**This Thread Takes Place Immediately Following The Thread Ghost Tales**


The forest that the brothers have found themselves in has offered them hidden spots, good meals, and once dead secrets. While there spent here has proved fruitful, the call to move on settles over the brothers once more and restless paws seek to discover new places. The sun has started to appear less and less, shifting the world from an eerie twilight to the dark night without warning. Time has become as elusive the as sun. With no solid way to tell how much time has passed, the days have begun to take on a more dream like quality.

The brother’s still take turns sleeping, one keeping watch while the other drifts away in dreamland and that is how they have started measuring their days. When both are awake, they move quickly through the fog dense forest, trying to find a way out of the seemingly never-ending maze. When the trees finally start to thin, offering them more open views of the sky, Ricin starts to relax. While the heavy fog obscures the moon, just the knowledge that they will be on more open ground soon lifts the lighter pup’s spirits.

When the last tree falls away and the yawning expanse of grassland that butts up against large mountains greets the brothers, Ricin lets out a deep relieved sigh. Ever since they had met the ghost wolf known as Auntie Vela, the lighter brother has felt an irresistible urge to commune with the moon like she instructed. He had told Chade everything she said in his head, a promise to forage their bond stronger than ever. Ricin knows that Chade feels responsible for him, that his brother had caused a sibling to die so that Ricin may live and there has been guilt surrounding that event.

Ricin hopes that this ceremony heals some of that guilt for both of them and allows the brothers to form a tighter bond. Thoughts tumble and turn as paws carry him closer to the mountains face. Suddenly a silver flash of moonlight draws Ricin from his musings and he stops to look up at the sky. There is still fog here but it is not thick and choking like in the forest. Mushrooms and crystals cast their eerie glow into the mist, lending an air of mystery to the land. However, as the moonlight flashes, the fog seems to disappear and the glowing fungi and rocks dim.

Crimson eyes look to the silver goddess, silently assessing the sentinel of the night. Nodding to himself, Ricin turns to look at Chade and says, “Ny, you remember what I said about Auntie Vela? About the stuff she told me? I think it is time to speak with the moon.” Carefully, Ricin watches his brother’s reaction, not wanting to push Chade into something he is uncomfortable with. Ricin hopes that Chade will allow him to follow through with this fanciful folly.


"Speech"

Chade his own thoughts on his mind and had kept relatively quiet on their walk.  His mind shifted between disbelief and curiosity.  With all the things that had happened to the pup, he preferred to only trust the physical things that could be proved.  The ghost could not be touched, hell, he had walked through it.  That being said, the ghost herself wasn’t the problem his mind sorting out, it was the stuff she had told them.

Chade didn’t want to say he could be wrong in his disbelief.  A part of him didn’t want to be wrong as if she’d been right in all her crazy talk about connecting with moon and ceremonies and junk that would mean there was just that many more things the two young pups didn’t know about yet.  She hadn’t given them much information and it felt like an overwhelming thing to figure out when they were concerned with just surviving.  Still, a little child in him whispered it would be neat if it was real.

Chade didn’t have to ask Ry what he thought of it all.  Of course, his story-loving brother had fallen into the whole concept.  Even if he wasn’t able to see Ry look up towards the moon at times he would have known simply by that being the sort of wolf his brother was.  So, when Ry brought it up it was hardly a surprise. Chade regarded the moon himself a moment, pondering what to say about it.  What was the harm?  He had some curiosity and Ry was really interested in it.
Ry got an entertained look and Chade glanced up to the sky, “Hi moon!  Ry wants to be your friend.” The lighter-hued brother got a cheeky grin, “done!” After that, he sat down and changed his tune, “alright, it’s a strange thing but yah we can try it.  What didja have in mind?  It’d be pretty crazy if it worked” The last part said with a bit of a laugh, “we won’t know unless we try.”


"Speech"

Ricin does not expect Chade to be enthusiastic about talking to the moon and he is not disappointed. The look that the lighter hued boy gets reminds him so much of a look his father would often give the fanciful pup. Ricin had a penchant for coming up with strange, make-believe stories and their father always listened to them. The pup’s eyes would be bright with curiosity and wonder as he would weave his tales, adding voices and acting out parts. The entire time, his father would sit patiently, allowing the pup to build his story while giving Ricin that exact same smile. It is a mixture of skepticism and good humor, not patronizing or mean, just showing that he may not believe the tall tales but he is willing to allow Ricin the chance to try things out.

A pang of sadness hits the lighter boy as he looks at Chade and realizes just how much the darker pup reminds him of their father. When his brother glances to the sky and says hello to the moon, Ricin smiles at his brother, his strong, grounded brother that is growing into the wolf their father wanted them to be. Ricin allows Chade to ‘talk to the moon’ and then sit. His brother’s words cause the smile to as Chade’s little display adds another layer of their father to the darker pup. Words fail Ricin as he tries to think of how to tell Chade that their father would be proud of the darker pup.

After a moment of studying his brother, Ricin decides to tilt his head back and instead, look up at the moon. Folding his back legs and coming to rest on his haunches, the lighter pup ponders exactly what they are supposed to do to ‘talk’ to the moon. After a long moment, Ricin looks back down to his brother and shrugs his shoulders. Finally, he says, “Well… Auntie Vela didn’t offer any precise instructions other than, ‘talk to the moon’…” Another shrug of his light shoulders and cracks a lopsided grin before adding, “Maybe you offended her when…”

His voice trails off as something tickles his mind. It feels like a voice, like when Auntie Vela spoke to him without Chade hearing. Yet… the words are so soft he cannot make them out. Confusion furrows Ricin’s brows as his head once more tilts back to look directly at the moon. Something keeps trying to speak in his mind but the words are indistinct and light, like a gentle breeze on scorching day. Head still back, eyes on the moon, Ricin says, “Maybe we need to wake her up.”

With that, light colored eyelid close as he inhales deeply. Tilting his further back, ears pinned back, Ricin releases a long, low howl. In it, he pours his desire to speak with the moon, to hear her secrets and her stories. He continues to howl, hoping Chade will raise his voice with him and they can sing the moon awake. Perhaps their voices will rouse the sleeping goddess as they send up a plea to be heard. Ricin howls until he has no more breath to offer. Closing his mouth and lowering his head, Ricin opens his eyes and looks to his brother. A small smile appears as he says, “Now we wait.”

"Speech"

Ricin didn’t call Chade out on his teasing.  In fact, after his antics Ricin was even quiet a moment and Chade wondered what he was thinking of, probably plotting what he felt they should do.  Chade forced back a smirk of betting it was more than shouting out ‘hey moon’.  At Ricin’s mention of Chade having potentially insulted the ghost Chade did grin broadly.  “Oh c’mon, when else might I get a chance to walk through a real ghost?”  While Chade had a natural bit of puppy curiosity about the whole ceremony stuff he found his curiosity on what ghosts were really like more interesting.  Walking through a talking specter was totally worth whatever the cost.

Wake up the moon?  Seriously?  Chade looked up to the bright object in the sky and shrugged.  It wouldn’t hurt anything right?  Well, Ricin howling was calling out their presence to every animal of prey and predator around.  At least they weren’t quite as small anymore so maybe it would be alright.  Oh heck, he was supposed to join in huh?   Chade huffs softly then follows suit howling to the moon.  Maybe the tone wasn’t quite as soul-felt but he did offer up a more formalized request that the moon acknowledges them.  Ricin requested a relationship, Chade was requesting a bit of business perhaps as a good comparison.  Doubt and intrigue warred inside the dark blue pup.  

“Wait for what?”  How would they even know if it did anything?   Sometimes coincidence can work in fun ways.  Was it fate, was it the land playing a joke on them or was the moon waking up and realizing it had been in the sky for too long?  A hint of light started creeping up, not much of anything other than a lighter shade of darkness but it was so clearly different for having grown used to eternal darkness.  In front of them, a couple of crystals seemed to shiver then decay.  Chade’s eyes widened.  “Uh, Ry?” He pointed a paw at the crystal that was flaking away.  “Not what I expected?”

"Speech"

Chade’s grin and happy words earn him a smile and shake of Ricin’s head. The lighter hued pup is supposed to be the curious one but something about Auntie Vela had been ethereal and… Ricin can’t quite place a paw on exactly what it was but it held a promise of something unknown. When he announces that they need to wake up the moon, Chade tilts his head back to gaze at the moon. Ricin is already howling, pleading their case to the sleeping goddess. When Chade’s voice raises with his, trying, in a much more guarded way to ask for help, the corners of Ricin’s lips tick upward.

Once their voices die down, Chade asks him what they have to wait for. Light shoulders shrug and a sheepish look is given to Chade. Ricin says, “I don’t know Ny. This is… kinda my first time tryin’ this.” Eyes turn to the moon once more as Ricin silently begs the silent guardian to speak to them. With his crimson gaze turned up toward the moon, Ricin misses when the crystals in front of them shiver and start to decay. Chade’s voice pulls him from his quiet pleading as Ricin turns question filled eyes toward his brother.

Eyes trace down Chade’s leg to where his paw points and smile erupts on Ricin’s face. The once solid crystals no longer glows and has turned black. Bits of it are flaking off and floating away. An ‘I told you so’ smirk rests on the lighter pup’s lips as he looks back to Chade’s face. Eyes dance with mirth for a moment before the smile falls away and Ricin stares intently at his brother. The silver moonlight wreathes his brothers form and the sight leaves Ricin in awe. A soft voice tickles his ear, trying hard to be heard.

Two words flash across Ricin’s mind, ‘Accept me’. Without saying a word out loud, Ricin opens his heart and mind to the moon. Words start filtering into his brain and itch the back of his tongue. The feeling builds until he opens his mouth and lets them sing out. Looking to Chade, Ricin says, “Lo, there do I see my brother. Lo, there do I see my brother. Our lives have been bound together with pain and adversity. When no one else wanted us, we fought for each other. My life is his.” Ricin lifts a paw to his mouth and bites hard enough to break the paw pad.

Blood wells as Ricin reaches his paw toward Chade, “We are brothers in more than blood. Under the light of the scared goddess, Mother of the Night Sky, I bind my life to Chade’s. Whenever he needs me, I will be there. As long as I breathe, he will have a home. This I swear and I seal this bond with my blood.” Fully extending his paw to his brother, Ricin glances to the moon and back to Chade. Quickly Ricin whispers, “The moon will tell you what to say Ny. Just accept it.” A smile appears as he waits to see if his brother will seal their bond.


"Speech"

Chade couldn’t find words to reply to Ricin at first.  ‘lo there’? then repeated the statement twice? There was no attempt to hide the puzzled expression on his face.  Honestly, did Ricin really want them traveling down memory lane about the hard past they had?  Then he finishes it with a bite to his paw?  Maybe the moon had made his brother ill?  It could melt crystals and mushrooms apparently.

Chade left his brother hanging for a second, not to be rude or want anything uncomfy but this had just come out of nowhere and Chade was far less impulsive than his brother.  The first part had been too storyteller’sh for Chade but the last part struck a tender spot more.  After another moment of solemn thought, Chade lifted a paw, biting his own toe, pressing it up against Ricin’s paw.

The darker blue pup wasn’t too sure about listening to the moon but, he gave it a glance before looking at Ricin, still having words for him all the same. “We are one Ricin.  Blood, heart, and every breath of life in me is also yours.” Solem words deserved to be responded to and so the young pup assured Ricin of their closeness.  "So,” Ricin had made a point of fancy words to mention the moon but that wasn’t Chade, “by the moon’s light I’ll swear to you Ricin, I will let no more tragedy touch you.  We travel together.” One more mention of the moon probably was fitting, “by the moons…” the moons what?  This would seem silly if the words weren’t so serious and if the moon hadn’t shriveled up those crystals, “by the moonssss, oh by the moon, I swear even in death I’ll travel with you even then.” He’d sounded irritated trying to figure out what to say about the moon, but once done the voice had gone back to solemn and serious.  Why not mention after death?  Ghosts were clearly real so it made sense when one died the other go with him.

Chade lowered his paw, setting it back on the ground.  Chade really wasn’t sure about the moon’s part in it but the words between them did seem to have a weight to them that granted some inner peace with the clarity of a set goal and meaning to life.  So, were they done?


"Speech"

A tenuous smile rests on Ricin’s lips as he holds his paw out to Chade. Each passing moment tugs his heart down a little further. Perhaps he is being silly and this is all just a foolish child’s dream. The smile is almost gone when Chade lifts his paw to his mouth and bites his toe. When Chade presses his paw against Ricin’s, the lighter pup feels his heart soar. Crimson eyes meet as Chade speaks. Even if his brother does not believe that the moon can speak, Chade still binds his life with Ricin. While the words are spoken, Ricin maintains eye contact.

When Chade struggles with the last part, Ricin waits patiently, allowing his brother time to order his thoughts. The words are spoken and Chade lowers his paw. Ricin mirrors his brother, lowering his paw back to the ground offering Chade a bright smile. Ricin’s happily voice says, “Okay Ny! Now that we have bound our lives together, we need to finish this ceremony by hunting together.” A thoughtful expression appears as Ricin tilts his head back to look at the moon. For a moment, he sits there staring, wondering if he made all this up on his own or if the moon really did speak to him.

Tilting his head back down, smile back in place, Ricin says, “We must hunt and kill a deer to finish.” Standing up, Ricin looks to Chade and asks, “Will you do me the honors and find the prey?” With that, Ricin steps to the side, allowing Chade to lead the way.


"Speech"

“Hunting together huh?” Chade muses quirking a brow at his brother. Ry was going to help him hunt down a deer?  That should be fun.  They had worked together on a hunt in special circumstances but that had been slightly easier prey than a healthy deer and Chade assumed it needed to be healthy, otherwise, it wouldn't feel right.  Also, what were the odds of finding one in a closed-in space as the goat had been?  Chade hadn’t done good with deer, would this go better if Ry helped him?

“Sure Ry, we can do this!” Chade aimed for confidence and stood up straight.  They could do it! With Ricin’s part, it could be easier.  Chade had watched how easily deer jumped to one side or another and pivoted so fast to avoid him.  “I think I have a plan how it will work better together.  Maybe you'll even want to hunt more.” Wait, was he supposed to be solemn in this or something if it was for this whole 'talk to the moon' thing?  Chade didn't know, and he did kind of like the ceremony thing Ricin had done.  Sharing blood was cool and it was just between the two of them and the moon.

Chade trotted off, nose, ears, eyes alert trying to find sign of a deer.  The hint of light starting to form on the horizon was an amazing sight all on its own and he wondered how it would affect finding deer.  Did deer prefer light or dark?

"Speech"