Poetry In Motion [OPEN]

[Deleted]

Wolf

The burning sensation in his nose was almost too much to handle and his tongue flicked out of his mouth with a show of amusement. Heavens knew there was a contentment in every action that was taken, and ache was a bit too intense in his body, a warning that winter had found him. The ghost ache followed along at his heels, the throb was a reminder about what he had lost. Toes were gone due to the frozen chills of winter, something he would never get back so long as he lived.

Concerned features showed a question that could not be denied, even while he stopped dead in his tracks and stared down at his feet. Toes wiggled faintly, stretched in the response and he felt the ghost pull along with him. It bothered him, effortlessly, but he made himself sigh. Tail swished from one side to the other with a loose show of delight while he delighted himself, if could have been worse!

Snowflakes started though, coming down through the cold air. They were going to appear innocent, as they always did, but he knew better. His mouth twisted and the displeasure lingered through his body, even as he considered eating the beasts alive. Snowflakes, flah! They would die a horrid death, and his hip rolled as he snapped at the first one that reached his mouth. Soft liquid groped for murdering him, but there was a feeling of hopelessness that came along with him.

The reassurance was enough to have his head lifted upwards, and his teeth showed in a malicious grin as he moved away from the spot he was expecting the world to come down and strike him. Yes, the world was out to get him. This, evidently, was something he had accepted long ago. Even as he crab walked sideways, stepping out of the falling snowflakes’ line of fire as the wind howled in murderous intentions. Of course, when he went sideways, the patch of ice lunged up and caught him.

"FIZZLE STICKS!” The male yelped as his body lunged sideways, cracking down against the earth as he went. His shoulder hit and the cry turned into a sharp whine, feeling the reminder explode stars behind his eyes. The impact was enough to knock the air out of his lungs. His body trembled, the pain making him lay his head on the ground uselessly. Tongue lolled out, and the sensation was too much. The first time he had cracked it had been the worse, but even now it continued to attempt to bring him down.

[Deleted]

The wind was howling, throwing snowflakes wildly to and fro. The sturdy lass angled herself into the wind and continued her path with a faint scowl. Gracious, this was a true winter's storm! Any sensible wolf would be safely tucked up in their dens. She would be too, only she wasn't always sensible...and she had a feeling that her adopted son would be out looking for trouble again. No matter how many times he got himself into a sticky situation, he didn't learn the lesson. She made her way through the thick drifts of snow, slipping slightly on the wind-swept patches that had given rise to ice. She never fell, though. She was too used to these lands - they were her home after all - for there to be a single inch that she didn't know by heart in all seasons. She let the wind and her instincts chivvy her along through the whiteness, trusting that fate would deliver her to where-ever she would be needed. A familiar sound caught her ears, the tone of voice so familiar that is brought a smile to her lips. Well, there you had it. Wolf was indeed out and about in weather that he oughtn't be out in. She changed her course, almost tripping over the figure that the snow suddenly revealed. "Slipping on ice doesn't get less painful with practice, you know" she commented by way of greeting, concerned blue gaze eyeing the wolf at her paws. "Speech" OOC: Awful post, but I guess it only needs to function as a place-holder...

[Deleted]

Wolf

His eyes were placed on the ground, the questioning look coming over his face as the pain numbed the deeper parts of him. There was almost too much feeling through him, it was like he was set on a high note and he was bound to clatter toward the earth and fail. It was almost like living and death fought with him, trying to decide who wanted him more - or who wanted him least; it was hard to decide with the feelings of people. Ears swayed on top of his head, and the urge to speak came out in just a squeak of defeat. Doomed, he was ultimately doomed.

Ears swayed on top of his head with the realization that there was someone approaching, and he merely blinked at the sound of Zaphy's voice. It was comforting to be sure, but there was something to be said about the fact she stumbled on him long ago. Now her head was cocked to the side and she was forced to bring his attention forthright; mouth twisted softly with a show of amusement.

"Painless ice is a cherry lost, Zaphy." Apologetic words rung out, even as his head lifted and his eyes turned to look at the ground. Tail thumped on the ground and the sadness shined in his features. "Fate's a lonely huntress, bringing home the nightly lashing." Soft murmur escaped him, and he shifted restlessly. Trying to lift himself was a task he struggled with on a regular basis, after all. It was no surprise that such continued on about his mind and tempted him with a death that would be rich in terror.

When his body finally pulled itself upright, his hungry lost looking eyes pinned on her. The affection was instant in his features, although he seemed a little put off by the situation. "Lost is the goodwill of a painless intention when the ground attempts to swallow whole the wretched."

[Deleted]

He had always been a bit of a strange creature, so his words of greeting didn't faze her. It took a special mind to understand Wolf, and she thankfully had had the time to get used to it. That, and she wasn't quite...there, all the time either. She let him struggle and shift about, though deep blue eyes scanned him for injury. As much as she wished she could help him, molly-coddling never did anyone any good. "It would be a daffodil gained, though" she replied lightly, thinking fondly of the yellow flowers. How she loved the great yellow seas of them when spring came around! "I never liked cherries much myself, anyway." Zaphira's round features twisted into a faint scowl at his words on fate. "Nonsense, lad" she chided him, pausing to shake the snow out of one ear. "She's a mothering hen, trying to knock some sense into that airy skull of yours. Why else would she try countless ways in getting you to learn when staying at home is the sensible proposition?" She gave him a stern look, making it quite clear that she was on fate's side in this case. Really, the number of times Wolf had given her a near heart attack....! She softened her features slightly when he managed to heave himself to his feet, stepping forwards and rub her nose against his shoulder. She used the same moment to gentle herd him off the ice into a drift of snow that had better grip. She laughed softly at his black and white assessment of the world, the merriment torn from her lips in another fierce gust of wind. "There is no need to be quite so melodramatic, sweetheart" she informed him, leaning over to run her tongue across his nearest ear. "That would be called for if you'd managed to find yourself on a frozen lake...and then the ice broke through. Then you really would be swallowed whole." As she spoke, she made a mental note to keep a sharper eye on him during the winter months. The likelihood of him doing precisely that was suddenly painfully probable. "Now, we'd best get you moving before the wind and snow make a pretty little snow-wolf out of you and freeze you to the ground." Her tone brooked no discussion and she chivvied him into action with a well-placed nudge. Once they were underway, her pelt almost brushing his, she turned to speak again. She needed to raise her voice over the wind that snatched the words from her lips. "What brings you out into this storm in the first place? You know best what the cold can do to you!" "Speech"

[Deleted]

Wolf

Same old day, another lesson he had sorely missed the opportunity to learn how to breathe on his own. There had been an abandonment in feeling most of his life, and there had never been the same solution that had been hoped for. Tail swished from one side to the other, and his eyes peered at the female intently as she approached. Oh, this was quite the change in development.

“Hens are only good for clucking, not so for mothering. Lost be the soul that dementedly depends on a fowl to lead a wolf afoot.” His words were a tad bitter, the sadness in his eyes returned once again. Yes, this was ultimately a problem that needed to be addressed. There was a risk that he would be eaten alive, and his head tipped to the side. Mouth twisted sadly, and his head dropped submissively.

No need to get swatted upside the head, but he shifted along obediently enough with the urging of the female. Back onto the trusted snow, which really could not be trusted at all. Laughter barked out of his mouth gingerly at the reminder that he could have had things worth. Shivering faintly, his body found the tension that could not be denied, and his paws started him forward shortly. It took a little more effort than he would have liked, but the limp was a common place enough.

The wind caused him to wince, and eyes followed up heavenward with a eerie look about his features. “Far be it for the laughter of the forlorn to savage my soul, I cry not for an offense taken against the spirits.” His words were hurried as he realized there might have been offense taken, after all. He knew his companion was of the eccentric type, even though there was no room for him to be judging. His soften gaze dropped to the ground. "My shattered wanton ways whisked me from the burrows of my confinement." His firm voice explained, "Lest the grounds break and fall atop of my spine."

[Deleted]

She chuckled at Wolf's astute comment. Of course a wolf should never depend on a bird to show them the way - never depend on any creature, really. In the end, each had his own agenda...and if you didn't fit neatly into that plan then you were led astray and doomed. "You've evidently not watched mother hens closely enough, my dear" she corrected, letting the wind buffet the pair of them along. She kept her pace slow, always aware of the needs of her companion. "They really are much more worrisome that wolves...and you may think I'm bad to watch over you so." She had always been afflicted with the tendency to care about others too much. Her heart was too big and too open to watch others pass through life with sorrows and burdens unshared. Where-ever she could, she helped, never asking for anything in return. It was her duty, she felt, to contribute to the mental health of her species. She leant over to nuzzle his cheek gently, wordlessly accepting his strangely worded apology. There were some things that simply could not be rectified - Wolf's state of mind was one of them. At times, it took her a while to figure out what he was aiming at, that sing-song voice of his like a tightly packed set of riddles that required deciphering. It was tiring, wearisome, but it was a task she dealt with diligently. The way she looked at it, there were precious few who would understand Wolf in the world...so she may as well do her bit to make him feel welcomed. She grimaced at his answer to her question, wondering for the umpteenth time where he had gotten his obsession from. The world was not going to eat him, nor was the sky going to crash down over his ears. Whilst earth and sky and water all had their spirits, they weren't living. They could no more carry him to his death by design than they could bring him to life. Still, they were forces to be reckoned with, ones that didn't adhere to the comings and goings of the living folk. More than one wolf had drowned after a sudden downpour flooded a river...But those were simply a part of fate's elaborate plan for the world. The death of one creature would irrevocably change the path of another; influencing a decision here or an encounter there. "Well, I suppose I cannot keep you from your paranoia, Wolf" she agreed gently, steering the gently to a slightly more sheltered part of the meadow. The wind was getting stronger, and they would be in for a proper blizzard before long. "Speech"

[Deleted]

Wolf
There was a threat in his mind that could not be ignored, so long as he realistically looked at the world how he always had suspected it would go. That was why the wolf was a boundless amount of energy, packaged in a hindered body. It was all about the torment that the world held in store for him, and his mouth was twisted in a show of wry amusement. Contentment threatened the edge of his face, but he never truly expressed it as would have been hoped. When was the last time the wolf had been honestly happy? Playful and engaging was one thing for the young adult, but happiness? It was another thing altogether.

As usual, his apology was just accepted smoothly. The storm was coming in and there was no time to stand there hoping for the best, but his shoulders shrugged. There was a reason he decided to wander out, what it had been he could no longer recall. Now his gaze was just simply averted from the female, pensively studying the skies with the falling snowflakes. "Favor falls only on the dead, these days." His words were soft on the air, "To not breathe in the thick air we're forced to absorb to our souls."

Tail swished with a show of irritation, "Blasted snow! What hath we done to deserve such cruelty! Rather to be burned by the desert sand then be subjected to the carnivorous blanket!" His words were heated this time around, happy to complain as long as he still walked. It was just an honest truth. The cold had never been a friend to him, it had taken his entire life. It was a miracle this was the second winter of his life in some ways; a blessing in disguise.

But then his eyes raised, question danced across his features for a few darting moments. "Why does your heart sing of such obligation, Zaphy, about the birds and the bees resulting in a heart like mine?" It was not the first time he had asked why. The mental case that most of the others labelled him dictated that he should have been taken by whatever killed a wolf like him long ago. There never should have been the survival that had been welcomed into the world, "Best to leave a restlessly broken legged fawn to perish in the meadows after a fall, no?" 

[Deleted]

The snow was falling thicker now, and she felt her shoulder ache slightly with the increased chill of the wind. It was a small reminder of how disposable they were - how easy it could be to awaken one morning and not live to see the sun set. A single, well-placed kick by a feeling stag had fractured the shoulder...had his aim been a little truer, it would have been her skull. And that would have been the end of Miss Zaphira. "Death will come for you when your soul is ready for it" she instructed him gently, glad that they were nearing an abandoned badger den thas the the pair of them could shelter in. "You may be enamoured by the thought of death, my little sapling, but the depths of your heart it terrifies you." She smiled to herself. She'd made her peace with death long ago. Crossing the threshold into the ether was simply another leg of her journey. Everything around them was shades of dark grey, the thick clouds blocking out whatever meagre light the moon may have offered. Wolf's sudden outburst had her twitch slightly, and she breathed deeply to force the disapproval from her features. "Considering you despise the snow and cold, you should have wandered southward when the leaves were turning" she informed him tartly. Some things he would just have to learn the hard way. She wasn't going to baby him every step of the way. That would require too much work on her behalf...and wouldn't teach the spacey wolf anything. They were just upon the den she had been herding them towards when Wolf's familiar question snaked into her ears. She post-poned answering him in favour of digging away the snow from the entrance of the den, smiling triumphantly when the snow gave way to an opening just big enough for her and Wolf to squeeze in to. "In you go, chop chop" she said impatiently, nudging into the dry warmth before he could complain. Then she squashed herself in beside him, her fluffy fur resting over his worn paws and warming them. "Now, Wolf. I've told you on more than one occasion that you are here for a purpose. If fate had wanted you to die, the spirits would never have guided me to the caverns that winter's day." She spoke gently, appealing to the sensitive part of him that wasn't quite so jaded. "You are young, so it is only to be expected that you haven't found your purpose yet. Events need to align and shift before your part in them becomes important." She twisted to run her tongue over his brow. "All the trials you face between now and then are simply there to hone your wits and prepare you." "Speech"

[Deleted]

Wolf
The cool air was a reminder that he could so easily end up in a dead zone. That the possible trials that awaited him like a walking whisper, and Wolf hated the notion that he was feeling so inevitably lost. The shine in his eyes was curious, pained as he listened to the logical words. That sort of promise, the notion, was enough to cause the faintest smile to cross his lips. Leave for the South? As tempting as the fact was in the reasonable tones, how could he leave? How could he abandon this world so easily?

Shaking his head fiercely, the wolf dropped his head as he followed her into the comfort. Head was cocked to the side, attempting to get a read on what he wanted to think about most. "Satisfaction comes not at an easy price." Soft voice murmured gently, the wonder stained his face. "Could the heat warm my froze soul anymore than the ice cools my hot temper?" The lazy thought was on his tongue, and he licked his lips restlessly.

The acknowledgment was enough to lead him away, following inward into the den that had been prepared. The scents were gone, vanquished by the need to move on. Wiggling his way in, he waited patiently as he turned around and easily tossed himself to the ground. The last thing he could have ever wagered was her answer mimicking what he had heard before. Purpose, as if the very notion made him want to cringe.

There was another agreement made to disagree on the topic. There was no purpose for him beyond the fact he needed to live only to die at the end. His eyes closed against the notion and he snorted with the concept of honing his wits. "Best not be tormented by the foe; I am already witty by the moonlight song and the sweet morning tweets." It was a fact that he could not avoid even if he would have wished it otherwise. Hope was lost when it came to the notion of being well adjusted to life, not mocked for who he was. While his head dropped to the ground, he huffed restlessly.

"Every step brought by another basks in the glow of the delights I offer, Zaphy," There was a twist to his mouth that it was not a compliment. The things that others had said about him had certainly not been lost of him, in fact, he had been tormented quite bluntly through the whole ordeal. "Despite the cry of my soul is a boundless end of causality in serious attitudes."

[Deleted]

She hummed gently in agreement to Wolf's comment. There was always a price to pay, in one form or another. She had lost the male she had loved so dearly, because she spent too much time with her head in the clouds, talking to spirits. And yet, looking back on the painful time, had the price not been worth it? In her sorrow she had grown closer to the living and non-living worlds - had connected with the great wheel of fate in a manner she would never have achieved otherwise. Thinking back, her heart not longer cried out in sorrow. Instead, she was filled with a lightness - a joyful reminder of what they had shared in days gone by. Had she not sacrificed that love, she would not be where she was now...and she was quite certain she would never have found Wolf. "I fear you will pay a high price until your soul finds rest" she mused heavily, letting his words fill the air. "But for now, you are fated to wander aimlessly until you find yourself." She twisted awkwardly so she could look him in the eye. "It is often said, that those who struggle hardest will be repaid a thousandfold. Perhaps in this life, or perhaps once you've crossed into the ether...but your toils will be rewarded." She curled back on herself, resting her muzzle upon her paws and breathing easily. Ah, it was nice and cozy in the den. She'd have to get up in a little while to make sure the snow didn't close off their air supply, but for the time being everything was in order. She winced at the bitterness lacing his words, her heart going out to the creature that suffered so much for something he simply could not change. "You are too young to be so jaded, darling" she murmured, shifting so she could lick his cheek. "You must not let the words of the ignorant cut you. They do not know better and they lack both the intellectual capability and the open heart to interact on your level." It was difficult, to be sure - she had struggled herself at the beginning, and then he'd been too small to do much thinking or talking. But it was not an insurmountable challenge. "You see, many of us lead ordinary lives and baulk at the mere thought of something different. Just as you or I would flee in terror if the sun were to crash upon earth, they flee from all that they do not understand." She paused, sapphire orbs resting kindly on his. "Yet that does not mean that we are worth less. We merely look at the world from a different perspective." "Speech"

[Deleted]

Wolf
There was always such a reasonable tone that was accompanied with a female who had not understood what it meant to not find a calling. His eyes watched her, and he considered what she must have went through, in fact, he was willing to wager that Zaphira was in the same category as he was. Considered to be a freak, someone inappropriate for society unless secluded away and used for special occasions. There had been endless comments about the lack of prettiness in life, and that Wolf would have worked well as a clown to cheer the world up. Nothing more, despite his attempts he had made.

After being found by a female willing to accept him, it was no wonder that he had thought there had been a happily ever after. That there would have been beings who would have looked past the speech issue. The randomness of the male, and the fact that he seemed forever at a loss. But every wolf he had come across after Zaphy had shamed him; had called him more than worthless. It was too much on his heart and on his head, he had been growing more isolated over time.

"Afterlife is fine for the focused of the white, this tree feels more planted in the rich soils that cling to the land." What if there was no afterlife? The next life, the next step? Then where would he be left if there had been agreement he could suffer all of this life? His head flopped on the ground, and while he snuggled a bit closer with the touch of her tongue on his brow. His nose reached out to gingerly touch her paw, and the heavy sigh rattled out of him. Life was not easy, he was the first to acknowledge that. He was not quite at the mindset where he could accept it, either.

Ears shifted on his head with her comfort though, and the male watched her as she spoke in those wise tones. It was forever something that startled him, but he softened with her advice. No, she understood him; she had not given up on him and in the end that was what he had hoped for. Freezing, ready to succumb to death - the female who had wandered out of the storm had been his last hope at that point in his life.

"Strategy lacks in effort, the confidence that bears my name is... lost in my head." His apologetic words were soft, "How weathered is the hope that brings a light into my life, despite the cool water of your love;" The concern in his words were honest, his smile was faint as he lifted his head faintly. "To keep me afloat when the world wants to swallow me up."

[Deleted]

She chuckled at his words, turning her head so she could lick his cheek tenderly. "It doesn't matter if you prefer to be rooted in this reality, Wolf dear" she said, giving him a bright smile. "All you need to do is find those few things that bring you joy, so you may keep lightness and laughter in your heart." Not everyone was as willing to believe in something they couldn't see. It was a difficult step for some to take, to bestow blind faith on something intangible. It was probably larger due to their unwillingness to open their hearts and feel the presence of the spirits. She never felt lonely, not even when she spent endless days roaming the wilderness on her own. There would always been a passing soul that would touch hers, the softest caress like a butterfly on the cheek. Sometimes it would simply be the brief exchange of emotion, sometimes they would pause for a little chat. No matter where she went, she was never alone...and she appreciated it. She exhaled with a gentle sigh, her heart aching for the little wolf that struggled to find his place in life. Companionship had been hard on him, and she had wished more than once that she could have cuffed those with cruel tongues behind the ears. Yet she had either not been present, or had kept herself in check. It was a painful learning curve, but one that Wolf needed to journey on his own. If his confidence faltered with every harsh word or cold look, then the world was going to be a dark and dreary place for his small self. "You mustn't give in, sweetheart" she chided gently, shifting into a crouch as she cast a glance at the mouth of the den. She paused her words as she inched forwards, pushing the newly fallen snow away from the entrance. She shivered as the winter wind cut across her cheeks and she backed hurriedly into the cosiness of their shelter. She let herself sink back to the ground, curling herself more firmly around her charge. "You simply need to get out and about more, provided the weather is amenable, and find new joys to bring some sparkle to that hope" she murmured wisely, her soft gaze resting on the male. "It is far too easy to let yourself get lost in the despair of not knowing which way is up, and that is a recipe for disaster. Once you dig yourself a deep enough hole, you'll not get out again, no matter how much you scrabble and jump." "Speech"

[Deleted]

Wolf


Once you dig yourself a deep enough hole, you'll not get out again, no matter how much you scrabble and jump.

The words were enough to have the male sighing, but accepting the wise advice from the female. She was a gem to be sure, and he took the solace he needed in her warmth. It seemed like he was perhaps, a bit stalled in his life, he should have been offered so much more. At the age of six months he had been lucky to know his own name, but it had been the original thing he had said. He had announced his full voice in a dead tone, then had allowed the female to sweep him away into the real world.

So it was easy enough for him to doze off a bit, resting his head on the ground. There was a faint shudder through his body, the cold nibbled at him and reminded him that he was likely to freeze to death if he slept too long. Then again, he trusted Zaphy. She had done him more than anyone else had ever considered, and the embrace of her love had kept him living.

Heck, he had even begun to enjoy life. The faintest of smiles touched his lips in his semi-dream state for a short period. Until the crack of the front of the den roared, and everything went too dark for him to be reassured the light was nearby. The snow collapsed hungrily, knowing that there was not supposed to be survivors. The snow buried into the hole, rolling and hunting for paws to freeze. When Wolf realized what was happening, all hell had already broken loose.


Before he could even process the scene, he was up and shoved against the wall, shrieking with an added growl on the end. The dark! It was too much for him, it caused him to hit a plateau of panic almost instantly. His trembling was violent, and his tongue lolled out of his mouth, bleeding from where his teeth had snapped into his tongue in the shock of the roar.

Pointed eyes rolled, whites showing around the edges like a spooked, potentially aggressive wolf. The male was just in a state of mind, his voice coming rapid. Rambling, it was absolutely hopeless to stop him with the wildness in his features. It was hopeless to even make him hear words, he was far past the ability.

“Terror! Terror in the face of the onion mage who will take our souls out through a snuffed flame on the sweet dry face of the Varesh, burning hopeless born scored by the frost and taunted for a time.



Breath fading!

What a sin is the lost eye, buried in the cultured diatribe of the rancid scorned! Burning the nostrils and basking in the air of the baby’s womb while the cat sucks it dry!

WOE!

Woe! is the night that the brain slipped away and the spirits begotten in their fairy pleasures of happily ever after forgot the living, and the living blinked in the sky like a dying star!”

Panicked words were coming faster and faster, his body trembling as the panting heaved his smaller body like he was going to be tossed. There was already a fear of freezing to death within his heart of hearts. The very notion that he was going to end up being frozen while trapped was too much to handle. His eyes were already poorly set from the caverns he had been born to, and this! This was just like that very hell…

“Mother...” The whimper escaped him, burying his face in the fur between his paws, bristling faintly at the thought of death. Let it take him then, let it swallow him whole but be done with it!

[Deleted]

The male grew silent and she heard his breathing begin to even out. She smiled gently as she listened to her charge doze off, curling herself more securely around his small body. Let him catch up on sleep whilst they waited out the storm. Goodness knew he didn't sleep enough - too many ghosts and monsters plagued him for him to get a good night's rest. It always worried her when she wasn't around to watch over him. There was so much that went wrong for Wolf, no matter how hard he tried to keep things whole and happy. Deep in her heart, she knew he would do something great at some point in his life. All his trials here were testing him and shaping him for this one, potentially world-changing event. But she knew he didn't share her faith, and watching him struggle was hard on her heart nonetheless. She let her own her shut, her mind drifting off into the realm of light slumber. She'd wake up in time to shovel the snow away from the entrance, and perhaps the blizzard will have stopped by then anyway. She awoke rather abruptly, her whiskers twitching at the feel of not-rightness. The hole she had made earlier was nearly closed up again, and she cautiously unwrapped herself from the sleeping wolf. She'd ensure they had an air supply, take a moment to assess the weather and see if some weather sprite might be about to give them at least some sort of idea how long things would last. As she made to stand up, the disaster happened. As her back brushed against their snowy ceiling, a crucial fault-line was triggered. With a deep groan, the snow gave way and showered upon them. The blackness was almost instant, followed by the sudden crushing pressure on her body. Out, out, out her instincts clamoured, though she shushed them. The sudden whirring and stirring somewhere beside her informed Zaphira that Wolf had awoken...and was panicking. His cries were muffled, only the odd word making it to her ears in a manner that was understandable. She waited for the snow to stop shifting from above, being careful to keep still. The last thing she needed to do was to lose orientation in this blackness. If she did, they could dig for hours and hours until they ran out of oxygen and suffocated. Carefully, determinedly, she angled herself over until her paws were facing upwards. Now it was just a matter of digging until her muzzle caught the first frigid breath of air. It was hard going, and Wolf's frantic scrambling threatened to throw her off course more than once. "Stop moving, Wolf" she growled at him, more than willing to cuff him about the ear if she'd had the time and a free paw. Finally, after what seemed like eons of determinedly pawing and scraping, she managed to draw in a faint whiff of cold night air. She was getting close. She redoubled her efforts, panting heavily with the exertion. Damn, this snow was heavy and sticky! Still, she a groan and a grunt, she managed to heave herself out onto solid ground, snowflakes dancing merrily about her nose. "Think it's funny, do you, scaring the poor lad witless?" Her growl was directed at the snow that lay so innocently at her paws. She stood at the mouth of the hole, peering down to where Wolf should appear any minute. If he didn't hurry up, then she'd be force to dig him up... "Speech"

[Deleted]

Wolf

Wolf knew there was little that could be done about the momentary death approaching him. The darkness swallowed him up and pulled at his lungs, sucking air out of him knowing that there was no outcome. There was a sense of pleasure in the fact that he was going to die with his caretaker. It was a bit of a mystery in the notion that she was going to be punished for his bad luck. Heartbroken with the notion, his cries became more frantic, tight on the whine and the keen that he released. Hell, there was no relief in the feelings that were crawling through his body. The parasites had come and they were taking him into the dark pits of hell.

What a torment it was to know that he was deemed worthless. The feeling was almost too much for him, and the gasp for breath was a finalized one. Then, hark! “THE LIGHT!” The screech was enough to make the snow tremble around the edges. It was almost tempted to suck him into the earliest horror of his mind, and his paws were shaking as he shifted. “The angels sing a forbidden tune and the air rumbles with the lust of the demons!” His words were tight with concern, the fury in her eyes evident. They would steal him away without a second thought but how would they even begin to accept the circumstance.

“Death awaits the beast of the cold rivers;; bite down on the flesh of the innocent and rip away their meaning that makes them alive!” His cries continued as he tucked back from the paws that were going after him. The growl was fierce on the air, the darkness grabbing onto him. Heavens, it was too much for him to handle, and the snarl rolled out of his mouth. A threat that was not to be denied, and the feelings were enough to make him want to panic even more. The demons were coming, they were coming!

“SWALLOW ME!”

His scream laced the air when the darkness of his companion filled the hole then shadowed away. His shoulders shook, and the need to let himself be washed away took over him. There was nothing to be done but to accept the fate that was coming for him. His tail tucked under himself, and the whining and keening continued on. Mourning his companion, there was nothing to do but accept the horrid motions that were going through his mind. The things his Zaphy would have to see! The feelings she would feel as she mourned him and he passed into the hold of the dead.