Feeling Blue, Graye? (hoss/Dar)

[Velnias]

Graye

”I wish they’d stay back—if only…” I trailed off, my words quiet, only loud enough for me to hear. Of course the wolves had been tracking me. I never let my guard down, especially not as a horse. And now, especially not with Dar. I led the way and she was a half a step behind me. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was a little apprehensive of the place. Out here, this deep in this particular stretch of the woods, there were always odd noises, even during the day. The trees were tall and all had that exotic temperate climate look. Pine needles everywhere. Tall, thin, reddish trees dotted the woods. The whole place looked so lush ad should’ve been full of life, but it wasn’t. Just empty. And that could’ve been the wolves’ fault; although they were excellent trackers, the animals likely sniffed the tiniest scent of wolf on me, though most of it usually wasn’t detectable. I remembered seeing this forest more full of life, maybe a long time ago. The memory was fuzzy. But it was a pleasant memory. The sun on my back, my coat healthy and shiny, and I was with someone. We must have been young, because I remember my face being at such a short distance above the ground…

”I apologize,” I said suddenly, ”I must have been rather dull company this past day or so. I’m just having trouble remembering exactly where it is I’m going…” I looked at Dar apologetically, and focused on the path ahead. We’d walked at a steady pace for five or six days. All had been going as planned, no interruptions. The pack could’ve swarmed us at any time but I guessed they’d decided to let us play it out awhile, which I was glad for. Mostly what I was ecstatic about was the lovely weather. It was nice and warm up here in the forest; that significantly attributed to my being able to stand being an equine so long. And now, thankfully, the path was starting to look familiar. I thought it was a hunting trail we’d used in the past, but now I remembered just which one. The distinct, though faded, smell of fire and burning wood was filling my nostrils. ”The cabin,” I said without really thinking about it. Then I looked at Dar, a spring in my step now that we’d come closer to where I was sure I wanted to go. ”Follow close behind me,” I instructed her.

The path was well-worn, but weeds were starting to sprout up along it. The sun glistened on the dew on the leaves and twigs on the ground, and there was a peaceful swaying in the trees around us. Gradually the trees became less dense and the brush underfoot dissipated. Soon we could see the place ahead where the hill fell away before us, and down in the valley there was an old log cabin. It was very, very old but sometimes our pack took shelter there. It was too risky, being followed as we were, to venture closer, but I stopped and watched the cabin a moment. The grass in the valley was green and I imagined rolling in it, playing in the long strands, crouching in the tall weeds, leaping, pouncing…

”Here,” I said. ”We start here.” I turned away from the beautiful scene, knowing if we were to start somewhere it might as well be here. So we were trying to retrace, back pedal our steps. Trying to see how we fit together. It was unmistakable, from what brief dialogue we’d exchanged over the past period of traveling. We fit together somehow! But because of my, err, situation, things were always cloudy. I faced the prospect of next winter, this coming cold season, when I’d be caught in the cold, forced to change back into what I’d become. Eirik said that was what usually happened. The cold made us change most often. Back to our wolf bodies. And I feared I’d forget all she’d told me. All that I’d learned from Dar, the first real horse I’d met in a long time. And I’d watched her for even longer. But she hadn’t known, so that was what made it more difficult to bear. I’d leave her and I wouldn’t be able to…tell her. But I pushed those thoughts aside, determined to hang onto this part of myself as long as I could. My gaze shifted to Dar’s face. I thought she looked different, like there was a flicker of something in her eyes. Recognition? Surprise? Something. So curious, I asked, ”Recognize it?”

[.๑whovian๑.]

Darligulv

She felt bad. Not physically, but she was sorry, because she did not properly register a word of what the handsome grey stallion said. She was so deep in thought, thinking of beaches and strange noises that she was only vaguely aware of him speaking to her. It wasn't that she did not want to hear his voice, or that she was disinterested in what he had to say, but because there were so many things that didn't make sense to her. Inside her head. Combinations of voices and sounds, and scrambled memories; some of them were normal, but some of them weren't. She often saw her mothers beautiful eyes, heard her soft whicker, but then a fierce howl would split through the air, and the image of a black wolf. Why? Why was it like this?

Other images that haunted her mind were those that she would never tell a living soul; not even Graye. They were the most startling, and the most terrifying, but also, the most wonderfully fantastic. A place with life and business, of bridges and towns filled with strange creatures. Of laughter and sorrow, of terror beyond what she could imagine, of a contagious laugh, and a warm smile. And the color blue. Yes, that was often on her mind the blue, that same dark, intense blue of the sea, but not. And the color gold. That powerful, shining death ray, like sunlight but so much more, and it scared and awed her at the same time. Yes, they were her memories, and they didn't make any sense to her.

It was only after a few moments that she realized what Graye had been saying, and she smiled. "Not as dull as me, don't worry, I should be the one apologizing," she said quietly. She looked around at the place in which they were walking, and felt the presence of the wolves all around. They were tracking the pair of horses. Why, Dar didn't know, but she felt like it had something to do with Graye...yet it could also be herself as well. She had so many strange feeling. None of it made sense to her, but she was beginning to realize that she didn't make sense, so her memories probably weren't going to be exempted.


"Why do they follow us so relentlessly?" she wondered aloud. However, she was distracted when Graye told her to follow closely, and without hesitation, or fear she did it, simply because he told her too and she wanted too. She followed slightly behind him, right next to his haunches, so that she appeared to be timid, but she was simply following the stallion. Dar inhaled through her nostrils deeply, catching the smell of burnt wood and warmth, and of course, the smell of wolf. Her eyes skimmed the beautiful scene, and she realized that Graye was watching her after a moment. She looked out at it, trying to remember something...

"I," she murmured. She paused a moment. "Yeah." she said finally. "Yeah...."

She was pulled abruptly out of her trance by movement. Spinning around, she stared intently into the trees, and realized after a moment that something was watching her, and she bristled slightly....well, if a horse can bristle. It was a creature, that much she knew. Pearly white eyes stared at her through the trees, and a shadowy black figure; it looked like a horse, was standing rigid. Yet it seemed skinny, tall, and had a rather haunting look about it.


"What's that?" she said sharply, but quietly to Graye. Her eyes narrowed at the creature, but it swiftly turned and dashed into the woods. She turned back to Graye, those pearly eyes still on her mind. Suddenly, a shadow flew across the grass, moving so quickly that it startled her. There certainly was a lot of activity going on around here, and as she looked up, she saw a huge figure flying over their heads briefly. Before she could work out what it was, it dove into the trees, and there was a horrible screeching yell that followed shortly afterward, followed by silence. A ringing, awful silence. The yellow mare shivered slightly and looked at Graye. For the first time, she grinned.

"Wolves, shades, and great big bat flapping things," she said, her spirits high. "Dear Graye, you've certainly lead us on an adventure!"

Yes, she was aware it was cheesy.

words; 746
muse; great
notes; that was interesting.