Flame of the Fateless

by Cryptic Keyboard

Chapter 3

Chapter 3
Aura

Of the colours I could have been, why was I red? Why was I this particular shade of red? My wet fur was near identical in pigment to the pond I had just washed in. The sick memory of my first kill was now a permanent mark on my body. Dammit, I need a mirror. A section of air in front of me shimmered slightly and my reflection came into clear view. Yiang's trickery no doubt.

Sure enough my entire body was a mass of thick crimson fur; with the occasional fleck of grey. My horns - as that was the only reason I have for what they are - were a weird shade of silver that seemed to make the air ripple inconsistently. Why do I have horns? I pushed that question out of my mind as I could almost hear Yiang say 'all in due time boyo' in response. My eyes weren't parallel in colour. My left was blue; my right was green. This was either another joke by Yiang or one of those stupid things to represent moral conflict. What is it with Gods and making vague signs to mortals?

For the first time since gaining my new body I got a chance to look at my tail. It was about forty centimetres long and bushy; still keeping the crimson colour scheme that the rest of my fur was abiding to. Why did Yiang choose this colour of red over every other single shade of the spectrum? Knowing her it was to torment me further. I turned away from the mirror and instead focused my attention on the world around me, waiting for my Goddess to play her next hand.

"How d'ya like the colours of nature boyo?" Yiang asked right on cue. "This garden is a wonderful place isn't it? Take a look at this." A small bunch of roses, a strange blue colour, floated over. "Take these roses for example, out of this garden they are unbelievably rare, so I keep them preserved here so I can enjoy its beauty more." The petals dispersed into the wind when Yiang released her spectral hold over them. "But I'm betting money on your next question having something to do with your next task."
I nodded curtly. "What am I to do?"

"This next task is a little more on the dark side, I want you to practice your thieving skills."

"Pardon?" I asked in bewilderment.

"The task is simple. Go through that gap in the trees to your right; travel the path until you find a tree marked with an 'X'. In the branches above is a nest that belongs to a phoenix, you are to steal at least one egg from it without being spotted." I nodded slowly; the task was fairly straightforward so far. "The reward will be the ability to talk to others; not by moving your mouth but by projecting your thoughts into the mind of whoever you want to hear your words.

I was being offered the ability to talk to whomever I wanted to with nobody else knowing, and all I had to do was steal an egg? This was going to be child's play.

"I can do that Yiang." I answered cockily.

"Then get to it boyo." With that Yiang's presence faded once again. After having to kill that horse; stealing was clearly the lesser evil. Following the instructions given to me I made my way down the gap in the trees and continued down the dirt path. It was a fairly uneventful trek; with the occasional bug flitting into my field of vision providing the only entertainment.

That's when my common sense kicked in. I am a wolf with next to no dexterity, how the hell am I supposed to steal an egg without breaking it? Its not like I can carry it in my mouth, teeth don't tend to be good nannies. My horns would probably help just as little. I still didn't know why I had horns; wolves don't have or need horns. Keeping what little sense I could wrapped up in a tightly knit bow I continued to advance down the path towards the tree marked with an 'X'.

There! just a few metres further was a tree with an 'X' gouged into the bark. I followed it upwards with my eyes, hunting out the nest. It was a large construct that covered about three large branches, looked like nobody was home. Not wanting to fall into false security I crept closer to the tree; my paws making next to no sound as I trod over fallen leaves and branches. It was now that I started to appreciate just how finely crafted a hunter the wolf was. Even if the phoenix's were in their nest; it would be unlikely they could hear me. I never once went too fast or too slow, my speed remained a constant crawl that allowed me to maneuver past anything that may have alerted the guardians of my mark. The tree was hardly as big as some I had seen on my way here, but it would still prove a challenge to climb.

Using my claws to hook into the bark and began a strange shuffling movement up the side of the tree. When I found a suitable branch to stand on I began taking timed leaps from bough to bough; never rushing, stalking my mark with the efficiency of a true hunter of the wilds. One final jump and I was below the nest. A twig dislodged itself from the nest and fell quietly to the ground. A low chirrup came from within the nest, looks like something is home. I crawled underneath the woven construct of sticks and mud until I could look over the edge. Inside were four eggs; with one phoenix on guard duty. Its flaming plumes of feathers shone like miniature suns and its deep golden eyes stared intently at whatever fell under its gaze.

Whatever happened to be me in this case. The fire-bird was looking right at me. Not thinking about the consequences, I released a growl that was intended as a threat. The phoenix saw it as a challenge; lighting its plumes up in a wondrous blaze.
Oh fuck all kinds of duck.....
The phoenix swooped towards my face, narrowly missing clawing out my eyes. I snapped back in retaliation and began to jump through the trees to avoid the talons of the bird. We became entwined in a deadly semi-aerial battle; the phoenix flying aggressively and raking at me with its talons while I returned the gesture by swiping at it with my claws. So I had failed the part to not get seen but I could still claim the egg. Trying my best to find a flaw in the phoenix's defence I continued my dance through the treetops. The enraged bird dove at my ribs, leaving itself open to my jaws.

Running on the same predatory instinct that had helped me kill the horse; my legs pushed onto the branch enough to get me airborne. Then using the trunk of the same tree I propelled myself at the phoenix. The bird was unable to avoid my jaws in time. Clamping down tightly on its burning hot neck I shook it around like a rag-doll. Its flaming body singed my fur and hurt my muzzle, but I refused to let go until it was dead. The embers began to die as the phoenix fell limp; soon it began to crumble into ash. The particles of dust scattered on the wind as I spat out what residue was left behind in my mouth. From what I remember of mythology phoenix's regenerate after death by rising from their ashes, or something along those lines. I didn't know how long that process took so I made my way back towards the nest to claim my prize. Before the mate of the phoenix I just killed came back.

The nest was still relatively unharmed despite the battle between me and the phoenix. The four eggs still nestled in the workings of the nest. But the eternal mystery still floated in view. How in the name of St. Patrick was I supposed to pick the egg up? Shaking my head at making such a stereotypical remark I started to work an egg out with my paw. It tumbled from the nest and shattered on the ground.
Three left.
Next I tried to pick one up in my jaws. It worked, for a short while. The shock of jumping onto a branch below me caused my jaws to snap shut; breaking the egg. Yuck, phoenix yolk....
Two left.
After I worked my way back up to the nest I stared glumly at the last two eggs. My paws lacked the grasping skill and my mouth wasn't likely to carry the egg back to the clearing safely. What the fuck am I to do know? Balance them on my horns? Yiang was probably laughing at me right now. Mocking my previous cocky attitude. How could this go any further south?
A phoenix is how. A long shrill call rang out through the trees; I panicked and spun around to try locating the source of the call. My tail spun with me.
My tail knocked the nest.
The nest started to fall.
I must be the most unlucky Irish boy ever.

As the nest fell so did the eggs. I needed one of them intact or I would fail my task. Becoming delightfully optimistic; I started to race the nest to the ground. At first its decent was slow, but as soon as it gained momentum my efforts looked wasted. The nest was going to hit the ground before me. The eggs would break and I would fail. That can't happen!
It won't happen, I will stop that nest!

I just need it.... To.... STOP!!!

A thick haze of red gathered around the falling mass of twigs. Now instead of gaining speed it began to slow. The one egg that had exited the nest slotted itself back into its hovel and in turn lost speed. The nest halted a few inches from the ground; contents totally spotless. The red haze still remained. I cleared the last few boughs with a long jump, landing heavily next to the nest. What the hell was this stuff around the nest? It looked like some kind of demonic miasma, only it wasn't. I twitched my head to the side, the nest followed. I looked up, the nest followed. I danced around on the spot, the nest stayed in my field of vision the entire time. Was the nest following me? Was this another of Yiang's tricks? Why was I questioning it?

Right now I had a pissed off phoenix after me, and when it discovered the broken eggs I was going to be in for a fuckton of fire. Whatever was up with the nest it wasn't dropping any time soon. So without another thought on the matter I found the gap in the trees, and started to make my way back to the pond.

Comments

[CSpud]

I'm liking it so far. Please continue. Can't wait 'till he enters society. :D

[DuskStar]

A fuckton of fire indeed.
e621.net/data/sample/23/f6/23f65f173f4bfdcbd0f2e21a4a370092.jpg?1332117814

[Cryptic Keyboard]

926509 if by you mean Rarity then no, it was background pony #1

[Cryptic Keyboard]

928580 That his fur was dyed a bloody red? It is very self-explanatory

[Beats-Box]

Hmmmm... Lycan seems to have a complete heterochromia. Splendid.