A Dance Through The Ages

Lyra knew ghosts existed. She knew that for a fact. How, one might ask? Well, a while ago - shit, how long had it been? Okay, maybe not too long… a year maybe? - she got visited by her dead grandmother. Honestly, she loved that experience. Cascade is where her name came from. She was a Saxe, and being a Saxe was something that she held proud within her heart and wouldn’t get rid of. Cascade? Well, in Lyra’s mind, Cascade was the matriarch… Her father, Chaos, was passed that name, and in turn he passed it to her. She herself hadn’t passed it on - maybe one day, maybe not. Problem for a different time.

Anyway, she knew they existed. And this - whatever it was - seemed to have a connection with the unseen gods (who the fuck even were they?) and the ghosts she knew existed in the place called Somnium. She hadn’t really been one to believe in the gods… though the alters she had seen piqued her interest. A part of her wondered if she would regret not choosing a god and making an offering, but in the event that they were real… and were offended by whatever offerings, she decided to not take the risk. Wouldn’t stop her from watching the results of the other offerings.

So here she was. In the buffalo knolls. If she could, she’d be in the range or the orchards, but they were claimed by a different pack now. She wasn’t sure who they were, but it did seem apparent that they were not very strong in number… She almost decided to be a dick and invade their territory anyway, but just… didn’t feel like putting up with it. It was unfortunate because she knew her grandmother would have greatly approved.

Lyra sighed, scuffing her paws against the dirt. Lost in her thoughts, once again, and letting her mind drift all over the place. She knew she was procrastinating. She felt awkward and uncertain, much like the pup she hadn’t been for years. She felt ridiculous, considering the attempt to “summon” her grandmother… She was curious to see if it would work. She’d seen all sorts of attempts, from meditation to offerings, to being in places of rest or areas that the individual had frequented. Herbs as well as mushrooms, though she in particular had experience and some fun with mushrooms that she was seriously considering for this. She’d already picked them just in case. Plus, she was in a territory that the Imperialis family, and Saxe family, used to inhibit and that to her had quite a bit of significance. That would be enough to attempt to ask Cascade to come to her, right?

Ask, because she knew better than to demand. She wasn’t sure if the spirits of Somnium could bitch slap someone right now, but she also didn’t want to find out. She just knew better than to try to force her grandmother to do anything she didn’t want to do.

Hm…. guess she should try those mushrooms. It wouldn’t be the first time she’s had quite the trip with them, and her experiences had generally been quite positive. Introspective, for sure, and sometimes accompanied by fun images and waking dreams of unreal creatures and situations. Quite fun, when you think about it, unless you’re one of the poor unfortunates who got fucked with shit waking dreams and bad situations. Lyra was not one of those. Whether that was because she just didn’t give a flying fuck about the same worries and fears that others had, or that she confronted them head on. She’d heard something about the bad dreams only happening when someone was suppressing something they shouldn’t. She never had time for suppressing anything; she didn’t see the point. Tear it open immediately, or else it’ll fester and get infected. That’s how she looked at things.

… Ugh. She was procrastinating again. Letting her mind drift here and there, about everything and anything. She at least ought to do that when high and tripping. So, without further ado, she quickly ate the small mushrooms she had scavenged. This was the perfect season for mushroom hunting, thankfully, with the start of fall setting in over the continent. There were many that would appear; many deadly, many not, and many just flat out disgusting. These ones were disgusting but they’d be fun shortly. A few were tasty, and safe to eat, and not something that causes hallucinations.

A quick sigh, and Lyra cast her gaze around. The grass was still lush, despite the coolness of the season closing in on them, and she quietly bounded up one of the knolls to sit quietly on top. She’d always wondered of this place, with how regular these mounds were, but never actually really cared to give it a serious thought. Always a passing fancy, just like this time.

As she settled onto the mound, a familiar wave of bittersweetness overtook her. Oh, how she’d have loved to have known the leadership of her grandfather, as her father had. It was what it was though. It was like she could see it: The Imperialis family. Her grandmother, when younger. Her grandfather, in all of his strength and power that he possessed as he ruled - fairly - over Imperium. Traveling through these precise knolls, taking him up and over the exact location she was sitting. She could see it - so clearly - and… oh, right. That’s why.

A quiet sigh left her as she slid down onto the grass fully, head resting between her paws. She didn’t mind the scenes in front of her, but they did bring up a longing that she never did process or actually think about. She wasn’t about to start now. She was instead going to focus on her grandmother. Cascade. In her eyes, she could see the woman moving about. In this moment… in this moment she could see her father, young and curious, with Cascade showing him… something. She wasn’t sure yet, but the interaction had her tilting her head and smiling. In a way, she knew it wasn’t real. She knew she wasn’t actually watching this. It was her father as a puppy, after all. How could this be real?

But damn did it feel real, and she couldn’t tell if she hated that or loved it. Something else to push away, for now. Instead, once more, she focused on Cascade. How the light hit her fur and made it shimmer into that purple hue that her father and herself got. The mischievous light in her eyes, but the devotion to her family that was evident in everything she did. Her own personal feelings, like the desire to interact once more with her grandmother. She let all of it wash over her like a tidal wave, before opening her eyes. Quietly, not much above a whisper, she said a single word: a request, and within it a hope that it would be answered.

“Cascade?”


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