The Forest Runaways (for Eternal)
 

The sky was turning dark bluish-purple, and Dusk was reminded of his own name. He could see the sky from the inn, just over the mountains near the Falls. Khara Falls was beautiful during day and night, but a deadly and dangerous place to wander far from. Next to him, his ocelot, Meyna, sat and watched the bed closely. Dai was sitting there...Dusk had never expected a boy to follow them, muchless a runaway. Meyna had sniffed him out and scared him out of the forest foliage he was hiding in.

Dusk had allowed the boy along, even though Dusk wasn't a very social person. He had been a traveling magic knight, raised in an orphanage. He had no idea what love was, just skill and pride. His patience with Dai was low, and he left Meyna to often watch after him. He had no idea if Dai was really trustworthy, but Meyna intimidated to boy. She was well behaved and Dusk's close friend, but for some reason, Meyna knew she could give a look towards the boy that kept him in his place. She would never harm Dai, but Dusk sometimes had to ask her to back off, but he liked that she was around. Dai was oftentimes...a trial. That was the nicest way Dusk could put it.

Dai sat, staring at the sky. He was reminded of Dusk's name also, then his thoughts went to why someone would name their child Dusk.Then again, why name him Dai? He then looked around and went to Dusk. He began to poke his arm fast and by the time Dusk would be seriously annoyed, he asked, "Where are we going?" for the 13 time that day. Dai was pale, with blond hair and Hazel eyes. He reached up to Dusk's chest, and he had just an average body.

Dai had run away from his family because he felt tortured by them. For a while he called himself 'Borderline Child', meaning that he felt his family abused him enough for him to want to die, but treated him well enough to keep him from doing it. He ran away several days before he met Dusk and Meyna. Though sometimes he wondered if it was the right choice like any child would ever think about when they make a decision that seems better for them.

"We're staying here for the night," Dusk replied, somewhat coldly. He was reminded of the people he had been raised with, and how they had always been brighter and more energetic...sometimes making fun of his quiet, calculative nature. "I'm running behind schedule, but that's because you came along, wasn't it?"

Meyna, this time, did not give Dai a dirty look, but instead looked reproachfully at her master. She thought he was being too harsh, and that Dusk was always rushing. Her eyes looked at him as if to say, "It's your fault you have to plan so far ahead, and assume plans go the way you expect them to."

Dusk sighed. "If you want, why don't you walk around town?"

He didn't really know Dai's situation, but when he had tried to ask, the boy's face and eyes had bothered and shaken him. It was the reason why he didn't turn around and force the boy home now.

Dai looked down, hiding his face and eyes, knowing that it shook and bothered him."OK. I'll be back later." he said as he got up. He turned around and began to walk, not sure where, but just going where his movements were taking him. He would be back...maybe...he didn't really care at that moment, but he did know that right then, he would just walk to keep the pain away. Of course, when he got better and came back, he would be twice as annoying, like every other time he grew angry or sad, which happened a lot.

Meyna continued to glare at Dusk for a bit, angry with how he had treated the boy, and then hopped past Dusk and out the window. She gracefully landed on her paws and padded down the street, keeping a distant but watchful eye on Dai.

Meanwhile, Dusk sat at the table in the inn room, recalculating his plans, and the time he thought he would make it to his next destination, but he threw his pencil down across the map he had laid out.

"I hope he's not upset," Dusk thought, looking out the open window. At least it seemed Meyna went after him. She was a smart cat.

Dai gave out a heavy, shaking sigh as he sat on the ground,just thinking. He let some tears fall from his eyes, but not that many, he had faced so much emotional pain, he thought that he was a bit numb to emotions.Once the sky was completely void of light and was just black with a few stars shining out, he got up and turned around to go back, wiping his eyes.He felt better now. He began to run back to where Dusk was, back in his happy, annoying state.

Dusk couldn't help but be thankful to hear the door when Dai returned. Meyna hopped in through the window just moments before, and looked scathingly at Dusk.

"I know, Meyna," He told the ocelot, patting her on the head.

When Dai entered, Dusk immediately turned to look at him.

"How was your walk?" He asked, trying his best to be kind. He felt bad that he had been so cold. Maybe if he talked to the boy, he would understand him better.

"It was good." he said as he tackled Dusk, hurting him in the process, and hugged him the second he landed on the floor.

"I'm hungry!" he whined, not surprisingly since he was out for hours.

"I want something to eat!"

"Ow, be more gentle, please," Dusk said, pulling the excited boy off of him. "Dinner is..."

He bit his lip and started digging into his bag.

"I never calculated you into my rations...I suppose I'll just have to go to the market, since I'm almost out, and there isn't enough for one of us, muchless two."

He attempted to smile at the boy. "Want to help me pick out something, Dai?"

This time, he looked directly at the boy. Meyna let out a soft noise, a mix between a grown and a soft growl, as she hopped up onto one of the two beds in the inn and looked up at Dai and Dusk. She seemed pleased that Dusk was at least trying to know the boy better, and looking him in the face.

"Aww! I'm hungry now!" he whined as he fell backwards onto the floor. "Ok. Let's hurry though please!" he whined as he got up and dusted himself off some.

He avoided the other's eyes completely, it was showing clearly.

He grabbed Dusk's hand and pulled him hard enough to actually move him some."Hurry!"