She awoke with a cold sweat. Since seeing that male, since seeing that rainbow marked male she had started having nightmares. Memories. Memories of that place. Memories of revenge. When she walked as if she was nothing but dead, seeking only to destroy those who had destroyed everything for her. Had taken her family. Spencer had come back to her after all those years. But still she remembered. Remembered those screams. Remembered that hell she had gone through. She was still trapped. She was still trapped in her nightmares. Those days that she thought were long past came back to her, shaking her to her very core. They were here. Those memories lived and breathed in her. Those screamed echoed in her ears. That tang of blood lingered on her tongue. Marina would whimper, dropping to the ground outside of the den and wrapping her paws around her head. She felt like she was about to crack. She just wanted to forget. "Listen to me talk,"'but read my thoughts.'

Table by:: Keno

Walk | Talk | Think The golden brown wolf traveled with quick steps through the Fern Gulley in pursuit of the den where her nieces - and nephew! - resided. Her new promotion had ushered in a new level of work that she more than anyone else placed on her shoulders, and for longer than necessary she had been giving it top priority. Combined with her season coming in, the awkward feelings it created left her feeling out of sorts, and the hunting had only doubled as a means of a distraction. But she could not keep herself from her nieces and nephew much longer. They were important though they did not live with her, and she wanted to stay a part of their lives for as long as their mother allowed her to. She was smiling even before she reached the den and looked for the spot with a bubbly expectancy, anticipating the colorful little shapes that should have been romping around outside of it. But the trek toward the locale had been quiet, uncharacteristically quiet for the number of children who lived there, and Anais realized very quickly that they must not have been there, either out with their father or uncle playing in another section of the forest. Her eager pace slowed as she wondered at her poor timing, and she considered turning back for home rather than trekking to find them. But as she heard another noise ahead of her, a quiet whimper from where the den would have been, Anais's face softened into a look of concern. Though she could not place the voice, she tread quietly forward, traipsing through the thick vegetation until she spotted the colorful, prone figure lying on the ground in front of the den. "Marina?" Without invitation, the Donostrea hunter hurried forward, padding over to stop at the red-eyed wolf's side and lowering her head to peer more closely at her and gather a quick sniff to see what she could discern on her own. "Are you alright?" Her voice was gentle, quiet, concerned. She really hoped the woman was okay.

Marina would hear a voice, trying to drag her out of the darkness, out of those poor thoughts. The female would shudder, giving a whine, lifting her gaze up to the other female. She had been there at the time of her birthing -- Nako’s sister. The female would swallow hard, her eyes wild, though she was trying to desperately reign in the demons of her mind. The female would shakily try to rise. It seemed that with the approach of the other female they quieted some. Thank the gods for that.

“Memories...” The female would rasp out, feeling tears sting her eyes. She would get to a sitting position, looking an Anais as the tears started to fall. “Horrible memories, nay, nightmares.” The female would glance to her paws for a moment, focusing on her breathing. How would the other woman react if she knew Marina’s past? Would she accept her, as Spencer did, or would she be horrified?

“I’m not a good wolf...” Marina whined, ears flattening to her head. “I’ve been bad... So very bad... And the nightmares are catching up to me...”

Table by:: Nyx

Walk | Talk | Think She was not met with animosity, which was a good sign, though the wild-eyed look of Marina as she lifted her gaze to meet Anais's spoke of trouble. Uncertain, and only as a precaution, Anais drew a small step back, allowing the woman room as she shakily began to rise to her paws. Was she well? Sick? She thought briefly of possibly fetching Lior to help - given that this woman was the mother of their brother's children, she figured her sister would take little convincing - but waited and continued to watch in an attempt to gauge the colorful wolf's health before she went raising any alarm bells. The last thing Anais wanted to do was create further discomfort for her. But it was not a physical illness that plagued the woman. She answered the golden brown hunter's question with an answer that Anais had not been expecting, divulging a little to her about what sort of past she must have come from. With her ears tilting back, Anais listened and wondered what sort of history must have created such nightmares that they even managed to steal upon someone during the daylight hours. It had to be nothing good, nothing like normal nightmares, but her life, she knew, had been sheltered and so she doubted she could even begin to fathom what truly haunted her. It pained her to see Marina so upset, so distraught, just as much as it pained her to see anyone that way. But being the aunt to her children, Anais felt a certain responsibility, a need, to step in and try to help this woman in distress, if it was possible for her to do so. "Marina, whatever happened back then," she said softly, calmly, trying to reassure her, "it's in the past. Things are better now. You and Nako created some beautiful children, yes? And you're happy with them, aren't you?" Hoping to distract her, Anais focused on the positives of the present, the happy things that she could see as sources of light in the darkness. She had no idea what Marina felt, thought, or experienced, but she tried, in her own way, to be helpful, entirely uncertain if her words would have any effect at all.

Marina would keep her eyes closed as she listening to Anais. Whatever happened back then... Was the past. It was the past. The ones who could potentially hurt her weren’t here anymore. The ones who she had nightmares of... Marina would breathe in slowly. She had indeed created some beautiful children with Nako. Three beautiful daughters and she had adopted a wonderful son. Positives... Yes... She had to think of the positives. “Y-yes..” She was struggling to come back, to chase away those demons. She would blink her eyes several times, breathing in slowly, thinking of her babies, of Nako. Slowly, slowly Marina would be able to look at Anais again. “I’m very happy with them... My babus...” She would manage a small smile. “Your brother is... Very kind.” If she could just focus on a new conversation then perhaps she’d be able to chase these thoughts all away. "Talk" "You" Think

Table by:: Fox

Walk | Talk | Think It took some time, but Anais could see Marina coming around. The colorful wolf's ruby eyes blinked and blinked, as if clearing her mind as well as her vision of all the things from the past that haunted her and reappeared to pull her into a debilitating emotional state. Patiently, half afraid that at any moment the progress she thought she saw would reverse, the golden brown hunter stayed silent and merely watched the woman with a kind smile, letting her work things out on her own and in her own time. There was only so much she thought she could do, so much before she became pushy and hindered rather than helped. But it seemed to be working. After a brief pause, Marina met her eyes, and Anais's smile grew just a fraction brighter. She listened quietly as the woman spoke of her children - her babus - and smiled when she mentioned her brother. He had always been kind to Anais, protective and fun and caring, just like any big brother ought to be. She was not altogether how well he played the role of father and - Friend? Lover? - companion to Marina, but it was nice to hear that his efforts were appreciated. "I'm glad," Anais responded with a slow nod of her head. "He's always been nice to me, so I hope he's been nice to you and the kids, too." And speaking of... Glancing around, Anais noted not for the first time how quiet the space outside of the den was with the absence of the children, and she made herself ask, "Are they out with their uncle?"

Marina would give a small nod to Anais’ first statement. “He has been more than kind,” The rainbow femme would rumble. “Both to me and the children.” If it were not for Nako granting her the babies she would have surely crumbled. Succumbed to her demons before she was able to find Spencer, before she was able to find any source of stability at all. Sure right now it was a bit rickety, but at least she had some sort of hold on reality. The female would take a deep breathe, straightening herself completely as she regained her composure. There. No more voices. No more memories. The nightmares had been chased away, and this time it was thanks to Anais, bless her heart, that Mari had been able to get back to her normal state. It was a shame that the femme lived in Donostrea. Marina would have loved to have some female company within the Gulley. Though having Nako, her brother, and the children kept her busy. Marina would chuckle softly when Anais spoke again, nodding once more. “Aye. He wanted to take them out to play some games, maybe teach them a couple life lessons. It... Honestly feels strange having him back. We were parted for so long...” Not to mention the fact that she had believed Spencer to bed dead during that time. To find that he wasn’t was definitely a shock... But one Marina appreciated almost as much as having her children. “I hope you can come along more often. It’s nice to see another friendly face around the gully. Though I understand having pack duties and all.” Plus she was sure that Anais had her own mate. Perhaps she would have a family someday? It made her happy thinking of how each of her children might react to their little cousins. “Would you care to take a walk Anais?” She was pretty sure that could help cool her head. "Listen to me talk,"'but read my thoughts.'

Table by:: Keno