Zackary touched one of his feathers gently, frowning deeply as he watched the shimmery effect it had. He, too, let his thoughts wonder eventually but to those… he's killed. By order. By his position in Hell. A disgusting parasitic version of himself enjoyed killing, shedding blood and ruining lives.
I can't live like this anymore.
Zackary rose with a shifting of his wings. They were slumped on the ground, presumably very heavy on his back.
Afriel jumped and looked back at him, "something on your mind?" She asked suddenly very aware at how close to the edge she was. She shifted slightly turning her back to the edge.
Zackary stirred his wings out. "No. I'm going. The other Demons should be gone now." He avoided looking at her as he fought for Wings back. He couldn't be the weak human form anymore.
"Oh." Afriel looked up at him, "and I'm guessing you'll be leaving me here?" She hoped he wouldn't, but knew it was a posibility. "And if you do, would you be coming back?" Her tone seemed to get softer and softer as she spoke. Anxity building inside of her.
"Why… why would you want me to? You should be mad at me! You should hate me!" Wings was not stirring from their shared body, mainly because of the rushing feeling of resentment Zackary just felt for himself.
"I-" Afriel was afraid. "I don't hate you. I don't really hate anyone." She shrugged slightly standing up, "I don't want to be alone either." She added making eye contact. It felt selfish, but it was true. She didn't want to be alone on a cliff untill either death or her wing healed so she could fly again. But she had a feeling death would come first. "And you're nice- I guess for a demon." She crossed her arms holding herself slightly. Fear. she knew the feeling all to well, but up here, it was different.
Zackary rubbed his face, feeling drained and dead on his feet. “Fine. Then I’ll go get some wood and flint for a fire, maybe some meat to eat, too.” He put his hands down, and with a massive effort picked his wings up.
"Okay. Thank you." Afriel gave him a slight smile. Would he truly come back though? Again the fear and anxiety bit at her making her uneasy.
“Just get back into the cave and if someone comes by, hide.” Zackary instructed mercilessly, not sugarcoating it at all.
"Right." Afriel took a longing look back at the edge before retreating back into the cave. The cold, dark, lonely cave. She let out a deep sigh sitting down and poking around in the dust.
Zackary flapped his wings twice and swooped down into the clouds.
It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky Zackary returned. He held wood in a bundle, which he tossed up first, then got some big game as food. He struggled into the cave, fighting to catch his breath.
Afriel had fallen asleep while he was gone. Dreaming of the war. Dreaming of the death that'd filled the air.
Zackary checked to see that she was there, sat down nearby and started to collect the wood together. He then extended his large claws (that if you were paying attention, Demons are equiped with. Sorry if I’m making them too OP, I’ve been aboe to develop the Demon culture a lot), then cut up the deer.
(Oh no its totally chill. I feel like the more op they are the more developed they are. So its really cool for me to see things like that.)
Afriel steered sleepily opening her eyes but then startaling when she saw the demon (so I'm still calling him the demon because she doesn't really know if name yet.) But she didn't know it was the one who'd saved her so she jumped back a little hurting her wing more in the process, "um, is that you?" She asked peeking out at him from behind her wing.
Zackary glanced over his shoulder at her. “Ah, you’re awake. Yes, it’s me.”
Afriel shifted slightly, "you came back. Thank you." She inched over to sit new him so she wouldn't have to stay in the shadows.
Zackary shifted over to the pieces of wood and took a piece of flint out of his pocket.
“Why would I leave?” He asked finally as he scratched it to produce a spark.
Afriel shrugged, "I just thought you might." She said quietly. Mad at herself for doubting him.
(Sorry if I'm spelling things horribly wrong I'm not wearing my glasses rn and am just hoping auto correct fixs everything.)
(Oh that’s alright!)
Zackary’s wings shifted behind him unsurely. “Alright.” He snapped a spark and it landed on the pieces of wood. Zackary pulled a fuzzy piece of plant out of his pocket that looked kind of like hair and set it down. It warmed and smoked as Zackary cracked more sparks, thus starting a fire.
“There. Now you’ll be warmer.”
Afriel instantly felt her face go red hot, "w-where you awake?" She asked slightly horrified. if he- if he was awake then- she cut her thoughts off and pulled her knees to her chest once again.
“No, I just woke up at a point in the night and realized how cold it was. I should’ve set up a fire that night… I didn’t though, ah well, though.”
"S-sorry." Afriel said her voice becoming high pitch. She hid her face in her hair best she could feeling extremely embaresed.
Zackary shrugged. “Eh, it’s no problem. I should be apologizing…” Soon he heated the wood and it crackled happily, filling the cave in warmth.
"T-thank you." Afriel mumbled shifting closer to the warmth. She stretched her wing so it was sitting on her back with the ingered one. "So…how many died?" She asked, sadness melting into her voice.
Zackary dipped his head away from her. “I don’t know.” Silence befelled them. “Whomever they were,” Zackary spoke a few moments later, “they will surely be missed.”