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 Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:57 pm
 Novacaine kept glancing over his shoulder as he headed between the trees, making sure that the dark-furred female was following him. He was halfway certain that he might have imagined her. Granted, he had also thought he was imagining Smirnoff, and the lynx had yet to disappear. Imaginary friends weren't so bad, as long as they stuck around.
He'd always wondered how you could tell they were imaginary, anyway. It was like ghosts. What if all the crazy wolves in the world were really perfectly sane, and the world really was the way they saw it, and it was the normal wolves who were blind to reality?
He was so anxious about that, that he'd half-convinced himself he was insane.
But, more importantly, a girl! A pretty girl! And she was following him and acting like he was interesting!
His heart thudded so high in his throat he thought it might choke him. Where could he take her? Where could he possibly go that would be interesting enough for such a lovely dark stranger?
Not anywhere his family was, that was for sure. No way he was going to let his stupid big brother Mayhem ruin this. Or Fubar with all of those dumb mean comments.
He glanced over his shoulder again, and the palest hint of uncertainty glimmered in his green eyes. "So. Um. What sorts of things do you like?" He asked, desperate to try and remember what wolves were supposed to do when they made friends.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:35 am
 Melka had been lost in her own thoughts as they walked, though her attention was on the swaying pink and black striped tail in front of her, enough so that she managed to keep following Novacaine and not get lost, like her train of thought. Somewhere between wondering if the energy-sapping bees could be tapped for their life source and wondering whether birds ever pondered the way their wings worked, she heard the young male's question and looked up, blinking at his unsure gaze.
"Oh, new things! Interesting things! Things I haven't seen before," she offered enthusiastically...and completely unhelpfully. Still, she had a grin plastered over her maw and her dark tail swished back and forth energetically. She'd not been in the area long, so she hadn't seen much of it on her own yet. Surely, living here, Nova would know so many more interesting things to show her, some that she might never have found on her own.
Right?
"Umm..." Melka paused, seeming to think hard before adding, "I don't know? Any interesting rivers, or odd rock formations, or funny-looking trees? Ooo, or what about helaphanumps? Any of those around?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:22 am
His tail swayed, slightly. "That's all of the things I like, too," he responded, seriously, as though her list had been rather more specific than that. He debated his options of what sort of things he could show her, then a wide grin spread over his maw. Ahhh. He knew!
Picking up his pace slightly, he started forward with an eager near-giddiness in his steps, but came to an abrupt halt at her words. He glanced over his shoulder, looking at her with those unnervingly bright green eyes. "What's a helaphanump?"
Trailing behind them, the lynx just shook his head as he glanced around for some opportunity to escape. He suspected this was all going to get more and more ridiculous as the day wore on, and he wanted no part of it.
Still, it was nice to see the kid making friends, he thought. Novacaine was a nice enough wolf, but he sure needed to get out more.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:00 pm
Melka paused, looking rather quizzical. "You know? I don't really know. I've never seen one!" She let out a merry laugh, tail swishing lightly behind her. "Still, if there's a word for it, it must exist somewhere, right? I just thought it might be fun to see one some day. Maybe they live somewhere else though."
The dark furred wolf held her broad grin as she padded after the bright pink male. She'd almost forgotten about his lynx friend, since he certainly didn't say much, but she caught a glimpse of him from time to time, remembering that he was still hanging about. Still, Nova was just so much more fascinating! At least to talk to. Not as much fun to talk to someone who doesn't talk back much. Might as well converse with the rocks and trees.
Though, who knew what the trees might be saying back, if only wolves could understand.
Melka caught up, pausing at Novacaine's side and shooting him a smile. "So? Where are we going?" He'd seemed to be heading somewhere in particular before stopping. And since there probably weren't any helaphanumps around, if he'd never heard of them, best to see what else there was around here.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 1:09 pm
"I go exploring a lot," he said, regaining his confidence slightly. He wondered if it was true that having a word meant that something existed. What did that say about ghosts, and monsters? And, for that matter, did it mean that you could speak something into existence? If you came up with a name for something, could you make it be real? Maybe if you believed in it enough....
"And I found this place that you might like. It's...really pretty. Like you." His ears twisted back in embarrassment as he said this, looking away. He chanced to catch the lynx's eye when he did, and Smirnoff raised a brow and shook his head but made no comment.
Suddenly completely humiliated, he sped up a little and made his way into a copse of trees.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 1:40 pm
Melka's steps faltered for the first time, and she paused as if bewildered. Head tilted in Novacaine's direction, she only blinked and stared in confusion at first. Then, before she could say anything, he darted into the trees and out of sight. Likely out of hearing range too, for all she knew.
Blinking again, she shook her head and started off again, picking up the pace to catch up with Nova before she lost him altogether. She had reached an even lope before pulling up to his side, head cocked curiously at her new friend. "You...think I'm pretty?" she asked, no trace of teasing or mirth now, only wonder.
She kept moving to keep from losing him again, but her eyes dropped from his, suddenly focusing on the vastly interesting ground beneath her paws. When she spoke again, it was a mere murmur, half to herself, "No one's ever called me 'pretty' before...just creepy...or strange..."
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:18 pm
"Well...yes," he mumbled, a definite tinge of embarrassment lurking beneath his rumbling monotone. "Of course I do. You are." He blinked at her, confused as to how she could be unaware of such a bald fact. She was one of the prettiest wolves he had ever met. How could she not know that?
He fell back to his haunches, pulling himself into a seated position as he lifted his maw skyward as though preparing to howl. He said nothing, however, merely gestured with his nose.
Above, the trees looked as though they had been covered in bright golden leaves or flowers -- a whole canopy of gently rustling gold. Once you got a good look at them, though, it became clear that these were not leaves: they were butterflies. Monarch butterflies, hundreds of them, possibly thousand. They clung to tree branches and hung from leaves and blotted out the sun in places.
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:09 pm
Melka continued to shuffle her paws in the dirt, unsure how to answer such a statement. She was used to the accusations that she might be 'creepy' or 'strange' even...was strange such a bad thing? Besides, she didn't understand why they would call her creepy anyway, so she never let it bother her. Most of the time, she simply ignored her accusers and continued on whatever passing train of thoughts she was riding at the time. Not her fault if they didn't want to come along.
But no one ever really said nice things about her, let alone to her face. She...honestly had no idea how to respond. So, she shuffled about awkwardly for a bit, before she realized that Novacaine's attention was no longer directed at her. She glanced up, first with only her eyes, then slowly relaxing her awkward stance. What was he doing?
She padded closer, curiosity outweighing awkward hesitation, and her eyes drifted up to follow his line of sight. By the spirits! The trees were alive! Okay, well, not like that, but...they certainly appeared to be, almost like the trees were breathing! Her eyes widened, attention rapt upon the gently fluttering, shifting light cast by the myriad of tiny wings. She couldn't speak at first, her breath taken by the wondrous sight. Finally, she dared a side-glance at Novacaine, a funny feeling in her chest as she still heard the echo of his words in her ears.
Almost like the butterflies were dancing about in her heart.
Finding her words again, she smiled, but looked back up towards the tree's canopy as she seated herself next to the young male. She leaned casually on his shoulder, her tail absent-mindedly swishing over the ground and brushing against his flank. "Oh, Nova," she murmured, smiling upwards, "It really is beautiful..."
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:25 pm
"They're getting ready to fly away," he said, gesturing with his maw to the fluttering butterflies. "They hatch, and then they rest for awhile, and then they fly away to a new life."
It was funny, he thought -- the butterflies did what he had always wished he could do. What he and his friends and cousins would do, soon. And maybe Melka would even want to come.
If she was uncomfortable, he was oblivious. His green eyes stayed upon the butterflies
"They don't live very long, though. When they lay their eggs, they flutter away and die. Wouldn't it be strange if wolves were like that?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:33 pm
"Hmm," the female murmured, quickly losing herself in the reassuring comfort of her thoughts. Off in the Land of What If and Why.
"Are we really so different?" she proposed. "Maybe there's some other creature out there, just as we are to the butterflies, they may live far longer than we. And they sit at a distance, mulling over the brevity of our lives and wondering what the point is of it all. Meanwhile, wolves give birth, the young grow and take over for the previous generation, then pair off and mate to create more young lives in an endless cycle. Sometimes, afterwards, they 'flutter' away from the young, disappearing to live out the rest of their lives...or perhaps something happens instead, and their life is extinguished shortly afterwards. Not much different from the butterflies, really. Other than not flying, of course."
She paused, then murmured, "Fluttering wolves. I wonder what that would be like?" The thought brought a smile to her muzzle.
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:39 pm
He cocked his head, thinking about it. It made sense, he thought. In fact, now that she mentioned it, it had to be true. Somebody had to be out there who was bigger than a wolf, and smarter, and longer-lived. Maybe this whole world that he lived in was actually really small. Maybe the sun was a firefly and telk was the back of a turtle and....
"Do you think the butterflies ever think about what they're doing?" He asked, and glanced over at Melka, ears piqued forward. This was the most he ever talked. "Or do they just...live."
He wasn't sure which was better. Living without a care, or analyzing and looking for the greater meaning in everything.
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:58 pm
Melka actually laughed at this, mirth bubbling up and spilling forth to shove away the last remnants of awkwardness clinging to her form. She turned sparkling blue-green eyes on Novacaine, and countered with a knowing smirk, "Do wolves?"
She laughed again at this, lightly nudging his shoulder with her own before continuing. "Besides, why can't it be a little of both? Live life, enjoy it, explore and see the world, come what may...and sometimes, maybe something happens that makes you think. Maybe something holds a greater meaning...you reflect on it a while, take what you will from the experience, then move on to the next. Life is an adventure, either way, and best to experience it all, if you ask me."
No one really had...well, Nova had...sorta'...but still, it was how she lived, and she felt she was happy enough. One day, they all had to return to the lifestream, to fuel some other creature's new existence, so might as well make the most of the time you had on your own four paws.
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:04 pm
His tail wagged; everything she said made such perfect sense. And she had touched him, nudged his shoulder. His skin tingled where she had touched it. "I have some friends who are always talking about life being more important," he said, hesitantly. "About seeking a higher purpose, and making new families based on caring about each other."
He glanced over at her, curious how she would feel about this topic. Her opinion would help him to decide on his own opinion. "I don't know about all of that. It sounds nice, though. I think."
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:08 pm
Now it was Melka's turn to perk her ears in interest. A group of friends? Like a family? Like a pack?
"It does sound nice, of course," she commented. "Who wouldn't want to know that someone else cared for them?" Was that a brief look of sadness in her eyes? If it was, it was gone with a blink. "Besides, families aren't only about blood. If they were, then I wouldn't really have any, far as I know!" She tried to laugh the notion off, but there was something hollow in her so-called mirth.
Afterall, blood or no, she didn't have any family either way.
Melka smiled at Novacaine, saying, "Your pack has some smart ideas, Nova." With no knowledge of the error of assumption she'd made, she continued, "It sounds like a lovely group to be a part of. A part of something bigger, made of many, but whole as one," she mused. She'd never been in anything even resembling a pack before. Her past experiences with groups of any kind usually started out well enough, but with time, she grew unwelcomed, until finally she left on her way, much to the relief of those left behind. No one liked her or wanted her around, but she'd accepted this long ago, convincing herself that she was happy to just keep moving instead.
Delusion was a wonderful thing sometimes.
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:34 pm
He ran his paw over the grass, a little nervously. Why was his heart beating so fast? Was that excitement? Why did excitement feel so much like fear? How could you tell the difference between them? Maybe it was that lurchy feeling in his stomach, a butterfly feeling.
Interesting.
"Well. It's not a real pack yet. But they want it to be." His brow furrowed. "They think something bad is going to happen, to the pack we all grew up in. Some kind of disaster or something. So we have to get out."
He glanced back up at her. "I'm not sure I believe it, but I do think we need to get out. Agua Azul is just....it's so full of cousins." And a sort of desperate look came over him, because he wasn't sure how he could explain his really terrible cousins could be.
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