Across long distances and vast plains, my future lies nowhere.

Ahrach nodded once, turning to Erelx. "We need to go as quickly as possible. Let's move." Ahrach crouched, and jumped into the air, his image shifting to a large eagle. Erelx dropped all her ammo and guns, destroying each one with a kick or a shot, and then throwing the last gun away. That done, she morphed into a crow and flew away. Ahrach dove by Raven, before hastily following Erelx.

Raven leapt into the air, her weapons not bothering her as they vanished, morphing smoothly into a slightly-larger-than-normal raven and following the two Kuijin. Her wings struck the air at twice the pace of the larger birds', but she also knew how to use thermals and air currents to her advantage.

Ahrach stared straight onwards, beating the air with grand brown wings. Erelx slashed the air, having a slightly smaller size than her younger brother.
"We'll have to stop after a few hours of flight," Erelx croaked, "Raven and I have been searching for you for months now. We're dead tired, and I don't think neither of us will keep up."
"Three hours it is, then," Ahrach replied, "we'll land for a three-hour pause. Then we must move again." Ahrach looked back at Raven. "Will it be all right, Raven?"

Raven ducked her head in a sign of agreement. The Kuijin may be able to talk in their bird forms, but she couldn't. It was one of the annoying things she had found, especially when you're trying to escape from a bunch of demon hunters and one of your kids is kicking up a right fuss.

Ahrach turned his head forwards, glancing down at the forest under them, adorning the cliffs and sides of the mountains. They were following a long chain of mountains, which would eventually lead to Erelx's home.
"Erelx!" Ahrach yelled, "I recognize this part of this forest. I've already been here multiple times, now that I look at it from above. There are some plants which would be fairly useful to grab."
"Go get them, then," Erelx replied, "we'll be continuing our route."
Ahrach nodded, and dove like a spear. He plummeted to the trees, before swiftly dodging the branches and leaves, and soaring above ground, searching for the plants he thought of.

Raven narrowed her eyes, angling her wings and beginning her descent. She wasn't ready to leave Ahrach's side in case anything happened. She didn't trust Thalieth not to turn up again. The black raven glided down, morphing just before it landed. Raven looked at Ahrach.
"I'll carry anything that needs carrying, since it's stored in a pocket dimension until I morph back." She said, her eyes discreetly scanning the forest and its undergrowth for any signs of life.

Ahrach morphed back into his human form, gazing at Raven, before nodding quickly. "Thank you," he murmured, before turning around and crouching. He examined multiple flowers in his hand, before picking them, along with certain other herbs. "I need this, and this, and..." Ahrach whispered to himself, snatching another flower, "this." He stood up, before handing the ingredients to Raven. "These are the herbs I use to make that ointment of mine. Erelx also knows this, as well as a couple more tricks."

Raven nodded, carefully wrapping the flowers in a cloth and stowing them in a small pouch at her side. The bag was actually bigger on the inside, a trick that Onyx had found through her reading. Raven made a mental note to ask how she did it. She was still watching the forest, daring it to make any move.
"We should get back in the air before something manages to track us down." She said.

"You're right," Ahrach uttered, looking up. He morphed into an eagle, jumping off and beginning to soar into the airs. Despite the darkness of the night, he perceived Erelx's fine silhouette, and began to dash after it. He scanned the grounds under them, checking if there was anything suspicious or dangerous. He prayed that nothing came in their path.

Raven followed Ahrach's actions, taking to the skies again. She worked her wings twice as hard to try and keep pace with Ahrach. She was using all of her knowledge of air currents to take the weight off her wings, but she knew that her muscles would be sore in the morning. She shrugged mentally. Being back with Ahrach meant a lot more to her than that.

Ahrach followed his older sister, eyes staring straight forward. The wind whistled past his ears and wings as they sliced through the air. He had to admit to himself that he felt uncomfortable. Thalieth appearing right at the moment where she shouldn't have. Raven transforming, having lost her children... He had missed a lot of things since he was in the Lab.

Raven used a thermal to help her gain a little altitude. Her mind was far away, her wings steering her to follow Ahrach as if on autopilot. She had been working for months to track him, down, and now there he was, right in front of her, large as life. She sighed quietly to herself. A lot had happened in her own life as well, but she avoided thinking about it.

"We'll be resting at that peak over there," Erelx yelled, "remember that cave we were stuck in, Raven?" she asked, falling back slightly behind to be next to Raven, "When the snow fell down and we had to stay there? I remember numb fingers."
If Ahrach could've smirked, he would've. Last time he had seen Erelx and Raven, they were almost worst enemies. Erelx was arguing that Raven couldn't get close to her brother because she wasn't one of their race.

Raven nodded and angled her wings towards the mountain. She remembered the incident rather well as a matter of fact. She had suffered the cold for the few days that they had been stuck in that cave, despite putting all her efforts into keeping a largs fire going to keep the pair of them warm and to melt the snow blocking the entrance.

After a while, the small group managed to reach the destined peak. They turned to a cave-in at the side of the mountain. Ahrach transformed back to a human form and dropped to the ground softly. Erelx did so as well, and turned around to check the skies. Nothing was following them from the air.
The cold wind blew past them, and Ahrach curled his arms around his body. "We're lucki it ain't snowing over here, Erelx," Ahrach muttered.
"Oh, c'mon, you're used to this kind of weather. Stop being a sissy," Erelx replied, walking over to a large stone and resting herself against it. "Just a little break. Not like anyone's gonna come and get us."
"Mh," Ahrach replied, glaring at the forest below. his golden eyes glistened. He didn't feel very well, having just met Thalieth once again. He sighed and walked over to another batch of large stones, which seemed to have appeared after an avalanche. He sat next to a boulder, crossing his arms around his body.

Raven landed and morphed back, stretching her arms out. they felt cramped after the flying. She walked over to Ahrach, sitting next to him and wrapping her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. Her fingers gently stroked the feathers on his arm.
"How could anyone do this to you?" She asked softly.

Ahrach looked down at the ground, glaring at it. His eyes reflected hatred for the people who had done this to him, double by their use of him for their so-called revolutionary creation. His hand clenched into a fist as he thought about the hours of torture on the surgical table.
"I don't know," he answered quietly, relaxing, "but I am monster now. A deformed being. I can barely be used to do anything now. Too frail, too weak, and far too not-human."

"You're no more of a monster than you ever were, and you never were a monster." Raven murmured quietly. She took his hand, stretching hers out next to it, palm upwards. Her talon-like nails and pale ivory skin against Ahrach's bone-like hands. The demoness looked up at Ahrach, seeking to lock gazes.
"All they've done is change how you look..."

"And permanently changed my physique and powers," Ahrach finished, "a kuijin not being able to merge into human society is useless, is a rejection. There are very few kuijin who take two animal shapes, for the sole reason that the best contact to keep oneself sane is to have consciousness around you." Ahrach turned his eyes to Raven's. He clasped his hand around hers, holding it tightly. "I am weak and frail, Raven. I cannot use my body as efficiently as before. I cannot fight for my protection, nor for yours, without losing my energy quickly or having enough strength to push the obstacles away."

"Then you will just have to train until you can." Raven said firmly. She had seen soldiers in her home dimension struggle for years to overcome weaknesses, but she was determined to help Ahrach. "I can try to fit you with some sort of spell that can help hide your... less human features."

"I don't know if that's possible, really, Raven," Ahrach answered quietly, "I don't know what they put into me. Chemicals, modifiers..." Ahrach looked away, scowling at the ground. "Bits of other people of various races, maybe even uncontrolled magic. I couldn't know. I was in coma more than half of the time, trying to recuperate from what they had done to me..."

Raven wrapped her arms around Ahrach.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. If we had made a move sooner on the complex, you wouldn't have had to go through it all." She said quietly, closing her eyes tightly. She swallowed hard, gritting her teeth so as not to start crying.

Ahrach kept his head lowered, scowling at the ground. His eyes glinted fiercely in the darkness as the thoughts came back to his mind. He had lied to Raven; but yet he did not know what they did to him. He was awake the whole time - they needed a fully alive subject, not a half-dead one. But he didn't want Raven to be thinking about it. he just wanted to let it go, how hard that may be.
"It's not your fault, Raven," Ahrach answered quietly, "you couldn't of know what was happening to me whilst I was gone..."

Raven gently touched the feathers on Ahrach's head, running the tips of her fingers along the shafts. She softly kissed his forehead.
"We could have gotten to you sooner if we had tried harder, but I don't care what they've done to you. I still love you."

Ahrach's glare relaxed, curling his fingers around Raven's hand. His thin arm lay limp against the icy stone surface, feeling the bitter cold of it. Ahrach turned his eyes to Raven, gold meeting violet once more.
"You do not have to torture yourself about it," Ahrach murmured, "nobody could've known anything." Ahrach knew that the words coming out of his mouth wouldn't be enough, but it was the only thing left he had. Erelx is probably as troubled, if not more so, than Raven...