For jade_sage: a drabble from the Quarry universe. I do know what Duo's other shape is, but I know some people had their own picks, and since I didn't want to mess with anyone's mental vision, I did my best to keep the mystery going. Though I am sure it is fairly obvious. *grin*
Quarry Halloween Drabble
He could smell Heero's scent on the tree branches. Reaching up, he grasped tree firmly and began pulling himself up. He could hear the pack belling in the distance and he forced himself not to snarl.
Hunters were not supposed to be in the woods at all. The woods belonged to Heero- they surrounded the manor that his father had gifted him with and the local people were tolerant, if not understanding of their lord's 'affliction'. Who would dare to challenge Heero's right...?
He had heard the pack an hour ago as he'd been in the small garden that provided them with some of their foodstuffs. Heero had gone off hunting into the woods behind the manor, promising to return before sundown.
The sound of a hunting pack had reached his ears as he knelt in the garden, sending a chill down his spine. Heero was out alone in the woods- and as clever as he was he could still be taken out by a lucky arrow, or torn apart by a group of wolfhounds. Even if human shape if he smelled unfamiliar to the pack...
Duo had immediately shifted, leaving his clothes in a small heap beside the basket he'd brought out to collect the vegetables in. He had to find Heero- had to help him if he was in danger- even an experienced hunter would think twice before taking down something like him...
He'd gotten halfway up the tree, when a soft "mrowl" caught his attention. He looked up to find Heero, in his cat form, on the branch above him.
Duo huffed, settling himself on the branch. They couldn't speak in these shapes, but at least they were together.
The pack belled again, closer this time, and Heero leaned down to bump his head against Duo's. He didn't seem nervous, but then he rarely did. Duo looked at him stretched out on the branch above his head, tail flicking back and forth idly and wondered what was going on. Was Heero planning to face the pack? Why hadn't he headed home? Duo had half expected to meet him on the path out of the woods...
The hounds were below them now. Duo could hear their snuffling wheezes as they surrounded the bottom of the tree and he braced himself. Inhaling, he caught their scent at last and nearly fell off the branch in surprise. He squinted downwards, wishing his eyesight was better in this shape, and gaped at the odd sinuous forms at the bottom of the tree trunk.
"Well now," said a musical inhuman voice at the foot of the tree. "What have we here?"
Duo looked up at Heero again. Heero simply blinked his eyes at him.
"Oh, for the Lady's sake! Idiots," the voice scolded the dogs. "You've treed the caretaker and his spouse. He's not going to let us hunt here again if you act like this. Leave off!"
The pack swirled around the trunk and took off into the underbrush.
"Apologies!" Called the voice. "They are young. They won't make that mistake again, I promise!"
Heero shifted, shaking himself and smiling. "No need to apologize! I'm just glad they can't climb trees!"
The voice laughed in response and a moment later, they were alone again. Duo tilted his head slightly and Heero shrugged.
"I guess I should've mentioned that the elves occasionally hunt here?" He asked as he swung himself down onto Duo's back.
Duo huffed again and started climbing down the tree. Once they got home he was going to have a few questions for his spouse. There was still so much he didn't know about this place....
OWARI
Back to Merula's Fanfictions Page