I changed by not changing at all

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-27-2011, 06:47 PM

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vikiiiiiiiiiiiing

Even after nearly a month, there had been no improvement. The five-year-old had lied to everyone, including himself, about this. He walked with a limp, albeit it slight. Running could no longer be done for much longer than a few minutes before shooting pain ran up his bones and into his shoulder. When he had spoken to Enkiel about this, the jackal had been blunt (as he always was) and told him he would always hurt. How much he ended up hurting, it turned out, would depend on how much he refused to accept. So finally, Gabriel had to relent.

Ezekiel had sat with him and listened. He had said little, pointed out what Gabriel expected he would, but took the news with the same distance that Gabriel would have done so. It was a choice, but there was little choice in the matter. Without stability, Inferni would fall. The wolfish hybrid knew this well—he had seen it in his mother’s absence, and in the wake of those before her. After all they had fought for he would not risk anything further.

The Aquila walked from the guest house with that now ever-present limp, lupus form now permanent due to the injury. He traveled towards the larger building quietly, looking for the red-eyed girl who now led below him.

Halo Lykoi · 04-27-2011, 07:07 PM

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As so often, unfortuantely, her mood wasn’t as bright as it could have been. But her mind was forever reluctant to linger with the brighter sides of her existence, and as the latest addition to the clan’s leadership remained relatively fresh, her thoughts curled around that topic, tight and mad like the snake squeezing the mouse’s life. Her lighter fingers could continue to rub against her chest where the anger bubbled under flesh and bone, but she would never be able to soothe that frustrated itch. Wouldn’t Talitha be full of herself now? A traitor sitting on the throne.

There was no more glass shielding the building from elements outside, but the season had turned warm and comfortable and it helped with the natural air-condition in the form of breeze travelling through the building. She caught a glimpse of familiar colouring moving outside, and quickly moved from the steps of the stairs she had come down from to open the door for the approaching Aquila. She had never liked to stand next to her superior when she was in a form giving her twice his height. Her slender muzzle dropped in respect, and she made an effort to smile. For him.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-27-2011, 07:16 PM

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Gabriel had seen the potential in Halo when she was a child, and he believed he was right in his decision to replace his mother with her. The dark colored girl was the only one of her siblings who had remained, and was among the few who could claim they had never once left Inferni. Yet he saw within her the shade of her father, the blood-traitor who favored wolves, who turned against his own. Vitium was worthless in his eyes, and having seen him during the Dahlian War had only echoed these thoughts.

Halo was not her father, but then again, Conor was not either. After seeing what that boy had done, what their son had done, doubt remained. Yet the girl that greeted him was polite, and he was pleased to see her. He only hoped she would prove him wrong—between her blood and her gender, he expected this to end poorly. “I need to talk to you,” he said shortly, not wishing to play games with her. It would be disrespectful. “Would you mind if we went elsewhere?” The Mansion would not do for this task. He had learned how thin the wooden walls had become.

Halo Lykoi · 04-27-2011, 07:27 PM

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Oversized ears dressed with copper leaned back a little at his words, but she did not want to be prematurely alarmed. Her emotions and moods swung with ease, and this would be good practise for her. Of course the leader wanted to speak with his second in command. Yes, the pretty Lykoi liked the thought of that. She had reached far since she had come upon Inferni’s borders with her head full of dreams. She was no longer a nobody dreaming of richer fields of green. She was here now, and believed this was a place she could be content with. Gabriel had never let her down, and so she would do what she could to remain worth in his amber eyes.

”Of course,” she replied, stepping out through the worn doorway and closing the door quietly behind her. Ruby eyes turned into slender slits at the brightness outside. She should take some time outside and get some sunlight instead of brooding inside the unlit darkness of the mansion. Perhaps she was getting too comfortable hiding away. That was not what a leader should do, and she was one now. Responsibility had never been more important. Slender fingers sought together as her attention remained on him.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-27-2011, 07:36 PM

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They left the building quietly, Gabriel leading even though they walked side-by-side. His pace was slow, as it had become since the injury, and he disliked knowing this was the cause. After so many years of leading the clan, sometimes alone, sometimes with family, he had found showing any sort of weakness made him feel inadequate. Inferni needed a leader who could be superior, who could withstand the storms and the strife that came with each year. Yet now he limped and he knew his prime had begun to slip through his fingers—he had outlived his father, this was true, but not without cost.

When he felt they were outside of prying eyes and ears, the hybrid looked up to the girl with eyes still sharp despite the gray that had begun to creep along his muzzle. “Been keeping busy?” He asked idly, not wishing to bore her on the tedious walk. His destination was yet unknown, but he did not wish to see the building, did not wish to be so close to borders that were patrolled by eager coyotes seeking to better themselves in his eyes. Gabriel would need to be delicate with this; Halo was, as all women are, unpredictable.

Halo Lykoi · 04-27-2011, 07:45 PM

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He led on and she followed and they moved with a pace that would have frustrated her had he been someone else. For once she felt as calm as she seemed, and for some time there was silence. Of course, the Aquila was the first to break it. She threw a short glance at the male before returning to watch the way they were going. She could treat the questions as she wanted, and she wondered if he asked just to fill the temporary void. It didn’t matter. ”Oh, I try,” she replied, adding some volume to the soft curl of her lips. Yes, she tried. There were always things to do. She was an active individual on many levels, and the excitement for her promotion earlier this month still remained and made everything just a little bit more exciting, even if Talitha was technically part of the crew as well, now.

With both Hybrid and Kesho as sparring partners, she wondered how long it would take before she was the most skilled warrior in all three forms. How she loved the hard hours of work she put her body through every morning as the sun started to rise. Physically, she was strong and healthy; an ideal candidate for others to look up to. It was just her mind that needed to be polished. There was promise here, but there were issues she had to work through to reach greater potential. ”And you?” she added, asking because she genuinely cared. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have bothered to feign interest.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-27-2011, 08:04 PM

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Try was a fickle word. Others had tried, and others had failed. Gabriel could not help but have a grim outlook when he had seen so many others who had spoke so proudly. Many had died trying to become great, and many more had fled when the pressure amounted to be too much. The expectations of the Aquila were high because they needed to be. How would his clan fare if another Haku rose? What would they do if war came from a pack who was made up of warriors and not misled fools?

Doubt, always doubt. Gabriel’s face darkened and he almost missed her question as his mind turned over and over on itself. He blinked. “As best I can,” he commented grumpily, well aware she would not miss the way he walked. Any fighter could tell the wound had affected him; only the healers knew truly how dire his situation was. “I’m not going to be able to act as I have, Halo,” Gabriel went on, pausing to look back at the quickly vanishing mansion. It was a faded relic amongst the trees, and could barely be seen from where they were. This was what he wanted. Sharply, and almost cruelly, his focus turned back to her. “But you’ve noticed that, I’m sure.”

Halo Lykoi · 04-27-2011, 08:53 PM

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The eyes of the warrior were keen and did not miss out on the crippled movement of her leader. But her mind had not been allowed to draw up theories and conclusions. In the younger hybrid’s eyes, Gabriel was different from the rest, and so perhaps she fooled herself and thought everything would be okay if his injury just had the time to heal. Halo was no expect in healing processes. All she knew well was violence, and for all she knew, Gabriel’s could very well still be healing despite the amount of time that had passed already. She recognized the unsatisfied tone in his voice as he answered, but really took no notice of it. He was still injured, so it was only given that his mood wouldn’t carry well.

But now, his words retrieved worry regardless of her careful thoughts, and her movement turned less graceful as she pondered about those words. So what if his shoulder crippled him a little? He was one of the few constants in her life, and she did not like to hear him threaten the peaceful setting. ”But your injury will heal, will it not?” the woman asked, placing her hands on the sweet curves of her hips to abstain from nervous fumbling. She suspected she had an idea of what was coming, but it didn’t mean she would accept it without a struggle.

Gabriel de le Poer · 04-27-2011, 09:17 PM

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While there was no doubt that Gabriel was a man meant for war and very little else, his time in Scintilla had taught him how wounds behaved. He was not a healer, but he understood that a month was generally the length it took for anything to heal. Ezekiel’s ribs had healed after a month, and that was the worst wound the Aquila had seen since his return to Inferni. The other trauma was more internal, and limited to his female relatives and several terrible men who had taken them so hideously.

Nervously, she moved. Gabriel tilted his ears back, though his body slowed and stopped. Even now, his weight shifted from his left shoulder. His body language continued to speak authority, even now demanding she obey his rule—no matter what it would be. “No,” he said lowly. “No, it will not.”

He paused, weighing the words. His voice came like thunder over the mountain, low and powerful despite its distance. “I’m going to step down as Aquila, Halo.”

Halo Lykoi · 04-28-2011, 01:05 PM

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His words made her want to laugh, but instead jaws pressed tight together, holding out any sound of immediate reaction to the words that were spoken. She was not in a position to start arguing with him, and the truth in his hard eyes. But these were words she did not want to hear. Ears turned to press flat against auburn hues in instant disapproval of what he had to say. How could the clan go on without this man on the throne of bones? She was narrow minded and had wallowed in her dreamy world. It was hard enough for the red eyed Lykoi without Kaena administrating the clan above her, and now the one man she did not want to question made her world shake again; the unstoppable rumble of the earthquake changing the appearance of the land once again.

But he knew her, and surely he expected her jaws to part and speak angry words. ”What?” But Halo had not heard wrong. ”There’s no one to take your place,” she added, scarlet hues bright with the disapproval she felt. She didn’t want things to change; not this way. She was not fit as Aquila and she did not want to be left on the throne with that treacherous spawn of his. Talitha was not a true member of the clan—she lacked loyalty and Halo had no mercy for those who betrayed the clan. ”You can’t leave me with her!” Yes, Talitha was the daughter of Inferni’s top leader, but she did not keep her disgust away as the Optio was mentioned.

Gabriel de le Poer · 05-02-2011, 06:29 PM

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While he expected such a reaction, for Gabriel had come to realize all women were mad, he still fanned his ears back at her outburst. Dark-eyed, he listened. For whatever else he was, Gabriel was a patient man. It did surprise him to hear of such animosity for Talitha, but he knew Halo was not the type to play nice. After what she had done to Eris, he would not expect anything less. Of course, his daughter was likely at fault too. She had surprised him with her violence, but imagined she might have simply been better at hiding it from him. “I will do as I please, Halo,” he said lowly. It was a subtle warning in itself.

“Ezekiel will assume the role of Aquila. You will continue to assist him, as with Talitha. I will still be around to advise, as your grandmother is.” He narrowed his eyes slightly, wondering if his mother had mentioned the truth of her retirement to the girl. “Don’t argue with me. I won’t risk the safety of this clan with my shoulder the way it is. I need capable hands to protect Inferni.” No one would doubt Gabriel was a talented warrior, but with his mobility limited the handicap would no doubt make him vulnerable.

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