Heika
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Post by Heika on Aug 18, 2016 15:20:50 GMT -5
| DO I DARE, DISTURB THE UNIVERSE? | Iiona felt the sides of her mouth lift upwards at Halcyon’s expression. “It’ll dawn on me. I’m sure I’ll see the light sooner or later.” He had lifted his head up high, chest puffing out ever so slightly, and she was glad that he was enjoying this as much as she was. But, as she was about to think up a response, she felt a strange tension float back into their surroundings. Glancing over, the cheerfulness slipped from her face in lieu of confusion as she observed Halcyon’s smile. Just moments ago, it had been so genuine, and she had enjoyed the prize she had won with her jokes. In the blink of an eye, however, the honesty in his expression had slipped away, leaving a believable, yet also questionable, empty mask. The differences were slight, but they were there, and Iiona was urged to inquire as to what was wrong. But, as she opened her mouth, she hesitated and closed it without saying a word. He was not yet part of her pack. His problems were not hers to help with. Besides, there was something about the apprehension hanging in the air that warned her that Halcyon’s issues were far from simple, and that she should do well not to underestimate them. So, holding her silence, she returned her gaze to the mountains rising up ahead.
As they reached the outskirts of the forest, Halcyon asked, “Will we be climbing it, or had you other plans instead?” Looking over, she met his eyes and felt a sense of relief at the anticipation she found there. Whatever thoughts that had been on his mind seemed to have passed for the time being, and that put her at ease once more. Shooting a pensive look upwards, Iiona weighed her options before shaking her head in the negative. “Not today,” she responded, turning to guide them back into the shade and humidity of the forest. “I think it’ll be smarter for us to take a break from the heat for a while. There’s a waterfall nearby which provides a nice little hideaway where we can rest.” Honestly, Sky Falls was very close by. Located at the base of the mountain, they would just need to follow the curve of the forest to reach it. Already, if she bothered to listen closely, she would just be able to hear the sound of rushing water over the chattering of the jungle. “Don’t worry,” she offered, not having forgotten his earlier eagerness. “If you’d like, we can come back to climb it another time when it’s not too hot. Maybe at night?”
Leading the way through the still rather thin greenery, she asked Halcyon, “Were there mountains where you’re from?” Even though she was supposed to be introducing him to the Island, Iiona was still curious about the mainland. She had heard stories about it from her father, but he had always been somewhat vague and eager to redirect her attention to the lands she would rule in the future. “There will be time for you to learn about the mainland later,” he had brushed her questions aside time after time, “after you’ve become a capable alpha.” But, as she had just barely come of age with his passing, Baye’s stories had followed him to the grave, and she was nearly completely ignorant of the geographical landmarks on the mainland. She hoped that Halcyon would be able to teach her more about it. After all, even with how secluded the pack was, there may come a day when they would have to deal with threats from across the Channel, and Iiona wanted to be prepared for any possibilities.
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613 | | Sorry for the late reply friend! |
ORIGINAL PHOTO © DON BURKETT
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Ray
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btw i brought u a snek
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Post by Ray on Sept 18, 2016 14:44:39 GMT -5
HALCYON vanatore
my heart is like a stallion, they love it more when it's broken
ooc: I mean, you know where I've been, but I'm still sorry for taking a literal month LOL
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"Not today. I think it'll be smarter for us to take a break from the heat for a while. There's a waterfall nearby which provides a nice little hideaway where we can rest." Halcyon nodded amiably at Iiona's decision. She knew the island best, after all, and if the alpha considered the weather to be hot he was sure a mainland wolf like him would find it much hotter. However, it seemed she had noticed his earlier uncharacteristic excitement, because Iiona quickly followed up with a second suggestion. "Don't worry. If you'd like, we can come back to climb it another time when it's not too hot. Maybe at night?" Pleasantly surprised, Halcyon inclined his head gently in agreement, and also to indicate that he was grateful. It was still surprising to have another wolf be aware of, and also make decisions influenced by his own interests and desires. He was used to the swift and cautious hello-goodbye of loners crossing paths, their desires self-serving, with no intention of continuing any interactions past a cursory greeting. It did make him feel somewhat uncomfortable, but not in a bad way - it felt like spring coming up and melting the snow, replacing the old with something newer, brighter. Halcyon decided that though it put him on edge, this was a positive feeling he could grow to like.
They skirted the base of the mountain and continued on a short time before Iiona spoke again. "Were there mountains where you're from?" He cocked his head for a second as if to recall before replying. "We have many mountains in the north, but the greatest by far is the Everbane." Halcyon had spent many moons traversing the peaks and valleys of the mountain ranges that lined the White Forest, both before and after his banishment. Suddenly in his mind's eye, he was transported back to those cold, unforgiving snowscapes. "The Everbane is harsh and unrelenting, and few animals can live on it. It's so cold that the snow never melts, and some say if you try to climb to its peak you won't make it back down. I haven't tried, and I don't suppose I ever will." Halcyon then squeezed out an apologetic half-smile - his recount of the mountains of his homeland, though accurate, did sound particularly morose and foreboding. He didn't want to dampen the mood and make it sound as if he intended to go back to the very place that he had come here to escape from, but it was too late now. Hopefully Iiona would overlook his tone in her frank way and focus on the information instead.
As they continued on, Halcyon's sharp hearing picked up the musical rush of water splashing down from a height, and the sparse greenery at the forest's edge which they were following began to grow more lush and shady again at the presence of the life-giving liquid. Peering past the foliage, he could just about make out the waterfall in the distance as its spray glittered in the bright sunlight, and at the welcoming sight his mouth decided to dry out and remind him that a cool drink would certainly be welcome. Glancing over at Iiona, Halcyon waited patiently for her to advance first. A small but significant part of him was curious to see how the island wolves refreshed themselves in such heat, and another part of him was surprised that he could even find it in himself to be curious at all. Perhaps the balmy air was doing him some kind of good after all.
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Heika
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Post by Heika on Oct 14, 2016 22:47:12 GMT -5
| DO I DARE, DISTURB THE UNIVERSE? | As Halcyon spoke, Iiona allowed her mind to conjure up an image of the mighty mountain. She saw the Everbane cleave through a forest, an intimidating reminder of Mother Nature’s vast powers. And then, there was the snow. She had played with snow before, as a young pup, when her father led her up Lovers’ Peak. At the very top of the mountain was a smudge of icy coldness, and she had yipped excitedly as it stung at the pads of her paws when she kicked it about. But, the rest of the Island had remained relatively temperate, so it was hard for her to grasp the idea of a pure white landscape, interrupted by nothing other than a few slashes of evergreen. Every time she thought she had it, the image kept slipping away. No, that was a picture she would have to experience in person to truly understand, and, as she came to that conclusion, she felt a sinking disappointment bubble up in her chest. With her responsibilities to her pack, it was unlikely that she would ever get the chance to leave for a long enough duration to traverse the mainland, leaving Everbane and all the other mysteries she was sure she would find there far out of her reach.
But, now was not the time to feel sorry for herself. Pushing the feeling aside and returning to the here and now, she glanced over to see Halcyon offering her a faint, sheepish smile, no doubt for his bleak description. It was slightly unfounded, however, as she didn’t mind. Honestly, it just didn’t seem to be like Halcyon to give her a long spiel, or to gush about something like this, especially if he had grown up around it. Lupe knows Iiona wouldn’t have much to say about the jungle or anything along those lines either. And, she had the information to paint a decent backdrop of the landmark in her head, so it was more than enough for her.
During the entire exchange, they had continued to press forward through the jungle, and, soon enough, the sound of rushing water filtered through the trees ahead of them. Knowing what to expect, Iiona was eager to pick up the pace, but restrained herself with a quick reminder that she had to look out for more than herself at the moment. Even though Halcyon appeared to be a quick learner, she’d prefer not to push him; navigating the tricky landscape with ease was not something learned in a day. Besides, even at the relatively slow pace, Iiona could already see the Falls up ahead.
Padding out into a small clearing, she closed her eyes contentedly as mist from the base of the falls blew past, whisking away the heat that had permeated through her thinner summer coat. The water tumbled down high cliffs, plummeting through the air until it crashed into the pond below with a thunderous sound. But, despite the power of the waterfall, life gathered around the pool eagerly. On the far side of the clearing, a few birds, obnoxiously bright and colorful, twittered to each other and bathed themselves in the shallows. A red ruffed lemur leapt away from the clearing at the wolves’ appearance, chattering nervously as it scaled the nearest tree and swung away. The falls were one of the most plentiful sources of fresh water on the Island, and, as such, the main pack bedded not too far away. Maybe I’ll take Halcyon there afterwards, Iiona considered the possibility for a moment, before pulling herself back on track. But, first, time to cool off.
“Welcome to Sky Falls,” she called over her shoulder to her companion, noting how he kept his distance from the water. Recognizing that he was waiting for her, Iiona offered him an open smile and made her way to the edge of the pool. Peering pensively down at her reflection for a moment, she lapped at the liquid, breaking the surface with rhythmic waves as she drank. When she had finally quenched her thirst, she stood up, glanced back at Halcyon to see if he was interested in joining her, took a deep breath, and leapt into the pool. Despite it being rather shallow, it was still deep enough to completely submerge a wolf if they pulled their legs in, and she took advantage of that fact as she felt the cool water pushing past her fur and dragging against her skin. It was a refreshing coldness, a stark contrast to the heated weather, and she enjoyed her surroundings for a moment longer before stretching out her legs and surfacing. Shaking her head furiously and getting most of the water out of her ears, she nodded at Halcyon, who was still standing on shore.
“Come on,” she invited him. “Don’t worry! It’s not deep!”
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806 | | And so the novel writing curse continues lmao |
ORIGINAL PHOTO © DON BURKETT
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