hard sun [joining]
#1
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+3 Anyone can join, but I figured Tammi might want in with Claudius. COUSIN TIIIIME. Also, Anatole does not have a spirit guide and will be going for the scouting tier.


He had expected to feel something returning here; it was his birthplace, after all. Some mystical ideal that he was drawn to such a place fell short, however. Anatole viewed the lands indifferently, unromantically. Training had him observe only what signs were clear—something traumatic had shaken the woods, for the scents on the borders belonged to many, and not to one. His cousin’s scent clung as well, stronger than the others. This he found surprising. Anatole’s memory of Claudius was not a positive one.

There were other signs, here, that spoke of the wealth of the land. This he knew from experience. How long had it been, he wondered. Long enough that his feelings (if there ever had been any) were now shriveled and dried. This too, however, was not uncommon. Anatole was the sort of man who had little patience for things, and who did not look with wonder upon the world. He respected it well enough, especially after his mother’s accident, but there was no magic in it for him. Life was simple. The sun rose and set, the moon changed its face, and the seasons came and went.

Winter, he had realized, was at his heels. The massively plush pelt that encompassed him spoke of it, echoed by the bitter wind. It would not be half so cold here, though. He had traveled much further north and seen the truth wrath of winter—Nova Scotia was nothing compared to the tundra he had encountered. Still, he was here again. Even now, he doubted his return. Why come back? Why did it matter if they were alive? Noir had died, and his aunt had all but lost her mind, so why come back? Because she had asked him, and because regardless of his age or his size, he would always be her son.

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#2
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Didayolihv dvgalenisgv

I didn't know if he was trespassing or not (being a former member) but I just made Ulilohi run into him around the borders to be sure. I also assumed he was on four legs?


If there was one thing she could do, it was walk. Her long legs carried her in powerful strides as she nearly fled through the increasingly colder landscape. Her size could be a hindrance in many ways, but when it came to travel it was only a plus, despite the extra weight on her frame. The bright, blue shawl blurred and danced behind her as she sped up on purpose every now and then, knowing that no one could see her now, and relishing the freedom she could find because of it. Being in the spotlight in the way she was now was not something she enjoyed at all.


Despite her mood, though, she was not about to forget her mission. The place smelled strongly of Claudius and Vigilante and Savina. If she were to establish herself as their leader, it had to be her scent they picked up, not theirs. While cheerful, it was another duty in a long line of tasks that in total appeared to her as a truly daunting challenge. She had never signed up for this, and although it was a privilege, it threatened to make her feel alone and insecure. Still, she'd already seen a lot of their territory, and was nearing the borders. However, as she cut left to another branch of the main path, she saw someone. While she was still not that familiar with the AniWayans' faces, she was certain she didn't know this one. Nobody in AniWaya, as she had seen, walked on four legs. It appeared churlish, almost, to do so - unintelligent. Still, she paced towards this one without letting that thought penetrate her mind. Be hospitable, be respectful.. As she neared, she raised an arm in greeting. "You enter AniWaya?" she asked, firmly but not necessarily rudely. They were at the borders, so she wasn't certain if she would name him a trespasser.


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#3
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yes and yes. :>


It was not long before the undergrowth signaled a noisy approach. Anatole did not find this surprising, given he was near claimed lands, but he had been trained wholly against such practices. Of course, the woman who emerged was hardly trying to be silent. She wore some peculiar garment that looked as if its purpose was to sit on her, and her hair was decorated with colorful beads and trinkets that likely would have made noise if she had been attempting to sneak up on anyone. Yet she seemed healthy to him; Anatole was used to larger women, though this one was much plumper than most he knew.

Her raised hand was glanced at before his gaze turned back to her. Piercing eyes met her own, bright and acidic and unwavering. Anatole was not the sort who bowed his head to leadership. This had caused him trouble in the past, but it was something he simply could not swallow. Rank was meant to be earned, not worshiped. Besides, he could hardly tell If she was the leader or not—though her scent suggested something of the sort. All of AniWaya’s borders smelled peculiar to him.

“I aim to,” he said firmly, accented voice clear in the cold air. Steam poured from his mouth. “My name is Anatole Aston, and I was born here. I have come to see my aunt, and my cousins, if they remain in the Tribe.” It had been a year, though, and he did not know if anyone besides the stuttering boy he could smell remained.

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#4
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Didayolihv dvgalenisgv

Sorry for the wait, I was sort of waiting for Tammi to reply without realizing how many days had passed X_X


Perfect.Someone who had previously been a member - just what she needed. She didn't have a clue about the tribe's history before she came here, and Maska's hasty leave for the Great Tribe meant that she hadn't had the chance to speak much with him or Dawali, or anyone else that left for that matter. Aston? So far she did not know the surnames of many, or if they even had any. She had been preoccupied with the many tasks she had to take on as leader of the tribe. Time was scarce, and she was not as able to meet with the tribe's members as often as she liked. She smiled at the stranger and nodded. "If you tell me their names, I will be able to tell you whether they are still here." She hoped none of them had died - AniWaya had suffered great losses during the war. The situation at hand would be very umpleasant if they were no longer alive, however she did not fear the male. She was a warrior on two legs, and had all the confidence in the world she could easily defeat a four-legged non-warrior male such as this one. "Much has changed in the last six moons," she added.



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#5
HERP I did not realize you were waiting on me! I hope this okay! (Word count: 423)
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[/html] Claudius hadn't meant to follow her; really. But he'd noticed her making her way through the lands near his cave and was curious where she was headed. He knew that most AniWayans preferred to live in the centre of town and he was likely the odd one out living in his family's cave much farther south. Although AniWayan tradition favoured the optime form and his home favoured the lupus, he couldn't bring himself to leave. So, when he noticed her ambling through the area, he at first ignored it, but later decided to try and catch up with her to say hello. He had spoken with Ulilohi much in the final days of his occupation of the tribe, but didn't know her as well as he would have liked. He had known Dawali well and had trusted him whereas this was a woman straight from the Great Tribe. He couldn't help but feel bitter about the entire ordeal. He felt bad about it and wanted to get to know her better.

He started off after her, trailing behind in his optime form. He knew that shifting into another form would just waste time -- and besides, she wasn't that far away.

He caught up to her just in time to hear her begin to speak with another canine. Curious, Claudius jogged closer. The voice sounded familiar and the scent, too. At first he didn't want to believe it, but soon enough accepted that his cousin had returned.

Claudius wasn't sure if he should smile or not, so he settled for a friendly wag of his tail. As he drew closer, he heard Ulilohi ask Anatole for the names of his cousins, and then add that AniWaya had changed much in the last six months. Claudius would agree.

Not wanting to startle anyone, Claudius approached slowly and cautiously. He let out a low, quiet bark to greet them.

"I'm h-i-i-is cou-ousin," Claudius stated quietly. He glanced at Ulilohi with a respectful dip of his head. He knew that he now ranked lower than her, but he felt so awkward about it. He didn't want to be rude, but sometime during the course of the war, he had discovered he had pride and that was a difficult thing to let go. But instinct overruled and he stared at the ground for a moment before he glanced at his cousin. "H-e-e-e wa-as born... here," he added. Like me. [html]
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#6
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It was strange, for him, to come back here. He had considered, repeatedly, that it would have been easier to assume them all dead or gone and not make the journey south. Anatole loved the wild and the vast tundras of the north. To come back to a land that valued two legs and soft, human ideas…well, it was not something he had wished to do. Obedience was not a part of his blood, or upbringing, but he certainly intended to honor his mother’s request. If that damned raven had ever learned to speak, he was certain it would have agreed with him.

Before he was able to question the woman about what had changed, a familiar scent washed up from behind her. He found that his cousin’s form was surprisingly changed—perhaps older, more ragged, more worn. Something was wrong about this place, and something terrible had come through these lands. While his eyes bored questions at the pale wolf, Claudius’ characteristic lack of adding much to the conversation forced his gaze back to the woman. “What happened here?” He asked, dark fur fluttering in the winter’s encroaching breeze.

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#7
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Didayolihv dvgalenisgv

No no, it's my fault: I was going to wait a day and see if you posted, and then "a day" became somwhat more than that Sad


She had only just finished her sentence when Claudius appeared out of nowhere. Well, she should probably have noticed his scent before then, but she hadn't. She'd been preoccupied and unfocused, not paying attention when she should be alert. Someone at their borders - this was the proper situation in which to be alert, was it not? However Ulilohi liked to think that she was wise, and however she prized her position in the council, she knew that the older councilmembers were right about her: she was, above all else, young.


Resisting the urge to sigh at herself, Ulilohi smiled at Claudius, and upon hearing that they were related she gave a positive-sounding "Oh!" and paused for the inevitable moment of reunion. However Anatole merely looked at Claudius before his gaze returned to her and he inquired further on what had happened. Ulilohi, suddenly uncomfortable, glanced at Claudius. When she had come here, he was her superior, and now he was not. Still, he was a source of knowledge she would be wise to keep close. "I came here for the aftermath. Claudius can better explain it to you, since I'm certain you knew those involved." Stepping backwards with one hind paw, she gestured towards the other Aston.



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#8
Herps derps ok <3

Claudius basically explodes at the end of this from all the dialogue. (Word count: 514)
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[/html] For all of Claudius' good intentions, his cousin still didn't seem to think much of him. Even though it seemed as though Anatole had returned to find his family -- hadn't he said that was why he returned? -- Claudius always felt like Anatole was disappointed in what he found in Claudius. Although Claudius was very well-versed in the art of letting others down, he had realized he didn't have to worry about it if he wasn't actually letting anyone down. That was the catch: he'd down nothing wrong to Anatole; his cousin just never seemed to pay him much mind.

Claudius watched the other male as Anatole kept his gaze fixed on Ulilohi. Ulilohi responded, but then deferred to Claudius and stepped back. Claudius hesitated, glancing from one to the next. Was it really his story to tell? He supposed so. Between him, Anatole, and Ulilohi, he was the only one who had witnessed everything from start to finish.

"Da-wa-wa-a...li... was re-mo-oved... Another... wolf f-r-om the... other AniWaya," he began, and then glanced at Ulilohi when he realized he'd said 'other' in such a caustic tone, "came a-a-and told... us... that Da-wa-ali... had... taken the t... title... of chief... wrongly... Ma-a-aaska... took us to war... with... Crimson Dreams... to reclaim the pu-u-uppies of an exiled fa-a-a-amily... he exiled... Nayati... and Lili-a-a-ana... and then when th-e-e-ey left... tried to take their... children." He took a deep breath and then continued. "We att-a-a-acked Crimson... Dreams... and al-s-s-so too-ook... a girl... fr-o-om Cour d-e-e-es Miracles... hostage. Whe-e-een they... all attacked, I led th-e-e-em to Ma-a-a-ska... and we... lost... a lot of wolves... It was... difficult. A-a-a-fter tha-a-t, the lea-ea-ders of the two o-other packs... and I... occ-u-u-upoed... Ani-Wa-a-aya... since we had no-o-o lea-eader... and Da-wa-a-a-ali be-lie-ie-ed Ma-a-aska... We... occupied AniWaya until... Uli-lo-o-ohi... arrived," he explained, gesturing to the woman with his hand. "We i-i-instated... her as a... Councilwoman..." He paused, and then concluded: "Ma-a-aska... and Da-wa-a-ali... returned to... the Great Tribe. My mo-o-other... left a ye-ear ago... Attila... too. Att-i-i-la came... back... a while ago... he a-a-and my mo-o-other... are still... around... near Halifa-a-ax... and Ocèane... was in Ani-Wa-a-a-aya... for a while... But I haven't... seen Aurèle... or Athanase... since... you left." He let out a long whoosh of breath one he finished. His stutter made it so difficult to speak for a long period of time and he only grew more aware of how debilitating it was as he spoke.

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#9
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There was no specific reason for Anatole to look down on this cousin. He was nothing wrong about him, nothing done to offend the dark boy…yet the shadow within him was one bred of contempt. Those who were weak were looked down upon. Claudius’ stutter was proof he was weak of heart—at least, this was how Anatole had always believed it. Oddities meant different. In a time before their virus, he would have chased his cousin away for such a thing. Instinctively, he perhaps still heard the call of this old blood.

War. It was war that had come and turned this land on its head. The names were familiar, strange, and he listened silently. His bright eyes turned from one to the other, but he said nothing. Finally, when his cousin concluded, the dark male let out a breath he did not realize he was holding. “So,” he paused, considering the words. “They put you in charge, but now she’s in charge?” Simple. Simple as it was, he wondered why his cousin had not held onto the rank. “I think we’ll need to talk,” the dark-brushed wolf added to his cousin and turned back to the woman. “What do say, then?”

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#10
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Didayolihv dvgalenisgv

You guys wanting to continue the thread? Should I butt out and leave it between Anatole and Claudius, in that case? Smile


These two did not share the warmth of family as Ulilohi expected in anyone. It was apparent in Claudius as well, to her, but then again the pale, stuttering wolf oftentimes seemed uncomfortable. She glanced from one to the other, trying to grasp the paradox in this situation. Claudius' speech impediment lived its own life while he tried to tell a long-winded stories in many words, and then the well-spoken stranger - Anatole - summed it up in just a sentence. He turned his eye on her eventually, and she nodded, not entirely certain what he was asking. If only being a council member in the Great Tribe had prepared her for leading like this! The only activities she'd had experience with leading was ceremonies, and it was hardly representative. Hopefully, her size helped her somewhat, so that she could maintain her authority despite her insecurity. She did her best not to let it show. "You are welcome here as family, Anatole. If you two have family matters to discuss, I will leave you to it." She glanced at Claudius, Anatole, before hastily adding. "There are supplies and fresh meats in the Town Hall should you need it after your journey, Anatole." Hopefully, she'd done everything right. She wasn't certain whether she could trust Claudius to correct her if not, especially not in front of this taciturn male.


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#11

Welcome to AniWaya!

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#12
Works for me! Big Grin
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[/html] Claudius shifted anxiously from one to the next as Anatole evaluated his story. His cousin's eyes were bright and calculating as ever and Claudius had forgotten how difficult the other wolf to was to be around. Where Claudius was silent out of necessity, Anatole was silent out of a stoic desire to simply remain silent. Or, so Claudius had always thought. When Anatole spoke, it made Claudius look all the more ridiculous and for a second, he felt a flash of annoyance. Why was Anatole here? To make Claudius look bad in front of the Councilwoman? Even if Anatole was family, he was still a jerk.

And in seconds, Anatole was once again a member of the tribe. Uliohi identified the town hall as a potential destination, and Claudius figured that would be a good place to head. They could walk and discuss the recent goings-on of their lives on the way. Claudius gave Ulilohi a grateful, shy smile as she moved to leave. He then turned to Anatole, addressing his cousin with as much confidence as he could muster.

"Yuh-you... remember where the town... hall... is... right?" he asked, as he moved to walk toward it. "Why'd... you come... back?" [html]
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