Wapun Meadow Lilac Wine Tree

She traveled far from her makeshift den to find something better. The bar was admittedly set low as Selena had no friends, no family, and no real ambitions. But she had grown tired of her previous surroundings within about few days time. It was time to move on.

Listening to the spirits had been fruitless as of late, and even Selena found herself wondering if she even still subscribed to the idea that they were all-knowing. Maybe they were as lost as she was.

The sun favored her black coat, warming her even against brisk winds of early spring. A fool's spring really, it was too cold for any flowers to begin to bloom. Walk became a brisk trot as the scent of a pack began to waft towards her. Her last interaction with wolves in this new area wasn't awful, but it wasn't great either. 

But the loner's trusting nature was quick to look passed that experience in hopes of finding some companionship or at least a simple 'hello'. After all, she wouldn't cross into their territory, so what was the harm of looking? She wasn't the brightest but she wasn't a complete moron. Maybe she could even make a friend. She couldn't remember the last time she had a real friend, or if she ever really had one at all.

Reverie decided to take a walk. She really needed to stay awake. Everything was fine except for her seemingly endless lethargy, and the weight she was putting on with each passing day. If only she could overcome the former, perhaps pregnancy wouldn't be so bad after all.
But she very much wished to be in bed as she passed through the Creek toward the border. She was so lost in her longing, she almost didn't notice that she'd run into yet another stranger. Why did so many of them linger near? But Reverie was thrilled to see another new face, and called out merrily, Hello!

It wasn't long before the wolf got the 'hello' she had been hoping for. A cute blonde girl seemed to just pop out of nowhere. She had a good vibe about her, so the dark woman felt no need to scrunch up and scuttle away. "Hello, hun!" Selena called back with a playful wag of her tail.

The stranger smelled strongly of the pack, and she had already pieced together she was near their border, so the loner dare not approach. "Am I trespassing? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm not quite sure where I am actually." Even though this woman seemed kind, Selena wasn't sure if there were others nearby that may be more territorial. Her shark eyes looked around briefly for signs of movement.

Everything about this wolf was dark except her personality, it seemed. Reverie smiled, her own tail waving easily. No, you're not trespassing, She assured her. But you probably shouldn't be so close. We have children. The rest, she felt could be left unsaid; that others might not take so kindly to her presence, that it wasn't safe for her here.
Walk with me? Reverie suggested, and started away from the Creek. An escort would legitimize her presence until they could put some distance between her and the border. The last thing she wanted was for Arric or Moss or someone else to stumble across this scene and take offense. I'm Reverie.

There was something about the way Reverie asked Selena to walk with her that made her heart skip. What was this feeling? Excitement? At what? The feeling of being included in something? No, it definitely felt more along the lines of being more about who was including her. She followed.

"Pretty name. I'm Selena." She offered the introduction as the shadow caught up to the light. Selena stayed a step or two behind, looking briefly at Reverie before looking onwards to whatever their destination might be. "Have you lived here long?"

Selena; the name sounded familiar in some way, as if Reverie had heard it before. But she couldn't quite recall where, and so the thought passed her by. Only a month, She answered, taking note of the ways the valley outside the Creek was changing. For a moment she missed traveling, missed it very fiercely.
But then she thought of Lestan, and it settled her. She did not need to travel as long as she had him. It's called Swiftcurrent Creek, Reverie added after a moment. Are you a traveler? Perhaps Selena would tell her of her adventures, and she could pretend for a moment that they were her own.

Swiftcurrent Creek... I can remember that. 

She quickly cast a glance back, watching the creek grow smaller and smaller with every step the girls took. "A month is not a long time. How does pack life suit you?" Selena meant nothing about her observation of the timeframe and hoped Reverie wouldn't take it in any certain way. 

"Yes, I am a traveler. I tend to follow where the spirits lead me." The witch knew that many did not subscribe to the teachings of the occult and she was never one to berate an innocent bystander on the intricacies of it, so she moved on. "I've been traveling for quite sometime, actually. Since I left my mother and siblings." The thought of her close-knit family tugged at the deepest part of her stomach and made her almost feel homesick. 

Selena had been sad to leave them but knew it was her time. There wasn't enough food in the territory for the new litter of pups, her, her siblings, and her mother. So, she offered to be the one to go her own way. So far it had been a challenge.

Reverie felt an uncharacteristic prickle of protective instinct as Selena looked back at the Creek. Whether it was on Jakoul's behalf or for the sake of her own unborn children, she could not say, but either way she pushed the feeling aside. It's different, but I don't mind it. To be honest I only settled because I fell in love with a pack wolf, The admission came with a somewhat shy smile. I get restless sometimes, but he's worth it.
The spirits? Reverie questioned the girl next, but there was no judgment in her voice. She had always believed in the impossible, the unknown, and so this mention of spirits intrigued her. She thought of Lestan then, and wondered if Selena knew anything about the stars and what might be written in them.

Selena smiled in solidarity of the happiness this woman had found. To have something you couldn't see or explain change your life path sounded absurd, but Selena believed in love just as she believed in the spirits. After all, it was them who lead everyone to their destiny. 

"Congratulations. Not everyone is so lucky to find their soulmate early in life." The shadow broke free from trailing behind her guide too she could pull forward to meet Reverie's gaze. "The Spirits guide us through life quietly.. but if you know what to look for, you can feel their presence. I try to listen to them as much as I can, so I can find my way and avoid bad energy."

Soulmate. Reverie had never heard that word before, but she thought immediately that it seemed fitting for what she had found with Lestan. She was still stuck on that even as Selena explained about spirits. How do you do that? And - what is a soulmate? Reverie's eyes were wide with wonder as she questioned the woman.
Could she and Lestan truly be soulmates? If her soul had a match, surely it would be his. But Reverie found herself hesitating to believe such a thing. It just seemed too... perfect.

No one had ever been this interested in her practice, and Selena reveled in the feeling. With an obvious skip in her step, the woman chirped on.

"Well, we all tend to get lost in our day-to-day duties and worries. We worry about the future and can't let go of the past. This thinking, well, it clouds our mind in the moment." She made sure the next few steps she would be taking weren't hazardous before allowing her eyes to shut for a moment. 

To cut off one sense allowed the others to become stronger, and she wanted to fully feel the brisk wind tousle between her fur. To feel it glide across the parts of her skin that it could reach. It was a spiritual cleanse when Selena was able to devote the proper time and energy to it.

"When you clear all of this clutter from your mind, and fully submerge yourself in the present, you then have a chance of connecting with higher energy... the Spirits." The shadow woman slowed her gait in hopes her companion might do the same, as this next portion of her teaching was more difficult to grasp. Deep thinking and walking was not always easy for the flighty female.

"Soulmates are two hearts that find each other in the same lifetime. These hearts are destined to beat together, as one." Selena furrowed her brow as she continued with her rudimentary explanation. "They are connected through many lifetimes. Even when soulmates pass away, the Spirits will see to it that their hearts will reunite again in the next life, over and over."

Reverie watched in awestruck silence as the woman explained, her own pace slowing to match without even thinking about it. She had heard this sort of advice before, but never in the context of spirits. Was this what Arric was doing, when he meditated? Was he even aware of it?
It made sense to her that the spirits might disguise themselves, hide their influence. Not everyone enjoyed being influenced by something they could not see or touch. Reverie contemplated this for several moments before she allowed herself to drift back into the subject of soulmates.
Soulmates. A sudden fear gripped her, a fear that Lestan was not her soulmate after all. How do you - know? That someone is your soulmate? She asked quietly, ears tilting back and betraying her uncertainty. She thought of that feeling she'd had when they'd first started to fall for one another, that feeling of having known him for so much longer. Could they really be connected through lifetimes?
Or was she only fooling herself?

The idea of it all was so much to take in. Of course, Selena pondered these thoughts and "what ifs" everyday, so she never really thought about how other people may take it. She dedicated her life to understanding, so when the uneasiness was clear in Reverie's voice she stopped in her tracks. The witch wanted to give full attention to this sweet girl. She did not want abstract ideas messing with the girl's confidence.

"When you are with your soulmate, your heart will know true peace. You will feel a familiar feeling of being 'home' when you are with this person, and they will feel it with you. The way you get on with your soulmate is effortless, from the very moment you first meet, because you have known them for many lifetimes. Of course soulmates do argue and bicker, but they will always return to one another." Selena smiled kindly at the blonde, hoping this short summary of something so divine (and quite frankly unbelievable) was able to make her feel a bit more at ease.

Reverie stopped when Selena did, and as the dark-furred woman spoke, she became more and more convinced. Maybe Lestan really is my soulmate... She pondered aloud in soft tones, deep in thought. Reverie sighed. But he's unhappy with me.
Her gaze refocused on Selena, then. I don't know. He does feel like home to me, like I've known him forever, and he says that he feels the same. But he doesn't seem content. Does that mean we aren't soulmates? Reverie suddenly doubted Selena would have any answers, now that she'd said it aloud. I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask this of you. We've only just met! But Lestan was all she could think about, most of the time, so maybe it was only to be expected that they would end up speaking of him.

She loved listening to others, no matter the subject. It gave her better perspective. Selena shook her head in protest to the girl's apologies. "It's okay, I don't mind this sort of conversation. I think it's important to be able to talk through these worries. If you don't they build up and cloud your mind and judgement." This is how emotional decisions are made and those decisions, at least in her experience, were not always the best.

"I can't say for sure. I don't know Lestan and like you said, I've only really just met you." She met Reverie's eyes with a knowing look, empathizing with her plight. "But I can say having a soulmate isn't meant to be easy. It can be taxing emotionally at times. One heart might feel discontent for a moment in time, or both at the same time. But that doesn't mean that the two weren't meant to find each other or won't find good times again. There are so many factors that effect our day to day relationships. The pressures of pack-life, finding food, raising a family, and the anxieties that all come with that. Maybe that is what you are sensing with him as opposed to discontent. But again, I'm just a random traveler." She was loving this deep conversation with her new friend... well, she would like to consider her a friend but Selena knew it most likely wasn't reciprocated. The odd wolf found herself getting attached to good energy rather quickly.

Reverie found Selena a soothing presence, with all her knowledge and her easygoing demeanor. She listened closely to all that she said, and realized that only time would truly tell her if Lestan was her soulmate. So far they had always found their way to one another, but that had been easy. What about now, when it was not easy?
I guess I'll just have to wait and see, She murmured with a thoughtful frown, but the expression faded as she turned her focus back to Selena. Thank you, Selena. It does help to - talk about it. Sometimes I feel as if my whole life revolves around something I don't even fully understand. And truly, her life did revolve around Lestan, lately. Everything between was just a way to pass the time, or a way to escape the hurt that he caused her.
Have you ever been in love? She wondered then, and felt comfortable asking because Selena herself seemed so open. Maybe she knew if this was normal. Reverie's own parents had been terribly unhappy with each other, and though she had always rebelled against the idea of becoming like them, she had somehow found herself in the same situation. Miserable, but in love. It would have been funny if it wasn't so sad.

She was glad to be of service to this soul, and in turn felt her own soul rejuvenated in a way. It was always nice to have reassurance that she was on the right path, and this interaction was no coincidence. Reverie needed to hear these words. 

Selena nodded when she was thanked, an unspoken 'no problem'. Love was such an interesting topic, so when the woman asked her if she ever felt it in the way she was feeling it with Lestan, Selena paused. "No, not in a romantic way." The loner shook her head and looked to her paws which had started to knead anxiously at the thawing soil below. "I believe you can have more than one soulmate, though." She hoped she wouldn't confuse the girl with the idea of multiple soulmates... but Selena almost couldn't help but continue this train of thought. She wanted them to both feel better.

"You can find a soulmate in a best friend. Their hearts are just as important as a romantic soulmate, and can offer you a different kind of support and love." Her sister Ortega was her best friend and she missed her dearly.

Her question seemed to have made Selena anxious, or at least that was how it seemed to Reverie. She softened, assuming there was some kind of loss behind the answer. The idea of having more than one soulmate was overwhelming, but Reverie didn't necessarily dislike it.
She knew the inevitably of loss, after all; whether to death or something else. If she lost one but still had others, perhaps Reverie could handle it. Or perhaps not. She wasn't sure. My friends are important to me, Reverie agreed. I'm not sure any of them are like a soulmate to me, but I understand what you mean.
Being in love really is wonderful, though, She added with a soft smile. I hope you find that one day, Selena. Reverie thought that everyone should have that opportunity, if they wanted it. She knew she would not trade what she had found with Lestan for anything — even her own happiness, it seemed.

"I hope so, too." Her dark eyes rested easy on the gilded woman. It was exciting that she felt an actual connection to her, and Selena hoped maybe the two could stay in contact after this. Maybe they could be friends.

"I don't want to take you too far from your home. I'm sure you have responsibilities to tend to." She knew really nothing about pack life as she had never been in a pack, just a small family unit. But the inexperienced traveler could only assume that there was always some sort of busy work to be done when you sign up for pack living.

"I feel like everything is going to work out for you, Reverie."

Fading <3 thank you for the thread!

Responsibilities! Reverie wasn't sure how to tell the girl that she didn't really do much of anything for her pack. She just kind of existed there. It occurred to her then that she ought to change that — but the thought was quickly swept away by farewells.
Oh - thank you, Selena, There was real warmth in her smile as she prepared to take her leave. I hope so. Come visit me, sometime! I always love visitors. But - until then, I hope your travels are easy. With that she said her goodbyes and set off back toward Swiftcurrent Creek, all the while thinking on Selena's words. Could it be true?
I feel like everything is going to work out for you, Reverie.