Swiftcurrent Creek The sun shines down from above

Kieran lay prone in the clearing, sleeping, but all was not well in the sage warriors visage. He was whining and a gasp came from his maw. Eyes flickered and legs moved restlessly, as the nightmares of his past plagued him. He woke with a gigantic growl and yelp and stood swiftly to his feet and looked around a bit crazily. Eyes of green rolled up so far the whites showed and he looked around. Finally, taking deep calming breaths he managed to calm down enough that he could sit.

Sitting to the ground, chest heaving with fear and adrenaline, borne from memories he panted. Tilting his head he looked around as the dawn light, began to touch the edges of the world and the pinks and pearls of paint swirled throughout the cool dewy mist, that the morning held with it's gossamer wings, as the dew drops lit up the spiderwebs that spun around him. He shook his body the water falling off of him in droplets and he got to his feet and trotted towards the borders, he would take some time to patrol today, work off some of the adrenaline.

She had been back at the creek for nearly a week and already Bones felt much better. Her face was still gaunt and her ribs still shone beneath her ashy pelt, yet she was wanting for neither food nor rest. Perhaps in a few days, she might even be strong enough to visit the plateau, especially since Ira would be there to help her and keep her company.

For now, the Pi took it easy. She didn't fancy herself a Warden, yet she loped around the borders nonetheless this morning, simply to stretch her legs and stay warm in this damp, chilly air. When her pastel eyes caught sight of another wolf further along, she moseyed toward him, keeping her head and tail bowed out of respect.

"Ahoy!" she said brightly when she drew near. "Good morning! I'm Bones, the resident Pi-rate," Bones quipped with a friendly wag of her tail. "Who're ye and how're ye?"

Kieran heard a noise and looked up as a female came towards him. Her pelt was due for a good lick, and she was incredibly malnourished and there were scars and such that littered her pelt. He was willing to bet there were more underneath the fur and the skin too, some probably deep in her chest imprisoned in her chest and her heart hidden from view.

Kieran listened to her words and his mouth twitched in a smile "A pirate yer say? Well oi'm de local Oirishman. kieran o'malley at yisser service." He gave her a small smile, he felt a kinship with her he hadn't in a long time. She had obviously walked through hell and back again just like him. "Oi'm gran' lassy 'owaya?"

He smiled at her, which Bones took to mean he didn't mind her company. When he spoke, her ears twitched and her eyes gleamed interestedly. He had an accent too! His was different, yet it was somehow comforting to hear someone else speak in a nonnative dialect. Even if, as it were, she only understood half of what he said.

Smiling broadly and trying not to giggle, the yearling said, "Nice to meet ye, Kieran! I, uh, didn't catch that last bit, though. I really like yer accent! Ye said it's Irish?"

Kieran did not mind company usually, sometimes he did. And if they got to personal he would cut the visit short, he was not about to share his own self with all and everyone. There were some things that just needed kept to yourself. And Kieran was a widely private person. He did not wish to hash out how he lost the fight to allow the love of his life to live. He did not need to speak on how his family was killed no all of this was things better left silent.

"Aye lassy so'tiz Oirish." Kieran smiled back at her. He didn't mind that some laughed at his expense, especially when they were young and full of life as this girl before her was. He shook his head and shifted his weight. He didn't laugh, he hadn't laughed in years and his eyes didn't twinkle, but he did smile and that was enough. "Oi asked 'owaya? if yer are gran'?."

This time, she managed to decipher the meaning of his words. "Oh! I'm all right," she answered with a small smile. "How about ye, Kieran?" Someone from Tortuga — she couldn't remember who — had told her some stories about Irishmen back in the day. If she recalled correctly, there had been mention of little green wolf pups called leprelichens who lived at the ends of rainbows, sitting on heaps of finest meats.

Brushing this thought aside, Bones recalled a phrase the unremembered storyteller had shared with her. It had stuck more than anything else, for whatever reason. "Top o' the mornin' to ya!" she chirped, wondering if Kieran would like that.

"An' top o' ye mornin' ter ya ter yer bones."

Kieran saw when she understood his words and he smiled again. It was always fun to read another's facial expressions, especially one as expressive as this girl in front of him."Ah oi'm jist gran' girly."

Kieran actually chuckled slightly at her next words. She completely butchered the way the language was to flow, but it was too sweet not to admire. He dipped his muzzle and spoke softly "An' top o' ye mornin' ter ya ter yer bones. Waaat are ye at oyt an' aboyt dis early lassy? "

He seemed pleased by her usage of the Irish greeting. Kieran said he was grand, then asked her why she was out and about so early. Bones had always been a light sleeper and an early riser. She went to bed when it grew dark and rose before the sun, never wanting to miss an ounce of daylight if she could help it. And there were always naps, if necessary.

"I'm just stretching me legs," she said easily, then asked, "Kieran, ye ever herd of leprelichens?"

Kieran himself was a relatively light sleeper, if he slept at all. The nightmares that plagued him sometimes proved to harsh for his countenance and he was forced to lie awake for days. Days until he was far to exhausted to dream and he would just fall into blissful sleep.

"Ah de stretchin' av de legs. somethin' we al' 'av ter chucker an' shud chucker." He was a firm believer in excercise, often times it helped keep him sane. If he felt to ill at ease, he merely hunted, or ran and it calmed the demons that nipped at his heels. He shook his head and a small chuckle worked it's way out of his mouth. "Ah yer mean de wee people. aye oi chucker nu av dem, they are bauld as brass an' twice as ornery. they'd knuk yisser treasure roi beneath yisser smeller, before yer cud blink. tricky wee devils dem."

My last post! Sorry to wrap things up sort of quickly; I'm trying to conclude her threads. :)

Kieran seemed familiar with these legendary critters, which earned a smile from Bones, even if she had trouble following him. His accent was just a bit too thick. With that said, she nonetheless enjoyed listening to him and would attempt to conduct a conversation as long as he was a willing participant.

Yet it seemed Ira might have other ideas, as her companion's voice rose in the air, summoning her with the promise of food. The yearling's eyes brightened hungrily. She was in no position to turn down free food. She needed every ounce of meat she could pack away in her slim belly.

Unwilling to simply ditch Kieran, she asked, "Are ye hungry? Wanna come get some breakfast with me and me friend, Ira?" Whether or not he came along, she began to walk in the direction from which her white-furred friend had called, already licking her lips.

No problem :D

The conversation was going well and then a howl broke the silence of the creek summoning the little lass in front of him. He didn't say anything just listened as it fell off and her eyes brightened. Must be important whoever it was to her, and he wasn't about to stand in the way. He smiled at her softly and then tilted his head at her questions.

"Naw tanks bones. yer go ayte wi' yisser fella dare. oi'm gonna chucker sum scoutin'. it wus nice ter meet yer." he watched her go with a small smile and then turned and continued on his way happy to be alive for once.