On kinder tides [Joining]

Neela Garcia · 11-19-2011, 04:50 PM

Character Name: Neela Garcia
Character Age: 4
Character Gender: Female
Preferred Specialized Rank: Chika, Bensen
OOC Name: Alex
Other Characters Played: None Active
OOC Second Form of Contact: Hotmail - zakkia@hotmail.co.uk

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Oh hero thar

Word Count → 515

The Meria Lea cut through the waves easily, Neela keeping the ship in the calmer waters close to the coats of the peninsula that she was currently sailing around. The weather was getting colder as she travelled, a natural result of travelling north into Canada, but the Collie couldn't bring herself to care.

While the Meria Lea was in good condition considering the amount of use it had seen the last 4 months, Neela herself had seen better days. 4 Months of not looking after herself and of sleepless nights had left her normally shiny fur lank and stringy against her skin. Between plain not caring about herself enough to clean and a 4 month diet of fish the fur around her paws and muzzle was matted and oily, creating a constant stink that followed the dog around.

In short Neela had seen better days, but at least she was still alive. Though that was by no fault of her own; two months back a particularly bad nightmare had driven her to try and kill herself, though she never dared to try again after her cuts failed to kill her.

An orange glow began to spread over the water from where the sun met the horizon, a constant reminder that night was falling and it was time for Neela to find some land to spend the night. Neela had grown to dread nights; during the day sailing the Meria Lea kept her and her mind constantly busy with what seemed like a hundred and one constant tasks, but at night she had nothing to do other than sit and think. Think about what she had done, what she had lost.

And the nightmares.

The nightmares were always the same, though predictability had done nothing to lessen their impact. The feeling of her knife hitting flesh and cartilage, of blood running over her hands.

A pair of blue eyes, looming out of the darkness, filled with pain and betrayal.

With a heavy sigh Neela cast her eyes to the left, looking for a good place to land. She noticed a long, peaceful looking stretch of beach and steered the Meria to the left, heading towards it. As the collie approached she never noticed the scent line present on the beach, the bordering smell being drowned out by the combination of the ocean smells and the fishy smell coming from her own fur. However luck was on Neela's side and when the Meria Hit the beach, it was a few metres outside of the Ichika boundary.

As soon as the ship his the sand Neela moved towards the bow, grabbing a roll of rope with a hook on the end. As she vaulted over the bow Grynn flapped her way over, perching on the tip of the bow and watching Neela work. Neela herself vaulted down to the sand below and hooked the rope onto a small ring on the front of the ship.

Still oblivious to the scent line she had nearly crossed, Neela began the work of pulling the Meria up onto the beach.

Pripyat Soul · 11-20-2011, 01:11 AM

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The Eika had grown distrustful of the sea. It had been the ocean that had washed Arye into his life on the shores of Phoenix Valley. And when Pripyat found Arye dead it was as if the ocean was trying to reclaim her body as it ebbed slowly in the tide, nearly slipping away. The smoke colored man avoided the ocean most days, preferring the sanctuary of the Gampo or the looming trees of the Phoenix Forest. Pripyat no longer found the vast expanse of water intriguing and he no longer looked to the lapping waves for comfort. A new element had captured his fancy and the Pripyat found he fell into the role of fire keeper quite easily.

And so it was when, as he patrol the border in the absence of a Chen-Tao of Ichika, he saw the woman pulling her boat in. The male moved in his Secui form, swift and powerful when he patrolled. As long strides brought him quickly before the lady, his mind wandered back to Tawny, and the creature she called Fang. It the knowledge that bad things still happened, even in Ichika, caused Pripyat's voice to be less than friendly when he spoke out to the straggly coated collie. "You are close to the borders of claimed lands, miss. " Ocean eyes flitted over the boat suspiciously. "Where have you come from? Where are you going in that thing?" It was almost with disgust he gestured towards the boat, that thing falling off his tongue as if it the word tasted bad.

Neela Garcia · 11-20-2011, 05:58 AM

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Once again Neela's nose failed her, and she didn’t notice the approach of the Ichika wolf. Grynn was also preoccupied, specifically with making an odd sound that was her equivalent of a chuckle as she watched Neela try and pull the boat far enough in to be safe, so they were both taken off guard when the male called over to them, his less unfriendly voice shocking the two out of their distraction.

Despite being caught off guard in a similar manner the two reacted very differently. Neela noticed the tone before she heard the words that were being spoken to her. Months of nightmares and little sleep had left the collie jumpy, so with a yelp of surprise and more than a little bit of fear she jumped away from the rope, swiftly spinning around so that the Meria was positioned in-between her and the strange male.

Grynn's reaction was practically the opposite of Neela's. Upon hearing Pripyat's voice the falcon quickly hopped around on her perch to face him, letting out an angry screech at his tone and started shifting her wings in what, to her, was a menacing manner, ready to attack what she saw as a threat to Neela.

Meanwhile Neela had processed the males words, as she did so she cast a worried eye up to Grynn; while the aggressive little bird wouldn’t be able to hurt a Secui in these conditions, she would certainly make a go of it. Wanting to avoid a confrontation if possible Neela made a sharp click with her tongue, a signal developed between the two back before Grynn could understand high speech. As she heard the sound Grynn grudgingly calmed down, fluttering from her perch to land on Neela's shoulder, her talons digging into her thick fur.

Despite the peregrine's ineffectiveness in a potential fight, Neela felt better with the familiar weight resting on her shoulder and moved out from behind the boat slightly, though the majority of her body was still hidden. As she did so Neela adjusted her body language, lowering her already floppy ears as much as she could and dipping her head, fixing her eyes on the strangers chest. Usually if submission was required she would shift to a quadrupedal form, but she felt nowhere near confident enough to go into one of her less familiar forms in this situation.

When Neela spoke she was surprised to find that her voice was harsh and croaky, her usually soft tones temporarily driven away by underuse, "S-sorry, I didn't n-notice I was near someone's h-home." Neela pawed embarrassedly at the oily fur around her nose, feeling embarrassed about her appearance, and her smell for that matter, for the first time in months.

Neela paused at the venom in the strangers voice when he talked about her boat, under normal conditions she would have bristled at his tone when talking about her boat, but for now she just tried to ignore it. Grynn shifted on Neela's shoulder, clicking comfortingly at the nervous woman. With more confidence Neela continued, "I came from down south, just north of Mexico," Neela hesitated here, before continuing, "I don't know where I'm going. Away. Mainly north I guess." The collie hadn’t had a particular destination in mind, she had just been travelling in a vain attempt to escape her past.

Nervously watching the males legs for any signs of movement or aggression Neela waited for him to reply.

Pripyat Soul · 11-20-2011, 11:29 AM

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Don't mind Prip, he's a bit of a grumpy brat.

Although it had not been the man's intention to ignite fear part of him was pleased at the reaction of the woman and her bird. Their fright gave the blue eyed boy the upper hand, as if he didn't already have it being a resident of the local pack and she a nomadic sailor washed up on their shore. The aggression of the falcon especially pleased Pripyat Soul as he watched with bemused eyes the show of the feathered creature and it's loyalty to the lady. That the red hued woman had put the boat between them also tickled Pripyat, as if he could not easily leap over the thing in his muscular form. Never had anyone put themselves on guard before him and yet the strangers did not know him, did not know that although a little gruff the boy strove for peace, just as all brothers and sisters of Ichika were meant to.

"This is Ichika no Ho-en, I am Pripyat Soul. The Eika." The slight edge of his voice dropped, leaving it nearly emotionless, just informative. Now that the two had been spooked he softened—only enough to keep the coldness from his voice. Still he wearily eyed the sea craft, wishing the thing would just spontaneously combust. Once the item would have caused him to feel affiliated with the woman, drawn by the vessel that could carry one far away, to other shores. Now he only felt disdain for anything that came from the ocean. Even the stranger who stank of the sea, despite her innocence just then.

The name of the place, Mexico, was unfamiliar to Pripyat and simply he shrugged. The girl was going north, to where she did not know, and Pripyat wondered then how she would know when to stop. And vaguely he wondered how far north one could go before the voyage became impossible, but he did not let the old feeling of wanderlust live long in his mind. Easily he sat himself back on two haunches, wrapping his tail about his four great claws much like a strange and massive cat. "Have you been traveling long?" By sight and smell the boy could the woman had been sea bound for months, but perhaps this was always her manner of appearance. "How will you know when to stop if you don't know where you are headed?" Almost he seemed curious before the man with a scar over his eye remembered himself and set a stony face.

Neela Garcia · 11-20-2011, 12:32 PM

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"Ichika no Ho-en" The name was unfamiliar to Neela and she repeated it after Pripyat has said it, rolling the word around her mouth.

Now that the shock of the male suddenly appearing had died down he seemed a lot less threatening, especially since he seemed to be making no aggressive movements Warily Neela stepped out from behind the ship, turning to look at Grynn as she did so, "It's okay Grynn, i'll be alright." she said softly to the bird, which gave Pripyat a last glare before flying up to circle overhead.

As Neela rounded the boat she gave the male a small, tied smile, though she kept her body language respectful; there was no sense insulting a pack member on their own turf and she had no idea how important an 'Eika' , whatever that was, was to this pack, "My names Neela Gracia." She offered, her voice recovering slightly as the familiar words slipped from her lips, regaining some of its usual softness.

With a heavy sigh Neela flopped down in the sand, sitting cross-legged with her back against the Meria, "My overprotective friend up there is Grynn, and the ship is called the Meria Lea." She added, gesturing first towards the circling falcon and then the ship behind her."So, you said that you are an, err Eika was it? What exactly does that mean? She asked, half genuinely curious and half trying to figure out who she was talking to.

"A couple of months I’d guess, not really been counting the time." Was Neela's response when Pripyat asked her how long she had been sailing. When his next question came the collie fell silent and began to run her fingers absentmindedly through the sand as she tried to think of what to say.

Y'know, i'm not really sure about that myself. When I'm dead maybe? Or maybe when I can sleep a week without nightmares." The collie's hand tightened into a fist in the sand and she let out a sharp, bitter laugh, before laying her head backwards against the ships hull, letting the water still clinging to the ship soak into her fur as she stared skywards. "The last few months have been… really fucked up. Keeping moving helps a bit; lot of stuff to do on a boat, keeps me busy and stops me thinking so much." Neela had no idea why she was going into so much detail about this with a total stranger, thought he fact that this was the first wolf that she had talked to in months likely had something to do with it.

Neela fell silent after that, until there was a sharp call from above and she automatically raised her left arm, letting Grynn drift down to land on the leather strapped there. As the falcon started straightening her feathers Neela began running a finger down her back, ignoring the birds slight huff as it tried to straighten the feathers she was messing up.

Pripyat Soul · 11-21-2011, 12:17 PM

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The woman introduced herself, the bird and the boat. Pripyat had never been interested in the companion animals of others and even less so in their inanimate objects but he simply nodded as each entity was given a name. The girl, Neela, seemed to relax, comfortable now that Pripyat meant no harm. The ash colored creature did not mind, the woman remained respectful even as she slumped aside her ship. It seemed by chance that the woman had come ashore so close to Ichika and it was unlikely that she meant them any harm. Even so, Pripyat had once been all too eager to offer a wayward sea nymph sanctuary, he knew better than to make that same mistake twice.

"Eika means eternal fire. I'm the firekeeper of the clan." His tone was serious, as if he were telling her that he was the executioner of the clan. To Pripyat the jobs held the same weight. "I prepare the bonfires for ceremonies in the pack—we have a lot of ceremonies." The boy knew most packs did not have a single rank dedicated to the setting and putting out of fires, but Ichika no Ho-en dedicated many ranks to spiritual matters, which was essentially what his job was. There was more to it, but Neela was not an Ichikan and so what he did with his time was really none of her business.

Patiently the boy listened to the girl, resisting the urge to tell her that eventually whatever she was running from would catch up to her. When she spoke of nightmares he thought of the sleepless Tawny once more, and bristled slightly at the thought. Either someone was out to hurt her, or perhaps she had hurt someone but either way Pripyat did not like the bad energy lurking around the borders. Finally Neela finished, and the boy merely wrinkled his nose at the girl, "You smell half dead already." and sat staring with hard eyes at the girl, heedless of Grynn as the creature settled its self on the woman.

Neela Garcia · 11-21-2011, 12:53 PM

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A wolf dedicated to making fires? That seemed a little… odd to Neela. She'd never found any particular use for fires other than cooking her food if the fancy struck her, which wasn't all that often for the effort it took. Still Pripyat said that his pack held a lot of ceremonies that involved bonfires, so evidently it was a useful job with these wolves.

The collie flushed when Pripyat commented that she smelled half dead, her head dipping further downwards both in embarrassment and in response to his suddenly unfriendly stare. "Err well, constant travelling on a boat doesn't really lend itself very well to cleaning and well…" Neela trailed off here, embarrassed. The truth was she probably could have kept herself clean, but the exhaustion and emotional damage had left her too listless to do anything more than keep herself alive and keep moving.

Pirpyat's words also triggered another string of thoughts within her mind. Neela was tired on running, tired of constantly moving , tired of living a lifestyle which left her in the situation where this unfriendly wolf was the most socialisation she had had in months.

Neela was tired of slowly killing herself.

The idea which began forming was buried deep with her mind, she wasn't even fully aware of it. Instead it simply manifested itself as a vague curiosity. " So your, err, is it pack that you use up here? Ichika no Ho-en right? What's it like living there?" The idea of pack life was interesting to Neela; the town she grew up in had a sense of community, but was nothing like an actual pack and was too small to attract the attention of any packs to settle there.

Pripyat Soul · 11-21-2011, 01:08 PM

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The girl's discomfort at the man's words did not seem to bother Pripyat. At one time he would have felt sorry for such harsh speech, at one time he would have gone out of his way to put the girl at ease and make her journey easier. The boy who had been so courteous had burned up on the shores of Ichika with Arye, the ashes carrying away whatever warmth was left in the boy. And yet he was not outright unkind, merely matter of fact. She did stink.

At the woman's next words Pripyat titled his head, the hard stare averting it's self as he thought how to answer the question. Somehow thoughts of Ichika softened the brute, even to the sea lady. "Pack, clan, group, tribe… the word you call us doesn't matter. Only thing that matters is that we are family here." All Ichikans had to believe that, had to love their brothers and sisters as they loved themselves. "We strive for peace, both internal and external peace. Other groups might engage in war or make trouble with one another but we wish to provide a place of sanctuary for those who seek it. Brothers and sisters are not allowed to fight within these borders, only in order to defend these borders, or one another." Truly they wanted to walk with a light step, but that did not mean they would let themselves get walked all over.

"Many of us are rather spiritual, many of us are not. It does not matter, because ultimately it's all the same. Those in Ichika work together toward whatever goal we each hold individually, and to better the group as a whole." Was that what she had meant? Was that what she wished to know of his home? The knowledge was free for any who inquired, and yet there was so much more he could not express to her. The traditions and customs and holidays of which there were too many to recount on the border just then. The relations between the members, how some left and new ones came but that was alright too, because Ichika was life and life was change and surely it would go through many more transformations until it's ultimate death, which Pripyat preyed was decades away.

Neela Garcia · 11-21-2011, 01:39 PM

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Neela sat with her head cocked, listening intently as Pripyat described Ichika. It was evident from the mans tone that he was very fond of his home, and as she listened to him describe it Neela could see why. A place of peace, a haven from violence.

That struck a chord with Neela. Despite her own technical skill at fighting, actual violence had brought nothing but pain and misery to her life. Her mothers violence had nearly destroyed her life, and her own had finished the job. Ichika sounded nice, a peaceful place where Neela would be able to live peacefully and work on containing her anger, "Sanctuary… sounds nice." Neela muttered absentmindedly, twirling sand in her fingers as she thought.

Neela only noticed in retrospect how she was thinking, and shoved the thoughts down violently. While Ichika seemed like a nice place, and the thought of joining them was very tempting to Neela, from what she remembered wolf packs tended to be a bit selective about their membership and she doubted that the surly wolf in front of her would take very well to the idea of her seeking to join.

Neela visibly hesitated, before shaking her head a minute fraction and changing the subject. Or at least she was going to change the subject before she felt a sharp pain in the side of her head. Grynn, who had relocated to her shoulder at some point, had pecked her hard just below her ear. Upon seeing that she had Neela's attention Grynn launched into a series of squawks and clicks, rapidly vocalising something in low speech. It took Neela a few moments to translate what she was saying, which turned out that the bird was either insinuating that she was a cat or calling her a coward. Probably the latter.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

With an apprehensive sigh Neela turned her head back to Pripyat, asking him in a small, uncertain voice, "Ichika… wouldn’t happen to be looking for new members would it?" before ducking her head, waiting for what she saw as a almost certain rejection.

Nayru · 11-21-2011, 07:06 PM

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switching to Nayru to speed up this thread ^^ PPing Prippy. Nayru is in optime.306.

The smoky colored boy had immediately sat himself down and thrown back his head at the girl's question. Pripyat wasn't someone Neela could speak to about joining, for as the Eika he did not have any power to accept or reject the girl. That the weary girl wanted a home was not surprising, but Pripyat hadn't said a word in response to her question. Rather than waste his breath telling Neela that he couldn't help in initiating her, Pripyat Soul threw back his large head and emptied his lungs to summon one of the Ryus or council members.

The long call from the borders has barely ended when the black and white lady arrived there. Already she had been lurking close by and her feet were swift in responding to the summoning call. Cherry eyes quickly took in the situation: the sea tossed collie, the ruffled bird and the strange boat. For a moment she looked at Pripyat, who had bowed his large head low to his Ryu. A soft click of her tongue caused the man raise his head and the meaningful look Pripyat gave her all the information Nayru needed. On nearly silent feet she propelled herself forward and in front of the woman. Clasping two hands together, the short fairy woman bent her head, the feather soft voice rolling out from thin ebony lips. "Namaste."

"This is Neela Garcia." As Pripyat's low voice introduced the stranger with no warmth, the piebald girl turned and beamed at the new arrival, her tone friendly. "Welcome Neela. I'm Nayru." Nayru looked at the bird perched upon the girl and giggled like a child presented with a strange toy. Turning back Neela, Nayru's hushed voice rose in genuine curiosity, asking to confirm the reason she guessed Pripyat had called to her. "Were you interested in joining Ichika? "

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Neela Garcia · 11-21-2011, 07:36 PM

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Neela almost jumped out of her skin when Pripyat started howling in response to her question. Wondering what was going on Neela shifted her hand backwards across her belt nervously, her fingertips running over the fish hooks and rolls of line there to rest lightly on the hilt of one of her knives. For her own part Grynn wasn't best pleased about the sudden noise and let out an angry screech, conveying defiance and challenge in one word, though she made no move to attack after a quick glance from Neela stayed her feet; Neela was worried about a fight starting, not wanting to start one.

Neela relaxed and brought her hand forwards again when Nayru appeared, the fact that only a single wolf had appeared reassuring her slightly. She didn't know what to make of the woman's odd greeting and so simply stayed stock still as she performed it, trying to observe the woman as best she could without raising her head too much and appearing disrespectful.

Grynn on the other hand was peering intently at the newcomer and shifting around uneasily on Neela's shoulder, though the movement held none of the aggression that the bird had been putting into it earlier, instead the falcon's gaze was curious, this newcomer having done nothing to threaten or upset Neela and therefore nothing to turn Grynn against her.

Despite Nayru's friendly tone Neela kept her head low and stayed seated, strongly aware of the position that she was in now that she was actively seeking to join the pack. She kept quiet as Nayru spoke and waited until the red-eyed woman had finished speaking before she spoke herself. "Umm, yes ma'am, I was. Pripyat described the pack to me, it sounds like a nice place…" Neela trailed off awkwardly, one hand coming up to twirl the back of her ponytail between its fingers nervously.

Realising that she must be putting on a pathetic show the collie spoke again, trying to project a bit more confidence with her voice. "As Pripyat said, I'm Neela and this-" she gestured upwards to the still shifting falcon with her free hand, "-is Grynn." Grynn let out a short caw of greeting at the sound of her name but otherwise remained silent.

Nayru · 11-22-2011, 11:36 AM

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Nayru nodded to the girl’s explanation. Pripyat, the sour puss that he was, had sold Neela on Ichika. Turning to the boy, she smiled at the gruff male and dismissed him with a gesture of her head. Silently the boy stood up and stalked off, out of sight, though Nayru knew that the boy probably lingered, just in case. Despite the coldness that had grown in the boy since Arye’s death he was a loyal creature and Nayru was glad that he remained in Ichika, the other alternative being that he would have tried to follow Arye onto shores that the living could not step. Turning her attention back to Neela, now that they were alone save for Grynn, she smiled at them once more.

"Ichika is a very nice place, at least those who live here think so." Again she laughed in her girlish way, thinking faintly of lives she would bring into Ichika that were still only half formed. "Before we can admit you, we have to ask a few questions. Afterwards you will have to recite our creed and complete an initiation task, this will help you form loyalty to Ichika if you choose to join us." Sometimes their loyalty faltered, sometimes members of their family dispersed, but often they returned, seeking again the home they knew in their hearts to be their proper place. And yet, not all were meant for Ichika and Nayru had to be sure that Neela was intended by the fates to join them.

"First I must ask, why do you wish to join Ichika no Ho-en? Aside from sounding like a nice place, what do you think Ichika could possibly do for you? " Nayru smiled with the knowledge that Ichika no Ho-en could do many things for many different souls, yet the benefits only surfaced if the relationship worked both ways. "And secondly, what can you do for Ichika? " It was the age old question, how someone measured their own worth. Nayru’s blood colored eyes peered at the girl intently, wondering how the ragged collie would judge herself.

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Neela Garcia · 11-22-2011, 01:26 PM

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Neela closed her eyes once more as she considered Nayru's question. The collie knew perfectly well why she wanted to join the Ichika, but she wasn't particularly comfortable talking about it with somebody that she had only just met, and there was always the lingering fear of rejection if she revealed her darkest secret; that she had murdered her own mate in a fit of rage.

Talking slowly, Neela answered Nayru as best she could. “I think that the best thing Ichika could do for me is to provide me with a peaceful place to build a new life. So far all I've seen come from violence is pain and suffering. My mothers violence, my own violence, none of it ever did any good. I want a place to live where I can get away from all that.” Neela hoped that that would do. As she finished she opened her eyes again, glancing up into Nayru's eyes for a moment to try and gage her reaction before she dropped her gaze back to the other womans feet.

Nayru's next question was easier to answer in some ways, and harder in others. Neela took another few moments to consider it before she answered. “Well, I'm a decent carpenter, though I specialize in boats more than buildings. I'm also an fair musician and dancer, for however much that's worth out here,” Neela guessed it was at least worth a try, if a wolf could make themselves useful to a pack just by setting fires then surely playing music had some use. ”I'm not a particularly good hunter myself, but I could also offer Grynn to help with any pack hunts as a scout and finally, Neela paused here to take a breath and gesture at the boat behind her, ”I can offer the use of the Meria Lea. While she's not made for it she can transport some cargo, and once I've had time to make myself some equipment such as nets she can serve as a fair fishing ship; I used to keep a couple of families supplied with fish in return for favors and materials.” Neela's voice grew more animated as she talked about her ship; she was proud of how the work she had put into the Meria had turned out.

Neela's voice dropped down to more neutral tones as she finished talking about her boat, And, well, that's about it really.” she trailed off, right hand rising upwards to twirl her ponytail once more, suddenly worried about if she would be of enough use to this pack, not having any knowledge of whether they would regard carpentry or fishing as useful skills.

Nayru · 11-23-2011, 10:41 AM

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Nayru let the girl speak without interruptions, quietly taking in and processing all the information Neela gave. The expression of her face never strayed from the friendly, easy smile she wore. Neela certainly had skills, even if dancing wasn't entirely practical to most packs, Ichika no Ho-en had great use for such skills during ceremonies, and that the woman was a musician pleased Nayru as well. Grynn and the boat were interesting assets that came with Neela, but Nayru did not consider them long. If they were destined to better Ichika no Ho-en Neela would have to set that into motion. Whatever role Neela found for herself within Ichika no Ho-en it seemed that she was destined for the creationist class.

"We’ve already found ourselves a carpenter, Temo our Bensen, but there is surely a place for you here." Perhaps Temo could learn from Neela about boats, and Neela from Temo about other structures, though Nayru did not say this thought out loud, for it seemed premature having Neela still on the other side of the borders. "I must ask, what of your own violence though? " Nayru did not allow a frown to cross her face, merely she seemed curious, but went on with her explanation. "Ichika no Ho-en has strict laws against taking the life of another canine and we do not admit darkened hearts into our ranks." Almost Nayru said murderers, they do not allow murderers into their ranks, and while Nayru would not label any single Ichika with such a term she knew that here were more than one among them who had taken the life of another.

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Neela Garcia · 11-23-2011, 11:17 AM

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Neela's heart sank in her chest at Naryu's words. Ichika had sounded like exactly what she had been unwittingly looking for, but it seemed that her past would tear it away from her. For a brief moment the thought of lying passed through her mind hut she rejected it; if she wanted to eve redeem herself and find peace, lying wasn't the way to go about it.

With a heavy heart she started talking. "All my life I tried to distance myself from my mother, tried to be nothing like her, but I failed. I inherited her anger." The collies gaze was fixed firmly on the floor, unable to look Nayru in the eye even if submission had allowed it. "Most of my life I managed to keep myself in check. Dancing, woodwork, music: all of it helped and while I kept busy I was happy. Then one day I just… lost control." A single tear dripped out of Neela's eye, rolling down the oily fur.

"I can't remember what happened exactly, I remember an argument, that's all. I remember what happened after that perfectly though. I hurt somebody that I loved. I couldn’t face anybody after what I had done, couldn’t face myself, so I ran." While Neela couldn’t bring herself to actually say the word "kill" the inflection in her tone made it clear what she meant. Tears were running down her fur full force now as, for the first time in months, she forced herself to fully think about what she had done.

"As I travelled I tried to help those I cam across, tried to redeem myself through my acts, but I could never forgive myself. If there was something I could do to make up for what I did, some way to bring him back…" Neela stopped talking for a moment, instead bringing her paws up to her face and staring at them, her mind remembering the way her paws had looked as Julian's blood soaked into them. "If there was some way that I could give my life to give him his back I would, oh god I wish I could." her eyes caught sight of the scars on her wrists, just visible through her fur, where she had tried to do just that two months ago.

For a few moments Neela remained still, sitting slumped on the ground. Then she began talking again, her voice slow and tired. "I understand if you wouldn’t want somebody like me in your pack." She stopped talking for a moment and sniffled, wiping her eyes before talking again, this time her voice stiff and forcedly neutral. "I request that you let me stay the night here. I'm in no condition to sail right now, but I'll be gone in the morning and leave you in peace." Her piece said Neela remained silent, pulling her knees into her chest and wrapping her arms around them as she awaited Nayru's judgement.

Nayru · 11-23-2011, 01:15 PM

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684 .

The woman's words were lengthy, she had no qualms admitting what she had done. In this way perhaps she was braver than Nayru had been. Only to Ansui, their Reiseki had Nayru openly spoken about her own sins. Yet after the absolution he had granted her there was little need to speak of the deed again. It was a dark day of the past, and there it would remain unless someone, finally, came looking for answers. Then Nayru might have to explain, but she recognized the same discomfort and remorse in Neela as she had experienced as Ansui questioned her that day. Already the girl had attempted repentance on her own, and yet what was to keep the girl from acting out of anger again?

Nayru's near whisper voice was thoughtful, as she tried to consider all angles of the situation. "Surely you are remorseful for your actions, but what is to keep you from doing so again?" Perhaps the great sorrow Neele felt was enough, but Nayru could not take that chance. "In Ichika, those who kill out of anger or hatred will not only be banished from our lands, we will do everything in our power to prevent them from killing again." The words were not a threat, merely a friendly warning to Neela, for if she did lose control the Ichikans would not stand idle. "However forgiveness is not beyond us, so long as it is not beyond you. You will never find peace if you do not forgive yourself." Nayru had forgiven herself easily enough, her own killing had been born from a skewed idea of justice and a strange form of compassion. Neela's had not, and so it was perhaps all the more difficult to forgive.

"If you are to join us," Nayru did not see the good in turning the woman away. She would only continue her travel, or die trying, and land upon some other shore. What then if the clan that took her in fed the rage inside of her, instead of tried to drive it out? "you will not be permitted to act in aggression towards anyone, member or not, unless it is purely out of self-defense. Furthermore," Nayru paused, knowing she asked a lot of the girl who might have no religious affiliations to speak of "I would request you stay in the Abbey, with our Herald class, at least until you find a dwelling of your own. Pripyat stays there, as does our Reiseki, or Preist. " There were others, the dingo who wasn't truly part of Ichika but lived among them all the same and the other more spiritual members. "They can help get you on your feet, a meal and a bath to start. I hope that you will find peace within those walls before you choose to find a home of your own, a peace you can carry with you." It wasn't likely the woman would find an inner truth within the few days Nayru requested she stayed there but the many eyes upon Neela would ensure her behaviors were not odd before she was free to move among all the Ichikans.

"If you agree to this, and still wish to join us you may raise your right hand and recite the creed with me." Nayru raised her own paw and the words came automatically, so well did she know them. " I am a Garcia, I am an Ichikan. I seek love in my heart, knowledge in my mind, and wisdom in my spirit. I will love my fellow Ichikans and know them as family to the fullest I can; I will devote myself to my duties and learn from my work and the work of others; I will try my best to embrace all walks of life, faith and love. I understand that if I devote myself to love, knowledge and wisdom I will learn my path to true personal happiness, and find my place in the circle of life." Nayru's eyes moved to lock with Neela's, curious as to if she would repeat the creed or not.

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Neela Garcia · 11-23-2011, 01:49 PM

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Word Count → 471

Neela had been expecting rejection and Nayru's initial words seemed to confirm this expectation. However Neela could scarcely believe her ears as Nayru continued talking, speaking of forgiveness. She had been expecting rejection as a certainty, and possibly to be driven away from the pack lands entirely.

Neela remained quiet as Nayru talked, almost afraid that if she spoke and drew attention to herself Nayru would change her mind. Grynn shifted her wings slightly, one wing brushing lightly past Neela's ear in a comforting gesture but otherwise the falcon remained as still as Neela was, recognising the mood of the conversation.

While Neela had doubts that she would ever be able to forgive herself for what she had done she did not voice them as Nayru addressed the matter, instead keeping silent as she listened to the younger wolf intently. When Nayru had finished describing the creed that Neela had to take Neela remained silent for a moment before speaking.

"That which you ask of me I would have offered without being asked; I have no desire to hurt anybody, I have had enough of violence and aggression to last me a lifetime. I would be honoured to stay at the Abbey for a while, until I have explored the territory and found a home if that is acceptable to you." The Meria would be fine here as long as Neela finished dragging her out of the water and tied her down, and most of her belongings that she actually cared about were light enough to carry.

Slowly Neela forced her head up, her amber eyes locking with Nayru's warm, red eyes before she slowly rose her hand in a mirror of what Nayru had done moments before. " I am a Garcia, I am an Ichikan. I seek love in my heart, knowledge in my mind, and wisdom in my spirit. I will love my fellow Ichikans and know them as family to the fullest I can; I will devote myself to my duties and learn from my work and the work of others; I will try my best to embrace all walks of life, faith and love. I understand that if I devote myself to love, knowledge and wisdom I will learn my path to true personal happiness, and find my place in the circle of life." While the creed was just words it somehow felt like more as the words passed through Neela's lips. The creed said Neela dropped her head again, low enough that her muzzle was brushing the fluffy fur on her chest and spoke once more, her voice a whisper, "Thank you, I swear I won’t let you down." The words were quiet, but heartfelt. With her head still lowered Neela waited, her mind buzzing with thoughts, unsure of what to do now.

Nayru · 11-24-2011, 01:31 PM

Welcome and congratulations! You are now free to begin posting as a pack member, even if your joiner thread is not yet completed.

Your first task as a member of Ichika no Ho-en is to create a thread within the InH subforum performing the as directed by the Ichikan who accepted your character. This thread must be within the Ichika no Ho-en subforum and must have at least one other InH member within it. Feel free to create an all-welcome thread, and refer to the link given above or to the leaders in PM if you have any questions! Smile

Of course, there's plenty more to do, too!:

Look through the Ichika territories for interesting environments and scenarios to create threads in.
Your character has been titled as a Dai-In, but if your activity is consistently good, they can be promoted up into the Specialized tier of ranks, where your character will have a job that is theirs and theirs alone for the entire pack. Take some time and look through the and get a feel for where your character might fit for when that time comes!

Glance through the pack game and get a feel for what you can post about that will earn your points towards things like icons, titles, player-drawn art and more!
If you haven't yet, take some time to thoroughly read through Ichika no Ho-en's and policies pages so you may get a better feel of how the pack works and what you may or may not want to aim for with your character.

Please don't hesitate to PM the with any questions or concerns you have at any time! If you would like to request posting tables, avatars or signatures made for you, you can politely do so in the Talents subforum. If you're feeling lost or confused about the game, don't hesitate to post a question in , or to seek out a Mentor! We're really happy to have you with us, and hope you'll enjoy Ichika no Ho-en!

Nayru · 11-29-2011, 03:54 PM

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Sorry for the wait, last post from me. You can make one more if you'd like and we can be finished with this thread! shooort.

The girl agreed to the terms Nayru had set and quickly recited the creed. Not all followed the words they willed from their lips, but Nayru liked to think they all meant them. It seemed now that Neela meant them and Nayru nodded as she parroted back the promise to uphold the values of Ichika no Ho-en. The girl would be a fine addition to Ichika, for however long she stayed. " Good. Welcome to Ichika no Ho-en. For your initiation task I'd like you to help clear our the Abbey gardens for winter." It seemed fitting if the girl was to stay there, at least for a short time. " I can lead you there if you'd like." Nayru hovered, waiting for the girl to follow her or choose her own course now that she was free to wander the lands, fully an Ichikan.

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