Ascending Legends

[Dragongal]

Arryn licked Dayn's cheek, putting her head on his neck and burying her muzzle in his fur. <I hope you're not hurting him somehow... he's been through so much lately....> Arryn looked up at Lleuna, noting the tear, but she kept quiet. After waiting a few seconds, Arryn wrapped her tail around Dayn's. Now it just seemed that they had to wait.

 

[BookWyrm]

"I would never bring harm to Dayn in anyway." It was true, but Lleuna knew Arryn would still be defensive. In the Hunting Grounds Dayn had descended into the gorge. Winding passage ways cut through the stone like a maze. At times he found himself trapped or upon a dead end, but after several minutes Dayn had broken free from the maze and passed under the trees into the forest. Right as soon as he broke into the tree line Dayn found himself pouring through familiar trails. His hackles stood on end as he realized where he was. You will find yourself facing obstacles both new and old in the forest.. Dayn could smell the faint scent of burning wood. No, that is done. I will not falter. Dayn took off again, this time quickening his step as he sought out the mountain pass. Arryn, I'm coming. He leapt over a fallen tree and came face to face with the sight of the old burning cabin. Dayn's heart dropped at the sight. He watched as his own image came out from the woods and began to fight with the men that had set his home aflame. Dayn whined again, this time joined by tears that slid down his muzzle as his ears laid back. His paw reached out towards Arryn, pawing at the air as it sought her touch.

 

[Dragongal]

<Dayn?> Arryn put her paw over his as tears slid down her muzzle. She nuzzled against his cheek. <My Dayn.... my love....> What was happening to him? She felt the slightest bit of heartache and suddenly realized it must have been from their connection. She lightly licked his cheek, hoping to offer some comfort somehow.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn's whining quieted down when he felt Arryn's touch. Even in the Hunting Grounds Dayn could feel her. <Arryn.> That feeling alone pulled him back into the task at hand. He left the scene at the cabin, the night when he felt he'd lost his soul to the black, and ran towards the mountain. He had not been as far from the base and the trail as he had thought. <I'm coming Arryn. I promise, I will make it back to you.> He did not slow when his feet found the stone path, instead he quickened his pace and dashed towards the peak and the final challenge. You will find the peak to be the greatest challenge you will ever face. But if you succeed, you will have passed the rite.





Dayn could feel his lungs burning as he pushed harder towards the peak of the mountain. With every step his fatigue grew, but still he pushed onward. His breath came hard, and he could feel a slightly warm, damp feeling along his nose and mouth. Keep going. Arryn is waiting on the other side. My love, my wife. I'm coming back to you, I swear it.


Dayn finally pushed to the end of the path and came out on what looked to be a plateau. His heart pounded against his chest as he coughed, sending slight flecks of blood across the stone floor. Dayn looked out across the plateau, his eyes falling on a figure at the far end that seemed to draw him ever closer. <No....it can't be..>





Kara opened her eyes and smiled to Dayn when he neared. Lia stood at her side, her hand in her mothers as she turned to look at Dayn. The recognition spread across her face and she let go of her mother's hand to run to him. But as she took her first steps a shadow loomed over the two of them. <NOOOOOO!> Dayn watched in horror as a dark wolf rent them both before his eyes. Perhaps even more horrifying was when it stepped out into the light. Covered in the blood of his first wife and child, Dayn found himself staring into his own eyes, though they were twisted and hideous to behold. Dayn snarled at this wolf, his hackles standing on edge. <You are not me.> Dayn charged the wolf head on and began the hardest fight of his life. This wasn't a battle against flesh and blood, but against his own guilt, shame, anger, and fear. It was against the insanity that had clung to his mind, the beast inside that he feared more than anything else.


For several long minutes Dayn traded blows with claw and fang, leaving both bloody and heaving for air. The beast lunged one last time for Dayn's throat, and he dodged, right at the last second, before shooting up and sinking his own teeth around the beast's neck before ripping it out. Dayn stood victorious over his fallen enemy, his old self and everything he used to be. The White Wolf appeared like a fog before him. Well done. You have overcome the rite, and in doing so you have overcome yourself and your past. May the Mother's grace be ever upon you, and may the full strength of my people fill you when you awake.


Lleuna sighed in relief, finally letting the tears of joy fall from her eyes. "He has done it." She looked up at Arryn and smiled, laughing quietly. "He will be weak after this trial, but his strength will renew ten fold. Ease his waking, let him feel you here. It will help him along his way back to you." She reached out and laid a hand softly against Dayn's chest. "Goodbye my child." And just as she had appeared Lleuna faded from sight. The clouds parted, clearing way for the sun to return to the glade.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn nuzzled against Dayn's face, licking and whining quietly. He'd passed some mysterious ritual, but what were the effects? What if he was... different besides just the strength as Lleuna mentioned? <Dayn? Please wake up, Dayn, I'm right here.... My love, I'm right here for you.>

 

[BookWyrm]

Slowly Dayn managed to come back around. First it was nothing more than just a huff, but shortly after his tail wagged slightly. Dayn whined as he spread his jaws in a wide yawn. Dayn blinked and looked around. Where was Arryn? He blinked again, his eyes clearing up completely before he finally laid his head against Arryn. His tail started thumping the ground with renewed vigor as he buried his muzzle against Arryn's neck. <Hey love.>

 

[Dragongal]

<My love...> Arryn nuzzled against him. <I was so worried, Lleuna didn't tell me exactly what you were doing or what the effects were, I was scared. She really likes you, she cried with joy when you won. Oh, and she's the White Wolf's girl, too.> As Arryn had explained, she hadn't stopped loving on Dayn, rubbing against him, licking him, nuzzling and purring.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn felt just slightly overwhelmed, perhaps lost in the affection, but after a moment he rubbed against Arryn and licked her in return. <That explains a lot. I'm sorry I didn't warn you Arryn, I didn't know what was going on until it happened.> Dayn laid his head down against Arryn's shoulder and sighed. <I'm exhausted. It was a trial, a rites of passage. It was in the Hunting Ground, but I've never been to this place before. It started in a gorge filled with mazes, and then it went into a vast forest before finally atop a mountain. There were...obstacles along the way.> Dayn nudged his nose against Arryn's neck. <I'd rather not talk about the forest or the mountain right now. I'm just happy to be back with you.>

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn continued purring and whining quietly, nuzzling against Dayn's cheek before laying her head against his neck. <I'm so happy for you. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. I'm just glad you're okay. How about we go home? There's still food waiting, and I'll stoke some fires, and we'll cuddle up under the blankets - as wolves or humans. Okay?> She was merely overjoyed that he was okay. The fact that he had gained something was even better. First things first, though, she had to take care of him, he was still recovering from the silver and now he was exhausted.

 

[BookWyrm]

<Home sounds nice.> Despite his rather exhausted state Dayn leaned up and grabbed Arryn's ear before shaking it and nibbling on it gently before turning it lose and licking it. He whined some when he stood up, his body aching from the strain that had been the trial, but his legs held him. <I don't want to risk a shift right now. I might pass out on you, and I'd rather not leave you having to drag me back to the house.>

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn growled playfully, smiling as he nibbled her ear. She stood up beside him, gently tapping under his chin with her nose. <Okay, love. I'll carry our stuff back.> Arryn managed to get their clothing into her pack, and took the straps of his and hers in her mouth, looking back at him with her tail wagging slightly.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn wagged his tail and nudged her cheek with his nose before limping his way back towards their house. Dayn shook himself off before limping back into the house and laying down in the main room. He didn't care if the fires were out or not, he just wanted to rest.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn dragged a bunch of blankets over and laid them around Dayn before pulling one over him and cuddling up against him under it. <Human wife or wolf wife?>

 

[BookWyrm]

<Surprise me.> Dayn managed to smile despite himself, his tail thumping against the floor to add emphasis to his attempt to appear to be in better spirits.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn closed her eyes and shifted, once human immediately wrapping her arms around his neck and started slowly running her fingers through his fur. "Now you just rest, my love."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn started purring the second Arryn wrapped her arms around him. He laid his head against her chest after he had licked her throat. He was dozing lightly within seconds of relaxing against her, though he didn't stop purring.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn continued to slowly pet him, humming quietly as she did. She had a slight smile on her face. While it wasn't good that Dayn was so exhausted, she enjoyed moments like these. Taking care of him, yet there was no rush, just a quiet, warm comfort. No real worries, just... silence. Had Dayn not been a wolf, she'd have been cold, being naked with only one blanket on, but she just moved closer to him when she got cold.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn stirred slightly when he felt Arryn snuggle closer. He responded by curling up around her and fluffing out his coat. It felt nice to just doze instead of sleep. Dozing meant that he could still be aware of Arryn and feel her loving on him, sleep meant he lost all contact with everything. He wanted to rest yes, but he also craved that close intimacy with his wife. He mewled happily as Arryn continued to pet him, his purr slowly starting back as he closed his eyes again.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn kissed his cheek then poked him slightly to get him to raised his head and tucked her own head under his chin. An interesting experiment, with a very warm result. She lightly nuzzled against his neck she she settled down. Slowly, she petted along his cheek and neck, barely able to see what she was doing, but that was okay, she could tell she wouldn't hit any of his scars.

 

[BookWyrm]

The poke might have been a little more abrupt had it not been preceded by the kiss, but Dayn had to admit that he liked the closeness of having Arryn's head under his chin, even if it was a large muzzle. And then of course there was the added benefit of her being able to rub his neck easier now, which felt utterly amazing. He gently licked the back of Arryn's neck, right around the upper shoulder, mostly because that was what he could reach without moving her around. But he felt like he wanted to return the affection in some way, so it worked.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn chuckled. "You're so warm. If we ever have to travel in winter, I think we'll just share a blanket and you'll be wolfed." Arryn paused to pet his muzzle before returning to petting his neck. "Now, if you're tired, rest up, mo chroi."

 

[BookWyrm]

<I've always planned on us sharing bedding from now on, and since I like having your arms around my neck, I can agree to those terms.> Dayn purred with content pleasure as he closed his eyes again and dozed happily. He reached out and laid his paw across Arryn, pressing it carefully against the small of her back.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled and adjusted a bit, before letting herself doze a bit as well.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn dozed for a decent portion of the remaining morning before he was roused by a sudden sneeze. He opened his eyes, scratching at his nose to rid himself of the irritation before purring again. He pulled his head back to nuzzle against Arryn's neck gently before licking her.

 

[Dragongal]

The sneeze alone was enough to wake Arryn, but the licking actually got a reaction. Arryn shivered and gently petted Dayn's muzzle. "Good morning, love."