a cloud hangs over this city by the sea
#1
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The sun was peaking in and out of clouds as the dark form of Crimson Dream's Lieutenant General walked across the lands. Today she was heading towards the lands of the coyote clan Inferni. She knew it was north somewhere, but didn't know its exact location. So she had decided to take the "scenic route" so to speak, exploring the lands that she had yet to see. Now that things had settled down with her new pack and home, she had made a point to go out this way to make contact with the girl she had met in the Ethereal Eclipse, Ryan. The younger luperci had wanted to know where to find her, and that information had changed. Crimson Dreams was in roughly the same area as Twilight Vale had been, but Savina wanted to relay the information. It would also give her an opportunity to finally lay eyes on the infamous territory of the clan.



Long, lithe limbs carried her quickly over the dried grass. As she moved further and further north a sense of foreboding came over her. Something just didn't seem right about the place she was coming up on. And then she spied it. Pikes with the skulls of wolves stood stark and threatening against the horizon. The female's heart leapt into her throat at the sight and she could feel the hair raise on her neck and back. Of all the things she might've been expecting, this certainly wasn't one of them. She stood still as a statue, incredibly aware of the blood pumping through her veins. Originally she had planned on calling out for Ryan, but now she didn't want to. Perhaps this is why Anslem had told her to find him in Halifax, because she wouldn't be safe or welcomed here. She decided to sit here for a while to see if perhaps the girl would pass this way. Her muscles were tense though, ready to spring away at the first sign of trouble.

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#2
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SOMEWHERE THERE'S A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK
BIGGER THAN THE SHADOW OF DEATH IN THIS TOWN


One hand’s fingers were pressed to her lips, as if deep in thought, while her other hand was stretched out at her side, absentmindedly swiping at the tall dying grass. Though her coat was made up of many different colors, she could easily blend into the scenery if she was to crouch in the wavering grasses. Her rusty red would be seen merely as some sort of brush. She supposed she liked that. Well, maybe not so much the idea of camouflage, but the tall grass itself. She liked the way it tickled her ankles and legs as she walked.



A dark figure caught her attention and Ryan suddenly crouched, as if she had been spotted in an area she knew she wasn’t supposed to be wandering through. After peering through the brush for a moment, some familiarity struck her. Could it be the wolf that Ryan had met in the forest? What had her name been? She rose to her full height, raising a hand into the air and wagging it from side to side. "Savina!" She ran through the grass, unaware as it raked against the fabric of her dress while she ran past the watchful pikes.


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#3
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Her whole body began to ache from the tenseness in her muscles. The more and more time passed the more she wanted to run from this place and not return. But she wanted to see Ryan. To ask how she was doing in this new home and how she and Anslem were getting along. Though to be honest she couldn't see the sweet girl living in a place that used the skulls of dead wolves as a border marker. As she stared at the sleek ivory bones her stomach churned.



Just when Savina thought she couldn't take anymore of this place a voice rang out of the silence. Emerald orbs shot around to see the form of the multi-hued coyote running toward her. Her posture visibly relaxed and a relieved sigh was released from her lungs. Bushy ebony tail wagged as she trotted forward to meet the new Inferni member. "Ryan!" A happy smile graced her muzzle. "How've you been doing? Well I hope!" Her vision was completely focused on the dress clad luperci in front of her, trying her best to ignore the pikes.

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#4
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SOMEWHERE THERE'S A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK
BIGGER THAN THE SHADOW OF DEATH IN THIS TOWN


"Hi," she breathed as the grass thinned and she neared the stand of trees where she had first spotted Savina. Now they stood on the belt of land that circled the clan’s territory – the spot where most wandering coyotes would wait in hopes of being allowed into their ranks. "It’s good to see you again," she added, smile finding her lips. She settled on the ground, crossing her legs like a pretzel beneath her. She didn’t have anywhere to be at the moment, and figured the two of them could take some time to catch up. She didn’t even realize that the sight of Inferni’s borders or its reputation was having some affect on the ebony girl.



"Things have been good, very good. I told Anselm and he took it very well. And I’ve met a few other people that I have relations with too, though kind of distant. It’s been nice. I actually feel like I have a place to belong. I’m still getting settled though. It’s the idea of staying in one spot and not having to move all the time. I get antsy to check things out." She paused then, realizing she hadn't given Savina much of a chance to interject. "How about you? How are things in," she had to try and remember what the place had been called. "Twilight Vale?"

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#5
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The happy glint returned to her jade eyes as the two converged on each other. "It's good to see you again as well!" As Ryan lowered herself to sit cross-legged on the ground the slight femme reclined back onto her haunches. Relief struck her as the girl mentioned that she had finally been able to tell Anslem that she was his daughter and that he received it well. "Oh, that's great! I'm so happy to hear that. I saw him not too long ago in Halifax and asked about you, but he didn't mention anything about you being his daughter so I assumed you hadn't had the chance to tell him yet. How does it feel?" She was genuinely interested to hear how it felt for her to now have a father. It was something Savina would never get the chance at.



Smile widened as the coyote listed off the goings on in her life. If she liked it here, then Inferni must not be all that bad. The wolfess just couldn't shake the unsettling feeling of those pikes in the background though. She was doing her best to avoid letting the ghastly things slip into her vision, but it was somewhat difficult. "It's good to have a place that you feel you belong. That's what my pack here has done for me." Her head nodded thoughtfully.



"Oh things are good. Though actually that's one of the reasons I came. Twilight Vale isn't around anymore." Savina didn't think she'd ever really said that out loud before, and it hit her ears in a strange way. Though as time passed so did her feelings of loss for the old pack. It was more a name than anything, her home and family were still intact. "It still has mostly the same members and we are in practically the same area as Twilight Vale was, but we joined with a couple members of another disbanded pack and are now known as Crimson Dreams. I'm actually the second in command of it now." That was another thing that still felt weird to the Italian girl, but it too was beginning to become more comfortable. "So, if that wanderlust ever gets to you too bad you should stop by and see me. You'll be welcome anytime and free to stay in the mansion if you wish." The Lieutenant General deeply hoped that Ryan would visit sometime. She would love to show the girl her home.

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#6
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SOMEWHERE THERE'S A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK
BIGGER THAN THE SHADOW OF DEATH IN THIS TOWN


"It’s kind of a relief now that he knows. But it was weird when I actually told him. It didn’t turn out anything like I thought it would. The fact that Anselm was on drugs had probably helped the situation in some ways. "Which is good," she added. She listened to Savina, smile widening. A new pack! And she was one of the leaders. "Crimson Dreams," she spoke, tasting the words on her own lips and testing it out. It sounded wonderful. "That’s amazing, Savina. Congratulations. I will definitely stop by some time. Truth be told, I still get antsy and like to wander off from Inferni." But she supposed that was her nomadic roots stirring up. "We have a mansion in Inferni too, though it’s kind of creepy. I tend to stay away from it and just steal roses from its garden every once in awhile." She tried to picture that mansion standing somewhere else, like in Crimson Dreams. She wondered if it would lose its effect at all once removed from Inferni. "I hope your mansion is lovelier."

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#7
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She couldn't help but let out a small, mostly silent laugh at the comment about her telling Anslem. It hadn't been said, but it was obvious Ryan had expected the encounter to go poorly, maybe even expecting the worst. The ebony lady could definitely relate. When she was faced with some problem she tended to do the same thing. She had done that when she had heard about Kansas' shady past. But now that had all been cleared up and they were closer than ever.



As most often happened when someone got excited about her new pack, it spread to her and made her incredibly proud. Savina's chest puffed up a bit, that seemed to be her usual physiological response to those feelings. "Thanks! Yeah, I'm really happy with it. I think it will turn out to be a very long lasting pack. It really feels like one big family." Talk of the creepy mansion that lay in the territory beyond made her glance back at the pikes. A small shudder went through her body again. "I mean no offense, but I can definitely imagine it is creepy. I haven't seen much, but that appears to be the feel they've gone with around here at least." She hoped Ryan wouldn't take her words in the wrong way. She wasn't really criticizing anyone or anything. It was more a concern for her friend living in such an seemingly unwelcome place.



"Crimson Dreams' mansion is pretty nice actually. Most of us live in it, including myself. It took me a while to get used to sleeping indoors, but it's really beneficial. It especially will be when it starts to get really cold." It was clear to see the foreign wolfess was not looking forward to the winter months that laid ahead.

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#8
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SOMEWHERE THERE'S A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK
BIGGER THAN THE SHADOW OF DEATH IN THIS TOWN


Ryan couldn’t help but chuckle at Savina’s words. She had to admit, Inferni did have a foreboding air about it. Yet, somehow, it didn’t seem to affect the young girl in anyway. She supposed it was partially her lack of experience when it came to living in a clan or group, but maybe it was also her upbringing. She had seen so many horrible things that skulls on a pike didn’t scare her anymore than a creeping spider would have.



"That sounds interesting, but I would never want to sleep inside the mansion here. The garden is lovely to look at, but I just get a weird sense whenever I get to close. Anselm warned me not to wander too far inside – I guess it’s easy to get lost." She shrugged her shoulders. After a moment of silence, she added, "I met a boy." A girlish grin caught her lips.


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#9
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Ears pricked forward as she noticed the coyote's tone and demeanor change to one she knew all too well now. It was the same way she acted when talking about Kansas. Immediately the raven wolfess reacted as all good girlfriends do, and scooted a bit closer to Ryan. Having this common experience to talk about was exciting to her. She had never had any boys to talk about before, so had never had a chance to chat with another female about their crushes and loves. Her eyes sparkled in a new way and the tip of her tail wiggled excitedly. "Ooooh, yes? I have too, but tell me about your's first!" This "girly" side of Savina was not often seen, but this was one of the few opportunities it had ever had to come out. It was kind of fun, she had to admit.

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#10
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SOMEWHERE THERE'S A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK
BIGGER THAN THE SHADOW OF DEATH IN THIS TOWN


She was surprised to hear that Savina had met a boy as well, and instantly she wanted to shove her story aside and hear about her. But because Savina told her to speak first, she grinned and thought of where to begin. "Well," she started, trying hard to suppress the grin that had exploded on her lips. "I’ve seen him a couple of times. At first, he seemed kind of distant – like he didn’t feel comfortable being near me. But then, I couldn’t help but start to like him. It’s his charm. He sort of has this, oh I don’t know," she paused for a moment, frowning as she tried to find her words, "this rebel sort of air to him. As if he’s a tough guy and can take care of himself. But I know he’s sweet. He’s been nothing but gentle towards me." She let a contented sigh escape. "He makes me so confused, but in a way, it’s wonderful." She laughed, shaking her head. "Now it's your turn," she eagerly demanded. She couldn’t wait to hear about Savina’s boy.

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#11
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Her bushy jet tail beat happily against the ground as she eagerly listened about Ryan's crush. The other girl exhibited all the signs that Savina had whenever she talked about Kansas. It filled her with more joy to see this happiness in her friend. She knew how great the feeling was and being around another who had those same feelings multiplied the sensation. "I'm so happy to hear that Ryan! He sounds like a great guy!" Now it was her turn to tell about her lovely boy. As usual, her ears gently rolled back against her head. It was the common outward response of her feelings for the Sadira wolf. "Well, he's handsome, and so sweet. The first time we met he read me this beautiful poem. When we're together I get this feeling I just can't describe." It was like warm shot from the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail, yet so much more than just that. "I never thought I would fall for someone so fast, but here I am, in love with him." Her voice held no tone of thinking that that was at all a bad thing. "And, he made me this necklace." The fey motioned with her head to the silver chain and pink shell that hung from her neck. She wore it as often as she could, and made sure to take it off when she was doing something that could cause damage to it. The gift meant a lot to her.

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#12
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SOMEWHERE THERE'S A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK
BIGGER THAN THE SHADOW OF DEATH IN THIS TOWN


"A poem? How wonderful." Ryan herself had only ever heard one and it was something her mother would recite to her when she was a child and had trouble sleeping. With it was attached sentimental values, but terrible smells and sounds lingered in the background – most often the lullaby would hush her into sleep when they couldn’t find a decent place to sleep for the night. "And that necklace is gorgeous." She leaned forward, balancing the shell on the tips of her fingers as she studied it. DaVinci hadn’t given her anything like that, but that didn’t mean she didn’t like him any less. She hadn’t received many material things growing up, so it would have almost seemed foreign to her. At the same time, it was such a nice gesture. She was happy that such a sweet girl like Savina had found a boy to treat her right. "He really sounds like a fantastic guy, Savina," she told her, smiling all the while.

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#13
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You reply and call it good then?



The girl couldn't help but beam about the whole situation. Kansas was really everything she had ever wanted in a man, yet had not known that she desired. They had a more egalitarian relationship. Both of them had their flaws and strengths which complimented the other nicely. She really wouldn't have it any other way. "Isn't it? I didn't even tell him what I liked, he just knew." She was still greatly impressed by that fact. Whether the choice had been conscious or not didn't really matter much to her. "No one had ever given me anything before, so it goes without saying I was more than surprised." A chuckle came from her with that. She knew his intention had been to surprise her, so his goal had been achieved. "I'd really like to find something for him, but nothing has caught my eye yet." Savina smiled warmly at Ryan. It was good to have someone to share these feelings with who was having them for another as well. "He really is. I couldn't ask for a better one."



A thought struck her just then and she looked with bright eyes at her friend. "Do you want to maybe go for a walk around the area? I haven't seen much of this part of 'Souls. We can sight-see while we talk." The femme always liked to walk around and see new places. It was even more fun with a friend by your side however.

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#14
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SOMEWHERE THERE'S A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK
BIGGER THAN THE SHADOW OF DEATH IN THIS TOWN


She was glad for her friend and even more appreciative of the fact that she could converse with Savina like this. The Crimson Dreams leader truly was the first person that Ryan could consider a best friend and she had a feeling their relationship would blossom, despite the stigmas the world had place on her clan and the relations between coyotes and wolves. With Savina’s invitation, Ryan quickly hopped to her feet. "Sounds wonderful," she commented, liking the idea of getting out to explore. The two set out and Ryan’s face was painted with an eager grin. With Savina by her side, she would have been more than happy to wander the area until sundown.

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