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Post by Gyllbane on May 17, 2014 1:49:56 GMT -5
It was hot. Of course, hot days were expected in the summer; with the long days and easy living came a warm haze that blanketed the valley for a few short months. Few days were hotter than this, though, and the sweltering midday sun permeated even the darkest parts of the forest. It was days like this that sent wolves seeking shelter in the natural caves of the mountain range.
Or, in Secunda and Peril's case, taking a trip to the nearest body of moving water. After taking a few days to recover from their taxing quest for the White Wolf Sheba, they'd agreed to take a day to see the falls. Secunda loped easily along the long plains of the grasslands, eager to see the falls for himself and to escape the heat.
He heard them before he saw them. While not quite as full as they would have been in Spring, they were beautiful nonetheless, and Secunda stopped a short distance from them to take in the view. The mountain loomed above them, more of a stalwart guardian than a foreboding monolith to him now. It was an almost comforting presence, especially now that he held some of its magic - however infinitesimal that piece was - inside him.
He had come to the valley searching for something. What that something was, he had not been sure ; he'd heard the stories about the mountain, but beyond that he hadn't known what to expect. And indeed , he'd gotten far more than he's bargained for. A power, and more than that, a companion. Peril was unlike anyone he'd known, in his pack or otherwise, and he found himself reveling in her attention even when they had spent most of their time together since meeting at the Honovi borders. She was special, he knew that for sure - but her feelings towards him remained largely a mystery to him. She clearly liked him well enough to stick around, but was that truly all there was? He decided that dwelling on those thoughts might not be the best course of action at the current moment, however, and glanced around to see where the blue wolf might be.
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Post by Cascade on May 17, 2014 10:32:33 GMT -5
It was no secret that their territory was dryer than most, so Peril was relieved to get out to the water, even if it meant leaving the coolness of her underground den. It was a convenient distance away, and a convenient excuse to go out alone with Secunda again. There was a certain je-ne-said-quois about him and she was determined not to let it show. After all, there were two scenarios: one, that didn't feel anything similar and she would make a fool of herself. Two, that he did feel something similar and she would lose the upper hand. No, it was better to play it safe until she figured how she could win at this game of feelings.
The falls were beautiful, as always, and the refreshing spray was just what Peril's dust-caked fur needed. Trotting up to the pool at the base of the falls, she took a long, eager drink. She loved her homeland, but the water here just plain tasted better. Wild grasses and flowers grew thick and plentiful all around the falls, and Peril tried her best to ignore them for the moment. She hadn't tested her powers since that first experiment at the oasis, and she was still pretty uneasy about the whole concept of plants moving and growing with the command of her mind. It was kind of sad that she was basically afraid of herself, but it could hardly be expected that she knew exactly what she was signing up for when she drank a strange potion given to her by an insane wolf who lived in a cave.
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Post by Gyllbane on May 17, 2014 12:32:28 GMT -5
Secunda trotted up beside where Peril stood at the edge of the large basin and copied her, grateful for the refreshing drink. Traveling in summer the summer heat was strenuous, moreso than he'd given it credit for, and he was glad to finally be at their destination.
"Every time I think this valley has shown me its most beautiful sights, it outdoes itself." He commented, equal parts amusement and awe in his voice as he lifted his muzzle from the water, looking up at the falls once more. It was picturesque, the contrast of the white cascades of water against the deep blues of the basin, framed by the verdant plant life that flourished in the falls' cool waters. "It's a wonder this place hasn't been completely overrun."
He sat, satisfied with the cool drink he'd taken, and regarded Peril again. "What's your favorite place?" He asked, a bit suddenly. "In all the valley, if you could go anywhere, where would it be?" Despite their journey he still had only seen a fraction of what the valley had to offer, and he valued Peril's opinion dearly; if he were going to familiarize himself with the valley, he would need someone to show him, and Peril was his favorite - albeit his only - option. He wondered if she'd want to spend that much time with him; he hoped she would, but despite her friendliness she seemed a bit cagey about emotions. He certainly didn't want to impose on her, and the tiniest shred of worry that she would leave niggled the back of his mind.
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Post by Cascade on May 17, 2014 13:47:41 GMT -5
Peril tried hard not to search Secunda's words for hidden meaning, but the potential subtext tantalized her. "I agree," she replied, trying to play it cool, "I haven't appreciated some of the beauty until recently."
'Great job at being subtle,' she admonished herself in her head, but still not totally willing to admit what she was trying to be subtle about. It was confusing. And pretty annoying, since Secunda seemed to be relaxed and therefore was clearly ahead of her in this competition. That really got under her skin, but she didn't understand what she needed to do to get back on top. Do you win by being the first to admit it? Or do you win by being the best at hiding it? And what was "it"?? Peril was reaching impressive levels of denial, especially considering how calculating she was with her words.
"My favorite place is the Lunar Meadow," she said, speaking the truth, "The grass is the softest you've ever felt, and the flowers bloom in the moonlight. It's the most beautiful place in the whole valley," she paused for a second, debating whether or not to test the waters. Curiosity won out.
"And ya' know...that forest we went to for Sheba wasn't that bad. I mean, I guess. It was a little...pink, but, you know...the trees. They were nice trees. Right? That place was pretty okay now that I think about it."
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Post by Gyllbane on May 17, 2014 14:45:22 GMT -5
He listened intently to her description of the meadows. There truly was no end to the Valley's beauty. His worries about how she felt about spending time with him were mollified somewhat by her previous statement, but it brought up as many questions as it answered - was there more than just friendly interest there, or was he imagining it?
At her last statement, though, something stirred in him. The forest of love, it had been called - the place where he'd embarrassed himself royally in front of the one wolf he'd wanted to make a decent impression on. Of course, things had still turned out well, and it had been... interesting, being in a place named for its romantic qualities with Peril. Now the idea of going back with her was not unappealing in the least, assuming he could keep his composure. Really, the idea of going anywhere with Peril was appealing. He'd come to appreciate her presence in his life more and more, the significance of which was not completely lost on Secunda.
He'd never been close to someone other than family before. He'd had friends, but he'd never quite craved their attention and acceptance like he did Peril's. What that meant - well. Closeness - and, dare he say it - romance had never been a forte of his. He was vaguely aware that where they were headed could very well hold more embarrassment in store for him.
Having spent too much time in his own thoughts, he returned to the conversation at hand. "Yes, for all their strange colors the forest was... interesting. Beautiful, and unique, like everything else in the Valley." He wondered again if he'd spoken too forwardly, and quickly reached for a distraction.
In the water near the shore's edge, fish flitted, dark streaks in the deep blue of the pool. Seeing them reminded him that they hadn't stopped for food on the way to the falls, and he was suddenly aware of his hunger. "Do you... know how to fish?" He asked, part of him honestly wondering, part of him trying to provide some escape route from the emotional confrontation he had just moments before accidentally steered them towards.
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Post by Cascade on May 17, 2014 15:24:42 GMT -5
Peril pretended like she was focusing on an extraordinarily interesting lily pad, but she was side-eyeing Secunda like nobody's business trying to gauge his reaction to what she'd said about the Forest of...that pink forest they went to. The elk in the room was smothering, and she just needed to know if he liked her. 'Okay? Would that be good enough? Let's not get ahead of ourselves here...' Peril's mind was a flurry of conflicting voices, and when she tried to shush them they would just speak up louder about Secunda's strong jaw and sexy voice. If she could just satiate those a little bit, maybe her heartbeat could go back to normal when he looked at her.
Peril's own concept of relationships and family had gotten off to a shaky start. Her parents had abandoned their pack to live a loner's life, and she hadn't even grown up with any siblings. Until she joined the Honovi she hadn't had much of any experience around wolves, especially male wolves, so how was she supposed to know how to act in this predicament?
He broke away from the topic of the forest to ask her about fishing, and Peril frantically tried to figure out whether it was just a cover or a sign of genuine disinterest. It was better to overthink things and keep her from embarrassing herself to him than to underthink things and get carried away with herself. To make things even worse, Secunda had just asked her if she knew how to fish, and she'd never done it in her life.
"Of course I know how to fish!" she said hurriedly, joining his side at the edge of the pool, "I once caught a fish that fed the Honovi for two days. I caught it from the lake and it took all of my strength just to haul it to the shore, they had to travel to the lake to eat it because it was too large to be moved." She stared unblinkingly into his eyes with an expression of what she hoped look like confidence and sincerity. She hoped it would be enough that he wouldn't actually ask for a sample of her amazing skills.
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Post by Gyllbane on May 17, 2014 16:25:36 GMT -5
She didn't seem put off by his sudden change of subject - good thing, too, because he wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle an upset Peril. He gave her an amazed look as she regaled the tale of her fishing exploits. "Really! Maybe you could give me a few pointers then. We didn't have any bodies of water large enough to fish in, where I'm from." He said, bending to take a closer look at the dark shapes under the water.
"Do you just-" He dipped a paw into the water carefully, the contrast of the cool mountain water against the heat of the sun a relief. He swiped experimentally at one of the fish, leaning further over the edge. If Peril could fish so well, surely he'd be able to figure at least the basics as well. It couldn't be that difficult, right?
Many of the smaller ones had scattered, but there was one that stayed - a rather large one, almost underneath the small rocky outcropping the two sat on. Clearly stealth was the object here, but how would he actually get it onto land? Maybe if he could get his paw under it, he'd be able to toss it up and out of the water. He raised his paw to strike, inching forward.
Of course, what he didn't expect was for the fish to dart under where he was sitting. In trying to compensate for the fish's movement, he'd reached too far forward - he tipped forward face-first into the water, making more than a little splash. He resurfaced a moment later, sputtering and sopping wet. Hastily he scrabbled at the edge of the basin, pulling himself up with no small effort.
Great. He turned to Peril and it was all he could do not to collapse with embarrassment, his face in his paws. "That... didn't quite go as expected."
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Post by Cascade on May 17, 2014 16:39:27 GMT -5
Peril panicked for a moment when Secunda asked her for fishing tips. The watering holes in their homeland didn't even have fish, did he seriously expect her to know how to do it? Probably yeah considering she had just touted herself as an expert, but still! Thankfully he took the initiative before she had to prove her skill, and even more thankfully he was utterly inept.
Normally, getting splashed with water would have irritated her to no end. She hated the feeling of wet fur clinging to her hide, but she couldn't help but find Secunda's buffoonery strangely endearing. And, the fact that he scared the fish away and got her off the hook was a big plus, though she wouldn't tell him that of course. She returned his sheepish expression with a wide grin, "Man...you're terrible. But that's okay, it was a good show. Heck, if this were a diving competition I'd say you would have gotten a silver medal," she laughed, but not mean-spiritedly, "Fish is overrated. We can catch a nice rabbit before we head home and have that, hm?"
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Post by Gyllbane on May 17, 2014 18:45:16 GMT -5
Secunda found himself grinning despite his predicament; Peril's amusement was contagious, even if he was dripping wet. "At least it's a respite from the heat." He said lightly - indeed, the dry summer heat was abated by the gentle breeze that had picked up. He was glad she didn't seem fazed by his rather unbecoming stunt, and something in him wondered if she would have fared any better. But, of course, she was a fishing master; doubtless she would've at least avoided the plunge he'd taken.
But rabbit did sound better than the rather oily prospect of fish, and he nodded at her suggestion. "I may be inept at catching fish, but rabbit, I know." He stretched himself out on the dry stone below him, the warm granite comfortable under his quickly drying body.
He had an idea, then, and before he could convince himself otherwise, he voiced it. "Why don't we go to that place this evening? The Lunar Meadows, I mean- as long as we're out of the packlands." It would satisfy both his drive to see the Valley and his interest in staying with Peril - if she wanted to go with him. Besides, if it was even half as beautiful as she said, it might inspire... something.
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Post by Cascade on May 18, 2014 10:04:36 GMT -5
Peril nodded in agreement, "Nothing beats the heat better than a dunk in the pool," she said, laughing light-heartedly, "Rabbit sounds pretty good right about now, doesn't it?" it certainly sounded good to Peril, who could feel the her stomach beginning to rumble just a bit. The last thing she had eaten was an armadillo that she found waddling around the bluffs, and those glorified rats weren't exactly gourmet fare. Even more enticing than a decent dinner was the prospect of spending an evening with Secunda in the Lunar Meadow. It was the most, dare she say it, romantic spot in the valley, and if the forest had had an effect on them she couldn't imagine how the sight of thousands of flowers blooming in the moonlight wouldn't.
"Hey, that's an idea," she said, trying not to sound too excited, "Yeah, we can do that. I mean, if you want." She side-eyed him again, about as skilled in feelings as Secunda was at fishing. Thankfully there wasn't much opportunity for it to get really awkward, because she gave a sudden yelp as she felt something wrapping around her tail. "Oh come on, I wasn't even thinking about it!" she complained when she whipped around to find long, curly blades of grass. This was definitely not okay with her, and she looked pitifully to Secunda, "I'm going to get strangled in my sleep one of these days."
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Post by Gyllbane on May 18, 2014 12:49:49 GMT -5
Well, she certainly seemed excited enough about the Lunar Meadows. It could only mean good things, he told himself, if she was willing to spend more time with him. His train of thought was quickly derailed by Peril's power resurfacing - he managed to not jump away this time, but Peril's reaction had spooked him a bit nonetheless.
"You didn't consciously do that?" He asked, more curious than wary; it was still Peril, after all, and he trusted her not to let her powers get totally beyond control. "I mean, there's not a lot that grass can do to harm you. I don't think you should be too concerned - we still have a lot to learn." He had to hold back a sigh at the strange machinations of the mountain's Power; had Sheba intentionally given them some volatile version of the powers they'd asked for? He wouldn't have put it entirely past her, but then he couldn't quite imagine Sheba being quite that meddling. Geist, maybe, for all he'd heard about her. Some shameful part of him was thankful that he hadn't had any mishaps with his power yet, but he had a sinking feeling that it was just a matter of time.
"It's just trial and error, right?" He stared down at the immovable rock below them. It was still difficult to believe he could control it - all he'd been able to do so far was flick a pebble at himself - hardly a mastery of stone. He half-willed the rock to show him its secrets and before he knew it, a flat piece of granite the size of his paw had detached itself from the stone, floating only an inch or so above where it had previously been. His sudden surprise flung the stone outward, skipping it over the water a few times before it sank to the bottom of the basin. He looked up at Peril, a look of consternation on his features. "I'm not sure I'm faring any better than you are."
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Post by Cascade on May 18, 2014 18:27:36 GMT -5
Peril shook her head without taking her eyes off the grass, "I didn't do it...I mean I obviously did, but I didn't do it on purpose." He was well-meaning, but his words didn't do much to set her at ease, "I know grass isn't supposed to be able to hurt you, but it's also not supposed to be able to move, so I'm not taking any chances with this crazy stuff."
She would have been just fine leaving it at that and leaving to catch some dinner, but apparently Secunda saw her powers rise up to overtake her and decided that it looked fun. She had to admit, watching a piece of stone break itself off and fling itself across the water was pretty impressive. Much more impressive than the little pebble flick he did the first time. "Of course you're faring better than me," she huffed, "the stones are moving away from you." She was annoyed that he was making more progress than she was. He was already making stuff fly around, and she seemed to have taken a step backwards and lost what little control she'd had...and all to the grand effect of making some grass look especially tasteless. How could he be doing better than her? Had he been practicing in secret to try and get ahead of her? That dirty little...
"Well. That was fun. Want to go now? I'm pretty hungry." The sooner they got out of here the better. Peril pushed against Secunda's flank with her nose, urging him to get up and get moving before he started throwing boulders around or something.
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Post by Gyllbane on May 18, 2014 18:35:50 GMT -5
He frowned briefly at her first statement; he hadn't been trying to show off - really, he'd had very little idea what he'd been doing. "I'm sure you'll get it eventually," He said earnestly. He really did believe in her; he knew at the very least that Peril was determined, and he had no doubt that that nature would allow her powers to flourish.
The gray wolf grinned at the offer of food, jumping to his feet and trying to concentrate less on the feeling of Peril's muzzle against his side - as comfortable a gesture it was - and more on his growing hunger. "That sounds wonderful."
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