The Weirdest Headache in the World.

[Tsukikage]

"Man, my head hurts..." Kage chuckled as he came upon Dawn. "Y-you okay there, Dawn? I know that must've been... w-well it hurt like hell, but I'm okay now. See? Just a little scar."

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn had, while been alone, managed to calm herself down enough to where she was breathing regularly again, and she was lying on her side. She was extremely tired, and she couldn't figure out why. She hadn't moved an inch during the whole experience, and aside from walking to this place, she hadn't moved much at all since they'd arrived at the rose garden. She could hardly keep her eyes open as she smiled at Kage. Her tail thumped lazily against the ground.

I'm just fine, and glad you're okay. But darling, I am a bit tired. How is everyone else?

[Tsukikage]

Kage smiled. The trauma must've worn her out. "Tsuki's better, but he got a little up-i-ty with Hitoban, so I gave him a bump on the noggin. Rin seemed to be having some trouble with something when I left, but otherwise, everything's just fine. That Ryuu-whatever didn't stand a chance."
He lay down next to her, and laid his head gently on her belly. "How are the pups holding up? I bet that's what's got you so tired. If you wanna rest here and sleep, I'll keep watch for anything."

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn smiled and laid her head back down on the grass. They're doing as well as pups should, I suppose. She sighed and closed her eyes, extremely tired. She smiled sleepily when Kage said he'd watch out for her, and soon found herself drifting off to sleep.

A blue light seeped through the trees, lamentable and lonely. Melancholy melodies flowed to and fro, following the sorry shape. Shimmering blue feathers donned the back of a light blue wolf, the source of the saddened light. His tail hung low, his ears laid back, and his head slumped with disregard for his own life. He'd never been here before, and yet he showed no caution. He didn't care. He knew that should anything appear that was dangerous, one of his brothers would take over. So he wandered, free for the time being, and wondered why they'd let him go.

Suddenly, his senses were overtaken by the feel of impending doom. He looked around for the source, but saw nothing threatening him in the area. He concentrated hard and turned on his senses. When he re-opened his eyes, he saw a black trail, leading away from him. He followed it quickly, his own loneliness forgotten. He wove through the trees, now smelling two other wolves, one male and one female. When he reached them, he saw that he recognized them. He had seen them through his brothers' eyes. Kage and Dawn, they were called. He followed the trail of death with his eyes, and flinched away from where it led. He flicked off his senses like one flicks off a bug. His wings fluttered nervously as he turned to face the couple. The female was asleep. That was good at least.

He looked into the eye of the father, sadness for all three pervading the air between them, and folded his wings on his back. He spoke incredibly soft, so softly in fact that he wasn't even sure he could hear it. He wasn't sure if he wanted him to hear.

I am Phoebus, and believe me when I say that one will not live.

With that, he turned and took off into the sky, not wanting to see the look on his face, whether it be anger or anything else. As he flew, a tear fell from his eye and landed on the ground. Where it landed, a blue flower budded and bloomed.

[Tsukikage]

Kage's chest suddenly hurt, and he winced, but did not stagger. One will not... what the hell?!? His one eye popped open, and tears fell carelessly onto Dawn's fur. "No... no, it can't be... who was that? No, he couldn't..."
He rose quickly and dashed over to the foreign flower, sprinkling it with tears. His empty socket began to bleed a little, more symbolic of emotion than out of actual injury. A single drop fell against the blue of the flower...
"I don't know who you are..." He said, trembling, "o-or what you know... but I can't let your prophecy come to pass, y'hear me?" His chest throbbed, and he wanted to scream, but he would wake Dawn... He gnashed his teeth, and the blood started to evaporate into a fine red mist from the flower and his eye. A few moments more, and his strength gave way and he fell to the ground and cried. "I can't let it happen... no...no, it's not true... no..." he whimpered.

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn woke and blinked blearily, hearing Kage's cries. She looked up to see him collapsed in front of something she couldn't see. She rose to her feet and padded slowly over to him. She saw that he was crying over a strange blue flower. It was glowing, and it didn't smell like a flower should. It smelled...medical? Sterile, maybe. She tore her eyes from the flower and nuzzled her disparaging love. What could possibly be that horrible, love? She looked at the flower again, out of the corner of her eye, and found that it was now on the ground. She turned her whole face to it in surprise, and studied it with interest.

It's stem looked like it had been clipped neatly at the ground, though no remnants of it remained in the ground. She clawed at the place where it was, but found nothing. It was glowing more now, and she bent her face close to it, sniffing at it. Suddenly, a melodic, yet somehow sad voice sang in her mind. Take the flower and guard it with your very life. It wasn't her own thoughts, but someone else's-someone she'd never heard before. Whoever it was, she knew that she had to take the flower and keep it safe. She took it gently by the stem and placed it in between her and Kage, then she began licking the tears and blood from his face.

Please Kage...what could be that terrible?

[Tsukikage]

Kage stared at Dawn, almost horrified. "I... I heard a voice. I -- no, I can't say it. He said something that... that scared me." His face was flushed, and his breathing was a bit frantic, but he swallowed it down and tried to control himself.
After a few moments, he'd succeeded, though his face became very grave. "Y-you were feeling tired, right? We should go get you checked out -- make sure it isn't anything serious." He rose abruptly, motioning for Dawn to follow. "C'mon, let's go see the healers, or Neo, or something..." I won't let it happen...

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn tilted her head, concerned with Kage's behavior. Being tired wasn't that strange, was it? Just the excitement from the day, right? At least, that's what she'd first thought. Nothing seemed amiss, but if it would make him feel better, perhaps she should get checked out. She didn't want him feeling scared or upset. She nodded and followed, a reassuring smile on her maw.

I'm sure everything is fine, love.

[Tsukikage]

"W-well... just in case..." Kage replied. I don't even know what the hell I'm freaking out for... maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me or something...
The strange wolf's face flashed in his mind, and he winced and cursed it. He was shaken to the core, shaking like a leaf, and trying all the while to hide it from Dawn. He kept trudging along until...
God! My head! Kage began to gasp for breath, like he was suffocating. he buckled over, and twitched uncontrollably. It felt like he was taking every wound he'd ever had all over again. Being crushed to death by Giga... his spine shattered by his own father... losing his eye... the countless cuts and gashes along his body... and being decapitated by Rasputin. He could count them, one by one...
You can't save everyone...[/i] A foreign voice said. No matter how much you struggle... how much pain you can endure... there are some things that not even you can stop.[/b]
"No... no, you're wrong!" Kage shouted. "Get out of my friggin' head! I can't let it happen, you hear me, bastard?!? You... hear... me...?"
He lay still, for a moment. His face was stained with blood around his missing eye, and the other was bloodshot. He suddenly stood very quietly, and continued walking, though now with an off-balance limp on his right side.
"Um... maybe... I should see the healer, eh?" He murmured softly as he limped along...

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn was following Kage silently when he suddenly went into spasms and looked like he was in a lot of pain. She hovered over him uneasily, not knowing what to do, and didn't understand his words. It sounded like he was answering someone, but she had heard no voice. When he rose and began walking again, she figured that the worst was over, and that he would be okay now. She continued following him, until she realized something. She'd forgotten the flower. She gasped in panic and turned on her heels, bolting as fast as she could go back to where she'd laid it on the ground. She stopped when she saw it, and a rabbit was nibbling at it like it was the most delicious thing in the world. She snarled at it, and it ran away. She loped over to the flower, inspecting it for damage. It had a petal missing. She cursed herself inwardly, and gently lifted it in her mouth. She then began walking back to Kage, her energy once again sapped.

[Tsukikage]

The couple walked in silence for a while.
It was not until home was in view that Kage stopped. He didn't turn to her, or change the stoic look on his face... he just stared out at the waterfall.
"Why'd you bring that thing?" He asked.

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn knew perfectly why she'd brought along the flower. She had to protect it. She didn't know why, but she knew she had to protect it. Since she didn't understand, she didn't think she could explain it to him. So, as she stood close to the cliff entrance, she simply said, I have to protect it.

[Tsukikage]

"Have to...!" Kage was taken aback. "What are you talking about?!? That damned thing -- gah!" He stumbled back a few steps. It's happening again! Okay, just stay calm... breath, Kage... calm down.
That horrible, strange voice laughed at him. Having trouble? Aww...[/i]
"Shut up!" Kage shouted. The pain disappeared, and the voice along with it. Now, how to explain to Dawn... he looked up at her, tears pooling in his eye. "I've got to see Neo. He'll know what's going on."
Without another word, he entered the grotto to find Neo...

[hitobannofokkusu]

Dawn was taken about by Kage's reaction. She figured that he wouldn't understand her need to keep it safe, but she didn't figure that he would get mad about it. And then, he started looking like he was in pain again, and she grew more concerned. Something terrible had happened while she was asleep, and she really wanted to know what it was. Before she could ask, he mumbled something about talking to Neo, and disappeared into the grotto. She sighed and set the flower on the ground in front of her. She couldn't take it in the water. She laid down with her head on her paws and looked at it. It was starting to look droopy.

What are you...?

She sighed and picked the flower up again, hauling herself to her feet. She climbed the cliff side and slipped behind the waterfall. She padded over to her bed, laid the flower down, and curled up beside it. In a moment, she'd fallen into a disturbed sleep.