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+--- Thread: Time to Train (/thread-1748.html)
Time to Train - Marta - 02-02-2025
Marta didn't come here much, and this was the first time she had consciously decided to come here since Sierra had left. Ricky had told her that she could stay a second night with Elyse, and Elyse had agreed. Elyse didn't like it here either, but Marta was here now. She felt braver since her talk with Hayden, and she was certain that she should really begin to understand this place. It was a scary place. She knew her thoughts could change things in an instant, and she had the ability to 'wake up' should she need to.
Splash was here too. That was another thing. Splash had a better understanding of the dream than she did. Wolves just seemed to naturally get this place. They were inherently connected to it. Splash also wasn't too happy that Marta had decided to come, but Marta did. She couldn't learn how this place worked without being here. She awoke in Nox's Building, but this wouldn't do. She needed someplace else.
"Splash," she said, the words translating to images that she sent to her companion. "How to I get to the woods from here."
Splash sent her back the instructions. She closed her eyes, and pictured the spot in the woods where she had met Elyse and Sierra, remembering every detail. She even remembered the scents, and the way the wind rustled through the trees, and when she opened her eyes, she was there.
"Okay - I have to remember. I'm real, not a dream, and I got to remember what I look like." her clothing, which had been shifting slightly solidified. She smirked and thought of herself with a bow, and suddenly one was in her hands and she felt the familiar weight of a quiver on her back. Now she just wondered what she should do now.
((OoC: Any dream walker is welcome - no plans here))
RE: Time to Train - Marta - 02-04-2025
Marta began to move through the dream woods, exploring it as a child would explore the woods near their home. She kept her bow ready, an arrow nocked to the string should anything attempt to harm the pair. Marta wasn’t sure what she sought and also didn’t know what it was she needed to do to figure out this place more.
Marta looked around, always feeling like someone was watching. She stopped, realizing that this had always been the case, and perhaps a significant portion of her unease while she had been here. Marta resumed her journey, coming to a cave. She stopped in her tracks. The cave smelled wrong.
Marta didn’t know what it was, but she knew whatever it was, it was evil. Marta took a step back. Her first thought was the dream was a reflection of their real world. This place wasn’t dangerous here, but she dismissed it. The Dream was always dangerous and forgetting that could be fatal. Still, whatever made this place in particular evil didn’t exist here. It existed in the mortal world.
Splash could sense it too. She looked around with a whine. Marta nodded. ”Yeah, let’s get out of here.” Marta left the area, not turning around until she was out of sight of the evil cave.
RE: Time to Train - Marta - 02-05-2025
Marta shifted away from the cave when it was no longer in site. The thought of the place made her shiver. There was something there. Maybe she would tell Elyse and Ricky about it. They would be mad that she had gone into the dream alone, but there was something in that cave that was dangerous. Marta knew that for sure.
Splash looked at her and sent images, but Marta was beginning to learn how to read them better. The images began to change to words in her head.
A game - we play a game? Marta opened her mouth to speak, but Splash interrupted. No sound…only thought.”
Marta understood. She was here to learn. Now she had to learn how to truly communicate with the wolves. She thought, bringing the words she wanted to say to her mind. The process was slow, but she wasn’t relying on her crutch of speaking the words anymore.
What game? How do we play?
Splash’s scent changed to one of pride as she thought the images without speaking. I run. You chase.
Suddenly, Splash was gone, having shifted somewhere else. The unexpected move might have caused a panic if it was someone other than Splash. Marta was left standing there with no idea what to do. Splash came back a moment later.
You are two legs. Do not follow like two legs. Splash hinted as she departed again.
Marta thought about Splash’s riddle. It wasn’t a direction in what to do, but a way for Marta to figure it out on her own. She smiled as it came to her. This was a wolf game. She had to play it like a wolf. She closed her eyes and sniffed at the air, and then finding Splash’s scent, she shifted.
The small-she wolf was there and padded to Marta, rubbing her head under the girl’s hand. Good…now again.
Splash left and Marta used the same procedure to follow. She arrived and splash left without sending a single image. Marta followed, having fun with the game. Each time, Splash left a little sooner, but Marta was aware of where her companion went. Marta had her scent. Marta got faster each time too, keeping her thoughts focused on the scent of the wolf as she shifted. Soon enough, Marta wasn’t even seeing Splash as she arrived. She just followed to the next area.
Marta was also aware of the changing landscape. She wasn’t near Moscow area of the dream anymore. She was somewhere else. It was amazing how fast she could travel this way. She wondered if she could travel in the real world through the dream.
The game stopped suddenly as Marta found Splash. Splash ran to her, almost panicking. Dangerous…do not come into the Wolf Dream too fully. Dangerous
Marta’s thoughts had been sent to Splash. Marta believed it was possible to do as she had thought, but Splash had said it was too dangerous to come here to fully. There were a lot of possible implications with that, but Marta didn’t want to explore them. She sent understanding to Splash and the wolf calmed down.
We go back by different route. Three jumps. I run. You follow.
Marta did as instructed and began to see the familiar forest that bordered the city. She had taken less jumps, and Splash’s scent had been harder to find this way, but she had found it. She felt the wolf pack before she ended up in the last area. Splash was there with a number of other wolves.
Windsong…run with us.
The image was not a request. The wolves began to run and Marta followed. She soon began to fall behind. I can’t keep up! I’m only two legs!
Marta felt amusement from the pack as Splash spoke again. Windsong. RUN! WITH! US!
The image hit Marta like a ton of bricks. She tried to run faster, but it wasn’t fair. They had four legs…they could…
Then she understood. Marta formed the image of herself in her mind, shifting it to that of a wolf. The dream responded and her form shifted to that of a Splash sized wolf with dark brown and black fur. She ran, catching up to the pack feeling exhilaration as she became Windsong.
RE: Time to Train - Marta - 02-07-2025
Marta ran with the pack. She could feel the wind of their run rushing through fur. The run filled her with exhilaration. Her heart beat in her chest with excitement as well as the exertion from the run. Two wolves flanked her. One was Splash, the other she didn’t know, but the two kept her in formation. They were close to the cave, but the pack turned, avoiding it entirely. Marta was glad for that. They got to a clearing and the wolves stopped. All panting, but all happy.
Become two legs Splash commanded.
Marta obeyed and was once more in her normal form. She was still breathing hard. When Splash came to her and pushed her on the chest with two front paws.
Marta woke up on her air mattress in Elyse’s room. The sun was beginning to shine. She had spent the whole night in the dream. She didn’t feel awake. In fact for having gotten a full nights rest, she felt very tired. Splash came to her.
Learned much. Must be careful to not enter too fully. Must rest today. Will teach you more.
Marta understood. She still had a lot more to learn, but something had happened to her. Splash had sensed a readiness in her to learn more about her abilities. That meant something. She found herself tired, but unable to fall back asleep.