Outlaw had always enjoyed sailing on ships but after so much time spent at sea, he was thinking the ocean could for a few years.  There was plenty on firm ground to enjoy and it was nice to be back at the Hallows and see how all the young pups had grown into fine adults. Artorias, a tiny adorable pup who had carried around a stick he had once given a wooden sword to.  That same pup now was an adult, the leader of the hallows.  The wooden sword changed for one of steel to protect his family.  Outlaw was proud of the kid.   He had first come to the Hallows because of Meadow.  She was gone now.  He hadn’t known her very long but she had been lots of fun and very nice.  They had played a game of finding the treasure.  Maybe Artorias kids would like that game?  He would have to offer it to them at some point.   Outlaw stepped outside of the castle, making his way around until he was on the grass, looking out to the sea.  Choosing not to go back out to sea didn’t mean he still couldn’t find looking at it as peaceful.  The breeze brought the scent of the familiar salt to his nose.  It was much nicer to look at from firm land. Outlaw felt the weight on his head grow a bit, his hat’s brim pressed down so it covered a bit more of his vision.  “Hi Pip!  Hope you’re ok without us going back out to the ocean for a bit.  I’ve had enough seawater for a time.” The seagull let out a shrill answer before flying off.  Outlaw watched, curious of what the bird was up to but no doubt it would return.  Food or treasure, it was likely looking for one or the other.  Outlaw grinned, recalling once that he had met a pirate, “ya know Pip, I bet those wolf pirates got nothing on you.”  Pip was already out of sight but Outlaw could imagine it anyway.  Pip could find all manners of treasure and then stash them somewhere.  He always showed off some of his pieces to Outlaw but the dog doubted he saw all of them.   Outlaw thought back again to when he first joined the Hallows and Meadow.  The dead were coming to life these days at least that was what Pip told him. The bird had stories to share when it came back from its little trips elsewhere.  Pip didn’t know all the details, it hadn’t happened to the bird but apparently the dead were speaking with the living. Meadow.  He had heard she had passed on.  She hadn’t been at the hallows when she died and Outlaw wondered what it had been like for her.  Outlaw closed his eyes, his memories coming in and out like ocean tides.  Her smile, talking with her  Her fun games, and her interest in healing others.  She had been the first wolf he had met in Boreas, out in the weeping woods.  The boy smiled, recalling the game and the time they had spent together. Before she had left the hallows she had also shown him a few of her heaing books.  Outlaw had never grown much in those healing skills.  Just enough to keep himself alive when he had been hurt.  So, in a way, Meadow had saved his life even when she was gone.  Maybe it hadn’t been the reason for teaching him but still, Outlaw was grateful for it.  A bite mark in his front shoulder marked where it would have been bad for him if he hadn’t known how to stop the bleeding.  Learning how to make fires had also saved him when stuck in cold weather. “Meadow,” Outlaw whispered the name, imagining it taken up with the wind.  “Meadow, I enjoy telling stories but, this time I’d like to hear some of yours.  Come and visit?  We can spin stories from day till night.  Let me tell you, of the wonderful children at the hallows you missed getting to see.  I plan to see your daughter soon.  I’d be happy to pass on a message.” What would Meadow’s daughter be like?  If she was anything like Meadow she’d have a friendly smile.  It was the first comparison he had to go with.  What size and shape?  It was hard to know those details unaware of the feather.  How could she not have received Meadow’s smile thought?  Surely she grew up loved. Outlaw drowned out his other thoughts, letting his mind be clear with the single name ‘Meadow’ carried with each time the tide rolled out, 'come see me.' Each time the tide rolled in.  It could all be silliness but Outlaw didn’t care if anyone thought that of him.  He’d just laugh with them about it later.  For right now though, he wanted to see his old friend enough to risk it. Speech:"Life is but a game " Think

The world can see her and yet, Meadow has been trying to stay hidden. Her sister no longer roams this earthly habitat and the ghost woman thinks that the person who is left that remembers her is too angry to want to see her. So, she is far from the castle when a familiar voice calls to her on the wind. The earthen wolf’s head snaps around, eyes widening in surprise and joy. Movement has no meaning for her as she latches onto the voice, willing herself to be there, with the friendly Outlaw she had met all those seasons ago.

Emerald gaze finds the dog and his hat, sitting on a grassy knoll overlooking the rolling waves of the ocean. A great, belly-deep laugh erupts from her maw as the ethereal woman materialize near him, rushing in to steal a hug before he can back away. As she retreats, she leaves the ghostly whisper of a kiss on his cheek before properly stepping back to get a good look at him. There are some new scars on his body and they cause a frown to tug at her lips.

However, when she looks in his eyes, the dead wolf remembers all the fun they had, even if it was short lived. Another happy laugh fills the air as she says, “Outlaw! I never thought I would see you again! Or… well… not in this world anyways. I am glad you are still alive! And doing well I hope?” Meadow beams a giant, joyful smile at him, tail wagging so fast that her ghostly appendage leaves strikes in the air.



"Speech!"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2020

Now Outlaw had never imagined trying to see a ghost or actually seeing one for any reason.  With all the talk though it had seemed a thing to try.  The hat slid up a bit on his head as his ears pricked up higher and the dog grins as Meadow appears.  Outlaw puts a paw around a ghostly-like version of Meadow. “Meadow!” Outlaw stood, tail wagging, “How about that, you really did die.”  Maybe it would be more appropriate to sound sad about that but the dog was just happy to see her again.  “Great to see you again." The dog laughed at the kiss and her own happy nature.  The frown doesn’t stay long so he doesn’t bother wondering the reason for it. “Oh, doing great! I got to see you again!  Had a lot of fun with you that day.” There had been that day and a couple of others but she’d vanished so soon after meeting him.  “What about you? You seem good, well as good as ghosts get.  How were you though?  When you left, did you still have a good life?” Sure, he’d had a hard stretch for a while but right at this moment, seeing his friend, none of that past mattered.  “I know you found time to have a daughter.  I just got back to the hallows but I’m looking forward to meeting her.  I’ve got a lot of wild stories I could share and I’d like to hear yours.   “Uh, do you have haunting time limits or you wanna hang out for a few days?” Outlaw imagined they could talk and play games and meet the kids she’d never met, those that were now adults as well as the new batch. Speech:"Life is but a game " Think

Outlaw had always brought a smile to the earthen wolf’s face and his joyful demeanor never failed to lift her spirit. Although their time together had been brief, she had felt so much love for the young dog and his hat. She remembers seeing him for the first time with how his hat had become the center of conversation. As she nears, his voice pulls a wide grin to her ethereal lips and a soft, joyful laugh fills the air around her as wags his tail happily and says she really did die. There was nothing dampening his spirit and Meadow pushes away her own regrets to enjoy his company.

Ghostly lips kiss his cheek and the happy dog laughs, pulling her grin into a big, beaming smile. Settling into a seated position across from him, she continues to smile while he talks, listening and nodding along as he talks. Meadow remembers the fun that they had, the laughter and happiness that they had shared that day and few other interactions they had. His question about her life has the smile faltering but she quickly recovers as she says, “Outlaw, I just need to say; I am sorry. Sorry for the way I left and didn’t say anything. I remembered you every day after I left and I missed you, dearly.”

A sigh rolls past her delicate lips and she stands, moving to Outlaw’s side and turning to face out over the ocean before sitting down again. Silence fills the space between them for a moment and Outlaw breaks the spell by speaking about her daughter. A smile once more finds a way to her ghostly maw and Meadow speaks, emotion is woven in her words, “After I left the Hallows, I went in search of myself. I never felt like I belonged… anywhere. Well, not fully. Because of that, I ran away from everything… from everyone. It was difficult but I found a roaming band of nomads and we traveled the world.”

A smile appears as she watches the rolling waves crash into the beach, spilling foam over the golden sands. The emotion that been present in her words softens as she continues to speak, a gentle acceptance taking hold, “In my travels I saw many strange and wonderful things! You would have loved them. There were the most breathtaking sunrises and the most colorful sunsets. Yet, in my travels, I never found anywhere I loved quite like here. I spent so long running from myself that I lost all sense of home. Then, when everything seemed lost, I got pregnant.”

Her tail wags slowly behind her ethereal body as she remembers the profound joy she had felt when she gave birth to Fern and her brothers and another sigh fills the air as she lovingly remembers the days spent with her children. A laugh bubbles out as a ghostly paw suddenly waves through the air and Meadow says, “Ah! I talk too much! Tell what I have missed Outlaw! How have you been? Do you have a family now? Are you happy?” His question has the dead wolf tilting her head as she says, “Well, I don’t think there is a time-limit per say. I mean, I do have to leave at times to go recharge my batteries but I can come back! … for now.”

A part of Meadow knows this won’t last forever but she tries not to focus on that, because, right now, she is here where with Outlaw and that is all that matters.



"Speech!"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2020

Outlaw got kissed by a ghost! That’d make for a great story detail but he wondered if anyone would believe it.  Oh well, what did that actually matter anyway?  He knew it and others would enjoy hearing it believe or not.  “Sorry? No need.  You came for a visit to see me now so what does the past matter on that?” It was an easy answer, whipping away any context of past concerns.  “I was worried about you at points but see now?  I know I don’t need to worry anymore.  You're dead which admittedly is a sad thing but look at you.” Outlaw waves a paw at her ghostly form, “smiling and laughing so I imagine I can’t ask for much else.” Well, there wasn’t exactly the warmth another wolf could give off when they set next to you but still, somehow Outlaw felt he could still ‘feel’ Meadow near him.  Maybe it was just a dog thing.  Wolves got a lot of extra fur and dogs got to sense the dead better than most?  It worked for the dog!  Truth and facts had their place but in moments like this, the reasons weren’t all that important. Outlaw could have pointed out she could have taken her along with her but imagined that went against the entire point.  This was her story time anyway so it wouldn’t be right of Outlaw to interrupt until she was done.  A story that was started was one that should be finished.  The end of it apparently came with the creation of a new story.  She’d gotten pregnant and so a new life would have started with having her child.  She didn’t continue with that though and instead pushed it on Outlaw to take his turn.  Well, he could always tell a story!  He hadn’t had time to really tell Meadow a bunch of stories. So no time limit but she had to leave to refresh herself or some such?  Well, Outlaw was getting quite the education.  “Welp, I got enough stories for you to take a season to speak of.  I spent a lot of time recently on the ocean so had a whole lot of sunsets over the water I saw.  True beauty there.”  It was beautiful but it had lost some of the enjoyment when it was practically the only thing to see twice a day often enough.  Still, for now, it was said with enjoyed merriment, remembering the best of everything. “I’d say the best part probably runs near with what you’d call your best.  Tamsyn bore children and I got to help keep an eye on the kiddos.  Wonderful group they were, still are but older now.” Outlaw hadn’t seen them grow up enough.  They sure had changed! “You know one of em uses a sword as a weapon, and he’s the new Hallows leader.  The girls are so pretty.  Gwyn’s become  healer ya know.” The last bit offered knowing Meadow had been a healer.  "All of them are wonderful.”  He didn’t go on to describe them all, he could always do so later as other stories came about.  “Love them kids.” Outlaw shrugged, “You weren’t the only one to disappear on them though.  I took a trip on my raft that took longer than passed.  Got blown out into the deeper ocean and was lost for long while.  I came home to kids not only grown up but, having just had children of their own.  Saw a whole lot on the journey.  So, yup, could talk for a full-on season.  I’m sure glad to be back now though, at least for a stopover.”  Outlaw wasn't sure how long he would be staying yet.  He loved these kids but was he going to stay in the Hallows or roam a bit more?  Well, he wanted to meet all the Hallows kids first and there were still more on the way. Speech:"Life is but a game " Think

The pair banter like old times and Outlaw happily reminds her that, at least with her dead, he won’t have to have worry about her. A big, genuine, joyful laugh fills the air and shakes her head, glad that the dog can find the bright spot in her death. She goes on to share about what her life was like, the pretty things she saw and how the earthen woman had run from herself. After that, she is quick to pass the conversation back to her friend and he quickly speaks of the ocean and the sunsets he saw.

Outlaw speaks of Tamsyn and the litter of pups she had and Meadow grins wide saying, “Oh, yes! Resin is very proud of them. We are together, you know… in the afterlife.” The smile on her ethereal lips is bright and there is no sadness to be found because, in death, the sisters had been reunited and the worries of the living world forgotten. He speaks of the Hallows leader and Gwyn who had become a healer and she listens with a smile that never leaves her lips and her ghostly eyebrows raise when he speaks of his unplanned trip.

A joyful laugh spills out as she says, “Outlaw, did you get lost at sea? I bet that was scary but, I am glad you are home now! Speaking of home, I have a favor to ask of you, old friend.” Turning her head, Meadow catches his eye with her emerald gaze and offers him a soft smile as she says, “Please, meet my daughter, Fern, and tell her that I wish for her to hear your stories. Tell her how we met and how much fun we had. I… want her to meet my friends.”

With her plea voiced, Meadow turns her gaze back out over the ocean and says, “So, tell me your favorite story from your travels! I want to hear everything.” She resists the tug of the afterlife to remain with her friend and hear his tales. It feels like old times as the dog spins a yarn and the woman laughs joyfully beside him.  



"Speech!"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2020

Meadow had some hard times apparently in figuring herself out, admittedly a problem Outlaw had a hard time imagining however she’d also seen many good things.  As long as she had found happiness and moments of enjoyment then what more could be asked for in someone's life?  Outlaw happily listened to her tails.  A nomad tribe didn’t sound like a bad idea at all.  Roaming about the land with friends instead of staying in one spot.  Outlaw nodded at appropriate moments to show his clear attention but still remained quiet as not one to interrupt a story. “Woah!” Outlaw responds at the mention of Meadow being with Resin.  So, in death, you aren’t even alone. “Not really dead as in you stop then, just like another type of life that I guess doesn’t end.  That really is great then.” Eternally with family so, Meadow had definitely found a good way to uh, live, uh in death, however that worked. Outlaw bobs his head at Meadow’s question a grin, though a bit weaker at her question, “Yup, sure did.  Actually had some times that weren’t all the fun.” It was a crazy concept in his mind but true!  “Even some rude wolf that wanted to attack me just for going on shore.” Outlaw shrugged, “but that’s hardly the ‘fun’ story so best we get that out first! “Hmm… best story so far.  Well, I ran into a ghost.  A real friendly one, so friendly it hugged and kissed me and wanted to hear stories!” Meadow got a chipper grin at that, “you got to admit, telling that to others it sure will sound like a best tale!” “Oh!” Outlaw thought up finally, “had some sort of large bird actually stolen my hat!  Now, that might not sound good but the chase to get it back was quite fun.  It apparently had a notion of using my hat for its nest in some fashion.  You shoulda have seen that nest!  It was as big as I am!  It was there trying to stitch it into its sticks when I jumped ‘onto’ the nest! It supported me!”  It had been somewhat squish, absorbing his paws but held all the same. Outlaw sat up so he could wave his paws as if to emphasize the size of the nest before setting them back down. "Now, I grabbed my hat and ran, ya know that big ol’ bird started chasing me!  Bird chasing a dog, I don’t think it's supposed to go that way but it was a big bird!  Anyway, then I jumped into a lake and swam down so that it couldn’t get to me.  Saw all sorts of animals under the water and some things that weren’t animals.  Some stuff I think was there for ages, I don’t have a name for them.  I spent some time out there just checking out what was under the water.”  The story was perfectly real, lacking the tall tale part he often used for fun.  He didn’t see any need to exaggerate that story! “And you bet Meadow.  I’ll be sure to meet your daughter.  I’ll let her know how you’re doing and that you’re with family.  When she’s older, if I see her when she’s getting on then I’ll let her know that she has a family waiting on her over there too.  Not till she’s older though, doesn’t sound great to say your dead family’s waiting to see you at her age.” Outlaw grinned, “I’ll tell her some fun stories, and about us.” Speech:"Life is but a game " Think