507. close-ish to Anathema borders. Sorry for the wait Mel

Life had resumed its normal pace for the most part, and Nayru was slowly growing into her new role. Almost a while new life. After the accident everything had seemed hazy and unclear, and she had simply floated through day after day, uncaring of what went on around her. What purpose had she in Dahlia de Mai, a useless creature with her head half torn open and unable to emerge from the house with glass walls? Yet Gideon and Farore hadn't let her sink into the darkness that had beckoned so temptingly, and then Conor. Conor had swept in and raised her up once more, putting more responsibility on her shoulders. Rather than crumpling under the weight it forced her forward, and she couldn't be more grateful to the male. He had reminded her of place, or her purpose and no longer could she linger in her own life. She had to reemerge.

And she had, at least in Dahlia de Mai. The borders were now scouted more than ever, the scents of the members and visitors recorded in her endless memory for further reference. She hunted with new relish, exchanging the lives of others so to better her own and those of her pack members. It wasn't their blood she fed off of, not strictly speaking. It was the energy of the hunt. And of the patrol. And of dealing with the members as she always had. She was an ever knowing ghost, a playful pixie, an entity that was as much part of Dahlia de Mai as the lands that made it up. Yet life still happened outside of the pack lands and she needed to remind herself of that.

Into the Dampwoods swift paws carried her, and it felt strange to step outside of the borders of Dahlia de Mai. The change of energy was instantly felt and while the rush seemed foreign to her it was not unpleasant. It was pleasure she had indulged in many times only months ago, but that seemed much longer ago than it really was. Time was funny like that, it never seemed consistent. It could stretch on forever or elapse much too quickly. Nayru couldn’t recall how long it had been since she wandered this trail, how long since she had had a moment away from Dahlia de Mai. How long it had been since she did anything solely for herself. So when the flurry of feathers was scared up out of the bush she did not hesitate. Time failed her then too, and it seemed instantaneous from the moment the bird tried to take flight to her tearing it apart on the ground, and then it seemed to drag on forever as she leisurely picked flesh off of small hollow bones, and then set to work consuming the bones and feathers themselves. It was all for her, this primal pleasure, and she relished in the moment, glad to be away from the pack lands and anyone who might stumble upon her and destroy this beautiful moment.

329

Sensitive ears caught the faintest sound: an inhalation, but not one that came from either canine or feline. The sound came deep from the chest of a large beast and Nayru immediately pictured Lilliana’s companion Grace. It sound similar to the noise the horse would make when startled or surprised and Nayru froze in her place. Even when she believed herself to be in complete solitude there was a small part of her that was ever aware, ever on guard. The cow patterned creature was a tracker by nature, and one of the most important skills in that was never to be the one tracked first. Nose twitched, testing the air but when nothing revealed itself she abandoned the last few remaining feathers on the ground and tip toed in the direction she believe the snort had come from, careless of the blood smears around her lips and on her hands.

As she came close a familiar scent did drift into her nostrils and her heart gave a start. Instinctively she knew that the man she was about to stumble on probably realized who was in his presence nearly at the same time she realized who was in her’s. It had been a long while since she had consciously thought of the man, not since the time she had tracked Harlowe’s scent to Anathema to discover the locale of the prior Dahlia de Mai members. The girl had encountered neither man nor boy that visit, but had indeed verified their new home with Naniko. And then they had been forgotten. Yet as she came into sight and laid her ruby gaze upon the man, sitting atop a four legged beast as she had guessed, he seemed both completely foreign to her and completely familiar. Her soft voice came slowly, unsure of the proper greeting for such an encounter but settling on one of the most simplest. “Larkspur D’Angelo.” because the man before her could be no one but him.

307

The man swung off his horse and approached her and a half smile grew at his greeting. Why the dark man had influenced her so greatly as a child, and why the lingering memories she had formed of him still seemed to, Nayru could not understand. It was the same phenomenon she experienced with the black and blue warrior woman she had only known briefly. They both were so calm, so controlled. They were in what some ways she had become and in other ways still wished she could. Instinctively, though they were surely equals on such neutral lands, she bowed her head to him and then brought her ruby gaze back up.

A strange tingle raced up her spine as he spoke of Dahlia. Did he think of his former home ever? And why had he and Harlowe both abandoned it? It no longer mattered to her, even though she had never known the truth in its entirety. That they had family in Anathema was enough for her to lay the issue to rest, but still he asked of the home so close to her heart and she could not help but internally feel both warmth and coldness spread to every extremity of her small framed figure. “Conor has promoted me to Gamma there.” So indeed she still found her home there, and it was with mostly modesty but the smallest hint of pride she told the man this. Still she thought of herself as nothing but a vessel, pure energy flowing through it and doing what others directed her to do. Nayru knew she deserved no praise for such a promotion, but that she persisted where others did not was something at least. “Have you found peace in your new home?” It was the only question she could think of to return to the man.