Private Tales On life's wayward trails

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

Something wet and furry wedged itself between her and the floor. Her first impulse was to push it back, give her space to breathe, but it was relentless. It was only by cracking open her eyes that she saw the black fur. Choking back another sob, she pressed her hands into the fur of his neck and her face into his cheek, shuddering as the terror of the nightmare finally began to fade.

For a long time, she held on as though a woman drowning, her cries muffled into his neck until the storm of fear abated, leaving her taking in ragged breaths. Her hands shook when she finally prised them apart, and her legs refused to move. Still, the noises he was making, and the thumping of his tail, did break some of the fear that had wrapped her so tightly before.

Tzuriel endured her desperation. He didn't mind the way she clung tightly to his fur, it did not hurt him.
His fur soaked up her tears and his body pillowed her from the potential harm of the hard floor.

Letting out a weak, watery laugh, she smoothed a hand where she had gripped before. "I-I-I'm sorry...." she managed out, shoulders still quaking. "I just... I just couldn't breathe, and it was so hot---" another shudder took over, and she rubbed a hand over her throat, trying to breathe, to gain a single sense of sanity again. "Gods."

"Raooo..."
He whined futilely. Curse his clumsy dog tongue flopping about in his mouth! His uncooperative dog lips that refused to shape the words he wanted to give her, to assure her!

It was his fault it was so hot, after all. The open window brought some relief now but it wasn't hardly enough.

She felt a fool. An utterly weak fool. How had she grown to rely on someone else so much? Her second impulse was to push away, to distance herself from the situation and from Tzuriel, to smooth her proverbial feathers and calm down alone, but she couldn't even move, much less know of a place to get some fresh air.

"I'm sorry..." she pressed a kiss on his cheek, attempting to brush away the tears that still threatened to fall, even as the emotional storm abated.

After her kiss he turned his muzzle and gently licked her nose.
He could still feel her shaking though. What had she dreamed that caused her such terror?
He felt utterly impotent. He could kill practically anything that threatened her, and he would do it without a second thought... But he couldn't fight her dreams, her own mind!

But he could fight her discomfort.

He carefully maneuvered himself around the cramped space to avoid knocking more things over and making a lot of noise.
He picked her up bridal style in his arms and carefully opened the door to the cabin.
The cool night air blew into the cabin on a light breeze.

Tzuriel took in the scents that breeze carried and didn't detect any strong oder suggesting the presence of assassins nearby.
He took the first step on the cabin stairs and immediately lost his footing on the small surface, skidding the few feet to the bottom of the stairs on one foot with the other at the top of the stairs.
He suppressed a yelp of surprise and quickly caught his balance before he toppled over with Divina.

He recovered and stepped down the rest of the way, looking about at the rest of the wagons to make sure they weren't spotted before making his way to the edge of the river.

 

[Divina Rosenstern]

After her kiss he turned his muzzle and gently licked her nose.

She let out a weak laugh, swiping a sleeve over her nose. It seemed like he was trying to say something, but she shook her head, trying to wipe the tears again and feeling more well. Ugh. She felt wrung out and emotionally drained. It felt like the majority of the storm had passed, but it still felt like she could still feel teh echoes in her mind's eye. If only she could get on her warhorse and ride--

She let out a muffled yelp as suddenly furred arms swept her up, and she clung into his fur, eyes squinting shut until the cooler air drifted over her skin, and she took in a deep, shuddering breath. She felt the lurch of Tzuriel when he skidded and clung tighter, but otherwise didn't react much as he carried her off.

She supposed she could protest with his leaving the safety of the caravan, but her lips refused to move, and her eyes didn't open. But...

She could feel it before she could see it. The roaring, rushing water, like a mother's lullaby to the water mage. The closer they got, the less her father's voice screamed in her head, the less the heat of her nightmare seemed to engulf her. This was more than what Tzuriel had warmed up with his new lupine form; this nightmare was visceral, a gut-wrenching secret of Divina's she thought she'd successfully buried.

When he got close enough, she'd attempt to squirm herself free of his grasp and, when on her feet, stumbled to her knees at the water's edge and plunged her hands in.

The water was colder than she expected, but less so than when they landed in it the first time. She flinched and shuddered, but remained there, splashing it on her face and neck, cupping it in her hands and watching it sluice down her arms and back into the river. This bank was broader, shallower, and warmer than the other river they almost lost their lives in.

She didn't fear the river now.

Standing up, she began to shuck off her boots, then wrenched off her cloak, and then her dress, and her shift. Goosebumps ran up and down her arms, but she stared into the water, and she could feel it calling to her, promising to cool off the nightmare, and to soothe the pain that still lingered. So she plunged in, taking in a sharp breath at the fierceness of the water.

But he would see the tight knots in her back begin to ease, as she swam through the current to the other side, then back just as swiftly.

When she was done, she crawled to a close rock, and sat on it, arms around her knees.

 

[Tzuriel Alanthis]

She let out a weak laugh, swiping a sleeve over her nose. It seemed like he was trying to say something, but she shook her head, trying to wipe the tears again and feeling more well. Ugh. She felt wrung out and emotionally drained. It felt like the majority of the storm had passed, but it still felt like she could still feel teh echoes in her minds eye. If only she could get on her warhorse and ride--

She let out a muffled yelp as suddenly furred arms swept her up, and she clung into his fur, eyes squinting shut until the cooler air drifted over her skin, and she took in a deep, shuddering breath. She felt the lurch of Tzuriel when he skidded and clung tighter, but otherwise didn't react much as he carried her off.

She supposed she could protest with his leaving the safety of the caravan, but her lips refused to move, and her eyes didn't open. But...

She could feel it before she could see it. The roaring, rushing water, like a mothers lullaby to the water mage. The closer they got, the less her fathers voice screamed in her head, the less the heat of her nightmare seemed to engulf her. This was more than what Tzuriel had warmed up with his new lupine form; this nightmare was visceral, a gut-wrenching secret of Divinas she thought shed successfully buried.

When he got close enough, shed attempt to squirm herself free of his grasp and, when on her feet, stumbled to her knees at the waters edge and plunged her hands in.

When they arrived at the edge he could tell she wanted down, so he set her down and watched her put her hands in the water.

He sat down on the grassy bank with his tail around his feet as he observed her and kept an eye on their surroundings.

The water was colder than she expected, but less so than when they landed in it the first time. She flinched and shuddered, but remained there, splashing it on her face and neck, cupping it in her hands and watching it sluice down her arms and back into the river. This bank was broader, shallower, and warmer than the other river they almost lost their lives in.

She didn't fear the river now.

Standing up, she began to shuck off her boots, then wrenched off her cloak, and then her dress, and her shift. Goosebumps ran up and down her arms, but she stared into the water, and she could feel it calling to her, promising to cool off the nightmare, and to soothe the pain that still lingered. So she plunged in, taking in a sharp breath at the fierceness of the water.

But he would see the tight knots in her back begin to ease, as she swam through the current to the other side, then back just as swiftly.

When she was done, she crawled to a close rock, and sat on it, arms around her knees.

He watched her like a lifeguard, making sure that she wouldn't faulter or succumb to the cold... Worrying was his duty and responsibility now, but his worries were unfounded. She was one with the water in some way, her affinity for water no doubt aided her.
He sat, a black towering shape on the grass. A guardian beast, nature given fury and by a twist of fate given intelligence.

When she came out of the water and sat on the rock he went to her naked form and draped his furry body over her, arms cradling her, head resting on hers and tail wrapping around her to prevent the cold from making her sick.

In the morning he would have to remember to ask her about what happened, but for now he will be satisfied that she's safe.