hands on your knees
Karaka
10-24-2023, 04:38 PM
It was night in the swamp, frogs were croaking, the moon was high in the sky. Cierzo had slipped away from her brother, her protector as he slept. She did not want him to see her as she truly was- a disgusting mess. Cie was hyperventilating- her breaths coming erratically in great heaves; a nightmare still playing in her mind as she ran to escape it. Her blue eyes were darting to and fro- shadows scaring the woman even more as salty tears began to stream down her beautifully, horrified face. She didn't know where she was going, she just needed to get away from her brother. Anything so he didn't have to see her now.
"Ah!" But in her haste she would trip over herself, her body flailing into a roll and directly into the base of a tree with a soft yelp. Cierzo was a heap of blush fur, her tail tickling her nose as her tears still fell with more shame. She couldn't even run right. The woman did not bother to right herself just yet- a sob running through her body and out of her delicate jaws.
Warning:
Cierzo is a mature character for good reason, expect the worst.
Do not read if sensitive topics disturb you.
10-24-2023, 04:52 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-24-2023, 04:52 PM by Karaka. Edited 2 times in total.)
The southern territories were a nice respite from the freezing lands further North. There were still reminders of winter, and the occasional fall of snow clearly made its way this far.
For this reason, she had found a nice hallowed out tree to camp in for the night. The enclosed area helped with the cool night air, and being able to reach out and touch bark on either side reminded her a little of home. Of sleeping with her siblings.
It was easier at night to remember she was homesick, curled up alone in the dark. She was dozing lightly, not really sleeping when there was a scuffle outside her tree. She raised her head, and peeked out the opening just in time for a wolf to fall practically at her paws. "Erm, hello there?" She said blinking in the dim light down at the wolf. "Would you like a hand up?"
For this reason, she had found a nice hallowed out tree to camp in for the night. The enclosed area helped with the cool night air, and being able to reach out and touch bark on either side reminded her a little of home. Of sleeping with her siblings.
It was easier at night to remember she was homesick, curled up alone in the dark. She was dozing lightly, not really sleeping when there was a scuffle outside her tree. She raised her head, and peeked out the opening just in time for a wolf to fall practically at her paws. "Erm, hello there?" She said blinking in the dim light down at the wolf. "Would you like a hand up?"
10-24-2023, 05:07 PM
She didn’t think the situation could get any worse, until a voice rang out almost directly above her. And it was feminine- definitely not her brother. It was a bit of a relief, until it wasn’t. Cierzo frantically righted herself in shock; peering up at the giant.. Woman? No, it was a young girl! Cie cleared her throat, the thickness of her crying making it quite the endeavor. “I am so s-sorry! I ruined your sleep…” Pitifully, Cie lowered her gaze to accept a scolding- only something else caught her eye. Her eyes focused past her blurred vision to see just how horrible she looked; her limbs entirely coated in swamp. Mud and mire caked onto her delicate figure, and all of Mistral’s hard work to keep her clean in the swamp- gone to waste.
A new onslaught of tears began to fall onto her muddy paws, a visible droop in her posture as well. She was so muddled of mind that she hardly registered it could be dangerous here alone, naively letting her guard down whilst crying at the door of a stranger.
Warning:
Cierzo is a mature character for good reason, expect the worst.
Do not read if sensitive topics disturb you.
10-24-2023, 05:27 PM
She blinked, expression owlish with surprise when she realised the stranger was apologising to her. Once she realised that, she took in a more complete look of the woman's appearance. Face streaked with mud except for rivets that ran down her cheeks where her tears had cleaned her fur.
Raka was quick to crouch down beside the older woman, resting a paw against her shoulder. "Hey, hey, it's okay." She said, struggling for a moment to think what to do. "Come on, let's get you into my den and we can get you cleaned up, and maybe you can tell me what's the matter?" She suggested, before moving to hook a paw under the woman's shoulder to help her up.
Raka was quick to crouch down beside the older woman, resting a paw against her shoulder. "Hey, hey, it's okay." She said, struggling for a moment to think what to do. "Come on, let's get you into my den and we can get you cleaned up, and maybe you can tell me what's the matter?" She suggested, before moving to hook a paw under the woman's shoulder to help her up.
10-25-2023, 02:17 AM
Cierzo felt positively useless. Just as her parents had always screamed at her. Just as her mind did in their place now. Not a thing she did ever turned out right, not once in her life- unless someone else had planned it. Cie fought her tears, her bright eyes peering up at the girl whom was helping her regain her composure with a helping paw. The girl was dark orange in the dim lighting, with dark horns to boot. But her eyes shone bright blue despite the darkness of the night. Cie was helpless but to follow the suggestion of the stranger- her soul unwilling to say no. “O-okay. Thank you…” She spoke in a soft, embarrassed tone- knowing full well just how horrible she must have looked. Cierzo never had any fight in her, so even if this girl was about to do something bad to her there would be no stopping it; not with her brother away from her. And that had been of her own volition. Anything so he did not see her behaving so wretchedly.
Warning:
Cierzo is a mature character for good reason, expect the worst.
Do not read if sensitive topics disturb you.
10-25-2023, 02:24 AM
The older girl was certainly a mess, she seemed hardly aware of her surroundings as Raka helped her to her paws. She guided her into the hollowed tree. With the two of them, it was certainly crammed. Raka clung to the back of the tree in an attempt to give the stranger a little more space. Even then, parts of them touched. It was inevitable.
“I’m Raka” She said in way of introduction as she let her weight fall to her hunches. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” She asked, voice soft and gentle as she attempted to use a paw to brush some of the debris from the woman’s coat. It didn’t even cross her mind to think that there might be a danger out there that had chased this wolf.
"Speech"
“I’m Raka” She said in way of introduction as she let her weight fall to her hunches. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” She asked, voice soft and gentle as she attempted to use a paw to brush some of the debris from the woman’s coat. It didn’t even cross her mind to think that there might be a danger out there that had chased this wolf.
10-25-2023, 02:44 AM
The woman allowed herself to be led inside the tree without a struggle. She was far too exhausted from the running and the tumble she had taken, not to mention the crying that had left her drained of energy. Though, she would never have put up a fight regardless of the orange girl's intentions anyways. She settled into a hunched over sitting position, her toes touching the now named Raka.
“I-I am Cierzo.” Her voice was a whisper of a thing, pitiful and ashamed of being seen as she was. But she quickly tacked on her last name, that important surname she and her brother had given themselves. “Cierzo Anemoi.” Cie held in the flinch that threatened to shake her entire body as Raka brushed muck from her coat, eyes darting up to meet the other female's gaze as she took in the gentle tones of her voice. They had similar eyes, but Cierzo’s were a tad bit darker and duller. She bit her lip, gaze falling to the pretty chest and forelimbs of her new acquaintance. “I… had a nightmare of something… that happened to me.” She shouldn’t be telling the girl this, she shouldn’t be telling anyone this. Fear prickled the back of her neck and traveled her spine, eyes stilling to stare blankly at the paws of Raka.
Warning:
Cierzo is a mature character for good reason, expect the worst.
Do not read if sensitive topics disturb you.
10-25-2023, 02:53 AM
"I'm very glad to meet you, Cierzo. I love to hear stories of who people are and where they've been. But only if they want to tell it." She said, her voice soft and musical. Speaking for the sake of speaking, to fill the silence in the little hollow in a bid to put the other wolf at ease.
She noticed how still the other wolf held herself when she brushed her coat and let her paw fall back to her side. She twisted slightly to rummage behind her and grabbed a bowl half filled with water that she collected in case she was thirsty in the night. "You can use this to wash some of the dirt from your face and paws if you wish" She suggested, leaving it near the other woman. There was something oddly fragile about this girl, and it was something Raka wasn't accustomed to. Despite being only a yearling herself, and not a very well travelled one at that (yet). She felt older then this teary eyed woman.
"I'm sorry. Sometimes it helps to chase away a nightmare by talking about it. But if you don't want to do that, perhaps I could tell a story?" She suggested, wanting to distract Cierzo from whatever had frightened her.
She noticed how still the other wolf held herself when she brushed her coat and let her paw fall back to her side. She twisted slightly to rummage behind her and grabbed a bowl half filled with water that she collected in case she was thirsty in the night. "You can use this to wash some of the dirt from your face and paws if you wish" She suggested, leaving it near the other woman. There was something oddly fragile about this girl, and it was something Raka wasn't accustomed to. Despite being only a yearling herself, and not a very well travelled one at that (yet). She felt older then this teary eyed woman.
"I'm sorry. Sometimes it helps to chase away a nightmare by talking about it. But if you don't want to do that, perhaps I could tell a story?" She suggested, wanting to distract Cierzo from whatever had frightened her.
10-25-2023, 03:10 AM
It was.. Odd to hear of someone pleased to meet her. Usually she was standing behind her brother, protected and isolated from all manner of conversation; mostly for the best. Cierzo did not take negativity well, so it did help with her anxieties in the end. But stories? Who… was she? Could she even tell another soul such a tale? Cie was scared, and it must have shown in her mannerisms due to the effort Raka took to ease her.
The bowl set in front of her was left pristine, Cierzo focusing on her reflection in the dark as best she could, and in turn peering at Raka through the water’s mirror effect. A small feat to avoid direct eye contact. “Story?..” She was not ready to share her own story, but perhaps… hearing of another would give her the desire to. She had not been hurt yet… maybe this girl was safe to.. Talk to? Other than Mistral?
Warning:
Cierzo is a mature character for good reason, expect the worst.
Do not read if sensitive topics disturb you.