come a little closer

The evening stretched before her, but she had only just woken up. In the midst of this location, the woman was really unaware of where she was. Hat and scarf remained on her person - thankfully - giving rise to more questions. Where was she? Who was she? She only had a name to go on. Tallulah. All she had, and she grasped it almost stubbornly.

How many days had she lain here, unaware of everything around her? She hoped it was not long. The thought of others passing her by or coming close to pry... It was unnerving. The woman shook herself mentally and physically before moving on. If nobody was going to give her answers, she would seek them for herself. The steps were uneven at first like a child walking.

But eventually, she stumbled, found herself, and became upright. The movement became like an old friend. Thank whatever looked down on them all - she had not forgotten that. Coming to a water source, she slowed and drank. Her body willed her to be slow and steady, even if her mind was hungry. Movement caught the woman's eyes and she looked up.

Who was there?

She remained silent, wondering if they'd just pass her by...

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Oh.

That was new.

Kore's mismatched gaze settled on a wolf in the distance, the evening settling around them as they drank and she was rather interested in what adorned her head and neck. The little Queen was not one to judge and was instead simply curious. Her approach had been heard, the girl looking up to see who had come by and Kore made no show to hide herself.

"Hello," she greeted, her voice melodious as she wagged her tail gently behind her. She noted the earthen colours that splattered on her body, humming softly as she watched. "Do not let me stop you," Kore mused airily, "if you are thirsty." One must be hydrated, mustn't they? ^^

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The stranger was a small woman, though pleasant and friendly enough. She tried to finish sating her thirst before her neck raised, eyes looking at the other wolf directly in respectful politeness. Tallulah's memories were still fuzzy but she had some sparks of personality flashing through her mind. They were words she could read.

She tried to will them away, not let them accost and influence her. "Howdy," she finally said, one ear flickering backward in a brief gesture. Tallulah was not sure how to respond... if she didn't know herself "can't even say I drink that much" she confessed with a frown "don't rightly know much of anything right now. It's all... fog."

The woman resisted a scowl. What exactly had happened?

"I think me name is Tallulah" she began again, confusion flickering across her features "may I ask some questions of ya, miss, or... would that be rightly rude?"

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They greeted her and it was nice enough, if not a little bit lost. It was revealed then, really, that she was new. Not only new to the lands but fresh from somewhere else, as many who inhabited these lands were. Recognition flicked across her features as she smiled, dipping her head as she committed her name to memory. "Tallulah," she tried, the name twisting on her accented tongue. "Pretty. It suits you," she hummed. "My name is Persephone," because it was time to use it, wasn't it? "Some call me Kore."

Her laugh was soft and chiming as she shook her head, "how else do we learn, if not by asking questions?" Kore nodded, inviting her to ask. ^^

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"Thank ya kindly, Miss Kore."

Nope, she had never met this woman before... The name did nothing to ring a bell. Tallulah frowned, trying not to deepen it already but couldn't resist. The compliment was nice, and she looked momentarily bashful before continuing. There were more pressing things to worry about, sadly. As much as she wanted to relish in a polite and pleasant conversation, she had to know.

"Ya seem real calm to learn bout this predicament" Tallulah added, not accusing but wondering "were there - are there... others? Like me? Who showed up out of the blue?" She already could guess the answer. Yes, it seemed to be so. But Kore had been kind so far, so the brunette didn't press or demand "is this... another realm? I think, before, I heard bout them." But how? Who had taught her?

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It was all very confusing, she was sure. It was new, foreign and by the looks of it, it was making the girls mind work double time. Kore's patience was long and she was more than willing to be a beacon of guidance should she need it. She smiled, "I am oft calm," the little Queen reassured her but gave a gentle nod to her question, "I came here, once upon a time when I was smaller, sudden and without a choice."

She had died to get here. Murdered, she corrected, by her own brother. Though she thought that would do little to help the other feel better, so it was fine that she withheld that titbit. "Others have arrived, too. Some fall from the sky, some come from the water. Others wake here after falling asleep somewhere else," it would hopefully offer her some comfort, to know that she was not alone in the strange situation she found herself.

"As to what this is, I do not know for sure," Kore murmured, "I know that we live, we breathe, we are awake and in no dreamscape." She knew what it was like to feel like her dreamscape was her reality. This was not that. "Perhaps another realm is a good way to describe it," Kore commented, watching the other curiously. "It is... the holder of what seems to be endless possibilities." ^^

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Tallulah could say she was now someone who listened before leaping. Her brow furrowed as she glanced away, trying to take everything Miss Kore said with a grain of salt. It seemed too easy. Accepting things was one thing, but being aware of them was another. "So" she looked back at the young woman, raising a brow "we don't rightly have a choice to be here."

Shame. Other than the confusion, it was a nice place. She could do worse. "Are there, er, natives? Here?" Surely if a realm existed for a long time, there had to be those that called it home from their origin. Stories of mythology, folktales, gods, and monsters... There was no sense moaning and groanin' about things beyond her control either. "Or did ever'one come from somewhere else?"

But why the foggy memories? Was there something to block? Or was it simply a means to control the beings here, with them not remembering their past...  They could not try to seek escape. Some could even pray for a new beginning. Miss Kore mentioned potential. "I don't want to think something dumped me or if I wanted this. I want to believe... I had a good life. Before now."

But, alas, what to do now? 

The flash of an older man with blue eyes crashed into her mind suddenly. Tallulah groans softly, closing her eyes and scowls this time. "S-Sorry" she begins, raising a paw to her brow "been having naggin' thoughts since I woke."

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It was easier for than for most to just believe, accept and continue on with what had happened. The reality of the... unique, non-realistic nature of their appearance here. Her mind had always been different to that of her peers, even in the culture she had been brought up in which most would likely thing strange, she had been different then, too. A choice? Kore hummed as she tilted her head, "no," she wasn't in the business of lying and really, that's how it seemed, wasn't it? No one had chosen to be here, from what she had learned. "Though some might argue that we were all destined to end up here, one way or another," Kore reasoned.

Natives? There had to have been some, musn't there? Even if they were wolves, Kore thought that even the horses that grazed in herds upon the Plains might've been here before them. "There is very little way to be sure," the Irish Queen mused, "I think that there are natives. Perhaps not of our kind, though." If there were, she rathed hoped to meet them.

She nodded with empathy as she spoke, not wanting to believe she had just been... thrown here, without a care. "Then perhaps you did," Kore agreed serenely, perking her ears as she smiled. "Perhaps you'll continue to have a good life," she added, "this does not need to be a life sentence, báire. — sweetheart" It was unfortunate, of course, that her mind seemed to be in a haze but truly not entirely unexpected. "This life is yours to do with as you please," Kore hummed, "take a moment, if you need. It is a lot to take in at once, I know." ^^

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"What do ya believe, Miss Kore?"

It was not prodding or nagging, thrown back in the woman's face. No, it was curiosity about the situation they had come to say was mutual. For both of them, for all of them. Tallulah gave a slight nod when Miss Kore said there may be natives here - but unable to really tell or discern. The woman was nice enough and she was thankful she had come across a friendly face.

While it was very sad if she had vanished without notice, leaving folks behind she may have cared deeply about... 

She worried more for them over herself. "Well" Tallulah began after a very pregnant pause "thank ya kindly, for the information" she dipped her head respectfully to the woman "I could sit here and fret, or I could do som'thing else with me time" She looked up, gazing around them with inquisitiveness "seems a shame to worry when there's a pretty place here, beggin' to be explored."

@Kore

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What did she believe?

Well, she believed in an awful lot. "I believe that I was meant to be here," Kore mused softly, "it had been written in the stars long before I had been born. When one can read the stars, you find out an awful lot." She revealed serenely, smiling to the girl with the strange adornments. "My life before had been a mere pitstop," did it mean she believed she was meant to be murdered by a jealous brother? Perhaps. The other didn't need to know that, though.

She had helped the other, it seemed, to look at the situation with a bit more positivity. With endless possibilities. Kore smiled warmly, encouraging her with a nod, "there are endless possibilities, Tallulah. The path is not always clear but so long as you breathe and take in the world, you will be fine." It was likely scary for her but she seemed willing to take the world in with the new view-point. "And should you ever need guidance, a friend or company, you shall always be able to find me here," Kore offered, dipping her head as she smiled. "My home is not too far, Tallulah. Should you need me, only call."

The girl would need friends in this life and well, if she could be her first and have helped her, that was enough for Kore. ^^

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It was always interestin' to speak to different folks. Especially if they have a positive outlook. "I wanna believe in that" she responded honestly "that we're all here for a reason" Not just @Kore but others "and that reason'll come to make sense." She hoped it would be soon but could be patient.

Miss Kore offered friendship. It was something not surprising, considering her sunny disposition. She had given Tallulah no reason to suspect her or turn her down. "I'll keep that in mind, thank ya" she tipped her skull to the other "maybe ya can teach me about the stars sometime" It would be a good starting point "be safe, Miss Kore."

The woman turned on the spot, flicking her tail in a farewell as she began to move away. Her point was if she could find new people, new folks... Maybe she could find others she knew. Maybe a piece of the past would come to light. She was sad to leave Miss Kore behind, but the woman surely had other things to do.

A natural end, if there ever was one.

So, now she knew a few things. The realm was called Canis, and Miss Kore lived here in the Plains. That nobody had a choice about living here, that despite their past... Anyone could be in Canis. The beauty of the Plains was something magical; rolling hills that beckoned her to run. She resisted. Carrying herself with cautious steps, she moved.

The emerald grass tickled her paw pads. The bandana she wore swayed in the gentle breeze. Her hat was something strange but welcomed. An old friend, someone she bickered with but put up with. Maybe, she would find others with the same items.

/end

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