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Darkseeker
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Callidora Female || Three || Mentions: Choenyi, Nekti, Peony, Avis, Yalina, Acesco, Neziton Relief rushed through Callidora like a wave upon the sight of Yalina and Acesco. Alive. She was in good shape as well, brighter even. Perhaps the outing was good for her after all. She certainly looked healthier and- Was that a scrape on her leg? Eyes narrowing, Callidora dismissed it, instead, her eyes snapping back onto the brown wolf, mouth cracking open in a form of gape. "Cauliflower? Who the hell are you calling Cauliflower?" The audacity this disgusting little vermin had, honestly. Even Yalina looked confused, face twisted in a form of frown. Callidora didn't even have time to explain to her sister, the one called Avis now addressing her. "I don't know, are you dumb enough to take on a group of wolves larger than you?" She responded. The point was, they needed to be weary. They didn't know him. They didn't know his intentions. Sure, he was probably alone, but there was still the chance he wasn't. They needed to consider all sides before dismissing anything. "We have to think of all possibilities before deciding to believe you. I'm sure you understand that." She didn't elaborate, not wanting to hint at the sickness that took members of their pack away nor mention that they had to be cautious because some remained sick, like Yalina. However, his words did cause her to settle down, nerves easing in the slightest. While Avis continued to explain the situation between himself and Choenyi, Callidora's fur bristled slightly. "Do you realize how dangerous that could have been? Though, I do suppose it's in the past now.." -- "And you, stop calling me Cauliflower. It's Callidora. Caah-lih-doe-rah, you got that, Tiny?" Snorting in his direction, she shot him a disgruntled look before glancing back to the one called Avis and- Oh, how grand, now he was starting with the names. "Sure, give us all names. It wasn't as if we were born with any. Oh, wait, we were, but by all means, keep going. I do love being called a form of plant." "You look more like a Broccoli to me." Yalina piped up and released chuckle only to be hushed by Callidora. "Not the time." -- "Tough crowd," Yalina mumbled in response, shrugging to herself while exchanging a glance with Acesco. Hey, she thought it was funny. The sisters stared at one another before the eldest was the first to break away, now turning to Choenyi. "An explanation, please?" She asked, tail swaying uneasily behind her as the older female told her side of things. She believed her. Choenyi may be stubborn at times, much like herself, but one thing Callidora respected about her was her honesty. She was never one to sugarcoat things nor lie, so when the other female declared she trusted him to help, so be it, Callidora would as well. She remained silent, glare switching from Avis, to Choenyi, and back to Avis again. "Alright," she finally said, head turning to Nekti, who she remembered disapproved earlier. "I think we should give it a shot. Do you?" She also glanced at her sister and Acesco, seeing what they thought. Of course, Callidora didn't even need to check in with Yalina, who had nodded her head in agreement already. "I think it will improve the success of a hunt," she claimed, to which Callidora nodded. "That's what I said." At least most were in agreement so far. Even Yalina seemed visibly content with the lack of arguing. "Carcass first and then hunt?" Callidora asked, glancing at everyone. "That way, we'll at least have something fueling us if the hunt doesn't go our way." It was the reasonable answer. They could always hunt first, but there was no knowing if the carcass wouldn't be picked off by then by some passing coyote or other creature of annoyance, such as Tiny over there. She may believe that Avis was no threat as of now, but the other stranger was still a mystery. Nobody even knew his name or where he came from. At least Avis had a general background. "You, state your name unless you'd like us to make something up for you. Judging on what we've all come up with so far, I doubt you'd like it. Then again, I won't mind. I do enjoy letting my creative side flow." Her tone dipped when addressing him, clear dislike in her voice. At least she wasn't the only one who agreed he was too confident, the others having inputting their own thoughts revolving around him. "Good, you're here too." Turning to the side, the figure of Neziton could be seen. She didn't update him, knowing he was there for a snippet of the conversation and had enough information to understand the scenario. Yalina, however, still looked slightly cautious, though it was pushed down by her willingness to work together. Pah, she was too trusting half the time. Her kindness could be mistaken for idiocy or inexperience. All that was missing was Ophir. So be it, he could always join in or remain in camp. He would have to help out sooner or later regardless. "Avis, it was Avis, wasn't it? How far off is this carcass again?" Taking a step forward, Callidora was willing to follow, for Yalina's sake if nothing more. |
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Neutral
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[ Peony/Three years/Mentions:Everybody ] Everyone seemed to be closing in, multiples shedding nothing but distrust and annoyed glances in his direction. It had begun to frustrate him, especially the more sober canid of the force who had begun to cautiously orbit his frame. Incredulously, the male cracked a sulky lour, eyeing the opposing darker furred male with a strict wave of his extensive appendage. Only when he stopped; calmly observing them all did Peony sneer apathetically. “What’re you, my babysitter?” He was aware of Cauliflower's presence, voicing her concerns to Sandy who seemed to vault at the opportunity at hand; offering Cloudy a seat at the table. A very rude, debarring table. The male surveilled them both, contemplating a little “take a chance” thought when Cloudy began a long spiel of debunking, or at least attempting to, the swarm of suspicion. It particularly weighed heavy at his pelt, for not only did he not display any interest in revealing his identity, but he didn’t care for the whole alleviating bit of junk either. If they wanted to create hollow theories of his origin and intentions, then to hell with it. He still hasn’t gotten his damn water. Peony dug a hind paw against his nape, scratching the excess wilderness from his pelt concurrent to the confession that sipped temptatiously at his ears. Puphood friends? He snorted inwardly, sending Cloudy a questioning glance and Sandy one of rougher consistency. The fact that the male so easily spilled his tale like he owed these weaklings anything was somewhat laughable. But Peony’s anger overtook any sort of mirth as quickly as it had appeared. –Something that has been happening a lot lately. “Do you know who I am?” The male spat with a waspish expression, matching the female’s sharp gaze when she began to retort. Bigmouth? He snarled to himself, indirectly craving the day he could implant his teeth into her neck. But already, he had begun to grow squeamish at his boiling fantasy; thus the puffed cheeks of nausea. Still, the male fought to grasp the desire once more, he could puke it out later. The topic of a hunt had been brought up.. again, reeled in by the ever so lovely Sandy who seemed to spite him with every sharp breath she took. He felt as if he were a lost child waiting for a meeting to conclude. And that infuriated him beyond relief. “I think you’re all insane.” That should’ve been the part where he stormed off, departing from the rattled remains of a force and starting anew; perhaps relocating near those hilly fields. But he stayed. Sat even. He blinked sharply, snapping his bright yellow gaze towards the silken image that was Cloudy with a tempestuous look. The male had begun to rumble..what..-disapprovingly about his gifted name, and Peony could see the mild confusion batting in repose across his amber vision. But then the word deer..and –mouse breached the air, corrupting his mind and augmenting from a quiet sike to an abrupt, startling crack of realization. His ears pushed forward, nostrils twitching whilst his eyes blanked in a reboot. And once he had finally registered what had just been spoken. Sandy interjected and mentioned that horrid name from before in agreement, souring his mood even further. It was all just, embittering. So almost venomously, he attempted to redeem himself in a grit. “You both must have a death wish.” He stood stiff as a board, fur bristled along his spine and muscles taut with aggravation. It wasn’t so fun when the tables turned. He knew that now. But instead of submitting, accepting defeat, he sought to scatter entrails and soothe his ego until it could balloon again. Then later he would boast victoriously, –and it would all be in due time. Presently, Peony blew a rigid exhale, surveying Cloudy’s frame with masked, foul desperation. But when he could find no direct fault with his appearance, he eventually spouted the first thing that came to mind. “I’ll wear your plain coat like a cape.” He threatened tepidly. But after a scalding moment he admitted. “It's actually not all that plain.”But again, tetchily, he’d then add. “But it's still ugly.” Peony huffed impudently, rearing his head and bouncing to his paws with jaws clacking together in chagrin. But before he could direct his insulting vision back onto Sandy, two overbearing scents penetrated his nose, wiring a shift of head and a grumpy look dimpled with curious eyes. The female was the first to pop a question, sharing her gaze between him and Cloudy somewhat skeptically. He analyzed her for a moment, snout wrinkling in distaste. She looks like hell. He wanted to make it known to her but Cauliflower had begun to speak, claiming his attention and gruff fit of growls. “Don’t give me orders.” He shot her a trifling look, something that seemed to harden when she began to target Cloudy. But he shrugged it off. “Are you sure you're not just saying it wrong, Cauliflower?” When the other female began to speak so freely to Cauliflower, he smirked in anticipation, awaiting the moment she’d snap and exude thunderous hostility, but nothing of the sort happened. Sure, there was a rebuttal, but it wasn’t a hiss or a growl; rather something soft like a smoke of disapproval. He sniffed with subtle petulance, straightening his limbs in a stretch and particularly wagging a hind leg so as to alleviate the tension. He prepared to slink to the newcomers' side; he’d check them out and greet himself as their new clan member. ..Just like he had done with the others. But just as he had begun to shift, a voice snapped strictly within his ear, pausing his steps but leaving his decision remotely unfettered. Almost boredly, Peony blinked, vision narrowing in a brisk contemplation before resuming its natural, lazy state. Was this some form of acceptance? Was this how they liked to establish things?--Taking a name for a spot within the force? Well–it would be unusual for his vassals if he were to remain anonymous. So, to hell with it. With a wide, snobbish grin, his partial identity shot from his jaws. “Peony.” Now, turning back towards the female Cauliflower had been so lenient with, he approached her carefully, hating how frail she looked. As if a tap would knock her in the wind. It made him uncomfortable, since he was a naturally rowdy male, and then there was the feeling of cautiousness that involuntarily enveloped him from head to toe. “Yikes.” Peony breathed, inspecting her with heavy scrutiny. He lacked any awareness of proximity. If anything, he was infamous in his clan for invading other wolves’ “bubbles”. But the male never quite caught on. So he seated himself less than respectfully close to this puny but all the same tall female, ignoring the muttering about the carcass he’s been yearning to see since the dawn of time. Was there even a carcass anymore? Damn you Cloudy. After his inward scowl, Peony trained his vision back onto the canid before him, craning his head to her side so as to inhale a satisfiable whiff of her scent. And when he had finished, he shook his head and rocked a few paces back, mocking mirth shining perniciously within his eyes. “So what's the deal with you, Wannabe?” |
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Lightbringer
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-Avis-
Mentions: Choenyi, Callidora, Yalina, Aceso, Peony, Nekti, Neziton, etc
The Gang Big Mouth. Ha. The new title for the brown male made the wolf emit a chuff of laughter, a single puff of air that appeared like white smoke in the cold air. He set his amber gaze on the stranger for a moment before he turned his gaze back to Choenyi who had now returned to the female who had been labeled as Cauliflower. Based on her first impression, she certainly was as bitter as one. But to be fair, Avis guessed that she wasn't always this uptight. Perhaps stress was high within this weird little ragtag group, constant shifting of power wrapped up in a nice thick blanket of unease. A perfect mix for madness. One he had unfortunately stepped into. But if it was as easy to leave as it was to enter, Avis would have no issue at all. The brown male's words captured his attention next, causing his amber gaze to pin onto the wolf with a raised brow. The threat about wearing his pelt as a cape was rather weak, almost like a little grumble and pout from a disgruntled pup. And when the male claimed his pelt wasn't plain, but still ugly, Avis simply scoffed dryly. "Then you would do well to stop staring at me." He had seen the wolf peering at him out of the corner of his eye for a couple moments before. As Choenyi was explaining and trying to present Avis's case to the suspicious female, another wolf emerged. The grey and tan wolf peered at the newcomer, already being able to sense her relationship with the stand-offish one. Sisters, perhaps. He could smell it. Besides, his smell was sharper than the average since his hearing was slightly impaired. When the newcomer asked about him and the brown wolf, Avis simply dipped his head in acknowledgement, "Avis." While he had thought about explaining further, he was not about to go into a whole speech about the past three minutes. It was too much. Surely, she would be able to pick up the signs soon enough to fill herself in? When the snappier sister asked the brown male for a title of sorts, Avis had been able to catch the name of the brown canine. Peony. How... interesting. Ironic, actually. The brown wolf was the opposite of a nice dainty flower. Other humorous named popped into his head, still thinking about the whole name and label game that had started 'Cauliflower'. Other mocking names like Pea or Peapod were coming to his mind, but he stored them away for future use. His warm gaze watched as Peony ventured to the newcomer, who came a little too close for comfort. Avis was already internally betting that Callidora would snap at him for it soon enough. Alright. I think we should give it a shot. Carcass first and then hunt? Avis's ears perked up at the words, visible shock painted his face for a moment. With this group of wolves all fighting over one another, it was surprising that they all had come to a decision without clawing their throats out over it. Frankly, Avis was a little impressed. Avis, it was Avis, wasn't it? How far off is this carcass again? The wolf swayed his tail slowly as he raised his head a little higher. Raising his voice to be heard by all, he spoke "Just over the hill that way." With a flick of his ear, he made a gesture to the general area. "It is a relatively quick trip. I can lead." He offered. The grey male already took a couple paces backwards, ready to go. "Sitting here and debating any longer will just give other scavengers more time to take what's left. Come on." With that, he began to trek back towards where the carcass was. - The walk was not a long one at all. Within a couple of minutes, the bloody carcass came into view. Still there and with enough mouthfuls for everyone to take the hungry edge off. Avis wagged his tail happily as he trotted up beside it, shooing away the crows who had come back, before sitting down and glancing towards the rest of the group. |
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Darkseeker
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Yalina Female || Three || Mentions: Choenyi, Nekti, Peony, Avis, Callidora, Acesco, Neziton What had she walked in on? Between the constant speaking and the two unknown strangers, Yalina was, per say, puzzled. How did this even happen, she wanted to ask, but the female could hardly get a word in herself besides a mutter or two. Even then, her words were overpowered by another, drifting off into the breeze as if never spoken at all. From what she understood, the taller wolf was called Avis, the smaller one, well, a mystery for now. There was a carcass and.. Was that it? Oh, and Choenyi knew Avis somehow. This was truly confusing. If one thing was for certain, the darker coated wolf had his own little personality. On he went, making up his own names for others, snorting and spitting out a series of words with such intensity, it was a wonder how he stored so much anger in him. Cocky or arrogant, Yalina wasn't sure which suited him the best, but it was certainly not confidence. Filled with disrespect was he, something that she herself never truly cared for. So, when her sister begun chewing him out, Yalina didn't bother jumping to his defense. Everybody needed a reminder sometimes on mannerism. For somebody who was demanding everyone around and growing irritated, he made no move to leave. Instead, he sat, continuing his little comments. "Dramatic little fella, huh?" She heard Callidora whisper into her ear, causing her lips to quiver as she fought against smiling. It was a difficult battle, but alas, Yalina had won, forcing that smile down her throat and swallowing it whole. "You tell 'em, Tiny!" Callidora voiced, rooting on the loud male in a form of tease when he began uttering about how ugly of a pelt Avis had. On Yalina went again, battling with herself to refrain from smiling. This time, she had lost, a small grin beginning to grow, until it instantly vanished the moment his eyes locked onto her. She didn't like it. Nothing about his prolonged stare made her feel comfortable. She hated when others looked at her, noticing her ribs poke out and fur thinning. Her face was not as bright as it once was and her features were less defined and more, well, sunken. She had hoped to blend into the background, but she was a fool to think that her figure would go unnoticed with its corpse-like resemblance. Slowly, her eyes fell onto the ground in avoidance, body inching towards Nekti in an effort to blend in. Luckily for her, Callidora had spoken, mentioning her proper name. It seemed as if the male had focused back onto her sister, allowing Yalina to build up the confidence and focus her gaze back onto the others rather than the floor. "I've only been called my name every single day since birth, so I guess I could be mistaken. Maybe I misheard, or hell, maybe my parent's just misspoke." Clear sarcasm dripped from her sister's words. "No, I'm not saying my name wrong," she added on, a puff of breath in frustration being exaggerated before a look of amusement seeped across Callidora's face for once. "Peony? Like.. Like the flower?" As if hearing the greatest news possible, Yalina watched as her sister completely lit up, a smile growing and ears perking. "Well, isn't that just the sweetest," she began, tongue rolling out of her mouth in excitement. "And here you were, hiding this marvelous news away from me." On and on Callidora went, using this new information to her greatest advantage. "I was wondering what smelled so pretty." Turning to Yalina and the others, her face lit up. "Isn't he the sweetest?" She asked them, her attempt to humble him in her own way.. Or embarrass. Who knew. It was rather amusing to see Callidora in this manner, at least to Yalina. It had been a long time since her sister spoke of anything other than her health. However, like all good things, it came to an end, and rather swiftly. Within moments, Peony advanced, weaving around like a snake in her direction. Yalina felt both herself and her sister's body alongside of her stiffen. "Watch it," Callidora growled, stepping forward towards him as her eyes deepened their intensity. It was clear she didn't trust his character. As for Yalina, she found him uneasy, her own figure taking a step back and heart thumping against her chest. There he went on again, assessing her in her sickly state. Callidora continued, staring at him and his every move as he approached. She stood there, not initiating an argument, but prepared to jump the moment something went wrong. As for Yalina, she stood tall, not wishing to give anymore indication of how weak she may seem. He was curious. Very well, Yalina wouldn't give anyone anymore reason to underestimate her just because of how she looked. It was only until a soft yikes, was sounded did Yalina's gaze snap onto him, any common sense leaving her. "Excuse me?" She asked, leaning down to his level. She was a good three inches taller than him. Inspecting him, her muzzle rested inches away from his face, nose twitching. "Who exactly are you saying yikes to?" -- "Back off," Callidora interrupted, inserting herself between Peony and Yalina and wedging them apart. "No, I want to know who he was saying yikes to," Yalina called over Callidora's shoulder as she was nudged aside. In terms of intimidation, it was something Yalina lacked. Her feistiness was clear to see at times, but scary? That was like calling a squirrel terrifying. When it came to that, Callidora took the cake. However, it was clear in small moments such as these that the two were sisters. "Not a word more from you, Puny." He had crossed a line, casting Yalina a look to tell her to ignore him. If one thing was clear, Yalina was not to be spoken so offensively to, let alone inspected in such a manner. "Don't answer his question," Callidora muttered, not wanting any word spoken over Yalina's state, but Yalina ignored her sister, having other plans. "Who says that to somebody they just met?" Still appalled at the singular word, she continued. "That's like.. like me approaching you and calling you ugly.. How would you like that, huh, Hotshot?" Pausing, her tone quieted. "Where do you get the audacity?" Muttering over her sister's shoulder, Yalina peered at Peony with a narrowed gaze. She didn't come off as hostile, but more like a lecturing mother, ridiculing a child for doing something wrong. There was no malice in her tone, but moreso disappointment than anything else. She continued, concluding her little outburst, causing Callidora to clamp her mouth shut. Ah, well, it made her job easier. Yalina had said everything Callidora was planning on spewing out, only in a.. kinder manner. It was out of character for Yalina to act in such a way, but her sickly state was something she was rather insecure about. She needed to make up for it by showing him she wasn't useless nor allowed to be trampled all over. Why did everybody care so much over how she looked? She was still able to help. She still had strengths to her. She wasn't a lost cause and- "Wannabe?" She repeated, gaze turning back to him, voice quieting. "You don't even know me. You have no right to judge." Blinking at him, Yalina turned away, her attention now upon Avis, a throbbing headache beginning to arise at the back of her head. She made no final attempt to look at the male nor even acknowledge him. He had offended her. He had judged her without knowing her state or who she was. What did he know? "Let me help you-" Callidora offered her sister as they prepared to head to the carcass, only to be interrupted. "I can walk myself." Yalina wasn't about to accept help in front of everybody. She was able to walk for goodness sake! It was clear Yalina was in a mood, her eyes closing for a moment as the pressure in her head increased. Forcing herself to relax, she began to hobble forward, taking small steps at a time before stopping. "Give me a moment," she added on, feeling slightly dizzy. She was a fool for letting her nerves get the best of her. Now, she had to suffer the consequences. Facing a small head rush, her sight blackened for a singular moment until it cleared. The dizziness remained, but it was tolerable for now. She would feel better with food in her stomach, she was certain of it. "Are you sure? You did a lot today." Callidora needed to check in, just in case, to which Yalina nodded. Instead of answering, she turned to Avis. "Thank you, you're very generous for this." Head swimming, Yalina muttered to herself before raising her head. She would get to the carcass even if she had to crawl there herself. These two wolves didn't know her nor her state. For a moment, she wanted to feel normal in front of them, as if she were like everybody else. Of course, she wasn't, and she was foolish for believing she could do it herself. By the time they all arrived at the carcass, Yalina was suppressing her breaths, releasing small pants when all she wished to do was heave and gulp in oxygen like a greedy child. Oh, and how her head throbbed! It was pounding against her skull, and now her muscles hurt due to walking so much. She had over exerted herself during the small journey, pace quick as to not appear too weak. She had ignored the signs and the pain, continuing her fast pace to keep up with the others. She should have owned up to it.. She should have realized she couldn't do it. She was wiser than this, but she wanted to show them. She wanted to prove that she wasn't weak. She contemplated telling her sister, but she knew the consequences of that. Yalina would never see the light of day again. Callidora would force her to rest until they were old and withered away. She couldn't risk it. Not this time. It had happened before, and because of it, her sister had implemented even more boundaries, shutting her away from everybody and everything. Yalina couldn't go back to that. She couldn't, but oh, how her entire body hurt! She needed to speak to somebody that understood. Somebody that truly saw her, but who? Acesco? No, she couldn't bother him anymore. He had helped her enough in one day. Choenyi? No, she didn't want to ruin her time catching up with Avis. Neziton? She didn't want to put him in that situation. So, her eyes gazed painfully over to the form of Nekti. Yes, he would help. He always did. Slowly, Yalina dragged her figure over to him, only to pause behind him. Like a blubbering child she stood there. "Nekti?" She began, nearly sniffling. How humiliating. "I think I overdid it." She stared at him, a twisted frown on her face in attempt to supress the pain. "Could you.." Yalina knew she didn't have to finish, instead, motioned over to her sister. Nekti would understand what she meant. He was like a second father to her. She could rely on him. "Just until I catch my breath. I don't want her to see me like this." She knew he would do it. He knew what it was like for her, perhaps more than anybody else. "I don't want anybody to see me like this." |
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Game Moderator
Darkseeker
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Neziton || 4 years old || Mentions: Everyone || Warrior | " Blah blah blah blah, something about some carcass" With the slight twitched from his crooked ears, Neziton finally paid attention; they were voicing their thoughts but Neziton only heard the one thing he cared about; food. He yearned to show much food aggressive he had; he stood up and wagged his tail. Wait. Finally catching on, Neziton's head slowly made its way into the direction of the stranger; was this the issue they were trying to figure out? He knows how strange this was but Neziton honestly thought they were discussing the elephant in the woodland, how would they operate with so many unfortunate proboscises poking their nose into everyone's space. He wondered how others would react with the number of orders one will be giving out, no one seemed to care at the moment. Why? That wasn't the real issue, or was it? Neziton is too ahead of the assemblage, first worrying about the foreigner; then the hunt and finally settling under the ray of sunlight and circled by unwanted fog while staring his love in the eyes; will they finally figure out who shall lead them into damnation. But Neziton is supposed to be the relatively mysterious one, the only one who scarcely says a word and lets his utterance carry the dialogue. He's not supposed to start a topic, he shook out his pelt and growled to himself; for the first time, he allowed his body to react to his mind," Who am I if I fold under the strain..", He anticipated his question not to be answered but we all know Neziton. " You're a scared little pup under the surface" " You're not strong enough, just a canine who suppose to be vilified," " I'm not that! I'm much more, and if you can't see that then go back to the space in my mind where you don't matter," Neziton clawed at the ground and glared at everyone, again that expression may mistake him for someone who wants everyone to burn to the ground. Oversight. He wasn't the type to hate anyone, instead, Neziton wanted it all to stop. He wanted to go into overdrive. He's not allowed to be skittish, he's not allowed to show any other expression than a cluttered stupefaction mien. Neziton never had any brothers or sisters, he was the only one to be envisioned to carry out something he didn't choose. " You were born without an ambition, such a disgrace," He lifted his head high to notice a singular flower ahead of the group, he envied that little flower bastard. Isolated but peaceful, stunning yet when it rains it'll soon influence others to blossom next to it; Neziton wanted that; he just wanted to be like a flower- No, not a flower; something cooler like a fish. But being a fish doesn't mean you're alone, he needed a reference to something similar to him as a canine. He narrowed his eyes around and over the group but still kept his ears open if someone needed his disfavored sentiment. He didn't see anything relating to him and decided that trying to distract himself from the group and its issue wasn't going to keep this story moving along, he needed to be a part of the group instead of allowing these fools to speak disrespectfully. Who knew. Knew what? That Neziton voice would be as gravelly and scathing when he said," I trust him," Trust who? Neziton shut up, he needed to not speak on something he just got into; he didn't require the replies just that speaking made him desire water now. He turned to Avis and like the inelegant canine he was with little countenances, his big eyes stared at the male as if trying to read him. Neziton didn't have to read him, what do they have that Avis needed? Their pack was all dead, they had nothing for this canine to take; he needed nothing from them but maybe just comradeship. A future pack to grow and mature in, Neziton's trust can be spoiled and destroyed; he doesn't care about a mere simple characteristic like that. He kept staring at Avis and offered a single blink from his eyes," I trust him...," Did Neziton learn a new word, he repeated what he said as though they didn't catch what he said, the deluge of speaking made him snap out his world just for a little bit. He watched how the male flicked his tail and would take the lead, he didn't miss a beat and followed after Avis, seemed strange right? Neziton would normally wait for some type of sign it'll be alright to follow someone he barely knows, but then again this wasn't a pack- just a group of canines with no mission, no thought, and no concern of being out in the open. It'll be an understatement if I claimed that Neziton wasn't excited about hunting, not with them of course; no he wanted something to eat; how big was this carcass anyways? Would it feed everyone, was it fresh or days old. It doesn't matter, food was it not? Arriving at the dinner, he glanced between each wolf before his eyes landed on Yalina. Landed wouldn't be the right phrase, his eyes darted toward her; tilting his head slightly and shifting his body nearly to turn around and approach the dame. She was one year younger, wouldn't that be weird? Neziton didn't force his paws that clung to the ground as he turned his head back around. " Oh no....don't even start that bullshit!", It's not bullshit, Neziton is allowed to be concerned for someone who wasn't his beliefs. Not everything circles around what he believes in, he didn't choose to be mates with the strange thoughts of his father or mother expectations. They were the crazy ones! He didn't choose to be like this, so why couldn't the single thought of comforting someone, or even a dame without being accused of some sick crush cliche. " Your showing signs of weakness, lift your head up," Neziton forced his head up and approached the carcass and made sure to announce his share without saying a word. " There's no pressure, like whoever...but they'll never do what is needed if you get out of control," " He's clearly infected, he's not strong enough," Of course, he was strong enough, he wouldn't be alive and the urge to prove their lies wrong itched him, but all he offered was a grinning laugh. Wait he laughed. That act of randomness didn't matter to Neziton, he knew nothing about anything but what was taught to him and what he learned along the way; he finished up laughing and wagged his tail; this was comforting. It didn't matter what his voices told him, Neziton owned his shit and wouldn't disagree if someone claimed he was always having a moment. He knew his problems, he knew what was needed but would never speak on it because sometimes they needed to learn the hard way," So...", Neziton spoke again, his voice the same way but a bit softer," Who are we? I mean...as a group who are we? Surely someone knows that answer," No he wasn't adding shade to his comment merely a question to everyone. " I understand if you prefer to eat and hunt before answering, but the question won't go away because I'll be here asking it over and over again," He informed proudly. " We had everything, til it happened and...," His voice withered away as he realized he formed more than just one sentence. Should he keep going, he was on a roll," If I could answer my own question I would, but like always on top of one question I would allow another to escape from me...so," He cleared his vocals and smiled, why? Who knows," We all know our worth in the pack, but I don't see much of a pack here," Now that was implied with shade. " I said I trusted this stranger," He didn't catch his name, too busy fighting with his thoughtless comments to himself," And I meant that every word I say I mean...and I worry about this group...or whatever this cluster of fur and tails are..," He took a calm breath and stared endlessly at the empty air and blinked," Huh?", He blinked as though someone called his name, which no one did. " I'm sorry was I speaking..?”, He blinked. | |
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Neutral
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Nekti // Male // 6 years, 4 months // Mentions: Callidora, Choenyi, Avis, Peony, Neziton, Yalina, Acesco Nekti had always appreciated a wolf who could argue their point of view intelligently and calmly, and a wolf who didn’t cower when they were outnumbered, but remained respectful all the same. Although he was disinclined to like any friends of Choenyi’s - and still rather set against the idea of her having had a friend outside of the pack - he could easily see the logic behind what Avis was saying. Trust wasn’t something his pack had ever taught, but things were much different now, and trust might have been one of the few things they had left. As Avis explained how he and Choenyi knew each other, Nekti looked at Choenyi with slightly narrowed eyes. Of course, with no current leader and no system in place, there was no way Choenyi could have been punished, especially not for her actions so many years ago. But Nekti made his disapproval quite clear without saying a word. It was written on his face, a cold glint in his pale green eyes and a slight tilt of the ears. Nekti had known Choenyi longer than any of the wolves here, but one thing he hadn't ever suspected her of was having friends outside of the pack. He had been party once to a very nasty ordeal involving a pack wolf, Aisling, who had been supporting a loner - which, of course, Choenyi had been present for as well, but she might have been too young to really understand it. If Nekti had ever been tempted to get involved in rule-breaking like that, even just the idea of earning the scorn of his family and pack would have stopped him dead. Nekti turned as Acesco and Yalina arrived, and some fraction of tension seemed to leave his shoulders. Seeing Yalina's expression, he flicked his ear lightly to indicate that all was well. Chances were, however, that she hadn't spotted him - this subtle body language was hard for many wolves to spot. Yalina was standing slightly away from Callidora. Nekti could understand her need to have some breathing room. He wouldn't have been able to stand having somebody hovering over him like Callidora did with Yalina. He understood what it was to be family, but he always left his son to his own devices. What good would it do him to be hovering over him all the time? What were the chances that would lead to anything but resentment? As Callidora mentioned to Choenyi that her friendship with Avis could have been "dangerous," Nekti snorted. Choenyi's explanation was clumsy as she stumbled over her words. Perhaps she felt guilty about the whole thing, or maybe she was scared of losing the small amount of power she'd been striving to earn for herself. She claimed she believed him when he said he had no pack, and he had already stated that he'd once had one. Which meant that if he didn't have any pack any longer, there were three main options. The first was that he had left his pack in hopes of starting his own. That wasn't too unusual for young males - Nekti's own brother had done the same. Maybe he had been kicked out of the pack for some reason, maybe even because of Choenyi. That would make him entirely untrustworthy, and give him a good motive for having a grudge against Choenyi. Or maybe his pack had been wiped out by the sickness. The young, brash brown wolf was still bickering, pulling that old "do you know who I am?" line and refusing to leave despite his obviously not being wanted. Nekti gave him one more once-over and then focused on Yalina and Acesco - when given the option, he always turned his attention to wolves he liked better than others. He already figured that this brown wolf was no big threat. He was trying a bit too hard, and he hadn't made any move to do anything but snipe at pack members. Nekti figured the best way to deal with a wolf like that was to ignore them. And the wolf, in turn, seemed to have the same approach to problems, because he gave no reply to Nekti. The grey wolf gave Yalina his name, and Nekti explained to her a bit further, "These two wandered into our camp. I don't think either of them are imminently dangerous - Avis here seems to be childhood friends with Choenyi." It seemed that everyone was just going to bicker about nicknames, so Nekti moved away from the brown wolf and towards Yalina and Acesco. As he did, he could see Yalina looking back at the brown wolf, who was giving her a look as though she were a tangle of fur and dirt found in the corner of some cave. Yalina moved towards Nekti, and Nekti moved towards her at an equal pace. The brown wolf was already looking away, but Nekti chose to stay closer to Yalina all the same. The wolf introduced himself as Peony, and Callidora immediately went on about his name, making fun of it - how this juvenile exchange was still going on, Nekti didn't know. But Peony was pushing it, going too far, and targeting Yalina. If Nekti had had any respect left for this wolf, it would have vanished right at that moment. But he knew nothing could make this worse like him jumping to Yalina's defense. Peony was already trying to make her feel small - acting like she couldn't handle this herself would make her feel smaller. Nekti took a step back to show that he wasn't going to get involved, and Yalina responded with as much calmness and maturity as he could have expected - though Nekti himself would have chosen not to respond at all. As Avis turned to guide them to the carcass with Neziton close behind, Nekti lingered behind slightly, used to bringing up the rear. He had already decided that he would trust this wolf for now. He couldn't let his personal feelings towards Choenyi influence how he felt about Avis. Yalina seemed to be faltering slightly, but Nekti didn't acknowledge it. He was close enough already that if anything awful happened, he'd be right there, but the chances of something awful happening were pretty low. Nekti moved along at the back of the group, having no reason to argue with their decision at the moment. Those who wanted to come could, those who had a problem could stay behind. As they approached the carcass, Nekti moved in more slowly than the others. Once there would have been an order to which wolves ate first, but Nekti trusted that his packmates would leave enough for him if he showed up a little late. Before Nekti arrived, though, he heard Yalina speak up behind him. He turned to her and, upon seeing the distress on her face, he immediately shifted to block her from the view of the others. His expression didn't falter, though maybe it was a bit softer than usual. He listened quietly as the other wolves dug into the carcass. As Yalina finished, he nodded. "Of course, Yalina. Rest as long as you need, I'll take care of it. If you need anything else, I'm here. Just ask me." For a moment he looked like he wanted to say something else, but he brushed the ends of his tail fur against her paw ever so slightly - something he likely wouldn't have done if everyone could see him - and turned to Callidora. Neziton had started speaking while he was gone. Nekti had run into wolves like Neziton a few times in his life, but he never knew what to do with them - they didn't make sense to him. Of course, Neziton made far less sense lately, it seemed. So Nekti simply ignored him as though he wasn't there at all, like a small buzzing insect whose droning noise meant nothing. He was busy moving in next to Callidora. He stood next to her, on the side away from Yalina so Callidora would have to look away from her sister to speak to him. As soon as she turned to him he locked eyes with her - if she met his gaze, and she would if she understood what his undivided attention really meant, she'd keep that gaze. She might find it odd that he was so focused and intense at this moment, but then again, recently everything was much more focused and intense. Nekti might have taken her attention off of Neziton, and maybe it wasn't the most polite thing to do, but it wasn't at all unusual for him to completely overlook Neziton and anything he said. "Callidora, you've done well helping this pack through these hard times," he said to her. Although it was obviously a compliment, Nekti said it like it was just a statement and moved on quickly. "We'll be approaching the mountains in the east soon. If we go through it will be difficult terrain, and it'll be colder up there. But if we go around it will take longer, and I'm not sure we have that time. What do you think?" |
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Lightbringer
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| Acesco - Male - 4 years - Healer - Mentions: Everyone but Ophir Acesco smiled a little amused that she thought he shouldn’t apologize, and she was squishing moss. “Maybe when she isn’t as tired and wouldn’t slaughter me,” he agreed. He nodded. “Of course.” He felt guilty that he was using taking care of her as fulfilling his use in the pack. How would she feel about that? “I would be willing to do it regardless if it were my job or not, as long as you don’t mind and we can convince your sister.” If he weren’t the healer, he would have felt presumptuous making the offer, but in his position it made logical sense. He could see that her spirits were raised. If they set up around here, he was determined to try to help Yalina find something that she could do. “I could teach you some of the skills of healing. I’m pretty sure you could learn the most simple and common injuries and illnesses very quickly.” He wasn’t thinking that she would be a formal apprentice, but she could be an assistant. “As per usual, we can have a….discussion about what to do about leadership.” It normally turned into more of a clamor or insulting competition than a logical debate. “I wonder if they’ll think it’s a bad idea.” He sighed. He imagined himself or Yalina taking a turn. He didn’t think she would expect to take a turn. He supposed that they could be the ones who kept track of whose turn it was, since they were the closest to neutral they were going to get. His thoughts were brought back to her, as she studied what Rosemary actually looked like. She answered about what he heard, and he could see that they weren’t talking about the same thing, but he didn’t think it was worth correcting her. He could understand what she meant. He nodded his head. There was a definite lack of respect. “Since they disrespect each other, obviously we have to make them all behave super silly. Only way to even out the judgement. Trust exercises?” he chuckled a little. “I think besides games we should also arrange entertainment that they don’t necessarily have to participate in.” He rather doubted that they would be able to get the pack to participate, but it was fun to talk about. “The pack used to be so large we didn’t actually have to interact with each other. I think this’ll be good.” He let his tongue loll out of his mouth in a wolfish smile. “This was good.” Instinctively, he perked his ears forward as he too noticed the unusual scents. It was pointless as he couldn’t hear anything. He lowered himself in a way that suggested he was preparing for a fight. Similar thoughts were echoing through his head. Had something bad happened or were they really that hopeless about working together? He hurried to her side to help her. “Do you hear anything?” He barely kept his ears from being pinned against the side of his head. He couldn’t keep up with what was going on at all. Everyone was speaking too fast, and he had no way to tell what everyone was saying. He was distressed, but not aggressive, so he didn’t want to appear that way. He could see from everyone's posture that the worst of the aggression had already passed. He turned in surprise as he noticed the end of what Yalina contributed to the current conversation. He hated not being independent, but he had no idea what was going on. He dropped his herbs so he could ask questions.“Someone please give me a summary of what is happening.” He forced himself to calm down and make observations. He noted that Choenyi seemed happier and more at ease than he had seen her in a long time. Looks of dislike were often cast toward one of the new wolves and looks of suspicion toward the other one that Choenyi was near. He turned to Yalina. “Did I just see those two wolves introduce themselves as Amiss and Puny?” He tried to keep his voice down, but wasn’t sure how loud it should be. He was trying to figure out their names, and that was the first one that his brain came up with. He noticed that Nekti had come within hearing range. From what he was gathering the wolves had stopped and were indulging in calling each other names. Something that happened too often in this pack. He was glad that Nekti was explaining the situation to Yalina and he had seen it as well. “Thank you,” he sighed, feeling a little better now that he could wrap his mind around the situation. He knew when he was younger that Nekti might have considered him obnoxious. He had been much more energetic and mischievous. The weight of his job had sobered him, and he tried to maintain Nekti’s good opinion. He hoped that Nekti understood the names he came up with weren’t meant to be insults, but he simply didn’t understand. He was glad that they could trust the one that he believed was called Amiss, because Choenyi did. It’d be a relief to have food, but he could see that it would also cause more rifts in their very broken pack. Yalina had moved in front of him, and he angled so that he could see her muzzle. He preferred being on the edge of the crowd so he could see everyone. He began to stand tall from his former ready for attack position, as the one he knew as Puny began to walk over to Yalina. He wanted to get in front of her as well, but it wasn’t his place. While he could watch over her, and make sure that her sickness didn’t do something, he wasn’t really supposed to protect her from other wolves. He did stand ready to come bounding to her side, and he concentrated a lot of his observation skills on whether he believed he needed to come to her aid. If it weren’t for his hearing, he might consider negotiating. However, negotiating was not a time for misunderstanding. It would take him a while to learn how to read what he was saying. Acesco knew that Yalina had put in a lot of exercise today, so he decided to keep a close eye on her. He wanted Callidora to focus on these loners. He would if he could understand them. Acesco nodded to Yalina accepting her thanks once more. “Would you tell me if you aren’t doing okay?” he asked her. She could rest here for a moment and then travel to the carcass. He knew they would be able to follow the scent trail. He picked his herbs back up, as he wasn’t sure if they would return to this exact place. While they were walking to the carcass, he got ahead of her. He caught up to Neziton and fell into step with him. He wanted to ask where he had been and gather some information however this wolf was grown. He didn’t need to answer to anyone at the moment until they got a leader. He waited a moment to see if he would say anything before he went to look for Callidora. “So I saw that your new name was Cauliflower.” He gave her a wolfish grin letting her know that he was teasing. At least he was pretty sure that was what she was being called by Puny. “I think the outing was nice. We managed to find some herbs that’ll be very helpful.” In a very low tone, so that no one could hear, as he didn’t know how to judge his volume, he stated his observation. “I think you might be the more capable wolf right now. Between you and Nekti. Everyone else seems distracted. I have never seen Choenyi like that. Do keep an eye out.” He cut her off before she could get mad at him. “I know I know. You think I am being super obvious. I just mean that I am capable of looking after Yalina, but I’m not capable of keeping an ear out for these newcomers. I have very little idea what’s going on, so I’m pretty nervous.” He had been doing his best to keep his back fur smoothed down although his scent probably gave him away. Callidora was the most likely to be distracted by Yalina, and he didn’t think that Nekti would be pleased with him. How long would it take for everyone to realize his lack of hearing? He was surprised about Choenyi’s friendship, but he tried not to let it bother him. He cocked his head over his shoulder as he realized he didn’t see Yalina. He slowed so that Callidora got ahead, and he began to go back to find her. He came into view of Nekti and opened his mouth to ask if he had seen Yalina and then realized he could smell her. “Yalina? Are you okay? Is there something I can help with?” He asked her once he was in view of her snouth. He wondered how quickly the carcass would go. It was his only rush to get Yalina there. While his voice held gentle concern, he kept his distance and maintained a cool exterior. He was trying to be the opposite of fussy and overbearing although he did want to scold her for trying to hide it from him unless it was his fault that he had gone up ahead. He had missed her request to Nekti, and he watched as he left. He turned around peering over his shoulder expecting to be dismissed as well. (Hehehehe. I scanned through the posts before I read and I saw Puny, so it inspired a misunderstanding.) Choenyi was glad that Callidora was willing to give her a chance, but she could tell that many were upset with her. She noticed some drama happening with Yalina, but she wasn’t close to her at all. After this morning, she wouldn’t be appreciated interfering so she remained at her place. She did feel awkward about how the story got out, but she figured that they needed her so it couldn’t hurt her too much. Nekti approached Callidora late and began discussing travel plans. Why would he begin to discuss it in front of the loners? She sat near Avis wanting to keep away from Big Mouth Bass. “My pack got very sick. Have you ever come across the plague? I’ve seen so many die. I’m happy to see you. I didn’t think I would again. How have you been? Where have your travels taken you?” She approached the carcass and gingerly tore off a piece. She slowly chewed it, and decided that although it was rather stiff it was good. She began to eat a little quicker. They wouldn’t be able to wolf it down, because then it would be gone too soon. | |
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Darkseeker
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Sylphrena || Female || 3 || Loner || M: Carcass People, Chinook (Ind) The vultures were disturbed. Calclulating orange eyes shifted upwards to the circling wake, the frustrated flapping obvious. Every once in a while, one would dive down, only to immediately return to the sky without a morsel. Sylphrena knew that behavior well: they were waiting for something else to leave. The young female shook out her white coat and began moving in the direction of the birds; perhaps, by the time she got there, there would be enough left for a meal of her own with the original hunter -- or hunters -- gone. Syl knew there were wolves nearby; however, she had learned to stay away from large groups long ago, and Chinook and herself had managed just fine on their own. They never bothered anyone and, in turn, were ignored. But now she was hungry. Her partner had gone out to scout for a better territory two, three days ago, and he had not yet returned. She had tried to track him earlier, but something had covered his scent. Perhaps it had been that he was following the river. Whatever it had been, she was unable to find him regardless. Now, Syl could only hope Chinook was still alive. Her cousin's pride and tendency towards hostility did not always benefit him, and it certainly wouldn't have done anything good outside of their little piece of land. Her thoughts continued as she walked, and her mind wandered down the tracks of the pack life train of thought. Chinook had taken her away from her birth pack nearly three years ago; she had been too small to really remember anything. All she knew for sure was that it had been for the best. Pack wolves weren't welcoming to the "different" in her experience. And oh, had she been different. With a grimace, Sylphrena derailed that train and focused once again on the birds through the gaps between treetops. One dove down again, and there was a long gap that sparked her hopes that the carcass had been abandoned -- but no. It resurfaced not long after, still with nothing to show for it. Syl's ears twitched into an irritated position, only to move forward again. Eyes and ears on the road, Chinook would always say. She passed a faint marker and paused to take a deep whiff of the air. More than one wolf had left scent here, and the most recent wasn't far gone. Lingering pheromones suggested both males and females at different times; the last carried something else to it, though. Syl furrowed her brows and sniffed again, concentrating on the unknown factor. The wolf had been upset. Distress lingered along with the smell of sickness. Death. Syl began to rethink her decision to move forward. Both she and Chinook had fallen deathly ill not a month ago; some unknown disease had nearly killed them in less than a week. The cause of the sickness as well as the remedy were unknown; Chinook suggested something in the water, but who knew for certain? Sylphrena was still recovering from it regardless, and the thought of getting another deadly disease, or perhaps even the same one, was a strong deterrent from heading for the carcass. However, it was not as strong as her stomach. Prey had been all but nonexistent in her little territory, and, assuming Chinook was still alive, he was needing to travel quite a distance in order to find anything suitable for them. A horrible thought crossed her mind, then: what if this "prey" she was seeking... What if it was a wolf? Her appetite was nearly smothered. If she was on the trail of a decaying canine, she would just give up the ghost then and there. With the scents of death and worry lingering from the group whose territory she had crossed into, it was becoming more and more probable that it was indeed one of their dead. The wind was not in her favor, blowing to the side of both her and the carcass, so she could not get a good sniff of what it was, only that it was there. It was fresh, though, and the metallic tang of blood had hit her senses a few times. Unless it was a wolf who had succumbed to the grave recently, blood would not still be flowing. Sylphrena reasoned herself out of turning back and continued forward with cautious, light steps. Every muscle was stiff and she was ready to turn tail in a moment; if this sickness was one like whitemouth, the wolves would be vicious and insane, and fighting them would only increase her chance of infection. The smallest sounds set her on edge, but her adrenaline blew sky high at the sound of something eating nearby. Multiple somethings, actually. Dread welled up in her as she realized that she was nearly upon the carcass. The birds were right above her. Syl slid much more carefully through the underbrush as she approached, and she hid herself to the best of her ability as she neared the scene. There were so many wolves. Syl clenched her jaw and watched them all, not daring to get any closer. They all knew one another, or so it seemed. Her guess was that they were the members of the pack that lived there, or near there. She forced her hackles down and slowed her breathing, heartbeat following suite soon after. How long would these wolves stay? There were enough of them that they would surely eat what was left and then maybe even a bone or two. Marrow was all well and good, but she needed iron. Meat. Blood. Syl decided the safest bet would be to wait. They all smelled like sickness; whether it was because they were sick or because they were around others who had been sick, the young female still had no desire to get much closer. She needed food, but at the cost of her life? No. She wanted to live, she needed to live. At least for Chinook. |
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Neutral
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[ Peony/Three years/Mentions:Yalina, Callidora, Avis, Nekti, Acesco, Neziton (Ind)Slyphrena ] He watched her with a goading expression, noticing her enfeebled limbs and the way her scrawny sides heaved ever so softly in a quick breath. Shortly, he passed the others a glance; all who happened to be in the way of that glance was of course Cauliflower and the bothersome male at her side. He hadn’t forgotten the paler one, if anything, he locked his eyes on his, vision jaded with flitting perusal and a flock of curiosity which ate at his mind. Then, for a curt moment, Peony retreated amongst his own thoughts, half heartedly fishing for some sort of indication pertaining to these ladies' affiliation with each other. With the way Cauliflower almost drove herself between them both and sent a warning of fangs his way, he’d guess this specific weakling was special to her. Mother and daughter? Friends? Siblings? Only two of those made sense. Although he wouldn’t put it past Cauliflower to procreate out of wedlock, there was just no way such a female would have breeding rights. And just as he was about to make a connection, a slip of words had captured a reaction; rousing ears and a simple cock of his head. When she took it upon herself to careen slowly to his given height, instinctually, Peony followed her route and tilted himself away. It would be an understatement to say that he was just annoyed. But before he could bid her a threat of claws, she spoke once more, voice a venomous caress which prompted something more than a simple spike along his hackles. Her sister growled at him, the spark of protectiveness now evident in her gaze fattening to the size of a warning flame. But the female before his sight snipped in, repeating her inquiry and squirming from Cauliflower's shielding frame with fierce determination. Peony responded with none but a questioning glare, tail flapping in occasional ire at the unrelenting presence of her guardian angels posted readily at the side. He only snapped once a word of degradation had been spat so as to silence him, vision hardening and shoulders stiffening with exasperation. “Pick a new profession because that was a terrible joke.” He grumbled through a clenched jaw. And he only quieted once the skinny sister continued on. Already, he had leapt to his paws, preparing himself to confront such a horrendous accusation concerning his appearance, but as he took a step forward, he had begun to think better of it. Tilting his chin upwards, the male frowned disapprovingly, ears taut but nonetheless swiveling so as to gather his surroundings. Did she expect me to bow at her beauty? Almost, his inward retort had nearly slipped but he swallowed it. Not for her sake, but his own. The last thing he wanted was for this little princess to flee with tears and be chastised for it. He had enough of Cauliflower's breath buzzing about his ears. But he had disobeyed his commitment only two seconds later, scoffing the question that had been consuming his imagines with a disrespecting title that impulsively tugged his lips into a demeaning smirk. He had expected an explanation, not a displeased stretch of words and withdrawal. He glared at her, clearly unsatisfied. A captious look had already overthrown any previous amusement, and he then initiated a slow prowl to her side, but was stopped by Cauliflower who paced to her siblings flank with word of aid. Peony halted, an angry exhale blowing past his cracked jaws and his scruff considerably bloated with the passing wind. “Don’t walk away from me.” He uttered nastily, whipping his head to the side in a disgruntled turn of cheek when ignored. He noticed the other two males following suit; Cloudy marching them all towards the carcass despite it being past due time. Slowly, begrudgingly, Peony fell into step as the caboose. But the older male had begun to lessen his pace, so he quickened it. With him out of the way, he had a good view of the sisters, but a light gray pelt stained the picture. Quickly, the male had become aware of the chumminess the trio seemed to share. So naturally he directed his fizzing attention onto the opposing, snout wrinkling at the funny looking herbage wrapped between his teeth. A Keeper… He remembered those guys, the ones who would cure the feeble of his clan. Well they miserably failed this time around. There was a brief period of time when he had been requested. The Head Keeper wanted another apprentice, but everyone had been more than surprised when Peony himself had been summoned into the healing branch. It was believed that the Head Keeper yearned to tame the trainee and nurture him into some medicinal God. But obviously, it had taken a turn for the worse. At first, Peony complied, doing this and that with curing herbs and threatening those he despised under the name of the Keeper. But then things got boring. So he defied his mentor and made sneaking out with his friends a trend within his daily life. It wasn’t until the Head Keeper finally caved and entreated a meeting with The Crowned to reverse the summoning that Peony was free to do as he pleased. Well, almost. The Soldiers would often drag him by the scruff so as to spar and refine their skills. And not that he minded, he had grown more than content with clan brawls. Although a trainee, the Soldiers had somewhat adopted him, enlisting the male in little battle arenas so as to flaunt his strength and taunting him mercilessly whenever he vomited after a fight. Josie would have to chase them off when they began to claim too much of his time. She always preferred to culture him in the ways of mannerisms and romance. Peony knew that she wished to guide and mold him into some charming sweetheart of the clan so he could produce elite offspring worthy of The Crowned’s attention, but he’d rather die of asphyxiation than succumb to such a mapped out future. Still, he missed her. Peony scoffed arrogantly at the way the female’s legs wobbled and buckled. To him, they were moving at a snail's pace. So he knowingly usurped their walking frames, sauntering ahead with an exaggerated sigh just loud enough to reach her ears. That's what she gets for ignoring him earlier. Peony lifted his paws with considerable height, the scent of tender meat orbiting around his nostrils with a loud, beckoning cry to his stomach. He bounded towards Cloudy’s frame, passing the male and hopping over the bloodied carcass with excitement. For a moment, he watched as the male chased away the fattened ravens, gaze lighting with oddity. “So you weren’t lying.” But his eyes slanted slowly. “Don’t get any weird ideas. That wasn’t a compliment.” After a justifiable frown, the male dipped his chin, large incisors latching onto the juicy flesh like a beast. And once his teeth had scraped bone, he finally paused and raised his head, alabaster patched muzzle smeared with the excess blood and tongue lapping at it all with a tint just as red. He watched the black coated male for a moment, drinking in his ramble of words but forgetting to understand. Well..maybe he didn’t forget. Anyways, it wasn’t long until his gaze pivoted back towards his section of bone, and already, a childish gleam had folded across his yellow vision. Casually, Peony ripped the bone from the rest of the feast and darted into the woods. He tossed it into the air, loping and careening to the side until eventually losing balance and collapsing onto his flank. Playfully, he dove for the piece again, gnawing on the ends until it had begun to splinter. It wasn’t until the sound of pitiful mumbling reached his ears did the male stop, tottering to his paws and trotting towards the source by the echo of the trees. And when he finally saw her, that irritating, hot feeling began to throb and claw at his mind just like before, and once he recognized it as guilt, the male would attempt to shove it away with all the more persistence. She looked pathetic. So he hated that he was feeling any sort of distress over a weakling such as her. He despised it. She was worse than Sandy. So he began to walk. He walked in her direction. He walked up to her, an unkind look marking his features. “You’ll get eaten by something if you just sit there.” He grumbled softly, advancing on her figure with uncertainty. I’ll stand guard so you can at least cry safely. That's what he wanted to say, was about to say, but then he noticed the presence of the other male, seemingly waiting on her with evident concern. Immediately, Peony’s pelt grew hot with testy humiliation. His jaws dripped in a scowl and he quickly fled the scene, tearing through the undergrowth with angry incredulity. Here he was acting like a fool when there had already been another to comfort whatever pit she had dug herself in. That's what he gets for letting his guilt control him. Fuck guilt. The male sank back into the clearing, blinking at the carcass and the others rapidly. That Wannabe better keep her mouth shut. He growled inwardly before posting himself on his haunches, inhaling the ghost of a new scent but thinking nothing of it. |
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Darkseeker
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Yalina Female || Three || Mentions: Choenyi, Nekti, Peony, Avis, Acesco, Neziton, Callidora She stood to the side, figure hidden behind Nekti and away from prying, unwelcome eyes. Her ears flapped amongst her cranium as she broke out into a nod, eyes remaining pasted upon the older male's figure. "Thank you." She said no further words, uttered no other sentence. She knew she didn't have to. It was how their relationship was built. Yalina knew that he was there for her, and in turn, Nekti knew that she valued him. That was all that mattered. She wouldn't continue thanking him nor be clingy with appreciation. That's not how they worked. They simply did things for one another and that was all. It was what Yalina preferred and cherished in their relationship. Beaming in response to his tail brushing against her withered paw, the female observed him with admiration. How lucky she was to have someone like Nekti. To have somebody looking out for her best interests and supporting her.. Of course, Callidora and Acesco cared for her, but it was in a different way. It wasn't the same. While thinking about them, her head turned slightly, feeling an ounce of surprise having seen both healer and sister conversing in the distance. There was no malice, no stiffening of her sister's form, but a relaxed one. Good, Acesco would keep Callidora distracted for now so that she herself may slip away for a brief moment. She did not wish to be followed nor seen. Her disappearance would be swift, as if she had never vanished to begin with.. "Hm?" A sentence was directed towards her, though it had come from behind. Her head turned, body shifting so that she may better see who had willingly decided to approach her. She was met with an unpleasant look, darkened eyes digging into her, as if she were some form of prey. "It's you," she said, tone simple, as if stating a fact, which, she supposed she was. There was no earlier annoyance expressed in her face nor figure. There was no malice nor grudge-like manner being directed towards Peony, who stood before her. She took his words into consideration for a moment, a scoff itching to be spit out. "I doubt anything would find me remotely appetizing." It was a saddened joke on her part, using her bone-like figure as the punchline. What does it matter to you? She wished to ask, curious to know why he had decided to reappear. Was it guilt attaching itself to her? Perhaps his attempt of an apology, or maybe she was his new punching bag. He had noticed somebody weaker than himself and wished to use that to his advantage? Regardless of the answer, Yalina doubted she would be surprised with either one. Who knew, perhaps he lingered for an entirely different reason. Oh, but she couldn't get any of her thoughts out, for within moments, a scowl had sketched itself upon his face. A second later, he was gone. She watched him depart, scurrying away as if something had bitten him on the tail. Had it been her? Was he so repulsed by her appearance that he regretted approaching? A feeling began to form within her stomach. Like a pit it sat there before she shook it away. Yalina was confident that it wasn't her. Perhaps Nekti, who lingered close? Whatever the solution may be, she put it aside. However, for a moment, she gazed around at the others, wondering if they had seen the male appear and vanish. Had she simply imagined him? Was this another symptom to her illness? Hallucinations? No, she was certain he was here, regardless of how quick the encounter was. Blinking, her dull gaze turned back to Nekti. To both her relievement and disappointment, he began to head to Callidora. It was then when the lighter female slowly stepped back, head lifting to ensure everybody was focused upon the carcass. She needed to cease this opportunity and grasp it with her claws. Using Nekti's body to shield her from her sister's view, Yalina eased herself backwards. Hoping to vanish for a few minutes to recollect herself, the female paused, nearly bumping into Acesco. Where did he come from so quickly? Wasn't he just.. Her head turned to Callidora, noticing her now near the carcass, before glancing back to Acesco. A moment of dread flashed in her eyes before it vanished. Instead, she replaced it with a grin. "Me? Oh, I'm perfectly fine, thank you." Her voice came out bubbly, perky even in attempt to cover up any discomfort she may have shown earlier. Think, Yalina. "You don't need to worry about me, I've never felt better!" Glancing at the carcass, she turned back to him. Need to get away.. "Why don't you save me a seat beside you. I'll join you in a moment." Peering over Acesco's shoulder, she continued. "I'm just going to check and see if I can spot Ophir on his way. Nekti asked me to." Of course, it was a fib, but Yalina needed an excuse to get away momentarily. Offering him one final smile, she began to sidestep him. "I'll be right back." Walking past him, Yalina walked normally, her head high and proud as she slipped away. Behind the trees she strode, gaze forward and steps long and elegant. It was only when she away from everybody's view did she turn back to them. Noticing she was away from sight, her tall stance begin to slowly collapse. Like a robot she slowly broke down, limb after limb, joint after joint. She allowed herself to limp, back slumping and head lowering. There was no more tall posture for Yalina, no more elegant strides, but a hunched figure, her mouth parted open slightly as her tongue rolled out in a series of pants. On she limped, her body being dragged along the ground only a few meters away from the others. Weaving behind a tree, she touched her tail to it before crouching down, lowering herself onto her haunches slowly. Stabilizing herself, Yalina ignored her legs shaking beneath her and the increasing pain in her head. It was as if somebody was constantly hitting it. Thump, thump, thump, it went, forcing her to close her eyes in attempt to relieve it as a soft groan sounded in her throat. A pang of irritation hit her, eyes snapping open as a paw reached forward, swiping at a rock in front of her. On the rock flew, colliding into the bushes before rolling. Yalina was frustrated with herself, with her body. How broken it was. This wasn't how she expected her life to be. This wasn't how she expected any of it to be. Her nostrils enlarged as she took in a deep breath, chest inflating. She needed a moment to collect herself before returning. Despite her health, there was still a large part of her that didn't want the others to see her like this. If they did, they would begin fussing over her, hoping to help her. Yalina couldn't do that to them. They needed to enjoy themselves for a brief moment without her being such a burden. Besides, she had confidence that she'd feel better the moment she had some rest. It was a difficult day, and she had done a lot and- Oh, she still had to make it back to the temporary camp somehow. She dreaded the mere thought. How she would manage to put on an act was beyond her, but she'd figure it out. Releasing a deepened sigh, which had come out more like a laboured breath, she sunk to her stomach slowly and placed her head on her paws. She would sit in silence, only for a little while until her body stopped hurting and her irritation with herself decreased. Then, she would return to the others as if nothing ever happened. Yalina knew Nekti would distract Callidora in the meantime, so she didn't have to worry over that. She had dealt with Acesco, so he wouldn't come searching. She was finally alone, just for a few moments.. Just for a little while. |
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Fall 
Night Weather: 
Clear Moon: 
