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Therian Dreaming II

Chapter Fifteen

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

29th April 2023

All Rights Reserved.

Pete struggled, Kelsie, kneeling on the bed, pressing her forehead against his shoulder as she tried to lift him.

“Get...up - “ Kelsie grunted, straining and shuddering.

“So...weak - “ Pete gasped, feeling his muscles that were like stone – him exerting all his mental energy and barely being able to move a single leg.

With an exasperated moan, Kelsie slumped sideways, her head thumping onto the mattress.

“They did say you'd need time and..." Kelsie frowned, then shook her head her ears slapping from side to side. “Pete, I can't...wait..."

Kelsie frowned again, even deeper, as she tried to unscramble the memories in her young mind. Images flashed like summer lightning – and just as quickly faded again before she could mentally grasp them. Frustrated, Kelsie leaped off the bed and stomped outside, her cloven hooves clattering on the concrete before she stepped onto the cold, dewy grass.

“What do you want from me!" Kelsie wailed, lifting her head to the heavens in frustration. “You gave me these – memories – and no way to – urgh!"

Kelsie snarled, her anger directed inwards and outwards; before she burst into a wild gallop and easily cleared the split rail fence – her cloven hooves missing it by a foot or more. Her tail streaming behind her, Kelsie ran and ran – oblivious to where she was going – or even why. Expecting her muscles to start to cramp and burn, she was surprised as she leaped over the small creek and continued to run.

I give you that which you need... Come a dark whisper in her mind.

Kelsie squealed and skidded to a halt – her cloven hooves gouging at the loamy forest floor before she shivered and shook her head.

“No, I don't want anything from you!" Kelsie snarled, her anger turning inwards and directed at the spiritual mockery of her that stood in that place in her mind. “Not a thing, not then, not now, and not ever!"

Fallowen, you are a part of me – I am a part of you... for better or for worse. I could have given you so much – together, we could have had dozens – hundreds – groveling at our cloven hooves...

“Stop it!" Kelsie screamed in anger that burned white hot within her. “I'll never betray my love – or my fawn! Shadowmane should have cast you into the darkness and left you there where you and yours belong!"

You'd be powerless, weak, without me – as I would be without you. As much as I hate to admit it, we – need – each other Fallowen. Without me, you would be...

It tossed its head, seeming to look at the Whitetail Doe, who took one look at Kelsie, then bleated in terror and fled, her white tail raised as she vanished into the wood.

Wouldn't it be nice – run her down – tear her hamstrings from her hocks – cripple her – feast – on her still living flesh...

Kelsie gagged and dropped her head, her salivary glands excreting copiously, thick, ropy saliva dribbling from her sharp fangs and gums.

“No..." Kelsie gagged again, sick to her stomach, yet unable to purge herself. “I'd never kill like you want me too – never!"

We are Therian's Fallowen – you know now, what you lied to yourself about! We eat meat – raw – preferably, cooked if we must. Without it, we are no better than that Doe... weak, pathetic, lacking in strength and vitality. I will make you eat meat Fallowen, whether you like it or not – we – must – eat it!

Kelsie's stomach flopped over and over again, the pitiful retching from her throat only exasperating her condition.

Oh, this is – most – interesting, my dear Fallowen... I had no idea... My, my, my...

Kelsie turned her mind inwards, trying to see what it saw – but she found her mental landscape in ruins. Again, thoughts from her maternal past flashed faster than she could glimpse more than a single blink of – then become lost and frightened as she had those memories rise to the surface.

“No, please..." Kelsie begged. “I don't want to remember..."

You would disallow our people their right to be remembered? I shall remember – for – them then...

Kelsie tried to scream; but found the breath plucked from her lungs before she dropped to her knees and began to silently cry – helpless and powerless...

*

Screams tore the night, lasers slashed hither and yon, blinding those whose eyes were caught by them – freezing them – making them easy prey. Gunfire rang out, Therian's either dropped on the spot, or a misplaced shot shattered a shoulder or worse – leaving them writhing helplessly on the cold, uncaring ground.

Kelsie was like a ghost – powerless, unable to scream, look away, or stop the slaughter she witnessed. Watching as a Hunter pulled back the ears of a shrieking young doe – a yearling – his cruel, mocking laughter as he held the flat silver blade against her neck... Her anguished screams of unimaginable excruciating, pure pain as the silver melted through her fur and flesh – the smell of both unmistakable.

Kelsie gagged and retched helplessly, she couldn't do anything to stop the horrors her dark half brought forward.

A fawn, curled up and shrieking, its eyes wide, its white-furred chest pounding in time with its heartbeat... Two Therians, ten feet apart, one a doe, one a buck, the fawn between and behind them, hidden under a fallen tree...

Remember this moment? Oh, such sweet, sweet sights I have to show you Fallowen – you – will – remember our people, whether you like it or not, is unworthy of a single moment's thought for me. Watch – and remember... you do recognize that fawn – don't you? Look closely Fallowen – very closely – see those muzzle spots...

“It's..." Kelsie gasped, or thought she did – she heard the thoughts in her ears, yet none of the humans or Therians alike, so much as glanced at her. “No, please...not this..."

Yes, this! Come the malicious laughter from the Dark Therian.

“No, please, you've made your point...I can't...oh please, please don't..."

With a snort, the stag turned his head, then his eyes went wide for a half second – as he stared straight at Kelsie, his eyes narrowing beneath his lids and his antlered head lowered – showing the razor-sharp tines in a threatening gesture.

I'm going to enjoy this Fallowen... I'm going to show you – that – moment; when you...

“FALLOWEN - “ Came a loud, piercing scream, powerful, dominant, assertive – in her mind – almost deafening her. “DO NOT LISTEN TO IT, YOU ARE STRONGER THAN IT IS..."

Kelsie cringed, dropping to her knees in submission before her father's voice – it compelled her in ways Pete never could – or would.

“I..."

A gunshot rang out, and Shadowmane gurgled, looking down at his chest from which a spreading patch of crimson spread. He stumbled forwards a step, then another, his eyes turning almost completely coal black as the Therian within him rushed forwards – yet there was still her father's presence in his eyes – if only a small bit – he was still there.

“Shadowmane!" Silverhoof screamed in panic, tearing her eyes off the three Hunters to glance at her mate. “No, my beloved..."

“Protect..." He took another step, defiantly, angrily, yet blood flecked his lips with every breath – dribbling from his nostrils and trickling down his muzzle.

A second shot hit him, passing through his throat and leaving a wound from which more precious blood gushed – the artery in his jugular being nicked in passing.

Laughing, the Hunters stared at him as he stumbled, then fell to his knees, his nose pressed against the dirt.

“Just die already, you beast!" One mocked him.

“Not.." Choked the stag, bloody phlegm spraying the ground as he summoned his strength to stand – his legs shaking. “Yet..."

A third shot, a fourth, tore through shoulder and chest again, nearly dropping him – yet somehow, he rose again – then as the startled Hunters suddenly realized their folly...

Shadowmane charged...

He struck the middle one, ribs shattering with sickening crunches, razor-sharp tines slashing and tearing – disemboweling the human before he even knew what had hit him. Dropping to his knees, he grasped at the intestines that spilled over his fingers like links of sausages...

Without warning, Silverhoof struck from the side, knocking the third Hunter to the ground, her jaws wide, saliva dripping, before he gurgled as his throat was opened with one powerful slash of her teeth. He convulsed, clutching at his throat, his choking gurgles as he drowned in his own blood were sickening – but to Silverhoof – it was like the finest of music.

Shadowhoof shrieked, the last one having driven a long hunting knife into the Stag's neck again and again – gashing it into a mortal wound – as if the bullets hadn't already done such. Staggering, Shadowmane choked and dropped to his knees, then his eyes rolled back in his head and his proud, majestic form toppled onto its side with a heavy thump.

“No..." Silverhoof squealed, running to her beloved, then dropping to her knees and nudging him with her nose. “Get up, oh please, please get up..."

Her grief was incalculable, her screams mingling with those of the rest of her herd who were being slaughtered like animals – each death slashing at her psyche like a scythe through ripe wheat. Silverhoof suddenly shrieked, feeling her ears twisted and pulled back – then the sickening sound as the Hunter snarled and dragged his silver knife from one side of her throat to the other – her blood gushing and soaking into the now lifeless Stag in front of her.

“No, please..." Kelsie pleaded, the tears sliding down her cheeks. “Please, no more..."

Silverhoof's head was held back – her slashed throat pumping blood with each beat of her heart – until it slowed to a stream, a trickle...then mercifully – nothing...

With a grunt, the Hunter dropped her lifeless corpse onto that of the Stag, before he flicked the blade, the blood splattering over Silverhoof's hide. Crouching down, he wiped the blade clean, then he stared straight at the terrified, open-muzzled fawn – whose dark brown eyes gazed back with a look of unimagined suffering and innocence. Without a word, he stood up, then retrieved the dropped rifles and left the shaking; terrified fawn...

Such wonderful memories, aren't they? Oh, are you crying? Really? You cry for them now, now you know what they suffered – how – they suffered, yet you suppressed these memories Fallowen – you have any idea what you have done? DO YOU?

“No..." Kelsie screamed in anger and grief. “I was a fawn – a baby - “

Oh, no more tears, please! Snickered the Dark Therian within her. It's a waste of good suffering... No, Fawn or not – by suppressing these – memories, you...oh, you got – no – idea, do you? None whatsoever? Oh, how wickedly delicious!

Its laughter lashed Kelsie's mind worse than any physical pain ever could – or would.

You are a foolish, selfish young Doe! By doing what you have done – no wonder your Sire...and that...bitch of your mother... Now I understand how that was done! Your own grief and suppressed memories are trapping them here Fallowen – they can not pass on too - It made a toss of its head in a dismissive gesture. Whatever awaits them – awaits all of us... when we die – well – when you die. I can only suffer the – true – death, non-existence... however, as pleasant as this has been, Fallowen...

“You bastard..." Kelsie gasped, her eyes snapping open, flung from the nightmare of her memories by the Dark Therian within her – like she was some Fawn's discarded plaything.

Oh, you have much to learn young one, now – focus those beautiful ears, you'll hear what I hear...

Kelsie began to snarl in anger - before her black-tipped ears slammed backward and she heard the crunch of gravel from heavy tires.

Oh, this promises to be – most – interesting... Remember Fallowen, remember – whose...

Kelsie turned and fled back towards the house, her tail once more streaming behind her – ears laid back and she ran for all she was worth – this time – her lungs were burning, her muscles filled with lactic acid as she hurtled the fence – her hooves clicking against it and bolted into the house. Here, her cloven hooves skidded on the floor, and with a sickening thud, she bounced off the hallway wall and stumbled sideways into the bedroom.

“Pe..." Kelsie gasped, her flanks slick with sweat, her lungs unable to fill with enough oxygen to speak.

“Mr - “ Came the Vet's voice from outside. “You home? Look, I don't have a lot of time and..."

“Pete...get...up..." Kelsie wheezed, resorting to biting him on the neck, trying to get him to stand.

“Are you..."

“No, no, no!" Kelsie squeaked in terror.

“I got very import..." There was a shocked inhalation of breath; before the Vet's mouth fell open and he stared wide-eyed at the two deer and fawn on the floor sleeping.

He suddenly gasped, as Kelsie leaped from the bed, and in one movement – her two front hooves crashed down on his chest, knocking him flat into the floor, Kelsie standing over him, her dewlaps curled back and exposing her razor-sharp teeth – her eyes almost pure, inky black, as saliva dripped from her muzzle that began to creak open...

TO BE CONTINUED...