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-punches muse- ‘wake up!!' wc;308
She was so far away.
Anu took a heavy breath and remained focused and diligent in her travel. Naniko lived so many miles from the tawny petite wolf’s territory that Anu had to take most of the day in order to find the large lake and skirt around its shores. The decision had been a spur of the moment one, of course when she passed over the invisible fence of Twilight Vale it was far into the night.
Blue eyes looked to the dark sky for any type of guidance. The rainy day’s clouds had stopped their assault on the ground she walked, but clung to the air and hid the slivered moon. Even with her sharp vision Anu squinted in the darkness, hoping to keep herself from bumping into anything
With no understanding of the territory she let her nose guide her along any trail that smelt of her friend. Anu grew more and more eager to find her, and even let a little excitement flow through her veins. Even though it hadn’t been very long since she had seen her, only a few days, Anu had thought of little else but their reunion.
Deep in the territory Anu found something she didn’t expect. The scent of flowers made her weave off the Naniko path, and her curiosity was pulled in the direction of the garden. She was no taken far from her original trail, but Anu could not help but wandering to the flowers that lined the white wooden fence. Even with the fragrant flowers, whom had taken the lack of sunlight as a time for rest, their petals curled toward their center, everything smelt of Naniko.
She padded lightly around the fence and nimbly investigating the garden, four paws growing dirty from the wet soil. She was sure no one would mind if she just looked.
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After she had fled the lands after her conflict with Conri and talked with the stranger on the coast, the femme had returned to her home. Though for the most part she had been avoiding everyone. While her concerns about her anger had been mostly alleviated, the question of Kansas still weighed heavy on her mind and heart. When had it happened? Was it before or after they had started to fall for each other? Did he just sleep with Naniko, or Lucifer as well? Had he lied to her? Did he like the other two wolves more than he liked her? All those questions were constantly eating at the girl. She knew that she would have to confront him about it soon before it drove her mad. But she was terrified her worst fears would be realized.
The ebony wolfess had mostly been sticking to the outskirts of the territory, but tonight she had ventured as far as the bottom steps of the manor. She still couldn't work up the nerve to go inside yet, but it comforted her to be close to the rest of the pack. The Orion had curled herself up at the bottom of the steps and drifted off into a light slumber. Not too late into the night though a noise woke the female. Startled she jumped up, tail held high and hackles slightly raised. If she had been in a calmer state of mind she would have noticed that it was not Conri's scent that came from the intruder. But that thought didn't cross her mind and she took off in the direction of the garden.
As she got closer, emerald orbs noted the color of the wolf and a sigh of relief escaped her lungs. It was not the old alpha. It wouldn't have made sense for it to be him anyway. Savina had given the male a pretty good beating. Realizing she must look pretty threatening to the stranger her body language calmed down, though her tail was still held a bit high. Dark wolfess doubted the other was a threat, but she couldn't be sure. "Sorry about that...I thought you were someone else..." A small apologetic smile graced her slender muzzle. Her English, as usual, was tinted with her Italian heritage. "My name is Savina Marino. What brings you to Twilight Vale?"
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XD
The questions set a large weight on her shoulders, making her move slower then normal. How they all fit in her mind was a mystery, just another question to add to the constantly growing tower. The largest of the pressing questions hung over her head, like a black cloud that didn’t even rain on her, unchanging and stagnant. Part of her felt that she would never know the truth without asking for it, but her fear of rejection was far more great then any heavy uncertainty.
Her nose pointed to the ground, eyes looking over the sleeping flowers. If she had to be honest, the landscaping could use a bit of freshening up. The green thumbed wolf already had plans for the revamping of Naniko’s flowerbeds. Maybe she would be able to surprise her. With all her thoughts on the ground Anu did not notice the midnight shaded female approach her.
It was a sudden attack that left Anu stunned. Her view was instantly filled with the dark females figure, hair, tail and ears raised, every inch screaming 'a threat'. In the confusion Anu looked behind her, wondering if what the other wolfess was really threatened by was standing out of her view. But when she didn’t find anyone else in the garden Anu brought her gaze back to the stranger.
Eyes back to the femme, Anu found a more relaxed, though still weary, posture. In an instant the light colored fey’s head was bowed, ears back slightly and her tail pointed toward the ground swishing slightly, looking to appease. Her words were encouraging, but she still worked on her non-threatening posture.
“I’m Anu, from Phoenix Valley.” Pausing she raised her head a bit. She of course when here for Naniko, but would gladly speak to Savina for the time being. “I am glad to not be that wolf.” Eyes glanced anxiously to the side, before bringing them back to meet Savina’s. “The one unwelcome here.” Still thinking of how to word the reason for her presence Anu took a breath before simply stating, “I’m here for Naniko.”
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[html] http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/p ... able-1.png); background-position:center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> Savvy's so paranoid about Naniko's safety XD
Savina felt some remorse for having given the other femme such a fright. It wasn't the usual way she would react to a visitor. But everything that had happened lately had put her on edge. What had happened to Naniko, her fight with Conri, all the questions about Kansas. The raven wolfess was hypersensitive to the safety of her pack right now, even more so with puppies on the way. She so hoped that what Conri had done hadn't harmed them. It would ruin Nani if these didn't survive either. She really didn't want to think about that possibility.
The Orion relaxed more when the peppered stranger, Anu, sunk into a subordinate position. Though admittedly her ears pricked forward when the other said she was here for Naniko. It was curious that she came in the night instead of during the daylight hours. Or why she simply waltzed in. Perhaps the Andromeda already knew this wolf, and had given her permission to visit. However the female was overly protective of her best friend as of late, so she wasn't going to accept that possibility outright. She let her posture relax more however, taking a seated position.
"Once again, I'm sorry for my reaction. There have just been a few...incidents lately. I simply want to make sure the pack is safe." Sleek dark head nodded to other that she was free to take a seat as well. "Though I have to ask Anu, what business do you have with Naniko so late at night? Do you already know each other?" The Italian wolf didn't speak in an accusatory way, she just wanted to make sure that everything was on the level.
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poopy post... : (
There was a sudden mix of feelings that rushed through Anu. An abrupt and rigid sense of protectiveness shadowed her thoughts; many much like those Saviana was expressing. For a moment Anu wondered why Savina had so many questions. There was a change in her posture, gradually becoming more alive, features growing sharper and less submissive. Before she could start throwing questions at the black female, Anu brought her emotions in check.
This was not her home, and thus owned nothing in it. And despite the feels that she had for Naniko, she had no right to question her relationship with the dark lady, and any other wolf for that matter. While her scrambled brain rearranged itself she fought the urge to shake her head rid of the neurotic thoughts. It was time to focus on the task at hand, give this wolf the answers she sought, and ask a few innocent questions at the same time.
“I was only hoping to visit.” The blue eyed fey gave a small smile, happy to give Savina the truth. “I must have forgotten how far it really was, all the way from Phoenix Valley.” Taking a small breath Anu fought to find the words to express her relationship. “Naniko and I are friends. I didn’t think she would have minded.” Yeah, it was late but Anu wouldn’t have minded if Naniko had crept into her den to chase bad dreams from her slumber.
“I understand of course, the safety of the pack is principal.” By ‘the pack’ she secretly meant Naniko of course. Anu removed herself from the garden, to sit just outside its boundaries. It was wrong to think about a wolf she hadn’t met in such negative way, and in different circumstances she would never judge another before meeting them. With the white female it was very different, Anu as happy to hate him for her.
With the danger that surrounded the friend they shared Anu had no idea what he looked like or who he really was. For all she knew he looked similar to Anu, making Savina’s reaction a more reasonable one and her experience with Naniko… strange. He could have been someone she knew, or had met. Without letting her voice sound to serious, or letting her anger come to the surface she spoke.
“What is his name?”
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[html] http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/p ... able-1.png); background-position:center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> Nah! Is gut 
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As the mutli-colored female gave her a smile, a small one cracked its way onto her own muzzle. The answers she was given were of the sort she expected, and Anu seemed to be completely truthful about them. Any other time Savina would not be so protective and suspicious of outsiders. If this had been any other time she would not have questioned the older wolf of her intentions. But after what had happened she was not about to let any threat come within a hundred feet of Naniko. The dark hued girl still felt somewhat responsible for what had happened. In truth she knew that it was not her fault. But still all those "what if" questions constantly raced through her mind. She should have heard the yelling and the scuffling. That should have woken her up, and then she could have put a stop to some of it before it all went to hell. But she hadn't. She had slept peacefully while he beat and raped her best friend. The Italian wolf hated herself for that.
Slender head nodded at Anu's words, content with the answers. "I see. Sorry for the interrogation game, I usually wouldn't be so concerned. I just hope you know that it has nothing to do with you." The Orion didn't want to come off as being judgmental towards the other. That wasn't the case at all. Anu seemed like a very nice wolf, definitely the type that would be friends with the Andromeda.
With the Phoenix Valley member's last words, it appeared she knew more than Savina expected. Those four simple words were all she needed to know who the other spoke of. Thinking of him made that hot fire of anger ignite within her heart. Blazing emerald eyes look to the ground, to make sure that Anu knew that it was not her that caused this reaction. The hackles along her back raised slightly. The name came out of her mouth with a snarl. "Conri Church."
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wc; 373
Life was always to full of ‘what ifs’. Every turn made had an annoying, ‘what about the other direction?’ attached to it. Anu hated wondering about what she could have done to make the outcome different. But all the hate in the world could not stop her from wondering, trying to understand where she had gone wrong, or where she missed the turn she was supposed to go down. Life just had far to many options that made the decision making process far too difficult.
It was obvious, from even the small amount of time they shared, that Savina was far from an irrational being. Anu wanted to stand beside her on the mansion’s stairs and watch for danger to approach. As passive as she naturally was, that spark of anger would not fade from inside her. She wanted to be understanding and forgive the male for the mistakes he had made, but she had seen the deep pain in Naniko’s eyes. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to erase that hurt from her.
Her hair rose when the words were spoken, feeding off of her new comrades anger. She gave a small nod, taking the name and placing it in a corner of her mind. There it would stay till the day they met, even if Anu didn’t know what coat he wore or eyes he had, she would at least know what he called himself. She took a deep slow breath, releasing her rage with as she exhaled, giving it to the dark air and freeing herself from its power.
“I won’t forget that.” A promise she was happy to give the Twilight Vale female. A small weight floated from her shoulders, and Anu let her features relax, it was hard for her to be so angry very long. She felt responsible for bringing back old and bad memories for the raven female, neither needed to feel such hate and anger. “Do you all live in this house?” Letting the subject move from Conri and back to a source of pride for her family. “Its absolutely massive.” Her eyes looked bright and easy, eager to ease Savina’s anger. It was just her nature to extinguish the flames.
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[html] http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/p ... able-1.png); background-position:center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> Its really bad when they play my favorite shows in hours long blocks. Makes it -so- hard to tear myself away sometimes, lol XD
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She could feel the anger radiating off the other female. In a bizarre way it was almost comforting. Knowing that she was not the only one who felt that rage towards the red male who had so hurt their friend. Maybe with Anu keeping an eye out as well they could be that much surer that Naniko would be kept safe. Savina would never let him touch another hair on the ivory female's body, even if she had to give her own life to make that happen. Anu said that she would not forget his name. Savina believed her whole-heartedly.
The sable girl was glad for the change of subject. She felt her muscles slowly relax and the monster inside her went back into dark submission. She breathed a deep breath into her lungs, trying to clear her head completely, so she could act more like her usual self. Her slender head swiveled back to look at the grand mansion. A smile came back to her soft features. "Yeah, we all do. Its really nice, having everyone together." It had taken the "traditional" wolf a while to get used to the idea of sleeping in a human house instead of a den outside. But it had become a staple of her life here in Twilight Vale. Sometimes she missed sleeping outside, however she loved having all of her pack so close to her.
A small chuckle came from her throat as the older femme commented on the size of the structure. "Yeah it is. I remember I was really taken aback when I first saw it. I always lived as a more traditional wolf in my old pack. Never had anything to do with anything human. It definitely has its advantages though." The two year old was surprised, happily so, how much calmer she already was. She wasn't sure if it was the subject or Anu herself. Either way it was nice.
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Oh i know!
It wasn’t easy to keep herself from wondering if Naniko was watching from one of the windows the mansion wore. But, if she had been there, or if she had wanted to see Anu, she would have met her already. Happy enough to conclude that her friend was off somewhere doing her alpha duties, Anu became eager to get to know Savina.
Their common beliefs made the instant friends in her blue eyes. So quick to bond with others, Anu made friends quickly, even if the to her party was not as fast. In the end they all warmed up to her easy going personality. The ore she spoke, the mare Anu noticed how much they had in common.
“I understand what you mean. Phoenix Valley surrounds a lare ranch, with cattle and a barn. I have never lived inside a house before. I chose a small den, but many live in their own cottages.” It was hard to ignore her accent, and not calm her curiosity, “Did you come from Europe?” Proud that she could remember the name of such a far away place, Anu watched her with wondering eyes, waiting patiently for the answer.
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Her pack had a ranch? The femme wasn't entirely sure what such a thing was. But there were cows? Now that was a very strange concept to the wolf. Why would they keep cattle? They were for food, they weren't pets. How very strange. But she was glad that Anu, like herself, was used to living outside. Sometimes it was hard to come across canines in this area that actually didn't live in a human structure. Of course, now Savina was as well, but she did it mostly for the proximity to the rest of pack.
She was surprised when Anu asked if she were from Europe. There were many here that had no idea where Italy was. To meet someone who was able to know about Europe, and know she was from there just by her accent was impressive. Her bushy charcoal tail wagged gently behind her. "Yes! Italy to be exact. How did you know? Many here don't know about Europe. Have you ever been there?" The girl was immensely interested to know how her companion had gained the knowledge of her homeland.
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She had an exotic accent, hint of the romantic language on the edge of each word. She could listen to her speak for hours. Anu only had a soft voice that sounded very much like everyone else, nothing different and spoke only a single language. She hated to disappoint her new friend, but she had no true knowledge of the countries the laid within the European boundaries.
“Your accent gave it away.” Smiling slightly, did she think Anu wouldn’t be able to tell? “I have never been, but there are a few wolves stalking around that have come from many different places.” The Phoenix Valley Warrior was from over seas, having come to ‘Souls with her mate.
”Did you come here all alone?” Anu could hardly imagine such a trip by herself.
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Asking how Anu knew that Savina came from Europe had been a silly question. Her accent was thick, impossible to hide. And she didn't try to, besides. Though admittedly there were some that she had met that hadn't mentioned it until Savina said where she came from. Perhaps that was why she had asked. "Heh, yes, of course it did." The wolfess hadn't yet met any other wolves living here that came from Europe as well. Well, aside from the other Italians she had met when she first came. But they had all disappeared. She wondered how many of them there were here.
Sable head nodded at the older female's question. "Yes, I came here by myself. It actually was an accident though." A rather wonderful accident though. "You see, the majority of wolves in Europe live more like humans used to. They spend almost all their time in their shifted form. However, my birth pack had gone back to the old ways. We were all luperci, but we never shifted and lived as a traditional wolf pack. Well, one day not too long ago I wondered into a port and onto a boat. The ship was ready to sail and I got trapped on board. I have no idea how long into the journey it was, but a horrible storm came up. It ended up tearing the ship apart and I got washed out to sea. The next thing I remember was waking up on the shore east of here."
Savina decided not to go into all the tragedies of her family right away. Of course if Anu asked about it she wouldn't mind divulging that information either.
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She listened contently to her friends story, wishing she had such a interesting tale to tell. It was sad though, having been pulled away from her family so unexpectedly and thrown into an entirely different world, never able to see her original pack again. It wasn’t like there were many charters sailing back to Europe every day or so.
In the past Anu had traveled back to her family pack, to see her father before his passing, and to meet her brother’s children. There had been times when Anu had visited, pleased to know that they were well and safe. It had been her choice to venture off and away from their security, but she knew she could always go back.
“That must have been hard, to leave your family like that.” Her eyes were soft, wanting to ease Savina. So many just needed a shoulder to lean on once in a while, and Anu was always whiling to be that source of comfort. Even if in the end, they all recovered and moved on, she was happy to a part of that mending.
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[html] http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/p ... able-1.png); background-position:center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> Well shall we close this up since forum is going poof? XD
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The dark woman knew that the question was coming. It was inevitable, for any who valued family. Even for some who didn't. It was just the next question to ask. Though admittedly now it was a bit easier to answer that question. She still had no idea about the whereabouts or condition of her sister, but now Ehno was here with her. "It...wasn't as tough as it could have been. You see, a year ago my brother left the pack to go travel around. Then it was just my mother, sister and I. A few months ago my sister miscarried and she ended up disappearing. I haven't heard anything about her since."
The next part was still hard for the femme to vocalize, but it was beginning to be easier. "Then, right before I got myself stuck on the ship, there was an accident. My mother...she died." Savina took a deep breath, doing all she could to keep her composure. She wasn't afraid that Anu would mind it, but the wolfess needed to be strong. "As far as a father, I never really had one. The wolf that got my mother pregnant with my siblings and I didn't want us, so he disowned all of us. Even though he was always in the pack, he never did anything for us." She still hated him, Serge. She omitted the fact that she had attacked the male after her mother's death.
With the next bit of information her tone lightened though. "I had a very good stroke of luck however. My brother, Ehno, the other day I found him on the shore near our packland. He had accidentally gotten stranded here as well. Now he lives here, in Twilight Vale." It was so good to have her brother back. When she ended up here, the thought that she might never see him again had broken her heart. But the fates had been kind in that, at least.
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end here??
She fought the urge to sit beside the female, to let her lean against her small but sturdy frame. She kept her distance, only because she feared they were not true friends yet, and didn’t want to over step her welcome. Savina needed a shoulder, and Anu had a large broad one, ready to hold any wolf that needed it. Her eyes were always soft, but never held pity. No wolf, especially a strong fey with her history and tenacity needed or wanted pity.
“Your brother must be happy to have found you. Now both of you can restart, together.” She didn’t want to comment on the unhappy parts of the story, she had nothing to truly say. It was tragic, and Savina knew that much better then Anu did. “Thankfully, lately only good things have been washing on the beaches.” Anu smiled, happy Savina was the one that drifted to Twilight Vale to watch Naniko, and of course be her new found friend.
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[html] http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c73/p ... able-1.png); background-position:center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> si!
It certainly had been a tough year overall for the femme. At the end it seemed like too much for her to handle. But things were getting better, and the emotional wounds were starting to heal. Her good life and good friends here greatly helped that. And now that she had Ehno back with her it made all the difference in the world. She was glad that Anu decided not to comment on the sadness of her story. It was something she knew all too well, and was glad her new friend had the tact to realize when it was best to get silent on some subjects. "Yes, it was wonderful when we found each other. I could hardly believe it was him at the time. Having him here was the last piece to truly make this place home."
All of a sudden Savina felt the sleepiness wash over her again. The startle that had awoken her had now worn off and her body and mind were weary from the lack of sleep. Her mouth opened in a wide yawn and droopy lids now half covered her jeweled orbs. "Well I'm beat. I think I'll go back to sleep, but you're welcome to stay here with me if you'd like." The wolfess really liked Anu, and would welcome her company and friendship any time.
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