Merry Melodies

Ruri Aceline · 04-28-2010, 12:03 PM

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Alright, I figured Anann might be around the stables, what with Rem being there and all that ^_^

It was yet another warm day in Cour des Miracles. Well, at least it was warmer than winter. Had the blue merle woman been down south in the lands of her birth this weather would have been considered downright chilly. However, after surviving her first winter in the lands of 'Souls the lautari greeted every increase in temperature with glee. Today she had resolved to spend the entire day outdoors, wandering around the lands with her trusty feline in tow. The fluffy orange kitten continued to grow, to the point where Ruri now had to use both hands to scoop him up in order to support him properly. The adolescent Maine Coon still behaved like the kitten he was, but with each passing day his features grew more regal and powerful. His piercing green eyes focused on the path ahead of his mistress, always ready to attack any would-be assailant should they threaten his blind caretaker.

Ruri, however, was not at all worried about her safety within the pack's lands. Even if some stranger were to confront her with hostility, she knew she had several protectors who were only a single howl away. The blind collie hybrid always strove to show her appreciation for her friends, protecting them in her own special way as they protected and watched over her. The Dauphine's first destination of the day was her mate's second home, the Niobrara racetrack and stables. After having spoken to him about how much Stark, the pale stallion, missed her she wanted to pay him a visit. If Heath were not there, then she would simply give the stallion some company, rather than ride him. She dared not ride without her mate present, not only was it unsafe for her, but she didn't know the first thing about saddling a horse properlly, let alone any other proper horse riding techniques. No, without Heath she would keep her feet firmly planted on terra firma.

Anann Kelevra · 04-30-2010, 12:37 PM

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It had taken some time but Anann had finally found something of a daily routine. While she no longer slept at the stables, she was there in the mornings. Tending to her own horse as well as giving the others a once over. She knew Heath kept a close eye on his herd but only good could come from having another set of eyes to look over them. Mucking out the stalls was another chore she had assigned herself. One that had her looking forward to the day when most the horses could be put out in the paddocks. The warming of the spring air a sure sign that it wasn't too far away.

Now that Rem had gained back the weight he had lost it was time that he got back into shape. So she had added his exercise regiment to her morning routine as well. Longeing the large stallion out in one of the training rings about every other morning. On the other days she would go for a ride. Either in the ring or sometimes down along the beach. The thick sand making things slightly more difficult and giving the horse a harder workout. This morning though she opted to run him through some reining patterns. It was more to work on his gaits and lead changes since reins were something else that was never used. The only equipment the large stallion ever needed was harness or his war armor. And only when it was necessary . Otherwise Anann rode the horse without any tack at all. It was the way it had always been with the pair.

Satisfied with Rem's training for the day, Anann directed her large steed back towards the barn. Dismounting outside the large barn door, Anann headed for the tack room leaving Rem to make his way to his stall next to lumeire. The amber hued fem couldn't remember if she had seen a harness amongst the various tack. Soon she would need one and if there wasn't one she would have to make one. A task that needed to be done sooner rather than later. A quick glance revealed nothing. Hearing a knicker, one obvious belonging to Rem, Anann hurriedly grabbed a brush and curry comb and headed to deal with her horse. Surely the knicker meant that Heath was here as Rem usually greeted most others with a snort. "Heath do you know if there is a harness..." She stopped mid sentence. The back that faced her was not Heath's. Not even close. The scent of the woman told Anann all she needed to know and though she had yet to meet the woman Anann knew her instantly, for her scent was part of Heath's. Oh! I'm sorry Ruri. From the sounds of my horse I was sure you were Heath. If your looking for him I don't think he is here right now." Anann's tail waved behind her. Glad to finally meet the mate of her friend. "I'm Anann by the way." She had know way of knowing if Heath had told his mate about her and their friendship and no reason to think he had not. However the coy-wolf was a man of few words and Anann knew relatively little about his mate. Only her name and that she was second in command of the Miracles pack. Its wonderful to finally meet you ma'am."

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Ruri Aceline · 05-03-2010, 01:26 PM

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Having entered the stables, Ruri made a beeline for Stark's stall. Her keen nose knew the unique scent of the pale stallion and she quickly singled him out among the other horses in the stables. There were more horses indoors than Ruri's previous visits. That meant more members were claiming horses, for if she remembered correctly only the claimed horses were given specific stalls. That was good, there certainly were plenty of horses to choose from and Heath loved teaching people how to care for them. He told her so often. Soleil had already climbed up into the rafters of the tremendous building, keeping an eye on his mistress from above. He could smell the numerous mice in the area, the stables reeked of the tiny vermin, but he could not leave Ruri not without making sure she was alright. Even a kitten had to have his priorities.

The silver and ivory woman was halfway to the stall of her horse before a voice spoke to her from behind. Someone had momentarily mistaken her for her mate, the Marshal of Cour des Miracles. Whirling around to face the stranger she sent her long silver locks whipping around her body, leading her to have to push them back over her shoulder to their proper place. The woman soon corrected herself, even addressing the Dauphine by name, though Ruri was certain she had yet to officially meet the woman. The woman's scent was familiar; she had smelled it faintly upon her entry into the stables. She was obviously friendly so the lautari felt no need to be nervous, and when Anann finished her greeting the blind woman responded with a smile, "Nice to meet you as well Anann. I'm sorry if I disturbed your horse, I was just coming to see mine. Well, he belongs to Heath just as much as me, but Heath said that he missed me so I was dropping by to visit. No need to call me ma'am or anything like that." By now her plumed tail had picked up a gentle wag of its own. Meeting new people was always nice, especially when they were friendly. If Anann and Heath were friends then the woman was obviously a good person. So, naturally the collie girl accepted her openly.

Soleil on the other hand was not quite so easily accepting of strangers. At the sudden appearance of this stranger, he had positioned himself on a beam directly above Ruri, ready to pounce down upon Anann at the slightest provocation. As usual, the stranger was quickly recognized as a friendly presence after his mistress exhibited a welcoming attitude towards the other woman. Now satisfied that his blind owner was safe, the flame orange, Maine Coon returned to his previous task, the hunt for mice.

"Which horse is yours Anann?" the Dauphine quickly questioned, pupil-less blue eyes dancing about briefly before focusing in the other woman's direction. Ruri felt a strong affection for the large, hoofed animals that her mate cared for and she relished the chance to meet Anann's. Plus, such a thing would keep the conversation going.

Anann Kelevra · 05-06-2010, 12:15 PM

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The other woman's silvery mane swirled around her as she turned to face Anann. Understandably there was a slight hint of confusion on the silver and ivory face. It was the eyes that instantly caught Anann's attention. Heath had told Anann nothing of his mate's blindness and so it came as a bit of shock. Anann herself relied far more on scent and sound than sight, but still she could not imagine being with out the sense entirely. Anann felt no pity for the woman, instead she admired her strength. Although it explained why Heath had seemed far more concerned about the war to the north than the redhead she had met before she had joined the Miracles pack. The initial shock of the discovery faded quickly and with any luck, completely unannounced to Ruri.

Her attentions focused Ruri, Anann was completely unaware to the creature lurking in the rafters. "Oh you didn't bother Rem in the least. It's just that he doesn't knicker when just anyone comes to the stables." No, most earned a snort. And if they were really unlucky it would be a snotty one. "That's why I thought you were Heath, until I came around the corner." Anann gave a light laugh.

"My horse is Rem. He is just a couple stalls down from Stark actually. Just on the other side of Lumiere." Anann walked with Ruri towards the stalls of their horses. "Do you and Heath ride often?" She figured the woman probably did not ride without Heath. It was obvious now why she road Stark, not that there was anything wrong with the horse. Much more mellow than her own steed, the simple steed was a good match for the blind woman. Following faithfully behind Lumiere. Gentle and Calm, the pale stallion was perfect for the job. Do you want to groom him? I could run and get the brushes real quick. Anann offered, the idea coming to her suddenly. It was a good way for the blind woman to get reacquainted with her horse after the winter.

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Ruri Aceline · 05-10-2010, 01:29 PM

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Anann's explanation of her horse's reaction made immediate sense to the blind woman. The horse had reacted to her similarly to her mate; perhaps he had smelled Heath on her fur. Or perhaps there was some other reason that Ruri could not fathom. All that mattered was that she hadn't upset Rem by her presence. The friendly collie woman was instantly comfortable with Anann, in part because the woman was obviously friends with Heath but also because of the woman's amiable nature. Anann acted like she already knew Ruri even before they met, and the delicate lautari knew already that they would be good friends. That would be very important for Ruri as she was always trying to make new friends. She would have to invite Anann over to have a meal with Heath and herself at their home. That was one of the many things friends did, that's just how it worked.
As the two women wandered closer towards Stark, Lumiere, and Rem, Ruri ran her hands along the edge of Stark's stall door, waiting for the horse to touch it as he always did. Sure enough, like clockwork Stark came over and touched his soft nose to the blind woman's ivory hand, before slowly sticking his head all the way out of the stall for Ruri to pet him. Though Ruri had not seen him in at least a month, Stark remembered the routine. It was as if he knew that he couldn't just poke his head out and touch the Dauphine without startling her. He had learned to wait for her to initiate the contact. With the touch to her hand, Ruri immediately patted her steed on the nose, moving her hand to his neck as he leaned out of the stall. "Hi there, Stark! I guess you really did miss me," she giggled as the horse pressed gently against her strokes. Turning back to Anann, the lautari heard her question. It was true that Ruri and Heath had only ridden a few times before the winter had fully set in, but with the weather warming she was going to make an effort to ride with her mate as often as possible. "No, not as much as we'd like to. It was too hard for me during the winter to be outside for very long, so I usually just settled for visiting occasionally, when the snow wasn't too deep. We're going to be riding a lot, though, now that warmer weather is on the way," she responded, turning again to her horse and running her delicate fingers down his strong neck.
The next words out of the other woman's mouth formed another question, but one that Ruri was not quite expecting. She could groom him? That was alright? She'd never done so before, mostly because Heath had already done it whenever she had come by the stables. "I-I'd love to, but I think you'll have to teach me how. I've never gotten the chance to do that before," she replied, her nightingale's voice carrying an excited tone.
Soleil by now was up in the loft, searching out the numerous mice he knew were lurking in the hay bales. The young Maine coon cat was satisfied that his blind owner was in safe hands, leaving him to focus fully on his favorite pastime. No mouse was safe from his clutches once he was on their trail. Tufted, triangular ears were constantly swiveling back and forth searching for the classic scurrying noises made by frightened mice as they sought to flee from him. He would eat well today. Perhaps he would even take a gift to his mistress. He knew Ruri never ate the mice, but it was in his nature to make the gesture just the same. The young feline would not be surprised if Ruri gave him the mouse later to eat. In a way, giving a mouse to Ruri was a way of saving a bit of his favorite food for later

Anann Kelevra · 05-12-2010, 03:50 PM

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Aside from the fact that the woman lacked sight, she was pretty much what Anann had come to expect. Heath had not talked too much about his mate so Anann had drawn her own conclusions. Drawn mostly of Heath's personality as well as what went unsaid. Anann watched with curiosity and the woman greeted her pale stallion. There was a gleam in his eye that was normal absent as he leaned into the patting of the collie woman. "He is far more your horse than Heath's." She said with some amusement. It would appear that the horse had truly missed his mistress, not that it was a surprise.

It was quite understandable that Heath and Ruri had not ridden much in the winter. Anann hardly rode most winters herself, of coarse this past was quite the exception since she had chosen to move eastward. The trip had been hard on rider and horse both. Though both had recovered quite nicely by now. Anann would always be grateful for Heath for help to care for her stallion even before she had become a member of the pack. Even if she had given payment, it had still been a kind act. "In the winter it's best only to ride when necessary anyways. The horses could get sick as easily as us." Perhaps even easier. The horses had their own version of a winter pelt, but Anann doubted it was near as insulated as her own.

Anann smiled as Ruri seemed excited at the prospect of grooming the horse herself. It surprised Anann that Heath had not already taken the time to show his mate how to do the task herself. It was something she felt the woman would enjoy. The task could done just as easily by sense of feel as sight. Although she reckoned it would be easy for the woman to miss a spot she supposed. "You wait here then, I'll go grab the brushes and combs from the tack area." Anann said, quickly she left to fetch the needed supplies. Returning with an assortment of brushes and combs.

She brought back a halter and lead rope as well. Figure she would tie up the stallion, just in case. Before they started though, Anann would teach her how to tell the different brushes apart and what the use of each was. First she grabbed a stiff bristled brush. The bristles were hard and coarse to the touch. She held it out the woman with the bristles up. "This is a stiff bristle brush, it works the best at getting the dirt away from the skin and worked up out of the hair. You can use it on the whole body, but I recommend staying away from sensitive areas. Like around the eyes and nose. Its what you'll use the most." As Ruri reached out for the brush, Anann adjusted so that her hand would find it and she would not have to fumble around for it. "Once you are done with that brush, if the hair feels slightly gritty to the touch. You might need to use a softer bristle brush. It will brush away the finer dirt the other brush will bring to the surface, and also cause the hair to look shiner." Anann had also grabbed a curry comb and a simple comb for the horse's mane and tail. She would explain those as they came to them.

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Ruri Aceline · 05-17-2010, 12:50 PM

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Sorry for the lateness. I get busy on the weekends with work and what not, so I tend to forget to check on my threads. I'm working on trying to make it a habit to reply to at least one thread a day, everyday, but it's taking time. ^_^

The merle and ivory woman smiled and nodded to Anann's comment about Stark. Heath had meant for Stark to be her horse, but she'd never given it a whole lot of thought prior to now. She enjoyed the gentle stallion's presence and the feel of his muscular form, and the fact that he liked her so much was an added plus. She was a bit surprised to find that he was so bonded to her, when she had not visited him as much as Heath had. She would have to try and visit him on her daily rounds throughout the pack, at least to just say hello.

When Anann left to get the brushes to teach Ruri how to groom Stark, the delicate optime could not help but giggle in excitement. Learning to groom her horse would be so much fun, as it was something she could do with her hands. It did not require her to see what she was doing, just feel. Plus, if she learned how to groom Stark, it would not be difficult to apply it to other horses. Perhaps she would be able to help Heath around the stables more.

Anann returned, and she stepped back to allow the woman to lead Stark out and tether him nearby. Leading her horse was something she would leave to the experts, for she was unsure if she would be able to lead him safely while being unable to see. What came next, however, was what Ruri was waiting for. Soleil had paused in his hunt momentarily to observe what his mistress and this new woman were doing, but quickly decided that it was not as fun as what he was doing. As Anann explained the rough bristle brush, the blind Dauphine instinctively reached her delicate hand out to touch the implement, which Anann held out for her. Her soft, white-furred fingers immediately analyzed and memorized the feel of the stiff bristles against her fingers. Anann's every word was taken to heart. She wanted to do this right. The same was done for the soft bristle brush that Anann explained next. "Okay, so I just brush like this?" she questioned as she clasped the stiff brush in her hands and gently ran it over a small area of Starks' neck, holding it against him with just enough firmness to loosen the dirt, which she felt for with her free hand. If Anann touched her hands to show her, Ruri wouldn't mind, in fact she would prefer it. She did not mind physical contact when it involved showing her how to do something. It was things such as hugs and other contact that she generally reserved until she knew someone a bit better.

Anann Kelevra · 05-18-2010, 11:12 PM

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Anann watched as Ruri took her first few strokes at brushing out her horse. She had always seen grooming as a bonding moment. It was nice to be able to help her Dauphine learn the task. Anann smiled as she watched the blind woman brush with one had while the other trailed behind it, feeling for the results. The only humor she found in it was that she did the same thing. "Yup, just like that. Your doing just fine. I usually start at the neck and work my way back, working from top to bottom just like you are." The neck and sides of the horse were often the easiest. Being vertical, dirt and dander did not settle as heavily in those areas as it did along the backs of the horses. "Their backs can be a little dirtier than their necks and sides. Do you mind if I show you?" She asked, not wanting to startle the woman with her guiding touch. She gripped the brush over Ruri's hand. Careful not pinch her fingers or squeeze too hard. "It helps to kick the dirt up, if you kinda roll the brush like this." She explained. As she guided Ruri, brushing along the horse's spine in short strokes. Starting the stroke with just the leading edge of the brush touching the beast, using more downward force than with a normal brush stroke she rolled her wrist, bring the rest of the brush into contact, and just as quickly lifting the bristles away again, creating a sort of flicking motion. The motion was not nearly as harsh or fast as Anann normally did it, but she was simply trying to teach Ruri the motion anyway. "That's how I do it anyway. A regular brush stroke would work too, if you prefer."

Anann leaned against an empty stall most of the time, just watching. Stark seemed to be enjoying himself. His head low and relaxed. Though he listened to the women with one ear pointed back in their direction. Anann had yet to meet a horse that did not enjoy a good brushing. Having grown up around the equine beast, the tasks of their use and care had become second nature. Grooming had not required active thought from her in years and so it wasn't until well into the process than Anann thought of basic tips she should have told Ruri in the beginning. "I forgot to tell you Ruri. The horses shed pretty bad this time of year. By now your brush is probably clogged with hair. If it feels more like its gliding over the horse rather than the bristles giving you some resistance it probably needs cleaned out." When the time came to clear out the brush the first time, Anann showed Ruri how to clear the hair by starting to lift it form the bristles at one of the edges. More often than not most of the hair would come out in one mat. Hopefully not making the process to difficult for the blind woman.

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Ruri Aceline · 05-24-2010, 06:11 PM

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Ruri :] 2

The blind Border collie was focused intently on brushing Stark. Her left hand felt around for the dirt and then her right hand dragged the brush over the area, with just a bit of pressure. She sure hoped she was doing this well. She did not want to brush Stark badly. He was such a nice horse, and he deserved only the best care. Anann's encouragement made Ruri feel a bit better about her work thus far, and when the more experienced woman offered to show her the proper technique the Dauphine could not help but nod eagerly. "I don't mind at all. I was actually just about to ask you if you would show me," she replied, smiling excitedly. This was lots of fun, and Anann seemed to be enjoying the opportunity to teach her. It was clear that the two women were going to be fast friends, for they already seemed to be predicting one anothers' questions and actions as friends do.

As Anann stood behind her, placing her hand on Ruri's and showing her the proper level of pressure to apply as well as the proper motion, the lautari listened attentively to each and every instruction the Kelevra woman gave. The sensitive optime also couldn't help but memorize the feel of Anann's hand against hers. This woman was very strong, far stronger than she was. Perhaps she was a bit of a warrior, or something of that nature. Her hands felt rough, and yet a feminine gentleness lurked beneath the roughness. When the Anann had finished showing her, Ruri smiled, her nightingale voice chiming, "Thanks Anann, I think I've got the hang of this now."

In fact she did, she finished up with brushing Stark's neck, and was starting on the shoulders. She had started to notice the brush was sliding along the stallion's shoulders far easier than it had when she had first started on his neck. It was just then that Anann spoke up again, this time addressing a potential problem that might arise from the fact that horses shed their hair a lot at this time of year. Her brush was probably clogged. Then, before Ruri could get her mouth open to ask, the other woman was right there showing her how to remove the hair from the brush so that she could keep going. "Thanks again, Anann. I really like doing this, it's a lot of fun. Maybe sometime, when Heath's around, we can all go for a ride together or something like that. Maybe you can come over to our cabin to have dinner sometime. Heath and I are getting pretty good at cooking together." The invitation was something Ruri was more than happy to extend. She was really enjoying Anann's company and since Heath and Anann were already friends it only made sense to invite her over. The only one in their little family who had yet to meet Anann officially was Soleil and he was too busy hunting mice to meet her at the moment.

Anann Kelevra · 05-27-2010, 04:31 PM

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Anann tried to mindful of the other woman's lack of sight as she showed her the basics of grooming her horse. Hoping that she was explaining thing in a relevant manner for her. As she watched her work the brush of the horse Anann could help but wonder what it would be like to live without the power of sight. It was not the most powerful of their sense, but to have to orient one's self in the world without it would still have its challenges. Obviously this woman had grown accustom to them though. She seemed to have little trouble groom the horse. "He is certainly enjoying himself. He looks like he is trying to take a nap. His eyelids starting to droop." She laughed, Stark turning an ear to her comment.

She was glad Ruri was enjoying herself. "You're welcome Ruri. I thought you might enjoy this. Its no trouble at all." Anann's tail fanned softly behind her. "That sounds like a lovely idea. We should go for a ride sometime." Anann was sure Rem wouldn't have any objections if Lumiere was going along. Her stallion had become quite attached to Heath's mare. "Dinner would be nice too. Perhaps once I have a place of my own, you and Heath could come over sometime as well." She wouldn't have Ruri being the only ones to play hostess.

Anann picked up a comb and move a few steps to Rem's stall. She only picked at a few of the knots in the horse's unruly mane as she watched Ruri with Stark. "So how did you and Heath meet?" Anann asked, making conversation. She was curious too. Wanting to know a little more about her friend. She could tell he loved her very much by the way he had spoken about her. She figured there was no harm in asking how it had all gotten started.

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Ruri Aceline · 06-01-2010, 11:43 PM

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Ruri :] 2

Stroke after gentle stroke the lautari continued to brush the dirt from her pale steed's fur. Every so often she paused to remove the excess fur clogging the brush, just as Anann had shown her. "That's right, horses sleep standing up. I almost forgot!" she giggled in response to Anann's comment. The slight woman was happy that her horse was enjoying himself, after all that had been her goal in learning to brush him. Ruri couldn't quite fathom sleeping while standing up, purely because she enjoyed the feeling of sleeping on a nice soft bed, with her mate's arms wrapped around her. She could not imagine wanting to sleep any other way. However, the more she thought about it, it made lots of sense that a horse that spent so much time on its feet would sleep standing up.

When Anann agreed that they should all go for a ride as a group sometime, Ruri nodded showing her excitement at the idea. She could almost picture it in her head, sort of. All three of them would be talking, Heath on Lumiere, Anann on Rem, and she on Stark. It would be just grand! At the return invitation to come over and eat with Anann when her home was finished, the lautari replied, "Oh definitely, we'd love to come. Let me know if you need any help finding things for your house. When I moved into the cabin, it had old pieces of furniture already inside, so I didn't have to go searching, but I know of a few places in Lunenburg that have some furniture. We'll have to work on that," she replied, almost dead set on the idea that she would help Anann furnish her soon to be built home. Ruri was fairly useless when it came to most manual labor, but she knew where to find good, soft pillows, blankets, even the odd chair or two in Lunenburg. She did not doubt that she could help Anann find all the stuff she might need to make her house more comfortable to live in.

The question that came from the other woman caught Ruri a bit off guard. She had to pause for a moment, in her brushing to think back to the day, remembering every detail vividly. No one had ever asked her about how she and Heath had met before. It was one of her favorite memories, and yet she had not been given the opportunity to tell it. Once satisfied with how she would answer Anann's question, Ruri resumed brushing Stark and began, "Well, it was almost a year ago now, before the pack was formed even. Jacquez and I had just been in a shipwreck off the coast of these lands, and I had washed ashore separated from him. A few days after I was rescued and brought to safety, I was sitting outside the cabin which at the time I shared with another woman, one of the pack's founding members. She was gone for the day, and I hadn't lived in the area long enough to know my way around. I was really depressed and worried about Jacquez. I worried that he had died and that I'd never see him again. I must confess that when I get sad I have a tendency to get very depressed as well," she paused for a second to catch her breath and gather her thoughts before continuing,"Anyway, Heath had just happened to be walking down the beach when he saw me sitting beside the cabin crying. In all honesty he surprised me and I was a bit frightened at first. But he apologized for startling me, and then...we got to talking and basically, he encouraged me. He made me feel better. It was weird, because at the time we were complete strangers to each other, but we ended up having a really good talk and when we were done I wasn't so sad anymore. From that day forward he just started visiting me more and more often until he actually joined the pack when it formed...the rest is history." With her story finished, she turned towards Anann, milky blue eyes dancing about randomly, ears focused on the woman, listening for her response.

Anann Kelevra · 06-04-2010, 11:35 PM

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sorry if this post is kinda fail, been having issues getting the muse fired up =\

The Dauphine's offer to help Anann furnish her home made her realize she had not even thought about it. A table at the very least would certainly be nice. Though she had no clue what she would do for a bed. She had been months with out a true bed, often sleeping against the side of her horse. Things to worry about once the house was actually built, until then such thoughts were just daydreams. That would be great! I hadn't even started to think about furniture yet. If they were to come up for supper sometime she would certainly need somewhere for them to be able to sit and eat. It wasn't often Anann scavenged for human items preferring to make whatever she could or finding another luperci that could when she needed something. Of coarse that was more easily done back home.

Anann worked at untangling the unruly mass of Rem's mane as Ruri told the story of how she and Heath had met. It had taken the a moment to start the story and Anann had waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts. It was a surprise to the golden fem to hear that Ruri had been in the shipwreck with Jacquez. She had not realized that she had accompanied the king here. When the lautari paused in her story, Anann held back her questions about her sea voyage. Waiting for the rest of the story of her and Heath's meeting. Such a sweet story. That sounds like Heath, he seems to be quite protective of the things he loves. She had seen his protective nature in action when he had learned of Rem's pregnancy. She was sure he would always do what he could to keep the cloud of sadness away from his lovely mate.

She was amazed by the number of wolves she had met that had traveled to this area by boat. She had no idea that the method of travel was so widely used. Though they were close to the shore, so perhaps it was only natural. I've never traveled on the ocean before. What was it like? She was earnestly curious and was finding Ruri very easy to talk to. She had not really asked any of the others about their sea voyages. Although Anatoliy had seemed to have a great love of the sea.

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Ruri Aceline · 06-08-2010, 07:43 PM

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No worries, my muse is lazy too.

At Anann's acceptance of her offer, Ruri laughed lightheartedly. Of course she hadn't thought about furniture yet, the house was not even built. Ruri had a way of bringing things up before they were really needed. It was just the way that her mind worked, always trying to plan ahead. "Well, whenever the time comes to start thinking about it, just come find me and we'll go furniture hunting," she replied goodnaturedly. She would eagerly help Anann find any and all furniture she needed for her house.

The golden woman's assessment of her mate was met with an agreeable nod from Ruri. She hit the nail right on the head. Her Heath was certainly protective. She always felt safe with him around. "Yes, that's definitely true," she agreed as she slowly started to move around to Stark's other side. She had finished brushing him as thoroughly as possible on one side, and now she had to switch. With Ruri's mention of the sea, it was only natural that Anann should ask about it. Few luperci traveled by ship it seemed, so curiosity about the subject was to be expected. The slate and white lautari was more than prepared for the question as it came. "Well, it's definitely different than travelling on land. There's a lot more stuff to worry about. You have to have a good understanding of the tides, the various weather patterns, and the stars. At least, that's what I learned from the sailors. I usually helped out around the ship, not so much with the actual sailing part. Driving anything without eye-sight is fairly difficult," she paused and laughed, briefly contemplating the various cries of terror she would have heard from the deckhands had Jacquez ever tried to let her steer the ship. She remembered how all the deckhands loved her, for she had loved them as she did all of her friends, but as with most people there were certain points at which they drew the line. "Another thing, is that your body has to get used to travelling on the water, which is almost always moving in some way shape or form, up and down, side to side and stuff like that. They call it getting your sea legs. It basically means your ability to travel around the ship without tripping or getting sick to your stomach from all the movement. When I was little and first started going on voyages, I used to get sick to my stomach all the time. Jacquez practically had to carry me around the entire time to make sure I was alright. Sailing takes a bit of getting used to, but once you do it's a lot of fun." she commented, her long winded answer finally complete. If there was one thing Ruri was good at, it was answering questions to the very best of her ability.

Anann Kelevra · 06-14-2010, 11:13 PM

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Her home would need to be built first before there was a need to think of furnishings but hopefully that day was not too far away. She had thought heavily about the things she would need making her leather. But until she had her own place to keep the hides and leathers at of the rain there was no rush on those things either. Still Anann couldn't help but get a little excited thinking about things for her home. She wouldn't need much unlike her father she had never been on for things especially those that had been left behind. Human things where for humans. Anann's own size made it difficult to find many of the artifacts useful. Preferring the larger luperci made tools and furniture. Though those seemed to be a rare commodity here.

Ruri was the first to really explain sea travel in a way that shed any true insight on what one could expect out on the water. While the woman certainly couldn't see her, Anann listened intently nodding out of habit as she went about her explanation. I grew up far west of here. So I really don't anything about the ocean. I haven't even touched it yet. Now that she found herself close to the sea she needed to educate herself about it. She doubted it would ever become a major aspect of her though. She was quite the land lover. As bound to her horse as she was it was only natural. Is getting your sea legs anything like learning to balance on a horse? She wondered if being used to balance with the trot or gallop of a horse would give her an advantage on a ship. Although water is much different from flesh and bone. It wasn't as if she planned on finding herself out at sea anyway.

Anann laughed. It had started with Her teaching Ruri how to groom Stark and now it was Anann that seemed to be asking all the questions. Feel free to ask me anything you like. I seem to be bombarding you with questions. There was little in her life that Anann was unwilling to talk about and such subject could easily be skirted around without much fuss.

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Ruri Aceline · 06-25-2010, 05:52 PM

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So sorry for the delay, been busy and super lazy. Hard tobelieve that I am off for summer, have all the time in the world and am so behind in my threads. I am making a change starting today

The silver and ivory collie woman continued to meticulously groom her pale, dappled steed as she listened to Anann's words. Ruri could not imagine living where there was no ocean, being completely landlocked. Of course, this was because she had grown up around it, but the thought of growing up differently just seemed so strange to her. "Well Anann, we'll have to see if we can do something about that. The ocean is one of the best things in the world, especially on a hot summer day. Maybe we could go swimming sometime too," she replied, extending yet another offer for a friendly get together. Ruri was booking her entire summer schedule and the season had barely started. That was just the way the innocent, friendly girl liked things, though, busy and full of fun. The way she figured it, the more fun she was having with her friends the less of a chance she would have to get upset about anything, which didn't happen often. This was merely a precaution of sorts.

"I suppose you could say getting your sea legs is like getting used to balancing on a horse. Balance is balance after all. With so much experience on a horse, you'd probably do just fine on a boat or ship," the Dauphine explained. In all truth, walking around on most ships wasn't hard to get used to. Most of them had some sort of railing to steady oneself while getting used to sailing. At the offer to ask any question she felt like Ruri had just finished brushing Stark with her current brush. Knowing that there were other brushes for different tasks Ruri turned towards Anann's voice, "What brush do I use next? Oh and why don't you tell me about where you're from? I'm sort of bad at asking lots of question so I'll try to think of a few more," she giggled, milky blue eyes dancing around, occasionally making eye contact with Anann if only for a millisecond. She was usually better at making conversation, but trying to talk while learning to groom her horse was more difficult than one might think.

Anann Kelevra · 07-06-2010, 11:28 PM

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The mysterious sea originally had held little interest for Anann. She had been interested to see it for a first time but she had been content to watch it from afar. The waves thundering against the steep slopes of the shattered coast. She had found it rather intimidating in all honesty. The more she talked to others, like the Russian man she had met, she found her self growing more and more curious. Anatoliy had certainly seemed enthralled with his journey across it's wide expanse. That's what everyone keeps telling me. She was perhaps a little leery of the sea but she was not completely opposed to it. Its been a long time since if gone for a swim for any reason aside from a bath. I suppose it would be fun. She had went swimming a few times with her siblings but that had always involved more splashing and rough-housing than actual swimming.

Anann had let herself become slightly distracted by an unyielding knot in her own horse's mane. She could spend all day on him mane alone and still not get every snag and tangle. A simple shake of his mane would recreate most of what could quickly be undone. So she found herself a bit unprepared when Ruri had finished with the brush she had started with. Um, well. Do you think you need to go over him again with the softer brush? She asked as she walked over to take a look at Stark. If you wanted to it would probably be okay to start on his mane or tail with a comb. His coat looks pretty clean. Has a good, healthy shine. The light in the stables was dim but even still one could see the clean, healthy glean of the horses coat. Anann picked up the brush as well as the comb she already had in hand, just in case.

Certainly, perhaps it will help you find you to other questions.Despite her reasons for leaving her home land, Anann was still able to think of it fondly. I grew up in a wolf built city called Tosawi. We had a stables a lot like this. Full of horses. Riding horses. Draft horses. She skipped the war horses, even though that was the category Rem fit into. Many of the old structures left behind were too rotted out, so many build there own cabins. Its not actually an old city ruin, there is no concrete or steel buildings. Only wood and brick. There is also blacksmiths and butchers as well as cheese makers and dress shops. Some live in the city, others outside of it near the pastures and fields.

Ruri Aceline · 07-13-2010, 01:22 PM

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ooc goodnesssss

The slate and ivory collie couldn't help but smile and nod as Anann acknowledged the potential fun of going for a swim. For Ruri, there were few things more enjoyable than the ocean. The fact that she had been raised on the coast was likely to blame, but one would never hear her complaining. In many ways, the ocean fit a portion of her personality. She tried more often than not to just go with the flow, but occasionally her emotions could come crashing down like heavy waves in a storm. In a way it was fitting that Ruri loved the ocean so much, for it was almost a kindred spirit of sorts.

Anann's question regarding the next step of Stark's grooming, led Ruri to run her hands over the muscular body of her stallion. It certainly did not feel like she needed to go over him again with a soft brush. In fact, she was slightly surprised that he was so clean, seeing as it had been her first time grooming him. "Yes, I think starting on his mane and tail would be alright. His fur feels clean to me, otherwise," she replied, patting Stark gently on the neck. It was amazing how still Stark stood when Ruri was near him. He barely ever seemed to move, if only just to shift his stance slightly. Once or twice when Ruri had been brushing him, he had turned his head back to look at her. For the most part, though, he had been dozing off and on, content in the affections of his blind caretaker. Soleil, on the other hand, was just finishing his hunt. Having caught and consumed several mice, he was returning full and ready to check on his mistress. From the loft, the great orange kitten leapt down to some of the lower rafters of the stables, before climbing his way down to sit neatly on the door of Stark's stall, his bushy tail swishing back and forth contentedly. A quiet meow was all that it took to alert Ruri to his presence, and the Dauphine quickly turned her head towards the sound, wanting to return his greeting. "Back already, Soleil? That was quick! I bet those mice had no idea what was coming. Oh, Anann, this is Soleil, my cat. Heath and I found him in the stables a month or two ago, and he's been with us ever since." Having introduced her orange kitty to her new friend, Ruri patiently awaited Anann's teaching on how to properly comb out Stark's mane and tail.

Meanwhile, Anann answered Ruri's inquiry, much to the delight of the Dauphine. She loved learning about her friends, especially where they were from. The description of the town of Tosawi sounded far better than the crowded, port towns that Ruri had been brought up in, mostly from the fact that the town was built by luperci, for luperci. Such a place sounded quite marvelous. The fact that the town had large, full stables also fascinated the blind girl. "What are draft horses? So far, I'm only familiar with riding horses. In all honesty, I didn't even know that there were different types," She commented, hoping to learn more about these fascinating creatures that her mate loved so much. "It certainly sounds, like it was a nice place. It's the first, wolf built city I've ever hear of," she replied, expressing her genuine interest for the subject. Though she could not see, Ruri still could imagine what such a place smelled like, sounded like, or even felt like. It was likely quite the pleasant place to live.

Anann Kelevra · 07-18-2010, 03:24 PM

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When Anann had first met the pale stallion she had thought him rather simple minded. With time Anann had learned he was simply just a calm and docile creature did not mean that he had a dull wit at all. He lacked the fire that burned in horses like Rem and Drogon, but that was exactly what made him a perfect match for the merle woman. Anann agreed with Ruri that it was time for the comb. Stark had not been filthy after all. Heath kept all the horses in the stables well cared for. So it probably hadn't been all that long since the last time the pale horse had been groomed. Anann took the brush from Ruri, trading her for the comb. Combing out his mane and tail isn't much different from combing out your own hair. You'll want to start at the bottom and work your way up so you don't make any of the knots tighter. Stark had a more typical mane and tail, lacking the unruly mass of curls that Rem owned. His scalp is much thicker too, so don't worry if you pull a bit. A good strong yank of the comb would certianly cause discomfort, but Ruri hardly seemed the type that would be rough with, well anything.

There were a few feral cats that lingered around the stables from time to time. Anann rarely caught more than a glimpse of the the skitish critters. The silent arrived of the quite large orange cat took Anann slightly by surprise, though he didn't startle her. Meowing quietly for his mistress's attentions, Anann couldn't help but smile. It seemed the blind woman had quite a relationship with those that surrounded her. Cat's were one thing Anann had little to no experience with and she was not quite sure exactly how she was to greet Soleil. Anann stretched her hand out the cat to let him sniff her if he wished and maybe she would pet him if he would allow it. He is gorgeous. I haven't seen a cat this up close before. Feral cats she had seen, but one rarely got within a few yards of one of those before they darted away. He seems quite large for as young as he appears. He was certainly larger than the other cats she had seen around the stables.

There were things Anann missed about home. Though as much as she might miss it she had already decided that there was never any going back. If her leaving was to mean anything she could not return. Her mind on that fact had been made before she had even left in the first place. The resolve she had set kept her from getting too home sick. Though that didn't mean she couldn't still carry the happier memories with her and look back on them fondly. Draft horses are quite larger than horses used for riding, taller and heavy muscled. They are work horses, used to pull heavy carts or loads and plow fields for planting. True drafts were larger than the friesian breed that Rem was descended from. Rem is what some would call a light draft. He is larger than the average horse, but lighter than a true draft breed. The friesians made perfect horses for the cavalry. Large enough to easily care the large luperci warriors but still light and agile. The city they protected had certainly been a wondrous place to grow up. The common wolves there were good souls, it was the upper classes that had become tainted and vile. It was for the good of the common that she had left. Hoping that without her protection they could at last see that darkness at their core and smother it. It is a rare place. They say the founders of the city originally raided libraries, gathering the knowledge they needed to make it thrive. How best to plant and harvest and care for the livestock. As well as things like making cloth and steel. How to build homes and buildings from logs and brick. As far as Anann knew the search for more books and knowledge still went on. The more the city could learn the more it would grow. Following the guidance of the information left behind by a civilization lost was easier that discovering the technology all anew.

Ruri Aceline · 07-22-2010, 10:49 PM

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ooc goodnesssss

Anann's instructions were easily understood, especially because Ruri was quite used to combing her own hair. Having such a long mane of her own made the task of combing Stark's all the easier. Delicate hands worked with surprising swiftness and agility, one holding the stallion's mane and the other gently drawing the comb through it to rid it of any tangles.

Having been introduced by his mistress, Soleil turned towards the strong looking woman standing adjacent to her. Soleil's initial assessment that she was friendly was quickly proven correct as the woman stretched her hand towards him, offering him the opportunity to familiarize himself with her scent. His sensitive nose sniffed the hand, merely for the sake of being polite before his rough, salmon pink tongue caressed her fingers in his own seal of approval. It was about this time that Ruri responded to Anann's compliment, "I'm sure he's grateful for you saying so, Anann. He's definitely unlike any other cat I've ever met as well. Most wouldn't come within ten feet of me. I never even knew what a cat felt like before I met him." There was a brief pause as Ruri found herself untangling a small knot in Stark's pale mane, "I don't really have a source of comparison, but other people have said similar things. He's just my big fluffy kitty, I guess," she finished with a smile, directed towards the large kitten. Soleil responded with a purr of approval, but otherwise remaining quietly perched atop the stall door, his green eyes fixed on his mistress.

Anann's description of draft horses made left Ruri contemplating how such a massive horse felt to the touch. Stark was a muscular horse, as far as Ruri could tell, but imagining a horse much bigger than her was quite difficult. Such a beast would be a handful to take care of even if it was tame. "They sound fascinating. I wonder if we'll ever have any in these stables. I suppose that would depend on whether or not someone brought one with them or if Heath found one in the wild herd, which probably isn't all that likely. Oh well, it's nice to think about," she replied, not at all deterred by the idea that she might never get a chance to meet a true draft horse.

The further description Anann gave, the more the Dauphine's mind worked to imagine such a place. A place where knowledge was one of the most highly valued things. It certainly sounded delightful, so long as the knowledge was used for good. "Knowledge is a powerful thing. The way I see it, it can do just as much good as it can harm depending upon who has it. That seems to be the case with a lot of things in this world, come to think of it," the petite Border collie responded, her hands finishing with the mane and slowly guiding her down towards Stark's tail. For the moment she was lost as far as another question to ask. Perhaps it would come to her in a moment.

Anann Kelevra · 07-29-2010, 01:47 PM

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How do you feel about starting to wrap this up? I've kinda overloaded myself on threads a bit =/

Anann couldn't help but notice the long whiskers of the cat as he sniffed at the fingers she had offered. Wolves had whiskers too, of coarse. As did the horses but they were nothing like the long ridged hairs the cat donned on the end of its maw. Twitching as he sniffed at her fingerpads. As the cat licked her fingers she couldn't resist a slight giggle as the sandpaper tongue tickled as it caressed over her pad. I didn't know they had rough tongues. It feels so odd. It tickles almost. Admittedly she didn't really know anything about cats. She moved slowly to stroke the cat along his back. Unsure if he would appreciate her touch or not.

Despite their large size, Anann had always found the large draft breeds to be rather docile creatures. It would be nice to have a couple around the stables but the pack really had little need for the work horses. Rem and stark were both large and stout enough to do any light work the pack might need. The draft would probably end up being very large mouths to feed through the winter months. They are magnificent, I just don't know if we would have a use for them here. Though if the ever happened to come across one Anann could probably find some use for the beast. There were a few luperci large enough to use one for riding as well, really.

Anann was impressed with Ruri's insight on knowledge and its possible dangers. It was as close as anyone had ever come to summing why exactly she had left Tosawi on their own. You're right, sadly and that's why I left more or less. Knowledge gives power and all to often power leads to corruption. Corruption had taken seed at the top of the Tosawi hierarchy the only way Anann could hope of out rooting it was in leaving and hoping that in her absences the truth could be seen by the common wolves.

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