God, are you punishing me

[narrow width=700]Nothing as far as the eye could see. The plains rolled on, expansive and endless, and where a horizon might once have lain, a thick cover of fog had slowly descended to obscure it from view; now it was truly endless, and it was awful. The air was heavy with moisture and it clung to her fur uncomfortably, the little wolf's plush coat being far less suited to warm, humid air than it was to crisp mountain stillness. She heaved a sigh from her perch, a flat rock that had been one of the only features in a landscape that stretched seemingly for miles.

Valeska couldn't tell what time of day it was, but it didn't matter. Amaranth had gone off to find lunch, but gods only knew when she might return - she was so easily distracted, sometimes she doubted if she would ever see her friend again after these sorts of excursions. She had once gone off to pee and didn't come back for twenty-four hours; on her return, the golden wolf stumbled in, smelling strongly of peppermint and mumbling something about the essential nature of oils found in plants, which Valeska regarded with some skepticism.
Birds chirped in the distance, and the fog settled in heavier still. It was difficult to see more than a few yards out now, and she wondered how her companion was doing. Laying her head on her paws, she went to rest her eyes...

... A few hours later, she woke with a start. Shit! How long had she napped for? Scrambling to her paws, she glanced around, still seeing nothing but that damnable fog. It must be well past lunch by now, and Amaranth still had not returned. She could take care of herself, of course, but the little wolf was still anxious and mildly afraid of the strange land she'd blinked herself into a few days before, and anything could have happened to her by now.

Tipping her head back, she howled, trying to summon the golden woman back to her side.[/narrow]
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[size=medium]Delicately, pearly bridgework tore at the flesh of the rabbit, spitting out tufts of fur while consuming the sinewy meat. She was careful not to get blood on her paws or maw, and would quickly clean off any stray specks of the crimson liquid. She was nearly half way finished with the carcass when the sound of another’s howl broke through the atmosphere. Her own ears swiveled toward it, and her head thrust upward. She licked a chop as she slowly rose to her paws, giving her body a nice shake to rid her pelt of debris. [/size]

[size=medium]Company awaited, it would seem. Khryseis was not entirely fond of company but the perfume on the wind’s carry seemed distinctly feminine, and so she was curious. While the judgmental female was vain and quite stuck up, she secretly longed for a female companion, a friendship - even if it was the juvenile part of her. Her mind began to ramble, arguing with herself, rolling over and mulling over the same scenarios and conversations yet had. She began to overthink, as Khryseis often did, and by the time she got to the woman who howled, she was halfway in a bad mood. [/size]

[size=medium]Light eyes observed the woman as she made her approach. She did not try to conceal her presence nor was she loud about it. She embarked with impeccable grace and a rigid pride. [/size]
[size=medium]"Hello,"[/size]
[size=medium]She offered, her powerful voice was like the calm sea. Low in octave yet still feminine, easy to listen to, easy to hear. A voice that demanded respect, that incited a sort of prowess. All things that would go swimmingly with her Timber lineage, but still, none would know that name and associate Khryseis with it. Not yet at least. [/size]
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[narrow width=700]The fog moved. Fog didn't really do that sort of thing unless something parted it, and as the mist separated to grant the ethereal figure passage, she automatically assumed it was her friend and leapt from the rock in a flurry of joy.

"Amara! You have returned!" the pale wolf exclaimed, noticing with some pride how her English had improved over the past year. It had been a long road, but at least she didn't sound like a savage dire-wolf anymore; broken and grunting in her speech, she was finally able to articulate her thoughts in a more fluid way. Tail wagging, she bounded toward the shadowy figure with wild abandon and beamed playfully; golden eyes brimming with happiness as they met -

Lavender?

Amaranth's were amethyst. Deep amethyst, in fact.

Valeska's breath caught in her throat, and as it did, the stranger uttered a deep, throaty greeting. Utterly stunned, and more than a little embarrassed, she straightened up and extended her neck to give the strange woman a distant sniff. She didn't seem particularly hostile, but that hadn't proved anything in the past. "Well," she began, "Definitely not gold-friend, but am happy to have silver friend. Does fog-stranger have name? Mine is Valeska. Am new here, and much confused. Also do not have lunch. Was promised lunch, but you were not lunch that was summoned. Sorry."

Her thick accent still colored her words, and it was difficult to perceive her as anything but a bumbling tourist, though she was no more startled than anyone else on this godsforsaken continent. She cocked her head to the side good-naturedly, all presumed innocent until proven guilty, and continued. "Did stranger wake up too?" she inquired. "Am looking for own dead friends here, also."[/narrow]
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This woman was strange, to say the very least. Khryseis looked at her with a growing confusion, and as she began to speak, Khryseis merely listened. She had a lot of misplaced words in there but she caught the gist of it. When the woman was finally done, Khryseis nodded slowly. 
"Khryseis."
Her deep voice crooned. While Valeska was longing for lunch, Khry had just finished hers. She half wondered if the carcass was still laying a distance back, and so without much else said and no more answers to Valeska's incessant rambling, she gestured with her skull for the shorter woman to follow. khryseis didn't wait for the woman to say yes or no before she pivoted and began to walk back the direction she came. Grace riddled every step, and a regal sort of aura seeped from every pore. 
"I'm not sure what you mean, Valeska."
She commented, but when the woman said "Am looking for own dead friends here, also." it haunted her in some way. It smacked her right in the feels. Dead...friends? Dead family. The sudden realization that she was actually alone caused her to stagger a moment in mid step, hesitating as if caught up in thought. She blinked it away as she continued to attempt and process such a statement. Such a deep, home hitting statement. 
"Are you alone, then? Who is Amara?"
why did she even ask? Did she even care? Why did she even care to try and feed the shorter woman? Was it all a trick, a ploy to get Khryseis just where Valeska wanted her? Ah, now her mind warred and argued, concocting scenarios never seen to fruition and conversations never had.
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[narrow width=700]Valeska was mid-speech when the strange woman turned and began loping sinuously away; understanding that she was meant to follow, the little wolf set off after her at a brisk trot. For every long, graceful stride the Timber wolf made, it took the Arctic maiden an extra two to keep up, and from a distance gave the effect of a small toy poodle following its master. She was used to the added exertion by now, though her small stature still pained her, for she felt much larger inside than she truly was.

Bah.

While she could be somewhat tone-deaf, Valeska noted with some surprise that the woman stumbled. Was it something she said? Did she not believe that this was Purgatory?

Hurrying up to the grey wolf's side, she looked over her with some concern, wondering if she was alright. "Oh! Am so sorry," she exclaimed, worry coloring her words. "Could be mistaken. Might not be Purgatory, but... do not know what else could be. All remember is quaking of earth, then woke up here."

A fresh wave of sorrow swept over her in an instant, and she cast her eyes to the ground, blinking away the tears that threatened to well up. She was fine if she didn't think about them; but the mere mention of being alone gripped her heart like a vice. Returning her gaze to Khryseis, she swallowed the lump in her throat and continued. "I am High Priestess of Elysium. Or... was. Cannot find others here; only Amara. She is golden friend, with divine connection to gods; she hears them. But oh, I miss sister... Harper. Also Kye, Gwyn; all gone. Have you... have you seen them?" she asked hopefully, daring for a moment to believe that in a one-in-a-thousandth chance, the elegant woman might say yes.

Until she found their corpses, she would never give up.[/narrow]
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They weren’t too far from where Khryseis had originally heard Valeska’s howl, and so the pair arrived at the lunch scene fairly quickly. Khryseis gestured with her paw for the woman to take the remaining half of the rabbit, as she sat a respectable distance away to allow her the chance. And while she was silent for a long moment before answering, she had heard all that the woman said.

So, she was alone too. Well, almost. She had her Amara. That was good at least, Khryseis had no one that she knew of. Just wolves that reminded her of her grandad and father. She shook her head at Valeska’s inquire if she had met who she’s looking for.
"I don’t know where we are. But your assumption is as good as any. I am sorry, Valeska. I don’t think I’ve met any of your kin."
It was her way of trying not to destroy Valeska’s hope. 
"If you haven’t found who you’re looking for yet, they’ll show up soon. So far, this is a very spacious world."
She nodded reassuringly. 
"You are a high priestess? That’s interesting. Maybe when you locate your lost family and friends, you can rebuild your Elysium."
Start anew in this world. Khryseis was born in high station with titles attached but what did all of that mean now? She was the only Timber here. Nothing meant anything as far as she was concerned.
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[narrow width=700]Smiling gratefully, she bent down and inhaled a good-sized quarter of the proffered meal in a few swift bites. If there was one thing she knew how to do well (besides pray, and occasionally scream) it was eat; her big sister had made a competition of it when they were pups, and although Harper was easily twice her size, Valeska more than held her own. She was small, but she was quite dense.

“Ah, yes, new Elysium. Miss fun nights with friends; we would have races, and dances, and sing all night. And so much food... never boring, but home was getting small, I think, in the end. Needed bigger space for merriment - so perhaps not all is bad for it,” she said hopefully, glancing up at the foggy afternoon sky with wide, distant eyes. All things happened according to the gods' plans, and this would surely be no different. She would find them, and they would rebuild. “Elysium is meant to be place to worship gods in peace, but have grown to think that worship comes from joy and joy-screaming as much as devotion. Can have both, I think. Or perhaps is trauma speaking.”

She quirked a smile at Khryseis, meaning it good-naturedly. Her wolves were her pride, her finest achievement; giving them a home and a place to run wild was all she could have ever dreamed of doing in her lifetime, and she would never replace them in her heart. The gods could not fault her for that.

“Did you leave anyone behind?” she asked suddenly, her tone shifting. “Do you remember... anything of Before?”[/narrow]
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Khryseis listened well and nodded along as Valeska spoke of her home, what she wanted, and so forth. It sounded lovely, really. A difference from the strict regime she was used to following. The larger woman had gotten lost in listening to Valeska's stories that when she smacked her with a return fire of if she left anyone behind and what did she remember, she looked almost shocked. Her eyes blinked, and confusion quickly settled in. Her silvery lips pulled in a taut purse as her brows furrowed tightly. Did she leave anyone behind? She felt like she sure did. 
"I remember my grandfather, mostly. His name was White Timber. He taught me almost everything I know now."
Her deep voice was as if lost to the wind, haunted even. 
"He raised me with a strict law. I trained..."
As she continued, it seemed as though she was learning all of this all over again as it unveiled itself. 
"I swam, I fished. I was young, though. So..so young."
Her eyes shifted back up to Valeska as she searched the woman's face. Was she looking for more answers?
"I sort of remember my father...but not all the way. I had family, I just don't know where they went. I don't know what happened."
It was gone. All of the answers she was digging up flew away, filled back up the graves with heavy cement and more prying would be required before they came out to play again. 

As a result, Khryseis heaved a heavy sigh of anguish. Why was this so damn difficult to remember? Wasn't it just a few days ago? That's what she felt like, anyway. 
"I was just walking. My body hurt, though. But i'm not sore anymore,"
Now that truly was strange. Why wasn't she in any more pain physically? The smell of blood came rushing to her senses but she chalked it up to the rabbit they'd shared. Hmph. 
"I hope your Elysium comes to fruition. It sounds really nice,"
The woman complimented easily, a small grin trying to reveal itself on her lips. Did she scare the poor woman away now? She hoped that Valeska could deal with her weirdness. Even if for the moment.

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[narrow width=700]Guilt washed over her briefly as the woman struggled to answer her question. She was pale and grey like Valeska, but as her halting speech continued, she took on an almost ghost-like appearance - for her, a lifetime of memories had been consumed in a single instant, leaving her to clutch at the shattered fragments like broken glass. With each grasping statement, they cut at her, tore at her; she could see the pain blossoming in her face as she sought to remember something, anything else, but it was impossible.

Perhaps in time, they might return to her, but for now they remained lost in the haze.

“I am sorry,” Valeska said quietly, venturing to lean forward and tentatively press her nose to the female’s neck in sympathy. “Only bright side is you are not in pain, but now is different sort of pain. Cruel trade if ask Valeska.”

She withdrew, then, not wanting to invade her bubble. Khryseis had proved to be kind thus far, but it was wise not to press one’s luck. As she mentioned Elysium, the little wolf noticed the glimmer of interest that lit up her features - “Am sure it will. Difficult to lose us for long! Too noisy for that. If you like, you might find us. We seek home again, likely up north. Wish to follow, or find us later?”
[/narrow]
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Khryseis did not want her pain to reflect upon Valeska, but it was mirrored to her as she struggled to recall her past. Or what even happened, for that matter. While it was a difficult task, Khryseis was thankful for the flow of conversation back onto Elysium. Valeska's bright side idea really wasn't a bad positive vibe to follow, and so with her words Khry nodded along. On some level, she knew Valeska was right, so she clung to that hope. 

Up north, interesting. She pursed her lips in thought as she responded to Valeska's invitation. 
"I will find you. I'd like to do more exploring."
Her deep tones cooed. While she was not used to noisy - or so she felt like anyway - within the pack life, she felt it might be a nice change in pace. Or would she just drag the happier folks down? Hmm. 
"Toward the mountains, then?"
She asked for better clarification, for she was serious about looking further into this Elysium of Valeska's. Lavender eyes scanned the woman and wondered if the high priestess meant she was the top dog alpha, and if so, could Khryseis follow her? Following didn't seem like it was in her blood, her bones, her mind, but than again this could be a new start. And she really didn't want to be alone. Maybe she'd have to swallow her pride for a more fulfilled life. Or afterlife, as Valeska put it.

@Valeska
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[narrow width=700]Valeska wordlessly observed the inner struggle warring within the stranger, knowing too well the apprehension of feeling pressured. Halcyon had imprinted heavily on her opinion regarding that, and thoroughly colored the way she chose to form her own pack - they had been rigid, demanding, and full of possessive teeth. That was the last thing she wanted Khryseis to feel; Elysium was meant to be a place of freedom and a pair of open arms to all who sought respite, not a prison.

“Do not rush,” she added by way of reassurance. “When ready, we will be around. Or if change mind, can still visit to say hello. We like the company.”

Smiling brightly, she nodded her affirmation as the woman explained her desire to travel first and foremost. Valeska had enjoyed her time exploring in the brief periods where she hadn't had a home to return to, but nowadays she preferred having a place to rest her head with others at night - stability was much safer than being on your own, especially here.

“Mountains, probably north-east. You will hear us, maybe smell us if we forget bath. It was good to meet you - will keep watch for you in future!” she said merrily. “Good luck on travels, wherever they take you.”

[Exit][/narrow]
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