[p] the lessons that we've learned here
#1
[html]

For sissy Elody. Smile



Lowry is by Nat!

He watched the circling hawk with a scowl on his face, squinting at the intense light of the sun. Shading his yellow eyes with a hand, he meandered through the grass at a snail’s pace, his belt slipping crooked across his hips. It still was better than keeping it slung across his chest, where it became harder to draw his knife, even if it kept sliding. Occasionally, the boy would pause and hike the thing up, but his skinniness was an impediment to this task; he simply didn’t have enough meat on his bones, and his solo journey had not changed that.

Lowry stopped and craned his neck at a painful angle, picking out the wing-shape after it had passed across the sun. Spots of light danced in his vision, but he ignored them in favor of following the small raptor’s path. It had been circling purposefully for the past half hour or so, and he hoped that meant it found something yummy to eat. From there, he could wait until it struck its prey then jump at it; he had always been able to beat just about anyone in a full-out sprint, so why not a bird?

The straw-colored coyote huffed, fixed his belt, and marched onward. As long as he’d spent staring at the hawk, however, he had very little concept of its true distance; it fell into a sudden dive and, even when he broke out into a run, landed far from where he had expected it to. Skidding to a halt, his small pale chest heaving, he stamped the earth and swore colorfully before sitting down, a skinny arm thrown over his drawn-up knees. Maybe he’d give upon bird-watching and give hunting a go on four legs; the grass was a bronzy color that more or less matched his pelt, and it was high enough to swallow the runty ’yote. He could be invisible.

Now, if Lowry could only catch a scent besides his own...

<style>
.lowryNat {font-family:georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing:0px; word-spacing:2px; text-align: left; margin:0px auto; width:90%;}
.lowryNat p {text-indent:50px; padding:0; margin:10px 0;}
.lowryNat p.image {text-align:center; float:right; margin:7px; text-indent:0; font-size:10px; font-style:italic;}
.lowryNat .txtooc {text-align:left; font-size:12px; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-transform:none; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal;}
.lowryNat .word {font-weight:bold; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:1.5px;}
.lowryNat b.npc { letter-spacing:.5px; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; }
.lowryNat u { text-decoration: underline; }
</style>
[/html]
#2
[html]

This is likely before Elody meets Zayden :3 and permission to jump him like she did? If not, I can edit :3 o gawd I fail <___< WHY, WHY ESSENCE DID YOU HAVE TO RAMBLE ABOUT UNIMPORTANT STUFF?

Word Count → 600+


With a flick of her wrist, the russet hybrid threw the knife towards the tree, hoping for the sharp object to hit the mark and stick in the wood. It could have been a good shot, a perfect bulls eye if not for the aim. It was given enough power to stick, and it did. The bone handle lay facing the sky in the grass. Disappointed with her shot, yet ready to try again, El slipped the knife back into her holder. Only a small amount of light slipped in from the dark green canopy above her head, the light dancing with the breeze. It seemed safer like this, armed to the teeth with her knives. She lay comfortably, back propped up against a tree, hand placed close to her previous daggers. There was nothing to do, no one to talk to and her belly was full.  

Ellie would not let anyone say she was paranoid, but there was a bit of a right to be all alone. The girl would stiffen up, head high and eyes indifferent and tell them that she was not scared. But inside...She just wanted to curl up somewhere safe, unseen and far from everybody else.

There didn't seem to be any explanation for the chaos involving her family, since her dad's violence and the exile. Everything had once seemed so perfect, so controllable and so contained. Mother was loving, and father supported and supplied. Of course something had to go wrong. So much did the Lykoi want to find her siblings. Who knew? Perhaps they were as lonely and as terrified as she was. She refused to think of them as dead, Helena was too sweet and Lowry so fiery when he got going. Perhaps...Maybe they would live it through until she found them.

It was until she heard a hawk's cry, letting her tall cinnamon ears swivel, standing up tall. Something, or someone was close. Prey or canine like herself, she didn't like how close they were to her perimeters. Curiosity was often the fault to draw her from hiding, and this time she could not resist. Maybe a meal for later, or a foe to drive away. She stepped out from her dark mossy cover, feet soft on the soil and pine needles. The edge of the woods was not far, seeing the sunlight in the distance. What bothered the babe so much happened to be her size, her vulnerability if not for her knives. Whatever it was, it gave her heart a quicker beat, both scared and anxious to see what luck would foretell.

Reaching the edge, she pushed a soft green barrier of leaves and branches from in front of her body, slinking out into the light. Her pupils became pinpoint, squinting to see what it was. As her eyes adjusted, she glanced to the sky to see the hawk, but fell to disappointment as she couldn't see it. Something moved far away in the little field, perhaps the breeze rustling the stalks, or a creature. Narrowing her eyes, she sprinted forward, towards the far away rustle. But before she reached it, her foot caught on something furry, catapulting the bewildered coyote forward with a yelp. She fell hard, hitting the ground with a thud. Rolling over, Elody rubbed her elbow and turned to whatever got in her way. Her eyes narrowed, ready to give the blame to the thing. You-- But she stopped short, finding something familiar in those bright yellow eyes. Her expression changed, eyes widening slightly, ears peeled back towards her hair. She moved forward a little, crawling on her hands and knees.  L-Lowry? Could this really be her brother?

Image courtesy of inadesign-stock@deviantART

<style>
.elodyknife .ooc {font-style:italic; font-size:11px;}
.elodyknife p {padding:2px 0px; margin:0px; text-indent:35px;}
.elodyknife b {color:#000000; letter-spacing:-.2px; }
.elodyknife i {color:#ffffff; letter-spacing:2px;}
.elodyknife {background-color:#494949; background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/nuVMX.jpg); background-position:bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size:12px; color:#333333; letter-spacing:.4px; word-spacing:.3px; line-height:16px; width:500px; text-align:justify; margin:0px auto; outline:1px solid #000000;  border-size:1px; border-width:1px; border-style: none solid solid solid; border-color:#FFFFFF;}
.elodyknife .inner {margin:0px 10px 230px 10px; padding:10px; background-image:url(http://soulsrpg.com/images/pride/templa ... ate_bg.png); border-size:1px; border-width:1px; border-style: none dotted dotted dotted; border-color:#000000;}
.elodyknife .wordcount {color:#000000; letter-spacing:0px; font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; border-top:1px dotted #000000; text-align:right; padding:0px 5px; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0px 15px 15px 15px;}
p.template-credit {text-indent:0px; text-align:center; font-size:10px; font-style:italic; width:425px; text-align:center; margin:0px auto;}
</style>[/html]
#3
[html]

Bwahaha it's okay. <3



Lowry is by Nat!

The straw-colored boy was used to working himself into moods, and he was the definition of sullen as he glowered across the grass. It was hard to be angry for long when he stared at the scenery, though, and he fought himself for a good minute until an abashed smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and he sighed, deciding it was beautiful today. He enjoyed the bronzy grass of the field, and how the sky seemed really open here, compared with the mixed trees surrounding the area. There was something to be said for the forest, too, and all the scents gathered up there—but Lowry liked the sun, however hard and hot it shone, and he liked to bathe himself in its golden light.

He was basking, his head tilted back and the glow red on his closed eyelids, when he heard the rustle up ahead. His big ears twitched forward, and he held alert posture for the instant before something bumped painfully into him. He squeaked more than yelped, scrambling to get off his ass when he saw the other canine land; his hand fumbled for his knife handle, and he’d drawn the weapon and managed to half-stand when he locked narrow eyes with the other luperci.

The coyote female stammered his name, and Lowry blinked dumbly, sheathing the blade and staring back. “Ellie?” he asked, and with a crack in his voice: “Ellie!” He broke into a grin and reached out with a hand, ready to haul her back to her feet and maybe even pull her into a hug—if she’d even want one. He hesitated, although the hand was still outstretched. His walnut-colored sister never had been that affectionate, but would their separation change that? Was she glad to see him, or upset? It had only been a few months since they were chased away by the band, starting their individual journeys, but it seemed a lot longer than that to the young hybrid.

<style>
.lowryNat {font-family:georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing:0px; word-spacing:2px; text-align: left; margin:0px auto; width:90%;}
.lowryNat p {text-indent:50px; padding:0; margin:10px 0;}
.lowryNat p.image {text-align:center; float:right; margin:7px; text-indent:0; font-size:10px; font-style:italic;}
.lowryNat .txtooc {text-align:left; font-size:12px; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-transform:none; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal;}
.lowryNat .word {font-weight:bold; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:1.5px;}
.lowryNat b.npc { letter-spacing:.5px; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; }
.lowryNat u { text-decoration: underline; }
</style>
[/html]
#4
[html]
D'awww

Image by Rose Moten-Mills


She was worried for a little bit, that this was not her brother and that a problem was to come. It had been quite a while, and for a few moments she studied the boy's features. But when a smile broke so sunny across his muzzle, her thoughts that this was really her sibling became confirmed. A small half-smile was sent back his way, a little overwhelmed by this meeting. She wasn't too injured, maybe her foot had been stubbed a little, and her elbow a little bruised. Yeah, it's me. Just as she tried to pull herself up, her lightly colored brother already had his hand out for her. She supposed that it would be better to show she cared, to actually let him see it. After all, she had been the first to abandon them without a second thought towards her littermates. Her small cream hand tentatively grasped his own outstretched one, glancing up to meet bright yellow eyes. Lowry...I'm so sorry, for leaving--And for tripping over you. I have to work on that.

She was on the bridge of crying, eyes were wet. They had both grown so much since back then. At this point of weakness, Elody was not sure she wanted him to see her like this. Roughly, she brushed her eyes clear of the wetness, and gave him a quick one-armed hug. I was so worried! Travels were a bit boring. Where are you headed? Or is this your place? Was he on route to the same place as she? Or going somewhere else? The world was rather vast, but the place Dad had mentioned had struck so much intrigue in the slim hybrid. It sounded like a good place to begin her path in life, and as always she felt enticed into such a place of mystery. When had Kerberos been there, what did he leave behind?

It felt bad, to have left like that. To have hated so many at the same time. Back in Quebec. Russet ears falling back, she almost let herself ask if he would be traveling alone, or if he could accompany her. But so, so surprised, words failed to come to her mouth. There was just one more person who mattered, Helena. Growing anxious, her green eyes grew wide. Have you seen Helena?


<style type="text/css">
.erodyone b {font-weight:bold; color:#492533; letter-spacing:1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #6d6468; }
.erodyone p {text-indent:0px; padding:5px 16px; margin:0px;}
.erodyone {margin:0 auto; width:500px; background-color:#69859b; background-image:url(http://i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac30 ... 0_1968.jpg); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; border:1px solid #0b052c; padding: 325px 0px 7px 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size:12px; color:#263d5f; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #; letter-spacing:.6px; word-spacing:.9x; line-height:13.3px; text-align:justify;}
.erodyone p b:before { content: open-quote; }
.erodyone p b:after {content: close-quote; }
</style>
[/html]
#5
[html]

This post is awkward but it's more character-caused awkwardness and I can live with it because Lowry is an awkward fellow. 8DDD



Lowry is by Nat!

He hadn’t been expecting a great fanfare of laughter and sunshine from the girl, and the half-smile was worth a million grins to him. Her hand was warm as it curled around his, and he tugged with what lean muscles he had, managing to haul her to her feet. He saw, happily, that she was smaller than he was (quite a large feat), and his keen yellow eyes noted other details, too—tumbling dark hair, but a still-adolescent body adorned only by practical things. She had still developed, though, and would be a young woman in a few more months; he knew these things as all protective brothers knew these things, and he was thankful she wasn’t a paragon of beauty yet.

Elody apologized—first for something massive, at which point he opened his mouth and tried to think of how to answer—and then something very simple, at which point he simply gave up and let out a chuckle before he saw the shininess of her bright yellow-green eyes. His ears flattened uncomfortably before she rubbed at them then threw a skinny arm around his skinny body, and he had to laugh again until it was his time to talk.

“Everything’s been boring for me, too,” Lowry said with a shrug of his narrow shoulders. “I’m not really headed anywhere, but I’m going to keep traveling until I can see the wonders of the world.” He puffed out his scrawny chest, letting the immense statement linger in the air until something occurred to him. “Wait—do you have a place you’re headed?” It had never occurred to him to go anywhere, except maybe toward lands he would learn of during his travels—lands of intrigue and gorgeous landscapes, lands with characters and stories and the sparking of a thousand tales he would weave all on his own.

But, if Ellie was going somewhere… No, he didn’t want to just blindly follow his sister, did he? He still kind of felt entitled to protect her, or at least as much as Elody let anyone protect her—but the siblings had all left, and something had changed—maybe not a bad thing, maybe not a change for the worst, but he didn’t think he could just go and follow his family again. He scowled, distracted by his thoughts, before the anxious question made him jump.

“I—oh, no, I haven’t seen her,” Lowry confessed. He scuffed at the ground with a foot, avoiding the other’s concerned gaze. “She’ll… She’ll be okay, though.” He said it like it was a truth, and so it had to be true. Helena was still a Lykoi, so she had to be strong, but she didn’t have the same shield as Elody did or the fire Lowry did. He shook his head to clear it then smiled more confidently. “She’ll find her own way.”

<style>
.lowryNat {font-family:georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing:0px; word-spacing:2px; text-align: left; margin:0px auto; width:90%;}
.lowryNat p {text-indent:50px; padding:0; margin:10px 0;}
.lowryNat p.image {text-align:center; float:right; margin:7px; text-indent:0; font-size:10px; font-style:italic;}
.lowryNat .txtooc {text-align:left; font-size:12px; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-transform:none; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal;}
.lowryNat .word {font-weight:bold; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:1.5px;}
.lowryNat b.npc { letter-spacing:.5px; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; }
.lowryNat u { text-decoration: underline; }
</style>
[/html]
#6
This post stinks a little like pooooo
[html]

ugh today has been weird...My mom took me shopping (which was out of the blue) and she stole me two shirts--and I was all "wtf mom, why did you do that?" and it's been hectic. So yeah--That was so weird

Word Count → 422


The youth had not really considered that perhaps Lowry's dreams and silly wishes would affect much of his travels, not that she was in the right place to judge him. Perhaps she envied that he could dream up whole other words, or bring her to such attention when he told his stories. As small children, she could remember the whole litter falling asleep as the stars came out, and little Lowry telling such great stories, having such a vivid mind. And that was something the girl never thought she would possess, and was just a bit grateful that he could. It never seemed like after the disruption that her dear brother had dwelled in a pot of loathing for the last while, or wallowed away in guilt until things were fixed. Maybe he could tell himself things were okay, perhaps he had more confidence. But it made him strong, even if he didn't act on the right whims. Low' was an author, a poet perhaps. And what wonders did he wish to see? What does the world have for us anyway? What about a safe place, a warm bed? People--people who say they care, and don't turn their backs on us...What else more would matter 'Ree? She stopped, pushing the fringe of dark hair from her eyes, watching him curiously. I don't know yet...Remember those places Dad would sometimes mention? On the east coast somewhere, like, Nova Scotia or something... The young girl had been fortunate enough to find other travelers, to point her in the right direction.

But her heart fell, hearing that he had not encountered their sister. He ears lowered, muttering a quiet Oh. But perhaps Lowry was correct, Helena had to be strong, they had survived their family and pack, hadn't they? Ellie kept her thoughts and mind open, an optimistic outlook wouldn't have her breaking down. Yeah, she'll make it. The Lykoi youth said a little more confidently, reaching up to ruffle his scruffy blonde hair a little. Why don't you tell me a story, brother. Like good old times, don't you think? I also see--You have your own little blade as well. You any good? She kept her voice even, a little more open towards her flesh and blood, after all they had shared a womb, and more than half their lives so far was spent together. It sucked a little that she had not used her head and kept them together, with Helena alone and this unexpected encounter, many things were possible to go wrong.

Image courtesy of inadesign-stock@deviantART

<style>
.elodyknife .ooc {font-style:italic; font-size:11px;}
.elodyknife p {padding:2px 0px; margin:0px; text-indent:35px;}
.elodyknife b {color:#000000; letter-spacing:-.2px; }
.elodyknife i {color:"#732100"; letter-spacing:2px;}
.elodyknife {background-color:#494949; background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/nuVMX.jpg); background-position:bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size:12px; color:#333333; letter-spacing:.4px; word-spacing:.3px; line-height:16px; width:500px; text-align:justify; margin:0px auto; outline:1px solid #000000;  border-size:1px; border-width:1px; border-style: none solid solid solid; border-color:#FFFFFF;}
.elodyknife .inner {margin:0px 10px 230px 10px; padding:10px; background-image:url(http://soulsrpg.com/images/pride/templa ... ate_bg.png); border-size:1px; border-width:1px; border-style: none dotted dotted dotted; border-color:#000000;}
.elodyknife .wordcount {color:#000000; letter-spacing:0px; font-size:11px; font-weight:bold; border-top:1px dotted #000000; text-align:right; padding:0px 5px; text-transform:uppercase; margin:0px 15px 15px 15px;}
p.template-credit {text-indent:0px; text-align:center; font-size:10px; font-style:italic; width:425px; text-align:center; margin:0px auto;}
</style>[/html]
#7
[html]



Lowry is by Nat!

Lime green eyes regarded him from under her dark hair, and Lowry frowned as he considered her question. He could sketch great landscapes and world wonders with his words, but they weren’t as important as the things she mentioned, the things they’d had for such a brief moment of their brief lives. “Nothing else really does matter, Ellie,” the boy admitted, but smiled at her. “But until I can find someplace like that, I at least want to have an adventure. I’m sure it’s out there somewhere, though.” He crossed his arms and glanced over his shoulder at where field and mixed forest met with a fringe of stunted trees—as if he could see beyond that to a new home, someplace where coyotes could live and not fight over politics. “I’m positive,” he added with another quirk of his mouth. Being a good storyteller sometimes meant you were a good liar, too.

Fingers ruffled his fluff of hair, and the young hybrid growled as he stepped back and tried to fix it, a lost cause. He didn’t quite throw her a playfully grouchy look, instead listening with surprise and delight as she mentioned a story and the knife at his hip. He grinned, drawing the blade and flipping it before catching it again—all for show, of course, but something that he had practiced a million times, as might be seen by the extremely faded scars on his paw pads.

“I like to think I’m good,” Lowry bragged, and then let some of the arrogance melt away as he grinned sheepishly. “At least—this was all I could really do. I’m not a big hulking monstrosity packed with muscle, so I’ve gotta find some other way to defend myself and stuff.” He reached up and rubbed a scar on his jaw, not quite realizing he was doing it, before unexpectedly plopping his butt down in the grass again.

“If you want a story, sis,” he yapped, “you’ve gotta sit down. At least, I don’t want to tell the whole thing standing up.” He rested his hand on his crossed legs and beamed. “What kind of story do you want?”


<style>
.lowryNat {font-family:georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing:0px; word-spacing:2px; text-align: left; margin:0px auto; width:90%;}
.lowryNat p {text-indent:50px; padding:0; margin:10px 0;}
.lowryNat p.image {text-align:center; float:right; margin:7px; text-indent:0; font-size:10px; font-style:italic;}
.lowryNat .txtooc {text-align:left; font-size:12px; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-transform:none; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal;}
.lowryNat .word {font-weight:bold; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:1.5px;}
.lowryNat b.npc { letter-spacing:.5px; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; }
.lowryNat u { text-decoration: underline; }
</style>
[/html]


Forum Jump: