The White Ash of Snow

Ralla · 03-17-2011, 09:23 PM

[html]

I needs me some help :3 ALSO: This is an extension of a thread occuring on the same day, although it is seperate because one part takes place in AniWaya, the other in Serena Reserve.

In the cold depths of the forest, it was still beautiful. Icicles hung like suspended teardrops, the river bubbled still, and the trees were ashen grey on white. Ralla was out that day to gather some wood, but not just any wood; she wanted good white ash bark. She had seen the trees earlier in autumn and had liked their scent--found it calming and pleasing--and so thought it would be an adventure in itself to gather some of its wood to feed to the Great Fire. With her was Sugar, plodding along faithfully beside her, and a small axe in hand. She hummed a tune to fill the ice forest, the icicles almost ringing like chimes in the still day. Wherever she went, Ralla seemed to be surrounded by the silent breath of winter, her whims and duties diverging from much activity. She was fine with that, though. She loved her tribe and her friends, but peace and quiet was always a welcome solace in times of trouble, as she had reflected upon during her season cleansing.

Her hums soon turned to a soft song--or poem, as it might've been--as she grew more comfortable that she was alone, her steps gaining an extra spring. The world was now her wonderland; her kingdom; her home. She was as much a part of the snow as the moon and sun were paradox.

"In the cold gales of winter;
"In the nights we remain.
"In the drumbeats of warring thunder
"You can hear me call your name.
"In the gentle scent of the hills;
"In the sun's fires we go on.
"In the waters of pure rivers
"All sorrow is cleansed then gone."

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Princess Chance · 03-22-2011, 10:24 PM

[html]

300+

The young Lady Chance very rarely left the pack's territory, so it was strange for her to feel the urge to wander two days in a row. The day before, she had gone to the city to find books to study in the interest of her future co-rank within the kingdom. It had been pleasant to meet J'Adore and speak with him, and it had seemingly brought a curiousity out in her that drew her away from the pack lands again for a second day in a row. The pretty young woman had adorned herself with a thick, warm cotton dress in a deep shade of lilac and set off, knowing that her mate would be able to care for their puppies on his own for the day. It would be good for them each to have time alone with the puppies to bond with the three little lives.

It had felt strange to go around the pack lands she had called home just a year ago without stopping to visit and knowing that she no longer called it home, but Princess passed Crimson Dreams without the forlorn look that one might expect. Her destination as she moved through the trees was AniWaya, as J'Adore had triggered her curiousity, but the sound of a voice and movement caused her to hesitate. She looked around herself, finally spotting the woman and horse a distance away. Though the woman smelled of the tribe even across the gap of space and seemed pleasant enough, Princess' golden gaze dropped to the axe and she held back, hesitant to move closer but curious all the same. She had not been quiet in her arrival and she had surely been heard, but she was not moving closer just yet. There could be no way to tell if the woman would want her there, either, and she was hesitant to bother someone holding an axe.

Ralla · 03-23-2011, 11:02 PM

[html]

As caught up as Ralla was in her daydreams, she was not so oblivious as to ignore a disturbance in the world. In fact, it should be rare that she would overlook such things, although she was beginning to let herself do so more and more, finding that the Great Spirits could reach her in such a way as well. One might not always have to strain so hard to see what is right in front of them, she lectured herself. Steadily more philosophical her speech was becoming, yet, and she often felt all the stranger for possessing the souls of perhaps two different ages, so quickly were her moods triggered. As solemn as she had been earlier that morning, the walk and brisk air had shifted her mood, as well as the song, and when she turned she was struck with a color that stood out from the rest. At first it reminded her of a field of wild lavender, and then of sunset and the rings around an early moon. But when she focused her eyes she saw that it was neither light nor plant, but the dress of a woman. Rarely did Ralla see fully-clothed luperci, but she had to admit to the beauty granted them through garments. True, she and some of her previous packmates would don cloth, but rarely anything more than perhaps a shawl, a cloak, or headdress. Certainly jewelry had never been an object to contend with. The woman was elegant in the dress, although Ralla couldn't help but notice the eyes that shined like that of a cat's; sharp, alert, and graceful.

She thought how she must appear, wielding the axe, and slipped it into one of the baskets for assurance. Lifting up a hand in greeting, she smiled. One might say that it was almost impossible her face hadn't frozen that way with all the smiling she did, but she could rarely find herself so brooding at the world to keep a consistant scowl. "Hello," she called, her gentle voice ringing slightly off the hanging icicles. "Who are you, stranger? What brings you to Serena Reserve?" It wasn't really much of an intimidating or interrogating question, as Ralla had realized that she had traversed over the AniWayan territory marker and was thence in the part of the Reserve that was anyone's game, although should the other prove a threat, Ralla was within her rights to chase her off. But just by looking at the other woman she felt that it would be unnecessary, and thus felt more friendly in the encounter.

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Princess Chance · 03-24-2011, 12:48 PM

[html]

300+

The pale woman had been lost in her own little reality, but it seemed that Princess’ presence had drawn her attention and she was brought away from her thoughts. Golden gaze took in the woman’s appearance after she had tucked the axe away; they appeared to be from two different worlds. The woman, whose scent Princess recognized as tribal if only because of her meeting with J’Adore the day prior, did not wear clothing and her mane had been pulled back in a crude ponytail behind her head. She had been singing to herself while walking alongside a horse and swinging an axe by her side. Princess, on the other hand, was refined and delicate. She wore the prettiest of dresses every day with her golden-brown curls pinned up just so, and she never walked through the woods carrying an axe and she could hardly even begin to imagine why she ever would. No, they were certainly from different worlds, indeed.

However different they were, though, the tribal woman seemed friendly enough to the young Lady Chance, who took the greeting as an invitation to walk closer to the woman and her horse. “I am Princess Chance, a Lady of Cour des Miracles,” she said, using her rank title with pride. It suited her well and she had no interest in rising higher in the pack any time in the immediate future. “I met a woman of the tribe a long time ago, probably over a year ago now, and just yesterday I met someone else from there… And I guess you could say it was curiosity that brought me here. What are you doing out here?” she asked, eyeing the spot where the axe had been placed warily. She was not trespassing on the tribe’s territory, she did not think.

Ralla · 03-24-2011, 10:24 PM

[html]

With careful steps through the snow the woman came towards Ralla, and she stood with a very relaxed posture in welcome. The other's approach was not rushed or stumbling, which at least gave the sign that she was in no rush to harm Ralla in any way. Even before that, no warning bells had sounded in her head, so she believed herself quite safe. "Cour des Miracles? Then, perhaps you've seen my brother, Noss, there? Or know Strelein or Anatoliy?" Ralla was hesitant to ask of Alaine, considering their...history...although she did not begrudge the woman her anger towards her at all. But it had been some time since her last visit to the pack, and if the woman had any sort of news it would be welcome, even if Ralla would be travelling there within the day to pick Noss up. "Yesterday? Who did you meet?" she asked, curious as to who else the girl might've come into contact with. Her tone was kept light and gentle, far from interrogative, as the two strangers seemed to begin a what would normally be mundane conversation. "Ah, forgive me. My name's Ralla, and I'm an Otlvna Gata in AniWaya. I'm actually out here for that duty; I'm trying to find some white ash bark."

With a wistful look she recounted to Princess Chance the smell and texture of the white ash tree; a perfume like heavy incense in the heat of a fire, bark that was fine to touch and came away as if it had just recently been burned. It was certainly a messy tree to deal with, but it produced such a heady, entrancing scent. "So you see, I was hoping to come out here today to find a good tree to bring down. Granted, I would never fell one of the grandfathers," she said with a reverence towards the eldest of the trees, those that had survived for hundreds of years, "because they are inhabited by spirits who like them and protect the rest of the forest. But a dead tree will do; it's not as sad to cut one down then." She realized that such discriminations over the kind and age of a tree were usually not taken into account when one went out to fuel a fire, but Ralla saw things differently. The world was surrounded by spirits and energy, and the moon was the life water to the sun's guiding light. The trees were as much protectors as the Ayastigis and warriors of the AniWayan pack.

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Princess Chance · 03-28-2011, 12:31 PM

[html]

500+

She was hesitant to move closer to the tribal woman, but as the alabaster female did not seem threatening—in fact, she seemed quite welcoming now that the axe was no longer swinging by her side—the young Lady Chance did not see why she would need to worry about her. The names she spoke were mostly familiar, though she did not know of any Noss in the pack. However, she knew Strelein and she knew of Anatoliy, though she did not know him very well, nor had she ever had any interactions with him to her recollection besides at pack meetings or gatherings. As far as she knew, both males were doing well, but she could say nothing of Ralla’s brother. She had never even heard of a Noss in the pack. “As far as I know, both Strelein and Anatoliy are fine. I don’t know of your brother, sorry. When did he join?” She had been focused on her own small family as of late, so if he was a newer member, it would certainly make sense.

She could not remember if the tribal man from the day prior had given her the name of his rank, though he had told her what he did. It was possible he had given her the official title he held, but she had been wary of him at first and perhaps that was why she could not remember what it was that he was technically called. AniWaya certainly had a different type of hierarchy than any of the packs she had ever been in, but she was fond of where she was now. She was a relatively high-ranking member of the pack of Miracles and her rank title suited her well, as she was indeed a Lady and a proper one at that. “I met J’Adore Austral yesterday. He said he is a fire-tender… So do you two work together in your duties?” He had mentioned that the tribe’s Great Fire had been extinguished during the snow storm, but she did not mention that now.

The idea that the trees were guarded by spirits and had feelings was a foreign one to Princess, so she assumed it was entirely related to life in the tribe. It was a strange idea, indeed, but she could not scorn the woman’s way of thinking if that was how she lived. That certainly explained the axe she had been carrying, though. “Do you want some help looking for a tree you could take wood from?” The young Lady Chance probably could not help with cutting the tree, but she could likely help look for it and then maybe she could help load the wagon Ralla had with her as the tribal woman cut the tree into pieces. As long as the pieces were relatively small and did not weigh much, then she figured she could be of some help, but they would need to be smaller for her to help. Princess was small and delicate, and she was often tired now from being a mother.

Ralla · 03-30-2011, 05:29 PM

[html]

"Ah, he hasn't joined yet. I'm pretty sure he's planning to, though, when we come back from our trip. But I'm glad to hear about those two." The young woman certainly seemed less threatened and wary without Ralla's axe, so Ralla felt better in the easy aura of the company as well. The other woman held herself in such a way--elegant was certainly an adjective, but also motherly, she could tell--that it became so. Definatly a family wolfess. For all Ralla knew, she could be an elder sister of many siblings or of none, the mother of many or none, but she still gave off that kind of feeling to the white wolfess. Regardless, she fiddled with her necklaces a little in a bit of shame at her awkward lankiness. True, she could be graceful if she tried, but most of the time she was insecure about herself; her long legs and arms, her large ears--each was not grotesque, but certainly...off...from how a normal wolf should look, and Ralla knew it.

"J'adore? Yes, we're in the same path, but in different tiers. He's on the first--the Gata Hineyu--and I'm on the second." She was no less prideful in her rank because she felt like she was useful in her own way; supportive. She was no warrior or great huntress, but more of a spiritual philospher, suited to prayer and stories and song. But for Princess to meet him was good; sometimes, Ralla felt like he was too reclusive, eager as he was to advance in rank. She was only saying this, though, from what she knew of him. All his signs indicated that he was of an amiable nature, despite her perceptions, so she trusted the stars and moon rather than her eyes for that particular insight. "We're tenders of the Great Fire, but we also tend the wood-stacks of the tribe members, and sometimes I teach the lore to them as well." Oh, how she loved stories; they were the life blood of culture and spirituality, because they were the lives of the ancestors themselves put into words.

Princess then very kindly offered to aid Ralla in her endeavor, that which sparked Ralla's gratitude almost immediatly. She had met similar wolves who had been just as gracious in such a way, but in the dead of winter the last thing she had suspected out of the blue was a wood-hunting companion. "That's very generous of you, Princess. I would be very grateful if you would. You remember what I described it as, right?" She noticed how small the other woman was, never mind Ralla's height from her gangly legs. Ralla herself was not very strong, but she had developed some lean muscle from her log hefting, running, and tree-climbing; at least, enough that it was not noticable nor completely hidden from sight.

Moon walks. "Moon walks." Moon thinks.

Princess Chance · 03-31-2011, 03:59 PM

[html]

500+

The members of Cour des Miracles, though important to her because she lived among them, were not Princess’ first concern. The ones she cared for were, of course, but she was often too busy to focus entirely on meeting each and every one of the pack’s dogs or wolves. She merely nodded, a noncommittal gesture. Unless Noss was going to harm her children, his future plans to join were not entirely of her interest. Her rank was not high enough to warrant accepting new members or even interrogating strangers on the border, though of course that fell on the shoulders of anyone that found an intruder who seemed threatening. To avoid that, Princess simply did not go to the borders often, and to pass them twice in two days was bizarre for her. She usually kept to herself and her small family.

Even if he was only one the first tier of his rank pathway, J’Adore had seemed exceptionally proud of his place in the tribe. It was enough for him to refuse to leave to be with his future mate, and instead he expected her to move for him. Though it was okay to be selfish sometimes, and the young Lady Chance had told him that the day prior, she knew she had have been livid if Haven had ever expected her to move for him without considering or trying it himself. The Miracles Knight had never asked her to move; she had done it on her own and she had surprised him completely. It had been a leap of faith, as she had not known whether or not he even wanted her there, but she had done it and she thought J’Adore was selfish not to consider it just because of his place in the pack. However, she did not mention this to Ralla, on the off chance that she would be angered by the idea of him abandoning the tribe. “I don’t know much about the tribe’s history,” she said instead. It was a part of why she had ventured away from her home today.

Gathering wood for the tribe was not exactly how she had planned to spend her day, but Princess did not mind helping. Perhaps it would be a way to solidify the relationship between the tribe and the court, as she knew they already had a good interpack relationship. “I think so. White, and one that’s already dead? I can help you look, and maybe load small pieces, but I can’t help with the cutting,” she added, as if it really needed to be said. The young Lady Chance was extremely delicate, visibly so, and she did not even have anything to cut with, anyway. It was a strange thought, indeed, to think of herself doing much manual labor, but she could try and help as best as she could. She could only imagine what Haven would think of his petite and dainty mate helping cut wood for a fire. If she were in his place, she would probably laugh when she learned of it.

Ralla · 04-02-2011, 11:02 AM

[html]

For a while, Princess appeared as deep in thought as Ralla had been when she had undergone her spiritual cleansing in early January. But then seemed to return to their particular space in time and consciousness, so Ralla brushed it off as nothing. "Really?" she said in response to Princess's admission about the tribe's history. "I'd be glad to tell you some; I love stories and lore myself. Although I wonder," she said with a little giggle in her tone, "did J'adore not tell you some? He catches on very quickly, and we've been going over the lore quite a bit lately. Only tell me what your interests are and I'll oblige."

Ralla realized that the offer to help gather wood was not always one's most ideal pastime, but she appreciated it greatly and would not hesitate to help a member of the Cour des Miracles pack should the opportunity ever arise. One good turn deserves another, she recited to herself. She nodded as Princess reiterated her description and patted Sugar on the neck to alert him that they were about to move again. Once more she nodded when Princess named her limitations. "Trust me, I can understand," she said with not an ounce of contempt or condescension, but with genuine understanding. She would never ask more of someone than they thought they could do, if she knew their limits as well. "I'll be happy for any help, although I think the company is the best." With that they set off, Sugar's hooves making crunching sounds to match the two wolfesses. "Tell me, Princess, what exactly does a Lady do?" Ralla said this with an air of curiosity since the title seemed more of a common one that was more of a description of a gender. But she knew that most ranks didn't work like that, and was quite curious to know what indeed it meant. In fact, she didn't even know Strel's or Anatoliy's rank, and only knew what Strel's profession was. It brought a slight blush to her cheeks, not knowing what her friends did. Regardless of the friendly conversation, Ralla kept a lookout for a proper white ash tree, although most seemed too young or too old to take. Even in winter it was like the forest remained alive...

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Princess Chance · 04-05-2011, 07:37 PM

[html]

Slight PP of them starting to walk, but I figured it was okay since she indicated it to Sugar and everything? Let me know if I should change it. ^^
300+ words.

The young Lady Chance shook her head briefly. "No, he didn't, but we did not talk about it much. He helped me look for books and we talked a little about his future mate," she said. That was really all that had transpired between the woman of the court and the tribal man. He had not spoken at length about AniWaya, nor had he asked her any return questions about her own family or pack life in Cour des Miracles. It had been an almost one-sided conversation when it came to anything past the books that had surrounded them, but it was no matter. He had piqued her curiousity about the tribe, anyway. "Anything you want to tell. Maybe I could even get some ideas to incporate into my own stories, spread the tribe's lore a bit," she added, pondering the idea.

As the tribal woman touched the neck of her steed, Princess fell into step with her, the delicate and dainty Lady a stark contrast to the earthy woman of the tribe. There were such obvious differences in the two females, but Princess was likewise glad for the company and to have someone to talk with. She was still wary of being alone and outside of the pack lands, so being with Ralla was welcome. "Well... I think the hierarchy system is really different for our packs. Yours is based on duty, right? We have a more traditional hierarchy, with co-ranks available once you reach a certain rank. A Lady—or Lord, for the males—is one of the highest ranks beneath the council and the leadership. Trusted, usually long-term members. It's the co-ranks that really give us our jobs, and I'm thinking about training for the Mantes co-rank. That's a story-teller for pups and someone that gives advice to all members," she explained. Golden eyes searched the forest for the tree they looked for as they walked.

Ralla · 04-06-2011, 07:35 PM

[html]

Please, pp Ralla as much as you think is necessary. I think that beating around the bush too much makes the thread unnecessarily longer, and I definitely trust you to know how Ralla would respond to certain things >_>

Oh, Valinta, Ralla thought with some recollection of their talk regarding the same. Ralla didn't think that J'adore would ever leave the tribe, but Princess had mentioned 'future mate'. In Ralla's mind this presented a problem for, well...politically correct issues. Was it Valinta's intention to come to AniWaya? Not that she would mind, but she had thought the black woman quite content in Cercatori D'Arte. Perhaps that had not been the case. Her ears pricked up high in excitement when Princess then expressed spreading the tribe's stories. She was no religious preacher, but she was very firm in her belief that the spirits and elements were not respected or known enough. Granted she would not force her beliefs on another--never, because that would be hypocritical--but she learned to love other religions as well, if not only because she took their good morals and found they incorporated very well into what she already believed in. In truth, most of the stories she knew were almost interconnected at the roots; just one or two differences, or even things as trivial as names, separating them from being one.

Ralla nodded her head, the tooth and claw necklaces about her neck clacking together a little, as she listened and affirmed when Princess asked the occasional question. So there was both the social and duty ranks? Ralla saw this as more complicated than it need be--after all, the duties and the rank in the tier supported their system--but she was still, in this, not one to judge. Diversity is what made their world so great, after all. "Story-telling is wonderful," she sighed, happiness seeping in her voice. "They're everything we've ever known, and they're like their own worlds. Oh! That's a story I can tell you," she said with sudden fervor. With all the songs and stories in her head it was a wonder she could keep them all straight anyhow, or that her head was still normal sized. "It's called 'Within', and it's an old story that I would like to tell the tribe one day."

"Once there was a man and a woman," she began, looking kindly onto Princess, to Sugar, and then to the trees, the words flowing from her like silk. "The two were happy in their village, although the man was covetous of his neighbors and their many skills. One neighbor was strong as an ox, another as brave as a wolf. One was swift as a rabbit, and another as wise as an owl. One day the man prayed to the Great Spirits for all these gifts, but the Great Spirits scorned him. Not understanding why they refused him, the man scorned them back. In anger the Great Spirits cursed the man, saying: 'You shall forevermore be able to see what is truly inside the people around you and yourself, and all things that you say are empty, and you shall never be satisfied.' Thereafter the man could eat and eat and never be full. He could talk and talk and never would anyone believe his words. One day while looking into water he saw a little inside his throat, and instead of flesh he saw black nothingness. Terrified he went to his wife, but when she spoke there was also no flesh, but instead light. Looking inside each of his neighbors' mouths, he saw the same within each of them; within their throats was the universe, and every star and planet." She thought to herself, for a moment, how it would be to look down the throat of another and see the universe. How it would be to have infinite possibilities within one's self? "The man was scorned because he did not realize that within each every creature there exists power enough to challenge the universe, and so the Great Spirits were angry that he could not see this. Please, tell me a story of your own, Princess. Once I learn how to write properly, I'll record it and pass it down as well." She smiled brightly, then. Songs and lore always made her feel euphoric, as if all life revolved around the tale for the time it existed on the tips of tongues and in the hands of sound.

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Princess Chance · 04-08-2011, 01:55 PM

[html]

Works for me. Big Grin 500+ words. WotD: Futz.

The tribe seemed so different from the pack she called home, and Ralla's curiousity about her rank and duties confirmed that thought. The infamiliarity of it all was what had drawn Princess away from Cour des Miracles where she usually spent her days futzing around and to the woods where she walked now, lovely golden gaze searching for the tree that she and Ralla had discussed. She listened to the story carefully and with interest, storing away the words that the tribal woman spoke so that she might be able to recall the tale later when she thought of it. It was an interesting story, but it was of a different type than the ones she had been learning and there seemed to be more of a lesson in there than most. The character of the story did not learn the lesson, but the meaning seemed clear to those that heard the story.

"Thank you for telling me your story. The ones I know are a little different... Meant mostly for very young childrean, and based off of old human tales... But one I know, I got inspiration for from an old book. The story in the book was called Little Red Riding Hood. It was about humans, but since I'll tell these stories to our kind, it's been modified a bit," she explained. The young woman was not normally nervous or shy, so she began the story quickly. "There was a young luperci girl, hardly more than a pup herself, who lived with her mother in a pack far away. Her mother's mother lived alone in the forest, and the girl, Red, for her fur was the richest red in all the pack, wished to visit her one day. Her mother warned her to be careful and sent her off with a lovely basket of meats and fruits, for the grandmother was too old to hunt often, and the girl went off to the forest." She paused to allow Ralla to picture the girl.

"Though there were many creatures in the forest, the biggest one to be feared was man, who had come back to the world. Red was careful, and as she approahced her grandmother's den, she wished she had brought a candle with her, for it was very dark in the den. She entered, feeling the softness below her feet, a softness that surprised her. 'Grandmother,' she called, 'I have brought you some food.' It seemed eerie in the den, but she moved forward, intent on seeing her grandmother. Instead of seeing her grandmother waiting with a smile, she saw her curled on her side beneath a red cloak. She bent down beside her grandmother, only to hear a click and see a metal stick with smoke at the end, held in the hand of a human with a menacing sneer. He spoke words that she could understand. 'Your grandmother is on the floor, spread as a rug for my comfort. The humans were once dominant, and we will be again.' Red had not been cautious as her mother had told her, and she met her doom with the human disguised as her grandmother."

The ending was strange and not a pleasant one, but it was all she had thought of. "I suppose it's a tale of caution, though perhaps not the best for very young puppies," she mused.

Ralla · 04-14-2011, 06:52 PM

[html]

Switching from lion fursona to wolf fursona...I feel more bi-polar than usual between Tony, Noss and Ralla XS Sorry about my own futzing around >_>

Ralla was almost so entranced by the story that she forgot that she was supposed to be looking for the perfect tree. Shaking her head from the dream daze she let her eyes continue to wander, even as her hears strained to catch every detail. At first, when Princess had told her that the story was for children, she had expected a tale with a happy ending. But it was not to be. Very quickly the story took a dark turn, recapturing Ralla's attentions in full, and she almost gasped aloud at the ending. She should be used to these endings, she mused; she told some of similar nature sometimes as well, mostly because they taught the hardest lessons. But nonetheless, she could see that Princess would do very well in her chosen duty.

"It's a perfectly wonderful tale; udohiyu kali vhnai osda, as we would say. Sometimes we tell those stories because they teach the moral the best. Fear is an emotion, too, and we cannot forget about it." Whilst saying this Ralla remained as jovial as she had been previously, instead working on memorizing the gist of the story and storing it away in her head until she could write it on proper parchment. Speaking of tree byproducts, the sudden whiff of strong white ash bark drifted past Ralla's nose, and the white wolfess veered her head towards the origin. "Do you smell it, too?" she asked, drifting towards it with Sugar in tow. She carefully fished her axe from one of the baskets and then helped the brown quarter horse maneuver the small wagon over the roots of trees, looking back every so often at Princess for assurance. Soon enough the party came upon the very definition of a white ash tree; young but not a sapling, old but not an elder. Alive and not dying, but not inhabited or in use. It was as if it had been planted there for the pair to harvest so that it may be sacrificed to the Great Fire's hunger. Smiling broadly back at Princess, Ralla went about the tree in search for a good place to start. The branches were up high, as most white ash branches were, so Ralla would have to fell the trunk first. She started from one side and began hacking in smooth, short strokes of the sharpened blade. By attacking it from one side, it would fall lopsidedly away from Princess and Sugar, and then she would be able to break it down.

It didn't take long for the axe to cut through the slender trunk--tall as it was, the base was not thick--and with a yell of "Look out!" Ralla warned Princess to keep vigilant, even as the tree fell quite away from the wolf and horse. She looked happily to Princess and laughed a little, although that might've seemed strange to the more sophisticated wolfess. To Ralla, doing her job was fun. Every action was a surprise and an adventure, and she had the perks of meeting wolves along the way. Even felling a tree--which she swiftly began to mutter a prayer for, as was proper--gave her little thrills of adrenaline from the sheer sound of the trunk falling. Granted she would never go on a chopping spree, the excitement remained nonetheless. No sooner had she finished than did her arm began to fall in steady strokes at the trunk, quartering out the logs into sections before she broke them down further.

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Princess Chance · 04-21-2011, 12:07 PM

[html]

300+

It was nice to know that the tribal woman appreciated her story, though Princess did not know if it was one that she would tell to her own children yet, for they were very young. While it was good to teach them tales of caution, she thought that her own twist on the old human tale might perhaps be a bit too dark to teach to young puppies. It would likely suit her well to think of an alternative ending so that she could tell the story to puppies, but as of yet, she could not think of one.

The young woman turned her head to look in the direction that Ralla did as the alabastor female spoke. The forest was full of strong scents and the Lady Chance could not pick out one significant smell over any others, particularly because she did not pay much attention to the different trees. She only knew of the ash she was searching for because of Ralla's description. Princess followed after Ralla and Sugar curiously, as she had never seen a tree chopped down for its wood. She was a lady; chopping wood was not something she did... Usually.

Bright golden gaze watched as she inspected the tree and began the process of cutting it, and the young Lady of the court took a momentary step back at the warning as the tree fell. Ralla laughed then, though it seemed so out of place in the situation. She hung back while Ralla chopped at the trunk on the ground, waiting until she had moved away from that part of the tree, at least, before she began to do her part in helping load the wood.

Ralla · 04-25-2011, 09:32 AM

[html]

I actually need to wrap this thread up soon, if that's alright with you >.> Would this order work for you? (Me, you, me) and I'll archive it three days after the last post?

The white ash bark was softer than most by nature, and so gave Ralla little to no trouble as her blade fell upon it. Very soon she had broken down the trunk into smaller logs--small enough to be thin as her arm, in fact--in consideration for her helpful companion. At the same time it wasn't really troublesome at all since the trunk was thin to begin with. "Princess? If you lead Sugar by his halter, he'll follow you easy enough. Could you please start loading these logs on?" Ralla asked, indicating the smaller logs before continuing to break down the branches, not planning on wasting a bit. She could handle lifting the light branches without breaking them down much, but she would cut the larger branches, of course, and take care of those herself; it was enough that Princess was there to spend the time with and to help with the duty.

Very soon the logs were cut and in piles in a very organized manner, leaving Ralla to aid the other wolfess in the hauling. Sugar--the lazy horse--only stood with the cart hitched to his gear, his mouth busy chewing on the new grass of the forest as the two ladies labored. It was not uncommon while she worked, that Ralla would sing, and she didn't see any reason then to change it. She thought she had a nice voice; had received compliments for it. And singing brought her closer to the spirits, because singing was the universal language of emotion. The song was a continuation of the one she was singing earlier, and was a steady work, she found; almost like the sea chanteys that the gypsy luperci sang while sailing.

"Hawiditlv hia egahi vhnai hia iga;
"Hawiditlv hia dikata vhnai hia unequa oginaligohi ganasanesgv kalii.
"Hawiditlv hia asdvgi vgatahvi vhnai hia adonvdo
"Oginaligohi uha adadvdi gado oginaligohi gayula goli.
"Itsula oginaligohi hanigi nanah; gesvi soqua."

"I really can't return your favor with much of anything material," Ralla commented as she hefted a large branch into the cart with a little difficulty. Even after chopping for months, she was not a very strong luperci, but she had perseverance through her work. "But I can guarantee a favor owed to you; a boon, we called them back home. If you ever need my help, I'll be happy to oblige."

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Princess Chance · 04-28-2011, 12:15 PM

[html]

Sounds good to me! I can archive after you post. c:

Though it was not something she did often, Princess was actually a bit eager to begin loading the logs into the cart, so she led him enthusiastically when Ralla told her she could. Manual labor was not Princess' forte, but trying something new every now and then was exciting. The pretty young woman began to lift the logs into the cart, motions dainty at first, but she soon found herself engrossed in the work. As the tribal woman began to sing, Princess found herself humming along, though the tune was not exact and likely not that wonderful, as she was not musically talented.

Lifting her head at the shift of Ralla's voice from song to simple spoken tone, Princess shrugged. She had not been looking to gain anything by helping her. "I don't need anything, but thanks. I'll keep that in mind, and maybe if I think of something or something comes up, I'll take you up on it," she said, lifting one of the last few logs into the cart. The tribal woman would be leaving soon, and Princess would probably return home to the court. She did not like to be away for long, especially since it would eventually be getting dark.

Ralla · 04-28-2011, 06:53 PM

[html]

Hurrah! Big Grin Master rank here I come! >:3 Thanks for the fun rp; when Ralla visits CdM to show Noss the new puppehs, I think Princess should introduce her own children and they can have a puppy play-date, too <3

Princess's humming was quite lovely, she had to say. The woman seemed just like an explosion of the proper lady; poised, elegant, refined, and gentle. It was certainly different from Ralla's ways--running through trees, superstitious spiritual work, hauling wood--and she enjoyed the transition. She liked Princess quite a lot because she had also volunteered herself for a stranger, which not only spoke of her character towards others, but of herself; it showed that she was not afraid to do what she wanted or how, and that she had a good soul.

Ralla laughed a little at the response she received from the Cour des Miracles Lady, an almost private joke to herself. Noss had told her a lot of how he had met Strel, and she remembered that Strel, too, had been owed a boon by Noss--one she didn't know if he had yet to collect. If he'll collect at all. No, Ralla had a feeling that Strel would never collect that boon; he had a whole lifetime to string Noss along. And now here the white wolfess was, being strung along by a boon by a pack member of the same court. You truly are capricious, she said in her mind to the stars and moon, as if lightly scolding a child. "I look forward to it," she said as she brushed her hands off, going to stand next to Sugar and Princess. Looking down at the shorter woman, Ralla raised a hand up to her face. "Donada`govi," she said, taking hold of Sugar's reins and turning to return to AniWaya. As she looked behind her, she could see as Princess turned to return from whence she came as well, and a feeling in Ralla's heart pulled. In the cart, the scent of the white ash bark was heady like a perfume, reminding Ralla that the Great Fire hungered for its bark, and that Ralla wanted to tell it of the kind strangers of the packs beyond its border. The last lines of the song formed on the white wolfess's lips, softly, with a smile to grace them.

"Hawiditlv hia egahi vhnai hia iga:
"Da`tsigoh`i nihi taline."

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Login




Remember me Lost Password?