[TWWM] Those Connected by Fate

Location: India

Dusty streams of evening sunlight hung sideways in the air, painting the forest in a ruddy glow as Kaito followed Sauvi to her boundary. The nagging feeling to return to his own boundary was far outweighed by his desire to stay by her side, and he pushed it from his mind. He watched her as she slunk across the forest floor, leaping deftly over fallen logs and sliding easily over rocky outcroppings. She was nimble and lithe, but a great weight hung about her as well. He winced, imagining the intense lonelyness she must of endured during her months in this quiet place. Evergreen needles and branches crunched loudly under his paws, the entire place seemed to be intensely dry, as if they'd been baked all summer without a single drop of rain.
She led him down a steep embankment and across a low area. He noticed rows of tangled growth coming into view. The nearest ones were almost completely swallowed by forest growth, but as they moved further outward, it became apparent that they were abandoned grape vines. Dry and static, they'd grown together ages ago, creating eerily dark tunnels into the distance. Shoulders slumping, she shuffled into one of the tunnels wordlessly. He followed.

Her smaller stature allowed her to easily trot down the tunnel, but it was a bit cramped for Kaito. He hunched down a bit, the dry vines tugging and tangling in his fur as he followed along. Down the tunnel they went, over and down several small hills until finally she came to a halt. Quietly, she sat down on the hard ground, the vines encircling her, creating a surprisingly sullen and exhausted scene. Kaito padded to a stop before her and sat as well. His long dark tail trailed after him, and he looked around.

"This...?" he started, not sure what to say.
"Yes. This very spot. Its...painful..." she winced and moved the dirt around with her paw awkwardly.
Kaito thought about his own boundary, the place he was tied to as an esk. He thought about the beautiful garden, the koi pond, the soft sand, the beautiful stone wall that circled it all, providing privacy and safety. Everything about his home felt peaceful and beautiful. This place though... he tried to see the good here, he didn't want to upset her further.
"Its...lovely! Its so quiet and restful. Its like a natural little tunnel system!"
She squinted at him, instantly able to see through his white lie. "Don't say that just to make me feel better. I hate it here." she kicked the dirt, sending a plume of dust into the air. "Its dark and dead, everything is dry and broken...its terrible. I stay away from here as much as I can." she looked past Kaito towards the more forested area. "Nothing feels right anymore...but at least the forest isn't dead."
Feeling sadness tugging at her again, a tear escaped down her cheek.
"Oh, don't cry Sauvi." he said, trying to think of how to make her feel better. "I know, why don't you show me your favorite place instead?"
"My...favorite?" she thought for a moment. "Alright, I know of a place. It helps sometimes." she padded past him, her fur brushing against his. He shuddered, shocked by how hollow and lonely she was. 'Doesn't she realize she's not alone anymore?' he thought as he turned to follow her once more.
The truth was, she honestly didn't. She knew Kaito had finally found her, and that he was serious about staying and keeping her company, but the cloud of despair that hung over her all this time refused to dissipate.
'Why can't I cheer up?' she thought angrily, as she strode back towards the forest. 'This is so selfish. He came all this way, he's gone through all this too right? Why am i being this way?'
she couldn't seem to chase the clouds from her heart though, so she ignored them and carried on for now. Kaito was left to follow her, pondering her mood in silence. 

Through the forest they wandered for a while, until they came to a spot where a small stream  had dug itself a hollow in a soft bank. The water trickled down a hillside and pooled here, spinning slowly in its own current before spilling over the edge and continuing down the hill. She walked all the way up to the water, her paws sinking into the soft earth, and sat down. He joined her, the mossy bank was damp and cool.
"This is my favorite place so far. I found it a few weeks ago. Its...calming here." she whispered, reaching a paw into the water.
"Its very nice here." he replied, letting the gentle trickling of the water carry his mind into a restful state. He let his mind wander, and spoke to her.

"The water... it can cleanse. Not only the dirt from our fur, but our minds too." his voice seemed warm in her mind, she hoped he would continue. Almost as if he'd sensed her wish, he carried on. "The spirit of water... it takes many forms. It rushes angrily down mountains, only to pool gently in a ravine. It can be sturdy and hard, while ice... or as free as the air itself..." he trailed off, watching the mist rise off the surface of the pool.
Pulling himself out of his daze, he turned his gaze towards her. She felt as if his dark eyes were peering right into her, but she wasn't afraid.
"Even though you've changed... you can still be yourself." he whispered.

The gentle sounds from the water tugged at her, willing her to let go, to uncoil the tangle of pain and regret that wound itself like grape vines within her heart. She reluctantly gave in, allowing her mind to wander. Coaxed on by her loving companion, she relaxed.
Her shoulders softly relaxed, not in a frumpy exhausted manner as she had earlier, but in true relaxation. She felt the whispers of the water swallowing up all of her thoughts. Her vision blurred and went dark as she entered some form of meditation, eyes narrowed to slits as she began to feel the hum of the earth through her paws. The world seemed to drift away from her, all its pain and confusion, all the events that led her to here. It all seemed so small and insignificant, as she managed to look on the world from a new perspective.
"This is..." as she formed a coherent thought, everything surged back to her, and the serenity of the void was ripped away. She reeled, swaying wildly as reality came crashing back upon her. Frantic, she looked around, locking eyes with Kaito. He had a knowing look to him, and she sensed his smile.
"Don't worry. Its alright."
She was upset, the void had been so soothing, but now everything seemed...back the way it was before. "Where did I go? What was that?"
"That was you, feeling the earth in a new way. Letting your spirit be guided by it."
"It was...magical..."
"Indeed, and its always there...right beneath your feet." she looked down at her small paws. "And in the trees around you, and in the wind. You just have to relax and allow it to enter your consciousness."
"Its...hard to believe its always there, all this anger and fear I feel..."
"It will take time, but if you want to, you can do it. It was easier for me... the one who transformed me from a human, they were unique, special. They took the time to teach me how to apply my meditation in this new form, and thats how I ultimately found you."
"Really?" Sauvi thought back to the tiny esk who had transformed her. Its round white face and giant eyes seemed burned into her memory. It wasn't a happy thought at the time. "She..." she paused a moment, but then wasn't sure why, and decided to confide in Kaito completely. "The one who changed me... I was very mean to her. She said she'd been looking for me for years... from when I was still in France. I didn't listen to her, I was so selfishly wrapped up in my own pain. I just wanted her to leave me alone... and after she changed me, I don't..." she paused again, pondering that moment. "I don't think she even meant to have changed me... I think it was an accident... but even then I didn't listen. I chased her away and forgot her in hate...I wish..." another tear escaped, all this emotional sharing was so exhausting. "I wish that I would of listened to her... maybe everything would of been different then..." the memory came to her clearer now, she remembered the fan of petals around the tiny esk's face, and how she originally was terrified of the talking flower. Thinking back though, she was pretty cute. How hysterical she must of been to have reacted that way to such a sweet esk. She struggled to remember the words... Twyla was it? Her heart felt heavy as she realized she couldn't remember much of what the tiny esk had said.
Kaito climbed to his feet, his pale back glinting in the light from the approaching sunset, and came closer to her.
"Its alright. Once you've found your happiness again, we could try to find her if you'd like."
She winced, "That feels a very far way off...I don't even know what I'd say..."
He sensed her discomfort, layered on her other pains, he knew it wasn't the time to discuss that.
"Thats alright, its all up to you. All I want is for you to find peace. Please let me stay with you and help however I can. I love you so much Sauvi, all I want is your joy.
The tears erupted at this point, she couldn't even hold them back. He reached an arm around her shoulders, cluttered with lovely curving vines and leaves, and hugged her close. As the sun set, and the little forest pool was bathed in moonlight, she sobbed into his fur again, but this time it wasn't tears of pain and confusion, but tears of relief and release, as she began to let go of some of the weight that she carried with her. 

--

Thousands of miles away, Twyla lie under her peony bush, dreaming. It was a interesting dream, filled with vines and emotions. As if something was reaching out to her through the spirit realms. She twitched in her sleep, her large flat tail flicking and fanning a bit, shaking petals free. Moonlight streamed through the gaps between the bush, speckling her in black and silver. "I'm...sorry..." she whispered, unaware of herself or the fact that she was even dreaming. "Just don't...leave..." the tiny esk was deep in sleep, twitching nervously in a dreamscape somewhere, unaware that the pained creature she'd created was finally beginning to heal.