[ P ] Believe And You Will Find Your Way

T

he peaks of Tir Na Gog were sight to behold. Even from the forests beyond, they could be seen reaching into the vast expanse of open sky as though yearning for a touch of stardust by midnight. Clover had always dreamed of meeting those mountains...even when she was too small to have ever even known they were there, still she floated about them in her childhood slumber. With the Summer's heat having become a threat, she decided that there was no better time than the present to find herself at a cooler, higher elevation. Now, at the foot of these peaks, staring upward so far that she nearly fell backwards, these towering formations were far more majestic than she ever could have imagined.

"What a sight, eh, Birch?" A freckled span of wings swooped down low just by her head and a bird landed in a nearby branch, chirping lightly at her from above. She grinned at him and then focused her attention on the path ahead. It seemed well-worn enough for her to be able to follow it up into this treacherous hike. Taking one step, and then another, Clover could feel the warm buzzing of a magic sort in the atmosphere. The further she climbed, the more it felt as though the mountains were breathing accompanied by the faintest thrum of a heartbeat. So, the tales were true...Tir Na Nog was the realm of the Fae...Tir Na Nog was alive.

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

THREAD TITLE MUSE

T

he summer had aged Cian considerably, or so he imagined. He had spent much of his time surrounded by other, while somehow feeling utterly alone. The flame-kissed soldier had feared the worst for his kin – that all had perished in the drought in one fell swoop of tragedy that none could prevent. Not even the king. But what he had encountered was far more odious, for there was no trace of his parents in the familial home. The mystery gnawed away at the youth as the days lingered on. He could only hope and keep following the commands given by more seasoned soldiers.


Though his present days felt endless and discouraging, dictated by duty, it was at night that Cian was allowed to roam free. It was here, in his nightly dreams, that the drought was over. That life was back to normal… except, in his dreams, normal meant something else entirely. His visions were far from the barracks, on mountain tops and in valleys he had never seen, but in his dreams and in waking life, the youth was quite certain of their existence.


And every night, she was there like a spirit, alight and pure in that untouched haven. Her rose-colored eyes would capture his fiery stare, the backdrop mattered little; and then, inevitably, he would always wake up, disappointed. It seemed each night that she drew a little closer, but wishful thinking had apparently pervaded his unconscious mind. If nothing more, he was confident that his cherished friend would survive out there, wherever she happened to be now. He hoped that one day, by some strange stroke of kismet, he would see Clover’s face among the crowds, but it was never to be.


One scorching day, it was by chance alone that he had encountered one of his brothers, who he had not seen since they left for the army. Though their childhood had been dictated by duty and training, they had still found moments of fun and frolic, due mostly to their mother’s gentler influence. But the brother he had encountered that day was not the one he had once froliced with in the innocence of youth. His face was hardened, his eyes colder, more distant. Cian knew he had grown, but not like this. How long, he feared, would this life wait to take a similar toll on himself?


It was this shadow of a brother that reported the shocking news: their father had died, his old age and the extreme conditions having proven too much for the once mighty warrior. This revelation produced a confusing tumult of emotion, from sadness to anger to… well, it was not exactly happiness, was it? More of a sense of relief he could not name, nor admit to. But what of his mother? His once-brother did not know. Cian could find neither proof that she had perished along with her husband, nor proof of her life there in the Mainlands. No answers were procured there in the midst of the loss and sorrow that surrounded him there.


One final night in the Mainlands, one last dream would change the trajectory of his life. Summer was drawing nearer to its end, and Cian slept feverishly. In this dream, he was running – there was a feeling of terror like the youth had never known before, a sense of dread. The world around him was ominous, gloomy, and gray, seemingly inescapable, though he continued to flee for his life as a violent storm struck. This time, however, it was not Clover that appeared before him, but instead, his mother as she had appeared in his earliest memories. She smiled fondly, even as the tempest raged about her. ”Listen to your heart.” Her familiar voice, that distinct Highlander lilt, was as calm as ever, despite the chaos. ”The head can be confused, but the heart always knows.”


He woke early in the dark with thoughts racing wild through his skull. Why… Why was he doing this to himself? Living in servitude for a king who did, not know his name and would never bother to learn it. Cian was just another body with more blood to be spilled at His Royal Highness’ whim. Cian’s father was dead, his family scattered. Who was left to care about the family name? Was it a legacy that Cian wanted to be a part of? He had been groomed to see himself as a Mainlander when even his scarlet-tinted pelt told a different tale. He was a Highlander, and there was no one left to say otherwise.


With newfound clarity and a firm sense of resolve, Cian departed from that place before dawn. Seeing no others, the youth assumed he was gone without a witness. The life of a warrior was not the life he wanted for himself. That existence lay elsewhere, far away, in a haven he could not name. His thoughts pestered him, but he remembered the words of his mother. ”The head can be confused, but the heart always knows.” With this mantra and the rising sun as his guide, Cian left behind his old life for something vague, intangible – A fate of his own design, finally.


Those guiding forces saw Cian on the move for the greater part of three days, stopping only when necessary to find water, which remained scarce. A thought had occurred to him as the sun arched toward the west’s tall peaks: There may be more water, close to the clouds. Perhaps it was silly, but it seemed a logical choice, and his massive paws moved toward the mountains of the north, from one end of the great isle to the other.


He had heard stories of these mountains and what became of those who journeyed within to its enchanted summits and canyons. Here, the trees were dense and the air was cooler with every step he took. What he found, however, on a rock strewn path that not many had likely traversed, was the biggest surprise yet, and he stared ahead at the feminine figure as if seeing a spirit. ”Impossible…” He stopped in his tracks as his mind tried to convince him that this was some other, unknown girl with pink eyes and a pale coat, with a bird nearby.



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

C

lover would pause often amid her upward into the throat of the mountains. Though the pathway was tough on her paws, often she would find lush places within the forested areas that were concealed in carpets of the softest moss. Her worn pads were thankful for the break as they were soothed by the velvety surface of the emerald growth about the woods. Her eyes were drawn to a ray of light that shown through the canopy of trees, illuminating a single flower, a lone butterfly seated atop it's petals.

"We all have ta rest our wings every once in a while don't we, wee one?" She conversed sweetly with the butterfly as it slowly opened and closed it's vibrant azure wings. It then took to the open air and she watched it in awe as it fluttered away back towards the path. Curious pink orbs followed it, a large ember shape looming in the distance and the direction the blue wings departed in. As her vision refocused the lingering presence being drawn into the foreground of her sights.

Clover blinked, her memory's a flourish of images of a kind boy of the Mainlands who she'd befriended. Instantly, her tail gave into excited wagging behind her and her face lit up with a broad smile as she recognized him. "Cian! She glided gently over the moss, careful not to tear it up, but as soon as she hit the raw earth she burst forward eagerly. Clumsy as always, Clover tripped over a rogue root and collided with the him in a flurry of giggles.

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

T

hose same bright eyes, pink like the sunrise, found him there before he could take another step. His voice was nearly a whisper: ”Clover.” She rushed toward him, much like in his dreams – except this time, instead of waking up to nothingness, Cian was met with a form tumbling toward him. Gritting his teeth for the impact, he braced himself just in time to keep from falling right on his tail, though it took every muscle in him to fight gravity and remain standing. He peered down at the wolfess where she had landed at his paws, eyes filled with concern and astonishment at the very sight of her. His muzzle lowered instinctively to offer help so that she could stand again.


”What are you doing here?” He paused… had that sounded too forceful? Or mean, or… The lad shook his head quickly. ”I mean, um, not that you shouldn’t be here, because – because you can go anywhere you want.” He had not spoken to another wolf in days, but now, the words flowed freely, an awkward jumble of thoughts. ”A-and now, I can, too. Er, I mean, I can go anywhere. It’s – it’s different now,” he insisted, more to convince himself than the girl. ”Only – only I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Or, you know, at all… Because what are the chances, really…” His words finally trailed off and he smiled sheepishly, eyes averting with the uncertainty of youthful inexperience.



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

"O

of! Hehe! Woopsie daisies!" Clover happily accepted the help of her dear friend as he lowered his muzzle and leaned into him as she hopped right back up. She stood back enough to shake her sandstone pelt of any debris and then looked to him with a smile, her expression full of absolute delight. The joy radiated in her soft pink irises as she took in the male, now much taller and broader than he'd been when she'd last seen him. He certainly was a boy no longer, but a young man growing into his handsome form.

She blinked up at him as he asked what she was doing here, lips parting to reply when he piped up again, seeming to want to retract his previous question. She tiled her head one way as he nervously drew words out and she smiled patiently, allowing him to move through his thoughts aloud as he did.

When he trailed off with such an endearing, bashful smile as he looked away, a melodic chuckle bubbled up from her as she stepped closer to him, the concept of personal space still an enigma to the fae child. "Do ya s'pose it's not chance that continues brings us together, but fate?" She mused, searching for the deep crimson of Cian's eyes.

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

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is anxious eyes were still looking elsewhere, as the close proximity of the fae remained close, leaving him feeling feverish from the tips of his ears to his softly wagging tail. He could feel those gentle eyes, often seen in dreams but not nearly often enough in waking life, upon him as the words left her sweet lips: "Do ya s'pose it's not chance that continues brings us together, but fate?" His father’s voice, now the words of a phantom, still managed to invade his thoughts: ”Fate is an absurd story tale for children, can you not see? Your future belongs elsewhere…” No. In that moment, he was certain that his father was wrong, and had been wrong all along. The youth’s destiny was, on the contrary, Cian’s own to decide. ”Yeah – yes. I– I guess I am fortunate to have found you – er, again.”


As he finally looked back down at his friend, the happiness on her face was contagious – and so different from the somber expressions seen on the features of those he had worked beside, as well as those he had tried to help in the Mainlands. It was impossible to keep himself from grinning, as well. ”I-it’s just really good to see you again, Clover. Really.”



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

H

e murmured his agreement on the matter of fate and when he finally looked at her again, she seemed pleasantly surprised by what she saw. "And it's good ta see ya smile the way ya are! You should do it more often! It really is quite lovely!" The girl mirrored his grin and then her attention was drawn to the path ahead.

Her ears swiveled forward, the humming in the air vibrating against them as she stared in the direction of the incline. It was like a calling that she couldn't ignore and for a moment she even seemed to be entrances by it before coming to her senses and turning to face her friend again. "And now that yer here, we can go further into these misty mountains together! What d'ya say?"

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

C

lover compliments his smile, and another rush of heat coursed through him. For a split second, he worried that the girl would hear his frantic heart beating. Impossible, he thought to himself. Then again, stranger things had happened… Just look at the day’s surprises.

"And now that yer here, we can go further into these misty mountains together! What d'ya say?" Fiery eyes turned to look at the path before the young pair. It stretched out ahead, past the border of trees, where they could not find stable ground for roots. The path was twisting like a snake, with a crumbling rock wall on one side, and a sheer drop on the other. Glancing back to Clover, a little frown tugged at the corners of his lips. It looked rather dangerous, and while he was well aware that Clover could handle herself, he felt a protective surge for the girl. The path was wide enough for both to walk side by side, but Cian had some apprehension. ”Well…”

He inhaled a deep breath as his focus returned to Clover, who seemed unperturbed by the daunting way forward. Perhaps she had more experience with mountain climbing, where Cian’s was… well, non-existent.

After a few seconds, he finally nodded, exhaling noisily. He did not want to appear like a coward, so he took a tentative step in the right direction. ”Y-yeah. It will be worth it.” His words were more for his benefit than for his companion’s. To spend time with Clover, that alone was enough.



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

T

here was worry clearly written all over his face that was only accentuated by the small frown. "Agh, don'tcha go fretting about it too much, Cian! You know I wouldn't let ya go and fall off a cliff or the like." She fluffed out her chest, ready to assume the role of trail guide proudly. "I'll see to it that ya make it up an back down all in one piece! On my honor!" She made a motion that her elder siblings taught her, crossing her paw over her chest with an affirming nod.

When the hesitant male finally relented, Clover bounced up and down excitedly, turning in a couple circle until she faced the way she'd been traveling before. "This adventure is going to be grand!" She exclaimed cheerfully, scampering back around to Cian, moving behind him and giving him a few encouraging nudges with her head against his bum to get him moving. "Come on, let's go!"

@Cian

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

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he boy’s ears pinned back at Clover’s statement, embarrassed that his hesitation had been perceived so easily by the other. Father had always lectured about the importance of hiding one’s emotions from their facade.. "I'll see to it that ya make it up an back down all in one piece! On my honor!" His mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came, his brain too bewildered to string together a coherent sentence. After all, wasn’t it he that should be offering such words of protective and honor, instead of the other way around? He was a male, one trained for service… And that was supposed to mean rescuing damsels in distress. Fearlessness. Daring. Right…? He dismissed the haunting thoughts hammered into his psyche from a young age, and responded in a hushed tone, ”Thanks.”

His head remained confused, but he would follow Clover now, where else was there to do but go up? It was what the heart wanted, even if the rest of him was mildly terrified at the prospect of this journey. But, of course, he believed Clover: the adventure would indeed be grand, so long as he was willing to take it. The pale girl gave a few encouraging nudges (which, and he hoped that she would not see it, gave him another funny feeling in his very core), and with that, Cian began to walk again – more slowly than when he had traveled on his own.

He tried his best not to stare at the trail as they traveled, which seemed even more precarious further down the path. Mustering his courage, he asked, ”Have you been here before? I mean – to the top of the mountains.” From there, the rambling words began to flow forth again: ”I-I imagine the view is quite splendid from – from the summit. There really were no mountains to climb back… back in the Mainlands. This is…” He paused to glance over the edge of the cliff, which he instantly regretted. ”This is different. In a g-good way,” he added quickly.



@Clover

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck