97 Mask of innocenses (1/2)
Dust particles danced in the bright rays of the morning sun that streamed in through the tattered threadbare curtains. The light breeze from the opened window helped suppress some of the stale air of the tiny room and the pungent odors of the bar below. Orion blinked away the heavy alcohol-induced sleep from his eyes. He first tried stretching his long legs but met resistance at the footboard of the bed, then as he stretched his upper body the resistance came from his right arm and a heavy weight resting across it. ”Shit...” He whispered as he tried dislodging the sleeping woman from his arm without waking her. He quickly glanced around the room for his discarded clothing as he planted his feet on the floor and slid his arm free. Gathering clothes and shoes in his arms he didn't bother pulling on more than just his pants as he headed for the door making sure to open and clothes it as quietly as he could.
”About damn time. I've been waiting for you for over an hour now.” Arei said as soon as Orion lifted his hand from the door knob. His arms were crossed over his large chest, saddlebags were flung over one shoulder, and leaned against the wall with one booted foot planted against the wall and the other firmly on the ground.
”Shhh!” Orion turned his gaze back to the door and focused hard on hearing movement inside. Once he was satisfied that Arei's bombing voice hadn't woke the woman, he quickly grabbed his brother by the arm and dragged him toward the stairs. ”You don't want to wake that one up... for both our sakes...”
Arei let out a puff of laughter. ”That bad? You really should raise your standards...”
Orion only grunted as he continued to descend the stairs. As they emerged from the bar into the brightly lit streets of the town, Orion looked around taking the area in full for the first time since their arrival last night. ”Were to? Did you come up with any leads this morning?”
Arei sighed as he ran his hand through his long loosely flowing hair. ”Only one...” He handed the saddlebag over to Orion. ”I talked to some sailors down by the docks this morning. About the only thing I could get out of any of them was that this creature, monster.” He laughed, ”They were very adamant about it being a monster... is 'a cursed creature set to ruin any man that ventures the seas.' But it seems isolated to this area. I ventured out to several of the islands in these parts,” He arched a brow at his brother, ”while you were sleeping off the exploits of last night...” He tossed his shirt into Orion's face playfully as they walked toward the thick vegetation separating the town from the coastline. He pushed back the last of the low hanging palm leaves and called back. ”Well, here she is...” He sent Orion a pleased smile as his brother stepped around him.
Orion scratched his head in confusion. ”Um... this?” He inspected the small dingy tied out on the beach. He ran his large hand over the weathered wood of the small boat then tapped it with the tip of his boot, before standing and looking out at the horizon expecting to see a larger vessel anchored out past the waves. Not seeing any sign of a larger, more suitable boat he turned to Arei who was now kicking off his shoes. ”You've got to be joking, right?”
Arei pulled off his pants next and place all his discarded items into the saddlebags that Orion had sat on the sands. ”Joking about what?” He mumbled as he tucked the last of his clothes in the bags and closed them up.
Orion pointed to the dingy, ”This! Do you plan on pulling it, is that the plan? There's no way you and I both with stay afloat in that tiny thing... especially with you in that form.” Orion said as Arei shifted into horse form.
”Father said I had to stay in this form for this mission. So what other options do we have?” He trotted over to the boot and took the stake out of the sand with his teeth. His beautiful black mane billowed in the breeze as he tossed his head enough to throw the stake into the boat.
Orion watched as Arei pushed the boat out into the tides. ”I'm always surprised by how much you are still able to do even in that form.”
”I've spent most of my life in this form,” Arei said matter-of-factly as he tested the balance of the boat with one long, hooved leg. ”Seem the only form father accepts me in...” Arei muttered heaving his massive stallion frame into the tiny boat.
Orion quickly grabbed the bags and waded out into the waves. Tossing the bags in then hoisting himself over next. ”Doesn't leave much room...” He sighed as he pulled the tiny sail loose. Air quickly caught the small sail and pulled the boat across the waters with speed. ”Now I see... you were only after speed.”
Arei laughed letting the winds blow into his face and through his mane. ”Well, Obviously the creature only attacks boats or we would have run into it on the way here, and if I have to ride a boat,” He turned to send Orion a horse-ish grin, ”Why not a fast one.”
Shortly into their trip, Arei nodded, ”That passage over there.” He held a hoof up to indicated two tall clifts overhanging the sea. ”Remember, IF the beast attacks don't fight it just yet, mount me and retreat.”
As they made their way closer to the cliffs, an ery quiet filled the airs. There was no chatter of birds or splashing of dolphins, only the crash of waves against the jagged rock that lined the foot of each cliff. ”Shit!” Orion shouted as he stood and quickly wrestled the sail around, pulling the small boat away from the cliffs as possible.
”What are you doing?” Arei asked as he braced his legs against the edge of the boat to keep balance.
”We are sure to find beasts here, but not the one we're searching for!” Orion yelled as he fought the sail. ”That cliff on the left,” He waited until Arei had turned his attention to the cliff in question. ”Just behind the murk of fog and mist is a cave with a massive monster with seven heads that extends and plucks men from ships who pass... and it is the better of the two. The creature on the other is even more deadly.”
”Hum...” Arei examined each cliff carefully. ”Looks like my information was off... a bit...”
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