It was indeed, an early morning. The sun had not yet even broken over the dim horizon. There were no bird calls, no thumps of padded feet or paws, no stirring breeze to rustle leaves and limbs and grass. Everything, it seemed to Zack, was dead still. Holding its breath for the sun to break its back once more for them and bring light back into their lives; to keep their lives in the bright of its beams. It was a warm morning, yet dew still laid on everything in sight, sparkling teasingly.
And as Zack continued to stare about him on this morning, he became more and more unaware of the sweat beading and trickling softly over him. He cared less and less of the deep gash across his broad back, and the bark blood emerging and running freely from it.
What a nice morning. What a quiet morning.
He became unaware, that his red eyes were closing, and of the loud ringing in his ears and swaying of his body. And at the crack second of when the sun finally broke its bonds and rose, he was lost, as the hard earth suddenly came up to meet him.
*she saw a guy she had never seen before, she hesitated but then approached him*"Hi? I'm Candace"*she said more like a question.*
He could only grunt in reply, but even that effort left him breathless. Her voice pounded against his skull as an armful of bricks. But he had no strength left to block anything. For he lay on his back, she probably couldn't see his source of pain. Between his concentrated short breaths, he fought the delirium and nausea, then, the wonders if the voice was even real. Unknowing, he kept still. Though, there wasn't much he could do otherwise, anyway.
*she looked at him worried,*"Are you ok?"*she asked.*
Well, her voice is real enough, he thought blandly.
~No... I can't... think straight. Who..are you?~ He thought to her, for his physical ability was beyond his control.
~I'm Candace~ *she thought back*
~Candace? Candace. Candace. Candace. Candace?~
He thought the word over and over yet again as he tried to string together, and place her. He had seen her before... Or had he not? This was a mess.
As his thoughts were slightly connected with her, she felt a slight prick as his thoughts, or 'mind form', removed itself from his bodily form. He appeared to the left of his limp body, in a wolf form, that was slightly hazy; as if it were a fuzzy, flickering film, though he was a solid form.
~A bit of a mess.~
He sat on his haunches, glancing from his human form to Candace.
*she knelt down beside him trying to figure out what was wrong. she smoothed down his hair and checked for a pulse*
*he wasnt moving, she didnt know what to do*
~I think my human body's had about enough.~
He, the wolf, growled in dark amusement. Even as he was in wolf form, the lines of weariness showed over him like aggravating shadows. The jetted red streaks in his grey eyes showed still, unmercifully.
~I am here. Do you know if there are any others around? I was caught unawares.~
*she looked a him, the wolf confused*~what?~
~I am Zack. That is my human body, you stand over. I retreated here, for there, I would have no chance of sinking my teeth into the one who did this to me. I am, so to say, a mental image of the most common of my forms. My body will have a better chance of recovering if my haunting mind does not possess it. I was wondering if you had seen any others around. I would very much like to speak to them.~
*she thought for a moment*~no~
~Then they have left already. I don't know who it was.~ His thought trailed off, as in his throat, a deep growl formed. He sighed, trotting closer to his limp human form, hos big paws making no sound.
*she just watched him in silence.*
She came walking out of the forest, swinging a bag when she noticed Zack's body and Candy. She walked over, puzzled and afraid for Zack. She looks at the wolf and smile, knowing who is it. "What's going on guys?"
*He was coming back from Hogsmead when he saw Ginny Candy and a persons body he had never seen.He ran over there.*What happened here?Is he all right?
~Someone, a student, I am thinking, snuck up on me unawares. Slashed me a good one in the back. My human body, as it is plainly obvious, is not in the best of conditions. So I left it. However, I am now intent on locating this 'person'.~
He sat as he spoke, his voice in their heads calm, and dark.
~I was met soon after by Candace here. I am not sure. Everything's a little hazy.~
The wolf eyed the boy with red, flamed eyes.
~And who are you?~ He spoke in a managed kindness, though, because he'd begun to piece the alike-ness between the boy and Ginny. Perhaps, he thought to himself, this was the younger Weasley he hadn't met.
"Yes, this is Josh, my brother. Zack come here." She eyed him carefully.
*He stared at the body looking horrified.*
She looks at Josh. "Calm down, he'll live."
*He tryed to smile but he couldnt*So what exactly happened?
He stood on his four legs, padding over to the circle of the others, his head and tail drooped tiredly.
~Of course, I'll live. I have thicker skin than that. I am not sure what happened, as I said, I was caught unawares.~
He growled and shook his shoulders roughly, as he caught the oddity of his words; he was rarely caught unawares, and it was so odd, and disturbing.
*He watched as zack did so.*Are you ok?
~I think it's probable.~
He turned his head so his tired grey, red streaked eyes locked onto the young Weasley's.
*He looked at the wolf*He didnt know what to do so he looked away at Candy.He hadnt seen her for a while.
"Zack I want you to lay down for a moment. We don't want you exerting yourself."
He dropped to his stomach, and laid his head upon his crossed paws, yawning widely. An uncommon, very uncommon, exertion of obedience. But he was oddly undisturbed; he was just tired.
He'd catch the little devils who thought they could do such, and get away with it.
Stupid kids.
"Yes they are Zack." she said, not looking at him.