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He moved with a slow, tentative grace. Anu watched intently, just in case he needed her help. Noticing the trouble that he was having with freeing the flower from the pot Anu almost moved in to assist. But he got it, pulling the flower and then cradling it with his other hand, just as she would have. She smiled, approving of his actions. Anu would invite him in her garden at any time, his hands seemed just at home in the soils as hers did. “You’re a natural” Anu commented when the flower was safely in place.
“The soil is heavy from the rains. It’s a good time to plant, you will only have to water her every other day, to keep the dirt moist enough.” Her hands ran over the pile of dirt that they had created, pushing it towards the flower and letting it fall over the roots. She smiled contently, watching as the flower stood strait and as the hole filled. The more dirt that filled the more pressure Anu placed on it. She looked back at the male, and them beckoned him closer, and looked at his hands.
Anu took hold of his larger paws, and placed them on the dirt. She pressed hers against his, applying just the right amount of pressure. “Not any lighter, not any heavier.” She said, looking at the flower and then his face. “There should be just this amount of water in the soil.” Anu sat back, a smile on her face and spoke with a laugh in her voice. “And there we go. You’re a new dad.”
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Hemming smiled widely at her compliment, feeling proud at the thought that he might actually deserve it. He felt almost like a little child, kneeling in the dirt and learning from someone who had so much more experience and knowledge than he did. He tried to absorb the information she gave as precisely as possible, noting the frequency with which he should water the flower as the most important piece of information. The student nodded to show that he understood, and gently pushed a little of the dirt into the hole as she did. It was wonderful to have the little flower right at home in the earth.
He let her take his paws, and as she pushed them against the ground he stared at the flower absentmindedly, trying to memorize the feeling. Once the two wolves were done settling the flower in, Hemming would be, for the most part, on his own. He needed to remember the things she was telling him so that he may provide the flower with the best possible care. "Okay," he said gently, still trying his best to commit that exact feeling to memory. The earth was a little spongy, full but not saturated. He would have to find a little bucket to transport water in, at least if the rains gave up.
The gray wolf brought his gaze back up from the soil now, and stared happily at the yellow petals, streaked with faint lines of orange. He was still amazed by the immense beauty of the plant, so elaborate and bold in its form compared to the wildflowers he was familiar with. Hemming laughed heartily at her comment, and quipped, "Oh, good. I've always wanted children... little flower children." He looked back to Anu and added, "You'll come by and visit her often, won't you, Auntie Anu?"
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Anu was happy to give him this, and share her love for the little plants. The hope filled fey believed that he would make sure that this flower flourished. The weather was not as past summers had been, with much more rain then expected and helped against sun damage. The water could indeed bring disease, but the sufficient drainage would certainly help. Anu felt such plants, the gifts and the ones that she let leave with a little part of herself attached, always seemed to live well beyond the beginning of fall. And then, when its time had passed Anu would bring him another once spring came.
He was a good student, and Anu smiled as his concentration. It looked like he was taking in every step she gave, placing it in his memory for when she was no longer there to help. His comment made her laugh and she thought of all her little flower children at home. It did seem like they would be the only brood she bore herself, and still they were not completely hers. She wasn’t meant to be a mother, but a guardian and nurturer and nothing more.
“Of course I will, maybe with a brother or sister for her.” Anu teased, looking briefly at the flower that they sat beside.
Eyes drifted to the bird that still sat on his head. Blue eyes brightened as she asked,
“And what does Dagrun think?” It was an innocent question to ask about a very personal connection, and her smiled came only as a soft curve of her lips. She hated to pry, but Hemming didn’t seem too sensitive about what he shared with her. She just hoped the little spirit liked it too.
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The male had never given a thought to having real children, those of his own flesh and blood. That urge was never really present, hidden amongst his desire to learn, to make, and to discover as much beauty as he could. It was possible that the beauty in a bond such as that had been completely lost on him, as he had never been around a family with pups and he hadn't spent much time with his own when he was young. Whether the ultimate desire for puppies was hidden or simply not there at all, for the moment he was completely content just staring at the little yellow flower. In his imagination, she peered right back.
Hemming pushed his heels out from under him and settled to the ground, crossing his legs. The day lily was such a little gem that he could not take his eyes off of her. "Oh, good," he replied cheerfully, "And I think she does want a little brother." A laugh escaped him. Once again the two wolves were caught up in a silly alternate reality that, while maybe a little odd, was just as wonderful as the real world.
The transformation in personality that Dagrun seemed to go through when surrounded by different people was a little amusing to the wolf. For now she was quiet, but it was quite possible that as soon as Anu left she would be spilling everything she knew about day lilies, what she thought about the alabaster female, and additionally, the species of bugs she had spotted in the earth while the two dug and which was the most tasty of them all. The little bird did not seem to like to speak when Hemming was with someone, as if she did not want to intrude. Now that Anu was questioning her own thoughts, she piped up, "I think it is quite lovely!" Hemming chuckled, looking to Anu, and said with a grin, "She seems quite fond of it."
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She envied his connection with the little bird, but it was a sort of sweet jealousy that made her happier for him rather then an envious shade of green. For some reason Anu wanted to know what went on between the two, not the intimate details, but the simple things. She was sure that Hemming found her company enjoyable, but then there was another that shouldn’t be ignored.
Anu smiled, glad that she did indeed like it. Good, then all those that lived behind the bright lily would enjoy doing so. Blue eyes looked at the petite brown avian, her smile unwavering. “Good, I wouldn’t want anyone to be unhappy with her.” It was a true fear, but Anu spoke as if it was only a trivial second thought. She sat upon his crown, as if nothing more then extension of his cranium. Anu could have laughed at the thought, a bird sprouting from his head.
When she thought that another moment with her gaze on the Spirit Guide would be called staring Anu moved her head down. They sat in front of each other, the lily between them. The woman had fulfilled her purpose, and it seemed like the things that she hoped to distract herself from thinking of began to flood back. Willfully Anu held them at bay, rebuilding the dam that might be able to hold them until her visit had ended. She didn’t want to leave this world so soon, for it was a place where she forgot everything that happened in her own pack. “I don’t imagine you all live in that cave. You two live alone?” Hemming had never mentioned someone that he was close to, no family. She thought it nice to step further into his world rather then her own.
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Hemming could not imagine, realistically, the type of character that would not be happy with the flower. It would have to be someone rather hateful, who despised beauty, who had no fondness at all for a kind gift... In his world, these types did not exist, and he was quite happy for that fact. Smiling back at Anu, he asked rhetorically, "Who could be unhappy with her?" His smile remained wide. If Dagrun didn't like the flower, he didn't think that he would be able to get along with her. He was constantly spouting out praise for the world that surrounded them when they wandered, and anyone that wouldn't be able to deal with that would likely find Hemming an immense bore. Dagrun, though she might not be as completely enamoured with each little blossom, each blade of grass and each sunset as he was, was happy to cheep her agreement.
He moved his eye to his cave, imagining the entire AniWaya tribe shoved into its tight rocky walls. He couldn't squash the sheepish grin that pulled across his face at the image it garnered. "Yep," he chuckled, "Just me and Dag." He was quiet for a moment before regretfully standing up and abandoning the flower. "Do you want to see inside? Come on," he prompted, stepping towards the cave's entrance. His den wasn't really anything special, and was rather cluttered at that, but he figured that Anu wouldn't mind. There was a special kind of feeling in sharing a glimpse of where one lived, and he was pleased to invite her in. The wolf ducked through the rather low door, placing his hand against the wall as he stepped through.
It was rather dim inside, but light did filter through. Hemming usually only went in there to sleep. The world outside was much to grand to sit in a cramped, dark cave all day. "I don't spend a lot of time in here, but it's a good place to keep things," he said by way of explanation, taking a few strides in before stopping. There was a couple of furs on the ground, kindly given to him by Ember, and a small pile of his own fur that he had been collecting as it fell out for the summer. That, perhaps, was the strangest thing in there. There was a spindle and a fist-sized ball of yarn he had spun. A pile of sticks that he had been carving into spears lay against the wall with the stone he had been carving with, and nearby there was a small pile of knitting needles that he had made in a similar fashion. There were two books piled on top of each other against the wall, and on top of them was a larger rock, flat on the top.
Hemming grinned as he spotted it, and picked it up. It was difficult to see in the dim light, but the shiny pink surface was freckled with the forms of little shelled creatures. He had found the fossil down in Drifter Bay, with Kansas. Looking at it filled Hemming with awe, and he kept it in his hands. He would show Anu when she was not distracted by the other things in his den, and they could take it out into the sun where it could be seen properly. The wonders of the Earth were vast, from the things long dead to the things currently living, and now Hemming had a good example of both.
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Why would anyone be unhappy with the lily? Especially a spirit that was connected to the soul of Hemming, whose heart was so big and held so much love that it was only natural to enjoy the things the Earth provided. Anu had seen that in him the first moment they had met. But maybe she worried that the little one that sat upon his head would be unhappy in her presence. Was she seeking acceptance, and not really hoping for it for the day lily? She shook the thought from her mind; the spirit bird had been cordial and just as accepting as Hemming always was. She didn’t understand the need to be like so truly but the little bird, but instead of questioning it Anu pushed it from her mind letting her smile cover her small insecurity.
“Yes.” Anu piped up as he rose and questioned her. Walking slowly behind him Anu kept her eyes on the entrance, looking back only once to see that the flower stood even when they had left its presence. Blue eyes looked into the shadowed entrance, her smile fading into a more curious gaze. She looked around as she entered, finding the space suitable for the male and nicely furnished. A smiled came to her lips once more, listening as he spoke. She could agree, it was nice to have a place to keep the things once could find on explorations. She could help but look around, peering at the little projects that he had begun and not yet finished. It made sense that he had built the kite, it looked like her constructed many other things, including weapons. Lightly she touched the long sticks that could be made into the fighting tools. Anu wondered if he used them.
“What is that?” Anu asked with a curious excitement, walking close and looking down at it. She had never seen such a thing.
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[html] some pp with her coming out of the den after him - if you don't like it i can change it 
There weren't many things that Hemming disliked more than killing something. Even if something died in his hands, by his fault or not, his heart felt as if it filled with gravel, strained by the heaviness of guilt and sadness. He had used the spears he made, though, to kill an elderly deer when he went hunting with Ember. It was a necessary pain, as wolves couldn't live without the meat, and Hemming could only justify it by thinking of those that would go hungry without it. It would stay in the huts in central AniWaya until it was needed, held over for the harsher winter months. The death of these animals, though painful for everyone involved, was a good investment. Nonetheless, emotions always caught him during these times, and Hemming always felt the need to say goodbye, regretfully, and show his gratitude.
Anu spotted the thing in his hands, and he covered it up with his other palm, gasping and exclaiming, "Don't look at it yet! You have to see it in the light." Figuring she had had enough time to give everything in his den a good look, Hemming stepped back out before unshielding the fossil. The pink crystals on the top, not part of the magic of the fossil but certainly adding to it, shimmered in the light. With a wide grin, he looked into her cerulean eyes and said, "It's a fossil. I found it down along the shore." With a thin finger, he pointed to one of the five or so impressions of shells that bulged out of the surface. "This is some kind of creature that lived, I don't know, millions of years ago?" Hemming wasn't sure about the timeline, as he hadn't taken a trip to the library yet, but he figured it was a good rough guess. There was a sparkle in his eye as he looked at it, betraying the pleasure he derived from sharing it with someone.
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Anu was not one for weapons. The moment she had come to these lands she had been confronted by a wolfess wearing a blade. Knifes and swords were her least favorite, meaning only death and destruction to the peaceful female. All her life she had been like the flowers she had tended to. Quiet, still and thoughtful. There for comfort and a gentle ear. For a small moment of her life Anu had found that anger and rage ruled her being, and hate had driven her to violence. But she had been able to reclaim herself, though a fire still burned at her core. The spear was less intimidating, but having been nose to spear-tip recently while in the Dahlia lands Anu would move slowly around them.
Her head shot backwards slightly as he closed his hands, keeping the object from her sight. She laughed a little from the surprise, and followed at his heels until they were in the light of the shadowed sun. Feeling its warmth on her face once again, Anu looked at his yellow orbs with an excited curiosity. Looking down at the object in his hands Anu looked long and hard at the pink toned rock. No, it was something far grander. It shone in the dim sun, absorbing the hazy raze as if it sat right beside the sun instead light-years away and behind a veil of clouds. It was like a diamond, but in her eyes far more beautiful.
Unable to look away Anu listened to its story. Age had been good to this treasure, and she couldn’t stop her finger from touching its surface. It was something that would never walk the earth again and something that hadn’t since before their time. “Its so old…” Anu spoke still dazzled by the fossil. Looking at him once more, Anu thought of each time she had seen him, the jelly fish, the kite, and now this. “You always find, or make, the most amazing things.” And he did
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Hemming was always looking for things like this, constantly on the prowl for the little wonders that offered a glimpse into some other world. Indeed, this fossil was like a door to a place so unlike their own, a rock that had the power to transport its beholder to some other time and place. He had been lucky to spot it, tucked among thousands of rocks that Hemming wouldn't dare call unspecial. They too had traversed the meandering path of time and deserved some of the same wonder. Nonetheless, the fossil was extraordinary among the rocks, as it documented life. Wolves, themselves having had life breathed into them, were fond of finding it in other creatures. To Hemming, at least, these little bumps on the stone were more valuable to him than the finest diamond for the insights they gave into an ancient life.
He scrunched his shoulders a bit and looked at Anu, a sheepish smile plastered across his maw and his eyebrows raised, at her next comment. The male took it as an enormous honour, something he didn't really know how to respond to. A wider grin snaked across his lips, and he turned his eyes back to the fossil, watching the way her finger settled on the stone. "My friend, Kansas, found one too. I think there might be quite a few of them down in Drifter Bay," he said by way of, albeit tangentially, acknowledging her words. He didn't quite feel like he deserved her praise. Perhaps it was premature to regard Kansas as a friend, but Hemming thought he had spotted a fellow adventurer and marveller within him. It was, compared to other times he had met someone new, almost like the experience he had had with Anu down in the Trenches. That had led to a strong, much cherished friendship, and perhaps Hemming was uncovering a trend.
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posting from work, sorry for the poor quality. :|
She had never been one to travel, in her younger years. Even when she settled down in a certain place she wouldn’t be found roaming the borders and outside lands. But as she grew older she found that she wandered endlessly, and it wasn’t so much things that she found but beings. The persons that came along on her little adventures, or those that she just met and never saw again could not come home with her in her hand nor could they fit in a satchel. The female had never minded it, and enjoyed getting to know others, as she had Hemming. But as she looked at the fossil, and thought of the things that he had collected Anu wanted to find wonders as well. She wished to scavenge the world for what remain after the humans occupied it, and if there were stones and jewels such as this Anu wanted to find them.
Never meaning to embarrass her friend Anu kept her smile soft and meek as she moved along to the next subject. She wouldn't retract her words, meaning them entirely. Kansas? He knew others from her pack? It shouldn’t have come as such a surprise; he had befriended her hadn’t he? With a personality such as his Anu was sure that he didn’t leave a single soul with making it a friend. Thinking of the white coated male Anu spoke, her eyes on the fossil, “Kansas, he is a packmember of mine.” She said, incase he did not know that they belonged to the same pack. “Maybe you could show me, someday.” she spoke softly, imagining the things she might find at his side. “I’d love to find some thing like this.” He would be good luck during the search, she was sure of it.
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[html] pish posh!
Mystery was one of the most beautiful things, and perhaps knowing was even more wonderful. The world worked in the strangest, most marvelous ways, and reducing the mystery by learning little things about it was never a disappointment. Beneath the surface of what was seen every day was a delightful history, a tale of triumph and failure, of mountains moving and of oceans parting. Hemming would never tire of these things, and would never stop marvelling at the things he didn't know. The humans had uncovered much of the natural world, describing it in the tonnes of books they left behind in their grand libraries. They were now one of the greatest mysteries, defined by the domination they had had of the earth and many of its creatures. The fiction they had spun gave generous insights into their world, and their newspapers chronicled their lives. The humans had been a self-documenting people, and now that they were gone this fact served those who were interested well.
Amber eyes settling on Anu's when she spoked, Hemming tipped his head to his side and replied with a slight laugh, "You know, I thought something about him seemed familiar." A lopsided smile crept up his maw. She suggested that they should go back to the bay, together, and his smile became wide enough for teeth to peek through. "Yes! It's a good distance away, but it's a nice walk. I would like that." He was always up for taking a trip, and having good company would make it all the better. Dagrun chirped cheerfully from the top of Hemming's head. She hadn't been there when he had found the fossil, and it was hard to say whether her cheep was out of excitement to go fossil hunting, or to go on a trip, or if it was because Anu would come along. The wolf assumed it was all three.
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should we fade to black? wrap it up, or keep going xD ??
Fossils, history and the happenings of the world were all written down. Not in one place, but in many. Many, many books held all the mysteries that the earth tied emale would never know. She would not know of dinosaurs, or of the iceage. She would never understand the ways the humans had come to be or how they had infested the planet so quickly. As quickly, in the eyes of a planet, as they had appeared they were washed away like the wolfess would potting soil. She did not read, and so those book not only held the past but they also hid it. Only the testaments fossils and stones of centuries gone could teach her.
“A nice walk it will be, if you join me.” She smiled at her little rhyme, and then looked at the chirping bird that sat on his head. Anu found that she was beginning to feel as much of a friend to her as Hemming had become. Anu would like that, to spend time with him and discover new things yet again. She always did in his presence, and didn’t mind relying on him for those adventures. She was always safe with him, whether they were fling a kite or just giving a lily a new home. Anu was content when with the male, and when Crimson Dreams became too much he had been there for her, even if he didn’t know it.
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[html] i want this thread to last forever! XD buuut i will settle for it ending soon. hemming could walk anu out of aniwaya? :3
The sun was already reaching for the horizon, its golden light filtering through the fields of trees and grass that surrounded them. The day seemed to have gone so quickly, despite the long hours of summer sunlight, and Hemming could only attribute that to the fact that he had spent that time with Anu. It had taken a while to plant the flower, as the gray wolf had tried to do it as perfectly and as gently as he could, and a fair amount of time was spent admiring it, too. Darkness was beginning to creep up the great stretch of cerulean blue on the opposite side, seeing its opportunity as the sun sunk lower and lower. The AniWayan wished that the day wasn't yet over, but the spin of the Earth did not stop for the wishes of a single wolf.
Hemming caught Anu's little rhyme and smiled along with her, making eye contact. Their trip was certainly something he would look forward to, and he was glad that the female didn't mind, or even enjoyed, his presence. She was likely the best friend he had ever had in his lonely life, and always felt buoyed by the time they spent together. The impending darkness was nagging at the edges of the sky, though, and Hemming thought it was only right to let his friend go. Turning his head to send a glance out to the golden sun, he let out a soft sigh, and turned back to her. "I suppose I should let you get back to your own flower children," he said almost wistfully, a soft smile on his face. The wolf found that the darkening sky was making him feel a bit sleepy, the corners of his eyelids feeling a wee bit heavier. All the excitement he had had today was likely a factor, as well.
"The sun is going down, but thanks for coming 'round," he said after a moment of thought, a small smile across his face. "It's been a beautiful time, no doubt, and I'd love to walk you out..?" His smile stretched a little wider, pleased by the game Anu had started, however inadvertently. He was rather surprised that he had actually managed to make two rhymes in a row, even if they were a little clumsy.
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im pretty sure that we could keep it going forever!!
The good god of the fragile female was taking to its bed. Through the clouds, now thin and full of wisps and soft and frail at their edges, it’s remaining light shown and cast long shadows below their feet. Barely dusk and Anu was hoping that her time here had not extended beyond her welcome. Hemming made no notion of it, as she knew he never would. He was by far the most welcoming of friends, and yet Anu felt the pull of responsibility tugging at her halfheartedly.
At his words she smiled, though there was a disappointment in her eyes. She looked to the flower that they had planted together, a child that she had given him and that he now must raise. The male seemed up for such a responsibility, and she could see in his eyes that he was ready and willing. Anu knew that she was leaving her in good hands. “They can be demanding.” Anu joked, her smile bitter sweet.
She laughed as he spoke, poking harmless fun at her own misguided rhyme. “Then take me away, so that I can see you another day.” She smiled as wide as he did, pleased with her own little saying. One last glance at the fossil, and the flower child she had left in his care and they departed. Walking a slow few steps Anu looked in the directions of the small gap that was his packland’s entrance. She was sure they would move with a slow gait and no doubt chatting along the way, the subjects irrelevant and lighthearted. As the always were.
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[html] yaay!! XD
Hemming smiled at the next rhyme that flowed from his friend's mouth, knowing that though this day would end there would be another one just a few hours away. And, sometime soon, though not soon enough, would come the day that the two wolves would take a trip to the bay together to search for fossils. The end of this day was particularly gorgeous, a light breeze drifting through the stalks of wild grass and pushing them aside, gold light clinking off them as they moved. As the sun dipped further and further down, the sky was beginning to erupt into myriads of reds and pinks and purples, the edges of fluffy clouds catching light like cobwebs.
This rhyming game was much too fun, and the male was pleased that Anu continued it. It was wonderful to have a friend such as this, one who would indulge in things that others might consider foolish. There was a depth to Anu that Hemming couldn't perceive, but he felt the effects of it, just as the surface of the water, however subtly, betrays rumblings miles and miles below. The male did not often understand the inner workings of others, but was this necessary to appreciate what was going on on the outside? Though Hemming would never be able to describe the way that Anu thought, a mechanism distinct from how Anu thought, he was developing a working knowledge of who he could be around her. The wolf thought that this was enough to maintain a meaningful relationship and so far it seemed to be working. Overanalyzing and the uncertainty that came with it, he figured, meant the death of all happiness.
He popped the fossil just inside the entrance of the den before they started out towards the edge of AniWaya. Giving a quick glance to the flower as if to say goodbye, he matched Anu's pace and walked along beside her. "Then through the tall grasses we shall go, and while the sun sinks low, beautiful will be the path we walk, and beautiful will be the things of which we talk," he said with a smile, a bounce in his step.
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xD It was darkness that surrounded them. Creeping up and snuffing out the light like a silent assassin. She would never really know it was coming until it was too late. But Anu wouldn’t know, or couldn’t. It was night, in their world, but there were stars and a moon that shone so bright that it was as if the sun had never set, but burst and the remnants scattered across the sky. The little pieces of sun shown through the dissipated clouds, leaving the wolves to walk beneath the glow of the sky’s shattered halo.
Closer and closer to the border of his home they came, smiles gracing their faces the entire way. If one would look upon the pair, they might have seen nothing more then two wolves finding the night a pleasant time to stroll. But if a second glance was given, they would have seen two friends with minds intertwined and if they had looked hard they wouldn’t have seen anyone at all. They would have noticed that they had disappeared into the world that they created and only they knew.
“And the next time it will be the beach, and treasure hunting you will teach.” Anu said with a smile, pointing at his chest as she said spoke of him.
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[html] ah, lovely post!
It happened every time that the two wolves were together. They created their own little world and subsequently disappeared into it, the crueler outside world lost on them. These hidden worlds were a treat, where wonder took wing and play lapped at every shore. The darkness was falling outside, but the sun was always up in their world, feeding the hungry leaves of lovely flowers. Adventure, not only physical but emotional, awaited each time one stepped into it. Hemming sometimes longed to live there forever, but real life needed tending to, as well.
He laughed as she continued their rhyme and pointed a finger in his direction to emphasize her words. The wolf always had an eye out for treasures, but to actively hunt for them was a different matter. He wasn't sure that it was something you could learn from someone else, but perhaps he would be able to scrounge up some pointers. He was sure that Anu would be able to find many things even without his help. She was a completely capable soul, and he was sure that she had the patience for anything. That was what searching was, after all, heroic patience. There was a method to it too, but he found that was a skill inherent in most everyone, and was sure that Anu would have developed this even further when she had collected flowers out of the hills. That, after all, was treasure hunting too. Maybe she would be the one teaching him.
The first few rhymes had come with a little trouble, but now they seemed to be springing right from the mouths of the two wolves. "We'll gaze at creatures from the past, and wonder how their stories managed to last," Hemming added, his smile still as wide as ever and his eyes flicking across to his friend.
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wow, look @ this AMAZING new set xD (thanks again<3)
Maybe treasure hunting wasn’t something that could be taught. But Hemming was good luck. Like a four-leaf clover, a rare gem that was so unique it was said to bring luck to any that could find it. Yes, Anu could let her blue eyes cross over his face and she did feel lucky to have him as a friend. The woman walked beside him, the night falling on the outside world and saw that light that they walked through, just the two of them. For a moment she wanted to stop, and share a question that had been nagging her from a small corner of her mind. Was this for real? Did he ever have a friend like her? For Anu had never had a friend like him. Someone where everything was simple. There were no complications, no circumstances that played against them. They were only this, a slow walk through night, or day. No more, and yet more magical.
The woman kept her questions to herself, she would hide them even if she could make them rhyme. Giggling at the verse he sang Anu had to pause to find the right words. “What ever we find will boggle the mind. And when the day has come to a end, we see that we each never had a better friend.” Her words lacked that laugh and light-heartedness that she previously held. But they held a sweetness, she smiled a wide grin, and in her eyes it could be seen that she was teasing. The female was good at making him uncomfortable, and she wondered if she could make him blush.
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[html] awh, hehe, you're welcome again! <3 and, uh, sorry this is so long >__>!
Darkness had always been a peaceful time for Hemming. The stars would poke through an ebony canopy of sky, and if it was the right time of the month a full moon would smile down, its gaze less harsh than that of the brooding sun. As the two walked, the sun falling lower and lower, the sounds of owls waking from their slumber drifted through the cool night air. The world was turning out of the spell of daylight it had been under and falling under another one, where the space in sound usually occupied by buzzing insects was filled instead with silence.
Hemming had never, in all his life, had a friend such as Anu. He had been in solitude for most of his years, and never exactly knew anyone that fulfilled him so completely. His emotional needs were simple, and she gave them without any conscious thought on her part. She managed to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity that the gray male was so fond of, and this, on all accounts, was a rare and precious thing. The parallel world that they created when they were together was the most wonderful treasure, and though he had enjoyed the company of others he had never managed to disappear with them into a place where words were magic and ideas took wing. Hemming valued Anu more than all the things he had ever owned, including the microscopes and telescopes that were his only friends for a while. They, too, gave him a glimpse of somewhere wonderful and strange, but they were not responsive, not living and dynamic.
Though this feeling was strong, it was not one that Hemming was truly aware of. It made itself evident in the swellings of excitement that spilled from his chest, and the awe that made his head feel so light, but if it was grasped it would swim from his hands like a slippery ghost. Hemming didn't need to know the feeling, though, he only needed to feel it. Putting feelings into words was not something he did often, or even at all. He was shocked doubly by what Anu rhymed next, not only because of the realization of the feeling that had never found its way to being solid, but also because he was completely surprised that the appreciation was reciprocated. Hemming, lonely wolf of the woods, could say with ease that Anu was one of the best things that had ever happened to him, but Anu had a pack, and... actually, he found that he didn't know much about her at all on a visible, solid level. He didn't know that she had children, and hadn't thought about it at all. She must have relations that were more valuable than this wolf, who barely touched his toes to the ground he was floating so high in fantasy.
But she had said it out loud, and the AniWayan was struck for a moment by silence. For a split second the thought that 'friend' was just a very convenient rhyme for 'end,' but he felt that there was a sincereness to her words, and he thought that Anu was the kind to mean what she said. He was silent, still, his eyes meeting hers with a sparkle of disbelief in them. His mouth felt too full of words to make them come out in any sort of order, let alone one that rhymed, so he remained quiet for a few steps, his eyes moving from Anu to the ground, where the tall grasses swayed in the wind. The words she had said were special to him, even if, in this dream world, the poem did not serve as a direct method of saying something. Having a friend was a very special thing indeed, and what she said was going beyond this. Even if she didn't mean it, the very thought of it made a rainbow of butterflies take flight within him.
The only way to respond to it would be in rhyme, continuing on in the same vein. Hemming found it difficult, the blood pounding in his face and the very stark realization that he had never really had anyone who considered him a true friend before this clouding his thoughts. After a few moments of a silence that felt very heavy to him, he said, "We'll leave with handfuls of ancient things trapped in stone, but we'll know they're not the most prized things we own." He kept his eyes on the grasses as the two wolves walked, sure that he wouldn't be able to look into Anu's eyes without the oddest, loneliest, and most wonderful feelings washing over him.
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