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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 27, 2021 7:37:11 GMT -6
The first time that Sevyrn had truly experienced the mansion was in September - it was hard to believe that a whole year had passed since then. Of course, she'd had a brief visit in late August but that had simply been dipping her toes in the water, seeing what this strange place had in store for her. She wasn't as afraid any more, as she was back then - there was less unknown ahead of her, though every turn she made had the potential to throw her for a loop. Now, at least, she was prepared for it. She hadn't been since about March, if she recalled correctly. She'd brought a houlou pup with her that trip, Moony. Before that she had brought two pups with her, Moony and another one born around the same time, Ash. After bringing Moony on her own during the last trip it only felt right to have Ash with her this time as she followed the call of the mansion. 1
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 27, 2021 8:14:18 GMT -6
Sweetie’s little boy Ash had been so calm and careful back when he was younger – even more so than his mother had ever been and she was quiet the timid thing. Time had changed the pup, though, and he had come to be quite confident in the way he navigated the world around him. Sevyrn had thought that Moony could be a bit head strong and that Ash would be the soft careful sweetheart but she had been wrong – Moony was a handful, yes, but Ash had become quite the hellion himself. The other pups back home must have been an influence on him.
That meant that Sevyrn had to be careful, of course – Ash was much more apt to try to run off than Moony was, something that hadn’t seemed possible not so long ago. Luckily the boy did have some training to him, hopefully that would make life just a touch easier for Sevyrn during this adventure.
2
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 27, 2021 8:15:16 GMT -6
On the topic of that boy rushing ahead – it seemed that the mansion remained familiar to him despite how long it had been since he had been down this way. As soon as he laid eyes on the entry way he dashed forward. Sevyrn didn’t understand how he could feel so comfortable here right about now – though yes the location was the same, Ash had never seen the soft autumn haze that came with September’s illusion. Even Sevyrn was slightly taken aback by the changes – but she should have known better than to think this year would be identical to the last. She had no justification for why she would have expected more than vague familiarity.
The closest thing to familiar was the apple trees lining the path to the front door. She stopped to pick one, took a solid bite from the crisp flesh and hummed as the sweet juices trickled towards the back of her throat. This may, perhaps, be her favourite time of the year to visit.
3
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 27, 2021 8:16:02 GMT -6
She looked away for all of ten seconds to pick that apple and by the time she turned back around, Ash was wagging his tail up on the porch, sniffing at the frame of the mansion's door with an eager curiosity to him. Sevyrn chuckled as she wandered towards the building at a much more relaxed pace – Ash was a good houlou, he was going to be just fine up there on his own, more likely than not. She knew better than to doubt what the mansion was capable of but in her experience, any kind of trouble waited until she was inside – except that curious occasion last October when she’d witnessed two bone familiars having at each other outside. Even that wasn’t trouble, though – not really. No one had been in danger, and she’d taken the two beasts home with her. They had a comfy home now and still bickered with each other on the daily, but as a bonus they had made decent-ish entries for the Vai Min Mur themed contests that year.
4
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Post by Sevyrn on Sept 27, 2021 8:17:02 GMT -6
Once she reached the porch, Sevyrn fell backwards in to a swinging porch chair – she planned to finish up her snack before heading inside. Ash seemed to think that she’d had an amazing idea, because the young pup then hopped up on to the seat beside her. She used her feet to sway the swing gently back and forth at a slow pace, closing her eyes and letting out a sigh as she basked in the soft early-autumn chill. Summer had never been her weather, anyways – if Sevyrn had to pick a favourite time of the year it would be right about now as the chill started to settle in and the leaves started to brown. It was cozy and comfortable, and the only flaw was how the garden she put so much effort in to during the warmer months was soon to wither away until next year came. In a way that could be a good thing – the colder months meant she had more time for everything else she was supposed to be getting done.
5 (Ash - 6)
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Post by Nadia on Oct 6, 2021 12:59:01 GMT -6
September left you a gift.
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Post by Sevyrn on Oct 6, 2021 20:36:19 GMT -6
The last trip had been short but it had been something - Sevyrn hadn’t realized just how sleepy Ash was and as such they had gone back home pretty quickly. The good thing was she knew the season of Vai Min Mur was approaching - she remembered how interesting (and kind of spooky) the mansion had been this time last year, and she was excited to head back and see if similar (if at all) the mansion would be this time around.
She left the house early this time around, hoping that Ash would be a bit more energetic this time around - she still wanted to get some bonding time in with the playful pup. Her decision to bring him along also related to the fact that she felt comfortable with the young one - he had a decent amount of obedience training, and she liked knowing she had someone around who would listen to her.
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Post by Sevyrn on Oct 6, 2021 20:39:55 GMT -6
The last thing that she needed was her companion getting spooked and running off while on an adventure that ran the risk - if this was anything like last time, she was going to need it. Last year she had brought Fier, a young hydra ghaenelt, with her and… well - his claws might have been small but they were sharp and mighty, though well-healed nowadays Sevyrn bore a light scar from that little one getting spooked.
After getting ready for the adventure of the day - picking the right clothes to keep herself comfortable but protected, and grabbing an ample amount of snacks for both her and her canine companion, it was time for Sevyrn to make her way down to the kennel and pick up the pup of choice. Hopefully the young guy would appreciate a good horror story because they were in for some fun while out on this adventure.
2
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Post by Sevyrn on Oct 7, 2021 15:02:41 GMT -6
“Whatcha think?” Sevyrn ended up asking the pooch before she’d even left the kennel, crouched down low to the ground. Ash wasn’t the only one wanting to love on her - Sevyrn had a whole litter’s worth of pups and of course she was going to use this opportunity to greet each and every one of them. It took a little while but everyone got their morning play and she unlocked the doggy door that would allow them in to the run in the back - she locked it at night to keep unwanted things out.
When all was said and done, she grabbed a leash that was hanging on the wall and hooked it on to the deep blue collar around Ash’s neck. “Let’s get outta here,” she said to the pup as she popped the door to the kennel open, ready to start their adventure now.
3
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Post by Sevyrn on Oct 7, 2021 15:06:56 GMT -6
Ash walked well at her side, though there was no denying that he was just a pup - so many new smells and new sights. Even though it wasn’t his first trip to the mansion and the route that they were taking would be familiar, that didn’t mean that new people and creatures he’d never seen hadn’t walked these streets since the last time that they had been out! He was a good pup, though, and as much as he would dash around and stop to check out various items and pieces of the landscape surrounding them, he didn’t pull or interfere with Sevyrn’s attempt to walk him… for now.
She planned on taking him off leash once they were in the mansion, or at least after she could be sure that he would be well behaved within the walls. For now, however, he was expected to be learning and acting on his leash manners.
4
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Post by Sevyrn on Oct 7, 2021 15:10:05 GMT -6
The fence marking the entrance to the mansion was rotting, the building’s inherent magic capable of altering any part of the property to its whims. A wide dirt path marked the way down to the building itself, dying grass marking the path in patches where it hadn’t been downtrodden by too many footsteps to endure. Despite the inherent air of death and decay that the mansion already ensued Sevyrn felt comfortable, familiar - she remembered being here before, seeing this form. The mansion lived in the uncanny valley, however, and though it felt familiar there was also something off about it.
The hairs on the back of Sevyrn’s neck stood as a shiver shot down her spine - she was unable to put her finger on what felt so wrong, yet the feeling struck her all the same. That didn’t mean she had changed her mind about venturing forth, however.
5 [Ash - 7]
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Post by Ashe on Oct 8, 2021 3:28:49 GMT -6
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Post by Sevyrn on Oct 10, 2021 15:13:26 GMT -6
Not even inside yet and there were signs of life, reminiscent of Sevyrn's last autumn visit. There were no bone familiars battling it out in the background this time - yet - but two small creatures appeared in the distance, chasing a fallen leaf across the pathway. These little creatures caught Ash's attention and the pup pulled at the leash for the first time on this adventure. They were barely past the entrance and the hectic had begun!
Luckily, Sevyrn was quite sure she could trust her houlou companion to behave. He might be curious and want to investigate the oddities that came along, but he wasn't about to run off out of the blue. "Alrighr, alright - I'll let you off the leash. You have to promise not to harass the wildlife, though. Can you do that for me?" Sevyrn crouched in front of the pup as she spoke, and in return the young one barked at her.
6
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Post by Sevyrn on Oct 10, 2021 15:34:39 GMT -6
Sevyrn considered the bark to be an agreement and in return she nodded at the houlou pup in front of her. "Alright, sounds good. Let's go on an adventure then, Ash!" She unhooked the clip of the leash from the loop on the puppy's collar, and Ash's tail started to wag a mile a minute with his new found freedom. It was time to go check out his new surroundings!
The houlou pup's little feet took him a mile a minute as he crunched through fallen leaves towards the little critters that had scampered across their field of vision just moments prior, and the pup seemed to have caught there attention as well. Last year Sevyrn had come across many an interesting little creepy critter, but these ones were new to her - and she figured that she really liked the "spooky scary skeleton" vibes of the small canid. She was less sure about that other thing, though.
7
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Post by Sevyrn on Oct 10, 2021 15:41:54 GMT -6
The pair of little critters ran towards Ash as Ash ran towards them, and all the while Sevyrn ambled down the pathway towards the rickety porch of what the mansion was this month. The building looked abandoned and desolate, like one of those haunted house she'd always tried to talk her parents in to bringing her when she was young... Thinking about that she had to chuckle - how traumatized would she have turned out if her dad had dared to bring her here when she was small and curious and asking to be spooked? Back then she didn't know that the typical "haunted house" was staged so perhaps she would have thought no different of the mansion compared to the attraction, but this place definitely would have upped the realistic nature of the situation!
The tiny little skeleton dog seemed to be playing with Ash, who must have seemed like a bigger fleshy version of itself.
8
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