what choice of words will take me back to you?

Discovery: Winterheart Forest

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A breeze ruffled his fur and he leveled his head and let his eyes close in a brief reprieve. Hades didn't remember much - but after what seemed like a millenia how could he? A deep breath in and one back out and he opened his blue eyes again to sweep across the grounds. The forest in the distance seemed like a safe harbor enough, but the night had broken peacefully and he felt no threat of impending doom. The world was strangely at peace and so was he. 

His attention shifted as an owl cried out, soaring over him and out into the wilderness. He needed to do something. Anything. A delicate scent caught his attention and his nose twitched a few times before he decided to seek out the source just for something to do. He still felt disoriented, almost lost, but he wasn't hurt. He just felt uncertain in that prickling along his spine sort of way. 

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The touch of cold water upon her paws, the distant call of songbirds in the twilight, the gentle breeze sprinkling snow upon the honey-dappled form; all of it served to pull her, gently, from her nightmare — a barren place where there was no color, no life, heating beating down on her small form in such a way that she could not escape it. The was no shade, no shelter, no safety, and despite the vast landscape, Persephone could feel her pulse quicken as the word trapped repeated over and over in her head.

A small gasp left her as her eyes flew open, sitting up with a sharp movement; disoriented and bewildered, it took some moments for her to realize that she was not trapped, nor was she anywhere even remotely similar to her dream. In fact... Where... was she? Getting to her feet, the petite wolf cast her gaze about the area, brows furrowed in the gentlest manner of confusion. She didn't recognize anything. Couldn't smell anything familiar, either. Where was mother? Daphne? How had she gotten here?

Persephone might have gone searching for them, had she not heard a sound behind her. “Hello?” She asked, voice wavering a touch as she turned to face whoever, or whatever, it was.
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The scent was almost like the sweet scent of flowers - just lost enough on the breeze that it made him think of home and a life long ago. Her voice however was almost timid, worried in a way that made him concerned. "Are you alright?" Hades asked, ears swiveling towards her as he sped up a bit. He stopped a distance away from her, knowing his size often inspired fear. 

"I haven't seen anyone else around here. At least... Not yet." Which didn't amount to much considering he had only caught her scent in the budding night. So far the rest of the world seemed quiet and peaceful, enough that he didn't feel the impending dread that usually hung over his shoulders and wore him down like a lead crown. 

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He appeared, a tall man that seemed to simply appear out of the cold, though she knew that was impossible. No creature could simply appear. “I... Yes, I believe so.” She responded, beginning to walk towards him, not scared but also still cautious. Smart. Mother had always taught her to be smart. She wasn't hurt. The only thing that was wrong was just that she was in a place she didn't recognize, that she didn't remember coming to.

Ears twitched as he spoke again, twisting to catch his words, his voice a pleasant and welcomed sound in the cold. It was nice, to not be alone. “I haven't either. I just... Woke up here, at the edge of the lake.” Her muzzle tilted, gesturing to the body of water behind her. “To tell the truth, I have no idea where I am.” A soft laugh, directed at herself. No idea how she'd managed this one, but she'd figure it out.

“Do you have a name?” She asked, pink eyes lifting to his blues.
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She seemed so tiny. But not in a childlike manner - moreso in the way that reminded him how much bigger he tended to be than most of the wolves he met. His brothers were shorter though not by too much. His sisters seemed impossibly large too, stretched like the titans ever reaching for more and more. And yet she showed him no fear and he met her eyes with a curious sort of glint. "I don't remember how I got here." He admitted, and that bothered him. It felt like he'd been there for so long that he couldn't remember before. Even that was something he didn't want to face right then. He'd compartmentalize and deal with it later.

Those bright pink eyes fixed on his and he curled his lips up into a smile. "I'd hope so, what else would I get yelled at me when I'm in trouble?" He grinned in an almost boyish charm despite firmly being grown. "Hades." He offered a moment later, tail swaying behind him for a moment. "And do you have a name?" The urge was there to tease her just a bit and he just couldn't help himself from the interest he had. At least this was considerably more pleasant than that looming sort of what's happened to me lingering around the both of them.

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How strange. She didn't remember how she got here either. Was it a coincidence or...? Or what? Lips pulled into a slight frown as Persephone racked her brain, searching for the memories that simply weren't there. It was a frustrating feeling, one that she wanted to dive further into and dissect, but he spoke again and the frown twisting her maw disappeared. “Yelled at?” She parroted the words, eyeing him for a moment. There was something about him, something she couldn't quite put her paw on. Finding the quality elusive and fleeting, the little honey wolf flicked her tail (long and plush, something she sometimes loathed) and continued to listen, not wanting to interrupt him.

Without answering, paws carried her closer to the male, eyes narrowing a little as she peered up at him. “Are you some sort of scoundrel, Hades?” He must have been, for needing to have a name just to be yelled at. Mother had always warned her of men, warned her of those that would hurt her, that wanted her only for nefarious purposes. And yet... Mother wasn't here, was she?

“Persephone,” Came her answer, smiling as she gave her own name. “Want to help me figure out where we are?”
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When she repeated the phrase - almost concerned about him getting yelled at he just grinned and winked at her. That tail got his attention, so long and almost flowing all it's own like it was just a whisper in the wind. Then he realized that she was getting closer. Fearlessly , no hesitation, getting closer. All of the sudden she was right there and he had to tuck his face towards his chest to the intensity of her saccharine gaze. A scoundrel? "I would think not." He answered quickly. Maybe too quickly. He wasn't sure. Was he a scoundrel? He blinked back his shock and then drew in a deep breath. 

"Persephone," He echoed her name sweetly, smiling in response to hers. "If I was a scoundrel, I'd leave you alone to figure it out." 

Hades gestured towards the distance - head pointing over hers casually. "Did you have a direction you'd like to go?" He didn't feel like he was missing anyone. No siblings, family, partners. He wasn't missing and of the people he knew he once had. It was just.....a settled alone sensation. Well. Alone other than Persephone, now. He felt almost obligated to keep a watch over her now if only because she seemed far more bothered than he did about their predicament. "Are you feeling okay since you woke up?" 

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He thought not? A soft “hmmm” left her as she tried to decide, though a bright laugh left her as he gave a witty response, tail wagging gently behind her. “So you’re saying you’re not a scoundrel simply because you’re keeping me company?” It was logic she’d accept, for now, instead turning her focus to his question, not missing how his head was held aloft so much higher than her own. 

“Not really. I just don’t think staying in the same spot will do much of anything.” She moved again, turning to point her muzzle westward. The sun was setting, giving them a little bit of light still, but it was at least a solid direction. “I feel okay,” She paused, waiting for him to fall into step beside her so they could veer ‘round the lake. “A little disoriented I suppose, but nothing too bad.” Nightmares frequently did that to her. 

“Do you recognize any of this?” Bright eyes glanced to him, curious and attentive. He’d said he didn’t know how he got here. Not that he wasn’t from here.
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And still she challenged his reasoning. His blue eyes were full of mirth, watching her for a moment before he cocked his head to the side and shrugged. "Do I look like a scoundrel to you?" He asked bluntly. The charming smile didn't leave his face and he was more than curious to hear her response considering they'd only just met and already she seemed to cut through his bullshit. His tail swayed again, tip flicking peacefully against his ankles for a moment. She'd apparantly been the source of that sweet smell he'd caught and maybe it was the honey she was dipped in or the bubblegum of her eyes. Xylitol free, naturally. 

He fell into step and was surprised at how natural it was despite the difference in their heights. He didn't need to wait eons for her gait and it didn't seem like she had to trot to keep up with him either. That was pleasant. "Good," She wasn't feeling bad and he didn't remember waking feeling uncomfortable either but it was a nice reprieve from his usual nightmares and concerns. "Unfortunately no. It's all....it's not alarming - it seems almost benign. But it's not anything I recall either." 

He probably should have been more worked up at that fact, too. Maybe he should have been panicked. As odd as it was it felt a sense of freedom rushing across him and it was completely welcome. "I was alone when I woke up...but I don't have the feeling anything is missing right now either." It made no sense to him and the more he heard himself the more he wished he hadn't opened his mouth at all.
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Did he look like a scoundrel? Persephone looked at him, up and down, a light hum filling the air silence that followed his question.And then she kept looking, if only to keep him over the proverbial coals for a few moments longer. “Mmm... Maybe a little,” She answered finally with a little sing-song lilting across her syllables. “For now.” That could always change, but so far, he seemed nice enough. Charming, too, though she was sure Mother would hate him. Mother hated most men, though. She always had. Persephone remember asking her about her father and the anger that had followed, leading her to never bring it up again.

“I think I agree...” Thoughtful, Persephone flicked an ear as she looked around, trying to recognize... something. Anything. “I remember being with Mother, and then... Waking up at that lake. But that's it.” Perhaps it should have weirded her out more, scared her more, but for the first time in her life, Persephone could taste freedom. She wanted it to last, wanted for it to drag on a while longer, if not forever. She wanted to see her mother again, but at the same time... She wanted to live free of rules and regulations. Maybe she could do that here.

“Hades? Have you been on your own a while?” She didn't wait for an answer, assuming it was a yes. “Do you like it? Does it bother you?”
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She studied him so earnestly  it felt like her gaze cut right through to his soul. That wasn't fair. He was supposed to be this big and imposing beast - look at his size! - and yet the tiny woman had no qualms or hesitations to meet him and his gaze. It had barely been much of an exchange between them and already she'd decided he passed her test. At least for now. "And you don't smell her now?" He asked, looking around like he'd find tracks or something from a third mystery wolf. But her questions pressed on and gave him something else to focus on entirely and he had opened his mouth to answer but then they came back one after the other. He gave her space to run out of her immediate thoughts - had barely gotten a nod in to being alone - and then when she was quiet he answered. 

"Yes - I've been alone for quite awhile." He had siblings, a family of sorts, and he remembered them in the vagues sense. A brother he liked and a brother who was overreaching. "It doesn't bother me. I make my choices, I do what I need to. It works." It didn't mean he necessarily liked it. Their steps continued and he was casual in his path, neither lingering or speeding ahead. He let her make the decisions in this. It was nice, oddly, to have some of that pressure of his chest despite it being just the two of them and absolutely nothing mattered in there. "Sometimes it does. Just when I focus on it rather than just thinking of life itself. The ins and outs, y'know?" Hades cast another smile on her and for a moment he couldn't help but think of how pretty she was. Her dappled pelt and just the easy way to her - it was delightful. "Persephone - you mentioned a mother, what about other family? Or is it just you two?" He hoped it wasn't too presumptuous but he wanted to hear her talking more.

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“No,” She responded with a shake of her head, though her tone was rather... nonplussed. While Mother's missing presence was strange and somewhat alarming, Persephone was reveling in it. There was a twinge of guilt, one she smothered with her own chatter, launching a barrage of questions at her new companion. Only when she realized that she hadn't given him much of a chance to answer, Persephone had the decency to give him a shy smile, ears turning back against her skull as her head ducked. “Sorry,” Came the gentle apology, falling quiet as he went about answering each of her questions.

She wondered, then, if he had a family. He'd been alone for a long time, by his own choice or theirs? It didn't bother him, but then it did when he thought about it, and the honey wolf chewed on that for a moment. Would she have been more upset if he hadn't happened upon her so soon after she'd awoken on the lakeshore? Was he simply a distraction from her own fear, her own worry? She didn't think so...

“It was just us, family wise. But there were other girls, ones I've grown up with but...” She frowned as they came to the edge of the once-distant forest, the looming night making all those shadows look even deeper than they already were. Slowing to a stop, Persephone looked around them, wondering if they should skirt around it or go through it. Where were they heading, anyway? “What should we do?” Another question, this one softer, slightly more hesitant as she lifted her gaze to him.

+1 Discovery Point

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Her face was so expressive. It had to be something about those big eyes of hers. He wanted to reassure her especially once she almost seemed to shirk back into herself. No! I liked you fearless. His broad muzzle came to gently press to the middle of her forehead as he let out a soothing sound. "No apology needed. It's just been so long since I've met someone with your energy. I like it." He said ardently as he pulled back to straighten himself up. It was interesting to think that it was only her and her mother, occasionally other girls around. He could understand that. Keep the rogues away. Keep the girls safer. But at the same time what a boring life. 

When Persephone stopped so did he - a step or two ahead, blocking her smaller body with his larger from the forest since it seemed to be where she was worried. "Thankfully it seems we're alone." He said and turned his gaze to the forest again, peering into the darkness and only hearing the occasional sounds of scurrying in the underbrush. He didn't hear anything bigger. "Would you like to stick together for a bit? Safety in numbers and all? I'd hate for someone to catch me off guard." He wanted to make it a bonus for him not that he wanted to pressure her into being stuck with him right off the bat. "What kind of place did you live before? Maybe we keep going - find something that's similar for you?"

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He leaned in, touching her head in such a way that made her giggle -- short and soft -- long tail waving behind her once more. His reassurance left Perse positively beaming up at him, inwardly preening at the fact that he liked her energy. She'd never had anyone tell her that before, especially when she got talkative, but Hades was different. He treated her like she the adult  she was and not a puppy, something she was sure Mother frequently either ignored or forgot. A mix of both, perhaps. 

His larger body shielded her from the looming dark (though that didn't stop her from peering around him), protective in such a way that sent a flutter through her stomach. Nosing his shoulder with a feather-light touch, Persephone tried to reassure him that she was alright. “Seems that way, doesn't it?” Not that she minded. She actually preferred the company now, with night stretching its hold over the sky quickly. “I'd love that,” Sincere and earnest, pleased that he'd offered at all. “I'll protect you from all the big bads, too.” Another giggle.

“I... don't remember too much. I remember flowers, lots of them. But... Nothing else, really. You?”
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The little giggle and wave of that long, luxurious tail - it made his heart flutter in a weird way. Why was that so endearing? Why was she so endearing already? It was probably because this place felt strange and yet she didn't. Surely that was it. At any rate, he was too fixed on that little touch she gave him - so light he had to see it in order to be certain he'd felt it. "Truly my hero," Hades said with a fond smile. The giggle, again, and it was all warm. The night seemed nothing but pleasant and he didn't even mind the missing family. Hades could picture the scene she described - all of the flowers spreading out and across and how beautiful it was. 

"It was dark. Cold. Quiet." He couldn't describe it adequately suddenly like it was a missing memory. He knew who he was. Firmly knew. And yet those core details it wasn't coming easily. It was an endless question it seemed. "I should feel more upset than I do. Well. I imagine I should." Was that bad of him? He didn't seem to have lost much that was particularly important to him if it hadn't stuck with him. His gaze shifted from her to focus on the woods again. "We might want to look for some shelter, just to be on the safe side." There was no rush, but, it would be worth it to keep an eye out in his opinion as the night wore on.

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Cold and dark. Quiet. That sounded so... lonely. And even though he said being alone didn't bother him, there was something that drew her closer to him, standing close enough that she could feel the heat radiate from his body. Not quite touching, but not not touching, either. “I think it's okay to not be upset. I'm not. A little confused, I guess, but not upset.” She followed his gaze to the forest and everything it hid within its shadows, nodding in agreement. If he was sticking with her, the forest wouldn't be so bad. “Lead the way?” Persephone prompted, tilting her head to look up at him.
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She felt impossibly warm when he realized how close she was to him. Maybe it was from the dark of the evening. Maybe it was because he did feel like he'd been alone forever. She felt like a drink of water when he'd been desperate for it. "You're reassuring," He murmured quietly, almost embarrassed by it. Maybe this was also part of the oddity of it all. "We can see a bit of it, then maybe look for a shelter of some type." It was a compromise because he didn't want to just go gung ho and explore the forest when she'd clearly shown some concern about it. He did however, just want to check and see and make sure they were missing some pack's scent or something. He pressed his shoulder against hers for a moment and then gave a slight nod - a mark that they were off again. 

It smelled good in the forest. Clean, a spark of something. He couldn't put words on it but the trees went on forever and still they had a beautiful view of the sky above them too. He glanced at her often trying to see her reaction. He wanted to be sure he didn't push her past her limits, after all, whatever they may be. "It's lovely here so far." He mused quietly, climbing up on a fallen tree to see as far as he could. It was endless.   

+2 Discovery Points

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Another compliment, one that she responded to with a warm smile and a gentle nudge of her shoulder. “And you're not so much of a scoundrel.” His plan was sound, and brought a little sound of agreement from her, accompanied by a nod of her own before the pair of them set off. With Hades at her side, the forest wasn't so bad, bright pink eyes peering around in the dark while she kept close to her escort.

Still, the familiarity of the plant life around her, the gentle quiet of the forest, all of it was so pretty. Especially with the soft blanket of snow covering everything. “I love it,” She said, though if it was to herself or to him, even Persephone wasn't sure. “I wonder how far it goes...” She looked up at him on the tree, marveling for a moment how dashing he looked. Strong, too. “Maybe we shouldn't go too deep?”

+2 Discovery Points

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"My reputation is saved." Hades said with a grin when she'd managed to give him the tiniest of compliments. He'd take it. When they fell into step again, coming into the forest, he'd almost held his breath. It felt important. This moment was different and as he looked around he realized that there were no footprints other than theirs. The forest was quiet and the earth was still. He looked down at her to see how she felt as they stepped into the forest with him. "Forever," Was his answer as he turned his blue eyes towards the sky. The trees cut the horizon for them, stars twinkling out and shining above them. It was beautiful. This sort of prismatic kind of beauty. He had to admire that for a moment, not looking where they were going and stumbled over a random root. 

Dashing. When he'd stopped stumbling he gave the ground an intense glare. "No, we shouldn't." He agreed. "I imagine that we could follow our tracks back out but we should make sure we have a place to stay tonight before we're too enraptured."  If he was alone he'd just keep going. With the lake behind them they knew where they could get water - they might even be able to fish although he wasn't fond of it in winter. 

+2 Discovery Points

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He'd tripped, the sound both startling and worrying her all at once. All at once, Persephone moved to his side and tried to steady him, while trying to figure out what had happened. “Are you okay??” Had he been hurt? Why had he stumbled? A look back told her exactly what, and she couldn't help but laugh a little bit, softly and not at all cruel. “Are you that upset about not being a scoundrel that you decided to throw yourself on the ground?” He hadn't gone all the way down, thankfully, so she didn't think it was a problem to poke a little fun at him.
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Thankfully all that was wounded was his pride. And that was an endless struggle, no worries there truly. "I was so wounded," Hades said, touched by the fact that without hesitation she'd been willing to try and catch his bulk. He straightened up with little more than a shake of his coat and then he'd settled himself again. "I couldn't even stand holding myself up anymore." He said softly. "Thankfully no lasting damage. Doesn't make me mad at the forest." He just hadn't been paying it enough attention to be fair and then the forest had to remind him that it was the thing he needed to be paying attention to. "Thank you for rescuing me." 

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She giggled again, she couldn't help it, listening to his dramatic responses. Despite the fact that they'd only just met, Persephone felt like she'd known him forever, felt comfortable around him even with as much as Mother had instilled don't trust strange men in her. “You're very welcome,” She replied, voice full of gentle mirth. “Maybe we should head back, so you're safe if you decide to throw a tantrum again.”
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At least she wasn't too cruel to him. He found her giggles reassuring that he hadn't completely made an ass of himself and that was something he'd consider good. Hades rolled his eyes but he still had a grin firmly on his face. "Before we get too enraptured. In it." He added quickly, and if he hadn't thought much about it he would have made more of a mistake. Maybe she didn't hear him. If he were lucky, she wouldn't. And yet he knew he wasn't so lucky. "We could use the lake as a base. Maybe find somewhere that's got a bit of cover for us." 

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“In what?” The question came without hesitation, blinking up at him as he forged onward with another statement. She wanted to know, though: enraptured in what? In the forest? “Hadesss.” A pout. She intended to steer the conversation back to what he'd said, though she did at least turn and start following their pawprints back.
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The way that she drew his name out made him laugh. "The forest," He agreed and gestured around. She had started to head back and that was a relief to him. He could hopefully just move on and stop tripping over himself - literally and figuratively. "I thought I saw some rocks between the lake and here. Maybe we could hunker down near them?" He was musing out loud mostly, just considering their options. He wasn't starving, they could have a decent place to rest for the evening and everything would be fine. "Does that work for you, Persephone?"

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