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 Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:34 am
 She sat alone near the precipe of one of Ave's lower cliffs. Nothing that a stumble would mean her death, but enough to scare a pup into not standing close to the edge. It was evening, and the wind was beginning to pick up around her, bringing Autumn's chill. Nashira's head was tilted upwards, skyward to the dying flames above and the puffy clouds that filtered pink. Everywhere things were beginning to die: trees were losing their leaves (not all, though, she noticed), the sun was coming out a little less every few days, animals were beginning to hoard food for the coming months. Bears even "hibernated", she learned. It sounded nice, being in such a deep sleep and not having to worry about the world outside . . .
Nashira was a pup that didn't talk much; Dubhe tended to do that enough. She didn't seem physically inclined to the life of a future warrior, nor nimble enough for a scout or border patrol, nor interested enough in what grew where and what properties they had. Indeed she didn't seem to have any attention to the world around her; it paled in comparison to what she beheld in the sky above. Clouds, stars, sun, moon, they arrested her gaze so that more often than not she could be found in any open area merely looking up. And the birds! Oh the birds that flew in great flocks, they brought a shy smile to her face as if she was a little nervous that they might think it inappropriate to be scoped out so.
It was they that inspired her lucid dreams of flying, so much so that it led her to the present time. Nashira shivered a little as the wind ruffled her fur from the north, but she shook more from the excitement and anxiety of what she was planning to do.
She was sure of it. So sure that all it took was her metaphorical dreams, her literal visions, her passion of sky-watching - so sure that they combined would give her the power of flight if she jumped off the cliff now . . .
Only one thing was stopping her: the sight of the rocks below.
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Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:31 pm
Born at the end of late summer Naoise had not yet experienced the joys of spring and summer, atlas he was faced with getting through his first few tender months during the dying autumn and the bitter hardening winter. He had yet to learn that winters here in the north were harsh and unforgiving though if he never strayed from the protection and sanctuary of his pack he'll never learn of anything different. Even at his tender age Naoise seemed in tuned with his surroundings and nature in general, it all sang to his soul in varying manners. Today was one of the better days, it was clear, without a simply white puff of a cloud in the sky, the air was crisp and he took great lungfuls of air relishing the sensation of the icy cool tingle prickling the tender skin lining his nasal cavity, feeling it rush down his trachea and into his lungs, it was a glorious feeling. On these clear days he like to venture far from the main den area and take the long walk over to Plain's Reach Forest, here few deciduous trees grew and he enjoyed walking among the leaf litter, admiring the graceful ways in which the final few leaves tumbled down from the trees in waves of varying shades golds, reds and oranges.
He stood awestruck for a moment by the simple beauty of a single flurry of golden beech leaves fell and then a sudden gust of wind spiralled them upwards into their final crescendo before their descent to the ground where they would rot and return to the earth from whence they came, their beauty lasting but a few short weeks in their golden splendour but Naoise knew the importance of returning to the earth, giving back to the circle of life but he could not help but mourn their loss a little.
Naoise had seemed to inherit his fathers poetic soul, though of course such a personality trait could not be passed on genetically, he processed a poets soul none the less. He was a somewhat deeply brooding young pup, enjoying solitude much more than company however he would not pass up company if it was offered to him, knowing it had it's own worth and merits however he soon grew frustrated as others seem to lack the patience needed to truly appreciate the simpler things in life and in Naoise's eyes, the greater ones. How naïve he was though, yet to have experienced the true wonders that came from strong loving bonds, that heightening the senses and made everything all the more sensuous.
However upon such a day, his mood was lighter than usual and a rare unaltered smile of pleasure painted itself across his maw and as a single leaf began to fall down in front of him he blew it back up into the air, it flew forwards as well as up and soon he was playing a game of tag with the single beech leaf. The forest thinned without his releasing and as it did a sudden gush of wind grasped hold of his play mate and carried the golden leaf off into the distance. His duel coloured eyes followed it as it flew off, away from the plateau which now dropped away in front of him and away from him. He lost sight of it and his eyes lowered back down to ground level and came to note a larger pup sat precariously upon the edge of the small cliff which marked the plateaus limit. His eyes widen slightly in alarm, she was sat so close to the edge and that lucid expression upon her face was somewhat distressing. He sucked in a large breath and took several steps towards the other pup. His voice came slowly it was musical, a rich medley of liquid notes, 'What is it that compels you to take such a daring position upon the cliffs edge?'
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Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:49 pm
She didn't seem to hear him at first, all eyes upon the jagged ground far below her. It gave her vertigo each time she looked over the edge at it, a swooning light-headedness that thankfully had her retreating back rather than tilting forward. Nashira thought it was weakness; earthly concerns clouding her soul from its purpose. But she was too afraid, too inbred with "logic" about what happens when anything falls from a great height . . .
The pup's ears docked with mixed feelings of shame, replying without turning around. "I wanted to see them," she said softly, the wind amplifying the volume as it brought it to her visitor. She tilted her maw up to the currently empty skies and sighed. "They left already, but I saw them . . ." Her countenance grew forlorn, as if the birds were dear friends that had not stopped by to greet her in their haste to greener pastures.
"I'm n-not daring, though. Or I would've done it . . ."
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