Reprieve( Eros pt 1)

How long had she been traveling? Tallulah wasn’t sure; All she knew was the desert she’d been crossing was hot, and only getting hotter by the minute. She’d left the canyon, and Patch behind hours ago, lingering thoughts running through her mind as she makes her way across the barren waste. The sun sat high above in the sky, a daunting reminder of the heat she’s traveled through just to get here. One paw in front of the other, grains of sand slipping between her toe pads, she finds her way in the direction of her next destination. After all, the tyrian had informed her that she would be looking for another of his kind. Why? Probably to gain answers to the questions which only seemed to keep arising the further she dove into the situation at hand. A soft exhale escapes her lips, the sound more of a pant than anything else. While she’s used to the barren, hot lands, she doesn’t prefer it. The blue lady would much rather be near the water. Ironic really that she ended up in a land which lacks just that for the most part.

 The vay glances up, squinting momentarily at the sun and shaking her head. It’s hot. It’s always hot. There’s barely even a breeze. But she’s thankful for when it does kick up, the wind swirling around her frame and dancing amongst the sand beneath her feet a wonderful moment of refreshment in the midst of the heat. It feels like she’s traveled miles. Which, in reality, she has. She’s far from the canyon she’d started out in after speaking to Patch. Seafoam hued eyes settle on the horizon before her. How much farther would she have to walk? After all, she’d followed the exact trail she’d been coaxed to. There’s no way she could be lost, right? A soft hum slips from between her lips, and she pushes onward as thoughts begin to gather in her head. What exactly had Patch meant when he said that his kind was “allowed” to return? The massive Tyrian never really gave her much of an answer. He’d been too caught up in his own joy to be of much help. Not that she minded, Tally thought it was sweet. Such a massive creature, one deemed a myth and a legend to her own kind, resorting to innocence at the end of the day. His bouncy personality left her with a smile which spread across her face; if her grin could reach ear to ear it would have.

 Tallulah swallowed thickly, rubbing her tongue against the roof of her mouth in hope to ease the tackiness of her dried gums. The heat that radiates up from scorched earth cruelly mimicked waves of clear water, she dared not linger her focus on the hypnotising lines to long, they could fool a thirsty vay. She knew the tricks of the desert, having grown up in it. She knew she should have traveled at night to stay cooler, but Tally feared this matter to be time sensitive. What would she do if the tyrian she was looking for wasn't there because she took too long and they moved on? She didn’t want to linger too long on the thought. After all there were so many unanswered questions, and such little time to get to the bottom of this mystery. Tally finds herself almost lost to the wavering lines of the barren wasteland before her, the thoughts threatening to plague the depths of her mind as she keeps moving forward. Blinking once again to redirect her focus, she gazes out into the distance. What.. what is that. She’s certain she sees something akin to an oasis ahead, but at first refuses to believe the thought. After all, this place was capable of fooling the most experienced vay. Especially those who chose to travel amongst the heat instead of waiting for nightfall.

Tallulah can feel frustration bubbling inside her, it’s a mirage, she can't believe it. She shook her head again, stopping, locking her legs from the force of it, her toes slipping a little deeper into the sand. No! She would not let herself fall victim to hallucinations! She’s dizzy when she stops, her head bowed, eyes focused on the loose sand beneath her paws. Tally waits for the spinning to slow before looking up. Fury builds in her when she sees the tree’s still there, sprouting from the sand but rooted in her mind. She wants to buck and shake and howl in her frustration with herself, but she can't spare the energy. All she can do is stare bitterly at the shapes. This was a foolish idea. Why had she volunteered to do any of this. It was stupid, stupid, so so…..were those trees swaying, or was it her? No...no she’s sure she can see them swaying… mirage’s don't sway. Adrenaline jumps through her veins and she jerks her head up, her ears perking to alert. It was actually an oasis. No longer does it take her to realise that she’s wasting time standing there than it does for her to scramble in the sand, her paws seeking purchase in loose sediment beneath her. Haunches bunch, it’s as if the adrenaline had kicked her into yet another gear. She bounds forward, launching herself in the direction of the trees, and each resounding fall of a paw draws her closer to her goal. Was this even where she needed to be? She’s not sure. What she is sure of, however, is that she’s found some little bit of sanctity from the overbearing heat.

 It takes meer moments, or so it feels like, for her to reach the oasis. All matter of annoyance or anger forgotten in the wake of her realisation. In seconds she’s dashed through the sparse palm trees and found herself face to face with what is clearly heaven in the midst of the arid purgatory she had been wandering in. Before her lay a pool of crystal blue water, deep and quiet; but protected from the blowing sands by those trees. There’s no hesitation; Tally’s launching herself immediately into the shallow portion of that pool, the cool water seeping into her fur, feeling as though it sinks down to her bones, and instantly offering some much needed reprieve from the heat. And just as fast as she’s dived in, she’s lowering her muzzle and gulping down the cool, refreshing liquid. Washing away the paste that coated her tongue and throat from her long hours travelling, she’s taking her time to replenish the water she’s lost over the journey. Ears tip back, tail swaying side to side, she’ll darn near drown herself if she keeps drinking this quickly. But it’s hard not to, she’d traveled through the heat for so long. She has to remind herself to pause and breathe occasionally, seafoam tinted eyes settling on her rippling reflection in the cool water beneath her feet.

 When she’s finally drank her fill, she wade’s until the water is at her knees and sinks down, basking in the cool relief. But it’s now that she takes a moment to look around. It really is heavenly, and something deep in her gut tells Tally this is where she’s meant to be. She’s learned over the years to trust her gut, but it could just be her desire to remain in the quiet sanctuary for as long as she can.