&& a shift in HISTORY [Vigil]

[Pad Thai]

Cyril looked out across the deep, dank water. It reflected the sky today, much like the night of his vigil. Or was that a illusion too? He didn't think so, but the swirling clouds and soothing lapping of waves brought him back to remember that day clearly.

Cyril snorted impatiently, Risquè shushing his complaints with a deadly look. He closed his mouth shut, keeping the thoughts to himself. His long legs and muscles were just starting to fill him, he was almost a year now, and he was proud and boasted it around, though it seemed as if no one cared. Iris had rolled her eyes, thinking superior over him because she was older and had passed her vigil. As if he wouldn't? He plucked something from the ground and Cy strained his neck to peek, but a quick darting glare from him caused his eyes to train upon the ground. He weaved white, lush flowers into his black mane, them giving off a slightly perfume-like fume, but it was comforting. His father said a line in maori, something tribal he was barely able to grasp because nervousness was starting to gnaw at his stomach. He flicked his ears forward and back, forward and back, straining to stay focused. 'I cannot go with you Cyril, you must do this on your own.' His mind spun. His own? No, no, no. He knew this. Why was he reacting so bad. He numbly found himself nodding and she pressed her maw to his forehead softly and quickly before swiftly moving off.

Cyril turned to look at the bones. The threw off deep shadows in the eery light. He quietly squeezed through the ribs, settling down slowly and carefully. His body gave a light shake, even though the air was still around 70 degrees. It never got cold, even during the winter. Cy looked at the black menacing waves. He waited, not knowing what to expect. The anticipation started to stick in his brain. Suddenly the black waves leeched out, slimy, cylinder shaped things crawled it's way up the beach, leaving a black trail behind them that bubbled slightly. Cy jumped at the sight, closing his eyes briefly but only opening to find them at the edge of the ribcage. He skittered backwards, knocking into the bones. The horrifying creatures slugged around the bones, oozing black steaming and bubbling liquids and fumes. The stench made him nearly retch, but he held down his stomach, held down what his mother made him ate. The things inched closer, and he held his ground, eyes flashing slightly as they were an inch away. Every instinct to flee, but then he would fail. He could not fail. This was to be his island. His beautiful island, one day. He would lead this island proudly, nothing to regret. The things touched him, and oh did they burn. And burn. He winced, wanting to cry out for someone. It was burning through his flesh, layers of skin and flesh and muscle. What about the bone? Another creature reached him, latching onto his hindquarters and slowly starting to burrow it's way into him. A loud scream echoed from his throat as more came in, burning him to nothing, staines left upon the bone, yet it seemed as if they didn't want that. They only wanted his flesh. He held his head high as one reached for his chin, He kicked one and it splattered everywhere, exploding all over him and the bones. He shook, almost losing his food again. The burning dulled, and he rocked slowly, the night stretching on. He tried to keep his mind occupied, but the burning was so bad, it was on the verge of knocking him unconscious. Maybe that would be better. They could eat him and he'd feel nothing.

The burning began to ebb, and Cy held his ground, gritting his teeth and pinning the blue ears to his skull. The sky lightening slightly. It was almost over. Almost. The creatures screeched as a silver of the sun made it's way over the ocean. The oozed away from Cyril, the slow ones exploding in the rays and others nearly making it back to the ocean in time. Cy's breathing calmed as his wounds began to heal over, his mind recovering from the illusions. He kept telling himself they weren't real. They weren't. But it had seemed so real. The sun was now fully over the horizon and Cy lifted himself on shaky legs, seeing any remains of the black stuff vanished, and he was still as he was the day before. Ghostly figures appeared, wandering the beaches and they didn't notice him. A large smile spread across his face. Ancestors. The ones who had lived here and made it through their vigil. Something that targets a weak point. But Cy would not be broken. He push his way out of the bones, pushing his white chest out proudly and loping off.

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