[ P ] Eternal Love

“Don't—” Kylar gasped, brow furrowing as she turned to find her little willowtree with the green eyes and wild spirit. Alas, her daughter had already separated from her mothers' sides and sprinted behind a wall of hips and tails. Ruby eyes narrowed and a huff escaped the bemused professor. “—run off,” she finished, black-tipped ears twitching as annoyance caused her to stiffen. Perhaps it was their fault—they liked to promote a free environment to run, play, and explore. Nonetheless, Kylar couldn't help but feel anxious. This was not like Samhain where the air had been open and tensions had been relaxed. Instead, it felt as though she had walked into a powder keg. Yes, everyone was smiling. The smell of food was amazing, the torchlight was warm, Nephele was by her side. And yet she felt on edge. The lack of visibility and the jostling of dancers caused the fur along her nape to ruffle and she pressed her side into Nephele's out of habit. “This is—” Kylar looked left then right before giving her head a litlte shake. “—a lot.” Her nostrils flared and she drank in a long, slow breath while trying to quell her beating heart. As a professor that lived at her little clinic that she ran with Nephele, Kylar was not used to this many wolves at once. And although she had grown so much, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious about her paw as she limped forward a step. “my sin, my soul.”

STOCK ➤CastleGraphics ART + CODE ➤ twisty

@Nephele

All the music, dancing and pretty masks. It was a little girl's fantasy and she could not fault Willow for her excitement. Nephele wanted to keep her tethered by their side for as long as possible, but their little sparrow longed to fly. She was lured away by the promise of magic and wonder. A whimper passed through Nephele's lips, worry fluttering in her belly for their precious child. She too had been excited to attend the ball, to dance with her wife and lose herself in the music. Naively she hadn't expected it to be so busy, the crowd gathered around them like a violent wave, ready to carry them off in a tide of dancers.

Nephele had opted not to wear a mask so that nothing uncomfortable touched her delicate orbital wounds. She had rolled in flowers, covering herself in a sweet flowery scent and asked Kylar to help groom her to perfection. She had returned the favour of course, but with less effectiveness.

This is a lot. Nephele sighed in agreement. Should we find somewhere to sit for awhile? she asked, hoping there was at least some free space for them to gather their thoughts before they shared at least one dance together.

Art by Bunny

In solidarity with her wife, Kylar had foregone the mask. She wished to be visible, especially to Willow. Their bumblebee longed to see the world, to fly and investigate every bush and flower. So long as she knew where the hive was, she'd be safe to roam. Or, at least, that was what Kylar told herself. Nonetheless, her nerves feverishly drummed against a table within her mind. It was the muted roll of the thunder a great distance away, a premonition of awful things to come. But in all likelihood, it was just nerves. Kylar had a habit of spiraling, especially when tossed from her comfort zone. After having swam so much, she definitely became a bit like a fish—confident in her element, haphazard and ungainly outside of it. Sucking in a deep breath, she turned to look at her wife. Nephele was so beatiful, her fur sleek and well groomed. The scents of thier garden clung to her. Mask or no, she was the most stunning wolf within the ballroom. That alone forced a small smile to appear on Kylar's lips. It was hard to get lost in a storm when she was tethered to her rock. “You read my mind,” Kylar breathed as Nephele suggested that they find some space. It was difficult with the ball steadily filling up but they did manage to find a fairly isolated corner. Kylar could see Willow from the corner of her eye with another girl roughly her age. Good. From their little cove, the tawny wolf felt like she could finally breathe. “Doesn't this remind you of Willoughby?” Kylar asked, turning her head so that her muzzle was close to Nephele's ear. Although it was quieter here, the ambient sound was still an obstacle. “I bet she'd like this.” Her heart ached slightly. Part of leaving home had been leaving friends... and although it was the right choice for them, it was bittersweet all the same. “my sin, my soul.”

STOCK ➤CastleGraphics ART + CODE ➤ twisty

@Nephele

Even with Kylar by her side, Nephele was very overwhelmed by the crowd. When a hip bumped into her haunches or an elbow prodded her in the chest she let out a gasp as she was unable to sense them coming towards her. Her nose was clogged with perfume and her ears were full of music. She didn’t doubt that it was a beautiful experience and maybe when they settled down they could share a dance that would allow her to feel the magic everyone spoke of. For now she felt like a country girl experiencing big city life for the first time and she was utterly out of her depth. Her features softened with relief when Kylar agreed with the idea of finding a table until they adjusted. She knew that Kylar was buzzing with nervous energy just like she was.

She let her nerves begin to settle when they were no longer surrounded in every direction by movement and noise. Doesn’t this remind you of Willoughby? Nephele let out a wistful sigh as a fond smile touched her lips. She would have composed the most beautiful song for the ball and everyone would have wanted to dance with her, she agreed, trying to imagine the song and tapping away with her paws. I hope Willow is having fun. I always wanted her to experience real music, she hummed happily. A mother’s lullabies hardly counted as proper music, but Nephele loved to sing sweet songs to all her children.

Art by Bunny

As Kylar waltzed down memory lane, she found herself longing for those country charms. She could not call Cyrileth her home—it had tried to be and for that she appreciated its effort, but her home was with Nephele—but she had made many valuable memories there. Through struggles and strife, Kylar had come to grips with some of the most painful parts of her past. Her abandonment issues had reigned as center stage, drumming up smaller transgressions into larger ones. Even her own niece, a girl she had never met before, had become a dear member of her family. And, in some ways, a piece of that puzzle that would never truly put Kylar first. But they were the foils to Nephele. Could Kylar love Nephele so dearly if she did not know the pain of being second? Of being traded and bartered, kept only when convenient and abandoned when better options came along? The answer was yes, she could have, for brokenness did not necessitate love. But her appreciation was tenfold. “She would have,” Kylar remarked while laughing. It was true, Willoughby had a delightful charm about her. She could compose a catchy tune in the blink of an eye and make the whole world seem brighter. That was what she had done at their wedding at least. “It looks like she is,” the tawny wolf mused as she peered through the crowd. Willow wasn't always easy to catch sight of, but sometimes she appeared with a girl of similar size and age. “Should we join her? Show her how its done?” Kylar asked with a mischievous smile. - exit kylar - “my sin, my soul.”

STOCK ➤CastleGraphics ART + CODE ➤ twisty

@Nephele

The movement of the dancers and melodic voices of the singers slowly began to fill her with the urge to dance. Nephele focused only on the beat of Kylar’s heart as she leaned against her chest. Already she was beginning to sway, letting the music guide her body. Her toes tapped against the ground, adding their tip tapping to the song that filled the ball room. It was Kylar’s voice that slowed her steps, but she did wiggle a little as if unable to suppress an itch. She smiled and laughed along lightly, hoping that wherever the bard was now that music filled her world.

It looks like she is, Kylar confirmed that their daughter was enjoying herself and that was all Nephele needed to hear. It was the last tie that was holding her back from truly enjoying herself. Of course! Let’s show her some moves, Nephele agreed heartily, lightly bumping her hip against Kylar’s. Willow was just about the right age to be embarrassed by her dancing mothers and Nephele found a cheeky sort of delight in that knowledge.

May I have this dance? Nephele asked with a bashful smile adorning her soft features, holding out a paw as if to take Kylar’s arm in hers.

Exit via dancing

Art by Bunny