Theatre Therapy
#1
The last time she was here things had turned out none too pleasant for many in the pack. She had not seen the amphitheater since the day Silvano summoned the people of the Court and announced to all that he was the new Constable. After that, shit hit the fan when Mars barked out at him out of turn, disrespecting him and defying his authority before the pack. That had not gone over well with much of the Court, many spewed threats right back at Mars. Okay, perhaps the man was a bit of an eccentric, and outsider to them, but he was still pack and she stuck to her guns when she said that they were overreacting. As for Silvano becoming Constable? Well, how could she make a decision on how she felt about that? She didn’t know the man, and she really had just been a ghost around the Court since Misha and Vladmir died.

Her children. Mars’ and her children. Two of the three, gone, never to be seen again. Orin’s eyes lowered to the masonry beneath her foot paws as she walked up a set of steps, trying to banish the torturous thoughts of her lost puppies before the grief took over again. ‘You need to get out,’ some of her pack had told her. Stop being a recluse and heal from this tragedy. Well, she was trying to do just that. She didn’t know where she was going to go when she left her house, but when the vision of the amphitheater came into focus before her she wondered what force was calling out to her.

Seasons ago she would have loved a place like this, and since she was here now maybe a part of her held affection for the theatre still. It felt like that was all another life, another time. So much had transpired in a year and a half, was there any of the old Orin left?

“I don’t know,” she sighed to no one, her eyes raising to find that she was standing center stage staring at an audience of no one. Or, no, perhaps not no one, but just a house of ghosts, silent viewers that she couldn’t see.

(300+ :: Thread to also be geared toward obtaining Mantes co-rank.)
#2
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OOC Stuffs go here


Loki and Ananse were growing quickly. Terra let them out of the den, watching joyfully as they tumbled about, playing their games. Occasionally she joined in, yapping happily, or separating them when the play got too rough. It was a happy time for her. Loki and Ananse eventually tuckered out, Terra gently nudging both pups back into the den. The log that secured them was pushed in front, and the restless coyote was off, tail swaying. Her steps were high as she flew over the land, moving until she reached the amphitheater. Not a place she could say she loved after what had happened. The clearing where she practiced magic was more to her taste.



Terra's protests had been silenced with Vigilante's command, but the hysterics of the one female had startled her deeply. She didn't have a clue what to think of that. Silently she slipped through the rows, wondering what changes this one that the alpha trusted would bring. An echoing voice rang through the theater, Terra's head popping out. There she was! The very one she'd just been thinking about. The coyote would have come right out, but a trick came to her mind instead. Smiling she lowered back down, running swiftly through the seats to another place further back.



There's many things you don't know. Perhaps asking the question out loud would work better. Terra's voice projected through the theater, using it's shape to send it bouncing around. The sly female ducked down again, quickly running to change positions to another place, hopefully without getting caught. I for one, am curious about the one on the stage. Head down, run, and a leap into the front row. What is her story? What brings her to an empty stage?
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

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#3
Her voice was still an echo in the air when another rang out around her and swallowed her meek sound. There had been no evidence of anyone around so the voice surprised her, and she jumped and tensed there in the middle of the stage. The words echoed around her, coming from one place and then another and another, and her ears perked up and she looked around like a startled pup. What trickery was this! What ghosts had come to her?

“What is this? Who’s there?” Her back was to the seats when Terra jumped out, but when the voice was no longer a ghostly echo Orin whipped around to face the mischievous coyote.

Her heart was pounding and her wide eyes stared a Terra for a lone moment, breathing heavily, and there was no doubt that the trick had worked. She placed a hand to her chest as she calmed down. She recognized the well known Baroness, of course. “Terra, you scared the crap out of me.” She said, though she wasn’t chiding.

After a moment, she walked forward, coming up front and center. She didn’t know if her questions were just part of the joke or if she really wondered. She cocked her head for a minute, but after a beat of silence decided to respond. “Things call out to other things that are like them.” She knelt down, then sat, her legs hanging over the stage. “I feel just as empty as this stage right now. I don’t have any good stories to tell.” She stared down at her toes, and picked idly at her fur.
#4
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OOC my cheesy attempt at being mysterious


The white female's eyes were wide with fright, calling out for the coyote to reveal herself. A broad grin decorated her features, tail swaying as she waited for Orin's attention to return to her presence. She turned, mischievous green eyes sparkling up to the older female. It was difficult to tell age in this instant, Terra's mischief as old as the first time a coyote stole it's prey. The white wolf was simply the latest, surprisingly young in her appearance with bright eyes staring out at her. It was hard to believe that their ages were reversed. Dipping her head gently Terra chuckled, drinking in the compliment. I try.



Slowly Orin moved forwards, claiming the stage. It was her turn to speak and hold the spotlight. Perhaps the wolf didn't know this, Terra watching intently as she crouched down on the edge of the stage, sitting down. The stage is not empty. It's simply waiting to see who will step up next. Terra dropped down from the row, languidly walking over. Slowly her form shifted, paws widening to contain fingers, thick red hair falling down around her face. The bones rotated, elongating as she turned, taking a seat next to her.



I don't need the stage myself. You, on the other hand. You've lost your tale? I've heard of those who have done the same, and their stories are always painful. Surely you don't share their fate. Terra smiled, waiting for Orin's next words. Would she ask of the fate of those who had gone before? Would she try and tell a story? Or would she leave Terra to her games? It had been fun frightening her so.
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

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#5
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Word Count :: 500+

Orin was quiet as Terra walked over, her eyes watching intently as she so smoothly transformed and sat down on the stage next to her. For a moment Orin envied her this fluidity. Perhaps if she practiced more often she could achieve such grace while shifting, but the only time she seemed to take her Lupus form now was when she had young pups to care for. Otherwise, she found her humanoid shape to be more appealing. Oh, how she used to love running as a wolf… but running, that was too free of a thing to do these days. When you run your spirit soars, your heart sings, and right now Orin’s heart could make nothing but a broken note.

Her ears bent back with the weight of what Terra said, and at her prophetic words she glanced over her shoulder to peer at the expanse of bare stage. Who will step up next? She stared for a minute, then stood back up and walked upstage. Her ears were turned toward Terra, and a few beats after her words she replied, “I have a tale, it’s just no good.” She corrected softly, her back still facing Terra.

She stared down at her feet for a moment, and then focused on a random point on the back stage wall. “Mine is probably just like everyone else’s. Just a stupid girl hoping for too much from the world.” She moved forward again and slowly pressed a hand against the textured wall, running her fingers along it before turning around to face Terra again. “You know, once I… once I believed in knights and dragons and heroes and everything. I used to read a lot… read everyone’s tales… I loved them. I lived by them. I thought I’d met a great King, I thought I’d met a gallant knight, I thought I’d seen magic… But it’s all just illusions in the end. The King abandoned his people,” she finally admitted the truth about Jaq. “The knight, he was a good man but he did the same. And the magic, well that was just a child’s dream.”

“All there is to my story is tragedy. Violence, disappearance, and death. Destruction. That’s no story anyone wants to hear.” It was a funny thing that she said this now, yet the playwright Shakespeare had been one of her favorite imagineers. Most of his plays, and most of the great plays in general, ended in tragedy, and the people loved them for it. Had she not named her own daughters after such plays wrought with trickery and sadness? Yet still the connection was lost on her.

“I used to write, but I don’t bother anymore. It’s just a waste of the pack’s time, me with my head in the clouds,” she stared at the ground, and then slowly raised her gaze to meet Terra’s. She knew the Baroness, but this was their first true conversation of any depth, and here she was, just talking about herself. “But you… with your questions,” a genuine half smile was on her features, “does that mean you do have a tale?”


Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dude

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#6
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OOC Stuffs go here


A satisfied smile flickered over the coyote's face, watching Orin look back to the stage, ears falling back. She was taking Terra's words to heart. She was curious about what Orin was thinking. Why had she come to the stage? And why did she ask questions of an empty clearing? Her curiosity was burning bright, fueled by the older female's actions. Terra was higher ranked, but she was where she was for a reason. She could not be trusted as council, not with her childish nature and tendency for trickery. Twisting she watched the wolf stand up, striding across the stage, frustration pouring off her frame. It was a heavy scent, almost spicy in it's manner.



Her simple riddled questions were pondered heavily by the sorrowful female, too heavily in Terra's opinion. She took herself much too seriously. When she should have been relaxing she was worrying. That's what Orin needed. To stop taking life so seriously, and simply enjoy herself. The words Orin used to describe herself was unusual for Terra, as she hadn't seen the world in such a manner. Perhaps how she spoke was normal for luperci here, but for Terra it was alien to experience. Terra didn't see a limit to the world, but she also was rather straight forward in her nature, not expecting the incredible out of others but from what she did herself. It was what she'd learned from the tales she'd grown up with, to act on what she wanted and have fun.



Orin turned, looking back to Terra with golden eyes that didn't seem to see. Terra didn't have a clue what a dragon was, though she did know about heroes. Knew plenty about them. The only Knight she knew was Jazper, and Terra thought it was strange to believe in something that was obviously real and could be proved as real. Didn't she just know that Knights were? Magic was something Terra knew very well though, her tail swaying as she stood up herself. There were no tricks up her sleeves, but this was a stage, and Terra was a master thief. She could do what was needed.



The pack has a great king now. He always looks out for us. As for gallant, I can certainly see how that mistake could be made. Knights, as far as I can tell, are as fallible as the rest of us, though they are amazing fun. And magic? Terra opened her hand, revealing a glittering silver piece. I make my living through that. Illusion and magic was one and the same in her mind. Tricks, and that was her trade, how she stole and juggled and escaped and teased. Asked for her own tales, Terra grinned widely. I have many tales. What would you like to hear about?
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

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#7
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Word Count :: 200+

It was true, Cour des Miracles had inherited a great and strong king after the disappearance of Jacquez, one who had been faithful to the pack as long as she could remember. She had only been a part of the Court for a few months when Jaq left, so Vigilante was really the only leader she had known. He had been good to her, and good to his pack. She nodded, seeing a depth in Terra’s point that might not even have been the intent. She had spent so much time worrying about the king that fled that she had never turned her attention onto the good deeds of the one who rose up in his wake.

When Terra held her hand open before her, her eyes flicked to the silver in her palm. “Where did that come from? You were in your Lupus form just a minute ago…” she questioned, raising a brow and gesturing toward the seats from where Terra appeared as though to punctuate her point. As soon as she said it she guessed that Terra would just say ‘magic’, and she felt a little foolish. She looked away for a minute.

“Well… I could ask… where you’re from… or how you got here… but what I want to know is, how did you learn magic?” Terra had sparked thought within her, and now from that ember began the flame of curiosity. What were this coyote’s secrets? What was behind that jovial, jester-like personality of hers? And most importantly, what kind of magic could she do? Because, for all of Orin’s sadness, and all of her grief, somewhere deep down inside there was that old Orin, waiting to believe again.


Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dude

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#8
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OOC Stuffs go here


Terra grinned at the question, shaking her head. I told you, magic is my trade. A closely guarded secret. A glimpse of silver caught her eye, and it was in her palm, her thieving nature showing through. Then all she did was reveal her prize. Easy enough to make it disappear as well. She wouldn't be caught. She had been taught her tricks well. Some of it was intuitive, some learned from the tales she had listened to growing up, and some taught to her by those that saw more than just a thief in her.



Tilting her head Terra wondered how to share that tale. It wasn't an easy one. After all, the magic was all about mystery, and being hidden. So telling the tale in a straightforward manner wasn't possible. The other questions would have been much more easy to answer. Terra had said that she would tell any tale though, and Orin had chosen the one that sparked the most interest in her. The magician would do her best to share how she had learned.



You could say that what I do is not magic at all, but simple wit. After all, I learned from Coyote. Her tales are of great tricks, and I began there, emulating her patterns. A sly word, a quick movement, learning to hide my presence and make myself move too quickly to be caught. I am a thief, and a rather good one. I lived off it. It only boosted me more, learning how to make things appear and disappear. Coyote stood in good stead with me, learning how to mimic her tricks, from speaking with foxes to vanishing over the water.



I wasn't a magician yet though. Not until I came here, and learned what it meant to be a luperci, what one was capable of on two legs. I took things even further, more dexterous than before. A member of this pack saw that, impressed by my skill. She told me, that my tricks and games could be more. That it could hold others under sway, captive to my words and actions. She drew me in, and taught me of magic. I learned to mimic her. It was clumsy at first, but I practiced, occasionally breaking through intuitively. And when I breathed, my breath became a spell. So I learned magic here in the court, where so many things are different from where I grew up.
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

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#9
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Word Count :: 300+

Orin was quiet, respectful, mesmerized by Terra’s story. For once her eyes didn’t fall back to the floor yet remained trained on the coyote’s face and glossy, golden-spackled eyes. Here ears swiveled back for only a breath when she realized it was not magic, but sleight of hand that Terra performed. Still, what she did was pretty incredible, and she wanted to see more tricks.

“Who was it? I mean, who was the member of the Court who mentored you?” She arched a brow and tilted her head in curiosity. There was so much that she could learn from her pack mates. She wanted to have a story like this, but instead she spent so much time huddled away. It wasn’t only after the tragedy that she did so, too. No, back during her first stint in the Court she kept herself locked inside the Chien Hotel for days on end with her nose buried in books. Her eyes began to wander away from Terra, scanning the stage that they were on. There were ways to learn new stories that didn’t involve locking yourself up. There were ways of experiencing stories with each other.

“Have you ever performed here? I read a book once about this famous human who said he was a magician. He did all kinds of tricks and people would come from all around to see him. ‘Death defying’ they would say a lot, ‘very dangerous’, and things like that. I even saw some pictures, though the book was pretty old, of him locked up upside down in a tank of water.” She meandered away from Terra a few steps, looking around the stage. “I’m enamored with plays. I wonder if you could do a sort of… magic show, play type… thing.” She touched her chin while she contemplated, and then turned slowly, looking at the area, although whatever she was surveying she really didn’t know because she didn’t know the extent of what Terra could do.

“Maybe you could do big shows for the pack! Maybe… I could help…” The last part was a little more meek, but she could. If Terra needed an assistant she could easily bring her things on stage, or help with set up. Little did she know that some magician’s assistants were often part of the act.


Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dude

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#10
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OOC Stuffs go here


Golden eyes burned into Terra's green ones, drinking in the tale as she spoke. It wasn't as smooth as the others she told, but Terra hadn't expected such a question. How could she reveal how her magic worked? She did her best, words slipping from her tongue with relative ease. The flicker of disappointment didn't go unnoticed, Terra's ears drooping a little. Was her tale no good? She had done her best to tell it, making sure to include how she had learned it. She wasn't supposed to tell anyone how her tricks were performed, even Caspa left guessing at times.



Caspa. She's a baronness. Technically they were the same rank, but Terra submitted to her. Caspa was older and wiser after all, at least as far as the coyote was concerned. She was much less likely to cause trouble the way Terra did, securing Terra the way Hotaru did when the fiery female became fixated on a particular prank. Tilting her head Terra considered the question, wondering how to answer. She had done a performance live before many canines at the winter festival, but never for her own pack. Skoll had seen her tricks, and became quite frightened at the actions. Terra had learned, and wasn't likely to make such a mistake again. Magician, that was what Caspa had called her!



Eyes wide she shook her head. I'm not getting tied up in a tank of water! That would kill her! Possibly Terra could escape, but having herself die in front of everyone in such a manner was not her goal. As wild as she was Terra valued her life, and didn't do things she knew would kill her. Tease a bear, steal from a cougar, yes. She'd even trespass into packs. Being tied under water was not something she was willing to do though. Cocking her head Terra considered the last part. I could teach you some things so you could help me. Terra usually ran her tricks alone, but usually she wasn't interested in sticking around to see the result either.
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

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#11
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Word Count :: ---

Orin’s hands went up in an apologetic motion. “No no no! I didn’t mean for you to try it. It’s too dangerous!” She agreed. “But… maybe some kind of escape trick where the danger wasn’t real, but the audience doesn’t have to know that. Like escaping a fake trap or something. Like… I saw a trick with swords, but if they just looked real, then if the trick went wrong you wouldn’t actually get hurt.” She spoke slowly, as though she was coming up with the idea as she went. Her gaze was distant, thoughtful as she tried to figure out how it would work. “Only… you’d have to get the props from someplace else or everyone would know that it was a trick and it would spoil the fun… I wonder…” She trailed off for a moment, lost in thought until the prospect of being taught a few things commanded her attention.

“Yes!” her ears perked and her entire demeanor changed from thoughtful to hopeful. She clasped her hands together and her tail wagged unevenly. She thought she could just help with small tasks, but to be taught some tricks was far more enticing! Orin was tiny, light, and nimble (when she wanted to be), and sometimes mesmerizing when she didn’t even know it and had the potential to make a good magician’s assistant.

Then, knowing that the lessons were a display of trust, she took a careful look around. Seeing no one nearby, she turned back to Terra. “Can we start now?”



Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dude

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#12
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OOC Stuffs go here


Orin's words were swift, apologizing for the thoughtlessness. Relieved Terra nodded her head. There were some things she was willing to do, but that was not one of them. Perhaps one day she would have the courage for such a trick, but for now she stuck to ones she knew she could survive if she was good enough. The idea presented to her was intriguing. Danger without any danger. Terra had never done anything like that before. Faked that her leg was badly broken, or that she needed immediate help. That was to con supplies out of someone however, and not at all like what was being suggested.



I once did a trick grabbing knives out of the air with my teeth. They were real knives. Do you mean something like that? Where danger is clear, but simple skill prevailed and made sure that she remained unharmed. Or the shadow of a bear? Terra had owned the pelt of a cougar once, but she had accidentally destroyed it in her games. It had been fun while it had lasted, using it to make others think there was a great cat in the area. Perhaps Orin meant that they could do something similar to that. How it would be an escape trick was the confusing part. Terra could escape most traps. Mainly because she built so many of them, and usually made sure to include a way out if one could solve the riddle.



Smiling at the wolf's eagerness Terra nodded. I can teach you some basic tricks, but you'll need to know the stories behind them if you want them to work. The story explained why the trick had been chosen, and helped one adapt it to the situation that one might need it in. If one was just taught the trick, they might not be able to use it they way they were meant to. This wasn't just simple magic, for Terra. It was how she had survived on her own for so long.
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

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#13
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Sorry for the wait, I don't typically have time to post on weekends but yay for week days! Word Count :: 300+

Orin nodded slowly. She was sure she and Terra were talking about the same type of trick when it came to the knives, only Terra spoke of using a skill to craft the illusion rather than a fake prop. “Yes, like that. I think. How about I find that old book and look a few things up for you, and you can see if you want to try any of them?” She grinned, but the grin melted slowly with Terra’s next words. She cocked her head sideways, trying to figure out what ‘shadow of the bear’ meant. She shook her head. “I don’t know that one…” she muttered softly. “What did you do to the bear?”

The bear was all but forgotten, though, as Terra moved on. Perhaps Orin would learn what she meant, but with the promise of learning magic and now the enticing order of adding story to it, Orin was hooked on moving forward. She nodded eagerly. “Stories, no problem. I’m kind of a book worm,” that was the understatement of the century, “and I don’t have any problem remembering stories.” She tapped her forehead, proud of her mind that could hold so many fantasies, although they didn’t always come out in the right order when she tried to retell them.

“Can you do any fairy tricks? I’d love to do something about fairies. I named my daughter Titania, you know, after the queen of the fairies in Shakespeare’s novels. They’re hundreds of years old, maybe there’s some magic behind those stories. Do you know of it?” She was getting so excited that she was starting to prattle on, digressing as she though of fairies, and the Bard, and then her daughters. “Or something with flowers that I… we… you… could show my daughter Juliet. And Svetlana… she’ll just love anything, she’s just a pup. Ok! Ok! Ok! Where do we start?! What do I do?”

Somewhat comically, she turned to face the house seats, staring straight ahead with her arms out in the air like she was about to cast some magnificent spell, but then after a moment turned just her eyes to Terra, awaiting direction.




Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dude

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#14
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<style type="text/css">
.Terra {padding:10px; border: 4px double #000; background:#225e5f; color:#fff; opacity: 0.8; filter: alpha(opacity = 80); line-height:120%;}
.Terra b{color:#ecaf06; text-shadow:1px 1px 0px #000; font-weight:bold;}</style>


OOC Stuffs go here


Terra grinned brashly at Orin's question. What did she do to the bear? Well, it depended on which bear she meant. Terra had run into a few on her travels. Not that she'd ever tell anyone about that. Orin's eager acceptance of the fact that she'd have to learn the stories that went along with the tricks pleased Terra. She'd been concerned that the wolf would be far too eager for the tricks, without the involvement required to really understand how they worked.



Fairy tricks? What was a fairy? Terra tilted her head, confusion in her eyes as she stared at Orin. She had no idea what that was. Counting time in years was a fairly new concept for her as well, tending to count things in seasons that passed, and events. Flowers she could do. Well, we'll need flowers first. Lots of them. The more flowers the better her trick with them would be. For being complex, for mistakes, for her to play and frolic through...
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

template by revo. <3 - Table and code modifications by Alex

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#15
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Feel free to either PP them going to the fields or Orin returning with flowers, depending on what Terra intends to do. Word Count :: 300+

Flowers she could do! Yes, they would need flowers, and, like Terra said, lots of them. She nodded quickly. “The Fairy Lights are in full bloom right now,” she said, remembering passing by the fields earlier in the week. “There’s hundreds of flowers to choose from. What kind do you need?”

She moved past Terra and leaped off the stage, landing softly in her graceful way on the floor before front and center, and started to move up the aisle. “It’s a great place to find flowers, too, the field is full of magical power, you can just feel it when you’re there. That kind of thing helps… right?” Ok, so, Orin knew that Terra’s magic was just illusion, but still there was a bit of disconnect in her imagination and she still thought the paranormal feelings of a place could lend power to the tricks.

“I like lilies,” she kept on talking, now she was almost at the back of the house. “There’s so many, and they’re so big and bright and colorful and fragrant, and they make some of the best dyes.” She glanced at one lock of hair that had fallen over her shoulder, then picked it up between forefinger and thumb and looked at it in dismay. “Come to think of it, I need to make some new dye. I’ve really let myself go.” The once vibrant colors in her hair were faded from lack of maintenance whilst the woman had been so lost in her grief.

Now at the last row of seats, she turned around to look for Terra. “Are you coming with? Or did you just want me to go?” She cocked her head. If Terra told her what kind of flowers, she would gather as many as her arms would hold and then some. But if she wanted to come with she could see what she was talking about with the power of the Fairy Lights.


Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dude

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#16
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<style type="text/css">
.Terra {padding:10px; border: 4px double #000; background:#225e5f; color:#fff; opacity: 0.8; filter: alpha(opacity = 80); line-height:120%;}
.Terra b{color:#ecaf06; text-shadow:1px 1px 0px #000; font-weight:bold;}</style>


OOC Stuffs go here


Terra's tail wagged. That was right, the field was full of flowers. Eyes glowing Terra completely forgot that they were supposed to be doing magic, just thinking about the fun of running through a giant field filled with dozens of colors and too many flowers to number. Following after Orin she bounded off the stage, laughter dancing in her eyes. She could make the flowers appear and disappear, change species, color, anything else she wanted! And there would still be so many to play in!



Tilting her head Terra thought about the field. She'd never felt anything special from it. At least, not anything extra special. She wasn't a superstitious wolf, by any stretch. She believed that stars were where one went when they died, and to bear that mark was to be a bringer of death, but that was the extent of her beliefs. The rest were practical values, bored into her for survival. If one studied what she did they might find her extremely whimsical, but she never thought of magic existing beyond what a creature made for themselves. If someone did magic she would accept it as real, but magic existing in a single place without being acted on was beyond her.



Dye? Terra shook her head. She didn't understand the wish to change one's color. Then again, she loved her own coat, so she couldn't understand wishing to change it. She loved it as it was. I'll come along. The pair bounced along eagerly, Terra darting across until they reached the field. Eagerly she barreled through before hitting the ground, rolling in the lavish scent. Sitting up with petals clinging to her she smiled broadly, and began to grab as many as she could, piling them high in her arms. She loved them!
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

template by revo. <3 - Table and code modifications by Alex

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#17
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Word Count :: 300+

Terra was at her side before she exited the amphitheater, and Orin laughed delightedly as they broke into a run, aimed for the Fairy Lights. The two of them, both so light and nimble, covered the vast distance in a very short time, and as soon as the fields were before them Terra zoomed out in front of Orin and dove into the flowers. Orin’s bell like laughter trilled in the atmosphere as Terra’s excitement infected her, and she leaped into the field after her.

Landing splayed out amongst the fragrant flowers, Orin rolled onto her back and stared up at the sky. Terra sat up, and she turned golden eyes to her, grinning at all the petals and leaves stuck to the coyote woman. “You’ve got a little something on you,” she joked as she pointed. Sitting up, too, she looked down at her pelt to see pigment of all colors smudged on her white coat, covering more than just her mane and tail this time, and purples and greens mixed in with the usual pink and yellows. These were less permanent and would wash out quicker than her hair dye, but for now she looked like she’d collided with a rainbow.

Her eyes spotted a cluster of lilies and she crawled on all fours (though still in Optime) over to it, a trail of crumpled flowers left in her wake. They were bright white and pink, and she inhaled their soothing, flowery scent. “These are perfect for making dyes,” she said offhandedly. “Their stamens are full of pollen – that makes the best orange dye, just one touch and you’re stained for days – and the leaves can be boiled to extract the color and mixed into a cream solution that you can put on almost anything. I’ve used them for hair and clothing dye, and paint before. My daughter Juliet loves to paint, and she loves flowers.”

She looked over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of Terra with what could have been a thousand flowers all gathered up in her arms. A wide smile dominated her muzzle. “Oh oh oh! Are you getting ready to do a trick?!” She asked eagerly as she turned around, eyes trained on Terra as she sat on her rump and clapped her encouragement, flowers nearly up to her shoulders.



Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dude

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#18
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<style type="text/css">
.Terra {padding:10px; border: 4px double #000; background:#225e5f; color:#fff; opacity: 0.8; filter: alpha(opacity = 80); line-height:120%;}
.Terra b{color:#ecaf06; text-shadow:1px 1px 0px #000; font-weight:bold;}</style>


OOC Stuffs go here


Both of them raced across, practically flying over the territory as they moved for the flowers. The wind whipped past them, teasing whispers brushed against her ear. Various petals covered Terra when she finally sat up from her dive into the meadow. Laughing she looked over at Orin, a giant smile across her face. It didn't look like she was white anymore. Thoughtfully Terra looked down at the flowers. Picking one up she rubbed it against her fur, watching it change. She would remember that. Terra absorbed Orin's words, thinking about what she could do if she could change her color.



Asked to perform a trick right then and there Terra slowed down. She'd thought they'd return to the stage. Well, a trick right here wouldn't be too bad. Studying her bundle Terra carefully wove her hands through it, gripping all of the red flowers. Loosening her arms she flourished, all the flowers vanishing but the one color. The others had rained down to the ground, but with the flowers all around them it was difficult to see through to the ground where they laid. Twirling them Terra winked, carefully gripping a white flower and keeping it hidden behind the bundle. Would you like one?
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

template by revo. <3 - Table and code modifications by Alex

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#19
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Ok to PP them returning to the amphitheater if you want. Word Count :: 200+

Her eyes studied Terra as she prepared the stunt she would perform, but the coyote woman was so quick and delicate that she really didn’t pick up on her movements until all the colored flowers disappeared save for the red ones. Even though the bouquet got a little smaller it made the illusion that she had actually turned the flowers red. Orin squeaked in surprise and a wide grin popped onto her face as she erupted into applause. “Oooh that was neat!” She trilled with genuine excitement. She might have been able to see all the flowers intermixed with those on the ground, but she wasn’t even thinking about that, so they virtually vanished before her eyes.

“How did you do that?” She started to ask but just then Terra offered her one, and she nodded quickly, pink and yellow locks bouncing madly about her shoulders. “Oh yes, please!” because now all the red flowers in Terra’s hands were a part of the trick, so they were all instantly magical. Orin wanted a magical flower of her own.

She reached out, waiting for her gift. She wanted to see more, and was about to cry out for an encore when she suddenly remembered the whole point of this mission – which certainly wasn’t to sit here in the flower fields and play all day.

“Oh! Wait, what are we supposed to be getting?” She looked around the field, then turned her attention back to the Baroness, ready to collect what was needed and return to the stage for her first lesson.

Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dude

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#20
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<style type="text/css">
.Terra {padding:10px; border: 4px double #000; background:#225e5f; color:#fff; opacity: 0.8; filter: alpha(opacity = 80); line-height:120%;}
.Terra b{color:#ecaf06; text-shadow:1px 1px 0px #000; font-weight:bold;}</style>


OOC Stuffs go here


Orin let out a small noise rather like a mouse, Terra grinning over. Yet another canine wowed by her magic. She could get used to this. Waving her hand through the air Terra pushed it off, pretending that it had been nothing at all. Well, it had been a rather simple illusion, one only capable of being pulled off because of where they were. Few ever bothered to try and search for the tricks that she performed, believing them pure magic. Terra stood ready to replace the white flower wherever in the bouquet Orin chose from, but the female withdrew instead.



Disappointed she looked back down to the flowers. She would have to play later. Reminded of what their original mission was Terra nodded, crouching down and doing her best to scoop back up the flowers that she had dropped. I have almost everything. She spent a few minutes picking some more, then lead the way back, the occasional flower dropping behind her. If one looked behind they would see a clear trail leading from the field up to the theater, fallen petals and flowers marking the way. Now we can begin! First, I need all the purple flowers. She liked purple.
Terra
Wordcount :: +000

template by revo. <3 - Table and code modifications by Alex

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