Wild Berry Meadow here, with me

Omnium

Her steady gait pushed against the winds this time. Blasphemous. Selena meandered happily through the blooming bushes and flowers which signified new beginnings and indeed, she was living through one herself. Her mood had lifted noticeably with the coming of gorgeous weather and flora. Perhaps this would be the year she would try her paw as an herbalist. 

Overhead sunlight played with her coat, revealing long hidden russet highlights as she moved to rest under a particularly low hanging willow. The coyote mix nosed carefully through the wooden tendrils, finding peace within the shadows once more. She would first observe her surroundings, then once she knew the coast was clear, help herself to a few berries.

Back dated to the day before The Less I Know The Better

Omnium had lumbered his way through the meadow in the early morning. A silent, hulking figure that sent most of the resident prey running, but he did not bother to keep his movements quiet. A hunt was not on the agenda for today. He rifled through the foliage in search of something different. He could not find quite what he was looking for as he meandered from bush to bush. Eventually, a wolf had to give up their pursuit of something that nature did not seem to provide here. He had sighed before settling down for a rest under a particularly tall, flowing bush. 

His eyes were closed for some time before they opened to the sound of steps. They were quiet, but it was enough to shift his gaze across the clearing in front of him. Yellow eyes peered from the shade in an attempt to decipher if the sound was that of prey. After a few moments, they zeroed in on the small dark figure as it peered about. A coyote? 

Omnium tested the air with his nose, and he was pleasantly surprised at the scent. No. Wolf... Maybe? He lumbered out of the shade to get a better look. The noise was substantial to give the figure a warning sign to his approach. Omnium found it impolite to not announce himself, so he spoke when he was a few lengths from the... stranger. Good Afternoon. He spoke with a low and smoky voice that gave off little intent.

From the stranger's perspective she must've looked... well, odd. The handmaiden poked her nose through dangling branches, shark eyes peering through the budding to take in quite a large specimen of man. Selena found herself immediately stuck in place, too nervous to make any movements. She had learned from Alpha that this was the way to be with men, although surely he wouldn't be happy to see her submit to a strange male such as this. "Hello." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. It was the female Alpha and other women that didn't seem to mind her speaking, but for formidable brutes she would stay quiet.

Emerging from her makeshift abode, the woman didn't want to be rude but still kept a submissive way about her. Lightly she stepped towards the man and offered him a slight bow of her head. He wasn't completely against speaking it seemed, so she offered him more. "I'm Selena." Although noticeably nervous, she was still deep in her good mood and gave him a smile with a quick wave of her tail in friendly gesture. He was handsome, striking coloring that she had not seen before.

The wolf before Omnium was much smaller than he had expected from seeing her from a distance as she stood before him. He knew he could be an intimidating figure, so he did his best to comfort her nerves by coming to a seat on the other side of the dangling branches. The heat of the sun bore down on him, but he paid it little mind. Her scent was vaguely familiar, but he could not place it. Perhaps she was a member of a pack he had bypassed.

Her submission did not go unnoticed, but he did not lean in as most would. Submission was a sign of weakness in his eyes, and he found it to be a difficult subject to approach. Omnium only saw others as equal lest they prove themselves not to be. He shifted uncomfortably, attempting to give the acquantance some comfort from the distance between them. Omnium. The brute spoke simply, adjusting to where he could see into the dark expanse of her eyes. Curious.

Are you from here, Selena?

So different.

Selena softened with a large sigh, beginning to realize that this man did not mean her any harm. However if he did end up having ill intent, she would now be a sitting duck. So easily tricked by outward appearances, but lucky for her this was not the case.

The young lady sat with him happily, excited at the prospect of having someone to talk to, even if just for a little while. The sound of her own voice sounded foreign, it had been weeks since she last uttered a word. "Omnium." She spoke with both acknowledgement of his name and also appreciation that he would share something so personal. 

"I'm from Greatwater Lake. Just joined a pack there, actually." She said it like she had a choice in the matter, when in reality she was collected like a trinket. The sun continued to rise above the two, beating down on her dark pelt. Shade would soon be sought out, and she would offer it to her new friend. But for now, "What brings you here?"

He nodded in acknowledgement of the pack. The scent made more sense now, and he was sure that he had bypassed it the day before on his journey through the valley. His distaste for packs stretched so far that he avoided them like the plague, so he was surprised to see someone a distance from their borders. He kept his surprise under wraps as he went to answer her question.

I'm traveling South. I've stopped to wonder the low lands between the mountains for the past few days, but I should be continuing on my way here soon. Omnium knew he would probably be quickly exiting the area in the next few days. There was one lake he had yet to visit that he wished to observe, but it would not take much time from him. You said you just joined? How do you like it? Curiosity clouded his words as they left his maw. The question could be considered invasive, and he would not find disappointment if she were to not answer the directness of it.

He sat still with perked ears as he looked down at her smaller figure. He had only ever been exposed to pack wolves for a fraction of time, and the brute was skeptical on what exactly the benefits were. Perhaps the life of a lone wolf had been too much for some. Maybe it was an ulterior motive for survival.

She had been in his position only recently, wandering and exploring to her heart's content, but for her this lifestyle did not come easy. She remembered days gone by with no meals, aching paws from being an inexperienced traveler for most of her life, and the fear that came with sleeping alone at night. She was aware she was small. If her life depended on her strength, she would die quickly. But this Ominous fellow would obviously have a better go of it. 

"I was heading South too, before I got taken in." It was a forceful taking, but she benefitted from it in the long run and was a people pleaser. "It's okay. It's nice to know that I have protection, especially at night. That was one of the things that bothered me about traveling alone." The young woman took a moment to relent any fears she held close to her chest. "It's strange though, they don't talk..." She felt like she was telling a sworn secret as she confided in this stranger, leaning in slightly as she told him. "You travel... have you ever heard of such a thing?" Selena looked up at the gentleman, appreciating his bright summer eyes. She was eager to see if he could make sense of these things she did not understand, so that maybe she could find some comfort in someone else's experiences. As of now, she might as well still be lost in the woods at night.

He was not good at consolation, but he knew a similar feeling from his youth. His sister had at least been with him to trade out for some rest, and he could not imagine the sleepless nights being as small as the wolf in front of him. Fear was a monster that clawed at wolves in the night. He was lucky to have had another pair of eyes to make rest possible. Omnium did not speak to her of it, though. He thought best to let the words hang in the air and allow her to vent her fears to a listening ear that would never repeat them.

Omnium mirrored Selena and leaned in closer to the dark she wolf. Although she did not have much suspense, He did find the information she relented surprising. One white eyebrow raised above yellow eyes in a look of skepticism before he relented and lowered it. The dark expanse of her eyes revealed no intentions of falsehood. Perhaps there was no reason to lie to a wolf she had just encountered. I don't believe I've ever encountered such a thing. Could it be that they are more primitive than us? Perhaps a traumatic venture? Maybe even a religious vow? He questioned her, unsure if she would possess the answers. Wolves who could not speak would not be able to tell.

Omnium didn’t understand either, which made her feel both better and worse. Selena nodded in agreement with a furrowed brow. She was a mathematician stuck on an equation. It just didn’t add up. But her lab partner was able to provide some possible solutions to the problem, presenting them neatly before her. These were good, but they would need further testing. 


“I think… well, I’d say maybe it has to do with being more primitive?” Was it an answer or another question? Selena shrugged as she speculated, thinking about the man’s last remark. Religion. She was all too familiar.

“I don’t think it has to do with religion. I haven’t seen them perform any sort of rituals or practices that would point to that… if anything I would be the one to introduce it to them.” The dark shadow paused in her thoughts as she noticed movement in the sky, a bird took flight just above the two. But what kind of bird was it? Could this be an omen, or something more promising?

Omnium's inquisitive gaze gave way to skepticism as she relented. The primitive solution had definitely quenched some of his curiosity, and he was glad to have had a paw to play with it. Those who could not speak would definitely settle for more primitive ways in the face of the modern well-spoken. He had a distant hope that Selena would not have to deal with the harsh end of more primitive behavior, but Omnium kept the thought to himself. He did not know her enough to speculate. 

The skepticism was accentuated by her statement of religion. A taboo topic in any capacity around Omnium's vicinity, and he was quick to latch onto it. The open nature was swept away as he queried her, And what would you introduce to them? His tone had the same smoky smoothness, but there was an underlying harsh demeanor. A tragic history with religion that not even time could heal; It had been the death of those dear to his soul in the eyes of the brute. 

The primitive wolves now long forgotten, he stared down at her with blank eyes to mirror her own.

Selena was no stranger to skepticism when it came to her beliefs, but she didn't mind it and never took it personally. Her own sister rejected the teachings of her mother, but she couldn't imagine holding it against their. As Omnium spoke, there was a familiarity to it which brought her back to past debates with Ortega, and it strangely enough comforted her. "Well, I guess it's not so much of a religion but a personal belief." She looked up at her audience with an uncharacteristic confidence about her, the power of her Spirits supported her whenever she spoke of them. "I believe in Spirits, energy you cannot see but that guide you through life. They exist around us, and lead us to our destinies. I don't believe in chance when it comes to existing, but instead the pull of the Spirits into who we are supposed to be."

Searching her newfound friend for any change of expression, the witch continued to divulge a bit more detail into her practice. "The Spirits could be those who have passed on. Souls that we connect with who never fully leave us. And even sometimes, when they are born again... when you meet someone you feel like you have known your entire life, it is possible it is them. Souls are drawn to each other through different lives." The small girl was nearly breathless from her word vomit, and so took a moment to just breathe. "But I don't expect others to take on my beliefs. I would never push it onto someone or try to convert anyone. Their journey is their own, I would never interfere." Selena cocked her head to the side, large ears gifted from her coyote mother wobbling like a cartoon character's. "I don't talk about it unless I am asked" The witch smiled playfully with a wag of her tail.

Sorry this took so long! I've had a busy few days, but I should be available to keep up with posts regularly now ^^

Although he found the topic to be a difficult topic to touch himself, he listened to his little companion and considered her words as she spoke. The sun was beginning to heat his back up, so Omnium drifted under the willow that she had emerged from. The branches were allowed to consume him in their shade as he slid past them, and he beckoned her with a nod of his head. The brute once again settled in a sitting position to face where she had been outside the shade. His face refused to give away his true emotions on the topic, but he found the bitterness in him softening.

Selena's beliefs were far different from that of those he had lost. The religion as he had known it in his youth was a harsh thing with strict guidelines, and those who did not grovel in front of shrines were looked down upon as lesser than. He would usually tell of any wolf that brought up the subject, but Omnium found himself pondering her viewpoint on things with a more positive light. Perhaps the only kind of religion he could stand to let into his presence.

I respect you for that. My past is mottled with the spoils of religion, so I find it difficult to speak of. The religion my parents followed was their downfall. I have never been able to quiet forgive them for it. Although I do not believe in it, your view on the world is admirable. That chance ceases to exist. He was thoughtful and respectful, searching for her between the tendrils of the willow.

All good <3 I'm always just chillin haha

She was relieved to see Omnium move to the shade, her own dark coat nearly sizzling. He looked rather out of place under the hanging streamers of newly bloomed buds, so feminine and elegant. Selena smiled at the contrast and followed his lead. Immediately the feeling of shade washed over her, quenching the burning heat that was beginning to make her pant.

Quickly, as to not seem uninterested, Selena rubbed herself against the trunk of their umbrella to be rid of a rather particular itch she could only assume was from the sudden change in temperature on her skin. With the likeness of a large cat, she made a 360 around the tree until she met back to sit face to face with the man. Ruffling her pelt, now a bird fresh out of a bath, she rid herself of any remaining bark. 

It was then he confided in her, and Selena nodded in understanding all the while. Yes, religion was easy to use for manipulation and to gain power over others. Although she had never seen it herself, she was warned against the evils of it. Selena nosed a rather intrusive branch from her face, wrapping it to fall behind her head so she could take in her company, unhindered. "I like you Omnium. I hope you don't trouble yourself too much of the mistakes of your loved ones. You deserve peace and you don't have to forgive anyone for anything. That's too much of a burden on your spirit." It was a subject to tread carefully, someone else's trauma, but to the rather clueless woman she just wanted to cheer him up.

Would you want to maybe start wrapping this thread up here? Also sorry for the shortness!

The brute nodded his head to her, opting to keep quiet in the moment as she settled beside him in the respite of shade. He did mull over it though. The weight of her words carried something of an unfamiliar sentiment to him, but it was not unwelcome. The little stranger did not know the extent of what he was referring to, but it was best to leave it unsaid. A wound that he refused to expose to someone so recently met. 

Thank you, Selena. Omnium shifted his weight onto his other paw in a bid to fill the awkward silence that extended on after he spoke. If you do not find it too intrusive, would you happen to have coyote in your lineage? I thought you were one upon first glance, but I seem to have been mistaken in my assumptions. I mean no offense, of course. He was gentle in his inquiry, leaving her space and ease to dodge the question if she wished. He only wished for something to fill the voice of the silence between the two of them and the willow tree.

yes that works for me! Mine is about to be short as well so no worries at all

If there was any awkwardness to be detected in that moment, Selena surely was not socially apt enough to pick up on it. So when the topic changed suddenly, she was none the wiser as to why.

It wasn't often Selena was asked of her lineage, but she certainly didn't mind answering Omnium's question regarding it. If anything, she found it odd most wolves never asked. She had always been warned of the stigma against coyotes amongst wolves, but so far hadn't met any prejudice from anyone in her travels. It's not like one couldn't tell at first glance. It was rather obvious in her ears and build that she held the blood of the mixed species. The little bird chirped up at her friend, "Yes, my mother is full coyote. My father wolf." Ears flitted about as bugs began to descend from the sweet smelling branches of the willow. "I know some wolves don't like coyotes... apparently my father wasn't one of those wolves." Selena laughed a little to herself, thinking of their relationship before he had gone.

"I know you said you are in the middle of your journey south. I do hope I am not keeping you from it."

Feel free to archive here or post again <3

 

The large wolf nodded thoughtfully at her answer. He felt pleased that his assumption had been correct, but it did not erase the oddity that was her situation. Omnium's own morals only viewed the coywolf as an equal despite her lack of size and obvious differences. The little half breed was wolf enough for him, and he gave her a small smile. I should have made a bet on it before I asked you. You need not fear me disliking coyotes. I have never met one who spoke to me before stealing away into the distance, but it was a nice change to finally meet one who shares their blood. It has been a pleasure, Selena. A genuine reinforcement guided the words to her as he stood to look betwixt the branches of the willows in the direction he had originally been traveling.

You do not trouble me at all, but it is best I am on my way soon. It is best that I make more progress before night falls. The brute turned warm yellow eyes to her dark figure. I understand that wolves who do not speak might be primitive in other aspects as well. There was a dark implication there. An understanding after his past dalliances with wolves who were less than civil. I am not above being sought out. Just head South to find me if you ever need help. The man offered with a gentle turn before pushing out of the willow branches to face the heat of the day once again. The only evidence left behind being a tuft of fur caught in the leaves. Goodbye, little coyote. Take care of yourself.