Stone Circle Manwo

The hour was late, and the skies were dark, obscured by thick clouds that concealed any chance of starlight breaking through. The earth had taken a reverent silence. Where there were sounds of crickets humming, quiet had taken hold. The sounds of owls hunting in the black did not travel across the meadow.

Cad had found a place to rest by one of the large stones. His body was curled into a tight ball, nose tucked beneath the plush fur of his tail.

As he slept, his paws twitched wildly. The wolf’s peach mask stirred. Beneath his eyelids, mossy eyes flicked from side to side as if caught in an inescapable dream.

and she watched him.

she had not meant to, it had not been her intention to sit like a thoughtful gargoyle while he slumbered. yet she recalled with a great vividness the way her brother had twitched.

the way he had seized.

she could not help but wonder if cad would too. if something ailed him.

it offered a furious rhythm to her heart and she quickly came to him at once. nose settling softly over his slumbering forehead.

although she doubted he might still slumber now with her so near, so suddenly upon him!

Nose to head and the dreams of the orange-red sands had gone.

Cad’s eyes opened, quick and fearful. He saw the pale features of the girl. There was worry on her face, worn as plainly as the coat on her back. Adrenaline coursed through his nimble body. With a frightened yip, the medic lifted his head and then leapt to his paws.

Too quick, he felt the blood rush to his head and cloud his mind. Cad thought the earth spun beneath him, faster, and faster still. When it ceased its rapid rotation, he lifted his eyes to the features of Bjarna.

I’m- I’m sorry, Bjarna. I didn’t know where to sleep.

Cad believed he had offended her by tucking himself so close to the towering stone.

his voice rose and yet she did not hear his words.

only the violent pounding of her heart in her ears. when she looked at that soft face with those green eyes, she only saw skáld.

sick?

this she asked with concern pinched between her brows. a thing that added wrinkles upon wrinkles to an already bunched face.

Sick? Cad blinked, silenced by this query. His mossy stare searched her face, wishing for more than a single word. 

Sick? No, no, no, I am not sick at all, the young wolf was swift to assure her. A smile spread along his dark mouth. The warm peach mask upon his face was bright and cheerful. Bjarna did not need to worry about him. Cad was perfectly capable of tending to his own illness, if needed. 

Um… He didn’t know what he might ask that would land with the girl. She looked at him with deep interest. Bjarna show me Kvarsheim? he decided.