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+--- Thread: Spotted Eagle Mountain what light breaks through these clouds (/showthread.php?tid=23974)
what light breaks through these clouds - Phocion - November 27, 2017
He had grown used to wandering. As filos of his tribe in the south, he had ranged far and wide, looking for friends to become family. Now he had come even farther, and it made sense that he would not rest for more than a day or two at a time, looking for faces both familiar and foreign.
Phocion had zig-zagged through the valley, noting things here and there. Like, there were still wolves inhabiting the caldera, but the scent markings were different than when he had first encountered the place; different personalities had come and gone in the seasons he had been gone. Teekon was the same, but it also had changed.
With distaste, he noticed that the nights had been cloudy--not good at all for stargazing. Only Fengari's ethereal light managed to reach the earth, coming through the murky, snowy sky as a beacon to guide his way. He grew more full with each passing night, and soon would be at his best.
Phocion climbed into yet another mountain range, icy blues squinted tight against the snow pelting his face. The trees were barren and charred here, and he felt a small pang of sadness as he realized that fire must have ravaged this place some time ago.
Fire was Iliana's realm. Fire is the enemy, and snow cleanses us all.
RE: what light breaks through these clouds - Spooky Camilla - November 27, 2017
Making some assumptions with her timeline & travel etc. Tagging for reference (in case you want to mention the howl in another thread, mixed!).
Things were looking up for the vagabond as far as she could tell, although the onset of winter was occurring much faster than she had anticipated. The sky had been streaked with ominous gray for hours now and while Rheia loved to watch the sky, she was nervous about what it's darkness may portend. There was hardly any discussion to be had with her companion as they migrated; full in the belly and charmed by her company, Rheia had no complaints. It felt right to be with a sister again even if that sister was of a different ilk; unlike the coastal women who came before her, Rheia was surprisingly adaptable. She had not ascribed so hastily to their rigid traditions.
When their travel brought them closer to the mountains Rheia's heart almost beat out of her chest from excitement. She saw the looming shapes on the horizon and was so eager she took off after them - kicking up freshly fallen snow and finding herself on a path without Sif quite suddenly. It wasn't until her lungs were full of frigid mountain air that she realized Sif was not with her. It was a setback indeed - one that might unravel everything. Rheia did what came naturally and lifted her snout, calling out to @Sif that I am here!
Then, she waited. The girl felt a vastness to her impatience in those moments, but she waited there with her head up and ears spinning in the hopes that there would be a return message. There was no telling how far Rheia had gone from her new sister's side and it frightened her to think about the woman's reaction. It wasn't so much that Rheia was afraid of Sif but she was, admittedly, far too committed to the easy out that the girl represented.
She did not hear a call, and decided to press on before the snow could build up too much around her. It had already filled the gaps in the mountainous terrain so much that Rheia was wading chest-deep through it. She cast another glance towards the sky just as a pale creature emerged from the cover of the trees - but she didn't see Phocion, only the moody sky that blotted out her beloved mother.
RE: what light breaks through these clouds - Phocion - November 27, 2017
He had anchored himself inside a small divet in the mountain, deep enough to allow for some shelter against the cold and snow. He thought of closing his eyes, curling up, and sleeping, but fought his bodily instincts--to sleep through the night, as dreary as this one was, was a grievous offense against Fengari and his daughters. Iliana's rise must always bring slumber, he reminded himself.
Instead, Phocion began to mutter incantations, starting with a prayer to the winds and waters to cease their storming. It did no good to be up at night if the stars were tucked away beneath the clouds. He longed for the clear, snowless southern skies, the night at the solstice, at once both a vast expanse of darkness and a glimmering show of light.
He had launched into his third set of prayers when movement nearby caught his eye. Snapping to attention, he puffed himself up in wariness and waited for the figure to draw closer. When it did so, he opened his mouth.
"Friend," he greeted, his standard opening to any wolf, regardless of who they were or where they came from. "Do you seek shelter from the storm?"
Instead, Phocion began to mutter incantations, starting with a prayer to the winds and waters to cease their storming. It did no good to be up at night if the stars were tucked away beneath the clouds. He longed for the clear, snowless southern skies, the night at the solstice, at once both a vast expanse of darkness and a glimmering show of light.
He had launched into his third set of prayers when movement nearby caught his eye. Snapping to attention, he puffed himself up in wariness and waited for the figure to draw closer. When it did so, he opened his mouth.
"Friend," he greeted, his standard opening to any wolf, regardless of who they were or where they came from. "Do you seek shelter from the storm?"
RE: what light breaks through these clouds - Spooky Camilla - November 27, 2017
Of all the things Rheia had witness, she knew that snow was always a good one. Then again she had never been witness to its dangers - the caverns of home were so well protected that only the largest of crevices invited piles of the frozen water. She knew snow to be cold, wet, and fun. The winter was a time of reflection and prayer for those living on her mountain and now, being out in the world and able to watch the exposed sky, Rheia understood the reason. The mother would always watch over them but it was the incliment weather, the early dark, which served as blessing and curse entwined. The girl breathed in the winter and as she exhaled, adjusted her gaze to the surrounding forest; she watched her breath curl as it dissipated, and at that point spotted the pale stranger.
He seemed to be watching her. The stranger's figure was almost impossible to spot among the snow and shadow yet she managed, with some study, and locked her attention with his dark nose as a guide. Initially Rheia did not think and merely advanced, eager to make a new friend as she had with Sif even if it was a temporary thing to speed time along. The sooner she found her sister, the better - but this would do fine too.
Hallo,she responded shyly, equal parts eager but cautious. She picked up his use of the word shelter but was more interested in the next, storm, which was unfamiliar. The girl tilted her head at this and parroted,
Storm?with a curious lilt.
RE: what light breaks through these clouds - Phocion - December 04, 2017
She shot him a question, seemingly about his use of the word storm, and he smiled, replying, "Wind. Snow. Storm," while tilting his head and gesturing in illustration at the maelstrom around them. He stepped aside, beckoning her to come into the space for at least some sort of shelter.
"I am Phocion," he introduced himself, bowing his head in greeting. His bright gaze surveyed her curiously. "Do you wander alone?" She was lithe but not starved, with a pelt made up of all sorts of different grays and eyes that were a deep, but not dull, blue-green.
He had noticed a certain wariness in certain wolves he had come across here; it had not been so, last time he was in Teekon--the last time, too, in the throes of a famine. Had something even more catastrophic happened since he had been gone? He wondered if this woman would stick around or flee this conversation.
RE: what light breaks through these clouds - Spooky Camilla - December 17, 2017
The explanation wasn't too clear, but she couldn't exactly tell him that. So instead Rheia nodded and let a small smile play across her features because, heck, what else could she do? He spouted words that kind of made sense on their own but together, to the unpracticed girl from another world, she only made a vague connection. When he motioned to the surroundings and the snow falling amongst them, she followed his sweeping motion with her eyes and then became transfixed on the falling snow - only returning her attention to the man when he spoke again, and even then it was with some reluctance.
A-lone?Again she repeated him but this time it was more subdued, spoken under her breath. Her ears pivoted as she contemplated what to say, and then she realized he had introduced himself -- and she had been busy watching the snow at the time, so it came as a surprise when the conversation caught up with her. Gosh, everyone in this place must think she's really very slow in the head!
Rheia -- is name, is me,she murmured in the stillness.
RE: what light breaks through these clouds - Phocion - December 20, 2017
The common tongue was not her first language, that much was clear. As someone who once had to adjust to a different language--from the common tongue--he empathized with the woman, and honored her resolve with a glowing smile. "Rheia," he repeated, having not heard her utterance under her breath. "Phocion. . .is me."
Still she stood outside in the storm, snowflakes collecting on her silver-gray pelt. He stepped further back into the nook, beckoning her inside. It did this girl no good to stand and shiver out here; best she capture what warmth this shelter, and the heat of his body in fairly close proximity, could provide.
He hoped she didn't think he was trying to take advantage of her--quite the contrary. But the language barrier made things a little more difficult, and he did his best to maintain a non-threatening posture, gaze, and tone, and to keep his words simple and kind.
RE: what light breaks through these clouds - Spooky Camilla - December 21, 2017
Ya spooked her!
The stranger introduced himself. By using a similar layout to his speech as herself, Rheia could understand him; although she disliked being babied by anyone she knew it was a hoop she had to jump through. Yet when he named himself as Phocion, the sound of the name itself stopped her from leaping in to the dark recesses with him. It sounded almost familiar - something close to her native tongue at least, which drummed up a natural inclination to resist his desires. Rheia did not know what he wanted and as sweet as he had been to her so far, she was suddenly quite nervous. Then, as he made room for her in his temporary shelter, she knew this was one of those men that her sisters had often spoken about. They had been rare, obedient creatures upon her old mountain home - but this was a very foreign entity to her. Rather than accept his invitation she clammed up and physically reversed - first by recoiling a few steps, then ducking and slinking away from him, ears plastered to her head and body hugging the shadows. Her sisters lessons were all that she knew; whatever friendship this man offered, Rheia did not want it.
RE: what light breaks through these clouds - Phocion - December 21, 2017
He saw her alarm and immediately started to panic, remnants of the old, anxious Phocion re-emerging as she began to slink away with ears pinned against her head. "Wait, no!" he called out to her, voice muffled against the falling snow. "Don't. . .don't go. I didn't mean to frighten you."
Phocion stepped out of the cave, then, but made sure he was not too close to her, hugging the opposite side of the overhang instead. He nodded at the nook entrance. "It's warm, in there, and cold out here. I can stay out here. . .you can get warm." Fengari's sake, he hoped she understood and would take him up on his offer, rather than flee.
It was curious, this encounter. In his youth, he had often frightened wolves away with his over-the-top boldness, his brash, loud speech and his showy nature. He had been able to control that side of himself, become a much smoother being, and now. . .now his smoothness meant that he was, once again, frightening someone away.
And he didn't want to do that. He didn't want to be alone. He had set off on this mission on his own volition, but he regretted it often, and he felt terribly, terribly alone here.