01-04-2010, 06:07 PM
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<3 Word Count: 724 - SoSuWriMo Despite the distance between their packs, Dawali felt that he had achieved something today, and perhaps something that would last. Perhaps not an ally to lean on in times of trouble, seeing as the distance was too big and also because the clan's reputation would certainly not help negotiation (diplomacy would always be Dawali's preferred method of resolving anything), but they seemed a good candidate for a pool of friendly faces and friends. He was glad that Kaena accepted his offer; much could be achieved through the young ones. Even if perhaps the current leadership might resist an alliance of any sort (old personalities liked to stick to their old ways, much like himself), the young ones were the future of any pack, clan or tribe. They would find a way to nurture their friendship, and Dawali believed such things could never be anything other than fruitful. Smiling, he nodded at his new-found friend. "I'm looking forward to your visit, then, whether it is now or later. Just signal at the borders if you are afraid of encountering our scouts." Winking, he felt clever to make such use of irony. His own scouts, however skilled and trained fighters, would never be a problem for a female who had seen battles such as this one. He did not have to ask; her scars and her demeanor spoke for themselves. A chuckle escaped his throat as she made her joke, and he felt that he agreed with her. True, they'd be headless chickens, without purpose, probably passing their time making others miserable, or just focusing on ruining their own lives over and over. No, knowing one's ancestry and knowing one's history was vital to their own identities, that much he was certain of. He remembered how he spoke with the elders as a child, and marveled at the vastness of their knowledge. They said that no living thing could know everything at once, but it had seemed to him that perhaps the combined minds of the elders of the tribe knew everything there was to know about this world, and worlds beyond. They had taught him to read the fumes of a fire, to ride a horse, and to send the dead into a new existence with the proper prairs and blessings. He was a deeply spiritual man, and it was all their work. Now he was the only elder, but he would never reach their wisdom, surely. They were living proof that history had to be nurtured, re-lived, re-thought and told to the young over and over, for it was a resource unlike any other. "Yes.. I imagine we would simply cease to exist, much like these humans, though I doubt we'd leave behind anything quite as impressive as their stone cities." To him, concrete looked mostly like stone. The cities made him shudder, for it was as if the spirits of the dead clung to those places, yet deep down he could never call their constructions anything other than impressive. His and Hemming's Town Hall was nothing compared to their mountains of residences. Their conversation had moved from the heavy philosophical to the enjoyable small-talk, and Dawali found himself grinning widely. True, they were not among the youngest here. In fact, he had met very few who was his own age; it seemed to him that most were quite young, maybe averaging on around three or four years. He followed up on her joke with another, mostly at his own expense. "Haha, well the added years certainly don't help when trying to catch the eye of a female, I'll tell you that!" In fact, he was not lonely. Quite content, though his family was scattered in every direction and his only mate was dead. He had never felt as if he was meant to find another, and so had settled with this life he had created for himself. But of course, searching for love was something anyone could relate to, and was the perfect safe subject in any conversation. At least, so he thought. He laughed at his own joke and winked, not intending it as flirting, but perhaps it could be seen that way. In any way he was right; there were no females in AniWaya at a suitable age for mateship with the Chief. Hell, he could be all of them's father! |