Rough Cut Stone - Indigo's Journey

ĆĦΔPŦ€Ř ØŇ€

It was cold.

Too cold.

Why was it so cold?

Indigo tried to nuzzle into the warmth of her mother next to her, but that warmth suddenly disappeared, as did the figure of her mother's sleeping form. Shrieks of battle filled her ears as she looked up sharply, her eyes wide as she watched the battling raptors from behind the roots. She briefly saw her mother's thrashing limbs, before the movements ceased altogether, and an eerie silence engulfed the night air as the attacking raptors withdrew into the bushes.

Indigo stepped out of her cover, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her. Her mother lay in front of her, body limp and unmoving. Her blood-shot eyes stared ahead at nothing, dull and unseeing. Indigo desperately searched her eyes for the warm glow they always had, but only a lifeless pair of eyeballs stared back at her, all spark gone. Her maw was still twisted in a horrible snarl of pain and horror, and Indigo gazed in terror at the dark red-stained leaves that littered the forest floor.
Her mother was dead.

Indigo struggled to wake, suddenly jerking upright as she finally tore herself from the horrors of her dream. Her mother's dull, lifeless eyes still lingered in the back of her mind, and Indigo couldn't bear it. She shook her head, releasing a light growl as she straightened up, pushing herself to her feet and giving her frame a good shake. Early morning light filtered through the tree tops, dappling the forest floor with specks of gold. Indigo stretched out, craning her neck up as she extended her limbs one by one, until she felt she'd ushered out the last slivers of her dreams.

Her peaceful morning routine didn't last long, however, as approaching footfalls alerted her to the arrival of another animal. She brought her gaze up, letting it come to rest on the darker-scaled reptile who leered at her with an unforgiving grin.
"Oi, Indigo!" He called, and she sighed inwardly, closing her eyes briefly before facing the young tercel with a light glare.
"What's with the face?" The raptor demanded her with a tilt of his head. "I haven't even beat your tail yet today."
Indigo released a more audible sigh this time, turning away with purpose as she began to make her way to the main clearing. She heard him following close, and rolled her eyes.

The raptor was Graphite. He was probably Indigo's biggest adversary in the Pack, but more importantly, he was Azurite's son. Azurite, the raptor who'd killed Indigo's mother. Graphite was younger than Indigo; he'd only been an egg when she'd joined the Pack, and had hatched a few days after. But, he still acted as if he were her senior or her boss, and never missed an opportunity to make her life as difficult as he could.
She didn't feel like dealing with his crap today. She suddenly spun around with a slight hiss, causing him to stop short to avoid colliding with her as she stood up straighter, able to slightly look down on him given her head start on growing.

"Unless you want to be pterodactyl-lunch today, I suggest you leave. Me. Alone." She growled, tapping her sickle claw against the ground. She didn't give him a chance to respond before padding away, tail raised slightly. She made her way to the main clearing, where a few raptors were already settled, preening or talking together. Indigo spotted two raptors she knew; Citrine and Zircon. They had taken Indigo in when she first joined the Pack, and they'd been among the few who'd ever treated her well. Beside them lay their two biological children, Marble and Agate. They treated Indigo as their own as well, although Indigo often wondered if that would have been different had they not known her since they were hatchlings themselves.

She felt comfortable enough to sit with them, padding over and offering a chirp of greeting. Zircon was the first to look up, his deep brown optics resting on Indigo as she settled herself down comfortably, tucking her feet beneath her flanks. "Good morning, Indigo." Zircon chirped back, lifting his arm to nip at a few stray feathers.
"Was Graphite giving you problems again?" Agate questioned, earning a scoff from Indigo. "When is he not?" She asked, and the two youngsters smirked.
Indigo felt safe with the four. Agate and Marble were only a month older than her, and they'd grown up together. After one year, all younglings are required to start participating in Pack duties such as hunts and territory runs. Agate and Marble got a headstart on learning to hunt, but they'd already taught Indigo a fair amount when she finally joined in. Now she'd been joining in on hunts for three months, and she was starting to get the hang of it. It wasn't easy, but every day she learned a new tactic, and she'd begun growing bold enough to pounce a few times.