[ P ] two truths and a lie

The Tainted Victory

"If you keep going down that way," a smoky voice directed, "and take a left at the split river, you'll be square in Iverness." The elderly couple's wrinkled faces stared into the thicket of where their impromptu guide had pointed them off to. Earl beamed up at her with his dimpled smile as he placed a paw along Sylvain's shoulder, "Oh, we can't thank you enough, Sylvia! I keep telling Henry to not be so stubborn when asking for directions," his aforementioned husband huffed from under his thick mustache-like fur as they gathered their satchels of apples. Periwinkle hued eyes fluttered as Earl laughed softly, "You simply must come for dinner one day, my dear! The girls in town tell me you've started renovating again... And a lady visitor stopped by too, aye?"

Sylvain fought the urge to roll her eyes, though she had only succeeded for but a second. She'd begun grabbing her pieces of wood and stacking them so as not to face Earl and his gossiping, "Have they now?" A nosey but well-meaning geezer he was, polar opposite to his introverted and crude husband. Henry nudged Earl lightly, "Don't go gettin' into that girl's life, Early Bird! She ain' wanna hear ye' yammerin'."

By the time the couple had started to bicker, the eurasian had used the opportunity to escape with her haul of wood back home. Snow clustered at her paws, a loud groaning sound from the pulled sled as Perth's sky filled with fairy-soft white. As she neared the wooden cabin, Sylvain plopped down her luggage and huffed as winds began to grow harsher around her - despite her hopes of working off the extra time with manual labor, winter had other plans. But, as she'd started to make her way up the porch steps, pale paws stopped at a set of footprints widely unlike her own. Two canine tracks plagued a trail from the thicket and onto her porch, stopped at Sylvain's front door.

A tense surge shocked the Colonel's blood, then worry as a familiar scent flowed through the air—a soft herbal overtone, like spring. Ms. Willow Fritz... and had she brought pastry treats again? Was something wrong? That thought alone was enough to trigger her worry. Sylvain scowled at the other set of paws, quickly making her way onto the short staircase. " Willow? Willow, I'm coming in!" she called out with a frantic edge, forcing the door open with enough force to rattle its hinges.

Notes

"God doesn't hear deadmen." But, I do...

Willow had arrived with Odette only a few minutes ago to find that Rhodes was not there. It was not her home, but somehow, there was a sense of security there, even when its owner had stepped out. The cabin was cozy and warm inside, a welcome respite from the frigid temperatures beyond its sturdy walls. The smell of wood and coffee filled the air, mingling with the musk of the cabin’s owner, who carried with her a distinct scent that Willow still couldn’t quite place. Now, Odette’s sweet fragrance of vanilla and spice combined with all of this to produce an intoxicating aroma that Willow took in with deep, greedy breaths, exhaling in gentle sighs.

The healer was in the process of explaining how she had found this sanctuary to begin with. Her voice was cheerful and melodic. ” – and when I looked up, I saw the woman who lives here. I might have been lost forever in the snow if I hadn’t found this place! And it was someone I had met before. I had just come from visiting you. In fact, I had a parcel of your best – “

A deep voice called her name, and the rest of Willow’s statement was left unspoken. The old wooden door further announced the other’s arrival, and Willow’s head turned quickly to greet Rhodes as she entered. Swiftly, the svelte femme moved in one fluid motion from where she sat beside Odette. ”I’m so glad that you’re here!” Sweeping across the room with a smile as her tail swayed behind her, she stopped before Rhodes. ”I hope that you won’t be too upset with me. I have a friend in need, and I thought you two should meet.” She turned away to nod toward Odette.

It was rather presumptuous, and Willow knew it, to think that Rhodes would be alright with the unexpected situation. But Odette made for great company, and so did Rhodes. Willow hoped the two would get along, as well.




@Odette @Sylvain

art + code: clae

Willow had brought her to a cabin in the woods, the coziest she'd ever set foot in. As they crossed the threshold, Odette peered around in wonder. She was unsure what it was about this place, but Willow had been absolutely right to feel it sanctuary. There was something about the atmosphere that she couldn't quite place her paw on that was familiar...she had never been here before in her life and yet it felt like...home.

As she respectfully wandered about the main living area, studying the interior with curiosity, glancing over at Willow as she began to recount how she found this place. It belonged to someone else, a friend of hers who was kind enough to offer her home as a place of refuge. She was turning to find a comfortable place to seat herself, drawn further into the story when she found out that her pastries were involved. Odette leaned in, her full attention now trained on Willow, realizing that she could listen to the sound of her voice for hours if only she were so lucky.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a booming voice and the sudden impact against the door as it was forced open. Odette jumped to her feet as the sudden interruption she her a fright, still mildly shaken from recent events. When she heard Willow's name called from outside, she realized that she knew they voice, but there was hardly s moment to process it as the events seemed to happen all at once. Willow left her side and swiftly crossed the room to approach a massive shape took up the doorway of the wooden estate. She was beginning to calm as Willow greeted the figure excitedly, clearly comfortable with the owner of the home.

It was when Willow was getting ready to facilitate introductions that her gaze locked onto the new arrival, making her freeze in place. Golden eyes widened slowly as she came face to face with none other than the wayward traveler that had haunted her dreams for months now. “Rh-..." Was all she could get out before she began to suddenly feel sick to her stomach.

Why is she here? Is this her home? Why is Willow so familiar with this place? With Rhodes? There was a tidal wave of questions and emotions that slammed into her instantly. It was too much. Fear is what began to grow until it shrouded all else. Odette gave Willow one look of confusion and disbelief and then she began to move forward, going to push past the two of them and make her way out of the exit. “I should go. This was a mistake, I-I'm sorry."


@Willow @Sylvain

The Tainted Victory

A beautiful rush of scents enveloped Sylvain into its clutches, the overtones of relaxing earl grey tea and flora with a sugary remedy - perhaps Willow had been kind enough to bring pastries again. Frantic eyes searched for Willow's face, finally pinpointing the rosy, blonde cheeks as the shorter woman greeted her. Had her little home in the middle of nowhere ever felt so alive, now that she was smiling at Sylvain? A thought that would be thoroughly digested. Later. ”I’m so glad that you’re here!” And in hearing her voice, the anxiety that'd threatened to well inside quickly subsided. "Willow, there you are! Oh, slavă Domnului că ești bine," half-lidded, soft eyes traced where she could look over the lady Fritz as if to make a final check. "I thought someone was... someone..."

A slow fade fell from the soldier's lips, finally tracing the oh-so-familiar scent back to it's owner. She felt her blood run cold, standing rigid as a deer in headlights as Odette Lithigow stood in her living room. In her living room. With Willow Fritz. She wasn't in war, so why was her heart racing? The skin under her fur, why had it gone so pale? The rise of tension in her throat, why had it threatened to choke the life out of her? Willow's voice was enough to send Sylvain plummeting back into reality, sucking air back into her lungs as her gaze flew between the two women for a moment. Sylvain stammered, "I-I... No, it's.."

She was watching the sun break in Odette's eyes, Is she not happy to see me? She looks... disgusted. Afraid. Afraid I'd hurt her? Either of them? A thousand lashes before Sylvain would even think of doing such a thing, did she not know that to be the truth?

In quick motion, Odette quickly stood to her feet and tried to make for the exit. "Odette, wait! Please, just listen to- " The older woman stopped again, suddenly scrutinizing the baker with a shattering hushed tone, staring at the aggressive edges of a scar so noticable. "My God... Wh-what happened?" Another swift turn of her head to Willow, a bubbling anger; not toward either women, but whoever was responsible. "Who did this to her face!?"

Notes

"God doesn't hear deadmen." But, I do...

An unexpected scene began to play out before Willow’s bewildered eyes: Odette looked suddenly lost, and she moved as if to leave the cabin. ”Why —“ Peridot sights shifted to the largest of the three females, and Rhodes looked as if she had seen a ghost. No introductions were necessary, and a confused Willow tried to make sense of what was transpiring. ”You two know each other already? What — I don’t understand.” Puzzled orbs of green swayed from one lupine face to the other, two wolves Willow had counted as friends. But were they enemies? Willow had imagined the two would get along just fine, not… whatever this was transpiring in front of her.


Odette looked positively ill, and Rhodes appeared flustered as she attempted to block the exit from the distressed baker. In truth, Willow didn’t know Rhodes very well, and she wondered if returning here had been a mistake. ”Odette, wait for me –” But her words were too quiet and easily drowned out by the deeper vocals of Rhodes as she noticed the fresh wound that had been carved into the delicate visage of Odette.


Suddenly, the soldier’s blue-green eyes had turned to Willow again, and the tri-color femme’s expression betrayed her own mounting fear and uncertainty. ”I – I’m not sure, I wasn’t there.” Her words were hurried with anxiety. For her own sake, she had never actually inquired about the scars and blemishes that covered Rhodes’ entire muscular form. Deep down, however, she already knew why Rhodes was so heavily marked, as her strong physique indicated her skillfulness on the battlefield. Perhaps there was much more to the mysterious wolf than Willow had anticipated.


Instinctively, she slipped closer to Odette protectively, wary eyes fixed upon the wolf who called herself Rhodes.



@Sylvain @Odette

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Willow's voice was like a bell amid the pin-drop of silence that passed, and Odette could hear all of the questioning above the din of her own thoughts. She didn't want to look at her. She couldn't. But, try as she might, she couldn't avoid the woman, seeking out the calming peridot hues. Her own golden orbs and expression betraying the helplessness she felt in this situation. After her apology, words were difficult to form and she knew the best she thing that she could do for all of them was to take her leave swiftly.

And so she took flight, heading towards the open door, but she skidded to a halt to avoid colliding with Rhodes. Odette lifted her gaze to peer up into the scarred face of the older woman, her brows furrowed in a mixture of confusion and hurt washing over her face. The tides turned almost instantly the moment Rhodes took in her appearance in close proximity, a blazing intensity almost transforming her.

“Who did this to her face!?"

The tone that came from Rhodes was harsh and she turned on Willow, who reacted anxiously and tucked herself against Odette. The heat flared up in her cheeks and initially it was from embarrassment, but as the baker's gaze flickered to the woman that was by her side, it took on another form. “Do not raise your voice at her!" She suddenly snapped, her lip twitching as she forced it from peeling back and baring a warning snarl at Rhodes.

Odette was surprised by her own outburst and she shook her coat as she attempted to collect herself. Normally, she would've apologized for her behavior. This time she didn't feel it was warranted and instead she lowered her voice as it shook. “Your home or not, you will mind your tone when you speak to her...to either of us..."

Despite standing her ground, her face was still extremely flushed and her eyes had begun to fill with tears involuntarily. She pressed her flank against Willow's for her own comfort as she continued to address the beastly woman, “If you had received the raven I had sent, you would know what happened. You must have been...busy..."



@Willow @Sylvain