Here's your beach thread, Mel. And look! A matching table. =O Wc: 500+



The multi-colored timber wolf made it a point to come to the beach at least once every few days. Something about the ebb and flow of the deep waves calmed her, harboring a secret desire to frolic in the waves themselves. Although she couldn't know what her sister was thinking, it would be a reasonably logical guess that if Savina knew her sister was spending so much time by the beach, worry would plague her, however unnecessarily.



She had told Savina that she would stay with her in Crimson Dreams, but her word counted for less than other pack members', given her history. How many times had she joined the pack to leave, or lie about something trivial? Enough times to lose trust, perhaps. But now, Ghita's very soul seemed rooted to the pack. She had begun to tentatively make friends & companions, not seeking them out, but not completely rejecting them either. As well, she was beginning to know her family for the first time, really looking into their lives. She hadn't known previously of Savina's troubles with Kansas, or Cambria's issue with drugs, but had spent enough time around the pack to get a general idea of it. But perhaps one of the most grounding reasons was Amata, her niece. The cream-colored fae was so innocent, so quick to love with all of her heart. Ghita had let herself open up and was now experiencing the repercussions of it - she felt protective over the child, and couldn't find it in her to break her heart by leaving.



Amata wouldn't be the only one she couldn't face again if she did leave. Ghita sensed that if she left one more time she would not be welcomed back into Crimson Dreams, placing the fatal straw on the back of her already troubled sister. There had always been a slight jealousy of her sister on Ghita's part when they were younger, and even now, as it seemed that Savina had everything going for her in a sharp comparison to Ghita. But now, diving into their lives, innocence was lost and issues surfaced, those that scared Ghita to the core in some cases.



The sun was just dipping towards the horizon, it being early in the afternoon, casting it's golden rays across the icy depths. Ghita pressed close to the shore, avoiding any temptation to start swimming and never stop, giving distance to the issues that surfaced in a pack. Her dainty paws left a record of where she had wandered along the wet sand, claw marks digging small holes that filled with water as she left. It had been a few hours that she had been on the beach, and her paw prints were only leading to a masterpiece that lay in the sand.



Spirals danced daringly close to the reaches of the water, taunting it as the design curled further and further away. Ghita's steps were even included in the image, now several wolves long, as if the whole beach was her canvas, chiseling a design onto the earth below. There was a rare tranquility that possessed her during these times; She could forget all of the problems that plagued her and her loved ones, and forget about the language barrier that cut her off from so many in her pack. Everything else faded away, carried out into the depths of the sea.

WC:500+

OOC:Yay matching tables!


Stepping out of the mansion the black figure gave a small yawn. This was what they called teh lazy days of summer. He had just spent the morning in the library practicing his violin and the piano, reading, and most recently sharpening his knife and sword. However, as hunger started to tug as his stomach he had decided it was far to nice of a day to stay inside till night! The sun was bright and hot, perfect for a stroll on the beach. However, first he'd have to run all the way there. He placed his lunch, a sandy colored rabbit, into his mouth as he started running.




It felt so good to stretch his legs, sitting in the library all day just was not the same. If he continued on this way he might have to start training every morning again. As it was he didn't get out to run as much as he would like and there was only so much exercise to do in the mansion, even if the humans had left metal heavy things around to workout with. his heart slowly pumped harder just in time for the beach to come into view. With a deep breath he slowed to a walk and continued right into the water. Wading along in knee high water was definitely one way to cool down. Stopping he looked out at the waves, they where so beautiful and the ocean water smelt so much like...like Savina's sister? His face twisted in confusion as he looked around, Her tiny figure off in the distance consistently growing larger the closer he got.




"Ghita!" He called as he approached her with a smile. Stopping a few feet away from her he watched her little form for a reaction. Suddenly his smile dropped. What if she didn't recognize him in this form? She had seemed so intimidated the last time she had seen him. Jazper started to worry, he hated making others, new members for the most part, uncomfortable. What could he do though, she was even scared of his halfling form! As an idea popped into his head he held out a finger, "One second." He hurried a fair distance away before stripping off his shorts and placing them, his knife and belt, and his sword and sheath onto the sandy ground. His body started to change, shift, slowly it became smaller and smaller, his long clawed arms becoming paws and even his halfling form mane began to shrink.




Lifting a paw he trotted to the waters edge to catch his reflection. He was so small! His lupus form hadn't been used since he first shifted, almost a year ago now. It felt so familiar and yet, so useless. He silently reassured himself that there was no chance of having to defend himself or Ghita, that it would be absurd for anyone to cross this far into Crimson Dreams territory, even by accident. He walked back over to the Marino woman with a sheepish smile. "Ghita, it's me Jazper." He said a warm soft tone. He didn't want to scare the girl off. Although he probable should have thought of that before running up to her in his Optime form, and then shifting in front of her.

Wc: 300+



Content as she was to watch the tide drift lazily towards her and then flee back, giggling white foam teasing her light-heartedly, Ghita's design was now growing to several Luperci lengths, twirling across the fine sand and beyond, the sand warily watching the oncoming tide. Both distance and ignorance paid Ghita to not notice the figure striding through the water, although her own paws were becoming soaked with the salty tears. From her 'thumb' claws down, her ankles were soaked, which gave the illusion of badly fitted socks, dark fur plastered against her legs.



It wasn't until Jazper was much closer that Ghita heard the unnatural splashing behind her. Turning her head, turquoise pools searched for the disturbance, almost instantly resting on the large ebony figure approaching. His voice gave reason for her to jump slightly; She knew of the Luperci form simply from seeing it from afar, but as the gift of shifting was lost on her, Ghita constantly felt in awe of the different forms. She had grown used to memorizing vocal tones and fur patterns simply to distinguish who was who, and although she had never seen him in this form, the pelt and voice told her this was Jazper.



"Jazper?" She asked, silver-tipped ears flicking uncertainly towards him. Something seemed to trouble him, and Ghita's shorter tail dropped in mild dread, before a finger - so foreign to her! - was held out in a gesture universally known as one that asked the other to wait. His words confused her, but she nodded, lowering her haunches some distance from her design, tongue hanging out in an effort to dispel heat. He left her more confused than she felt amongst a pack meeting littered with English, and his actions a fair distance away confused her even more.



Kindly averting her eyes, she turned the turquoises to her design, which was rapidly being ruined both by the approaching tide an the social pleasantries that the pair danced around. It took a few moments, those that seemed to wipe away Jazper's first entry, before she saw him again, noticed his stare into the depths. "Si, I know Jazper. Voice, and fur." She smiled, beautiful in the light and the setting with the ocean as their backdrop. She couldn't have known how much it meant, Jazper shifting for her, but she was eased, reassured by it, and quite grateful. "We almost same - you still big." She said, hating her hindered English, but loving the ability to communicate with her pack, however limited.

WC:300+


Still staring at himself in the water his ears perked as Ghita spoke. In english? His smile grew as his attention focused totally on the italian woman. "Your english is getting good." He still reminded himself to use the smallest words possible. It must be so hard for the girl. Sitting down next to her he looked back at the reflection. "Yes, still big. Not big enough though for fighting, for protecting." Would she even understand the word protecting? "Erm..not big enough to keep you and others safe." He reworded in hopes of making their language barrier a little easier on the poor thing.


It was true though, he was smaller then he could ever remember being, but it was reassuring to know he still looked big beside the average sized wolf. It was part of his job, his life. He was simply the protector. "I keep Crimson Dreams safe. Being small makes that hard." His yellow eyes stared at her turquoise orbs. "I haven't been this small since I was a pup." She probably didn't even know what he was saying but he said it anyways we a shy smile.




He wanted her to be comfortable, he hated when the new pack members where scared of him. Suddenly, he remembered the rabbit he had left by his clothing and motioned for the girl to follow and he trotted off towards the small bundle of clothing. Picking up the rabbit he turned back the Ghita and dropped it at her feet. "For you." He said as he Nudged the sandy hare towards her with his nose. He hadn't been that hungry anyway.Taking a step back he watched her for a moment. She didn't look like Savina at all. Heck, she hardly looked like Ehno either, she was a mix of the two. Her sense of style was confusing, he didn't think most wolves knew about piercings before they joined the werewolf world. Still, it suited her. "Do you like Crimson Dreams? Are you staying?"

Would it ruin the sentimentality of her using English in the last post if I said it was just because I didn't want to dig up the code for Italian? XP Also allow me the humor that I thought of in the post. ^^ Wc: 700+



She noticed his surprise at her attempt at English - but why would he be surprised? Jazper couldn't understand Italian, and English was becoming more and more of a common language between them. His smile was flattering to her, and if Ghita was anyone else, she would've performed the wolvine equivalent to a human's blush. However, she was Ghita, the independent wild child that couldn't be tamed. She listened to him speak now and took a minute to translate, guessing, and hoping, that her translation was right. "You think? Grazie!"



It was quite a compliment to get from Jazper - a native of the language, and she was honored to receive it. She had been working hard with herself, and other members of the pack that she could snatch a piece of a conversation with. Most of the time it was listening in, getting a grasp of the vocabulary. If she had known that Jazper was using smaller words than usual, just for her, she would have felt quite lucky that he considered her like that - it was the small gestures that made Ghita smile late at night. Although the larger actions could hold more of a punch, as history had shown.



Her forehead creasing in concentration, she nodded slowly as she grasped what he was saying. Finally understanding, she gave a bark-like laugh to him, thrown causally. "Nomads and me, all same - to you, small!" Here she paused, trying to think of words to communicate what she thought. "You say protect, si? Nomads protect okay as is." A devious smile played across her ebony lips, grinning at the memory.



She didn't get what he said first, but as he spoke on it reminded her of her meeting with Amata. "You say you small long ago?" Clarifying with an accent that reeked of Italy, she lowered her haunches onto the sand so she could concentrate easier. The smile wasn't lost on her however, and she returned it, taking the opportunity to speak up for herself. "I want change. As you do - three." She did the very best she could to communicate a desire that had been rampant ever since she joined the pack. Two things that separated her from the rest of them were her language issue, an obstacle that was being overtaken with leaps and bounds, but the other was one that seemed too daunting to mention to others, even her sister. She spoke the words almost sheepishly, turquoise optics suddenly boring into the sand beneath her paws that was rapidly turning into a design that became darker as the silence wore on.



Confused by Jazper's actions for the second time that afternoon, she couldn't help wondering if Jazper was always this flighty around other wolves. Churring inwardly, she followed, dainty pawsteps silent behind the ebony shadow that flew over the land. She stayed a few feet behind him just for comfort's sake, so when he stopped she had some warning instead of the alternative - crashing into his butt. Their relationship wasn't quite at that level yet. When the ebony coated protector dropped the rabbit at her paws, she blinked, surprised, and a smile grew across her face. Bending her head, she spoke just before she picked the hare up. "Thank you - Very kind. You, me eat?" Unaware of the word she was seeking (share), she did her best in it's absence, hoping that she communicated her opinion effectively.



The topic changed to a darker one, surely one that every pack member that knew her before she left was wondering. Her expression grew more somber, but the delight at having been given a rabbit didn't completely fade. "So many want know, so few ask." She mused, setting the meal down again. "I like, si. Second harder." She took a moment afterwards, one that held the mystery of an answer within it's grasp. But what she wanted to say wasn't the mystery - what she could say in English was the real issue.



"Run away easy. Stay is not. But is good for more." How could she explain with the words she knew that she wanted to stay, but every day she was reminded of why she left? That the pack at times could seem like a collar and leash tying her to the spot? That sometimes she couldn't do all of the things she wanted to - such as disappear on an expedition for days on end, learning more about the land and wolves, because of the pack? "It hard to say with English." She gave a half laugh that accompanied her words, looking more troubled than when the pair had begun the talk.

WC:500+

OOC: Ghitas gonna nom on Jaz! D:<

The Marino girl accepted his compliment easily but it was the rest of his words that had caught her off guard. He watched her concentrate, brows creased in an intense focus. Maybe he should try and learn Italian? It would make things easier between the two. As she suddenly burst out in a barking chuckle he was almost taken by surprise and his heart gave a small leap. Obviously she ha scared her with the laughing, what else could have caused the sudden speed in his heart. Apparently these Nomad creatures where a pack f sorts that she was associated with. Nodding he smiled sheepishly, "Well, Marino's are good at protecting. I just want to protect them extra." He knew damn well that if Savina and him where to fight, god forbid, it would be a fight worth while. The Marino's where all of average size but they knew how to defend their loved ones if someone had done them wrong.




The words that flowed from her mouth next where slightly confusing. "Three?" He questioned as he thought about the concept, how was he three? Finally it occurred to him that she wanted to be able to shift. "You have the blood to shift. You could if you tried." He was sure she just hadn't tried before, that was all. If Ehno and Savina had the blood to shift Ghita could too no doubt. He didn't know how she could not have just shifted when she came of age though. All of Naniko's pups had simply shown up one day being able to shift as if over night they had changed. Even he, who had been given Lucifers blood, had experienced the change eventually thanks to his adoptive father. He dared not tell the wolfess in front of him the details on that yet, she probably wouldn't understand, or would be grossed out by him. "I could help you." He suggested, not that he actually knew how to help but he would try if she wanted him too.




As he nuzzled the dead hear towards her he hoped desperately that she would accept the offer, it was midday after all. It simply wasn't good to not eat during the day, and with the hot sun and the warm sand this was more true then ever. His eyes grew wide as he took a few steps back, "No, you can't eat me!" He exclaimed in shock, "Wolves don't eat other wolves." He body sunk lower to the ground as he sat down, slightly tense as he stared at the girl. She couldn't have meant that she actually wanted to eat him but that was the only meaning he could find from her words. He listened to the rest of what she had to say almost reluctantly, still wanting to know why she would want to eat him. At least the hare was soft, he'd be too tough! He nodded as she spoke but kept focused on being ready to run and find Savina if the girl turned on him. "Ya, sometimes English is hard." He mumbled.

Ha ha! XDD Verrrrry funny. Musical reference - can you pick it up? >3 Also, cute moment! =O Couldn't resist. Wc: 800+



She noticed at the last minute that her action startled him, although it confused her greatly. "I scare you?" She asked, merriment lost in her eyes. She sat down, turquoise pools suddenly darkened by the tilt of her head. It was just apparent to her that something was going on that she didn't know about. Obviously the way his expression changed and the way he stiffened meant something, and the only logical explanation was that she scared him. Her tone was sensitive, resentful towards herself, and carried such a tone of pity that wasn't usually carried along any Marino.



This didn't happen among wolves that carried the fluidity of home tongues. Abashed and slightly dispirited for the rest of the meeting, she sat, pacified, while listening to Jazper. "Makes sense. Glad of it." She didn't add the fact that they were more than just three Marinos now; there were puppies involved that Ghita wanted to protect more than anything. It wasn't that she couldn't fight herself - although smallest of the trio, it was only marginally, and Ghita could be a force to be reckoned with from traveling on her own, more paws meant lighter loads.



Waiting was something that Ghita wasn't quite good at yet. She had always bounced around from topic to topic as a pup, and would pester anyone who had an answer until either she got one or lost interest (the latter being quite common). Finally as the meaning clicked, she rolled around the word on her tongue. "Shift, si. Into three bodies." She murmured, all the while listening to what he said. "You say I can... shift? Like others?" Excitement took root where disappointment and embarrassment sought control and she was on her paws again - the ivory tipped socks nearly dancing with excitement. All her life she had longed with a passion uncontrolled by any logistical means to travel between the three forms she adored; the way she saw it - one was default, one half, and one with two legs. Not knowing the official words didn't matter to her - now she was staring Jazper straight in the eye, her optics flashing as the sun met her gaze, daring him to repeat what he had said.



The next four words took her by complete surprise, and if she hadn't been so familiar in her form she would have tumbled on her side. She sat down, although it looked as if it was an unconscious decision, her hind legs sort of collapsing under her as images danced before her eyes. The 'tempesta' of Ghita's emotions took you on a dance, spinning through a tango straight from hellfire one moment, and the next to a slow waltz, intimate and childlike in it's awe. "You say again, please? I don't get - you can help?" Suddenly her tone wasn't racing, exciting and at the same time angry in it's energy. It was calmer, like a waltz, soft and bell-like when she was calmer.



Once again emotions changed timbres drastically to one of shock mixed with a healthy dollop of horror. "No! Nononono! You no get what I say! Oh no no!" On her paws now, pure instinct drove her forward, trying to stop his retreat with desperation in her movements. Before she knew what she was doing, once he sat her nose found his muzzle, trying to pacify the panicky ebony male. She stood stock still, unsure of what she had done and why the hell she was still doing it. Not one to be affectionate, the touch calmed her unexpectedly, and she whispered a matter so trivial now to her. "I say you me, take turns to eat rabbit. Not you, never."



Beyond the language barrier raged angry words she wanted to throw at him. Did she think that she was uncivilized just because she had travelled with Nomads? Maybe she couldn't speak English, but she had a good, smart mind behind her language, and she resented that he thought that that was what she said! But was she? That was a whole other question she was unprepared to answer. Now retreating, she didn't meet his eyes, gave no indication that the display was anything more than completely in character. She gave an angry laugh suddenly, harsh and grating as she looked out towards the ocean. "This is why I left."



Perhaps it wasn't just the words that startled her, or the tone that it was laced with. It was also the perfect way she wielded her adopted language, the grammar falling into place, something that she hadn't accomplished before. Her first perfectly formed sentence had to be here, had to be now, in this circumstance. It just had to be. Demons from her past loved plaguing her day after day, even when she just had to get away.

WC:500+

OOC: Hehe...Jaz is a wimpy manthing.


He have scoffed at her question. Her scare him, no! However, it did seem to appear that way. "No." He said in a defensive tone. "You just caught me off guard that's all." The last time Jazper had been scared was when he was fighting off a wild lone wolf that wanted to eat a puppy version of Mati alive! There was no way that a girl had scared him! Still, with Ghita disheartened from his sudden 'fear' he felt his ears slowly fold back. Maybe he should explain why he wanted to protect the pack? "Ghita, I want to tell you something." He tok a deep breath before it all came spilling out, "When I was little I had no siblings, it was just mum, dad and I. One day a group of coyotes attacked us and they killed both of my parents." He looked out to the ocean, trying to focus beyond the large mass. "I was to small to help but now I'm huge and dad always told me a Knight protects the ones in need. I know some might not need my protection but I'm still here if they do."




Quickly he changed the subject to the lighter side of shifting. "I can explain how it feels, what to think about and then you can try. We can try together. Savina and Ehno can shift so I'm sure you can!" He didn't know if it would help at all but it was wort a try, right? If Ghita could shift then she would fit in better in Crimson Dreams and be happier. His hopes of making her happier where cut short as her horror at his earlier words took their turn on the girl. Her desperation followed by her touch shocked him into being still and silent. Just suddenly as her touch had came it was gone and her cold words left marks just as vivid as the paw prints in the sand. His heart leaped once more as he moved in front of the Marino girl. "Don't go. I'm sorry." He pleaded as he nuzzled her. "I'm sorry." He said in a soft whisper. He didn't want her to go.

Poor Jaz's ego needs a little patching up, eh? XD Wc: 600+



Raising a questioning eyebrow at Jazper's defensive tone, she couldn't stop a bubbling chuckle from escaping her dust-colored chest. There wasn't a fiber in her body that would've thought that this wolf, who she barely knew, could've been frightened by her, but the evidence showed otherwise. Shrugging it off, her turquoise optics lay the issue to rest. "Off guard? Crimson's guard takes off time?" She teased lightly, sparkling with amusement. By nature Ghita was teasing and skeptical, especially around those she grew more comfortable with.



Suddenly the conversation, by her own means, took a dive for the worse fueled by her own disappointment. It took a moment of silence for words to be born, so when they did it brought surprise to the fae. Her ears perked up, catching the soundwaves that fell out of his mouth. Nodding somberly, her mind began working double time, trying to decipher what he was about to say. Only a few words held meaning to her, but they were enough to spin the tale. little, just mum, dad & I. Coyotes, attack, kill. Then she stopped, new appreciation in her eyes as they watched her ebony friend. Her head bowed slightly, she heard the next words just enough to understand it.



"Jaz..." The nickname wasn't born from lack of remembrance, but of tenderness, a loss of words. Even if this confession had been given in her own tongue of Italian, she still would've been at a loss for words. "I sorry for your hurt." The tone was dejected, as if it had been her own parents that she had lost. Parting her maw, she was about to tell of her own past demons, for reasons she did not know. Universally it seemed, every time a wolf was met with bad news, they had to spill some of their own, helpful or not. Perhaps it was more of a bonding experience than anything, but in this case neither would have time to figure out the meaning behind it.



Shifting took over their thoughts and voice, and once again Ghita was forced to focus. Perhaps no one other than Savina and Ehno knew just how hard it was to switch languages, especially one you knew for less than a year. She nibbled lightly at her snake bite, giving her body a meaningless task to perform while her mind jumped hurdles all their own. Once again, the Italian femme nodded, this time with more excitement sparking her fur. "I see them shift... and all Crimson Dreams... I no learn, I guess. Too much walking." Her pensive explanation fit like a puzzle piece and made so much sense all around.




And then they found themselves launched into the land of no return, the bridge that was made by whispered nothings and tender touches, that easily slid down the slope to intimacy. The mistake as Ghita began to see it made lasting expressions on her companion; seen by the expression clearly worn across his face. Turquoise pools met the water nearby, turning away from yellow suns and lifting silver-tipped limbs to begin their travels away from confusion. Shadows loomed before her, all too familiar to the well-worn fae, before contact ruffled her and stopped her in her tracks.



His touch confused her beyond all return; Her muscles tensed as familiar memories rushed through her unwilling mind, frozen almost like a statue as he nuzzled her. The soft whisper of his voice reverberated through her ears, those which were all too willing to hear what he had to say. Shifting her cranium, she lay it on his shoulder, applying small amounts of pressure. "Okay, okay." She murmured, the pair of them frozen like a sculpture - beautiful and battle-worn all in one. "I think.. we can start shifting?" And indeed they had, in more ways than just their form.





Eh heh... fade to black! ^^