Mountain of Dire When You Wish Upon a Star...

The sun was beginning its slow descent as the mother offered a once rare but increasingly common smiled to her son and nodded towards the narrow and winding path up the mountain. She had caught him admiring the views from the heights, and she was going to show him something this evening to put those views to shame. She was finally coming to terms with all that had happened, and the longer she spent in these lands, the more reconnected to the earth she became. The subtle shift of dirt beneath her paws was a comfort, the familiar smells filled her nostrils and she relaxed. They were almost home. It was only a matter of time now. He had done so well when confronted with his crazed father, although she hoped he didn’t realise that was who it was...To have all the males to date in his life so unhinged, seemingly only wishing him harm she worried of the impression it might be leaving on his young mind. He was already far more grown up than he should be at his age, and although reversing it would be close to impossible, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t try. She was rare to offer her dark son praise, being so short on words, but it was time to move on. She had to get past it. For his sake as well as her own. ”You did very well Adonis, I’m proud of you.” She said gently and genuinely to her son. The ache in her foreleg would take a fair while to fade but it could have been far worse. A quick lick to his dark head and she started towards the path, short steps at first. ”Last one to the broken tree is a soggy yellow wolf?” she half questioned, half playfully challenged as she rocked back and forth waiting to see if he would take the bait. It was time to have some fun.

code by bryony

(This post was last modified: Jan 02, 2013, 12:45 PM by Naira.)

The world was beautiful. The colours outstretched before the black prince as he looked down from the heights and onto the lore before them. The sun was slipping from the sky, falling like a week old helium balloon as it drifted to hide behind the mountains on the other side of the world. Behind him, he heard his mother approach and she came to stand as his side. He looked up to her, craning his head only a little, for he was already so very tall, and looked as she gave him a warm but rare smile. He tried to smile back, but it felt so awkward and so wrong. He shouldn't smile, because she was sad. He shouldn't be happy until she was. For one so young, he saw through the face she put on to the sadness in that smile, no matter how brave or happy she tried to be, he knew she was lying. To herself and to him. He could only love her more for her strength and will to carry on as normal as she could. He had noticed a change in her since they had come back the place she told him was home and he hoped it was just the start of things to come for them, for a life that they were robbed of... but despite all of that, he knew she was still so sad inside. Like something was missing...
Their encounter with the crazy black wolf had been so days ago, but they had spoken little since. She had been locked in another world, one he didn't question and for once, he didn't sneak off when she vanished but stayed at her side. That guy had been crazy... yet he felt something more then fear of him. In truth, Adonis wanted to run off and track down the stranger, give him a piece of his mind for attacking his mother but to also find out more about who he was. He wasn't going to ask his mother, he didn't want her to think he was interested in the loon... but he was. He was almost to the point of obsessing over the stranger, how his mother knew him and why he had forgotten her. A brief idea had passed his mind whilst he milled over the idea. He could have been his father. His mother had looked at him as if he were a stranger, but she knew his name? Knew his behavior. When she had made contact, her face said it all. Longing, maybe even love? Not a love he knew, but one just as deep. Yet the idea was illogical. His father wouldn't attach his mother. From what he had remembered of his father, before life had changed, was he had a bit of a temper and they bickered, but they would always say they loved each other before they went to bed. They always slept side by side. Their father by the den entrance to shield his family from the world... to always keep the same. That wolf didn't want to keep his mother or himself safe. No, he had wanted to make them bleed.

He quirked his head to the side as his mother offered him the chance of a race. It was so out of character for her that for a moment he had to glance behind him, and then all around, to make sure no one was around, holding a gun to her head in asking him to relax. Heck. He had always felt she was embarrassed of him. He had seen himself a few times in the waters reflection and he knew he didn't look like any other wolf he had ever met... except that stranger who had eyes just as strange. He was a tall pup, all legs and no muscle. His body looked wrong, angular like the bones didn't fit together quite right. His face was average, he was neither handsome nor ugly and he would hopefully grow into his features. It was his eyes that he hated the most. The brightest of blues, yet in the sunlight they were flecked with gold. Brilliant, sparkly gold that glittered in the brightest of lights. He hated them. He hated how he looked. He'd only seen a few wolf pups on their travels, never when his mother was around of course, but they were shorter, a little meatier then he was. And their eyes had never been blue. Muddy brown, mossy green, sunrise yellow and sunset gold... but never blue. Even his own mothers eyes were not blue. It was no wonder she hid him away from the world. That is why he had never told her of his little... disability. The blurry vision in his one eye would only infuse the fact he was different, he wasn't like her... he was weak. Too weak to care for the woman he loved more then life itself. No, he could never tell her.
So when she asked him for a race, he felt his heart stop in his mouth. He'd love to run, especially to run with his mother... but he couldn't, especially up here on the heights where one wrong footfall would mean certain death. Ever the worrier, he felt safer to take his time and ensure he could see just where he was going.

"Er..." he said, clearing his throat as he scrabbled for an excuse not to race her. He hated to let her down, especially when her mood was quite high for a change... but that was Adonis. He could suck the fun out of a clown. "I would... but I'm hungry." he said, offering her yet another awkward smile that just felt wrong on his face. He hated to lie to her, but it was much better then telling her the truth. I can't run mum, I just can't see where I'm going because I'm broken and you should have left me for dead with the golden stranger. No. Lying was a much better plan.

The forest below them was glowing, almost, with hints and tones of the autumn to come. Evergreens stuck out like beacons amongst the slowly yellowing leaves of the deciduous, and every colour was present below them, from red, to gold and brown. The lagoon and river shined a brilliant sapphire blue with flashes of silver and white as the sky worked its way through the oranges, pinks and blues of the sunset. The forest was alive. The dancing of the leaves could almost be mistaken for flames. Her son had been distracted, or so it seemed, and now she finally had her wits about her she began to worry. The occasional bump here and there could be dismissed when he was younger, but now that he was growing, she became concerned. Her mental vision had been cleared and she began to really watch her boy closely, her healers eye gently probing when she thought he wasn’t looking, the worry clear on her face. He compensated well, but until he chose to tell her, she would not embarrass him by asking what the matter was... But she had her suspicions. His excuse caused a pang of guilt to pass through her. It seemed she could never catch enough to ease the empty feeling in either of their stomachs, but a small nod was all she offered. She was hungry too, but hopefully, tonight would offer a distraction. She could feel it in her bones. It was like the night she gave birth. The sky would light up again tonight. Nodding in agreement, she began the climb to the outcrop, to the last place she had been with her pack. It would be quite a climb for the young wolf but it would offer the best views of the sky, and the lands below, including an uninterrupted view of the Lake that kept calling her home. “Ok, lets go. There is something I want to show you...” She said with a mysterious smile, motioning for her son to walk beside her. There was little unknown to the mother in this terrain.

code by bryony

(This post was last modified: Jan 02, 2013, 12:45 PM by Naira.)

Feel free to skip to them getting to the place, walking posts are tedious! <3

<blockquote>She had brought it. Thank goodness. He was sure that a run up these tricky paths would have been too much. He wasn't a quitter by nature but he had good sense, and good sense told him that a visually impaired wolf should not go charging around like a loon so close to a drop that would kill you if you took a wrong turn. He released a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding as she brought the change of subject, though he saw a flash of guilt when he mentioned food.
He wasn't really hungry of course. Having eaten so little most of his life meant that his stomach had shrunk and he needed less to feel full. Obviously that wasn't a healthy way to be, but until food was constant he could make do with little and often.

As she turned and headed further back from the edge, he followed in step. Her shadow once more. He didn't ask where they were going. It didn't matter where they ended up for he would follow her to the ends of the earth if she lead him there. With but a few feet between them his limit, he had to work hard to keep up and not let the distance between them grow.
Whilst he was going to be a tall lad, he wasn't there just yet and the terrain was tricky. Lots of climbing and crawling, pulling and jumping from rock to rock as the path meandered ever higher. The scuffling of his paws and claws on some of the rocks seemed to be the only noise coming from up here, no crickets or woodland sounds, just the wind and their pawprints.
As hard as the terrain was, he never asked her for help. Instead, he muddled along, no doubt looking foolish as he stumbled and tripped, sometimes because of his lack of vision and depth perception and others just because it was a tough trip, but so long as he got there in the end, that was all he cared about. Others had laughed at them before, taunted him along the way- words weren't going to hurt him anymore.

Such tough skin for a young pup, but he had already endured so much... what more did the world have to throw at him?</blockquote>

There was no doubting, he was her miracle child. He had made it this far, through it all, where a weaker cub would have failed. He was her constant reminder of her lost mate and the little things he did would cause her heart to catch in her throat - the way his head tilted when he was questioning something wasn’t a habit he had learned from observation. It was more than that. His lanky frame, even his walk was like his fathers. She remembered her prayers for a little clone of her love. The wolf gods couldn’t have done better if they’d tried. She could hear him scrambling behind her, but she knew he would be too proud to accept her help. His stubborn streak could have come from either parent. So instead of noticeably slowing for him, she merely shortened her strides to allow him time to catch up, without being obvious about it. Occasional glances from the corner of her eye told her he was in fact, doing fine. It seemed as though the mountain was in his blood. She couldn’t help but think it might have had something to do with all of the goats she had gorged herself with when she was pregnant. Finally, the stony outcrop came into sight. She placed herself comfortably in the same place she had the night she had given birth. The sky was darker now, only a tinge of the sunset left far off on the horizon, turning the lands below fiery golds and reds, while the sky darkened above them. They were on top of the world up here. She willed her son to sit close to her, to feel his warmth pressed against her side. She turned her eyes skyward as the first stars began to twinkle into existence. It wouldn’t be long now...

code by bryony

(This post was last modified: Jan 02, 2013, 12:45 PM by Naira.)

<blockquote>It felt like they were never going to stop, but he wasn't going to complain. He tried to keep his grunts and chuffs to himself as he scaled the mountain with her, one step at a time. He didn't notice her shorter strides but then she probably always walked a little short of herself for him. Always thinking of him, and he of her. A bond like no other had been forged from the mess they found themselves in; every cloud and all that jazz.

Finally the scale of the climb softened right up until he found himself walking on a flat outcrop. His breath was jagged, but he made no sound, merely let the breath from his lungs in and out through his nose as he stopped to watch her next actions.

She seated herself are gracefully as ever and without a word he knew she summoned him to her. He obliged her will, as he always did and dragged his tired paws over to her. He glanced up at her with a half smile before he parked himself between her front paws. He backed up a little, so that his head rested on her chest and their legs became entwined. If he had been the same colour as her, it would be hard to tell which legs were his own and which were hers. His head tilted and came to rest on her elbow as his let his icy blue gaze look out before them.

Wow.

The world looked so small from up here, but it was breathtaking. The stars above them danced and glittered. The moon was so close he felt like he could reach out a paw and touch it. The world beneath them was dark but very much alive. The wind tasted so fresh up here, untainted by the smells of the wood or of the lake he was growing more and more used to. Up here, the world was completely different and he was lucky enough to share it with he beloved mother.

In the silence, his mind began to wonder. Peace was enjoyed by most, but not by him. When all was quiet and life was still, his mind had a habit of diving into things that it need not. Today's subject choice came about from the thought of he and her, alone forever against the world... and if that was going to change now that they were part of a pack. <b>"Mum?"</b> he questioned, looking up with his soft, warm tone. <b>"Everything's going to change now. Isn't it?"</b></blockquote>

Pride was evident in her eyes as her son moved to her. It was a difficult climb, even for a full-grown wolf but he had taken it all in his stride without complaint. Perhaps constantly being on the move from the day he could walk had been better for him, would make him more resilient than the rest... The ones that were confined to their borders having their meals bought to them by many. She knew about his little outings of course even if he didn’t tell her. He had an independence she saw lacking in others and had to wonder if the cruel twist of fate that had torn them from their family was really all that bad. After all, hadn’t she grown from the experience too? But at what cost? As he nestled between her legs, his back pressing firmly into her chest and she relaxed, almost melting around the tall, lanky pup. She was always happiest when her son was near, even more so when she knew they were about to share something special. She felt his breath catch as his eyes roved out over the land below them, but this was only the beginning of their evening of wonder. His words were soft, as if he feared breaking the magic that held them so close. She knew the answer to his question as clear as day, and she would not lie to him. It just wasn’t in her nature. “Yes, I will have to go out, and keep the borders safe and hunt... probably even gather some herbs if I must... but you will be with your brother and sister. We can be a family again.” She answered softly, still entirely unaware that her children had no knowledge of her existence, or the way her pack mates hearts had been hardened towards her. And then it began. The first streak of fire, racing across the sky. She dipped her muzzle close to her loving son’s ear and whispered “Make a wish.”

code by bryony

(This post was last modified: Jan 02, 2013, 12:45 PM by Naira.)

One more each after this and wrap it up? <3

<blockquote>He didn't like what she said. He didn't want her to go away and work. He wanted to know when she was coming home and that nothing was going to change. He liked exploring the world, but he liked knowing that she was always close if he needed her. He didn't know what pack life would bring, but it sounded boring and like she was going to be leaving him more then he cared for. He did like the idea of meeting his siblings though. He hoped that they would get along... alright, he didn't like Datura much from their brief encounter, but he had yet to meet Bella and could only wish that they would get along and he might have someone to actually talk to. Talking to his mother was fine, but sometimes he didn't want to say things that might be a burden or make him look stupid. He would much rather ask the sillier ones to someone his own age like why was the grass green, why was the sky blue, when would be be a grown up, you know, the usual kid stuff. His mother would know the answer, which is why he felt silly asking her. If she knew it, then he should too. He hoped that asking another is age, that they could learn the answer together and he wouldn't feel like such a tool.

<b>"What about if you forget me?"</b> he asked her, looking up to her chin, searching for her eyes. He didn't want her to be so busy she forgot all about him, or be so happy with her other children he was pushed into the shadows. He felt it would happen, but he needed to hear at least an attempt that it might not.

He looked when she told him to and caught sight of one of the stars falling from the sky. At first his paniced, but her calm tone told him that it was alright, it was natural and then told him to make a wish? What could he wish for... there was too much and he didn't want to be greedy. No, he had to pick just one wish. He closed his eyes and wished with all his might. <i>"I wish that my all of my mother's wishes come true."</i> he thought to himself, and pushed the thought as hard as he could with his mind, into the inky sky.</blockquote>

I'll need to do one more to make 10 <3

'What about if you forget me?' A sad, tired smile crossed her face then as she dipped her head, her chin coming to rest against his crown "My dear boy, you are my sun and my stars. I could never forget you." she responded quietly, her eyes trained to the sky above. She felt the smaller body beneath her tense, as if throwing all of his will behind the wish he was about to cast to the stars, and for a moment, she wondered what he would wish for? No doubt it was something selfless. Her boy was forever worrying about her, and she about him. There was no such thing as secrets between them, even though they both tried to hide things for the sake of the other's sanity. She knew that he would wander from where she left him, and he knew that she had horrendous nightmares despite her assurance otherwise. Time and trials had broken them, but somehow together they managed to be almost whole. Not for the first time, she wondered if it was worth coming back? Would they really be better off? But she had always been a pack wolf at heart, the desire to lead, or at least hold some position of authority as much a part of her as the blood pounding through her veins. They would be ok, and if she had to, she would fight her way back to her rightful place at their lead. "Should we stay here tonight?" she questioned her son as the stars continued to race across the sky. She had always preferred to sleep in the open whenever the weather permitted.

(This post was last modified: Jan 02, 2013, 12:46 PM by Naira.)

The stars glittered in reply to his wish. He could only hope, prey with all his might that he wish would come true. He wanted her to be happy, to smile more, to laugh more.
A sudden yawn broke his thoughts, it came from no where but his mouth stretched wide as he let the air escape, his warm breath creating smoke like a dragon into the air. His eyes stung when he opened them, the cold night air hitting them hard. He didn't realise how late it was until he looked at the moon rising in the sky. His mother, as ever, had a fantastic idea and he would enjoy sleeping under the stars with her. He thought it a great adventure, to sleep in the open and he didn't care that it was a bit chilly, or even a bit scary, his mother would keep him safe. She would always keep him safe and he could not wait for the day when he was big enough to return the favour.

He looked up to her and offered her a sleepy nod. Sleep sounded like a fantastic idea right about now, and she was just in time as his lids began to grow heavy and he leaned against her for support. It had been a long day, his little body suddenly felt the weight of the world he carried upon his shoulders but for tonight, he was going to sleep soundlessly.

exit.

(This post was last modified: Jan 02, 2013, 12:45 PM by Adonis.)