After walking for hours and hours, until the sun had risen and fallen once more, it began to feel that every step she took was pre-determined. It was the rhythm to the movement that did it to her, an unchanging cycle, the rise and fall. Her even breathing, perfectly content to keep the easy pace even after so long a time had past. Wolves had an uncanny ability to go on, even with running they could move for amazing lengths of time with little need to rest. Sapphire was no exception to the rule, her untiring pace constant against the earth. It was less to do with having an idea on where her destination would be, and more to do with an urgency, deep within her mind urging her own.
She had caught the scent a while back, the familiar trail of a wolf she had meet only once before. She knew however that she had seen in him a friend, even a strange a friend as he was. She liked the idea of travelling with him, even if it was only for a little while.
Despite the fact that it had been her own need for solitude that had driven her from him side in the first place (And his clear need for time alone to go over everything he had learned) she found herself excited at the prospect of seeing the familiar face. She felt inside of her that it didn’t even matter about the destination, not yet, anyway. Right now it was the journey, the feel of wind in her coat, the beat of her paws the melody of freedom. There was nothing quite like it, not anywhere in the world, but running free across the land.
She didn’t know where she was heading, nor did she care, she just knew who would be there when she arrived. That would be the only indication she needed to know that she had arrived. She paused her long strides only to quench her first, and hunt when she saw the opportunity of a meal not far from where she was wondering. Diverting from her path was a frenzy, weary that she would lose the trail, or her reason for coming so far.
Then she would set off once more, until the sun had fallen far beneath the earth that only the moon cast light upon her path. She hesitated hear, paw-steps slowing gradually until finally the familiar rhythm was stilled. She raised her head and howled, a curtsy to the moon, and a song to any other brothers and sisters in the area.
Last Edit: Sept 5, 2011 20:04:01 GMT -5 by sapphire
Illuminated by silver moonlight, the faraway snowy peaks of the Kinath seemed dreamlike, almost unreal as they rose into the inky night sky. Ulrich stood at the base of the mountains, gazing up— taking a moment to prepare himself for the last leg of the journey.
What journey? His journey had ended already; Athabasca was dead, his home was lost to him, and he had nothing left to do… so he would ascend the snow-capped mountains and find what little he could to live by there. He imagined that it was the closest to home he would ever find here, on this island. He looked about him, at the shadows of the trees silhouetted in the moonlight, and the distant hills bathed in silver. He did not know if he would ever look upon them this way again, or if he would be watching from the peaks above for the rest of his life. Either way it didn’t matter; this was goodbye.
As he turned his gaze back to the path ahead of him, he heard a sound that stopped him in his tracks. It was a familiar voice; he stood in silence for a few moments, trying to recall just who—
Ah, yes. The white she-wolf. Ulrich’s deep brown eyes fell upon her in the distance, and he wondered if it was just coincidence that brought her here, or if she had been following him. It had been several moons since he had last seen her, and he hadn’t expected to see her again; at least not so soon. He turned to face in her direction, watching her curiously. He did not howl in reply, figuring that she had already spotted him or would pinpoint him by his scent. But he paused to wait for her, and if she approached he would give a solemn nod in greeting.
She lowered her head once she had completed her howl, and looked out before her. The pressing feeling of insignificance from great mountains such as the likes of the Kinath, was not lost on her. She did not feel it negatively, however, but rather was in awe by the breathtaking brilliance of the world.
As tiny as he was beneath the expanse of the dirt behind him, he was not insignificant. Her eyes sought him out now – always one step behind her sensitive nose, her howl had been for all wolves in the area, or so the call stated, but the truth was her voice and tone had been for him, to let him know that she had found him, even if he did not know she had been searching. He looked much like she had remembered him, not that it had been that long since she had seen him last, a few moons, at most. There was something even more solemn about him, not that he had seemed much of an energetic or lively wolf the first time she had meet him. It must have been the news he had received from the packs, that all his time of searching had uncovered naught. Surely it was better then to know, then to always wonder, through, surely...
She began to move forward now, tireless bounds a little slower then they had been before, rather then in most cases where one was so close to there destination that they fought not to run. Why it was that she was drawn to him, it was hard to say. It must have been a sense of kinship, that she and Ulrich where not that difference, that there lives where not so far apart. It must be because she had seen barely a few other rogues since entering this land, and as of yet he was the most memorable.
He nodded his head in greeting to her as she approached, to pulled herself to a halt a few lengths from where he stood. She nodded her head, both in respect and greeting as she spoke. “Ulrich” She said simply.
Whether or not he was glad to see the familiar face, he could not tell. He had never cared enough about others to build strong bonds of friendship, and it was especially hard to do since he never stayed in one place for long. He and his father had been close, but parted ways respectfully as soon as Ulrich was old enough to survive on his own; his loyalty was given to Tanaga when the elderly rogue saved his life, but Tanaga was dead now; Ysengrin was a comrade who had done much to help Ulrich reach the end of his journey; and Sapphire…
Sapphire had been another helping hand, and he would not have reached the end if not for her. He respected the she-wolf and he wished her well, but he did not know to what extent their alliance reached. He hadn’t yet given it much thought.
He was glad to see that she was doing well, without a doubt. Indebted to her for her aide, he surely would not turn away from her now. While he felt deep in his heavy heart that he should continue up the mountain without another word, alone, his conscience did not allow him to do so. Perhaps he felt guilty for fleeing; but then again, guilty for whom?
His face betrayed none of the inner turmoil, however, and he managed to give a half-warmed, though melancholy, smile to her as he nodded in greeting.
“…Hallo, Fraulein.”
He turned his deep sepia gaze back toward the towering Kinath as he spoke.
“Vat coincidence meeting you here. Vat brings you?”
Sapphire’s eyes where upon him, as she stood a few lengths from him. There was little flicker of emotion on his face, but this did not surprise her. Unlike some she had meet since crossing onto this land, he was a rogue through and through. He had no need for companionship and friends, but he was polite enough to deal with it when such cases took place. She understood this, but there was barely a flicker of regret, of wondering if it had been the right choice that pushed her to seek him out once more.
She found himself looking him over, this strange friend of hers. Searching for new wounds mental or physical, but his expression gave little away and his strong body seemed all to capable of sustaining whatever the world threw at him.
A smile seemed to lift the corners of his mouth as he gave her a nod in greeting, acknowledging her prescience and the words she had spoken. He spoke in that strange voice of his, words heavy with accent, but by now she felt confident enough to pull apart there meanings – not that she had ever had that much trouble with it at the start
His eyes took him to a place before him – causing him to look in the opposite direction then the one she faced, and she realised there might have actually been purpose behind the steps that brought him here. He spoke of there meeting, of chance (not that that was really true) and asked what brought her here. “I was curious to see what had become of you, old friend, I caught your trail and followed you here.” That was simple enough, and she followed his gaze now, up across the mountains behind him, the scene that marked a trail in the scent that brought her here. “And may I ask, what brings you here? She asked softly.
Ulrich’s eyes stayed rooted to the distant peaks as Sapphire spoke, his gaze becoming more solemn. He wasn’t upset that she’d followed him, or that she was here at all— merely unsure of her intentions, he silently hoped that she didn’t feel attached to him. Females were always a tricky subject. But he made no assumptions about her motives, giving her the benefit of the doubt.
“Ich am going into ze mountains. Zey are ze closest thing to mein old home zat Ich think Ich vill find here.”
He was silent for a moment, unsure of what else to say to her. His eyes trailed back down and settled on the ground before him. The obvious and most polite thing to do in this situation would be to invite the she-wolf to join him; however, Ulrich wasn’t sure if that was the best idea. Aside from the fact that the mountains were bound to be dangerous, he was… unprepared for a travelling companion. He had predicted making the journey alone. That wasn’t to say that was his only option, but at the moment, he was hesitant to change his mind.
But the decision did not have to be made now. Ulrich sat down, showing that he was in no hurry to leave. His shoulders were squared and his mighty head was raised almost formally as he looked at her, but uncertainty lingered in the depths of his eyes.
Sapphire never really saw herself as a female in the way she saw others of her gender. She thought highly of strength, of courage, and going on through whatever the world threw at her. She had never stopped to ‘admire’ brute’s and the thought of a mate had never crossed her mind. If Ulrich had known this about her, he would never have had to worry that she might have grown an attachment to him in that way. The only connection she had with him was a kinship of wolf kind, and a friendship for one she had meet before and had tried to help – not that it had come of much. She had lead him to a pack lands, one that held the information he needed, only he had not found the news he had been hoping for.
She had asked him what had brought him here, and was actually a little surprised by his response. Down hearted by the failure in his mission he was moving off to the lands closest to his own. He had travelled far and wide to get to where he was now, and it seemed that home was no longer an option for him – so he would simply settle for the next best thing. It almost seemed like he had given up, even through there wasn’t that much more he could do in finding the fae he had been seeking. Still, did he know everything he needed to know about her? About her fate? She wasn’t convinced that he had made peace with his decision, that there wasn’t more that he could do.
Ulrich sat down now, clearly preparing for a fair wait – and Sapphire realised he would be moving on now if she hadn’t interfered with his journey up the mountain. She sat down herself, tilting her head and looking at him, wondering what was going on in that head of his. “So you finished what you came here to do? You’re moving off to solitary now?” She wondered, even through it wasn’t her place to ask.
