I'm procrastinating. I have Karma's chapter sitting on my desktop, and Caitlyn's, and TF's, and here I am, writing Kindred.
(Spoiler alert, I didn't kill Lux off. Keep your socks on.)
Lux would wake on the forest floor, so late into the night that every trace of poison had faded from the air and the moon glowed high above the trees. She could no longer feel any aching in her lungs, but there was no sign of Soraka or the Ionians she'd escorted around her.
The forest was unnaturally silent. It would be a clear sign, later, that something was wrong, but Lux suspected nothing yet. She rose to her feet and glanced, dazed, between each of the trees. For a long while, there was nothing, until a pale figure peeked from within the brush.
"Hello?" Lux took a step forward, lowering the staff clasped in her hands.
"What is that?" A gruff voice demanded.
"She is trying not to threaten us." A softer followed.
"Are you lost, too?" Her first instinct was to be friendly, even as the creature remained cloaked within the trees.
"It is too bold."
"Only ignorant, dear Wolf. Come closer, Luxanna, we can hardly see you in the dark." A shiver ran down her spine but Lux made her way out of the clearing nonetheless, entranced by the soothing tone.
"Do you know me?" She dropped her staff into the grass, "What are you doing all the way out here?"
"We are here for you, of course." She was near enough now to make out a face, but was greeted only by the violet glow behind Lamb's black mask.
Lux gasped.
"Now it knows."The deep voice chuckled and Lux could make nothing of it out but glowing eyes, its discarnate form masked beneath so many trees.
"N-no, I- I'm not dying, Soraka saved me..."
"But if not, why is there so much mourning in your eyes?"
"Will it run? Is it mine?"
"Patience, Wolf." The words were spoken not to chastise but in humor, and Lux could make out the Wolf's dark fur only where Lamb caressed its back. "We know you are so tired. Would you like me to help you rest?"
"I-I don't want to." She stammered, clutching in vain at her staff. Lamb was right, exhaustion felt like bricks tied to her limbs. This was not something she could fight. "I'm not tired." She lied.
"Let her run." The Wolf surged forward to bare its teeth and Lux winced, but stood her ground.
"Hush now, Lux." Lamb's voice soothed her, "It is a simple choice. Two paths, one fate."
"That isn't any choice at all!"
"It is fighting."Wolf displayed a toothy grin, and Lux saw the glimmer of an arrow lower in Lamb's hands. "Perhaps she will be yours."
"I d-don't have to die." Her teeth chattered, "I'm not tired, I'm awake. I'm awake!"
Lux roused with a start, her bedsheets drenched in sweat. She sat up so quickly that the nurse beside her jumped, rushing quickly to her bedside and placing soft hands on her shoulders to lower her back down. "No, no, Lux, you must rest." She couldn't summon the energy to struggle and sunk back into the unpleasant dampness of the bed, one question fighting its way onto her lips. "W-Where am I?"
The answer didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was here.
It was a dream. Just a dream.
Happy Halloween!