[html] Evening had fallen and after a little poking and prodding, Laurel had set out to work at getting the fire going again. It had rained what seemed like all day long, doused their smouldering fire, and made everything damp and humid. Though his old tent had held up, it was the muggy air that made him swear and groan. But the wood for the fire had been safe and dry underneath a well placed tarp much to his luck and discovery when he had fetched a few new logs. For the past couple of days, everyone had been working on this that or the other. At least, he imagined that most of them had been even if he hadn't totally seen hide or hair of Zephyr but once or twice since. He had been occupied with trips to the city and outside of the territory to mark it (as well as venture onward).
But about the only thing he had done aside of fetching a couple of things and setting up a little tent for the time being was dig out a half decent firepit. Eventually he knew that he would make it deeper and wider, big enough to throw a spit over or make it easier for Jasper to cook something, but for now it was just right for a little gathering. So once the logs had been laid in place and lit, he settled down on the damp ground with a bottle of whiskey and simply entertained himself. What a ride it had been thus so far and with all of the faces he was bound to come across in the days to come, he only hoped that they would put together something half respectable. Just like all of the times before, only when it had been Laurel joining the groups and leaving them.
Rubbing his chin passively, a wave of nostalgia hit him awkwardly and passed on, realising briefly that he had never really done anything like that before. For too many years he had been the right hand man, the one who's laid back pace and outlook like life made him an ideal figure to admire and at the same time swear at for being too easy-going about some things. Getting a lot of this whole troupe thing had been at his leisure pace, but it had come together. Very little elbow grease involved. A log popped and he shifted uncomfortably, shaking the notion that what he was doing was a hard thing. He imagined that all of them, one way or another had lived the gypsy lifestyle once before. Easy-going and lively was their nature, wasn't it? [/html]
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sorry for the delay!
She was proud of herself. The courage that she had expelled, and continued to show as she wandered through the unknown territory was truly out of the ordinary. It wasn’t her style to just show up in a pack’s land and strut right in, but she was on a mission. And traveling to the Esper Hollow boarders had taken most of the day, but she had a plan. It was easy to find and recognize Laurel’s scent, and she used the general direction he had given her to find it. Along the way she had hunted, slaying four hares and a small pheasant. They hung from vines she tied to their hind legs, and carried half over her shoulder and the other in her paw.
Night had fallen, and the darkness had made her journey into the gypsy campsite a little more difficult. But, taking from the conversation she had with Laurel, the tribe’s boarder patrols were pretty lenient. She always had her bargaining tools, and if there were any problems she was sure she could throw her prizes into their face as a distraction before she ran off. Hoping that she wouldn’t have to give up the gifts she hoped to present Anu continued on. A smoke trail caught her eye, hastening her pace she followed the signal, until she could smell the fire.
Cautiously Anu approached, keeping the beast sitting before the flames back to her front. She hated to scare or startle, but it was better to be sure then trespassing. Recognizing the shape of his hat, Anu instantly calmed. She circled, widening her path so that she could approach at a polite angle. Entering the fire’s circle Anu spoke quietly, though enough to get his attention. “Evening Laurel.” She hated to break his obvious concentration, but she had some so far.
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_____At any rate, when the camp was quiet and the fire was the only thing that really made sound outside of the sound of his breathing, Laurel found that even in thought he was aware of what was going on around him. It was partially out of habit, listening for someone passing by to strike up conversation. But his concentration was broken long before Anu had slipped onto the scene; he chose to let go of his thoughts a few minutes before she turned up, but the wondering expression remained on his face. There were no doubt things that should have been thought about as far as knowing what to do went, but he could dwell on it later.
_____It was purely out of wanting something more to do that he decided to light a cigarette, deciding that it may have been worth it more than getting into the liquor. Which anything, was more tempting to deal with. Catching something moving out of the corner of his eye, he half expected it to be one of the several faces who had set up camp wandering back in for the night, but instead it turned out to be no one that he remembered living there. He did however, remember Anu and he offered up a wiry grin as she wandered in closer and spoke. “Hey, fancy seeing you around here,” he said, eyeing what she had brought along curiously.
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The fire cracked, filling the dead noise between them. It soothed her, and its warmth was inviting and calmed her nerves. Even with his nonchalant demeanor, she was a fish out of water in his territory. The easy greeting helped her unease, but she still needed to fight the urge to glance around to see if anyone else noticed her presence.
His cigarette intrigued her, but performing the odd habit was not surprising to the fey, he always seemed to be doing something slightly different then what she was used to. Standing beside him she met his thin smile, and then remembered why she was there. Sitting quickly, she collected the rummage of thoughts that ran through her brain. “I hope you don’t mind me traipsing on in, but I thought that your pack could use a meal. Or a snack.” Looking down at the rabbits and pheasant, there wasn’t much that a whole pack could eat, but still wasn’t it the thought that counted?
“I mean, since some hasn’t been feeling well.” She tried to explain her true intension, without making it seem like it was the plague. Her smile was less solid and sure as she gladly handed her gifts to him.
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_____She seemed a lot more out of place there than the spider infested forest where they had met. It wasn't hard not to pick up on the unease that glinted in her eyes in the reflection of the flickering flame and just like those before her, it was always a matter of waltzing right in that bothered them. They were all supposed to be territorial creatures, though he had either long forgotten or lost the instinct to be that way. “Nah, it's okay, don't worry about it,” he returned with a broadening grin, “and thanks. I reckon words are getting around, huh?” Taking the goods as she handed them over, he gestured to one of several seats around the fire.
_____“How've you been? I heard you found some green pastures to go to.” Even though he had only met Iskata a handful of days before, he had picked up on what the woman had said. “Once resided.” So whatever the causes and reasons, he couldn't help but be a little curious. He hoped it wasn't because Phoenix Valley was debating a disband, although he also knew that two other packs, only one of which he was familiar with, had fallen apart rather abruptly. Had the sickness spread? He certainly hoped not.
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Her shoulders lowered, and her muscles relaxed as he eased her fear. If he wasn’t going to worry about it, then neither was she. Shifting against the ground to become more at ease and comfortable she gave a small shrug at his first question. “I guess it is. Heard from an Inferni member who was hoping to help. I found her gathering herbs.” It was a small assumption that Corona was from the yote pack that seemed to get in so much trouble. She always thought that it was that pack she had smelt like.
His second statement surprised her quite a bit. How did he know that she was no longer part of the valley pack? Greener pastures, the phrase made her smirk thinking of the true reason she moved to where she did. “I’m well, I did indeed leave Pheonix Valley.” She paused a moment, finally getting back to her normal self. It was hard to be tense long with Laurel. “I left to join Crimson Dreams, my mate is the leader there.” In her mind, she could never go wrong following her heart.
“How have you been?” as the words passed over her tongue she felt that they were slightly useless. “Besides, the whole sick thing.” Smiling she was sure that he wouldn’t mind her odd sense of humor.
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_____“I've been getting by,” he murmured with a laugh, shaking his head rather passively. That was the easiest way to put it, he supposed. “The sick ones are getting better though, thanks to the folks who know what they're doing, including that girl from Inferni. I think she said her name was Corona.” He had only seen her briefly wandering in and out and outside of their one time meeting, he hadn't spoken to her. She always looked busy, always moving and going somewhere.
_____That aside, the news that she had moved to a place he hadn't heard of to be with someone who she had obviously taken as her mate was even more intriguing than anything else he could have come up with as a viable reason. “But congratulations on finding yourself that special someone. I can't say that I've heard of Crimson Dreams though,” he went on to say with an amused smile, unaware of just how much he knew without knowing it.
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She genuinely hoped that things were going well with him. He had been one of the first faces she had seen after settling in the region, and kept him in a small special place in heart. “I’m glad to hear that.” it also meant that it was less likely for it to filter out into the other packs.
“Yes, Corona.” Anu still wasn’t sure if they were friends or not, the female had been sort of aloof during their meeting. Switching to the next subject she gave him a small smirk, “It’s a new pack, the combination of many Twilight Vale and Shadows Sun members.” Thinking a moment she paused. “They were both losing members, until the territory was just to much to defend.” Laurel didn’t seem to think much about boarders, but to many it was a full time job protecting them.
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_____“Makes sense,” he commented, absently taking a drag from the cigarette. “So you guys are still set up where Twilight Vale is, yeah? Or did you go wherever Shadowed Sun was?” He owed Naniko a visit and an overdue fishing pole that she had been wanting. Knowing the time that had passed, someone else had probably given her one, but he still wanted to try and trade for that fishing net. Good, friendly bartering, that was one of the many things settling on his mind. With everyone getting better, he thought he could get away for a few hours at least one day instead of being confined to a handful of miles around the camp site and the lake.
_____Not that he had been overly needed, of course. Another thing popped into his mind and before he could think it of, it promptly tumbled from his tanned lips. “You want a drink or anything?” He didn't even know if drinking was up Anu's alley or not, but it was just another habit, though his was a long formed habit from years ago. He could stave away the urge to drink, but when someone else was around and if they were for it, all the more reason and excuse to do so. If not, well, the night was young and he was bound to get into it with or without someone.
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Leaning back on one paw she began to grow relaxed, the type she enjoyed most. It was the easy breath that escaped her chest, it was the soft and loose muscled frame and a trouble-free smile across her face. She wondered if this was what living in Esper Hollow felt like, and if it ever changed.
She nodded slowly at his question, “We are still at Rabbit Lake, where Twilight Vale was located.” She paused a moment with the small but sudden realization, “I’ve never been to Shadow Sun.”
Looking at the bottle in his hand, the chance that it was water was slim. She hadn’t enjoyed liquor for many months, and was unsure how she would react to it. But there was many different types, and maybe this wouldn’t be as potent as the few others she had tasted.
Giving a small shrug she reached for the bottle asking, “What is it?” Not that knowing would be the deciding factor.
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Er, he didn't have anything in his hand to give her yet... but I can work with that. XD;
[html] It never dawned on him once he had retrieved the bottle that she may not have known what it was for the content. Not that it mattered, if she had never touched it before it was unlikely that she would like what he was handing over, very much in the same way that Ember hadn't. “I have no idea, but it's apart of a few bottles of things that I brought back from the city. Label's faded off and everything,” so he guessed that was what happened when it was kept in a damp, airy cabinet. “It isn't water, if that's what you're thinking,” he chose to add, deciding ultimately to play a safer route. If she changed her mind, well, he wouldn't care. Just another bottle saved for later, right? [/html]
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op, got a little carried away! sorries
Maybe it would be whiskey, and just to strong for her to choke down. A small voice inside told her of the poison that she would feel in the morning, but her sudden thirst was to over powering. The small gulp didn’t send her throat ablaze, but gave her a warm sharp feeling. The thick liquid slid to her belly, buzzing softly on the way.
“No it deffinatly isn’t” A small cough escaped with the words. Maybe she should have taken it as a warning, but it didn’t taste as horrid as the other things she had tried, so maybe it wouldn’t be.
A smile broke her features once again, “A fire, drinks and a snack, looks like we have it all.” Anu placed the bottle between them, so that he could sip from it as well.
“Do you enjoy the city?”
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I suck, sorry.
[html]The cough didn't phase him because the drink was probably strong enough to prompt it. But they certainly did have it all as far as things went, at least for the time being. “City's okay. Concrete kills my feet though,” he said with a faint smile. “What about you? You don't strike me as the type who spends a lot of time there.” Of course, that was him using Poe as the ultimate example of someone who enjoyed the city. She had been living there long before he had come along.[/html]
Happy that the day had fallen, and night had risen its stars, Vexx had ventured out into the camp, looking for any of the other pack members. he felt hungry, as he hadn't eaten in days. he wandered around the campsite, looking all over. "Jeez, its like a ghost town here. Kinda creepy..." He put his hands in the pockets of his navy vest and walked back towards his little den. About halfway there, he stopped and looked back. "Oh, of course." He went back to where he previously had been looking.
He bent down and grasped the pendant that he had dropped with his hand. "I gotta get this thing fixed." He got up, dusted the dirt off his pants, and looked up, to see bright, orange colored leaves. Orange? I don't think its fall, and even of it was.... the leaves shouldn't be so bright.....bright...... He crept closer and felt warmth, like from... a fire. How come I didn't notice this before...? He pushed himself through the bushes to stumble across Laurel and another Luperci. He eyes became really wide and he gasped a little. "Oh...uhh... I hope I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
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