shiver

RE: There is a freak storm. Current Temperature: 37° F/3° C | muse. @Kite

every little thing you do got me feeling some type of way
when you give me that thunder you make my summer rain
every day
and it won't stop

The smell of it lingered in the air. Breathing it in deeply until it felt as though his chest could burst, the realized just how much he missed it. At one time, he could relate its dewy redolence with flood, and by the same token death, but now, after a long winter...Now it connoted life.

High in the western sky reigned a fading orange sun, and even though pluming pillars of inky clouds were slowly beginning to replace what had been cloudless, hues of violet, salmon, and navy still stretched as far as the eye could see. Chilling gusts cut through the dancing grasses of the clearing that held only scattered patches of snow, whipping across his masked face and through the pewter strokes of his thick coat. The boy stood atop a meager knoll, the forest to his back and the mountains, faraway, sprawled before him; amid a world so beautiful with a heart dripping with hope, the boy was overwhelmed by peace.

Mirren had departed from his other half hours ago in search of solitude. All his life he'd cherished the quiet that came with being alone and the way it helped him to clear his head. A brisk run, a long hike, a refreshing swim. Today, it had been a meandering through the hills spanning between a creek and a forest that he'd taken to, and it was everything he'd hoped it would be. Staring into what remained of the sunlight as thunder claps echoed in the distance, he couldn't wait to feel the rain.

(This post was last modified: Apr 17, 2014, 06:38 AM by Mirren.)

Kite had continued her scouting endeavors, and had, of course, taken Mirren with her. Already he knew her better than perhaps she herself did. He could comfort her with a touch or a word or a gesture or just being there. None had been able to sooth her in the way that he could. It was with ease that he helped her forget her fears and think of things beyond that. It might not have been his intention, but Mirren was inspiring Kite to be... more. She had always been willing and accepting of her rank in the pack of life. It was not a mediocre one, but neither was it above average. The Tainn she was with inspired her to be... exceptional. It was a refreshing change. Kite had never really known that things were once so mundane for her until now. She had been happily going through the motions and now, now she lived.

Kite had been traversing the more difficult part of The Wildwood. Mirren had come with her, but Kite was willing to give him some space. The L'Crowe had been weaving around the darkened trees, destroyed by the fires of past. Kite poked through the snow, pawed at it, and could see the new life that was presenting itself. She was too excited by it, unwilling to not let Mirren know despite the fact that he likely already knew that. This was news to her, though, and she would share everything with him.

Peering overhead, Kite noted the darkening of the sky. What began as a trot turned into a sprint, moving in ground-eating strides until his figure presented itself to her on a knoll. The way the wind played at his furs left her breathless. And how he looked! Kite's pace slowed just so she could see him all the better, and her eyes devoured him. Kite could hardly believe then that he was hers.

Another boom of thunder caused her to pick up the leisurely pace. Her nostrils flared and Kite at long last was before him, loosely circling him so she could stand beside him. Kite drew herself against him in a catlike fashion, her ears perking forward as she observed nature. Her avian companion remained in the forest, but she watched as it took off, heading east and away from the storm. In minutes, other birds were flying in the same direction that lingered during the wintertime... and knowingly, Kite hummed. Looks like a big ones coming for us, Light flashed in the clouds ahead. Here, a light drizzle began, and Kite mindlessly pressed closer to him.

If your love was all I had in this life,

Kite & Mirren

that would be enough until the end of time.

He was emerged in the elements and the winds began to pick up and the sky continued to darken. Overhead, the foreboding clouds lit up here in bright flashes and the claps of thunder seemed to shake the ground, resonating in his bones. Where he was perched was a front row seat, and it was amazing to observe just how quickly the storm was unfolding. Though the gusts whistled past his ears and despite the constant agitations of thunder, he could hear her pad falls as she approached. Or, perhaps it was just that he could feel her presence.

Kite had become the constant in Mirren's life that he'd been missing all this time. Everything about her was right for him, and in his heart he knew that he was right for her, too. The days that they'd faced together to this point were some of the best he'd ever had─she was the best he'd ever had─and the resolution he felt every time he thought about the fact that she would always be there was pristine. It was so easy to get lost in the deepening tide of emotions that came with a hint of her scent, or with the sound of her soft, girlish voice. What was more, he found the sweetest satisfaction in seeing the look in her eyes when they grazed over his face. As much as she was special to him, he was special to her, too. He could share anything with her, say anything, laugh at anything, laugh with her (or at her), and she was honest with him, and her genuineness was infallible. The way her lithe form fit perfectly into his own...Staring out into the clouds so that he wouldn't gawk at her as she circled to his side (though he wanted to), he couldn't fight the one-sided grin that subtly trembled onto his lips. He was the luckiest guy alive.

"Looks like a big ones coming for us." His body didn't move as she slipped into him, but his amber eyes looked sidelong at her for a long moment as pride and excitement and...something warm and fuzzy...all fluttered around in his chest. Casting his gaze to the silhouette of the mountains against the sunset in the distance as the skies above them swirled like smoke, he leaned into her, tucking her crown beneath his jaw. Fat, cold droplets of rain began to splatter on his face. "I hope it pours down on our heads, right here," he breathed contentedly. "I bet you're just as adorable when you're soaked to the bone." Soon enough they would have to seek out shelter, but the adrenaline junkie in him was prepared to wait until the storm blew them over first.

The gusts the heavy gale brought were not yet too formidable, but they were enough to cause Kite to look around them, checking for any means of shelter in case they needed it. There was nothing that met the eye, but Mirren's move toward her distracted her from her purpose. Her own head was offered some shelter by his jaw, and she could not help but beam due to the strange feeling of safety she felt despite the exposure. Kite did not doubt that he would keep them safe... but even if he struggled in that in this moment, they would be together. That was all she really needed. He and she. They. He spoke, and Kite moved beneath him, coiling around him until her head was at his shoulder and her rear-end near his face. The rain continued to fall, and his next words caused her to laugh. No way, she responded, and circling around him once more Kite playfully rears to attempt throw her forelegs over the side of him, so that her chest would lean on his side. I look like... well, I don't even know, I've never seen myself... But I've seen my brothers and if I look anything like they do when wet...

She stuck her tongue out in playful disgust, ears pivoting atop her head. Kite removed herself from him and darted ahead of him some as the rain began to fall all the harder. She was eager to experience this and everything with him, her tail swaying despite her own reservations about storms. It was not that she had ever had a bad experience in one... just the things that she had heard. Still, life was for living. And now more than ever, she was ready to live it.

Kite peers backward and smiles at him. Y'like storms? She was genuinely curious. Kite herself always looked for shelter, content to observe it in the confines of a safe haven. But perhaps there was something she was missing, and if there was, she was eager to find out with him right by her side to walk her through it.

If your love was all I had in this life,

Kite & Mirren

that would be enough until the end of time.

"No way," was her quick reply as she shifted from beneath his chin, expertly leaving her big rear right in his face. He perked up, his ears swiveling forward as his eyes locked onto it. It was just so...curvy, and...No, no, no! Gulping down a suddenly appearing lump in his throat, he diverted his gaze long enough for her to move along, after which he took a deep breath as his toes tingled with the strangest sensation.

Already the deluge was beginning, the rain falling sideways in thickening sheets. The drops slipped through his fur and along his skin, from the breadth of his crown to the tip of his tail. It was exhilarating, hands down. The weight of her propped against his side and across his back incited a yearning for play, and he was prepared to slosh around in the mud with her all day. "I'm lookin' at you right now, girl, and I can tell you that you look like a ray of sunshine." He teased over his shoulder to her. She was sopping, her fur slicking to her body in wet chunks, the whiskers on her snout sticking pointedly out. As he'd presumed, she was still cute. He attempted a nip at her pink tongue as she stuck it out before darting away.

Like a child, Mirren jumped to his feet with a shit eating grin plastered on his face, which was equally soaked, the fur between his ears spiked up absurdly. In a few sure-footed bounds he caught up to her, grazing one of her hind legs tenderly, playfully with his teeth. "You know, I never used to. 'Hated 'em, really, but..." he gazed about at the wondrous fury of the weather, ...but this is awesome." His bright eyes sought her out, the challenge shining in them before his lips even parted to speak the words. "─Race you to the tree line? Winner gets to be the little spoon tonight."

His legs itched to jump into action, his tail swaying feverishly over his back. It was a straight, far shot to the forest, and he was prepared to duke it out to the finish line.

His words caused her cheeks to fill with air and for her to bellow, YOU'RE SO CUTE!!!!! YOU'RE A RAY OF SUNSHINE, she mimicked, her lack of creativity in that moment only because I LIKE YOU SO MUCH resounded within her mind. As he moved to nip at her tongue, Kite withdrew only until his fangs playfully clicked shut, then leaned forward to bestow a kiss to the tip of his nose. But ah, the attempt was futile! He too moved away too fast, and it was not to be, and she too had moved from him to dart ahead. She felt him near her hind leg and turned back to nip at his muzzle, amusement written on the soaked lines of her face. His suggestion was met with wide eyes... and her own grin to match the one he wore.

Kite was ready. 'Kay, and she turned to stand beside him so that they would have a fair starting point. Prepare to be big spoon, and then... Ready, Her eyes were on his paws, and hers were clearly itching to go, Set... She could not help but lean slightly forward, until she proclaimed, GO! And in the same beat, the graceful Kite turned graceless, the slick earth taking advantage of the situation and making it her literal downfall. Kite, mid first-stride, landed on the slick earth and lost her footing. It might as well have been ice she moved on, the ground was already so slick. And so her limbs splayed out wildly beneath her and she huffed, hoping that Mirren was far ahead...

That escalated quickly, she huffed, more to herself than anyone else, and lay there defeated for a moment before lifting her head to check if he had made it halfway yet.

If your love was all I had in this life,

Kite & Mirren

that would be enough until the end of time.

The anticipation was killing him. There they stood, two sopping hot messes in the eye of a raging thunderstorm, both with a glimmer of affectionately tarnished competition in their eyes. When she lined up beside him he watched her like a hawk as he danced in place for a moment before planting his wide paws in the muddy ground. "Prepare to be big spoon." There was no way he was going to let her get a leg up on him yet, and he inspected the invisible starting line in front of both of their sets of paws carefully. If anyone was going to be snuggled upon when this was over, it was going to be HIM─squished into her pretty little body as he slumbered like a big baby. His wet tail, which now looked like a wet mop anchored to his rear, slapped messily against her hip.

One. two. "No cheating," he rumbled excitedly, to psych her out or make her lose count, one. Crouching down, his eyes squinted as the rain drops pummeled his face, he boy had his eyes on the finish line─the tree line, nearly a half-mile away. "GO!" And they were off.

His paws slipped and slid as he nearly ran in place for several seconds, sending water and mud flying behind him. When he did finally manage to get going, he found that it was much harder to keep his footing than he'd thought it would be. Long, powerful, graceful strides (maybe two of them in all) turned to shortened, senseless movements of his muddied cream legs, much like a new born deer attempting to gallivant about. He hadn't made it far at all when he heard it. SPLAT! Instantaneously he looked over his shoulder and slid to a wildly graceless halt, collecting a landslide of mud between his toes in the process, his mouth dropping open.

Maybe it should have been funny, and had it been anyone else it would have laughed his ass off, but the site of Kite, mud slathered on the side of her beautiful face, limbs splayed out all over the place, made his breath hitch in his chest. Mirren ran, or slid, to her as fast as he possibly could, his eyes wide with alarm. "Are you okay?!" He nudged her cheek as her head lay on in the mud before proceeding to prod each and every leg, toe, rib, and ear. Circling back to her head, he dropped his own to look into her eyes. "Babe! Are you hurt? I'm so sorry, I would've never even sugges-" He fell quiet, biting his lip. "I'm sorry, I'll be the big spoon for a week, I swear."

Kite heard him even above her breathing, even above her mind that raced quicker than a leveret. She wouldn't cheat, and her tail waved as she sounded off... but ah, yes, life was bittersweet, crushing her hopes and dreams of being nothing but the graceful darling she ought to be in front of Mirren to a degree Kite herself felt irreparable. Never mind her bruised ego, Kite could not fathom the thought of Mirren somehow liking her any less for her literal slip-up. Deep down, Kite understood Mirren well enough to know that their feelings for one another were not so simple, so base... but she was a girl, and so she fretted. Mud combined with grass matted her belly, and she was sure there was likely a permanent imprint of her body upon the ground. As if she didn't feel enough shame! Now, her body, here forever! The grass that clung to her sides some sort of sarcophagus...

There was his body. It gave her reprieve from the hailing rain, and she let out a low whine. He prod at her, and Kite did not flinch... she was not too terribly hurt. It was her pride that screamed, really. The rain came again until he was again near her head, and she let out a content sigh, so very glad for his presence, his care. Anyone else might have laughed. Kite might have, too, if it were a different situation, if she didn't feel like this was the end of the damn world. But when he assured her he would be the big spoon, that he would stick around, Kite at last perked up, her spirit rising some. ...will you? Can we give our race a rain check? She snickered at the pun, and attempted to rise. Her left leg nearly went out from under her, but she caught herself. I would like to get warm and cozy somewhere and be cuddled 'til the storms end, she admitted. Perhaps a nap would repair her dignity? She knew his continued company would truly help.

It appeared as though it was perhaps Kite's pride that had suffered the grandest blow, and for that Mirren sucked in a quiet breath of relief. From the look of things, which were remarkably messy, muddy, and scary, she'd taken quite the tumble─so when her words affirmed that she was okay and wanted a rain check, an exemplary play at words on her cute part, he was more than willing to give her that. He'd give her anything, and for a time it would seem as though he'd be giving her his belly to melt into at the end of the night.

The mud he licked from her cheek was gritty between his teeth and in the fold of his cheek, and when she tried to rise and faltered he was quick to jump to support her wobbly body. "Anything you want, just..." he glanced down to make sure her feet were firm in the mud, "just be careful. Can you make it to the woods?" Seeing as they hadn't made any progress in that direction, the forest was still a solid half-mile from where they were currently. It would have been an easy trek had she not fallen, but he was relatively sure that finding shelter wasn't going to be so easy now. Mirren didn't want her to move or walk any more than she had to. "I've got you," he reassured. "We're gonna cuddle until the world ends if that's what it takes to make you feel better. Tell me if you need a rest." And with that, he made the first move.

He was sure to walk slowly beneath the battering rain as nightfall drew nearer. The pastel hues that had painted the parts of the sky that weren't scattered with clouds had darkened and were eventually masked by the storm. The ambient light of the moon still lit the clouds, revealing their swirling shades of grey between the flashes of lightning. Thunder rolled on as they finally made it to the safety of the Wildwood, and in silence the boy's thoughts drifted to the history of the place. Many nights his bed time tales were of Hidden Tree and the adventures of his ancestors, his father, and uncle Indru. Something about this place brought him back in time, in his mind, and the invited the feeling that perhaps he and his Kite weren't not alone here, but watched over by those whose blood ran through his veins─that would one day run through his children's veins. Glancing over at Kite, the light of the rainy night reflected off her wet, tawny fur, he entertained the thought of his heirs bearing her hazel eyes.

The forest seemed to wrap around them, shielding them from the onslaught as it pummeled down upon the canopy, the sound of its pitter-patter like a lullaby he couldn't wait to lull to sleep to. It was at the base of an ancient, fallen tree, its trunk charred black and patterns with mossy tendrils that hung lazily off it, that they would settle. Its massive roots which were now woven atop with ivy served as a suitable overhang to the sheltered dip of earth beneath. Even in the night, even in the storm, and even though winter's traces had not fully faded, he could feel the hum of life all around them. "Here," he directed his companion, his gaze casting about the shadows behind her for any sign of danger.

As he moved to her side, her heart stuttered. Mirren had a huge heart, one she had not seen the likes of in her life. She was careful, not wanting to cause a domino effect here, and her endeavor to rise without dying was fruitful. Her success was met when she waved her soaked plume, which cut through the rain like a knife and sent other droplets from blades of fur slinging through the air. She did well in keeping her balance from then on out, and Kite nodded to his question. The L'Crowe imagined that she could do it... but from here, it seemed so far! The earth truly was very slick, but if they were careful and took it slow, all would be well.

They took it one step at a time.

And even though it took a while, the duo got there successfully. They themselves were as slick as the ground they moved on, but Kite shook out her furs roughly before entering. She looked one last time at the sky that had changed hues rapidly, and was darkening even further. Despite the oppressiveness the weather and dreariness caused her to feel, Kite also felt... safe. It was Mirren, to her. Kite did not know of the presence of his relatives that ran as deep as the roots did, so for her, the thing that kept her safe was Mirren. As he gestured into the spot he had brought them to, Kite moved in with care, not wanting to slide all the way down. The way the rain hit the remaining trees was... peaceful. A lullaby. Nature sang it wonderfully, and Kite's fall was all but forgotten as she lay down, leaving ample space for Mirren to step over her so that he could be the big spoon. Her tail beat against the ground, eager to simply be held by him, and to hear his voice over the rainfall outside.