The world was different now. The days were barely even days anymore. The moon was always in view and seemed much closer than it had ever been before. Bowen noted that, while prey hadn't become scarce, it all seemed to be glowing blue. Everything from deer to rabbits to evil little woodchucks. A blue glow was taking over the world. The only thing that seemed as though it wasn't glowing were the wolves themselves. The oddity had stretched on for so long that it was becoming commonplace. Because of this, Bowen had decided not to let it alter her life. The blue hadn't harmed her yet, and until it did, she would continue on as she always had.

With Haiku at her side, the pair of wolves made their way to the shimmering shore. It was always blue here at night and the copper and cream fae had to admit that she was curious as to whether or not it had become even more blue. As she expected... it had.

The pair stopped and Bowen leaned against her lover's shoulder. Viridian eyes took in the scene on the moonlit beach. There was blue everywhere. Sprouting from the sand were strange little mushrooms. Some glowed blue, others purple, others seemed to have a tinge of green. "It's rather pretty, isn't it?" Reaching out, Bowen lightly bounced her paw pads on top of a set of the luminescent fungi and it began to slowly thrum and blink. The longer that Bowen looked at it, the more she realized that the mushrooms were blinking along to the beat of her own heart.

"Bowen"

Haiku was worried about his family at home, part of him wanted to go check on them and the other was far too obsessed with protecting Bowen. Eventually he would need to return to Abaven, but he had much more trust in his family keeping themselves safe. Bowen was lost to him once, and he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Except perhaps to observe the strange occurrences around them. Everything seemed to glow, the plants, the small animals, the lights in the sky.

He stayed by her side, so far there were no injuries, only fright. No one had been able to explain the events, the dark days, and the lights. Haiku wasn’t about to take any chances and walked beside the caramel cream girl. The shimmering shore was always in a state of illumination but tonight it was so much more so. He knew how much Bowen loved the ocean and they spent much of their time together here.

Blue and lavender eyes looked out over the glowing shore, and if it were possible he would have said that the whole ocean was glowing bright blue now. The shore seemed very calm and peaceful, the usual feeling of horror was not weighing on his shoulders. As they stopped Bowen leaned against him and he leaned over to kiss the top of her head. He watched as Bowen reached out to touch one of the glowing mushrooms that littered the beach here. He almost tried to stop her, feeling nervous about the strange fungi. Nothing happened with the first touch so he relaxed against her. "I’ve never seen anything like this before.” He spoke softly, feeling like the atmosphere was too somber for more than a whisper.

"Bowen & Haiku"

I have a white raven companion named Prose if she isn't mentioned assume she is nearby

Green eyes couldn't pull away from the fungi as it pulsed and throbbed and soon she couldn't tell if the mushroom was blinking to her heartbeat or if her heartbeat was blinking to the mushrooms. Gradually, Bowen's vision shifted and she noted the gentle sway of pulsing bacteria and algae as it rose and fell on the gently washing waves. The copper cream fae felt compelled to touch that as well, so she moved forward until both sable forelegs were submerged in the luminescent water.

Haiku's words pulled her attention back and she curled her neck to the side to look at him. "I'm not sure that anyone has. Based on the way that the older wolves are talking, this is an unprecedented event." They were the first to see such a thing. The first to experience this strange, beautiful anomaly. "What do you think it means? Are these crystals and mushrooms and bacteria going to take over everything? Will we soon glow as well?" Bowen was thinking aloud. Perhaps it had something to do with the glowing algae in the water, but she sounded incredibly calm when she spoke about it.

"Bowen & Haiku"

Bowen Arrow Carpathius

The ocean always did seem to call to Bowen in some unnatural way, and now the pull was even stronger as he watched her wade out into the glowing waters. Haiku hesitated there on the shore as she took step after step and was beautifully illuminated by the unnatural lighting. He couldn’t deny that he didn’t trust anything to do with the strange glow and eternal night they were faced with.

Haiku wouldn’t forget getting spooked out on the lawns with Romulus. Bowen had been speaking to the elders of the pack and none of them had ever experienced anything quite like it. Haiku nodded, then steeled himself and followed her into the water. "Maybe it’s the end of the world.” He offered somberly, looking into the blue waves as the lights ebbed and flowed with the seawater. "If it is…. I’m glad I’ll be with you.” Haiku added even more softly, watching the varied glow of the mushrooms and algae as he leaned lightly against Bowen.

"Bowen & Haiku"

I have a white raven companion named Prose if she isn't mentioned assume she is nearby

The glowing algae danced in the gentle waves and Bowen's slender body shifted back and forth with the ebb and flow like the seasoned sailor that she was. She'd never lost her sea legs, thankfully. A gentle splash brought her gaze shifting to Haiku as he joined her in the water. The pair of lovers leaned against one another and Bowen placed her head upon the giant brute's shoulder. The world around them was undeniably beautiful, she just wished that she understood it.

Haiku's words were a little darker than she imagined she'd hear from him and, under the water, her paws clenched in the sand."I don't think that this is the end of the world, but it may be the beginning of something new." Leaning up, she kissed his cheek gently before resting her cheek against his shoulder once more. "Either way, we'll face it together."

"Bowen & Haiku"

Bowen Arrow Carpathius

Haiku only went into the water a bit up his legs, he was so much taller than Bowen the ocean didn’t come near his belly. Though he could still feel the ebb and pull of the glowing waves. It wasn’t like anything he had ever seen before, and he wondered if it would be some of the last days he ever saw. Haiku leaned into Bowen and she against him, and he let himself appreciate the magic moment there in the glowing water. Maybe it would be one of their last.

Bowen, the bravest most amazing woman he knew, returned that she wasn’t so convinced this was the end. Maybe it was actually the beginning. There couldn’t be a new beginning without the end of what existed, but Haiku didn’t argue as he held out hope they weren’t witnessing the end of the world. Bowen then reached up to kiss his cheek, though he lowered he head so she didn’t have to strain to reach. At the very least they would face water came together. The mushrooms, the glowing water, the mysterious lights and occurrences. None of them would or could come between them.

"Bowen & Haiku"

I have a white raven companion named Prose if she isn't mentioned assume she is nearby

Bowen

While the water itself is cold to the touch, where the luminescent fungi float the feeling is unmistakably warm. It might almost be comforting, though the longer that you soak in it the hotter it becomes.

She stood next to him, the caramel cream woman beside her chocolate man. Bowen's gaze drifted close as she soaked in the moment together. The water was soothing, comforting, warm. Warm? Moving her foreleg in the water, Bowen realized that the water was more than warm. It was getting hot. Soon it was as hot as the springs where she'd been born. And then it was hotter. The algae burned her skin and Bo yelped, backpedaling onto the shore. Her green eyes were wide in alarm and she watched as Haiku continued to stand in the water, unharmed. The moment that she was out of the water, the burning ceased, leaving the woman frowning hard. "The world is wrong. Beautiful... but so, so wrong." With a pull of one paw, she urged her lover to exit the water as well. She didn't want him to get burned as well if the algae suddenly had the mind to grow hot again.

"Bowen & Haiku"

Bowen Arrow Carpathius

Haiku

As you stare out into the water an odd feeling begins deep inside your head. There's a ringing sound coming from your skull, the intensity of which seems to be flowing with the water that rocks against your limbs.

Maybe you shouldn't have done that...

It Continues for Bowen...

Huh? It doesn't seem like anything happened... Well, maybe that's for the best...

Haiku was somehow content. Despite potentially facing the end of the world he could admit he felt happiness. Having Bowen in his life again was something that the boy had trouble quantifying how it changed his life. Haiku had been convinced he was saying goodbye to his best friend, and now she felt like his other half.

His attention was swiftly shifted as Bowen yelped like she had been burned and retreated from the water. Concern crossed his features and the boy followed after her, but not before he felt his own head begin to swim. Blue and lavender eyes went back to the horizon, it felt like with each wave that lapped at his legs his head would swell and a buzzing began in his ears. Haiku shook himself and followed Bowen out of the water. She reached for him, and despite the thrumming dissipating he could still feel the beating of the waves against his head.

"Everything is wrong but being here with you.” He whispered in return and nuzzled her cheek.

"Bowen & Haiku"

I have a white raven companion named Prose if she isn't mentioned assume she is nearby

It Continues for Haiku...

Huh? It doesn't seem like anything happened... Well, maybe that's for the best...