[html] http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad34 ... bott0m.png); background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-bottom:240px; background-position:bottom center; background-color:#252237"> ┤Told you I'd get it posted! And sorry...it's tacky as hell to homage your own character, but Skoll was a big hero in Jantus's pack >< I hope you'll forgive me <<├
Today was the day. The alpha of the Snow-capped Pine had reached agreement with his company the day before. Today would be their last day of rest in Souls territory. Today they would set off, back toward the southern tip of the peninsula where they would contact the transport service and be transported back over the deep waters again, and from there begin their long march home. It was a shame that Aivyr would not come with them, but he had yet to escort Skirnir back to his home, and from there, Jantus was unsure of where his path would take him. Would he stay with StoneTree, or immediately return to the Kilbornes?
He didn't know. What he did know was that they had lingered too long. He wanted to see his daughters again, and he hoped that Vel would still be home by the time he returned. He supposed it was also possible that their enemies had struck at them after their leader had left, but by the time he had gone on this trip all of their serious enemies had been contended with for the moment, and he didn't expect any new ones to crop up for a while. Besides all that, they had Samson to lead them, and that should be more than enough.
None of Skoll's offspring had chosen to stay, and he supposed it was just as well. What did this place hold for them? Naught but ashes, as far as he could see. No one seemed to remember Skoll as anything more than a name on a stone. The members of Phoenix Valley they'd met had been respectful, but there was no memory there, no familiarity. They had hoped to meet some wolves here who he had called friend, but it hadn't happened. He supposed it was the lot of a fighter that everything he created should dissolve when his strength did: it made sense for one who had built everything in their life from that strength.
Still, it seemed a dreary end for someone who had lived such a life, who had learned such skill and had done such deeds. Skoll was only wolven, Jantus knew that...but it didn't change the fact that there had been a sort of aura about him, a sense of destiny or something extraordinary. He wasn't supernatural, godlike, or anything of the sort: even the vague sort of mysticism engendered by seeing his prodigious skill had been washed away to some degree when Jantus saw four other people fighting the same way. It made sense to him, in retrospect, why they might chase him down over those secrets of their trade: it wasn't something you could learn on your own, it was the result of generations of focus on one activity, the combined labors of hundreds of wolves all working toward one ultimate goal. In light of all that, Skoll seemed a little less incredible, and it all seemed to become a little more real. Still...something of his legend stayed with Jantus, and he felt that it always would. He was only wolven, but it had been easy for the Pine to elevate his status. It had shown him how a seed of something unbelievable could turn even a regular wolf into a legend. It had shown him how a little bit of inspiration can go a long way.
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I get to use my James-y table now!  (WC: 434)
[html] It felt good to get out of AniWaya. Ever since she had taken Claudius to out, and ended up at the borders of Dahlia de Mai, Tayui had been itching to leave again. It did not help that the itch was connected to an unfulfillable desire. She wished she could have been free, living with Vedr again; or free, living in Shadowed Sun. She wished she could have been free, living in Jaded Shadows with Mordulin and Fatin again. She was happy in AniWaya, but she could not help but reminisce. It felt good to get out of AniWaya. Ever since she had taken Claudius to out, and ended up at the borders of Dahlia de Mai, Tayui had been itching to leave again. It did not help that the itch was connected to an unfulfillable desire. She wished she could have been free, living with Vedr again; or free, living in Shadowed Sun. She wished she could have been free, living in Jaded Shadows with Mordulin and Fatin again. She was happy in AniWaya, but she could not help but reminisce. She had lived and experienced things, which made this all the more difficult. She was not looking for anything, as most young luperci were, but was instead remembering what she had once had. She’d had her fair share of adventure and romance; and she was content now. But she still needed to remember all of the emotions she had once felt: the freedom of being a loner, the strength of being a leader, and now, the courage of being a mother. She would need courage, and hope, now that her two daughters and son had disappeared. This was a new time in her life, and she would carry on, even if she missed her children something fierce.
Tayui paused for a moment in her musings, slowing to a stop. She realized she had wandered much farther from AniWaya than she had intended, and now found herself nearing Phoenix Valley. It was surprising, for she had not wandered in this area for some time. She noticed a wolf some distance away, most likely a Phoenix Valley wolf. She trotted over, and called out a greeting.
“Hello! I hope I am not intruding. If I am too close to the Phoenix borders, I’ll gladly take my leave,” she stated, not wanting to intrude, least of all on claimed lands. She still thought she was a respectable distance from the borders, but still, wolves had lands to claim. Wandering about them could lead to all sorts of problems. She certainly did not want any trouble.
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[html] http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad34 ... bott0m.png); background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-bottom:240px; background-position:bottom center; background-color:#252237">┤It took me longer to write and edit that private message than it will to write this post XD Also, as an explanation for the last sentence, Jantus's daughter, Vel, has been drifting away from the family. He's been worried that she'll have gone off and become a loner by the time he returns. ├
Jantus looked up from his musings, focusing on the image of a white wolf in the distance. He cocked his head...depth wasn't exactly his strength, having only one eye, but he knew the terrain well enough by now to mark her distance. He flashed a welcoming smile and raised his hands and beckoned her over. As she came closer, he sat down, not wanting to appear threatening. The fact was that this area was similar to Wintermark, where he'd grown up. Less war meant less idle shift; more time spent with all four legs on the ground without habitually remaining large for defensive purposes. In such a place, he supposed that he would be the unusual one. It was alright, though: he had undone his belt a while ago and it was already resting on the grass some distance off, so at least he wouldn't be armed while receiving her on top of shifted.
"Come on in," he laughed. "You're not on Phoenix Valley territory, though, that's a few hundred yards off beyond here. You've come across the unmarked squatting grounds of Jantus and company, if I may call us that." He proceeded to make an expression of mock thoughtfulness before continuing with unabashed flair, "I guess since they're not around, I can call us whatever I want. The name's Jantus, and I'm the de facto leader of this little camping party. If you haven't met them already, there are a fair number of us out in the woods either hunting, talking...or sleeping." He smiled a bit wider at the last bit. He'd been sleeping until very recently. He knew his sisters were still warm in the little dug-out they'd made a while back. As usual, the kids had been the first awake, followed by Skirnir and then the coyotes. He was awake enough now, though.
"This area isn't claimed by us, so if you're on your way somewhere, go on through, though I'd ask you stay to my left. My group's likely to start nipping if they find you close to the kids." Nipping was an understatement, though he trusted most of his companions to ask before they bit. They were, after all, just outside of Phoenix Valley territory. Jefferson had been more than generous with them, and it was fortunate that they had not been asked to vacate further off. Apparently, behaving your massive group when deep inside pack territory got you some points with these people...at least enough to be uncontested for the weeks they'd been squatting here whiling their days away. He supposed it had been foolish not to leave sooner...now they'd have snow to contend with on their way back. Still...better to be sure the kids were where they wanted to be now than to have them go home without getting a strong slug of this place. He only hoped that his own children were still back home when he got there. Despite his duties, he managed to maintain a devil-may-care personality most of the time...it was strange to find himself caring so much about something like this...stranger still that it was something that he could do nothing about, not with all the strength in his body, not with all the love in his heart, it seemed.
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Hahaha. :]
[html] As Tayui advanced, she saw a a greyscaled wolf begin waving at her. For a moment, she felt a pang of awkwardness seeing the other luperci in his Optime form while she was in her Lupus. She always preferred to match another luperci's form simply so she could speak with them eye-to-eye. Of course, she supposed that was only a minor problem, and it did not really matter in the grand scheme of things.
Tayui smiled quietly in return, nodding slowly as the large wolf began to speak. He seemed friendly enough, and Tayui was surprised to hear that he was not affiliated with Phoenix Valley. She never would have thought a pack would allow a group of travellers to settle so close to their borders. They must have done something to earn the leaders' trust, which comforted Tayui.
“Nice to meet you, Jantus. I'm Tayui Aston, from the AniWaya tribe to the south-west. I wasn't headed anywhere in particular anyways, so that sounds fine. What are you all up to? Just exploring the lands?” She added in a small smile, knowing she would never appear as intimidating as Jantus was, but nonetheless, wanted to appear friendly. Certainly, she was on the larger end for a female -- and always had been -- but never had she thought of herself as intimidating! Jantus drawrfed every luperci she had met in her lifetime, and she was half tempted to inquire about it. Of course, she did not want to appear rude or just stupid, so she said nothing. Perhaps where he was from his size was not as impressive as Tayui thought.
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"And you, as well," he said, feeling a little strange that he should be interested in meeting new people in spite of the fact that he was leaving for home this very day. He supposed it wasn't such a long distance for wolves to travel, but he couldn't think of any reason for a wolf like Tayui to ever come as far as Snow-capped Pine, so this was likely to be the last time.
She seemed very friendly, more well-mannered than anyone else he'd met so far, though that wasn't to say that anyone had been particularly discourteous since coming here. The only people he'd had trouble with were either Infernians and gang members, and the gang he'd run into had the feel of nomads anyway: he doubted they were from these parts to start with. At her words, his face fell a little, but it was still kindly.
"Naw. We came to pay our respects at a graveyard in Phoenix Valley. Our friend Skoll fell in battle in these territories, and it took us a long time to find out, gather everyone up, settle pack business back home and finally arrive." He had no thought that she might have known the yellow warrior...let alone that she could have once upon a time been his pack leader. Shadowed Sun--by his knowledge--had been up north, and Aniwaya had apparently been one of the packs that his company had passed on its way north. Skoll wasn't even remembered in Phoenix Valley, which Jantus had later learned (on a day when Tanya and Nikolov had gone traveling northward) was the northernmost wolf pack still in the territory. He assumed that whomsoever his friend had once known had either moved on, or been killed by the excursions of Inferni.
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WC: 317.
[html] Tayui nodded in reply to Jantus's thanks. She soon found herself chuckling along with him, curious to know why he found the situation so funny. Certainly, meeting a new wolf was more humorous than she had expected! Tayui shrugged, nodding as she laughed, and cast a quick glance over Jantus's shoulder. She could see some movement behind him, but could not be certain how many canines were in his group. It was only curiosity, but still, she wondered how many of them had been squatting outside of Phoenix Valley's borders.
Tayui drew her attention back to the male, pausing for a moment before meeting his eye. She was surprised to hear that they were visiting a graveyard. She had never heard of one existing within the packlands; but then, she knew very little about the pack at all. However, as soon as Jantus mentioned Skoll's name, her eyes widened in surprise. The first thing she wanted to say was, you knew Skoll? but of course, he just said he did. Tayui knew Skoll was from outside of the Bleeding Souls and 'Souls territories, and knew he had spent much of his life as a warrior, but never had she known much more.
“I knew Skoll,” she stated. “I would like to think of him as a friend, too. He was the Protector, and later Guardian of my pack, Shadowed Sun. The pack is long gone, but it was to the northeast of here, on Halcyon Mountain. He saved the pack and a friend from certain death, but he died protecting another. He loved her, and he loved our pack,” she stated with certainty. She had only known him for a short time -- months, perhaps even a year -- but she had grown to respect him. He had been the highest-ranking member of Shadowed Sun at the time of his death: one of the Homoioi: the equals.
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[html] http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad34 ... bott0m.png); background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-bottom:240px; background-position:bottom center; background-color:#252237">┤Big project was a success =)├
Jantus's smile faded. Here he'd been, ready to leave, accepting the fact that his friend had vanished from this place quietly...consistent with his wishes for a quieter life, perhaps...and out of the blue, the day of his departure, the very person he was looking for found him. He just stared at her with his one eye for a short time before nodding in affirmation. So, she had lived in Shadowed Sun. Strange, that she could come in from the south, but he supposed that the location of Shadowed Sun's dispersed members would have little to do where their old pack used to be. He smiled wanly.
"Sounds like the kind of thing he'd do," he sighed. It was what had made Skoll stand out, but he still wished they hadn't lost him, especially to this place. If he had been in Snow-capped Pine, they would have protected him...Jantus knew that thinking so wasn't fair, that Skoll would have refused help from anyone if he was only fighting one opponent, and it was no fault of Tayui or anyone else's that he'd died. He was stupid that way, Jantus thought: if you're fighting for your life, you take what help is offered.
"Always playing hero. Still, that's odd. I heard that he died protecting himself: you're talking about Asphyxia, right? Did the mongrel who killed him threaten her?" His brow furrowed. He knew he didn't have the entire story: it was part of the reason he'd wanted to come. The story had reached him about the wolf called Soro, who had been killed by Skoll after kidnapping the woman he loved, but he hadn't known of the implicit threat made on her life. All of his thoughts about Asmodai were dark, but he hadn't known such tactics had been employed.
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Awesome!  WC: 428
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Tayui's smile faltered when Jantus's did, wondering what she had said that made him so upset. He starred at her for a while, then finally nodded, as if satisfied with her words. Though she was perplexed, Tayui continued, despite her confusion. Like Skoll, this fellow was a little peculiar in his ways; but everyone was, after all.
“Yes, Asphyxia. But he didn't die saving her. I remember he said he saved her, but killed someone in the process. After that, a friend of sorts came back to seek Skoll's life for the death he caused. Well, not quite. It was related to Asphyxia in a way, but he mentioned he knew some sort of secret... and he was a target because of it. I don't know if it started because of Asphyxia's kidnapping, but I know that he died in a duel a few days later. His friend, Lubomir, left to tell Skoll's family.” She paused, wondering: “Did Lubomir ever find you? I heard he — Lubomir, that is — was back in these lands, but I haven't heard much since.” She offered Jantus an awkward shrug. It had been a while since she had last seen Skoll, and the details were hazy in her mind. Shortly after Skoll's death and Lubomir's departure, Shadowed Sun had disbanded. It was no more, and sometimes, Tayui wondered if it had been the right decision. At the time, yes, it had made sense. But perhaps now she was feeling overly sentimental, or perhaps she just missed the pack. She had loved that pack, something which Skoll knew well. He had even confronted her about it once, when her sheer determination had gotten the best of her. Now, she felt as though she had changed a great deal — but had it been for the better? Was she a better person now? And how was Skoll's death connected to all of this?
Tayui knew the warrior had played a very influential role in her life, and the lives of others, as demonstrated by Jantus's interest. But even so, it made her realize how many wolves she had forgotten about, or simply stopped thinking about. Where was Pilot now? She had not seen him in months; not since the birth of AniWaya. She had seen him around the packlands, but now where was he? Tayui did not know where Fatin or Lubomir were, and she had not heard from many past members of Shadowed Sun or Jaded Shadows. She wondered if her memories of Shaeniire — both as her living mate and the ghost — would someday fade.
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Jantus nodded a little sadly. It seemed that Skoll's friends here didn't have the whole story, either. The only ones who did would be Skoll himself, and the weasel that had slunk in to kill him. That bit of vitriol tasted badly in the Pine wolf's mouth, though...by all accounts, Skoll had been killed, not murdered--a very important distinction in Pine culture--which meant that considering the one named Asmodai a creature lower than a wolf wasn't quite consistent. Anyone who could fight Skoll head-on and win had some ability, for sure, and most likely some dedication to the kill, as well: he didn't know how confident the intruder had been in his abilities, but he would need to be pretty damn good if he didn't think his life would be on the line fighting the bronze wolf...provided he knew there was a fair chance of his own death, the purpose of his venture must have been very important to him. One way or the other...it left only bits and pieces of the puzzle for the dead's friends and family to try and put together.
"Lubomir was the name of the wolf who carried the news north to Aivyr, Skoll's last pupil. It was Aivyr who brought news to my pack, and began the journey to inform his family with two coyotes who had also been friends of his. I don't think Tanya and Nik much liked the cold, though." He laughed a bit, but it died down quickly. Tayui seemed more formal than he in reverence to the dead; he felt like she had a more noble bearing...leadership experience, maybe, than others he had spoken to. A wolf from a place where death was still a sorely looked upon tragedy, instead of something to become used to.
"Anyway, I couldn't leave until I'd done battle and negotiations with a neighboring pack, and we didn't want to observe a funeral until Aivyr returned. He brought Skoll's brother with him...would you believe they hadn't seen one another since they were yearlings? By the time he and Aivyr came down out of the north, Asphyxia already had a litter of three pups: Ambien, Culexa and Trigger. All the family but Asphyxia came down with us." He studied her reaction, hoping this would be good news, rather than just dredging up old hurt. Even so, he was glad that someone cared. It seemed odd that Skoll mattered more in places where he didn't live, though it was often the case that familiarity bred contempt; he had told them that his policies weren't nearly as popular here as they were in the Pine.
"It's old now, but I think that between the two of us we can piece together what exactly happened in those weeks. I know some of what led up to it, and what Lubomir told Aivyr. It would mean a lot to figure out the details of what happened in between. I have to admit that the mystery of it has bothered me...and I think that I can answer some of your questions, too." It was indeed old news, which might be why so few people had heard about it. When mysteries go unanswered for too long, after all, interest in them fades. He couldn't know how it had felt for those who lived with him from day to day to have him disappear and to not understand why.
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WC: 556
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Tayui nodded quickly in reply, glad to hear that Lubomir had successfully found Skoll's family. Although it seemed like her old friend went through a bit of a roundabout cycle — telling Aivyr so Aivyr could tell Skoll's family so Skoll's family could eventually wind up here — Tayui was glad they had found out. There were so many wolves that found their way to 'Souls and never left. Sometimes, however, there were some that discovered these lands only to leave shortly after. She'd seen quite a few wolves join a pack only to leave without notice a few days or weeks later. And sometimes they disappeared entirely without a word after having been there for years, like Shaeniire had. And then they return with such a dramatic entrance that you forgive them for everything. Tayui knew that if Skoll returned as a ghost, there would be no forgiveness required — she had never blamed him for anything, even if she felt his death had led to the death of the pack. But without Skoll and Lubomir, the pack felt lifeless. Kieran and Zexion had disappeared in the early days, but Lubomir and Skoll had remained with them until the end.
Tayui nodded again at the mention of two new names, supposedly Skoll's coyote friends. Tayui had not known Skoll was friends with coyotes. Perhaps she had simply jumped to conclusions, especially considering Skoll's history. Tayui had spoken to Gabriel and Kaena, and they had not harmed her in any way. In fact, they were both very civil, and Tayui had never understood the hatred the wolves held for Inferni, or coyotes in general. She understood the natural competition, but now that they were luperci, not simply wolves or coyotes, could they not coexist? Of course, now she was getting off track. Tayui tuned back in to what Jantus was saying, quickly trying to piece together everything he was saying. He continued to introduce new people in the story, and Tayui was surprised — though, she knew she shouldn't have been — to hear about so many people's lives. It was the convergence of so many people and places that it startled her a bit.
She was also a little surprised to hear that Asphyxia had delivered three puppies. She must have been a very strong woman to give birth after having been kidnapped. Tayui chuckled quietly, wondering how the woman might have done that. It was certainly surprising.
Jantus continued, and Tayui nodded quietly in agreement. She would try to assist him as best as she could, but she didn't know if she would be of any help. “I'll try to answer your questions, but it was some time ago. I only know as much as he told me, and that was fairly little. The details are a mystery to me, as well,” she noted solemnly. Certainly, she would assist Jantus to the best of her abilities, but she only knew so much. Her knowledge of who Skoll was and what he did was limited. He had been a very quiet man for the hero he seemed to be. However, it seemed fitting. She doubted Skoll would want to flaunt his past accomplishments. They would likely mean nothing to the wolves of Bleeding Souls and 'Souls; however, she was glad he had friends and family who could appreciate his actions.
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He smiled at her and nodded slowly. He was glad she was willing to assist him. It still seemed a little unreal: where had this woman come from? It seemed odd that she should arrive just as they made their departure. Ordained, perhaps? Some people might say that his spirit had guided this into happening, but that seemed a laughable notion to the alpha. If spirits could guide events from the grave...well, there were a lot of dead people, and a lot of killers would find themselves in the grave much sooner than they usually did. Obviously...he would have plenty of wolves attacking him from beyond if that were the case...even if he wasn't particularly vicious as warring wolves went, as the leader of a successful warpack, he would have his share of curses, he was certain.
"Sounds fair to me," he began gently, unsure of whether the answers would bring any peace for her, or for him. "The earliest event we know of that relates to his death was the arrival of four wolves at our pack, the Snow-capped Pine. They seemed friendly enough, joined us for a drink...seemed to be the fighting sort, like us: people who had to compete for their lands and their way of life. Not common everywhere, of course, but when you get lots of wolves together it becomes more common...the Pine's got about fifty members, which it needs to defend its lands, and which in turn makes standing and fighting necessary, since fifty people can't easily pick up and move." His voice had taken an explanatory tone as he diverged toward a tangent...Skoll had always described Souls' wolves as being somewhat tame in their attitudes towards violence, which explained why the violent few had such a heyday there, not meeting much in the way of resistance. He didn't know how much Tayui would already know, or how barbaric they'd look if he didn't take the time to paint a more complimentary picture of his home. Better safe than sorry, though...somehow, her bearing made him want to win her respect, he felt like it was worth earning.
"Anyway, they didn't look to unusual. All of them were pretty big, like you'd expect of fighters, even the smallest was a bit over seven-and-a-half feet, though they ranged a lot in age, the youngest being two or three and the oldest being eight or nine. Anyway, they introduced themselves as Varn an' Muaru an' Soro an' Asmodai, and we sat down with them and drank...we'd looted some booze from the city earlier in the day. I guess the youngest one wasn't used to drinking, because he loosened up pretty fast, ended up spillin' that they were after a guy named Skoll. The older ones tensed up right quick, and we knew something was up. Being leader I got up and had at them first, but the dozen or so Pine wolves at the fire weren't far behind. Well, these four fought like you wouldn't believe. It was like we had four of Skoll right there fighting us at once. I killed the oldest one, and the biggest one got dragged down by our numbers. The two young ones retreated, and managed to kill a few of my subordinates as they went. Never thought I'd regret my size...you know, I can't move around so fast, I had no hope of catching up to them." He shook his head. That was the first real puzzle piece he had regarding this whole thing.
"Sent my beta with a host of warriors to chase, but the bastards barred the pass where he'd have followed, and the pursuit was called off. We couldn't get there in time, and could only hope that 'old gold' could handle himself. Next I heard of it, Aivyr was saying something about 'trade secrets' and that Skoll had gotten himself killed by the one called Asmodai. Best I can figure, and I suppose it makes sense, Skoll fought the same way they did and they didn't like it. Not sure if the killers would have spilled where they came from, but I thought someone from Skoll's pack might know more about just how the actual fighting went down here. Someone who knows better than a friend of a friend of a friend, heh..." it wasn't that he didn't trust Aivyr, or Lubomir, but he didn't know Aivyr as well as he should, and he'd never even seen Lubomir. Hearing it straight from someone who was there, though...well, he didn't know if Tayui qualified, but he'd like to hear it from someone who was here when it happened, even if she wasn't watching the fight itself.
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For a moment, it looked like Jantus was a little lost in his own thoughts. Tayui could not know what he was thinking about, but he had a rather peculiar expression that refused to betray his emotions. The small pause between Tayui's reply and Jantus's next round of dialogue, but in that time, he seemed to be seriously considering something. Soon enough, his expression faltered, and for a split second, he looked far more grave than Tayui had seen him since meeting him only minutes ago. Although this only seemed to last a few seconds, Tayui wondered what in the world he could have been thinking. Perhaps this was what she had looked to others when she had first arrived in Jaded Shadows, and for some time afterwards. Although Tayui had discarded the moniker of being a "dreamer", instead becoming a scholar of academia (or, less eloquently, a bookworm), she still liked to end her day by just thinking and wondering.
Quickly enough, Jantus dove into explaining Skoll's home, supposedly a pack of fifty members called Snow-capped Pine. Everything Jantus relayed to her was new and different — the number of members in one pack, the politics of the pack, everything. It was new and different, and it made Tayui wonder just how different packs were outside of 'Souls and Bleeding Souls. The warrior's words were bringing back memories of her days as a loner in 'Souls. Suddenly, Tayui wondered if she still had time to explore the lands outside of the peninsula, as she had spent most of her life there. Although she had been born much farther up north, she defined these lands as her home, not her birthpack.
Jantus continued his tale, explaining how the four warriors arrived in the large pack and caused a number of losses. Tayui frowned as he continued, noting that two had managed to escape from Snow-capped Pine. She suspected these two wolves, both of whom bore names she did not recognize, were involved in Skoll's death. The only thing that seemed a bit was that two wolves while, only one killed Skoll. Of course, Jantus mentioned something that struck Tayui as familiar: trade secrets. Suddenly, Tayui recalled her conversation with Pilot when they had agreed to disband Shadowed Sun. She'd told Pilot that Skoll had known things he wasn't supposed to know, that it had led to his death. She frowned, trying to recall her conversation with Skoll. He had killed one wolf — the one that had kidnapped Asphyxia. That left the second wolf: the one who had killed him.
“Skoll knew their secrets, whatever they were. One of the wolves kidnapped Asphyxia. The other one killed him. They killed him for knowing things they thought only they knew. He said something about his teacher, too. I think that meant something to Skoll; perhaps his teacher passed on this forbidden knowledge. Skoll met him in a duel and lost. I don’t think he was attacked out of the blue, since he told me what was happening, and that he would go out to fight this wolf. He said he might not return; he was right,” she concluded solemnly.
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[html] http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad34 ... bott0m.png); background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-bottom:240px; background-position:bottom center; background-color:#252237">┤Story time ^^;├
Jantus heard her words, and his expression hardened as he listened. So...he learned it from someone else, did he, a mentor? That made sense. There had been various theories among the resistance members as to where he and Twilight had learned to fight. Some called them geniuses, implying that all of the expertise had come from within them. Others had made up stories about uncovered knowledge from the age of humans. He'd even heard some spiritual explanations, that their leaders had been heaven-sent to answer the threat posed by the maniacal priests of shadow. The leader and sergeant, Skoll and Twilight respectively, had very different styles, though the effect was generally the same. They made very good spearheads when the group was on the attack, and very good bulwarks when the group needed to hold its ground. In Skoll's case, he had some leadership potential (though not quite the presence of most alphas...he didn't seem to wear the authority perfectly, but he had clearly been in mass combat before), which was, if anything, more important than his fighting ability, if a little less inspirational. The confirmation of the 'forbidden knowledge' explanation seemed to answer the question very well in the old male's case. He'd learned it from someone, who had learned it from someone else...probably a society of wolves, though this only passed the mystery's beginnings into someone else's hands, as it still didn't explain how the skills had been developed in the first place, either the result of generations, or one true genius for whom all the cockamamy resistance stories actually applied.
"That makes sense...in more ways than one." He answered, finally. "I don't think you can generate that kind of ability in one lifetime...in the Pine, everyone improves because they live in a community of warriors. I guess it's possible that wherever these people came from, it was like my home but with a longer tradition...could be that everyone from over there is just on a different level. I've heard that werewolves haven't had run of the world for too long, but if these people have been living like this since near the beginning, I could see it happening." His brows were still furrowed. It was a bit too troubling to think of an entire society like the Pine, far older, with far more accumulated skill as a culture, possibly far more numerous. More comforting to think that maybe it was an old, very exclusive order...after all, if they guarded their secrets so jealously, there couldn't be that many of them, could there? As a life-long fighter, it intrigued him, but as an alpha it was very perturbing.
"Just reckless, or overly optimistic, I guess." He went on. "Maybe overly idealistic." He shook his head soberly, before looking back her way and providing his wan smile again. "You know, he left Storm...that was his original home in these parts, I heard...to come lead an army against a group of religious zealots. That's how we met him in the Pine: all torn up after fighting a whole gang of them; standing there with a broken wrist and telling us that he intended to lead everyone willing to hunt down the heart of the faith and destroy it. Most other people who'd come with him had known someone who'd been sacrificed by these fanatics--nasty business, that--but we were just impressed with him at the Pine, this wolf acting brash like a yearling despite the age and hundred scars marking his skin, but with a bearing that told us he was spurred on by great need. We sent a dozen of our number with him to clean up what we assumed would be a small group of murderers...we were very wrong." His voice sank.
"I was one of the twelve, and Skoll showed us all the difference between what we'd been doing at the Pine and true war. Not a person there--not even Skoll, I think--had ever tread so deep into the dark...it was hell, but he held us together as we went deeper and deeper into it, unwilling to turn back until we were finished." Even for him, whose strength was renowned throughout the valley where he lived, this event had been profound. The horror and courage they had all found there had been a singular event in their lives, and in the history of the region.
"The cult wasn't so bad when it came to fighting, you know? But what they did if they caught you...that was what paralyzed everyone around them with fear. Some members of the resistance fled in the face of that, but as it became clear that our leader wouldn't abandon us, and that he had a strong center of support that wouldn't abandon him, others began joining in, swelling our ranks, seizing on the chance to exterminate these monsters." He looked down at his hands.
"Ten of the twelve that we'd sent with him didn't come back. Samson and I were the only two, which made me alpha, since Bold, our existing leader, had also demanded to go, and had fallen. The stories that we brought back, though, well...they guaranteed Skoll a place of honor in our pack for all time. Still, in the end, he decided to go back to Storm rather than be a hero in any of the number of packs he had helped protect." Here, Jantus looked at Tayui and tilted his head. His smile was thin. He couldn't help but feel that Skoll would have been safe in the Pine, still alive, even though he didn't blame Tayui for the gold wolf's decision. "He must have had some very good friends here to come back to."
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WC: 474+
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Tayui felt a wave of selfish sorrow wash over her and Jantus spoke. She understood that she probably never would have learned this much about Skoll if he were still alive and Shadowed Sun still a pack. He was too quiet and too set in his ways to be willing to tell her any of this. Even his reluctance was quiet and disconcerting, similar to the time when Ember had joined Shadowed Sun. A great fear had grown in her heart that Shadowed Sun was the wrong place for Ember, or perhaps that Ember would not like her new life in the pack. She had worried and Skoll had noticed, but only offered his silent disapproval. She knew it was Ember's choice, but perhaps Tayui had grown too old then — so many came and went, and it seemed as though few stayed. Few lived. They simply existed for a short time — days, weeks, months — and then vanished without a trace. She could say that the curse from Bleeding Souls seemed to have followed them to these lands. Or she could simply acknowledge that the nature of these abrupt disappearances was inherent in the hearts of luperci. If Jantus was correct and they had only gained their powers to shift recently — and humans had truly been a great society, ruling the world as some had implied — then perhaps it was borne from their newfound power.
Perhaps it had something to do with Jantus's tale, too. How much of what he spoke about involved an innate ability? Or a characteristic or trait so ingrained in canines that they had failed to notice it now? Jantus's Snow-capped Pine revered war as a sacred act. Jantus did not seem to find fault in war-making as the wolves here might. But at the same time, he created a clear divide between his society and the religious zealots. They used fear, while Jantus's pack — and Skoll — used skill to combat their enemies.
But why the divide? Tayui doubted she would ever know. Her insatiable curiosity would probably cause her to wonder for years to come, and as much as she'd like to learn why everyone worked, how it worked, and what the meaning of war, justice, and peace was, she knew she could never know. But she could still try.
“He must have,” she agreed. Jantus's last point made her wonder who or whom Skoll had returned for. Was it for Storm? A wolf there? Or for his duty to the pack? “But I wouldn't know. He was exiled from Storm and was a lone wolf for some time. Then there was the fire and we all had to leave the previous lands, Bleeding Souls, and come here. He found me at Shadowed Sun's birth. But I don't know much more about him,” she concluded, offering Jantus a regretful smile. She wished she had more to say, or something about his story to expand upon. But she had only known Skoll for a fraction of her life, and before that, what had she known? Very little. As much as Jantus's story impressed her and made her realize what a great figure Skoll had been to Snow-capped Pine, as he had been to Shadowed Sun, she understood that she could not help him any more. Tayui had been his leader for a short time, and had been privy to information few else had known, but as a friend, she and Skoll had never been that close. She knew things would have been different if they had been.
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[html] http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad34 ... bott0m.png); background-repeat:no-repeat; padding-bottom:240px; background-position:bottom center; background-color:#252237">┤Alright, thinking that this is the place to wrap-up? Thanks for threading, btw, I feel like Tay's the only one who both knew him and liked him XD├
"Well, thank you for sharing." He concluded the discussion with a brief nod. It made sense, he supposed. If Skoll had wanted credit for warfare, he wouldn't have lived here in the first place. It made sense that he hadn't said much of this to anyone hereabout, but it did mean that both sides were left wondering about how he was on the other side. From the sounds of it, he lived here as peacefully as he could (though Jantus imagined--given Skoll's views on the world--that this wouldn't mesh well with what most considered peaceful) and only ventured out when he felt there was need. As far as the giant knew, that had only been on two occasions: for the war, and then later to put down another cult which fit the same description. They hadn't been the same group, and their neighbors hadn't yet developed the fear of them which the Shadow Priests had commanded, and Skoll and his allies had done their dirty work and received only hostile glances and reprimands in turn. Never mind that sacrifices had been taken already. Never mind that lives had been at stake. Still...from what he'd heard, the gold wolf hadn't reacted as strongly as his friends...it seemed that he'd received scorn for services rendered before.
"It's been suggested to me by a mutual friend, Aivyr, that Skoll got this way because of some mistakes he made early on...compensating, I guess, or learning too strong a lesson or some such. I guess it's water under the bridge, though." He looked backward to where he knew his company was behind the trees. It occurred to him that there were a few who would value knowledge on the matter more than he would. His interest had been narrow...but there were a few who may want to hear just about anything...even if there were only random anecdotes.
"You know, his kids came here with us. I'm sure they'd like to meet a friend of their dad's, and an old alpha of the land to boot!" His smile emerged anew. "They're a year old now, not really pups anymore, but they might still benefit from a few words. If you want, I can take you back there to meet them?"
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Yeah, seems like a good place. :3 Whew! This thread flew by!
WC: 316
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Soon enough, their conversation concluded with a quiet thank you from Jantus. Tayui wondered how such a long and penetrating discussion could end so suddenly. However, as she looked around, she noticed the skies were starting to darken. Perhaps they had been talking for longer than she'd thought. Certainly, all of the stories Jantus had told her went back years in time, so Tayui supposed it would have taken a while to explain all of them. Unlike Jantus, Tayui had little to share, which she held as a regret; however, she contributed the best she could, and for this, she was pleased. After all, that was the best thing she could hope for.
“Thank you, too, Jantus. I feel as though you've told me far more than I've told you,” she acknowledged with a quiet chuckle. Of course, Tayui's smile quieted down as Jantus ruminated on Skoll's past, leaving the AniWayan woman to wonder what this grave mistake could have been. She suspected Skoll would have held onto any mistake he'd made for years; she just hoped he had not taken it to the grave with him. Tayui liked to think that once he'd died, he had absolved himself of his regrets to rest in peace. Jantus spoke again, this time referencing Skoll's children. Tayui's expression brightened considerably at the mention, excited to meet Skoll and Asphyxia's brood.
“I'd love to, Jantus! Just lead the way,” she replied cheerfully. It would be interesting to meet Skoll's children. Tayui wondered what their lives could have been, growing up in Snow-capped Pine. It would have certainly been a different life from the one in Jaded Shadows; that was for certain. Tayui had never known war or battle like Skoll had, so she wondered if it would be any different for his kids. She could only hope they were living a good life with joy to accompany their hardships.
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