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 Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 5:38 pm
One particular she-wolf was currently sprawled on her stomach on top of her pillow pile, Austin beside her and BB rolling around her room looking for something to do. Or another pet to torment. But he only earned a glance from LW, a warning one, before her gaze returned towards her window. Where it had been for quite some time. She had that urge to go outside, but couldn't pin point exactly why. At least not until the sun had set and the glow of the nearly full moon had begun to shine through her window.
Ah, the full moon was almost here. Another few days perhaps. That was what she was feeling. Yet, for some reason, her usual light feeling of giddiness was lacking. Come to think of it, when was the last time she had been out under the full moon, singing her songs to her?
Surely it couldn't have been the time Ren followed her out there, could it? LW couldn't believe it. She must have gone out since then. Maybe once. But, things had happened. Field trips had been taken. And now, now she was a second year. It was damn time she go out under the glowing orb in the sky and sing once again!
Mind made up, LW rolled to her feet, petting her hazmutt. Usually he accompanied her out on this outings. Tonight though, he didn't seem in any hurry to join her. The she-wolf snorted at him. Fine, she'd go solo tonight. Not that this was much of a downer. In fact, now that her mind had shifted into 'full moon must howl' gear, LW felt some of that light feeling start to flow through her. It made her step lithe and movements flow like the dancer she was. Silently, she made her way out of her room, down the halls and some stairs until she was outside in the crisp night air.
It felt wonderful and a huge grin lit up her face. Tail swishing with excitement now, LW padded along, intending on going to the same little hill she always went to. But something strange caught her eye and she paused. Something was also out here. Something that looked very white, almost like it glowed. Watching it, it took her too long to realize it was moving her direction (or what seemed like her direction). By the time she did, it was closer and that was enough to pull a small yelp from her as she jumped back, very much freaked out by...whatever it was.
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:30 pm
Now that second year had arrived, and Jove was slipping into classes without as much difficulty as he had imagined, the pup was sleeping better. Well, he was sleeping more often. Three or four times a week even! He would conk out sometime after dinner, and sleep right through until dawn. Without even worrying about the mimics!
But tonight was one of those nights he couldn't sleep. Memories and worries nagged at him when he tried to relax, and he found himself craving the warmth and comfort of his brother's presence. Having something large and breathing next to him always soothed his frayed nerves.
Grabbing a large, fluffy pillow, Jove left the ghost dorms and trotted across the field towards the monster dorms. The moon wasn't full yet, but it was bright, a cloud-free night. His pale skin seemed to capture and hold the light like soft, living marble, and his white night shirt fluttered in the breeze. Had he stopped to reflect on his appearance he would have taken pride in his incredibly ghost-like appearance, but a small figure across the field had caught his eye as he crested a hill.
Feminine, with... red hair, from the same dorm he was approaching- It was LW! It didn't seem like she recognized him so he trotted closer. But... why did she suddenly look startled?
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:58 pm
Okay now it really was coming closer and in her direction. Closer and closer and- Oh dear Jack! LW groaned and let her hand smack against her forehead, cheeks flaming red like her hair. That was no frightening phantasm! Well, alright it was a ghost. But not one she should be worried about. Or scared of. Skulls! The puppy would have one to hold against her now.
"Jove!" She grinned, hand sliding down to reveal red cheeks and warm smile. "What are you doing out here, pup? Scared the bejeebus out of me. Geez. You really did look like the ghost you are."
Actually looking at him now, LW took in his nightgown, the pillow tucked under his arm, and the fact he was out here and not in his dorm. Then it clicked. He must have been on his way to Ren's room because of a nightmare or inability to sleep. Which probably meant he was a little unsettled. And possibly a good partner to drag along with her tonight.
"Say...why don't you come out with me, tonight? I promise there is nothing scary. In fact, you really should come! I'll share a secret with you. Canine to canine. What do you say?" Alright so it wasn't actually a 'secret', but unless you had howled at the moon yourself, it was hard to explain the feeling one got for doing so. "I plan on going out to a little hill, where the dorms don't block the view." She pointed off in the direction she'd been originally heading. "It'll be fun!"
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:33 pm
Jove slowed down at the frightened look on her face, his ears slowly flopping down. At least, until LW forcefully put her hand to her forehead and smiled. So... she had been scared? Of him?
The pup puffed up proudly. He had been frightening! His tail had rested at a gentle curve towards the ground up until that point, when it curled up happily towards his lower back and began to wag. He had really scared someone! Well, someone who wasn't Ren's family, but thinking about those gryphons left an unpleasant feeling in his gut. He shook those miserable thoughts off, and trotted up to LW with a bright expression, ears perked. Maybe she would say more about how scary he was!
But instead of further praise, all the wisp got was an invitation. His head tilted slightly, and one finger raised to his lips in the "secret keeping" gesture he learned from Ren. A secret, and fun?
Jove glanced back towards the dorm, imagining curling up in a soft pile of blankets, a warm body at his back and a cosy pillow to hug... Then back up at LW. In all honesty, the sleep sounded better. But could he live with the curiosity if he didn't go? Clearly the pup needed a little bit more convincing.
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:58 pm
Yep. She was never living this one down, was she? LW much preferred seeing the puffed up and proud look to Jove verses the slightly wary one he'd had before. If it meant her own pride had to take a hit at being scared so easily, so be it. The she-wolf grinned down at him, her own tail waving from side to side. "You really were scary, y'know? Look, my heart rate is still racing away!" She snatched his free hand and pressed it against her collar bone, proving she wasn't just saying it for kicks. Her heart rate was indeed still in above normal levels.
Nodding and mimicking his gesture, LW smiled slyly. "That's right. A secret." She also knew that look. The one that said the pup wasn't quite so convinced. Her best friend gave her that look. A lot. Especially when she tried to drag him out to run with her. Lazy gryphons.
She pointed towards the moon, gaze looking up towards it. "Have you ever felt the exhilaration one feels when singing to the moon?" LW asked in a soft voice. "Telling her all your secrets. All your happy thoughts. Or the bad things that there is no one else to speak with about?" Her violet gaze looked back down at Jove, eyes glowing slightly in the moonlight.
"Come howl at the moon with me, pup. Let me share a little piece of something I enjoy very much with a friend."
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:10 pm
The little wisp jerked back almost violently as LW's hand reached out to grab his own, but he didn't have much time to run. But when she pressed his hand against her chest he forgot about fleeing entirely. Her heart was still racing! Jove was so used to his brother's slow, relaxed heartbeat, and it only sped up when he was exerting himself, or when he was frightened with nightmares. So it must mean he had really scared the werewolf!
His tail gave another little wag, and then followed her gesture towards the moon. What, singing? He didn't sing! He couldn't!
The pup frowned doubtfully. Even if he did have secrets and happy thoughts and bad things he kept to himself, surely he couldn't just sing it all at the moon. That was silly. Definitely something a ghoul would think up!
But... he couldn't exactly say no, not when she asked him so nicely... And if it was a favour to her, surely he could just go along, keep her company...
Slowly his resolve faded, and he gave her a look that said "I'll come with you, but I'm not singing."
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:32 pm
LW felt a little bad at not warning him when she snagged his hand, but his pleased look made up for it. She gave a return tail wag and released his hand. "Keep at it and I bet you'll be one frightening wisp one day!"
She knew that look too. LW rolled her eyes at Jove. What was it with boils and believing in stuff like that? Correction: What was it with boils that weren't wolves not getting it? Wolves knew and understood. Actually, she was pretty sure that anyone that was brave enough to sing towards the moon would understand what she meant. So...all she had to do was get Jove to howl with her. A challenge, it seemed!
The she-wolf didn't have to make up any of the excitement that she felt when he seemed to agree to come. Grinning, she stepped over, ruffled his hair and twisted while moving at the same time. One step, she was still on two legs. Three steps and she was on four. Wagging her tail, ears perked up, LW sat on her haunches and waited for the pup to start walking before she would move again. Just in case he tried to dart back into the dorms.
"I'll show you what it's like to howl! You'll only be the second person to ever hear me." LW admitted. "And who knows? Maybe I'll get you to join me?" She gave him a canine grin, tail still wagging away.
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:56 pm
The pup frowned at the hair ruffling, his doubt still standing firm. But he couldn't bear to leave her hanging.
With a grumpy sigh he followed her forward, pillow clutched to his chest. It almost looked to be the size of his body, and anyone who had actually picked up the boil would guess it to be of equivalent weight. He wasn't willing to shift to his natural form and part with it just yet though, he had enough confidence in his running ability to keep up even with the larger wolf. The pillow would be only a minor burden, and only if he had to do any serious climbing.
He snorted once more for good measure, it was unlikely she would get him to sing to the moon!
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Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 11:08 pm
Tail wagging still, she rose and bumped her head gently against his side for encouragement and thanks. Staying mostly by the pup's side, LW lead the way towards the hill that she came to over and over again. She didn't actually know why she liked this hill so much, but it definitely had a great view of the sky from there.
LW snorted right back at him, giving him a look. He didn't think he would howl with her, did he? They would just see about that. But honestly, she was just happy to be able to share the experience with Jove. Ren was the only other person that had ever come out with her and heard her howl. It made her feel slightly giddy but more so shy than anything else. Howling at home with her family was different. They were wolves! It was something they did. But with friends at school? Howling in front of them really did feel like she was sharing a secret with them.
"There. That's my little hill. Well, it's the hill I come to whenever I need a place to relax under the sky." She did love the outdoors a lot. "Come on!" Nosing his free hand, LW bounded the rest of the way to stand at the top, head tilted towards the sky and the moon. She was quiet while she watched the moon, letting Jove settle himself where he wanted. Finally, she glanced at him, eyes bright. Winking, LW gave him another canine grin before she threw back her head and howled. The sound was eerie, soft yet firm, and almost lyrical to hear. If there was one thing LW could claim that she was good at (aside from dancing), it was that she had a good howl.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 8:02 am
Jove reached down and gave LW a pet on her neck, almost automatically. What sort of canine didn't like a good neck ruffle every now and again? Well, sometimes he didn't, but that was only because it was usually preceded by hugs and other unpleasant things.
He followed LW to the hill, silent as usual, and once they reached the top he followed her gaze towards the sky. He never bothered to take a good look at it before. When he was on his own he spent a lot of time outdoors, but he was so busy trying to find shelter and safety that he didn't spend any spare thought on what was up there. And now that he had the time to simply stare up, he was amazed at the sight.
The wisp stared up at the sparkling stars and the bright, nearly-full moon as LW began to howl. Wow. He had been learning about music in class, but this sound touched him at a deeper level, like something strong inside of him was tugging at his heart. Was a howl considered music? For any old student, perhaps not, but this was true canine music.
With a gentle thump he sat down next to her, still holding his pillow to his chest and staring up at the sky.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:41 pm
LW leaned into the hand at her neck, a silent plea for more pets please! She was a total sucker for any sort of pats or petting she managed to receive from anyone. Gabrian had always used that one against her when she was down or being stubborn about something. Thankfully he was the only one that actually knew how much of a weakness it was. Although if Jove kept up at it, he might figure it out too.
Out here, howling at the moon and the stars, she almost seemed like a different person. Still the same old she-wolf everyone knew and loved. But less confined. She was more open with her feelings and let such barriers as what others think fall to just be herself. It was one of the many reasons she loved coming out here and howling so much.
For at least a good ten minutes, more or less, LW just howled different wolven songs to the moon. She had felt the pup sit next to her and just listen. And now that she'd gotten her fill of howling out of her system, she glanced to the wisp next to her. "What do you think?" She asked in a light voice. "Think you can howl like that?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:52 pm
As LW howled and howled, the little pup felt himself relax. And soon his eyelids were beginning to droop, and he would jerk himself awake to listen to more. It just wouldn't be nice to fall asleep while she was singing, even if it was calming. By the end of the performance he managed to avoid falling asleep against her or flopped backwards in an ungainly sprawl, but he was still fighting the sleepiness right up until she asked him. If he could howl.
His glowing eyes opened wide and he suddenly found himself very awake as he shook his head. Of course not, he wasn't any good at music! He couldn't make nice noises like that, or any music at all while someone was listening! Music class had taught him that much at least!
No, she could go back to howling, and he would sit all night out on the hill next to her and listen. He wouldn't have to make a peep.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 3:18 pm
She snickered at the look on Jove's face. Though she did feel slightly guilty about having stirred him up. He'd looked pretty adorable sprawled back like he had been, sleep slowly trying to claim him. And she had to admit, it had made her feel pretty happy seeing that he'd enjoyed her howling. It was something special to her and being able to share it with him made her feel happy enough she might wriggle out of her fur.
Tail thumping the ground, she chuffed at him and stuck her nose against the side of his neck where she could get to skin. Then she snorted, jumped to her feet and pranced in circles around him.
"No...? You're going to make me sit out here and howl by myself?" LW pouted at him before that mischievous look glinted in her eyes. "Or maybe you are afraid. Scared of a little ol' howl?" Why yes, she was adding a little challenge into her tone and calling the pup a scaredy wisp. "It's not hard, I promise." She added in a nonchalantly.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:56 pm
The pup made a short squealing noise and pushed LW's head away, then promptly rubbed his neck. He was certainly awake now, her nose was cold! The scowl he gave her as he pulled the neck of his night shirt closer clearly said "Don't do that!"
He eyed her as she pranced around, the sour expression on his face only increasing when she got that look in her eyes. He knew what that look was...
Sure enough, he puffed up indignantly when she suggested he was afraid. Afraid! Of course not! It was just howling, nothing to be afraid of at all! His willpower was holding strong through the initial taunt, but when she went so far as to hint it might be too hard for him, his pride got the better of him.
All of a sudden he was back in his natural form, sitting in a pile of white fabric, and he tilted his head back...
And let out a pathetic little yip of a howl.
It wasn't even very loud, and it cut off quickly as though Jove had suddenly remembered how self-conscious he was. It was like he had suddenly lost is voice out of fright.
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Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 8:39 pm
LW laughed and danced just out of reach when he pushed at her head, giving him canine laughter. She'd get him again if she had to! Her crimson tail was wagging in her amusement as she continued to prance around the pup, waiting to see if she could nudge him enough times to attempt a howl. He was a canine! All canines could howl (and no, the squeal would not count). And the look she shot him said she would stick her nose back against his neck again really soon.
She snickered as he puffed up at her theory he was afraid of howling. "Well if you won't howl, I must come to the conclusion you are afraid!" LW grinned and lowered her front half down to the ground in a playful gesture. "Or that maybe it's just not something a puppy can do~"
Blinking, she just stared. First it was the sudden shift back to his natural form. LW swore all she'd done was blink and there was this little poof. And then he threw back his little head...and made the most adorable attempt at a howl she had ever seen. She didn't mean to laugh, but she did. It was so Jack damned cute! And judging by the his look, he'd never tried it before and had not been expecting such a...sound. Really, she hadn't been expecting it either. But that didn't stop her from walking over and sitting down next to Jove. Her tail curled lightly around him and she lowered her head to nudge him encouragingly.
"That was not bad for a first attempt!" LW told him. "You are smaller than I am, so it won't be quite as deep. Try it again. Except don't just 'howl', feel it from deep in your little gut." Nudging him gently again, LW sat up straight and gave him a lopsided canine smile. "Go on! Try it again."
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