Blah post. Basically, she's sittin' and waitin' for Emma after calling for her. +3
Vesper was at the western edges of Inferni territory today, in a marshy portion of the Waste that had once been part of a bird sanctuary. It was evident even a couple of decades after the fall of mankind that this piece of land had once served a purpose, as sandpipers were loud in the marsh grasses, and Canada geese honked as they flew overhead, heading toward the water’s edge to browse. She’d even come across an old hay barn on her way to this point near the borders, back from when the lowlands had been used to produce rich fodder.
Right now, however, the land had been reclaimed by the wilds, and the coyote looked perfectly in place as she hunkered among the grass and watched the geese chase each other with outstretched brown wings. One had the gall to come toward her with a brazen hiss, but a quick bark and snap had set it straight. She wasn’t in the mood to hunt at this point, however, knowing that a full belly would weigh her down before she went on her patrol.
In the early morning, she would normally start at the eastern woods and walk among the border stakes, but it was a few hours past noon and she looked forward to being able to relax in the woodlands when she was finished rather than back-tracking. Besides, she had neglected this section of the territory lately, ever since that damn raven had started following her.
Pale blue eyes flicked upwards now, but other than a Canada goose flapping late toward the rest of the flock, the skies were clear of pesky birds. It was slightly overcast, with the only a hazy yellow suggestion behind the thin but vast clouds. The temperature was reasonably cold, but not in the frigid way of deep winter; spring was fast approaching, as were the rains, so it was merely chilly and wet. She might have asked for better weather, but this suited her well enough for her purposes.
Vesper had promised the new clan member that she’d come and see her after she’d learned to settle in, and she hoped that the girl had been able to find good hunting grounds as well as a possible den or mansion room. This afternoon would be the day she sized Emmanuelle up more carefully, though, and before crouching down in the grass she’d let out a yapping call to reach the girl’s ears. She didn’t know if the others had told her about the different rank paths in the clan, but she did want to see if she had a potential scout to take under wing.
Word Count - 701 :: i'm trying to learn to be more descriptive so i can have better posts.
The day was overcast, not completely so though. Sun had peeked through the blanket of clouds during a few points in the day, and in those parts of the day the youth had stretched out on the ground letting the sun warm her pelt. For the last few hours though, overcast had taken over. Exhausted from her trip to the dampwoods and the time she had spent learning herbs and whatnot with that damnable dog had sapped her energy, physically and emotionally. It had been a few days, yet she hadn't been in the mood to talk or seek out other members just yet, still annoyed at the whole situation. Unsure of how to find a place to stay, she had been sleeping outside. Under trees and in the safety of hastily dug out dens.
Of course the yearling had an idea for a home, although it would take a few days and possibly some helping hands if she really wanted it to be intricate, plus they would have to wait for some nicer weather so that the dirt would be loose and warm enough to be scooped out, she may have to wait until early spring. Sighing in content she rolled onto her back and stretched her weary bones out, mismatched eyes opening and full of thought. Her home would be dug into the side of a very small hill that just stopped off, straight down. From there two rooms would have to be hollowed out, and tall enough that she in her optime form and whatever guests that she had would fit in there comfortably. Once the rooms had been dug out, she would need to dig out windows in both rooms so that natural daylight would filter through and limit her need for constant fires inside. A hole would also have to be dug in the roof, so that minimal rain would be let in and so fire smoke and what have you escaped.
She snorted, letting her thoughts wander elsewhere. For now she would have to find a human dwelling and reside there until spring came. Flipping onto her stomach, she raised her back leg up and scratched at her ear, perfectly content in lupus form for relaxing. If she didn't need her hands or her height, she would rather be on all fours. Besides her short lesson in archery with that dog, she hadn't really figured out how to hunt in her optime form. Not that it was so important though, she was perfectly content doing what she was doing. Supposing the female should get up, she raised herself up on all fours and shook out her coat, looking at her leather bag with her belongings in them. Since she came here she had happened upon a few more glass jars and some more knives, nothing too important though. Looking around, she spied an especially bushy bush, and grasped her leather bag with her teeth gently as she trod over to the bush, dropping her bag on the ground and nosing it under the shelter of the plant.
Scraping snow and dead leaves into a pile, she shoved them around the bag and the plant, effectively hiding her meager belongings. The female came to the conclusion she should really find a human dwelling. Just then, she head a coyoteish yap coming over from a ways to her right, and instantly her tail was wagging in familiarity. The call had been for her and the voice was none other then Vesper, the small coywolf who had accepted her into the pack. Dropping into a play bow from where she was, she smiled and darted off through the marshlands, keeping her nose close to the ground as to pick up the scent of her fellow clan mate. After a few minutes of running she latched onto the scent and galloped toward the other female, bursting out of the trees and into the area where Vesper was crouching down in the dead grass.
" Hello Vesp! " She began with an exuberant tone, although due to her tail wagging back and forth and the delighted expression on her face the other could probably tell she was excited to see a friendly face. " Whatcha callin' for? " The younger clan member continued, nothing but sunny happiness throughout her voice.
A sunny voice called to her, and as the wolf hybrid came prancing through the marshy lowlands toward her, Vesper almost thought of Blind. She quenched that fire before it began, however, and allowed herself some amusement at the girl’s exuberant personality. It was nice to have another friendly clan mate, and as she rose onto all fours and stretched, her tawny tail began to wag back and forth. Though she was never that enthusiastic, the scarred woman plainly showed her warmth in a friendly smirk and content posture. It was subtle, and subtlety was generally her way of doing things.
“Emma,” the Optio greeted in turn, slipping out of her stretch and coming forward to bump her head against the other’s shoulder—assuming she had that privilege. It was a bit more familiar than she was used to, but the presence of the perky girl had brightened her spirits in a way that, well, only perky girls really could. She smirked broadly at the thought and flicked her ears at the question. “I thought we could patrol, walk around the borders or something.” She tilted her head, gauging the other’s reaction to this suggestion, before she went on to discuss things just as important.
“How do you like Inferni so far?” was the first question that spilled from her mouth. She knew the fire clan was not for everyone, and that not every coyote would have the good experience that she’d had here. It was no fault of Emmanuelle’s if that was the case, but she felt a strange sort of responsibility to make the Tirones feel more at home. “Have any ideas of what ranks you’d want to go for? Meet anyone interesting?” She blinked and ended the short barrage of questions quickly, snorting. “I sound like someone’s mother,” she said, and wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Mostly I just want to know if I need to kick anyone’s ass for pushing you around or something like that.”
[html]ooc: as if broseph. i just bugged you because i like threading with you. xD poor ems is so lonely, no friends for her!
Her creamy tailed swung from side to side, higher in the air then usual but still low to show respect to one who was so highly ranked. It was just out of excitement and happiness to see her friend, Emma was definitely not the subtle type. Everything she did was loud and out in the open, she was starved for affection and starved to give it, this was just her way. The youth was a walking bit of sunshine, intent to shower everyone with her warmth and love, and she had so much to give. Luckily, her travels through life had not affected this, though they had certainly tested her strength. It would be a very sad day indeed if the little fire ball burned out. " I'd love to patrol! Maybe we will stumble upon a trespasser that needs a little lesson! " Her muzzle wrinkled as her mischevious words came out, and she flashed a lovely lashed wink at her companion.
" I love it! " She responded quickly, her youthful exuberance shining through as she moved to side to side, energy bursting at the seams. " I met this really pretty woman who goes by Myrika! She taught me how to do leather working stuff, and she is going to help me build my house in the spring! I think we are going to go to the south to pick up bricks and boards from some human cities, I can't remember the names though. " She said somewhat shyly, heat rising in her fur-covered cheeks as she recalled the swells of the other womans optime form. Myrika was just that, intensely beautiful, and Emma was starting to realize maybe she had stumbled upon her first crush, although she wasn't sure how to feel about her being a girl.
The silver-tinted love-child had been raised in a pack where there had been no such opportunities, it was a small family based pack and each woman had a male mate, that was just it. Emma wasn't sure if it was wrong or not, but she would find out later in life. Shaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts, she directed her attention back to the scarred woman in front of her, smiling gayly as more questions were asked. " Well, I am a pretty good hunter and fisher. Is there any ranks suited to that? I don't really know too much about them I'm afraid. " Giggling her sentense out, she plopped her butt on the ground, toung lolling out of her mouth from the sprint here. " No, there was no one who has pushed me around yet. I havn't even met anybody besides you and Myri. Even if there was, I bet I could kick someones butt. " She said proudly, her chest puffing out and her nose raised. Then the youth laughed at how ridiculous she looked and sounded, she knew Vesper could see the inexperience in her, she was a hunter after all, not a fighter.
" In all reality, I probably need some help on the butt-kicking, I don't think I've been in a real fight. And, you're too pretty to be a nagging mother. " At this, Emma flashed a smile at Vesper. She bet even if Vesper was a mom, she'd be the hottest one around. No one would mess with those pups!
The coyote youth was enthusiastic about the idea of patrolling, which destroyed any of the scarred Optio’s misgivings, though her smirk faded slightly as the other mentioned teaching a trespasser a lesson. “I hope not,” she said, lifting a shoulder in a shrug, though her tone was not so dark as to deter the thought. She might have been excited about such a thing when she was a brash teenager picking fights with the world, but border fights stressed her out—knowing she was one body between a dangerous stranger and her clan. She let her stern and thoughtful expression brighten into something wicked as she added innocently, “But maybe there’ll be a skinny little jackal to chase off, y’know, someone more up to your speed.”
Yet another weight was taken off her chest as the female nearly burst out of her skin expressing her happiness about the fire clan. Her following words drew sharp attention from Vesper, and pricked ears and sharp eyes did not miss the tone and body language behind her words.
“Yeah, Myrika is a really pretty woman, isn’t she?” Vesper said, one brow lifted as the rest of her body was forced into indifference. After all, why should she be jealous? She was totally above that. (She was totally full of bullshit.)
Forcing herself to coast forward, however, she let her smile relax—for she could smile around this exuberant girl. “It’s commendable you’re choosing to build a house for yourself, though. Do you not like the mansion or the caves?” She knew that those places were not for everyone, as the mansion was too human and the caves sometimes cold, but she’d always thought the alternatives would be an old burrow or the schoolhouse where the aforementioned Praetorian resided.
“There is a Scorpius rank,” Vesper went on thoughtfully, her tail wagging again as she watched the other plop down. “It’s for the hunters, the ones who keep track of the prey in the territory and everything. The positions are filled by Omni and Jacinto right now, but they might open up; who knows?” She smiled, not wanting to discourage the girl. “Finding a coyote in the Miscellus tier might be best. I could tell you all day about scouts and warriors, though.”
The unexpected boast made the slender coyote bark out a laugh, and she reached out with a paw to push the girl. “I’d love to see that.” She smirked. “I could help you with fighting, though; these scars aren’t here because they look good.” She chose to ignore the mother comment, knowing she would literally sooner die than bear canine-shaped parasites, though it was all in good fun. She wanted to laugh at being called pretty, though; maybe her numerous scars were a fashion statement after all.
Emma listened idly as the scarred female in front of her spoke, ears occasionally flicking back as she caught the body language and tone of the other. She was wondering if maybe she said some inappropriate things, but all of that went away for a moment as the older woman pushed her back a few steps in good fun, and she let a small smile graze her maw, multi-colored eyes unsure of the females actions. Was she perhaps upset with her for some reason? Emmanuelle didn't know. Her mind flitted back to the mention of her house, and that was the only statement she chose to respond too, for now.
" I currently have a room in the mansion, it's not terrible. I just am not sure of how much I like being surrounded by other bodies. I don't see them much, but I don't know if I like them being there, you know? " She said, wondering then if her words were also offensive. As much as she was a social butterfly, she did not enjoy being that close to others in her living quarters. It might be hard to believe, but Emma did enjoy time to herself, and she felt a house away from all of it was just suited to her.
" I also havn't seen the caves, but I find things like that are dark and hard. With my house it will be insulated and comfortable, plus I can make it any way I like, add windows, doors, expand whenever I have the free time. It will be just mine, no one to come and disturb my time to myself, although I expect you and Myrika to come and visit me whenever you like. " The youth finished quietly, and somewhat shyly. Still new blood to her clan, those two were the only ones she had met and established a kind-of friendship with.
" I digress, shall we get going? " The woman said brightly, mis-matched eyes shining in the sunlight and focused on her companion.
