NOVEL SIMPLE 86 - Chill water
As David soared through the darkening sky, the remnants of the Glimmerstag clutched securely in his talons, a sudden shift in the air caught his attention. The wind carried a faint but unmistakable scent, the crisp, clean aroma of fresh water, barely detectable over the other scents. His nostrils flared, drinking in the tantalizing smell as he licked his chops in response.
I wonder if that's the spring Kozlov mentioned? I really could go for a drink. I'd prefer something fizzy, but that smells so good right now.
David's throat was suddenly feeling parched at the mere hint of water, and he banked slightly, adjusting his flight path to follow the scent. The forest below gave way to scrubby vegetation with only a few sparse trees and bare rock as David ascended laboriously while clutching his prize firmly in his hind claws. The air grew cooler and thinner, the scent of water growing stronger with each wingbeat. It mingled with the sharp tang of pine wafting up from the lower slopes and the earthy smell of mineral-rich soil.
As he climbed higher, the source of the scent finally revealed itself. Nestled in a rocky outcropping just above the treeline was a small plateau, and David's keen ears picked up the faint sound of running water over the gusts of wind.
Perfect timing, I could use a break anyway. This thing might only be half its original size, but it's still heavy. I am so not designed for carrying things heavier than I am, this is hard. I wonder if there's a Mutagen for stuff like this I could pick up in the future?
He began his descent, spiraling down towards the plateau. As he neared the ground, he flared his wings, the leathery membranes catching the mountain breeze. The sound of rustling pine needles and the soft whisper of wind through rocky crevices filled his ears as he came in for a landing, breathing heavily as he resisted the urge to pant and loll his tongue out.
With a soft thud, he touched down on the weather-worn stone, carefully lowering his prize. Small pebbles skittered away from his talons, their tiny impacts echoing in the relative quiet of the mountainside. The scent of water was now overwhelming, fresh and inviting. The Cuddlebugs, still draped across his back and chest, chittered excitedly at the prospect of solid ground. They detached themselves, fluttering around David in a small, chirping cloud before settling on nearby rocks and sparse, wind-twisted shrubs. Their purple eyes gleamed in the dusk, reflecting the starry expanse above.
"Yeah, yeah, stretch your wings," David muttered good-naturedly, his voice carrying clearly in the thin mountain air. "Just don't wander off too far. Maybe work off some of that half the food you ate, you little pigs."
He took a moment to examine his surroundings more closely, following his nose towards the source of the watery scent. There, bubbling up from a crack in the mountainside nearby, was the spring. It created a small, crystal-clear pool before cascading down the slope in a series of miniature waterfalls until it quickly formed a tiny stream. The water caught the vanishing light, sparkling like liquid silver as it made its way down the rocky slope in a small, nearly invisible line.
David approached the pool cautiously, his ears swiveling to catch any sounds of potential threats. But the area seemed peaceful, the only noises being the gentle gurgling of the spring, the distant rustle of the forest below, and the occasional cry of a distant creature carried on the wind. The stone beneath his wings was cool and slightly damp, worn smooth by countless years of water and wind. As he leaned down to drink, the scent of pure, cold water filled his nostrils, even more intense up close. It was a stark contrast to the often murky sources he'd encountered in the forest, or the often algae tinted water of the swamp.
Score! Kozlov wasn't joking, this is really clean water. I wish I had a canteen or a bottle or something, but then again I don't have thumbs. Actually, scratch that last thought. I wish I had thumbs. I'd be invincible with thumbs, I'd get into everything like a giant mutant raccoon…I wonder if there's any giant raccoon people out there? Probably is, honestly.
As David leaned down to drink, the cool water flowing over his tongue while he lapped greedily at the pool, instantly soothing his parched throat. He gulped it down as fast as he could, the crisp taste washing away the lingering flavor of his recent hunt. The water was so pure, so refreshing, it seemed to revitalize him from the inside out. David had to pause as a full body shiver rippled through him at just how much he was enjoying something as simple as clean water, and his mane and fur poofed out slightly in response.
After quenching his thirst, David settled onto a smooth, flat rock near the spring. The stone still held a trace of warmth from the day's sun, and it was a pleasant contrast to the cooling night air. He stretched his wings, feeling the satisfying pull of his tired muscles, before folding them neatly against his sides.
The Cuddlebugs, sensing his relaxed state, began to gather around him. Some perched on nearby rocks, while others nestled into the fur of his shoulders and back. Their tiny, warm bodies were oddly comforting, and their soft chirps seemed to encourage him to speak.
David sighed, his breath beginning to mist slightly in the cool air. "You know," he began, his voice barely above a whisper, "I've been trying not to think about everything that's happened since... well, since this all started."
The Cuddlebugs tilted their heads, their purple eyes fixed attentively on David. A gentle breeze rustled through the sparse vegetation, carrying the scent of stone, water, and distant wildflowers mixed with the omnipresent pine scent.
"When I first... hatched, I guess you'd call it, I was terrified," David continued, his ears drooping slightly at the memory. "Everything was different. I didn't know what I was, or if I was even still me. I actually thought I'd gone crazy for a minute, I was just curled up against a wall in my old bedroom panicking.”
One of the Cuddlebugs chirped softly, nuzzling against his neck in response to his tone. David smiled faintly, appreciating the gesture from the fluffy little savage.
"But then... then I flew for the first time," his voice took on a note of wonder as he remembered the feeling of it. "It was amazing. Frightening, sure, but exhilarating. For a moment, I forgot everything else. I still love flying now, it's like my favorite thing."
The wind picked up slightly, and David's sensitive ears caught the sound of small pebbles skittering down the mountainside again as his summons scurried through the rocks around him, seemingly unable to remain entirely still now that it was properly nightfall. In the distance, a large unseen creature hooted, its call echoing across the quiet slopes.
"Since then, though... I've nearly died so many times I've lost count," David admitted, his voice growing somber. " Well that's a lie, it's like, six times? Maybe more? In just a few weeks. It's... it's a lot to process sometimes."
The Cuddlebugs clinging to him huddled closer, their tiny bodies vibrating with soft, comforting noises. They might not understand his words, but they seemed to sense the weight of his emotions. While not being particularly smart, they were attentive if nothing else, and David absently pet one a bit, marveling at how soothing it was.
David's gaze drifted to the sky, where the first stars were beginning to appear. "I'm still scared," he confessed. "Before all this, I was just a regular guy. A delivery driver. I miss my car, you know? It was nice, maybe not the newest model, but it was mine. I'd just finished paying it off and everything. Now I'm flying around, hunting creatures I can't even name until I get a popup from some weird-ass ‘System’. I'm used to it, but it still makes no sense most of the time, I just roll with it because I can't change it right now.”
"Dad always said if you can't do anything about it in the next ten minutes, just relax. I'm having a hard time relaxing, lately."
He paused, swallowing hard against a sudden lump in his throat. "I miss my parents. My Dad... he always knew what to say when things got tough. If he was here, I know he'd have a plan, and know exactly what to do. My Mom... she’s high-strung, but she always cared, even if it was something stupid bothering me. We used to make plans to hang out then cancel on each other with ridiculous excuses like, ‘I can't make it, I've been abducted by aliens and the guys from Y-Files are outside’, it was…fun. I miss my friends from work, our stupid jokes and lunch breaks..."
David's voice trailed off, and for a moment, the only sounds were the gentle gurgle of the spring and the soft chirps of the Cuddlebugs. A cool breeze ruffled his fur, and David continued to pet the summon before stopping to idly pick at the rock below him, observing how his sturdy talons easily dug into small cracks on the surface distractedly.
"You know," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper, "I think I might have completely lost it by now if it wasn't for Claire. And the folks in Riverport.”
"When I first met Claire, I was... well, I was a mess. Scared, confused, alone. But she was just so... Claire," he chuckled softly. "Sometimes grumpy, a little sarcastic, but also thoughtful and really nice. I don't think I've ever had more awkward conversations in my life, but we were both scared and just wanted someone else around to talk to anyway. It was comforting, you know?"
He inhaled deeply, letting the familiar smells of the mountain ground him. "And then Riverport... finding out that there were still communities, still people acting like people... it helped. Even if some of them were..." he trailed off, his expression darkening slightly.
"There was this guy, Viktor," David said, his voice dropping to a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the peaceful night with such dark memories. "He was... he was a actual monster. In Redfield, y’know the little town by Riverport? He was hurting people, killing them even. Using them. And I... I had to stop him."
David's wings shuddered slightly, and the Cuddlebugs nestled closer, sensing his distress. For a long moment, the only sounds were the gentle gurgle of the spring and the mournful hooting cry sounding again from the forest below them.
"I killed him," he finally admitted, the words seeming to physically pain him as they left his mouth. "Him and one of his goons. And sometimes... sometimes I’ll think about it. Not when I'm going to sleep, or alone, or anything like that. I'll just be doing normal things and then, bam! Instant replay."
He looked down at his talons, flexing them slowly. In the twilight, they gleamed wickedly sharp, a reminder of the lethality he now possessed.
"What worries me the most," David continued, his voice barely audible, "is how easy it was. Physically, I mean. With how my abilities and evolution works, if I catch you with your pants down, that's it, you're fucked. ‘Game over man, game over.’ But emotionally? God, it tore me apart to do that. Claire helped a lot."
He closed his eyes, taking a shaky breath. "I know it had to be done. Logically, I understand that. But I was just a delivery guy, you know? I brought people their packages, made them smile, drove my route. I didn't... I never wanted to hurt anyone."
David opened his eyes, looking at the Cuddlebugs gathered around him. "It terrifies me that I might have to make that choice again someday. To weigh one life against others. I don't know if I'm cut out for that kind of decision-making."
His voice trailed off, leaving a heavy silence hanging in the cool mountain air. The Cuddlebugs chirped softly, some nuzzling against him in what seemed like an attempt at comfort while other finally began to guzzle water themselves, drifting away from him and hustling back almost in turns, making him snort slightly as he watched them bicker over who got the best spots.
"It's scary, you know? Before all this, the most dangerous thing I did was maybe cut someone off in traffic by accident. Now... Now I'm hunting, killing bosses, eating weird…crystal things, talking to Overseers." David sighed, his breath misting slightly in the cool air. "But at the same time, seeing people in Riverport, Kozlov and the others... it reminded me that people are still people. We're all just trying to figure this out, trying to survive. Some are doing it better than others, sure, but... we're all human. Or, well, you know what I mean."
He managed a small smile, looking at the Cuddlebugs. "Even if we don't all look human anymore."
"I guess what I'm trying to say is... as terrifying and messed up as this new world is, finding out that there's still a sense of... normalcy, I guess? It helps. It gives me hope that maybe, just maybe, we can build something good out of all this chaos."
David stood up, stretching his wings. The Cuddlebugs fluttered around him, some returning to perch on his shoulders and back.
"Thanks for listening, little guys," he said, his voice stronger now. "I know you probably don't understand most of this, but... it helps to say it out loud sometimes. I really need to take Claire up on that offer to talk it out soon, but you guys did an okay job listening."
As if in response, the Cuddlebugs began to chirp in a harmonious chorus, their voices blending with the natural sounds of the mountain night. David felt a wave of calm wash over him, the burden of his thoughts seeming lighter somehow, and he let out a long breath as tension he didn't even know had been bothering left him suddenly.
David turned back to the spring, and he leaned over, peering at his reflection in the moonlit water. The face that stared back at him was still startlingly alien, all sharp angles, glinting red eyeshine, and predatory features. He wrinkled his snout, baring his teeth in an exaggerated grimace.
"Well, aren't you a handsome devil," he muttered sarcastically, making a range of faces at himself, ending with a bug-eyed raspberry that left his extra long tongue extended lazily in the air for a moment. With a shake of his head, David straightened up. The others would be wondering where he was by now, and he still had half a Glimmerstag to deliver. He stretched his wings, feeling the cool night air ruffle his fur.
"Alright, gang," he addressed the summons, "break time's over. Let's go see if we can convince Claire that you didn't eat most of our dinner."
As he gathered his strength for takeoff, David cast one last glance at the spring. It had only been a brief moment of quiet and peace, yet somehow, he'd found it oddly comforting.
David turned back to the half-eaten Glimmerstag carcass, eyeing it with a mix of determination and resignation as his ears swiveled out to the sides uncomfortably. He crouched, gripping it firmly with his hind claws, and tensed his muscles for takeoff.
I hate this part…ugh, I wish Kai was here to do his Airbus thing. He could probably carry two of these and still have energy left to tease me about it. I wonder how they're all doing? I bet Herold already did that ‘expedition’ he wanted for the Landmark Quest.
With a grunt of effort, David launched himself skyward, wings straining against the added weight. For a heart-stopping moment, he thought he might not clear the ground, his wingtips nearly brushing the rocky plateau. But with a surge of determination, he pushed harder, finally gaining altitude.
The Cuddlebugs chirped in alarm, clinging desperately to his fur as he wobbled in the air, struggling to find his balance with the unwieldy load. About half of them detached to flutter around him, eyes still sharp in the darkness as he began to wheel toward the Observatory. Slowly, awkwardly, David gained height, the peaceful spring shrinking beneath him.
"Next time," he panted, "I'm definitely bringing help for the heavy lifting."