ostinato

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-02-2011, 01:45 PM

[html]

OOC: Edge of the Serena Reserve! 400+

It was as if she couldn't quite believe what had happened, or understand that they had succeeded. But the truth of it was, the entire land had wanted those invaders out. They'd been driven away by more than just an army, but a combined force from several corners, including within their own ranks. They wouldn't be coming back, unless they wanted more of the same. Outsiders who behaved like barbarians would always be sent packing, if Caspa had anything to do with it. She hadn't said much to anyone, but she was proud of her leaders for making a stand on the side of justice and right. Today, a clear day with a chill in the air she was retracing her steps, following a similar direction to the one the Cour des Miracles canines had walked on the day of the attack. The fog and adrenaline had prevented her from really seeing the terrain, and she thought if she took a second look, perhaps she would make sense of the details of that confusing day, before she was called upon to give a report of the happenings to anyone. A grandiose, boasting mutt from the North, for example.

Before she'd reached the borders of Aniwaya, though, she ran up against a sheer barbed-wire fence, almost literally. A young hare hadn't been so lucky - it seemed to have tried to leap over, and become entangled before choking itself to death. Caspa eyed the fence balefully as she tugged the dead creature free. The fence hadn't got in the way before. Her leaders must have known a way to get through - but she had obviously strayed from the trail a little, because there was no visible gap from here. She hooked a paw through, then rattled the fence, a little irritated. It stayed firm, jangling some but showing no sign of coming down easily. With her various bruises, she didn't fancy much climbing; besides, she was in her lupus form, and those barbs looked sharp. Caspa scratched with a long, floppy forepaw, tearing up a negligible amount of dirt, but it was enough to see the wire continued at least a little way into the ground. She glared at it through her supercilious, half-lidded eyes, as if criticising it for being a poor example of an obstruction, then turned to give it the cold-shoulder, trotting parallel to the fence, the dead hare in her jaws. Hopefully, this direction took her to where she'd followed previously.

Augustus · 11-03-2011, 02:07 PM

[html]

OOC: Sorry it took me so long! Word Count- 571

Augustus

The wounds were healing he saw, examining them in the glassy surface with satisfaction. They no longer stung him as they had before, and the cold, damp air could no longer penetrate the mending flesh. He lowered his head to lap at the clear surface, sending a panic of ripples to dance across the once still waters. When he was finished he licked the stray drops from his chin and started on a steady pace that would lead him to his newest haunt. He’d holed up in a rocky crevasse the night before in the midst of the trenches, daring to go further and further every day as his strength returned to him. His pelt puffed up as hairs finally began to sprout anew. They would eventually form the entirety of his double winter coat, but for now it was half grown. He was looking and feeling much better now, no longer the unkempt and bloody mess he had been when he arrived, he’d even put on weight.

He routed himself towards Serena Wildlife Reserve. The fist time he had come across it he’d given reproach to the foul fence with it’s sharp barbs and impenetrable defenses. He hadn’t come across any gaps to date, but found himself drawn to the wooded area within. It was a welcome sight to see so many trees and foliage, having come from the ruins of the Blackmoor castle, and then straying onto the drear, rocky plains of the trenches. It was a myriad of colors as the fall descended, and had proven invaluable these last few days. He no longer gave any heed to the fence as exploring it had revealed a wealth of a very valuable resource- food. Smaller, less intelligent creatures could often be found draping lifelessly from a web of angry steel. Months before he would have scoffed at the prospect of scavenging, but now he no longer had a pack to support him and the fence saved him the effort of hunting.

The long journey from Yukon to Nova Scotia had wearied him and caused his weight to plummet as food became harder and harder to come by on his own. His diet had been limited to smaller game which had proven to be much trickier to hunt down, and also never filled his belly for long. Hunger drove him now and his pace quickened to an easy lope as he came upon more level footing. When the Serena Reserve was in sight he slowed and lowered his muzzle to the earth, scenting for ‘the catch of the day.’ Nothing came to him immediately and he resorted to trotting along the border, pausing to sniff now and again. For now all he found were tufts of hair clinging in small wisps. He sniffed at them without much confidence. Whatever left these had eluded the trap and gone on to the forest within.

The promise of a meal began to fade off into nothing but a slim hope, kindled in his hungry eyes. He extended his snout skyward, pausing mid-sniff. Terra? His ears perked. He furrowed his brows and scented the ground. Her scent was there, but it was old. Another female‘s aroma swept towards him, and this one was fresh. He looked sheepishly about, suddenly conscious of his ignorance. Whoever she was, she wasn‘t within eyesight. He proceeded onwards more warily than before, keeping his head low to the ground.

Table Template by the Mentors!

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-03-2011, 04:02 PM

[html]

OOC: Tis fine! Take as long as you need. You were actually rather fast. XD 300+

Caspa had made her own long journey; but she'd been esconced in a stable home for months now, and despite her negligible attention to feeding herself, she'd made it up to a healthy weight, even if the flesh would never do more than cling tightly to her bones. Beneath her long, silky coat, even this wasn't much apparent any more. Her eyes scouring down the fenceline as she jog-trotted, keen to spy for gaps, she caught sight of the wolf before she heard or smelt him and the sight was like a blow to the chest. From this distance, and through the chain links - for they were on opposite sides - the white-misting pelt, the darker markings and the ragged appearance - it tore into her eyes like burning acid. She gasped, jaw dropping, hare falling to the ground, and found herself stiff and frozen, immobile with shock. Now she could scent him and knew it was a stranger - but for a moment, she'd been all but certain. Her mother had been patterned like that, and he even had her sulky, downbeat posture as he moved along the wire. For a second, her eyes had seen not what was before them, but what her memory had assumed, and Little Alessica had been approaching her daughter, a wolf left far behind over a year before.

The half-breed scowled, irritated by her strong reaction to the mistake. It was not the time for gnawing at old wounds - there were enough new ones around, of the physical variety... most of them on the body of this stranger male. Caspa watched him for a moment while thinking what to do, then hailed him with a short woof. If he'd seen her frown, he might jump to his own conclusions about her, and she didn't want to foster any new enmities in this area if she could help it. "Caspa. Who are you?"

Augustus · 11-03-2011, 04:55 PM

[html]

OOC/ Whoot! -416

Augustus

The thud of the hare suddenly dropping to the ground caught his attention immediately even before she announced herself. His ears slammed forward and he rose his head, jerking it around to locate the sound. Then, he heard the ’woof.’ He’d been spotted and he reacted by standing himself up straighter, assuming his full height. His hairs bristled momentarily and he scanned the fence line. When he noticed that she was on the opposite side of the fence he eased and his fur settled, although curiosity set in. He hadn’t yet seen a gap in the fence, and was intrigued on how she could have reached the other side. Having access to the forest beyond would mean a larger prey base, and he could actually start hunting for himself, not that he really wanted to, but fresh meat was always more appealing, and he felt strong enough to try his luck again. For now, however, he had to be careful. His first meeting here had been decent, but he was still new and other canines might not always be so forgiving of him, nor would they often welcome a loner. He responded to his thoughts by raising his tail to arc just slightly above his spine.

She was the first canine he’d seen to have such a lanky figure and her fur easily classified her as having dog ancestry. He didn’t know what to think about that at first. There were no dogs in his former pack, and he’d certainly never seen any that looked like her. Perhaps it was simply where he was from. A dog would have a much harder time surviving the harsh climate, but here all kinds of canines seemed to dwell. His eyes caught the slightest glimpse of the hare on the ground, and he puffed with frustration. If only he’d gotten here sooner. Reluctantly, he took a breath to calm himself, not wanting her to get the wrong impression, unaware that she was doing the same. He hardly even noticed her bewilderment. He couldn’t help but glance at the hare from time to time, and the irritation showed plainly in the sharp lines of his brows. She announced herself, calling herself Caspa. With hesitation he revealed himself, Augustus. His voice was husky, but no longer so to disuse. He stole another glance at her, before his gaze dropped to the ground. He stared at no spot in particular, preferring to steal glances now and again rather than be so obvious.

Table Template by the Mentors!

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-04-2011, 04:40 PM

[html]

It was only sheer guts that had kept her alive through the big freeze the winter she'd travelled here - that and a knowledge of making shelter and warm clothing. She wasn't entirely a weakling, she was still on the large side of dog, and she had teeth as good as any other, but she was no timber wolf either. He had elevated his hair and tail somewhat aggressively, but she saw no point in posturing back. What could he do to her? In his state, it was probably nerves that made him do such a thing. And apart from the expression that seemed to bristle as much as his fur had been, he didn't seem aggressive, eyes down and a simple introduction. Augustus seemed like the kind of unusual and grandiose name her family went for, and she couldn't help but wonder if he was a distant cousin somewhere on the wolf side: of course that was very unlikely, but you never knew.

Her eyes ran over his wounds with professional detachment. "Had a bad week?" she inquired, voice silken but lacking sympathy, for she was certain it would not be welcomed, or taken seriously. Looked like he'd been to war, not her. He didn't have the benefit of a pack to look after him, though. The life of a loner was far from idyllic, especially when things went wrong. She supposed he could do with the hare more than she could. Her conscience prickled her, but her instincts screamed at her that she needed food too. Indecision, and the fact she had no idea how to get it over to him, kept her from offering for now.

Augustus · 11-05-2011, 04:16 PM

[html]

OOC: He's just your typical guy has to meet his needs before you can expect anything from him xP My apologies for the short post.

Augustus

A bad month is more like it. He corrected, disgruntled, his voice and eyes low. He was relieved to hear her imminent lack of sympathy, unwilling to diverge his life story all over again. The pain was still fresh, even if his wounds were healing. He disguised a querying sniff by lifting his muzzle in the opposite direction, pretending to stare absently into the distance. Part dog, part wolf, all…His brows furrowed. In a way her scent was much like the coywolf’s. It was beginning to bother him- not that he didn’t have his reasons to be bothered already. His eyes shifted to the hare again, he almost whined…almost. Instead, his eyes scanned the fence line and the forest within, nothing in sight. He licked his lips.

He forced himself to put the hunger aside, remembering what he’d promised himself. He’d promised himself he’d behave differently. He’d have to be polite, even gracious. This was not home, and he was very much on his own now. Dog! He called, forcing himself to look at her. He flung his head downwards and squinted his eyes hard, before shaking his head. That had been rude. Uhh…Caspa! He corrected himself, flattening his ears, and peering at her sheepishly from under his lashes. His cheeks grew heated. He didn’t want to complete his question, but forced himself to so she wouldn’t have the chance to be angry with him. H-how did you get to the other side? He said reluctantly, finishing the sentence off through his teeth. He’d never appreciated the fence more than he did now. He looked at it now, then looked discreetly at her. His tail flicked in agitation. What was he thinking? His belly rumbled…oh- -that. He gazed sullenly at the barbed wire. This was just not his day…

Table Template by the Mentors!

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-05-2011, 04:47 PM

[html]

She's such a stickler for formalities ;o

While she was sorry to hear the misery in his voice, Caspa couldn't help but wonder what he'd done to get himself into such a state. Was he really a victim of pure poor fortune, or had he earned his punishment - whatever it had been. She determined to get more information out of him before she even considered how she might relinquish her find to him. Yes, he looked like he needed it. But did he deserve it more than her?

He was eager, almost to the point of desperation. She was not offended, but disdain dripped from her eyes anyway. Her mother had been just the same. Utterly unwilling to try and help herself: always complaining or on the scrounge. Yes, she knew she was probably being unfair: she imagined it was real need that drove his behaviour, and not bad character. Hopefully. Innocent until proven guilty, at least. She did feel bad for him, but she wasn't feeling helpful yet. Her eyes were narrow as she answered "I jumped it." A blatant piece of sarcasm, that no sensible person could believe. Dry as ever, she continued "Maybe I'll jump back and share this if you tell me where you got that damage, and where you're heading next." A clear proposal - she didn't want to torment the poor devil by fooling around any more; Caspa was no sadist.

Augustus · 11-05-2011, 05:46 PM

[html]

OOC: Busy weekend, when it's all back to normal I'll actually be able to post decent replies. My pardons.

Augustus

He wasn't appreciative of the sarcasm and his fur ruffled up along his neck in reply. He knew he deserved it, but he wasn't going to tell her that. He neglected to reply for several moments, sizing her up with his yellow, green-flecked gaze. Her directness startled him, but it was a welcome change. If that's so, I could just leap over and take it from you. the threat was meaningless just as her proclamation had been. He even refused to show any sign of aggression, he just stood there, slouching slightly. He outsized her, but the repercussions the confrontation might inflict were detrimental to his recovery. He couldn't even get to her for starters.

His ears twitched and he turned his face away. It's complicated, he muttered, and it was -- truly. What was with these canines, constantly questioning your every move? He laid his ears back in annoyance and sighed heavily. I hadn't planned on going anywhere in particular...Just here. I don't have anywhere to go, I came here for... His eyes strayed again to the carcass. He inched his muzzle closer to the fence, but stopped short. Those barbs would make short work of his wounds and set them to bleeding again. Look, I came here to find some food. I don't know where I am, but I'm staying. I don't care who gets in my way, I can't go back. He looked at her wearily. Are you satisfied? he flicked his tail anxiously. Somehow he knew she wouldn't be and he dropped to his haunches in a huff. Why do you want to know anyways? As long as she was asking questions he might as well, too. This didn't have to be so one-sided, and Augustus wanted to see the tables turn. What are you doing here?

Table Template by the Mentors!

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-06-2011, 04:26 PM

[html]

You post good posts! :]

Well, this was getting them nowhere but she couldn't stop herself replying to his threat of jumping over. "Go on then," spoken with immeasurable disdain. She would like to see him try. She utterly ignored the rest of his words, finding them useless especially as he could so easily be lying. Not that he'd told her anything of any significance anyway. He was probably right - she shouldn't have asked, she supposed: she wasn't the police. She didn't answer his petulant enquiries, saying only "Forgive a defenceless traveller her suspicions." The tone of sarcasm hadn't drained away yet, but she was thinking along more ambiguous and less suspicious lines already - either she was going to help the stranger or she wasn't: she would never be able to figure out if he was worthy of it or not. It felt like a test of true altruism: could she be truly selfless, as her once-worshipped God might have asked? Once she'd considered this, she knew she had no choice. Caspa lifted her charcoal eyes to the heavens despairingly, then returned her gaze to the sulky stranger's face. "What am I doing here? I appear to be doing my good deed for the day. Here," she sighed, scooping up the hare, and with an almighty flick of her jaws sending it hurtling towards the top of the fence. It almost made it - and then it snagged, a hindleg catching in the barbs, head lolling down towards Augustus. Her ears couldn't go much flatter than they were already or she would have pinned them back in shame. Hopefully he could jump and grab it, or they were both out of luck.

Augustus · 11-07-2011, 02:38 PM

[html]

OOC Thanks, you, too! Smile

Augustus

He took a couple steps back. She’d called his bluff and he panicked internally not quite knowing what to do. The fence loomed far above his head, its barbs catching the light and glinting maliciously. The more he glanced up at it the more subdued he ultimately felt. He swallowed before down turning his gaze. I don’t feel like it, he lied feebly with a air of regret. He was relieved to see that’d she given up on her questions for the moment, though her continued sarcasm pricked him. No chance of falling under false pretences here, it was all cut and dry straight to the point. He’d try to be more courteous in the future, but at the present time resolved to endure his resentful demeanor. She’d given him no reason to be, or was it he, himself who was at fault. Probably, he determined, reproachful. He sighed shortly to himself. Suspicions? His ears perked suddenly. I haven’t done anything to warrant any suspicions… He declared defensively. He refused to say anything more, thinking to himself. His thoughts drifted back to the stream he’d gazed in earlier. The scars on his face were enough to get anyone’s attention, and surely enough to spark curiosity. He was beginning to feel like a royal ass.

He felt even more so as she lifted the hare and tossed into the air. His heart leapt in those short moments as he watched it fly. He hunched expectantly, readying himself to catch it, But then something happened…it had gotten caught at its very top and his heart sank in dismay. He let a whine escape him and he looked up in despair. Without thinking he jumped up, his paws scrabbling at the fence. He yelped as the barbs pricked his paws and fell back to all fours. He was given hope when he saw it sway, but it remained firmly in place. The bloody carcass hung grotesquely like a grim children’s doll, it’s head flopping around from side to side at unnatural angles. Gathering his resolve Augustus crouched. He jumped up and placed his paws much more carefully and gave it a violent shake. He paused to watch his progress- no go. He shook it again, and again, until he saw it beginning to slip. One more shake and it was his. It came tumbling to the ground where he snatched it up hungrily. He began tearing into it ripping eagerly through the fur to get at the tender morsels within. A couple moments passed before he remembered his companion who’d graciously given up her rightful kill for his wellbeing. He felt guilty and stopped himself mid-chew. He forced a swallow and looked at her, then back at the carcass. He turned his back and planted the hare firmly to the ground with his two front paws. He gathered the neck between his teeth and began tugging fiercely. With some effort it came apart, entrails dangling from the tear in its midsection. He trotted over to where she stood with the front half of the hare in his jaws. It took him a moment to figure out how he’d manage to give it to her. He pushed it into a small gap, inching it forward bit by bit through the barbs. It was an extremely tight fit and the flesh was pierced in several places but after several moments the head poked through. He watched her expectantly, willing her to tug from the other side.

Table Template by the Mentors!

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-07-2011, 06:32 PM

[html]

I feel like this is disgustingly rambly. So sorry if so! :o 5+

No matter how infantile this exchange got, there always seemed to be a lower low to sink to. It was her as much as him, of course, but now she decided to be the one to break the chain of nonsense he had so merrily continued. First he didn't feel like performing an impossible task - it was nothing to do with the sheer impossibility: he just didn't feel like it - and then he was personally offended by her almost-apologetic explanation. Caspa tried not to groan out loud as she elaborated "You have a shifty look about you." She at first hadn't meant any offence, and now she was deliberately insulting him. She felt mildly ashamed of herself, but on the other hand he'd mostly brought it upon himself. It wasn't wholly untrue, but she would never have said such a thing unprompted.

The second after she'd thrown the hare, he had launched himself into the air, scrabbling and straining for the top of the fence. So much for I don't feel like it - let alone leap the height of the wire, he could not even retrieve something from the top strand without a great effort. Caspa could have called his bluff explicitly, but had absolutely no desire to return to the childish behaviour of a minute before - and her heart was kind of going out to him too: he really wanted that meal. He had it now, and she turned aside, looking down the length of the wire again to consider whether she was going to carry on looking for that gap or just head home. He'd possibly come a long way up the other side without finding a handy hole, so that made her reluctant, but she was still of a mind to leave him to his repast when there was a clinking sound and she twisted her neck to see that perhaps she had not been alone in her altruistic feelings today: her dearly sophisticated verbal sparring partner was trying to give her back some of the meat. She hadn't cared to keep any, not being over-hungry - her appetite had grown plenty since they'd gone to war, out of sheer necessity and sharp lessons regarding the result of malnutrition, but there was currently a good supply at home and she was, by her standards, well-fed. Still, she politely came and pulled through a portion of scalp, chewing and surveying the interior of the creature's skull - the brain seemed discoloured: perhaps there was a reason it had leaped so suicidally into the fence. Caspa didn't know much about ailments, just anatomical details. She lifted her eyes over the grisly sight to find her mother-resembling male once more. Was his brain discoloured too? No, that was a very unfair thought. "So just how complicated is complicated, Augustus?" she said then, to remind him she hadn't forgotten his evasion of her perfectly legitimate question.

Augustus · 11-08-2011, 12:31 PM

[html]

OOC: Not at all Smile

Augustus

He let the hare sit on the wire half in her side, half out to his allowing her to pick at it as she pleased, while also leaving a few prize scraps for him if she was unable to finish it. He promptly turned back to his kill where he disemboweled it, determined to waste nothing. He worried each strip in his jaws for a while, but rarely paused to taste it. This was the best way he’d found to eat meat that was no longer fresh. The meat was tough, but he made short work of it, his muzzle stained with post-mortem fluids. Slowly the dry pang of hunger began to ebb away and he contented himself as being, well, not as hungry as before. He could feel his irritation fading away, and with it his resentment of his new companion. He chanced a look at her while absently licking his lips. He didn’t smile, but he didn’t scowl either, for once. He even shrugged off her insult of calling him ’shifty.’ He even admitted to himself that she was right to think so. One could never be too careful and he didn’t exactly look like an honest traveler. If he were in a better state he would be asking the same questions in her situation. Although, he was not in a better state. He was a loner, an outcast, and new to the area, not to mention wounded. Wounded, being in the lighter sense of the word. The scars on his once-handsome face were healing, though remained a prominent feature, one he’d sadly have to carry for the rest of his life.

He let his eyes wander to her share of the meat, waiting to see if there would be any remaining for him, although he tried not to look too impatient. He couldn’t help but lick his lips, and forced himself to look away, letting his gaze drift off. Her voice caught his attention and he was able to look back at her without making her feel anxious. Very. He said seriously, no longer with an air of agitation, or anger, simply said in a manner parallel to the subject matter. He lowered himself to his haunches, winding his tail around him he prepared to relive the very instance he’d been pondering without result for the last month. I lived in a pack far from here. I was the alphas son, although they rarely acknowledged it. I was out minding my own business just wandering around when my father called a meeting. I came as fast as I could, but when I got there, everyone moved away from me, and my father hardly looked at me. I was accused of things, which I might add, I was not guilty of. And, before I knew I was being chased from my own home. He fixed her in his yellow and green stare, inviting her to take a long look at him, at his face. These were my only parting gifts. He looked only long enough for her to fully examine the gashes before lowering his head and gazing glumly at the ground. I was betrayed by my own family. His voice quieted before he continued raising his voice to it’s former even tone. So you can see why I am the way I am…at least I hope you do. This was all very detached, even as he said it. He was trying to get it over with so he wouldn’t have to think on it for an extended period of time, and even left out a few details here and there to keep it short, keep it painless. He armored himself to prepare for a line of sarcasm that he thought might shortly follow, meanwhile attempting to divert his thoughts to more trivial things.

Table Template by the Mentors!

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-22-2011, 04:47 AM

[html]

Word Count :: +300

She only swallowed a few token morsels, then left the rest hanging in the fence for him. It was not the neatest of meals, it had to be said. But who cared? They weren't in a Royal Court now. And in truth, the Cour des Miracles had no particular tendency for airs and graces anyway. She had yet to encounter any canine, bipedal or not, that had developed any level of pretentious table manners, besides allowing others to feed before oneself. She quirked a brow at him, a sidelong glance wondering why he wasn't taking advantage of this very favour - she would leave him all that was left, now - but Augustus was settling back and seemed like he had a story on his lips. She flopped down on her stomach, chin dropping onto her forepaws, resigning herself to listening to whatever convoluted escapade the scruffy male could relate. But minutes into his tale, she found herself lifting her head again and gazing steadfastly at him, offering him a more open and sincere expression than she'd given anyone for a while. His parting gifts. Hers had been only silence.

"An exiled prince," she muttered, eyes hooded. "Just like a story." There was his sarcasm, but she was less intensely scathing now. She supposed she herself was something similar, if you counted an aggressive and grandiose tyrant warlord as a king simply because he liked to exert force over absolutely everything he met, and dressed it in a sham of propriety. She had to admire her father though, although he was a stranger to her, and she was only an exile because her own heart had insisted. Augustus wore his pain on his face, true, but she could only assume that such also lingered in his soul, which was the harder of the two to heal. "So I suppose you will now venture on a romantic quest to find your heart's desire?" She gave a low wuff of mirthless laughter, licking a few spots of rabbit blood off her jaws.

Image courtesy of ®DS @ flickr; Table by the Mentors!

Augustus · 11-22-2011, 03:35 PM

[html]

OOC: Welcome back! Smile / WC: 409

Augustus

During his tale he glimpsed her a few times out of the corner of his eye and was surprised to see her listening to attentively. She raised her head to look at him and her expression was genuinely interested. Did he detect the slightest amount of empathy? He couldn't be sure, but what vague presence it held gave him comfort and eased the words off his lips. His charcoal rimmed ears twitched to the sound of her voice as she gave reply. The sound was less haughty, but he had to disagree with what she was saying. I don't know what sort of stories you've been told, but I'm no prince. He looked elsewhere, twitching his ear. It's simpler than that. His brows began to furrow a moment as a thought passed through his head. In his pack the line of succession was not determined by blood, but by stature and strength. Did that mean his father had felt threatened by him? He looked up to Caspa in his thought. Some things are starting to make sense. It was primitive, he agreed now, but his pack had been remote, relatively untouched by civilization. They adhered to the rules of the wolf before they gained their intelligence, before they were freed from human domination. They remembered their ancestors, and kept their code. Thank you. He'd found the answer he'd been longing for and closed his eyes to heave a sigh of relief. At least the burden was lifted, although the burden on his soul was not. He was still an exile, still without a home, or a friend to call on. Nor did he believe he was fully ready to move on, although this certainly made things easier. Caspa's comment had triggered an epiphany regardless of whether she knew it or not and he was grateful for her presence.

He rose to his feet and tugged at the carcass of the hare still dangling limply from the fence. He'd gathered that she was finished and was thankful she'd left some to spare. He chewed contently and poked his nose in for another bite. The white of his fur was now stained a muddy red, which he licked at absently. He met her comment with a short laugh. Romantic isn't what I'd call it, he swished his tail and looked down shaking his head and letting out another muted chuckle. I'm really intrigued to hear where you're getting these ideas from.

Table Template by the Mentors!

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-22-2011, 05:24 PM

[html]

Word Count :: 300+ I'm feeling gormless today. Quite an impossibility to stop Caspa sounding the same :o

All her puppyhood stories had been about princes. Kings, and princes, and gods. Females hadn't really had a look in, and so to her logical mind, the stories were flawed, invented by those who only wanted to idolise themselves. It was hard to shake off that kind of conditioning, though, and Caspa didn't think it really mattered what kind of characters were in a child's stories - it was the tales themselves that mattered. And those had been mostly of war and punishment. This was a bigger failing than any other, as it had helped her see the world as a hard and cold place, full of judgement and domination. Despite her steely exterior though, the young hybrid found this more of a call to action - to help the downtrodden, including herself - than a dispiriting state of affairs.

She hadn't meant he was a prince literally. But in his own story, he had sounded like he might have played the role. After denying her summary instantly, he seemed to think further and come to an inward conclusion. She didn't know what she was being thanked for, but perhaps turning his story into a fairytale had helped after all. Sometimes it helped to hold a mirror up to a person, let them look at themself in another way. She shuffled her forepaws in front of her, folding them together absent-mindedly for something to do while he recommenced his meal. Then her digits tensed together as he started to laugh, and it soon became clear he was laughing at her. Caspa slitted her eyes so they became thick marker lines of darkness, and with a curl on her black upper lip she returned "Bedtime. Where most fairytales come from." A little more huffily, she added "There are better kinds of stories, true. But it was you who did not think to appear in one of those." Now she was concerned this discourse might turn into a quarrel again, but it seemed it couldn't be helped.

Image courtesy of ®DS @ flickr; Table by the Mentors!

Augustus · 11-22-2011, 07:07 PM

[html]

OOC You're fine. Puppy eyes ftw xD

Word Count → 308

He was taken aback by her sudden irritation and his brows furrowed in confusion. His fur bristled slightly, half defensive, half reflexive. His ears fell to his skull for a brief moment before perking up and turning in her direction. He’d finally opened himself up to another being sincerely and contentedly and now she saw fit to bring them spiraling downwards to their former chilly exchange. He’d no idea what had sparked it. Was it something he said? He hadn’t meant to mock her, he was truly genuinely curious. His parents had always been standoffish to their son, barely taking the time to get to know him, so fairytales were completely out of the question. Instead of working himself up he tugged the rabbit forcefully from the wire. It opposed him for a couple moments before eventually pulling free. The lines of flesh tore off in rivulets where the barbs pierced it. He let it fall to the ground and stepped up as close as the fence would allow in order to look at her straight on. He let his yellow and green gaze meet her glaring coals.

Caspa? He questioned. Did I say something wrong? He let his tail wag once to show his goodwill, although continued to look at her in confusion. He was further perplexed by her second comment, but chose not to touch on it. He didn't fully understand the subject matter in the first place. Really, I want to know. The green in his eyes seemed to shimmer as a stray beam of light hit them at just the right angle. Please? He asked, smiling earnestly. Tell me a story. He reclined to his haunches on the other side of the fence, perking his ears attentively forward and wrapping his tail around his forepaws. He peered at her innocently enough through the wires.

Table Template by the Mentors!

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-22-2011, 10:43 PM

[html]

Word Count :: +3:]

Although she knew - knew - there was solid mesh between them, she still felt an inkling of defensiveness as the speckled-splattered wolf suddenly loomed towards her, and rose back onto her feet in one single motion which resembled a puppet on strings being tugged upwards. It wasn't enough to make her lose her composure, though, even with the eye contact she could feel boring into hers. Annoyed, she let her dark irises return the glare and then widen in surprise to see the soft and appealing light in his. Most unexpected. She came closer, matching his approach step for step and their noses were just inches apart as the other wolf spoke softly, placatingly. She had not wished to be so sharp, but he wasn't a puppy to be indulged either. "No, Augustus..." she said eventually, still nose-to-nose, "you didn't." She hoped that was enough reassurance. It probably wasn't. He was asking for a story, and Caspa had no idea what to tell him. All she knew were moral fables, mostly about obeying one's father. Some were better, about kindness and compassion, but she would not be a preacher. Nor could she resist that puppylike sincerity and, yes, a certain charm, despite his grizzly post-hare jaws. She only had one option left; her story. "I'll tell you how I got here," she acquiesced, then lifted her head to gaze over her left shoulder for a moment while she collected her thoughts. When she returned her face to him, it was that of an utterly emotionless commentator. "I was born on the banks of a river estuary, in a pack of dogs and wolves. My father was high rank, and did not stoop to speak to puppies. My mother was afraid of him and hated herself, so did nothing but follow his orders. I grew up solitary. When I said I was leaving, he told me I had to travel and spread the word of our law. I am here to do that, but I don't, except for a few pieces of wisdom which I believe are true anyway." She had never summarised her life before, and it felt extremely unsatisfactory. "Well, you must agree your history is unspeakably romantic compared to mine." She hadn't even been exiled - she'd left by choice and with a blessing of sorts - and her family had betrayed her at birth, so she had never known anything else.

Image courtesy of ®DS @ flickr; Table by the Mentors!

Augustus · 11-28-2011, 10:24 AM

[html]

Word Count → 464

Augustus matched her stride for stride, his head turned towards her and the mesh between them. He let his eyes peer into hers. His pelt settled down his back and neck and he held his tail in a low, slow wag. For a moment he wished the fence wasn’t there, that they were indeed side by side. His thoughts floated in a dreamy state, hardly realized. It was when she stopped that he snapped back to reality. He stopped walking and turned to face her fully. His ears perked attentively forward and he surrendered all his attention to her. He was relieved to hear her say that he’d done nothing wrong, but still he couldn’t help but wonder what it was that had set her off. When his request was granted he settled himself down to his haunches, and wrapped his bushy black and white tail about him. He had to look down on her, slightly, which he remedied by settling his hinds a bit further away from the mesh, although with some internal difficulty. He found that he wanted to be close. Augustus could feel the heat starting to rise in his cheeks. When she turned her head he took the opportunity to look at the ground, hoping that she would not see and that he could regain his composure. When he felt it was safe again he returned his gaze and perked his ears forward. He listened to her story with empathy. The key difference in their stories was how her mother had been compared to his. He straightened himself up.

In my family it’s a bit different. He started. My mother and father were equals. I won’t go as far as to say that they loved each other, but they were…partners. In every sense of the word. They were always in sync with one another. I’ll never understand it. They ran things like a well-oiled machine. She was in charge of the hunts and the food, and he was in charge of the scouts and the defenses. They always seemed to know what was going on with the other. He let his gaze trail downwards again. That’s probably what hurt the most. When he accused me, she went with him- wholly. He flicked his ear absently. I can imagine how it must have been like for you. He didn’t want to think on it much, and diverted his thoughts to her story. Yes, I guess it is. He replied to her statement about how ‘romantic’ his tale seemed compared to hers, and couldn’t help but agree. What is it you do believe in? He asked, wanting to know purely for the selfish reason that he didn’t want her to stop. He wanted her to keep talking…He wanted to hear her voice.

Table Template by the Mentors!

Caspa Al-Fateh · 11-28-2011, 07:06 PM

[html]

Word Count :: 3+

It was amazing how they'd gone from snapping to such long-winded soliloquy. And it was actually rather fascinating to contrast two such different histories. She supposed if hers was useful for anything, it was to hold up a mirror to someone else. Caspa's stand-offish nature was not the product of indifference, but of caring far too much and needing to hide away behind her defences. Perhaps the reason she was letting Augustus so far in was that - as well as being charming in his dishevelled way - there was a physical defence between them doing the job for her.

His story seemed less of a classic as the details filled out, and became far more tragic. He was abandoned, but perhaps not as maliciously as she'd assumed. A competent alpha pair removing a potential threat, was the theme that sprang to Caspa's mind, but it was pure speculation. She did feel sorry for Augustus, but she had a feeling he wasn't as pathetic as he seemed. "Perhaps they did you a favour, gave you a chance to move out from under their well-oiled shadow." He wondered what it was she had been ordered to disseminate, and she sighed, knowing that the lessons she'd earned were difficult to summarise but wanting to be open, not wanting to be thought a fraud, but not having the energy to conjure up a more enigmatic explanation. "Oh, various laws of peace, harmony and truth." She gave a short "heh" of laughter after these words, then became instantly serious again. "But I see them from the perspective of freedom, whereas, they told me to live with obedience." Of course, it was deep in her nature to be obedient. And it had suited her fine to follow orders, until they conflicted with whatever heart there was buried deep below fences and walls of over-analysis and bloodless philosophy. "Did you learn any such lessons from your family before it all... well, imploded?" It would be rather interesting to hear what ethical codes such families might impart, and her large dark eyes turned to his, long ears pricked as far as they could go, which wasn't very far but framed her face with their soft cascade of curls.

Image courtesy of ®DS @ flickr; Table by the Mentors!

Augustus · 12-02-2011, 04:11 PM

[html]

OOC Not my best :/ So sorry again for the wait!

Word Count → 507

His ears twitched when she made the statement. He’d never thought of it in that way before, although it was highly unlikely they’d done it for his own good. Although much leaner now, Augustus still maintained a decent amount of his former strength and muscle, his body was still unmistakably large, making his father’s line of thinking easier to solidify as the truth. It was more of a selfish act, but if it was indeed done for his benefit, why the lies? Why accuse him in the first place- turn them against him? His brows furrowed a few moment and his eyes became distant, shrouded by thought. He shook his head and returned his gaze to her. If they did it wasn’t intentional.” He concluded. And to what end? It’s not like I was planning to rise against them or anything. I mostly just wanted to be left alone, I was happier that way. I don’t know what it was that set them off. The conversation had sparked his bewilderment again, as the questions poured out of him in a torrent. Perhaps, it was better to voice his concerns aloud, he wouldn’t get an answer that way, but it was better to get it all off his chest. His lips twitched into a weak smile. I’m sorry for rambling. However, he didn’t feel embarrassed, rather did not want to trouble her with questions neither he or she could answer. He sighed and drew his thoughts on the subject to a close.

She started to speak again and he was happy to hear her low, melodic voice. He tilted his head in the very slightest, listening attentively. Some orders are best to be followed, but what you described seems an abuse of power. Pack life had taught him many lessons. Although, his father and mother had several flaws they ran the pack fluidly, and often made decisions that were of the best interest to the pack. This was probably the reason for their thriving community even post-apocalypse. When the Luperci arose it became harder for the uninfected to maintain their former ways of life, but somehow Augustus’s parents had managed to do so, creating a sort of haven for the non-bipedal. He straightened at the sound of her query. Our laws were very basic, if you commit a crime, you must suffer the consequences of it- no matter who you are or how severe or trivial the crime was. Order was maintained, the Alphas first, Beta, and so on. We protect our own and maintain the natural balance. He shrugged. Things were pretty simple. He was now beginning to feel embarrassed he did not want her to think him heathen or primitive for the lack of an in-depth ethical code, but what more could he say? These teachings had been passed down for generations, his pack had not been too deeply touched by the end of the human civilization. His emotional distress dissolved when he glimpsed her silky white curls as they fell to drape her long-elegant features.

Table Template by the Mentors!

Login




Remember me Lost Password?