a hundred thousand destinations
#1
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.......Big Grin Set in The Trenches.

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY



.......Although he had not had much time to explore the lands of the tribe he was now part of, Hemming thought a quick excursion would be in order. He had seen most of the northern lands as he wandered in, but the eastern shore and the south were quite foreign to him and so, naturally, he was intrigued.


.......The tall gray wolf had wandered away from the Reserve, slipped through the fence that surrounded the fields of wapiti, and headed towards the Atlantic Ocean. Happiness swelled within him as he meandered, stopping occasionally to peer up a tree at a strange bird or to watch an elk do something particularly lively. It was fortunate that he had left early in the morning, for his path was distracted and his pace deliberating in its slowness, and he wanted to reach the ocean with enough time to get back before dark. Hemming didn't have the best sense of direction, and figured it would be a good idea to leave himself some time to get lost without being in pitch darkness.


.......It wasn't that the male didn't enjoy being lost, - in fact, getting lost was one of his favorite things to do - it was just that he figured he should be home by nightfall to establish himself within the territory, to show that he was loyal to the tribe. What good was a tribe member that was out all hours of the night and barely around during the day? Anyways, he had found a nice little spot to watch the sunset, up in an old tree and not far from a trickling spring.


.......Soon enough, by his standards at least, Hemming could smell the ocean and hear it as it lashed against the rocks. A small smile crawled across his lips as he clambered up a small rise. Before him, now, was a great spread of large rocks, and just a few minute's walk away, the ocean. It was low tide now, apparently; there was a row of seaweed and a few marine animals stranded higher than the waves were reaching. He wandered towards a pink, transparent jellyfish caught on a rock and squatted down, eyeing it with interest but not getting too close. He had read about and seen pictures of these creatures in books, but had never actually seen one.


......."Hello? Anybody in there? he asked, resisting the urge to poke it. The wolf knew it wouldn't understand, even if it was still alive, but years of being alone had made him accustomed to saying almost anything that passed through his head out loud. He noted its radial symmetry, its tentacles, and the way it was possible to see its insides. How strange it was, nothing like any other animal he had ever seen, and even more fantastical than the pictures he had seen in books. Gingerly, he extended a finger and gently prodded the creature's hood. Its texture was even stranger than its appearance, and he dragged his finger along its surface. One problem, though; how to tell if it was alive?

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#2
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omg, yay


Anu was growing prone to leaving the boarders right at the moment she had planned to patrol them. Her intention was pure and honest, knowing that their territory needed to be secure and the fence reassured often. But each time something had taken hold of her and made her drift off the path and away from home. Some times it was a fleeting though that absorbed her mind, and before she knew it the thin fragile fey was half way to Dahlia de Mai. Other times it was the glimpse of a figure among the trees, or the call of a mocking bird. Its sweet voice trailing down towards her ears and teasing them with a romantic song. Each brought her to someone new, and it was hard to not let the distractions take root and lead her away.

This noon it was the sweet scent of lilac. Blue eyes closed softly as she inhaled and brought it gently to her nose. It calmed her senses, and her paws took to its trail. It was fleeting and easily lost, but the female was already so far that it didn’t make sense to turn back now. Her steps were light and her lean form walked with nothing holding her down. Lilac could do that to a girl. Her nose caught the scent of the southern coast, and the sounds of beating waves match the slow rhythm of her heart. Gently Anu crossed the hard rocks, dried by the high sun and the low tide. Eyes hung low to avoid the sharp broken pieces of shell that littered the rocks and arms extended outward at times in a playful attempt to keep her balance over the uneven ground.

Her nose spoke of a creature, alerting her the presence of a male. Eyes looked forward to the beast that shared the rocky beach with her. His voice rang as she cocked her head in curiosity. It was her lilac. The thing that the wonderful, though currently absent, scent had taken her to. She watched him, slowing her cautious pace and approaching him with wandering eyes. What was he taunting? Who was he speaking to? The woman wondered, before speaking Anu noticed that semi clear creature that was at the brunt of his play. Not knowing how he would react to her presence Anu stood at a good enough distance as she spoke, You think it will answer? Her question wasn’t entirely critical, but curious and held a small amount of humor. What did she know, maybe it would.

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#3
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.......It's been so long! Lovely post ♥ I'm a bit rusty.

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY



.......Hemming jolted as a voice reached his ears, and the jellyfish was lucky that the wolf's finger was drawn away or it might have been stabbed and made to spill its wiggling guts. "I speak the language of the jellies, don't you?" he replied, smiling jovially as he peered at the female standing several paces away. "This one's not a talker, though. I'm not sure if it's dead. I'd like to put it back in the water, but I think they sting." The Itse looked back down at the beast thoughtfully. There were plenty of jellyfish scattered along the shoreline and it wouldn't be possible to put them all back, but this was the first of its kind he had ever seen and he seemed to have had developed an inordinate fondness for it.


.......The wolf had always had an interest in all creatures big and small, and was prone to becoming attached to them. To this day, sadness would swallow his heart when he remembered finding the body of an orphaned bird he had raised and tagged years before, when it was only a hatchling. An equal and opposite feeling would lift him up when he thought about the baby squirrels he had lifted from a log caught in the middle of a strong river. Perhaps things affected him too deeply.


.......He looked up and said to her, "Come over here and take a look. Aren't they astounding?"

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#4
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im not seeing a bit of rust, and you bring it out of me :]


Lilac jumped softly, wakening from his concentration with the ringing of her voice in his ears. The warmth in his voice and appearance drew Anu closer, and she was instantly comfortable in his presence. She could smile at his words, giving a silent laugh at the sound of his explanation. Caught up in the idea Anu spoke freely, Oh no, I don’t The words said with a fake surprise and even shame. Listening told of the creatures silence, and how its unwillingness to speak made it appear deceased. Anu frowned at the thought, hoping that it hadn’t truly withered in the sun’s light and away from the protection of the ocean.

Taking his invitation Anu step forward and lowered herself so that she was at his eyes level. Blue eyes looked at the creature, who was far more fasinating up close then when standing so far away. The General looked back to the male, sharing his look of deep thought. I suppose there is no heartbeat? The thing certainly didn’t look alive, but wouldn’t it smell of death if it had expired? Still Anu was as reluctant to lett go as the stranger was. Maybe a stick? Looking back to him Anu shrugged her shoulders at the thought, it could work.

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#5
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.......Ha! I'm sorry. Tongue

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY



.......With the other's enquiry, Hemming bit his lower lip in thought, saying at length, "I don't think it even has a heart... or blood, for that matter." He gazed at it some more before lifting his amber eyes up to the stranger's. A smile of both wonder and contentedness crossed his maw, as if he was sharing in some kind of secret discovery. How did these things live, with no heart and no blood? He had known they had no brain, only a net of nerves, and even that was barely comprehensible to him.


.......If the jelly was to be moved, it would have to be moved very carefully; if it was dropped on the rocks it would surely die. A stick might do the trick, and the wolf nodded in approval and looked up across the beach. There were a few sticks, here and there. It would probably be best to use a couple of them to better support its weight. The creature was almost as big as the thin wolf's head, and he assumed it would be slippery and difficult to transport. It was likely that even using his hands would be tricky.


.......He stood up and looked to the other. "I think a stick would work. A big one, or maybe two we could use together." Hemming smiled gently and took a few steps along the beach, pausing and turning to wait for the female to join him.


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#6
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Of course, it was a creature like those that were planted in her garden. Feeding on things very different then what beings of her flesh did, breeding in ways that were so unknown and unseen that they could only be spoken (for, she did not read) from the human's text. The was something that Anu had never though to stop and consider. It had always just been, with out question from the tawny fey. She suddenly felt like all her questions, the multitudes that she possessed at each moment were directed to things of littler value. It was an eye opening idea. No eyes, no mouth... The words trailed his, just to state the thought provoking obvious. Looking to him, Anu met his dark yellow eyes, Never stopped to really look. She admitted with a small, sheepish smile.

At the word Anu moved into action, letting him stay with their charge to watching over the poor creature. It didn't take much of a walk to find drift wood among the ocean debris, and she scrambled to find the ones that looked as if they would work when used in unison. Light colored paws took hold of the dark sticks, and returned to the male with concern in her gaze. Bringing them close to the creature, Anu questioned, Will these work? She was confident that they would, but this was his call to make.

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#7
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.......It really was wonderful, the different configurations of matter that had life breathed into them. Without being able to see through the strange wobbling flesh of the jellyfish, Hemming would have guessed that no, creatures could not live without a brain, creatures could not live without a heart. What what a wrong answer that would have been; all around him, not just these jellies, were creatures that lived without things that were absolutely essential to the wolves. Sharing in this revelation of Nature and her creatures made the male's heart swell with happiness, and he pitied the jellyfish for not being able to experience the same.


.......His new friend took off down the shore, and he smiled and turned back to the jellyfish. How pleased he was that she had shown up! To do this himself would probably require more time than it would take for the jelly to fry in the cool spring sun.


.......When the female had returned with some wood and questioned him, he replied with a broad smile, "Those look perfect, good job." There was a cheer in his voice, and the compliment was genuine. "Let's see if we can get him on there."


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#8
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His encouragement brought a small smile to her face, and Anu could only look down at the poor creature while avoiding his gaze. It only took a brief moment for her embarrassment to fade, but his cheer was something that made her face grow warm. Such a thing only played with her heart and head, as if the questions of whom she preferred wasn’t unclear enough. A simple compliment by a stranger made everything uncertain. What a sticky situation. Thankfully it passed without taking longer then a moment, and Anu was able to configure the position on her stick right in line with his. Mimicking his motions Anu watched carefully, the deep thought written on her face as she did so.

Don’t worry, we’ll get you there. Anu spoke to the jelly fish as the work together to save his life. Anu looked back at they strangers face, stealing a glance while they moved in unison. Her heart sounded her eagerness to get the fishlike creature back to its home without fault. It would be tragic if they dropped it. It would be the end of beast that had been stranded by the very thing it depended on, and Anu just couldn't have their efforts be for nothing.

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#9
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.......Hemming's breathing was slow and deliberate as the two wolves sidestepped over the rocks, all of his attention concentrated on the jellyfish that rested on the sticks they were holding. His eyes moved back and forth across the creature's body, looking for any sign that its gelatinous weight would quiver and flop off to the side to be dashed on the rocks.


.......The other's encouraging voice brought a brief smile to his face, but Hemming did not reply in assurance as he would normally; he was too focused on their goal.


.......By now he could feel that the rocks were damp, and waves were beginning to reach his toes. Mustering the words, eyes never lifting from the jellyfish, he asked, "How far out do you think we should take him?"

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#10
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10 min? :p

What a sight they would have made. In the entire world there were not two wolves doing the very thing that they attempted. Anu was also sure that no one else would even do it in the first place. She wondered if that made then odd, or unique. Finding it a question for another moment in time Anu found that he was speaking to her, asking where they should place him. Thinking quickly Anu managed to answer with a swift, Just beyond the waves. He wouldn’t be swept back onto the beach if they placed him beyond the waves’ reach.

Feeling the water running over her footpaws, they waded into the cool ocean waters. The creature silently begging to be released, their four eyes watched it with a never-ending tension. The low tide made the trek past the open ocean an easy one, but the slick rocks made it treacherous all at the same instant.

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#11
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.......haha - i was just sitting here knitting like crazy, watching tv & refreshing Souls every 5 minutes... and that post was really short, k. Tongue

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY



.......The rocks the two wolves were walking on now were smoothed by years of being rubbed up against by the salty ocean water and slick with microbes that clung to them. Hemming chose his footing carefully, trying to step in the lowest places to avoid slipping. The water swelled up to meet their feet, but soon enough the two were a good couple of inches deep. They were almost where they needed to be, and the wolf's heartbeat was accelerating just a bit in anticipation.


......."Alright," Hemming said, taking more steps. Soon enough the two had made it past the shallow waves and were in stiller waters. There was a thick, silty sand under their feet now, rather than slippery stones, and the male felt better. Dropping the sea creature now wouldn't mean certain death.


.......He slowed down to a stop, and, at last, lifted his eyes from the jellyfish to his new friend. "Here?" They had done it, but the wolf still wasn't sure if the jellyfish was actually alive. The water was surely something it sorely missed, and Hemming didn't want to waste any time deliberating.

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#12
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sorry for the wait!!


All she could do was nod hastily as they moved downward and dropped the creature into the waters. Blue eyes looked at the slow easy waters, watching as they took hold of the weightless creature and revitalize its shapeless body. At first it didn’t move much, only with the current did its tentacles wave. Anu certainly hoped that there was life still in its heartless body, and though it didn’t do much she prayed that it was still living. She looked, with a bit of concern, at the male, who seemed to know more about the species then she did. Did we make it? Had they saved it?

She had expected it to be like a fish returned to its wet home after being caught. Flopping against the shore, gratefully and quickly retreating back into the water in hopes of never being caught again. This creature floated on top of the water, moving with the waves as if it had no will to venture back into the ocean. Not knowing that such beings only floated along the surface, Anu figured it would swim like any other fish.

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#13
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.......No worries! Do we want a happy ending or a sad ending? Tongue

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY



.......Very gentle waves rocked the jellyfish back and forth, but the creature did not seem eager to go anywhere. They were underwater creatures, and so this one should propel itself away beneath the surface, off to eat whatever it was they ate. Hemming stared at it for a while and then looked up at the female. "I don't know," he said, looking concerned. He stared back down at it again.


.......Perhaps it was just taking its time to get used to the water before it would swim away. With no blood or heart, it must take a while for whatever the creature needed to get through its skin and diffuse through its clear insides - maybe that was what was happening now. The grey wolf hoped so.


.......Another few moments passed, measured out by the lapping of the water against the shore, and Hemming's shoulders fell a little bit. He was beginning to lose hope, and gave the female a sullen gaze. "Maybe..." he muttered, looking back to the jelly and reaching out a hand. After a moment of deliberation, he placed his palm against its dry head and gently pushed it beneath the water. This was likely the extent of what the two could do to help the poor creature.

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#14
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aww, happy of course :]

The stood side by side. Strangers with no connection, not even a names between them coming together in order to save a life. And they looked on, wondering if all the effort was in vain. Anu hoped it wasn’t, she wished that the creature would begin its jorney home, as the male pushed it downward and into the water. The dark color of the cold water shadowed the translucent creature, giving her the proper picture of a jellyfish. Still it waded in the ocean, waiting for the jolt of life to pass through its round body and swim away.

Anu looked at his face, sadness covering her own. Why? She couldn’t decide if she was going to cry for the beast, or suffer in silence. The water’s movement made it look as if life had come to it, but the woman couldn’t tell. It wasn’t until the creatures body expanded as if ballooned with air, and then suddenly contracted did she think that it was its own effort and not the oceans. There! Did you see that? Anu spoke excitedly but with a hushed voice, not wanting to disturb the creatures concentration.

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#15
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.......yay x) and i just noticed that Anu was born 04/04/04.. Hemming's birthday was 05/05/05! XD

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY



.......Perhaps what touched Hemming the most was not the failed attempt to save the jellyfish, but the way it affected his new friend. The gray male was used to having life slip through his clenched hands, and though it did make his heart ache for days on end, the pain that was evident in the female's face seemed infinite. Hemming had helped that pain get there, and he felt a little guilty. He knew though, from experience, that the sadness would eventually turn to a contentness that they had tried their best. They had done something good, even though they were not able to succeed.


.......Hemming continued to gaze at her face for a moment, his expression mirroring hers. She spoke all of a sudden, and the male's gaze snapped downwards. He had missed the first movement of the jellyfish, but it repeated the action, contracting as it drifted underwater. Words did not come to him, but a wide smile cracked his countenance. The jellyfish was alive, and the sadness was gone from the white female's face. Hemming's heart was almost bursting with happiness.

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#16
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lol!! yeah, she's old (but i ignore that XD)


She stood in the water, it cool sensation lapping just below her knees. It took a few moments watching the odd fishes movements for her to look up at the others face, the same emotion that she felt written across his features. Her smile softened as she watched him, enjoying his happiness as much as feeling it herself. When she let her gaze drift down to the water again, the creature was gone.

Standing motionless Anu looked briefly to the horizon and took in the view that she was searching for. It seemed like hours had passed since she had first come upon the beach. Her light cerulean gaze fell back to his, and she spoke softly. Guess we did it. satisfaction deep in her voice. It seemed like forever since she felt accomplished, but hoped that he couldn’t tell.

Taking in his face for the fist calm moment she felt while beside him, she gave her name and hoped for his. I’m Anu.


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#17
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.......XD Do you remember the name of the RP we were at where you played Anu and I played Desperado? I think that was before 2004?! omg I can't believe I've been RPing so long O___O And what was that one where you had Samir?

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY



.......Hemming's gaze followed hers back down to the water, and his smile deepened a little when he noticed that the jellyfish was gone completely. Neither wolf had been stung either, which was an added bonus. Now that the two had accomplished their mission, the gray male was not sure what they could do. The situation was only as awkward as you made it, though, and before he could speak again she offered him her name. Smiling and looking back up to her, he said, "I'm Hemming. Nice job, there. We work well together." Another genuine smile was flashed at her as he thought of how nice it was to be on a team again.


.......Though it seemed like it had taken a long time and the two wolves had been careful in their movements, the sun was only begining to leave its place in the highest bit of the sky for the horizon. The effort that had been placed in concentrating on their task had left Hemming a little worn out. The cool water between his toes was keeping him alert, though; were he out basking on the beach he would probably be asleep already.

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#18
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yeah, we've both been rp for a LONG time.. but the only one I remember was "déjà vu"… I cant remember where I played samir for the first time… oh I miss him. : /

She nodded, Yeah, we do. It had some time since she had done such a thing, make something or accomplish a task with another wolf. Her time was always wrapped up in the dramatics of her life, and the wanderings that led her away form home so often. It was a satisfying feeling, but she also wanted to get to know this new friend. The lean female moved carefully from the water, though its feeling was pleasant against her legs. Without the awkwardness of holding the creature, the short trek towards the shore was a graceful and easy one.

Not wanting to fully turn her back to the male Anu spoke with a soft and calm voice, now that the excitement was through. So, Hemming. Where are you from? She was around this neck of the woods, but didn't know too many that lived near by. He smelled familiar, but she couldn’t place exactly where he was from. She sat on a large long rock that created a seat high enough that only her footpaws felt the touch of the moving low tide. Blue eyes looked to him, wondering if he would sit with her, or disappear as their other companion had. Something told her he had nothing to run from or to.



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#19
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.......yeah... i'm beginning to forget the names of the early ones too. samir was awesome. you had him at souls for a while, didn't you?

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY




.......Walking back to the shore was much easier without holding the jellyfish between them. They walked slowly, and when Anu spoke, the male responded gently, trailing a little behind her as he watched the water for any other creatures. "Well," he started, "I just joined the AniWaya tribe a few days ago. Prior to that, I was living by myself a ways north of here... What about you?"



.......Smiling, the gray wolf sat down casually on the rock beside her. With his legs being a little longer than hers, his toes were almost completely submerged in the salty water. It was nice to let the gritty sand that had become trapped in the fur between his toes be free, and his feet swayed back and forth to help it escape. Now, with concentration to spare, it was possible for him to look over the ocean, the endless expanse of water, and marvel at its perpetuity.

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#20
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the early ones were SOO great. I did, when starhowler was around… now im tempted


She looked at him, finding the same casual relaxation flow into his form as it had hers. Without the jelly fish she wandered if they would just drift apart, but Anu wanted to get to know the male. Wanted to befriend someone that was so interested in saving another creatures life. Anu nodded taking in the words that he spoke. AniWaya? Of course, their friendly neighbors. Anu enjoyed that he wasn’t from one of the more hostile packs, though she couldn't see him in Inferni.

I’m part of Crimson Dreams, so we’re neighbors. Thinking back Anu realized how long she had actually been part of the pack, Been there almost a year now that I've lived there. Had it been that long? She gave a small smile at the thought, unsure of how exactly she felt about it. I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t really made a trip to AniWaya… Anu didn’t know too much about it.


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