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The Color of Murder

Published: Feb 2, 2017

1.2K Views

colortheory dream forest hunting illustration nayati oc originalcharacter pheasant schoolproject timelapse wolf bluepawproductions fullcolorillustration colordiscord

Description

Nayati laid, delirious from hunger and the exhaustion that had finally caught up with him, and rested at the edge of death's door. The cool wall of the healer's den felt like the chill of his cold body, sapping what little heat he had left. Emerald eyes rolling to watch the slight form of the healer at work, he could pick out her colors. Margo, he knew, was the mender of Na''em. Logically, he knew that's where he was and told himself as much at the back of his head.... But as his eyes grew heavier and the world blurred out of focus, she began to look more familiar...more comforting. His heart thrummed in his good ear, whirring in the bad, and the soft shuffle of paws melded back to that enchanting song that lured him into the dark. The song of his end, of peace. The blonde and cream of the figure before him bowed out, morphing in the yearling's mind until he could almost feel her there.

Calfuray.

As his eyes fluttered shut, he was transported to the forest with her, the largely pregnant she wolf, more of a mother to him than his own. He looked up to her, a giant, and felt suddenly so small. Hardly reaching her shoulder, he scoffed at what she'd said before. "I'm not tall for my age," he protested, juvenile voice actually carrying amusement among his snarky bite. He respected her in the way he used to know, the way of a child to a superior.

"Hush, little one," the warmth of breath tickled across his ruff as a wet nose redirected his angle, nudging him back into his task. Before him, a small sparrow flitted in the tall grass, mesmerizing somehow in the way that it hopped and flicked its head about, blissfully unaware of the rotund female crouched low with a gangly pup just out of sight. "You said you've been practicing. Go ahead and show me," she urged with a quiet, hushed tone.

O-of course! Yes! He'd been practicing for weeks since she'd finally caved to his begging, taken him out, and showed him how to catch a bird like she did. Everyone said she was the best at it, so of course she was the only logical choice. He proudly smirked ear to ear as his willowy form slithered closer, tail crooking up comedically. He felt so clumsy under her scrutiny. How silly she must have thought he was, how childish looking. He cast a glimmering eye back to her to make sure she was watching and was hit with a pang of guilt. Her swollen belly had her awkwardly balanced and pressed low. Why had she agreed to come? He hadn't thought of it before, but...this must have been such a bother, so out of her way. She was supposed to rest, right? What was-

A flutter caught his ear and he realized he'd lifted his head to look at her. In a flurry of movement, he scrambled to catch the prey he'd taken his eyes off of, long maw thrown open wide like a trap. The feeling of feathers brushed his tongue and gums with a satisfying thrill. Almost instantly, with paws twisting on the ground, he found himself quite a bit larger, a yearling again, heavy bird now in his jaws. Unlike his memory or sparrow hunting, his fangs sank deep into flesh, no wingbeat smacking him in the face and no pleasant laughter rising beside him. Instead, blood splattered against a bed of flowers and washed over bright colors with its staining red. The death cry of a pheasant broke out from the creature in his jaws and pain bloomed over his tongue.

Jolting awake, Nayati's bony frame bucked against the cold wall, grass melting out from between his toes and the nip of winter returning to his tight, uncomfortable skin. With a wheezing cough, he struggled to catch his breath, wide eyes searching the dark for that familiar face he'd lost. He was met only instead with the face of the Na''em mender, Margo...with reality. The taste of blood in his mouth and warmth dripping down his chin told him enough of what had happened and he wanted to turn away to hide it, but found himself transfixed, blankly staring at the healer as blood dripped between his paws.

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Poor Nayati is currently in the healer's den of Na''em, under the care of Margo (ongoing RP). Having finally found a place to rest, he struggles to survive and slips into a memory-tainted dream, only to rudely awaken himself.

This is the discord half of my discord and harmony project for color theory.

I'll link the process time-lapse below, but keep in mind it has both harmony and discord parts, so there's another image in there too. I also had to meet the time restrictions for the presentation, so it's REALLY fast. My apologies to your eyes. vuv~*

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Timelapse:
youtu.be/lpFA_y4fujY

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Nayati and art ©me. Please refrain from redrawing or otherwise reposting. Thank you

2-2-17

Image size

3000x4200px 10 MB

Comments17

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Nafsi-Sookie

Feb 11, 2017

*Margo's thoughts after observing this ordeal* "It's nice to see that his energy is coming back, but the ferocity of Nayati's hunts, not to mention that glassiness in his eyes, is a little... concerning." 0_0'''

In all seriousness tho, this looks absolutely terrific! I'm in love with Nayati's pose, the atmosphere, the description - everything. Is. Perfect!!