[ AW ] Enchanted Garden

W

illow could scarcely believe her good fortune. For one, she had managed to survive a blizzard, even if it did take a bit of rescuing in the form of a grown stranger. But what was more important was that she had made a friend in the pretty little wolfess called Juniper. While Willow had feared that their dangerous misadventure in the snowy forest would cause Juniper to run far, far away, it seemed the opposite had come to fruition.


And now, now the Fritz girl had been invited to a magnificent party held in the garden of the king himself! Willow did not yet know what it meant to be a king or a royalist or anything else, or even what a king was, exactly… beyond someone who had a very nice house and a very nice garden. She had excitedly accepted Juniper’s invitation, assuring the more timid girl that it was going to be the best day ever, and that they would be there together, like friends were supposed to be.


As the pair drew closer to the enchanted locale, Willow could barely contain her enthusiasm. She was light on her paws, dancing around Juniper with a happy, meaningless song that she chirped aloud like a songbird. It was nothing like the garden her mothers tended at home, the one where Willow herself had sprouted from -- it was enormous! In every direction there was a carefully cultivated plant or shrub, and even in the winter, there were flowers growing here. ”I can’t imagine the pups they can grow around here,” she stated under her breath, eyes wide with wonder as she looked to her sunshine-y colored friend with a big smile. "Thank you for inviting me, Juni!"


@Juniper

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

“Wow, would you look at this?” Juniper said, her eyes, glowing like green sunshine, open wide. She could not believe her fortune, either, and much like her newfound friend, she was quite out of place here. There were ladies and gentlemen, garbed in the most beautiful, intricate masks—she wouldn’t even know where to begin in making one of those!

It was a stroke of fate that she happened to arrive here. Who would suspect two pups, wandering through Castle Stuart on the night like this? Certainly, and perhaps so, this was not a place for yearlings, wild and chaotic as they were, their imaginations pounding wildly at the festivities.

She trotted forward, entering the garden, fascinated by the sights before her, the wonders, the organization, the colors and shapes of the flowers before her. “I didn’t think so many flowers grew in the winter,” she said to Willow. “It must have the most beautiful pups.” She thought she looked so drab in comparison to the garden decor.

@Willow @Ephemeral

manip + code: clae

How Ephemeral had gotten here was anyone's guess. He had simply followed some others that he had seen heading this way. If others were going then what was to stop him from going too? At least that was the way that the boy viewed things. There was also curiosity within him as well. And he figured that was why others were heading this way as well, because they intended upon exploring as well.

The yearling sniffed at the flowers that he passed, pausing only briefly before he pranced over to the next one. Overhearing a conversation between two other wolves Ephemeral ended up making his way over. "Where pup?" He asked as he glanced around, looking for these said pups. He didn't see them anywhere but maybe they were hiding.

"Come out pup! Ephy play!" He called out in order to entice the supposed pup to come out where he could see it.

J

uniper mused about the beautiful pups, and Willow looked at her friend with an impossibly large grin, spring-green eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. ”But none so fair as you, Lady Juniper of the Lowlands!” Suppressing a giggle, her attention turned outward again to the garden and those mingling within it.


“I bet we will meet some of those beautiful pups tonight, only all grown up, since --” Her mouth opened again to speak her reply to Juniper when she was interrupted by an unknown young wolf appeared there, with dark fur and vivid amber orbs. He was near their age, Willow guessed, but he spoke in a strange manner that inspired a quirked brow from the girl as she tried to make sense of what he was saying.


”I don’t see any pups here,” she offered after a moment of thoughtfulness, because surely, he did not mean that Willow and Juniper were pups! That would obviously be very silly, for here they were at the king’s garden, mixing in (or so she believed) with all the grown-ups. In the end, Willow was at heart a kind girl, and she smiled at the confusing stranger. ”Are you looking for someone? Are you lost?” That would certainly seem like an obvious outcome.



@Juniper @Ephemeral

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

She was so lucky to have Willow, her very first real friend! She enjoyed her sisters and loved them, having been taken in by Rhiannon—she owed the woman her life! But to have someone her own age to play and romp with, to confide in, to speak about those yearling sort of things, she felt especially at home. They came to the King’s event together, ready to enjoy the evening among the most affluent and beautiful members of the court.

At Willow’s compliment, Juniper could only giggle, bringing a paw to her lips as if mimicking the delicate behavior of the Queen. “Nor you, Lady Willow of the greenest, spring growth eyes!” she said.

Then, he arrived, this frolicking child about their age, likely almost a yearling as well. Normally, Juniper was shy about meeting others, but this lad was young, and Willow’s presence gave her courage. “Ephy?” she said, letting the name roll over her tongue. “Is that your name? I like it. It’s cute, don’t you think, Willow?”

@Willow @Ephemeral

manip + code: clae

"You say pup here. I play pup." He didn't understand why this wolfess would say that there were pups here only then to say that she didn't see any. The lanky boy had been eager to find someone new to play with, age not being a matter. "Pup hiding?" He asked, a trace of uncertainty entering his voice. The dark child dipped his head down to peek amongst the flowers in hopes of finding this speculated about pup.

This inspection was interrupted by the other female yearling speaking his name. It had the teenager lifting his head, confidence beaming from him once more. "I Ephy. Ephemeral. Ephy." The announcement was made with a proudly puffed out chest, as if being able to give one's name was some sort of great accomplishment. But then the dark wolf took pride in the smallest of things.