The Great Unknown
#1
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OOC At Shinsu Temple


Wandering through the pack lands Terra found herself in an area that she hadn't seen before. The smells of other canines were faint, despite the fact that they were well within Cour des Miracles territory. Curious about the empty place Terra tread forward, wondering what it was. Was the location just that out of the way, or was there something more to it? Pushing past the last bush Terra paused, gaping in awe at the sight. She'd never seen anything like it before. A beautiful building towered before her. It didn't hold the same air to it as the hotel she lived in or the other houses around the area. Instead the building seemed rather grand, to inspire fear rather than comfort.


Silently Terra crept closer, eager to find out about the building. The roof was nicely shaped, and the doorway was much bigger than anything she'd seen before. Terra skirted around the edges, careful to keep away from broken pieces. Large chunks of stone had fallen out, yet the structure still seemed solid, ready to stand for another thousand years. Poking her nose in Terra meandered through, looking around silently. It was a beautiful place, possibly the nicest thing she'd seen humans make. Her old pack had seen nothing like this, and Terra hadn't come across anything particularly human in nature in her new pack. One could argue that the hotel and buildings were fairly human, but Terra felt they were part of the pack, no longer having anything to do with humans. This building was different though, a lasting monument to the creatures that had disappeared.

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#2
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+372


The small Haskel had been practicing his hunting lately, and tracking was becoming a routine part of that. While he’d yet to make a kill, especially with most of the small animals tucking away for the winter, he did practice chasing adults’ tails or pouncing on Hati or sometimes stealing Liam’s dead animal stitching experiments to see if he could make more wounds. He’d heard that finding prey was just as hard as actually stalking them or wearing them down, and so he’d lately set to following the scent trails of pack mates around the territory.

Terra was his unknowing target today. He’d gotten up, headed outside, and seen that she’d gone off by her smell. He waddled along now with his nose to the ground and his tail wagging quietly behind him, not catching up but not losing her scent trail for once, either. It hadn’t snowed lately, so there was no frost on the ground to disrupt his groove.

He was proud of himself as the scent became fresher, but almost as soon as he had the thought, he bumped into something, which rocked and toppled forward. With a yowl the boy leaped backwards, coming face-to-face with the sneering head of a Japanese dragon. Reflexively, he reared on his hind legs and batted at the broken stone to deter it from attacking, not wanting to hurt his teeth, but then he realized that it was just a statue—not something that wanted to eat him. Huffing loudly, he took another few steps back then actually looked around.

“Whoaaaa!” Skoll hadn’t seen this stone wall before. More statues lined the grass and he could see a frozen pond just inside, shadowed by a red bridge. Other buildings made up the temple, so oddly foreign and magnificent compared to the hotel or his family’s residence. Did anyone else know about this place? Had he been the first to discover it?

The smell of Terra answered that question as he was reminded of his reason for coming here. The boy looked around then bounded across the lawn, keeping an eye out for his pack mate while taking in all he could of the temple architecture. He wandered inside, jaws slightly parted in awe.

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#3
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OOC


Terra's ears pricked up as a sound vibrated through the area. Curious she turned around to spot Skoll trotting towards her. What are you doing here? From what she knew of the small puppy he'd probably wandered off playing a game, leaving her with pupsitting duty again. She didn't mind though. Playing with Skoll was a lot of fun, even if she couldn't actually use her full skills with him. Terra looked around at the building, studying it's form.


This place is pretty weird, isn't it? Humans made it. Stepping around the puppy Terra examined one of the statues she'd seen. It looked like someone had tried to draw a sneezing secui and failed. Terra laughed slightly to herself before she realized what had happened. Skoll had wandered off from the pack. His mother didn't know where he was. Terra did. If she didn't get him returned, it would be her neck on the line. Granted she hadn't been well watched as a pup, but that was because her mother had been too worn out to keep up with an energetic pup. The other puppies in her pack had been watched much more closely.

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#4
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Short; couldn't think of what to write. /+181


Terra’s voice made him jolt and look forward again. He’d tracked her scent pretty well, but it looked like his other senses weren’t up to par while he was so mesmerized by the ancient architecture. He grinned at her, bounding the last few feet so he could lean against one of her dark legs. “I follow ya smell,” he offered by way of explanation, sniffing the air once to drive the point home. His wagging tail showed that he was obviously proud of this accomplishment; he had managed to track her all the way out here to this strange place.

She mentioned that the humans made this place, and with another sweep around at the surroundings, Skoll nodded in acceptance. Only humans could fashion a place as weird as this, humans who fashioned metal beasts that rocketed them up into the stars.

“Not like house,” Skoll remarked. It didn’t seem as cozy, even though the atmosphere was relaxing. Something told him that this had another purpose—though what purpose it could be other than as a human den was beyond him.


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#5
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OOC


Terra's tail wagged at Skoll's explanation. He was young, and already working on his tracking skills. Granted, following Terra wouldn't have been a challenge as she hadn't been trying to hide her trail. Living in a pack made her feel a lot more confident than she normally would, allowing her to walk around without a care. Hiding her trail was the least of her concerns. She was pleased that it had done some good, though it was a little embarrassing knowing she could be tracked by such a young puppy. Terra should have put more care into it than that.


She nodded her head at Skoll's sentiment. The building wasn't like anything she'd ever seen. It seemed built to inspire respect more than comfort and security. Terra wasn't really too sure what humans would have used such a building for. She had a vague idea it might have been used for leaders to meet, but that might not be true. While leaders did gather in such solemn places, Terra had found that human places were a lot less pretty than this. It was only the fact that humans were the only ones capable of making such a thing that lead her to the conclusion she reached.


Shall we explore? Checking the place out with the puppy wouldn't be as fun as if she was on her own. It would keep Terra away from the more dangerous areas. At the same time it promised to be better than if she left the pup to wander on his own, or left to somewhere safer. It wasn't the choice an experienced pupsitter would make, but Terra was the one there, so she made the best choices she could. It was guaranteed to keep her entertained and the puppy away from areas where he could possibly hurt himself. At least in theory.

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#6
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+195


The offer to explore made Skoll grin deviously. He’d already intended on exploring this place, even if Terra wasn’t watching him, though it was obviously safer to have an adult accompany him. He vocalized his agreement with a barked “Yes!” then began to scamper off in a random direction. Exploring wasn’t about plans; it was about throwing yourself into the surroundings and bump into new things. After all, he hadn’t known this was here! And it had given him quite a thrill, especially when he considered this had been right in the territory without him knowing it! There were still plenty of places untouched by puppy paws since he couldn’t usually get away from his caretakers, of course, but that only made Skoll determined to grow up faster.

The blonde boy giggled as he found another one of the snarling statues. He reared on his hind legs and put his forepaws against it, trying to make it topple like the dragon had, but this one stood firm. He cocked his head and circled around it before bounding onward again. “Wassa these rocks fer?” he asked, gesturing to more of the statues scattered across the lawn.

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#7
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OOC


Terra watched in dismay as Skoll dashed off. She'd been hoping that he'd be willing to obediently follow her around as she checked it out, but it seemed Skoll would be the one dragging her around. Still, at least they hadn't left. Terra trotted up to Skoll, just in time to hear his question. She looked around at the various statues quizzically. Some of them looked like secui, while others looked like creatures she'd never seen before. Shrugging she looked back at the puppy. I think they're meant to scare off intruders. That's why she would use the statues. They did look scary if you didn't realize they were stone.


Leaning in Terra sniffed at the weird statue Skoll had tried to knock over. It didn't seem like anything special besides having a rather frightening look on it's face. Bored with the statues in general Terra trotted further up the lawn, heading for the great doors up ahead. The temple had been built to last, so they were lucky the doors hadn't been closed. The heavy ornate doors stood to either side like stolid sentries on watch. Carefully Terra picked her way up. The steps were much higher than the other ones she'd seen. Glancing up she saw the arch that had been set over the stairs, a barrier to pass through. Going underneath it was almost like entering another world.

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#8
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+255


Terra said that the statues might scare away intruders, and Skoll nodded. “Kinda scary,” he said, thinking of the dragon that had given him a fright when he’d ran into it. “Kinda funny-lookin’, too.” He grinned and batted at the statue’s wickedly snarling face again for effect, giggling before quickly jumping and trotting after her. She was headed toward the doors, which were massive enough to give the boy pause as he tilted his head back to look them. Were humans giants, too? Then again, everything looked exaggeratedly huge from his puppy perspective.

Clambering up the high steps took effort for the little cub, and he was trying to hide the fact he was panting when he got to the top. Flopping briefly on his white belly, he let his tongue hang as he watched Terra walk through the arch. Once he managed to get enough oxygen to continue, he padded after her.

Inside the temple was amazing—gold figurines lined some of the walls, while paintings hung in some areas, though they were faded from time. There were areas for monks to kneel as well as other furniture that the boy eagerly scampered toward. He looked around, overwhelmed, not sure what he should check out first. He finally decided on some strange etching in a wall, almost like letters in a book though he was obviously too young to read. He tilted his head this way and that, as if the angle might make it easier to understand, and pawed once at the carving.

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#9
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OOC


Terra heard the puppy panting behind her, and felt a little guilty. He was so young, and yet she'd forced him to try and keep up with her. His rambunctious energy returned quickly though, allowing them to continue into the main building. She stared around in awe at all the beauty around. Terra could no less describe what she felt than explain what it felt like to fly. Carefully she stepped around the scattered furniture, looking at the mats she assumed the humans had slept on. It looked like her setup, except it wasn't a mattress.


She chuckled as Skoll examined some carving on the wall. It was words, saying something. Terra studied it closely, trying to make sense of it. While she could read, her understanding was rudimentary, leaving her to puzzle out each meaning. Skoll had picked out a section with only a few though, so she felt confident she could tell Skoll what it said. Peeass be wit yyou. Listening to her words Terra puzzled over what it could actually be. She'd said it right, now she just had to match the sounds to actual words.

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#10
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+232


Skoll had some basic knowledge of books, as sometimes his caretakers would read a small passage to him whenever he was having trouble falling asleep. Most tales were told orally, though, and he had no idea what the symbols he was currently squinting at meant. He shuffled out of the way when Terra wandered over and began to read aloud.

A familiarity with fumbling puppy-speech meant that the prince was good at figuring out words, and as soon as the adult slurred the sentence, Skoll burst out, “Peace be with you!” He grinned in triumph and turned in a quick circle, looking up at the cinnamon coywolf excitedly. After a moment, though, he frowned and looked back at the carving. “Whassat mean? Peace good. Peace be with me?” He wasn’t quite sure if it was a commandment or a reassurance, as he wasn’t familiar with the fine points of philosophy yet.

However, soon something else had gotten his attention. Abandoning the lettering, he scampered over to the other side of the room and pawed at a flat gold disc lying among some other artifacts. It was somewhat like a bronzed mirror, one that reflected his face in a somewhat distorted way. Immediately he began to make faces into it and giggle.

“I look like stones outside,” Skoll informed his exploration partner, baring his teeth at the mirror in a wicked puppy snarl.


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#11
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OOC Love table!

Terra did not consider peace as "good". Peace was something she'd never experienced on her own. If she had any idea of what peace was, Terra would have answered that it sounded like a curse. Days without trouble was something Terra feared. The danger and mischief gave her excitement, an outlet for the boundless energy in her body. It was entertainment and exercise and strategy all rolled into one. There could not be a better combination for her to use.


Wandering over Skoll Terra laughed at his fierce faces. She glanced in the disk, seeing the distortions. Chuckling Terra silently shifted into secui form behind him before peeking over his shoulder again, her reflection loud and clear. Terra let out a low growl, the distortions turning her into a horrible monster. Laughing Terra backed up. She watched for Skoll's reaction before noticing a tunnel off to the side. Forgetting she was supposed to be watching the pup Terra began wandering down it. The flooring was more unstable over here, with sections collapsed in.


Pictures of strange pale creatures lined the walls. It was faded, the lines hard to make out. Terra supposed the pictures were of creatures the humans had worshiped. Awed at the strangeness she looked around, noticing a ripped fabric hanging over a section. What could be behind there?


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#12
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Sorry for the wait. >< /+246


Whatever illusions the boy harbored of being ferocious were soon shattered as a terrifying face appeared suddenly in the bronzed mirror, dagger-like teeth showing against a warped and wrinkled monster face. The deep growl behind him made the boy squeal and leap forward, knocking the disc to the side with a clatter before he whirled around, fur puffed up and tail curled over his back. He had fallen into a clumsy defensive stance, ears low and eyes huge as he stared at the tawny secui coywolf before realizing that she’d tricked him.

“Meanface,” Skoll muttered under his breath, giving his golden coat a shake. He hadn’t been scared out of his wits, but he definitely hadn’t been expecting that and was badly startled. He tried to make his fur flatten before it started bristling again—this time with excitement as he saw the tunnel that Terra had discovered. Quickly, he bounded after her on clumsy white paws.

Hopping over a crack in the ground, he peered at the curtain falling across part of the tunnel. Too excited to pay any attention to the images on the walls, he ran over to the torn cloth and grabbed the end in his sharp puppy teeth. With a high-pitched growl, he tugged a few times before the curtain came down—draping over him. The outline of his snout could be seen as he pushed against the fabric, wiggling around and trying to find his way out of the tent.



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#13
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OOC here.

She watched Skoll move forward, leaping around the tumbling edges. He certainly was an energetic little thing. Terra put her nose to the ground, following the different scents. They were all new to her. Some were traces of other canines that had been there before. Others were scents of objects that had been moved around, and dead vegetation.


Watching the pup Terra chuckled quietly as the curtain collapsed on the young puppy. Stepping over she pulled it off, backing into a hole. Slipping Terra clung to the edge for a minute before pulling herself back over. That was close. Terra shook out her fur, clearing the dust away. She would have to be more aware of where she was standing. Looking up Terra stared in awe at what was revealed behind the curtain.


This place had once been one of worship, that was clear now. A large alter, decorated with curling vines, stood before them. A beautiful many armed creature stood above it, glittering in gold. A single faded purple pillow sat below it, a strange skeleton kneeling there. What was this room?


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#14
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+221


Flailing around underneath the curtain, it would only a matter of time before Skoll found one of the holes in the wall or the floor. Luckily, he only stumbled into the folds of the fabric before Terra grabbed it and pulled it off him. The fresh air striking his face renewed his vigor, and with a quick shake of his golden coat, he pranced after her in an excited high-step.

“Whoa, shiny!” the puppy managed to gasp as he peered around her dark-booted legs to see the altar and statue. He was about to sprint toward them and check them out when something completely different—and less shiny—grabbed his attention. His jaw dropped.

“Bones!” he pointed out loudly, in case Terra hadn’t already seen them. He rushed toward the kneeling thing, about to grab one of the thicker bones in his jaws and tug—but something stopped him. He had seen plenty of prey bones before, but this wasn’t anything like the rabbit leftovers or decomposing deer he’d seen on the outskirts of the woods before. Its shape was uncannily luperci, but it wasn’t that big, and there was something off about it.

“Terra, why his face all flat?” the child asked, his face growing more solemn as he looked over at the adult, leaving the skeleton undisturbed for now.

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#15
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OOC

This was as bad as that thing Terra had seen in the woods. Well, not quite as bad. Terra was sure the skeleton was quite natural, and wasn't going to come to life on them. Walking over Terra sniffed at it curiously. It's some kind of animal I've never seen before. Terra leaned in, taking a deeper whiff. Tipping her head to the side she calculated how old it was. The skeleton's very old. Maybe the creature wandered up here away from it's herd and died. She couldn't see another explanation for it. Terra had never seen a creature like it during it's travels, and it appeared too weak to survive the harsh northern climate. Why, it hadn't even managed to survive here!


Shaking her head Terra looked down. It looks kinda like a luperci, doesn't it? Not having the same restrictions Skoll did, Terra knocked the head off, sending it rolling through the room. Entertained by it's movement, Terra bounded after it. Again she hit it, sending it rolling. For a few minutes she passed the time like this until it hit against the golden statue and shattered. Disappointed that her game had been put to an end Terra turned her attention to the large golden statue. It was very strange. Terra clambered up, pushing against the slippery metal. A few times her feet slipped from underneath, but she managed to reach the base.


Want to come up? Terra cocked her head invitingly to the puppy. Checking out the statue was much better than dwelling on the strange skeleton. Besides, now there was no way to tell what it was. The head was destroyed. It had reminded her a little of a ball. It was like a squirrel's head, or a raccoon's, rounded. It was put on the wrong side though. Age must have caused the head to shift so it laid like that.


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#16
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Sorry for this crap post. I wanted to get something out of the way. xD /+144


While the boy was weirded out and curious about the skeleton, Terra was apparently less nervous about it. She padded right up to it, sniffing, and said that the skeleton was old. The lack of answers about what it actually was disappointed the boy, who lowered his ears then yelped when the skull went flying. He bumped into the rest of the skeleton, causing bones to clatter on the ground. As the coywolf terrorized the skull, the puppy picked up a femur in his mouth, immediately spitting and sticking out his tongue. It was so dusty! Definitely not as tasty as fresh bones, that was for sure.

The female jumped up onto the base of the golden statue, beckoning him to come along too. With tail wagging Skoll bounded over to it, hopping pointlessly as he wasn’t big enough to come up after her.


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#17
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OOC hope this ending's okay

Gently she picked Skoll up in her mouth and placed him beside her. The cool metal was slippery, but Terra's experience allowed her to keep her balance. Carefully she wandered around the statue, occasionally putting her paws up and taking a closer look at the details. Whoever had made this had done fine work indeed. Every part of the statue was detailed, even the back when she wandered around there. There was no seam from the metal being wielded together, giving the impression that the statue had stepped out alive and whole the way it was. Terra clambered into the statue's lap, putting her paws onto one of the outstretched hands. From a distance it appeared like a little fox had climbed up to play in it's friend's lap, begging for treats from the hand.


Done poking around the statue Terra leaped lightly down. Skoll was still desperately scrambling around the statue, his soft puppy paws unable to properly grip the slippery metal. She laughed softly before nudging him. We should probably get back now. Skoll let out the expected whine of complaint, saying that he wanted to keep exploring. Terra was getting hungry though, and her stomach took priority over exploring. If it had been anyone else Terra would have just left them there. Skoll was a puppy though, so she scooped him up and nudged him toward the exit. Gingerly they worked their way through the broken hallway, dodging the gaps. Terra weighed too little to be able to carry a pup in her mouth for long, so for most of the trip back Skoll walked, with the occasional nudge from Terra to keep him on track.


Entering the town they found some of the adult wolves scrambling around, desperately trying to find Skoll. Terra glanced down, realizing she'd been aiding an escapee. She raised her eyebrows in mock sternness before sending Skoll on his way. Tongue lolling out she watched Skoll be reunited with his caretakers. He was a nice kid. Mischievous, but that only added to his charm in Terra's mind. Grinning she set off for the woods. Now to grab her dinner.


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