Not so eerie whispers
#21
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Draugr is by Libri!

I owe my mindset to Salsola and the guidance my betters have given me, she said demurely. My mindset will be even more right, if I receive more good counsel from those such as yourself. Her smile was quick, as modest as her words had been, and she only looked up at Itachi a moment. Heading back to the beginning of the path, Draugr began the process of making certain the dirt covered the area not filled by stones. She was meticulous in her execution of this task, and bent to brush dirt from the surfaces of the stone with her fingers.

Though a seeker of rank and responsibility, Draugr did not fully understand this latter half: in attaining her rank, she was not merely improving herself, but also adding the responsibility of others on top of this. Perhaps she might not have minded, but were Itachi or another explain it to her bluntly, she might have reconsidered. The drab-hued wolfdog dared not dream of leadership, for she thought herself incapable of such magnificence as Sirius and Salvia seemed to exude without effort. Her climb upwards was certainly to be truncated somewhere around Warden; she was not destined for true greatness.

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#22
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Perhaps, if he was ever to have children of his own, they could be saved. That was only if he was to take the woman’s words as universal truth. Kaena had been a good parent to him, but she hadn’t been able to fix a kid that had been wrong from the very moment life had bloomed without his mother’s unknowing, violated depths. He was certain he was born to a world lacking remedy for those who were like him. Only death could be considered the final cure, but he would never simply open his arms to that option on own accord. Everyone eventually met their end, and he would too. In good time, hopefully after he had provided China with a long, rich life.

For once, he considered what the pack thought of him in general. Sirius occasionally scowled at his presence – his dishonoured protégé had proved to be less what he expected, apparently – though his place in the group was secure and one of longevity. ”I cannot offer you good counsel -- I lack dedication and ambition. But it's generally wise to seek counsel from others, indeed,” he informed her, patting at the corners of the last placed limestone with soft care. This girl adored the taste of greatness, and there was nothing he could do to help her move onward with that dream. He lacked such magnificence. He was a mere man, content before his time.


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#23
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Draugr is by Despi!

A more sociable canine might have called "nonsense" and laughed prettily at the coyote's words, but Draugr shook her head firmly. She did not even particularly mind if such a negative response to something a senior-ranked member would incur consequence. You've offered good counsel, she said. There was a childish belief within Draugr for the knowledge of those ranked more highly than herself within the hierarchy, almost as a young puppy believes his or her parents have all the knowledge in the world. While Draugr did not elevate the upper ranks to such grand heights, it was a thing akin to those beliefs of childhood.

You said you were different as a child -- if that is so, you are different as an adult, too? she suggested, knowing she felt that same sense of awkwardness, the vague displacement and feeling of dissonance with her surroundings and fellow packmates. It would follow her through life, wherever she might go -- it was not a thing only of youth or of Salsola. But... if we were all the same, she started, trying to word the thought in her head and failing. It wouldn't be good, she finished, lamely. She hadn't the vocabulary to completely express herself. The dark-hued wolfdog wanted to tell him his differences and perhaps even his strangeness made him a unique facet of the world and within Salsola especially. She wanted to tell him he sold himself short, but these words weren't known to her.

So she hovered, awkwardly, her eyes now drawn toward her dark-hued feet. She toed the ground, not digging so much as simply stepping, for fear of tearing up the earth around his home -- now twice as lovely for the stone path.

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#24
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Not a shrug was offered to her sort-of compliment. This individual in particular was immune to scold and praise all the same, except when it took wings from the mouth of the silver winged bird with her summer sky eyes. It seemed they would finish much sooner than he had dared to expect, and the thought of the – hopefully – pleasant surprise on China’s face would mean very much to him. The thought was almost strong enough to allow him a vague smile. Almost.

His uniquely shaded eyes wandered along the lovely stone path that he and Draugr had created, and were only to return to her form once she spoke her question. He supposed was different in both child and adult form, yes. ”Maybe I am, yes,” for he wouldn’t insist upon such a thing. Many thought themselves more splendid than the canines they co-existed with, be it obvious or just a secret thought locked inside their hopeful heads. Itachi had once carried this flaw as well, but he knew that it wasn’t the truth. He could dream of being something greater, but found it much more rewarding to accept himself as he was presently.

The girl had a point, but such words weren’t overall true. There were positive and negative differences. Some were just wrong through and through, and would serve no common good. ”Is that what you believe?” he passively wondered, thinking of the simple mechanics of ants and bees. Free will had a terrible price, and every one of them would feel the terrible sting more than once as they drifted along the currents of time towards the end of their short lives.


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Table by Siekone
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#25
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Draugr is by me!

The wolfdog was accustomed to having beliefs questioned. Her mother had taught her these things -- while Draugr was given stories and things on which to base conclusions, there was always the question. She sometimes got it wrong, of course, but if nothing else, this training had prepared her to defend and change ideals, where either was necessary. She considered his question for a long moment, no longer concerned with construction of the stone path. As far as she knew, their work was complete -- yet she did not consider that perhaps in remaining, she might be overstaying her welcome.

Yes, she answered, finally. Salvia has different skills than me and you. M... Siv has different skills from Imhotep and Odessa. What if we were all hunters? We couldn't keep horses or livestock. If we were all fighters and no healers, our warriors would die. It was easier for her to speak in example than in complete hypothetical, and so her delivery of such examples was much smoother than had been the concept itself.

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#26
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What if they were all hunters? That was their original role after all, according to old stories told by old personas. Itachi was a child born into the age of evolution – the rise of the luperci and new possibilities. But it was too much. Complexity was chosen before simplicity, and he did not know why. The hybrid himself was obviously dedicated to his privileged form on two legs, but at times, as he witnessed the world move around him, there was almost a tinge of nostalgia for the time long before his birth. It was the mandatory path of higher evolution, and could not be stopped unless the luperci pushed themselves towards extinction as the homo sapiens had done.

In these days differences mattered, so Draugr was right. It wasn’t the ideal way of life though, in his humble opinion. Itachi knew better than to spit on the presence though, and kept his tongue with zero difficulty regarding his own views on things. ”You display great insight,” he vocally observed, rubbing soil-stained hands together to produce a short-lived rain of dry dust. He wasn’t much older than the woman before him, but his soul was aged, dusty wine. That was, if he had any. Instincts had stilled some in him as they had in others, but nothing new had risen to claim empty space. The woman was fresh like her siblings of this era, with a mind set on expansion. Good for her.

”I thank you for your help,” he pronounced, dipping his hybrid muzzle slightly to underline the feeling of his expressed gratitude. Hadn’t she come by with her helpful attitude, this work should have occupied his whole day.


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Table by Siekone
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#27
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Draugr is by Libri!

Perhaps her insight had arisen purely due to curiosity. With such time spent observing the world and listening intently, Draugr had worked to improve her childish mind tirelessly. There was no time for play and silliness; the drab-hued wolfdog had abhorred the way her mind had worked in such times. There were no answers to be provided therein, and so she'd turned to the world, absorbing all she possibly could in order to hasten the sharpening of her mind. Perhaps it might have happened naturally, in time -- but Draugr had lacked in patience to wait for such time, and it was not her custom to remain sitting idly by, waiting and doing nothing.

In any case, she did not know how to respond to the praise, and only smiled faintly, both ears turned backward. She wanted to attribute such insight to her meticulous absorption of her surroundings and the wide world, but she did not know how to do so succinctly. To try was to begin a diatribe that might last long minutes while she struggled -- and failed, no matter how valiant her struggle -- to express the ticking thoughts in her mind. Words were not kind to Draugr, who found it far easier to understand than to explain. In that way, perhaps her insights and understandings were merely instinctual -- and eventually bound to be wrong.

With the tawny coyote's thanks, however, the smile brightened several shades and her ears pricked back upright. You're welcome, she said, kindliness in her tone. She was preparing to -- as perhaps his thanks had prompted -- construct a valid reason for departure, when a shuffling noise behind her drew Draugr to turn around. Khirot was standing there, looking down at the ground appropriately. She had completely forgotten about him and her goat, and was surprised by the sudden, gurgling hunger in her stomach at the thought of meat.

Draugr's pale eyes turned back toward the coyote, and she smiled. Does work give you an appetite, Itachi? she inquired politely.

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#28
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Hah, i was going to mention the slave and goat, myself, but wanted to wait and see if you remembered. Unfortunately you did, so I can't make fun of you :c


The lengthening scene was quickly becoming a marathon of interaction with a stranger. Perhaps it was best that she parted and allowed him to slink back into his quiet observer mode. Draugr’s presence didn’t exactly exhaust him, but there was only one other living canine that did not wear on him in some way or another in the long run. His silver love was a special snowflake – unique in a way that no other could possible be, ever. He appreciated the dark woman, but she remained one of the others. Over time, his dialogues would probably run smoother, but it was a gradual process.

The slave seemed to reappear with an exquisite timing. The gilded man didn’t eat more than what his body required. He consumed enough to keep healthy and maintain strong muscles, but only that. There were occasions where he would feast tirelessly, but such a meal had never been served in Salsola. The members of this pack liked to be civilized and advanced, and it was often portrayed in their meals. Delicious spices and flavours were plentiful during the Last Supper meals, but such splendour turned to ash on his tongue. He was a predator, and would have preferred his meal to still taste of red life as he dug his teeth into warm meat.

But the woman turned her pale eyes to him and smiled, kindly wondering if he – as she, according to her noisy stomach – had built up an appetite from their labour. The genuine answer would perhaps be negative, but he was a polite creature, the cast out prince of gold. ”Certainly,” his empty voice hummed and he dipped his slender muzzle slightly with acknowledgement. ”If it’d please you, I’d be honoured to share a meal with you.” Perhaps she was at a lower rank at this moment, but he believed in equal rights. Perhaps that was why he didn’t have any hunger for power.


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#29
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-- I DIDN'T FORGET BUT DRAUGR DID (jk totally forgot) end with assumption of meal wherever? can keep going though, I don't give a shit. :3


Draugr is by Requiem!

Gjalda did not speak, only mutely observed the ground at Draugr's feet. The wolfdog nodded to him, and the slave promptly turned his back and trotted off again. For her part, Draugr peered around and looked to Itachi for a moment, and then settled down to the ground where she was. She did not need to attend any particular place to enjoy a meal, and it seemed appropriate to her that they'd feast and look on what their work together wrought.

The dark-hued woman smiled briefly at Itachi, but she did not speak, for she did not know where to bring the conversation hereafter. Yet, the silence was neither pressing nor awkward for her, and she looked toward the newly-made path, pale purple eyes tracing over blue and green stones to the somewhat beaten path tracing this way and that through the ruins. They hadn't quite set out to make roads, but the most frequently traveled places had gained a beaten-down, grass-bare appearance anyway. A hoofprint or two was visible in the earth, and here and there where the ground was especially low, a muddy puddle or a deceptively solid-looking mudhole waited for the careless traveler.

Gjalda was quick to return, carrying in each hand the rear haunches of the goat. He served the tawny-furred coyote first, and then Draugr. The wolfdog again merely nodded her approval, and the slave retreated, pacing back several feet to stand in in silent attendance of their needs, should any arise through the meal. Draugr clutched the thing awkwardly, nibbling first on the thickest flesh around the thigh. It was cooked as she liked it, perhaps owing to Gjalda's lack of skill -- crisp outside and nearly raw close to the bone.

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#30
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Can easily end it here, as we have another active thread <3


Though the canine groups he’d stayed with always had accepted the use of slave, it was never something he’d desired, himself. What others decided to do was entirely up to them, as long as they did not shift to apply aggressive peer pressure. He hadn’t experienced much of that from his fellow pack members, and he supposed that was part of why he managed to find this place comfortable. China’s entry to the pack had not been smooth at all, but she too was now safe and part of Salsola.

It almost concerned him that he sat down to dine without his devoted love, but it wasn’t uncommon for the silvery creature to eat her meals away from home. The man she lived with didn’t have a burning appetite, so it wasn’t too common for them to share full meals together. However, he did enjoy her company always, and would often sit with her as she ate her meals -- sometimes prepared by him.

He did as Draugr and settled on the spot -- easy and simple, as he so often preferred. The slave decided to serve him first for reasons unknown, and he politely dipped his muzzle with wordless thanks before he carefully bit into the lovely roasted meat. Itachi was a predator, and would always mourn the absence of fresh blood with the light taste of a pulse, but the meal was warm and it provided nutrition to his body.

He was glad the dark woman didn’t push on a conversation. There was nothing wrong with enjoying a meal in peace.


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Table by Siekone
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