we are the monsters under your bed

Ezekiel de le Poer · 08-16-2011, 12:05 AM

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The savage in man is never
quite eradicated

Backdated to August 10. Max first, then Tali. Word Count » --

With the pale boy more-or-less trailing behind him, Ezekiel traveled northwest, along the river. He pointed out the names of places and explained the ranks, though Max had a habit for wandering and speaking nonsense often. His stories, while initially wearisome, had begun to grow on the Aquila. Red paws carried him to the rise of the caves, the only high ground in the center of Inferni’s otherwise sloping valley. The caves grew out of various rocky growths, high enough that no water got into them and to give a broad view of the Waste surrounding them.

The Aquila slowed as he bounded up towards his own den to look back at the boy at his heels. “If you want to pick a cave, there are a few around here. This one is mine,” he gestured with his nose. The lack of response told him that Ibsen was out—hopefully doing his duty and not cavorting around with the other ravens as he so often did.

Max Klein · 08-17-2011, 02:25 AM

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Max followed closely at Ezekiel's heels, babbling to the older male out of want to impress him by his “adventures” in hopes that he would be more easily accepted by him more then anything else. It wasn't until they stepped into the shade of the caverns did Max stop talking, teeth clicking together as he snapped his mouth shut and perked up to look around with his large, inquisitive gold eyes. Ezekiel bounded off ahead but Max veered off to the left, peeking his head into one of the openings out of curiosity.
Ezekiel's voice had him scrambling to rejoin the male though and Max looked towards the opening the older male gestured to before looking to the left and right for the next nearest cave. One was quite nearby, right next to the one Ezekiel had gestured to and Max looked up at the Aquila expectantly, tail wagging as he asked “can I stay in that one?” Without an answer Max rushed towards it, sticking his grey dusted head into the opening to sniff around.

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Talitha de le Poer · 08-17-2011, 07:55 AM

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mall-caps;text-variantmall-caps;">IT'S ONLY cript;">FOREVER, NOT LONG AT ALL

Another day with her three children left in the care of her cousin and his silent-but-watchful patient afforded her the chance to do what she'd been putting off. With painting in hand, she made her way around the caves in search of the golden man who was her brother — the path from her den to his was familiar enough that she was afforded time to daydream on the way. With her father living in the guesthouse, she wondered if he really needed the comfort of a cave anymore — for days, she'd been contemplating moving herself from her own and into his, where they had lived as children and where lost memories hid beneath the stone. A shake of her head dispelled the idea. She'd speak to Ezekiel about it, maybe he would have more insight, as he often did.

Rounding the corner of another den brought her close enought to see the Aquila, and somber features lit up with something akin to joy that, while managing to infiltrate her mother's crimson eyes, seemed misplaced on the features of the newly made Centurion. Her steps became quicker, more determined as fingers tapped against the solid surface of the wood she'd painted their likenesses on. She tried to keep her approach short. As another voice sounded, younger and unfamiliar to the autumn-hued de le Poer, she halted in place and sought out the source.

It wasn't hard to find and caused her features to twist in disgust and confusion. A wolf? Bounding around on her land, as if it belonged there? What game was Ezekiel playing?

"What is that, Ezekiel...?"

Ezekiel de le Poer · 08-17-2011, 10:41 AM

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The savage in man is never
quite eradicated

Poor Max, dealing with sibling drama. Kiki, I'm not sure if Tali let Zeke see her kids yet so I didn't mention it either way. Word Count » --

In a way, Ezekiel was pleased by the fact that Max was open to this idea. He was curious about the boy and his wild stories, for certainly they weren’t all flights of fancy. Especially the idea of Max being half-monster. Without an imaginative mind, however, he was stuck trying to solve the riddle long after it was presented. Sometimes he wished he was smarter, but his strength lay in the wilderness, not in books (though he read more than one might expect).

As Ezekiel opened his mouth to answer Max, another sound drew his attention. Talitha, moving with something in her hands, halted nearby. It did not surprise him that she would react in such a way, and so he looked at her without flinching, eyes hard and ears high. She no longer had any right to tell him how to live his life, and he was going to make certain she remembered that. “That is a half-monster I found today,” he said plainly, drawing himself up to his full height and daring her to push him. “His name is Max, and he is staying with us. Aside from that fur of his, he looks pretty coyote to me.”

Max Klein · 08-17-2011, 05:14 PM

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*noms on Talitha*

   Max looked back towards Ezekiel, tail wagging ferociously, expectant of his answer but instead ended up following the older males gaze towards an approaching figure. Max's tail dropped dead still instantly, the woman reminded him of his mother in coloration and when she spoke he was flooded with memories. He looked down at his furry grey-white chest and feet, reminded of days of his mothers hatred towards him in this woman's gaze. Tall ears molded to his head and tail tucked against his legs he slunk to stand behind Ezekiel, youthful fantasies that were apparent before gone from his face and replaced by a confused and hurt expression.
   Max, since birth, had been abused by his mother and through example his siblings, due to the way he looked and a certain stigma had grown. Like Ezekiel had said he was half-monster though this was in an all to real description of what he was. These feelings of confusion and hurt had been chased away when his siblings had ran him off and now it was replaced by fantasy with an underlying anger that started to peek its way through. Max's coyote-like snout wrinkled as he bared his teeth, pin-prick teeth gleaming white against his dusty grey-white fur.
   If they wanted half-monster they would get it.

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Talitha de le Poer · 08-17-2011, 06:55 PM

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Wow, this is short. O_O I swear I didn't mean for it to be.

mall-caps;text-variantmall-caps;">IT'S ONLY cript;">FOREVER, NOT LONG AT ALL

As she approached, the pair turned, but it was Ezekiel she focused on and not the boy he'd brought with him. Something about her brother had changed. His posture was more sure, ears erect, tail high. Frustration mounted as she realized he was holding rank over her. Instead of challenging his position, her ears fell and she appeared to shrink in size, crimson eyes turning away to study the boy who moved to stand behind the golden man. She tried to see what he saw, but it was difficult — but Makhesthai had been a monster, and so this monster could not be a true monster. Ezekiel wouldn't endanger them. Or so she hoped.

"I wanted to bring you the gift I'd made, but it seems like you don't want it." Anxious hands reached out to show him the likeness of the leader twins, a portrait with smiles that so rarely appeared in their real life, but something she wished was real. Still, she stayed away, tail tucked low and eyes turned off into the air as she submitted to Ezekiel that he held power where she did not. It was how it always had been.

Ezekiel de le Poer · 08-18-2011, 05:37 PM

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The savage in man is never
quite eradicated

<333 Yaaay familieeee.Word Count » --

Oh Lord, there she went again. Ezekiel could see the nasty expression on Talitha’s face begin to form, and he stilled himself for it. His eyes softened slightly at her picture, which was remarkably well-done as all her works were. The Aquila’s body relaxed and he sighed loudly. “Of course I want it,” he said, exasperated. He turned his head slightly and found that Max was not only hiding behind him but showing his teeth. A frown creased his features.

“She’s not going to hurt you,” Ezekiel said lowly, hoping to calm the boy as he had learned to do with his horse. “This is my sister, Talitha,” he announced, beckoning her forward. As she advanced, he made certain to remain between the pair. A friendly nudge was given to her leg, for her Optime form was much larger than his own lupus body. “I found Max hunting…what was it? Giants?” An attempt to distract the boy, to keep the conversation going. A sideways glance warned Talitha to be nice, while he equally implored for her help; she would learn why soon enough, if his wild stories began.

Max Klein · 08-18-2011, 07:00 PM

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Even though Max was quite worked up he couldn't help but be curious of what the red woman held in her hands. At first Max thought she might be holding a mirror, for he had never seen a painting before in his life, but he was quick to figure out that it couldn't be casting both the woman's and Ezekiel's reflection when she was standing behind it.

The half-monster let his lips slide back over his teeth as Ezekiel spoke, more calmed by his tone then what the male actually said. Gold eyes looked between the two as Talitha, the evil red woman, was introduced, moving closer to press his side against Ezekiel's hind leg as she moved closer. “I wasn't hunting giants,” Max corrected, never letting his eyes leave Talitha. “I was trying to catch their pet so I could return it to them and get a reward.” Capturing the giant's “pet” though that would have resulted in a rabbit with a snapped neck if Ezekiel hadn't caught the boy trespassing.

Tired of having to re-explain himself Max inched forward, scenting at the painting and occasionally glancing up at Talitha in a cautionary manner. “How did you stick you and him-” Max gestured with his head towards Ezekiel “-on there?” He took a few more steps forward, almost passing the blonde and bronze accented leader. “Was it magic? Did the giants teach you?” Excitment became apparent on his face, tail arched and beginning to wag.

Talitha de le Poer · 08-18-2011, 10:01 PM

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mall-caps;text-variantmall-caps;">IT'S ONLY cript;">FOREVER, NOT LONG AT ALL

It was strange to have another invade her time with her brother, but she tried not to let it show as she realized the boy was just that — a boy, not a man fully grown and in control of himself. While he was no longer a child, there were months before he would be recognized as a whole adult, and it caused her to feel more sympathy in him as she watched him cower somewhat behind the King. Ezekiel brought her spirits up as he sighed and exclaimed that he did, in fact, want it as if it was ridiculous to think otherwise.

He'd been hunting Giants? The fantasy was not lost on the red-furred woman who saw life in colors that Ezekiel was incapable of, and it caused her attention to turn fully to Max as he explained his position on the matter. A giant's pet? Her body lowered so she could see the four-legged males more easily; if she'd had a mind, she would have joined them, but two legs made her job easier. A smile showed itself briefly on cream jaws as he inquired about her painting, and she laughed and shook her head at the thought it might be magic. "Not magic, no; I'm an artist." An artist of many forms, though her best skill was locked in what came from her fingers. With his question answered, she was more interested in his mention of giants.

"I fell in love with a giant once. He didn't have a pet, but he was very kind; what pet did these ones you followed have?" Her voice twisted into something motherly and kind, a strange tone to hear from the usually callous and frigid sub-ruler. His talk of giants brought back memories of her wolfdog, so much larger than the men she'd experienced in the past, and she wondered if he imagined them or if they were real. Neither would surprise her.

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