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How strangely fortuitous that Iskata had chosen territory near the beach. It wasn't especially advantageous for a wolf pack, especially if they had enemies, and it did seem like Iskata had a few, and possibly these other wolves, too. Having the sea at your back meant that no attacks were forthcoming from that direction, but it also meant that the pack could find a valuable escape route blocked off. Hopefully that sort of precaution wasn't one that needed to be taken out here. If the time came...he didn't know if he would run or help. He liked Iskata well enough, but he had his task to consider. He didn't want to jeopardize that. Nevertheless...he had come to love the beach, and was very glad she had chosen this location.
Setting down his backpack behind him, he laid down and rested his head against it, the bandages and other soft contents on top to optimize comfort. The sun was falling in the west, and so his eastern vantage point was already becoming dark, near black at the very end of the horizon, brightening to purple then dark blue and a milder blue all the way up to the halfway point, where began the red blaze of the dying day. The soft crash of the waves and the relaxing scent of the sea would put him to sleep this night. He couldn't have asked for a better situation leading up to his meeting with Soro.
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She felt at ease; the pack had finally come together. Their combined dream had come true. A pack, a family. She had an idea for a tattoo growing in her mind. It was just a matter of actually making it happen. Hel had talents as a tattooist; perhaps Deuce would seek out her fellow leader and ask her about it. It couldn't hurt anything at least.
She was walking along the beach this evening; the air was crisp and clean, a storm had just passed through. Her eyes and thoughts were on the ocean. Should an attack come, perhaps they should have boats hidden, and make sure every member knew how to pilot such a craft. Who could follow them then? If they had seacraft, and their enemies didn't? She'd bring that up with Iskata later, next time she saw the younger woman.
A figure caught her attention. She approached slowly, giving him time to get used to her being there, before she spoke. "Hello, Asmodai. Lovely night isn't it?"
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"Yes it is," he replied, having sensed her presence several moments ago. The hearing and olfactory senses of his species were extraordinary already, and he had undergone a few measures to ensure that he was always very in tune with his own, especially hearing. Every detail should be noted, none missed, because any one detail to a smell or the background noise could have consequences.
"I especially enjoy such nights near the beach. It was only a short while ago that I discovered them, but I became enraptured immediately." It was true. Ever since he had seen the beach, he'd had second thoughts about returning home. As far as the wolves here knew, he had no home to return to, he was a rogue, an aimless traveler who explored to explore, and had simply found the best place so far to stick around.
"How are you this evening?"
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She gave him a soft smile. I understand. Back before the old lands burned, I was a member of a pack called Syemv, and we had a beach house. It was right on the water....it was wonderful. Syemv was so long ago. She missed it. Bt she had her own pack to run now, with Iskata and Hel.
I'm at peace this evening. It seemed like such a starnage answer, but to those who knew her it was the best sort of answer she could give. If she was at peace, it meant she wasn'yt on the warpath, wasn't screaming for blood, wasn't hearing voices like she used to. At peace.
So what brought you to these lands, my friend?
Her answer wasn't all that strange to him. He had known personal turmoil, and though he didn't know the context, he assumed that she had come from a state of stark contrast from being at peace, given her choice of words and the tone of her voice. He didn't know anything about this woman other than that she was a friend of Iskata's, but older, probably the same age as himself.
"Chance. I've been traveling since my pack disbanded long ago, and by luck or perhaps by fate, my feet brought me here." The lie came easily and believably. There was no malice in it, nor even any apparent falsity. He missed talking honestly with his comrades, if he thought about it.
"Saw a lot on the way, so I don't regret the trip. This place seemed nice, Iskata was the first person I met here and she left a good impression, so I decided to set down some roots." His words were casual and friendly, though he still didn't know very much about this person. He expected that it was his responsibility to inform her of himself first, though, given that he was new here and she was not. "Where do you come from, Deuce?"
I was born to a tribe to the north called the ligtpaw tribe. They chased me away on my first birthday. Seems bi-colored eyes and white fur in a non-shifter was an ill omen. I wandered until I found a pack called Syemv, back in the old lands that burned, over the mountains. After everything burned, I came here. i was part of Twilight vale, but starting a pack with Iskata sounded much better. A simplified version, but a version nonetheless. She left out all the pack-hopping in the old lands, and the real reason why she left / was kicked out of Twilight Vale. It was okay.
Are you happy here?
He did not answer the first thing she said. He had very little to say that might comfort someone who had been through that kind of rejection from those whom they loved. Even if he'd known something to tell her, it would have meant little coming from him. Even less, if she knew what he was here to do, what sort of person he was. What sort of person am I?
"It's too early to tell you honestly," he said, blowing right past the hypocrisy of what he was saying and what he had already done. "I haven't been here long. I chose to join because I suspected that this place might be a happy place for me, but it is too early to say. I have been journeying for a long time, and I can't yet say if setting up roots here was a better idea than continuing to follow my feet."
She nodded, understandingly. I chose to join because I suspected that this place might be a happy place for me, but it is too early to say. I have been journeying for a long time, and I can't yet say if setting up roots here was a better idea than continuing to follow my feet She laughed soflty. None of us know for sure whether a decision is correct or not. But we find out in the end.
She shrugged lightly, looking to the ocean. What would you think about building boats, so if something happened, we could escape down the coast? We could hide them and teach each member how to pilot them. The question escaped before she thought about it. Just a random question, it seemed. At least she could bounce the idea off another before asking Iskata and Hel what they thought.
"If something happened?" he said quizzically, still staring out at the darkening skies. "What sort of thing do you mean, Deuce? Like what happened to Iskata?" He still remembered finding the white lady injured on the beach. It hadn't taken him long to treat her, and he hadn't hesitated, though perhaps he should have. Well...not everyone panicked in tough situations, so maybe it wasn't imperative to be deceptive about that.
"Isn't Hel here so that nothing like that happens to any of us?" he asked, his voice betraying a feeling of uneasiness, though even this was intended. The truth of the matter was that he wasn't altogether concerned with his own well-being, though it would be inconvenient and a rather unpleasant experience for all of his new associates to die or be driven away. "Oh, by the way, speaking of that, I'll be taking a jaunt outside the lands soon to meet a friend of mine. He's still exploring, I don't know how he'll feel to hear that I'm settling here." It was possible that Soro would come looking for him if he didn't go out soon, so it would be better to acknowledge his existence now than get questions later.
If the coyotes attacked us, like they did Syemv. They killed innocent pups, just for the sake of another bit of land. Syemv was on the ocean. if we'd just had some way to escape to sea, maybe more would have survived. his question about Hel made her nod. Yes. But one wolf can't stand up against a clan of Coyotes. Even our whole pack couldn't protect all of us.
His words about meeting a friend made her smile. That's fine. you don't need to tell us exactly where you'll be at all times. Though I do appreciate the heads up. Perhaps if he's looking to settle down, you could bring him here. She shrugged gracefully. It's a thought.
"I can see why you would be keen on the idea of boats, then." He replied. This Inferni group seemed to be a real problem for the wolves of this place. He knew that for his part, he'd be safe from them. He was smart enough not to get boxed into a corner, and strong enough to hold his own long enough to escape any hopeless situation. After all, he had escaped terrible odds like those in recent history. Still, the wolves of Phoenix Valley probably had ample reason to be concerned. If the occasion arose, would be forfeit his lie and do something, or run? His duty required him to run in that situation, he knew, but for the first time that didn't wholly make up his mind.
"I wouldn't bet on the success of that venture," he smiled wryly. "The adventure in him is still a lot stronger than mine. He may linger here for a time, hopping around the lands here, but eventually he'll get bored and leave, perhaps coming back for a visit from time to time." Lies. He knew they were, but it was fun to pretend this was real. To not think about the truth while he spoke to the wolves here.
"I wouldn't bet on the success of that venture....The adventure in him is still a lot stronger than mine. He may linger here for a time, hopping around the lands here, but eventually he'll get bored and leave, perhaps coming back for a visit from time to time." Deuce laughed. "I know quite a few like that. It's not so unusual. I hope you enjoy your time with your friend, Asmodai. Time with friends is always a good thing."
She glanced out to the ocean. The moon was beginning to rise and the stars come out. The sun was still setting, though the darkness was growing quickly. Such was life. An endless repitition of cycles. It was a good thing. Comforting. When so many things were unstable in life, the sun still rose and set every day. Life was good.
OOC: A good ending place?
IC:
"Agreed," he said genuinely. He would miss Varn. Even Muaru, who he had found to be grating and obnoxious during their travels together. There was a certain fondness that stemmed from their disputes. He hadn't enjoyed the sight of Muaru being torn apart by seven other wolves...no more than he had enjoyed watching his old teacher's body break against the giant one-eyed wolf, Jantus.
Though the sun would set on this day, he hoped it wouldn't set on his friendship with his cousin Soro. The young man had made a mistake, but he intended to help the three-year-old get past that on the journey back. He would be a great warrior one day, and Asmodai hoped that this mistake wouldn't haunt him forever. He would do everything to help him learn from the mistake without crushing his spirit.
"For now, Deuce, I think I'm going to rest. Early to bed, early to rise, and there are still plenty of places I have yet to see in this pack land of yours!"
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