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Occasus! I would very much like a Mason here, but if not, I still love you, Wifey. ♥
The silver coyote meandered through the newest parts of Inferni's territory. They were not so new, really, but they had a bigger chunk of forest than they had possessed before. There were more trees now, more prey area—as much as the hybrid woman liked the Waste, there was not much larger prey there. The grasses were of some hardier type, typically less preferred than the softer types one would find in a forest such as the Dampwoods or Aracnhea's Revenge. Hoofed animals were rather rare in their territory in general, except on the rare occasion one stumbled through their midst accidentally. The silvery coyote mulled over this and other issues as she walked the borders in her usual fashion, the weight of the clan bearing even more heavily on her shoulders now.
This was hardly a feeling the coyote disliked. Some days ago, Gabriel had come to her, briefing her on the happenings within the clan—for reasons unknown to the one-eyed woman, Ryan had relinquished her post as the second in command, and Gabe had chosen Kaena to take her place. The hybrid woman was uncertain as to exactly why this change had occurred, but she was nonetheless glad to see Ryan was still certainly a part of Inferni. Their numbers had dipped particularly low, and while this displeased the silvery hybrid, she knew that they were still strong. They had proven themselves recently, in bringing down that bastard wolf who thought it appropriate to desecrate their borders. He surely wouldn't be doing any more of that, not anymore, anyway.
The scarred canine walked at an easier gait now. Her limp had almost completely gone, and her wounds were almost totally healed. There was still some scabbing on her neck, but it rarely caused her pain anymore. She was quite happy to find that the wound had not seriously impacted her; though her range of motion in her Optime form with that arm had decreased and certainly the limb felt more strained than it had before, it did not affect her in a major way. She knew it would ache for the rest of her life, as did all her wounds—but to the one-eyed canine, this was just another war-wound to add to the damage already crossing her body.
There was comfort and familiarity for her in this new-old position. It seemed to reinforce the circular theory of life; she had ended up right where she had started, and indeed—this was her most comfortable position. The grizzled hybrid had failed twice at leading the clan to anything worthwhile, and there was not enough time left for her to have a third shot, not before she was rancid and ancient. But here, in the Centurion position, she was her son's right hand, the whispering in his ear. She knew her place and her job in this spot well, and this change marked the third time Kaena had held such a rank, though both prior times it had been simply referred to as the subleader. Now, she had a pretty title to her head—Centurion. She turned the word over in her mind, enjoying its sound. Either way, the job was the same, and the coyote woman reveled in it. Here was a greater chance to contribute to the well-being of the clan.
The silvery hybrid came to the very edge of the forest, just before the open plains on the northern corner of their territory began. She halted where the trees stopped, lurking in the underbrush for a long moment, her golden eye staring out over the empty plains. They were dark—it was night now. There was a fall chill to the air, the creeping cool of September sneaking through in the cover of night. The silvery woman breathed it in, enjoying the shifting seasons. She was eager for a drier season and the cold of winter. The thought snow and the frigid air seemed to invigorate the hybrid woman, though she had never been so fond of Canadian winters until she had experienced the mild, blustery things that hardly passed for fall in the deep south.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j19/S ... ranges.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat; width:300px; border:1px #000000 solid; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px;"> MINEMINEMINE. 500+It had been almost a month since the youth had happened upon Inferni. He could still picture that cool evening clearly, when lightning had illuminated the scarred, ragged features of the woman who had saved him from his stint as a vagabond. The boy was supremely glad and grateful to not be living life on the open road anymore. His life had changed for the better, and his body showed signs of it. Although Mason Hesiod had been far from emaciated when he had come to Inferni's borders, he had not had the proper weight and mass. It was lucky that he was still young and able to adapt, and that he had happened upon the Clan's borders when he did. The boy had done some growing, which had much to do with his improved diet and spirits over all. His features had matured and elongated. Although his mixed heritage was still somewhat evident in the trunk of his body, there was no mistaking the dominance of his coyote DNA. His muzzle was long and thin, his ears larger than a wolf's. He had caught his reflection a few days before when he had visited Hade's Beach on one of his ritual fishing trips, and he had been very pleased as his coin colored eyes were reflected in the water. Mason was not a vain child, but his outward appearance clearly showed his coyote blood in ways that no one could refute. As far as he was concerned, that just reinforced the fact that he belonged here in Inferni. The boy had also gained confidence during his weeks here. He hadn't been timid to begin with, but he now ventured more freely. Although he preferred to stay mostly within the Clan's borders, he had begun venturing out farther to neutral territories like Whisper Beach. He had even come face to face with strange wolves and had not batted an eyelash. The boy still took care to make sure that the scent of Inferni clung to his skin, discreetly rolling on the spot where he knew Kaena slept in the caves. Truth be told, he also liked smelling like her in general. She not only made him feel secure, but he also wanted to be part of her family. The boy had been following that very scent at the present time. Although he liked to project the image to outsiders that he was completely independent and indifferent to them, he very much wanted to see the scarred woman. He had not seen her for a while and he missed her terribly. He wasn't above tracking her, and he hoped that she wasn't busy. Mason found his target in the normally sunniest part of the territory, although darkness now dominated the plains.. The sand-colored boy took off like a shot, rocketing himself until he skidded to a halt in front of the scarred silver woman. "KAENA!" he half-shouted in his exuberance. "You's busy?" His tail wagged behind him, and he danced about as he waited for her answer.
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[html]  | mall-caps;">In Character
The coyote woman was silent and still for a long time, her searing single eye simply watching the plainsland as she stood, half-hidden by the shadow of the forest. There was, for once, calm in her head. The roaring and raving thoughts were gone, quieted for the moment. The thoughts than ran through her head were of Inferni, and how she was to better serve her purpose as a clanmember here. She knew quite well how she was supposed to act here, and it was quite a comfortable role for the grizzled hybrid. Her sable ears twitched as she detected the approach of another, loud and still ungainly. There was no attempt at concealment—she knew it was another of Inferni headed her way, no doubt. Either that or an incredibly dense wolf.
At once, the sounds of approach grew frantic, and whoever was headed toward her broke out into a run. She turned her scarred head in time to see Mason come sliding to a halt in front of her, looking far bigger and stronger than he had the first time she had encountered him. She smiled warmly at him, her single eye roving over his features. He looked more like a hybrid now, but there was no question as to the dominant breed in him. His features were definitely coyote, and his ears, which he had grown into slightly, showed that they would always be large for his frame. He yapped at her in his puppyish voice, something the hybrid might have found annoying were it not for her feelings toward puppies. She missed her own, and the ashen coyote generally enjoyed the presence of youth. "I am never too busy for you," she said, again the warmth creeping into her face.
He moved and bounced around, far more energetic and comfortable than he had been when she first met him. The smaller coyote's energy was infectious, and the silver hybrid's tail wagged slowly as she watched him with her sole eye, marveling at his vigor. "You've gotten a lot bigger," she commented appreciatively. He would grow into a big, strong coyote here, no doubt about it. One need only glance at Gabriel to ascertain that. He had spent much of his youth elsewhere, but all of his foundation was laid in the old clan's borders. Molochai had come and gone quickly, and that was more than disappointing to the silvery woman, though she tried very hard not to think about it. He was an adult, and at least he still loved her. At least she had the hope he would come back someday. That was something.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j19/S ... ranges.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat; width:300px; border:1px #000000 solid; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px;"> The boy was clearly excited when the single golden eye turned upon him. At that point, he made his legs go stiff and kept his feet rooted to the ground. It was almost as if he was rigidly standing at attention like a soldier, his oversized ears pricking up and his tail sticking straight out behind him. There was an energy running through his veins that demanded motion, but right now he wanted to focus all of his attention on the scarred woman before him. He had taken the time to find her, and now he wanted to enjoy the success of finding the gray coyote woman.Mason admired Kaena very much. He had watched her from a distance on several occasions, and she carried herself with dignity and strength. In Mason's eyes, Kaena experienced no doubt. And in the pup's opinion, that was due to the fact that she was invincible. There wasn't anything that the coyote woman couldn't accomplish. Kaena had made such an impact on Mason that she loomed larger than life in his mind. She was his ideal role model, his hero of sorts. He wanted to be just like her. "I did!" he exclaimed proudly, breaking the stillness of the night with the energy of his voice. At this point, the spell was broken and he was moving about again, fidgeting here and there and moving around to get a better view of Kaena. He gazed up at her a little shyly this time. "Is there any way to grow faster?"
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[html] | http://digital-bonsai.com/katew/rp/kae/kae_columbus.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat;"> HOLY SHIT. I totally FAIL for not realizing this has been replied to for almost two weeks. :/ I'm so sorry. <33333
The coyote woman was sadly accustomed to her children coming and going; it seemed a fact of life. At least some of them had the right mind to stop in and give her an update once every few years. Her heart ached for the ones she had not seen in too long—Kerberos, Conway, Ahemait. There were some she would not miss; Vitium was a traitor to the blood and he had been cast out from their midst, he had no reason but a deathwish to return to Inferni, though Kaena would hate to be the one to carry out the sentence. Her sable ears pricked forward, and she studied Mason as he seemed to stand at attention for her, allowing her to inspect just how big and strong he'd grown in the past weeks.
The hybrid coyote had not realized just how much she missed the presence of the young until they were no longer around; Valkyrie had been Ryan's child, and Kaena would have felt rather intrusive trying to mother her. But Mason had come along to the clan as an orphan, and whoever his mother was, she was not here to care for him. Kaena had been the one to find him on the borders, Kaena had been the one to take him in... it seemed natural that she would want to try to continue to care for him, and act as though he were her charge. It was a comfortable feeling to the silvery Centurion, who had been caring for children for most of her life.
The tawny youth seemed unable to be still a moment longer, and he leapt and bounded around once more, energetic and proud of himself. Kaena watched for a moment, on impulse almost diving into play with him, but she remained still, wishing to keep composure around him. After all, he was not her child, and she had not shown him too terrible much affection, had she? When they hunted the wolf, his attack on the young coyote had been too much for Kaena to simply watch and the surge of maternal protectiveness had surprised even the ashen hybrid. She did not have to contemplate why she felt that way for long; children were a precious resource, and she mourned that it had taken her so long to realize it.
The coyote had no experience with adoptive relationships, though she had known Faolin and Hybrid to be some kind of relative, Faolin had strangely carried Segodi's surname and considered Segodi her father. Perhaps if Mason was not averse to such a thing, Kaena might make him a part of her family. This was an intriguing thought to the hybrid woman; expanding the family was of utmost importance to her, and even if it wasn't blood family... hell, what could it hurt? It was another coyote to bear the Lykoi flag and consider himself indebted and responsible for the family and the clan, and another way to secure the bonds that held Inferni together. She mused over this; as the matron of the coyote family she would be quite able to accomplish this feat.
The question brought a smile to the monochrome coyote's face, and she peered down at the young coyote, smiling her twisted smile at him. "Sadly not. But I can help make sure that you grow up big and strong," she said quietly, her sharp eye regarding the young coyote, gauging him for a reaction. She could teach him things, how to hunt, how to fight, the breathing and living history of the clan he had become a part of—there were many things her old brain could impart to his young one, and it was in Kaena's duty to cultivate the clan. The youth were its best hope for the future, and these thoughts resonated in her head as she smiled down at the young coyote.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j19/S ... ranges.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat; width:300px; border:1px #000000 solid; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px;"> No, I fail for not noticing the MONTH OLD reply to our CharonGen thread -fail-.
Mason noticed how intently Kaena watched him moving about. It was something that he both appreciated and dreaded. He liked to have her attention and he felt great when she noticed him, but at the same time he was afraid of messing up in front of her. It was true that he had grown physically, but he had also grown in skill. His mishap during the clan's execution of the intruding wolf had been embarrassing, to say the least. It was an experience that stuck with him. Although Kaena, and the rest of the clan for that matter, had leapt to protect him, he still felt as though he had let them down. Since that incident, he had spent much of his time running faster, hunting more, and trying to hone his skills in any way possible.
"I would like that," he said solemnly, stopping his playful movements. The memory of his embarrassment had come to the fore, and he was not certain how to react now. Kaena certainly had to recall how he had messed up. Not only had he put himself in jeopardy, but he could have also given the intruder an advantage over his clanmates. He did not want to be dead weight. He wanted so badly to be an asset. "I need to learn to fight," the boy said bluntly, a strange tone coming from his childish voice.
His golden eyes were eager as he peered into Kaena's face, gauging her reactions, curious to see what she would say. He would absorb it all like a sponge. He was willing to do whatever it took to prove himself, and to improve himself. It was written plainly on his coyote features. "I figured out how to fish," he added, brightening somewhat.
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[html] | http://digital-bonsai.com/katew/rp/kae/kae_fall.jpg); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-position:fixed; padding-top:240px; padding-left:15px; padding-right:15px; padding-bottom:10px;"> <333
The incident with the trespasser wolf had hardly echoed on Kaena's mind as soundly as it had Mason's; she was quite used to disposing of trespassers. Wolves were less respectful of coyote borders somehow, and though she had not expected change, it was disheartening to realize she had personally chased no less than three of them out of their territory in the past five months. The coyote woman often fantasized about the perfect hybrid world, where blood mattered less and less, when it was impossible to distinguish coyote from wolf from dog—oh. She would not live to see such a thing, she was certain; but perhaps her grandchildren could experience it.
There was great improvement to Mason's general condition since appearing on the borders some weeks ago. He did appear to be growing exponentially, and no longer were his ribs half-visible, sticking out sorely from his tawny little coat. He was eating well, it seemed, and it was showing. Before long, he would rise to the adult ranks, and he would have to throw his weight into the clan's harness and help to pull it. There was no doubt about that; lollygaggers and lazy-asses didn't last long around the coyotes. The hybrid woman could see from his simple appearance that he would have no trouble, and he seemed determined and devoted to growing as fast and as strong as he could.
Again there seemed to be some unearthly adulthood to the young coyote, knowledge and experience beyond his years. It was fleeting, but she'd glimpsed it there, entertaining the possibility that Mason's soul was older than her own. He seemed to appreciate her a great deal, which filled the hybrid woman's heart with warmth. There was nothing quite like the unquestioning loyalty and devotion of children. Their wide eyes missed nothing. "I will teach you all I know," the hybrid responded with her own solemn tone, quite happy to have taken on a new student herself.
His next words through the silvery Centurion for a loop, and the incident with the wolf jumped to the forefront of her mind. She smiled at him, and laughed when he added that he'd learned to fish. It was a good skill, fishing—often when prey was scarce on land, it was abundant in the water. "Fighting and fishing," she repeated, though the other familiar adage was on the tip of her tongue. Perhaps that was a bit inappropriate, considering the company.
"You're still small to actually fight, Mason," she said sternly, the first of what might have been many warnings. He could not attempt to engage creatures much larger than himself and hope to win; it was physical impossibility. But if he happened to be attacked, he would not be a useless yipping puppy, and that was a comfort to the hybrid. "But it's never too early to learn," she added quickly, lest he show disappointment on his face. He was quite eager to learn, it seemed, and the coyote woman would certainly indulge him. She had instructed her own children in the ways of fighting, though she was hardly a superb teacher, certainly no Master. There had been plenty of creatures able to kick Kaena's ass, once upon a time—but experience was the best instructor, and now Kaena was hard-pressed to find a move that took her by surprise.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j19/S ... ranges.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat; width:300px; border:1px #000000 solid; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px;"> As Kaena rattled off the two similar sounding skills, she laughed. Mason was perplexed as to what was so funny about those things, but he smiled despite his confusion. He was glad that he had been able to make her laugh. In fact, this might have been the first time he had ever seen the woman laugh. He knew that she had smiled at him, but he treasured the sound of her laughter. He hadn't been trying to be funny, but he would think about it and try to make her laugh again later.
The molten gold of her eye seemed to admonish him as she told him that he was too young to actually fight. He felt a little bit deflated and his oversized ears drooped slightly. But there was stubbornness in the set of his jaw. Mason would not outright speak against Kaena. He valued her input and he felt like she was right in most things, but that did not make him desire the ability to fight any less. Complaining about his dissatisfaction wouldn't change things, he knew, so he held his tongue.
"I met the white wolf who bothered you," Mason said, thinking back a few weeks. He had met a woman named Xeris on Whisper Beach, a neutral territory not far from Inferni's borders. His ears perked up a bit as he looked at her quizzically, cocking his head to the left as he considered her. "Can I practice on her...please?"
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[html] | http://digital-bonsai.com/katew/rp/kae/kae_disorder.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat;"> The hybrid woman had not intended to be disparaging to the Tirones Minor. Though she hardly knew him, she was quite fond of him, and she simply did not wish to see him hurt. There seemed to be a bond here, at least extending forth from the grizzled hybrid. Kaena missed her own children; so many of them were gone, and all of them were grown, far past the point of needing their mother anymore. This was a sad thought for the coyote woman, not because she enjoyed having them dependent on her, but simply because she missed that exceptional closeness. It seemed there was no truer love than the bright eyes of a child, and Kaena missed that terribly.
The youth spoke, and sharp interest showed on the coyote woman's face at once, curiosity shining through her scars. It had not occurred to her that Xeris would remain close to any Inferni member for any amount of time, and the coyote was at once glad for Mason's small, innocent appeal. Though he clearly smelled of Inferni, perhaps the wolves did not assume he possessed the same violent tendencies as many of his clanmembers. Clearly, Mason was not one of Inferni's more evil faces—not yet, anyway. Still, for the moment it gave him a distinct edge; his youth and his bright personality would allow him closer proximity than many wolves might allow herself or one of the other adult Inferni members.
Kaena sat back for a moment, her tail curling about her leg, clearly wishing to pause and give discussion and contemplation to this new revelation for a moment. The silvery woman was rather intrigued, and she wished to know what—if anything—had been said. Worse, if she had threatened Kaena, Inferni, or—gods forbid it, Mason himself—the silvery hybrid would be required to bring the matter up with Gabriel. "Oh? She mention anything interesting?" the hybrid said, making no attempt to conceal the interest in her tone.
She did not fear repercussion from her son; she was certain he would back her vicious actions completely. There was no question in that; the only lurking issue on her mind was the rekindling of trouble between Phoenix Valley and Inferni. Things had seemed to settle for some time, but the hybrid woman did not like their southernmost neighbors, and she was rather displeased to have found two of the wolves from that particular pack trespassing on coyote territory twice. Who knows how many other times they'd trekked across Inferni lands, perhaps even without being found and caught? The very thought was sour in the silver hybrid's mind.
Kaena grinned, her sallow teeth contrasting with her sable lips. Her pink tongue ran out over them, a thoughtful and playful look overtaking her scarred features. "It could happen yet, should she find the need to prowl our land again," the silver woman said, and it was a promise she certainly intended to keep. Unless Gabriel gave her the word for the white wolf's death, there would be no seeking her out specifically, unfortunately for eager Mason and his equally eager elder.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j19/S ... ranges.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat; width:300px; border:1px #000000 solid; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px;"> Mason watched Kaena closely. She had said that he was too young to fight yet, and he had made a poor showing during the clan wide hunt for the trespasser to be certain. But there was something about the white wolf he had met at Whisper Beach that set him on edge. She had seemed innocuous enough at first, but the Phoenix Valley female had revealed information about her relationship with Kaena. He had not felt outwardly threatened by the female, but he really did not like her after that meeting.
"I did not like her," Mason said, not answering her question outright. "She said that you attacked her." The tawny male frowned, his bright yellow eyes crinkled around the edges as he wrinkled his nose at the thought of Xeris. He shook his head, his big oversized ears flapping a bit comically as he did so, before he continued to speak again. "It was like she had not part in it." The Tirones Minor screwed his face up some more as he thought about it. "I know you would not do that without a reason. It would make things bad with the wolves," he said the last with some resentment.
It made sense to the young male to accept responsibility or part in an action, especially a violent one. Although Mason wanted to learn to fight, he was not inherently violent. He understood the necessity of brutality and extreme force, but he knew that those were not always the best options. Although he was not the oldest and certainly not the wisest or smartest, but he had thought through that much.
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[html] | http://digital-bonsai.com/katew/rp/kae/kae_columbus.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat;"> It was simply Xeris's poor luck that she had stumbled upon one of the least-forgiving and most vicious of the coyotes. Perhaps Anselm would have questioned her first, but it was just Xeris's gamble that she had run into Kaena. Certainly finding Gabriel or Hybrid would have resulted in much the same fashion, for both of those coyotes were hardcore in their belief in necessary violence. Kaena considered it merciful that she had not caused further damage to the white wolf, and Xeris should have been thanking her lucky stars she'd escaped with her life.
The coyote nodded approval and encouragement at Mason's dislike of Xeris, and snorted at his next sentence, shaking her grizzled head along with the younger canine, marveling at the wolf's insolence. If she had just kept to her own damn side of the borders, she would have been fine. Kaena could not prosecute those who simply lingered on the outskirts of their land, but those who meandered within it were certainly fair game to her. "Silly girl," she growled under her breath, that sun-yellow eye rolling back into her skull for a moment. "I did attack her, but she might have avoided the whole mess rather simply."
The ashen hybrid nodded further approval at the youth's excellent logic. He knew already that the coyotes simply could not wreak havoc on any and all; they had to be selective in their violence and only give the full brunt of it to those most deserving. Walking on neutral lands meant the coyotes had to behave themselves somewhat well, as they were representative of Inferni and creating too harsh a reputation would lead to their certain demise at the hands of several riled packs. "Trespassers receive no quarter here. She should have been more careful where she wandered," the coyote said rather simply, knowing perceptive Mason would know exactly what she meant.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j19/S ... ranges.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat; width:300px; border:1px #000000 solid; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px;"> He could see the woman ruminating over the news that he had delivered. The meeting with Xeris had been a strange one, when he thought back on it. He had ventured to Whisper Beach, a neutral territory nearby to work on his fishing technique. The woman had been there when he had arrived, but had been more or less neutral with him. It was not until he spoke of Kaena that things had gotten weird. She had started backing away from him at first, something which had confused him as he was the child, and as an adult she clearly had the advantage if the situation were to get ugly.
He had had limited exposure to wolves, the species which contributed to the other half of his DNA. Even so, he did not like what he had seen of them so far. Because of his thin build and long features, it was easier for the boy to identify as a coyote. But he could see limit of himself or the qualities he wanted to grow into exhibited by wolves. The first wolf he had really seen in his living memory, aside from his parent, had been the one that the clan had hunted down and killed. The male had displayed not only foolhardy, but disrespectful behaviors. Xeris had been willful and strange as well.
His mouth twisted into a grimace as he thought this over. He hated to think that part of his genetics could possibly affect his inherent thoughts and actions. His brow furrowed, the boy looked up at the woman in worry. "Are all wolves so...so..." He could not find the proper word. Strange, foolish, confounding? Maybe Kaena would know.
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[html] BAHAHA SUPASPAM
Though the coyote woman had been starved for solitude as of late, she was glad that Mason had come to accompany her. His company was wonderful, and it was rather useful today—the silvery woman had wondered what had become of the white wolf, and if she was to face retribution for her actions. Certainly the wolves would be angry one of their own had been attacked, though the coyotes certainly saw things on an entirely different spin.
The hybrid woman listened to the youth and understood his struggle for words. She was hesitant for a moment, and she shrugged her shoulders. "Stupid? Most of them," she said drly, shrugging her coal-dusted shoulders. "We got the brains, they got the brawn." Coyotes had been granted with the gift of cleverness and intelligence, while wolves got the weight and the strength.
The ash-colored woman shook her scarred head. Some of the wolves were alright; Naniko was a good one. Ahren had been a good one, though there was a darkness in his soul, and perhaps that was what had made him so attractive to the monochromatic canine. Zulifer had been something of a different matter, for he had professed to be a coyote, trapped in a wolf's body. In hindsight, the silver canine could certainly see that supposed condition for the bullshit that it was, but it did not cheapen the sable wolf in her memory.
"Some of them are good, but I would not trust any of them for a second until they prove their trustworthiness." The coyote woman was hesitant to open up about hybrid blood; it was an often uncomfortable subject for the ash-colored canine. Still, as Mason aged, it was obvious he himself carried a good dose of canis lupus himself, and he deserved to have someone with which to discuss the matter. "But maybe if it was not for a dash of wolf blood, Inferni wouldn't have stuck together so well," she ventured, tilting her head to the side as she eyed Mason, gauging his reaction. Did he hate himself for something he could not help? Kaena had wasted many years hiding and fighting her unwanted wolf side, and she wished to spare Mason as much of it as she could.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j19/S ... ranges.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat; width:300px; border:1px #000000 solid; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px;"> Mason smiled slightly as Kaena dove into the merits of coyotes. The light she shed on the issue relieved him. He certainly did not feel inferior to the larger wolves. Despite his youth, he had a lot of his pride in his clan, and he thought that Inferni displayed much more intelligence than any other groups of animals he had happened across. Of course, his interaction with actual packs of wolves was limited. He was a curious youth, but he was far from foolhardy. He would steer clear of any packs until he was better able to defend and explain himself.
Kaena professed to trust some wolves. This statement was met with a confused look from the male. He was about half wolf, at least, from what he remembered of his biological parents, but he wasn't completely sure. Even so, his only memorable experiences with wolves thus far had been negative. So far, he had found them to be foolish and irresponsible. But Kaena gave them a new dimension. Perhaps there were some redeeming qualities in the muscled brutes. He hadn't seen any of them yet, and he planned to avoid them as much as possible, but he would try to keep an open mind.
"I can try 'n see that side...I guess," Mason said, sounding very much like the child he was. He did not want to accept this new viewpoint, but he would do so grudgingly out of his respect for the coyote woman. He looked into the scarred visage of the woman, changing the subject suddenly. "Do you think I can shift soon?"
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[html] | http://digital-bonsai.com/katew/rp/kae/kae_skulls.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat;"> Buhhh. I cannot remember if Inferni does 7mo adult rank or 9mo. >_> -iiiiidiot- I said 9mo. Rdumb.
The coyote woman had lived in a wolf pack. It had been a very long time ago, true—but she found it distasteful to grovel to her alphas at all times, hyper-alert to display submissiveness to them at all times. It was irritating, to say the least. Kaena endured it because there were few canines in the pack, and her abilities had earned her a rank above some of them, with the promises of leadership from her alphas. When that came, the hybrid woman thought things would change, that Wera and Narcyz would not demand such constant submissiveness from her, but it was not so. If anything they grew more demanding of the ashen woman, and perhaps that had contributed to their demise.
For all of Kaena's years, she could hardly name enough "good" wolves in her book. There were three or four, the rest just acquaintences or sources of information. Even these were not beyond her sniper's scope should she choose to target them; the hybrid woman could be very easily swayed and turned against her feeble alignments with wolves. "I would try to avoid wolves until you can defend yourself well. I will help you on that end," the hybrid promised, thinking of her dead coyote children. Ikatha and Baneesh needn't have died.
Mason's question brought thought to the coyote's face, and she turned to him, looking at him and trying to determine his exact age. She was not particularly good at that and she could not recall if he said he had been two months of age when he arrived or if he had been wandering for two months. "I think so. You can start as early as seven months," the coyote said. Most of her children had begun right about that age, though she herself hadn't learned to shift until she had come to 'Souls at nearly a year and a half. "And at nine months, you receive your adult rank," the hybrid added.
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[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j19/S ... ranges.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat; width:300px; border:1px #000000 solid; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px;"> Mason let out a sigh. Kaena always gave him sound advice, and he really looked up to her. But it was hard for him to accept some things. "I don't go looking for them," the coyote youth grumbled. "They find me." His expression was sour as he spoke of the wolves. His last close experiences with them had left something to be desired. He sincerely doubted Xeris' character and had not been impressed by her. She seemed as capable of the prejudice he felt right now. And the trespasser whom the clan had attacked had just been a total idiot. There had been Claire, but she hadn't made much of an impression on him. She could hardly recall his interactions with her, but she had not swayed him either way.
The hybrid boy grinned when he imagined Kaena helping him to "defend" himself. He recalled that the woman, though graying, moved like a force of nature with the fury of a dragon. He felt quite secure with her promise, but he would not cower behind the Clan's borders afraid of every little thing or creature he came across. "I will run fast if I get in trouble," he concluded. Although he yearned for the day when he would be big and old enough to take a pound of flesh from an enemy of Inferni, he knew that he would have to survive the coming months in order to realize his full potential.
"What is it like?" Mason asked, referencing shifting. He had seen many of the adult members of Inferni in their two legged forms. He knew that Kaena also preferred that form. He tried to seem confident, but his uncertainty bled through, betraying a fear evident in the youth. "Does it hurt?" He flattened his large ears against the back of his head. "It isn't like I am afraid or anything," he muttered, trying to save face.
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[html] | http://sleepyglow.net/rp/kae/kae_razor.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat;"> The ashen-furred canine grinned at the sun-furred coyote's disheartened comments, leaning her head in towards him to bump his shoulder with her nose, leaving her scarred muzzle close to his ear to whisper in it. "Don't worry. I will teach you how to fight, and you're grown they will call you Mason the Terrible, Slayer of Wolves," she grinned, half-serious and half-joking. If the coyote had her way, she would teach him to be a fantastical killer, capable of throwing aside any adversary. The hybrid woman knew how to educate others in the ways of combat, though she was certainly no sensei. The young were easiest to mold; they had no bad habits to break and if they wanted to learn, they were the best students—eager to please, quick learners, and almost elastic in their ability to bounce back from injury. Small, young bodies were resilient, as the coyote knew damn well from her own aging. "They'll be running from you, then," the hybrid added, still with that twisted grin on her scarred muzzle.
The hybrid considered his question. Though Kaena was born a Luperci, she did not realize it until she had even come here. Neither her parents nor any other adults she had known prior to 'Souls had ever shifted, and so, Kaena was unaware that the same ability existed within her. Her mother must have been a Luperci, to have bred Luperci children—and indeed, to slice the flesh over Kaena's young eyes—but the hybrid woman could hardly recall the coy-dog's face anymore, much less what form she had been during the abuses Kae had suffered as a child. The silvery coyote's father had never shifted, nor her step-mother Sabryne. Still, when she had discovered her own shifting ability completely on her own, it hadn't been weird or hurt even the slightest.
Kaena shook her head in response. "No. Your new body feels just the same as the old one, and changing itself... no, it doesn't hurt. It does feel different, though," the hybrid admitted, though she did crack a smile at this. Different was not necessarily bad, and in this case, different was quite good. Turning from her smallest form to one of the larger ones was always exhilarating, and the coyote was certain Mason would appreciate it in the same way. "It's like... growing up, I guess, except you do it really, really fast," the hybrid said, scrunching her muzzle, unable to simplify shifting down any further than that. It often was difficult for the less-than-eloquent Centurion to express her thoughts, and this was no exception.
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