The Heartwood primadonna girl

for @Aries!

the cut on her face healed up quickly leaving a funny-shaped nick in her pretty red fur, maybe noticable but witchbaby doesn't pay it mind. if there's a lesson to be learned in temperance and patience the starlet ignores it with startling single-mindedness: she's always been a wild reckless thing but without the shape at her side to remind her of existence she is falling into patterns of lost self-care. but the sparker hasn't noticed, everything's just fine to her for now. 

witchbaby's cuttin a strange path across the teekons and she keeps thinking she's caught a hint of something familiar but every time it turns up a blank page. and by now she's getting lonely, used to traveling alone but not the lack of strange encounters. that had been the appeal of her journeys, all the wonderful and odd creatures she'd met. this land is so much larger than her last self-made home and she feels she will be swallowed up in it, a single dying ember in a vast nothingness. the dead forest around her is an apt metaphor then, and her pace slows as pink eyes blink at the scorched earth, temporarily transformed by sorrow and wonder at what event caused the earth to mimic her heart so clearly.

Thanks for starting! Sorry this post is a little long!

Neo thought often of his family he left behind at Moonspear. He wondered what it would have been like if he had stayed, or at least gone and said goodbye before following a stranger to Blackfeather, which happened to be the pack he knew his family despised. What had become of his family, he didn't know. What of his mother, his father, his sister and even his brother that wasn't raised with him. Back then he'd been called Aries. He still was, technically, but to better hide his identity he'd given himself the name Neo. And that's what the wolves of his new home knew him as. During the time he'd been at Blackfeather, he hadn't explored much. And they didn't get many visitors, either. The boy had no doubt that it was due to the severed heads and random body parts of other wolves and various creatures that marked their borders. It was gruesome, but it kept the faint-hearted away. Most wolves, in fact, he had come to believe. The Spiderling, after having the urge to leave the dark woods for the day, found himself in a place he distantly recognised. He had travelled here on his journey away from Moonspear and to the place he now resided in. He couldn't say he regretted leaving his old home. It never felt like home anyway.

The Heartwood was a wasteland - just like he remembered. It was obvious a fire must have taken place here once, burning down the entire forest, but it did not phase the youngster in the slightest. He didn't care that lives must have been lost here - everyone dies at some point, and if they're gone, what does it matter? It's not like they're still aware of what's happening. Then again, he'd never had the warmest heart. Perhaps that was why he never fit in. Until he came to Blackfeather, of course. The ash stung his nose a bit, but his attention was drawn to someone else. Through the dead-scent of the area, he caught something obviously alive. A wolf, he gathered. He crept closer, scarily stealthful for his age. He grinned at the somewhat sorrowful expression on the strangers face. They were clearly phased by it, even if just for a moment. He stalked closer and closer, finally emerging from a cluster of fallen trees with a smirk plastered onto his youthful face, bright blue eyes tinted with a darkness one his age should not have. He was not an innocent pup, no. He was growing and as he did so he learned more about the world around him, perhaps with less enthusiasm than most.

"Sad? Curious?" His smirk grew. Neo's voice almost seemed to echo in the emptiness of the Heartwood, the two wolves seeming to be the only large living things here. Perhaps some smaller creatures were here too, but he could not see them, nor did he bother to look. His cold gaze was focused on the stranger. "It's pretty obvious what happened here. You seem to care. Why?"

he seemingly appears from the scorched earth itself, a ghost or vision to suit her mood, and though she does not start exactly she does dance back a step, fur fluffed. the strange boy's question registers and the coy girl relaxes with a short huff, flicking an ear back as she contemplates. it is a fair question! "oh," she hums, voice melodic, "'cause i match," and obviously she does not mean her appearance, still burning bright against the ash grey floor. 

her naked expression changes, intrigue overtaking sorrow but leaving the edges vulnerable. "an' so do you," witchbaby comments, tasting the darkness in the odd child's aura, the uncanny brightness of his gaze: younger than she but already so grown (though was that not the way of these wolf-boys, so indelicately large and brutish?). for a wild moment she thinks of asking about kinkajuú, but then thinks better of it and offers a crooked smile instead, pointed nose dipping. "ain't every day you see this sorta destruction- beautiful, right?"

The stranger took a step back, allowing Neo to get a better look at her. She had red fur and odd pink eyes, which he was rather intruiged by. He hadn't seen anyone with pink eyes before. Though what caught his attention most was her long legs. Most wolves didn't have legs that long, and it took him a moment to register that she might not be fully wolf. He knew hybrids existed.

She spoke, then, and the Spiderling tilted his head. She matched? Not really. At least, her appearance did not. In fact, she stood out rather well in the ash-covered land. He, on the other hand, definitely did fit in with his surroundings. But maybe she wasn't talking about appearance, though, and he had a hunch that that was the case.

Now the odd girl mentioned the state of the land around them. Indeed, there was a side of him that found this kind of destruction fascinating, and beautiful in an odd way. It was most curious. "It is." His voice was already naturally deep and the boy replied with an almost interested tone. It was not often you found others that thought like you. "Who are you?"

 short and sweet was he in words; the girl relaxes and falls into a graceful recline on her haunches. "witchbaby," she tells him, flashing a toothy grin as she's wont to do, "new t'here. how bout yourself?" she's been funny-odd, a little reserved, though who can blame her - off balance as she is without her second half?

He flicked his tail, lowering his hind to the ground as he sat, eyeing the other wolf. "Witchbaby," He tested the name on his tongue, then gave his own name in return. "I'm Neo." He tilted his head at the long-legged girl, as a question came to mind. "So you weren't born here? I was born here." He hesitated a moment before asking, "What's it like out of the Teekon?" Neo knew that there was more of the world out there, but he didn't plan to go see it for himself. He was comfortable in the home that he'd found and he simply had no need to leave, but he was curious.

The boy had been in the Teekon Wilds his whole life, and Witchbaby hadn't. So she must know what it is like away from here? Not that he planned to go on an adventure any time soon, but he wondered whether it was similar to here, or different.

"neo," the coy repeats, amused by the simplicity of it though she doesn't quite know whether she thinks it suits him or not. unlike she, the ash-made-boy was born here, made of the very earth they sat on now - more excitingly he wants to know about life outside of this place, which he calls the teekon. witchbaby hums to herself, arranging herself into storyteller for her rapt audience. "endless," she breathes, "an' full of possibilities. i left my folks real young 'cause i wanted to see - everything." here the girl barks a laugh, casting her gaze around the ruined forest. "but that's the problem with possibilities, y'know, they ain't all brilliant. think i'll stick 'round here for a bit instead." it is not that she is hesitant to tell a stranger her story - au contraire, witchbaby's natural shape is open-mouthed and forward - but she has not talked to another soul about her dear since before they were parted by mother nature's most cruel punishments, and she does not know how to start, how to weave it into something narrative. well - she thinks this neo would rather her describe the shape of the stars in faraway lands than the stars in kinkajuú's eyes for a start. her smile has withered somewhat on the last few lines, but she watches the boy as intently as before, returning the ball to his court. "what's it like in the teekons?"

The boy listens intently, taking in what the girl says. Endless. Full of possibilities. They were appealing qualities, but again Neo was happy where he was, and had no intention of leaving. Witchbaby wasn't done with her description, though, and from her words he gained the knowledge that it was not perfect out there. In fact, it seemed the endless possiblities she spoke of were not always good. That, he could understand. But life in the Teekon was not perfect, either. "I left home young, too. I wasn't born in the pack I live in now." If she wanted to know more, well... he was hesitant to explain, but as long as he didn't mention names, perhaps it would be fine to go into more detail? Only if she wanted him to, of course, though he wasn't quite sure why it would matter to her.

"The Teekon isn't amazing, but it's home. There isn't much danger around here, unless it's from other wolves. I mean, I've heard stories of bears and cougars, but I've never seen one and there hasn't been an attack from one of those in a while." He heard mention of a bear back in his old pack, Moonspear, but he never saw it himself. It seemed they'd taken it down, or at least chased it off. Heck, he didn't even know what a bear looked like. Nor a cougar. "We've had snowstorms before. And heatwaves. But nothing too bad. At least, I don't think so. You get that kind of weather in most places occasionally I'm pretty sure." That was a good enough explanation, right? "Oh, there are quite a few packs, too." That was the most he'd said in one go.... probably ever. He wasn't much of a talker, but today he was in a good mood, for once.

she perks when he tells her he's left like her - perhaps it was a coyote thing but the girl could never quite grasp the shape of family, never felt interested in legacy. maybe this pale-throated boy can understand, as she's been frustrated frequently by the insistence of others on the importance of attachment. witchbaby's only wanted attachment once, and. well. 

"that's the same as everywhere," she tells him with a laugh. "i got stuck in a big storm comin' here - not snow, but.. still." her voice wavers slightly on the edge, a half pitch low, but the starlet recovers. "y'left your family?" she asks, invested much more in his potential similarities to her wandering spirit than the presence of packs, where were silly wolf-politic things she never much saw a point to while she moves on her own.

Oops,  I wrote a novel again xD

The girl seemed less interested in the details of the Teekon, and more interested in the matter of him leaving his family, which he didn't really mind talking about. As long as he mentioned no names of relatives or packs, she probably wouldn't know his whole life story, which gave him some comfort. He rarely talked about his past (not that much had been wrong with it, he just didn't like talking in general most of the time), but they had both left their homes - they had that in common.

Witchbaby did mention that there had been a storm on her journey here, and the Spiderling had become excellent at sensing emotion, so he picked up the waver in her voice almost instantly. But he did not mention it - did not taunt her as he would to most others. This was most likely because he didn't really care, heartless as it might sound. He was pretty heartless when it came to these things, he knew he was. But Neo had never cared about such things. He had never experienced love, except that he felt for his family, which even now he wasn't sure he remembered. The feeling had faded somewhat from his mind, from his heart. If he saw them again it would probably return, bringing with it the many memories, but for now he was like a rock, no emotions, no ties to anyone but those he served.

"Yeah. I never fit in. I was born in a pack I don't even remember the name of - we left not that long after me and my siblings were born." That was a part of his life he remembered little of. "My brother was sick so only me and my sister, along with my mother and father, left to a new strange pack. He stayed." He didn't even know anything about his other sibling, only that his name was Sirius, and according to his mother they were like twins. A part of him wished that the boy had come with them, and maybe he might have been like Neo himself. "I didn't like the new pack, I didn't fit in. They weren't like me. Not even my family was. I stayed for a little while but while I was out during the night exploring, a ran into a stranger who was like me. She offered me a place in her pack, so I took the opportunity and left with her." Then he flicked an ear back, as if almost regretting something. "I probably should have said goodbye to my family, but I knew if I went back they probably wouldn't let me leave. I haven't seen them since." That was his story, minus the names.

"What about you? Why did you leave?" Exchanging stories was something he never did, but the boy, being in a rare decent mood and also having slight curiousity about the long-legged girl who came from out of the Teekon, felt he had to ask. He never heard of youngsters leaving their homes the age he did, and maybe it would comfort him to know he wasn't the only one who did that. He was sure he wasn't the only one who had done it.

she hums as she listens, red tail draped across her toes and pink eyes rapt. the ashen boy's experiences seem more involved than hers, a strange twisting web of broken relationships - but maybe that's what it's like for pack animals, with these extended histories. maybe that's what it had been like for her father, before he left everything behind to be with her mother.

"i didn't say good-by either," she admits, though the locus of her regret falls more on her brother's shoulder than her parents. "my folks kept us isolated - were afraid of how full-blooded types might react to us mixed kids." a shoulder rolls elegantly, at odds with the snorted laugh she can't help. "well, they scared my brother right, but i never got the fuss. so i left." perhaps it lacked the drama of neo's tale, but she relates to him in her own right; the starlet hadn't fit in with her timid family, wasn't content with the cage they built her. "my brother ended up followin' me too, but he still didn't.. get it. and i'd met a girl by then, and so - i left with her. pro'ly shoulda said good-by that time," she admits to him, letting her gaze flick to the distance as her brother's exasperated face crops up in her mind. it isn't that she worries for him, he is grown besides, but her departure had been a cruelty! another soul to beg forgiveness from, should she meet him again.

If he could see her thoughts, Neo would probably agree. The 'strange twisting web of broken relationships' seemed to be an accurate way to describe it, and he had not come across any lone wolves with such problems. Some of them, perhaps, but not that he had met. They, honestly, seemed more happy. More free. He had thought about leaving and keeping to himself, but that was just not him. He was born a pack wolf - he had just needed to find the right pack. The right wolves. Those who did not judge him so for his darker thoughts. But he supposed those 'broken relationships' came with being part of a pack. After all, it was not like you could avoid everyone who shared a home with you.

She didn't say goodbye either. Well, at least he wasn't alone there. Some wolves seemed to think it was horrifying to not say farewell to those he'd been raised with and by, but he'd had to do it. The boy had no doubt in his mind that his mother would try and make him stay, which he just couldn't do. Then came the subject of lineage. "Some are more judgemental when it comes to that than most - lucky for you I'm not one of them." He grinned a bit, sharp teeth gleaming. "Back home, it doesn't matter what you are, if you tresspass, or piss anyone in the pack off... well, good luck." Neo chuckled darkly. "Most don't even get past the borders, though you might be a bit put off if I told you why." She was welcome to ask, but the Spiderling didn't think she'd like the answer. Maybe she would, but it was unlikely. Most were horrified. "If you stayed away, or came with good reason, they probably wouldn't care about whether you were full-blooded or not." He then shook his head, shrugging as he did so. "I can't say the same for every wolf or pack in the Teekon, though."

It was true, her story was not as dramatic as his, but she had the same idea - they had both left because they hadn't fit in. That was enough for him to listen. He listened silently to the rest of her story, and when she had finished he remained quiet for a moment. "There is a part of me that wishes I could have said goodbye, but at the same time I realise that I might not have ended up leaving if I had tried to. And I wouldn't have been happy there. So I'm glad I left - are you?" It was a question that he didn't really care about the answer to, but the ashen child thought he'd ask regardless.

she laughs at his words: yes, yes, the cruel judgement of wolves! she has encountered it, though never to a point of fearing for her safety, at-the-least. the way he speaks of his home intrigues her, and she does press him: "oh, why so?" 

the greyed-out boy says other packs, other wolves might care; the girl's not of pack - even through her curiosity, she cannot imagine pledging loyalty that way, even if she had readily bound herself around the thread of a single wolf-girl. if kinkajuú had wanted it... but that doesn't matter now: she'll be alone forever. in the face of any threat the girl offers an elegant shrug. so let them be afraid of her or hate her or judge her, witchbaby will play the part with grace.

at his question, the starlet tilts her head with a frown. "i was," she says, voice soft. "'cause i woulda done - still would do - anythin' for this girl, ya know? but we lost each other, an' now i'm not so sure." it is hard to admit aloud and her ears flick back for a moment, her expression made stormy. it breaks like a wave as she sighs, not wanting to linger on it. "i'm fine with travelin' alone though an' there's plenty for me t'check out - maybe i'll drop by this home a yours," as quickly as she'd been clouded over a grin overtakes her, toothed and teasing and very unconcerned with his previous warnings against trespassing because witchbaby goes where witchbaby wants always.

She wanted to know, and he did not withhold the informations from her. Rather, he was curious to see her reaction. "We line our borders with severed heads and other body parts." He smirked. "It's gruesome but effective." That much was true - it was not often they had a tresspasser. Then again, he wasn't surprised that not all packs used this technique - often they didn't have the stomach for it. He knew for a fact his own family would be horrified.

She speaks of this girl again, and Neo wondered what meaning this girl had to Witchbaby. The way the wolfess spoke of her gave the Spiderling an idea that she must be a friend, but he was not familiar with the ways of love. He had not yet experienced it, being only a boy - much as he hated to consider himself so. "What does this girl mean to you? You seem to care a lot about her." He didn't particularly care, not really, but he was slightly curious. 

"If you do decide to come by, I guess I'll see you there." He grinned, considering the fact that he might have another ally. He was dominant by nature, yes, and perhaps a little arrogant, but allies could be useful. Maybe some of them could not be completely trusted, but he didn't really have anything to lose, other than perhaps his pride. And that could be fixed. Besides, Witchbaby didn't seem to be the type to betray. Why she might betray him was irrelevent, but it passed through his mind nonetheless. He was just not the type to trust instantly.

 the boy delivers the line beautifully but it's a little on the nose - yes yes big bad wolfies and delicate sensibilities and alla that, but the coy-girl grew up a scavenger. that is a threat against potential ne'er-do-wells goes by her ears neatly - she's a shallow thing and it's the surface aesthetics that interest her. she grins at him all teeth: "sounds mighty frightenin'," fear starkly absent from her voice (and of course if she'd seen it in person her stomach might have turned for real but it's hard to take seriously from the mouth of babes, no? she's shallow) "an' lots of blood too, i wager! and, oh," she pauses, more taken aback by his question about her kinkajuú than the thought of the gruesomely decorated pack border. she hasn't said it aloud yet has she? "we-ell it's, y'know, i love her. like love-love, y'know?" 

she doesn't feel lighter for having said that - if anything it's an anchor - and again she presses on quickly, pleased by his reaction. she never knows if she means something til it's in the air and his grin affirms it for her, so she presses her luck, cooes, "but y'gotta tell me where to find it, 'less i'm just supposed t'follow the smell of death."