She arose late in the afternoon after a long evening-turned-morning of borderland tending, and the fur along her shoulders remained perpetually prickled. No matter her efforts, the feeling wouldn't shake, and she wiled away the hours into dusk chasing rabbits across the slopes to very little success.
Dark settled along with an unsurprising fog considering the high humidity. She napped intermittently in the thicket of trees she frequented until she continued to feel too restless, so rose to work it off on the boundaries of the pack.
Amekaze knew a full moon loomed. One of autumn's full moons -- the hunter's moon. She had wished to rally the pack beneath its glow, but the sensation curled in the pit of her stomach left her feeling oddly uninspired for that. A thirst for action instead kept her distracted, unless she was accomplishing something clear and tangible. At least the borders afford her some of that. Everything she did there only made them stronger..
It was then, somewhere deep in the heart of the night, that she realized the piece of the once-full moon darkening to black through a veil of fog. She noted this observation curiously with a pause. Afterward, she moved towards clearer ground closer to the borderlands as it soon turned subtly orange -- characteristic of the start of a lunar eclipse.
Old myths said that one's actions, both good or bad, were multiplied one-thousand fold during a lunar eclipse. Amekaze decided to try to focus, at least until the moon darkened to full red and she would spare some time for it when it came. She keened her eyes watchfully past the borders and lurked the foggy night until then.
![[Image: 5ifpFkc.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/5ifpFkc.png?1)
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
It took her some time to get her babies to sleep that night. Both were exclaiming their newly learned words in both French and English, berating her with baby talk. The Frenchwoman sighed and sung a short lullaby, fed them, and walked outside for some exercise.
As she headed towards the borders, she tipped her head up to the sky, marvelling at the full moon, a hunter's moon of autumn. A beautiful sight. But there was something different about this moon. As she grew unsuspectingly closer to Amekaze, the moon turned a dusky orange.
Smelling the presence of her alpha, the mother paused, swivelling her head to the dark-furred female, who was also staring at the celestial body. "L'éclipse lunaire, il est magnifique, non?"
Amekaze's ears flicked and following the realization of someone drawing closer, she peeled her eyes from the reddening moon to find Erika. Mm,
she rumbled first with a nod, despite not fully understanding the words. She caught what she needed to give her a very good guess. The moon's eclipse and its magnificence. Quite impressive. Some look at them and see a bad omen, though.
While she was not yet sold on that notion, she could see where it could come from -- the moon turning red was probably unsettling to the right viewer. It did lend an interesting energy and that was what she focused on instead. Did you see the one in the summertime too?
she then asked.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
She blinked, thinking back to the summer, which had long since past. Had there been an eclipse? Not lunar, it was a solar one. When the day turned black as night. "Ze solar one? Oui. I did. It frightened me, I 'ad never seen ze sun go dark before."
I wonder so as well.. just.. why red?
she pondered aloud. Red was not a shade all that common in the world of nature, outside of flowers, blood, and sunsets. Which made her think of something, even though the notion seemed very abstract and she had little to base it on besides just realizing that the only time she had seen the same shade in the skies were then. Perhaps it has to do with the sun, somehow. Maybe.. such as how some sunrises and sunsets make the sky so red, almost blood-red on some days. I do not know, though.
And as a humble wolf, all she would be able to do was wonder.
Amekaze then nodded. Indeed. I felt that to be much more ominous than only the moon turning red. I had feared it may impact nature more than it did, considering the role of the sun. Thankfully, I noticed little of change.. here anyway.
Maybe it was different elsewhere, or maybe the impacts had simply gone unseen to her or even had not happened yet. I had never seen one of those before. Too eerie, for even my tastes..
Thus why she greatly preferred the lunar eclipses. These though, I must say, I do like watching them.
Then again, she was a creature of the night to begin with.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
Hearing pack mates, she gravitated towards the voices. It was her former partner of the night, Ame, along with Erika, who it seemed was departing. "What a sight, huh?" She asked conversationally, looking up once more. "Can't say I've ever seen it do that. Think it ever turns green?" Now that would be a sight.
Amekaze took Erika's departure in stride, assuming it likely had something to do with her puppies -- which was understandable. Although Ame was not an overly maternal sort, she knew the whelps had to be demanding in their way. Her farewell was silent, and before she was even left to her own, Vienna arrived.
The dark wolf's tail wagged. Indeed it is,
she agreed without hesitation. I have seen.. partial eclipses, but rare is a good view of one in full like this,
she chuffed with her eyes on the moon, and she smirked humorously at the idea of a green moon sitting happily overhead. I cannot say I have ever seen one, nor heard tale of it.. but that does not mean it cannot happen.
It was a curious idea to consider. I wonder what types of myths a green moon could inspire. Surely much different from the ominous ones of a blood red moon,
she said as she tried to imagine it, and then, what would possibly create such a vision.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
"How long do they generally last?" She asked curiously, never having been aware to see such an event before. Perhaps some had passed since she was born, but if so she had not noticed. It did not seem a common event though.
She starts running, going to no specific place, but fleeing from the past that has melded into the present. Voices follow her break neck pace, taunting her, calling her, blaming her. She closes her eyes, whine after heart breaking whine bleeding from her muzzle. Stop! She silently screams to the voices.Tipping her nose up again she cries out, "Help!" Blackness envelopes her, taking away the fear and pain as she pass out.
Moments later, she comes too, her heart still beating madly against its prison within her chest. Crawling to her paws, she fearfully glances around, her body shaking. Slowly, she walks through the mountain and soon glances a group of shadows looking up at the blood red moon. Her breathing picks up again and she inches closer. The scent of Amekaze breaks her from her panic and she rushes forward. "Amekaze!" She desperately calls out, needing to feel safe, needing to know her past is far away.
While red has its.. negative connotations, I still appreciate it,
she replied, smirking slightly. But she was not easily unsettled by the idea. It was if the blood red brought with it a bad energy, then she would be concerned. But green would be a sight. I do agree. I could see it having a much more favorable response. Green makes me think of the spring and new blooms..
which made her think of what would come if it occurred in the springtime, when everything was turning green after winter. That would just be particularly picturesque timing. I believe just about an hour usually -- for the full of the eclipse, anyway. Maybe more or less for some. Usually, you see them coming, with just a portion of the moon changing color..
she mentioned, and her focus was directed elsewhere before her answer became any more elaborate.
Rain...?
she mutters, wholly confused as her ears pricked up tall and she looked her way with confusion written all over her features. What is wrong? Has something happened?
she asked in rapidfire as she moved to Rain with a few sweeping strides (and a quick glance over her shoulder to Vienna), breathing deep and looking quickly over the silvered female in search of answers.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
Her eyes widened as a panicked Rain came upon them, and immediately Vienna looked behind her, hackles raising as she expected to find a threat chasing her. This soon proved not to be the case, though, and her defensive look was replaced with confusion. What was going on? Her own thoughts echoed Ame's exactly so she did not add any words of her own, instead waiting to see what had upset the girl so badly.
With the two wolves near her, Rain pulls herself back together. The moon still sets her on edge, but there is no danger here. "Oh, and I don't believe we've met yet," she tells the female next to Amekaze.
She rumbled softly, understanding the ill omen of the moon, and in a way, appreciating Rain's concern. Do not worry, all is well. I do find it rather ominous but.. not all bad. I personally feel like having no moon in sight at all is more disconcerting than a red one.. the eclipses, I almost like their energy, somehow..? Then again, nothing bad has ever happened to me during one.
All of it was awfully abstract to explain, Ame left it at that. She loved the night and much of what it offered.
Ah, Rain.. Vienna,
she introduced between them with an appropriate point of her muzzle towards each female in turn. That kept that simple and now they knew each others name. They could take it from there.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
"It's nice to meet you Rain," she responded genuinely when introduced, giving a friendly nod. Her thoughts were mostly on the sky but she was curious to get better acquainted with her. "I feel the same. The moon holds no terror for me. But I have not encountered such a sight, not to my knowledge at least." So it could not taint her memories, and her instincts spoke of nothing wrong. Being an optimist, she had never put much stock in portents. She chose to rather observe and draw conclusions based on actual happenings. Certain things could give signs towards other occurrences, but to her, this moon held no more meaning than a lovely and strange sight.
The alpha introduces the other wolf to her and Vienna offers a greeting. Rain smiles at Vienna replying, "It is nice to meet you as well." Then listens to the females own opinions. So Vienna has not seen death on the night of a red moon, Rain feels glad for it. That is not something she wishes anyone to have to experience. "Are you enjoying the red moon? Or would you prefer a normal full moon?" She questions them both with the attempt at a friendly conversation.
Quietly, she listened to the exchange and set her sights skyward. All the while, she considered new moons and possibly why they made her uncomfortable. Perhaps her adoration of the moon just went to deep, and nights did not seem the same without it there, looming overhead. While not as constant as the sun's presence, maybe it was just another thing to appreciate about the ever-shifting moon.
I find the red moon interesting, and since they are not exactly commonplace, I enjoy it while it is here. Although, regular full moons are nothing to complain about either,
she said. From there, she let the conversation carry as it needed to go and kept some of her attention on the moon the whole time, listening to adding her remarks when needed. After a while, she sighed softly and rose to her paws and stretched. While it has been nice moongazing in good company, I should be going,
she said at last, eyes drifting towards the rest of the borderlands. By now, the eclipse has begun to draw to a close and pending any final farewells, the alpha was on her way.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
Likely she would settle down for a nap, but not before staring at the heavens a little longer, wondering what exactly it was that colored the moon so and how it became so vivid randomly. It was a tough question but definitely the sort she loved thinking about.