Setting: Foot of the Halcyon Mountains between Inferni and Anathema
Time: Mid Afternoon
Character Form: Optime
Dress: Traditional
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PGP - +5 Words - 500+
The journey had been long and tiring to get as far as the Halcyon Mountains on only two legs. If only he could have shifted. The journey would have been so much faster. But it was still too risky. The last time Jaden tried to shift had been accompanied by the rather unpleasant sounds and feelings of his injured ribs breaking. They were mostly healed now and he could tell that by the lack of pain he felt in them. Better safe than broken again though so he would hold off on shifting until all pain was gone.
They wouldn’t be able to go this far. He had been traveling for almost two days now to get as far as he was when a four legged wolf would have made it in half the time. Their hunt would probably have to be around New Dawn if he wanted to participate. There were deer here though. He could smell some close by and their fragrance had his mouth watering. The pack wanted to hunt so he couldn’t go and ruin his appetite… but the journey back would still take two days. If he ran it would use quite a bit of energy too. Then the trip back out to hunt again… he would be hungry. Plus this would be a perfect time to practice his tactics for hunting with the pack.
It didn’t take long to track the herd through the warm air of the clear day. He came upon them in the cover of trees on the outskirts of a clearing. Dozens of deer stood and meandered around in the field, eating and seeming to enjoy the day in their own simple minded way. Jaden stayed low and kept himself hidden behind a bunch of thick berry bushes. He slowly drew his bow and an arrow. The sound of a stretching bow string was easily lost to the insects and song birds of summer as the hunter took aim. If he were to hunt with others his first couldn’t be a kill shot. He needed to wound one and finish it off. He found a fine looking doe and moved his crosshairs from its throat to its haunches. One well-placed shot should take the animal of its feet.
The arrow sang as he let it go. The obsidian hunter quickly stowed his bow and charged forward with a snarl to scare off the other deer. His tactics worked perfectly. The doe fell with a sound of surprise fear while the others started charging away from their fallen comrade in fear of the wolf they saw. He ran as fast as he could but his two legs wouldn’t go fast enough. He watched in helpless exasperation while the doe brought itself up from its fallen position. He drew his dagger and dove for it but was too late. The deer took off as he hit the ground on his belly and slid a foot or two on the green grass. His prize charged off after the others with a terrible limp and his arrows still stuck in its haunch. He cursed as he pulled himself up and sheathed his dagger. He couldn’t catch the beast on two legs and would have to just watch as it got away.
Rio had been running as fast as she could, but just slow enough that her injured owl wouldn’t fall off of her back. His claws were wrapped around the straps of her Secui backback, hooking himself onto her back. He couldn’t fly due to his injured wing, and despite Anathema being the other way, Rio thought she knew where she was going. Her mind was in a frenzy and she just wanted to help her bird. She knew she had seen some pain killing herbs around the bottom of the Halycon Mountains, and if she could just get there fast enough. She smelled the familiar scent of another, but she couldn’t be bothered with it right now.
She kept her pace, running, and crossed through a field. Deer were charging at her coming from the direction she was going toward, and she swung around wide to avoid the herd. One of the does had an arrow sticking out of its hind leg, and Rio slowed her pace. She was running into hunting grounds, and what if the other caught a kill? She didn’t want to run straight into a feeding frenzy. She slowed to a quick walk, but the male she saw picking himself up off of the ground eased her nerves a lot. It was Jaden from Sangi’lak, a friend that she knew would attempt to help her. Her pace picked up and she ran towards him, ”Jaden!”
The bird hopped off of her back, and she stopped just before the wolf. Can you watch my owl while I go look for something? His wing is injured, and I don’t want him to become lunch for any other ignorant creature.” She trusted that he wouldn’t try to eat her bird, or at least she hoped he wouldn’t. She didn’t wait for him to answer, and just left the owl hopping around on the ground with Jaden. She sped off into the brush, shifting once she got into the shelter of the trees. She didn’t stop running to shift, though, so her galloping soon almost turned into reverse crab walking, and when she was fully shifted, she skidded to halt at a bush that looked familiar. Next to the push was an Arnica flower. She wrapped her hand around the whole thing and yanked it out of the ground. She would use the whole thing.
She returned quickly to the two, the owl hopping over to her. Rio unclipped the backpack she wore and dropped it to the ground next to her. She knelt down on the ground, putting the flower beside her while she pulled the dagger she wore from around her ankle. She cut the roots in tiny bits and attempted to feed the painkilling herb to the owl.
It was truly a shame his prey had escaped. Arrows were now easy thing to craft and often took hours to make a fine half dozen of them and he was still hungry. But his appetite would only be that much greater for when their pack hunt came along. Jaden watched as the dear pranced off in their shocked manner.
Only moments before they all disappeared, a black wolf came charging from the forest. Maybe she would pick up his kill. It wouldn’t be the first time, actually. He thought back to that night and remembered the female wolf. What had been her name? And her little furry companion… Could this be her again? No, this female was much too small. And she didn’t even bother with the wounded deer. She instead came straight toward him. He saw the owl on her back and instantly recognized Rio. Now he would have to be embarrassed in front of her for letting his prey escape. Wonderful.
But again, the she-wolf caught him off guard. Rio— He began to great her happily but was cut off by a rushed question. Yes of course… but she hadn’t even stayed to hear it. She charged off and left him to look confusedly at the owl. He scanned its little body as it hopped a little bit closer to him in absence of Rio but stayed at a cautious distance. The bird watched him with large eyes and he watched it, unsure of what exactly he should do. Jaden looked around absent mindedly for danger that he figured wouldn’t come. The owl just kept watching him and rotated its large round head at a questioning angle often as if to ask, Why are you looking at me?
Rio returned not long after carrying an Arnica flower. He was familiar with the pain killing properties it had but hadn’t known it worked on birds with their different bodies. Useful information in case he was ever stuck watching one of X’yrin’s companions. What happened? The male asked. He stepped over and crouched near where she was tending to the owl.
i can't escape the twisted way you think of mei feel you in my dreams and i don’t sleep
Word Count → 404 || Points → 4 :: Ooc.
Rio continued to try to put the foul tasting root in the owl’s mouth, but he wasn’t having it. He kept his beak tightly shut and kept moving his head away from the root held out by her hand. She became quickly annoyed because she was trying to take the pain away from her companion, but he wouldn’t let her. She quickly explained to the bird the properties of the herb and attempted to feed it to him again. This time the owl didn’t turn away, but he didn’t open his mouth either. He stared at the root as if thinking about it. Rio still held the root a little distance away from the bird’s mouth, and looked up toward Jaden. ”He was attacked by some a—“ She stopped abruptly because the owl bit her finger. He scoffed down the root and waited with his mouth open for more. Rio cut another little piece and dropped it in his mouth, and the process continued.
Rio continued cutting little pieces for the bird, now looking up toward Jaden every few seconds, ”He was attacked by someone from Anathema. Though, there was no trouble, my bird had been injured.” She was annoyed that she couldn’t kill the wolf herself, but she wouldn’t be able to stand a chance anyway. He was way too muscular and even if he did retaliate from her punching him in the face, she wouldn’t have been able to defend herself. She would’ve had to leave her owl there and run until the brute left, which was a shitty plan. She growled lowly to herself thinking of Malakai’s smugness, even though he turned out to be decent after, but he still didn’t apologize for trying to eat her owl.
She padded the ground next to her, ”Sit down.” She more so ordered him, then asked. ”Sorry for leaving you like that. I just wanted to get this as soon as possible.” She didn’t turn her head as she spoke to him; instead, she focused on feeding the root bits to the owl until they were all gone. Then she patted the owl on the head and focused her attention back on Jaden. ”What are you doing all the way out here? Aren’t you a little far from home?” He was a long way from Sangi’lak. Most likely a few days’ time at least and she had never seen him around before.
Watching Rio feed her feathered friend was a bit entertaining. He was a stubborn little thing but she was determined. And, after a little bite, the owl began to eat. He watched her care for it and found the little act a bit endearing. Last he had checked, this owl was just something she had found near New Dawn. Now she was worrying over it like it was her own pup. More proof that he woman was sweet hearted.
Someone from her own pack had hurt the creature? Did they allow such abuse to go on in their ranks? And, if she was the Alpha’s daughter, who was this canine to be pestering her pet? I’m sorry to hear that. Was all his voice gave when his mind spiraled off into so many other questions. She seemed distracted by her chore and he decided it was better to let her concentrate then to pester her with questions. Even when she more told him to sit down than offered he still said nothing and took the seat easily and without protest, falling gracefully into a cross-legged position. Only when she spoke to him and it dictated an answer did he summon one. I haven’t any idea how to handle a bird, but he was luckily no trouble, he watched the owl.
The woman finally finished and turned to him with a question about why he was so far from. It made him smile as he remembered how he had worried about woman and her ability to travel and wondered if this was in some way payback. We are preparing for a pack hunt and I am doing some scouting for a good place. We probably won’t be coming out this far because it would take me a bit too long, but it was worth looking. he smiled good naturedly as if to hint that she had been a redeemer for his trip. And why are you so far out here? If your bird was attacked in Anathema, why not just take care of it there?
i can't escape the twisted way you think of mei feel you in my dreams and i don’t sleep
Word Count → 405 || Points → 3 :: It's pleasant to see that there are other night owls up like me
Rio smiled thinking about his comment back at Grand Lake. The one about her getting into trouble traveling; well, he was right. She seemingly got into trouble this time. She snorted quietly, looking away from the handsome male. She still thought he was adorably attractive, even if she couldn’t have him. Another smile bloomed as she understood his comment about the trip being worth it. She smiled goofily at him, and in her mind thought that she made a small break through with the male. She took his niceness as flirting, in a way.
After a few moments, during Jaden and Rio’s conversation, Acciai stretched his wing, seemingly feeling a little better. The owl still couldn’t stretch it all the way out, and probably couldn’t fly too far with it either, but it was good to see him being able to move it a little. Rio stroked his bird chest softly, and answered Jaden’s question watching and smiling at the bird as he soaked up the attention. ”Well, because I knew exactly where I saw the root here before and I didn’t have any in my den, so I just came straight here.” She was pretty sure she didn’t have any in her den, and she didn’t want to waste time going there to find out she didn’t and then have to come back out here anyway. She just skipped a step to make her life easier, and get the owl’s wing healed faster. Of course, his wing wasn’t healed, the swelling was just cured. The actual healing process would occur in her den later when she left the bird to rest and perch on something in there. Then she would figure out her next move. ”I’m leaving Anathema soon.” She decided to tell him because she half trusted him. It was a bit of information that didn’t really need trust entwined with it because it was pretty general.
She had a small plan going, and unfortunately she didn’t plan on joining his pack. She would leave Anathema, and then go to Halifax and live in a house that she found to be in great condition, despite the 30 years of wear and tear. Then from there, she would figure out her next move, but she planned to stay there for a while. She didn’t want to rush into anything and wanted to be totally sure when she planned for the next step in her life.
I still haven't slept!!! So this night owl has turned into a morning owl and MUST slEeEep now. O.o PGP - +2 Words - 200+
It was nice to see Rio again. As she smiled at him he realized her joyful expression was quite beautiful. Not as beautiful as X’yrin’s but pretty in its own special way like most other things about Rio. He thought about her and remembered their first meeting fondly, trying to extract all the information he could recall in case he needed a reference. She seemed content talking to him and continued to give her bird affection while giving her attention to him as well.
His question hadn’t been really important and the answer had been foreseen as one of little consequence even before she assured him of this. It had been more of a conversation starter than anything else and it had worked well enough. Right after she finished answering his question, Rio broke off with a rather abrupt confession. She was leaving home? She didn’t seem upset about it so the woman must have just finally made up her mind. Oh really? Where have you and your feathered friend decided to go? His question was posed with a charming smile. He had offered her to stay at Sangi’lak and maybe that had been her deciding factor. He had a little bit of confidence that she mentioned it with the intentions of asking to take him up on his offer. Pride that didn’t belong when he had so real information about Rio’s life and all she desired but it radiated warmly nonetheless.
Word Count :: 381 || Points: 3 O.O my sleep schedule is pretty off the wall too .. AND I start class on Monday >.<
Acciai busied himself by picking at the grass near Rio’s outstretched leg. She stopped petting him and focused all of her attention on Jaden now. God, did she wish she could just have him all to herself. Her eyes obliviously wandered throughout his muscled frame, despite making it obvious she was checking him out. She caught herself about twenty seconds later, and quickly resumed the conversation. ”I plan to stay in Halifax for a little while. I found this nice house in Hydrostone that is actually in awesome condition. I plan on cleaning it up and then living there for a little while.” She didn’t want to take up his offer because she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to bother with a pack just yet. ”Your offer is still in the back of my mind, and when I start thinking of joining a pack, I’ll always consider your offer first.” She made sure that the male knew that his kindness was greatly appreciated by her. She was torn between Cour des Miracles and Sangi’lak, but really she was only thinking about Cour des Miracles because she thought her father might live there. But she actually didn’t know where he was because he had fallen off of the map a while ago.
A bout of thought consumed her for a moment before she raised her eyes back to Jaden’s and beamed, ”You should see the house, Jaden. It’s beautiful and spacious! Once it’s clean, it’ll be even more grandiose.” She wished he could see it, but knew it was totally out of his way – almost completely on the other side of the map. It was somewhere where he probably would never visit.
Rio’s eyes wandered over to Acciai, who was happily picking at grass. Maybe he had a digestion issue – he hadn’t exactly been eating well since his wing had been injured. She would have to catch him a mouse or two later when they got back to Anathema. ”I actually can’t wait to be living there. At least then I’ll have my freedom and be away from the stress of Anathema, and everything else in fact.” She wasn’t sure if he understood what she was going through, but it didn’t matter. She was the one moving her location, not him.
School SUCKS. And that is a very pretty table =) PGP - +4 Words - 400+
Jaden looked back to her and caught the last few moments of her eyes roaming over his body. He knew he had a decent body and did appreciate the attention, but it still embarrassed him a little. He hid that slight discomfort behind a confidant smile that easily sprung forward in his defense. The woman quickly began speaking after that and her words made the innocent eyeing a thing of the past. So she wouldn’t be coming back to Sangi’lak. It was a little bit of a surprise even though he had expected her to be somewhat conflicted. He loved the pack. It was required as their leader and maybe that is what led him to have so much pride in how attractive it should seem to prospective new members.
But neither shock nor displeasure settled in his deep blue eyes. Only a kind smile as she expressed her gratitude for his offer. Of course, he spoke warmly, should you change your mind though, you know where to find us. She went on to gush a bit about her newly found home and he realized just how excited she was to be on her own. The protective masculine part of him though her a bit naive to be out alone when she had so little apparent ability to fight for herself. But he would check on her. The Alpha had already been brewing plans to make a round trip to all the packs he knew to represent his Nomads and start talks do relations. So he could check on the woman was just another reason to do it. So he nodded in agreement. I will travel down there sometime. Hydrostone, you said? Sounds familiar… Before his time in a pack he had seen his share of the territory. No doubt he had stopped in there at one point or another.
And finally Rio expressed a hint as to why she was so eager to leave her home. ‘Stress’ was as good of a reason as any but he felt there might be something more to it than just simple stress. She was the Alphas daughter, things couldn’t be that simple. Your home is stressful? He fished for more information innocently while gently leaning back on his hands and stretching his legs. His dark appendage was careful not to stray too close to the owl though, fearing the troublesome thing might chose to take a bite at him.
Word Count :: 344 || Points: 3 Why thank you! I’m very satisfied with how it came out
Rio nodded instantly, ”Of course. If I found my way down there once, there’s no reason I can’t find it again.” She looked up at him and smiled. The only thing that she didn’t like about Sangi’lak was there rare usage of the Luperci form. She liked being in her Luperci form all the time and not just when she needed fingers. The Luperci form was the one she adapted to life in, and she wanted to remain in it. Other than their lack of using two legs, there wasn’t anything else that turned her off. She might still consider when she can’t think of anywhere else to go.
Rio’s eyes fell on her bird once again, and watched as Acciai nervously eyed Jaden’s leg nearing him. He might’ve pondered biting it, but thought past it once he looked up at Rio. She gave him a dangerous glare, and so the owl went back to his grass picking, ignoring the leg that was so near to him. Rio’s gaze remained on the bird this time, ”You would come all the way down there to see me?” She didn’t understand why a person would do that, unless they wanted something from her. She looked at Jaden skeptically for a moment, but then dropped her gaze to the bird again. ”Not my home anymore, remember? Once I made up my mind to leave, it ceased being my ‘home’.” She would find a new home somewhere, whether it be the house in Halifax or another pack that she chose to live in. Her home would no longer be Anathema. ”But it was stressful because I didn’t fit in, so … I felt pressured, somewhat, to fit in, but that wasn’t going to happen. My personality didn’t fit with those kinds of wolves.” Her personality was so different from her mother’s and siblings. She could now understand why Lucia was pissed at her mother. If she had remembered all the things that Naniko had done in the past before going to see her, things may have been different right now.
=O you made it yourself?? TEACH ME YOUR WAYS!!! PGP - +2 Words - 200+
Jaden laughed lightly at her question. Not just for you. I am a leader. It will be my duty to travel to each pack and present my family… you just might happen to be on the way. He teased with his words warmly but didn’t acknowledge that he worried for her a bit. Her skeptical look made him smile before she turned her eyes back on the bird. Right, sorry, He apologized for his slip of words and listened to what she had to say.
That Rio didn’t fit into Anathema Jaden could have guessed even if she hadn’t told him a few times already. Every wolf he had ever met from there was either dark or wanted him dead. Rio was sweet, as far as he could tell, and deserved somewhere where that would be appreciated and not suppressed or cast out. He still thought Sangi’lak would do her good, but that was his opinion. He still honestly knew little past what her words gave about her and only had two impressions to trust for his opinion of her character. If she thought the life of a loner in a broken down human ruin suited her best, he was in no place to argue with her. I’m sorry to hear that you have to leave all that you know. Even if you didn’t fit in, I know from experience that starting anew isn’t easy.
Rio nodded slowly while keeping her eyes on the chipper bird. Acciai was happily picking grass, eating some of it and just leaving some of it. Rio’s periwinkle gaze stayed with him, and she wondered why he would do such a thing. Maybe he was bored or felt awkward between them. Maybe he wanted to leave and this was his way of showing Rio he was stressed. She didn’t understand why the bird wouldn’t just say it to her. She did know low-speech for a reason, not just for a random talent to have.
Her beautiful gaze left the bird to rest on Jaden once more, ”Right. Sorry.” She echoed his words without even noticing doing so; she was stupid to think that he would just come that way only for her. Who would really go so out of their way just to visit her? It was a problem that Rio thought so lowly of herself. It was easy for her to fall into that slump, and harder for her to get out of it. She’s been this way since she was a pup, and she never noticed how wrong it was. She didn’t value herself, and she didn’t think highly of herself either. Sure, she knew self-respect and she wouldn’t let others disrespect her, but she didn’t view herself as anyone important. Meanwhile, everyone was important in their own special way. She just had to find hers.
”This place wasn’t really all that I knew. All that I knew was with my Dad and outside of here. I came back hoping that people had changed and that things had gotten better since I left, but I was disappointed. Everything’s the same, just in a different place. My mother is the same careless bitch as she always had been; just now she’s the leader of a pack. My father, I’ve always loved and never begrudged him, but he’s M.I.A. at the moment. And my siblings are just basically floating around. Nobody’s really changed, except for maybe my sister Lucia.” She had a brief conversation with her returning sister, but it wasn’t informative enough. They were rushed and she didn’t want to keep them waiting. She wanted to talk to her sister again; she wanted to know what was on her mind because she felt that she and Lucia shared the same mindset. ”The change that I chose to create is for the better, if not only for my life, for theirs as well – however it may affect them.” She wasn’t sure how her leave would affect anyone’s life in Anathema, but she was sure that she would find out in time if she was missed or not.
The echo of his own words from Rio wasn't what he expected. It sounded a bit heavier than if she had understood that he was only teasing, like she felt foolish for suggesting he come down so far just to see her. Even if that was the case, he had tried not to be rude about it. But it seemed his teasing had been taken more literally than he wanted it to. He looked away also feeling a little foolish for saying something he thought was a bit insensitive, but the moment was gone. All he could do now was make a note and caution himself from further teasing the woman.
When he looked back and caught her eye, he was taken for a moment by the color he found there. It was something that was difficult not to notice just because of how unique the woman’s gaze was, but he hadn’t truly looked into her eyes yet. He tried not to now. They were only just acquaintances and it might be a little awkward if he suddenly began staring into the woman’s eyes. So he spaced out his analyzing into the trade back and forth of eye contact during her the explanation that followed his statement. They were pretty, but Jaden found himself distracted as he listened to what she had to say too. Rio had some amount of trust in him. It was clear and made him feel a little good about himself. If she hadn’t any, he doubted she would have been so open about her life. I’m sorry to hear about your father but it is good that you have chosen to change your life for the better. I’m sure, with a little bit of my training, you will be able to brave anything that comes for you in your new home. More teasing words thrown carelessly out. He had been hoping to brighten her mood a little and didn’t realize he ran the risk of wounding her again. He also didn’t realize that now might be a perfect time to share a bit about himself to be fair. If he had, the ex-assassin might very well have hastily changed the subject. But he didn’t and instead let his tongue fall silent with a genuine smile.
Word Count :: 243 || Points: 0 I will be attempting your table shortly
A broken smile remained on Rio’s face, ”Don’t worry about it. I’m sure he’ll turn up somewhere.” He always did. And even if he didn’t, it was time for her to grow up and become independent. Her mother obviously didn't need her, and she didn't need her father either. It was the cycle of maturity. Sooner or later, the pups had to leave the nest and start their own lives. The smile repaired itself and sat genuinely on her lips as she listened to his training offer again. She nodded subtly, ”I’d like that. Thank you.”
The owl continued to peck at the ground for the grass and whatever bugs he found, she guessed. She leaned back on her hands and looked over to Jaden. ”So what made you become a pack leader?” She recollected that he was just starting to become one when they had first met. ”What were you before that?” She didn't remember seeing Jaden around anywhere aside from their actual meeting. Becoming a pack leader was a big step from normalness. She didn’t ever really strive to become one herself, only to have a good, simple life somewhere and have a bunch of pups that she hopefully would raise right. Hopefully her batch of pups, whosoever they belonged to, would grow up and be raised in a decent environment. The last thing she wanted to do was raise children that turned out to be like Harlowe.
Word Count :: 300+ || Points: 3 Sorry that this is SO dam romantic. I just had to use my smexy new table
Because the question had been unforeseen it caught Jaden off guard. His past had been something that was difficult to explain. Ever since giving up the life of a killer he felt that telling people of the things he’d done might tarnish his reputation. Not everyone reacted to learning someone they knew had once been a dedicated exterminator of sentient beings. But for the first time after being asked about his past, Jaden realized he’d spent enough time away from his birth place that he didn’t need to delve so far back without finding a reasonable answer to “what were you before”. He could easily get away with providing part of the truth and still hiding his nature…
I chose to become a leader because I was asked to do so by my closes friend. But before that, I was a loner… he could have stopped there and wrapped up with a “and it was boring” comment of some sort but didn’t. This was something he needed to face. He wanted his pack mates and close friends to understand who he was and trust him, even if they trusted something they would have once fought or run from. He couldn’t leave his past a guess for those he cared about. Rio would be practice. He liked the woman and knew she was likely kind hearted enough not to cast him out for his mistakes. And even if she did, she wasn’t someone he would ultimately have to deal with every single day.
So he continued, and before I was a loner I was part of Ichika no-Hoen. I had to leave them though… because of my nature… because of how I was raised and what I am trained to do… Though he had committed the words were still hard to find. This would be the first time he had just willingly given up his roots when asked. Before I became who I am now I was something terrible… he sat forward from his relaxed position as discomfort claimed him. His legs fell crossed and he folded his hands. Honest blue eyes found Rio and he watched her for a reaction, watched to see if she was interested in him any further or if he had given her more than she wanted already.
Rio’s eyes wandered around so they didn’t stay awkwardly on Jaden the whole time. She didn’t want to give the brute stage fright, but the spotlight was on him. It was his time to shine. ”Oh, I was a loner for a while too …” She wasn’t sure if he was aware of that about her, but she really wasn’t paying attention to what she told him and what she didn’t tell him already. She figured it wouldn’t hurt her if she through things out there about her, too. She listened calmly to his story, but when he paused she could feel him become a little uneasy.
Rio became instantly interested. She never imagined Jaden as the type of wolf to do bad things. Now that he seemed to open this can of worms, she couldn’t see it in him. ”Terrible? What can you possibly have done that was so terrible?” She didn’t believe this good-natured brute could be capable of anything that would harm others. Rio wasn’t sure how she would take his news. After what she had gone through with Harlowe, though, she was a lot harder to move. Sure, others have always done horrible things, but it needed to be something really bad to someone she loved once to really get Rio off her rocker.
The part of him that hated admitting who he had been, who he felt still might reside under his calm exterior hoped she would not become interested in what he had to say. But the interest that lit her violet gaze was an indication of the opposite. He smiled shamefully at her words. Maybe she didn’t suspect him to be one to do violent things. That was good and bad. Good because it is what he wanted people to think and bad because it meant she might be surprised at what he had to say. I was raised to kill… and to torture for my pack. Their “enemies”… canines that were far from evil and often quiet innocent… many met my blade. He was still sitting with his discomfort but managed to look up and meet the woman’s eyes. I might still be part of that if those wolves hadn’t betrayed me and killed my family. It was easier to say this then explain that his brother had done the betraying and killed the rest of his family. The male wasn’t worthy of being called family any longer.
I’ve seen and done my share of terrible. But that isn’t who I am anymore. It was just all I had known, he defended himself and reassured her of his new outlook. I haven't fought with the intent to kill since. Now he would see how it went over. Watching with a cautious eye, he waited for whatever might come next.
Rio listened intently to the man’s story, but when he explained that he once killed for a living it left an uneasy feeling within Rio. It wasn’t that she thought every wolf she met was a saint like her, but she didn’t expect it from the calm-looking Jaden. ”Oh!” Her eyes left his awkwardly and she looked somewhere else for a few seconds. Everything became silent when he finished his story. She was thinking.
She wouldn’t cast him out; everyone had their dark pasts and secrets, and she was slightly honored that he would share his with her. Her eyes slowly began to return towards him, but ever so slowly. A million thoughts raced through her mind in those few seconds. She was trying not to judge him because he didn’t deserve it. He had been nothing but good to her since they’d met, and he didn’t even know her that well. If he had been mean and malicious to her, then maybe she would have been quick to judge him. Her eyes returned to her lap and she played with a few strands of grass, ”I don’t blame you. Everyone has their dark past and secrets that they really don’t want anyone to know…” She continued plucking strands of grass from the ground by her crossed leg. ”I don’t judge you. I have a few secrets of my own that I wouldn’t want to share with just anyone. I feel honored that you would share this with me, though.” Rio kept her gaze on the ground, and once she felt better about it, she looked up into his eyes with her beautiful periwinkle gaze. Her eyes were so innocent, like nothing malicious had ever touched her – but she was good at hiding her secrets, even though they morphed her into a lonely soul that doubted herself. The fact that bad things had been done to her before had her mind occasionally soaring back into the past to dwell on the certain things that troubled her even to the present day.
A single tear spilled over her left eyelid, and she looked away from him again. His past reminded her so much of her own. ”If I had the intent to kill like you did, I would’ve killed my brother after what he did to me.” She did come back with enough rage to do just that, but someone had beat her to it. She was so disappointed to find that he was dead already.
The Issum’s resolve was shaken with the sound of shock at his words. But what else could be expected? To learn that someone you knew used to be a different character entirely, that their hands were stained with the blood of multiple others wasn’t something to shrug off. But after a bit of awkwardness and silence she assured him that his past changed nothing. Her reaction was all he could have hoped for and he smiled gently at her with the greatest appreciation for her understanding from where he sat in the grass.
He couldn’t do much more than beam happily at her until he noticed a change in his friend’s demeanor. A stray tear had his brows scrunched in worry as he listened. What her brother had done? The way she said it was the way Thana had spoken of her father a time ago. What a horrid thought that family could hurt their female members in such a way. It was in itself the most repulsive thing Jaden could imagine. He felt terrible for her but took her words to heart. There was no way for him to offer true empathy but to know that if someone ever took what had been taken from her from someone he loved and could protect, there would be hell to pay.
This was of course just a guess at what her brother had truly done though, but it would do no good to ask more about it if the subject hurt Rio so deeply. Jaden scooted a bit closer and put a comforting hand on her slim shoulder. Being able to take a life isn’t a strength, it's weakness. That you were unable to shows just how good a person you are. He had no reason to assume she was simply robbed of her opportunity. But you wouldn’t want the torment of murder on your mind regardless. I’m sorry to hear that such a sweet woman has been affected by something so terrible, he smiled at her kindly showing not only that he was grateful to her for accepting him but that he would gladly hear and comfort her for anything she had to say.
Word Count :: 195 || Points: 0 Alright I think with one last reply from you and we could archive this ? It could be short and sweet or whatever !
Acciai pecked at her knee, and bravely hopped up onto her shoulder. He wanted to go home, and totally would himself if he could fly. Rio ignored him for a few more moments while she listened to Jaden’s words. ”I suppose. I would rather have murder haunting me than shame.” At least murder was much more forward, rigged – but shame. Shame was emotional; it was able to break a person, just like it almost had to Rio. All the same from Harlowe’s actions had Rio thinking of her self-worth, which wasn’t too good. She hated herself for what he had done. She still thinks to this day that she is unworthy of love. She stood in her place.
”I must go. The owl is getting restless. He probably wants to sleep on his perch at home…” She adjusted the bird on her shoulder, in which he settled on her head this time (he was a little heavy to be sitting on someone’s head), and she looked back over to Jaden. ”Will I see you soon?” She regarded him with a smile, and waited for an answer before she set off in the direction of Anathema.
