[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Backdated the 19th, and all are welcome—preferably for someone I haven’t had a thread with before or at least in a long time.
He wondered how many cans would be enough. Two? Phoenix had never really used paint before and didn’t know how much surface area a gallon can could cover. Not that he needed much—he merely wanted to write the names of just over a dozen wolves on a cave wall, as well as their paw prints. Two would probably be enough, and if he needed more he could always come back now that he knew were there was a good stash of the stuff. He picked out a can of yellow and a can of bright blue and left the garage, a can in each hand.
As much as he wanted to shift back to his four-legged form and return home sooner he had no way of carrying these cans without hands. He had no reason to be impatient though, since they probably wouldn’t be able to use the paint until the evening, after everyone had gathered in the pack den for the night. Living with everybody was a new and different experience, but Phoenix was glad for the chance to get to know everybody in his extended family better. He still had doubts about his capability as a leader but having a competent, close pack like Storm made his job so much easier.
Sighing, Phoenix began the long trek home, avoiding the hard cement on the sidewalks and staying on the lawns where he could, the asphalt of the streets where he couldn’t. Phoenix chuckled as he looked at each can again. Normally he preferred to eschew human things, but lately he had been acting more receptive to their wares. He was practicing regularly with a bow and arrows in the hopes of mastering a new hunting style, and now he even had a tattoo on his left arm—Storm’s symbol. Perhaps he was getting more artistic in his old age, Who knew? | [/html]
[html]
Hello. -steals your thread-
Another day, another trip to the decaying human city. Kieran still wasn’t able to figure out what it was about the human city that drew him there on most dull days. Adventure, excitement, mystery? Perhaps all three? One thing he was certain of; each time he wandered his way over here, his interest in the past, and learning more of the humans grew. Each trip brought him to a new portion of the city, trying to find something interesting or useful that he could bring back to the pack.
Today was more of an adventure day for him. He had spotted a rusting, yet sturdy ladder against the side of a house and chose to examine it. Then, something possessed him to climb to the roof. Considering his previous follies with heights (it was only a couple of months ago that he had fallen out of that tree), it wasn’t the smartest idea he’d had. But this time, he was careful, watching his step and making sure he didn’t step on a weak portion of the roof. Slowly, he made his way to the edge of the building and he sat down, letting his legs dangle off the side.
He took in the sights from his new elevated position, clearly able to see the holes in other roofs and the collapsing structures from some distance. Maybe he could spot some intriguing place to venture to next. The male scoured the area with his gold eyes, only to find more of the same—that is, until another Luperci showed up. Kieran watched the unfamiliar wolf across the street for a moment, until he recognized the familiar sight of the paint cans he was carrying.
“Got a crafty little project planned?” he called out, a slight grin decorating his features.
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Boredom set in quickly during the trek home. Most of these houses he’d seen already and many of that group he’d already ventured into. Phoenix was by no means a wolf with a short attention span but, like anyone else, he preferred new sites to the same old, same old. He began humming as he walked, his throat warbling a growling sound with musical tones to it. Soon the cans of paint began to weigh heavily and numb his arms, and he began rotating them between arms—almost juggling—but since they both weighed the same that didn’t help much.
He was caught off-guard by the sound of a distant voice, and his hackles raised a bit when he looked around and couldn’t see anyone. Finally he glanced up a bit and spotted the other wolf, on the roof of a nearby house. Surprised by such a site, Phoenix deviated his course to approach the wolf on the house. As much as he was looking forward to getting home, he was in no real rush and wouldn’t mind a break—and an excuse to put his burden down a few minutes. “It’s for my pack, Storm. We’re gonna use this to write our names on th’ wall of our den so tehre’s somethin’ for th’ next generation to remember us by,” he explained in a friendly manner as he walked into the yard. It was no secret, and he was even a little proud of his idea even. Good ideas didn’t come often since he became alpha.
He wasn’t sure what pack this wolf was from, or even if he was affiliated with a pack at all. Thanks to the winds and the wolf’s distance Phoenix couldn’t get a good smell of him. He was obviously no threat though, considering how high up he was—jumping down to attack him from that height would only result in a broken limb or two, and the other wolf obviously had conversation in mind, not malevolence. “Anythin’ interestin’ way up there?” he asked. | [/html]
[html]
So, this wolf was from Storm. He’d heard the name in passing, though he had never heard much about it or met someone from the pack. Kieran pictured the little project he described as best as he could in his mind. He knew very little about the pack, but with the way the stranger referred to the den as “our den” he assumed that the pack lived together. Did they perhaps have a sort of community den in Storm, just as Jaded Shadows did? Maybe it was a custom of this area. He had noticed a few different traditions than the ones he had grown up with, but that may be due to the large number of the inhabitants of ‘Souls coming from a different areas as well.
“It sounds like a nice idea. A good way to get the pack together, I think.” Kieran himself had done a bit of decorating in the ‘Shadows den with one of his pack mates. He found the task to be fun, creative-minded as he was, but he also thought it was an excellent way to get to know those he lived with. Décor, and likewise artwork, could oftentimes speak much about a person.
He watched the stranger approach for a moment, and at his next comment, he took a quick glance at the horizon. “Nothing but a different view of the destruction around us.” It was a different perspective, but it still revealed the same desolation the streets held.
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Having a community den was by no means an old custom or a pack mainstay. Rather, it was a sudden measure instated after a natural disaster to improve the pack’s chances of surviving what would soon become harsher conditions. An avalanche had torn through their home a few week ago, leaving them without a good part of their main hunting grounds. Plus there was the threat of another avalanche at any time, as well as the river flooding when all that snow melted. Some members weren’t adjusting to the change as well as the others, but Phoenix remained optimistic that they would grow closer from this experience.
He wondered if there were any real set traditions in the valley, really. With everybody coming and going much of its traditions and history was now lost. Phoenix knew so little if the generations of Storm that came before him, which was what had inspired him to leave this memento for their descendents in the first place. He didn’t know how many connections Jaded Shadows had to their own past, but the affairs of other packs mattered little to him—Jaded Shadows in particular.
Phoenix didn’t see destruction when he ventured into the ruins. Instead, he saw adventure and mystery, and even memories of his children, two of whom he’d found in a house and adopted. But since he was not as familiar with the human race as others were, he was not as attached to them and was bereft of grief for a race not his own, especially one that had killed itself off. Still, there was almost always something exciting to be found amongst the last vestiges of their society. “How’d y’get up there, anyway?” the Stormster asked. | [/html]
[html]
Destruction was a major part of what Kieran saw within the ruins, the last remnants of a nearly-destroyed species and a reminder to all other species to watch their steps. Following the path the humans had chosen seemed like an extremely foolish idea after taking even a quick look around any of their once ‘glorious’ cities. He didn’t feel any connection to the now-endangered race, only that he was rather glad that the virus had brought about the change in canines. The place just seemed rather sad and empty.
Of course, he wasn’t brought here to just marvel at the destruction. Kieran was awed by the strangeness of the human’s creations found lying about the city, and the history the whole place held. While he was no fanatic historian, he did find the past interesting. Besides, coming to the old city allowed him to find all sorts of useful gadgets. Judging by the paint cans this Storm wolf was lugging around, he wasn’t the only one who found the objects here useful.
He glanced down at the other when he questioned him, motioning to the rusting object on the side of the building that was partially hidden by an overgrown bush. “There’s this thing over there… ladder, I think it’s called. Let’s you climb right up to high places. It seems pretty handy… as long as there’s something high up to see.” He looked around at the empty roof. Well, at least there was the horizon to look at.
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">He couldn’t understand the appeal of wanting to mimic the lifestyle of a self-destructive race. Phoenix understood the appeal of using their inventions, yes, but he made sure he never became dependent on them. His old den used to be lined with blankets—a luxury, since he could very easily live without them (and had for the longest time). The paint—definitely something nobody in the pack needed, but this was more for the sake of future generations’ curiosity than anything else. His new tattoo—well, admittedly that had been carved with a human tool, but it was certainly not anything that he needed. He was also learning how to hunt with a bow and arrows—more of a hobby than anything else. Everything he used, he didn’t really need. But they could still be fun, just so long as he remembered that he was a wolf and not a human.
As soon as he saw the “ladder” Phoenix put down his cans of paint and carefully climbed up to see what the other wolf could see. The ladder creaked and protested under his considerable weight but did not give. Once on the roof Phoenix swayed with momentary vertigo before adapting and regaining his sure footing. He treaded the tiles carefully, making his way closer to the other wolf, finally getting close enough to get a good whiff of his scent. So, Jaded Shadows. Phoenix’s experiences with the members of that pack thus far were few and not pleasant (the first one admittedly his fault but an accident). However, he was going to let that affect his chance to make a new friend here.
“You’re right. It ain’t that interestin’,” the massive male declared after taking up a position beside the other wolf and getting a good look for himself. However, if he squinted one eye and strategically placed his thumb and index finger before his face, it almost looked like the house across the street was small enough to hold in his hand. “I’m Phoenix, alpha of Storm, by th’way,” he said after dropping the silliness and turned towards the Shadowlands wolf. | [/html]
[html]
Kieran had grown up in a pack that had mixed cultures. About half of his pack had originally lived in Europe, living a more human-like lifestyle and thus bringing those traditions with them. The other half had always lived in a more natural way for wolves, but the two cultures had blended almost seamlessly over time. Having grown in such an environment, he was used to living in the wild while still finding some of the skills and tools passed down from the humans comfortable. He found those skills helpful here, even if he just used them to pass the time.
He watched silently as the Storm wolf headed toward the ladder, making his way up to the roof. Taking notice of how large the brown wolf was, he made a mental note to stay on his good side. This Luperci was not one he would be eager to fight—not that he had any plans of doing so. He seemed nice enough, not giving any threatening signs as he stepped to his side. And as far as Kieran knew, Jaded Shadows and Storm were in good standings with each other. At the very least they weren’t at the point where they would attack the opposition on sight.
The dark-furred male looked once more at the horizon, ears perking slightly as his companion spoke up, introducing himself. Well, well, it seemed that he was in the presence of an alpha. Yes, Phoenix was definitely not someone he wanted to be on the bad side of. “It’s a pleasure, Phoenix. I’d be Kieran, Wahrer of Jaded Shadows,” he replied, holding out his hand to shake, a formality he’d picked up back home.
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">There had once been a time when Storm and Jaded Shadows were connected by family lines. Such bonds were gone now, and the two packs were distant. Indeed, the Storm that Phoenix led was not the same Storm that he had joined. No one was still around from those days, which saddened the alpha to think the pack had lost most of its past. But Phoenix imagined Jaded Shadows had changed much as well, considering their former alpha was a wolf he held deep respect for, and their current one… not so much. It was amazing how much could change in just two years.
The massive male rarely thought of himself as formidable-looking. He’d spent so much of his youth running from things trying to kill him that it was hard to get out of that frame of mind. He hadn’t even realized he was now one of the biggest things in this valley until others had pointed it out to him. Now, he was glad he was strong so he could protect his loved ones more effectively, but it wasn’t in his nature to look for trouble. Just so long as nobody crossed him or those in his family and/or pack, he held his strength in check.
He had seen this gesture before, the shaking of hands when two wolves met for the first time. Phoenix personally thought it was an odd custom, but he didn’t want to seem rude so he obliged and grasped Kieran’s paw firmly, giving it a good shake but nothing overly hard. “You been a member of that pack long?” he asked. He couldn’t put his finger on the exact reason, but something told him this wolf was not a born native of the Bleeding Souls valley. Phoenix hadn’t been born here either, but he may as well have been—he felt like his life had truly not begun until that fateful day Gibraltar accepted him into Storm. | [/html]
[html]
Kieran was no stranger to change. In less than a year, he had lost everything he had held constant since he was a child. Having both his mate and his best friend turn on him, loosing the trust of the family he cared so much for had definitely put things in perspective for him. Before long, he didn’t have a home and had wandered to Bleeding Souls, and in turn Jaded Shadows, by sheer luck. Needless to say, he no longer expected much in the world to remain constant.
He cocked his head to the side slightly as he tried to recall when he first arrived in the mountain pack. “Hmm… a good few months, at least. Long enough for the area to feel like home, anyway.” Though it had only been a relatively short time since he’d settled down here, the lands were already quite familiar to him. Many trips exploring not only the pack lands, but the shared territories as well, made the area comfortable to him, almost like back home. It was one constant he hoped would remain for a long while.
He shifted his gaze to Phoenix, turning the question back to him. “How about you? I’m sure you’ve belonged to Storm for some time.” Being the alpha of the pack, that much was obvious. Though with the number of wolves he’d seen come and go in these few months, it was clear that many came from other areas. He wondered if Phoenix had once called other lands home, as well. And as always, that curious, friendly side of Kieran reared its head, forever eager to learn a bit about those acquaintances he made.
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Don’t expect much… I’ve got a bug but I want to get this replied to before I’m gone ‘til Tuesday.
Few wolves understood loss like Phoenix did. Born to a couple of loners at the onset of a severe drought, Phoenix had been the only survivor. There had been nobody around to look after him so he’d been forced to take care of himself from an unnaturally young age. Looking back, Phoenix was amazed he had managed to survive. He’d certainly spit death in the face more times than he could count. He had been nearly an adult by the time he wandered into Storm, and even then he wasn’t safe from the trauma of loss. For the longest time, every time he opened his heart to someone they either died, left, or were unable to return his affection.
Phoenix shook his head. A few months was a long time considering the short life spans of a wolf compared to the humans’. They couldn’t take a single day for granted, and a few months was long enough for someone to settle in and consider a place home. It was already longer than many stayed. “I grew up somewhere else, but I been in Storm for a couple years now. My life didn’t really begin ‘til I joined th’pack, so I might as well say I been here my whole life. Th’whole time that mattered, anyway.” He wasn’t intentionally cryptic, yet he was uncomfortable talking about his past with wolves he just met. Usually it elicited unwelcome questions or, worse, pity. “I hope t’be here for many years t’come. I don’t intend to ever leave, at least. You?” | [/html]
[html]
As he watched the horizon of the wrecked city, Kieran came to a sort of a realization. Perhaps what had him so fascinated by the old city was the destruction, the sense of loss, all just a representation of something that was once much more. He often felt that way about himself, when he thought about it. While he had recovered quite well, there were some things that were fundamentally different about him that, at times, he almost felt like a different person. So maybe it was that common emptiness that kept him so interested.
He listened quietly as Phoenix confirmed his suspicions. He, like many others, had started out somewhere else. How things had led him here, Kieran didn’t know. But as curious as he may be, he knew what his boundaries were, especially with someone he didn’t even know. He absent-mindedly fidgeted with one of the loose roof tiles as he thought about the future. “I intend to spend the rest of my time here, if I can help it. And if fate decides to be kind this time around.” He wasn’t sure why he said it, but there it was. Despite his thoughts to the contrary, it appeared that he couldn’t just ignore what had happened. The past had a funny way of sneaking up on him all the time.
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">Phoenix was certainly not the same wolf he had been as a youth. Back then he had been arrogant, brash, naïve. He actually hated what he used to be… every quality of weakness. Yet, he was not weak—somehow he had managed to survive the tragedies in his life, and come out stronger than before. Like the Phoenix of legend, he’d been borne anew by the death of his old life. Yet nothing would ever be resurrected from these human ruins. They had tried to come back once, but left. Phoenix hoped they would never come back, at least not if they were a danger to wolves.
The Shadowland wolf’s words struck a cord with Phoenix. He intended to die here, though whether that was five years or five hours from now he had no way of knowing. The Stormster had long ago given up trying to control his destiny. Best he could hope for was to land on his feet when tragedy struck again, but he knew they day would come when he would be struck with an obstacle that he could not overcome. It was inevitable. All he hoped was that he would be around long enough to see his children grow to adulthood and have children of their own. After that, he could die a happy male.
“I know jus’ what you mean,” Phoenix said truthfully, especially concerning the other’s cryptic last sentence. “Life in this valley ain’t perfect, but no place is. But… I’m rooted here, now.” | [/html]
[html]
Late, late. Sorry. I've been randomly busy. :x
He nodded at the other’s statement, announcing his agreement once more. Kieran seemed to be rooted here as well, though his reasons were not as solid as Phoenix’s, nor had they withstood much of the test of time. But the dark-furred male was willing to hope. So many others have been able to call this valley home for years. Why couldn’t he? Life may throw him another curveball in the future, but it couldn’t hurt to treat this as his permanent home until then.
“Both the wolves and the lands here are rather appealing. Makes the thought of leaving that much harder.” He knew he was probably lucky in meeting only agreeable wolves thus far. It was highly unlikely that everyone here kept out of stirring trouble, but that wasn’t something that would just make him leave. As for the lands… “This area definitely has a way of grabbing your attention with its diversity.” He paused a moment, studying the broken sky-scrapers in the distance. “You have a favorite place around here to explore?” He couldn’t be sure that the Storm alpha was much of an adventurer, but he asked him nonetheless. Maybe between his responsibilities in running the pack, he took the time to get to now Bleeding Souls. It was worth a shot; Kieran often wondered about the territory, and someone who had been here as long as this Stormster had was just the person to ask about it.
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">It was odd how the wolves who were actually native to the lands couldn’t appreciate their home as much as those who came in from other areas. Perhaps the old adage about the grass being greener on the other side was true. “Appealing” was a completely subjective concept after all, and the Alpha of Storm had never ever heard one of the wolves who grew up here describe their fellow valley-dwellers that way. Of course, one Kieran spent some time in Bleeding Souls and realized just how many delinquents and murderers also lived in the valley, he would probably stop using that word himself. Phoenix was just glad that fate had directed him to Chimera or Clouded Tears… or even Jaded Shadows. While the Shadowland’s leaders were themselves not depraved, they’d shown a bad habit of turning a blind eye to such behavior.
But even the lands were as radically diverse as the inhabitants. There were places of wonder and places of fright, areas that seemed to emanate with sadness and places of such beauty that would cheer up even the most depressed being. He hadn’t even been everywhere in the valley. The idea was to pace himself so he wouldn’t run out of new places to explore during his hopefully long life here. The human city was the place he came to most frequently, perhaps, but this artificial world could not compare to the natural beauty of the unpaved-over lands. “I ain’t sure,” he answered quite unhelpfully. “You been to th’Crystal Caves yet? It’s this strange cave… when th’ sun hits it jus’ right in th’ afternoon, th’ place comes alive with different colored lights. There’s also th’Traquil Springs up north, but those’re hard t’find.” All things considered, Phoenix was still much of a homebody. He preferred to stay at home with the comfort of his loved ones rather than have an adventure in some unclaimed territory. | [/html]
[html]
Ack, I thought I'd already replied to this. Sorry!
Despite his own homebody tendencies, Kieran still enjoyed going out and seeing the world. Each place was different, with it’s own sights and stories. The sense of delving into another world of mysteries, and the fulfillment of learning something new, were alluring to him. 'Souls' diverse lands allowed him to scratch the ever present itch of adventure, even within his own packlands. He was sure that even once he had seen most of the lands around here the taste of adventure wouldn't be as sweet, but instead it would be replaced by a warm familiarity. His legs would probably never tire, as long as he had a home to return to.
He summoned a picture of the lands Phoenix mentioned to his mind, suddenly curious to see if his imaginings matched the real locations. Those places sounded quite interesting, and that little adventurous side of him grew excited at the thought of seeing them. He made a mental note of the general location, determined to track them down at a later date. “No, I can’t say that I’ve been to those places. Besides the Shadows packlands, I’ve probably wandered around here the most. It’s about time I took a look around the rest of the valley.” His eyes drifted once more to the horizon, focusing this time not on the city, but the forests beyond.
[html] http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/k ... efinal.png);background-repeat: no-repeat; padding-bottom:140px; background-position: bottom center;">It had been many months since Phoenix had visited either location. His duties to his pack and progeny allowed him little leisure time… but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Without either, he would have no purpose, no reason to continue living. Even before having them, the reason he kept struggling to survive was so that he could one day find a purpose. Besides, it was not like the lands that Storm held sway over were not without their own unique charms. Phoenix knew every square inch of those lands, as every good alpha should. There was a certain charm in the familiar as well—just as powerful as the allure of the alarm, but completely opposite.
The human city was a territory he remained ever wary of… the humans had been dangerous creatures, or so it seemed, and one could never be too careful around their creations. He was careful not to grow independent on their technology… yes, he had a tattoo, and he sometimes hunting with a manmade bow. But both were luxuries, certainly nothing he absolutely needed. Once, the humans had returned, but they had not stayed long. Phoenix wondered what would happen if they ever decided to come back to stay. Would they compete for resources? Fight over territory? Phoenix wanted to remain optimistic, believe that perhaps the species could coexist, but when wolves barely got along with coyotes, how would they treat a species that was actually different?
“I hope you have fun,” the massive male wished Kieran. “I should be getting’ back home. We’ve had some troubles with snow these past few days in our lands, an’ I don’t want my family worryin’ ‘bout be just ‘cause I’m out too late.” Warily he made his way back to the latter. At one point some tiles gave way under his weight, plummeting to the ground and almost bringing him crashing down with them, but the wolf regained his balance just before that happened. Turning back to give the Shadowlands wolf a nervous grin, Phoenix continued his decent a bit more slowly and almost rejoiced once his feet were back on solid ground. He waved goodbuy before picking up his cans and resuming his trek home. | [/html]
|
