[Meri]

((Liquid time back to spring))

The sun rose above the trees radiating a gentle heat to the forest floor replacing the heat that had left Cora. Shine refused to believe that it was gone, that she was gone.

It was only a matter of time, she knew this from the first glance at the frail little wolf tottered along Gemini's borders. She knew grief would come and she accepted this, knowing what love she could get would make the future pain worth it. But it came all too soon, and now Shine doubted her strength. This kind old lady had taught her love, not only the love a mother can have for their daughter, but to love herself as well. She taught her the sense of adventure, to always strive to see just what's behind the corner. She taught her how to treat others with kindness. Now, as her body lay empty of spirit, she taught one more lesson. How to say goodbye.

A soft spring drizzle started to fall despite the shining sun. Shine chuckled sadly, how incredibly stereotypical. The wolf stretched out her neck and lay her head on Cora's, a meager shield. It was silly, she knew this, but mother never did like getting wet. She let out a shaky sigh. At least the whimpering stopped. Shine stared off into the trees, deep red eyes as distant as her mind felt now. Too far gone to notice the birds that gathered in branches above her. But not so distant as to not catch an unwanted scent.

Head whipped around to find a coyote skulking about, their intent more than apparent. The very idea, the very audacity of the creature brewed a feeling in the wolf she had never felt before. Thick fur on her neck stood on end as she rose menacingly. A mouth full of sharp teeth were exposed accompanied by a near unearthly growl.

"Get away from us!" Her voice betrayed her slow steps as to just how angry she was, "Now!"

Coyotes, as a rule, are not particularly stupid. The mass of wolf before them was enough to deter them. They took a few bounds away, then turned around.

"I'll be back. You're not staying here forever..."

"NOW!"

That was enough to make them flee. Shine shook with rage. This feeling was new. Even as a young one in Gemini her anger towards her situation was never this hot. Oh god, what would her mother think? She whined as she returned to the damp body.

"I'm sorry, mother..." She sat heavily next to the body and she looked at Cora. And she'd remain there, a lone sentinel, until another scent whafted her way. Head shot to look on who would intrude, "What do you want?!"

[Knife]

“Nothing.”

The ghost considered the grays of the sky, never meeting the dark she-wolf’s eyes, seemingly somewhere else. Water trailed and dripped down his long flaxen mane. He didn’t want anything, but maybe she needed him. He didn’t much care for the rain either.

“Why are you sorry?” he asked in the soft solemn voice he spoke before. “Is it because you yelled? She doesn’t mind.”

His pink nose turned towards her though his obscured eyes never met hers. He glanced curiously at the corpse under her paws before gazing beyond her, into the forest that silently watched. It wanted to claim what belonged to it and it already was, even if the shadow wolf did not see it, did not see the way the body at her feet was slowly eating itself from the inside out, longing to return from whence it came and bring new life. They couldn’t stop it, even if it hurt. They just had to bear it the best they could.

“What now?” He asked calmly. “I could help you bury her, but it would have to be very deep, or we could let a fire eat her if you don’t want the others to. They don’t disrespect her though. They just want to live.”

It was her choice.

[Meri]

Nothing.

It was hard to tell what quelled her anger. His tone. His odd yet unassuming, calm demeanor. The simplicity of the answer. Whatever it was the situation had diffused and Shine was left embarrassed at this anger again. She looked the stranger over while he did anything but. He was much taller than her, something she wasn't entirely used to. But the poor thing appeared to be wasting away, an effect that wasn't helped by his wet fur clinging to his pelt. Shine squinted her eyes, trying to get a good look at his. Easier said than done.

She didn't realize she was staring until he spoke again, blinking as though coming out of a trance. His words made her ears droop sadly.

"You're-right." Eyes back on her mother for only a moment. She could only look at the rain soaked body for a moment, "She's not here to hear."

The male seemed to consider Cora for a moment. Oh if only he could have seen her alive. Not like this. A lump stuck in Shine's throat for a moment. Mouth opened to ask a question but it escaped her as she looked up. Again the stranger's gaze turned towards the trees. She looked behind her, worried another approached. But the forest was as quiet and empty as the body at her feet. Even when he spoke again her eyes remained behind her, letting a silence sit between them as she weighed the options presented.

"No." Her voice was quiet, "It would be so silly. She wouldn't want all that. You're right. Again." Whoever you are, she thought to herself. But this hardly seemed time for polite introduction. Shine took a large paw and gently touched Cora's ear one last time. A breakthrough, but despite it she still couldn't leave her side.

[Knife]

The beastly shadow tried to meet his gaze, staring into his face, but he never met hers and didn’t seem to notice what her ruby eyes sought. He stared beyond her, into another place, and maybe he saw things that she didn’t yet…or, maybe he was just slightly off the way others explained his eerie nature before. He wanted to comfort her, but it was hard to fight his odd nature and he knew he may not succeed. Sometimes he had to accept he couldn’t help, even if coming to terms with that was difficult. Either way, everything would be alright in the end, even if he was not the most personable individual to have come along.

“She might be here,” he softly offers. “Just beyond. Even if she is, she doesn’t mind.” He swallowed hard suddenly, the most relatable gesture the wolf had made since he came in the shadow’s presence. “It’s…okay to be upset, even if you’re angry. It’s not wrong.”

Knife assumed a lot, of course. He thought that corpse she protected from the rain was deeply loved by her and so the love could have been mutual. That is why the dead she-wolf would not have minded. The sadness and anger of the shadow was an extension of her love. She would have seen that love in its many forms. That is the story Knife told himself that let him say the words he thought she needed to hear and that is what mattered.

A faint smile, almost nonexistent, turned the corners of his lips, “You know best what she wants. I can keep the others away until…you’re ready?”

[Meri]

Shine had heard similar stories from Cora. Even in her addled state her mother had moments of clarity. She believed that the soul lived on and moved to another plane where there was peace. Was that truly clarity? It didn't matter now, her daughter believed it. She had to believe it in this moment. She had to if only to comfort the growing cold pit in her stomach. Would she be mad if she could watch? Perhaps not mad, maybe a little disappointed, but her mother was never upset for long. She knew Shine was sincere and did the best she could.

"Thank you." The words of the stranger seemed strained, yet genuine. He meant what he said, she assumed, but something made it hard to communicate them, "It's a complicated feeling. Have you felt it?"

It was personal, and a part of her wanted to apologize for prying. But she wanted to know, to have someone to share the pain with. Maybe it was selfish. There were times to be selfish. Eyes were still glued to the empty shell. Why couldn't she move? Look up at the least? Shine remained as still as Cora. She willed her mouth to open.

"I can't stay here." a strange statement from a statue, "It's...it's not going to bring her back. And." she paused painfully, "I don't want to see what else shows up. I don't want to be here for that." Her head lifted like it was made of lead, "We can-we can find a place to get out of the rain."

Presumptuous to assume this stranger wanted to stick around, but he truly seemed to try to help. Maybe he would stay with her to help dull the ache of loss. A more than welcome distraction.

[Knife]

“Once,” He answered in that soft, far away voice of his. “It...feels like it was a long time ago.” The ghost rolled his shoulders in a lackadaisical motion, careless with his detachment to his own pain. His pain seem small to many things now. Miniscule to the black-and-gray mottled she-wolf grieving over her freshly lost mother; nothing compared to the loss and tragedy the forest around them had been a silent audience to for hundreds of years. He wondered if the answer he gave disappointed the wolf with the ruby eyes. He couldn’t do everything he wanted to.

The young wolf shook out his pelt that had grown heavy with the rain. The gesture barely helped. The dark one wasn’t ready to leave, even if her words said something else.The wolf wouldn’t drag the sad shadow from the corpse, not yet. Goodbyes were difficult but she was coming to hers slowly.

“I’ll be here,” he told her as he slunk back into the foliage, the cover of leaves and shadows. “Just call for me.”

[Meri]

Shine wasn't looking truly looking for a story. She sought the knowledge that she wasn't alone in her grief, and his answer was enough. So silly, she thought to herself. Of course other's had lost but in this moment she would have felt that way if it wasn't for this stranger. No matter how long ago it was he had felt this burning ache. She wasn't alone.

Ears swiveled forward and a concerned look came to her face as the stranger turned to leave. A pitiful whine nearly escaped her until he spoke again. Just call for me. It was as though the pale haired wolf knew what she needed better than she did. Shine nodded even if he was turned not to see. Her body felt as heavy as her heart as she collapsed into the mud. Cora was far from warm now but there was still comfort in her closeness. Despite the rain, despite the cold both internal and external, Shine closed her eyes and drifted off.

The wolf woke naturally and refused to open her eyes for a moment. Maybe it had all been a dream. She wouldn't know until she opened her eyes. But the rain hadn't let up. The body hadn't warmed. It was no dream. Despite the drizzle some birds warbled overhead and she listened to them for a moment. They didn't dwell on the rain. With a sigh her eyes opened to find nothing had changed. Nothing would no matter how long she would dwell on it. Shine rose to her feet and gave Cora a final lick to her ear. There was sadness in her step as she walked away, but at least she could walk.

"Um..." it was bad enough to not know if the stranger remained in the wings or not, but she realized she had never gotten his name, "Hello?"

[Knife]

The legged thing slid down a small incline when the she-wolf called for him; the forest was filled with rises and falls, masked by the thickness of the trees, ancient breaths of a sleeping Titan. Rocks and leaves scattered underneath him, tumbling the rest of the way as gravity overtook them, but he stood stalwart against the uneven earth and watched her with those unfocused pale eyes. He didn’t give the impression that he had been nearby the entire time, but he was clearly close enough to hear her call. The slender wolf picked the rest of his way down, giving no attention to the cold corpse feet away.

“Where are you going now?” he asked, waiting for the shadow to take the lead so he could take careful, controlled steps to keep in stride. “Home?”

[Meri]

It was with a subtle sigh of relief Shine saw the long locked wolf return to her. How spontaneously sentimental. She had spoken maybe a couple dozen words with the stranger and already she was relieved for his presence. The wolf didn't realize how lucky she was that it wasn't a malicious individual that caught her in this time of weakness.

"Home?" The word felt foreign on her tongue. Home for the last few months had been where ever Cora had lead her. But Gemini was not forgotten, far from it. Often her dreams were laced with visions of the black sand beach, "Yes. I guess I have to go home."

Her voice wasn't bitter or melancholy at the idea, more like a realization that just came to her. Months had passed, but Shine was certain she could find her way back. Already she felt her heart pulling her in the direction.

"I'm Meri," The name slipped passed her. She was Shine no more. It really was time to go home, "Thank you. For being here. Are-are you going home too?"

[Knife]

She tested the word in her mouth, playing with it, back and forth. Tumbling erratically, poison at the tip. Knife’s pale eyes turned slowly towards her, for a moment watching as she felt those sharp consonants, careful not to slice her tongue on them. At last she seemed to remember something, and she confirmed that home was a place she could go to, despite a lingering uncertainty. Homes were flawed light that, nicked with pockets of memories, shadows in corners even when the light was brightest. He was quiet and looked away. Home could mean many things, but she must know that.

She spoke her name with a sort of finality that comes with the close of a story.

“I’m Knife,” he said, because he thought that was what she wanted him to say. He didn’t know what to say when she thanked him. She needed him here, he thought, and so he had come to her. It was as simple as that.

“Are-are you going home too?”

She fumbled her question, remembering the rough surfaces of her concept of ‘home’, and knowing she tread on ice asking the question to an almost-stranger. Knife didn’t mind. He shook his head slightly. There was no home for him to return to. He barely remembered a time when there was.

“But I can walk with you if you like. It’s lonely. Walking alone.”

[Meri]

"Knife." The word meant nothing to her but she fully accepted the name, "It's nice to meet you."

The rain had faded to a drizzle and Meri shook off her coat before starting to lead the way. For a split second she wanted to look over her shoulder, to see if her mother would follow. But she refrained. Letting the rain wash away that part of her life she started to stride away, her new friend in tow. Ruby eyes turned to Knife as he shook his head. Did this mean he wasn't going home, or that he had no home? His poor condition pointed to such a tale. While sad for him she was happy to have him along.

"I'd like that. It would have been lonely." Much as she assumed he was. They would keep each other company for now, until he grew tired of her, "Though it's a bit of a walk, at least a few days from here. But there's no real hurry."

There's a familiar feeling of those who travel that makes them crave home, crave a feeling that had been glorified in their minds. A sugar coated vision. A place that didn't exist. Meri didn't have these feelings for Gemini. There was always a pull in her to return to her homeland, but putting a reason behind it had always befuddled her. She didn't miss her parents. Was it her siblings? Or was the enchanted land of Gemini just in her blood?

"Have you ever heard of Gemini?"