Dragoncrest Cliffs it’s just jam

Sadbh was lucky. 

To find the things needed for pigments, that was. And so late in the season too. Sadbh maneuvered their way around the cliffs they were slowly getting used to, the waves singing them to sleep every night. But now, it was time for something else. In the secure leaf sling hanging from their teeth, the pigments they needed. And, in a small alcove, the rocks they wanted.

They sat the leaf down at the base of one, staring at it for a moment, before nodding. Perfect.

Without much waiting, they swung their paws into the plants, moving some to the side, stomping the life out of the rest to smear on the rock in front of them. But they weren’t done, oh no. While it was still wet (and possibly quite sticky), they jammed their head against it, smearing color up one side of their face in a deliberate smear of red, haphazard and clinging, but there.

Perhaps disorienting to some, especially since it was red, but a practice Sadbh knew very well.

After Haunt’s funeral Njord took solace by spending time with @Sobo, @Mireille, @Coraline, and @Loko. They went on small treasure hunts and played in shallow streams, chasing red and yellow leaves as the water carried them away. The children helped heal his heart, and the seafarer wished he could pause time. They grew right before his eyes and, now, resembled miniature adults more than puppies.

It was also difficult to face the rest of the pack. A new face showed itself at the burial, but Njord felt too broken to greet them with any honest enthusiasm. However, time healed this too and it wasn’t long before he set out to find Sadbh (as @Rosalyn had informed him of their name).

The strong aroma of earthy herbs was an easy trail to follow and he quickly found the alcove where they painted. “’Ello?” Njord called as he cleared his throat. “Yer our newest granite named Sadbh, right? It meant tha worl’ you were at tha funeral fer Haunt… I wanted ta thank ya meself.” His voice trailed as he suddenly notice the vibrant red smeared across the rock and their face. “Er… what’re ya doin?” he asked, momentarily distracted from his somber introduction.

…ah.

Perhaps those around them wouldn’t understand the face painting thing. They froze like a kid with their hand in the cookie jar, slowly twisting to look over their shoulder with wide eyes.

Er.. They coughed.

I am Sadbh. Sabdh Meallán Dubhdarach. And I..’m paintin’ my face. It’s…eh…a cultural sorta thing, if ya catch my drift. They dipped their head.

Its no trouble at all. Id be a melter to throw my two cents in, so it’s the least I can do to attend and grieve with ya.

Sabdh Meallán Dubhdarach. The lilt of their voice reminded Njord of home, for his was a mix of accents, and he immediately found a soft place in his heart for the newcomer. The shock on their face was endearing and Njord knew, at once, that this wolf was good of spirit and a welcome addition to Sapphique.

He laughed – and it felt good. For a blink he was suspended away from the grief of Haunt’s death. “Aye, well it t’was kind of ya. She was a good lass gone from this Earth too soon.”

His lips tightened with a bob of his head and he sharply inhaled. Spend too long dwelling on it and the feelings were sure to drag him back down. Instead, he focused on the act at hand. “Cultural thing, eh? Meant to bring good fortune I ‘ope? Wassit for?” He moved closer to inspect the red pigment on the rock, sniffing cautiously.

Sadbh dipped their head in deference. They hadn’t known the yearling. But, well, she had a place here. Sadbh didn’t need to comment on it. Njord went to their rock, and they nodded.

Som’thin like that! My enclave used it for our soothsayers, a wee bit before Samhain. My ma taught me the colorin’, my pa the patterns.

“Soothsayin’? Samahain?” Njord thought of moonwoman Kukutux and her weirding ways. Did Sadbh dabble in the mystic arts as well? The seafarer thought of the smooth pink stone in his den and the love it was meant to bring him. Could this wolf perform similar magicks?

“Please, I want ta hear more,” Njord asked enthusiastically but then caught himself overstepping. He cleared his throat and a sheepish expression painted his face. “Ahem, I be meanin’ …if ya wanna explain. If not I'll leave ya to it.”

Sadbh grinned.

Aye! I’m happy to do some ‘splaining! They moved back to their pigments, dipping their toes into some of it to swipe their paws down the walls.

I was a diviner, so long’go it’s barely even worth mentionin’. I was the one responsible for seeing what our gods wanted us to know, ya know? Samhain was when the darker half of the year begain, so too would the Aos Sí come. Fae folk and the remnants of the gods, spirits of deceased kin. We feast, we make merry, and we appease the dead before they get all bleedin’ angry and we suffer for it.

Sadbh was happy to share and Njord was thankful for it. He found their demeanor pleasant to be around and, being something of a fairytale weaver himself, found inspiration in the way they describes Soothsayers. To have your imagination filled with new ideas was a nice reprieve from Haunt’s funeral.

Fae Folk. Gods. It sounded something of Erzulie’s loa, but with the old ways of repentance. “Aye,” Njord began. “My kin, too, knew a vengeful god. He was tha sea ‘imself. They called ‘im Atlan.”

Njord reflected and laughed to himself, “Per’aps me grandsire would ‘av been a happier man if he ‘ad feasted and made merry, too.”

Sadbh nodded along to Njord’s words, curiosity blazing in mint green eyes.

O’ I know some vengeful gods. Thankfully, I jus’ deal in spirits. They said with a little grin, waving their tail from side to side.

I paint my face for such’a reason. Seein spirits. It helps with divining. They moved back to the rock, mashing the other side of their face to the rock to smear the colors up the unpainted side.

I gotta do some markin’ on my coat too.

Short post is short >_<

Njord gave a small laugh when the other jeered. “Can I ‘elp?” Njord asked, eyes lighting up as he looked over the pigments. Sadbh rubbed themselves upon the stone again, to better smear the colors into their fur.

Sadbh gave a little hum and flick-curl of their tail, displacing a few sprigs of the herbs stuck inside the curled fur. They tisked, reaching back to put them in their proper place.

If ya’d like. They responded, pointing with their nose to the pigment at their paws.

Easier to get it from here’n the rock.

Njord looked at the pigment and, hesitantly, dabbed his paws in. He looked very much a sheepish child. “Like this?” he asked, rubbing the colors into his pads to get a good swatch of color. Blue eyes lifted to the painted monolith, already decorated with Sadbh’s marks. “Wha do I paint now?” he mused aloud, realizing he probably didn’t have the artistic chops to live up to Sadbh’s practiced skills.

Njord would spend some time with Sadbh practicing painting. He enjoyed their company and would leave feeling fulfilled (and messy from the pigments!)