The water foamed upon the shores. Deposited among the sloshing white was a slim gold figure. The waves carried him gently to the sands and pulled away to leave him there. The gentle rising of his body was all to suggest life and even then, it clung to him so limply that he could have breathed his last breath on those very shores.
A wretched gag sounded. Aerandír sat up, spat into the sand and upon his paws, and turned his long features to the waves curiously. The salt in his stomach clawed to be free. Aerandír spat up again, choking on the brine that had filled his throat, his mouth, drenched through his insides.
When he had finished, he continued to gaze at the waters.
It was a lovely beach.
a thin, golden wretch lay strewn among the sands, flotsam tossed about in the waves and spit upon the shore like a bite of foul meat. the listener sat a distance behind the alien creature in silence, studying the grotesque elongation of the features with a thoughtful look. she watched as he coughed and retched and fell into his own silence, as if unmoved by the experience of his own suffering. such a strange, accepting thing; childlike. the listener gazed upon him with curiosity, but did not stir. not yet.
The scent of salt and the noisy crash of the water concealed the dark listener well. Aerandír did not even have the mind to check for threats. He was enthralled with the foreignness of the new world, lost in the violent heave of each wave. The elven creature’s narrow snout lifted to the breeze, and he swallowed the scents upon it, hungry.
Aerandír rose to his paws. The length of his golden cloak dripped into the sands. He shook himself vigorously before the warm gold of his eyes settled on a shadow. The Mirkwood dog drew his ears to a point. The slender length of his frame was rigid in suspense, holding the shadow in his sights without blinking.
Aerandír stepped toward it, fearless in his graceful approach.
in time, the gilded beast turned sun-touched eyes upon the listener. mutual awareness locked them together. the delicate wolflike creature stepped forward. the listener rose, razorbacked and looming; sharp and voidsent where the sea-tossed stranger was soft and sunwoven. theirs was a silent exchange, feral and powerful like the passion of dancers.
the listener lingered when she had drawn to full height, still save the sway of long brittle fur at her chest and arms like dark robes catching the wind. there she would stand, unmoving, watchful as the daywalker drifted toward her.
The black rider was a wicked thing against the wild seaside.
Aerandír kept the light of his gaze trained to the unfamiliar shape. Larger than the fair folk of Mirkwood, darker than any beast upon four legs, but it watched without chasing and did not speak out in a tongue that was recognized. For the dog in the golden cloak, the black rider was a mysterious and dangerous unknown. Still, fear did not play a role in Aerandír.
The fair one danced forward, pausing when he had drawn close enough to see the sharpness of the black rider’s gaze, the spike of hackles risen along its back. Aerandír drew the length of his snout upward. A summer smile swept his lips. Still, he did not speak.
the creature seemed to smile at the listener. revulsion filled her. for a fleeting moment, her lips pulled taut in disgust, but the expression was subtle and gone in a moment.
the prophet turned with a meaningful look and a gesture. follow me. a visitor from the realm of spirits, she thought; a wretched cursed thing cast upon the land as a sign. a warning. a gift?
she watched with curious eyes, eager to see whether this one was meant for blackwater.
The black rider ushered Aerandír to follow.
The windhound did, stepping forward on sure paws. He did not fear the silent thing. It wore the face of a listener, one who judged behind their gaze. Aerandír did not believe that he would come to any true harm in its presence, but he did find that his curiosity was powerful enough to bring him in step behind the shadowy figure.
Black rider, where is it you take me?
the fair folk called out, his voice sweet upon the wind.