Fool's Gold Chasm all elements of life

RE: Marrah, a sudden storm is producing hail! This thread is all welcome, Marrah is approximately 6 weeks old
Late sunset/dusk, a few clouds, 19C/66F

where did all the good go?

Marrah had been over the last week enjoying the freedom of following Mama around the pack territory, and getting to go back to the den alone, or with her siblings. It gave her a taste of adventure, while also fulfilling her need for safety and security. Other pups may have been more rebellious but the dark child had had enough consequences with the tornado to last her at least a few months.

This evening had been one of those times, she had been following Mama around and then had been sent back to the den. She should have walked straight back. Marrah knew she should have walked straight back to the safety of her home, but she had been distracted by the beautiful pinks and oranges of the sky. The way the clouds lit up a brilliant gold that looked like the chasm, it was so fascinating to see the same colour decorating the sky.

But, she should have gone home. All of a sudden, the pinks and reds and orange and gold rolled with dark clouds and she began getting pelted. Worse yet, the rain turned to ice pellets of hail and it caused the child’s heart to pound frantically. The last time she had seen these ice pellets had been at the tornado. Ducking into a pile of stones, she frantically tried to shove herself into the gap of a crack, but she couldn’t get her plump frame in there.

Crying loudly as panic began to well up within her, Marrah couldn’t think of what else to do, the big tornado was coming back and it was her fault. She should have walked straight home, everytime she broke the rules the sky punished her.

that's where you're dead wrong

The first sky-stone that fell and clocked her on top of the skull effectively pissed Woya right off. She glared up at the sky and it's dark, turbulent clouds and cursed the region. It clearly had very shitty weather patterns, the Macieo was already convinced. With a snort she decided to head in, stick close to her family and wait out the hail storm.

It was only chance that brought her across little Marrah, only her chubby puppy bottom visible. It took Woya a second to figure out what exactly the whelp was attempting, and couldn't help a sympathetic-sounding chuckle. Poor kid.

She aproached, and nudged the girl's flank with her nose.

"Marrah," Woya called to her niece in a hopefully pleasant, sing-song tone. Auntie Dove was here, she was safe.

All that remains is the faces and the names

The child had been so frantic in trying to shove her - probably a little indulgently - plump frame into the closest hideaway she could find, she had not heard her aunt’s approach. Breath came in hot little gasps as her heart pounded and Marrah’s blunt claws scraped futely against stone, but could not get herself any farther into the crack. Tears welled up in her eyes, stemmed with fear and frustration and self blame, the child’s vision swam until she clenched her eyes shut, ready for another woosh cloud to touch down and sweep her away. Hail pelted her bottom threateningly.

Then came a poke that was decidedly more firm than the hail, but also somewhat softer. This weird ice pellet was enough to send the girl back into her frenzy of trying to squeeze into the rock crack. Back paws began to fly wildly, as if swimming through the air. Marrah managed to drag herself an inch of two further into the crevice, but only now she could feel how tight this squeeze was. She had gotten herself stuck and was still not fully covered, she had really done it this time.

The voice that reached her was pleasant, and familiar, but it did not help to do much to queel this overwhelming panic that Marrah was experiencing. Panting from overexertion she wailed, ”Auntie Woya,” and then tried to explain her situation but the words were muffled and distorted by stone. She was going to die here, she was sure of it.

of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Her touch brought panic to the pup, but thankfully her voice helped the youth realize who it was at her metaphorical side. She heard her name, warbled and muffled, and it kind of definitely boke her heart.

"Aww," she couldn't help but let out, padding from side to side to inspect her niece's predicament. She'd gotten herself stuck pretty good. The hail, continuing to fall, was easy to ignore except when it pelted against her skull and muzzle. It seemed there was only one easy and quick solution; she curled her paw over the topmost stone and pulled her limb in close, effectively rolling it off the pile. She did this piece by piece, picking each move carefully to make sure she didn't collapse the structure atop poor Marrah.

Another stone came away, and she could see her little shoulder.

"I've got you hun."

All that remains is the faces and the names

The child could see no way out of being stuck, even with one of the bigs here, her Auntie Woya, she would be swept away forever. What happens when you get swept away in a woosh? Do you get dropped down safely somewhere nearby? That didn’t seem likely, instead she could only imagine the stones she was stuck in swirling around her, knocking her all over and plummeting down into some scary woods or a big lake or something. Her breathing was coming in panicked gasps and her whole body began to tremble, she was going to get swept away, she was sure of it.

Whimpering pathetically at the sound of her aunt's voice, she flinched at the scraping of stones above her. Here it came, the big woosh was going to take the stones and then her. Marrah was doing her best to be brave, really, but she was deep down a coward. Another scrape and tumble above her, and suddenly she could wiggle a little bit more, but not quite enough to get unstuck. ”Auntie Woya!” She cried out again, although this time a little less miserably, a glimmer of hope present in her voice.

Shoving hard against the ground Marrah managed to get an inch of two backwards, but the whole stone pile shook dangerously when she did so. Freezing in her spot the child whimpered again, realizing the threat that lay just above her head. ”What I do!?” How could she get out, and if she did get out, would the big woosh be waiting to sweep her away?

of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Woya wanted to speed up as Marrah cried out again, but remained at the same pace in order to not make any mistakes. She felt for the girl, but knew that ultimately she would be okay so long as she took her time. Speaking of- the young girl moved and Woya could feel the whole pile shifting. Sure, it was possible for it all to come tumbling down and Marrah still be largely okay, but it was also possible they'd knock the life right out of her among a multitude of in-betweens that didn't need to happen. Thankfully, she stopped moving soon after and Woya was able to continue her work.

What I do? Woya heard her ask, and another sympathetic smile passed over her maw.

"Hold still and take steady breaths," she told her.

"How high can you count, Marrah? Count each breath in your head like this; one baby bird, two baby birds, three..." she faded, hoping the child would continue to herself.

The stones were coming away at a steady pace, and the girl would be freed soon.

All that remains is the faces and the names

Woya may have been smiling above the rock pile, but Marrah could not see it, and she was certainly not smiling at the bottom of the stones. In fact, the world was still blurry with tears as her chubby body trembled in fear and despair. She did everything she could to stay still, but it was hard not to try to flee, but that exact instinct was how she had managed to get herself stuck in this situation. Not only that, but the pup could still hear the ping of icy hail pellets bouncing off the stones above her, and the ground around them. Maybe she didn’t want to be out there.

Hold still, and breath steady. Easier said than done. Taking a single deep breath to try to steady herself, Marrah let it out in a big shaky woosh, and it did nothing to make herself feel any better. How high could she count? What a silly question to ask at a time like this! But the child was not one to question any of the bigs and their orders and so she did as she was told. Copying after Auntie Woya she whimpered, ”One baby bird…...two baby birds….three baby birds….” But that was all that her aunt said.

It was more challenging without repeating after a big, and she had to think hard about what numbers came next. ”Um, three baby birds…...four baby birds…….um…...six? Six baby birds?” That didn’t feel right, but Marrah couldn’t think of anything else that was the proper answer. Trembling again, she called out, ”Am I almost out?! How many birds?” How much longer until she was safe?

of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

It made Woya feel a little bit better at least to hear her niece heed the advice. She hoped the trick would actually help, but then noticed the pup started to trip up on what number came next. Whoops.

"Almost!" she affirmed, and truly she was seeing more and more of the little girl with every stone now.

"Seven baby birds, eight baby birds," Woya picked up for Marrah, counting for her instead, "nine baby birds, ten!"

The last precarious stone was rolled safely away and Woya began to nudge at the pup to try and encourage her to escape the rock pile altogether.

"C'mon, hun, I'll carry ya home," to the den, safely out of the elements.

Feel free to pp Marrah in your next post to fade!

All that remains is the faces and the names

The reassurance that she was almost out steadied Marrah a little, not a lot, but at least a little bit. Her breathing slowed down slightly from it’s frantic pace, and while her cheeks were still soaked from tears her eyes were now stinging and dry, no more drops falling from them. Letting out a deep shaky sigh, her whole body trembling from anxiety, she chimed in and joined her aunt, ”eight baby birds, nine baby birds, ten.” And then her aunt’s nose was prodding her and the child realized she was free.

Squeezing out from the stones that were still at her sides, Marrah threw herself against Auntie Woya’s legs and chest. Burying her soaked face into the thick cream fur, she breathed in the comforting scent of family and couldn’t believe that she was safe. ”Thank you!” Was all she managed to get out before the tears of gratitude started to fall and the dark body began to vibrate with sobs again.

Most pups her age would have been adamantly against being carried by an adult, and her plump frame might have made it uncomfortable for Woya, but Marrah was happy. It reminded her of safety, while she was being carried by a big nothing bad could happen. So she stood perfectly still and accepting, ready to be scooped up and whisked away back to the den where she should be.

of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Woya couldn't help but take a moment to hug the child against her, wanting to comfort poor Marrah. The hail continuously plipping and plopping down all along her body reminded her that things were far from soothing however, especially for a pup. True to her offer, she parted her jaws wide and wrapped them around the young girl's still-pliable nape and lifted her from the ground.

It was still hard to believe her brother had created something so small and precious.

With a final, glaring glance to the angered sky, Woya took off, whisking little Marrah Macieo away to the safety of their glittering den.

(This post was last modified: Nov 06, 2021, 04:08 AM by Woya.)