Recycled Air

for @haru ! let me know if I need to edit anything ^^

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She ran. She ran until her paws bled, pads scraped raw and painful by jagged ice. Her breath felt like a dagger in her chest. But she could not slow down. There was no time.

A great chasm in the ice opened up before her. She jumped.

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When Nauja woke, it was not the powdery softness of snow that surrounded her.

Dry, stiff stalks prickled against her skin. In her mind, she was still dizzy and light-headed from running. She moved her paws, expecting to feel the sting of pain, but only felt a mild itchiness from the grass on her paws. The white-and-gray wolf opened her eyes. Slowly, carefully, she sat up. She licked one paw: the skin was normal, if a bit dry. Her wounds had healed. If they had been there at all–but they must have been.

A nervous urgency overtook her. She’d been running–that much she remembered. Had she been trying to get away from something? No, that didn’t feel right. Where was she supposed to go? It had been important. It had been so important.

Panic began to set in. The strange, rolling grass was unfamiliar to her. She’d never seen so much grass in her life, in fact. It danced in the chilly wind–endless and uniform, a mixture of green and yellow. All that broke up the endless fields were the silent standing stones, watching her in a circle.

Nauja took a deep breath. Steady, she told herself. Be steady. The large wolf stood up and began to walk, cautious in her strides. Her pale white-and-gray pelt stood out here; there would be no blending among snow-covered rocks.

And as she came up beside one of the eerie monoliths, she realized she was not alone. Another wolf was here. Instinctively, she lowered her head–though that did little to reduce the great she-wolf’s height.

“Kinauvit?” — Who are you? she asked in a small voice.

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@Nauja no need to edit anything, your writing is perfection <3

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After his brief interaction with the pair in the nearby structure, Lucian pushed towards the eastern coast in hopes of finding a place to call home. He didn't plan on remaining in these dry, barren lands where his family would stay exposed. And though he would never admit it, the ice would remind him of home. The frigid airs that ran their icy touch against his fur would be the only memory of the past, of what he could have been. Even now, he longed for the crown of ice he knew was his birthright. But the Fates decided it was not his after all.

The quiet flap above him reminded Lucian that he was not alone. That the Fates had allowed his trusted companion to arrive here with him and keep him grounded. Sylvan was one of the few the prince felt he could confide in and keep his worries a secret. No other had his trust in this way, not even his cherished friend.

Pale eyes trailed along the hills dotting the horizon, the sun's rays gracefully resting along their slopes. It reminded him of the early mornings in his homeland when the sun would just crest the mountains that made up his territory. Lucian had always enjoyed waking up before dawn to watch the sun greet the earth.

Sylvan darted off towards an odd structure in the center of the fields. Lucian watched the corvid fly towards the stones, her shape shrinking as she dove towards the ground. The man picked up his pace to keep the bird in his sight. “Sylvan.” He grumbled as the stones came into view. But the other scent made him pause. Oh, great. It seemed the prince was bound to meet new people every time he decided to venture out.

The movement just past the erect stone made his ears swivel back. The other was large, almost as tall as he was. Lucian took on a defensive stance, prepared to fight should they initiate it. But at the sound of a gentle voice, his aggression dissipated. A, female? As Lucian came closer, his gaze took in the pale femme. He cocked his head upon hearing her foreign tongue. “I don't understand.” He murmured as he lowered to a seated position. “But I am Lucian. A pleasure, my lady.” He dipped his head, hoping to calm the woman.

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Nauja realized she’d spoken in her native language. Perhaps she should not blame herself for such a mistake; the other wolf was a vision of her homeland. Even taller than her, with a silvery coat that would have served him well on the tundra. He looked powerful and handsome. Confident. Unconsciously, her eyes drifted to the raven that flew nearby. Its colors were so pale she did not recognize what it was at first—yet it seemed to match the stranger before her. Tulugaak — Raven. A bringer of light.

But this was not the tundra. Her ears swivelled forward, and the lines of her face softened a touch—but she still kept her head low.

“I’m sorry,” she said after a moment. The common tongue was relatively familiar to her, but she still disliked the way her voice sounded compared to the smooth elegance of the male’s. “I’m Nauja.”

She dipped her head in respect. She paused, unsure of what to do next. He did not seem threatening. If she had trespassed, he gave no sign. Carefully, she mirrored him—sitting down on the itchy grass herself.

She decided to follow the thread they seemed to have in common.

“What is the name of …tulugaak?” Nauja added softly after a moment, glancing at the bird.

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@Lucian <3

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@Nauja <3

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The woman before him reminded Lucian of his past. She was stunning, a vision in an oasis. She resembled his betrothed in her timid disposition and large green eyes. She could be Ruslana's distant relative. “A pleasure, Nauja.” He hummed, pale gaze trailing over her frame. She was a tall woman, perhaps a few inches shorter than him. But she carried herself like a smaller woman, shy and introverted. God, she was more like Ruslana than he'd like to admit.

Luc noticed the way her eyes turned to look at the pale corvid that had found its perch on the stone beside them. His lips quirked as he called for the bird. “Sylvan.” Lucian answered, and the bird bobbed its head before taking to the sky once again. “Tulugaak. What does that mean?” He cocked his head, the unfamiliar term catching on his tongue. It was not of his homelands or remotely similar to his mother's tongue. But he would not mind hearing Nauja say it again. He quite liked the sound of her voice. She was soft-spoken, like Ruslana.

Lucian could not help the way his gaze drifted over her once again. She was a beautiful woman. No. No! “Dragi Bože.” — Dear God. He muttered under his breath. He should not be allowing his gaze to stray from Ruslana. Or Vanille. It was wrong. Fates, he didn't even know anything about Nauja other than her name. His Majka would be disappointed in him. Lucian was not like every other man. He was a Fontaine, a Kovač. He did not act like this. It was wrong, immoral. He was not some hungry man who thought of every pretty woman as a new conquest. No, he was a gentleman. A man of morals. But gods, his gaze lingered for a moment too long.

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Nauja was not blind to the way the man looked at her. She knew what it meant, yet she had no idea how to respond. Rarely did anyone look at her. At least, not in that way. And never by someone who…well, wasn’t bad to look at themself. She’d been leered at before, but this seemed different, somehow. Other wolves always seemed so graceful when they flirted, as if they knew the rules of some silent language. For Nauja, it had never come naturally. An uncomfortable warmth prickled under the fur of her cheeks. She found it easier to look at the bird he introduced as Sylvan.

“Tulugaak is…” Nauja said, hesitating, as she tried to remember the common name. She drew on the limited vocabulary she’d been taught of her father’s language. “Hrafn. Ravn? Raven. He brings light.”

Though she could not properly look Lucian in the eye, her eyes shined warmly as she looked at the silver-feathered raven. She had always been fond of ravens. Some wolves hated them, calling them pests and thieves. But Nauja did not mind their company. She had always shared her kills with them, much to the annoyance of some of her packmates. Soft-hearted, they called her. Well, she couldn’t argue with that.

She had never met someone who had formed a partnership with one, however. She was about to ask how that had come to be, when all of a sudden, it was Lucian’s turn to utter something. Though she did not understand the words, she could guess he was upset about something. On instinct, she crouched again, ears held low.

“What happened?” she asked. “Are you hurt?”

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@Lucian!

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@Nauja <3

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The Fates were toying with him. Lucian felt guilty for continuing to glance at the woman, for allowing his eyes to trail just a little past her eyes. He was not acting like the nobleman his Majka raised him to be. No, he was acting like Florian, just another shameless bastard. And Lucian would be damned before he became like his brother. The guilt that prickled in the back of his mind forced him to focus on how her fur darkened around her eyes, and the white marks beneath made her verdant pools look larger.

“Hrafn.” He repeated, the term soft on his tongue. It sounded nothing like the term in his mother tongue, but it was pleasant. He enjoyed hearing her speak. Nauja was soft-spoken, her words a gentle whisper. “Tulugaak. A raven.” He hummed, lips curving with a slight smile. It seemed he'd need to continue seeing her if he wished to learn her mother tongues.

“Oh, no. I am alright.” He replied quickly, his pale gaze shifting to study his companion. From the glint in the corvid's eye, he knew she was laughing at him. “Nemoj mi se smijati.” — Don't laugh at me. He grumbled, gaze narrowing at the bird. While Sylvan was a dear companion of his, she loved to rub salt into his wounds. The raven let out a series of clicks and caws before lifting off of the stone and coming to rest atop Nauja's head. Luc watched her with a close eye, not wanting her to injure the kind woman.

“If I may ask, what brought you here? These dry lands don't seem to fit you, Miss Nauja.” No, Lucian knew this woman was of the ice and snow, just as he was. They did not belong in these golden fields. No, they deserved to live in the lands of alabaster and frost. To have a small piece of their homes around them. This was not a home or the place for them, and within himself, Lucian wanted to take her to the snow-capped mountains he awoke in. He wanted to see her face light up at seeing something so similar to her home. Maybe it was that she was kind and deserved some good. Or perhaps, he wanted to redeem himself.

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Whatever discomfort the other wolf felt seemed to have passed. Nauja nodded, deciding not to press the issue. She would not be much use as a healer, anyway; her skills lay in hunting. And battle—as much as she hated that fact.

To her surprise, the raven fluttered down to perch on her head. Nauja smiled, keeping her head as still as possible. She did not want to frighten Sylvan away; it was always a bit magical when a bird enjoyed your company. Even a relatively tame one.

Sylvan’s warm weight was oddly comforting. Perhaps, too, it was the fact she had to hold her head a little higher than normal to maintain a good perch for the raven. In any case, Nauja answered Lucian’s question with just a little more confidence.

“No, I don’t come from this place,” she agreed. “I…” She tried to remember how she had gotten here, but her mind came up blank.

“I am sorry. I don’t remember,” she finished meekly.

Lucian did not look entirely like he belonged here, either. Neither did Sylvan.

“You live…here?”

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Lucian noticed the way Sylvan's presence brought a smile to Nauja's lips. The prince found the woman mesmerizing, an enchantress who had no idea the effect she had. Her kindness was infectious and brought about a protective streak in the prince. He didn't want the world to take that away. He didn't want the woman to experience the hardships he had in his past.

“There is no need to apologize, Nauja.” He offered the woman a soft smile, hoping to return her earlier smile to her lips. A smile made her eyes seem just a little bit brighter. “But I had an idea that you were like me. Not of these lands.” Lucian continued, his eyes locked on the bird perched atop her head. Sylvan's icy eyes flickered from Nauja to Lucian, and then she began another series of clicks and caws.
“No, we do not live here. We live quite a distance away.” He replied. No, the ice prince did not live in these golden fields. But he would find somewhere to call home, a place that resonated with his soul. And maybe, just maybe, Nauja would like to come with him. And maybe, Lucian wouldn't mind.

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She nodded ever so slightly, conscious of the bird sitting on her head. Of course he did not live here; someone like him could only belong in the north. There, he would truly be in his element. The idea was...beautiful. He was a beautiful wolf, like ice and snow, and she was sure he did not need her to tell him that. She flushed under fur.

We—of course. A wolf like him almost certainly had a family, a wife. Nauja buried her momentary disappointment: she had no right to long for something that could never be hers. Lucian's wife would be just as beautiful as him, she suspected. Little old Nauja could not compare, and she knew that. Still, he seemed so kind. She could not help but be drawn to him. And to Sylvan—whose presence she saw as a sign. Her pale feathers could be no accident.

“Home is a long way?” Nauja asked, tentative. “Will you be safe?”

She might not be the prettiest or most charismatic, but she knew how to hunt. How to fight, too, if she had to. Maybe she could protect this kind wolf and his raven friend, and along the way, find some answers.

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Lucian's eyes flickered from the bird to the woman, noting how careful Nauja was with Sylvan. Luc could see that despite having a physique shaped by physical training, Nauja was a gentle soul. She took great care with how she moved around Sylvan and cared for his well-being despite only knowing him for a few hours. Her compassion was admirable. And it was a trait Lucian sought in those he'd welcome into his family.

Lucian's observant eyes noticed the disappointment in her eyes, though they disappeared almost instantaneously. What did he say to make her feel that way? He didn't say anything to hurt her feelings, did he?

He nodded his head at her inquiry. “Yes, it is some miles away, near the distant northern sea.” He paused, gaze lifting to her own. “We should be safe there, if there are no rival packs in the region. But, Nauja, would you... Would you like to come with me? With us, I mean.” He quickly added, eyes swiftly cast to the side. Fates, he hoped, didn't sound too eager. But he would hate to leave her alone in this place. Yes, she looked like she could fend for herself; he knew her soul was not so easily protected. And he'd be damned if he allowed her to get hurt by some monster.

He felt his skin warm as he waited for her reply, almost dreading her reply. What if she said no? Or told him to leave her alone? What if she was just being nice this entire time? His worries began to crescendo in volume, silencing any other thought he may have had. But deep down, he knew they were unfounded trepidations. Just his memories coming to haunt him once again.

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Lucian’s question came as a surprise—and even more surprising was the way he asked it, his previous confidence slightly diminished. He seemed…nervous, maybe. Maybe they were not so different at all.

“Yes,” she answered with a small smile. “I will keep the path safe for you.”

She said that last part with utter seriousness. Nauja did not know much about this wolf, but he had been kind to her. Whether or not his family welcomed her, no harm would come to him on his journey home. Not if she could help it.

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A relieved sigh left his lips. She was coming with him. The thought warmed him from within, and he quickly jumped to his paws. His eyes turned to the horizon, noticing the darkening sky. At the sight of her smile, the prince flashed one of his own. “As will I, Nauja.” He hummed, body thrumming with excitement. He hoped that Vanille would like her just as he did. Though, he knew there would be no reason for Vanille to dislike the woman.

“We should leave now if we wish to arrive by morning.” He stood tall, gaze fixated on the horizon. He glanced up to see the silver corvid flapping towards their home, a compass for the prince and his newfound family member.

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