Splashing around in the muck and the mire [Aura]

[Forte]

The sky over Yssu's head was gray, much like it felt inside her head, and the landscape that she knew normally burst with color now seemed dull. Scouting for her pack had taken the Aurora Caeli heir far from home, and while this swamp was unpleasant to say the least, she was not lost and soldiered on through the wet, squelching mud of her own free will.

Walking in this treacherous place required her full attention, but even so she suddenly found herself on her way toward the earth. Her paw had been caught by a hidden tree root buried in mud, and she was unable to catch herself before faceplanting in the mire. Now thoroughly coated in the dark, gooey stuff, she pulled herself up, blinking it out of her eyes and doing her best to get it out of her mouth.

"This place BLOWS!" She shouted the last, unable to contain her frustration. Normally she enjoyed exploring, but not only was it a filthy hole in the ground, but also she had barely traveled a mile in the past hour and she, who was used to making neat discoveries every few minutes, was getting bored.

Up ahead she saw what looked to be a bit of an island: a small hill covered in red lichen. The ground looked dry. That's more like it, she thought, and began to make her way toward it. Maybe it would be a suitable place to take a rest, to get the grains of dirt out of her teeth and fur, and maybe even hunt. Fleetingly Yssu wondered what kind of prey there might be around here. She did her best to pick up her pace as she made her way toward the little hill.

[Katarszyna]

AURALEE


Her surroundings were unsettled, upset, a storm was closing in as far as the slender fox-sized red wolf pup thought as she walked across the soggy ground, her dainty fox-sized paws leaving just slight indentations in the ground as she wandered through Rainbow Swamp. The life of an orphan wolf was not the best thing in the world, particularly not when one was an empath like her. Auralee shuddered a little as a slight breeze tore icy fingers through her medium length silvery-black coat, her once pretty red socks turning dirty as the muck was splashed up as she picked up her pace to beat the cold wind to a sheltered spot.

Far in the distance she heard a rumble of thunder and paused, turning to look back behind her with her silvery-grey eyes. Switching her black-tipped tail in agitation Aura started forward again but then stopped dead as her nose seemed to meet a wall before her, her empathy picking up a touch of frustration out across the swamp. She laid down on the soggy ground and buried her nose against the black pentagram on her chest. “Stop it! Just STOP!” She snarled aloud a moment and then snarled aloud again.

“I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why did you burden me with this Great Mother!?” She howled and in one fluid motion, Auralee was on her paws and racing across the swamp, blind to the prettiness that was around her, she was focused on running away from the feelings she felt all around her. She was set on getting to a small patch of dryness that she had seen before the feelings wrapped her in their unyielding grip. Her paws carried her easily over the soggy terrain, managed to get her safely past the obstacles as she all but flew from the center of the swamp to the hill she had seen.

She felt the ground begin to rise and slowed herself to get up to the top of the hill. Once there she flopped to her side and cried, tears streaked down her shimmering coat as she tried to calm herself, the frustration was bad enough but her own anger at it was not any better for her. Soon, with a last great heave of breath, she relaxed a little bit, only then did she realize that the frustration had seemed to subside rolling onto her belly she stretched her back legs out behind her in a very puppyish manner, she was after all only a year old and Aura rested her nose on her forelegs. Her silvery-grey eyes travelled up to the matching sky a moment and then she caught a slight bit of motion and tilted her head a little. Was this another wolf approaching the rise? She waited to see, her tail stirring the lichen and dust just the tiniest bit, she hated feeling lonely all the time, another wolf would be great company, but what she really needed was a parent and siblings.

[Forte]

At last Yssu's paws touched dry land, and suddenly she realized what a toll on them walking across miles of unsupporting mud had taken. They ached terribly; what the usually-white wolf wanted most was to find a comfortable spot to lie down and rest.

The hill she had come to was larger than she had first thought. It housed a small grove of stunted Spruce trees interspersed with some low shrubs. Surely she could find a comfortable spot in there. It should shelter her from the storm that was coming in, too.

At first the rain was just a scattered sprinkle, but within seconds the drops grew larger and more frequent, pattering loudly against the mud. The strong scent of the storm, coupled with the filth coating her fur, rendered her nose all but useless. She could smell nothing. That's why she didn't notice the young wolf until she rounded a shrub and nearly tripped over her. "Whoa! Sorry," Yssu apologized a she backed away, trying not to look like a thread. "I didn't see you there." The youngster looked underfed and a bit small, and Yssu couldn't help but wonder if she was lost. But she held her tongue for now, in case she wasn't and would be offended by questions.

[Katarszyna]

The rain began to fall and Aura looked up through the branches and followed a single drop’s progress until it disappeared behind some deep emerald boughs. She felt a little better though and tilted her head as she listened to the patter of the rain. She crossed her forepaws and rested her head on them, her tail switching a little more eagerly, she had always enjoyed the storms…as long as she was in a sheltered area, like the spruces offered now, she laughed softly and shifted her rear paws so that she was lying a little more comfortably. She felt the happiness of the earth as it wrapped the water into its breast.

As she watched and felt the feelings around her she smiled and then she yipped softly in surprise as she heard a voice, Whoa! Sorry, I didn't see you there. Auralee flashed a sweet smile as she sat up, realizing that the snow-dyed she-wolf was attempting to not appear as a threat to her Auralee spoke, “No need to apologize lady she-wolf. I’m not the easiest being to spot, my pelt shimmers with the light of the sun and moon, and with my lithe size, well, it’s easy to stumble over me.” She said with a soft chuckle as she wrapped her black tipped tail over her hips and rested it alongside her right side.

Aura tilted her head sweetly and chuckled a little as she felt the waves of wonderment as they rippled off the she-wolf. Her tail twitched a little and she spoke again. “You can ask what you’re wondering lady wolf, I’ll try my best to answer you. Oh, and my name is Auralee, others call me Aura or Lee, Aura more commonly than Lee though.” Aura told the ram-horned snow-coloured wolf as the rain fell gently around them and the gentle thunder of the storm overhead. Aura smiled and waited her head tilted just a little bit.

[Forte]

The horned wolf was surprised at the coherence with which the young wolf spoke. Perhaps she was older than she appeared. Luckily she she didn't seem scared of Yssu, so she sat down near the pup.

The white wolf hesitated after Aura had spoken a second time. How had she known that Yssu was wondering something about her? Did all wolves she meet ask her the same question? Could she read minds?

In any case, Yssu now voiced her question: "I haven't scented any other wolves for a long time, and you look very young to be on your own. Are you lost?"

((Sorry for the length, I'm better at short posts right now :/ ))

[Katarszyna]

Aura hid her muzzle against her chest as she felt the waves of surprise radiate out from the snow-dyed she-wolf. When the laugh Aura had kept from spilling from her lips abated, she noticed the she-wolf had sat down nearby. She smiled as the she-wolf hesitated for a moment then spoke, I haven't scented any other wolves for a long time, and you look very young to be on your own. Are you lost? Aura turned to look at the she-wolf, her pale silver-grey eyes belying her age, making her seem more mature than her mere twelve months, settling in close to the she-wolf, hoping to share some warmth then she spoke.

“I am very young to be on my own. I was orphaned at six months. My mother, all three of my older, bigger brothers, and my father who was also my teacher were killed by a very angry grizzly mother and her three young cubs. I only knew what happened because I could feel….” her voice cracked with her still unshed tears and she tried again, “….I….I felt their pain as the hooks of the grizz’s claws tore them apart….I….I was cowering in the den, it’s the only way I cou…could survive the hurt, the death and the….th…th….sorrow.”

Mere milliseconds after the last word slipped from her lips Auralee flopped to the ground, her hindlegs stretched out behind her, and she buried her nose between her forelegs as the tears slipped free from her eyes, she knew that her eyes were now dark navy blue as opposed to her normal pale silver-grey, Auralee was frightened now, she had never thought long on what could happen to her if she didn’t find home…and soon. Through her whimpering, she managed a few more words before her voice was drowned in hot tears.

“I’ll never get any taller or any thicker than a red fox. And because I can’t hunt like a normal wolf, I’ve been reduced to being a….a…..scavenger and eating fruits…I need a family…” fresh tears spilled over, and Aura buried her nose under her foreleg. The storm was wearing itself out overhead, but the storm battling in Aura’s head was getting worse and worse, she didn’t even care that the ram-horned, snow-coloured she-wolf was seeing her pain and her fear clear in her eyes or in her voice. Aura decided she needed this to be able to survive on her own for any longer length of time.

[Forte]

Yssu was not normally an empathetic wolf. In fact, whenever before someone else had been in pain with Yssu present, she had just felt awkward. But, for whatever reason, this encounter was different. Auralee was such a sweet young wolf and her story so sad that it touched something in the normally-apathetic Yssu. Before she could stop herself, and almost without realizing it, the white wolf had closed the gap between herself and Auralee and put her head over the young wolf's shoulders, shielding her from the rain, warming her and giving her comfort. "Shh," Yssu murmured while Aura got her emotions under control. She knew Aura could never get her family back and that that pain would be with her for the rest of her life, but she felt that Auralee would pull through it, would come out on the other side of her tragic youth stronger and more capable than most other wolves with a more normal upbringing.

Soon the pup spoke again, revealing that she had been malnourished and her growth had been stunted due to her lack of hunting skills.

"Don't cry, sweetfur," Yssu said after a moment, using, for the first time since she had left her old pack, a pet name that had been common there. "You've been on your own for too long, but I'll look after you now, I promise. I have a pack down south where it's warmer, and we can all teach you how to hunt and protect yourself, and one day you'll walk through the forest without fear of anyone because you'll be the strongest wolf out there. Does that sound OK to you?"

Yssu wasn't sure if she could keep these promises. She was sure that the Aurora Caeli would accept this poor sweet pup into the fold without hesitation, and they surely would help her grow and learn, but as to whether or not she would ever be able to effectively hunt and defend herself after such a long and sparse time without anyone to look after her, was the real question. One thing was for certain, though: Yssu would do everything within her power to help Auralee however the young wolf needed.

[Katarszyna]

Through her ceasing whimpers, Aura felt waves of comfort wrapping around her, seconds later, warmth enveloped her and she smiled through her tears as she heard the she-wolf speak, first telling her to hush then her ears flicked as the rest of the she-wolf’s lyrics filled them, Don't cry, sweetfur, you've been on your own for too long, but I'll look after you now, I promise. I have a pack down south where it's warmer, and we can all teach you how to hunt and protect yourself, and one day you'll walk through the forest without fear of anyone because you'll be the strongest wolf out there. Does that sound OK to you? Blinking away the last straggling tears, Aura looked up to the ram-horned she-wolf.

Half-smiling, Aura spoke, “I have been on my own too long. I’d be pleased to have you as my Guardian lady. A southern pack, that’d be nice, more suited to my breed…” Aura said with a half chuckle before continuing, “…hunting and protecting myself though, particularly the hunting…well, I’m not sure it will work, when hunting, the prey’s fear, tiredness, weakness, and pain, well, they all…literally paralyze me, I can’t do a thing….” she paused again and nuzzled in closer under the she-wolf’s head over her shoulders as she spoke again.

“…I can get past all of those…if, and only if, the killing and such take place thirty paces away from me.” With that said, Aura pulled her hind legs up to lie more comfortably and then laid her head over her forepaws as she looked up toward the ram-horned, snow-dyed fae, her eyes switching back to her normal, silver-grey. “Do you think I’ll ever get past the hardships associated with my empath abilities, will I ever become a normal…or well, mostly normal wolf?” She asked and tilted her head as she looked up at her new “mom” as she waited.

[Forte]

Pleased that Auralee was calming down, and even cheered up enough to smile, Yssu listened with increasing satisfaction to the little wolf's acceptance of her offer of help. What she said next though, thoroughly confused the horned wolf. Why would her prey's feelings affect Auralee so much that she couldn't hunt? Was she that empathetic that she couldn't bring herself to kill, even when her own survival was at stake?

At last, one phrase cleared it all up for Yssu: empath abilities. So her hunch that Aura had empathy magic was true. That explained everything. While hunting, Aura would feel everything her prey felt. The fear, the fatigue, and probably even the injuries. But as Yssu thought silently about it, she became more and more convinced that Aura would be able to hunt effectively one day.

Finally she nodded. "I'm sure you can learn to hunt. You could be an ambush hunter. That way you wouldn't feel any fear from the prey. And you can run down prey from a distance of 30 paces. I definitely think you could hunt normally." She looked down at the young wolf's eyes and smiled, her spirits lifted by Aura's hopefulness.

[Katarszyna]

Aura smiled a little more as the she-wolf’s satisfaction and her pleasing feelings radiated out and around her. Then Aura felt her confusion when she mentioned how her prey’s feelings affected her, even to the point of keeping her from being healthy as she could not hunt. But then, one phrase cleared up the confusion and Aura knew that the she-wolf had a better understanding of her situation. Aura tilted her head a little and her tail waved a little as she looked to the horned wolf as she caught her lyrics, I'm sure you can learn to hunt. You could be an ambush hunter. That way you wouldn't feel any fear from the prey. And you can run down prey from a distance of 30 paces. I definitely think you could hunt normally.

Aura smiled and sprang up and out away from the she-wolf and dropped into a play bow, her happiness evident as she bounded back to the she-wolf and sat down calmly again. “You know…I never thought that I would ever be able to be a…mostly normal wolf, I didn’t know that I would be a successful ambush predator…I never even considered that…I always thought that was a feline thing.” Aura’s black-tipped tail was waving happily now, the storm overhead had abated and was now only sprinkling rain over them. The storm within her head had also abated and Aura felt as some of the surroundings heaved a happy breath as they absorbed the water whilst others grumbled about too much water.

Then a thought hauled itself into her mind and Aura’s happiness faded a little. “Your offer seems very great lady wolf, but…are you sure your pack will accept and outside pup? An orphan? Most of the other packs I tried with in my six months of lonely wandering out right refused to take me in, they even chased me away.” Aura dipped her head and her nose touched the black pentagram marking on her chest and she looked up at the horned she-wolf without moving her nose from her chest. She did enjoy this she-wolf’s company, she felt safe, protected but her worry still fought its way to the forefront…what if her new friend’s pack was the exact same as the other packs? What would she do then?

[Forte]

Yssu's tail beat the ground at the sight of the young wolf's enthusiasm at her response. It was wonderful to see Auralee change so quickly from the despondent, lonely pup she had found, to this bouncing, smiling thing full of energy.

Despite her feeling that Lyta would surely allow Auralee to join the pack, she couldn't help but feel a little uncertain. Now that the pack was better established, would she refuse a wolf who would not be of immediate use to the pack? She tried to suppress her doubt

After just a moment of hesitation, Yssu nodded again. "Everyone who's in the pack used to be a loner. One of the wolves who joined was only as old as you are now. He was just a goofy pup then. If Lyta let him join the pack, I'm sure she'll let you."

[Katarszyna]

As Aura sat before the she-wolf she looked to her and tilted her head a little, the uncertainty of the she-wolf radiated outward and Aura’s left ear tip tilted downward as it always did when she was unsure of what to expect next. Despite her attempt to suppress her doubt Aura picked up on it and her energy dissipated a little, it got a little worse as the horned she-wolf hesitated a moment but then her ear tip came up, her head came up and the energy filled her eyes back in as she listened to what the she-wolf had to say.

Everyone who's in the pack used to be a loner. One of the wolves who joined was only as old as you are now. He was just a goofy pup then. If Lyta let him join the pack, I'm sure she'll let you. In a flash the old energetic happy Aura was back. She smiled brightly and sprang toward the she-wolf. “You really think so lady wolf?! That would be so awesome!” Reining back her enthusiasm, Auralee sat back down calmly before the snowy ess, her black-tipped tail waving happily. “So, when can we go to your pack Lady Wolf? I’m ready to stop being a Lone, Orphaned pup.” Aura told her with a chuckle as she waited.

[Forte]

Yssu knew that Auralee must have felt her uncertainty, but to the young wolf's credit she accepted Yssu's words and let them lift her spirits again.

The storm must have been small because it had moved on by this time, only a few rumbles reaching her ears from what seemed like a long way away. The rain was abating some as well, but while Yssu loved Aura's enthusiasm, she couldn't help but worry that the rain would have made the ground even softer and muddier than it had been earlier. It would not be pleasant to travel through, but now that Yssu thought about it, she had smelled very little prey since entering the marsh. She was getting hungry, and Aura probably was too. She figured it would be best to turn homeward as soon as possible.

Yssu nodded to Auralee's question. "We can go now, if you like. The rain looks like it will stop soon, and I'd like to get out of this marsh before dark. It would be great to sleep somewhere dry tonight."

Suddenly, the white wolf realized that she hadn't introduced herself. "Oh!" she exclaimed, a little shocked. It wasn't like her to forget the formalities so thoroughly. "Sorry, I haven't even told you my name yet. I'm Yssu."

[Katarszyna]

Aura felt the worry radiating from the ram-horned snow dyed femora and she sat quietly before her, her head tilted just the tiniest bit as she watched the she-wolf. The rain was slowing, and Aura smiling at the she-wolf’s words, she let her ink tipped tail wave a little, We can go now, if you like. The rain looks like it will stop soon, and I'd like to get out of this marsh before dark. It would be great to sleep somewhere dry tonight. Aura chuckled a little at her words and then was on her paws in seconds, turning to exit the hill when more lyrics came from the she-wolf’s mouth.

Oh! Sorry, I haven't even told you my name yet. I'm Yssu. Her paw still poised above the ground, Aura turned to look at the she wolf and smiled. “I’m definitely ready to go. And it’s nice to formally meet you Yssu.” Putting her paw back down, Aura’s tail waved a little as she looked back at Yssu. Sounds filled the recently soaked lands of the marsh and then a croak nearby captured Aura’s attention and she dropped into stalking mode. With a half snarl, Aura pounced for the croaker and missed it by less than an inch.

This miss earned her a mud spattered face and paws. She looked back at Yssu and shook her head a little, scattering the mud partly from her face. Then the croak came again and despite her muddy mishap the first time, Aura tried to catch the croaker again, she got closer this time and she looked back at Yssu. “Think I can catch him!?” Aura called out pouncing toward the croaker again and brushing a paw over his body. She reared up on her rear paws and yipped happily, barreling down the hill into the marsh, not really paying attention that the marsh could have hidden traps and sinkholes. She was too focused on catching that croaker!

[Forte]

Yssu smiled and wagged her tail at the pup. She was so polite and sweet. Lyta would never turn her down.

Yssu had very subtle magic: she was able to keep a perfect map in her head of everywhere she had been and seen. She recalled every feature of the landscape she had trodden: every hill, every dead, hollow stump, every pool of water. She had a better sense of direction than anyone she had ever met. It was this magic that told her that Auralee had bounded after the frog in what happened to be the direction of Aurora Caeli territory, so Yssu followed the young wolf through the mud. "Definitely," she encouraged Aura, thrilled to have cheered up the pup so much. Again Aura pounced at the frog, nearly catching it. "Good job! Keep trying!"

Yssu followed her down the slope into the marsh, keeping a close eye on her as she chased the frog. The horned wolf, like any female in her prime of life, had thought about having pups before, and Auralee was revealing to her what kind of mother she would be. Some mothers were overprotective of their pups, but Yssu thought it important for young ones to play and explore as much as possible, so she didn't try to reign in Auralee. She watched her closely though, as she walked, in case she should fall into one of the many muddy pools of water that littered the marsh.

Traversing the swamp was proving just as difficult to do as Yssu had imagined. Some spots were better-drained than others, and Yssu tried to identify these and stick to them, but the downpour had significantly softened the mud and the white wolf frequently found herself sinking into it up to the middle of her leg. It would take a long time to get out of this awful place at this pace.

[Katarszyna]

Definitely, good job! Keep trying! The encouragement and thrill from the she-wolf brightened Aura’s spirits and she bounded after the croaker again with a renewed sense of vigor. Keeping an eye on the croaker, feeling his certainty that he’d be fine, Aura leapt upward and then came crashing down…inches from the croaker and smack in the middle of a muddy pool. A soft yelp slipped free as she face planted in the mud and then she sprang up and out, a slight shock registered momentarily in her eyes and then, finding a drier spot, she sat and in a very cat-like manner, groomed the mud from her face. Then she crouched again.

For some unknown reason, the croaker had stopped and looked back at her as she flopped into the mud. With a wave of her tail and a playful bound forward, she sprang after the croaker again. He croaked and then was off across the marsh lands once more. Aura laughed as she chased him down, she pounced and to her surprise and delight and the surprise of the croaker, she pinned him gently under her forepaws. “Did you see that Yssu!? I caught him! I did it! See!?” She laughed and looked back to Yssu.

Despite the ground being saturated and very muddy, the croaker had done surprisingly well keeping Aura where it was slightly drier, but Aura couldn’t say the same for Yssu. As she was happy to have caught the croaker, she was also slightly sorry that Yssu had mud covered legs. Never the less though, Aura’s tail continued to wave and her lips were drawn back in a playful wolfish grin and the croaker was croaking away under her dainty little paws. The rain had been slowly and steadily decreasing and now the sky was naught but a steely grey blanket cast over their heads, at least for now. Aura smiled wider as she felt the moisture begin to dampen her belly but she didn’t mind, she was too proud of herself for catching the croaker.