Icon ficlet the second

[pauraque_bk]

For isiscolo, who requested a fic based on this icon. The picture is from an old horror movie poster.


Round the Bend

Prongs twists around to dart after Padfoot into the darkness between the trees, and the wood-smooth base of the antler slips away out of Peter's paws. He clutches at the air, falling, falling, pounding of sharp hooves in his ears, his tail whipping back and forth for balance that isn't there-- and hits the ground hard on his side.

The wind is knocked out of him, but he staggers to his feet, slipping on the wet grass. Dizzy... Oh, his ribs... bruised or broken?

He blinks to clear his vision and looks up, straining to see. Prongs and Padfoot are gone. Only the wolf is still there, barrel chest and long legs backlit by the moon. It saunters towards Peter, hips swaying, too-long front paws grasping at the earth with every step. Traitorous body, bastard child of wolf and ape.

Peter knows, part of him knows, that it's just Remus, that there's nothing to fear... But it's so hard to remember sometimes, and oh his head... and adrenaline floods up like ice and he can't breathe anymore, can't remember anymore.

The wolf lowers its head; its eyes are silver-blank slits, congealing metal. Hot breath blows over Peter's nostrils, tasting of meat and murder. The wolf edges even closer to get a whiff of him. Stiff white whiskers brush against Peter's muzzle; a slow shudder stands all his fur on end.

The jaws open-- gleaming black teeth-- unnatural sun-hot breath closes in around him, enfolds him-- Peter can't move, instinct-frozen. He feels the point of each fang come to rest against his skin, threatening to break through, to tear, to infect. Then his paws lift up off the ground, and he's held in the air between four even rows of invisible needles.

The wolf twists its neck around, Peter shrieks-- and finds himself dropped lightly down between Moony's shoulder blades. Gasping, he clings convulsively to the barely-furred grey flesh, digging his claws in. The wolf's low growl rumbles up through Peter's paws, through his belly. He feels like his heart's going to stop.

But there's no chance to catch his breath. Moony lurches forward and gallops off to rejoin his pack, and it's all Peter can do to hang on for dear life.

end.


rikibeth is next.

Comments

[nicolthewhore.livejournal.com]

*sexes you up*

also, take some time if you would to post in the Kink Confessional (http://www.livejournal.com/users/nicolthewhore/30237.html), cuz i wanna know. :D

[pauraque]

I think that counts as positive feedback, so thanks. :)

And nah, I don't do that stuff. It's part of my mystique.

[nicolthewhore.livejournal.com]

*sticks her tongue out at you*

[asphodeline.livejournal.com]

I really love this icon and the fics a brilliant match. This is good fun.... and quite shiver inducing too:
a slow shudder stands all his fur on end
it would mine too if I had any!

[pauraque]

Thank you!

[bardsmaid.livejournal.com]

These are cool, Eo, and I imagine a great writing exercise as well.

[pauraque]

Thanks, and they are. I'm trying to learn to write a little quicker, not spend so much time agonizing over every sentence. This is good for that.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hannelore/]

I like Peter's breathless train of thought, the way Moony seems to be sizing him up as prey, when he's really just going to give him a ride.

[pauraque]

Thanks. :)

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

Yay, a nice little bit of animagific. I like the Peter POV.

[pauraque]

Thanks, glad you liked it. :)

[chresimos.livejournal.com]

Hee! Yay! Twisty ending! That made the fic for me, although I have issues with your odd hyphenated neologisms: unnatural sun-hot breath closes in around him, enfolds him-- Peter can't move, instinct-frozen. I like how you bring out Peter's fear and distrust, though, and drag the reader along with it. ;)

Also, was thinking the other day about how Peter would have kept up with the others, and came up with him sitting in the antlers too!

And I reckon Peter and Remus were probably closer to balance out the James and Sirius, even if Peter *did* like James the best. At least Remus was probably the nicest to Peter. Do you think?

[pauraque]

Hee! Yay! Twisty ending!

Thanks. :)

I have issues with your odd hyphenated neologisms

Yes, I know you don't like those. All I can say is it's the way I think, the way it comes out naturally. I'll try not to use them when I write your fic, though Shakespeare used rather a lot of them himself (most bloody-fiery and most terrible).

And I reckon Peter and Remus were probably closer to balance out the James and Sirius, even if Peter *did* like James the best. At least Remus was probably the nicest to Peter. Do you think?

Yes, that's my take on it too, though I imagine it was more circumstantial than by design -- S&J were very close, and Remus is hardly ever anything but nice. I see Peter as being rather difficult to get along with if he _really_ likes you -- he can be obsessive and smothering -- so it may ironically have been easier for Remus to be his friend, since much of Peter's attention was diverted onto James.

[chresimos.livejournal.com]

Ah, that is quite an observant point. It does seem likely that Peter suffocates with his love - poor little sod, wanting affection and not realizing he's his own worst enemy. I can also see Remus as trying to help Peter out from time to time, when the others would have rolled their eyes and just gone, "He's useless!"

I...read your long Peter essay, by the way, and it was very interesting, and made me think, but I didn't have anything coherent to say back. As for why I think he defected - probably a combination of the reasons you suggested. People are confusing like that. ;) And I do find your James-envy theory quite convincing, although I tend to want to accept it on non-slashy lines; there are ways and ways of loving and hating and envying someone.

*toddles off on little Peter-obsessed way*