Characters: Yorshka, Aldan
869 words, 483 by me


The next morning came quickly for Aldan. He could barely sleep, his dreams plaguing his mind. The problem was, he couldn’t remember them. A low sigh escaped his maw as he stood, watching the wisps flitter and flutter around the two ethereals. “Time to do this,” he whispered quietly, nudging Yorshka in her shoulder.

“Ready, love?” The male asked, waiting for her to rise from her slumber. Today was the day they would leave their home and trek into the unknown. Today may be the day they could find the answers Yorshka’s mind continued to question.

What lay beyond the veil? Today was the day they were going to find out.

Sleep hadn't come easy for the pale beauty, and in her sleep she found no peace in her dreams. She was haunted by demons that crippled her ability to think clearly, and in the aftermath left her exhausted and weak. So yes, it was time to find answers, but did it have to be this early? The smaller female rolled open both of her eyes to glance up at him, frowning beneath a deep sigh.

"Why so early?" To be completely fair, everything felt early lately - the lack of sleep was really starting to weigh on her. Yorshka pulled herself up to face her mate, nodding slowly as she let out a wide yawn. "Mmm-" at first her mumbles were unclear, sitting someplace between tired and muffled, but as she continued to speak she found herself awake, at least enough to function. "I think I'm ready as I'll ever be." the pale female announced, slowly standing up to nuzzle into his chest. For a long moment she allowed herself to linger at his neck, finding comfort in his scent.

"As long as I have you beside me-"

Aldan couldn’t help but smirk.

“Early bird catches the worm, isn’t that what some say?” He grinned, nudging Yorshka again. He noted her tiredness, a frown slow to replace his once jovial gesture. The sooner they figured out her dreams, the sooner they could go back to the normal life. “I will always be beside you,” he whispered into her ear, as he took a small step forward parting from her, as he headed towards the path they traveled many a times.

Take a step. Step again. He let out a small sigh. “Did your dreams plague you again last night?” He inquired, although he was sure he knew the answer.

“It shouldn’t be too far,” he murmured, watching the terrain change to heavier foliage, thornier bushes encasing the pathway edges. It was an area of the veil Aldan didn’t trek a lot, if at all.

Yorshka's little wisp flew frantically around the pair as they neared the torn circle, her eyes ever aware and alert. He was right to comfort her and be that solid point in her life, however, if anything ever happened to him... where would she be? Something in the pit of the pale wolf's stomach stirred as she closed her eyes for a moment, shifting her weight into him. "Do you really think this is a good idea?" her question came followed by a very worried expression. Yes, she needed answers, but at what cost? if anything happened to him...

"I just want to make sure you are confidant when I can not be..." she found herself standing in front of the pulsating portal, her tail tucked between her back legs, her wisp at her shoulder. She would wait for his words before taking that final step into the unknown.

Did he think this was a good idea? Absolutely not. But, if they didn’t do it, what could the two look forward to in their future? Nightmare plagues, unruly visions. The possibilities were endless.

He didn’t give his answer right away. Maybe his momentary hesitation would be picked up, but he had to be strong. “Yes,” he finally mustered, not letting his voice sway.

His own wisp flew from the mangled tree tops, fluttering besides the two. It seemed to buzz anxiously, waiting for its counterpart to make the next move.

He gave her a reassuring nudge. “Of course. I’ll see you on the other side?” He offered. He let his tail wrap around Yorshka’s before giving a slight nod. He’d wait for her on the other side.

"--The other s-s-id-e" the female stammered as her eyes narrowed tightly. Something in the pit of her stomach screamed, displacing all reason within her mind as she took one large step forward. The second the seer entered the light mismatched eyes shut tightly, was this fear? Was this the end? It felt so wrong, yet in a single instant she was gone, vanished from her lover's side.

"What--"

It felt like a life time had passed her, though Yorshka knew it had to have only been a moment. It took a second for her to land on rough earth, her head slamming against stone hard enough to knock herself out cold. The wolf's pale figure lay flat against the earth that held the Stonehenge, unaware of her new surroundings. Yorshka was unconscious, and completely unaware of Aldan's status or if he had followed her through the portal.