Post by Therdde on Apr 30, 2009 20:02:22 GMT -5
Characters:
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Sketch - Female Dog Spirit
- Wind-Blown Lowlands -
Tek has, seemingly, been reluctant to let Skel out of his sight for any period of time. Skelaghe doesn't realize that it is at Helaku's request, but she understands why Teketa has been keeping so close an eye on her. That doesn't remove her newfound desire for occasional privacy, though, and so after a couple days of not even being out of hearing range of Teketa, she has made her way north. She may prefer to be resting just now, with her pregnancy becoming more obvious every day, but it doesn't particularly bother her to be walking as she loses herself in her thought, and it has the benefit of granting her more time before Teketa catches up with her. Certainly, that will happen sooner or later.
An odd sound can be heard, further north, coming from the top of a small rise in the terrain. It's surprisingly musical, almost sounding like someone singing. However, there are no discernible words. The sound dances around and flirts with various seemingly-random melodies, and nearly sounds like a song. But not quite.
While Skelaghe may be fairly lost in her thoughts, it does not take the song long to draw her attention. For a few seconds, she thought it was just coming from her own imagination, but then... Her mind temporarily drawn from her troubles, she looks in the direction of the music, then begins walking with a little more purpose, her innate curiosity taking over. That sound is quite unlike any singing she has ever heard, and she /has/ to know what it is.
There's nothing immediately apparent to observe, save for the usual grasses blowing in the wind. The small crest of a hill is covered with flowers, but there is no creature visible there who might be producing the musical sounds. The melodies continue to switch back and forth, though it almost sounds like the closer the wolf gets to the small hill, the more arranged and organized the melodies become.
It is with no reluctance that Skelaghe begins to climb the hill. Skelaghe sniffs at the air as she walks, curious still, Her ears fully perked and her eyes open. Strangely, the melody seems to have put her more at peasce than she has been... Well, since they first encountered those violent cougars well north of here. Even as no apparent source of the sound becomes physical, Skelaghe continues to follow them. While her pace may be more purposeful, it is not terribly fast even now.
Up until this point there has only been a single melody, albeit switching back and forth between others, but the moment the wolf places a paw on the flowers, the sound suddenly turns to several melodies, all now playing simultaneously. It's as if the flowers are giving a choral greeting to this wolf, singing a polyphonic welcome. Still no sign of any creature or individual responsible for the sound; it seems now to be coming from the entirety of the hill, rather than from a specific location on it.
When the sound changes, when it seems to surround her, Skelaghe stops walking suddenly. The smell of the flowers, untouched by winter, combined with the song coming from all around her... It is the most unique thing Skelaghe has ever experienced. She looks around, slowly, but with no sign of the source of this music... It does not take her long to tell herself to just enjoy the experience, the sight of the flowers while there is snow just on the groud at the bottom of the hill, the smells they emit, the breeze that seems to amplify the song, and the song itself...
"When I was just a very young pup, I used to think that flowers made fun of me." The voice is as omnidirectional as the song, though there's no mistaking the female quality of it. Suddenly, there's a loud giggle, and the voice continues, full of mirth. "If only I had known then that they were trying to sing to me, like they're singing to you now..." Another heartfelt laugh. "Ahh, yes..."
The voice may not be coming from any specific direction, but the voice itself is very familiar, and Skelaghe cannot fight the tears that come to her eyes. Even when she replies, looking in no direction in particular, her voice is a strange mix of joy and sorrow. "It is the most beautiful song I have ever heard." Perhaps just as Sketch was the kindest, most beautiful dog Skelaghe ever knew, and hearing that familiar voice, filled with laughter... That is more responsible for the joy in Skelaghe's tone than even the music.
The various melodies seem to swell, intertwining as they reach a crescendo. "If you think they sound beautiful to you, you can't imagine how they sound to me. You can only hear what reaches your two ears. I can hear all of it, everywhere, always." There's a contented sound that can only be described as being an audible smile. "It truly is beautiful, isn't it? As beautiful as the flowers." The song lowers in volume, moving into a more complex pattern of intermingling melodies and counter-melodies.
Sketch is at peace. That means more to Skelaghe than anything else could. More to her than the approaching birth of her pups. She was not lying when she told Teketa that Sketch was like a daughter to her, ever bit as much as any daughter that she may currently be carrying. "I could not think of a better place I could wish for you, upon your passing, Sketch." Skelaghe finds it beautiful, yes. That Sketch does as well... /That/ is what matters.
Sketch? Sketch... The voice returns, sounding amused. "I am no longer just 'Sketch'... but now so much more." Even as the voice speaks, it seems to multiply, just as the music did when the wolf first stepped onto the hill. Each voice speaks the same words, yet each voice seems to be just barely different enough to be distinct from the others. It's harmonious speech. "They all have names, though.. all of them." And suddenly the air is filled with an overwhelming wave of laughter, giggling, chuckling, and all imaginable sounds of hilarity. It might just be the wind, but all the flowers are now waving about. But just as soon as it started, everything goes absolutely still. The music has gone silent, and only the voice can be heard, now barely a whisper. "I sing for you.. one last song." It is a solo melody, obviously the same voice that was just speaking. Starting low and barely audible, it quickly picks up energy and excitement. One by one, more melodies join in, ranging from broad and majestic to fast-paced to slow and hauntingly beautiful.
And Teketa asked her if she really believed that there was more than just this life. Skelaghe listens intently, a smile slowly appearing on her muzzle even as slow tears continue to run from her eyes. Slowly, very slowly, Skelaghe lowers herself to her swollen belly, closing her eyes to just listen to the song from her friend. As she listens to it, her grieving is slowly replaced by her own internal peace. How could she ever doubt that something this beautiful is the very forgiveness she had been seeking, even without asking for it directly? Besides that, it will be a much more wonderful final memory of the female Alsatian than asking her to go visit the mountain and, days later, Helaku returning to tell her Sketch would never be back. How little he knows.
The music swirls around the wolf, continuing to gain new voices as it reaches the climax of the song. And with a final rush of grandiosity, it all falls silent. When her eyes open again, Skelaghe will see only grass atop the hill she's on, rustling with the occasional breeze. No more flowers, no more music... and no more voice. It's as though it never happened.
If she were more like Teketa, Skelaghe might doubt her sanity when she finally opens her eyes, long after the music disappeared. Of course, if she were more like Teketa, she would not have been seeking Sketch's forgiveness in the first place. All of those traces from her friend might be well and truly gone from the physical world, but Skelaghe has no doubt that they do exist. Somewhere, there is a hill with flowers where Sketch is surrounded by friends, where she can listen to the most beautiful music all day, and where she will never again have to worry for her life. If Skelaghe never sees it again, it is enough to believe, to /know/, that it exists. When the wolf stands and slowly turns around, it is with the faintest hint of a smile on her maw, and when she speaks, the sorrow is gone. "I am happy for you, Sketch." She doesn't see anything. Only the mountain far off in the distance. The physical resting place for Sketch, though Skelaghe doesn't know that, to match her spiritual resting place, of which Skelaghe was just granted the slightest glimpse.
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Sketch - Female Dog Spirit
- Wind-Blown Lowlands -
Tek has, seemingly, been reluctant to let Skel out of his sight for any period of time. Skelaghe doesn't realize that it is at Helaku's request, but she understands why Teketa has been keeping so close an eye on her. That doesn't remove her newfound desire for occasional privacy, though, and so after a couple days of not even being out of hearing range of Teketa, she has made her way north. She may prefer to be resting just now, with her pregnancy becoming more obvious every day, but it doesn't particularly bother her to be walking as she loses herself in her thought, and it has the benefit of granting her more time before Teketa catches up with her. Certainly, that will happen sooner or later.
An odd sound can be heard, further north, coming from the top of a small rise in the terrain. It's surprisingly musical, almost sounding like someone singing. However, there are no discernible words. The sound dances around and flirts with various seemingly-random melodies, and nearly sounds like a song. But not quite.
While Skelaghe may be fairly lost in her thoughts, it does not take the song long to draw her attention. For a few seconds, she thought it was just coming from her own imagination, but then... Her mind temporarily drawn from her troubles, she looks in the direction of the music, then begins walking with a little more purpose, her innate curiosity taking over. That sound is quite unlike any singing she has ever heard, and she /has/ to know what it is.
There's nothing immediately apparent to observe, save for the usual grasses blowing in the wind. The small crest of a hill is covered with flowers, but there is no creature visible there who might be producing the musical sounds. The melodies continue to switch back and forth, though it almost sounds like the closer the wolf gets to the small hill, the more arranged and organized the melodies become.
It is with no reluctance that Skelaghe begins to climb the hill. Skelaghe sniffs at the air as she walks, curious still, Her ears fully perked and her eyes open. Strangely, the melody seems to have put her more at peasce than she has been... Well, since they first encountered those violent cougars well north of here. Even as no apparent source of the sound becomes physical, Skelaghe continues to follow them. While her pace may be more purposeful, it is not terribly fast even now.
Up until this point there has only been a single melody, albeit switching back and forth between others, but the moment the wolf places a paw on the flowers, the sound suddenly turns to several melodies, all now playing simultaneously. It's as if the flowers are giving a choral greeting to this wolf, singing a polyphonic welcome. Still no sign of any creature or individual responsible for the sound; it seems now to be coming from the entirety of the hill, rather than from a specific location on it.
When the sound changes, when it seems to surround her, Skelaghe stops walking suddenly. The smell of the flowers, untouched by winter, combined with the song coming from all around her... It is the most unique thing Skelaghe has ever experienced. She looks around, slowly, but with no sign of the source of this music... It does not take her long to tell herself to just enjoy the experience, the sight of the flowers while there is snow just on the groud at the bottom of the hill, the smells they emit, the breeze that seems to amplify the song, and the song itself...
"When I was just a very young pup, I used to think that flowers made fun of me." The voice is as omnidirectional as the song, though there's no mistaking the female quality of it. Suddenly, there's a loud giggle, and the voice continues, full of mirth. "If only I had known then that they were trying to sing to me, like they're singing to you now..." Another heartfelt laugh. "Ahh, yes..."
The voice may not be coming from any specific direction, but the voice itself is very familiar, and Skelaghe cannot fight the tears that come to her eyes. Even when she replies, looking in no direction in particular, her voice is a strange mix of joy and sorrow. "It is the most beautiful song I have ever heard." Perhaps just as Sketch was the kindest, most beautiful dog Skelaghe ever knew, and hearing that familiar voice, filled with laughter... That is more responsible for the joy in Skelaghe's tone than even the music.
The various melodies seem to swell, intertwining as they reach a crescendo. "If you think they sound beautiful to you, you can't imagine how they sound to me. You can only hear what reaches your two ears. I can hear all of it, everywhere, always." There's a contented sound that can only be described as being an audible smile. "It truly is beautiful, isn't it? As beautiful as the flowers." The song lowers in volume, moving into a more complex pattern of intermingling melodies and counter-melodies.
Sketch is at peace. That means more to Skelaghe than anything else could. More to her than the approaching birth of her pups. She was not lying when she told Teketa that Sketch was like a daughter to her, ever bit as much as any daughter that she may currently be carrying. "I could not think of a better place I could wish for you, upon your passing, Sketch." Skelaghe finds it beautiful, yes. That Sketch does as well... /That/ is what matters.
Sketch? Sketch... The voice returns, sounding amused. "I am no longer just 'Sketch'... but now so much more." Even as the voice speaks, it seems to multiply, just as the music did when the wolf first stepped onto the hill. Each voice speaks the same words, yet each voice seems to be just barely different enough to be distinct from the others. It's harmonious speech. "They all have names, though.. all of them." And suddenly the air is filled with an overwhelming wave of laughter, giggling, chuckling, and all imaginable sounds of hilarity. It might just be the wind, but all the flowers are now waving about. But just as soon as it started, everything goes absolutely still. The music has gone silent, and only the voice can be heard, now barely a whisper. "I sing for you.. one last song." It is a solo melody, obviously the same voice that was just speaking. Starting low and barely audible, it quickly picks up energy and excitement. One by one, more melodies join in, ranging from broad and majestic to fast-paced to slow and hauntingly beautiful.
And Teketa asked her if she really believed that there was more than just this life. Skelaghe listens intently, a smile slowly appearing on her muzzle even as slow tears continue to run from her eyes. Slowly, very slowly, Skelaghe lowers herself to her swollen belly, closing her eyes to just listen to the song from her friend. As she listens to it, her grieving is slowly replaced by her own internal peace. How could she ever doubt that something this beautiful is the very forgiveness she had been seeking, even without asking for it directly? Besides that, it will be a much more wonderful final memory of the female Alsatian than asking her to go visit the mountain and, days later, Helaku returning to tell her Sketch would never be back. How little he knows.
The music swirls around the wolf, continuing to gain new voices as it reaches the climax of the song. And with a final rush of grandiosity, it all falls silent. When her eyes open again, Skelaghe will see only grass atop the hill she's on, rustling with the occasional breeze. No more flowers, no more music... and no more voice. It's as though it never happened.
If she were more like Teketa, Skelaghe might doubt her sanity when she finally opens her eyes, long after the music disappeared. Of course, if she were more like Teketa, she would not have been seeking Sketch's forgiveness in the first place. All of those traces from her friend might be well and truly gone from the physical world, but Skelaghe has no doubt that they do exist. Somewhere, there is a hill with flowers where Sketch is surrounded by friends, where she can listen to the most beautiful music all day, and where she will never again have to worry for her life. If Skelaghe never sees it again, it is enough to believe, to /know/, that it exists. When the wolf stands and slowly turns around, it is with the faintest hint of a smile on her maw, and when she speaks, the sorrow is gone. "I am happy for you, Sketch." She doesn't see anything. Only the mountain far off in the distance. The physical resting place for Sketch, though Skelaghe doesn't know that, to match her spiritual resting place, of which Skelaghe was just granted the slightest glimpse.