Odette’s paws hurt, even though she had been carried most of the adventure they had taken she was exhausted. Her poppa had fallen into a tunnel and they hadn’t been able to get him out, then she got so tired she had to rest so her Daddy went ahead to scout ahead for any danger. She was frightened, but did as she was told and stayed put. Her Daddy would be back to fetch her and then they would go back and find Poppa and finally be on their way home. This was like a trip from hell and she was ready for it to be over.

She hunkered down but could not sleep, she was too frightened for that. Her wings were pulled in tightly against her body, with her little short tail curled as tightly to her hip as possible. She was all but whimpering, only the thought of her Daddy coming back for her kept her brave. Then the thundering began, the earth rocked beneath her paws and she stood back up, her muscles tensed and coiled as she heard screams echoing from further away. They sounded far too much like her Daddy for her liking and she felt a sharp pain of dread strike her heart.

Then, very suddenly, Sashimi was racing towards her. Tears fell from her eyes and her fur was singed and burned. Odette’s mouth fell open, but before she could utter a word the dog commanded her to run. So she did, knowing full well her Daddy was dead but refusing to accept it.

"Odette"

Those rat fucks had left without him. Davey couldn't believe it. Stewing in his indignity, he tracked them south. Nose low to the ground, head held just a breath away from it. There's something eerie, otherworldly, maybe even a bit threatening about the way he moves. Unlike any true wolf out here, but that would make sense. He's not entirely a wolf after all. Something worse. Davey will be the worst version of himself, especially once he gets his hands on his brother.

As Davey moved south, the landscape shifted. Changed. Became unfamiliar, though that was... that was insane, right? Hadn't he just been down here, not a few days ago? This hadn't been here. Chewing on the inside of his cheek, the boy's gaze ripples across the desolate landscape. Some sort of terrible smell was picking up on the breeze, too.

Morbid curiosity drives him closer, at least, until his gaze lands on the girl. Were those... wings? They tucked into her sides, though that's not the most concerning thing. She's in tears. More than in tears, and Davey can only worry about what lay behind her. "Hey! Hey-- fuck, slow down. What are you running from?" There's worry, worry that something terrible had befallen his siblings too. Their trails led in the direction the girl was running from, after all. Davey calls, hollering after the girl. Insensitive? Maybe, but there's so much to know. Trying to meet her somewhere in the middle, though there's concern on his face too.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Ode hadn’t even hesitated in leaping to action, something was wrong, nothing was right. She was in mortal peril and her daddy… She pushed the thought aside as she and the Akita ran the opposite direction her Koi father had gone. Odette didn’t know what kept her from going back, to go find her Dad, but the look on the dog’s face as she approached. The winged girl just knew that she would only find despair.

So wrapped up in just running, Odette almost just blew past the boy that raced to meet her. His voice drowned out by the sound of her heart pounding in her ears and the air being sucked out of her lungs. Even Sashimi had given him almost no thought, but the pale dog stopped Odette, they couldn’t let the boy go further and face certain doom. The akita had seen everything happen, but even she hadn’t told Odette the full extent, nor could she. Her voice was stuck in her throat.

"Death.” Odette managed to croak. Her muscles tensed, her heart ached, and she wished deeply that all of this was just a dream that she could run from.

"Odette"

He staggers. Davey nearly falls over his own paws, losing control of them as he gets a better look at the girl. She'd been crying, her voice crackling in her throat. Everything about her looks like a raw wound, but the emotional kind not the regular sort. Davey's heart seizing in his chest for a moment, dropping through his guts. "Fuck--" nearly gasping. The things he'd seen lately... they spelled trouble. But death, real death? That... that's... it's too much for him to process, at least in this moment.

Moving to her side, Davey takes a long moment to find any words at all. "My sisters went that way." They're quiet, grave, his eyes going wide. Sure, his brothers had gone too, but his sisters were over there. He's frozen to the spot, swallowing hard. Focus on something else, dumb shit-- right. Gaze shifting back to the girl, the despair in her voice and on her face ringing true. "I... what did you see?" Does he really want to know? Yes, but also no. He needs to, but it's heavy. "I'd ask if you're okay, but that's a stupid question. I'm sorry."

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Odette’s mind was everywhere and nowhere all at once. She couldn’t think, her mind only filled with the scream she had heard, the need to run. Still, she was able to focus, at least partially, on the boy before her. He maneuvered himself out from in front of her, leaving the space open for her to escape, but it seemed more like he was joining her than he was letting her go.

She barely understood the words that came out of his mouth, and her eyes widened. His sisters were back that way, likely facing whatever had taken her father. She didn’t know what to say Odette was so consumed with the thought of losing her Dad. Odette tried to breathe, she tried to return to sanity and forget her troubles for a moment. That seemed impossible right now, but she did what she could.

"I didn’t see anything,” She said in a small voice as her silver eyes turned to the crisped dog at her side. "She did.” She looked at Sashimi, not even wanting to hear what she had seen, or know the fate of her Daddy. ”Fire, a giant that spewed fire.” Was all the dog could say.

"Odette"

They're capable, they're competent, they're... they should be able to handle themselves. Right? Right? Cal and Sid would keep them safe. Davey swallowed hard, trying to pull his thoughts from the carnage. It doesn't seem real. It doesn't feel real. All he can do is focus on the small girl before him, and her soft voice, and the dog that brought a grim message. Far more grim than Davey knew how to process.

"It's... fuck, it's probably still not safe, even all the way over here." He's trying to collect his thoughts, his words. "I'll walk you home, wherever that is." Davey resolves to it. There wouldn't be any use getting underfoot with whatever was going on behind them, the worm and the fire and the running. He's trying to collect himself, trying to drag all his thoughts back together through the cloud of worry and the fog of potential loss. A solutions-based approach.

She'd lost something tangible here. Davey pulls it together, not knowing exactly who had fallen, but well aware it wasn't good. Shit, he feels like he can't just leave the girl like this. "I'm Davey Abraxas." A quiet introduction. Right, she probably wouldn't want to leave with a stranger... though he's still mostly strange.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Odette didn’t really have the emotional where withal to put any empathy with Davey’s sisters. She was all consumed by the fact that she would never see her Daddy again, and she was still in very real danger. The boy said so as well, noting how dangerous the place was, even here. She was startled by his sudden offer to take her home. The words brought her back to common sense as her silver eyes lifted to him in surprise. He could probably guess by the scent on her that she lived all the way in the Armada, but how did she tell him she wanted to go and try to find her Poppa?

Though really, going home was her best bet. Since they were separated, if he found his way out then that was where he would go. And she could tell him… Odette suppressed the thought. She wasn’t ready for that yet. "Okay.” She returned, emotionless and forgetting any kind of manners she had ever been taught. Her wings drooped slightly and she tucked her short tail.

Before they began to walk he offered his name. Abraxas should have stirred something in her mind, but she was too preoccupied to notice. "I’m Odette Fatalis.” She returned, at the very least giving her name as well. "My home is…” She hesitated, actively forgetting. "Is North, the Armada.” She finally was able to admit.

"Odette"

Home. He'd take her back home, where it was probably safer than whatever was going on here. Let her pack take care of the fact death was everywhere, and get his mind off the fact his sisters were engaged with the same threat. Davey still feels like barfing at the very idea, but... well, this is the best he has, for now. Distraction.

They begin the trek north, her name ringing in his ears. Odette. A little nod, a tuck of his chin. It was nice to meet her, sure, but the circumstances could have been better. "If you get tired, we aren't that far from my home-- the Raiders. It'll be safe to rest there, if you need it." The day had already been a lot, especially for her. There's more kindness in Davey than he usually displays.

While he's shit at the whole comforting aspect of things, at least he's got what feels like a solution. Home. "I've been up to the markets a few times, but lemme know if we go off course." Davey's tone earnest, taking a posture that's closer than friendly to Odette's side. She looked so sad, like she needed to be protected. Protect, and protect he would.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Gone, her Daddy was gone. He was dead, she would never see him again. She would never be able to fall asleep in his fur between him and Poppa. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but Odette held it in by the sheer shock. She could barely comprehend what was going on around her as Davey began to lead her north. He mentioned that they could stop and rest if he needed it, and she was forced to remember that she had been carried down. She would have to walk all the way back. Her heart sank in her chest and she wanted to just collapse and cry.

But onward she let him lead her, though her pace was slow and her mind reeling. They would eventually make it back to the Armada. One day. She’d be reunited with her Poppa, he’d tell her it was okay, that they would get through this loss together. "I don’t know… I don’t know what I need.” She whispered, Davey on one side and Sashimi on the other holding her up. Maybe she did need to stop and rest, or maybe it was better if they just tried to hurry back home so she could be with Mortis again.

"Oh yes, the markets.” She managed to say wistfully, doing her best to forget the fate of her dear father. "They have so many nice places to huddle in and hide.” She didn’t even really know what she was saying now, her brain was doing its best to dull the trauma.


"Odette"