N y x a
I remember the scent of pine and ice … his story begins. The cadence of Hod’s warm voice rises and falls as they both pick their way downhill, Nyxa at the fore and enjoying the responsibility of being his eyes. Hod’s always trusted her to lead where he’d otherwise not go alone and, since Bragi’s absence, the tawny girl has taken up the mantle with nothing less than cherished responsibility.
Hod depends upon her. This is enough to make him stay and enough to keep him comfortable with an otherwise too-young companion, but Nyxa has always known this. It’s why she never thought twice about staying here, about returning to shore. The bleached stallion is her lighthouse in the storm. He never bores her (though his knack for pushing her buttons is at times unbearable) and has always been ready to offer her a distraction.
Much like this one - the phrase pinecone hailstorm causing a tickle of laughter to bubble up from her chest. By the end of his odd tale they’re both in a fit of hysterics, Nyxa managing to gasp out a, “Poor Bragi! Poor you; death by squirrel horde.” before the rupture of loud brays cuts off all sense of speech. She’d been enjoying herself so much that Nyxa hadn’t noticed the thinning of the branches, until the finesse of ancient ferns itches against her legs. “Oh! The stream is right beside us now.” She explains, “I’m betting the falls will come up quickly.”
The nymph begins to hum. She can’t help it - there’s something about the proximity of water, the way it carries sound so differently from air. The fine hairs along her spine arch in excitement, (her heart felt like it was beating so fast! Everything seemed fuzzy at the edges) Hod’s voice soon rising again to prompt her for a story in return. The ischian girl tilts a curious head over her shoulder, eyes red and glossy, to peer at Hod and she can’t suppress the smile that beams across her lips.
He was an old fart. Tired already.
“I’ll tell you the story of the first hunt, like mother told me. Stay close now, we have to slide down an incline.” Nyxa commands, the brim of her small forehooves testing the edge of a rocky, sloping hill. “Long ago, all the animals in the great kingdom were brothers and friends. We all shared and loved equally, but jealousy soon crept into the heart of one. Nyah-gwaheh, the bear god, thought himself the mightiest of all the creators people and began to enslave his fellow kin.” She hummed, pausing to fill her head with sharp images of a fire-breathing bear.
Slowly, carefully, she wound her way along the ridges of the slope. “‘Who will save us?’ cried Ama-unelanvhi, the beaver god. ‘Nyah-gwaheh’s hunger will soon devour us all, unless we stop him.’” Nyxa moaned, “Now Udawa, the great panther God, heard this and slunk forward with a dark laugh - ‘Ha ha!’ he boasted, ‘Nyah is no match for my swiftness and cunning. I will end him and in doing so, end our fear.’ the black cat promised, and soon he left to face the Kin’s enemy. But Nyah-gwaheh was ready for him and when Udawa came, the two grappled in his cave for many months; this is why the bear must sleep in the winter - he fights Udawa in his dreams, where the panther God is trapped forever.” The girl spun, ending the brief interlude by skidding to a stop near the base of the drop. She could see the waterfall now: nothing of great height but more like wide, flat slabs of stepping stones. Each one was covered in bright green moss and flowed naturally down to a wide basin - shallow enough that even from a distance Nyx could see the promise of a sandy bottom.
She began to lead them again. “‘We are lost.’ Ama-unelanvhi wept, sharing the news of Udawa’s defeat with the remaining Kin. The rest began to bitterly cry but one creature had yet to give up hope.” She murmured, the winding start of a smile bursting across her lips. “‘Dry your tears, brothers.’ Said a voice from the back. Wahya, the wolf God, stepped into the light and spoke, ‘We cannot defeat him alone, but Anihwaya (my clan) and I will find a way together.’
With a cheer the other Kin began to step forward and help. ‘Take my sense of smell’ Said brother mole, ‘And my strong teeth,’ said sister coyote, ‘And a second set of eyes, to find Nyah’s magic tracks.’ said brother Hawk, last of all. This is why the wolf has spots above his eyes, to see the prey that cannot be found.
Taking their new gifts, Anihwaya began to track Nyah-gwaheh until his smell was thick in their nostrils. Nyah had never been hunted before; he was forced to run when he’d never ran. Around and around they went, creating time itself (for the other animals measured their days by when they would see the enemies engaged in chase) until at last, they brought him down.” Nyxa exhaled, her lips parched and heavy.
The babbling of the water took over where her voice fell silent. The girl waits patiently for Hod, knowing he’ll decide how and where he’ll want to enter, and when he’s situated she sighs again. “A wolf needs a pack, or so Circinae used to say.” She scoffs, winded and feeling very much like Hod had been earlier - drowsy. “I’m glad we’re each other’s pack.”
Every kiss is a door, Can I knock on yours?
@[Hod] I'm not sure how long you're wanting this adventure to go on for but feel free to wind it down whenever you'd like
I know the timeline is moving way past this xD