In Darkness there is also light [P]

by **Lumine** Sat Apr 13, 2024 11:15 am

Her paws padded with caution as she worked her way though bushes and trees. Blindness forced her to rely on her senses but she was no where near a pro. She kept her head low, smelling the ground. A rabbit here, a rodent there. Birds above sang their songs they only sang in Root Season. She liked that it was quiet. She found sound to be her main sense. After the fire and loss of her sight, she could only determine the whereabout of ash and the faint scent of a spooked Ma'tek. Her head ached that day. Was it day? Perhaps it was afternoon. The time of day passed differently for Lumine. Recently she had begun to rely on the heat of sun rays but even that idea didn't improve her sense of time as much as she wanted it to. She brushed against a bush with thorns yelping in surprise when the thorns snagged as her fur. She searched for any sign of her family and found nothing. Dead or captured, she didn't know.

Her trek brought her along a stream she walked along, enjoying the sound of running water. She took a drink to quench her thirst, awkwardly stretching herself over the waters edge, flinching slightly when her chin touched the cool liquid. Her ears back, ears forward, the water would have dulled anyone coming up behind her. She drank as quick as she could. The insecurity of falling in when she wasn't a swimmer didn't appease her thoughts.

@Lorne

by **Lorne** Sun Apr 14, 2024 4:04 pm

White paws trod the earth aimlessly. Steep terrain towered, casting shadows on any who would walk beneath. His face like a thundercloud, Lorne brooded as he wandered. Some time had passed now since he had absconded from the Nomads, and he had not yet decided what he wanted to do with his new found freedom. The comfort of being around others had crossed his mind. It would be like how it was before... everything. Friends or those you could call family even. After the horrors he had suffered... and committed... He was not sure if he believed himself to be deserving of a life like that again. Redemption from his deeds seemed impossible. There were also times where he thought about creating a new identity and simply pretending that nothing had happened - a part of him felt like that was worse somehow.

He was torn free from his thoughts. A muffled yell, somewhat far off, caused his ears to twitch and his brows to crease together. It was almost as if he was offended that someone should disturb his contemplation. Shifting his posture, he turned in the direction of the noise. Soon, the sound of flowing water graced his senses, and he unconsciously licked at his jowls. Thirst. He couldn't remember the last time he'd drank, now that he actually thought about it. When he approached, he realized that he was not alone. Another wolf stood before him, quenching their own thirst. Lorne guessed that they couldn't be any older than a year. He felt his brows knot further in confusion, and his lilac gaze wandered to the surrounding areas. Mum would surely not be far off, and there was nothing more ferocious than an angry mother.

Lorne decided that he would have his share to drink and be swiftly on his way. He didn't want to contend with another wolf - or wolves - right now. He gingerly lapped at the flowing water, and glanced up at the small grey whelp across the stream. They seemed to be teetering precariously, almost as if they were afraid to get their fur wet. He couldn't help but let an amused scoff pass from his lips. A far off memory crossed his mind. He remembered being like that himself when he was small. Were all pups scared of even their own shadow?

@Lumine

by **Lumine** Sun Apr 14, 2024 5:53 pm

Her muscles quivered and shook while she kept herself in the awkward stance she struggled to maintain. The water distracted her thoughts of falling but her ears kept in tune to anyone around her above the creek flowing in front of her. She wasn't skilled, slowly she would rock back and fourth, her muscles tiring from her stance. She raised her head finally and stepped back a few steps. Something roused the water slightly. She wasn't sure what it was but she was curious. The natural curiosity of her pup-like nature left her forgetting just how close she was to the edge. Her paw slipped, leaving her tumbling face first into the cold water.

The shock of the cold water hit her first. Then the idea of not seeing where she was in the water scared her even more. She managed to break the surface just enough to yelp for help, kicking desperately to stay above water. "Help! Someone...Help me!" Who would be out here? She traveled so many miles. She certainly didn't want to drown. A sudden thought crossed her mind that dying wouldn't be so bad. If it was nothing but darkness, she was already half way there. Her internal instincts called out to her to fight, however but her muscles, already tired from leaving over to take a drink, quickly tiring from her frantic attempts to stay near the surface.

@lorne

by **Lorne** Tue Apr 16, 2024 10:29 am

He had allowed his eyes to drift back to the water's surface for just a moment, only for his gaze to be pulled back upwards, his eyes widening this time in shock. Loosing their balance, the pup slipped forwards and disappeared beneath the surface. "Help! Someone...Help me!" They managed to get their head above the rushing water for a moment, crying out. Lorne started to move before he could even think. Running alongside the riverbank, the grey male sprinted onward. His paws seemed to eat up the ground beneath him and he quickly closed the distance. He didn't take his eyes off the river, carefully watching where the river was taking the pup, and when he was sure he was ahead, he leapt into the stream. The cold water swallowed him up, forcing the air from his lungs for a moment, but he regained himself. He pushed himself through the water, moving closer and closer.

He could feel his heart thundering against his ribs, and his purple eyes desperately scoured as he treaded the water. A silver of fur drifted towards him and he grabbed the youngster's scruff between his teeth, and pulled, dragging the pup above the water. He then maneuvered himself back to the shore, kicking his legs through the water. He placed her on the ground gently, before placing a paw upon her back. Lorne wasn't sure if she had swallowed any water. "I need you to cough up any water you swallowed. I'm not going to hurt you, okay?" He explained, gently pressing on her back to help the pup cough. Lorne couldn't help but wonder where her parents were at that moment. They would be worried sick if they knew what had happened. Not only that, but if he hadn't of been there - the situation could've gone entirely different. His white brows furrowed together in irritation. He had plenty to say to whoever was responsible.
@Lumine

by **Lumine** Tue Apr 16, 2024 12:19 pm

Lumine panicked at the current seemed to carry her away. How far away she didn't know how long it carried her. A splash in the distance. She thought it was her flailing to stay afloat. Water might have clogged her ears the water suddenly swallowed her but not for long. Jaws clamped on her scruff. She gassed for air when she broke the surface. The stranger dragged her back to the shore and pushed a paw to her back. Lumine tensed thinking he would eat her, but water blocked the whine she would have given. She coughed and sputtered a stream of water. Cold, wet and shaking with fear, Lumine stayed on her stomach, flat unsure of this new stranger.

I'm not going to hurt you, okay? He seemed nice. It had been a long time since Lumine had come across another wolf. She turned towards the direction she thought she heard the voice. "W...who are you." She was sniffing the air. First near the ground, then up slightly. If the stranger were near her head, he might notice that her eyes were a cloudy white. If he were close enough, her nose might hit a paw. Slowly, she adjusted herself, but she didn't move too much with the paw on her back. A memory jumped at her. Paw on her back meant stay put. It wasn't safe. This was a stranger. Did he mean her harm? He said he didn't but she couldn't erase the idea from her frantic mind. She rolled over to expose her belly. "Please don't hurt me." Tears threatened to stream her already wet fur, but she didn't let them as long as she breathed.

@lorne

by **Lorne** Tue Apr 16, 2024 1:52 pm

A surge of water rushed from the whelp's jaws, followed by a violent series of coughs and sputters. Lorne's features twisted further with concern when he noticed her trembling frame. He could survive his coat being drenched for a few hours or so, but he knew that it had the potential to become dangerous for the young one if she didn't get manage to find warmth. He delicately moved his paw away, somewhat sure that she had managed to clear the water from her lungs.

The whelp managed to stutter out. "W...who are you?" Curiously, although he knew that he was being addressed, she seemed to peer in the wrong direction. He had put it down to confusion at first but when she turned her head again, he noticed a set of clouded over eyes peering up at him. It unsettled him slightly, and he idled nervously. Not only was he inexperienced in regards to looking after young, but he had no clue how to navigate a situation where another could not see.

"Please don't hurt me." The grey pup had whined, twisting to reveal her stomach - a visible sign that she was afraid. He cleared his throat, uncomfortable, and unsure of what to do. He had hoped that a parental figure would be here by now, and he would be absolved of responsibility. A thought lingered in the back of his mind, and a frown tugged at his cheeks. What if no one is coming? His entire body was tense as he looked around frantically.

He could ask the whelp herself, but that had the potential to make things worse. She already seemed to be on the verge of tears - he didn't want to upset her further. Lorne also didn't want to be stuck in this awkward predicament. He drew in a sharp breath. "My name is Lorne," He had managed to respond, his voice sounding more gruff than he would have liked. "I already said - I'm not going to hurt you. Why would I pull you out the stream if I was going to hurt you, hm?" He added with a tilt of his head.
@Lumine

by **Lumine** Tue Apr 16, 2024 5:52 pm

Incapable of seeing, the she wolf could see expressions or body postures. Lumine hadn't learned to determine the ques of anger or impatience or even a show of kindness. She still had much to learn. She understood from her own instincts that belly exposure meant surrender. His paw had moved away. she moved her head from side to side, looking for the strongest scent of the one who remained near to her.

My name is Lorne, he had said. The voice pricked her ears, as if she knew the name. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, words not able to form just yet as she took in the reassurance he wasn't here to hurt her. Mother used to tell stories of her father how he fought bravely for freedom but not much beyond that. It had been too painful. Her mothers words had been all she knew of her father. She wondered if her mother had talk about her when she saw him.

Her voice shaking, she managed to form words as she rolled to her side, head low. "My name is...Lumine." She didn't know what else to say to him except that she felt an odd sense of knowing. "May i smell you?" An odd question. It was how she communicated and learned about another wolf. She couldn't see but scents told her many things even if she was still getting used to it. "It helps me learn." she added after a moment.

@Lorne

by **Lorne** Thu Apr 18, 2024 5:16 pm

In Darkness there is also light [P] Lore10

»»———-　LORNE　———-««

He had continued to stand on edge as he awaited the young one's words. "My name is... Lumine." She had answered after a long pause, hesitance evident in her tone. "Lumine." He repeated the name back to himself in a low tone, taking note to remember it in case they crossed paths again. "May I smell you? It helps me learn." The request had caught him off guard at first, but it made sense to him. Another wolf's scent was often the best identifier - even for those without impaired vision. You could quickly figure out who had been in the area before you even long after they had gone, and being able to identify what smells belonged to what would often save your life. Even wolves had to be wary of ambush.

"I suppose you may, although I'm not sure how much you will be able to smell - I imagine the stream has washed off some of my scent." He shifted his weight, stopping to sniff the air himself. Not much that he could smell nearby. His gaze drifted back to Lumine. He supposed now was the time to ask the uncomfortable questions. "Who's looking after you? You shouldn't be out here by yourself." He asked. The elements presented by the environment was not the only danger for a young one like herself.

There were plenty of predators - or even wolves - that would take the opportunity to harm a pup that was unaccompanied by an adult. Even someone like himself could not be fully safe when wandering alone, but he at least had the skills and the knowledge needed to avoid danger or defend himself should the need arise. There were also the Nomads. They were the worst. If Lorne was presented the choice of dealing with a Grizzly Bear or a group of Nomads... Lorne would have easily settled on the Grizzly Bear. "The elements are not the only enemy a wolf has."

@Lumine

by **Lumine** Thu Apr 18, 2024 8:35 pm

In Darkness there is also light [P] Lumine10

Lumine sat slowly up on shaky paws. He repeated her name as if in thought a moment. The idea that water may have washed most of the scents away didn't mean she wouldn't learn something. As she sniffed, her ears flicked to the sound of his voice.

"Who's looking after you? You shouldn't be out here by yourself." Lumine considered his words as she took a long whiff of Lorne's scent. "I'm not alone." she replied simply, referring to his own presence but she didn't clarify that for him. She sniffed, letting her wet nose skim over the dampness of his fur, searching for something she could identify him with. She was was at his chest by the time she caught the faint scent she still recalled like it was yesterday. A flashback.

Screams and heavy footfalls. Lumine's mother calling her name. The dark smoke filled the areas so quick. It was hard to tell she she was. "Don't bother with that one...it's blind. Save the others for profit." Footfalls and then something kicked her. Darkness engulfed her. Lumine had been sure she would die in the flames.

She skirted back a few steps, a low, long whine drew out from her mouth, agar in surprise. "Smoke...?" She blinked hard. She sighed. "I guess...I really don't know if I am alone." She admitted. It was true. Her mother had been...gone but gone didn't me she was dead, right? She'd wandered the woods alone for days maybe weeks. She felt shaken still and shook herself. Shook the fear, the water from her coat and the idea that this male had come from a similar circumstance. "I don't know where my parents are." She said with a sudden harshness. She didn't want to feel vulnerable. The flashback reminded her of why she wanted so badly to not be alone. Being with another reminded her of what she lost. The conflicting emotions danced in cloudy eyes that wouldn't come to light except for the single tear that streamed her left cheek. "A great heat took them. Or maybe they ran from it..." She plopped onto the ground, lowering her head, turning her face away. "They could be..." She winced at the thought of death.

Mention: @Lorne

by **Lorne** Sat Apr 20, 2024 3:52 pm

»»———-　LORNE　———-««

As the sounds of the stream bubbled on behind them both, the grey figure remained silent. "I'm not alone." The girl's words broke the silence. Her tone was neutral, and felt more like a passing comment rather than a conversation; a means of dropping the subject. Lorne did not believe her words but did not speak either. He believed what had happened was evidence enough. Lumine's nose grazed over his pelt, and flinched backwards in surprise. "Smoke...?" His own eyes widened, a similar emotion washing over him as she backed away.

Immediately, his mind went back to that moment, her words summoning a memory. The heat radiating on his fur. The thick plumes of black smoke. The bright flames that ate everything they dared to touch. The panicked voices. That feeling he had felt - the desperation and the hunger to be free - it had burned in his chest, almost as strong as the flames. No matter how hard he tried to wipe the past from his memory, it always seemed to gnaw at him somehow.

"I guess... I really don't know if I am alone. I don't know where my parents are." There was a harshness to her words. It was in that moment he realized that there were probably few who had managed to escape, and he felt a heaviness in his chest. Maybe if he hadn't been thinking so selfishly of himself... He could've saved others. "A great heat took them. Or maybe they ran from it..." Her words had a sting to them, although it was not her fault. He tried desperately to leave that world behind, and here she was - a reminder. "They could be..."

"Alive." He finished the sentence without thinking, his purple eyes glancing down at her. "Or Dead." The harsh words cascaded from his mouth like an avalanche. It was the reality. The realistic truth. He shifted, uncomfortable as a variety of emotions overwhelmed him. He wanted to run - leave this conversation and leave the reality of the world behind. He dug his claws into the dirt, and pressed his teeth together. Lorne cleared his throat. "I- Well-" He sucked in a painful breath. "We don't know." The grey wolf turned his head away. "I... haven't been here long but... there must be others. Maybe they will know."

@Lumine

by **Lumine** Sat Apr 20, 2024 4:57 pm

She winced as she last bit of the memory left her. She knew the nightmares would return in her sleep. So many sleepless nights...she didn't have one last night, a first in a long while. She raised cloudy eyes towards Lorne's words again. Her ear fell back to her head. "Alive....Or Dead." She didn't like that idea. Lumine wanted to drop low into her sorrow but he added something else that gave an inch of hope.

The idea of other wolves in the area perked her up a bit. Ears still flat, bumped his shoulder with her nose. "I don't know the area." She said in a small voice. She worked to must the courage that traveling with this male was a safe idea. "May i travel with you?" It was a small favor. She didn't want to risk falling in the river again. Or was it a creek? "You smell like fish so there's no way I'd lose you." She added with a broken laugh. "Fish is my favorite food." Something she was fed from Nomads when she was with her mother.

At the idea of traveling together, Lumine stood and turned about before she started trotting in circles. "I'm not entirely useless I just need a he-" She crashed into something face first. She wouldn't have known what it was but to anyone who witnessed it, she had smacked into the trunk of a nearby pine tree. Pine cones bounced on her head. She fell to her stomach and shook her head in surprise. -"Helping hand." She finished, looking around as though confused. Pine filled her nose and for a moment she forgot about the males scent of fish and smoke. "Are you there?" She asked if he didn't answer after a moment.

Mention: @Lorne

In Darkness there is also light [P]

In Darkness there is also light [P]

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Re: In Darkness there is also light [P]

Re: In Darkness there is also light [P]

Re: In Darkness there is also light [P]

Re: In Darkness there is also light [P]

Re: In Darkness there is also light [P]

Re: In Darkness there is also light [P]

Re: In Darkness there is also light [P]

Re: In Darkness there is also light [P]

Re: In Darkness there is also light [P]