s h o o t i n g ⋆ s t a r [ jericho / closed]

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Twinkling stars were one of Ayame's favorite things in this strange world. The way they were still visible even if they were so far away, and the way they decorated the obsidian skies was fascinating to her in a good way. Mismatched eyes were wide open as she observed the peaceful show the heavens were providing. It had been some time now, since she and her brother had been accepted to this pack, and things had been going rather smoothly for the inseparable siblings. Nova, the Haimovi's kimak, had been incredibly kind with them and welcomed them into their supposed new family. Ayame was still getting used to all these new changes, but she welcomed them with a silent stance and a warm smile, as she always did.

It was late at night, and Ayame had decided to walk away from her protective brother and be on her own for a while. Her steps had been cautious and quiet, and once she had laid down in front of the beautiful lake, Ayame began to think about many things. Since she joined in this pack, she had been thinking a lot about Elohim. She had no idea who this entity was, but something about Him made her feel at ease. In fact, since they joined, she hadn't had an episode where she felt lost in an alien world. It was something strange but rather comforting to know that there is hope after all.

However, her thoughts slowly started to move away from the good things and began to concentrate in the negative ones. She missed her mother, and even the father she never got to know. She wished she could have had more time with her, and to maybe show her this pack she was so excited about. But she was gone; gone to the cruel reality of time, and she was never going to return. Ayame's legs began to feel tingly, and her head began to feel light and weightless. She tried to breathe in deeply, but the effects of the episode were starting to get worse and worse as the seconds ticked by.

Her body felt numb as her multicolored eyes closed shut. How old was she? How was she alive? Was this her own body? Who was she? "What am I?" The thoughts swirled around her mind, making her put her paws on top of her eyes and start to cry. She just tried to remain silent until the episode went away; at least it wasn't as strong as the other ones she experienced. Breathing in and out, she started to think of her brother and remember how worried he would be in this moment. So, for him, she tried to calm down.

After ten minutes or so, she removed her paws from her eyes and lifted her weightless head before standing up and walking in front of the calm waters. She decided to take a drink, which made her calm down even more because she was feeling something that felt real. Sitting down, she kept looking at the stars. She observed a shooting star, and closed her eyes. For a moment, she lost herself in a trance as the wind caressed her fur, the twinkling stars shining for her as the silence of the night took over her soul and quieted down her mind.

@jericho So excited!

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Jericho walked along the bank of the lake, the eerie silence of the night making him uneasy. Night had never been his favourite time. It was cold and lonely at best, dangerous at worst. He sighed to himself and wondered if he would ever completely get over his past. He had no real reason to be on edge right now. Taking in a slow, deep breath, he moved his gaze up away from his paws. He had to admit it was beautiful here at this time. Still a little too still and quiet for him. His steps slowed as he looked around, his eyes continuously adjusting to the darkness and allowing him to see farther.

A cool wind blew across the lake rustling his fur and making a whisper of a sound in his ears. He fought the shudder that his body seemed to want to respond with. He closed his eyes against the wind and opened them when it ceased to see a sky full of stars. The light from the stars now almost seemed bright enough to cause his pupils to contract, making it harder for him to see anything else when he looked away. But he did not want to look away either. His next footstep falling into cool water caused him to jerk and take his attention off of the heavens. He had wandered just a little too close to the lake’s edge. Taking a few steps away from it again, he noticed the reflection of the stars in the perfectly still lake, disturbed only by the ripples he had just made with his misstep.

The dark seemingly reclaiming his vision, he almost did not notice the figure of the she-wolf sitting at the water’s edge, a short distance ahead of him. He approached her slowly, making an effort to ensure his footsteps would be noticed and he would not startle her.

“Hello, member of Eden.” She carried the familiar scent of their lands, though he had not had the pleasure of meeting her before. He smiled reassuringly at her and sat down a few lengths from her so as not to appear overly intrusive or threatening. “I am Jericho. What are you doing here?”

As his eyes adjusted to absorb more light from the darkness, he noticed not only her brilliant eyes, but also her soft features, gently illumined by the starlight, though he could not make out an expression. She was a pretty fae, and Jericho hoped to make a favorable impression on her.

Words: 420
Muse: Decent
Tags: @ayame
Notes: EEP! <3

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The silence of the night carried on, distant crickets echoing across the valley. Ayame was still looking at the stars, wanting to fly and reach them with her paws. She sighed, feeling calm until she heard the footsteps of an approaching stranger. Turning her head, she caught the scent--he was surely an Eden member, but he had no idea who it was due to the darkness of the night. The violet and azure eyes of the female met with the stranger's vivid yellow eyes once he was close enough. For a split second, she thought that she was looking at Caleb's equally vivid eyes, but she understood they were different.

The stranger greeted her and introduced himself, and for a reason, she did not feel alarmed at his presence. There was something rather comforting about the male, and she could not understand what. She did not feel scared or insecure about him, and that was incredibly odd for Ayame. She looked at him from head to toe, analyzing his features; attractive build, beautiful eyes and a friendly disposition. He seemed to be really nice, and Ayame made sure to let him know that  by smiling at him. He said that his name was Jericho, and proceeded to ask what was she doing here. 

"Ayame," she simply said, feeling strange to speak after such a long time, and feeling even stranger because she was speaking to someone that wasn't her brother. She smiled meekly and softly at the taller male, and sighed. "The stars. They are such a mystery for me..." she then paused, trailing off before continuing by asking a question to Jericho. "...Do you like it here so far?" she inquired and then returned to being quiet once more. She knew she was not speaking in complete sentences, but it had been such a long time since she spoke... she was really trying her best.

@jericho Please telegram me as soon as you see this

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Ayame

The she-wolf’s soft, hesitant voice was pleasant, and Jericho smiled at her somewhat receptive response, though she still seemed somewhat distant. “Ayame,” he repeated. “I like that name.” He smiled gently at her.

The stars. They are such a mystery for me…

Her incomplete sentences and the far-off look in her eyes were intriguing to him. Was she always this way, or had the stillness of the lake and the night sky perhaps coupled with tiredness made her more contemplative and … less … present? It was as if she were imagining herself among the stars rather than on earth at the edge of a lake.

The more his eyes adjusted, the more he noticed what a pretty fae she was. Her eyes were vivid and intense, the colors even more striking and beautiful than the stars, which now seemed to be nothing more than white specks in the sky. And yet, she did not take her attention off them, as if they were the most beautiful things she had seen. Jericho turned his head back to the sky trying to see it as she was.

“What do they remind you of?” He opened the door for her to talk about something that she was obviously interested in, perhaps even passionate about. Maybe that would make her a little more talkative.

…Do you like it here so far?

Her question broke the silence and he turned his gaze back to her from the night sky. “Very much,” he replied quite sincerely. “The life of a loner was never for me. I have loved every minute in this pack since Thanatos invited me to join.” After a bit of stillness, he asked, “How long have you been here, and where do you come from?” He found himself increasingly interested in this wolf and wanted to get her to open up a bit and speak about herself.

Words: 315
Muse: Good
Tags: @ayame
Notes: sorry it’s short. =/

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Yellow orbs shone brightly against the dark atmosphere of the night, captivating Ayame for a few seconds. He truly had beautiful eyes, maybe even more brilliant and vivid than hers ever were. Ayame smiled softly when he said that he liked her name before returning her head for her eyes to meet the twinkling stars of the heavens once more. He then asked her about the stars and about what they reminded her of, and Ayame sighed before sitting in silence for a few seconds. "...They remind me of my mother," she stated distantly and in a quiet whisper, as if she were talking to someone up in the skies and not to someone next to her, "she used to love stars..."

Ayame fell into her trademark silence, still looking at the stars shining ever so brightly. However she found herself slowly moving her head down and staring at the moving waters of the lake in front of her. The world around her was so strange and foreign, and for a second, she felt her paws numb and her head light once more. Closing her eyes, she then heard Jericho's voice talk about how he found Thanatos and the pack and how much he liked it here. Turning her head to meet his sunny eyes once more when he asked about her origins. She noticed how the symptoms she always felt had disappeared when she heard his voice... 

She remained quiet, not wanting to share much about herself, but at the same time, wanting to share it all. She was tired of always being quiet but it was just a part of her nature. So, hesitantly, she spoke once more. "...I came here with my brother, Caleb." she spoke in a whisper and looked Jericho's face again, but this time avoiding eye contact. "We were on our own, until we found Nova. She introduced us to Thanatos. We have been here for about a week or so, I think... but I always loose track of time..." she then fell quiet once more, not used to speaking so much about herself and feeling strange about it. Looking back at the stars, she sighed before asking Jericho a question that had been bubbling inside of her mind for a while now, and she wanted to see if she was the only one thinking about it. "Hey, um..." she trailed off before continuing, "Sorry for asking, but... do you... ever feel like you are having trouble finding your purpose in life?"

@jericho Ayame is trying to open up, poor girl </3

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This wolf was different from any Jericho had known. She always seemed so distant.. so disconnected. Jericho wondered if it was pain or fear that kept her trapped inside her own mind and kept her looking like her mind was on a different world.

Jericho looked up to the stars again wondering if perhaps thoughts of other worlds were not so crazy after all. The expanse of the lights in the sky suddenly made him feel very small. He had never really thought about it before, never really spent time looking at the night sky or thinking it was beautiful.

...They remind me of my mother. She used to love stars...

The quiet voice drew Jericho’s gaze away from the stars and onto the face of the beautiful fae that sat next to him again. He tried not to stare at her soft features and the dark, shadowlike markings on her face, but felt he was failing and could only hope she did not notice. Either that she had not noticed or that she also felt the tension and enjoyed it. He was not even sure if he could remember the words she had just said in order to formulate a decent reply, only that she had said them. So he nodded, hoping that was an appropriate response and tore his eyes from her face to the still water of the lake at his feet.

...I came here with my brother, Caleb. We were on our own, until we found Nova. She introduced us to Thanatos. We have been here for about a week or so, I think... but I always loose track of time...

That was the longest response Jericho had heard from the she-wolf. Had only been there for a week? Perhaps he could introduce her to the lands and show her around or talk to her about the pack. It would give him an excuse to spend time with her, and that was something he planned on using, if she wanted to, of course.

“Only a week? That explains why I haven’t seen you around before.” His voice contained slightly playful and flirtatious undertones, but somehow the mood of the femme and the lake and the stars seemed somber enough that he kept them muted, not wanting to distract from the beauty of the night or upset her quiet reflection and possibly nostalgia. “Well, if you ever have questions about anything or just need a friend, I’ll be around.” He almost cringed at how odd that sounded but decided to leave it at that.

Hey, um… Sorry for asking, but... do you... ever feel like you are having trouble finding your purpose in life?

It was not exactly the type of question he had meant, but it was a question none-the-less, and one that resonated deeply with him. He lowered his eyes to his paws and answered, “Very much. My whole life until I found this pack. Thanatos gave me something to believe in and a purpose to fill in this pack.” He thought back to his first meeting with Thanatos and sent a silent thanks to Elohim in his thoughts for having brought him to Thanatos and Eden. “I’m assuming you do, too? Even now after joining Eden?”

Words: 546
Muse: meh.
Tags: @ayame
Notes: sorry it took me so long! D: school was crazy. But I’m done now, so hopefully I’ll be able to keep up over break!

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The night was still silent, the crickets still echoing in the distance as the darkness surrounded the two figures sitting by the lake. Ayame's unevenly colored eyes met his yellow gaze once more as she heard him speak. She smiled softly, trying to focus on his voice as much as she could manage. He spoke about finding his purpose within the pack, and about Thanatos, and then proceeded to ask her the same question. Ayame's eyes returned to observe the stars and how they twinkled, their reflection falling on the water of the serene lake in front of them. 

For a minute or two, she was quiet. Had she even thought about what her purpose in life was? Her mother and father were gone, and her only family was Caleb; she had inherited her mother's mental problems, and all she had done in life was feel like she did not belong in this earth. She had no idea what her purpose was, and she had no idea why she was still around when she could be with her mother, wherever she was. She had no idea why she was still here, among the foreign lands called Anikira.

Not even Eden had given her a sense of purpose so far, and she did not know if she would ever find one. She was like a leaf, wilting away in the tree of time, destined to one day fall like the rest of the leaves when autumn comes. She looked at Jericho with sadness in her eyes before talking softly, like the wind in a silent night. "I... I haven't found my purpose," she sighed with tears threatening to come out, "...I honestly... I honestly don't know why I am still alive.... uh, woah... hold on... a sec..." 

Her eyes closed, and her body felt numb. Her legs began to tingle and suddenly her mind was somewhere else. She began to feel light-headed as the effects of her episode kicked in; Ayame felt dizzy as the weight of her mind fell down upon her, making her feel light yet heavy at the same time. She tried to speak, but only a muffled incoherence came from her lips. She tried to stand up, trying to find something to help her come back into this world, but everything around her made her feel lost. She had no idea where she was, and who she was for a moment. She walked towards Jericho, and pressed her head against his shoulder and neck, trying to balance herself from falling down.

She sat down, her head still laid against the wolf's shoulder, and began to scratch the grass beneath her to make her feel that her surroundings were real. Her tongue was heavy and so was her speech, so she tried to speak a little bit to let herself know everything around her was real. "This... is... real... you... are... real..." she said between gasps. After five minutes, she felt the episode coming to an end.

It had been one of the worst ones she ever experienced, and the first one in front of someone who was not her brother. She lifted her head heavily, and looked at Jericho before trying to explain. "S... Sorry, Jericho. I... I have an illness... Where... everything feels unreal. Will explain... soon..." She tried to speak, but her attempts were almost futile. She stood quiet until she was sure she had recovered completely, hoping that Jericho would not think that she was crazy.

@jericho Woo! I thought I'd add something to give the thread a little bit of action! :3

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Jericho could not pull his eyes away from Ayame as she admitted she felt no purpose, and wondered, in fact, why she was even still alive. He knew very well how one could feel that way, and he knew very well what it felt like. What he did not know was how to respond to her — how to make it better. He had never been able to, himself, until he had found Eden. And yet, finding a pack did not seem to fulfill what she wanted as a purpose either.

It was almost as if a lightbulb had just hit him regarding how he could possibly help her. But before he could even open his mouth to speak to her, something seemed to go wrong with her. Jericho could not tell what was going on when she closed her eyes and sat there and grew more concerned when the only thing it seemed she could bring across her lips was incoherent mumbling. He stood up wondering what he should do. He was not accustomed to dealing with wolves like this; he had never been in a similar situation before.

But he did not have to do much. Ayame seemed to know what to do. Jericho stood still as she used him for support and balance, gently nuzzling her head as it pressed against him, but mostly just standing entirely still. She gasped words, but Jericho did not know what she meant. “Yes, I am real,” he replied, as reassuringly as he could. He did not know what else to do or say.

After a seeming eternity, the she-wolf she appeared to come back, whatever that might mean.

S... Sorry, Jericho. I... I have an illness... Where... everything feels unreal. Will explain... soon…

She sounded so small and embarrassed. Jericho immediately moved forward a step to close the gap between them again, pressing himself against her gently. “There is no need to apologize. You have done nothing wrong. It will be ok.” He was not sure what else to say to offer her any comfort or reassurance, but he hoped his presence and sincere words were enough. He was also not going to pester her for an explanation then, if she did not feel like sharing.

After a moment of silence, he picked up the thread of their previous conversation. “Have you ever thought about what you want your purpose to be?” He knew it was an odd question, but he had always known he wanted to belong to a pack that he could treat as a family and benefit using his skills. Perhaps there was something she wanted and the opportunity had not yet been afforded her. Perhaps if she focused on achieving that goal, she would find her sense of purpose. It was the best he could do for now, anyway.

Words: 481
Muse: meh
Tags: @ayame
Notes: Woo! excited to keep this going. =)

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The effects of the episode had disappeared, but a small, lingering feeling of numbness remained within her, but she chose to ignore it. Sometimes, she grew tired of these episodes and she desired to be happy; this was the reason she hadn't found a purpose in life. She was always lost in the big, bad world, and she was never ready to face it. She was destined to suffer all the time, wasn't she? 

But then, had she stumbled upon Eden with her brother by pure chance? Luck? Sometimes Ayame thought of it that way, since she always thought no one but her brother cared about her. But in reality, was there something more to life? The way that Jericho spoke about the pack and about Elohim in such confidence made her realize that maybe she could have a purpose she had never even dreamed about. Looking at Jericho, she decided to speak. "I am going to be honest with you," she began, "I have this strange mental illness that has affected how I live. My mother had it, and now I do, and it worsened when we lost her. I begin to feel everything around me is not real, even myself. It's like I am constantly in a dream, other times I feel like I'm in a nightmare." She paused and sighed, looking back at the serene waters in front of her.

"I'd love to help others," she continued softly, in almost a whisper as she finished her statment, "in any way I can. That would give me purpose... I think." She smiled softly, looking at Jericho softly. However, she noticed how close she still was to the multi-colored wolf, which made her flinch back a little bit to regain the personal space they had when they began speaking. "I'm... I'm sorry for doing that," she said sheepishly and embarrassed, lowering her gaze to the ground beneath her.

@jericho Maybe you can post, then I post, then we can have them say their good byes when they get sleepy and go their separate ways. Whatever you decide