[ P ] the reaper is at my door now

i used to wake up with the moon

praying for the sun to die soon

It isn't the most exciting job, acting as a courier, but sometimes wolves need items delivered discreetly by a capable sellsword who can ensure those goods are well protected along the way. The delivery was given to Nyx wrapped up in deerskin, pinned together with a sharpened piece of bone. Hollow goat horns, intended for drinking or as a vessel for fermented fruit, is what her client told her is inside. The wrapping is to protect them and keep them all together.

She is to deliver them to Perth, receive a package in return, and bring it back to her client. The forest had seemed like the most direct route to her destination and so, with the package secured in her maw, she ventured within, only to find these woods are far thicker and more wild than any she'd ever passed through before. The trees are so tall, so densely packed that she cannot see the starry night and watch for Polaris to guide her north.

She swears she passed that same thorn bush three times over already, but she is too mystified in the beauty of the untamed wood, a place unsettled and far away from the bustle of city life. What creatures call this forest their home? She wonders. She imagines a place like this would be much beloved by Artemis and by the nymphs.

Nyx pauses in her tracks when she spots some dry bone sitting out in the open. Always curious, she comes towards it to get a closer look. The jawbone of a deer. Her head tilts as she gazes upon it, noting it's only half of the mandible. The other half is missing. She wonders where the rest of it could be, if this jaw had belonged to a stag or a hind. She touches it with a forepaw, lifting it up slightly and angling it, thoughtfully examining her discovery, contemplating the fragility of life.

@Zoltan

i used to get caught in the clouds, with blood on my face, with the strangest smile

hoping for the wind to carry me away

A visitor. There was a visitor passing through, a wayward soul on her where to fae knows where. In the end it didn’t matter where she was headed, her journey brought her into the witch’s lair. Blue eyes tracked the dark shape through thick branches, thicket and undergrowth. He moved as keenly as a panther moving through the jungle, sleek and swift as he stalked his prey. She was larger than any wolf he’d come across before, more than enough to keep the fae happy.

His chosen sacrifice toyed with a bone, likely leftovers from one of the many offerings killed in the name of the fae. Pieces of them were scattered around the forest, decaying into the earth and feeding the trees that grew around them. Zoltan liked to believe that each drop of blood watered the next generation of saplings. The wind stirred and the bare branches shivered above. He wondered if the forest could sense what was about to happen. Were the trees afraid? A paw was raised, lightly patting the trunk comfortingly. It was such a tender and loving gesture that one would give a dear friend or family member.

Hello, he called out cheerily, gracefully appearing out from between the trees, tail wagging in greeting. Haven’t seen you out here before, Zoltan added, making friendly conversation. There was no hint of the dark thoughts that lurked behind his soft blue eyes, only genuine curiosity.

Art by Ashon

i used to wake up with the moon

praying for the sun to die soon

The branches above shudder with the cold wind that passes through the forest and ruffles her pitch-dark pelage. She's not alone, she realizes, but has she ever truly been alone? There has always been something in the night air and it only makes sense she'd feel it in a place like this.

Platinum eyes narrow as she pauses, ceasing her fiddling, taking in the scents carried by the breeze. Wolf. The moment she perceives and identifies what has come to entertain her tonight, a chipper voice calls out to her in greeting as if on cue.

Nyx turns towards the voice to see a boy, or maybe a man, with wiry slate grey fur materialize from the copse. With his thin and gangly physique and youthful features, he appears adolescent, but at the same time he doesn't quite seem like a child. She regards him with a neutral yet vaguely curious expression, never taking her eyes off of him as she places the parcel down on the ground and drags it under her with a paw.

"Haven’t seen you out here before," says the boy with a wagging tail. Nyx grounds her stance and observes the stranger, finding her eyes drawn towards the broken up fur upon his neck — a scar, perhaps. She doesn't let her gaze linger for long before meeting the boy's eyes. She offers him a polite smile.

"It's my first time coming through here," says Nyx. He must frequent this area often, or perhaps even call it his home. Which of the two is it, she wonders. A whiff of him tells he doesn't belong to any pack, so any concerns she may have felt about trespassing are quickly dissipated. "These are the most beautiful woods I've seen in some time. Do you live here?"

@Zoltan

i used to get caught in the clouds, with blood on my face, with the strangest smile

hoping for the wind to carry me away

The easy going smile did not falter as he approached, blue eyes taking in every detail of her large physique. Her midnight fur almost shrouded her in the shadows cast by the dense trees surrounding them. Moonlight illuminated his blueish grey fur, casting a silvery glow outlining his thin shape. Zoltan's mind was working quickly, formulating a plan to lure her into a trap. Cool icy eyes watched her deposit a package on the ground, dotted blue arching curiously. He didn't ask about it despite the itch prickling against his fur. It didn't really matter in the end. It would be an extra gift for the fae to make up for his failure during samhain.

The woman explained that it was her first time passing through. An opportunity presented itself and he latched on to it. It's quite a maze isn't it? he asked, casting glances at their surroundings. Many times he had gotten lost as a child and had to find his way back to Elwynn, thorns piercing his flesh and paw pads cracked from the endless walking. It was the perfect home for a witch. Nobody could hear the screams.

She expressed admiration for the beauty of the forest and Zoltan nodded in agreement. He loved this place. It was home. I'm well acquainted with this forest, he answered, neither confirming or denying that it was his home. His gaelic accent was enough to confirm that he was of highlander descent. I know where it hides its true beauty. Would you like to see? he asked, youthful features serene as he cocked his head invitingly. He knew of a few secret places hidden in the forest that the fae had revealed to him during his moments of wanderlust.

Art by Ashon

i used to wake up with the moon

praying for the sun to die soon

"It's quite a maze isn't it?" the boy says with a quick glance over their surroundings. Nyx's eyes remain trained on him.

"It can be learned like any forest," she replies. It is denser than the other woods and it's all a bit samey-looking, but can be navigated by a cunning and capable adult with some focus and effort... though she will admit privately it has been a challenge to keep herself moving directly north, with the abundance of blockages that have forced her to make turns. Even so, she has great confidence in her sense of direction. It's never failed her.

The boy doesn't answer her question directly, she notices, simply telling her he is well-acquainted with this forest. Very well. He extends an invitation to her, to come see where the forest hides its true beauty. Nyx mirrors the tilt of his head and hums as if in consideration, though she already knows her answer.

"What a tempting offer..." A half smile tugs at her lips. If he were a woman, perhaps she would be a little more enticed by the proposition. Beautiful views are, after all, best enjoyed with beautiful company, with whom she can make equally beautiful memories. Men are fine comrades in a hunt or in a fight and can make for excellent sparring partners, but to sit and admire the scenery with one? The idea strikes her as incredibly dull and tedious.

First straightening up, Nyx shakes out her fur and says, "I hate to refuse but I really must get to Perth. I'm on business."

@Zoltan

i used to get caught in the clouds, with blood on my face, with the strangest smile

hoping for the wind to carry me away

The pleasant mask that softened his boyish features shattered upon hearing those dreadful words. like any other forest.. As if this was not a place born of magic and instead a mundane occurrence of nature. Ice hardened his gaze, lip curling ever so slightly at the insult. You’re wrong. There are no forests like this, he corrected her, shaking his head at her ignorance. It was obvious she knew nothing of the sacred grounds which she walked upon nor of the powers that be.

It goes by many names. Coille nan Sìthichean. Fae Forest. Do you know why? he asked, although he wouldn’t give her time to answer. He doubted she would know the history behind the holy forest. This is their home, he spoke softly, pupils dilating with excitement and shining with a wild energy. And they are very hungry, he whispered, gaze never once leaving her face. It didn’t matter that she declined his offer to see its hidden beauty and insisted that she must leave. He wasn’t going to let her go. He wouldn’t release her until the earth was stained red with her blood and there was nothing left of her, but a husk of flesh for the fae to feast upon.

Once the words left his lips he was lunging towards her, glistening white fangs bared and shining in the moonlight.

Art by Ashon

i used to wake up with the moon

praying for the sun to die soon

In an instant, the boy's visage darkens, his eyes turning cold as ice. The switch is so sudden but not at all shocking, as the memories of her father and the mask he wore to conceal his wicked heart abide in the back of her mind. With a subtle curl of his lip, the boy tells her there are no forests like this one. Never taking her eyes off of him, Nyx places one foot in front of the other, tilting her body at an angle, readying herself for what may come next.

"It goes by many names. Coille nan Sìthichean. Fae Forest. Do you know why?" Fae. She's heard that word before a few times.

She knew she had a feeling about this place since she first set foot on its soil, sensing something mystical in the air and finding a beauty in it worthy of the divine. But this was never something she felt was entirely unique to this arcane forest. It's something that permeates the night, wherever she goes, but the feeling is more potent in places like this, deep in the wilds.

"This is their home," says the boy with wild eyes, pupils dilated like a cat fixated on its prey, "and they are very hungry."

He is trying to sacrifice her.

Like hell Nyx will let him. With a calm, determined expression, her muscles tense in anticipation as he kicks off towards her.

Lady Athena, hear and be with her tonight.

...

Nyx pins the boy to the ground with a hard thud, both forepaws weighing down on his pale chest. Staring down at the boy with glacial grey eyes and a sharp, twisted grin, she sets one paw against his throat, a light pressure that is not enough to cut off his air but enough to be uncomfortable.

Her wounds sting like hell but it is nothing she isn't used to. Her mother liked to test her pain threshold in her childhood, to push Nyx's limits until she was able to take most bites unflinchingly, to be strong and keep fighting through suffering. The boy certainly got a few solid hits in, by the bloody tears across her muzzle and the ache of her chin, but the Fates had other plans for her than to be taken down tonight.

She has half a mind to kill the boy now and would have no qualms about doing it, but he's piqued her curiosity. Perhaps she'd get a little more enjoyment out of talking to him instead.

"You fought well, but next time be wiser when selecting your tributes," says Nyx, smooth and accented, looking down into his ice blue eyes. Her tongue sweeps across her maw, clearing away some of the bloody mess, her breathing already settled. "The Fae. Tell me more. They are like nymphai, am I correct? Nature spirits. The powerful, mesmerizing guardians of the natural world..." Her voice trails, soft, steady, and reverent.

@Zoltan
nymphai - plural of 'nymphe' (nymph)
see #nyx-vs-zoltan channel on discord for fight scene

i used to get caught in the clouds, with blood on my face, with the strangest smile

hoping for the wind to carry me away

The witch's madness faded from his icy gaze, wild energy fizzling out into calm acceptance once he was subdued. His heart rate slowed from its rapid racing, but he could still feel it pulsing within his chest and throat where the woman's paw pressed beneath his chin. Blue eyes stared silently at the grinning face staring down at him. There was no fear in his cold eyes. If he was to die here then it was because the fae had chosen him to be their sacrifice instead. His life was a small price to pay for his mothers. The wounds on his neck burned, blood dripping down from the punctures that had torn open the puckered scars maring his flesh. Red stained the ground beneath his prone form, feeding the earth with life.

The woman finally spoke, breaking the tense silence. It was not to pass a death sentence upon him, but to compliment his skill and offer him advice. Light blue brow dots furrowed in obvious bemusement. Her reaction to his attempt to kill her was unexpected. They gave you their blessing, he replied, not upset or angry about the outcome. He knew he had failed them again and he accepted the responsibility for this failure. If anyone was to be punished by the fae it would be him.

His failed sacrifice requested that he tell her of the fae. She spoke another one of their names and shared her knowledge of them. They were more than nature spirits. Fae are beings of life, of death, of fate and fortune. They create and destroy. They are everything, he gave her a basic summary of what he believed them to be. He would not share their secrets with her, but he would warn her of their power.

Art by Ashon

i used to wake up with the moon

praying for the sun to die soon

"They gave you their blessing," says the boy held beneath her, with no fear or disappointment or anger — simply a composed acceptance of what is and what may be. Most do not face death or defeat with such dignity, but most do not trust that they are in the Gods' hands.

"They've heard my prayers," says Nyx, referring not to the fae or even the nymphs. She honors them as the divine companions of the Liberator and the Huntress, and she often leaves offerings of wine and honey and flowers for them in their favored places, but she does not pray to them the way she does the Gods above them.

It is a different story for the boy, however, who describes the fae in the most reverent of ways. They are of life and death, of fate and fortune, creators and destroyers — they are creatures of contradiction and duality, the very soul of existence itself. Her spine tingles faintly at this description.

His fae are not like the nymphs she knows. They are more like Dionysos himself. The circumstances bring forth recollections of bloodier rites to the mad god of the night, offerings of wolf flesh to sate his appetite.

"I understand," Nyx says solemnly, remembering wisdom shared with her not long ago, about how a god may be known by many names. Slowly, a large paw begins to lift from the boy's white throat. "They are nothing like nymphai. They are gods, very much like mine." Her lips purse as she pauses for a moment of consideration.

Then, the tall, dark wolf releases her captive and backs away to give him space, grey eyes trained on him all the while. The Gods, or fae, watch and guide this wolf as well, for Fate saw fit to bring Nyx to him tonight, who is dissuaded from painting the earth with his blood by her curiosity and the ostensive correspondence of their creeds. If their will is for him to die, she would not have hesitated. No, he is meant to live and so she lets him go.

"Go on and revel in the night. Do not give me a reason to reconsider."

@Zoltan

i used to get caught in the clouds, with blood on my face, with the strangest smile

hoping for the wind to carry me away

The boy resigned himself to an inevitable end, one that would serve a greater purpose than anything he could do while living. His only regret was that he had failed his mother and that he wouldn’t be able to see her again. Everything he did to serve the fae was out of love for Elwynn so that she might survive another year. The fae had almost ended the Blackwood line once and Zoltan knew that their end could come soon if their blood debt wasn’t paid.

They’ve heard my prayers, the woman agreed and Zoltan nodded solemnly in response. They would take him tonight. His blood would nurture the soil and his flesh nourish the starving fae. Maybe a stray bone would remain to mark his existence, but that too would return to the earth.

The woman came to the realisation that the fae were greater than the forest sprites she had spoken of. He regarded her then, as a fellow servant of a higher power, and knew they had reached an understanding. Her weight shifted and suddenly he was free. Awkwardly he hobbled back to four legs, blood dripping from the new punctures layering his scarred flesh. He glanced at her, confused as to why she would spare him. If their roles had been reversed he wouldn’t have let her go. I’ll remember this, he promised, knowing that if they bumped into each other again he would not try to sacrifice her. Blue eyes met her grey ones with one last meaningful look before he vanished into the forest.

Exit Zoltan

Art by Ashon