Spectral Woods Saying Goodbye

{M} for self harm and suicidal thoughts!
Alright, this is going to be a funeral of sorts. Any and all wolves welcome, but I'm hoping for Oak Tree Bend wolves (*coughcough*@Drestig*coughcough*) or a certain @Andromache to join him. Late afternoon, medium snow.

It had come to him last night. He had passed the skull of a moose in his late night errands, and it reminded him of the day his life changed forever. In a moment of clarity and inspiration, Oliver promptly dropped what he was doing and began to work. Dragging the skull, antlers and all, to a proper place, had been a tough job for the small man, but he was determined to see this through. If he had to let go.....at the very least, Oliver wanted to make sure that Galley was given a proper send off. Even if it was only himself that cared, Oliver would see his mentor- his brother to the other side. It was time to let go. Early morning, before the sun shone across the eerie woods, Oliver had managed to prop up the moose skull against a large rock, digging first a hole that would anchor it in place. He had pressed down on the impressive antlers, making sure to drive the lower points into the dirt, no matter how frozen it was, or how high the snow piled about him. Hours of scouring had produced snowdrops- Galley's favorite- which he then transplanted to the ground underneath. A hard- nearly impossible- task, but he persisted. And then he had set smaller rocks around it- no one mortal should ever touch this. No one. He didn't have any remains of Galley to bury- this memory was all. And it would have to be enough. It was time to let go. Are we really doing this? The voice in his head asked unsurely. The reluctance in it's timber held true for the both of them. As Oliver looked at the memorial, blinking away tears, he answered for what might be a final time- Yes, yes I am. I should have done this years ago. And I'm sorry for that. ....No...It must have been terrible...no one can blame you for that. The small man stood there for a moment, paws frozen and sore as the snow ate up his legs, hesitant to proceed, but confident that he should. It was time to let go. It was time to say goodbye...... "Speech" My tangled mind You're still with me

Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

(This post was last modified: Jan 08, 2015, 01:07 AM by Oliver.)

It was cold outside and even Roma, with all of her thick fur and thick muscles, was shivering. She hadn't seen Oliver since their last encounter and was determined to find him and make sure he was okay. He had seemed better when they parted but he could have relapsed and Roma didn't want to think of what might happen to him if Galley's voice came back and she wasn't around to help. If something happened to Oliver because she wasnt around to help him....she would never forgive herself.

Finally she picked up on his scent despite the fierce wind and snowfall. He was close and she didn't have to follow the scent long to find his raven form starkly contrasted against the fluffy snow. He was standing, almost too still, before some kind of collection of rocks. As Roma came closer she could see that the rocks were surrounded antlers fixed into the snow like some kind of....memorial. Realization hit Roma and she didn't know if she should smile or cry. Was she relieved or sad that Oliver was following her advice? That he was letting go of Galley.

Quickly the storm colored woman made her way over to her friend and sat with her fur brushing up against his. She nudged her muzzle into Oliver's neck, breathing in his scent the way she had the day he had broken down in front of her. He was better now. He was on a better path. "Oliver." She said only his name but she said it with so much emotion. Grief. Empathy. Warmth. Love. "How are you?" The question was only a whisper, one meant only for the two of them. Perhaps others would come, but even if they didn't it wouldn't matter. Roma would always be here for Oliver. Always.

She came up unexpectedly, like their friendship, and like their friendship, her presence was comforting. Fur brushed up against his, colors contrasting, her breath upon the nape of his neck, and voice full of warmth and love. She was here, like she said she would be. And despite the tears streaming down his face, Oliver smiled. He was happy. Happy she was here to help him let go. "I don't know." He answered in truth to her question."I feel....better than I have in a long time....but it still sort of hurts." Had she ever felt that way before? Had Galley? Oliver prayed to the heavens, or wherever Galley's soul ended up, that his brother didn't think he was replacing him with Roma. No. No one could replace him. But Roma helped. And she was true to her word. He was going into a new chapter of life. No more time to hold on to the past. Biting his lip, ignoring the blasting winds and numbness in his feet, Oliver began to speak. There was no point in delaying this moment any longer. "Today... we've gathered to respect and say goodbye to the memory of Galley Shipwright. Sometimes a charming cad, most times a loving-" he wouldn't break- Galley wouldn't want him to break- "loving brother and mentor to myself. He wasn't the best of wolves, but he knew his left from his right, and wrong from right, and will always have an influence on the lives he touched, despite what others may say." He took a deep breath belaying his size, laying one of his small paws on the stones surrounding his structure. "Goodbye Galley. It was wonderful knowing I was worth your time." "Speech" My tangled mind You're still with me

Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

(This post was last modified: Dec 23, 2014, 09:49 PM by Oliver.)

He had allowed himself one nights wait, to rest and gather himself; not that he had gotten a lot of sleep, mind racing, thoughts chasing each other around his head as he thought of what was ahead, what would he say? How? When daylight first appeared, shining into the refuge where they had been sleeping together, the black man sighed deeply and rose, gently loosening himself from @Silver, stroking his muzzle lightly over her head before leaving her to sleep. He stepped out into the morning light, lifting his head briefly to appreciate the sun that had managed to fight its way through the clouds; but it had no warmth, and its rays could not brighten the darkness inside him. Swiftly he made his way through the woods, head hanging low, but every stride determined and secure. First he went to the medicine den, where they had met last time, ears flattened back as he peeked into the dimness. But there was no sign of the boy, and a strange mix of disappointment and relief washed through the aging chap. He quickly backed up, shaking himself lightly and taking a deep breath, feeling the familiar scent filling his lounges, the spicy smells of the herbs gathering with the scent of wolf to form a distinct perfume that was unique, and impossible to miss. Drestig turned suddenly on his paws, hurrying to take action before his resolve left him. He fallowed the scent, weaving in and out between the trees, heart beating rapidly in his chest. It took a little while, but finally, his tracking bore fruit, and he came to a halt. Before him, the unmistakable, cream painted form of his small, former comrade sat, back turned. He wasn't alone, a large, grey female sat beside him, so close that their fur mingled together in a contrasting tapestry. The ebony man couldn't allow her presence to deter him though, if he didn't speak now, he wouldn't be able to. So he cleared his throat, voice low and gentle as he spoke; "Oliver?" He stood still, a good distance away from the two, posture low and unimposing, eyes locked on the dark boy's back, waiting for his head to turn. Word count: 369 My mind is my own ”I'll say whatever I want to!”

Roma was encouraged by Oliver's answer. He was better and that filled her with an inexplicable relief. She listened patiently as Oliver gave a eulogy for his mentor, a man he considered like a brother. Roma kept her head bowed respectfully until the very end. Then she spoke, voice firm and clear, "Galley, I never had the chance to know you but I do know Oliver. He is an amazing friend and if you had any part in that, then I thank you." Roma kept her eyes focused on the memorial, content to let the silence rest between them until Oliver was ready.

Finally the silence broke, but it wasnt Oliver's familiar voice that rang through. Roma's head turned, guard hairs rising, ready to protect her friend and the memorial he had made. The man standing there was medium sized and dark. He was larger than Oliver, but not larger than herself. His eyes were a very distinct orange color, but they were trained on Oliver's back. He was not making eye contact with either of them and his posture also seemed submissive. Was he seeking permission to join in the memorial? Was he a friend of Galley's too? A quick sample of the air told Roma that this young man belonged to the same pack as Oliver.

A bad feeling made Roma's stomach feel like a rock had just been dropped in it. How many pack mates did Oliver have? What were the chances that this man was that particular pack mate? Screw the chances, Roma trusted her instincts and her instincts told her that was exactly who this man was. Her lips pulled up in a vicious snarl as she took an offensive position next to Oliver. One word from her friend and she would rip the intruder to shreds. But if this dark man took one step closer to her friend, it would take more than one word to keep her from launching herself at him.

(This post was last modified: Dec 24, 2014, 01:07 AM by Andromache.)

Oliver tensed at the familiar voice. Not turning, but taking cue from Roma's offensive actions, he assumed the newcomer must've been Drestig. The man he had been avoiding like mad since that night at the medicine den. At that moment, he had a choice. Simple, but difficult all the same. Even though Galley would've enjoyed a small show of force at his funeral, Oliver didn't want that for his friend during a somber time- dead or living. Another deep breath helped him to compose- to choose what he wanted to say. With a strength that bubbled up- not from hatred, but from determination to see this through- Oliver turned and stood. Calmly, he brought his head close to Roma's, whispering in her ear to put her at ease. "Roma, it's okay. I know what to do now." And then he started forward. It was hard, with the snow threatening to swallow his small form whole, and the wind gusting at his fur, but he made the short distance towards the other wolf that needed to be here. Even thought Drest's pose was submissive, Oliver kept his neutral, not sure what to feel, but knowing what he had to do. "....Drestig.... We're holding a funeral- for Galley. If you'd like to say a few words, you are welcome to. If you feel like you can...." Oliver himself had something to say, but maybe it would be best to let Drestig have closure with the entire tension between them first. "Speech" My tangled mind You're still with me

Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

(This post was last modified: Dec 24, 2014, 01:45 AM by Oliver.)

The grey broad turned first, immediately rising and taking an aggressive stand, snarling as her blue eyes fell on him. Startled by this obvious hostility, Drestig took half a step back, staring back with confusion. Then his dominant nature kicked in and he instinctively broadened his stance, tail arching high behind his back. Fiery eyes looked to meet there icy opposites, a warning sparkling in their depths. But even as he kept watch of the woman, his main attention was on Oliver, eyes flicking to him warily as he turned as well. At first, his attention was on the grumpy lass too, muzzle moving close to her ear as he whispered something, presumably telling her to calm down; Hopefully... The last thing Drestig wanted right now was a fight, he was here to speak with Oliver, preferably calmly this time; but if this stranger decided to act out against him on whatever had pissed her off, he intended to defend himself. Thoughts were torn away from the large shewolf when Oliver started towards him, the Avalon's ears falling back as he shifted his eyes to the smaller male. He felt a stab of fear in his chest, and breathed in deeply to calm himself, standing his ground though he felt mostly like running away; Again! But he had to do this, he had promised himself, promised Silver, And he owed it, to himself and to Galley; and most of all to Oliver. A sad smile unexpectedly slit onto his face, small but steady, and he suddenly felt calmer. Taking another deep breath, that ended up as almost a sigh, Drestig lowered his tail and shoulders to a less threatening posture, finally looking to meet the lad's brown gaze. He waited, anxiously, for Ollie to speak first, seeing the sense of purpose and uncharacteristic assurance in his stride. The words though, where completely surprising, and the ebony man's maw almost fell open, eyes widening; Funeral?! His head buzzed with questions, but he pushed them aside, focusing entirely on the boy before him, warmth and sorrow rising in his orange gaze; "Ollie..." He spoke softly. This was more than he could have hoped for, everything about the small man seemed different from last time, calmer, more collected; Drestig had feared more anger and hatred, more confusion and shifting moods; And possibly a physical attack... But this... His eyes drifted from Oliver to the sight behind him, sliding swiftly over the grey dame, narrowing slightly as they did, before landing on the monument behind. Slowly, on stiff legs, Drestig moved, circling opposite the stranger around Oliver and up to the small plot in the snow; stopping a few feet away. "This is for him?" He said after a short silence, emotion slurring his voice ever so slightly. Looking at the antlers protruding from the dirt, the delicately placed flowers and perfect circle of stone, the older man allowed himself to think back, to really remember for the first time in all this time. He pushed past the end, back to before things had gone askew between them. He had actually liked Galley, back when they first met, respected him, it wasn't until later... But he pushed that aside and looked up to meet Oliver's gaze as he slowly began to speak; "Galley was... Strong, in all senses of the word. He was a true comrade, someone you could always count on to help you in a pinch, or take you down a notch if you got to high on yourself..." He grinned lightly, allowing himself to enjoy the memory for a second. Then his expression grew somber; "He was a stubborn bastard, he never knew when to call it quits... How many times didn't he take down beasts way to big all on his own... Idiot." The last was mumbled, mixed emotions ringing in his voice, eyes having drifted to his paws where he was now digging softly at the snow. Sighing, he looked up, staring at the bright cyan sky; "He could be such a jerk... But, at his core, he was a good man," Forcefully, the dark man dragged his eyes from the heavens to meet Olivers again, deep sorrow and remorse glowing in his gaze; "And he deserved better. I'm sorry... So, so sorry." Then he turned quiet, waiting, for the judgment, the punishment; What I deserve. Word count: 727 My mind is my own ”I'll say whatever I want to!”

Look out! A blizzard is coming your way!

The sky has been cloudy all day, the temperature has been dropping quickly, and now the winds are beginning to pick up. What began as just a few harmless snow flurries is quickly turning into an all-out blizzard. Quick! Seek out a safe shelter to ride out the storm. Be careful, though! Visibility is very low and it will be easy to get lost.

Roma's muscles tensed as a defiant, fiery gaze met her icy glare. She was more than ready to tear into this new opponent, to do something physical to release all of the emotional tension that had been building up. But this wasnt about her and the stormy she wolf remembered that as he raven colored companion whispered in her ear, voice stable and confident. Carefully, Roma reigned in her anger, forcing her lips to close around her teeth. She made her muscles relax and forced her tail down, showing her submission. She would not fight without Oliver's permission but her gaze remained more focused than ever.

She never took her eyes off of the dark male, even as Oliver invited him to say something, though that decision did surprise Andromache. As Drestig shared his words, his feelings about Galley, Roma kept her eyes focused on him, narrowed to icy slits. Her intense, intelligent gaze never faultered as she tried to figure out how much of his words were true. Did he feel sorry for what he had done or was he a monster like her father? As far as Roma could tell Drestig seemed repentant and Ollie seemed to have...forgiven him...to some extent. But she needed to be sure. She needed to know it was okay to allow Drestig, a murderer, to live. More than that, she needed to know that Oliver was okay.

With most of her focus on Drestig and what there was to spare centered on Oliver, Roma didn't sense the blizzard until it was almost in full force. What had been a light snow fall had quickly turned into a dangerous storm. The wind whipped through her thick fur with almost enough force to take a step to the side. Immediately she turned to look towards Oliver, but that was the direction from which the wind was blowing. Icy shard blew into her eyes and she was forced to turn her head from that direction. Trying to fight against the wind, she took several steps towards Oliver until she could feel his fur against hers. Raising her voice to be heard above the wind, she called to him "Oliver? Oliver, we have to get out of here. We need shelter." She still couldn't look him in the eyes without a blast of snow flurries to the face, so all she could do was hope that he could hear her and heed her warning. They needed to find somewhere to hide from the storm.

As Drestig spoke, Oliver came up beside him, trying to figure out what to say. He was grateful that Roma had heeded, yet still stayed alert, mindful- as he was- to listen and determine if the words given were true. And they were true. Drestig had described Galley perfectly, and when the dark wolf turned his bright eyes to Oliver's own, the small man could feel the remorse. When he had turned quiet, Oliver almost hadn't realized he was waiting- waiting for a punishment. So he began bluntly, voice becoming stronger to contend with the wind. "I wanted to kill you. The urge was so strong, I tried to bash my head against the mountain. You had taken the one person I could count on to care for me." Oliver's jaw tightened, but it was only because what he was about to say, he hadn't shared with anyone: "Sometimes my despair was so great, I grazed through patches of strange plants, or didn't move for days on end. One time, I considered hurting a bear cub, just to see how fast I would die. " His eyes became more intense on his pack mate, determined to make sure that Drestig knew why his decision had been changed. "But I won't- I can't bring myself to act against you. Because you have wolves- the wolves of the Bend- that depend on you. And with Nayeli missing and Ruiko....gone, I won't push the despair I had onto wolves who don't deserve it......and..and I forgive you. Not entirely, but I can start." And then the blizzard hit in full force. Oliver, with his small frame, would've been knocked down had Roma not been beside him. It whipped at his ears, stung his nose, and pelted his skull with small shards of ice. It blasted his fur apart to one side, leaving him vulnerable to the cold. Roma's warning just barely hit his ears, but he had heard it, and agreed. Driving his nose into her fur as acknowledgement, and then into @Drestig's to catch the elder wolf's attention, Oliver tried to speak out against the wind: "I know of a place! It might be a bit cramped for the two of you, but it's not too far away! Follow me!" And struggling, Oliver began to walk forward, against the wind, keeping his head low. He tried to look back at Galley's memorial- to see if it still stood- but the swirling tempest blocked his view of nearly everything. The only option was to move towards safety. "Speech" My tangled mind You're still with me

Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

(This post was last modified: Jan 03, 2015, 03:19 AM by Oliver.)