On My Way... Somewhere

EDIT: Derp! I just realized the tag didn't work... -.-;
@Hexamora ? Since they WHERE paired of for this xD

This was ridiculous, she had to get home! How long had she been here anyway; Three weeks? Four?! The days had started to blur. Snowstorms had plagued the land ever since she first found herself here, stealing away the time she wanted to spend finding her way home; sometimes days on end. Still, she had managed to figure out approximately where she was; Or  at least I think I know... She had come to the conclusion that the slopes rising on either side of her where part of the mountain range that parted Relic Lore in two; The ridge Coal set out to cross, never to return... The thought made her shiver, even though she was tucked warmly in a small cave a little ways up on slope, sheltered from the snow falling outside.   This knowledge didn't help her much though, since the mountains were too steep to climb. Using the sun and stars - in those few, precious moments they were visible between the clouds, in the small sliver of sky between the peaks above - she had managed to find out which direction was west, and that was the trail she followed whenever it was possible. Yet, no matter how far she walked, nothing seemed to change; the slopes were still too steep, the road ahead still narrow; This canyon CAN'T go on forever! But it did, and for every time she had to stop and rest, or seek shelter, her hope dwindled.   But she was needed at home; They must be worried! What would they all think? That s he was dead? That she had abandoned them like so many others? I'm coming back! She hated every second she left them not knowing, doubting, fearing. All of her friends, her family! Nina, Koda, Iopah; Miccah! She shook her russet head, lifting herself to her feet, it was about time she got going again! Outside, the snow had stopped, but the land was shrouded in heavy, cold fog, lowering visibility and adding to the increasingly eerie air of this wretched place. Aideen grimaced as she slit out into the mist, hairs standing on end as the moist air clung to her, wrapping its cold fingers around her form with every step; I hope this will be over soon! Word count: 380 Thoughts ”Speech”

new-horizon-stock @DA & Dawnthieves.de

(This post was last modified: Feb 03, 2015, 09:08 PM by Aideen.)

@Aideen! hope you don't mind Noble butting in

She no longer expected rescue, or even escape. She was still near the place she'd fallen down the ravine, but she no longer glanced up it's height. This was not a place that hope visited. No, something more sinister owned this realm. Every day she watched the snow, muzzle resting on bony wrists. Sometimes she saw other wolves. After having met those other two, she was quick to hide. They might mean harm, or not. Rife with uncertainty, her insecure nature had not lessened. Noble trailed across the snow, her weight now entirely too light for her frame. Her hunting prowess had improved somewhat, a slim fact that kept her from complete starvation. The pheasant expedition had been a disaster, but with days of studying and patience she could take one of the few rabbits that lived here.

Her last meal was a week ago and her stomach expressed it's disapproval as she searched the slope for the next target. The warren she'd cleared out three weeks ago was still empty. Her head lifted and Noble could feel condensation cling to her whiskers. It was only morning, she had time to travel farther out and hunt before night. She squinted through the fog, relying on large black ears to catch every tell-tale sound. Her nose quested just over the snow, oscillating back and forth like a metal detector. There was an echo of footsteps. Noble pressed into the snowy slope and gazed down with wide eyes. A woman, rust barely visible through the fog, was walking in the bottom of the ravine. Noble slunk into a patch of brush and watched from relative safety. At first she thought the woman was after her, but Aideen never looked up. Neither did she seem to be hunting. So what, then?

"Hey, what's down that way?" Noble flinched at her voice, suddenly calling out in the quietness. Unused her timbre was raspy and echoed loudly in the ravine. She fought the urge to shrink down farther, hoping the brush and the fog would conceal her alone.

@Noble not at all! :D (I was afraid this one would die too)

The call made her jump what felt like ten feet into the air, head swiveling at lightning speed, ears perked in direction of the sound. It was hard to see much of anything through the thick fog, and copper eyes narrowed, brows wrinkling in unease as the rust pelted lass tried to spy the owner of the raspy voice that had so suddenly appeared. One ear flicked back, hackles lifting slightly in her nervousness, gaze painstakingly scanning the slope, to no avail. A chill, that had nothing to do with the weather, ran down Aideen's spine, tail slinking down along her legs; What WAS that?! Surely that voice couldn't have come out of thin air, right... Trying to ignore the growing dread in her stomach, the slight healer attempted to reason with herself; She sounded young, it's probably someone else who's lost..! It didn't help much on her nerves, but the thought that this hidden girl was probably only a pup, no older than Pacem, Unitas and Silentium, made her gather enough courage to call back; "Hello! Are... Are you lost, too?!" There was a slight shakiness to her voice, but otherwise it was kept friendly, a reassuring smile accompanying it; but she continued to scour the mist, body stiff and alert. After a few moments of silence, she oddly enough felt a little better, more sure that it was just a lost, and probably scared, pup; And not some spirit... Smile widening, voice more certain now, she answered the question: "Not much other than snow I'm afraid!" She cast a quick glance over her shoulder, indicating the direction she'd come from, and then looked back up the hill, finally spotting a small shadow that could be the silhouette of the caller; "What are you doing up there..?" She asked, lowering her voice a bit and leaning back to sit down, trying to appear as unintimidating as she could; "You could hurt yourself if you slipped and fell, those slopes are steep," She sighed, smile shrinking a little; "Believe me, I've tried climbing them." Then she tilted her head and waited, hoping the youngster would come down; I wonder how long she's been here... Word count: 364 Thoughts ”Speech”

new-horizon-stock @DA & Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

@Aideen good, just trying to shove Noble into the scary grown-up world here!

Her heart was slamming against her rib cage so hard it hurt. She'd given herself away! Why had she done that? There was no buffer, it was just her and the other wolf who was now openly searching for her. Noble was far from mute, always begging a game from her brother or pleading an adventure from her parents. Easy, light-hearted talks. This was nothing like that. Her faulty mouth filter had failed and Noble had inadvertently initiated her first conversation with a stranger.

The woman's eyes neared and dread pressed her dark belly even further into the frigid snow. The gaze swept right over her and Noble felt a breath finally rush into her lungs. Ebony ears perked as Aideen spoke. The gentle voice tempted her. Noble felt her legs tense to raise her body. A surge of self-preservation froze the movement and the voice sounded again. Snow was the answer she received. Noble's brows wrinkled. Well, even she knew that! The stuff was everywhere! Noble was starting to question the wisdom of this woman when their gaze landed directly on her. Her eyes widened like a deer and she was powerless to shrink further or bolt away. They stared at each other as Aideen spoke. Noble's gaze flicked down once at her slope.

She shrugged at the warning, filter failing once again. "Didn't hurt the first time." Her mouth clamped shut. That was a mistake, she shouldn't admit how she'd wound up in this place to a stranger! Noble stared back down, eyes flicking in the direct the healer had been going. "I meant what's down there? You looking for somefin?" She was the wolf equivalent of a street urchin. Disheveled and skinny, asking a question that should have had an obvious answer. She shuffled down a little closer, just a few steps, then stopped at the lee of a broken trunk.

@Noble - Aww... I adore her! She needs more love <3

The young girl - now appearing more clearly as Aideen's copper eyes focused through the mist - was a sad sight; her dark fur was shaggy, body thin in a way that was nothing like the yearling stature she should be spouting; How long has she been stuck here? It pained the sensitive healer deeply to see anyone like that, especially a pup. And the fear, clear in every fiber of her body, only made it even more heartbreaking; You poor dear... Their gazes locked, and Aideen expected the child's golden eyes to shy away, but surprisingly she held the other's, only moving briefly, to steal a glance at the snow covered slope; daring to look away from the reddish woman, if only for a second. Her response added to that show of courage, even as she appeared to be shocked by her own words; she was braver than she realized. What she said made the young healer's ears perk, eyes widening, alight with concern; "You fell? Are you injured?!" Despite the dismissive air of the girl's statement, Aideen's caring instincts were instantly awakened - she was a healer at heart, not just by trade - and she was eager to aid, especially concerning a pup; "I can help, I know herbs and healing, if you come down here I could have a look at you!" Even from this distance though, it was easy to see that what the dark lass needed most of all was a decent meal and proper rest; That makes two of us! Aideen sighed to herself, suddenly feeling extremely tired; Her body was exhausted from all these days of travelling without much proper food, and her mind was in throes from lack of proper sleep, burdened by the worries about her pack. She felt her shoulders slump as she considered shifting her seat into a lying position, eyes drifting from the youngster as her thoughts trailed off, vision going hazy. The sudden question brought her back to the present, copper eyes returning to the dark girl on the hill. The fox like woman smiled tiredly, noticing that the young one had moved a little closer; Progress... "Home, I hope..!" She answered the query, gaze drifting again, to the path ahead; "I believe my pack lies in this direction. What about you?" Her head was tilted again, one brow cocked questioningly as she looked back to the lass; "Where's your home?" She was silent for a few moments and the wrinkled her brows in thought, concern once again lining her features; "You never did answer my question, are you lost?!" There was a little more stress added to her tone at this last question, pressuring the girl for an answer; Do they know you are out here? Are they searching for you?! ...Are they searching for me..?   Word count: 471 Thoughts ”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

 

PLOT WITH ME!

thanks!

Aideen asking her closer only made the dark girl press more firmly against her stump. Rough bark caught on tangles in her pelt and she couldn't tell if it was an eroded branch digging into her side or a prominent rib pushing out to the stump. The height was her only advantage. Aideen was an adult, she could hunt and she could probably fight too. Noble was only a starving, lost pup and now this stranger thought she was injured and wanted her to come down? No. If Noble had hands she would have wrapped them around the stump. "I'm fine." She tried to say firmly, feeling her voice waver with disuse and fear. No way was she going to let this stranger poke at her bruises.

There was still a lot of buffering space between, but Noble felt her ears flatten defensively. She stared down the slope, twenty-four feet of uninterrupted snow and ice, and watched Aideen fearfully. What would happen now that she had defied them? Suddenly the slope didn't seem like enough. Noble started to ease herself from the crouch, loosening paws from their foot-holds.

During all of this her attention never wandered from Aideen, certain that the healer would charge upwards the instant her attention fell. These days everything seemed against the Lagina daughter: her meals, luck, the weather itself, and especially other wolves. There was understandable confusion when Aideen slumped and, despite fear that pounded in her veins, the girl peered down curiously. What was going on? Aideen folded, revealing uncertainty and hunger as strong as her own. The normalcy of the woman's bearing struck a chord deep. In it was a strange familiarity... hadn't she seen that expression on her mother's face once? Her limbs trembled.

The admission was astounding and impossible. Mussed ears swung forward in open interest, then her gaze traveled with Aideen's, and they fell back in confusion. A crashing hope loosened her tongue. "But, I thought it opened up nowhere." Her head titled to mirror Aideen's gesture, "what about you" what? Then her head lowered at the straight-forward question. She shrugged sadly, the gesture summing up her expectation of ever finding home again.

"What'll you do iffen it just goes 'round?" According to Noble they were both lost, and she looked down silently, blinking back moisture that was not snow or sweat.

The weak answer made the healer's brow wrinkle further, copper eyes narrowing critically. The lie was clear in every fiber of the dark girl's body, her ears flattening back in apprehension as soon as the words left her maw. Had it been one of the Woodlands boys, Aideen would have spared no hesitation in catching hold of them and holding them down while she did her exam; but this girl was a stranger, and her weariness was understandable; Especially in her state..! Still, it saddened the kind wolfess to see that fear aimed at her, and she slumped back further, smile finally falling, leaving her face tired and eyes distant. But the young lass spoke again, a faint glimmer of optimism in her golden eyes. Her words made Aideen's ears rise to attention, slumped shoulders picking up a bit; So she's not COMLETELY terrified! Even if her statement was one of hopelessness. Still, the resolve to speak up showed that bravery again, a strong, determinate heart beating within the emaciated chest. The russet medic widened her eyes at the declaration, sympathy again tucking at her heartstrings; She thinks she's lost forever! The shrug at the question about her pack confirmed as much; the ebony child believed she would never see her home again. The brave girl asked a question, and a new smile parted Aideen's lips; though it was a small, sad one. She looked up at the pup with tired eyes, attempting to use a confident tone as she said; "It can't be endless!" She declared, forcing a positive light into her eyes. Honestly, she hadn't even thought of that, that this wretched place should be some kind of death trap, endlessly circumvolving some evil center, damning wolves to wander in circles forever; It's illogical, As her older brother would have put it; A ravine stretches through a mountain range, from one end to the other. It couldn't be a circle! Besides, she'd conferred with the stars as often as possible; her course was still west south-west. "If I keep walking the same way, eventually it will open up! Hopefully, wherever I end up, I'll be able to find my way back to my pack." She paused for a moment, still looking up at the dark girl, newfound determination straightening up her tired body; "Why don't you come with me? I can help you... Please?" She asked softly, sick at the thought of having to leave the youngster behind; "What is your pack called?" She'd been trying to catch the scent ever since she first caught sight of the lass, but the fog made it difficult, and what little wind there was, was carrying in the opposite direction. "Maybe I can help you find the right way once we're out!" She tried, desperate to help the pour thing in any way possible, maybe she could manage to catch some food for her as well; If she would just come down! Word count: 491 Thoughts ”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

sorry Aideen! Noble's gonna go lone wolf for a bit

"It couldn't be endless," Aideen had stated in a tone that would have swayed a more optimistic individual.

The girl wasn't yet perceptive enough to pick up on the forced bravado, but gazed down with feet solidly anchored. Dark gold blinked slowly and fell away. Her gaze tumbled over the harsh slope and desolate ravine, landing on anything that wasn't the fellow condemned wolf. It couldn't be endless. That sounded just like the reassurance Noble had repeated to herself for weeks: I can't be lost. I can't be lost. Noble had not learned to hunt, remained clueless as to the direction of home and the idea of escaping was long in developing, but she was absolutely and completely sure that she was lost.

The ravine couldn't be endless, in the same way the Black Thorn princess couldn't be lost. The statement meant nothing, it was a day-dream that Noble couldn't seem to latch onto. Eyes snapped back at the mention of the other woman's pack. Could it be done? Perhaps she could attempt to scale the ravine's ledge again? Certainly she weighed much less now than the last time she'd tried. Her eyes quavered down, the gold orbs flickering between the stranger and the far side of the ravine. She was finding nothing but holes in Aideen's logic and the more obstacles she encountered the faster her skinny chest heaved.

What if it did circle... or didn't and she kept turning back into the maze? Cold emptiness clawed the pit of her stomach. It had taken her weeks to develop some semblance of a hunting territory here. Starvation was certain if she traveled. Even if she managed, made it out of the ravine, what then? She would be starving and exhausted, with no clue which way to go. Her nostrils flared, fear obvious as the inner turmoil continued.

"I can't!" She finally cried out, choking on her words. "I don't know where they are and I... I wouldn't survive!" With that she began scrambling up the slope, desperate to get away, but unwilling to get closer to the woman who teased with something that could never happen. She was just a child, wasn't she? How could she possibly do all those things?

(This post was last modified: Mar 13, 2015, 05:06 AM by Noble. Edit Reason: huffs, table broke! )

OOC: 'Deen is sad :( - Also I wrote this as a fade without realizing that we were just one more post away from LP, so maybe you could wip op a short finish? :3

She could have screamed in her frustration, the temper she had inherited from her mother - but usually managed to keep down - starting to awake within her. The icy wind was biting at her ears and nose, leaving her paws numb, and hunger was aching in her stomach. This was ridiculous! Why would this pup not see reason?! I'm trying to help! But the black girl was determined to stay her ground and Aideen was running out of patience; for every moment one she stood here arguing, precious time was spilled, time she could have spend continuing her quest. It pained her heart, to have to leave this child on her own in this wretched place, but if she wouldn't give, there was no way the healer could force her. And - though the thought made her queasy - She's not one of OURS... It was not an idea the kind hearted woman was proud of, but the fact remained that, above all else, she had a duty to her pack. She had to find her own way home, and this kid, though just a young child, would merely slow her down. Still, the petite healer stood frozen in place, unable to turn her back on the lost youngster. More fickle moments slipped by, the fog making it impossible to tell just how late it'd gotten, but her impatience growing increasingly persistent; I have to keep moving! Aideen looked up at the dark girl, copper eyes pleading, she couldn't just leave her! In the end, the pup chose for her, crying out in fear and desperation before running off, scampering up the snowy slope with surprising success. "No wait!" The rust pelted woman called, her own tone equally desperate and anxious, though much louder than the pups. The frightened child could so easily slip in her escape, break a bone or even fall to her death; "Don't run!" But it was to no avail. The black form disappeared into the fog, and the sounds of her scrabbling paws faded into the distance. Aideen's shoulders slumped and she sighed deeply, head hanging. She allowed herself a few moments to lament her defeat, the she spun on her heels, uttering another deep sigh before she continued on her trek, even more dejected than she had been before. Word count: 386 Thoughts ”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

@Aideen!

Noble couldn't have stopped, even if she'd wanted to. Once those dark legs had started scrambling up the slope it was all over. The shame of the last words was still bitter on her lips, but it was fear that send her racing away. Scruffy ears swept back to her skull and bony legs scrabbled over and against tree limbs in her path. It didn't matter, she had to get away. It wasn't that she didn't want help. If Noble had been able to see into Aideen's mind she would have attached like a leech. But Noble had never been one to blindly trust, and weeks surviving on her own had further suppressed that personality trait. She was afraid of everything now and more of the same desolation was terrifying.

Fear was a powerful motivator. Noble didn't stop until the fog had completely swallowed her dark form and the heaving sounds of her breath were all that echoed back. She was still afraid, of everything, including the journey the strange woman had wanted to press her into. No more journeys, no more adventures. The last one had turned into the current disaster Noble had yet to find her way out of. She was determined to stay and wait this out; a decision born of youthful inexperience. In the shifting white the dark girl turned to listen down the slope, holding still for a long moment till she was sure. There was nothing. She swayed on her feet for a minute, trying to decide what should be done next. Finally, she turned and started the long journey back to her snowy den.

Fade to Black

(This post was last modified: Mar 29, 2015, 03:59 PM by Noble.)