Bittersweet Symphony
#1
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Liam is in his Optime form. Set on October 10th. ↔ 611 words







The last couple days had been hectic but Liam couldn't complain, because it was that quick and busy pace that helped his mind forget – if only for a little while – about the lives that had been claimed during the raid within his kingdom's boundaries. Aniwaya had launched an attack on Cour des Miracles late last week and now the aftermath was taking its tole on the young man. Seeing his mother like that, broken but keeping a straight face, working to ease her pain... He had spent countless hours by her side healing the injured and at what point he'd needed to just get out for a bit. Enough was enough.


A little before Noon Liam had told his mother that he was going to take a walk. He'd assured her that he wouldn't be wandering about too far from the pack-lands and that he would be back before nightfall. Thus had begun his trot a few miles north-east towards the abandoned city of Halifax.


He had been there maybe once or twice before over the last couple months but never by himself. He was older and stronger now, earning him a lot more liberty to do what he wanted – go where he wanted. His strides were steady, his arm bandaged up from a minor injury that was already healing. His fur was relatively clean, sporting nothing but a bone pendant hanging around his neck by a sturdy leather necklace. He also had an empty tattered rucksack hanging limply on his uninjured shoulder. You see, a part of him hoped he would be able to find a few valuable things that could be used to help heal the many wounds of the warriors that had fought the Aniwayans. They weren't lacking in medical supplies per say, but Liam decided that you could never be too careful. They had defeated the attackers but who said they wouldn't try again in the near future?


Sighing, Liam pushed the gloomy thoughts aside as he glanced up at the tall buildings surrounding him. Halifax was a very intimidating place with all sorts of hidey-holes and potential threats. With the recent events at Cour des Miracles, the King's son had reason enough to be a little on edge as he walked about, bi-colored eyes darting back and forth every time the wind and the city's overgrowth made contact, emitting a soft rustling sound. His nose was also on red alert, occasionally catching the scent of strangers that had walked the land days or weeks ago. Mostly things were quiet now and Liam would prefer it if things stayed that way.


Unfortunately he was learning not to expect so much of fate these days.


It was with a vigilant eye that Liam entered a random building, careful not to put too much weight on the structure in fear that it would topple down on him. For a few minutes Liam looked around at the dark rooms inside the structure. It was so fascinating – yet he wasn't close to finding what he was primarily looking for though. This particular building seemed to have been frequented recently as it had patches where dust was non-existent. Someone had probably gotten all of the valuable stuff already. So he doubled back on his tracks and walked a little further east, stopping when he saw a faded, lopsided sign telling him that he was standing in front of what had once been a possibly very successful little boutique. He was about to investigate further when he caught the scent of someone nearby. Liam froze, his eyes darting back and forth, his body contracting itself into a defensive stance.


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Table by Kit.
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#2
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Hello! / wc:473


It had seemed like ages since Jackson had wandered out west to check out the city ruins—ages in fact since he had last left Anatheman lands, even. For some time the boy had been caught up in traipsing about the pack territory, but now it felt like it was time for something fresh. So he’d grabbed his raven skull-topped staff slipped away from the mountain-dwelling community for a time and made his way out to Halifax. He’d only been out to the city once before, but that one time had been enough for Jackson to learn that it was a veritable treasure trove of strange items and interesting places to explore. His little trip here today seemed to be reinforcing that idea, and as he walked down one city block he was having difficulty deciding on just one place to search around at a time.


The boutique had been one of the smaller buildings on the block, and it was for that reason that the boy found himself drawn to it. He wanted to get a good look around this part of the city from a higher vantage point and he figured the smaller building would be easiest to climb up. So he’d circled around the structure in search of some way up. In the back of the little boutique he found a small dumpster that proved perfect for giving him the leverage he needed. He scrambled on top of it, tossed his staff up to the roof, and without much struggle, he hauled himself up onto the roof after it. The concrete slat that covered the roof seemed to have stood up well to the test of time, much to Jackson’s relief. The last thing he needed was to fall through and break a leg or something. One corner of the roof did sport a worrisome crack that declared that it probably wasn’t as sturdy as he had first assumed. But the Acidic boy avoided it, choosing to assume that if he kept his distance it would prove harmless.


Cerulean eyes took in the sights of the city from his new vantage point. He could see farther than before, witnessing distant streets and buildings from this unique angle. Maybe he could spot some place interesting to check out from here. And sure enough, he did find something interesting. It wasn’t one of the city’s unique features that caught his eye, however; there was a distinctly canine figure traveling down the street toward his location. Jackson crept silently toward the front of the building to get a better look at the stranger. The brown-furred figure stopped suddenly while approaching and began looking about in apprehension. Jackson crouched near the edge of the roof, a broad grin spreading on his features as he stared down at the stranger. Hey there, he called out.


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#3
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♥ I think I love Jackson. ↔ 381 words








Maybe it should be written somewhere not to scare the shit out of a naturally protective wolf that had just been through some traumatic event involving the pack he was loyal to and the family he loved more than anything in the world. But then again, maybe it was written somewhere and this particular unknown being couldn't read so he didn't know about it. Or maybe, like Liam, he just had never stumbled onto it. Either way, it should be a rule not to sneak up on people.


The brown wolf with the green and blue eyes stood motionless for what seemed like ages – an eternity even. In reality however, he had probably only stood there, his arm throbbing slightly under the gauze bandage as his muscles flexed, for perhaps five seconds. Maybe six. Liam Catori's eyes flickered back and forth a few times as he played an 'ini-mini-myni-mo' game in order to decide where to focus his search first. His nose worked equally as hard. Finally his ears twitched as he heard the very distinct sound of paws on wood. It was coming from above – Liam hadn't looked above yet.


His muscles were tensing even more as he frantically looked up for the source, mentally making up defensive plans in his mind; the best ways to make it out of an attack without the use of his bad arm. His senses were working in overdrive and the efforts were slowly giving him a headache. He didn't stop though. Perhaps ten seconds after he'd first smelt the stranger, Liam's eyes finally fell on its body as he finally heard the sound of a stranger's voice.


The voice belonged to a black and white canine – a stranger. Liam found himself feeling strangely hostile as he backed away a few paces, his eyes forever locked on the mutt standing on the roof of the boutique. The Miracles' Raid had really affected him and all of a sudden Liam was seeing everyone as a threat. Even if most would have found this particular being rather harmless. He was, after all, grinning like a lunatic.


Liam didn't see it though. “Who are you?” Liam asked firmly. It was his simple yet demanding reply to the other canine's friendly greeting. Poor Jackson.



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Table by Kit.
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#4
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Uwah, thankies! :3 / wc:308



The hybrid boy was completely and utterly clueless about the strife going on between packs in the west. War wasn’t a concept he’d ever known or even considered, and he had been so holed up within Anathema within recent weeks that he had no idea what any of the other packs in the region could have possibly been up to of late. Perhaps if he did have a clue, he would be a little more tactful in popping up around strangers both in and outside of his pack.


Or maybe not. It was too much fun.


He definitely got a reaction out of this guy, though it wasn’t quite what he’d expected. A jump, a start, a look of shocked confusion maybe, but this guy was stiff and defensive, backing away with slow steps. It was a little disappointing, really. So hey, this stranger didn’t want to play. Alright then, Jackson could get behind that. Not to say that he wasn’t a little disappointed. The wolfish stranger offered a terse, demanding question to him in reply. Right to the point now, wasn’t he? Jackson’s grin faltered slightly, but it was still there. He wasn’t going to let this guy bring him down, oh no.


He lowered himself down so that he was sitting on the edge of the roof, legs swinging freely back and forth. He laid the wooden staff across his lap, tapping against it idly as he stared down at the stranger. Now that he was really looking at him he could see that he was injured, a nice little bandage wrapped up on his arm. Well, well, trouble in paradise? That probably explained the defensiveness right there. The Acidic’s curiosity seemed to grow exponentially. Why, I’m Jackson, he finally returned. Good to meet ya, Mr. Serious-face. Oh, look. The grin was back in full force.

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#5
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<3 ↔ 537 words








Liam assumed that some of the northern packs had no idea about the drama between his own pack, Crimson Dreams and Aniwaya. It was a low-key battle, because Liam himself hadn't been aware of anything until his father had called the entire pack together a few days before the raid. He wasn't ready to talk about it with strangers though – to be honest, he wasn't sure he could. He'd have to ask his father before uttering a word. That is of course if he ever decided he wanted to say anything. The people that needed to know, well they knew. Cour des Miracles weren't about to boast about this – at least Liam hoped not.


You see, Cour des Miracles, as far as the stories went, had always been relatively pacifist as far as packs were concerned. Liam had heard of some conflicts that had happened in the past couple years and the Miracles always seemed to keep their muzzles clean. This time they weren't so lucky though and because of it they had lost some canines that were important to Liam – notably his Uncle Zafier. So maybe Liam hadn't been close to the guy, but he was still his mother's brother. He was still blood. It had been a terrible loss and Liam's heart ached for the entire family. His sister 'Mara was taking it especially hard and Liam was afraid to even think of what she was going to do. 'Mara could be a very intense person and it wouldn't surprise Liam if she went out of her way to seek revenge. Liam himself had thought of doing so those first few minutes following the news that his uncle had passed.


The look on the wolf hybrid's face was perhaps the first sign that Liam had been wrong to assume he was threatening. He looked disappointed – as if he had expected a different reaction from the Miracles boy. It hadn't been Liam's intention to ruin the happy mood the other wolf was in. And then the words that came out of the wolf's – Jackson as he had dubbed himself – mouth steered him a little closer to a calm, relaxed state.


Mr. Serious Face. Well now, not only had he never been called 'Mr' before, but he sure had never been called 'Serious Face'. War could really change a man and most often than not it wasn't for the best. The name made Liam realize his initial reaction – he suddenly felt a little foolish for jumping to the conclusion that he was under attack. The other male seemed quite amicable at the very least. Sighing a little as he concluded that this so-called Jackson was no threat, Liam returned the hybrid's grin with a tiny, very much strained smile of his own. The smile didn't reach his eyes though as his muscles loosened slightly. “Liam Catori of Cour des Miracles.” he introduced himself warily, hoping this mutt wasn't some secretive Aniwayan spy that wanted his flesh on a stick. Liam-cabobs probably wouldn't taste all that great anyway.


He ran a furry paw through his dark brown, windswept mane before speaking again. “What brings you here?” he inquired curiously.




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Table by Kit.
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#6
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wc:381



The Acidic boy never really considered himself much of a threat before—probably because he’d never really actually needed to be a threat to someone before. He had his share of mischief and bad encounters with fellow Anathemans, sure, but he had never gone after someone with the intent of harming them as of yet. The boy was too wrapped up in having fun and causing a ruckus to bother considering the use of violence for anything more than pure, uncontrolled hatred. And he certainly had no hatred for some random stranger he just met wandering about the cracked city streets. Perhaps that was why he’d been so surprised to see how defensive this male had been toward him at first. To him, it seemed like the brown-furred male just needed to do himself a bit of cheering up.


Ah, there it was! Jackson seemed to have managed to coax a smile from the tense young man on the ground below him. He got an introduction then, much to Jackson’s delight. Having a name to call him by would be much better than continuing to call him Mr. Serious-face. Amusing as the spur-of-the-moment nickname had been, continued use of it probably wasn’t going to win him any points with his tense little friend here. So he was looking at Mr. Serious-face no more, and instead one Liam Catori of Cour des Miracles. This was the first the Acidic boy had ever heard of any Miracles pack. Sticking within Anathema’s borders hardly scored him any worldly wisdom, and his one lengthy jaunt out to other claimed lands had brought him only just beyond AniWaya’s borders some months ago.


And then there was yet another question directed at him. Me? Oh, I dunno… Exploring. Killing time. Just havin’ myself a bit of fun. He shrugged and lifted up his staff so that he could rest it against his shoulder instead. The hybrid leaned forward slightly as he peered down at the Miracles wolf. What about you, huh, Liam? Don’t really look like you came out here expectin’ a good time. Business, then? he asked, looking pointedly at his wounded arm. Jackson was a curious boy, what could he say? Weaseling information out of people seemed to be quickly becoming a hobby of his.

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#7
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A little short. Meh. ↔ 336 words








Cheering up? Maybe that was what Liam needed. Or maybe some kind of spirit that could erase minds... or both. Either way, he hated being in the funk he was in and he wanted to get better. Soon rather than later. Jackson seemed like an okay fellow once Liam warmed up to him. It was easy to see that Jackson wasn't used to fighting or hatred or fear – he looked just like the happy-go-lucky, fun-loving wolf Liam had been just a couple days ago. He looked like the wolf Liam wanted to be again.


Liam didn't really see much importance to Jackson's reply. Killing time and having fun. Maybe that was what Liam was trying to do – although he wanted to make himself useful too, so he covered it with a task. Fetching medical supplies. Honestly, where was he supposed to begin anyway? He didn't really know where to find such supplies. Jackson returned the question though and Liam's thoughts were cut short as he began to muse over his own reply. “I'm taking a break from my duties at home and looking for some supplies – kill two birds with one stone.” he replied simply, omitting anything about the war or the fact that he was working days and nights healing his pack-mates from minor to severe wounds. He was definitely not going to mention the fact that he was trying to forget his uncle's death or the pain it brought his family.


Deciding his neck would end up hurting if he kept looking up at Jackson, Liam began making his way to the broken window and placed his foot on the unsteady windowsill, which in turn gave him enough height to reach the roof's ledge. He hoisted himself up and walked over to Jackson again, careful not to fall through the weak surface. “Do you come from nearby?” he asked curiously. He had told the other male of his pack, but jackson hadn't done so. Maybe he was a loner?




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Table by Kit.
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#8
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Pshhh, no shorter than mine have mostly been. Tongue / wc:459


The boy had led a simple enough life up until then. Sure, it hadn’t started out that way. New Brunswick had turned out to be a more violent place than it first appeared. Tribunal’s being poisioned, blame being tossed everywhere, people fleeing, people fighting. The accusations had finally landed on his mother and that led to her death. That was all Jackson really knew about it; he’d been too young at the time to really understand, barely more than a couple of months old. The whole thing was becoming just a blur to him, memories from his puphood that were fading with time. As far as he was concerened, life didn’t really begin for him until his father had dragged he and his siblings all the way down to Anathema, and things had been pretty calm and carefree for him then. And if he was lucky, things would stay that way. He’d yet to face the shock of life’s harsh realities that Liam seemed to have recently become acquainted with.


His question received a simple enough response. Didn’t exactly explain why the Miracles wolf had been so jumpy earlier, but it answered his question, so he couldn’t really complain. He wondered what sort of supplies the other may have been hunting out here. Sounds like a good plan to me, man, he said, watching as the other male clambered up to the rooftop to join him. It’s good to take a break every once in a while, ya know? Hell, Jackson was essentially taking a break himself now too. He wanted to get more involved in his fire tending duties back home, sure, but focusing on it solely for too long would end up driving the troublesome youth crazy. Maybe that was part of the reason the boy chose to venture farther out than he usually did. The farther away he was, the less he had to think about it. Hey, it made perfect sense in his mind.


Now that Liam had scrambled on up to the building’s roof too, he asked Jackson about where he came from. Nearby? Eh, kinda. Out east, on the mountains, the boy answered, waving his free hand in the general direction that he had arrived from. Our pack’s Anathema, if you’ve heard of it.So where’s this ‘Cour des Miracles’ of yours at? Can’t say I’ve ever been there. Or ever heard of it before, but that much seemed clear enough without stating. Didn’t need to go making himself look extra foolish here, now did he?

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#9
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<3 ↔ 431 words







The war and its outcome was still fresh in Liam's mind and to be honest, everything about it felt like a dream – not reality. It hadn't entirely sunk in that his Uncle was dead... or that he would never get the innocence of a young puppy ever again. He wasn't going to fuss over the matter though, not now. He wanted to stop thinking about it for a little while... at least a little while.


So far Jackson was proving to be an okay distraction. Not the best, evidently, but not the worse either. “Definitely a good plan,” Liam said with a humorless laugh, his black lips twitching into a slightly wider grin. “Things have been a little hectic in my pack lately but hopefully we'll all be alright really soon.” he said. It was evident in his tone of voice that this was as far as he was going to go – he wasn't going to talk about the war and hoped Jackson wouldn't press the subject any further. But then again, it would be Liam's fault if he did. His phrase, 'a little hectic in my pack lately' was enough to leave anyone's curiosity boiling. He sure would have asked more questions if the roles would have been reversed.


He was going to play the hypocrite though and not talk about it if it came up. The last thing he wanted to do now was talk about it – it just made him think about it even more. He didn't want that at all.


“I've never been further east than Halifax...” Liam admitted. He had mostly lurked around Shattered Coast and Shiloh Hills, occasionally even Ethereal Eclipse. He rarely ever went too far though – ever since his siblings had been born he'd stayed really close to his family, and before that he'd still been a bit young and his mother had wanted to keep him relatively close to the pack-lands. “I may have heard of your pack but if I did I don't remember.” he explained, wondering just how far east this Anathema was exactly. Was it as far east as Cour des Miracles was west? Liam didn't have a very wide map of the area – only some of his pack's surroundings. He knew roughly where Crimson Dreams and Aniwaya were but even then he wouldn't be able to point out their boundaries on a map.


Liam mentally shrugged his thoughts away as he concentrated on Jackson's question. “Just a couple miles south-west of here.” he stated with a stern nod.



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Table by Kit.
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#10
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wc:342



Liam spoke of the state of things in his pack, his tone enough in itself to tell Jackson just how much of an affect it had had on him. Hectic, eh? Man, we’ve been calm as still water up in the mountains. He gave a brief shake of his head. Heck, I’ll trade ya. Think I could use a little excitement, he joked with a laugh. Now, if the boy had any idea of what was going on out west, he might not have been so quick to say such a thing. A little excitement was just what the boy wanted, though getting involved in inter-pack strife would have been more than he bargained for.


He shrugged as Liam admitted that he probably hadn’t heard of the pack of cave-dwellers before. Yeah, that don’t surprise me, I guess. We kinda keep to ourselves out there, for the most part. As far as the Acidic boy was aware, Anathema didn’t have much of a relationship with any of the packs in the region. It almost felt like their snowy leader had chosen a secluded location up in the mountains for a reason. To be honest, though Jackson wasn’t all that fond of feeling closed off from the world. You’re not missing out on much, though, let me tell ya.


The brown wolf gave vague directions to the location of his own pack and the hybrid boy nodded and considered it. Southwest, huh, he said, trying to pull up a mental map of the route he’d taken west a few months before. I probably passed it by on my trip west, a while back. Didn’t really stop to take a look around. Only place I stopped at was some place called… AniWaya, I think. Far out there. He furrowed his brow as he tried to recall the name. Yeah, that sounded about right. He’d taken a look around uninvited and bumped into some girl there, Ayasha. Ahh, that had been fun. It could be said that the boy had a taste for mischief, certainly.

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#11
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Sneaky Liam. ↔ 404 words







Well it was nice to know one corner of the world wasn't being dragged into war. Honestly, Liam envied Jackson and his calm, easy-going back up in the mountains. He longed for that calm to be back at Cour des Miracles... They were going to get things back to normal though – one way or another. Liam wasn't about to let his little siblings grow up in fear, or his mother ache with grief as every moment reminded her terribly of her dear brother. His dad would be able to relax a little and enjoy his young pups' childhood; Skoll, Lottie and Hati would be able to finally get to really know their dad. “Yeah? Well sometimes the ordinary isn't such a bad thing.” Liam said with a slight chuckle, his long furry legs dangling below, going back and forth. His eyes darted to the sky for a moment as he noticed a raven hovering – it swooped down a couple dozen yards away before crumbling buildings hid it the dark bird from view.


Liam could have sworn his blood turned to ice at the sound of the enemy pack's name as it came out of Jackson's mouth. The brown wolf glanced at the new acquaintance before he looked at the empty sky. “Yeah.” he said simply, “Aniwaya – yeah it takes a good half-day to travel there from the Court... I think anyway. I've never gone but a lot of people in my pack have.” he said, hoping he sounded nonchalant. He wanted to steer the subject well away from the enemy pack though and he wanted to do it fast. “How 'bout you? Any packs around... um, Anathema?” he said, struggling momentarily with the pack's name.


A part of him was beginning to play with the information he was getting – maybe if he got a little more, he could tell his father what he'd learned and possibly give him something helpful? But then again, Liam decided finally, his dad probably already knew enough on Anathema and all of its surrounding packs. Vigilante was, after all, the King of Cour des Miracles and was often away on business. Although mostly his trips had to do with the war... but even before the start of that damned war, his dad had been absent a lot. You know, doing some kingly stuff Liam probably didn't even know the half of.




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Table by Kit.
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#12
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Jackson likes to ramble. :o wc:400



Eh, yeah, I guess there can be such a thing as too much excitement. He shrugged, considering it. The boy was sure fond of excitement and adventure, but he also had a lazy streak a mile wide. His love of adventure could have been his way of changing that, he supposed. Still, the other boy had a point. Things could be like that crazy place I was born in, waaay up north. I don’t remember much of it, but it was mostly chaos, man. Kinda glad my dad dragged me outta there as pup. His father had had a couple of friends watching over him and Esmeralda while he and Agony searched out Naniko, once his mom had died. It probably would have spelled trouble for the children of a woman the Tribunal had declared a traitor if they’d stayed there much longer.


The other male seemed to know of AniWaya too, claiming he’d never been there but others in his pack had. It’s a pretty cool lookin’ place, he commented, though it wasn’t as if he had much else to compare it too. Different from Anathema, that was for sure. It made Jackson wonder if his own pack mates had done much travelling around the area. The Angela had apparently lived around here way before she’d even gone up to New Brunswick, so she’d probably been all over the place. Not like Jackson really cared one way or another where that grumpy old lady’s been.


But the subject was quickly changed to the area around his own home. Uhhh… shit, I dunno. He tapped his staff against the roof as he thought about it. I think there’s a pack to the north of us, farther up the mountain range. His brow furrowed as he considered it. Yeah, that sounded about right. Yeah, I think that’s where it’s at. Don’t know much about it, really. Never been up that far past our borders, he admitted. And this place called Inferni kinda to the west, I guess. Supposed to be filled with coyotes or something. That’s pretty much it, really. Told ya it was secluded up there. He laughed and shook his head. Now that I think about it, I might just have to take a trip on up to that northern pack, see what’s goin’ on. Well, hey, there you go. Jackson had a whole ‘nother adventure to plan out already.

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#13
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<3 ↔ 520 words








Liam mostly listened to Jackson speak about his childhood; he didn't really have much to add, his own upbringing having been quite uneventful for the most part. He had gotten into minor trouble with his brother and had learned a bit of French from his mom and how to read and write... He had also learned very basic low speech and was still getting a handle of that one, but other than that this war with Aniwaya was the first real excitement. Even the large snowstorm last year hadn't been that eventful, quite unlike some other packs... Not that Liam would have remembered anyway. In February he was still just two months of age, not even.


Liam shrugged slightly at Jackson's opinion of the enemy pack. “You think so?” he said, although the question was only asked out of politeness, to show he was listening. It didn't really need an answer. Aniwaya – a 'cool looking' place? Liam wondered if that was so. He had a feeling the coolness would be shadowed slightly by his knowledge of the evil that some of the Aniwayans were capable of – kidnapping, killing, hurting... all because of a good-for-nothing leader. Maybe once upon a time the pack hadn't been so bad... after all, Ayasha was a member of it and she was nice. She had practically saved Cour des Miracles from a lot of trouble and had fought alongside Liam and his best friend Robin... against her own pack. They hadn't known each other very long, but after what they'd gone through... Liam trusted the white wolf with his life.


Inferni. Now while the pack seemed familiar, Liam couldn't say much about it. Obviously Liam had never actually gone there before. Huh. Only now did he realize he hadn't gone many places... ever. That needed to change; he needed to learn more about the world outside Cour des Miracles.


A part of him thought for a moment before speaking next, considering his words carefully. “I think I may have heard of Inferni before. My father would probably know something about it.” Liam finally said. The last thing he wanted was to tell Jackson about his dad and put the King in danger. Not that Vigilante couldn't handle himself... Liam knew he could. And besides, Jackson looked harmless – especially in comparison to Liam's dad. After those short sentences Liam fell silent again, surveying the scenery with a watchful gaze.


Liam wasn't always so quiet. Usually he could be pretty chatty, actually. He just wasn't really good around strangers and often took time to warm up to those outside his pack. Adding the ordeal with Aniwaya and you had one paranoid wolf who just didn't know whether or not he could trust anyone at this point. It didn't matter though. Jackson was doing plenty of talking and it kept Liam's mind busy. After a few seconds in silence however, Liam noticed a couple more dark birds flying downwards towards the spot where the first raven had gone. Curiosity bubbled inside the pit of his stomach as he glanced back to Jackson briefly.





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Table by Kit.
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#14
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wc: 324



Jackson would have probably been in for a shock if is visit to AniWaya had been now, rather than a good few months ago. His impression was that the tribe was a rather peaceful bunch, and he would have been rather shocked to learn what had become of it in the meantime. It was doubtful that a warring pack would have been as kind to a trespasser like Jackson as Ayasha had been to him at the time. Even now, he was still surprised that he hadn’t really gotten much of a scolding from the girl when he snuck past their borders. He nodded at Liam’s simple question. Yeah, man. Check it out some time, maybe, he suggested.


Jackson found himself nodding again when Liam mentioned that his dad probably knew more about Inferni than he did. The Acidic boy could understand that. Ravesque had always seemed like a fountain of knowledge to him, especially when he was younger. Being all smart and knowledgeable about the world seemed like a dad thing. Jackson found himself wondering if his own father knew a lot about Inferni too. He made a mental note for himself to bug his dad about it next time he saw him. Whenever he wasn’t hanging around Naniko, anyway.


The hybrid boy stared out at the horizon as well, once silence started to drift between them. You never knew what you would find out there in the city. As a couple of dark birds flew on down to the ground, Jackson mused that they were doing some finding of their own. His cerulean gaze turned back to Liam. So, hey man, you said you were lookin’ for supplies, right? Watcha need? Maybe I can help you out. Liam seemed like a pretty good dude, so Jackson had no problem offering him some help if he wanted it. It wasn’t like he was doing anything really important around in the city today anyway.

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#15
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Another short post on my part. =/ ↔ 247 words








“I'll probably get a chance to check the place out soon enough.” Liam said with a shrug. Little did Jackson know, 'soon' wasn't all that far away. Liam wasn't certain what the future had in store for him, but given the circumstances he was definitely seeing the war escalating – 'Mara was really upset about Zafier's death and would undoubtedly want to seek revenge on those who had murdered him... Liam wouldn't think twice before accompanying her. She was his sister and the idea of something happening to her, especially because of those good for nothing hybrid-hating Aniwayans, had Liam's blood boiling as an anger manifested itself deep in his gut. Liam mentally shrugged those solemn thoughts away as he toyed with the strap of his rucksack, his bi-colored eyes still focused on the broken city's scenery.


Jackson spoke again and his words made Liam grin slightly, waving a furry hand at nothing in particular. “Anything that may be useful, preferably medical stuff... If you want to help, that'd be great.” he said a little warily. He decided if Jackson wanted to help out, it really wouldn't be any trouble at all. They were beginning to have trouble finding good topics of conversation and besides, Liam didn't want to sit still any longer. It made him anxious and antsy. So in once calculated bounce the tall wolf had leaped off the roof of the structure, his padded feet landing swiftly on the cracked asphalt below.




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Table by Kit.
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#16
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Short post on my part too. o: / wc: 255



Jackson was pleased that Liam seemed willing enough to check out AniWaya too. The Acidic loved adventures, what could he say. If he was able to convince another to adventure out too, he felt like he’d accomplished something good. He thought everyone should do a little exploring, maybe visit other places. It was kinda relaxing, in a way. Now, he didn’t exactly have warring in mind to go hand-in-hand with a visit like that, but perhaps it was best that he didn’t even need to consider it. For him it was a case of ignorance is bliss. Cool, man, cool, he said, and that was that.


His new acquaintance accepted his offer of help, prompting a grin to light up Jackson’s features. Yeah man, no problem. Glad to help. He watched as the other wolf leapt from the roof and landed back on the ground below in one swift move. Jackson soon followed suit, clutching his staff tightly in one hand and launching himself from his perch to land in a crouch on the asphalt. He straightened up, leaned the wooden staff against one shoulder, and grinned at his companion. I saw some pretty interesting lookin’ places up there, he said, motioning towards where the birds they’d sighted on the roof had descended with a nod of his head. Maybe we can start searching there? Unless you know a good place to look? Gotta say, I don’t know much about medical supplies, he admitted with a laugh. He was willing to go wherever was needed.

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#17
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We're off to see the wizard...! ↔ 354 words






Liam was relieved when Jackson didn't press on the matter, leaving the subject behind with a 'cool man'. He had come out here to forget about Aniwaya and the war... forget about all of the pain back at the Court. Ironically enough, so far, all they'd talked about was that. Although Liam doubted Jackson knew anything about the recent happenings of the south.


Jackson helping out would make the task less of a hassle and perhaps a whole lot more exciting. The idea of going around the city, searching in different structures for items he didn't even know were actually there was a little tiresome but with some light conversation it could get done a lot faster. And besides, what was the saying again? Two heads are better than one? Liam tugged at his rucksack as he watched Jackson leap from their prior sitting position roughly a dozen feet above. Liam's eyes were still on the hybrid male when he found himself in a crouching position beside him and then again when he'd straightened up.


Liam nodded. “Yeah?” he said. He was curious to find out why all of those birds were flocking at that specific place. Maybe something had died or something. But then again, this entire place was in ruins – years and years of decay. It wasn't such a surprise to see dark birds flying about. “Then we'll go that way. Start out there and see where adventure takes us.” he said, some of his old adventurous self returning at the prospect of learning new things and finding places no wolf had seen before. “I'm guessing a lot of wolves have already scouted most of the land here so the search may turn out fruitless.” he said. “It's worth a shot though.” he added with a wolfish grin.


With that Liam began walking, his furry hand picking at the bandage that was wrapped around his injured shoulder. It was beginning to itch a little – he hadn't changed the bandages in over a day so maybe that was something he should think of doing upon getting home.


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Table by Kit.
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#18
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The wonderful wizard of Halifax Oz! / wc:337



Liam seemed willing enough to go with his suggestion. As he said, they would go where adventure took them. I like the sound of that, he said with an eager grin. After all, that had been the whole point of him coming all the way out to Halifax. Adventure. It was worth the somewhat lengthy trip for the Acidic boy. Anathema’s territory was largely natural, with very few man-made structures dotting the land. Coming out here was like stepping into a whole new world of tall buildings and concrete. Plus, there was just so much crazy stuff to find out here. Jackson had limited knowledge about the humans that predated their kind, but he did know that they had to have some pretty wild imaginations to come up with some of the stuff that could be dug up around the decaying city.


The Cour des Miracles wolf had a point when he ventured to guess that others might’ve come by here already and picked the area clean. From what he’d seen of parts of the city already, Jackson wouldn’t have been all that surprised if it turned out to be true. That wouldn’t stop them, though. Definitely worth it, the hybrid agreed, nodding with enthusiasm. What would be the point of their adventuring if all the outcomes were certain? The suspense and surprise were what made it interesting, at least to the Anatheman boy. Who knows, maybe we’ll find some crazy treasure too. Jackson was all about the treasure. He had no idea what kind of treasure he expected to find, but that was just another part of the mystery.


Jackson fell into step beside Liam as they made their way farther into the city, tugging idly at the bone necklace loosely circling his neck. A distinct cawing drew his gaze upward, where he found yet another dark bird making it’s way to their destination. Dang, man, what is up with these birds? It’s like they’re havin’ a party or something, he said, glancing back at Liam.

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#19
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Liam all skeptical about humans... Now that was fun to write. ↔ 585 words







Truth be told, Liam was a little more excited about these sudden plans for an adventure than he ought to be given his situation. He gave Jackson yet another grin as the hybrid black and white wolf-dog spoke. Liam too, liked the sound of that. Cour des Miracles had its fair share of exciting things to do and with his best friend Robin the pair had gotten involved in quite a few adventures of their own, usually involving imaginary enemies that needed to be defeated. That game had been Liam's favorite as a young pup but after his brother had departed the lands, up until he'd met Robin, the imagination had mostly been kept on the down-low due to the lack of young wolves to play with. Maybe there weren't any vampire pirates to hunt down and his colorful patchwork friend wasn't around for the journey but Jackson seemed to be quite a pleasant guy and what better place to explore than the exciting city of Halifax?


Besides, after growing up in Cour des Miracles, its scenery and many different structures tended to grow old. Liam somewhat remembered his puppy days when he would stare in awe at the Chien Hotel, finding new rooms to explore every single day. Well, the thrill of the place had long since vanished. He was used to the hotel and went there regularly now for reasons that were far from childish exploring. Hell, he'd spent three whole days cooped up there with his mother to heal the wounded following the raid. Liam mentally shrugged the thoughts back into their respective drawers in the very back of his mind as Jackson spoke up again. Treasure – that was definitely a word that brought a grin to Liam's face. “It would be so cool to find something the humans used that no wolf has ever found before, wouldn't it?” he asked, uttering the word 'humans' as though he was a frightened wizard uttering the word 'Voldemort'.


He hardly knew anything about humans – hell, his parents hardly knew anything. They were like a myth to the young Catori – a story passed down from generations. The only proof he had of them was from what his pack-mates said here and there and from the many books he'd read. Even then he couldn't be too certain. For all he knew the humans were something crazy some of the wolves from back in the day had invented to cover up some shady plot with all sorts of secrets and mysteries... Maybe he should tell Robin about his theory on humans and they could investigate further on the matter. Maybe find proof about this mysterious plot... prove that humans had never been real! But then again there was a lot of evidence that could only prove that once upon a time they had walked the earth. Blurry and aged photographs... strange items that no wolf could explain... It was a mystery alright.


They walked for a little while and at Jackson's statement Liam glanced up to the bird flying in a direct line towards the two wolves' destination. Liam shrugged. He was still betting on some dead corpse or some rotting trash of sorts. Of course, he was leaning towards the former. Chances were birds had probably gotten to most things edible at this point in time. “Only one way to find out.” he said a little mysteriously, a mischievous grin forming on his face as he quickened his pace a little.


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Table by Kit.
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#20
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'...a frightened wizard uttering the word 'Voldemort'. ' haha. XD Also, short post alert. o:



Liam brought up the prospect of finding undiscovered human treasures, an idea that appealed greatly to the boy. Maybe they could find something new out here. This place was so big, with so many places to explore that it didn’t seem out of the question. Haha, hell yeah, it would be! he agreed with an eager grin. It had never once occurred to the boy to question whether or not the humans had ever existed to begin with. It all made sense to him—how else would all of this crazy stuff have gotten here? Besides, his dad had told him all about them when he was a pup, and there was no way his dad could be wrong about that, right? Jackson had been quite gullible as a pup, and though he’d grown, that fact hadn’t changed all that much. Perhaps some of that worldly wisdom would come into him as he grew older.


Still, he supposed that it wouldn’t really matter how the city came into existence, or how all the strange trinkets within it got here. All that mattered to the Acidic boy was that they were here and that he could find them. Whatever was up ahead was drawing more and more interest from him by the second. Jackson quickened his own pace to match the strides of the wolf beside him. He turned his gaze back to the path in front of them, an idea forming in his mind. Oh, this would be fun. Yeah… I’ll race ya there! he said, then one, two… and he was off! Let’s see how skilled his new friend was at running about.

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