Ocean's Breath Plateau Sea Savior

For @Deirdre whenever you have the time but anyone from Donneliath (maybe @Starbuck or @Cas )is welcomed! She's on the very, very edge of the plateau closest to the borders! 

 

From The Heartwood, Witchhazel had run from her captor. She didn't know where she was going, but she ran as far as her tiny, chubby body would let her and as fast as her long legs would carry her. 

Eventually, though, she'd stopped upon realizing Emma was not following her, gasping desperately for breath. She'd collapsed in Silverlight Terrace for a couple of hours until she was again feeling mostly normal; the vague scraps and bones the murderer had allowed her barely stowed her gluttonous hunger, and after such a struggle for such a young girl, she was hungry. 

Regardless, though, she walked on through the entire day - she chased many mice, voles, and even a rabbit, but she'd never learned to hunt, wasn't even fast enough -- or coordinated enough -- to actually keep up. She still didn't know where she was or where she was going, but for right now, she hadn't thought about seeking anyone out. 

It wasn't until night fully fell and the little flower was nearly asleep on her paws that she yearned for attention -- the smell of other wolves was strong, but it was not the first thing that claimed her attention. 

The sea, shining and glimmering with each rolling, slamming wave, was what drew her baby blue eyes -- such a wonderful, beautiful thing. The girl knew water was an amazing thing, but she'd never seen the liquid so vicious, so captivating, so swift.

For a long while, she sat on the shore and let the salty water just barely touch her toes on the biggest of waves - each one brought a tired giggle from her mouth, offering a few minutes of peace in her suddenly confusing and hectic life.

The serene moment didn't last long. Once the initial shock of the ocean wore off, Witch remembered she was alone, belly rumbling like thunder, lost, spiky pelt caked with mud and grime, and her mother was gone forever -- she might never even see Keoni or Nikai again. The cream girl would do anything right now for her silver sister to come bounding up and squealing in joy from behind and tackle her, their inky sibling trailing behind with a smile on his face; most of all their grey mother with a mouthful of herbs, smiling down as if nothing had happened and this was just another step on their journey.

Her heartbroken, heaving sobs echoed across the plateau, and the girl crouched down and shrunk into herself. Never before had she felt so vulnerable, so hurt - thank god she hadn't been aware of her only younger siblings sacrifice. The cardinal tailed girl cried out one loud word, the word she'd first spoken:
 
                             "Ma!"

Very rarely Castiel left the packlands. Donnelaith was still not his home - he was no more endeared to the trees than anything, and yet, he had pledged himself all the same. He felt bad about it too, because it wasn't as if the snowy leader didn't try to win his affections and endear him to the packlands but it did not work. He was outside of the borders searching for a sign of Winchester when he heard the shout of a young child. He went for the child, looking for her and eventually finding a little puppy; younger even than the one the wolf who had come to the borders was looking for he would guess. 

Castiel approached slowly, the rabbit he'd caught during his brief trek swinging from his jaws until he let it fall down to the earth unceremoniously. "Are you okay?" Castiel leaned down in order for him to be less imposing - hoping that perhaps his gravely voice and his massive frame might be less terrifying if he made himself smaller and more approachable. "Are you hungry?" He asked before he ripped into the rabbit, pulling a small bit of meat off it's flank for her. 

Witchhazel lied there, compressed into herself and sobbing for longer than she could comprehend -- the only reason to stop was the approach of another. Immediatley, her pelt flared in fear, ears flattening to the back of her head, and the little flower gave a weak, pathetic growl of warning. 

The brute's voice was gentle, but as he got closer and her eyesight could better focus on him, her blue eyes flicked to the rabbit. Tongue swiping around her lips, the little girl whimpered -- she flinched back when he reached closer, but then the meat hit the earth and her ears fanned forward. With one last wary look to the man, she snaked her head out, nearly brushing the ground, and gingerly took the meat. After skittering away a pace or two, she chewed swiftly at the meat. It felt good to again feel her stomach filling again, and this time when her gaze met Cas', it was much softer, thankful.

Castiel waited for a moment, not moving as to not alarm the small puppy. She seemed skittish and he wondered just how long she had been out there on her own. With a small sigh he settled down on his side, pulling more pieces of the rabbit off to offer to her as she chewed what he had already given. "Cherub," He murmured softly, crooning voice a gentler tone than he typically offered. It wasn't that he disliked children - he just didn't know what exactly to do with them. 

"I will keep you safe." Safe, a concept she'd probably never had to worry about. This was something that Castiel to offer because he was strong, he was virtuous. He didn't know the scents on her coat enough but perhaps one of his pack might. Once the girl had calmed and perhaps rested some Castiel might take her back to Donnelaith or call for a packmate. He wouldn't rush it either way though. 

Each piece he gave her, Witch stayed a little closer -- eventually, she was scooping them up at his paws -- and his words easily reached her ears. Cherub? That was certainly a word she didn't know, and she gave him a befuddled look. This, she found, was a good time to introduce herself, correct him. Her full name was still a bit of a mouthful for her, but she could chirp out "Witch" easy enough by now. 

                      "Www....Witttch. HH-hhhhaaaaeeezellll. Witchhazzzel."

Safe was a word she did know -- the little flower was quick enough to connect that he meant her. She was safe.

Hadn't she been safe with Steady, in the hollow group? After a slight hesitation and a last unwary look, she inched closer to his legs, aiming to press her shivering, scared and cold body against his legs. She cooed softly, ears fanning back and forth as she awaited a reaction -- should he lash out, she was tense and ready to bolt.

Food was an excellent motivator. Before long the small waif had found herself much closer, still quite cautious and it made Castiel wonder what she had been through. The large male leaned down as she pressed against him, gently nuzzling against her. "Witchhazel," He murmured softly, sweetly even. Castiel took a small step away from her only to lay himself down, inviting the little girl to curl against him if she pleased. "Sweet girl," Castiel murmured as softly as he could, trying to giving her as kind a smile as he could. 

He wondered for a moment where her family was, he didn't know the scent of the pack on her coats or anything of the wolves she'd been near. He wondered if perhaps she'd been separated from an injured mother. "I'll keep you safe, Witchhazel." He promised again - his heart went out for a child without a mother, his thoughts instantly to his own mother. 

The lashing out Witch expected never came, but instead the great man flopped to the earth and allowed her close -- the little flower was happy to oblige, falling into his plush warmth with a half-hearted smile. Her name sounded good coming from his lips -- most people used a shortened version of her name -- and so did the other words he murmured to her. 

She reached over and gave his cheek a lick from where she lay curled into his chest. Steady was the only man who'd ever been in the least influential to her, and even that was hard to say. It wasn't that she didn't like men, she just didn't know a father figure -- Castiel, however, she found she liked very much. The mud colored brute had fed her, kept her warm and safe, and gave her company. What the next step on her path was, she didn't know; perhaps Cas did? 

The russet-crowned pup blinked curiously up at him, tipping her head and mumbling something unintelligible before glancing around their dark surroundings. She could make the connection that he came from the wolves she'd smelled when she got here, but was that where she would go next? Or would she have to go find another being to feed her and keep her warm?

The tiny little lick surprised him, so gentle and tiny was she that it caused in the large male a small smile. She seemed trusting enough that it seemed unlikely she'd been alone too long. That was probably good for her, it meant she hadn't had a chance to be too injured in her time. "Little sweet thing," Castiel crooned, leaning down to nudge her gently before he bathed the blood from her feeding from her. "You shouldn't stay alone." He said, as if she would understand such a concept as alone - a life alone was terrible, after all. 

"You would be safe with the forest." He hummed out, feeling settled with the idea. "Shall we go back home?" He wondered aloud, waiting to see if the child understood much of what he said or just offered her little babbles. Children all aged differently, after all, and it was no doubt hard to manage words properly at such a tender age. 

Witchhazel leaned into her savior, cooing gently back at the soft tone that spoke words she barely understood. The cream colored girl allowed him to clean her, throughly enjoying even the slight patch of clean fur that Cas created as she sprawled into his embrace, tail thumping against the earth. 

Again the word safe, now coupled with another word the little flower somehow knew despite her lack of a steady home in the first two months of her life. This was reason to pause, and the girl teared up -- her sister and brother were in an entirely different home now, and Althaia wasn't going to be coming to bring her back -- at her memories. Whining softly, she turned and pushed her face into the murky brownness of her protector. While she didn't fully understand his question, she nodded vigorously in order to hold back her sobs. The crowned baby girl shivered again, sighing at the confusion that wracked her brain as she mumbled another drawn out word.

                                "Sayyyyyyyyyy-feeeee. Safeeeeeeeeeeee."

"Shhhh," He murmured softly, nuzzling against her as she started to cry. He wasn't sure just what he'd said to upset her, clearly something in her life had been tragic. He murmured against her skin, nosing at her little scruff tenderly. "You are safe. I promise." Castiel said quietly. He didn't move until she had composed herself somewhat, still holding her tight against his chest to soothe her. "Witchhazel, little cherub, you are safe." 

Castiel's reaction and affection brought an instinctual calm over the young girl, but inside her heart crumbled. She'd watched, in hiding, as her mother was beheaded -- what almost-two-month-old could be okay after that? -- and she was kidnapped from the only siblings she had in the world. Other than an unknown aunt in the Dark Brotherhood and a handful of half-german shephard aunts and uncles and grandfather, she was alone in the world. The muddy warriors promises of satefy were taken lighter than any little girl should ever have to think about, and she was already sure that this was just another stop along the way. 

The ocean, though -- she wouldn't leave the ocean, not in its drawing power and beauty. Witchhazel wanted to dance and pounce in those waves as she had the puddle, but right now she was just too tired. The beating of Cas' heart at her ear lulled her, and her little blue eyes began to flutter shut even as a wide, jaw-stretching yawn pulled apart her jaws before letting them snap back together.

Castiel had no way to know the thoughts going on in her head. Of his talents he did not possess mind reading and so he watched and watched the little girl as she started to fall asleep. With a small smile he laid his head over his own limbs, curled protectively around her. With a beast as large as he was he felt certain that no one would make any moves against her or him. 

Once she had gotten some rest he would take her back to Donnelaith and he would deal with the repercussions - although he doubted that their would be any. 

Cas' brown fur wrapped around her like a blanket as the man curled around the little flower, and with a final, sweet little coo the princess dozed. Eventually, she would willingly follow Castiel to The Senteniels, fumbling after him on tired paws until she was able to lie down again.