Run for your life

[Harper Ellis]

One, two, three, one, two, three.

Thud. Thud.

Splash.

Her heart was beating hard against her rib cage, her breathing in time with her steps. One, two, three. Breath out. Her shoe squelched in the mud but that was typical for New Zealand; at least this part of the track wasn't flooded. Earlier she had had to run through knee-deep puddles, just to stick to the track over the fields.

Although cross-country was to be hated, Harper loved it, even now she was out of school. It made her feel free and happy, lost in something else entirely. Running was the only sport, in her primary school, that she could be recognized for. Surfing, sadly, was something that not everyone could do, and it wasn't a 'sport' that anyone could see how amazing she was at. Cross-country running had been Harper's time to shine.

She could hardly feel the howling wind; it was so hot that nothing seemed to matter. Harper, despite the obvious sweat pouring down her brow and the flush of her cheeks, hardly felt tired or sore at all. She felt as if she could just run and run and run until she died. Of course, she'd never want that - new books were being frequently published at all times - but this was a good way to keep her fit until the school year started and she was a librarian at Hogwarts.

It didn't make Harper's fingers wrinkle.

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

the rain was still coming. it was unusual for it to rain this much this time of year. it just hand't stopped for the past week. the ground was waterlogged, the overflow drains were overflowing and down the centre of Brightstone main street was a figure with a mane of flaming red hair which was starting to look all matted due to the fine drizzle of rain coming in.
It had been a busy week at work for the young mum she had had to do many hours overtime as there had been a bit of a disaster, and although it wasn't her office specifically everyone from the department of control of magical creatures had to help. she was glad when it was the weekend and she finally had a day off. she had woken up early like normal and a few minutes later she heard Willow do the same. heaving Dederick asleep she got them both dressed and breakfasted before apparating them to new zealand where it was an acceptable time of day. she placed willow in the sling and ted it well on her back securing her daughter like a baby koala on her back. once she was sure that she wouldn't fall off she started to run. Briar loved running, it was something that to here meant freedom. she had ran practically every day of her life. as a child it was part of the way of life. as a student it had been her way to cool off and relax and now it was both of those things, something to relax, cool down and let her get air in her lungs that hadn't been recycled through the entire ministry of magic for a week. One step, Two steps, three steps Four. she was fast, she always had been. she was faster with a baby on her back than most people would be at their best. she turned off the road her bare feet squelching in the mud and waterlogged soil. "how fun is this wills, we gill get you doing i soon" she said to her daughter as she ran jumping over a log at the same time. sure soon was a relative term, willow hadn't taken her first steps yet, though every day she seemed to be getting closer. she kept pounding on down a footpath, across a field. eventually she saw someone in front of her who seemed to be doing the same thing but heading n a different direction. it wasn't long before their two paths met and they were running alongside each other for a short way. "Hello" she said not out of breath yet as she was and always had been in the beak of fitness, but maybe she was breathing a little heavier than she would be if she wasn't running. "I thought i would be the only one mad enough to be out running today in this weather" she said starting a slight conversation, one that the girl could return if she wanted to or not if she didn't or was too out of breath to.

 

[Harper Ellis]

Out of Character:

Sorry it took so long. I didn't notice the message in my inbox.

The lady with the red hair and the baby slung across her back seemed to be breathing regularly. Harper didn't understand this - with the wind rushing in her face, how was it that she could breathe as if she were going for a stroll?

Harper's face, on the other hand, was red, her body leaning forward. She watched the mother approach, keeping a steady pace, and when they met, Harper ran alongside her, picking up the pace a little. The rain was lighter, now, but Harper was grateful. She didn't feel warm at all.

"I thought I would be the only one mad enough to be out running today in this weather," Harper's newfound running companion said, without any difficulty.

"No, not at all. I like running in the rain," said Harper, trying to keep herself from sounding as out of breath as she really was. "It's soothing."

Harper smiled as she thought about it. It was true - the soft pitter-patter of the rain was strangely calming, especially when it wasn't windy. She looked at the little baby tied to her mother's back, and her smile turned into a grin.

"I'm Harper," she said.

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Out of Character:

that's okay. sorry myself for being slow

Briar saw the other girl slowing down and decided that she did want to talk. she was glad, she liked having company. "you are right, running in the rain is fun. running in knee high snow, now that's painful." she said. giggling slightly. she had always disliked knee high snow as a child and had always tried to get a lift of one of her parents when she could. she kept walking in the direction she had been running. willow letting out a sound as if to say mummy, why have you stopped. putting her small hands over her shoulder. Briar took hold of her hand and gave it a light squeeze.
"well harper it's good to see you, especially out here." she said winking, a gesture which unknowingly to briar had a tendency to emphasise the four light lines of scar along her face which were fading after four years. "I am Briar. and this is willow" she said introducing herself to the girl. she decided she liked her, how could she not like someone who would run in this weather.

 

[Harper Ellis]

Harper looked at little Willow on Briar's back and she realised that they truly did look alike - bits of Briar were dotted all over. Harper smiled. Then she frowned.

"I've never run through snow before," said Harper, incredulous. "I live in Muriwai, west coast of Auckland, really, and it rarely ever snows in Auckland. I'm Muggle born, too, so it's only been a year that I've been able to apparate. I went skiing with my family to Queenstown, once - how do you run through snow?"

Harper grinned. It seemed Briar was serious about running. She vaguely remembered an article in Canvas about streak runners, who ran a mile a day every day - the record being held by someone who'd run every day for the past forty-something years. It was crazy.

The rain drizzled down her forehead, and Harper watched as a drop fell from her eyelash to the ground.

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

It is surprising the effect babies hve on people. to briar Willow had a huge effect. she hadnt wanted her, not at all, but it is something in a babies features that makes people, even a fully transformed werewolf want to protect them and make sure they are happy. She could see that look in Harpers eyes when she looked at willow. even Dederick seemed a natural with her when he wasnt in one of his his lows. "Auckland? that's near the top of the north island right?" she asked. she vaguely remembered stopping there when she was on her first holiday with dederick when they started to date. she smiled when the girl said she was a muggle born and had only been apparating for a year. "slowly and soggily" she said in reply to being asked how one ran in snow. "and with dead feet" she said.
se realised that they were quite a way from Auckland here and she wondered why the girl was so far from home when if she was right in guessing the girl couldn't be much older than eighteen, if that. "what brings you to this area?" she asked hoping she didn't come across as rude. she just wanted to keep conversation going as she started to pick the pace up a little from a walk to a slow jog as she could see some pretty heavy clouds starting to come in and would rather be near town when they hit, not that it was a huge problem if they weren't if it was really bad they could apparate out, or just keep running through it, running in heavy rain was exhilarating, especially when you didn't have to wear the wet clothing afterwards, or could dry them as easy as she could with magic.

 

[Harper Ellis]

Harper shivered at the thought of running through snow. Dead feet? She'd die completely and horribly, not just her feet. She looked at the woman across from her incredulously. The thought of it freaked her out, actually, but Harper supposed if others did it and survived, she'd have to do it someday. When Briar asked what brought her here, all the way from Auckland (which was a long way away), Harper had to give it some thought before she replied.

"Brightstone's just over there, and after I run, there's a mean bakery that has some wicked croissants."

She said this seriously, but really Harper didn't have a clue. Maybe it was the croissants, the sushi, or something else totally unrelated to running. But, truly, it was the track on the outskirts of Brightstone that kept her coming back for more. She loved to run, run anywhere, to feel breathless and exhausted, but running in a place that she knew like the back of her hand was better for her than running along unknown territory.

"Why do you come here?"

Out of Character:

The internet router was playing up and it kept saying the internet was limited and stuff and I couldn't access it. Sorry.

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Out of Character:

sorry it has been a while. I have been relly busy and ninspired for RP

Briar smiled when Harper looked uncomfortable at the thouht of snow. it actually hadnt bothered her too much. it had been a way of life and that had both the good and the bad bits. she didn't say anything more on the topic though. she nodded as the girl gestured to brightstone. and said she was there for the croissants. "do they just. I may have to try one afterwards." she said. slowly starting the arch around. she could feel willow starting to get uncomfortable.
She shouldn't have been surprised when the girl asked her why she came running here. after all she had come even further, all the way from australia. "I went to the school near the village, and whenever we had time off or in the holidays i would come running and camping in the mountains here for an adventure." she said. "plus i though it was a brightstone weekend this weekend and was going to find by brother but apparently I was wrong" she said. leaving out the part that she really mainly wanted to come here to run because she needed to get out of the house and away from the property for a bit to have a bit of time away from Dee as he was a asleep and Willow would wake him up, and that would make his current low even worse. it was then that Willow started to snivel a little. Briar turned to look at her. she looked wet and miserable. "Come on little girl. there is no need to get upset. do you want to go back somewhere dry?" she asked.she was usually a rather strict mother who didn't take mush whinging but she had to agree with willow on this one. even she was starting to shiver. "I think it is time I headed back and got us dry and warm. do you want to come with or keep running" she said jogging on the spot slightly in effort to warm them both up.