[ Howl's body lays crumpled in the dirt, broken from the impact, peppered with uprooted grass and rocks. He is clearly bleeding, with snake-like trickles beginning to spread out from beneath the black mass of his body and the wet blood on his feathers soaking up the settling cloud of dust. The tattered figure shudders with ragged, painful breaths, but is otherwise motionless. His wings look crinkled and snapped, like the wood and paper of a smashed kite.
He can hear the clunk of boots getting closer. It's his foe. In this moment, Howl is certain that he is about to die. Not just dissipate, but die. Estinien will administer the coup de grâce and then crush his Shard. Howl knows of no reason why he wouldn't, and from what he's come to believe, Estinien will take joy in doing so.
When Estinien growls his demand, Howl does not answer. The vial? He'd forgotten about it completely. What does he want with that? Is he going to force it down Howl's throat before he finishes him? He can't think of any other explanation. All Estinien needs to do to stop Howl from using it is to kill him.
A long moment passes before Howl does anything at all. Just as it seems like he might have chosen to entirely ignore the dragoon on purpose, Howl coughs into the dirt, straining against his pain, as he brings one of his ruptured hands to his chest. When he stretches his arm back out again and opens his fist, it's not the vial in his palm, but his Shard. ]
What are you waiting for?
[ His voice projects into Estinien's head, and with it comes a wave of overwhelming sorrow and regret. He's ignoring the request for the vial after all, but only because he does not understand why Estinien would bother. If he is going to die, he would rather get it over with. ]
no subject
He can hear the clunk of boots getting closer. It's his foe. In this moment, Howl is certain that he is about to die. Not just dissipate, but die. Estinien will administer the coup de grâce and then crush his Shard. Howl knows of no reason why he wouldn't, and from what he's come to believe, Estinien will take joy in doing so.
When Estinien growls his demand, Howl does not answer. The vial? He'd forgotten about it completely. What does he want with that? Is he going to force it down Howl's throat before he finishes him? He can't think of any other explanation. All Estinien needs to do to stop Howl from using it is to kill him.
A long moment passes before Howl does anything at all. Just as it seems like he might have chosen to entirely ignore the dragoon on purpose, Howl coughs into the dirt, straining against his pain, as he brings one of his ruptured hands to his chest. When he stretches his arm back out again and opens his fist, it's not the vial in his palm, but his Shard. ]
What are you waiting for?
[ His voice projects into Estinien's head, and with it comes a wave of overwhelming sorrow and regret. He's ignoring the request for the vial after all, but only because he does not understand why Estinien would bother. If he is going to die, he would rather get it over with. ]