Location: Cottontail Valley
The weather was certainly getting cooler. The gray femme noticed the change right away as she slipped from the warmth of the mansion. But she didn't mind the cold so much. It was just nice to breathe clean, fresh air. It was drizzling lightly as the petite wolfess gingerly padded toward a welcoming looking valley. It seemed the ideal place to slip away to - lush, soft and green and close enough to the mansion that if she got tired, she could easily make her way back. Stockholm was a bit of a homebody and did not really look for adventure. Instead she treasured tranquil moments in the quiet of little company. Loneliness describes the pain of being alone, whereas solitude describes the glory of it. Today Geneva felt that she fell somewhere in between the two. Normally she did not mind spending hours and days to herself, but she found herself yearning for the company of Naniko, Savina, Haven and Brooklyn now that the weariness seemed to have lifted from her bones.
It was amazing what a few restful, peaceful days could do for her. Her body was on the mend and she was feeling far more herself. Not longer run ragged by a long road, no longer disorganized in thought and word. Some of her old reserve had crept back into her psyche, anchoring her and balancing her against the tumultuous emotion that had plagued her in the last weeks of her life. It was like slipping back into her own skin. She felt at home with herself and as if Crimson Dreams was becoming home as well.
She padded on four legs toward the shelter of a tree with wide branched and laid underneath it. Lime-green eyes followed the sway and swell of the grass as the wind played invisible fingers over each stalk. Soon winter would come and freeze the world over in wonders of white. And so today she reveled in the green, the life, the fragrance of the valley and all the comfort her new home brought her. Home, home. There was no better word in the English language, no word more beautiful at this moment.
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On a day that was so pleasant she couldn’t help but be out of doors. The cave had suddenly become stuffy, crowded and she needed her legs to be stretched and fresh air to pass through her lungs. It was an odd feeling, and short lived as she exited the cave’s mouth. Behind her trailed one of her pups, the large but beautiful Mati. The earth colored pup trailed behind her until Anu was forced to give in and allowed her to join her in her walk.
The pups had grown so quickly, and were becoming more independent. Whiling to venture out from the rest of her litter the Church girl wore a large smile, obviously happy to be away from her siblings. Her small voice traveled up to the mother’s ears, “Where we going momma?” Blue eyes looked down to the sweet girl, a soft smile wrapping itself around her face. ”I don’t know, why don’t you choose.” Her soft voice floated to the pup like a feather on a breeze, taking a few moments for her to understand her mother’s request.
Large clumsy paws began to pad the ground as she took the lead. Of course she needed a few seconds to gather the courage to hit the trail, but she soon tackled the challenge and broke through her shy nature. Anu was close behind, but let the little one lead her to a place they had all been before. Close to the large mansion lay the little valley, its grasses still holding the green hint of summer. The mere thought of the season warmed her heart.
Their game of follow the leader suddenly became a game of chase. Anu ran ahead, teasing Mati on with her bounding posture. They played until the mother realized that they were not alone in the vale. She stopped, and gave her daughter a cautioning look, a warning to stay still and quiet. Blue eyes met the form of a gray female, lying beneath one of her favorite climbing trees. Taking a few steps forward she scented the familiar fragrance of the pack, and assumed that this must be one of the new comers recently accepted.
Giving Mati the ok, she walked slowly forward. The pup crowded under her and between her legs, ever watching. Anu gave a smile and spoke, ”Hi.” The Lieutenant’s curiosity could not leave the new member to her self-reflection. With the simple greeting she hoped to not startle the shewolf, who looked so relaxed and enjoying the day’s sun.
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Lime-green eyes blinked open as Geneva raised her head from where it had been resting on her crossed hind legs. She blinked once to bring her vision into focus. The stone hued femme had dozed off without meaning to. Fighting the urge to stretch her stiff limbs, she felt a smile spread across her face as she returned the greeting. "Hello," the gray femme said softly. Her eyes drifted over the duo, one an earthy-toned pup and the other a strong looking female. She breathed in deeply and thought that they smelled of Naniko, the bright white wolfess she had met at the borders a few days before. She couldn't be sure, though, as her sense of smell was very weak.
The petite gray wolfess sat up slowly, taking care not to advance forward. She saw that the pup looked a bit nervous and the last thing Geneva wanted to do was frighten the poor girl. She smiled disarmingly and her tail wagged a bit, ears flicking back a little to show that she meant no harm. "My name is Geneva Stockholm. I joined Crimson Dreams very recently," she said in way of introduction. Hopefully that would give the multi-hued wolfess in front of her enough knowledge for her to feel comfortable having the pup with them in the valley. She saw very plainly how protective the femme was of the pup, the lines of her body, the tilt of her head, and the way the pup crowded under her body all indicative of a great trust and bond between the two.
It dawned on the femme that the way the bright-blue eyed wolfess acted toward the brown pup seemed almost...parental. She remembered from her conversation with the Aatte boy a few days before that he had another sister besides Brooklyn and he had mentioned having two mothers. Although Geneva was not sure how this was quite possible - and why this wolfess wouldn't be an aunt since Naniko was so clearly the pups' biological mother - she nonetheless accepted it. Going out on a limb, she voiced her thoughts, "Do you two happen to be Haven Aatte's mother and sister?"
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It didn’t take her long to relax, within a few words of the females speech Anu had become calm and at ease. Mati took no coxing, the gift of being innocent allowing her to trust even those she had yet to meet. It would take little time for her to realize that there was evil among their species, but Anu was her protection so there was no need to fret. The pup took curious steps toward the new wolf, taking in the scent of her family and trusting it.
Her calm and sweet voice made Anu smile, and she sat backwards in the grass. She watched as Mati padded over to get a better look with violet eyes. Tail wagging she spoke, her voice high in a squeak, “Ims Mati!” Her introduction made Anu laugh before she spoke herself, “And I’m Anu. Welcome to the pack.” Anu loved the idea of new wolves joining the pack. She sometimes wondered what these new wolves thought about the relationship she had with Naniko, but it was only a passing thought. In the end it didn’t matter what anyone thought besides her mate.
“Yous knows Haven?” Mati asked excitedly, almost certain that this female hid her favorite brother behind her back. Her tail waved and her body wiggled, asking ever so sweetly to reveal him. Anu stood to wrangle the pup in, “We do indeed belong to Haven, I hope he was polite. They’ve just recently started out on their own.” She would hate to know that the children weren’t on their best behavior when away from their mothers.
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Geneva let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding after introductions had been made. She didn't know why, but she was so self-conscious. She was afraid to make the wrong move, to give the wrong impression. She supposed that this feeling was normal, especially when meeting such a large volume of different creatures everyday. But it still puzzled her. She had never really felt this way before, either too consumed in her work or too apathetic to care. The revelation that she did care, and cared deeply, was more than a little startling.
"Thank you," she said with a smile to the wolfess' welcome.
Anu made it easy, turning her concern to ease with the merest smile playing around her mouth. And young Mati was just as charming as her other siblings. Geneva was very fond of the litter already and was quite looking forward to meeting the last sibling, although she did not know his name. What a wonderful little family! And smiling down at Mati, Geneva realized that Anu, one of the pups' mothers, was largely responsible for shaping them into the charming, kind children that she had met. Although Geneva did not quite understand their situation, she had to admit that it worked out rather well.
"Haven was quite the little gentleman," Geneva reported, remembering fondly the afternoon she had spent with the pumpkin colored pup in the mansion. "He's also quite smart." The gray femme leaned down to be at eye level with Mati. "Your brother told me a little bit about you, Miss Mati. He loves you very much."
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She knew how hard it was to come into a pack, especially one so tightknit, and feel comfortable instantly. Many saw the mansion intimidating and different then the normal wolf abode. When joining Phoenix Valley she felt that she needed to find her own home within the family that lived there. Joining Naniko was much easier, it seemed that no matter what happened or where the pack went, as long as she was with her life would be easy.
But if there was anyone that could bring a newcomer into the pack, it was Anu. Her easy going and happy attitude eased any unsure wolf into pack life. New members were a blessing, and brought more and different talents into their ranks. Her mind bustled wondering what she brought to all of them.
Her smiled remained, as Mati watched contently as the grey female spoke. Purple eyes looked on in wonder at the new wolf in fascination. The little one would meet few strangers, trusting almost everyone that she met. Anu would have to instill from safeguarding traits in her, or she might just be taken advantage of.
“I wovs him too.” The pup spoke in a hushed tone, wondering where her brother was at the moment.
Geneva’s words brought the mother good news, and her smile softened as she imagined Haven introducing himself to her. “That makes me a happy mother.” Her words came with a soft laugh. Mati noticed the conversation moving away from interesting things, and found movement in the grass. Turning to the hunting sensation she stalked off into the grass to see that it met its death.
Anu brought her attention back to the other adult, “Have you found a place in the mansion? “ She hoped that the female was getting herself settled.
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"I would be very proud if he were my son," Geneva said softly, wistfully, feeling a pang of longing in her chest. There was the smallest note of sadness in her tone. Before arriving at the border lands of Crimson Dreams speckled with blood from her miscarriage, the stone hued femme had lost her own litter. She wondered for a moment what her own children would have been like. Would her daughter have been fiery as Brooklyn, or soft and sweet like Mati? Would her sons have been intelligent and considerate like Haven? The knowledge that she would never know created a dull ache in her chest as she watched Mati scurry along in the grass.
But the sadness that passed over her face was quickly washed away to reveal a soft smile as she observed the earth-toned pup concentrating on what had to be a tiny creature. The simple joy which fueled the puppies in Crimson Dreams warmed the cockles of her heart and she found it impossible to stay sad for very long whenever they were around.
She turned her gaze back to Anu, feeling relieved that this wolfess was so kind and surprisingly easy to talk to. She nodded and picked up where the conversation had left off. "I did find an empty room upstairs that I've made my own. Although I love the mansion as a whole. There are so many interesting things to see. I think the most interesting part of the mansion I've been in so far is the kitchen," she said. "I tried my hand at cooking...which was nothing short of a disaster," she said, laughter crinkling her lime-green eyes. But after a moment she sobered. "Excuse me, I don't usually launch off on tangents." She was usually far more reserved, but Anu made opening up so easy that she caught herself before thinking twice. "You're very easy to talk to," she said with an apologetic smile.
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“When I first saw it, the mansion was pretty intimidating. I’m more of the natural dweller.” A smile came to her as she thought about her small burrow where she had met Nani. It had always been the type of place she was used to. The large house, with all of its furnishings, was just too different for her to get used to at once. By living in their cave she was able to take all of the human amenities a little at a time.
She laughed at Geneva’s next words. “ I leave the cooking to Nani.” Anu stayed away from the combination of fire and food. She was a raw meat eater, but the taste of cooked meats was interesting. Mati crashed into the conversation, blazing passed the running some puppy insanity out of her system. As soon as she was there she was gone again, lost in the grasses.
Anu liked that she was getting settled and enjoyed being part of the pack. She could see her living with them and becoming part of their family, even though to the sandy fey she felt like family already. It was easy for her accept new wolves, and as soon as she found a compatible personality she was instantly glued to them.
She shook her head, sure that she hadn’t been rambling. “I know what its like to be the new one, and you are making it easy to be easy to talk to.” She laughed at her last words, unsure if they made any sense.
“Where is it that you come from?” They might have both found themselves there at that moment, but Anu knew that they each had to come from somewhere.
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"I rather like it," Geneva said, thinking of the large, beautiful brick structure she had come to think of as home. "I've been inside of manmade dwellings before, but never one so grand and well preserved as Haven Mansion. Not one constructed like the mansion anyway. Truth be told, my favorite part of the mansion is that it has doors." The wolfess loved the outdoors as much as any other creature born of nature, but she liked having a place to hide herself away from everything. The mansion provided this unique comfort for her, a luxury she had never really experienced or expected before. Although she was somewhat solitary, she welcomed company when it came along. But there were some moments that she felt she couldn't share with anyone. Some moments were so intense for her, especially in the last few weeks. She was an even-headed wolfess by nature, but in the last few months her experiences had led to violent, vivid torrents of emotion, something she was not used to at all. When she didn't feel as though she was at an even keel, she hid herself away. Although she tried to hide it, Geneva was very self-conscious.
She couldn't help laughing as Mati leapt between the pair of adults before she pranced away without saying a word or looking at either of them. Perhaps she was reminding them that she was there, or looking for playmates. But as she made an exit just abrupt as her exit, she didn't say a word. Geneva just shrugged her shoulders and chocked it up to some sort of puppy overexuberance. She shot Anu a questioning look, but the pup's mother did not seem overly concerned. The minds of puppies at play certainly had to be the eighth wonder of the world.
"I grew up in a large city, empty of anyone but my father and sisters, and other creatures, although we scarcely saw any other wolves," she said. "I never saw a full grown tree until I reached adolescence. I didn't know what a cave was, except from descriptions in pictures and words from books. We weren't far away from nature - it just never occurred to me to venture far from my home, and when I did, I often became ill. I was quite the opposite of my sisters who left the little house where we were born as soon as they could wobble away." She smiled fondly at the memories. "My father took my sisters and I closer to nature in upstate New York when we were a few months older than your brood. And I stayed there until very recently, although I stayed farther inland with my mate. I've never seen the ocean, although I've dreamed of it before. What about you?"
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Anu listened contently, while Geneva spoke and Mati played. The little pup was enjoying herself, and hopefully expelling the day’s energy. Anu was sure that when they went home she would crash and sleep the night away with no persuasion. She had been surprised how hard it could be to put four pups to bed.
Geneva’s story was unlike anything Anu had heard. The questions grew and her curiosity rose. She imaged what it would be like to grow up in the city without the trees she loved so dear. They seemed to have grown up on different sides of the tracks. Being the flower child, and Geneva the city born they got along very well together. But there was a snag in her story, and a missing piece that Anu could not ignore.
Where was her mate? And why had she left? The questions nagged at her brain, but she fought to leave them there and won. It would be rude to pry, and if Geneva wanted to tell her, she would. Wow, I don’t think that we could have grown up any more differently. A small laugh passed her lip, I’m from up north, from the deep woods. I think my father would have died if he knew that there were places that had no trees and even at the notion of concrete.
I’ve lingered in this area for a few years, come and gone when ever the wind called my name. She paused to think off all those she had met and left since finding Bleeding Souls. Have you seen the lighthouse? If she wanted to get the full ocean experience, she needed to see the lighthouse.
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[html] I suck! "I think I much prefer being closer to nature myself, although my upbringing spoiled me for being indoors," Geneva said ruefully. Although she loved imagining the ceilings of caves, star-studded with ore and other sparkling minerals, and the scent of the flowers after rain, she didn't believe she could live happily without the curious comfort of manmade buildings. Within them, the wolfess felt secure and safe. She shook her head mutedly when Anu asked her about ever seeing lighthouses. "Is there one nearby?" she asked. There was an silent emphasis on the word nearby. The wolfess didn't know if she was up to a long trip. Sure, her body was far healthier, but she didn't know if her emotional state could handle being far away from where she felt secure.
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It was impressive, that two creatures could be brought up in such different ways and get along so well so fast. It was like she and Nani, their families and lives had been different and still they meshed so completely. Anu gave a small smile, imagining her birth parents and brothers living in side a house on in a city. She could see their faces, wide eyes staring at the buildings, paws tapping on the windows and mind wondering what dimension they had been taken to.
It’s the softness that nature give that makes it so welcoming, for me at least. She smiled and gave a small shrug. Its north of here, near the last pack I lived with. If you want, I could show you. Anu would love taking a small trip back towards Phoenix Valley. The brown pup’s head poked from a near by patch of grass, ears twitching at the sound of her voice. Wheres we gos? she asked with her tail wagging.
Anu looked back to Geneva, We might have some company. Giving a small laugh Anu pushed the oversized up with her nose.
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It was odd, but Geneva felt completely at ease in Anu's presence. It wasn't difficult to be comfortable around the pups. Everything was so new to them, they hadn't had time to form prejudices. But it had been so long since Geneva hadn't felt the need to have her guard up in front of another adult wolf. With a jolt, she realized she hadn't felt so at ease since she had spoken to Jordan, before she had seen him the last time.
She shifted slightly, raising her torso so she was now sitting, the movement masking the glimmer of pain that had flickered across her eyes. She exhaled noisily, expelling the beloved, unwantedv face that flashed before her eyes. "I would love to go," she said in a small voice. But the warmth returned to her tone as she looked down at Mati. "The more, the merrier. Thank you," she said sincerely. She was grateful both for Anu's undemanding presence and for the distraction their trip would give her.
The stone hued wolfess rose and stretched her back, arching it as she stretched out her neck. She rotated her head and her neck popped, before she smiled ruefully at Anu. Looking searchingly into the other wolfess' face, she decided to ask. "This is probably a somewhat personal question, but I was wondering how you and Naniko met," she said quietly. She wanted to hear a love story with a happy ending.
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no big story... !
She was sure that they main reason she snagged Nani when she did was her easygoing personality. It made her approachable and easy to talk to, but he was only being herself. Her main goal was to please those around her, so helping out by listening and tackling other’s problems were just purely pleasurable.
She could not help but notice the change in her posture as she sat up. Her face showed her concern, watching the way she twisted in pain. Geneva might want to hide things within herself, but there were certain things that you just couldn’t hide. Only the mention of her mates name brought her out of her concentration.
I guess, it was at Rabbit Lake. We just… came across each other. Anu paused, her eyes shifted away as she wondered if she how much she should confess. I think I knew from that moment. She hadn’t talked about her love for Nani since leaving Phoenix Valley, and then it had felt like she needed to defend it. It was nice to just express it without consequences.
The pressing matter could not be trumped by her fairy tale. She let her voice lower, not wanting to catch Mati’s ears. The little pup was so sensitive to the changes in her voice and would fret if anything were wrong. Are you ok?
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The femme smiled softly as Anu spoke. Although her words were simple, they struck a chord within her. Life didn't always have to be complicated and tumultuous to be wonderful. Anything worth having might be worth fighting for, but that didn't mean there had to be a fight. It fit well that the kind-eyed wolfess had met her match in simply and that her feelings were uncomplicated. Geneva might have been jealous if it had been anyone but Anu and Naniko. In her few days in Crimson Dreams, she had encountered more goodwill than she had anywhere else. She knew that was due largely to Naniko and Anu's influence. No, she couldn't find it in her to be the slightest bit envious of two obviously wonderful wolves.
"It must have been like fate. To have been so sure," she said softly. In the past few months, the stone hued femme had wondered often on the topic. Did everything happen for a reason? Geneva didn't like to think so, but at the same time she was conflicted. When wonderful things happened, it was easy to think there was a greater force behind the circumstances. But when bad things happened? She couldn't make sense of the theory.
But Anu's attention was still on her. "Oh..." she said uncertainly, her eyes sliding from Anu's face. She hated to be the center of attention. And although Anu's scrutiny wasn't critical, it still made Geneva feel slightly claustraphobic. She swallowed a little nervously, clearing her throat before tossing a glance toward Mati. She seemed consumed in puppy things, but the wolfess lowered her voice anyway, instinctively matching her level of sound. "I was just thinking about -- someone, someone I loved, love very much. Sometimes I find it hard to think about him is all."
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Maybe it had all been fate, as Geneva said. Maybe it had all been chance that she had met Nani, but the small female didn’t care what had brought her into her life. She just hoped it would stay the way it was.
Her concern was real, and the light grey wolfess seemed to see that, and opened up to Anu. As she always did, she listened. Taking in the words she realized that what she saw wasn’t something physical, but the pain of the other's emotions. Many knew that type of pain was worse than any actual injury the body might feel. Anu understood it all to well, but her mind refused to bring back the memories that could tighten its grip around her heart until she was certain it would be suffocated.
Her eyes showed her understanding and an ear flicked backward with the uneasy thoughts. She didn’t want her to be unhappy, but there were times where you just needed to let it out, before putting it away for good. Its ok to miss him. she said it, because it was ok. Anu knew that Naniko thought of and missed her past mate even though he had hurt her and so many ways. It was ok to miss the ones left behind, as long as it didn’t consume you.
Fate takes us in all different directions. If fate had bought her to Naniko, maybe there was something that Geneva was being led from.
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[html] You do NOT. My dear, let me school you in the arts of craposity right now. Exhibit a: this post. Geneva swallowed hard, a lump rising in her throat as Anu's clear blue eyes found her face. She turned away, her tail lowering and ears flicking back. Her shoulders turned in toward her body as she hunched into herself, trying to make herself as small as possible. Her eyes flickered to Mati, then fell to her feet. She didn't want to look back at the wolfess, to see pity, compassion, condescending or anything in her eyes. She felt as though she had said too much, like she had ripped a scab from a battle wound and poured salt into it. The logical part of Geneva argued that Anu had done nothing to warrant this reaction, but the wolfess didn't feel logical today. She felt as though she didn't deserve her kindness. She felt as though she should never said exposed any personal part of her. She had wanted to lock the past up so tightly and forget it, but it had slipped through the cracks of her now fragile defenses. She felt as though she couldn't breathe suddenly, and sucked in a large breath of oxygen, choking on it. "I, I have to go," she said suddenly, rising and squeezing around Anu and avoiding Mati's path all together. She spared Anu one quick glance as she said, "Goodbye Mati, Anu. Maybe we can talk...l-later." Her voice shook and she hated it, as she retreated across the valley, toward the shadow of Haven Mansion, where she'd lock herself into the prison of her thoughts once more.
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