Fanfiction for Jogger's Trail

"There are NO limitations to fan fiction!" - Donna Fox.

"No limitations, eh?"

*Cracks Knuckles*

"Alrighty then. Time to fuck around and find out."

As the sun had set and the cold grew near, many a creature hid in fear. In the forest, where it's dark, a being cried out its very soul and heart. Like flower's petals, after having no more pollen, this poor one here had sadly fallen. It's head hanged low, in a droop, it's been blessed to find a group. Though they're strong, compassionate, and wise, there's always trouble in their false paradise.

Deep and dark, where no one braves, these few souls dwell in their cave. As the fire breathes and barely flickers, amongst each other they fight and bicker. Though everything's not as it seems, they do form a weird sort of team. There's people they guarded, there's people they failed, they now reside on Jogger's Trail. Though they used to be more angelic, let's plunge into the lives of the relliks.

Watching as the river flowed by, he could still see his reflection within the darkness of night. Even though the moon wasn't at its fullest, its reflection of the sunlight was all he needed to see that he wasn't who he was anymore. Sadly, to his dismay, because of his own ineptitude, due to his own mistakes, he'd fail not just himself, but somebody who truly relied upon him; whether or not they knew of his existence.

As his reflection stared back at him, he knew that it was still the same being, the same person, the same thing inside of his head, inside of his heart. Yet, the outside no longer truly reflected how he was, as it became how he felt... a monster. Even though his eyes had changed, he could still tell that it was him in there. Whoever said that, "Your past doesn't define you" surely wasn't one of them.

Looking down into the palms of his hands, he'd had to accept what he'd become. As there's no escaping the truth no matter how far one runs from it or, in his case, falls from it. The only thing he could do now was grieve, and so he did. Each tear, each drop, added to the river's stream of water, making it ever slightly more salty. Yet, the true taste of his tears were a flavor all too familiar for most; guilt and regret. Luckily for him, the others weren't there to see him in this wretched state. Thankfully, he'd be able to wash his face here before he returned.

Gingerly circling a sharp pointed nail from his finger in the center of Nakos' chest, Alaric couldn't handle not knowing what he was thinking about. It's been hours since the sun had set, but Nakos seemed determined to stay awake. Normally he fall straight to sleep, after writing a bit in his scrolls, once he crawled into bed. Yet, it seemed that there was something on Nakos' mind that he couldn't seem to scribble down in his notes.

"What wrong?" Alaric started, lifting his muzzle up from upon his shoulder.

"Oh, nothing, it's just that-." Nakos stammered. Which was unusual for him. As being the wise member of the group he rarely spoke, but when he did he was always well composed. For Nakos believed that he should only speak when his words were of substance for himself or others.

"Well?" Alaric persisted. As, the anticipation was killing him. Since, if Nakos didn't have something to say, he'd usually have something to write. Yet, this evening he was even disgruntled with his own notes. Denying the validity of much of his words with a single continuous line of ink drawn through each phrase that perturbed had perturbed him.

"It's just that, I'd never think that my pride would cause you to end up here with me. If it were just me, I'd be fine with it, but since you followed in my actions, I truly do feel responsible for you as well."

"Nakos," Alaric reached for his hand, "it's alright. Anywhere without you wouldn't be Heaven to me. Just know that."

"I may know that, but I feel that I can't accept that even in my hardest of hearts. Through my faults, through my own grievous faults," he tapped his fingers to the center of his chest, "I've chosen to do wrong, and failed to do good. Alaric, I've sinned against you."

"You stop that, Nakos." Alaric rose up, shifting the covers from off of himself as he rolled over to straddle Nakos. Firmly pointing a finger in his snout, he continued, "You know that they judged harshly, unfairly, and with so much prejudice that if it had been a just decision they'd be down here instead of us!"

"Alaric." He murmured.

"No! I won't accept it! You know what you worked towards. That one goal of yours that you've been holding onto since the dawning of your creation! Like a blade finely honed and crafted for slicing through the armor of those that stand before it, they had the audacity of delegating that blade for the use of butchering meat!"

"Alaric," Nakos continued, the tone of his voice begging his partner to lower his volume.

"If pride is such a sin, then why would they even consider to insult it so?! It makes no sense to me why they would place you in such a lowly position unless they feared you and your potential!"

Raising a hand to his partner's snout, Nakos gently pressed a finger up towards Alaric's lips, "Enough, if I were so smart and wise in the first place I would've accepted my duties as they were instead of rejecting them. That being said, even for all of my wisdom and naturally God-given intelligence, I still failed you, as you were led astray down the same path as myself." Alaric's eyes started to tear up a bit, "Pride is a delusional treat that rots one's common sense just as air corrodes copper. What used to shine in pristine glory is no more, as I've allowed my own internal nature to get the better of me. Yet, without it we wouldn't desire to improve or to help, but too much of it allows us to fall into naivety and blissful ignorance, just like Icarus."

"Well, if I'm Icarus, then you're my sun," Alaric brought his forehead to Nakos'. "I'll always fly to you, even when it seems impossible."

"Fly not towards me to your detriment though, young one. For Icarus flew so close that he eventually fell away. Though you may have fallen with me, I pray that I may never have to see the day, nor be it, when you fall away from me, let alone Him."

"I could never," Alaric squeezed Nakos' hand firmly within his own in the menagerie that was the blankets beneath them.

Yet, as peacefully sweet and calm as their moment seemed to be, all would be for naught, as the sound of violence struck their wall. With a thunderous kick, their cavern mate had grown tired of their constant yelling. Though, she might not have thought herself to be as beautiful as she once was, she still required her rest, like every living being.

"Keep it down, loverbirds! Some of us would like to get some sleep here!" Madra yelled at them through the stone wall that barricaded their dwellings from one another.

"Last I checked it's two against one, plus, the other guy isn't even here right now!" Alaric boomed back against her.

"Your argument's as valid as two wolves and a sheep agreeing on what's for dinner!"

"Mind your manners! How dare you speak of silence then penetrate it with such cacophony! How hypocritical can you be!" He thought he had her there.

Nakos knew this was bound to continue unless he were to interject. "Sorry, Madra, we'll get back to sleep right away." Turning his attention back towards Alaric, he said, "She wouldn't have to take such actions if ours were not perpetuating. Best to give her no reason to complain, and make sure that her argument has no stable foundation. As somebody else's firm base may rock you to your core."

"Ugh, fine," Alaric hung his head not in defeat, but in surrender, "I can't stand her though. She tries to act like she's so full of compassion in one moment, than at the flip of a coin, she's more eruptive than a destructive volcano, threatening everything within her path. I swear, she was plucked from the vineyard instead of being formed in the cup."

With another raucously deafening kick to the wall, she bellowed, "I heard that you stereotypical meathead! If you'd think with the head between your shoulders more instead of the one between your thighs maybe your fall would've hurt less when you fell from up high!"

Nakos chuckled, "Jape not about the grapes of wrath, my friend." He patted Alaric's cheek, "For their flesh is addictingly sweet to the taste and their wine almost as intoxicating as the one-hundred-and-twenty at the wedding in Cana of Galilee."

"Sounds like some seriously rich stuff. Ever had a glass?"

"Ohhh, one too many in my time. That's for certain. It's too hard not to become greedy with it. Alas, if we want to prevent her from imbibing in such a drink like a glutton, let us give her no reason to."

"Alright, alright, though if my stomach would tolerate it I'd chop her up into a nice French onion soup. As right as she is, I do enjoy having my strength for the day for a proper hunt."

"We should also be quiet as not to scare him. Remember, Alaric, he's not just new to our group, but also to our entire way of being."

"I'll keep quiet enough for her, but if he's not asleep yet it's his own undoing. Besides he hasn't slept a wink or eaten a bite since he's got here," Alaric scoffed.

"I know, I know," Nakos affirmed, "but think about what it was like for you as well. It's not easy for him, especially how for how young he is. I remember when you were of that age. So, vibrant and handsome. The day I first saw you at the Synagogue, you absolutely took my breath away."

"And I don't anymore?" His self-esteem seemed to have taken a nose, well, more of a snout, dive.

"You still do everytime I see you. With each blink of my eyes its like a blessing having you within my line of sight, let alone my presence."

Hearing the sound of hoof clops quietly striding in, a small whimpering accompanied them along with the central fire's pops and snaps.

"Well, speak of the devil," Alaric said. "Think he'll get any sleep tonight?"

"I doubt it," Nakos replied. "I'm surprised they gave a task so large for one so young. He was bound to fall just like Icarus. Sorry, the lack of sleep is making me rather repetitive tonight."

"No worries, I just hope that his crying won't keep me up again. I haven't had a decent night's rest since he got here. It's practically been a week and he's still not adjusted to living with us, as one of us. I swear he just needs to knock out or get knocked out."

Tired of his relentless brute tactics, she couldn't bare to hear it anymore, like the screams of a banshee escaping from the throat of a mountain lion, Madra roared at Alaric, "Maybe if you were a bit more compassionate, you'd find in in your heart to put him at ease! Goodness, if you truly cared about yourself you'd help his problem, hence solving your own!"

"Oh, keep it down, you hypocrite! For all the work I've done it hasn't been good enough for him! Can't you see that he lusts not for this world, but for the life he used to live! No matter how hard we can try to push him to accept his new fate, he won't be able to of our own accord unless its of his own!"

"Work! Ha! I haven't seen you do any decent work since he's got here let alone since he's showed up, you sloth! What works of mercy have you offered to him!"

"I've gifted him hamstring from our hunt the other day! And he was horrified till the point of vomiting! I offered him drink! And he cried upon seeing his reflection in the water! I've offered him shelter! And he does not stay with us for he thinks this is a prison! I've given him the clothes off my back and they just fall right off of his frame! I've extended him mercy, and they're just not good enough for him!"

Hearing the yelling echo throughout the caverns, all the youngest one could do, was shake and tremble at the ferocity within their voices.

"Oh no," he thought, "they're arguing not over me, but about me. If this gets any worse they might kick me out since I don't seem to fit in with them quite yet!" The existential fear of loneliness coiled around his heart like a black serpent before hissing and sinking its fangs within him. He could feel its venom coursing through his body, spreading out towards his limbs. If he didn't want to be alone, he'd have to make peace between them. For he knew that running away wouldn't solve this issue, but just cause it to further develop into a crisis.

Interjecting as per usual between the two, Nakos spoke up, "Madra! It's okay! I gave him a few of my robes and they seem to fit. However, it is truly up to him to accept himself, accept us, accept this place as his new home, and to accept the nature of what he has become. We cannot make him take that plunge, but he must do so himself. Now, please, enough, the both of you," he glared a bit at Alaric for the sudden outburst.

Knowing when to stop, Alaric lied down pulling the covers back up towards his and Nakos' chest. After giving him a gentle kiss on the neck, he whispered, "I'm sorry."

"I forgive you," Nakos whispered back.

Turning in her sheets, Madra grumbled, fuming at the argument she just had. She was sure that she'd continue this argument with her various bars of soap at the waterfall for her morning shower, tomorrow. If the grapes of wrath were of a wine bottle, one might think that she had drunk more than her fair share for the evening.

Hearing her tossing and turning in her bed, not knowing if it was still possible to smooth things over, but also still not having a room as of yet, the newly fallen had approached her door. Knocking on the bark with the back of his hand, he gently spoke up, "Madra?"

"Huh? Oh, Mendel! Come in, come in. Tell me, are you alright, sweetie?"

Pushing past the large piece of decayed lumber, he moved so quietly as not to make a sound with his hooves, "I- I think. I'm just- adjusting."

"Where were you after we stoked the fire ?"

"I was at the river again."

"Taking pride in your newfound form, you little Narcissus?"

"No, more like mourning the one I lost."

Seeing how her little pick-me-up joke fell flat, she felt ever so guilty because of it, "Oh, I'm sorry. Wait, you were at the river the entire time?"

"Yeah," Mendel nervously gripped his forearm with his other hand, his body language showing signs of discomfort with the topic, "Uh, don't worry though. I made sure to wash up before I left, though."

"Mendel, come here." He proceeded to step closer, and she reached out for one of his hands. "Goodness! Honey, you're freezing!"

Trying to pull his hand back, he immediately began to apologize, "I'm sorry, Madra. I just-." Then he was taken by surprise by what she did next.

Looking down at his hand, he saw that she was blowing on it ever so lightly. It seemed to him that a small stream of light or golden dust flowed from her lips into the palms of his hands. The warmth from her breath had begun to seal itself within his hands, chasing away the cold as far as the east is from the west. "There, now, how's that feel? Better?" She rubbed his hand between both of hers.

Looking down at her, a light tear shed from his eye and he smiled, "Much. Thank you."

"Not a problem, darling. Now give me the other, and tell me what's on your mind."

As she continued on doing her work of compassion, he stated, "I'm sorry to make you guys argue like that. I don't mean to. It's just that. I'm so new to this. Everything's different. My feet, my wings, my face, my hands, even my diet! Do we really have to eat that? Do we really have to eat them?"

Sullenly, she nodded. "It's a lot to take in, but we must do our best to survive. It's a cursed existence, but it's a lot better than hell, that's for certain. Remember, Mendel, hell is a lot like Heaven in that it's a gift in which you can tend to give yourself. You can either choose to accept giving yourself a slice of Heaven, or," she looked towards him.

"A sliver of hell."

"Exactly. While we're here on earth, things may not be perfect, but it's our job, it's our duty, to make sure that we provide ourselves with as much Heaven as possible, even to others, without giving them a taste of hell gifted by us."

"But, what we do is-."

"Nah, uh, uh," she waggled a finger. "We must not fight against our necessary needs. We will do what we must, but we will not do so to excess. I promise you."

"Okay. Just, please don't argue over me, anymore. I'd hate to have to leave the group because you guys are fighting about me."

"Well, we won't if you get some sleep and something to eat. When was the last time you slept?"

"Before coming here."

"You mean your fall? Mendel, you have to get some rest, immediately. You can die from sleep deprivation faster than you will from starvation. Come here, climb on in." Lifting her covers, she beckoned him to bed.

As he was the newest member of the group, Mendel hadn't had a room of his own to sleep in yet. Though Alaric was adept at carving out stone with muscular frame, and thanks to Nakos' ingenuity with constructing rudimentary tools, his own lack of sleep had drained his energy from his usual tasks except for hunting and eating. Madra's offer was comforting, but it what was beneath the covers that truly shocked Mendel.

Trying to turn away and averting his eyes, he dared not to look. For he was afraid of inciting her anger for seeing. Blushing profusely, his embarrassment showed as bright as day on his face. Alas, the only thing underneath Madra's covers was Madra herself, and only herself.

"Madra, you're-."

Rolling her eyes, she thought, "Oh brother." Not wanting to deal with anymore antics tonight, she dragged Mendel beneath the blankets, clutching him closely.

With his words caught in his throat, he didn't know what to do. He became too afraid to move, let alone speak. "Relax, Mendel. When you're this far up north this is the best way to conserve body heat, especially when its cold, and especially since you've been at the river all night long." She poked a finger at the tip of his muzzle.

Stammering a bit, before his tongue could get untied, he finally said, "Bu- bu- but, are you sure? With me? I mean?"

"Mendel, I promise you. I slept like this all the time in Heaven. As we say in the 'Our Father,' 'On Earth as it is in Heaven.' I had no shame in my previous form, nor do I possess any in this form. You're alright."

"But I-," his nerves were getting the better of him. He's never been this close with a woman before previously, even though up above on cloud nine he had many suitors approaching him for his form was more than fine. Although their forms weren't as angelic as they used to be, there was still an appeal to them as there was to all forms of creation.

"Mendel," she looked down at him, and his eyes had proceeded to meet her gaze, "calm down. You need to rest. We need you at your best tomorrow. Alright? You might be the difference between us living for the next few months and starvation. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't like starving, even if we're eating a lot less than usual."

"Oh, alright."

"There we go," she caressed his head, and brought him close to her chest, "now just nestle down on in there, and focus on catching some sleep. The better you sleep, the sooner we can eat, alright?"

"Yes, Madra." He let out a yawn and smacked his lips. As his eyes began to slowly close on him, her heartbeat began to take him off into the land of dreams, and on the seventh day he rested.

As they lay there on one of her wing's membranes, her other one wrapped tightly around him, bringing him even more closer.

Seeing as how his mouth was still a bit agape, she smiled and hummed a silent prayer over him. "Goodness, he's drooling already." She giggled lightly. Looking down upon his face, she nuzzled the tuft of hair upon his head with her snout. "He's still so young. He must've had a lot of potential to have been promoted to a guardian angel for one so young. Even as a rellik he still looks so innocent."

It was the first time she's seen him at peace. Even though she knew that she'd have to fall asleep soon, Madra wished that she could just stay up a little longer admiring him. "Goodnight Mendel," she whispered, and then planted a small kiss on the top of his forehead.

Fin