Sketches of Shadows and Light
#1
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15.09.12. Fundy National Park. Optime. 11 am. :: 575 ::

An interesting few days had passed; Saul had pronounced Grace pregnant, Colibri had popped out three puppies, which was odd because he never knew she was even pregnant, and he had had his first encounter with a member of Sangi'lak. The thoughts in his head were all moving too fast and he just wanted the world to stop for a minute. He had too many things to be worrying about all at once, but a few things kept him up at night; His worry over becoming a father, his worry over how Grace was taking the news that she was to be a mother, the state of their relationship, the coming winter months that would make keeping puppies alive difficult, and then the fact that he hadn't been spending nearly enough time with the other creatures that he cared about. Despite living across from him, he hadn't seen Bran since they helped out at the village hall. He hadn't seen Saul socially for a long while, he missed his Virding's easy conversation. And he hadn't had the chance to play with Ciaran or Darcy recently. Things were definitely going too fast and he wished the world would stop so he could get off. That was why he had taken a personal day and was now sat in the woodlands of the Fundy national park.

Of course, he had no idea why it was called that, he only knew that that was it's name, so that's what he called it, often just shortening it to Fundy. His leather satchel was propped against the log he sat on, the flap open revealing his hotch-potch of possessions. Ciaran, his large and fluffy cat, was sat not far off, soaking up a ray of autumn sun that broke through the canopy. Nier had his Journal on his lap, a half finished plant study on one page while he actively worked on how to portray the light shining on his handsome feline friend. The ray of light softened the cats features and made everything look somewhat angelic, so he used thin, barely visible lines, to hint at the shape of the cat, filling in the fine features with delicate touches of grey. A few stronger lines were needed, the areas where the light didn't touch the cats face and furred body, the little pockets of shadow that made the contrast all the more shocking and dynamic. He loved drawing his cat; there was no end to the body positions, postures and facial expressions.

He had become so lost in his own little world that he was entirely oblivious to his surroundings. He could hear the gentle breeze through the leaves and he was aware of the bird song that was an almost constant background noise, but he tuned it out. He knew that he was fairly safe as he was still close to Vinattan lands, it also helped that he was a fine specimen of a male wolf. He was tall and well muscled after months of running patrols and hunting. He may have been coming into his winter coat, but his corded muscles were still fairly evident under the fluff. He inherited his overly furred winter coat from his mother, the only Arctic wolf trait he really had. It left him looking a bit scruffy for the first couple of weeks of summer, but that he could deal with. So he sat, in relative confidence, sketching away, oblivious to almost everything.


Word Count ~ +xxx

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#2
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Sonje by Sie!


Flinching awake as if she'd just been gutted—a fish-like gasp struggling through her tightened larynx—she grabbed a handful of foliage in each of her claws, grasping desperately for reality. It took a long moment before she remembered who and where she was; that she was not being overwhelmed by an army of shadowy creatures, threatening to take her to a much-dreaded underworld. Sonje swallowed the harsh lump in her throat, releasing her grip on the grass and leaves and easing her breaths into something more shallow.

Early morning light filtered down through the trees, and she pushed herself up from the tree she'd been sleeping uncomfortably against. The coals from last night's fire were still warm, but out, and the wolfdog scuffed a little dirt on them before quickly gathering her things and climbing upon a slightly weary Jagga's back. She was eager to get away from the spot, to forget the horrid visions that were the main reason she didn't sleep very well these days. Weaving her ride through the trees at a slow walk, Sonje thought a song would better help to calm her nerves. So she sang, her voice surprisingly high and clear—a pleasant bell:

"Are you, Are you

Coming to the tree

Where they strung up a man, they say murdered three

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree

"Are you, Are you

Coming to the tree

Where the dead man called out, for his love to flee

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree

"Are you, Are you

Coming to the tree

Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree

"Are you, Are you

Coming to the tree

Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me

Strange things did happen here,

No stranger would it be,

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tr—Oh!"

She'd quite unknowingly rode into a clearing, occupied already by a man and his long-furred cat. Her horse's sudden hesitation had been her only notice of him, and she'd nearly finished her song before she even realized what she'd done. Tugging Jagga to a stop, she eyed the dark male curiously, her pale eyes meeting his surprisingly blue ones for a long moment before she noted the pad in his hands. "Sorry to walk up on you like that. I wasn't paying much attention..." she said after a pregnant, uncertain pause in which she made her gray mare turn sideways. If he proved unfriendly, she'd simply gallop away. After her nightmare earlier that morning, she wasn't eager for confrontation that day.


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#3
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OMG! Hunger games song! Had a right little fanspasm when I read the lyrics. :: 354 ::

A sweet and clear voice broke in among the birdsong, the birds quieting to listen to the female notes. Nier flicked his pointed pinna around to listen better to the song. The lyrics struck him as very dark and he wasn't entirely sure if he liked it, but then the tune and the words reminded him of many of his favourite Irish ballads, recalling Molly Malone and Danny Boy to his mind. He found himself humming a few bars of Molly Malone but stopped as the crashing of horse hooves through the foliage made him look up and around. Ciaran slid fluidly from his perch and trotted to his friend, scrambling up to curl himself around Niernan's neck, acting like a furry scarf.

Two sets of eyes, one startlingly blue and the other grey-green, gazed up at the wolfess astride the pretty grey dapple. Her pale eyes met his as she realised he was there, shock registering on her features for a brief moment. Her melodic voice came again, apologising for disturbing him. He waved a dismissive handpaw at her, lilting Irish tones spilling from his maw, "Not at all Darlin'. You have a beautiful voice, and a beautiful horse." He was becoming thoroughly distracted by the equine, her uniquely dappled coat and charcoal mane calling out to the man. He had developed a new appreciation of horses since procuring his own, the little piebald colt happily turned out in a paddock with all the other Vinattan horses.

He heaved himself to his footpaws, the journal held loosely in one paw while he approached the horse calmly. He looked up to the wolfess again, "May I say hello to your mare?" He asked politely, really hoping that she would say yes, his fingers itching to smooth the mares nose. Ciaran didn't even bother to ask permission, stretching his head out to bump it against the mares. Nier frowned lightly at his cat, but smiled when the feline purred and tried to rub against the horses face. "Sorry about him, it seems he's in a funny mood." He said, chuckling lightly and waving his tail slowly.


Word Count ~ +xxx

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#4
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(Yay! A Hunger Games fan Big Grin I really debated on using it, but I'm fascinated by the song & it's meaning, and it's been stuck in my head lately -- just re-read the series a few weeks ago -- I couldn't think of a better time to use it. Lol, soon I probably would've forgotten my idea to use it anyway xD)

Sonje by Sie!


Though not "common" knowledge, Sonje had absolutely no skill in how to properly accept a compliment. So as it was delivered, embarrassment registered briefly on her face and she shifted slightly on her mare's bare back, glancing away. She thought to smile and thank him, but it was overridden by her aversion to having been caught singing. She only did it when she was absolutely sure she was alone, so it was more than irritating to know she hadn't been so careful this time. In fact, she couldn't quite pinpoint the reason for the uneasy seize in her chest, but it probably had to do with those very blue eyes in that very handsome dark face.

As he rose, Sonje moved again, sitting straighter and retaining an easier degree of confidence. As long as she didn't think about how embarrassed she was, it was easier to be herself. "Sure—she's my friendly half," she said with a light smirk, leaning forward to pat her companion's thick neck. She watched, amused, as the man's cat tried to interact with Jagga, who seemed to have that affect on a lot of creatures. While Sonje sometimes thought herself a little demon-ish, she would never apply the word to her horse, the sweetest, most docile creature she knew. Jagga twitched her large nares, extending her muzzle to share a touch with the feline, large brown eyes switching from Luperci to cat interestedly.

Sonje swung a leg over and dropped down her horse's side, revealing her comparably shorter height. She noticed his necklace then, as she was around eye-level to it, and wondered what creature it had fashioned, not knowing what an otter was. She looked up, observing him for a moment longer, and twitching her pierced ears before crossing her arms and leaning a slender shoulder against Jagga's side. "I'm Sonje, and this is Jagga," she waved her hand with a jingle of her bracelets and smiled slightly. "Who're you two good-lookin' guys?" she asked extending a hand of long, elegant fingers to the cat, offering to let him sniff and hopefully permit a good scratch behind the ears.


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#5
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I finished reading the series 2 days ago, for the 2nd time XD. I'm a bit of a Hunger Games nerd. :: 617 ::

Nier had become adept at noticing the signs of embarrassment on a creatures features, having had them spread across his own so often. He didn't know what the female had to be embarrassed about, she truly had a wonderful voice and she wasn't to know that he had been in the clearing. He ignored her embarrassment, knowing that if he called her on it then it would only bring more. She sat her horse straighter as he rose to his footpaws, he noticed the slight movement but didn't think anything of it, she was probably just getting comfortable.

He slipped his charcoal stick into one of his voluminous pockets, the journal held in his hand following soon after. The stranger gave permission for him to fuss the horse and that's exactly what he did, following Ciaran's head bump by smoothing the long nose of the horse with his sensitive paw pads. The short fur on the slope of the horses face tickled his palm slightly, but he revelled in the feeling. He smiled curiously up at the wolfess, "You're friendly half?" He chuckled disbelievingly, "You seem friendly enough to me Miss." He said, his voice light and airy. Ciaran mewled happily as Nier moved closer to the horse, meaning that he didn't have to stretch that far anymore. The cat rubbed his face against the side of the mares. Niernan hadn't seen the cat this affectionate in a while, the last time was when Ciaran had been under the influence of catnip. He frowned at the ground for a moment, glancing around to see if the spear leafed plant was anywhere around. He couldn't find any sign of the plant, so he shrugged his shoulders, eliciting a kitten mewl from Ciaran at the sudden movement.

The wolfess dismounted and Niernan was a little surprised at her height; she was a lot shorter than he had expected, her head only coming up to his collar bone. He kept stroking the horses nose as he looked at the other, her pale eyes observing him for a moment before she spoke. He felt as if he were being weighed and measured, or... He couldn't find the right word for it. Maybe appreciated? Yeah, that fit better. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of being appreciated by a female that wasn't his Grace. He knew that if his golden furred lover was here she would be fiercely defending his 'honour' or something equally daft. His thoughts of her were put on a back shelf as the stranger gave her and the horses name. He smiled and bowed his head slightly, "A pleasure to meet you Sonje, and you too Jagga." He said giving the horse an affectionate pat on the neck.

He stepped away from the horse, letting one handpaw come up to provide a knuckle for Ciaran to rub against, the other falling to his side. He noticed how her eyes rested on his otter pendant and he self-consciously fingered the wooden loop, the Frithr pendant resting against his fur just above it. He felt a grin spread across his lips as she called him and Ciaran good-looking, her hand reaching out to Ciaran. Nier laid his free hand against his bare chest, "I'm Niernan Stormbringer, and this is Ciaran." The cat scrambled down from Niernans shoulders, padding over to Sonje and mewling at her footpaws, begging for attention that she was apparently willing to give. Nier rolled his cerulean eyes, the cat was desperate, and was pulling out all the tricks to get what he wanted. "What brings you two lovely ladies to Fundy at this time of year?" His natural Irish charm taking over and allowing him to innocently flirt.


Word Count ~ +xxx

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