Wolf RPG - iv: the wind, unchained

what is a birthday anyway, but a reminder that time marches indelibly on, from birth straight on to death?

wolves mark time by seasons, not numbered days. the passing of years; they have no head for anniversaries, so Kaali would have no way of knowing that today was her second birthday. she knows she was whelped in midsummer, and midsummer is when she slayed her father, but--

there is no cake; there are no candles.
there is only Kaali, careening through the canyon.

she runs like a woman on fire, a woman with fire within. free from responsibility, free from care. her encounter with the star-kissed girl had rejuvenated her greatly, and now she does gallop.

why does exuberance make the feet so fleet? happiness overtakes you and you fly; nothing save the worst can bring you back to earth. Kaali has every reason to sulk--her work here has proven largely unsuccessful--but instead she grins and sprints, sprints and grins. chasing rabbits and foxes 'round bends.

she is the wind, unchained.

winds hit walls and bounce back, unharmed,

or they push the wall down altogether.

Though she no longer felt safe there, the occasions that Olive left her fortress upon the mountain were few. Though the availability of game waned, and the occasions of threat and harm became more plentiful, the mother let herself believe that if she did not descend, then she or her family could not get hurt. This theory had many holes, having been proven wrong time and time again, and it was only a matter of time until she came to the understanding that the time of safety and comfort, which had been her most recent zeitgeist, was over.

The ashen fae descended the heights and passed the spot where her husband had died; and she did not stop there but kept moving closer and closer to the earth’s core, breeching the surface of the dirt to sidewind along the canyon walls, easily finding her footing on the narrow ledges for she was a lithe and spritely thing, despite the weight of the worries that oft kept her grounded. She made to appear like she was hunting, but she did no such thing. She shape shifted and she walked alongside the winds that billowed and gusted,

Just then, her jade eye was caught by a flash of fur. The seraph pauses in her feigned hunt and lifts her nose to the winds, ears perched atop her head, wondering if this was a wolf she knew — or a coyote, the likes of which had stolen her first child away from her.

"but soft! what light through yonder window breaks?"

sleek and silver, the goddess descends from the heavens to bless Kaali with her presence. the witch is stunned, naturally, coming to a clumsy halt upon spotting her, nose lifted, eyes wary but curious. she tilts her head, ever so slightly, in silent inquiry.

who are you? where have you come from?

my love. . .

"hello," she greets, a gentle, shy smile lighting her face. "good morn to ye. i haven't disturbed your hunt, have i?" the she-wolf's concentration had been broken; Kaali felt something akin to remorse, but it would quickly fade as she relaxed into the aura of the goddess, warm and cool altogether.

pulling her in,

inch
by
inch
by
mile
and

The other being noticed her almost immediately and did not flee or make a disagreement — from this, Olive surmised that there was no need to fear this woman, and that there was no way that she could be the coyote she so feared [this was a constant concern with almost every canidae she met, even those who did not share a resemblance with her personal aggressor]. She approached and the fae did so in kind, stepping gently around the sheer rock faces and narrow ledges until they were vis-a-vis.

“Disturb my hunt?” Olive replied softly, suddenly remembering the supposed purpose of her jaunt away from Sunspire. “Oh, no…” She allowed her voice to softly fade as her mind was, for a moment, consumed with the concerns that plagued her about her current locale. The small game was waning much to fast for her to feel comfortable with, and it was no shock that Olive could not take down a larger prey animal if the opportunity ever presented itself — which, the opportunity had not.“These lands have run dry,” the woman stated, hoping to not sound as forlorn as she felt about it. Perhaps, if the stranger was in the same pursuit, Olive could save her the time and effort.

god, her voice is just as beautiful as her face. music, note by note falling from her lips. Kaali is captivated by it, and misses the meaning of the words for several long moments before it all finally comes together, and she forces a frown. sadness. right.

staring lovingly and longingly into this woman's eyes will not do for long. no, conversation must be made.

"i'm very sorry to hear that," Kaali says, lips pulling forward in a pout. "no one should go hungry, especially in summer."

her scent. milk and musk together--and Kaali thought there was a certain look to her. madonna. a mother. even worse, then, should she starve. even more so if there were little girls to look after. her stomach clenches in empathy; Kaali shakes her head, looking forlorn.

"what will you do, sister?" she asks, tilting her muzzle slightly to the right in inquiry. "you must eat, after all. can i be of any help?"

Almost at once, the reality of her situation rang deep like a bell in her head — not that the thought was ever too far from her main attention anyways, but it had been nice to get out, stretch her legs, and at least pretend as if everything was fine. That Oaxaca was still alive, that her daughter would make the move with the rest of her family, that everyone went to bed with full bellies and that Olive never had to live knowing she had disappointed someone. She seemed to disappoint a great many people, though she suspected this wasn’t the actual truth, it weighed heavy upon her heart.

So she prayed to the gods often and sought their advice. They spoke in riddles and made her work to scry their meanings, but when she eventually decoded the language of her intuition, their guidance lay as clear as day. Though she worried often, she knew that by taking action and ownership of the health of her family, their future was secured. The gods had cemented their fate, and Olive sealed it with a kiss. It had been a lifetime of trial and error, but Olive finally felt secure in that she and the gods were on the same side.

Why she must always lose a baby, just to learn that lesson — the woman decided she may never know.

However, the other woman’s empathy towards their situation was palpable; and it was the sincerity of which that caught Olive and held her attentions fully. How fortunate was she, to be placed in the path of so many others who wished charity upon her, with their offers of their time and care? With an appreciative sway of the head, Olive acknowledged the sisterly empathy and allowed herself to steep in the vibrations that emanated from the stranger so strongly. In a tone that read there is no need to worry, not any more, the shrouded sylph said “Oh, my family — we are not staying here.” She paused, returning the woman’s kindhearted conviction. “You should not, either. These lands need to heal.”

there is sadness in this woman's gaze, too much of it. too much sadness for such a lovely fae. but Kaali can understand that kind of sorrow that comes with an empty stomach and mouths to feed, and her heart swells. she takes this mother into her soul; they are inexplicably bonded, though it may be unrequited, and the white-furred lady may never know.

but Kaali knows, and she will never forget.

"do you have a place to go?" she inquires, knowing that perhaps she pries too deep into personal affairs. "moving is difficult, especially with family. can i help in that endeavour, at least?"

what is she doing? damn her weakness for beautiful women--

it gets her in trouble.

perhaps she's just signed on to ferry a brute across the wilds, a man who should have no claim to this goddess and yet--for some incredible reason--she is his, in the eyes of many. a brute and his children. further spreading evil. now Kaali is an accomplice to this cruel act.

fuck.

The woman offers her services, and Olive’s emerald gaze glances up from its home at her toes. She wondered, for a moment, what the women saw in order to give herself so freely. It was a type of selflessness that Olive could only wish to achieve, for her interests — apparently — lay only in self-preservation. She was an animal, at heart, and despite her sometimes sophisticated tendencies.

Perhaps she could learn something from this woman! Olive would take this stranger’s proposal, her dedication, and would praise her name whenever the gods would deign to bear witness to it.

A small, simpering smile slid upon the fae’s pale lips. “Oh yes, that would be lovely…” she let her head drop and a single willowy leg extend out into a quick, yet sincere, bow. Rife with humility, she continued from her lowered position. “My sister, though not of blood, and I have too many children for us to carry alone… and they are far too young to cover the distance needed. Sweet woman, you are overly generous with your time. When we are established — either within another group, or standing on our own — we will repay your kindness a thousandfold.” With the fire-kissed girl’s assistance, her and Seabreeze’s dreams were closer and more achievable than ever before. Oh, wait…

“What is your name?” she questioned with a cant of the head.

women helping women. that was all Kaali wanted in life, besides the blood of men painting her cheeks like twisted rouge. the knowledge that she was to aid this spirit and her sister soothes her, a gentle wind over her conscience, and she nods along, mind made up.

"i will do whatever you need me to do," she says, her voice firm and clear. "my name is Kaali. i am new to these lands--i have no ties, so i can go anywhere you go, without worry."

even if she had ties--

she'd rip them all up, for the sake of this angel. how lovely must her sister be?

and their children! cherubs, all of them. she knows it. Kaali's heart thrums in anticipation for the journey to come; it will be an excellent distraction from her failures of the recent past.

"when will you depart?" she asks, tilting her head to one side. eyes resolute.

this will be my last post!

Olive felt a sense of pride grow in the pit of her stomach; low, slow and blossoming. She felt good that she, her family, and their cause could inspire such loyalty from a total stranger. It felt validating, like they were making the right choice, and everyone could see it, so that should instill confidence in her, right? Right? Riiiiiight.

“Kaali,” she greeting with another low, sweeping bow to demonstrate her humbled respect. They were equals, and she already highly respected this fire woman and the way her strong convictions drove not only her actions, but all her energy. It was the conviction with which Olive dedicated herself to her star gods, and she knew only good things came from such a refined sense of focus and priority. “I am Olive,” she responded in turn as she came to rise. Her be speckled gaze slipped close for a moment and she considered their timeline, then spoke brightly her decision.

“Soon, there is little time to waste.”

Well, that appeared to be that. Kaali was a part of their small group, and the clan had garnered the support of a useful ally. It all seemed to flow — so simple that it just moved on its own — that Olive found herself smiling despite herself. “Shall I introduce you to the others?” she offered, taking a sweeping step to the left and offering the other woman a place abreast hers, so that they may move as one — as they hopefully would for a long time to come.