[html] wc: 328 // ooc: Because I need to post more! x)
Colibri had come to appreciate the beauty of winter. For most of her young life, the cold represented the death of plants, the stripping of the landscape, a bleak and inhospitable season best spent indoors. But as she felt more comfortable in her first permanent home, she could almost feel her perceptions shifting, her preconceptions fading into an open-minded peacefulness. Winter was still. Everything was so quiet here, and the intricacy of the ice, the delicate facets on every glistening snowflake, it was a masterpiece of nature.
The slender werewolf smiled, standing at the bank of the frozen Rabbit Lake. The pale sunlight was emerging from its white cloud cover, dappling the dull pearly surface of the ice, and she had the luxury to simply stand here and watch it happen. No anxiety, no fear... She wasn't afraid to be out in the open, where someone could see her. She wasn't violating any rules, she had every right to be here. The shy wolf bridled with pleasure, imagining how bold she would sound if she said that aloud. She had rights... that was a first.
Her gentle blue gaze wandered from the lake to its frost-rimed banks, where the reeds and brush had been encased in ice, forming chilled sculptures with the dead branches and leaves. Her mind always thought of Anu first; would the sparkling ice make a suitable gift? It was nothing she hadn't seen before, but neither were the flowers they exchanged. She just liked offering proof that even if she had trouble sometimes voicing how much the Lieutenant General meant to her, Coli was always trying to keep Anu happy.
She padded lightly forward, footpaws barely sinking through the encrusted snow. Her cream-furred fingers caught a sprig of the frozen bush, snapping it lightly before holding it up in the sunlight. It glittered like diamond... Yes, it was perfect! Quietly pleased, she tucked it behind one ear, already scouring the bracken for another piece.
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OOC: Longer than I intended XD don't feel you have to match me 500+
Despite the fact that she knew to their north a war was raging it seemed that nothing much had changed within the Dreaming lands. For that she was thankful. Fear had filled her heart with the revelation of Haku's rise to power and the fact that war had once again broke out between Dahlia and Inferni. No one would truly be safe until the conflict was over, but hopefully the pack would remain as untouched as it was now. This pack had been founded on peace and security and it was those two values that the Commander constantly worked to keep in place. This was a sanctuary. They would never resort to war unless they had no other option, but she never saw such a calamity coming upon them. There wasn't any pack that they had large qualms with (aside from perhaps Dahlia de Mai, but secretly the woman hoped that Inferni would depose the madman that lead them), though she did need to make a stronger connection with some packs. She had yet to meet the leaders of the pack that Haven now belonged to and she had not met the leader of their closest neighbor, AniWaya, either. It was really quite embarrassing, but she planned to make the trip to the tribe soon to meet the man who was tutoring her daughter in the healing arts. Cambria trusted him, and she knew her girl had a good head on her shoulders, but she wanted to make sure it was all okay anyway.
Bundled up in her white coat and beige, pink, and white scarf Savina stepped out onto the front porch of the manor, her breath escaping her lungs in a puff of smoke. While she didn't really care for these frigid months, there was a certain beauty to them that she couldn't deny. It would never compare to the vibrancy of spring and summer, but it did have a certain peaceful quality to it. The world seemed so quiet, as if it were asleep. She pictured the moles asleep under the ground in their tunnels that were surely packed with the seeds that would turn into the flowers of spring, just as her son had so cleverly devised. A smile crept onto her muzzle and she walked down the steps and out onto the crunchy white ground. She wondered what the lake looked like, she hadn't been there for any long amount of time since she and Gotham had come up with all their explanations for the phenomenons of the world. Now seemed the perfect time to find out and so she carefully walked the short distance between the mansion and the serene lake.
The Italian fey had expected to be the only one here, but as she reached Rabbit Lake it was clear that that was not the case. A slender, brown colored figure stood with her back to her and she knew that the female was neither Mati nor her daughter, so that only left one individual: Colibri, Anu's new love. She was actually quite glad to have stumbled across the new member for she had been wanting to personally meet her and get to know her and yet the only place she had seen her was the meeting. The soft smile still gracing her face she quietly cleared her throat before speaking. "Hello," she said in her warm, accented tones.
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[html] wc: 352 // I probably couldn't if I wanted to! ;D
As her deft hands sorted through the overgrown foliage that winter had claimed, Colibri let her mind wander into its usual state of daydreaming. Crimson Dreams was a pretty place, more friendly than Dahlia de Mai had been. Although she would forever wonder if it was simply her association with her family members that had so colored her perception of the flower pack... She had even been greeted at the borders by Firefly and Svara, hardly an auspicious welcoming committee. The war disturbed her, though - she did not wish ill on the innocents who lived there. Her auntie Mew, and her adorable litter; her brothers Conor and Emwe, or her cousin Cercelee, whom no one seemed to have word of. Haku had torn Coli's tail from her body as penalty for deserting, so what would he have done to a runaway Rosea?
The pleasant voice that softly interrupted her reverie startled her, but not to the anxious degree that her past self would have overreacted. Coli turned, apologetic smile upturning the corners of her lips. She had meekly memorized the faces from the recent pack gathering, so she felt fairly confident that she'd be able to identify the woman approaching the lakeside. What she hadn't expected, though, was to see the highly intimidating Commander herself...
Coli swallowed nervously, ears tipping back submissively as she bowed her head in silent greeting. She knew that Savina Marino was a good friend to her Anu, but that only made the encounter more important - she had to make a good impression! It would only reflect poorly on Anu if she came across as impolite or useless to the pack. "G... good afternoon," she murmured shyly, still absent-mindedly cradling the frozen sprig in her claws. The ranks here sounded so... military. Was she supposed to salute, or stand at attention? If only Anu had explained the necessary formalities! She wanted to start out on the right foot this time, but so far all she had done was hide in Anu's bedroom and wait for her tail to heal. Now she was already labeled a recluse...
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OOC: lol! also I find it way too amusing that Coli finds Savina intimidating XD 300+
Savina perhaps took the way that the majority of the pack reacted to her for granted. So many of Crimson Dreams had been there since the beginning and even before, when Twilight Vale had still occupied these lands, that they knew how casual things were around here. She didn't think about how deceptive the way they chose to title themselves were, how the same ranks had been used as human military ranks. Crimson Dreams was about as far from an army as things could get. Sure, they expected the respect of one another, but not to such a strict degree or measure. But it was for these reasons that she found Colibri's reaction to her presence so surprising. It was as if the girl viewed her as some frightening, imposing figure and Savina did not see herself in that way at all. Still, she remembered Anu telling her that Colibri was shy. If her horrible father had been one of the people in charge in her last pack it made sense that she would be wary of the Commander. Still, her smile only grew warmer and her tail waved slowly behind her, showing the timid wolf there was nothing to fear.
"Good afternoon to you as well." Her emerald orbs looked quickly to the frozen foliage that was held delicately in the other's hands before returning her gaze back to her face. "You're Colibri, right? I'm Savina. I hope you're settling into Crimson Dreams well." She had little doubt of it, with the Lt. General there to care for her and love her. Still, if she hadn't really acquainted herself with any of the other pack members she could feel a little uncomfortable. Some people weren't so outgoing and personable as the Italian woman was and she saw much of her own chocolate daughter in the woman before her. It made her heart go out to the poor thing even more than it had originally and she wanted to make sure that Coli felt accepted and safe here.
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[html] wc: 334 // the she-hulk is scary! <3
Anu told her Crimson Dreams was like a family. Everyone was close-knit, they trusted each other, they looked out for each other. One had to open up and accept them, and they would do the same. It seemed foreign to the introverted female, though, difficult to trust easily. She wanted to... she just didn't know where to start.
Her blue eyes shyly met her commander's vivid emerald. The dark wolf had such a warm, friendly smile... Maybe Savina wasn't so scary after all, although she had such a confident grace about her, it was like she wasn't afraid of anything. Everything about her said dominance, a trueborn leader. Coli's gaze flickered, dropping back to the little branch betwixt her claws. They were such polar opposites. And somehow, Anu found middle ground between them.
"Ah... Yes, Madame Savina, all is well," she hurried to respond, dipping her head in another quick nod. She couldn't help her formality; it was an ingrained response, reinforced by Dahlians like Haku and Tokyo, who demanded respect and servility. And there was also a creeping sensation of shame - for what if her foolhardy flight to Crimson Dreams brought war to this new pack? Coli liked it here, she would be loathe to leave, but... if she was endangering her new packmates in any way...
"Is... there any news? Since the, um, meeting..." The timber wolf offered an apologetic half-smile, trying to keep her posture upright and presentable. She was anything but outgoing, but Anu wanted her to try and make friends, and that's what she would do. "Oh! Ah, I was supposed to tell you... Anselm conveys his greetings. He met me at the border several days ago, and told me to tell you... um, hello." She clamped her mouth shut, knowing she would just ramble further if she spoke again. Anselm had been nice to her, though. A little jumpy, perhaps, but that could be chalked up to being near Dahlia de Mai. She could relate to that.
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OOC: Only when she's angry! You wouldn't like her when she's angry ;] 300+
Savina had to stifle a laugh as Colibri referred to her as "madame". It would only have been a laugh at how silly it was to her to be titled in such a way, but she didn't want to risk the other femme taking it in the wrong way. Smiling all the while, she merely shook her head, the amusement clear on her face even if she did not allow her body to give voice to it. "Please, just call me Savina. There's no need for such formal titles here. You're part of Crimson Dreams now and no one looks down upon you." It was hard to imagine Cercelee demanding such titles and greetings so she figured that must have been because of Haku as well. It was surprising though that the pale woman had done nothing more to protect the poor girl from her beast of a father. She knew that Cercelee wasn't the leader in Dahlia any longer, but she had given the Soul male his station in the first place. It was a decision that Savina would never be able to wrap her head around. She hadn't known of all his perversions and crimes until recently, but surely as his leader Cercelee must have had at least some inkling of what he truly was. The ex Rosea had seemed a better judge than that.
"I haven't heard anything more, no. Things seem to be pretty peaceful around here though, so hopefully it will stay that way." Worried as she was about her friends on either side of the conflict she hoped that the war would stay in the north and not leak down south to poison their hearts with fear. Savina was surprised to hear that Anselm had risked a trek here during such a dangerous time and she was sad that she had not been able to see him herself. Still, news that he was still in one piece was welcome, even if it came second handed. "Oh, well thank you. I'm glad to hear that he's alright. He's a very good friend of mine. I hope he'll make it out of all of this alright." Perhaps she would try and make another trip to his garage again soon to see if she could find him there. She wanted to let him know that if the clan had any seeking refuge that they were welcome in Crimson Dreams.
Looking up at Colibri a bit of sadness leaked into her eyes. "Are there any in Dahlia that you're friends with?" Savina had friends there as well, and it wouldn't surprise her if the chocolate and cream female did as well.
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[html] wc: 400 // ;D
The crisp air felt refreshing, cool against the back of her throat, before she exhaled a warm puff of steam. There was promise held in the untouched surface of snow, a blanket incubating the frozen ground until the plants were ready to reclaim the land. Colibri smiled inwardly at this notion, looking forward to seeing the flowers at the lakeside again. She met Anu here, although it was on the far bank. Maybe they could relive that night one year later.
Mirth twinkled in Savina's brilliant emerald eyes, and Coli tilted her head helplessly, half-smile widening. "Y-yes... Savina," she murmured, about to say the title again. Respect was a hard habit to break. Thankfully it wasn't one looked down upon. She sobered as Savina spoke again, wishing her Inferni friend safe passage. How was a war supposed to end without either side taking casualties? There were good canines in both packs. Was it naive to hope for peace?
"...Most of my friends aren't there anymore," she replied honestly, with a touch of wistfulness in her voice. She had never really grasped how fleeting happiness could be; would she have spent more time with them, if she had known? Living with Deuce and little Willow had been a peaceful time, but they abandoned her, a recurring theme in her life. Henratha, Sankor, Catalyst, they all found reasons to depart the packlands and seek their fortunes elsewhere. It had taken her too long to make the same decision herself. The flower pack had become a place of sad memories for most; their cemetery wasn't just a collection of human relics, there were wolves buried there too.
"Cercelee... I'm worried about her. And Auntie Mew, she can't defend herself... My half-brothers, as well." Her blue eyes grew clouded and distant. Had she run away and doomed them all? Haku would kill any deserter, and not everyone had a hero to snatch them from his jaws as Anu had. "Oh, but Princess... I didn't know she lived here now. We knew each other in Dahlia." The ghost of a smile returned, bringing a softness back to her weary expression. Princess had been a cute pup, and it was a fond memory, albeit overshadowed by Tokyo's cruel interrogation afterward. Perhaps it was best that Coli hadn't known where Princess had ran off to, because she surely would have babbled the truth to the bullying mother.
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OOC: 500+
While there was beauty in the winter she would always treasure spring the most of all the seasons. Spring meant new life and rebirth, where the world became saturated with color again. Not to mention that it was the beginning of spring last year that had hailed the birth of her first litter, so it would always hold a very dear place in her heart. That made her remember though that in a few short months Gotham, Cambria, and Amata would be a full year in age. Dear gods, how had the time flown by so quickly? The time between then and now seemed substantially shorter to her than it had been in reality. The year mark held both pride and worry for the mother, for it was when they had been a year old that her brother had taken off on his journey. Selfish it might be, but she hoped none of her brood would leave the nest quite so soon.
The wistful tone of the younger woman's voice invoked a sense of sadness, but at the same time good could be found in that statement. If they weren't in Dahlia then they were at risk for perishing in the war. The fewer souls one knew in such a conflict the easier it was to deal with. Savina had many friends on both sides and often her mind drifted to them and she worried over their well being, especially those that were not warriors. Anselm could take care of himself, but what about Alexey? The Koios femme was a gentle creature and not meant for the harshness that was war. "Well, I suppose there's some good in that though. The fewer you have to worry over the better your state of mind will be." Though everyone had cause for concern when war was so nearby, even when you and your home weren't directly involved.
Though it appeared that there were still some Dahlians left behind that Colibri worried over, and rightfully so. "Yes, I know Cercelee, though I haven't seen her in nearly a year. She's strong though, and survived the last war, I'm sure that she'll survive this one as well." Though that was when she had still been Rosea, and most of the last war she had been in Twilight Vale, which was when and where Savina had met her. Still, she had a feeling the navy-eyed fey would persevere. "Who are your half-brothers? If you don't mind my asking." Aside from who her father was, the woman was ignorant of her other relations. It would be a surprise to realize that she had ties to the Sadira line as so many others did. "Oh really? Yes, she moved here a good while ago, when her brother came to live here. She's a sweet girl." The Commander had had her own encounter with Tokyo Chance and it still brought a frown to her face. The woman was a disgrace to the name of mother. Thankfully though Princess realized her dam's many faults and worked to be a better person, which as far as Savina saw she most certainly was.
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[html] wc: 393
"The fewer you have to worry over the better your state of mind will be." Savina's words rang true. The shy werewolf chanced a glance into the Italian female's gaze, finding a flicker of concern there as well as steely determination. Colibri had no doubt that the Commander could and would defend the ones she loved, but it must frustrate her to be caught in between both sides. The Haki fae had always been useless, so this feeling was nothing new to her - she could simply pray to the heavens above that her former packmates would overthrow Haku and stop his madness before innocents suffered. Cercelee... Yes, she had faith in her friend, but... why had she not spoken against the man that raised them both? Was she being threatened?
Her thoughts were gently redirected, and Coli smiled at the thought of her brothers. She had mostly seen them grow up from afar, having lacked the courage to visit them and risk incurring Haku's disapproval. But shy little Conor had encountered her once, and Emwe visited several times, always bringing his irrepressible cheer. "Their names are Conor and Emwe. They... should be yearlings now, I believe. Firefly Sadira is their mother." A slight grimace twisted her mouth at the name; Firefly was hardly one of her favorite people (and a relative too!), and had made it very clear not to come near her. It could have been the pregnancy talking, but the Sadira woman had almost denied Coli access to Dahlia de Mai out of petty spite. It was a relief when she had been outcast, although her heart went out to her siblings, knowing they too would grow up without a mother's love.
"Emwe is always happy, he loves to adventure and tell stories. And Conor, he... he's a bit more like me, quiet and thoughtful. I... I hope the war doesn't change them." She swallowed hard, suddenly struck with the realization that injury was not the only thing a war could bring. Would it break them? It would crush her to know how involved Conor had become, as a front-line medic. Her ears tipped back, blue eyes distant and shadowed. Savina spoke again, and Coli heard the words as if from afar, drawing her back out of her shell. Princess, yes, she was a diamond in the rough, the complete opposite of her swaggering mother. "She has a brother here? She never mentioned a littermate!"
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OOC: 500+
She couldn't understand why Haku Soul had been given a position of power in the first place. Now that she knew who he was and what he was capable of he shouldn't have even been allowed in a pack at all, much less given the station of second-in-command. It was a question that would perplex her to no end. Cercelee had always seemed like a level-headed wolf to her, and a good leader, so she could not understand why she would have let Haku rise to such power. Surely she must have known she was playing with fire. Fire was a thing that could be harnessed for a time, but would always eventually break free and pursue its own course. It was clear to her that this is exactly what had happened with Haku in Dahlia de Mai. They could only hope now that that fire wouldn't spread and consume the rest of 'Souls.
As seemed to be the case with every new Sadira relative she met, Savina's eyes grew wide as Colibri spoke the names of her nephews as the names of her two half-siblings. She had known that Firefly was their mother, but had been unaware that Haku was their father. She thought back to poor, timid little Conor and the pieces of the puzzle as to why he was the way he was seemed to fall into place. "Well, it appears we have more in common than we know. Conor and Emwe are my nephews. My mate, Kansas, is Firefly's brother, though I've never met her myself." She noticed Colibri's grimace at the name of her sister-in-law and couldn't help but wonder why that was. She had yet to meet the woman, which seemed odd to her, but she had never pressed the issue. She had simply thought that she would meet Firefly when time and circumstances permitted. Though the reactions she had gotten from many that knew her were similar to the one Colibri showed now and she was a little nervous of finding out who this mysterious sister actually was.
Savina nodded at Colibri's description of Conor. "I haven't met Emwe, but I've met Conor. He and his cousins didn't start out on the best foot, due to a misunderstanding, but he and my daughter Cambria have become quite close I believe. I know she's very worried for his well-being also." She wished to belay her daughter's fears, but she couldn't allow her to go visit Dahlia. The risk in doing so was far too great, especially for Cambria. But the subject changed to Princess and it would do them both good to not dwell on the fates of those in the war. "Yes, she does. I'm not surprised she didn't mention him in Dahlia. Ares, her brother, is deathly afraid of their mother and for good reason. Tokyo isn't allowed to come to Crimson Dreams and so this is a safe haven for them both." The Chance woman was a danger and Savina was happy to offer refuge to her abused children.
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[html] wc; 407
"...Ah! More in common, indeed... The Soul family is a scion of the Sadira family. Cercelee is my cousin, and it seems Kansas would be, as well..." Coli smiled shyly, tilting her ears back as she gauged Savina's reaction. It was no big revelation -- the Sadira family had inextricably deep roots in this land, and many generations were present in the packs today -- but that would make them some sort of in-laws, wouldn't it? There was hardly a trace of Ceres in any of them today, but they could still follow their family ties back to the renowned matriarch. As she had realized when speaking to Anselm, Coli was a touch grateful now that she had her own unique surname, since it was easy to be lost in a sea of relatives otherwise. She had almost no knowledge of her mother's "Jolie" family, but her father's line was widespread.
Conor and Cambria... Knowing that Conor had come here brought a flutter of excitement in her chest. He might visit again, and then she would have a chance to tell him where she went! In her mind's eye, he was still a small child, huddled and frightened in her arms. Logic told her that he was an adult now, but she had never even seen him shifted. She wanted to be a part of her brothers' lives, but had failed somewhat miserably. Maybe... maybe they would still have a chance, even if it was an adult friendship rather than the dependency of siblings she had first envisioned. And Savina's daughter, a distant relative, they could be friends too...! "Cambria, that's such a pretty name. How old is she?" Her tail stub stirred behind her, her attention always drawn to children.
Upon realizing that Tokyo had been specifically forbidden from visiting this territory, Colibri couldn't disguise a small chuckle. Really, this pack seemed to grow more and more perfect the more she learned about it. "That's no surprise, then, Tokyo is a scary lady. She, uh... she pushed me around once Princess went missing," she admitted sheepishly. She had considered standing up to the bully, but knew that bowing her head and taking whatever was dished out would make the ordeal end sooner. And so it had, the swaggering mother grew weary of not getting answers and left her be. "I... guess it's a safe haven for all of us, then, if she can't bother us here."
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OOC: 300+
She had yet to stop being surprised at who all she had gained ties to when she had become mated to Kansas. It had been a while since she had met the last Sadira relative and she was glad that it was such a sweet young lady. "Ah, I was not aware! Yes, I knew Cercelee had ties as well, she told me when I informed her who my mate was. You'll have to track Kansas down and let him know, I think you two would get along well. He usually can be found somewhere around the mansion." Her love could be a bit of a homebody, but honestly she loved that. Leader duties often took her away from the large house and if their children needed help then he would almost always be there even if she wasn't. If it weren't for her responsibilities she would like to spend a lot of time lounging around the manor too.
Though her excitement wasn't as great as Coli's, she also saw the benefit of the two young Dahlians having ties here with her children. That meant that they would likely visit from time to time and that would give her the opportunity to see her younger brothers without the imposing figure of Haku hanging over them all. Savina would be glad to help facilitate that in any way she could. The mother's smile grew more powerful at the compliment to her child, always enthusiastic to speak of them. "Hard as it is for me to believe, in the spring she and her brother and sister will be a year old. Time flew by faster than I ever thought possible." It was a bittersweet fact for her, but little did she know that brand new life was once again stirring in her womb.
Tokyo seemed like one of the most despicable characters she had ever come across. She was a bully and a shameless coward at the same time. Picking on those she could and playing innocent when someone more powerful caught her. Savina almost wished she had taken a chunk out of her hide that day. "You won't have to worry about her pushing you around anymore. Or anyone else for that matter." That sort of behavior was not permitted here in Crimson Dreams. The Commander nodded her head, agreeing with Colibri's assessment. "Yes, precisely. No one who would do harm to a pup will even be allowed here." It was one of the foulest crimes out there, as far as the Italian was concerned.
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