Dragoncrest Cliffs he was standing all shaky

sobeille was out of breath as she climbed the last ridge of stone that lead from ankyra to sapphique.

the witch’s hateful screams were no longer audible, but the raking force of their fury hung around her skin like cold mist.

she looked behind her - there was no one. she caught her breath in quiet gasps, waiting for her racing heart to settle.

@Etienne

Etienne had begun to familiarize himself with where he had lived before. He stayed in the shadows not wanting to seek anyone out .

It was mere chance that he caught himself around the distrustful girl. His cousin Sobeille. He tilted his head firward. Reading her body language. She looked scared or something.

You be okay?

sobeille wiped a dribble of blood from her chin, whirling around as she heard the tread of another. her heart skipped a beat, but it was only etienne -- her cousin who'd recently returned.

she wondered what it was like to live in the outside world. once, val had given her the briefest synopsis -- and she wondered what kind of man it was to leave sapphique behind.

but like val, he was back -- and while she was still distrustful, in this moment, between etienne and the witch, she'd take etienne.

i'm fine. sobeille grit, turning her chin so he would not see the freshly vacant spot where a tooth should be. ever one to deflect, sobeille swiftly changed topic. why did you come back?

Etienne laid his ears to his skull as she whirled around. He took a small step back. Concerned, but also wary.

It had not been pretty when Etienne left. And truly he wasn't sure if being back would soothe or heal him. But he was willing to try.

He blinked and looked out over the sea. He settled to his haunches curling his tail around paws.

Because my 'eart 'urt and I missed 'ome.

sobeille's tongue thumbed the hole where her canine had been, hardly minutes before. it felt enormous. it hurt. would she ever adjust to it?

etienne's expression remained wary. sobeille was used to this impact on people, and she didn't mind it. she was too preoccupied with how alien her mouth felt right now.

why does your 'eart 'urt? she pressed, setting aside her probing of the hole in her mouth, and turning her probing towards etienne.

He wasn't sure what Sobeille was doing. Or why she continued to stay turned away from him. But he wouldn't press or push.

It wasn't Sobeille as much as being back home. Had him wary. It was the way of this current state of being.

He titled an ear. Because I fell in love wit' someone dat doesn't love me. And 'e 'as a new family wit' someone else. But de 'eart wants wut it wants even if it is foolish or strange. So 'ere I am.

but de 'eart wants wut it wants.

never had something spoken been so eloquently summarized. sobeille replayed this statement over and over, delighted by both its pragmatism, and the nod to the dark, bloodied, and misunderstood organ stirring beneath every living thing's chest.

o? she queried, at last turning around to face etienne in full. she was certain her tooth hole had stopped bleeding. what was she like?

Etienne didn't know exactly how to explain his own self suffering or his hesrt. So he had simply summarized the confusing organ. That ruled all of his actions.


Etienne chuckled. 'e. I fell in love wit' a man. I cannot like women, I 'ave tried. But.

Etienne sighed amd closed his eyes thinking. 'e be a very private wolf. Angry, but not because 'e doesn't feel tings, because it is de easiest emotion to s'ow. And 'e feels tings so wildly. 'E worries about otters even if 'e claims 'e doesn't. 'E is loyal and kind ta dose dat earn 'is trust. But 'e can be a cruel man. Takes does dat carecfor granted. Will not tell dem 'ow he feels. It is confusing and disappointing. And makes me upset.

But we needn't talk about all dat. It seems selfish. Wut tings do you like to do Sobeille?

by nature, sobeille was a private person. so it was very interesting to be exposed to a wolf who wore his heart on his sleeve.

he corrected her, albeit gently. sobeille's expression shifted to one of surprise. he had willingly fallen in love with a man? why would he do that? did he know they sucked?

she managed to keep most of these thoughts from showing as visible emotion, but she was bewildered. sobeille was not unexposed to homosexuality -- she knew full well her granmamans were both women. but this was natural in sapphique, as natural as swimming or breathing or killing for your meat. women were desirable and beautiful creatures. how could one blame anything for falling in love with the pleasing wit and shapely curves of a woman?

but a man? they were so coarse - their bodies so... utilitarian and inelegant.

this man etienne spoke of sounded exhausting and difficult. she never even met the male, and she already had profound dislike of him. he sounded maladjusted, and every character flaw etienne mentioned about this man hammered home the thousand reasons why women were just intrinsically better.

sobeille ignored etienne's hopeful deflection, because she was a solutions-based wolf. etienne had presented a problem in need of a solution.

why don't you just kill 'im?

then, his soul would be with etienne forever.

Etienne was private in some ways, open in others. But he was also not ashamed of himself or who he loved. And nor was he ashamed of how.

Etienne was not entirely fond of men. He himself believed women were truly better, deserved more. A product of his upbringing by many ways. But he could not love a woman. He didn't understand. Just knew it. Perhaps he was simply to feminine himself.

Etienne blinked surprised. Because you cannot just go around killin' dose dat upset you. And besides I'm a 'ealer I could no more 'urt anotter as quit breat'in'.

He looked her over. He was concerned and yet unbothered. His family was full of good but savage women. He just chalked it up to the families blood and bond.

once again, sobeille was at odds with societal expectations. she stiffened, seeing the way etienne reacted to her suggestion. he looked taken aback — horrified, possibly — indicating to sobeille that her suggestion had been inappropriate.

she thought of all the souls that she collected. in their bones, in their soulties— and of the woman in the sound below. how many souls did she have?

irritated, sobeille brushed aside Etienne’s rational response. den don’t be complainin’. was her eloquent answer. but she had her own vision in mind — exactly how far was this man, and did he like fish?

you ‘ave to ‘urt t’ings to survive. sobeille countered, measuring etienne with a long look that could only be called alien. ’ow else you gonna eat? do you t’ink it does not hurt your prey to be eaten? some t’ings are not worth ‘ealing or ‘elping. their only purpose is to be used by us.

Etienne was neither taken aback or horrified. Honestly it sounded a bit like any of the women in his family would say. So he was not completely put off by it. He was just stating it would not be him killing anyone.

Etienne shifted and away from her at her words. You asked. He pointed out. There was no cruelty or pointing paws. She had asked he had answered.

Etienne shook his head. I am well aware. Tank you. I 'unt and eat wut I must. But I do not agree that some tings are only 'ere to be used. Tink of dey deer, yes dey feed our bellies, but dey eat the grass and the weeds and wit'out dem dey world would be overrun wit' vegetation. Deir bodies nouris' us, but also nouris' dey eart'.

this was a defining moment for sobeille, in that her true colors were visible for the briefest moment before they were retracted back with a snap.

she steadied her composure, practicing the inoffensive look of a bystander. etienne pointed out the logic of the world; the deer ate the grass, the wolves ate the deer, the bodies of both nourished the grass. it was the order of things: perfect, logical, circular.

but within nature's logic was another truth: every physical body was just a culmination of gristle ripe for taking -- from fruit to flesh, it was all the same.

another truth -- there is no purpose. it's just every being, fighting for its little scrap of life.

so what did it matter, if sobeille exploited it?

she blinked back what she really wanted to say.

it is used, or be used. the girl wiped the dribble of blood from her chin, and spat a bloody phlegm into the dirt. and then, remembering the witch below, sobeille moved away from the cliffs.

Etienne was not entirely sure what his cousin was thinking. And truthfully as long as she didn't hurt the innocent. He didn't much care. He knew many that messed with the Lwa, and the voodoo. He would never. BUt others did and some did it well.

Etienne shook his head. I do not live dis way, but I know many dat do and I am fine wit' dis. As long as dey do not expect me to only use.

he gave a shrugh of gentle sloping shoulders. Dere used to be pirates in our lines. I be sure dere be witc's and de like too.

A tilt of an ear. You be bleeding, Sobeille? You sure you be okay?

sobeille was ready to turn away from etienne, but something he said drew her back. it wasn’t what he said about expecting him to follow along with using others — it was the segment about pirates.

sobeille heard stories about her grandmes. she also knew that the day she was given life was the day rosalyn was robbed of her own. it was poetic, in a strange way — she thought about it often.

tell me about de pirates. sobeille insisted, hand waving his concern about the blood on her chin. i chipped my tooth. it be fine. she focused the full bite of her eyes on him. de pirates, she pressed.

Etienne knew he wasn't the warmest at times. And he was terrible at holding conversations. And he was seeing that even now among his own family. And if that didn't tear him up a little. But also he wondered what made him so different and strange.

Etienne balked a little. I don't be knowin' muc' about dem. You would need to ask Auntie or Manman, but I know dey were wild and 'earty women. Strong and skilled. Robbin' and lootin'. I believe one may 'ave even 'ave taken a c'ild back in 'er day, but I know not more dan dat.

he seemed to accept her vague explanation for the chipped tooth. good. she didn’t have the energy to go into detail. and she wouldn’t have anyway.

sobeille couldn’t help the way her ears angled forward at mention of looting and robbing. she breathed in a longing sigh. would you loot and rob, etienne? her mind was thumbing past the possibilities; which pack, how they would do it, how they would get away… would you steal a child?

Etienne imagined there was more to the story. But he also knew if this daughter was anything like his auntie. She would keep her woes close to her chest. Not wear them for the world to see and try and deal with them herself.

Etienne sighed and rubbed at his muzzle in thought. Not unless it was necessary to save those i loved. Then yes i would.

Her next words though he disliked the answer he knew he would give. It was the truth. IF i felt the child was not taken care of and i saw for myself that someone abused the child. Then yes I would. I would fight for my last breath for the child. because everyone deserves love.

it was interesting to sobeille that etienne sighed and rubbed his temple. moreso, she found it amusing he assumed the best intentions in her question. his mind went straight to the good he would do for this child — and she suspected he wasn’t even aware of this.

the pilfering blood, it seemed, skipped etienne — but his grandmes needn’t fret. their granddaughter’s savage blood ran black as the jolly roger.

i wonder what dey would t’ink of you. sobeille mused aloud, passing her accipitrine gaze over him once more. or me. mebbe it is time saffique goes back to dat. to robbin’ an’ pilferin’.

Etienne was not sure why he wasn't as strong par say as his family. He cared more for their well being amd their mental status than most. Perhaps there had been some cosmic something when he was born. Maybe he was switched at birth

Etienne shrugged a lithsome shoulder. I spose dey'd love me jest fine. Granme Roz and Granme Erzulie 'ad no issue wit' me or dey way I came alive. And I imagine it be dey same for you, yea.

anything that happened before sobeille was born seemed like ancient history. she eyed etienne as he reminded her he’d lived among her grandmothers. jealousy briefly curled the pit of her stomach.

sobeille would give anything to have known her ancestors. they seemed so vital, so larger than life — it was hard to reconcile their legacy with the fact they were dead longer than she’d been alive.

were dey pretty, etienne? an’ good fighters? tell me your favorite memory of dem. a hunger gleamed in sobeille’s eyes. she may not ever meet them, but she could carry the torch of their memory as long as she was alive.

Etienne had not meant his words in cruelty. And for a time his granme lived while Sobeille did, but only for breaths of a minute if memory served. But he couldn't remember her birth anymore.

Etiwnne smiled. Bot' very beautiful. Like you and your mama and mine. And de were best fiters. Dey bot' went again bears and otter pirates. De foug't wit' everything dey could. Granme Erzulie was 'ealer gentle and kind. But you not be messing wit' 'er family no sirree. And granme Roz. 'Er look at de world a little darker, but dose 'er love oh 'er love dem to de moon and stars, Sobeille.

sobeille listened with bitter longing. it hurt her heart to realize she would only know her grandmes in her dreams; it seemed a cruel twist of fate’s knife, especially that rosalyn would die the day she was born.

dat is what i want to grow up to be like. sobeille announced darkly - not realizing that in some ways she was further grown than she realized. she couldn’t claim the title of pebble anymore.

a sudden shift in topic, for sobeille had been thinking at length of how her pearl and her maman’s had been the same. eti, she started, turning her flat gaze to the healer. what your pearl be?

Etienne was oblivious to the way Sobeille felt about knowing that he knew their granmes. He wished she had known them. It would have been wonderful for her. And he longed for them to still be alive for himself too.

Etienne smiled at that. A good way to grow up I be tinkin'.

He blinked surprised. O' my pearl was silver, and medium like the moonlight. Maman say dat it mean I be poised, dignified and 'ave good self control. Dat I be good as caretaker. Dat I be strong of mind.

He didn't know how true it was really, but he liked the thought none the less. And he had indeed become a caretaker.

for a time, sobeille was silent. the quiet stretched between them like a growing pool of dark water.

without knowing it, etienne had turned some of sobeille’s preconceived notions on their heads; now she sat, ruminating over their disorientation.

his pearl was very different than any she’d seen - and it did not match the one she’d stolen from grandme’s grave. finally, she spoke. what ‘appened to your pearl?