꧁ The Last Hope HBD IC (semi open- PM ME!) ꧂

❖ Byxem Arros • Neha

When Byxem returned from their dissociation, they realized that they were pacing. Relentlessly. They stopped abruptly, running their fingers through their hair, taking a deep breath, and glancing around. Had... had everyone dispersed already? Had they zoned out that much?

How would they be a good teacher if they couldn't even focus on the tasks at hand? Crossing their arms behind their back, they looked to the sky. Still no sign of Neha. What was taking her so long? Was everything alright? "No, no, stay focused, Arros," they murmured, rubbing their eyes. "You have work to do."

Turning, they began to make their way back to their dorm, cane clacking as the grass underfoot turned stone. They kept their posture rigid; couldn't have anyone see them be weak, even though everyone most definitely had. Oh well. They might as well start trying harder now.

As they neared, their door, they heard the faint scrabbling of claws on wood and a yelping whine. Byxem smiled, turning the handle, before being knocked into by a large, fluffy dog. "Ah, good morning, Halvor!" Byx said, grabbing the elkhound by the face and scratching his ears. He frantically licked at Byx's face, getting a few kisses in, before jumping down into a playful position. "Sorry I left while you were still asleep, boy," they said, closing the door behind them. Halvor followed his master's heels, his rump wriggling in excitement. "Hungry?"

At the question, Halvor let out a deep bark, turning in a circle. Byx chuckled, pulling out some leftover bison. They learned that the dog was quite fond of bison, just like Neha was. They felt a twinge in their chest, but quickly shoved it away; they needed to focus, dammit. Setting down a helping of the raw meat, Halvor made quick work as Byx watched on in endearment. Halvor was a comfort to Byx, reminding them of their time at home. They smiled, scooting over to their desk and sitting down. They sighed at the number of papers they had to review, but reluctantly hunched over it. A while later, Halvor decided to come to lay down at Byx's feet, keeping them warm.

-~-~-~-

Warning: Blood, Gore, Impalation, Murder

Neha dived through the clouds, piercing blue eyes scanning the terrain below. Nothing but a few goats so far, a couple of which she had easily captured and swallowed down. She let out a snort, becoming quite bored. Not a single human. Not even a bear to battle. A faint whiff of blood crossed Neha's nostrils, and she flared her wings, hovering in place. She flicked her tongue, ensuring she was right... yep, human. She swooped towards the ground, landing on an outcrop of stone covered in lichen with a squelch. Her head swayed like a snake's, assessing the situation. At her claws was a strange stone with an even stranger engraving carved into it. She had seen this symbol before, once when raiding one of the King's outposts. She hissed, looking down the mountainside. There, a mass of flesh, a few hundred feet below. There was no place for her to land down (sharp stones lined the narrow path), so instead, she opted to climb down. Her wings were beginning to ache anyways; she wasn't built for long-distance, but rather, speed.

As she grew closer, loose stones rolling under her talons, she realized what she was seeing was a human.

Their body was broken and impaled by the sharp rocks, their figure and face so battered and bashed in that they were unrecognizable as a human, if not for the unique rotting smell emanating from their leaked innards. It looked as if they had tripped. Or pushed. If they wyvern could vomit, she would. Snout wrinkled at the acrid scent, she realized that the body was of a child's, and sudden realization struck her; this was the missing student. She reeled back, snapping her wings in fury. She let out a roar that echoed throughout the mountain valleys, shaking the stones beneath her feet. They may be long gone now, but they would pay dearly for this, she would make sure of this! Gently, she picked the child up with her back legs, careful not to squeeze too hard. She soared back up to the outcropping, snatching the engraved stone with her maw, and began her journey back to the valley.

She pumped her wings harder than she ever had, fury fueling her bones. She saw the familiar shroud of fog and swooped down, whipping her tail and snapping her wings to make her presence known. Had she not had a rock in her mouth, she would have roared, too. She landed in the grass, setting the broken body down gently, placing the rock beside them. She stared down at the sight, and laid down, resting her chin beside them. Poor child. They died too young.

۝ Ilia || Kyrena ۝

The clearly pissed roar and soon followed whip crack of a tail caught Kyrena's ear. Ilia, who had less sensitive ears and was sheltered from the sound, didn't emerge until the anger pushed against her chest. Kyrena took off, attention once focused on checking the eggs now switching to her younger companion.

Neha held the power of a storm, lightning fast with thunder crackling around her, and Kyrena was much less graceful than her. More powerful, older and with more force behind almost anything. Wing almost clipping the second ring, she soars through the first and pulls her legs forward, bracing for a harsh landing. She did stumble, wings flaring for balance, and upon understanding what was in front of her, the wyvern's body seemed to ignite. Flame flickered across her back, fed by oxygen and the heat her body gave off.

A student. It was a sad death, at the hands of a horrid person. But Neha was upset and who was Kyrena to bother with restraining herself? Not a roar but a furious snarl, rumbling deep in her chest. Wings snapping open, she was prepared to take off, to hunt down and destroy the one who caused this... and a very human tug in her heart pulled her back.

~-~-~-~-

In the cavern, Ilia had been shocked at the initial stab of anger and then again as the pressure worsened. Obviously, it wouldn't truly hurt her, but it felt almost as though it would. Carefully she pulled at the anger, then again when it didn't lesson or halt. That time it did. Focus now on the wyvern, she pushed just one word through the bond and felt Kyrena's grumble at letting Byx handle it, but she did calm. Barely. Taking a deep breath Ilia turned back to the students.

"Bit of an event happening up there. If we need to, we will let you know what's happened. For now, please focus on taking in what you can. We may be walking you around here, but once you seem able to, it will be up to you to navigate the general area of where you'll be needed. Again, take a look around and once everyone seems ready, we can go to the lower level." It would be sorted. Kyrena wouldn't be this angry if someone didn't need to be... taken care of. But they would be, whether by Ilia's hand or Kyrena's flame.

❖ Byxem Arros • Neha

They should've known their peace wouldn't be interrupted. They had just hoped it would have been a lot later rather than sooner (what was the opposite of "sooner rather than later"? Ah, who knows). Dipping their quill in ink, a sudden stab of fury pierced their chest and they let out a yowl of pain, jerking their whole body. Their hand curled impulsively, cracking their quill in two. Ink flew through the air, splattering the walls and oozing over their parchment, but Byx couldn't seem to care. They threw themself back and away from their table, cradling their head in their hands, breathing heavily. Tears formed in their eyes, and their heart wrenched. This wasn't their pain, their fury. This was Neha's. A million thoughts trampled through their head. What had happened? Was she alright?? Shakily, they stood, keeping a firm grip on the back of their chair.

The Norwegian Elkhound, now fully awake, let out a loud whimper. Quickly, he stood, pressing his side into Byx's leg. With one hand clutching at their head and the other fumbling for their cane, they stumbled to the door, flinging it open, and started making their way to the courtyard.

It was a difficult journey. Turns out, it's difficult to avoid objects when your eyes are shut tight. Byx didn't know why they were trying to get out into the open... No, wait, yes they did. They needed to check the air for Neha. Right, how could they forget? The anger had ebbed away slightly, but their head still pounded, and it was swiftly being replaced with a pang of overwhelming sadness and guilt. Oh gods, what had happened? What happened to her? Please, please let her be alright, they thought desperately. They couldn't lose anyone else.

A cracking above their head alerted Byx, and they whipped their head up, wincing at the bright sky. A glinting of gold and sky blue scales sent a rush of relief through Byx's bones, but something had obviously set her off. Was that... something in her clutches? Byx squinted, but they couldn't see past the glare. Whatever it was, she set it down gently and landed beside it. Then surprisingly, she laid her head down, curling close to it. As Byx drew closer, Halvor still at their heel, they felt their stomach drop; it was the broken body of what they could only assume to be a young child, their face horribly disfigured and limbs twisting at inhuman angles. Byx stumbled forward, their legs feeling weak, and dropped their cane. They fell and landed on their knees in front of the bloodied body.

Gently, they picked the smashed head of the child up, cradling it. Tears streamed down their face, now experiencing their own emotions. This couldn't be happening. They had already failed as a caretaker. What will we tell their family? they thought, letting out a shuddering sob. They bowed their head, chest aching. They hadn't even met this child, and yet, Byx felt as if a part of their heart had broken and died. They didn't even realize that Kyrena had landed nearby, flames flickering in pure fury and vengeance.

Lifting their own head, Byx looked to Neha. "What happened?"

The wyvern let out a pitiful rumble, nudging the rock towards Byx. They glared at it, before their face fell in horror.

It was the King's symbol. This was a warning.

"Go get Ilia, now."

۝ Ilia || Kyrena ۝

Kyrena looked up at the rushing form of Byx coming closer, a constant rumble filling the air. He didn't even notice Kyrena, a horrified look taking over his face as he came closer, the hound following ever faithfully. A horrid sob tore from Byx's chest as he cradled the younger student and despite how carefully unworried Kyrena had appeared to Byx, she quieted her growl and let out a lower keen of sadness.

Already prepared to call for Ilia, the sound of a carriage rattling closer caught Kyrena's ear. Hurried footsteps before the gate was shaken, clearly asking entry. The smell of sadness and anger was still strong but the sneaking, poisonous stench of fear had crept closer. You must move them, Neha. The carriage doesn't hold a student and a driver,  we cannot let them see that we know of the student. Kyrena rumbled to the other wyvern, clawed wings digging into the ground as she moved closer to the gate. Would it be a spy, sneaking in as a student, or a guard, with a sword and bow? Either way, they would not be allowed into the cavern. Ilia needed to keep the other children safe. Byx, Neha, and Kyrena would have to keep whoever came in place of this student away from the rest. Two wyverns, both filled with anger compared to one foolish human? It was a hopeless case for this intruder.

~-~-~-

In the cavern, Ilia sent a questioning push back at Kyrena but kept watching the students. Evangeline, similar to Nyx's reaction earlier, narrowed her eyes and Ilia suppressed a sigh. Both were 19 she believed, technically adults, but they had no reason to think they were deserving of knowing everything. Certainly not know. They may have bonds to the eggs but that may change.... and if they refused to at least try and trust Ilia and Byx then their future here would be difficult.

An old ticking clock struck 3, the candle representing two o'clock having been moved close enough to light the next. "If everyone is ready, we'll continue down to the bottom of the cavern. By four, we'll be returning to the dorms, so you have an hour to explore down there - if you want it. If not, we can save that for tomorrow, we'll take some time to explore a little more." Tomorrow. After this.... disturbance was sorted.

❖ Byxem Arros • Neha

Byx didn't notice Raymond coming up beside them, nor did they realize that he had taken the child's body from their arms. Their hands were soaked in blood. They pressed their palms to their head, taking a shuddering breath. You failed, we failed, it's all gone to shit. What would they do? What would Ilia think? This poor child...

Neha's head whipped up, a low rumbling building in her throat. Her spines began to rattle in anticipation, body tensing. She heard the carriage, she could practically smell the blood coursing through their veins. She was filled with such rage, she needed to take it out. She stood, unfurling her wings, nudging Byx gently. The man glanced up, crestfallen. "What is it, girl?" they said, voice trembling. Neha nudged Byx again in response, before gesturing with her tail to the gates. Byx's face dropped in horror. "Oh, gods. Raymond, Raymond, we gotta go," they said, reaching to shake Raymond's shoulder. They could mourn later, but now they had to get out of here.

Standing, they attempted to take hold of the child but slipped. They were too weak. "Damn it all," they muttered, glancing over their shoulder at the gates. Neha let out a quiet gurgling noise. She couldn't take to the sky; they would surely see her. She wanted to take out her anger on the trespassers, but she couldn't just leave the humans alone; they were useless without her. She tossed her head, nudging Byx again, before lowering her spikes. Byx glanced up, eyes widening. "Oh!" they exclaimed, before turning to Raymond.

"Neha's telling us to put them on her back. Do you think you could lift them? I'm not strong enough," they said hurriedly.