Rest never came easy Balthazar anymore. His dreams were always filled with the never-ending nightmare of losing the closest thing he's ever had to a best friend and love. Something he didn't realize until it was gone. Though he had made a vow to avenge her- and avenge her he had, he had slain the bastard who snuffed out Reed's light. And yet, he still felt so empty. Like a shell. And nothing could fill it. Not bloodshed, not food, sleep, nor good company. Bitterness had became him, and selfishness and hatred consumed him like a flame.
Lazarus was dead. But his kid. That brat, his lineage still lingered, and Balthazar would not allow it. Even now he was tracking the brat. But the sun was rising and Balthazar could feel his strength waning the higher the sun climbed into the sky.
As he flew over the expanse of open sky and sea, Balthazar spotted what he knew to be land in the distance. Eager to rest his wings he would search for a wind current to pull him along quicker. As he came closer the islands true beauty began to unfold before him; it was an expansive island, nestled within a serene bay, a picturesque paradise. Its size and shape seemed to transform with the ebb and flow of the tide before his eyes, creating a dynamic landscape.
He lands, slowly investigating further. First Balthazar notes that this place is a haven for a diverse array of tropical birds.
Pip too,seemed to take note. The smaller bird seemingly put off by it... Balthazar would do his best to sooth the bird as he continued exploring what looked to be a vacant place- apart from the birds of course. He couldn't help but marvel at the vibrant colored parrots and toucans flit through the swaying palms and soar above. Among these, he found some avian giants – colossal and surreal, they seem like creatures from another world. With wingspans that stretch to unnatural sizes, these massive birds dominate the skies, creating a spectacle that's simultaneously awe-inspiring and surreal to both see and hear. The massive birds, with their wings beating the air, produce a deep, resonant hum that rumbles through the island, creating an almost mystical ambiance.
The salty tang of the sea mingles with the earthy scent of the beach grasses, creating a harmonious blend that caresses the senses. It reminds him of a home he had, once upon a time. The tropical palms exude a sweet and slightly floral aroma, adding a touch of exotic allure to the island's air. Hints of the earthy, musty scent of the large birds' nests hidden within the palms filled his nose.
The island looked to be predominantly blanketed in lush beach grasses, their vibrant green hues dancing in the gentle coastal breeze. Among these grasses, a few slender palm trees stand tall, their fronds swaying gracefully overhead, offering precious shade that the massive hyena was quick to seek shelter under. It was in his opinion a touch of elegance to the otherwise barran terrain. The hyena would curl up, using his telekinetic powers to place his goggles over his eyes. As he lay there he would relax letting the sounds and smells fill him. The occasional crash of waves against the shoreline adds a rhythmic and calming undertone. For a moment he finds a comfort that reminds him of his mother, Tallulah.
And then.. without warning, Pip departed from Balthazar's side. Something that was out of character for the bird. "Pip?!" Balthazar groaned, knowing he had to get up and chase after the bird..he couldn't lose Pip..he was the only connection Balthazar had left to Reed..
Reed was grateful to feel sand between her toes once more as she returned from the bogs of the swamp to the beaches of the coastal area. It felt like it took days to rid her dreads and fur of the spurs and stickers and sticks and leaves and mud that clung to her. She was a wolf with thick fur and a body built more like a male's than a female's. She was lacking in grace in almost every action she took and tended to just barrel ahead when an obstacle entered her path. The swamp had taught her that doing such a thing would drain her energy and fill her coat far more than taking the time to navigate the terrain more delicately. "Stupid mud" she cursed under her breath as she sat at the shores of the beach, washing her tail for the umpteenth time while the salt water that lapped at her legs. She had fallen several times in the mud and had come out more mud than wolf by the end of it all. "Never again" she promised herself, unawares that the jungle and swamp had been the cause of her amnesia to begin with, well, in a roundabout way.
Her bath had turned into a night of star gazing as the sun sank below the horizon and the stars and moon lit the clear sky. The lands beneath were lit quite well with the moon's glow illuminating the coastal foliage and reflecting off the surface of the water. The waves lapped at the shore, lulling Reed into a peaceful slumber as she gazed upwards, her thoughts going quiet as she fell into a meditative state. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep with her front paws crossed and her muzzle rested gently atop them.
Her dream was gentle, showing Reed a beautiful day along the beach where she hunted for crustaceans. She was watching the horizon for something - or maybe someone - and had posted up on a rock after having snagged a snack. Another voice spoke to her, then, and she jumped to the voice's rescue. He was hurt! He was scared! Reed was there, however, and she jumped in for the rescue. Just as quickly as the dream started, it came to an abrupt ending. She had saved the voice, yet no matter how hard she tried to make the figure out, he was just a blur to her.
Reed jerked awake as she suddenly came to. Her head lifted and she stared out as the sun started to peek above the horizon. Oh no! She'd fallen asleep! Oh no no no! She was supposed to stay awake! She quickly bolted to her paws and checked the line she'd dangled out into the shores before cleaning her dreads for the billionth time in hopes of securing herself something to eat besides tiny crabs. Only when she checked the line, it was gone completely. "Noooo" she groaned, sad that her hard work had been quite literally washed out to sea. It had taken a lot of effort to figure out how to sharpen a shell just right, and even harder work figuring out how to secure a string of twine so it held the shell, but didn't obstruct it. "I'm just gonna have to find it then." she muttered out loud to herself, swinging her head around to find something suitable to use as a flotation device. After all, Reed was not a wolf who could swim without aid.
Some stalking up and down the beach finally revealed to her a decently sized piece of dried drift wood. Working it lose from the sand had her panting by the time she had managed it, but thankfully dragging it to the water was a little bit easier. She gripped the log with her jaws by a small knot that stuck out from the main piece and pulled it little by little until her hind paws sunk into the sands where the ocean water took over. A few more heaves and success! The log was able to float! Now for the scary part...
There was no way she was going to be able to stand on the log. Each time she tried to step onto it, the log rolled and threw her into the shallows of the water. It only took a few tries before she gave up, now absolutely drenched from head to toes. So, she went for a different tactic. She draped herself over the log, hind end on one side and front end over the other and craned her neck to keep from dunking herself beneath the waves. No. This wouldn't work either. It was impossible to steer. But... what if she turned herself so her belly laid with the log, one front leg and one hind leg on each side of it? After dunking herself several more times, she managed to climb on top so she laid with the log instead of across it. She experimented with kicking her paws and found some success in directing herself against the current. She had no idea how she was supposed to find her single piece of twine and shell like this, but she was determined!
So, off Reed floated on her log, leaving the safety of shore behind. She wasn't all dumb decisions, however. She wouldn't dare swim out into open ocean like this. Nah, instead she angled herself towards a landmass in the distance. Maybe the waves had pushed her twine over onto that shore? There was only one way to find out, after all. And find out she intended to do. Her paws touched sand beneath her, and with having made her way onto the island, she shook and began her search.
Moving over the sands were like second nature to Balthazar nowadays. Though he still recalls the sweet memories of youth, when he would stumble about in the sands following after mama T or trailing after Bessie. He missed how comfortable and happy life felt back then. It almost seemed another life time ago.
He could also remember a time when the sun never really bothered him much, not like it did now. While the hyena boy's goggles did a great job shielding his eyes, there wasn't much to keep the sun from casting its glow on him. Nothing to stop the itchy, burning feeling settling into his skin. It filled him with discomfort and annoyance. "Pip, get back here!" He would groan, after the blue bird, who, despite Balthazar's obvious signs of detest, continued his flight; Pip was a bird on a mission.
After it became apparent that the little parrot wasn't going to quit, Balthazar would follow along behind him pondering just where they would end up.
Eventually the pair had traveled to another side of the island. Balthazar sat on the sea-shore, in much needed shade, and watched the waves, Pip fluttered back and forth along the shore as if confused about where he would go next. "Buddy its an island... Not too many places to go.." Balthazar says with a sigh, his sleepy eyes somewhat disinterested in the events taking place, he let's them sweep across the vast sea before them.
Something was floating in the water. Balthazar squints, trying to see further but isn't able to determine much, except that it was a log...with a passenger on it.
How curious.
So Balthazar decides to wait in the comfort of his palm shade, watching the log drift and wobble about unsteadily, coming closer to shore. Every now and again he would chuckle as the log started to roll one way only to be balanced by hurried effort. Whoever was captain of that vessel had land-lubber legs. He thinks.
The vampire had been somewhere between awake and drifting to sleep when the sound of paws shuffling on the fine sand tickled his sensitive ears. Balthazar's brilliant purple and silver fleckeld eyes would suddenly open, taking a moment to adjust, even behind his protective goggles.
"Oy, welcome ashore traveler.." Balthazar said, a classical hyena whooping call blending against his words, as he approached them from behind. Greeting them was more or less a way of announcing his presence.The vampire took note of Pip who chattering excitedly, circling over and around the stranger. It was then Balthazar blinked and really looked at the stranger.
They were a dusty sand color. Their coat was a shaggy. The hair long and somewhat wavy in places. The scent of leather and sea-salt tickled his senses. It was in a vague way, something familiar to him. Balthazar's pulse quickened, his breath catching in his throat when the dreadlocked tail became noticed. Some of them collecting very familiar trinkets in them.
"Reed? He wasn't even sure if the stranger even heard him, his voice having been barely above a whispering gasp. Surly..he was just imaging this?
Yes..this stranger just happened to share a likeness.. he tries to reassure himself, but the way the little bird was acting made him think otherwise. Balthazar stayed standing a few feet behind the new comer, his paws felt glued to the sand as he combated the waves of various emotions and thoughts threatening to rise inside of him.
It wasn't the unknown individual that Reed saw first when she touched sand beneath her paws. Instead, it was the small blue bird that fluttered her way, dancing around and around her as she watched, listening to the bird chirp happily at her presence. It confused her why the bird had swooped down towards her. It confused her more when the tiny blue ring-neck landed atop her head. "Hey" Reed said playfully, tilting her head back and nipping at the air playfully. She wouldn't dare try to hurt the creature, but wanted to play back. "What's gotten into you?" she asked the avian, knowing she wouldn't be able to understand it's response, if any.
A greeting was thrown out towards her and Reed turned her eye towards the stranger as he walked forward and approached her from behind. He was intimidating. He for one was huge. Oh his sides hung massive wings, and he padded towards her with a eerie whooping tone in his voice. It was alien sounding. Reed's ears folded backwards, feeling unsure about her position. She'd clearly attracted the stranger's attention. Did she dare linger to see what he wanted with her? Did she have an option? If he could swim, there was no way she could escape him. She found herself thankful that her cutlass and dagger hung against her side, ready to be drawn. It made her feel safer.
And yet, deep inside her, there was something that told her that this stranger was the least threatening creature she could come to face. Despite his dangerous looking tail, his size, his wings, she knew inwardly that he was not a threat to her. The bird fluttered up away and towards the stranger, fluttering around him. Reed stood confused as to why her caution waned when it should be on high alert. She was more confused when he called out her name. How on earth did he know who she was?
Then it suddenly clicked. "Oh! You must be part of my crew!" she exclaimed suddenly, bounding forward towards the stranger, her dreaded tail wiggling with her rump joining along. "Do you know what happened to the ship? Or the rest of the crew?"
Pip did what he had always done, made his roost in Reed's tangled locks. Locks that had gotten longer. The voice of the stranger was like a dagger to the gut, but as sweet as rain in the desert. A sound, he thought he would never hear again.
When she finally turned around to face him, it was like seeing a ghost. Reed. The large hyena took a step back while the sounds of the world faded away and the movements seemed to slow. This wasn't real! Balthazar screamed internally. His heart seized with panic in his chest. She just couldn't be standing in front of him. This was just his mind playing tricks on him again! It was a hallucination!
Balthazar could remember finding her small, broken body on the battle field. He could still recall how still her pulse felt to his sensitive touch when he curled himself around her..begging her not to go.. He remembered carrying her home for the last time..he remembered her funeral.. The man's eyes burned with tears. He blinked to try and fight them off; to brush off the memories that so often haunt him.
It felt almost like being underwater. He could see her talking, sort of hear a muffled voice- but he had absolutely no clue about what was being said. Pip fluttered around Balthazar's head, but the giant couldn't pry his eyes away from the living ghost before him. 'Oh you must be part of my crew!' Wait. Crew? Did she mean Casfura? Balthazar finally moved, tilting his head. "I suppose you could say that." The words came out, still somewhat breathless from shock. He didn't fully trust himself in the moment. What if he was talking to himself again? And if this really was Reed- how did she not recognize him? "Do you know what happened to the ship? Or the rest of the crew?" YOU DIED. Balthazar wanted to scream so badly. He wanted to tell her..she wasn't supposed to be here now...but that didn't seem fair to the selfish side of him- the one that had for so long, wished to find her again somehow- to have her back.
"Do you know who I am? My name?" Hesitantly, he spoke, each word like a razor blade on his vocal cords.
Reed lingered as she waited for the hyena's response to her question. As his face shifted from a welcoming one to one of sorrow, Reed's own face mimicked his. Was he silent because he didn't want to say what had happened to everyone else? Were they the only two survivors from the ship wreck? Her wiggling rump and tail slowed and her body wilted in posture. She could see the tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. He must have lost someone close and dear in the event.
But then he spoke, and the way he spoke made her believe that maybe she didn't understand what was going on. Had he said he supposed she could say he was part of her crew. Why had he phrased it in such an odd way? Was it because they weren't a crew anymore since the rest had all perished? It hurt her to see the terrifying hyena look so wounded. She wanted to reach forward and to wipe those pesky tears away for him, to tell him that they were still absolutely a crew if they had each other. She wanted to point out that she had been able to find him, so that meant that there could be others still out there. She wanted to pick his chin up and tell him to stand strong and firm. They would rebuild once more.
She had started to open her mouth, to dive into her lecture of encouragement, yet paused when he asked her a follow up question. At his prompting, she frowned and turned her eyes away. Her enthusiasm and encouragement vanished. Once again, she was force to recognize the fact that she remembered nothing of her past before she woke up at the bottom of the ship wreck. What was worse was having a crew mate she was supposed to know standing here right in front of her, and no name, no memories, no recollection at all came back to her. She tried to smile at the stranger but it was clearly forced. "Ya see, I woke up at the bottom of our ship-wreck out yonder" She tossed her head towards the direction of the boat sticking out of the water on a spire, where other boats were scattered across the ocean floor, "and when I managed to make it to shore, I couldn't remember 'nothin. I been livin' out here for a while now trying to find other crew members and I found you! But for all the stuff that happened a'fore the wreck, there's nothin' there.' She looked back towards the Hyena, lifting a paw to shuffle the dreads more towards the sides of her face.
Reed had always been so animated with life, bursting at the seams with emotion; Balthazar loved that. Her butt wiggled wildly as if it were making up for the fact her tail couldn't wag as much. Balthazar started to smile, almost forgetting why he had been upset in the first place. As the corners of his lips curled, he watched a change in Reed- like watching a fire snuff out. Her features sagged, and softened; like a mirror that was mimicking the pain and sorrows he felt on the inside of his chest only seconds before. Balthazar's own smile fell before it formed, a look of concern is evident in his face now; "Oh Reed, don' do dat," Balthazar spoke before he could think; on instinct he started to try and soothe her obvious signs of distress and confusion. His voice a warm, low and smooth tempo, aiming for comfort. "You gotta keep yer chin up girlie...don't mind me..I'm jus' a big ol' cry baby.." He would again smile and try to play off his grief from earlier. "Honestly, I just..I thought we'd never meet again..."'in the flesh' he adds silently.
As she explained her predicament, and how she'd washed ahore in ship wreckage Balthazar felt his spirit dance within him. Perhaps it was Tyre- the God of the sea who had done this? His head turned, those vivid eyes of his strained in the daylight to look over the scene where she'd directed. The graveyard of a ship wreck was very evident, even from a distance. Careful eyes inspect Reed silently, wondering if she was hurting from the wreck, but knowing if he asked, she'd would likely play it off and act unscathed- even if she was hurt. "I'd be confused too after all dat.." Balthazar watched as she shuffled with her paws, trying to move her dreadlocks. The corner of his lip lifted in a boyish smirk. A bemused chuckle slides off his lips. Balthazar attempts to use his telekinetic powers to brush a few dreadlocks backwards, to keep them out of her face. "How can I help?"
