the kingdom comes crashing

Vesper · 04-05-2012, 05:21 PM

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The great black-necked bird’s wings floundered weakly against the tall grass as the small predator chased after it. For a moment, flight seemed possible, but gravity pulled the goose back down to earth. It whirled and flared its uninjured wing, a hiss escaping its beak, but the coyote took no heed of its defiance and leaped at its throat. Fur and feathers floated on a soft breeze as they tumbled in the grass for an instant, but despite her prey’s buffeting wings, Vesper made quick work of killing it.

Feathers hanging from her whiskers, the Optio lifted her head and looked around. Some other predator had injured the goose before, likely a bird of prey, and so she only took a second to scan the skies before focusing her energy into a shift. While this was once a labor that took up to twenty minutes, she completed it much more quickly now. She’d forced herself to get used to optime, but after the attacks, she did not want to venture outside the territory in her least favored shape.

Her fingers moved more clumsily than others’ did, but Vesper managed to pluck the feathers from the bird. She might lay aside some of these for fletching, but most were claimed by the wind alongside her shed tufts of tawny fur. Once she’d removed a sizable handful, she sank her teeth into the meat of the bird.

Her would-be peace was disrupted finally by her thoughts. Discipline had kept them at bay for long enough; she was a subleader, and she had to think. The wolf Ithiel and the others had come across on patrol had to be connected somehow with the group that had driven in through the Dampwoods toward the mansion. She was worried that more attacks would come, but she was also worried about sending her scouts out. Some, such as the Caelum and Zana, were experienced enough—but she thought of Wraith and Nathaniel and Emmanuelle too. She couldn’t bear to see the youths hurt.

She had to keep training—herself and them. She twirled a feather between two finger pads and swallowed, looking up to the horizon. There were many she sparred with, some as a mentor and some as a student. Her scouts, Ezekiel, Helotes, Myrika… She couldn’t bear to see any of them hurt. And, for once in her life, it was because Vesper really did care for all of them. They weren’t a symbol of the innocent and persecuted, like those she normally ached to defend, but true friends she thought she might die for.

Her blue gaze flicked back to the goose in her arms, to the naked patch on its once-white breast, the fang marks rending flesh from its meat. She went back to eating ferociously until her dark-dappled chest was red with blood.

Emmanuelle Brenna · 04-06-2012, 10:22 AM

It had been a hard few days since she was attacked. The once sunny dispositioned, free spirited girl had not said a word. Not to anybody. Myrika and Ethiel had helped treat her wounds, and after them it there had been nothing. If someone tried to come and visit her, she didn't know or wasn't aware of it. Her world was turned upside down, and though it might be melodramatic she didn't know what to do anymore. Everything she held close to her heart, the good she saw in other people, it vanished. The wheat haired woman was suspicious of almost everyone, save for Myrika and Vesper. Those two she forged a friendship with and she could not forget that, even with all the other things swirling in her mind. Her thoughts felt like a can of worms, and she absorbed herself in them.

The attack played in her head, over and over again as she analyzed every step, every smell, every little thing that had transpired. The feeling in her gut just before it happened, she should have known what was going to happen with the recent news of intruders, she should have gotten help, so many things she should have done. There was no victory for her here, nothing to be proud of - and though she had not died she was sure she could have. She was weak, untrained, and unfit to be in the war clan that she used to be so proud to call home. Her mis-matched eyes stared at the ceiling above her, her arms wrapped around her healing body as she just lay there, thinking. The two kittens mewed loudly in hunger, but the yearling didn't hear them. She took no notice until one of them climbed angrily onto her chest and wapped her face lightly with a paw, and it was then that she was startled out of her thoughts.

Sighing to herself, she sat up and pushed herself to the edge of the bed, her blonde hair falling in messy ringlets to her sides. Every movement she made still hurt, and she had to be careful so that she did not re-open any of the cuts. The cuts on her thigh and back were the slowest to heal, and they burned when she moved. Everything was still fresh, though thankfully all the random cuts on her face were healing speedily. It would be a few weeks until her thigh and back were healed, and those more then likely would leave visible scars. The X shaped cut on her chest was deep, though not as deep as the other major injuries. It would be a little while till that scarred over. The yearling didn't move, staying still for several minutes before putting herself slowly to her feet. As she gathered everything that she needed to feed her kits, her thoughts wandered to the others.

Had anybody else been injured? Was it just her? Did anybody even know that she had been attacked? Sighing again, she turned to her closed door, grabbing her kittens and putting them into their special satchel. Opening the door, she wandered down the hallway and down the stairs, reaching the front doors in just a few moments. Cautiously she opened the door, her ears perked as she slowly looked around the surrounding area. Inhaling deeply, she stepped out onto the deck slowly, it creaking under her weight. Confident that there was no one else around, she continued her journey away from the mansion, keeping alert as she moved silently. She kept going straight, not paying attention to where she tread until about five minutes passed and the mansion was out of sight. The woman looked pathetic, her hair a matted mess and her fur unkept, even her wounds weren't looking that great. Her mission after feeding the kits was to find the nearest body of water and clean herself up.

Vesper · 04-09-2012, 10:45 PM

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This is short and crappy,
but I didn't want to leave you waiting any longer. :c

The rubbery meat of the heart clenched between her jaws, Vesper stared off at the horizon with ears swiveling and swallowed. She ached to go to the borders now, but she knew that starving herself would not be productive in the least, and so she forced herself to chew the organ and root around the goose breast for more meat. Her fingers pulled a stray downy feather from her ear.

A movement in the tall swaying grass made her lift her head, pausing mid-chew to take in the sight of the coyote approaching. Her mouth fell slightly slack as pale blue eyes not-so-modestly roamed over the feminine form and the soft blonde hair spilling over slim shoulders. It took a moment for her to recognize the girl.

“Emma,” Vesper said, rising suddenly. Her appraisal turned quickly into a calculating stare as she took in other details, the scrapes and healing wounds. Her lips curled angrily, and she stepped brazenly toward her, reaching out to grab her wrists and hold them so that she could get a better look at her wounds. “I didn’t know you’d been hurt in the mansion attack,” she breathed helplessly.

Hell, that was the end of it. She wanted to storm out and kill all the wolves herself then and there, never mind that she hated killing and had no idea which wolves were involved. No one messed with her scouts.

Frustrated, unable to do anything, the coywolf growled again.

Emmanuelle Brenna · 04-17-2012, 03:46 AM

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ems is by nat.

ooc; fail reply is fail. xD

The yearling wasn't even aware that another was there until her wrists were grabbed roughly and speech flooded her ears, and she looked dumbly at the face in front of her, her eyes taking a few moments to truly see. Her ears flattened against her skull and she looked at the ground, suddenly shamed at her condition. Black lips formed into a grim smile as her gaze traveled upwards and she made eye contact with her optio, unable to form words as her expression voiced her helplessness. " I wasn't able to defend myself too well, as you can see. " She said finally, a few moments of silence passing before she spoke. The mottled woman shifted uncomfortable as she reached up to brush a stray lock of hair out of her face, not sure what else to say to the scarred lady in front of her.

She must have sounded pathetic to Vesper, seeing as the woman in front of her was scar-ridden and had clearly been through many battles, now Emmanuelle would have her own scars but really, did she give her opponent any? The yearling doubted it, and her emotions flashed across her face plain as day. All she was, was a failure. Nothing the Inferni clan could be proud of, just some scout skulking around the borders, looking for a fight she probably wouldn't win. A dejected sight exited her muzzle and she backed away from Vesper, raising her mis-matched eyes to the sky and folding her arms across her chest as a thinly-vieled attempt to cover her injuries.

" What do you think I should have done.. I had no idea what to do, I have no experience fighting. " She questioned, eyes still raised to the sky.

Vesper · 04-18-2012, 07:25 PM

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I'm such a stupid slow ditz, I forgot what even the purpose of this thread was. xD But I suppose we can wing it, if you don't feel like punching me. *hugs the 'yote girls*

Subtly mismatched eyes fell to the bronze grass then rose to gaze helplessly at her. She wanted to take the girl in her arms and steal her away someplace secret and safe, her and Wraith and Nathaniel and Myrika and Helotes, if she could convince him to seek safety. Perhaps the pair of them could stand as guardians before this magical place—but her thoughts were folly. There was no such thing as a spell to whisk those she cared about away. All she could do was reconnoiter until she found the weakness in the enemy, and then she would kill them. She couldn’t bear to see more of her clan mates harmed.

Her righteous seething faded away when the blonde young woman spoke up finally. She stepped back then, and it was the Optio’s turn to look helpless as Emmanuelle crossed her arms across her wounded chest and asked her dejectedly what she should have done.

Vesper just shook her head for a moment, remembering the day she’d brought the younger coywolf into the clan lands. Snow had still blanketed the lands back then, the season harsh but not so harsh as the wolves were now. She ran her hand through her short mane and sighed. “You survived, sweetheart, and that’s good enough for now.” She frowned, her hands finding her almost nonexistent hips. “But you should train. I can vouch for many in the warrior tier when it comes to their skill; I’ve sparred with Max and Ángel, and Helotes is one of my good friends and teachers.” She smirked faintly, shaking her head; they were all macho men, and Emma was just a pretty little thing, even if she had a couple inches on Ves.

“Even scouts need to learn to fight,” she added, and she didn’t think she needed to describe the battles she’d seen. None were fully-fledged, however, more petty scuffles than skirmishes of war. “I can teach you a few things, too. But that’s only if you feel up to it.” She studied her, managing to look past the soft feminine curves to the scars that covered their surface. She set her teeth and hissed sympathetically. “If I were you, I’d probably not want to move an inch more than I had to.”

Emmanuelle Brenna · 05-07-2012, 03:24 AM

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ems is by nat.

ooc; vesp was supposed to teach ems to fight or something. xD if i ever let a thread with us sit more then like.. four days kick me in the face. ;___; so sorry.

The yearling dipped her head and listened to the words of her optio, feeling ashamed that she looked so weak to the older woman. If only she had started training the moment she had stepped on the coyote clans lands she might have stood a chance and actually left some damage on the wolves who attacked her, but no. She was young, and with her immaturity inexperience went hand in hand. Her tail flicked out behind her in an irritated fashion, eyes falling downwards now to the left of her leader. Emma was too ashamed to meet Vespers eyes, but her gaze matched the others as the older coyote spoke again.

How could she not want it? Or feel up to it? Pain was minor, that eased away with the passage of time. The scars would eventually shrink and fade, and the battles forgotten, replace with newer and more relevant experiences. However, what really hurt was that she wasn't prepared. A determined look slid it's way onto her face and she stood up taller and straighter then before, her mouth pulled into a tight frown. " If I just sit still, mope and not take action.. That won't aid us. I need to get practice, learn and get better. If it hurts my body, so be it. It with strengthen my mind. " The youth said, her words sounding surprisingly beyond her years.

Vesper was probably right, she needed to rest and recover, but the youth could not sit still no longer. Letting her arms fall to her sides she waited for her teachers next instructions, not wanting to hide her injuries any longer.

Vesper · 05-10-2012, 08:27 PM

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It's all gooood.

Those mismatched eyes flicked away, perhaps with shame, and Vesper wondered if she came across as intimidating or disappointed. She crossed her arms and looked off at a point in the distance. While she wished she could coddle the girl and explain that she shouldn’t have to learn, that it was only because of war that everyone was being forced into action…well, she just didn’t believe that. She’d been brought up more or less on her own, learning how to fight and fend for herself.

But she was a willing teacher, at least. She would never condemn ignorance if a luperci wanted knowledge. She thought about her own lessons with Helotes, and the training with Myrika—if that could really be called training, what they’d done. Her cheeks flushed with warmth as she met the blonde woman’s gaze.

In the next instant, however, she abandoned the memory in favor of smirking in satisfaction at Emmanuelle, who drew herself up and spoke determinedly. The scarred Optio nodded once in agreement, her tail flickering behind her.

“I won’t pummel you into the ground,” she said lightly, “but at least going through the motions might help.” She stared at the wound on the other’s chest and sighed. “So… Tell me what happened, how they did that; I can try to show you how to stop it from happening again.”

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