[p] i drink to death and smack my lips with song
#1
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Setting Location Form NPCs
Location: Colchester Quarter

Weather: Windy, cool

Time: Afternoon

Optime
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523


Draugr is by Despi!

The drab-hued wolfdog could no longer restrict herself exclusively to Salsola. She had come to realize, rather abruptly, just how small their territory was. It was a lovely corner of the Drifter Bay area, really, and well-protected by the river and otherwise relatively flat plains. A scout could see quite a long way off. But Dra had realized that there were the mountains, the lands beyond, the southlands and their thick forests, and many more places she had yet to see. Much of her exploration had concentrated on territory just around Salsola prior to this -- it was just today she had decided, rather on a whim, to creep up the Halcyon Mountain and into the former territory of Ichika no Ho-en.

Dra could not have produced the pack's name, of course -- it was a faint and faded memory, a vague reference of "the enemy." One of her first lessons in Salsolian culture was that there were different sorts of outsiders. The average outsider, hardly worth a Salsolian's time, was nothing to bother with -- but on occasion, a single outsider or group of outsiders might establish themselves as the enemy. From there, it was her job -- as with the rest of Salsola -- to seek out and destroy that enemy. She wondered if it had been Salsola to destroy this enemy -- there was not a hint of wolf-scent here any longer. The land was unclaimed.

Dyrne had been left to wander in a meadow, and now Draugr wandered on her lonesome along the streets of some forgotten village. This, too, had been within the pack's claims, though she wrinkled her nose at the ugliness of it. These houses had plastic-looking siding and strange shingles on the roof. Her experience, primarily with the Millstone Village, had produced an expectation of rustic villages and farmhouses in Dra.

She was, of course, inclined to think the sorts of villages taken by Salsola were superior to these decaying parts of suburbia. Perhaps there was a tiny grain of truth to that, as well -- looking from one rotting building from the next, Dra noted one in three was obviously damaged, perhaps one in six destroyed beyond recognition by a falling tree limb or simple collapse. In contrast, Salsola's village was still standing sturdily, for the most part. A shack here, a toolshed there had fallen in and collapsed, but it seemed the older forms of construction were built to withstand more than these places.

Her primary objective was simple observation. She had never ventured into another pack's territory, and, upon discovering the emptiness north of the mountain, desired to know just what it was the previous occupant found so alluring about this territory. Dra had not yet found indication of this territory's exceptional usefulness. Though she was not quite tired, Draugr went to the curb and sat down abruptly, looking around with a rather sour expression on her face. Bored was more apt than tired, and the wolfdog was not accustomed to feelings of boredom. She had expected to find great adventure here, and instead found almost nothing noteworthy.

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#2
Null had lately taken to scavenging in the ruins of decaying human settlements since striking out on her own, searching for useful tools and the like, though most of what she claimed for her own from the wreckages were useless shiny trinkets. She scrambled through collapsed structures and still-standing homes alike, tipping the contents of drawers out over floors and rifling through cupboards for anything worthy of keeping. She didn't know the history of the places she scoured and she didn't really care; what they had been didn't matter to her, all that was important now was that they gave her shelter and were full of treasures to be found.

Today she was in Colchester Quarter, not that she knew it. She was in a largely intact house, well stocked in many things, and she tipped the contents of a jewelry box directly into her satchel. She was surprised that there was as much to be found here as there was-- surely this place should have been picked clean? There were plenty of serviceable buildings, why did no-one live here? But her train of thought became derailed when she found a pair of knitted grey fingerless gloves that went all the way to her elbow. How darling!

She stepped out of the house, now cleared of trinkets and treasures, admiring her hands in her new gloves. Humming with satisfaction, she began to to scamper and bound through the empty streets, over fallen trees and other debris, enjoying the echoing sound of her feet against the road. Her tail was wagging happily, her ears were pricked and her stance was at ease and confident. It had been long since she had seen another canine of any kind, and there was no wolf-scent here. It was empty land, and she could prance and skip and act like an exciteable pup as much as she wanted when no one was around, thank you very much.

Of course, the instant that thought popped into her head she spotted another Luperci. A big one. Null hadn't seen her to begin with because she hadn't been paying attention and the bigger wolf was sat down, but surely the other female had seen her? Null froze, tail flattening to the backs of her legs and ears flattening to her head. Had she made a mistake? Was this someone's territory? The tiny, mottled-coated Luperci had no idea what to do with herself.
#3
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461 x_x sorry again, can skip the first two paragraphs :3


Draugr is by Alaine!

Draugr was almost always able to entertain herself with thoughts, but she found on this day, none surfaced from the always-ready murkiness of her subconscious. There were no conclusions to be drawn from this dreary landscape. Surely it was beautiful in high summer, but with the steady march onward of autumn, it had lost some of its charm. There was a strong coldness to this place, more palpable than below the mountain chain. Perhaps Halcyon's true purpose was simply to buffer Salsola and the other southlands from the frigid cold of the north. Eventually winter won out, as it always did, but it seemed to Draugr it would sweep in more quickly here, settling over this dead chunk of suburbia to wreak another season of freezing and thawing on the already overburdened buildings -- some would, no doubt, collapse beneath the weight of snow and ice. Perhaps Dra would live to see the day only brick construction remained -- all the wood having rotted away, but she thought she might be underestimating even these suburban homes and their sturdiness.

She was contemplating these thoughts, uninteresting as they seemed, when a patter of feet caught her attention. It was drawn sharply to the street, where she perceived a young canine -- perhaps her own age, thought Draugr rarely seemed her yearling state -- frolicking and practically dancing through the streets. For her part, the earthen-hued wolfdog merely tilted her head, purple eyes watching the play of the stranger with curiosity. She could not remember ever having played and frolicked in such a manner, but she had in her youngest days, no doubt. There was no judgement on the Tradesman's part for others' engaging in play, and in fact considered it a mark of strangeness on herself that she did not and had not engaged in such behaviors. It was natural and normal to play, and yet there was no desire to do so within her. Different, she thought, using the word she and Itachi had both used to describe themselves as children.

As she watched, the wolf seemed to become aware of Draugr's presence. The movement ceased all of a sudden, and there was a sudden shrinkage from the she-wolf. The startling change in demeanor drew Draugr out of her self-absorbed thoughts. The Salsolian stood slowly, holding both coal-hued hands at her sides non-threateningly. Hi, she said. Did you find something worth dancing over? she asked, purple eyes glancing over the bag carried by the stranger. There was sheer politeness to the wolfdog's tone, as she was perfectly capable of emulating cordiality and chose to do so in most interactions. This, she had discovered, was more productive than simply asking questions. Others frequently perceived this as brashness and impoliteness, and thus lessened the likelihood of sating her curiosity.

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#4
Null blinked, ears pricking up once more when the wolfdog spoke. The other female wasn't angry, and Null still couldn't detect any wolf smell, so she relaxed considerably-- she hadn't accidentally wound up in someone's territory after all. The other canine was probably just exploring, like Null was, so she wagged her tail and dipped her head a little in a friendly gesture.

Um-- well, I found some cool gloves! She held her gloved hands out in front of herself and wiggled her fingers. And lots o' shinies! Nuffin' major, I s'pose. Ha, ya spooked me fo' a minute, I panicked an' thought I'd walked in ta someones territ'ry by mistake. Are you 'splorin' too? The little wolf asked convivially, head cocked to one side. Now that she knew that the other Luperci wasn't going to kill her for trespassing or something, there was no reason for her to not be friendly and polite. She'd found during her puppyhood that she couldn't really pull off cocky and arrogant anyway, not with her tiny frame. It was more laughable than anything if she tried.

She wondered if there were other Luperci around. Was the wolfdog part of a scouting party for a pack? Were they looking for new territories to claim as their own? Or had the wolfdog simply struck out on her own, exploring things for herself? Of course, there was always the option that she was a loner without a pack, like Null was. It wasn't like Null was familiar enough with any of the packs around here to recognize their scents.
#5
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345


Draugr is by Kiri!

The dark-hued woman took a few steps forward, though she remained a respectful distance from the other woman. Draugr herself was hypersensitive to personal space in most instances, and found inappropriate closeness of strangers particularly unbearable. It was one thing for her own mother to brush her hair or for Itachi to prevent her slipping out of the sea caves and into the strong bay currents -- another entirely for a strange canine to pace too close.

So it was that the earthen-hued canine remained several yards away, though she leaned and blinked expressive purple eyes at the cloves. Those would be warm in winter, she complimented, and nodded her appreciation. The fingers would be unimpeded, as well -- though perhaps colder than the rest of the arm. Then again, what else did canines have fur for? A little extra warmth in the arms was nothing to scoff at.

Yes, I was. This was someone's territory, before, she said, idly. That pack is no more, though. She vaguely remembered the Ichikan downfall, though she had been too young to participate in it herself. The llamas had come from that pack, strange and ugly creatures they were. I was always curious to see what it was like in another pack's territory -- and I suppose this counts, in a way. She shrugged, and offered a smile.

The silver-tipped canine did not even realize her mistake: another pack -- indicating she'd seen one before. She was not yet well-versed in the ways of speaking to outsiders and concealing her pack's secret, though she was apt enough to avoid shouting its name up and down, and always made sure to scent herself appropriately. She'd favored the sharp scent of spearmint today, a strange choice -- its strength was such, though, that after bathing she'd smelled nothing like her homeland save the faintest whiff of salt. With such painstaking precautions taken to obscure the physical fact of her pack membership, she might have been more cautious with such a simple thing as her words.

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#6
Null watched the larger female step closer, pleased that she maintained a polite distance between them. Null often felt crowded and overwhelmed when other canines got too close, especially if they were significantly larger than her. It made her feel boxed in and trapped, and she didn't like it at all. But this was okay; they weren't calling to each other at an awkwardly long distance, but they weren't in each others personal space either. She wagged her black-tipped tail a little, feeling at ease in the presence of the other canine.

She blinked when the wolfdog commented on her gloves-- she literally hadn't even thought if the warmth they would provide, only considering them in terms of aesthetic appeal. Oh, yes! I hadn't really thought 'bout that. I just thought they were cute! She lowered her ears sheepishly. You're right though, they should be warm. My hands are always deathly cold, so maybe they'll help some with that! She rubbed her hands together briskly, attempting to stimulate some bloodflow. Her extremities were always freezing, something that anyone she touched commented on, but she rarely noticed herself. Sometimes her feet would get cold enough that they would go completely numb, which would cause her to notice and try to rectify it, but ordinarily she only acknowledged her freezing hands when she was playing and pressed her chilled fingers to someone's nose or ears to startle them.

She cocked her head as the earthy-coloured wolfdog explained her own motives or being in the area, chocolate ears pricked with interest. "Another pack's territory"? So the other canine must already belong to a pack. Null knew nothing about any of the packs in the area, and she certainly didn't recognize the-- she sniffed-- sharp spearmint scent that clung to the other canine. Spearmint seemed an unusual scent for a pack. It was sharp and bit her senses; she had always preferred peppermint, having found spearmint far too strong for her liking. She resisted the urge to snort the scent away and shake her head.

You have a pack, then? She asked curiously. I've never had a pack. I just grew up with my parents and my brothers, and we were all on our own. What's your pack like? Having never had a pack, she was curious of what it was like to be in one. Was it like a family? Or was it less personal, just people working together? She bet it was nice. Why would anyone join a pack if it wasn't nice to be in one?
#7
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Draugr is by Haley!

The dark-hued woman listened with cupped ears to the voice of the other canine, trying and failing to discern an accent in her words. Dra herself spoke as her mother did -- flatly, and with the midwestern accent that was not so uncommon as to be terribly out of place here. Aesthetic appeal was something the Tradesman understood, albeit in a rudimentary way. She was preparing to suggest the stranger might like a fire to warm her limbs, when it occurred to her that she did not have the necessary tools to build a fire, and wood would be difficult to come by. There were few trees lining these suburban streets.

Dra was still considering when the woman spoke, words that stunned the wolfdog into almost immediate speech, though it tapered off immediately. I -- she faltered, staring at the other woman openly. How could she have misspoken so? Panic arose in her at this new situation, one she hadn't encountered yet in her time on the earth. What was she supposed to do now? The woman was silent for a beat longer than was normal, and her jaw worked, clenching and unclenching, as a sign of her disquiet. And suddenly the answer came to her, brilliant and shining as a piece of metal catching the sun. She smiled, composure flooding back into her quite suddenly.

She was a Tradesman of Salsola, and she might profit here yet. Though the woman was small of size and not particularly physically impressive, she was young -- and Draugr knew better than all the rest how malleable youth was. This girl, concerned with her gloves and the aesthetic of the world, might yet be shaped into a useful member of Salsola. Dra did not even consider that the friendliness and youthful ways might yet be an act on the stranger's part -- but perhaps all the better, for the Tradesman was fully convinced of the multi-hued wolf's sincerity.

I do, she agreed. It's a good place -- there are strong canines. The weak do as their told or... don't, the hybrid said, emphasizing the word "don't" in a peculiar way. She had seen the results of a slave revolting against its master: crippled Darijus, poor beast, had dared rise up against his betters. I'm not sure if you'd like it, though? One must be very strong to find a home there in the first place. Dra herself at least looked the part of strength -- though small in her own perspective, she was a large example of a woman, and took after her mother at least in a small part.

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#8
((I would've replied earlier, but it turns out my internet turns off at midnight and I don't know why D:<))

Oh, the wolfdog had gone quiet. Had Null said something wrong? Had she touched on a nerve? Why would anyone be unwilling to discuss their pack, she wondered-- unless there was a rule in her pack not to talk about it? Or maybe Null was suspected of being a spy. Perhaps the other canine's pack wasn't very nice or stable right now and it was an emotionally sensitive subject. Those were the only reasons Null could think of, and she was about to say that the other female didn't have to talk about it if she didn't want to, when she did.

The large females words made her ears drop and her tail droop. "One must be very strong"-- it was like being around her brothers again, always teasing her for her size. She was immediately defensive if ever it was implied that she was somehow less capable than larger canines, even if it was occasionally true. She had outlived three of her larger brothers, her stronger brothers, and she'd be damned if she just fell over and accepted that she was 'weak' now. She held herself at her full-- and still unimpressive-- height.

I-- I can do plenty! Sure, I'm not good at-- at-- at heavy liftin' or nuffin', an' I don't think I've ever intim'dated anyone in my life, but I'm good at other stuff! I can-- I can track stuff! And I can sneak! I can make traps! And, I dunno, does anyone value readin'? I do that. She wilted a little, flopping her thin, barely-muscled arms as though to say "yeah, I know I'm tiny and frail". You hafta learn to be good at other things than fightin' an' big stuff when you're the littlest. And nobody ever thinks you can do anythin'. I mean, you're all giant an' stuff, I bet everyone assumes you can do loads o' things, but when you're the runt... No-one gives you a chance.

Null stared at a fixed spot on the ground, ears tilted back. Her littleness had always been a sore spot for her. When your size causes your mother to name you 'Nothing' it's bound to leave some emotional scars, and it had made Null bitter, a little bit arrogant, and determined to prove that she was valuable, that she wasn't nothing.
#9
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-- No problem at all, take your time! That... internet thing sounds annoying/weird though. Do you have parental controls or something? That's the only thing I could think of. o_o Or maybe an evil internet provider. Also, omg, Null = adorable. ;_;


Draugr is by Requiem!

The wolfdog was at least more confident in her delivery, and she was certain she had not acted wrongly. Her scent was covered and she'd not spoken Salsola's name -- if the mottled wolf ran off from her now, nothing could lead back to Salsola and tie with Draugr herself. The hybrid was not particularly apprehensive, for she felt her position within Salsola was secure enough, but as she had only just attained the Tradesman rank, it was that she feared being taken away.

The hybrid's ears perked upward as the woman spoke, her voice surprisingly forceful. She listened, her first instinct to laugh -- for the display was at first laughable. Yet, the smaller wolf readily admitted her weaknesses, knowing what she was not good at. It was the list of skills which completely turned around Draugr's reaction, and she tilted a wooden-hued head to the side sharply at the word "traps," as a dog who has heard kibble fall into her bowl might have done.

The next words the woman spoke resonated within Draugr, and the wolfdog found herself nodding vigorously near the end of it, though this quickly turned to a shake as the woman insinuated she might not understand at all. No, she exclaimed, quickly. I was very quiet when I was young. They thought I was slow. It was similar -- while Draugr's size might have provided her with some redemption, even her mother seemed to agree with Dra having a slower mind than most.

If your mind is as sharp as you say, my pack would value it. I'm sure of that, Draugr said. A strong mind and a strong body are valued equally. There was a henceforth unprecedented quality of eagerness within her, and she took another step or two forward, offering her name with the approach. My name is Draugr Helsi. The word "traps" was still stuck in her head, reverberating there, but there would be time enough for that. There were trackers and scouts aplenty within the pack, sure, but there was never enough eyes on the border -- and Draugr herself was barely capable of reading.

She thought of Harrow, the former Auxiliary's daughter. There was something flatly wrong with her arm, and yet she'd found a place within Salsola as any other. This coffee-and-cream hued wolf did not even have anything physically wrong with her; she was simply small, and Dra herself knew that feeling. Dwarfed by her mother, the dark-hued Tradesman never would fully appreciate her own size.

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#10
((No parental controls, but the router has been squiffy for a while now. We gotta get that fixed. Also, lol, good to know! And omg, 'coffee-and-cream', I like that!))

Null didn't hold out much hope for the wolfdog to consider her as anything but a useless, undersized weakling; it had never mattered to her family how good she was at trapping, or reading, or tracking. They had never cared for her wit. All that had ever mattered to them was how much smaller she was than her brothers, how she couldn't take on a deer in honest, wolfish close combat. As far as she knew, that was the way of all Luperci-- only the large and the strong were valued, the small and the frail worth less even if they were clever. She had never heard anything to imply otherwise.

Which was why her ears pricked dramatically and her head snapped up when the large, dun-coloured female told her that her pack valued wits as well as strength. Null had never dared to have more than the barest hope that there would be a place where her intelligence would be considered a worthy trait, and the information caused such a feeling of elation to bloom in her chest that her tail gave a few quick wags before she calmed herself-- the existence of such a pack did not guarantee that she would be accepted into it, after all. She shouldn't get her hopes up, for fear that they would be dashed.

I'm Null. Null Liulfr. I've-- I've never heard of a place where minds are valued alongside strength, but I've come to realize that my family was pretty bad. They named me 'Nothing', after all. She grinned bitterly, shaking herself lightly to dispell the melancholy that childhood reminiscing brought upon her. Um-- would it be presumptuous to-- to ask about your pack? I--I mean, I've always wanted to find a place where... Where I'd fit. I mean-- I'm sure I could be useful, and I'm a fast learner. I just... I just want to fit somewhere.

Null's stammering and meek politeness was slightly put on, since she had found that the more harmless and eager to please you appeared, the more likely people were to help you. The stammer made her seem unsure and endearing, a trick she had used often enough on the softer of her brothers to get her way. She was legitimately nervous, though. She didn't want to offend Draugr and have a potential pack barred off from her before she'd even had a chance at it.

She was trying not to be excited just yet. There was still the very real risk that Draugr's pack might not suit her for other reasons, even if it valued intelligence. That was no reason to join a pack on its own, regardless of how promising that was. She was hoping though, hoping so hard it hurt. Null didn't like being a loner at all, and her every instinct ached to be part of a pack.
#11
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330 So weiiird. XD Maybe your neighbor is playing tricks?


Draugr is by Haley!

The woman's introduction was met with a polite nod, though Draugr gave a more quizzical look at the mention of her name's meaning. Nothing was a strange name to inflict upon a child -- but perhaps that only stood to establish just how awful the mottled wolf's previous life had been from its outset. Draugr did not truly understand the desire to fit in -- she perceived her difference from most other canines, but did not consider it a weakness to be rectified. If anything, her difference perhaps gave her over to a unique perspective and understanding of the world. Yet -- she was imaginative enough to consider a scenario where she was ostracized or even exiled from Salsola. The thought of lacking any other place in the world made her understand Null's position at once.

It is a place of family, she said. We are not all bound by blood or even mates, but we work together as a family -- a true family. The clarification was given, in case Null got any idea Salsola's family resembled her prior one. Draugr did not consider it a "bad" place, though she did not have the perspective to look on slavery and the general attitude of her pack and see it for what it truly was. We protect our own. The weak serve the strong, of course, but even the lowest serving creature receive the protection of the strong.

The dark-hued woman paused a moment, considering, and then added another thought. You say you know traps -- my pack would consider this very valuable. She was not certain what more she might say -- Null hadn't precisely said she wanted to join, only that she sought a place. Perhaps Salsola was not her place -- if so, Draugr could say no more. We're also a place of secrets, though. It would be hard to protect ourselves if we told everything to strangers, the hybrid said, her tone now approaching apologetic.

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#12
((Oh, those bastards! I should've known! XD))

Draugr's description of her pack as 'family' made Null feel a keen sense of longing. She had always had an idea if how she would like her own family to be, protective of each other and caring, working together for the wellbeing of the whole unit. Draugr's pack sounded like what Null had always wanted, from what little she had heard of it. She wagged her tail a little, an image beginning to form in her head of the 'family-pack'.

It sounds nice. She stated simply, smiling a little and shifting her weight from one foot to the other in a pleased gesture she had developed as a very young pup. Even the mention of the 'weak serving the strong' didn't bother her; she wanted to be useful, after all, and she didn't mind the idea of a low position so long as what skills she had were valued. She was naturally submissive so long as she wasn't being antagonized, and she had a very good feeling about this pack.

Oh, yes, traps! Wire traps, rope traps, pit traps, tripwire traps, bait traps-- I know all sortsa traps, for all sortsa things! She nodded in confirmation. Traps were generally the only way she could catch substantial prey, so it was a skill she had had to perfect. It had yet to occur to her that perhaps Draugr's pack would want her traps to catch other canines for whatever reasons, but she probably wouldn't care if that were the case anyway.

Null nodded her head emphatically when Draugr spoke of her packs secrecy, indicating that she understood. Null herself was secretive about seemingly random things, so who was she to judge a pack for guarding important information? Oh, yes, I understand. Um, so, if-- if one were to be considering, um, joining your pack... What would one do? She asked politely, looking up at Draugr with big brown eyes, gaze flitting from Draugr's ears to her muzzle to her cheek to her necklace, restless and seemingly unsure. Draugr seemed nice enough; surely this description wouldn't be dangled in front of Null only for her chance at joining to be snatch away?
#13
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469 Wouldn't be the first time! Piggybackers, man. XD


Draugr is by Haley!

There was no gushing approval from the multi-hued woman, which was just as well. Salsola thrived not on flattery -- or at least, it hadn't since Salvia ascended to the leadership's position. This suited Draugr quite well, for she felt their current Boss's style suited her and her mother both quite well. Salvia was molded after her predecessors, after all -- against Eris and to Sirius, to be sure -- and there was familarity in her leadership. Draugr might have suspected falsehood, in any case -- she hadn't said all that much about the thistle kingdom, and nothing especially noteworthy.

She hoped that longing within Null for a place of her own was strong. She nodded her understanding and went so far as to almost grin with the woman's rapid list of traps. Dra did not understand half of them, but she could learn in time, too -- and she'd have to. If Salsola's borders were to be so thoroughly trapped, she'd have to avoid them if she wished to cross the pack's borders. Elsewise she'd never be able to leave, for fear of ensnaring herself in one of her own pack's contraptions. Good, she said, sounding quite pleased. Traps are just so useful for protection. It was true -- the trapper needn't endanger themselves and could simply sit back and wait for prey, creature or Luperci, to stumble upon it.

The hybrid regarded Null's question with a considering look, studying the woman's pale face. Unlike her companion's gaze, Draugr's eyes did not flicker away. You'd need to bring something to our borders. A gift, she said. For the leaders. She herself was not absolutely certain what their timberwolf leader would want in the way of gifts. Sirius and Eris had been easy to please; her mother had delivered a great elk and she had seen the Alessandra canine give over a lovely knife upon her acceptance. And you must be respectful, above all else, of course. She did not think that last was needed; Null seemed a smart canine, and only a fool would agitate the leadership of a pack they hoped to join.

Do you think you'll come? the silver-shaded woman asked, her question almost idle -- though in truth, she was bursting with excitement. Was this a recruitment? She had never done anything of the sort before, and desperately hoped Null would be accepted as an addition to her pack. That is, if she was interested in the first place, even. Draugr had gotten ahead of herself, and she checked the eagerness stoutly, reigning it all in invisibly. There were many things that could go wrong between now and when she received her credit for informing Null of Salsola in the first place.

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#14
((XD! I think it was cause by people fiddling with the settings, actually. But I'll keep an eye out for those piggy backers!))

Ah, so Draugr's pack needed traps for protection-- that made sense to Null, it was perfectly logical for a secretive pack to not want strangers around their borders. There was no reason her traps wouldn't work on a wandering canine, either, since most were not in the habit of checking for traps when walking out in the wilderness. Trapping was not that common a skill, she had found. Draugr sounded pleased with Null's skill, too, and the tiny wolf couldn't help but wag her tail with delight at the small amount of praise.

A gift for the pack leaders... Null had quite the collection of gold and silver jewelry that she had found on her travels, as well as two 'Wilderness Handbooks', one that detailed which plants were safe to eat and which were poison and one that was full of basic survival tips that she should probably have been taught years ago but had had to earn from the book. The young female had no idea what the leaders would like by way of gift, though. Would she have to bring an animal? But she could only catch anything by trapping, and prey often died in the traps. A carcass might not be as well accepted as a live creature, and there was no way she was dragging a deer carcass all the way to wherever this pack was.

Null looked up at Draugr's question, blinking. It was only then that she realized that she had already been thinking of this unfamiliar pack as a point in her future rather than a possibility. She nodded, making a conscious decision-- she would go to Draugr's pack and try to be accepted into its ranks. Yes. I think I will. She confirmed, tail setting up a steady beat of wags.

Um-- I have quite the collection of jewelry. Would your leaders like that? Or should I find an animal? I'm just worried that it would die in the trap and I'd hafta catch another or try to carry the carcass, and I'm not sure I could physically bring anythin' too big. And I don't feel a carcass would go down too well, anyway. Or-- or something else? She didn't want to bring a poor gift, after all. She wanted to please the leaders as much as she could. Many Luperci valued jewelry, but not all. While she considered her shiny trinkets to be precious, others might consider it useless and cast it aside.
#15
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515 You could probably start up a joining thread in Salsola whenever, I think? :O Null definitely knows enough about the pack! I could have Eris or Draugr herself come greet her at the borders, but if you'd prefer Null to meet other packmembers, you can mark it AW for anyone I think ^^ Up to you~


Draugr is by Alaine!

Draugr tempered her grin only with great effort, and presented to Null a smile that was pleased, but not overmuch. She did not know why, but it felt wrong to express quite so much pleasure at the promise of an outsider; perhaps it would all fall apart in the end, anyway, and she had nothing to grin over. But she also felt as though this canine would make an asset to Salsola, and an asset to herself. By providing the opportunity through which the earthen-shaded wolf entered Salsola, Null might later ask questions of Draugr or even follow her example. The word "friendship" occurred to the wolfdog, but she was quite certain her definition of friendship differed radically from most others. There was a better word, perhaps, but the Tradesman's vocabulary was not wide enough for her to know it -- "partnership" might have served better for what Draugr considered friendship.

The wolfdog considered the idea of a gift carefully, her dark muzzle inclined at an slight angle toward the sky. Jewelry would have served quite well with Sirius and Eris still at the lead of the clan, and she had seen her mother deliver a corpse before. But Salvia was a different beast entirely, and Dra had to think for a long minute. Hm, she said, indicating her turning this question over in her head. The Boss -- you can't call her by name while she's around, so it's better to start now -- is strong. I think she'd like something as strong or useful as she is. But -- like you've said, the hybrid said, smiling again.

Strong doesn't mean big. A little knife that is very sharp is better than a big sword that is very dull. You can try jewelry, too, but try for something very pretty. She tried to remember whether Salvia wore any jewelry at all. She did not bedeck herself in gold and glitter as Sirius and Eris had, but there was something. It came to Draugr as she glanced sidelong at a decaying house and saw brilliant emerald grass. The wolfdog did grin this time, looking back toward Null's dark hazel eyes. And green. If you bring jewelry, bring her something green. Green was the color of Salvia's eyes, and Draugr remembered clearly the glint of emerald and jade upon her.

It occurred to the earthen-hued woman that she had revealed quite a lot about Salsola -- but not so much as one large secret. Knowing the preference of jewelry color for the Boss was nothing that could cause trouble, Dra thought -- and there would be no trouble at all when Null came to the borders in person. She would no longer be an outsider, then, Draugr decided. Athanasios and Alessandra had proved themselves worthy, and yet neither retained membership within Salsola. Null struck her as better than both of those two, though perhaps that was because Draugr had already decided the defectors to be unworthy scum, while Null had all the glimmering possibilities of membership and a home within Salsola.

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#16
((Um, idk. I quite like the idea of Null meeting Draugr at the border. But only if you're up for it! XD))

Null considered what she could gift to the leaders that would be useful. She thought briefly on the set of throwing knives hidden in the bottom of her bag, but they were passed down from her late grandmother, the only kind member of her family, who had died when Null was very young. She thought, suddenly, of the binoculars that she had found in the bottom of a musty old chest of drawers some weeks ago-- a pack that liked secrecy and wanted to keep away strangers would surely like the ability to spot people from far away, no? She had never had much reason to use them herself, but she was certain that the Boss would make good use of them. She'd provide some green jewelry, too, just to be sure. She wouldn't disappoint!

Okay. Okay! I'll bring something useful. And some pretty green jewelry, I know I have some emerald or jade in here somewhere! She patted a hand against her satchel, looking pleased and excited. Hmm, maybe some malachite... She mumbled to herself, sure that she had found something laden with gleaming green. She was very excited. She grinned back at Draugr, tail wagging and back feet pedalling. If she did well enough then she would have a proper home, and that set her heart to bursting. She was so glad to have found Draugr, to have been told of her pack, to have been instructed on how best to appeal to the leaders.

It may well have been silly to be so fond of someone she had just met, but Null was very fond of the large wolfdog already. She had helped Null, something that the wolf was not at all used to, and she took Null's concerns seriously, offering advice. She wanted to do something for Draugr to show her the depth of her gratitude, but she didn't know what. All that Null had were shiny trinkets. Draugr clearly wore jewelry, but Null didn't know if she could present something suitable to the wolfdog.

I--I would like to thank you. May I give you a present? I-- um-- She rifled through her bag for a moment before pulling a bracelet of smooth amethyst beads from one of the pockets. Oh, it matches your eyes! Do you like it? She held it out, offering it to Draugr. It was the least she could do, after all.
#17
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Sure thing! Gonna reply to that one next! 8D We can assume this wraps up here with them parting ways or you can reply to finish it off? Either way is fine by me o:


Draugr is by me!

A shiver of delight coursed up the wolfdog's spine as Null spoke the very words she'd been thinking. Draugr could identify gemstones and the like only by virtue of those owned by other Salsolians and herself -- this last the woman listed, malachite, was unknown to her, but the word struck her as a pretty one. She imagined the gemstone must be equally pretty. She nodded her approval of the possible offerings, still remembering the bright green glint accompanying the Boss. I'll try to be there at the borders, Draugr said. It was nothing for her to pace her pack's perimeter more frequently. She already made sure to patrol at least every other day.

The earthen-hued woman was surprised with the offering, but her silver-tipped tail swung in slow and wide arcs, displaying her pleasure. Gifts already? she murmured, smiling. You'll do quite well. Draugr recalled the winter gift-giving, where each member of the pack made a gift to one other. She still had some of the toys Hrafn had provided her. The hybrid reached out to receive the item and held it up to the light admiringly. Its purple was perhaps a shade too rich, she thought -- but then again, she had primarily seen her own reflection in pools, and might not know best. It's lovely, she said, sliding it over her wrist. Thank you.

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OOC ending: The two parted ways.


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