Rocks [tagged]

[Meds]

Tiel

Fia;

Fia prowled through the grasses on the outskirts of the Ruins. She had seen them plenty of times before—but she had never been brave enough to properly approach them until now. She had heard lots of rumors about them, of the fights that happened there, of the rituals that took place...
She knew she would have to do that ritual some time if she ever wanted to move up within Midnight Silence. She wasn't scared or anything... But looking it over first might not be a bad idea.

Red and white-mixed fur rippled in the late afternoon sun. Fia had woken up very early, all the way back in Midnight Silence territory. Since then she had hustled all throughout the day to make it to the Ruins. Now that she was here, though, she was finding it just a little bit difficult to take that first step towards the strange, straight structure.

"It's only rocks," She huffed to herself, peeking her head out of the grass and gazing up. It was quiet—she was alone. "Just rocks and that's it, anyway." She was convincing herself. Amping herself up. "Come on, Fia." In and out of the grasses once more, just by a nose. Her little heart was thudding rapidly in her chest, and her honey-eyes wide. She was lucky she was alone, actually—because if somebody else had been there she would have had to go. This way she could go on her own time. Something about the structure was ominous. She knew of many pack-pups that had met their doom at the foot of this very structure. It was so quiet...

She made it so far as to step out of the grasses fully, but then froze in her steps. She didn't back and hide once more, but she didn't move forward either...
"Just rocks." Her voice built in volume. "Just rocks!"

[Tiel]

Midori:

Home was far. The sun was creeping lower. Home was far. The shadows of the trees pressed in. Home was so, so far. Midori was beginning to regret the decisions she’d made in the past twenty-four hours.

Just that morning, she had been playing with her sisters in the meadow, Mother and Father close by. It had been all fun and games until they started fighting over who was the bravest among them, and Midori, too passive to disagree, was labeled the most in need of defending. They didn't say it in a mean way. In fact, they sounded protective over their small, cowardly sister. But that didn't make it hurt less. Internally wounded, she didn't let her true feelings show and accepted her role in their game as rescuee. Brave White-Wolf Kuu and courageous Alphess Rhul fought fearless Warrior Ka and evil Shadow Master Nyxena until nap time. Midori did not sleep.
“I can be brave,” she whispered fiercely to herself, but couldn’t seem to truly believe it. There had to be a way to prove herself to her stout-hearted sisters. Midori would make them see.

So she ran away. Who was the coward now? None of her sisters had yet left Tranquil Meadows, which would make her the first to see the rest of the valley. Midori didn't plan on going far. She just wanted a look around the outskirts of the territory to impress her siblings. Her parents wouldn't even notice her absence before she returned.

Unfortunately, Midori had overestimated her sense of direction. Since she never used it, her nose wasn't developed enough yet for tracking, so it wasn't long before she realized she was lost. She desperately hoped she wouldn't encounter any evil wolves.

A mess of fear and guilt, she prowled below the trees, tripping over roots and fallen branches. While she was familiar with trees such as the ones in the copse and the one her family’s den had been constructed under, she had never seen a real forest before. It was darker than she would have guessed, sunlight blocked by the thick canopy above. So different from the warm, happy meadow she had just left behind. It felt like a labyrinth. There was no way of knowing whether or not she was headed in the right direction. She prayed to Taboo she wasn't going in circles. The forest looked and smelled the same no matter where she went. But then… what was that gray spot up ahead? A boulder? Had she gone so far that she had reached a mountain? Though she was afraid, she knew she had few options at this point, and further investigation might help her out.

She inched her way closer. Slowly, she stuck her head through the bramble to take a look. What she saw, she had trouble understanding. Slender stone figures shot out of the grass, smooth and unearthly. She might’ve been terrified if she weren't so confused.

“Just rocks,” said a voice, and Midori leapt back. Another pup? Her spirits rose a little. “Just rocks!” Midori pushed through the bramble and slunk around the edge of the strange figures, scanning the area. Her eyes landed on a red and white pup, about the same age as her.

“Hello,” she said timidly, running a paw through the dirt in front of her. Perhaps this pup could help her out. And even if she couldn't, Midori much preferred this to being alone.

[Meds]

Fia;

Fia had just about worked up the courage to take another step now that she was out of the bushes, when another voice broke her concentration. Honey-eyes widened and she swiveled quickly, the small ruff along her black-speckled back rising. Fia didn't appreciate being snuck up on. Fortunately, her misgivings all but vanished when she was met with the sight of another pup. Well, pups were ok. Fia had grown up with all of her siblings around her—she wasn't scared of pups. But this one didn't smell of Midnight Silence, nor did she smell like the Loner that Fia had met. Granted, all Loners probably smelled a little bit different, but something about the way this pup smelled made her want to wrinkle her nose.
She was white, but not so white as to be pure... more like misty clouds on a mysterious day. Fia's brow rose, but she chose not to be impressed by the dappled green along the stranger's back and face. Coat colour meant nothing (except for hers, which was a pretty mix of white-ice and red-fire).
"Who are you?" The question was blunt, spoken from a slightly lifted chin and a broadened chest. Fia dearly hoped that the new pup hadn't heard any of what she had been saying. That stuff was embarrassing. "I'm not scared to go over there." She added, pursing her lips slightly.

To prove her point, she swiftly moved forward, towards the slender, pristine stone. Her face was resolute as she passed by the pups line of sight, but the moment the stranger was behind her, Fia's eyes widened in fear. She halted once more, not yet at the structure, and turned. She sat, her back to it as if she didn't care at all.
"I bet you're scared. You look scared." Her voice was pretty even considering.

[Tiel]

Midori:

The other pup’s expression changed as soon as she caught sight of Midori — her demeanor turned almost hostile. Timid, Midori backed up a few tail lengths.

“Who are you?”

“Midori,” she said softly but immediately. “Who— Who are you?”

The other pup looked and smelled different. Having never been outside Tranquil Meadows, Midori only knew the scent of fellow pack-wolves. Whatever the pup in front of her was, Midori hadn't a clue. She knew only that she was not of Eternal Snowfall — and, being clever for her age, knew also that she had not wanted Midori to hear what she had been saying to the rocks.

“I’m not scared to go over there,” the other pup said, lips pursed and chest puffed out. Midori knew what too-much pride looked like, even if she couldn’t quite conjure a word for it. It was a weakness, she supposed, but Midori didn’t mind it much — she kind of liked being the one other wolves paid less attention to. Being watched was stressful. She much preferred doing the watching.

“I bet you're scared,” said the stranger. “You look scared.”
This upset Midori. After all, hadn’t she run away to prove the opposite? She wished she could be bold like this pup, or at least appear that way.

“Yeah,” Midori said gloomily. “My sisters think so, too. That’s why I came out here — to be brave.” It was surprisingly easy to let her feelings out to this stranger. Perhaps it was because they were the same age, or maybe she had just been lonely in the woods all by herself. It definitely felt better to have company on this perilous adventure. Midori tilted her head at the pup with her chin and tail up stoically. It seemed that some of her courage was easing Midori’s anxiety.
Suddenly, she had an idea.
“Hey, since you’re braver than me, maybe you could show me how to be brave! Then, when I go home to my sisters, I won’t be so scared anymore!”

[Meds]

Fia;

The new pup said her name softly. Fia almost didn't hear it, but could guess well enough.
"Well I'm Fia," Fia said, sniffing the air in front of her, memorizing the stranger's scent. She didn't smell like anything Fia had smelled before. Almost sweet, she thought. It wasn't a very nice smell—but not totally unpleasant, either. Perhaps it was of flowers?

When Fia accused the other little pup of being scared though, her face fell. Fia's frown stayed in place—but she actually felt something close to guilt squeeze her chest. She supposed she hadn't had to be so difficult right away. She didn't even know this pup, after all...
When Midori admitted she had come to the rocks to feel braver, however, Fia's face really did light up, all hostility forgotten.

"Me too!" She yipped, eyes wide. She looked behind her slowly, the excitement of having something in common causing her to forget that she was trying not to let on that she was afraid. She was still braver than Midori, but maybe just a little bit of help to be even braver wasn't a bad thing. Midori got the idea at the same time, exclaiming that Fia could help her. Fia's tail batted the air behind her. "Ok," She said, inhaling. "I think we have to go on the rocks." But they were still so far away. Fia wasn't sure if it seemed worse or better at this distance. "Right?" She turned back, clearing her throat.

"I can go first because I'm the daughter of the most powerful wolves in the valley, and I need to be the bravest." SHe paused, meeting Midori's eyes. "But if you walked pretty close behind me, I wouldn't tell. If you're scared I mean." She swallowed hard. Something about the straightness of the lines was beyond intimidating.
She took a few steps, then glanced back to make sure Midori was there. Not that she cared or needed her. But then she paused.
"Where are you from, anyway?" May as well get to know her. Besides... the rocks would still be there. And maybe delaying it for a few minutes wasn't the worst thing in the world, anyway.