The Stag and The Bitten

Energy coursed through Bradfords veins. From inside a flame licked and curled through the tunnels of life giving tendrils. Bradfords head shot backwards as the steering burning pain ravaged him momentarily. Raven looked curiously at his body contorting. He seemed to ignite internally. Sweat kissed his skin and she wondered if her mother’s blood caused such pain. Suddenly, Bradford stood at attention and began sniffing the air. Following the pull he began to follow a path. Raven snatched his coat as she ran out the door after him. A strange soft glow appeared in front of him as the wind picked up swirling the leaves around them. A disembodied voice echoed through the dancing leaves, “Leave me be or find your end.” Tossing his coat over his shoulders as he kneeled against the pain, her ears honed into her mamas voice.

“Mama?!” Raven closed her eyes and tried to see her. Through the trees she pushed her vision, past the broken creek and over the barrows. Still nothing. Bradford seemed to become focused like listening to a whisper in the wind. Raven watched him as feet began to slowly step towards the glow. “Barren, I hope you’re prepared for her.” Raven twisted her fingers over the helm of her coat. Twisting the fabric until her knuckles were white. Could she trust him at his word? He could’ve lied but could he have omitted safely information she could only speculate? “At least the Barren is distracted. Mama, please let me find you. I hope you are okay. Please guide me.” Bradford began to speed ahead.

Branches broke beneath the great Stags hooves as he stayed steady with Bradford. Many other forrest creatures were with Raven’ “I don’t trust you. You may not mean harm to Raven but you didn’t swear it about Alexandre.”

“I intend on retrieving the potion I require. That is my true intention and in that truth you can help me or stay weary of me as I may grow tired of your presence and be rid of you.” Bradford flashed his eyes at the Stag. The Great Stag of the forrest flashed his magnificent eyes back and roots lifted in Bradfords path causing him to tumble like a freight train skipping off its tracks. With a flash, Bradford stood eye to eye with the Stag, “I don’t have time for games or sword fighting. I’m not here to argue power of which we both contain ample amounts of. I’m here to complete my quest. I’m bound by blood to complete it or I die. Now that we understand each other, can we proceed.” The Great Stag stomped at the ground as he nodded his massive crown. “Agreed. I will be watching you every step of the journey.”

Bradford turned and followed the glow as he was behind now and feared he would not make it before the sunrise. An hour passed as daylight threatened to burst into the skyline. “I’m not going to make it. I’ve got to find a place to hide for rest. The journey can’t stop. I must have someone to continue. Ravens slow so after a day of sleep I will quickly be able to catch up. I don’t know if she will be willing. Thank heavens it’s not her Mother who has to do this. It’s not fully known what a caster drinking the Bittens blood can become.”

“You made it! I was afraid I’d have to seek the solitary sanctuary before you came upon us.” Nodding towards the Stag he kept his gaze on the glow. “I will need a rest and you will need to continue.”

“I have been trying to keep up with you. You who know where to go because I trusted you with her blood. How can you now speak Rest to me when she may be in dire circumstance?!”

Bradford looked at her fury and the way her chest cleaved as she panted for breath. He steadied his thoughts and said to her, “I can give you a bit of my abilities for a short period. You won’t feel tired from travel, you won’t need food and you won’t need to rest. You will have the strength to continue the journey and in addition, you will be able to see what I see. Will you accept my conditions?”

Raven loomed and considered the time that would waste if she had to stop to rest or sleep. Perhaps even if she looked while the Barren slept she could find her mama and spirit her home without detection. Their magic combined could make the transportation. “What do I need to sacrifice for this taste of your power?” Raven knew nothing came without a price.

“Again, let’s dispel of the pretense. You will have to drink MY blood.” Raven gasped and knew that the Bitten and the Born shouldn’t risk mixing but speaking to this would expose her. How could she…no. She already felt drawn to pinch herbs as she traveled. She had a pocket full of herbs and medicines she had plucked from the wild as she ventured to follow this Barren into the unknown. Grabbing a handful of them came n her pocket and massaging them, she rolled and folded while she chanted the spell for protection from blood contaminants. Then pause took her. “What if these herbs cause me to lose my mama?” With resolve, she let the herbs loose in her pocket as they could be used later if needed.

“Then let’s begin.” Raven made deep eye contact as Bradford cut his vein across his neck beckoning her to take his last energy for her daytime journey.

Bradford loosened his collar and espoused of his collar. His pale almost transparent skin pulsed. Raven made view of the vien pulsing and bleeding now as he had sliced his own throat to make retrieval clearly visible and accessible.

“Raven looked upon her feast and without a thought she drank from me. Now I will know the extent of her maternal powers”. I’m not sure how this is going to affect me but my journey will be difficult and without ease.” Raven clamped down on the pool and began sucking into her mouth his live essence. She felt a dark hold take her. As Raven’s mouth filled with blood she heard her mama. “Stop now my child. Don’t. Don’t find me. Stay safe. Please I beg.”

Stumbling backwards, Raven felt heat coursing through her body. From her toes to the Earth she felt connected. As the breeze blew she could smell from whence it came. As she opened her eyes and looked at Bradford beneath her grasp, his eyes seemed to grow deeper and she could feel his emotions. The attraction, the hunger, the exhaustion…she let go of his collar and he effortlessly arose to stand towering above her once again, “I will also be able to find you when I wake. We are connected now I will find you when it’s necessary. Now go. We loose precious time.” He stepped backwards into the shadows quickly until he was gone. The Great Stag turned to her and knodded forward. Raven took direction and ran.

Hours passed as the daylight blazed on. Raven felt her feet tapping the ground as she ran quickly and lightly. The wind whipped around her and she saw everything as she passed. To her on a regular day, the scenery would be a blur as she ran but as she had the dark powers, her speed made her undetectable to humans but for her vision slow motion made a painting of her path. Entranced in the scenery, they ran for hours more. The Stag began to pant and said to Raven, “I require water and a moment to breathe. I would Iike to stay in between you and the Bitten. Go ahead of me. Follow the path. You will find your mama if she can be sought.” With that he slowed his gallop to a halt. Walking over to a a stream he sniffed it and gracefully sipped to quench his thirst.

Raven pushed forward and started to smell lemongrass and lavender. Her cheeks flushed and she pushed harder forward. The sun started to drop and red and purple hues fought to give way to night. Raven stood at the edge of a cliff. Across the gorge she could see a light smoke rising from a nestle of trees.

Appearing quietly from the shadows, Bradford cleared his throat. “Raven. I need to know you’re ready for this. You haven’t slept and you’ve taken my blood. How are you?”

Raven turned to him. Her eyes were dry and bloodshot, her lips chapped. Other than that, she didn’t seem to be adversely affected. Maybe she wasn’t a caster like Alexandre. Perhaps, she was just a girl.”

“Mind your mind, Barren. I can still hear you. Even before your blood kiss.”

“Correct. Okay. My apologies. I thought you might be… never mind. I see the smoke but more than that I see the fire it’s coming from. I smell the wood she chose to burn. And the herbs…” inhaling deeply he closed his eyes, “Just like home, yes?”

“Well. I’ve waited long enough.” Raven began to run down the cliff and through the entrance of the forrest and deeper into the helm of the brush and that he’s lining the path. As the dark gift faded with the lowering of the sun and rising of the moon, Raven started feeling heavy and deeply tired. Bradford looked over at her as she began to fall behind. He quickly slit his wrist and went to her. “Drink of me again; we can’t slow now.” Raven didn’t hesitate as NOTHING would stand in the way of seeing her mama again.

“Under the moonlight Raven began to contort. Bones feeling like they’re breaking, lungs squeezing shut as she ran. Dropping to her knees, Bradford feared the worst and in fact had to be given medicine to protect her from the poison in her blood immediately. “Reach into my pocket. I’ve already prepared them. Bradford reached into her pockets and found a rolled bundle of herbs. He could smell the herbs. Stuffing them in her mouth she swallowed them. Bradford helped her stand and whispered allowed, “Now. Focus. Blood tie will appear in front of you as a…

“A warm glow?” Raven stretched her slender finger towards what she could see. Pain once again took hold as she began to loose balance. Her stomach turned and a warm sensation shot up her spine until sweat rose from her brow.

Falling onto her knees on the softened ground, dew flicked from blades of grass and splashed Raven. She could smell the liquids and solids and vapors of the forrest. She could feel the wind and the sounds. Violently, Raven wretched. Herbs mixed with a heavy black ooze lay before her. Then, before her eyes, a glowing light rose and sped in front of her.

She felt carnivorous and concisely aware of her path. She rose to her feet and dusted off her hands then knee. This was the path to her mama. How could she not feel her when they were this close?

With lightning speed she sped to her mama. She followed the path and she felt her forrest friends all around her. They ran as one. She ran steady and true. The sun sank to give rise to night and her stance lost some weight. The pangs of hunger struck her and desperate for the quench of thirst. She sniffed the air and could detect water. “I can’t live without water. I must get that first.” She ran towards the creek she heard dancing over pebbles in the crevice. Jumping into it, she dove back against the banks. “This water is not safe. Disease touches it. I’m closer to mama. This can’t be an omen, can it?”

Raven felt weakness overtake her. She leaned against the muddy mound and held to the roots bulging from the hill. Gasping for breath, she faded into a sleep state.

Bradford roared under the sunset and felt alive and powerful. “Alexandres blood has left traces still. We must go.” Bradford winced as he thought of her. I feel a pang. “What is this!” He exclaimed to himself.

“Raven is in danger. You must help her,” The Great Stag spoke to Bradford. He nodded and plowed back through the forrest to find Raven had jumped into the enchanted waters. “Don’t tell me I’ve led her to demise. Let some goodness survive this existence.” The Stag looked at Bradford easing his hands and through the power of telekinesis, Raven rose off the bank into his arms. “Maybe this man does mean well. He is still The Bitten. I cannot trust him alone.” The Great Stag rooted to the correct direction. Bradford ran like death was chasing his heels with Raven in his arms. Raven was murmering something…he leaned in closer and heard her please, “Mama?! MAMA, Please?!”