Each shade of blue is kept in our eyes
#1
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[/html]Since talking with Claudius, Tayui had decided to linger near the borders some time. She found a place to sleep not too far from the borders – but far enough that she was clear of the tribelands – so that she could venture near again. After speaking with her son, she had felled a rabbit and then slept for most of the evening. She woke early in the morning, with the sun barely in the sky, and her stomach still sated from the rabbit.

Again, she trekked to the borders, but headed farther south. She wasn’t sure where Anatole’s den was, so she supposed any spot was as good as any. After a few moments of hemming and hawing, she howled for the wolf, asking him to meet her at the borders. She hoped that he remembered the sound of her howl and also hoped that he would pay her a visit. She very much wanted to see how he was doing and see if he had any news on his family. She also wanted to let him know of the existence of another aunt, Éloise. She wasn’t sure how much he knew of her family’s history, so she wasn’t sure if it would shock him, or if he would even care.

As she considered this, she paced back and forth in a lazy figure eight. She was nervous, but she wasn’t sure why. Anatole, like his mother, was incredibly perceptive and Tayui didn’t want to unintentionally reveal anything. She was, regrettably, not that familiar with her nephew, but hoped to change that. She shook her head as she walked in an attempt to soothe the guilt. She had abandoned her family in AniWaya and now, she wanted to make things right again.[html]
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#2
[html]


(303)



art by crypsis

His duties had become regular and fully-consuming. Anatole lived for his work—he enjoyed scouting as much as he did the other aspects of being a wolf. The fact he was given the power to aid the hunters was doubly reassuring, for Anatole was a hunter as his mother before him. Lesser tasks had been more difficult to muster, such as learning to ride a horse and dealing with the pigeons. These were terribly irritating to him, but he tried his best and no one could blame him for that.

The winter had done him well. Without the excessive traveling of a bachelor wolf he had filled out impressively, and took after both parents in size. He was long-legged like his mother, however, and moved with a fast trot through the forest he now knew far too well. Once before he had been taught to map, and he used his nose and his eyes and his ears to remind him of these things. It was through this latter sense he caught her, a cry that was familiar and spoke for him alone. Her voice had changed; he did not recall if this was the truth or if time alone had done such a thing to his memory of her.

Pale feet carried him swiftly towards the borders, leaving what had once been his mother’s den behind. It was his now, but it was familiar and comfortable. He could not have settled elsewhere if he tried. Anatole slipped through the fence line and hurried on. The white shape ahead was familiar, but oh how time had wounded her. New scars littered her coat and she looked smaller then he had remembered. “Hello Aunt,” he greeted her, and crossed the border. It was a clear indication he had little faith to allow her to pass.

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#3
Grrrrl that Anatole art is so fine. His design is so pretty <3
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[/html]Anatole had grown since Tayui had last seen him. Of course this was only natural; after all, she had only known him when he had been a puppy and then an adolescent. But it still struck her that he had become a true wolf, a true member of the tribe, while she had been away. His coat, unlike his mother’s, held a range of colours that had not been present as a child. Tayui concluded that he must have inherited such a striking coat as he aged, perhaps indicating that he was far more mixed in heritage than his mother or his aunt. Tayui wondered, perhaps for the first time, who his father was. She had never concerned herself with such matters since it had been unimportant to Aurèle, and thus, Tayui had given little thought to it.

Of course, she had little time for so many second first impressions. After all, she wasn’t here to lollygag at her nephew, but speak with him as an adult. He deserved that much after she had abandoned her family.

“Hello Anatole,” she replied. “You’re looking quite well. Are you enjoying life in the tribe?” She hoped that an innocent question would help her become re-acquainted with him and possibly act as a precursor to other news.[html]
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#4
[html]


y thanks :>



art by crypsis

The truth of the matter was that Anatole’s heritage flocked back to stock he did not truly know. Corvus’ jindo-wolf blood had given his pelt the dark, coal blasted shade while his mother’s own streak of gold had been heavily accented and darkened. This winter-sunset pallet suited him well. Anatole was a beast of the north and even now, he longed for such homeland once more. AniWaya had given him purpose though, and for now, it was home. He was not comfortable here—he would never be truly comfortable around others—but he functioned well with discipline and the purpose given to him.

Green eyes regarded her with the absent gaze of a stranger. He saw fresh scars on her face, proof of some fight not long ago, and wondered briefly how it was that this relative was given the right to go on when his mother had been crippled. She could function, of course, but not as she desired. To be trapped within the cage of self was a far worse fate than death.

“I’m relearning,” he admitted, deep voice carrying his faint accent. “Things have changed here.” He leveled his gaze at her, as if implying she might have understood were she present. “Are you here to see Claudius?”

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#5
No problem. Smile
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[/html]Tayui watched her nephew as he considered her words. He was always so silent and thoughtful, similar to Claudius only in name. The two were similar in their penchant for quietness, but Anatole was decidedly different in the manner he went about this. This made sense because he was perhaps the most individualistic wolf she’d met apart from his mother.

When he replied, Tayui nodded knowingly. Yes, she could see how he would have to re-accustom himself to pack life. She had taken months to get accustomed to being a loner and she still realized that it did not suit her. She was not truly a loner because she yearned for the familiarity, comfort, and happiness that were intrinsic to pack life. She nodded quietly when Anatole pointed out how things had changed, assumed that he meant in reference to the conclusion of the war with Cour des Miracles and Crimson Dreams. She was somewhat surprised that she had managed to miss that entire conflict while she had been up north.

She shook her head when he asked her if she was here to see her son, but then paused and gave him a sort-of shrug.

“I was at first. We spoke a few days ago and he mentioned that you were a member of the tribe again, so I thought I’d pay you a visit. I hope I’m not distracting you from your duties…? Claudius said you were a good tribesmember, which can only mean you’ve found some sort of skill and put it to use—I assume. You always did have a strong ethic,” she explained. [html]
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#6
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;-; I suck. please bear with me, anatole is being difficult



art by crypsis

There was an odd and almost simple way in his thinking. Anatole was blunt and animalistic in the ways of true beasts. His world was one that lacked shades of gray and instead favored easy things. There was a darker shade to his world, of course, but he had never needed or experienced a desire to harm without purpose. Unlike his father, who embraced the darkness, Anatole was merely aware of it. He gained no satisfaction from oppressing the weak, though he quite enjoyed the thrill of an equal fight.

He listened, ears high and body in the not-true relaxed stance. Had he been brought into a world of combat or true war, he would have made an excellent soldier. “I’m a scout here,” he explained. “It’s about the only thing that doesn’t require me to stay on two legs.” This was the only admission of his annoyance with the whole Tribe, though he continued speaking in an attempt to overlook the slip. “What about you? Looks like you came off the bad end of a fight.”

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#7
Aww no worries~ I know you've been busy. c: <3 And mehh Tayui is totally used to Anatole now I think. I think he scares her less than Aurèle did :>
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[/html]Tayui nodded in understanding when Anatole identified himself as a scout. Yes, he would definitely make a very good scout. From his scent, she could tell that he was no subordinate here, either: he held respect. She wasn’t sure if the ranks had changed very much since she had last been a member, but from what she could recall, he would likely be a higher-ranked member on the scouting path. She wondered if he had mastered his trade: that would certainly be interesting!

When he mentioned remaining on two legs, Tayui frowned. She didn’t ever remember that being a policy. She had come and go as she pleased in whatever form that had suited the task. She hoped it hadn’t been just because of Dawali’s deference. She suspected that he had let her get away with a few things since she had not grown up in the culture, such as raising her children even without a mate.

Of course, this was quickly forgotten when Anatole pointed out the mess of her head and ears. She was likely a very sorry sight to behold. She felt embarrassed knowing how bad she looked, but was proud to still be alive. She looked away for a second.

“I don’t remember that ever being a policy,” she remarked, hoping to avoid the question about her fight. She glanced back at Anatole and then sighed. There was no point in lying to him. “I found someone. It was related to Noir’s death. There was someone else involved in her murder, so I found them and hurt them. I had the upper hand for a while—until I didn’t. I was never made to be a warrior despite my training.” She shrugged; it was something she’d since accepted. She had lost because she had too little training. Her passion was strong, but her proficiency was poor. [html]
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#8
[html]


<33 He's not as scary, just super blunt. Also, figure she can mention Salsola to him so I have an excuse for his going to look at it. :3



art by crypsis

Anatole shook his head as she suggested that the Optime form had become required. “It isn’t; I heard it was, when that old leader was here, but he was a real p'tit christ,” the wolf cursed in his native tongue, preferring to do so. It felt natural and better, and very few this far south picked up on such a thing. He was fairly certain his aunt would be among them, and his lips pulled away from his teeth in a smile-snarl that was meant for a man he had never seen. “I would have liked to meet him,” he said aggressively, and a part of him was sorely wounded he had missed the whole mess. What excitement it would have been, to be in a war.

His expression hardly faltered as she mentioned the person connected to his cousin’s death, though the smile faded and only the hint of anger lingered. Anatole had not known the details of such a thing, only that they had been terrible enough that his mother had left because of them. Even if this family was a strained, broken one, he still believed that there was a blood bond worth salvaging. “I’m sorry you didn’t kill the enfant de chienne,” he offered, and noted to make no further mention of her wounds. “I would have helped if I had known.”

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#9
True! And sure thing! I think that Tayui instinctively trusts Anatole so she will spill the details!
[html]
[/html] Tayui nodded, slowly, in understanding when Anatole explained that it was from the old leader, whom she could only assume was Maska. She began to speak, this time in her lilting, clipped French: “[html]qui l’a dit[/html]?” she began, but then paused when realization dawned. She frowned when Anatole swore: she had to be right. Claudius said the same thing (more or less) when she’d met him. Anatole then added that he would have liked to meet him and Tayui nodded. He sounded like a terrible thing: no wolf nor beast, just some wretched creature that had false authority and a flippant tongue.

“[html]Ouai, Claudius dit la même, n’est-ce pas?[/html],” she replied. She frowned. She didn’t want to swear in front of him, since she likely had neither the anger nor the passion. It would feel strange shouting the sacraments in front of her nephew even though she knew quite well that his mother likely taught him what he knew.

When he expressed his anger that she hadn’t been able to take the life of Haku’s accomplice, Tayui nodded darkly.

“Me too,” she replied. She felt something stir in her chest as she thought of how much she still wanted that vengeance, but knew it was impossible. She’d made peace. No one should be hurt anymore for her anger.

“No—I,” she began. “Attila knew. He tried to help, but I didn’t see him again. I’m glad you didn’t. It would have hurt you like it hurt Attila. Maybe. You’re both strong and I know—you could have held your own, but I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of my revenge. It’s not right, even if everything she was doing is so wrong, ostie de tabarnak, crisse.” She swore ferociously and then shook her head. She couldn’t let anyone else pay the price for her foolish crusades. [html]
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#10
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(317) someone put his sassy pants on



art by crypsis

In many ways, Anatole’s exterior—this gruff, unromantic man—was exactly what he was. A predator, a wildling, a beast that knew the law of club and fang and followed it as he followed no other. He had come to find his own little niche within AniWaya, where his leaders saw his open rebellion for what it was; he did not disapprove of them, nor did he disobey their will, but he needed the freedom to function beyond a strict system of rules and laws. As long as they gave him that, he remained ever faithful—and he had already made it clear he would spill blood, Tribesman or not, if the time so came.

The shadow on his face turned it grim as he nodded, recalling the horror story laid out by his cousin. Even Claudius had seen the war; what did Anatole have? No claim to such a thing, no. He would need to test himself against the world in other ways.

His aunt went on, mentioning her other son (the one Anatole had liked better) trying to aid her but instead vanishing. A gruff exhale of displeasure escaped him. To abandon others was one thing, but to abandon ones mother on the eve of vengeance was a crime. He was less moved by her cursing than he was by this idea of her son choosing not to stand with her. After all, he had left this place doing such a thing. Left this place and never thought to question his mother’s decision.

“You are selfish,” he said coarsely, tongue twisting his words with the all-too-present accent. “She was my cousin. What does it matter, eh? If I get a few scars? My mother always said you liked to do things on your own,” he added. His eyes focused on her, cruel and unforgiving. He suspected this was something both of the Aston women shared.

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#11
I bet they sparkle!
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[/html] When he claimed that she was selfish, she just conceded with a nod. It was true and it was something she had admitted to herself so long ago. She had brought in these strangers under the guise of rescuing the slaves, had grown to care for the cause, but had brought no justice to those horrible Salsolan lands. She had no problem admitting to her faults.

“Yes, I know,” she replied calmly. As much as Anatole was pointing out a simple truth, she was accepting it for what it was. She trusted Anatole not only as the son of her sister, but also because of who he was: he was complex and simple and so many romantic metaphors wrapped up in fur.

“If you had been here, then, you would have joined you. I wouldn’t have let you so much as you would have just joined me in my crusade. But I’m glad you didn’t, even if it is for selfish reasons.” She paused and then shook her head. “It was in vain. We didn’t help anyone and they just killed one of their slaves to spite us—so that she would never be free.” She was glad Anatole hadn’t been there to witness that. He wasn’t innocent, but knowing that could break a wolf—even the strongest.[html]
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#12
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(300) they totally do



art by crypsis

The fact she not only acknowledged, but even admitted her fault, it pleased him. Mortal things were simple, and he preferred to think of them in simple terms. His aunt was one such puzzle, much like his mother, that needed to be broken down, examined, understood. These were, of course, in broad terms. He cared little for nuances or details. If his mind produced a visible display, it might have been in emboldened text and thick, dark lines. Anatole was simple in the way his mother had been simple—though he was not quite well off enough to pose as something he was not. Thus, his true nature was bared and unabashed; he did not even think to hide what he was.

Something clicked, strangely, against the cogs of his mind. Slave. The term was foreign to him, and he cocked his head at it. His lips formed the word but he did not speak it, unsure of what it meant. Unexposed to all but the wild parts of the world, he did not know what the meaning of the term was. “They killed one of their own?” He echoed dumbly, unsure if he understood what she was telling him.

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#13
Aww yis
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[/html]She was somewhat surprised that of what she said, he picked up on that. She shook her head and pushed herself not to get stuck on that thought. It was horrible, but she'd grown so calloused to the workings of Salsola that the grief she'd felt when Vesper first told her felt cold and distant. But seeing Anatole question it brought back a rush of emotions. She took a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself and not fall down a pit of thought and guilt. She couldn't let it happen to her again.

"Yes," she replied. "I don't know what her name was," she added, when she tried to begin by saying that she had been killed. She'd wanted to say something like 'Jerra was killed' or 'They killed her,' but she didn't have a name. She was just some passive construction: worthless, faceless, nameless. It was sad.

"They killed her so that she couldn't be free. She died a slave to their whims." Her voice was thicker with emotion now, but it was hardened. She still wished that something good could have come out of her attack, but all she'd done was get an innocent killed. When she'd told Gabriel that she was willing to become a monster, she hadn't thought that it would be like this. Maybe that was why he had tried to warn her. [html]
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#14
[html]


:| maybe we end this soon and have a new Claudius/Anatole one? Anatole got him presennntsss <33



art by crypsis

Though he did not understand the concepts presented, the fact that murder had been committed simply because a person sought freedom was beyond him. It went against every part of his instinctive desire to protect the pack, and further, disobeyed the strongest instinct which was to protect females (something further ingrained into him by a stern, strong mother). Unnatural and vulgar to the deepest part of his morality, Anatole balked openly at the words and found himself unable to fathom what sort of lost creatures his aunt had found tidings with.

“Where?” He asked, and his voice too was thick—but with a low and awful growl. Though he was not foolish enough to challenge them openly, he wanted to see…he wanted to try and understand, in his own way, what sort of monsters would behave in such a manner. Then, before she could answer, he continued talking; in a sharp, defensive sort of way that suggested he was used to his mother lecturing him. “I won’t be seen and I won’t make trouble. I can handle myself.” He did not try and explain why, but his fierce eyes were pleading with her. If she had thought it important to fight these people, he at least needed to see why.

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#15
Sure! Smile But Claudius didn't get him anything! :o
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[/html]If Tayui was being honest with herself, she was a little surprised to hear Anatole ask for directions. It fit his character, but she hadn't expected him to ask that. In fact, she hadn't known what to expect. Anatole was a wolf through and through, so concepts such as 'slavery' would not be known to him. Eeyou Istchee, La Grande, and all the regions far east of Lac Sakami had never seen such a thing. Aurèle was as much a creature of her homeland as Tayui was and neither of them had been prepared for atrocities of Salsola. Anatole, too, seemed surprised. He couldn't have known. It pained her.

"I guess it would be... hypocritical of me not to tell you," she replied, trying not to sigh. She wasn't sure if she was agitated from the conversation in general or the fact that she didn't want to tell him. He was capable. Her sons knew. Her sons were also capable. Why was he so different? He deserved to know.

"They're called Salsola. They are led by Eris Eternity and Sirius Revlis. They're very secretive, suspicious of outsiders, and I don't think many know about them or what they do, so just—" she faltered. "Don't get hurt." She couldn't do that to her sister. The last thing she wanted to do was find Aurèle like Aurèle had found her. She couldn't. [html]
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#16
[html]


Can end with your post?



art by crypsis

Salsola. It sounded foreign, though not in the way their own native language was. Anatole wondered at its origin only for a moment, taking in the names and storing them away. He was good with remembering things, though sometimes slow in this matter. Often when he was traversing through memories he seemed to zone out, fall inward, and his mother had once warned him that doing so in front of others would make him look stupid. She had never been afraid to bluntly scold him on such things, and his behavior was largely influenced by her desire to make him into an idealized, native son.

Yet it was a younger boy, headstrong and fearless, that appeared on his face as a cocky smirk took place there. He had once thought himself invincible, after all. “I’ll be fine,” he reassured her, and advanced. Anatole nudged her with his nose, a wolfish sign of his understanding of her worry. “If you need us—me or Claudius, I mean,” he added, and drew back to speak to her face. Her eyes were still strange to him, mismatched and wounded as they were. They looked different now but he couldn’t say why. “Just come find us, yeah?” It would do no good to leave his kin in the cold. Even if Tayui’s path had taken her away from AniWaya, Anatole still firmly believed in the bond of blood and would honor it, were he so asked.

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#17
Sure thing! Thanks for the thread. Smile
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[/html]Even though Anatole thought he would be fine, Tayui could not conceal her worry. She thought she would be fine and the result was a week, unable to move, in Casa di Cavalieri, months of pain afterwards, and lingering sensations and throbbing where her wounds were. She thought she could do something, but she'd gotten nothing out of it save for a difficult life lesson.

When he nudged her with his nose, Tayui smiled. Maybe he didn't think he was so invincible after all. She returned the gesture and then moved back when he did.

"Thank you, Anatole. You're very kind. Claudius is truly fortunate to have you in the tribe. I'll find you," she replied, smiling. She would.

Before she departed, she moved to give him one last nuzzle so that she could remember this moment. Anatole had always been tough; he had a tough spirit and a strong soul. So, she valued this talk and his actions. She wouldn't forget it.[html]
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