The Sunspire Only a little scared

  Hello, my first post! Marked mature just in case but all welcome! TW: minor panic attack

Her thirst for adventure had been mostly quenched. There had been one more thing that she hadn't quite conquered. Her parent's never really let her climb as a pup so she had developed a fear of heights that she was rather embarrassed about. The last thing she could do was strike out on her own and meet new faces with ridiculous fears like these. No. This was something she'd have to work through on her own first.

She approached the gentle slope with trepidation. Her entire body quivering. She kept her head down, focused on her paws and not tripping over her own clumsy form. She only went a little ways before stopping to gain composure over her body, she took a deep breath to raise her head and survey the land around her.

It was absolutely beautiful. If not mildly terrifying. A violent shiver ripped through her body. She flattened herself to the ground and began trying to calm herself. Now is not the time to panic, calm the fuck down and get yourself together! Yeah on a spire in the middle of nowhere. Perfect time to panic, totally." Of course her sarcasm did little to ease her anxiety, however her body's connection with the earth did help to ground the wolf. 

The wolf stayed glued to the ground waiting for the quiver's in her body to end, trying to remember to breathe deeply. Hoping that no one was around. She would trace her steps back down and try again when she could. I'll just try again tomorrow, or maybe next week? Next week sounds better.

HI!! Welcome. Have some Blunt Reyson.

Reyson had started out again, his mind on far reaching things, his body on burn. He wanted the pain to come and separate his mind. Kill the silence that filled his thoughts, and keeled his heart. He needed something, anything more than the current plain of existence.

It was with those thoughts he traversed up the mountain. Muscles burning, but as always he relished that pain, leaned into it, pushed it further. His back ached, his eyes burned, but he continued, large brutish paws tearing up the ground.

Reyson moved to the summit of the hill and froze when he saw a live thing on top of it. A small femme by the looks of her, small, athletic, white and black. He traced over her trying to determine what was wrong and it clicked, he had seen it long enough to know what happened.

He chuffed gently and then spoke, his voice uncharacteristically kind. Tell me what do you smell, hear, feel? Focus on those? Then tell me your favorite flower? Or food?

It wasn't much, but he hoped the thoughts would ground her enough that she could calm her panic.

The connection to the earth had already done a fair bit to calm the wolf when she heard a greeting and then a male voice begin to speak to her, his voice soothed her but she still didn't quite understand the meaning of the words. She dug her claws into the earth, making her connection stronger as she listened closer. tell me your favorite flower. That she had caught. Her mind whirled to a happy memory. Running through a field of sunflowers when she was younger.

"Sunflower." Ecco stood on shaky but steady legs. She is annoyed with herself for getting caught in such a vulnerable state. She sighs and meets the kind wolf's gaze. "Thank you. I'm surprised it wasn't messier, that was my first time trying. I'm uh, scared of heights." Hell, he saw her there pancaked to the ground and had to help her through it, he might as well know why.

Reyson stayed his paws. He wanted to go forward and check on the girl, but he also knew it would probably not end well. Especially if she was out of her mind in panic. He had seen these types of fits before, in the trenches, where the young either stepped up to the plate, or died. Though he had tried to ease it.

Reyson lifted one side of his maw up in a smile. The ones that reach for the sky. I had a friend who loved them too. He thought of Renaud's penchant for all living things, despite that he was a very gifted soldier and Semi-healer. He looked down over the side. 

::I like the challenge, makes me feel alive, the more i push, the  more alive i feel. But I am sorry that you were frightened, you handled it well.::

With the thoughts of the sunflower to guide her mind to clarity, and the voice of the stranger and her paws on the earth grounding her fully she was able to finally stop shaking. The panic hadn't completely eased, but she was finally ready to move at the very least.

"I uhm think I Just need to go down and I'll be able to think clearly again. I'll try again in a week or so. Thank you for helping me. " She shrugged and smiled sheepishly. She had a few minor scares but this was her first big breakdown. She knew it wasn't healthy to keep pushing herself, but hell, what pack would want a wolf that's so afraid of everything?

Reyson breathed a small sigh of relief as the young she wolf, quit shaking. He moved a little closer, but still kept his distance. Didn't want to overcrowd her. He knew well if he did that right after she pulled herself from the dregs it could put her in another, so he tried to stay a respectful distance away.

Would you like me to walk with you? It is always good to try again, when you don't succeed 100%. But you did more than you had yesterday, so a small accomplishment, yes? Reyson stood near her, tail neutral, ears forward. He would walk her down if she would like. He didn't mind at all. Or he would continue on, whatever she would prefer.

"I think that would be great if you wouldn't mind, I don't think I'm quite steady on my feet yet." Truthfully Ecco feared another panic would overtake her before she could reach the floor of the mountain. It was the looking down after all that sent her into the first one.

Reyson moved closer. His large body towering above the she wolf's, but he dipped his head. I'm Reyson Ebonywood of Mereo. He tried to stay near her, but not too close. He traced over her form, keeping close eye on any tell tale signs that she would have another attack. Her inky black and cream colored fur were startling contrasts next to each other. It reminded him of shadows and snow. Her ice face cut in half with shadows. It suited her well.

He shifted and spoke. Did you just come to the area?

As she became more sure footed her voice became stronger and steadier. "I come from the far South. I needed to leave my family, they agreed, reluctantly. " She ducked her head ruefully as she recalled the looks of dismay on her parents faces as she left them, and her final words to them. "This is something I must do if you ever wish for me to survive in my own."

"I had to leave in a rather abrupt manner, but my life wasn't in danger or anything like that.. I don't know, it's kind of complicated. " The more time she spent with the stranger the more she could tell he was one of those business types. He probably wouldn't be interested in her whole life story.

"I appreciate your help, truly. I'll be back soon enough. Today was enough for now." She smiled up at the large wolf next to her. His size in comparison to hers was massive, but it only made her feel safe.

Reyson listened to her, eyes going to the south. He had been a scout, so he knew the directions better than most. He still had moments of displaced clarity, but he tried. Once he had gotten bigger and stronger, he moved up from scout to soldier and then commander. Though he had failed at that avenue. At least from keeping his others from harm.

Families do that sometimes. I myself wouldn't know, but i have seen others.. And he wouldn't he had been taken from his family, but gods love his parents they who were not fighters had fought until the couldn't anymore to keep him safe. 

He would have listened to her, if she had liked, just wouldn't have answered her probably. You can talk about them if you want. I won't have anything to say, but if it helps. He shifted, made a soft mm in his throat, as he was thinking.

Reyson lifted one side of his muzzle in a genial smile. Renaud had told him his full smile was preferred and that his eyes glittered, but he hadn't done that in a long time. As i said I am from Mereo, if you need someone to go with you. You can come call for me I will help you.

He didn'tk now where this was coming from. Perhaps, it was simply he wanted to help her conquer something, as he conquered most of his life. Perhaps, it was some way to pay tribute to the memory of his soldiers and Renaud, he really didn't know, but he meant it.

She's off to lick her metaphorical wounds, she'll be back in the area soon. Thank you for threading with me!

He had only seen others? Did that mean he had no family of his own? Echo felt pity for the wolf but doubted he'd appreciate it. She'd grown up in a close family unit, leaving them could have been seen as a betrayal if her parents hadn't loved her so.

"I was being given no training, and had little freedom, and too many fears to conquer, and they weren't giving me the space I needed to do so. I had to leave. " She frowned agonizing over her decision, even though she knew it was the right one. She couldn't just stay at home forever.

When he mentioned being willing to accompany her again surprise overtook her features. She had of course grown to trust the wolf, something she knew was one of her flaws, too quick to trust. But hell, if he meant her harm he could have easily taken advantage of her by now. Instead here he was, ever the gentlemen. Not only had he calmed her from a panic, but he was offering to escort her back up the mountain knowing damn well it could happen again.

Her voice grew quieter as she looked up at the much larger wolf. She could tell he was battle hardened, but he must have a gentle side, or maybe it was just his sense of duty that made him offer to accompany her again. Either way she softly said, "I think I just may call for you again. Thank you Reyson of Mereo."

Of course. I hope your jump into the deep end was a pleasant one. <3

Reyson supposed, has his mother and father lived, he would have been close with them. He had been close with them when he was young, but life and circumstances didn't let him keep those close bonds.

Reyson frowned and gave a soft rumble of disapproval at her lack of freedom. Freedom being taken is not a good thing. I am glad you had enough fight to leave them, even if it were probably hard.


Reyson dipped his muzzle until he was closer to her level, and nodded. You are welcome, little stranger. He nodded his head, and with level eyes, he turned and motioned where Mereo was. I live that way. don't pass the scent markers, just howl.

He turned the way he had come, he would linger only a moment in case she had more to say. Otherwise he would be on his way.