got here because you let me in."
xxxx"Oh. How-"
xxxx"I can enter the dreams of those who think of me. You have wondered whether my father had a family. Here I am." She slowly opened her other eyes, all five staring at me with piercing gold. I swallowed nervously. She immediately leapt upon my anxiety. Rising back to her feet, she actually was a little taller than me. She snarled, leaning in close. "Here I am, coward."
xxxxMy ears flattened in alarm as my feathers bristled. "I-I'm sorry, I-"
xxxx"I'm sure you are," Veronica spat the words, beginning to circle me. She reminded me so, so much of her father. "Do you know what you've done to me? To my family? You left us in ruins, and fled the scene, never owning up for what you did."
xxxx"What I did...? Are you aware your father was hunting me for sport? Intending to kill me?" I questioned her, gaining back a little confidence with my anger.
xxxx"Would that have been such a tragedy?" Veronica gave me a nasty look, and my feathers rose again. I scowled back at her.
xxxx"Believe it or not, I like to live."
xxxx"Oh, and what I life you live. Running from your past, sleeping in woods and caves like a common animal? Has it ever crossed your mind that perhaps my father was right?"
xxxx"Has it ever crossed yours that he was wrong?" I demanded, pushing myself up to meet her eye-level. My defiance briefly startled her, but she quickly filled with venom again.
xxxx"I prefer not to argue about morality with killers, Arturo." Veronica taunted me. Clearly, she had heard my name in my dreams. No point in looking like a fool again by asking her how she knew it. She advanced on my silence. "You took him from me, and then Mother left me too. I'm cursed, and you're the cause, you monster. You took everything from me!" Her eyes brimmed with tears as her voice rose to a wounded shout.
xxxx"He was going to kill me!"
xxxx"So you killed him first?!"
xxxx"I didn't mean to, and- and would I have had a choice? It sounds like your family sticks to their intentions till the end, am I right?" We snarled at each other, each a paw raised and ready to strike. But neither of us wanted to prove the other right by dealing the first blow. We maintained our anger, staring each other down. Eventually, Veronica seemed to fold. She slowly closed her three spare eyes again, then her final two as she turned away.
xxxx"You'll see," she promised me, "you'll see what could have been."
xxxxMy eyes snapped open.

[ThatPinkThing]

xxxxI lurched at first, searching for my blanket. Even though I was an adult, the tattered object still brought me comfort. But as I looked around, I realized I wasn't back at the motel. I was still asleep it seemed, as Veronica was sitting at the end of a long hallway ahead of me, tail sweeping lazily. She was sat at the top of a staircase, watching something on the floor below. Instead of waking up, she'd brought me into her dream. I got up nervously, beginning to walk towards her. On either side of the hall, paintings of a family - Veronica's - were draped with sheer black fabric. Dust gathered on decorative vases and tabletops. As I reached Veronica, she did nothing to acknowledge me. I hesitated before following her gaze.
xxxxBelow us, the doors to this massive home had swung open, and a much younger Veronica was excitedly greeting her father. He bestowed upon her a necklace made from feathers and scales - my feathers and scales - and she turned to proudly show her mother. The image seemed to glitch for a moment, and I watched as instead of the hunter, a man of authority delivered news of his death to the family. As the mother started to cry, the dream switched back to the alternate version, the version where I can only assume I had died. I looked over to Veronica. Her face was devoid of all emotions. I guessed she had replayed these scenes many times over in her head. She turned away from me, standing and padding down a hallway opposite the one I'd come from. I took one last look at the scene of a happy family before I, too, rose and followed her.
xxxxThis hallway was even dustier than the last. Here, none of the tables held vases, and discolored squares of wallpaper revealed that any portraits that may have hung here had been taken down long ago. Scratches on either sides of the squares told me the pictures had been destroyed before they were removed. Veronica had stopped suddenly, and I nearly bumped into her as I gazed at the odd hallway. She was staring into a room that appeared to be a study. My stomach turned.
xxxxAround the room were trophies from previous hunts. I tore my eyes away from them to look at the hunter, who was seated at his desk, showing young Veronica photos in an album while a fire crackled on. The scene glitched again like the last. Now, young Veronica was seated in her father's chair alone, staring at the maps and images of me that he must have left behind before departing. The fireplace was empty, and the room gave me a chill. Distantly, I could hear crying. Young Veronica looked up at us, and as she did, the current Veronica got up and left again, continuing down the hall. I maintained eye contact with young Veronica for a few moments longer before I once again followed my guide.
xxxxShe led me to the end of the hallway and gestured into the final room. She refused to look for herself. I peeked in curiously and saw a tragic scene. Veronica's mother, passed away from heartbreak, lay in bed. The room was quiet and still, and I realized young Veronica was standing beside me, eyes wide and filled with tears. She cried out and ran to the bedside, but I couldn't hear anything. The room glitched, showing the family happy and woken by their daughter. It changed back rapidly this time, and frost crawled up the sides of the windows.
xxxxI looked around for Veronica, but she was gone. I panicked, wondering if this was going to be the end. I turned and bolted back the way I came. My head hurt as I ran. Young Veronica in the study watched me go. The front doors of the manor swung open and closed, cold wind and frost creeping in as another young Veronica switched between joy and tears. I charged back down the original hallway, winding to the end and ducking in the first open room. As soon as I shut the door behind me, my headache began to lift, and my chest didn't feel so tight. I caught my breath for a moment before I turned to look around the room I'd arrived in.
xxxxGrown-up Veronica was back, sitting at the far side of the room and staring out a wide window. Young Veronica was asleep amongst a dozen plush pillows and blankets on a round bed suspended in the air. I looked back to the current Veronica. This must be her room. I passed her young dreamself cautiously and sat beside her at the window. Glancing up at her, I saw that she was crying again, quietly this time. She turned away and wiped her tears. "You did this," she said hollowly. I nodded, looking out the window. Nothing special outside. A play structure and a fence around the yard. I could hear distant laughter for a brief moment. I took a deep breath.
xxxx"I know I did, Veronica." I began. "And while I wish it could have been different-" I hesitated, glancing over my shoulder at sleeping little Veronica. I sighed. "You have to also acknowledge it was by no choice of mine that this happened."
xxxx"You still did it."
xxxx"Your father prompted my choice. I didn't want to kill him, but it all happened so fast, and-" I paused, realizing I was talking to myself as well. "... and I've had to accept what I did, and put it to rest. If I dwelled on it forever, I'd never be happy again. I want to be happy. And I think you could be happy too, maybe." I added quietly.
xxxxVeronica made a noise of neutral acknowledgement and got up again. She rose and walked back to the door, opening it and hesitating in the doorway. She looked back at her sleeping younger self. "I've appreciated your side of the story." She said quietly before turning away and leaving. As the door closed behind her, I inhaled sharply and awoke, finding myself in bed at the motel once more.

[ThatPinkThing]

xxxxUnsure of what to do next, I spent the morning in my room. I found a pad of paper and a pen and sketched out Veronica's image. It was hard, at first, not to see her as her father. But while she had scared me initially, I had realized she was hurting. I had probably scared her too at some point. I wondered if she was beginning to see me as me and not the one who ended her world anymore. When I finished the drawing, I tucked it into a pocket of my cloak, intending to carry it with me and be mindful of her. I didn't know if she would come into my dreams again, but if she did, I hoped we might be able to talk more.
xxxxAs the afternoon rolled around, my stomach growled and I realized just how much time had passed. I booked another night in the motel and went down the street, finding a place to eat and spending some time kal-watching. Kits ran up and down the street, chasing each other and their toys. A few elderly kalons were walking together and giggling at some far-off memory. I smiled, finished my food, and strolled along the street. It had been ages since I had felt this... light. After talking with Veronica, it was as if some closure had occurred, and the weight of my sins was lifted. My head was clearer than usual, and while others still stared at my legs, it didn't bother me as much. I walked around for the rest of the day, and then returned - nervously - to spend another night at the motel.
xxxxMy body didn't really want to sleep. I spent so long conditioning it to stay awake that sleeping on command was a foreign idea now. I found a sleep-aid tea in the cupboard and mixed it up. As I was about to drink, I hesitated. If this would be a bad dream, I'd likely be unable to wake myself up. I bit my lip and thought for a moment. The day had gone so well... I was willing to risk the night matching. I swallowed the tea in one go before I could change my mind and curled up on the bed. I seemed to wait a long time, but eventually, drowsiness came upon me, and I fell asleep.

xxxxA very long time later, I opened my eyes again. I was still curled tightly on the bed, my blanket draped over me. I raised my head slightly and looked around. The curtains were drawn, but glowed. It must be late in the morning. I rose slowly, stretching out each and every muscle as I made my way to the window. Outside, others were going about their normal day. I looked up at the sky. The sun was high above, and I quickly turned to look at the little clock in the room. 2pm! Good heavens, I haven't slept this long in... I paused and looked around. I couldn't remember sleeping that well for that long, ever. I smiled slightly, overwhelmed with happiness as I stretched again and scoffed incredulously. Could it really be over? The running, the nightmares? It seemed that talking to Veronica had freed me from my past.
xxxxI looked out the window again, far off onto the horizon. "I can go," I marveled to myself, "I can go home. It's over, I think. I think I'm okay. Oh my-" My voice cracked as I laughed a couple happy tears. I donned my cloak and heard a crinkling sound. In my pocket, I remembered my portrait of Veronica. "I hope you can be free, too." I told her quietly as I tucked the drawing back in my pocket. I would carry her with me and continue to heal.
xxxxHopefully, she would heal, too.