Romance is in the air...this is probably the most beautiful and scenic place in Blossom Forest. For the athletic and determined to come with their mates, for time away from pups. Only adults may come here; some of the ledges are too far apart for teens or pups to cross and some too high to scale.
| All that glitters is gold; don't believe what you've been told. |
|
Silence echoed in the cavernous space that fell between the two she-wolves, even if they were truly only mere feet away from each other. Sabelle might as well have been standing on the other side of a canyon from Athene. Only the breathless sound of the woods, cooing doves, and miscellaneous ground animals skittering around could be heard, but that meant nothing compared to what she was desperately wishing would come from Athene’s mouth. Of any time she had chosen to be mute and unspeaking, it had to be now, when what Sabelle needed most was some reassurance that this in fact was reality. Sabelle needed to know that the grey and white brindled figure before her was truly the woman she had been searching for all these moons. She could be concussed from that explosion of light and all of this could be a figment of her imagination. Hell, maybe she was dead and wandering through fictitious events that her traumatized soul had so desperately wished for. Instead Athene merely shook her head, as if to clear away the image of Sabelle standing there. She did not reach out to touch her lost daughter, so the cream timberess retracted her limb and stood there unsure of what to say or do. Of course there were multitudes of questions pulsating through Sabelle’s crown, but she stood there mute and transfixed on the one thing she had so desperately searched for. Athene could have taken or assumed her for dead, seeing as her father had ripped her away without any warning. Leaving Athene without her child and Sabelle without her mother, even if they were not by blood. Sabelle’s biological mother had disappeared only weeks after birthing two pups, one of which had remained with their father, the other she could only have assumed was taken by their mother Cordelia. How could anyone be blamed for any of this? Sabelle could have first been angry at her blood mother, but then it was her father Pierce that had truly done wrong against her. Pierce had ripped her away from the sliver of stability she had managed to find in the turbulent crossroads between Athene, Pierce and, the disappearance of Cordelia. Athene, even if she had been part of the turbulence, had also been the one constant in her life. The woman had taken Sabelle as her own, for god’s sake. She was being loved and trained to her full potential, what more could a father want from her child? Only it wasn’t enough. Or rather Athene and Pierce had been too much for each other. Sabelle didn’t really know what had happened between the two lovers, but at this point she couldn’t have cared any less. All she could focus on was the present, and the sounds that were finally starting to pour out of Athene’s mouth. There was comfort in them though, instead they bit coldly into the flesh of her ears. Not unknind, but unsympathetic nonetheless. Sabelle rose somewhat unsteady to her paws, finally feeling the full weight of the protrusions from her crown. Her paws widen to create a base from which she could balance herself, her ears flicked against the base of whatever it was upon her head. Didn’t I tell you never to show your weaknesses or flaws? Sabelle bit her lip to keep a steady, unyielding façade. Obeying, but still feeling the sting of what was now a bittersweet reunion. Where did you and your father depart to? Who did you meet, what did you see, what did ventures did you do? Has he brought you back home with plans to reclaim his throne? Or did you manage to wander here all on your own? A deep breath of air wound its way into her lungs and back out as she controlled the wild emotions that sprawled through her heart and mind. She had not really felt this emotional in months, not since her breeding. Father took me back to his homeland. I was to be his next in line, before I was chosen to be the new Queen of the pack. Sabelle stated the truth a cold harsh tone, thinking of her father brought back bitter memories. He had become cold and uncaring, the warmth of his voice had disappeared. Training had been rigorous, but more than that it was as if Sabelle had become nothing more than a doll to him. She was the perfect specimen to train and put in line for whatever duty asked of her, but it had removed what little emotion she had had the courage to keep. It had been too easy to shove them away and leave them out of the equation. That’s why her engagement to Maccon had hardly meant much to her or what had occurred between them and Maccon’s actual lover and bride. Ky had been the only being to truly cause Sabelle to emit emotion after that, but even that was torn away from her leaving Sabelle more restless than ever. Not even the pups could keep her tied to the packlands. All of this, she omitted from words and expression of any sort. I am here of my own accord, my father at this point would know now that I left. He would not be able to find me though; I left no trail to follow. I am alone. She stated it as a matter of fact. Mostly because it was, that was the truth. She was in fact alone here in Blossom Forest. Athene was the only wolf she could claim to know, otherwise she was on her own. Athene had seemed to gain some control over her thoughts and self once more and a small smile lifted her lips. Sabelle watched, unsure of how to feel about the smile. It felt like a false security blanket that was being thrown to her, but as soon as she reached for it would be ripped away from her. Athene had asked for no weakness and so she did what she had been trained to do, be stoic. Suddenly Athene’s paw was reaching for her head and swiping, not with aggression but with force. Sabelle didn’t think much of it until she felt her head being knocked to the side. Her neck muscles tightened up as she held herself steady. The pressure against her head was coming from two specific points but it suddenly gave way. A popping noise occurred and to the ground fell two small antlers, like those she had seen on prey she hunted. Sabelle stared at them incredulously, not wanting to believe that those had been implanted in her head, Clearly changes have occurred since I left, but to what degree? Is it magic that I can feel coursing through this land and now it appears to be within my own body? Are you infected by it as well, with antlers or some other mutation? |
| People lie, people love, people go, but beauty lies in every soul. |A Forgotten Soul| |