There's No Washing Away Sins

Her hands had been stained with blood. Had been. They'd been stained with blood when she had hands.

Now, her eyes drifted skeptically towards the limbs that held her upright. Each of the four lean appendages, along with the silky tail that swept behind her at odd intervals, seemed to taunt her. She had no memory. Umeko's eyes fluttered closed and she drew in a deep, long breath. Her fur was still damp from her brief dip in the crystalline pool. The water was frigid, but she'd hoped that the chill would chase away the nightmare.

Lady Luck had no pity for Umeko today. Usually, she could purr a few whispered pleas and the universe would look the other direction. 

"Umeko." Sultry tunes rolled from her tongue, a discomfort tickling the back of her throat as she tested her voice for the first time. The name was not her own, but she couldn't remember the one she'd carried when her hands were stained with blood. Memories, like fireflies on a warm summer's eve, flickered on and off in no real discernable pattern. Brief images were simple flickers of light, leaving her mind more muddled than prior.

Who was she?

Where was she?

Her wild forest eyes lifted to the terrace above. The young woman knew she should find her way up onto higher ground, but her- her paws hurt. They were sore, though not cracked or worn. She hungered, but she couldn't quite bring herself to move any further just yet. Umeko had already taken her first shaky steps to quench her thirst and dunk her head beneath the cold surface. Embarrassment had accosted her as she'd silently compared herself to a newborn foal. Walking to the water had been more than enough for her to figure out how to navigate these new legs of hers, surprisingly enough. 

Easing down onto her haunches, she scanned her surroundings once again as if that might garner her a new answer. There were no answers to be found amidst the flora and fauna of this strange place. Umeko had to admit, she enjoyed the gentle crash of the waterfall and the methodical ripples it caused across the surface of the lake. This place was alive. She was alive.

Her hands had been stained with blood.

Why?
the staff team luvs u

Venturing southward in the foolish hope of finding civilization, Etienne’s soft paw pads ached from exercise and coarseness of the rough terrain that he was unused to traversing. If he were still a human prince he would have had a carriage to take him wherever he wished. Relying on his own two feet- four paws was yet another ordeal he had to overcome. If only someone could do all this walking for him.

Snow tipped sandy ears twitched at the sound of running water. The prince began to hop rather ungracefully on blistered paws, picking up his pace in his haste to get there quickly. Without hesitation he submerged his paws in the water and released a drawn out sigh and slowly lowered the rest of his body into the water, unaware of his confused company until she uttered a name. A yelp burst forth from the tiny prince and he fell deeper in the water and its icy coolness surrounded him. The sodden and pitiful looking blonde dragged himself out of the water and lifted a paw accusingly at the stranger. ”Y-You! Where did you come from? Are you a peeping tom?” the accusations came in a breathless, teeth chattering rush. He had no idea if wolves had such unseemly hobbies such as spying on princes while they bathed, but she would not be the first to try to catch a glimpse of his beautiful body.

Soaked and shivering, Etienne tried to cover himself with his tail, wishing he had a towel instead. It didn't occur to him that he wasn't any more naked than he was before getting wet.
the staff team luvs u

Whatever enjoyment she'd found in the mild-mannered murmuring of the nature that surrounded her, which wasn't much considering the cloud in her mind, was shattered like glass by a sharp, piercing yelp. Umeko winced, her eyes scrunching shut and her ears folding back as if she might muffle the sound by sheer willpower alone. 

Everything was so loud. Everything smelled so potent.

Opening her eyes slowly, she quickly located the source of the sudden, unnecessary chirping. The red dame shifted where she sat, rocking her weight from one haunch to the other as she turned to study the fretting, pallid canine now pointing at her. Her mind was thoroughly draped in a haze, and she found herself repeating his hurried questions silently to herself. 

Eventually, her lean jaws parted and a melodic, soothing melody fell from her throat. "Quite rude to point at a lady and cast about frivolous accusations."

Another flash. Another memory. A dark inn. A dark room. Lips upon lips, noses brushing, bodies melding into one. Scars. Lacing. So many scars. 

I think I love you.

I know.

Umeko blinked, the vision dancing away just as quickly as it cropped up, returning to this new time, this new place. "Were you raised in a barn?" she chided rather simply, her eyes raking up and down his blonde pelt. "Or did you simply lack proper tutelage as a child." An inkling of anger burned beneath her cloak of garnet fur, but she knew, deep down, she knew anger wasn't going to get her anywhere. The small white male, thoroughly drenched and meekly cowering behind his tail, could be of some use if he had a brain between his ears.
the staff team luvs u

Etienne gasped, a drawn out and dramatic sound, to let the peeping tom know just how offended he was by her assumptions. Oblivious to the irony of his offense considering he was the one who cast the first stone. He narrowed his rosey eyes and regarded her with heavy suspicion, doubting the sincerity of her deflections. She wasn't the first to be enthralled by his beauty and she wouldn't be the last. ”I was raised in a palace, Madame, taught by the best hand picked tutors in my kingdom,” he answered sharply, fur prickling as he felt her gaze upon him.

”I cannot blame you for your roaming eyes, but at least grant me the opportunity to dry off first,” he sighed, seemingly forgiving her for ogling him because he knew he was just too beautiful to resist. Ah, it was tiring being as attractive as he was. Even wolves could not contain themselves around him.

He turned his back to her and wrinkled his nose before dipping his head to lick the water from his fur. The prince was still getting used to his wolfish body and the land’s primitive facilities or lack thereof. A few more shakes of his fur and he was satisfied that he was ready to air dry. ”Now then. Allow me to introduce myself, une dame qui a bon goût,” — lady of good taste he began, french accent adding a musical quality to his words. ”I am The Prince Etienne Belmont LaRose Anthelme,” he proudly introduced himself, lifting a paw and assuming a regal pose, granting her permission to admire him further if she pleased.

He was oblivious of her calculating thoughts, naively assuming that she was merely an admirer and not at all dangerous to a foolish prince like himself.
the staff team luvs u