Stone Circle The worlds you keep erasing

@Blondine - hope this spot is okay ;p
she's near the border with no intention of joining

The spirit had returned home in the midst of winter on a scouting mission. After moons of begging Mother to let her explore the world, she had reluctantly agreed. At first her plan was to visit the Teekon in the spring of the new year, but her excitement could not be contained and the lands in which she was born called forth the return of the Meloniis.

After their home fell and the brief pact with their neighbors had ended, Lumi and her family retreated into the lands beyond the ones they'd known for so long. Mother had proclaimed she never knew the world was so big and when she looked upon little Lumi she worried. In such a big world, how could such a tiny, innocent girl possibly grow old and wise? They had tried to make her more like the rest of them, strong and independent and cold, but fortunately Lumi had learned to be better. She was innocent and kind, yes, but not the slightest bit naive or dumb. Besides, her frame was hardly one a fighter bears, which is why she studied medicine instead. There were occasions where her family was silently thankful for her profession, such as when Mother had gotten a cut in her leg. Other than that, Lumi was an outcast among them, her coat not the only feature setting her apart from her bloodline.

She had never been treated cruelly, but still she was happy to leave their winter cottage to write her own story in the older lands that had homed her as a babe. Of course, her path-finding skills were lacking and she had managed to get herself lost within the first hour of her return. To her left there were mountains, but now that they were flipped she didn't recognize them as the mountains she knew already. To her right was the vast unknown, barren and white because of the winter. She smelled the thick scent of pack nearby and came to check it out, maybe ask for some directions or if there were other Meloniis here. She stayed far enough from the border to not be a threat, but close enough that she'd be a small, silver figure in the distance for anyone looking her way.

each day was easier than the last. blondine was still confined to the eastern quarter of the territory. that was okay; the pond was here, as was her den, and a small drove of rabbits that she could practice tracking. the huntress was horrible at it, remarkably so, but she was determined to keep trying.

walking along the border gave her a decent sense of space. she was learning to pay more attention to sound, to notice the way that an obstacle could warp someone's voice. blondine was relearning how to live and be alive, and she was enjoying every part of it.

she was out for a morning (maybe evening, who knows?) stroll around the edge of the territory. her mind was too focused on counting her steps to realize that there was someone standing on the other side.

Her small paws sunk in the thin layer of snow. Her family hadn't seen the snow yet where they resided as it was somewhere farther south. Whenever snowflakes decorated her back she looked ever so slightly like her Mother, but she was glad she didn't really. Mother had many enemies, so she had told, and anything that could link them together would mean they'd be her enemies too.

She halted when she noticed someone on the border who didn't seem to notice her in return. Hey, hello! She called, smiling now that she wasn't alone. Could I ask you for some directions? I think I've gotten myself lost. She asked, trotting over to the other wolf so they wouldn't be shouting at each other from a distance. It was only when she got a little closer that she saw the other's eyes were closed and scarred, making her question rather stupid. Despite this, she awaited the answer just as excitedly as she had done just moments ago.

the unfamiliar voice startled blondine, but its friendly undertone calmed her. the huntress tried to figure out where the stranger stood while she spoke. you may certainly ask, she laughed, but i might not be much help.

despite being blind, she did have a general sense of the surrounding territories; to the west was the valley, to the north were the foxlands, and if you went far enough east, you would eventually find the tundra.

blondine waited for the stranger to reply before continuing. which way're you headed? she asked, wondering if the girl was looking for a particular destination.

Lumiya had never met anyone blind or deaf. She could barely imagine how it must be to walk around and not seeing anything or hearing others talk around you. She didn't want to pity the woman, but it was hard not to think about all the complications and new limitations. She would like the assume the woman was just fine, but she couldn't fathom how anyone could be happy about going blind, only accept it as the new truth.

At least the woman seemed to joke about it, and Lumiya giggled along. Meeting a friendly face might just be better than knowing the way home, anyway. The spirit responded, halting once she was around speaking distance. But I'm trying to find Blackfeather Woods.

blackfeather woods. it was an unfamiliar name, one that blondine couldn't recall ever hearing. her brow furrowed as she thought back through her memories. you might have to just settle for a smile, then, the huntress laughed. there were folks within the territory who probably had an answer, if the girl really wanted it. 

she continued on her path, counting quietly and motioning for the girl to follow. what's yer name? she asked, adding, i'm blondine, blondine abernathy. this is easthollow.

Though she hadn't been born there, the dark woods of which her parents spoke like something she'd want to behold for a while. The gem of a place they described seemed nearly magical, for them at least. Lumiya wasn't a fan of darkness and creepy things - especially not blood and remains, but she desperately wanted to find more Meloniis. If they'd be anywhere, it would be in those dark woods. Maybe even Venamis had found his way over there.

A very pretty one. She complimented with a soft chuckle.

I'm Lumiya - you can call me Lumi, nice to meet you. She didn't know if she should share her last name. It was probably safe, seeing as she didn't know where the dark woods were, but she kept it a secret nonetheless. Bonny place y'all got here, despite the season. She fell in line with the other's pace, scrunching the snow as she kept her distance from the border.

blondine smiled at the compliment, shaking her head with a bashful, awe, shucks. it'd been so long since someone had said something nice about the way that she looked; for a moment, she'd forgotten how to react. thank you, dear. 

the huntress wondered how much a territory could change in just a few days. before, when she could see, she liked to sit and watch the snowflakes drift down atop the frozen face of the pond. tiny bodies would swim just beneath the surface, teasing her with their movements. blondine wondered if they were still there, or if they'd frozen and died in the cold.

i'm sure it looks very nice, she said. there was a small smile on her maw, fragile and easily lost. blondine continued before allowing lumi to respond. so what's there for you at these woods yer lookin' for?

She was glad she had flattered the nice lady. Blondine might've not been able to see the beauty of the world or her own face, but Lumi hoped she could see the beauty in her heart. Any other pack wolf would've shouted "geet the HELL off mahh properTY!". Sure, she'd be just as lost as she was now, but at least now she knew one other wolf in the Teekon and a pack to flee to if it ever came to that. A landmark of sorts.

Her ears moved down in embarrassment. Huh, she guessed talking about the weather wasn't exactly the way to go with someone who could only hear and feel it. Should she apologize? But quite a couple of seconds had passed already, shit, that would make the whole thing awkward. Lumiya really didn't want to hurt the other's feelings.

Well... She started. My mum and dad were born there. I wanna see where they came from, if wolves still hang about the place and such. She explained. Now that she said it out loud, it really wasn't the grand mission she was dreaming of. She wanted to be a great leader like her parents but knew the role wouldn't fit her, so she wanted to be someone important. In her mind, the only way to do this was to revisit her parents' legacy. You got any family here, too?

blondine wouldn't have thought much of it, even if she did know the reputation carried by the woods. lumi seemed like an agreeable girl; she hadn't chosen her parents, so what sense did it make to hold her accountable for their missteps? 

well, sorta, she sighed, thinking back to bearclaw, a good friend of mine lives here. i'd count her my sister, if she'd have it. their relationship was much too complex to be minimized as sisterhood, but explaining the details wasn't necessary.

blondine would wait for lumi to reply before continuing. and this pack here, they took me in. very kind folks. i reckon they're my family, too.

she hadn't chosen her parents, so what sense did it make to hold her accountable for their missteps? - If only it was that easy. Her parents had told time and time that Lumi was a Melonii, whether she liked it or not, and Meloniis simply weren't well-liked by anyone other than their own kind. They killed and pillaged and betray, and that really was the least of it. It made Lumiya want to find a lover, someone to marry, so she could rid herself of the name and grant her a new one. That's what Mother had done to rid herself of the Apaata name - she supposed she could just call herself an Apaata, but childish Lumiya didn't want any ties to the family tree anymore whatsoever.

That sounds nice. She said dreamily. Lumi didn't have friends, only pesky siblings. It made her awkward in conversations, too open and honest with all the wrong things. I wish picking my own family was just as easy. She envied the woman and pitied her at the same time, a foreign emotion for the young girl. But I'm happy for you. She added, not wanting to make the conversation about her sob story.

blondine was silent for a while. family meant almost everything, but it didn't have to mean blood. if lumi was unhappy, then, why can't you? she was a sweet girl, deserving of the same love as anyone else. even the foulest beings (beings all the same) deserved a place to call home.

she stopped to take a seat and assumed that lumi would do the same. i'll be your family, blondine said, call yerself an abernathy, if you want. the girl already had a light twang to her speech; it wouldn't have been the most unbelieveable mashup.

I can't because... She paused, swallowing. She dearly hoped their family's name wasn't as infamous as she believed, that a Melonii hadn't stolen Blondine's sight or hurt her or her family in any way. I'm a Melonii. Family is more like a religion to me - to them - than it is actually supporting each other. She informed. Blondine didn't have to look at her to hear that she was somber about it.

She took her seat next to the border, her ears perking up at what the woman said next. She shook her head, but realized just in time that that was about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. I can't - the only way to get rid of your last name is... marriage. That's what Mother always said. And Mother was never wrong, even when she really was wrong. As much as I appreciate the offer, I-I can't. She didn't sound confused or guilty, but more like she was telling her own truth. She really believed what her parents had told her about the world, about life. She'd only just escaped their grasp, she had so much to learn. The offer was a good one, but it was too early in her emotional development to accept such a gift.

can we wrap this?

blondine took no offense in lumiya's declination. each woman had a different background, for which neither could be faulted. she wanted to give light to the moment with a joke — why don't we get married? — but figured it was best to play it safe.

after waiting for the explanation to end, she took a step over the border and onto neutral ground. here, no one could fault her for attempting to take lumi into a half-embrace. it was meant to be a small hug, nothing out of either woman's comfort zone, but blondine would have understood if her companion was uninterested.

No probs! Thanks for the thread, I'll archive <3

She felt a lump in her throat, but she was quieted by Blondine's approach. She sobbed a single sob in her embrace, but knew not to get too comfortable. Chances were they were never going to see each other - that she would regret not staying with the blind guiding spirit, but she tried not to think about it. She cleared her throat with a soft sound, trying to get the sadness out of her voice.

I should go, if I ever want to find those woods. she said, taking a few steps in the direction she'd come from. May luck find you. She wished for the other, then turned to make her leave. As soon as the place was out of sight, she started running.