Ghastly Woods La Vie En Rose

@Oisin

Hold me close and hold me fast, the magic spell you cast

Eurus

Eurus was in no rush to reach her final destination, and true to her name, she tended to wander wherever the wind sent her. Today it found her on the banks of a raging river, the roar of the water speaking to her soul as she considered the gnarled trees at her back. The caw of a lone crow cut through the chorus of the water, enough to send the ghost of a smile across the golden girls face. She had no scraps for the bird, but it seemed to recognise the hunger that coursed through her veins, and so it had been shadowing her for the last day, hoping for something a bit fresher than the rancid remains she had been using to sustain herself to date.

The other side was greener, (wasn't it always?). Perhaps her chances would be better over there.

The wet rocks glistened in the fading afternoon light, crossing here might be risking it all... But the wind was beckoning her towards the water and so she leap with surely, toes dipping into the white water, the drag alone almost enough to pull the yearling off balance. Her teeth flashed in warning, more care taken as she leapt to the next, now finding herself in the middle of the river, two more stones to go. It was then she spotted the movement ahead.

She transformed in that moment, her tail tucked and ears laying flat, the whites of her eyes made visible in her pitiful display. A frantic whine left her chest, heart pounding in a way that had less than nothing to do with fear, for the air was still. "H-h-HELP!" she almost convinced herself, adding a shake to her limbs for good measure. "P-p-please help me! I can't... I can't move!"

(This post was last modified: Oct 05, 2017, 03:50 AM by Eurus.)

She wasn't much of a wolf anymore. The girl had thinned down considerably over the last month. She was seeing places that were unfamiliar to her and instead of being giddy to explore she simply dragged herself along through them. This place was no except to that rule.

The healer was closing in on the water but had no interest to cross it. She wondered if there might be fish there or if some small prey might be lurking nearby. It was a loud and almost heart-wrenching call that snapped her out of the daze. A cry for help. It was something the small female would never be able to ignore. Her caring instincts came over her and she picked up her pace. There on the rock in the middle of the rapids was a golden-hued female. She looked as if she was shaking when Oisin pulled closer to the shore.

"I can help!" She called out over the rushing water to the stranded loner. "What's happened?" Her tail anxiously flicking behind her. If it was a physical injury Oisin wouldn't be able to do much without plants besides offer some tips and very minimal help. The water looked dangerous but she had to get closer. It would be easier to talk to the female that way along with offer any assistance. With slight hesitation, the small female climbed up onto a slippery rock closest to her.

Oisin

What could I have said to raise you from the dead?

Hold me close and hold me fast, the magic spell you cast

Eurus

It was a small earthy hued woman that answered her call, but Eurus was careful to keep up the visage of terrified teen, tripping over her words and shaking all the while. "I-ican't...I Sl-Can't..." Dull claws made a show of dragging across the stone as another surge of white water swelled, she even managed to pull off a terrified shriek as a small wake washed over her toes. She didn't need to fake the pull of her lips as she felt her paws begin to slip, dropping her body closer to the rock, legs spreading to wrap around the stone and make a show of holding on for dear life (ok, perhaps she was taking it a bit too far to hug the rock, but she was always prone to a little bit of dramatic flair, even in her younger days).

The woman was on the first stone but it wasn't enough, she needed to get closer. Further from the safety of the shore. "I c-c-can't moo-move!" The yearling wailed pitifully, wide golden eyes pleading with the stranger to come a little closer, to save her.

The water was cold and it was seeping into her fur with each new wave that came her way. Her tail trailed freely in the water, the only indication that she wasn't nearly as terrified as she appeared, but she was banking on the stranger not noticing for all the other dangers the girl presented. She moved to push up on her limbs and carefully collapsed again, a frantic whine bubbling at the bottom of her chest.

Just a little closer

She watched the girl with a worried gaze as her chest felt like it was tightening. This was a slippery situation to be in but she couldn't give up on the golden girl. Oisin was reminded of the young girl who had passed away and how she couldn't have done anything to help in that situation. Here she could help the stranger. She could do something, anything, in order to help the girl get across. Maybe she just needed some confidence to cross. If the thin Oisin could do it then surely this larger girl too could.

"Watch me." She spoke softly, wondering if her words would be caught. Sucking in a deep breath the small female made her way to the second stone, almost slipping off before she managed to get hold of it. Once she hauled herself back up onto all fours she tried to lean out. "I-I'm small you can jump onto the stone with me." She explained as the water splashed up against the stone and her paws. "I'll follow you back to shore but we have to be quick." Dirty yellow eyes looked down at the stone she was grasping onto. Ever so slightly she scooted over to try and give the golden girl room without knocking her own self off the stone.

Her gaze moved to look up at larger wolf, trying to give the girl some courage about this whole situation.

Oisin

Cross my heart and hope for better days

Hold me close and hold me fast, the magic spell you cast

Eurus

Eurus knew it wouldn't look right if she just suddenly stood up and leapt, so she held her low position, breath coming in short panicked pants as she had seen so many prey do in the final moments of their lives. Truth was, she didn't feel fear, or joy, or sadness - so she only had the expressions of others to carry her through. In less than pressing circumstances her shortcomings were more obvious, which was probably why she generally tried to avoid encounters like the one in the mountain - unless they called to her like that one had.

She made a show of trying to get her limbs beneath her, the scratch of dull claws on wet stones only punctuating her panting, a frustrated, desperate whine filled her throat, "I c. Ick. I caaaan't." A sob left her chest as she gave another pleading look to the stranger, merely being close wouldn't be enough to break a normal wolf from this sort of panic after all. She reached out a shaking limb, as though she could stretch across the distance between them, sodden paw rapidly recoiling as the water rose up to meet it. "I... I... If I don't make it... C-could you tell my mother I love her?" The panicked plea hinted at a determination to come, but for now she continued to lay low, waiting, and watching for that perfect moment to strike.

A frown pulled on her face. They were making some progress but not nearly enough for the girl to cross over. The whines and pained words only fueled Oisin's want to help the golden girl. "Oh, don't talk like that. You'll be fine and able to tell her yourself." She offered a weak smile as her gaze drifted to look down at the water rushing below them before darting back up to the female. "You were so close with reaching out your paw." Oisin encouraged a bit further and tail giving a few quick anxious wags. How much longer could she sit here with the golden female before they both slipped off? The water seemed to be anything but forgiving.

"Just a little jump." Her nails scraped at the stone surface, ready for the girl to jump. They could do this. Just two jumps away from the shore then they could both be safe again. Never once did Oisin think she would miss being on solid, non-slippery ground so much. This was nothing like she had run into down south or in the cedarwood forest.

Dirty yellow eyes stay trained on the golden girl, a weakening smile on her face.

Oisin

Cross my heart and hope for better days

Hold me close and hold me fast, the magic spell you cast

Eurus

There it was, the uncertainty that she would be able to help, and masterfully the girl took a deep breath, and put on a 'brave face'. So close, Yes, they were so close now she could almost taste it. Eurus offered the brown girl a shaky nod, "I can... I can do this!" She declared with an anxious peep, eyes trained on the water that surrounded them, "But-uh, what's the name of my saviour?" there was a nervous edge to her smile as she looked anywhere but at the wolf she was meant to jump towards. This would be her only chance to get a name, after all, and she did like to be meticulous about such things.

Once she had her answer she gave another shaky nod, finally getting her limbs beneath her as she rose from her perch, muscles sighing now that the forced tension had been released. She measured the distance with clinical precision, easily clearing the distance between one stone and the next, a feigned slip all it took for the two bodies to collide and she could feel the space growing between them. She feigned a shocked expression as the world seemed to move in slow motion, and her ears turned to catch the crash of a body hitting the turbulent water.

Mature Post // Death and Drowning

"Oisin." She answered quickly. "Fast, we have to be fast." Her mind softly thought. They could have better formalities once they were off the rocks and onto the shore. Over the flowing rapids was not exactly an ideal place for them to sit down,chat about the weather and exchange information.

Her head nodded softly as the girl took off from the rock. That was it! They were in the clear almost. If she could make the last-

Thud.

Bodies collided and Oisin in her smaller frail state was easily swept off the slippery rock. Her paws stretched out to try and latch onto the stone but it was a futile attempt at surviving. Her claws scraped against the stone before she hit the waters. The healer was not in a state to fight against the rapids or avoid any stones downstream. She gasped once for air as dirty yellow eyes widened with fear. The last thing she caught a glimpse of was the golden-hued female on the rock. The same rock she had just been on. How did this happen? She was there and now she was...

Here.

With that final thought, she was swept under the water, struggling as it flooded her lungs. It would only take a few more seconds for the life of Oisin to be cut short.

Oisin

Cross my heart and hope for better days

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

Hold me close and hold me fast, the magic spell you cast

Eurus

Her expression was deadpan as she watched the other wolf get swept away, her head broke the surface here and there, but there was to be no recovey for poor Oisin. The current was too strong, and the small wolf was too weak to fight it. Finally, she had either been swept too far or had stopped fighting entirely for her head didn't break the surface again and the golden wolf took a deep breath, golden eyes quickly glancing upwards to see the crow that had been following her take flight as it headed downstream. Personally she thought it was a little optimistic of the avid to expect anything to come of this any time soon. When her cousin had drowned it took a week for the body to bloat enough to rise and even then the current continued to carry it downstream.

She wondered if anyone would wail for poor Oisin like they had for Ebony?

Time was standing still as the river surged around her, and she came back to herself with a rapid blinking of her eyes. Easily she leapt to the next stone, and then onto the distant shore, the lush greenery of this wood far sweeter than those she had left behind. Yes, this place was teaming with life, she could feel the pulse of it all reverbrating under her paws, and it burned.

Maybe this wasn't such a good place to be after all. She turned back to the north and crossed the river again, fading back among the gnarled trees that were willing to embrace her as one of their own.