She’d had another dream, full of horribly familiar faces that made her stomach twist in knots. Apolline thought she had left this place behind for good, after last summer, but it seemed the fates had other plans. Whoever it was guiding her clearly wanted her to return to Relic Lore, and so she had, all the while fearing what was even left of her childhood home.

So far, the woods seemed surprisingly untouched by the flames that had raged all around them, tightly packed evergreens reaching desperately for the smallest glimmer of sunlight, in an eternal struggle to stay alive. Apolline knew only all too well how they felt. Meanwhile, down below, the ground was dead, cast in eternal darkness by the branches above; Nothing can survive here… The thought was matter of fact, removed from emotion, though it did remind the young shewolf of similar dead places she had seen; planes of ashes where fire had eaten all life.

Here however, the earth was damp, almost spongy in the way it bounced beneath steady paws. It felt strangely homely in its gloom, draped in ghostly clouds of fog, it seemed the kind of place one might come across roaming spirits; Or old memories… Thus on the lookout for omens on the wind, the wandering woman almost missed the gash in the earth, alerted only by the opening of the trees around it. The sound of rushing water had been background noise for so long that she’d forgotten its presence entirely, but here at last was the source, gushing into the dark abyss before her; Quite the sight… She’d stay for a while to observe it, in case it had a message for her.

Thoughts ”Speech”

Water usually meant life, and yet this place seemed to breathe death in every fiber. It wasn’t just the drop itself, which would most certainly be deadly, but something seemingly in the air itself. Aside for the cascading water, everything was quiet, not a rustle in the wind, nor a bird on the breeze; Did you mean for me to see this…? If so, for what reason? What message was there in death?

Rust-tipped ears tilted back at the sudden sound of a voice behind her, seeing eye widening a little; Ah, here we go…! She turned to face the stranger, posture neutral as her gaze studied him openly, a light smirk curling her lips. “The world’s not quite finished with me yet,” She answered in a similar tone, cocking her right brow; “But if you wanna go, be my guest!” Sidestepping slightly, she made an open path to the edge of the ravine, watching the boy expectantly.

Would be a shame though… He was not bad to look at, bold bands of light and dark marbling his fur in a most unusual way. Apolline felt something stir within her then, a previously unknown feeling, like her veins were suddenly full of bubbles, tickling her insides. It made her heart beat a little faster, tail starting to sway slightly at her hocks and her smile growing a little wider. Suddenly death was the furthest from her mind.

Thoughts ”Speech”

He stepped closer and she turned back around with him, shoulder to shoulder, not quite close enough to touch yet she felt the warmth of his body all along hers, as much as if they were. Her gaze remained fixed on him as he stared into the abyss, trying to read him but without much success. Stil there was something about his countenance that seemed to fit in here, an aura that she couldn’t define but it somehow matched the feeling she’d gotten from looking into the depths herself.

His stunning green eyes returned to this living realm, a casual rejection falling from smiling lips. Apolline returned the expression with a chuckled breath, though his echo of her own words, however nonchalantly, made her pause. The young woman felt with deep certainty that some force of fate had a purpose for her, guiding her steps from afar – she doubted the same was true for this new acquaintance – yet she couldn’t shake a feeling that their meeting had not been entirely by chance.

Attention returning to the present, she missed only half a beat before returning his quip though. “I don’t know, it’d be memorable at least,” She gave her own shoulders a little shake, tilting her head as if considering the impact of such a death; “But I can think of much better things to be remembered for.” At this her eyes narrowed as she glanced sidelong at her companion, tail maintaining its lazy sway behind her. Part of her wanted to ask more about him, but she held her tongue; All in its time… For now, she was deeply enjoying their repartee.

Thoughts ”Speech”

She couldn’t truly imagine tossing herself off a cliff, however memorable the image might be, it wasn’t exactly the kind of impact she expected to have on the world. But what other ways were there indeed? The handsome stranger put her on the spot with his question, those brilliant chartreuse eyes fixing her in place. His gaze intensified that pleasant buzz inside her, her whole body feeling warm and tingly, despite the nip in the air.

A number of answers sprang to her mind then, like great deeds or even physical markers that might stay behind long after their creator was gone. But, as she looked at her intriguing companion, there was one thing that felt much better than the others. “A legacy,” she said, tone more hushed and earnest than before. Her parents had had two, one of which lay in ruin now, long abandoned and no doubt soon to be forgotten. But the other, despite being separated far and wide, still lived strongly enough to remember them far into the future, carrying their very names like badges of honor; A family…! That was a guaranteed way of being remembered, and perhaps of serving her fate too.

Thoughts ”Speech”

As grand as the thought had been, it was not glorious ideas of future dynasties, nor desires to serve fate that stirred in her as she looked deep into those mesmerizing eyes. Instead, emotion drove her, swelling and pressing in her chest, demanding to be heard. It sent a nervous tremor along her spine, and yet, made her feel emboldened as she took a half-step, closing the remaining bit of distance between them.

Her muzzle alongside his, she tilted her head back slightly to meet his height and maintain the magic of that gaze. Her breath turned a little shallow as his scent filled her nose, fully unleashing these previously unknown cravings within her. “I do,” she whispered, lingering there for a moment, relishing his closeness. Then she pulled back, just a tad, blinking her eyes before fixing him with an appraising stare; “You think you’re worthy to help build it?” A hint of that previous, joking tone was back in her voice, but there was serious weight to the question too. If she was to do this, if this was part of fate’s plan, then it needed to be with the right man.

Thoughts ”Speech”