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400+ Coli! Can we backdate this a day, if it's ok with you?
It felt nice to be out of the pack lands again, but his reasons for going out into the dense, neutral woods were both foolish and selfish. It was cowardly, really. Ehno needed to speak with his raven-hued sister and share the news of the pups he and Naniko would have. Yet he dreaded her reaction, and like a coward, he ran away. He was afraid to see the look on her face when she realized that her ex-leader (not to mention ex-best friend) was the one to bring her nieces or nephews into the world. And there was Ghita’s reaction to be considered as well. Their nomadic sibling had finally returned to them, but how would she take the news of more nieces and nephews while the thoughts of her own lost pups danced within her mind? He wanted to be happy about this news, but there was no one to share that happiness with. They would only feel hurt or betrayed. And this only seemed to be the tip of the iceberg of problems floating in the sea of his life. The pressure became too much for his mind to bear and that stress-induced wanderlust came upon him once more, pushing him to flee to the forests outside of Crimson Dreams. At least he wasn’t running away from those future duties of fatherhood. He would be a true coward then.
Ehno had stopped into the mansion back home only long enough to hurry to his workshop to grab his old travel bag and a few supplies, eager to be in and out before anyone inside realized he was there. He had traveled through the dense forest almost non-stop for hours. The Lieutenant finally stopped at the edge of a small lake, pausing for a drink before sitting beneath one of the trees at the lakeside. He had pulled a small block of wood from his bag along with his favorite carving blade and set to work. It was something to do while he was out. Continuing onward to the city to check up on Naniko was another possibility, yet the Marino man was afraid to face her too, at least until he was closer to a decision regarding Naniko’s choice to go to Phoenix Valley. Would he follow her? Ehno shook his head fiercely, determined not to think about any of those bothersome thoughts while he was out. He needed to clear his mind and relax. Golden eyes focused again on the project at hand, studying the half-carved wolf figure for a moment before he went to work again.
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WC: 400+
Yesss, the 15th it is!
It had been two days since her ordeal. The strange male, Vigilante, had taken care of her... She did not know why. It had been her foolish mistake - and as she had realized later, she would not have died. She did not want to die. The thought of suicide had crossed her mind many a time, but now that she had actually tried (albeit half-heartedly), it was no longer such a romantic and poetic concept. She was still dizzy and weak from the Belladonna flower, and had not been willing to walk back to her home in Dahlia de Mai. Instead, she chose to recuperate out in the neutral territories outside of her pack, staring at the sky and wondering what she was to do now.
She was some ten seasons old now, and once winter rolled around, she would be three years old. The turbulent mood swings of adolescence should have settled into a more regular routine by now, but they had never stopped. Her monthly bleeding had been irregular from the beginning. What was wrong with her after all? Was she doomed to manic depression all of her life? Sighing heavily, the graceful werewolf padded to the lake's edge, splashing a small bit of the clear water onto her face. She missed Anu. And Emwe, and Conor... and she wished she had the courage to visit Cercelee, her old best friend. Loneliness crept into the fringes of her consciousness, sighing again as she straightened upright. Warm sunlight played on the soft browns and creams of her thin pelt, the silken strands of her feathered mane. She couldn't face her first love now - how would the Crimson Dreamer react to knowing she had attempted to end her own life?
The hesitant female turned then, sensitive ears catching a small scratching noise. She hadn't eaten in some time, and if a marsh rat or a small bird was scuffling about nearby, she would welcome the prey. But what her sweeping blue eyes saw was not rodent nor avian, but a werewolf like herself, seated in the shade of a tree. She had stumbled upon another's solitude. Her ears fell back in a reflexive submission, tilting her head with a shy curiosity. The man had not noticed her yet, or at least had not reacted. What was he doing? She shuffled her footpaws at the lakeside, wanting to approach him but too shy to make the first move.
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400+
Ehno was finally beginning to feel more peaceful than he had in days. His romp through the old military base with his nephew back home the previous day had done well to distract him. The simple game of exploration was enough to pull his attention away from his problems, giving him some much needed peace. Simple distractions seemed to be the key to keeping himself calm. Sitting out in the quiet forest with his little carving project was doing well to shush his distressing thoughts. He knew he would have to face his problems eventually, but for now he was content to ignore them. Was it wrong to desire a little calm before the storm? He would relish in every calm moment he could get before he was forced to awaken the sleeping tempest.
Subtle scratching noises rose to the air as Ehno continued his work on the small wooden figure. He moved the carving blade fluidly over the block of wood, knocking a small chunk of excess wood off with a simple flick of his wrist. The Italian man had taken Rath’s advice and tried to make each tool in his collection feel like an extension of his hand through much practice. He was beginning to feel comfortable with many of his tools, but this small blade was the only one he felt to be on that level with. These simple carving projects were quick and fun, making them great for practice. The figure was beginning to take on more details, beginning to finally look like the grumpy old wolf Ehno had met early on his journey in Europe. The Lieutenant paused in his work, turning the figure around in his hands.
The quiet that came with the pause in his work did not last too long, a soft shuffling noise drifting along the lakeside. The Marino lifted his gaze from his project, spotting an earthen-hued Luperci beside the calm waters. He studied her for a moment as she shuffled nervously on the lake’s shore. She seemed to be shy, or perhaps worried about something. Ehno let a friendly smile work its way onto his maw as his hands brought the half-finished figure and his carving blade to come to rest on his lap. “Hey there,” he called, the usual friendly tone in his voice. “This is a nice place, isn’t it?” The lake wasn’t as grand as the one back home, but the way the dense forest seemed to curl around it gave the area a charming quality. It was his attempt to stir up a conversation, if she was interested. If not, he would go back to his little project and leave her be.
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WC: 400+
Afternoon sunlight glinted on the smooth surface of the lake, broken only by the ripples from a small frog's leap. Crickets and cicadas purred and chirped from the tall grasses and the trees, accented by the occasional trill of a songbird. Relief from the oppressive rainstorms was apparent, as nature scurried to and fro to make up for lost time. Colibri let it all sink in, trying to feel comfort from the land she loved so dearly. She was confused, though... It was hard to find a place where she felt like she belonged. Only when she was completely alone did it feel like she wouldn't be hurting anyone by existing. Would she be burdening this nameless woodworker if she engaged him in conversation? He made the choice for her, though, by speaking first.
His friendly voice broke through the serene song of the wilderness, gentle and nonthreatening despite the flash of the knife resting on his lap. Colibri smiled sheepishly, nodding in mute agreement. She rubbed her palms against her thighs, trying to smooth out her jangled nerves, and tentatively approached the sloping tree where the stranger was relaxing. The fresh scent of the carved wood made her nose crinkle, and it reminded her of her friend Rath. The last time he had visited, there had been little curls of wood shavings adorning his wavy auburn mane and shoulders, and he had been wreathed in the same pleasant woodsy scent as this fellow. It made it easier for the cautious woman to let her guard down - as well as the pack scent she noticed as she drew shyly nearer.
"S-sorry if I was interrupting your work," she began with an apology, bowing her head. She chose an adjacent tree, settling neatly onto her knees in the shade. Her feathered tail swept around her like a skirt, and she folded her fingers politely atop her lap, blue eyes attentively studying the Italian man before her. "You're... from Crimson Dreams," she finally observed aloud, glancing down at her now-fiddling fingers. It was hard to keep still when she felt guilty... Oh, it would be odd if she didn't offer information about herself! "I'm from Dahlia de Mai. M-my name's Coli," she stammered quickly, offering her nickname without much forethought. Unless this man was close friends with Anu... or had otherwise heard of her sire, Haku... she should be fairly safe in her anonymity. It was a relieving notion.
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This is so late, I'm so sorry! :[ 300+
The stranger nodded in silent agreement to his comment. Being naturally friendly and outgoing, Ehno wondered why she seemed to be so nervous. He briefly wondered if he had done something to bother her, but he dismissed the idea quickly—not everyone was as fond of meeting new faces as he was. She seemed willing enough to meet him, finally moving to approach the patch of trees he sat beneath. The girl finally spoke, tossing an anxious apology his way. The Marino shook his head in a quick dismissal. “No need to be sorry,” he said, a genuine smile crawling to his lips. “I’m always happy to have some company.” Company was good. Company meant pleasant conversation, the possibility of adventure, and a good time. And right now, company meant a distraction from pressing thoughts and concerns. A distraction the Italian man both wanted and needed. The girl settled beneath a nearby tree, still looking quite nervous, though less hesitant than before. He relaxed and leaned against the tree, trying to look as friendly and non-threatening as possible.
He nodded in confirmation of her observation, that friendly smile still lingering in place. The nervous girl went on to introduce herself, mentioning that she hailed from Dahlia. “It’s nice to meet you, Coli. I’m Ehno,” came his accented response. He quietly moved the wooden figure-in-progress and his tool from his lap, placing it beside the bag. His amber gaze lingered over the objects for a moment before returning to Coli. “I met another fellow from Dahlia some time ago. His name is Rath. Do you know him?” He seemed to be running into Dahlians quite often. Perhaps Coli knew the Dahlian carpenter as well? It would give them some common ground, and maybe it would put the stammering girl at ease. He would hate for her to feel uncomfortable.
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