Paw Prints

Deirdre · 03-09-2011, 11:44 AM

Quote:OOC~ Location: Somewhere near the territory of Cercatori d'Arte, Time: mid to late morning. Weather: clear and chilly. Mood: Light and open, a bit playful but if threatened, startled, or annoyed will quickly set up wall.

Paw prints in the mud, were they hers or someone else’s? She laid amongst the greening ground, the small grass buds growing taller as she watched them. She breathed in and then exhaled, her breath visible and lifting up to blow smoke. She smirked and watched her own breath lift up into the sky. Smoke, my breath reminds me of smoke. She thinks watching her breath as she blew it out from her.

Fire flashed within her mind and she clutched her eyes shut tightly. Go away, she yells to the images flashing about within her mind. Leave me alone, she whines. She opens her eyes to stare at the paw prints indented into the mud before her nose. She sniffs, but attains no scent. She sighs, and the images of fire vanish slowly from her mind. She stares into space, her eyes focusing and not upon random object. She huffs and raises onto her stomach, her head lifting to glance up to the clear sky.

She breaths out making a small cloud lift from her maw. She takes strange comfort in this, and watches as her breath vanishes. She sighs and lowers her head to face straight before her, her gaze concentrating on the many little songbirds returning for the coming of spring. She smiles to herself within their presence and watches as they flutter here and there.

“When spring returns,” she begins to tell herself lowering her gaze upon the paw prints stuck within the mud before her. “Hopefully that season will bring more with it,” she sighed and shook her body where she laid. It’ll bring the flowers back, she told herself, and the herbs. She smiled to herself, sage, roses, and moonflowers; oh I would love to have the scent of moonflowers and roses once more. Her smile rested warmly upon her maw as she thought of her many favorite herbs and flowers, and then she laughed and spoke out loud to herself. “Oh, how I would love to find me something for my ankle.” She laughed and then stood, stretching her forepaws before her and digging her nails in the soft sticky mud in front of her. It was a small amount of mud in a vase sea of brown and greening grass.

The she wolf stood amongst a turning world, winter was almost over and spring was on its way. Though she knew this fact, it still felt like spring was far from close. It was cold; her nose could feel the winter breeze pass over her. She sighed and shook again her gaze glancing in front of her and down at the paw prints that led a path too close to a pack’s territory. Were they her paw prints? She wondered as she placed her paw upon the print. It did not fit; instead it blurred the smaller print. The she wolf smiled and retook her paw to place in front of her as she moved forward. Slowly she traveled within the thinning forest, her mind and gaze lingering here and there.

Slade Auctor · 03-11-2011, 09:06 AM

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OOC: Hiya! Hope you don't mind me joining? WC: 445

Exactly what had made Slade want to venture out of his excuse for a den on a day when the snow had melted and made the ground muddy? This was a question that he wouldn't have minded knowing the answer to himself. He had figured that it was merely because he hadn't been out much, but he was quickly finding that false, as he quickly found himself trudging. The muddy ground was dragging his paws down. It was a different type of ground to say the least, but he still wasn't fond of it. Still, the young coyote willed himself to move onward. Even though he was certain that there was no more snow coming, there would be plenty of muddy days where this came from thanks to rain.

He was approaching the borders now, noticing the ground becoming a bit easier to walk on, even if it was still covered in mud. Slade noticed how he could see his breath and sighed. Spring still seemed like ages away. Would winter ever come to a close?

Slade tilted his nose to the air and took a quick sniff. Someone was nearby. He had come to recognize the scent of his packmates, and whoever he smelled wasn't among the canines in Cercatori d'Arte. Panic struck his mind for a moment; could this be someone like Jaden, seeking out the humble pack with ill intentions? Slade was sure that he had told the formidable loner which pack he belonged to; that was a terrible mistake. If Jaden himself had come, Slade didn't stand a chance.

Still, he realized that it would be best to at least seek out the stranger to see if they meant any harm. Slade forced himself to move onward, and soon his muddy paws bought him a good walk away from the border, where he saw a fluffy female wolf. She seemed to be heading towards the pack lands. She didn't seem to be intending any harm, especially since she was in her Lupus form - was she even a Luperci? - and thus couldn't use any weapons.

Slade shook his head. Well, he might as well try to find out more about this female anyway, just to make sure she really wasn't trying to be a threat. It was never wrong to be wary of strangers....

Not about to come off as wary, however, as they weren't even within the borders, Slade cleared his throat. "This weather is terrible," he said flatly yet casually, hoping to seem more like he was talking to himself rather than directly confronting the female. "The mud and the cold; I wish that spring would come already."

Deirdre · 03-12-2011, 12:04 AM

Quote:OOC~ Happy to have you join

Ears twitched to the sound of the upcoming male, nostrils flared with his scent even before his voice rang out to reach her. Grey feral orbs gazed solemn toward the male who spoke. She tilted her head slightly, eyes blinked twice before answering the male. She was in a strange mood this she wolf was, her stoic persona in which she hid herself was present, but dimmed by other moods that fought for control over her state.

“It’s not that bad,” She said coming to sit upon her hunches, her tail wrapping itself around her forelegs. “And it would be nice if spring would hurry to us.”

She stared blankly at the male who came out of the bushes. She knew perfectly well the scent that arose from him, the scent of a coyote and a member of the local pack. She did not mind the brute; in fact, this coyote was the first she had encounter since being in these lands. All others she had met were wolves and luperci. She tilted her head once again; gray orbs studied the male as mind ticked with thoughts of why her hackles were being lazy. She figured it was because of him being coyote, but soon she came to realize that that was not why. She just did not find this male threatening, but despite that she would keep her wall up or at least try to seem stoic enough.

“Who are you?” She asked allowing a semi growl escape from her throat.

She huffed, remember Deirdre…Don’t be too mean to a member of a pack. She told herself gazing curiously at the coyote male. Her ears lowered against her head; a sign of submission. “I don’t mean your pack harm, if that’s why you’re here.” She began, “I’m just passing by.”

Slade Auctor · 03-12-2011, 08:25 PM

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WC: 327

Slade had to congratulate himself for managing to start a conversation, even if his complaint about the mud and weather did make him seem a bit timid. The fact that the female pointed out that it wasn't as miserable as his words made it out to be didn't help, either. But that was the truth as he saw it, and Slade would not back down from giving out his honest opinion of something, regardless of how it made him look. And at the moment his opinion was that the ground was ridiculously muddy and that spring felt like an eternity away.

Shoving the thoughts aside, Slade listened curiously and with his head slightly tilted as the loner went on. He was surprised that the loner had growled one moment but lowered her ears the next, partly because of the swing in attitude and otherwise because he wasn't quite used to submission. Did being in a pack instantly rank him higher than loners? Because there was a certain loner that Slade would love to use that information against. Still, he had to keep his mind focused on the situation at hand, and decided that adopting a calmer pose would help. He lowered his tail, which swished slowly. He meant as much harm as she did.

"I'm Slade," he answered. He was surprised again at how easy engaging in a conversation was starting to be. "Never accused you of meaning harm; sorry if I came off like that." This was partly a lie, as this was the conclusion he had jumped to upon realizing there was a stranger near the pack lands, but he wasn't about to tell her that. Now that he thought about it, though, Slade figured it would be best to at least get her name, for the sake of not having to refer to her as 'the female' or 'the loner' and in case she ended up to be lying. "And who might you be?"

Deirdre · 03-13-2011, 11:00 PM

Quote:OOC~ sorry for crappy post, haha.

Deirdre wagged her tail slightly, “Deirdre.” She stated, “I’m called Deirdre.” She gave a small dip of her head and then raised her gaze to study the coyote, “I only assumed you showed yourself to question my reasons for being here.” She said while she gave a small friendly smile, “You smell like a pack male, so I assumed you were a scout or someone scent to check me out.”

“I am a loner close to a pack’s territory after all.” She said grinning.

She tilted her head and then softly spoke, “So…” She began seeming to be out of words. She felt strange in his presence; she felt-well she was not sure how she felt at that moment. The moment for her was strange; she-it was hard for her to describe it to herself. She sighed and shook her head, her fur lifting and then settling back into their places amongst her body. She took her gaze away from Slade to gaze momentarily up at the sky to watch as a single song bird took flight from a branch. She then turned her full attention once more upon him.

She sighed again, “I’m sorry if I seem rude.” She began her gaze hardening only a bit, “I’m not use to others…”

That was the truth. Since the death of those she cared about, she has recently attempted to push all those that she met away. She hated being a loner, but for some reason she could not allow herself to open up to others and be who she really was. She would act crude, distant, and would always snap out at the other, but today she just felt empty. Empty and too lazy to bother keeping her emotional wall up. Her wall she kept around her would begin to slowly crumble away the more she stayed within the presence of this coyote, it would do what it always did when she found herself in the presence of others. She knew, however, that it would fall faster on this day. Today, she just did not care to keep it up.

Slade Auctor · 03-14-2011, 10:36 AM

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WC: 255

What the loner - who introduced herself as Deidre - said was true enough; Slade had, in part, revealed himself with the intention of seeing what she was doing. Still, he didn't want to come off as too defensive; she seemed nice enough. "I'm not a scout, but I did happen to be on the borders." What was a scout, anyway? "Cercatori d'Arte's not far away; we're a friendly bunch, so as long as you don't trespass you'll be fine."

He was silent for an awkward moment. It looked as if he wasn't the only one who had trouble starting conversations. Deidre's lack of words was hardly rude to him; he was all too used to that moment when he was left standing, either waiting for the other to talk or trying to come up with something to say for himself. "It's fine. Happens to me all the time; I'm actually pretty surprised I managed to say something this time around."

Once again Slade was left groping for something to say. The first thing that came to his mind was to ask why Deidre had acted strange for a moment there when she was also contemplating conversation starters, but that might have come off as rude. Instead he went with the second thing that came to mind. "Do you come around here often?" Yet again, he wondered if he was coming off as defensive by asking this, but it was the best thing he could come up with. Better appear defensive than rude, of course.

Deirdre · 03-17-2011, 01:51 PM

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OOC: Thanks for the tab! :3
WC: 335

The she wolf giggled softly to herself, feeling a bit light hearted the wolf gazed upon the male with a smile. “No, I don’t come around here often. I’m just wondering around.” She took a moment to take her gaze to the south direction, “I actually don’t know where I’m going…” She sighed, lowered her head and then glanced back toward Slade. “I’m heading south, and then I’m going to return north toward the Inferni territory…”

She took a moment to stop herself before continuing. Was it wise of her to talk so freely with this other? She had just met him and already she felt like she wanted to talk for hours. She sighed again and shook her head. Then she mentally shrugged. She saw no danger in explaining her travel plans.

“Or so I have planned…” She said and then murmured, “Though that may change if I run into that bird again.” Her ears twitched slightly when she thought of the hawk she often found herself chasing. Bloody bird always leading me to another place, she huffed and the thought vanished.

“So you’re part of Cercatori d'Arte,” She began taking her time to study the coyote. “What’s it like there?”

She didn’t quite understand why she was asking that question, but she knew she wanted to know how life within the surrounding packs was like. She was a loner now, but she did not start out that way and deep within she missed being with others. She sat wondering to herself if she would ever find herself once again amongst pack mates, she doubted she would. With her current emotional problems she did not know if she could get others to trust her, to like her enough to offer her a place amongst them. She thought also, but not aware of herself doing it, how it would be like to start her own pack.

The she wolf exhaled and shook the thoughts out of her head as she waited to hear Slade’s reply.

Slade Auctor · 03-21-2011, 08:28 AM

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OOC: Sorry for the wait.
Long post is long; when I have writer's block for a few days my muse just explodes when it comes back. Tongue
WC: 646

Slade could completely understand what Deidre meant when she said that she didn't really know where she was going. Prior to joining Cercatori d'Arte, he had also been a loner, living nomadically and moving to wherever the prey and shelter were. He had never set a location goal for himself until he heard about Cercatori d'Arte; it was their love of creativity that had bought him there. He had no prescience that he would quickly be thinking about his pack again.

It was interesting how Deidre mentioned Inferni. If Slade remembered correctly - seemed like he had been a loner such a long time ago - he had been told by a few random wanderers that Inferni was the best pack for him. He had passed by their territory briefly on his way to Cercatori d'Arte, but he had noticed that their borders were lined with skulls and had been scared away instantly. He wasn't sure exactly how he felt about a pack that clearly didn't want intruders, since he couldn't jump to conclusions, but he had a feeling that he wasn't about to be welcomed there. He had joined Cercatori d'Arte and wasn't going back.

Deidre went on to talk about a bird. Slade's ears went erect. He wasn't sure which bird she was talking about, and he knew that there were many birds in any land, but he instantly thought of a particular crow he had met a couple of months ago. It was thanks to that annoying bird that he had gotten a scar on his shoulder, and while it was hidden beneath his shaggy fur and didn't hurt anymore, he had certainly been scarred mentally thanks to a certain someone - he didn't dare try to remember the name, though it was clearly in mind - and suddenly couldn't remember why he had decided to talk to this loner.

Fortunately the subject was changed, and Slade told himself that Deidre was perfectly friendly. After having Jaden cross his mind, however, he couldn't help but stiffen a bit. Why was she asking about his pack? If she wanted to harm them in any way and Slade was responsible.... He forced himself to shove the thought aside. Now was not the time for being suspicious; it wouldn't help anything.

"Life's good," Slade replied simply. He wasn't about to say that it was fantastic, especially since he still had yet to meet a majority of his packmates, but it hadn't been horrible, either. He had met a good amount of friendly faces, and some of them had even helped him. He couldn't say that they were bad in any way... for the most part.

Once again pushing negative thoughts aside, he kept talking. "We're based on creativity. Nearly everyone I know in the pack has some sort of artistic talent; the leader Shawchert himself can carve really neat stuff out of wood." Maybe carving wasn't a huge talent, but to the lupus coyote it was. "So a lot of them are Luperci, and they use their hands to make whatever they want."

He couldn't help but add the last part. He had been subconsciously wondering why Deidre wasn't in optime form; he hadn't met many canines who weren't Luperci. Then he realized that his little addition about "hands" was completely stupid; if Deidre was a Luperci and had decided to use her lupus form for whatever reason, she knew full well what could be done with hands. Slade had made the mistake of jumping to conclusions yet again, and he flattened his ears. It seemed like he would always be the small one, the lupus coyote who couldn't do much more than hunt and talk and... It didn't matter now. He had been born that way, he had to be happy with it, and he was going to shut up and listen for Deidre's response.

Deirdre · 03-21-2011, 01:39 PM

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OOC: That's ok Smile
WC: 313

Deirdre smiled warmly and waved her tail gently behind her. She watched and listened as Slade spoke, and studied his body language as he gave to her his answer to her previous question. He seems conflicted, she told herself as she witnessed his ears flatten against his skull. “It seems a majority of the individuals here are Luperci,” She spoke aloud, gazing down at Slade.

She tilted her head momentarily as she continued to study the coyote male. She smiled, her muzzle lifting in a friendly manner. “Interesting…” For a moment that was all she could seem to blurt out. The she wolf took a moment of silence to gaze curiously in the direction Slade had come.

The Luperci just get more interesting the more I learn about them, she thought returning her gaze back to Slade. She sighed and took a moment to scratch behind her ear. “Having hands…sounds like it makes life a bit more easy.” She sighed, “I’m not a Luperci, and I don’t plan on being one…but I think I understand the usefulness of fingers.” She sighed, “I remember watching my father when he tended to his gardens…”

Here she seemed to be thinking aloud, her memories following the path of her childhood. “He had hands to delicately pluck the stems and leaves of the herbs, hands to pluck and touch without damaging the parts he needed …” She laughed here, “I had to learn how to gently pluck with my teeth…” She breathed in and then exhaled, “I still tend to damage the plants sometimes…”

She fell silent for a moment, her mind becoming trapped within her own memories. She sighed and shook herself free from her thoughts. She looked up at Slade and tilted her head forward a bit. “Sorry for trailing off…” She grinned, and then blinked. “I take it you’re feral like me,” She said.

Slade Auctor · 03-21-2011, 04:29 PM

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WC: 329

Slade was surprised to hear that Deidre wasn't a Luperci, either; it seemed like finding a Lupus was extremely rare these days. He had to admire the fact that she didn't seem the least bit jealous of fingers and such, even when he listened to her nostalgia. He had to admit he was a bit envious; she actually knew who her biological parents were, given that was the father she was talking about. He had been raised by an adoptive mother; there was nothing wrong with that in his mind, but he would really appreciate knowing who his parents were. Heck, he idolized his father because of his imaginary tales of heroism; for all he knew his father could be or could have been a total jerk.

Dragging his thoughts back to the conversation, Slade realized that Deidre had finished, and also noticed that they had something else in common; he tended to ramble and go completely off-topic, whether in his mind or during conversation, and it appeared that Deidre was no different. Strangely comforted by this, he couldn't help but smile back. "I do it all the time; trailing off, I mean. And yeah, I'm not a Luperci, either."

A thought suddenly occurred to him and he tilted his head slightly. "If your father was a Luperci... wouldn't that mean that you are, too?" He couldn't help but ask; his mother had told him that, if one parent was a Luperci, their offspring would be as well. Either there was an exception or someone was lying; he hoped that Deidre just so happened to be an exception, because neither his mother nor Deidre seemed like a liar, despite his slight suspicions of the loner.

There it was; even more proof that his thoughts often went off on a tangent. Shaking his head quickly to clear them, he decided to listen to see what Deidre's answer was, though another question began to nag at his mind: What's a garden?

Deirdre · 03-22-2011, 01:40 PM

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OOC: .....
WC: 265

Her ears twitched to his question, “Oh!” She exhaled. She then giggled softly her chin lowering to her chest as she laughed at her own mistake. “Sorry, my father…yes he was a Luperci, but he was my adopted father.” Her ears lowered back slightly, “Before she died, my mother left me in the care of a Luperci…” Her eyes gazed calmly at Slade, “The one who mated with my mother I never knew, I’ve always known Syris to be my father…”

She remembered her adopted father clearly. Syris was a kind wolf and a wonderful father. He had taught her how to read, what plants were good for healing. He taught her much, and she loved him dearly. When he died, she thought her world was going to end but she had Damian and the others to lean on. The memories came rushing back to her, bringing a small sad glint into her gaze. She was alone now, her father and the pack that took her in after, they were all gone.

The she wolf sighed, “I’m all alone now.” She began gazing up at Slade with gray orbs, “But I have my memories and the things I was taught.” She sighed again and glanced down at the ground for a moment. She studied the grass that grew even then and she smiled. Spring was her favorite season; it was a time where new life began. She smiled and returned her glance toward Slade. “I’m sorry if I mislead your thoughts,” She said tilting her head slightly forward her stance silently offering him her apologize.

Slade Auctor · 03-22-2011, 02:48 PM

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WC: 370

Slade was relieved that he hadn't been lied to, and was intrigued when he heard that Deidre. Her story sounded a lot like his; he had never known his father - or his mother, on that subject - and the she-wolf who had adopted him had been a Luperci. His tail began wagging in excitement; what else did they have in common? When she was finished talking he instantly spoke up, a bit loudly. "I got adopted, too!" He spoke with part words, part excited bark. "I never knew my parents, I just got raised by a Luperci named Lila!"

Then Slade fell silent, and his tail drooped. His last memory of Lila, that kind gray wolf who had taken him in when he was orphaned, was all too clear. He didn't want to bring it up, but he needed to give some sort of explanation for his sudden silence. Besides, Deidre had been open with him; there was no reason he couldn't be the same way.

"I never knew my parents," he began, with a far more solemn tone than he had used before. "My mother was a coyote like myself, but for some reason she gave me up when I was old enough to eat meat. So she gave me to a gray wolf named Lila. I thought she was a loner until I was a year old. She told me that she was a Luperci and a member of a pack, but her pack was prejudiced against non-wolves and non-Luperci, so she had chosen to raise me away from them. She ultimately gave up her life for me... she was confronted by the alpha... they argued.... All I remember is shouting and running away."

Then he shook his head. He wasn't all that fond of sob stories, but it sounded like he had told exactly that. Trying to sound more upbeat, he continued, "And eventually I found my way here. I was like you, a loner, for a long time, until I found out about Cercatori d'Arte... so here I am now." He couldn't help but start wagging his tail again, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm happy with my life now. I'd hope you are, too?"

Deirdre · 03-23-2011, 10:27 AM

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OOC:
WC: 285

The she wolf listened to the coyote’s tale. She kept silent, her ears and tail twitching here and there in awareness of the story told. They had a lot in common, both were feral beings and both had lost much. There was one difference though. The she wolf smiled softly to herself, he is happy with his life, she told herself gazing warmly at Slade.

“That is good that you have become happy after all you have been through,” She said, her fangs bearing only lightly with her smile. She then frowned, her ears lowering against her skull, “I haven’t gotten to that point.” She answered, her gaze lowered to the ground. She then sighed, “I’m still bitter…”

She knew she did not seem that way, but she knew that on a normal day she would be a bitter wolf. This moment was not normal for her, she was to open, to kindhearted, and she was too much herself. She sighed again and lifted her gaze up. “Today I’ve been more myself then I have been on any other day,” She told Slade as she chuckled softly to herself. “Most of the time I’m snarling and making rude comments.” She huffed, “I guess I’m coming out of my depression.” She exhaled, “Though I won’t count on staying like this.”

She was aware of her negative thinking, and was unsure on how this other would think of her words. She sighed; she was doing too much of that recently, and then laughed. She stood, stretched, and then wagged her tail. “I should not sound so negative,” She began. “Please, tell me something about your life here.” She smiled, “What do you do within this pack?”

Slade Auctor · 03-23-2011, 11:03 AM

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Slade was surprised to hear that Deidre wasn't satisfied with her life. Sure, being a loner could be boring after a while, but it wasn't so bad. Even though he preferred pack life, if he had never found Cercatori d'Arte or any of the packs in the area, he would have been satisfied to be a loner. He was going to ask her why she wasn't happy before she asked him a question instead, and he wondered if she reason she wasn't happy was because she didn't have a pack.

Seeing that she was back in a casual, lighthearted mood, Slade replied with the same tone. "Most of the time I find myself exploring the territory and meeting packmates. I could do a lot more if I had hands and such; there's a town deeper into the territory called Thornbury, and most Luperci I know have claimed houses there. Since we're a pack focused on creativity, that's what most of us do. There are singers and craftsmen, and writers like myself." He had to admit he was making it sound a lot more exciting than he really found it; he didn't know many of his packmates other than seeing them here and there.

He tilted his head, deciding to take a risk. "Were you thinking of joining a pack? I know you mentioned Inferni earlier, and now you're asking about Cercatori." He found the idea of recruiting her intriguing; he really didn't have any close friends in the pack, and nearly everyone was a luperci so he had to look up to see them if they were in their optime form. Deidre was someone he could actually relate to, and he had no problems talking to her and opening up.

Then Slade realized a small problem. He didn't express it vocally, but he remembered that Cercatori was centered around creativity. He didn't doubt for a moment that Deidre had some sort of talent, but did it lie in the arts? Would Shawchert or Sky be willing to accept someone-- He blinked, clearing his thoughts. He was jumping to conclusions again.

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Deirdre · 03-24-2011, 11:58 AM

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OOC: Thanks for this new tab! /WC: 485

Deirdre took a moment of silence to pounder upon his question. Was she looking for a pack? She sighed, “I’m not sure at the moment…” She smiled, “I guess I am, but…” She paused again, “I’m not ready to join one yet…I’m.” She frowned softly, “I don’t want to get to close to another pack and then have them stolen from me…”

It had not been long since she lost her mate and the pack she called her family. She smiled even when the images of their deaths flashed in her mind. It had been so sudden, the floor beneath their paws gave way and then all fell into a cellar long forgotten beneath the structure of the building they had thought to explore. They thought it was safe, they had traveled so far into the building and the floor did not show signs of collapsing. It was a surprised when the yelps of her fellow pack mates came suddenly to her ears.

Her features softened, and her ears flattened against her head as she thought of that moment. She could remember the struggle she had in keeping herself from falling, she could remember how her hind paws dug into the wall to keep her hanging at the edge, and she could remember digging her claws into the wood attempting to pull herself up. She was not strong then, however, and fell but she did not perish beneath the ruble of the structure like those she loved did.

The she wolf sighed, and then brought her attention back to the reality of the moment. “I’m sorry,” She began realizing that she had fallen silent for quite some time. She smiled at Slade, “Truthfully I know I’m searching for a pack to call my own, and I think I’ve been making up excuses to keep myself from getting hurt again.” Her smile widened, but kept soft. “I’ve been chasing a hawk to keep me moving; whenever I see it I chase it.” She continued, “But I know I can’t always chase him.”

She blinked at Slade, “I couldn’t join Inferni even if I wanted to.” She laughed here, “I have no coyote in my blood, and I don’t know anyone from that pack.” She smiled, “I mentioned Inferni because there is a place between that pack and another that I wanted to explore if I ever went back up that way. Musquodoboit Valley I think it was called.”

She smiled, “but I don’t think I’d return up in that direction anytime soon.” She laughed, “And the only way I’d join a pack is if I knew someone from that said pack and we were close enough that I would trust them to follow and join the pack that they were from.”

She tilted her head to the right, her tail waving in a friendly motion. “I’m a very complicated wolf.” She said while laughing at herself.

Slade Auctor · 03-24-2011, 12:40 PM

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OOC: No problem. A lot less messy than the other one, in my opinion.
Maybe we can wrap this up soon and start another one? This thread's kinda old.

WC: 466

Slade was slightly disappointed by her answer at first, if not a bit confused. What did he expect, Deidre was gullible enough to let a near-stranger walk up to her and take her to his homeland when she had no idea what he was really like? And what did she mean, 'stolen'? Still, he could tell that Deidre was thinking deeply or remembering something, and he didn't interrupt the silence that followed. It gave him a chance to realize something as well; despite their similarities, there was one major difference in their lives: Deidre remembered what her life had been like. She remembered her birth pack. In a way, she had lost much more than him because she was close to more than just a mother and they had been taken away from her. Slade could forget about his own past being a sob story; he couldn't imagine something like Cercatori d'Arte all destroyed at once.

Deidre's voice interrupted his dismal thoughts and explained who 'the bird' was. Well, at least the hawk had a purpose; Slade's own bird 'companion' was nothing more than an annoyance. He continued to listen to her, not saying a word, though the mention of M-something - mosquito, perhaps? - Valley made his focus falter for a moment. If he had passed through a place with a name like that he would have remembered being there. Since he was certain that he did not remember a place with a name like Mosquito Valley he had no traveling advice to offer Deidre, such as how to get there.

The mood was lightened as she finished. Slade couldn't help but add his own words to her last thought: And this is a very complicated conversation. Dismal, lighthearted, gloomy, upbeat, it kept flipping, much like Deidre's personality... given, of course, that what she suggested was true. At the moment Slade found it hard to believe that she could ever be snappy or rude with the friendly way she was acting now. Besides, she could laugh at herself; she apparently had some sense of humor, even if Slade didn't quite get it.

Seeing as Deidre was done talking for the moment, Slade spoke up. "I'm not quite sure about Mosquito-Mosquodobite-Moswhatever Valley, but the land around here is pretty safe. Might want to stay a while and get to know the area; there are lots of good wolves and coyotes other canines around here."

Given you don't run into Jaden, he added silently. "Besides... well, maybe if you make some good friends there will be no need to run off to Mosquitobite Valley." While he didn't say it directly, Slade subconsciously knew exactly what he was saying: he wanted Deidre to stick around so he would have someone to talk to and get to know better.

Deirdre · 03-26-2011, 11:19 PM

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OOC: Sure, we can do that. Smile / WC: 391

Deirdre smiled, “I guess I can stay around here for a while.” She looked around for a moment, her gaze bouncing off the surrounding shrubbery. “Maybe get to know a few others.” She eyed Slade, “Get to know you more.” She continued.

Her tail waved slightly, “Don’t know if I’ll be close to this territory though, could wonder farther down.” She laughed, “But I’ll be sure to stay here for a few days, maybe even a week or two.” She smiled, and she knew she was attempting to tease Slade in a playful way. However, she was not sure if she had succeeded. It had been a while since last she was playful toward another, and now she was extremely rusty in that department.

She could read it between the lines of his words when he spoke. She too wanted to befriend this male, she found him interesting and quite fun to speak to. She returned her full attention upon Slade, her tail waving in a friendly manner. “When we leave from each other today, I’ll be sure to stay as close to this territory as I can.” She tilted her head slightly, “You can find me easier if I stayed close, that is if you want to.”

“Maybe we can hunt together. I know I’m not part of your pack, but I could always use a hunting partner.” She smiled, “And, you never know maybe we’ll learn something different from each other.”

She had to stop talking now. If she were not carful, she would begin to ramble again. She knew being with this coyote was returning herself to normal. Being with others made the wall she so nicely put up around her crumble. Now, she did not seem to care much about the wall she used to protect herself with. She was lonely.

She had to face the truth. She was never meant to be a lone wolf. She hated the feeling she got when she walked alone amongst the trees. She hated waking up to silence. She hated having no one to talk to.

The she wolf hid her feeling well, but she could never run from them. They were her, and the beings she came upon always found away to push them to the surface.

Deirdre sighed lightly, “I hope I’m not keeping you away from anything.”

Slade Auctor · 03-28-2011, 04:30 PM

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OOC: Then we can finish after your post; feel free to powerplay Slade nodding and running after Deidre answers.
WC: 307

Slade's tail began wagging like it was on fire when Deidre answered. This was a response in itself. She'd be around! He'd likely get to see her again before she left the area. He'd be looking forward to that, maybe even a little more than he wanted to admit. He didn't say it aloud, but he really hoped that they would get to be good friends, and maybe - just maybe - she would be willing to join Cercatori d'Arte. If he could help her find a den near his, he'd be over there every day instead of wandering pointlessly through the forest. They could relate, which was a miracle in itself.

Deidre sighed, whisking Slade away from his whirlwind of thoughts and reminding him that he was thinking way too far ahead. Doing that might only set him up for disappointment. Shaking his head, he replied. "No, you're not, but I should probably get going anyway... I'm not sure if there's anything important going on...."

I highly doubt it, he finished silently. Slade started turning away. Unfortunately, the confirmation that Deidre would be nearby seemed to him like it was saying, "All right, that means that now is an appropriate time to go; you'll see her again." He had to listen to that annoying little voice, or else he would be more than happy to talk with Deidre until the end of time or until she left, whichever came first.

He glanced over his shoulder. "So I guess I'll see you around?" he asked hopefully. It was a rather stupid question, as she had just confirmed that she'd be in the area, but he couldn't help but ask; it was just another reason for him to postpone returning to the pack where he didn't really know anybody and had nobody to really talk to save himself.

Deirdre · 03-30-2011, 09:49 AM

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OOC:Short ending post. Tongue FIN! / WC:173

Deirdre smiled and nodded her head, “You will.” She laughed as she turned to her left her feet moving her toward the thick trees, “Be seeing you Slade.” With that, she bounded away.

She knew he did the same; they left each other and both headed toward a new direction. She however, had no pack to return to like Slade did, so she would wonder about in the woods close to this certain coyote’s pack. She would stay close like she promised. She knew they would meet again, she did not know when but she knew it would be soon.

Her heart was a flutter with joy as she ran beneath the limbs of the towering trees. She was a light with glee as she flew gracefully against the earth. She would not move from this area, not yet, not even if that bird came along to whisk her away. She would not go; she gave him her word that she would be there to talk once again. She gave him her word.

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