he came from the woods

Ezekiel de le Poer · 04-27-2011, 10:56 AM

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Bobbi!

After so many months of winter, spring had finally made its way into Nova Scotia. This made the low points of the land soggy with melted snow and ice, water-logged in the worst depths. Luckily, the majority of The Waste was rocky and dry—Ezekiel practiced here as opposed to the new territories because it was familiar. Both of his companions had been dismissed for the day, and the coyote had filled his own schedule with one thing—practice. It had been too long since he had done so, and while he used the bow daily, other lessons needed to be relearned.

His body was still, though his chest rose and fell steadily from previous exertion. Ezekiel’s body shifted its weight, feet splaying into a fighter’s stance as his center dropped. The motion he used came quickly. A series of clawed jabs struck out at an invisible opponent, followed by a quick turn and a low backwards kick from one large foot. He moved easily from one leg to another, never letting his balance change despite the motion. Once the movement was finished, he relaxed; a frown appeared on his scarred face, as though displeased by his regiment.

Sage River Lykoi · 04-27-2011, 08:15 PM

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:3

She was headed there again, that place that she didn't even really like. That rocky, forsaken beach. Maybe she expected to see Talitha there again, already. Sage knew it was unlikely, though. The place really wasn't all that comforting.

Sage rode atop Lennon, a joint perched between her lazily upturned lips. Though the sun had dried some of the morning's mud, Lennon's feet were still plenty soaked, and he snorted in rare annoyance at the unpleasant ground. She felt bad, of course, and led him towards that beach, where the mud did not reach. Though the ground here may have been more unstable, at least it was wet. She figured he would rather have it that way, and he voice a pleasant whinny of agreement.

The earth child dismounted now and made her way towards the shore, finally removing the sparse trees from her view. From the distance, she did see someone. But it was not Talitha. It was someone else; a man. His fur shone a brilliant gold color in the sun, and yellow eyes peered curiously as the girl approached softly. He seemed to be practicing something; martial arts, perhaps. Should she interrupt? Would it be rude? Sage thought it may be, and so she stopped and stood some fifty feet from him, taking a thick drag from the joint still in her hand. Content to be simply curious for now, she watched.

Her watching was soon interrupted, though, as the man ceased his movements. From the angle and distance, she couldn't determine the reason. Why would he stop? Sage wondered to herself. Maybe he had noticed her? But no, he seemed not to have. Cautiously, she slowly eased towards him.

"Sir?" she called out, voice friendly and clear; she would hope to be noticed above the noise of the ocean.

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Ezekiel de le Poer · 04-27-2011, 08:29 PM

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The young man was frustrated, and his body betrayed this. He was frustrated with his family, frustrated that he was no longer free to do as he pleased. Before coming home he had answered to no one, and discipline was something he still struggled with. Even under Cwmfen, even under Tristan, he had struggled. There was an unspoken need within him not simply to live, but to do so on his own terms. Bowing to others fell at odds against him. Having to listen to his father and do his duties, these only served to limit his time with Alaine. Talitha’s promotion meant she would now be able to do whatever she wanted—though even Ezekiel knew she would never harm those children.

Distracted as he was, the approaching stranger did not earn his attention until she spoke. His large ears swiveled atop disheveled hair, body following suit. The girl seemed to be a little younger than he was, and even with the salt in the air, he caught a familiar smoke clinging to her. Its source was clear, and the boy smirked a little at this. Once upon a time, he had spent any and all free time with the green herb as his companion. “That’s a little formal,” he joked. “You can call me Ezekiel.” His eyes trailed to her horse, a powerful looking stallion even furrier than his own. A series of greeting motions and soft whinnies were made in greeting, low-speech clear despite his own accent in the foreign tongue.

Sage River Lykoi · 04-27-2011, 08:41 PM

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So he had noticed her. The golden man had turned, and as he did the red streak across his nose, and rust-coated ears were apparent. Lykoi, she thought. Or something close. Sage took a full breath of the air that carried his scent as it came her way. It was familiar, pleasantly, and smelled strongly of Inferni. Her head tilted, ever curious, and she closed the final steps, assuring herself that he meant no harm.

“That’s a little formal,” he responded to her salutation. "You can call me Ezekiel."

Sage had not meant her words to be formal; she called many people sir and miss. It was only normal speech for the girl of the forest. But, if he wouldn't like it, of course she would call him by his name. Ezekiel, he'd said. It seemed a strong name; fitting. A smile bloomed on her face.

"Well, then, Ezekiel... It's quite nice to meet you," she said, her head bowing in gentle greeting. "I'm Sage."

He had noticed Lennon, who roamed around nearby, and spoke what was clear to her as Low speech to her companion. Chocolate ears shot forward in recognition. Sun-colored eyes widened briefly in awe; she was impressed. Not many that she met had the ability to speak to other creatures. Who was this familiar, wild warrior named Ezekiel?

"I can speak to him, too." Sage muttered with a pleased smile, eyes darting between the man and Lennon excitedly.

But that was not what she'd come for. Perhaps later, he could tell her about the animals he'd spoken to. Now, she was curious. For what was he practicing?

"What was that you were doing a moment ago, love?" she questioned with a motion to the place he'd just been standing. Of course, Sage wouldn't want to become violent, but perhaps it was time that she at least learn how she might defend herself. More than once she'd been nearly encountered by things she could not have held her own against. It was discomforting.

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Ezekiel de le Poer · 04-27-2011, 09:46 PM

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The girl, like himself, bore tell-tale signs of her heritage. She was more subdued than his own pelt, but her reddish hair reminded him of his sister. In her laxidasy way he found familiarity; of the way his sister had been, of the way so many faded faces once were. He found her name earthy, like her pelt, and liked the sound of it. Yet her further commentary served only to broaden the smirk on his face into a toothy grin, ferocious despite his jovial expression.

“Really?” He asked, looking between the girl and her mount. What an odd pairing. She was hardly built for such a massive animal, with her lithe body and frame. Before he had time to investigate further, the girl mentioned his practice. For an instance, his eyes sharpened and betrayed the frustration. It went as suddenly as it had come. “Practicing,” he explained, lifting one hand to scratch at his neck. “It looks silly without a partner, I’m sure.” A wink accompanied this statement, believing the joke to be on him.

Sage River Lykoi · 04-27-2011, 09:57 PM

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His face was handsome, she noticed, as the distance between them had closed and the sun shone brightly over his features. Ezekiel's hair was messy, but he held a rugged attractiveness that Sage could and did appreciate. Aside from his scarred body, he did not seem a warrior. Maybe he had been something else, once.

The man questioned her, as if he did not believe her to be so close to the large animal. She gave a short, soft laugh and an enthusiastic nod. "Yes, we're quite close, really," Sage admitted, her gaze lingering on the creamy stallion.

In her haze, she often very nearly forgot what she was about to say, or what she had been speaking about before. Most times, she caught herself, as she did now. But she was not always so lucky, and was quickly embarrassed when that happened.

"Practicing", he offered simply, and Sage's eyes followed his hand to his neck. "It looks silly without a partner, I’m sure.” Ezekiel said with a wink.

"No, it looks quite alright." Sage replied, inhaling the last bits of her joint and tossing the remains back to the earth whence it came. "What are you practicing for?" she wondered dreamily. "Could I learn?"

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Ezekiel de le Poer · 04-28-2011, 12:05 AM

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Though he, as she, had by this point almost certainly realized they were related, Ezekiel too found her to be a pretty girl. Of course, he found most girls pretty. They never stuck with him long, though, for he was too caught up in his own world to bother much with their own. It was a fault of his own making. Without the right substance to back them up, women were essentially there to be pretty and nothing much more.

He chuckled a little at the way the girl spoke of her stallion, thinking of Alaine’s broodmare and his own love-affair. Of course, Nana was an entirely different story. Just thinking of the rotund horse brought a genuine smile to his face. This lasted only momentarily, for his mind almost immediately trailed to the worries that had been plaguing him. Weight returned to his shoulders, though his face remained falsely cheerful.

“To be ready,” he said simply, for this was the singular purpose of such drills. The coyote tilted his head slightly to study the girl in an almost bird-like manner. “Probably. Anyone can learn to fight, if they wanted to. Even little things like you,” he added, grinning wolfishly. “Ever seen a blue jay attack a hawk?”

Sage River Lykoi · 04-28-2011, 08:17 PM

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Weird ass post. Durrr.

"To be ready," Ezekiel replied.

Sage gave a slow, understanding nod as her body turned to face the sea, bloodshot eyes blinded by a sudden gust of wind and sand and water. She braced against the brief flurry and responded again with silence to his next words.

“Probably. Anyone can learn to fight, if they wanted to. Even little things like you,” he joked with a grin-- Sage responded with her own coy chuckle--, “Ever seen a blue jay attack a hawk?”

Of course, she thought before saying, curious, wide eyes locked onto him as she considered it. There was a reasonable pause during which she pondered over this question to a depth that only her favorite herb could bring about. The jays fend off the hawks all the time, she thought, excited that she could answer positively to her recent intriguing company. "Of course, all the time in the spring and summer. In fact, I think I saw one just the other day..." she said, trailing off for a moment as her golden gaze cast to the sea again.

"I have always admired the jays," she muttered aloud, her drifting thoughts spilling over. Then, her attention was returned, with little prompt. "You fight like them?" she asked, brows furrowed in wonder, confusion. Did the birds have a winning attack style? She'd never really noticed. Sage had hardly cared to analyze the battle styles of the birds as a child; she preferred to simply stare at them in wonder, much like she still did now.

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Ezekiel de le Poer · 04-30-2011, 11:03 AM

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There was always a subtlety in his tact, in the way he moved and spoke. She seemed to grasp the idea and Ezekiel was pleased with this. Despite his relative cleanliness as to his own body, he recognized and understood the effects of marijuana. Amber eyes narrowed against the wind. Her question brought a smile to his face. “Me? No, probably not a jay. Maybe a raven,” he added, thinking of his wards, of Alaine’s story. “Everything fights differently though,” the warrior went on, motioning to the stallion not far from the pair. Only once had he seen horses fight when it was not play, and the lesson had remained with him. “A horse fights a lot differently than we would.”

He moved closer to the girl, tilting his head to and fro as to better study her. It was done without any interest beyond fighting, for her red muzzle and familiarity had given away their family tie. She was still quite pretty, of course. “I bet you could fight like a bluejay,” Ezekiel commented, taking a step back. “Do you want a lesson?”

Sage River Lykoi · 04-30-2011, 02:17 PM

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Another weird one. Tongue

Sage shifted her weight to become more comfortable as he spoke, leaning to her right with an elbow propped up on her own hand. In thought, small hand tousled her dark locks, letting the wind them through thin fingers. Of course Sage wanted to be able to defend herself, but the thought of becoming a creature that could fend off dangers was foreign to her. She had always been welcoming, and being the opposite would be strange and new. Sage wanted nothing about her to change, aside from her helplessness. The earth child would not become a creature of war; to become such would go against everything that she was.

Ezekiel explained that he fought more like a raven, and Sage's face lit with recognition, and she gave a quiet, interested nod as a response. With him, her gaze turned towards Lennon. She had never seen a horse fight, and especially not Lennon. As she tried to imagine it, her eyes widened. If the large creature ever were to engage in battle, he would surely be formidable. The beast was gentle, but not weak.

"I've never seen them fighting..." she admitted, eyes roaming to find the stallion again, her head tilting towards him. "How do they?" she wondered softly.

“I bet you could fight like a bluejay,” Ezekiel said, in a matter-of-fact way. “Do you want a lesson?”

Sage paused to consider this; herself, fighting like a blue jay. Could she? Would she? She was hesitant; why did she need to fight? But no, the girl had been slowly learning that this world was not quite as forgiving as it should have been. Her efforts to convince anyone and everyone that violence wasn't necessary were ineffectual so far, and the sandy-colored Lykoi would not enjoy being helpless much longer. She was stronger than that; despite her nature, she would not go down without a fight, if she could help it.

"Could I? she answered finally, face turning towards his handsome one with a half-lidded, wondering grin. "I'm sure I would look rather silly... but, I'll have a lesson, sure!" Sage nodded, letting her arms move to her hips in a more confident posture. Yes, she could be better than she was. If she couldn't defend herself, she could easily be beaten. Then how would anyone hear her voice?

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Ezekiel de le Poer · 05-07-2011, 02:45 PM

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+3

The will to fight and the desire to do so were two very different things. Ezekiel, with his pale coat and wolfish eyes, displayed these in his body. He carried himself as a fighter, even when he did not look for combat. Fleet footed and as wary as a deer he was, though he displayed very little fear. He feared blue eyes. He was wary of many other things, night-creatures and illness included. Yet no trace of this was displayed in his relaxed stance, though a tension remained in his arms and legs.

Hesitation came and went from his pretty companion. She was not afraid to fight, which told him she had never been involved in a real fight. She was eager and bright. He wished desperately that this sort of optimism might one day come to his sister. “Horses fight with their whole body,” he began to explain once she had confirmed her desire to learn. “So will we. You have claws,” the warrior went on, lifting his hands. They were hooked like talons, displaying gold-ivory claws. He might have been an eagle for their color, for the shade of his eyes. “And teeth. With these you would fight like a coyote. Coyotes rush in, and do not fight as wolves. But you’re going to fight like a bird,” Ezekiel said, raising his voice cheerfully.

“You should always try and keep away from bigger animals. A jay will always lose if he is caught by a hawk. You must be fast, and you must be smart. Stay light on your feet. We’re going to start slow, and I’ll correct you as we go.” With three strides he crossed to her, swinging widely for the pretty girl’s face. There were no claws, no teeth, no aggression—this was play, after all.

Sage River Lykoi · 05-12-2011, 10:26 PM

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shoooort. <3

Sage knew next to nothing about fighting. The little she had seen had been during the war, and several times while traveling with Juniper Peace. She had never dreamed she would have to resort to violence, but now Sage needed to be smarter. She would need to be able to protect herself, even if her muscles were not yet strong.

Large chocolate ears sat alert on her head, and her eyes watched the golden man as he moved and spoke. Spreading her hands out, she looked down at her dull claws. They would do little damage. Her teeth might, but she did not want to taste blood. Fighting like the jays did sounded better.

Sage listened and followed along, nodding and trying to position herself in something of a bird-like pose.She probably looked quite silly, but she was trying. And then, he was coming at her. She thought she'd been paying attention! Yellow eyes widened and she leaned back, taking a quick leap backwards and lowering herself to the ground. How would she ever learn this unpredictable dance?

The earth child looked up at Ezekiel, expression nearly apologetic for her erratic movements. She really didn't know what she was doing.

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Ezekiel de le Poer · 05-31-2011, 08:59 PM

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Even while he had lived with those who had shared the naïve pretense of peace, Ezekiel had seen warriors. They were not cruel things, not made to fight, but they were capable. They would fight because the need to fight would come; from strangers with blood on their mind, from the wilderness. Violence was inherit. Gabriel’s son had known that even as a boy, though he had not faced war or turmoil as his clan had. He had known that because aggression lived in his heart, pacified only by mindless tasks and intoxicants.

He had used neither, as of late.

She avoided his blow, which pleased Ezekiel. Yet she looked sorry for such a thing. The coyote smiled, showing his teeth. “Good.” He said, taking a step to the side. “Again!” With that he rushed forward, swinging wide. At the same time, he lowered his stance, keeping the weight on his back foot.

Sage River Lykoi · 06-11-2011, 06:34 PM

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Not quite sure what the pose you described was, but if I'm wrong lemme know and I'll fix it. xD

Suddenly, she was invigorated. Sage rose quickly to her feet, her eyes locked on Ezekiel, hands held higher, closer to her body, protective. At his encouragement, a thin smile spread on her lips. It did feel good to be active again. There was fear in Sage that she could become a beast like some of Inferni; she didn't want to be brutal or cruel. She only wanted to keep living.

If she could perpetuate her dream world of non-violence, she would. Defend, disable, and run away. That would be her battle plan. But she would have to practice; already she could feel her soft muscles becoming tense, resisting the little effort it took to play-fight.

Ezekiel rushed forward again, and she ducked, dashing to the side of him, an arm extending to make her own pseudo-swipe as she circled around. Like the blue jay, she would hit and run.

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Ezekiel de le Poer · 06-18-2011, 09:11 AM

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Fighting her was like fighting a child. He had done this before, living with the Tribe, and recognized that there would be two ways to go about teaching. Boys were often given harsh lessons of both physical and verbal assaults, whereas the girls would receive less physical and more psychological lessons. If they wanted to survive they would need to learn cruelty. It was something he had not forgotten.

She came at him, but his stance had prepared for such a move; he pushed off his back foot and fell into her circle. Both arms reached for her extended hand, seeking the forearm with large paws. If he managed to grab this, he would force her in close; he hoped she would be able to free herself, if he caught her at all. There was little aggression on his face, though. Ezekiel was smiling, finding this exercise fun despite its darker purpose.

OOC ENDING
Sage and Ezekiel practice a little more, and he tells her she can come to him for training any time.[/html]

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