and it's our time now if you want it to be, maul the world like a carnival bear set free It had been a little while since she'd joined Fiori, and only now was she beginning to regain her previous bulk. The girl had filled out, thanks to the care and love of her new family. Her violet pelt had regained its luster, her ribs no longer showed. Even better, she'd grown a little bit. Sure, she probably stood at barely twenty four inches at best, but it was something. She was quite happy here, and she wondered if she could stay in Fiori forever. She liked it, the mangroves were beautiful and Bacchus was the best friend she could hope for. However, her desire to see the world and all that was in it was still there. She wanted to see it all, especially the North, which her friend had spoken of briefly upon their initial meeting. She'd been everywhere else, if only for a short time each. The South, where she'd been born, the West, where Aunty Cataleya had taken care of her for a little while in Arcanum, and now she was in the East, living with Bacchus and her new family. Was it wrong to want to continue the adventure she'd started as a whelp, just out of the den? Maybe it was, but part of her didn't care. She wanted to surround herself with all the beauty the world had to offer. Alabaster toes touched softly upon the cooling terra. She'd never experienced fall, this would be her first. The cooling temperatures were something she was unused to, but she thought it was interesting. The moisture in the air was starting to dissipate, something she was completely fine with. Muggy air, she'd found, wasn't something she enjoyed. In the east, snow was rare, but she wouldn't know what she was missing until she experienced winter elsewhere. A low hum vibrated in her throat, soft lyrics lilting faintly in her chest. It wasn't really sunny out, the sky almost completely covered by grey clouds. Would it rain today? She pondered this briefly, and decided she wouldn't mind it. Banner swung lazily behind her as she trotted along, inspecting the springs. She had stuck around the mangrove mostly, but had decided now was as good a time as any to explore the other territory her pack had claimed. Pausing at the edge of one spring, she stuck a paw into the water to see if it would glow at her touch. It didn't. However, it was warm. Pleasantly so. With a small grin, she would wade into it. When it came close to brushing at her belly fur, she decided that was good enough. Now, she started gleefully splashing about in the warm aqua. Peals of laughter would leave her as she batted the crystalline liquid to and fro with her tiny paws, beaming like an idiot. It had been a long time since she'd played in the water, she realized. Well, maybe only long by her standards. Memories floated back, of a dark sand beach and a happy family. Things changed quickly, she mused. Her smile faded. Limbs stilled, and she sighed. Rump dropped heavily into the water with a loud splash, and she stared at her marred reflection in the water. Maybe her mothers hadn't liked her because of the stain on her face. She didn't like it, but she didn't think the splotch of ivory was that hideous. One sodden paw would rise, wrist rubbing at her features as though she were itchy. The stain would never go away, that much was clear, but she could hope, right? If it was gone, perhaps her family would become whole again. sometimes I just wanna sit around and gaze at my shoes "Speech" All my love to the lovely Luisiana for this gawgeous image!

The Springs were his favorite part of the territory, especially during the hot summer they'd endured. By the end of it he felt slightly more adapted to it, he'd shed out so much of his coat. Now though, the winter's chill would soon return and the northern-born wolf would soon return to his previous poofiness. He'd shake out said coat as he rose from the earth, the sudden desire to relax in the pools of the spring over taking him. He had half a mind to seek out Abby and bring her with him but thought better of it. She was probably sleeping, and she still needed the rest no matter what she said. As his massive paws brought him closer to the springs ruby eyes would catch sight of his lavender princess. He could see nothing but disappointment in her features as she rubbed against the white marked side of her face. Bacchus would tilt his head curiously as he drew more near to her, a concerned look on his features. He wouldn't slow when he reached the water, his steps closing teh distance between him and the purple child. Smiling as he reached her he'd nuzzle her cheek softly, "Are you alright?" Did he need to get his mother Amalia to see why she was itching? "Did you get spring water in your eye? That always stings."" ""

we're going down- down in an earlier round, and sugar we're going down swingin' The temptation to cry wasn't present, but she felt melancholy to say the least. She didn't like thinking about her family anymore, it hurt her too much still. A stinging wound on the inside. However, she briefly wondered where on earth her sister might be. She'd been left in Arcanum when her mommies had taken her to meet Solo. And then Des... Dainty features twisted briefly into a grimace. The appearance of a much larger form over her shoulder was unexpected, and she smiled weakly. He nuzzled her cheek lightly, posing a gentle query. She shook her head lightly, sighing heavily. Their markings matched, alabaster stains upon their features, on opposing sides. That was what drew her to him in the first place, she remembered. " 'm fine." She mumbled, gazing at their muddled reflections in the water of the spring. There were the faintest traces of an accent forming on her words, it was barely noticeable. Her time spent bouncing from home to home had earned her a soft little drawl to her melodies, one could guess. "No I didn't, just.." She trailed off, deciding against telling him the actual reason for her gloomy demeanor. His immense size wasn't strange, but seeing her own puny form against his was a little odd. A weird little pair, they were. Another sigh, a trace of a frown toying upon inky lips. "My mommies tried to leave me once before. They wanted to leave me and my sister in Arc- Arcanum and go off together." She suddenly said, gentle lyrics trembling faintly. Her vocabulary was becoming much more developed, though she still stumbled here and there. Audits would lean toward her skull, mismatched optics trailing away from the reflection of her friend looking over her shoulder. He looked so concerned, it was both endearing and irritating. She was tired of pity, she realized. "They only stayed because mommy Vi felt bad." She muttered, a flash of fangs following the admission. She'd been so innocent back then, so naive and deliriously happy about life. She had nightmares about her momma, and her cold body. Just laying there. "They wanted to leave again, though." She whispered, gaze distant. "They was just waiting." She added even quieter, narrow shoulders drooping under the weight of her sorrow. She hadn't even expected it to hit her, it just had. Right there, looking at her stained face, she'd been hit with the sadness like a freight train. Blinking rapidly at the burn behind her eyes, she looked back to her friend. Crown would tilt so she could gaze up at his features, brows knit together with worry. "Do you think they wanted to leave because I was ugly?" She asked him softly, on the verge of tears. It was her worst fear, nagging at her constantly. Had her mommies tried to leave her because she wasn't pretty like Milli? Milli had pretty spots all over her, and she wasn't stained with white. Had they secretly liked Millicent better than her? Plaintive expression remained, waiting for Bacchus to say something. To reaffirm her fears, or to tell her she was being dumb. I'll be your number one with a bullet, a loaded gun complex cock it and pull it "Speech" All my love to the lovely Luisiana for this gawgeous image!

All she gave him was an unconvincing answer to his question. She said she was fine but she certainly did not look like she was fine. He wouldn't push her though, only coming to sit close to her. She could easily push him away if she didn't wish his presence, but for now he would patiently sit next to her. He liked being with Abby, she was a lot different than his brothers and she made him feel different too. Bacchus enjoyed her presence. She didn't stay silent for long, there was something bothering her and she'd tell him after a soft sigh. Bacchus wouldn't interrupt, only offer a perked ear and a relaxed state. He listened as she told him that her mothers had tried to leave her again once before, he couldn't imagine having been through that. At least he'd had both his mothers when his father had disappeared. And even he had returned. What really shocked him though was the question she added at the end, did they leave because she was ugly? "Abby how could they, you're the prettiest wolf I know." That was the truth. She was such a beautiful shade of purple and her white marks matched his. How could he not think she was the most beautiful wolf he'd met? ""

The slate hued boy settled beside her in the water, seemingly unbothered by the fact that he would be soaked too. She watched his expression with tiny glances and furtive flicks of her mismatched gaze into their reflections in the spring. He listened quietly, keeping what opinions he might have formed so far to himself. When she was finally finished, he offered an answer to her distraught query. She smiled softly, sadly. "Thanks Bacc." She murmured, leaning her shoulder against his and sighing heavily. She was tired of talking now, it was just too much to say more after all that had come off her chest. A cold mask fell over her features, eyes going distant as she thought to herself about this and that. If Bacc wanted to talk, she would listen. Right now, she just needed a few minutes to get her head together and sort everything out. Cheek would come to press itself gently against the thick fur of her friend's shoulder, staring blankly at a place just past their reflections. Eyes would narrow as she puzzled it all out in her head, sorted her thoughts into things that made sense and just random gibberish. Everything was so confusing, and she didn't want to think about her family anymore. Except for one particular wolf. "D'you think I should go look for my sister when winter's over?" She asked quietly, finally snapping out of her stupor. Milli was supposed to still be in Arc, and it might do her some good to come and stay with Abby. Maybe she could also go back to the black beach, and see her old home. Closure might be nice. A small smile pulled relentlessly at the corners of her mouth. "We could have an adventure, if you wanted to come." She exclaimed, tips of her teeth poking out from under her inky lips. "You could show me the Northern place, where you grew up, and I could take you to my black beach!" She gasped, cranium turning so she could look upon the features of her best friend. That would be cool, and maybe it would be a good break from the monotony of her life right now. Yeah, it would be awesome! "Talk"