||Minor Trigger Warning: anxiety||
Laced within his blood was an innate fear. It began to seep into his reality more and more, distorting his vision through an vignette of blurriness. Due to the emotions, Venari determined himself to focus even more on the quest. If he was distracted, Venari could hope to put an end to his tiresome thoughts. Though, at the moment, it would take double the focus just to get them to lower the volume to a whisper. Flicking his ebony tail in disgust and irritation, he pawed the ground once, twice, thrice. Upon the fourth hit, he put all of his frustration behind his dagger and slammed it into the ground, causing a jolt of pain. Venari winced but took no more notice of it; while it had helped relieve some of his tension, anxiety still plucked at veins like guitar strings; except the music was much less beautiful.
Walking forwards once again, Venari craned his neck down to inspect a tree stump. The leaves looked out of place and something smelt odd too; a damp and mouldy smell filled his nostrils and he scrunched his face up. With no warning, a small creature fled the scene, bald tail clipping leaves as it did so. Venari took a step back and snorted, his slightly injured limb curling beneath him; poised to stamp the ground once more. However the creature seemed to have gone for good and so he placed his leg down carefully, mindful of the pain that still throbbed within the ligaments.
With a swift shake of his head, Venari continued with the same routine as he had held before; weaving his body through the trees and continually looking for the relic. He hated this place with ever fibre of his being, however he needed to be here if he wanted to succeed. The stallion needed to work through these emotions if he stood any chance of getting better. So focused on his hunting was he that he failed to notice any movement in the trees around him. It was only with the sudden sound of twigs snapping that the stag launched his head into the air. Ears flicked forwards only to better hear movement and his nostrils flared wide, snorting to whatever had made the noise in a severe warning. Within his throat rumbled a deep, rumbling nicker of alarm; he hated this. He needed to leave.
Limbs trembling, he squared his halt and stretched his legs a little to make himself seem taller. As well as this, he tipped his head forwards to point his antlers at the stranger. Iced orbs observed the fellow stallion (the scent gave him away) and noticed the taller stature. The dark tones. He recalled the brash movements with panic; it felt like he was being hunted all over again. The situation felt copied over from his past and he felt his heart try to leap from his ribcage. He needed out. He had to get away; he continued to back up.
As he lifted his head slightly, Venari noticed a smile upon the creature's lips. He double-took to make sure it was a smile and not a frown and spun his mind back into reality. This wasn't four years ago. This wasn't him being hunted. This was a stranger with good intentions; he could tell from the words he had just barely registered. Shaking his entire body out, Venari attempted to dislodge the anxiety that had invaded him. It half worked. He relaxed his stance and paced forwards to take back the ground he had given over to his fear. A sheepish smile formed upon his features, the first part of his apology to this stranger.
"Sorry about that," he muttered with as much fake confidence he could muster. He was still trembling. "I am indeed; it's proving hard to f-find," he cursed himself for stammering right at the end of that sentence; he had been doing so well until that point. He hoped this stallion was kind to him after his explosive outburst. God, he felt so bad. "How about y-" Venari cut himself off at the sound of a deep, sinister growl. This wasn't from the stranger in front of him - no. This was something entirely different. Something far, far worse.
Frozen in fear, the teal stallion stares only straight ahead, his mind a wreck and unable to rationalise the current events in this cursed forest. Was he even breathing?
*
TAGGED: @Reichenbach & @Damascus & Open
NOTES: Don't mind Ven, he's just 100% losing it
TIMELINE: Fifth relic location, second day
