((Set for 5/31?))
She had to get out of the lands, had to get away for a while. It wasn't worth hurting over, but the failed mateship stung. Meeting Jasper stung. Losing a fight to lubomir had stung. She'd failed at a lot. She needed to be away and think. She hated leaving the lands, leaving her children behind. She hated it. It was time to get out, get away.
So here she was in a think dense forest. Not too far from home, but far enough to feel safe. Far enough to relax. Far enough. The scent of Haku had faded fom her coat days ago. The scent of Lucifer was deeply inbedded. She bathed in the river, trying to work free of the scents imbedded in her coat. He wasn't hers anymore, h'd proven that during her last desperate bid for his heart. She'd thrown away the ring he'd given her afterwards. He wasn't worth it.
She wasn't depressed, just disappointed. Mates were supposd to be forever, but once again she'd lost out. that was her third mate she'd lost. At least this one wasn't entirely her fault. Partially, yes, but not entirely.
As she wandered, she came across a small cottage. It was lovely, and perfect for her. For just her. She padded up the steps and opened the door. A small room, a fireplace. A kitchenette. A bedroom off to the side. A tiny bathroom. Two small closets. Just right for one femme. The dust was thick in the air.
Deuce spent two days cleaning the cottage. She brought in water from the river just outside and used towles the humans had in the bathroom. When she was done she felt a deep sense of satisfaction. She'd found it and claimed it as hers. She was lounging on the front steps now, just relaxing. The sun had risen sevral hours ago. She missed her boys. But she wasn't ready to go home yet. Not just yet.
Kansas had left their old den, that much she was sure of, but by what Conri had told her he hadn't made it to their lands yet. Iskata had spent the past night searching the woodlands to make certain that nothing had happened to him yet. She'd been just about to give up when the scent of someone she knew caught her attention. Her brows furrowed together in worry as she moved forward, following the scent of Deuce she wondered what she was doing so far away from her pack's lands, especially when the boys were so young still.
Before long Iskata found herself in the middle of a small clearing with a little cottage, the scent of her friend was coming from the house and before she could even think about it Iskata was pacing across the meadow towards the building. Calling out as she approached Iskata wanted to make sure anyone inside knew she was there, incase she was interrupting something. "Deuce? Are you there?" She paced back and forth a few steps as she waited to find out if she'd been right or not.
Deuce heard Iskata's voice and stirred. She must have dozed off. She stood from her vantage point of the porch and moved forward, smiling drowzilly. Hey Iskata. Sorry I didn't see you coming. Guess I fell asleep. how's it going? She stretched lazilly, running her fingers through her mane.
She glanced back at the cottage. it needed a new coat of paint. Perhaps she could find some somewhere in Halifax, the human city. She liked the den, after all. It was hers now, without a doubt. She could bring her favorite books here and set up shop. Plant a garden next to it. The stream would provide fish. She could live on her own if need be.
After all, luci and nani had taken the boys from her and hidden them away. Everytime the mother found them, they were moved. how dare nyone think she was a danger to her pups! how dare they!
Traipsing up onto the porch the silver and gold wolfess felt some of the tension she'd know the past month roll off her back as she smiled up at her friend. Joining her under the shade of the roof she leaned back against the railing and spoke softly, "It's okay girl, what are you up to?" she was confused as to why Deuce was so far from home. She ran her nails through her mane and offered her answer to the question Deuce had presented her with. "Everything's fine I guess.. Phoenix still hasn't returned.. I think Kansas is right, I don't think he's coming back..." she cast her eyes down as her thoughts echoed in her mind, not that he wasn't coming back.. but he couldn't. Kansas had witnessed the attack and he'd believed that his father had died... Iskata was beginning to believe the same now.
Shaking her head she raised her eyes back up to view the lady from Twilight Vale, slightly curious as to what she'd been doing at the cottage anyways. She couldn't catch the scent of her puppies anywhere about her and she realized the scent of them on their mother was fading too. Eyeing her suspiciously she wondered just what was going on here, but she didn't voice her concerns just yet, she figured in time Deuce would tell her if it was that important.
Deuce nodded but didn't speak. Both of them were without mates now. These things did happen. I'm sorry about Phoenix. Deuce looked away then. She fancied she could see the questions in her friend's eyes. After a long, silent moment, she spoke.
Lucifer and I ended our mateship. He was repeatedly unfaithful, and I couldn't deal with it. It's only for the boys I stay in Twilight Vale. And I'm not even allowed to see them anymore. Lucifer and Naniko both think I'm a danger to them. She absently ran a finger over the dark lines of fur on her wrists, the visible scars. He thinks I'm still in love with Soran, and that's his excuse for being unfaithful to me.
She half laughed, half shrugged. Iskata was the first she'd told that the mateship had ended.
Iskata only smiled a weak smile and just nodded, there was nothing more either of them could say on the subject of Phoenix, either he would return or he wouldn't. Either one could happened and she didn't believe it would be the happier of the two. Turning her eyes away she tried to erase the memories of all their happiness from her mind, she didn't want to remember what they had.. it would only bring her down in the end. Looking back to the lady she watched her quietly.
The words that Deuce spoke of made her frown as her brows furrowed. She knew that Lucifier had a laid back view on mateships and commitment, that much she'd gathered from her conversation with the youthful male. Shaking her head she spoke softly. "I'm sorry Deuce.. I'll.. talk to Naniko about it.. I'm sure it's just Lucifer whispering words in her ear..." she wasn't so sure but she would seek out her daughter and find out what all this confusion was about. Deuce should have known by now that Naniko was her daughter, but Iskata didn't know if she had any realy power to help Deuce. She sat there and watched the woman run her finger across old scars as she gazed at her with concern in her eyes.
After a moment she smiled, but it was a forced one, "I think.. that all males at one point are faithless.. some even blind enough not to realize they hurt others by their selfish deeds." she shook her head and thought about Phoenix, she'd even been convinced at one point that her own mate had turned to her old friend Phasma.. it had hurt them both and in the end when Firefly had disappeared Iskata had went searching for her lost child instead of face up to the problems with her mateship and friendship. "They always break your heart no matter what you do to build walls around it.." her sad eyes turned back to Deuce as she moved closer to the woman with the bi-colored eyes.
Deuce shrugged. She made a cheerful tone enter her voice. It doesn't matter. I'm better off without him. I knoew it was stupid to be mated to someone so much younger. She looked up, intending to meet Iskata's eyes, but the light chose that moment to reflect off of one of Iskata's piercings. Deuce looked at it, entranced.
"oh, Iskata.... she breathed, Those are lovely. I wish i had something like that.... She was immediately taken with the idea of tow silver hoops in each ear. It just seemed right, seemed to be natural for her. She loved the idea.
Iskata let her gaze fall on the woman before her, pity shining in her eyes as she watched Deuce. The pressed cheerfulness didn't fool Iskata but she kept quiet and smiled gently at the female with the bicolored eyes. "I'm not certain if it's even worth it anymore.." she said as she thought about her own failed mateships. Shaking her head she sighed and gazed off inside the cottage Deuce had found.
Distracted from her thoughts as Deuce spoke up she titled her head to the side and raised a hand up to touch one of the many piercing in her ears. Smiling at Deuce she laughed softly, "These? I've had them forever..." her eyes twinkling she raised a brow and lazily suggested, "You never thought of getting a pair?" her ears flickered slightly, making the jewels that decorated her ears sparkle slightly as she smiled at the lady.
Deuce shook her head. Not until now, she laughed. And the more I think about it, the more I think that silver hoops would look wonderful. She paused, then asked, Does it hurt? Who did it? How quick does it heal? Does it interfere with your hearing?
She suddenly laughed. Oh, my. i sound like taliesin with all my questions. She really liked the idea of getting her ears pierced, though. It was exciting in a new way.
Smiling at her friend she chuckled at how the idea had suddenly occured to Deuce, her eyes sparkling she ran a finger across the lone hoop in her ear. "I think they'd look wonderful too with your ivory fur as well.." she murmured as she let go of the jewelry. Gazing at Deuce as she rambled on with questions Iskata laughed at the excitement and sudden small pleasure the piercings gave her friend. "Slow down, slow down!" smiling at her friend she figured she could amuse the idea for a while.
Taking out one of the post piercing quickly she pieced the jewel back to it's backing and handed it to Deuce. "It does hurt a bit.." she admitted to the lady, "But it kindof grows numb as soon as it's done." Smiling she rubbed the spot where she'd taken the jewel out of her ear. "IT hurts more the day after.. though only if you mess with them.." Ears twitching as she smiled, wondering if Deuce really would like the piercings. "I did them myself, and I can hear perfectly fine too.." she smiled, raising a brow at her friend. "Were you wanting yours done..." she questioned.
Deuce grinned as Iskata answered her questuions one by one. There had been a small jewelry box in the bedroom, maybe there were suitable earrings in there. I really think i'd like to get mine done too. She beckoned for iskata to join her in the house. She was actually happy she'd found it. There in the bedroom, she found what she was looking for.
In the small chest there were several different kinds of earrings. Deuce found two pairs of silver hoops and grinned excitedly. These! Can you put these in my ears? her tail waggd happily as she looked at the silver and gold femme.
When the snow while female asked her to follow as she confirmed what Iskata was thinking, she did want the small peice of fashion, the small bit of feminine bliss. Smiling as she followed Deuce into the house she commented. "I'm surprised you never thought of it before.." as they made their way further into the small home. Iskata's eyes cast about as she smiled at what she saw, the work that Deuce had just started putting into the place was already obvious, much like the work she was doing at home. "You should see the place I found in Labyrith Glen..." her quaint little cottage in the woods seemed something out of a storybook.. the charm just fit with the lore of their pack too.
She smiled as Deuce and her crowded into the bedroom and Deuce began digging into the jewelry box. Curious Iskata leaned over and poked around at a few of the earrings as the lady picked and choosed. When she brought the hoops up for inspections Iskata smiled. "You may have to wear some posts for a while first.. it's sometimes harder to get the hoops in.. believe me.. I learned the hard way.." she winced as she remembered the experience, tugging at her own hoop earring slightly before biting her lip. "We can put these in for now if you'd like.. and I can find you some m ore in the old city.. or we can go looking together if you wish?" She thoughts about how just a visit to the city might take both their minds off the heartache that was trying to assault their daily lives. It just might work..
She nodded at Iskata's suggestion, absently digging through the jewelry box. She set aside a pair of turquoise earrings. She'd give them to Iskata in return for doing this for her. There were several pairs of post earrings, and deuce picked out wo pair. One had a simple gemstone colored like a pale blue polished diamond. the other was a simple silver ball. Deuce held the out to Iskata for inspection. They weren't too different from what Iskata had shown her.
I found it a few days ago. I figure its a good get away, here. And it's not too far from Twilight Vale, so i can get back quickly. Get back, not get home? These new lands still didn't feel like home to the pale mother. This tiny cottage, sweet as it was, would never be the house she'd met Thanos in. Never. It would never replace everything she'd lost.
Her eyes twinkled as she watched Deuce shifting through the box of sparklies and gems. Smiling as Deuce finally found the pairs she wanted Iskata Picked up one of them and examined the jewls that glittered in the dim light. Handing them back to Deuce she grinned at her friend as she explained the process. "We'd have to make sure they are clean first.. It's actually rather quick and easy, if you don't think about it..." she hoped that Deuce wouldn't be too nervous while she was putting the earrings in. She rubbed one of her own studs as she looked around the room to see where they should set everything up.
Iskata had pierced her own ears, the top ones had been so easy since the cartilige had no feeling in it but the bottom ones had been horrible. They'd taken forever to actually heal and tended to easily start to close up if she took the rings out for long periods of time. Shaking her head she warned Deuce of these small problems that tended to come up. "Now.. it's easier to pierce the middle or top of the ear, the closer to the bottom the more painful and it tinds to get infected..." She smiled as she looked about the place. "I'm glad you've found a place to get away from time to time.. sometimes that's what we need..." She sighed and then just shook her head as she chuckled. "Now.. are you ready?" She clapped her hands together then picked up the two pair of studs from Deuce and looked for a spot to sit Deuce down to begin, atleast, if Deuce was finally ready.
Deuce led them back to the kitchen where the light was better. She sat on the kitchen stool, waiting patiently. She was excited, not nervous. I trust you to decide where, iskata. But let's put the blue stones on top. She didn't fidget, didn't gnaw at her bottom lip. She felt very clam and very sure.
Her tail wagging slowly was the only moevement she made.
Iskata smiled and followed her friend to the better lit kitchen. While Deuce settled herself in on the countertop Iskata sorted out the earrings, taking the backs off the studs and busied herself heating the posts with her old zippo lighter she'd got in the port town while seeing her children off on their adventure. Lifting up one of the jeweled studs she turned back to Deuce. Smiling she took a deep breath before replying to her friend. "Gems first it is. Now close your eyes..." She knew Deuce didn't need her eyes closed, but it would be easier for Iskata if she didn't have eyes searching her the whole time she was trying to line up the jewels and get them in place. "Now you'll feel some pressure and then a sharp pain for a moment.." she put the piercing up to Deuce's ear but before she began she spoke up once more. "Oh yeah.. if you hear a sharp cracking or popping noise.. that's.. normal" she didn't know if that sounded a bit normal, but it happened when she'd pierced her own.
Quickly she put the stud back in place and gazed at Deuce as she tried to imagine what they'd look like all in place. She decided that the blue studs would look great right in the upper curve of her ear right before they started tampering off into a point. Smiling to herself she didn't have Deuce any time before she pushed the earring against Deuce's ear, pushing towards herself from the back of Deuce's ear as well. Finally with a swift pop the ring was through. Quickly Iskata put the post on the back of the ring and asked, "How was that?" she wasn't about to go on if Deuce wasn't ready or after the first once was put in place decided against more.
She waited patiently, with her eyes closed. She felt pressure, then a quick satb of pain that made her flinch just slightly, her eyes opening. Within seconds, tough the pain had receeded, and Deuce relaxed again. That wasn't so bad. Let's get the rest done. She had a grin on her face.
She was really looking forward to seeing how the piercings would look. It was a change for her, and about time, too. She';d spent too long waiting in the darkenss. She needed to move on. It had only been days since she and Lucifer had declared it over, but she didn't want to sulk forever. She didn't want to waste her life that way. She wasn't young, after all.
Impressed by Deuce's brave face she busied herself getting the matching stud in place in the other ear. A small bit of pressure and a sudden pop, the sharp pain and quick spreading numbness and it was over. Humming to herself as she watched to make certain that Deuce was doing okay she worked on the next set and within the half hour she'd had them in place and the posts on the back. Smiling at Deuce as she finished she warned the lady of the soon to be's of the new rings. "They'll bleed a little the next week or so, keep the area clean so they don't get infected too.. and.. watch how you sleep.. it's a pain when you knock them in your sleep.." She was serious about the last bit, she remembered many nights she'd woken up with sharp throbbing pain from a quick toss of her head while sleeping, and she felt easier warning the lady before the events started to take place.
Smiling at the new change in Deuce she leaned back against the table and chuckled softly. "How do you like the new you now?" she knew that part of this change was to make herself into something better than she was, to turn heads and catch eyes. Iskata didn't blame her, they were growing old and had both been through a few mates. It was about time they'd settled down in the world and enjoyed life. She wasn't sure if it was time yet for her, but she wanted that time to grow old together with another still.
((I never reralized that Deuce was older than Isk! Geeze! Deuce is so damn old! lol))
Deuce nodded at iskata's advice. It was all good, sound advice, really. Deuce would be sure to drink willow tea and nibble a bit on the goldenroot, to stave off infection. just to be safe, of course. It hadn't hurt much at all, really. It had been more surprising than painful.
Deuce picked up the hand mirror she'd brought out and admired the earrings. She felt tht growing sense of excitement again as she saw them for the first time. She turned her head this way and that to see hem better. I love them! they look wonderful! She was grinning again.
She picked up the pair of earrings she'd found n the jewelry box and handed them to Iskata. I thought you'd like these ones, since you did mine for me. She felt a lkittle shy about giving them to Iskata, but figured the younger woman would like them well enough.
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