Be My Oblivion

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden had drug the buck a decent distant from the cave to open and discard the entrails and other inedible bits. Once he was sure it was cleaned up, he drug the now headless, barely bleeding carcass back to the cave. A small, soft glow emitted from the mouth of the cave, and he smiled. She had found some dry wood to start a fire. That was good news.


"Hey. It's just me." He called as he approached the cave so he wouldn't startle her. He pulled the deer just inside the lip of the cave and let it drop fully to the ground. "Do you want any cooked?" He asked lightly, kneeling to start carving off a thin strips to cook. He looked about and found a thin, strong stick to use as a skewer, and pierced the meat onto it, sticking one end in the ground near the growing blaze to cook.

 

[FieryAngel]

At first, she wasn't aware of who approached, and bared her teeth, snarling at the intruder. Of course, as it turned out to be Aiden, she instantly felt horrible and rather embarrassed. Normally, she'd use her senses, but in this case had been a bit distracted with the fire. "Welcome back." She sat by the fire, curled up, knees to her chest as she continued to shiver, cloak laying upon the rock neatly folded beside her. She din't want to get it wet any more than was necessary, and figured she'd warm and dry as the fire began to build.


Eyeing the deer, her head tilted to the side, staring quizzically at the now cut meat. "As strange as it may sound, I've never been asked that question. Perhaps at the risk of scaring you, I'll have some cooked, if you please." She smiled, nearly amused at the given situation, sure that it was quite a strange conversation to have given he was human. It was just then that she realized just how uncivilized she had grown to be.


Curiosity was burning bright, the longer she spent with him, the more she wanted to know. It was all too tempting to indulge in temptation and begin to ask more about his life. Though, she was also aware of the fact that by the end of tomorrow, they may part ways and she'd never see him again. It brought sadness to her eyes, having finally found company, and she'd lose it so soon. "Have you decided where you'd like to go? We need to start making plans for morning."

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden chuckled, and nodded. "Alright." he said simply, occasionally turning the makeshift spit as the meat slowly started to cook. He'd cut more off as other pieces cooked. He glanced over at Ember, "You're still shivering. Wear the cloak." he said softly, nodding to the folded cloth beside her. "I don't need it." he smiled lightly. Of course, he was chilled to the bone, but he was far to prideful and chivalrous to take the cloak for himself. He examined the meat, and then sat back, turning the spit again. Often, he found his eyes passing over Ember, and he could see there was a curiosity growing in her. Her emotions were often easy to read.


He jumped slightly at the question, having, in all truth, not even thought about where they would go when the rain stopped. He shrugged, "I'm just as you. No where to go, no one to return to." he said softly, looking at the fire. "I had no living family since I was a young boy, and have only known military life since. Until I met Clara. After her death and the loss of our child, I haven't settled anywhere but where the company settled." he explained, shrugging again. "I can see the curiosity in your eyes. What are you so curious about?" he asked, turning his emerald gaze to her.

 

[FieryAngel]

Her own belly began to rumble as the scent of meat filled the cave, watching with fascination as he cooked it like a pro. A hand went down to touch the cloak beside her, debating on putting it back on or not. "Are you sure? I'm used to being cold, at least, I am now. The last few weeks with no pack to curl up with and being bound to a pole has made me used to a lot of things." Without giving it another thought, she curled herself into it, finding herself inhaling deeply from the scent that lingered upon the fabric.


Darkness had completely settled, the only visibility they had was provided by the flickering flames before them. The rest had been swallowed into darkness. It was cozy, at least to the wolf, but to others it could be quite an unsettling experience. It was never known what dangers could be lurking just on the edge of the light.


Pondering his situation, she couldn't come up with an answer, unsure herself of where to go. "Well, as cozy as this cave is, I'm sure you don't wish to make it your home. There must be somewhere you've always dreamed of visiting." She needed clues, a direction, anything to get them further away from the danger that would soon be following again, at least that's what was feared. However, him prying her curiosity into the open was quick to distract her thoughts. "Tell me more about her, about Clara and your child. Tell me more about you. You're the first human outside of the pack that I've gotten to talk to. The only other human was my sister's husband. He was a unique man, and we always said he was part wolf due to his nature."

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden chuckled softly as he watched Ember wrap the cloak around herself. He was silent for a long while, the darkness settling around them. He checked the meat and pulled the pieces off the spit. He pushed them toward Ember, and went to cut more pieces off the buck, and resumed cooking. His mind wandered through thoughts about her questions. First, where they would go. He had always wanted to see the ocean, but that was a long distance from their current position. About his fiance, and child, and the life he could have lived had things been different. He cooked another batch of meat, sliding it to Ember, save for a few pieces which he nibbled on as he started to cook another batch.


He swallowed the last part of a piece of meat, and looked over at Ember. "There's much to talk about if you want to know about me, and Clara." he began, watching the wolf girl as he spoke. "As for our child. She was beautiful. Her eyes were pale blue, like the sky. Her smile was small, but it gripped my heart like the strongest steel." he smiled, his eyes dropping back to the fire. "She was small, and innocent. She hadn't even lived." he sighed, and shook his head. "Clara was strong. Both physically, and mentally. She was stubborn, but I liked that." he laughed. "Her hair was a dark chocolate color. Rich, and warm. Her heart was bigger than her chest most days. We had an entire infirmary dedicated to injured animals." he chuckled. "There were even a few werewolves that passed through her care." he shook his head.


"I met her when I was only fifteen. Just after I had joined the military ranks." he explained, poking at the fire with a stick. "Our romance was strained, with me always being on the road. Yet, she waited every time. I always came back, and she would be there. Waiting." he sighed. "I hadn't ever considered marrying her, since I was a military man, and could never say how long I'd be home. Until she came to me saying she carried a child. It hit me like a rock, and I proposed to her that night. Then I was called away the next morning. I didn't see her again until after she had given birth." he spoke softly.


"As for myself, I just told you the majority of my life. Dedicated to the military. I was orphaned when I was young. It's hard to really remember much from before I entered the ranks." he scoffed, shaking his head. He looked back up at Ember, "What about you? Tell me more about yourself." he said, smiling softly.

 

[FieryAngel]

Nibbling upon her dinner, her gaze was fully locked on the flames, but her ears were right with each word Aiden spoke. She smiled and frowned, his whole life story tugging at her heart strings. The poor man had suffered enough, and with his kindness, he deserved happiness. "Clara sounded like a wonderful woman. I'm truly sorry things turned out horribly." It was true, no one should suffer the loss of love such as that, though she'd never know for herself.


As he inquired about her, she paused, letting out a deep sigh and buying herself another minute with a rather large mouthful of deer. It was rather tasty cooked over an open flame, something she'd have to try again. "Well, I can't say I'm rather fascinating, as I've never known love, never had a child, haven't done much. The life of a wolf is far different. I was born this way, my mother being wolf and father human, oddly enough. I never got to meet him, though. He was deemed a traitor for mating with my kind and was executed shortly before my mother gave birth to me. I was the last child she had, all of my sisters older than me, and also having a different father. That's a long story."


She paused, her gaze shifting back and forth while she sorted through memories, debating on where to go next. "While some wolf packs live in camps, having tents and possessions that were easy to pack and move around, I grew up in a village made entirely of wolves. My family was rare, as we embraced our humanity and tried to blend in. We didn't want to be thought of as monsters. I spent my childhood like a normal child would, I suppose, learning how to survive in the woods in both forms, tracking, using weapons. I even learned how to ride horseback, just because I felt it looked fun. I was always different, never satisfied with just basic lessons, and often causing trouble. I guess I was the brat of the bunch. I was stubborn and headstrong, never letting anyone prove me wrong." A flicker of a smile crossed her lips, though it only lasted a moment.


"As you already know, my family was slaughtered, our village burned to the ground and turned to ash just a few weeks ago. Everyone perished, though why they took me prisoner I'll never know. I've been doomed to a life alone. Packs don't often accept wolves from other packs. It's a fate I can accept, though I can say goodbye to finding love, having a child of my own, or even a home. Love is rare as a wolf anyways, our animal instinct overriding our hearts. As a wolf, we search for the person best to aid in creating our next generation. Once in a while, it happens, as it did with my mother. That, I believe, was fate. But I digress." She shrugged and went silent, all thoughts cut off as she tried to keep her composure, though it was clear in her eyes the sorrow that welled up in her heart.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden listened to her story quietly, finding the story rather intriguing despite the lack of what one would call fascinating. He knew why they had taken her, the captain had told him that first day, but he couldn't bring himself to inform her what they had chosen to be her fate. He glanced up from the fire to peer at Ember when she fell silent, and felt bad when he noticed the sorrow clear in her eyes. She was alone, and indebted to a human of all sorts. He stood from where he sat, and moved around the fire, settling back down beside her. "I'm sure there's someone out there who your wolf will take a liking to." he said gently, and fell silent. He leaned against her, pressing their shoulders together in a small form of comfort for her.


((Going to a hotel with the hubby. May not be able to reply until late Sunday or possibly Monday just to let you know ^-^))

 

[FieryAngel]

((ooooooh! Have fun!))


Ember buried her face into the cloak, now fighting back tears that threatened to flow down her cheeks. Hadn't she shed enough in the past few weeks? As her story was told, it all sank in at once, she was forever doomed to be alone. What sin had she committed to deserve such fate? She found comfort as Aiden drew near, glad to have a single friend, even if only temporary. His presence brought comfort and hope, and as they touched, it was enough to seem much like a warm embrace. Her head leaned to the side, coming to rest upon his shoulder, and heaved a deep sigh to let the sorrow fade. "I do hope you are right. A lone wolf is a very tragic thing."


Silence came between them, the only sounds were those of the night and the crackling wood as it burned in the flames. It was rather nice. Lids grew heavy now that the day had finally caught up to her, and the wolf curdled close to her companion. Perhaps an awkward thing for him, but quite a natural one for her. With a yawn, her eyes were closed and breathing slowed as she drifted off into a deep slumber.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

((Had a few minutes ^-^))


Aiden watched the fire for a long while in silence. He could tell she had fallen asleep by the gentle rhythm of her breathing. It was different, having a warm body laying beside him again, the last having been his Clara. When the fire became only burning embers, Aiden finally laid back for rest. He hesitated a moment, thinking if he should move, but at the same time she was sleeping peacefully, and he couldn't deny that was certainly warmer to be next to her. He sighed, and threw an arm over her side, settling comfortably for the rest of the night. At least they'd both be kept warm through the remainder of the night. He watched her face for a moment longer before his eyes drifted closed and sleep took his mind elsewhere.

 

[FieryAngel]

Slumbering peacefully, colors swirled through her mind, flickers of visions began taking shape. Some where pleasant, such as memories of her family, being a young pup frolicking through the meadow by her home. Nothing was solid, always hard to see or make out exactly what was meant to be, but they brought warmth and peace to her aching heart, even lifting a smile upon her lips.


Ember slept peacefully through the night, slumbering deeply and barely moving at all. She only once flinched and curled up closer to Aiden, sighing as she absorbed his warmth. Dawn approached, filling the cave with a soft amber glow, awaking the birds who began to sing sweet songs of the new day. The wold girl yawned, arms reaching high to stretch above her head, until she realized that she had spent the night curled up with the Lieutenant.


A debate was going on in her mind, to move or not, fearing that she had somehow bothered him or disrupted his sleep in some sort of way. There was no denying that his warmth felt wonderful, reminding her of home. It was now that she could catch a good look at his features, the way he looked when feeling peaceful or at ease. His features were certainly handsome, and to gain a better look, she leaned forward a mere inches from his face.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden slept soundly through the night, his thoughts lulled by the constant sound of the rain, and by rhythmic breathing of Ember beside him. He found her presence calming, and it helped keep his dreams at bay. All he saw in his dreams were the happy days he had with his beloved and an imagination of if they had still been alive. He grumbled softly in his sleep when Ember shifted and stretched, but he remained asleep. His face, a handsome square jawline, and high cheek bones, a thin nose, and almost almond shaped eyes, all set in a look of contentment. Calm, and at peace. The beginnings of stubble made his previously smooth skin rough, though the stubble wasn't long enough yet to be noticeable without being close to his face. His lips were thin, but full, slightly parted in relaxed sleep. Along the left side of his jawline, there was a thin line of pale skin that marked a scar on his otherwise unmarred face. His brow furrowed in his sleep, and he shifted again, his arm tightening around the wolf girl as he curled against the light of dawn.


((Well, my weekend was nice How was yours? @FieryAngel))

 

[FieryAngel]

((Mine was ok. I worked, did homework. Dealt with a cranky 4 year old lol. Glad you enjoyed your weekend!))


Getting up was now out of the question as Aiden tightened his arm around her, and instead of fighting, she found no harm in enjoying the warmth of her friend. After all, the storm would have kept their hunting party at bay, buying them just a bit more time to enjoy the sunrise. He looked far too peaceful to wake, and turning, she lay there staring at his angelic face. Being wrapped in his arms and absorbing his warmth, her heart began to race. To what purpose was she responding this way? It was something entirely new. Maybe he was right, her wolf would find someone to her liking, and she was beginning to think it might be him. She always believed that everything happened for a reason, and fate just seemed to be playing some major cards in all of this. Her family was gone, potential mates gone, and she was saved by a human who clearly needed some sunshine in his life. Coincidence? She wasn't sure, but there was one thing for certain; she didn't want him to wake up, at least not yet.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden slept for a good while longer, until the sunlight streaming into the cave finally woke him. He grumbled, clearly protesting being woken, his eyes finally fluttering open, squinting against the light. He took a deep breath, and yawned, the arm that had been around Ember moving, his hand going to his face. He rubbed his features, removing the sleep from his eyes, and scratching his cheek slightly. He blinked a few times, his pupils adjusting to wakefulness.


His eyes finally seemed to focus, and he found himself staring at Ember, cuddled far closer than he had meant the night before. He shifted quickly, his cheeks warming. "Sorry." He said, coughing to clear his throat in order to hide his embarrassment. He rubbed a hand over his face again, and sighed, "Morning." He mumbled, and laughed softly. "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable or anything." He said, raking a hand through his short hair.

 

[FieryAngel]

Ember bubbled with soft giggles at his reaction, slowly sitting up herself once she was freed of his arm. "How would you have made me uncomfortable?" There was a faint flush to her cheeks, but not from embarrassment about being snuggled. It was at the realization that she didn't want him to move away. "I guess sleeping together isn't much of a big deal for wolves. It's not uncommon to see members of a pack sleeping together, whether brother or sister, parent, or even friend." Her shoulders shrugged, dismissing the thought and reached to rub sleep from her own eyes. Soft, silky hair had become a tangled mess, and she worked digits through it trying to straighten it out.


The forest was alive after last nights rain, filling the cave with the pleasant sounds of day. Rising, her rich blue eyes peered into the trees, finding joy in the way morning dew glittered like diamonds in the sun. It was surely a beautiful sight. Turning, she'd offer her companion a smile, watching him wake himself for the day ahead. "So, we should probably pack up and head to our next destination, wherever that is." Without a direction to head, she wouldn't know where to go, and wandering aimlessly was far too dangerous while being hunted.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden pushed himself to his feet, and stood, stretching. "It might be normal for wolves, but it certainly isn't the same for humans." He said, sighing. He glanced at Ember as she pulled at the mess of her hair, and moved to his pack, pullin b the brush out. He held it out to her, "You can have it." He said simply, stifling a yawn. He moved for the mouth of the cave, and took a deep breath. The forest was damp, and alive. It was rather peaceful.


He turned and looked back at Ember as she spoke. "Let's head for the coast to start. We should have enough of a head start that if we can travel quickly enough for a day or two we won't have to worry about being hunted." He said with a shrug. He moved back into the cave, and began to break camp, even though there wasn't much to do in those terms. "We can find something to eat when we've made some distance." He noted, and slung his pack over his shoulder.

 

[FieryAngel]

Rubbing her arms to warm them from the early morning chill, she found herself unable to look at Aiden now, a little embarrassed and worried of his discomfort. "I'm sorry. Truly, I am. I'm so used to being with the pack, I suppose I don't know what's all acceptable as a human." It wasn't until he offered out the brush that she turned to look, head tilting to the side. "Are you sure? I certainly don't want to accept anything if it holds value in your heart." Taking it from his grasp, she'd at least run it through her long raven mane, bringing it to shine, once again, like the finest silk.


Once done, she'd at least have to hand it back so it could be kept safe on their journey. After all, she had no possessions, no backpack even. "Alright, the coast it is. Shall we go on foot, or do you wish to ride again? Either way is fine with me." A gentle breeze blew through the trees, carrying with it the scent of lilac and honeysuckles. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes to take in the full aroma, also searching for hidden scents perhaps masked by the sweetness. Nothing so far, a few deer and maybe a bear, but no sign of humans. At least, not from the direction the wind came from.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden shook his head, "Don't worry about it. It kept us warm, and it's not like we're surrounded by people anyway." He managed a chuckle. "As for the brush," He began, tucking it back into the pack, "I have no use for it." He said, but he wouldn't press her to keep the item. He thought for a moment on her proposal, walk or run? He wasn't sure, honestly. "Running would give us greater distance." He mused, looking back out at the surrounding forest. "Maybe find a village where I can buy a horse first." He suggested, stretching.

 

[FieryAngel]

Now amusement played upon her own lips as she chuckled. "Ah, not so fond of riding on the back of a wolf? It's quite alright. It can be terrifying to move at such speeds at first. It took my sister's husband a bit to adjust, but after a while, he began to find it thrilling. Anyways.." Talking around the human was growing easier and easier every passing hour, and now she found herself rambling with a touch of excitement sparkling in her eyes. "Well then, sorry to say I'm unsure where the nearest village is, but one can't be too far, you'd think."


Stepping out of the cave, she debated on what form to take. Would he enjoy a human companion, or one with fur and powerful nose to point them in the right direction. She never had to debate so much on which form to be in, never having much use for her wolfy nature, but now it seemed it was far more handy than previously thought. It troubled her, though, knowing the more she embraced the beast, the higher risk it would embrace her. If she were doomed to a life alone, perhaps she'd shift one final time and give into the creature. Now, though, she enjoyed the company of the human, and it was her greatest fear to lose herself, and to lose him.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden chuckled, and shook his head. "Oh, yes. The speed was thrilling, don't get me wrong." He said with a laugh, glancing over at Ember. "I just don't feel right using you as a form of transport when I've gotten to know you as more of a friend." He said with a shrug. He looked back out of the cave, "As for a village, there's bound to be one in some direction, somewhere. Let's just move in the opposite direction of the camp for now. If and when we run into civilization, then we can see about setting a good coarse of direction." He suggested, following her out of the cave. He felt the ground squish beneath his boot from the wet, and felt a relief. "If you like, we can travel on foot for now. The ground is to wet, they won't take the horses out until it has dried some. They won't risk laming their mounts." He said lightly.

 

[FieryAngel]

"Well, I'm sort of used to being used at this point. If you need a ride, I don't mind, honestly." Stepping from the cave, the soggy earth molded around her toes, squishing beneath her feet. The price of walking barefoot meant her feet would be rather dirty by the end of this trip. Being called friend had her smiling widely. bringing about a bounce in her step. "Of course, I certainly don't mind walking, either. I love the feel of the earth beneath my feet, and the comfort of good company." Of course, not having to rush was rather pleasant too. They could take their time, and occasionally Ember would stop to smell a flower, admire a little woodland creature who ran from her presence, or even the faint smell of something wonderful nearby. Once they walked for quite a while in silence, she finally paused, sniffing at the air and standing at alert. "I smell humans in the East. It's hard to tell from here if they are familiar or not. Do you think we should follow it?" It could be a village, a group of travelers, or even those who hunted them passionately. Her big blue eyes turned to her friend, seeking an answer.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden had walked along silently, watching Ember as she enjoyed the journey. It hadn't taken long before her own seeming happiness had washed over on him, and he was smiling. He paused when she mentioned humans. He thought for a moment, "We can at least investigate. If they're our hunters, we can rid this hunting party. If not, maybe we could get some help." He explained, nodding toward the eastern direction. "I'm sure you know the scent of every man in that camp, so I trust you'll recognize them before we get to dangerously close, right?" He asked with a smile.

 

[FieryAngel]

Ember nodded as she seemed to slip into a hunting sort of mode, crouched down as she stalked forward. "Yes, I'll be able to tell, don't worry." At least she was confident her human could distinguish, as her nose wasn't at it's strongest until wolf form. After a few minutes she paused, straining to hear sounds from the other side of the brush, sighing with relief to discover that this party wasn't anyone that seemed familiar. "I think we're ok. In fact.." the smell of meat wafted across her nostrils. "I think we found a village. It's noisy, there's food, and so many scents. We were closer than we thought!" Excited now, her pace quickened towards the source until she broke the treeline.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden was tense until she mentioned it was a village with nothing familiar. He smiled, and followed after her, glad that they had found a village sooner than later. He broke the treeline just after Ember, and took a deep breath. "Let's go. It shouldn't be to hard to locate a tavern." He said, walking toward the village. He grinned, and waved as a few folk spotted their approach, "Hello there!" He called in a friendly tone. Someone paused and called back.


Aiden glanced back at Ember, and grinned. "We would have walked right past this village if it hadn't been for your nose." He laughed lightly, but refrained from speaking of her wolf qualities when they reached earshot of the villagers. He smiled warmly, "Greetings. Is there a tavern my companion and I could rest? We've been traveling for a time, and last night's storm took its toll. Our horses broke their lines and bolted." He said smoothly to the villager that had previously spoken to them from a distance.

 

[FieryAngel]

It was a strange experience to walk into a village and not be chased off or shunned. Being around so many humans had her anxious, and she reached out, clinging to Aiden's arm. Remaining at his side, she was quiet, letting him do all of the talking mostly out of nerves and fear, but the talk of a tavern had her glancing around in search of one. She was hungry, and though a deer would do, real food would be nice after so long. The air was filled with all sorts of aromas: cooking food, flowers, metal from the blacksmith, even farm animals.


As Aiden request directions, the villager was more than happy to point them in the right direction, eyeing the shy girl hiding behind the newcomer. He thought of asking, but dared not and instead just wished them both a good day. His little while lie was bought, and they were free to wander. Ember's eyes were flashing towards the various vendors set up along the dirt road that seemed to sell produce, meats, livestock, and even freshly baked goods.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Aiden thanked the helpful villager, and meandered through the streets. He made sure to keep fairly close to Ember, unsure of this place's view on werewolves. As she had already explained before, it was rare to find those accepting of the wolves. He ushered themselves straight to the tavern, and entered, pausing for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. He took Ember's hand, and went to the man who seemed to be the tavern master. "Good day, sir." He said with a grin. "Is there a room I might rent for the day?" He asked. The transaction was quick, and Aiden pulled his coin purse from his pocket, paying the man. He had secured a bath for them both, a meal, and a room for the night. He nodded to the man, and lead Ember to a table in the far corner, positioned so that they could watch who came and went from the tavern. Shortly after they had sat, their plates of food, and drinks were brought over and set before them.