The day was warm. She had that going for her. The boys, all four of them, were with her today. Lucifer had the habit of taking noah, Naniko enjoyed having Apollo. But today all four boys were at their mother's side. This was good. Life was good here. Deuce was happy. She groomed her fur lazilly, pausing to groom her boys. Jazper was out and about tody. And that was okay. He was another son.
All the pups she'd lost, she was being given the chance to do this right again. She'd spent as much time as possible with them, instead of leaving someone else to raise them. Unlike with Dierdre and Shadow. These pups would have the benifift of mother and father. And life was good.
Since she'd shifted back into her tywo legged form, she'd stopped feeling so insecure. It made her happy to feel good again. She wondered idly if it had something to do with the fact that she'd been a non-shifter in a tribe where shifters had been dominant. Superior even.
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Umm... You're not saying where Deuce is ^^;; is she right smack in the middle of packland, or near the borders, or...? ^^; I'mma leave it up to you to notice Umbra first, then 
Shaking his head, Umbra left the place where he'd met the black-furred would-be-wolf. This time, instead of continuing west like he'd intended, he turned southwards. After all, that one had been in the way. Unfortunately, he hadn't traveled far before he came across pack territory. He stood there for a few moments. Now what? Which way would he go now? West or south-east? He wasn't sure how far this territory reached, nor if he would run into her again if he headed west now. So, south-east it was. It seemed he'd have to wait some time before he'd be able to check up the west. If there even was anything there now. Maybe they'd only gathered there at first, and then spread out again?
He shook his head, clearing it of thoughts. No need to ponder about what might be. He'd find out sooner or later. For now, he'd just follow the path before his paws and see where it took him. And thus decided, he started following the border in a south-easterly direction. He wasn't about to trespass, that was certain. After all, he didn't really have any clue as to what kind of pack this was.
Coming upon a fairly fresh border mark, he paused and sniffed at it, hoping to be able to tell if they were real wolves or not. After all, he'd gained some familiarity with that odd tinge that to Umbra could only spell 'wrong' after running into how many was it now? Three? Possibly four; that wolf near the territory north of here had reminded him of Tawny, but Umbra wasn't certain if it was the un-wolfness that had been the same, or if there had been some other kind of connection between them. However, recognizing it in a present wolf (or freak) was one thing, but sensing it from a territory marking where the scent was not only from one person? Quite another, and Umbra couldn't tell for sure.
Maybe he should just get out of there as quickly as he could? Turn his tail on this pack and whoever belonged to it and go straight east? He wasn't sure, and so he slowly continued to follow the border.
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((We'll say she was near the borders. lol Sorry, that's one thing I fail at doing.  ))
A scent came and she lifted her head. They'd not had any joiners. Perhaps this one was. or maybe this one was an intruder. Either way, she stood and walked to where the scent came from. Her attitude was cool, but relaxed. She spotted the dark colored wolf and made straight for him, wanting to get this done and over so she could return to the pups. Taliesin stayed at her side, though the other boys stayed behind.
Greetings. The pale femme's voice was chill, but not unfriendly. Just...neutral. Taliesin stayed close by, though he mimiced his mother's greeting. His voice was softer, less modulated. Geeting. His stubby tail wagged quickly as he looked to the stranger happily. He didn't understand the possible dangers; he was just a little guy.
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I take it both Deuce and little Taliesin are in optime form?
Edit: Ok ^^ Fixed it.
Too late to avoid her, Umbra noticed the female. He paused, one paw still in the air. Blinking once, he then completed the step, setting down all four paws. Yet more freaks. And a poor pup, probably unaware of the fact that his mother was an atrocity. At least Umbra assumed she was the mother; their scents were similar enough for it. And if she was, didn't that mean that he was too? Poor guy.
"I'm sorry if I'm intruding," he replied. Of course, he wasn't really sorry for intruding or bothering them, he was more sorry that they'd actually come here to check him out. After all, it wasn't as though he'd intended to actually enter their territory or anything. Then again, they couldn't know that, could they? "I'm merely traveling, and since I was headed south when I came across your borders, I decided to follow them until I was clear of your territory. If you wish me to stop doing that, I will."
While he hated to grovel before freaks, he made sure to maintain a low profile; nonthreatening and docile. That it was all just a Potemkin village didn't matter much, did it?
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((Deuce is. taliesin isn't. He doesn't know how to shift yet.))
His voice, his posture was neutral enough. But there was something....something...off. yes. Something in his eyes. Or maybe the mother was paranoid. She shrugged her houlders lightly, dismissively. "I'm merely traveling, and since I was headed south when I came across your borders, I decided to follow them until I was clear of your territory. If you wish me to stop doing that, I will."
She arched an eyebrow. "I didn't say you needed to stop. I just wondered if perhaps you were looking for someone. That's usually the only reason folks come to our borders." She wasn't sure about this stranger, but she wasn't opposed to letting him visit. If you'd like a tour of the lands, I'd be happy to accompany you.
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"No, I don't know anyone in your..." Umbra began to explain, before the two-legger continued and threw him off track. He blinked once more. Invite him onto her lands? Paranoia rose in him; perhaps she was just looking to lure him away from neutral ground so she could trap him in a position where he'd broken their rules, and then kill him? On the other hand, he could see it as reconnaissance: Find out more about the freaks and how they live. Know thy enemy, wasn't that what they said? Still, he couldn't say it didn't make him uneasy.
"A tour of your lands?" he repeated, perhaps to stall for time. "I must say that would be the first time anyone has offered me that." And what was he supposed to do now? Would he accept, or politely decline? "I thank you, and I'd be happy to accept your invitation." He was actually somewhat surprised by that answer. With just a few words, he had possibly doomed himself. If nothing else, he was now obliged to keep up his pretense of at least curiosity, if not appreciation of their lifestyle and physiology. Oh yes, he was in deep shit, he was. But perhaps, if he studied them aright, the knowledge would help him later on.
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She gave him a guarded smile. I'll just shift down, so it's less awkward for us to talk. With that she began the gradual shifting process. Hair and fur shortened. Features changed positions. She fell to all four as her legs and arms shortened, and paws became hands.
After about 15 minutes, she smiled, though her knees felt a bit weak. She wasnt overly used to shifting in front of folks. Ready? She began leading him into thier territory, keeping close to his side. She had him here, she was responsable for his conduct. Taliesin kept to his side, chattering to him constantly.
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Perhaps one might invite Taliesin into this thread now that he's not an NPC anymore?
Umbra was a lot more comfortable with the other in her four-legged form, and relaxed a little after having 'politely' looked away as she shifted. He invented a reason for it, not wanting to let her in on the full truth.
"Thank you," he said with a smile. I've never spent much time with your kind, so it feels a bit strange talking to something not quite in wolf shape."
He nodded at her question, noting her attempt to remain close by and deciding not to make it harder for her. It was reasonable, he supposed, and paid polite attention to the boy's chattering, nodding here and there to make the little one not feel ignored. Of course, he barely listened to what was actually said, but he assumed there would be no pop quiz on it later.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he suddenly said, looking back to the female. "I never introduced myself; my name's Umbra." While he might not have told her his name normally, he had been invited to her pack's lands, and it would make things easier if they could call each other by name. And, of course, knowing her name was a small step closer to learning things about them, right? "Might I inquire as to your names? He included the pup in the question, of course; from the boy's talkativeness, he'd be happy to give the names, but it was more correct to ask the adult in question since she'd be more aware of political and social rules.
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OoC: Sorry, I'm here ^^;
Taliesin yipped eagerly and announced "Ta'ieshin!" then contorted his face into a wolfish grin, his ears pricked, and his tail wagging high for a short second. He was proud of his name, Taliesin Dir Rhiannon! Over and over he would say it in his mind, and while it sounded nice allowed his puppy tongue dulled the magic just a bit. Names always had had a certain magic to him, like they somehow held power; though he knew that this wasn't true, he still liked the idea, and stuck with it.
"Where 'a fwum?" he asked excitedly. "why we not your kind?" The last question was the really important one, weren't they all wolves? Maybe he was a coyote! No, he realized, mum doesn't like coyotes, and they're supposed to be ugly, mean, monsters that eat pups like himself, Umbra wasn't ugly, or at least Tal didn't think so. Deciding to find out for himself Tal ran up to Deuce and asked quietly "Is he a ca... ca... cahyo'e?" He hated not being able to talk like a normal wolf, puppy talk was silly and dumb.
Deuce gave her son a slight smile. I'm Deuce Rhiannon, and this is my son, Taliesin Dir Rhiannon. She knew her sweet boy was proud of his name, and so made a point to intorduce him by all three names. When the boy came to her and satge whispered if the new male, Umbra, was a oyote, she made a point of pursing her lips and studying him, all exaggerated, of course, for the boys amusement.
No...Umbra's not a coyote. She gave the male a discreet wink. I think he's a bunny rabbit. Her tone was somber and serious, but the glint of playfulness in her eyes gave it away. she was teasing, and she hoped Umbra would get in on it.
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Bunny? XDDD Umbra is dying here.
The boy's mood was infectious, and Umbra found himself almost forgetting the company he was in. Almost. But still, it had the effect that when the puppy first asked why he was saying they were different and then his mother if he was a coyote, he wasn't as insulted as he might normally have been. But it was only the humor in Deuce's eyes that kept him from snapping at the suggestion he was prey. As it was, he instead took to cynical agreement.
"Yes, of course I'm a rabbit," he drawled. "Just look at my long, floppy ears and my short tail.
Didn't Deuce want her son -- it had now been proven that the puppy was hers -- to know that not all wolves were freaks? Well, Umbra would- He cut himself off. Alright, maybe he wouldn't apprise the pup of his nature just yet. It might not be too good an idea when he was in their territory and in the presence of Taliesin's mother.
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Tal shook his head head emphatically to illustrate his disagreement and stated rather frankly "He no rawwit." The boy KNEW that the rabbit comment was a joke, but it made him feel dumb that he was being babied; he honestly wondered what the wolf meant. Slowing his pace he came alongside Umbra and directly asked him, with no ifs ands nor buts "What are you then?"
The question seemed so simple, but the boy had no clue what it could possibly mean, or what the connotations of the answer were. He didn't realize that normal wolves couldn't transform, his whole family were luprici, and so transforming WAS normal. To him, had he known any, non-transforming wolves would be the freaks! Not that he at all thought about any of that, nor did he think about how rude his question might be, or how he might not like the answer.
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In a way, Umbra felt a great deal of satisfaction that the boy was mature enough not to have appreciated the joke too much -- or even fallen for it, although he couldn't see how any pup (wolf or freak) could have. So he would answer the boy, though... He glanced slightly at the female, and decided against proclaiming too much that he was a real wolf and they weren't.
"Like your mother did back at the borders," he began, "your kind can shift forms. Mine can't. And no," he quickly added, "I don't wish I could."
That should be alright, shouldn't it? Neutral enough to not reveal what he really thought of the freaks, while still informative. In a way, it was a shame that the boy was ruined from birth, because Umbra found himself rather liking the kid. Perhaps it was only that he recognized a little of himself in Taliesin; when Umbra was a kid, he'd hated people talking to him as though he didn't understand, and while he had no solid proof of it (yet), Taliesin seemed similar.
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The idea of luperci vs non-luperci wasn't new to the pallid mother. In fact, beforre thanos, she herself had ben luperci nonessi. And she'd hated it. She'd hated being useless to the pack she'd joined. She couldn't hunt worth crap (still couldn't, really) and it had upset her to be a drain on their meager food soupply because she couldn't shift. In the pack she'd been raised in, shifters were revered, and non-shifters were frowned on. Seemed Umbra grew up differently.
There are all sorts in the world, she stated calmly. But in the end, tal, it's only what's ina wolf's heart that makes him stand out, not whether or not he can shift.
Taliesin nodded to both, it made sense, what was wrong with not being able to shift? It just meant that a wolf had less to worry about! Suddenly it struck him, would he be able to shift? If he could, then that was good, but if not, well, he guessed that was okay, but he thought that having hands would be awefully handy (no pun intended). Not sure which he wanted to be true, since not being able to shift menat that he didn't have to worry about doing it, he decided to ask Deuce. "Wi' I shiff?" He was curious to know the answer, though he decided that either way was fine by him.
He also wondered why umbra couldn't shift, so he thought of the differences between the two. Umbra was black, but then, so was Lucifer, and he could shift. Next was where they came from, which is the only thing he could think of that was that different. His mum was probably from a place where all the wolves were shifters, and he where they weren't, then here, some were, and some weren't. It made good sense, and the boy liked it when things made sense; it just seemed better when logic worked, even if the logic was that of a puppy.
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