don't look too hard, might hurt yourself
known to give the color red the blues
In the split second she transitions from furious embarrassment to marauding lion, there is no time to consider how his life choices have led him to this. No time to regret (not that he would have, but we can pretend). No time even to raise a defense.
It occurs to him belatedly that he should one day actually learn how to fight. That maybe this would be much less of an issue if he had bothered to learn already. But this revelation does not occur until well after the wheaten visage of the lion has already overwhelmed his vision. Well after claws dig into his flesh and teeth find the unprotected cartilage of his nose.
The weight of her forceful attack sends him tumbling. He hadn’t been prepared for it, leaving him no time to brace against the impact. Root and stone dig into his shoulder and hip even as claws and teeth drive deeper. The moment is both eternal and somehow instant, a brutal reminder of the endless seconds before his limb had been ripped from his body by an alien jaw, finally allowing him to find the oblivion of unconsciousness.
Surprisingly enough, he is not nearly as afraid as he should have been. It seems that it doesn’t take long for death to lose its luster.
To his surprise however, it is not death that awaits him. Instead she seems to regain control of herself, wresting herself away only to crumple beside him, once more a lovely (if distraught) golden mare. For a moment only the sound of harsh breathing breaks the air between them. Cassian doesn’t try to rise, instead laying sprawled, blood dripping from his nose as he stares at the canopy in a strange sort of wonder.
After a moment, he finally manages to mumble, “Well, imagine that.”
The laugh starts low in his chest, but he can’t seem to contain it as it bursts in a bloody bubble from his lips. Seems like maybe he does possess a bit of luck after all.
Cassian
@[Beryl]