01-08-2010, 02:00 PM
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 Jantus nodded a little sadly. It seemed that Skoll's friends here didn't have the whole story, either. The only ones who did would be Skoll himself, and the weasel that had slunk in to kill him. That bit of vitriol tasted badly in the Pine wolf's mouth, though...by all accounts, Skoll had been killed, not murdered--a very important distinction in Pine culture--which meant that considering the one named Asmodai a creature lower than a wolf wasn't quite consistent. Anyone who could fight Skoll head-on and win had some ability, for sure, and most likely some dedication to the kill, as well: he didn't know how confident the intruder had been in his abilities, but he would need to be pretty damn good if he didn't think his life would be on the line fighting the bronze wolf...provided he knew there was a fair chance of his own death, the purpose of his venture must have been very important to him. One way or the other...it left only bits and pieces of the puzzle for the dead's friends and family to try and put together. "Lubomir was the name of the wolf who carried the news north to Aivyr, Skoll's last pupil. It was Aivyr who brought news to my pack, and began the journey to inform his family with two coyotes who had also been friends of his. I don't think Tanya and Nik much liked the cold, though." He laughed a bit, but it died down quickly. Tayui seemed more formal than he in reverence to the dead; he felt like she had a more noble bearing...leadership experience, maybe, than others he had spoken to. A wolf from a place where death was still a sorely looked upon tragedy, instead of something to become used to. "Anyway, I couldn't leave until I'd done battle and negotiations with a neighboring pack, and we didn't want to observe a funeral until Aivyr returned. He brought Skoll's brother with him...would you believe they hadn't seen one another since they were yearlings? By the time he and Aivyr came down out of the north, Asphyxia already had a litter of three pups: Ambien, Culexa and Trigger. All the family but Asphyxia came down with us." He studied her reaction, hoping this would be good news, rather than just dredging up old hurt. Even so, he was glad that someone cared. It seemed odd that Skoll mattered more in places where he didn't live, though it was often the case that familiarity bred contempt; he had told them that his policies weren't nearly as popular here as they were in the Pine. "It's old now, but I think that between the two of us we can piece together what exactly happened in those weeks. I know some of what led up to it, and what Lubomir told Aivyr. It would mean a lot to figure out the details of what happened in between. I have to admit that the mystery of it has bothered me...and I think that I can answer some of your questions, too." It was indeed old news, which might be why so few people had heard about it. When mysteries go unanswered for too long, after all, interest in them fades. He couldn't know how it had felt for those who lived with him from day to day to have him disappear and to not understand why. |