Colin's posts

"Ah, ah, ah, stop there." Ryker interrupted him.

"That's something that you'll need to learn to ignore." he told him.

"You say it's like a ghost that keeps haunting you? Well, then you'll need to learn to ignore it, and focus on what's in front of you, as opposed to what is behind you." he went on.

"You say I'm like the family you should have gotten? Does that make me your REAL family, in your mind?" he asked.

"If so, then focus on that. Focus on what makes you happy. And every time you manage to shift something negative from your past to something positive in your present, you put more and more distance between you and that 'ghost'." he explained.

"See, that's your problem." Ryker said as they approached the small opening, and he set Eke down inside, so they were out of the snow.

"You keep talking about your mother." he told her.

"How she wouldn't accept this, would do that, would have you do this, that or the other." he listed off.

He then started to look around... as though he was searching for something.

"Nope. Not here." he said, looking in his pack. "Not in here." he went on, looking in the 'cave'. "Not there, either." he continued, doing a sweeping glance of the outside.

"Seems your mother isn't here." he told him.

"So you know what? TO HELL with her." he said.

"She's not here. You're not with her any more. So FORGET what she would want, or tell you, or ANYTHING and EVERYTHING about her." he told Eke further.

"What you need to decide is what one person, and one person ONLY decides is okay." he continued, before pointing to Eke's chest.

"You."

"Nope, don't." Ryker said.

"Do not apologize." he told him.

"I was attacked by a dog once when I was a kid." he then said. "That dictator had attack dogs, and one of them went after me for... whatever reason." he went on.

"Spent most of the rest of my life being afraid of ALL dogs." he continued.

"Something that almost kills you will leave a scar."

"......" Ryker was silent for a moment, before sighing.

"Uh-huh." he said.

He then started to follow Eke, as a tiiiiiny bit of the shard's power pulsed inside him. Barely noticeable, but enough to give him the physical strength to pick up Eke and gently sling him over his shoulder... in an odd 'kidnap-but-pseudo-consensual' sort of way. Like something one would see in a movie.

"Come on." he told him.

"You need to rest, and putting more stress on your body won't help it."

".....hm." Ryker muttered.

"I suppose." he said.

He then looked around, checking to see if there were any places that they could seek shelter.

"There's a rock formation over to the west with a small opening." he told Eke.

"Let's stop and sit there so you can compose yourself." he suggested.

Ryker immediately made sure that Eke didn't fall over.

"Careful." he said.

"And someone has it out for you?" he asked.

"I mean, maybe, but this snow? The ice coming suddenly? I dunno." he said.

"Who would... or could... do that?" he asked him further.

Ryker looked at the snowflakes, and brought a hand to his chin.

"....hm." he mumbled.

"Well, it HAS been getting colder..." he reasoned. "But, yes, it IS a bit early for something like SNOW to be falling." he admitted, looking around.

"Odd..." he muttered.

"Wonder what's causing this." he said, looking skyward.

Ryker was a bit shocked to receive the hug, but he returned it nevertheless.

And he chuckled sheepishly when Eke paid him all the compliments.

"Eh-heh." he said.

"I... well... heh, all right." he said further.

"I guess I can't argue with those points." he admitted.

"I'm glad you're happy around me."

Eke suddenly felt Ryker hand rest gently on his shoulder.

"I knew what you were talking about." he assured him.

"Family is a very vague term, but I knew you were referring to what is typically considered a family." he said further.

"And I understand." he went on, before pausing.

"...and you mean that?" he asked. "That 'family you should have had' comment about me?" he inquired.

"That's how you see me? As... well... positive family?"

Ryker paused when the question came out of nowhere.

"Ah..." he stammered.

"....hm." he mumbled.

"That's... that's a very good question." he said.

"When I was a slave, I used to lament not having a family." he told him. "When I received my 'curse', I was glad I didn't have one, as no-one should be burdened with me." he continued.

"Now? I'm not sure." he admitted.

"I can't help but wonder how my life would have turned out if I DID have a family." he went on.

"On one hand, I am. On the other hand, I regret it deeply."

"Well, let's go South, then." Ryker suggested.

"We just came from... around the Northeast, so... yeah, we'll head South." he said.

"Not sure how much further until the next town, but we're prepared to sleep outside now." he told him.

"You know, tent and sleeping bags and such." he added.

Normally he didn't care about such things... or even really himself, for that matter... but he found himself suddenly wanting to at least make it seem like he was trying to survive.

And it was mostly because of Eke.

"You feeling any better?" he then asked.

Azazel just smirked as he looked at Cerberus.

"Heh." he chuckled.

"Right, first, come on. To the mouth of the cave." he said.

With that, they made their way to the mouth of said cave, where Azazel parted ways from them for a moment. When he returned, Aly saw he was dragging what looked to be three large dead cow-like creatures... except they had weird curved horns, strange tentacle-laden snouts, and clawed feet, as opposed to hooves.

And that's when Cerberus started to become VERY excited.

"Ah, ah! Stay! Staaaaay." Azazel said, as he got closer and closer, and Aly could almost sense something was starting feel different about the canine.

"That's fair enough." Ryker responded with a sigh.

"And yeah." he muttered.

"You boys leaving?" one of the elder men that was sitting nearby asked.

"Sadly." Ryker replied. "We know we're welcome here, but if we stay much longer, we'll bring unwanted attention, and you're all too nice to suffer that." he reasoned.

"So, we best be moving along. Home is wherever we end up next."

Ryker just sighed.

"I can't promise that." he told him.

"I might need to fish for food if it comes to it." he said.

"But don't worry, I got us another tent to keep us warm, as well as some sleeping bags." he went on.

"We'll be fine, I promise." he assured Eke.