Iridescent Lagoon Obscure Reflection

(Due to a conflict with another thread, this occurred on the 28th of June) Cloudy — Current Temperature: 59° F/15° C

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Calm. Cessair tasted the air, but the host of unfamiliar scents that flooded her nose gave no specific signal, only that she had found an area of calm. At this moment, Cessair was sure of nothing else; nothing but the fact that if she proceeded but a few more steps, she would come upon calm. If everything she ever knew was chaotic, what a triumph it would be to discover this new feeling. Without further hesitation, the lithe creature padded forward.</font>
<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Upon emerging from the cover of forest, the source of the calm was suddenly upon Cessair. An immense, glassy lake sat before her. She involuntarily gasped, then checked herself and held her breath for fear of disturbing the rare tranquility that this area possessed. Taking great care to disturb not a single living thing, Cessair crept forward. Time stood still as she came to the bank of the magnificent lake. She cautiously dipped her nose in. A fluid pulse radiated from the point of contact, travelling further and further until it seemed as though it swept the entire expanse of water. Cessair watched the motion of the ripple until her eyes focused on the center of the lake. It was so clear that it reflected the cloudy sky above. For a better look, Cessair dared to set her front paws in the water, which also produced a reflection of herself before her. Again Cessair gasped.</font>
<font style='margin-left:20px;'>She could clearly see herself, with grey clouds looming up behind her. It was as though Cessair's dark past was determined to follow her into each new territory she entered. Slowly, ever so slowly, Cessair backed out of the water, turned around, and sat facing the forest just a few steps away. She looked nowhere in particular, but left her eyes unfocused and glassy as she pondered, so that her clouded expression matched the lagoon behind her.</font>

(This post was last modified: Jun 28, 2012, 06:30 PM by Cessair.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/RaisTable2.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 100px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; text-align:justify;">Ashen paws danced across the landscape, devouring distance until the little trickster had finally come upon something of interest. It was an exceptionally warm day, which wasn't exactly the best for travel, but Rais would never get something so slight as discomfort get in the way of his explorations. The hills of Riddle Heights he had just came from had been breathtaking, and everything he had passed on the way only paled in comparison. Grass, trees, boring, boring boring. He hadn't even run into anyone else along the way. No friendly faces or otherwise.

Rais had been considering just giving up his travels for the day and spending the rest of it on a nap, but as he had rounded up over one of the eastern grassy hills he finally found something interesting. Not too far into the distance was an opalescent shimmer, a splotch on the landscape. He wasn't entirely sure what it was at first, but after staring for a couple moments he realized that it was an exceptionally still lake. This was more like it, he thought with a toothy grin. He ran the rest of the way down the slope, and trotted alongside the lake, admiring the strange way the water reflected the clouds on this halcyon day.

He was planning on walking the perimeter of the lake, just to see what was there, when he saw a wolfish shape resting alongside the lake. From this angle the wolf probably couldn't see him, unless they turned to look. Rais was unsure if he wanted to be seen. His dark ears and glinting eyes honed in on the wolf, and he started to sneak forward at a crawl. He had no idea who this was, but he wasn't afraid of anything anyways. As he came closer and closer, he noticed the wolf wasn't really paying attention to anything. The stranger was staring off into the tree-line, eyes sort of glazed over and ears motionless.

Perfect, he thought. A mischievous smile spread over his face, and he settled down into position just a few yards to the side of the wolf, towards their back. He steadied himself, rocked his weight backwards, and with a waggle of his rear he sprang forward at the wolf. "Surprise!" He yelled in mid-air. He landed in front of the girl, an eager expression on his face, which was just inches away from her nose.

Sitting motionless in front of the shore of hushed lake, Cessair abandoned the physical world for a few long moments to reflect on all that she had seen and heard since she entered this fertile land. No detail was overlooked as she scoured her memory. The way the birds sang even when she was near, the lavish toadstools springing up wherever a tree had fallen, even the blowing of the breeze through the forest that freshened up stale air; all communicated to her how this land sustained a balance where every element and every creature had its niche and was satisfied with it. Never before had Cessair felt such a universal sense of belonging, even as she knew that every being must endure its time of suffering.

Maybe all of these little details were present in every other place through which she had wandered. Cessair didn't know. All she knew was that just being in this forest seemed to awaken her senses. She even dared to go so far as to say that it even made her more alive. How she longed to find her brother here! It would be marvelous indeed if he had come upon this place first, and was now waiting to show her all of the fabulous mysteries this forest possessed.

So Cessair sat. Her being was wholly engulfed in entertaining her more pleasant memories and reliving her greatest moments as a pup. Even with her compromised awareness, Cessair realized that for the first time since her mother was murdered, she could contemplate her previous existence without plunging into an agonizing flashback.

<i>WHAM!</i> Cessair was jolted back to reality, only to perceive a sharp-toothed grin just a whisker-length from her face. The shock was so great that she fell backward over herself and landed supine in the water. Without hesitation she leapt back to her feet and growled <b>"What was that for?"</b> After a moment, she added with less ferocity and more nervousness <b>"And who are you?"</b>

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/RaisTable2.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 100px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; text-align:justify;">Rais' sudden appearance had managed to knock the female back into the water, which certainly wasn't something he had expected. Although she quickly recovered and was soon on her feet and snarling for an explanation, Rais couldn't take it seriously. For a moment he simply stared, then broke out in a fit of laughter. He couldn't feel bad, maybe if he had scared her off the edge of a cliff he would, but as it was she'd just done a half back-flip into the lake and now looked like a soaked mutt.

He finally calmed his giggles and looked at the girl before him. Just a yearling, about his age. She wasn't anything to worry about, not that Rais was ever worried. Not too long ago he'd gotten into trouble concerning Swift River's borders, and the wolf he'd run into there was a lot more intimidating than this one. He was willing to bet that the girl's angry stance was more of a reaction to being startled than it was a real threat towards him. The way she had spoke told him as much. There was a touch of nervousness under it all.

Rais' mouth was tilted in a crooked smirk and his tail waved with mirth. "Well, you looked like you were about to fall asleep, I didn't want you to fall in," he gestured with his snout to the lake behind her. "But, it seems you have anyways. I guess I was too late," he dramatically sighed. He wasn't serious at all, but his tone sounded earnest. "Who am I, though? Just a wanderer. But you can call me Rais." He wriggled on his limbs as he spoke, looking quite distracted. "And you are?" He asked.

With adrenaline from the surprise still shooting through her veins, Cessair was able to take in every detail about this stranger before she had time to fill her lungs. He wasn't very old and certainly not very big. The murderous rogue wolf that had killed Cessair's mother was a lot more muscular and menacing than this slender wolf. In fact, he was so unlike the wolf from Cessair's memory that she only had a fleeting thought about the possibility of this wolf seriously trying to attack her, and that was before she got a good look at him. Now, the feeling of danger passed and Cessair took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

If his appearance gave nothing away about this wolf's character, his pleased laughter sure did. Cessair supposed him to be an immature wolf who took all too much pleasure from a joke. The way he rocked back and forth on his paws also led her to believe that he was a distracted character and did not care much for his current actions or the consequences that may be attached to them. At any rate, he would certainly not be a threat.

Cessair would have sit down as she decided what to do next, but she remembered that she was still standing ankle-deep in the lake, so she shook out her soaked coat instead. She appreciated the fact that this troublesome wolf introduced himself to her; it banished any second thoughts about a possibly violent purpose in him. When he explained his intention, his tone of voice seemed serious enough, but the nature of the excuse paired with the fact that he laughed when she tumbled into the water told Cessair that he was lying.

<b>"My name is Cessair. And if you had really wanted to ensure I didn't fall in the lake, you would have woken me up more gently, although I was only deep in thought -- not asleep."</b>

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/RaisTable2.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 100px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; text-align:justify;">The ruffling of her fur and the accompanying spray of water caused Rais to step back, eyes squinched against the impromptu shower. He then moved aside, not wanting to trap her in the lake. He had given her enough to deal with already.

"Thinking? That's pretty dangerous, see, that's what gets you in trouble. At least, it always gets me in trouble." He quipped, evading the issue of his methods of waking others. He furrowed his brow as he looked at Cessair, the gears in his head obviously at work despite his own advice. He had been in Relic Lore for only a short while, but some sort of intuition told him that this girl hadn't been here for long either. She was too lean to be a pack wolf, and too young to be an experienced loner. She was only the third wolf he'd run into so far, and the only loner of the three.

He was curious what had brought another wolf his age to this place. Honestly, it was a little exciting being around another young wolf again. While Rais had hated living with him and felt relieved after leaving home and was free of him, he found himself missing his brother a little. While Rais had found Trenzi obnoxious, he at least had always been a willing accomplice on Rais' little misadventures around home. While all the new sights he came across as he traveled were interesting or even astonishing, it was strange not having his brother at his side to share it with.

"So, you're not from here, are you? What are you doing around here?" He asked, his head tilted curiously as he looked at her. He would have appeared focused if not for him swaying on his hind limbs, his rear wobbling in the air.

(This post was last modified: Jun 29, 2012, 09:01 AM by Rais.)

Cessair gratefully exited the lake when the wolf in front of her stepped aside, but took note when he handily changed the subject. With the way he was still swaying about as though distracted while he stood, however, she figured that maybe he had managed to conveniently forget about what had just happened. When he commented on thoughts, and how they got him into trouble, she snorted. Obviously, not thinking could have the same effect. What if he had surprise-attacked a more aggressive wolf? That would be the end of his little jokes for a while.

As she studied him, she realized that he could not have been much older than herself. That would explain why he had yet to learn the principle of self-control. Nevertheless, Cessair resolved to portray herself as a polite and forgiving character to him, as she did not want to start accumulating a base of enemies. She was still determined to find reasons to stay here, even if her brother was not anywhere near. It would always be an important goal of hers to find Rowan, but she had come to love this forest land so much in the few days she had been exploring it that she did not want to leave.

Cessair wondered, as she continued to observe her <span class='word'>agemate</span>, where he had come from. No pack boundaries were crossed when she came to this lake, Cessair was sure, so this wolf must have been a loner like herself. Perhaps he'd seen her brother? She doubted it; already another wolf from this forest had said she hadn't. Still, there was no harm in asking.

<b>"You're right; I'm not from here. I found this place while wandering around in search of my brother."</b> Here she paused to retrieve an image of her sibling from the depths of her memory. <b>"His name is Rowan and his coat is grey and white. He has a muscular build and yellow eyes. Is there any chance you've seen him?"</b>

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/RaisTable2.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 100px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; text-align:justify;">At her question, Rais leaned his head the opposite direction, yet again thinking. He hadn't run into any males in Relic Lore yet. And even if he had, the description of her brother was so generic he doubted he would be recognized if Rais ever came across him. He wondered how many wolves with lost relatives were wandering Relic Lore, and how many of those were looking for each other. He had considered that maybe he might even run into his half-sister, Treena, when he first arrived in the abundant land of the Lore. The thought made him quietly snort. Yeah right, what was the likelihood that they would have left home, years apart, only to both arrive at the same place? He wasn't even sure what she looked like. Even then, they simply might never cross paths. How likely would it be for this girl to ever find her brother, if he actually was here somewhere?

Rais straightened out his crooked head and refocused on Cessair. He gave her a sympathetic smile and gently shook his head, "No, I can't say I've seen anyone like him here, not yet at least. But I haven't been here for very long. I'll keep my eye out, though." Would he really? Rais supposed if he ever did come across such a wolf, he might inform him that he had a sister out looking for him. Rais wasn't really one for quests though, as it was he had no intentions of finding his long lost half-sister. He much more preferred to live in the moment and follow his own whims. Rais circled around to the other side of his agemate, seemingly restless. "But are you going to stick around if he isn't? It's such and interesting land, and I haven't even seen it all yet."

A feeling of disappointment only barely tugged at the edge of her thoughts when Cessair received the expected answer of "no." Her brother must not be anywhere near this land. The grey wolf said he would keep an eye out for her brother, but he had also probably lied to her once already. Still, at least he was being more considerate now that they were conversing. Cessair still had it in the back of her mind that he might knock her back into the water or something, but she wasn't going to go around judging other wolves' characters before she got to know them.

Next, the young male asked if she would stay in this forest. Decision time. Rowan probably wasn't here; Cessair had come to accept that. If she stayed, she would forfeit looking for him. She also had little idea of what the wolves in this area were generally like, as she had now met only two of them. Finally, her wandering would also have to be mostly given up, for she would be confined to areas that were not pack territory. There was just something about the freedom, the challenge, of not being tied to any one place, and instead roaming wherever one pleased.

On the other hand, Cessair had been well-acquainted with abundance this land afforded. She had been able to keep herself sufficiently, although never completely, filled; the occasional small prey that she could catch as a lone wolf were enough for her survival, but little more. There were, however, packs that she could join. One already was a possibility for her, as she had started friendly relations with one of the pack members. Her final reason to stay had little explanation, yet it was her biggest reason. This land appealed to her more than any other, even besides the matter of ample food. Somehow, she simply felt more at home here.

While all of her reasons for and against remaining in this land relayed back and forth in her mind, Cessair let herself experience the sensations around her. She heard a multitude of creatures singing each their own unique songs; she felt a gentle breeze tickle her nose; she smelled the fresh fragrance of the lake. Why was she having such trouble coming to a conclusion? <b>"I haven't entirely decided what I want to do, but I'm growing more and more sure that I will stay in this forest, even if I don't ever find my brother. The land is interesting, as you said, and I feel oddly at home here. You said you've not been here long -- are you staying?"</b>

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/bluepups/RaisTable2.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-top: 100px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; text-align:justify;">Rais nodded as Cessair spoke, and for once his expression appeared thoughtful rather than distracted. He could see what she meant about feeling at home here. Rais felt that there was something about this place that called to him. It was as if there was some sort of magnetic pull to the land, which drew him here and made him hesitate to think of leaving. He was sure though that it was only something mundane and explainable, such as how plentiful food in this place was.

"Oh, I might, I might not. So far though, I think I'll be staying." Rais replied. He had no ties to Relic Lore, but he also had no reason to leave. He would just see how things played out here. The idea of a pack drifted through his mind, but he immediately dismissed it. At the present moment, the ability to roam free and follow his own rules outweighed the benefits of a pack. Maybe in the future, if things got tough or if he ever tired of his life as a rogue he might revisit the option. At the moment though he saw no benefit to such a tie. Again he paced back to her other side, his tail swishing through the air as he walked. "I really just want to see it all," he continued.

Rais paused his pacing and looked at her with a mischievous expression in his beady eyes. He seemed to be considering something. Suddenly, he bounded forward and snapped at the the tip of her tawny tail, in an attempt to gently tug on a few of the hairs at the end. Quickly he vaulted around to her other side again. He faced Cessair with an innocent smile on his face, single pearly snaggle-fang peeking out from his upper lip.