"Ugh, how much further, my feet are killing me."
Roxas stopped and turned to face Sora, who was leaning on Big Red, the name Sora had chosen for their chocobo, Roxas wasn't sure when it had become 'their' chocobo, but Big Red was just that regardless of when it had started.
"We have to keep heading inland, northeast for another three or four days, quit whining."
"Three or four days, Roxas this is nutz," Sora protested, he sat down and opened his pack.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm hungry."
"Oh for the, we just had breakfast."
Sora smiled up at Roxas. "Yeah, we had breakfast at seven in the morning. It's eleven. I'm hungry."
"Fine, we'll rest here for a bit."
Big Red warbled and leaned down in attempt to procure a sandwich, Sora waved the chocobo away from his pack.
"Hey! These are mine."
Roxas snorted, watching as the bird fluffed its feathers and chirped in annoyance, attempting again to get a sandwich; watching the ten foot tall bird being fended off by Sora, who was barely over half the bird's height, was rather comical. After several more equally futile attempts Big Red gave up with a huff and sat down between the two boys sullenly.
Roxas reached over and stroked the chocobo's feathers soothingly.
"You know considering he was part of the Twilight Militia he's pretty harmless."
"Maybe he just knows that we're not dangerous." Sora supplied through a mouthful of sandwich.
"Maybe," Roxas responded half-heartedly. He wondered how people would react when two boys and a militia chocobo turned up missing. They'd probably assume that the chocobo had been stolen by them or something. He still wasn't sure how Big Red had gotten out of his stable to follow them around. It wasn't like the bird was bridled or anything, he couldn't even begin to imagine how the chocobo had gone unnoticed long enough to find and follow Sora and himself.
Big Red went very quiet and stiffened noticeably, his head raising up above the boys and turning in a wide arc as he surveyed the surrounding forest. It was too dim for Roxas to make anything out, but he looked in the same direction the chocobo was staring just the same.
"What do you think—"
Red let out a piercing shriek and was on his feet in an instant barreling through the trees running at a full charge. Both boys looked at one another and hurriedly gathered their things and ran after the rampaging chocobo.
"What's wrong?" Roxas called.
"How should I know?" Sora panted as he jumped over a fallen log.
Ahead of them they heard a pining cry and something that sounded like someone had run into a wet wall. There was a sickening slap, followed by another shriek from Bid Red and a scream that sent shivers down both their backs. They quickened their pace, trying to find the chocobo. They came upon Big Red in a small dip in the forest, nestled down close to the ground with his beak clamped down on the neck of a large female deer.
Big Red looked up at them, warbling cheerily, as if he expected praise for his actions, Sora and Roxas watched, dumbstruck as the big bird returned its attention to the dead deer, using its beak to tear away chunks of flesh as it began to eat.
Sora's face broke out in a smile. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about feeding him right?"
Roxas' face was pale he hadn't realized chocobos were carnivorous; the militia forces had always fed theirs a strange jam-like substance that smelt strongly of berries. He'd always assumed that the massive birds ate berries in the wild. Now he wondered what else was in that mixture that the soldiers had fed their birds.
"Do you think he'll try to eat us?" He asked worriedly.
"Nah," Sora said confidently. He slid down the slope towards Big Red who stopped gorging himself to eye Sora curiously; Roxas had the unpleasant image of the big bird using his beak to eviscerate Sora.
"Be careful Sora."
Big Red clicked his beak warningly as Sora came to a stop besides him; Sora reached out and touched the bird's reddened beak, stroking it gently. Big Red's eyes closed for a moment and he chirped affectionately as he leaned his huge head against Sora's chest who giggled like little kid.
"There you see? He's not going to hurt us, are you?"
Roxas twitched at the blood that had been smeared over Sora's shirt, he felt like he was going to be sick.
"Okay you've proved your point; I'm going to wait over here until he's finished."
Roxas woke with a start, he hadn't realized that he'd been sleeping, he looked around, and it was dark already. That was strange, he couldn't have been asleep that long, and where was Sora?
"Sora?"
A low chirp emanated from the direction Roxas remembered the ditch being. He stood and walked in the dim light towards the sound. He felt his foot fall on lower ground and stopped. Two green glowing orbs stared up at him, he froze his hands spreading ready to call his keyblades, then an uneasy warble greeted him and he relaxed. It was Big Red, the chocobo came up to greet him; he noticed a vague shape besides Red's outline.
"Sora is that you?"
"Yeah, I'm next to Red, he woke me up."
Roxas looked around them, he remembered Evening Forest being dark, and hence the name, but it had never been this dark. He looked down at his watch; it was too early for it to be this dark. Then he shivered, his heart froze.
"Oh no, Sora they're coming."
Sora didn't ask, there was a snap and a beam of light appeared with his keyblade, Roxas did the same. Big Red's feathers fluffed and then flattened out, his neck stretched out as he eyed the darkness. He let out an irritated hiss, clicking his beak threateningly. The noise made both boys jump, and Sora stroked Red's side soothingly with his free hand as he searched the darkness surrounding them for telltale signs of the creatures.
They heard them then, the same chattering they'd heard that night in the rain, though sound of insects scrabbling over each other. Clicks and whistles accompanied the scrambling and the boys searched for the glowing eyes in the gloom. They saw nothing, but the sound was growing stronger, Roxas swallowed, wishing that Red wasn't between himself and Sora. He felt safer with Sora besides him, what had Yen Sid said? That they were stronger together? He certainly felt braver at least.
Big Red let out the same shriek as he had earlier when hunting the deer and leapt straight upwards, knocking both boys on their faces as his wings spread and he was airborne for a moment. He landed with a thud, there was a squeal as he shook his head from side to side, and then slammed something into the ground, goring whatever it was with his talons.
Both boys looked to see one of the smaller shadow monsters writhing in agony beneath the kicking claws of the chocobo. They exchanged terrified glances before looking up. There were dozens of glowing eyes above them in the trees.
"Oh no…." Roxas whispered.
Big Red finished with his victim, then crouched again, hissing menacingly at the eyes above them, his own eyes glowing green to their gold. Something dove at them, Red leapt again and a flying shadow was suddenly writhing and shrieking in the bird's beak as its wings were crushed by the scissor like motion of the chocobo's jaws.
Sora managed an uneasy smile. "And then there were a thousand."
Roxas returned the smile, recognizing the parody of the childhood story his mother had read to he and Cloud. "Your mom read that too?"
Sora nodded, above them the eyes had stopped their descent, apparently cautioned by the chocobo's attacks. Big Red took the opportunity to yank yet another helpless creature from a tree, the other eyes retreated uncertainly, hissing and chattering furiously at the assault.
"At least they're afraid of him." Sora said anxiously.
Roxas nodded, he wondered how long it would be before the shadows realized that they could overwhelm the lone chocobo? Sure he was a warbird, but that wouldn't count for much against such numbers would it? Big Red chirped defiantly up at the hissing mass as he finished off his latest kill, as if he was daring them to come any lower. Roxas hoped they wouldn't take the dare.
"Here they come again." Sora said.
The bobbing eyes did indeed begin to descend yet again, this time when Big Red leapt up and grabbed a mouthful of shadows he came down with three of them in his beak. Sora gripped his blade tightly. One of the pairs of eyes leapt at Red as he gored his latest victims and Sora swung his blade, slicing the creature in half, it died with a peeling shriek as it dissolved under the impact of the keyblade. Roxas swung one of his blades; throwing it upwards it spun up into the descending mass, butchering at least a half dozen of the creatures causing that particular advance to halt and fallback.
"Roxas!" Sora cried.
Roxas turned to see Sora covered in the shadows, they were crawling all over him, scratching and clawing, his second keyblade reappeared in his hand and he dove into the fray, slashing this way and that. Once he and Sora connected, their blades ringing as they collided with one another, the sound shattering the hissing screeching mass of creatures that surrounded them as they fled from the blinding light and deafening sound created by the impact of the two blades; Big Red took this brief respite the charge down several large shadows, goring them with beak and talon.
Sora saw for the first time in the fight under the lingering light of the keyblades that Big Red had acquired several gashes along his flanks and neck. These wounds hadn't seemed to slow the chocobo though; instead they seemed to drive the bird into a mad fury, inspiring new feats of slaughter that the vicious strikes from his jaws and feet dealt in droves to his attackers who scattered before his furiously shrieked war cry. The boys did their part in turn, trying their best to stay close to the now maddened and rampaging chocobo and cover the bird's vulnerable flanks and rear from the throngs of angrily slashing creatures.
It seemed like the rain of monsters would never end, more continually dropped from the trees above them as the trio made their made dash through the woods, led by the furious chocobo's charges at whatever target presented itself. Sora's arm was tiring and he was holding his blade tightly in both hands as he attempted to keep his blows strong. Roxas was dashing this way and that, swinging with everything he had in an attempt to keep the creatures at bay. Both had acquired numerous cuts which the cold brought on by the monsters bit into ravenously, further slowing their movements and reactions.
"Roxas," Sora panted. "I think this is it, I can't go any further."
Roxas stood by him, panting, and wiping blood from his vision that dripped from a gash on his forehead. "I know the feeling…next time, when I suggest we run away into the wilderness, stop me."
Sora nodded weakly, the shadows seemed to feel their weakness, and even Big Red had stopped his mad charges and now half-crouched besides the boys, hissing menacingly and snapping at their harassers. If nothing else, Sora mused, they'd killed quite a few of the monsters, there were only a handful of them left, most of those fliers that kept out of reach for the most part. He felt fear, fear that he was going to die, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. He reached over and gripped Roxas' arm tightly, Roxas let go of the keyblade he held in that hand and gripped Sora's hand tightly. Sora swallowed, feeling tears form in his eyes; at least he wouldn't be alone.
The shadows chattered to one another excitedly, sensing the fall of their opponents, they began to tighten the ring they'd formed around the trio, gnashing their teeth and swiping their claws, the boys gritted their teeth and raised their blades, determined to give one last effort, Big Red heaved himself up, planting his feet firmly and hissing once more in defiance.
"Be gone shades, these boys are not yours to take."
There was blinding green light that followed the voice; it was a strong, commanding, and even frightening voice. Yet it was calm, controlled, it sounded to Sora like the kind of tone the teacher would use to scold Seifer for one of his latest outrages. The voice seemed to command that the darkness yield to the green light that now bathed the area. The shadows shrieked in agony as emerald and gold flame engulfed them, consuming them entirely, even the flyers were ablaze, it seemed almost as if the flames reached up and grabbed them, dragging them into the inferno that now ringed the boys.
Red cried mournfully, shrinking from the flame and crouching low to the ground, Sora and Roxas huddled besides him and the massive bird lifted his torn and bleeding wing, extending it over them protectively and blocking their view of the carnage. They could feel the bird quivering besides them, but the warmth from its body was still strong, his heart beat powerfully and that brought them some comfort.
The green light faded, but so did the shadow brought on the creatures' assault. The boys didn't move, waiting quietly to see what would happen next.
"Stop cowering under that beast's wing you weaklings."
The boys pushed out from under Red, who chirped at them insistently as if he wanted to continue to protect them. Before them stood a woman swathed in black, she held a scepter in one hand atop which a green orb casting the same green light as the flames shimmered. She eyed them with an arched brow, as if summing them up, the gaze also said she found them lacking.
"Master Yen Sid did not expect you to enact upon such folly, be grateful that I was able to come to your aid."
She stretched out her hand; a raven alighted upon the back of it. She smiled coolly at it.
"Go my pet; inform His Majesty that the boys are safe."
The raven lifted off, circling them once before vanishing into the trees.
"Who are you?" Sora managed.
The woman returned her appraising gaze to the boys, considering them yet again as she answered calmly.
"I am Maleficent, advisor to King Ansem the Wise."