✧ the myths i made of you

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Murmurs leaped from her tongue in a foreign dance, crooning to the prey that lay at her feet. It had been too long since she'd prayed, too long since she'd found her voice enough to pray but the words left her with ease, nonetheless.

Warmth seeped from her head to theirs as she whispered to them her gratitude, whispered to them of their fulfilled purpose. "Se qēlos muña welcomes ao." — The Star Mother welcomes you. The whisper of her breath remained as she pulled away. "Free now." She gathered them gently within her maw, a split-second distraction sending her in the opposite direction of camp.

Runar had mentioned something...odd when they'd first found themselves in each other's presence. It was atop the summit, graced so perfectly beneath a blanket of stars, where her questions lay. Marriage? Promises? Mates? Her home was holy, and she knew what love was—what it could come to be—but they did not name it, not usually.

But it was not the idea of marriage that tempted her steps closer, teasing the rough path that could, and very well would one day, lead her to her mantle. She had yet to find a true place of worship, a true location sufficient enough for the Goddess her heart and soul were tied to.

As much as she wished to see, to taste, and dance among the stars, it was not a path she was ready to take. Too daunting, too dangerous—she was unworthy, still.

So she'd turn, set aside the thought of the path for another day, and head back to her home. Somber, she supposed she felt, but the impending darkness cloaked the emotions portrayed softly on the planes of her face.

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@Ries

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Ries had taken to the base of the mountain more often than not these days. The heights were too overwhelming - too imposing, too overshadowing. The idea of clambering up, up, up was too much to handle, and so he remained in the territory, but on the outskirts, unsure, with a paw in two worlds. He wanted to be there, truly, but this was the home of so much death, so much sadness and despair that he felt as though he was choking on it. 

This was a bad night. He'd paced the border until he felt like he'd worn a path into it, aching in his bones and his head and his heart. 

But he could not stay on the outskirts forever. He turned, heading toward the looming mountain, ink black against the dark sky. More suffocating than usual, in the nighttime. Ries, in that moment, hated it. Wished to run, wished to be anywhere else. Anywhere. 

It hurt, to look at his home and see a tomb. 

He was grateful for the night, concealing the twisted emotion on his face as he approached, head low and shoulders tense. Ries froze mid-step, perking up when he saw a figure approaching. @Belenus was the first his mind wandered to, as it normally did these days, but it became very suddenly clear that this was not his companion. A packmate - a new one? 

"Hello," he greeted, voice light in spite of the heavy emotion threatening to tighten his throat. "Sorry if I snuck up on you!" 

Did it sound pleasant enough? Carefree enough? Was the mask in place?

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I am so sorry for the wait on this! 
Noting for myself that this is set back in January

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