Though the pack seemed more full than ever, with more members than Eris could put an accurate number to, the hybrid felt it was emptier than it had ever been before. Wretch was long gone now, and she had been for weeks -- the emptiness in the caves seemed vast and echoing, impenetrable. The sable-shaded woman hardly knew what to do with herself aside from pace the borders neurotically, unable to vociferate the ball of anxious tension that had built in her since the girl's disappearance. She had not neglected her remaining children, however -- as much as she did now roam the outskirts of Anathema, she returned often to see to the welfare of her other children, thinking it would be too catastrophic to lose either of them, as well.
For the moment, however, the sable-shaded woman had ceased her pacing and checking in on Salvia and Pandemic, and instead sat along the ridge of land along the southeastern most edge of the pack territory. It seemed the world ended just before her, dropping off into nothing. She could see the sea beyond the end of the land, endless and meeting with the sky in a blurry and indistinct line some miles away. She knew it extended beyond even what her eyes could see, but the exact distance was rather unfathomable to Eris, being a canine and having little in the way of distance and understanding. She simply knew it was far, perhaps as far as she had traveled from Eterne. Unlike the journey to Eterne, however, travel to other continents could not be done overland.
The sable coyote sat, leaned forward with her elbows propped against her knees. Her chin rested lightly on her arms, green-yellow eyes staring listlessly at the ocean. She contemplated the journey to faraway places quietly, wondering just where her daughter had ended up.
Ouija knew what it was like to lose loved ones. First those in the cult, then unborn pups, and finally his mother. But they were all things that had to be taken in stride. He'd done his mourning and now had to get himself back involved with the pack. After all he needed to move up into the rank system. He had to prove himself all over again. So far it hadn't showed that such were his intentions. But then again he hadn't been occupying the caves while he was in mourning either.
Of course there had been another project on his mind as well. Another special request that he had to take care of. Perhaps something to help cheer up the forlorn woman that now sat upon the coast. He had been about to return to the caves with her prize but that plan was deviated when he caught her scent elsewhere. He clutched the strings of the adornment in his hand as he turned and made his way towards the very edges of Anathema.
He spoke not a word as he approached from behind the female. He knelt down behind the other and made to slip the gris gris around her neck to lay against her chest so that he could tie it in place in the back. Like every gris gris he had made it was constructed from snakeskin. It was simply his signature. The male kept in silence as he made to actually sit behind the dark girl. He made to try to fit his spread legs to either side of her body so that he could try to slip his arms around her to hold her as well as to try to rest his head upon her shoulder. He was simply try to offer comfort the only way that he knew how.
The sable-hued woman had been surprised by motherhood, and in truth, she had not wanted it when it first made itself known to her. She had never imagined herself a mother, and she did not think she would make a good one -- it had been accidental, what happened between her and Larkspur, and now they were tethered by the mingling and mixed blood coursing through the veins of their children. Eris had a choice in the matter, of course -- she had been the one to lay with him. When the children had arrived, however, from the moment of their life something had changed within the halfbreed -- she had realized their importance, and she had realized her own love for them.
The soft sounds of an approach caught her attention, and she twisted her coal ears behind her to listen to the footsteps absently. She did not recognize them immediately, and it was not until he was nearly behind her that she caught his scent. Though there had been no nervousness within the woman to begin with, she seemed to relax even more at the knowledge that it was Ouija here with her. Her head tilted back, but as he was already seated, she did not see him. Instead, she leveled her gaze again at the water, a slight jerk of surprise issued as he placed the gift around her neck.
She tilted her muzzle downward to peer at it, unable to help herself from lifting the small pouch upwards. It was intricately designed and made of snake-skin; her fingers ran over its smooth coolness and interlocking scales. Though it was no doubt beautiful, she could not bring herself to marvel at its beauty and strong handiwork. Eris whimpered softly as he leaned forward to wrap his arms around her, scooting back against him. Her head leaned toward his, and she rubbed her muzzle against his, utterly indifferent to the sight they might make if either Larkspur or Addison were to happen upon them.
“Thank you,” she said dully, able to summon her manners up only for Ouija. Anyone else would have received silence, even in the face of such a gorgeous gift, so heavy was her sorrow in this moment.
His arms held onto her tighter as she scooted back against him. He held her tightly against his own body. It was a silent assurance that he would be there for her should she need him to be. He leaned his muzzle back against hers and made to give her a small lick. It was the same small tokens of affection that he would show to anyone. He didn't see anything at all wrong with it. Or even why it should even be anyone else's business in the first place. Whatever happened was between them alone.
"You're welcome. I hope it fits what you wanted. I could remake it if you need me to." He figured that he should make the offer. After all this was something that she had wanted and had requested rather than some random gift. "I went ahead and filled it for you. You should still add to it though. Some fur or something to personalize it." It was the same suggestion that he had made to Addison when he had made her one. He felt that the personalization bit made it worked independently for the one that was wearing it rather than the one that had crafted it. After all not everyone was talented with their hands to make their own so the crafting was left to another while the feeling and personalization was left to the one that it was for.
He sighed and closed his eyes, uncertain if he should remain or not. After all he had intruded on private time but she didn't seem to mind his presence for she had laid back against him. He was conflicted about just what to do or even if he should say something more. He didn't feel it was his place to pry and since he didn't know what was amiss there were no comforting words that he could offer. Instead he went with an old standby and gently made to work his fingers through her coat, gently trying to comb and clean it with his fingers alone. His fingers made to play with the fur upon the woman's belly since it was the closest to where his hands rested and his arms lay wrapped about her.
Ouija was one she was bound to enjoy; their interests crossed, and he was not an overbearing male. These were generally the ones she liked best, though she certainly made her exceptions for the hyper-dominant types, as she had with Haku and, to some extent, even Larkspur. She did not believe Larkspur was quite smart enough to control her, however, though the sable-shaded hybrid did greatly underestimate his intelligence and failed to give the dark man proper credit. In any case, she very nearly felt more comfortable with Ouija than she did Larkspur, though she certainly knew the habits of the latter better. Their children had roped them together and now they had a life together, and they were even trying for more children. She wondered at that briefly -- they were not mates. Why were they continuing this charade?
His arms tightened around her and licked her face; she returned this gesture with a more genuine smile, turning her head to him and showing him this for a moment before she leaned her head back against his shoulder. Her body, too, pressed against his, listening to the pleasing notes of his voice and feeling them vibrate against her body. She could feel his heart beating, even, when he was silent again and she listened carefully. There was more closeness and affection in these gestures for Eris, perhaps, than Ouija, and she would have felt guilty to have Larkspur or anyone else discover them, but he was comforting her, too, and she did not care. It made her feel good to be held and wanted, and this was something she perhaps craved from Larkspur, who was awkward in his interactions even with her.
“No, it's perfect,” she responded, her fingers again shifting to the gris-gris. Though she curiously ran her fingers over it, the hybrid did not think it would be proper to tear it open and inspect its contents then and there; thus, she left it tied, and instead left her fingers to explore its cold and cool surface. She would wear it in Salsola; though she and Sirius had yet to work out many of its details, she did not think he would object to her spiritual tendencies.
“Thank you,” she repeated, and her hands moved to cover his and squeeze them as they played with her fur. She lightened her grip after a moment and ran her own hands on his arms, allowing the continued touch and adding her own. She ached for it to move and touch her in other places, too, but she did not move his hands or make any insinuation of such, either. It seemed inappropriate, grieving a child and wanting a man other than her father, but they were not mates. They were not bound to each other. “May I have some of your fur?” she inquired, rolling the chartreuse eye closes to his face to look at him. “I'd like it if I felt you watched over me,” she added, wondering if this was appropriate for the gris-gris and its etiquette.
He had to say that he enjoyed Eris's company as well. His interest in her was something more than just a passing physical one. She shared similar beliefs to his own and so there was that between them. Of course they had only shared in that particular moment once it would be something that he wouldn't mind doing again. After all she seemed to be the only one to practice. It was something that he hadn't found with anyone else. So what they had shared that night was something that stayed with him. She was a Goddess and that was how he would always think of her.
To him touch was just a natural part of life and not something to be ashamed of. He had sat with many just like this. After all actions spoke louder than words. Not that was much that needed to be said that touch couldn't convey. It was a quiet moment and well, he could think of no words to fill the silence with. He couldn't think of anything to offer comfort besides touch. It really was just what he fell back on. If he didn't have words then all he could think to do was cuddle. And well, it was remarkably easier with Eris than it was with Addison. Sure, he had slept with Addison before where he had never done so with Eris but things hadn't gotten easier. Addison had this ask first policy that didn't apply with Eris. He wasn't always watching what he did around the darker woman and so he could relax and do what came natural to him. He was free to be affectionate to certain extents. Though he also realized that Eris had no interest in him, or at least none that she would ever act on.
"I tried." He wasn't about to deny perfection. After all he wouldn't have presented it if he didn't feel that it was. The thing that had left him uncertain was if it met her exact specifications since she hadn't overseen the process. And he really wouldn't have cared if she opened it or not. There was nothing to see in there other than plants. And well, should she ask then he could explain the task for each and allow her to know what to look for when having to refill the relic. After all he made to place in fresh plants when he could find them, making sure to do so at least once a year.
All she had to do was to make mention of what it was that she wanted and he would give it to her. If she wanted him to stop then she only had to speak the word, just as if she wanted more. Whatever she desired he would abide by. Though the request that she did make surprised him. It even had him stopping the movements of his hands and had him pulling them away. He shifted around a bit to get a better look at her. Without pondering it too much he reached out to try to lightly grip her chin to tip her head back as he brought his own down. "I will always be here for you. Whatever you need you only have to ask." He made to whisper out the words against her lips before taking it a step further and trying to lick her lips before aiming to press his nose to her own. Though after the moment passed he lifted his head and dropped his hand. "Now did you want to rip it out yourself or are you going to force me to?" He asked with a grin. Of course there was the option of cutting it but he didn't have his satchel with him to have his athames at hand. And well he was feeling too comfortable at the moment to get up and wander away into the caves to even find a weapon to use. Besides, tearing the fur out at its roots felt to have more significance than just cutting away at the tips. Or perhaps that was just him and his way of thinking in the least. Still he would do whatever the Goddess wanted since it was her request that he was trying to fulfill.
At his words, she smiled, but made no verbal response; it was exactly as she had pictured it, and the snake-skin it was made of would be an interesting conversation piece, to say the least. What little she knew of these things, they were power -- appropriator of beliefs she was, the hybrid would follow the things he set forth and abide by them to the best of her ability. At her request, he ceased his touching and seemed to pull away; the hybrid was momentarily afraid of having offended him, and her head dipped downwards and her coal-shaded ears pulled back, her chartreuse eyes furtively looking toward him as he shifted his position around to look upon her. His hand was on her chin, then, pulling her head upwards toward his own.
She looked into his jade-hued eyes, surprised by his words. Ouija was not obligated to her with children as Larkspur was, and here he was offering protection and whatever else she needed. Her various needs ached within her, but she found she could not voice a single one; instead, a smile spread across her face, toothy and true. There was no malice or pride within the smile as Eris's generally contained, but instead it welled up genuinely from somewhere unexpected within her, and his movement toward her was met with something of a shiver, her body reacting appropriately while her chartreuse eyes reflected mild surprise at the gesture of affection.
She shifted around toward him when he'd pulled away from her so they were nearly perpendicular and she was nearly in his lap, leaning herself against his chest. Her fingers drew through the fur there, seeking a clump of it loosened by springtime shed perhaps; when she found it, she tugged gently, pulling the fur from him and bringing it to her nose, inhaling the scent of him from it. Fingers tucked it into the gris-gris slowly, carefully untying it, peering inside, and then retying it.
She would smell of him when she left him here, she knew, but she hardly cared; she did not think Larkspur would directly inquire about it, and if he did, she'd think of something. Indifference flooded her, and she nuzzled against his neck, drawing her teeth lightly against the flesh there, figuring the response it would draw from him. “Teach me about them?” she asked, very nearly meekly -- her voice was barely a whisper, her nose drawing close to his ear. When she'd finished speaking, her tongue snaked out to lick against the flesh there, a slight tremble beginning in her legs with this act of betrayal/not-betrayal.
He had simply went with the description that she had given to him while sticking to his own favored medium. Every single gris gris that he had ever made was crafted out of snake skin. It was his personal signature. Of course those not born within the cult, or without the practices thereof, might simply think that all are made in such a way. They could be crafted out of any material desired really. It was what was placed inside that really mattered. The bag was simply a reflection of whom wore it, or made it as was the case here. It was the filling where all of the importance lay and everything else was just decorative.
No, there weren't children in the mix. What he felt surpassed some shared progeny. They had shared a soul that forever connected them with each other. Or such was how it played out in his own head. It stemmed from his own personal beliefs. Especially since there weren't many that he shared a soul with. So to him it hadn't been some sort of joke but how he truly felt and perceived the situation. So of course when he gave his word he stuck by it. When he had first shared a soul with Eris he had made a silent pledge then to always be with her.
He watched her as she moved, watched as those delicate fingers combed through his fur. He couldn't help but smile a bit with as gentle as she was. He expected her to grip a handful and leave behind a bald patch, not for her to go searching for a patch that was willing to fall out with only the slightest of tugs. "Smell good?" He smirked as the words were quipped. He wouldn't say that he had ever sniffed himself to know if he smelled pleasantly or not. It wasn't as if he sought to scrub himself with fragrances. Although with what he used to dye himself he supposed that he could have added those fragrances in the process as well. It hadn't been on purpose though. He had only been after color and nothing more.
A shiver passed through the male's body as he felt teeth part the fur and scrape against tender flesh. Along with the shiver came the closing of his eyes as an entirely primal, carnal even, growl bubbled forth from the depths of his throat. Then the Goddess's voice broke through his reverie and forced him to focus once more. Teach her what? He had no idea. His mind was on a completely tangent. Especially once she had licked his ear and caused a stirring in the pit of his stomach. Eris was, quite simply, making it hard for him to focus. Not that he was complaining, of course. "What is it that you wish to know?" Somehow he had managed the words but still his focus was off. He didn't really want to be talking but acting instead. But still he showed restraint. After all she was only returning affections that he had given and it most likely meant nothing more to her than that.
Word Count » 416
Could OOC end after your post. I started firefly threads for you. :3
the world shudders as the worm gets its wings
She wanted him, and she had for longer than she could remember -- perhaps she had wanted him as long as she'd known him. Bright and sharp green eyes met his jaden gaze briefly and flicked away, drawing no pleasure from taunting and tormenting him. She certainly disliked restraining herself, after all -- yet the guilt wore on her. Mate or not, Larkspur had shown her kindness. He had cared for her, though he was bound only to the children. She knew many might have departed anyway, despite the children, but Larkspur had stuck around and cared for the mother as well. Eris did not want to feel burdened to Larkspur; the sable hued woman did not like the feeling of owing someone something. Most of all, she did not like feeling owned, and certainly, this was what that was.
Her ear twitched at his words, and she could only smile faintly, nodding her head. He did smell good, and he smelled none too dissimilar from Larkspur or any other D'Angelo. She would not have known they were kin by scent alone, but there was that faint flare of similarity in their scents. That was not why she liked Ouija's scent, however -- she could not place reason as to why she found the smell of him enjoyable. His lust singed the scent with fire and spice, making it all the more enjoyable to the sable hybrid. She was sure her scent, too, was tinged with want for him; she could feel this want in her bones and blood and everywhere else, prickling and tingling through her flesh.
“You,” she wanted to respond in lusty growl. There was no interest for the hybrid in the gris-gris anymore. It was Ouija she wanted to know -- the curves of his body and the hard strength of his muscles and other places, too. Instead, the coyote buckled against her own desires, thinking logically for all the fire in her body. Bold as she was, Eris didn't dare roll around on the grass with Ouija here. Even if Larkspur did not see, Anathema was thirty strong and someone was likely to. It would get back to Larkspur shortly, or Ouija's own woman, whoever she was. Both ears flickered backwards in annoyance at this thought, and the dark woman's chartreuse eyes rolled away from him contemptuously, staring away into the distance.
“Whatever you see fit to teach me,” she responded, sounding colder and more distant than she had wanted to.
Ouija had grown up in a free love type of setting so he saw no reason to hold back from one's desires. But even so Ouija wouldn't take an unwilling partner. That simply wasn't his style. After all the greatest pleasure was knowing that one's partner was feeling that pleasure and crying out one's name as a result. Really, how could it get any better than that? Ouija certainly couldn't think of anything better. It was something that he strived for with whichever partner he was with at the time. He didn't feel pleasure unless his partner was pleasured. He was willing to do whatever it took in order to achieve that. He would allow for himself to be abused just as easily as he could do the abusing. His partner only needed to tell him of their desires and he would conform to them.
He was glad that his scent was pleasant to her at least. After all he wouldn't want her to regret what she had just done. He was just trying to do what it was that she wanted and desired. Anything at all for the Goddess. Such was the pledge that he had made. She only needed to ask and she would receive it if it was with his ability to do so. And even if it wasn't then he would still try at the very least. All the painted king wanted was to please his Goddess and make her happy. It was his one desire.
The sudden change in attitude confused him. What was it that he had done wrong? But it wasn't something that he could say that he hadn't experienced before. In fact it reminded him of Addison when she didn't wish to be touched by him. So like a good and obedient boy Ouija took note of the subtle hints and removed himself from the close proximity that he had been sharing with Eris. The male got up and moved to sit a respectable distance away. He was only close enough for his voice to be heard and for the plants that he would pull from his gris gris to be vaguely recognizable. Should he decide to stretch out his arms he would be nowhere close to even being able to touch her.
Ouija reached up to untie his gris gris and remove it from about his neck. The item was placed into his lap so that he could open it up. Carefully the contents were removed so that he didn't lose any of it. Then one at a time he picked up the plants and held them up. He named off each and every one. He detailed just what each were, where they could be found, and their purpose for being inside of the gris gris. The plants would then be tucked back into his gris gris after he had explained them. Throughout the entire lesson h didn't bother to look up at Eris to make sure that she was even paying attention to what he was saying.
mall-caps;}
