Sunbeam Lair mountains beyond mountains
775 Posts
Ooc — Rosie
Astronomer
Master Ecologist
Master Midwife
Offline
#1
All Welcome 
@Gracious, but i’m sure we’d welcome anyone from tindome/sunspire!
 

The season was quickly warming, to Olive’s glee. The snow, little by little, was hedging closer to the side of nada — thank god. Spring had always been her favorite time of the year, ever since she was a cub, and she felt the thawing of the earth in her soul as much as she felt in beneath her paws. Energy that had since fallen stagnant during the colder months broke down their blockades and began to flow freely, as a river’s current tended to do when trapped under a sheet of ice; caressing winter’s austerity into submission with fluid, dancing, lovely movements.

Had she been in any other type of situation, the itch in her paws might have driven the druid onwards, ever onwards, in the name of scouting and scholarship. The woman was often restless and customarily would rely on ranging in order to shake some of this energy. It stemmed from happiness, which was an experience she sometimes clung to, for better or for worse — and she felt it here, now, so she was not eager to leave it all behind so soon. 

She had friends here. Her daughter was here, and [hopefully] her new children would be born here, too. Perhaps this was what she needed in order to leave Ravensblood Forest, and the merry band of traitors, behind. Sunspire was home, now.

Though Olive remained in the mount’s immediate vicinity, she moved as much and as often as she could. The mountain and its valley had been almost entirely mapped, save for its highest of peaks, so the druid focused her efforts on marking their borders and letting all would-be interlopers know this was their claim. The construct of ownership was silly, for the mountain could never truly be theirs, but it instinctively felt good and, as such, it became Olive’s ultimate priority. It was only during one her rounds, when she located an alluring crag that led deeper into the earth’s crust, that the shewolf deigned to leave the territory and see what lay just beyond.  
and all my days are trances, and all my nightly dreams
are where thy grey eye glances, and where thy footstep gleams
in what ethereal dances, by what eternal streams

blood canticle
393 Posts
Ooc — ebony
Offline
#2
timelines *meme voice* what are THOOSSSSSE

they were settling, and mona withdrew on yet another excursion, rather confused by recent events. delight had never before said anything to the girl about her frequent departures; the mayfair then decided it would be all right if she headed off. sending up a short howl to inform nathaniel of her whereabouts, the little witchchild lengthened her stride and let her quieter mind reign over the gait and its pace.
the girl did not let her carefully arranged expression slip until she knew she was out of tindome's earshot, and even then the nuro carried herself some deliberate distance onward, sanguine fur haloing her from the play of sun along her withers. slopes and edges eaten; she slipped once, perhaps four times — it could not be said the druidspawn was fleet of foot along mountains. not yet! mona swore with resolution at her doubting thoughts.
grimly the mayfair clutched like a tiny red gargoyle to some ledge further lifted toward the clouds than she had ever been; mona could not help opening one eye and tilting her muzzle slightly to look up, up, until the glare of white-yellow light blinded her for a scant moment. 
the work of more time brought the nuro safely to the new claim of wolves; their stance here was rich with pride, and mona avoided any further markings, seeking instead the shade of a stone tor. there the red girl rested, but a yawning mouth she had not before seen beckoned, and like a heady, impulsive child, mona gave a gasp of glee and let the throat of the mountain swallow her.
[Image: footer3.png]
775 Posts
Ooc — Rosie
Astronomer
Master Ecologist
Master Midwife
Offline
#3
At first, the sylph twitched her nose at the darkness of the earth’s crevasse, like a curious field mouse. She was a woman of the dark, however, and felt comforted by the feigned night that the cave afforded — there were so few lightless and wettish places upon the Sunspire. Without having even looked inside, Olive was certain she might take respite in this place just as often as she might upon the mountain’s highest heights, which was often. In this way only, the druid took solace in nature’s extremities. 

She stepped inside the awning mouth and surveyed her surrounding, taking a moment to appreciate the small microcosm that persisted here. Mushrooms and colorful slime molds abounded, and stalactites dripped every so methodically. The druid’s curious nature drew her deeper until she could really only navigate using her auditory and olfactory senses. Now the lamb was edging upon fear, but she liked the way it danced upon her tongue and wanted more. Distantly, she thought she could perceive water flowing — and, were those footsteps? 

A look over the shoulder, a spiraling step backward, and a flick of the tail. “Oh, hello?” she called out, surprising herself with how her voiced echoed upon the hallowed walls. Her heart fluttered, pupils wide from the lack of light. Who could be here — and should she be scared? 
and all my days are trances, and all my nightly dreams
are where thy grey eye glances, and where thy footstep gleams
in what ethereal dances, by what eternal streams

blood canticle
393 Posts
Ooc — ebony
Offline
#4
this was really caffeinated/carried away lol

beneath the earth, the scent of the loam was rich with moisture, and mona found herself trailing her muzzle curiously along the walls, pausing to let her plume flag behind her delightedly. such discoveries! the mayfair cheerfully followed the path, until a thousand things she had never before seen filled her eyes, and the girl halted deadaway in her tracks, staring open-mouthed.
she did not hear the gentle voice of the nymph, edged in trepidation; mona's eyes were adazzle with the different plants that had seemed to have taken root — in the ceiling? and here the teeth of the mountain reached down toward her, and she found herself shaken with awe. 
only by instinct turning, the girl's eyes alit on the dove-grey flanks of a she-wolf older than she, and much more beautiful. all but forgotten went the marvels of this stone-dewy place, this arch of the mountain's palate. in its place was the woman, and mona felt heavily then the sting of her yet-bony breast, her sharp hips and limbs still a bit too large for her. 
her soddening shame was shown by the sudden collapse of her ears when she realized she had been staring at the wolfess as petite as mona herself would remain. and yet even in the anxiety of its event, mona found herself smitten, and confused, and envious. she knew she lacked the curvatures that lurked under the woman's fine ashen fur, and those of some tindome she-wolves, and bitterly the mayfair wondered if she would always be this way, and if eventually nathaniel would seek more sophisticated climes.
"oh! sorry! i ... uhum," mona clamoured suddenly, overwhelmed by her embarassment, which compelled her to make excuses. "i didn't mean ..." her voice trailed away; the girl's throat clenched, until she cleared it and backed the way she'd come. "i'm gonna ... go." but she found horribly she was rooted to the spot. it was a nightmare, one mona would have written in a diary, had she a diary, and the ability to write.
[Image: footer3.png]
775 Posts
Ooc — Rosie
Astronomer
Master Ecologist
Master Midwife
Offline
#5
“the teeth of the mountain” oooh, I like that…

The creature of the underworld did not respond to her anxious query, but continued to shuffle more forward — in lurching, undead movements with limbs breaking and was surely leaving a trail of slime behind her, certainly! For it was those types of things that lived down here; things that mimicked the fungi that clung to the wall but did not manage to capture any of their beauty; things that must hide themselves away for the sake of wolfkind. The druid’s heart fluttered, and had the pups within her been larger, they certainly would have stirred from the adrenaline that flooded her heart. 

If the aphotic beast had not shown itself in the next moment, Olive would have fled and prayed never to return to this place! But, when the image of a woman appeared and then was softened by the last remaining wisps of light, it was clear to Olive that this was not a hellhound, as she expected. Though the woman’s pelage glowed and crackled like embers, she was much too lovely to be anything but a gentle soul, lost in the deep recesses of the earth, as was she! Olive’s featherlight heartbeat stilled inside her chest and she exhaled the breath that, until this moment, she did not realize had been hitched in her throat.

The girl, however, did not seem to take solace in the sudden appearance of another. She stammered and seemed to wish to leave — but didn’t. The mother-to-be’s lilting gaze softened, but she did not seek to close the distance between them, lest she further spook the flighty little thing. “Oh…” she cooed. “You needn’t apologize…” and then, in words that came out more pleadingly than intended, “Oh, don’t leave, please...” 
and all my days are trances, and all my nightly dreams
are where thy grey eye glances, and where thy footstep gleams
in what ethereal dances, by what eternal streams

blood canticle
393 Posts
Ooc — ebony
Offline
#6
i love your writing! <3

the woman's trill paused mona in her quest for flight; she stilled with one small paw raised and glanced back at the woman. the wolfess, who had made no attempt to draw closer, had also not fled mona's impropriety. and so she turned back, swallowing, and drew closer on timid steps. unsure of course as to what words she could say, mona instead found her mind unlocked, so that something she did not wish to say tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop it.
"you're very beautiful," mona breathed, and then let herself groan with shame. "i mean, it's true. but i shouldn't ... just say things like that." chastising herself, the girl settled and glanced at the domed stone roof. 
"what led you down here?" came her soft curiosity, genuine in both the intent of engaging the woman and turning their conversation to another subject.
[Image: footer3.png]
775 Posts
Ooc — Rosie
Astronomer
Master Ecologist
Master Midwife
Offline
#7
Right back atcha <3

Olive had never been a vain creature — a body was just a vehicle for a soul, after all — but she found herself blushing pleasantly at the girl’s unbidden compliment. She, who had loved and lost two men, was beautiful? Honestly she didn’t believe it, for if she had been truly beautiful, maybe they would have stayed…. but that didn’t feel good to think about, so Olive rested and was fine with the fact that outward beauty truly didn’t matter; it was what made up her soul that counted.  She really didn’t ever give it too much thought.  

But, the fire-kissed girl seemed to wish to take back her words. The sylph took an entreating step forward, should the girl try to flee again. Olive would let her go if she wished, for she truly appeared to be uncomfortable, but Olive did not wish for any of her interactions to end like that. “Then, is it wrong of me to compliment your beauty, as well?” she offered, marveling at the vivacity and intense color of the petite girl’s pelt. Even in the dark lowlight of the mountain’s innards, this she could see. “You are so striking.” she offered with a saccharine-sweet smile, hoping to let the girl know she was not alone in her awkward compliments.

Then, she looked towards their subterranean, mycotic milieu, and Olive did the same. “I’m not quite sure… I’ve never seen any place like this before…” she said honestly and earnestly, in wonder. The only thing that had ever been close was the quarry, and even that had been open to the sky. “I am Olive,” the shrouded fae greeted suddenly. “Who are you?”
and all my days are trances, and all my nightly dreams
are where thy grey eye glances, and where thy footstep gleams
in what ethereal dances, by what eternal streams

blood canticle
393 Posts
Ooc — ebony
Offline
#8
beneath the roots of her scarlet fur, mona felt the flush of mingled unsurety and pleasure race along her skin. scarlet through and through — presently the girl's velveteen ears swept backwards as a tiny smile crept to her lips. stilling the sudden desire to fidget and work her paws against the cool earth, the mayfair with no small effort brought her gaze to that of the mountain-bound fairy. her beauty. striking, her companion had said; such gems to be put aside for now and marveled over at a later time. "thank you."
she took too the opportunity to glance once more briefly at the quickly-loved features of the curvehipped wolfess — what was wrong with her, that she could not keep from looking in such a way. "mona," the girl murmured when introductions had been made. olive. the smooth round tones of the name limned its owner quite aptly. murkwater eyes raised to the archway above them once more; the mayfair glanced beyond olive's shoulder. "do ... would you like to see where it goes?" mona inquired, failing quite miserably at keeping the timidity from her own voice.
[Image: footer3.png]
775 Posts
Ooc — Rosie
Astronomer
Master Ecologist
Master Midwife
Offline
#9
The girl — mona — did not flee. Instead, to the druid’s delight, she suggested further venturing into the depths of the cavern and explore what lay just beyond, and then beyond that, and then even further. Olive could not think of something that would delight her more. To she, charting unknown territory was the name of the game.

“Oh, yes, I very much do,” sang the ingenue, noticing the scarlet girl’s lingering gaze and returning it rather innocuously. A flourish of her ashen plumage denoted the sincerity with which she consented. With any hope, Olive’s natural social fluidity  [coupled with a little bit of methodical movement and the thrill of exploration] would encourage mona to further unbind. Almost intuitively, Olive knew that a self-confidence issue was at play here, but Olive could not find one reason why that may be. Mona seemed simply lovely thus far.

The shrouded fae moved past Mona to venture father down the length of this particular cavern, before it sharply veered to the left and then, out of view. Chatting as she walked, Olive turned to look at her companion and continued. Mona’s figure was almost entirely encased in shadows, in the further dying light.
“I must admit —the darkness frightens me.” She was partial to darkness, as she was a creature of the stars, but this was the first time that their subterranean dwelling prevented her from seeing them. “I am lucky to have you.”      
and all my days are trances, and all my nightly dreams
are where thy grey eye glances, and where thy footstep gleams
in what ethereal dances, by what eternal streams

blood canticle
393 Posts
Ooc — ebony
Offline
#10
mona, who was rather intoxicated simply by being in the vicinity of such a lovely person, did not first hear olive, only the last softly toned words. have you. the mayfair's fen-dark eyes turned toward her companion beneath the archway of loam, and whatever she could have said drifted away upon noting how olive's delicate features shone with some glow of genuine interest and gratitude.
belatedly, she recalled only by a fluke what the woman had said before, and a small smile unfurled, chasing back her burgeoninng trepidation. "i used to be scared of the dark too. my mother would take me out at night and tell me about our family; i learned to think of that even when the moon was covered." some bittersweet ticking in her heart; she put rowan aside and concentrated on not tripping in the gloom.
[Image: footer3.png]
775 Posts
Ooc — Rosie
Astronomer
Master Ecologist
Master Midwife
Offline
#11
Do you mind closing up with your post? Thank you for the thread ❤


Olive found that her eyes were no longer of much use, and she noticed how the rest of her senses rushed to fill the void. At this point, the witches tandem navigated the innards of the earth by mere feeling alone; the sensation of doing which, Olive found to be extravagantly pleasing. She delighting in being so one with the earth, so bathed by the sonorous ground’s vibrations, but she also delighted in the company she had found the flighty, flame-kissed girl.   “I have very similar memories,” she spoke truthfully, with her voice held purposefully low, lest her words reverberate off the walls in a ghostly echo — as if it were speaking secrets just for them, and not the walls. Still, Olive could not pass up Mona’s mention of the moon. It was a bait she would never not bite willingly.

“Will you tell me what else you know about the moon,” the shrouded druid implored.   “Please?”  
and all my days are trances, and all my nightly dreams
are where thy grey eye glances, and where thy footstep gleams
in what ethereal dances, by what eternal streams

blood canticle
393 Posts
Ooc — ebony
Offline
#12
no problem! <3 thanks for the lovely thread!

charmed as she was by olive's gentle, curving nearness, the low silvered tones of the other's voice, mona was thus easily swayed by the soft plea. "my father ... my family are witches," she began. the swell of the earth cupped the girl's voice and lifted it roundabout the pair; mona found the words came easily to her tongue, and sought to use them in a way that might make her companion smile before they parted.
[Image: footer3.png]