End of my Rope [Symphony]

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The cool spring air was a fresh requiem from the cold, and it wasn't so hot that it was unbearable, but still the ill equipped wolf found himself struggling to keep his legs moving. One foot in front of the other, his sides heaved as he fought to keep his balance, he'd been travelling for several days now and was exhausted. He let out a hoarse fit of coughs and looked around, feeling relief wash over him as he spotted a stream nearby, "Water...Finally." Mustering up his strength, he began heading towards it at a brisk but unsteady pace, his weak heart thudding in his chest as if threatening to give out.

When he finally made it to the stream he immediately let his skinny frame lower to the ground, craning his neck to lap at the water as he caught his breath. He'd been running off and on for a while now, he didn't know why, but felt it was something he had to do. He lifted his head and looked around him, mumbling softly "At least this forest looks peaceful." He allowed himself a soft chuckle, leaning to lap more from the stream as he attempted to regain his strength.

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The forest had become her region of contentment as the seasons continued to wash by. At first the blushed landscape only made her swell with heartache, but in time, grew to realize the true significance of this place.

It was common for the young and unwary go come through here,looking for their one, true companion: a soulmate. She'd seen it happen once or twice, but for the most part, the encounters were brief, and frivolous. There was nothing wrong with that, of course, although she only offered guidance to those with more brains than instinct. At least, those of a more rational mind were more keen to listen.

One of the nearby streams held its one, interesting visitor for the evening (is this time of day all right?), and she felt that now would be a good time to manifest. Far upstream, the translucent form of a pale pink wolf walked steadily towards him. Her form bore no scent, nor sound, and even as her narrow paws stepped within the water, they did not cause the stream to ripple.

She was thin and lanky, perhaps similar to how he was he was, except her body was covered in a thick layer of fur- which made her seem much larger (and healthier) than she actually might have been. Her abdomen bulged out from the sides, and her stomach hung low and rounded. Behind her, a long and feathery tail curled off of the ground- but only a little. As the form moved closer, her form solidified, and her paws -at last- rippled the water beneath her. But still no scent.

The wolf stopped a good distance away and remained quiet as if patiently waiting to be noticed.

Note: My posts usually aren't this long! 

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The sound of the stream was a comfort to the frail wolf as he rested his head against his paws, staring into the trickling waters as he pondered what drove him here. He'd almost found a home, or so he thought, but the moment the leader of the small group saw him, he bulled him over and chased him off, "I'm not diseased..." Unhealthy, sure, but it wasn't something anyone else could catch. He sighed, all he wanted was a place to call home, where he wouldn't have to run away anymore.

He lifted his head and looked around him, finally taking in his surroundings fully. The landscape was actually quite beautiful, it held a relaxing air, romantic though he couldn't place why. But he enjoyed it, and felt he could stay here a while, make it his temporary home until some misfortune drove him away, he looked down mournfully, it always did.

It wasn't a scent that caught his attention, there were no scents at all in the surrounding area, at least not any that smelled like another creature. But he felt a presence, he was not alone near this bubbling stream, he staggered to his feet and pulled his tail between his legs, looking around with wide eyes for the source of that feeling when his eyes caught a flash of something. A wolf? He relaxed a little, cautiously stepping towards the wolf, "O-oh....Hello..." There was something about her, why did she not give off any scent?

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The apparition drew her ears back and hung her tail when she saw him tucking his own, Her head lowered in a further attempt to seem smaller, as if it would reassure him. "Hello there." She replied, her voice calm and melodic. "I've never seen you here before," spoken like she knew everyone who passed through these woods.

The vibrant pink canopy glowed like fire beneath the evening sun, and birds could be seen flitting through the high branches. She moved slowly, stepping out of the stream and onto the opposite side of the narrow bank. The wolf didn't face him completely, so as to not seem imposing, and instead turned her side to him whilst looking away. Her ears swiveled, however, staying trained on him.

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Salem relaxed further, her body language and calm voice put his mind at ease, and his breathing evened out in response, but this wolf was still strange, and he wanted to know more about her. What was she? He gave her a small smile and pulled his tail into a more relaxed position, "I-I only just got here, I needed a safe place to rest for a bit." He quirked his head to the side, "W-what's your name?" He stepped a little closer and gave a nervous smile, "My name is Salem!"

He'd heard whisperings of ghosts from other wolves along his travels, but he'd never imagined they existed. But her lack of a scent made him wonder if that was what she was, was that a rude thing to ask a wolf? He realized he was probably staring and looked away nervously, she probably thought he was nuts!

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She nodded in response to his words, and made sure to calmly return the smile he'd given her. "Salem, is it?" as she lifted her head, her tail waved behind her. "You may call me Sophy."

Staring or not, she didn't seem to mind. He wasn't intending to make himself a threat, or at least an obvious one. A paw took a small step towards him as she pointed her nose in his direction. She slowly leaned forward on her front legs, eyes fixated upon his coat. "You have such beautiful markings, Salem." Scarlet eyes blinked slowly as she examined him.

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Salem relaxed completely when she spoke again, being put at ease by the friendly tone of her voice, "Sophy, that's a very pretty name." She was a very pretty wolf, he noted the way her own coloration and markings complimented the place, "Is this your home?" He smiled, she looked like she fit right in here, though he still wondered if she might be an ethereal wolf from the other side, she was kind, and that was all that mattered to him.

He smiled and looked a little bashful when she complimented his coat, chuckling softly and turning to look himself over in the reflection of the waters, "Y-you think so? Th-thank you!" Most wolves tended to think he looked a bit spooky, he shuffled a front paw and smiled, "You're one of the few kind wolves I've met...Most kind of run me off..." He looked a little sad as he said that, he was glad that for once he wasn't being chased away.

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Sophy offered a humble grin at the compliment to her name, "Why, thank you," a light chuckle followed. At the question, she took a small breath. "It is," followed by an exhale. "For now, at least. I don't stay in one place for too long."

Needless to say, she was entertained by the way he looked himself over. Her right ear flickedas he continued to speak. "Run you off...?" her tone bore some alarm. "-a polite wolf such as yourself? That's horrible!" Sophy rose her head and pitched her ears forward with confidence. "Well, if I can help it, I won't let something like that happen to you here." The pink wolf lightly hopped across the stream, and drew closer to him.

She faced him now, curling her tail around her side as she looked into the forest. "Making a wolf feel unwelcome would kind defeat the spirit of this place, anyway."

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Salem chuckled softly at this, he knew what that was like, he often wondered if he would ever find a permanent home, every place he stopped seemed to just not fit, "I know how that is, I'm still looking for home..." He nodded and sat back on his haunches, lowering his head a little bit, "Yes, my health isn't the best, it never has been...And a lot of wolves don't understand that they cannot catch what ails me." He looked back up at her with a genuine smile at that, his face lighting up a little and his tail waving in something akin to a wag, "Thank you, that really means a lot to hear." He didn't flinch or show any nervous signs when she came closer, and looked around as she spoke, "Where is here anyway? I am not familiar with the area!" This forest was so strange, the colors and overall atmosphere were like nothing he'd encountered so far on his travels.

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Sophy gave him a little grin and pawed at the cool soil beneath her. "Why, here is the Forest of Love, Salem! These oaks are known far and wide within the Valley for bringing unwitting wolves together beneath the fires of the setting sun," she commented with some amusement as she turned her nose back to him. The wolf took a short breath, then sighed softly. "It is a lonely wolf's paradise." Sophy swiveled her ears outward and walked across the stream once more.

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Salem smiled as he listened to her speak, it felt very true, after all it had brought them together, though he ventured that she might of meant in more romantic ways, still, the idea of a forest with that kind potential was a nice thought, "Really? That sounds very lovely, I might stay here a while." He chuckled softly, "The atmosphere here is much more calming than anywhere else." He smiled and followed after her, his curiosity getting the better of him, he had to ask, "So uh, where do you come from?" He tilted his head, his eyes innocently questioning, "You carry no scent...I hope that isn't rude to point out." The last thing he wanted to do was offend or hurt this kind wolf.

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"Stay as long as you like, so long as you don't mind juveniles pining for attention, with their starry-eyes and hyperactive tails. It's kind of cute, really." Sophy spoke in fondness as she led him up the stream from where she'd come. "I was born in the Grasslands," she responded, perhaps a bit too vaguely. An ear swiveled towards him as the commented on her lack of aroma. "No, it is not rude," she smiles softly and looks to him again. "You will piece my circumstance together soon, if you have not already." Her head rose as she continued, ears pitching forward. "You seem like a smart wolf, Salem."

The direction she led them in drew them deeper into the pink forest, and the sun grew warmer in the multi-colored sky. Her weight didn't displaced the soil beneath much, but the light step of her footsteps could still be heard.

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Salem couldn't help a genuine chuckle at that, the idea of seeing young wolves frolicking along with their to-be love interests, that dazed look of puppy love in their eyes, it was an amusing though, "I think I will manage such a sight, it is rather adorable." He followed her as she continued along their path, his ears perking and looking very curious now, she was being quite vague, but he didn't mind that, if she didn't feel totally comfortable sharing he certainly wouldn't press it, "I grew up somewhere around the hidden glade." He thought fondly of his home with his mother, the memory darkening when he thought to his father, but he shook those thoughts away as he addressed her once more, "W-well I...I kind of thought you might be a ghost but...I thought it rude to ask that." He looked a little bashful, "In case I brought up any bad memories, but, are you?" He tilted his head as he followed her, enjoying the warmth.

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"The glade?" she thoughtfully gazed upwards. "I've passed through once or twice."

Her gaze wandered back to him when he spoke up. "I suppose it is rude depends on who you are asking, Salem. For me, however.. I have had time to cope with the truth." Her eyes softened, and her form began to lose its opacity. "But you are right. This is how I am now, thanks to the Power." Sophy gave him a warm smile, then looked forward as she continued to walk. The stream seemed to go on for a while, passing through the forest until it stopped at some large, snowy slope. She chose to stop for now. Her ears and tail were calm as she gazed into the treeline.

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The young wolf nodded and smiled softly, "Mmhm, I was raised there, my family still lives there...I think." He looked thoughtful, "I haven't been back there since I was run out of the family." He chuckled softly and looked up at the sky, "it was a lovely place to grow up though."

He watched with slight wonder ash she shifted from solid to a more transparent appearance, she seemed to blend and shift with the forest as they walked, it was a beautiful sight, if not sad. He smiled a dipped his head, "I am glad you have coped well, it doesn't seem like an easy thing to cope with." He wondered now how she came to be in such a state, but that would be rude to outright ask, if she brought it up he would, but otherwise he would remain content wondering, "I fear that my end will come sooner than later..." He pulled his ears back and sat down when they stopped, sighing softly, "I do not hold any powers, but now I am curious." He smiled and looked up at her, "What powers did you hold?"