Twilight Of Isolation, [P~Vixi]

[Sekt]

The cool burning disk of the winter sun was slowly beginning to dip towards the tranquil seas on the western horizon as he arrived in the small clearing where he had dug out his cave, a couple of small fishes in his beak from one of the slowmoving streams that trickled down from the mountains further inland. He paused for a brief moment at the entrance to his tunnel, looking out at the pale blue sky and the thin whisps of grey cloud, just beginning to tint a pinkish hue in the weak rays of evening sunlight. They were right, it was going to be a brilliant sunset.

He had overheard the discussion on his fishing trip, when his work had been interrupted by a passing group of Pridemembers chatting away to each other conversationally. Fortunately the many years of experience at this sort of thing had taught him to be unnoticable, to fade into the background like a shadow when he was surprised, so the group had not noticed him as they passed despite walking within just a few feet of his position, however he had been able to hear their discussion as they went. Seemingly the unseasonably grand sundown had been spotted and predicted by some in the Pride that very morning, and they had petitioned the Pridemaster Dagon to make an event of it for the whole of the Marshes, as had sometimes happened with beutiful sunsets back at the Headlands. The Pride would meet at a good vantage point to watch the incredible display, then retire to a nearby meeting place where campfires would be lit and a party would continue long into the night - Sekt had only been to one of these events when he had been very young, and despite what had happened there, the wonderful atmospheres and sence of community the event had evoked in him had stuck with him for the rest of his life.

He let out a long sigh, turning back to the cave mouth, almost completely hidden behind a dense curtain of foliage, and gently pulled the greenery out of the way, stepping into the darkness beyond. In many ways he would have liked to go to that event now. He did long to experience those atmospheres once again - the sitting on the edge of the water with close friends or relatives, staring out at the stunning array of colors and hues like some brilliant Griff's plumage, the gathering around one of the warm, crackling campfires beneath the glittering stars as voices chatted away happily or sang one of the old tribal songs. And most of all, he longed for the companionship, a strange thing considering he had tought himself not to bother with such elements before. A recent experience with a certain Pride Huntress had changed all that - where before he could quite happily spend weeks, months, without contact with a single Griff and easily ignore the miniscule feelings of loneliness that appeared from time to time, now his heart ached, bleeding like a freshly opened wound for someone to talk to, for someone to simply be there with him. He was very greatful for meeting Vixan around a week ago, still completely stunned at her acceptance of him and offer of friendship, but in some ways the experience had been a mixed blessing, with bad elements as well as good, and he was beginning to wonder if he would ever be able to get back to how he was, ever be able to banish this sickening pain again.

He lay down on his mossy matress, eating the fish he had caught without relish. He would go tonight, he would watch the sunset...but he would be alone, on a different hillock to the rest of the Pride, with nobody to share the experience with. And in his new emotional state, the thought brought tears to his eyes. He didn't dare go with the rest - he still couldn't shake the thought of what his presence might do to them, and indeed what some of them might do to him, as they had that night all those years ago. No, he was destined to be alone, that was the way it had always been, and always would be. A friend or two more than he had expected perhaps, and that ment an awful lot to him, more than he could express...but still very much alone.

He finished the fishes in silence, dutifully gathering the bones together and taking them outside to bury in the bushes, then he silently set off for a nearby hill overlooking the marshy fjords of the Avtime Inlet and the sea beyond as the sky slowly began to flush a brilliant firey orange...

[Vixan]

It was indeed a beautiful evening. Hovering just below the gold-rimmed clouds, Vixan watched with gleaming eyes as the slowly reddening sun sank towards the distant horizon.

Ordinarily, Vixan would be full of joy on a night like this. She would be with the rest of the pride, celebrating the beauty of their home, joining the festivities and dancing and playing. But not tonight.

For some reason her heart was heavy, the joy seeping slowly out of her like water from a sponge. She knew there was a reason for it, but she could not-or would not-pinpoint it. Perhaps she was in denial of the reason-whatever it was...

Tonight she would watcht the sunset. But not with her friends. She would find a place to sit in peace, perhaps discovering her hearts sectres, perhaps just falling asleep. With a frown and a sigh, she banked sharply left, spiralling downwards to a hillock that sat some distance from where the rest of the pride was already gathering. She landed lightly, despite the speed with which she had dropped, and peered through the half light. Somebody else was already there...

[Sekt]

He'd had this spot in mind all along. It was actually a fair bit higher than most of the surrounding area, a small lump of thick, dry soil dumped right in the middle of the marsh like a large rock, almost as tall as some of the trees nearby and towering over the muddy rivulets of the fjords around it like a mountain. Because of it's height compared to the surrounding countryside it actually offered a much better view out across the sea than the larger plateau of River Ridge to the north - the only reason the Pride would be gathering there and not here was that the ridge had a much larger surface area above sea level, enough to take the masses that would be gathering together, whereas they would be falling off the steep sides of the hillock here if they all tried to perch on it's smooth grassy slopes. What was more, the spot was within walking distance of his home, and it had taken him less than fifteen minutes to cross the small section of wetland between his cave and the hill, hopping expertly from one patch of scrubs to another and avoiding the muddy channels in between.

It was some relief to him as he climbed the hill to see it deserted - he had been worried that a few of the Pride might decide they wanted a slightly more personal experience too and have taken up this spot to watch the setting sun before he arrived, but for now at least he was alone. He could only hope it would stay that way, as he really didn't want to have to move on. He lay down slowly on the very top of the hill, resting his head on his crossed paws before him as he stared out silently at the flat, open undulations of the wetlands before him and the glittering sparkle of the sea on the horizon, mirroring the steadily flushing sky with perfect undisturbed precision, appearing unruffled by wind or wave from this distance. It was a stunningly beutiful sight, and again he found a tear gently coaxing it's way out of his eye. Such breathtaking wonder and such disgusting putrefaction side by side, how could something so abhorrant as him exist in this world of such radiant awe? Was perhaps that the very reason he existed at all, to personify all that was bad so that the good could exist in such a pure, unadulterated state, unsullied by the grotesque?

In some small way he could accept that...in fact, he felt it completely right and propper, as if all was just and fair by such a balance.

So wrapped up in his own thoughts, he didn't notice the shape silently fluttering down to the grassy surface behind him, making no noise as it landed and slowly began to advance...

[Vixan]

Such was her nature that Vixan was immediately alert to potential danger when she spied the figure laying on the ground, despite the fact that this was her prideland, and patrolled to keep strangers out. But a small breeze gently swept over her, briniging with it a very familier, and just as welcome, scent. It was Sekt.

With a small smile lighting her face Vixan padded softly towards him. She knew exactly what he would be thinking, having gotten to know him fairly well during a recent adventure, and she leant close to him, unobserved, and whispered gently in his ear.

"You are just as beautiful as all you see before you." And as she spoke she knew it was the truth, he really was. She grinned at Sekt and sat beside him, hoping her presence was not unwelcome.

[Sekt]

Sekt's head snapped round like a rebounding tree branch as she spoke in his ear, his piercing eyes showing both tension and a little fear for a split second as he tried to see just who it was that was talking to him. As his face registered recognition, however, his expression softened to a look of gentle kindness (not without some considerable relief that it was her and not someone else) as he quickly rose to his paws to greet her, dipping his head low in part respectful bow, part deference to her presence. His deep voice was soft and quiet, barely audible over the whistling of the light breeze gusting over the hill top around them: "Vixan...hi. It's...good to see you again."

His head remained low, eyes unable quite to meet her gaze as they played uncertainly across the grassy floor while he paused for a moment, seemingly searching for something more to say. "Your words...are too kind." he murmured eventually, his beak creasing into a weak, uncertain, yet genuine smile. "Thank you. I just...wish that I could believe them." His brow dipped slightly in a look of worry as he cast another firtive glance up to her face, before swiftly looking away again. "Would you p-prefare I left, let you alone here...?"

[Vixan]

"No, no, of course I do not wish you to leave!" Vixan replied immediatley, forcing as much reassurance into her words as possible. "I would have asked you the same question actually, it seems I am the one intruding." She smiled again in his direction, lowering her head in acknowledgment of his bow to her.

"I told you before I would not lie to you," she continiued in a gentle tone, referring to their last meeting. "If you do not believe my words I shall take it as a grave insult to my honor." But despite her words, her voice was light and humourous, implying that she would in fact do no such thing.
"It is a beautiful night. Shall we enjoy it together, since we are both here?"

[Sekt]

"I'd like that..." Sekt responded in a tone of voice that was so deep with emotion it could have swallowed the world. He couldn't quite believe what was happening - he had hoped, dreamed for some company like this, but all the time knowing that he would not get it, convinced that it would not come. And yet, now, to have someone here to share this moment with, and more importantly for it to be Vixan, the one living Griff in the world who was actually willing to tollerate him...to even hug him...

He could feel his eyes burning once again, but he swallowed hard, forcing the tears back before they could materiallise. Their last encounter had been full of tears, he did not want every subsequent encounter to be the same for fear of depressing the poor huntress. Instead, he turned back towards the sunset, staring out at the steadily brightening colors whistfully. "Don't worry about intruding, you aren't. In fact, I...I was just wishing that I could have someone to share it with. If you would be willing, I'd...really appreciate it."

His head swung back in her direction again, although his eyes still would not focus on her directly, and he slightly lifted his right wing in an unspoken invitation for her to join him on the patch of soft grass. Obvioulsy she would not want to get so close as to actually make such a movement nessecery to make space for her - he couldn't blame her for it either - but at least the gesture would be clear, and even if she sat at wing's length, it would still be companionship of some kind. He paused here, awaiting her reaction, determined not to lay back down himself until she was comfortable for chivalry...

[Vixan]

"I am glad you want me here," Vixan replied, her voice full of warmth and affection for Sekt, whom she believed was nobler than any other griff in the pride. "Of course I will stay." She saw his wing extend upwards and outwards, and without a moments hesitation she stood up, walked over and settled herself underneath his wing, barely a feathers breadth away from his body, so colse she could feel warmth radiating from him. His smell wound round her, confixing her senses, and she breathed deeply, contentedly, smiling happily. She felt that this was where she belonged, even though she and Sekt had had little contact before. This just felt right.

[Sekt]

He was a little shocked that she had approached so close to him. Even after how she had hugged him on their previous encounter he could not quite comprehend that she might be prepared to come to such a small distance, and as she lay down next to him he suddenly found himself feeling a little nervous. Nervous in part for her, worried that she might actually feel uncomfortable with the situation and just be doing it simply to make him happy, or perhaps out of some kind of grudging compulsion. But also partly for himself...as much as he longed for closeness, for physical contact or something similar (particularly after their last meeting), the actual sensation was almost as alien to him as flying was to a Terra Lem, and now he was suddenly subjected to it (and without the distracting force of emotion he had had last time) he found himself feeling extremely uncomfortable.

He slowly lowered himself to the ground beside her, hoping that the tense stiffness in his limbs could not be detected through the light brushing of their feather tips as he moved, and tried as hard as he could to fight back the feelings and dismiss them for the rediculous nonsence that they were. He had hoped so hard for something like this! How could he possibly now go back on that, refusing to accept or comprehend it when it came? Emotion, he knew, rarely bowed to logic, but this was sheer madness - he had nothing to fear from Vixan, surely, and nothing bad would come of it...for either of them...

His efforts met with limited success, so instead he tried to distract himself from the feelings by trying to think of some kind of conversation to fill the silence. Not, in fact, that the beutiful atmosphere of the sunset particularly needed such an interruption, but it might be nice to say just a few words, perhaps to make them both feel a little more comfortable with each other, or to learn some more about the other and show an interest. But here too, his mind betrayed him - as so often happened in the few situations where he actually found himself speaking to somebody, his thoughts seemed to freeze as solid as the snow on the peaks of Mount Cumulo, completely unable to think of something, anything, to say. And as he laboured harder and harder on the problem, he slowly began to feel more and more agitated, beginning to feel like the silence surrounding them was increasingly awkward and needed to be filled, as if Vixan were sat waiting for him to speak, disgusted that he hadn't yet done so. What was more, he began to worry if his mind would even be able to come up with something should she begin to speak, or if he would be rendered mute and look a fool, unable to come up with an answer to her words!

Quite wether Vixan was aware of the tumultuous knots her companion's brain was tying itself into was unclear...certainly it would take an exceptionally sharp eye to notice the signs, but those signs - the tenseness in his muscles, the shallowness and hurried nature of his breathing, the ever so slight tremble in his paws - were indeed there to see...

[Vixan]

Vixan could indeed feel the tenseing in Sekts muscles, and she looked up at his face, so close to her own, and glimpsed something strange in his eye, something somewhat akin to terror. She smiled at him, concerned for the other who evidently was not used to such a close proximity.

"Are you okay?" She asked, concern evident in her voice as she examined him with worried eyes. "Your so tense, do you want me to move away?" She hoped he would not say yes, she enjoyed the closeness, the feeling of intimacy at this distance, just the comforting presence of him, but she was happy to move away if it would make him relax a little. Vixan didnt like to think she was making Sekt uncomfortable.

[Sekt]

Sekt's throat closed up at Vixan's words, so much so that for a few seconds he was unable to breathe at all, and even when he did finally manage to take a breath it was ragged and shallow, verging on hyperventilation out of sheer terror. She had noticed...he had spoiled the atmosphere for her, made her uneasy, such a terrible crime. Not to mention the dilemma of how he should respond - how could he answer her question? It was an impossible puzzle! If she really was genuine and he asked her to move away, she would be hurt and he would have lost a friend, and yet if she were simply humouring him and he asked her to stay when she didn't want to then he would be imposing himself upon her, yet another hideous crime.

"Y-y-yes, I...I mean no! I..." he stammered, the trembling in his paws increasing violently as he tried desperately to find some way out, and for a moment he considered simply leaping from the grass and running off into the trees, escaping the situation altogether. What was he even thinking when he had wished for companionship??? He was not cut out for any sort of friendship, he should have known that, and any attempt otherwise would only end up hurting him and likely Vixan too! And yet, even as his mind span confused, tormented circles, and before he could will his legs into action to leave, he suddenly remembered the dream he had had out on Everin Scar, the image of his mother with Vixan's face. And he remembered Vixan that day, picking him up when he had been injured, staying with him...saving his life...

With a supreme act of determination he physically forced all his raging fear and uncertanty down, fighting them tooth and claw into the back of his mind as he tried desperately to resist the urge to run. Maybe, just maybe, this was worth the extra effort, worth taking a terrifying, monumental risk for. And if he was wrong, he could only hope that at some point during whatever existances were due to come Vixan might be able to find it in her heart to forgive him. "I'm sorry." he murmured quietly. "It's been a...very...long time since I was this close to someone for so long. I mean you n-no insult." He swallowed hard as he closed his eyes for a moment, struggling to continue. "B-but I...I would like it, if you...didn't move away...i-if you're sure that you wouldn't mind. It is difficult, but it's also...nice...and w-welcome."

[Vixan]

"I'm glad," Vixi replied softly, a slight smile still evident on her tawney face. She almost reached across the small gap and hugged the other, but thought better of it. He was already tense, obviously uneasy, and she had no wosh to firghten him away. She could wait, until he was more relaxed, more comfortable in her presnce. He was worth the wait, she knew it as surely as she knew the day would turn to night.

With a contented sigh, the gryphoness gazed across at the horizon as the sun sank even lower, colouring her feathers a soft glowing red. "Isn't it beautiful?" she breathed. It was at times like this she could truly forget the heartache of leaving the headlands, he home for all of her young life, and feel truly happy in the marsh. Its really not such a bad place, she thought. I have friends here, and then theres Sekt... She glanced quickly up at him again, the averted her gaze back to the steadily sinking sun. She could not help a smile once again widening across her beak.

[Sekt]

"Yes," Sekt responded quietly, his own gaze following hers to the vermillion sky. "There's...so little of beauty in this world...b-but what there is, is...stunning." His eyes were rapidly becomming more distant as they reflected the gleaming yellow disk of the sun perfectly in their amber pools, the mind behind them seeming to travel to places and times far off as his voice dipped to little more than a whisper. "It's been so long since I've seen anything like this..."

[Vixan]

"Aye, me too..." Vixan replied softly. Her voice faded as she gazed across the sky once more, and she lowered her fron half to the floor, resting her head on one of her forepaws whilst the other played with a starnd of grass in front of her. A daisy grew from the middle of it, and she tenderly stroked it, humming a little song, barely aware of the flower she caressed. It would be so easy to stay like this forever...

[Sekt]

"I remember the first time I saw a sunrise like this." Sekt continued absently, clearly in a world of his own by now. "It was on Whitefeather Point...I must have been less than a season old." A slight smile touched his beak as the memories rose back to his mind, memories he had crushed and squashed down for so long because he could not face them, could not bear to think what he had lost. "My father...let me sit on his head while we watched. I almost fell off a few times, think I pulled a clawful of feathers from his crest at one point, and poked him in the eye a few times too. But it was fun. I was so transfixed by the color. I overheard one of the Elders in the background telling some of the Pride why the sky turned that color...what was it that he said...???" He went quiet again for a moment, his eyes still rooted on the sun before them as he tried to recall the words...