OOC: <3
WC: 786
It certainly was luck that brought the two pups together again- in her current state, Sylvie would have wandered for hours without ever seeing another soul, let alone successfully returning to the Hotel. Even following his scent, marked by various trees and older trails from Alaine's lessons for the two youngsters, her fear clouded conscious would have made things only harder to decipher. Though she was raised in the Bayous of Florida in this manner, it was never quite like this.
As he skidded to a stop before her, the old-minded child was slightly saddened by Caillen's apparent shock at her state of mind... or perhaps the state of her stars. Those glinting lights that nearly always illuminated those glorious indigo gems were hidden behind barriers stronger than those around her heart. His voice hooked over her name, indicating his worry, his concern.
His concern.
Few canids ever showed concern for her as a whelp. Even now, this seemed to be a foreign move to Sylvie- for she cocked her head at him in confusion- he was worried about her? What for? Worry was never something her parents had or showed, for that matter, though she partook in the strange emotion quite commonly. And yet, though she knew not what he was trying to commune with those glorious eyes of his, as he looked at her, those sunny, amytal gems glowing with the stars she once had, warmed something in her. Something lost beneath all the abusive training she had survived for the first 3 months of her life, frozen in the ice encasing her soul. Some shard of her heart as a newborn, glowing with glee unknown to the young dog now...
Something happily... dreaming.
A faint smile crossed solemn maw as the moment passed. The things he could stir in her... he was far closer to her heart than any youth or adult alike could ever get. She knew that. But she did not know whether or not he could make it all the way into the frozen halls of her crystalline core, let alone avoid breaking something... the girl's fragile soul had fragmented multiple times in her short life, and yet, here with Caillen, Alaine, Ruri... the pieces were cementing back into place. Perhaps, after the first year of her life had come and gone, she would be complete again, functioning 'normally', as a yearling should.
But for now, as Caillen took up his shield of valor in an attempt to protect the young damsel, things would progress slowly, carefully. As if treading on glass, little cream paws started to follow her shining knight.
"Alright mon cher ami... let's go home."
Like stars lighting in succession as night covers the world with it's glorious canvas, the glimmers in Sylvie's eyes returned one by one as they continued back to the Hotel. Each moment spent with the object of her childish affections lifted one more barrier from a shrouded heart... it would not be long before the stubborn she-collie would open up to Caillen about what had happened. He was her most trusted friend, the naivete to her knowledgeable, the head in the clouds to her feet on the ground...
He completed her in more ways than one her age would ever realize, no matter her moments of wisdom far beyond her age... but with her experiences in affection, the poor girl might never understand exactly what he would mean when he spoke of love. In writs of poetry, the young male could spin a tale beyond one's most wild imagination, calling forth dragons and demons, glorious knights in glimmering armor, beautiful princesses with long tresses and castles fit for a king with a mere accent of his voice.
He was a born story-teller; Sylvie could listen to hours and hours of Caillen's endeavors without ever feeling a need to take a break, growing bored, or even hearing the same thing twice. Dreams had never been something of her style before the lilac and white pelted babe had met Caillen- all she had ever known was work, work... punishments and successes went hand in hand, while praise and fondness sat in the darkness of shadow and greed, and warmth was always shrouded in frigid mists. And yet, he had was the key to showing her what it was like to be a kid.
Lost in thought once again, the ever vigilant girl watched the markings on her counterpart's back twist and morph into stars slipping into a swirling galaxy of twinkling lights, glowing and dimming in rapid successions. Interested by this development, the tired girl almost began to sleep-walk behind her protector, the limp in her forepaw diminishing as the pain subsided. Perhaps now would be a good time...
"Caillen... would you tell me a story, before we go back to bed?" She whispered shyly, almost embarrassed to be asking such a thing. But hopefully, a story would fend off any terrible nightmares she might have again that evening.
The Name's Sylvie Ciel. Who be you? Run run run, Chase that little sheepy-pie! and now I chase those cattle, snapping at their heels as they run by.
Table © Titmouse, Freebie