[ P ] The Show Goes On.

He attempted as casual as he could, to move along the shore. Once upon a time he was limited upon such tragedy. A strong stare out to the distance as he concluded everything. Exactly, what was it? So many more, things had become from below. Including himself. The Lake was beautiful upon this morning a shimmer and shine of the water showing through. Perhaps this is what called him to stare at his reflection for the first time in ages. What if he wanted to to dare prescribe to better? Not a single thing was without fault, but at least he knew better to admit it now. Has he sniffed it along the shoreline he noticed a few otters playing in the sand. Pausing for a second to admire such things, a small secret smile that he dare allowed himself. A slow and steady beat of a heart yet withered. There was no pity to cling to with his soul. He is well aware of what he had done. However he could not help admire the secret beauty that came with this place. And perhaps for once a softening. The old him would have resisted would have torn himself to shreds to even be here. At odds for monstrosity toexist in such peace And now? Well , guess they would see. It was just a little after Dawn, the very first piece of sunshine showing through. A slow sandblance of mist, that he couldn't help but appreciate. The smoothness of the sand felt good upon his paws, and he couldn't remember a time that he felt more appreciative. Unable to grasp what it took so long to be aware, but at least he was here at least he was now. And with this in mind he decided to wade about upon the water. It didn't take long for him to catch a couple fish lurking within the depths. Tossing them up on the shore, a casual yawn feeling good within the depths. The smell of fish was sure to attract some others, but he wasn't really worried about at this point. Loneliness was his only friend after all. As he emerged he offered a glance around, almost wishful. Before diving back, into the depths of the abyss. He was not asking for redemption, he was far beyond that. But to be able to finally learn how to make peace with his environment, now that was a constant state of mind. "speak"

inspired by
https://youtu.be/Rmp6zIr5y4U

F

ortune and misfortune played equal parts in her life, beckoning her along with call of fate, dawdling alongside destiny. She followed, timidly sometimes, and gaily in other circumstances—truthfully, she was a curious girl by nature, oftentimes her inquisitiveness overriding her uncertainties. Even as a pup, she would never close her eyes for too long, always wanting to keep at least one eye open as she peeked from behind the legs of her sister and cousins. They always kept her safe, after all, and she rarely wandered too far away from them.

Today, however, was one of those exceptions, and Juniper found herself cavorting off into the distance, following the banks of the lake as the otters played with one another in the cold water. The way they frolicked and smiled, chirping happily, even among all the frost made her heart warm with inspiration. She raced with them, paws agile as they glanced over the muddy shorelines.

She ran and ran, breath heaving with excitement, until she realized she had gathered far more distance than was comfortable from her sister and cousins. “O-oh,” she said, muttering words of scolding to herself. “I should get back before they worry.” It was then that she caught scent of a male in the area, and she spotted him close by, currently minding his own business, selecting tasty morsels of fish from the lake. Juniper could only hope that he did not notice her, and she shrank into her small, yearling frame, trying to tiptoe away.

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

There was not much that got past him. As he remained in the cool water, before he knew it an intrusion was suddenly inhaled. A curious tilt of his skull as he waded carefully back to the shore.He almost missed her, a beautiful little splash of ember and green in the backdrop. He was almost hesitant to do anything, he was so used to the company of monsters this felt a bit out of touch. But as he watched her trying to tiptoe away, a tug of those damn heartstrings once again took hold. And so it was decided. He emerged fully onto dry land, doing his best to not appear intimidating. Orange eyes aglow in the pale morning light, shaking off the remains of the lake. Scooping up a rather plump fish in his jaws, he padded lightly upon the sand. Making sure that he saw her, to give the opportunity to reject such company. He halted within a few feet of her, attempting to be mindful of her space. He once might not have cared, but if he was going to talk about being a better version of himself he better be about it. And with that he dropped the fish down, scooting it towards her with a small smile. " Have some breakfast, if you want." She seemed awfully young, and he glanced around in concern. Hopefully she had someone to fall back on, the world was a cruel place for such things. " Apologies for the intrusion, I just wanted to make sure everything is ok." a softeness that was rather rare, but despite his ill mannered ways he would always have a fondness for the children. Taking a moment to settle down upon his haunches, as the sun continued to struggle to shine over the clouds. How interesting a morning indeed. "speak"

O

h, no! The stranger had noticed her, and oh my! He was a large one, too! Well, at least compared to Juniper, for she was petite, even for her age. Anxiety gripped her heart, and she licked her lips in a display of nervousness, feeling apologetic for the intrusion already. Perhaps he wanted this moment of solitude and she so carelessly barged in without considering his privacy.

This was something that certain wolves would not be happy about, she thought, and she felt the apprehension of her error. The last thing she wanted to cause was offense to this stranger. Why, she didn’t know what he wanted or what he was even capable of! And if any of Rhiannon’s stories about men had any truth to them, well, Juniper didn’t want anything to do with the male species! No, ma’am!

“I-I’m sorry,” she started, shrinking into an even smaller size to prove that she was of no threat, her paws treading backwards while her eyes remained fixed in front of her—averted, of course. She didn’t want to give him the wrong idea.

“O-oh, I-I couldn’t,” she said, remembering lessons from her sisters about taking offers or food from strangers. “Everything is fine. I’ll b-be on my way. I-I won’t bother you anymore, s-sir.”

@Satchel

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

J

uniper was getting older. Each day seemed to bring new changes to the almost-yearling, and Rhiannon was amazed to watch the girl thrive. No longer was she the small, shaking child Rhiannon. She was becoming a fine, intelligent, independent fae. There was still work to do with the girl’s confidence, but even still, she had come a long way. The older wolfess tried to keep this in mind when Juniper was gone for hours at a time. A child needs the chance to explore, to learn lessons on their own, after all. But there was still a tinge of nervousness that coursed through Rhiannon as she waited for Juniper to return to her.


But the unexpectedly long absence that morning gave Rhiannon an uneasy feeling, and she was not a woman who could ignore her intuition. Following the familiar scent, she trailed after the youngest of her Sisters. Little Juni, beloved by all.


She came across the errant youngster in due time, and the sight before her was a nightmare come true: Juni standing alone before a great beast of a brute, with a pale coat, reeking of masculinity. Dark nostrils flared as the reality of the scene set in, and instantly, Rhiannon was in motion the fill the space between the pair and herself.


”Get away from her,” she growled, lips curled back to reveal her ivory canines, just in case the stranger thought she would back down so easily. Her eyes were fixed upon the eyes of the brute, the same color as embers in a wildfire. The smoke-hued wolfess was visibly too young to be the girl’s mother, but she glared at the unknown male with the ferocity of a wolverine protecting her offspring. Violet sights turned from the brute to the golden-hued she-wolf. ”What did he say to you?”


@Juniper @Satchel

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

By now, he was used to it. He felt a brief second of remorse as she shrank away, hesitation within every inch of his soul. He did not blame her, in fact part of him was almost hopeful that she displayed such shyness. History taught, that the more you questioned the more you lost. Another soft inhale, wondering just what lesson he could learn from this. Once he was a stubborn fool, now he didn't want to have a repeat of history. Out of nowhere emerged another, purple and smoke. At first his heart leaped upward, thinking once nothing at all as he stumbled quickly backwards. Still, he held a slight admiration for her courage. She must be the sister, by looks of it. Respect, if he had family left he might be the same. The old monster from within, undoubtedly would have reacted with great violence. But that was not something he wanted anymore. Was he supposed to praise himself, for such things? Was he supposed to be happy with himself after all this time? A soft swallowing, and that was all. "Well, excuse me." a sharp little snort, he stumbled back a few feet. He knew how to display threatening behavior, and so it was curious to him that he suddenly did the opposite. Ears and eyes flat, he sunk down a few feet away. "I'm not used to trying to be the good guy." observing them both curiously now he kept a safe distance not trying to face any of them off. A dull and relentless heart beat in his chest. When would this shit ever change? When would he? Despite his inner turmoil, he couldn't help but hope. "speak"

S

he thought he might leave after her reluctant display, which would have been a relief to her poor heart. Truthfully, Juniper had not had much exposure to males—they were not a popular topic among her sisters, and she was happy with her little coven of witches. They were kind and caring toward her, treating her with respect and tenderness, educating her in the ways of their foremothers.

But before she could sneak away, Rhiannon appeared, inserting herself without hesitation between Juniper and the stranger. Although she looked ferocious, lips curled, a snarl rippling from her throat, Juniper was well-aware that this display was one of protection—for her, of course, and she felt guilty that she would cause her sister any sense of worry.

Already, Rhiannon asked what threat he had made, and Juniper carefully considered her response. She was timid—she knew that, and her posture must have made Rhiannon believe she was in immediate danger. Perhaps she was; perhaps she wasn’t. But, in reality, this stranger did nothing overtly threatening or even rude. It was all in her head, these assumptions, these perceptions. “H-he offered me fish, i-if I wanted,” she spoke, honestly. If anything, she was a girl who was taught to be truthful, candid, even, though she was often unsure of her own feelings.

“He wasn’t mean or anything,” she added, feeling more confident now that her sister was here. “He even said he was sorry for bothering me.” Her words were objective, everything she heard. Juniper was not self-assured enough to render judgment, but she would give the stranger the benefit of the doubt, if it might save him from Rhiannon’s protective wrath.

@Satchel @Rhiannon

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

H

er appearance was unexpected to both parties; the male even staggered in his surprise. She glared as he spoke, though to her surprise, the brute almost appeared submissive. His words, however, did little to reassure the wolfess as she stood, guardian of the almost-yearling girl by her side. Rhiannon had adeptly avoided males throughout her travels, save for a few rare occasions that inevitably always ended unpleasantly for one party or both.


And Juniper, little Juni had scarcely encountered the other sex in her short life. Rhiannon supposed these interactions would happen sooner or later, and she was glad that she followed her intuition to follow the girl here. “H-he offered me fish, i-if I wanted.” Rhiannon scoffed at the offer. Why would a male bother to give meals to a stranger? In her mind, this was bizarre behavior.


“He wasn’t mean or anything. He even said he was sorry for bothering me.” Rhiannon’s suspicious gaze flicked back to the brute. Rather than recoiling, the she-wolf took a step forward. ”He said only moments ago that he is not used to trying to be the good guy.” Slowly, she lowered herself to sit, but her muscles remained tense -- just in case. ”Your words, sir. What does that mean?” A silvery tail swept to one side to rest over Juniper’s dainty paws. Amethyst orbs turned from the brute to the dead fish, then back again. ”From villainy to charity, is it?”


@Satchel @Juniper

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

To say he was entirely uncouth with these types of situation was an understatement. He offered up a small scowl now, a slight hesitation of all things. He almost swore, he did not entirely recognize the animal he was now. Once upon a time he could not trust himself to be here so fully displayed. Of course, such things deserve no praise. Oh good job Satchel, your not a fucking monster anymore. If anything, he supposed such ridicule from these strangers was the only appropriate action left. He did however feel a sudden surge of respect as the purple eyed female protected the younger. He might once I've taken terrible advantage of such things, but now he was almost hopeful. Uncertain of all these damn emotions, attempting to recover quickly as possible. " How do you expect me to answer that?" by now of course he'd managed to almost make it back to the shore, wishing suddenly to cast the foul system inside out upon the water. After all, how was an old dog to learn new tricks? Determined though, he pushed through his bullshit to once again cast a gaze of sunshine upon them. Reminding himself, that HE had chosen to approach in the first place. So if anybody was to blame, well. A small inhale, and exhale. At The mention of villainy to charity he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. " I'm still figuring out everything myself. So yes I suppose your right." a much more neutral tone now, and then he waited. For nothing at all. "Is it to much for a theif to change his heart?" he still didn't approach but he didn't pull away entirely either. It was what it was, a revolving cycle of all things left unsaid. He supposed if he had attempted to try and think about himself this much before, well if he had done that he wouldn't be here now would he? "speak"

B

umpity bump. Bumpity bump. Bumpity bump. Her heart beat steadily, loudly in her chest, brimming with uncertainty, so full with such an emotion that she thought it might spill over. Truly, Juniper was not one for confrontation—instead, she was shy and hesitant, even when she was hardly involved, her steadfast sister at the helm navigating the situation, she felt nervous.

Juniper froze, standing awkwardly behind Rhiannon, her lively green eyes diverted to the ground, though she kept the stranger in the corner of her sights, trying to analyze him. Despite her sister’s misgivings, did Juniper really think that this person was a threat?

It seemed… unlikely, given his reactions, the tone of his behaviors. However, her history made her doubt, and unless someone was overtly friendly, she did not quite understand how to decipher one’s insecurities. It reminded her of herself, actually, though she was not so confident as to approach a wolf she did not know. So she did what she always did when she felt overwhelmed: nothing.

@Satchel @Rhiannon

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck