~ The Lesson ~

[Nightstalker]

"Careful!" Nehvae grabbed Micky by his tattered collar, her heart beating wildly as she pulled him away from the concealed hole. "Remember the pattern, you'll need it someday." Carefully she released her hold on the four year olds collar and smiled at him reassuringly as he tried again, his little face screwed up in concentration as he tried to remember where the holes were. Nehvae stayed close beside the little boy she had all but adopted after his parents had been killed, she couldn't bear if she lost him to, especially as she should be able to protect him. Some wouldn't approve of her teaching the boy such a dangerous lesson, where one step in the wrong direction could kill them both. But it was better to be prepared, because sure as hell you wouldn't get a chance to be sorry.

He froze as Nehvae's hand gripped his collar, pulling him back. Almost immediately he realised his mistake. Closing his eyes briefly to help him visualise the holes, Micky tried again. Slowly threading his way around the invisible holes, taking his time as Nehvae had told him to do. He couldn't hold back his glee as he reached the other side without another incident, his face breaking out in a smile as he turned to Nehvae. "Did you see me!?"

Nehvae smiled at Mickys question, "Of course I did, I was right behind you. You did amazing, not even I managed to pick it up so quickly." She sighed softly, masking her apprehension as Micky grinned in joy at her praise. He was so easy to please, but he didn't truly understand the dangers that surrounded them. Looking up at the sky Nehvae picked Micky up in her arms. "Come on, dawns coming." The smile disappeared from the little boys face like it had been wiped clean and he looked around anxiously.
Maybe he did know the dangers, or at least some of them.

[Diniveka|The|Zsadist]

Walk the city lonely
Memories that haunt are passing by
A murderer walks your street tonight
Forgive me for my crimes; don't forget that I was so young
Fought so scared in the name of God and country

He could hear voices, one male one female, somewhere near the cave he stood in, and the noise carried right through, echoing in his ears. He tossed his head irritably, tied back blonde hair flipping with the movement, unused to the noise after being alone for so long, the only voices that which were in his head.
You could have saved them.
There's nothing you can do now.
They echoed in his mind, the voices that had brought him to the brink of madness once already. He wasn't about to let it happen again. The low growl of defiance filled the cave entrance where he stood, gaze on the rising sun. His pale wings were spread slightly, and he shook them, ruffling the feathers briefly before stilling, allowing them to fall flat. The sound of voices again made him glance down, amber eyes easily picking out the two humans on a ledge below him. The male was so young, yet had a dark, haunted look in his eyes already, as though he had seen death, felt pain. But all who lived had, all who lived had to fight for each new day.
The woman picked up the child, looking around anxiously, and Sadin looked once again up at the lightening sky. That was the thing, what irked him most. So much that had once been a pleasure was now a curse. Glancing down, he saw a flash of movement, heading towards the two people on the ledge.
Instantly, the Harpy male stiffened, before launching himself out of the cave entrance and down, dropping between the two and the threat, body coiled agressively, ready to attack. The shape moved out of the shadows and revealed itself, a crouched beast, the rippling hide of the mountain lion covering thick muscle that proved that the wildlife wasn't suffering as much as the humans and GeMocs were. Sabin bared his teeth in warning, and the beast froze, unused to having something so obviously confront it, and snarled. Sabin flared his wings and growled back, making himself seem bigger than he actually was, cat-like eyes narrowing. The cat seemed to realise it had met it's match and backed down a little but was still detirmined to see how far it could push him.

[Nightstalker]

Micky wrapped his arms around Nehvaes neck as she picked her way across the ledge, back towards the less deceptive rock. She allowed herself a brief smile at how close they had become since both of their families died before getting back to business. "Kitty!" Nehvae followed Mickys outstretched arm with a frown, "What kittty? I can't -" She froze as she saw what the boy had, a mountain lion, much bigger than they usually came. Nehvae froze, knowing that running would provoke it. She switched her grip on Micky, moving him so that he clung to her back, so that as long as she was facing the lion, it couldn't get to him. Not that there was much point, she couldn't fight a mountain lion, or out run it. Stepping backwards Nehvae wondered whether she could weave backwards between the holes, it was possible, but not by much.
Taking another step backwards Nehvae froze again as a large form dropped out of the sky, a Harpy, first generation a probably, going by its lack of bird features. The male growled at the mountain lion, which seemed to be wondering if it was worth the fight. Using the distraction Nehvae turned, once again switching Micky around so that he was protected. She skipped across the concealed holes and turned when she was a metre from the edge, switching Micky to her back once more.
The boy didn't complain once, proof that he did understand more than boys his age usually would.

[Diniveka|The|Zsadist]

The female was smart enough to move backwards as soon as it was safe, and Sabin took a step forward, growling at the big cat in front of him. They locked stares, and after a long moment, the cat turned and dissappeared into the rocks, winding it's way back to where it had come from.
His gaze instantly switched focus, and his whole body turned to face the humans, eyes narrowed. This place was dangerous, but by the looks of it that's what the female had been teaching the male, teaching him how to navigate the tretcherous area. The harpy moved, easily threading his way through the holes, stopping when he stood just before the two. 'He's gone, but he'll probably be back once I leave. You'd be best if you left now.' His strong, emotionless voice matched him, and his eyes were cold, though not hateful. Just expresionless. His wings snapped back to his sides, and his gaze never wavered from the young female's, waiting to see what she would say, prepared to force her to leave if it came to it.

[Nightstalker]

After what seemed like forever the mountain lion finally decided that it couldn't win and left. Nehvae's whole body tensed as the harpy came towards them, one of her hands went behind her back, supporting Micky. She wouldn't lie to herself and say she wasn't scared but she sure as hell wasn't going to be paralysed by it, definitely not with Micky in her care. When the harpy stopped just in front of them Nehvae brought her hand back from Micky, watching the harpy warily. It wasn't that she wasn't thankful to him for helping her, but she wasn't taking chances when it came to the boy.
'He's gone, but he'll probably be back once I leave. You'd be best if you left now.' His face was emotionless, as were his eyes, he looked like of she didn't do what he said he was willing to make her. Which meant that he wasn't out to get either of them. Shifting Micky back to a more stable position at her side she frowned and looked up at the sun that seemed to be rising to fast. "Of course, I was leaving anyway, but it's not the lion I'm worried about. The most the lion can do is kill us."

Micky's dark brown eyes followed everything that happened, he had quickly realised that the kitty wasn't one he should play with, and judging by his new mothers reaction, yet another thing that was out to kill them.
Micky watched the thing his mother had once told him was a harpy come towards them, he didn't protest when she moved him once again, the position he was in, against her side telling him that although she didn't expect the harpy to attack them, she still wasn't comfortable. Or maybe that was because of the sun.
"Of course, I was leaving anyway, but it's not the lion I'm worried about. The most the lion can do is kill us." Micky looked up at the harpy with grave eyes, "Zombies infect you don't they? That's why mummy busted her finger."

Nehvae was surprised when Micky spoke up, he was usually incredibly shy around others, not that they met many other people. She shifted her hand, tucking it out of sight as she frowned at the boy. He called me mummy, it made her proud but it also re-opened the aching pit inside her. She shook her head, tucking him closer. She wasn't his mother, and she wanted him to know it, she didn't want him to forget about his real parents. She looked back at the harpy, the frown still on her face. "Yeah, they do. But I'm sure the nice male knows that. We need to go, we have a bit of a climb and I don't want to stay here." The last part was directed to the harpy, she didn't move though, not wishing to get to close to him, or the edge, not with Micky.

[Diniveka|The|Zsadist]

When the child spoke, the look on the female's face made Sabin think that he didn't speak often, or at least not around strangers. He didn't reply to the statement, but he nodded slightly, and glanced down to the female's hands at the mention of a busted finger. Indeed, she was missing one on one of her hands. She didn't seem to want to move though, and he blinked slowly, before sighing and turning. His wings snapped out again, blosking the majority of him from view though not his head. Glancing back, he made sure with a glance that they were leaving before he threw himself upwards effortlessly, after many years of practise. His wings caught the wind and pushed him up further with strong beats, back up to where he had been, dropping back onto the ledge that he had started from, infront of the entrance to his aerie. He didn't go in though, but stood on the edge watching the pair below him, looking out for anything else that might try for them.

[Nightstalker]

Nehavae resisted the urge to step back as the harpy took off, the wind from his wings buffeting them, she did not want to get anywhere nearer to the ledges end than she already was. Boosting Micky up higher so that it was easier to carry him she picked her way around the invisible holes, constantly checking around her for any sign of Zombies, or the mountain lion. Upon reaching safe ground she looked up again, her eyes finding the harpy on a ledge, watching them. She hesitated then raised a hand in thanks, reluctant to call out because noise carried far in this place. Unfortunately, Micky had no such restrictions. "Buh bye!" Micky called out to the harpy, oblivious to the shushing motion Nehvae made with her hand. Glancing around again she grimaced then without further hesitation she hurried up the rocky path, even if nothing showed up right away, she was willing to beat someone other than the harpy had heard Micky, or at least, she tried to stick to the worst possible situation. Just so she could be prepared.

[Diniveka|The|Zsadist]

He laughed slightly at the boys unrestricted farewell. Nodding slightly, though visibly, at the two, he watched as they left, the female picking her way expertly around the concealed holes and up the path leading away. She was looking worried, as though she thought someone else had heard the child, but no one was in the vicinity apart from them. Turning, Sabin pulled his wings tight to his body and moved further into the cave, hidden from above and below as it was. He was certain that this wasn't the last he would see of the pair, and hoped that it wouldn't be through an attack that it would happen.