Sleep had happened as it normally did, falling asleep in the nest she and Pestilence shared, talking about their days, the tasks they'd done, before she had fallen asleep contently curled up to her mate. The dream was vivid, but then the ones from the swamp tended to be she had learned. This one was no different. There was much that had happened, and much that would be recalled after, though perhaps some finer details would fade, but the over all dream would remain strongly.

She woke as she normally did, easily, contently a careful stretch given, especially of the leg that would always trouble her just a little as her eyes slowly began to open to look around. Some days she woke before Pestilence, others he before her, and yet others they woke together. Before Guardian could fully look and see if he was awake or not, she suddenly scrambled to her feet with a low cry of pain, her head being shaken back and forth, eyes burning her and she not sure why. She wanted it to stop. Carefully making her way from the cave and out to the pools she stood there, unaware of the bits of sand and sticky webs that had trailed behind her, fallen from new, swamp touched eyes.

"Maybe water..." words were tight from the pain in her head, and she bent with the plan of submerging her head in the water, maybe it would help with the pain. She never got that far. Instead she found herself staring at her reflection, stunned. She didn't look as she did last she looked at herself in water and was caught by surprise. Her hooves shuffled a little, before she was looking around outside for her mate, slow steps taking her back to the mouth of the cave to peer inside as well. It was time to find Pestilence.


@Blinded By Silence

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft]Pestilence had risen long before his mate this morning. While her sleep was plagued with dreams, his mind had tumbled over itself. Rest was not happening this night. And so, the midnight buck gently untangled himself from Guardian's pale form and stood, shaking moss and grass from his pelt.

He could not work, despite the brightness of the moon above. Instead, he decided to walk between the trees of yew and birch that guarded their cave, toward the Crest. Before he left, he took with him a small bone offering, brought to him earlier by one of his ravens.

It was a quiet walk, although not long. The pyres were not too far. Upon his arrival, he set his offerings into a turtle's shell; the skull of a large lizard, a cluster of birch seeds, and the wing of a silver moth - and threw them into the fire with a prayer. He watched as the seeds flared and the wing curled. The skull cracked under the heat of the flame, the smoke a silvery-blue. He yawned, finally tired, and turned back towards home, making sure to grab a shell of fruit to take back for Guardian.

When he entered their shared grove, he saw her standing by the pools. He smiled despite the shell in his mouth and approached, but when she turned towards him, he froze. The shell clattered to the ground, its contents rolling over the stony earth. He stared at her, his mouth agape, meeting those eyes that bled the same silver-blue smoke like the released soul of lost bones.

"Guardian," His voice was quiet, her name not a question but a confirmation.

She heard more than saw the shell fall to the ground, clattering noisily on the stones at her hooves, it and some fruit coming to rest against one. She glanced down at the ground, then back to her mate moving toward him slowly, as if unsure of how to move these longer limbs.

Eyes still ached a little, but it was easing now that she had laid eyes upon her mate. His simple presence a soothing balm to her really.

The single spoken word, the conviction in which he spoke it had her stepping closer, and gently pressed her face to his neck, soaking in his presence.

"My eyes burn." words low. It was late, others were sleeping and she didn't want to wake them. Of course her eyes burned, she had seen her reflection. "...but the ache is easing having you here."

"I dreamed....but I think it was much more than that." her thoughts were muddled, disjointed from sleep that was more than sleep, and of course the change.

@Blinded By Silence

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft]He smiled. He was stunned, so many feelings bubbled up within him. Awe, joy, excitement, wonder, a touch of nervousment and the whisper of self-doubt that has always been in the back of his mind. But the warmth of her chased it away, as it always did. He stretched his neck, nuzzling under her chin.

"It would seem so," He replied softly.

The dark buck stepped back and took her in. She was the same, yet changed. This new form, it was like her inner self was shining through, unable to be contained by her previous body. She was stronger and so certain. And those eyes, like soul fire. He forgot how to breathe when he looked at her.

"Welcome home," Pestilence smiled. Chuckling, he looked back at their cave, "Ah, we'll need to extend the nest. You're taller than I am now."

She saw that smile and her heart filled with warmth and love for her mate, her head lowering to meet his own as she nuzzled in return. "I'm glad you still know me. I saw my reflection and I worried a moment you might not anymore."

It would be hard to mistake her for another kin even in this new form, her coloration was not normally seen around here unless part of one of their children.

There though she laughed softly, warmly against his ear. "It was a bit cramped when I woke, before I ran out here. It can wait till morning, at the least of course. I can curl around you tonight. I think." she laughed again softly as she tried to picture it in her head. "I think we can make it work."

This new form was going to take a little getting used to, she was sure she would run into things a little at first with her new height, but that was okay she could manage to handle that.

As she was thinking that over, she became aware of a shadow and focused on it, watching as it solidified, came closer, and she breathed softly. "Look..."

There, a marine iguana, and she smiled softly seeing it. She knew it, as she knew herself.




@Blinded By Silence

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft]He smiled and pressed his nose to hers, holding her gaze. It was stunning, like the purest moonlight. The Motherfather's light shone through her eyes. But even with their ethereal glow, they were still hers.

He spoke softly, but firmly, "I could never look at you and see anything more than the mare I fell in love with, Guardian. Whatever happens, we will make it work," He smiled reassuringly.

And then he watched her, as she summoned a shadow that scurried its way towards them. It was as though the shadow itself was made of starlight. That same glistening moonlight that drifted like mist from Guardian's eyes. Its silver belly scooted just over the earth and its claws, her claws, he realized slowly, scraped against the stone. It was real, just like her. He look from one to the other and nodded, seeing the body and soul separate, yet whole. He took a breath finally, awestruck.

"That... is amazing. It's you. The MotherFather has blessed you with many gifts tonight, haven't they? Amazing."

"It's me yes." a soft confirmation of his words as she nuzzled at her mate neck, a content sigh from her. "Many gifts, but most of all, plenty of reminders of why I'm here with you, the tribe, our children."

Guardian felt calmer than she did when she woke, her eyes no longer burning, or if they were, she didn't notice. Instead, she was busy soaking in Pestilence's presence, and just being for the moment.

Raising her head she looked up at the moon shining down on them, before back to her mate. "We should return to the nest, try to figure out how we'll sleep." she laughed some. "I will do my best not to poke you with my back." she'd noticed the spines on them, and was unsure how sharp they might be. "Come my love. Lets sleep before the day begins, and the children demand attention." and have so, so many questions for them. The iguana faded back into the brush without a sound, though Guardian knew it would be around.