Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā FERAL SELF - PRESERVATION ARRIVES AT THE BEHEST OFĀ Ā ā I WANT TO LIVE ā ā¦Ā Ā Ā and even the most dishonest man would be able to speak it as a truth.Ā Ā sylas prides himself on being able to warp truth like one can swirl oil into water,Ā Ā murking the surface with shimmering black while the honesty below disappears,Ā Ā suffocates and chokes.
he acts like a dog and smells like a dog and barks,Ā Ā bites,Ā Ā and eats like a dog;Ā Ā lycanthropy does not run through his blood and yet,Ā Ā when one has been treated as little more than a wolf prowling before a shut door,Ā Ā one hardly needs to wonder where such an animalistic penchant for sharp teeth and flitting eyes would come from.
his stomach clenches at her offer,Ā Ā reminding him of how empty it really is.Ā Ā he has done a marvelous job at ignoring swaying dizzy spells and the hunger pains associated with walking days upon days without a proper bite of edible feed.Ā Ā arms clutch tighter around gleaming chains,Ā Ā much too pristine for someone as him.Ā Ā they catch on the skin of his chest,Ā Ā pinching the flesh.Ā Ā sylas doesnāt bat an eye but rather narrows them.
āĀ Ā Ā ā¦Ā Ā and whatās the catch ?Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā he speaks and almost regrets it,Ā Ā his previous words having already taken all that his throat can bear.Ā Ā the horrible scratching associated with a lack of proper drink to nourish it is intense.Ā Ā a single breath enter lungs sharply.Ā Ā sylas slowly lowers himself and the chains to the ground,Ā Ā careful not to drop themĀ Ā (Ā Ā againĀ Ā )Ā Ā when single knee touches moss covered floor,Ā Ā and stays still as so.Ā Ā he flashes a grin,Ā Ā more akin to smile than a wolf - ish thing,Ā Ā and perhaps,Ā Ā behind the dirt and sweat and matted hair,Ā Ā one can catch a glimpse of a proper man.Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā oh,Ā Ā donāt worry,Ā Ā the hospitality is most generousāĀ Ā Ā ā
and it is,Ā Ā even if he takes it warily.Ā Ā he cranes his head to look beyond her and to the plume of rising smoke.Ā Ā more people are settled there,Ā Ā he sees,Ā Ā and has to begrudgingly admit that in his current composition he would make a stand against one or two of the blue clad men,Ā Ā but a third would easily overwhelm.
āĀ Ā Ā ābut i just have to wonder why.Ā Ā Ā ā
why indeed.Ā Ā sylas is hardly deserving but he knows when to only take a glimpse at a gift horseās teeth.
āĀ Ā Ā ā¦Ā Ā i think,Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā sylas wheezes at last when he hauls himself up,Ā Ā hands held in tight fists despite the good grace it seems he has wandered in on,Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā that for now i will stay with the horses.Ā Ā Ā ā
another cautionary look directed behind the fiery haired womanās figure.Ā Ā he offers a half - hearted shrug,Ā Ā shoulders crying out from the exertion,Ā Ā and lets them fall with a grunt,Ā Ā quickly followed by a masking chuckleĀ Ā (Ā Ā and a joke in poor tasteĀ Ā ).
āĀ Ā Ā otherwise i might be inclined to sneak in a bite.Ā Ā Ā ā
syphaĀ Ā isĀ Ā everythingĀ Ā inĀ Ā aĀ Ā smile;Ā Ā theĀ Ā curveĀ Ā ofĀ Ā lipsĀ Ā sitsĀ Ā there,Ā Ā likeĀ Ā anĀ Ā invitation,Ā Ā pathĀ Ā builtĀ Ā insideĀ Ā theĀ Ā silverĀ Ā willowĀ Ā branchesĀ Ā ofĀ Ā aĀ Ā forestĀ Ā whereĀ Ā aĀ Ā beastĀ Ā ofĀ Ā aĀ Ā differentĀ Ā kindĀ Ā withersĀ Ā atĀ Ā kindness.Ā Ā heĀ Ā isĀ Ā fidgetyĀ Ā andĀ Ā untrusting,Ā Ā theĀ Ā chainsĀ Ā clinkingĀ Ā cruellyĀ Ā betweenĀ Ā them,Ā Ā heavyĀ Ā andĀ Ā shinyĀ Ā andĀ Ā sharpĀ Ā againstĀ Ā hisĀ Ā dirtied,Ā Ā tiredĀ Ā skin.Ā Ā sheĀ Ā wondersĀ Ā howĀ Ā longĀ Ā itĀ Ā hasĀ Ā beenĀ Ā sinceĀ Ā heĀ Ā hasĀ Ā beenĀ Ā aĀ Ā man;Ā Ā wonders,Ā Ā throughĀ Ā theĀ Ā lensĀ Ā ofĀ Ā kindness,Ā Ā ifĀ Ā theĀ Ā teasingĀ Ā shouldĀ Ā beĀ Ā tradedĀ Ā forĀ Ā aĀ Ā softerĀ Ā hand.
whenĀ Ā heĀ Ā speaks,Ā Ā though,Ā Ā herĀ Ā mindĀ Ā shudders,Ā Ā thoughtsĀ Ā scatteredĀ Ā āĀ Ā andĀ Ā realizes,Ā Ā throughĀ Ā pain,Ā Ā throughĀ Ā theĀ Ā wayĀ Ā lackĀ Ā ofĀ Ā careĀ Ā gratesĀ Ā atĀ Ā theĀ Ā menāsĀ Ā throat,Ā Ā heĀ Ā isĀ Ā strangelyĀ Ā eloquent.Ā Ā hisĀ Ā featuresĀ Ā areĀ Ā allĀ Ā animalistic,Ā Ā frankĀ Ā andĀ Ā honestĀ Ā withĀ Ā anĀ Ā edgeĀ Ā toĀ Ā them,Ā Ā butĀ Ā heĀ Ā speaksĀ Ā withĀ Ā ease,Ā Ā catchingĀ Ā whatĀ Ā sheĀ Ā saysĀ Ā andĀ Ā pullingĀ Ā andĀ Ā twistingĀ Ā itĀ Ā inĀ Ā hisĀ Ā mouth,Ā Ā inĀ Ā theĀ Ā sliverĀ Ā betweenĀ Ā hisĀ Ā teeth,Ā Ā andĀ Ā theĀ Ā thingĀ Ā thatĀ Ā risesĀ Ā upĀ Ā inĀ Ā syphaĀ Ā isĀ Ā notĀ Ā apprehension,Ā Ā norĀ Ā fearĀ Ā āĀ Ā itĀ Ā isĀ Ā respectĀ Ā forĀ Ā someoneĀ Ā whoĀ Ā isĀ Ā notĀ Ā completelyĀ Ā broken.Ā Ā
Ā Ā āĀ WE ARE SPEAKERS,Ā āĀ Ā sheĀ Ā says,Ā Ā āĀ TRAVELING SCHOLARS,Ā āĀ Ā sheĀ Ā addsĀ Ā inĀ Ā explanation, Ā Ā āĀ AND NONE OF US WILL BE A THREAT TO YOU. āĀ Ā bendingĀ Ā herĀ Ā kneesĀ Ā soĀ Ā thatĀ Ā sheĀ Ā isĀ Ā closerĀ Ā toĀ Ā eyeĀ Ā levelĀ Ā withĀ Ā him,Ā Ā sheĀ Ā pullsĀ Ā theĀ Ā waterĀ Ā flaskĀ Ā fromĀ Ā herĀ Ā sideĀ Ā andĀ Ā insteadĀ Ā ofĀ Ā offering,Ā Ā placesĀ Ā itĀ Ā inĀ Ā theĀ Ā spaceĀ Ā betweenĀ Ā them.Ā Ā Ā āĀ IT IS OF OUR BELIEF THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING DESERVES KINDNESS. ALL WE HAVE IS YOURS, IF YOU ASK.Ā ā
retractingĀ Ā herĀ Ā hand,Ā Ā sheĀ Ā standsĀ Ā again,Ā Ā smoothingĀ Ā outĀ Ā herĀ Ā robesĀ Ā butĀ Ā stillĀ Ā holdingĀ Ā theĀ Ā uncertaintyĀ Ā ofĀ Ā hisĀ Ā gazeĀ Ā withĀ Ā aĀ Ā returningĀ Ā smile.Ā Ā Ā Ā ā YES, EVEN YOU, SITTING OUT HERE THREATENING TO BITE OUR HORSES. THOUGH I CANāT GUARANTEE YOUR SAFETY IF ONE KICKS YOU.Ā ā
sheĀ Ā crossesĀ Ā herĀ Ā armsĀ Ā andĀ Ā gesturesĀ Ā simplyĀ Ā withĀ Ā herĀ Ā hand,Ā Ā hummingĀ Ā withĀ Ā thought, Ā Ā ā Ā I REALIZE THIS ALL MAY BE HARD TO BELIEVE, SO YOUR CATCH IS SIMPLY NOT TO BE RUDE, AND IāLL BE BACK WITH BREAD. IS THAT ENOUGH? āĀ Ā heĀ Ā isĀ Ā emphasizingĀ Ā hisĀ Ā savagery,Ā Ā asĀ Ā ifĀ Ā goadingĀ Ā herĀ Ā ownĀ Ā toĀ Ā treatĀ Ā himĀ Ā beneathĀ Ā her,Ā Ā butĀ Ā resolutelyĀ Ā sheĀ Ā treatsĀ Ā himĀ Ā asĀ Ā sheĀ Ā wouldĀ Ā anyĀ Ā non-threateningĀ Ā strangerĀ Ā thatĀ Ā wouldĀ Ā stumbleĀ Ā intoĀ Ā camp.
heĀ Ā hasĀ Ā notĀ Ā harmedĀ Ā āĀ Ā heĀ Ā hasĀ Ā notĀ Ā comeĀ Ā inĀ Ā withĀ Ā aĀ Ā weapon,Ā Ā withĀ Ā fireĀ Ā onĀ Ā hisĀ Ā tongue,Ā Ā andĀ Ā pulledĀ Ā andĀ Ā prickedĀ Ā andĀ Ā shouted,Ā Ā runningĀ Ā themĀ Ā out,Ā Ā orĀ Ā worse,Ā Ā causingĀ Ā injury.Ā Ā instead,Ā Ā heĀ Ā sits,Ā Ā spittleĀ Ā inĀ Ā hisĀ Ā mouthĀ Ā andĀ Ā shouldersĀ Ā sagging,Ā Ā andĀ Ā heĀ Ā isĀ Ā moreĀ Ā deservingĀ Ā ofĀ Ā compassionĀ Ā thanĀ Ā most,Ā Ā byĀ Ā herĀ Ā standards,Ā Ā noĀ Ā matterĀ Ā howĀ Ā coveredĀ Ā inĀ Ā grimeĀ Ā andĀ Ā sneery.