Lesson One; Hit Me
#1
[html]
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b137/ ... ecrets.png); background-color:#C77133; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: top; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right:0px; padding-top: 400px; border-radius:15px; -moz-border-radius:15px; -webkit-border-radius:15px; border-bottom-left-radius:15px; border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px;">


ooc:

Ass-kicking? Yes...yes there is XD

Location: Trenton Amphitheatre

Form: Optime

The day began as any other would have, slowly and with the unmistakable chill of winter on one’s nose. When the early morning was meant for patrol and remarking the borders and checking for breaches, such duties were instead left to the capable hands of the members themselves, trusting that they would take a proactive approach in ensuring their home’s protection. With such faith placed in her brethren, the female warrior was able to take stride confidently across the white dusted length of the land, away from the encompassing woods and across the partially stilled river. Her gallant pace lead her beyond the northeastern district of Ichika’s vast terrain into the more human-esque enclosures, home to her fellow members that preferred the remnant structures of a long vanished culture to that natural encampments to the south of them.

Yet while she did not like these grounds or the air of age they projected, she had found certain sects of this distract quite useful. In her explorations of the marked territory, she discovered an interesting plot of land, of course covered with snow but held beveled indentations in the landscape. Uniquely layered and in equal height; ‘steps in the land’ she perceived it and at times found herself coming to this earthen theatre to take part in personal training.

But today the grounds would be shared for the purpose a shaming a latent potential into something great. The opportunity awarded by her cherished Cavalieri friend was certainly not going to be wasted especially on a day as clear and calm as this. From the top of the steps her voice rang out for her personal guest to come forth for his lesson. The Nomad had done well to prepare herself, garbed in nothing save for the leather cuffs bound around her forearms to act as both weapon and guard for this beginning segment. Her hair was bound back, a rarity in and of itself for without the loose strands to veil her eyes she looked strangely alert as opposed to her usually relaxed and calmed demeanor. Still her mane was worn in a single braid, extending from the top of her crown to end well below the back of her thigh, feathers and all adorned but carefully fastened.

Atop the steps she waited patiently with arms folded comfortably beneath her chest as she anticipated the hopefully prompt arrival of her would-be pupil.


401 words.

[/html]
#2
[html]

Word Count :: 441 Wooooot!


Wayne was homesick already.

Being away from Dixie-May was harder than not physically being in the Casa courthouse. He would feel at home on an ice flow with the little white wolfdog curled up against him. She had become a part of him since the beginning of their journey together, snuggled against him as they slept, joking with him as they traveled on foot or horseback. The loneliness that woke with him as he sat up in a cold bed at the break of dawn was staggering. It was a cliché, perhaps, especially for a gruff and no-nonsense cowboy like him, but it didn’t make the emptiness less real. Only his determination to be able to defend her, as well as prove his prestige as a member of Casa di Cavalieri, allowed him to still feel strong.

The Labrador mongrel meandered through the territory of Ichika no Ho-en with the gait of someone who clearly didn’t belong there: slightly lost, slightly guilty, but able to challenge the incredulous glances of the pack passersby. When the voice of his new mentor rang through the mountain air, he was all too glad for a direction to go in. He’d be able to explore and socialize more confidently after he felt like he’d accomplished something, rather than standing around as a guest of the pack.

Wayne passed the dilapidated houses in search of the scent of the Exultare woman, not bothered by the sight of the brick and wood and asphalt. He’d grown in a humanlike society, and while he retained a connection with his four-legged side, the mastery of horses and labor would not have come so easily to him if he hadn’t been “domesticated” in that way. Still, he did not look too hard until the tiger’s eye shape of the she-wolf met his gaze.

X’yrin looked completely prepared for their rendezvous, arms bound in leather and hair bound back in a single braid to keep from falling into her golden eyes. Her posture, even in waiting for him, was like that of a warrior; he never thought he would be able to compare.

The cowboy stood in his blue jeans and hat, casting the latter off to the side. He would get out of the denim pants if required, but he figured they’d serve some protection to his legs in a fighting situation; he wasn’t as attached to them, anyway. They were good as extra padding between his hide and that of a horse, but he didn’t think of clothes in the same fashion as the more aesthetically-focused luperci did.

Brown eyes lifted to hers, and he waited in quiet anticipation.


Image courtesy of just.jim @ flickr; Table by the Mentors!

<style>
.K22911_Way1 .ooc {font-size:12px; font-style:italic;}
.K22911_Way1 p {padding:0px 15px 5px 15px; margin:0px; text-indent:25px;}
.K22911_Way1 b {font-family:verdana; color:#2f1400; margin:5px; font-size:10px; font-weight:bold; letter-spacing:1px;}
.K22911_Way1 {background-color:#927748; font-family: verdana, serif; font-size:12px; color:#000000; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #7e663b; line-height:16px; width:500px; text-align:justify; background-image:url(http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/2166/wayned.jpg); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding:264px 0px 10px 0px; border:1px solid #232312; border-radius:0px; } .K22911_Way1-border {width:502px; border:1px solid #000000; margin:0 auto; border-radius:0px;}
p.template-credit {text-indent:0px; text-align:center; font-size:10px; font-style:italic; width:425px; text-align:center; margin:0px auto;}</style>
[/html]
#3
[html]
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b137/ ... ecrets.png); background-color:#C77133; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: top; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right:0px; padding-top: 400px; border-radius:15px; -moz-border-radius:15px; -webkit-border-radius:15px; border-bottom-left-radius:15px; border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px;">


ooc: Wait for it...

The scent of her student was acknowledged before she heard or witnessed his approach. The clear air did wonders for one’s delicate sense to trace even the minutest aroma of fodder encouraging haste in pursuit of it. But the young male was not quarry, she reminding herself, breathing deeply another soothing pull of the air to relax the instinctively raised hackles around her back. ‘Calm’ She put into practice what would be the first lesson she guided the young man through. ‘Be calm…’

“Good morning Wayne,” feeling the minor tension of her hackles recede she addressed the young lab would a soft smile and humble cant of her muzzle. Thankfully there was no slip of her wild bangs by the actions, encouraging the female that her simple yet time consuming method of braiding had proven to satisfy its purpose. With arms unfurled from under her breast, she let the umber clad limbs fall comfortably at her sides as she subtly spread her legs apart to stand at ease and balanced; relaxed and seemingly defenseless. “Let me tell you first, that your strength alone will not see to your succession in this brief, yet intensive course. As I said before, your will must be strong and I add that your mind must be able to resurface its hidden potential. It is my culture’s belief that there is a hidden energy within us all that we channel into physical forms by allowing our instinctual minds to control our movements. This may sound terribly irrational and strange, but I assure you, you will come to see the validity of my words. But first…”

Sliding a hand leg behind her for bracing, the she-wolf positioned herself to a slight toward crotch spanning her arms just a little to retain her balance. “I would like to see the potential you are already aware of; how far you are able to go before your instinct reactions on its own. When you are ready Wayne, you may come at me. Do not look at me as your Shepard-your mentor, but as a danger to your well being. Treat me as your enemy.”


355 words.

[/html]
#4
[html]

Word Count :: 324 Falcon....PUNCH!


He forced a smile in her direction as she bade him good morning, running a hand quickly through his mess of dirty blonde hair as if that would remove his ruffled, just-woke-up look. The rest of him was alert enough, but his tousled fur and quiet stare did not quite suit the fighter picture.

As X’yrin stood with an easy air, she regaled him on her beliefs and the important details that would give him his ability to fight. To his surprise, the focus was more on the mental than the physical - but his hardworking mind quickly filtered that away, and he gave the smallest of nods. “If there’s a will, there’s a way,” the old adage went, and he could believe that. Without the mental sharpness to fight, to know how to move and where to attack, and the belief that he could do these things, his already decent bulk would be pointless.

The she-wolf crouched slightly, looking feral and beautiful and alert all in the same moment, and Wayne became aware of his own casual posture. He blinked when she stated that she would test his potential, but after some initial hesitation and a frown tugging at his mouth, he focused. She was a warrior already; the Exultare could handle whatever he threw at her. Gentleness would not be an issue. The soft voice that could ease a spooked horse belied the hard hand that could guide the most stubborn of them.

The mutt launched himself at her, closing the distance between them and hurling a punch - not quite aiming but letting his blow fall where it would. His other hand came out in front of him as well, but in order to grab and restrain rather than injure. His form was one meant for brute force rather than the intrinsic dances of lither canines, and letting the blows fall on a foe was a surefire way to beat them.


Image courtesy of just.jim @ flickr; Table by the Mentors!

<style>
.K22911_Way1 .ooc {font-size:12px; font-style:italic;}
.K22911_Way1 p {padding:0px 15px 5px 15px; margin:0px; text-indent:25px;}
.K22911_Way1 b {font-family:verdana; color:#2f1400; margin:5px; font-size:10px; font-weight:bold; letter-spacing:1px;}
.K22911_Way1 {background-color:#927748; font-family: verdana, serif; font-size:12px; color:#000000; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #7e663b; line-height:16px; width:500px; text-align:justify; background-image:url(http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/2166/wayned.jpg); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding:264px 0px 10px 0px; border:1px solid #232312; border-radius:0px; } .K22911_Way1-border {width:502px; border:1px solid #000000; margin:0 auto; border-radius:0px;}
p.template-credit {text-indent:0px; text-align:center; font-size:10px; font-style:italic; width:425px; text-align:center; margin:0px auto;}</style>
[/html]
#5
[html]
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b137/ ... ecrets.png); background-color:#C77133; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: top; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right:0px; padding-top: 400px; border-radius:15px; -moz-border-radius:15px; -webkit-border-radius:15px; border-bottom-left-radius:15px; border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px;">


ooc: NOT IN THE FACE!

For the time, she was content to witness the capabilities of this fighter in the making. While his bulk was impressive no doubt the fruit of manual labors, if he was unable to wield it purposeful then he was not better than a scrawny boy swinging wild in the hopes to injure something. She certainly hoped there was something innate skill to be desired, unless she would have to teach him how to utilize his own form. And judging from his rapid thrust, her work was certainly cut out for her.

There truly was not thought in her actions, just a reaction to what she was given. Effortlessly her weight shifted from her back placed leg to its forward twin as she rushed toward his projected arm and veered quickly around the extended arm. One prior idle arm swung through the gap of his defense with claws prepared to wrap around his throat in a strong hold while using the momentum of both her forward motion and accompanying swing to wind him in the process.

Actions: Veers just out of the path of the blow while moving forward. While moving, brings up a clawed hand to grab his throat and push him back by her force.


000 words.

[/html]
#6
[html]

Wayne Word Count: 364

X'yrin Word Count: 396



Wayne McCoy

The female easily dodged his punch with a quick reaction that shouldn’t have surprised him. However, rather than retreating from his attack, her finely-muscled body moved toward him and closed the remaining distance. Her claws shot to his throat, and only instinctive reflexes saved him from being put in a chokehold; his hand reached up to intercept so it was grabbed instead.

A silent snarl contorting his squared-off features, the wolfdog maneuvered the best he could with this limited range to jab his elbow into her side, anything to loosen her grasp.


X'yrin Exultare

Her had grasped not his throat but his wrist instead as it came to the defense of his vulnerable target. If she had the mind to express her satisfaction for this feat, she would have done so with considerable praise but her mind was too attuned to this awkward dance underway with her experienced steps taking lead.

Her claws clenched tightly around his wrist, boring her fingers into the blonde fur before a blow to her side forced her detachment. She leapt back the instant his arm was free, taking little notice to a smarting rib as though the blow hadn’t happened at all. Clearly her body had felt it, but a lesson learned was to not let her mind acknowledge it just yet. It was better trained on the present situation, her movements, his moments, the tell of attack and the hesitant reactions of a defense conjured by thought.

Her feet rested firmly on the ground for hardly a moment before the whole of her shot forward again, executed by a strong lunge with that strength she could gather in an instant. With her lunge, her arm darted forward as if to catch the boy by his neck again, yet a subtle shift marked her intended target as his shoulder with claws firmly poised to tear through it.



Wayne McCoy

Claws dug into his wrist, and his arm and facial muscles tensed, lips still wrinkled back in a toothy grimace. Even though his other arm had connected, it might not have even brushed the tips of her fur for all the attention she paid to it.

Their awkward closeness was tightened once again as the russet wolf moved forward. The lock of claw unbroken, he had no ability to move back other than a weak jerk so that her momentum would not knock him to the ground. Her paw headed at his neck, and the arm not held captive reached up to defend himself once more - only for her blow to land on his shoulder. He snarled audibly at last as claws tore through the dusty-colored fur there, and he lashed out with his arm, trying to do the same to her. At the same time, he moved forward with lips pulled back to expose sharp teeth that aimed at the closest flesh.


X'yrin Exultare

Even in the midst of sparring, she could still siphon a second of precious time to show admiration for his tolerance to pain. She held no real disappointment on her face for him suffering the blow that could have been dodge, reminding herself that he had yet to learn the skills to move, and instead continued on with an indifference the likes of which had not been seen by any save for Saluce, acting as both her mate and sparring partner.

The boy’s visible mistake in her eyes was conveying both his pain and his attention to the marred flesh. His reactions were not missed, the quivering and pull of his lips to expose impressive incisors aimed to steal fur and flesh. A blind assault with no real direction as he struck for her shoulder only to have the claws knocked into by the very target he sought to mar as she rushed her whole front forward to knock him off balance and onto the ground in effort to end their scrap too soon after it began.


Wayne McCoy

Even as his weaponry aimed at her shoulder, the whole of the she-wolf moved. The chaotic balance the two had sustained while grappling shifted out of his favor, and as she thrust her shoulder and the rest of her form at him, he could not keep his balance.

The Labrador mutt crashed to the ground, where he grunted in pain. His arms shifted as if to grab her, to turn them both over so that he could pin her -- but he decided against continuing it at he last moment. Visibly, he lowered his arms back to the cold earth and breathed, admitting his defeat for the moment.




<style>
.razesquared {font-family:book antiqua, serif; font-size:12x; letter-spacing:1px; text-align:justify; width:80%;}
.razesquared p {text-indent: 25px; margin:0px; padding:5px 5px;}
.razesquared b {font-family:georgia; letter-spacing:1px; font-size:11px;}
.razesquared b.npc { font-style:italic; font-weight:normal;}
.razesquared .ooc {text-align:right;}
.razesquared .name {font-family: 'Coming Soon'; font-size:40px; padding:25px 0px 0px 0px; text-shadow:#000 0px 0px 1px;}
</style>

[/html]
#7
[html]
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b137/ ... ecrets.png); background-color:#C77133; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: top; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right:0px; padding-top: 400px; border-radius:15px; -moz-border-radius:15px; -webkit-border-radius:15px; border-bottom-left-radius:15px; border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px;">


ooc: FYI, ^- the above-^ was done with my permission. Indeed it was.

The sheer force of the collision was well enough that her shoulder felt the throb of pain when muscle begot muscle. Her own balance was slightly thrown by the assault only barely sustained by a forward shuffle of her front leg before she too was brought down. An amateur mistake, but even an instructor was to have at least one (or so she would defend).

With the boy on the ground, ending their preliminary lesson she acknowledged first his sign of defeat before her mind withdrew from combat to her present condition. A jolt shook her whole form once her mind recalled the unpleasantness of pain. Immediately she brought a hand to soothe her bruised ribs whilst she curled an arm up to touch her smarting shoulder. She could say this about the boy, he was not built soft. X’yrin giggled softly at the thought whilst forgoing her own minor injuries and extended an arm to help bring Wayne to his feet. “I must say that you are a determined young male,” she praised with a fond smile on her lips. “But perhaps not the most agile. Tell me Wayne, when I struck you, what thoughts crossed your mind, if any at all?”


000 words.

[/html]
#8
[html]

Cowboy goes durrr.


Breathing deeply, the young man let his head tip back momentarily to touch the ground, one hand resting on his heaving chest. The other crept to his torn shoulder, luckily only a minor injury and barely bled though one that still stung badly. He could only imagine the damage it would have done if X’yrin had been fighting a true enemy rather than a pupil. On the other hand, he’d hardly pulled his blows at all.

An umber hand reached toward him, and with a grunt of thanks he let her help him stand. He braced himself once he was up, still grabbing his shoulder and listening intently to her words - praise, and then a fact that he already knew. A small chuckle of amusement left his square maw until he fell silent at her question.

“I wasn’t really...” Wayne began, trying to remember what had spurned him on in the heat of the moment. He frowned and cast his eyes downward. “I realized I was gonna lose. I didn’t want to fail.”


Image courtesy of just.jim @ flickr; Table by the Mentors!

<style>
.K22911_Way1 .ooc {font-size:12px; font-style:italic;}
.K22911_Way1 p {padding:0px 15px 5px 15px; margin:0px; text-indent:25px;}
.K22911_Way1 b {font-family:verdana; color:#2f1400; margin:5px; font-size:10px; font-weight:bold; letter-spacing:1px;}
.K22911_Way1 {background-color:#927748; font-family: verdana, serif; font-size:12px; color:#000000; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #7e663b; line-height:16px; width:500px; text-align:justify; background-image:url(http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/2166/wayned.jpg); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding:264px 0px 10px 0px; border:1px solid #232312; border-radius:0px; } .K22911_Way1-border {width:502px; border:1px solid #000000; margin:0 auto; border-radius:0px;}
p.template-credit {text-indent:0px; text-align:center; font-size:10px; font-style:italic; width:425px; text-align:center; margin:0px auto;}</style>
[/html]
#9
[html]
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b137/ ... ecrets.png); background-color:#C77133; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: top; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right:0px; padding-top: 400px; border-radius:15px; -moz-border-radius:15px; -webkit-border-radius:15px; border-bottom-left-radius:15px; border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius:15px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius:15px;">


ooc: Since this is a rather short back and forth, the remainder except for this last post will be condensed into this reply. With Raze's permission.

Bracing her feet into the ground as she assisted the male to his feet, she felt the slight strain on her abdomen from his earlier well placed jabbed. The rib and muscle throbbed in recount of that pain previously ignored before her student was brought to his feet and she placed that useable hand over her injury. Her tail bitterly swat the air in pain then fell limp between her powerful thighs as she pushed aside the uncomfortably yielding sensation to address the young male.

She smiled. “I admire your determination to hold your own,” she began softly. “But if is not about succession or failure. We will all fail at one point or another in our lives, that is a fact we must accept. But we can brace ourselves against a swift end and learn to utilize what we have to aim toward a kind of success. You should not think about how you do not want to lose, but how you want to protect whomever you care for. Even if you are not able to fully subdue your foe, your aim should be to hold your own against them so that whomever you are protecting remains safe. That is where your strength comes from and that is where your mind must be. Do you understand this?”

Wayne:

X’yrin explained that it was not about succession or failure, and Wayne was about to protest -- of course it was about failing to protect himself or someone else -- but she continued. He nodded instantly as she clarified, and he drew himself up a little taller. “I understand.” A man of few words, but nothing he said could be doubted. A victory didn’t have to be all or nothing -- it could be a partial one, but a few seconds gained could save Dixie’s life.

Seeing the affirmation in the young male’s eyes, she went on. “Though you my heed my words, I am afraid you will not truly understand this until you have experienced this brand of defeat for yourself. Even what I say to you is only theory to me, for I have not endured this trial just yet. These are the words and promises of my own Shepard- my mentor and my father. I can only tell you of the experiences I have learned and instruct you in the ways he has taught me to prevail through these lessons. I can, however, teach you a lesson that you would not be able to learn of your own; to clear your mind of the noise and unnecessary thoughts one often deals with in battle so that you may retain your perspective even when it looks like defeat is certain.”

Wayne:

That she had not experienced all of what she taught him might have been worrying, but Wayne trusted his leader’s judgment of this woman -- and she had proven to be a true warrior as he’d sought out. He just hoped that he wouldn’t have to experience it.

He chuckled softly -- but without much humor -- and nodded. “A clear mind, I could use that. For more ’n just battle, really.”

She looked down at her prospective student admiring the light of determination in his eyes. They reminded her much of her prior pupil now residing within the skull laden borders of the Inferni territory. While her training had proved successful, no doubt with rigorous practice and discipline, the woman could not help but wonder what her abilities were used for. It was a thought that had not crossed her mind for this male until she thought of the incident involving the coyo-female some time ago. Surely her training was not to blame for her actions, but they troubled her none the less and looking to the boy now... she felt the same wary with him.

Would these lessons she taught him be used for something other than to defend those he cared for? She trusted the Cavalieri Sole to have a strong guiding system for his flock of warriors, but it was hard to direct the minds and intentions of others. She could not ask a promise of him, this young male brimming with potential, for beyond the borders of these lands what he did with his training was far out of her control. It was a frightening notion to entertain, but it was a true one none the less. But with a considerable amount of hesitation, she filed away her bothered emotions and instead let her focus rest on young Wayne.

“We could all do with a clear mind at times,” she replied quietly, offering him a weak smile in return. “But at times the noise is necessary, it forces us to center on what is important that we need to hear. The voice of our instinct is the only voice we need to hear and trust that its guidance will see us through."

Wayne:

It was still strange to see that this lesson was more talk than action, but he did his best to absorb her words and file them away for later. Being able to fling his fists around meant nothing if he didn’t have the discipline to keep fighting and the mental prowess backing up skill.

She spoke about relying on instinct, and the Labrador mongrel lifted his head. Instinct was often dormant in the luperci mind; it still lingered, but some took the more humanlike path. It drove him in some ways, but in others, he was like the cowboy he thought of himself as. A true wolf wouldn’t be riding horses around, anyway.

“So you’ll help me listen t’ only instinct?” the young man asked. “I mean, I know you can only teach me so much; I gotta do the rest myself. But...” He shrugged, his eloquence failing him, and reached up to touch his injured shoulder again.

Kindly, she smiled at the young male as her words were seemingly adhered and understood. So long as his aptitude remained at this peak, she could not foresee any problems in instructing him how to bring his instinctual side from its dormancy. “That is correct,” she affirmed with a simple nod. “As you have said, I can only teach you so much, and it is up to you to take these lessons and utilize them. You have to be willing to let go of domestication.” And may his choice of apparel and choice in steed, there was quite a bit to undo.

Her intention was not to change him, but to offer him a perspective many of their kind had lost. Even her mate tended to teeter on the more civilized side, brandishing humanlike weapons and tending to an animal meant to be eaten. But she had witnessed his more feral nature and had seen (and felt) the surge of his instinctual nature. It was plainly there coinciding in harmony with his cultured projection to the world. And the same could be made of this boy.


X'yrin: 845 words (Not to be redeemed) | Wayne: 316 words

[/html]
#10
[html]

And done. Mission accomplished. B)


Let go of domestication. The words sounded odd, but at the same time, he could understand them. Self-consciously, he glanced down at his denim jeans then back at her. She looked feral and strong, wolfish, while he was a half-dog who could only let go of so much of his ancestry. But he nodded once more. He could only give up so much, but if he needed to trust instinct to fight, he wouldn’t carry any silly humanlike notions with him into battle. He still ran on four legs, sometimes, and played with Dixie like young wolves used to play before the fall of mankind. It would not be as large a shift as one might think.

“I’m willin’,” he said, his umpteenth affirmation so far. He grinned slightly sheepishly. “I’ll try my darnedest.” He shifted his posture then, less upright than before and yet slightly more balanced, carrying the hint of a feral hunch. It felt almost natural, and he had to remind himself it was not necessarily time to shift down into a lower form. Instinct would be easier to command in lupus or secui, but it was on two legs that he needed this training, this release of a domesticated life.


Image courtesy of just.jim @ flickr; Table by the Mentors!

<style>
.K22911_Way1 .ooc {font-size:12px; font-style:italic;}
.K22911_Way1 p {padding:0px 15px 5px 15px; margin:0px; text-indent:25px;}
.K22911_Way1 b {font-family:verdana; color:#2f1400; margin:5px; font-size:10px; font-weight:bold; letter-spacing:1px;}
.K22911_Way1 {background-color:#927748; font-family: verdana, serif; font-size:12px; color:#000000; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #7e663b; line-height:16px; width:500px; text-align:justify; background-image:url(http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/2166/wayned.jpg); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; padding:264px 0px 10px 0px; border:1px solid #232312; border-radius:0px; } .K22911_Way1-border {width:502px; border:1px solid #000000; margin:0 auto; border-radius:0px;}
p.template-credit {text-indent:0px; text-align:center; font-size:10px; font-style:italic; width:425px; text-align:center; margin:0px auto;}</style>
[/html]


Forum Jump: