far from the expected
#1
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Each passing day was bringing the harshness of winter closer and closer. It was only a matter of time before the snows would begin to make travel far more difficult. It was with that in mind that Anann had taken her leave to the trip around Inferni and northwest towards pack lands Anann had been unable to learn much about.

Much like Inferni, the lands she traveled towards had a reputation that had proceeded them. Stories of loners that lingered too close to their bordered be taken captive, though to what end is where the stories all seemed to very. Whatever the truth, the word from passersby was enough that Anann felt it warranted to bring along her swords, since this time she was traveling with only Rem as her companion.

It had taken a full days ride to bring the river that seemed to act as a natural border for the pack. Anann dismounted, a hand going to the two satchels at her hip to keep them from swinging. Opening one she took out a strip of dried meat as she let Rem make his way to the waters edge to drink. The wolf herself simply stretched before sinking her teeth into the meat. Her legs ached from the long ride. Certainly she would have to give Rem a chance to rest before they would head back. Although they could always make the trip home at more leisurely pace if these woods proved to be as in hospitable as she had been told.

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#2
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OOC Fak! Somehow I knew about this thread but still I managed to overlook it. If I ever take more than like twoish days to reply give me a good hard pokin'. Also, I've been wordy lately. Don't mind me.

Word Count → 500+


It was a rare day for Liliya when she did not spend her time seaside, but whether she liked it or not there were other duties to attend to. The pack might forgive her if she forewent some of her tasks to focus on the ferry project... but, then again, they might not. Salsoa thrived on a strict balance of give and give, and in return all the members benefited, from the Boss down to the slave. From the outside their life style might seem harsh to some, but the more the Russian looked at it, the more it grew on her.

With her backpack slung over one shoulder – never wanting to miss the opportunity to collect something that might be of use to her work – she paced near the border of Salsoa's territory. The associate was careful not to make her rounds too close to the limits of their pack land for she did not want it to seem like she was planning to step out of her boundaries, but she certainly was close enough to be a viable look out. Her eyes watched the unclaimed territory in the distance, scanning for trespassers and other ne'er do wells.

There was a time where Liliya would have hoped no one came; not in this context, anyway. She would have willed any unsuspecting canine away from Salsoa's borders. But the longer she lived within the pack, the more like them she became, and some secretive part of her silently hoped that someone might pop up. Someone she could report to her pack... It was not as though she wanted to hurt anyone, and she certainly didn't want to entrap anyone like Eris had her own mother, but catching an intruder and sounding the alarm, showing that she was at the ready to fight for her pack would be another notch to her favor in the Family's eyes. And the Family... well, they were quickly becoming a surrogate for the family she could no longer seek.

It looked like today Liliya would get her wish. A chill snaked down her spine as she paused a moment upon a facing, but the sensation was just a reaction to the biting weather that was quickly moving in. She hadn't thought to stock up on warmer winter worthy clothes yet, and her simple leather corset and skirt did little to protect her from the cold. She was used to this weather back home in Russia, was she going soft?

Ah, knock it off, she thought to herself in her native language as she shook her head. Of course you're not. Her cloudy eyes narrowed on the figure that moved near, and she was now certain that it was a sandy shaded woman, and she was quite clearly coming toward Salsoa. There was no hesitating any longer, this was Liliya's cue. She paced forward, her path set to intercept the interloper. But... there was something strangely familiar about the woman... her coloring... No, it must have just been a coincidence.

“Hold there a minute,” she called in her thick, Russian spackled version of English. Holding up a hand to carefully yet firmly warn the woman to come no further, she kept walking towards her, gauging if she was a threat. “You are about to be comingk into the land of Salsoa. Who are you, stranger, and what vhould you be likingk from us?”


Image from Englaender. Table code by the Mentors!

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#3
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pssh 4 days isn’t even a wait in my book <333 so no worries, I am much slower than that :x

The strip of dried meat hadn’t lasted long and Anann licked her lips after swallowing the last bite. Her stomach voiced its desire for yet another piece of the venison, but it would have to wait until business was taken care of. Anann approached the river banks where Rem stood drinking only to be quickly halted by an accented voice that warded her away from the scent marked barrier with a raised hand. Anann responded with a respectful bow of her head, hands raised to show her open palms and far from the hilt of her swords. She did not want to get off on the wrong foot here, nor anywhere really. ”I do not mean to intrude, I have come to..” Her words trailed off as umber eyes fell upon the face that had come to greet her.

The golden and amber features of her face twisted in surprise. Anann seldom forgot a face and how could she possibly forget the face of her mate’s sister. Those blue eyes, along with the Russo scent was proof enough. ”Liliya?! What are you doing here? I thought you went back to Russia.” It was definitely surprise that dominated Anann’s features and the tone of her voice, but there was a hint of anger that lingered just below the surface. With long strides Anann quickly closed the distance between them to but a yard, arms crossed over chest and a hard look to those dark eyes of hers.

Had she not even thought to contact her own brother? Probably not, considering she had also left without so much as word, spoken or written. At least Rurik had the decency to leave a note for the sons he had left behind. Still Anann held a bitterness towards them both for how they had so easily abandoned Anatoliy without even a proper goodbye.

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#4
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OOC

Word Count → 500+


How close she was to finding answers to the questions that had plagued her for months, yet she did not know Anann knew so much of at least one person in her bloodline. What had become of her father, Rurik? Was Anatoliy still in the Court? Where was her family? They were the answers she was pursuing when she became an impromptu member of Salsoa. She might have tried to escape the pack – at first, anyway – if it had not been for her mother who had walked right into Eris's hands and been deemed a slave. Liliya stayed to protect her, but now that months had passed, Salsoa had seeded roots into her heart.

The woman paused when she first spoke, making a universal gesture for 'I mean no harm'. Liliya noted it with a bit of silent thanks. Despite the vein of her thoughts, she much preferred it if there was no trouble. Not everyone who came close to Salsoa wanted to start a fight, and there were instances in which people could come and go. Especially, she thought, if she was here to trade. Still, she did don a couple swords, the sight of which Liliya didn't like very much.

It was the weapons she was thinking about when the woman spoke, and Liliya's gray eyes shot up to her face. They narrowed, focusing on the woman's features just as she exclaimed her name, and Liliya realized why she looked familiar. “Anann Kelevra.” The name was a statement, as sure as she was that the sky was blue. Oh, how fate had a funny way of doing this to her.

She couldn't quite tell what that was in Anann's tone. Surprise, of course, but what else? Was she excited? Happy? Or angry? After the mess she'd made Liliya wouldn't be surprised if it was a little bit of everything. She held her ground, letting the woman come over to her in her somewhat authoritative way. She made a face at Anann's questions, but she had plenty of her own, so a moment later the look melted and she conceded, standing neutrally toward the woman.

“I did go back to Rus,” she nodded, her voice heavily accented; though the Russian patois was probably not difficult for Anann's experienced ear to decipher. “I vhent back and got my mother out of that tramp village. We never should have left her there. The-” What was she going to say? She stopped abruptly. She wasn't going to tell Anann – a woman she once feuded with and who was not essentially an outsider to her – that her mother had gone bat shit loony. Anyway, claiming that she had defected from Cour des Miracles to rescue her mother had been a pretty good on the spot improv.

“I have been back with her for only a few months. I have been meaningk to come back to Cour des Miracles for visit but...” How was she going to play this one? “...there was situation, and Mother needed to stay here. They help her. I vhould not leave her again.” That sounded pretty good, and upheld her pride as well.

After a moment of pause she looked to Anann, a strange look on her face. She withheld her dignity while appealing to Anann for news. “And how is the Court? Vhat news of my family? You know it, for sure.” Cut to the chase, that was her way.


Image from Englaender. Table code by the Mentors!

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#5
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Confronted with the sister of her mate, Anann had forgotten her place as a stranger along the borders of a pack she knew so little about. She had no right to her questions or to put Liliya on the spot as she had, at least none that the Russo woman would have been aware of. And yet after a moments deliberation, it seemed, Liliya gave answer only to be met with another hard look from the Luna, though she let her speak without any interruption.

What bothered Anann was that the story did not match what Anatoliy had told her. The blame had been placed on Niro for his sister's disappearing act. The golden woman's brow furrowed a bit, but she didn't call her out on it. As far as Anann was concerned the details of the matter and their truth was best left to the two siblings to figure out when that time came. As for now Anann figured it wasn’t her business.

Still, the explanation that was given came as much of a shock as the sight of Liliya had. Their mother was now here in 'Souls? Oh how she wished now that she would have brought Anatoliy with her like she had when she had gone to Inferni. Still she was glad to have news of his family when she returned home. She knew that he had worried for Liliya and had regretted the circumstances in which he had left his mother behind and alone in Russia.

Anann couldn't help, but give a soft chuckle at Liliya's question."What makes you think that?" It was a teasing question, for Anann likely smelled like a Russo herslef. Even if Anatoliy’s scent had faded from her travels and their time apart. "The court is doing well now that the war in the south has settled, but you no longer have any family there." Anann said explained and doubted that Liliya had known anything of the war.

"Your father went back to Russia shortly after you vanished." A statement that had Anann glaring at Liliya again as it brought to mind how their abandonment had hurt Anatoliy. She had been more than willing to open her own home and heart to the Russian, but what if she hadn’t been there for him? "Silas is still in Inferni, as far as I know, and Anatoliy lives with me, in Casa di Cavalieri. It is a newly formed pack. We are across the bay, southwest of here." She pointed in the general direction that her senses told her home laid in. She mentioned nothing of Mars, for the estranged Russo had also vanished from the Court and she had not heard of him since. She had no idea if he was even still in the region or if Liliya even had the chance to meet him before she had left.

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