One More Time

The frigid air whistled over empty space. The heel of a fighting finley came close to the cliff's edge, causing the snow to slide over. A snowball's worth landed on the head of a very pink draken. His right arm strained to hold his weight. His claws dug deep into the branches above him.

How did I end up here?

Last he remembered, he had been running amongst the other fighting teams, helping where he could. Helping his brother, keeping him safe. As Zyair did for him.

It was a mix of terrifying and wonderful!

Fighting alongside his brother. Sure, they were idiots and didn’t bring any weapons, but they had their bonds. And despite how difficult this task was, things had been working. Sort of.

Gabriel blinked slowly, calmly looking around himself.

All that empty space yawned back at him. He didn’t dare glance down. He didn’t need to know how far down it was. They had traversed a whole mountain. Falling, quite possibly, meant death. And he had no wings to speak of.

He looked up the side of the cliff. The grey rock face was almost smooth. But there were a few crevices and cracks he could make use of.

He stretched his left arm as far above his head as possible. And immediately recoiled.

A sharp, stabbing pain drove through his side, coursing up his arm and down his leg. He subconsciously tightened his hold on the frozen bark jutting from the cliff.

He wrapped his left arm around his midsection breathing slow and easy, even swallowing seemed painful. That monstrous creature must have cracked a rib or two.

His claws started to go numb, and Gabriel wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold on. Another glance up, and he shouted.

“Hello!! Anybody?? Zyair!!” The thrashing wind whipped his words back into his face. He knew the sound wasn’t going to make it far enough to do a thing.

The wind dragged at his fur, yanking him half of the surface of stone and dirt. He clawed frantically with his other limbs and clutched what he could to remain latched on and not a lost feather in the wind.

Gabriel rested his forehead against the wall. Thinking.

What COULD he do from here? His voice couldn’t travel far. And all he heard were the sounds of battle and the lying voice of the monster.

He closed his eyes, relaxing somewhat. 

Terra.

Obviously, she couldn’t hear him. There wasn’t a way to send words to his bond as far as he knew.

I’m here. Please. Find me.

He knew thinking this wasn’t going to have her suddenly find him, but he hoped the sentiment reached her anyhow. And then a crazy idea!

His bond did not see as other animals did. Maybe, just maybe, that worked in his favor.

He locked his feet in the crevices he’d found, and let go with his left hand. And then, he rhythmically knocked on the wall with the most stone.

Gabriel continued to send his emotions to the wind and knocking on the stone, hoping that somewhere up there, Terra could feel him and understand.

Time passed, and still he continued. What else was he to do? Falling wasn’t an option.

He left hand was getting sore, and he still barely felt his right one. The yelling and screaming, the screeching and false promises assaulted his ears constantly. He took to mumbling under his breathe. Trying to stay focused.

Beating out a cry of help on the stone surface.

Did sound travel well through stone? I think so… What about dirt?

Gabriel banged his fist against the stone, frustration paramount.

The sounds. The wind. The everything! It was too much. Too loud. He was sure there were plenty of pounding feet and claws and hooves and who knows what else up there.

How would Terra know which vibration to follow? How would she even know he was making one, he hoped, in the first place?

The chaotic noise pressed on him. Gabriel felt suffocated. Mostly due to his helplessness. The sounds got louder and louder…

He almost missed it.

A soft mumbling cry. No wait.

He perked his ears, listened closer. A mewling. His breath caught in his throat. Throwing his head back, he searched the cliff above him, his eyes darting wildly.

Yes! Terra!!

Her brown head popped through what appeared to be fluffy clouds.

You did it!

The burst of happiness was so strong, it leaked from his eyes. His sense of love and relief was a tidal wave of emotion that washed over his bond.

She mewled again, leaning forward, her large claws digging into rough earth.

Fear took hold, and he cried out. “Wait! Terra! No! It’s too far!”

She stopped. Pulled back.

“Find Zyair. Is he nearby?” He sent the feeling of questioning, of family, of hope.

Terra turned, disappearing from his view. A sudden thump, thump, thump could be felt beneath his claws. He waited.

Terra popped her head back down. He closed his eyes, better to feel her presence. 

Sadness. A sense of longing. And helplessness. Fear. Worry.

Gabriel smiled. “I’m fine Terra.”

Even without eyes, he could still feel the weight of her intensely looking at him. “Really. I’m scared.. And a little in pain. But ultimately fine.” He chuckled slightly.

“I’m pretty sure I’m safe from the monster down here!” Though I guess she does have long arms…

His eyes widened as his bond swamped him with disapproval and every other negative emotion that could possibly be hell no!

“Terra. I’m too far down. You can’t reach me, and even if you did, you can’t carry me as you climb. We both know you amazing at digging. It would take too long to dig through this mountain side to reach me. I can only hold on so long. She’s our best chance.”

A wave of disgust with a hint of resignation washed over him as Terra disappeared again.

It only took her a little over five minutes. The screeching monster was getting louder and louder. He could feel Terra’s confidence.

“I wonder what she did to piss it off.” Gabriel looked up, hearing a large shuffling above him.

A white grey tail slashed through the air. Gabriel took a deep breath.

“Teles!! Where are you?? Teles!” He gritted his teeth, bile rising in his throat. He opened and closed his mouth, any other words refusing to come out. “Teles!!”

A light blue mist curled around him. Cold and warm all at the same time.

“Gabriel. What are you doing down there?”

He glanced at the vision above him. Teles reached down, smiling. Gabriel forced a smile, reaching towards her.

“I seem to have slipped. And I need help getting back up.”

Teles grabbed his claws firmly, yanking Gabriel back up to safety. “Where’s your brother? I was sure he’d be right with you? He’s safe, right?”

The fur on the back of his neck prickled. Something about the way she said it made him think otherwise. “Have you seen him?”

He tried stepping away from the illusion, but her grip only tightened. He knew it was fake, but his heart started to race anyway.

She seemed oddly taller than him, when he knew she was shorter. She pulled him closer. And even though he knew. He KNEW. Teles wasn’t there. Not anymore. He didn’t pull away like he should.

He looked right into Teles smiling face, and his vision blurred.

Why did it come to this? Why couldn’t you just be another villager? And we could have practiced magic… And explored the forest. And the caves and the…

Every scenario Gabriel imagined made more tears flood his vision. There was so much they could have learned. So many things that could have been done.

His breathing became heavy.

“What’s wrong Gabr■○■\€○♤?”

Her voice distorted into something incomprehensible. Her visage swapping between monster and caring friend.

His mind flooded with companionship. With love unyielding and confidence unbroken.

Gabriel blinked away the tears enough to catch the sight of his bond a few feet from them. Standing firmly and trusting.

Gritting his teeth, Gabriel lunged forward. Shocked, the image of Teles fell away before the monster could recover.

His hands splayed wide, his claws racked long furrows down the length of the monster’s face. Or was it her head?

Her screech of pain deafened him for a moment. Which didn’t matter as much when she tossed him aside, and he rolled through the snow.

He desperately clawed the ground to stop himself, and barely halted near the edge again with Terra’s help.

Gabriel stared at his bond. He lovingly brushed her face. “Thank you.” He whispered, their heads bumping. “Thank you for being real.”

She flooded him with the feeling of comfort. But also something akin to ‘we’re not done yet.”

He nodded, even though the minkin couldn’t see it. “Let’s go find my brother.”

Teles never did answer the question about his brother.