in liberating strife

Claudius Aston · 07-19-2011, 12:22 PM

Location: Overgrowth Sunrise, Flanders' Fields
Date: July 20
Time: Mid-morning
Form: Optime

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[/html] Claudius had been walking for hours. He'd shifted into his lupus form for the journey, knowing he could never make it on two feet. Although it had been quicker, he still disliked using his quadrupedal form because it felt very strange to him. He used it in AniWaya sometimes, mostly for hunting, but he still preferred the feeling of standing up straight on two feet. He knew it was harder to balance himself, but he just felt more comfortable when he was standing that way. He supposed it might be a sort of 'security blanket': something he'd come to rely on to provide himself comfort.

He had howled to meet someone from Dahlia de Mai, but as he waited, he began to doubt whether anyone would greet him. He had initially arrived well away from the borders, not wanting to intrude more than he already had. But as he approached what he thought was packlands, he could find no scents that indicated it was still claimed. It seemed as though the lands had been abandoned.

Feeling very lost and alone, Claudius flopped down onto the ground in a heap. He pulled his knees up to his chest and managed to stutter out: "C-C-C-c-o... n-nor" before he dissolved into tears. The new intruders hated Dawali and Dahlia de Mai was gone. His mother was off living in some far away mountain pack with his brother; his sister had left AniWaya again and Noir was still dead. His father was long dead and the only wolf he'd ever wanted to be his father was now shamed in the Itawamba rank. All he wanted to do was meet Conor and tell him everything -- including that he knew they were brothers, but Conor had left, too.[html]

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Voron Radav · 07-19-2011, 02:00 PM

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OOC:
Word Count:467

With a satisfied smile, the pitch black female put the newly finished medicine bag on the ground next to her. It had been a simple matter to catch and kill a rabbit for the skin, but shifting to Optime form had been an ordeal. She had not been in any form other than Lupus in the months since she had left Dahlia de Mai, an it was strange to walk on two legs instead of four. However, thumbs were required to make even the simplest of bags. Her creation was crude, a lumpy un-dyed rabbit skin sewed into a bag shape and tied at the neck with sinew. A braided cord of leather served as a way to wear it around her body. Though it was not beautiful, it would serve it's purpose: to carry whatever herbs and other supplies she could find. Healing always brought her peace, as if helping the physical wounds of others served as balm to her own spiritual wounds.

Voron was still on the edges of Dahlia de Mai's old land. She couldn't bring herself to leave; she had no where else to go. She had taken to haunting the land around the old cemetary, becoming something of a ghost herself. This place was as close to a home as she had, and she felt happy here. Though she was lonely sometimes, at least the solitude allowed her to work out her issues in peace.

A howl broke the morning silence, shattering the fragile peace around the thin female. She rose to her feet suddenly, grabbing her bag and throwing the strap over her head. Though a few loners had wandered through here since her arrival, Voron tended to avoid them. But this howl did not sound threatening, instead it sounded as if someone was announcing their presence, like one would do upon arrival at another pack's borders. Perhaps it was another returning Dahlian wolf, one who did not yet know of the pack's absence. If that was the case, then Voron felt it was her responsibility to tell them that there was no one here – and of the old leader's death.
With a sigh, the black female set out towards the origin of the howl. She hoped that whoever the wolf was, he would not try to cause her trouble.

As she approached the boarder, Voron saw a shape lying on the ground crying. He was a silver and tan male, curled up and sobbing as if he was the only one left in the world. Feeling like an intruder, Voron stepped towards him. She cleared her throat gently, trying not to take him by surprise. “Are you ok?” she asked him quietly, concern making her less wary than she normally would be as she approached the strange wolf.

Claudius Aston · 07-20-2011, 10:27 PM

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[/html]He didn’t hear anyone until the sound of a throat being cleared suddenly cut through his sobs. Claudius jerked to one side as he pulled his arms off his knees and yanked them up to his face and held them slightly in front of himself, as if he was worried she would suddenly lash out. In reality, it was all just a split second reaction because he was taken so by surprise. After his howl went unanswered, Claudius had not thought anyone would find him and he would have preferred if they did not given that he was sobbing loudly to himself.

He glanced up and saw a skinny black wolf leaning down toward him. He widened his eyes and leaned away unconsciously, trying to figure out what to say.

“N-n-n-no..o..” he stuttered. “I ca-ah-ha-an’t f-find C-c-co-o-n-or,” he explained. “A-a-and Dah-li-i-ia is… g-g-g…o… ne!” As he spoke, he began wringing his hands together, twisting them into uncomfortable knots. He couldn’t properly express how distressed he was, so he took to twisting his hands and holding them together to achieve a semblance of comfort.[html]
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Voron Radav · 07-21-2011, 10:24 PM

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OOC:
Word Count:247

The other wolf seemed extremely distraught. When he heard her, he had jerked back in surprise and shielded his face, as if he expected her to attack him. Voron found that response strange. She had never in her life attacked another wolf, only ever fighting one when they attacked first. She didn't even appear intimidating, being at the moment skinny and still appearing undernourished from this past winter. Her heart immediately went out to this stranger.

When he mentioned Conor, and Dahlia de Mai, the black female shrank back a little and looked away. He obviously had strong feelings towards the pack and it's former leader. She didn't want to have to tell him news that would distress him further, but knew that lying would only suspend his pain for a short while. Unsure how to start, Voron decided to handle the easiest bit first. “I used to belong to Dahlia de Mai,” she said gently, hoping that would ease his fear of her a little. “I left early this winter. When I returned this summer, they were gone. A friend told me that they joined with Phoenix Valley and moved to different territory.” Voron backed away a few steps and sat down, hoping to show the male that she was harmless. “Who are you?” she asked him. ”My name is Voron.”

Claudius Aston · 07-27-2011, 06:57 PM

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Claudius perked up a bit when the other wolf mentioned that she had been a member of Dahlia. He pricked his ears forward and raised his head slightly to see the stranger better. He loosened his arms and leaned forward, wondering why she had slunk back a bit when he’d mentioned the pack. But why? It must be bad news: if Claudius could not find an entire pack, that must mean it was no longer a pack. He leaned back on his bum, rested his elbows on his knees, held his hands palm to palm with his fingers threaded together. He rocked back a bit and forth as the other wolf explained what had happened and tried to decide if this made him more anxious or less.

“O-oh,” he stuttered in reply. He wanted to ask her where they had went, but if she hadn’t mentioned it in the first place, he wasn’t sure if he should even bother. Instead, he decided to introduce himself in return and maybe try to do the polite thing and thank her for her help. He watched as she backed away and then sat down and wondered if she had anything more to add.

“I-I’m Cuh-cuh-c-cuhlaudius,” he replied. “I-I’m,” he began, but paused. Did he want her to know he was Conor’s half-brother? “I wa-a-nted to f-find D-a-a-ahlia, b-but… d-do you know… a-anything more… about… it?”

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Voron Radav · 08-23-2011, 07:27 PM

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OOC: Sorry for the late post, I should be on more often now.
Word Count:

Claudius. His stutter seemed to get stronger as he spoke. Voron felt bad for this wolf, he seemed so lost and frightened. “I wa-a-nted to f-find D-a-a-ahlia, b-but… d-do you know… a-anything more… about… it?” Voron wasn't sure how to respond. She felt as though this silver wolf would crumble under the news of Conor Soul's death. He seemed so fragile already. Yet Voron didn't know much more about Dahlia de Mai, and felt it wouldn't be fair to send him away with out telling him of the leader's demise. "The new pack is called Ichika no Ho-en," she said, thinking back to her last conversation with Axelle. The bi-coloured female hadn't had much of a chance to tell her anything beyond that. However, she had gathered some information from the whisperings of loners passing through. “From what I've heard, it's a large, peaceful pack. I do not know the name of the alpha, but I know it's not Conor.” The black wolf hesitated, and met Claudius's gaze. “Conor is dead.”

Voron's brown eyes were sympathetic, and she wished she could give this male some small comfort. But she didn't even know how Conor had died. She hadn't known the leader particularly well, but still felt saddened by his passing. “I'm sorry,” she said, knowing that it wasn't enough. ”Did you know him well?”

Claudius Aston · 08-23-2011, 08:13 PM

WC: 302.
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[/html]There was a new pack. Just when Claudius thought it might be the time to finally join Dahlia and be with his half-brother, Dahlia ceased to exist. And Claudius had barely known Conor, too, which was why he had always wanted so badly to get to know him, either as a sibling or as a leader. Either would have suited Claudius fine, but if Dahlia was gone, where had Conor gone, too? He didn’t understand what the strange name meant, as it carried no meaning, but he realized that Dahlia too – as a name – meant little to him. The thoughts of Dahlia were what was important. And the new pack didn’t have Conor as a leader, either. So where had he gone?

Claudius was about to ask and he opened his mouth, but it seemed as though the wolf had more to say.

Conor was dead.

Conor was dead and Claudius had come here to confess his woes. To confess that he knew of Noir’s death, of Haku’s role, and his other siblings’ disappearance. But the dead couldn’t hear so he would just have to whisper to Conor’s ghost.

Conor was still dead.

Claudius realized he had stopped his rocking and now, he was frozen: rock still. He let out a loud gasp when he realized he had stopped breathing, too, and inhaled loudly. He coughed when he swallowed a large gulp of air, and quickly the gulp turned into a sob.

“He-e-e-e wa-as my… half-brother… I just… nee-ee-ee… ee…ded… to… t-a-alk to… him, but… now… I can’t!” Of course that was obvious, but he still had to say it.

Strange, how the one time he felt the saddest he couldn’t even cry. He wiped off the old tears from his fur and looked over at the wolf.

“Why…? Wh… h…” Why? [html]

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Voron Radav · 08-31-2011, 09:00 PM

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OOC:
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Voron ached with pity for this wolf. She knew death, knew the bitter taste of grief better than most. Yet, she had no idea how to handle the grief of others. When her brother died, Voron had found little comfort in her family. They had blamed her, and were right to. When she lost her parents, she had fled. Distancing herself from the problem both emotionally and physically was the only balm she knew of. But she wanted to comfort this strange male. He was so fragile, so translucent. His emotions floated clearly through whatever barriers he had up.

“He-e-e-e wa-as my… half-brother… I just… nee-ee-ee… ee…ded… to… t-a-alk to… him, but… now… I can’t!”

Voron knew how much a brother could mean to someone. She felt guilt start to build; maybe she shouldn't have told him. Maybe she should have sent him away with hope still left.
But that would have been far more cruel in the end.

“Why…? Wh… h…”

That word was loaded with so much. "I knew him when he was a leader, and i respected him. He was kind to me. I don't know know how he died exactly. I know he didn't deserve it." Voron moved uncertainly, not knowing if touch would comfort him.

Claudius Aston · 09-08-2011, 10:33 PM

No worries. Smile

Wanna close this up soon? ^^

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[/html]Claudius swallowed another sob and nodded solemnly in response when the other wolf spoke. He tried to appreciate how she was trying to make him feel better by relating her own experience with Conor to him. But, oh! That only made him jealous knowing that she had known him far better than he might ever have. He knew Conor was his brother, but aside from that, he knew next to nothing to the wolf. Claudius felt so useless. He didn’t even know know his own family.

He tried to wrap himself in this bitterness, but the wolf continued talking. Conor didn’t deserve it, she said; so wasn’t that the worst scenario? If he had deserved to die, maybe then it would have been easier to accept. So why did the good ones die while the monsters lived on? What of their father? He had not died soon enough and Claudius wondered if there had been others Haku had hurt.

He knew that she was trying to help -- and he was proud he could identify this -- but it still hurt so much. He nodded again through his tears, just wishing he could do something else. He had to leave.

“I...” he began, but stopped. Another sob, and: “I t-thi-i-ink... I sh-ou-ou...ld... go... home... th-a-a-a-ank... y-y-you for... te-e-e-elling... me...” Shakily, he put his hands on his knees to push himself to his feet. He needed to leave here because soon, all he would have was this one terrible memory.[html]

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