[oom] Hunt (Cubefall, Day Three)

[hell_in_highheels]

For once, River is actually awake before Richard.  Her whole body is flush with excitement.  Today she takes the final step.  Today, they will visit the Library and find a book with a full moon and prey, and she will hunt beside him for the first time.

She watches him as he sleeps.  Watches the way his chest rises and falls.  Watches the dreams flicker across his face.  She knows about the nightmares, knows there are times when he relives that night over and over again.  But tonight she thinks she succeeded in wearing him out, as he is sleeping as soundly as she's ever seen him sleep.

She casts an eye at the clock.  It's a quarter of five.  She can wait forty five minutes, she thinks. 

And so she waits. 

And watches.

Comments

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Food, he amends with a grin. And a lot of it.

He pulls out clothes that are comfortable but will keep the wind off of him.

"Trust me when I say you'll be hungry anyway," he says as he pulls on his pants.

[hell_in_highheels]

Yes, love. I've seen you eat. I believe you.

She watches him from across the room, dressing quickly. Usually she shambles off towards the shower first thing, but his scent is all over her, and she's loathe to wash it off.

Are we bringing Dam?

It only seems logical, seeing as Dam goes with him every full moon.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He'd be rather disappointed if we didn't. He's looking forward to showing you all the tricks.

It's like they're planning a trip to the beach or something. A normal, happy occasion.

[hell_in_highheels]

Yes, except that frisbee isn't on the menu.

"Tell me again. You said it only takes thirty seconds or so? And how long after moonrise?"

I hope I don't embarass you. She looks up from where she's lacing her boot. Oh hell, did I say that out loud?

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

I doubt you'll remember most of it. Events tend to be a bit blurry at best. Did he mention that before? He doesn't remember.

"I suppose the only way you'll know is to record it." He smiles softly.

[hell_in_highheels]

"I could, but I'm going to try to retain as much information as I can." She joins him, her scent telling him she's eager to get going. "Much like you've talked about trying to control the change, who knows how successful I'll be?"

"Also, that way you'll have no horrifying home movies to inflict on the neighbors." She gives him a playful bump.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He bumps her back.

"You'll do fine. Even if there are a few mistakes, you're only a puppy. Atrocious penmanship is to be expected, remember?"

He finishes lacing up his boots and stands.

Shall we?

[hell_in_highheels]

As much as she loves the sound of his voice, now she's learning to appreciate his canine bodyvoice. It has the same smug confidence, the same gravitas that she has enjoyed about him since the first moment he ever spoke to her. It is, simply, his voice. Only now, she can hearsee all the nuances she was missing before. Another check mark in the 'this was a good idea' column.

They ate breakfast in the bar, Richard slipping Damocles his standard ration of slices under the table, and River sharing an egg with him, tearing it into slices and letting him lick the yolk off her fingers while she giggled, ignoring the disapproving looks of their fellow diners.

She ate so much she thought she would burst, and Richard still thought she should eat more. She offered to stuff her pockets with toast if he thought that would help. He only rolled his eyes at her and pointed at her food.

She ate. And ate. And ate. Finally, when her pack had decided she'd eaten enough, they head towards the Library.

There was a tense moment in the hallway beyond her Door, when CAL did not recognise River's file. Luckily for them both, she recognised Richard & Damocles, and that hesitation allowed River to provide her security code. While Richard searched through the stack of books that met his very strict criteria, River reestablished a baseline archive of her file. Everything before was only to be used in extreme circumstances. (She almost deleted everything but Richard gave her a sharp look, and she decided against it.)

After ten minutes, the flickering blue light around River finally fades. "Baseline archive complete for River Song. Please review archive and confirm."

"Confirm archive," River says with a certain finality. "Two copies, please."

"So, have you decided where we're going?"

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"Not Scotland," he says firmly. The Bar's version is one thing, but he sees no reason to start her experience there. He is holding on to a book, though, something deep brown with tan lettering.

"A bit further south, no humans in existence yet. Plenty of woods and the same sort of deer." That's how he began his search, adding more limitations as he went. Summer. Plenty of prey. Clean water. An area without other predators.

An area without humans.

"Does that suit you?"

[hell_in_highheels]

"Oh Richard. It's perfect."

This is happening. She can't believe it's actually happening. Her knees are getting a bit wobbly as she crosses from her desk to join him.

She looks from the book into his face, her green eyes bright and wide. Her heart is already pounding with excitement, and her scent is a complex tapestry of hope and longing and trepidation.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"You're so excited," he grins, pulling her in to get a good whiff. His own is still rising, though he's more eager to be going with her than going.

There's a bit of apprehension there, though, well hidden. Everything he's worried about since she asked him to bite her is still in his mind, merely subdued. Everything is going so well. For now.

Are you ready?

[hell_in_highheels]

She holds tight to him, pressing her forehead to his chest as he buries his nose in her hair. She's breathing in his own excitement, his joy at her presence, and it both soothes and inflames her heart.

Ready as I'll ever be, love.

Pain, violence, blood. All of it scares the hell out of her, but fear never kept her from anything she wanted. And she's never wanted anything as much as she wants this chance to be with him.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He kisses her, trying to soothe that away. Everything will be all right. It will.

Ready, Dam?

Yes, sir! The Doberman is easily as excited as River is, with none of the matching fear. He sees nothing to worry about.

It'd be best if we had at least an hour before moonrise, to explore and make ourselves familiar with the place. You'll feel the pressure shift once we step through the door, so be prepared for that. You'll feel...well. You'll see.

[hell_in_highheels]

She nods, closing her eyes and centering her thoughts as best she can. This body makes it difficult to focus, but she manages somehow, to bring her heartbeat and breathing back down to a reasonable rate.

She puts the book on the shelf and opens it, stepping back as the portal forms. The world Richard has chosen, prehistoric Europe, is lush and green, the humidity carrying the scents of a world untouched by industry into the almost clinical office space of the Library. Her composure is undone almost immediately.

She holds tight to Richard's arm, eyes wide as she peers through to this new world. It's twilight, and as they step through, her entire body quivers with this new sensation.

Her scalp draws tight, and her entire body tingles with electricity. There is a pressure behind her breast bone, exactly the opposite of the first time she experience zero gravity. It's as if the whole of creation turned its baleful eye to look at her.

If he wasn't here, solid and warm at her side, she just might bolt.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He stops, just inside the door, letting himself adjust. It's not as abrupt as the last time, merely an increase from half to full.

It's all right, he soothes. That change is normal. It'll happen every time you change worlds.

And it's nothing compared to what happens when the moon rises.

We still have a time. Just breathe.

[hell_in_highheels]

She does as instructed, unconsciously matching her breath to his. His confidence also helps. While she may be off the map, he's in familiar territory. That goes a long way towards reassuring her. (A distant part of her thinks that she can't imagine how terrifying this must have been for him, going through this the first time alone.)

The sight of Dam racing across the meadow with a huge grin on his face, also helps.

She gives him a little nod, her gratitude readily apparent in her scent. Atrocious penmanship, she mutters, sheepishly.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

He had myriad other things to worry about, his first time. He's trying to keep hers simple. He rubs the area between her shoulder blades with his palm. We should find some place secure.

He's a little anxious. He can't help it, in new territory and without knowing the lay of the land. His hands are on her, but he's looking around the meadow and sniffing the wind. The sun is setting, but they should have more than enough time to find what he's looking for.

[hell_in_highheels]

She leans into his touch, but eventually moves away, her body language deferential, and her eagerness returning as she becomes accustomed to the moon pressure.

I'm all right. Let's get moving. He shouldn't have to worry about her so much. She's not helpless. All right, not that helpless.

She falls into stride behind him. This body seems to appreciate running more than her human form did, and she needs to move now.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Yes. Moving is a good idea. He heads for the woods immediately, getting out of the open. Dam races back across the meadow to join them, falling in with a happy grin.

Richard just wants to run, to move, but he knows he should be instructing her.

We're looking for something secluded, not easily seen. A close stand of trees will do. It's half instinct and half training that's guiding him now, but he knows they don't need anything permanent. They're simply not going to be there that long.

[hell_in_highheels]

For a den? Or simply to conceal us during the transition? Running is helping but there this compelling sense of urgency pressing at the back of her skull.

Her eyes are scanning the forest. Aside from a few game trails, there are no paths. No roads. No sign of civilisation. Somewhere off in the distance, she can hear water and she alerts on the sound.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Preferably, both. A bit of wryness enters his scent. There's a good chance, though, that whatever we find before hand won't hold up to scrutiny on the other side. We may have to hunt for our clothes in the morning.

It would not be the first time.

He sees her alert and tilts his head himself. Water is good. We should at be in the same area when we wake. This way.

[hell_in_highheels]

Wouldn't be the first time we had to hunt for our clothes, would it, love? Even in the fear and anticipation, she can't pass up that straight line.

Smirking, she follows him, head down.

There, she gestures towards a thicker part of the glade, a stand of hundred year old oak trees huddled together like old men in a windstorm. Does that look good?

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Good eye, Richard praises. Dam, scout the area. The Doberman bounds ahead, eager to put his training to use.

Of course, he explores the trees himself once they get there, sniffing for anything out of place. There's nothing, naturally. They're years before there ever will be.

He circles round to bump River. How are you doing?

[hell_in_highheels]

Better. Ready for the waiting part to be done.

For all her love of research, once she's made a decision, she is not one to stand around and quibble about it.

That and the insistent thrum in her skull is making her skin crawl.

She leans against him for a moment, catching his hand again. How long, do you think?

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Richard rolls his shoulders, trying to ease some of his own itch out.

It doesn't work very well.

He shakes his head, wanting to pace. Soon. You feel it? Of course she does. The sun's near completely set, leaving long dark shadows beneath the trees, and the moon is terribly close to rising.

Start taking your clothes off. There's no romance in his language, just a simple urgency. He gives her a quick kiss before pulling away from her, stripping off his shirt.

When it comes, it'll hurt. Don't fight it. It'll only make it last longer.