Ravensblood Forest feel the ocean as it breathes, shivering teeth

WC: 374

--------------------------------------------------

The petite sylph is surprised by Nike’s sudden vocalization, but after a moment or two, she recovers well. Nike stood calm and still, like a, ivory chess piece suddenly placed on a square that perhaps wasn’t expected by the opponent. She wasn’t a threat, though; merely an addition to the game, perhaps useful later on when she could make full use of her range of motion. For the moment, she simply stayed where she was, allowing the light, flighty female to choose whether she wanted to speak or hold her tongue. Regarding her with quiet stillness, she invited the younger female to confess with a neutral, warm gaze that swept over her small physique, admiring and approving of the female’s conformation. She would make an excellent Nereides, should she choose to devote herself to the sisters and their ocean-loving ways.

Had Nike not had better control over her facial features and reactions, she might have recoiled at two of the words the slender female spoke. Not only did she believe she was cursed, but she believed that her father had done it to her. A male- naturally, this was another female who was plagued by the way males seemed to believe they could control their female family members. Rather than agreeing with her companion that she was indeed cursed, Nike took a step forward, to reassure the female that she feared no contamination from her. There was no way a male could place a curse on a female if they held no sway over their actions.

”No man can truly curse you,” She assured the female. ”You are a daughter of Doris; you are blessed,” She said, referring without explanation to the female’s gender. Naturally, Nike believed that any wolf born female was blessed, and all males were cursed in their form. ”I can help you free yourself from your trials,” She offered, then, knowing that the female would still likely believe she was cursed as she’d likely been conditioned- like many others in this area- to defer to males. Once freed from that mindset, however, she would then be freed from the belief that such a lowly creature could ever place any hold over her life’s course.

--------------------------------------------------