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 Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:27 pm
'Not what she meant? Okay, I can live with that~' Teles thought, slightly relieved. As Tael got up, so did Teles, though she only stretched her body with a wide yawn before sitting upon her haunches and watching as Taelence brought out...
A kit?
A male kit at that. He was a dark, regal looking kit, his pelt sparkling like the stars in the sky. So distracted with his mesmerizing pelt, Teles didn't even consider the implications of this new fox into Tael's family and her human's care.
Her eyes flickered a second as he bowed his head and an ear flicked back. She really wasn't sure how to treat this fox, or even how to respond. Taking a deep breath, she said the first thing that came to mind...
"You do not need to refer to me as 'Lady'. Teles will do...Ariston." She murmured, raising an eyebrow delicately with a curious look at Tael.
She had some explaining to do later.
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:50 pm
Taelence felt like smacking herself on the forehead. Or better yet, smacking Teles.
Great Teles, she thought wryly. Great first impression. What am I going to do with you?
Ariston raised an eyebrow at Teles's tone, but didn't comment.
Instead he bowed and said simply:
"As you wish,"
Her voice is beautiful, he thought to himself. Almost like.......no! It can't be! This vixen cannot be her. She cannot. Can she?
He sat on his haunches and watched the two vixens in his company. Taelence would explain his presence and then leave. Then...well what would come would come. Something told him though, that it would be one hell of a ride.
Taelence moved closer to Teles and then led her a little ways away from Ariston. She studied Teles for a moment before taking a deep breath.
"Teles...I asked Ariston here for a reason, you understand that right?" she floundered for a moment before blundering on.
"When I was younger, my parents wanted for me to be nothing but a perfect child. Never fussing, never questioning, never being myself. It was a while before I managed the courage to leave, but when I did...well you can imagine that there were some...problems...that I had to deal with."
"Ariston grew up with six Brothers and Sisters and was raised by his Grandfather, a great Wiseman and Mystic. While his brothers and sisters left home as soon as they were able, he stayed to learn his Grandfather's trade."
"Eventually Ariston realized that he didn't believe in most of what his Grandfather had taught him and left himself. His Grandfather did, however, teach him the basics and so he decided to travel the world to add to his knowledge," she looked into Teles's eyes. "He's one of the most renown Mystics today."
"Now part of a Mystic's job isn't always to read the stars, predict the future and speak in riddles. Sometimes all they do is listen to your problems and offer advice. I met Ariston as he was traveling around here. And he was exactly what I needed. We talked for a while and he helped me through the main things that had bothered me. In gratitude, I promised him a place to live if and when he decided to stop wandering," she wondered if Teles understood anything she was saying. It was a whole lot of information to take in. "He came to us, Crimson and I, and asked if my offer was still up. We said yes and he moved in."
She hesitated.
"But I asked him for a favor with a situation I was having, hoping he could help. Hoping he can still help,"
"That's why he's here today...to help........you,"
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:31 pm
Teles didn't need any encouragement to move away from Ariston, her strides quick and short until Tael stopped. Stopping herself, she faced her friend, keeping an eye on the male fox using her peripheral vision.
...and it hit her!
He'd been there, watching them, this whole time! Her ruff bristled and she felt the beginnings of a growl rumble in her throat, though it never made a sound. She didn't much care that he could have seen her wet, but didn't appreciate the fact that he was watching them...effectively spying on her, more or less.
Her eyes had narrowed for a moment before relaxing to their normal size as she looked at Tael, awaiting her explanation. What she said was interesting enough. The fox was a Mystic...someone who could read the stars and predict the future - though she was extremely skeptical of such things. Her ears flicked back and forth as she processed the information her friend gave her, storing it away so she knew as much as possible about this new fox. It was a nice story, overall, how they'd offered him a place to stay...it was just like Tael to do that...and Teles was fairly sure if she didn't have her own human, that Taelence would have asked the silly fish-bird-girl to take her in as well.
And doubtless, she would have accepted.
And it was at that point that Taelence let the news out, that very crucial thing she'd been keeping secret. Teles' ears swept back and she was upon her paws in an instant, leaning back and looking at her friend with an incredulous expression.
"Tael!" She hissed in a loud whisper before her tone resumed a normal - if slightly elevated - tone. "I do not need help! I'm fine! ...or...at least, I will be fine! I just need a bit of time~!"
She took a deep breath and paced in a tight circle, slender legs moving in quick, flicking motions with every step. "I...I appreciate the gesture in the grand scheme of things...but I don't normally talk about my feelings with other foxes...other foxes that I don't know, even if he is your foster brother!"
She turned her eyes, her wide, pleading eyes, onto her heart's desire, her friend, her Taelence. Those eyes were wide and pleading, yes, but there was a bit of defiance there, something she tried to smother because she knew Tael didn't mean any insult by bringing Ariston in hopes that she would be able to just spill everything for the Mystic to dissect and direct her on the "right path" again.
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Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:07 pm
Taelence watched as Teles took in the huge amount of information that she'd given her. She visibly cringed when she saw what was clearly written on her face.
Yes he was following us, she thought. But if she's not going to mention it then neither am I.
Tael slightly laid her ears back as Teles finally realized why Ariston was there. Emotions played across the charcoal vixen's face and Tael could read them like one of her favorite books. She was hurt, upset, in pain, angry, and defiant. But Tael was set in her own way, and she would not budge and inch.
She shook her head.
"No Teles. This, whether you want to believe it or not, will help you. And you do need it. I wouldn't do this for you if I didn't think it was best," Taelence hardened her eyes and her tone. She'd never be able to do this if she showed weakness. Her whole body refused any other answer Teles might give her.
"You will stay here. You will talk to Ariston. You will do this, because I wish for you to. You will do this because you love me and because I have asked you to. What's more is you don't have a choice," Tael quickly snuggled into Teles's neck fur and licked her snout.
Then she turned around and walked towards Ariston where she paused for a second. She turned her head towards him slightly.
"Hurt her and I'll tear you to pieces," she said simply and walked out of the clearing, without looking back once.
What Teles would never see were the tears that streaked down Tael's face.
Ariston watched Taelence go. Then he turned back to Teles.
"She really does mean the best for you," he said calmly. "She cares about you, and she hurts because she sees you hurting. She wants to help make that stop."
In his mind, Ariston compared Teles to the vixen in his dreams. He couldn't lie. There were similarities.
The color of her eyes, the color of her fur. The way she walks. But the vixen in my dreams didn't have those blue-violet markings. And her attitude wasn't so brash. So they're similar...but are they the same?
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:40 am
Teles still had her ears pinned even as Taelence berated her and told her she would indeed be staying and telling Ariston her...troubles.
"I--" She started before being cut off. "But--!"
Again, cut off, but this time because Tael rubbed up against her. Helpless, Teles nuzzled her back with a slight grumble. "Alright..."
The agreement was grudgingly made, but at least it was made. As Taelence paced over to Ariston, Teles' ears and head drooped and she stared after her friend longingly. She'd only gotten back and Tael was leaving. "Don't leave me, Tael..." She whispered, even though she knew Tael wouldn't hear, ears dropping even further as the vixen didn't even look back.
It wasn't long after the white kit was out of sight that Ariston spoke up, causing the hackles on the back of her neck to bristle as she pinned her sapphire eyes upon the male fox.
"You do not need to state the obvious, Ariston. I'm well aware of the fact, yet I also know it's a vicious circle. I hurt, and she hurts because I hurt, and I hurt because she's hurting that I"m hurting. And it'll go on and on unless I get over myself!"
She was up on her feet again, actively pacing back and forth, tail whiplashing to and fro with her movements. She could feel irritation bubbling within herself. At herself, at Tael for leaving, and at Ariston for...well...for being there and stating such a thing when she knew fine well what the situation was already.
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:51 pm
Ariston examined a paw delicately. She could yell at him all she wanted, but Ariston wasn't bothered. What Teles wanted was for him to attack her back, to give her a reason to unleash all of her anger onto him.
Still it would make her even angrier if he didn't take her bait. And then they would start to get somewhere.
So he ignored her snipe at him and continued.
"She's also not leaving you. She understands that you would be distracted if she were to be here. And that isn't going to help anyone," his voice was soothing, like black velvet sliding over your hands.
Had Teles been able to look into his mind however, she might have wondered how he could exude such a calm, cool manner as his inner thoughts were in turmoil.
What if she is?
What if she isn't?
Well what if she really is? Your search could be over with, once and for all.
And if she really isn't then I'll have wasted sweating over it. What am I going to do? Just come out and say 'Hello, you wouldn't happen to be my Siren would you?' No I don't think so.
But if she is and you don't then you could miss your chance? Is social embarrassment really worth the risk of not asking?
Enough! he mentally commanded the inner voice and inwardly sighed. If she is, she is. If she isn't, then she isn't. But arguing about it won't help. And I'm certainly not going to ask if she is. I'll just have to watch and learn to see if she is. Now stop. I can't concentrate properly and help if I can't focus on her.
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:17 pm
Ariston was spot-on when he figured that Teles would be more angry if he didn't rise to the occasion and banter back. What he did do, however, was far worse.
Her ears came up from their pinned position, her head shot up, and she stalked over to him, tail twitching rapidly in her frustration.
"I've just been away for four days of self-inflicted isolation. Maybe I need the distraction more than I need the help. Again, with stating the obvious! But in this regards, you're wrong, Mystic." Her eyes bored into his as she looked down her nose at him (or tried to, as he was taller than her) with a very cold, yet heated stare.
He was dealing with a very pissed off vixen...and one in emotional turmoil. It just wasn't a good mix.
His voice irritated her, the soothing quality only made her more edgy and wired.
Teles bared her teeth and turned back away, tail sashaying angrily behind her form as she resumed pacing, looking every inch like a regal, caged Lioness that was just waiting for even the barest click of the lock to burst out and either flee or go on a rampage.
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:17 pm
The starry fox sat there as the very pissed off vixen got in his face. He sighed and watched as she returned to her pacing.
Oh this is going to be loads of fun, he thought. Thank you so much Taelence for this opportunity.
What neither of them, Teles or Ariston, realized was that Taelence was manipulating both of them. Not in a way that she would gain from their suffering, but in the selfless type of way.
Have you ever had two people that you knew very well, and both were missing something in their lives? This was the situation that Taelence had found herself in. And while she couldn't guarantee the end result to be exactly what she wanted, she had still bet and put two and two together. This whole thing was a gamble that she hoped in the end would pay off.
"I do have a name you know," Ariston commented. Not snidely, just informative and in complete control of his emotions. Teles could loose her temper all she wanted. Ariston would keep his cool. "I've always hated the title Mystic. It's too impersonal, like I'm above others somehow."
Which he was, in the sense that he was a much more knowledgeable fox than others. But never had he once shoved that fact in someone's face.
"And distracting yourself from the pain only postpones it. Better to let it all out at once. That is what this is about anyways," he eyed her calmly. "In fact if you think it will make you feel better you are more than welcome to attack me. Better that all that anger is taken out at once."
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:48 pm
An ear flicked towards the midnight-coloured fox as he spoke, but that was the only indication she even spared the time to listen to him. The kit ground her teeth in frustration before turning her head to glare at him.
"Ariston." She muttered, her voice a scratchy whisper before she hissed the next two words. "I know."
More pacing. Teles' strides grew longer and quicker, slender legs snapping up at every step, yet she still remained at a walking-pace. Her eyes were brimming with temper and bottled emotion...though for the moment they were fixated upon her path she took as she paced.
At his last words, Teles whirled upon the male fox, the ruff on her back fully raised with her teeth bared.
"Do you think so little of me to think I would physically attack another fox without good provocation?!" Her voice had finally broken into a shrieking yell before coming back down to a more reasonable tone. Her fur came down somewhat as she strode towards him. "Shall I should act like you seemingly expect and attack you then, Ariston?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:06 pm
"Only if it will make you feel better," he replied, still calm as ever. "I don't expect anything of you really. After all I am only here to help."
"I would think that would mean something to you though. Taelence obviously loves you tremendously, if she's willing to risk your obvious anger and resentment towards her later. She wants you to get better. Shouldn't you want that for her as well as yourself?" Ariston questioned her. Nothing was said in contempt. Curiosity maybe, but not contempt.
Whether Teles liked it or not, Ariston was, in a sense, her therapist for the day. Getting her to talk was just the beginning. Working through all those problems would be the tough part.
And yet, as much trouble as Teles might give him, he was enjoying himself. The vixen was refreshing...and quite intelligent. Ariston enjoyed putting his wit against others, even if he was still only trying to help. And Teles was a masterful player, whether she realized it or not.
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:24 pm
Ariston completely contradicted himself. Did he do it to make her more volatile? Regardless, it worked. She was now pacing just a short reach away, whirling in her turns.
"But you're here to help, so you obviously expect something!" She growled, eyes snapping to his form for a moment before she resumed her restless pace. "And of course I want Taelence to feel better, but I know it means me feeling better first! If I knew how to do it instead of hiding behind forced cheer, I would!"
The frustrated charcoal kit snarled, suddenly coming to an abrupt stop as Ariston hit his mark perfectly. "She loves me and I love her, and that's the entire damned problem! I'm angry and happy and depressed and confused and completely and utterly devastated she found someone else to spend the rest of her life with. I don't get to be that close to her, and because we do love each other, it's making it all that much harder to be myself around her when I know she's got Chocolate by her side."
Chocolate. The name was spat out like it left a foul taste in her mouth. She didn't have anything against the male kit, he hadn't done anything wrong to her...but that jealousy was there. He had something Teles could not. And it hurt to know it.
One solitary tear leaked from her eye and she pawed at her cheek to roughly wipe it away. "And as much as I'm happy she's found someone to love that much, I'm still jealous that he has her, even if we do have a connection they might not share! It still makes me want to either throw myself against the nearest hard surface and knock myself out or throw myself into the nearest water source and hope I drown!"
Her chest heaved with the sobs she contained in her anger as she resumed her pacing, eyes flicking from side to side with her ears and tail twitching to and fro, completely agitated that not only had she spilled all her feelings, she had completely spilled all her feelings! To Ariston, no less, even though Tael had told her she had better.
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:47 pm
The big fox was moving towards Teles and before she could even comprehend what he was doing he had her head in his paws.
His touch was gentle, extremely gentle, but it wasn't hard to see that if Ariston wanted to, he could probably snap her neck in half. Power radiated from him, immense power, waiting to overwhelm any it touched. Yet Ariston held it in check. He gently wiped the tear from her cheek with a tender look in his eyes.
"Exactly," he said, his voice as gentle as his touch. "I'm here because you don't know how to get over her, not by yourself anyways..."
And with that he let go and backed off. He walked over to the path that would take them to his star gazing meadow and turned back to Teles.
"Walk with me," he said and started off not looking to see if she would follow. Because he knew she would.
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Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:48 pm
As soon as Teles felt Ariston's paws on her face, she froze and tensed up, leaning back as far as she could in her unease. The only other fox she'd really gotten used to touching anywhere near her face was Taelence and to have someone else do something like this was completely unexpected, especially when she could feel that carefully tamped-down power he held.
"What--"
Apparently she had missed the tear, or more had welled up to follow it. The shock faded away as outrage and embarrassment heated her face and she looked away and kept her gaze averted as he let go. She still listened to him, and her rage and everything else she had been feeling faded to a rapid simmer within her.
He seemed to command her to follow him, and as much as she didn't want to give in...she had to admit she was intrigued with this fox, this Mystic named Ariston.
So she followed him.
Even though she stayed several paces behind him, she was still well within talking range, though she didn't seem to be willing to be the conversation's initiator. In fact, she was content to merely walk in silence, nursing her tattered emotions as they walked along.
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:13 am
Ariston stopped for a second as Teles started to follow him and smiled. Then he started up again.
"Loosing a loved one, no matter friend, family, or lover, is never easy. Time is the best bandage. But there are special circumstances when one intervenes on another's behalf. Or maybe the hurt one goes looking for help. But each case is different, and as such I never know where to start to help them. Every time someone comes to me I have to start from scratch,"
He looked over his shoulder and continued.
"You are jealous," he stated, frankly but gently. "Not unreasonable. After all the one you love isn't with you. But you know what Taelence would say if she heard you talking like that. Hitting your head or drowning yourself isn't the answer."
The path was short and they didn't have long to walk. It opened up into the most beautiful meadow which was still in full bloom even in the early twilight. It was a large open space, perhaps two miles all around from the treeline. The sky above was a brilliant purple-orange and the moon was peeking out. It was a perfect area for star gazing. Ariston gestured before him.
"This is where I like to come when my thoughts are troubled. There's nothing here but the flowers and the sky," a star streaked across the sky, lit up by the fading light, and he pointed too it. "Strange, there's not a meteor shower scheduled until later on in the evening..." He shrugged and continued on.
"It's the most amazing feeling really, staring up at the sky. With so much space, it ends up being only you and the heavens," he sighed. "What I'm trying to say is that life is like the sky, if you open yourself to it, there are infinite possibilities. And there are as many other potential lovers as there are stars. Taelence being with Chocolate is not the end of the world, even if it feels like it."
"In the end, the sun will still rise from the east and set in the west as planned. Just like it always has,"
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:42 am
As Ariston began to speak on their walk, Teles began to think that maybe he was alright...he seemed to know what he was speaking about. And then he started to state the obvious. Again. Of course she was jealous. She knew that. She also knew that Taelence would shout at her and berate her for even thinking of hurting herself. A slight growl rumbled in her throat as her annoyance bubbled to the surface. The growl itself was short, but her throat still rumbled soundlessly afterwards.
She was grateful for the silence afterwards as they entered the meadow. Teles refrained from tilting her head downwards to smell the lovely flowers, but she did carefully step around them so she didn't crush them.
She was relieved that when he started speaking, he wasn't pointing out things she already knew about herself. And as he pointed to the star streaking across the sky, her head tilted up ever so slightly so she could catch a glimpse. It was beautiful, indeed. The whole area was. It would have taken her breath away under different circumstances, but only provided enough distraction now so that she didn't growl as Ariston told her it wasn't the end of the world.
She knew that...but she wasn't ready to face that truth when her heart still ached.
So she clung to her brooding silence with stubborn resolve.
Ariston would either have to do some major digging and prying to get her to talk...or get really crafty.
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