So, in the lack of new fic content (sorry!), I want to at least keep up a little something. So, whump! Because yaasss!
General prompts and no context.
#1 prompt: ‘I don’t think you want to do that’
The freezing needles raked against A’s face and bare hands, a raw contrast to the heated flesh, hot with the exertion. Their boots quelched in the wettened soil, but all they heard was the rush of blood in their ears, and their own wheezing, panting breaths.
That wasn’t enough to drown out the howls. Already so close; their fingers clenched tighter around the small device. In the end, it all came down to this.
Without this, M would be powerless.
Without this, there would be hope again.
For B…for everyone…they had to!
A’s foot slipped as they skidded to an abrupt halt. Stumbling dangerously close to the edge, a breathless cry escaped with the last of their air as A met the muddy rock, hard.
Their lungs burned. The coolness of the ground false friends with his trembling limbs, A huffed in a couple heavy breaths before, on three, pushed themself onto their knees.
The fall was steep. Almost thirty feet below them, foamy rapids promised them peace if they were to surrender. A wave of dizziness rose through them as A, almost hypnotized, could bring themself to tear their eyes away from the deadly swirls.
Only as the barks reached them did A snap out of it.
“Shit!” They dashed as the indistinct rumble -hooves, paws- emerged; there were shouts, too. A didn’t care to stick around to find put what was being conveyed, though. Counting their breaths, A ran, the small item in their hand almost burning a hole in their palm as they pressed it to their chest.
A soft denial slipped out shakily as they halted midstep. The dog had pressed its head down threateningly, flashing teeth as it growled at them. Next to it came another, assuming the same posture and hostile demeanor as its alpha.
They were perfect hunting dogs. Finding them but not killing. Hearding them where they was vulnerable. A was left with no choice as the animals cornerned them, forcing them to back away until there was nowhere to back away anymore.
A swallowed thickly as M steadied the horse.
With all the glee of a victor, M leaned forward on the saddle and wiggled his/her finger beckoningly: “I will be taking that back now, dear.”
Their breath catching, A’s jaw tightened. With a defiant glare, they held their hand out over the depths. “Stay back!!”
A flash of surprise visited the despot’s face before they broke a chilling laughter. “And just what good do you think that will do to you? You must be more foolish than I thought.”
“I will drop it, I swear!” A’s voice was wheezy, but they did inch to the edge of the cliff; crumbles of dirt fell over by their foot.
“Oh but you don’t need to go there. See, I believe we can reach a very mutual understanding.”
There was something dangerous in that tone. But A didn’t have the time to start figuring out the trap weaved into those words as M called out behind him/her:
“Bring out the prisoner.”
The lines behind M divided; a soldier ushered their steed on, and sitting in front of him, their hands bound–
A’s heart skipped a couple beats as the soldier rounded the small clearing and halted the horse; he grabbed the young captive’s hair to pull their head back, a blade coming to rest across their throat.
Struck speechless, A could only stare in macabre faschination as C wriggled around their bindings and the threatening weapon. “So-stop it! Let them go!!”
M took their time. Enjoying every word, s/he smiled cruelly, “I believe I’m making myself clear here? Give me the box, or s/he dies.”
“So-sorry, A!” C whimpered out, tears running down their cheeks. “I-I’m sorry! I couldn’t–!”
“Shut up!” A firm yank turned C’s words into gurgling.
M’s hawk’d gaze hadn’t even flickered. Nailed onto their prize, they eyed A with hunger.
A’s entire arm trembled, but it still faced the wild waters. “You, you let C go! S/he’s not part of this!”
M looked almost bored as s/he shook his/her head. “But that’s not the way this goes, kid. Now, you bring me my box, right now, or watch them die, do you understand?”
What they needed to do about it was the hard to swallow.
Taking a deep breath, A nodded shakily. “Okay.” Slowly, they retrackted the hand and, pressing it to their chest, repeated, louder. “Okay.”
With another deep inhale, they reached their eyes for C. Their eyes were welling up, too.
Before they had time to stop fearing M more than their choice, A threw themself over the edge. Their hand clutched the box tighter as the wind howled in their ears, drowning out the screams of denial sounding out in their wake.
Someone who speaks English as their native tongue, please tell me:
When I use generic 'they’ to refer to one person, is the verb supposed to be in singular or plural?
