Red Fern Forest you wanna start a war?

Set 3/26/2024 - 15.55531, 132.32812 - Crook of the River, Early Morning

pain is what you desire

bang bang shots fired

Sophrosnia had descended down the mountain without a second thought. The man, the interaction, had faded into the background of her mind though they both did not dissipate. Instead, her focus was getting down from the rugged high terrain and moving more into the forest below, whose snow had begun to melt and show signs of spring. The strange urges she’d had faded, leaving her with some measure of peace that she had not felt before. However, the arrival of spring gave her far greater issues… like the heat that ached through her fur, causing her tongue to loll out with a constant pant.

Her emerald eyes locked on the crook of the river, moving towards it, finding it’s edge as the two separate streams flowed together. Fish swum along the current and she would watch intently… and then she’d reach into it, grasping one firmly and yanking it from the water, killing it instantly before settling down, her tail dipping into the river which helped cool her down as she took a bite from it. Admittedly, she wasn’t a fish fan… but it was easy for her, and that made it valuable enough for her to hunt down. She sought to resolve the grumbling in her stomach.

Her tail swayed side to side, causing droplets of water to fly any time her tail left the water only to be resubmerged. It would no doubt cause her strife later, when it turned hot and sticky itself as it tried to dry, but for now it was a constant relief.

(// Tasha

Though their tryst was over Vili remained in her proximity, sometimes on the edge of it, other times he'd stray closer. The stranger had not chased him off yet, so either she was unaware of his presence or she didn't care, but either way he continued on, trailing after her scent whenever he felt so inclined. He was there to make sure that their night together hadn't amounted to anything more serious, but he was also curious about her. He knew absolutely nothing about her, not her name, not even the sound of her voice and it bothered him. He'd even dreamt about it. What gave her the right to be so secretive, to take up so much room in his head?

Another restless night had him tossing and turning until well after the sun came up. That's just how it had been since the night they'd spent together, but the time was drawing near. Soon enough he would know for sure and then he'd be able to wash his paws of all of this and find something else to distract him. At least that's what he was banking on.

The sound of water, particularly splashing, drew Vili from his resting place, though he did not do so in a hurried fashion. He yawned, he stretched, gave his coat a shake before meandering out of the treeline. He wasn't surprised to find her there, tail in the water, enjoying a meal. She still didn't look pregnant. Still didn't smell pregnant, but there was still time for that to change.

He made his way toward her, leaving what the Archer had deemed a respectable distance between himself and the strange woman. "Nice fish you got there." He stated in an effort to make small talk with her.

pain is what you desire

bang bang shots fired

Soph had not been paying enough attention to know what she had been followed. She had kept an eye on her surroundings, but never far enough out to detect the level-five clinger that she had… instead, she was focused on the water. Even after he began to make himself known, she was caught unawares. It was not until he placed himself a respectful distance away and called out to her that she noticed his presence. It was clear he had followed her, and now he was trying to speak with her which just caused the fur on her face to furrow in confusion as she tilted her head to the side.

She’d maintain her perpetual shroud of silence as she simply moved her way away from the water. A soft snort was the closest he would get to a sound out of her, and to his credit it was more than most got from her. She took another bite of her fish, watching him perpetually. Was the point of a walk of shame not to leave that whom she had tangoed with? She had disappeared, not that it had been entirely meaningless. She had come to understand the full extent, as if silent messages had pieced together in ways they never had before.

Still, she didn’t know why he was following her… and it well wasn’t like she could ask either. She could, in theory, but there was a part of her that found a certain amusement over the fact that he had never heard her speak, and did not know her name… was that cruel of her? Certainly not, it felt more like a silly little game she was running with herself to see how long she could keep the information from him. She would swallow the bite of fish she had been working on as she blinked at him in silent question.

(// Tasha

(This post was last modified: Apr 04, 2024, 06:45 PM by Aquene.)

Sophrosnia is currently travelling with Lillia and is closely tailed by Vili

She once again did not give him the satisfaction of a response, or at least not the kind he was looking for. Her brows furrowed, confusion evident as it settled into her features. His own brows knit together in response, his head tilting to mirror hers. Had the stranger really been caught so off guard by his approach?

Following her hadn't felt weird up to this point, but her face seemed to convey suprise at his presence, and that in and of itself was enough to make Vili step back and evaluate the situation. It took him far longer to understand her reaction than it should have, but once he'd worked it out the Archer found his lips forming into a small, "Oh.", barely audible above the rush of the stream.

The woman eventually offered a snort, which Vili found himself almost greatful for? It broke the tension, at least in part, and gave him some small indication of noise to cling on to. But she continued on as if he weren't there, taking another bite of the fish, seeming so unbothered. Who was she?

He did not speak again until the woman finished her bite and looked up at him, a silent question conveyed in her gaze. "I.. am not following you." Well, actually, "Or I am following you, but im not following you. I'm just.. making sure," He tried to find a way around it, a way to say it without saying it, but Vili was unsure of how. "I'd like to know whether or not you're pregnant." Better to say it and get it out.

pain is what you desire

bang bang shots fired

Oh. He seemed to have plenty of words for the both of them, understanding what she was trying to convey with her perplexed look. He began to ramble, and she simply tried to follow his train of thought to where he wanted it to lead her. At first, it was not going well… following, but not following? Yeah… he was weird… certainly a stalker and maybe a clinger… and then he admitted the truth of his intention. He wanted to know if she was pregnant. She glanced at her paws for a moment, her tail slowly floating from side to side in a gentle wag before she looked back up at him.

She knew it was a possibility, but she hadn’t noticed any changes in her yet, and apparently neither had he but there was still time. A frown still lingered on her maw as she moved over, bumping lightly into his side as she moved passed him. She’d motion her head for him to follow her, having already devoured her entire fish that she’d been on. If he were going to stick around until he knew whether or not he’d put pups in her, then she was certainly going to make him work.

She followed along a scent trailed she’d located not long before, rabbits trails that led to a warren… and then she would promptly take a seat at the beginning of the trail, raising an eyebrow at him as she motioned her head along it. Clearly, he’d be around at least for a few more days… and she was still hungry… and she had a feeling he was too.

(// Tasha

Sophrosnia is currently travelling with Lillia and is closely tailed by Vili

She moved toward him, a frown placed delicately upon her maw. He thought for a moment that maybe he had displeased her, but the stranger came to bump against his side and motioned for him to follow. A wave of relief echoed down his spine, which was strange, for Vili had no idea that he had even been worried over what her reaction might be. Every moment spent with this woman served only to flare his curiosity, to cement his need to know and understand who she was, what she was.

He did as he was told, dark limbs suddenly thrust into movement as he chased after her. He could tell she was searching for something, see it in the way her neck craned toward the soil every so often, heard it in the way her intake of breaths became quick and stuttered. But what was she looking for?  It didn't take him long to answer that particular question as they came upon a scent trail.

She sat, expectation evident in the lines of her tawny face. She ordered him with the raise of her brow, the motion of her head, and once again, Vili obeyed her command. What, was she some kind of general?

His nose pressed to the ground as he followed the trail. His movements softened as the scent grew, becoming almost fluid and catlike as he approached. The Archer might have been appalled at his apparent lack of free thought, at his willingness to do as she said, but there wasn't time for that when he was being tested so.

The entrance was easily found, the creatures easily fooled. Vili's teeth clamped around the hare's neck. Just a quick shake and the struggle was over, dinner limp in his jaws.

He laid his prize at her paws.

pain is what you desire

bang bang shots fired

Soph simply did not know what to do other than demand. She did not know what to do in that moment other than sate her hunger, demand from him something more than simply one night that resulted in such a mistake… mistake? She was not certain she could call it a mistake if it had taken. Even now… even now she was not certain how to feel about the state of her changes or therefore the uncertainty of them. The courses of nature were swift and often cruel, and get cruel was such a word.

What was crueler than words themselves? Than their actions to one another? She watched him, how he obeyed her silence command and called upon his skills as a hunter, as a provider in order to bring forth a meal… a rabbit. The blood stained around it’s neck from Vili’s teeth as it was placed carefully at her paws.

She would lean down, taking  a sniff of it… a hunger burning in her gut though a quick rouse a wave of nausea following it from behind, causing air to catch in her throat as she lurched. She closed her eyes, refusing to breathe in through her nose for a moment. It would take several moments for it to settle before she would make another pass, reaching down to take a small bite from the rabbit, forcing it down with a swallow. Whether or not her stomach churned from her new state of panic of what might be or the dread of what had transpired she was not certain.

She was not quite certain of anything at all. All she knew, was that her life might just change before her eyes... and it was entirely his fault.

(// Tasha

(This post was last modified: Apr 15, 2024, 11:59 PM by Sophrosnia.)

Sophrosnia is currently travelling with Lillia and is closely tailed by Vili

The woman did not answer, and it was becoming increasingly clear that she may never speak to him. He had no name for her, no voice to remember; only sight, and scent, and feeling. The Archer wasn't sure what to do with her. How was he to anticipate her reactions if he could not hear her thoughts? How was he supposed to read between the lines and pick her apart if he could not understand her? Vili had no way to gauge the stranger and it bothered him.

He watched her hesitate and lurch at the smell. His ears fell as his silver gave swept over the carcass. Once he deemed it to be safe he turned his attention back to her tawny form, noting the way her eyes had closed. Was she sick? Was something wrong? His mind briefly swept over the other more plausible possibility before deciding that, yeah, she must be sick.

The woman chanced another bite, clearly forcing herself to chew and swallow. Vili frowned and made an attempt to press his nose to her forehead. If she had a fever he might be able to help.

Don't you dare look out your window, darling, everything's on fire

At the very least, he seemed to understand her pointed silence as something more than simply ignoring him. That alone gave her some measure of hope that they could navigate the potential circumstances… the ones that she was not yet certain of… the ones that if all prayer worked, would not take within her womb. He seemed to be watching her, and she could feel his eyes boring down on her, almost judging her… except some part of her recognized it was not judgement. Some part of her had been acutely aware of his expression, his confusion.

They did not even know each other’s names… and he might never know hers… not as the anvil sat upon her chest, demanding it’s own attentions be redirected in that moment towards keeping the food she had just swallowed down. She would allow him to press his nose to her forehead, closing her eyes as the action happened and from it, he would discover a moderate fever, a heat radiating from it that was not normal.

And she would be wholly unaware of the cause, or how it continued to affect her as she attempted to force herself to take another bite. If she were pregnant, then she knew that staying fed would be of the utmost importance to her, and so that became her focus.

Sophrosnia is currently travelling with Lillia and is closely tailed by Vili

He could sense her fever, though slight, the moment his nose touched her forehead. He stepped away, a polite sort of gesture that he hoped would allow her whatever space she might want. "I'm proficient enough with plants. I'll see what I can find around here for you."

Vili hadn't been paying much attention to the local florae, if he were being honest, but he was sure that he'd stumble across something. Maybe some Hellbore or Yarrow. Well, maybe not hellbore, just in case. It was only toxic in high doses, but if she were to be carrying his children.. well, he didn't want to chance it.

"And we'll stick close to water." It was never a bad idea, fever or no. This time he did not expect a response, for the Archer knew that he wouldn't receive one.