The tide is coming in
#1
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Word Count :: 460


It felt like she was in a bad dream. Just hours ago her plans for the next frew years of her life had been laid out before her like a spring of hope, and in the span of one conversation it had all come toppling down. Now, as she walked through this strange territory following a shade, she felt more like she was in a bad dream than anything. She wanted nothing more than to have somebody to blame for it all. It was her dottering old mother's fault for wandering off when she was just supposed to be collecting firewood. If it wasn't for the coyote-woman Liliya would be fine.

No, it was her own fault for bringing them here in the first place. Liliya had insisted upon boating around the peninsula and starting the search for her Russo family in the north; this was the very decision that landed them in the pack's territory. If it wasn't for her, Verusha would be fine. Now she had to do anything she could to make sure that her mother was alright. Liliya had no idea what would happen from here, but the longer she followed Eris with her eyes cast to the ground, she started to get a clearer idea with each passing step.

It didn't matter... she had to keep telling herself it didn't matter. Assigning blame was a moot point that wouldn't make her feel any better. All that she should be concerned about now was making sure that Verusha really was okay. Although she had just met the woman Eris and spoke with her for a short time, she had the strange feeling that she could trust the woman's word. Even if she did not favor suddenly being brought to the pack, something told her that Verusha would be alright, just like Eris promised. Then again, maybe they had different definitions of alright...

Her fingers laced through the strap of the backpack she carried. All of her worldly possessions fit in the pack on her back, and very soon she would have to use those to the pack's advantage. She had promised this to Eris. Thankfully, since they had just come off a sailboat, most of her gear was for fishing; the very talent she had tried so hard to sell to her new leader.

“This is nice land,” she braved a glance around, but kept her eyes from trailing above Eris's shoulders. She made the mistake of meeting the woman's eyes once before. Though Eris forgave the error and did not punish her for it, there was a power in those eyes that Liliya was not ready to face down. “Is different from much of Russia. Good river for fishing, there is bounty here.”

Image courtesy of 24730945@Flickr; table by the Mentors!

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#2
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(374) if liliy jogs eris's memory sufficiently, she'd prolly be able to point liliy in the direction of inferni for silas. maybe PM anna and ask to OOCly assume a visit? C: either way, eri knows nada of anatoliy, but maggie and denver both might? :c

Life had a funny way of dashing to pieces one's best-laid plans. Eris had experienced this herself in seeing the hole in her girl-child's stomach, the broken piece that would surely be the end of poor Shibboleth. For now, the girl labored on underground, unable to begin the socialization processes with her siblings, unable to begin to explore the outside world. Fits of shaking overtook the baby every now and again, and Eris could no longer stand to look at her. This was why she had left the den, left the girl. She half-hoped Shibboleth would pass into twilight while she was away. She would not blame Molca -- there was nothing the slave might have done to prevent such a thing from occurring. It was as destined as anything else in the world.

This woman had been delivered to her, the sable hybrid had no doubt. She was of the same name and blood as their Janos; it was his eyes she saw reflected in this tawny girl, though Eris thought they were too close in age to be father and daughter. Brother and sister was entirely possible; the resemblance was now unmistakable to The Auxiliary, who took such a thing as a sign that Liliya was meant to walk amongst the Salsolians. She very nearly regretted enslaving the girl's mother, but what was done could not be undone, and Eris did think it was possible for Liliya to own her mother one day. Such an arrangement might be strange -- parents usually enslaved children, where Eris was from -- but it was not unthinkable. If Liliy owned her mother, then not even Verusha could pose a threat to herself.

Thank you. We chose it for its seclusion, but it has its rough beauty, I agree, the coyote said, nodding her head. The river does have fish, yes, but it provides an important border for us, too, she pointed out, sharing this gem of wisdom easily enough. It was, after all, readily apparent information regarding Salsola. Its usefulness, however, might pass those unused to natural borders and the need to keep them very secure. We'll cross here, the hybrid said, trotting into a particularly shallow stretch of the river.

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#3
Liliya nodded her understanding as Eris pointed out that the river was also the border of her territory. These were her last steps as a lone wolf. She felt hesitant to cross the river with Eris, but knowing little about Salsoan culture she didn’t know that having a relationship with her family after her acceptance in Salsoa would be impossible. At least there were two family members in the pack – even if the girl wasn’t fully aware of one yet, only suspected – which would make life easier for her. The present status of one would come as an added hardship, though.

She spared one glance behind her as Eris stepped out onto the crossing, and got a sinking feeling that even if she wanted to run now Eris wouldn’t let that happen. She already knew that loyalty was important to the woman, and she had already promised her allegiance.

“Madam Eris, may I ask question? This Janos in pack,” she asked as she crossed the river with Eris. “You say he is Russian. Is he Russo? I would like to know. Family is everythink to me. I must meet him if he is.”

Her eyes peered before her, scanning the terrain as though she expected her coyote-woman mother to pop out of the foliage and greet them, but Verusha never came. Oh well, it is not like Verusha should have expected her to show up. She would see her in time. For now, she must attend to Eris to pacify her new leader. There was still business at hand to finalize her acceptance into Salsoa.
#4
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(343) soosdkgoeorejiaijjjwjefwmkmfalkf C:

The sable hybrid herself possessed little attachment to her distant family. There were more than she could possibly hope to count, more than she could ever hope to know. Distant second or third cousins of her children were of little consequence to the she-wolf. The Lykoi's blood held no loyalty for her. Perhaps her father's might have if she had ever known him, but he had died before she much more than a speck in her mother's belly. Some of her family had proven to be close allies; the sable wolf was only aware of Sirius's paternal heritage, and knew they were related through her father. This did not necessitate that all with the Eternity's blood would make nice with her. She did not trust on blood's merits alone.

The coyote tilted her head, cocking an ear toward Liliya's question without returning her chartreuse gaze to the woman. The water was cool around her feet, the gentle current in this part of the river tugging lightly at her fur and rushing between her toes. Oh, yes. He does have your name -- I do think he is family to you, the hybrid said, nodding. There was little doubt in her mind as to whether the same blood ran in Liliya's veins as Janos's. She could not begin to suspect the degree of relation between them, but the similarities were readily apparent. You can spend as much time as you'd like with him, I think, the hybrid said, waving a hand. Janos was her Arbiter; if he wished to see and meet with this Liliya, she would not stand in his way.

If Janos was truly her relation, then it was fate itself that had delivered Liliya to Salsola and Eris. Perhaps the tawny half-breed was meant to toil in Salsola's ranks -- Eris would not scoff at fate. She must try to keep this one, not only for her usefulness, but for the unseen lines that had drawn her here, as well.

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#5
There was no small amount of excitement in Liliya when Eris confirmed her suspicion of her relation to Janos. Liliya herself did not know exactly how she was related to the man, but if his name was Russo then it was clearly a link through her father's bloodline. She knew the name from a brief mention by her mother, but had never met him herself. She wracked her brain, wishing she could close the link by puzzling through the man's heritage, but she just couldn't remember. Perhaps no one ever told her.

Her ears perked and a pleased smile overtook her muzzle. Well, it wasn't exactly Anatoliy, but if Russos really were in Salsoa then perhaps the sudden change in her plans was not as bad as she had been making it out to be. Perhaps this was a taste of that little thing people called fate; something she rarely put faith in, but that often seemed to rear its head.

“It would please me to no end!” A brief glance at her footing proffered not only the wavy lines that her foot paws made in the water, but a few dark silhouettes wriggling downstream. Yes, as she had thought, the river was plentiful, the sea life active. She began to wonder if the coast was just as profitable; perhaps there was a chance of capturing crab here. Did crab exist here? She realized she didn't know, and then was disappointed when she thought that if they were anywhere, it would probably be on the other side of the peninsula. “Do you know of any other Russos? What about any of the name Agata?” She asked distractedly.

Now that the ice had been broken, she couldn't hold back the most pressing topic. “I would also like to see Mother soon. Will you take me to her soon? Has she taken an oath to pack too?”

300+
#6
Welcome to Salsola
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Remember:

  • Your character is likely to be ranked Associate for a while before receiving any promotions -- if you're looking to accelerate the process, make yourself useful to the pack by:
    • Participating in Pack Projects
    • Working toward a Co-Rank or assisting others in achieving their own Co-Ranks
    • ICly befriending the higher ranks and making your character useful to them. Alternatively, seeking a mate in a higher rank is a fast-track to promotion.

As a new member, why not:

  • Start plotting with your fellow members -- start or join an Open Thread on Salsola territory.
  • Figure out which of the co-ranks you'd like and let the leadership know which you'd like to join.
  • Check out our pack game and start earning points! You can claim a residence after 50 points in the pack game.
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#7
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(360)

Neither bank was incredibly steep, but the river ran deep in parts, and it was dangerous to cross when the high tide came in. The tidal bore gave the river awkward strength, and it was disconcerting -- to say the least -- to see a raised wall of water traveling upstream. Eris had pondered this phenomenom from the Salsolian side of the banks more than once, seating herself on the riverside and watching nature's show. Now, however, the water was calm and quite nearly lazy. It was clear, too -- she could see to the bottom, the tiny puffs of silt and sand flying up from beneath her feet, carried swiftly off.

The far bank rose above them, and the hybrid scrambled up the short incline, choosing her footholds wisely. Salsola's lands were hardly forgiving; there was a harshness to them that seemed to bite and chew at the soul. For all its harshness, however, the coyote woman would not have changed a single thing about it. It provided protection for them, tucked away in their corner of the world. She thought on the other canine's questions, turning to watch the other woman's progress up the bank while pondering the question.

I know no other Russos, but Agata... perhaps. If I do know the name, though, I have forgotten where it came from or who it belonged to, she confessed, rolling her shoulders. Give me some time to think on it, and perhaps my memory will come back to me, she offered, intending this genuinely. She would not spend hours poring over the mystery, but she would devote some thing to it, at least. The next question, she considered more sharply. If she allowed Liliya to see her mother just now, they could quite easily depart from Salsola for good. She needed to hold onto both a little while longer.

Soon, yes -- but not today, I don't think. You must be tired, and hungry. Let's take care of you, first -- I do assure you, your mother is well-kept for the moment, and will remain so, she said, offering a smile to the other woman in comforting.

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#8
The prospect of further family, family connected through her other blood line, gave Liliya hope as she trounced through the river. Eris ascended the banks, and the brown woman climbed out after her. Liliya was so lost in all of this that she hardly noticed the phenomenon of the water’s path until she was standing on the damp river bank. She saw a look of thought in Eris’s face and wondered what was on her mind, before her eyes followed the direction of Eris’s gaze. Her eyes widened at the sight, and she cocked her head. This was more than peculiar, and the Russo woman hadn’t a clue how the river flowed like this. “Is some kind of magic…” She muttered under her breath.

Undeterred for long, she returned to the thought of family. A lump settled in her throat when Eris said that she couldn’t see Verusha today. Her jaw went slack with surprise, and disappointment was wrought in her eyes. “I thought you would take me to Mother,” she questioned, too distress to keep from looking Eris in the face, or to think twice on questioning her.

“I would die for my family, a little hunger won’t hurt me,” she insisted, brows arched as she appealed to her new leader.

Still, Eris had promised to take her to Verusha, and offered a reassuring countenance. Liliya sighed, longing desperately to be back home in Russia. Why did she ever come to this god forsaken land? There was no choice, she had to trust Eris. Liliya knew that she was walking into foreign territory, and into a land occupied by a close knit group of wolves. The best thing she could do now was to listen to Eris. She dropped her head and nodded. “Yes, madam. Where do we go from here?”

300+
#9
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(400) slight touchy powerplay? :c lemme know if no good! i will fix. ♥

The sable woman tilted her head to Liliya's comment and guffawed merrily at it, very nearly clutching at her belly with the laughter. If only! Water-magic such as that, the things we could do! No, dear, I think it is the bay. The tide is wicked in the bay, and we are quite close, she gestured, shrugging her shoulders. She had never verified whether the rise of water in the river was connected to the tides, but it was sensible, and she was certain it was not magic. At least, if it was, it was magic far beyond her knowledge. Cocking her head, she paused a moment to consider. No, I think I like it better as magic. We'll go with magic, she agreed, and merrily continued their jaunt.

Though Eris was not exceedingly concerned with the woman's pleas, she did consider them a moment, and after that long minute of consideration, stepped forward and put an arm out. Though it might easily have been to strike, instead the sable woman aimed only to place her paw upon the other woman's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. I promise you will see her, and I promise she is fine, the hybrid counter-insisted. There was comfort and firmness both in her tone. It is good to me to hear you would die for your family. I would not ask it without dire need, but Salsola is Family, Liliya Russo. Blood is not the only thing that can tie a family together. I would hope that you see us as yours in time, she said, allowing the tawny canine to process this and react accordingly before moving on.

I will take you to the Borgata Zopilote -- it is a beautiful cove, but members of low rank are not permitted there without an escort of higher rank. There, I will fish for you, and you can have your fill, the hybrid said, insistent on the point that she would feed Liliya. After that, we can go back to the place where you can stay until you have a truer place here, she said. Liliya might choose to claim a residence in their ruins quickly, or she might choose to stay in the common areas for the duration of her Salsola membership; it mattered little to Eris, so long as the tawny hybrid remained loyal to the pack.

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#10
There was a moment of hopeful mysticism that was dashed when Eris laughed at her comment about the river. Liliya glanced from the dark woman to the backwards flowing water, but even as her laughter rang in her sensitive ears she couldn't convince herself of any other explanation. She felt her spirits fall a little farther, almost having been excited about something in this land for a moment, only to have them lifted once again when Eris changed her mind about the tide. Liliya turned her gaze back to the Auxiliary, a small smile coming to her visage as she felt that hope creep back in. She wasn't sure if the woman was just patronizing her now or not, but she chose not to dwell on it. It looked like magic to her, and if Eris agreed just once, that was good enough for her. “Is a beautiful sight. I vould like to spend more time with this river.” She said, even though it was already established that she would. She would like to follow it one day and find out what other secrets or power it held.

She didn't know enough of the pack or of the woman to flinch away from her reach, though she did watch as Eris draped an arm around her own shoulders. There was nothing off-putting about the woman's touch. In fact, it was almost comforting to have a lady with such a powerful presence show such open acceptance of her. Her tense shoulders relaxed underneath Eris's gesture. Perhaps, if this honorable woman was promising, she should take her word. Although she could not stop worrying she began to trust Eris about her mothers well-being.

She brightened when the woman said her full name, too. There was something about hearing it roll of her tongue, spoken with strength, that appealed to her. Carefully, she considered everything the woman was telling her. So... Salsoa could be like her family? It was the blood relation that Liliya had always focused on, that was so deeply important to the woman, but why? She nodded slowly as she reckoned,

“I think that Salsoa could very likely become my family,” she said, her voice low at first but quickly gaining in strength. Well, it didn't all have to be as bad as she was expecting, did it? After all, Eris was right. Liliya wasn't about to give up her search for the strands of Russo and Agata lineage that were wandering Nova Scotia, but to think that no one else in the world could be her family was horribly narrow-sighted for the Russian. “In fact, I think I should like to meet my new family very soon. But first,” a hand placed on her stomach displayed her approval for Eris's plans. “I vould feel very honored to see this land that you would like to take me to, and eat with you. Perhaps you can tell me more of this place – of the places I might like to go and of those people I vould like to meet very first.”

Liliya straddled apprehension, but Eris – being the cunning leader that she was – found the perfect words to bring her away from the edge. Now a optimistic smile was a permanent fixture among her countenance, and her posture had straightened. Instead of dragging back and fretting about Verusha and her future, she now stood tall and gazed ahead with those gray-white eyes, ready to see Salsoa for all it was worth.

500+


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