since you brought in the snow

[Ari Sohs]

Maria. Don't... mind the length. I'm rambling.

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He had wandered through the Haunted Forest the previous afternoon, spending the night in a secluded haven that he would soon learn was called the Tranquil Springs. He marveled at how the fresh water seemed to spring up from the ground, like blood from an open wound. At first, he had wondered what sorcery which conjured such liquid from the depths of the rocky earth and recoiled, but eventually he crept forward and realized that the water was far more pure than water he had ever drank before. Even water from clear springs paled in comparison. He drank his fill, full of the clear elixir, and eventually slept through the night. He woke up the next morning with things seeming just as they had been left, except he felt a presence. The fur along his spine standing up in paranoia, he looked around rapidly before his blue eyes fixated on a dark form sitting on a higher rock, near where the water was springing forth.


Ari might have had a heart attack, if it weren't for his expectation of all miracles and horrors. Nikolaos! he cried, running forward to scramble up the rocks that separated them. His brother seemed to have been dozing while sitting up, and looked at him through squinted, dark eyes. He stood, bracing himself. Ari threw himself at his brother, embracing him as if he would disappear into smoke if he let go. Tears eventually welled around his blue eyes, as he was simply happy that his brother was alive.


Ari, his brother spoke carefully, his deep voice reverberating in his narrow chest, I'm... not here to take you home. Ari nearly laughed. That had been so far out of his mind, he couldn't have thought Nikolaos would even bring it up. I know, he replied, which nearly made Nikolaos fall back. How? his brother replied, almost winded. And paranoid. That was something they shared. Brother, I think I saw you and mother in my dreams. You were fighting, as she found out you hadn't... killed me. Ari let go of his brother, shying away with hunched shoulders. I feared you were dead. You don't know how happy I am to see you alive. Now you may live here, with me! I live in a forest not too far from here, and there are so many nice wolves there. We could live happily now.


Ari thought he would the bearer of good news, but his savior seemed rather cryptic to the news. It is good you found someone who could take you in, but I cannot stay too long. Ari had felt as though someone had hooked a punch into his gut. He had dreamed of living with his brother once more here, in peace and harmony in this good place. What could drive a spike into that plan? Nikolaos swallowed painfully, and continued, I was not released. Mother's hold over the pack was too strong, Ari; I should be dead. We are together in that now. He paused, and Ari now realized how tired he looked. He had been on the run for many days it seemed, with little to no rest. His eyes were pitted into their sockets and looked feral, like an animal backed into a corner. His own brother seemed alien to him. I escaped, by the help of one of my friends. Our mother won't see her traitor son live, though. I heard from my friend later, as I was hiding, that she's sending Pelagios to kill me. If I stay here, he will find us both and dispose of us. I will lead him away, and see if I can get lose him, or get rid of him. Then... then I will come back.


Ari was totally stunned. He wondered if this was a waking dream, but it was far too real for that. He sighed, grasping his brother's forearm with a surprisingly tight grip. His blue eyes bored holes into his brother's dark brown eyes, and he said, We can fight him together. Nikolaos seemed disturbed by this very unlike-Ari move, but shook his head. No. I will stay with you for a few days and rest, but I will leave. But I will return, and if not in flesh, in spirit. I vow this.


It was the best Ari could get from his brother, so he simply wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded.

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[Maria Agapito]

This is no where near Clouded Tears! And her leg is still healing. -shakes fist.- xD
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Since returning to Clouded Tears and this area as a whole, Maria was careful. She remained, for the most part, in Clouded Tears with her son and the much needed rest had done wonders for her leg. Traveling for a few days to get to this point had not been good for her but now she was able to let her leg heal peacefully and without the strain. Today, however, she was feeling a little stir crazy and wanted to get out of the back boundaries and take a walk on her own. It might not have been the best of ideas with her leg, but she felt okay about it and it was not throbbing like it had been over the past few days. The trip through the Yawrah River territory had been fine until the end, just before entering Tranquil Springs when she felt her entire leg ache all of a sudden.

It wasn't too far up that she heard voices and at this point, she remained back. Her fur danced in the wind slightly as she bent over and rubbed a hand forcefully on her thigh and tried to soothe the muscles and the throbbing to something tolerable. It was without success that she remained bent at the waist and feeling the pain when she knew she should not have come this far. Her body churned and she felt strange and forced herself to sit down. Her head turned to look the way she came and knew the trip back would hurt even more. With a sigh, she slumped over and cursed herself, while subconsciously listening to what was going on not all that far away.

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