Hush Meadow If I didn't know better

Oh Dear...

Til there’s no way to know where
you end and where I begin

No matter how busy she kept herself, sleep eluded her. Today she had even taken Sven outside the borders to help her scavenge for medicinal supplies before the frosts set in and wiped out what remained. He was sprawled against her flank, his breathing deep and even. He would be out for the night, and if she wasn’t going to sleep herself, there was no point in staying in here.

He was used to her rough departures, the way she suddenly stood and dumped him on the floor so it was no surprise when he didn’t even crack an eye to see where she was going. Clear of the bush he was sleeping under she stretched languidly, catching a peek of the sky between the willow boughs and putting the time a few hours before midnight, began to move at a steady pace with no real destination in mind.

Once she might have been surprised to find herself in the meadow. She preferred to avoid the Whisper Caverns wolves, regardless of her family’s alliance with theres. But they were gone now, and there was no reason to avoid this place, its slowly browning grass whispering secrets to her as she walked. The wave of melancholy wasn’t entirely unexpected. It had been coming and going since Renier left, usually she’d just ride the feeling out but tonight was beautiful - and she wouldn’t waste her time wondering after him any more. As if to further convince herself what was done was done, she kicked a dandelion unfortunate enough to find itself in her path and watched the florets flee on the breeze.

She had turned her head upwards to consider the stars when the feeling enveloped her like a warm blanket on a cold night. She wasn’t alone, but she didn’t turn to see who her company was. Perhaps she had subconsciously followed his scent. Or maybe she just knew.

(This post was last modified: Sep 25, 2015, 09:37 PM by Morganna.)

You've a lover that’s waiting
But, baby, you’re right here with me...

There was no question in his motives for following his sister beyond their mother's realm of willows. He had tried his hand at questioning and talking to their Uncle Nicolò and had yet to relay the news. However, tonight was not that sort of night where he wanted to share the outcome of such an encounter. Tonight, he wanted to do as he had with Piety...

Though, this time he would be sweeter, more mellow and with more of his characteristic charm that stung and bit at the ears - just Morganna's type of poison.

Her trail brought them into the meadow though, exactly along the same path he had taken just hours before, as she continued out beneath the starlit sky, Sköll hung back, clinging to the shadows of the trees until he could bear the distance between them no longer. Under the cover of night, they would be safe, he was certain. As much as he assumed, he was perhaps the only one, apart from their younger brother Greer who crept about in the dark. One large paw slowly lifted from the forest floor and edged into the grass. The cool blades underfoot were cool and still damp from the morning dew that had yet to evaporate or be absorbed into the earth; in contrast to the prickly evergreen needles of the Cedarwood, everything about Hush Meadow invited him forward.

She must have anticipated his presence. He had drawn no more than a wolf's length away from the princess' crown grew still. Interest pique, Sköll's head canted to one side and he came up along her right side, just close enough for the fur on their sides and shoulders to touch. Wisps of his silver tufts brushing against the points in her fur that was pale gold.

He fondly pressed his nose and lips to the base of her ear, offering a low rumble of his throat, "Fancy seeing you here..."

A knowing smile graced his white-lined lips. By now it had become apparent to the second-born that Renier Lyall was no longer present beneath the sanctum of the willows. Where he had gone, Sköll didn't know, but what he did know was that he was going do all he could to try and fill the hole where the tawny and russet man had once occupied in his sister's heart. They had been abandoned by their older brother and now they had both been abandoned by their lovers. The demon prince saw an opportunity to show his sibling that he would always be there.

"What brings you so far from the keep?"

There was another 'kiss' to her temple. They had come into this world together; it only made sense to him that perhaps it had always meant to be this way. He and Morganna were soul mates; two of a kind, perhaps, but not lovers... To date, she was perhaps the only one who found comfort in his darkness.

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2015, 12:24 AM by Skoll.)

i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

You might as well be the devil
keeping me out past three

Her face still remained upturned as fur brushed along her flank, the sudden warmth that replaced the autumn chill made her eyes drift closed as she fought the urge to melt into it. She revelled in the familiarity of his touch as his nose pressed against the base of her ear, his low rumble sending a shiver down her spine as she contemplated the way he always managed to find her when she needed him most. As his muzzle drew forward to her temple a grin pulled on the edges of her mouth, an easy smile she hadn’t used in far too long. She hooked her head down so she could bump the bridge of her nose against the underside of his silver chin before she buried her face in the thick fur around his throat. She offered her own growl of greeting, an almost playful shove was thrown against his side in place of the gentle lean initially considered, certain it wouldn’t make much difference with the size difference between them.

She pulled her head back, surprised by the way her stomach clenched as she gave him back his personal space with a step to the left, but knowing if she didn’t she would fall asleep right where she stood. “I couldn’ sleep.” she confessed, regarding him in the starlight. If anyone knew what she was feeling (and more with a child to care for), it was her brother.

 

“Do yer think we’re cursed?” she questioned finally, it seemed their whole life was one abandonment after the other, the father they never knew, the countless transients, Nona Skana, Guiness, Renier, Piety… Their whole life had been a map of changing faces, either through desertion or death and now she wasn’t quite sure she could be bothered opening herself up again.

But Skoll was different. Skoll was constant. Skoll was safe.

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2015, 03:22 AM by Morganna.)

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

You've a lover that’s waiting
But, baby, you’re right here with me...

Her moves were fluid, anticipated, expected... even that little shove in jest was something that made him smile from within. He allowed her her graces, pressing against her when he was able and letting her pull herself from him when she moved away. Had Piety done such a thing, he would have pursued her, moving in such a way to shadow her and close the gap between them again. With Morganna it was different, there was an understanding there that he didn't have to chase and she didn't feel the need to run. She could handle him, just as he could respect the boundaries she had set (that is, if she had need for them... for as long as he could recall, they shared everything with one another.).

Upon hearing that she couldn't sleep, the prince's ears swept forward and settled his rump on the ground. He was about to recline forward and offer his side to her so that she might find a few moments' slumber, when she asked the most curious question. One that, perhaps, would haunt him for the rest of the night. Were they cursed? One of his brows rose up and he half-scoffed.

"Cursed? As royalty?" he shot back. Please, he could have shot back in pure sarcasm, but he held his silver tongue. "I wouldn't say so. Unfortunate, perhaps, but not cursed." His tail, which had been curled upward as he sat, slowly settled down in the grass. His eyes scanned their surroundings for a short while before coming to the silhouette that was his sibling, whose own dark coat blended in with the darkness beyond the meadow.

"Think of all the opportunities we've had," he suggested, bowing forward at last. From the way he held himself, his posture mimicked that of a jackal with his sharp lines and the contours of his Anubis-like face. "We've never starved, never been gravely harmed, never been without Mother--" He had to give a shrug. "--or Angier..."

There was something of a sly smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he stared up at her, "We turned out just fine... did we not?"

i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

Stop saying those sweet things
you know I like to hear

With Asriel little more than a distant memory she had become increasingly dependent on her brother (whether he realised it or not). She had expected a sarcastic quip in response and braced herself for his mirth, but it didn’t come. She watched him in the dark as his words carried to her softer than expected. She watched her brother settle down on the damp ground. His reassurances that they were not cursed, and his logical arguments against the possibility allowed some of the weight to lift from her shoulders. His final question was enough to elicit a scoff as she stepped back towards his side no longer liking the distance between them as much as she had anticipated. She planted her forepaws alongside his ribcage before draping her neck across his shoulders, lowering the rest of her body so her rear sprawled out alongside @Skoll’s body.

 

There was still a smirk on her face as she considered all the ways that they might not be considered just fine but they were still alive, and he was correct - they had been given a fairly easy ride. She had tuned out the mention of Angier, still coming to terms with her involvement and the worrying about the potential repercussions for her involvement (should there be any). “I suppose yer right.” she conceded with a smile, taking advantage of her position draped over his shoulders to preen the thickening fur where his skull connected to his neck. She sighed contentedly as she groomed, why couldn’t it be this simple all the time?

 

When she was content his fur was sitting as it should, her head slid down to rest on the thicker fur closer to his shoulder. Comfortable with the silence but not ready to fall asleep just yet she was struck by the realisation that he had come up behind her, even though she could have sworn she was following him (if not intentionally). “What bought yer out this way t’night?” she questioned softly, knowing her brother to be a more nocturnal being than herself she doubted it had anything to do with the sand wolf missing his den.

(This post was last modified: Sep 26, 2015, 03:24 AM by Morganna.)

You've a lover that’s waiting
But, baby, you’re right here with me...

It was with patience that he waited for her reaction and her answer, wondering just how she would take to it. He was confident enough to assume that he wouldn't be met with her teeth and insecurity. No, his sister was much too well founded to try and prove him wrong. Besides, she was that little devil, feeding off of others and Sköll was all too eager to feed her his sense of security. She came to nestle up against him, resting her head and neck across his broad shoulders. He smiled and turned his eyes skyward towards the stars as the answer he had been holding out for came:

“I suppose yer right.”

He leveled his head as he felt her teeth comb through his thick fur, no doubt smoothing out a stray tuft that stuck out in a different direction than it naturally ought to. A note of gratitude slipped from his throat, even as she sighed. A slight breeze rustled through the treetops and for the briefest of moments it seemed as though Relic Lore dared to whisper about the two Archers and what they could have possibly been scheming.

The gust of wind died down as quickly as it came and Sköll's attention was ensnared once again with another question. He invited the silence to put a gap in-between the sentences of their conversation and when he was ready, he purred, "I was wondering if you would come my way."

As gently and slowly as he could, he turned his head so that he could just see her torso from the corner of his eye. His large pointy ear was turned in her direction; she could have whispered under her breath and he could have heard her as clearly as though she were speaking to him in a normal pitch. "I wanted to steal you away... if only for a little while."

i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

Stop saying those sweet things
you know I like to hear

Her brows drew down when he purred his answer, fighting the butterflies that had suddenly begun to riot somewhere between her stomach and chest. What was so special about this night that he thought she might seek him out? Before she could ponder the response or make sense of it her brothers head turned, her own tilted closer with ears cupped to catch every word. Breath caught in her chest, a low hum betraying her for just a moment before her muscles tensed in surprise at her own reaction. She pushed herself into a seated position, regarding Skoll with a wary look etched clearly on her face, deep breaths drawn to try and steady her racing heart and expel the tornado of warmth that was building in her chest.

A small voice whispered to her to run but she held her ground, her caution quickly replaced with curiosity. “From who?” She countered, surprised at how steady her own voice managed to sound. The longer time stretched on the darker the cloud of anxiety became. “Why?” she further probed, her voice taking on a more desperate whine. She wanted nothing more than to lay back down, bury her face in her brothers shoulder and allow sleep to overcome her but his scent was making her head swim and his words, his tone were making her dizzy. The possibility that he wanted to steal a few moments to tell her he was leaving wormed its way into the back of her mind and it was more than she could bare.

 

Her voice was lowered to a whisper as she craned forwards to press her nose against his cheek, a shaky breath was drawn. She wasn’t above begging. “Please don’t go.”

You've a lover that’s waiting
But, baby, you’re right here with me...

She sat up but he merely regarded her from where he remained in the grass. Idly, his tail lashed at the air three times before settling back down against his flank. His ears subtly stood up taller than before. There was static in the air. It crackled in his ears, vibrated in his chest even when he hadn't a growl to kindle or release.

"From who?" she had asked in turn. "Why?" Sköll's head turned now to straighten again as he eyed the expanse of land before him. Was that desperation he could hear?

The prince begrudgingly sat up and turned his body so that he could face his lither sister. His steely gaze regarded those starlit irises that should have been warm peach in hue. As intuitive as he was, he couldn't have expected what was about to come next. His muscles tensed as she touched her nose to his cheek, a ragged breath snaking its way from her lungs. "Please don't go."

He closed the distance between them, pressing his temple to hers, positioning his nose just below her ear. "I'm not going anywhere," he could have chuckled, finding her assumption almost funny. "Oh, sis... Don't you worry. I won't leave you."

"Ever. If, for whatever reason, I find myself apart from you, I'll do everything in my power to come back to you. I promise." Beneath his words came a secondary meaning, one that laced this seemingly simple confession with a trace of venom: He would never leave her alone... and, for as long as they had one another, he was going to make certain that he was going to be the one that loved her most.

Gone was the tension and certain kind of suspense that he wanted to agitate within her, the type that had destroyed Piety in the process of making her love him. In it's place was the sort of needful longing only a brother could offer to his sibling. She wanted to feel protected; he would indulge her without question. "I wanted to let you know that I love you," he finally proffered. His tone was level, absolute and certain. This wasn't, say, the kind of selfish and frantic sort of sentiment or declaration that commonly left Rook Lyall's lips; for Sköll Archer so loved his (immediate) family that he would have done anything to keep them close. "I want to let you know that no matter what happens, I want to keep you safe. I need to know that you're happy, that you're satisfied with me. If we're going to do this together, I crave to know that you approve. I want Willow Ridge to be ours... as it was meant to be."

i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

Stop saying those sweet things
you know I like to hear

Morganna’s eyes drifted closed as Skoll moved closer, bracing herself for the bad news as she tried to steady her breathing. She pressed the side of her face against his as his answer bought with it a flood of relief. She laughed at herself, a gentle chuckle under her breath. Clearly the long day was catching up to her and making her irrational. She soaked up his words, not missing the possessive undertone and instead of shying away, she silently revelled in it. She growled her appreciation for his reassurances, opening her eyes to meet his gaze as he continued.

His declaration of love was uncharacteristic, even if it did cause warmth to radiate from her chest and bought a smile to her face. It was a sentiment that rarely expressed in her two years of life. Even their mother was sparing with the words and they had never been uttered to Renier. There was no hesitation when she responded with a whisper for his ears alone “I love you too.”

If she wasn’t so practiced at keeping her face blank, his next words might have left her slack-jawed in awe, as if she was only just seeing her brother for the first time. She had always believed he was capable of such but the siblings had been (up until recently) very selfish creatures where the other was concerned. This time she rose and turned, sitting again in a way that allowed her to press up against his side. “It will be.” she responded with certainty, cradling her head against the underside of his jaw she smiled. Her voice took on a soft purr of her own, sleep threatening to catch her now she was calm. “Yer all I need. Jus’ the way yer are.”