[Bronze Wood] The Hunters Awaken (Sturlin)

[Miharu Mindi]

Miharu nodded, and simply lay down in the grass beside his log - close enough to feel his presence, as if that comforted her somehow. She curled up in a ball much as she might have in her wolf form, but once she fell asleep she tossed about a moment before sprawling out like any normal girl would. Legs and arms akimbo, thick curls spread out around her head like a spinning halo. Fingers and toes twitched every now and again, as if she were chasing something in her sleep.

She slept deeply for about a bell before the nightmares came. Her dreams were dark things, loneliness nipping at her heels as she tore through snow-drenched forests and searched for something that she knew she had to find, something the her life depended on, but she couldn't remember what it was. Desperation made her run harder, slipping on ice and scrabbling to get back up and run, chase, hunt down whatever prey eluded her.

In her dreams she slipped again, and tumbled into a pit of spikes. There was a beast there with clawed hooves that lashed at her, pain exploding across her body - which shook and twitched as she slept - and she could hear nothing beyond the animal's bellowing and her own screams for help.

Then light burst across her dream-vision, and a hand reached down for her like some god descending to save her. Fingers grasped hers, and then strong arms threaded around her, and she was lifted out of danger and into warmth and safety. The loneliness fled, and she felt the stirrings of happiness and purpose.

And, even as she basked in the spangled light of the arms that enveloped her, the unseen man set her down on her feet. His arms left her, and the light dissipated into cold shadow as a hand gripped her by the shoulder and flung her heartlessly down into the snow. She collapsed, the shock of it driving the breath from her lungs, and when she opened her eyes again she was alone - utterly alone, crouched in the middle of a clearing in a snow drift as her heart shattered into a thousand pieces and tears froze on her cheeks.

She bolted awake, sitting straight up as she gasped, eyes flying open with panic and terror. The first part of it was a familiar nightmare, the awful loneliness, that part of her that needed to find a bondmate worming its way into her dreams and driving her to find someone to alleviate that awful solitude.

Only this time she'd relived the last time she thought she'd found someone to bond with, when she'd shamelessly thrown herself into Jaeden's life and been cast down for it. And even as she remembered that, golden eyes fell on Sturlin.

"I have to go," she whispered, fear still threading its way through her voice. She wouldn't let it happen again - wouldn't stumble on someone in the woods, a man who reminded her of her beloved father, a man who so clearly would benefit from having her cleave herself to him. Wouldn't let herself do that, only to be tossed aside again.

She didn't move, though, unsure if her legs would support her. She swallowed harshly and tried again. "I have... I need to get back to Syliras and finish getting ready for my journey," she said, a little more firmly.

[Sturlin]

He had not watched her very carefully while she was dreaming. Though he had looked upon her for a few minutes, his eyes were needed for his work and he did not want all of this meat to go to waste. The time that she spent suffering in her nightmare, he spent working in silence. Once he went to humming, but he stopped shortly after.

When she bolted awake it startled him and he nearly fell from his seat trying to find the source of her distress. His face fell as she said that it was already time for her to go, and it seemed to him that she was in too much of a hurry. Perhaps it had been something he had done, or perhaps not. It was the kind of question he felt compelled to ask, "Its a bit abrupt, isn't it? Does your journey begin so soon that you must hurry away now?"

Almost in unison Sturlin and Mr. Pickles examined her with grave expressions, and then tilted their heads to the side speculatively.

[Miharu Mindi]

She blinked, and stared at them, eyes flashing from one to the other. "I don't... I... I can't stay," she said, a little desperately, and finally found the strength to shove herself up to her feet. "I can't stay," she murmured again. "Better to go now. Before... it doesn't matter, I have to go. I'm sorry," she said, face scrunching up a little as she fought herself over it. What if he needed her? These woods were dangerous. He could be attacked and hurt, and how would he take care of himself?

She'd made it to her feet, but she didn't make it any further, fidgeting from one foot to the other as if completely uncertain, and her hands clutched at her dress until she held tight fistfuls of cloth.

[Sturlin]

Standing carefully he looked over her for a moment as if gauging her actions. He had seen this behavior before, in himself. It was painful to see her this way, he had come to like her. Walking forward he reached out to gently cup her chin in his gnarled left hand. "Well, at least you'll be able to carry Mister Pickles with you when you go. He wishes you could stay," he smiled as he said that, "We wish you could stay. I understand if you have to go."

As his hand lowered from her chin he took only one step back. Just enough distance between them that she could decide to leave without feeling as though he was abandoning her. The floppy little pink cat walked over to look up at both of them, as if wondering which of them it would bless with the privilege of petting it.

[Miharu Mindi]

She nuzzled her face against his palm, inhaling the now-familiar scent of him, and when he withdrew she almost tumbled forward. She only stumbled, though, and caught herself before she fell against him.

She spent another moment glancing anywhere but at him, chewing on her bottom lip as she twisted her hands into her dress again. She'd almost decided to stay, to stay forever, to take that chance.

I'm a selfish man, Miharu.

She flinched as she heard those words again, only this time she heard them in Sturlin's voice.

She took three quick steps back, as if he'd slapped her, and spun to run back to the tent and grab up her pack. She slung it over her shoulder and turned back, determined to simply run off into the woods - but she froze and fought with herself again. Finally, finally, she padded over to him as slowly as if she were crawling through hip-deep snow.

When she stood in front of him, her eyes stayed glued to the middle of his chest. And then, with all the quickness of her lithe frame, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely.

"Be careful out here," she whispered into his ear.

[Sturlin]

He flinched when she flinched. The last time he had seen a woman behave like that had been when his father had struck his mother. It would appear that between the two of these hunters, there was enough baggage to outweigh both the boar and the deer which had been felled to feed them. As she ran to grab her pack he sighed softly and straightened his shoulders, preparing to wave in farewell when she moved away.

As her arms flew around his neck he wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the hug with a fierceness which mirrored her own. "I will be careful. Take care on your journey, Little Bird." He hugged her until she was ready to let go, and then he gave her one last squeeze and relaxed his arms so that she could pull away. The hunter watched her with a sad smile on his lopsided face. The cat watched her, wondering when she was going to play with him next. Francis watched her, having no better horsey things to do at the moment.

[Miharu Mindi]

When she finally pulled back, she ducked her head and pressed a kiss to his scarred cheek. "I'll see you again," she murmured, a little more firmly, and sniffled a little - but even as she pulled back, her eyes avoided his, as if she wouldn't be able to leave if she met them again.

And so she ran, into the woods, ran and ran until she could not longer feel the tears on her face or the fear in her heart, until there was only the rush of the wind and the heady scent of freedom.

END!

[Gossamer]

. Character: Miharu Mindi Experience: 1 XP Hunting, 1 XP Butchering, 2 XP Wilderness Survival Lore: Lore of Making Small Talk, Lore of Marking a Territory, Lore of Covering a Blood Trail, Lore of Fear of Rejected Bonding Character: Sturlin Experience: 1 XP Cooking, 1 XP Observation Lore: Lore of Comforting a Kelvic, Lore of Watching a Wolf consume a butchered kill. Lore of Making friends. Lore of Giving People Space Additional Note: Nice thread. I love the way Sturlin runs his little animal NPC family. I also liked Miharu's fear and the way she remembered past words from past threads. Great read. .