the sweetest eyes i've ever seen

Saul Stormbringer · 01-03-2012, 03:50 PM

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October 28th 2011

It had been ten days since his meeting, if he could refer to that situation as simply a meeting, with Imari. It had been ten days since his virginity had been taken from him, ten days since the temptress with the beautiful eyes had plied him with alcohol to make him forget about Siku. It had worked for as long as it needed to and when the young man had woken in the morning with a foggy head, but a clear memory about what had happened last night, the dark beauty was gone. She'd taught him enough in the few hours they'd been together that the young man felt little animosity towards the woman for it. And she had, in some ways, helped him on the path to recovery. Of course, nothing good ever came from drunken one night stands, but her blunt and direct attitude to life had rubbed off on the male. Siku played on his mind still, but it was with less frequency he thought about her, and the throbbing hole in his chest had begun to quiet down. Of course, he wasnt just out here to bring Siku back. That wasn't happening and the young male was just beginning to accept the fact that he would never see the white female again. But he sure as hell was going to find his brothers and sister, even if it killed him.

He walked still beside his great dark horse, allowing the padded bark packed with a poultice to work its magic on Hermes' leg. Saul would never forgive his negligence if Hermes' leg grew any worse than it was and the young male felt bad enough about it already. He allowed the stallion to walk placidly by his side as he moved like a ghost about the lands. He could find no trail, no sign of a scent to pick up that would point him in the right direction. In fact, he was more than a little lost at this point and he had no idea how he was going to find his way back to Ichika. But he would return there soon enough and he would heal the wounds he had inflicted on his leaving. His mission right now however was more directed at healing the wounds within his body. The wounds his family had created in him- the Stormbringers were notorious for leaving without reason or word. Gideon had gone just under a month ago and Saul was determined to find him.

In truth, the male had no idea where he was. Somewhere in the northern reaches of Canada he would hazard a guess, but there was no guarantee that his geography was any good. Green eyes swept the grass, trying to pick up any sign that his brother had been here. Hopeless and frustrated enough to turn in for the night, Saul turned towards the forest again, in search of a small niche where he could light a fire and rest for the night.

word count → 500 ;; image © Fir0002/Flagstaffotos ;; table by lin

Naniko D'Angelo · 01-03-2012, 05:42 PM

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WC: 1,156

There was something about leaving that had hurt him on the inside, but the feeling had began to fade as he'd walked farther and farther away from Ichika. Gideon felt remorse for leaving canines behind that he did care deeply about...but many of those relationships were confusing to him to begin with and he wasn't entirely certain that he wasn't doing them a favor by taking off the way that he had. Nayru? What was she to him now? Just friends, it would seem. He had thought that a mateship was the right thing, that he'd been in love with her...but it hadn't felt right, at times. They were destined to be together, he still believed...but not as mates or anything romantic. The times that they had become physical with one another had been a disaster; awkward, even painful at times for her, it had seemed. He liked the idea of having a mate, having pups of his own someday..but maybe he had idealized their mateship too much. Made it more than what it really had been.

He had tried to break through the friendship to find those feelings, the way that he had felt about her when they'd been pups. Something had been different after they had actually become mates, though. The spark had fizzled out and disappeared, leaving behind two very confused friends. That was how Gideon saw things. He cared about Nayru and her happiness more than his own, and wanted to take the confusion out of her life. For her to find someone who could treat her how she deserved to be treated, to love her the way that she deserved to be loved. He could have tried to give her all of those things...but the male didn't think that he could give her the one thing that she needed the most - someone who felt passionate, romantic love for her. He was stuck with platonic feelings. And she deserved better. She was a queen, a pack leader...and one of his best friends.

The male had gone West from Ichika when he'd taken off, toward lands that he had never been in before. His muscles were still damaged from the experiments that had been done on him in Anathema by the terrible mad scientist Demi, but he could walk easily enough. His limp would make him stand out among other canines and be more easily recognized...but if one got closer to him and could see the arsenal of weapons that he carried around on him, strapped to his arms, calves, and around his waist, they would probably think twice about attacking him. Just because he had a limp didn't mean that he was entirely weak...just that he'd experienced pain in the past. So far, he seemed to have had some pretty good luck with strangers. Most had been in need of food or someone to help them build a shelter, and he would often combine forces with some of the local loners to get a task done and share in the bounty before going along his way.

He wasn't sure what it was that he was looking for out in this snowy patch of wasteland that he'd found himself in. He'd managed to down a deer a week prior and still carried some pieces of roasted meat with him, though they were beginning to get stale around the edges. It was cold enough outside that the entire environment acted as a sort of refrigerator, and he kept his pack out in the cold whenever he could so that it would help keep the stuff fresher. He was learning survival skills, all right, ones that would be useful to him in the years following...whether he ever rejoined Ichika or joined another pack again. He’d chosen the warrior path in Ichika because he had wanted to learn how to defend himself, and now those skills were coming in use as well and becoming more and more honed with each day. There were times when the male would stop for a few days and make a camp for himself…then he would train extensively. But otherwise, he kept to his normal short training exercise in the morning. Each day it felt like he regaining a bit more of his flexibility, despite the chunks of muscle that had been cut away from his legs and arms.

He’d set up his own little camping spot in the snow surrounding a large tree, keeping the fire pit well away from the pine needles that the tree had dropped in the fall and that continued to drift down from the branches every once in a while. It seemed like it was constantly in some state of dropping needles. Each morning that he had woken up beneath the branches, he had found more and more of the little pokey leaves on his chest, face, and a few had even landed in his mouth. He’d been using the dead ones for tinder to start his fires, getting retribution for the attacks on his face and body by the prickly needles. Now he sat before the fire, warming his hands and reaching for his pack to take out the last bit of meat that he had left. He’d need to hunt soon…but had no one to do it with. More than likely, he’d have to live day-to-day and kill a few squirrels or hares each day to keep himself sustained.

The warmth of the fire felt great against the bite of the frigid air against his face and hands. It was beginning to grow even colder now that night was coming; it seemed to come much earlier in the day than it had during the summer months, and he often built a fire early to combat that. Gideon had no problem being alone, finding a few small animals or canines to speak to every now and again kept him sane…A sharp snapping of twigs from the surrounding forest brought the male to his feet. Was he simply imagining the sound, having just been thinking about other canines? Or was somebody really there?

He readied his slingshot in case it was an animal that he could hit and or chase down, his entire body poised for action. Maybe they’d seen his fire. After a few moments passed with no further action, the male took a hesitant step forward. His large foot crunched into the top layer of snow, making a series of small cracking sounds. Whoever was there would know that he was here as well, now. Maybe they’d come out if they found that out…or perhaps they would flee. He went down into a crouch, eyes narrowed at the cluster of trees and dead bushes that lay just beyond his campsite. He had not heard the sound of any creature fleeing just yet…so he believed that more than likely the other creature was a canine like himself, watching him as he watched them.

Table code by the Mentors!

Saul Stormbringer · 01-03-2012, 06:07 PM

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<333

His head hung, green eyes watching his unbound paws dip in and out of the snow. He had no desire to lift his head and see where he was going, and therefore his paws were infinitely more interesting to him. The war in his mind was coming to a head, he knew it. Soon, there would be a turning point that would throw the balancing table one way or another. Either he would survive, or the weight of his emotionally defunct brain would drag him down. There was only so much he could take and while there had been no betrayals and no deaths, they'd still left him. A sigh escaped his lips as he glanced back up towards Hermes, patting the stallions neck when he reassured himself that his companion was still with him.

"You'll never leave me, will you Hermes..." He whispered, so low that it would have been impossible to hear or carry over the snow spattered ground. Cinnamon backed ears lay flat against his skull as he moved forward, not entirely sure where he was going. The trees engulfed him and the young male paused for a moment once the protection of the trees closed behind them. He allowed Hermes a drink in a small pool of water gathered in the roots of a large tree, half tree sap and half snow melt. Once the stallion was done, Saul dipped down to scoop up a few mouthfuls of sweet water. His coat could have been in much better condition, but he'd only managed to bathe briefly every day in the small streams he'd managed to stay close to. He looked rough.

The snap of a branch ahead of him caused his body to jolt into a protective crouch. Hermes shied back, a snort echoing in the silence that followed. "Hermes, behind me." Saul murmered, hoping his voice wouldnt carry so far that whoever was out there would hear him. Green eyes searched the forest, almost catching the sight of the darker male before dismissing it and searching again. He was tired and cold and broken and he didnt need this fight.

word count → 355 ;; image © Fir0002/Flagstaffotos ;; table by lin

Naniko D'Angelo · 01-03-2012, 10:13 PM

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WC: 340

As he remained in that crouched position, something began to happen. Tiny crystals of water started to fall from the sky above, landing on his fur and melting there. He was warmed from the fire, still. He stared pointedly at the bit of wood and branch that stood between him and the stranger, aqua eyes narrowed. He was ready to rush in if the other canine wouldn’t come out of there. It seemed that this was the case…Gideon sprang forward into the tree line, turquoise eyes searching this way and that for the make-believe canine that he had thought he’d seen standing there. Hmmm. Nothing was there. He frowned and gave a sigh of defeat, starting to turn back toward his fire when he saw it, a shape not too far away from him. It was facing the same direction as he, now, looking in the area that his fire was located at. With the trees and brush obscuring his vision it was hard to tell who or what this creature was; it looked to have six legs and an elongated body. Was this some foreign animal?!

Gideon’s eyes widened considerably when he realized exactly who and what was standing in the browned grasses in the distance. The outline of the horse was now obvious to him as he took a few steps closer to the figures, squinting to try and make them out better. A brown wolf stood next to the horse, crouched in a defensive position. It seemed that Saul had caught on to him just as he had seen the other male. Gideon blinked a few times, unsure of how to approach the situation. He could just wander back to his fire, gather his things, and leave if he didn’t want to see his brother…and he did consider that option for a fleeting second. He couldn’t do that. Who would know when he would get to see Saul again? ”You looking for someone special?” He said in low, rough voice as he stepped closer to the pair.

Table code by the Mentors!

Saul Stormbringer · 01-04-2012, 12:54 PM

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<333

The great black horse backed up, recognising the tension rolling off of Saul as something to adhere to. While Saul knew that Hermes could more than likely take care of himself, the young male felt the need to protect him. And in some small, remote part of his mind, he felt the sharp stab of smugness, and perhaps a little sadness, that Hermes appeared to be the only one to do as he was told. Saul had not yet come to realise that his siblings lives were their own- they were theirs to do as they wished and Saul shouldn't have been trying to keep them in the same place when they clearly had no desire to do so. He was too strong headed at the moment to figure that out, and for now he would he content to allow himself to gut wrenching pain that came with having been abandoned.

The rustle in the bushes stopped, but it allowed Saul's emerald eyes to make out a more solid shape of a dark wolf. It could be anyone, but Saul felt a jerk of his heart as he put the figure of the wolf in front of him to that of his brother. He couldnt be sure, and he wasnt going to allow himself to hope that he had found his brother again. It would only hurt him worse when whomever it was revealed themselves and their eyes did not fit the green/turquoise that seemed to be unique to Gideon and Saul would feel that crushing pain once more. His ears flattened against his head as a gruff voice came forward. Definitely not Gideon.

Was there someone special he was looking for? Well that was a loaded question, most definitely. He was searching for his whole family, to put them back together again like he always did. He was searching for everyone that meant anything to him, while he left everyone else back at home. He had left Wretch, Melee and Range, Nayru and Jace and Tawny. They'd all come to mean so much to him, but he'd left to search for those who meant just a little bit more to him than that. He was searching for his whole life, out here in the wilderness.

"You could say that..." He murmured, cinnamon ears tucking back against his skulls as he allowed his shoulders to relax just a little. "My brother..." He said by way of explanation, hoping he would be able to finish this small encounter and continue on his way soon. He had so much ground to cover and Gideon could be so far away he would never find him.

word count → 355 ;; image © Fir0002/Flagstaffotos ;; table by lin

Naniko D'Angelo · 01-04-2012, 07:06 PM

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WC: 502

Much had happened to him since he had left Ichika. Gideon was the same wolf in many ways…but in others, he had changed drastically. The small amount of social anxiety that he had often felt in the past had seemed to disappear as he had gained his independence from the pack. His warrior skills had improved as he’d fought off other loners who had tried to steal catches from him or his firestarting materials. Such things were valued in the winter, when prey was in shorter supply. One canine that he’d met had even gone to cannibalism, having killed and devoured his traveling partner when times had gotten too rough. Gideon could not imagine such things, personally…he had no desire to harm any canines that were not deserving of it, and he would never grow so hungry that he would hurt a friend or traveling partner. He’d rather die himself.

It would seem that the cities in this area came far and in between, and thus far he had not found one that hosted the same variety of human objects as Halifax had. However, he’d managed to gather up a few new items since he had left the pack despite that fact. In the first small city he had located a few new weapons and in the next he’d found a stockpile of hand-made paper and charcoal pencils that had been left behind by another luperci. Perhaps they had perished in this winter. He’d taken both of those items with him now and used them frequently, learning how to work with the knife set that he had picked up. He was also trying to teach himself how to read and write…the paper and pencils were coming in use, though the charcoal pencils were hard to grip due to their small size. He was making due with it, puzzling over the books and practicing the lettering each and every day.

He held his hands up in the air to show that he did not hold any weapons, looking back at the other canine with wide eyes. He could smell Saul’s scent on the breeze, familiar as ever…the wind was in Gideon’s direction, allowing him to catch his brother’s scent…but perhaps his brother could not smell him. Another thing that had tipped him off to the fact that it was Saul was his horse – not many luperci traveled by horse, at least not many that he’d met out here…it was quite unique. He cleared his throat before speaking, wanting his words to come across as clearly as possible. Would his brother be upset with him now that he’d found out where he was? Would he try to bring him back to the lands that he’d left behind? He wasn’t going back…but he would listen to his brother’s words if he chose to try and convince him. Gideon raised an eyebrow, responding quietly and taking a few steps closer. ”Have I changed so much that you would not recognize your own flesh and blood, brother?”

Table code by the Mentors!

Saul Stormbringer · 01-05-2012, 01:20 PM

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<333

Had he gone crazy? Was that the explanation for this situation, because he couldnt really believe that any of this was real. Sure, the strange in front of him meant nothing to him, but he hadn't seen another soul since Imari. At the thought of the dark haired beauty, and the things he'd been shown that night, his body shuddered. He shouldn't have been thinking about these things, but he really couldnt help it when thoughts jumped out at him. Pushing back these images flashing through his mind, Saul allowed himself to straighten up out of his protective stance. It was clear that he wasn't going to be attacked any time soon, else it would have happened by now.

A rustle in the trees ahead was the only warning Saul got before a familiar, and strangely alien, figure walked out of the trees. Shock raced through his body and he took an involuntary step backwards. Was his mind playing tricks on him? For a moment, he couldnt quite believe his eyes. And then his brother spoke and Saul felt his bottom jaw hinge open. His arms automatically came up towards his chest as dar green eyes furrowed in confusion. This was everything he'd ever wanted, and now that he had his brother in his grip, he had no idea what to say to him. His mind went blank and he tried desperately to think of something to say.

"I don't know what to say..." He whispered, allowing his body to lean gently against Hermes' side. The small part of his mind that was overwhelmingly happy to see his brother was having a serious fist fight with the part of his brain seriously pissed off with the dark haired man. His eyes ached to take on an accusing look towards Gideon, but the small half of his brain was winning, inch by inch. "Where've you been?" He squeaked, coughing to clear his throat. Slowly, his hands came away from a protective hover over his chest and he took a step forward, Was this really happening?

Naniko D'Angelo · 01-08-2012, 08:45 PM

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WC: 259

Both males had changed since they had last seen each other. The question was whether the change was good, bad or if it even mattered at all. They were blood...they were siblings who had grown up alongside one another, for the most part. He thought that he knew Saul better than almost anyone else...did that still apply even though he hadn't seen him in a while? Did their blood ties still count for anything? Gideon felt that they did...but he wondered if his brother would not just feel betrayed by his actions and deny that bond that tied them together. They were Stormbringers. They had been born together and had become separated...but they'd found each other once and now here they were again. They would just keep finding one another no matter what the distance.

"I left after Nayru and I split up. I couldn't deal with seeing her, smelling her everywhere. I hoped to come out and find Shiloh...maybe join somewhere else. I felt like a failure of a mate to her...I was never quite good enough for her." He said. His words were rushed; he had waited a long time to talk to someone about it, and Saul was here now...so he would give his brother the whole story. "We both decided that it wasn't going right...that it wasn't how a mateship was supposed to be. So we ended it and everything...but yeah. I'm sorry for leaving, I just couldn't do it any more." He said feebly. "It was nothing you did." Gideon said, crossing his arms.

Table code by the Mentors!

Saul Stormbringer · 01-11-2012, 02:17 PM

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<333

He had no idea what to feel. His eyes were still in the process of examining every inch of his brother that he possibly could, taking in any and all detail that had changed. A scattering of cuts were the only thing he noticed and they were to be expected. Saul had no idea if they were from fights, or from mundane things like branches and thorns that would have gotten caught on his brothers skin. He didnt know how to ask either. Gideon looked tired, but otherwise healthy. Saul wouldn't have said that his dark haired sibling look particularly happy, but he might have had a biased opinion on these matters. He did, however, notice the distinct awkward note as his brother began to speak. Saul gave a soft sigh and moved forward to stand a few feet away from his brother.

As much as he understood, there was still a part of him that was angry with his brother. For leaving without saying anything, for leaving his children behind. In fairness, there was little Saul could say at this moment without becoming a hypocrite. He'd left just as suddenly as Gideon had- he'd left Wretch as well as Melee and Range to fend for themselves. He knew they would be fine, but they'd lost most of their family in one foul swoop. On the other hand, Saul fully intended to return. "I understand that Gideon... But what about Melee and Range? They're your children..." He offered with a pained expression. He knew he wasn't completely privy to the ins and outs of their relationship, but even he could see that there had been no spark.

"I know..." He murmured softly to Gideon's apology and reassurance that it was nothing he'd done. He still couldnt help the stab of betrayal in his gut. "Will you come home?" He asked, his voice filled with trepidation even as his ears flashed back against his skull. It wouldn't be fair to ask his brother to return, but perhaps he could ask whether Gideon would ever come back to Ichika. Twisting his fingers in front of him, he waited for the words that would surely crush him again.

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