Fantasy The Beast's Legacy

[MittyMittens]

Lylah leaned against the doorway watching everything unfold before her, poor Shima's emotional breakdown, she missed the old lady too, they all did but there wasn't much they could do about it now. She glances over at Cam and Sefu's tic-tac-toe game briefly. She let out a small sigh, so routine, always the same, just a different day. She made her way into the kitchen looking into the fridge, sighing in disappointment as the only source of protein was eggs. She was so tired of eggs, she wanted meat but that hardly ever seemed to appear here. She settled for an apple and a banana and wove her way quietly in between people into the living room, curling up on the window seat to watch the rain fall while she ate her fruit.

 

[Wolfette157]

Lucy sighs again as the usual day unfolds. The humans always only sent in clothes and food. No technology. No computers or games, no television. To make it worse the teens couldn't go outside of the giant wall/fence thing that either kept them in, or the humans out. Lucy sighs of boredom. She had already read all of the lady's books years ago and had reread them like three times. Lucy walks out of the house, not caring of the rain pouring down on her even though she was part cat. Lucy walks around in the yard, stepping in puddles and splashing water everywhere.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Nothing much was happening, much to Castrell’s annoyance. He had been sitting in the kitchen all morning, waiting for someone to come in, and people had come in numbers. The thing was, they weren’t having any interesting conversations, and both Lucy and Lylah had just left the kitchen, while Percy was busy trying to comfort Shima.


Making a choice, Castrell walked out of the kitchen, before stopping in the hallway and announcing a message. ‘Follow my scent if you need me-I’ll be outside somewhere.’ The “follow my scent” was something he normally said when he was going outside. It was easier than combing the minuscule amount of forest searching for a wolf.


Pulling on a rain jacket by the main door and stepping out onto the path outside, Castrell heard the rain hit the jacket, beating it with a pit-pat. It was…relaxing. But then again, the jacket wouldn’t always be there. Within a second, the person that had once been standing there was replaced by a wolf. It was of normal size, and nothing too impressive. It didn’t stay stationary for very long though. The wolf took off down the small path, sending waves of mud flying as it leapt off the end of the cracked and old concrete.

 

[Wolfette157]

Lucy watches as a wolf darts down the path through the yard. 'Must be Castrell.' She thinks to herself as she watches him run. Sighing and becoming bored again, Lucy turns into her cat form and walks off towards the small patch of trees that the other kids referred to as the woods. She enters the 'forest' and looks around at the trees. The rain water is held off from the numerous levels of branches and leaves. Lucy walks up to a tall tree nearby that has a branch that's perfect for napping that's about 20 feet off the ground. Lucy climbs up the tree and reaches the plump branch. Laying down in the cranny between the tree and branch, Lucy curls up in a ball and looks down on the ground below her.

 

[Dead]

Shima tried hard to stop the tears but they kept on coming down, looking down at the cake as it got soggy from her tears. She didn't want Percy or Castrell to see but it was too late, letting her pride fall and breaking down into more tears but then the cake was taken out of her hand, placed onto the table and she was scooped up in strong arms, her feet dangling from the ground. Though she couldn't see who it was, she knew by the scent of sweet flowers that it was Percy, being a raven, he always had a sweet smell to him that Shima loved, gripping at his shirt to hold her up and not fall.


Walking out of the kitchen and into the living room, Percy set them down on the couch and wrapping his arms around her protectively just like how the old lady did it when Shima was little. The feeling of Percy's arms wrapping around her small form made Shima feel protected from harm, snuggling into Percy's chest to hide her face in his shirt, her tears straining his shirt. The feeling of Percy's warm embrace was soothing and Shima felt just like a baby in a mother's caring embrace, more tears streaming down her cheeks.


"You know there's no point in holding it all in, after all there's no shame in crying...to be honest with you I think it makes you a stronger person."


The encouraging words that Percy said made Shima want to cry more, raising her arm up to wrap around Percy's neck and bury her head in his shoulder. Her sniffles became louder and her eyes were stained with bright red from crying so much. The words that Percy said were the words Shima needed the most, her body trembling more and her hiccups increasing. She couldn't speak and only continued to cry in Percy's shoulder, his shoulder wet with her salty tears.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Castrell arrived at the large brick wall. Nobody knew how old it was, due to the vast amounts of moss that covered large portions. This led to the assumption it was fairly old, and nobody dared cross it following the warnings of the long deceased old lady.


It hadn't taken Castrell very long to reach the wall-only a two minutes or so. Everyone living within the walls was aware of the lack of space that they had-they really didn't have much. Upon reaching the wall, Castrell looked around. This was normally the area an unmarked box would appear on occasion, containing foodstuffs and clothing. Not one today though, which concerned Castrell slightly, as the food situation was becoming a problem, with really only baking ingredients, Percy's cake and various fruits left to eat.


Checking around the are of the wall again, and traveling down it a little further this next time, Castrell noticed something rather strange. Somehow, there was a hole in the wall. It was more of a gap, really, like someone hadn't finished the construction process. With a bark of disbelief, Castrell turned away from the great wall that had always seemed so secure, and he began to run back towards the house, retracing his footsteps as he ran.

 

[Wolfette157]

Lucy watches as Castrell walks up to the wall of the fence and then runs off. She turns her focus back on the wall and notices a gap. Confused and curious, Lucy leaps from her branch and lands on all fours on the ground. She pads over to the wall and inspects the hole, knowing it wasn't there earlier. Still confused she follows Castrell's scent back inside to talk to him about it.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Castrell reached the house quickly, sprinting along, covered in mud. Reaching the cracked pathway, he shifted back into a human, stretching up to his normal height, while his tail,muzzle and fur receded. Shaking the rain off himself quickly, Castrell ran up the path, tossing off his mud-covered coat as he ran. Thankfully, much of the mud that had covered his fur seemed to mostly have gotten on the coat. Some had gotten into his hair, and he made a mental note to wash it out. He smiled slightly-at least he could remember to wash it out, unlike Sefu.


With a quiet click the door opened, and Castrell stepped inside of the house, wiped his shoes on the small mat in the front entrance, and then made for the living room, where he assumed most people to be following their lunch. Instead, he found Shima and Percy. Shima appeared to be crying heavily into Percy's shoulder, and Castrell bit his lip. He wasn't sure if he was to interrupt them.


'Um, Percy?' He ventured carefully. 'There is something wrong with the wall,' he began. 'Something you might want to see.'

 

[MittyMittens]

Lylah looks away from the window at Castrell as he comes in and hears the difference in his voice that something was wrong. She slipped off the window seat and made her way over to them. "What's wrong with the wall?" She asks curiously. What could possibly be wrong with the wall, nothing ever changed outside. The same wall, the same small yard, just a different season.

 

[Magikarp]

Percy felt Shima's sobs strengthen, she heaved and hiccupped, and Percy let her. Sure her tears were soaking his shoulder but...it was for a worthy cause. With her small arms wrapped around his neck Percy let her sink into his embrace. Her weeping although breaking his heart was necessary. If she were to recover from the loss of a mother figure she would have to let it out.


"Shima..." Percy whispered, trying to get her attention.


Before he continued talking Percy coaxed her head up by placing his hand under her chin and then gently lifted her head up so they were looking eye to eye. Percy always loved Shima's eyes, they were glacial eyes that sparkled and held knowledge far past her years. And even if they were tinted red from crying, they were still beautiful.


"Shima...you know you're a very strong person right?"


He didn't expect her to answer, however he also didn't expect Castrell to interrupt, his face showing concern and worry.


'Um, Percy? There is something wrong with the wall, something you might want to see.'


That sentence alone made Percy's heart stop. The only thing Percy could think of was his premonition from his morning.


Damn...if this affects any of the others...I knew something was off today...


Percy really didn't want to ruin this moment with Shima, the girl needed a good cry and comforting session, but he couldn't ignore this. Especially when Lylah asked what was wrong to. Taking Shima off his lap and gently placing her on the couch Percy put on a reassuring smile for all three of them, not counting himself.


"Alright lead the way, I'm sure I'll be able to solve this little problem," Percy chuckled, using his self-centered tendencies to poorly hide his growing anxiety.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Castrell nodded in reply to Percy, before turning to face Lylah. 'Do you want to come?' He questioned. Lylah seemed to be interested, so why leave her out? 'If you want me to ruin the surprise,' Castrell said, before continuing without awaiting a response, 'I think you'll find that the wall has a gap in it. Somehow the bricks were removed, and there is now a gap in it. I don't know how it happened, since we don't ever get winds that are strong enough to do that, and wind is the only thing I can think of that would do that..' Castrell trailed off, looking around awkwardly.


'Anyway,' he said, turning around and away from Lylah and Percy. 'I think we should get going, don't you?' He asked. 'You can come too if you want Shima,' he invited, walking out of the room.

 

[Dead]

Shima have been soaking Percy's shoulder the whole time, feeling a hand go under her chin and pull her head up to stare at Percy's midnight violet orbs that were filled with mystery that Shima has yet to uncover but also a kind, gentle look that Shima liked. Percy was like a sweet, older brother to Shima, someone who could be her next role model for her but Percy could never replace the old lady and her kindness, Shima sniffling and nodded at Percy as he comfort her but she didn't noticed that their moment would be ruin by Castrell intruding.


Looking over at Castrell, she pulled her sleeves up to wipe away her tears, feeling a little better after letting it all out. Embarrassment struck her, her cheeks lightly pink but she was fine, they were her siblings so they wouldn't make fun of her, fixing herself up and looking up at Castrell with puffy red eyes. Shima wasn't in the greatest appearance but she was able to keep going with her life, curiously listening in on what was going on. Then, Shima's eye widen in shock, Castrell's news was something big,"The wall has a gap?" Shima thought and got up to follow after Castrell.


Letting all her tears out made Shima feel the burden on her shoulder loosen up, feeling she was able to move on without feeling depressed and mourn over the old lady's death. It was sad to know the truth but Shima was also glad that she was able to spend those last few years with the lady, Shima's eye glint with determination to get over it and live for another day with a smile or at least be thankful of what she still got with her. The old lady may be gone but she still had these guys, her family, the people who she raised with and grew up with. Thy were precious to her and if anything were to happen to them, she would take charge to rip apart whoever touches them.


Being cute and small, Shima was a ferocious beast deep down, biting and ripping flesh into pieces until it is no more. This was how she is, the big cat who rules the forest and blend in with her surrounding. She needed to be strong, to be feared upon so no one would dare cross in her path carelessly but she also needed to be kind to those who do no harm, gentle with her words and actions though, it would take time for her to be able to do that.


Following Castrell to the wall, Shima looked around them, the sound of nature calling out to them and the huge wall that blocked them from going outside into the unknown, protecting them but also blocking all freedom except for those who were able to fly or jump up there but Shima never dared stayed out there, knowing already what was waiting for her out there.

 

[vibrantsystem]

'Here it is,' Castrell announced, tossing his arms in a needlessly extravagant way of presenting what would be to most people something fairy unremarkable-a hole in a wall. Except for these people, Castrell's "siblings", it was anything but. When he had left the house with the others, Castrell had found that the weather had become slightly nicer-instead of raining heavily, it was now a light, misty type of rain. This had made the trip much nicer, if only because they weren't getting wet.


Pulling his arms back in at risk of having them out too long and looking like an idiot, Castrell turned around and looked at the gap. 'See?' He asked, walking over to it. 'Looks big enough for us to pass through,' he said, before stepping into the gap. He didn't step out the other side however, instead leaning back on the right side of the gap in a casual manner. He wasn't as shocked of it as he had been prior.

 

[MittyMittens]

Lylah follows along, thankful the weather had improved. She glances over at Shima and even though she had been crying earlier she seemed better today. Lylah may be the quiet one, even the loner as some may classify her because of her late night or early morning prowls she cared for each person that dwelled within this house with her and paid great attention to their details even if she didn't speak of it or speak to them as often as one should. She looks at the gap in disbelief once they reached the wall. She knew it hadn't of been there previously, she paced along the wall quite often, the ground slightly worn due to it. "Well.... have you gone to the other side?" She asks, curiosity welling up inside of her. Her muscles trembled just thinking of the idea of being able to run and run and run. No wall or tree or any other obstacle to dodge. She lets her hand slide across the break, just needing physical touch of the gap to bring it to reality and to make sure this wasn't some strange dream.

 

[Magikarp]

The wall's broken...the walls broken


Percy kept repeating this phrase over and over again in his head as he followed Castrell. Looking at Shima it seemed she was better; she was a lot livelier than before. Back to the wall situation Percy didn't know how he really felt about this. He's been out of the wall plenty of times, after all he could fly...but he didn't know how he felt if the others walked out of the wall to. The forest was vast, so vast Percy never broke through the shrubs and trees to see if anything else was out there. However he's heard stories...stories of war, plague, greed, and prejudge amongst the people from the countless books he read, they were also unforgiving, and whenever they were confronted with something different they would call it a pandemic…sins even. When they reached the hole Percy was hit with the realization that this was real especially when Castrell said it was big enough for all of them to pass through.


"Well look at that, while this is certainly a discovery I find no reason for us to pass through it..." Percy commented.


Do I really want to play this card? Yes...for the safety of my siblings.


"I've been out of the wall plenty of times and there's nothing but forest...we'd starve to death before we find anything remotely interesting."

 

[vibrantsystem]

Castrell pushed himself off the wall. 'No, I haven't,' he said bluntly, addressing Lylah. 'I only saw it just before. And then I came straight back,' he explained, stepping out of the gap. It was an odd sensation, being this close to freedom, and yet being so scared of it. Shock had hit Castrell again when Percy had commented on there only being forest for miles around. 'Surely not?' He asked, surprised at Percy's statement. There had to be something more out there, something exciting.


Castrell walked over to a large tree and leaned against it, repeating the process that he had preformed for the gap in the wall, except now he was against bark and not stone. Thinking of a counter to Percy's statement, Castrell smiled slightly. 'Really then?' He asked. 'If it only forest out there, then where'd all those books we have back the house come from?' He asked, pleased at his argument.

 

[Wolfette157]

Lucy watches as the small group of people pass by her, not noticing her so close to the ground. She follows behind them until they reach the wall. She listenes to their conversation until Percy comments on there only being forest for miles. Castrell makes his comeback and Lucy decides to back him up.


"Come on Percy, I'm part cat. I can tell when your lying, and your definantly lying." Lucy says as she walks up to the small group. She passes by then and jumps into the top of the wall, right above where the gap is. She lands safely, all of her 4 padded paws thudding onto the stone.

 

[MittyMittens]

Lylah watches Lucy before looking back at the hole. "Maybe something's wrong.... The amount of packages as we used to get have become less and less and we haven't been given meat in almost a year. I think that's cause to pass through it. Whoever has been delivering to us... maybe they're forgetting about us" She states changing into her jaguar form to sniff at the hole curiously for any sign of....well, of anything. She tilts her head since she wasn't getting anything that stood out to her and changes back into her human form. "It's just so strange...."

 

[vibrantsystem]

Once he was done watching Lylah's movements, Castrell nodded in agreement. 'The meat part does seem odd,' he mused, looking at the hole. 'I say we go through it,' he suggested. 'We should see what is on the other side beyond just forest,' Castrell continued, looking at the gap curiously. 'I'm going anyway,' he ended bluntly, stepping forward and folding over into his wolf form.


Stepping closer to the gap in the wall, the wolf began to run. With a leap purely for theatrical effect, the wolf jumped through the hole, land on the other side, where it shifted back up into a human Castrell. 'There,' he said, looking around at his relatively unchanged surroundings. Even though the environment was the same, it felt different, as there was now nothing containing him. It was a exciting, yet frightening, and almost alien feeling that being on the other side of the wall generated. 'Coming?' He asked curiously, cocking his head to one side.

 

[Dead]

Staring at the wall, her eyes glanced up at the far top of the wall. Her keen eyes could see omly the branches of the tall trees that held up above them. Shima had never been up there before, the old lady being quite protective of her when she was little mostly because she was the youngest of the rest. Because she was younger, she was restricted from many things but Shima didn't mind, she loved being with the old lady anyways but she did feel as though she was being caged. She was a wild tiger, born to live free but instead she was caged, sealed and locked away from things but luckily the old lady had books, books that told stories and she would sometimes ask the old lady to give her some information of the outside world.


Though the old lady would sometimes keep some secret, she did tell her stuff about how it's like outside. Shima found it amusing to listen to them. She had been outside before but that was when she was really small so she didn't have many memories of it but she knew that it was a terrible place, scars from her younger years still stayed on her body, indicating that she had been outside before even coming here. She doesn't quite remember all the details and the scars she can't remember well how she got them, all she knew was that it was not a life she liked to remember.


Looking down at Castrell, Shima gasped when she saw the hole in the wall. It was big but not too big and anyone of them could fit into it, Shima glancing at the hole bewildered how it was even there,"Who could have done this?" Shima thought. No one inside could have done this because the wall seemed to have been broken from a different way and it didn't seem like something her family would do. The hole had to be made by someone and whoever did it must have just done it but then again, the hole could have been made by how old the wall was but the wall couldn't have been broken that easily. Many questions and conclusions came into mind but none seemed right.


Pondering on what could have happen, Percy came up and telling them to stay put, being the elder one, he knew what was best but Castrell and Lucy seemed otherwise, protesting to see what was outside. Shima was also curious but she couldn't disobey her elder one but her curiosity to see how the outside world is made her want to go against Percy as well. She didn't know what to say in this, keeping quiet and just listen to them but it seemed Castrell decided to take action, turning into a dark brown wolf and leaping through the hole with ease.


Watching Castrell as he return to his human form, Castrell turned and glanced back at them, cocking his head slightly,


"Coming?"


Shima stared at the older wolf, her eyes filled with pure innocent thoughts of a curious child, wanting to follow after her older brother but regaining her thoughts, Shima stepped back, grabbing onto Percy's sleeve,"We shouldn't take this so lightly Castrell, this is strange and this hole... it wasn't here earlier. We need to think before we act." Shima called out to him, using more words than she usually did, she was normally quiet but in this matter, she needed to speak her mind out to her older brother, her eyes narrowed to show how she was being serious. To Shima, this situation was serious and it was abnormal for a hole to randomly just appear just like that. Shima didn't trust it, it felt like some kind of trap, something to make them fall into the hands of evil doers or even worse, hunters.

 

[MittyMittens]

Lylah couldn't take it anymore. She had a soul that was not meant to be locked up, she knew every inch of the place they lived in now, there were no more surprises, no wonder. Even the books had been read through more than 3 times over by her. She looks at Castrell as he asks if they were coming and quickly slips through the hole not needing another invitation. She tenderly touches the grass on the other side with her feet as if it was going to fall through on her. Both her feet were soon on the grass at the other side and she couldn't help but laugh. "This is so great!" She says before changing into her jaguar form and races around the area, scratching at this tree and the next.

 

[vibrantsystem]

'What do you mean Shima?' Castrell asked, a grin forming on his face. 'Maybe if we got it out, we may be safer? Maybe someone tried to make a whole to get through but they made it too small and are coming back later to finish the job?' He paused, and righted his head. 'But I'm being dreary, aren't I?' He asked, not wanting an answer. 'See?' He questioned. 'Lylah isn't bothered by this! What is there to be afraid of?' He asked, tossing questions ever breath he could.


'If you don't want to,' he Castrell said after a pause. 'That is fine,' he calmly, trying to hide his annoyance at Shima. She worried too much. 'But really, what are you afraid of?'

 

[MittyMittens]

Lylah looks back towards Shima and Percy and changes back into her human form. "Besides I didn't smell anyone or any sign of danger" She states, though it didn't come to thought that the rain had probably washed away any scents that would have been there. "If you want, you guys can tell everyone else, and Castrell, Lucy, and I will check things out? Make sure it is indeed safe..." She offers, standing behind Castrell.

 

[Magikarp]

Percy stiffened at Castrell's comeback, what he said was true...but that still wasn't going to stop him from keeping them out of the wall. Though it seemed everyone was ganging up on him as Lucy told somehow knew he was bluffing...


"Well those books also tell of a cruel world, one that's unforgiving and apprehensive of people who are different..." Percy retorted back.


However Lylah had a point, there supplies were dwindling. Percy remembered when they used to have an overabundance of exotic food and toys. The old lady used to receive many books as well and would read to them, secretly Percy cherished those memories. He also got cloth as well, but now he barely had any to make a handkerchief. Almost having a panic attack when Castrell went through the hole Percy was about to scold him when Shima spoke up and held his sleeve. She of course thought logically, thinking things through before acting. Giving Shima a grateful smile he turned back and saw Lylah with Castrell, which was the last straw for him as he held Shima close to him and gave all of them a rare seething look.


"Shima is a lot younger than all of you but she has more sense than everyone combined!" Percy yelled. "Trust me I have flown around the forest and I've seen nothing but forest...listen I know supplies have been running low and..."


Stopping there Percy thought back to the supplies they had. Maybe...I need to start being more open minded...we're truly running low and at this rate we'll starve before accomplishing anything.


"Alright...you guys win. Just don't go far and as soon as the sun hits the horizon you are to report back here. Also I'll be flying around, if you here a caw return back here immediately or give me a signal if trouble arises...and look out for each other and tread carefully." Percy ordered.


"Oh and Shima, could you be a dear and tell the others about this and the rules surrounding it?" Percy asked her before transforming into a raven and flying off.

 

[vibrantsystem]

Castrell was about to start yelling back at Percy when he started on Shima's intelligence and everybody else's lack of it, but when he changed his tone and started to realise that what was going on may not be the worst thing ever, Castrell relaxed slightly, and was content with Percy's answer. Although, then again, just because Percy was the oldest, that didn't mean Castrell had to follow his every order. And he didn't.


He remembered when the old lady was still around. They would receive boxes of food, fabric, clothes, books and toys, all with the intention of keeping them stimulated out of trouble. And that had worked. The food would vary between unbelievably average to exotic fruits and meats. One that stood out in Castrell's mind was a fruit they had gotten when he was about seven. The old lady had told everyone that it was called a dragon fruit, and as one would expect with such an impressive name, excitement had grown. Castrell's first taste of the fruit had been an odd one, realising that it didn't bear as much flavour as he had expected, but he had developed a taste for it, none the less. And then they stopped receiving them. The box deliveries were odd in the fact that they frequently went for months with something, only for them to never receive that particular kind of food or particular style of patterned cloth (in the case of Percy).


Shaking his head, trying to forget about the lady, Castrell turned to Lylah. 'Shall we have a look around?' He asked, excitement growing at the prospect of being able to run freely.