Edge Stone Pool metamorphosis

for @Flair only.

Chan had come across the falls by accident, following their gentle roar after recognizing it at a distance. While a small series of drops rather than one momentous fall, it still did not disappoint. He followed the shelves down to their base, paws growing wet from the misted stones and damp earth he traversed. The area was secluded, leaves struggling to green dappling what little sunlight was able to reach. He peered up at the rays, eyes squinting.

He needed to stop stalling, had to turn back south to find @Jethro and introduce him to @Finley. Once he didn't have to worry about her wellbeing, he could... Chan sighed. That would be the hard part. Shaking Flair and @Gwendolyn. They couldn't come with him, though, not where he needed to go now that Colette had opened his eyes.

Chan lowered his haunches to the ground, and then his chest, before covering the bridge of his muzzle with heavy limbs. This was all so fucked. He wanted so badly to convince himself that his old friend was nothing but a liar, unhinged and meaninglessly bent on burning her bridge with him. He wanted to stay with his friends, to keep his promises to those in the Cove... but it was all out of his paws, wasn't it?

The heat was steadily climbing, snow and ice slowly melting in the sun’s warm rays. Flair herself would like nothing more than to splay herself out somewhere and let the golden rays warm her through. Except she couldn’t relax, could hardly even stand still for more than a moment. With summer so clearly drawing nearer, she would have thought her heat would begin to abate, but instead it dragged on, leaving her restless and grumpy.   So, against her better wishes, the fiery woman sought out a place to cool down in the midday heat. Following a stream of meltwater, she was contemplating simply dipping her toes and being done with it when the distant roar of the falls reached her ears. Intrigued, she followed the sound, only to catch a familiar scent mixed with the moisture in the air.   If he hadn’t been at the base, she probably wouldn’t have hazarded climbing the slippery stones, but as it was, she slowly made her way down, peering over every edge until she spotted him. And seeing him like that, she knew her instincts had ben right. The last few steps were taken more quickly, her wight making an audible bump as she landed against the rocky shelf. She padded over to him, lowering her muzzle to gently nudge at the top leg, covering his face. “Hey…” she called, softly. ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de, FairieGoodMother @DA & Lakela @DA

Chan heard her before he scented her, even with the pheromones she put off. Snout so close to the tumultuous water and it's humidifying effects, he was practically nose-blind until she was right there, and in the next moment he felt her touch. He sighed to himself before lifting his head and looking up at Flair with a weak smile.

"Hey."

Briefly he wondered why she was here, if she'd happened upon them as he had or if they'd been looking for him for one reason or another. The concern etched onto her features seemed rather focused on him, and Chan looked away, watching the spring-fed water instead.

"Neat place, huh?"

Vultures are circling something out of sight. Hunt Opportunity! +5 Health

 

 

She still didn’t know what had happened when he met that friend, and she was determined not to pry. But, even as preoccupied as she had been, it was impossible not to notice the change in him. And now, as he looked up, the smile on his face was a shadow of the Chan she knew, his voice equally pale.

 

His attempt at drawing attention away from himself was obvious, but she thought it better to let him lead, for now, lowering herself onto her hunches and elbows next to him, eyes following his. “Yeah… Must be nice and cool in the summer.” She yawned, stretching out her forelegs and resting her head there; “We should remember, come back…” Her voice was drowsy, but her ears remained perked and attentive, waiting for him to steer the conversation.

Chan was thankful when she chose not to question his lack of composure, and again when she settled in next to him. He shifted his weight so as to lean lightly into her, seeking her warmth and comfort. His own muzzle settled across her shoulders, and for a moment he closed his eyes and tried to pretend they were back in the Cove, enjoying the Summer sun without any care larger than who got the best spot on a warm rock. It didn't work.

"Yeah," he eventually answered, "that would be nice."

He hoped it would happen, and his tail thumped the ground a few times before falling still again. It was a hard feeling to hold onto when darker thoughts consistently reminded him that his time with Flair was running out and the chances of it renewing were slim. His idea could be foolishly dangerous, with a low chance of success. He snuggled closer to her, and shut his eyes tight as though that could banish the whispers.

"... think you'll make yourself a pack, some day?"

The epitome of selecting your own family, wasn't it?

(This post was last modified: Mar 27, 2022, 11:35 PM by Chan.)

 

 

His touch was almost enough to make her forget her worries, eyes closing and a soft sigh falling from her lips. She wished they could stay like that forever, just enjoying each other’s presence, but the shadow hanging over them was too heavy, blocking out the warmth of the sun.

 

She hummed in answer to his words, eyes flicking back open. She glanced sideways as he pressed closer, smiling gently, glad that she could offer some comfort with her closeness, even if it was still too raw for words.

 

She thought that would be it, starting to drift off when his question suddenly jolted her back to the present. Her brows were arched in surprise as she lifted her head to look down at him, eyes narrowing a little as she wondered just how he knew her so well. After a long pause for thought, she admitted: “I’ve thought about it. I think… I’d like it, bein’ in charge, raisin’ my own pups fer a change…” She stopped, shocked at the words having snuck their way out without her thinking. Then she chuckled a little, accepting the truth of it; “Yeah… I think so.” Her voice was soft, sincere, the hint of a smile still on her lips. Then she reached over to playfully nib at the base of his ear, adding in a teasing tone: “’course, then I wouldn’t get t’ adventure with you anymore!”

He felt her move and shifted himself, straightening his posture to better face her and take in her response. Listening was a good distraction, and his heart warmed at what she admitted. It suited her, Chan thought. Flair would make for a fine leader, in his humble opinion. She was intelligent and watchful, and had proven many times over that she had her companions' backs. A good heart and a focused head would guide her well.

He chuckled earnestly as she attacked the tufts below his ear, lifting his shoulder in a knee-jerk reaction while the playful touch sent a shiver up his neck.

"You know me," he answered dismissively, looking away almost bashfully, "always in and out. Think you've got plenty of time. And maybe, you could manage both?"

 

 

She blew a huff of air out her nose and into his ear before pulling away, narrowly escaping getting her snout squeezed between his shoulder and head. His reaction made her chuckle again, louder and more brightly.

 

His eyes evaded hers and she tilted her head, lips pursing as she considered giving his other ear a go. But his words stopped her, and she turned thoughtful again. “I’d like that…” She answered, quiet again, intimate; “I don’t want to lose you.”

 

Then it was her turn to get shy, gaze turning to the water. She stared at the mist for a while, swirling in and out of the sun’s rays. At last she asked: “Have y’ ever thought about that? …Pups I mean?” She’d always loved seeing him with the Cove kids, it seemed so natural for him, teaching as well as playing. Secretly, she’d always thought to herself that he’d make a good dad someday.

Chan couldn't meet her eyes, especially after the words I don’t want to lose you. Maybe every bit of Colette's story was true, maybe there was nothing to worry about, nothing even worth seeking out. The weight of what might happen if she'd lied about that second half was crushing, though, and unignorably possible given their whole relationship had apparently been a smokescreen. On the complete opposite side, what if it was all a deception? What if the wolves he'd lived among and shared so many moments with were alive and well?

Perhaps talking it through with Flair would help, but he didn't want her to feel obligated to do more than discuss it. He wanted her following her own heart, to focus on forming that pack or pursuing anything else that she desired. He touched his nose to her cheek, a silent reciprocation.

As her gaze found the water, so did his until, after a short time, she spoke again. His ears lifted, and this time his gaze returned to meet with hers. He smiled weakly.

"Oh yeah, lots."

His argument with Colette herself came to life inside his skull, vying for his attention. She'd stopped him from having children then, and apparently... all for the better. Chan closed his eyes and sighed.

"I think it's a good thing I haven't. Imagine all the shit that would've happened to 'em, looking back. I've never been even close to stable. I used to want a family like that, though... have kids and give them everything."

It was all just impossible though, wasn't it? The world was too harsh, he couldn't settle down, and had certainly learned by now that being ready was unattainable.

(This post was last modified: Mar 28, 2022, 03:41 AM by Chan.)