Luna Hill a dream within a nightmare

For @Inali

 

He had descend down from the mountains with the help of a newly made creamy friend. Though he had wished to explore the lands in the east, had otherwise decided to more quickly along the mountain chain north until he could reach back to the west. An uneventful trip and a quick one, stopping only to rest, eat and drink. With the coming of spring, his mind had kick-started and left him to one thought and one thought only - Inali. 

Once the land became familiar to him, Bane felt a swirling in his gut, an uneasy nauseousness. Everything in his mind told him he should turn around, go back to the unexplored lands in the east where he could start his new life. But there was one thing holding him back and one thing only and he knew if he did not at least try he would forever regret it. Inali was the dream in this nightmare. A nightmare which he looked upon from the fields with  remorse. He would not, could not, go into the Thicket of Secrets. Far too many sour memories lie within. He merely trailed along the blackberry fields, where he had decided he would stay for some time to decide in Inali was still here or not. She was a scout, after all, and surely would stroll the fields at one point or another. 

Another day passes and it is nightfall. The moon is bright in the sky, gentle clouds rolling over the sea of stars. In the winds that carry into his direction, her scent stirs. It is strong, stronger then he remembered it being before and far more pleasant then he could ever understand. His longing for her sends his stomach into butterflies. He lifts from his seating position, bright orange eyes seeking the small, tawny woman. From up here on the Luna Hill, perhaps he would be lucky enough to catch sight of her. 

She still thought about that day. She still thought about him. Her pain from Naia's death had still been fresh, and then the fates had cursed the Woodlands with Nina's death. Her death had hurt them all, but more so than anyone, it had hurt Bane. And what had she done? Had she gone to him? Had she embraced him? Had she ran after him when he had clearly been almost speechless by the weight of her death? She had done nothing for the boy, no, man that had come to mean so much to her over the years. She had failed him. Just like Inali failed Yuka. Night had arrived, and suddenly Inali couldn't breathe. So the woman did what she had always done best - she ran. She ran from Woodland borders, ran from the thickets and didn't slow down until she hit the blackberry fields. Coming to an abrupt stop, she found herself at the bottom of Luna Hill, and she looked up at the cloudy sky. She wanted to see Bane. Just one more time. He deserved an apology, and after all these months she just damn missed him. "speech"”Speech”

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Like. Bane has a mind of his own. This has been a long time coming. Kthanks.

 

He could see here there, her small tawny form, running out from the thickets in the same manner he had done months and months ago. Would she return home to her beloved forest or could she no longer live within its thick confines as he could not, tormented by so much loss? He had not thought he could live without Nina. Did no not how to go on without her being there to breathe purpose into his existence. Over the winter months he had wanted to die, had hoped for it, but some how or another all his own had prevailed. Why? Perhaps Nina's protection could even still reach him from the after life and he had been made to live on for this very moment. 

As she drew closer towards the hill, his throat tightens, his heart skips a beat. What to say, what to do...? His breath hitches and he trots down the Hill's top and to its base where there Inali was. She was as beautiful as she had been the very first time that they had met, when he was but a puppy and she just sprouting into adulthood. She had been her friend then and she was still her friend now, through all the pain and all the trials. "Inali..." He breaths her name delicately, his footsteps bringing her closer, though he dare not touch her. If she was truly a dream within his nightmare of a life, he did not wish to shatter it, did not wish this moment to end. What words were there to say? What could he possibly say after so long?

"I love you."

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

//I'm not crying
<3

His words made her start. Made her take a step back in shock. So many feelings ran through her now. Shock, disbelief, pain. Her blue gaze glimmered in the dark with unshed tears. Inali didn't understand. How...what...? For so many years, Bane had been a solid presence in her life. He had been her rock. Her damn fortress of strength when all she wanted to do was collapse to the ground because her legs could no longer hold her up. When her responsibilities and decisions were tearing her apart from the inside out, she had leaned on him. When she had first come to the Lore, she had been just but a girl, brimming with hope for a bright future. In the Lore, she had only meant death and sadness - losing Minka, betraying Yuka, losing Naia, losing Nina - and many other events. But she had also meant joy and peace and happiness - in her duty, in her family, in Bane. Yet, he stood before her and spoke words she didn't deserve. "Oh Bane," her words filled with sorrow. God, how she hated his name sometimes. He was not a bane. He had never been. The petite woman took a small step forward. And then another. "I don't deserve...I failed you," her soft voice pained. How could he love her? When he had needed her the most, she hadn't been there. "speech"”Speech”

HermitCrabStock @DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

banali <3 

She took a single step back, as though hesitant, confused by his words. Had he not have said it? Did she not believe it to be true? It was hard not to think that Bane had come to love Inali. He loved her in many ways he had loved Nina. As a part of his made up family where he did not truly have a family, as a friend. Though where Nina's love lingered to that of a motherly figure, Inali's transformed with his age into something far different. He would always respect her, protect her, care for her, no matter any choice she made. He had never thought of trying to woo her into something else other then a deep friend and why would he have? Inali until recently had a mate and lets just face it, Bane had never acted on any impulses which the season of spring brought. Perhaps he was made of stronger stuff then anyone would notice, not unhinged by a beautiful scent or an over powering lust. Even now he did not lust, he only loved. Truly, madly, deeply. 

"You failed me by not being there when I needed you most..." He admits this. It was true that she did not run to him, did not try to comfort him when he needed comforting, after all the many years Inali could look to him as a shoulder to cry on. When Tokino died, when Minka died... "But I also failed you. I ran away. I abandoned you." As she had stepped forward, he does now, his long legs closing the distance between them in a much more quick, fluid manner. "We are not perfect... we all make mistakes." His words would strongly suggest that he forgave her now, would she forgive him? He moved in closer, his head reaching forward in order to brush his muzzle along the length of her cheek, then nape, and down to her shoulder in a slow, deep embrace. "I love you." If she did not believe him at first, he'd say it again. If she did not think she deserved it, he would spend his life trying to make her sure of it. 

His words made her flinch. Once upon a time the woman would have fled, eager to get away from the pain his words had brought her. However, she was older now. Choices had been made, and over the years Inali had come to realize that life went on after pain. Whether it was the stinging pain of betrayal, or the crippling feeling of grief, each and every time Inali had thought that she wouldn't be able to get through it. And each and every time, she had. So this was another one of those moments, where the pain kept the onslaught to her heart, however Inali did not flee. Life would go on, even after losing Bane. She wanted to sob at even the thought. But, then he continued. His words made her thoughts freeze. The tall man came to her, speaking more words that brought hope to her heart. His touch made her sigh, and for a brief second Inali let herself fall fully into his embrace. However, where this should've been a moment full of joy, fear began to overshadow her joy. Because how could she tell him? How could she tell him she loved them both? He had a chunk of her heart, but Yuka Thorben did as well. "speech"”Speech”

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For a moment after her flinching from his first sentence, he thought she might cry. Thought she much turn and run away in sorrow and pain, back into the thick and ominous secret woodlands, a place which he could never cross into again like some kind of barrier forbid him from doing so. Though as he had continued, she seemed to be happier from his words, more hopeful. Bane was not sure, for her eyes swirled with so many mixed emotions that despite over the years he had become good at reading others he was unsure of her feelings right now. As he had looked away from her face in order to hold her close to him, she did not speak out. She had no words and did not say she loved him as well. Did she have to? He knew without question how much she cared for him, though was it unmatched to his own care for her? Somehow, he doubted it. Inali was so filled with love and up until recently, so filled with hope and spirit. She many friends, many who she could call family and many surely which her love went out to. He only had her. No one else. Not now, maybe never. 

For the moment, he would only stand her silently and hold her. If there was nothing else said for the remainder of the night, he would be fine with it. It would not be long before she would have to leave him and go back home to the woodlands and he would have to move on. 

I was thinking of fading since I've dragged this out long enough but if you want to continue till the full 10 posts just pm me <3

He held her. There was no pain, no lingering frustration - just the steady, enveloping warmth that Bane had always provided her with, no questions asked. Inali, for so long, had been tired of her tears. When she looked back at the previous years, there were many moments when tears had been shed. She had cried when she had lost Yuka, she had cried when she had lost Minka, and she had sobbed when her grief was so great at losing Naia that she choked on her tears and it hurt to even take in a single breath. There were no more tears left to shed. She heaved great breaths as she burrowed herself into Bane's dark fur, but still no tears came. The small woman inwardly rejoiced as peace finally consumed her, because oh how she was tired of tears and the constant touch of pain that was in her life. She would enjoy this moment, because who knew when they would see each other again. Inali knew she had decisions to make, like whether she would stay in Secret Woodlands or not, but at the present moment she didn't want to think of the decisions that awaited her. All she planned on doing was currently enjoy Bane's warm embrace. ”Speech”

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I'll go ahead and end this here with Bane's last post.

The silence still remained, a strong and powerful presence though not felt unpleasantly by Bane nor did Inali seem to mind it. She breathed in his scent deeply as she pressed to his chest and his head remained low, the length of his nose and throat draped over the back of her own brown and russet hairs. He felt so comfortable here and over the time, they could find themselves settles here blanketed by the night sky. When he had drifted off to sleep, he had dreams of her. Though when he woke, he was alone.