Blackfeather Woods song of susannah

for @Euron. located in FELLGLOW KEEP

in pursuit of her knowledge-gathering, relmyna found herself in mephala's web, below the cold forest of blackfeather. and while the air here hung cool, she was not assailed by the winds above. the caves were silent as she traversed the labrythine maze that connected them — brief claustrophobia sparked in the tyro's heart, but it passed as she came to realize the dark calm of the web.
into a glowing cavern she stepped; relmyna's breath hitched in her throat as she gazed with unabashed wonder at the ceiling. eldritch light permeated the gloom, and while she hesitated when water touched her paws, the scarred woman continued on, walking slowly through the keep and marvelling with a child's glee at the greenish incandescence that turned her into an otherworldly creature.

There were more wolves in the forest than he knew. Not all had come to see him and his siblings in the glen. He followed one such figure. Each time he made to creep up on and eavesdrop he built upon what he had discovered and what he had been taught about remaining unseen. Still there was more to figure out. On this day he realized the challenge in stalking a travelling target. Euron lost sight of the white she wolf early on. He had kept his pace too slow. Speed would develop on its own as he practiced his art and it became more ingrained. More second nature. But he would not wait for it, and he would urge its development by deliberately training it from here on out.

The snow was kind. In it her tracks were clear. Euron did not even have to use his nose to trail the girl into a place he himself had not yet explored. It demanded his attention but he remained concentrated on his pursuit. Tracking her into the caves was far more difficult than it had been above. The rocky surfaces held little scent, and despite his best efforts to remain focused he was a pup, and he was distracted easily by all the newness around him. Fortunately for him, the passages all led to one central chamber, and here was his quarry.

But here also was a million glowing things hanging from the ceiling that stole his attention and left him standing clearly in the open and staring above.

relmyna was not a creature of many talents, but she was aware there was a presence near to her, one unassuming. ever slightly, she turned to glimpse the follower from the corner of one eye; a child with the stamp of blackfeather upon him. the tyro did not address the boy; she kept her eyes trained on the glowing things, and keenly she was aware of her deep desire to speak again, though she was well aware this was not possible.
presently, the scarred woman made a throated sound and let the child be granted her full attention. she appraised him quietly, keeping her body deferential and unassuming, her eyes soft with interest.

His mouth was open in wonder, and he walked in several imperfect circles staring at the ceiling, at all the glowed there, completely mesmerized. Once, his forepaws even lifted off the ground as he reached upward with a desire to capture the luminescent worms and fungi. Euron had collected many things as he roamed the woods and he wanted these too.

He levelled his snout when his ears caught the sound that the other wolf made. Said ears quickly splayed to the side as he inwardly scolded himself, when he remembered what he had been doing before his child mind had gotten distracted. Though he did not know this wolf he felt at ease in her presence, and cast no suspicion her way. Instead, he thrust a small paw out to gesture to the gloom behind her.

"Be going that way!" He called out. "I am trying to sneak on you!"

Euron was not quite ready to end his stalking session.

LOL <3

relmyna watched the boy fondly
there was another boy
and pushed aside the maddened whispers of her mind to concentrate on not laughing when she was ordered away. describing a low and teasing bow, the woman did as she was bid, stepping into the dim haze and returning her attention to the glowing things above her. a tunnel loomed and relmyna entered without hesitation, the bitter tang of herbs sparking awareness of the infirmary's existence not far beyond her.
her tattered ears flicked 'round to cup any sound of his pawpadding; the odd child had ordered her away but would he follow? content with the game, relmyna continued along her path, until the dark of the tunnel began to lighten.

:D <3

The sound of giggling... he he he he he he he... echoed through the caverns as he watched the pale figure do as she was bid. It always delighted him when others listened.

The boy scanned his surroundings. There was no brush to hide in here. He took a step, and a soft splash met his ears. There floor was pocked with puddles — noise traps. Humming with thought, Euron made his way to the cavern wall and there fell into his old rodent-like thigmotaxy. He crowded the wall so close that his whiskers brushed the stone as he slipped along, weaving only when neccessary to avoid tramping any more water. Day by day be was proving a prodigy of his craft.

He stalked the girl until light started to seep into the dark, and that is when he paused and pondered his next move, and wondered if she had heard or seen his approach.

i googled thigmotaxy UNFFFF

relmyna's ears flicked as the boy's odd chuckles filtered through the cavewall, but pressed on. she no longer heard him; her body tensed. would he leap at her? she decided it did not matter, and stepped out into the infirmary, drinking in the details of the underground place with brimming interest. her steps she chose carefully, muzzle dipping to the floor to take the scents of those who had visited here, and a contentment swept over her. such enclosed places often sparked fear in the heart of others. the wolves of blackfeather were fearless indeed. and she shyly counted herself among that number.
presently relmyna glanced back over her shoulder, searching for the boy who had so suddenly disappeared.

Hahaha it's basically just wall-seeking behavior. Euron is part mouse didn't you know? XD

He held his breath when her head turned to look over her shoulder. His heart rate rose. He felt she was looking right at him... it was thrilling, but it was even more thrilling when he came to believe that no, she was looking through him. So stealthy was he did his gray coat become mottled stone and his black stockings the shadows on the floor. He was the cave, and even the bioluminescence that danced along the curve of his spine did not reveal him.

Inexperience dared him to test the strength of his camouflage. "I am seeeeeing yoouuuu," the boy crooned softly, remaining still and thoroughly convinced she would never spot him.

i will keep it in mind that he is such a cute mouseboy! lmao

she did not see him, and trepidation entered her consciousness, but soon the child's odd croon filtered out of the darkness toward her. though her gaze did not grasp his shape, relmyna's lips curved into a ruined smile — it was a game he wanted. the tyro had no recollection of playing in any sort of manner; she allowed her instincts to rule her. there, in the eldritch glow; the wolfess saw the hairs upon his nape, but opted to pretend that she had not.
forcing back a throated laugh, relmyna lengthened her stride and dashed into the infirmary, searching for a place to veil herself from his powerful vision. would he seek her, she wondered, padding across the moss that formed part of the cave's floor.

Squeak squeak!

He crooned and still she did not see him.

"He he he," more soft giggles floated her way.

She ran and without thinking he chased. Predators were prone to such reflexes — prey was a thing to be caught. Still young and still developing his control over his faculties, the boy was not even aware that he had broke his sneaking until he came to an abrupt halt around the next corner, having seen... well, nothing. The pale she-wolf was gone and for that, and for chasing, he chided himself.

"Stupid," he grumbled.

Euron was quick to put aside his set back. He narrowed his eyes and started to scrutinize every last inch of the chamber, seeking the glow of her white pelt among the shadows. But there were more distractions here, and in no time at all his focus started to waver once more, with his roaming gaze lingering on the different features of the cave, and on the sun that poured into it.

<3

she held fast her breath, peering out from behind a small outcropping of rock. the boy's eyes began to wander, and relmyna hid a small smile. this sort of play, the hiding and finding; familiarity sparked in some inaccesible reach of her mind. had she done such before? the wolfess did not know, and nor did she wish to know the pain in her skull again.
in time, she stepped into the open with a small sound, tailtip flagging at her heels and a smile upon her twisted lips. pride was apparent in the jeweled glint of her gaze; he had done well, quite well indeed.

She stepped out and the game was over. The boy remained where he was and teetered, unsure if he wanted to scold himself more for getting distracted again and not finding her, or if he wanted to be happy that she hid herself well. That she had played this game with him and it had been fun. He went with the latter only because he was more inclined to be easy going than grumpy.

"Good! Hiding good!" He called out to her as he padded forward to meet her, his catlike steps quiet except for the faintest ticking of his nails against the stone. Something that could not be avoided unless, like a cat, he could retract them.

"What are you doing now?"

relmyna allowed herself a grin under his own praise; she straightened and tilted her head to one side before glancing around the enclosure. there was nothing here. the woman rolled her shoulders exaggeratedly and jerked her muzzle in the direction of the tunnel through which they'd both come. maybe he would accompany her back? on a whim, relmyna tentatively approached the spy-cub, lowering her muzzle to exchange her breath with him — if he was so inclined.

He did not mind that she came nearer. He had already decided that he was ok with this wolf. But when she moved in to his personal space and lowered her snout she was met with a silver-toed paw pressing its pads against the black leather of her nose. The boy was accepting of such nearness from his siblings and Cicero but no one else. The same trio were also the only ones he would allow to touch him.

"No thanks." He said, lightly and dismissively patting the bridge of her nose with his paw before he stepped back and neatly planted it on the cavern floor. He was not quite sure what she wanted with her gesture but it did not matter. He would have declined anyway.

"You are not talking much," he observed as he turned to head toward the tunnel.

LOL

relmyna fought a flinch as the boy brought up his paw to stop the wary questing of her muzzle. steadying, she pulled away after a pause. she understood his reticence, and did not attempt to question the boy as he turned away. ironically, relmyna had no answer for the child's lofty declaration; however, she decided she did not wish to be alone in the infirmary, and so followed at a distance.
on a whim, relmyna crooned into the air behind him, a wordless, midpitched sound that surprised even herself. a blink crossed her countenance; she stood still in abject shock, and then repeated the sound, this time with delight edging its tones.

He did not expect a response. He expected even less the sound she made and he whirled gracefully to look at her, cocking his head to the left and then to the right as his cupped ears tried to decipher some language in the tone. There was none that he could tell but he thought it was a nice sound — he would have likened it to singing if he knew what singing was.

"I guess you can just do that," he said, pivoting to resume their travel down the tunnel. "Whatever that is." Several steps later, the boy thought to tell her who he was, looking over his shoulder as he introduced himself.

"I'm Euron."

more pleased than she could have fathomed at the sound she had discovered, relmyna granted the boy a quick dip of her head, ears flicking back along her skull as she committed the name to her weak memory. euron. the woman followed the boy quietly, remembering what the indigo-eyed child had said of this one, his brother. ramsay was his name. he sneaks. relmyna allowed herself a small smile while euron's back was turned, glancing upward as they neared the glowing cave. she was ready to return to the gloom of the surface world; was he? her eyes inquired, seeking the child's visage.

She did not give him a name in return.

"I'll call you..." He was willing to accept her silence but he wanted a name for her. If she would not provide one then he reckoned he could give her one. But his mind was not forthcoming and he clicked his tongue as he strolled along and cast his eyes about their surroundings for inspiration. "Umm.." there was not a lot to look at in the cave and some of what he did see he had no name for. He saw a lot of rocks and rocky looking things but... she was not a rocky looking thing.

"I'll just call you Si," he said. "You know. Like silence... but without the... lence. Yup. I am thinking that will do." He nodded affirmatively.

That was that. They passed through the glowing cave and there was the entrance he had followed her down through. He was ready to return to the forest and proceeded ahead.

exit rel; you can reply again or archive! ty <3 and we need another!

si. a name by which euron would know her. relmyna crooned her approval, and followed the boy only a few steps more. the glowing cave was where she paused, for, struck by its beauty once more, the tyro decided she did not want to return to the forest in just that moment.
giving euron one last and affectionate glance as the child presumably approached the surface world, relmyna turned back to the eldritch light, and breathed deeply, closing her eyes in communion with the shimmering place.

For sure!

Stepping out from the cavern gloom and into the forest darkness, Euron turned to address Si again, mouth parted, only to discover that she had not followed him out. The boy shut his mouth and pinched his brows as he peered into the cave with ears cupped forward. Hmm. He could not hear her, and with a shrug he figured she must have decided to stay down there. If he was not hungry he might have went to see what had distracted her, but an acidic sear in his belly inclined him to mouse instead.