City of IF

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 7:01 pm Post subject:

I'm SO glad you narrowed in on that line of dialogue! Elona is stiffly polite to people, I wanted to show a little bit of her sass through her interactions with this temple/ruins place that she detests.

Also, I do like the phrase 'death rooms', as it's rather fitting towards what I was thinking. XD

Sionn's innocence is something I love, and I'm glad you guys are appreciating it.

kkdestiny · Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 4:51 am Post subject:

Good read, as usual.
The only thing I found odd,personally, was the timing where it was mentioned that the water felt old and stale. But, that is a preference and easily waved off.

I also like that sometimes you'll go back and cover some of Elona's thoughts, I feel like it's an important connection to make with the reader in this story...and Sion is as cute as ever. I felt suspended when he was expecting her to break,because I did too, and I smiled when she didnt because he thought she was beautful.

I like where the story is going :)

The only thing I can think of is to remember the map, yes...but maybe if Elona knows the town that is on the map that the temple is close to...then she might just need to memorize how close, and how to get to the town in the first place.

Adryrn · Joined: 16 Sep 2015 Posts: 22

I enjoy how quickly they've gotten to casually touching each other all the time (and your well-placed/described details, as usual). It's oddly comforting to read. As for what they should do next, it seems like there isn't much to do but take the stairs. I'm guessing Elona will remember where the other star is pretty easily given that she seems to have negative memories associated with the region it's in/near (which I can't WAIT to learn more about >D). I also feel like they kind of have to go check out the other star now, buttttt I can totally see Elona deciding not to, and Sionn respecting that even if he thinks she should (or is just curious). At the same time, with Elona's gradually increasing confidence and self-acceptance, perhaps she'll decide a change in approach is in order and intentionally seeking out another set of scary ruins that seem made for her is a great way to turn over that new leaf?

Cyberworm · Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2015 7:10 am Post subject:

Awwww, sorry it took me so long to catch up! Well, for what is next... I believe they should, obviously, go ahead. BUT, I also think one of them should sing a tune. Something soothing, familiar and old. I have a feeling that if the walls and the complex itself is reacting to words, having someone sing would do something. Like, perhaps illuminate the caverns more brightly, or they find a secret compartment in which grow some kind of foodstuffs? I dunno. Perhaps they just feel like it. Spice it up, backstory the world lore a bit! :D

Excellent work so far. There'll be a love scene not far away from here. I can smell it.

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 2:22 pm Post subject:

Poll officially up! Itll be up two or three days, so vote quickly!

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 8:23 am Post subject:

24 hour heads up guys! Only two votes? C'mon, I know we're all busy, but we can do better than that! ^^

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 3:12 pm Post subject:

What do Sionn and Elona do?
Sing something. Just because.
42% [ 3 ]
Head up the stairs.
14% [ 1 ]
Memorize the map.
42% [ 3 ]
Total Votes : 7
Who Voted: Adryrn, Andolyn, Cyberworm, kkdestiny, Novelest_Ninjagirl, Phantomfan, Sapphire_Rayne

Tie this time, so I did both! (Do not judge my songwriting skills.)

Chapter Ten

As Sionn leisurely looked over the map, he became aware of Elona running her fingers over the individual markings, almost like she was trying to etch them into her brain. Keeping his head turned towards the wall, but watching her out of the corner of his eyes, Sionn was fascinated. Her gaze seemed to flick over it first from the town he’d pointed towards, and then radiate outwards. Once it had, presumably, covered all of the map, she seemed to shift to looking it up and down in a grid format. Watching her, Sionn noticed that she chewed on her bottom lip while concentrating. Covering his mouth to try and hide the bemused smile, Sionn turned to lean against the wall and watch the light emanating from the mirror room. He wasn’t sure where it came from, but it cast dancing shadows into the map room as it flickered.

Somehow, even though they were still technically deep within the earth inside a possibly malicious set of riddle-ruins, Sionn relaxed. Closing his eyes, Sionn felt a soft smile turn his lips. A contented sigh slipped through his lips first, then, enjoying the sound, Sionn began to hum softly. He wasn’t certain where he’d heard the tune. Perhaps a traveller whistling in the forest? Maybe someone sang as they rested by the riverside. A fox could hear and observe much of humanity without them noticing, if he was so inclined. Sionn had been, and the notes frequently flitted through his brain during idle moments.

At first, Sionn didn’t notice it. Then, gradually, it became louder, and Sionn realized Elona was humming along with him. Eyes popping open, he stamped down the beaming expression threatening to break his hum. Elona was still staring at the map, and Sionn realized she didn’t even notice that she was humming. Sionn felt a strange squeeze in his chest, and he reached up to lightly touch his fingertips to his heart. Or at least, where he thought his heart was in this form. As he stared at her, greedily drinking in the sight of her, she began to sing.

“The wind flies over the mountaintops
Like a bird upon the sky
The earth and the water
Kiss like long lost lovers together again
Pressed close and loathing each parting tide
Yet they’re all still less lucky than I

Yet they’re all less blessed than I.

The wind lifts a ladies skirts
Like a gentleman might wish to be
The earth and the flame
Meet and greet in a dance of sparks
Twisting quick despite any discouraging remarks
Yet they’re all still less lucky than me.

Yet they’re all less blessed me.

For you see
For you see
Better yet than wings to take you high
Or a lover to hold you close
To be as lucky as I
To be as blessed as me
They would need to have what only I do
They would need you. “

Sionn still couldn’t remember where he’d first heard the tune, but he knew he’d never forget hearing it now. He was sure his mouth was hanging open. For most of the song she’d remained still, staring at the map. Sionn wasn’t even sure when she’d realized she was singing, but at the end, she’d turned to look directly at him. While he was scared to read too much into it, his heart was beating faster than he could ever recall it doing. In the dim light, her sage green eyes almost seemed to glow, and Sionn found he couldn’t drag his own way. He’d begun to turn towards her when she blinked a few times, and turned her head quickly to the map. Snapping out of it, Sionn coughed gently, and straightened, adjusting his nearly-dry vest.

“Sh-should we, uh, head up?” Sionn hooked a finger towards the stairs, hoping the slight crack in his voice had been missed.

“Just one more moment.” Frowning, Elona began shuffling through her pack. “I wonder if it survived…”

A mild stab of guilt shocked him. It went straight through his gut, and he glanced away, unable to look at her. Whatever she was looking for, she’d have if she hadn’t allowed him to- Shaking his head, Sionn pushed away that line of thought. It doesn’t matter. She did allow me to come, this happened, and now- now we’re on a quest! One determined nod to himself, and Sionn was back to normal. Just in time for Elona to gently rest a hand on his shoulder. Her touch was still as light as a butterflies, and Sionn reached to grip her hand tightly. The shock on her face melted into a soft smile, and Sionn grinned brightly in response. We’re together. We’ll figure it out. He wasn’t sure entirely what ‘it’ was, but he was sure of that.

“My map survived, so just give me a moment to copy this down onto it.”

Sionn squinted in confusion at the cylinder she was holding. It was made of leather, and had an oilskin fabric on the top. It didn’t look anything like the map on the wall, what was she talking about? Tilting his head, Sionn released her hand. She popped the oilskin cap off, and Sionn realized it was a hollow tube. Carefully she slid a piece of rolled up paper out of the case, and unrolled it on the floor. Her little sound of triumph at seeing the unharmed map made Sionn laugh. Something so simple could make the deep, mysterious Elona elated? It was almost amusingly endearing. She upended the tube, shaking it a few times, and a roughened piece of charcoal, wrapped in a cloth, clattered out. Her hands were steady as she unwrapped part of the charcoal, holding the fabric that covered the rest as she drew in the little star on her map. I wonder why my family doesn’t use maps. They seem easy enough to follow. Linking his hands together behind his back, Sionn waited as Elona went through the efforts required to return the map to her bag.

“Alright, let’s get to the surface.”

“It’s going to be dark on the stairs, let me take the lead.” Sionn held his hand out for hers, his heart in his throat.

This time, she reached for his hand with minimal hesitation, and Sionn grinned at her. Affection from family had been common, but nothing compared to the gentle touch of Elona’s hand in his. Stepping onto the stairs, Sionn sent up a silent thanks to whatever had inspired him to try out humanity. Fingers and hands had proved useful for a multitude of things, but perhaps the most awe-inspiring was this.

They remained silent as they traversed up the stairs, save for the few times Sionn had to warn her of particularly dangerous steps. Sionn didn’t know why Elona remained quiet, chose not to dwell on it. Instead, he savoured her company. It hadn’t been very long, but the mood between them had changed, hadn’t it? It was completely different than the morning before, with her begrudgingly allowing his presence and him trying his best not to exist. He’d been content before to simply watch her, follow her, but now it meant so very much to him that they were moving together.

At the top of the stairs was another set of doors, set at an odd angle. They seemed to be seeping in from the outside, like they were slowly trying to lay down. These ones didn’t simply open at Elona’s touch, and Sionn was surprised at how heavy they were. It took both of them to simply get one door open high enough to fall open the rest of the way. Panting for breath, Sionn shot a grin at Elona, and lifted his arms to flex. She chuckled at him, and patted his arm as she passed, stepping up into the daylight.

The sun was beginning to set already, and Sionn watched, still a few steps down into the pit, as the reddish orange light shone on Elona. Breathlessness overtook him for a moment, before his lips twitched into a smile and he rushed after her. Now we make camp. Sionn was starting to learn the patterns humans fell into. As a fox, he’d probably have found an abandoned burrow- or forced someone out of theirs, if he went more for his father's style. Instead, they found a small break in the trees, and Elona started the fire. It was a special kind of magic, and she did it so effortlessly.

“Can you teach me?” Sionn poked his head towards the fire, only to be pushed back slightly by Elona.

“If you don’t set yourself on fire, sure. Shouldn’t this have been one of the things you were taught, though?”

“Language is easy to mimic, as are human motions. But the leader is the only one who knows how to start fire. It’s dangerous, you know. Draws notice.”

“Well, here. I do it this way.”

As Elona walked him through the process of rubbing the sticks together, Sionn found himself wondering why his father hadn’t taught more of them how to use fire. Surely the precautions could be taught just as easily, and how many times had they lost a relative or a kit to the cold? Putting perhaps more strength into the friction than he supposed, Sionn broke the sticks. Wordlessly, Elona handed him more and showed him again.

Later, they sat next to the fire and watched the glow. Sionn could tell Elona had been thinking about something, for she kept chewing on her lip, but he was waiting for her to bring it up on her own. Impatiently. His hands were balled up on his lap now, but he had been tapping on the ground next to him incessantly. Swishing his tail against the ground, Sionn tried to focus on that sensation, and not on the thoughtful girl next to him. He understood that, for whatever reason, Elona seemed to either act in an instant or spend ages thinking things through, but he was anxious to reassure her about whatever it was.

“Sionn?” Finally. “Do you know where your family is?”

“Wha-” Sionn felt a rush of panic, and gawked at her. “I-I can’t tell-”

“That’s not what I asked.” She frowned at him now, and Sionn rubbed at the back of his neck. “Do you know.”

“Well…” Sionn rubbed harder at the knot that had somehow appeared. “I. I guess I have some sort of idea where they should be this time of year.”

“I see.” She went quiet, her gaze going to the fire, and Sionn dropped his arm. Holding his breath, his lungs on fire, Sionn waited. “Go back to them.”

“What?” The air wooshed out of him in a painful rush. “I thought-”

“I won’t let you be put in danger again because of me!”

It burst forth, like she hadn’t meant to say it, and her eyes were screwed shut. Sionn’s mouth dropped open, and he reached for her instinctively. Pulling his hand back a moment, Sionn hesitated. This… This is good, right? Sionn practically pleaded with himself. It means she cares about your safety.That’s no surprise, right? Leaning forward, Sionn placed his hands on her arms. She had wrapped them around herself, and her eyes were still shut.

“Don’t you get it?!” Some measure of his desperation not to be cut out again slipped into his voice. “You’re the only reason I’m even alive!”

“The ruins-

“That’s not what I mean.” Sionn cut her off. He hadn’t meant to bring it up, but now that he had, she was going to know the truth. The whole truth. She deserved that.

“Then the river-”

“Not that either.”

She went silent a moment, but at least now she opened her eyes and raised them to him. The sparkling of moisture in the corner of her eyes answered a question Sionn hadn’t thought to ask. She’d been withdrawing to hide the tears. The only other time she’d broken down like this had been right after she’d hauled him out of the river, and her lifelong secret had been revealed. Just how painful was it for her to send him away? Touched, Sionn gently brushed some of her hair out of her face.

“Oh. Sionn, they wouldn’t have killed you if they caught you.”

“No! You saved me as a fox!” That wasn’t how he meant to say it, but the fact that she’d come to the wrong conclusion again caused a bubble of frustration. Frustration that what was the most important moment of his life- up until he’d met her again- hadn’t even made it into her memories.

“... What?” Her voice was as soft as the wind through the trees, and Sionn almost didn’t hear her.

“Last winter.” It was all coming out now. After this, who knows how her feelings towards him might change. But she was getting the truth. Now, rather than any later. “I was hungry. If I went back to my family, they’d have shared. They aren’t cruel. But then, they’d be hungry. We age differently from normal foxes, we still have kits to feed in the winter. So, I got reckless. And I approached a hunter.”

Her soft gasp could have been of remembrance or astonishment, but it was encouraging either way, and Sionn continued. Forcing his grip on her arms to ease, Sionn dropped his head. He couldn’t look her in the eye and tell this tale of his lowest moment.

“Fire has always fascinated me. Humans, too. So I know a few of the better places to make camp in the woods. I was going by one when I heard the fire, smelled the food. Against my better judgement, I went towards it. I…” His shoulders drooped, and he confessed in a softer voice, “I was convinced I was going to die either way. It might as well be quick, an arrow or sword from a frightened human seemed more appealing than hunger. But when I approached the fire, you were there.”

Elona’s hands surprised him. They rested on his shoulders, and then slipped over his back, dragging him towards her in a hug. His head was resting in the crook of her shoulder, now, and the position was awkward. There was a pain in his knee where it rested against the ground, but Sionn would sooner cut it off then move. He swallowed, trying to clear his throat of the emotion that was swelling it, and he pressed on with the rest of his story.

“You didn’t reach for the bow sitting by your feet. Or the arrows near your hip. Instead, you reached for your food. I thought perhaps you’d throw it and sprint away, and I was filled with bittersweet elation. Food, but at the cost of fear. Except, you didn’t. You tore off a piece of the deer you had been cooking, a large piece, and you gently placed it between us. When I edged close enough to eat it, you spoke to me.”

“I remember that fox.” Her voice interrupted him, with perhaps the sweetest words she could have said.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~

Giving you guys some power here: The dp is, Why does Elona remember that fox?

Cyberworm · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 3:52 pm Post subject:

Ok, first of all, splendid writing. I didn't nitpick, but I didn't find a single error.

That said, I love this chapter perhaps the most. You are progressing nicely in your writing.

The story is progressing rather fast, in 10 chapters no less, but it's also a refreshing sight.

Alas, as for the DP...

I'm a silly guy. I say the fox ate and fell asleep in her lap afterwards.

Aye, fell asleep. A FOX. Shocker. :D

Well, it could also be that the fox had an omen on it. Some meaningful mark in the form of a bald spot albino shape or limb.

Sapphire_Rayne · Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Posts: 38

Alright. Time for my usual breakdown!

I adore that Sionn takes the time to just watch Elona and observe how she is. I think it's because I always love seeing guys watch their ladies when they don't notice it. . . that sounded a bit like I enjoy stalkers which is completely untrue . . hrm. That's the best wording I can come up with though, haha. Anyways, I also adore the together humming!

And then she sings! I don't know what you're talking about - I happened to enjoy the song! And the way Sionn reacts to it is lovely to read. Though, may I point out the glowing eyes and how the both seem to snap out of it? That leads me to believe that there is more to Elona than she seems to know, considering she snapped out of whatever that was as well (Or I'm assuming so from her blinking and turning back to the map). I'm loving the differences in their reactions to one another's touch. Sionn doesn't hesitate to grip her hand, and while she is surprised but gives a soft smile, he just beams! It's just so awesome to have the pleasure of reading.

And the confusion on the map container, I got a kick out of that. I also got a kick out of this line here :

Quote: I wonder why my family doesn’t use maps. They seem easy enough to follow.

I suck at following maps, so I had to laugh at this. Maps are not my friends, and I will never see them as my friends.

AND SHE TOOK HIS HAND. THIS CAN'T BE ANY BETTER. Though, her being rather quiet is not comforting. And it had me confused, especially since they were chatting and getting better at the ' there's another person here ' situation. But the playful flexing, chuckling and arm pat made it up to me. And we've now learned something about Sionn's father - or at least his way of finding/making shelter anyways. And then we learn more about what is learned and what isn't so this is definitely progress I like.

AH! She speaks again! Though, I was a tiny bit troubled by her asking Sionn if he knew where his family was, and a little more troubled by the fact that he had an idea of where they might be. Might. As in, has no clue and is guessing. AND THEN SHE TELLS HIM TO GO BACK TO THEM. THIS IS NOT OKAY. GIVE ME BACK MY HEART YOU MEANIE.

I will not lie, I read through that dialogue so fast to see if my heart would break more, before reading it slowly and enjoying it. Elona's saved him quite a few times now, hasn't she? And then we find out the truth. That she had saved him as a fox. And my heart broke all over hearing that he was ready to die either way back then. AND SHE REMEMBERS HIM. YOU NONI, HAVE STOLEN MY HEART WITH THEM AND THIS STORY AND I DEMAND TO HAVE IT RETURNED TO ME.

So, as for the DP. . . I kind of agree with Cy. It does sound like him to eat and fall asleep in her lap. I'm always agreeing with other people. If I manage to think of something else though, I'll let you know! And I will be thinking, so yeah. Haha.

Andolyn · Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:13 pm Post subject:

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. I just do. They're fantastic. The slightly awkward sweetness is just precious. It did break my heart a little bit when she told him to go home...UGH FEELS.

Anyway, for the DP, I'm going to say that Sionn has a distinctive marking of some sort.

kkdestiny · Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:28 pm Post subject:

I think my vote would be that

a) she thought he was going to run

b) she was incredibly depressed and he kept her company when she needed it most

Adryrn · Joined: 16 Sep 2015 Posts: 22

Aww. The last line of the song was super cute =D. I like that you put Sionn in an awkward position when Elona hugged him toward the end--it's not an obvious thing to think of (or at least, not as alluring as hugs that feel just right?), but it makes sense. As for the DP, my first reaction was that Elona remembered Sionn's fear, but on re-reading it, it seems like he'd accepted the impending doom. So knowing Elona, I'd say she must have been wallowing in loneliness and self-loathing that night and Sionn made her feel less repulsive by approaching her. To make it even worse, maybe the deer she shot hadn't been as afraid of her as it should have been and that was why she was able to kill it, and she also felt bad about that and felt like she was making up for it a bit by feeding Sionn (though I guess the deer being unafraid is a bit of a stretch since Sionn predicted someone would be where Elona was because other hunters had camped there. Eh.)

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2015 8:30 am Post subject:

Why does Elona temember that fox?
She was depressed and he brought comfort.
100%
100% [ 4 ]
She thought he was going to run.
0%
0% [ 0 ]
The fox had a distinctive mark.
0%
0% [ 0 ]
The fox fell asleep on her lap after eating.
0%
0% [ 0 ]
Total Votes : 4
Who Voted: Adryrn, Andolyn, Sapphire_Rayne, themightyzan

Chapter Eleven

“Tough winter for all of us, huh?”

Elona spoke softly, trying not to frighten away the creature scarfing down the chunk of meat. This poor fox looked as if he hadn’t eaten in days, perhaps weeks. His sunken expression only made his gaze, filled with a pathetic desperation, more intense. Between that and the fox being brave enough to approach her, Elona’s heart melted a smidgen. Tearing off another piece of the deer she had no appetite for, Elona set it down. The fox eyed her warily, it seemed, before moving a small step closer. The meat was gulped up greedily, and Elona gave an amused chuckle.

“I didn’t think my cooking was quite that impressive.”

The smile felt odd, felt stiff. How long had it been, anyway? A deep loneliness had long since begun to seep into her bones, making them feel heavy and sore. Yet, the sight of brave fox, edging closer to her now, seemed to lighten that burden. This creature had every right to fear her, and yet he- if the fox was in fact a he- didn’t. She’d heard humans speak of trusting an animal’s instincts, so surely if this fox didn’t fear her, she wasn’t as monstrous as she believed? It was a risky thought to believe in, and Elona froze the seed of hope that had started to bloom within her chest. Hope was a dangerous drug, one she’d long since learned the lesson of.

One more hesitant step closer, and the fox nudged her hand. She gave a soft gasp, unused to the contact. His fur was slightly coarse, and one could tell the forest was his home from the dirt coating, but it was quite possibly the softest touch she’d ever felt. It didn’t compare to the brisk slaps and nudges that had been her teacher, it was gentle and sweet. There was an unspoken acceptance in the touch, even if the fox might not have intended one. In fact, it was easy enough to guess what he had intended.

“Still hungry, my friend?”

The endearment had never left her lips before, but it slipped off them as smoothly as the river swept over rocks. With her other hand, Elona reached out and tore more meat off of the spit. This time, she held it in her palm, and extended it towards the fox. She wasn’t sure why she did, perhaps she was craving more contact? Whatever her reasons for offering it in that way, the fox gingerly took it, this muzzle tickling against Elona’s palm. Elona felt the soft smile on her face ease into a natural expression of contentment. Whatever this feeling was- companionship, perhaps?- it was very nice. It was possible there were better words for it, but nice was all she could apply to it. Nice was rare enough for her, she didn’t need more than that. Wasn’t sure how to process anything more than that. Too much overindulgence in moments like this, and the lonely moments would only sting that much more.

Haltingly, Elona shifted her hand to the top of the foxes head and gave a pat. The fox seemed to peer up at her, an unfathomable expression in his swirling amber eyes, and Elona began to softly scratch behind it’s ear. His eyelids flickered down, and the fox rested its weight against her leg. Smiling still, Elona found herself speaking to the fox. Who else did she have to speak to, anyway? What reason was there not to? A lifetime of silence didn’t appeal to her, but neither did the thought of anyone knowing so much about her. Confiding in an animal might be the best sort of compromise with herself.

“Are you lonely too, my friend? You must be, to approach a hunter like me. Or hungry, at the very least. You sure lucked out, my friend. I must the only hunter in this forest with such a bleeding heart.”

His eyes opened, and he nuzzled his head against her leg. Taking it as encouragement, Elona continued.

“My friend, may I tell you a secret?”

Did the fox just nod? Choosing to believe it had, Elona leaned towards him, and confessed in a lowered voice,

“I don’t like to kill. I wish I was good at something less violent, but this is all I’ve got to feed myself.”

Elona heaved a sigh. It was tough to admit, even just to a hungry animal who likely couldn’t understand. She had tried many things, but with no one to teach her, she’d had to resort to the one thing she had any form of training in. The training had seemed a game when it begun, but that grizzly old man had loathed every second in her company. Shaking away those memories as best she could, Elona returned her gaze to the fox at her side.

“Thank you, my friend. It is nice to speak of it.”

There was much more to speak of, but even this animal didn’t deserve the burden of hearing all her woes and tribulations. In a natural, almost absent minded gesture, Elona continued to stroke the top of the fox’s head. The soft rustle of his fur against her hand was soothing. Her self-imposed isolation, which had been admittedly encouraged by the rare few who had seen her true side, had been encroached on for an evening. Tonight, even if it was merely a fox, Elona had a friend. Someone to watch the fire with her, who’s breathing filled the empty night. It was something she hadn’t realized would have such an effect, the sound of something other than her drawing air into it’s body to survive.

Through the night, Elona intermittently fed and pet the fox. She spoke a few more times, mostly of things without any importance. She spoke of how she prefered sunrises to sunsets, how her favorite food wasn’t deer, but fish. She even mentioned how much she envied the ladies she saw strolling about all decked out in be-glittering gems. The fox seemed to follow the sound of her voice, and from time to time it truly did seem it was nodding along. It was the closest to an honest conversation she’d ever come. When the fox refused the meat in her hand in favor of laying down and closing it’s eyes, Elona leaned down and softly kissed it’s head.

“You have been a very dear friend, thank you. I have never shot at a fox, and now I most certainly never will. Sleep, I shall watch you. In the morning...” Elona’s voice shriveled, and her throat closed. It was surprisingly painful to bid farewell to the fox. So she didn’t. She let her sentence trail off into nothingness.
~*~**~*~
“That morning, I offered you some of the meat to take home to your family. And you walked away.”

Elona’s face was burning with a flush. So much she’d said to that fox, that she’d never told a soul. She’d kissed his head, scratched his ears. This was humiliating. Elona pulled Sionn closer into the hug, if only to bury her face in his shoulder so he couldn’t see her expression. Heavens knew he already knew far more about her than she had suspected. Pieces were beginning to fall into place, things that had seemed innocent enough. His comment about almost not recognizing her, his question about if she considered herself ruthless. The connection he seemed to feel instantly that had taken time to grow within her. His eyes. Pulling back abruptly, Elona stared searchingly into Sionn’s now-shocked expression.

“Your eyes are the same. How did I not notice it?”

“... Because you didn’t know foxes that turned human were a thing?” Sionn offered helpfully, giving a lopsided and mildly sheepish grin. “Maybe because I didn’t want you to know that had been me?”

“Why not?” The stinging prickle of discomfort was immediate. If he had regretted their meeting, why track her down? “Why would you want to hide that?”

“Because I… I was pathetic. I am pathetic.” Sionn dropped his head again, refusing to meet her eyes. “I mean. How many times have you rescued me since that night?”

“You weren’t the only one rescued that night.”

The admission surprised Elona as much as it did Sionn. She felt his back stiffen beneath her hands, but he didn’t raise his head yet. She could almost hear him thinking back over the things she had said that night. It hadn’t entered her mind very often, it was true, but Elona had gone over it often enough in her mind to remember it with vivid clarity. It had been a turning point. Not an immense one, her life hadn’t changed with any significance since then. Until she met Sionn. Again. Her life had, however, continued.

“I don’t… understand.” Sionn’s voice was hesitant, strained. It sounded as if he was struggling with having to admit he couldn’t figure it out.

“I live a very lonely life. As far back as I can recall, I always have.” Elona shifted her eyes away, unable to look into his unbreaking gaze. “I was… I…”

Sionn patted her head. Eyes opening wide, Elona glanced back at him as he shifted to scratching behind her ear. Oh. Does he think that’s how you offer comfort? Despite the severity of the conversation, despite the awkward tangle of a hug they were in, Elona had to bite the inside of her cheek to stifle laughter. It had been what she had done, back when she thought he was just a fox. Lifting one of her hands from his back, she rested it lightly on his hand. His fingers stilled, and Elona shifted. For a moment, she wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Her hand moved his of it’s own accord, though, and she found herself turning her cheek into his palm.

“My friend.” It slipped through her murmured lips as she closed her eyes. “Both as a fox, and as you are now, you’ve managed to slip past my defenses.”

DP: How does Sionn react?[/b]

kkdestiny · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2015 9:12 am Post subject:

Elona had to bit (bite) the inside of her cheek to stifle laughter.

There may have been other mistakes, I dont know, this is the only thing that disrupted my reading :P

Because it was a good read, and I think it was a perfect little moment to add to both of the characters and maake even more of a connection :)

If I was Sion, I think I'd feel a mix of awkwardness, and guilt/pathetic as he showed, maybe hope and happiness because now his friend remembers him :O

so...emotions are what I think of when you say 'react' but if you're asking more like actions....maybe give her a hug?

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2015 9:33 am Post subject:

Fixed! Thank you. I was going to wait til after work to finish it, but instead I squeezed it in this morning. I'm surprised there aren't more errors. XD

Andolyn · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:30 pm Post subject:

Well, the flashback was WONDERFUL. It was neat getting to have a minor glimpse into who Elona was before meeting Sionn. The part about breathing was really neat. I have a thing with breathing. I love to hear my husband breathing while he sleeps and my kids too. It was just a really sweet part. And his eyes are the same!!! AWWWW!!!

I also loved that he tried to scratch her behind the ears. That was precious. XD

I'm going to say that Sionn just stares at her for a second in shock before giving her a tearful smile and maybe hugging her again. Maybe he says that he's been longing to hear her call him that again. <3 SO MUCH SWEETNESS!!

Adryrn · Joined: 16 Sep 2015 Posts: 22

Awww. This chapter was super cute. I really enjoyed the contrast between how Elona interacted with Sionn the first time they met vs. how she sees him now. It kind of gives the story a fairy-tale vibe that it didn't have before, in a good way (I guess the theme of animals that are more [humanlike] than they seem is pretty common? And it's been part of the story since Sionn's first appearance, but the flashback in this chapter really drives that point home). The way they're both embarrassed about the states they were in during that first encounter also pleases me. They're very different people, but they're also the same in a lot of ways that weren't obvious at first.

Hell of a DP to leave us with, too. I don't think it would be in character for Sionn to do something to test how much he's slipped past her defenses like randomly kissing her or something like that. It caught me off guard, so I have to assume it would catch him off guard, too. He seems pretty inquisitive--maybe he should need a moment or to to process, then ask Elona for more information about those defenses he's slipped past? Like what exactly they keep out, or how they were formed in the first place?

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 8:43 pm Post subject:

If I dont get any more responses within 2 or 3 hours, ill put up a flash poll. ^^

themightyzan · Joined: 18 Sep 2015 Posts: 57 Location: TN

Oh! It's so sweet! I love this chapter so much!

I think Sionn would stare at her kinda speechless, I mean, what do you say after something like that???

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 12:09 pm Post subject:

How does Sionn react to this revelation?
Stare speechless.
50%
50% [ 2 ]
Pester with questions!
0%
0% [ 0 ]
Hug, overwhelmed with emotions.
25%
25% [ 1 ]
Tearfully tell her how happy he is to be called that again.
25%
25% [ 1 ]
Total Votes : 4
Who Voted: Andolyn, kkdestiny, Sapphire_Rayne, themightyzan

Chapter Twelve

Humans throats worked differently. The declarative noise, unique to foxes, wouldn’t come out. Instead, only a stunned silence emerged from his lips. Even as his heart began to beat wildly out of control, Sionn fought to remind himself he was going too fast. Foxes moved quickly, loved instantly, and stayed together forever. That was a universal law to his kind, magical or no. Humans, however, did not. They wooed slowly, loved rarely, and often strayed. It didn’t matter how much his heart and soul and body all knew Elona was meant to be his, she didn’t know. Which meant he couldn’t possibly let her know until she was ready, or risk scaring her off entirely. It was only sheer luck and persistence that she’d accepted his close friendship.

The silence stretched out, and Elona turned her head slightly, her hand still holding his. As she stared back, Sionn swallowed nervously. His love had been building up inside him, barely suppressed and ignored, but now it seemed as if it was spilling out of him from every pore. How could she not see it? Surely it had started as infatuation, admiration for the hunter who showed him compassion in a tough time. Then he’d met her again, and he’d been determined to follow. Her gentle hesitance had been so achingly sweet, such a surprise from the woman who had claimed him as friend in an instant. As he saw more of her strength of will and vulnerability of the heart, Sionn fell harder and faster. Yet, even as she stared at him with soft warmth in her pale green gaze, Sionn knew she hadn’t fallen yet. Patience had never been his strong suit, but surely the love of Elona was worth it?

Ignoring the pessimistic thoughts attempting to creep in, Sionn finally grinned. She knew. That was the thing to focus on. She knew, and she wasn’t ashamed of him. If anything, she seemed to appreciate him even more. Laughing, Sionn leaned forward to bump his forehead against hers. Her eyes seemed so huge from this angle, the green all but swallowed up by the black.

“It’s sure nice to hear that again.”

“What’s that?”

“‘My friend.’”

“It’s… nice to say it.”

“Elona?”

“Yeah?”

“... My knee is about to give out. Unless you want me collapsing on you, we should move.”

He hadn’t wanted to say anything, but the truth was his leg was shaking from supporting his weight at this angle, and he really would fall on her. Even though he was shorter and had a lean frame for a man, he likely would still crush her. Regretfully pulling away, Sionn found himself breathing out, as if by leaving his breath near her some part of him might stay close. He shifted into a cross-legged sitting position, bracing his hands on his knees and pushing down. His heart hadn’t calmed down, and it only seemed to go faster when he looked at Elona. A sudden, horrifying thought occurred to him. For foxes it was only winter, but as a human… Shaking his head and taking a bracing breath, Sionn pulled a hopefully carefree smile.

“So, Elona, what’s next?”

She blinked a moment, before leaning to sit with her legs tucked underneath her, resting the majority of her weight on her hip and the hand she placed on the ground for balance. Sionn watched her as she nibbled on her lips, feeling a rush of heat. Oh god. What’s happening? Afraid he knew the answer, Sionn focused on the fire instead. The jumps and leaps of the flame seemed alive, like a red-orange creature fighting for the sky but endlessly trapped on the ground. His heartbeat began to calm down, and Sionn felt like himself again. Letting out the tiniest sigh of relief, Sionn cheerfully lifted his head towards Elona as she began to speak.

“I still… I still feel like the smarter thing, the safer thing, would be for you to go back to your family. You won’t change my mind on that. But… I’m not going to force you to leave.” She sighed and dropped her head, and Sionn felt his cheerful mood begin to slip. “I- Being honest, I don’t want you to leave. I didn’t… I didn’t back then either. Just like when we first met, though, I’m leaving it up to you.”

“Elona-”

“Wait.” She held up a hand, and Sionn bit his tongue to halt his words. He’d listen to whatever she had to say, but he’s already made up his mind. “I’m… I’m going to pursue this murder-temple thing.” She waved the hand she’d interrupted him with towards where the ruins had been. “And I promise to keep you as safe as I can, but it’s… It’s probably going to be really really dangerous.”

“The forest is dangerous. Life is dangerous.” Sionn placed his hands on the ground, lifting himself up and shifting over to sit closer to her. “But I think we can handle it. We’re pretty smart, I think. And I still have my knife, so we’re not defenseless.”

Elona smiled at him again, and Sionn silently congratulated himself for apparently saying the right thing this time. He’d been sure the reference to weapons would be a painful reminder that they’d lost her bow. There was a moment of silence, before Elona glanced up at the sky. It was dark now, and the wind rustling the trees branches was revealing a small spattering of stars. The trees weren’t very dense in their little meadow, and they provided little protection from the cold. Missing his fur, Sionn shivered and scooted closer to the fire. His stomach grumbled, and Sionn chuckled at the irony.

“Seems like I end up hungry and at your campfire quite a bit lately.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll hunt something down to eat tomorrow. For now, why don’t you rest?”

For a moment, the prospect of sleeping after the intense trials of the ruins seemed appealing, and Sionn even felt his eyes begin to close. Then, blinking, his head shot over to Elona. Staring at her, confused, Sionn thought over the night before. He’d been groggy and fallen asleep on Elona’s lap, and she’d been awake when he came to. His eyebrows furrowing, Sionn leaned towards her again. Her pale complexion, while beautiful, did little to hide the purple marks under her eyes once he looked closer.

“Uh… Sionn?” Elona was staring back at him with a bewildered expression.

“When did you last sleep?”

“Huh?” Her mouth fell open into a delicate little ‘o’.

“You didn’t sleep last night. You fell asleep in the bath the night before, right? Was that the last time you’ve gotten some sleep?” Sionn crossed his arms, attempting to show he was being stern about this. Thinking about it, it had been odd that she was awake so late the first night they met.

“I don’t sleep very often Sionn, I’ll be fine.”

“Elona, you need to get some rest too.”

“Sleep isn’t very restful for me, Sionn.” Elona admitted in a soft voice. “I have nightmares.”

Sionn had had nightmares a few times as a kit, and vaguely remembered how the warmth of his mother seemed to banish them away. Were the nightmares responsible for the pain he sometimes saw behind Elona’s calm mask? Looking down, Sionn began tapping his finger on his boot. Surely there was something he could do to help? No matter how much she might pretend she didn’t need it, the toll of sleeping so rarely had to be weighing against her. If it wasn’t, it would soon. The thought of Elona getting hurt because she’d elected to stay awake while he slept squeezed the air from his lungs, and he gave a determined nod to himself.

Giving her very little warning, Sionn reached out and placed his hand on the back of her head, slowing shifting it down until her head was resting on his thigh. The posture was similar to the one he’d fallen into the night before, and Sionn nodded again, proud of himself for thinking of it. Though plainly confused, Elona went along with it, not questioning him until she was already laying down.

“Sionn? I told you, I-”

“You let me sleep like this last night.” Sionn blurted out, interrupting her. He didn’t want to give her a chance to talk her way out of this. He was determined she at least try to sleep. “I don’t know for sure if it’ll help with the nightmares, but it’s worth a shot, right? I mean, you haven’t tried this before, right?”

Aware that he sounded like an idiot repeating his words so much, Sionn smacked his face silently. As comfortable and happy as he was being around her, any time it was important he say just the right thing, his tongue seemed to swell up and tie itself in knots inside his mouth. As he inwardly kicked himself, Sionn felt Elona relax against his leg, and move one of her hands. She rested it palm down on his leg near her head, bracing her cheek against it. The rush of heat returned, and Sionn swallowed around the lump suddenly forming in his throat. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea…

“Thank you, Sionn. I’ll at least try.” She was silent for a few moments, and Sionn was wondering if she’d fallen asleep when her slightly sleep-slurred voice murmured, “Wake me up when you want to sleep.”

Sionn knew when she truly had fallen asleep, because her breathing slowed, and then regulated itself. His ears twitched, and as he listened to the cadence of her lungs, Sionn felt a strange sort of reverence overcome him. As little as they might actually know about each other, Sionn knew deep down that this was perhaps the most vulnerable she had allowed herself to ever be around someone. There was some sort of a magic to it, and a measure of pride that he was the one she could relax with. A deep longing overtook him, his greatest wish in that moment to be able to hear this sweet music every night for as long as he might live. Taking a deep, contented breath, Sionn closed his eyes a moment.

The sounds of the forest at night were all easy for him to pinpoint and discard. His hearing was one of the traits that was constant between his forms, and so sound had always held a certain sort of power over him. There was the sound of owls in the distance, and as they questioned ‘who’, ‘who, Sionn mentally answered them with Elona’s name, and then ignored their inquiries. The serenading of the cricket was applauded, but there was no request for an encore coming from him. The crackle of the fire was as vivacious as any person he’d ever met, but just as easily ignored. The howls of distant wolves was harder to dismiss, as the instinctual bit of fear shivered over him, but soon they too fell away. It was only Elona and her breathing that he heard. The whole world was gone, abandoned in favor of her sleeping voice.

This focus was why he knew, down to an instant, when the plan had failed. It started as the faintest of whimpers, and Sionn’s eyes snapped open. He held his breath, hoping against hope that he had perhaps been wrong. That for once his ears had failed him. A soft gasp, like it’d been torn from lungs filled with grief, and then Elona curled into a tight ball. Her legs had been extended and relaxed before, the very sign of splendid repose. Now she looked like a small child, her nails biting into his thigh as she gripped for reality. Her breathing quickened, like she was running a great distance. Plunging his hands into her hair, Sionn desperately tried rubbing at her scalp. That always relaxed him, maybe…? Her shoulders relaxed from their bunched up position, and her breathing shifted into soft pants. It wasn’t relaxation, but she seemed to have calmed down a little. Not daring to breath a sigh of relief, Sionn continued to massage at Elona’s scalp.

It proved a temporary measure, however. Gradually she began to ball back up, this time her hands forming fists. Even in her sleep, tears began to slide down her face. They left blue-green trails a bitter reminder to Sionn that Elona likely had plenty of reason for these nightmares. Removing his hands from her hair, Sionn balled one up and punched the ground. How was it fair that no matter the form, he was useless to those he loved most?! Gasping, and outstanded by his selfishness, Sionn redirected his attention back to Elona, grabbing her by the shoulders now. He had to wake her up, this couldn’t be any sort of restful. Except, how was he supposed to wake her up? His outburst hadn’t woken her, neither had grabbing her. He might have to get rough to wake her up. There was a heavy weight on his heart at the thought of doing that, but there was no way he could just allow her to suffer through this. Why oh why did I have such a stupid idea?

~~*~~~*~~~*~~

DP: How does Sionn wake her up?

DP is a little different this time, I won’t be polling. I’ll be incorporating as many of the suggestions as possible in the next chapter start. So be creative!

Andolyn · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:18 pm Post subject:

LOVED the description of the differences between how humans love and how foxes love. I think it really adds to his character to know that. It adds to the relationship in general.

AND I LOVE THAT SHE SLEEPS ON HIM!!! Letting herself be vulnerable with him was a BIG thing for her.

I'm going to be the jerk over here and say that he kisses her. XD

kkdestiny · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:45 pm Post subject:

oh man...I loved it, the little hints to mating and love and stuff XP

Definitely adds an interesting dynamic.

My comment wont be all that great, because I'm actualy pretty tired today. Heh, but I loved it. I'm actually afraid of what'd happen if we woke her up via kiss, so im more inclined to say some shoulder shaking be in order :3

Adryrn · Joined: 16 Sep 2015 Posts: 22

Your close tracking of Sionn's emotions and reactions is engrossing as usual =D. I liked how he realized she hadn't slept in awhile on his own/because he was thinking about her instead of because of Elona getting tired enough so the sleep deprivation noticeably affects her actions. As for the DP, I think he should try talking to her/maybe shaking her shoulder (not violently, just vigorously enough so he might wake her without hurting her.) Kissing her while she's not only sleeping but extra vulnerable because she's having nightmares would be pretty creepy o__o.

ModelP · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 14

I Agree that a bit of shoulder shaking is needed but don't shake her so hard she'll get whiplash right away start gentle then slowly work your way up.That way we'll hit the absolute minimal shakeage needed to wake her up.

Seraphi · Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 12:48 pm Post subject:

Excellent chapters, Noni! Both Sionn and Elona are so sweet and awkward and lovely. It's fantastic. And, finally, the secret of how they first met is revealed! Very well done on writing that flashback btw.

Hm...I would suggest that he tugs on her ears (gently but persistently, maybe with a few sharper tugs afterwards if it doesn't work initially). Seems weird, I know, but Sionn, as we already know, has sensitive ears. If someone were to do that to him I'm sure he would wake up almost instantly, and maybe it's this knowledge/instinct as a fox that makes him try it on Elona. Human ears can be sensitive too, lol.

Sapphire_Rayne · Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Posts: 38

Let me first apologize that I haven't been on top of commenting.. I've already talked to you about it so you know, but still. I am sorry.

I'm really glad we get to see how they met, and interacted before - which adds to how Sionn was acting in the begging! So I'm totally okay with this. I loved the flashback, and I loved how Elona slipped out with calling him 'my friend' once more. Just love love love it all!

I'll do my normal breakdown on the latest chapter for you, because if I were to do both I would have no time to get ready for work.

I absolutely adore how you continue to put in things for Sionn that actual foxes would do, it shows you've done your research! Though, knowing you personally, I knew you would~ A line actually hit me from the first paragraph (I lied. It's a series of lines) , this one I believe:

Quote: Foxes moved quickly, loved instantly, and stayed together forever. That was a universal law to his kind, magical or no. Humans, however, did not. They wooed slowly, loved rarely, and often strayed.

It flowed really well in my eyes, and I find myself rereading it just because I love how smooth and completely true it is.

Also, I am loving the fact that he has to somewhat talk himself into having patience, and the mention of her eyes again. If anything, I am a sucker for eyes and I enjoy every single time they are described. Then we have the lovely dialogue between them and he mentioned his knee - which I didn't expect to be honest. Not sure why, but I didn't.

I GET WHAT YOU REFERENCED THERE IN MENTIONING THE FOXES AND WINTER THING. But aside from that, because that is totally not my focus here, as I love that fire description! And Elona letting out her thoughts as of this far was just awesome to read. Especially when she called the ruins murder-temples. I wish I had come up with that, though I did come up with death rooms so, can't complain.

Sionn being so real with calling it spade to spade as life is a dangerous thing was great, this whole chapter - no this whole story - is just great and I really feel guilty that I hadn't had the time to be keeping up.

And then we learn Elona has nightmares. . . oh boy. I sense we are all going to tear up or cry at some point because of these nightmares. Maybe letting her sleep wasn't the best move there Sionn, but the sentiment was nice. And the frustration at him not being able to help! Oh I feel my heart from within your hands. Return it at anytime, really.

I say that Sionn shakes her shoulders. That's the first thing I can think of, my next thought was to pinch her maybe, but I can't see Sionn doing that because it could hurt. I don't think he'd have it in him to tap her on the cheek to wake her either, so maybe tapping her shoulder or back, and then shaking her? He could also try to talk to her, or call her name out. Those are my suggestions, though there is a lot . . . whoops.

Lilith · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 2:15 pm Post subject:

*flails under mounds of work guiltily* I am finally caught back up, little NoNi, and my how you have blossomed as a writer. I couldn't be prouder of you. I was so relieved when I saw how you had Sionn and Elona flashback to when they'd met before, which makes him following her a lot less weird now. :) Well done, poppet. As for your DP incorporation... maybe, cold water on her face? Which might be rude, given her circumstances with water, but still it might shock her enough to wake her out of her nightmare.

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 11:55 am Post subject:

Heres the chapter, but it was written on my phone on a long bus ride, so be gentle. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter Thirteen

She’d been here before. Even before she opened her eyes, she knew with certainty what she would see. Despite that, and her fervent wish to keep them closed, Elona felt her eyelids lift. The oppressive darkness that seeped in towards her was broken only by a faint, sickly green glow in the distance. She lay on the sand, pushed into it with the confining, wet pressure of what she could only guess was water. Telling her arms to move, to touch her skin and figure out if it was scaled over, wouldn’t work. It never did. The dream always had control, and it would do as it wished. The knowledge was almost as disheartening as the dream itself. Even as she remembered that was so, the memory of the dream faded, and the horror began anew.

Her hand slid into the shifting sands beneath her as she used it to push herself up. The wet clumpy texture of the grits of sand seemed to be scraping her skin down to the nerve. She couldn’t see them, but her legs felt fused together, the shape of them all wrong. Even as panic flooded her mind, and she struggled against the invisible bonds, they lay still. Neither could she turn her head to see just what contained them. The glow grew closer, stronger, and Elona began to be able to pick out shapes around her. Dancing seaweed stretched out towards her like a shaking hand, seeking her out. Images of them reaching inside her and clutching at her organs flashed through her mind. Even as she mentally shirked away, her body seemed to lift higher, towards the light. It emanated from a hazy form, one swimming towards her. Though she whimpered, no sound emerged from her lips.

“My sweet,” The words presumably came from the figure, but they felt as if they were bouncing around in every direction before reaching Elona.

The voice was chillingly cold, and felt like a set of eels sliding along her skin, but Elona’s body responded with a childish laugh, reaching out towards the figure with both arms. It tutted, and swam around behind her. The pinpricks that raced across her skin felt like the stabbing of a thousand tiny poisoned swords, but her body didn’t react. It remained seated on the ocean floor, giggling softly to itself. The noise, ripped unwilling from her own throat, echoed around her skull until that was all she could hear, over and over. It drowned out any other sounds, including her own gasp and the rest of what the chilling figure had to say.

Long, delicate arms wrapped around her, swallowing up her whole body. Even as her spine relaxed and she leaned into the hold, Elona began to pant desperately for breath. The darkness was pressing in again, with the glow behind her now, and it felt as if the very weight of the water, resting on her tiny chest, was pushing any hope for air out of her. Desperate pleas with her body to move, break free from the hold, do anything to push towards the surface, all went unheard. Closing her eyes, the slimy feel of the figures skin pressing into her, Elona felt herself slipping away, being lost to the depths of the dream.

A soft pressure on her scalp. Instantly, the knowledge of the nightmare, of the way it should go, rushed back to her. This wasn’t right. There had never been any head rubs in the nightmare. What was going on? She sat up in shock, and for a moment, her body did as she commanded. Then, as the figures sharp nails pressed into her scalp instead of the soothing weight of its palms, the dream took over anew, and sanity faded.

The hands slid down from her head to her ears. For a moment, they just rested there, pointed finger tips tracing the curve of the lobes. Then, sharply, they tugged. Though she cried out, her body did nothing. It didn’t even giggle. Something inside her felt unseated, like the world had tilted and she wasn’t noticing it at first. Swallowing, she found herself merely waiting to see what would happen next. The hands vanished, and just as quick, they were poking her back. The pressure was intense, she felt like she was being stabbed, and her breath gasped out of her. Except, there were no bubbles floating to the surface. No breath had left. Sobbing weakly at the prison of her own body, Elona deflated. Tears pricked her eyes, desperation turned to bleak numbness.

The world suddenly did tilt, her body at an awkward angle with the sand. She couldn’t tell which direction she was looking now, and the bewilderment only edged on the panic fluttering inside her too-quick heart. The shaking began, though Elona could no longer see the figure, or the sand, or the ocean. Closing her eyes, Elona cried out, a name tumbling from her lips, a name she didn’t know. A sudden drop, she was falling forward. Her face struck something hard, and she tasted blood, but it wasn’t hers. How did she know it wasn’t hers?

The shock of water, actual water, yanked her violently back into true reality. Gasping and sputtering, Elona reached up to wipe the droplets away from her eyes. Her shoulders slumped with sweet relief when her arms did as she bid. She was awake. Taking a shuddering breath, Elona opened her eyes. She was kneeling on the ground, and Sionn sat in front of her, his eyes wide with fright. In his hands was her canteen, open and upended. His lower lip was split, a small trickle of blood dripping down. Her hands, resting on her knees, tightened into nervous fists. What had she done in her dream to cause him to fear her? Had she caused the wound on his mouth?

As quickly as she began to spiral into self reflection, though, Sionn’s arms came around her, tightly, desperately. A muffled gasp was dragged from her lungs as her face was thrust into his shoulder. His fingers were splayed, his hands and arms covering most of the expanse of her back.

“Sionn?” Her voice was soft, hesitant. She still didn't know how she had frightened him.

“You weren't waking up. I'm so, so sorry! I'm sorry I made you sleep, I’m sorry you had to go through that, I'm sorry I had to splash you!”

He was frightened for me? Not of me? Elona gave pathetic, broken laugh into his shoulder, before lifting her arms and hugging him back. She began to shake, uncontrollably. The comfort his warmth offered was irresistible, and her own meager protests fell away quickly. So many times she’d had that nightmare, and so many others, and merely shoved them away and moved on. Taking a deep breath, Elona gradually became aware of Sionn rubbing her back. The shaking tapered off, until she was calm again. Sionn made no move to let go, however, and Elona selfishly savored it.

Her sense of smell might not be as strong as his, but nonetheless his scent began to seep into her. It was earthy, not too different from the smell of rain upon freshly upturned dirt, with an undercurrent of a spice she couldn't place. Unconsciously nuzzling her nose closer, trying to get a better wiff of the spice, Elona pressed her ear against him. The thud of his heartbeat shocked her out of her reverie, and a vivid blush painted itself over her cheeks. His heart was racing, tripping over itself to double its speed, and Elona’s lips opened as she realized her heart was responding in kind.

Pushing away, Elona gave a breathless chuckle, reaching up with one hand to tug on her hair. Blinking at her for a moment, Sionn turned his flushed face towards the dying fire. He brushed at his bleeding mouth with his knuckle. He opened his mouth to say something, but Elona would never know what, because she blurted out,

“I'm going to go find the river to refill the canteen.” She reached out and grabbed it, pushing awkwardly to her feet. “Wh-why don't you stay here and keep the fire going?”

Not waiting for his answer, Elona spun on her heel and strode off determinedly in the direction she believed the water to be. Once out of his sight, Elona reached up to press her hands against her flaming cheeks. What was that. Oh god. Rubbing her fingers against her eyes, Elona realized she’d had the bad luck of her face being dry when she pulled away. There was no avoiding that he’d seen her blush.

Reaching the river, Elona dropped to her knees next to it with a sigh. The water at this bend still had a quick current, enough to keep the water clear, but lacked the force that had swept Sionn away earlier. Puzzling over just how little time had passed since then, Elona dipped the canteen into the water. Mindlessly watching the bubbles of air that escaped, Elona fought off the lingering memories of the nightmare.

Once the canteen was full, Elona capped it, and remained kneeling by the river. Here in the dark, free for a moment of Sionn’s lovely but distracting presence, Elona allowed herself to take stock. She still had some money saved up, sewn into her bag. There were rabbits in this forest that she could take down with her small collection of throwing knives, so they wouldn't starve on their way North. Once they reached that city, though, finding food and accommodations would require money. More than usual, with Sionn there. No bow, no deer, no income.

Except…

Taking a deep breath, Elona turned to look back the way she came. Would Sionn follow her? She knew he likely wouldn't approve of her decision, but it was all that was left to them. She would take care of Sionn, and that meant earning money was necessary. If it had kept food in her belly as a child, it would keep food in his now.

Changing her position to sit on the ground with her legs in front of her, Elona unlaced her right boot. It took a small measure of force to get it to let go of her leg, before she set it to the side. Following that was her stocking, shoved deep inside to protect it from the elements. Already bracing herself for the coming pain, Elona rolled her pants leg up past her knee.

The trees that blocked the moon prevented her from being able to see the series of crescent shaped scars scattered over her leg, but she didn't need to see them to know they were there. Before happenstance had led her to that grizzly old hunter, this had been her only way of earning money. Reaching over to the river, Elona cupped her hand and dipped it into the water. Its cool kiss and gentle nudges seemed to be urging her against her choice, but Elona merely lifted her hand and poured the water over her leg. Scales, vibrant and vivid, appeared just as always.

Taking a deep breath in, and slowly letting it out, Elona grabbed one of the scales with her fingers, giving it a sharp tug. The scale popped out of her skin deceptively easily, giving no hint to the searing pain left behind. Elonas breath hissed out between gritted teeth, and she realized she forgot to prep a pouch. Pulling one out of her bag, Elona placed it open on the ground, and dropped the scale in. Wiping away the blood oozing from where the first scale had been pulled, Elona plucked the next one. The sharp pain raced through her again, leaving an electrifying lightning bolt of vivid pinpricks. Gritting her teeth, Elona set to work.

Unaware of how much time had passed, Elona was determinedly plucking and dropping the scales. If she did a little each night, she could get the bag full before they needed it, all without Sionn being any the wiser. Making the decision that she had enough for now, Elona plucked one final scale. Ignoring her own gasp of pain and dropping it into the bag, Elona let her hand fall to her side with a sigh of relief.

“E-Elona?”

Tensing, Elona lifted her head. Standing there, just inside the brush, was Sionn.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~

DP: What does Sionn do?

ModelP · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 14

Oh my Elona. You brave girl. Willing to go through such pain again for someone you care about. Its simply incredible what people will do for those they care about. For the DP I think Sionn should plead that Elona not do it anymore then work really hard to catch animals for the cash and the food so Elona doesn't have to sacrifice anything.

Seraphi · Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 4:06 pm Post subject:

Holy hot damn, Noni, this chapter was excellent!

I know you were worried about the nightmare, but I thought it was very well done. Especially with how you used all our suggestions for waking her up to change/affect the dream.

It pains me to have Elona do that to herself simply for money (and having the knowledge that she did that to herself as a child, too...dreadful stuff). It makes me wonder how she knew/found out that her scales were worth any bit of coin.

For the DP...I think Sionn will tell her, beg her really, to stop. That they can find another way. If she's not convinced, or is being too stubborn, maybe he can take drastic measures and say that if she's doing that then he'll cut off his own tail. Fur is valuable too, you know (and I'm pretty sure that will make her stop immediately).

kkdestiny · Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 5:27 pm Post subject:

-nods- very good...I like the little insight too, and also wonder how she first found out....and why they're valuable in the first place, actually.

and i actually can't offer anything others haven't already...unless he doesnt know what she just did, then ask. Maybe spot the pouch and the residual blood.

Adryrn · Joined: 16 Sep 2015 Posts: 22

This chapter o_________o. The nightmare was interesting---fused legs + the glowing (but oddly parental-seeming?) figure seems like a tantalizing glimpse into Elona's childhood, but if that's what it is... how did her legs get unfused o___o.

Did not predict her ripping off her scales to make money (though it makes sense), so that was pretty disarming. I loved how Sionn finds her just after she's thinking of how she's going to hide it from him.

As for the DP, I feel like Sionn would definitely try to find some other way of making money. He seems like he'd know just telling her not to do that for his sake wouldn't be enough, especially after she already tried to get him to not stay with her. But then if he thinks of himself as useless (or at least, useless as a fox), he may have a hard time coming up with things he thinks he can actually do on the spot. I think his feelings for Elona will take precedence over his lack of practical/hunting skills, though, so he should at least come up with some possibilities and tell Elona to let him try before she rips out any more scales.

Andolyn · Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 4:48 pm Post subject:

Aww!!! This chapter was precious!

I loved the nightmare, and I love that he hugged her, of course. That was just SUPER sweet. The description of his heartbeat was VERY nice. I loved that.

It also makes me sad that she had to do that as a child. =( I think Sionn will be DEVASTATED that she'd hurt herself on his account. I don't know that Sionn would have the words to say how it makes him feel, as I think it's going to be an intense emotion since he already views her as his forever mate. I think he doesn't even say a word. He just turns and runs into the forest, determined to do something else that would make money. Maybe he hunts something. Maybe he finds something about himself that would make money. If she was willing to make the sacrifice to help him, he'll feel he should do the same for her.

Lilith · Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 12:46 am Post subject:

I'm of the opinion takes a different tack this time around; he's seen how being childish and panicking a tad too much is unhelpful and stressful to Elona. Perhaps he should quietly walk over and press some moss or a cloth to the bleeding area and quietly give his opinion that she should not be pulling out pieces of herself. Then Elona should fess up that it's the only way she knows of to provide for them for the journey North and into the city.

Here's where Sionn and Elona can disagree wholeheartedly and Sionn can reveal what he has been doing to provide for himself on his own this whole time he's been human. (Perhaps some performing art, slide of hand, juggling, tale-singing aka bard style at taverns and Inns?)

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 12:39 pm Post subject:

Poll is live! I'm thinking it'll be up for 48 hours (Til my next day off), but if there's a demand for it, I'll leave it up a little longer than that.

Wellspring · Joined: 13 Jan 2016 Posts: 20

Okay, okay! I'm a bit late to this, but I am caught up. xD And I am very very glad I am caught up!

This story overall is very sweet and precious without being too overwhelming. I like that a lot since sometimes stories like these can be too much but you've really struck a balance here! Great job! I also really appreciate your descriptors. You've managed to keep them long enough to be interesting, but not so long as to be tiresome. I'm really looking forward to keeping up with this story.

Annnnndddddd....I can't decide who I like more - Elona or Sionn. It's so hard saying! They're a great couple so far! =D

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 8:33 am Post subject:

I'm so glad everyone is liking it so far! And Wellspring, you may have caught up just in time. I have a lot of fun things planned for the upcoming chapters!

That being said, the poll will close in 24 hours! Last chance, if there's any lurkers waiting to read!

Sapphire_Rayne · Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Posts: 38

I promised you a comment after I voted so, here we go~

That nightmare, just wow. I thought parts of it weren't really scary until I remembered that Elona really doesn't have a bit of her memory. And then that made it scary, and a bit worrisome. If this is just one of her nightmares, what might the others be if there even are others?

I also liked how it shifted depending on what Sionn was doing, that was so clever and something I'll admit I could never manage to do. Very, very well done! WHY DOES SIONN HAVE A SPLIT LIP. WOMAN. WHY DO WE KEEP HURTING THE FOX? Okay, caps are done. Maybe.

The scents and the heartbeats and just yes. I can't say more than that. And Elona runs off in awkwardness, which I love. And the fact that Sionn could see her blush made that moment fifteen times better to me. I'll admit, I was panicked when it came to light that they'd need more money, but when I saw the except . . it only fueled it. That wasn't the kind of except I like to see Noni.

AND I WAS WRONG. WE DON'T JUST KEEP HURTING THE FOX. Why? Oh man, I winced reading her plucking the scales, and to think she had to do that as a child?! I just want to curl up and hug her.

I missed being able to put in a DP, but I voted for the one I would have put down. ^^ Looking forward to the next chapter as always Noni!

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:39 am Post subject:

Laat chance to vote, guys! Leaving it up for one more hour!

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 12:30 pm Post subject:

Sorry about the delay in a new chapter, guys. As those of you on FB now, I've been pretty darn sick. Sorry again! I swear I didn't MEAN to leave it on a cliffhanger like this!