[html] Forward dated to July 25
She knew that Naniko was long gone, but for some reason her paws had brought her to this pack. She had considered going to Crimson Dreams to ask her brother if he knew of where a healer might be but had wanted to give it a few days. The sick feeling and tiredness had continued, however, so here she was. Ember had been feeling odd for the last week or so, ever since her rendezvous with the ex-Dahlian leader, her cousin Haku, but she hadn't dared to think that she might be carrying pups from their one night together until the symptoms had continued. It had only been one night. She couldn't be pregnant from just one night. The AniWayan took to the shade of a nearby tree, leaning against the rough bark. Ants traveled up and down the trunk, some carrying small pieces of food or little leaves, and she watched them as she waited for someone to come along. The skies were beginning to turn a little darker as it neared evening and her pale green eyes took in the changes with acceptance. She would wait as long as she needed to; at the moment, with this confusion, she had nothing better to do.
|
[/html]
[html] 300+
While Kansas usually preferred to stay around the pack and his family when evening fell, he was out for a stroll in the waning light of dusk. Afterglow was his favorite time of day, and he took this opportunity to enjoy the beauty of its vibrant colors. He was particularly thoughtful this evening. His mind seemed to be racing from one idea to the next, dissecting the happenings of the day and those behind it. He had been remembering his past quite a bit lately. Doing so had an adverse effect on his mood, paining his chest with tightness. He didn't know where the anxiety came from, and it was frustrating to attempt to figure out why.
He had brought his satchel along with him, planning to find a place to read until it was fully Night. As he entered the forest, a familiar scent came to his attention, offering a potential shift in his plans. He was certain that he smelled Ember, close by. This new surprise replaced anxiety with elation for the time being. He had been missing her in his considerations of the past. Kansas' pace quickened, moving him silently through the quiet forest. He did not like traversing the wood in his two-legged form, as he couldn't navigate its uneven terrain at a smoothness and speed that he liked. At last, however, he spotted the ebony wolfess leaning against one of the mighty trees. Hey, Ember! the boy called happily, setting his bag gently on the ground and moving to stand before her. He wished to embrace her, but instead held out his hand, turquoise eyes very warm.
It had been so long. He felt that immense guilt that seemed to surface in full force only when they met. He could have kept up with his sisters, watched over them as he had promised their mother. Never was he able to, and he didn't know why. ...How are you?
|
[/html]
[html]
She didn't feel upset or angry with Kansas for him not coming to visit her. She knew where he was, and he knew where she was. They were family and would be there for each other whenever they could. He had a family and a pack of his own, something that she understood a little better now that she had Lotus. Her son had chosen to go on his tribal journey and had not yet returned, though. She would continue waiting for him.
Ember felt a little weak from her walk, still, but held up her hand to greet her brother as he neared. A smile took a place on her face, replacing the grimace, and she took his hand when he offered it to her. What was she supposed to do with it, though, she wondered? She shook it, then released it. "Kansas. I'm doin' well..how are you? How's the pack?"
|
[/html]
[html]
Kansas had a tendency to overreact within his own thoughts, perceiving things as they weren't. He recognized this fault and he was working to amend it; still, while he grasped and shook Ember's hand, he felt anxious and troubled. When their hands broke free, he lifted his to rest behind his neck, gripping the fur there gently. He should have just hugged her. Perhaps her view of him was darkened even further now.
Returning to the present, the Colonel shrugged and nodded at the same time, returning a response in his low, smooth tones. The pack is good. No ills had befallen them since the collapse of the barn. Before their conversation deepened, Kansas chose to sidetrack. Were you here for me, or someone else...? Do I need to go get someone? he spoke in a rush, concerned about following whatever agenda his sister had set in her mind.
|
[/html]
[html]
She felt about halfway certain that something was wrong with her, at least, and wondered if the pack had any other healers in it. Ember didn't want to ask him straight out, though, and make it seem like she didn't want his company. She did! But perhaps he would be able to help her at the same time. They could get a visit in, too. "I was wondering about a healer. I think I might go to Phoenix Valley next ta talk to Geneva..." She said.
"It wasn't my intention ta find you here, Kansas, but I'm glad that I did. AniWaya's doing good...we've got a good steady herd going now, and are tradin' some with Phoenix Valley, gettin' a few of their animals in exchange. I'm not too good a breeder or anything..but I've got a few choice foals that I've gotten out of some of my better horses" She said proudly.
|
[/html]
[html]
Her plan was to find a healer, and the boy could not help but wonder why. A lot had changed since their childhood, as they no longer shared everything with one another like they had as young children. It was normal for siblings to be close when they were puppies, drifting apart as they matured. He had watched Cambria, Amata, and Gotham break free of one another when they hit adolescence. These thoughts comforted him, calming his worry about his relationship with Ember — and while he wished to ask if anything was amiss in his sister's physical wellness, he kept quiet instead.
He finally smiled when she spoke again, filling him in on the status of her own home, a place he knew so little about. She had prompted his new fondness of horses, and he would forever be in her debt for giving him his faithful blue stallion. That's good, he said sincerely, his smile still in place. He admired the life Ember had made for herself in raising the large beasts. Lexington has been a great horse. I enjoy having him. The stallion had serviced him many times, even in as little as the quiet rides around Crimson Dreams that never failed to clear the Colonel's mind.
Kansas happened to glance at a sturdy tree near Ember, on which climbed a sort of white-gray fungus. He was reminded of the items in his bag, and it occurred to him that his sister might want to enjoy them with him. Sifting through the sparse contents of his worn satchel, he found the handful of mushrooms that sat in the bottom and held them out to show her. Hey... Look at these... Do you know what they are?
|
[/html]
[html]
She had many responsibilities in AniWaya, but always had a little bit of time to take to herself. Lately, with her illness, she hadn't been training as much as before...but instead, she had been doing a lot of walking and running. Once she figured out what was wrong, she would know what she could and couldn't do.
"I'm glad that you and Lexington are doing well. It's an interesting name ya gave him" She said, smiling. "If you're ever in need of another horse or two you should let me know--I've got a few that I've been specially training..they might be good for some of the younger ones in your pack. Maybe your children, if they don't already have horses of their own. These that I speak of are very spirited...good for an adolescent, I think. They have a lot of energy" She said.
He pulled something from his bag and she examined the items closely, frowning a bit. She wasn't sure what those were at all, really...some sort of mushroom, it seemed, but were they important for some reason? "I haven't seen ones like those before. What are they, exactly?"
|
[/html]
[html] These two need to be close, I think so.
Ember seemed nothing but generous -- and she had always been that way, in her brother's eyes. Her offer was quite exciting to him, bringing to mind images of his children choosing horses of their own, bonding with them. His expression brightened, tail waving a few times in a display of his cheerful gratitude. That would be... amazing. I'd love for my pups to have horses, he spoke brightly, finishing with a sincere Thanks, Ember. He did not know what he had to give her in return, but surely something would come to mind when the time came.
For now, though, they had a different agenda. Well... Kansas began, using his clawed thumb to fumble with the mushrooms. She might judge him for what he was about to say, but, somehow, he felt strong enough to take that risk. If we, er, eat them, they'll make us think differently. He did not know how else to explain what he had read in the plant book he had sought, and found in the library after uncovering the mushrooms in Halifax. The garden growing them was behind one of the houses in the old human residential area. What had possessed him to pick them, he had no idea. They're harmless, though. I was thinking... do you want to eat them with me? The question sounded quite strange to him. But now that he thought about it, his swarthy sister was the only one he could imagine trying the mushrooms with. Tentatively, he held them level to her eyes, so that she could see them for herself.
|
[/html]
[html] I don't even remember what we said we were gonna have them do, if we did say anything, after they eat the shroomz XD
She had been wondering about who to give those horses to for a while, as there weren't too many younger wolves in AniWaya, and this seemed like a good option. It would help strengthen things between them and Crimson Dreams, as well, she hoped. Horses weren't always easy to come by, and she would gladly give him some for both the sake of the family and the sake of the pack and tribe. With a horse, the pups would be able to travel longer distances and travel more safely, as well. She doubted anyone would try and attack someone on a big beast like that.
Ember examined the mushrooms when put before her eyes, picking one up. It certainly did look harmless. He had said that it wouldn't hurt her, too...hmm. Her life had been so serious since her run-in with Haku. She'd wanted for so many nights to be able to feel differently or think differently..or even be a different wolf. Maybe this was just what she needed. "Life's been pretty crappy lately..why not?" She said. "Do I eat the entire thing? Or..just certain parts of it?"
|
[/html]
[html] Talk about their daddy issues? Vent and bond? :3 If that's good with you.
Crappy, eh? Kansas asked, lifting a brow. His tone was light, however, and unspoken words lingered in his mind, I know what you mean. Truthfully, he did not intend for her to answer him. He had seen his mate, daughter, nephew, and just about everyone else with whom he had a relationship experience the painful tests of life. That was not to mention the shit he had been through himself. He longed to know what Ember meant, so he could try to advise her, but he did could not expect her to share.
After she had picked one of the little mushrooms up to examine, he brought the pile back in front of his own eyes, furrowing his brow as he thought about them aloud. Uh. Eat the whole shebang, I think, he muttered. With a shrug, he glanced at Ember and began a smile that escalated into a laugh. At last, he was going to do something that could be considered fun with the sister he barely knew. He was flattered, and suprised, that she had agreed in the first place. Without further ado, Kansas tipped his cupped hand towards his open maw and consumed half the pile. Immediate there was a string of colorful language as he choked the mushrooms down, ending with a Fuck, those are nasty. Afterwards, Kansas glanced abashed towards the sable woman. But he was still grinning as he cautiously moved to sit beside her, offering the rest of the mushrooms to her. Good luck, heh...
|
[/html]
[html]  Yesss
She didn't elaborate on exactly how crappy things had been in the last few weeks, choosing to remain silent. What would her brother think of her if she told him about how stupid she had been with Haku? She'd untied the werewolf and had given him the ability to hurt her. She hadn't come across someone as sinister as him in a good long while; perhaps that was why she had been so stupidly trusting. She would learn, though, and file that experience back in her mind to better prepare for the next time that she would meet such a being.
She watched as he swallowed the mushroom before looking at the one in her own hand. Should she eat them all at the same time like he had? If they tasted as bad as he said, she probably should. Ember took the rest from his hand along with her original one, putting them into her mouth and swallowing them in one go. They were just as nasty as he had said! She spat a few times to get the taste out of her mouth a little, then coughed. "W-what are they supposed to do again? Make you feel funny?" She didn't feel funny yet. Ember sat down where she had stood, looking up at him.
|
[/html]
[html]
Kansas was not judgemental, so there was nothing Ember could share with him that she need fear his reaction to. Unfortunately, she couldn't possibly know this about him since they spent so little time together. He could not stop wishing that things were different between them, though he knew in his heart that they could definitely be worse. Hopefully, from today onward, his relationship with the ebony AniWayan would only improve.
He watched her eat the mushrooms with the expected difficulty, frowning nevertheless when her face twisted at the foul flavor. Maybe this was a reckless idea. He had no clue how the strange fungus was actually going to affect either of them. It'll probably take a few minutes, the Dreamer explained, resting his head back against the rough trunk of the tree. My book said that they'll just... make us think differently for a little while. I don't know, he ended with a shrug. He should know. At least he was positive that the mushrooms were not poisonous -- he would never dare endangering his sister so.
Several moments of silence passed, and the first thing that the boy began to notice was a strange, floating sensation in his body. He hoped it would not be too much longer until the full effect took hold. He was growing impatient. |
[/html]
[html] I must be dreaming or we're onto something http://i38.tinypic.com/6t1ag0.jpg); background-position:bottom; background-repeat: no-repeat; width: 336px; border: 1px solid #000; background-color: #204684;">
ooc: I'm not sure what to have them do now :O
I must be dreaming or pinch me to waking
"You don't think they would hurt uhh..unborn pups?" She asked at the last minute, relaxing against the trunk of the tree. She wanted to keep them safe, yeah, but if the mushrooms hurt them...then maybe it would just get rid of her problem. She could stay a leader and keep her duties. Ember laughed at that thought; maybe she ought to just try and get rid of them. But no, that wouldn't really be right. She shook her head. Nope. "Oh well! I will just hope for the best! Hah. I dunno, Kansy, I'm gonna have babies I think. What if I fuck up their little lives, though?" She said. He had kids, he should know about this type of thing. She looked up at him, yawning. "And did you know..you're a real pretty boy, Kansas? You and Firefly got all the good looks in the family. I just got this ugly black coat. Wonder where from! Mom an' dad weren't black"
[/html]
[html] failwait!  300+
Her question took him completely off guard. Sky-hued eyes widened as he whipped his slender neck around to face her. The shock faded momentarily at her laughter, an insinuation that she found the possibility of her pregnancy questionable and even humorous. A flow of questions broke into his mind, one right after the other, fueled by his natural concern for his regal ebony sister. He had always been curious about what Ember wanted out of life, whether she would decide to have children as had he and Firefly. Initially excited by the prospect of more neices and nephews to pall around with, he smiled and shook his head. I don't think these things, and he gestured toward the crumbs of mushroom in his palm. Will pose.... issues for little monsters. These mushrooms are natural. He grinned at Ember encouragingly, patting her shoulder with tentative touch.
He was already smiling at high beam, knowing her uncertainty already. She brought back to mind his own concern of dreadfully condemning the lives of his children with bad parenting. You won't fuck them up, Embie, and here he ruffled the fur on top of her head, gently, his actual gestures of brotherly affection still tentative and unsure. Just love them, that's all they need from you. his tone was light. What he had said came from the bottom of his soul. Loving one's children was the only thing to do, and the rest seemed to fall into place. And when they're born, you better let me meet them.
He was laughing at what she shared next, tipping his muzzle skyward and positively giggling. Admittedly, it entertained him to hear from Ember that he was a "pretty boy." Heh, ugly black coat? he asked mildly with a tsk on his tongue. The woman he loved with all his heart sported the elegant darkness if his sister's coat as well. I think black fur is beautiful. You're... just as beautiful as us... you crazy shitchugger, he finished softly, still smiling. Yeah, you know they weren't white either. My daughter's inherited, uh, Dad's coat color, though. Genetics are... weird. He hoped Ember had not noticed the darkness that had woven into his vocals when he spoke of their father. It wasn't Cambria he resented, for the color of her fur was very obviously gorgeous. Rather, he regretted bringing Pheonix into the conversation because his feelings around the man were still tangled into an intricate web.
What... 'Mean if anything... do you think of Phoenix? he asked hesitantly. It was an unsafe question that he almost regretted asking. Maybe Ember's thoughts on their sire were even more confused than his, such that she wouldn't enjoy speaking of him.
|
[/html]
[html] Is fineeeee! Hehehehehehehheheheeheheeh shrooms.
He was right, it would just take love. But she had loved Lotus and he had still left...so she didn't know. Ember didn't know how much she loved these children, yet. She didn't want another Lotus-pup...one who'd just take off and never return. She hadn't received any kind of word from him and missed him intensely. She wasn't used to being by herself all the time.
He said that her coat was beautiful and she smiled back. It wasn't beautiful, but it was nice of him to say that it was anyway. "Thanks. I dunno, I had a mate a while back...Khaden. He was black like me. I thought he was real handsome..but I just don't know. I tried again to find somebody, but he doesn't like me like that I guess." She said. She had confessed her love to Dawali earlier that year and it'd ended pretty badly.
"I don't know what to think!" Ember shrugged. She hadn't given much thought to Phoenix in a good long time, not since deciding to give Lotus his last name as well. "It's just a name to me now..dunno if he's dead or alive or what. I'm not going to give any of these pups his name..I don't know. Might give them their dad's last name. What do you think of him? I barely even remember Phoenix any more"
|
[/html]
[html] I've never done shrooms, so I have no idea how someone under their influence feels or acts! Whoo!
Positively overjoyed that she had decided to talk to him, Kansas quietly listened to his sister. A frown creased his lips and brow with her telling of a man she had once been mated to. The name, Khaden, sounded familiar, but the Sadira boy was too scatterbrained at the moment, and also too intent on Ember, to take any second to place it. Ember's second attempt at mateship had apparently ended sourly, too. He silently hoped that the men she had mentioned had not hurt her, emotionally or otherwise — although there was nothing Kansas could do about it now. He tried to reiterate to himself his current uselessness in his sisters love life, content to imagine pummeling the two unknown wolves instead.
Ember was on the same page as her brother with her uncertainty about their father. Kansas periodically tried to sort through his feelings about Phoenix, but he never did more than go in circles. He admired the mysterious brute, but at the same time resented him for his surplus of pride and self-importance. Phoenix had also abandoned him at a critical point in his life, and Kansas continued to hold this against his father though circumstances had been out of the patriarch's control. I don't blame you, Kansas told her, shaking his head gently. I never named any of my children after him, other than my oldest son. He had done this of tradition more than honor, and he regretted it. With a pause, Kansas looked to the ground. The confusion had ignited again, and now it was growing. I shouldn't have brought this up, he admitted. I... eh, don't know what to think, either, except that... he irritates me.
|
[/html]
|
