Unseen

<font color='#810541'>His body was stiff in the females arms. Somehow the searching males were unable to both see and/or touch either him or Shin-lu, even though they sat in the middle of the room. Even when the female released him and collapsed the the ground Cairn didn't stir. He was unable to.

After a time he slowly, ever so slowly, turned to her. His eyes slowly shrinking back to their normal size, the pupils dilating in the low light. She just sat there panting and holding her chest. He almost spoke, but his pride and memory of his former anger stoped him. Instead he simply gazed at her. For the first time taking her features in.

Pure white fur marred by black runes tattoed across her body. Shocking golden eyes that were currently hidden from view by the mop of white hair. A small ruby hung from her ear matched the colour of the blood running from her wrists... A small voice in the back of his mind spoke. <span style='color:navy'>She is quite pretty you know. A fine specimen of the fairer taz. A fine specimen indeed.</span>

He growled low in his throat, forcing the voice down and turning to the bed. He ripped a few strips from the bedsheets and gently grabbed her upper arm, deftly wrapping the strips around her hands and wrists in a fashion that was all too familiar. He smirked in irony. It wasn't often he had to wrap someone elses fore-arms.

When done he peeked out the door. The allyay was clear. He motioned for her to follow him out, hopeing she had the energy for it, and lept onto the roof of one of the houses. They had to get out of this town. With more than just his own life at stake Cairn suddenly found himself enveloped by a strange calmness. Golden flecks apparent in his icy eyes as he crouched aginst the roof: A shadow against the dark tiles.</font>

 

<font color='#810541'>Cairn snorted as the female leapt onto the roof with ease. <span style='color:navy'>Obviously she wasn't as injured as I was led to believe</span> His golden flecked eyes followed her across the roof watching when she decended below and only blinking when snarls and growls were immediatly heard.

He was already at the edge of the roof when her mental voice called out to him that it was alright. He snorted as he jumped down. The act of rolling his eyes when he landed immediatly stopped when he saw the carnage before him. Shin-lu was covered in blood and licking it from her hands non-the-less. Before her, on the gorund,. was a crumpled form. Cairns blanket of calmness slipped momentarily when he saw the face of the dead 'dragon, but quickly regained its position over him.

<span style='color:navy'>"I knew him... He lived beside me until I was... until I left. We were good friends."</span> Cairn peered at the unseeing eyes almost in curiosity before turning away and pointing to the right. <span style='color:navy'>"We have to cross the village, but if we go this way it will be able to loose them in the forest beyond. The townsfolk dont go there. They say its where all the 'lost ones' wander. The superstition is my fault mostly."</span>

He began to move but a small voice stopped him. "Are you really him? The lost one... Karn? (purposly spelling name wrong. She doesn't know how to pronounce it) You dont look like how I would have imagined. You look normal." Cairn turned. It was the girl from before.</font>

 

<font color='#810541'>Cairn watched Shin-lu walk away towards the forest north-east of the village. He turned back to the girl who stood before him not afraid, just curious. <span style='color:navy'>"Yes I'm him and I look normal because I am. Other than the scars that were given to me by the elders I am as 'normal' as you are."</span> The corners of his mouth tugged into a semi-smile.

<span style='color:navy'>"Elenna was it? You shouldn't believe everything people say to you. There are a lot of things they want you to believe because they can control you with them. Being "killed" by the elders is one of them."</span> He paused. Deep in thought.

<span style='color:navy'>"I must thank you Elenna. You've helped me get the ansewers I sought after. I'm glad that I came back, even after all thats happened. Now, you should probably get back to your caretaker. If I know Taro shes spitting acid right now in worry."</span> Cairn watched as the young girl ran off in the direction she came without another word. Then he turned in the direction Shin-lu had left. The faint smile still lingering on his lips and a sudden lightness in his heart.

He saw a figure ahead of him hidden in shadows. <span style='color:navy'>"Shin-lu? Is that you?"</span></font>

 

<font color='#810541'>Darkness was a constant companion. Not nessesarily a friend, but a companion throughtout the years. Once again Cairn found himself slinking through the village, thanking darkness for the shadows he hid in as hunters ran down the muddy streets in search of him.

His eyes were heavy with confusion. He had called out to Shin-lu and recieved no reply what-so-ever. Whatever had possessed her to actually act almost civilized towards him was gone. She was back to the cold being she had been from the start. <span style='color:navy'>Idiot! You only met her a couple hours ago!</span>

Cairn broke into a run when he reached the edge of the city. His poor abused muscles groaned as he sprinted across the small clearing that led to the "woods of the lost ones". He slipped into the familiar landscape that had harboured him for years in his youth, before he had gotten the courage to brave the outside world.

He managed to track Shin-lu by the scent of blood she had left in her wake. The metallic scent strong among the musty, wet smell of the woods. He crossed by her disgarded clothing, eyeing the shreaded garments in wonder and just a bit of aprehension. He shook his head and cintinued on until the scent and sound of running water greeted his waiting senses.

He walked through a final tangle of brush, his feet silent on the moss covered ground. You did not live half your life alone in a forest and being hunted without learning how to move around in it silently- no matter how bone wearly one was. He licked his dry lips. He hadn't had anything to eat or even drink since... the night before. His stomach rumbled an angry confirmation at the realization and he licked his lips again.

Ciarn looked up, his mind quickly forgetting his thirst as his eyes found Shin-lu sitting in the middle of the stream washing herself and looking like she hadn't a care in the world. All gold from his ice blue eyes vanished as the calm blanket dissapeared. He was no longer the self-confident, cool and calm individual he had been in the town. Once again he was the blunt, outspoken, stuttering and bashful young dragon who was banished from his home as a child.

Cairn's cheeks nearly glew with the sudden heat he felt on them. He stuttered when he spoke, his voice cracking, and only partially because of his dry throat. <span style='color:navy'>"W- what are you doing! Do you have no modesty!?</span> He turned away from the female pretending to look for anyone who may have followed them, even though he knew no-one would have.</font>

 

<font color='#810541'>Cairn jerked back when Shin-lu touched his shoulder. His cheeks flaming and even brighter shade of red. His senses were running on overdrive, and as such he was painfully aware of the females body so close to his own. However, for some reason, Shin-lu's abrupt switch in bahaviour, yet again, went unnoticed. He tugged nervously at the leather bracers on his arms. A tell-tale gesture that spoke of his discomfort.

He began to back away from her. A nervous grin on his face. <span style='color:navy'>"N-no. Y-you didn't do anything wrong... its just that... couldn't you have found a bit more of a secluded spot? I mean washing right in the open. Its not right for... uhh someone of your... ummm status...?'</span> To his complete horror his voice cracked on almost every sentance. The painfully red 'dragon turned an even brighter shade.

As he backed away Cairn found himself actually heading towards the stream. He wasn't sure how it had happened but thats where he was angled towards. During his stuttering he had entered the river, fridged waters swirled around his feet, ankles and then knees as he continued to back up. He stepped back, his foot lowering into the water, and lowering further, and further and further... Cairn's eyes opened in momentary shock before his head went under.

He came back up gasping for breath and scrambling back onto the ledge. He glared at the sudden drop off in fury. Suddenly he looked around himself. It was midnight. He was sitting in the middle of a stream. Water only a few degrees above freezing rushing past his body, easily reaching up to his chest. There was an entire village out to kill him (again) and he was tired, cold, wet, hungry and ironiclly enough, still thirsty.

Cairn lowered his head and sighed. He had enough of this. His life was a string of disasters and mistakes. He was 2100, lived alone in a rented apartment, still attended the occasional class at Janardan, had no friends, no family (that concidered him alive), a freelance job that barely paid the bills and he was sitting in a river... His fist smashed into the water in frustration. He sat there for a few minutes in silence. Simply letting his mind water. His thoughts were a tangled web of incoherent ideas, phrases, and dreams.

A violent sneeze brought Cairn back to his senses. He realized that he was shivering. the cold waters sinking into his skin and penetrating the bones. He stood up water dripping from his matted hair. He waded up river looking for a place to rest. He was so cold... and so tired.</font>

 

<font color='#810541'>The moon shone brightly. Its silvery glow illuminating the forest. Small lights danced in the bushes; fireflys. Overhead the occasional bat flew by. The sound sof the forest at night filed the air. Chirping, humming the occasional rustling as larger animals passed by.

It was a beautiful night, however all this was lost upon the maroon individual who stumbled through the forest. His feet, numb with cold and wearyness, no longer silent on the ground. His movements were jerky and uneven. He didn't want to stop. Stopping meant he thought and thinking was not an option.

He didn't go far from the stream, however. In fact he only managed to make it just passed the foliage that lined the quick paced river. He leaned against a large tree trunk collapsing to the ground. Cairn shivered as s cold breeze blew by, but forced himself to ignore it. All he needed right now was sleep.

It wasn't long, only minutes, before Cairn felt himself slipping into the calming darkness of slumber. His fur was still dripping with water, his dark hair hung in his face, and one arm rested against his knee. The canopy of the large tree blocked out the silver moon and the twinkling stars. His own exhaustion drowned out the sounds of the various animals that lived in the forest. It was here in his self-imposed isolation that Cairn finally rested after days of stress, fear and anger.</font>

 

<font color='#810541'>Sweat ran down the maroon dragons face. His were clenched shut and his brow furrowed in almost physical pain. He moaned softly; the words incomprehendable to anyone near. His head twisted to the side and he moaned again. Wet hair stuck to his forehead in clumps.

<span style='color:black'>Cairn looked around the forest. It was different. Less tangled, brighter, happier... more peaceful. As well everything was so much bigger! His pale eyes searched the foliage before widening suddenly as he realized that the forest wasn't bigger. He was smaller! He looked at his hands in shock, there were no scars. A grin appeared on his face.</span><span style='color:navy'>"Then everything... it was all just a bad dream. The scars, the isolation, the killing.... just a nightmare!"</span><span style='color:black'>The child-Cairn jumped in joy looking around the forest with renewed excitment. It was exactly how he remembered it. Everything was exactly the same as it had been before his master, Ra-arth, had come. It was all the same as it had been before Cairn killed his master and was banished from his home. He couldn't help but hollar in joy. The child spun around in his place onto to hit something and be knocked back to the ground.

'Boy, what are you up to now? Hollaring like that." Ra-arth's low baritone shook the still air. "You should be off training not dallying around here." His dark eyes fell on Cairn.

The young male cowered in the grass.</span><span style='color:navy'>"Yes, sir. I know... It wont happen again.</span><span style='color:black'>The forest grew darker. Long shadows streched across the ground as tree thats were once bright and lively drew tall and foreboding. The flowers that had been there shrivled before his eyes, replaced by weeds and thorns. The blue sky was immediatly blocked off by grey clouds and the booming of thunder in the distance. A single raindrop landed on Cairns nose. He stared cross-eyes at the wetspot before slowly looking at Ra-arth. Blood dripped from his neck and mouth. His eyes glew an unnatural red. His fur became patchy and torn in places. Covered in mud, sticks and who knew what other kinds of muck.

The childs mouth moved in silent horrow before finally a single terror filled scream broke thorugh the air. At that everything began in a flurry of movement. A loud crackle of electricity lit up the dark sky and rain becan falling in torrents. Cairn scrambled, but Ra-arth was already in the air. He landed pinning the young 'dragon to the ground. He snarled overtop of the child, blood dripping from his jaws onto Cairns face who thrashed and stuggled with all his might but to no avail. "Do you see what you have done to me, boy! Do you see what I have become! This is all your fault. You have turned me into this- this monster!"

Cairn's small body shuddered beneath the weight of his former teacher. He closed his eyes tears seeping from underneath the lids.</span><span style='color:navy'>"I - I'm sorry. You attacked me without warning. I didn't know who you were. I thought.... I thought you had gone mad. It wasn't my fault! Please... just kill me now."</span><span style='color:black'>Cairn clenched his eyes tighter together hopeing for it to be finished soon.

When no blow came Cairn opened one eye just a crack. The forest was back to normal. Flowers bloomed in the grasses, warm sunlight filtered through the bright green of freindly oaks, ash's and other misc trees. The other eye opened in astonishment. Above him Ra-arth still stood, but his eyes no longer red, cold and filled with hatred. Their warm brown depths were filled with compassion and sorrow. His coat was clean and shone healthily. He was as Cairn remembered before that fateful day. "It was not your fault... I trained you far to well. I should not have approached you, forget attacked you without giving warning. Cairn, my boy, you still think far to lowly of yourself. Dont take your life so lightly. My soul is now at peace...."

Cairn blicked in shock and then Ra-arth was gone. He looked around the young beautiful forest agin, tears still streaming down his cheeks. He looked at his hands, still unscared although he thought he could see the familiar puckered flesh beginning to rise.</span><span style='color:navy'>This is a dream.... Just a dream. Ra-arth....</span><span style='color:black'>A soft caress made its way down his cheek wiping away the tears even as it moved.

He startled and searched the forest. Then he spotted her. It was Shin-lu her hand was outstreched towards him. He looked at it confused. His mind still in tangles.</span>

Cairns lay limp in Shin-lus arms. His breathing began to slow to a normal steady rate and he ceased thrashing in his sleep. His mouth continued to move, but in the peaceful ways of slumber. The nightmare had ended.</font>

 

<font color='#810541'><span style='color:black'>The child version of Cairn took a quick step back from Shin-lu. Her sudden appearance was frightening to the child. His mind screamed at him to run, to get away from this strange adult. The dorment side of his mind that remained adult, however, told him that she was a friend and only trying to help.</span>

<span style='color:navy'>"Sh- Shin-lu? Who- What are you doing here... in my dream. This is a dream right? How- how is it that you're here?"</span> <span style='color:black'>The child looked around the forest nervously. There were birds singing in the trees and sunlight peeking through the foliage far above. Everything seemed so natural, so... real. It was hard to believe that they were in a dream. It was a dream was it not?

Ice blue eyes peeked out from underneath dark bangs. The wisdom contained within the orbs belayed the 'dragons physically youthful appearance. They were eyes that belonged to someone far senior to the boy that stood in the clearing.

Cairn studied the female before him.</span><span style='color:navy'>"Shin-lu... who are you really?"</span></font>