Fireflies in Moonlight [boyxboy]

Chapter VIII

~Tuesday 1st November 2011~           -Kija-

"Shot?" Asato choked out, visage turning sheet white as colour drained from his face. His eyes moved toward Kija's still outstretched hand, breath hitching audibly in his throat at the sight. Shock was taking him: something had happened recently, something that had imprinted itself into Asato's mind, something traumatic. Kija had no time to consider the possibilities. No time to consider anything. Not as another sharp pain shot through his back, sending him stumbling a step forward, colliding with Asato. The two fell to the ground, Kija catching himself on one arm with a grunt, gaze immediately flickering over Asato to ensure he was OK.

"Are we going to die?" The words whispered through the air, shaky and terrified. Kija shifted his weight onto his knees despite the agony of the bullet against his torn muscle, remaining laid entirely atop Asato. He lifted his head just enough to keep Asato in his eyeline, yet still remain covered by the foliage around them. Quiet sniffling had Kija stiffening, vermillion clashing with watery caramel as Asato tried so desperately to temper his fear.

"Are you going to die?" Jidal flashed into Kija's mind. Mortal. Fragile. But a breath through the eternal winds. The second bullet would have paralyzed him, left him crippled for the rest of his years no matter the amount of blood Kija offered him. Paralyzed and vulnerable and sorrowful. Asato was equally as frail. A lesser shifter who wasn't turning, wasn't fleeing. Something was wrong. Perhaps something with the scars, something with the attack that he had been talking about. Something that made his very life that much more precious.

"My healing is much faster than yours," reaching down with one hand, Kija stretched out his palm, catching the falling metal forced out of his thigh, "silver bullets are like paper cuts. I'm fine. I'll be fine," Kija felt for Asato's hand, clasping their palms together until the man took the shard of disfigured metal from him. Silver wouldn't harm him, although, in hindsight, Kija shouldn't have assumed that the bullets were pure. Whoever was aiming for their lives had to be foolish enough to believe they might escape that forest alive. They weren't going to solely attack wolves, not with the shifters Tarian allied himself with.

"You'll be OK?" Tears trickled down Asato's temples, gravity pulling them from the corners of his eyes. The surge of emotion almost stunned Kija. Here a ray of sunlight, shining so bright through the darkest of nights, and taking pity on the shadows it scared away.

"I'll be OK," even with the evidence settled in his hand, Asato appeared just as frightened. Kija was at a loss, trying to consider what the best next move was. The shooter couldn't be far, perhaps hadn't even begun his escape yet, still waiting until the more naive of creatures would believe they were safe to move. Kija could find him; track his scent, follow the harsh huffs of his breath, the thundering tune of his heartbeat. But that would mean leaving Asato.

There could be others, Kija had no way of determining there weren't. Whoever they were, they were far enough away, out of Kija's earshot. Perhaps the two were surrounded, perhaps their assailants were drawing closer as the seconds passed. They had aimed for Kija's leg. The torso was the easiest shot, one single bullet to the gut, a slow death, agonising and rarely treatable. Yet, they had aimed elsewhere. They had intended to maime. Not kill. Maime.

"How far are we from the estate?" Daring to hold his head higher, Kija tried to get his bearings. The problem was, the fall had disoriented him. He couldn't figure out which way was their returning path and which way led the two deeper into the forest. With a grumbled curse, Kija stilled, waiting whilst the second bullet breached the surface and rolled off his back to hit the floor. Asato was quick to follow it, fumbling blindly with his right hand along the forest floor until he found the bullet. Kija chose to ignore the bizarre behaviour, deciding Asato's imminent safety took precident.