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Hopefully Cat's location within the Spring will work for this. (: Word Count: 399
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For a day in mid Spring, it felt like the beginning of Summer. With not a cloud to obscure the crystal blue skies above, today was certainly an unseasonably warmer than usual day in this time and month. For such a day that held somewhat dry heat in several regions of Dahlia, it was common for one to be drawn to a cool source, whether it was the providing of shade underneath the grant shadow of a tree or from chilled waters that were sure to quench one's thirst and provide much needed cooling.
Catalyst decided to separate from the rest of her siblings today, breaking off into wanderlust of what Dahlia promised to hold to its inhabitants. The security and comfort of her guardians alongside her siblings was something she throughly enjoyed and felt even more like there was a true place in the world for a family structure, but at the same time she was a growing puppy yet, and the world was certainly hers for the taking and exploring. Time in the church spent with those who mattered most was time of course not wasted, but there had to be room to endure everything else that was in this life as well.
Tongue lolled from the side of her alabaster jaws, sloppy and dripping with saliva as she panted in this heat. Thankfully her meanderings happened to bring her to the Springs, in which with the energy she had left from mulling around in the heat at such a far distance and by herself, she sprinted to the refreshing shorelines to eagerly lap away crisp water and relish her paws, limbs, and belly within it. Catalyst rested within a shallow pool of the Springs near the very embarkment of ground, where she was playfully snapping away at the water's surface, just for mere sake and out of boredom. There were tadpoles near the shallow end of the Springs, in which her dual eyes suddenly took interest upon, and bringing up her forepaws up and down to slap right into the surface, she tried to catch them (or at least smash them so they would remain still, and she would have a closer inspection of such creatures). Her splashing was quite loud, and not to mention with her paw connecting with the soft undersurface of the Spring, mud was beginning to taint her paw and upper limbs.
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Cwmfen had spent some time in her den. She was alone, once more in that solitude. For a moment—for many moments—she had thought of another. Her heart grew timid even with the thought, but it fluttered with a quiet excitement. Often such moments had captivated her, especially when she had those moments of solitude in which her mind was permitted to wander into such personal realms. She wondered, and she had wondered often, at the night she had found Onus bleeding to death in the rain, had wondered at his enduring silence even in the face of pain, had wondered at that night when she had realized what it was that drew her to him, what it was that moved her heart. But she was afraid to even think it, afraid to consider what it would mean, and what it would mean if he did not. It was these thoughts that flitted through that usually tranquil mind like the birds of spring.
With a soft sigh, the woad marked fae continued to paw at the earth of her den, seeking to expand the area a bit more. Her body was not troubled by the pain that Brennt had caused upon it, for she was careful in using only her upper torso, able to do such a thing for the understanding that she had for her body.
Satisfied with what she had done, the black she wolf turned in the small, comfortable space that was her home. In this form, it was quite easy to enter and exit the den, and she exited now with minimal discomfort. Her nose dragged on the tunnel’s floor, pushing the stray dirt to the world without. The pile of dirt that now settled before her den was larger than she had anticipated it would be, but the work she had done had been no laborious effort, lessened by her diligence and her wandering mind. For several moments, she flattened the dirt in the corner of one of the roots near the great tree that watched over her den, spreading it for the flowers and plants that may one day sprout there. And for a moment, the white orbs turned toward the heavens, falling upon the great branches of that vigilant tree in silent thanks and appreciation. The warrior, a simple creature, loved this natural world of which she was a part. Once the thanks had been given, the black fae, her body heated with her effort, walked along the stream and toward the Spring.
The acute hearing of the Adonis caught the sound of splashing and excitement that seemed to come from that direction ahead of her. The sounds echoed in her mind more keenly than it did the forest, and the woman’s progress faltered slightly. The warrior was quite content to be alone, and the sounds, as she had learned in the confronting of Catharsis de Sadira, seemed to originate to a pup-sized creature. For a moment, she thought to avoid the area altogether, but it would be necessary, she decided at last, to watch over the one who played in the water. And so, with that innate grace, the black she-wolf padded silently along the water’s edge, hearing the playful laughter of the stream as she passed.
When she arrived, the female was careful not to disturb the efforts of the pup. It was a white one, and one that she had not yet been acquainted with. Her scent was similar to both Catharsis and Avarice, so she decided that this one must also be a pup within the care of the Rosea and the Head Hunter. The male had told her that there were three girls and two boys—she wondered who these male pups were, and wondered whether they got along with the Soul brothers. Silently, the woman lay herself down at the water’s edge, her head crowned in the branches of a bush and her body caressed by the softer, green foliage. For a moment longer the white orbs watched silently as the girl continued to try to catch something, smashing into the water and mud and making filthy her coat. A soft smile graced her jaws as she said, "I hope you don’t kill them." The alto melody danced upon the air as she smiled. At least she could start with some light, intellectual training; she knew that not all of them, if any, would grow to become warriors. And if they were to walk that path, it would be proper to teach them correctly.
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Hover over text for translation. Word Count: 436
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Her constant splashing by this point made the young girl's chest, neck, and muzzle drenched and damp. Worked up by the briskness of these inky tadpoles, their numbers ranged in what seemed like the hundreds, although they were sparsely separated from each other, and moved from one leafy and muddy location to the next with ease. It was amazing to see that such a shallow wading pool of the Springs held so much life in something that seemed so insignificant, so small in this world. Catalyst didn't understand why they swarmed this area by the masses, as there were a great deal of them, but whether or not she would want to know the reasoning of such, she was having fun making up her own game on trying to catch what she could, which really was unsuccessful by their hasty nature.
It was until a buoyant yet low-pitched voice caught her ears, instantly swiveling to the source of the sound. The dual eyed pup had not known the female had been there all along, so her sudden voice with that of her appearance made Catalyst's heart skip a beat. With her one azure and one argent colored eyes focusing upon her, it was a sight to behold as one who was both shocking and oddly compelling to the eye. The adult fae's pelt was generally dark as the dominant base hue, and across the plain of what Catalyst could see from where the adult was situated at in the bushes, unique blue patterns decorated her coat; such decorations that made Catalyst puzzled, as she had never seen such a thing occur in nature before. To top it off, her eyes were a voided white. Stark white, without any noticeable pupils to them. This, if anything, sort of jarred the young pup as a feared trait about her. Whilst growing up, everyone around her had variant colors about their pupils. This one certainly didn't, and in honesty, it made Catalyst slightly uneasy.
To be fearful of her, however, would be foolish, as there was a genuine smile upon her lips. Submerging her paw into the water now, she looked down at it, watching some tadpoles swim by, and then lifted her head back up to the adult, with a crooked sort of smile on her maw. "Nicht verletzend. Gerade gebohrt." She stated simply, but then again realized that she wasn't like Cercelee or Slay, who could tolerate her language. "I mean... they's are funny things. Funny things t' play with, 'm... bored. But... I n'ere want t' hurt'em. What are theys?" They were tadpoles indeed, but Catalyst didn't know that fact yet.
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For a moment, the pup seemed taken aback. For a moment the woman wondered if her presence had startled the young creature, and initially it seemed as if that were the case. And yet the pup remained transfixed in that silence for moments longer, even when it must have been realized that an adult was present. Those dual colored eyes (did all the de Sadira pups have such eyes, the woman wondered) were riveted on her own. The black fae wondered if it were she that caused such a thing to be invoked within the small de Sadira. Cwmfen blinked once; she could not remember when she had last caused such a thing within another. The woman was silent, unsure now because the pup’s display. The woman had never thought herself to be one able to tolerate young creatures for long, and this situation did not help her. The small creature made her mind shy away; she did not want her to be afraid. And she did not want to be the cause of that fear. She wondered if this was what Onus had felt when even she had been fearful by the darkness of his eyes.
Those white orbs watched as the pup gazed for a moment upon the waters. When the white youth looked up, she offered the Adonis a smile, and the adult smiled back, relieved that such a moment had passed. Should an uproar had arisen, the woman would not have known what to do; that was not her field of duty. Just as Catharsis had, this pup spoke in that familiar and yet unknown language. And, once more as her sister had done, the white girl righted herself by speaking a language that could be understood by the black warrior. Able now to understand the spoken words, the warrior nodded that she did indeed understand and that she approved of what the girl had to say. She noted briefly that this de Sadira could speak more coherently in this common language.
"It’s good to play nicely; it shows them that you are also good." The alto melody was silent for a moment before she looked down into the waters, watching more closely. But she did not rise, unwilling to move the muscles and wounds that bid her to be still; where she may have objected, at the moment she was compelled to comply. "They are tadpoles—baby frogs," she explained as an afterthought. Perhaps she would not recognize that these things were indeed what would soon become frogs if she did not know the name of the creatures.
"Where are your brothers and sisters," the soft voice inquired suddenly. "Won’t they play with you if your bored?" Having never had any siblings, the woman did not know what that sort of relationship would be like. Did brothers and sisters not play with each other all the time? And if they did, why was this white pup alone? The woad marked female supposed that such relationships must be similar to the relationships within the pack, but at the same time she suspected that it would be different, if only because they were birthed from a common mother. "I’m Cwmfen nic Graine; I help Cercelee and Haku lead the pack." The warrior suddenly thought that it may be appropriate to introduce herself. "Your sisters with Catharsis." It was a statement of fact. "What’s your name?"
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Catalyst's gaze was very... studying of the adult. For such a presence like her own, the young pup could feel the vibes of a peculiar aura that wafted from the adult. It was hard to put a paw on that feeling she felt, but there was a quality of mystery that loomed about her. Catalyst wasn't afraid anymore, and the following words that were spoken would prove to that, but then again there was something more Catalyst wanted to know about her. What she was (judging by the intricate patterns of her pelt), where she came from, which lineage she belonged to. The answers to what her name was would be given in a couple moments after Catalyst's querying of the tadpoles, but there was just something so decidedly different about her that Catalyst couldn't figure out at the moment.
Praising her actions of playing nice, the alabaster girl gave a sideways smile to this. Even though her paw was many times as heavy to those tadpoles and could easy take the lives away from a group of them at the time, she didn't realize this, and was only playing out of the sake of boredom. She didn't realize she had that power over smaller creatures, even though she was just as small in the world. Once the adult noted they were tadpoles, baby frogs, the girl gave a curious tilt of her head, and her eyes transfixed from the adult to the black little creatures. "Tadpoles. Baby... frogs." She repeated, looking up to the dark female with a grin. She certainly wasn't as impressive with English yet like Catharsis was, but she was trying to get there, slowly but surely. With that, Catalyst certainly knew what adult frogs looked like, but these things? How were they supposed to turn into frogs from this stage? "I... don' get it! They's so small! How do they's turn into... frogs fr'm this?" It didn't make sense to her, not yet.
Further inquiring about Catalyst's siblings, it seemed as if her ears instantly perked higher at the mention of brothers and sisters. "They's are around. I dunno though... can't seem t' find one of my brothers yet..." She trailed off, hinting toward Palindrome. He had not appeared at the gathering last time when Cercelee brought a rabbit home for a meal, and ever since couldn't seem to find him anywhere. She was worried about him indeed. As far as playing with them, they all seemed to play with each other every now and then, but currently they were all sleeping, or so Catalyst thought. "I left t'... church. They's were sleeeeping." She said with the end word drawn out a little. It was finally that Catalyst obtained the adults name, and to her surprise, was just as enigmatic as she looked. The name was repeated several times in her head, so she could get it right. She exclaimed. It was indeed a fact she was sisters with Catharsis, and whence asking for her name, she said so with a smile. She was starting to like Cwmfen, a lot, even though they were still in the throes of introductions. "Catalyst de Sadira."
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EDIT: I just remembered that Cwmfen has met Palindrome, ^=^;; So I fixed that, hah...
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The little girl seemed to study her intently before returning her gaze to the small creatures below her. The woman was silent as her own words were repeated, allowing the idea to sink into the fresh mind of this pup. As the warrior watched, it became obvious that the idea did not want to sink in just yet through the girl’s struggling with the concept. A soft smile flickered across that maw as the inevitable question came; the black fae was glad that the girl was asking such a thing. And a curious mind should be satisfied, especially if it were the curious mind of a pup. The world was still so vast for such a small, young creature. "As time goes on, they grow hind legs, and then front legs. But before they become a frog," the soft alto continued to explain, "they must grow much bigger and then the tail will disappear. It’s called a metamorphosis—butterflies are a bit like this too." Of course, the woman could not explain how such changes occurred, for she was not familiar with cells or any type of science for that matter. That was not her field. She knew only that such a thing happened, and that it was practically the same as all creatures going from one stage of life to another. "It’s just like growing up."
When the little girl told her about her siblings, the warrior paused in her thoughts. She wondered why her brother’s whereabouts would be unknown, and she immediately thought of Brennt, whose wounds she still wore. But for now the woman would not worry—if the pup had gone missing, she knew that Cercelee would alert her. Such a serious matter would not go unchecked, and if such a thing were to exist, the warrior would begin her search with that yellow-eyed predator. "I've met one of your brothers... I think his name was Palindrome. But that was before the pack celebration," the soft melody offered. "Recently, I’ve only seen Avarice and Catalyst, and now you, but I’ll keep an eye our for him." The woad marked warrior hoped that these small words would alleviate some of the apparent anxiety within the young female. "That was considerate of you to play outside the church." It seemed as if Slay and Cercelee were doing a fine job raising these pups. Not all pups were as considerate of their siblings as this young one. "Don’t worry too much about your brother; I’ll protect him."
The black fae offered the small girl a smile as she tested her name upon that new, untrained tongue—of course, it was not as if many could properly pronounce that name. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Catalyst." It was another strange name. She wondered what the purpose of this pup's life would be. A catalyst could be both a good or a bad thing, and the woman wondered whether the name would invoke a virtuous path or a malignant path. For now, while in the care of the white Rosea and the Head Hunter, the woman believed that the pup would choose the former of the two paths. But the future was uncertain; anything was liable to change. But she was only helping out with the pups from a distance, and, occasionally, if they had gotten into trouble as Avarice had done. That was part of her duty. "Yes, I know Cercelee," the soft alto confirmed. "And she is one of the best gardians that you will ever have." And the warrior sincerely believed that this would be so.
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[html] That was so strange with what happened with that other post. oO; The post appeared to be fine in Safari and Firefox, but when I switched to IE, that was when I seen what you were talking about with the sentence cut-off. I decided that it's probably best to just ditch that certain table entirely, just so there's nothing else to be chopped out anywhere. O_x Word Count: 511
Ears thrust forward, perked at their highest attention, Catalyst took a profound interest in these little insignificant things that were tadpoles, although from what Cwmfen stated as she was in the throes of explaining the growth process of these creatures, they really did seem to hold somewhat of a significance to them after all. Still, the method of how they started out in this stage, however, baffled her small mind. "Meta... morph'isis?" She looked up, trying to sound out the word. Just from how she heard it and then repeated it, it was much more of a foreign English word than the everyday speech spoken among the adults. Apparently this was how butterflies were too. Questionable, she then looked up to Cwmfen, an instant source of everything wise and all knowing. "Did... did we... start out like this too?" She was referring to the state of which these tadpoles had tails, and were round. She could only remember the earliest point in which she was a small, small puppy like she was now, but was there anything significant even before that for her, for everyone else? Catalyst had not yet fully understood the process of reproduction among their kind, and with an interested intense gleam, would hope that Cwmfen would be able to satisfy that spectrum of curiosity, granted that she did, or if she would declare that Catalyst was simply too young yet to venture in that span of thought.
Indeed, the strangely marked Cwmfen told her that she did catch sight of Palindrome at once point, but it was earlier before. Although her alto voice held true promise of protection of her brother, Catalyst couldn't help but draw a squeaky little sigh from her muzzle. "I know's... 'm jus'... missin' him..." After the separation of their mother, to lose one sibling would probably have a greater impact than expected upon Catalyst, even though she herself didn't realize that yet. But, there was belief though that this Cwmfen spoke words of the truth, and Catalyst would put her hope into Cwmfen's paws and hands.
The more the two began to conversate among one another, the more Catalyst began to grow comfortable to her. Expressing gratitude for their meet, Catalyst grinned up at her, with a sloppy puppy grin on her wet muzzle, forgetting about her presence settled in the bank altogether. "'S nice t' meet you's too, miss. Wha'... wha' is all that... on you?" Her muzzle motioned to the intricate patterns that criss-crossed and swirled along the plain of her figure, perhaps a topic that was most frequently asked by those questionable about the origins of Cwmfen. Speaking of knowing Cercelee, her ears perked up, and a happy gleam flashed through her eyes. Stating that she would be one of the best guardians to have, Catalyst certainly believed it, as Cercelee had been nothing but spoiling and grateful of the pups so far. "I love Miss Cehr'celee'h. Even more than my mommy..." Mommy, to her that was a distant memory becoming more and more forgotten as time progressed forth.
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Cwmfen remained relatively at ease. Where speaking to some pups pushed the warrior’s tolerance, this young mind was curious, having a natural tendency to learn about the world. A soft smile characterized her lips as the white orbs watched the small creature sound out that word. When the next question arose, the female answered immediately, not at all deterred by the direction the topic seemed to be going. "In a manner of speaking. But we are born while frogs lay eggs—like birds." She paused then, as if searching for the most simplistic of terms, terms which would be understood by a young mind. "When you were born, you look almost as you do now, just smaller. For several months you grow up inside your mother’s belly until you’re ready to come out into the world." The woman hoped that the girl would understand; even if full understanding were not achieved, the youth would discover the process sometime in her later life. This would most likely be more effective, for with maturity came the ability and need to understand such aspects of life.
With a sigh, Catalyst expressed her emotional reaction to her brother’s absence. A soft look came into those white orbs, and they were almost sad. "It’s okay to miss someone," the alto melody was quiet and gentle in the air between them. For a single moment, the warrior thought of her mother, taken from her by that crow wolf that hunted her now (Why had he not actively sought her? What was he waiting for?). Graine had been the leading teacher of her life, and much of who she had become had been due to her mother’s careful guidance. With her mother’s death, she had known that nothing would stand between her father and herself, and for that reason she had ended up within these lands. But now, more acute, more recently, she missed someone else, a male who invoked feelings that tickled her soul, that tentatively sought to be uncovered. The white orbs looked back to the pup knowing that Cercelee would be able to comfort her.
The woman’s face brightened slightly as the pup’s mood took on a lighter lilt. For a moment the woman looked down at her own fur as she did every time another inquired about such things. Looking up, the melody said, "This is woad, a dye that comes from a plant. Warriors from where I’m from wear it for power and protection." These markings too had been given to her by her mother. And yet, for all that Graine had done, the warrior thought of her less often than she did her father, and it was as if the warrior’s mind had disregarded the memory as it did every time urgency and immediacy bid it to forget others. As if somehow able to hear her speculations, the pup’s utterance of the word ‘mommy’ broke into her thoughts. Both Cercelee and Catalyst deserved the love they had for one another. But the woman became curious—it was her turn to ask a question, and she hoped that this would not invoke a dramatic response within the pup. "What happened to your mother...?"
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Since the de Sadira litter's mother dropped off and departed from them at the church, ever since they have been getting used to accepting the fact that Cercelee and even Slay for the matter had been the two most important dominating figures in their life at this point so far, Catalyst looked up to Cwmfen as very wise, and all knowing of how the world worked around them; such a thing she only regarded as Cercelee and Slay only (with more respect to Cercelee than Slay, unfortunately, due to the fact that Catalyst herself wasn't entirely keen on the fact of having a father figure whatsoever, since she never really knew her own biological father). Describing the process of how everyone started out as a minature version of themselves, and even before that, originating from inside their mothers, the very thought of that seemed incredulous and strange! So, let Catalyst get this straight, everyone came from inside another wolf? Catalyst thought about that for a second, a long second. "Inside you's? That's so... weird!" She exclaimed, the obvious puzzlement of her snowy visage showing how that, yes, it made somewhat sense she supposed, but for a puppy's view of the world, there was only a continuous question of why about everything. If Cwmfen said that was how it was, though, then she must be right.
Stating that it was okay to miss someone, well, Catalyst just wanted to figure out where Palindrome was. It was okay to miss someone, but not when it got to the point where it was starting to worry someone sick. She wasn't extremely concerned with his whereabouts, but concerned enough to realize something was out of place, and it was definitely on her mind. Already had their mother abandoned them, and with one of her siblings now possibly disappearing too? That was a little too much at this time, all that Catalyst had for direct blood remnants now were her siblings, and each one was as valuable as a diamond to her. "I don' want him missin' too, missin'... like our mommy." There was a forlorn glint in her dual gaze, suddenly assuming that maybe Palindrome went off to search for mother too, just like the rest of her siblings were trying to conduct a search (with her sister Catharsis more intent than the rest, even more than Catalyst was).
Explaining the intricate patterns on her fur, the small girl sounded out the word she noted to describe the designs. "Woad." She said thoughtfully, similar to toad almost, which made her smile and softly giggle at her own thought. Hearing the mention of power and protection, it was the power part that got her attention the most. "Make you... powerful? Where can I get... woad from?" She of course didn't want to take the designs that Cwmfen had, but if it was anything that meant protection and strength, well, Catalyst wanted in on it too! Plus they looked very pretty on her.
It was question that some thought would be a little too personal, but for Catalyst, was rather easy to explain, even though that she was immensely confused by it. Maybe Cwmfen would help her out a little with her confusion, since she seemed wise and all knowing. "I... don' know. Remember'd her one last night here... said she'd... be gone for a li'l while? But... I don' know where's she went." Catalyst couldn't honestly tell what just happened for their mother to compel on leaving them here, but Catalyst did know for a fact that she was indeed gone, far and away.
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There was a great silence following her explanation, and she knew that the young girl must be comprehending those words. Not many youths could understand such a thing simply because they had not yet had the prerequisite knowledge to back up such a claim—and what was that prerequisite knowledge? The woman did not know; it was simply a thing that gradually dawned upon another. The same was said of many things—even knew words took several incorrect uses before it gradually became part of a correctly applied vocabulary. A slight smile graced the woman’s maw as Catalyst made that final exclamation. "I’m afraid so," the soft melody confirmed. "Life tends to work in strange ways. But without growing up that way, we would die." The woman did not understand the mechanisms of such a thing, but she knew that even those who did grow within the womb emerged as stillborns. There was never a guarantee of life. That was nature’s way of controlling, of thriving upon this earth.
The soft smile persisted as the girl continued. "It’s just a belief—a custom. Some say that it is to respect the gods." Cwmfen did not know whether there was a religious affiliation within Cercelee’s home, but the woman herself followed the triple goddess Morrigan, particularly Nemain. These warrior aspects of the deities also most likely dictated the animal of her Dreams. The Raven was also a messenger of the Morrigan, and it was the Raven that lead the souls of the newly killed across the river that divided life and death. Of course, the Raven of her Dreams was specifically a pied bird—pied like her father. With her thoughts having crossed the subject of Corvus Vendetta, the woman brushed them aside, returning her attention to the pup. "I don’t know; I haven’t seen any here. But I think that I will have to get seeds carried by the birds; perhaps I’ll grow some." The woman’s woad dye, however, hardly ever needed reinforcement. Somehow it had become a permanent thing upon her fur. She supposed that the many years had altered her skin, but of course once again she did not know the reasons for these things.
"He won’t be missed for too long," the warrior replied quietly, but there was no guarantee of such a thing. She could only do her best to find the missing Palindrome. "And some of us are different. Some of us need to go off on our own to explore and become our own person." Maybe the little pup would understand, or perhaps it was a thing that she would have to understand with her coming age. The black fae simply didn’t know which topics were understood by pups and which were not. The woman paused; she wondered why their mother had left, but she had a feeling that the mother would not return, though the reasons for that were unknown. "Maybe she will be back, but the important thing is to enjoy the life right now. It’s not healthy to be sad for too long." Cwmfen offered the little girl a smile.
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This life that Cwmfen spoke about, in the manner of a puppy's mindset, her own mindset, perhaps Catalyst was one paw fall ahead of the rest. She could definitely identify with the fact that yes, things were strange about this life she was brought into. Everyday, every experience, every sensation felt with the five senses, it transitioned new information to be kept and learned. Speaking how if life wasn't this way, and everything would perish to death, the youth twisted the corners of her small muzzle in thought. Death was something that was far away from a pup's mind, at least hers, but for one thing she associated with death, it reminded her of the freshly killed rabbit that Cercelee brought to them; their food source, lifeless then. She had witnessed live rabbits in the wild of course, but didn't take the moment to really register the fact of how death looked. She could remember now, seeing its blank, beady eyed gaze. It used to be alive at one point, but at the time Catalyst didn't care, for she was only concerned about her hunger and her life, and nothing more. "I don' want t' die. When is th' time.. tha' y' die?" And the more now that death lingered on the mind, the more she became curious, curious about it in an eerie way. However, Cwmfen was once again the all knowing adult, and from what would come as explanation from her jowls, well, Catalyst would comply with reassurance. Cwmfen seemed to be very soft spoken with the way she said her wording, and Catalyst liked the soothing sound of her voice, and the way she explained something.
Cercelee had spoken a little about the establishment of the church that the de Sadira litter resided in, and what its purpose was for. Catalyst recognized the words belief and gods from this. There had been no teachings throughout her time span on this Earth that consisted of anything dealing with a higher power or an enlightening cult to turn to, so the aspect of gods was surely interesting to the pup. Seemingly, there were none of the such woad plants to be had here, but Cwmfen noted that she might attain some seeds by birds? "You have... birds?" She inquired, thinking that Cwmfen was becoming even more wise before her if she had the power to control other creatures in this world to do tasks for her. It made her glance down at the tadpoles in the shallow waters at her paws once again, wondering what they can do for Catalyst's benefit if that was the truth in Cwmfen's power.
Reassuring with her words for Palindrome's return, Catalyst could only muster a half smile. Cwmfen seemed confident enough that he would be back at some point, and thinking, maybe if she kept happy and sure like Cwmfen was, maybe then, the process of Palindrome reappearing would be sooner than expected. "Ja." The girl then spoke in her native tongue. Perhaps she was right, perhaps Palindrome had to figure it out for himself for awhile, after what had happened, even though Catalyst obviously didn't think as in depth like that at this point. As far as her mother went, Cwmfen's words seemed promising, but there was even that looming feeling felt in her soul somewhere, one that was empty, not ever going to be the same again. "'M happy wit' Miss Cerceh'leeh. She is... nice, pretty... but I miss my mommy too. Where do y' think... she went, Miss Cwmfen?" Maybe the blue and black adult had an idea of her whereabouts, since she was very smart.
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"Are you afraid to die...?" The woman’s voice was quiet and gentle as she lay there in the shade. It did not seem to the warrior as if this were so, but she had to make sure. It would be wise to let the pup know that Death was nothing to be feared. "It is a necessary part of life—just another adventure." Perhaps it was a cliché thing to say, but what else could be said of the unknown? It was best to uptake that necessary part of life as simply another challenge, another battle to fight. "Everyone’s time to die is different, but it will never come too early or too late." And then, as if in response to the topic taken up by the two wolves, a symbol of Death arrived. The pied Raven, the epitome of her Dream, landed upon a low branch above the black fae, arriving with the soft whisper of his black, feathered wings. The one eye regarded the black fae, who in turn regarded the bird. And as the gaze of the bird moved to watch the small pup, so too did those white eyes turn.
The black, woad marked fae laughed quietly, a gentle sound that was not unkind. "This one," the soft melody began, indicating to the Raven with her maw, "Just follows me. But I do not command him. We can only command ourselves and influence others." The warrior smiled brightly at Catalyst, considering those dual coloured eyes. "Birds travel across the sea, and they can bring seeds in their feathers and in their stomachs," the woman clarified. It was not a great or profound thing, and it was a thing that she would do whenever she had the time to do so. It would be difficult to recognize the seeds if she even could, but it was not an urgent thing for the warrior. Her purpose was to fight and protect those of the pack, not to collect the seeds to cultivate dyes.
Cwmfen’s soft smile was almost sad when the topic returned to mothers. The black fae had missed her mother too, but perhaps it had been on a different level. She had been old enough when Graine was killed for the memory to persist, but the memory of the pup would soon fade, perhaps into forgetfulness until the memory was merely the word ‘missed’. And yet, while Cwmfen loved her mother and thought often of her, the emotion felt somehow removed, though she could not place why. "At least you have Cercelee to care for you." After Graine’s death, Cwmfen had been alone. And she had been alone until her arrival upon the Dahlian boarders. Solitude had simply become a part of her existence. "I don’t know where your mother has gone—perhaps she has a different purpose to serve. Perhaps she has allowed Cercelee the honor of caring for you and your siblings." The world was filled with perhapses and maybes. There was never truly a ‘know’.
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Pondering the thought of death for a moment (or really, trying to register in her intellect about the conception of death itself), her presumption about such a fact of life was a bit bone-chilling indeed, at least to the perception of a puppy's mind, death was in an entire realm of its own in her sense. Death was an unexplored dominion, something that probably should be as far away from the mind of a pup as possible in this stage of life, but Catalyst couldn't help on suppressing back her addictive spirit of inquiry. At the white eyed woman's softly put question (seemingly sounding like it should be an unthreatening fact of life), her petite bleached muzzle and head dipped up and down in a mild nod. "Kind'a." At least she was honest, even while Cwmfen noted that it was another truth of life to live and experience. If death was not too early, and yet not too late, then that meant it could happen at any point, did it now? That notion felt even more chilling than before, and Catalyst wanted to shake it off her mind and topic.
Fortunately, speaking of the devil in that sense, a sort of jet black raven appeared out of nowhere, and instantly caught the twofold colored gaze of the pup, ears perking forward and slightly raising her head in interest. Catalyst couldn't recall seeing a bird that large in size, and was simply mesmerized by its bigness and also the way it peered so peculiar at the two (with its gaze transfixing then on the pup). As Cwmfen gave an explanation that she recognized the raven and how they seemingly followed each other around, Catalyst's little cognitive mind started thinking if maybe the raven was attracted to the woad markings on her coat, and that was why? Either way, Catalyst found this to be a very neat concept, not for the fact that Cwmfen had a raven follow her every now and then (which was one of those "cool" things in the eyes of a juvenile), but for the fact that the two perhaps found some mutual grounds in one another. Any other creature Catalyst came in contact with to try to play with, they would instantly be scared away. Not this raven to Cwmfen, however. It only made Cwmfen more mysterious and amazing all in the same note, a wise adult who also had some sort of natural aura to animals as well. Her different binary gaze swapped between both the woman and the raven. "Does it... 'ave a'... name?" Even thought it wasn't directly Cwmfen's posession, maybe she found it to have a name to refer to, just like everybody else she knew had a name too. It was then clarified by the woman how birds transition their seeds, and with some thought to it, it certainly seemed to make sense to Catalyst in a way.
Catalyst's mother was a topic that was touchy for herself and the rest of her siblings. Although confusion lingered upon the ivory pup's mind, at the same time, she wasn't as obsessive as one thought to be searching for her mother again, say, like Catharsis or Roulette was, who were certain that mother wasn't too far away from the Dahlian borders, and was relatively close still. Catalyst knew the absent of her mother in both spirit and in physical. Cwmfen explained however that Cercelee would be there for them regardless, and Catalyst couldn't help to issue a small grin and agree with her silently. Cercelee, she had certainly done a lot for them so far. Furthermore, the purpose of their mother departing for some greater motivation somewhere else in life, Catalyst couldn't touch to understand that just yet. "Is... your mommy still with you's?" Her interest came back to the woad marked woman now, wondering if perhaps she had any of her relatives that lived in Dahlia herself.
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The woman smiled kindly. "It’s okay to be afraid," the woman said—everyone had their fears. Even she did. "But you are safe within the pack. We all look out for one another, even if we all are not warriors. I simply fight the physical battles that need to be fought." Indeed, the woman believed herself safe within these lands surrounded by the other members of the pack. And Dahlia had provided her with security when she had needed it almost eight moons ago. And this idea of a unit built upon the respect of all creatures, the woman was compelled more strongly to protect the members. She fought battles and allowed Death to snap at her heels so that the members and the leadership may survive and persist longer. It was not seen as a selfless act by the warrior, however, for she loved the thrill of each battle even knowing that one may prove to be her last. The act of killing did not trouble her, and so she did what others could not, just as others did what she could not. It was a simple symbiotic relationship.
The pied crow shifted in the tree, the light catching the white of his pied plumage. The single eye watched the pup as she spoke, a quiet gaze that was almost empty and yet calculating. The woman looked up at the Raven as she answered. "No, I don’t think he does." The woman smiled as she looked back to the pup. "He doesn’t speak to me either—he’s very silent." There was a slight pause before the woman continued. "Wolves used to not have names; I think that the virus moved us to take these things. Naming is a human thing, you know, and many of the packs across the world have adapted to the remnants of the human existence." Brennt was probably a prime example of an unchanged creature—or perhaps the predator that often became him. Even the wolves that were not infected by the virus, because they lived among the luperci, had grown distant from the true roots of wolves. And the warrior could not yet decide if that were a good or bad thing. Certainly it had brought destruction upon the humans, but could the wolves persist?
When the pup turned the topic upon Cwmfen’s mother, the woad bound ears pricked forward as if such a thing had been unexpected. And yet, it could not have been, for curiosity took the mind in all directions. The woad marked woman was silent for a moment, the white orbs turning to watch the light play off the water of the pool. "No," the quiet melody responded. "She was killed about a year ago." There was a certain amount of sadness within the woman’s voice, but the time of lamenting had long since passed for the female. The white orbs looked back up to the small girl. "It must have been her time." Graine had lived long enough to give birth to her and to care for her. Then Corvus had killed her. But the black fae did not think that that simple thing had been her mere purpose. Certainly her death had had an impact upon her own life, and she could learn and know what manner of wolf her father was. Sometimes purpose transcended life.
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Ever since Catalyst was dropped off into Dahlia, it took a couple day's worth to get adjusted to the new setting as a permanent residence, despite how often her and her siblings would travel with their mother (they really never had a sure place to call their own). Perhaps that was where most of her swelling wanderlust originated for, for Catalyst enjoyed seeing new sights abroad. However, Cwmfen reassured that the pack protected everyone in its circle, and not for a moment did Catalyst doubt that, especially coming from Cwmfen. She looked as if she was a great protector herself, and to Catalyst, found it quite strange to see a powerful woman. She always thought that was the man's job to do, and so when Cwmfen said she was the one who fought for the pack, Catalyst looked up at her with an astonished twofold hued gaze. Not only was she wise, but she was strong. For that, Catalyst admired Cwmfen, really admired her. "Wow, I wan' t' be like you's one day." The ivory pup said with a widening smile, but a question arose at the instant. "Does... it hurt's a lot?" Catalyst wasn't aware of the extent of fights Cwmfen got involved in, but if it was anything like the fights her and her siblings have on an occasional basis, she knew that there could be some pretty sharp nips and bites made to her ears and neck that weren't so pleasant.
The crow was almost intimidating, perched silently and looking on, and a couple of times Catalyst had to break the gaze with the crow because of the fact it looked a little eerie. It was mysterious to her, how the crow didn't speak like Cwmfen stated, but their kind had an amazing ability to speak, write, manipulate objects in their grasps. With the warrior explaining how wolves used to not carry any sort of personal identity to them, Catalyst comprehended this for a second, twisting her head until it clicked in her mind and her eyes widened at this realization. Humans, her mother spoke about them on several occasions, same with the virus, but it was a very vague topic indeed. "Humans... were they's... bad?" Seemingly Catalyst never seen a human in her life, nor didn't know if any existed. Mother said they all died out, and for them to die out, Catalyst assumed it must have been because maybe they were bad.
It seemed as if the flinch made by the warrior's ears meant a sign of hesitance, although Catalyst didn't pick up on that notion as such. When Cwmfen stated that her mother wasn't here, and perished before Catalyst was conceived, there was sadness that struck her for Cwmfen's mother's death, but also at this time a surge of reassurance; not for the fact that the warrior's mother passed, but Catalyst felt like she wasn't the only one without a mother either in this world. It was comforting, in a strange sense. As odd as Cwmfen looked on the outside (maybe even feared by her strange white gaze and even more odd markings), Catalyst honestly could regard her as an outer figure to look up to. She was strong, physically and mentally, and survived thus far without her mother. Anyone who could survive without their mother, at least in Catalyst's mind, were definitely a strong individual in her book. "It's okay t' miss someone." She said gently and with a small smile, perhaps in the manner that mimicked what Cwmfen said before about Catalyst missing Palindrome, but she said it for the fact that, yes, it was okay after all in the end of things.
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500+
A light smile graced the woman’s maw as she turned her gaze to her paws for a moment. The pup’s admiration was something she had never quiet experienced before. She decided that it was different than respect. And while the pup may have been young and perhaps naïve, the admiration was received with genuine gratitude. Looking up, the woman could offer nothing in return for those words that could not be given by her silence. Perhaps a warning could be given, for a warrior’s path was not as glorious as the tales might suggest. But the girl’s immediately voiced query may have provided her enough of a chance to provide the warning that was needed. And of course, perhaps the pup would indeed follow that path. Only time would allow such questions to be answered. "Sometimes," the soft melody responded. But she also had a lot of tolerance. "Each battle is a risk of Death.... And sometimes it hurts a lot." The woman shifted slightly to show the girl the healing wounds upon her neck, shoulders, and flank. "That was for your sister, Avarice, who wandered too far." the woman explained. It was not by any means a way for the woman to brag. It was merely a way to warn the girl that if she was not careful and did not obey Cercelee, there were many dangers with which to be contended.
"They were...." The warrior paused as she shifted back to a comfortable position, struggling with the proper word with which to portray the idea that existed within her mind. "Humans were disrespectful," the melody finished at length. "They did not respect the land." That was not necessarily why the human species had perished, but it was the reason why the woman tended to stay away from the human constructs that remained in the land. Until several months into her acceptance into Dahlia, the black fae had believed herself uninfected by the virus. And now she had worked diligently to adapt to that revelation, for she must be able to apply each form to battle in order be a successful warrior. But she never strayed from her natural tendencies and instincts. Even her den was the original hole in the ground, a comfortable place for the woman in any form. And now she had been exposed to the city of Halifax, intrigued both by the strange skeletons of the edifices and by a man....
The young girl’s words surprised the woman, and she was silent for a moment as her white orbs watched the white pup. "So it is," the soft melody agreed with a slight nod and a quiet laugh of approval. "And I do think of her." Indeed the woad that marked her black fur was a constant reminder of her mother, and now her father’s presence within these lands was the reminder of her death. A soft sigh escaped the woman, but the purpose of that sigh was obscure. Perhaps it was made because she had thought of her father and knew, or thought she knew, what must be done. The white orbs strayed to the pool. "Is it cool in there?" the woman asked suddenly. She had come to this place to cool her body and sooth her wounds in the cool water but had been deterred by the pup’s presence. Now, having grown accustom to the small creature, she thought that it might be okay for her to join the pup in those waters.
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Although unaware of the duties of what a warrior fulfilled and had to uphold, the brush of death experienced every time with the encounter of a fight... that seemed to be an exhilarating concept for the pup. Death was an unknown realm to her, and to be treading the fine line with every engagement of fight and battle, it seemed to be an exciting thing to do day in and day out. Catalyst obviously had much to learn in her span of growing up, the right from the wrong, the pleasure from the pain, but everything conceived in her mind now, sure, it had the risk of hurting a lot (in which Catalyst wasn't too fond of pain either, especially from her siblings), but it just seemed like an experience one should have to set themselves straight in life. The closest thing Catalyst could attach to this warrior perspective was a hero, and who didn't want to be one? "Hmm. I don' like getting hurt's. How's do you... start as warrior?" Her English slightly broken, the young girl was curious to know the beginning paths one took to reach a warrior status one day. Although, as she stated, she was certainly not used to hurting and pain, Catalyst had all the pride in her however to be quite brave for her age, and if bravery was one trait, then maybe she would have her paw in the door to start it off. Peering in closer at the long scars that marked the warrior's body in fine detail, they seemed to be unkind wounds among her protective woads. Which was even more surprising, Cwmfen spoke about how her sister Avarice had wandered too far, and for this Catalyst's interest was piqued. Avarice, she was definitely a rebellious one, and Catalyst was surprised her sister didn't mention anything of the sort to her recently. "Wha'? Wha' happened? Why?" Was all she could say, hoping that Miss Cwmfen would be able to tell her what happened; anything concerning her siblings, big or little, was always a big deal to her. Always.
Catalyst never heard of humans in a kind, positive light, and it seemed doomed to stay that way. Hearing of how they were disrespectful to the lands around them, it made her think about the Town of Wolfville, and the establishments she seen around the world traveling with her mother, and ultimately coming here. So it was the humans that left all these structures behind? "Are they the ones... who made all th' homes then?" The juvenile never questioned before where everything came from, who built it, how it got there, what was there before, and seemingly hundreds of other questions to follow. If they were disrespectful to the lands, how come places such as this looked peaceful, undisturbed? Perhaps it was the fact that Dahlia was only a small fragment within a much larger scope than imagined, and only then when she would mature would she then figure out the answers to her questions in her mind. As much as she could ask Cwmfen all day about endless questions, for now, at least she realized it was best to ask one at a time; Cwmfen was wise, but she did not want to upset her with so many irrelevant, random questions at once.
Hearing how Cwmfen thought about her own mother on occasion, it made Catalyst feel slightly relieved on the inside to know she wasn't the only one with her and her siblings who thought about their mother from time to time. "Me too. Me too." She agreed, with a sullen smile on her little maw. Seeing as how the two were getting accustomed to one another, Catalyst temporarily forgot about the Spring, and the tadpoles that were gliding by her. At Cwmfen's question of how the water temperature was, Catalyst looked down around her, seeing everything in place as before. "'S nice. There's still many of those... tadpoles. You should come in, I don' think they'll mind... either" Her paws bobbed up and down, slightly splashing and grinning toward the darkly marked warrior, making a murky cloud from where she was moving her paws around underwater in front of her.
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"It all begins with discipline—self control," the soft melody responded quietly. That was perhaps the most important entity for a warrior. There were many ‘fighters’ out in the world who possessed little or no self control; while such creatures were dangerous, they were also easily conquered, for without control technique and training are nothing. And it was important for Catalyst to learn this now. Should the white pup decide to walk the path of the warrior, she would need to know such a thing. "Then you begin with the basics, learning the skills needed to train and discipline the body. Through this, you learn your strengths and weaknesses, and you can chose what kind of warrior to become." Not all creatures were the same, and, as was to be expected, each had a different strength. Through the strength, a great warrior could emerge, and through the understanding of the weakness, a greater warrior. Cwmfen herself was a warrior that fought primarily through her body without the aid of weapons. While she did learn and attempt to master many weapons, it was not as impressive as the use of her body. That was not to say that she could not best many when sparring with a sword or bo or knife, but she preferred her own body. It was a preference that most likely arose from her natural and less humanesque life. The white orbs watched the young girl carefully. "If you decide to walk that path, I will be there to help you." Whether or not she would decide such a thing was not known to the black fae, but she knew that she would guide the young girl if that path were to be chosen. While she had never taught another from the beginning, she had aided in perfecting skill with Ezekiel. And she would do her best with her own packmembers.
When Catalyst inquired about her wounds, a light smile graced the black fae’s maw. "There was another wolf—an adult—that wanted to eat her, and he did not want to give up his meal," the soft alto explained. Once she said it, the woman realized that it would sound like the stories told to frighten pups, but it was very much a real threat. "I would have killed him," the woman continued, her words not lessened for the ears of the pup, for she was not aware that such a thing may have been necessary. "But I did not have enough strength," she admitted openly, without shame but perhaps with a hint of frustration. "Luckily neither did he." Perhaps, if the male had called her bluff, she would have been killed. But she was accustom to such a concept, accustom to the brush of Death. And she had not been afraid. Her only concern then had been the safety of the pup. And now she would be able to live another day and perhaps save another. But the warrior could not hate Brennt, for he gave to her that which she loved: battle. The Adonis knew, however, that he could not be suffered to live because he had threatened those of her pack. That she knew.
"Yes, the humans made the homes here," the warrior confirmed with a quiet nod. "And nature is slowly reclaiming her land." Indeed those edificial remains were slowly decaying if they had not already, and the trees and foliage and moss had grown upon the stone and wood. "But," the woman said suddenly, "They provide homes for wolves that prefer houses to dens. Some even build new ones." Henratha was one such wolf that she had learned could build the things that humans had built, at least out of wood. But the black fae did not doubt that there were others in the land who had learned such a trade. The child of Nemain, however, could only hope that the canines of this age did not make the same mistakes that the humans had.
A brighter smile characterized the woman’s maw. With the young girl’s approval of the water’s quality, the woman rose. Her initial movements were stiff for the scars that freshly marred her body, but with the encouragement of motion, she swiftly regained her grace. For a moment the woman stood at the edge, looking down at the shallow shore of the pool. Then she lowered her front legs into the pool, feeling the cool water lap at her ankles. Gracefully, the warrior lowered the rest of her body and joined the girl, the white orbs watching the tadpoles scatter. "The water is nice," the quiet alto agreed. Quietly, with minimal ripples, the woman pushed herself into the deeper waters of the pool, paddling to keep herself afloat. The cool temperature eased the agitation felt within the healing scars; where most would disappear, some would remain to mark her skin, but the fur would keep them quietly away. The white orbs watched the darker colours of the depths before she looked up to Catalyst. "Can you swim?" she inquired, inviting the pup to explore that part of the pool.
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These elements of the warrior, the very beginnings in order to be thrust upon the correct path of one, Catalyst was immensely interested by what Cwmfen had to tell her; small ears perked forward, at their highest attention, dual eyes focused upon the woad marked woman, and trying as best as she could to comprehend every single word that rolled from her tongue. Discipline, self control. That seemed easy enough, right? Well, not quite, not for her yet. That would come with time and maturity, but it all seemed to be a simple concept than done. It also appeared to be that one had several choices on what warrior to become. "How many diff'rent types are there?" She inquired, wondering what different categories there were, maybe there would be a particular liking to one, or one that would seem more fun than the rest. Strengths and weaknesses, Catalyst instantly perked up at the word strength. For a pup, she knew herself that she had some bout of courage in her, more so than most female puppies her age should have. Finding out one's strengths and weaknesses? Seemed like a fun activity, like getting to know yourself a little bit more, which was what it was. At Cwmfen's offerings of guiding her along the way if that was the path she wanted to try, her little stub of a tail went into the throes of a wag, snaking around underneath the surface of the water she was situated in still, making ripples with the movement of her tail. "Oo, tha' would sound like fun! With you!" Catalyst already looked at Cwmfen as very wise, and what better opportunity would it be to be helped by someone who could pass their wise nature onto them? Catalyst was getting pretty riled up about this idea, and couldn't wait to hear what else Cwmfen had to say about it, if anything.
The topic took a more morbid turn, explaining the reasoning behind Cwmfen's wounds and what happened to Avarice. At the explanation, Catalyst's eyes widened slightly. Lets get this straight, someone tried to eat her sister? Make a meal out of her? This suddenly made the little pup agitated. One could tell by the glint in her eyes that there was a storm mustering up within her at this news, and it would be a storm she couldn't weather out for quite sometime after this. "He... he tried to... eat her?" She said in bewilderment, but also confirmation to herself that Cwmfen certainly didn't seem like the type to tell lies, and it was true. Cwmfen almost killed him, but he was still out there, on the loose, possibly returning sometime again to strike. Attacking a sister, an individual of blood to her, that was personal. And anything personal, certainly wouldn't get by Catalyst so easily. "I want to find him... nobody's goin' to try an' eat my sister." Her voice was defiant, looking to the dark woman with eyes that spoke of determination, now fully fledged frustration. Yes, it seemed to be the most sensical thing for Catalyst at this point to help Cwmfen find this monster puppy eater, and take him down (even though she was too small, too weak, too young... still, nobody messed with her kind).
It was indeed the human's responsibilities who made these structures, but it was good to know nature was taking back what was hers. Cwmfen was certainly right, for the structures did provide shelter, like the church she lived in, from the temperament of weather on the outside and when it grew too hot to endure heat. It was an amazing concept to know that even the Luperci were beginning to learn the skills of these humans as well, and Catalyst would be fortunate enough to meet Henratha in the couple coming of days, as he worked tirelessly on perfecting a slab of wood. "Yes. I like the church." Was what Catalyst had to comment about her own abode where herself and her siblings resided at. "What... home do you live in?" Catalyst couldn't recall seeing Cwmfen before in the Town of Wolfville, and Dahlia was a huge territory to a small pup, so she could only wonder where the warrior resided at for the time being.
Wading a bit to the side to make way for the warrior woman, Catalyst held a small smile on her muzzle as she watched Cwmfen submerge into the depths of the pool. Seeing as how the tadpoles quickly scattered away from the larger form that entered their territory, Catalyst simply watched as Cwmfen drifted off to deeper parts of the waters, reluctant to follow. At the question of whether or not she knew how to swim, Catalyst softly shook her head from side to side. "N-Nein." She spoke in her native tongue, feeling apprehension of the darker waters that Cwmfen treaded within. It looked pretty... intimidating to her.
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"Well," the woman began. And then she paused. There were many types of warriors, more than she even knew. There were different styles for each art, but the woman had not necessarily adopted a single style as she had to teach such things to herself. Her fighting style, however, was similar to her father’s style, which came from Korea. The style she utilized with sword, bow, and spear, were more acutely unique to her mother’s culture. And of course, in her lupus form, it was a mixture of her father’s style and the techniques of instinct. Perhaps, the warrior decided, it would be best for now to divide them into the weapons utilized. "Some warriors prefer certain weapons. Knives, Swords, axes, spears, staffs, bos and many other weapons, sometimes it’s simply what is available. Others use only their bodies." The latter was her own personal preference, for the song of war was more acutely heard when fighting in that style. But she saw the uses of weapons as well, falling to the sword and spear, especially with the luperci form, as it allowed the use of such things. But the woman often fought without weapons for she found garments—even belts—to be extremely uncomfortable. On days when she traveled very far, shifting occasionally between forms, it was simpler to leave behind her weapons. For this reason the warrior practiced very diligently several times a day.
The woad warrior smiled. "I’d like that too." Dahlia did indeed need more warriors. Currently, in a period of peace, her singularity was not an issue. However, in the future should great conflict arise, the presence of at least a triumvirate of warriors would be ideal. Of course, if Catalyst did decide to chose that path, Cwmfen would train her. If Catalyst could not kill when required, she could remain within the packs as a trainer. There were many possibilities, and the woman tried to consider all of them. It was simply her nature, a necessity of survival.
Cwmfen nodded silently, confirming that Brennt did indeed attempt to devour her sister. It did not surprise the black fae that such a thing would seem incredulous. She herself had never met anyone quite like that yellow eyed predator. And that was what intrigued her about him. And the warrior was not ashamed or embarrassed that she had allowed the male to mount her—to the warrior it was simply a way of knowing. But that would not stop her from killing him, from doing what was needed. She did not have that type of attachment to the male. "No," the female said suddenly in response to that defiant declaration, the alto melody taking on a commanding heir. "You must not go looking for him." The woman knew how such a thing would end: with Catalyst dead, her remains devoured. Such behavior would only bring trouble upon the others. Avarice herself had sought to attack Brennt, and that had only made her part more difficult. The wounds on her flank were the result of such action. And of course the woman could not and did not blame the pup. They simply did not know. "Part of being a warrior is knowing when to fight and when not to fight. And I will fight," the woman continued gently. "Your job is to remain her, to learn." Discipline.
"Yes, the church is beautiful." The woman had only seen the Rosea’s home once, and she had been there only briefly to discuss a warning she had felt. It was then that the Rosea had asked her to step up to that Adonis position. But the church had strange glass in the windows, and the sun made it colourful inside. She had only seen such a thing briefly, for she had not been inside the Church, but she decided that it must be an interesting place for a pup. "I live in a den," the woman replied, her maw gesturing behind her. The earth was an appropriate place for her to make her home, as she was a creature that remained relatively natural. But the earth too was an element of the Morrigan, and it allowed her soul a certain amount of solace. The tree above her den watched silently, and from there the woman could enjoy the song of nature and peace and solitude.
The water was cool as she swam in its embrace. That soft touch soothed her body, brushing away the discomforts of the wounds and bruises that was all that remained of that battle. Above them, the Raven watched, his beak clicking occasionally. Spreading his wings, the pied bird fell from his perch, gliding upon the air to land where Cwmfen had once been laying. The single eye turned from Catalyst to the warrior, who met that gaze with a feeling of warmth but also with that deep warning that she could not explain. For a moment she thought that the large bird would join her in the water, but he soon decided against it and was still upon the shore. The black fae gave the Raven a quiet smile before she turned back to the girl (with the gaze of the Raven falling also upon Catalyst).
"Don’t be afraid of the water," the woman soothed, sensing the nervousness within the pup. Had she been able to shift, the woman would have been able to be a more reassuring presence, being able to hold the pup in her arms. But the wounds did not yet allow such a thing. Now would be a good time for the pup to learn such a skill, however, for the water, if one could not swim, could kill. But the warrior would not push the pup; she would come when she was ready. It was the way of all things. Finding a rock that jutted from somewhere beneath, the woman stood upon it with enough height to hold her head comfortably above the water. There was a good distance, perhaps a spear’s length, where the deeper waters opened up between the warrior and the pup, but it was not an insurmountable distance. "Just paddle your legs as if you were running," the woman suggested, "and look where you want to go."
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