hard sun
#1
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Thanks for the spree, by the way! Backdated to the 24th. / 386 words.



Afternoon found the sibling pair on the crest of a large valley which lay just beyond the mountains they'd crossed not two days prior. Jack watched as his sister swept a crust of snow off a stump with a quick swipe of her hand and sat down, pulling her foot into her lap to massage the sore pads. They were both road-weary and eager to find a place to settle in, but they had yet to find any leads on Vaughan and Jack was growing more frustrated at their father's elusiveness the day. But as he watched her pick clumps of snow and ice from between her toes and flick them to the ground with a concentrated expression, he couldn't help but be reminded that he would have been left completely alone had he chosen to stay behind. And that was unacceptable.


I'm going to have a look around. He said, adjusting his jeans around his waist and turning towards the north. Jack was answered with a short mhm from Fox as she continued rubbing the ache from her feet, and with that he set off down the hill towards the borders he scented earlier. It was less than a half-mile away from where Fox was currently resting, so he wasn't terribly worried about her safety or her ability to reach him should an encounter with the locals turn foul. After passing the coyote clan's borders, Jack felt as if it was in his best interest to tread lightly while in proximity of pack lands; lighter than usual, anyway.


He continued his descent down the hill, snow crunching underfoot, as he approached the borders. When he got within a few dozen yards, his nose was assaulted by a myriad of scents from a variety of species. Hybrids, coyotes, wolves; this pack seemed to be something of a haven, or just a touch lax on their standards. Kneeling in the snow a respectful distance from the borders, he scanned the area just beyond the no-trespassers zone with a hawkish gaze and keen ears, listening for any threats or scouts. Sensing nothing, he lifted his muzzle skyward and gave off short, barking howl. No need to raise the suspicions of the locals by camping out a mile away without prior warning, after all. That was just downright impolite.



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#2
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Irritability was hardly her mask of choice especially when within her own lands. But it was none the less her mood as of late, weighed down by thoughts she attempted fervently not to succumb to. She couldn’t very well keep to her den, for that was where the troubled resided; ignorant of its effect upon her but none the less noticing her changed mood.

Rather than keep to the enclosure and combat through the mental struggle, she wandered into the thick of the Valley once again hoping for peace among the gnarly branches and cool serenity of the encompassing white. The earthen smells made crisp by the chill of the air did wonders to soothe her rough hackles and lift her tail but a fraction in merriment. The woman waltzed along in lengthen strides procuring the end of her single woven cord to toy with at leisure. A little distraction to further ease her mind, however childish the act might have been.

Yet as she walked alone through the paths committed to memory, she was indeed not the only one to survey the flora at leisure. A soft cry cut through the stillness of the air, coupled with the sound beat of spectacular wings as a skyward soul ventured down toward the earthbound female. His speckled wings stroked the air as he kept himself aloft in a hover before finally extending his talons to latch upon a golden shoulder. “Well..” his gleaming eyes turned to his perch as she spoke with some amusement. “I was beginning to wonder if you were still around at all. You’ve been too silent…” Smiling softly she lifted a claw to the owl’s beak for him to nibble affectionately. “You I can stand wolf, “ he murmured. “But not your friend.” The woman chuckled in retort knowing he spoke of her loving mate. There was no reason for them not to get along, but she supposed with two conflicting personalities as theirs it would be more likely that the heavens would move than them getting along.

What verbal parry she had in mind was silenced by a call sounding close to their borders. The voice was not pained nor hostile, simply an acknowledging ballad to listening ears. She needn’t respond to him, but relinquished her stroll for a quickened pace to greet this curious stranger, who by the apparent smell of it was not alone.


ooc: Not a problem at all. Suppose he could see her coming? 400 words.

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#3
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Sure! / + 416 words.



Though the air had chilled considerably since they first set out in early November, Jack was far from bothered by the chill. He'd prepared for the worst but he could hardly considered a cold, slightly snowy December anything but mild in comparison to what he expected. As he sat crouched in the snow waiting for a reply, he canted an ear back to where he left Fox, listening for the tell-tale crunch of snow that would indicate she decided to follow after all. But the hill was silent so he resigned himself to his brief wait in solitude.


And brief it was. A flash of movement between the trees caught his attention and he quickly recognized it as a Luperci; a wolf, and a large one at that. A flicker of nervous energy flashed like lightning through his nerves but he stamped it out as he pushed off his knees and rose to a standing position to greet the pack representative. As she padded closer, he soon realized that it was not a bundle slung across her shoulders, but an owl. An unfamiliar species, but the creature was unmistakably an owl. Surely it wasn't too unusual that she had a winged companion; he'd met a few travelers on the road who used them to hunt and even explained the nuances to their art when Fox pressed for more information.


The female was a whisper, rather, an imprint of autumn in every way. From the color of her fur, to the shining red of her mane that remained uncut and longer than he'd ever seen Fox dare to keep it. He was not close enough, nor brave enough, to chance a look at her eyes, but he appreciated the full spectrum of her appearance nonetheless. But Jackal was not a lustful man, merely a logical one; she was pretty and certainly earned more than one appreciative glance.


Jack took a few steps towards her, and lowered his ears and eyes out of respect and deference to her status before calling out, 'lo there, He greeted amiably before coming to a full stop when he was within a decent speaking distance. Sorry to disturb you and yours, but we didn't wish to alarm your pack by passing close by without so much as a word. He said before taking a moment to give her a quick appraisal, committing her appearance to memory, before extending an open hand to shake. Jackal Katruk. He added awkwardly, by way of introductions.




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#4
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As she drew nearer to the borders, the stranger’s scent became more pungent to her delicate sense. An air of tension has been donned by the creature nested upon her shoulder, with his plume expanded and talons digging firmly into her already aching shoulder. The appendage had grown tough with hidden scars and wear, eliciting no more than a shrug when the pressure increased upon it. She whined softly for her companion to calm, finding no need to spare a word on him as they neared the scented border.

From the sparse foliage she spied not one, but two figures patiently waiting; a male laden with the warm hues of the earth itself and a female with a pelt rivaling the colorations of the common fox. For once the woman was quite relieved she hadn’t worn her trophies on this particular day, believing that this girl would perhaps be put off by the display of fox fur that adorned it. And for the purpose this little engagement called for, such regalities were not needed.

Approaching the pair at a relaxed stride, she released the end of her braided mane and let the limb fall casually at her side. When offered a hand, she paused, eyeing the extended limb not with suspicion but surprise, acknowledging the gesture not as one of greeting but for exchange as she had often demonstrated for her pupil. “Good day to you,” she replied softly in turn but made no move to take the hand for she had nothing to offer in exchange. Her companion however was more than willing to occupy this new perch and examine the male for himself. His great wings expanded nearly striking the she-wolf in the head as he brought himself to rise then glide the short distance to his arm. His talons capture the arm in a surprisingly light grip but kept his wings unfurled to keep balance on this unfamiliar perch.

X’yrin watched the display with nothing short of amusement, feeling the prior tension of this unfamiliar encounter lessen considerably. The woman brought a claw to her muzzle, lightly scratching the bridge in embarrassment. “Please pardon him…” she asked the indulgence of their company. “He is as curious as I, it seems. It is a pleasure to meet you and your companion,” she greeted kindly with a subtle dip of her crown. “And I must admit, it is rare for any to sound themselves near our borders just to pass by. We have a reputation for being a more…understanding, docile family. If I may ask, to where do you travel, wanderers?”

ooc: Slight pp of the owl on his arm. I can change if you'd like. 432 words.

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#5
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The PP is totally fine. Smile / 459 words.



While he was distracted by the approaching pack wolf, Fox had slipped up to stand just beside him, eyeing the coming encounter with a keen (yet warm) gaze. She was much better at social interaction than he was, and often sought the company of strangers if only to glean a fresh story to add to her growing collection. Jack was no such man, and would rather sit back and let her do all the talking. He was the lookout, the one who listened for any oddities or threats. But he'd already stuck his neck out by making the first step towards communication, and wasn't about to withdraw now that Fox was here. He gave her a quick glance over his shoulder, to which she lent him a sharp smile, before he returned his attention to the approaching female and her avian companion.


Jack was, once again, thrown by a heady dose of culture shock when the pack wolf didn't take his hand in greeting. He watched as her expression contorted into that of surprise rather than recognition. Feeling altogether foolish, he was about to withdraw his hand only to be distracted by the owl who took wing and crossed the short distance from her shoulder to his outstretched arm. He nearly flinched away when he felt talons enclose the flesh and fur, but instead chose to remain stock still as the raptor gripped him, but not tight enough to injure. Beside him he could nearly hear Fox brimming with amusement, and he was struck with a fleeting urge to shove her into a snow drift.


The wolf seemed amused and embarrassed at her companions behavior, and said as much not long after expressing it with a idle scratch to her nose. Jack shifted his weight to better support the owl, gaze darting between it and the wolf before finally settling on the stranger. The owl, it seemed, was not a threat. In fact, now that the shock had passed, he was almost felt giddy at the fact that he was actually somewhat handling a bird of prey. Not that this broke through his trained expression any. It's— But Fox cut in before he could reply, Oh he's fantastic! I'm Fox, by the way, it's a pleasure to meet both of you. She remarked with a delighted smile. Jack frowned and silenced her with his free hand before she could derail the conversation any further. His tone was direct, but he did offer something of a smile to diffuse any tension his blunt question might cause. We're looking for our father, Vaughan Katruk. He came here looking for our half-sister, Dusk. Are those names familiar to you? He caught the edge of Fox's frown, but thought little more of it.


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#6
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It could hardly be said that the avian was a social creature, but he never failed to assume attention by his showy displays. More often than not, his actions reminded his handler of the colorful birds of the mountains, donned with flashing tails in spring. Their displays were often vain yet beautiful, hoping to attract a mate of the like breed. However the individual beneath his flexing talons was far from a suitable mate for him, and thus assumed this act was simply his way of warranting attention. And he succeeded quite well.

The woman smiled to the fox-hued girl’s compliment, again dipped her head in acknowledgement. “A pleasure,” her soft tones flowed freely, ending with a sharp click of her touch against sharpened fang to call back her vain bird. His release was reluctant, but made none the less, again unfurling his wings to take flight and resettle upon his previously occupied perch. From then he settled down within himself, tucking his head down into warm down to stave the chilling breath of winter’s wind as it filtered through barren branch and tree; his quieted antics now leaving the small group in a sort of peace.

As fond as she was of conversation, the Nomad was quite glad for the male’s interruption of the chatty female. Pleasantries in her mind, were a luxury best indulged in after a purpose had been laid out, instead of falling prey to elated conversation and risk losing the more important matters that need be addressed. But the smile adorning her muzzle was a patient upright of her lips, fragile yet assuring all the same. She offered her ears openly to their explanation, growing more relaxed to ensure her reason for questioning was not for a tense interrogation, but more to appease her own curiosity.

However the woman could not hide her surprise at the listed name as a fresh memory associated with it came forth. “I do know that name,” she admitted, recalling the darkened pelt that matched it. “She had passed through our lands only a month ago and asked about our culture. Fleeting as the encounter was, Dusk was quite pleasant,” she smiled. “But I am afraid I know nothing of your father…”



ooc: Bed time for me. I'll reply in the morning. 372 words.

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#7
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No rush! I'm a bit distracted by work today myself. This post is a bit awkward, apologies! / 299 words.



The woman soon called her companion back with a sharp click of her tongue, and the owl obliged (albeit begrudgingly). Jackal craned his neck back a bit so he wouldn't get clipped by that impressive wingspan, and watched as the owl settled, once more, on the shoulder of the large wolf before tucking his head under his wing, effectively ending his participation in the meeting. A comfortable silence returned, though Jack knew he would remember the distinct feel of talons against flesh and the oddly easy weight of the predator on his arm for a long time to come.


But the moment passed and an answer to his question came in short order. By a stroke of luck, or perhaps just chance, the tall wolf was familiar with Dusk and even more importantly, she had passed through only a month prior. Beside him he felt Fox tense up as she absorbed the information. Dusk had been past here, maybe even lived in the area for a spell, and so the chances of finding Vaughan within a reasonable time frame were becoming far more favorable. Hopefully their sister and father had met up and taken up residence with one of the packs. Clearly it wasn't this one, but he had faith.


Jack waved a hand through the air and nodded, No, it's quite alright. The information you've shared with us is more than enough to give us a better idea of where she, or they, might be found. We're walking a little less blind now. Fox remained quiet, but she also nodded in agreement. Jack, seeing as how she wasn't about to fill the offered silence with her own thanks, continued and dipped his muzzle low. Thank you. Is there anything we can do to repay you for your help?




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#8
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It was a moment like this that made the woman proud of her curious nature. Had she decided that day to leave the wandering soul alone, then this moment would have proved unfavorable for the seeking pair. The golden woman smiled pleasantly, dipping her head in acknowledgement to her aid before again fixing her soft gaze on the male and female.

They were a striking comparison, the two of them standing together. Had it not been for the common scent, she would have thought them to be adventurous lovers. “I am glad to be of help,” she digressed from her fanciful thoughts to focus on the intentions of the pair again. The male’s offer took her a little more by surprised than she cared to admit, only to have the look literally knocked off her face by a rough thwack by her ‘sleeping’ companion. Her amber sights cut to the bird on her shoulder, growling beneath her breath for him to cease showing off. “If you continue to act like this, I’ll send you on guard duty,” she mumbled, receiving an indifferent hot in return.

Leaving the owl to his antics, she paid her attention to the travelling pair returning the smile to her face as if it hadn’t faltered at all. “While my personal culture practices frequent exchange with others, it is not something that is required in Ichika.” The woman dipped her head. “Consider your payment making my patrol interesting this day.”


ooc: Didn't want to blather on. Tongue Short post for you. 244 words.

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