Phantom Hollow A blizzard night

@Shale, Blizzard over night?

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Pema didn't make any trips out of the territory, infact they were almost non existant. Thier land was filled with prey and more and more wolves seemed to be comming to them every week. She saw little reason to leave other then when she had to, or when she went on that scouting mission. But today she simply wanted to have a new change of scenery. She wasn't sure where she would end up or how far she would go, so that morning she left the territory and followed the river south. Traving by the waters edge was her prefered method of travel. It made it easier for her to get her bearings.

But she found herself in the phantom hollow that late afternoon. A placed that looked much more appealing from afar. With the winter snow convering the trees it almost looked beautiful. But the area was barron of life and somehow colder then the other areas around it. Some of the ground had very little snow covering it do the the tree canopy.

She took a drink from the river and thought about heading back, but the wind began to pick up and so for now she decided to stick in the woods, where less wind would filter thought, and where she could wait out the wind.

The lake drew him in. It was where he had come to terms with his brother on their loves gained and lost, where he had first shed tears in Teekon, or said her name aloud. He found himself making frequent pilgrimages there--trying to bring back something of value to his brother's pack, every time, but frequent enough to draw concern.

He followed the river back, always. Walked along its banks and sometimes, in his darkest moments, fantasized about throwing himself into the rapids. Stopped short when he thought of Easy and her bright, young eyes, or Dawn and Sunny, the image of their father. His family. A family he thought he'd lost forever, only to find them once more by fate.

Shale entered the woods as the wind began to pick up and, after a few minutes of walking, found himself not alone in the dark place. It was the healer, Pema, who was hunkered down here, presumably riding out the coming storm in this forest rather than risking the elements returning to the plateau.

With a low chuff, he trotted her way, wagging his tail as he came to a stop a few paces in front of her. "Setting up camp for the night?" he asked lightly, smiling.

The more time she spent in these woods and the more sunlight that began to disappear over the horizon the more spooky these woods become. It was just so odd and life less, giving Pema some unaturaly weird vibe. When she heard Shale's chuf from behind her she immediatly stood up and hurridly turned around. "Oh Shale... you startled me." it wasn't his fault. After all he had made the chuf most likely to let he know he was comming before speaking, but she had been so caught up in the scenery that when the silence was broken it shocked her.

Her raced heart beat slowed and she was able to laugh about it for a second and release a sign. "Ya. I hoped I wouldn't need to stay here all night. Does it look like it's calming down out there?" she asked assuming he had been out there just moments prior and would have a better sence then her.

He saw her passing fright but kept his face neutral, so as to alleviate any tension that lingered between them because of it. In a more fanciful world, he was the monster that lurked through the trees, she the fair damsel, away from home.

Maybe once he would have considered himself her knight, coming to save her. But he felt more beastly, especially after today's poppy incident. He saved no one, nothing.

"No. Blowing harder than it was before, actually," Shale remarked. The wind was a keening whistle through the woods, bringing with it little flurries here and there; he knew it was much worse outside, on the plains. He hoped everyone was hunkered down in their dens on the plateau.

His thoughts turned to the poor scared girl they had found at the hot springs. "How is she?" Shale asked, genuinely curious. "Your newest patient, I mean. Has she calmed, a little?"

Hearing that the weather wasn't letting up but rather getting worse she looked to the sun. It was beginning to set and it looked as though they were going to spend the night within these woods. Even though the atmosphere was weird, and if either of them were hungry they would have to sleep on an empty stomach with the lack of prey in the area, but aside from that it was alright. Pema thought sarcastically. 

"Well. It seemed like we may have to spend the night here then." she said with a sigh and a bit of disappointment. She rather liked her den and prefered to spend her nights there with the pups then out in a cold, open and foreign area. But it would only be for one night so she wanted to make the best out of it and began scanning the area for a sheltered area.

"Yeah. She has calmed down quite a bit. We still don't really know what happened to her though. She should be better in a few more days. But I don't know what we will do then. It doesn't seem like she wants to go back home." she said remember that she had referenced a male but didn't explain what his significants was. She felt bad for the female, she seemed so scared and disorientated that first day. Pema wondered what had happened.

In contrast to Pema, Shale enjoyed sleeping out in the rough. He had spent so much of his life in communal dens that the nights, especially the nights after he'd left home but before he'd found Lucy, slept alone in the wild were exciting and liberating.

He nodded as she spoke of the girl; it seemed as if she was doing better. One sentence in particular stuck out to Shale as odd--We still don't really know what happened to her, though.

"Pema," he said, voice low. He drew a ragged breath. "I think she was raped." Shale gave her a long look, wondering if she knew what that meant. Without going into gory detail, he added, so as to provide context clues, "She is bruised, and she smelled of a man. . .and his. . ." He trailed off, looking down. "Seed."

This was not the conversation he wanted to be having with a young, innocent woman, out here in the woods.

She paused and stood still in the middle of her searching. She had heard the word before and knew what it meant, but she had never witnessed, experiences or see anyone who had. As he described how he came to such a conclusion she simply thought to herself how stupid she had been to not have seen it. Her fear of Shale that was almost non existant to her as a female. She didn't blame herself for not knowing what those scents were, but thinking about they she saw how easy it would have been to peice them all together. 

"I just... I thought..." she studdered thinking it over. But why she couldn't connect the dots wasn't important. "That poor girl." she said looking in the direction of the plateau, as though she could see her from here. She wanted to go over and make sure she was doing alright, almost taking a step towards home, but the storm wasn't going to allow that.

"I hope I didn't make anything worse with all those stupid questions I was asking." she said, being a bit harsh on herself. Had she known she wouldn't have asked about the male she had mentioned at all. Wait! She gasped. "He's going to her pack. That's what she was trying to say. We have to warn them or something." she said in a both semi urgent and conflicted voice. There wasn't any way that was going to happen now, but even if that was the intent they had no idea what pack she was from or if they would make it before he got there in the first place.

He shook his head quickly, hoping to clear up any doubts she had of herself. "No, no, Pema," he said reassuringly. "You did wonderfully. The best you could. And she's healing." A surge of alarm did go through him, though, at her exclamation.

"It might be too late," Shale murmured, echoing her thoughts. "I don't recognize her pack-scent. Granted, I've only come across a few groups while I've been here. . .still. Could be far." He swallowed, looking out into the dark forest. "I think all we can do is keep her safe."

Mindlessly, he started nosing around, trying to find a warm place for Pema to sleep. Perhaps in the hollow of that tree, there. . .or the indentation of the ground, there. . .  He stopped, looking back up at her.

"Makeshift den for you," he explained, smiling. "Or at least a warm hollow to sleep in."

Shale was quick to assure her that she had done nothing wrong. She hoped that he was right. Her feelings of guilt were far less then her feelings of pitty and sorrow for the girl though. It was such a big thing to miss and now that she connected that to the male it was apparent that this could have many aspects. 

She felt bad, not knowing where she was from. Not being able to warn then that such a dispicable wolf was heading there way and possibly ready do the same thing to another one of their unsuspected members. But there was nothing they could do, especially now that they were stuck here for the blizzard. She nodded her head feeling bad that that was the truth. "I suppose you're right."

To change the subject to something more current and less depressing Shale pointed out a hollow in one of the trees. It wasn't her den, but it would do for now. Heck she didn't care much no knowing what she knew. But she didn't see how it was productive to sit and think when there was nothing she could do. "That looks alright." she said going up to it and starting to dig around, picking out the twigs and such in the way pieces. "Definatly makeshift." she commented thinking of how perfect she had made her den back home. But it would be enough to keep the wind off of her pelt for the night, it was only a night.

Shale watched her make her den, smiling as she did so. She was fastidious, neat, arranging everything just so. Her organized nature made her a good leader, a great medic.

He was drawn to her. He didn't know why, or how, yet--only that he simply was. Romantically? Platonically? Familially? She was several seasons his junior, yet several ranks his better. What she had revealed to him about Murdock made him all the more wary. . .but he couldn't deny he had started to form an attachment to the woman.

Seeing her make tonight's bed reminded him of something, his stomach sinking. Of red flowers, vivid against the stark white of snow.

He sat, curling his tail around his paws. "Poppy," he remarked, as casually as if they were discussing the weather. "That was my daughter's name." It hurt, hurt so badly to say it aloud, but he felt he must. He felt he must.

She finished getting all of the dibris out of the hallow, leaving a light layer for padding. It was a rather large hollow, big enough for two, maybe three wolves if they weren't too big. She stepped inside and turned around to face the exit, before Shale had a chance to speak of the red flower. 

His tone of voice didn't cause her any alarm, but his verbage did the tense he used in his words. At first she just thought he was mentioning his kids that he had had in the past. And she smiled for a few moments thinking about it, but once she realized her look became more bleek. 

She didn't want to ask the question of what happened to her, seeing as how that would most likley bring about bad memories. But she didn't want to act as though he had said nothing. She wasn't sure what to say. "That is a very beautiful name." she commented. Her voice was more neutral than cheerful or sad and she spoke almost slowly.

He went on, barely hearing Pema's response. "There were these clumps of poppies just outside the whelping den," Shale murmured, seeing vividly in front of him those flowers, that place. "They were so beautiful, against the snow. She was the littlest." He looked up at Pema. "Four. I had four children.

"Jack, Liam, Dove, Poppy." Just saying their names aloud gave him this unusual feeling, pain mixed with a little joy. Something that squeezed his heart yet released a weight he'd been carrying on his shoulders for so long. He hadn't uttered the names of his babes since Lucy was alive. "My wife named the boys; I named the girls."

He hung his head, breath coming in a slow mist from his nostrils, cooling on the chilly breeze. "They're dead. My wife, too." The taste of poppy flowers grew bitter in his mouth, even as he remembered. "We were starving. I gave my wife poppy seeds, to ease her pain. I would have died alongside her, had it not been for the kindness of a few strangers."

Shale blinked, turning his gaze to the medic once more. "That, I hope, explains my behavior with the poppies, earlier."

She simply sat down and listened as Shale spoke. Listened to him talk about his littlest child, along with his other children. And his wife. She could understand now why he had acted so strange and distant when they tried to treat that girl with the poppy seeds.

Hearing his story made her sad, as though she could see and feel how it must have felt. But that was just the things. She had no idea how that would have felt. She hadn't had to lose someone like Shale. Or felt violated as Anatha had been. Or been so angry as Howl had been when he lost Heartha and his children. It made her feel as though she didn't deserve what she had, and that others deserved it much more then she did. Feeling bad for all those who had been hurt so badly for no good reason, especially for Shale who stood before her and told his story.

"Shale...I....I...I'm so sorry that this happened to you." she paused choking on her words. "I wouldn't have asked you to...to..." she said unable to finishe her statement about when she asked him to get her poppys. "You don't deserve that." she said a few tears streaming down her face.

She felt bad for even crying. This was something that had happened to him, he was the one that was supposed to be sad if at all. Not her simply because she felt bad for him and others. 

Her reaction stunned him; he had expected the even-keeled Pema to be sympathetic, calm. Instead tears spilled down her face, and he flew into a mild panic, taking a few awkward steps toward her before touching his muzzle to her shoulder briefly, in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture.

"No, no, Pema, don't cry," Shale implored her, voice low. "It's okay. It's. . .well, not okay. But it's over. Don't weep for me." He pulled back to look at her, amber eyes clouded with pain.

"Nobody deserves it," he murmured, his mouth quirking ever-so-slightly in a rueful smile. The sentiment ran contrary to what he had thought for many moons--that he had done something wrong, something to deserve the wrath the gods brought to his family. But he wasn't about to say anything of the kind to this sweet girl.

"I'm okay," Shale continued. "It gets easier every day."

She took ocassional deep breaths to regain her composure. It was embarassing for her to have been crying in that moment. She didn't want to take the focus off of Shale, this wasn't about her, but with all the things she had heard about just in this afternoon, it was hard in that moment to keep it all together. 

When he stepped forward to touch her shoulder she took it another step forward, stepping forward to give him a full hug. His thick fur, masculine build, and comforting works helped her ease her mind. She felt bad for everything that he went through, but it seemed like he had come to terms with it, or at least some of it. Knowing that poppys were still a trigger for him showed that there was still something there, but the fact that he was keeping it together and was able to comfort Pema spoke greatly to his character. 

He pulled back to look at her and she meet his matching amber gaze. When she first meet him she couldn't believe how similar she looked to Grayday, but now that she had spent some time with him she couldn't see how she would confuse them now. Subtle differences in their stance and form stood out to her now and Shale's scent was something she couldn't forget. 

Hearing his moto going forward for how he dealed with it she remarked, "That's very commendable of you." she said softly, with a polite smile.

Something inside him akin to a small fire grew a little as Pema moved forward to embrace him, her thick pelt pressing against his. He closed his eyes, taking in her scent with deep breaths that both calmed him substantially yet caused his heart to race. She felt safe. Those three little words fell like raindrops upon the surface of his mind, and he shivered a bit, burrowing further into her.

As soon as the moment began, it stopped, with his involuntary pulling back and remark, and her response. Shale was surprised into a laugh. "I'm glad you think so highly of me," he said warmly. "But it's really only what's needed to survive. Nothing gets done if you keep thinking about the things that have hurt you."

And perhaps she didn't know how that went. She was young; she hadn't picked up that Anatha had been raped. She might not have ever known loss, or at least the loss of someone close to her. Yet Shale knew that she would understand, not by experience, but in sympathy--Pema was an incredibly sympathetic wolf.

"You and Murdock are the only ones that know about my past," Shale admitted. "I've not told this to Grayday, yet. Not that I don't want to. . .it just hasn't come up."

She took his words to heart. Thinking that someday they might become useful to her. When she did end up experiencing those bad things in the world, or as something she could tell someone else who was having a hard time. Pema was still young, but it seemed to her as she heard about more and more experiences that people have had, it wasn't a matter of if bad things will happen, but when, and what you would do after the fact. 

She considered herself lucky to have Shale with her, so he could speak such inspirational and comforting words to her as he had done today. 

It was understandable that he hadn't told too many people. It was a sensitive subject, that no one truely needed to know. "I'm sure you'll pick the perfect time to tell him. There's no need to rush it." she said. She felt honored to know that out of everyone she was one of the few people that Shale had told this to, even before others of his family. 

During all of their talking the sun had taken its time to set below the horizon, leaving very little visable light left to eluminate these somewhat errie woods. Another gust of heavy wind came through the trees as Pema shuttered, taking the steps she had taken to embrace Shale back so she was within the trees hallow once again. 

She laid down and gestured to Shale, inviting him into the hollow with her to escape the weather. "I hope all this clears up by morning." she commented, easing the conversation to a less serious, and neutral tone.

He agreed with her, to a point. Grayday was his closest sibling; he needed to know, eventually. Shale couldn't keep shutting off this side of him to his brother--and neither could Day. There was still a small chasm between them, created by time away, and Shale hoped to bridge it soon. Perhaps laying their souls bare to one another was the only way.

Shale nodded at her remark, relieved that they were at last straying away from the heaviest part of their conversation. "I like snow, sometimes," he admitted. Playing in the white stuff as a pup had been a highlight of his childhood. Then again, he'd always had a warm den to return to, at the end of the adventure. Not so, here. "But I don't like traveling in it."

He hunkered down beside the medic, keeping enough space between them to not seem like he was leading her on, yet staying close enough so that their bodies could comfortably share warmth during the cold night. Her eyes glowed in the dim light, and he looked at her for a moment, a faint smile still on his face.

"Thanks for listening," Shale murmured, tucking his tail around him. His eyelids were beginning to droop. "I'll return the favor anytime you need to talk."

She nodded along with what he said, about the weather and the dislike of moving though it. Mother nature had a way of making one thing both ugly and beautiful. Depending on the conditions and the eyes looking at it. A light sprinkling of soft snow would be inviting at this moment, allowing the two to head home, but this blizzard was holding them hostage in these woods.

But it would be worse, Pema could have been out here all along, but instead she had Shale with her, to talk to and offer indirect body heat for the night. He thanked her for listening and she gave him a smile saying "No problem." lightly as she set her head down on her paws. She kept his offer in the back of her mind for a later date.

She shut her eyes and readied herself for rest, saying "Goodnight Shale." before dozing off. 

Some point in the night, as her body shifted this way and that to the reaction of having a cold breeze flow over her, she shifted her body over and leaned against Shale. Even though she was sleeping and unaware of it subcontiously she though it felt good. Either from the warmth her provided or from him.