Lone Star Mountain you make my heart spin sorrow into silk

she wondered, as small paws pressed shakily into the sloping foundation, did @West Tyree feel apprehension with each step that guided them further from the rolling emeralds in which his home lay protectively nestled within or did his blood sing and soar with the excited impatience at what lay ahead. so foreign and new, did he drink greedily at this unexposed scenery with an insatiable hunger as similar to her own or would misgivings swoop in to blot it out? she would've posed the question herself had it not been for the dryness of her mouth, the ever tightening of her throat. such anxieties were not hidden from her earthen companion although she had yet to specify why she observed the looming land they scaled as if it were a yawning mouth of fangs, ready to swallow her whole. a shudder passed over her spine, it might as well have been. no, she'd simply begged he experience sunrise from a vantage point as similar as they could ever manage to the birds that sang and rallied above in their magnificent freedom. 

so in typical polaris fashion, she'd insisted they tackle the brazen formations leeering down at their miniscule existence by comparison before the sun had yet sent coloured claws into the violet sky. mist curled curious claws around her jittery limbs as air huffed visibly from a slender snout; it was bloody freezing but at least the sky remained free of the heavy cloud cover that plagued them so consistently sides the occasional wisp drifting along in peaceful bliss. she was uncharacteristically silent as she moved, unable to yet admit to him that it was this very mountain that had decided it would try wipe the tonrar family from existence with as little as what could be a cough to it and that since that day she had failed to set paw on land that made her feel like a mere flee clutching to its sloping back. but having thought long and hard about the conversation she'd had with valette, she'd decided that she would not let the earth win in this game of cruel amusement at testing her limits. she would prevail and the affable being at her side unknowingly lent her the courage to turn thoughts into action. 

obviously she didn't intend to roam anywhere near that glittering peak, this was no suicide mission but she sought some sort of level ground that could provide a view of land rolling around them and the sun as it painted it like a proud artist decorating her canvas. light began to trickle through a space not too far off and with a gulping inhale, ears pressed tight to her head as she continued to skitter towards it; jaw taut with icy determination.

Muscles ached as the male stepped, each paw digging into the side of the mountain taking him a step further and higher than he had ever been before. Something about the height caused his heart to hammer against his chest, but it was not from fear. The woodland boy was awestruck, often taking pauses to glance back and see how far they had come. Part of the boy wondered if he could spot the stones that marked his home from here, but everything was so small from the mountainside. What once seemed huge might as well be ants when compared to the height of the mountain peak.

A silence had grown since the base of the mountain, one West wasn't sure he should disturb as they climbed, so for now, he didn't. As the altitude changed so did the weather and cold fought to move past his thick fur. While he much preferred the warmth of the sun, it did not bother him now. Instead, the cold that seeped into his bones held his attention causing the Eastholloian to be more alert and alive than ever. He was aware it might not be the same for the dove though. She had already seen the wonders of the mountains, perhaps even what laid beyond them and the girl was much smaller than he was. Pausing once more, West glanced at Polaris then tore his eyes to the colors that painted the sky's horizon.

For a moment he found himself speechless, a cloud of hot breath escaping him as he let his sore muscles relax. It's beautiful up here— He wondered if Polaris felt the same or if this was just normal where she was from. He had seen sunrises before of course, but even the trees of the plains blocked the intensity that bled from the sun's first rays. Were they always like this? Had he truly missed so much staying at home while his siblings traveled? Finding the strength to look away he resettled his gaze on the dove once more in hopes of an answer.

she inched close to him as they stood before the sun's brilliant display; eyes wide with unblemished awe. the stark, unhindered beauty of the mountains hadn't dulled anyway as the wind whipped and crooned with a strength she only witheld when it soared proud and brazen in the sky; dancing with the claws of stone that reached hungrily for whatever it was that looked over them day and night. such power lingered within the rock they stood upon; their little bags of flesh as fragile as a drifting leaf to the slumbering beast they perched atop. blanching, she inhaled shakily and reminded herself that whatever rage they'd fallen victim to that day had not killed them. her whole family had survived that peak's wrath because they were strong, their fire's too bright to be quenched by rolling rubble. even with such an affirmation slightly easing the rapid progression of her heart, the trembles continued to skitter up and down her spine but at least she could claim that to be nothing above the sharp cut of the frisky breeze. 

blinking rapidly, eyes shone as they roamed across the emerald glow rolling away from the earth's teeth; the pastel sheen already twirling with the eddying mist. smiling faintly, she continued the journey of sight until she witheld the bleeding sky. colours clashing in bursts of crimson that slunk amongst the slumbering indigo; paving a path for the soldier's of light blazing from the sun in proud yellow and orange. a breathless whisper unknowingly answered west's unspoken thoughts as she uttered "it never gets old...i think i could watch the sun wake up every day and never, ever see it as mundane. the fact we're blessed with such a display every single day...i do not know if we even deserve it" a short laugh as she finally tears wistful looks from the theatrics before them to look wholly at her company. chewing at her lip, the dove shifts before the boy; casting a sharp look to where shadows still lurked and leered from the several nooks and crannies their location sported. inhaling shakily, she finally returned to the steadying green gazing back at her. she could do this, it wasn't too hard her tongue just had to....move, why was it so heavy?

swallowing again, she frowned a little at the taste of blood slithering into her jaws. dammit she'd broken the skin of her lip, again- she really needed to banish this habit. "i sort of lied to you...i mean i did want to see the sunrise but...that wasn't the only reason i wanted to do this" shifting from paw to paw, she finally broke the contact of their shared gaze; looking off to some distant point as her short pelt ruffled in the breeze. "this exact mountain...this is where me and my family were trying to cross when the rock came to life. it was terrifying the whole thing just lurched as if some monster lives within this stone and decided to wake up. i was flung off like nothing more than a dead rabbit and hit my head and when i came round there was just displaced rock everywhere and my family..." she blinked hard against the sting at her eyes, trying to dispel the unnatural brightness "i thought everyone was dead so i ran, i ran so fast until the ground beneath my paws was flat and since that day...i couldn't go near a single mountain..." her ears pinned in shame at the display of cowardice, but..she was here now. and everyone was alive. 

swallowing for probably the hundredth time since she started talking, trying to fight the dryness of her mouth; her chin tilted upwards a little as she declared "this is my first time stepping foot on a mountain since...but i thought it was time because i am not going to let some stupid lump of rock beat me!" it ended a sharp growl, one that was carried off by silent messengers as it echoed along the sheer walls around them. but she did not falter, even at the unbidden image of the beast catching note of her words and deciding to play a little game. finally facing west wholly again, a little weak smile pressed nervously upon her features. what would he make of that? she wouldn't blame him if he thought her a fool, who the hell was scared of rock after all? 

"i'm also sorry we didn't get to go to whitebark stream" she hadn't told him exactly why, only announcing tersely that it wasn't happening in a tone that had requested no questions. but now..."i found out from zephyr that while i was mourning what i thought was my family's death...my papa was off making a new family..replacing us" her chin wobbled a little despite a fierce sharpness lingering in that unique gaze "i was told too that when our brother helios went missing he didn't even look for him he just, he just stayed with this replacement family and that...that does not sound like my papa. i was scared i wouldn't recognise him, scared i'd say something i'd regret so i decided to wait until i don't know, i'd thought it over..." she shrugs listlessly then, looking back in the general direction of the pack he lingered in; her papa with a new mate..new kids. claws tainted with a whirlwind of bitter pain, hurt and anger stroked down the edges of her mind as she gazed upon the blurry green. gosh she also felt awkward, after being all fun and boisterous as they explored these past weeks this was certainly a turn...would he be repelled? or angry she hadn't shared anything...giving him a wary sidelook, she could only hope she wouldn't be met with distaste.

Another gust ripped past the pair as Polaris also stopped and scooted a bit closer. They didn't touch nor did his eyes leave the view to acknowledge their closeness, but he couldn't help but feel a bit warmer from the electricity that bounced off the dove and seeped into his flesh. By the time his gaze had shifted Polaris spoke, her words making him wonder if she had inadvertently read his mind. He was surprised to hear that she believed they didn't deserve something pretty, but truthfully the woodland boy had never compared his worth to the world. West had lived too long in his own world with his own beliefs where all was happy and carfree despite the obvious horrors that had occurred around him. He had never been blind to it, but perhaps the dangers never truly sunk in as deep as they should have, shrugged off with the days passing and on to the next thing with his mundane life. 

The laugh that came from her was also a surprise, and though she wasn't looking at him, West could tell something was wrong. The dove shifted awkwardly, was she uncomfortable? The way she bit her lip only solidified that thought. Was it him? Perhaps he had been staring for too long, but right as he was about to look away she turned to him. West blinked confused by her words which only further showed as he tilted his head. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to hear, his thoughts having run wild in the few seconds that passed before her confession told him that the girl was someone entirely different, the friendship they had built up in their days of travel a thing of weaved tales, but...that wasn't it.

In many ways the truth was a relief for it didn't really change anything between the two, but hearing how her and her family had been tossed from the peaks drove a thin spike of fear through his own heart. West couldn't keep his gaze from shifting down towards the base of the mountain at her words. The chances of an event like that repeating was low, or at least he was pretty sure it was. The last of the quakes had happened long ago, almost erased from his memory with time, but who was he to predict when the Earth groaned. Knowing just how great the distance was now the woodland boy wasn't sure how anyone in the dove's family survived, surely if it was he who had fallen he would have been the same as a fallen tree. 

West wasn't quite sure what to say, though now he really couldn't blame her for running from the reality she believed in. Hell what would he have even done if their spots had been swapped? A nervous laugh escaped him as she finished, a newfound confidence in her voice as her words were carried into the air, You're a lot stronger than you look. He'd never admit it out loud, but part of him was certain he'd never climb something so tall again after plummeting to the bottom. For someone so set on being the barrier of his family, West hated the thought that someone as small as Polaris was stronger than him. Truly, he still had a lot to learn.

Her gaze eventually shifted back to him causing embarrassment to flood his cheeks. Had she heard his thoughts again? The boy's ears fell back at the thought even though he knew full well that the chances of a mind reading wolf existing was probably nil. Still, it was his turn to pull his glance away looking back to the scene before them as Polaris continued. S'fine. The idea of visiting another pack had been exciting, but he was just glad to finally see some of the world past Easthollow. Again West wasn't sure what to do with the information. He couldn't imagine his father leaving for another family. It was a horrible thought that he would try to forget his kids. He doesn't sound like a good dad. Maybe it had been inappropriate to say, but the thought had slipped out before West had the chance to filter it. Hell they all looked for Clay when he disappeared and when Newt left to find Clay, Greyback followed. Wasn't that what family was suppose to do? He too wished to join their search, but that would have left his mom and Leta alone. West knew better than to do that, he had seen how everything affected her. Sorry— I know I don't know him, but that would never be ok in my family. Clay disappeared when we were little, I guess he was kidnapped I don't know a lot of the details, but... we all looked for him. Our brother Newt is still looking, I don't think he knows Clay is home now. We haven't heard from him in a while so our dad is currently searching for him.

she starts a little at the compliment, pleased surprise guttering within bashful eyes as she regards him closely. she couldn't find it in herself to really agree with him, she should've waited even just a moment later before tearing away from the scattered debris. if she hadn't buckled under the fear, tried to outrun the snarling pain, she might've realised that she had not been the only one to survive the mountain's rage. this whole time she could've been with her family..yet then again, the fractures running between the tonrar's appeared deeper than falling rock at this stage and it was with a sinking feeling that she recalled the fact that not one of her relatives remained together. but west thought she was strong, did he mean it? she had to tear away from the touch of his dawn kissed eyes as warmth stirred deep within her being. it came accompanied with oddly unbidden embarrassment and awkwardness as she focused hard on the feat being performed before them. not wanting to leave him hanging after such an admittance but also intimidated by the strange feeling it had evoked, she simply let a boisterous smirk fall easily upon her slender snout and trilled "are you suggesting, west tyree, that i don't look strong?" it was easier to look upon him again now that banter had been introduced but her eyes still softened as she added quietly "but..thank you, it's all i want to be" it was true, having grown up with ridiculously good morals to the point of not wanting to kill prey just because they were lesser; her biggest fear had been to not be strong, that her kindness would deem her weak. 

west had given her a compliment that meant more to her than he could ever know, for it meant that she had succeeded in her biggest goal...even if it didn't seem so to her. 

as he glanced off, so did she so that the two lingered side by side; the sun casting fiery rays over ruffled pelts whilst the wind whistled and giggled with coy tugs to their fur. the growing intensity of the light filtering across the land as the sun grew in dominance with her claw towards the sky left eyes watering but she remained fixated determinedly on the bleeding sky. anxiety swaggered throughout her and she feared it would grow so lurid in nature that it'd shine right through her and banish any ideas of bravery as she waited for him to speak in regards to the word vomit she'd spat upon him. a minute nod was granted at his assurance, tense muscles relaxing only slightly as she remained fixated on the ethereal theatrics in the skies. silence dragged again as the steady croon of prowling winds was all to whisk about her ears and she was left worrying at the shortness of his answer, wondering if it truly was 'fine'. but then he spoke again and she quite quickly wished he hadn't as she bristled like a startled house cat. 

ears slicked back against her head as fiery eyes snapped to her earthen friend, jaw clenching. "don't say that" she'd retort sharply, instinctive defense flaring up for the man she'd looked up to her entire life. yet it's only mere seconds after the outburst that the shining blade in those eyes grows dull as she blinks off to the side, self-reproach flickering to life as she focused on her paws. it wasn't his fault he'd been trying to support her...the guilt pressed harder as she glared at the ground, what sanctimony to think she can talk about someone in such a manner and grow so ruffled if someone agreed. swallowing thickly she mumbled "i'm sorry i..." she forced eyes back to the boy's, silently pleading that hurt or disgust wouldn't linger there. "it's weird to me, i loved- i love him you don't understand he's the best papa ever. he's always been so brave and kind but...that's why i'm so confused, he wouldn't do that...but apparently he has and-" and exasperated sigh is huffed forth as she simply shrugs and adds diffidently "still i shouldn't have snapped like that i am really sorry" a hopeful, timid smile is added at the end, hoping it'd be returned and that the blunder could be left behind.

she thought a little ruefully about clay, not sure what to offer on that front. had clay really been kidnapped? he hadn't seemed like a prisoner, especially not by nightwalker terms...memories of the groans and hisses lurking through the forest from that stinking pit made her stomach roll and some sort of ghost pain seemed to spike cruelly from the ugly scars sitting smugly upon her flank. she may have escaped them but vengeance had made sure to make his mark, an enternal reminder of his rotting kingdom. "the wolves that had...taken clay" she made the quick decision to keep her doubts about clay's 'kidnapping' to herself for now, not wanting to interfere with family affairs, especially if she was wrong with her misgivings. "the ones he mentioned before and i told you about the first time we met...the nightwalkers, if you ever see one of them west turn the other way. you'll be able to recognise them because they reek of death. luckily they live quite far from you's, on the other side of these mountains right across the flatlands in the darkest, most dense forest you'll ever see. they're cruel and horrible" the gaze to blink off in the opposite direction to their home as if she could see the dark stain upon the earth writhed with tenebrous memories stirring within. 

heaving a sigh as she glared stubbornly back to the spectacular view, she focused hard on the beauty spread out before her. evil existed and leered in the shadows everywhere you went but...one could never lose hope when the earth offered these displays day by day to remind them that there was always good, always beauty and love if you knew where to find it. eyes narrowed with brazen determination as she pulled herself taller, tipped her chin and glanced back to the boy; flecks of the burning sun seeming to glow within her mismatched gaze as she stated with unshakable certainty "i want to be something someday west tyree, wolves like the nightwalkers...i want my name to be as formidable as theirs but i want them to fear me, all wolves that dance around cruelty like it's a joke, i want them to fear my people's wrath, whoever that may be" she's flushed with wondrous determination as she glances back to the claws of burning light fighting back the sneering shadows. they only ever triumphed when the light was absent, call her cocky but she wanted to be the sun, to burn the darkness that threatened others.

The stirring bouts of anger and jealousy was quickly snuffed by the dove's response. She had always been quirky and teasing with him, something he had come to love about their interactions, but there was more behind Polaris' words. She thanked him and there was no hiding the meaning held behind the words. Perhaps there was more hurt he was unaware of, a fight he would never know or understand thanks to his genes. I might be~ West couldn't hold back his own tease as a chuckle followed. You're full of surprises. His thoughts wouldn't linger long as the conversation shifted to her dad, though the woodland boy quickly wished it hadn't.

Polaris bristled with a fury West thought was impossible to come from someone like the peaceful dove, but it clear as day now that they truly did not know much about each other or each other's hardships. She snapped silencing him immediately as his own ears fell back. West stood by his opinion, but he knew it wasn't his place to speak. The woodland boy's brows furrowed as she continued, a pout resting on his lips. He hadn't meant to upset her, but before he could speak up again she apologized. It caught him by surprise, she had every right to be upset. By the time her mismatched gaze reconnected his ears had perked again, features now a mix of confusion and guilt. I-It's ok— I didn't mean to upset you. She offered a meek smile to which he gave a short wag of his tail. I can't really relate, but I've seen my dad do surprising things too. Maybe his reasoning isn't what you think...? The boy's mind wandered to the exile that occurred last winter. It had taken everyone by surprise, and based on the other's reactions it wasn't normal. West knew it was with good reason though, or at least that's what Greyback had said, even if he had gone too far. Had her father made a mistake too?

Polaris spoke again, this time offering a name he had only heard in passing. Nightwalkers. So it was a place, a pack? His gaze followed as the dove motioned over the mountains to some unseen land beyond his reaches. He couldn't really fathom a pack as horrible as she explained, but they had to exist. Clay seemed to have no interest in sharing what happened, for various reasons, but if it was truly as bad as the dove made it out to be he couldn't really blame his brother for not wanting to share. West had heard of bad wolves with bad intentions. His own sister was attacked by one.

The girl looked back to him with a gaze as fierce as the sun itself. There was no denying it, in the moment, she was breathtaking and her words brought a force that caused his heart to stop. Heat flushed the boy's cheeks as he searched for something to say, anything to keep him from standing like a statue. I...I'm sure you'll reach your goal. The words felt plain on his lips, but there was no denying it. He was sure, one day everyone would know of the dove and her fire.

brows furrow with consideration at the soft words to slip from her company, feeling so very glad at his assurance that her outburst was okay. she'd only known him such a short amount of time and yet..the idea of placing even the most delicate of cracks in their ever building friendship was already unthinkable. her thoughts meandered curiously to the father he spoke of, recalling vague memories of his hulking yet affable presence when she'd met clay as a mere babe so long ago. she hadn't seen any sign of the brutish man since crossing the borders of easthollow but she supposed that wasn't too much of a surprise considering how little time she'd actually managed to spend within the territory's protective clutch so far. she wonders idly as to what things he refers to his dad doing but doesn't press, simply musing a quiet "perhaps..." maybe she'd been too quick to judge, or too quick to take on zephyr's influential vehemence. it has been so long since she'd seen any of her family, what if zephyr's anger had been biased and she'd let herself be swept right into that tornado of emotion for fear of losing the one wolf she'd found that had the same blood humming in their veins. 

she doesn't say much more, suddenly very desperate to escape this topic altogether. she'd grown from such a young age believing that family was the most important thing in the world, the deepest and strongest of ties and yet...the world seemed to be suggesting that this whole time she'd been incorrect, for it was west and the wolves of easthollow now that offered her refuge. it was all so confusing and she was not in the mood to let it spoil their trip anymore than it had already attempted to. 

her paws push forward a little to stretch chilled muscles as the sprightly breeze continued to hum and whistle about the fringes of velveteen ears. eyes flickered down to marvel curiously at her own puffed chest, washed fur offering the perfect palette for the bleeding sun and sure enough the dawn had kissed dusty pinks and pastel oranges upon the creme of her hairs. and west- she blinked over to gaze with unabashed joy at the way the fiery fingertips had sparked his earthy brown into coruscating gold, effulgent smile gracing windswept features as she wondered at the art beaming around her. 

she only faltered when he spoke up again and she realised that in her awe struck investigation she'd been staring right at him, eyes flitting speedily to the glowing emerald's set into his consistently benign features. it is as if the air giggling about them has suddenly refused to go anywhere near her mouth as she flushed a little at the dizzying sensation but found herself unable to look away. "i hope so..." and for a few moments she let the silence linger as uncannily bright eyes explored the layers of shifting foliage making up his own shimmering orbs, yet then it was over and she was turning back to the spectacular view and grinning with waggish glee. 

and with that very look set dominantly upon her features, she'd step right to the edge of their perch and let a laugh leap forth to twirl with the strengthening wind tearing at her fur. "oh isn't it just beautiful west tyree! look at our fur, it's like the sun itself has decided to kiss us with her bleeding colours!" her feathery tail waves sprightly at her haunches as she throws up her chin; she is ALIVE and so are her family, the mountain did not succeed in taking this sunrise from them and so they would drink it in with the entirety of their hearts. glancing back she'd shout "come here, it feels amazing. like you're standing on the edge of the world...as free as a bird" she grins and looks back to the verdant glow rolling away from her as far as she could see, until the edges blurred into eddying mist and dust sprinkled pinks giving way to baby blue. and in that moment nothing else exists, just her, west tyree and the world. and they are so invincible.

maybe a wrap-up?

The dove's brows furrowed as she seemed to fall into a silent reflection. What was going on in her mind was completely unknown to the boy, but as he had found out from this trip there was still a lot he didn't know about Polaris. Finally, she offered a quiet response to him, although it sounded as if she wasn't fully convinced. He knew how hard it could be to believe though, no one wants to believe something bad about a loved one.

Polaris was quick to fall silent again now looking down as she stretched, the breeze blowing through the mountain peeks picking up again to whisper in their ears. He wasn't blind to the colors that danced around them, but perhaps he had been more distracted by the sight before him to worry about the nature. She was...she was just staring at him? Him??? Was something stuck to his fur? He was graced with a grin from the girl, but unlike her teasing looks, this one seemed much more genuine.

After what felt like forever the dove responded once more, her eyes staring into him before she turned with a laugh as she approached the edge of their landing. For a moment, fear gripped the boy's heart as she approached what felt like instant death. West was quick to step forward only to realize she had paused, her voice once more echoing into the lands below them. Polaris called out to him asking for him to take notice of the bleeding colors once more that engulfed them. He was hesitant once more as she asked for him to come closer. The fear of plummeting hadn't taken him before, but now he couldn't help but feel one wrong step would send them both tumbling into the endless abyss...but, who was he to reject her whims? 

Despite the low-key fear of insanity that had been offered to him, West would allow his own smile to spread across his features as he moved closer. The breeze grew stronger like a river current that engulfed him as his toes found the edge, and for a moment his breath caught in his throat. After a long moment of realization that he was fine though and the earth had not crumbled beneath him the woodland boy erupted into a laugh of his own before calling out with a howl on the wind.

sounds good to me! archiving here<3

an elated grin was tossed his way when he dared inch closer to join the sylph as she trembled with riveting energy upon the world's edge, or that was how it at least felt. eyes of polished lustre did not stray from him once as he reached the drop, sprightly air ruffling his pelt with its fatuous intentions as she took glee in witnessing the transition from fear to euphoria as he gave in to the thrill of such precarious wonder. it did indeed bring her such joy to be able to be the first to show him the dizzying difference in perspective when you rode upon the mountains that you were so used to having look down upon you. 

eyes flick back to the world winking back, smile deepening with bliss at his twinkling laughter whilst her heart leapt high within the confines of her chest when he loosed his song to dance with the sky kissed air found only roaming the land brazen enough to reach for whatever lingered above. she laughs, and laughs, and laughs; the troubles nipping at her heels shying away from the sun's blazing embrace around the two wolves revelling in her display. 

and finally she'd tilt her head back, letting her own symphony leak from parted jaws to dance with west's tune and travel up to whatever entities frolicked in the skies above. she'd done it, with the spectacular arrival of a new day, she'd reclaimed these mountains with her voice.