Borrowed Strength (CA - Matthew & Zander)
Quote from Skyelre on July 21, 2020, 11:20 pmMatthew looked like he was zoning out again, as he turned to try to listen to Zander.
"Right," he replied, now trying to look like he had acknowledged all of Zanders warnings, but all his face appeared to say was that he was skeptical of everything. And with that, he turned back and proceeded to push open the doors and walked out into the desert heat.
Matthew looked like he was zoning out again, as he turned to try to listen to Zander.
"Right," he replied, now trying to look like he had acknowledged all of Zanders warnings, but all his face appeared to say was that he was skeptical of everything. And with that, he turned back and proceeded to push open the doors and walked out into the desert heat.
Quote from Indy on July 28, 2020, 10:56 pmZander watched the kid go. His legs went a few paces with him, as if to follow him, but the impulse died quickly. It was a shame the world had to be that way, wasn't it? Sometimes he could prevent tragedy with timely action or words of wisdom. Other times, the best thing he could do was stay away from a disaster zone so he didn't become a burden or complication onto himself. He'd tried, the boy ignored him, and he could at least keep his conscience in check.
Not that his conscience was giving him any mercy on the matter.
With a sigh, he went to the window to make sure the kid at least was staying away from that windmill.
Zander watched the kid go. His legs went a few paces with him, as if to follow him, but the impulse died quickly. It was a shame the world had to be that way, wasn't it? Sometimes he could prevent tragedy with timely action or words of wisdom. Other times, the best thing he could do was stay away from a disaster zone so he didn't become a burden or complication onto himself. He'd tried, the boy ignored him, and he could at least keep his conscience in check.
Not that his conscience was giving him any mercy on the matter.
With a sigh, he went to the window to make sure the kid at least was staying away from that windmill.
Quote from Skyelre on August 7, 2020, 2:39 amMatthew had taken several steps before stopping right in front of where the shade of the little gas station ended. He looked at the dusty town in the scorching heat beyond and suddenly realized how dead awful he felt. What in the world was he doing out here?
His backpack was far too heavy now; His hands were shaking trying to hold the handles up to shoulder some of the weight off his back. His face was still red, an indication of how hot his body really was. He felt himself swaying again, as he dropped his backpack to lighten his load to try and avoid passing out.
Matthew looked up at the small unsuspecting town once more before his hazel eyes turned back towards the store where he spied Zander watching through the window.
" Don't let your wolf control you," he recalled his father telling him. " You're the leader- don't let it's rage and anger control you, or it's fear. You call the shots- always remember that Matthew."
Matthew had once heard an interesting story about how what seemed dangerous could actually end up being safe and what appeared friendly at first could have the most deadly dangers hidden beneath. His wolf told him to flee from the sight of its kind, but thinking it over Matthew realized how dangerous the desert was that as much as out on the road always felt like the safest place to be, right now it was the worst place in his current state. Zander on the other hand was almost like a brother- part wolf as well as a loner. He didn't seem to show a single hostile bone towards Matthew and was even trying to warn him of the dangers the town might possess. As much as instinct told him to seek safety alone, he concluded he really could use some help right about now.
Grabbing his bag, Matthew dragged it behind him as he made his way back tiredly to the store. As he pushed open the front doors slowly with his tired muscles, he proclaimed his plea for help-
" I think I have that heat thing you were talking about, I feel really hot like I'm dying..." He chuckled lightly, unable to stop himself from swaying to one side as if he might fall over.
Matthew had taken several steps before stopping right in front of where the shade of the little gas station ended. He looked at the dusty town in the scorching heat beyond and suddenly realized how dead awful he felt. What in the world was he doing out here?
His backpack was far too heavy now; His hands were shaking trying to hold the handles up to shoulder some of the weight off his back. His face was still red, an indication of how hot his body really was. He felt himself swaying again, as he dropped his backpack to lighten his load to try and avoid passing out.
Matthew looked up at the small unsuspecting town once more before his hazel eyes turned back towards the store where he spied Zander watching through the window.
" Don't let your wolf control you," he recalled his father telling him. " You're the leader- don't let it's rage and anger control you, or it's fear. You call the shots- always remember that Matthew."
Matthew had once heard an interesting story about how what seemed dangerous could actually end up being safe and what appeared friendly at first could have the most deadly dangers hidden beneath. His wolf told him to flee from the sight of its kind, but thinking it over Matthew realized how dangerous the desert was that as much as out on the road always felt like the safest place to be, right now it was the worst place in his current state. Zander on the other hand was almost like a brother- part wolf as well as a loner. He didn't seem to show a single hostile bone towards Matthew and was even trying to warn him of the dangers the town might possess. As much as instinct told him to seek safety alone, he concluded he really could use some help right about now.
Grabbing his bag, Matthew dragged it behind him as he made his way back tiredly to the store. As he pushed open the front doors slowly with his tired muscles, he proclaimed his plea for help-
" I think I have that heat thing you were talking about, I feel really hot like I'm dying..." He chuckled lightly, unable to stop himself from swaying to one side as if he might fall over.
Quote from Indy on August 31, 2020, 8:02 amZander had taken an optimal seat in front of the store counter, perfectly positioned to catch any of the non-existent cross-breeze. He felt like a puddle of human misery; his entire body could probably been pasted to the wall with little effort. He sighed, miserably, trying to imagine cold places - or at least places with functioning AC.
He lifted his head as the kid entered. He was relieved, sure. But mostly he was thinking wishful thoughts about ice cream.
"Yeah," he sighed, "Can't say it's much better here... I recommend sitting still.... and not... moving".
He frowned as the spirit of protective-older-brother washed over him. It was one thing for himself to be stranded off in the middle of the armpit of the world because he was an idiotic adult and had made poor life choices. It was another thing entirely for a kid that looked his sister's age - what was she now, fourteen? - to be off wandering about.
"Anyone... we should call for you?" he asked.
Zander had taken an optimal seat in front of the store counter, perfectly positioned to catch any of the non-existent cross-breeze. He felt like a puddle of human misery; his entire body could probably been pasted to the wall with little effort. He sighed, miserably, trying to imagine cold places - or at least places with functioning AC.
He lifted his head as the kid entered. He was relieved, sure. But mostly he was thinking wishful thoughts about ice cream.
"Yeah," he sighed, "Can't say it's much better here... I recommend sitting still.... and not... moving".
He frowned as the spirit of protective-older-brother washed over him. It was one thing for himself to be stranded off in the middle of the armpit of the world because he was an idiotic adult and had made poor life choices. It was another thing entirely for a kid that looked his sister's age - what was she now, fourteen? - to be off wandering about.
"Anyone... we should call for you?" he asked.
Quote from Skyelre on August 31, 2020, 10:40 amExhausted, Matthew dropped his backpack onto the ground and crashed to the floor, sitting down to give his aching muscles a break. For the umpteenth time, he missed exactly what Zander had said.
“ Call..” He repeated the word in confusion. “ I’m not dying, why would you need to call someone?”
Slowly his brows rose as his eyes grew wide on his pale sweaty face. His voice came out in a rasp as his eyes darted to meet Zanders. “ Wait, am I dying?”
Exhausted, Matthew dropped his backpack onto the ground and crashed to the floor, sitting down to give his aching muscles a break. For the umpteenth time, he missed exactly what Zander had said.
“ Call..” He repeated the word in confusion. “ I’m not dying, why would you need to call someone?”
Slowly his brows rose as his eyes grew wide on his pale sweaty face. His voice came out in a rasp as his eyes darted to meet Zanders. “ Wait, am I dying?”
Quote from Indy on August 31, 2020, 7:04 pmZander sighed wearily, but couldn't summon the energy to lift the sweat rolling down his brow. He did, however, tilt his head just to the side as if to get a better look at the kid. He was getting the sinking suspicion the kid listened to his every fifth word - whether from exhaustion, lack of care, or option c - and Zander made a mental note then and there to keep it all very simple.
"No, you're not dying or dead," Zander said, thinking inwardly as another bead of sweat rolled down his neck - but if we are, we've both seriously messed up in our life-choices, "Tell me. Do you have a mom? A dad? Responsible older sibling? Foster caretaker? Other unspecified legal guardian? I'd like to call them, and ask them why you're here".
Zander sighed wearily, but couldn't summon the energy to lift the sweat rolling down his brow. He did, however, tilt his head just to the side as if to get a better look at the kid. He was getting the sinking suspicion the kid listened to his every fifth word - whether from exhaustion, lack of care, or option c - and Zander made a mental note then and there to keep it all very simple.
"No, you're not dying or dead," Zander said, thinking inwardly as another bead of sweat rolled down his neck - but if we are, we've both seriously messed up in our life-choices, "Tell me. Do you have a mom? A dad? Responsible older sibling? Foster caretaker? Other unspecified legal guardian? I'd like to call them, and ask them why you're here".
Quote from Skyelre on August 31, 2020, 9:32 pmMatthew looked so lost when Zander finished his question.
" What...?" He said, his brain trying to unscramble the words just fed into it. Too many words... His mind tried to put the key ones together to simplify the question. Then a sudden gleam of understanding flashed in his eyes.
" Yeah, of course I have a mom and dad." He started, his voice still a dry rasp. " They.." He turned away to the ground as it was clear in his hazel eyes there was turbulence to the topic. He hesitated before continuing, his voice softener now. " They don't know I'm here and even if they did they can't help. ... I'm on my own."
Matthew looked so lost when Zander finished his question.
" What...?" He said, his brain trying to unscramble the words just fed into it. Too many words... His mind tried to put the key ones together to simplify the question. Then a sudden gleam of understanding flashed in his eyes.
" Yeah, of course I have a mom and dad." He started, his voice still a dry rasp. " They.." He turned away to the ground as it was clear in his hazel eyes there was turbulence to the topic. He hesitated before continuing, his voice softener now. " They don't know I'm here and even if they did they can't help. ... I'm on my own."
Quote from Indy on September 1, 2020, 8:23 am"Huh," Zander said in a lazy shrug, his body made limp in the heat," Guess that figures".
He supposed the kid was at the age for all the teenage angst. Except, it never was just teenage angst for them, was it? You also had to add the ever-present fear of eating someone whole, or worse. He glanced over the kid with a critical eye, wondering if maybe he did eat someone and just didn't want to talk about it.
Zander really had enough problems without keeping the next teen-wolf from eating grandma.
"Okay," he said after a moment, "Is there anyone you trust? Anyone you'd want to know where you are...? It's a long way between us and civilization here, kid".
"Huh," Zander said in a lazy shrug, his body made limp in the heat," Guess that figures".
He supposed the kid was at the age for all the teenage angst. Except, it never was just teenage angst for them, was it? You also had to add the ever-present fear of eating someone whole, or worse. He glanced over the kid with a critical eye, wondering if maybe he did eat someone and just didn't want to talk about it.
Zander really had enough problems without keeping the next teen-wolf from eating grandma.
"Okay," he said after a moment, "Is there anyone you trust? Anyone you'd want to know where you are...? It's a long way between us and civilization here, kid".
Quote from Skyelre on September 1, 2020, 4:49 pmMatthew sank against the wall to the floor as he moaned. Now on his back, he stared tiredly at the ceiling as his head throbbed. His body felt like it could melt right then and there. He pushed back his bangs in an attempt to get them unstuck from his sweaty forehead. For the first time in the last hour, his mind finally didn’t seem quite so hazy, and he easily discerned what Zander had said in between the lines.
“ I get it, you don’t want to deal with me.” He said somberly.
Letting a breath out, he eyed his backpack that stood nearby and tried to reach for it, falling short just by an inch. He groaned as he pushed himself up just enough to reach it, yanking it down to the ground and dragging it towards him. Unzipping it, he dug around and finally noticed just how warm the water in the bottles were. He moaned yet again.
Matthew sank against the wall to the floor as he moaned. Now on his back, he stared tiredly at the ceiling as his head throbbed. His body felt like it could melt right then and there. He pushed back his bangs in an attempt to get them unstuck from his sweaty forehead. For the first time in the last hour, his mind finally didn’t seem quite so hazy, and he easily discerned what Zander had said in between the lines.
“ I get it, you don’t want to deal with me.” He said somberly.
Letting a breath out, he eyed his backpack that stood nearby and tried to reach for it, falling short just by an inch. He groaned as he pushed himself up just enough to reach it, yanking it down to the ground and dragging it towards him. Unzipping it, he dug around and finally noticed just how warm the water in the bottles were. He moaned yet again.
Quote from Indy on September 1, 2020, 7:22 pm"That's not it," Zander slowly, his eyes lightly closing as the heat seemed to sink into every inch of him. The heat was making his thoughts slow and syrupy and it took him a moment to gather them.
"You remind me of my kid sister," he said finally, "If she was out in the middle of the desert for who-knows-why, I'd hope she'd trust me enough to call me".
He cracked open an eye, "It's still good even if it's warm, promise. Just not as satisfying".
In measured tempo, her similarly retrieved a reusable water bottle from his side-satchel. The satchel's contents seemed orderly from a quick glance, revealing a few neat folders and notebooks among a few rolls of clothing and some granola bars. He took a long, slow sip.
"That's not it," Zander slowly, his eyes lightly closing as the heat seemed to sink into every inch of him. The heat was making his thoughts slow and syrupy and it took him a moment to gather them.
"You remind me of my kid sister," he said finally, "If she was out in the middle of the desert for who-knows-why, I'd hope she'd trust me enough to call me".
He cracked open an eye, "It's still good even if it's warm, promise. Just not as satisfying".
In measured tempo, her similarly retrieved a reusable water bottle from his side-satchel. The satchel's contents seemed orderly from a quick glance, revealing a few neat folders and notebooks among a few rolls of clothing and some granola bars. He took a long, slow sip.
