Arisiag Shoal... late afternoon
Impossible. That was the fact of it. She'd scoured every book cache she knew of, and concluded that it was going to be impossible to find one regarding the making of Katanas. As for finding an expert? Well, the only expert she'd ever met was the only person she could absolutely not go to for help. Or at least, not until she knew herself to be wrong. And the stubborn woman did not plan on knowing that for quite some time.
Still, she was at an impasse: utterly stuck with no clear way to find a solution to the problem of her sword. So why was she in such a good mood?
The ebony lady had chosen to cross the mountains, seeking the mines she knew lived up here in the heights. Perhaps here where metal had been dug out of the earth, some old human would have kept books on crafting. It was doubtful. But somehow, she couldn't shake off her optimism. The mountains were steep and rough, but Caprica was tall and strong and moved through and over their boulders and cliffs with ease. The horse was no use up here, but her balancing, gripping hands and powerful calves were all she needed. The exhilarating views were worth every exhausting step. Caprica could see parts of Ichika at times, and then later, the sea. The light breeze and salty scent led her footsteps, so she missed the mines altogether as she descended the slopes of Halcyon. The ground here was strange in formation: flat, smooth with undulating dips and ridges. It was rocky underfoot, and the sound of the sea hitting stone provided a naturally musical background. Caprica walked along a high, flat plateau of rock, letting her movement follow the rhythm of the waves, her eyes closed and head lifted to the wind, for all the world as if she was the last wolf on earth.
She had become part of New Dawn, and so far it was a lot like she had expected, but she worried that maybe they wouldn't like her tendency to explore. Also Adonia was a little human-like at times, maybe it would be overlooked, she would find out. Adonia walked the border then began to move out as she went toward the Shoal. Last time she had been there she had met a coyote with a cute and funny way of meeting someone. She wished she could meet her again, but if not she would be okay with it. Adonia came to the edge of the waters and she decided to shift forms. She had recently retrieved a plant when she had been in Amherst and a few supplies, a little baggy around her neck. Adonia wasn't sure how to prepare it but she had remembered how she enjoyed smoking it. The last time she had, she had been with a rather cute and fun canine. She wished she remembered his name, and she wished she had met him again. He was so sweet and quite attractive, but now Adonia was mated with Ookami and she wouldn't jeopardize her relationship with him. Shifting didn't take her too long, just a matter of minutes and she took the bag off from around her neck. Sitting on a rock facing the ocean, its sweet salty scent putting her at ease as she listened to the beautiful and calming sound of the waves crashing with the shore. Taking out the contents she began to figure out how to prepare the herb for smoking. She had the papers that were designed for rolling tobacco, and she got the plant out, she had plucked it straight from the ground. She couldn't tell if this was what she thought it was, but it looked just like the plant the male had.
Not sure where to begin, she figured she'd pluck the leaves off and go from there. It had been awhile since she had enjoyed the smoke of the strange plant, and she wanted to do more. She wanted to learn how to prepare, maybe even grow it. It would be her own private enjoyment outside of the pack. Hopefully, this one human pleasure wouldn't get her in trouble, but if it did, she wouldn't continue it. New Dawn was her home, and that was more important to her than some plant.
The salt smell, the rushing and growling of the ocean - all conspired to heighten her pulse, run tension through her shoulders: she felt like running, or fighting, or maybe crying. She wasn't entirely sure. She didn't know what this strange restlessness was: this yearning. Caprica had been seeking answers for weeks now. She'd spent so long believing that to feel the affection of another - real affection, not a manipulative sham or an imagined and taboo longing - was all she needed. But this moment had arrived, then passed, and it had been as empty as all her other moments. Not one to dwell or think too hard, she had no idea what caused her to recoil and hold back from what she'd thought was her heart's desire. The stones held in her gris-gris, the pouch around her neck, still knocked together and drummed out the heartbeat of longing, the love-spell still painted red on their smooth facets. But Caprica was an ingrate, and she knew she had spurned their bounty. Why, though - what had she found, what desire to replace the dream of the ideal romance?
Questions without answers. Her brain hated the confusion, and drove her body to distraction, unable to rest: Caprica was becoming stronger and fitter by the day, at the moment. Very little could soothe her, any more.
Then, a scent over the salt drifted to her muzzle and her ears swivelled inquisitively. This was a smell she associated with smoke-walled caves and late night fires, not wild sea-fronts and windy days. Caprica shaded her eyes against the pale spring sunlight, looking around for the source. A plant growing nearby? No, a werewolf: her back to Caprica, sitting a little distance from her. The Anatheman's eyes glittered. Perhaps she was in luck: perhaps the stranger would share. Her scent was unfamiliar, not of a pack that the tall woman knew, but nevertheless she approached with a bold swagger that cared nothing for political uncertainty. "Oh, careful," she warned as she noticed exactly what the wolf was doing. The loose paper and leaves could easily blow away. "I'll be a wind-barrier for ya." Caprica knelt before the stranger, as if totally at ease - but she knew the best way to make friends was to act as if already a friend: she also hoped to trade or beg a sample of the sweet-smelling herb, she'd tried only once or twice before. "Wouldn't want such an enticing collection of items to be lost to the wind…" she smiled.
Adonia was surprised by the approach of the other, being as the sweet salty air was blowing past her making it hard to catch the scent of the other, so the main indicator to the woman's arrival was her voice. Adonia's mind had been focused on keeping everything together, and wrapping it intricately and tightly together. The kind voice of the stranger told her she wasn't a threat, let alone she recognized the scent of Anathema from the merchant she met weeks ago. The merchant gave her a slight idea of how Anathema was, and so, she felt comfortable around the scent, not being nervous or weary as she would a strange pack scent. Her eyes, shades of various blue, found the woman's and smiled kindly, "Thank you...I appreciate the assistance.." Finishing the wrapping she licked the paper and completed the process sealing it tightly. Realizing just how much of the herb she had left, and how large of a 'cigarette' she had made her eyes glanced up to the stranger who kindly blocked the wind. It was a minor job, but it was one that potentially saved Adonia from loosing the leaves and paper. "Perhaps you would like to enjoy this with me?" She asked placing the cig between her index and middle finger, then packing away her leftover leaves into the pouch, being as that was the only thing she had, other than the plant, paper, and matches. She figured she could find something better to store it in later, but for now she wanted to give it a test.
Lighting her neatly rolled goods, she took in her first drag in nearly a year. Immediately, she felt the burn and then the overwhelming urge to cough releasing a cloud of thick smoke. The burn itching at her throat as she held it out. Already she knew this was what she was looking for, and she found it. The feelings that came with smoking this certain substance hadn't washed over her yet, but she could feel them starting to itch their way into her mind and through her body. It was an overwhelming calm and relaxation that made her feel more loose than she ever had without being under the influence. 'Here...if you would like some. It's exactly what I though it was...maybe even better.." She laughed a little, a smile crossing her muzzle as he slightly watered eyes looked onto the ebony woman with ease.
When Caprica turned her eyes to the face of the woman, she was taken aback by the beauty of her sapphire eyes. Her expression lit up as if sighting a new gem for her collection, but she made no comment, and the desire could easily have been ascribed to the herb on the lap that separated them. Still, to prevent embarrassment - like an artist, her attention was purely aesthetic and innocent, but how was the stranger to know she was a crafter and collector of jewels? - Caprica lowered her eyes and followed the deft fingers rolling the joint. So that was how it was done. She'd been using a crude pipe, but the paper rolling was definitely going to come in handy. The spliff was much larger than the one she'd shared with the Wiccan, and Caprica was delighted when she was invited to join. "Thanks, man. You're an angel," she answered gratefully. "What's your name?" The roll-up made, she was no longer required to barricade the breeze and stood up, stretching out her already aching limbs, towering rather immensely over the seated woman. "I'm Caprica. I live up there," she pointed inland where Halcyon loomed. "Anathema," she half-whispered the name, reverent, and waited to be passed the roll of paper and plant.
Adonia almost didn't notice the way the woman lite up as they met gazes, though she thought it was purely due to her offering. It was odd how Adonia was able to give a relaxed smile back as her own eyes sparkled a little at how friendly the woman before her was. Adonia blushed to the words, she had never been called an angel and her muzzle dipped down in a bashful manner. "...it's nothing.." she responded with trying to push off her offering. Really, it wasn't a big deal at all. The golden male that introduced her to the stuff was very willing to share, so wasn't it meant to be shared? The wolfdog looked up and smiled before answering the first question given to her, "The name is Adonia Demos, and you are?" She returned the question as she awaited the shared item to come back to her. Her eyes looked over to where the woman pointed after she answered, she gave a light laugh, "Ah, yeah, I've been there once with another who was from Anathema. I got a bird from her, umm...Amy was her name. She is a merchant of sorts." Speaking of the bird, she had to still name him. Also it was then she realized she hadn't seen the little chick in a while. He was following her but she didn't pay too much mind to him and perhaps he was hungry. "Crap.." She said looking around, ears intent.
She wasn't used to being responsible for anything but herself anymore and she stood looking around until she spotted the little eaglet. He was still fluff, but his feathers were starting to come in, and he was great at following her. His eyes looked up as she looked upon him, and she picked up up and placed him on her lap, "...I totally forgot about him for awhile! I can't believe that..." She let out a sigh of shame as she shook her head back and forth, "I still have to name him..and I'm sure he is hungry by now as well.." Her gaze looked up to Caprica, "..oh..um I'm sure you'd like to know where I'm from...New Dawn. It's just over there to the west of us..." Her hand lifted pointed just to the west. Then her eyes spotted a crab trying to scuttle under a rock and she quickly, without making the bird fall, grabbed the crab, "Sorry little guy, but my bird is hungry.." Putting the crab on it's back she leaned down and grabbed a rock. Placing the crab onto flat rock she slammed the other rock onto it making it crack open. The entire time the eaglet becoming quite excited knowing that what Adonia grabbed was food for him. She smashed the crab one more time to ensure she killed it and began to pull away the shell exposing the meat that the bird desired. She picked up the bird before he could try and jump to the rock that held the lunch. He began to dine happily. A light laugh coming out of her, "I'm not a big fan of shellfish...but he seems quite pleased."
Adonia Demos. Something about the name was more devilish than angelic - but not in a bad way. It was a sensual sort of name, thought Caprica. "Caprica," she repeated, for the other hadn't heard her the first time. "Caprica D'Angelo, daughter of Naniko," she added in case the woman had actually meant to ask for further information regarding her identity. If Adonia had heard of Anathema, she'd probably heard of Naniko. But it seemed another infamous character of their ranks had taken precedence in the shady-coated woman's experience. "Oh, Amy," she murmured in portentous tones. Last time she'd seen that dog, she'd thrown knives at Caprica's head, at the same time as giving birth. The black wolf had no idea what to make of Amy except that she was both suspicious of and faintly impressed by her. She'd given Adonia a bird, which was now gathered into the woman's lap, a small fuzzball of a creature. "You'll have to watch out, naming the little guy," Caprica observed as she grinned down at the chick. "Nothin' that will suit him now will suit him when he's all grown. Lookit that beak! Gotta be an eagle, right? He's gonna be big. You gonna train him?" She had found a recent interest in birds - especially predatory ones, though she had to admit a keener liking for the scavengers, like the crows. Adonia seemed to have forgotten about the joint: feeding the eaglet took precedence over smoking, Caprica supposed, but she kept a beady eye on it, making sure the woman didn't forget it altogether and accidentally feed it to the creature or anything. They wouldn't have even got to light it yet, if so!
Adonia had the joint placed at the side of her muzzle, she knew verbally she had offered the joint to her but physically she must have totally lapsed in that area. Watching the bird eat for a moment she took a harsh drag and then brought the rolled goodie from her lips with her index and thumb and then brought it closer to her, "Here.." Adonia figured she was patient and could have the joint for a while, this time doing her best to concentrate on what the ebony lady had to say. Caprica was a very interesting name, it briefly reminded her of a few things her father taught her about the stars. Caprica reminded her of Capricornus a constellation in the night sky, her coat was very night like..maybe that was how they came up with the name? Who knew, but her mind was wondering, and not focused very well...
The woman was part of the D'Angelo family, she didn't know the family well, but it wasn't completely lost to her. She smiled some when the woman said Amy, "Yeah, the woman seems harsh, but she seems real bright." Her attention went back to the bird, and it seemed hers did too. Adonia let out a burst of laughter at the many questions and comments that shot out of her within a matter of seconds. "Yeah, definitely, that's what has made it hard to get a name for him." She reached out and gave him a light pet on the head down to his tail fluff as he continued to pick at the crab meat she exposed for him. "He has quite the beak on him, and you're right, he's an eagle..a golden eagle to be exact. I took him manly for that reason, but what sold me was him being a male. I didn't want to deal with a brooding female." Her eyes glanced up from her eaglet to her and with a wide smile she responded to the last question, "Yeah, I'm going to use him as a hunting and scouting companion." Her eyes held pride and excitement in them. She couldn't wait to be able to use him for that purpose, but she was enjoying this time with him. Raising him and bonding. He continued to eat, eying both Caprica and Adonia every-so-often, but it seemed he mainly kept and eye on the ebony female. He didn't know her, and so he watched her suspiciously. The wolfdog was amused and she laughed a little at her eaglet.
She looked back to Caprica, and wondered if she had enjoyed the joint yet.
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