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C12 - Friday Nightfall /

{Wolf, Wisdom, Jaguar, Earth} (The One Who Said Hi)

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Everything around us, everything we're made of, everything we make, everything here, is made from stuff from space. Everything, on this planet, is extraterrestrial in origin. EVERYTHING.

The Bonnie had a different heartbeat than I was used to. It was a little less throaty, with a slightly faster, tiny bit steadier pulse. But she was smooth and sprightly. For an old Brit.

She took to the turns with an ease and a grace. We took the longer of the two routes and sometime around five minutes to nine we veered right and met up with a familiar dirt road. It was the same path I took, to escort a woman, to her very first Skinny Dippin' Cook Out. Set to Polar Bear mode.

"It Felt Quicker Than The Shuttle This Time."

"Temporal Distortion? Or. Lost In The ride?"

"Maybe, A Little Of Both." She mused.

"It Is For Me."

We could just see a flicker of firelight through the trees. The trail curved left, and we could see the fire. A distant antonym to the darkness around it. Guiding us out of this vortex of browns and greens and grays. Heralding, "Come. Let us rejoice."

Shadows danced in the void where the stream broke the pines. The pond was silent and still. Mirroring the image of the sky above. A thin billow of smoke, rising, tempted our eyes up toward the treeline. A turbulence shifted across a crisp night sky. As if two different fronts were touching, like long lost loves. The stars were out in mesmerizing force. Bewildering in their numbers.

A wave of discordant temperatures and pressures pulsed, with a brilliance, in a crystal-clear liquid shimmer. They found a balance. And rippled away.

And again, the fire called us onward. Two distant figures, emboldened by it's brilliance, waved us, fervently, toward their glow.

I felt her arms around me.

In a cross, over my chest.

Her chin on my right shoulder.

Funny, the things you remember. Like how, even with her helmet on, she is soft and warm and here.

We pulled up next to an all to familiar blue pick up, saddled down, and walked to greet.

An ice bucket. A bottle of champagne, opened. Four empty glasses on a stump. Two huge blankets spread out side by side. A gentle thump, thump. A head pops up, mouth open, tongue hanging. Thump, thump, thump. Scratch, scratch, "Heya Girl," Thump, thump. Back to her bone.

The warm embrace of a friend, until recently, long unseen.

"Olofi smiles."

"He just might be, at that."

We raised our glasses and toasted to the chaos.

A cop car pulled up. Two cops got out. They saw the bike, the truck, and the champagne, in that order. They looked at the two old guys and the two younger ladies. Their interest was peeked.

Then one of them spied something, and pointed it out to his partner.

"You're camping?"

"Yes, sir."

"We are?" A pair of voices rang in surprise. Then we caught the glimpse of what they were looking at. "Hmmh, I guess we are."

They stayed for a few, probably just to size the situation up. Can you blame them. Nimbuwe offered them jerky. They declined.

Lucky me. They didn't know what they were missing. Give this Nigerian spices and meats, and the Nightmare… just continues. In a delightfully heated, mouthwatering decadence.

"I'd offer you guys some donuts but the Park Rangers ate em all."

And with that, they bid their adieus.

(insert canary eating grin here)

Of course, they departed with the usual, you know, clean up, make sure that fires out, blah, blah, blah, bullshit. I mean, who the fuck, over the age of five, needs to be told that?

Their taillights vanished at the treeline and we found ourselves. Once more.

The moon had risen, further on it's hunt. The air was fighting between warm and cool. Sounds escaped through the shadows and light. Life moved on in the trees around us.

Two bodies touched tenderly, in flickering, flame touched, frames.

The fire popped. Breaking the silence.

"She told me you know?"

"About her watching, and exploring?"

"That too."

I took out my tobacco and papers and twisted one up. "Did she give you a re-enactment?"

"Yes. She did. I'll tell ya Joe, I don't know what I did, for her to find me, but if it meant all these scars, doubled, it would be worth every one."

"They have a great thing with each other don't they?"

"It's friendly, it's fun. It's sensual."

I licked the glue and I finished the roll. "It's expeditionary, and down right amatory. You got a light?"

He reached in his pocket and tossed me some matches. "There's a spirit there too."

I fired up my cigarette and took a long slow drag, "There's a lot of spirit there, brother. But did you notice? Even though they're in their own little thing, enmeshed in it actually, they still give us two old fucks a look."

"The thank you for being here look?"

"Mmm. And the, I hope you're having fun too look"

"That one might be my favorite. But that's not what I was talking about before. I meant the oath. The ode. The vow."

"I know... And?"

"Yes."

"Payback's a bitch. Ain't it?… They really do love teasing the hell out of each other, don't they?"

"They could teach any man, a thing or two, this one included."

"Yeah, I'm learning a few tricks here myself. What is it they say, a happy wife…"

"and both halves of me are happy."

"Sounds about right. If not we should canon it."

The two creatures before us stood up. They ran down to the water and danced. Splashing and washing each other. They kissed and teased all the way back. Then more tender, more intimate tendencies took hold.

"Jag. Lemme ask you something. Because… I'm real curious."

"She was quiet."

"Your sister. Was quiet?"

"Yes."

"Bringing Pam back? Or all the way up?"

"Dropping her off. And a few more miles."

"Wow. I'd have paid Pam to take the whole damn trip. Don't tell Lee I said that."

"Ha!"

The vision before us had bokeh. The way it moved. The way it swelled. The way it swayed. The way it built itself up, only to slow down again. It was a palette of warm skin and pale flesh, tinted in red and yellow and shadow. Something flicked my ear. I had something to get out there.

"I kinda paraphrased it you know."

"What?"

"The Ode. It was just a teaser. Kinda like you and that 'hint' by your truck the other night. But I didn't need it."

"This is good. Neither did I."

"When did you know?"

"Just before our first kiss. You?"

"When she wrapped herself around me during Firefly."

"Yeah. That would have done it for me too."

We sat in silent reverie, absorbed in the passionate display before us. The stars pulsed as translucent waves of pressure sped across the night sky. Gathering cloud seeds in their passing.

"You know. Sometime tonight, I think I'm going to take that one, with the long black hair and the other half of my soul, down to the pond. And wash her feet. Real slow. Really, really, fucking slow. Then I'm going to sweep her off to bed. Wrap her up in a bundle. And rub her toes, one by one. Until she rapes me."

Their trembles had subsided. Their sounds were forming sentences again. Sentences, you could put on a page, without looking like you fell asleep on the keyboard. They were pressed nose to nose. But they weren't kissing.

They were talking.

Mouth to mouth,

And giggling.

Occasionally, giving us the eye.

"What do you think they're conspiring, my friend?"

"I dunno. But I'm thinking it's probably devious. We should run. Fast"

"Ha ha ha…" he paused just to enjoy the view. Then I felt his head lean in and a serious spirit came with it, "So! We're doing this!"

"Why, The Fuck Not?"

The spirit lightened. Then flittered away.

The fire flared.

"Olofi truly smiles on this day."

"He just might be at that, my friend. He just might be at that."

A silhouette rose, from that impassioned canvas, and smoothed, seductively, across the grass. She had a sway. A grace, she didn't even know she possessed. Her eyes were sparked with gold, and flames. Her skin was red from the touch, the rush and the firelight.

She settled down between my legs, fingered my zipper and played with the pull, "Input required."

"Define parameters."

"Why are your pants still on?"

"Mosquito netting." - '"It's comfortable."'

I sat up and she leaned back.

She turned herself to brace against me. "Comfortable I get, but Mosquito netting?" She wiggled her butt up against my crotch. "Ow."

"I keep telling ya. You've gotta be more careful with your toys."

"Mmmmhn."

She slipped the pull back under the denim flap, smoothed it back down, wiggled back again and hummed.

I grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around us like a yurt, "Mosquito netting."

"Hmmmmm. This is nice."

She eyed the man beside me, "You see that girl over there? She requests the presence, of a certain, Dark Prince's company."

"Then without sorrow, I shall part and deliver him."

"Have fun. See you in a few."

"I shall await your presence."

He walked across the divide with purpose. Looking back over his shoulder in my general direction. I nodded an affirmation. He smiled and walked away.

I shifted my position to Emily's side and slipped my arm under her knees. She cradled her arm around my neck and kissed me.

Pam wrapped an arm around her lover's shoulders and bit into his jaw. He scooped her up and strode down to the water, where he slowly placed her in the shallows.

I stood up, lifting Emily with me, "We have witness to bear." and I carried her, til I was shin deep. She studied my eyes curiously, even when her feet touched the cold, crisp water.

I stepped back, took both her hands in mine and looked her in the eyes.

I took a breath. Then I spoke words I never thought I would, "Within these waters."

I heard a voice addressing from my left. "Upon the air."

"On terra firma, solid and true."

"Beneath these heavens, bright and mysterious."

We held out our hands, to the other's companion. They took them, eccentrically.

We let our own companion's free, to the other's offering.

I went down to both knees and looked into Pam's eyes, "Queen of Water and Earth."

I put my head to her knees, "I bow to thee."

Then I straightened, and watched her cheeks turn up and go redder, "You, who came on a storm of calm, to tame the wild jaguar. I bid thee welcome. My sister. Lady of Improbabilities."

Another voice solemned out, with grateful regard, "Queen of Wind and Fire."

Emily watched him, with bright eyed amusement, he placed his head to her legs.

"I bow to thee."

She looked at me with interest then looked down and caught his gaze.

"You, who came in a tempest of warmth, to free the wolf's solitary heart. I bid thee welcome. My sister. Lady of Wonder."

We stood up and offered them our hands. They took them, with wonderfully curious, anticipating smiles. We turned and offered their hands back to each other, and offered ours to them. They took accord and gave themselves away.

What was once freed, had now come home, with soft laughter and happy eyes.

I got down on one knee, Emily's hand touched my cheek, "Queen of Wisdom, I bow to thee." I bent my head, chin to chest.

Her fingers gingerly brushed through my hair.

I looked up. Right into her smile. "She who came, with timeless grace, to unlock the final bond of my mind, and awakened, within me. I bid thee welcome. My Beautiful Dream."

Pamela was quiet, stoic, and welcoming. And very, very bouncy.

She rushed red when his words colored the darkness.

"Queen of Truth. I bow to thee. She who came, with open heart, to cut loose the chains of my pain, and awakened, within me. I bid thee welcome. My Beautiful Sea."

There was a stillness. A comfortable, contemplative pause.

Emily followed the tracing of her fingertips on my face. She lowered herself to me and smiled, "Mmmhmm." Then she soothed with me down to the water, "Hi."

We heard a splash and Pam's voice loud and clear. "Yes. Oh! Fuck yes."

Under the witness of the stars above, it was done.

"You guys are such fucking goofballs."

"Mmhmm. But they're our fracking goofballs."

"A girl, could really get used to this."

"This one, already has."

We collected ourselves and went back to the blankets, wearing our laughter like a robe. Nimbuwe went to his truck. Emily stripped me of my jeans and put them on a stick by the fire, to dry. My war forged friend returned, with a pile of comforters, furs and pillows. We nested them up and settled in.

A toast raised our glasses to… "Life, and all it's tumultuous wonders." Under billions of twinkling eyes.

"Olofi smiles on this day." Pam endued.

"He just might be at that." The dark scarred man replied.

"Here's to hope." I toasted, "May God and Goddess, find their spark, a little bit more rekindled tonight."

"Not too much though." Emily joked, "We wouldn't want a big bang to ruin a perfectly fine evening."

"Depends, on where it takes us."

"Hmmm. Good point."

We celebrated our providence and those misfortunes that shaped us, as clouds gathered up in the sky.

"All the pain seen, All the trespasses faced, All the hate and apathy we've borne witness to. I wouldn't change a thing. Not in any of our lives."

Lips pressed to my face. Warm arms pulled me in tighter. Logs settled and embers shot up to the stars. Swirling in a dizzying spiral toward a new home.

"That sounds cold and heartless," The Queen of Wisdom spoke, "But I agree. As much as I would like to chase one day from my life, all I can do is be thankful, that that burden was mine, and not someone else's."

"And as much as I would like to go back in time and change that one day for you, I can't." The Wolf King replied, "And even if I could, I wouldn't. It's the marble and the chisel, that you used, to sculpt everything you've become. An to ruin that, would be unforgivable in my eyes."

"Not one scar, I would shed, and not have this night." The King of Jaguars intoned.

"All the times I spread my legs and let someone use me, to maybe feel a rush, a connection. Only to wake up to a heart, emptier than my bed. I'd shed those tears again, for just one sunrise, complete and whole." The Queen of Truth reconciled.

The Lyrids burned in streaks across the sky. Even the heavens were celebrating with us. The moon peaked out, behind a tuft of glowing white billow.

Pam sat up and breathed in deep. A heavy sigh, soon to be exhaled.

"My mother used to say those were angels, flying across the sky to give someone a miracle, moving so fast their wings trailed fire."

"Maybe some are. Or Maybe it's just shift change."

"Hmm." she grinned.

"I've read a lot of mythologies and religious texts. The oldest versions are epic tales of adventure, filled with imagery and wonders and puzzles to unravel. Then some guys got together and made a living from them. They changed the words, changed the function and wielded it like a whip. And it was their truth, their words, their control. Not God's or Goddess's but theirs. And they forced people away from the two things they should totally embrace. The two creators in all this have only One Command really."

"And what's that?"

"Nim."

"With pleasure. Don't, Be, A, Dick."

Emily laughed, "You know? That makes perfect sense. If you see someone hurting who needs help, don't be a dick, help em."

"And if someone is hurting you, or worse yet, going after someone you love or someone weak or someone innocent, don’t be a dick, grab them by the short hairs and twist."

"You know most people are shaving their pubes these days."

"Then just reach in deeper and pull the root."

"Ow."

Wisdom turned toward Truth, "Speaking of… Yours is looking a little fuller these days."

"Mmmhmm, I can't wait til it's as bushy as yours."

"I await the pleasure of a jungle to roam myself," Nim grinned.

"So Wolf?"

"Yes Truth."

"God and Goddess?"

"My Queen."

"With pleasure, My King… Up and down, positive and negative, vacuum and pressure, north and south, infinitely outward and infinitely inward, masculine and feminine, dark and light, love and hate, one and zero, on and off, moral and immoral, Everything, has it's opposite."

"It's that simple. Huh. But what about us then? If that were true, shouldn't I be with Joe and you be with Nimmy."

"Sometimes those opposites are just two halves of a whole, split a different way." I offered.

Have you ever heard the story of The Air and The Wood?

Have a funny feeling you're goin to? :)

"One is solid, the other not, but you cannot have a fire if they are not one." Nim chimed.

"Yeah. What Nim just said. If you look at the four of us. We are quiet, you two, are a little less subtle. Em's the chain to my rock, you two, are the ship and the sail. Together, we don't stop the tide, but we also don't drift into more terrible seas."

The clouds slowly built.

The air warmed and tingled.

You could smell the ozone brewing around you.

Pam rested back and stretched, "You know. I never ever saw myself like this. I've fantasized what it would be like, to live in a world with dragons and orcs, or even like a Robin Hood. But I never pictured myself, Actually, on a pile of deer and bear skins, under a fucking awesome sky, having fun with a… sister, while her man and mine watched. Listening to painted words, as a campfire blazes. Celebrating my wedding night, in a campsite by a pond. Delighting in the thought that we all fought the same dragon, in one way or another. Feeling the strength and the warmth of kindred spirits. Realizing, every day can be like this, if you just look hard enough to see it."

"What is the difference between, saving someone, from getting trampled by a run away wagon, in the old west. Or. Pulling them out of the way, of a hurried cab, in Times Square?"

"Or taking on two coyotes, in the suburban woods, to help a stranger?" Pam jibed.

"Or. Being the keystone, that allowed a boy to play hero." I said cocking my head in Em's direction.

She bit my shoulder and kissed my neck, "Or. Braving gasoline and glass, to get a girl out of a car."

"Time. Time is the difference, that is all." Nimbuwe answered. "The future and the past get romanticized by their distance. But the present gets lost in it's own familiarity. There's no innocence, no newness, no wonder. Unless we see it."

A herald of light flashed across the clouds. The silence broke with a crack, a flash, and a thunderous rumble. A drip and a sizzle. Then another. We gathered our things and shoved them in our tents. Liffa did circles on her nest of blankets. We covered her up. She thanked us with a thump, thump, thump.

The christening came

And we embraced it.

When we were thoroughly soaked we bid each other good morrow. They split the canvas and stepped into the dry.

I picked up my queen and I carried her to the water.

Just as I had done but a few hours before.

Except this time I sat her on a throne of stone rising out from the ripples. Took her feet in my hands and washed them in the rain. Then I offered her my neck and she took it. Offering me the bend of her leg in return. I carried her back to our tent, stepping gingerly through a face full of kisses. I settled her on top of a heap of quilts and furs, and wrapped her up snug.

She eyed me with an expectant interest, smiling when I grabbed the foot, that I missed that fateful night, kissed it tenderly and started to rub.

She smiled even bigger when I found a spot.

"Oooh frakk yes, right there."

And I rubbed. And I pushed. And I prodded. Her body was red, with a sheen. She was right on the edge and I bit once again.

The blankets flew wide and I was thrown to my back. She shivered when she took my crown into her. Her body trembled as she took me inside, with one, long, ecstatic glide. She settled on my stomach, shook, and fell on me. I turned her over and was locked in her embrace.

She gasped at every slow stroke. Her fingers unfurled and clenched, then they found a spot, right below the back of my neck. She pulled me down, kissed me, and tightened even more. I was on my way in when she gripped into that point, and finally pulled that trigger. Her body trembled.

She took my seed with a gasp and a hold. She steeled herself around me and wouldn't let go. Our skin was beat red. Our breathing labored. Every movement sent tingles across our nerves.

Laughter replaced kisses.

The kisses returned.

We heard them, over a down pour. A return volley, of joviality, crept to our ears from one tent away.

Emily yawned and stretched her arms over her head. "They sound like their having fun."

I spied a tuft of short dark hair, growing in the shallows beside her breasts, in the valley where her arm met the top of her ribs. I playfully teased it. She tickled and wiggled. So I gave a little tug.

Her eyes shot open with a curious grin.

"Uhmmmm."

"Really, Em?"

I tugged a little more.

Just to be sure.

"Uh huh, hmmmm."

"Enlightening?"

"Mmhmm."

"Oh. This, is gonna be fun."