Thicket of Secrets Rolling In Deep

The cream male had not reappeared, and she had ventured further into the field deciding to fullfill her curiousity. First the rain was only an innocent sprinkling, but the wind picked up something fierce. Soon it was bringing ominous clouds of black. They rolled like a fierce ocean tide, and thunder rumbled in the shadowed underbellys. She took one moments pause, her eyes lingering over the powerful storm when a flash of lighting danced across the sky. It was time to move. The fog had dissapeared with the rain, but it was growing darker by the minute. The rain was not falling so gently now, it was plumitting rapidly like a thick sheet of blurring moisture, convinced to soak every living thing beneath the dark clouds from which they drops came. It was doing well to hinder her to the safe settings of home. She tried best to move quickly, but did not move faster than safe reaches for her paws. It wouldn't do to run into the creek, or take a hard tumble.

Coat clung tightly to her bones from the heavy moisture. She was trying to figure out west from east, but it didn't matter, she couldn't tell. All she could see was the looming woods in the distance, her one chance to get out of the pelting cold. She took it, trying to hasten her pace, stretch her long legs to shorten the gap. A flash of more light shot across the sky, and was followed by another booming crack. Just lovely. She did not pause to look behind her, knowing well the storm was closing in. She counted in her mind each step, until finally she made it into the dense thicket. Eyes could focus against the drops as they weren't so dramatic beneath the leafy canopies. She needed to find shelter, somewhere to dry her coat least she catch cold. A hesitant walk she spotted something familiar and remembered there was a den around. Where were the rocks that lined it? A little faster she kept a sharp eye for the formation, when she saw it nesteled between two large trees. Poking her head inside it smelled vacant, and was more roomy than she needed. It would do the job she needed. Climbing in she made sure by touch she was alone till she hudled down, and fiercly stared trying to dry her coat in the deep shadows.

(This post was last modified: Apr 25, 2011, 04:58 AM by Jaysyek.)

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Perhaps Ozera had ventured farther than she had intended. Over the past few months, she had discovered many of Relic Lore's nooks and crannies, but she had never been in this particular forest. It was stranger, more wild. Uncanny, feral vines and roots snaked out of the ground and teased at her paws, tripping her on occasion. A malicious, tenebrous aura resonated from deep within the forest, and she didn't like it. For awhile, the unkempt wolf forced herself to tolerate it, to explore. However, a light flickered on in the back of her head, and she was suddenly reminded of the bodies of the dead coyotes she had found in the Wildwood with Ruiko. What shadows hid in this forest?

But just as the female turned around, she heard a furious clash in the sky, and a bright scar ripped the sky. And as if someone flicked on a switch, torrential downpour ensued. The fierce rain stung at her eyes and washed away any scent. It was if she was drowning, and home could have been anywhere. Was it up? Was it behind her? A shrill whimper broke from her throat, punctuated by another angry thunder clap. Quite frankly, she had never professed a love of thunderstorms. Sloshing about in the muddy ground, Ozera mindlessly wandered, losing herself deeper and deeper in the darkness of the thicket.
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He set off as early as he could. The moon was hardly at its peak before he left. He didn't want to be gone for more than a day, and he certainly didn't intend to be. Once his paws were on grass and earth, he ran. Until the sun began to rise, then was slowly overtaken by clouds, he ran. He wasn't sure what his intentions were. Honestly, he just wanted to see how Jayse was doing. She was probably settled in with Borden now, he presumed, and he was curious if the young female was in the same state that his own mate was.

As long as they were happy...

It hurt to think about it still, sometimes. But if he was truly friends with these wolves, then their happiness should have been what mattered. He wanted to make sure that they were happy. And the faster he did that, the better. He didn't want to leave the mountain for too long. He ran headlong into the dense forest just as the sky exploded, and he nearly dropped to the ground. He'd noticed the steadily darkening clouds as he moved, but he'd hardly expected such a noise to emanate from above.

As the rain fell in sheets, he moved through the trees, feeling his pelt get heavier after each stride. Eventually the male slowed down, allowing himself to finally walk, and then stop. Cedarwood wasn't far now, but the rain would definitely delay things. Casting a pale glance over his shoulder, he wondered if it would just be better to turn back. <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."

The rain trickled down a pattering tune. Drip-drop, drip-drop. Wooshing along for the little streams it was making. It might have been soothing, if not for the quaking thunder. Right now, she couldn't wait to hear it crashing in the distance, and tried not to let it unsettle her nerves. Thunder sounded scary, it was the lightning that was dangerous. Wide tongue licked away the wisks of moisture, along her back best she could since it was the most wet. Making some progress, she vigorously shook her neck, pelting the nearby walls. It seemed very lonely all of a sudden, she was stuck here until the storm passed. A muffled whine echoed in her throat, she much wanted Borden. "Humph," she sighed shaking her head. She felt such a prisoner to her emotions. She couldn't feel mildly. If she was sad she could get weepy. Tired was more exhausted, and mad was furious. She wasn't going to start bawling because she was alone. She would see Borden again, and bit back the silly tears.

Lids closed for second, being lulled into a nap. She hadn't really thought about anyone else being out in this, but a whine cut short by another crash told her otherwise. Flinching, head drew to the opening. She could not see, and shifted her torso so she could leanfrom her dwelling. She tried to search against the falling streaks, and saw a dapple coat wandering nearby. Going against her cautious nature, she sucked in a deep breath, and loud as she could muster a loud bark echoed from the enclosure. Deciding it couldn't hurt she let out another one, someoen else should have chance to get out of the rain.

<blockquote>
Having been put on edge by the storm, caught up in thoughts of rotting coyote carcasses, hearing a bark caused the mottled wolf to spring into the air, letting out a shrill note of surprise. <i>What on earth was that?</i> In the din, Ozera could just barely identify the source, and her ears swiveled about furiously. It was behind her. A chilly finger of paranoia traced her spine, and she shuddered. Still rattled, Ozera flinched noticeably at the second bark, whirling about to find eyes confronted with a soft, milky face peering out of a den at her. At the moment, Ozera was too far away to discern more than the colour of the wolf's coat. And yet, for some reason, all of her senses were on edge. Another flash ripped the sky, accompanied by an impassioned timpani rumble. <i>It's just the thunder, Ozera, stop being such a ninny.</i>

The silver creature did appear to be offering shelter, though, and Ozera would be mad to turn away such a gracious gesture. Giving a grateful bark in reply, Ozera trotted swiftly over to the jumble of rocks between two looming trunks. "<b>Gee, thanks,</b>" she called out as she neared the den, "<b>Awfully nice of you to save a drowning...</b>" But suddenly, her voice tapered off, the last word lodged somewhere in her throat when her eyes fell upon those of her apparent savior.

They were two different colors, a blue and a yellow.

Unable to manage any more words, Ozera could only respond to this horror with a scream.
</blockquote>

He considered just going back to the mountain. Facing the storm and being near to his mate, who would probably be facing the same storm. A flash of lightening burst overhead, and he crouched defensively, and crept closer into the mass of trees. Perhaps when the storm lightened up. He didn't want to kill himself, though he'd never known anyone that died from a thunderstorm...

A scream broke the air. At first, he almost thought it was the sound of a falling tree mingled with the storm, but it was far too high pitched. It was someone screaming. Had they been struck? Another bolt of lightening struck and he moving towards the sound that had already died off. It rang in his ears, fading away as he neared a cluster of rocks, signifying a den. He could barely see the bodies within, but crept a bit closer, keeping enough distance from the entrance in case someone needed to escape. <b style="color:#51b85f">"Are you alright?" Alexander barked over the sound of the rain and the storm. He hoped they were wolves, and he hoped they were okay. <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."

Maybe she should have crawled in that hole, and dissapeared. She startled the already shaken lady, and ears drooped sideways. She should have thought about the reaction, but she was to tired of overthinking each damn little thing. Oh well. Least she knew she was there and if she wished to join her that'd be her choice. Pushing up to her haunches, eyes could see her deciding to come or go. Jayse tried to appear friendly, past the curtain of rain. She could not see much but the blurred colors, what would the other see? The thunder grumbled in the background, and time seemed rather still in the chaotic, gray world. A bark was sounded back, and Jayse let her caught breath release. Naturally her tail wagged happy for company when the dappled one approached. Friendly voice, one she'd heard in the dark another day came forth. She had her own flash of deja vu, for her breath was like a cottontail stuck in her throat. Ozera

Eyes blinked against mismatched hues, she tried twice to clear her throat, reply, anything. She could only stare, and than their eyes met...All Jayse could hear was a scream, see a falling face. Surely she should have dissapered in the hole.

Somewhere against the pelting coarse of water there was another bark, the words are you alright? Me, or Ozera. Ozera. She repeated over in her head, trying to remember she was attached to this body. Trying to remember how to work her own jaw. In one second her mouth agape clamped shut, and she shifted her cran. "Ozera, she breathed clearly stunned. Who had asked if they were alright? Swallowing silver cran directed to the entrance where a large white, ash stroked male was. "Alexander?" She blurted feeling like she'd been hit in the face. Had she hit her head along the way? Was she really here? "I, um Ozera your.....are you okay?"

(This post was last modified: Apr 28, 2011, 04:35 AM by Jaysyek.)

<blockquote>
It was that wolf, that wolf from her nightmares. Those were the eyes that gazed down at her as she tumbled down the unforgiving rock face. Was this a mirage? Was her mind playing tricks on her? She merely stood there, mouth agape, breathless, and unable to scream anymore. Deep within her, a dark feeling churned in her stomach as she tried to come to terms with the face that floated before her eyes. It was very easy to pretend that this wolf was not real, and had never been real. Believing it's existence was confined only to nightmares was the only thing that allowed her world to make any sense anymore. To believe that this wolf was real was to believe in malicious intentions and... Oh, she just couldn't think of that. She closed her eyes, shutting them tightly, hoping that she would never have to open them, and never have to face this nightmare that had manifested before her. <i>Just go away. You're not real. You can't be real, you just can't.</i>

Someone's voice sounded faintly in the distance, but it could not penetrate the turmoil in her head. She was beyond the reach of reality. There were more words, more wolves talking, but she didn't hear them. Instead, she heard only the whistling of the wind and the snapping of bones, the dull thumping sound of her body against the mountain side. Once more, she found herself overtaken by hallucinations, obscured memories of her accident. “<b>No. No, you're not real,</b>” she growled, trying to snap herself out of it. “<b>You're not real. I'm just seeing things because of the thunder.</b>” A single eyelid flickered open. It was still there, staring at her. “<b>You're not real.</b>”
</blockquote>

The mumbled answer he was given was simply not good enough for him, especially not after that horrible scream he'd heard. He heard the name "Ozera", and his ears perked up, trying to focus harder on the shapes in the hole, as well as their voices. Jaysyek? Tired of this guessing game, Alexander shoved his way into the hole, though it was a bit too small. He felt wet dirt seep into his fur, between his toes, but at least he was out of the rain, and the figures became clearer in the close spaces.

Things slowly started to piece together. He could only assume that the screech came from Ozera, from the state she was in now, and he recalled his conversation with Jayse about how she watched the older female fall off of the mountain...Perhaps she'd done more than just see Ozera fall. Alexander found that, if this was true, he felt little anger. From the guilt the female felt, perhaps it had been an accident. He couldn't imagine what could possibly drive the small white female to push anyone off of anything.

Ears twisted back, Alexander tried to get the older female's attention, worried for her sanity and their safety. They were in a small space together in the midst of a bad storm. <b style="color:#51b85f">"Ozera," Alexander said, in quite a strong tone. He simply wanted to perhaps break the woman from whatever spell she seemed to be under, perhaps allowing Jayse to get in an encouraging word. <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."

The wolf she'd worried about, wanted to make sure was okay was flat out denying she existed. What was she suppose to do? She'd never been told she didn't exist, she did, and she just could not well not. She was sitting, breathing real as she'd ever been. Here was the proof Ozera's fall had been no little thing. It clearly had been the most traumitic thing to happen. If Jayse relived the experience she could only imagine what the lady felt like. She was the one who'd fallen, and she was still alive. Walking no less. If Jaysecould she would have dissapeared for the sanity of that dappled lady. She could not. Alexander was here stepping into the entrance surely wondering what the hell.

Eyes shifted to the large mass of gray, looking rather hopeless and shocked. Mostly lost, with a silent plea for help. She did not know how to help Ozera, and was not sure what Alexander thought of herself now, what he would think of this. He looked to Ozera trying to bring her to reality. Jayse wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Maybe she should crawl out, make her way in the rain anywhere to give that poor lady peace. Alexander's voice broke out against the chaos like a steady beat. Face shifted to Ozera, a small flicker of hope in her mismatched eyes. Please,she thought, Please be okay. They had to bushwhack this ordeal, didn't they? So they could all live in peace.