Whitestone Monadnock Don't threaten me with a good time

RE: A meteor shower overtakes the sky! For @Cyril , lesson time!

It was late, the sun had long set but the sky was vibrant and alive. Shuffling closer to the mouth of the communal den, Lenae stared up with awe. Wow, it looked so pretty, mesmerisng even. Like she was spinning around and the world was a blur of colours and lights.

Glancing back over her shoulder, Lenae frowned. They were sound asleep, no doubt resting after a long day of hard work. She didn't want to wake them, lest they snap at her or tell her off. But...She didn't want to enjoy it alone, moments like this were meant to be shared. Enjoyed with friends and family.

Frowning, Lenae  nervously chewed at her paw as she mulled it over. Cyril said he wanted to hang out with her, whenever. But would he still feel that way after being woken up in the dead of night? Anyone would be cranky. And the last thing she wanted to do was to make him mad. But it was so pretty and she wanted to tell him things, to teach him about the things she'd learnt over the years.

And the sky? Well she knew a little about it. A story worth telling, hopefully.

Crawling over as quietly as she could, Lenae outstretched her neck and gave Cyril a gentle nudge. Then another.

"Pssst, Cryil. I have something to show you. It's really cool." She murmured, her voice for his ears only.

slight PP let me know if not ok <3 @Lenae

For the little adventure pup sleep was both boring and necessary.

He had spent the last week wreaking havoc on the lowlands; exploring territories he had never seen before and meeting an array of new faces. His growing legs had grown weary and the soft pads on his paws had become sore as calluses begun to form. Although sleep put a damper on his adventures, for he could not do both at the same time, it was very necessary. Without rest he would not be able to go on more adventures, for he’d fall asleep in the middle of the lowlands and potentially get pup-napped!

Which was why he had groaned in protest at Everly’s arrival in the communal den, her soft voice lulling him awake from his slumber. It was his own fault—he had said that they could hang out whenever she wanted… apparently that meant the middle of the night, too. When the nudging did not cease he opened a single yellow eye, his brows narrowed. He couldn’t refuse a nighttime adventure, even if his body still ached.

With a frown painted across his dark features the boy crept away from his mother, his oversized paws moving as slowly and quietly was possible to ensure he did not disturb his parents as he followed his tawny friend away from the den. “Whassit?” He asked with a yawn, his golden orbs fixated on Everly as he waited for a response. 

teaching dem 1/3

Lenae was overjoyed when Cyril seemed willing to play along. He was a little sleepy, droopy eyed, but that was to be expected. She was certain that once he saw what she had in store he'd waken right up. With a beaming smile, Lenae gestured with her snout for him to follow her lead.

"Come on, I've got something to show you. Let's go to your secret place."

The view from there was always amazing and grand, but on a night like this she knew it would be all the more magnificent. Unlike anything the little pup had ever seen before.

Lenae had come to this land wanting to make new memories, a fresh start where she could put her past behind her. Tonight was another step in that direction, another chance to form something she could look back at fondly. A moment that would put a smile on her face and make her think, oh yeah that was a good night. When she'd lost everything and everyone she had ever known, it was the small things that were important to her. Anything too large and grandiose seemed frightening, like if she lost it she'd lose a part of herself as well.

Squirming out of the den, the Hummingbird got to her feet and shook herself off. Cyril was still inside the den but as much as she wanted to rush him, she would wait as long as it took. Once he finally stood by her side, she wiggled her tail, unable to contain herself.

"Come on come on." She said, her voice an excited whisper.

Wiggling through the cracks in the stone, Lenae pushed her way through till she stood up in the opening. Just like before, the Lowlands were in full view, but this time it was dark and to her relief the streaks of white still rushed across the sky like soaring eagles. She hunkered down to watch the view and with a smile turned to her friend.

"They're called shooting stars. Pretty huh? Though they're not actually stars. Another name for them is uh...meteors. Bits of rock that fall through the sky and sometimes, if you're lucky you can find them if they land. They look like ordinary rocks, but smell different. Not like any other rock you'd find on the ground."

That was what she knew to be true...But she had more to say. Even if it hurt a little.

"My Dad used to tell me a story about them, want to hear it too?"

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

Let’s go to your secret place. She certainly did not have to tell Cyril that twice. Blinking the sleep from his eyes the boy nodded with frantic excitement, curious as to what his friend had planned for him. She urged him in a hushed tone, her own excitement evident as she struggled to keep her voice down. Without hesitation he followed her, his oversized paws stumbling over each other as he struggled to shake the drowsiness that clung to him.

He was surprised he did not need to direct her to the hidden cave and was pleased to see she was much better at maneuvering over the boulders. The boy was not even sure if he would be able to find his way to the cave, for the combination of grogginess and darkness made it difficult for even him to find his way. His yellow gaze remained fixated on her pale figure as she slithered through the crack in the rock, disappearing from his sight. Clambering up the boulder his curiosity only continued to grow. What did she need to show him that required visiting his hidden cave?

His pace quickened as he propelled himself into the opening, his eyes searching for Everly’s pale frame. Plopping his rump down next to her Cyril followed his gaze, brows narrowing as he watched the streaks of light fall across the sky. Shooting stars. Huh. His ear tipped toward his friend as she spoke, catching every piece of information that fell from her tongue. His eyes widened as he became captivated by the falling stars.

A story. A small smile creased his features as he turned toward Everly, his tail curling tight around his chunky paws. He nodded quickly in response before adding a hushed “please!”

Teaching dem 2/3

"Mmm, okay then"

Lenae had never been very good at playing it cool-whether it was a Sewlyn trait or not- she had always worn her heart on her sleeve for all to see. Even then, as she pushed her lips into a thin line, her but wiggled from the sheer force of her swishing tail. This would be her first proper lesson with Cyril. She'd played with him plenty of times before, but as of there and then she was beginning her journey as a teacher.

"Just like your Father, me and my family came from the north. If you walk for three weeks in that"she paused to point with her snout "direction then you will find my home. Or what's left of it anyway."Her smile was sad, but that wasn't the point of this story so she moved on, swallowing the sorrow that wanted to take hold.

"It's a big mountain range, so tall that the top touches the clouds. That on clear days you could see for what felt forever and ever. But anyway, when I was about your size-probably smaller- my Father pulled me aside and we looked up at the night sky, just like we are now. And he said to me, long long ago, so far back no one alive can remember there was nothing but the dark. There were no stars in the night sky, just like when you close your eyes. Nothing. But God...who lives up in heaven was sad because he had to spend every day looking down at the empty darkness."

She cast a quick look his way, just to make sure Cyril was still on board.

"So he sent some of his children, his creations, angels down to earth where they would make the world right, as it should be. They fell from the sky, just like these meteorites and landed in a big show of light! So bright it made wherever they landed a good and happy place. That's why my Father said we had to be good, to strive to be better to make God happy, to follow in the footsteps of his angels, so we too can go home to heaven one day."

She frowned a little, but them bumped into Cyril with her shoulder.

"I used to want to go to heaven when I was little. It sounded amazing! Endless day time with food aplenty and all your friends and family with you, forever and ever! But now... it's a silly story, don't you think? We shouldn't be good and kind to one another because we want a reward in the end. We should do it because it's the right thing to do. That it's your choice whether you want to be good or bad, no one can force you to be either."

Her smile was soft, encouraging but most of all earnest. She believed in him, she really did.

"It's all on you, Cyril. And I think you're going to do great. Don't let silly stories get in your way, do things how you want to and  listen to your heart."

The boy was no stranger to stories. His father often shared some with him, usually about knights, along with his mother. But this was a different type of story. It was an Everly story—one from her past, which she never talked much about. He squirmed with excitement, bitting his lower lip to refrain from talking, for he did not want to interrupt her. She was supposed to be teaching him and the little Kael did not want to ruin it. Mother would be very disappointed in him.

As she began telling her story he watched her intently, ignoring the falling stars behind him as his fixated his yellow gaze on the older female. Three weeks?! His mouth nearly fell open. That was a lot of walking! He gulped, growing more fascinated by the story as she continued, his ears pinned forward so he wouldn’t miss a single word. Mountains that touched the sky?! Preposterous! Pushing the thought aside his ears twitched as she mentioned that her father had told her that before all the stars there was nothing—just darkness. He frowned. How boring!

His eyes lit up as she began telling him about how these creations—these angels—fell from the sky, illuminating the darkness that enveloped the land. Cyril could not imagine living in total darkness—especially living atop a chunk of rock! He would have surely fallen off by now if that was the case. He blinked as she repeated the unusual word once more: heaven. His head tipped to the side, his brows pinched in thought. Everly began to explain the concept of heaven, how the days (and food!) never ended and that friends and family would be present. Huh. It didn’t sound so bad, but the agouti made a point. Doing good and being kind shouldn’t come with reward (no matter how much he liked rewards). He blinked as she mentioned that it was a choice to want to be good or bad. Cyril, of course, wanted to be good. He liked receiving praise and making his parents (and Everly) proud. But he had been bad before—he had poked fun at the river cub and taunted her. That was certainly not good boy material.

I think you’re going to do great. He frowned. The boy wanted to believe her. “S’good story,” he murmured in response, poking her foreleg with his nose before reclining back on his hindlegs, his frown still present as he allowed his yellow gaze to fall back to the meteors. “I dono if I’m good, though,” he mumbled, not wanting to look at his friend. He had not told anyone about his first encounter with Risaela, for he did not want his family to be disappointed in him. “I was bein’ mean t’someone… but she was so annoyin’! I didn’ wanna, but it-it jus' kinda happen’d.” He gulped. Everly was going to hate him.

teaching 3/3

Cyril claimed he had liked her story, so why then did he look so glum? Had she made him sad because she had said it was silly? What if he thought it hadn't been? What if she'd ruined the magic for him? She smiled softly at the touch to her leg and waited for him to continue, which he did.

He sounded so troubled, unsure and Lenae quickly began to regret waking him up at all. He had been sound asleep, what sort of friend woke someone up in the dead of night? Over something as silly as a story time with flimsy morals attached to it. The more he avoided her gaze the more the hummingbird fretted over the severity of this situation. He looked so morose, she would have done anything to make him smile and yet she had to wait to see what the issue was. There was no use diving in head first before she knew the true extent.

She wasn't left waiting long and bless him, he truly was good and she adored him for that. He would no doubt grow up to be a fine young man.Giving the side of his face an affectionate nose boop, Lenae offered him the best smile she could give. Not as blatant as a grin but just as bright and earnest.

"I'm not worried Cyril. You see...bad people don't worry about whether they're good or bad. They just do what they want and ignore how their actions might affect others." She had experienced such obvious disregard for her welling being, she'd know it if she saw it in an instance. "The fact that you're worried is good, it's proof you're not a meanie."

Still, she wasn't happy to hear he had been rude to another pup. He was a lone child, so she could see why he might be a little... aloof towards children his age. But no matter his upbringing it was always important to treat others with all due respect and care.

"Some people are a little annoying, most of the time they don't even realise it, but it's no excuse to say bad things to them." She told him, her gaze firm but without judgement. "How about, if you ever see them again you say sorry? It doesn't have to be a big deal, or anything to be ashamed of. Just...let them know what you said doesn't define you. We all have bad moments, but it's how we deal with our mistakes that counts. Let them get to know the real you, the clever good boy you are."

He watched as her face fell and immediately regretted his sullen reaction, for he had not meant to upset her. His eyes widened as his paws tapped anxiously on the cool stone beneath them as he struggled to find something to say in order to defuse the situation. However, just as his mouth propped open to dismiss his previous statement, a smile rolled onto her dark lips and his shoulders sagged in relief. Hoo wee, that was close, he thought glumly to himself, his toes curling tight against the stone. He did not want to upset Everly and wanted to hear more stories from her, even if they were nothing but fables. It was still interesting learning about the same things that she had learned as a cub. Almost as though they were growing up together. Expect she had four years on him.

It’s proof you’re not a meanie. He sighed, a small smile appearing on his short maw, his ears twitching. Despite her words Cyril still felt like a meanie. Part of him had enjoyed being mean to Bug, for she had been nothing but a nuisance to him. However, for some dumb reason, he also felt bad. Which was even more of a nuisance.

The Kael remained silent as she spoke once more, explaining that just because someone was annoying didn’t mean he had to say mean things to them. Which he also thought was silly, but he did not protest. He did not want to upset his best frie—Say sorry?! He blinked, hard, his brows pinching together. He didn’t want to apologize to the silly bug. Clever good boy, huh? Huh. Saying sorry was not in the boy’s vocabulary, but he didn’t want Everly to think he was a big meanie. But he also did not want to give the silver-eyed girl the impression that he wanted to be friends.

Ugh!

“M’kay,” he answered after a brief pause while he gave his friend a sharp nod. “I don’ wanna be bad. Mom ’n da don’t like it,” he added with a soft frown. “You ever be mean t’someone?”

(This post was last modified: Aug 28, 2017, 06:12 AM by Cyril.)

Lenae was sure he was right.

Piety was such a wonderful and kind woman herself, the last thing she could picture was the Queen of Stone being mean just for the sake of it. Nor would she approve of her son doing the same. It just wasn't in her nature and by this point Lenae liked to think she knew Piety fairly well. Not that it would stop her from wanting to get to know the lead female better but ahem...

She cleared her throat did her best to push that line of thought away for now. Lingering on her unrequited crush on Piety wasn't exactly appropriate considering she was sitting right next to, and all.

Still, she really did want to help Cyril learn and grow. This wasn't just an attempt to get into the alpha's good books, she'd meant every word she had said in the discussion they had not so long ago. So when Cyril asked if she had ever been mean, she took his question seriously and thought on it long and hard.

"Not intentionally.Sometimes I say things without thinking. Silly stuff mostly, but I'm sure I've hurt someone's feelings without even knowing. And by that I guess I never got the chance to say sorry either...Which upsets me a little." She sighed, her gaze cast down to the dark tundra below."I uh... had- I mean have a brother a bit like you. He speaks his mind as well, loudly too, and often he's pretty mean. I don't think he knows what he does is wrong, but I think if he knew he would care."

Askan wasn't bad. He was just a little rough around the edges.

Honestly, she didn't like talking about him, didn't even know why she'd brought him up in the first place. It still hurt to know he was here in the lands, not so far away and yet out of reach. Only because she wanted him to be, because she wasn't ready to face him yet.

Would she ever be? She didn't know, all she could do was hope that he was happy either way.