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Post by kaz on Jan 26, 2023 6:14:34 GMT
She stood upon a precipice. A line between two choices; or better, two unknowns, for she could only feel the weight of choice upon her shoulders, but could not see what exactly it was she was choosing. To run, to hide? To continue on, to return? To cry, to smile? It felt as if she were two halves, each being pulled in opposite directions. Sometimes further one way, sometimes the other, and she somewhere between. Out of control, unsure of herself. The lines were blurring more and more each day. She felt she was being dramatic, though that too she couldn’t be sure of. Was this an overreaction or under? Others had gone through worse. Either way, it felt good to think of this as just dramatics; a young girl taking herself too seriously, rather than the alternative: that she had made a grave and irreparable mistake It was the same idea that plagued her day in and day out. But there was no turning back now, was there? Was it really just the illusion of choice? Because, truly, what choice had she? She could not turn back now, her tail between her legs, and flee back to her old home. The shame of it alone would cripple her. She could only move forward, continue on in these unknown lands and face whatever may come, though the thought made her throat close up with anxiety, made it feel as though the whole world was coming crashing down upon her. There was no way to describe the loneliness encompassing her. Nothing to quell the bomb about to explode from inside of her, every day ticking further and further toward implosion, toward inevitable doom. And in the same token, Mara sat here, at the edge of the lake’s waters, and she felt so blessed to be alive, so thankful to breathe the fresh, new air, to see the world around her that sometimes it felt so childish to ever worry about something as trivial as her past. When she felt the cool winds against her fur, the sound of birdsong, smelled the new foreign scents, she couldn’t help but feel grateful. After all, she was alive, and she was in love with being alive for all the trouble that it brought. She had worked hard to be where she was and she had better enjoy it — and it was easier if she just tried to forget all of the guilt she had lingering over her like a curse. Easier to ignore. With a sudden burst of energy, Mara launched herself into the lake, padding out until the water reached her belly. She stared over the waters feeling everything and nothing at all, wholly unsure of her emotions but knowing at the same time that they were completely overwhelming. Then, without thinking, the woman submerged her face into the lake’s water and screamed. alexandre
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alexandre
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Post by alexandre on Jan 26, 2023 10:53:33 GMT
The night had been long, endless seeming as he journeyed alone through the ancient woods. He never minded solitude. Silent, peaceful. He took the time to reflect and wonder, to contemplate the beauty of the world around him, to appreciate what he still has, and to pray. He never felt he was truly alone, yet there was still a yearning. The shadows of his past loomed over him, all that he had lost and the reason he was here always held in the back of his mind. The stream he followed took him beyond the brush, leading him to a vast lake, waters stained pink by daybreak, casting reflections of blue clouds and distant mountains. His ears twitched, catching the chirping of birds greeting the new day. This would be the perfect time to stop for a rest, to pause and take in what the moment had to offer. Nycteus stopped at the lakeside, about to dip his paws in and have a drink when he caught some movement out in the water. His ears perked, he could see a silvery back and tail, belonging to a wolf without a doubt, but the rest was below the water's surface. Curiosity got the better of him then, pushing him to go out there and see what the stranger was up to. kaz |
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Post by kaz on Feb 5, 2023 5:11:59 GMT
Coming back up into the world, cold air stinging her now wet face, panting hard, water dripping from her mouth; she gasped desperately at the air and relished in the sharp pain of it in her raw throat. She must have looked insane, a wolf trying to drown herself, or else utterly failing at fishing, but thankfully no one was around. Rather, no one had been around. But of course there was always someone there to witness her shortcomings, whether it was screaming at a lake, or tangling herself up in bramble, someone was there to point and laugh. But the shouting had released some of her tension, and she was feeling a bit less sorry for herself than before, so, looking over at the other wolf, who surely was confused or amused or both (though gave no hint at either upon their countenance), Mara smiled sheepishly, hoping to save face. And though she could have said she had been fishing, or cleaning her maw from a kill, or literally anything reasonable, the first thing that came to mind was to quickly say, and perhaps too loudly: “So many lovely rocks beneath the surface!” And she could feel her cheeks heating with embarrassment (thank the Gods for fur!) at having spoken such a silly thing out loud, even if it was true that there were lots of pretty stones under the clear water. Presuming she was far enough from the other so as not to dampen them, too, Mara would shake the water from her fur and wag her tail lightly in a show of friendliness. “Good day to you.” A small dip of the head in polite greeting, for one’s manners may never truly dissipate completely, even when one has otherwise lost all of their old self, seemingly. “My name is Mara.” alexandre
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alexandre
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Post by alexandre on Feb 8, 2023 21:26:34 GMT
The other wolf surfacing stopped Nycteus right in his tracks, his ears perked and eyes alight with curiosity as she tried to catch her breath. She must have been under there for as long as she could stand -- for what reason? It didn't look as though she was fishing. After a few moments, the woman turned to look at him with clear golden eyes and a sheepish smile and loudly said what must have been the first words that came to mind, “So many lovely rocks beneath the surface!”Nycteus smiled a bit, brows lifted. "Is that so? I never got the chance to look," he said. He would take her word for it. There was great beauty to be found in every little corner of this Earth. The water held so many mysteries beneath its surface. Things he imagined were strange but beautiful indeed, unlike the world on dry land. He glanced down towards his feet, the water shimmering and clear, allowing only a glimpse of the stones below. How smooth they felt beneath his paws. His gaze lifted again, to meet with the woman's face. She was soaked to the bone, water dripping off her chin. She shook herself dry and greeted him with a wagging tail and bowed head, mannerly in a way he'd rarely seen these days. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mara. I am Nycteus," he said, looking over his fair counterpart. Healthy and strong, solid-looking but not heavy. Her outline was smooth and gentle, she lacked the hard edges that came from the difficult lifestyle many wolves had to endure. She came from somewhere she was well cared for, where perhaps she never really knew struggle. Yet she seemed to be on her own, if she was out here. Drawing his conclusion, he went on to ask, "You are not from around here, are you?"kaz |
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Post by kaz on Feb 23, 2023 5:53:48 GMT
Nycteus, the other said his name was. A name full of sharp edges and hard angles. A name befitting a spider, thought Mara, or something harsh and unyielding, like some war general from pup-tales or a vengeful god, but the man before her seemed to fit that profile in appearance alone. Otherwise, he appeared polite and well-mannered. Handsome, even. She looked him over, hoping to glean something but her skills in people-reading were quite lacking, she found. “You are not from around here, are you?” asked the man. She felt quite embarrassed. Had it been so obvious to everyone she had met? She tried to shake it off and muster up some confidence, putting a smile upon her face.
“Why would you think that?” she asked coyly. The water lapped slowly against her legs, cold and relaxing. She felt a sense of peace over her. “No, I’m not. But where I’m from matters less than where I intend to go, I think, and the water here is just so lovely, and the birds here sing such a wonderful tune.” She was speaking now without really thinking which felt freeing in its own right. “Are you from around here?”alexandre
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