The ebb and flow of the tides had sunk in with that of her own heart. This place. This place was so beautiful, so gorgeous, it made her feel things. It made her feel all the things that she longed so desperately for. The things that she was starving for. The night is dark, and she's burning brightly within it. So many stars above her, so many glimmering, beautiful, fantastic, far away gems that she couldn't touch. If Selene could, she'd reach out and touch them. The girl turns and touches her own coat. A giggle escapes her throat briefly, tail wagging. That made sense. Well. It made sense in the mind of the young lady.

It's then she stumbles upon the cave, the light of the full moon shining off the puddle of a stagnated tide. It came up to her elbows, for now. She splashed. She splashed her way into the cave, head tossing. The only mark of time passing was the tide going out, lapping at her forelegs. Everything was sparkling. Selene had to touch it all. She needed to touch it and hold it. How... beautiful. She was beautiful too. At least tonight. She was going to watch the tide go out from her spot in the puddle-y cave. How fantastic. Everything was so fantastic, and she was so alive.

~Selene

It was dark when he'd reached the ocean. Stars scattered across the sky and he couldn't imagine a time more peaceful. He knew his freedoms were going to be very limited soon. The pups were due any time now and with it he'd be sticking closer to Celestial. Not that he hadn't already done that, his wandering days were over, but he'd be even more reluctant to leave when his kids arrived. He'd be there to help feed Kavdaya and watch them when she needed to. He was getting older too. Having turned eight already he could feel it settling into his bones. His muscles would ache with overuse and there were times he felt like he had no energy at all. The sun beating down on his thick pelt hadn't helped at all either. The night was a cool relief from the summer heat and he was thankful he'd chosen to come out now instead of the day time. His coat had never thinned like most other wolves, but it was something he'd long since gotten used to. He hadn't smelled the stranger in the cave. He'd been trotting along the water's edge and the lapping waves had already taken away the woman's scent. So as he peered around the mouth of it to look inside he as surprised to see a dark silhouette illuminated by the moon. He'd step back a few paces, water splashing as he moved, to give her some space. "Ah'm sorry." He apologized. "Ah didn' know anyone else was ou' here." He grinned warmly at her. He was prepared to leave if she didn't want the company, but star gazing and exploring were two things that often were fun with company so he paused to see if she'd greet him or turn him away. Walk, "Talk" Think

Selene is all anticipation, especially for the nights that she doesn't have to hang out alone. She's grown to rather like the dark, and nights like this make her feel... alive. The light summer breeze ruffling her fur, the cold salt water pooling around her legs as she splashed. A part of her wants to chance the tide out to sea, but she's too distracted by the shining that is the stones in this glorious cavern by the sea. It's like a geode that's big enough to swallow her whole-- she loves it. She adores it. The scorn of the moon is ever so alive and ever so wonderful.


The star soaked creature approaches the man as he approaches her, reaching out to boop his shoulder with his nose. A greeting, in her culture. It's innocent. Her tail wags, head tosses, and she's giggling. "Why are you sorry?" He's much taller than she is, but the yearling has this bad habit of not showing fear. Even if she felt it, she choked it back. It was a good time. Selene looks to the man, head canted to the side. "Do you know when the tide will come back?" Her voice is a bell tone, high but not grating, a fae creature. Sometimes Selene dreams she has wings, but she stands beneath the sky, soaked in stars.

~Selene

As he had approached the woman would come up to him and surprise flitted through him as she bopped his shoulder with her nose. As much as the foreign interaction with a stranger astonished him, a grin formed on his muzzle anyways. So she was the friendly sort. He hadn't come across many who were so willing to approach a strange wolf they'd never met before, but he didn't mind it. He was a social creature by nature and was getting far too old to care about his personal space. "Jus' not wantin' ta disturb ye if ye were lookin' ta be alone." He said softly, almost not wanting to raise his voice to disrupt the tranquility of the night. She didn't seem to mind his presence, even invited it really, so he settled himself in. She was a tiny thing, upon inspection, and as dark as the night itself. He didn't focus on her for long though and instead would look to the ocean as she asked about the tide. His head would then look to the sky as he thought about it. Teal eyes would observe the moon's shape before he looked back at her again. "If ye look at tha moon it's half full so it'll be back by morning." He told her. He knew the moon affected the tides as well as the season. A part of him hoped she wished to learn more. It'd been a while since he'd gotten to teach anyone anything and he'd been a lot of places. He had plethora of information to share. Walk, "Talk" Think

Selene is brightest when it's dark like this. Against the backdrop of the shimmering cavern, she seems to be electric. Electric and beautiful. Her tail wags as she splashes in the puddles left by the tide, the ones that were still being pulled by the moon. That part she knew about, but there was a hunger for more. In Selene's mind, there's always more. Though she is tiny, sitting beside the stately old gentleman leads her to believe that she can take on the whole world. Such is the way when you're a full head shorter than what seems like everyone else who walks this strange land.

"I don't like being on my own, it jus' kinda happens." The starlit shrugs, looking up at the man with her night sky eyes. Her tail swishes in a puddle, a light splash as she cocks her head to the side. Selene splashes. She splashes with that silky tail and with her sooty paws, and she is ever so happy. Company makes her happy. There's a wonderful grin on her face, head tossing softly in the light of the moon.

"What if the moon is full? Or if it's not there at all?" Selene steals another glance at the man's face, wide eyed and full of curiosity. She wants to know, she wants to understand. There's always a sort of hunger for knowing, with Selene.

~Selene

Creed would sit back as the younger wolf went and splashed in the puddles that the tide had left in its wake. If he were younger he probably would have joined her, but instead he was content to enjoy her own happiness instead. He'd sit and watch with a smile as she enjoyed herself and a part of him longed to be that young again. Even with kids on the way, there was nothing quite like being young, wold, and free that you could ever get back. He longed for the rambunctious days when he'd cause all sorts of trouble and went on all the adventures he could. "Ah'm not fond of bein' alone either." He admitted. She'd managed to sit in a puddle now and he noted with a grin how she splashed with her tail and her paws. She seemed to be alive with the night sky and the ocean at her feet and it was refreshing to be around. She then asked him a question that took him a little bit longer to come up with an answer that made sense. "Tha moon has a strong pull on tha water so when it's full tha tide comes in He explained. Walk, [color=#1eb972][b]"Talk" Think

There's a gentle awe as she listens to the man as he speaks. She's playing in the puddles, even though he won't play with her. Maybe he just needs some encouragement? With her dark little nose she splashes from the puddle, up, a few droplets maybe making it close enough to splatter the elder's coat. It's innocent. The starlit is giggling quietly as she does, tail thumping with the rain drop bells behind her. Oh how beautiful she feels on a night like this. "Then I'm glad you're here." Selene smiles in earnest. It's rare that she drops her bravado for anyone, but nights like this leave her more vulnerable.

"Does the tide change when the seasons do, too?" There's a want for knowing that bleeds from Selene, a desire for knowledge. Things like this, like the tides, are fascinating. She's thirsty for knowledge, and when something is learned she'll be thirsty for more. Always needing more. Her moonlit eyes sit on the face of the stranger, and she's positively reverent. He knows things. She longs to know things. This is what she needs.

~Selene

Creed watched her passively as she tromped around in the tide puddles. He hadn't thought to join her. The urge to play had far since passed him with age, though he certainly wasn't opposed to trying to be a kid again once more. So when she threw water droplets at him with her nose he rose to his feet and flicked water back at her with a front paw. Grinning softly he play bowed, tail waving in the air. The motions had a foreign feel to them, but it was comforting in a way. It reminded him of his childhood of playing with the other pups and his siblings in Glaciem back before their lives had changed. She seemed to appreciate his company in some form or fashion. She mentioned that she was glad he was here and he beamed brightly at her. It wasn't often he found himself in such pleasurable company and he certainly appreciated her curiosity for the ocean. Having done quite a bit of traveling himself, he knew a lot about quite a few things and hadn't gotten the chance to share and compare knowledge with anyone yet. He'd nod at her next question. He had a fascination with the tides himself. The ocean was one of his favorite places to be other than the ice and snow. While he certainly fared better in the northern terrain than he did when swimming, he'd taken to studying the tide pattern when he was younger. He certainly wasn't an expert, but he was enjoying sharing what he did know. "Aye. The tide is stronger in tha winter when tha moon is closer to tha earth." He explained. "An' tha opposi'e in tha summer, though it varies on tha location yer at as well." Walk, "Talk" Think

One on one time with a real, live, adult? That was too good to be true. Sure, there were groups that watched groups. Sure, there were people that would adopt others on as their apprentices, as mentors, but Selene had never been one of those. She's never stood out to someone, and the stardust maiden looks to the older man with something soft, something open and something curious. The moon in her eye seems to glimmer as well, and tonight, she's something else. She's happy. That's a good thing to feel, happy.


A giggle comes through her chest as she bows back, bouncing off her back legs to shadow box at the man-- he's much larger. She'll bounce off like a fly, but oh how fun it is to try. That, of course, and she's dripping wet. Bright eyes and a gentle hand. Selene is both things, and she's madly in love with these moments.


He stops to speak, and the starlit orbits closer. There's something shining in her eyes as she studies the stars and the ocean, and the place where they meet. She finds herself leaning against the larger man slightly, as she's nearly knocked herself over trying to take in the breadth and depth of the sky itself. "Y'know what put the stars up there?" There's a story that she has, a story that resides in her head. It was one that her people told, one that she'd heard since birth. There were many animals, many more than she'd ever seen, and because of this story she knew how they were called. It's her favorite story, or, one of two. Selene likes to tell.

~Selene

She mimicked his own bow and he grinned eagerly at her before she batted at him playful. Wet paws glanced off of his chest and he nipped playfully at them. Their moment of play seemed to be over though as he sat up and glanced at the stars with her. They were beautiful tonight though their radiance was out matched by the moon's bright glow. So long as it hung in the sky no star could seem as bright, though the one next to him seemed to outshine them all. She had a radiant disposition that no star could certainly compare to and he found himself enjoying the young woman's company. It made him think of his unborn children and he could only hope they turned out as willing to learn and enjoy life as she did. He didn't mind it as she leaned into his thick furry form to keep from balancing over. He was not overly protective of his space, less so now that he was older, and he supported her weight like an ancient tree unwilling to bend or break. He was not so ancient or impressive, but there were still strength in his bones and a fire in his gaze that could not be quelled. So he let her lean into him as they stared at the sky together. She asked him if he knew what put the stars up there. He glanced at the tiny bright things and tried to remember if he'd ever been told a story about them. He couldn't remember any from his childhood and, as much as he wanted to, he couldn't come up with an entertaining enough story as to why they were there. It seemed like she had a story to tell so he smiled at her. "Ah have no idea, bu' why don' ye tell me?" He said, encouraging her on. Walk, "Talk" Think

The starlit is comfortable with Creed. There's something comforting about his presence, after all. He's like the grandfather she'd wanted, the elder that would have been comforting had members of a gypsy pack actually lived long enough to attain that status. No one would be an elder until they dropped dead, after all. Everyone had to take care of themselves. Elder status was a farce meant for real packs and real families. Right. Creed was the kind of red wood tree that she was comfortable with. So she leans.


As he's prepared to hear her story, the girl's face lights up. She's going to try so immensely hard not to screw up her story. There's a deep breath, and Selene is trying to gather her focus. She would be a great story teller one day, but today, she's an explorer of all things bright and beautiful.


"A long long time ago, longer than any one man can remember, everyone could speak and talk to each other. The birds and the lions, us and the bugs, the snakes and the rhinos. Anyone you could think of, they could all speak with understanding, and that was a blessing and a curse. Though harmony lasted for a long time, it wasn't eternal. A squabble broke out when the lion named himself king of all things." Selene pauses, looking up to Creed to see if he's listening. She licks her dry lips and continues after a moment.


"The great mother tossed a great, thick blanket over everything, as far as the eye could see. There was only her knowing eye to watch over them, so she could see if they were making progress. All of the animals were in a panic, no one knew what to do. Everyone started shouting over each other, especially the lion that called himself king. Gradually, the great mother closed her eye. Darkness was more complete, and everyone was more confused. They were breaking down, y'know?" Selene nods to herself once more, making sure she keeps her storyline in the correct order.


"Finally, the lion stood at the top of the tallest mountain and let out the most mighty roar, trying to blow the blanket away. It wouldn't budge. The humming birds suggested that they fly up and peck at it until it would come apart, but the lions wouldn't listen. The giraffes, with their great long necks, scrambled to stand upon each other's backs and reach up as high as they could to tug the blanket down, but that was no use either. Again the humming birds made their suggestion, again their small voices were ignored. The cheetahs, with their great speed, they made an attempt to race to the horizon line and drag the blanket away that way-- again no use. The humming birds, with their small voices and their pleas for assistance from the rest of the animal kingdom, were quieted and shushed away." Selene takes another breath. This story telling thing, it takes a lot out of you. Still, she's enjoying herself as she continues.


"The great mother, being more and more frustrated, finally left her creations the suggestion that maybe they work together. Realizing how irritated she was, the other birds allowed themselves to be rounded up by the humming birds. As a grand group they moved toward the sky, picking at the blanket one by one. The humming birds made the smallest holes, and the other birds larger ones, until the blanket was all gone. To commemorate their strength and perseverance, the great mother hangs the blanket with the humming bird holes in it at night. It's a reminder that we always need to work together, and that she's always watching." There's a light smile on Selene's face as she finishes her story, gaze up at Creed's face. She's looking for a reaction, and maybe longing for approval. The starlit isn't used to having anyone to listen, and she's rather enjoying it. Company, you see, is nice.

~Selene

It was ironic really that such a young wolf would be the one telling him a story instead of the other way around. He was old enough now that he'd retired already and had a litter on the way. Wasn't he supposed to be the one telling tall tales and giving lessons? He supposed he'd already begun with the lessons once she'd asked, but he hadn't expected a story. Still he realized he didn't mind that she was eager to tell him some epic about the starts. It made him feel like a young kid again bouncing at the edge of his seat waiting for a story to begin. The good thing about Creed was that he made for a good listener. His patience was almost never ending and he listened to her tale with the same amount of eagerness as when she first began. In truth it was a story he'd never heard before. He'd always wondered about the existence of the stars and how they were created, but to hear it in such a fashion was more than amusing. Whoever assumed that young wolves couldn't be wise or smart were clearly wrong. So far Selene was impressive to behold. She finished her story and Creed found himself practically grinning ear to ear as she looked up at him. The approval she longed for was indeed there and he'd glance at her happily before glancing back at the stars. To say he believed her story would be a lie, but he kept his thoughts to himself. No need to spoil the mood. It was just a story after all - a good one at that. "Ye know, ye put mah story tellin' ta shame. Ye'll have ta come talk to mah kids when they're old enough." Walk, "Talk" Think

Selene is enchanted by the man. She's enchanted, and she adores him. The starlit soaks in the man's aura, leaning on his shoulder, looking up at his face. It's fantastic. He's fantastic. Everything about tonight is fantastic. Selene is soaking in the company, drinking it up, a sponge that's been too dry for too long. It's gorgeous. She's gorgeous when it comes to things like this. Ever so happy. She was immensely happy, though her tail had stilled. That was from fatigue, and the fact the tinkling of the water would have ruined her story telling as well. So in love with it all, Selene is simply... happy. Immensely happy. Leaning, tail wagging, grinning immensely. So much grinning.


Selene has never met anyone who listens like Creed does. There's no one like this back home. No one to listen and to embrace her. No one to support her like this. It's strange. He's physically holding her up. She's happy. There's a wagging tail, splashing behind her again. The praise makes her feel alive, head tossing slightly. She's soft, fluffy, and happy to be beside someone who values her. That concept of value, of feeling at home with someone, is so incredibly new to Selene. She likes it. The starlit is never this comfortable, after all.


"You really think so?" Selene's tail thrashes, wagging obscenely. A high compliment for the child, and she's happy. She's so happy. Everything about her has lit up, and she's enjoying simply being close to the man. This feels something like home could, and that's exciting to her. That makes her feel better than ever. "I'd love to come tell them stories, I have some more if you want." Oh lord, it feels fantastic. She feels fantastic. Everything is amazing. So amazing. Selene looks up at the man with a glimmer in her eye, so immensely happy.

~Selene