Fate on the Edge of Tomorrow, AW

[Leto]

((This a fantasy RP, so creatures with powers are all welcome ^^))

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His paws were frantically drumming the ground, each step left behind rime encrusted paw print that slow spread like the splash of water from a puddle of rain. Each step laced the ground in a layer of hoarfrost, like that of an early winter morn, the runner himself though had no thought to anything but flight, each heaved breath he exhaled followed by a steam of frost smoke even if the darkening shrub land surroundings were hardly in the grips of winter nor where they particularly cold. He was fleeing through the forest in a last desperate ditch to lose his pursuer that he was certain were hot on his tail, unfortunately he had everything stacked against him in his bid for them to lose track of him.

Each one of his steps left marks of hoarfrost on the ground; any puddles of water froze in his presence, all a dead giveaway to where he had gone. He was frightened, distressed, and in agony powerful emotions that made him lose some control on his powers making him leave the landscape slowly covering in a thin layer of rime. He raced through the darkening environment the sun was slowly sliding below the horizon bathing the land in a cold blue light, he had been running since onset of sunset, an argument with the one that now pursued him had resulted in his cheek and muzzle being marred by a nasty bruise that stung a painful throb, his nose left bleeding from the impact of the powerful paw that had sent him to the ground with such terrifying ease. His shoulder that had absorbed his violent impact with the ground hurt with each stride, but despite the physical pain, it was the emotional pain that was the most painful; the ever numbing fear that if he was caught He would no doubt give him injuries that were much worse. All to punish his defiance.

With the pain sending jolts through his body he was unsure for how much longer he could run, he could feel his legs cramping up, his throat tighten in exhaustion and emotional breakdown, each breath taken made it harder and harder to press on, his speed was faltering. The young adolescent who couldn't be much older than 11-12 years old narrowed his eyes as the male’s vivid ice-blue eyes trailed his surroundings he could not hear any sound of the one pursuing him so maybe he had lost him or the youth had gained some distance. Regardless he was forced to slow his run to a hasty trot, his chest heaving with tears stinging his eyes… he looked like an utter mess. But Leto had no time to worry about his unpresentable state, although should he run into any strangers it could and likely would raise uncomfortable questions. Questions leveled in shame, that he wasn't too keen to answer.

[Zorayda]

It was cold out tonight.

The small tween huddled in on herself at the base of a large, welcoming tree, the bark pressed up against her back a comfort to her loneliness. Ijus's stomach growled with impatience--again. She took a deep sigh, trying to ignore the pangs of hunger. Even with the blessings of her inborn powers, it was very difficult for a blind young cat to seek prey alone. She wasn't extremely experienced in hunting, and she tended to be clumsy... she only hoped that she could dig up a vole or ground squirrel for tonight's dinner to ease the pain in her little belly.

Something in the wind suddenly made her shiver. Her ears pricked forward at the sound of something approaching--something bigger than she. She flattened herself into the ground quietly to see if she could escape notice. The gray clouded leopard pushed a weak pulse of energy into the ground, 'watching' it flow through the ground and into the land about. She took into account that a grass snake was near to the left, but she startled when she realized that the big, cold figure coming near was actually coming right at her. Panicked, she scrambled to her paws, heart pounding.

Where would she run? Maybe she could climb the tree! Right, that's what she'd do. Frantically, she extended her claws and grabbed at the sides of the medium-sized tree behind her--and then promptly lost her footing and fell in an unceremonious heap on the cold ground. She yelped in pain and fear, turning back onto all fours. But now, the big thing that was coming towards her was right there! She let out a squeak and covered her face with her paws.

[Leorgathar]

At the end of Sundown, the hermit came out from his cave. He had been asleep lazily after devouring his kill from that day, which had not much meat left in its bones. He took a deep breath, and decided he would have a night walk around the territory, stretching his limbs and looking for a next potential prey.
It wasn't long until Syrmeur noticed the wind rustling through the grass and the branches of trees. It also carried the strange scent of at least two other creatures, and one of them made him feel a cold chill in his nostrils.

"Yes, time is definitely flowing tonight... I think," he said to himself. Out of satisfying his curiosity, he decided to search the area and investigate the source of those scents, either to welcome the intruders in his land and talk about what a lovely day it had been, or to chase them off for wandering around there without his permission. But he stopped all of a sudden when the scent reached him again, but this time it stunk of fear. Almost at that same time, the adult lion growled and squinted his eyes. There was a small grey leopard-like creature far away in front of him, one that seemed to be lost and terrified, and something was about to reach it.

Syrmeur may be a crazy lion, like others say, but whenever he saw a defenseless cub in danger, he wouldn't hesitate to go in their aid, for he disapproved the murdering of young souls with a passion. But just before Syrmeur resumed his pace towards the leopard, his nose caught again the cold chill he had felt earlier. The scent it carried was much stronger, a scent from a youngster that had been running for way too long, and the fear it carried doubled even that of the leopard's.

No, that cold emitting being was not the real danger, but something he had been running from definitely was. Syrmeur stalked the scene, awaiting the right moment to freeze it in time.

[Leto]

His throat was dry and tightening up, his paws and the unsheathed claws gripped the soil that froze in wake of his tightening grip, grasses and flowers around him withered and died as they succumbed to the cold tendrils of hoarfrost that slowly covered them. The youth had been forced into a stop, his legs shook in utter exhaustion. He could barely go on, his chest was heaving for air as he sniffled through his nose drawing in the blood that was starting to slowly coagulate from his bleeding nose. He glanced over his shoulder back from where he had come, he knew Reyan was after him that male never gave up, for good or ill; normally Leto would eventually return to his grey guardian and master, but not tonight, for once in his life the teen didn’t want to go back… Reyan had scarred him; the male had almost brought the grey’s frightening powers down upon youth, just the sight of it was enough to nearly paralyze Leto.

His paws eventually loosened their tight grip on the soil turning his attention back to the immediate environment surrounding him that now looked more like a winter wonderland. Not just the grasses, mosses and flowers on the ground but the trees were covered in a thin layer of hoarfrost. The plants and the trees were frozen to the core if it had been raining that rain would’ve transformed to snow in Leto’s vicinity; as such hiding his powers was downright impossible for the youth. As he stood there eyes trailing just what his fear had done to the landscape a smell wafted by him, followed by a thud and a soft yelp. His ears swirled back briefly as he pushed forward but he quickly found the source of the noise a small cub, which an exceptionally detailed coat, it wasn’t like any feline Leto had ever seen before.

It lay there covering its face with paws rather large for someone that small. “Covering your face won’t make you invisible.” Leto almost chuckled his emotionally strained voice carrying a tiny bit of humor, indeed he found some levity in the cubs antics… it even covered his muzzle in a weak smile. The ice-eyed youth hadn’t smiled for days. Leto hadn't noticed the fact that they both of them were being watched, he was still too young to have properly learned to pay attention to everything.

[Zorayda]

Ijus squeaked and uncovered her face, though it really wouldn't help her see the young lion before her anyways. She smelled blood coming from him--but another quick sniff confirmed that the blood was his, and not some other entity's. The young male's voice sounded... strained, even though he was trying to inject some humor into the situation. Realizing that this young lion probably meant no threat, she slowly got to her feet. Her eyes looked in his general direction, though there was the obvious tell of blindness when she seemingly looked right past his shoulder and to the land beyond him.

He smelled strongly of blood--and of fear. Something had happened to him... perhaps he'd been attacked unexpectedly? His strained voice gave away the stress he felt, and he was obviously running from somewhere. She thought it better to leave that all alone, though--the poor lion probably was scared to death after being attacked by whatever it was. A quick pulse of her invisible energy ran through the ground and 'showed' the lion's form. He was, indeed, quite larger than she, and even in the few moments in which her power lasted, she could see that his pulse had skyrocketed above normal. His heat signature, too, was very strong, indicating stress...

"Um, I..." she stammered. Ijus was quite shy, and it stole her voice away at the most inopportune moments. "Wh-where were you g-going?" she blurted out, not really sure what else to say. Immediately after asking, she flattened her ears and shrank upon herself, looking even smaller than she had a moment ago to the larger cat.

[Accalia]

Aleila was hesitant as she came across a large trail of icy ground. She slowed her fast pace and looked behind her at Kukoa. Her younger brother watched her eye carefully, he had a gift of reading her with ease. Her eye was filled with curiosity rather then fear and he could see that. He walked to her side and slowly placed a paw on the bone cold earth. Aleila's head was filled with the screaming of the freezing cold earth and it began to eat away at her head. Her eyes shut and cocked her head to the side, Kukoa took a step towards her and placed his paw on hers. Aleila slowly made her mind ignore the screams of the dead earth and she straightened her posture and looked to Kukoa appreciatively, his reply was his easy going smile.

Kukoa took a step onto the ice and began to change his body direction to follow the cool trail. Aleila could not bring herself to step onto the earth scared by the cold and instead began to walk just off, on the only slightly cool grass. Aleila's adolescent appearance was extremely evident, her legs were proportionally wrong as they were far to long for the rest of her body and even though she was barely over one aging year over her brother the difference was very obvious. Kukoa still had some cub features about him, like his still light tail end and only semi grown mane, however despite this he was still much more mature then he should be, they both were, the last few months had changed them greatly. Death changes even the youngest of lions.

Aleila began to speed up as Kukoa did the same, he looked to his bigger sister and it almost felt as if they weren't even different in age, instead strongly bonded friends, but they were siblings and sometimes he forgot that.

They followed the cool path of frost in the cool night air, their eyes franticly searching the dark night for signs for the animal that had made the path, for that was what they assumed to make the path. Aleila's white eye let off a soft glow beneath her fringe as the moonlight trickled down towards them. Their skills of tracking were no where near as good as they should be, they were relying purely on their eye sight and powers, for Aleila that meant just her powers, for her eye sight was only functional in one eye. Kukoa ad Aleila continued to run and suddenly their eyes lay on a male about their age. They skidded to a stop and Aleila lowered her head, however Kukoa continued to run, unable to stop suddenly. He almost bashed into the other male at full force but he only hit him at half speed. They had not been paying enough attention and now they could be in danger.

Aleila was uncertain whether to leap out and help her brother but kukoa sent her a quick glance that discouraged her from doing so.

Kukoa quickly pushed himself up from the tangle he had created, a light blush across his face. He looked down at the male and said cautiously, his voice quite low, yet not as low as it should be, and his voice stammering slightly "I am sorry, I don't mean harm."  He was embarrassed by just showing this complete stranger that he did not have complete control over his own body. He watched the other adolescents peculiar eyes, his ice-blue eyes almost harsh appearing against the black. He watched them as he offered him help up. He didn't want to fight, and he just hoped the other male thought the same, otherwise they might be in trouble, Aleila didn't react well to violence and conflict.

Aleila was not far away and watched closely, one step to far from the other male and she would defend her younger brother. She knew he could be curious and he would most likely put himself in a tricky situation because of that. Her claws were unsheathed in preparation, but she hoped it never came to that.

[Leorgathar]

“What? Two more?” Syrmeur thought as he saw the two siblings joining the first youngsters he saw. The awkward interaction he saw between them made him think that they all just had met at that moment. He wondered if it had been by coincidence or if the same threat following the cold emitting youth had brought them together at that spot. Whatever the answer to that mystery was, he doubted that threat was far left behind. Sooner or later, that horror would find them, all gathered under that tree. And judging by the young lion’s wounded body, Syrmeur strongly felt there would be no mercy, no cub’s life to be spared. He would not allow it, no such slaughter in his territory.

Syrmeur decided to freeze that moment in time, so with a stomp of his right claw to the ground, he generated a wave that expanded quickly through all corners of existence. The wind stopped flowing, paralyzing the trees and the grass. All the small insects that were crawling or flying remained stuck without movement, and the four youngsters under that motionless tree were all stuck in their poses and expressions. He approached them and inspected the scene. They looked so lost, and clearly at least some of them had never met before. “Where are their parents?” he wondered. He suddenly stepped on a patch of icy grass under his paw, which he figured came from the icy blue-eyed teen’s pawsteps. He looked to the opposite side and saw the trail of ice that the youth had left behind, a trail very easy to follow by any tracking lion. The adult lion’s intention was to take the youngsters to a much safer place, but first he wanted to see what was coming to them, to make sure they were indeed in real danger. He decided to follow the ice trail and see if he could find the pursuer.

He paced through the stiff path, being the only source of motion in the forest. And after a while of searching, he found him. It was a male grey lion, much older than the one he was after, anger in his eyes, and claws unsheathed in a running pose. Syrmeur stood in front of him, growling.

“So, you are the one who inflicted those wounds on that poor young lion. Who are you to treat a child with such violence? Do you not value the lives of those yet to reach your age? Shame on you!” He spat to the motionless lion, who had no way of listening to a word he said. All of a sudden, he realized that his surroundings weren’t stiff anymore. The grass was slowly recovering its waves by the wind, and the aggressive lion’s claws began moving in slow motion, and much faster in a matter of seconds. The time-freezing effect had reached its end, and before he could react, the grey lion crashed violently with him, knocking him over.

[Leto]

It was a blur, all he knew was that he had suddenly hit something, something he hadn’t seen, that may as well have been invisible because there had been nothing between him and trail of hoarfrost he was tracking. He was splayed on the ground in a rather unassuming fashion trying to recover his dazed senses from the violent impact. His violet eyes then turned to the path behind him finding that he had indeed crashed into something; though it wasn’t something… it was someone. In truth that didn’t make any the situation any better, Reyan had no time to engage strangers at this present; he had to find Leto… and that fast, as who knew what sort of precarious situations that brash kid had gotten himself into.

Reyan and by extension Leto didn’t really need any more bodies added to the trail of corpses that was strewn in their path certainly not innocents, of course the present corpses had asked for it, or it had been an accident on Leto’s part, after all the cub as naïve as children most never meant to kill, but the child was emotionally volatile which were linked to his powers and unless you could withstand them you’d likely die, if pushed into a corner or emotionally riled Leto could and would kill someone, there was no if or maybe in that scenario and Reyan was one of the few that could prevent it.

Reyan picked himself off of the ground with grace and dignified tact staring at the male that was definitely much older than himself, as Reyan was in his early 20ts. “I know I should perhaps say something here.” the grey mused through a pause eyes scanning the elder male, “Something along the lines of; why the hell you don’t watch where you’re going, you senile grandpa!” he added in a seer periodically glancing towards the melting path of frost, if he didn’t move soon he’d lose the path and then finding Leto would get decidedly more difficult, and Reyan himself would suffer repercussions with his superiors for having lost the cub. “In any case I must be off.” The grey offered a curt nod to the elder and turned on his heel to resume his run.

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Pain, throbbing pain… that was what the nerves of his body was screaming at him as he regained consciousness, he was splayed out on the ground, dazed and confused. The last thing he remembered was being amused by the antics of a small, strange coated feline until something had rammed him in the side with tremendous force. His gaze lifted as he saw unfamiliar paws before his muzzle eyes stared up at a young male, he was older than himself that much he discern, Leto’s ears flipped back as the other apologized and claimed he didn’t mean harm, “You crashed into me, you’ve kinda already done harm.” Leto pointed out eyes meeting the apologetic gaze of the other.

The youth took the offer of getting helped back onto his feet his eyes instinctively shot behind him, at the frost trail that was slowly melting fading from the glimmering white into a soggy wet mush, the water turning the dirt into mud. Leto sought no quarrel with these felines, all he wanted was a safe place to hide, “I-I need to go.” The ice-eyed youth stammered as he pushed past the newly arrived male and trudged onwards but he didn’t get more a few steps before his legs buckled and he collapsed onto the ground, both from exhaustion and also an effect of the impact.