Gift of Wings

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii · 04-23-2012, 11:47 AM

[html]

Word Count :: +000

OOC starts in CdA

Dalgina set out to find her new friend. Taru was a great friend of hers, had rescued her from the water when she hadn't realized that one couldn't walk on it. It was sad that Taru couldn't see. To make up for this Dalgina had gotten as many nice things together that she could think of, and was going to give it to her. She had a bunch of flowers in her mouth, and a pretty silver chain that she'd found around her neck, and had even found an interesting looking stick she was sure that Taru would like.

Figuring out where Taru lived was the hard part. Dalgina thought the wolf might be somewhere in the village where she lived with her family, but the exact house was difficult to figure out. Dalgina went from building to building, doing her best to investigate each one with the scent of flowers clogging her nose. Dalgina reached one that she finally thought might be Taru's, and let out a low whine, trying to let Taru know she was there without dropping what she was holding.

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii

Table by Alex

Hotaru · 04-23-2012, 12:44 PM

[html]

WC: 288

The Tessitore di Sogno had been incredibly busy ever since her promise to give an avian companion to Dalgina. She had worked hard to create beautiful sculptures and several wooden pieces of jewelry that she could use to trade for the chick that Dalgina was to receive. Hotaru even entertained the possibility of picking up a chick herself, although Fawkes had been less than thrilled with that idea. He had been in a foul mood ever since the pond incident, and had even gone off on his own for a few hours to cool his head. Hotaru worked hard to assure her dear friend that he wasn't being replaced, but Fawkes still remained in his sour mood.

A small whine drifted through the window and Hotaru grabbed her satchel and walking staff. With graceful steps she moved out of her house and greeted Dalgina with a wolfish bark. The heavy bag bounced against her side as she knelt down to the puppies level. It was filled with her creations, and she hoped to be rid of most of them by the end of her trip. Her hand reached out into the darkness to pet the young wolf's head. "Ready to go?"

Fawkes, who had gone off scouting the day before, led the way. The marry band moved quickly through the forest, the well worn trails were familiar to Hotaru and it was easy for her to move through the land. However, once they reached the boarder of the Ethereal Eclipse, Hotaru was forced to slow down. She heavily relied on her staff, the wooden tip trailed in front of her in a wide arc. Fawkes moved skillfully from tree to tree and provided instructions for his blind master.

Table by Bria

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii · 04-23-2012, 03:20 PM

[html]

Word Count :: +000

OOC text here

Taru came out at Dalgina's cry. Her tail wagged rapidly, glad to see her. A heavy bag was on her side, and Dalgina pushed forward with the flowers, hoping that Taru would like them. The blind wolf knelt down, Dalgina nudging herself into the hand that petted her head. Taru didn't notice the bright items that Dalgina had brought to share though, her tail sinking down. It was forgotten at the words though, the flowers rapidly dropped as her tail wagged rapidly.

Yes! She bounced around, Fawkes flying overhead. Dalgina followed, forgetting again that Taru was blind as the wolf moved, wandering around through the woods. The movement was good until they reached a point. Dalgina had been doing what puppies did best, investigating everything nearby, and was surprised when Taru moved slower. The stick was waved around, keeping the curious pup from poking her nose too close. Are we close? Was that why?

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii

Table by Alex

Hotaru · 04-24-2012, 08:18 PM

[html]

WC: 598

Hotaru smiled as the puppy's soft fur rubbed against her hand. Her heart was warmed by the gentle happiness that the young wolf brought to the world. Puppies were a blessing, one Hotaru never even dreamed of being gifted with. She had long ago decided to enjoy the company of puppies that belonged to others. Wolves were naturally inclined to adore all puppies, so accepting the simple pleasure was easy for her. Joy filled her heart as she thought about spending the whole day with Dalgina.

The blind wolf didn't realize that Dalgina had brought flowers. The entire world was filled with the sweet perfume of nature, so Dalgina's bouquet was invisible to the older wolf. With a final pat on Dalgina's head they departed. As the wolves walked through the Ethereal Eclipse, Hotaru listened to the young wolf frolic in the forest. She made enough noise for the blind wolf to keep track of her movements. During the entire trip, Hotaru made sure to keep on ear always trained on the playful child.

A question was posed by Dalgina, and Hotaru paused momentarily to think about their progress. Fawkes commented in low speech about their location and she nodded. "We are about halfway there, it shouldn't be much longer. Feel free to continue your exploring, just don't wander too far young one." Hotaru continued to move, all the while she used her staff to prevent her from tripping. As they traveled, the blind wolf continued to expand her mental map. Her world had grown a lot since she had arrived at the d'Arte boarders. She knew most of the land in and around the pack lands. The Ethereal Eclipse, Thornberry, and the shore were places she knew best due to her constant travels through those areas. She had even learned some of the lands to the north, although her mental maps were fuzzy in those locations. Even so, for a blind wolf, Hotaru's knowledge of the land was impressive.

After another few hours of walking, the small band managed to reach the outskirts of Halifax. Once again Hotaru paused and she turned her head to where she believed Dalgina was. "Dalgina, we have arrived but I you must stay close to me." Hotaru's voice was strong, but kind. She wanted to impress upon the puppy just how important it was for them to stick together. Slave traders would love to get their hands on a healthy young wolf and Hotaru was determined to prevent that from happening. As they walked, Hotaru's posture was tall and confident. Her wooden staff clinked against the pavement, but she moved it in tight arcs so that Dalgina could stay close. Fawkes flew above the wolves and led the way through the city.

As they wolves drew closer to the docks, the crowds grew bigger. Shops lined the streets and occasionally Fawkes would call out to Hotaru to lead her to a potential vender. However, the grey female was not impressed with the wares of the street venders and shop keepers. Once they reached the docks, Hotaru spent a long time going from vender to vender. There were a few merchants who were selling birds of all ages, including fertile eggs. Finally, she managed to narrow down the choices to two venders. One merchant was a rather shady sounding wolf but the birds all seemed to be in good health; while the other was an aging coyote who had more eggs and chicks than adults. Hotaru moved to the aging coyote and turned to the young wolf. "Dalgina, what would you like?"

Table by Bria

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii · 04-25-2012, 01:06 AM

[html]

Word Count :: +000

OOC text here

Only halfway? That was far too long for the pup. She thought they had traveled further. Dalgina was older, but she was still a child in lots of ways, quickly getting worn down by long excursions. Her tail did pick up again when told she could keep exploring. Her head was nodded rapidly, forgetting that Taru couldn't see that. I'll stay close. She didn't want to be by herself in the middle of nowhere. Not without being able to find a way home, and she'd been too busy day dreaming to really know how to find the way back to the pack by herself.

She continued to weave in and out of the different places, pausing when she saw a particularly bright colored bird, sniffing at a badger den. She managed to avoid trouble, having learned her lesson about poking at strange creatures when she was younger. Keeping close to Taru's side Dalgina's eyes grew large as the city came into sight. She'd never been to human ruins before unless one counted the small towns that were in the packs. They were all very simple though, nothing like this.

Gluing herself to Taru's side Dalgina stuck close, head swiveling as she tried to take in all the new scents. The sky was hard to see here, the buildings blocking it out much as if they were in the woods. It was more open than the woods though, giving it a rather eerie unbalanced feeling. They had arrived? Why would they find birds here? Okay. Her voice was small, feeling intimidated by the new surroundings. The crowds got larger, full of others. It was smaller than the festival had been, but it felt much more dangerous in the new surroundings.

They finally stopped before an old coyote, Dalgina's tail wagging as she stared at the choices. Eggs and chicks. She had seen chicks before, but eggs were for eating in her mind. She looked over to a rather small bird. It was rather fierce in appearance, eyes glittering as it stood tall. Her tail picked up speed as she stepped over, smelling at the male. This one!

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii

Table by Alex

Hotaru · 04-26-2012, 02:34 PM

[html]

WC: 567

It seemed to Hotaru that Dalgina had a healthy fear of the city. The young wolf stayed close to her older companion, her usually loud voice was small and nervous. It was a relief to be with such a well-behaved child and it made Hotaru's job easier. The blind wolf could tell that their small band had gathered a lot of attention. Whispers drifted into her ears, but Hotaru chose to ignore the stranger's words. She stood tall, her confidence was strong, and her tail was in a dominant position. The air of strength she held kept both of the wolves safe and allowed their passage through the city to remain unhindered. Even so, the blind wolf refused to relax her guard.

Fawkes kept a close eye on his master and her small black friend. He would dip down often and circle around the pair of wolves as they walked through the city. The red-tailed hawk noted his master's powerful strides, and his eyes gleamed with pride. She had really changed over the past few months, and had even managed to surpass her old self in several ways. Even though Hotaru was blind, her fiery spirit kept her safe and out of harms way. Well, most of the time. Even though he hated it, Fawkes helped Hotaru track down several vendors who could potentially supply at least Dalgina with a chick. Fawkes hated the idea of being replaced; although he was sure Hotaru wouldn't do that to him. Even so apprehension lingered in his mind as he settled onto her shoulder when they began to bargain with an old coyote.

Dalgina was quick to pick out a hatchling, and Hotaru began to discuss a price with the vendor. The old coyote was pleasant, and he offered Hotaru a good deal. However, the old man was at his core a merchant, and continued to pester Hotaru into getting a "lovely female" for Fawkes. Fawkes rattled on for a few minutes in low speech about how he wasn't interested in such a female and did his best to put down all of the birds that the coyote offered. A squawking match began quickly as the birds began to argue, all of them threw low speech insults at each other with a fiery passion. Hotaru simply sighed as she examined the eggs, her hands ran over the warm shells with gentle grace. Her dexterous paws stopped at a medium sized egg, its gold coloring invisible to her eyes. "That my friend is a Gyrfalcon egg; hard to come by, but steady birds. They are the largest falcons in the world. One would be perfect for a woman of your...qualities."

Her light grey tail swished slightly with annoyance as the older male subtly mentioned her disability. Even so, a large falcon would be a good companion for Fawkes. He could show the chick the ropes and it would allow him to take a much-needed break. Hotaru lifted her satchel up for the coyote to see. "We shall take both." After several more minutes of haggle, Hotaru left the merchants stall with a chick and an egg nestled comfortably in her satchel. They were both wrapped with cheap cloth to keep them warm, and Fawkes complained on her shoulder. When they had left the outskirts of the dying city, the grey wolf relaxed a little. "Have you thought of a name Dalgina?"

Table by Bria

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii · 04-26-2012, 04:01 PM

[html]

Word Count :: +000

OOC text here

Taru began talking with the coyote, Fawkes reiterating something in reply to getting a nice pretty female. Dalgina's tail wagged at the thought. There'd be a lot of pretty birds then. Whatever Fawkes had said must not have been so good though, as the air filled with shrieks. Dalgina laughed as the birds puffed up, looking very pretty. She fell silent again, eyes wide as the argument continued. Would Fawkes win? She hoped so. Dalgina looked to Taru, wondering what she thought of it. Taru was looking at eggs though. Were they getting a snack?

Her tail wagged as the chick and egg were picked up, bouncing slightly in excitement. She wanted to cuddle with her new bird right away. His feathers were all white right now, but it wouldn't be long before he was full of color. Dalgina was sure of it. They moved along, leaving the city behind. It felt a lot slower than coming in, the minutes agonizing as she waited to see her bird. Once or twice she got separated from her excitement, but she stayed with Taru until they were in the outskirts. Yep! His name's Tehu. She craned her head, trying to see. Are we going to eat the egg?

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii

Table by Alex

Hotaru · 04-28-2012, 11:36 PM

[html]

WC: 390

Hotaru was proud to say that their trip had been a success. Dalgina had managed to behave while they were in the city, and Hotaru didn't mind her mini adventures in the forest. No major difficulties happened during their journey, a miracle in of itself. On top of all that, Hotaru had managed to successfully haggle with the old coyote and got a pretty good deal for the two birds. Even the whispers of onlookers didn't bother her as much as she feared they would. Perhaps the worst part of their trip was the fact that Fawkes had managed to piss off just about every bird on the dock. From what the grey female had gathered, most of the words were less that polite and the raptors were only a few insults away from an all out fight. Hotaru was just glad that they had left as quickly as they did.

With such precious cargo in her shoulder bag, the blind wolf moved carefully. She could hear Dalgina's chick peeping in her bag whenever it was jostled too much. They band of hunters managed to move at a good speed and were out of the city in no time. Hotaru had noticed Dalgina wander off once or twice, but the young female returned to her side before she even had to say something. It was obvious that Dalgina was excited; although Hotaru worried that she might become too excited. To make the trip back easier, the blind female had decided to strike up a conversation. "Tehu, a fine name that is deserving for a bird of prey. You picked well." Red ears twitched at Dalgina's question as Fawkes snickered on the grey wolf's shoulder. He thought to question was hilarious and was thinking how wonderful it would be if the puppy did eat the egg. The blind female snorted at Fawkes's poor taste and worked on keeping her voice calm and collected. "I should hope not. This egg will hatch into a chick and will become a great companion. Fawkes will see to it that the egg stays warm."

Sharp claws dug into her shoulder as a wave of loud protests bombarded her ears. Fawkes was not happy with the statement, and he made it perfectly clear. Hotaru gave a wicked smile. That would teach him to be so rude.

Table by Bria

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii · 04-29-2012, 12:31 AM

[html]

Word Count :: +000

OOC text here

Every noise that rose from Tehu, every cheeping proof that he was there, real and her own, set her tail into another frenzied spin. She finally had her own bird, someone to fly and tell her stories about the sky and what it was like so high. The raptor was tiny, smaller than Fawkes, but Dalgina was sure that he would grow big and strong when he got older. It was just a matter of patience. Dalgina beamed with pride at Taru's compliment. Yes, it was a strong name. She was sure it would fit him well.

Dalgina was surprised at the laughter proceeding after her remark on the egg. It was perfectly sensible to her. Dalgina had eaten eggs all her life after all. Ears stood even taller at the remark, eyes widened. Eggs make birds?! Horror filled her. So many birds that she had killed! Dalgina didn't want to hurt birds. She didn't see them as food, but something beautiful. To know that she had killed them, kept them from flying, it was horrible! Why had no one told her that before?

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii

Table by Alex

Hotaru · 04-30-2012, 08:10 PM

[html]

WC: 376

Dalgina's excitement and the sound of Tehu's cheeping brought happy memories to the forefront of Hotaru's mind. As they walked, she replayed her first birthday in her mind. That day was crystal clear in her mind. Fawkes had been a gift from her uncle, a sort of special present that only she received. The red-tailed hawk was just a chick at the time, but the bond that they had formed would last a lifetime. His small body had fit in the palm of her hand and he had cried incessantly. She had been his caretaker, his mother. She had raised him, helped him learn how to hunt, witnessed his first flight, and taught him how the wolf's language. He in turn had become her dearest friend and taught her how to communicate with the hawks.

Hotaru wanted to shake Fawkes off her shoulder, he was being rude and his attitude was starting to bug her. But shaking him off meant disturbing the chick, something the older wolf wanted to avoid. The chick was frightened enough as is, and she didn't want to scare the poor thing to death. Instead, Hotaru focused on Dalgina's question, the horror evident in her voice. As luperci, eating eggs was not uncommon and the puppy was sure to have had some before. Learning that eggs hosted baby birds was most likely a big shock. "Yes, birds come from eggs. However, you needn't worry little one. Some eggs are for eating, while others are to be cherished and cared for." As Hotaru spoke, she stopped walking and carefully bent down to one knee. Her hands slowly reached into her bag to take out the golden egg. It was wrapped carefully is furs, but the blind wolf managed to unwrap the egg without too much trouble. "Inside this egg is a growing chick. Unlike chicken eggs, this one will produce a powerful bird. Eggs like this, we should not eat."

When they were ready, Hotaru carefully put her egg back into the bag and set off again. They still had a long way to travel. It would take them the rest of the day to reach d'Arte, but if the wolves were lucky they would be safely inside the pack lands before dusk.

Table by Bria

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii · 04-30-2012, 09:14 PM

[html]

Word Count :: +000

OOC text here

Dalgina wasn't reassured at Taru's words. She had been eating birds. Birds that should have been flying high had been taken down by her before they even had the chance. Why shouldn't that upset her? Told that some eggs were specifically for eating and some weren't, Dalgina paused. So maybe she hadn't killed some baby birds? Taru came to a halt, Tehu coming into reach of the pup. She licked at the bird's head happily, watching it bob in reaction. The eyes were so huge! She loved him already.

The golden egg she had been planning on eating was held out. Dalgina sniffed at it with great care, trying to picture how a bird could possibly come out of that. Told that chicken eggs didn't make birds Dalgina nodded solemnly. It was like puppies, but without a mother wolf to protect the chick. How do you tell? She wanted to make sure that she never made that mistake. Dalgina whined softly as Taru stood again, moving Tehu out of her reach. It wasn't like she could carry the hawk herself, but she still wanted to be with him.

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii

Table by Alex

Hotaru · 05-02-2012, 07:43 PM

[html]

WC: 353

Hotaru wasn't sure if her explanation was good enough for the young wolf. This was her first time in such a situation, so the older female was unsure if she had sufficiently explained the concept. Hotaru didn't want to shock Dalgina too much, although she would one day have to learn that the world isn't a nice place. It was survival of the fittest, and sometimes that meant eating someone else's baby. The world could be harsh and as one of the top predators, wolves were the very center of tragedy. However, they also played a vital role and kept the prey populations healthy. Once Dalgina started hunting, she would learn the intimate and tragic details that surrounded the circle of life.

When Hotaru bent down to show the egg to Dalgina, Fawkes had retreated to a nearby tree. As she stood again, he returned to her shoulder and nibbled on her ear. Dalgina whined, and a confused look crossed the blind wolf's face. However, the young female didn't sounded like she was too distressed so Hotaru let the act slide as she focused on answering Dalgina's question. "Eggs from different species look different. They vary in size, color, and markings so it becomes easy to figure out what eggs are suitable for eating and what eggs should be left alone. You can also use scent to distinguish the different types of eggs." Hotaru started to walk again as she spoke. They still had a ways to go and too many delays would mean they wouldn't get back until nightfall.

To make sure that they were on course, Hotaru sent Fawkes ahead to scout the area. Although she tried to follow they path that they took before, the grey wolf didn't want to make any mistakes. A simple command in low speech was enough to send him off, although he didn't leave without complaint. As the sound of wings beats erupted, so did a string of avian complaints. Hotaru shook her head but continued to walk. She would have to be patient because he would be like that for the next several weeks.

Table by Bria

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii · 05-02-2012, 09:03 PM

[html]

Word Count :: +000

OOC text here

Dalgina followed after Taru happily, listening to the explanation. So as long as it looked like a chicken egg, she could eat it. That made sense. The young female nodded her head, tail wagging softly behind her. It was all good then. Nobody would get hurt. She bounced beside Taru, not wandering far this time. With her new falcon to keep her company Dalgina wanted to stay close, even if she couldn't touch him.

That didn't mean she was glued to Taru's side. Dalgina did wander off here and there a little, bringing back things to show to Tehu that she thought he would like before dropping it off. She couldn't wait to get back and tell Mahn about her bird. She was sure Keldava would love him too. Dalgina would have to tell Papa of course, and Honrin. She looked up, repeating the sounds Fawkes had made as he flew off, dancing slightly.

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii

Table by Alex

Hotaru · 05-04-2012, 03:35 PM

[html]

WC: 269

As Hotaru explained the differences between eggs and how to recognize them, she wondered if perhaps she should have Dalgina talk to her parents. The puppy was obviously at that age where she was starting to ask question in the more mature subjects. It was not the grey female's place to answer such questions, nor did she really want too. The subject was uncomfortable, especially when one of the discussion members wasn't even a yearling. Thankfully, Dalgina asked no more questions on the subject and took bounded off through the forest.

As they walked back, Hotaru listened carefully to the young wolf's progress. She never went far from her older companion, which was an immense relief. Dalgina would wander around before returning to Hotaru's side, only to repeat the process. The grey wolf made no comment and walked in a calm silence. Her focus was on their route and not tripping over hidden objects. However, red ears pricked when she heard Dalgina repeating Fawkes's words. The female shook her head, she had to stop that immediately. Although Fawkes wasn't saying anything too bad at that point in time, he had a tendency to use... colorful language.

"Dalgina, I would suggest that you not copy Fawkes's words. He can be... very rude at times and you don't want to learn avian low speech from him." In retort, the red-tailed hawk shouted something back to Hotaru that was along the lines of 'There is nothing wrong with my speech.' Hotaru shook her head and began an impromptu lesson on low speech. Mostly for Dalgina's benefit, but also to shut Fawkes up.

Table by Bria

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii · 05-04-2012, 04:54 PM

[html]

Word Count :: +000

OOC just gonna point out i took the siggy from the pride page and just fixed it up so it can be used for lucia. i'm not that good!

Dalgina looked up with surprise at Taru's words. Not copy Fawkes? But she wanted to be able to speak bird too! It would be fun, being able to chat back and forth. He seemed someone good to copy too, very wise and helping with Taru. He had helped save her life alongside Taru after all. To hear that Fawkes was actually saying something bad Dalgina's ears flattened. Oh. That wasn't good, repeating that.

Her ears stood to attention at the lesson that followed. A whole world was opened up. Progress was slow, only some phrases here and there really sticking out. It was new to her. Dalgina laughed as she repeated the noises, walking steadily at Taru's side until they returned to the pack, spirits bolstered. It had been a great trip! Maybe they could go again.

Dalgina Wolfe-Denahlii

Table by Alex

Login




Remember me Lost Password?