Heiress Loch Mercy

@Astrid || Morning, Heiress Loch, Fog, 53 ° F, 12 ° C

He had felt so sluggish and confined lately. It was likely one of the main reasons he had dragged Astrid out of their warm sleeping spot. The Whitebark so desperately wanted to get out and stretch his legs. He wanted to feel like they used to. Completely free and wild! Skunks and all. Maybe he could do without the skunks but the point was still there. Mathuin was getting some wandering paws.

"Come on, Astrid." His tail wagged behind him with ease as his voice was light and teasing. The large yearling was never surprised if she lagged behind some to stare at some plants or some weird woodland creature. "I wanna show you this place." Mathuin hummed softly as he used his large form to plow through some of the thicker foliage. He didn't actually bother to ask if his honey-coated friend had been here before or not. He had to figure if she realized they were going somewhere familiar than she might blurt it out. The yearling wasn't sure he would mind but it would certainly ruin some of the surprise.

He hoped that this would be the last stretch of fog and dense woods. It seemed it would only be less of the latter, though. Fog still hung near the shore and surface of the Loch. "Oh." A frown tugged on his features. He certainly thought the sun would have been more helpful. Perhaps he should have brought her out here later in the day.

Astrid was overjoyed that morning when Mathuin suggested, or rather, insisted that they venture out into the world that day. The Vale was nice, here among the quaking aspen life was easy and light. But sometimes she felt so light that it seemed like her paws might leave the ground and her head would get stuck in the clouds. Which, if it were something that was actually happening it would be rather exciting. But even Astrid realized she was actually on solid earth. She felt better when she was out with Mat, the world seemed more solid and less dream-like. 

Astrid trailed after Mathuin like the shadow of a flickering candle: sometimes there, and sometimes not. She was never too far away, nipping berries from a low-hanging branch off in the shrubs, or chasing an unsuspecting squirrel up a tree. And sometimes she was so close that it was hard to tell where the golden honey of her pelt stopped and the timber brown of his coat began. She had fallen behind yet again when his voice called out to her, and she sprang forward like a bouncing fawn. She was excited to see this place they had made the journey out here to see. Mathuin's place.

"Oh! Wow, that's so much fog!" Astrid grinned as she sidled up to Mathuin, admiring the blanket of grey that sprawled out before them. It hadn't occurred to the girl that this was perhaps not exactly what Mathuin had planned on showing her. "It almost looks like you could walk on top of it!" She giggled. 

Astrid + Mathuin

Two Pure Peanuts

"Huh?" He said at first rather dumbly before realizing that she was more taken by the fog than anything else. How could he blame her? The fog was blanketing this place and taking away everything he had wanted to show her. How unfair. "Oh yeah." His head nodded softly and he offered Astrid a nudge. "Promise me you won't though? I don't feel like a swim today." The large yearling chuckled softly. Without any swift currents, he had faith she could make it out without him but that likely wouldn't stop his drive to go diving in after her.

The Whitebark male leaned over for a moment to ruffle the fur of her nape, green eyes looking through and over her honey coat at the foggy land. What were they going to do now? His plans had been ruined by dumb mother nature and there was still so much of the day left. He didn't want to return to the Vale just yet. He had wanted to explore with Astrid today. He had simply wanted a day for them. He had needed it but it didn't seem he was going to get it.

A soft sigh left his mouth as he pulled back from the fluffy fur of his friend. "Astrid?" He said her name in a volume that barely raised above a whisper. "You happy?" Green eyes stared out into the fog covered lake, waiting for the energetic tones of his honey-coated company.

Astrid & Mathuin
The Adventuring Peanuts

Astrid's golden tail wriggled behind her as Mathuin nudged her shoulder. She smiled at him, the corners of her brown eyes crinkled. "Oh, don't worry, I won't! It just looks so soft! Like a pile of leaves, or sheeps' wool." She knew what fog felt like, just cold and damp. But the illusion was pleasant enough. She had to wonder, did clouds feel the same as fog? Or did they feel as soft and fluffy as they looked? She'd never touched a cloud, not yet at least, but she liked to think they were plush and warm.

As Mathuin leaned into her neck she pressed back against him contentedly, her tail swishing quickly behind her and stirring the fog around them into small whisps. Her ear twitched towards the tiny little voice that came out of her big tree-sized friend. She felt like Mat was acting a little funny today, but she couldn't quite place her paw on it. The swishing of her tail paused momentarily as she listened closely to the words that followed, her head tilted and large triangular ears panned towards him. His question was simple, but a little bit unexpected. 

"Hmm? Yeah? I mean, you're here, course I'm happy." She grinned, leaning down to poke her damp black nose into the white fur of his chest. "How bout you?" 

Astrid + Mathuin

Two Pure Peanuts

Mathuin and Astrid

He knew she would listen to him. She always did. They had created a bond of trust. One like he had never had with someone before. After being a loner with her, saving her life, splitting up before coming back together, he felt as though they could take on anything and still come out fine. So he simply smiled at her answer. It was as chipper and pure as he would have expected from her. She truly was his light and he wanted to protect her.

"I mean, you're here, course I'm happy."

Mathuin's eyes began to water some but he held back the tears and smiled instead as her nose prodded the pale fur of his almost too broad chest. "Yeah." His voice was still soft. "I'm...I'm alright, you know." The large yearling nodded his head slowly and gently as if he was reassuring himself rather than he was Astrid. "Maybe things could be better but I'm alright. You're alright. We're alright." Blurry eyed, he looked to Astrid with a small smile lingering on his masked face. Mathuin couldn't pinpoint what exactly was getting to him right now but he didn't exactly care to find out. Perhaps if he ignored it the extra water in his eyes would go away and he could be as bouncy and chipper as his sunflower friend.

"I'm happy." He spoke in a rather neutral tone that threatened to falsify that statement. "We're fed, sheltered and safe." Mathuin wish he didn't feel selfish for wanting more than those things. They were a lucky duo and he still felt as if something was off place.

art by marina

Astrid & Mathuin
The Adventuring Peanuts

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

Astrid waited with her snout pressed into Mathuin's warm fur for him to answer in return. His voice was still small, shrinking, as if it might vanish into the fog itself if he spoke any quieter. 

The honeyed girl pulled away, her pale lips pulled into a pout as he continued. His green eyes looked too glossy, and his dark masked features just looked too unsettled. He said he was fine, but he looked anything but. After the months they'd spent together, she'd gotten used to his usual expressions and demeanor. And this did not look like a happy Mat, whatever he said to the contrary.

Astrid leaned up on her tiptoes, her pink tongue lapping over his face as if she could wipe the watery look from his eyes and nudge his features into something less unsure.

"You don't gotta pretend to be happy if you aren't." She told him as she pulled away, blinking her big brown eyes. He had his sights set so low, just because they weren't hungry didn't mean he had to be happy. "If things aren't the best that they can be, why don't we make them better?" She asked, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. Although she didn't know what it was Mat needed to be happy, she wanted him to have it.

Astrid + Mathuin

Two Pure Peanuts

Her kisses soothed the parts of him that ached - emotionally and physically. The large yearling gently nudged her back in reassurance to himself and her. Yet her words seemed to cause some ache again in just the slightest amount.

Was he pretending? Did he pretend to be happy in the Vale just so that they could be safe together? He had never left home with the intent of being safe. Mathuin had left in search of adventures and some of the dangers that came with them. He had explored caves, crossed the mountains (a few times), been sprayed by skunks and pulled Astrid out of dangerous rapids. It was obvious that he wasn't scared of what the world had to offer. Or maybe, he wasn't scared of what the world had to offer him. He could take on all the skunks and rapids in this wild place but he could not bear to think of Astrid having to handle those things. Perhaps that was why he had been faking this happiness in the Vale. All for the safety of his honey coated friend.

"How do we make things better?" The large boy asked with a tilted head. If she had brought it up then certainly she would know the answer because for the first time in a while, he was at a bit of a loss on what to do.

Astrid & Mathuin
The Adventuring Peanuts

Astrid hummed thoughtfully as she thought of a way to make things better. As in many things in her life, there was no predetermined answer. She thought back to the last time she'd seen the glimmer in Mathuin's emerald eyes. When they'd been wandering the world together, taking everything a day at a time with each other as the only constant. 

Astrid grinned, her big brown eyes shimmering as her golden tail swished behind her. "I have an idea," She whispered as she leaned up towards Mat, her mouth just inches from his ear, as if she were sharing some big, exciting secret. Suddenly she giggled, pulling away and spinning. "Follow me!" She laughed as she sped off into the misted forests beyond, taking her and Mathuin on their next big adventure.

-fade-

(This post was last modified: Aug 07, 2017, 02:53 AM by Astrid.)

Astrid + Mathuin

Two Pure Peanuts