Keeper of Life - NaPoWrMo Entry

Previous planning had been their friend, Scar had taught her well. The house had been empty, cleared by Claw who had been waiting. She had to lift his guilt after he was told what happened. There was praise for him however, he had followed orders and returned to the rendezvous site and waited. It was the kind of thing that made her fell slightly better, like plans hadn't utterly gone to the moon quite yet.

With careful movements she shifted through the crowds who were moving to another district, to celebrate apparently. The sun was still high in the air, but the night would be approaching soon enough. She wasn't sure if time was, or was not on her side and decided to be thankful they had a few hours to rest. It was rest they would desperately need for the final push. The plan was rather simple, get as close as possible, create a diversion, dive through and kill The Tree. She only needed to get close, if she had the strength the spear could be hurled from quite far, so long as she didn't miss that was. If they killed her afterward, well it didn't really matter much did it?

They talked among themselves, and lovers walked together. She watched as old friends reunited for the festival and talked about the future. A filly passed her, she butted a ball down the street laughing without a care in the land. 'They'll be the first to die,' Coal thought as the cobblestone under her hooves echoed a subtle kind of sorrow back. Why was it her that was chosen to be the Grim Reaper? 'How much is sacrifice worth?' she wondered.

Coal's scales shifted, darkened then returned to their normal color after the door closed behind her. It was difficult holding an appearance for so long but she recovered quickly. Fang greeted her.

“We have to move.” She nodded and pulled open the pantry. The food lined there amazed her, it was so easy, all she had to do was reach out and grab it. There was no traveling for weeks in the sand, no luring a beast out, no battle, and no carrying separated limbs back. There was no poison that needed to be drained from the food, and no curing. It made her realize just how fragile they were.

“They're all going to die if the barrier breaks,” she said.

“Once the barrier breaks,” Fang corrected. “They'll adapt, just as we had to.”

“It was different for us, our kind had time to adapt slowly, to learn as the land died. But them...” she trailed off.

“Do you pity them?” he asked.

“I don't know,” she answered.

“Life finds a way Lady,” Fang said securing the grounds one last time, making ready to depart. He handed her the tube they had recovered from its hiding place. She strapped it back to her leg.

“Thanks,” she said. “Fang, why are you doing this?” she asked. He paused, suddenly thrown off balance by her question.

“For you Lady,” he answered instinctively. She lowered her eyes dissatisfied with his answer.

“We've been together too long for that garbage Fang,” she said.

“I know,” he replied. “I guess, I guess I'm doing it for a better tomorrow.”

“What useless sentiment, you and I both know neither of us will ever see that tomorrow.”

“No, but someone will,” he said. “I know how you feel, seeing them out there like that, it's... it almost reminds me of home. I'm sorry Lady.”

“Don't be, there is a time to feel and a time to shut out such thoughts,” she told him.

He nodded. “Then why are you doing this?” he asked her.

“So no one else has to,” she answered. They left the building.