Whitestone Monadnock cold cups of coffee

Late evening when the stars first start to appear || For @Lorcan

Piety Santoro

It had been a long day. Having met their 'prisoner' (as she had called herself) Anaia and taking care of border patrols, her legs were ready for a break. She still had one thing left to do, though. On top of the monadnock, she moved towards the edge but carefully stayed back a wolf length away. It was dark and cold but she had some gazing to do. The stars slowly made way around any clouds that may be blocking. Rolling onto her back she tried her best to look up towards to sky. Catching tiny twinkles here and there.

The monadnock felt more like home the more she did these little things. Even visiting Morganna often and doing border patrols together had soothed her tensions about being here. She was accepted despite such a twisted past. It made her believe that even if there wasn't forgiveness there were second chances.

Clouds above rolled through the sky exposing some stars and hiding the others. Like some kind of game of hide and seek. A wide smile took over Piety's face and her tail thumped against the ground happily. It was late and she wondered if anyone would see her happily laying on her back or if everyone was already in the den for rest and warmth. Despite whatever happened in this moment or weeks from now, everything was going to be just fine.

Blossoming In The Winter

# C W T

@Piety

Lorcan had spent much of the afternoon sparring with @Odin out on the snow covered tundra. The activity was quickly becoming part of the normal routine lately, alongside checking up on the injured @Anaia of course. Saradathia’s sister seemed to be doing well; every time the healer had visited and inspected her sprained limb, the less it seemed she complained of discomfort. It seemed that plenty of rest was doing her wonders and so the agouti male was happy to leave her to be entertained by the other pack wolves whilst he spent some time with Odin.

Exiting the old coyote den after checking on his patient for the night, the subordinate traipsed his way calmly back up the old goat track to the top of the monadnock. As he climbed up to the stone plateau, his golden eyes latched onto a pale figure sprawled out at the edge imposing stone structure and in an instant his plans for going to bed early where tossed aside as he approached his pack mate curiously. The darkness which hung like a curtain between them made it hard for him to distinguish who it was, but her scent gave her away.

“What are you doing?” He called out to the woman curiously, his warm voice hushed as to not disturb any one sleeping in the den nearby. He grinned down at her as he moved to linger beside her upturned form before his gaze followed hers up to the starlit sky, head tilting in wonder.

(This post was last modified: Dec 22, 2016, 06:13 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

Piety Santoro

She wasn't along but she didn't bother checking who it was. Their footsteps drawing closer and she simply laid there and her tail thumped faster. Soon the figure of one of her pack mates was beside her. It was @Lorcan and she simply offered a very gentle whine of acknowledgment. Not wanting to wake any of the packmates up.

"I'm watching the stars." She finally rolled over onto her stomach but still laying flat. This time eyes looked out over the edge of the giant rock foundation and to the horizon. "Come down here." She whispered as her nose gently touched the spot next her. No one had really been star watching with her in some time. Perhaps since her son had been born. She crammed that memory in the far corner of her brain, though. "Look out over the edge, if you look closely through and around the clouds far in the distance you might spot some." Her tones were warm but hushed. Only meant for Lorcan to hear in hopes she wouldn't disrupt the children or any other pack mates.

The pale woman's muddy eyes glanced over to her company. "You're up late, what kept you?" Her tone full of curiosity. She didn't think it would count as prying to see what her pack mates busied themselves with.

Blossoming In The Winter

# C W T

@Piety

The rapid thumping of Piety’s tail against the stone as he approached silenced any concerns that the woman had wished to be alone. The soft whine that left her lips to acknowledge him was echoed with his own friendly vocalisation as he neared her white form laying contentedly at the edge of the monadnock. As his golden eyes searched up above him, curious to find out what she had been studying, his russet ears perked up at her explanation. His head tilted the other way then, offering her another curious look as he glanced back down towards her.

At her invitation, Lorcan stretched out into a play bow before slowly reaching his fore paws out further to slide into a relaxed sphinx-like sit immediately beside her. Following her instructions, growing all the more intrigued by the second, his golden eyes eagerly searched along the dark grey clouds which brimmed along far horizon. For a moment he saw nothing which caused a frown to crease along his brow, but then he caught a glimpse of something – a tiny sparkle amongst the dark brooding night sky – and all of a sudden his frown melted away and his tail began to thump excitedly against the cold stone. “I see one—” He breathed, lifting a paw to reach out towards it. “—just..there” He pointed.

Catching her question then, he placed his paw back down on the stone and turned to look towards her, his eyes briefly flickering to the missing tip of her left ear – a trait she shared with @Saradathia. “I like to check on Anaia before settling down for the night – make sure she’s comfortable.” He replied. “How..how’re you finding it, here, at Whitestone?” He asked, curiously.

(This post was last modified: Dec 22, 2016, 06:40 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

P.S. Pi is pretty much missing her whole left ear btw, not just the tip c:

Piety Santoro

His warm, welcoming energy was refreshing. Not that anyone had been rude to her here. But the way he took her invitation and followed along at looking at the stars, well, she loved it. Her muddy eyes watched @Lorcan's paw stretch out to point towards the cloudy horizon. A big smile lined her face as her tail thumped in time with his. "If you look for more, you might get to see the shapes some of them form." She never knew the names but it was always fun to guess them. Perhaps with the help of her pack mate they could form a few more shapes and names.

The pale woman rolled onto her side to face Lorcan better. She listened to his words and gently pawed at his shoulder. "I checked on her not too long ago too. She's a nice one. You seem to be doing well with her given the situation she was in." Piety was curious how long he had been taking care of her and how he was doing it. Most wolves in with Anaia's issue usually didn't stay as positive as she was. His question caused her to pause. A soft hum rolled out from her lips. "I'm adjusting nicely. Craw and Morganna are rather nice to have taken me in." Her one ear flicked softly as she spoke. "Everyone's very close here but I still haven't properly met everyone. I don't think sleeping in the den and small talk really count as introductions." She chuckled and looked to the male's face. He was good company, someone she might call a friend.

Blossoming In The Winter

# C W T

@Piety

Lorcan had never been star-gazing before, it was not something his family did back in his birth pack, but the agouti male was beginning to see the intrigue in it. When Piety encouraged him to look for more, the male found himself growing more eager, shifting slightly as he inched his way closer to the edge of the stone plateau as if the movement would somehow get him a closer view of the stars. His golden eyes strained to see past the dark horizon and for a moment all he could spot was that same small flicker of light he had spotted earlier, but as the clouds drifted slowly in the winter breeze, a second and then a third twinkle appeared in the obsidian sky.

The second one to appear was distinctly brighter than the other two and it was that particular star which captured Lorcan’s interest the most. “Um..I can’t see any shapes but..” He glanced sideways towards the white female. “..look, that one there is much brighter than the others.” Once again he pointed it out towards her, hoping she could spot it too.

The paw placed to his shoulder was unexpected, but he did not resist it. Lorcan himself tended to be very physically affectionate to those he knew, but up until now he hadn’t been too sure how to act around Piety. Lorcan nodded as she spoke of Anaia, the girl was definitely friendly enough. “I try to do what I can, it’s my job after all..” He smiled shyly. When she mentioned Craw and Morganna, Lorcan once again nodded in agreement. “They’re very fair. Everyone can earn a place if they work for it.” That was something that Lorcan himself, also, truly believe in. Hard work and dedication.

Lorcan turned to Piety when she mentioned it was hard to get to know everyone. “I felt like that at first..” He admitted. “You just have to get involved, take any opportunity you can to help out, show you’re serious...” He smiled, leaning in to nudge her playfully with his shoulder.

(This post was last modified: Dec 22, 2016, 07:58 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

Piety Santoro

@Lorcan gestured to another star and Piety made a soft "Wow.." It was brighter! She couldn't stop smiling from all of this enjoyment. "What do you think it means? I mean, sense it's so bright that's gotta be a sign, right?" Her eyes fixed on the bright star. It let her mind wonder what really was out there. Had their Heavenly Father painted a brighter star just for them? She silently thanked him if he had. The bright star was certainly something to see. A bright mark against a dark horizon.

Her one ear stayed alert and she nodded softly as he spoke. He was such a gentle soul and she wondered what had drawn him to the roughness of the Monadnock. Rough by both the terrain and the personality of those here. "I try to. I think I'm just...nervous." She admitted openly. Something that she hadn't even shared with Morganna or Craw. "I don't wanna mess up anymore, you know? It gets tiring." She pressed her nose into his shoulder before pulling back to glance at him. "Everyone here seems to well put together already and well, I'm trying to figure out where exactly I fit." Her head plopped down onto the stone beneath them. Her eyes focusing on that one bright star that shined in the distance.

Blossoming In The Winter

# C W T

@Piety – apologies, he won’t shut up! xD

Lorcan’s golden gaze remained transfixed on the bright star, watching as its brilliant white light flickered against the inky black sky which hung over the lowlands. “I-I’m not sure..” His voice was faint against the serpentine hiss of the breeze which snaked between them. “I don’t know if I believe in ‘signs’, but, there was this one time..” His voice trailed off into silence as he thought back to the ‘sky fire’ he had witnessed alongside some of his pack mates, long before Piety had joined. “..the sky lit up with bright colours, like the colours you see on the feathers of a bird and—” He paused, catching his breath and glanced towards the female, wondering if he sounded stupid and then looked back out towards the tundra to continue. “—I could have sworn the lights shone in the shape of a wolf, like it was looking down on us.” His golden eyes flickered from the tundra to his paws, feeling a little awkward.

“@Saradathia called it skyfire.” He finally stated as he allowed his gaze to meet Piety’s chocolate stare. “Have you ever seen it?” He asked curiously.

Lorcan could sympathise with how Piety felt because he had felt exactly the same when he had first entered the lowlands alongside Craw. In his birth pack he had been looked down upon, been labelled as a failure, so when he had arrived in Relic Lore he hadn’t exactly been filled with much confidence. “When I first joined Whitestone, I felt a bit out of place. Craw, Morganna, Wraith, Greer and Capable…they had all founded the pack together. I was the first to be recruited, I believe.” He shared the information freely, hoping that it would help put Piety at ease. “When I joined, it was on the condition that I would train to become a healer. I think having a role, or a role to work towards, helped me to settle in and find my place.” He smiled, tilting his head curiously towards her as he leaned in closer. “Maybe..if you decide what role you want and work towards it, you'll feel more a part of something."

(This post was last modified: Dec 22, 2016, 10:20 PM by Lorcan.)

# P O R C A N

sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realise

how much they need to fall back together

we adore it! @Lorcan

Piety Santoro

The breeze that rolled over them was soothing like their shared whispers. There were no secrets that were being told but the same kind of excitement was there. As he began his little story Piety's eyes filled with wonder. Such glorious skies dancing in the sky would have had to be a sign from God himself. When Lorcan looked over the pale woman offered him a kind small and swift nod. Practically begging him to continue his story. "I think that's some type of sign. Someone's always gonna be there for you, always watching over." Her teeth exposed in a good smile.

The Santoro shook her head. "I don't think I've seen such before. But there was this pack I belonged to some time ago. Tall cedarwoods all around yet there was this one spot where the sky broke through." She recalled her little sky gaze with Borden. "I shared it with a man who seemed to be tainted by old age's hand. He was kind and gentle, though. The sky that evening almost seemed set ablaze. Oranges, reds, yellows." She paused as her eyes glanced to make sure Lorcan wasn't bored of her ramblings. "Maybe it was just a normal sunset but the way the tree branches outlined it, the way nothing in the world seemed to be moving, made it all seem so very..special." Her eyes set out looking at the horizon. Trying to find any late appearing stars.

Another one of his stories was brought up and her one ear leaned forward to catch his voice. "I would have never guessed you felt out of place..you seem to work so well." Her shoulder brushed against his in a kind gesture. "I don't really know what I'd work towards. I try to hunt with Morganna often when she's not busy with others or try to by myself. Sometimes I just do border patrols till I grow tired." A gentle sigh fell from her lips. "But I'm not sure what exact role I want. Maybe something that covers all bases, you know? Like a teacher or some kind of advice giver." The Santoro's words were soft and genuine. This was the first time she was really opening up to someone. It was both a relief and a little nerve-wracking.

Blossoming In The Winter

# C W T

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health