till we couldn't feel our teeth

Saul Stormbringer · 02-20-2012, 04:17 PM

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21st February 2012 . 4.30pm . The Sugarwoods . Optime Form

His spirits had lifted since he'd reached Casa di Cavalieri and had spoken to Dixie and Wayne. He'd been more than a little relieved to feel little of the tension that had existed between himself and the little blonde bombshell at the Winter Festival. He hadn't felt the squirming worms and zinging heat over his body that he'd felt when they'd practises their archery and for that he was eternally grateful. Dixie might be a little bit oblivious to Wayne's feelings for her, but Saul could clearly see the feelings the Labrador cross had for the Texan belle. Still, it had been a nice meeting between the three of them and Saul was more than happy to hand over Gypsy and Maia to their care. Now that he no longer lived in Ichika, he had to find somewhere safe for the pregnant mares to board until they gave birth. Wayne and Dixie had provided the care, a recompense for the months Gypsy had spent in Ichika with him.

He and Temeraire had continued on, his son chattering eagerly away in his faux-adult language and Saul chuckling and smiling every time his son went off on a tangent of very little meaning. The afternoon was beginning to wear on and Saul could see his son lagging. Soon enough, the dark boy would need some kind of nap to recharge his batteries and Saul could see that it would be soon. It would be beneficial for him to find some kind of shelter to let his son rest before they continued on. Now that he'd thought about going to find Lilin, he'd decided that this would be his destination. He had no desire, now that he was in fact 'homeless', to be wandering around the wilderness of Nova Scotia with no security. Going to find Lilin and asking if there would be any way that they could stay with them was on the forefront of his mind.

Weary green eyes swept the forest closely, searching for danger. His mind threw him the image of Regner, holding very little ground over a vengeful cougar. The cougar skin had bought him a bird and Saul was grateful that he'd been able to use the cougar for some kind of benefit instead of just leaving it in the open to rot. With a soft sigh, the young Stormbringer pulled Hermes to a stop, causing Artan, the other stallion, to come a stop behind his companion. He'd managed to scoop the little boy up into his arms and he was settling down, his eyelids drooping over brilliant blue irises when Saul settled him into the pelts piled over Artan's back. The horse would be able to stand all day with the slight weight of the puppy on his back and Saul would be free to stretch his tired body and make some form of food situation before Temeraire woke and they would be off once more. With a soft sigh, Saul rolled his shoulders and moved to extract some dried meat from the saddle bags on Hermes' back. He had a while before the bundle of energy awoke.

word count → 522 ;; image © Fir0002/Flagstaffotos ;; table by lin

Niernan Stormbringer · 02-20-2012, 05:47 PM

The ache had been building for days, he never thought his paws could hurt this much but after three weeks of solid walking his pads were suffering. Yet it wasn't his paws that was causing him the most irritation; the constant chatter of his brother had been wearing on his fragile nerves for an hour now.

He flicked his ears back and laid them against his head in an attempt to block out Brans voice, but this only resulted in him eliciting an annoyed 'mew' from the large, fluffy kitten that was perched on his shoulder. Niernan chuckled as his cat, Ciaran, scrunched up his face in annoyance at being flicked with an ear. "Sorry Ciaran, he's starting to really get on my nerves, he's not even talking sense."

The Maine coon mix meowed in agreement and snuggled into his owners shoulder, Niernan chuckled again as the cats long fur tickled his cheek. He settled back into the rhythm of trudging on, his mind drifting back to his aching paws. He pulled his haversack further up his back and let his thoughts dare to waver over to the dangerous idea of proposing a break, or even striking camp.

He was just considering the idea of cooking some bacon for dinner when his foot paw hit a knobbled root and he staggered, nearly sending himself and Ciaran flying. The young cat sank his claws into Niernans shoulder, making the young man yelp in pain. Brans constant rambling stopped for a brief second before the lighter furred wolf burst into raucous laughter.

Niernan reached up and carefully extracted the terrified cat from his shoulder, cradling him in his wire corded arms. He shot a despairing glance at his brother "Glad to see you're amused, brother. Let's stop for a while, I think I broke a claw on that root." He silently thanked and cursed the root at the same time; it had given him an excuse to stop, but had caused a painful cracked claw.

"Alright Nier, set yerself down and I'll have a gander." Brans strong, Irish accent made his words sing. He swung his haversack down off of his shoulder and placed it by a boulder next to the road. Niernan sank to sit on the rock, moving Ciaran back to his shoulder as he knew that his brother would always want to be as far away from the cat as possible.

He stuck his foot paw out and his brother took it gently in his hand paws. "Aye, you've cracked the two middle claws, they're sheared right off. Ya daft bugger Nier, ye'll have to rest it awhile, yer bleeding all over the place." He put Nier's paw back down on the floor and straightened up, wiping his hand paws on his dark grey shorts, leaving a bloody streak down his left leg.

Niernan sighed and sank to the dirt floor, stretching his legs out in front of him, spreading his toes as wide as they would go. He laid his head back against the rock and was about to propse dinner to Bran when he caught a scent on the wind. His head snapped back up again and he snuffled at the new smell.

The smell was odd; a mixture of fresh and old grass, sour sweat and wolf. He flicked his ears forward, canvassing for new noises, the sound that he caught was new to him, a strange dusty thud sound, like walking, but much heavier. He heaved himself to his foot paws and limped to the middle of the road.

He raised a hand paw to his brow and shaded his eyes as he squinted down the road. His azure orbs focussed on two large shapes plodding towards him, both dark in colour. He now recognised the musty hay smell of horses and called to Bran, "There's someone coming up the road Bran, They're on horses. What do ya think? Hide or stay?" For his answer Bran simply reclined on the soft grass at the verge of the road.

Niernan smirked at his brother and moved back to his boulder, "Lazy sod, ain't he?" He muttered to Ciaran, the cat simply twitched his whiskers, Niernan assumed that he agreed with him. He sank onto the boulder and pulled his haversack towards him, fishing around for a stick of jerky. "Well, let's just wait until they come to us, eh? Take the easy life."

Saul Stormbringer · 02-20-2012, 06:13 PM

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gutted that I'm not playing Bran for a little while- I can imagine him chatting away about some whore he was with just before they left the Stormbringer pack and Niernan not listening to a word he's saying. DX

The young Stormbringer was wrapped up in his own thoughts, settling Temeraire down into some kind of sleep and trying hard to settle his quesy stomach. He had no idea if Lilin would be happy about his showing up with his son, asking if she had anywhere for him to stay. He had no desire to act as though he were imposing on her, but she was the only family he had outside of Ichika and Ichika was not somewhere he wished to stay at the moment. Dixie and Wayne would take good care of the mares until they were ready to foal and by then, Saul hoped to at least have somewhere to live. For now, he was more than happy to take up some floor space, as long as his son had somewhere comfortable to stay, he would be happy. Wrapped up in a bundle of fur on Artan's back, almost strapped down to keep the swaying of the horse from throwing him off, Teme was already fast asleep when noise up ahead alerted Saul to the company he was about to keep.

Green eyes looked curiously at the path ahead, clashing with the sight of two male Luperci both in their optime form. The darker of the two reclined on a boulder, a dark coloured cat perched on his shoulder and a stick of dried meat in his hand, very similar to Saul's own late afternoon meal. The other male was a light tan and chocolate with splashes of white over his body- he'd taken up residence on the grass and appeared to be amused with the sight of the clouds and the trees above him. Saul stopped for a moment, wondering at the strange scene in front of him, before the tangy iron scent of blood hit his nose and critical eyes searched both of their bodies thoroughly for a moment before the breach was located. Bleeding softly from the claws on his foot, he appeared to have cracked them quite badly. His medically inclined mind began to race through the plants and remedies on his person that would help, before he remembered his manners.

"Namaste, travellers. You look a little lost and weary, can I help you?" He asked, genuinely wondering if there was anything he could do to help this pair out. He looked towards the darker of the two, the one who had hurt himself and asked with a soft smile, "Can I help you with that cut? I'm a medic and I have a few things that might help you out?" He glanced back towards Temeraire who remained sleeping, before stepping forward and stretching his hand out in an offering of greeting. "I'm Saul Stormbringer, previously of Ichika no Ho-en but now a loner for a while." He said, a friendly smile on his face.

word count → 473 ;; image © Fir0002/Flagstaffotos ;; table by lin

Niernan Stormbringer · 02-20-2012, 06:57 PM

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OOC herpderp? / +yo numbah!

Niernan raised his eyes to the wolf, he raised the hand paw not holding his jerky in greeting. Stormbringer, you say? Really? His voice and eyes could barely hide his excitement. This was just what he had been hoping for; he and Bran were only travelling to find family and here one had literally plodded up to them.

He stowed his jerky back in his haversack and pushed himself up off the floor, aiming a subtle kick at his brother. Bran jerked back to the land of the living with a very ungentlemanly snort, What d'ya want Nier, ya bugger? I was having the nicest day dream about that pretty wee blonde we met a ways back.

Niernan rolled his eyes and looked back at the other Stormbringer, I apologise for my brother, he was taught manners, but he forgets em real quick. Mealtimes with him are torturous. He offered his paw for the obviously older wolf. "I am Niernan Stormbringer and the lazy sod over there is my brother, Bran Stormbringer. It's a pleasure to meet you Saul."

A loud 'meow' rang through Niernans ear and he winced, before smirking wryly, he flicked his eyes to the cat perched on his shoulder, Sorry your Lordship, He directed this to the cat, before looking back at Saul, this useless lump of fur is Ciaran. I appreciate the offer of medical assistance, but I'm sure it'll be OK, it's only a wee bit of blood.

By now Bran had also hauled himself to his foot paws and had offered his broad hand paw for Saul to shake. He was uncharacteristically quiet, gazing at Saul with pensive chocolate coloured eyes. Niernan looked at his brother quizzically before shifting his focus back to Saul. May I fuss your horses? They are stunning examples of the species.

Saul Stormbringer · 02-21-2012, 10:06 AM

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lalalalalalala

The darker of the two males who Saul had first raised his hand to lifted his own in return and the two clasped hands for the briefest of moments before they released. It wasn't a typical greeting nowdays, but it seemed to Saul to be better than simply standing there. Of course, he didn't expect the words that came from the male to pertain to his last name, although the lilt to his voice reminded him of Alae. He nodded softly, a curious look sent towards the darker male as he asked; "Do you know of the Stormbringers?" He didn't think that their family was that well known, although he knew next to nothing about the Stormbringer stronghold out in the wilderness or wherever they had settled. Green eyes watched with relative amusement as the darker male replaced the dried meat in his sack before aiming a kick at the man in the grass.

A soft chuckle escaped the young man at the lighter mans answer. He could see the dynamic between the two of them, bouncing off each other and complimenting one another. It was a bond that had been forged over time and Saul thought that the two may be brothers, despite their difference in colouring. Then again, he looked very little like his own brothers so this wasn't saying much. The darker of the two confirmed the relation by apologising for his brother and Saul chuckled once more. "Oh its not a problem sir." Saul stated, the grin on his lips apparent. The two of them appeared to be rather comical and Saul could sense the friendliness that was in both of them- they were easy people to get along with. Of course, nothing prepared him for their names. As they introduced themselves, or at least the darker of the two males introduced them both, Saul felt his stomach flip and his face lift in shock. "Stormbringer?" He breathed, feeling equal parts sick and dizzy with excitement.

He was distracted as the darker of the two, now acknowledged as Niernan, looked over at the cat on his shoulder and introduced him as Ciaran. "A pleasure, Ciaran." Saul murmured, his voice just a little weak from the shock of simply stumbling upon another of his relatives, especially since there were two of them. Questions raced through his mind and the idea to create a family tree to keep track of their relatives. Niernan reinforced that he was okay with his injury and Saul nodded softly- there was nothing he could do to help if the man refused any form of treatment from him. The lighter of the pair, now identified as Bran, raised himself up and offered his hand, to which Saul shook vigorously. He seemed an amiable fellow and Saul could see that the both of them had the potential to become good friends as well as relatives.

Saul glanced back towards Niernan as he asked to fuss his horses, stating that they were both fine breeds. Saul grinned softly, a gentle nod. "You know horses?" He asked, wondered at the knowledgeable way that his recently-discovered cousin had spoken about the breeds. "The larger of the two, the black and white one, is Hermes. And the chocolate and flaxen stallion is Artan." He said, although the mention of Artan reminded him of his son. "The little puppy on Artan's back is my son, Temeraire." He said, pride colouring his voice. It would be easy to wake the boy, but Saul thought it would be best to leave him for the moment.

word count → 594 ;; image © Fir0002/Flagstaffotos ;; table by lin

Niernan Stormbringer · 02-21-2012, 10:25 AM

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Niernan registered the shock on Saul's face as he gave the older wolf their names, he hadn't thought that the simple statement of a name would cause so much emotion. He could also see the excitement painted all over the grey wolfs features, he couldn't help but smile himself.

He listened to Sauls introduction of the horses while he moved over to the black and white stallion, Hermes, from what Saul said. Aye, I know horses. I've a bit of a thing for animals and animals like me. He allowed the heavy stallion to sniff his hand paws before he smoothed one soft pad over the animals long, broad muzzle.

He smiled as the stallion pushed against his paw, relishing the attention. He turned his head to look at Saul as he registered the mans comment about his son, before glancing over at the hump of furs piled on Artans back. Aw, we'll let the little mite sleep, they're cute when they're out cold. Just like Bran's cuter when he's asleep, it's more quiet. He grinned mischievously at Saul and then laughed as he caught his brothers pouty face over Sauls shoulder.

Niernan gave Hermes a final pat on the nose before shifting over to give Artan a fuss. He repeated the presentation of paws for the horse to sniff before petting the chocolate and flaxen animal. He smiled slightly to himself and laid his forehead against Artans, Aren't you a beautiful boy? And so well behaved. He whispered to the animal. Artan blew air out through his nostrils as if agreeing with Nier, the wolf man chuckled and moved away from the horse, giving him a final, gentle pat on the nose.

He turned back to Saul, Fantastic boys, in brilliant shape as well. If you trained them then they are a credit to you, I'm lucky just to have met them. He strode back to his brothers side, hoisting up his grey cargo shorts as he could feel them slipping down slightly. Nier hooked one thumb through a belt loop and waved his tail a little nervously, now that his area of expertise had come and passed he found himself about to breach a subject that he had given much thought over the last year.

So, Saul, may I ask ya something? He paused and waited before broaching the subject You're a Stormbringer, as you said, so what relation are we? I know most of the family through the times that they dropped in to meet my siblings, I and mother and father, but there was never any mention of you. He rubbed the back of his head nervously, Well, I suppose Wraith never had much to do with the young'uns like me and Bran, ain't that right brother? He shot the question at his brother, causing the lighter wolf man to laugh unexpectedly loudly, Sure thing, to be honest, I think Wraith was just ecstatic when you and me left. I suppose it meant that he wouldn't have the others complaining about us all the ruddy time. Bran grinned, causing Nier to chuckle.

Saul Stormbringer · 02-21-2012, 02:01 PM

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lalalalalalala

The darker of the two males, Niernan, approached his horses with confidence and Saul couldn't help be feel just a little exulted. It wasn't often that he found another relative, let alone another relative that had similar interests to him. It was clear that Lilin was not family orientated as he was and she hadn't been particularly interested in the ice fishing they'd participated in. But Saul could see a kindred spirit in Niernan and his brother Bran, even if the tan coloured of the two didn't seem particularly interested in the conversation. It didn't surprise the young Stormbringer- Bran didn't exactly come across as very grounded, more of a free spirit than the more conversational Niernan. It didn't surprise him that he'd been interested in his horses- he'd treated the cat upon his shoulder with at least affection and it was clear he was someone attracted by nature. He confirmed it as he'd walked forward and greeted Hermes, declaring himself as an animal person. "I find myself in a similar situation with other animals." He chuckled. The man's lilting tones came again in response to the information on his sleeping son and Saul nodded softly. "He'll be up before long, bouncing around and chewing on various appendages- best make use of the peace." He chuckled softly as Niernan poked another jibe at his brother, to which Saul replied; "I'll have to see it to believe it... although he's being quite quiet now." Saul mused as Niernan moved on to Artan.

The whispered words between man and horse were almost missed to the male as he'd turned back to study the mans brother, another cousin. He didn't know how they related to each other, but it was much easier to brand them as simple 'cousin' than trying to pinpoint their exact relation to him. His brows furrowed in concentration and he found himself frustrated once again that he had no visual representation of their family. He couldn't even put the boys on a side of the family- Lilin had revealed that her grandfather Crow had had a sister Raven and therefore there could be another half of the family. Saul wasn't sure which side he belonged to, although he was a Stormbringer and therefore figured he came from the male side of his ancestors. He was bought from his stupor by Niernan's soft lilt, congratulating him on his horses. "Thank you Niernan- I've been training both of them for a while, but I plan for Artan to be Teme's when he's old enough." Saul said with a smile. The chocolate and flaxen-maned animal was docile and easy going, a perfect first horse for the boy. Rolling his shoulders once more, he moved towards the brothers as Niernan began to speak.

Almost none of it made sense to him- he had no idea who Wraith was and their in-jokes just confused him. This would appear to be a rather complicated and tangled. As Bran interjected, Saul smiled softly before moving forwards. "Perhaps it might be better if we built a fire and I told you my story first? I know literally nothing about my family history." He said, sadness seeping into his tones. It saddened him to know that he knew very little about the Stormbringer pack, not even where it was. With a rummage around in his bag, he found the flint stones he'd had for a long time and began to build up a small tipi of wood. It took him a good few tries to get the fire started, but when it was roaring, he settled down on the ground around it and thought back to the little he knew of where he'd come from.

"I was born to Abigail Dawnrunner and she tried to flee her pack with us four, Gideon, Ascher, Shiloh and I. She got over the Halycon Mountains before her mother Zia caught up with her and tried to kill us. She managed to get hold of Gideon before our mother defended us. She died at her mothers jaws and decided that we would die out here. Gideon made it down to Dahlia de Mai where he was found by our Aunt Bris, who took care of him. Our father Dreyrugr found myself, Ascher and Shiloh and took us all down to Dahlia de Mai to live with Gideon and Bris. We didn't stay long, but the basic jist of the thing is- we all left for the Stormbringer pack when I was about four months old. I got lost in a storm and found my way back to Dahlia where I've stayed ever since. Ascher and Shiloh have been to the Stormbringer pack once or twice before, but I've never been."

He spoke easily, although there was so much in between his return to Dahlia and his current state that he didn't think it important to divulge. It would be a lot easier for him to keep to the strict details pertaining their family instead of going off on a massive tangent about his own life. He wondered how much the brothers knew and what they could tell him about how they were related and anything he could find out about them was more than useful.

word count → 873 ;; image © Fir0002/Flagstaffotos ;; table by lin

Niernan Stormbringer · 02-21-2012, 03:45 PM

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Wooooo family stuffs and big reveals on the way! / +yo numbah!

Nier heard and noted the sadness in Sauls face and voice as he mentioned his lack of knowledge about the Stormbringer family. He gladly accepted the proposal of starting a fire as he knew he couldn't stand up for that much longer, his claws were starting to ache as the adrenaline of meeting a new family member was wearing off.

He shuffled around and quietly joked with Bran and Saul as they gathered wood for their small campfire. Nier watched as Saul struggled with his obviously worn flint stones, revelling in the metallic clicking as they struck against each other. They settled around the fire and Niernan rummaged around in his haversack, eventually pulling out a package wrapped in brown paper. He unfolded the paper and revealed the thick slices of wild boar bacon that they'd picked up a while back. He skewered it on a few long sticks that he'd stripped of bark and set it to sizzling over the fire.

Nier noticed that Bran was eyeing up the bacon and he elbowed him viciously, causing his brother to jump noticably, Nier chuckled to himself while Bran glared at him. Leave the food until it's done, and Saul's finished talking, ya greedy oaf. He nodded to Saul, indicating he should start.

As Saul started talking and Nier heard the names of his siblings and mother his eyebrows rose, he shot a look at Bran, silently tell him to keep quiet until Saul finished talking. He nodded as Saul continued, drinking in every word and name, building up a map in his mind of relations in common while also keeping an eye on the bacon which was still sizzling happily away.

He let the silence stretch between the three of them as Saul finished his speech until Bran sighed loudly. He stretched his arms above his head, popping his shoulders audibly, Well, it would appear that we are cousins. Our mother is Aracelle Akara and my father is Brandr Stormbringer. Bris is our aunt and she's gone missing, we were in contact with her until she just wandered off one day, we haven't seen or heard from her since, we're starting to worry a wee bit. He pulled the sticks from the fire, handing a couple over to Saul and then passing a couple to Bran.

He averted his eyes from Saul for a moment, looking down at his foot paws, I'd heard that there had been a mating between a Stormbringer and a Dawnrunner, Wraith has never been very approving of it, to be honest if it comes up we all used to try and change the subject to avoid his reaction. He gently placed the bacon between his teeth and peeled a strip of meat away from the fat, placing the thick white rind to the side. He chewed contemplatively before swallowing deliberately and coughing quietly to clear his throat. Ascher, Gideon, Shiloh and Dreyrugr are with the pack at the moment. we didn't spend much time with them, they always seemed to be wrapped up in their own things. I can tell you that your brothers and sister can tolerate a joke, but daddy dearest has no sense of humour.... At all. Nier shuddered slightly at a memory of a prank pulled in the past.

Bran chuckled through his mouthful of bacon, only hushing as Nier raised an eyebrow at him, It may be funny for you dear brother, but I'm still nursing the tender tail. He allowed his sparkling white teeth to show in a small smile, before averting his attention back to Saul, waiting for his cousins response.

Saul Stormbringer · 02-21-2012, 05:10 PM

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bish, making me post and whipping my ass when I slack! or so it feels like! lmao

The three of them moved about the clearing they'd came to a natural halt in and began to gather firewood. Critical green eyes watched the darker of his newly discovered cousins limping with the injury to his foot and compassion welled in his chest as he thought of the help he could give the man. Of course, there was nothing he could do about the man refusing the help and Saul swallowed the request once more. They exchanged idle chit chat as they collected the wood before Saul settled to try and light the thing. He was going to have to try and find some more flint soon enough- his own pair were beginning to wear down enough that a few of the hits created no sparks at all. It took him a good ten minutes to get the fire roaring, in which time Niernan had removed a wrapped package from his bag. It must have been a very fresh kill- while the Luperci were more advanced than they once had been, with their civilisation and opposable thumbs, they still hunted the traditional way and usually killed in their lupus form using traditional hunting methods. For Niernan to have fresh meat with him, Saul knew the kill must have been fresh. The majority of the meat he carried on his own person was dried to stop it from decaying like it would if it was left fresh. He heard the brothers scolding words to his younger counterpart and smirked softly, although it reminded him of the relationship he'd had with Gideon and that caused him pain to think on.

Saul didn't miss the look passed between Bran and Niernan as he explained his story and he hoped that the two would explain what was going on. It made his head spin, to think about all these things that these two relative stranger knew about his family, their family. And it made it just that little bit worse as the two of them launched into what they understood of the family at the moment. They explained who their parents are and explained about Bris. He'd been wondering about his wraith-like aunt and he wasn't particularly comforted by the fact that she hadn't returned to the Stormbringer stronghold. He leapt up for a moment, rummaging in his bags before pulling out some crumpled paper and a pair of graphite sticks. He made quick notes as they were talking, determined not to forget what they told him. From what they said, Wraith appeared to be the current leader and he wondered what relation he was to the man. The way Niernan spoke about a 'mating between a Stormbringer and a Dawnrunner' made him wonder what that was about.

"Why would a Dawnrunner and a Stormbringer mating be bad? Why would Wraith not approve?"

He asked, green eyes ripe with the innocence of not knowing the circumstances and strife his birth had caused. He had no idea about the ongoing war between the two packs. His interest was captured as soon as Niernan his siblings and father. Relief flooded through him when he said that his litter were all safe in the Stormbringer pack. Previously, he'd had the constant worry that his brother Ascher had died in the snowstorm last year and that nobody had found his body. But to know that he was safe with their father and relatives, and that he hadn't altered too much since he'd last seen them, was a massive relief to him. Although he had to admit that his fathers lack of a sense of humour wasn't surprising. Saul's opinion of his father was low at the best of time and he wasn't exactly shocked at his less than stellar appraisal from his cousin. He laughed along with Bran until Niernan jokingly snapped at the tan boy that his tail still hurt.

"I would have liked to have lived in the pack for at least a little while." Saul said wistfully, thinking that life would probably be less complicated had he lived with his relatives instead of trying to struggle on his own. Still, there was nothing he could do about that, unless he left now and went to discover the whole other side of Stormbringers.

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Niernan Stormbringer · 02-21-2012, 06:08 PM

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I no whip ya like a batch, I loves ya, I just veeeeeeeewy creative and happy about my new found obsession Big Grin

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Niernan scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, he never thought he'd have to explain the Stormbringer and Dawnrunner feud to a son of such a controversial partnering. He glanced at Bran and gave his brother a withering glare as his brother feined innocence and stupidity by looking up at the sky and tucking into his thick slice of bacon. Nier wouldn't have minded tucking into his either, before the meat went cold. The boar had been a big one and Nier had been lucky to fell it as easily as he had.

Nier 'hemmed' in his throat, pretending that he had a lump of rind or meat caught, putting off the awkward moment. With anyone else he would have had a joke about it, but he had a feeling that Saul wouldn't appreciate a joke right now, especially in his apparant emotional state. Uh, well... He scratched at the slightly thicker fur around his neck before continuing You see, there is a long standing feud between the Dawnrunner and Stormbringer, kinda like a clan war. I don't know all the details, but it's a commonly held tradition among the Stormbringers to hate the Dawnrunners. He watched Sauls face closely, trying to gauge his reaction to this news.

Niernan looked back over to his brother who was now eyeing Niers bacon enviously. Nier jerked it away from his brother and growled in his throat, this snapped Bran from his food induced stupor, he sighed and rummaged through his own haversack, retrieving his own Boar jerky. Bran tucked into the dried and salted meat, still avoiding the somewhat awkward conversation. Nier took another chunk of salty bacon between his teeth and tore at it, chewing slowly.

He huffed through his nose, allowing a long breath to escape his body, Me and Bran have seen this contempt firsthand; our father Brandr is the product of a Stormbringer/Dawnrunner mating, Bris is too, apparantly she had some troubles with the whole situation when they were pups. Father doesn't have the stigma attached to him so much, being the darker coat colour of the Stormbringer, but there's still the constant niggle in the back of every other Stormbringers mind.

Nier shrugged, I've got that wee bit of Dawnrunner in me from Father, as does Bran, but we don't let it get to us, I prefer to avoid the whole Dawnrunner problem. He ended that strain of conversation by finishing off his first piece of bacon and starting on the next.

He swallowed the large chunk of meat in his mouth before shrugging his shoulders and passing a strip of the salty, cooked flesh to the cat sat beside him. Ciaran took it gently between his needle like teeth and set to thoroughly chewing the tough meat. As to living with the pack, they're all still there and I assume they will be in the valley for a long while yet. Wraith seems to have no inclination to move, and I'm sure you'll fit right in with em all, with em being family and all that. Nier gave Saul a reassuring smile, You found us easy enough, and you seem to be getting on alright with us pair of degenerates. He grinned at his brother, willing the awkwardness to disappear from this cosy fireside meeting between family.

Saul Stormbringer · 02-22-2012, 10:35 AM

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hating on this long posting business... be more crap at writing, creative bish!

Saul had never really felt out of the loop of everything so much as in that moment, when Niernan scratched the back of his head and shot this brother a glare that told him to keep his mouth shut. Patience tested, Saul waited until Niernan cleared his throat as if to postpone the inevitable before he started to speak. Confusion scrunched his face up as he tried to fit the information his newly discovered cousin with what he knew about his family, which was limited. He had to admit though, it made sense- why his mother had tried to flee to the Stormbringer pack and why, when she'd been unable, she'd fled towards Nova Scotia. She'd gotten as far as the Halycon mountains before Zia had caught the fleeing family and wrought unspeakable damage to them. Saul had always been confused as to why his own grandmother would want to kill them, but it made sense now. To the Dawnrunners, Stormbringer offspring would be filth and scum and visa versa. Briefly, the male thought of his brothers and sister in the Stormbringer pack- whether they would be discriminated against because of their dubious lineage.

"I never knew..."

Saul spoke quietly, his mind racing to put all of these pieces together. There was so much of his history that he didn't understand, that he'd never been told. And this was important- what if he'd met a Dawnrunner and they'd tried to kill him? He should have been told to stay away from them, to make sure his family was safe from them and he hadn't. His mind was distracted for the moment as Niernan continued to explain about the stigma attached to being a child of such shameful pairings. He mentioned that his own father Brandr and their Aunt Bris was from this same mixing and the prejudice waved against them, although not Brandr so much because he had a darker coat. It seemed the Dawnrunners were renouned for being light of coat. Shiloh was almost a pure white, with only the darker cream acting as a cloak around her shoulders. He wondered how bad she would be treated because of that. Of course, her saving grace might be that she had the Stormbringer eyes and for that he was glad. Niernan stated that it hadn't bothered himself and his brother so much and that he'd tried to stay out of it all.

"That seems to be the more sensible thing to do."

He agreed with a soft nod of his head. Running his palm over the back of his other hand, Saul listened to Niernan speak about going back to the Valley. It would be easier for him to do, but then there was a small part of him that didn't want to be helpless. He'd grown very independent since Conor and Bris's departure and he had no desire to give up that freedom. He was a grown wolf now and he refused to let anyone tuck him away in a corner. "I have a lot going for me in Nova Scotia, and family that I can't leave behind. Perhaps one day I'll go and visit, but I don't think I'll go there to live at all." He said, his voice confident that he would be staying in Nova Scotia for a good long while. They paused in their talking for the moment, a lull that wasn't filled before Saul looked up again.

"So what are you two doing so far from home?" He asked, wondering why they'd decided to come down into Nova Scotia at all. Although it seemed the two were terrible trouble makers, Saul didn't think that any form of exhile was the Stormbringers style. It must be something else leading them here.

word count → 626 ;; image © Fir0002/Flagstaffotos ;; table by lin

Niernan Stormbringer · 02-22-2012, 12:28 PM

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Bahaha, I can't help it... My fingers just run away with the whole typing thing. / +yo numbah!

Nier grinned at his cousin, relishing the ringing confidence in the older wolfs voice. Just from their brief meeting Nier could tell that Saul was a very soft spoken and almost painfully shy individual, so the confidence with which he asserted that Nova Scotia was his home pleased Niernan to no end.

He let his grin sink to a smirk as he gave his brother a very devious look, his bright blue eyes reflecting the red campfire, making the azure orbs dance, Oh, I'd say Wanderlust is the main cause of us travelling, but I suppose there was also the desire to get away from Ele. Bran laughed loudly, making the sleepy cat now resting on Niernans leg jump at the sudden explosion of noise. Niers brother rolled his eyes Aye, getting away from that prude was the best thing we've ever done, no more naggin' voice in my ear, or sweet 'lil Ele running to dear ol' Mam and Dad to tattle on the both of us.

Nier looked back to Saul, his eyes still dancing with mischief as he gently rubbed Ciarans head, Our darlin' sister is a sweetheart, but very.... Conservative, if ya catch my drift. She's ok with me as long as I hold me tongue, but she hates Bran and his womanising ways. Nier flicked a small pebble at his brother, bringing a playful mood back to the previously awkward fireside chat. He smiled at Saul, We grew up in the Stormbringer pack, we love them all dearly and yeah, we miss'em terribly at times, but we're two growing laddies and we needed to go out and find our own adventures. We were hoping to wander around for a while, hunting for ourselves and then when we tired of that we'd find a pack somewhere. I just hope that any pack that takes us in has a sense of humour, they will definitely need one to put up with us.

Nier watched Sauls face closely as he geared up to ask his next question, he could feel himself relaxing in the presence of his soft-spoken and amiable cousin, he was broaching subjects that he would never dare to bring up with anyone else. So, you got a destination you're heading to? Or could ya reccomend any packs for a pair of pranksters like us to join? He let the question hang there as he continued to fuss his cat, Ciarans loud purr competing with the crackling of the wood on the fire.

Saul Stormbringer · 02-25-2012, 07:05 PM

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<33

Like pieces of a puzzle, Saul felt that he fitted with Niernan's personality completely and he knew he have happily stayed with the two brothers wherever they might go. It was rare that one found another kindred spirit, and when revealed that they were actually related it felt as though Fate had waved her forgiving hand and sent someone Saul's way to help him. He'd begun to feel so lost in Ichika, if not especially alone. There was always someone there for him, but there wasn't particularly anyone there for guidance. He hadn't felt comfortable turning to X'yrin and Saluce always envoked a sense of disappointment in the man- he could never quite make the man happy. The young Stormbringer was pulled back into the conversation by his near stranger cousin and he turned back with a soft smile. It was Bran who'd answered him at first and the young male picked up on the difference in accent that the men carried. Bran was much more pronounced than his brother and Saul wondered why that might be.

"Wanderlust is always a good reason to leave home, but its nice to know you have a secure home to go back to." He mused allowed, thinking about Ichika. Could he really go back there? There was certainly no bad blood between them- he'd left on more than amiable terms and he had family there as well. He hadn't irreparably damaged any relationships and so forth, so there was no reason for him to not be able to return there. But could he really go back, knowing he'd left in the first place, knowing that he'd felt the need to leave at all. Perhaps he'd needed to leave because Ichika wasn't the right place for him. He might never know the answers to these internal questions, so he allowed Niernan's rich voice to wash over him with a lovely description of their sister. She sounded a bit like Shiloh and Saul wondered if the two had met in their joint membership of the Stormbringer pack.

"She sounds a little bit like Shiloh... although Shiloh knows how to have a good time every now and then." Saul chuckled softly, thinking of the party they'd had for their coming of age ceremony back in Dahlia. Niernan went on to explain their feelings on their home back and Saul nodded softly. That was understandable, especially since he'd just left his own pack to do something very similar. He told himself that it was the change that was hard to deal with, but there was a growing part of the man that was getting excited about the adventures he would get up to, coming to live in the wilderness. He looked up as Niernan asked about his story and a sad smile echoed in the mans lips.

"I'm kind of in a similar boat. I lived, and help to create, the pack past the mountains- Ichika no Ho-en. My brothers ex-mate and an older male created it with our help and it was great. Their both gone now and another female has taken over- its a bit too much for me to handle, to adjust to. I needed to come soul searching, to find out who I am and get into adventures, so here I am." He offered in return, brushing his hand across his wayward hair for a moment as he thought of the packs. "I don't know all of the packs, but I met a female at the Winter Festival who seemed kind of fun and playful. She came from Cour des Miracles, quite close to here actually. And then there's Casa di Cavalieri, although they're all about protecting the weak, so perhaps a pair of jokers wouldn't go down too well. You're gonna have to have a look around, talk to some people and see what suits."

He spoke more comfortably now and was beginning to relax in the two males company. They were both easy and amiable to get along with and Saul was pleased to call them family, even if they were relative strangers. Glancing back to make sure Temeraire was still napping, he reassured himself of his sons safety before turning back. "So are you two both on your own? Do you have any mates, children?" He asked, although he had a fair idea of the answer. Still, he had a son now and it made him aware of the rat race of finding a mate and breeding to continue the Stormbringer line. Perhaps the two males had children or a mate back home whom they'd left- it wouldn't exactly be a first for Stormbringer males.

Niernan Stormbringer · 02-26-2012, 01:00 PM

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OMG!!!! A reply!!! /

Nier allowed Ciaran to climb back up onto his shoulder, nuzzling against the cats soft fur and smiling across the fire at Saul, Aye, we heard about the Cour des Miracles, we both though it sounded like a fun place, but I suppose we're happy to be roaming for a while yet. He looked across at Bran before snuggling against his cats face again, a sadness briefly touching his face, a sadness that he wouldn't let Bran ever see. I suppose it's awful to not feel at home in the place you once called home. I don't think I could ever bear that, you're a brave one to leave Ichika, especially with your young son and all. He nodded in Temeraire's direction.

In truth Niernan knew that one of his greatest fears was that no-one would accept him and his brother into a pack, Bran caused so much trouble wherever he went and Nier knew that he always got dragged into it too. Would that be too much for other wolves to cope with? Or would they fit in somewhere? But then, Niernan also knew that as long as he was with Bran he was home.

Niernans sadness faded as Sauls next, gently spoken question reached his ears. He chuckled a little and let a cheeky grin touch his muzzle, while Bran laughed aloud with genuine merriment. Mates or pups? Nah, neither of us have got em. He paused, and gave his brother a contemplative look, Though I suppose Bran might have a sprog somewhere, with the amount of time he spends making a mess of decent ladies sleeping quarters, if ya know what I mean? He winked broadly at his brother who grinned with pride. Nier chuckled again before looking across the fire at his cousin, his azure eyes now serious despite his cheeky smile, which had now become more of a challenging smirk, Besides, neither of us are the type to leave a mate behind, especially not a kid. I wouldn't want me a mate for the moment anyway, I've got enough on my plate keeping a track on him. He gestured at his brother who playfully whipped a twig at him.

Nier chuckled again before tickling Ciaran under the chin, I suppose what with little'un over there, He nodded in Temeraire's direction, You've got a mate somewhere. If ya don't mind me saying, you don't seem like the 'one-night-stand sorta guy, not like Bran anyways.

Saul Stormbringer · 02-26-2012, 01:28 PM

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shut yo face, mo fo! <33

The kitten that seemed permanently fixed to Niernan had begun to demand attention and Saul watched was curiosity as the male nuzzled his companion softly. It would have been nice to have some sort of companion like that, but Saul was happy with the menagerie he'd already collected. His horses were affectionate when they wanted to be and although Saul was fairly certain affection was impossible in Eirias' case, there was a certain camaraderie he felt with the bird that more than made up for this lack of emotion. Cinnamon-back ears flashed forward, catching the words Niernan spoke from across the fire. Saul hadn't ever visited the pack before, although he knew it was roughly around here somewhere. "You'll know when you're ready to settle down and find a pack. Enjoy being free for a little while linger." Saul chuckled, running a paw up and down his arm for the moment. He almost missed Niernan's carefully placed face as he pressed himself against the cat, successfully hiding his expression from his brother- he did pick up on his cousins melancholy tone however. Ears drooping to the side of his head for a moment, Saul nodded in agreement.

"It was a difficult decision to make, but I knew that I couldn't stay there any longer. I may go back some day, I don't know yet." He concurred, happy in the knowledge that he wasn't the only one to feel pain over difficult life decisions. The two were quiet for a short moment before Saul asked about mates and pups that either of them might have. Niernan's face cheered up considerably and the man was able to relax now that the more difficult subjects had passed them by. Saul offered a full bodied laugh as Niernan teased his brother once more and his counterpart puffed his chest out in pride, his ego swollen. "I'm sure they'll track you down at some point Bran, demanding all sorts from their dear ol' dad." Saul chuckled, earning a crestfallen and slightly panicked look from the caramel Stormbringer. Saul laughed again at the mans reaction, his nose scrunching habitually as the amusement shook his body. Niernan continued, commention on Saul's last words about typical Stormbringer males. Sobering slightly, the young male nodded softly, another glance back to check that his child was still where he was meant to be. "I'm glad to hear it. My father was never one to stick around, and another cousin who lives close by, Lilin, said the same about her father." He said, wondering if the brothers would run into the dirt and oil female on their travels.

Niernan's blue gaze, so similar to his own sons at the moment, wandered towards the sleeping boy before he asked another delicate question. It made him snort though and for a moment, the male choked on the saliva caught in the back of his throat before he cleared it with a cough. "I'm not the type to have a one night stand, definitely not. But Teme wasn't born under the best of circumstances." Saul paused, wondering how much he should tell the gruesome twosome, before settling on everything. "When Ichika was not Ichika and Dahlia was still around, I accepted a female into our pack by the name of Siku. She was a few months older than me, but we got on very well. We would play together in the snow and I invited her to come and live with me in a cabin I'd built. She would sneak into my room and curl up against me, so that I'd wake up next to her in the morning. She came with us to make Ichika, but I don't think she ever really accepted that Dahlia was gone. She would disappear for months and come back, apologetic and grovelling. Maybe she had enough, but last autumn, she left and I decided to follow her. I found her alright, and she broke my heart..." He spoke in a low tone, hoping to mask the fact that his voice was breaking just slightly as he spoke about Siku.

"I was lost for a while, and I'm kind of glad that I was away from Ichika when all of this happened. Anyway, Hermes was injured and I think the scent of the blood found her. She was a dark beauty- her irises were the thinnest strip of ice blue you could imagine. She got me drunk and we had sex. She was gone in the morning, so I carried on. I turned back towards Nova Scotia around the end of the year and she caught up with me a day or two outside of Ichika. She handed me my son and told me that she couldn't look after him- that I would be a much better parent to him. And here we are." He finished with a huff of breath, rubbing his nose softly to rid himself of the fizz that had accumulated there. Green eyes glanced up, hoping that the brothers reaction wasn't too judgemental.

Niernan Stormbringer · 02-26-2012, 03:20 PM

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BAHAHAHAHA Gruesome Twosome, love it! /

Niernan had noticed that Sauls amusement was usually coupled with a crumpling of the nose, he'd be damned if he ever admitted it, but it was cute. He'd be happy if he could just keep that nose crumpled, as all Nier wanted to do was please and amuse others, such a visible show of amusement always pleased him. Yet the crumpling of the nose suited Saul; it was quiet and understated, just like Saul himself , nothing at all like Brans loud guffaws, or Ciarans deep rumbling purr.

Nier smiled to himself seems me, Bran and Ele got a rare Stormbringer father then, Dear ol' Da never left us alone. If we wandered farther than the tree line he'd have a wee panic and come and get us. Bless his soul, he's a good wolf, our Father. Nier flicked his ears back as he thought of home, the tickly sensation of warm fondness tingling in his chest.

His remark that Saul hardly seemed the type to partake in a one night stand was met by his cousin with a very ungraceful snort. The suddeness of the ungainly noise made both Niernan and Ciaran jump, with Ciaran letting out a small and rather pathetic meow. Bran laughed loudly at both of them, finding great amusement in Ciarans bottle brush tail. Hahahahahahaha, Nier, you're such a pussy, just like your pussy. Bran fell back into the grass and continued laughing as Niernan gave him a withering look before apologising to his cousin Sorry Saul, Bran has an..... Unconventional sense of humour, please continue.

Nier listened, his face falling as he took in Sauls story. Sauls obvious pain over the wolf named Siku pulled at Niers heart strings, he couldn't imagine having someone break a heart so completely, but then for that heartbreak to be followed by a random and trust breaking experience must have been incredibly traumatic. But then Nier took comfort in the fact that Saul now had something to focus his love on, he could tell that Temeraire was going to be a very well loved and looked after pup. As Saul finished his tale Niernan sighed and scratched at his rough mane again, Wow, what a life you've lived. I never meant to recall such painful memories, I apologise for asking, but I also thank you for sharing. You needn't have but you did anyway. He let his azure eyes convey his pure emotion, words failing him at that moment, sympathy, affection and warmness in his gaze.

Saul Stormbringer · 03-08-2012, 03:00 PM

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finishing up here- you're welcome to post one last post of their farewell if you wanted <33

The young Stormbringer didn't know if it was a good idea to reveal his dislike for his father. The brothers in front of him had clearly spent at least a little time with his father and while their opinion didn't seem too detailed, it was more than Saul had. Perhaps their loyalty to the pack would mean that they didn't approve of his opinion of the man, but Saul had just cause to dislike the man that had abandoned them and really only showed his face every couple of months. Saul didn't think he'd had one sensible conversation with his father, ever. Cinnamon-backed ears flashed back against his head at that thought as Niernan began to speak again, green eyes shifted to the pair once more. A foreign feeling washed through the man as Nier explained about their father, he identified it as jealousy. For so long, Saul had been the father to his siblings, as well as the various dependants he'd picked up along the way.

"That sounds nice." Saul commented, a soft nod of his head coupled with a relatively sad smile enough to tell Niernan that Saul wasn't particularly invested in this part of their conversation. He was happy that the pair had had a good upbringing, but there was a certain sense of envy about it that he just couldn't ignore. It seemed he was saved however as his brothers brash voice rang out, a rather unintelligent insult on the caramel males lips. Despite its blatant lameness, Saul couldn't help the hearty laugh that bubbled in his chest. It was then that the image of a raven flashed through his mind and it fit perfectly with the image of Bran's personality. His hands twitched for a moment as he thought about making his cousin a charm like a few others he'd gifted the charms to. Niernan apologised and Saul grinned at him. "No need for an apology." The young male murmured softly.

It was his dark cousin's turn to comment on his previous words and Saul allowed cinnamon backed ears to flash against his skull. He was never one to pity himself- while he might think a lot about his life and everything in it, he was never one to look at his experiences with pity or sorrow. They were what made him unique. Of course, there were a few memories that were more painful than others and the failed relationship he'd had with Siku was one of them. Coupled with the bad response and situation he'd been in with Imari, and subsequently Temeraire, Saul knew that he hadn't dealt with it at all well. A rare childish moment occurred when he allowed grey-mottled shoulders to shrug up, before a deep breath was taken. "I try not to dwell on the past, but it usually comes back to bite me anyway." He allowed with a wiry grin.

it didn't take the cousins long to settle into comfortable conversation. When Temeraire woke up, Saul introduced the boy to his new cousins and the boy was more than happy to entertain the men. Whilst his dark furred son, now revealed to be a perfect Stormbringer with his black fur and blue eyes, Saul had retrieved a few small chunks of wood and his carving knife, absentmindedly conversing with all three of those he was with, whilst whittling away at the chunks of wood. They talked into the night, getting to know one another, exchanging stories on their life and journies, while the little boy grew tired once more. When the fire was low enough to be safe, the Stormbringer group settled in for the night.

---

The morning rose bright and early and while Saul knew he had made some lifelong friends, he also knew that he needed to go and find Lilin. It would have been good to travel round with the two troublesome cousins, but he needed at least a little bit of stability in Teme's life at the moment. Later on, when his boy was grown, they could go where they pleased, but for now he needed at least somewhere to call home. Saul told the boys of his plans as they ate a small breakfast, feeding the little boy curled in his arms as they discussed their plans. When they'd finished their small breakfast, Saul began to pack away the furs they'd used to sleep on last night, quickly slipping the two wooden charms onto separate strings he had in the saddle bags on Hermes. He turned back, the necklaces in his fist.

"I hope you don't mind, but I've got a gift for you two." He said before he allowed both charms to dangle down in sight. "A raven for you Bran, for he is always mischevious and playful." He handed the charm over with a smile. "And an otter for you Niernan, who is likewise playful but hardworking and vigilant as well." He said, grinning as he handed over the charm to his cousin. He stayed long enough to hear their thanks, before he clapped each man on the shoulder. "We will see each other soon." He said firmly, before turning and leading the horses towards Halifax. He turned back and waved once before heading off, hoping it wouldn't be too difficult to find his dirt and oil cousin.

-exit saul and teme-

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