05-18-2010, 09:19 AM
The quality of this post tells me I need more coffee. @_@
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500+
As the announcement of her presence was carried away on the breeze, she was left feeling almost lonely in the wake. There was trepidation in her ruby gaze as she looked past the staked skulls, into the heart of what was once her home. Who was still there, she wondered. Gabriel, of course, but who else still lived in the beating heart of the coyote clan? Kaena? Ryan? The kids? She let her gaze fall away to the ground beneath her feet, where her frown cracked at the sight of the lush green life. Her hand, which was still clutched around the simple cross, loosened a bit when she bent her legs to kneel on the spring grass, and a small smile played across her lips as she brushed her free hand over the budding flora. Earlier she had passed up some wildflowers, and after this was all over, for better or worse, she had half a mind to return to them for some peace of mind. Come summer, it would all turn to brush again; brittle and browned by the relentless summer sun.
The sound of foot fall pulled her from her idle thoughts, and back into her anxious state of mind. She quickly pushed herself to her feet, and stood waiting with the cross hiding behind her closed hand again. The Inferni's scent began to paint a vague picture in her mind, starting first with the basics, before lending a good deal of clarity to her memory. Her heart fluttered nervously as she came to the realization, just as Kaena stepped out from the borders in all her wizened glory. The ashen woman vividly remembered the older woman, and was almost pleased to see that she hadn't changed much during her absence. But only a moment was spared to the initial look, and her eyes were quickly diverted out of respect for their respective ranks (or lack thereof in Jezebel's case).
Her black tipped ears twitched once when Kaena addressed her, and her eyes closed as she took it all in. It was a question she was prepared for, but she wasn't altogether comfortable with. For a spell she toyed with the idea of making something up, but that was promptly shot down. Besides, that was weeks ago. She was ready for this, and she knew it. Sullying herself with a breath of air, she opened her eyes, and replied with a soft voice, "I'm sorry, Kaena. I left the night Gabriel and I... well." She drew another unsteady breath, "I didn't know what to do. I felt so exposed. I hadn't felt like that in years—ever, really. It was frightening." She admitted. In truth, Jezebel still wasn't sure what she would do when she found him again. Her chin fell a bit further in defeat. "I had to come back. I want to make amends, somehow. Even if it can't be fixed, I want to try." This is my only home, she added silently. It was this silence she embraced, waiting for Kaena to absorb it all, as pitiful as her explanation was.
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500+
As the announcement of her presence was carried away on the breeze, she was left feeling almost lonely in the wake. There was trepidation in her ruby gaze as she looked past the staked skulls, into the heart of what was once her home. Who was still there, she wondered. Gabriel, of course, but who else still lived in the beating heart of the coyote clan? Kaena? Ryan? The kids? She let her gaze fall away to the ground beneath her feet, where her frown cracked at the sight of the lush green life. Her hand, which was still clutched around the simple cross, loosened a bit when she bent her legs to kneel on the spring grass, and a small smile played across her lips as she brushed her free hand over the budding flora. Earlier she had passed up some wildflowers, and after this was all over, for better or worse, she had half a mind to return to them for some peace of mind. Come summer, it would all turn to brush again; brittle and browned by the relentless summer sun.
The sound of foot fall pulled her from her idle thoughts, and back into her anxious state of mind. She quickly pushed herself to her feet, and stood waiting with the cross hiding behind her closed hand again. The Inferni's scent began to paint a vague picture in her mind, starting first with the basics, before lending a good deal of clarity to her memory. Her heart fluttered nervously as she came to the realization, just as Kaena stepped out from the borders in all her wizened glory. The ashen woman vividly remembered the older woman, and was almost pleased to see that she hadn't changed much during her absence. But only a moment was spared to the initial look, and her eyes were quickly diverted out of respect for their respective ranks (or lack thereof in Jezebel's case).
Her black tipped ears twitched once when Kaena addressed her, and her eyes closed as she took it all in. It was a question she was prepared for, but she wasn't altogether comfortable with. For a spell she toyed with the idea of making something up, but that was promptly shot down. Besides, that was weeks ago. She was ready for this, and she knew it. Sullying herself with a breath of air, she opened her eyes, and replied with a soft voice, "I'm sorry, Kaena. I left the night Gabriel and I... well." She drew another unsteady breath, "I didn't know what to do. I felt so exposed. I hadn't felt like that in years—ever, really. It was frightening." She admitted. In truth, Jezebel still wasn't sure what she would do when she found him again. Her chin fell a bit further in defeat. "I had to come back. I want to make amends, somehow. Even if it can't be fixed, I want to try." This is my only home, she added silently. It was this silence she embraced, waiting for Kaena to absorb it all, as pitiful as her explanation was.