[se] afraid of nothing

this is the reckoning

If Deimos were in the right temperament, a majority of the time he could coax another fiend into mischief. Just a moment, an instant, a second of antics that weren’t combined into melancholy or machinations. Brief, flickering little glimpses – things they could latch onto later on, and the rest of the wake didn’t feel so cold or unwieldly.

He wasn’t surprised when Cordelia joined in, snorting, raising his hound head when the streaks of snow burst down upon them. They covered and contorted across his shoulders into an ivory powder, ivory on Stygian, and he laughed again, some better part of the wilderness taking hold. All at once he violently shook, so the particles would rain back and down in the luxere’s direction, before he took off again.

The clearing offered a wide variety of drifts, mounds upon mounds of stuff collected in the corners, where it must’ve somehow banked due to wind pressing in. The Sword took it as an opportunity, as he so often did, rampaging towards the surface, intending to shirk behind it and reveal himself on the other side –

Except he didn’t count on the surface being nothing more than a pretense – for the sunken proportions were quite hollow.

There was a brief noise as he launched, landed, and then immediately fell inwards, into the knoll itself, with another round of barks and chuckles.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

Cordelia

This side of Deimos was rare and it wasn't often he got to let his guard down. Cordelia knew this. It was a special moment in time. This small cut out away from the chaos of the world that surrounded them. It was refreshing. A break, a breath, and a moment to simply be. Her delighted laughter rang out clearly along the bond and she bounded after Deimos even as he sent more snow her way.

It took her no tie to go bounding after him as he bolted into the clearing, but what she isn't expecting was him to disappear into the snow drift. His whole body is covered by white powder and her gait falters until his own amusements and delight come along the bond to her. Deeper than you thought? Cordelia teased, trotting towards him and taking a moment to nose at the drift he disappeared into, snorting at the faint steam that rose from the snow.

Suddenly, the pile that he had managed to tumble began to reform, causing her to take a few quick steps back. Her surprise was a bright burst and then she laughed again, Memory snow!

Barefoot in the wildest winter

Catching my death

this is the reckoning

Quite a bit, he snorted, reaching and rambling out of its depths as quickly as he’d faltered and fallen into it. To watch it transpire, twist and turn back into its shells of pretenses and trickery caused a series of bemused moments to unfurl from his memory; less guarded, more space for the wakes without agony. I have seen this before – there was a walking beast made of it. And proportions in Halo itself; but he refused to let those peaceful, harmonic memories become deluded by the aftermath of more hostile occasions.

Thereafter, he shook some more, permitting the memory snow curling into his fur and hide to piece and break off, either towards Cordelia again or back into the midst of its enchanted brethren. Thought I saw more snow moss over here, and he bounded, away from one of the drifts, presuming it’d be another hazard, towards some flora nestled against a tree. Might as well take what they could snag when the opportunity struck.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

Cordelia

Another series of gleeful giggles came along the bond, amused by her companion's antics, unable to contain the sound that moved along their shared bond. Finally he managed to claw his way out of the snow drift and allowing it to shift and reform into its original mound. Cordelia let out another snort as he shook himself clean, sending snow onto her and back to the ground so it could gather once more. I used to play in it as a child. Even some when I was older. My sisters loved making snow bunnies. My brothers would try to knock them over, but it always reformed. Cordelia shared the memory, quiet and contemplative. Should she have been in her human form there would surely have been a wistful smile on her lips.

It is only the mention of snow moss that pulled her from those memories, reminding her of the here and now, the reality of their situation. Cordelia's head bobbed and she trotted after him, Oh good. We'll be able to properly finish the walls. It is with that they set off, gathering as much snow moss as they can manage, moving quickly to make it back before nightfall.

~FIN~

Barefoot in the wildest winter

Catching my death