Somewhere outside my life
The soft breeze that flowed through the plains ruffled her fur as she sat just a short distance away from the opening that led down into the caves and alcoves that her family used as their dens. Her eyes closed as the cool air rolled through, a small smile touching her lips. Being inside so much made her appreciate each moment that she was able to enjoy like this. With Daelos here constantly checking on her and making sure she was taking all of the herbs that she should be taking her good days were slowly beginning to out number her bad ones. It gave her a bit too much hope at times, hope that was reigned in by the logic of her son, but it made her wonder if perhaps there was just a bit more time for her to continue doing the things she wished to do before her time ran out. She opened her pale pink gaze and looked around the plains for a moment, considering her options for what she might do with her day. Sitting inside in her alcove was not how she wanted to spend one of the few days where she felt like she had some energy and will to move. Baine pulled herself to her paws and made her way toward the open area where the pack usually held their meetings. There was no real reason for her to be here, but it seemed like a starting point and a good place to maybe cross paths with someone she hadn't gotten to spend time with recently. The albino wolf settled on her haunches in the shade of the large rock that over looked their meeting area with a small smile and waited for the world to go by around her. |
Ardyn
Master Fighter (250)
Master Hunter (240)
Knight
Bloodletter
6 Years
Male
1056
BrienaSkysong
The litter had graduated to the plains beyond the wooded hillock the ravine and cave system that made their home tucked into. Ardyn was out on his own… or at least, he could pretend it was that way. His mother had sent Aelloshir along to keep an eye on each pup, though Cairo was nearby, watching diligently.
Ardyn bounced through the woods, following one of the well-worn trails, pouncing after squirrels that dared get too close. He found healing quite interesting, but there was a certain thrill in chasing prey, one that overrode the pleasure of healing.
He popped out of the woods into the light, squinting briefly before he prowled forward, nose to the ground, tail batting the air in an inky black, fire-shimmer blur, hot on the trail of something that smelled particularly nice and tasty, before he found the familiar scent of Baine.
She had been an ambient influence in his and his siblings’ lives. Her scent was always there, and occasionally her voice as she spoke with her son, or their parents or grandfather. There was always an underlying scent of illness, but a youngster could gloss over the smell, knowing only that it meant that Baine couldn’t play rough and needed more naps than the other adults.
It wasn’t too often that they found her scent outside the caves, so his tail began double-timing it, fairly whistling in the air as he diverted from the tasty prey animal’s trail and zeroed in on the albino woman’s scent, eventually popping out of the tall grasses of the plains into the meeting area, Loshir shadowing him at a distance enough to jump in if he needed protection, but far enough to let the boy play and not feel hovered over.
Ardyn had honestly forgotten his mother’s companion was with him, mismatched fire and ice eyes finding his great aunt as he pranced up to her, bumping his nose into his foreleg or shoulder, greeting, “H’lo Auntie Baine! I found you!”
He was visibly pleased with himself and his tracking skills, grinning up at her with a side-lolling tongue. “Whatcha doin’ way out here?”
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think |
Ardyn at first glance is as black as can be imagined with a raven sheen.
Closer inspection proves that he shimmers in fire tones in every hair on his hide right down to his lashes.
More obviously, he glows like a bed of coals and flames with every movement and brush of fur. His tail is usually wagging, so blazes like a torch.
His adult teeth are in and his saber canines have grown to their full length (see profile). His mane and tail hair have grown to full length, as well as being lightweight and easily buffeted by breezes.
A look at his front paws will give the impression of hands, with his dew claw dropped low and lengthened into a functioning thumb, and his toes elongated into fingers. He has retractable, solid black cat-like claws on every paw.
Ardyn has developed a glowing mast of intricate markings in fire and ice colors over his face, symmetrical over the last seasons of Year 17 (see profile for details). During hunts or raids/sieges, he will smudge them out with black soot to cover the glow, otherwise, they are bright enough to note at first direct glance at his face. Not all his artwork currently portrays the mask markings.
He is also often bedecked in beads, small bells, feathers in blues, ribbons and braids thanks to the Ooze Event of Halloween 2021, and the Coathanger item that he got. The accessories generally are seen most in his mane and tail hair. He removes the brighter items and bells for hunts or battle.
For a little while she enjoyed just watching the grasses and tree branches sway in the breeze, letting herself enjoy the quiet subtleties of nature. It was a little funny how things like this went completely unnoticed and disregarded in her younger years, but now they seemed so delightful and precious. She fully acknowledged that she had wasted her youth with petty concerns that ended up leading her astray. She only wished that she had made this realization sooner so she could have made up a bit of that time. At the very least it reminded her to fully enjoy every minute she did have and she hoped that she had instilled that lesson into her son at a very early age so he would never experience this regret. The quiet was disrupted by the sound of puppy paws trotting toward her and when she shifted her gaze it landed on the unique and intriguing appearance of her nephew. Seeing him brought a bright smile to her lips and she dipped her muzzle to give the top of his head a quick nuzzle when he came over to her. "You certainly did! Well done," she replied with a soft giggle when he announced that he had found her, the simple joys of pups warming her heart. To his question of why she was out here, she answered, "Oh, I just wanted to get out for a little bit and enjoy this lovely weather. I haven't gotten to socialize in a while and now here you are to fix that for me!" Her head tipped slightly with curiosity and added, "What about you, Ardyn? What adventures are you up to?" She couldn't express how happy she was that she was here to witness and enjoy Ardyn and his siblings youngest days. Pups brought her so much joy and hope. |