Starting a new
#1
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Sorry it's short. ^_^
Maria followed leisurely as Mati led the newly accepted she-wolf toward Haven Manor to meet their alpha. Such an event would have surely made Maria nervous if it were not for her curious nature. All the new sights and smells of the Crimson Dreams pack lands were interesting; a great contrast to the barren McNamara’s Landing. The first landmark was the Skip Caves that they skirted, followed a fallen barn once called Old Red and finally the Manor came into view.





Maria was amazed. The building was in excellent condition and it was the first human structure she had seen as such. Most of the human buildings were worn and crumbling but the Manor stood tall and proud in its lush emerald surroundings. She could not help but admire as Mati led her inside. Maria was glad to be inside the cooler house, it was extremely warm outside, a whopping 80 degree increase from the average -22 degree weather up in the tundra. It would take a little time for her two-layered coat to shed and until then she will have to deal.


























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#2
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yay! replying once with Mati, and then with Anu to give the big old IC welcome! I think it would be great if others joined too, to really welcome her into the pack Big Grin!



As the two wolves roamed the Dreaming landscape Mati pointed out the few land marks that they passed. She lingered for a moment at Old Red, the memories of its crashing playing back through her mind and making her uneasy. But they moved on, chatting lightly, but now pressing upon anything that delved deeper into either of their lives. She wanted Maria to meet her mother, as well as the others that lived inside the Manor.

She smiled as she watched Maria's reaction to the large house. Of course she had grown up in it, the thought of not having such a roof over her head was a bit out of the ordinary, though she understood that many lived in different ways. It was always interesting to see one's reaction to it if they had never known such a ways of life. Of course Mati was grateful that Maria accepted this new place as her own.

I'll get my mother. Mati voiced, breaking the silence. She's carrying a litter, so she'll likely be resting in her room. Stay here. She spoke the words with a smiled, giving the white female the little details of her mother pregnancy that would help explain why Anu had not been able to meet them out in the middle of the territory, or even why Mati was reluctant to wake her with a howl. The brown wolfess took to the stairs, paws light and quiet on the hardened wood.


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#3
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:]

The Lt. General walked down the stairs with care. The older female stuck close to the old mansion normally, but of course her ventures would coming to an end completely soon enough. Mati followed close behind, having told the second in command all about the new pack member that she had left to get settled in the common area of the first floor. The elder's belly hung lower then normal, rounded at the sides of her naturally lean physic and Anu took care that her foot was always stable. She was silver tipped, tan based and accented with the dark grays of her Timber blood. Her eyes looked at the new pale female with a bright cerulean gaze, one of warmth.

The large wolfess that walked along with her was her daughter, but not by any blood relation. Mati resemble for of her birth mother, her size at least. Anu approached the lavender eyes female, her presence on that radiated a peace and calm that had only come to her with age. I am Anu. Mati has told me that you've traveled far and long Maria. her voice was an extension of the energy that she projected. She speaks of your talents and respect, and I trust her opinion. Your welcome to stay here as long as you'd like. The female gave a smile, and could not help but notice a hint of fatigue in the fey. The blue eyed woman looked to the Earthen colored Major, giving her a nod to dismiss her. Her saw the bright purple eyes look to the newcomer and then with a nod of her own was gone.

The gray wolfess turned back to Maria You'll need rest, would you like to sit? She said as she looked to the plush furniture that littered the common area. She was free to rest, Or I could show you around. It was up to the other female, and though Anu wished to know more about the female it was important to allow the new member time to settled in the new environment.


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300+
#4
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352 wc
Nodding, lilac eyes watched as Mati ascended the stairs to the upper floor. There she stood, frozen in the room’s center, looking at all its creation and she was in awe. Although, she found it abnormal that wolves lived in a human house comfortably. The fea shook her pure coat as a peculiar feeling sunk in. This was now her home, and no matter how unnatural it felt at first, Maria was sure she would come to love its beauty and mystery.





As Maria waited, her mind seemed to flip through sights and sounds on its own. 'A daydreamer from the beginning,' her mother had scolded. She was excited about Mati’s mother expecting pups. Such an event was celebrated to the fullest; a hunt, singing, playing and more. Maria expected the traditions were different here and tried to get a handle on her enthusiasm. The she-wolf’s ears twitched as they detected movement and her eyes turned to the stairs. Maria was surprised as she looked over Anu’s attributes. Small build, sand and grey coat, blue eyes, she looked nothing like Mati. Anu looked heavily of some wolf species she had never seen and like home, the Arctics.





Maria bowed low and showed her submissive body language before rising back up and greeting the Lieutenant General with a smile. The female wolf radiated a calming presence and Maria could not help but like the old girl. The arctic nodded as Anu spoke of traveling far and smiled as Anu welcomed her to stay in Crimson Dreams. The elder’s aqua eyes looked Maria over carefully and missed nothing. Mati was dismissed and the two she-wolves looked back at each other, the one present and one future.





Maria smiled as the wolf offered a tour of the house and refused gracefully. “I can have someone else take me through another time. For now, let’s rest… both of us.” Having the heavily pregnant wolfess escort her throughout the large house seemed cruel. Maria delicately sat, as if not to damage the fine flooring and watched Anu curiously before allowing her eyes to examine the room again.











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#5
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The other’s submissive response was appreciated; a sign of respect and intelligence but it was not necessary. They lived together was a known sense of servitude, respect and trust. Physical signs of it were not needed, for the wolfess could sense that energy that propelled her to place her ears on her skull, lower her tail, her head. A pleasant smile was what the leader gave her.

Anu was grateful that Maria conceded to her fatigue and wished to simply stay in the common area of the Manor. Her own was creeping up on her, her belly heavy and weighing her down. Anu leapt gently onto the sot couch that furnished one side of the room, laying down slowly. Too often she slept like this, in the middle of the day and with the rest of the world moving past her. It was nice to simply have someone perhaps as tired as she was.

What takes you away from your last home, Maria? Anu wondered aloud, her eyes moving back to the pale face of the newcomer. It was not always an easy question to answer, but Anu wished to take the step and ask it.


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#6
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Not surprised by the question, Maria paused for a moment before answering the femme. “I lived with my family rather happily, the only misfortune being by father left when my brother and I were yet unborn. Of course, my mother had always told us he was dead rather than tell us he left. She was looked down upon for breeding with a stranger and it was even worse that he had left. It was not until my brother and I were a year and a half old that she finally revealed the secret.” Maria’s eyes softened, as if a past memory haunted her. “ He was a gray wanderer named Foalan, infected with Luperci that he had passed to us. That was the first time we had heard of Luperci. Until then, Castiel, my brother, and I felt different from the other Arctics. I was lucky enough to look like mother but she said Castiel was the reflection of Foalan. We were also larger than the others were, and more aggressive at that. Then there was this attraction to the moon. It culled us and protected us. Only Castiel and I seemed to feel its pull,” Maria’s voice trembled with fear. “and then it would change us into terrible beasts.” The fea looked at her paws and spread her toes apart to anxiously examine the soft webbing in between. “After mother finally revealed all that we were and about our father, Castiel became angry with her. He left a week later. I soon followed, but because I felt I needed to leave. My instinct told me to find where I belonged and I believe it was my father’s blood that led me here, somehow.”





Maria decided to leave it at that. She had already told the fea more than she probably wished to hear. “I’m sorry; I can be a little long winded. It is just…. I have not been in contact with other wolves in quite a while. Not since home.”



300+
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#7
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Everyone had their story, every beast their history. Anu had her own. It was long, filled with packs that she had once loved and the moved on as if they passing of a brisk wind had picked her up and whisked her away. She had her lovers, her enemies, her monsters. She had the family that she had been born to, the family that she had adopted, and the family that had adopted her. Children that had not been born to her and then those that would be, the ones that still grew inside. The stories could be long, some sort, many sad, the few that were happy always closest to heart. Maria told hers, and Anu happily accepted. Grateful that she could witness it, and that they other saw enough trust in her bright eyes to give her this moment of revealing.

She waited, quiet and with a sense of reflection in her face and gaze. Once she was finished, Anu shook her head at her apology, I am glad that you have found us. She explained, her voice soft as was it’s nature. You fear your new blood? She asked, not pressing but with understanding. It was important that she did not, and it was pertinent that she understood that such a thing was common and accepted with open arms. Anu missed her two-legged form, having to stay in this lupus condition while pregnant. Her garden did not fair well without her nimble fingers to weed between the flowers. Maria had come so far with what Anu felt was a misunderstanding of who she was and what her father had been. Anu would not pass judgment, good or bad upon the male, but his viral blood alone was not to be feared. It could be embraced, for Anu and the Dreamers would embrace her here, give her such safety that she needed not worry of being different in any way.



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300+
#8
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Sorry I took a little bit. ^_^ Been a tad busy lately. 300+

Maria admired the elder wolf. She was wise and waited respectfully to finish her story. The she-wolf nodded slowly as Anu asked if she feared her Luperci blood. Fear stems from the unknown, and having been left in the dark about her true blood did scare her. There was so much Maria did not understand about herself; the moon’s power over her and Castiel, and then there was the changing. Maria thought she was dying when it happened, although it felt as natural to her as walking or sleeping. Somehow, while in that form, the wolfess felt more alive and powerful than ever before. The ability to walk and touch as the humans did… but that was the most terrifying of all. For as far back as the fea could remember, the pack hated the humans for what they had done to the planet. Stories had been passed down, mostly those to scare pups, about their awful tyranny and how Fenris punished them for their wickedness. She did not want to be like the humans, evil.





Deep in thought, Maria peered at Anu with a look of distress. “Are we like them, humans, when we turn? Does it make us evil like they were? There is so much I do not understand about my condition and your way of life… but I want to know. I want to be proud of what I am and hone my skills for the sake of Crimson Dreams. I wish to be shunned no more. To be scared no more.” Maria remembered her fear of the pack when she had first turned. Before associating it with the full moon, thoughts of shifting in their presence haunted her. They would never understand. Castiel knew that as well; knew that they would never be able to be themselves while living there. Lilac eyes passed over the room again. How primitive their ways up north were, following the guidelines of Fenris, strictly wolves. Here, Maria felt she was safe to live as she was born. Here, wolves were something else entirely.

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#9
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no worries!!





It was the way Anu had always known life, she had never been a wolf without the ability to change but she could imagine what it was to be scared of it. They all had a time when they couldn’t shift. Either it be when they were young, and there was a magical wonderment attached to it, anxiety as well, or when like Anu was now, unable to and yearning for the ability once more. Anu knew well what it was to be scared, knew what it felt like to be discriminated against. She knew how it could be when running away from something that hated her for simply living. The wolfess was glad that Maria was able to find her way here. Crimson Dreams may not have some of the things that the other packs held, the lands, the strength. But they would always provide a safe haven for those that needed it. It was the Marias of the world, the lost and scared, that they had pledged to give refuge.

Her concerns were something Anu thought upon, her blue eyes looking off into the dim light of the room to examine. They returned to the white and black accented female, she needn’t be so upset. No. She assured her. Your mind won’t change, your love for the world around you doesn’t die. Her tone was soft as was natural for the female, but there was a stern note intertwined between the syllables. To my understanding, it is something in our biology that allows us to change. Anu did not read, and did not venture towards things that she knew would be beyond her. But from what she had been able to gather over her travels, they held an ability not a curse, just as a flower pollinated in the spring. She shook her head, There is nothing evil about it, and evil actions exist with and without one’s ability to change.

Anu did not like that Maria had been so alone in her early years, living without a loving mentor. Her voice was warm, no underlying tones of You will never be turned away from here, and there is not reason to be scared.



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#10
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300+

Relief. Maria could not help but feel that shred of hope emitted with Anu’s words. What an incredible journey lie before her, living is an awfully big adventure. She had to admit, learning to love her ability would take time…. Nevertheless, it is nothing the wolfess cannot handle. A weight seemed to lift from her snow flaked shoulders and the femme sighed in contempt. “Thank you Anu, your words of wisdom are exactly what my heart needed to hear. Having been turned away my entire life has taken its toll whether I wanted to admit it or not.” Maria’s tone heavy with ease she smiled warmly for the first time in ages. “The problem is I’ve been living under Fenris’s rule for so long… I do not understand your way of life. This will all time some time to settle in. Where do I start from here?”






Maria could not help but shutter in excitement. She was free to live her own way and no one could tell her otherwise. Whether it be under the same customs as up north or she take on the ways of the Luperci, she did not know yet… but it will be wonderful. Learning more about Luperci is the main priority but also finding my place in Crimson Dreams will be nice. Perhaps even find a mate and progress through the ranks. Maria’s fur tingled and her heart filled with joy. Yes, I will be happy here. Perhaps meeting some of the other pack members will help, some of them might know more. The Arctic’s lilac eyes gazed up at Anu. What a strange and lonely world this is. To be born alone and then return... still alone. All that and for what? Those few moments between the sadness and pain, that eases the suffering. At that moment, Maria made a pact with herself to never let those words, the words of her mother, haunt the femme again. I will prove her wrong, that there is a reason for me… and for Castiel to live.

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#11
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The older female lay on the soft couch, a reminded of the gentle cushion that the pack had created for her. Anu was happy here, happier then she had ever been before, and the thought that Maria had been persecuted in any way for simply being who she was did not settle with the wolfess. Everyone deserved to be happy, and here was where Anu hoped Maria would find hers.

Rejection hurts every living creature’s heart. She spoke from experience, the backs of many lover’s was the last of what Anu remembered of them, the teeth of few enemies still haunted her dreams at times.

There was room for growth and improvement in Crimson Dreams, as individuals and as a whole. If Maria wished to make improvements in her life, there was no better place in the Lt. General’s mind then here. To change the embedded teachings that Maria owned would take time, a thought that Anu passed along to the younger wolf. It might take time to understand that not all teachings apply to you, and who you are. Not everything that was taught applied to each individual. Picking and choosing morals to live by was not what Anu spoke of, but the application of beliefs did not fit them all. Anu was a worshiper of the sun, though the belief went nameless she followed it’s unyielding love and warmth for the creatures below it, it was a suitable deity to a tender of those that sought it’s light for life and nutrients.

Maybe you should find a room here, or a den if that suits you. Anu was once uneasy living indoors, and often chose a dug out den rather then a roof. There are many here that would love to come to know you. In the pack, and outside. We have many allies in the neighboring packs, my son lives in Cour des Miracles a pack east of here and along the shore. Anu explained. There were many beyond their borders that were friendly and approachable, though Anu assumed that she would wander only briefly and trespass lightly and with respect.


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#12
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Busy weekend ^_^ I have no idea why my boss persists on making me work such long hours on the weekend. It cannot be helped I suppose.

300+

It was true. Rejection by her own pack and the desertion of her father had left deep wounds but now was the time to start healing. Hopefully, this pack will accept the wolfess as she is, one of them, and Maria can finally start to accept that Luperci is just part of her. An ability not a curse. The Arctic’s small ears swiveled as rain drops began splashing on the windowsill outside. It was no surprise, for the smell of rain came far before the actual storm, but the femme ached to run among the water droplets: to feel their cool, refreshing presence on her travel worn fur. Perhaps it will help her shed some of the unwanted undercoat that was unneeded in this summer heat.





Maria thought for a moment about Anu’s suggestion to either live in a den or live in the house. Small steps I suppose. She decided sleeping in a den would suite her best now. “Anu, I have decided to stay in a den. Just for the moment until I can adjust to your life style here. ” She paused for a moment, not sure if she would sound rude by asking. “May I be excused? I wish to start looking for a den immediately… and well… I do love the rain.” She smiled, almost embarrassed to say such a thing. It was one of her favorite pastimes up North, watching the rain fall over her home valley in blankets that obscured the distance. The vixen also enjoyed snow. Maria always felt safe and powerful in the presence of snow, perhaps it was her victory over it those first few weeks or even just the fact that it made her almost invisible. To her, snow was a kind friend that had a furious side. Someone she respected.

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#13
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I'll close this one Smile


Anu gave a nod, perfectly content with the other female finding her own way around the Dreaming lands. It was important that she took the initiative and begin to build her new life. If she had needed it Anu would have helped her further, but she was glad that Maria was comfortable enough to roam that lands and find a place to settle herself without the Lt. General by her side. Make yourself at home. Anu answered with blue eyes soft and relaxed, just as was the rest of her body.

A nap was tugging at her mind, calling to her and if she did not get up and walk around the Manor she would likely be caught sleeping the entire day away. Of course the rain did not help, and though Maria might love it Anu found no need to get her already uncomfortable body wet. Instead she let the pale wolfess leave the house with what Anu hoped was a better sense of who she was and what she could become as a member of their pack. Anu shifted on the couch, and then leaned her head down against the cushion.

A walk was quickly out of the question, for a nap was always the better option. Her eyes fluttered closed, happy that her daughter had brought them a new pack member; a new life to add to those that already thrived within the boundaries of Crimson Dreams.


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