Having cured the horse of his ailments, Axelle decided to take him out for a little spin. Well, actually a big one because they galloped their way toward Cour des Miracles. Riding came natural to Axelle, probably because of her family’s experience with the creatures – though, most of the family that she knew of had been pure wolf. It was actually a mystery to her of how she was a natural at it. Though, securing herself to the horse was a bit rough because she didn’t have a saddle and when Couer hit high speeds, she felt as if she was just clinging to him.
She tried to have the horse keep a fast, but steady enough pace so that she wouldn’t have to hold on for her life. The time it took for her to get there was a lot shorter than she was used to. She was used to getting to places herself, not riding a creature that ran for a lifetime. They got there in a little less than a day’s time. She could see the magnificent trees encasing around the pack lands, and the scents around the borders were what told her that she was nearing claimed lands. She slowed Couer and steered him to run along the borders, but not too close. She hoped she would be able to spot Alder’s cabin from where she was running along. She had no idea what to look for. She had his rope slung around her shoulder, and hoped to give it back to him tonight.
The night life around in the forests gave the evening its own buzz. There were bugs and owls out hunting and scavenging. She kept Couer away from the forests on their way to Cour des Miracles, hoping that it’ll make the trip there a lot more quicker – and she was right. Axelle slowed the shire to a slow walk as she scanned the trees, but she couldn’t see much. She threw back her head and howled, short and sweet to not alarm anymore else. She hoped he’d recognize a scent or something.
It was not often that Alder worked late into the night. Most days he would be done before the sun decided to set, but there was no way of knowing how a day would precede. The male was grateful for the help of the King’s son Hati, who had begun to establish himself as a knowledgeable stable hand. There was still a lot for the midnight hued wolf to learn, and to grow comfortable with but Alder had confidence in him.
He locked the gate with dark fingers in the dim light of the moon, and shook out his coarsely chopped mane. It was a night for a hunt, despite the full days work he had preformed. He fell to the ground, and adorned his lupus form for the run. In a few moment’s time he was the shaggy rouged beast that stood taller then most on their four legged form.
He headed towards the boarder, above his cabin and towards the woodlands that surrounded the pack lands. His nose worked swiftly, his mind loosing the stressed of his work and the tasks of daylight and allowed the natural world or instincts, blood and the chase to flood his brain.
There was scent that caught his interest but it was not that of a doe or even true prey. He paused, a black dipped paw hanging in the air when he heard the call. It was the scent of a horse, and the voice of a stranger. A stranger of the pack she may be, but Alder knew who the female was and turned to find Axelle. Before he began to once again run Alder tipped his head and let forth a wolfish howl.
It did not take him long to find the pair, rider and horse along the edges of the Court. He stepped forward, out of the wood brush and gave a smile. I’m glad you came. He spoke as he looked upwards towards the female. He had given them distance, unsure of how the horse would react to his feral form.
WC:300 | Pts: 3 – Night time, hope you don’t mind =]
Couer was a bit jumpy, but it was only most likely because he wasn’t used to being used anymore. He was a little skittish, but calmed down quickly once Axelle reassured him in his own tongue. They stood there for a moment, and then continued pacing the borders searching for an answer that soon came after. The wolf howl sent the horse to become even more nervous, and Axelle had to reassure him again. She told him that she was a wolf also, and that she wouldn’t let anything eat him. The stallion seemed to trust in her, and calmed down. He was still tense, though.
When Alder came out of the brush in Lupus form, Axelle jumped off the back of the horse. She had the man’s rope slung over her shoulder, like a pocketbook, and she looked for a way to give it to him. She held it out to him, unsure of how he would receive it. She dipped her nose in respect for the man. ”Hello, Alder. I believe this is yours.” Her tone was friendly. The shire stood behind her, closely. Axelle didn’t advance on Alder, she let him come towards her if he wanted the rope. The horse behind her should be alright. Couer snorted loudly behind her; she could feel the small gust of air on her elbows. That told her that he would be okay with her four-legged friend.
”How have you been?” She projected her voice over the space between them. She liked talking close with friends, but as animals did – they stayed a good distance from each other until they knew where the comfort zone was. Axelle was comfortable, Couer was calm – she couldn’t say comfortable – and Alder seemed alright with everything. The distance could be closed a little bit.
The Marshal did not have many acquaintances in the other pack beyond his own borders. For he did not find himself leaving the Court often at all. It was nice to have someone come to visit, someone calling for him in particular. He smiled a wolfish grin when she mentioned the rope. Thank you for returning it. He replied, honestly grateful to have the rope back. It was not a common commodity and when his profession required it the Marshal could not be generous and give them away freely.
Alder took a step closer, to bring the space between them just a bit shorter. I'm well. And you? He returned, but then added You would like to rest at my cabin? It is not too far from here. He felt it right to invite the woman to stay and rest after the journey from her pack lands. His home was not far at all, and he had water and food for the pair. If she saw it fit there was an spare space under his roof for her to sleep if she needed it.
Alder didn’t take the rope from her, and she figured it was because he didn’t have hands at the moment. She stopped holding it out to him, and slung it back around her shoulder again. It sat comfortably like a bag and she didn't mind carrying it for him. His question threw her off a bit. She was never invited into someone else’s pack lands before, and didn’t know if it was even allowed. She did find Cour des Miracles to be a wondrous place – whenever she passed by. Without much time wasted, she nodded subtly. ”I would like that.” She smiled at him and led the horse by the reign – the one she found for him in Wolfville – and the two followed Alder into Cour des Miracles.
As they walked, Axelle wondered what the man’s cabin looked like. She couldn’t imagine a cabin, only a shack – like the one she gave birth to Kemo’s pups in. Alder seemed to be somewhat useful outside of the safety of a pack, and he seemed to be resourceful. His cabin probably showed that side of his personality. She wondered if he had a personal stable for his own horse, or horses – she didn’t know how many he had – or would Couer be going to the communal one for the pack’s horses?
Couer’s horse head bobbed comfortably behind his owner. His hooves quietly thumped along the grass as the wolves’ pads made no sound. The horse sounded like he was walking alone – since wolf footpads made no noise when trying to be silent, or even when they weren’t trying to be silent. The stallion walked comfortably behind the two – and he was led by Axelle. There was no longer any sign of tension within his body, and he seemed to fit in just fine.
Alder walked beside the pair after Axelle agreed to spend some time at his cabin. The path was not always obvious but the male knew the way well and did not hesitate when he led them around a turn and the up a small slope that would open up to the cabin and small grounds. He turned back to the female, You can tie him to that post, there is a water bucket beside it. He explained, then tossed his nose in the direction of the horse tie, a simple post stuck deep in the ground with a fairly fresh bucket of water next to it. He had changed the water just that morning.
The Marshal moved towards the house, walking behind one wall and shifting back to his Optime form. He found the change to be fairly easy and returned to the wolfess tall and statuesque in his upright form. He extended a hand towards the round rock make fire pit. We can sit here, it’s a good night for a fire. It was not often that the male had visitors at his home, and there was a side of him that enjoyed playing host.
The house was a meek one, only a few rooms and a single level. Luperci made it was constructed only a few years before Alder had obtained it from Anann. Made of logs it was a simple dwelling that fit him well, and was close to the stables. So close that the smell of horses lingered would the air around them even if Axelle had not brought her steed with her.
Alder worked on the fire, all the tinder and materials needed had been conveniently gathered before hand. What did you name him? Alder asked with a glint of curiosity as he worked.
Axelle and her horse quietly followed Alder toward his cabin. She was completely lost in the new territory, and if it weren’t for Alder, she would be helpless. The group went around a turn, and then up a slope and then his cabin came into view shortly after. Axelle smiled as she gazed at the small house – it fit him just right. Well, she thought so anyway – from the short while she knew him. He was an out-doorsy kind of man, she thought.
As the approached, Alder pointed out the post and went towards his house. She let him go and led Couer over to the post. The horse stood calmly and let her tie him to the post, and then dipped his nose into the bucket of fresh water. Axelle rode him bareback, so there was no use fussing over an uncomfortable saddle. Axelle’s rear didn’t think too lightly of it, but she didn’t mind the subtle pains here and there.
When Alder returned and pointed to the firepit, Axelle nodded, but stayed by her horse for a moment. She petted the fur on his back, kneading the muscle there to make his back feel better from the ride. She didn’t know how horses felt carrying a 200 pound Luperci on their back, but she figured it was a relief when she got off. So, she gave him a minute’s worth of massage and then went over to Alder’s firepit. She kneeled a safe distance away from the flames, and slid to her rump from her legs, leaving them bent and to the side of her. She held herself up with her right arm. ”Couer. It means heart in French, my heritage.” Well, half of it. Her mother was the one that was French – her father, Swedish and Persian if she remembered correctly. She was a bit of both, she guessed. Though, she took her French heritage more seriously as she thought of herself more like her mother than anyone else in her family.
Once the fire was roaring Alder sat beside it, crossing his legs to make himself comfortable. Axelle sat around the other side of the fire, and spoke the name she had chosen for the horse. Alder had thought about the names of horses often, and had asked to know what they were called in their natural low speech. But they didn’t seem to have names as wolves did, or at least Alder had been unable to gather that information. Low speech was not immune to holes and misunderstandings. And so he had given Hawthorn his, and it fit him. The others in the Court’s stables, they were given calls names but nothing formal.
Couer. That’s very nice. he replied, giving a small smile. When he spoke the name it had not come as smoothly off his lips and tongue as she had spoken it. But Alder was only fluent in the common language of the lands. Your of Anathema right? he asked with a bit of curiosity. They had not exchanged formal titles, and the smell of her was all he had to go by. All the packs had a distinct scent, and he thought that hers was of the eastern pack. I have never been within the territory, and do not know much about it. he added, ears falling slightly with his confession of ignorance about her homelands.
Axelle sat a safe distance away from the flames, close enough to feel the heat but far enough to not get burned or singed. ”Yes.” It was true that they haven’t exchanged information much, and here she was sitting with the man. Around a fire. She was looking at her hands, but looked up at him to acknowledge his ignorance. ”It’s alright. Not everyone goes around our way – our pack is basically a bunch of rogues, or misfits. Wolves that wouldn’t really fit in anywhere else – they fit in there.” Like herself. With all the random, crazy shit she had done, it was hard to put her anywhere.
She giggled for a moment, ”Well, it’s no doubt you live here. How do you like it?” She always wondered about Cour des Miracles. It seemed like a calm environment filled with classy people. Nothing like what Anathema was about. The wolves that lived here would seemingly run from Anathema wolves – but Alder didn’t. Though, he really didn’t know what Axelle was really like either. If he did, he would probably find her to be a bit insane.
”What types of wolves live here?” She couldn’t help herself. She wanted to know what kinds of others lived here – and maybe then, she could pretend to know what they would think of her too. Would they dislike her? Probably. Chase her out of the territory? Probably not right away. Axelle snorted, holding in a mental laugh at that one.
Alder listened intently, wondering what their territory was really like as she explained the sort of members the pack consisted of. She described them as misfits, and in his time as a pup in Crimson Dreams Alder had known the Court to be that same sort of place. But it was more about a mixture of blood rather then lifestyles and histories. He hadn’t learned that completely until he had met others that lived within the Court, and his older brother had explained it to him. I enjoy it here. I was born in Crimson Dreams, a pack that once lived west of here. But I found my place here, in the stables. it was still hard for him to think about his mother’s pack, and how she was homeless. But her choices were her own, and he could not dictate what she decided. He wished for her to live here, but that was not her desire.
Wolves, and dogs and coyotes. It doesn’t matter what you are, you’re welcome. Other packs can be selective. Our King is mainly of dog heritage and some are more comfortable knowing that they won’t be frowned upon because of their blood. A different type of misfits, I guess. He explained, a smile coming at the end of his little speech.
Alder did not find her dangerous, and he would not guess that her past was littered with dark marks. Yet there were mysteries to every creature they met. His first impression of her was kind; her compassion for Couer apparent from the first moment Alder had come upon them in the free lands. That was how he judged a wolf.
Axelle started nodding gently once she heard one of the old packs’ names, Crimson Dreams. She vaguely remembered meeting a few wolves from there – and wondered where they had gone? She would’ve joined there, despite fitting in to Anathema so well, when she was looking for a pack to call home. Though, Anathema was kind of an inevitable thing for her – since Naniko had already become her friend by then. ”Everyone has their calling.” She understood that. She was a warrior at heart, and so found hers protecting Anathema.
Axelle thought about it. She wouldn’t really call those of Cour des Miracles misfits, but she supposed there were some that weren’t as perfect as what they seem to be. The two-toned Marbas nodded silently as she listened to what Alder had to say about his pack, taking all the information in. Her ears turned away from him as she heard Couer snort and shift behind her. She peeked over her shoulder to see the stallion dipping his head into the water bucket, and making loud horse snorting and drinking noises into the pale. She smiled and returned her attention back on Alder.
”Where did Crimson Dreams go? I knew about them before… and then they just… disappeared basically.” She hadn’t heard anything about why they disbanded or what had happened due to the fact. She knew she must’ve known someone important from there… The old pack struck a familiar cord with her for some strange reason.
Axelle found herself staring into the flames, something she found herself doing whenever she was around a fire. Fire. It brought her back to a horrible memory. Something horrible she did, but it was very necessary. She faintly shook her head to get rid of the thought, and brought her bi-colored eyes back up to Alder. She didn't want to think of bad memories right now. Save it for a rainy day.
Their leader left. She went back to Italy, where her family came from. There was a distinct moroseness lingering in his tone. Alder was not an angry creature, he never had been, but when it came to the safety of his mother the male could grow quite tense and protective. My mother was left to lead the pack, and she felt unable. She is a kind soul, and after the conflict with AniWaya she had grown tired. he looked at the fire as he spoke, I think she wanted them to find protection among a stronger pack. Some came here, actually. Others were free to travel as they wished. And his mother… she chose to be with his brothers among the free lands to the north.
They had a long history, and I was sad to see them disband. But sometimes a pack just… goes with the wind, I guess. It had been a hard fact for the male to adjust to, and he refused to believe it at first. But his mother was safe, Oak and Cypress were keeping her so. She had told him to not worry, and to live in the Court and be a strong and loyal pack member to his King.
Were you always with Anathema? He asked looking back up at her, curious to hear a bit of her history is she wished to share it.
Axelle nodded slowly hearing his answer. She noticed the slight anger in his tone once the subject turned to that of his mother. The man seemed to care for his mother very much, as would any respectable child. Sometimes Axe wished she had a mother to care for, but at the same time she was sometimes relieved to know that her mother was dead and safe wherever her soul went. There was no reason to worry about her being hurt or lost anymore. Axelle sniffed loudly, no tears. She needed to regain her composure – thinking about her long gone mother saddened her; even if she was dead for a long time and was killed when Axelle was at a young age.
”No, I was a loner before this.” She remembered her loner times – they weren’t much different from now. It was only that then she had nowhere to sleep safely and was always traveling and getting into trouble. There wasn’t much good that came out of her travels while she was packless. Anathema was probably the only thing good that happened in her life since her leave from Ontario. All else was bad. ”And before I came to Souls, I was a traveler. I traveled here from Ontario, where I was born.” And her mother was killed. She couldn’t bear to live in a place where someone so special was taken from her.
Her father had been the culprit, and Axelle knew this despite everyone else’s ignorance. Even though, he made up stories and excuses – Axelle could see right through him. She observed him for a long time, and finally made an assumption. He was never an involved father to her and her brother, and he had no excuse not to be. They were a tight knit family, except for when Axelle’s mother was killed. Then they all separated – or better, she separated herself from them. She was always better off alone, as she found it.
Ontario, Alder had never heard of it. He only knew the lands as the new names the beasts of there times gave them. He knew Shiloh Hills, and Rabbit Lake, the Ethereal Eclipse and the Shattered Coast. Only places like Halifax still held their human names for the meek Marshal. Indeed he knew that Savina had gone back to Italy, but for what he knew Ontario and Italy were neighboring regions. Is it far? I only know these lands, being born to Crimson Dreams. I do not travel far from the pack, and the horses. He commented, growing quite comfortable with Axelle and not worrying about showing his ignorance towards geography.
My mother is the same. She called these lands home for years, even before Crimson Dreams formed. My father… Alder paused, thinking of Gabriel and how he knew so little of him. It was rare that he even thought about him at all, and it was rare that those notions were even as deep as wondering where his body resided. roams only now, after years of leading Inferni. he added.
he’s a myth that I have to believe in all I need to make it real is one more reason
Word Count → 233 || Points → 0 :: Ooc.
Coming out from the dark thoughts about her dysfunctional family, Axelle finally looked up as Alder began to speak again. ”Ontario is in Canada, a land next to this one.” She understood his ignorance – she didn’t know much about the world either, only what she travelled through. And she didn’t wish to know more at this moment, but if she did, she would go out and get it.
”My father is here, somewhere. I know he is. As for the rest of my family that I left with him… Well, rumor has it that they’re dead from his hands.” A silent growl emitted from her throat as she looked down at her legs. She will find him, and when she does – she will kill him.
She couldn’t mention anything about her mother without becoming extremely sad, so she didn’t. Maybe if her and Alder became close in the future – he will find out what exactly happened, but not now.
”Do you have siblings?” Might as well continue with the family conversation a little longer. She did, a brother, but he was dead. Nero. Nero, Nero, Nero. She mentally shook her head at the thought of him. If only he came with her when she left – the rest of their pack wasn’t really that important. Sure, they were friends and some of them family – but siblings were the most important family. Well, she thought so.
Alder nodded, coming to understand that Ontario was just beyond the world of ‘Souls. He still did not have a big picture of their continent or of the globe itself, and maybe it was time for him to learn more about the different places that wolves came from. If they did not have the books he needed in the pack lands he knew that in Halifax there would be the materials that he needed.
She spoke of her father, much in the same tone as Alder spoke of his. Perhaps a bit more seriously, as the male always wished to feel casual and distant from his sire. But Axelle, her tale was far more close to the heart and dark. He looked with a shell shocked gaze, That’s horrible. he replied with a hushed tone, shaking his head just before looking down into the fire and thinking about what that would feel like.
Alder couldn’t place any emotion to it, it was just unthinkable.
Her question caused him to look up once again and nodded as he answered, Two brothers. Oak and Cypress. A warmer feeling came to him, and he welcomed it. But then, when he turned to ask is she had her own he remembered that they were likely dead by the hands of their own father. He instead gave another question, Are you hungry? I have some smoked venison. He offered the food rather then speak more of their families, he hoped that she was no too upset by the topic.
he’s a myth that I have to believe in all I need to make it real is one more reason
Word Count → 321 || Points → 3 :: Ooc.
Axelle instantly regretted telling Alder of her father’s deeds. She hated the way others gasped and gave her grave looks. She knew they did not wish that type of bad news on her, but she also didn’t want anyone’s pity for her. She didn’t need it. She would get her revenge, and then it would be final. She wouldn’t need to worry about what her father had done anymore. Thankfully, the subject quickly passed just as it came.
His answer brought a smile to her face. ”Trees.” Her tone was quiet and sweet, and there was an evident smile planted on her face to show her good-natured happiness. It seemed one of his parents had a knack for trees, as him and his brothers were all named after different types of them. ”Which of your parents liked trees a little too much?” Axelle giggled kindly at the thought of his mother loving trees so much, she named her sons all types of trees. She wondered if his mother had any other litters – and what were their names…?
The evidence of a smile slowly faded from her lips as she looked up towards his question. ”Um… Sure, why not?” She nodded, after clearly telling him yes, anyway. ”Just a little, though.” She glanced over her shoulder at Couer again. Seeing that he was picking at the grass below the post he was tied to satisfied her, so she turned her head back to Alder. She gazed at him with warmth in her eyes, ”An alder is a beautiful tree.” The size and graciousness of it was just so relaxing to think about. She wasn't trying to hit on him, and seemingly almost having a mate, she shouldn't have been. But Axelle was a flirt by nature, and always found herself doing so. She was intending on it, but if he took it that way - she would go with it as well.
His mother’s love for the forest and her devotion to plants and especially trees was something Alder had grown up with, obviously. It had never seemed odd or out of place in the gentle lands of his birth pack. And though his name was given to him after a tree, nothing about it seemed strangely-ordinary. They all saw their namesakes as proud and powerful beings, beautiful in one way and yet strong enough to withstand the time of man and luperci. My mother, she has always held a kinship with them. he said with a smile. If I had been a girl, I think I would have been called Juniper. he added with jest in his tone.
Alder rose to gather the jerky that he stored in a saddlebag. And when he sat back down he did so closer to the woman, who replied with the comment about an alder tree. He handed her the smoke meat, dried and tough but still flavorful and filling, and he wore a small smile. Alder didn’t truly understand the hidden tone that lay beneath her friendly words, and was not one to routinely search for such things. Especially off the tongue of a woman. He felt the normal friendship feeling when he looked at her, and her heavy gaze was just seen as something curious when he added innocently, I named Hawthorn after a tree too, he was standing beside one when we first met. It was indeed what had happened, and Alder took a bite of the jerky as he remembered the day.
he’s a myth that I have to believe in all I need to make it real is one more reason
Word Count → 301 || Points → 3 :: Knowing about jerky would certainly help her in the snow storm
Axelle smiled as Alder sat closer to her, and she took the meat he offered her without hesitation. She took a bite out of it while nodding to his story about his mom. The flavor was so tasty that when it was time to take another bite, she didn’t waste any time. ”Juniper is a nice name for a girl.” He could name his daughter that when and if he were to have one in the future, if he hasn’t already. ”Do you have kids?” She wasn’t sure if she knew this about him already or not.
Sometimes she wished she had kids. Maybe it was just so there were more Napiers around, or maybe it was because no man's love would ever replace how one would love their family - and especially their offspring (or was supposed to). She knew a lot about how parents could just ignore their duties and totally disregard their love all together. One day she would start her own family, and she would be truly happy.
She took more of the jerky from him and hungrily took another bite out of her serving. She liked it. It was dry, but yet it held the same flavor as if it were normal slabs of meat just cut off the bone and cooked to aptness. She smiled about the comment about his horse, but had nothing else to say about it. ”How do you make this stuff? Like.. dry it out just enough to perfection?” She couldn’t imagine how it was done, and she would like to know how to do it just in case she would ever be stranded somewhere. Axelle took another bite, finishing her second piece. She might have been hungrier than she originally thought - of course, with help from a delicious-tasting food.
Juniper would have been a fitting name for him if he had been born a female, but the male wouldn't confess that. He smiled as she complimented it, and in the next turn her question was met with a bit of surprise. Oh no i don't Alder gave a laugh as he spoke. He had never really thought of himself as a father, that was just not something that he saw himself as. Axelle was the first ever to even bring it up, and it caused the male's thoughts to roll. Did he even wish to be a father? Alder would need a mate for that and he hadn't thought about that often at all. He hadn't even breached the aspects of attraction and affection with another creature, let along to the point of discussing offspring. Do you? He retorted, his question light and wondersome
As they ate the jerky Alder found that he had indeed been hungry, deciding that in the morning he would hunt. It needs a good part of the day over the smoke, but it isn't hard once you get the technique down. He explained, looking at the piece in his hand he continued, You need thin strips of meat and a low fire, soaked wood makes it smoke. That keeps the bugs away. The sun does the drying, keep it out in the light for a few days and it should be properly dried. He turned and pointed to the makeshift rack that he had built, You could lay the meat on something like that while its smoked and while it dries. It was difficult to see in the dim like, but it's shape could still be made out in the shadows.
