my insides are copper and I'd kill to make them gold~

OOC

400+

Iorek moved outside of Casa di Cavalieri for once. He took his Optime form, his massive bulk hunched and feral a he padded through the forest. As much as he feared his Optime form, it being one of his most dangerous form, he knew that there was danger outside of the pack lands and he needed to be able to handle such. He still looked as threatening as a butterfly and his slight tremble and puffed up fur looked as if a leaf would attack him. The wolfdog wore his newer flower crown. He also wore the baggy cloth pants that Clara had made for him. His lack of knowledge was present in the fact that he didn't know there was a hole for his tail and instead his tail was on the inside

The brown behemoth couldn't stop worrying about the knowledge that there was a monster inside of him; it was the only way he could come to terms with it. There was a monster inside of him that made its presence known with the attack. It still didn't make him feel any less guilty and afraid. He had done horrible things: he had hurt his own pack mate, killed a loner, and injured the other loners. He knew that these loners were bad people, but it still didn't justify him killing them and he was still guilty for injuring Teagan. The hybrid beast was afraid that he would lose control again.

The massive creature sunk down to four legs, hoping that the change in eye-level would help calm him down. He was low to the ground, smaller and less dangerous. He padded awkwardly on his hands and paws, but he didn't care. He sniffed around. Maybe he could find flowers or other pretty things. He liked pretty stones and feathers as well, but as a child he had nowhere to store them. With his home in the fort, he could bring back pretty things. The prospect of the feral beast finding something pretty made him forget about the anxiety he had.

Well, until the red-eyed recruit looked down at his hands, remembering the blood that had dripped from his claws. "Find something nice and maybe I could make something out of it?" He thought, trying to redirect his thoughts. That didn't work that well but it helped. He was still fluffed up and tensed, but he was focused on the ground, The crimson-eyed Cavalier sniffed, trying to find at least a unique stone.

The brown-painted brute wasn't watching where he was going and collided with a tree. "S-Sorry!" The fluffy monster said, fading back into his old ways.

Form:	Time:	Date:	Place:
Optime	Day	July	Near AT?

Maelyx Nocturne

400+

It was not often that the witch left the safe confines of her pack’s territory these days, with her belly swelling ever larger each day with any number of pups inside. But the wild one was feeling a bit of cabin fever, and while Avinalora was out and Lux was busy with the building of her cottage, she slipped out of her house-shop combo and left Thackary Village. Normally, when planning to leave Anathema, she would have worn her traveling gear – the leather breastplate, pants, and sensible tunic – but those items no longer fit over her stomach. Instead, she put on a tunic that hung down past her knees, slit at the sides up to her hip so it became a sort of loincloth at the bottom. She pulled on a pair of black slacks and used a silk cord to tie them since the fly would not close anymore – the tunic hid that part anyway. And over it all, she tied a maroon sash, which knotted at the front just below her large belly.

Of course, she carried her usual rucksack of provisions, though it was pretty empty seeing as she hoped to find items to carry back to Anathema with her. Then, she also had hold of her twin axes, just in case she ran into trouble.

Now, the nature woman wandered a path, footpaws grazing the grass with a grace that belied her heavy condition. She held both axes in her hands, flipping them in the air sometimes to practice with them. She had not sparred nor trained with them lately, and she feared she was getting rusty, so she made use of her time as she meandered through the wilderness. The jackal froze in her tracks though, the moment she spotted the bear. An icy jolt ran through her body, starting in her stomach and radiating up and down her body. It was a surge of adrenaline, because bears were formidable opponents. She could not take it on. Would she be able to run away fast enough if it attacked?

Maelyx raised the twin axes defensively, and began padding backwards, keeping her eyes trained on the creature. She would not run in retreat just yet because that would only entice it to chase.

But… there was something wrong. She noticed as its head tilted that its snout was much too long for a bear. Her feet stopped, and she gazed at the creature quizzically, simply standing there, sizing up the creature and waiting for it to move again so she could figure out what it was that walked so many paces off.

Form:	Time:	Date:	Place:
Optime	Day	July

Word Count → 201
Form | Time | Date | Place
OOC

Iorek was still sniffing around when he smelled someone. Unable to see from his vantage point, he rose to his massive height. He was still hunched and feral, though he was still pretty big. He padded towards the scent, making a lot of noise due to his large bulk. He was almost bearlike with his broad build and shaggy fur. The wolfdog’s small rounded ears and bobbed tail didn't help much either.

The brown behemoth saw a woman wearing the things that he soon learned were called “clothes”. His head tilted as he noticed the metal things she held. She smelled different from the wolves, dogs, and coyotes he’d met before. She also smelled weird. Curiosity overcame him as he moved towards her, looking like a curious puppy. With the flower crown on his head, it took away from the chocolate-saddled brute’s intimidating stature.

The red-eyed recruit launched in onslaught of questions as he dropped down to fours. “Wh-Why s-smell...s-smell w-weird? N-Not w-wolf...n-not d-dog...n-not c-coyote. Wh-What y-you?” He asked, his head tilting like a curious puppy. He was a gargantuan beast yet seemed like an overgrown puppy. The crimson-eyed Cavalier’s eyes darted towards the metal things the woman held. “Wh-What th-those?”

Maelyx Nocturne

300+

It was obvious when the ‘bear’ noticed her, for the great head turned her way and he began lumbering in her direction. It was also obvious that, unless the virus had spread to other species, this wasn’t a bear at all. She hadn’t noticed the pants a moment ago, and now he stood on his hind legs. Bears certainly could do that, but still this creature’s shape was unmistakably Luperci.

He was also incredibly large – tall and bulky – but something about the way he carried himself made Maelyx get the impression that he wasn’t somebody to fear. Surely he could hurt her, she just thought he wouldn’t. Still, better safe than sorry. She kept her azure eyes trained on the man, watchful, and took a few paces back as he got close.

The eyes that gazed at her were childish, there was a youthful innocence trapped within this monster. Maelyx cocked her head, thoughtful, and lowered her axes though she did not put them away. He spoke in a shaky voice, having an impediment – a stammer – that he seemed barely able to speak around. Still, it didn’t stop him from getting the words out. "I’m a jackal," she said simply, in her own accented voice. "I come from South Africa. There are not a lot of my kind here. I could ask you the same question. I thought you were a bear." There was no amusement in her tone, though she was feeling a bit amused at her mistake. "Are you? Are you a bear?" she asked, the playfulness finally coming out in her voice.

Then she looked at her hands that held the steel axes, which were as much works of art as they were weapons. They are axes, she held them up so he could see better. "They are my weapons, for protection. You’ve never seen an axe before?"

Form:	Time:	Date:	Place:
Optime	Day	July

Iorek

Notes:	Word Count:
Optime | Day | July | Seabreeze Brink OOC	318

Iorek's head tilted as the woman backed away from him. Was he afraid of her? Nobody was afraid of him normally. He wasn't scary, was he? He didn't know anymore. He knew that there was a monster inside of him and he knew that he was dangerous. But no one had actually shown him fear before. She did drop her metal things, though the beast dropped onto four legs to make himself not scary. The wolfdog hoped it would work.

The woman called herself a jackal and the brown behemoth's head tilted. He had never heard of a jackal before and catalogued the scent to memory. He was learning a lot here. First he learned what a coyote was, and now a jackal. He didn't know what South Africa was, though he recognized the word "south" but had no idea what it meant. His head tilited as the woman asked if he was a bear. The chocolate-saddled brute wasn't a bear, right?

The red-eyed recruit looked at the jackal woman, his head tilted. I-I...I-I w-wolf...d-dog. N-not b-bear. He replied. He knew he was a wolfdog, well he was sure he was. His mother had told him that she was a wolf and his sire was his dog. The pup couldn't ask any questions about his sire as his mother would turn them away. That was the only times she didn't answer his any questions. The crimson-eyed Cavalier shook himself, shaking out the thought.

The massive yearling had never seen axes before. He had no idea what they were so he shook his head. Th-They l-like c-cl-claws... r-right? He asked, hearing the woman say that she used them for protection. And then he had a thought, <>Wh-Why n-not...n-not.... u-use c-claws? He asked, his head tilted. The youngster was not familiar with weapons at all.

And then the fluffy monster asked another question as he sat down. Y-you s-smell w-weird...Wh-why?

NPS Photo / Nathan Kostegian

Maelyx Nocturne

400+

This was certainly a strange meeting, but the childishness and apparent innocence of the chocolate wolfdog was endearing to her and Maelyx felt all edginess melt away. She even had a warm smile come to her muzzle. It was so strange… there were plenty of people in Anathema who for one reason or another were not… normal… in the head, and that’s what Maelyx thought of this one… but their quirk was far different than the seeming innocence of this person who now crouched on all fours in front of her. She lowered the axes again, and hooked them on their respective loops at her hips.

I know, I was just teasing, she told him when he said he wasn’t a bear.

Yes, axes are sort of like claws. They serve the same purpose, anyway. I have a longer reach with my axes, I can throw them even, if I need to, and they can do greater damage with one hit than my claws. They can go deeper, and make a bigger cut. Much more effective for stopping an attacker. And if I lose them, I always have my claws for back up, she explained. Realizing they were probably going to talk for a little while since this stranger was ripe with questions, she slung the rucksack off of her back and dropped it at her feet. If we’re going to make each other’s acquaintance, first, what do I call you? My name is Maelyx. She said this as she moved over toward a fallen tree. The great tree and been felled by some storm or other long ago, for it was mostly part of the ground now, overgrown with moss and grass. She made herself comfortable, sitting atop it and facing the wolf-bear. Her feet were already hurting from the increased weight she now put on them, and she stretched her legs out and flexed her toes to make them feel better.

I don’t know why I smell weird, she said. That’s not a very polite thing to say to somebody. She told him, without any true offense in her voice. It could be any number of things. I’m a stranger. It could be my species. It could be my gender. It could be the pack I come from. It could be the smell of the gardens and herbs I work with. It could be, she placed a hand on her swollen stomach, because I’m pregnant.

Form:	Time:	Date:	Place:
Optime	Day	July

Sorry for the wait!

Word Count → 300+

Iorek listened as the woman explained what her axes were. They sounded quite useful, though the boy wasn't very interested in them. They sounded dangerous and he didn't like dangerous things like knives, swords, and axes. What if he cut himself with them? It was harder for him to cut himself with his claws. He might ask one of the warriors of Casa di Cavlieri about weapons since it did seem like there were a few advantages to those weapons. The wolfdog nodded, understanding what axes were.

The jackal dropped her bag suddenly, which startled the massive yearling. He jumped slightly, and looked a bit surprised. She asked his name which he gave, I-I Iorek He replied as he sniffed the bag with curiosity and then the woman sat down on a log a bit away. he padded after her and sat down slightly in front of her in his feral manner. He looked up at the woman, interested in what she had to say. The carmine-eyed hybrid acted like a pup in front of a storyteller.

The brown behemoth shrunk away slightly as Maelyx replied. He didn't mean to be impolite. He didn't exactly recognize her tone of voice, though her body language said it for him. Once he recognized her body language, he sat up straighter, well straight for him. She didn't smell weird because she was a stranger, no that wasn't it. It was something else other than her being a jackal. He knew what a female smelled like, so it wasn't her gender. It was none of the things that the woman listed and the chocolate-saddled brute kept on shaking his head until she said something.

A confused look graced the red-eyed recruit's visage as she said an unfamiliar word. He didn't know the word and his head tilted. What was "pregnant"? Was she sick? Or was it a sort of term that applied to the woman, like her rank or job? Wh-What p-pre-pregnant? The crimson-eyed Cavalier asked.

table by the Mentors!

maelyx

Well, it’s nice to meet you, Iorek. she replied when he told her his name. She snickered softly, thinking every action and word he spoke was cute and endearing. He was like a giant puppy, and right now she was quite fond of puppies… even… if it came in a larger package than she was expecting.

She did blanch when he asked her what ‘pregnant’ meant, though. She didn’t expect to have to explain the birds and the bees to a stranger. Wasn’t he a little old not to know this? She looked into his eyes – not in a challenging way but searching his expression to see if he was serious. To the best she could tell, he was. Hmm… how? Oh well, that’s not what was important right now.

She gently rested a hand on her protruding belly. Pregnant means… to be with pups… she had a feeling wording it that way would make him start looking around for nearby puppies, so she quickly added. And by that, I mean, I am going to have puppies. I will be a mother. Right now, they’re still too small and fragile, so they’re growing inside me. That is what this big belly bump is… she said, looking down at her stomach where her unborn pups incubated and grew, and then back to Iorek. You really didn’t know that? She cocked her head, sensing the innocence of this soul and not wanting to make him feel bad over it. It’s okay. I’m just curious. Most people… well, most people your age know that. How old are you?

(+200)

Everything I touch isn't dark enough

OOC

300+

Iorek's head tilted as Maelyx tried to describe what "pregnant" was. His mother hadn't talked about reproduction nor had she given him any talk at all. She was still a good mother regardless, though she never talked about anything that remotely applied to reproduction. So, he had no idea what it meant to be pregnant. He was a guy, and his mother had been rendered infertile and never even thought of giving him brothers and sisters. So, the wolfdog didn't know anything about the word.

The brown behemoth immediately began looking around as the jackal said that she was with pups. There were no pups around here, he would have sensed them if there were any. To be honest, he barely knew anything about puppies. He knew that they were younger versions of older canines and were small. His mother hadn't trusted anyone, so he never had any playmates. So, all he knew were puppies were smaller versions of adults. The chocolate-saddled brute wasn't very educated at all.

The woman said that they were inside of her? The red-eyed recruit's ruby orbs widened and then he squinted. She was going to be a mother? They were growing inside of her? The beast sniffed her belly, though he couldn't smell the puppies inside. How did they get inside of the woman? How were they going to come out? He didn't know how he got into and out of his mother; his mother didn't talk about it so he was blissfully unaware. The crimson-eyed Cavalier was brimming with questions.

The stranger was surprised that the massive yearling didn't know about pregnancy. Was he supposed to know? Maybe she thought he was older than he looked, many would mistaken the flower boy to be older than he actually was. She asked his age and the beast took a minute to remember. "I-I m-more....m-more th-than a-a y-year...a-a y-year a-and...a-and th-three m-moons" The feral beast replied. Once the next moon cycle came and the next, he would no longer know how old he was. He could only count to four.

"H-How p-pus g-get...g-get i-inside y-you? H-How th-they c-come....c-come o-out?" The bear boy asked.

maelyx

Well, the ignorance could certainly be forgiven based on his young age. But, how irresponsible of his parents. Oh boy, here come the real questions. Everything would just create more questions, especially if Maelyx decided to feel awkward and try to speak in metaphors and veiled comments. Luckily for the both of them, the witch wasn’t shy when it came to the realities of life. Especially of making a child.

Men and women are meant to make children together, she started. A woman has a cycle in her body that determines when she can have babies. When that cycle comes around, her body creates special scents… no, not what you are smelling now or you would feel crazy. She chuckled. And probably act crazy, too.

But, those scents tell everyone around them that the woman can become pregnant – that if she and the male want, they can create children. Thing is, that scent also makes both men and women want to make puppies. So during that cycle, if a couple meet and want to make puppies, they mate and the woman becomes pregnant. About two moons later, the puppies will be born. I still have a while to go yet. She was pretty sure she knew what question was going to come next, but sat back and waited for it rather than trying to preemptively answer it.

Most people know this by your age. If you’re a year and three months, you only have about three more months to go until that scent really starts affecting you and making you want to make puppies, too.

(+200)