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Ethereal Eclipse, set in the late evening He watched Liam sleeping. It seemed the pup was so frail. He knew without the pup saying that he missed his sisters. He didn't know how to explain to the boy that the girls were dead. tal knew he'd never forget seeing Laidain's body, the neck at an unnatural angle, the just opened eyes open and empty. He'd been so proud when the pups eyes had begun to open. He'd watched his sister Willow growing, but it was so different when the pups were your own offspring. Tal slipped out of the den, moving a small distance away. He wouldn't go too far. He was always afraid Azza was around, that Azza would come and finish what he'd started with Liadain. He watched the moon rising. He wondered if Kira was watching it, or if she'd crawled back into Odadio's arms. He knew Kira had never fully been his. He was sure she would see this as abandonment, and she'd never forgive him. The snowy male very much doubted the female would understand why he'd left. In some ways, he himself didn't know. And in other ways, he knew that if he hadn't left, the black demon-child would not have ceased in his efforts to destroy Tal and the pups. Azza had been even more insane than his mother. Kira had been insane too, but in ways it had been tempered by the quiet peace that Tal carried with him. They had been a good mix, he and Kira. He had truly come to love the woman. It hurt to be away from her, honestly. He stood, shaking himself both physically and mentally. ”Get over it.” His voice was rough, his words soft. He rarely spoke, except when he came across visitors and old friends. Or if it was to speak to Liam.

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She ran eyes sky bond at the red feathers of the hawk she chased. She was always chasing it, always running behind its flight. She couldn’t understand the desire it caused within her, but no matter, this timber wolf found herself running once more on a moon raised day, chasing after a hawk. It had always seem to find her, whereever she was, that hawk would always show up. It would always land where her eyes would gaze upon it. It would mock her, tease her, and tell her to run after it, well not literally tell her. The bird never once spoke to her, she simply assumed and then chased.

Now she was not sure if it truly was the same bird, but it did not matter to her, all she wanted to do was capture it, pull it from the skies and claim it as her own. It was her own personal obsession.

The she wolf was unaware of her surroundings, and unaware of the small stump that had rooted itself with in her path. She did not see what was around her, for her eyes and focus were on the hawk soaring indifferently to the wolf chasing it from below.

A loud yelp and she was maw first in the ground, the hawk now far from her gaze. The she wolf mumbled and snarled at herself for her clumsiness, as she fought for her footing once more. She shook the dirt from herself, and returned to the reality of the world. The bird took reality from her; now that she was free from her chase, she looked around her.

Only a few paces from her, she saw him, standing all in white. She blinked; she had never seen a wolf with fur so pure before. She stood only a few paces away, ears erected with awareness of this new sight. She did not move, did not act. The female was frozen in place; her oblivious manner to reality had caused her to lose her track of mind. For the hawk that had flown above had consumed her, but now that she stood in reality, she had forgotten for only a moment how to act.

She took a step forward, ears that were once held up and straight were now lowered in miner curiosity and curtsy, but her tail was held in semi aggression a warning to this other wolf that if he stood as a threat she would not hesitate to protect herself.

((ooc: Lazy vannah no want to dig out code for table. LOL wc:504))

He hadn't been paying attention until the yelp and following snarl made him jump. Bi-colored eyes were wide, staring at the stranger who'd appeared. Her posture set the tone for his own, and he raised his tail in warning, his ears lowering slightly in almost threat but not quite. Overall, his posture was protective. Luckily, where she stood, he was already between the stranger and the den where Liam slept. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her. She didn't speak. Finally, the male spoke, his voice rough with infrequent use. "What are you doing here?" He didn't realize, but at her yelp the pup inside the den had awoken. Liam poked his head out of the den opening, a small muddy spot with big blue eyes. The pup was still covered in his downy fur, his eyes blinking sleepily.

Tal studied the female, his posture unchanging. He already knew he would die to protect his son. His love for the pup was fierce and unwavering. All his life, Tal had been more laid back and even tempered than most. With the death of Liadain and Brighid, his easy going nature had changed overnight, becoming more wary and less welcoming. He understood his mother's fear of the coyotes now, and her hatred of them. Tal didn't hate Azza, he just didn't understand the male's choices when it came to Kira. Tal and the pups hadn't been a threat to her oldest son. There had been no reason to kill Liadain. There had been no reason to try and kill any of them. He'd wanted to be a father figure to the male. He hadn't wanted to be viewed as a threat.

It was snowing again. It drifted down in big wet flakes, collecting unseen on his white coat. It wasn't a blizzard like the one that Brighid had died during. Tal had never seen a storm like that. He actually found himself missing the milder weather of the lands he'd left. A flake landed on his nose, and his tongue darted out, clearing it away. A feather drifted down, landing between the two, like some kind of omen. The movement drew the male's gaze away from the female and to the feather. A hawk's pin feather laid between them, a line in the snow. Tal's gaze moved back to the female, his eyes almost seeming to dare her to cross the line in the snow. And yet there were secrets and mysteries hidden in his bi-colored orbs that danced and glittered behind the dare, behind the protective stance.

Liam could sense his father's wariness. It seemed his dad was always wary and nervous and scared. He wanted to go out and join the two adults who were facing each other. He sniffled softly, wanting to see what was going on, but not wanting to get in his dad's way. Finally, he settled for laying down in the den's opening, where he could see between his dad's legs to the other wolf standing there.

Quote:Ooc: OMG! I heart your writing. and that’s alright, I no have table. Haha.

The she wolf made a staring contest with the other, her eyes concentrated on seeing the male for what and who he was. A wolf, but different, somehow, he was different and that difference made her semi threatening stance falter in its hold. When the male spoke her stance tightened back into an aggressive and protective form.

She growled her answer, “What I usually end up doing when I come face to face with a stranger.” She snapped; that bloody bird, I always have to follow that damn thing. Her ears lowered with her lifted lips, her fangs glimmering slightly in their bareness.

In all her aggression, when she saw, no, more like heard the young creature make its way to see the commotion from outside its den she froze. Her ears pointed in sudden realization of the young cub hidden away with in the den behind the male wolf.

“You’re with cub,” She blurted out with almost uncharacteristic glee.

Snow fell amongst them, blanketing her timber colored coat with blotches of soft white powder. She raised her eyes up to the sky once more; taking her attention from the male wolf, she watched as a single feather fluttered down to the ground and landed between the two of them. She watched the feather’s path and stared at it once it came to settle upon the snow.

She breathed in, and looked between the reddish brown feather and the snowy white wolf. While gazing upon the brute her eyes took a stead swagger toward where the little fuzz ball of a pup stayed. Her tail began to melt into a wagging motion, a slight playfulness enveloped around her persona. She did not want the young thing to see a fight, and so she raised her head and met the brute’s gaze.

“I don’t mean you harm,” she said sincerely, her anger melting away from her voice’s tone. She spoke gently, “I was chasing a…” She looked down at the hawk feather, “Well, I was chasing the hawk that left that.”

She wagged her tail in eagerness to prove to the protective male that she meant no harm for him or his cub, she would not dare harm a little one, nor would she allow one to witness bloodshed. She did not want any bloodshed to be shed before the young ones eyes, so she placed her stoic self aside and shed her crudeness to place upon her personality a more gentle and warm persona.

^^ wc: 417

His tension didn't melt when she took another step. Inside, his muscles tightened, and he stopped himself from lifting his lip to bare his own fangs. When she seemed to relax and spoke to him again, his posture eased slightly. "My son." As if the words had summoned the pup, he leapt up, skittering between his father's paws to get a better look at the stranger. His blue eyes danced with unspoken excitement as he quickly laid down between his dad's paws, watching the stranger. Tal licked his lips nervously, unconsciously making sure the pup stayed under him. When she wagged her tail, the tension melted further. The pup under him scooted forward then laid down again, excitement evident in the wagging of his stubby tail.

He didn't know if she meant harm or not, but she smelled of these lands, though not of a pack. When the pup scooted forward again, Tal let him, though his watchful gaze stayed on the stranger. If she meant no harm, then his question would not offend. "What is your name?" His mother had always told him there was power in a name, power to hurt or heal, power over a creature, place, or spirit. He supposed that this was true, though he failed to see how a name could hurt someone. His mother had always told him, though, that if a stranger was willing to give a name they truly meant no harm.

He glanced up at the hawk. He'd seen many of them in the older lands. He'd known ravens to speak to wolves, but never a hawk. His gaze returned to the female, less wary and somewhat curious. She seemed younger than him, but he was an old soul. His body was fairly young, but his mind was older. It was something else he'd learned from his mother. She'd been an intelligent femme who'd taught him to read, and about herbs and other things. It was her love for the drink and for "Other" physical pursuits that had brought her low in life. She hadn't known how to curb her enthusiasm for those, and it had cost her so very much. Himself, he'd just given his heart to the wrong female. He knew it, even back then. And Liadain and Brighid had suffered for it. He wouldn't let Liam fall prey to the same fate.

He waited for her name before he would allow Liam to wander over to her as he so clearly wanted to do.

Her eyes smiled down at the young pup slowly scooting toward her, she knew perfectly well that the father of this pup would not allow the little one any closer. She sighed, her mind wondering through her imagination.

I would have been a mother now, she told herself, her eyes and stance melted into a form of warmth that only children could bring out in her. She sat with her hind paws in front of her, and her tail curled nicely beside her. Deep within her, her heart began to ache; she hid her emotional pain from this stranger wolf and his cub, and instead if they were gazing upon her they would see a certain sincerity about her at that moment.

She thought, as she had always thought, about those she lost and of a future she would never have. Sadness slipped into her eyes for only a moment, if they…if he was still alive… She tilted her ears back for a moment of sorrow; I would be with cub as well… With that thought, her sadness vanished from her eyes, and her ears shot up with a sudden shock.

He had asked her a question, throwing her back into realty and away from her thoughts. She looked up at the white wolf with sudden realization, “Huh?” Was the sound she blurted out before the question he asked could form in her mind, “Oh! I’m Deirdre.” She tilted her head in a slight bow, an odd gesture, but a gesture she would use to show curtsy while sitting. “I’m called Deirdre.”

Her tail thumped lightly on the snow covered ground as she looked up at the other wolf and his cub, “and yours?” She asked. “What is your name?” She looked once more at the cub, “if you don’t mind me asking, what is your son’s name?”

She kept her gaze gently upon the brute, not moving her gaze from him until he offered as well his name. There was no longer any threat with in her stance. In the presence of the cub her stoic and crude attitude completely vanish, now upon her was the ghost of her former self. With the little cub amongst her sight, she was herself, the wolf she was before their deaths, before his death, and before her life was pulled into an abyss of her own creation. She sat, eyes smiling and shining with a warmth unlike when she had encountered this stranger wolf. Her protective walls were down.

((I love your writing too, BTW! Trying to keep up with your length is hard. LOL))

He watched her closely while she sat and gazed into the distance. When her ears shot up, his body tensed again. But within moments, she'd given her name. Dierdre. His gaze sharpened and he studied her closer. She was too young to be his older sister, and Deuce had always said that she was a pale rust color, somewhere in-between her father and mother. And that most Rhiannon children had bi-colored eyes. This woman didn't. He relaxed again, returning the respectful gesture to her, his motions graceful. "I am Taliesin Rhiannon, and this pup is my son Liam Rhiannon." He stopped himself from nipping the pup to keep him from exploring the stranger. She was relaxed, and seemed to pose no threat, nor did she give off an aura of danger like Azza and other beings had. Once the pup was free from restraint, he raced forward, his stubby tail wagging, the sleepiness gone from his gaze.

Liam sniffed the female, circling her and nipping playfully at her tail and paws. His big blue eyes were wide with excitement as he grinned at her, his tail wagging so hard it shook his smaller frame. He yipped softly, spanking his paws on the ground at her feet, trying to get her to roughhouse with him. Tal smiled gently, watching his son. The boy was sociable enough, it seemed. "I Liam! Me an' Daddy walk far ways. My sis gone...I go fin' her when I big. Is you good? Daddy says we go far ways to get by good wolfs."

Tal gave an awkward smile at the boy's chatter, but he didn't explain. If Dierdre wanted to know more, she would ask, he was sure. And if not, that was fine. He didn't really want to get into the whole story of Kira and Azza and the lands he came from in the south. He watched her now, his bi-colored eyes still holding the residue of his wariness, but not as suspicious as before. Her gaze seemed different now, more wistful and reminiscent than the anger she'd seemed to have before.

"Do you have pups, Dierdre?" His question was soft, a probing guess based on the way she softened at the sight of the smaller pup.

Quote:OOC~ Haha, well thank you. and what! Really? Haha, I always thought my length was too little. I just write, and you give me so much to work with so, haha. Sorry.

She gazed up at the bi colored eyes of the other wolf, his name and the name of his child sketching their way within her memory. She sat with her tail thumping happily and carefree upon the ground.

Tailiesin… She said to herself, her gaze studied the male with curiosity, …what strange eyes. Those were her thoughts for the white wolf, there would have been more but before her mind could wonder to other questions his young son came playfully bounding to her side. The little wolf spoke, and her heart melted with his cuteness. His name Liam, she stated to herself as she listened to the young cub speak.

She did not ask herself what the little cub spoke of, for she knew it was not her business to poke about in a stranger’s life. She smiled down at the young cub as he nipped and wiggled about her. She took in a deep breath and exhaled her comfort in the presence of this little being. Giving in to the playfulness she saw with the cub, she lowered herself on all four, tucking her paws beneath her body she laid there.

Comfortable within her current position, she lifted her tail high enough to dangle before the young cub. She invited the little one to play, allowing him to play with her, to use her as a living chew toy. She did not mind, nor care.

Deirdre was so immersed in the joy of being in the company of such an innocent creature that she almost missed the question spoken to her by Tailiesin. Her gaze swiftly turned to the white wolf, though her gaze was now upon Liam’s father she still kept her offer as personal play thing opened, and dangled her tail where the cub could pounce and maw it.

“No, I do not.” She stated as gently as she could, and without allowing her sadness to overcome her. She sighed, “But I would have…” She stated quietly, her eyes for a moment leaving Tailiesin’s form to gaze warmly upon Liam. She returned her sights upon Tailiesin, and smiled up to him the best she could.

(( ^^; Sorry this one is short. LOL))

The pup jumped to try and reach the offered tail. He and his father enjoyed rough-housing, and it seemed this nice lady did too. He bared his teeth in a playful growl, standing on his hind legs, looking rather like a surprised rabbit. His neck stretched as far as it could, but the tail was still just out of reach. Liam sat on his haunches, studying the tail, trying to decided how best to reach it. Within seconds, he was up again, jumping and trying to reach it. And then he had it. Her tail was furry and warm and he grinned as he tugged on it, shaking his head back and forth. Her fur was thicker than his mouth, and he barely had hold of the tip, so it was no surprise when he found himself on his back after the fur slid out of his mouth like water off of silk.

Tal watched as the female laid down, feeling stupid for asking her such a personal question. He eased into a sitting position as he watched her and Liam play. His voice was softer when he spoke again. "I'm sorry...that was thoughtless of me to ask." He'd been raised better than that, mostly. Granted, his father hadn't been much of a role model, but there had been mother, even if she hadn't always had the best outlook on everything. She had taught him manners, though.

Quote: ooc~ haha, mine's short as well.

Black ears twitched to the tugging of her tail. She glanced to where Liam was, and smiled, her eyes shining with warmth as she lowered her tail just a little so the little cub could reach it no matter what. His father spoke, and she turned her gaze to him.

“No that’s alright,” She said. There was not a cruel or annoyed tone in her voice, she spoke softly and kind. “Your curiosity hasn’t gotten you in trouble,” She said beaming up at him from where she laid.

She then lowered her gaze to the little cub, questions formed in her mind as she pondered on the reasons for their being there. She lifted her gaze to the den the cub had come from, and then returned her gray orbs upon Tailiesin.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking,” She began. “But, how far have you traveled to be here?”

How far had they traveled? He thought about it for a little while. It had seemed like a lifetime ago....finally he spoke, his tone softer. "My best guess is three weeks. We were in a pack in Michigan..." At least...that's where the signs said they were. It had taken Noah a while to get them there. And it had taken he and Liam a while to get back. He hadn't known how to get the two of them back to Souls. He trailed off again, his mind drifting back to Kira and Odadio and the unlikely love triangle he'd been caught in. A playful yip from Liam brought him back to the present, to the wolfess in front of him. He mustered a smile, his eyes still emotionally distant. He might not have his mother's vices, but he did have her emotional issues.

Liam wanted to be included in the conversation, so he romped over to where the two faced each other, the nice female laying, and his daddy sitting. He pounced on his dad's paws, then jumped towards the female. "We walked far ways from Cat...cat...cat list. From mom and Odi and Azzy. My sis got losted though in the snow. We walked by the sea and the mountains and da said was an old bridge by was too bad to walk on so we went way round. Through old cities and some stuff. Da says Azzy is bad wolf, that he hurted me. Is you bad wolf? You seem nice wolf. You pretty lady. You be my momma? We left momma back in Cat list."

Tal gave another uncomfortable smile, now feeling the compulsion to explain. "Catalyst...it's the name of the pack we were in. It's a long story..." He paused, then tried to turn the topic to better things, less painful for him. "You know...Well I guess you wouldn't, but I have an older sister with your same name. There is an old legend behind it. Have you heard it?" He was a good story teller, and had read or been told many older stories. Bi-colored eyes watched as Liam curled up between Deirdre's paws, settling in for a good story. He loved it when his dad told stories.

Three weeks did not seem that long to the she wolf, but during the winter weather and the possible blizzards, then it would seem like ages during the travel. She sighed shortly and pondered upon her own time traveling alone. It had only been recently that she came out of her madness to reenter reality, and during her mindless wonder, she never did keep time. How could she? She was not even there mentally, but now, broken from her mental instability, she pondered on the time.

How long has it truly been? She asked herself as she forced the thought to the back of her mind. Her ears twitched to the sound of the little voice of the young wolf cub. She looked down at him warmly as he spoke. She could not help it but smile with in her heart, the little one was so cute, so innocent, so, AH! He is so bloody adorable! Her mind screamed as she listened to him explain to the her the distance his little paws had taken.

She listened quietly to the cub, smiling warmly throughout his entire speech. Once done, she gently shook her head to answer his questions.

“I’m not a bad wolf,” She told him. At least I try not to be… Her thoughts answered.

Through the gist of what she could gather in the cub’s speech structure, she gathered that these two had gone through much pain and lost. Just like her, but on a different level. She smiled and shook her head again to answer the young one’s other question.

“I don’t think I can be your mother,” She answered the little one. “But I can be your friend.”

With that, she turned her attention to Tailiesin who began to explain his son’s broken speech. She smiled warmly.

“I see,” She said listening to him tell her about an older sister he had that had the same name as her. She gazed up at him, “I have heard a tale from my father about the history of the name he gave to me.”

Her father had told her, when she had asked him about her name, if it was the one her mother gave her. When he told her that it was not she asked him again why he had given her that name. He had to explain to her the reason upon his choosing that certain name for her. It was a long telling, an explanation on how he did not know the name her mother gave her, and how he had given her the name because of the emotions surrounding her at that moment. It was a name that meant Sorrow, and a name that had seem to fit her all too well, for sorrow had lead a path that had followed her no matter where or who she was with.

“But I would like to hear it, this legend you know.” She gazed up at him, her mind focusing on the words she wished to hear from him. When Liam came to snuggle between her paws, she warmly looked down upon him, smiled, and then placed her gray orbs once more upon the pup’s father.

Tal smiled as Liam made himself comfortable. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the story come back to him. His voice became softer, richer. He took a deep breath and began. "The tale of Deirdre of the Sorrows begins before her birth. She was the daughter of a king's bard, the greatest bard in the lands. It was foretold that she would be beautiful, the most beautiful maiden to walk the earth. Wars would be fought over her, blood would be shed. It was also told that she would love a man with hair like a raven wing, skin like the snow, and lips the color of blood." He opened his eyes, the bi-colored orbs shimmering as he continued his story. His gaze was distant as if telling the story brought it to life for him.

"Others urged her father to kill her, but the king wanted to keep her for himself. He took her away from her family and had an old woman raise her. As she grew, the prophecies became true. She became very, very beautiful, and she told the old woman that she would only love a man with hair like a raven wing, skin like the snow, and lips the color of blood. The old woman knew of such a man, a hunter and warrior in the kings court. She helped her meet him. At first, this young man wanted nothing to do with her because she was destined for the king. But over time, the two fell deeply in love. Naoise, the young man she loved, took her away to Scotland, a kingdom over the sea."

He paused, licking his lips, then continued, his voice even softer. "The king was furious, and he sent a man after them to bring her back. After they had arrived, the king sent the old woman to spy on Deirdre, to see if she had lost her beauty. The old woman, trying to protect Deirdre, told the king that Deirdre had lost all her beauty. Mistrustful, the king then sent another spy, who managed to catch a glimpse of Deirdre but was seen by Naoise. Naoise threw a gold chess piece at him and put out his eye. The spy managed to get back to the king, and told him that Deirdre was as beautiful as ever. For she was."

He smiled sadly at his son, who was enraptured by the story. "Alas, all was not to have a happy ending. The king stormed the house where the couple was living and he slew Naoise, and forced Dierdre to marry him. A year later, Dierdre was still cold with him. She died soon, childless, of a broken heart." There was silence for a moment, then Liam stood up, his face screwed into a frustrated frown.

"It no fair. Why she die? Why mean king hurt her love? I don't like it." Tal smiled sadly at his son, nuzzling him. He spoke softly, his voice still dreamy from the story. "The old Irish tales are mostly sad...full of tragedy and woe. For this is what life is, a series of sad events with happy moments interspersed. The stories are to remind us to make the most of our lives, for all too often they are cut short." He swallowed, thinking of the lost pups and Kira, understanding to some extent how the Dierdre of the tale felt.

Quote:OOC~ Sorry for the late post ....705 words. :| I'm surprised with myself lol

Deirdre listened intently on Tailiesin’s story, as he told the story she began to match the information within his tale to the one her father told her. She sighed and dropped her head slightly down, a breeze of sorrow devouring her as she listened. She lowered her gaze from the storyteller, and when soon the tale was over her gaze returned, and she found herself fighting to stand. She listened again, intently once more; to the young cub between her paws as he spoke of his disproval of how the story ended.

She sighed, and sat her neck high between her shoulders, her ears held slightly down in a silent sadness. “I have a different ending to that story,” she began. “It is still sad, for that story never has a happy ending.” She took a deep breath and exhale, life never has a happy ending, she told herself as she lowered her gaze from Tailiesin before she returned them and told him her version to the end of that story.

“Instead of living for a year with the king that took her as his, and then dying of heartache…” She hesitated with her part, pulling forth from memory her father’s tale. “Deirdre committed suicide.” She gazed up at Tailiesin, her eyes focusing on him. Her eyes shown with a strange emotion, a glint of something unexplained, but when looked within her gaze, another could see she bared great pain upon her heart, and felt a common feeling with the Deirdre of her father’s tale.

“Most of what you told, matches the one my father told me to explain the meaning in which my name was given.” She sighed, and picked up a gentle tone in which she told her part of the legend, “Naoise and Deirdre lived happily together for many years in Scotland, they even had a cub,” She sighed to the mention of these human characters having a cub, that she would probably never have. “But the human king that obsessed over the woman, never let up on his want of her,” She looked up at the sky momentarily to watch a winter song bird fly over head. She continued soon after, “He sent a spy, just as you said, to see if she was as beautiful as she once was.” Deirdre didn’t understand the concept of beauty that the now gone race saw as beauty, she remembered seeing drawings of humans in the books her father kept, but she never once thought of them as beautiful. “The first spy lied to this king in hopes to keep the mated pair safe,” she continued. “But the human king did not trust his first spy, so the king sent another, who proved more loyal to this king.”

“The king tricked the mated pair to return to his territory and upon their arrival to their old home, the human Deirdre soon realized that they had fallen into a trap set by the king.” She exhaled, “Her mate was killed by a man sent by the king who desired her…In the end she was mated to him, but as her life went on with him the king began to become frustrated with her hate of him, and offered her up to the man who killed her love.”

Her gaze went to Tailiesin, “He bonded her hands so she would not run, and put her in…” She searched for the word within the old human legend, “his chariot. Upon their travels to her new mate…She jumped from the chariot and bashed her head upon a rock, killing her instantly…” She sighed, and lowered her gaze. “But I suppose my side of this legend has a somewhat happy ending,” She added before continuing, “For my father told me, that upon this woman’s grave a pine tree grew, and upon the grave of her love did also another pine tree grow. These two pine trees grew so tall, that they reached for each other and intertwined.” She smiled gently, “I was told that the trees were the souls of these human lovers reaching out for one another so that they could be together, and never be pulled apart…”

She finished her tale on that note, and fell silent.

Liam sulked, neither tale was really happy. His blue gaze watched his father watching the female. His father's gaze was still distant and dreamy as he listened to Dierdre's tale. His gaze never really left her face, and when her inner mask slipped, revealing her pain, his ears wilted in shared sorrow. He knew the pain of losing the one you loved; though he had run from her, from the lands they lived in, he still knew the pain. He knew that she was as good as dead to him, that he would most likely never see her again. It hurt him, but he knew this to be the truth. "They are lucky, then, that death allowed them to find each other again." His gaze was on her face again, searching it. His voice was soft as he spoke to her. "Who have you lost to make you identify with her so deeply?"

Liam yawned, laying down again. The day had been full of excitement and everything else. He curled into Dierdre, growling softly as his father moved closer. Liam yawned again, already drifting off into the sweet dreams of puphood that he desired.

Tal wanted to move his pup, but he'd seen the change in her when Liam had come out. He didn't move the boy, but rather laid down to be closer to the two of them. He felt pity and compassion for the female who seemed to be full of sorrow.

Quote:OOC~ Had a panic attack because of the length. It started out as 966 words, that's why I had two posts, haha. But I rewrote it to go for 627 words....:|

Deirdre watched as Liam made himself comfortable in her paws and began to drift off into a sleep. She did not answer Tailiesin until after he crept closer and lay close by her and his cub. She gently smiled, and gazed up at Tailiesin. At first she did not think she could answer that small question, truthfully, she told herself that what she went through was all but a dream and that her pack and father still waited for her out there somewhere. In a sense, they probably did, but in the reality of the truth, she knew that everyone she knew from her past was dead. She sighed then and answered Tailiesin.

“Everyone…” She said quietly, making sure that Liam was in deep sleep before she continued to speak. Satisfied by the sleeping pup between her paws she kept her gaze upon the little one’s father. “I may as well tell you.”

He would be the first she would tell, and if it were not for Liam sleeping between her paws, she probably would never have shared her past with this male wolf. She took in a deep breath and rearranged her memories. Sad as they were, Deirdre would not hesitate to explain why she felt such connection to the legend of her name.

“My mother died when I was still very young,” She started. “I was raised by a Luperci male by the name of Syris…” She stopped there, and explained the situation of her parents. “Never knew the male wolf who took part in my birth,” She bluntly stated, “Syris raised me after my mother left me in his care.”

Happy memories of her childhood flashed before her mind’s eye. She let slip a peaceful sigh from between her maw, but picked back up on her story soon after.

“You asked me who I have lost, well…” She took in a deep breath and then exhaled, “My mother was the first to go,” Her gaze rested on Tailiesin, “my father was the next…” She exhaled, “He was killed in a fire…”

“After his death I was taken in by a small pack…” She lowered her gaze to rest on Liam, and in her downward look, a small happy glimpse could be seen. She remembered the black brute that came to her rescue, remembered when he announced her as his, and then remembered when he left her, when they all left her. She sighed, and spoke his name. “Damian…”

Here, she had seemed to space out. Her gaze lifted to stare at nothing before her, but then she sighed. “He was my mate…” She answered the silent surrounding. Her gaze returned to Tailiesin, “and his pack was my own, my family and friends…”

She lowered her gaze from the male wolf for only a moment, “I’ve lost all of them, Tailiesin.” She stated returning her gaze upon him once more, “Not long ago, they all perished…”

She sighed. The memories of that horrid day came rushing back to her. She remembered the yelps of her pack mates as the flooring beneath them collapsed and they all fell. She lowered her gaze mournfully from Tailiesin and placed them upon Liam as she spoke the rest of her tale.

“It was my mate’s brother who led us into that building, we were just going to explore it, see if we couldn’t find something interesting…” She stated quietly, “We didn’t know that the floor would collapse on us…It held us for so long, we all thought it was safe…There were no signs!” She shook her head roughly, her eyes clutched tightly shut as she tried to fight the images of that day away from her mind’s sight. She whimpered softly when she next spoke, “I lost them all…”

Quote:ooc~ extra post, delete post

His eyes were full of the sorrow he felt for her as she told him her tale of woe. On impulse, he craned his neck forward and nuzzled her cheek, hoping to comfort her. He swallowed as he returned to his previous position, watching her and the sleeping pup. "You survived...I imagine you feel guilty about it..." He swallowed again. "I can't imagine losing everyone like that."

And yet, in a way, he understood loss. They weren't dead, but they were all lost to him the same. His mother, his brother and father. Kira. The two female pups were dead, and he held himself responsible for it. He understood loss very well. And yet, her story struck him deeply. She'd had many losses in her life. But wasn't that what he'd just told his son not so long ago? That life was full of loss, with only a few valuable happy moments interspersed between.

Liam sighed in his sleep, turning to the female who was holding him. In his dream he was being held by his mother, who was watching over him and Liadain and Brighid. They were all happy and content. It was safe and warm where they were, and Azza was no where to be found. Mom and Dad were nuzzled together, and Mom didn't have that scary look that sometimes crossed her face when she listened to the butterflies. When she listened to the butterflies, Dad would talk to her until she came back to them and the scary look went away. In his dream, all of them were happy and safe.

His motions startled her, as he nuzzled her cheek her first impulse was to bite him but with Liam nestled in between her paws she settled for allowing a small warning growl escape from her throat. She accepted his gesture even though she growled slightly at him. Her ears were held back against her skull though, still in a startled warning, not an aggressive threat. It had been a while since any one had shown her affection, even if it was to comfort her.

“I do not feel guilty,” She stated allowing that cold voice that she had met Tailiesin with enter into her speech. “Wolves are not afraid to die,” she said repeating what her mate had told her before he passed. She bared her fangs here, but only for a moment; again, she did not wish to be seen as an aggressive beast, especially with a sleeping pup.

She remembered Liam and sighed; lowering her ears against her head in a sad gesture, she lowered her muzzle to gently hover it over the young cub. She wanted more than ever, at that moment to curl herself around the slumbering pup and offer her warmth to him. She knew this pup was filling her empty heart with warmth, and she wanted to mother the little one. She sighed and watched the little one toss within his sleep, she knew that the cub was most likely dreaming of happy moments, ever child usually did. The she wolf had yet to meet a cub that did not dream of wonderful moments.

Here she sighed, and gazed up at Tailiesin. Her gray orbs filled with an overwhelming sadness, “I do not feel guilty Tailiesin,” she began. “I feel abounded…” She paused and took a moment to gaze skyward, her glance hazing over slightly as she slipped back into her mind. “I wanted to go with them,” She began lowering her gaze back to the male wolf, the insane haze vanishing from her glance. “I wanted to be swept into death’s fangs as well,” she laughed gently to herself, “but I only twisted my ankle, I just happened to be at the edge of the collapsed floor…”

The memory of her hanging on the side of the hole, the claws of her hind paws digging into the cellar wall as she fought to pull herself up onto solid flooring came rushing back to her. “I fought to keep myself from falling too, but in the end I had fell…” She sighed, “Twisted my right paw, just twisted it…” She began to mumble, “the other’s…they all left me…” she lowered her gaze and sighed, “I’m sorry Tailiesin, I must seem mad?”

He'd wanted to comfort her, instead he only upset her further. His ears flattened back in an unconscious gesture of apology and submission. "Wolves are not afraid to die...but sometimes we are afraid to live." His voice was soft, reassuring. Her gaze subtly reminded him of Kira's gaze, how it seemed to be looking at something that wasn't there except to her, how she seemed to hear something that wasn't speaking except to her. He watched as her eyes cleared, coming back to the present moment. He waited a moment than spoke. "Loss...is hard to deal with. Liam...he had two sisters. They died along with their mother." It was the first time he'd said that aloud. Truth be told, it was easier to think of Kira as dead than alive and back in Catalyst. It was easier to think they all passed together than that Liadain died when Azza snapped her neck, Brighid died of exhaustion in her sleep, and Kira was alive and hating him.

"Sometimes we all feel it's easier to join our loved ones in death than continue living....." He gave a bitter half smile. If it weren't for Liam, he probably would have just let Azza kill him too. He felt so much guilt over the girl's deaths. It almost made him mad how easy it had been for Kira's oldest son to kill the pup. He'd always known there had been something wrong with the black eyed boy, but he'd never spoken to Kira about it simply because she believed Azza could do no wrong.