OOC: This is when she gets her branding. / WC:1669

She had found herself returned to the city of Halifax, to where it had begun for her. Where her life had changed for good. She once again was within the form that took to two legs. It was an urge that forced her to shift as so. She did not mind much, however, and found this new form her body took could be quite a handy thing.

The she wolf walked amongst the crumbled city, and looked upon its ruin it disgust. “Does my kin really take to living here?” She asked, her voice loud enough for the hawk that soared above her head to hear. The hawk, who she had begun to call Falcrin, was a lovely companion for her and she enjoyed his company. The hawk even helped hunt while she figured how to work with her new and strange form, for she had yet to figure out how to hunt in the optime form she had taken. Weapons were a thing yet known to her, but at some point they would have to be learned.

The wolf walked deeper into the city, and found herself nearly tripped upon a jagged stone. She yelped and stumbled forward and landed hard against the rocky ground. Falcrin swooped from the sky and landed on a protruded landmark. He squawked in amusement. Deirdre growled, “It’s not funny!” She shouted as she stumbled back up to her feet. She huffed and glared at the bird perched upon a statue. “Why don’t you try to walk for a while, huh?” She asked. “Unlike you, I don’t have wings, and I’m not use to these.” She pointed down at her lower half, “Legs!”

The hawk squawked, and Deirdre threw a balled hand up at him. “I’m getting better, stop laughing at me!” The hawk puffed.

“What, a strange sight.” An intruder’s voice spoke out.

Deirdre swirled her gaze around to meet an older Luperci seated not far from where she stood. Deirdre blinked at the old Luperci male and cautiously walked toward him. Falcrin swooped from the statue and landed upon Deirdre’s shoulder, his talons dug slightly into her furred skin.

“Who are you?” She asked the old wolf.

The old Luperci glanced up to the young wolf, and smiled softly to her. “You may call me Bernard.” He spoke as he dipped his head to her. “Do not worry young pup I will not hurt you.”

“What makes you think I’m afraid of you?” She snapped, the back of her neck bristled.

Bernard smirked, “Because of that protective stance of yours.” He pointed a long thin pointed stick at her, and waved it up and down.

Deirdre blinked, but eased her stance as she made her way into the male’s camp. She spoke carefully, “May I ask why you are here?”

The older wolf smiled, “Only if I may ask the same.” Deirdre kept quiet and the older Luperci laughed. “Very well, I shall take that as a yes.” He lowered the stick in his hand, and balanced it across his lap. “That reason is very simple,” he began as he glanced up to her. “This city has all the materials I need.”

“What do you mean?”

The male smiled, “I’m a brander.”

“Brander?”

His hand reached out to his side and he grabbed a long metal rod, with at its end was a circler metal piece in a weird shape. He then took the metal rod and placed the shape end above a fire that had been a blazed since she had arrived. The metal heated up and then Bernard carefully slipped the metal away from the fire. The iron was hot and red. Deirdre blinked, and Bernard spoke.

“It is a form of tattooing,” he began. “Do you know what that is?” Deirdre shook her head, and Falcrin who was perched upon her shoulder puffed out his chest feathers. Bernard smirked and lifted the inside of his left wrist to show to the odd pair. “It is a scaring that is permanent upon your body.” He told them, his gaze lingered upon Deirdre. “I am a worker of this, I bend metals to shape forms and then brand them on others willing to receive the marks.”

“So they are scars…of your choosing?”

“In a way, yes.” He smiled, “Now, tell me young one. Why are you here?”

Deirdre sighed and sat on the ground her legs stationed to the side of her, “I’m just passing through.” She told him as she gazed down to her fingers, “I don’t really know.” She smirked, “I think I’m searching for something. A pack…I,” she laughed and flicked her gaze up to meet Bernard’s green glow. “I’m searching for people like me who are willing to join me. I may form a pack.”

“People like you?” Bernard asked.

Deirdre narrowed her gaze, “Others like me, individuals who have had their lives morphed, changed horrible. Outcasts, those who are searching for a place to call home.” She sighed, “I want to make a strong pack, one that will fight to the very end, that will not suffer from the abuse of others.” She glanced intently up at Bernard, “A pack that is not afraid to kill, one that will protect their clan no matter what.”

Bernard smirked, “you seem devoted to this goal.”

She smirked, “Now I am.” She stated, and then said. “Bernard…”

“Yes?”

“May I ask you to brand me?”

“What?”

Deirdre smirked, “When I was still but a pup I remember watching my father as he read stories to me from books that were not really story books.” She inhaled, “they were books about the old cultures of humans.” She smiled warmly, “they were about a culture that I was quite fascinated with. I memorized all about them,” She exhaled. “I remember the language, writing, legends and myths…”

“And?” Bernard interrupted.

Deirdre glanced up to him, and then slowly looked to the ground. She took a long clawed finger and began to trace symbols within the dusty ground. “I would like these two things branded on me,” She began.

Bernard leaned forward to study the symbols, “And they are?” He asked.

“The bindrune of wisdom, and the rune Ansuz.” She stated.

Bernard fell silent as he studied the two symbols, he then sighed and spoke up. “It will take me a while to form these symbols into metal, however.” He eyed the young wolf. “I will do what you ask,” He paused. “Where would you like them?”

~~~

Deirdre watched as the hot metal shaped as the rune Ansuz lifted up toward her face. The young Luperci inhaled and then held her breath.

“Exhale for me,” Bernard said as he inched the brand closer to her cheek. “It will hurt, please, try not to move.”

Deirdre nodded slowly, “I-I won’t.”

The hot iron reached closer to the young Luperci female, “Do not move…” The male told as his hand reached out to grab her arm. The hot iron fell against the Luperci female’s flesh underneath the right eye at the edge of the eye’s oval on the cheek. Bernard held the heated iron shape against Deirdre’s skin, “Do not move!” Bernard snapped as Deirdre twitched slightly from the sudden pain.

She clutched her eyes shut, her lips parted in a silent growl and her claws dug into the ground beneath her. She grinded her teeth together and huffed out a scream. She would not allow this pain to faze her. In moments, the pain faded away as Bernard pulled the hot iron from Deirdre’s skin. Deirdre buckled into herself, a finger came to touch the furred flesh beneath the brand.

“Do not touch it, allow it to heal.” Bernard announced with a warm smile, “I’ll make you something to help it heal faster.” He then sighed, “Do you wish to continue?” He asked.

Deirdre glanced up to the male Luperci and nodded as she slowly lifted her left wrist and handed him her appendage. Bernard held her wrist within his hand, the inside of her arm faced up. He smiled calmly up to her, reached behind him to the second iron rod that held the bindrune symbol and took it from the fire. He lifted the hot iron above her fur, “You ready?” He asked.

The young female nodded, and Bernard lowered the hot object to her skin. Her fur sizzled beneath the heat, and Deirdre held back a yelp as the intensity of the pain as the object burned into her skin the brand she designed upon herself. Again Bernard held the iron against her skin for minutes as Deirdre held her yelps, clutched her eyes shut, and scrapped at the ground with her nails.

Minutes went by and Bernard was finally done. He lowered his tools away from Deirdre and carefully lifted medical tools that would help induce a healing for Deirdre’s wounds. She felt the coolness of the ointment as it was applied to her naked skin, and she sighed her pain stricken gaze looked up to meet a warm smile. “There, all done.” The male Luperci spoke.

“Thank you…” She whispered as she lowered her cared wrist. She sighed, “I appreciate what you did…I-I do not have anything to offer you in return.”

Bernard smirked, “Your presence was enough payment.” He told her as he stood from his position close to her.

Deirdre smiled warmly and stood as well, “I thank you again Bernard, and.” Her mouth fell shut.

“No need, you are welcome.” Bernard glanced calmly behind him, his gaze studied the young Luperci who held her branded wrist. “And good luck in your goal.”

Deirdre smiled, “Thank you Bernard.” He bowed her head softly in his direction before she turned and left his camp. Falcrin glided from where he had perched himself, a small bag of ointment and wraps needed to care for Deirdre’s brands were nicely clutched within his talons. He flew a little off balanced as the red-tailed hawk followed after its companion.

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