Marisol stirs awake to a warm, furry mass surrounding the entire length of her body. It turned out to be Cedric's massive wolf curled quietly around her and fear would be the only logical reaction, but, her wolf seemed completely content with the abrupt cuddling session, if the satisfied purrs that came on intervals were anything to go by.
She is struck with bewilderment. Immediately going over the last of her memories, or atleast trying to understand the turn of events that could've led to them in the least expected position she could've thought. How did she end up here? Why was she still in the hidden castle, and why was this wolf, -If it could even still be called that at such an unusual size-, so out of its element by seeming so relaxed around her?
She tries to look outside and suppresses a yawn. What exactly was going on? Atleast it looked to be in a deep sleep, so that meant a lesser chance of getting attacked suddenly. She breathed out a relieved sigh at the discovery.
Examining Cedric's sleeping wolf closely, Marisol can't help but feel sympathy for it. Despite its intimidating appearance, the wolf bore the marks of its tumultuous existence. An infested and mangled fur, a plethora of scars that told of attacks with sharp weapons, untreated sores, and wounds that told the story of a creature that had endured much suffering.
Its vulnerable state stirs conflicting emotions within her. From the new angle she was presented with, the beast that haunted her dreams, giving her night after night of sleeplessness, seemed pitiable, and a sudden urge to extend a comforting touch tugged at her.
Her wolf urges her to stroke the creature's fur, bring to it and assuage it so sadly looked to have never gotten, all while insisting that there was nothing to fear. Yet, a lingering sense of apprehension keeps Marisol from succumbing to the impulse.
Caution prevails, and after a few minutes of stiffly studying the creature, Marisol carefully untangles herself from the creature, slow and cautious, so as not to disturb its resting state. Having successfully done so, Marisol silently retreats to the pack house, returning to the familiarity of her room with questions swirling in her mind.
Marisol collapses on her bed, exhaustion washing over her. Her groggy memories suddenly sharpen her mind, seemingly working better without the fright of waking up next to the beastly wolf, and the events of the previous night flood back in.
Cedric had challenged her, daring her to prove she wasn't afraid after she'd pestered him the entire night, seeking answers to his wolf's actions. She couldn't believe he would suggest such, well aware of his wolf's unpredictability.
Disliking Cedric even more, Marisol felt torn. She knew she should have just ignored his goading and left, but the desire to prove him wrong was stronger. Reluctantly, she'd agreed, asking him to shift into his wolf form.
Cedric, looking strangely relaxed, explained that he couldn't willingly shift, not since the curse, and that, these days, his wolf emerged whenever it would.
With clammy palms and struggling to keep her erratically beating heart at bay, Marisol forces herself to sit in wait.
She waited and waited for hours, and yet there was nothing. Dusk fell, fatigue overcoming her, and with Cedric at the far side of the room, she'd drifted into sleep. And then she wakes up to the towering wolf practically wrapped around her.
What a weird night.
Marisol wakes up in her bed this time, feeling rejuvenated and fueled by a newfound curiosity.
After taking a long shower, she ventures out in search of Lily, choosing to ignore every thought of Cedric and what happened the night before in favor of a distraction.
To her surprise, the familiar presence was absent from the kitchen and every other place Marisol had thought of checking. Surprised and a little concerned, Marisol is prompted to inquire about Lily's whereabouts from those around her.
"Hey, did you happen to see Lily? I can't seem to find her anywhere." Marisol questions, curiosity evident in her voice.
The pack member she'd spoken to, thankfully, looks up from her task, not a hint of malice in her voice as she replies almost immediately, "Oh, she went to visit her family. Mentioned she'd be gone for a bit, too."
The revelation surprises Marisol, no doubt, but she decides she can't hold that against the others. A mix of boredom and curiosity spurs her to embark on a spontaneous quest to find Lily and perhaps glean more about life in Redwood.
Hadn't Lily said that there were nice people in Redwood? Well, she would go deeper into the pack dwellings today and find out.
Marisol's journey to find Lily takes her through uncharted territories of Redwood, leading her to a bubbling suburb she had never ventured into before. Initially, the atmosphere feels unassuming, but as she draws closer, into a more lively scene, she begins to get the cold stares and harsh whispers that she wouldn't be too surprised at, at this point.
The people stayed off her path like she was carrying an incurable disease that could be passed by so much as breathing the same air she did. The whispers were loud as ever, too, fingers and pointed stares accusing.
The unfair judgment grates on Marisol, but she chooses to ignore the baseless accusations, focusing on her mission to locate Lily amidst her unfamiliar surroundings.