Without leaving my finger[p]rints
#1
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Private for Null, with apologies for the ridiculous wait! Set in Sunflower Sunsets.
WC: 574


The very last of the sunflower blooms were starting to die off, the flowering season was very much at its end, the yellow petals were browning and beginning to fall from the large brown seed heads and the long stems were beginning to bend and break; those that had not already been snapped by the high winds and lashing rain of the hurricane of course. Soon enough the lands would be void of the sunflowers once again until the spring came once more, soon enough these lands would be nothing more than crunchy ground underfoot as the stems fell fully and died off over Winter. The day was cool but not cold, well nothing for a wolf with a thick coat of fur to worry about at least, the breeze that blew through the lands was icy however and fairly fierce, buffeting at the already battered sunflowers. It was early afternoon, the sun was at its highest in the sky, although that was a pale comparison to its pinnacle in the summer months, at least it bathed the lands with a warm golden glow, somehow taking the chill from the air, at least a little. A few fluffy white clouds floated lazily across the sky, seeming almost bored with their day's activities, moving so very slowly. A single dark cloud lay to the West, suggesting that rain might be on its way before the day was out. For the most part the lands were silent, here and there the faint rustling of small animals moving about broke the tranquility, but mostly a strange quiet was upon the usually beautiful land.

Through all of this the sable female walked, she had been making an attempt to carefully map the lands that surrounded New Dawn in her mind; she had always had an excellent memory for locations and felt that her knowledge of this area needed refreshing, so she was wandering around, simply remembering all of the routes that would best take her to familiar territory. She was in her Optime form today, her long curled mane tumbling down her back, it had grown while she had been away and was now almost to her elbows, two brightly coloured feathers were attached to the left hand side and fluttered pleasingly in the breeze. Her strides were long but relaxed as she walked, here and there she paused, perhaps to look at a dying sunflower, to use long dexterous fingers to turn the face to hers in order to better look at it. The scarred lady was in no rush today, her canvas satchel was slung across her scarred chest and bumped gently against her right hip as she walked; her silver necklace and earrings glinted in the sunlight as she padded about. Her mind was still whirling with concerns and worries for her mate, Deuce, she had gone missing and Soran had no idea where she might be now, her son had not even seen her, that was another option killed then, where could the pale female be? Outwardly though the ebony pelted female appeared to be a pillar of calm and tranquility, the grey flecks along her scar line and the white streak beginning to form at the front of her mane hinting that her peace might come from her age. The tall female yawned, a dark hand reaching to cover her mouth as she did so, her jade eyes scanning the landscape around her.






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#2
((Oh god, I started writing and it just wouldn't stop.))

It would be impossible for anyone to miss Rurik's heavy footsteps out here in the quiet. The huge wolfdog wasn't usually one for stealth and there was currently no reason or him to be subtle and silent, so his path through the sunflower field was marked by the steady thumps of his footsteps and the sounds of sunflower stalks cracking underfoot-- if they had already fallen-- or as he pushed against them too hard on his way past, which he tried not to do. Darting around him to investigate every tiny thing of interest was Null, the petite wolf seeming even tinier next to her giant friend. She wouldn't have been out here if not for him; she had quickly complained of being tired and having sore feet when they set out from Salsolan lands, not having really wanted to go, so Rurik had hefted her onto his back and carried her piggy-back for most of it. Null had had more fun than she cared to admit.

Now that they were here, though, she was delighted. The coffee-and-cream wolf had never seen sunflowers before, and Rurik's description of them hadn't impressed her. Sure, they were wilting now, but so many of the flowers were taller than her! Not that that was a difficult thing, but Null usually held some height over flowers at the very least. She batted at the wilting flowers playfully as she passed them, eventually knocking one of the heads off. She caught it and held it in both hands, looking thoughtful before plucking the petals off one by one, muttering under her breath as she did so.

Vhat are you doing? Rurik asked, watching her curiously. Null shrugged, plucking off another petal.

Just seeing if you love me! He loves me, he loves me not... She continued plucking the petals off and reciting her chant, ignoring Rurik's bewildered expression. He loves me not, he loves me! Aw, Rurik, I guess you do! The tiny wolf giggled, and Rurik gave a hesitant smile.

...Da? The huge wolfdog felt he was missing something important. Null grinned at him and pulled him down by his shoulders so she could lick his cheek affectionately.

It's okay Ruriksha, I love ya too. Ooh, there're some good ones over here, lookit those! They're so gross and dead lookin', check it. She continued on through the flowers, leaving an increasingly flummoxed Rurik in her wake. The huge black wolfdog shook his head and followed after his flighty companion.

Eventually, they spotted another Luperci out in the sunflowers. A female, black-coated and in between Null and Rurik in terms of height. A quick sniff of the air revealed that she was a member of New Dawn, a pack Null had never had anything to do with. Rurik might've, but he'd never mentioned it. They were both thankful for the perfumes they had doused themselves in to hide their Salsolan scent-- Null smelled pleasantly of lavender, while Rurik smelled of cinnamon and various hot spices (though both had a touch of each others scent from when Null had been carried on his back).

Null immediately fixed on a bright, friendly smile and stepped out more into the open. Meeting strangers from other packs always offered the opportunity of gaining valuable intel about Salsola's neighbors, after all. Hi! She greeted with a wave, which Rurik mimicked as he stepped beside her. You explorin' the sunflowers too?
#3
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Smile This looks like it's going to be intriguing indeed Big Grin And I don't mind at all, write as much, or as little as you like Smile
WC: 711


The jet pelted female was lost in her own thoughts, somewhere nearby there was something large moving, something snapping sunflower stalks as it moved, it's footfalls heavy. Velvety ears swivelled towards the sound, tracking it as it moved, the silver hoops in the tip of the New Dawner's left ear glinting in the sunlight as they did so. She did not move much other than that though, turning her head slightly to better catch the sound. But Soran was too involved in her own thoughts in order to give the movement much thought, it would either be a large prey animal, slow and uneasy mentally, or another Luperci, in which case the jet black female was willing to talk and be friendly, she was always pleasant and welcoming to those that she met. Surely whoever it was would be able to smell her from here and there had been no charge or attack yet, so she could assume that they would at least be willing to be friendly, there were not many wolves that would openly attack another in unclaimed lands, so Soran was not too worried or fearful for her own safety. Besides she had survived fighting a bear, she might bear new scars now, but she had survived it, she might have been old but she was still able to fight fiercely if it was needed. But for now that option did not seem too needed; the sable female continued in her slow wander, her ears giving away her alertness to the sounds around her, but other than that her face was a mask of calm as she walked, fingers running over the flowers on either side of her as she did. Deuce would have loved this place, perhaps if she ever came back the sable female could bring her here, perhaps when the sunflowers were in full bloom, they could have a lovely time basking in the sun, staring at the wonders around them. Yes, she was sure of that. Somehow she just knew that Deuce had to be alive somewhere, but that was the problem, the where... Where was the pallid female that held her heart?

She was interrupted by movement that was a lot closer, the sable female turned her head and her green eyes fell upon the shortest adult wolf she had ever seen before, she was pale with a brown mane, Soran could hardly believe her eyes, she had never known that Luperci could be so short in their shifted form. She was of course very tall for a female, standing at six feet and eleven inches tall in her Optime form, she dwarfed this female. A smile crossed her lips as she drew herself up to her full height, being glad that she had for at that moment an ebony wolfdog appeared and he more than dwarfed her, he mimicked the smaller female's wave and Soran smiled, raising her own hand in polite greeting. The younger girl seemed cheerful enough, greeting her with a cheery hi and then asking if Soran was exploring as well. The sable female smiled again and nodded.
"Hello, yes, just having a bit of a wander and a think, they are lovely aren't they?" Soran replied, gesturing with one hand around herself at the remaining flowers. She sniffed the air subtly, but could not catch the scent of any pack from these two strangers, the younger female smelled of lavender and the male of a musky cinnamon, perhaps perfume? Either way this pair did not smell like they belonged to any pack. Loners perhaps? A sudden moment of hope crossed through the sable female, if they were indeed loners and wandered the lands, then perhaps, just maybe they might have seen Deuce on their wanderings. Perhaps they had seen her recently, oh she hoped that they had indeed seen her.

"My name is Soran Aatte, I'm from New Dawn, a pack to the North, I thought I would come and explore the surrounding lands to see what there was. To see if there was anything useful here." Soran offered in introduction, a smile still on her lips as she did so. She could not help but hope that this pair had indeed seen Deuce wandering somewhere.





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#4
Null nodded to the larger female, the trapper certainly liked the flowers too. They were completely outside her realm of experience, almost otherworldly to the tiny wolf. It was almost like being an ant, she thought, scurrying through the grass with the plants towering over her. She would have to come back next summer and see them when they were in their prime.

Yes, I like them. They're so big! Null replied gleefully, back feet peddalling in a puppyish gesture. I've never seen this kind of flower before! I wasn't picturing something quite so tall. She gestured emphatically as she talked, making herself seem very young-- which she sort of was, being only a yearling, but there was no harm in coming across as friendlier and less calculating than she actually was. Rurik huffed with amusement as he watched her, being familiar with her habits and knowing full well that she liked to consider herself some sort of cunning mastermind despite occasionally behaving in a puppyish manner even when she wasn't putting it on. He found it amusing.

Oh, I am Null, Null Liulfr. This is Rurik Volkov, who is a big softy, so don't let his frickin' huge-ness fool you. Null introduced for the both of them, teasing him lightly with a playful barely-there shove. Rurik smiled and wagged and dipped his head, pretty much laying claim to the title of 'big softy'. Null giggled at him.

I vanted to show her ze flowers before zey faded avay. The wolfdog spoke by way of explaining their own presence, his voice a rich, rumbling baritone and his accent extremely obvious. New Dawn is ze vun zat prefers ze old vays, da? He remembered hearing some things about the pack, but it hadn't appealed much to him. He was far too fond of more human, 'sophisticated' lifestyles, as was Null. The tiny wolf nodded with him, remembering something of the pack as well.

Hm, yes. The one with the... Wolves... Doing... wolf-y things. Null waved a hand vaguely as she spoke. Rurik raised his eyebrows at her.

Zat is not wery specific. Zat could be any pack in ze area.

Except Inferni.

Except Inferni, da.

Shush, you know exactly what I mean, don't be difficult. Null waved a hand dismissively, and Rurik conceded easily. He simply blinked and dropped the subject entirely-- it was very obvious who was in charge between the two of them.
#5
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Hee hee! This is a great thread, I like the way Null and Rurik bicker Big Grin
WC: 731


The sable female could not help but smile at the pair as she looked at them, it was amusing to her to see two such opposite wolves being friends, especially as it seemed that the large wolf dog was very much under the control of the little wolf that stood before her. The younger female (then again there weren't many left in the lands who were older than Soran) gestured rather wildly as she talked, saying how she liked the sunflowers. Soran could not help but agree, the sunflowers were really rather impressive, she had seen pictures of them in books but it had only been recently that she had seen them for real, they had been more impressive when she had been able to touch them, to see them reach to her shoulders, she had never seen such tall flowers before. As the girl spoke about how she liked them the sable female nodded politely, she did agree with that the younger female was saying after all. She smiled at the younger female.

"You should see them in the summer time, when they are in full bloom, just flowers as far as the eye can see, they seem to go on forever, it is really very impressive." Soran replied, still smiling warmly at the pair. The female then introduced them both, she really was clearly in charge here and Soran dipped her head in a small bow of greeting, it was nice to meet a pair of loners on her journey about the lands. Null explained that the male, Rurik was actually a big softy and Soran let out a small chuckle.
"Ah, often you find that the largest of our kind tend to be the gentlest" Soran replied, another small chuckle escaping her dark lips as she did so, a warm, friendly sound that was rare for the ebony female recently.

The male spoke then, his voice matching his stature, a warm, rich baritone, she noted his heavy Russian accent, for a moment Soran could not help but think of Syemv, her Alpha had been Russian when she had lived there, his name had also been Rurik, the sable female could not help but wonder if it was a common name in Russia. But the name and the accent was enough to have happy, peaceful memories wash over the ebony female, bringing a genuine smile to her lips. She nodded as the male spoke, saying that he had hoped to show Null the flowers before they had died away, he then asked about New Dawn, saying that they lived in the old ways. Soran nodded to confirm that he was correct and then smiled as Null spoke about the wolves doing wolf-y things. This then caused the pair to descend into what seemed to be bickering to the sable female, it was not nasty though, it was more amusing to the ebony lady. She let out a little chuckle as the pair argued, until they mentioned Inferni, for a moment Soran's face betrayed her feelings for Inferni, her brows furrowing into a frown; she had never forgiven the coyotes for their attack on Syemv, they had destroyed her home land, they had killed her friends and pack mates, they had let a rapist and a murderer into their ranks and allowed him to terrorise her, she would never forgive them, nor would she ever forget. And what had it all been for? All for a small patch of land, the bloodshed had not been worth that, surely? The sable female regained her composure and nodded once more.
"Yes, they... we prefer to live more how wolves once lived, not using human tools and the like, we have no need for farming as other packs do. We generally have no human items, though they are not completely forbidden, they are frowned upon though." Soran replied, patting the canvas satchel at her hip as she did so to indicate that she had been permitted to hold onto her human artifacts to a degree.
"How about you? Where are you from?" The sable female asked, assuming that they were loners, but wondering where they stayed while they were wandering. She brushed a loose strand of mane from out of her eyes while she observed the pair, narrowing her green eyes as she noticed the whiteness of a few of the strands there.





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#6
((At least 50% of Rurik's reason for being created is to banter with Null XD))

I shall have to come back, then. I would like to see them at their height. The tiny wolf nodded, looking away from Soran for a moment to flit her gaze over the sunflowers again. If they were beautiful now, she could hardly imagine them in full bloom. All bright yellows and straight, proud stems. It would certainly be a sight to see.

Bwaaah, he's the biggest, sappiest darlin' I've ever met! Such a sweetie! Null reached up to 'boop' Rurik's nose affectionately, though he had to lean down to let her. Some males may have been embarrassed by the description; the wolfdog simply took it in his stride, and maybe even took pleasure in the affectionate cooing. The wagging of his tail certainly indicated so. If Null liked him for being sweet, then he would be as sweet as syrup. Temper and dominance didn't come naturally to him anyway.

Null nodded along to the description of New Dawn, 'hmm'ing lightly to herself. It really wasn't to her tastes at all-- she liked the foods that farming provided and everything she owned was made by humans. She shrugged lightly, however. Well, to each their own. 's not really my style, I'm far too into human stuff as far as tools and objects go, but whatever makes people happy. That was largely Null's policy when it came to the cultures and lifestyles of others-- whatever made them happy. So long as they weren't hurting anyone, what did it matter to her?

Ve are trawellers. Ve vander. Rurik lied smoothly. Rurik didn't often lie, but he also didn't often speak much to anyone but Null. He was a capable liar when he had to be, though, and it was against pack policy to admit to being Salsolan to an outsider. Null smiled and tilted her head in a confirmatory way.

We like to travel, us. Was scary when the hurricane hit, but Casa di Cavalieri was offering shelter to loners at the time, so. Null shrugged, glad that she had heard that snatch of information from within Salsola's borders. In reality, she had spent much of the hurricane taking refuge in Isabella Heiwa's home, tending to a wound on her slave. Rurik had apparently hunkered down in a cave, not having made it to Salsola before the storm hit.
#7
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That was a brilliant idea Big Grin Sorry I got a little carried away here XD
WC: 844


Null replied, saying that she would like to see the sunflowers at their full height, breaking her gaze away from the sable female to look around the surroundings. It was true that they were nothing short of magnificent at their peak, when they towered over many creatures that lived in the lands, their bright yellow petals reflecting the sun on even the gloomiest days, giving the pretense of a brighter and cheerier day even then. Soran could not help but laugh as Null said that Rurik was a sappy darling, she reached to bop him on the nose and Soran smiled at him bowing his head to allow him to do so, he was indeed a gentle creature, most wolves would not have stood for that kind of thing, let alone offer themselves willingly to the gentle teasing. Though the sable female supposed that when one was such good friends with another wolf then this kind of play was accepted and often even enjoyed, she supposed that she herself had behaved the same way with her childhood friend Iikka, when they had played together she had teased her and he had taken it all very good naturedly, that was his way though, a gentle creature indeed, he had been a shining beacon of joy in the most troubling time of her life; every now and again she missed the white wolf with his crooked snout, often she wondered what might have become of him if he had lived, he probably would have found himself just as tall as the black male that stood before her now. She smiled at the pair's interactions, they seemed like the best of friends indeed.
"It seems that the pair of you have a very good friendship going on here." The lady replied with a warm smile once again.

The young female spoke once again, replying to Soran's explanation of what happened in the New Dawn lands, she shrugged as if the idea was not for her at all, Soran was used to this, it was not for everyone, some days it was not even for her, but on those days she would leave the lands and have her fill of playing her flute, then return contented with her life within the pack lands, she loved the pack dearly and their customs were easy enough to deal with when one loved them so dearly. She listened as the female spoke, her ears twitching as she turned her head on one side as she listened.
"Yes, some wolves cannot understand how we live, I suppose it might be a strange thing for many that come across us. It is not a bad way to live though, I have never seen the need for many human tools, I have a few needles and some thread, but I can justify those as they are useful for stitching injured wolves back together." Soran paused and emitted a small chuckle as she said this, it was true it was a terrible thing for a wolf to be that injured, but being able to help them had always made the sable female feel useful.
"As I said, some items are permitted, they are frowned upon, but our members are not usually forced to give them up, I think it may be that the Alpha hopes that the wolves will give them all up in their own time, some do, some don't. I myself have a couple of small items that I am a little too attached too to ever get rid of." The dark New Dawner confessed with a little smile, patting her canvas satchel once more.

Rurik spoke then, saying that they were travelers and that they wandered, Soran nodded in reply, she knew of wolves that lived their whole lives like that, in fact she had spent long stretches of her own life living like that, wandering from place to place, whether alone or within a group. Normally Soran was very good at spotting a lie, but in this case she was oblivious to the large male's falsehood. Soran nodded again as Null added more to the information that she had been given, listening carefully, her eyes widening slightly as the little female said that she had sought shelter in Casa di Cavalieri, she knew those lands well, her stepson being the Alpha there, it reminded her that she had yet to go and see him, and her own grandson as well, she would have to rectify that very quickly.
"I am glad to hear that you faired well during the storm, do you find that it iis easy surviving as loners? I'm glad to hear that you were offered shelter, Casa di Cavelieri is a wonderful place isn't it? I know it well, my step son is the Alpha there, say... You didn't see a pale female there did you? With mismatched eyes, one blue and one yellow, goes by the name of Deuce Rhiannon? Or on your travels at all?" Soran asked, suddenly hopeful that this pair might have seen her missing beloved.






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#8
((Psh, it's all good!))

He's my best friend in the whole world and I love him. Null confirmed happily when Soran commented on their friendship. The declaration set Rurik's tail to a rapid wagging, and the Russian stooped down to lick the outside of her ear affectionately. They were certainly close enough that they were often confused for mates; perhaps they would be, one day. There was no reason for them not to be, and little would actually change if they were. They already adored each other-- why not? But the subject had never been mentioned by either, and neither found it a pressing concern, just a vague thought in the back of both their heads.

Ah, well. There are merits to the old ways, I'll concede that, but I much prefer the various pseudo-human lifestyles around. It is only through human ways that I have survived as long as I have-- I am not strong enough to hunt in the old ways, I would've starved long before now. It is easier, I think, to turn from humanity when you are large and strong enough to have little trouble behaving in more 'wolfish' ways. I find things very difficult if I don't use human tricks and tools. Now, Rurik wouldn't have as much trouble, would you sweetie? Null looked up at Rurik, who shrugged.

Could prrrobably manage, but prefer new vays. Like to make things and grow plants. Like to fish vith tools. Not for me. Vould prefer to stay with моя возлюбленная anyvay, ewen if it vas my style. He bumped against her affectionately, and the trapper snickered at him.

Gosh you are a sap. Also, tell my what 'moy vozbluhbluhbleurgh' means. Null absolutely butchered the pronunciation, causing Rurik to chuckle at her.

моя возлюбленная. He corrected-- That's what I said!-- before elaborating on the meaning. It is pet name. 'My sveetheart'.

Oh my gosh how are you so cute.

Null nodded at Soran's question, considering it a little. It's usually alright. Rurik's good at fishing and I'm good at trapping, so we never go hungry. It's only when the weather gets stupid that we have trouble. And yeah, I quite liked Casa di Cavalieri, pretty cool fort thing they got going on. Null's travels had served her well-- she had a reasonable knowledge of most packs in the area. Um... I don't think I have. I tend to have a good memory for names, and I don't think I've seen anyone that matches the description. Rurik? She looked to the wolfdog, who shook his head. Oh. No, sorry. We'll put the word out though, we know a bunch of other travellers. If anyone's seen her we'll have them direct her to you. The pair looked apologetic. They certainly would put the word out the next time they saw one of their friend, but they didn't know when that would be.
#9
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I appear to be on a bit of a spree today, I shouldn't be it's 4am... but hey ho! I am even more sorry for the sheer length of this one, it seems the later it gets the more wordy I become XD
WC: 1117


The sable female watched the pair interact, in response to her saying what good friends they appeared to be Null spoke very affectionately of the male. This seemed to thrill him and he licked her ear affectionately, Soran smiled, this was something that she knew well, she was one for licking ears affectionately. It was a habit she had picked up long ago when she had first become a mother, licking her red boy behind the ears when she greeted him, she would still do it now if he were around, though as a grown male with grandchildren of his own she was sure that he would be mortified by the very prospect of it. But then again many of the grown wolves that she had somehow adopted over the years, the children that she had claimed rather than birthed did not mind this as greeting, in fact Zalen was the Alpha of their pack and was still willing to accept this sign of affection from his adoptive mother, no matter how old or highly ranking he was. For a moment the thought of her adoptive daughter, Blind, flitted across the ebony lady's memory, she winced slightly as she thought of her, it was true that she had killed the bear that she believed to be Blind's murderer, but she had never been able to bury her sweet daughter's body... somehow she felt that meant that Blind's death was, in one way or another, not properly avenged. Still that was not a topic for this moment in time. Giving herself a little mental shake she looked back to the pair, smiling at them, they would make good mates, for a moment she wondered if they realised this, or if they were in the dark about their own feelings and compatibility like so many that she had met before.

The conversation then turned back to the subject of living as wolves had done before the virus had spread and given them a choice in what they did and how they lived. Null seemed sure that she would not have survived living as a wolf the way that Soran had, perhaps she was right, though somehow the sable female felt that the smaller girl would find herself more than capable of hunting without needing hands to do so, she seemed sweet and friendly, but also like she might have a streak of cunning running through her; and Soran knew that if one could not survive by brute strength and speed that cunning was just as good, if not a better asset to have.
"I never really had a choice about learning to hunt myself, I was alone from a very young age, well myself and one other, he was about the same age as me though, he was not able to shift and I had no idea that I was able to, unlike many I have met there was no random shifting when you get to the correct age for me, I was two before I learned of this form." Soran replied, pausing to gesture down at her lithe Optime form, "so for me it was either hunt or die, it's surprising what you can do when it's your only option." Soran finished, surprised that she had revealed so much of a dark past to almost relative strangers, she was normally better at keeping her cards closer to her chest than this. The male then spoke, saying that he would probably manage to live as the New Dawners do, but that he could not imagine doing certain tasks, like fishing without tools. He then added that he would not want to leave Null, calling her by a sweet pet name that made Soran smile again, oh how perfect this pair would be for one another if they just realised it. She nodded in agreement, musing over the idea of fishing without any tools.
"I am actually unsure how one would fish without tools, in all honesty I don't think I have ever seen it done, I imagine you just... well pounce on the fish, but I can't imagine that being at all easy. Hmm... I will have to find out how the others do it, I myself prefer rabbit to fish and we seem to have an abundant enough supply that I have no need to fish in the pack lands." Soran replied, her face filled with thoughtfulness now as she wondered how fishing would be done without tools.

The girl then spoke again, saying that Rurik was a good fisher and that she was a fair trapper, that made sense, she had already said that she did not hunt in the traditional way. It seemed that they were doing just fine for themselves on their own. Soran listened as she spoke of Casa di Cavelieri once again and nodded, they seemed to have a fair knowledge of the area.

"I see... do you not hunt in the usual way at all then? I am impressed that trapping animals keeps you both well fed, neither of you seem to be malnourished." Soran replied, smiling again, hoping that they realised that she had not meant that they were overfed or fat, just that they both seemed appropriately fit and healthy.
"Yes, the fort seems to keep the pack safe, were they welcoming to you? How did you manage to get there? Or were you in the area at the time?" The sable female asked, just simply out of curiousity, also she hoped that Jazper had been welcoming to these wanderers, they seemed pleasant enough from this conversation. Null then said that she had not seen anyone matching Deuce's description and Soran's heart sank just a little, she had to learn that simply asking if someone had seen her on the off chance that they had not to allow her heart to be buoyed by the idea of seeing her again, it was going to take more than simply asking a few people to find her mate it seemed. Rurik confirmed that they had not seen her with a little shake of his head, though the pair offered to mention it to their wandering friends when they saw them. Soran smiled with gratitude, before letting out a heavy sigh.
"I must apologise for my obvious disappointment, it is just... she's my mate you see, she went missing before the hurricane hit and it seems that she has vanished into thin air, no-one seems to have seen her for such a long time. I was worried before but now I must admit I am really very concerned." Soran explained, rubbing a dark hand across her eyes, she just missed Deuce so very much.





Gorgeous table by the very talented Aoves
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#10
((Ha! When it's late I tend to miss all the masses of typos my quick typing causes >.> turns nearly incomprehensible!))

Fishing vithout tools is not too bad, but not my fawourite. Svipe zem out vith hands or grab vith jaws, like bear. Rurik made a swiping motion with one webbed hand. Ven fish are breeding and zere are many, go under vater and grab zem as zey pass. Null wrinkled her nose at the implication of going under water to catch a fish. The wolf wasn't as fond as water as her friend.

Hmm, Rurik likes water. Very good swimmer, practically a fish himself. That's why he does the fishing. I don't like water much. He's got a better coat for it than me, all waterproof. Like an otter. She mused, briefly picturing Rurik as a giant otter. The image made her let out a short sharp giggle before she got it under control.

Did you just picture me as otter.

You know me far too well.

Null considered Soran's question about hunting for a moment. Well... Not usually. I never do, at any rate. Rurik likes to chase things sometimes, so he'll go hunt a deer or whatever, but I stick to my traps. And he mostly just fishes, anyway. Trapping has a pretty good success rate if you know where to set them up. And, depending on the size of the trap, you can get all sorts. We caught an elk once, in a pit trap. Oh that was brilliant. The trapper grinned at the memory. The elk had been a huge bull, caught in their pit-- they hadn't dug it, just covered it over to hide it from sight. It had been pissed off and bleating at them when they found it. Null made up for her lack of traditional hunting skill with a deadly aim with throwing knives, however, and had managed to cut the beasts neck with a clean shot, letting it bleed to death. It was a proud catch.

We were in the area and heard from our friend Wren that they were offering shelter. And yeah, they were pretty nice. It was a good place to crash while we waited the storm out. Null had found that if one added in unnecessary details-- like the name of a non-existent friend-- it made lies much more convincing. Null could honestly keep this tale running forever and keep all of her facts straight. She was good at deceiving.

О, нет, дорогой. Ruik's tone was one of sympathy and compassion. He remembered how worried he had been about Null when the storm had hit. Null had been just as concerned about him; she took his hand (which practically swallowed hers) and squeezed gently at the memory of her simmering panic. She couldn't even imagine how she would be feeling if she had heard nothing from him since.

We'll keep an eye out. Her voice was low and subdued.
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Sorry for the wait on this hun, I started to reply last night but then got into working out my (future and past) other character Robin's family tree and broke my brain, she's related to every big and medium family on the board, she has so many cousins it's ridiculous lol.
WC: 917


The ebony female could not help but chuckle a little as she listened to Rurik reply to her thoughts, saying that he preferred to catch fish with his paws and teeth "like bear", it was the image of him swiping at fish, waist deep in water, acting like a bear. Soran was not fond of bears at this current moment in time though, she knew that the rampaging murderous one that had killed her little Blind had been a rarity, that not all bears were like that, she knew that like wolves there were some bears that were going to be bad apples; she probably knew that better than most, but the image of Rurik acting as a bear somehow lifted her spirits and made her chuckle. Null then went on to explain that Rurik was far keener on water than she herself was, that he was built more like an otter with a waterproof coat, this brought an image of a large Rurik-shaped otter to mind and that made the ebony female laugh again, a warm hearty laugh, she just could not help it. It seemed that both Rurik and Null had pictured the same thing and discussed it with a cheerful ease.
"I must confess that I pictured the same thing, I do apologise for laughing, it was just the image was so very funny." Soran added, laughing to herself again a little as once again the Rurik-otter danced through her mind.
"I myself have never really had a strong feeling on water either way, I am able to cross it and once in a while, in the height of summer when it gets too hot for me it is a lovely way to cool off, but I must confess it is not something that I would go out of my way to explore." Soran noted, smiling as she did so, it was true that sometimes a lake was the most blissful release from the heat of a midsummer's day; Soran's sable pelt trapped heat on days like that and sometimes the icy chill of a lake was just the thing to slake off the uncomfortable feeling that came with it.

The sable female listened as Null explained how they hunted, it seemed that Rurik and Soran herself probably shared a lot of traits, she was a huntress herself, she loved the thrill of chasing something, to hear the pounding of her own heartbeat and the drumming of her paws against the ground as she closed the gap between herself and her prey, she loved it, it was a feeling that was indescribable and so satisfying to her, it was freeing. It seemed that Null preferred traps herself, it was not something that Soran had really thought about doing much herself, but it seemed that Null was quite skilled at setting the traps, apparently they had even caught an elk once, Soran's eyes widened at this, that was quite a feat.
"That is amazing, how on earth did you manage to catch something that size? I have seen whole pack hunting parties have trouble bringing down an elk. A pit trap, is that a hole in the ground, covered over?" Soran asked, suddenly remembering a book on survival she had found once in an old library, it had a picture, that image seemed like it would fit the idea of a pit trap. Soran was genuinely curious about how Null managed to capture things of that size.

Null explained that they had a loner friend that had told them about Casa di Cavalieri and Soran nodded, she still had no idea that they could be lying, after all she was willing to trust wolves that she met and as far as she knew this pair had no reason to lie to her. Also her story was certainly plausible.
"You must be very grateful to her for letting you know, she sounds like a good friend to have." Soran replied, smiling as she did so, it was nice to know that the lone wolves of the lands still looked after and cared for one another, almost like a giant pack that extended across the whole of the lands. The conversation then turned back to Deuce and Soran watched as the pair before her held hands, she could not understand what it was that Rurik had said to her, even after knowing the Russians she had never picked up the language, but somehow the words felt comforting. Null promised to keep an eye out and Soran smiled at her, they seemed like such kind creatures.
"Thank you very much, I have been walking to the other packs in the area to see if any of them have seen her, alas no-one seems to have done so. I just miss her so much, I don't think she's dead, this sounds strange, but if she were I think... I think I would have felt it, my own heart would have probably broken at that moment. Does that sound strange? What am I saying... it sounds insane. I'm just so worried that she might be lost and alone somewhere, she could be hurt. I just want her found safe and sound. If you could keep an eye out that would be really very kind of you." Soran replied, rubbing a hand across her face, the gratitude for the pair's offer of keeping a watch out for Deuce was palpable, she would never be able to express how grateful she was.






Gorgeous table by the very talented Aoves
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((No problem! I actually did the exact same thing yesterday, I think I followed a link to Linden Aatte and ended up lookin' at Robin...? Crazy huge family. Also, look at my sexy new table~!))


Null couldn't help but throw back her head and laugh. Rurik let out a soft wuffling laugh, mostly just pleased by her laughter. Oh man, that settles it. You are one hundred percent an otter! She teased, poking him playfully in the belly. Rurik huffed through his nose.


If I am otter, you are tiny fluffy kitten. He told her. Null responded by clamping her teeth and vibrating her tounge against the roof of her mouth-- it made a very convincing purring sound. Rurik pricked his ears a little, looking impressed. He attempted to mimic her and ended up simply saying 'rrrrrr' through gritted teeth. How do you do zat?


A magician never reveals her secrets, darling! Null replied with a wink. She had always wanted a legitimate reason to use that expression.


Oh, I luuuurve me some hot weather. My family's from Mexico, She had her family's trait of referring to their homeland with a Mexican accent, pronouncing it 'Mehico', so I am built for heat and plains. It never gets that hot around here to me. I struggle with the cold though. Mexican nights can be cold, but not like it gets 'round here. She gave an exaggerated shiver to show her distaste for cold weather. Ah, but Rurik's all fluffy and warm, so I just steal his warms. Like a heat vampire.


I strrrruggle vith heat. Hawe to clip coat and svim a lot just to keep cool. But mostly like vater because my mother vas Newfoundland Dog, bred for svimming and vater rescue. Rurik was very proud of his dog heritage, and he carried a lot of their traits; he often found that if he ever saw anyone in he water, regardless of whether they were in trouble or not, he had the impulse to leap in and pull them to dry ground. He was pretty good at not doing that, though, unless it was Null in the water. Then there was no hope, and she tended to just let him do it.


Mmm, I read an old human book full of dogs that had been given medals for stuff. There was a Newfounland in there that had personally rescued three hundred people from a shipwreck when it hit a rock before reaching shore. That's ridiculously impressive. Also explains why I can't go swimming or take a bath for more than five minutes without this one hauling me out again. Null jerked a thumb at Rurik, who had the grace to look sheepish.


Uh, yeah, hole in the ground, cover it over. Put some spikes in it if you wanna kill stuff straight away. We didn't dig the pit for this particular trap, we just found a really big, conveniently place hole and covered it over. We left it alone till the afternoon, when we came back we had a really pissed off bull elk. I took a shot at it with a throwing knife, got it in the jugular, let it bleed to death. Null explained the scenario with no small measure of pride. It was an excellent catch, and it was on the top of her list of 'Reasons Trapping is Better Than My Stupid Brothers Just Biting Stuff'.


Null nodded-- Imaginary Wren was a good friend, or at least she would be if she was real. Yeah, she's a sweetheart. We don't see her too often, she doesn't travel as much as she used to. She's shacked up with this Poodle, who's a bit of a dick but he dotes on her, so whatever. What's his name? Francis? The last part was directed to Rurik, just so that he could confirm the lie.

Francois. French-Canadian boy. Rurik added in easily. Null nodded snapping her fingers and pointing to Rurik as though to say 'yeah, that's it'.


Nah, I get what you mean. Null nodded. She didn't believe in psychic bonds or being able to 'sense' things like that, but she figured Soran wasn't the type for that either. And even Null figured that if anything happened to Rurik then she would just... Know. Somehow. Hey, if she turns up at your packlands you put the word out for us, okay? I wanna know if you find her.

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Ha ha, yeah I play Robin Aatte, well I did and I will again when my 4 weeks are up Smile Linden is her brother, it's insane the size of their families, it turns out they also have cousins in the Lykois and everything XD
WC: 1161 (Eep! Sorry, it's just so easy to write loads in this thread, also I used the word replied waaaaay too much XD)


The sable female smiled at the sound of Null's laughter, it was a wonderful sound and the multi-coloured female seemed to give herself over to it, throwing her head back. The large ebony male joined in with the laughter as well and Soran found herself chuckling along, it was nice to laugh for a while, it was nice to feel carefree and relaxed, it did not often happen to the sable wolf. Null spoke, saying that Soran's agreement settled it, that Rurik was most definitely an otter. Rurik was not slow to reply at all, stating that if he were an otter that Null was a little fluffy kitten, Soran cracked up at this notion, laughing loudly at the idea of Null being a tiny fluffy animal, she couldn't picture it, a small fluffy kitten with Null's wicked grin, it seemed too sweet to be true. Then again kittens were notorious for scratching and biting at hands that tried to play with them, perhaps Null could be a kitten after all; the ebony wolf liked her, that much was true indeed, but she had a feeling that Null was a little more edgy than a bundle of fur. She was cut off from her laughing by Null making a purring sound with her mouth, it seemed like she rolled her tongue in some manner to allow her to do it. Soran stopped laughing and looked at the paler female, her eyes wide with curiosity, how she had done it was a mystery to the New Dawner and it seemed to be to the smaller female's dark companion as well, he attempted the same thing and simply managed what sounded like a small growl through his teeth. He asked Null how she had done it and Null replied that a magician never revealed their secrets. Soran laughed again.
"A wise plan Null, allow yourself to teach others all that they know, but never teach them all that you know." Soran replied, emphasising the words they and you to make her point, smiling warmly at the younger female.

Soran listened as Null explained that she liked the heat, it seemed that her family were originally from a place called Mexico, Soran knew that that was to the South of these lands, she vaguely recalled seeing maps of it in a book somewhere. At that moment she missed the old library greatly, there had been a great many books there which had been of great use to her, now the only ones left were the ones that she had taken from there, all lined up neatly on her shelf in the New Dawn caves. It seemed that Null suffered with the cold more than the heat, that was something which Soran could not relate to, her thick coat usually provided her all of the warmth that she needed, though there had been a few instances where her toes had gone numb in the snow, that much was true.
"Ah, well my family are from further North than here, well I believe it to be, it was quite a long way and I have not been anywhere near there in many years. So I am built for the cold, my coat gets quite thick at this time of year. it is a good job that you have Rurik it seems, it's always good to have someone to curl up to when it's cold. I take it that you two travel together all the time?" Soran replied with a smile, wondering if they had been together for a long time.

Rurik then said that he often did the same things that Soran herself did when the heat of the day got too much for her, nodding as he explained that his mother had been a Newfoundland dog, Soran did not know what that meant, but he quickly explained that they were dogs that had been bred for water rescue. The dark female nodded again, that also explained his great size as well, she was sure that humans would not have had small dogs for such rescues. Null explained that she had read a human book where a Newfoundland dog had rescued three hundred humans all by itself and Soran gasped, well that certainly confirmed why Rurik was such a large male.
"That sounds rather impressive, I take it that's where you get your height from Rurik?" Soran asked, though it was not really a question that needed answering, she had already guessed the answer. Soran laughed as Null explained that she couldn't take a bath or swim without being "rescued".
"I suppose it's better that he rescue you all the time even when you don't need it, rather than leave you when you do." Soran replied, still chuckling to herself at the mental image of Null being hauled out of the water by Rurik every five minutes. The conversation then turned to the subject of pit traps and Null explained that they had found a conveniently placed hole and simply covered it over, it seemed that the younger female was indeed very knowledgeable about the subject of traps, Soran had to admit that this was a gap in her own knowledge and was listening to the pale faced female eagerly, wanting to fill in the gaps in her usually encyclopedic brain.
" A bull elk? That must have kept you fed for an age! How did you get it out of the pit though?" Soran asked, she was fascinated by the idea of pit traps, but the logistics of getting something of that size back out sounded rather difficult.

As Null spoke about their other wandering friend Soran nodded, it seemed that the pair knew her very well indeed, they even knew her mate, a poodle. It was good that they had a friend like her. Soran was still oblivious to the fact that it was a lie, after all it was very, very well fabricated. She smiled and nodded as they spoke.
"It sounds like you have a very good friend in her indeed, you are very lucky." The sable female replied, her tone relaxed and warm. At least Null did not seem to think Soran was insane when she mentioned that somehow she would just know if Deuce had died.
"Thank you for understanding, I have seen some bizarre things in my life, things I have never been able to explain, but I have never been a big believer in psychic abilities or the like. I don't know though, I would just know if Deuce were dead." Soran replied, rubbing a hand across her eyes again, at Null's comment Soran nodded furiously.
"Of course I will get the word out when she comes back safe and sound, thank you for your concern." She replied, smiling. Then a sudden though struck her as she looked at the pair.
"So you two have never considering moving into a pack for ease?" Soran asked, wondering about this pair.





Gorgeous table by the very talented Aoves
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#14
((That is a craaaaazy huge family! Though I plan on Null+Rurik having a ridiculous amount of kids, so maybe they'll end up with a sprawling family tree too! XD))

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"Ooh! That's a good expression, I like that!" Null snapped her fingers and pointed to Soran when the older female commented on her 'magicians code'. The tiny wolf was always very fond of word play, and she liked to remember excellent sayings. Rurik simply smiled-- he tended to be more reserved with his words unless he was feeling especially comfortable, but he found Null's love of language endearing.


Ve met vhen I had just arrived from Russia, Rurik began to reply to Soran's question. and Null had just left from parents' home. Vas only few monzs ago, really. Hawe stayed togezer since. When one looked at it that way, they really hadn't known each other for that long at all. Three, four months? But they had immediately taken to one another and had been all but inseparable since. There had been a brief period when they had lost one another and then Null had wound up in Salsola, but that was the only period of time since they had met that they had gone without each other. Null never wanted to be out of sight of her friend again-- it had been terrifying on her own.


Rurik gave a simple nod-- his mother had been huge, upwards of two hundred pounds, and it was from her that he got his shaggy black coat, webbed paws, heavy bone structure, slight curl to his tail and slight droop to the tips of his ears. He took after her much more than he took after his father, who had been a huge wolf in his own right. Soran's following comment made him grin and Null put on a long-suffering look. He deffinately wasn't going to stop 'rescuing' her any time soon. "Well, yes. It's good to know he's there if I get in trouble, but I've had to get really good at speed-washing." Null was fastidiously clean, and she would much rather have the opportunity to soak as she groomed herself. Rurik got really, really anxious if she was in the water for too long. It was the only thing they clashed on, but Null was willing to concede that one small thing.


"Oh, well, ha." Null began explaining how they had extracted the bull elk. "With difficulty, let me tell you. We had to get in the pit with some ropes to climb back out again, take the damn thing apart and drag the whole thing out again. Totally worth it though. It was a little bit of a 'hahaha, up yours dad' moment, too, 'cause my dad never thought my traps were worth anything." There was perhaps a touch of smugness to her voice. It had been hugely satisfactory to catch something that her brothers had never managed to take down. Rurik stayed quiet, hiding the fact that he wanted to punch her father in the face very well.


Null blinked-- why was Soran asking about packs? Ha, well, yes, she certainly had thought of joining a pack. She'd followed that thought through, too, but Soran never needed to know that. Null shrugged lightly. "Maybe someday. We're pretty happy on our own right now." Ruik nodded in confirmation; he didn't care much for packs, he had only joined Sasola because Null was there. "Why? What do you know about the packs 'round here?" Null asked, part of her wondering what Salola's reputation was.
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I am so sorry for the wait on this, internet connection problems all weekend :S And yes! Make them have lots of kids, Soran was an orphaned only child when she came to 'Souls now the Aattes are a rather large family XD. You should do it! XD Also I'm afraid that this reply is uber-long XD
WC: 1389


The sable female watched the shorter female with interest, it had still not occurred to the dark lady that this pair might be lying to her; Soran had always been one that was willing to trust others and give them a chance and so she did not think this pair were lying to her, after all in her eyes they had no need to tell falsehoods. The girl seemed to like what Soran had said about not teaching someone everything you knew, this made the dark female smile.
"I'm glad you like it, it's a good way to live, that way you will have an advantage." Soran said with a warm chuckle and a quirked eyebrow. She could not help but smile around Null and Rurik, the pair were a relaxing presence to her, somehow they just made her feel at ease. Soran warmed to others easily, but sometimes she found that she was unable to relax fully around them; she had had too many bad experiences in her past to allow her not to be completely vigilant, slightly on edge when around those that she did not know well; but this pair were different, they were easy going and quick to laugh and joke around, she liked them, she had to admit it. She listened as Rurik spoke again, his accent was thick, but to the sable female it was not unintelligible, she had lived with Russians for too long to have any trouble with his accent. It seemed that the pair had only been together for a short time, then again Soran supposed that sometimes a short time was all that it took for a friendship to form, it had happened to her more than once after all. It was even enough time for something more than friendship to blossom, the ebony female suspected that that was the case with this pair, even if they hadn't realised it yet; the jet pelted female couldn't help but suspect that their apparent inseparability might have deeper routes than just friendship.

Soran nodded as Rurik finished speaking.
"it is always good to have someone to travel with, travelling alone can get quite lonely sometimes after all." Soran replied, she gave an almost wistful sigh as her thoughts flicked momentarily to the fact that she was wandering alone herself at the moment, without Deuce at her side she felt even more alone than she ever had before. Rurik simply nodded in response to Soran's question, it seemed that he was a male of very little words, not that this bothered the sable lady very much at all, it seemed that Null was talkative enough for the pair of them anyway. The dark female let out a cheerful chuckle as the younger female explained that she had had to get very good at bathing at speed.
"Do you find that to be a difficult thing to do? i have always been a fairly quick washer myself actually, I like to get it out of the way so that I can get on with my day." Soran replied, it was true, she was a wolf who did not mind being dirty every now and again; she had never been one to shy away from muddy or boggy areas, she supposed as a huntress and explorer she had simply gotten used to the fact that she was going to be dirty every now and again. Perhaps for Null though it was an issue though, Soran thought of Deuce again, it had never occurred to her before that her beloved must have been a very fastidious cleaner herself, it was a very rare event to see her lover without a brilliantly clean white pelt. Soran mused on this for the merest of moments before forcing herself back to reality, there was no point in thinking on her lover at this moment, it just wounded her heart over and over, there was no point in lowering the general mood of this gathering with her melancholy.

Dark ears pricked up again as Null explained how they had gotten the large animal back out of the pit once they had captured it, it seemed like a good idea, clambering into the pit and taking the elk back up in pieces, it seemed that even if this younger girl did not have the brawn for hunting, she certainly had the brains. She continued, looking slightly smug as she said that her father had never thought her traps any good and so she had proved him wrong. That was something that Soran knew all too well, her own father had been a raving psychopath, he had made his entire life goal killing her and everyone that she knew or cared about, he had failed of course, for the sable female every breath she took and the sprawling family of which she was the matriarch were her proof that he was wrong; it seemed that the captured elk was that for Null herself.
"That sounds like the most sensible way to get it out yes, you do have a good logical mind it would seem." Soran praised with a smile at the pair.
"I know all too well the troubles you can have with the fathers, my own decided that I was evil because of the colour of my pelt, he was a psychopath though, being the Alpha of our pack, his word was law and so his hatred caused me to be shunned by the entire pack. He was evil." Soran paused and shuddered a little at the memory of the fierce grey male, "Why did your father not think that your traps were worth anything?" Soran asked, curious about Null's past.

On the subject of packs Null replied for the pair of them once again, it really did seem that Rurik was indeed the silent type. She explained that they were happy alone at the moment being without a pack, Soran nodded in understanding, sometimes being alone was just as, if not more satisfying than living within a pack. Null then asked what Soran knew of the packs in the local area and Soran closed her eyes for a moment, consulting the mental map that she had of the lands. She opened her eyes again and scanned the landscape for a moment, getting her bearings from the sun and the lands around her as to better explain the position of things.
"Well to the North is New Dawn, my home pack, you seem to know a little of us already. To the West there are two packs I believe, they seem fairly newly formed to myself, I have been away from the lands for a short while and they were not there before I went, but they are there now. There is Sangi'lak, who seem like a good and friendly bunch, the female I met there was incredibly kind. The other pack I don't know anything about if I am honest. Erm... to the South is Salsola, I have had no real experience of them either, but I believe that they keep slaves which is something that I could never agree with. And then of course to the East is... Inferni." Soran replied, gesturing with a hand in each direction as she used it, at the mention of Inferni her eyes darkened and her upper lip curled in a snarl for a moment, showing sharp white teeth. After a moment Soran regained her composure, taking a deep breath and relaxing, her face falling back into a calm expression.
"I am sorry, Inferni attacked a pack I belonged to once, they killed friends of mine, I don't think I can ever forgive them. They are all coyotes and when I had dealings with them they were not to be trusted, that might have changed but I have no plans to go and see if that is the case." Soran finished, not realising that she might be giving valuable information to Salsolans.





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#16
((I was wondering if anything had happened at your end! Good to hear you're not sick or something. And I have totally already drawn their future first three pups as adults >.>))

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"I dunno what I'd do without Rurik, akshully. Prob'ly get crazy lonely and become a crazy cat lady. Just shout at strangers an' hurl cats at them if they come to close." Null pondered the scenario for a second before nudging Rurik with her elbow. "Good thing I got'chu around to stop me hoarding cats an' cack'lin', huh?" The runt grinned up at the giant, who was momentarily so overcome with affection that he couldn't help but bend to lick her ear again.


Null tilted her hand back and forth in a 'so-so' gesture. "I like being able to soak. I hugely dislike being grubby, so I prefer it when I can take my time grooming. But Rurik gets really anxious, so." Null shrugged and Rurik made a slightly apologetic noise. Rurik was less of a neat freak than his friend, and his oilier coat was rather self-cleaning anyway. He didn't really 'get' her obsession with grooming, but it didn't really matter.


Null couldn't help but grin bashfully at the praise. It wasn't often that she was complimented on her abilities, and it always struck a pleasant chord with her when someone took enough notice to do so. The pair continued to listen to Soran as she detailed how her father had hated her for having black fur, and Null's expression morphed into a mixture of incredulity, confusion and a healthy dose of rage. "Because you have black fur? Honestly? That's makes literally no sense, I can't even begin to follow that logic. I just-- I cannot-- ugh, that is so dumb, that much stupidity physically pains me. Yeah, I think your 'bad dad' story trumps mine." Null pinched the bridge of her nose, squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. Rurik grinned apologetically. Ze can hawe difficulty understanding irrationality. He explained, rubbing between the trapper's shoulder blades soothingly.


"Hm? Oh, my dad? He was, like, a believer in being a proper wolf, y'know? He liked my brothers because they could run down a deer and kill it with their teeth, but me? Nah. Neither of my parents even thought I'd live more than an hour when I was born since I was like, really little," She gestured with her hands the way her mother used to, indicating a ridiculously tiny size for even a newborn pup, "So they named me 'Null', which quite literally means 'nothing'. Just as a way to refer to the pup they thought was gonna die, y'know? But it stuck. And they kind of considered me a waste of space 'cause I was too little to just bite my way through problems? But my dad was the worst with it. My nana was alright, but she died when I was very young. And then they kind of resented me because three of my brothers didn't survive their first winter, like they thought I'd stolen their place or something? It wasn't a very healthy place to grow up. Null shrugged as though it was no big deal, even though it still hurt how her family had treated her. "But it's alright. When I have pups I'll make sure they all know they're loved." Null put on a bright smile; it was no secret that her biggest goal in life was to be the matriarch of a huge sprawling clan. She wanted as many puppies as she could physically have.


The pair listened to the description of the packs around the area-- ha, Salsola had a bad reputation-- and they broth wrinkled their noses at the mention of Inferni. "Aw, dear heart. We've heard bad things about Inferni, I think every non-coyote has. It's like-- I have nothing against coyotes at all. Not a thing. What I dislike is any kind of canine who view themselves as the 'superior breed' and hate on anyone not in their little clique. It's just bigotry. She spat the last word with enough venom to kill an African elephant. She couldn't stand any sort of discrimination based on breed. It was fairly natural to prefer your own pack over another, but hating someone for being a different kind of canine? That sickened her.

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