The Sentinels beauty means the scent of roses, and then the death of roses

she had retrieved him from skellige and was permitted her three days, this time without question or argument; with @Rannoch in tow, she returned home. he informed her that his aches were less, and deirdre was truly happy for this. the herbs were working their magick upon him, and now it was time for deirdre herself to work her own.

the tall, ancient sequoia's gave way to deirdre, and as she entered home a violent wind tore through the forest, something of an applause for her homecoming. her eyes turned toward the boy as she observed the trees observe him; they quieted, and deirdre smiled. welcome to donnelaith, rannoch. this is my forest; it belongs to me, as i belong to it. like her father, deirdre knew it would be here that her body would be laid to rest when that time came. she turned from rannoch, saddened by the thought of her departed father for only a moment. the wind gently touched at her nape, as though to say he has not left! not truly!, and deirdre was at once comforted.

her emerald eyes turned back to him, and deirdre smiled. this way, and she offered her own body as a scaffold of support. rannoch was large, for a boy, but deirdre was not petite; she was full and voluptuous, and tall, at that. she was not by any means a bear of a woman, but she could surely support his weight with her own! his limp was present, and deirdre would have it known that she would be there for him when he felt he could not bear the weight of it all.

Rannoch was making progress in his healing, yet it still had not been enough for him to return to his old self. He still walked with a major limp and could not go very fast or very far. But, despite this all, he was still making progress and counting down the days until the forest’s alpha would come to him.

Finally, she did.

She swept him from the wicked shores into to the comforts of the forest. It had felt like an eternity since he had felt at such ease, but he did not take it for granted. He knew that in three days time he would return to the shores. As she welcomed him to her home, Rannoch turned to her and smiled. “It’s nice,” he offered sincerely, turning his gaze to the treetops momentarily.

Their course changed slightly and he followed without a word, only nodding when she spoke as he kept his eyes on the path before them.

the ancient guardians heard him, and seemed tickled by his compliment as another wayward breeze danced through the woodwork. deirdre herself smiled, her head lifted high and her plume swayed evenly behind her. as they moved at a pace that accomodated his injury, deirdre queried gently: what is on your mind? you may speak freely with me, she encouraged, her ears pricked atop her head.

As much as he didn’t want to admit, there was much on his mind. His time resting had been a time in which he dwelled in the past and wondered why he had to be stolen. Why couldn’t it have been some other puppy? Had Lucy found refuge elsewhere? What was his family doing? And, regrettably, he wondered if his family had ceased their search for him. All of this weighed heavily on his shoulder, dragging him down into the darkness that threatened to consume him.

He sighed, conflicted in what he would offer his healer.

“I don’t know what to think of Skellige and his people,” he admitted, casting his gaze towards the ground. “They’re not like the wolves from Neverwinter,” the mention of his former pack caused a pang in his heart and he frowned.

deirdre found she knew little of skellige's people. she knew some of his brother, and little of leokadia--doe she thought of fondly, and arturo seemed to be a good man. but as for the others, deirdre did not know them! still, she knew comparitively, skellige and the wolves he led were not like others she knew--but she loved him all the same.

as he mentioned neverwinter, she looked to him. it would be foolish to ask if he missed them--of course he would, for they were his family! deirdre could not imagine being taken from donnelaith, nor did she wish to. but that was what rannoch presently endured, and so for him she attempted to. it was uncomfortable, and deirdre tore her gaze from him. how could one trust another after such a thing...? and yet, he seemed to trust her! the thought warmed her, and she looked back to him.

if only things had happened a different way--though perhaps one day, you will be given an opportunity to choose for yourself, to stay, or to go! skellige saw something in you. to you i know it must feel like a curse, to be taken by a man as beastly as skellige, to be tossed into the sea without knowing a hint as to why... but it is a blessing. i hope there will come a time that you can see this as clearly as i do, deirdre paused for a moment and looked thoughtful. i do not mean to condone his taking you as he did. i only mean to say... that all things that occur, occur for a reason. i look at you, and feel that this reason can only serve you in the end. deirdre quieted, though it seemed her voice sang on and on in the whispering of the trees. the melody of the forest played around them in the beating of birdwings and the chitter of chipmunk and squirrel alike, preparing for their late autumnal hibernation.

His ears flattened in turn to what Deirdre had to offer and his frown only deepened. He didn’t even know how to see the situation positively when his whole being ached so deep in longing for his former home. “I... “ He trailed in midst of this suffering, looking to his crutch for emotional support in his time of pain. “I don’t even know how to think positively anymore.” His voice was quiet and raw.

“All I feel is like I did during my baptism-- drowning.” Despite him being stably on dry land.

deirdre listened to him, a sadness colouring the cracks in her heart his words created. so young, and to feel be unable to feel happiness...! deirdre knew he needed healing, and so she turned to him and hummed, you have merely forgotten, rannoch; but all things forgotten can be remembered, her tone was soft, light, but it did not carry merriment to mock his present state of misery. three days with him, she had--and if she was his smile but once, the smile of his heart rather than the vindictive smile of vengeance, she would embrace the victory!

he spoke of drowning, and deirdre continued to move. you are not drowning, now. you are merely treading in water, in your in-between of what you should do, and what you wish to do. soon you will swim again--you are surviving, but you are not yet living, and she would remind him how to do this! she would be the one to help him remember!

we are not much further, they had covered much ground, but there was still some more to cover.

He held on desperately to what she offered, hoping that what she said would hold true. He wasn’t quite sure just what would bring him from his this, but he did not voice his concerns. The pale with was offering more emotional support than what he had received in quite some time and despite it all, he was thankful for this.

He did not speak another work and, instead, followed silently as he felt a dark cloud form above his head.

he kept silent, and deirdre did not seek to bring words from him then. let him listen, let him think on them. she would rather him contemplate this than outright deny it, as she was sure he was hardly in the spirit to accept it. to wallow would do nothing for him, and though she would sympathize with him if this was what he must do to cope, she was glad that this was not the route he had taken.

as they walked there began a rolling mist to which deirdre payed little mind to. it was easy to see beyond it, and in their comfortable silence all she could do was move forward.

the tall sentinels seemed to stop abruptly, as though words had been spoken for them to cease and for water to simply begin. the lake looked out of place in its sudden appearance, but the longer one looked the more the crystalline waters belonged. there was no open land around any edge of this particular lake, though its edges were shallow. eventually the lake gave way to depths that made it necessary for one to swim, but it did not begin this way.

she peered to him for a moment before darting forward into the waters, her tail lifted above her hindquarters. she offered him an encouraging chuff, tail swaying invitingly. though it was a little brisk, it would not bite him as the oceanwater had, and twas was warmer than the temperature around them.

By this time in their trek, the two had trekked deep into Deirdre’s home. The bay was nowhere to be seen and lush foliage was all that could be seen. Soon enough, Rannoch noticed a rolling fog about their ankles and silently wandered if this was a sign if they were getting closer. He kept his eyes to the ground for a long moment and as he looked up it appeared as if the scenery had changed drastically.

He felt his jaw drop as his eyes met the watery surface of the lake and remained in place as the queen bounded ahead. Taking it all in with a sense of wonderment, Rannoch did not how to even comprehend that such large lakes even existed.

His thoughts were distracted as she invited him to the waters. Hobbling along after her, Rannoch paused once he came to the shore. Looking from the calming waters to Deirdre. Inhaling deeply, Rannoch stepped forward into the waters and continued to do so until he was wading. Any previous hesitations seemed to melt away as he paused, waiting for what would come next.

deirdre smiled at his expression, thrilled to see donnelaith effect him so. her encouragement seemed to work upon him as soon as he was within the water. faster than that, she felt, he was beyond her, wading in the water.

come back to me, chosen prince of the bay, she encouraged him nearer to her by lowering her muzzle to splash playfully at him, a fiendish light within her eye. donnelaith awoke her soul and spirit, and perhaps here, in this lake and in this forest, he would find his spirit returned to him! ah, she wish it could be so! even if 'twere only renewed some, it would be a start that would enable her heart to keep beating!

deirdre paused for a moment, thoughtful. the summer-queen kept the radiant warmth of that season about her, and beamed upon him. his circumstances might be dire, but here he would find joy again. the two of them would make it so! but twas not something that could happen in a day. still, she was patient--the most patient woman of them all, some could argue--and they had some time together, she would see it done. today you will be walking within the water, shoulder-deep. your weight will be supported by the water, and with the aid of the lake and the herbs i have given you, there ought not to be any pain, deirdre herself moved slowly away from him, to where they had once been should he have come to where she summoned him to, and turned.

alright, rannoch; come again, to me, her words were warm and encouraging. try to let the water support you, and to remember the leg that has been aching--it should now be able to bear your weight in the water. if it hurts, do not force yourself,

It was as he was beckoned that Rannoch turned to face her with a small smile. He had felt that it had been eons since he had ushered forward such emotions and, honestly, it felt great. Drawing his nose to the glass-like surface, Rannoch nudged some water in Deirdre’s direction, his grin lingering. He almost had forgotten that they had come to heal him, but it was as he pressed forward a step that he was still in pain and that everything wasn’t alright.

His smile faded.

He was then told what the day ahead would bring him and he nodded to this, not feeling any need to add any commentary. Instead, he focused on the task ahead.

He began to press forward toward her and soon realized what she meant by the water offering support. It was much easier to get about and, for the first time since the drop, he felt better. Though, this was not to discredit Deirdre’s herbs. They had been helping significantly in this journey.

Once he did as she commanded, he lingered before her and looked expectantly, wondering what would happen next.

a smile! there was a high-pitched, loose whine that fell from her throat that ceased only upon his fading smile. her head tilted upon its axis, and her lobes thrust forward. she held her breath for a moment until he began to move again, concentrating upon what it was they had come to this lake to do.

that was the physical part of it, and deirdre wanted to be sure he could even utilize the leg. it seemed that he could; as he moved, she did not note the hitch in his step that had been present on land. firstly, before continuing, deirdre asked him, how did that feel?

When asked to reflect on his it all felt, Rannoch paused for a moment. “It was.. Okay,” he decided after the pause. “It was a lot easier to walk on, but I still felt some pain in the middle of my shoulder.” His clarification was spoken thoughtfully and as he waited for her response, he offered a wag of his tail, hoping that this was better news than any other alternative.

his response caused her to smile. it would be abnormal to feel no pain at all--some is to be expected. this is good. we are going to work on your movement within the water today; afterward, you will feel sore from it, too. the water is meant to strengthen the muscle again, as it brings some resistance when you move within it... without the burden of your weight, she explained to him what it was they would be doing. we will do this again, she continued, before walking a distance away from him within the warm waters. when she was content with the space between them, she turned and nodded to him. come toward your queen, a small smile played upon her features. if there was something to look forward to within his situation, perhaps that she would become his queen might be one of them; he would not solely have skellige to follow, but her as well. she would watch over him, and heal his hurts. deirdre desired for his eyes to be on the horizon, to bring him things to look forward to. and who was to say that the past, as well, could not be a part of his future?

Thankfully, his pain was not out of the ordinary. He nodded to this, wondering why pain was a good thing. He only knew pain as a nuisance and something that brought him down-- did the queen experience pain differently. “Why is pain good?” he asked, canting his head heavily to the side.

She then called him and he looked to her steadily, nodding at once. Thankfully, as she had said, the water was doing wonders for him. Despite the agitation he felt, he pressed forwards. But as he continued further, a sudden sharp pain caused him to halt about halfway.

Yelping instantly, the child paused and flattened his ears, looking desperately to his healer, wondering why it was hurting more despite the fact that he was just about weighless at this point. He frowned as he waited for her response.

this pain is good, as it means everything inside is intact. if you felt no pain despite your limp, it would likely mean that whatever has happened within might be beyond repair, deirdre informed, and then resumed her watch, mute as she did so. her gaze was critical as she watched him, and when he whimpered again, deirdre frowned.

after a moment, she decided, you are not yet ready to bear any weight at all upon the limb. firstly, then, we will swim to make it stronger, she informed before moving deeper into the lake, until her paws no longer touched any land at all. she waited for him to come beside her, and after a beat, said, there is no rush--we will take this slow.

With the explanation put forward, the child felt a sense of relief. Though the pain hurt now, he felt he would hurt even more if the limp was permanent. He could not imagine having to limp like this for the rest of his life and was glad the short circuiting in his shoulder signified that it wasn’t permanent.  

Despite his relief, another worry came about as she mentioned what they were to do next: swim. Somehow, despite the drop, he had been able to carry himself to the shore. Looking away with embarrassment, Rannoch dropped his ears so that they laid upon his skull.

“I don’t remember how to swim… My baptism was the first time.”

his words were met with a twitch of her lobes, and she swam toward him. at once she was touching the ground again, and her emerald eyes held him. i was never taught to swim, deirdre informed him, it is a magick within most every wolf. if your legs do not do what they must do to keep you afloat, i will swiftly bring you back to where your feet feel the earth again. i will be right beside you, she nosed his uninjured shoulder gently, and as she looked to the lake, she comforted him. these waters are still and will not decide your course as the ocean does. you need not fear the lakewater rising to overcome you; it moves only as we do, or as the winds will it, in these waters there were no fish at all, and so the surface was as still as glass when the day was calm.

Rannoch nodded to her words and looked to the calm waters before them. Despite the favorable conditions, and the stark differences from the sea, there was a sense of hesitation about him. There was just something that made him so uneasy in that moment. But, he had the support of Deirdre to calm his nerves.

With this in mind, the child pressed forward as he leaned onto her and pressed forward, finding it much more comfortable to press forward. As the pair got deeper, Rannoch could feel him losing his touch upon the ground.

An initial sense of panic struck his heart as he began to float and his heart drummed steadily. But, soon, after a few rushed strokes, he realized it wasn’t so bad. “This is weird,” He commented eventually as he swam. Despite the ease in which he treaded water, Rannoch every so often felt a sting from his arm and would winch when this occurred.

deirdre noted the wince, and hummed to him, you must relax; slow strokes, she advised, observing him. he was tense, it was likely this that would bring him the most pain. as for his words of this being weird, deirdre smiled to him. it is only new to you--soon, it will not be so strange, this she knew for certain. its newness was likely what made things such a way for him, but she would have him become used to it, and confident enough to feel not so wary of the ocean in the future.

He took note of what she offered and slowed his pace and drifted into his own concentration of attempting to get his strokes down. After a long while of focusing, Rannoch turned to the healer a curiosity overcame him. “How long have you been healing?” He asked.

his inquiry was one that caught her off-guard, but one that she readily answered: for as long as i can remember, deirdre admitted. once she had believed she did not have the stomach for it, but her desire to help others above all other things soon overcame her fear of blood and grisly sights. i truly cannot tell you when it was i begun, deirdre laughed a little bit, her gaze distant for a moment. my mother was a healer, and my eldest sister, eilidh, works to become one as well. i am working toward becoming a master of my craft, but i am not there yet, she admitted. it was but a trade, now, but deirdre hoped to become specialized within the duty. have you any passions? she asked at length, wondering what made the boy before her who he was.

It seemed as if she had been healing for quite some time and the child found it quite admirable. Soon, the question was redirected and Rannoch had to think about it for a minute before continuing. “I like beating bad guys,” he admitted lamely, his ears flattening in embarrassment.

deirdre was rapt as he spoke, and though his answer was succinct she found herself intrigued. and what is 'bad'? she asked, not at all mocking in her question; it was laced with true wonder, as many had their own definition of the word. what was his own? the duo continued to swim all the while, slowly and easily in the still lake that only moved by their actions. she noted the flattening of his ears, and moved to nose him. do not be ashamed of yourself, rannoch; your heart is a noble one, and that is no cause for humiliation!