who we become

A

s the afternoon slipped into early evening, the blinding vivid hues of oranges and pinks mixed with light as dusky purples faded into the softest of indigos. The pale face of the moon revealed itself as it climbed the night sky, waving a farewell to the sun that was setting just along the horizon, casting its beauty across the ocean waves.

It had been a quiet day, not that Lilith was exactly complaining about it, she could definitely use a little quiet. Her travels had been exciting enough, bringing her into these oddly familiar lands and away from those who she felt the closest to. At times the female could swear that her siblings were just a couple paces behind her, arguing and teasing each other until she’d be forced to make peace. But Lilith’s mind was like a swirling storm, an endless stream of thoughts crashing upon her like waves and the shoreline seemed hazy and out of reach. Their voices were nothing more than a piece of her imagination, much how they appeared to her during her trouble times of the fire, but this time she knew they were here. Somewhere...

In times like these, it left her restless and unable to retreat into herself. So, where do you go when your mind is not on your side? Out, of course. Walking often soothed Lilith’s nerves, and she could do with moving. The air was still warm (well as much as it could be) with the heat of the day, the forest behind her coming back to life with sounds of nightlife.

She found a relatively large clearing on the beach with a huge washed-up log an assortment of various pebbles and shells. The clear night allowed for the purple of the sunset to be seen as the stars began to appear, one by one. Like a million tiny little freckles, Lilith watched them for a moment, whatever shallow light that shone down from off the face of the moon caught her ivory-tinted fur. Her mind wandered to the legends her mother told as her eyes gazed upon the small flickering lights. How she wished she could see her one more time. Just once more.

She mumbled softly to herself, unintelligible, pacing back and forth as she came toward the log. There was a rustling that caught her attention back towards the edge of the forest, causing her to pause… There wasn't any wind? "Hello?" Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked to the shadowed areas. Was that a figure?

"You can come out, it's only me." She called softly, her tone warm and welcoming.

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

@Nyx

i used to wake up with the moon

praying for the sun to die soon

Tonight, she finds herself drawn to the sea once again. It seems most nights, she is brought to different places by work — fetch this, deliver that, escort these wolves, rough up those wolves, slay some beast... she hasn't often had much time for leisure, but she prefers it this way. She has a purpose, a reason to be here, a goal to strive for. She isn't letting all her skills and talents go to waste.

This is one of those nights she is not directed by an objective, but by her own desire to explore and find something worth discovering. Perhaps she will find a few things worthy of collecting and trading, and if not, the chance to appreciate the dark, moonlit sea is reward enough in of itself. Nyx emerges from the brush, noisily rustling the foliage without a care — or perhaps she wants to draw the attention of anything within earshot. She pauses mid-step when she spots a dim figure near the shoreline.

"You can come out, it's only me," a soft, feminine voice calls, inviting Nyx to move in a little closer, towards the stranger and towards the water.

As she makes her easy, relaxed approach, she observes the stranger with mild interest — her coat is a fiery blend of scarlet, gold, and ivory which Nyx imagines would be flattered much better by the setting sun's golden rays than by the moonlight's silver glow. Ah, if only Nyx had caught her just minutes earlier... either way, she's a cute one.

"It's only you? And how do I know you won't be the one to lead me to my end?" teases Nyx with a wry smile and a gentle sway of her tail.

@Lilith

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

T

he figure moved forward to reveal an unknown face. A girl, though much larger and darker in coloration than herself. Lilith didn’t mind the company and certainly didn’t flinch away as the stranger crept closer. She was used to being the small one in a group, a blessing her towering siblings unknowingly bestowed upon her. A warm smile covered her features and she nodded her head politely in greeting.

“Your end, hmm? Now, that’s certainly an interesting idea.” Lilith could only chuckle at the remark. Ending someone upon the first encounter was certainly an assumption made about herself that she’d never heard before. The Knight arched an eyebrow as her eyes gleamed in curiosity towards the dark figure. “But you’re lucky, my lady. I’m in a rather generous mood today, so I think you’re safe.” A quick wink was passed with her playful words and for a moment her tail swayed softly behind her.

A soft gust of wind rustled the young Knight’s fur, dragging her attention away from her company momentarily and back onto the ocean. Her own turquoise gaze found themselves glued to the gentle lapping of the waves, watching as it moved in a rhythmic pattern, back and forth and back and forth. ”’You will love the ocean. It makes you feel small, but not in a bad way. Small because you realize you’re part of something bigger.’” A soft smile tugged at her lips as she spoke, her words soft and mumbled under deep thought.

”My mother used to tell me that when I’d tremble along the shoreline as a pup.” It seemed funny to her now, but back then, Lilith was certain the ocean was out to get her. She’d have dreams of being dragged out to sea and no matter how hard she kicked, the tide would pull her farther and farther away. It seemed erratic to most, but when being nearly drowned and washed up on a foreign beach shoreline is your first memory, you’re bound to have some trauma. A soft sigh escaped the Knight’s lips as she forced her attention back onto the dark female. ”Sorry, it’s hard not to think back on those times on nights like these.” She cleared her throat awkwardly and pawed at the sand beneath her, watching as it shifted beneath her weight.

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

@Nyx

i used to wake up with the moon

praying for the sun to die soon

Seeing that smile illuminate the young woman's face has Nyx smiling herself, as does hearing her quiet laughter. The golden girl plays along with the silly jest, assuring that Nyx should be safe for she is feeling quite merciful tonight.

"You think?" echoes Nyx as she pads closer, humming and regarding her fair counterpart with a tilted head. "Looks like I'll have to keep my eye on you." She flashes a crooked grin. While she is just playing, it isn't wise to underestimate another... especially seemingly gentle young women smaller than herself who look as if they wouldn't hurt a fly. They hold a power, after all, that the largest and strongest of brutes could only dream of. There is a reason nymphs take the shape of disarmingly beautiful maidens.

The cold wind feels refreshing against her fur and she naturally follows those azure eyes towards the dark sea. It's calm tonight. The steady ebb and flow of the waves is mesmerizing to behold, the sound of it soothing. The other woman's voice is soft and Nyx tunes into it while watching the tide. The words are deeply resonant, in a way that softens those dark features.

With her silver gaze kept pressed towards the sea, she closes in to the shore until her paws sink into dampened sand. Her attention is pulled up from the water towards the darkening sky, with the moon out but no stars yet. "My own mother would say something similar when we'd look up at the night sky. There is so much more beyond this world and we are only a part of the Fates' divine plan," comes Nyx's murmured response.

”Sorry, it’s hard not to think back on those times on nights like these,” the girl says, followed by an awkward clearing of the throat. Nyx looks towards her, watching how she paws at the sand.

"Don't be sorry. The nights are made for reflection," she says. Her attention is dragged back to the water as the tide rolls in, just far enough to lick at her front paws. The girl used to tremble before the ocean. There is a short pause before Nyx glances curiously towards her and asks, "Were you afraid of the sea?"

@Lilith

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

T

here was a moment of silence that settled on the women like the breeze of the night. It hushed all around them, cloaking them in their own thoughts, trapping Lilith in her mind. Fiery-hued ears flickered softly as the girl gaze once more out upon the waves. A smile lingered at her lips as she watched her companion stand along the edge, allowing the water to creep forward and dance upon her paws.

”Were you afraid of the sea?”

The Knight chuckled softly at the question before moving forward so that she too stood amongst the waves. The water was chilly against her toes, but it brought with it a sense of excitement. ”I suppose you could say that,” She commented with a light shrug. ”You see, unlike my siblings, I wasn’t born into the life I’ve lived. I was found, adopted, I suppose you could say.” It was a surprisingly scary thing to admit, but it was the truth. She wasn’t a Zyphear by blood, but rather by oath and duty and love. ”I came to them by the sea. Washed up on the shoreline, trembling from the cold and fighting the water in my lungs, they found me. If they would have arrived even a moment later I’m sure I wouldn’t be here today.” Lilith smiled softly despite the weight of her words. She didn’t want to bring down the mood of their night, but it seemed almost necessary to fully explain her emotions.

”I don’t remember much of that night, just the feeling of gasping for air and the sound of the waves pounding above me. I try not to associate such a thing with something as beautiful as the ocean, but I suppose that’s easier said than done.” The fiery colored girl paused then as she realized she had moved deeper into the water, it nearly reaching her knees now. She stood there for a moment, swaying with the current as it lapped forward and pulled back. There was almost a glaze that had formed over her eyes as she explained her past, something that separated her from this reality and her thoughts.

With another brief clearing of her throat, the Knight blinked away her haze and found the gaze of the darker woman.”Well, now that I’ve dumped my silly story upon you, I guess you deserve to know who I am,” She smiled sincerely and gave a polite dip of her head, feeling rather foolish for not introducing herself sooner. “Lilith Zyphear, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

@Nyx