Running the night shift.

Velvet Fox · 03-12-2011, 04:25 PM

OOC: I've been hibernating for the past few days with so much stuff to get through, so I apologise. ^_^'' Anyway, I freed up some spare time so I thought I'd make a random thread... nothing special, but I was tired.

The evening air felt moist against Velvet's fur. She had been wandering among the old headstones and statues of a wooded graveyard for the best part of two days, intrigued by the mystery and beauty that seemed to lay around every corner. By now, the outstretched gray sky above her had darkened lightly, and night was quickly taking hold, threatening to bring another bitterly cold night.

She had spent the last two nights in a small mausoleum that she had discovered, hidden in the undergrowth with a hole in the wall large enough to crawl through. Despite her doubts, inside was shielded rather well from the elements. A single stain glass window on the far side was missing, probably having fallen out due to the wall sinking slightly on that side, but everything else seemed dry and in place. Light filtered through the cracked, foggy window panes, dust floating like a soft rain through the rays of evening sun. Besides the gentle breath of wind outside, it was quiet. Very quiet... and she liked it.

However, she was not so eager to stay inside tonight. The air smelt refreshingly clear, the hint of pine and maple drifted faintly and the weather looked promising. She knew she could hunt tonight, or at the very least take a stroll. She had watched the odd rabbit plod between the stone and trees during the day. It wasn't uncommon to see a deer or caribou either, however she was well aware that taking one down on her own would be difficult, as she lacked upper-body strength.

No, a small, defenceless rabbit would do her fine, maybe she would get lucky and find a badger or a raccoon, just like her father used to catch... oh, yes. She had forgotten what a fresh raccoon tasted like. She had gotten so used to feeding off frozen scraps that the idea of a warm meal made her shudder with excitement.

The soft hoot of an unseen owl broke her thought. Velvet paused for a moment, digging her muzzle through the snow. There was no sent that stood out to her, only tiny traces of other wolves that had passed. Lifting her head she set off into the evening, her pale white glow stick barely radiating any light at all in the lack of darkness, however it still illuminated her features slightly, making her appear almost ghost-like among the headstones.

OOC:: Added to the post slightly, it seemed short. x_x

Siku · 03-12-2011, 11:50 PM

[html]

Sorry I took so long! D: I hope it's all right!

Siku had been nearly everywhere in Dahlian territory, but one place she avoided was the cemetery. She knew what it was; on the south west end of the border. The Spaher had seen it from a distance, head stones and statues. Many intriguing sights, she was sure. Many plants would grow there come spring too, she could tell. It was something to look forward to. However, she also knew that it was full of spirits. The alabaster wolf was religious, though not strongly enough to place faith in a certain religion. Knowing in her heart that there had to be a higher power, as well as a spiritual afterlife was enough. Even if Siku had never delved into the whole concept, through the pain of losing a loved one she had come to the conclusion that they had to go somewhere. And that somewhere involved cemeteries. Siku was told this, but she also sensed it. At least, she thought so.

Despite the petite she-wolf being anxious at the thought of spirits and the dead, she found herself leaving Wolfville with her black nose pointing south. Previously ignoring the thought of going there, it was something she had to do. For one, the curious by nature woman wanted to see every corner of Dahlia eventually. For two though, the white wolf was hoping to experience something supernatural. A voice from the dead, an eerie feeling.
A real ghost, maybe. That would mean it was true; and Siku's mother was still alive in some form. Right?

Though Siku had been purposeful and quick about moving at first, feet began to drag and her nose dipped as she stared at the structures she was nearing toward. They were aged, yet still standing. "What have you been through? And you still stand. You must be held together by spirits, statues." The strange Dahlian mumbled, golden eyes studying everything as she crept past the stone fence like barriers, right up to a particularly large statue. "Virgin Mary," She whispered once more, placing a paw on the statue lightly. She recognized this figure. "Mother told me about you." Siku smiled, ears pressed flat as she stared thoughtfully at the face of the human. "You look strange, but I still think you're beautiful. Are you real?" Siku spoke with a childlike naivety, golden eyes genuinely waiting for an answer in the lifeless face. She did believe, very much so. But reassurance was always nice. Siku was content to sit there, surrounded by spirits and stone in the darkness. Perhaps the lady would answer her, a soft whisper in her ear of a blast of cold wind. The air was still, though. And Siku heard nothing.

A soft sigh escaped her slender maw, and Siku could no longer shake images of her mother from her mind. She missed her, so much. The hurt was fading as Siku aged, but the longing would never go away. Siku placed both paws on the statue, barking loudly. As it became silent once again, tears streaked down her face. "You told me spirits can linger, Mother! You never said goodbye! I'm waiting!" No more restraint. The woman cried out with anger and pain, immediately regretting it. Stupid. "I'm sorry, I don't mean you Mary." Siku stared up at the frozen face again. "I was hoping my birth mother would respond to her CHILD'S DEVASTATION." Siku spat, half serious and half wondering why she thought Tanaraq (mother) would hear in the first place. If anything, she was probably upsetting the dead that actually died around here. A little shiver going down Siku's back, she began to regret trying to contact anyone at all. What if they answered? Siku hadn't prepared herself for that. Silent once more, she sat still for a moment and listened for anything. Waited for anything.

Velvet Fox · 03-14-2011, 02:02 PM

OOC:: xD Hello there, I'm Akiva. It's no real problem, I don't mind waiting, your writing is really pretty and well worth it. =D

A warm-gray paw placed itself upon the base of a large, frosty statue, soon to be followed by another paw, this time a pale white. The limestone figure was leaning dangerously on an angle that almost threatened to give in completely to gravity, appearing to be held up by nothing but the ice and snow itself. However, the porcelain wolf was satisfied that it wouldn't fall under her weight, she wasn't heavy enough for that, daring to take two more steps. The stone was freezing cold to the touch, even for Velvet. She wanted to get a good look over the area, and this was one of the tallest statues out of the 37 that she had counted thus far on her journey.

Several steps later and she had successfully climbed onto the shoulders of a winged human-like creature, feeling almost sympathetic towards the fallen statues. They were called 'angels,' right? Velvet shook her head lightly, her mind unsure of the name for the beautiful winged stones. She felt that she could somehow relate to them; they were cold and lonely and long forgotten, just like she was, which may have explained why she felt so at home in the neglected cemetery.

Quieting her thinking for a moment, Velvet's ears pricked up. She hadn't realised it, but a few feet in front of her was a small figure, talking openly to herself and the largest statue of the cemetery. However, this figure was not made of stone, indeed, it was perfectly alive.

Velvet calmly sat herself down and said nothing. Not a murmur. She did not want to rudely interrupt the wolf, it was not her place to question people as to why they start conisations with the ever-silent statues. After all, the statues did not judge or complain to those who took the time to speak to them, they simply stood and listened.

Soon the pale wolf in front of her fell silent, and Velvet could once again hear the silence around her, the gentle breath of wind whispering in her ears and through the snow-covered trees. The small white wolf looked rather melancholic sat at the base of the large statue, and after a few moments of silence, Velvet took it upon herself to say something. But what could she say? She wasn't good at this kind of thing and she would probably end up saying something offensive or upsetting. No, she didn't want to make it any worse... but the longer she sat and watched, the more she felt sorry for the lonely canine.

Swallowing lightly, the young subordinate tilted her head, the soft light of her glow stick making her honey-glossed eyes glisten innocently. "You look sad." She softly stated, pointing out the obvious like she usually did.

Siku · 03-15-2011, 02:07 AM

[html]

Thank you! I love your writing as well, its impossible not to picture it all in the mind when I read yours.

Golden eyes snapped open as Siku heard the soft voice, and the young Dahlian nearly stopped breathing as she looked up quickly. There, in the blackness of the night, another soul lingered in the cemetery. "Mother?" Was all Siku could utter, wide eyes locked on the figure that stood not too far away. From still to racing in moments, Siku's heart went crazy and she could only stay as still as the statues around her. All she could see at first was white fur, golden eyes like her own, and a glow in the strangers chest. It had to be Tanaraq, hearing her daughter cry for her! Trembling, Siku tilted her head to the side and looked closer.

For the second time that night, the alabaster woman's heart stopped momentarily. Eyes steadied on the figure, and finally noticed a few key features that immediately cast the wolf out as a ghost. She was not translucent or transparent, and her breath could be seen in the crisp cold air. The strange woman was alive. Black tips of fur on both her ears and tail, Siku knew it was not her mother. The light that lit up her face was just a glow stick around her neck, and it illuminated the beautiful but unfamiliar face. It was not an unkind expression that greeted Siku that night, but a gentle sorrow that seemed to connect her to the stranger in the cemetery. 'You look how I feel,' Siku thought wonderingly, her golden eyes studying the stranger curiously. The woman had looked like her mother at first, in the confusion of being startled. With a second glance though they looked nothing alike. Siku felt boring in comparison, pure white fur blending into the snow as she stayed where she was. Disappointment caused Siku to look down with a soft sigh.

"I thought you were a ghost. Then I thought you were someone else. But you're not. You're alive, and I don't know you." Siku spoke to the wolf as if nothing was wrong, though inside her heart broke apart slowly. However, the curiosity of meeting someone new eased the disappointment as she smiled up at the stranger. "Sorry if I disturbed the peace. I was trying to connect with the spiritual world." Siku held up her front paws to wave them in front of herself as she pronounced 'spiritual world', trying to add emphasis to the subject. She then dropped her paws to lean back and study the strange woman again. "Only one who seemed to hear was you, though. That's okay. Living or dead, I don't judge."

Siku did not even bother trying to control her babbling, the uniqueness of the situation causing her to simply run her mouth. Wide set white paws began to pad toward the other white figure, golden eyes trying to meet with the other's as she sat meters away. "I'm Siku. Do you live in Dahlia as well?" Siku tilted her head to the side, her ears half sticking up as she stared with pure curiosity. She hadn't met many members of the pack yet, to her dislike. Optimism won over disappointment and the 17 months old young woman was genuinely happy to meet the stranger. Fluffy white tail swung back and forth with friendly strokes, and Siku smiled warmly now at the 'ghost'.

Velvet Fox · 03-15-2011, 04:07 AM

OOC:: This is kinda short. Sorreh, heh, I had to rush it to fit it in before I go off to school. ^_^’’ And thank you. <3

Velvet's ears fell backwards slightly as the wolf reacted to her voice. A few moments passed slowly, and still the golden eyes of the other wolf seemed to watch her closely, as if searching her soul for a spark of some kind. The wolf remained still, very still, only a gentle tremble provided a sign that Velvet hadn't quite frightened her to death, which was a good thing, right?

The expression on the wolf's face seemed to drop, a look that Velvet knew well. It was disappointment. Velvet shifted her gaze downward for a moment, she hadn't wanted to get the wolf's hopes up for nothing. Lifting her gaze, she listened closely to the gentle words that seemed to drift to her ears as the wolf spoke, taking note of the smile on her face. Velvet mirrored this smile silently, both relieved that the wolf had perked up and entertained by the strange wolf speaking so open and fluently, her paws waving around to certain words. Velvet didn't complain, it was nice to see them speak their mind, she had heard that it was very therapeutic.

The words 'ghost' and 'spiritual world' particularly intrigued the pale wolf who sat upon the statue. In the few days that she had resided in the graveyard, she hadn't once thought about spirits. They couldn't possibly be real... could they? Velvet mentally shook her head, such an idea had to be fiction, she shouldn't be afraid of what doesn’t exist, right? …But what if they did? Typical of the pessimistic wolf, thoughts of ghostly figures and the living dead flooded her mind. She shuddered lightly, spending a few moments of planning the actions she would take in the event that she ran into a ghost. Or a zombie… Or a vampire… she quickly forced herself to concentrate on the wolf in front of her, who by now had moved closer.

"Siku." She seemed to echo back, now with her thoughts under control. She would be sure to remember that name as her eyes met with the warm gaze of the other wolf. "My name is Velvet." Her smile brightened as she stood herself up, secretly still pondering the theory of the undead. She took the short leap from the cold, leaning statue and landing silently on the powdery pillow of snow, her paws sinking considerably. The other wolf, now dubbed Siku, sat a few paces in front of her. "I'm a new subordinate of Dahlia." She spoke very matter-of-factly, pointed her muzzle to the right, almost motioning somewhere off behind her, somewhere among the limestone statues and vegetation. "I live in the graveyard here."

Siku · 03-15-2011, 05:12 AM

[html]

It's not short!

'Velvet'. Siku thought about the name for a moment, golden eyes on the stranger with curiosity. After a second of silence, she smiled and nodded as if to agree. "That's a pretty name." Siku backed up a step as Velvet hopped off the statue. Unable to find another way of describing it, she thought about it. Maybe floating. She had a grace that Siku could not match, and the pale faced Dahlian couldn't help but feel awkward in comparison. She was just so occupied with her thoughts, her body wasn't always as focused. With her thoughts straying again, the woman blinked and glanced back at Velvet. Subordinate? Siku was one not too long ago. It wouldn't be long before they both found their place in the pack. She hoped, anyway.

Siku's eyes widened slightly as Velvet mentioned living in the cemetery. Her white head tilted slightly, as it always did when she was confused. She stared, not quite comprehending the situation. The newest member of Dahlia stayed here? Siku had met Nayru, the black and white coloured she-wolf who lived inside the greenhouse. That was a bit strange, but there were plants for Siku to study, and it was shelter for Nayru in winter. But choosing to live in a place like this, where Siku believed spirits and ghosts lingered! The golden eyed snow princess was intrigued by the thought. Where would one choose to sleep, in a place where only the dead sleep? "How.. come?" She asked, glancing around the area as if to check for others around. It was hard not to.

Realizing she was not one to talk, Siku grinned sheepishly. "I mean, why choose here I wonder? I have just been wandering and not settling anywhere in particular. Not really drawn anywhere." Siku found herself lying at the last part of her speech, remembering the day her friend Saul asked her to live with her. It was only weeks until it would be finished being built, and Siku was glad for that. A little time to wander and explore before she actually.. had a home again.

Velvet Fox · 03-15-2011, 02:45 PM

OOC:: Your too kind. xD I would have posted this a few hours ago but my internet went down, it's been doing it a lot lately. Sorreh. <3

Velvet Paused. Why live here? She hadn't actually thought about why the cemetery was so appealing to her, it was a combination of small things that made her feel at home. The sights and sounds of the area, the smell of the pine and the smooth texture of marble and limestone.

Her eyes danced around the at the statues and tombstones, and the towering trees sheeted in sparkling white. She loved how mysterious yet beautiful they appeared. Some statues had missing hands or even heads, many had chips and cracks, some weren’t even standing upright anymore. The resent snow storm had damaged so much, it made her sad.

She never thought of the graveyards as actually being 'graves' of those who had passed. She wasn't religious and only believed a few superstitions, although the thought of someone visiting her when she herself found her final resting place was comforting, and she assumed the dead felt the same way. If she had been able read human language, she was sure that the faded messages left on their headstones were a token to remember them by. "Everything here is art... memories and lives carved into stone." Her voice was soft and timid, unsure of what else she could say to sum it up.

Velvet quickly realised how depressing she sounded, she simply smiled and turned her gaze back to Siku. "It's peaceful." She continued, swishing her tail from side to side. "There's also few cute structures around that give good shelter, I even found one with a bed inside... although it looked more like a box, but it was comfortable." Velvet liked how the small tombs often looked, and anything she found inside was a bonus. She had visited some of the larger man-made buildings in the town further into Dahlia territory, though she had never gone inside. They seemed unnatural and bulky, taking up large amounts of space, however the small stone mausoleums seemed as if they had always been there, emerging from the earth itself.

"Even the wildlife is nice here." She had seen some of the other areas of Dahlia and the graveyard wasn't really as important, it was quietly tucked away at the border, a place that she could also hide herself away. She felt that living the life of a 'ghost' kept her out of the way of others, and allowed her time to enjoy the things that often go forgotten and unseen to most, just like she was. "Well... It's nice here."

Siku · 03-21-2011, 11:43 AM

[html]

So sorry!

Siku nodded each time the woman spoke, and felt a little stupid. Of course, if you didn't have someone building a house for you, you had to find or make one yourself. However, as she mentioned wildlife Siku turned her head to look for said animals. Food was food, no matter how nice it was. And the alabaster woman was in the mood to stalk things. "Nice to eat I'm sure! How are you doing though?" Siku tilted her head to the side questioningly as she looked the other woman over. "Okay?"

Siku felt the urge to make sure that her pack member was indeed doing okay, because when she thought about it Siku hadn't done much for any of her fellow pack members. She pulled Range out of the snow with Conor, but that was extremely coincidental. It felt good to help the up in the storm but she felt like she should have been there sooner. "If you ever need something... Saul and I will be living by Oberon's spring, he would never turn you away. We're here for anything." Siku felt a little strange, offering her best friends help be it needed. It might have been out of line for the woman, but they were going to be living together, and he truly would not turn away Siku's new friend. She would not let him if he tried, anyway, though the possibility of Saul being anything besides nice or kind was extremely low. "Seriously." Siku smiled at Velvet, and then sighed. "I might seem a little crazy, talking to statues and stuff, but I'm here for you now. Don't forget."

Login




Remember me Lost Password?