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Hello.  . I'm hoping for someone that could maybe explain some of Inferni's history to Matrix? She really only knew of it before she came to Souls, not much about it. Otherwise, general meet and greet. ^^
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 Gabriel's fresh scent assured her safety within the limits of Inferni's borders. She was now free to roam about as she pleased, and the girl was quick to shift into a more practical form. It was rare that the hybrid chose to downshift entirely--border etiquette, however, had demanded that she do so. Both of her parents spent the majority of their time in bipedal form, as hands were certainly useful when it came to human tools and combat. Now, she trotted off quickly in the direction of her belongings which had been stashed somewhere just outside of the borders. As she moved, her body seemed to take on an unearthly transformation, and she grew in size. Once she reached her satchel, she took a seat and completed the shifting process. Now in a crouch, she rose easily to two feet and snatched up her bag in one hand.
One coyote-like ear flicked and she embraced the sound of nothing. Now further from the shore, the perpetual crash of the waves was nothing more than a dull drone in the background. Quickly, she decided she liked it this way. Gabriel had mentioned a human city to the south, and Matrix's oddly coloured eyes turned toward the sky. Grey clouds enveloped the earth, and she could see nothing. Even the sun's position was impossible to pinpoint. With a somewhat annoyed huff, the young girl reached into her bag and fished out an old compass. Now picking the right direction was trivial, and she began the trek to the other half of Inferni's territory. As she walked, she produced a small colourful piece of hand-crafted glass from her bag, as well as a dirty bic lighter and a small container. Taking a pinch of the container's contents and putting it in the pipe, she heaved a content sigh. Her fingers were narrow, a gift from her father's richer coyote heritage. Flicking the lighter expertly, Matrix walked down the treeline toward the city, leaving a trail of smoke and the stench of burnt marijuana behind her.
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I didn't read the beginning of your post. Lith doesn't know about the history of Inferni. But maybe someone else can come along and explain it to both of them? :/
Heaving a sigh, the gray woman lifted herself from her sandy seat. Had she fallen asleep? Yes, she must have; the sky was darker and the tide had come closer. Grumbling and dusting herself off, Lith looked to the sky, but could not determine the time. It was the second day being of Inferni, and she had not met any other members other than on her acceptance day. That fact didn't disturb her. The craving of solitude was in the nature of the coyote species. Plus, she didn't really care.
Grabbing her "bookbag," as the humans used to call it, the stargazer abandoned the beach and headed for the far end of the territory. As she walked, she ran her silvery fingers through her contrasting black hair. Lith, though usually even-tempered, hated loosing time. She had planned to explore as much as she could of Inferni, while seeking out an ideal spot for a den. The nap, though needed, complicated things. Sighing, the woman wandered farther from the beach to the outskirts of the clan, making her way among the trees. After a while of slow ambling, an enticing scent came to her. It was familiar, but she couldn't place it. It was obviously a burning plant, but the name escaped her. Moving with a destination in mind, though not necessarily quickening her pace, Lith headed toward the scent.
Another figure came into view soon enough, traveling at a separate angle than the woman's, though going in the same general direction. It was another female coyote, also with a bag and a pipe. She expected the pipe from the smell of the burning plant, or else a cigarette. Among the smell of the smoke was the scent of Inferni, so she determined that the other was a member as well. As the distance between them closed, the gray lady wondered why she had never taken to smoking. Instead of speaking when the two were walking in close proximity, the woman simply observed the other with her cold blue eyes.
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No worries, I have plenty of time for her to learn stuff. :o Meeting clan members is also good. ^^
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Matrix almost always knew when she was being followed. Sometimes a little backtracking was necessary, if the stalker chose to remain concealed, but this time only a quick glance over her shoulder confirmed the presence of somebody else. A quick glance wasn't enough to ensure safety, but the she-wolf decided the black and grey lady was non-threatening. It was probably a clan member just trying to see who she was.
Although relaxed (even through the mild paranoia), she found it odd that the other canine never made an attempt to speak to her. Hm. The other's footsteps had grown in volume, and Matrix now turned her head directly to gaze upon the other coyote. A simple dip of her head was offered in greeting (for she was ultimately fine with silence, as long as nothing else seemed "off"), and she was quick to obey the rules of stoner etiquette. After she was done taking a long drag on her pipe, she held it out with her hand as an offering of sorts. Time to pass the peace pipe, eh?
Exhaling slowly, a cloud of white smoke appeared in front of her face and she continued to walk along through it. How did they take to drug use in these parts, anyway? The darkly coloured female had yet to assail her with a flurry of questions, so presumably she knew what the burning plant was, as well as its uses. If not, the other 'yote was certainly old enough to make her own decisions, and Matrix didn't have to worry about "corrupting the youngin's," so to speak.
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Lith was not a particularly vocal creature, so to remain silent upon a first meeting was common of her. This attribute was not due to shyness, or a lack of confidence. The gray woman chose not to speak at first to better assess her counterpart, something she had take to doing during her war days, when anyone could have been the enemy. However, the other lady was obviously not an enemy, as she was of the same clan, but habit kept the stargazer silent.
When the stranger offered her the smoking pipe, the gray lady's brow rose inconsequentially, but she took it after a moment's pause. The smell of the burning plant stung her nose, but it did not bother her necessarily. With a nod of thanks, Lith slipped the mouthpiece between her teeth and inhaled slowly before extending it back to her counterpart. Resisting the faint urge to cough, she let the smoke circulate in her lungs, then exhaled through her nose. Interesting. Her head swam slightly, but she gave a quiet, contented sigh. The effect reminded her of the weed she had smoked while wandering north, though this particular plant was slightly different.
"What's in the chamber?" asked the woman, speaking after she had cleared her lungs of the smoke. Lith was not well educated in the field of botany, but she knew her basic plants. Though, she doubted the weed burning in the pipe was a basic plant.
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Out of the corner of her eye, Matrix watched as the other took a hit. It seemed to go smoothly enough, and Matrix smiled a little inwardly. She knew that the pipe had as much to do with it as anything else, and she was rather proud of her handiwork. It hit smoothly, and it worked with a werewolf's paws. The existing human pipes served mostly as an inspiration for the piece--they were certainly not idealised for a werewolf's construction. That, and the colours of the piece were beautiful. Thin lines of blue, green, and yellow swirled about a deep, black core. Here, the inspiration could be found in any puddle or mirror.
The question caught Matrix slightly off-guard, if only because it hadn't come sooner. Wasn't it a little weird to ingest any substance without knowing about it first? To each their own; perhaps Lith simply assumed it was safe because she just saw Matrix doing it herself. This was generally entirely logical and reasonable, so long as you weren't dealing with a maniac. "It's marijuana," she said simply. "But if you mean the chemical that causes the high, it's called THC," she said, with a slight shrug. She didn't know a whole hell of a lot more about it than that, and she doubted either of them needed to. The effect was still the same, and she was always ready to embrace it.
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Without a sound.
Lith was not afraid of dying, simply because she had nothing to live for. This idea was considered foolish by a few others who were exposed to this kind of thinking, but only because they could not comprehend it. It did not mean that the gray lady was "depressed" or "suicidal;" she could see nothing in life that could be better or worse than dying, and vice versa. So, if Illuvatar chose to take her, that would be that. Death was just another great adventure, after all.
Ah, she had heard of marijuana. In the war, (though she had seen many, there was only one that earned the right to be called a war) soldiers who required amputations or complicated surgeries were given marijuana to stay the pain. She could recall the most stolid of warriors, even her own general, grinning and giggling at the sight of their arms strapped down, needles and knives cutting into their flesh. It had been unnerving. The stargazer had needed several stitches throughout her war career, though she had refused the drug. The pain had been nauseating, but she took it over the dishonor. However, as this was not war-time, and she had no injuries, she could see no harm in trying the drug now.
Coming out of her sudden inverse reprieve, Lith's deep-set eyes flickered back to the other woman. "Who are you?" she asked calmly, as if one would ask 'what is your name?' A human once wrote that "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," and the coyote woman agreed. While her own name held true to who she was, she didn't expect other names to do the same. 'Who are you?' seemed to harvest more information that a simple name, though that theory did not always prove true. She would soon find out which applied.
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Matrix's views on life and death were stubborn, extremely complete (in her mind), and fairly miserable. To some extent, she believed that subscribing to the belief in a god or an afterlife was an act of weakness--it was for those who couldn't deal with the fact that this miserable life was really the start and end of it. Alternatively, she couldn't blame anybody else for not wanting to "open their eyes" to the truth. Most couldn't even handle it. Maybe nobody could, herself included. Maybe that was why she used the drugs to dull her mental pain--religion was not her opiate, as it was for the masses. She just cut out the middle man, but in the end she was just as weak as everybody else. Fuck. She chose to rationalise that she was somewhat better, though, for at least she saw everything as it was and didn't try to deny it entirely.
Regardless, she was quick to get lost in her own thoughts. The other's voice brought her back down to earth, and she noted the subtle irregularity of the question. Unsure of whether or not this was intentional, she decided it didn't matter--her answer wouldn't change much, anyway. Matrix wasn't really one to enjoy deep discussions, especially with strangers. It just seemed awkward. "I'm Matrix Thirteen; my mother grew up in this area, so I decided to check it out." This was the same information she had given Gabriel. "Apparently there is a city this way?" she asked, steering the conversation in a slightly different (and less personal) direction. Who knew; maybe this stranger could show her around. She didn't know where anything was at this point--food, fresh water, shelter. There was just a damned beach that she knew she wanted to mostly stay away from.
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Without a sound.
Lith, with a crooked smile, noticed that the other didn't ask her name in return. She was fine with being an enigma for the moment. The gray woman had never heard the name, and doubted she ever heard of Matrix's mother either. But names were important around the area, what with all the families that thrived (somewhat) there. As much as the stargazer knew of names and reputations, she didn't know a thing about the territory. Staring in the direction of the green-eyed woman's guesture, Lith gave a one-shouldered shrug.
"I wouldn't know," she informed her counterpart, grasping the straps of her bag. "I haven't been here that long." And Matrix obviously hadn't either. But the idea of a city intrigued her. Was there a civilized city in the land of Bleeding Souls? It didn't seem likely, but she was interested all the same. If the two didn't set off and explore it that day (which Lith wasn't much up for doing) then she would go off and visit it some other time.
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Oof, goddamn. Sorry. -Tries to catch up now that finals week is over, especially since she has to go on vacation in a couple of days.- e_e;
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Matrix felt a vague sense of disappointment that the other clan member could not tell her more. Quickly it passed, however, as she dismissed it as unimportant. She could find the city on her own, anyway--and as for Inferni's history, she really had no connections or strong ties either way. Really, everybody ought to have been grateful that she even knew the name of this place.
"Hm, well, I'm going there now. You're more than welcome to accompany me, if you wish. Maybe we'll find fresh water along the way." Although she would never beg for company, she had to admit she didn't mind the idea of another living being walking beside her. After all, she had been travelling by herself for nearly two months before she arrived at Bleeding Souls.
Matrix took another hit off of her pipe, then coughed slightly and scowled at the bowl's contents. Only white ash remained, and she blew across the top to empty the foul-tasting and useless contents. "You good, or do you want some more?" she asked, feeling strangely generous. At this point, her head was swimming, and she realised she would probably be content no matter what they did.
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oops, sorry for the wait! this is a bit sloppy.
Without a sound.
To Matrix's invitation, Lith said nothing. She assumed they had a ways to go yet, so she would have enough time to make up her mind, unless the weed did that for her. Like her counterpart, the dark woman was not tied to Bleeding Souls through strong connections; no part of her family ever lived here. But, she knew the name of the infamous clan through other wayward warriors like herself. Whether they were previous clan members, victims of its tyranny, or just passing a story along, most spoke of Inferni with awe. Eventually the stories sparked some curiosity in the stargazer's heart.
The plant was taking its full effect on the woman. Lith was not used to the plant at all, so the one hit was potent. A vague sort of smile was present on her face as she turned to the green-eyed lady beside her. "More?" the woman repeated, furrowing her brows. "No, I think once was quite enough. I am obliged, though." To her then, the city seemed like an interesting place to go. But she would consider herself a fool before long.
"I've never smoked before," she confessed, turning away from Matrix and peering about the landscape. She was feeling oddly divulgatory.
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Matrix, oddly, knew little of Inferni's reputation. Gabriel had tried to warn her about "the wolves in these parts," but the girl was raised in a much different environment. In her "world," coyotes, wolves, dogs, and varying hybridisations of all ran amok. Judgements based upon species were illogical to her. To her, it made much more sense to judge an individual--she had met just as many nasty wolves as nasty coyotes, and just as many neutral folks, too. Really bubbly, happy canines seemed rare in general.
Of course, certain drugs could make anybody a little happier. The other's confession made a sloppy grin appear on her face, and she couldn't help but laugh a little. She wasn't laughing at the fact that the stranger had never smoked--anything might strike her as amusing, at this point. "Oh no? I can't say it's the best habit," she said. What was that line? Moderation in all things? It was definitely decent advice, but she had problems following it herself. "I have problems falling asleep now without it, but I still enjoy the effect. It's very relaxing. Makes you care a little less about how stupid everything is." Realising she was babbling somewhat, she did her best to close her mouth. "So what should I call you, stranger?" By now, the dark coyote's face was imprinted in her mind. Only now did it make sense to try to match a name with that face.
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Without a sound.
Oh, how very alike these women were. Lith was ignorant to the policies of these coyotes, but she would learn soon enough. She would accept the rules and uphold the traditions, but she would not agree with them. The grey lady had no animosity towards any other canine species, though she was raised in an all-coyote clan. Normally, she judged creatures primarily by the way they fought, and then if they were intelligent enough to respect the beings around them. However, since there was no way (at the moment) to inspect Matrix doing either, the potent plant told her that the swirly-eyed woman was good.
The dark coyote returned the silly grin with one of her own. "Lith Ia," she declared, tossing her head. "It's Sindarin, meaning 'ash' and 'abyss.' A family name." This trifle of information was spoken proudly; though she had left her tribal life behind, she still revered her heritage. Or, perhaps it was just the drug talking.
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xD. This thread amuses me.
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Like any other social creature, Matrix understood that societies came with their own rules and regulations. Like any other intelligent creature, Matrix also understood that all laws were to be taken with a grain of salt. As much as she might not like to admit it, perhaps the wolf or dog in her made her desire canine companionship. To be accepted, she had to submit to certain guidelines. At the same time, her predominantly coyote blood (and her thick head strong will) enabled her to survive just fine on her own. Chance encounters with other wanderers might be enough to satiate her social desires, but why not have something better? Regardless, she certainly didn't intend to go inviting random wolves (or anybodies) onto claimed soil--that just seemed like a given. Any trespassers would probably be ordered to leave, but unless there was "due cause," Matrix wasn't inclined to attack, but rather to escort to the door.
"Sindarin?" she asked, allowing genuine curiosity to creep into her voice. That was not one she had heard before--it wasn't Spanish, Italian, German, French, or Russian. One thing that occasionally perturbed her was her general ignorance when it came to other languages. She knew enough to recognise the sounds of certain ones, and even key words and phrases, but that was the extent of it. "I don't know where my name came from," she mused. "'Thirteen' is taken from my mother's name, but I'm pretty sure it was either acquired or self-proclaimed." Twilight had never really told anybody her birth name. She hadn't told her mate, and she had not told her only daughter. Matrix understood enough of her mother's past to forgive the repressed memories, however.
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sorry! D:
there's no excuse for such a long delay.
uhm. do you want to continue going with this thread, or fade to black with lith prattling on about the 'history of the world?'
Without a sound.
Lith had never really lived alone. In her birth tribe, she had been surrounded by family and comrades. When that had become too much, she had left by herself, traveling alone until she came upon another tribe. Their lifestyles and priorities were aligned with her's, so she stayed, making "friends" and learning new things. After a while, it became boring to the woman, and she left again, wandering and settling down a third time further north than she had ever been. These canines, wolves and coyotes and dogs, were the most belligerent creatures she had encountered, but Lith had somehow fit right in. There she remained for a year, fighting in their wars and climbing their complex rank system. When peace was finally achieved, she left, alone again, to find herself in another radical clan. Yet, instead of war, there was only a group of jaded mutts babysitting a myriad of children while prejudice roamed freely among them. Lith, however, wasn't thinking at all about these things.
"Sindarin," she said airily, "was the language of the Sindar, the Teleri which were left behind on the Great Journey of the Elves. My tribe speaks it, as well as Quenya." Perhaps if her head were more clear, Lith would have known that Matrix wouldn't know what she meant by 'Sindar,' and 'Teleri.' She certainly wouldn't have spoken so freely of her tribe, either. Ah, but that is the way things are. And by the end of their conversation, the Thirteen woman would probably know more about the gray lady than Lith would like.
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Sure, we can fade off. ^^ And don't worry, Matrix doesn't think she's too crazy. XD
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Strange terms were described by stranger ones, and even sober, Matrix would not have been able to follow. For a few moments the words looped over and over in her head, but sooner than later, Lith's voice echoing in her mind became jumbled and incoherent. Eventually, only one word was left: elves. Elves? Why on earth did she speak the language of a fantastical race that didn't exist? How could they have a language?? Her immediate instinct was to ask these questions, but she bit her tongue and offered a baffled "Oh," instead. For all she knew, this was some sort of spin on the global concept of "religion," and she knew that it often wasn't best for her to challenge those that wanted to believe in nonsensical things with logic. Fair enough. At the very least, Lith wouldn't have to worry about divulging any great secrets--Matrix could hardly comprehend them, much less remember them.
"Well, I always thought it was neat when others could speak more than one language," she offered. "I can recognise some and choke out a few key phrases in others, but that's about it." Linguistics were something that had always interested her, but she didn't figure she had the time to study them properly. That being the case, any investment was likely to go to waste, so she decided not to bother at all. "I know that language itself can change perception, though," she babbled on. "My father spoke a few very old dialects, and he said in some they don't even distinguish between blue and green--there's only one word for either of the two. Strange, don't you think?" Ah, the musings of the hazy-minded could go on for hours, and perhaps they would. Maybe it would bring them closer, too. It was a distant sort of bond that formed amongst fellow users--sometimes, Matrix simply believed she couldn't fit in anywhere else. For now, the hybrid was content to wonder if they might become friends, strange elvish ideas or not.
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