Bone and Plastic

Carrion · 10-03-2011, 04:16 PM

Carrion sat under a huge oak tree in the northeastern part of the Inferni pack lands. A small fur blanket underneath him protected him from the rough, uncomfortable roots that laced across the surface of the earth below him- the tree was an old oak, undoubtedly older than any of these packs... older than the buildings that crested the skyline, maybe. Always taken for granted... Yet it had lived this long, and it'd live a long time yet. The coyote that sat beneath had a strip of cowhide leather in his teeth, and a spear in one hand, the head in the other. He slid the socketed end of the cast iron spearhead- a souvenir from the forges in New York- over the wooden stave, and began wrapping the leather strip around it, careful to keep tight tension as he twisted. He didn't notice the weak part of the leather as it stretched thin and snapped with a light pop, the head falling onto the mat before him. He growled, picking up the weapon and pitching it blindly ahead of him. It skipped a few meters even as it landed, kicking up dust. Carrion stood, his necklaces glinting in the slowly disappearing sun. He walked over, picked up the head, and looked at the darkening skyline. It was getting dark. He should be setting up camp soon.

Sascha · 10-04-2011, 10:41 PM

[html] Hello! Hope you don't mind me and Sascha! :3 | 609 Words

It has been pretty hard on Sascha recently in his life. First losing his brother and now finding out that Donder had been killed. All he had left of his dear pet was what Cotl had given him and he added those with the remains of his brother. Once again, Sascha was feeling far more down than he usually did and now had to recover like he had previously been trying to for months over his first loss since his arrival. Now he was wondering if he was just destined to lose those he becomes close with, which there weren't many to begin with. He could probably count those he knew with one paw. It was sad but was to be expected when he didn't socialize that much. However, unlike the time during his brother's death where he camped in his room more than usual, he was now out on a simple stroll. The scowl on his face that seemed permanently on his face was harder than ever, he wanted to know who had killed Donder and why. What did that soft gentle beast do to anyone. The only thing he was guilty of was becoming a dear friend and pet to Sascha.

Now he was more protective over Blitzen, always making sure he is by his side and checking on him every chance he had. He would not let that happen to Blitzen, the pet that once was his brother's and now became his own. He had come to love the albino reindeer as if he was initially his. He would not allow the same fate to befall Blitzen. He's even lost some sleep over it, getting up several times at night to check on Blitzen. Riding on top of Blitzen, clawed hands resting on the beast's neck while being careful not to pull his fur, he simply went wherever within the Inferni borders. As much as he wanted to just stay in his room where he felt safest, he forced himself outside and go elsewhere so he wouldn't be easily swayed to return. He was pretty much killing two birds with one stone, making himself less of a hermit and making sure Blitzen was safe.

By the time he was in the northern part of Inferni, the sun was beginning to set. The thought of turning back presented itself in his mind but he was soon distracted with a figure he spotted a bit ways ahead of him. Curiosity drove him to continue the direction he was in as he began closing the distance between them. With his club strapped to his back and his bag hanging at his side, he had means to protecting himself if need be and communicating. He always made sure to carry his club and the tools he used to speak to others. Once he was closer, he dismounted and continued his approach on foot as he made sure Blitzen was following close behind. His movement became slower with each step as he was now close enough to make out the other's appearance until he finally stopped at an appropriate distance. Shyly, he raised a hand and waved at him, his way of greeting the other. His scowl never left him as usual but his body language showed no threat, his stub of a tail tucked slightly between his legs as his stance was awkward. He waited for the other to respond, looking for any signs that he may need to flee or defend himself, all while taking note of his appearance. He noticed the many scars on his body with the two toned eyes like his father's but with different colors.

Carrion · 10-05-2011, 12:13 PM

Carrion looked up at the approaching figure, now hunched over a pile of wood with a flint and the steel spearhead. He lifted a paw in greeting, and struck the flint against the metal, fiery sparks arcing onto the pile of moss he'd collected. The pile ignited, and Carrion lifted the pile gingerly with his claws, blowing to ignite the strands. His face lit with the amber light, and he looked at his visitors. "Plenty of grass if you want to rest." His voice echoed across the dark void, to the one riding the reindeer. He put the fiery tinder under a stand of dry sticks, then once that was burning he lugged a log onto the brightly burning fire. Once this was done he looked up at Sascha and Blitzen with a welcoming flick of his ears. His body language was relaxed with a narrow edge of excited nervousness at meeting a new person. The coyote tossed more tinder onto the fire, the bone trinkets about his person tinkling softly as he did so. "I was just setting up camp... You're welcome to join me. Do you have any meat?"

Alma · 10-07-2011, 03:07 PM

Alma carried a goat over her shoulder and her bow in one hand. She had been hunting just north of Inferni's border, near the Halcyon Mountains and was now returning home.

The sight of a large white reindeer traveling in Inferni lands stopped her in her tracks. She stared at it, wondering if she should string her bow. Then, she saw that there was an orange coyote clinging to its back. The contrast between the coyote's orange fur and the reindeer's white coat was so bright that Alma was surprised she hadn't noticed him before.

The creature appeared not to be alarmed by his presence, or trying to get the coyote off. It must be like a horse, Alma realized. The predatory gleam in her eyes disappeared. It would be rude to kill someone's pack animal, so she banished the thought of hunting it. She didn't know how to tan a hide, anyway, and a creature that beautiful would need its fur preserved.

As she scanned the area, she also realized there was another coyote nearby, underneath a large oak tree. There was a fire in front of him. She could not recognize either of them, though she could smell the scent of Inferni on them - even over the fire's smoke.

One of them appeared to be talking.

The rust coywolf padded closer, to better hear his words. She made no effort to hide the sound of her footsteps, or the rustling made from the grass as she walked.

"...Do you have any meat?"

"I do." Alma said, stepping forward. She set the goat down between them. "Please excuse me if I was interrupting something, but I do not believe I have seen either of you before." The recent successful hunt had given her confidence. Her speech was slow as usual, but her ears were relaxed while her tail was held high in triumphant.

Alma crouched down beside the goat. She took a knife out of the flax cloth bag tied around her waist, and began working on cutting the goat's hooves off. "You can both take what you wish, I only need the hooves."

Sascha · 10-12-2011, 12:06 AM

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Leave. That was what his mind was telling him. But somehow, he was still there and closing the gap between them until he was within a good distance to be able to converse with the other. By now, the male had gathered wood before him and was in the process of lighting it. Despite the fact that he was preoccupied, he still managed to take the time to greet the boy with a wave of his own. All signs clearly said he was harmless but Sas couldn't shake the nervousness he felt; like always, it would take some time for that to fade. He glanced behind him to make sure Blitzen was alright before returning his ruby eyes to the other once his voice grabbed the young Ulrich's attention. Quietly, Sas looked down at his feet as he clawed the grass with his toes and debated whether he would sit or not. His habit was itching to show, his tongue wanting to stick out so he could blow raspberries but instead, he chose to keep quiet.

After about a minute, he decided he would like to rest and so he sat Indian style in front of the fire which then caused Blitzen to sit next to him. Sas placed his hand on the side of his friend, offering him a friendly touch before placing his hands in his lap. He continued to eye the stranger then and when asked about meat, he gave a quick glance to Blitzen before returning to the scared Inferni. Instead of digging into his bag to answer, Sascha simply shook his head no and as soon as he had done so, he was startled by the sound of a female's voice. His shoulders jumped a little as the feeling of wanting to hide grew even more. His head turned to see the owner of the voice- a female who had what the man asked for. Red eyes flickered from the carcass to the female who had now stated that she recognized none of them.

Sascha took this time to dig out his booklet and pen while the female went on to cut off the hooves. They could have whatever they wanted when she was done and Sas believed he was hungry enough to have a bite. With the writing pad in his lap, he scribbled down what he wished to say. Sascha. Blitzen. He then raised the pad and turned it to them so they could read, hoping they were able to. He then, after making sure they had seen what he had written, pointed to himself then Blitzen in the order of what was on the paper. He noticed how tense Blitzen seemed with the dead goat there so Sascha continued to pet him in hopes that it would calm him down a little, even though Sascha also needed to relax some.

Carrion · 10-12-2011, 03:52 PM

[ooc: More computer issues, Sara? I feel your pain.]

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Carrion's eyes flicked from the new arrival to the goat she carried. He licked his lips- it'd been over a week since he'd had anything but rabbit or the pemmican he'd been given before leaving the home of the witch wolf's house not even a season before. I'd be glad to take a few pounds of meat off of your hands, if you'd stay to share the rest with me. His drums sat nearby- he'd intended to play until he fell asleep, but now he had guests. His dual-color eyes glanced toward Sascha's new movement, as he went for his notebook and wrote something down, holding it up for the both of them to see. He noticed the scar on his throat and understood that he was mute. Leaning forward- it was hard to see in the flickering light of the campfire- he read, taking a few moments before understanding un-creased his brow. Sascha. Pleasure to meet you. They call me Carrion. He pulled his legs in and crossed them under himself, adopting a cross-legged position on the fur mat. What do you need only the hooves for? He asked Alma, watching her curiously. He couldn't think why someone would want only the hooves from such a large creature.

Alma · 10-14-2011, 12:33 AM

Alma shrugged at the bone-wearing coyote's words, not bothering to look in his direction while she was still focused on cutting the hooves off. "Sure." The first hoof came off, and she immediately started on the second.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed the orange coyote holding something up. She stopped just a moment to stare at the book and the unrecognizable script. Unfortunately, Alma couldn't read. Her parents had never taught her that skill, and no one else in her originating pack knew how. Perhaps her father might have known and taught her, if he hadn't disappeared. She nodded, not quite sure what to do, then turned back to the dead goat and plied the second hoof off.

The other male, fortunately, knew how to read. From his words she guessed that 'Sacha' was the orange coyote. At least, she hoped it was. It would be very embarrassing if it was the deer's name… Would he have a name?, the coywolf pondered as the third hoof came apart. She knew wolves sometimes named their horses, and it was being used like a horse.

What do you need only the hooves for?

"Crushed and melted, they make things stick together. Good for bows or putting pieces of wood together." She could use the sinew and the skin too, but Alma would be hunting frequently while she waited for the wood she'd gathered to season. She couldn't eat everything she caught, and didn't want to be wasteful.

She gave a small smile as the last hoof came off. "I am Alma, by the way."

Sascha · 10-28-2011, 04:08 PM

[html] Actually it's my seasonal job that started up, it's eating my time a little but it's almost done and I've managed my time better now. LOL. Sorry for the wait though!! x__x| 315 Words

Mentally, he questioned whether he was hungry but he then convinced himself to at least enjoy a meal he didn't have to work for, though his father would normally bring him food. The man knew the boy didn't venture out to much but it was time for that to change whether he liked it of not. When it came time to introduce himself, he had tried his best to keep in the light of the fire but he wasn't sure if he had succeeded or not. Heck, he wasn't even sure if any of them could read. Red eyes darted to the male who, thankfully, understood what he had written. The name he had given in returned danced in his brain as he tried to remember it. He nodded though, his expression remaining the same. Sascha didn't miss the other's nod of the head, which lead him to be believe she had understood what he had written.

Sascha listened as the two conversed. It was so easy for them, not having to write down everything they yearned to say and hope the other could understand. However, the boy had been communicating by that means for so long that he was now use to it. Plus, he was a shy being and interaction with others had been so little. When the female finally offered her name, Sascha nodded at her as he attempted to remember it as well. He then proceeded to scribbling in his book once again. I have some meat? It had took him a little time to find the correct words to use, German being his stronger language, but when he was finished, he presented them the message as he angled it in the light and waited for either of them to respond. If he wasn't hungry to eat it then, he could always carry it back to his place to eat later.

Carrion · 11-04-2011, 02:16 PM

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Ah, no problem at all! Glad for you- I need a job, myself. ^^'

Watching closely as she took the feet off, he nodded. The bone- laden man had never heard of making glue out of hooves, and the process interested him. I've always just used pine resin... I'll have to try that some time. Sitting quietly, he looked over as Sascha's red eyes flicked between them furtively. When she cut the final hoof from the body and spoke her name, he nodded. Pleasure to meet you, as well. He saw Sascha move to write something down and read, eyes narrowing again to read in the flickering light. He nodded once he'd read. Of course. I may take some to the mansion with me, too. The idea of being mute was a strange prospect to Carrion. He could imagine it... but he wouldn't want to be. He probably wouldn't be able to handle that kind of handicap. He took off one of his necklaces, a ring with a knife blade. The skinning knife was sharp as a razor. Hooking it over a finger, he stood and stepped toward her to help with butchering the goat.

Alma · 11-07-2011, 08:10 PM

"There are no pines where I come from." Alma said simply. There was some oak trees here and there, but most of her parents' land was prairie. Which of course brought to her mind the question of where her father had gotten his bow wood from, but Alma knew most of it had to have been from trading. Unseasoned wood was easier to trade for than seasoned wood.

She was just about to ask something when the mute coyote held up his book again. Unconsciously, Alma tilted her head and stared, willing the lines to look like something she could understand. It did not happen. She just nodded again, embarrassment manifesting as a nervous twitch in her ears and tail. She could've asked Carrion what he had written, but she didn't want to look stupid in front of clanmates. Or anyone at all, really.

"Of course. I may take some to the mansion with me, too." Confusion showed on Alma's face briefly, then understanding - they were talking about the meat. Sacha must've said something about it.

When Carrion took a knife and looked as if he was going to carve up the goat, Alma stood back. She saw little sense of carving the animal, since she wasn't going to use any other parts of its body. Normally, she ate like her ancestors did, with her body bent over the goat and teeth separating skin from flesh. Still, she saw no reason to stop from cutting the beast with a knife if he wished.

Belatedly, it occurred to Alma that she could've used the goat's fur to incubate the eggs she traded for, but they had already gone rotten. Her tail sagged at the thought her dead, potential attack-eagles. Even if she was able to get more, she didn't know how to take care of them. It's not like she knew anyone that di- wait! Alma's face suddenly brightened. "Do either of you know anything about eggs?"

Sascha · 12-08-2011, 04:57 AM

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Again, sorry for the delay *offers warm cookies and milk* | 414 words.

The way the two talked to each other, it was like they knew one another. Meanwhile Sascha, who couldn't even verbally speak, felt awkward around the two and constantly had to fight the urge to hide behind Blitzen. It had nothing to do with what they were doing. In fact, they appeared friendly and trustworthy but it took a lot for Sascha to feel comfortable around those he knew so little of. Again he presented his means of communication and he had yet to realize the Alma couldn't read. There was no sign strong enough for him to notice, not even with the tilt of her head. He figured it was because it was a struggle to read with such little light. Ruby eyes moved to Carrion as he answered and it was then that Sas nodded his head in thanks.

It was a good thing that one of them could read because that was the only way he could communicate. The quiet boy watched as the male moved to carve the animal, watching intently and curiously. He wasn't good at much; he didn't exactly grow up with a mother who taught him many things. The only things he received from her were most of his scars and a "wrong" upbringing. It was thanks to her that he felt fine with sleeping with his own brother, having to do the same with her when she wanted him. He pushed his thoughts away, returning his focus on the male carving the meat. He didn't care how much he got. He wasn't picky at all and he wasn't sure, still, if he was hungry. No matter, even if he wasn't going to eat it right then he could always save it for later. The meat would surely keep long enough for him to eventually devour it.

A habit which he has had for some time now surfaced; the tip of his tongue peeking out from his lips as he began to blow raspberries. He didn't even realize he had started and he had paused when Alma spoke once more, eyes moving to her face and tilted his head at her words. He never learned much about eggs, if any, so he wasn't able to help her in that field. He had yet to realize she couldn't read so even if he had the knowledge, she wouldn't understand him. Either way, he shook his head "no" to her question with the tip of his tongue still exposed.

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Carrion · 12-08-2011, 02:55 PM

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*Om-nom-nom* Also, I hope you two don't mind bloody details... I tried to keep it somewhat clean so that we can keep an

The coyote squatted by the carcass for a moment, laying a hand on the chest. He looked up at Sascha, who was blowing raspberries- he suppressed a chuckle at the habit- and then to Alma as she spoke. I usually look to the ground for bones rather than to the trees for nests- But I suppose there are a great many nests with plenty of eggs in the forests southeast of here. He hooked the knife's ring over his forefinger and patted the corpse, thanking it silently. He slit the skin, stripping it off to make the meat readily available. From there he put his knife up and simply cut the meat with his claws, tugging at it when needed. His arms soon dripped with blood, but he had a nice pile of meat on the skin, protecting it from the earth. Do any of you eat cooked meat? I know many who have an aversion to it. He backed away from the carcass, popping a bit of meat into his mouth to chew as he sat down to attempt to clean some of the blood off of his arms with a ragged cloth.

Alma · 12-14-2011, 03:31 AM

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Alma frowned at the orange male's expression as he shook his head. It looked like he was mocking her. Without words to back it up, however, she was not sure. Her eyes strayed to the big white reindeer, wondering if taking care of that was anything like taking care of a bird. They were not similar in size, but he might know something she could use. "Did you raise him?"

The other male's reply was also disappointing. "I meant taking care of them." He probably didn't know how to do that, either. Someone else in the clan had to know, and she would eventually find a way to raise a bird and train it to attack. Failing that, Alma would steal eggs and try to raise them on her own until she got it right. She was nothing, if not determined. The attack on Inferni's puppies provided her further motivation to complete her goal. She didn't have a weapon when they had attacked, and she regretted it. If she could train a bird to attack, she could prevent something like that from happening again even when she didn't have a weapon.

The scarred male's question jerked her back to the present. "I have not tried it before." Or, she hadn't remember trying it. It was possible she had traded for some cooked meat at some point early in her travels, before she had gotten used to hunting alone.

The thought of hunting brought a sudden question to Alma's mind. "How do you hunt while wearing all those things?" She was referring to the noisy clothing, the things that hung down and clattered when he moved.

Sascha · 12-29-2011, 07:36 AM

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Merry Christmas -late- <3 | 425 words.

Sascha was probably always misunderstood with the expression he had. It was a face that only changed in two ways, a strong scowl or a weaker one. That was all. He doesn't remember the last time he smiled, if he had at all. That expression was all he did...it was all he knew and so others would mostly get the wrong impression because of his face. With no verbal words to help him out, the chances of others coming to the wrong conclusion about him was high. He wasn't quite use to that, seeing as he tried to keep to himself and was always around those who knew him well; like his brother and father. They knew not to completely judge him by his expression. With all that said, he figured the frown on Alma's face was because Sascha didn't know a thing about eggs.

Upon her inquiry about Blitzen, he flickered his gaze to his companion before returning it to her with a shake to his head. Technically, Izaak had him in the beginning before he died and became Blitzen's new owner. He was still young when all of that happened so he finished raising him. In a way, his answer was true so instead of spending the time to write all of that out and making sure everything was right, he answered with a gesture. He then watched the male work on the meat, making sure to pet Blitzen as he could tell he was anxious. What was happening to the dead body could happen to him if he wasn't "claimed" by the young Ulrich. Sas licked his lips as he watched as well, finding himself suddenly hungry due to the smell and sight before him.

The timid boy has had his share of both sides, cooked or raw meat. He wasn't a picky eater and so he would take it however it was given to him. Food was food and that was what mattered to him. He wrote down his response and focused hard on each word he wrote since English wasn't his strongest language yet, though Cotl was helping him with it and he was getting better. Wichever is good. And with that, he presented it to Carrion. Unfortunately and unknown to him, he still misspelled a word but at least it wasn't so bad where the other couldn't understand him. He leaned forward to pick up a piece of meat and he soon placed it in his mouth, chewing on the meat and tasting the flavor it had to offer.

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Carrion · 01-02-2012, 11:54 PM

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Rah, finally, some computer access!

The bone-laden male chuckled. You'll like it. I do. nodded after reading Sascha's note, turning around to pick up a flat stone he'd found. It was about a foot wide, and slightly lopsided. It had obviously been cleaved off of a boulder with a well- placed sledgehammer blow. He took a piece of meat- part of the lower thigh- and placed it on the stone, using his leather- wrapped foot to push it close enough to one of the logs that soon it was bubbling and hissing, releasing the smell of cooking meat into the air. It might attract others. He put a leg on the staff he'd been trying to fit the metal head on, running the wood close to the bone and stabbing it into the earth. The stick was too thick for his spear anyway.

The werecoyote thought back. The first time he'd eaten cooked meat was at the old witch-woman's house. Before that, he remembered, his family had forbidden all to eat cooked meat. they saw it as a perversion. Hah! As if torture was natural. The coyote chuckled when alma asked how he hunted with his bones. Some might find it cowardly, but I lie in wait at a path to water. Then when deer or other animals wander toward it, I throw a weighted spear to stop the animal. Then I end its life with my teeth. He took out a hunting javelin he'd recently crafted- it was short, and made of a metal dowel that had been found and beaten on an anvil to a hooked spike on one end. I would never dream of removing my bones, for anything. They are my spirits, and they keep me safe. He nudged the rock furter into the fire, and took another piece of raw meat, chewing on it.

Alma · 01-09-2012, 09:42 PM

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((OOC: removing Alma from this since I no longer have a will to post and am going to make her a NPC... so you can continue on without me.))

The smell of cooked meat was particular, and Alma was not sure she liked it. The firelight illuminated all the blood and gore around them, and brought to mind the day the puppies had been attacked and her fears that she arrived too late. A burst of adrenaline rushed through her, and Alma began to twitch and fidget with unspent energy. It almost made her miss the mute coyote's reply to her question. "Oh," was all she said. Her mind was racing too fast to think of a more suitable answer.

With difficulty, she managed to concentrate on Carrion's words long enough to understand what he was saying. If she had been less distracted she might have commented that it was not cowardly, or at least that she did not consider stealth cowardly when she stalked animals from behind a bush. She might have also taken note of his technique of hunting by the water, or commented on his mention of bone-spirits. Instead, she shuffled her feet. "I-I am sorry, but I must leave." She stood up and turned away, sprinting into the tall grass, her form rapidly disappearing in the darkness.
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