almost showtime
#1
[html]



ooc: during the hurricane, so late September. | wc: 605


The cold rain pelted down, grey sky mirroring the stormy grey sea below it. Cosette huddled under the cloak her brother held for her, for once grateful for her small size so that they could share the lavender garment and keep mostly dry. She had no qualms about water or getting her fur wet, but the rain here was cold. In the south, she never had to wait long for the sun to come out again, turning the air hazy as all the water began to evaporate into humidity... but they had come so far to the north, she and Clopin, and the weather was difficult to adjust to. She dreaded the thought of her first winter here -- it could actually snow, like the tales her father told about Nova Scotia. He exaggerated, as was his way, but this storm was like none they had seen in their young lives. Had they made it there yet, or was there more traveling still to go? Follow the coast, and eventually they would recognize the landmarks...

The siblings were huddled at the top of a cliff, the crashing waves loud below them as the coastal storm raged on. It showed no signs of letting up soon, so Cosette flashed a hand signal, indicating they should leave the path and take shelter in the nearby copse of trees. Clopin nodded silently, raising the cloak higher so that they could walk in tandem. The collie dogs breathed a sigh of relief as they cleared the treeline, soon crouching wearily amid the pine needles to rest. They were lean and hungry, malnourished from traveling hard and getting caught in the hurricane. Cosette's dark eyes flashed with fear when she saw Clopin's ribs clearly poking through his silver-white fur; if they were not released from the rain soon, they could starve to death as their mother had before them. With a soft whine, she pulled herself close to her brother, curling in the crook of his arm. His warmth soothed her, as his looming presence so often did. He started stroking her hair, which she did not protest.

"Do oou wanto practice cards?" His voice rumbled from behind her, the slur betraying his deafness. He tapped his claw against the small leather holster on his hip, which concealed the tool of their fortunetelling trade: the Tarot deck. Cosette peeked up at him with an impish smile, making sure her lips were visible so he could read her response. "You need to practice your speaking first! That sounds terrible, bougre!" She punched him lightly in the chest, and he huffed at her, two-toned eye squinting in vague annoyance. She was always berating her brother for that -- he needed to hide his weakness so that he could not be taken advantage of. He could pretend to be strong and silent, sure, but he needed to know more phrases to throw off the casual observer. He was her muscle, but all credibility would be lost if they knew he was deaf and half-blind. Cosette wriggled closer, Clopin obligingly sweeping his cloak around her petite body to keep her warm. "Now watch my lips, and repeat after me..."

The grey curtain of rain drowned out the surroundings beyond the trees, drumming a rhythm to muffle their conversation. The two siblings were utterly alone in the wilderness, trapped in the storm but safe with each other. They would continue to practice their roles until they could play the parts perfectly -- and when the rain cleared up and they could move on, they would be ready to slip into character. It was almost showtime.







[/html]


Forum Jump: