Windsong Fjord darkness falls

Open!

Nightingale had been having the strangest dreams. The rule of dreams seemed to be you forgot them when you woke; one had but five minutes to dwell on them, to dip your mind into what you saw, before everything bled together and nothing could be differentiated. A face you imagined became a face you did not know rather than one you were so certain was familiar to you.

Her dreams were the only place she remembered everything but her own name.

And she dreamed of a swarthy, handsome man, a man she loved; tawny (like she was), strong, and the most wonderful thing she had ever seen. There was a little face she sometimes dreamed of, too. So tiny, minuscule, with eyes that were shut. But the one face that was always present was the face of that man. In her dreams, she was with him always. They were side by side, nestled next to one another or racing in the rain. Nightingale never loved another more than she did in those dreams.

She recalled the day she had went to Siskin to tell her of these dreams. It was a distinct memory.

It feels so real, Nightingale had told her, So right... And Siskin had looked at her strangely for but a moment before shaking her head and snorting, You always were a dreamer, there was an edge to the  voice, as though Siskin would not be questioned on that point. And how could Nightingale question her? How should she know? Nightingale had to trust them, and they were nice wolves who had taken care of her in her time of need. Why should they be lying? What was the point? But Nightingale imagined that even when her mind was not as fragmented as it was, they must have had differences. They celebrated an odd religion that determined hierarchy and hunts, among other things. Strange prophecies that were hard to rationalize. Siskin admitted to her that she had always been a bit wary of it; this further solidified her belief in them. Nightingale couldn't imagine believing in things that weren't tangible... but she went with the motions. Siskin continued, softer, Anyway, I have dreams of a handsome prince, too. I think all she-wolves do. And we all think they're real, 'til we wake up. We've only got Hawk, here. He's handsome enough, isn't he? Rough around the edges but... and he looks at only you. Hawk was not at all tawny; he was dark as pitch, and Nightingale felt no draw to him.

But the other she-wolves were his sisters. Of course he would look at only her.

Nightingale was told not to dwell on her dreams, but she could not help it. That face was one she longed for, even if she, when she woke, could not remember an ounce of it. All she knew was she longed to sleep again to find him. Her dreams made him real enough to survive the day only so that she could meet the night and in turn, this stranger.

It was difficult to think of him in her point of waking. She could not remember, after all, and there were the daily distractions of other things, other faces. When she tried to, she could only forget everything altogether. When you forced yourself to remember a dream, it slipped right through your fingers.

Nightingale dreamed of him then, in the underbrush. She slept, presently, but her legs twitched and then moved outright in a frenzy. In the dream, he was chasing her! And they were laughing. Nightingale could hardly breathe. She could outrun him; she was made for running! But that was never her wish. Nightingale would have him capture her, and chase him, and the game would go on and on until they tired and rest against one another, still grinning. Her sleep was light, now; she was a lone wolf, and a lone wolf needed to be ever wary. So the sound of her own leg striking a separated branch (it being thrown to cause the grey, dry ferns to shudder) Nightingale threw herself up in alarm, blinking blearily. Her ears thrust forward and she hoisted herself up to a hasty stand, sniffing loudly.

The face, and the contents of the dream, left her with a heavy wind. As it always had. Her head ached and she fell to her rear; blood rushed to her head and she swooned, a tree nearby her unwilling scaffold.

The days were getting colder and that worried Inna since she hadn’t ever seen day this cold in her life and the only true way that she knew of was to cuddle up with her sister in the den. That she didn’t think was an option since she still had the desire to be outside the den exploring and doing what young wolves were supposed to do. So the next best option in her opinion was to practice her hunting skills since she would need them eventually especially if she wanted to help provide for her pack. She was certain she had the tracking part down it was just the actually catching of the prey part that she had difficulty with. So as she set out that morning it was her goal to catch something by the end of the day.

She felt that she was now old enough she could travel father in search of prey then she had in the past so she let her paws carry her in whatever direction the scents took her. After a while and few lost mice later she found herself in a place that didn’t look familiar at all.

Inna looked around the area that she now found herself in and thought that perhaps she might have better luck in a place that was new to her. She scented the air for any signs before lowering her head to the ground to check it as well. When her nose caught the faint scent of a mouse she followed in hopes that it would lead her to something even if it was just a mouse. If she could catch it that would make traveling this far that much more worth it.

A sudden movement not too far from where she was searching for the mouse caught Inna’s attention bringing it away from the mouse as she tried to make out what had made the movement. She crouched and moved a little closer to get a better look. After doing that she realized that it was another wolf that had made the movement. With that realization she stood to her full height though she was smaller than the other wolf and approached cautiously. “Are you alright?” she asked curiously head tilted to one side.

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Nov 18, 2015, 04:20 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

Nightingale did what she could to gather her faculties. It took some effort. She was a multitude of things, and none of them were positive. Hungry for all of her time alone, and tired, too. A bit desperate, and lonely also. The wolf had half a mind to return to the place that was supposedly home, but that had never really felt that way to her. The songbird was searching for that feeling, the idea of right. Only a small amount of time had passed, but could she be faulted for feeling disillusioned already? Still. Her stubbornness withstood all else; she would fight it out for a while longer yet. At least until the snow truly began to fall and she would need that pack to survive... but until then, she would search.

What for, Nightingale imagined she might know it when it came to her. But the not knowing was what made things so difficult and hard to bear. Where did one even begin?

Begin what, her mind persisted stubbornly. Nightingale felt foolish above all other things. As though deep down, she was simply searching for something new. A separation. She knew she was Nightingale. But the agouti woman couldn't ignore the colossal chasm within her. It was present, in the back of her mind. Simultaneously, impossibly, she was as unaware of it as she was aware. It was nonexistent in the moment. Nightingale only felt that she must search for the unknown.

A scent drifted toward her, and the bird righted herself, the tree no longer keeping her in her reclined position. Yeah, just got up a little quickly, is all, she admitted. Nightingale blinked the bleariness from her eyes and then stared at the other before her. Her stomach lurched, and a (surely) unfounded reaction surged within her as she drew nearer to the other. It was the scent more than the appearance; the other before her was hardly different in stature than she herself, adult in every way but smell. The winter fur was growing in, but there were some tapered features that were not completely grown into, and it was this that provoked the maternal instinct in her. Ears swiveled as she looked around, feeling foolishly protective over the girl who surely could protect herself now. Are you? She decided was the safest route, confused with the turmoil that surmounted all other feeling within her.

Inna had to admit that it was a little strange being this far from the den but she also felt that the pack lands could only hold so much for a young pup. She thought that she was now old enough that it shouldn’t be too bad if she ventured away from pack lands as long as she was careful. Though she did worry slightly what her mother would do if she found out. Inna just hoped that she wouldn’t find out. She could also be wrong and her mother might be happy that she was learning about the world outside the pack borders, whichever way that it went she planned to return home safe and sound.

As for her hunting it wasn’t going well though she had had a couple of close calls but just as she was close enough she would step on a branch or something and scare her prey away. Inna had considered giving up and going to find Orren to give her a lesson but her pride would not allow that. She would stay out until it was dark and she had to return home empty handed or not. Then she would find her brother and speak with him about hunting .

Her travels however had brought her across the path of another wolf which was rather exciting since the only wolves that she had mostly only met her pack mates. This wolf couldn’t be, Inna didn’t remember seeing her around Hearthwood River. She was a little worried about the girl considering the swift movement that she’d made Inna thought that maybe she was in some sort of trouble. It was a relief to hear that she’d just got up too quickly, “I’ve done that before, was it a bad dream?” she asked offering a smile. In fact she’d probably done it more than once and usually due to a bad dream or sometimes she didn’t even know why she had woken up.

Curiously the woman asked Inna if she was okay which puzzled the youngster. “Yes, I believe so,” she said trying to look herself over, “Why do you ask?” Perhaps there was something wrong that Inna couldn’t see that the woman could.

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Nov 18, 2015, 05:16 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

Nightingale tilted her head at the others query and tried to think on it. It faded as she reached for it, but there was a warmth that emanated from the idea. A good one, she recognized, and then, I was running in it. Kicked a wayward branch and startled myself, she had to laugh at that, but sobered quickly. The sound had every reason to alarm her, what with being a lone wolf. If it had been a predator, it could've been bad. The coverage had been good, but her lack of stillness... not so much.

Nightingale watched as the other looked herself over and felt a little bad, not meaning to make the other nervous. The she wolf pursed her lips at the question and shifted her weight. ...You smell young, she admitted, but then, scent and age were hard to really determine. It was really that some bits of the other needed filling out that betrayed the others youth. By all means otherwise, in appearance at least, she appeared to be an adult.

That wouldn't make you not okay, though, so, I guess that was the wrong question, she continued, her lack of knowing what to say or do in some situations, and also her awkwardness, being something that remained with her in her loss of everything else. A hapless shrug was offered then, her attention remaining upon the other.

“Those are the best kind,” Inna said her smile growing wider. The thing was she wished that she could remember the good dreams she’d had. It seemed to her that you always remembered the bad ones and not the good ones. “I can see why you moved so quickly though,” Inna added with a nod. She thought it would be hard not to be startled to be disturbed from a dream by the sound of a wayward branch so close by. Inna thought that if she were in the situation she might be very nervous about staying in an unknown place all by herself. “Have you been in this area long?” Inna questioned curiously since she hadn’t perhaps the woman knew more about it that could be helpful especially when it came to what might be nearby that she could hunt.

Inna grew a little worried that something might be wrong when the woman asked if she was alright but the reason that she’d asked was unexpected, “Oh, well I suppose that I am still young. Well I’m not yet a year,” she told her. Inna hadn’t really realized that she could smell young but that was definitely a bit of information that she would tuck away for a later date. “I’m glad to know there isn’t anything wrong though. I think my mother would kill me if I were to get hurt out here,” she said with a slight chuckle.

Inna shrugged as the woman went oh, “I don’t I suppose that I could be lost or something which would then make me not okay?” Inna added since she didn’t really think that the wrong question had been asked since she thought it entirely possible that she could be lost and not know it but she also thought that if she wanted to find her way home she could by using the lesson that Naia and Orren taught her. “Are you by yourself?” She asked since she hadn’t seen anyone else.

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Nov 18, 2015, 05:58 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

Nightingale smiled, agreeing quietly with the other. If only she could remember it! Her dreams were far better than her reality as it presently was. The lone wolf was unkempt and a bit wild looking, though sentient and in her right mind (she fullheartedly thought this, unknowing of her own condition). That the other could understand why she moved so quickly had Nightingale second guessing at the others prospective age. Maybe the other was just an ungainly, gangling she-wolf? And her assumption would be an insult. The thought horrified her, and her ears flattened atop her crown as the prospect of it occurred...

But the other validated her suspicion. Nightingale wondered how, then, the other could understand her fear; had she lived in it? It didn't matter. The songbird realized that anyone could identify with that thought; who the hell liked to be woken up caught unawares, thinking someone was lurking, watching them sleep? Of course the other understood. As far as the other speaking of her mother, Nightingale grimaced and quipped, Why? If she wanted to kill you, she'd be most satisfied with you being harmed, and she blanched, realizing that was entirely not the right thing to say. I mean to say, she must love you. I think she'd be happy for you return. The sooner the better. And hopefully not harmed, she amended in earnest, sucking in a deep breath of air.

She did not realize her emotions and her nervousness had caused her to miss a question asked by her darker companion, and so could not answer in not knowing it was even asked. If you're lost, you can just retrace your own scent trail. That only gets complicated if you walked through a stream which can remove the scent from you. So, hopefully the other hadn't done that to compromise herself. If that was the case, well, what else did she have to do today? She could help, she imagined, if the other wanted. If it was even necessary. As for the other question, Nightingale nodded. I sure am, she added, ever verbal, but her tail did not wave to punctuate this; she would not pretend to be happy about it. Still, what else could she do?

Inna hated to be woken out of her best dreams and it seemed that those were always the ones that were interrupted. She was left to finish the bad ones or get through them till she woke herself up from them or she woke up from them, she wasn’t really sure how that worked but they always seemed to last longer. She wondered who had decided that was hoe dreams should work because they really needed to have a stern talking to. Though she did like it when her good dreams weren’t interrupted, those times were very rare but when they did happen she tried to make them last as long as possible. Still she also wondered if others had dreams like she did or if everyone had dreams about different things. She hadn’t had the chance to talk to anyone about this and thought that it might be a little inappropriate to bring up with someone she’d just met.

Inna took in what the woman said next in regards to her speaking about her mother. She chuckled a little, “I’m sure my mother does love me what I meant was that she would be angry that I put myself in a position to get hurt and she would be worried for me,” explained Inna. The youngster was sure that if her mother knew where she was at that very moment she would be very worried especially with her father hurt. Inna knew that she had to be careful since she didn’t want to put any more stress on the situation at home. “She doesn’t exactly know that I am out here but everyone has to do their part right,” she stated, “So I am hoping to make it back before she notices.”

It seemed that she and the woman had the same thought when it came to finding her way back though at that point Inna was ready to move forward. She didn’t think that it was time to head back just yet. “Those were my thoughts and luckily I didn’t pass through any streams so retracing my steps shouldn’t be a problem at all,” she said with a smile glad that she hadn’t run into any streams. Then curiosity had gotten the better of her and since she hadn’t seen anyone else she had asked if the woman was alone which she was. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing for either of them, “Well would you like a friend at least until I have to go home?” She asked raising a brow. She did have so many questions that she wanted to ask the woman after all.

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Nov 18, 2015, 07:13 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

The other before her, for someone not yet a year, was very wise; probably wiser than she herself was, however old she might be. In any case, Nightingale nodded, agreeing again. The loner didn't know the others mother but judging by the others projected character, the she-wolf could only assume good things. That, and the way the inky youth explained the woman. It led to Gale being shocked that the other hadn't told her mother where she was; her heart jumped in her throat, imagining it, imagining being in that position, and feeling nauseated by the idea. It wouldn't happen to her; she was childless, after all (to her own amnesic knowledge). That wasn't a good idea, she spoke quickly, though her eyes retained their warmth despite her own judgment, By the sound of her, I'm sure she might have a clue. Meaning that from the others description, Gale presumed the others mother was a good one. Nightingale went on, In the future... I would tell her. I mean, I can't really... understand, being that I don't have any children myself, she admitted. Nightingale recalled the time she had thought that she did, due to her leaking teats... but the pack that had taken her in told her she had been only a surrogate, and it was all for naught, the cubs were dead. They also informed her it was her own fault, but they didn't blame her, because a bear had attacked her and she had been unconscious for three days. How could anyone have known? It was a heavy weight on her soul. Nothing could comfort her, and that thought never really went away. Anyway, I get what you're saying, but you could do your part still and just let her know, Nightingale grinned there. I don't mean to tell you what to do, just, you know. Sounds like your mom loves you, and you love her, too, and then the topic shifted.

 The others suggestion was tempting. Age meant nothing to the senior woman, anyway. The girl was intelligent and nice to talk to, and without pack she had no one else to socialize with. But Nightingale could not help but think of the others mother...

I'd like a friend, Nightingale spoke at last. It was true. Her days of loneliness were less than fruitful, and the kind spirit of the other enticed Nightingale to oblige the suggestion. But I don't want to keep you too long. I can hardly stand the thought of your mother worrying, and her voice shakes with the ache. Why did she empathize so severely with the mother! Her heart throbbed in her chest. But at the same token, the company of the girl was such a comfort somehow... Nightingale craved this interaction more than anything else.

Inna might not have told her mother where she was but she didn’t think that she was so far from her pack lands that if she called they wouldn’t hear her but she did give what the woman said some thought. She did agree somewhat that it might not have been her best idea to come out here alone and she supposed that her mother might have some idea that she was out running about but she didn’t think that her mother would know she was this far from the den. Even if her mother did she had a lot of other things to worry about with winter coming and father injured besides Inna felt she needed some time away and this seemed as good a way as any. Inna nodded, “You’re right it might not have been and she might have some clue but I think that it will be okay,” Inna explained, “I am sure that she will understand my reasoning for going out for the day.” If anything she felt that her mother was fair and hoped that she would allow her daughter the chance to explain herself. Inna didn’t really know if she would tell her mother the next time she went out like this, she suppose it depended. Still as the woman went on about how important it was for Inna to tell her mother she gave the woman a nod, “Okay, I get it,” she said, “I will be sure to let her know the next time I venture this far from home.” Inna was glad that she didn’t have to wonder how her mother felt about her because it had been made quite clear from her birth.

Inna had made the suggestion that they could hang out for the rest of the day or at least until she had to return home. Though she wasn’t sure what they would do if anything she thought it might be nice for the woman to have someone to talk to since she didn’t seem to have anyone else. For Inna it would give her some time away from the troubles at home even though she was worried about her father she didn’t want to be in the way either. Not to mention the woman didn’t seem very dangerous and in fact was rather nice so Inna didn’t see why she could spend the afternoon with her.

She smiled when the woman said she would like a friend, “I will be your friend then,” she told the woman smiling glad that she had made a new friend. She was also happy to find that wolves outside the pack lands didn’t seem so dangerous. Inna however frowned when the woman brought her mother up once again. Inna went to her and nudged her side a little with her nose, “I can assure you my mother has a lot on her mind so she isn’t worried about me,” Inna said in an effort to assure the woman, “We could have a hunt or something,” she told the woman, “It will be fun.”

~Table by Mimi

(This post was last modified: Nov 18, 2015, 09:01 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.