Atticus wheezed, the exhale shuddering and uneven. He gingerly rolled over onto his left side, cautious of the fresh wound that tore across his opposite shoulder, and his narrowed eyes sought out the two figures that had begun to retreat further into the wood. With blurred vision that only threatened to grow weaker, he barely made out the tearful look that Hope had shot him from her perch within one of the departing women's grasp.
A growl slipped out from between gritted teeth, one that indicated unspoken agony, and with a hefty grimace, Atty forced his torso to rise from the earth. Hope's whimpering gradually drew quieter as the trio progressed deeper into the dark forest and out of sight, giving way to the persistent chatter of various insects that would undoubtedly continue through the night. He closed his eyes, panting audibly from the exertion, but eventually convinced his body to twist about so he could idly hover on all fours. Blood dripped from the open gash that penetrated far into the meat of his shoulder, just above his collarbone, and pooled shallowly beneath him as he caught his breath.
He swallowed hard before steeling himself, heaving his body up and onto his feet. The movement was labored and by no means graceful, but once at full height, he promptly scoured the surrounding trees for a familiar face.
Tegan, his ten year old daughter, emerged from an outcropping of spruce; her dark skin and matching apparel nearly blended in with the dim environment. She was trembling, yet not from the nip in the air, and Atticus was more than aware of what was the cause of her anxiety. A moment escaped them upon locking eyes, before the half-songaskian child desperately darted for her father's side. She enveloped his waist in a despairing embrace, tiny fingers threatening to dig into the flesh contained within his shabby overcoat and equally-tattered undershirt.
Despite his fogged mind-- and subdued cough from the initial impact-- Atty returned the gesture with equivalent vigor, collapsing to his knees so he could match her height. His right hand cradled the back of her head whilst she burrowed into his left shoulder. Without missing a beat, his left arm scooped around her form to bring her in tightly, as if the close proximity would ward off her muffled cries. To his dismay, it did not.
"Shhh... Teegs, I'm right here," he cooed, but couldn't maintain composure. He, too, surrendered to tears-- salty rivers that traversed down his dirtied face. She could hear the tremble in his voice, which prompted her to lean back and peer up at him with the deepest concern. "I'm so s-sorry, pa'... I-I'm... S-so sorry!" she sputtered out quietly in quick, stuttered succession.
His hands rose to cup at her tear-stricken cheeks. A thumb idly ran over one side, in order to cleanse it of some excess moisture; however, it was a fruitless endeavor. He regarded her for a moment in silence, merely relishing in the fact that she was, for the most part, unharmed. With a lowering of his lids, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead, only to shift to the side and pull her into the crook of his neck to the left. She gladly obliged while her fingers clawed into his back.
"C'mon... We need tuh get home," he mused aloud, voice hoarse as he staved off another wave of pain. His jaw tensed while he made to rise once more, which was no easier than the first attempt even with Tegan's aid in sturdying him. She nodded wordlessly, reaching up to take him by the hand, and lingered close by, in the event he'd need help in staying afloat. Her blue eyes strayed, though, shamelessly staring at the deep burgundy that lazily bled downward, into the fabric of her father's winter jacket. A hitch in her warm breath against the cold, night air betrayed her alarm. "Hurry, pa'-- y-you're hurt..." she muttered in a hushed tone.
He disregarded her concern, nodding, and did his best to focus on convincing his feet to move. Their journey was not an easy one, by no means, but it could've been far worse-- and Atticus, while still contending with severe guilt regarding Hope's fate, felt beyond blessed to still have his daughter in his presence.
@GamerGirl456 @LuLuKat
here's that reunion u wanted to see uwu
@Peace_Hope
im find u someday.... hang in there
A growl slipped out from between gritted teeth, one that indicated unspoken agony, and with a hefty grimace, Atty forced his torso to rise from the earth. Hope's whimpering gradually drew quieter as the trio progressed deeper into the dark forest and out of sight, giving way to the persistent chatter of various insects that would undoubtedly continue through the night. He closed his eyes, panting audibly from the exertion, but eventually convinced his body to twist about so he could idly hover on all fours. Blood dripped from the open gash that penetrated far into the meat of his shoulder, just above his collarbone, and pooled shallowly beneath him as he caught his breath.
He swallowed hard before steeling himself, heaving his body up and onto his feet. The movement was labored and by no means graceful, but once at full height, he promptly scoured the surrounding trees for a familiar face.
Tegan, his ten year old daughter, emerged from an outcropping of spruce; her dark skin and matching apparel nearly blended in with the dim environment. She was trembling, yet not from the nip in the air, and Atticus was more than aware of what was the cause of her anxiety. A moment escaped them upon locking eyes, before the half-songaskian child desperately darted for her father's side. She enveloped his waist in a despairing embrace, tiny fingers threatening to dig into the flesh contained within his shabby overcoat and equally-tattered undershirt.
Despite his fogged mind-- and subdued cough from the initial impact-- Atty returned the gesture with equivalent vigor, collapsing to his knees so he could match her height. His right hand cradled the back of her head whilst she burrowed into his left shoulder. Without missing a beat, his left arm scooped around her form to bring her in tightly, as if the close proximity would ward off her muffled cries. To his dismay, it did not.
"Shhh... Teegs, I'm right here," he cooed, but couldn't maintain composure. He, too, surrendered to tears-- salty rivers that traversed down his dirtied face. She could hear the tremble in his voice, which prompted her to lean back and peer up at him with the deepest concern. "I'm so s-sorry, pa'... I-I'm... S-so sorry!" she sputtered out quietly in quick, stuttered succession.
His hands rose to cup at her tear-stricken cheeks. A thumb idly ran over one side, in order to cleanse it of some excess moisture; however, it was a fruitless endeavor. He regarded her for a moment in silence, merely relishing in the fact that she was, for the most part, unharmed. With a lowering of his lids, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead, only to shift to the side and pull her into the crook of his neck to the left. She gladly obliged while her fingers clawed into his back.
"C'mon... We need tuh get home," he mused aloud, voice hoarse as he staved off another wave of pain. His jaw tensed while he made to rise once more, which was no easier than the first attempt even with Tegan's aid in sturdying him. She nodded wordlessly, reaching up to take him by the hand, and lingered close by, in the event he'd need help in staying afloat. Her blue eyes strayed, though, shamelessly staring at the deep burgundy that lazily bled downward, into the fabric of her father's winter jacket. A hitch in her warm breath against the cold, night air betrayed her alarm. "Hurry, pa'-- y-you're hurt..." she muttered in a hushed tone.
He disregarded her concern, nodding, and did his best to focus on convincing his feet to move. Their journey was not an easy one, by no means, but it could've been far worse-- and Atticus, while still contending with severe guilt regarding Hope's fate, felt beyond blessed to still have his daughter in his presence.
---
@GamerGirl456 @LuLuKat
here's that reunion u wanted to see uwu
@Peace_Hope
im find u someday.... hang in there
