Iridescent Lagoon i have seen what the darkness does

AW to Pax's first thread <3

The voices had been silent ever since he reached a certain point, and Pax took that to mean he was free to choose where to go from there. The phantom was taking the opportunity to rest his legs by the water he'd found - an expansive, beautiful lakelike formation that looked almost like a mirror. He liked looking at his reflection and trying to picture how many voices hid behind his eyes. Surely they were so abnormally colored simply because of that very reason - red was associated with evil or malevolence, and that was what most considered Pax's idea of goodness.

But the voices had such wonderful ideas. There could be no wrong in their words.

Red was the color of good. Therefore, blood was the color of good. The voices wanted blood, which was red, which was the color of good. So the voices were nothing but good. It was simply so, in Pax's mind. But others did not see it from his expanded point of view, and therefore he had to behave well in front of the heretics and nonbelievers. He'd either convert them, or they would simply need to turn inside out and bleed for the voices.

He would paint this world with red.

That was precisely what needed to occur for the voices to be pleased. And then, at the end of the vessel's life, he himself would turn to blood, and he would be good. It made perfect sense to the deranged wolf, who was not at all enjoying the silence in his mind as he pawed at the surface of the mirrored lake. It rippled his reflection, and his tail thumped the ground once as he whispered over and over again to himself, his singular voice taking on soft languages that did not exist.

She was never sure where she was going. The small girl just lets her dirty paws and legs lead her wherever they wanted. Sometimes she was convinced if she fell asleep her paws would still want to push onwards. Granted she had always woke up right where she fell asleep so that ruled out that idea.

Dirty yellow eyes looked around the area. It was nothing like the Rise nor much like the Willows. She worked her way through the trees and did her best not to get caught on any stray twigs. Perhaps there would be something of use around here. A thank you gift to Sven or merely something to make her feel more comfortable. Within a few more wolf lengths she broke through the foliage and came upon the edge of the water. While it wasn't frozen Oisin was positive it'd still be rather cool. Her scarred face lowering down to drink from the water when ripples flowed her way. Her eyes looked up and followed where the ripples came from. A pale wolf with pinkish nose and eyes stayed not too far down shore from her.

"Oh you poor thing!" She squealed softly. "You must be ill! I've never seen someone so pale." Sure he was larger than her and even a bit beefier but no one that pale and simply lacking color could be well.

art by becuffin

The pallid boy looked up from the coruscant liquid when he heard an exclamation from down the bank a bit. He looked up to find a tawny little thing looking at him as though he had sprouted another head. Pink eyes scrunched in slight confusion before he offered her a smile. "I am quite alright, but thank you for the concern. You are kind," he told her in his best, most polite voice. The vessel then got to his paws and offered her a gentle bow in greeting before approaching. "I was born this way. I am not ill," he attempted to reassure.

But as he approached her, his limited eyesight picked up on the scars across her face, and his brow creased. "Oh, but what kind of monster could do that to your precious face?" he breathed genuinely. Disfiguration was a form of punishment; yes, it oftentimes resulted in blood, but blood demanded sacrifice, and the voices would never ask him to permanently disfigure another wolf without taking their life. There was nothing wrong with scars, but those done with deliberation were frowned upon, even in the insane wolf's mind.

"My name is Pax," he continued, his snowy tail waving slowly behind him as he stood before the smaller wolf. Not too close, but not too far, either. He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable, but he also did not want to seem unfriendly. Surely the voices had given him this opportunity for a reason.

Even with his reassurence she still frowned. Perhaps he had been born ill but then he quickly ruined that idea. Oisin couldn't understand what gave him that pinkish hue and ghastly fur. Maybe it was some weird trait or condition that Papa hadn't taught her about. "Well as long as you're well I can't fuss." She chuckled softly. "But if you truly need anything I'm a healer so feel free to ask." Her tail happily swayed behind her muddy legs.

No one had ever questioned her face before. It wasn't like Oisin had no idea what was wrong with it. "Papa told me not to talk about it." She mumbled carefully. "Said something 'bout them being marks of the past so no need to talk 'bout them now." Her head nodded softly like it usually did when she talked about her papa.

"Nice to meet ya Pax." Her chipperness came back in full force. "My name is Oisin but some call me Sin." She smiled widely and looked up at the ghostly male. "You from 'round here?" She asked with obvious innocent curiosity. Maybe he needed some directions or could even share some travel knowledge with her. The small female was always looking for the next grand place to scavenge.

art by becuffin

How silly of this girl to be so concerned about his health when she had only just met him. He supposed he had done the same with her scars, but still - she seemed so honest, earnest and genuine that it put a smile on the vessel's face. A wolf so kindhearted would not do well in the world the voices had to offer, but it was refreshing, to say the least. "If I require any medicinal attention, I shall let you know," he told her with a smile and a dip of his head.

The darker wolf seemed uncomfortable with his questioning about her face, and mentioned her father. Marks of the past sounded vaguely like something the pious individuals he'd grown up with would say, and Pax almost commented on it, but he was never one to pry overmuch. Instead he simply waved his tail once and nodded his head. "Perhaps it would be best not to talk on it, then," he agreed, though secretly would not have minded a discussion about what had happened to her. He suspected it might please some of the voices - make them hunger more - but others would disagree with that decision.

The female was back to her bright and sunny self, and it was contagious. The phantom wagged his tail slowly behind him as she spoke, his pinkish eyes scanning her every move in a way that could be construed as predatory, but was actually quite innocent. What a sweet, kind, weak girl the voices had allowed him to meet.

"I prefer Oisin," he told her thoughtfully. "Sin is a bad thing, and I do not think that it suits you." Then she asked him if he lived in the area, and he shook his head. "I am from far west," he explained, angling his head back in the direction he'd come from. "I've only just gotten here today. Though I'm not quite sure where I am heading," he admitted, flicking his ears backward and glancing to the side before he looked back up at her. "Where are you from?" he asked, though not quite as innocently. Perhaps she was part of a pack and could show him the way to more of their kind.

Her tail happily swayed. She was eager to help so the fact that he would at least let her know was rather pleasing. Though truthfully Oisin likely wouldn't leave feeling truly as happy as she seemed knowing that he wasn't going to at least let her look at him. Surely in a place like this, there had to be something worthwhile growing!

The small girl nodded her head in agreeance. She had no need nor want to discuss her face marks. Especially sense papa had always told her not to. "Talking about them does no one any good, Little Oisin." She remembered him saying multiple times. So she had carried that advice with her the whole time. A calmness settled into her again when her company, Pax, decided to let the topic drop easily.

She shyly smiled and let her gaze drop from his pinkish eyes. Oisin knew that Sin didn't seem to settle well with others; for reasons, Papa had never told her about and he had always used the nickname affectionately. "Well I'm from a place called Fire's Reach but Papa told me to head on out into the world. Somethin' bout there being better things out here for me." Her tail waved behind her muddy rump. "But I've been hanging around here, though. The land is very nice!" She smiled wide as she looked up at Pax. "There's some fields east of here if you like that better." The small scarred female informed her pale company.

art by becuffin

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity