Wild Cherry Orchard Carry Me Home

What a joyous occasion! Aisling had a family again, and it made her so happy that she had to run off and just tell someone, because, as Pangur had so clearly yelled in her ear, she was chatting theirs right off. She was certain they didn't mind, but she decided to listen to her feline companion as she always did. So, they strolled side-by-side among the cherry trees. The snow had blanketed most of the ground, but some of the wrinkling berries were peeking their dull red heads and thin green stems out of the ground.

<b style="color:#388d10">"Isn't it great, Pangur?" Aisling turned her bright orange eyes on the cat that was nearly eye level with her. The gray bobcat shrugged, "I suppose if you're happy, I'll just have to put up with it." Such a dull answer didn't please Aisling, but she didn't let it bother her either. Leaning towards him, she licked his cheek, and he merely gave a lackluster hiss. <b style="color:#388d10">"You should be nicer to my friends." "You hardly know them, darling." Aisling's brows furrowed, and the ghostly cat made a face, and stopped, settling under the chilly shade of the tree. Aisling stopped in front of him. "I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't like getting my claws bloody."

With a snort, the pale girl plopped down, <b style="color:#388d10">"But, they're so much nicer than my parents ever were. They accepted you, and they can't even see you...Which is kinda weird." The cat frowned, he wasn't stupid, and Aisling just didn't seem to get it. Of course, he wouldn't be revealing anything to her. It was odd that the parasite was more aware than his host. <b style="color:#388d10">"I'll try to be kind." He bypassed her comment, and laid down in the snow, his paws curling beneath his chest. Aisling merely rose, and moved to sit beside him, looking out at the bare trees from beneath this tree that would, in a few short weeks, be utterly beautiful. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

<blockquote>

He only vaguely remembered arriving here, after tearing through the ground in order to get away from that wretched devil girl he had last met. Quickly he ate through the distance, and arrived in a copse of stubby, gnarled trees. Strange. Then again, everything seemed gnarled here, as it was marred by the presence and marks of Satan. Shuddering, Kiche crouched low to the ground, wandering amongst the trees, hoping to find a good place to hide in case that ebony nightmare came back to haunt him. She had looked injured, but it could have just been a ploy. It probably was. Everything with heathens was just some sickening game.

As he continued to slither between the trees, fumbling over roots and uneven ground, he realized he heard a voice. His heart plummeted, knowing it would belong to yet another one of those savages. There was no escaping them. Run from one, run into another, such was this new life of his. But his ears were tickled with curiosity as he began to make out what she was saying. "You should be nicer to my friends." Was she talking to someone else? Were ther two monsters out there? Where was this girl anyway?

He whirled around in an attempt to pinpoint the sound, and was suddenly confronted with the sight of a pure white heathen. Had she been behind him this whole time? Kiche wondered how bad his hearing could be if that was the case. Narrowing his eyes, he looked on the little savage, finding once more that he was not afraid. She was small, after all, just like the last one. He could probably outrun and lose her between the trees if it came to that. But that wasn't really the most important thing on his mind that the moment, to be sure. Kiche was more interested in with whom she had been speaking. There didn't appear to be anyone around.

For the first time in his life, Kiche engaged in conversation willingly, "Who were you speaking to, just now?" That sounded polite enough. But Kiche was wary, wondering if it was some trap that he had walked into. He did not take a step closer or look her in the eye, he merely casted his ginger head about, noting all possible escape routes.</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Mar 14, 2011, 12:24 AM by Kiche.)

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Aisling hadn't noticed the appearance of a copper wolf, and obviously Pangur hadn't either. A hiss made her ears ring, and she doubled over in surprise from both the sound and the sight of another. He was big, but something about him didn't make him as scary as the last male she'd encountered, which was Borden. Of course, it had come to Aisling's immediate attention with her new leader that he wasn't very scary. But Aisling just didn't feel scared of this male. Maybe it was because she had a new family, and that made her feel invincible. That seemed the most possible.

And there were no polite "hello"'s, or "my name is"'s. He simply asked her a question. Who were you speak to, just now? But that was okay with Aisling. It was better than rambling on about her name and her past and being happy. This was, the point was gotten to. She was mature enough, at least, to be aware of her shortcomings. <b style="color:#388d10">"My friend, Pangur. He's a bobcat, but," Aisling glanced at the snow, and the silvery-gray cat looked up at her. His tail lashed, and she slowly looked back up at the male. <b style="color:#388d10">"Well, I guess he's kind of invisible." Her brows furrowed, and she looked at him again, then back to the wolf. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

<blockquote>

The way the wolf flinched and teetered at his voice did not surprise him. Hadn't he done the same when approached by those other wolves? Yet it was strange, for a moment, to see his own fleeting trepidation mirrored in the body of another. Especially of one with so savage and upbringing. Flickers of pity crossed his mind, and he considered shrugging them off. Was he being too hard on these heathens? This hell was all they ever knew. Was that excuse enough? He shook his head lightly, deeply confused and unsure and disgusted, but pricked his ears forward to listen to her response.

Bobcat. Kiche didn't know what a "bobcat" was. In fact, even though he had lived in a human household, he did not know what a "cat" was, although he could recall hearing the term once or twice. But when the strange heathen cast a glance at a very specific patch of snow and utter the word, "invisible," Kiche was suddenly more sure of one thing than he had ever been in his life: this wolf could speak and hear the voice of God. And he was her friend. His heart nearly stopped, as it had threatened to do on multiple occasions lately. Was his world spinning? Kiche sought to make sense of the world, which suddenly seemed so much brighter and more colorful. Bobcat. Invisible. Bobcat must be another word for God. Yes. Kiche was so sure of it.

"So you speak to him, and he just answers you? Just like that?" It seemed almost too good to be true. Kiche had tried speaking to God his whole life, and he never got an answer and never had his prayers answered. But maybe they were being answered now. A flow of ecstatic questions bubbled from his mouth, "What's it like, talking to him? Is he always invisible? What does he think of me? " </blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Mar 14, 2011, 01:05 AM by Kiche.)

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i hate when my posts get long. ><

The reactions Aisling had been getting to her friend, Pangur Ban, lately were reactions of confusion and acceptance. With her parents and birth pack, it had been rejection and fear. This wolf seemed...Happy, almost in awe. Aisling tipped her head to the side, and blinked for a moment as the questions came spilling forth from the copper wolf. She wondered for a moment if she was being mocked, but the wolf seemed honest. He was even more interested than Jayse and Borden had been. In fact, Aisling wasn't sure if Borden and Jayse were even interested at all. Of course, that didn't make much difference to Aisling. They didn't shun her. That was good enough for her. And geez, if they couldn't even see him, then Aisling was in the clear.

<b style="color:#388d10">"Well, yeah," Aisling finally responded, straightening up again, though there was still a hint of confusion in her eyes. She spoke slowly at first, her chest puffing out and sinking as she tried to remember everything he'd just asked. Maybe she should just enjoy this. Someone was actually curious about Pangur and didn't just nod or try to make up some excuse. He wanted to know! A smile spread across Aisling's face, and her tail wagged. <b style="color:#388d10">"Pangur can be mean sometimes, that's his name, I said that right?" She started to nod as her words sped up, <b style="color:#388d10">"I guess so? I don't think anyone has seen him yet, you can't see him can you?" Aisling didn't bother to wait for a response, before looking down at her friend again.

She could see the cat in the snow. It was weird wondering what everyone else saw. She could see his pawprints in the snow when he walked, and see the scratchmarks he sometimes left on trees. But no one else could see this. Aisling just didn't understand, but she loved her friend, so she'd decided that it didn't matter. She knew he existed, even if no one else quite understood. <b style="color:#388d10">"Pangur, this is my new friend---" Aisling paused suddenly, realizing she didn't know his name, but went on anyway. <b style="color:#388d10">"He wants to know what you think of him." Aisling smiled, gazing down at the snowbound cat. "I'm not deaf. I heard him. Tell him...I'll claw his eyes out."

The gray feline laughed, and Aisling scowled, <b style="color:#388d10">"I'm not telling him that!" Her tail lashed, and she nudged him with a paw. With a hiss, the bobcat rolled his eyes, "Fine, tell him I think he's just fine. You like him, I don't care for once." Aisling made a face, and looked back up at the coppery wolf. <b style="color:#388d10">"Pangur says he thinks you're just fine, uhm..." She blinked, forgetting yet again that she had no recollection of his name, and this was of course, because neither of them had introduced themselves. Although, Pangur's name was quite out in the open. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

<blockquote>

By now he had abandoned the term "heathen" for this one particular soul. When he looked at her now, his tail waving expectantly and his faced creased hopefully, he thought only messenger of God, voice of God, saint. Of course! He should have known when he saw her white coat. She alone in this world seemed pure, although her body seemed to indicate that she lead a savage lifestyle. Curious indeed, why God would chose to make friends with someone in the shape of these heathens. Once more, Kiche wondered if this could possibly be a trap. But he had to hear more, he needed to seek reassurance from God, to atone. Perhaps this girl could help him.

She answered all of his questions carefully, slowly, saying that Pangur — this must be God's true name— could be mean sometimes. Kiche knew that. God was a fearsome entity, all powerful, and not always so loving or forgiving. He was very strict and very harsh. And apparently he only appeared in a physical form for this girl. Did she realize what a gift she had been given? Kiche envied her momentarily, and wondered why God had chosen her as a vessel rather than him. Perhaps she was more pure, more holy than he. The thought made Kiche's confidence waver, and he felt very small in the eyes of God, before this dove of a girl, even if she was much smaller than him.

Next, she introduced Kiche to Pangur, which Kiche thought of as unnecessary. God was all knowing, he needed no introductions. But perhaps it was just a matter of formalities, so he shrugged it off. However, watching her face closely, he noticed she frowned. His heart nearly broke. God hated him, he knew it. God knew about that fight in the forest with that other heathen, God knew all of his sins and hated him for it, God knew how unclean he was at the moment. Kiche was suddenly very embarrassed and realizing how very unworthy he was in the eyes of Pangur. However, the little angel lied and said that Pangur thought he was fine. Kiche would have to make do with that. Perhaps he could repent and make up for all of his horrible actions of the past few weeks.

It appeared to Kiche now though that this pure angel was looking for a name with which to call him by. He volunteered it easily, smiling, even, "My given name is Kiche." He paused for a moment, feeling a pang of homesickness, "But you can call me Fatman. That's what I usually go by." Saying his true name made him feel a little better, and his tail waved happily behind him. "And what is your name?"</blockquote>

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oddly enough, Aisling means "dream" or "vision". Not quite angel, but haaaay?

She hoped that Pangur's answers hadn't hurt this male in anyway. Although, if no one could see him other than her, than it was pretty obvious that no one could hear him either. Darn. Oh well. Her tail wagged when she finally got his name, and she accompanied it with a smile. A nickname! How wonderful! Aisling had never had a nickname. But knowing someone that did could be just as fun, could it not? <b style="color:#388d10">"Fatman? Wow. I've never had a nickname. I'm just called Aisling. But it's nice to meet you, Kiche...I mean, Fatman!" Grinning, she lifted a paw and playfully poked his chest with it.

It slowly occurred to Aisling that Pangur had been laughing ever since the brute had introduced himself. "Fatman? What kind of horrific nickname is that? Oh, I like him so much more now...The oblivious fool." Aisling took this as a good sign, since she failed to see what was so wrong with his nickname. <b style="color:#388d10">"Pangur likes your nickname too!" Her tail wagged hopefully. Her paws shuffled excitedly in the snow, and her tail beat against the ground, <b style="color:#388d10">"Do you live around here, Fatman? I used to live on a hill somewhere that way," Lifting her paw again, she wobbled around and pointing aimlessly in the distance. It probably wasn't very accurate.

<b style="color:#388d10">"But I live in a forest now. Do you live in this place? The trees are pretty...Or they would be if it wasn't so snowy. But I kind of like the snow." She sucked in a breath and concluded her little question. Which was actually more of a statement then a question, though it was in there somewhere. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

<blockquote><ul>how very fitting for this occasion :3</li></ul>

---

She had never had a nickname? That struck Kiche as strange. Humans had nicknames for everything. There was the "potty" and, the car was named "bessy," and the neighbor's children had been "those rascals." He didn't think it was possible for her not to have a nickname. "That's ridiculous," he said with an almost childish giggle, slightly embarrassed when she reached out to touch him with a paw, "You got to have a nickname. Everyone has one, even if they don't know it. I bet yours is Angel." Suddenly, inexplicably, his ears tilted backwards and he retreated inside of himself. He felt weird. Calling her angel felt weird, even if he had said it in his head just moment ago. Something was different about saying it out loud.

His heart, now on a roller coaster it seemed, rose joyfully when she told him that Pangur liked his nickname. He was very proud of it, and always had been. To know that God approved, though... that was something he could hardly put words to; but he could put a smile to it, a very deep, radiant beam. But the smile faded slightly at her question. Live here? No, Kiche didn't live here. He lived at his house with his masters, wherever that was. How could she call this hell-hole home? How could she like all of this... wilderness? This was all very confusing, almost too much for Kiche to take. He began to answer her slowly, wondering how exactly to respond, "No, I'm not from here. I'm lost. I don't like it here. It's so scary." Kiche was so like a child now, the way his head hung and his tail fell. "I can't even find any food or any way to get home. This place is like hell. I guess I'm being punished." He glanced over at the place Aisling had indicated Pangur to be sitting, wondering if God would tell her about all the horrible things he'd done, if she'd leave him when she knew he was no better than all those other savages.

"Please don't leave me. I'm scared."</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Mar 14, 2011, 02:05 AM by Kiche.)

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Everyone had to have a nickname? Aisling frowned for a moment, feeling that she'd missed out on some rite of passage, but then...As if by magic! He gave her a nickname. Angel. What a funny word. But it started with 'A', too. It could work, even if she wasn't quite sure what it meant. <b style="color:#388d10">"Angel. What a funny name, but I like it!" Aisling puffed out her chest, proud of her new nickname. <b style="color:#388d10">"Fatman and Angel!" The pale girl giggled, and actually wobbled a bit. <b style="color:#388d10">"Like a team." Pangur was being oddly silent, and she looked down at him again.

Oddly enough, the cat was smiling. He was smiling but he wasn't making any comments. Of course, once he noticed her looking down at him, he instantly scowled. "Now you both have silly names." The ghostly feline hissed, rolling his eyes. But there was an impeccable gleam in his pale eyes that revealed more to Aisling than he knew. <b style="color:#388d10">"I think Pangur likes you," Aisling giggled, leaning forward to whisper to Kiche. But, being a cat, such whispers couldn't be kept secret. The cat lashed out, smacking Aisling's leg with his paw, claws sheathed, but it took a bit of self-control. Aisling teetered as her leg bent beneath her. <b style="color:#388d10">"Ow!" She yelped, shooting a desperate look at her gray furred companion. But he revealed nothing.

Aisling merely stuck out her tongue, and squared her shoulders, winking at the copper wolf instead. But her happiness wore off quickly, and she leaned towards him to listen as he spoke. It felt necessary, even though she could hear him just fine, to lean in. It was important, and she felt like being close might make him feel better. He thought it was scary out here? Sure, some of the wolves were kinda big and intimidating, but she'd never really considered nature itself to be scary. Her eyes clouded with concern, especially when he called it hell. The girl let out a little gasp. That wasn't a nice word...

<b style="color:#388d10">"Hell?" She had to whisper the word, like it burned her. <b style="color:#388d10">"But it's so nice out here. You just have to get used to it." She looked around, wishing she could show him something pretty, but there was still far too much snow, and it was too cold. <b style="color:#388d10">"I'm little, and...I'm afraid of everything! But guess how big I am? Almost three years big...I mean, old. And you're really big! You don't have any reason to be scared, Fatman." A small frown creased her face, and seemed to make her entire body shrink as well. It wasn't becoming on her. Rising up, she felt Pangur's eyes following her, and she sat beside the coppery wolf. He was quite big, now that she was sitting right next to him, and in a show of friendship, she leaned against him, her chin against her chest, looking up at him. <b style="color:#388d10">"Why would I leave?" She asked, tipping her head back, trying to erase her frown. <b style="color:#388d10">"speech."

<blockquote>

At first she seemed a little confused and unsure of her nickname, which made Kiche feel even stranger. Had he said the wrong thing? But no, she called it funny. Kiche didn't really see the humor in it, since Angel was a very pure and devout name for a pure and devout wolf, but laughed along with her. A team. Yes, he thought, A team, us against the world. Maybe we can do something to rid this place of these awful savages. Maybe we can tame them. But he kept those thoughts to himself, thinking that the topic would have to be broached at a later time. Not now, now was a time for introduction and merriment. Oh how good it was to be with a believer!

Kiche did not catch the look she exchanged with Pangur. But suddenly he was very, very aware of how close she was as she whispered to him. An uncanny chill shuddered down his spine visibly that he could not quite account for. It wasn't that cold. However, he was awoken from his hazy reverie by her abrupt cry of pain. His firebrand gaze fell on where he assumed Pangur was —which was, to say, wherever Aisling was looking— wondering if he had hurt her. And why. Fingers of confusion tugged his mind this way and that as he sought for some sort of answer. Nothing made sense. But Pangur was a malevolent God, and perhaps never needed to explain anything to anyone.

But all that was forgotten when he felt the brush of Aisling's pale fur leaning into him. He became very acutely aware of how small she was, how innocent she seemed. The way that Aisling gasped when he said "hell," was a kick to Kiche's heart. Yes, he had known it was a bad word —one of his many sins— but it was the only name for this place that he knew. And he had all the world to be afraid of. Apparently, she thought otherwise. Strange, strange, strange. Always this strangeness. There was another feeling growing from the depths of his chest when the angel took a seat next to him, leaning against him. This feeling was the strangest of all, and Kiche was torn between how he felt about this feeling. It had been a long time since he had had such platonic contact... although, parts of it didn't feel so platonic. Should he be so close to an angel? Did he deserve this? "I don't think I'm very good, Angel. Pangur knows. This world is so... strange to me. Foreign. Evil. Do you know why no one else can see Pangur but you? This place is full of heathens. Bad wolves who do bad things, and that's what scares me. But lately I don't know if I'm any better than them. And that's why I think you'd leave me. But I don't want you to go, you're the only one I've met that... I feel I can trust. If Pangur chose you, I know you must be good."</blockquote>

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