Sittin' in the sand.
#1
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Bleh. Blah. Kinda sucks. I'm sick, gimme a break. xD Here we go for Claudius.

Word Count → 612


Traveling again had not been on the agenda, but breaking the new mare needed to be done, so they were moving. The huge pregnant horse was gentle already, with not real will to fight against the canines. She appreciated any snacks that were given and would follow them around sniffling for more. The beach, where they had been staying, just wasn’t rich enough with grasses for the two horses to live off of for a long period of time. Perhaps if they had backed up from the ocean a bit, but Dixie decided at the last minute that she wanted to travel down south to see if they could find any more interesting supplies. Duke was hooked back up to the wagon, Wayne driving it and Dixie walked with the new mare, leading her on the modified halter.

Despite Duke being worn out and the mare being heavy with her pregnancy, the group managed to cover a lot of ground in one day. By the time dusk fell and they were setting up camp, the scents from a nearby pack could be caught on the breeze. Wayne was once again uncomfortable with being so close to pack borders, so as soon as the sun rose the next morning, he had everyone up and moving away. The mare had taken to Dixie really fast and followed the tiny white female around all the time. Four days after she’d been captured, the canines noticed that she had taken to nibbling on fern leaves whenever possible. Though it was odd, they decided to name her Fern and be done with it. The foal would be named after a plant when it was born as well, depending on the gender.

A few more hours of walking and they reached another beach. The water was calm here, the sounds bringing a smile to Dixie’s face and allowing her to relax. She slipped the halter off of Fern’s head and allowed the mare to wander off to eat some grass. Duke was let go from the wagon and he followed the other horse, joining her for an evening meal. The young woman crawled up into the bed of the wagon and moved all of their bags and the two saddles to the back, then spread out the few skins and one cloak they had, making a make-shift bed. Wayne smiled and sat down on the skins, relaxing as he watched the horses and listened to the gentle waves. Dixie shifted to lupus form, surprising her friend, and stretched out. Her absolutely tiny body left a lot of room for his huge frame to move around as she curled up near the side, laying her head down in exhaustion. Sleep was quick and drug her under within a few moments of laying her head down.

Wayne wasn't far behind, as he was just as tired. After eating a few strips of jerky, the male stretched out on his back and pulled the little lupine girl against his side, rubbing her back as he dozed off. They both slept for a long time, but Dixie woke up first and hopped down from the wagon, having to go potty really bad. Scampering around on all fours, she scanned the beach, but found no coverage. Whimpering in frustration, she ran up towards the dunes and closer to the scraggly shrubs past the sandy hills. Once out there, she crouched below a small bush and did her business, feeling immensely better afterwards. As she walked back towards the sound of the ocean, the scent of deer and...something else had her straying off her path and further away from the wagon and her companions.


Image courtesy of PNNL@Flickr; table code by the Mentors!

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#2
I'm not done my Anu thread, but Claudius is injured in it (just not sure how), so his injuries are vague, but healing, in this thread. You can refer to them, just don't say what exactly they are since I don't know yet XD Hahaha OH PLOTTING. (WC: > 300)
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[/html]Claudius had made a vow to become more active. He thought he was living up to this promise quite well, and after seeing his brother a month ago, he had redoubled his efforts. He'd visited the prisoner, Anu, with disastrous consequences: she had looked so broken and tired that he'd pitied her, but he had been the one hurt in the end. It had been humiliating, especially because he'd thought he was doing something good. He had been too afraid to seek medical help, concerned it would be brought back to Maska, so he had wallowed in his den for a few days after that. He'd done what he could, but he still felt horrible. It was just like when his mother had left: he shook sometimes and he had horrible nightmares of his time as a prisoner and what Anu had done to him.

He hated AniWaya now. He didn't know when he'd made the turn from loving his tribe to resenting it, and finally, hating it, but now he did. He didn't like who he had become under Maska, and so he hated himself too. The old wolf was cruel and vicious and was hurting more than he was helping. Claudius felt so estranged from this greater AniWayan tribe that he wondered if it would make more sense for Dawali to leave AniWaya and take everyone who was still loyal to him and make a new pack.

But first, Claudius had to get out. He needed to clear his head and escape from the self-imposed chains. He needed to be free again. Being back in the neutral territories worried him, but he hoped he was far enough north that he wouldn't run into anyone from Crimson Dreams or Cour des Miracles. Apparently, Maska had harmed another pack with this insanity. Claudius wanted to help, but he knew he would only make it worse. If only he could be clean again.

He took a deep breath and continued walking, as always, in his optima form. He strode quickly with his long legs, covering the distance quickly. He had practiced so much in this form that it felt natural to walk like this, and so, he had let his guard down a bit. It was a beautiful day and he was feeling better than he had in days. He stopped suddenly when he caught the smell of a wolf, and perhaps some horses, nearby. He took a few hesitant steps and saw another wolf, also in her bipedal form, watching him cautiously from the bush. She smelled like a loner, so Claudius hesitantly waved to her.

"He-... he-hello," he stuttered awkwardly. He never knew what to do when he encountered another in the woods.[html]
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#3
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Not much to work with here. :/ Sowwy.

Word Count → 507


Dixie walked along in the sand, surrounded by saplings and struggling shrubs. It was obvious that the salty ocean water and air was making it hard for them to grow, but they were pushing through, surviving. The girl liked that about plants, the fact that they could adapt and change and grow virtually anywhere, despite the conditions and the odds against them living. She took to sniffing at the plants as she moved by them, looking for the ones that Fern liked to snack on. Taking some back as treats for the mare would earn her trust and companionship points, therefore making it easier for her to be around the horse when she was foaling. Being able to get near the mare while she was birthing the baby would be important, just in case things went wrong and she needed some help.

Finally the minty sharp scent of the ferns carried to her nose and she stopped moving, casting a glance around at her surroundings before crouching and letting her body shift into her two legged form. Sniffing about a bit more, she located the shrub and knelt down, reaching in and snapping a few fronds off at the base until she had an armful. The large leaves smelled very good and the minty scent was rubbing into her fur as she moved to another bush and began to snap off those leaves as well. The area behind the beach was positively covered in these things; they were just sandwiched between and below other, larger plants. There wasn’t much grass on the beach, so the leaves and plants that she could find would have to be the horse food for a few days until they decided to pack up and leave again. Knowing Wayne, the girl knew that it wouldn’t be long before he got restless and needed to get on the road again.

Suddenly the scent of another canine hit her again and her head snapped up, light green eyes fixing on the large male as he walked closer. Dixie took a few steps back and crouched down a little, making her already tiny body seem even smaller. She knew that most creatures wouldn’t hurt someone smaller than them unless they were intent upon finding food or sex, which she was praying this man wasn’t searching for either. When he muttered his hello, she felt her ears drop and her tail tuck between her legs. His stutter made her sad, made her think about those few times she’d met pups who had been abused. Upon further inspection, she saw a few wounds riddling his body and her eyes widened.

The leaves fell from her arms and she took a few steps closer, standing up to her full height of a measly five feet. Ooh, you poor thang! How could anyone hurt a sweetheart like you? Her voice was soft and gentle, with a sweet southern twang to it. She shook her head and got closer still, moving slowly so as to not spook him.


Image courtesy of PNNL@Flickr; table code by the Mentors!

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#4
If Dixie-May introduces herself, Claudius will do the same! Smile
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[/html] He wasn't sure what the girl was doing, really. She had crouched a bit and peered up at him with wide, big eyes. It wasn't until he spoke -- with his stutter to boot -- that she changed her posture again. She was quick to straighten up and shake off a few stray leaves. In an instant, she was standing before him and he towering above her. Although he was only five foot nine, which usually meant he wasn't as large as most males, he felt like a giant standing above her.

When she spoke, he noticed her accent immediately. It flowed in a way his words did not -- even without the stutter. In fact, she sounded different from all of the wolves around these parts, especially with her word choice. What was a 'thang'? He hoped it wasn't crude; he wasn't much for crassness.

Unsure of what to say in response, he gave her an awkward shrug. He didn't really know what to say to any of that, so he drew his left arm across his chest and held on to his right bicep, just above his elbow, and leaned back on his heels in a conscious effort to hide himself.

"Uhhmmm," he replied unintelligibly. He glanced away for a moment at the sound of a bird, but returned his gaze back to her, if a bit unwillingly. "Ye-ee-ee-a-ah," he said slowly. He took a step back and glanced over at the bird once more as it called out again. He didn't know what to do. "The-e-e-re's... a... war... um... go-oing... on... yeah..." He scratched at his elbow with his one finger and glanced down at his feet shyly.[html]
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#5
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This suuucks. I just have no idea what to write. xD.

Word Count → 389


Dixie just watched him, taking in the way he moved and changed his stance as she drew closer. What an odd little bird. The male was very awkward and shy, it was so glaringly obvious to anyone who cared to watch and observe. Many might have thought that the little white canine was just an annoying airhead because of her friendliness, but she was in fact very observant and liked to make sure those around her were comfortable with their surroundings at all times. When he started glancing away from her, looking at other things instead of her face, she knew that he was getting antsy and probably wanted to leave. Shaking her head slightly, she reached out and gently brushed her fingers over his arm, avoiding any scratches that might have been there. A soft sigh broke from her mouth as he tried to make himself look smaller. "Are you hungry, sweety? We got some food…and I can help you with those scrapes you got there."

When he mentioned that there was a war going on, her eyes widened a bit and she growled softly, holding her arms out to him. She was really hoping that he would have a moment of trust so she could help him out a bit. The poor boy looked like he needed some tender lovin’ care and a friend or two. Wayne might put up a bit of a protest with the appearance of another male, like he usually did, but Dixie was confident in her ability to shut him up and keep him shut up. This scared boy wasn’t going to do anything to harm her, of that she was pretty sure of, so there was no real reason to be worrying about his presence. Hopefully the horses wouldn’t scare him, though Fern was likely to just nuzzle and lick him to death. The silly mare had taken up the habit of licking them like a little puppy might do. She shook her head at the thought and looked back up to the male’s face.

"I’m Dixie-May, and I’ve got a friend back at our little camp named Wayne. He’s very good at bandagin’ up wounds, as am I, and we can both hunt and cook. Please come back with me…I can’t stand to see anyone hurtin’ for no reason."


Image courtesy of PNNL@Flickr; table code by the Mentors!

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#6
It was fine. Smile!
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[/html] He had been totally unprepared for the woman's touch, so when he felt her pale fingers make contact with his arm, he flinched. However, this was more out of surprise than distaste. He quickly shook his head, but then stopped and nodded when he realized shaking his head would likely give her the wrong impression. He didn't mind at all; in fact, her touch was a bit comforting. He gave her a tentative smile in return, hoping that he might be able to express himself properly without having to use words. While Claudius thrived in his bipedal form, he felt far more comfortable expressing himself in traditional canine ways: with a wag of his tail, perking his ears, or tilting his head. Any was preferable to the useless drivel that came out of his maw.

Again, she surprised him when she growled, low in the back of her throat. For someone so gentle, she had a sudden flash of fierceness that surprised Claudius. He wondered if he had ever looked like that. He nodded quietly, conceding to her suggestion, but felt necessary to point out that just because he had a few bumps and bruises here and there that it didn't mean he couldn't fend for himself. He resented the implication, and was going to keep quiet, but decided he could mention it after she was done introducing herself.

He widened his eyes a bit when she mentioned bandaging him up. Did he really look that bad? Even though he hadn't sought any medical attention, mostly because he didn't know who could do that and had no one to ask -- and because he didn't want to draw any attention to himself from Maska and Wematin -- he thought he had done a decent enough job of patching himself up.

"I-I'm C-uh-Claudius Aston," he replied slowly. "I would... li-ike that. The-e-e ba-a-anda-a-ges, I mean. I can hu-unt just f-f-ine, miss -- that's no-ot ne-cessa-a-a-ry. A-a-a-as long as your... friend... won't mi-ind, I mean... I do-on't want to... waste your s-u-u-pplies... I'm su-ure it... is... tough a-as a-a-a lo-o-oner..." He paused, and then proposed: "I-I... I ca-a-an... pay you back," he explained, "somehow."

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#7
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Possibly a tiny bit of PP in there...maybe.

Word Count → 593


Dixie saw the flash of male pride in Claudius’s eyes when she mentioned bandaging and feeding him, as if she were implying that he might not be able to care for himself. Without acknowledging that completely, she just nodded and held her hand out for his before turning and walking back in the direction of the wagon. ”Of course we have to feed ya, hun. Its how I was raised, I just can’t stand to not take care of anyone I come across. Yer all my friends, no matter who is at war with who and I’d take care of anyone else just the same.” She smiled up at him and shrugged, still walking kind of slow, setting a relaxed pace for them to move at. She imagined that a faster pace would make her seem impatient and rushed, therefore possibly making him more nervous than he already was. ”Getting’ food really ain’t all that hard. Wayne is pretty big and can take down deer without much problem, and I can go fishin’ whenever I want, as long as we are on the coast. We got lots of food stored for when we are in the mainland, and I’ll go fishin’ again tonight or tomorrow. Feedin’ you ain’t gonna be no problem at all, sweety.”

Their walk wasn’t long before the horses came into view, the mare was huge, a lot bigger than the stallion, and her pregnant belly made her look super overweight. Duke looked up and whickered when he smelled Dixie approaching, his ears flickering around to catch the sound of their oncoming footsteps. Both beasts were friendly, but they stayed put a few feet away from the wagon, both nibbling at the grasses poking up out of the sand. Wayne was up and sitting in the sand with a small fire built, sitting close to it and holding a long stick with a few fish cooking. He looked up at started to smile at Dixie. The smile quickly fell into a scowl and he growled, glaring at the male. The girl growled back at him and stepped in front of Claudius. ”Wayne, you just best stop that nonsense right this moment! I bring a friend back to get somethin’ to eat and you treat ‘em like this? Gracious, learn some manners why don’t ya!” Huffing in frustration, she turned back to the banged up male behind her and grinned, motioning him closer to the fire. It wasn’t until she got closer to the warmth that she realized just how cold she was. The chilly morning air and ocean wind cut through her fluffy, soft fur and gave her a chill.

Instead of acknowledging the new male, Wayne was sulking with what looked like a pitiful pout on his face. When he saw a short shiver rip through the girl’s body, his need to take care of her kicked in and he went to the wagon to get his animal skin cloak. Once she was sitting down, he moved over and draped the garment over her shoulders and lifted the hood over her head, effectively trapping most of the wind out. The girl smiled and tilted her head back, nuzzling his hand before he walked away. ”Don’t mind him, Claudius. He’s always a grumpy pup…let’s eat.” She grinned and grabbed the heating stick, pulling it towards their bodies and sticking it in the sand between them, then used two sharply clawed fingers to pull a piece of crisp hot meat from one of the fish to pop into her mouth.


Image courtesy of PNNL@Flickr; table code by the Mentors!

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#8
Sorry for the wait. :c
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[/html] Claudius was quiet while the girl spoke. He didn't want to say anything to offend her, so he didn't say anything at all. He hesitantly took her hand and followed her to her camp. He listened quietly as she explained the situation, but still didn't like that she thought he needed food. He inherently disagreed with the logic, but did not want to bother her with his opinion of the matters. Explaining it would take too long and he was too conscious of his stutter to want to speak for longer periods of time. So, he compliantly followed her, content to have found a new friend. He did feel a little apprehensive when she mentioned a 'Wayne' fellow; he didn't want to interrupt her home with her mate, after all. It didn't seem right to him that she would bring back a lone male to her home, but maybe he was just old-fashioned. Or maybe -- and this was more likely -- there was just something wrong with how he was understanding this entire situation.

When they reached the camp, Claudius saw another male, likely Wayne, who immediately perked up at the sight of Dixie-May. However, he quickly expressed his dislike of Claudius with a fierce glare. Claudius flinched and drew back, hesitating. He didn't know what to do when Dixie-May addressed him, but decided to follow her and ask if it was really alright for him to be here. Once he'd taken his seat by the fire -- and once Wayne had finished cloaking Dixie-May -- he posed his question.

"A-a-a-re you s-ure it's o-oka-ay fo-o-or me t-t-to be here? Yo-ou..r... friend... or-r... ma-ate... doesn't... l-oo-ook... too happy..." He paused and added: "I do-on't want to be-e-e a bother, b-ut I'm... glad... for... your... hospitality." [html]
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OOC conclusion: Dixie-May and Claudius eat together, she patches them up, and Wayne watches him all grumpy-like the entire time. They chat for a bit and then Claudius returns to AniWaya.


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