mourning in the warning.

[Jeremiah Ezekial]

Hussy :|

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The particolor canine was surprised at the amount of relief which he felt at Eris' geniality. In the forefront of his mind, he had assumed that she would be, perhaps not pleased to see him -- he would never suppose such arrogance -- but at the very least not displeased. Apparently his subconscious had been prepared for the dark lady with the enchanting eyes to chase him away, such was the tension that left him.


Black snorted and pawed at the sand. The stallion was a good horse, but a tad impatient, and was growing tired of standing and listening to what he probably considered prattle, without even a blade of grass to graze. Jeremiah looped the reins around the horn of the saddle and gave the animal's shoulder a pat. Black sauntered away from them in the direction of the more lush woodland, but the shepherd wasn't concerned; Black was a good horse, unfailingly loyal, and would come to him when he called.


I am glad thou hast found thy destination, Jeremiah said warmly, And that thee and thine art well. His smile faltered a little as Eris inquired as to his motivations for seeking her out, his excitement at finally finding the coywolf darkened by the remembrance of that which drove him to do so. He was reluctant to tell his story, though he had known his entire journey that if he ever did find the Outsider, she would expect an explanation. He supposed it was only fair, considering the tales with which she'd entertained him during her short stay. At least she didn't seem overly eager to hear of his misfortune; only passively interested, as was her right.


I am damned, he began, and faltered, his voice cracking a little. His brown eyes dropped to his snow-furred fingers, which seemed to take on a life of their own, fidgeting with the feathered hair of his forearms. Should he tell her the extent of his sin? What if she held the same views of his narrow-pathed family, and shunned him as well? He swallowed harshly. God will provide, he decided. He had come all this way looking for a place where he could be honest; he might as well begin now.

His eyes traveled back up to meet Eris', and he began his tale. Thou know'st that the Holt Shepherds art holy, and gentle. I was but a young pup when thou pass't through, not yet grown enough to turn mine eye upon the fairer of the village. When it came about that I was of such an age- Jeremiah faltered again, only for a moment. When that age came about, it were not the fairer Shepherds to which mine eyes fell. His throat worked, suddenly dry, and in his eyes showed a bare vulnerability. He laid himself naked before her. I am an abomination, he said quietly. Those feminine holdeth no sway over me, but those masculine... those masculine doth.

The young male took a deep, shaky breath. It was exhilarating, almost, to be able to confess. It is the custom of the Holt Shepherds, when one of the clan falleth from the path of the righteous, to shun the fallen. They thinketh that the fallen will see the error of his ways, and returneth to the fold. But I... it is who I am, the way that I am. I cannot change, and have no hope of acceptance amongst the Holts. In mine darkest hour, I remembered thee and thy tales, Eris, of a world entirely unlike mine own. Thou said'st thine journey were to taketh thee north, and so Black and I traveled north, to find thee and thy world.

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