April 2nd: Scenic Sunday – Oops – The red pooling on the carpet could spell the beginning of the end for your character's sanity.
"We've got to go."
Chiaotzu stared blankly at the floor. Carpet so dark it looked black. The pool of blood was almost invisible. Deep red, the flickering reflections of the fire dancing across its surface the only thing that gave it away.
"Chiaotzu, snap out of it."
Tien's hand on his arm. Gripping hard enough to hurt. To bruise. Not enough to bring him back to himself. His eyes shone with tears as he looked up at Tien.
"I didn't mean to," he said. His voice seemed to come from a great distance, calm and surprisingly level.
Tien's eyes were hard. Glinting in the firelight. When he glanced at the body lying motionless on the carpet his face twisted with hatred. In contrast his grip loosened, became gentle, comforting.
"He was going to kill you if you didn't."
This did break through Chiaotzu's shock and he started to sob into his hands, huge ugly gasps that tore from his chest. Tien pulled him up by the arm, cradled him close. Turned his small face away from the sight of that vicious snarl, of the firelight reflected in familiar dark glasses.
There was so much blood.
"It's okay, Chiaotzu," Tien murmured. His voice was a deep rumble that smoothed the rough edges of Chiaotzu's mind. His hand cupped the side of the telepath's head. Protection. Comfort. Reassurance. The hatred in his eyes, now the face of his brother was hidden, blazed bright as he stared down at the body.
Shen had come for them. He'd crept into their farm in the dead of night, found them sleeping and vulnerable. Chiaotzu had woken first. His mind had caught the rush of rage that had filled their former master, the loathing, and had barely managed to throw up his hands to form a shield around them when the first Dodon ray had flashed in the darkness.
Tien had woken to the Crane Hermit's furious scream. It had caught on his mind, sending him back to his childhood and the fear he'd survived through. He had shot upright just in time to see a shining blue blade of crackling psychic energy slice through Shen's throat, silencing him in one swift movement.
As the fire of his Dodonpa smouldered and caught on the curtains, sheets, carpet, Master Shen tried to hold his throat together and collapsed onto the floor.
Tien resisted the urge to spit on the body. Holding Chiaotzu's trembling body close to his chest, he turned and strode from the room. From their home. From the quiet, safe life they had tried to build.
Safe. What a joke.
"I didn't mean to," Chiaotzu whimpered against his chest.
Tien murmured a comfort that wasn't made of words. His mind encircled Chiaotzu's, a soothing telepathic embrace. He could feel the edges of Chiaotzu's mind starting to unravel, tendrils of psychic energy trembling loose, but Tien didn't let that happen. He would never let that happen. He would always be here to hold the boy together.