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indent The snow was falling at a steady pace, more slowly than not. This felt strange, for Kansas had expected the snow to be as harsh as it had been a few nights ago - blizzard-like. He’d always pictured winter as being a horrid, dark, and gloomy time: when life was rare, melancholy where it did exist. But really, it was just a lot of snow and cold, and he could live with both. Everyone could; they had to. And since they did, winter was not nearly as terrible as he’d guessed. Now, Clouded Tears… this place was really terrible. The trees made everything appear darker, and the snow had piled up at their bases; with their frequency, he had a hard time maneuvering his small body around them.
indent And this fog! He’d never seen anything like it before. He was having a hard time seeing – but, of course, had had chosen the wrong time to try out his parents’ new addition to the list of things he and his siblings were allowed to do – visiting Clouded Tears. It was dawn, and the sky was still a dismal blue-gray; coupled with the mist, it was not easy to see where he was going. He was happy about his newfound freedom – he just didn’t understand himself sometimes; why he chose to do such stupid things. It was because Firefly wasn’t around. Without his sister, it seemed to the cream-gold boy that he had only half a brain.
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[html] Hii! 
She asked him again. "Where does it hurt?", trying to get a more specific answer. Sometimes birds were the hardest to communicate with. Their minds worked so differently than wolves...they were more flighty, and hyper. Especially the smaller ones. She'd been trying to figure out what was wrong with this cardinal for more than an hour; first he said that he had chest pain, then pain in his wings. Maybe he'd slept in an odd position, or something, and was sore from it.
"Wings, wings hurt. Hurt! Naniko sighed. So much for a better answer. "Do your...shoulders hurt? Above your wings. Does it hurt to fly?" The bird immediately perked up, nodding its head quickly. "yes yes, hurts to fly." Ah. So this was probably just a shoulder sprain. She asked the cardinal if both hurt, or just one, recieving another affirmation. Both. "I'm going to give you some of these ground-up sunflower seeds. They're mixed with medicine that will make you feel better. Eat all of it, and I'll come back tomorrow to see if it still hurts to fly"
She put the little bag of birdseed into the hollow beside where the cardinal sat then closed her backpack, putting it up on her shoulders. She'd been doing this for months now, working to help the wolves and creatures that lived in the mists of Clouded Tears. She had a sort of a clinic set up in her den, and she mixed all of her own medicines.
Naniko started out toward the border, travelling quickly and easily through the mists and snow. The fog was here most every morning around this time, right when the sun was coming up, and usually dissapeared by mid-morning. On particularly wet days, though, the fog tended to stick around for longer. In any case she was used to moving around in it, and knew the territory, even when blinded by the mist.
There was something she wasn't prepared for, which she found a few moments later. A stranger. Naniko knew that she would be hard to see, with both the mists and the snow to camoflauge her, but it still made her worry.
"...Hello?"
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Hi!
indent He was oddly not having too much trouble moving through the snow itself. Of course, he was nowhere near his adult size - especially since he would be quite large as a fully-grown wolf – but, small as he was, his chest was getting deeper and his legs were lengthy. He was a strong child, and didn’t tire too easily from the constant barreling through snow and pouncing through drifts. But he’d paused when the residual scent of past wanderers that signified the borders faded, and the stronger aroma of the members of this pack began. He knew that he mustn’t wander past this invisible line, so there he stopped, knowing that he was nonetheless very close to it.
indent Surprisingly, it was not long at all before the noise of footsteps filled his ears; they swiveled forward to capture the sounds of the approaching wolf, and from the pattern of the footstep thuds, he guessed that this was a bipedal creature. This was ever-exciting; he loved seeing how the shifted wolves moved, and the objects they sometimes carried with them.
indentAnd he saw that this girl, as she appeared, had straps around her shoulders – a backpack. Oh, and what did she have in it? He felt questions beginning to form in his mind, and he stood straighter, preparing for her arrival. When she was close enough, he tucked his ears against his head and looked up at her with many-hued blue eyes. She was so pretty – white with eyes like sparkling emeralds. Admiration made him smile, though he knew he was lesser and he returned fearfully with an answer to her question. H-hello. I’m sorry for… tres… trespassing. You are ver' pwetty. He just had to say it. She had to hear it from him.
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[html] Puppy cruuusshhh
It was strange...that they had the same mother. Well, not exactly, since Naniko had been Iskata's adopted daughter, but it was close. She'd been taken in by the big white wolf when she had been a tiny pup, abandoned by her parents in Chimera. Iskata had raised her for part of her life, about two months, and in that time she had two other puppies-Davinci and Magdalena. Those were Naniko's adopted brother and sister. Her siblings dissapeared, though, soon after they were old enough to leave the den...and Iskata went looking for them. She came back with Davinci, the young male pup, and left him with Naniko, dissapearing again.
Nani had tried her hardest to raise Davinci right, but she'd been barely more than a pup herself. And a few months down the road, she'd had to let him go. He had wanted to leave, to go and see if he could find their sister. But he'd promised to come back. Iskata, she had never heard from again. She had tried to find her adopted mother, and had located her...but Iskata had been insane. She had only seen her once after that, and it was in Storm, with her new family.
The kind wolf frowned when she saw what was making that smell, a strong Storm scent...a pup. It seemed that more and more of them were coming her way, all from Storm! She'd met Karin and Serene so far, and now this one. How many pups did they /have/ over there in Storm?
"You aren't tresspassing yet, dearie" She said, setting her heavy pack down on the ground, "But it's pretty close. You're lucky that it's I that came here to greet you--I wonder what Laruku would have done. And...thank you." Gosh, each pup that she met was so different from the others. This one was a boy, where the other two had been girls. He seemed to be learning how to talk, still. "I'm Naniko--the healer here. This place is Clouded Tears; the lands of mist. Did you come to explore them, Storm-pup?"
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Aw!  And sorry for the wait - and it's short again.
indent It always amazed Kansas how everyone was so interconnected. And, it would seem, such was the case with this girl. He didn’t know it yet, but he was related even to her. Had he known that this was his adoptive sister, he would definitely have been surprised. It was much the same as it had been with Tayui, that interesting leader of Jaded Shadows with the intimidating eyes - such a nice lady, though. She'd known many Sadiras. He grinned shyly at his adoptive sister, still a bit frightened and ashamed for feeling attracted to her, even in this young-boy-way.
indentHe was shivering now, even though she had reassured him. This Laruku must be a scary person, the boy thought, not daring to imagine what would have happened to him. He wondered if he would have been eaten, or something abhorrent like that. No matter – she was here to watch over him, and if anyone saw him there he could always run away. Embarrassed of his baby talk, even though it was improving, he answered her. Okay… I-I can a’ways leave ‘f y’want. I’m Kansas Sadira. Yeah, I’m ‘sploring. Ah, he’d nailed his name! Lands of… of mists? Is that what this foggy stuff is?
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[html] No worries
She had thought about visiting Storm a few times, to see how Iskata was doing...but had always chickened out. She'd heard that Iskata'd had pups with the alpha there, Phoenix, one of her father Physe's old friends. Physe had lived in Storm before, too, once...he'd had some sort of a relationship with the ex-alpha there, Gibraltar. Ever since Physe had died she hadn't really had a reason for going up there. Every time she did she expected him to still be there, waiting for her at the borders. Naniko came out of her thoughts abruptly, looking down at the young Sadira boy. "Oh, no, it's okay! I don't mind at all. It's been a while since I've seen another Sadira; I was one for a little while. People used to tell me that I looked exactly like Mom-Iska, though we weren't exactly related by blood." She smiled, hefting her pack back up onto her shoulders. "Come on in--family's welcomed here any time. If anybody gives you trouble for coming over here, tell them that you know Naniko." She motioned for him to follow, turning to start into the fog. "Yes--the fog comes from the lake. Whether it's hot or cold outside, there always seems to be some fog hanging around. Especially at an early time like this. There isn't any fog in Storm? I've only been there a couple of times."Naniko had a habit of speaking to youngsters like they were adults. She could remember being that little, and having people speak to her like she was a baby...she'd hated that. Iskata had always spoken to her like an adult.
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Same as last time. Almost a WEEK this time. Gawd, I’m slow; I'm so sorry.
i can't stop running away.
He had noticed that she treated him like an adult, and it boosted his confidence, even just for now. He felt intelligent and important with this pretty girl talking to him like he was all grown up. It caused his face to bloom with a wide smile, and he wished he could tell her that she had put it there. His small jaw dropped when she said the part about his being “another” Sadira; what did that mean? And as she explained, he felt a little embarrassed for having not recognized that they were partially related. Maybe she, just like Moon and Sun, had been adopted, and that was why he’d never really been told about her before.
He wished she had been mentioned to him before now – even though he’d just met her, she seemed like someone Kansas could become friends with. "Oh, I will, I will," he said excitedly – he’d love to be able to tell a stranger he knew this smart and beautiful girl! He wanted to ask her exactly what kind of siblings they were, but she went on to tell him about fog. He shook his head a little, hoping he hadn’t confused her or anything. "No, I know what fog is – I jus’ di’nt know that it was also called ‘mist.’ I like mist better, though, sounds prettier."
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wow, I accidentally edited this post into the next post that I was going to make! Sorry about that!! I wish I could remember what I had here!
The Clouded Tears pack wasn't anything like the pack north of them. Naniko didn't see her packmates very often at all, and when they did eventually have a pack meeting there was always people missing, with others taking thier place. She made relationships with them, but sometimes it seemed useless...they dissapeared soon enough. She'd learned that it was better to not get too close to them unless she had to. Even the pups left, sometimes.
She grinned back at Kansas as they entered the den, hearing his small comment. The last wolf other than herself that had been here had been Conri, back when she had been raising her younger brother Davinci. After that they'd made their own den and moved away. Now that Conri was missing...presumed dead...she had moved back to her old living place. This old, haunting willow.
"There are some sticks in the back, nice dry ones. Could you get them for me? You have to always use dry stuff when you want to make a fire. Good stuff to start with is little twigs and sticks, straw, and dry grass. Also, if you can get it, paper from books is good, too" She put her backpack down, getting out the two fire stones that she always used.
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Thanks; I really like yours, too!
i can't stop running away.
He smiled when she agreed with him, giving himself kudos for having made an intelligent statement. The shy boy actually congratulated himself often for doing things that made sense – so much about being a youngster just didn’t. He tended to put himself down more often than some his age did, but he did feel pride, and perhaps this would swell to make him a more stable and confident wolf than anyone in his family expected. He envied the girl he was following at the moment – she was so… smooth; he couldn’t think of any other word that properly described her. And kind, and pretty… he could go on and on.
But it was soon that they came upon a den-site; he hadn’t realized where she was taking him, he was just proud to be following her - this girl who was probably very well known among her pack mates. The willow tree looked odd, like it was trying to live but failing terribly. He spent a few seconds just staring at it, wisps of smoke drifting from the top. "Woah," he whispered in childish awe. She led him inside, where there were piles of rocks that held fires when she wanted them. At her suggestion, a huge smile erupted on his face – building a fire! What would Papa say about that? He’d be so proud.
"Yeah! I mean, sure, that sounds really great." He looked around as if this could tell him what steps he should take to help her. "What kinds of un-dangerous stuffs can I do?"
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The Clouded Tears pack wasn't anything like the pack north of them. Naniko didn't see her packmates very often at all, and when they did eventually have a pack meeting there was always people missing, with others taking thier place. She made relationships with them, but sometimes it seemed useless...they dissapeared soon enough. She'd learned that it was better to not get too close to them unless she had to. Even the pups left, sometimes.
She grinned back at Kansas as they entered the den, hearing his small comment. The last wolf other than herself that had been here had been Conri, back when she had been raising her younger brother Davinci. After that they'd made their own den and moved away. Now that Conri was missing...presumed dead...she had moved back to her old living place. This old, haunting willow.
"There are some sticks in the back, nice dry ones. Could you get them for me? You have to always use dry stuff when you want to make a fire. Good stuff to start with is little twigs and sticks, straw, and dry grass. Also, if you can get it, paper from books is good, too" She put her backpack down, getting out the two fire stones that she always used.
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♥
i can't stop running away.
To him, all packs were the same – there was an able, strong leader who watched over his or her pack with an open heart. The pack members were friendly, solid and faithful – and only left their home if they had a very good reason. Like his brother and sister had. Sun had gone away because she had wanted to find out more about herself. What that meant, Kansas had no idea – but he did know that his brother had gone after her. And that was certainly a great reason, especially since Kansas knew Moon cared deeply about their sister.
So what he expected Clouded Tears to be like was exactly what he thought Storm was. But somehow, with the swirling mist and mysterious air of the place, he felt like he was wrong there. Well, Naniko seemed happy, so it couldn’t be anything terrible, could it?
He listened carefully to her instructions, even taking a careful moment afterward to repeat in his mind what she had said, so he would get it right and not disappoint her. He tilted his nose when he was sure he had it right and slipped toward the back of the den, searching in the dim light for the dry sticks she’d mentioned. He found them quickly and picked them up in his mouth, keeping his jaws spread apart so that the sticks would stay dry. He carted them back to his new companion and placed them in the pit. "Oh… was that right?" he wondered, hoping she hadn’t had anything else planned for the twigs before she lit them.
"And you use books… because their usually real dry? I wish I could read…I mean…"
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"Yep, that's right!" She answered, grinning. She really did love being around little ones; she could remember all the good times she'd had when she had been young, and she tried to remake those memories for the young ones that she met. Who had it been...who had taught her to read? Physe? Maybe. He had known how to read, that was for sure. She could remember learning it alongside somebody...maybe Dierdre, or someone. Physe had been a really good teacher, slow and patient. It had made her into an even better reader. And then she, in turn, had taught Conri all about reading.
"I forget sometimes that not everybody knows how" She admitted, smiling halfheartedly at him. "I was taught by my adopted father Physe, back when he was leading Chimera and Aremys. They were two packs that used to exist, back when I was a young one like you." It would be hard for Kansas to learn how to read books, becaus he wasn't shifted, but there were ways to turn pages without using hands, she supposed. She'd always managed, before she had learned how to shift. "If you can become a werewolf, later in life, it will be easier. But you can still learn now--I learned it when I was your age. I could...teach you, if you want?"
Naniko nodded approvingly at the materials that Kansas put onto the pile, getting her two rocks out and holding them over the little mound of sticks and straw. "For the fire, first, though--all that you have to do is take these two rocks and click them together really hard, right above the tinder. The tinder is the stuff that we just put down there--stuff that will light easily. If you try for long enough..." She paused, clicking the stones together, "It'll light" The stuff started to turn black, curling at the ends, the small pile lighting up in a few moments.
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i can't stop running away.
He felt like there was something wrong with expressing his wishes to read. He couldn’t identify exactly what that was, but there was a bit of guilt associated with just up and complaining about something like that. He left this consideration behind for a moment while he listened to her talk – she told him about an adopted father, and two packs he had never heard of. It seemed like he was always learning new things about his home. First, that it was not the whole world. Then, that there were other packs beyond Storm. And now that Bleeding Souls had a history, places and people that used to exist and that were connected to him now.
He smiled, nodded. "I like your daddy’s name… Physe," he whispered with the randomness of a child. But she was saying something else, and it was then that he learned why he felt guilty about telling her he wanted to read. It was like he was asking for her to teach him, which was a disrespectful and demanding thing of him to do! But the excitement he felt at her offer lit up his entire face, and his eyes widened in awe and thanks. "You… you would do that? Really? Oh, thank you Naniko!" His tail wagged excitedly. He felt like running toward her and embracing her, but that was carrying it a little too far.
He continued to beam at her as he watched her strike the two pieces of flint together until sparks flew and the “tinder” ignited. "It’s like magic…" Maybe it was.
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Her time was often stretched out, with helping all of the animals around Clouded Tears and a few of the wolves....but she could make more time for this. It was important; education was one of the most important things to her. Only with education could somebody advance on, learn more and gain more knowledge. There were books and books in the library, but what good were those books unless you could read them?
She had never had such an enthusiastic response before; it made her want to start right away. Why not now? Naniko, now assured that the fire would keep going (she fed it a few bigger pieces of wood), went to the back of the den, digging through a few things. They'd have to start with the alphabet, with each individual letter and how each one sounded. She returned with a slate and a piece of chalk, sitting down cross-legged next to the fire.
"It seems like magic...even now. The fire. If you want, I can give you a few of the stones that I use--I have lots of extras--and you could take them back with you. I have an extra bag, too, one that you would be able to carry on your back. But you don't have to take any of the stones if you don't want to--you wouldn't be able to really use them for a few months, unless you become a werewolf" She started to write out letters on the slate, making a nice, neat row of them. She went through the entire alphabet, beginning to explain the sounds behind each letter, very slowly.
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i can't stop running away.
A little abashed of his excited and therefore rushed response, his cheeks flushed, giving the creamy fur there a pinkish glow. He wondered if it was odd of him to actually want to learn how to read – did most children think it a terrible waste of time? Should he be busying himself with more boyish and assertive activities, like fighting and hunting (both of which he was not at all skilled at)? He supposed he thought that maybe, if he came home with a new skill acquired, be it anything, his parents would be proud and his siblings envious. He’d stand out a little – and aside from that, reading was something he was absolutely positive that he would enjoy.
He watched her reach into the depths of her den, touchingly eager to teach him. He felt himself grinning with anticipation – he didn’t know what to expect, and it was oh! so exciting. He watched the fire swirl and flare until she returned with a slate and chalk in hand. That would be great. I can’t wait to show them to Momma and Papa, even if I can’t practice just yet. With the happy prospect of showing new and therefore impressive objects to his parents, he smiled happily and settled down next to Naniko, his eyes carefully following the delicate lines she created with her hand. Every once and awhile, he asked a question – it was confusing, but he thought that maybe, just maybe, he could do something that would cause his pride to swell, which was a good thing.
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