[/html]They had traveled for many days. The loners had wished to take their time moving up through the northern territories, especially the russet furred male. He had never traveled so far from the central lands of the region, and the pack smells were just as frequent as they were around the old lands of his disbanded home. Yet the difference was great; Oak was not familiar with their hospitality. The neutral passages between them were tight, and the landscape far more vertical and mountainous. Further north they were met with deep river had cut though the lands, and they had needed to search for a shallow passage, for they could not find an ending point that did not exist among the lands of a wolf pack.
The journey was a serious one, and yet Oak found a great pleasure in spending the time with Cassia. She was easy to converse with, and easy to walk along beside in silence. It was obvious that she was a seasoned traveler, learning the lands and studying them as they moved along. Oak took his own mental notes, knowing that he would have to return to Berwick and perhaps alone.
Once beyond the river it had not taken them long to find the proper pack borders that they had been searching for. Camping outside them till dawn, Oak and Cassia rose in the early morning light and made their way towards the border, stopping when his instincts told him to. With his axe strapped to his waist the male did not wish to intrude but show deep respect for the Vinátta pack. Blue eyes looked to the face of the earthen tones woman, a small smile touching his lips before raising his ink hued nose to the sky. His voice followed, reaching out for the morning clouds and singing out in the bellows of his wolfish voice.
Falling from the sky
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08-15-2012, 08:59 AM
[html]hi :3 private for Cassia. Claimed by Jess! winkwink
08-15-2012, 09:39 AM
[html] It had been their plan to take their time, to enjoy the journey to the new pack, Vinatta. Oak had met one of the leaders while she had met the timid, botanically inclined woman by the name of Colibri. Their mutual opinion of the pack had eventually brought them to this pilgrimage to what would hopefully be their new home. Clad in her full armor, with blade, bow, and quiver strapped to their appropriate locations, the cinnamon wolfess had made the journey all the while beside her best friend. Their moments of quiet conversation, no matter how short, always left her with a smile, with the more common silences leaving her content. There was no person in the world she would rather be with at this point. Oak understood her; she could drop the cool, collected facade and wear her emotions on her sleeve. He had never judged her.
The mocha ticked wolfess had come to carry a deep respect for her russet companion. His knowledge of the land and terrain had only reinforced her admiration during their few days travel. Though she had always walked beside him, he had been the leader in her mind. She followed him, whether she offered a suggestion to aid him or not. The last night of the trip, camped out before the borders of Vinatta, had been a fitting closure to their travelling. Whatever they talked about was lost in her memory for at some point in their conversation one of them had made a playful jest that had sent her rolling in a fit of laughter. Laughing so hard that it had made her cry had been an unfamiliar sensation for the Calidus girl. Never before had she been able to express such heightened emotion. Truth be told it had exhausted her so that she had fallen to sleep shortly afterwards, her mind neglecting to file away the details of the occurrence for her later reminiscence. This morning walking to the borders of what would hopefully become their new homeland, Cassia could not wipe the grin off her face. Due to the aforementioned mental mishap she could not place why exactly she was in such giddy spirits and chalked them up to simply being with her dearest friend, Oak. She stopped when he stopped, sea green gaze connecting with his and watching him raise his nose to the sky. The first bellows of his melodious call stirred her to follow in kind, raising her voice with his to harmonize with his call for an audience with a member of the pack. Now, all that remained was the waiting. [/html]
08-15-2012, 01:58 PM
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(421) Ever since Saul had confirmed her pregnancy, Lilin would often feel like something was out of place. No matter how hard she searched, however, she could never find the origin of the aforementioned feelings. A week had since passed. Her belly had not only hardened exponentially, but it had also taken ampleur. While she had no idea what to make of her situation, there was no room for doubt and misconceptions any longer. She was indeed bearing her mate's children and they were making their presence known by sucking the energy out of her. Lilin had gone to the grove and prayed to the Gods, directing her laments towards both Loki and Freya specifically; surely one of them was responsible for this. While she had indeed prayed for the Goddess' blessing, she had not signed up for motherhood! Shock had been born from disbelief and denial, only to be replaced with a vague acceptance of her destiny. Every so often, the mother-to-be would surprise herself by absently rubbing her protruding belly. Instincts she hadn't known existed would take over every so often, made manifest with gentle strokes of her swollen abdomen. While it was nowhere as apparent as Colibri's, her flowy pareos were no longer enough to conceal her bump. Whether he realized it or not, Saul had become more protective of her and his progeny. Border duties had been stripped from her, a task too dangerous for an expecting mother. This left her confined to Jordheim and the Sacred Grove, both places nestled safely within the packlands- far enough from any possible threats. In spite of this, her limbs activated and brought her towards the nearest border when a beckoning howl pierced nature's harmony. Before Lilin could even identity its owner, a female's softer intonation chimed in. While she didn't know the second person, she eventually recognized who the male was. Thankfully, she could still move at a reasonable pace. One of her cousins could have gotten to them much quicker, she knew. But with a little luck, she would be the one to greet the duo personally. It took a few moments but the Soulstorm heir eventually emerged from the woods several feet away from them, barking out a pleasant greeting to catch their attention. ''Oak!'' she called out eagerly, waving for them to get closer. The boy and his friend were no longer restricted by the borders. She planned on giving them a tour, no matter the reason behind their visit. They were welcome in her home. #lillin-1 .txtooc { text-align:left; font-size:12px; font-family:arial, serif; text-transform:none; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; } #lillin-1 .txtooc .word { font-weight:bold; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:normal;} #lillin-1 b { letter-spacing:-.5px; font-family: arial, serif; font-size: 11px; }. #lillin-1 u { text-decoration: none; border-bottom:1px dotted #000000; } #lillin-1 b.npc { letter-spacing:.5px; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; } #lillin-1 p {text-indent:25px; padding:5px 10px; margin:0px;} #lillin-1 {margin:0px auto; width:80%; background-color:none; background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/ijCRS.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; border:none; padding: 80px 0px 0px 0px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size:11px; color:#111111; line-height:16px; letter-spacing:.5px; text-align:justify;} </style>
08-15-2012, 02:24 PM
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08-15-2012, 05:43 PM
[html] Such a strange phenomenon, the silence after a howl. Such an absence of sound permeated the air with the anticipation of the duo so much that the cinnamon girl could almost smell it. Fortunately the world did not lack for sound long before another call raced across the wind, the so desired response, and a friendly one at that. Whoever it was, Cassia quickly guessed that Oak must have known them because his excitement showed from his face to his tail. Perhaps this was the leader he had met before.
In a similar fashion to Oak Cassia found herself fidgeting with her adornments, though instead of her belt she smoothed her skirt beneath the leather folds of her tasset and adjusted her breastplate. Had her hair not already been tied up with a strip of ribbon she would have likely tied it up. For now, though, her anxiety would have to be satisfied by adjusting her bangs to frame her face. For a wolfess raised in nobility it was hard to ignore the old habits of looking ones best before meeting someone of high social status such as a pack leader. Months without practice had only diminished the routine somewhat and as she was unable to completely primp and prepare herself she was uncharacteristically fidgety. When an unfamiliar, feminine voice called Oak's name, her sea green gaze shot up to see a bi-colored wolfess beckoning them into the lands. Her russet companion gave her a brief, but reassuring, look before leading the way and Cassia followed one hand at her side the other tracing the carved pommel of her sword to satisfy her nerves. The rest of her form betrayed no other signs of nervousness in fact her visage bore a warm smile to greet this woman who was obviously very happy to see the two of them. Oak's introduction confirmed Cassia's suspicions and the huntress dipped in a curtsy, once again unintentionally indulging her old habits. "I'm pleased to meet you, Lilin. I've heard wonderful things of your pack, both from Oak and one of your members," she explained, excited to finally meet the leader of this peaceful pack. If Lilin's greeting was any indication then this pack would be a wonderful place to live. Sea green eyes studied the Vinattan leader, memorizing her face and other features before falling on the noticeable roundness of her abdomen. Lilin was to be a mother! Cassia loved the idea of there being pups in the pack. It looked as though Lilin still had a bit further to go in her pregnancy but the anticipation of little luperci to play with and enjoy almost made Cassia giggle, but she managed to maintain a friendly smile.[/html]
08-15-2012, 07:07 PM
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(312) It was strange - she felt no awkwardness from this meeting. Lilin wasn't the most social person the world, far from it. More often than not, she would observe rather than take part in gatherings and other social events but there was something genuine about the copper male. Whatever it was, it made her want to trust him. The Virding merely waited at first, giving him and his friend a chance to catch up. Mediterranean irises lingered on the female as the duo made their way to her, curiously assessing the way the girl responded to her companion's silent encouragement. Whatever relation these two shared was most admirable. The girl was introduced as Cassia, to which she responded with a friendly smile. Social etiquette had never been Lilin's forte. Her dam had not deemed it necessary to show her the proper way of greeting someone - everything she'd learned thus far, she owed it to Barrett and her friends. She knew what the curtsy's purpose was; responding to it adequately proved to be a challenge. ''The pleasure is mine, Cassia. And oh? Which pack mate of mine do you know?'' she replied curiously, wondering if it was one of the founding members or the newest recruits. Positive feedback was always rewarding. Her gaze followed Cassia's for a moment, knowing the girl had already spotted what lay hidden under the flowy material of her pareo. She still didn't know how to handle it, but the loner's warm smile was enough to temporarily soothe her insecurities. Turning her attention back to Oak (who's anxiety hadn't gone unnoticed), Lilin decided to abord the subject of his inpromptu visit. ''What brings you two this far north? Are you planning on staying for a while?'' she questioned breezily, gesturing for them to follow her down the dirt path leading to Vinatta's village of residence, Jordheim. #lillin-1 .txtooc { text-align:left; font-size:12px; font-family:arial, serif; text-transform:none; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; } #lillin-1 .txtooc .word { font-weight:bold; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:normal;} #lillin-1 b { letter-spacing:-.5px; font-family: arial, serif; font-size: 11px; }. #lillin-1 u { text-decoration: none; border-bottom:1px dotted #000000; } #lillin-1 b.npc { letter-spacing:.5px; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; } #lillin-1 p {text-indent:25px; padding:5px 10px; margin:0px;} #lillin-1 {margin:0px auto; width:80%; background-color:none; background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/ijCRS.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; border:none; padding: 80px 0px 0px 0px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size:11px; color:#111111; line-height:16px; letter-spacing:.5px; text-align:justify;} </style>
08-16-2012, 09:55 AM
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08-16-2012, 11:27 PM
[html] It was natural for the black and brown female to be curious which of her pack mates Cassia had met. Cassia had intended to tell her if asked and as such did not have to think about her answer for it was already on her tongue. "I met a female named Colibri Haki in the orchard of the old Crimson Dreams pack lands. She taught me how to care for young trees and tree cuttings. She's quite knowledgeable about the subject, I learned a lot," she replied, proud to express such admiration for the timid Vinattan. The memory of the meeting almost made her chuckle. Cassia had frightened the woman so much with her attire that she had dropped all of the saplings she had collected. The cinnamon girl had then had to explain that she was not some armored, orchard protector but just a nostalgic former Dreamer that was visiting to say farewell to the first home she had found in these lands. That revelation had brought out similar revelations of the Vinattan's former residence in Crimson Dreams and the lesson in horticulture.
As the conversation turned to their reasons for travelling to the area Oak was the one to explain their intentions. As the huntress and the woodsman moved to follow Lilin deeper into her homeland Cassia thought she saw Oak glance her way but she turned too late to see it. He hesitated for a moment, though almost imperceptively, which puzzled Cassia. Had he intended to do or say something? No point in speculating, it obviously had not been important enough for him to linger on it. It was not her place to press him. They had more important business to tend to, which the warrior wolfess was going to enjoy as much as possible.[/html]
08-17-2012, 01:07 PM
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(389) ''Ah yes, my sister is quite fond of gardening. You'll see some of her work throughout the pack lands - mainly in Jordheim and the communal gardens,'' she revealed in response, her voice filled with pride. Colibri was indeed quite talented, even if she would never willingly admit to it. Whatever moment the two females had shared must have been beneficial for both of them; her older sibling needed to break free from her insecurities and live a normal life. Making friends and sharing her passion with a friendly face like Cassia could have been nothing but positive. Little did this loner know, she had possibly helped Colibri just as much by merely listening to what she had to say. A grateful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth - a wordless 'thank you' of sorts. The duo fell into step behind her and she began guiding them with ease through the diifferent earthen paths and arteries scattered across the pack lands. Greenery was already starting to reclaim the paths maintained by Vinattans - they would soon have to tidy them up. ''Your group?'' she questioned lightly, wondering just how many wolves this group consisted of. Oak had mentioned his dam during their last meeting; would his matriarch follow suit if they decided to stay? ''We were thinking of expanding. We have twenty five mouths to feed-'' she informed them, definitely aware of how much their pack had grown since her last meeting with Oak. Most of them joined in pairs: Nahyt and Hael, Amaury and Luuk, Selene and Fritz. ''- and more to come.'' A rub of her protruding belly was given with that final statement. It certainly wouldn't hurt to have well-versed hunters join their family and hopefully, help them stock up on food for the coming winter. A silent nod was provided in reply to Oak's statement: prospering was one way of putting it. ''I would be honored if you joined us. Both of you. Why don't you stay for a few days and see if you like it here? We have several available houses you can choose from in Jordheim.'' Lilin abhorred the questioning that normally accompanied joiners. Both Cassia and Oak were well-behaved and their morals were no doubt family-oriented and admirable. That was all she needed to know. #lillin-1 .txtooc { text-align:left; font-size:12px; font-family:arial, serif; text-transform:none; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; } #lillin-1 .txtooc .word { font-weight:bold; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:normal;} #lillin-1 b { letter-spacing:-.5px; font-family: arial, serif; font-size: 11px; }. #lillin-1 u { text-decoration: none; border-bottom:1px dotted #000000; } #lillin-1 b.npc { letter-spacing:.5px; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; } #lillin-1 p {text-indent:25px; padding:5px 10px; margin:0px;} #lillin-1 {margin:0px auto; width:80%; background-color:none; background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/ijCRS.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; border:none; padding: 80px 0px 0px 0px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size:11px; color:#111111; line-height:16px; letter-spacing:.5px; text-align:justify;} </style>
08-17-2012, 01:11 PM
We can continue! I'll get you guys titled up now though. :>
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08-17-2012, 02:46 PM
[html] !
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08-17-2012, 07:19 PM
[html] Yay ^_^
The thought of seeing Colibri's knowledge at work around the pack lands excited the cinnamon wolfess. The idea of seeing flowers and other plants so well cared for was stimulating to say the least. Cassia would have to make a point to seek out the timid horticulturist to see more of her handiwork. Oak was quick to list the members of their party who lingered in Berwick at Lilin's inquiry and the mention of the tree male's mother left Cassia sending a quick prayer up to the heavens that this pack would suit Anu. She hoped with all her heart that Vinatta could be a home for all of the Berwick loners and she knew Oak would be hurt if his mother decided not to join them. When Lilin revealed the possibility of the pack expanding due to their numbers the cinnamon girl smiled excitedly. The familial belonging that seemed to permeate the ideals of this pack was just the sort of life she and Oak were longing for. If it was truly as wonderful as Lilin proclaimed, of which Cassia had little doubt, then they would feel right at home. Oak's comment about the necessity for an additional pair of hunters followed by his turn to look at her made her blush in an unusual display of timidity. It was true that she and the tree named male were quite the deadly duo when it came to hunting game, but for some reason the thought of Oak being so proud of their success made her shy all of the sudden. Under Cassia's instruction Oak had also become an even more formidable warrior with his axe. In bare-fisted combat he was also improving, already a fair match for herself, though he would not admit it. They would be a formidable addition to the pack's defenses as well if ever the need to fight for Vinatta arose. Lilin was so kind and generous already that when she again told the pair that she would eagerly welcome them into the pack and even offered them a choice of the available homes. Oak was the first to express his gratitude by Cassia quickly followed, "Yes, thank you very much Lilin. I think we'll really like living here. I know I already feel at home," she exclaimed, a beaming smile shining on her face as she continued to follow the Virding.[/html]
08-17-2012, 09:01 PM
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(630)Man, I feel like Lilin runs an inn sometimes. Welcome to the hotel calif- I mean, Vinatta! You can check out anytime you like... but you can never leave! > The male's matriarch and two more had been left behind in the town of Berwick. The rest of the information provided was absorbed in relative silence, a time she spent wondering if their two families shared similarities, and if they would get along as easily and she was getting along with her guests. The Stormbringers were hard-working, life-loving, light-hearted people; loving them was almost too easy. Her kin gave her the confidence and the willpower to achieve higher goals and she knew they would do the same for Oak and Cassia. Winter was coming and they could all benefit from each other's support in the coming months. They needed to stock up on food and pelts. A lot of houses in Jordheim also needed some sprucing up, especially Colibri's who had laid claim to the shabbiest looking dome of them all. ''You're welcome,'' she replied softly, returning both of their smiles with equal delight. Their lighthearted chatter continued for a little while - the Virding would occasionally stop and point in various directions. She identified the stables and the vineyards from afar, informing them of the newly arrived foals from Casa di Cavalieri. And when came the time to designate the sacred grove to the east, she took a moment to explain who and what they would find there. ''Over there is the Sacred Grove. It is maintained by Miskunn and I. Miskunn is my cousin and the pack's priestess, our Godja,'' she explained, placing a stong emphasis on the norse title's pronunciation. ''It is a place of prayer and worship- many of us go there to seek guidance from the Gods.'' Her energy had dwindled down greatly by the time they found the clearing leading to their village of residence, nestled in the valley. No complaints were made and she did her very best not to display any discomfort. For a moment, she was reminded why Saul often reprimanded her for leaving the village. Her pace had diminished and she'd lost her initial gait, but she would still make it to destination. They were almost there. ''This is Jordheim,'' she informed them with a relieved smile, knowing she would soon be able to rest. Mediterranean blue irises strayed from the village ahead, hoping to catch a glimpse of the duo's reaction once they saw the peculiar earthen houses Vinattans lived in. Lilin led her guests straight to the house used for storage, where she gifted them with a tanned hide and a frithr necklace each. Normally, other trinkets accompanied the welcome packs such as hunting knives and daggers, but she knew they had their own weapons to hunt with. ''The frithr necklaces are a Vinattan custom. Saul, my mate and co-leader - he makes them. Oak, this carved hammer - It's Mjölnir. Do you remember Thor's hammer?'' she asked expectantly, wondering if he remembered what she'd taught him. ''These hides should keep you warm on colder nights - tanned them myself.'' While the rest of the pack was off building the village hall and doing heavy lifting, she tanned pelts. At least she was getting better at it. ''And this,'' she started, handing the duo a bottle of red wine with a mischievous grin. ''Is because we like to drink a whole lot. You best hide it from my cousin Bran.'' Perhaps alcohol was just what they needed; that's what had given both her and Saul enough courage to act on their feelings. Judging from the closeness they shared, Lilin liked to assume Oak and Cassia were a couple in the making. ''Saul and I have the house way up north if you need anything. Why don't you guys go and get settled in? I'll give you some privacy.'' #lillin-1 .txtooc { text-align:left; font-size:12px; font-family:arial, serif; text-transform:none; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; } #lillin-1 .txtooc .word { font-weight:bold; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:normal;} #lillin-1 b { letter-spacing:-.5px; font-family: arial, serif; font-size: 11px; }. #lillin-1 u { text-decoration: none; border-bottom:1px dotted #000000; } #lillin-1 b.npc { letter-spacing:.5px; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; } #lillin-1 p {text-indent:25px; padding:5px 10px; margin:0px;} #lillin-1 {margin:0px auto; width:80%; background-color:none; background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/ijCRS.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; border:none; padding: 80px 0px 0px 0px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size:11px; color:#111111; line-height:16px; letter-spacing:.5px; text-align:justify;} </style>
08-21-2012, 09:49 AM
[html]yay!
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08-24-2012, 02:27 PM
[html] -_- This post is cruddy, but I had to post something. I must need coffee or something The cinnamon huntress followed behind the Virding quietly, logging each new landmark in her brain for future reference. When they passed the Sacred Grove, Cassia paused beside Oak, sea green eyes trained on the stand of tall trees. She did not know why Oak had stopped but as for herself the Sacred Grove intrigued her. Which gods did the members of Vinatta worship? The title of their priest sounded familiar but for the moment Cassia could not place it. Her brow furrowed as she continued onward after Oak and Lilin, sifting through the lessons of her childhood to try to place which religion the title Godja belonged to.
Her focus was broken when Lilin announced their arrival in Jordheim and the mahogany maned wolfess looked to see not buildings but small hills. Was it Vinattan practice to live in underground dens? Her second scan of the hills revealed the answer to her question and Cassia could not help but smile. The wooden doors and windows that dotted the sides of these 'hills' indicated a type of architecture that utilized a much more natural approach than simple beam and timber or stone construction. The homes were built into the earth itself. The Calidus girl had never seen such homes before. The fact that she would be able to live in one almost forced a giggle from her, but she contained it with an amused smile. Lilin led them to one house in particular where she proceeded to present Oak and herself with several gifts; one carved necklace for each of them, several freshly tanned hides, and a bottle of wine. The Virding explained each gift in kind as Cassia and Oak humbly accepted the gifts. Almost immediately upon receipt of the necklace, Cassia hung it around her neck, her fingers tracing the carved, hammer-shaped, pendant. Lilin explained that the hammer was to represent Mjolnir and Cassia's jaw dropped for a brief second. Thor! The Vinattan's worshipped the Nordic gods! It all made so much sense now that the huntress honestly felt stupid. The name of the town, Jordheim, should have been a clue to the Norse culture of the pack. Cassia scolded herself inwardly for the mental lapse only to hear Oak recite one of the details about the tales of Mjolnir that Lilin had apparently educated him about in their previous meeting. Oak seemed quite stunned with Lilin's generosity. Cassia too was unfamiliar with the concept of giving gifts to the new members of a pack, having been raised in a culture where it was required for those seeking citizenship to present lavish gifts to the leaders to even be considered. Lilin's gesture was truly wonderful in that regard. She had been extremely hospitable and welcoming to them and Cassia could already tell that she, Oak, and the rest of their group were going to love it here. Echoing Oak's sincere gratitude Cassia dipped in a small bow before she spoke, "Yes, thank you Lilin." There was no need for a long statement of gratitude for the exceptional generosity that was shown to them. Oak had recognized it and she had mirrored him in kind. In instances such as this, it was not the number but the sincerity of one's words that mattered in conveying their message.[/html] |