joining - dwindle, peak, and pine
#1
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.......OOC Name: Sace

.......Preferred method of contact: PM

.......Character Name: Hemming Raðúlfr

.......Character Age: 4 years

.......Character Gender: Male

.......Regular Wolf or Luperci: Luperci

.......How did you hear about 'Souls?: I played here a couple of years ago

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY


.......He was lost off in some other world, his feet hitting the dry soil haphazardly as he plodded along, waving his finger in the air around his head. Eyes closed, he exclaimed in the best a feminine voice he could muster, "Come, come, come, come, give me your hand. What's done cannot be undone!" The gray wolf had been reciting lines from various sources since he had watched his backpack, filled with books and some gizmos he had collected, slip over the edge of a cliff and plunge deep into the Atlantic. Unfortunately, though he would never forget the precise number of To bed!s uttered by Lady MacBeth, the wolf had never been a strong swimmer. It was fortunate, however, that he was fully aware of where his weaknesses lied.

.......Though Hemming was not sure how far he had wandered - through charred lands that were beginning to be reborn, through mountain ranges, through forests and fields - he knew he had made his way through A Tale of Two Cities, The Importance of Being Earnest, Don Quixote, and was now almost finished MacBeth. Perhaps he would be ambitious and tackle War and Peace next, or maybe Il barbiere di Siviglia, his favorite opera. Convinced that he would never see those words printed on paper again, he was absolutely dedicated to repeating them as many times as possible. He hadn't really thought about obtaining new copies of the books, fearing that any thinking devoted to anything else would cause him to immediately forget everything he had ever read. It was a terrifying thought.

.......In the distance, a fence was beginning to become evident, and beyond that was a collection of some shapes that the wolf could hardly make out. By Scene Four, Hemming was gently resting his hands on the fence, peering through at the animals inside. Distracted from his play, likely with no small influence from his stomach, he stared. As he wandered and walked, his flesh seemed to be melting off his bones, and the sight of these creatures uncovered a hunger that had long been buried by words. "How curious," he muttered, wondering if they were captive or simply happened to be grazing within the confines of the fence. However, he could smell a pack and knew that the lands within the fence did belong to someone.

.......Sighing, he started to walk again, parallel to the fence and with one hand occasionally settling upon it absent-mindedly. "I have almost forgotten the taste of fears; the time has been, my senses would have cool'd to hear a night-shriek..."

.......By Scene Seven he had reached a gap in the fencing. He stalled, looking in from behind where the fence would be if it were not absent, and mumbled under his breath, now, as if it was now important he was quiet. It smelled more strongly of other wolves here, and as he noticed this he took a half-step backwards. Hemming couldn't quite remember the last time he actually spoke to someone, and rather doubted his ability to maintain a conversation. Like his hidden hunger had appeared earlier as he gazed at the wapiti, a longing for interaction creeped up on him now. Though he had Charles Darnay, Algernon and MacBeth to keep him company, they were rather predictable. Finally the muttering had stopped, as Hemming paused in deliberation. An important decision was being made.

.......After a few moments of staring through the gap in the fence, he took another step back and sat down, cross-legged. A moment later he laid down, hands under his head. Staring at the silvered sky, he mouthed Scene Eight.

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#2
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Hi, welcome Smile



Dawali's eyes flashed to the eagle on his shoulder as he continued to scold her for her mental absence. It seemed the female bird refused to let him in on both her thoughts and her words, and she had not spoken a word since the encounter with Brennt. While he understood that she was quite shook up, he didn't see how it would be fair to torment him like this. Sure, he was used to being alone, and after Mischka had died and Asha had gone back to find her sister, he'd been alone but content, getting enough social input from his spirit guide to stay sane and feel well. The occasional run-in with the tribe members also helped, of course, and as he was the leader he could come and go and knock on doors as he pleased, with the excuse that "he just wanted to check if everything was all right". But now the bird's silence was making him annoyed - was it that hard to just... give him something? Anything? She'd changed so much - before she would come and go as she pleased, but at least speak with him. Now she was a never leaving weight on his shoulder, a wall of coldness and silence. He'd been speaking to her all day likes this, and now his feet carried him briskly along the border, his red furs bright-looking in the sun. I just don't see how there could be a point! I know you're stubborn, but couldn't you at least go away if you're not talking to me? What was the use of a spirit guide who only tormented you?


His voice was loud and clearly annoyed as he took his aggression out on the creature in the verbal medium, but as he cleared vegetation he came to an abrupt halt, faced with another new face. It was the third in one week, and though he was glad he was also slightly annoyed. He'd been speaking so loudly that the stranger must have heard most, if not all of it, as he was approaching. The stranger was lying by the border, relaxing, and unlike many others Dawali did not automatically assume that his intentions were not as good as the average person would like. Quite uncomfortable now, Dawali cleared his throat - both for attention and to rid himself of the awkwardness of the situation. Eh, hi there. I'm sorry about that... Can I help you? If Mischka or any of his daughters had seen him right then, they would have burst out laughing like madwomen - they all enjoyed his pained face when uncomfortable. Sort of like Gvihita used to take great pleasure when he got into trouble - but she was a different bird altogether lately. Dawali stood rank on his two legs as he looked at the stranger in the grass, waiting for an answer. He was uncomfortable, and it was very noticeable.




Table by James! thankyou<3
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#3
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.......Hi! Thanks Big Grin

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY


.......As Hemming finished reciting the final lines of MacBeth, he swung his finger in a flourish. He had been too caught up in his own words to notice the verbal frustration of someone else, but in the gap that would come between two works he picked up the end of a sentence from just a few paces away. He opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbows. The other creature was very close, and though this was a surprising bit of information that may have caused him, once upon a time, to scrabble to his feet and run away, he only stared a little.


.......What he saw before him he found quite intriguing; the man had a large bird on his shoulder! Hemming assumed that this was who he had been talking to, and wondered briefly if the bird was capable of speaking back. Had the lounging wolf heard any substantial amount of what the other wolf had said, he would have likely been more confused.


.......The other wolf had noticed him, and Hemming remained still, eyes flitting from the bird to the wolf to the ground. What was this pounding in his chest? The tightness in his neck? For the first time in years, Hemming felt nervous. He did not want to botch this. Smiling slightly as the other wolf apologised, he shrugged to indicate that whatever altercation he had overheard did not bother him in the least. As the conversation was pushed towards him, his nervousness gripped him more tightly and he began to wish that instead of finishing the last bit of MacBeth he had thought of something to say when someone showed up.


.......Before addressing the question the other had posed, he pulled himself up to his feet, nodding his head to acknowledge the other's authority. Surely it would be rude on his part to have a conversation while sprawled across the ground. "Hello. My name is Hemming, sir," he started, unsure of whatever protocols might exist for this situation. "These lands are settled by you and your family, I suppose. I would like to be part of a pack. Is there a place for me here?" The lanky wolf hunched his shoulders a little, a little displeased by what words came out and in which order, but knowing they were out and he was unable to reel them back in and rearrange them to his liking. He stared at the ground for a little bit, hoping the other would not find his choice of words as unfortunate as he did. Immersing himself in the classics, apparently, did nothing for his self-esteem.

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#4
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Relief washed over him as the awkwardness was easily disposed of with a simple shrug from the stranger, and for a moment Dawali mentally laughed at himself for being so nervous. After all, he was the one owning these lands, and the stranger was not. If anyone should be nervous it was not the sub-leader. The sentences that then spilled from him relaxed the red wolf further, for it was casual speaking and he enjoyed that the most. Sure, he could be formal, especially with greeting and such, and sometimes it was easier to cling to formality and its strengths, but most of the time he felt better with being at ease with everyone.

A slow smile spread itself on his lips, and although it was a mere polite gesture it was a genuine smile. He liked this male already - to be so casual and calm, at least that's how he seemed on the outside. Nodding as he agreed to his first sentence, Dawali took the chance to give some information about his tribe. The tribe that lives here was founded by Ayegali Kala, our chief. I am the one in charge these days however. He paused, his arm swinging out from his side as if he was showing some picturesque scenery, although it was just a fence and some bushes from where he'd come. The river was not viewable from here. There could be a place here for you - what do you think you could contribute with? Any particular arts you are crafty in? His tone was calm now, no nervousness left in him, and he stood leaning his weight on one foot, the arm on the opposite side bent to touch his other elbow. It was comfortable.



Table by James! thankyou<3
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#5
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.......The view from this precise place may not have been the most stunning sight in all the world, but already Hemming was warming up to it. The overcast sky refracted the sun just enough to make everything gently and evenly lit, and the wapiti in the distance definitely added something. Already the thin wolf was imagining what wonders might lie further into the territory, but his mental leash was pulled tight and he was reminded not to get too far ahead of himself. A faint smile danced upon his lips as he followed the other's arm across the countryside, and he gave a slight nod.


.......Hemming's eyes darted to the ground for a minute, almost bashfully, as he was asked to outline some of his strengths. "Ah, what could I contribute with? Always a difficult question, I think, to try to answer with the right amount of humility and yet without selling yourself short." Hemming scratched his chin a bit and looked back up to the other wolf. The eagle perched on his shoulder did not fail in snagging his attention for a moment.

.......After a few seconds of thought, he started, "I am a good reader, so I may learn arts described by humans in their books; I can apply many different plants to the treatment of various ailments; I can read the stars. I like to cook, but I am not yet very good at it. I think it's safe to say that I am dedicated to learning and improving." Saying these things made him feel strangely pretentious, and he continued with, "However, I must be upfront and tell you that I am not the most physically strong wolf; I struggle with hunting larger game and most of my food has been caught in traps, or, in the case of fish, with a spear or a net." Was it a good idea to say that? He wasn't sure, but it seemed fair. Once he stopped speaking he could hear his heart again, beating like an old war drum.

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#6
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It was a change, how this stranger spoke his thoughts aloud, with clear honesty. Most of the time people did not voice all their thoughts, but kept conversation to a superficial level. This was deeper, and comfortable. It was easier to trust someone who was willing to admit their flaws, and seemingly easily as well. His arms crossed, their red and white furs contrasting wildly when they met, similar to the belly and the back of a fox, but more rusty, more gray. His chin moved up and down in agreement as the other continued speaking, and Dawali sincerely appreciated the honesty. Ever since Leland had left he had been quite lonely, in the sense that he had no male friend to talk to about the more trivial things in life. Females stressed him, and Gvihita was silent - perhaps this one could prove to be a friend in time.


The skills listed were all contributions, as he did not know whether anyone else in AniWaya could read. The human knowledge was a well of opportunity, and Dawali was more than glad to reach out for them. Hemming could bring them closer to their tribe. And he was good with plants - another one they did not need to teach how to tend the crops. Excellent. When Hemming confessed his lack of brute strength, Dawali gave a small laugh, as if to say "don't worry". Still smiling, he opened his mouth to speak, and as he did so he gestured unknowingly with his hands, yellow gaze fixed on the male lying on the ground. All these skills are very valuable - I am a medic myself, and I know the uses of plants. We have only one of my kind in this tribe, and could use another. And I've always been curious as to what we can learn from the humans, although I cannot read myself. Pausing for a tiny moment, Dawali smiled again as he began the next sentence. As for your struggle with hunting large prey, you will be pleased to find that we hunt primarily with weapons and devices, and most of our hunters are not of the physically strongest kind. We use different means that simple brute strength to supply ourselves with food.



Table by James! thankyou<3
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#7
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.......Whether it was loneliness that caused him to open up or just being used to speaking every thought aloud whether or not someone was there, Hemming was finding their conversation a tiny bit easier than expected. The nature of the other male certainly helped to put the newcomer at ease, and any fidgeting he had tried to occupy by clenching and unclenching his toes was quickly dissipating. To live in the company of someone like this would certainly be nicer than living alone with only the company of his books, as he had done for most of his life. For only a brief period of time he had someone to bounce ideas off of, and surely that contributed greatly to personal growth and improved learning.


.......Hemming smiled more broadly as the more colorful wolf replied. What he was saying just made the smile etch itself deeper, and Hemming couldn't help but let a "Wonderful," slip out, followed by another smile. The tribe was sounding more and more wonderful as it was being described. "I could certainly try to teach you, and others, to read. I've lost all my books, but I saw city buildings while I was walking here - I'm not sure how far away - but it would be a safe bet they have libraries or universities with good books on various topics." The wolf smiled again, excited by the prospect.

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#8
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Maybe one more post and I guess we're done!



It seemed the other did indeed enjoy the thought of joining their ranks, and Dawali was glad to mentally add another number to the count. He had the willingness to learn and to share knowledge, and there was much respect to gain from such traits. The red wolf male kept smiling and nodding - his anger at the silent bird on his shoulder had evaporated, and in its place was a keen interest for this new member. And such a relief to be able to live through a conversation without worrying whether anyone hormones would carry them onto some rage trip. He knew it was not right to think that way, but he could not help it, when he spoke with females. It was better to talk to males, and Hemming proved that he was a comfortable counterpart in conversation, regardless of gender.


On the mention of a city, Dawali decided to prove that he, too, did have some knowledge of this. Although he never went there he knew where it was, sort of. He'd also seen some building-like things over the treetops when he'd visited Dahlia de Mai, perhaps that place also harbored some human secrets. Yes, there's a large city to the west - Halifax. And I believe the claimed territories of Dahlia de Mai also covers some sort of a city. I don't know what libraries are, but I'll bet there is some kind of place where they've gathered up important things as books - from what I've seen the humans did a lot of gathering stuff up. True, and not just important stuff. Rubbish, too. He'd come across an old garbage dump once - not a pretty sight! Nor a pretty smell.


Suddenly, Dawali realized that he had not yet given his name to the stranger. He'd been too preoccupied with scolding the bird at his side to even think of such thing. Nearly blushing in embarrassment, Dawali quickly added a sentence to his previous one, whilst greeting Hemming in the usual way; his eyes closed and his nose pointed downwards in a prolonged nod, kept there for a moment or two, before lifted again. I've forgotten to give you my name, Hemming. I'm Dawali Amara, Bone-Bearer of AniWaya, my tribe, he paused. Once his eyes were open and meeting those of the male in front of him again, he continued; whose ranks I hope very much that you will join.



Table by James! thankyou<3
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#9
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.......Great, thank you!

ANOTHER HARD-LUCK STORY



.......All the potential that lay before Hemming made him ecstatic, and now that he was thinking about being able to find new books and gaining and sharing knowledge his enthusiasm started to leak through even more. He listened closely, pleased to know that there were at least a couple places to scavenge, and hoping that maybe this wolf would come with him to look for books and things. The possibility of having a companion on these expeditions made him even more jubilant than just knowing there were places that were likely filled with treasures nearby. Really, how could treasure be defined? Friendship would be a rarer gem to Hemming than the things he could carry around in a backpack.


......."I'm delighted to meet you, Dawali," Hemming replied, the truth of the statement reflecting in his broad smile and a meek swaying of his tail. A few social uncertainties were still mingling but they stayed to the back of his thoughts, hidden by the ease of which he was able to converse with this wolf. He wondered about the other's title, Bone-Bearer, thinking it sounded much more intriguing than other titles he had heard of. Dawali had mentioned that he was a medic; perhaps this had something to do with it. Whatever the case, Hemming was eager to learn more about the way their social system was set up. He was sure that he would find a lot of knowledge here, and hoped he would be able to share as much as he knew. "And I would love to join AniWaya."

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#10
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Welcome! Have a look at the titles on the ranks page by the way, perhaps you'll find some of those profession ranks an option!



As Hemming responded to the introduction of himself, and then accepted the invitation, Dawali smiled and held his arm swung out towards the male on the ground. It was a signal meant to tell Hemming that if he wanted to, he could grab that hand and rise, to follow his new tribe leader into the claimed lands, perhaps find a suitable place for a den. It was still his choice, and he could do whatever he wanted - the hand was held in such a way that should he not react towards it, it would still be natural to have it return to Dawali with no companion. Welcome, then. I'm glad you came here, Hemming. Sincerely, he believed he might have found a friend now, one quite equal to the one he lost when Leland went traveling - or at least that's what Dawali assumed he had done. He was gone nonetheless, and while the Bone Bearer would miss the husky mix, perhaps he had found some consolidation and new friendship in the male in front of him. He hoped so - it would be stress relief in a way, having someone to talk to who wasn't female.



Table by James! thankyou<3
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#11
Welcome to 'Souls!

Hey, welcome to 'Souls. You've just joined the craziest bunch of wolf roleplayers on the vast internet. If you haven't done so already, you should check out the rp guide for detailed information about our werewolves and other general role playing information.

Now that you're accepted, you need to do two things:
___1. Make your first IC post within five days.
___2. Update your profile with a bit of background information on your character.

You can also start saving up points toward titles and icons and cool stuff. Check out the Open Threads and Thread Requests forum for people looking to roleplay. You can post random out of character chat in the OOC Garbage with us, too.



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