snips, snails, and puppy-dog tails [aw]
#1
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ooc: all welcomed :3


Gideon often woke very suddenly from his nightmares, and this morning was no exception. He had been up most of the night, unable to make himself fall asleep, and when he had finally gotten to dream-land the visions had come to him. He kept dreaming of the night that his mother's spirit had left her body, and of the morning after when they had tried to wake her. They were very eerie dreams. He had been trying to forget about Mama, but it was hard when he kept dreaming about her every night.

The charcoal pup nudged at the door in front of him, the one that would lead out of the house, and managed to get it open after a few tries. He started down the front steps and stopped when he reached the bottommost one, plopping his behind down on it. Conor and Bris had been very nice to him with letting him live there with them...he had never been in a house before in his life, and was finding it to be very likable. It sheltered him from all of the elements.

Turquoise eyes looked out toward the lands beyond the yard of the house. He hadn't done much exploring yet, having been focusing on getting his scratches to heal up good, and was wondering what the lands of Dahlia had in them. What was it that made his Aunt Bris want to live here? He lifted his nose up, sniffing at the breeze. Gideon was beginning to lose his old scent, the scent of his siblings and mother..he was taking on the smell of Dahlia. He no longer could recognize that the smell of Dahlia was odd in any way. It smelled normal to him. He let out a small yawn and shook his fur out, standing up again. Maybe he would find something interesting out in Dahlia today.

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#2
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Sorry for the novel James XDI don’t know what happened here. Promise not to ramble on again. 1277 wc

The residence was overflowing now and Nayru imagined she could feel the energy throbbing and pulsing in the house. It made the boards creak in the night when no one walked and it pressed at the walls and the windows, wanting to burst forth and release its’ self upon Dahlia. Or so it felt this way to Nayru, at least when a good number of them were at home. Just recently there had been the addition of two adults and one more child into Conor’s orphanage and the energy she felt now was almost overwhelming. Not that it was unpleasant, truly they were all pure souls and their energy positive if not at times unsettled, but Nayru felt that she was unlike them. They emitted and she received, and what if her soul was to soak up too much from them? Would she burst, tear and rip at her own seams? It wasn’t that she didn’t want to connect and be a part of them, one of the energy-conductors, she just didn’t know how. Connections before had been preset: mother, father and sisters. There had never been any complications, one never had to work to understand another; life had been simple with simple souls.

Now the dream child had to watch and listen and still she didn’t understand. Vark was kind and the sight of him a comfort to her at times and Vesle, Dexter and Keeleigh were familiar enough now. They had been there when she arrived and Nayru had accepted them as part of her home. She hadn’t bonded with the older children, they were friendly but already intertwined with each other and Nayru hadn’t the courage or drive to wedge herself into their lives. Conor too was kind and good to her, but he hadn’t free time enough to give more to her than he did to the other residents of his home. Nayru had become use to being a phantom among them, existing in herself while residing with them and more and more she became aware of the hidden selves they had. Vark shivered at the sound of spiders, creatures he couldn’t even see. Sometimes as she passed the sleeping older children she heard them whimper for reasons she never whimpered herself. And Conor, sometimes she woke up and heard him wander pass her room, although she did not ever question him why in the morning. Nayru swallowed these details as she consumed the realities of her new life, drinking in their energies and tasting their personalities. She at first mulled over these particularities, but she never made the connections, never asked why they did what they did, never understood.

Now there were more souls for her to try to comprehend. A daunting task when she didn’t even know how she fit into their home. Bris she knew already, the wounded lady, and so her presence was easier to accept. Weilund had come out of nowhere, and like the ghost child she was she had shown herself to him in the house, but disappeared into thin air before they had ever spoken. He hadn’t been in Dahlia before her and though Nayru knew that Conor would bring no danger into their home she was shy about the new male. She had been elusive too when Bris’ coming had brought the young child. Nayru smiled at them from a distance, but she hadn’t approached either. Sometimes wondering about the young boy kept her up at night and she knew that they called him Gideon but that was all. Ever since they had arrived the piebald pup had been more secluded. Nayru got into the habit of sliding into the house at the times when fewest were awake and wandering, and sliding out at the same times. The cherry eyed creature moved like a wraith among them, her footsteps barely making any sounds as she glided through their dwelling.

It was in this fashion she had left the house early in the morning, stealing through the lands until she hit the harbor and from here she watched the sun rise in solitude. It was her new ritual, and daily she was becoming more superstitious about it. If she wasn’t there to greet the sun, maybe it wouldn’t come up at all. Logically she knew that this was untrue, but the tiny part of her that believed in magic and fairy tales grew stronger every time she turned her eyes to the eastern sky and prayed that they wouldn’t be stuck in perpetual nighttime. And her spirit soared every time the rich, warm colors began to bleed into the darkness and dawn came again. It was only after she had seen the sun safely into the sky that she could begin her day of solitary exploration and adventure.

Nayru intended to have such a day, skirting the Victorian home and all its’ inhabitants and only returning home for her dinner and sleep. Yet as she turned to head towards Whisper Beach something struck her. Or rather a feeling of emptiness invaded her. It crept up from nowhere, out of thin air, and at first Nayru didn’t recognize it. Loneliness? She had never felt it before. Although she had loved her mother and father, she never felt that she wasn’t suppose to be away from them, her life had deviated for some reason. And though she missed her sisters at first, she hadn’t yearned for them. But of a sudden Conor’s and Vark’s face came to her, she wanted to see them, or to smell the other orphaned kids. Nayru didn’t even think of talking to them, or touching them, she just needed to be near them again. She needed to absorb them, soak them up. The emptiness scared her, and though she tried to fight it, to reason it as meaningless, she gravitated back towards home. It was truly home now.

Before she could reach the door and slip in silently she saw him: the newest and youngest, his turquoise eyes blinking in the morning sun. For a moment she simply stared from that distance, instant relief washing over her. They were still there, existing without her, proof before her in the form of that small bundle of flesh and fur. Once the empty feeling subsided she turned away, no intention of actually talking to the boy. Yet at the first step it struck her again. Loneliness, guilt even. It struck her almost harder than it had the first time and she froze; her half grown body stuck still by the helplessness and sadness she felt. Why? Nayru couldn’t understand it, but she had to make it go away. Fueled by the need to make the feeling go away she turned back and with fairy like steps moved over to the boy, who seemed even smaller close up than he had at a distance.

Her fiery eyes met his ocean ones and she smiled, did he recognize her by sight? Scent? Had Conor or Bris even mentioned her at all? The idea that she had slipped so far into the ghost world that she had ceased existing for them terrified her and she took a few shaky breaths to calm herself. Finally she found her voice, soft and doe-like; and the question, though the context could have been construed as rude, was spoken as only a sincere and kind inquiry, not the tiniest drop of accusation. Why did you come here? There, he had to speak, had to answer her. And she could consume him in a way she hadn’t yet consumed the others, swallow his being and fill her void, alleviate the emptiness. Connect even.


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#3
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I apologize that I won't be able to match your post length, Kris. XD (437.)


The young monster slunk through the morning streets of Wolfville, not unlike a wraith, his stormy pelt melding in well with the dappled shadows and thin light. He had no plans, he had no path, he merely had movement—his measured steps were not expressively thought out, but they were taking him unbidden closer to his half-brother's home. Yes, he knew where Conor Soul lived, and perhaps it was a darker magnetic pull that brought him closer and closer to his unworthy brother. But when he came closer he knew that it was somewhat destined—there were scents that he caught that attracted him now. They were young, that kind of milky scent that children possessed and which separated them from adults. Other puppies—that was not something that King had really come in contact with before now. He could just abandon them to what they were doing (which might've been for the best, for them), but there was something in his heart that made him gravitate toward them. King Chance was the Alpha when it came to the whelps of Dahlia de Mai, and he might as well get that out there.


He started down the street that his brother lived on when the older of the two had just asked a question—indistinguishable from the distance that King was set at, though he was not really interested in what she had to say. King's intent blue gaze fell upon the two—a black-and-white girl with curious blood eyes, looking to be about his own age, and another boy, younger, only a few weeks out of the womb it seemed. The younger was cloaked in smoky tones, though the shadows played upon him to look inky. King could see the flash of aquamarine in his eyes, and he wondered who these two belonged to. Then again, it didn't matter. They were located in front of Conor Soul's home, and that was enough to make him displeased with them from the start.


He did not really care about any conversation present before he had approached, and when he stopped his forward march near the two other youths, he shifted his electric blue gaze between them and said, "Who are you," in a demanding voice that did not echo as a question. Neither were familiar to him, which was strange—he would've noticed other kids around, he thought. He would need to know who they were before he told them who was the top dog around here, and the look in those eyes he borrowed from his father made it clear there was no humor in the statement.
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#4
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ooc: My apologies for the wait. I'm still in the process of moving into my new place, have no internet and no iPhone, and hope to be back in a few days! <3


He was about to step out onto the grass when someone spoke. It made him jump and nearly stumble in his haste to turn around and face whomever had spoken. He looked at the other puppy in surprise, and felt unsure of what to say for a few long moments. He knew that there were others in the house, Bris had told him so...but he hadn't met any of them yet. His heard thudded uncomfortably in his chest and he looked from side to side, planning a possible escape path just in case he would need it.

"Uhh I danno! I comed here luukin for my daddy!" Gideon replied finally. His aquatic gaze took in the other pup's coloration, admiring it. He was a dark puppy, all one solid color. Her coat was real pretty! "Whatchoo doin' here?" He asked.

Before much else could be said, however, another pup approached them. His heart beat even faster with nervousness, and his legs shook a little bit as he fought the urge to go down onto his belly. He had been told that it wasn't appropriate, that he didn't need to show such submissive behavior. But it was a hard habit to break. His grandpa had taught him well. He wanted to hide or escape the situation, but was too afraid to move. He looked at the girl-puppy that had addressed him first, willing her silently to reply to the male.
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#5
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397 wc

Warmth flooded her at the younger’s pups words, projected as well as the immature lips and tongue of the child could. Had she sounded like that? If she had, then her sister must have also but she could not recall any memories of such speak. Which was not to say that she had always spoken so well; memories could get lost or it might have been her brain had never encoded them in the first place. As it was, the unfamiliar was the charcoal child spoke was endearing, and Nayru intrinsically knew that it was the ability of youth to invoke such feelings that helped to ensure their survival. In adults helplessness and inexperience were sure disadvantages, but for this child and Nayru herself they could play on the heart strings of adults and move forward in life because of it. Nayru was the empathetic type, such tactics would work on her like a charm.

Her lips parted to answer the question of the boy, explain that she was here because of loneliness, when they were interrupted and Nayru’s eyes swept the figure of the third puppy. He was larger than her though at their age the difference was nominal. In a few months time, when his muscles filled out to their potential and Nayru grew to her full but small size, the difference of her sleek body near to his would be startling. None of this Nayru was aware of though, only that the first glimmer of happiness at his arrival was extinguished as soon as he spoke. Nayru’s raven ear flickered in irritation and unconsciously she placed herself slightly between him and the puppy that shared her home.

Nayru. Her answer was firm and solid despite her whisper-sweet voice. It was spoke as a courtesy rather than to be compliant with the male’s demands. Nayru imagined she could feel the energy radiating from him, and if she were the type to tend to and care for puppies based on their helplessness, he was then the type to eat those puppies. Or so the first impression felt, but Nayru did not play off this, unwilling to accept this first impression. There was good in everybody, she was sure. Unable to offer the name of her younger companion, she simply stared on straight with her blood colored eyes, waiting for either male to make the next move.


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#6
I apologize for the wait, guys. ): Won't happen again, hopefully!
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He could smell the coppery scent of fear plainly for the smaller one, the boy—as King approached, he stared as if he had risen from the ground, some legion of hell. It kind of irked King, that he didn't give him any respect if not just because he was older, and bigger. A similar expresion came over the two-tone girl as he appeared as well, though she pointedly placed herself between King and the charcoal kid. He could sense the fur along his spine prickling at this. He knew it could be interpreted as an action against him, but he remained still for right now. She did, of course, reply to his demands. Nayru—that was one name, though it didn't say anything more than a calling. She was a little too forward for his tastes, but he could always deal with that later.


"And you?" he directed the question toward the kid with the big blue eyes. King's own narrowed slightly—the only warning that the scaredy-cat was going to get. King could be a benevolent (or at least not malicious) sovereign if his subjects just did as he asked. Hell, he was pretty damn gracious to act that way. Why they could never understand that was beyond him.


The grim youth gave him just about as much time as he thought to admit a simple name—simple defeat, in his book—before saying in a low tone, "I'm King." But there was an edge to his glare that added on wordlessly: "I'm king around here, and don't you forget it." He wasn't beyond making sure they didn't forget. There wasn't much of anything that King was beyond doing.
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#7
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His legs were already quivering and now they began to shake in earnest, making his entire body vibrate slightly. He was a scaredy-cat, maybe, a coward. Back at home, when he had lived with his mother, his grandfather had ruled the pack with an iron fist. The pups had been taught strict discipline through devices such as pain and punishment. King reminded him a lot of Azrael; that wolf had thought himself a king as well.

Conor had said that he would be safe here, but this encounter was making him wonder if the leader had known the type of wolves who lived in his pack. This situation didn't seem safe at all. "Giddy-on" He said shakily, inching backward a little. "Whatchoo doin' here a-at my house?"


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#8
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short, short, short, sorry guys!




King, so fitting a name for so arrogant a creature. Nayru cemented the name to memory and noted his glare. Although she recognized the deeper meaning she did not acknowledge it. He was an equal, a peer, albeit an overly proud one. It’s a pleasure to meet you. She thought of the proper words to say, but she had never really been proper with anyone, far too friendly for formalities. When meeting and greeting new souls Nayru always approached them as if they were friends, friends she knew nothing about and so assaulted them with questions and inquiries. Now friendliness did not stand in her way, rather she simply did not know what to do or say with him. King was the first of his kind Nayru had encountered, everyone else had always radiated warmth that she could soak up. King was cold and hard and Nayru had little no experience dealing with that. He had come up to them, so what exactly did he want?

Thankfully Gideon found his voice and Nayru smiled inwardly. The girl knew that Gideon was nervous, scared even but he even posed a question after his own introduction. Even she had failed to do that much. Nayru had questions for King, but she could sense he was not the type to submit to her usual inquisition and so she simply waited for him to answer Gideon. Easily she seated herself, still halfway between King and Gideon, wrapping her tail easily around four puppy feet and turning her cherry eyes towards King.



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#9
I'm sorry for draggin' this out, fellas. I'll have King exit, and you can continue along or archive, if you wish. (: <3

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What did he want? It was quite simple. He wanted them to fear. The female was having a hard time in that department—there was resolve there, something that King did not like. He wanted her to avoid his gaze, to look down and to shrink before him. That was how things were supposed to be. And even the boy—Giddy-on, he thought, trying not to roll his eyes—was entirely too fearful for his own good. Fear was weakness, and weakness was attacked until it disappeared. But there was not anything he could do about it now, even though he wished he could. There were lines that existed—lines he wished he could erase, but he couldn't now. No, but there was always time.


His bright blue gaze focused on the younger boy as he asked a shuddering question. Resisting the urge to sneer, King replied simply, "Just passing through. Thought I'd say 'hi'." But the tone of his voice was unmistakable—quiet and dangerous, sarcastic and also ironic in the lightness of the statement. He pointedly made eye contact between both Gideon and Nayru before continuing, "I'll be leaving, then." Only a moment after and without waiting long for any reply (he didn't expect one), he continued along his way through the old town.
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