Welcome my heart home

Mati Church · 06-21-2011, 09:27 AM

[html]

just one please Smile

near Piccolo Village

The Church woman had not left the confines of the borders since the run in with the loner. It had been months ago, hadn't it? She questioned that often, but always to herself and never aloud. It still felt like a day or two ago. She mustn't dwell on it any longer, and yet the bronze hued woman could not bring herself to release the fear.

She needed to forget, needed to feel safe again... Mati stalked the lands of the Dreamers, rounding the new territory and feeling something like bravery for the first time in weeks and weeks. The lake had been theirs for some time and yet she had not ventured onto the new land till now. Her paws touched the freshly marked ground as if she expected it to burn her, slowly and gave a heavy sigh of relief when it did not cause her pain.

Mati remained in her lupus form most of the time she was beyond the walls of the Manor, it was faster then any other form even if she felt odd and feral inside the body. She missed painting, and knew she was missing perfect Summer time foliage and lighting. But instead she simply meandered down the coast line of the large lake. Her purple eyes looking out onto the glassy water, the day's wind calm and making it placid as well as warm.

The sun was harsh, and she sought the comfort of a large armed tree for shade. There was a town ahead, or so it seemed like a town to the woman. The peaks of houses could be seen through the leafy branches. But she was too worried and anxious to venture there alone, and settled in the grass to watch the motionless lake. In all the world how had she become just as stagnant?

300+

[/html]

Barrett · 06-22-2011, 06:31 PM

[html]

Barry had been spending a lot of time in Halifax—perhaps more than he'd originally intended—but finding a good reason to leave was difficult when so many interesting things kept happening. Between prospective traders and engaging visitors—not to mention his newfangled exotic pets—he'd been swept away by the torrent of excitement his unofficial trade provided. Life around the quiet lakeside pack seemed so uneventful and lacklustre in comparison. Nevertheless, it seemed prudent to maintain a presence around Crimson Dreams, however minimal.

If anyone pressed the issue, he'd use some excuse about waiting on Apache's falcon—the raptor was disgruntled enough having to serve the duties of a lowly carrier pigeon, after all. But with his letters home squared away and young plants germinating inside the greenhouse, he felt no discontent or resentment for having to leave the city behind. He felt relaxed and carefree, a fact exemplified by his meandering gait and absent-minded humming.

Rather than pressing through Ethereal Eclipse toward McNamara, he hugged the Cour des Miracles border and wandered through Shiloh Hills. There was nobody to intercept his homeward advance and before long, Rabbit Lake loomed on the horizon. He was surprised to find that the leaders' scent marks had been pushing the Crimson Dreams boundary steadily outward; he was thoroughly impressed. So what if he had absolutely nothing to do with this expansion? Their pack now monopolised the most extensive fresh water supply in all of Nova Scotia—try that on for size, everyone else!

He trailed along the lake's southern perimeter, bounding along on all fours despite the optime's usual preference for two. It was easier to keep the jostling of his pack in order this way, and he was sure to check on its precious cargo somewhat regularly. He disregarded a human settlement and moved on, choosing to stop along the water's edge seemingly at random. He squatted there, fished through his bag, and produced the mason jar that contained Helix. He dipped his hand in the water and used it to delicately dribble some water over the moss inside; once satisfied, he turned around and quite suddenly noticed a glum looking female.

She was perched beneath a shady tree nearby and it would be a lie to say he didn't start somewhat at her abrupt appearance. He wavered uncertainly before drawing closer, his ears flickering back passively as a sign of deference. “Wanna see my snail?” he opened. “It glows!” he added, thrusting the jar forward with a ridiculous grin. Perhaps a creature as marvellous as this could drive away that dour aura that seemed to hang over her like a dreary cloud.

Barry needs at least one CD thread before all the Halifax ones I have queued up and I technically owe you a thread from like a year ago! xD

437

Mati Church · 06-22-2011, 09:02 PM

[html]

yay Zero!! <3

Yes, Mati was unmoving. Stuck inside the territory that she had pledged to never leave, beside the wolves she had always known. With the mother that had dedicated her life to raising her and the mate that she had committed to till her last breath and then through the beyond. How could she be discontented? Mati had not known how the small freedoms she allowed herself, the brief visits to the Court to see her brothers and searching through the crumbling city for new supplies for her art needs, had kept this wondering side of her content and at bay. They were an outlet, and she was now locked inside her fear.

Stuck inside her head as well, for the sounds and scent of a pack mate did not come to her till it was too late. Mati jumped, her reflexes taking her to her feet and she looked at the face of the black wolf. Her mouth was parted, surprise written on the rest of her face as well. Excuse me? She spoke with a shock. Mati needed to be safe here, and the man had startled her so. Mati took a few steps back and then took in the male, he was a Dreamer but he held the smells of Halifax and beyond. Had he been missing?

How can it glow? She asked, collecting her jitters and placing them back into their own jar. She hoped they would stay there.

[/html]

Barrett · 06-22-2011, 10:11 PM

[html]

His way was that of the rambling tumbleweed: inherently unstable and prone to drifting whichever way the wind blew. He was already on the road at only four months of age, and—counting repeats—this was his sixth shot at making a home for himself in under two years. He only vaguely understood lives like hers—those like the mighty and patient maple, which sent down deep roots and built up from this solid foundation. Unfortunately, the worst winter winds could still rattle a tree, causing it to shed its merry leaves and all but shut down inside. No life was free of strife; but at present, his thoughts were far less poetic.

The mocha yearling first supposed she saw him down by the lake—now it became obvious this wasn't true. His ears fell back further and he halted in his advance immediately, with his gaze averted pointedly to one side. He stooped closer to the earth and shuffled his body into an uncertain sit, as if he couldn't decide whether to let her be and move along or stay and make peace. “I, er... sorry,” he apologised, “thought you'd seen me already, aha. If it makes you feel any better, you caught me by surprise, too.”

Only when she spoke a second time did he peer back, slowly and carefully. He took the liberty of slouching into a more comfortable pose, with one leg tucked in quasi-Indian style and the other sprawled more loosely in front of it. “Not sure, to be honest,” he explained, turning his gaze down to the confined creature. “Like a firefly, maybe?” he shrugged, cupping his hands around the jar. As if on cue, Helix flashed inside... but he wasn't sure she'd be able to see it from her distance, since the glow was scarcely visible in the light of day.

308

Mati Church · 06-23-2011, 11:36 AM

[html]

i need to get stoned and stare at your avatar...

The woman was in a rare sort of form. Normally she would smile, laugh at the younger wolf’s antics and be curious about the snail he owned. She had her own little creature that had come to be her little pet too. But Mati did not feel that connection as she stared at the dark furred boy. No, her hackles bristled and she was brought back to the fear that the gray snake had given her, even far enough back to the time of her youth and the black and white wolf that had almost taken her life those years ago.

She was home though, and her mate was in the Manor and safe. Her heart calmed and she collected her wits. All the while he apologized as any polite beast might and Mati nodded, a forced smile coming to her mouth as she sat to keep her legs from shaking if they dared to do so. Guess I was further in my head that I realized. She replied, trying more to settled her nerves then to ease his guilt. It was her fault anyways, in all truth Mati should have been aware he was near before his figure ever came into view.

The male sat as well, casual with the way of a yearling. Mati could have scolded herself for being less comfortable then a newly ranked pack member. He answered, with the confession of the mystery that was his snail. It’s quite a trick, does he have a name? Mati wondered aloud, body becoming relaxed. I’m Mati, by the way. She offered her name at the thought of the snails, finding that it made her feel more normal then anything else had. Her ears turned slightly to the side, showing that she was no longer in a mode that might speak of the edginess that had come over her when he had approached unnoticed.

300+

[/html]

Barrett · 06-23-2011, 07:24 PM

[html]

As she mentally chided herself for being caught unawares, he silently criticised his own approach. It had been a little too enthusiastic, a little too careless; he reminded himself that approaching any strange lupus as an optime was discouraged, especially when said quadruped undoubtedly outranked him. He just thought—well, he didn't know exactly what he was thinking. Apart from the meek coyote he greeted at the borders, this earthen female was closer in age to him than any other Dreamer he'd met to date. Unfortunately for her, she was also the first he'd seen since acquiring his bizarre, unlikely companion; and the Heavens knew, he was all too eager to show off the exotic creature.

While she did seem vaguely intrigued by the snail, he couldn't decide if she was truly interested or simply being polite. Sometimes he felt so out of place here; everyone seemed so serious, so formal. He found Ghita most relatable by far, a point which spoke volumes alone. How was it this reckless teenage dropout had more in common with a middle aged mother of five than anybody else? Lest anybody start to believe he viewed his pack mates unfavourably, it was important to note that he did feel at home here, and it wasn't that he disliked anybody. Crimson Dreams, in terms of general atmosphere, wasn't so unlike where he grew up. Nevertheless, it was debatable whether or not he'd have settled here at all if not for Maserati and Anselm's friendship with Savina.

“Helix—original, right?” he mused, tone deadpan but eyes twinkling with playful sarcasm. “And I'm Barry—Barrett, whatever. I think you're the first wolf I've met that's not related to Savina,” he laughed. “Anyway, if you'd rather get back to your thoughts I can leave you to it,” he offered. The yearling could be kind of a dunce at times, but he was usually pretty good about not overstaying his welcome.

Bahaha, just staring at it makes me feel stoned even if I'm not XD

321

Mati Church · 06-28-2011, 10:02 AM

[html]

rofl!

Mati slowly let go the anger that she held for her foolishness. She could not hold tight to that, or it would eat her alive and she would have to excuse herself from this male’s presence. Instead she focused on his words, the snail the perfect distraction. Mati nodded, a soft smile on her face. It seemed original enough for her, and she didn’t understand his sarcasm. But she nodded and moved along with the conversation.

Oh no, its okay. She spoke, with haste. Part of her wished to be alone, but the larger wished for him to help ward off the fear. A pleasant conversation and company would be enough for her. Its nice to meet you, Barrett. she said with a fuller smile. No, I’m the daughter of her second in command Anu. though in a way she was related to Savina, being mated to the ebony leader’s daughter. But she knew he spoke of blood.

I ah, She said hesitantly, her wonders had gone far and wide when she had been alone beneath the tree. Yet they always ended with fear. considered exploring that village, beyond those trees. She had thought about that, but being alone was what had stopped her before. She looked at him, the invitation extended, though not in so many words.

~

[/html]

Barrett · 07-02-2011, 06:52 PM

[html]

The boy hadn't met the Beta female, but he did recognise her scent from the borders—and now he had a name to go with it. He supposed it was only a matter of time before they met in person, too. Even though he left often, he tried to compensate with more face time when he actually was around. Really, his escapades to the city mostly displaced time he'd otherwise spend alone in the pack. Juggling two lives may have exhausted some, but he was young and restless. He'd go stircrazy if he kept to Crimson Dreams; he'd go mad if he never left Halifax.

In any case, he couldn't decide how to feel about meeting yet another member with close ties to the leadership, and so he felt nothing. It couldn't truly surprise him, given that the pack was led by two older females. Having come from a very family-centric commune, it would make less sense to him if Savina and Anu didn't have many ties with the other members populating their ranks. He felt sort of oafish for making Mati feel uneasy yet, and he still felt kind of “out of the loop,” but she seemed to be warming up to the idea of his company and he found himself feeling more comfortable (and less out of place) in turn.

He peered over his shoulder at the old human settlement she'd indicated; while not nearly as impressive as Halifax's tumbling skyscraper giants and many outlets, he knew residential buildings could still harbour some interesting treasures. He peered back to her, head tipping as his tail thumped against the cool grass behind him. “Wanna check it out?” She outranked him—he wouldn't rise to leave until she did.

Mati Church · 07-03-2011, 11:06 AM

[html]

Mati had not intention of ever leaving Crimson Dreams. She was happy, and content with her life here. But she found no contentment in her fear. It strangled her and she wished it would slip away like dead stiff fingers. The thought of exploring brought her to a certain standstill with her anxiety. But when he agreed she was able to break through, smile and stand on her paws. She could bring her mind to think of other things, and Mati was suddenly grateful for Barrett's presence. Yeah. She said simply, the normal feelings of her own happy self coming back. This is all new territory for us. She explained, though to any experienced wolf it was easy to see that fact.

She walked slowly beside the taller male, her tail waving tentatively.The trees gradually broke away, and the small town was all that was left. She knew not why the humans had built here, but she liked to imagine it was because it was a beautiful place. The roofs towered over them soon enough and Mati work within herself to control her emotions. Nothing would come jumping out of the shadows. At times she wasn't even sure why she was afraid of the gray loner, in her time Mati had fought fiercer foes. Excuse me. She said once more to Barrett, stepping aside to change from the four legged form to her taller well curved figure. Emerging from behind a few trees she gave him a smile, and bundled the long mane of wild curls and knotted it. Much better. She commented, another step towards feeling fully herself.

~

[/html]

Barrett · 07-05-2011, 10:07 PM

[html]

The boy nodded eagerly. “We've got the whole lake now,” he mused, adding “we'll certainly be in a powerful position, come drought or famine.” Even if the rains failed, the vegetation stunted, and the prey animals dwindled, the lake wouldn't dry out in a hurry. And until then, they'd have its fish for sustenance. No other water source in Nova Scotia compared to their lake; it would easily be the last one standing.

No reasonable wolf would desire such a thing, of course, and Barrett was no different. It was simply an observation, one which belied how tactically inclined the teen might be if only he gave two hoots about anything. Crimson Dreams was a peaceful place and the weather was favourable so far this year. Thus, the subject left his mind as quickly as it had came.

For now he simply nodded to Mati, preoccupying himself with Helix while she left to shift. He always averted his gaze while others transformed in his presence; the optime was robust, the secui powerful, and the lupus impressive in its own right, but they were vulnerable in between. It was rude to stare, and if others watched him too closely while he was in such a state, he found it unnerving.

He managed to coax the snail out of the jar all the while, and when she re-emerged, he peered over with a friendly smile and a swing of his tail. He gently placed the tiny creature on his shoulder and returned the makeshift terrarium to his pack. Why wouldn't Helix want to check things out, too? As sentient beings were wont to do with their pets, he tended to assign the mollusc more personality and intellect than it was worth.

Still, a coincidental waggle of Helix's eyestalks was all the convincing he needed that the gastropod was enjoying itself. He laughed and turned his attention back to the looming structures, then peered to his superior. Which one would they investigate first?

332

Mati Church · 07-07-2011, 09:53 AM

[html]

maybe they can find a pier and dangle their toes into the water?
uless they can find something more interesting! :o

Mati had never considered Crimson Dreams to be powerful. She had always felt safe here, but power was not something that they sought. Indeed the claiming of the entire lake did give them a good source of water in the face of drought, it would even give them an advantage over other packs. But still, it was odd for her to think that they wouldn't be welcoming to any who needed the water. She could easily see Savina opening her arms to friends from beyond their borders. Mati nodded, a sense of pride circled in her chest at the thought.

After her change she returned to see the peppered male with the snail on his shoulder. It brought a smile to her face and she stifled any giggles that the sight threatened to bring. They were a cute pair, but an odd one as well. Mati took the lead, as the path narrowed as it led them from the treed area and to the small shore side village. Through a small clearing and they were dumped onto a makeshift road. It was old, broken in many places and the vegetation had begun to crawl up walls and through windows long ago.

Purple eyes looked up at the peaks, and then down along the fishing town alley. She began to walk between the close fitting houses, silence hanging in the air along with the ghosts of the village. It could be eerie stalking through a desolate place such as human ruins, the sounds of nature were always quieter there. She paused at the opening, looking around the corner of the house and then stepped out onto what seemed to be much more of a road then the alley. Sure there are plenty of fishing supplies here. She said, breaking the silence. It was a fairly random thing to come from the Church woman, who had never fished in her life.

300+

[/html]

Barrett · 07-12-2011, 04:00 PM

[html]

Barrett's gaze trailed up the spidering ivy roots that clung steadfast to the pale stucco walls. Far enough from the ground, the plants' tendrils and the cracks they imparted on the masonry became indistinguishable. It was strange to think that once upon a time, these structures were pristine—a gleaming, uniform white instead of the chipped and broken weatherworn grey. So much of what the humans left behind was in ruins; the only maintained structures he could remember seeing were exactly that—buildings that luperci, for whatever reason, took an interest in and fixed up or raised from scratch. Then again, he supposed the humans that built these modest dwellings would have never guessed that one day, beasts hitherto only seen in movies and nightmares would casually stroll down these streets as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Her observation snapped him out of his reverie and he nodded. “Yeah, probably!” Fish comprised an appreciable chunk of the youth's diet, as he found them amongst the easiest targets for a solitary hunter. Still, his methods were more traditional, unreliant on tangled cords or cumbersome poles. Needless to say, Barrett wound up looking like a drowned rat every time he decided to fish. While he enjoyed the water, especially during the warmer months, it occurred to him more civilised methods might be preferable come winter. And so, as they rounded the corner into the main street, the found himself lightly rapping on the doors of the buildings they passed and trying his luck with the handles. Eventually he found one that wasn't locked; the structure also seemed relatively stable.

He shrugged to the Praefectus and stepped inside. The stale, dry air elicited a sneeze from the wolf and caused Helix to retreat mostly into his shell. Bits of dust flew up around his feet and he squinted around the room. “Woah!!” he exclaimed, hurrying over to a large, primitive apparatus against one of the walls. It seemed whoever lived here had opened up the ground floor of this building as a shop. “I've heard about these before,” he called over his shoulder, running a paw along the dusty lathe. “A pole lathe,” he explained, “for wood-working. It uses this,” he said, tugging on the tensioned beam, “as a source of power.” It cracked slightly under his weight and he relented; the boughs used as a spring needed to be supple and fresh. But now that this one was here, maybe he could study it and build his own...

Sorry about the ungodly wait. Hope the slight PP was okay, if not slap me... and feel free to have them going back outside in your next post, too :3

424

Mati Church · 07-27-2011, 09:19 AM

[html]

sorry for the wait... i think i know what one of these look like, sorry if i'm not accurate! ><

They moved right along the road and came to another shop. Barret lead them inside and she blinked against the darkness and dust. Her eyes adjusted and Mati looked on with awe while the male turned to excitement. She had no idea what it was, and though he explained it still took her some time to truly figure out how it would work. The woman came close, out her own hand on the piece of wood working equipment. She looked beneath it, and saw the pedal that would be pressed again and again to generate the power from the beam. Oh, I see. she said as she was deep in thought. The small town was filled with inspiration, though she was not one to work with wood. She had of course painted on it if she lacked canvas.

Mati noticed something up on the wall, and her head lifted with a slight surprise. Upon a shelf there was a small collection of figures, their shadows casting an elongated parade against the wall. She walked over to them. Though they did not seem to be the products of the large lathe, they were certainly created by a wood artisan. Do you work with wood? She asked him, think of Ehno who was sort of the pack's carpenter. Her paw reach up and picked up one, delicate in her touch she brushed off the dust and looked at the details that had been carved into the hard wood. It wasn't a horse, its body too small and its neck too long, but she couldn't place the species.

~

[/html]

Barrett · 07-28-2011, 06:03 PM

[html]

The youth nodded. “Nothing fancy like that,” he said in reference to the figurines, which seemed to be whittled or carved. “Mostly construction,” he elaborated. “So a little with metal and masonry, too.” He knew how to properly fell trees, lay stone evenly, bend pipe, and craft primitive bricks and mortar. He even knew how a primitive sawmill worked... at least in theory, since beasts of burden were inaccessible in his home pack and he never got to see one of the abandoned mills in operation.

Regardless, Barrett didn't do details—he lacked concentration, if not patience. Working with his hands on large projects left his mind free to wander, which was one of the best aspects of that sort of labour. He seemed to possess an innate understanding of statics and mechanics, which allowed him to work efficiently without sacrificing the durability of the final product. Still, once everything was stable and functional, he was ready to move on. He rarely bothered to go back and refine his work.

That didn't mean he didn't appreciate the careful, thoughtfully placed chips and incisions this human put into the figures. He peered curiously at hers before another one caught his eye. The café-coloured yearling plucked it gently from the shelf and ran a padded finger over it. “Look Helix, another snail!” he exclaimed softly, holding it up for the mollusc to see. The gastropod probed at it briefly with a tentacle before turning away, unimpressed by its wooden likeness (or perhaps simply turned off by the dry sawdust and plaster that had accumulated atop it over time). Barrett shrugged and stuffed the carving in his pocket.

The paw then returned to rub at a tickle in his nose, but he sneezed anyway. He peered to his superior inquisitively; had they seen enough here? There was so much left to explore...

sounds like a pole lathe to me ^-^

302

Login




Remember me Lost Password?