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Post by Wolverine on Jan 15, 2008 12:03:41 GMT -5
The crunch of his footsteps in the freshly fallen snow gave tempo to his journey.The wind blew cold off of the lake and Logan's lungs sucked the air in calmly, in through his nose hold for four footfalls out twice as slowly as he took it in.
He ran the trails in the hills beyond the hedge maze. He ran them in the snow barefoot, a technique he'd learned from the Tibetan monks. He loved to feel the burn of the cold, the burn in his lungs that matched the burn of his feet.
Beyond pain
The mind expands and drifts, floating to tranquility. Endorphins can only take one so far, Logan was beyond that place now. His eyes seeing the world around him and yet more. His senses, animal sharp, were left wanting compared to the space his mind was now dwelling in.
Inhale- 'step-step-step-step' - E x h a l e .... Inhale- 'step-step-step-step' - E x h a l e .... Inhale- 'step-step-step-step' - E x h a l e ....
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Post by Ember on Jan 15, 2008 16:08:29 GMT -5
Whenever someone runs for a long time and they are so focused on the burning in their lungs, the adrenaline that pumps through their blood, and the feeling of euphoria the flows through the very core of their beings, they hit Runners Peak. And as Aideen ran through the rocky trails covered with fresh powdered snow, the weightless and free feeling of hitting runners peak hit her. She broke her even breathing to let out a deep breath of... happiness as she ran with the speed and grace worthy of any fine warrior. The blistering cold affected her more than it would anyone else, but Aideen could hack it. She was conditioned from an early age to pull through any situations and any weather conditions. She needed to train not just because that was all she ever knew, but because she thrived on the freedom she felt as she ran.
She ran lightly across the path, moving so quickly her feet barely touched the ground. Aideen moved off the trail and into the woods. She blended into her surroundings perfectly with her dark green warm jogging pants and a matching fitted sweatshirt. She ran through the forest with the fleetness and lithesomeness of a deer racing through the forest. The adrenaline rushed through her body as she breezed through the forest through the narrow pathways between the trees.
On an impulsive urge, Aideen jumped high in the air, as any advanced gymnast would, and grabbed a branch with her tightly gloved hands. She swung around and landed in tiger's pose on top of the branch before flipping through the air to grab a higher branch. She jumped down from the branch with a neat flip through the air before landing on her feet and resuming her run through the woods, running even faster than before.
Aideen was lost in herself. No longer did her Uncle's harsh words of training run through her head. No longer did her emotions threaten to overcome her. In this state, Aideen was in her truest form. Free and wild. She ran back onto the path, well aware that she was still in no state to train like this. But it was all she had ever known. She was a warrior and warriors never rest.
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Post by Wolverine on Jan 16, 2008 12:46:06 GMT -5
Inhale- 'step-step-step-step' - E x h a l e .... Inhale- 'step-step-step-step' - E x h a l e .... Inhale- 'step-step-step-step' - E x h a l e .... Inhale
'A scent on the wind' Logan's mind registered, he readied himself. 'Distant- mixed' he thought as his sniffed the air allowing his nose to sort throught the scents. He realized who it was and broke into a sprint. "Damn!" he snarled.
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Post by Ember on Jan 16, 2008 13:15:44 GMT -5
The wind whistled in her her ears and she was well aware of the background noises around her. The rustle of the rest, the soft sound of the ground beneath her feet as she flew across the ground quickly and lightly. Through Aideen's careful focus of her surroundings, she heard a new sound join. The thundering of fast footsteps sounded from somewhere behind her. Cursing in her mind, for she knew she wasn't supposed to be training yet for at least another week, Aideen lightly and quickly raced back into the woods. She darted through the trees, going in between pine trees trying her best to blend in.
Beast and Nightcrawler would have her head for training so soon. But Aideen was too restless. Her Uncle never allowed her to have more than a day of rest and that was only after incredibly challenging training. She was unable to go more than a day without training. But she did try he went a whole day and a half before she just couldn't stand it anymore.
She whizzed through the trees and leaped up in the air, grabbing a branch and swinging herself a good distance away, ignoring the pain from the bruises on her body. She had worse injuries from a training session before and she was able to deal with them. Aideen cursed herself, thinking she should have been more stealthy when she slipped away that morning. But for now, her running at high speed would have to suffice to keep away. Thankfully the woods were dark for the most part and easy for her to blend in.
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Post by Mystique on Jan 17, 2008 14:45:16 GMT -5
"I thought I was one of you!" Haven screamed. "Why are you doing this to me!!!?" She felt the Taloned hand of the man she'd come to know as Sabretooth constricting around her throat. "HEEeeeLLlllppp!!!" -she managed to scream just before the crushing grip pinched tighter yet again and he smashed the back of his hand across her face once more. 'Why ? -a trap!' she thought and the realization occured. She knew that the screaming was just what was required. He released his grip just before everything went to black, and she felt the blood pump into her head again... the sound like a drum in her ears. "You colossal j-U UuurRRrKKkkk !!!" he squeezed and her eyes nearly popped out with the force. |
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Post by Sabretooth on Jan 17, 2008 14:50:05 GMT -5
"No sleepys for you just yet!" Sabretooth grumbled as he shook the girl back to conciousness. Sniffing the air he smelled his target approaching.
"Oh, but you do make fine bait don't you." He chuckled under his breath at his own joke and the sound was the most disturbing thing the girl had ever heard, of that he was sure.
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Post by Ember on Jan 17, 2008 15:49:02 GMT -5
Aideen stopped dead in the cluster of pine trees when she head someone scream for help. This she wasn't expecting on her training run. The voice sounded very familiar and Aideen scanned her memory of where she had heard it before. She wasn't far from whoever it was because she was close enough to hear the sounds of distress. It was a female that was for certain...
Aideen stayed in the woods and moved very quietly through the trees, stepping lightly and quickly just as she was trained to do. She went through the trees in her ghostlike stance and heard more sounds and a deep voice. She climbed up a high pine tree and blended in with the leaves and pines that dug into her body. She looked through a tiny opening and saw a big Tigerlike man choking... HAVEN! She had thought the girl was gone for good. Why wasn't she using her forcefield from him?
"Sh*t," Aideen mouthed when she saw the situation. She didnt know who was behind her and if they were allies or not. But a soldier never leaves anyone behind and she couldn't just go and get help. She need a plan. And fast. The warrior in her went straight into a predator mode, watching and analyzing the big tiger. She needed to wait for the opportunate moment.
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Post by Wolverine on Jan 17, 2008 16:27:56 GMT -5
Wolverine could smell all the scents as they converged. 'Oh kid- don't get into this. Stay back, be smart' he thought, but he was sure it was already too late.
He ran at a full tilt, his tranquil run a thing of the past.
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Post by Sabretooth on Jan 17, 2008 17:47:12 GMT -5
Sabretooth's head snapped to the left as his nostrils flared and his eyes focused on the spot where Ember was hiding. ....SNiiiiiiffFFF.... "Hello- and who are you ?" He said to the spot where she hid, cocking his head to the side he listened to the sound of Ember's breathing and the shifting of her weight in the tree creaked to his ears like some hinges that needed oil. Squeezing hard for a moment more on her throat he looked down at Haven as her body convulsed in his clutched hand. She hung limp for a second before he let go of her and she flopped to the snow covered ground. Blood issued from her mouth where she had bitten her tongue nearly off, and from her ear and face from the beating she had taken. |
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Post by Ember on Jan 17, 2008 19:04:26 GMT -5
Aideen's eyes went wide and she held her breath when he looked up at her spot in the high pine tree. Of course, as an animal he would have very advanced hearing and sense of smell. He must have known she was there the whole time. How could she have been so stupid?! Holding her breath and letting out very tiny bouts of air, Aideen reached carefully behind her feeling around how any crevice or hollow. Of course, her luck be there wasn't one. She leaned against the tree and looked down at him with careful guarded eyes.
Her Uncle taught her that when in trouble or undercover, feigning ignorance of anything important. It was obvious enough that she saw him torturing the girl, but he didn't know she was a mutant. She could be nothing more than a hiker or a towns person on a jog through the woods and went a bit far.
Aideen kept her large guarded dark eyes on the big tiger man below her who looked straight at her in the cluster and darkness of the pine trees. She remained mute and just looked at him, not moving and waiting to see what his next move was. So much for a sneaky jog to start her day.
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Post by Sabretooth on Jan 17, 2008 21:39:24 GMT -5
'How sweet, smells young and fresh- female... a nice little appetizer' Sabertooth thought 'Maybe if I talk nice to her...'
"C'mon out girlie- I promise to kill you quick!" He snarled as he crouched down a little "Well, after we have ourselves a hot little roll in the snow, just for fun."
He grinned and raised an eyebrow.
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Post by Mystique on Jan 17, 2008 21:47:55 GMT -5
She was made of stronger stuff than Sabertooth imagined or maybe the snow and the cold revived her a little, or maybe something else entirely was working in her favor...whatever the case Haven stirred. She blinked first, then it was as if her eyes focused through the pain and she could very nearly see what was happening.
She had heard the words Sabertooth had spoken and yet, didn't grasp what was going on, or at least that's what she looked like. She didn't look directly at the beast of a man, in case he might be staring back at her- she wasn't exactly sure who he was talking to or if he was talking to her.
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Post by Ember on Jan 17, 2008 22:04:30 GMT -5
Though her face and demeanor gave away nothing, the big Tigerman's words sent a chill down her spine. Aideen knew he could kill her. She may have been training since she was old enough to speak full sentences, but she didn't have the power to deal with a mutant like him. She needed much more training for that. At that moment, she hated herself for showering with her favorite black raspberry vanilla wash. He must be able to smell out exactly where she was.
The cold look in his eyes didn't help Aideen's worries, especially knowing what he wanted. Her head snapped to Haven, who had been lying still up till now. She was alive, good there was still time. Aideen raised her hands above her and pulled herself up silently to the branch above her. This space was even more cramped than the other one, but it did conceal her better. It must have done nothing for her scent though.
What to do though? She needed to help Haven. It would be dishonorable to leave her behind. Aideen held out her finger and omitted a tiny flame that's light was smaller than even that of a firefly. Very carefully, she sent the flame through the branched above her and concentrated as it traveled high to a dead tree behind the big Tigerman and landed unnoticeable behind a tree that was behind him. All she needed to do was concentrate. And thats just what she did as she focused on heating the tree to get it dry and snow free. All that Aideen thought was she had to make it out of there with Haven. Alive.
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Post by Wolverine on Jan 17, 2008 22:29:21 GMT -5
Wolverine could see the scene unfolding from a hundred yards away, too many yards away to get there in time he feared...
'Damnit kid, why'd you pick today to go for a run!' he thought. It wasn't a question he asked in his mind, more a scolding to the girl, whom he could see had tree'd herself making Sabertooth's job that much easier. Another young girl lay on the ground, Ember looked to have concern for her 'So, you wanna be a hero- eh, kid?' he thought
A decision needed to be made- announce his presence and maybe draw the big lug off, or remain silent and try to slip in without him noticing? The fruity smell that hung in Ember's wake mixed with her sweat and the fear that she was now exuding might be enough to keep Sabertooth distracted from him until it was 'go-time', but he couldn't be sure.
The wind was a swirly cross-breeze, he thought he picked up the scent of smoke and then...'Oh, god- no' ...he thought as he got wind of another familiar scent ...'Logan, you old fool!'
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Post by Sabretooth on Jan 17, 2008 22:43:09 GMT -5
[shadow=black,left,300]"WRRraahHhGgghHH!!!!!!" [/shadow]Sabertooth charged the tree that Ember was hiding up in and plowed into it shaking and splintering the trunk with his massive powerful limbs. Snow fell from every limb coating Ember as well as Sabertooth in cold wet powder. The trunk creaked for a long desperate moment, if tree's could hope this one was certainly hoping it might be able to prevent the Mutant man-beast from snapping it in two. Alas, as sure as trees cannot hope this tree could not stand against the vicious mutant's might. The pine tree snapped and tumbled over, cascading in near slow motion as it and a young firebender twisted and careened through the surrounding tree limbs and barren winter foliage.
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