Thread: The Diverted Path (DareToDream & Hahvy)

She hadn't expected the attack. Hellfire, she hadn't expected anything to be able to get to her such as the arrow that had sliced through the tough yet delicate membrane in her wing. With a roar of surprise and pain, she saw that the arrow had gone clean through before two more pierced her in rapid succession, both striking the same wing. She dropped into a dive, twisting to avoid another attack. Damn! Someone was shooting at her! She turned her sinister eyes to the place of the arrow's origins and found a small male human firing at her with his arrows. He must have had a keener eye than most that had tried hunting her and she knew that if she didn't land somewhere safe, he'd get her. She'd been too arrogant in her abilities, but no one had been able to track her so well before. She'd gotten lazy since she'd been in the area for at least two cycles two months to humans without hearing any rumors. Stupid prat! She cursed herself before she felt one of the joints in her wing not cooperating properly. She couldn't snap it all the way out to catch the wind and so she started falling from the sky. She would not die like this! She flapped as hard as she could, using her good wing to give her the most strength. Her breath heaved in and out of her body as she flailed to stay in the air. If she hit the ground from this height, she'd be dead. But the river...She took a massive turn that almost robbed her strength to head towards the river. If she could just make it, the water would cushion her fall and she could transform. She couldn't be caught. Despite her abilities that most dragons didn't have, if he got within range of her, she'd be getting an arrow between the eyes. Her firebreath didn't extend as long as an arrow's range. Rue refused to die like a pinned beast. But the damage was done. Her wing was starting to give out and in a last ditch effort, she dropped from the sky and hit the water harder than she expected, robbing herself of breath. She sank into the icy depths, knowing that if she wasn't careful, the beasts that lived in the water would eat her alive. The male wouldn't be able to catch her if she changed quickly and got out of the water! And she needed to do it now! She used her arms and legs to swim to the shore, staying below the water a moment, dizzy from the fall. As soon as her claws hit the beach, she transformed. Usually, her transformations were seamless, like taking a breath. But with her injuries, it hurt. Her legs and arms changed, her wings retreating in jerky motions. Her torso and face was the last to change, a cry escaping her from the pain of it all. Sweat coated her pale white skin- something not seen in these parts. Choking out water, she grasped her arm and back where her injuries were before she collapsed onto the beach, the last little bits of energy forming clothes to hide her nudity. It wasn't anything fancy, just a pair of short pants and a sleeveless tunic. Both were brown with fur to keep her warm. Boots covered her feet, but her magic failed after that. She was groggy and exhausted, her body heat drying the sweat from her skin. Thankfully, none of those sabered lizards dwelt in the water or she'd be very close to being eaten. Her blue blood spilled down her back and arm from her wounds but she couldn't close them in her condition. But soon...soon she'd...she'd be..It wasn't long before she passed out on the beach, her life in the hands of Fate and Draco.