A Spider's Web [Open]

[Spiderfluff]

A sliver of the night's full moon had peeked out from the hovering clouds ahead. Crickets stirred, chirping and croaking to warn the creatures of the night that the winds would be distraught this very evening. The sky had been congested with humidity and arid weather since the days before its prime. Summer would not be a pleasant one for these freely phantoms that ran in the stillness of the moonlight. The oddness in the change of winds had worried one ghostly figment in particular.

As a blurry object raced through the woodland, the foliage which the forests had so guardedly hoarded had wilted into a restful sleep. The trees and leaves were enriched with new life, but would easily descend to the ground were they to witness a hastily drought. Their crisp fragrance and aroma was hushed to soothe away despair for any wanderer that had entered the wood. Were the gorgeous barked columns to die, the sweet caress scent would be extinct and anyone who embarked on this scenic border wouldn't feel its warm welcome.

The figment in question was running as though its life depended on it. Its blanch muzzle was huffing and panting as thought the creature had been running for extended hours into the darkness. Long beige stems leaped over any obstacles that were seen by the phantom's icy sulfuric orbs. A cloud of creamy neutrals had lay a blanket on the phantasm's back, which was moving in a rhythmic motion. Trails of dust and earth were following a computed object that was attached to the beast's back torso. Its hind legs were the culprit of all the loose debris. This living ghost was a lone dame. She was running from a deranged prey that she had attacked, but overpowered her. Finally, the female came to a direct halt. To her thankfulness, the maniacal foul beast had disappeared from the horizon. Perhaps it had fallen or been re-captured by another wolf. She was just happy that she was no longer being chased.

As the ghostly figure panted, gasping for air, she eventually caught her breath. Hopeless-filled eyes gazed at the moon. They couldn't believe that it was still only Summer. Alone and weary from from the flight, she longed for some companionship of a sane being. Meanwhile, she adored and admired over the beauty of the moon that had been witnessing the incident. Disheartened and crushed, the creature turned away from the glorious sight. She was not worthy and victorious enough to see such thing. What had happened in the hunting grounds, would forever remain a regretful memory.

[Grell]

Grell opened his eyes. It was a feat worthy of song. His lids were as heavy as giant rocks, and they sagged like weathered oak branches. Even his ears felt like they were drooping, although, when he slid one of his big paws across his head, he could feel that they still stood upright. That, at least, soothed his concern for their wellbeing. He was still having trouble keeping his eyes open however, and that made him frown with concern. After all, shouldn't a wolf - nay, a wolf warrior, a dragga, even! - be able to keep awake for a single night? Grell grunted to himself and shifted his weight, trying to keep a blurry eye trained up on that sliver of moon between those pearly clouds. Stupid moon. It wasn't even decently interesting, and Grell could feel his eyes begin to grow heavy again. He mumbled something vaguely coherent, and stood up from his pine needle bed. He fought off a shiver from a wisp of wind and ignored the dire warning of the crickets. It was time to entertain himself before he became too zombified to tell if he was asleep or awake.

He chose one of the converging forest paths that sectioned off his little tree from other little trees just like it, and began to pad toward the moon, which had now disappeared behind its silver veil of clouds. Stupid, he thought with some vehemence, though thought alone didn't seem to bring justice to how passionate he felt. Not even enough light to see by! What a fine night, indeed! There was some sarcasm in there, but it was lost in a brief rattle of the wind. He huffed and rolled his shoulders, moving quicker now to keep himself from falling asleep on his feet. It was quite a real threat, since there was still little to occupy himself (though, he had really only gone about fifty feet or so from his tree). As Grell came to another crisscrossing game trail he stopped and sniffed the air. A fox had been through, not long ago. And maybe a badger sometime earlier in the day. He wrinkled his nose and plopped down, frowning.

Perhaps Tor was conspiring with the forest animals tonight, to keep him bored and send him off to sleep.

Grell glowered up suspiciously at the white smudge where the moon was hiding, and shivered as another evening blast of cool wind made haste through the wood. The mottled brown pup could feel his fur spiking as the weather turned to conspire against him too. He growled softly to himself and dropped his head angrily. Just as he did, though, there was some movement in the brush up ahead, and a sleek white ghost fled the shadows and came into full view. She came to a dead stop, seeming equally relieved and embarrassed now that she had outrun whatever had sent her into such a mad scramble. Grell cocked his head. Bet she's no warrior, he thought indignantly. His toes curled at the thought - to have seen a young warrior scared like a whelp barely weaned! It was enough to make him choke out a laugh.