trust issues, not to mention [Persephone]

[attr="class","pltxt"]Alarm coursed through Aphrodite’s veins like ice and froze every muscle in her body except for her head, which shot up from her paws in a hurry, and her eyes, which opened as wide as saucers to take in the sight of the monster that had come to harass her next; but much to her surprise there was no monster in front of her, but instead a tiny creature, small and even a little cute, with friendly eyes and an even friendlier smile. A deep maternal instinct awoke in her without rhyme or reason. She didn’t know how old this creature was, but its diminutive size reminded Aphrodite of pups, and her voice, so soft and feminine and light, brought her unnatural joy. It had been a terribly long time since she’d had the company of another female. For the first time, perhaps in Aphrodite’s entire life, she didn’t cower before the stranger and plead for mercy. No threat would come from either party.

“I suppose I was lost in thought.” Aphrodite admitted warmly, relaxed and at ease because of the creature’s cheerful and oddly wise insight. There was just enough time for Aphrodite to hope she’d stay awhile before the unwelcome and frightening scent of Kairos invaded her senses. She stilled, barely able to do more than blink. How was it possible? How did this tiny creature wear such a radiant smile, and look upon the world with so much positivity, when it was Kairos that she belonged to? Aphrodite thought it impossible that she wasn’t enslaved just like she’d been.

She steadied herself with a calming breath, reluctant to make unnecessary assumptions and chase off the first female companion she’d found in a while. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d been sharing this cavern with Pan, another Kairos wolf who managed to earn her trust, and if she was anything like Pan – which Aphrodite was eager to believe she was – then there was no reason to fuss about her pack. But she did have questions.

“I can smell Kairos on your fur. Have you been enslaved?” Aphrodite’s voice lowered in volume drastically, wary. She’d made it obvious that she had some knowledge about Kairos, but it seemed unlikely that the creature in front of her would suddenly turn on her, and Aphrodite similarly had no intentions of doing that. Her heart rate accelerated unbidden, anticipating a story similar to her own in which the creature felt like it had no other option than to serve Kairos for the remainder of her life. Say the word, and Aphrodite was prepared to invite her on her journey. Sure, she’d been almost convinced to brave the swim back to the island she’d abandoned, but the small female’s safety was more important than that.

Words: 463
Tags: Persephone

[attr="class","pltxt"]Home.

It felt like Aphrodite’s heart had been pinched. This delicate creature admitted to being whisked away, much like Aphrodite remembered being, too, and yet Kairos was her home. Her home was somewhere else, she knew, but she’d spent so much time on Anikira that her memories were starting to fade. After all, she didn’t have a lot of time with her birth family. She had an adopted mother, too, but even that was taken from her untimely, before she realized she should’ve been properly appreciating every minute. A lot of the words tumbling out of the small female’s mouth were hitting Aphrodite like slaps in the face. Of course, Aphrodite was happy for her, truly, because someone so warm and bright deserved timeless kindness in return, but she guiltily pitied that her circumstances hadn’t been as favourable. The giants took care of someone who barely reached their kneecaps, gave her parents to look out for her well-being, but Aphrodite was reduced to property, supposedly for her own safety – but how was it safe if she couldn’t stand there alone, independent, without being hassled? But she was right, at least partially: not all monsters did monstrous things. Aphrodite wouldn’t call Pan a monster by any means; and she feared Hyperion, the emperor of the pack of brutes, but he offered her a rank as a huntress alongside her servitude to Beleth.

Aphrodite offered her a sad, knowing smile when she used past tense to refer to her mother. “She still does.” She assured. She understood the pain of losing loved ones, but she refused to believe that death brought an end to their love for the living. She leaned back against the cavern wall, arching her back to stretch out her weary limbs with a satisfied sigh. “I suppose Kairos found us at different points in our lives.” The tiny female had likely been too young to live without their protection, while Aphrodite had just been separated from her adopted mother and was ravenous to find her. Every minute under their protection had felt forced. She needed time alone to think. She needed time to accept that her adopted mother was gone and very likely not returning. Now, with Pan in the picture, her thoughts weren’t as powerfully negative as they’d been before in regards to Kairos. There were just as many monsters outside of Kairos – she recalled the menace that reduced her to a pathetic lump of cold, shaking limbs near the hot springs with nightmarish clarity. She had only seen a glimpse of his face, yet she’d know him anywhere. It was impossible to forget the last thing one thought they’d see before dying.

“There is more wisdom packed inside of your little body than I’ve seen from most wolves.” Aphrodite commented, feeling amused and at ease for the first time in a long while. “I have learned an important lesson during my travels alone. I thought I could run from monsters, but there are worse ones out there – ones that don’t have any tradition.” If they did, she hoped to never find out what it was. Aphrodite looked the tiny female in the eye. “You’ve helped me sort my thoughts. I hope I can return the favour someday.” She, with her generous spirit and positive outlook on life, seemed immune to darkness or hardship, but anyone could fake a smile better than Aphrodite who wore her emotions bare on her face.

Aphrodite gestured beside her, where her larger body could shield the small female from the cold outside. It wasn’t often that she was able to make such an offer. She’d grown used to being among the smallest in the room. “You should stay a while. It isn’t safe alone.” She was referring to herself equally. “I’d love to hear about more of the good in Kairos. I’m afraid I didn’t allow myself to see it.” She suspected that a story or two would steer her farther down the path she’d already subconsciously chosen. Her thoughts were filled with Pan whenever they were apart, and it was only a matter of time until she realized the depth of her feelings, the possibilities for them to grow beyond what she thought possible.

Words: 704.
Tags: Persephone