The Little Grotto Motto

[skye]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true][bg=121504] OOC: For Anput's gang, and anyone else. The first rule of Fight Club is ... Although technically this land was free land, she had a zealous spot for her special grotto and it's thick protecting shell of trees. It was true that the cluster of trees itself stuck out like a sore thumb from the other sparse members of it's kind, but once inside, one felt eerie, claustrophobic, and unbelonging with the absence of light. This was the mystical protection of the grotto. And as the number of them increased who roamed in and out, it could only be so long before the place of serenity and healing could be discovered. Anput frowned with the thought as she watched the place grow larger and more prominent in the background. Turning to see if her new companion Sigourney was still there, she nodded and pointed her head towards their destination. As an after thought, she paused and set down her withering lily leaf, scowling at it's deterioration, and turned to speak to the new one. "Sigourney, this is our home, up ahead, that big bunch of trees. It is scary once you get inside, but that's how we keep others out. In the middle is our grotto, it has a hot spring, like a spa. The place is great for healing body and spirit. Unfortunately, with so many trees close together, larger game can't venture in, and for us, it will be a little bit of a squeeze."

[/color], she paused, thinking. "I hope Ariadne is home..."[/color]. Remembering her previous thoughts, she turned her body and hoped to gain a locked gaze with her new companion. "The one rule I have about this place is that you can't tell anyone about it. Agreed?"[/color]

She positioned herself over her lily pad leaf. "Maybe we can spar later? I've been looking for someone to sharpen my skills with. Guess we'll wait and see..."[/color], she proposed, before picking up her burden once more. Trotting forwards, the dense thicket of trees grew larger until it loomed above.

Turning to give a quick glance of courage towards what she hoped was Sigourney behind her, she trotted forwards once more, weaving around trunks both thick and thin, pressing between tight spaces, ducking to avoid low hanging branches, and leaping over soft rotting logs. The pace was brisk, hoping to get in and out of this nearly lightless grove as fast as possible, heading towards a section of fast approaching lit trees. Towards the light, towards the light, and into it.

Stepping forwards and to the side to avoid being run into, she blinked several times, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the beauty around them. Except for the prominent pond in the center of the area of crystalline blue, everything else was green among green among more green all competing for ounces of lazy sunlight that wafted down from above a thick canopy. The heated lake produced a mist of frosty breath on the cold winter day that tried it's best to permeate the leg area of all it's surroundings.

Dropping her lily leaf for a final time, she turned her head hoping to catch the familiar sight of Sigourney. "Welcome home, Sigourney."[/color]. Scanning the area, she did not seem to find what she was looking for. "Ariadne ?"[/color], she called out.

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[Natalie]

Anput led Sigourney deeper still into the Magnolska Forest, stopping when they reached a small grotto. Huge moss draped trees towered tall into a sky thick with fog. They seemed to provide a sort of canopy; a safety blanket of sorts. She felt a faint sense of claustrophobia, but the mysterious properties of the grotto seemed to make everything dimmer, and the sense seemed hushed. She no longer felt the pangs of urgency and fear she had grown so accustomed to.

"Sigourney, this is our home, up ahead, that big bunch of trees. It is scary once you get inside, but that's how we keep others out. In the middle is our grotto, it has a hot spring, like a spa. The place is great for healing body and spirit. Unfortunately, with so many trees close together, larger game can't venture in, and for us, it will be a little bit of a squeeze."
Sigourney opened her mouth to reply, but Anput continued. "The one rule I have about this place is that you can't tell anyone about it. Agreed?"

"A-" Sigourney tried to reply, but not having talked for so long made it difficult. She cleared her throat and swallowed loudly. "Agreed."

"Maybe we can spar later? I've been looking for someone to sharpen my skills with. Guess we'll wait and see..." Anputs voice rang out in the grotto.
Sigourney knew that she was no fighter, and that against this wolf, she would lose almost instantly. Or worse, it would trigger another panic attack and she would lose it, running off into the forest. But she felt oddly secure here in the grotto, so she agreed.

"Welcome home, Sigourney." Anput called. Home. Sigourney hesitantly dipped a paw into the water, pulling back at the shock of warmth. She stepped back from the pool and sat down, her legs tired from walking over rough terrain all day. She wasn't used to this kind of strenuous activity. Listening to Anput call for Ariadne, whom she assumed was the wolf she had spoken of earlier, Sigourney did feel at home. More at home than in Divisia, anyway.

[skye]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true][bg=121504] OOC: I was waiting for Tessa, but I'm thinking maybe we'll just continue and let her hop in anytime She couldn't help but smile as Sigourney tested the water and plopped down to rest, just as Ariadne had. Perhaps the journey here was rougher than others were used to, or that a heavy heart also burdened the body. An odd sort of satisfaction began to grow inside her heart, feeling successful in 'rescuing' two other wolves from whatever plight they had and offering them a warm bed and good company. "I hope that you will stay with us, but no matter your decision, we Ariadne and I will treat you like family. After all, what is a pack but a bunch of loners anyways."

[/color], she spat the word 'pack' out of her mouth, feeling quite unhappy with the packs that she had found, and all of them occupying every square inch of pack-available territory. It seemed a little as if there was no room for her but to forge her own destiny off the beaten path, and there could be no greater adventure than that. For once, she felt a little glad that she hadn't immediately joined the boring life of a pack wolf.

"Soooo... you don't like to fight? How about hunting? Fishing? Can you heal or read the stars? Or maybe you can identify herbs?"[/color], she prodded, especially holding high hopes for the last one. Realizing how this must sound, being invited to a new place, and then immediately being shoved into a job, she tried to recoup. "As beautiful as this place is, it can rot your mind."[/color], she tried to explain, looking to Sigourney to try to gather up what she was thinking. "It's tempting to sleep in all day because it is so warm and comfortable, but after a while you start to go crazy. Would you like to come with me tomorrow? I could use some company..."[/color], she tried to persuade with a teasing voice. She wasn't sure yet what she would do tomorrow, but she hoped to take up something Sigourney was well-versed at, to help the girl along with her confidence in herself and her abilities.

While waiting for a reply, her mind drifted to Ariadne. Normally she was not so worrysome, but she could not help but feel anxious that the girl was not around when she had come home. Had the sorrowful female left already, perhaps for good?



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