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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2020 22:43:07 GMT -5
Sorry, y'all! I've had a really hectic day and will probably have the same day tomorrow. I will try my hardest to get a reply up and actually participate tomorrow!  Goodnight!) |
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Post by Amber on Jun 8, 2020 23:59:23 GMT -5
The Shifter began to recount a couple of tales. Avani smiled as she spoke, hanging onto every word. The angel had heard a few versions of stories about faeries and their trickery. She wasn't sure if the Infernals were actually so sly and cunning or if stories were made up about then out of fear. A part of her wanted to find out, but another was worried about what could be in store. The next story was more about a tradition among the people in her village. There was a whole complex naming system based on dates and each one had a story to go with it. As she thought it over, Avani's eyes widened. It was easily over three hundred tales to go with whatever the child was named. The angel couldn't imagine how much trouble it would be to keep track of them.
Lucrecia began to share the story behind her name. Avani contiuned to grin from start to finish. She could just imagine a breath-taking mountain shining crystalline and pristine. She could almost see a lovely, little wren pecking away at the towering mountain, its brown feathers a beautiful contrast aganist the the pale diamond. The final words of the advisor to the king also were fascinating to think about. Sure the story was amazing, but the small bird's feat was even moreso. It didn't matter how absurd the story seemed, the very thought made Avani's smile widened. Once the Shifter finished speaking, the angel began to pipe up.
"Zat vas amazing! Zat last story vas especially poetic. Zank you for sharing, I loved it! I have a few zings I'm vondering, zough. If two people are born on ze same day, zey vill both share a name, right? Zat is unless zey're tvins. How does ze naming for tvins vork?" Avani paused as she finished her apple. She discarded the remains to the side, throwing it off somewhere nearby. It landed with a thud, what sounded like a good few feet away from the clearing. She turned her attention back to Lucrecia in the low fire light. "Ve have many stories passed down from generation to generation about ze vorld around us. Most, I believe, have some truz to zem. Some I'm unsure about. It's believed ze vorld vas created by song. So, alongside our spoken tales, ve have a plezora of songs to go viz zem."
The angel thought over some of the legends she grew up with. There were many. Countless tales about Yarah and the fallen gods, stories about the legendary Caelums or Thuens, and the competition between Lucet the clever and Ovid were just a few thing she could tell Lucrecia. There were also their traditions and various celebrations they held throughout the year. Avani was eager to share everything with the Shifter. Though she was just excited to share everything in general.
(Pft I'm lazy too. Also I'm on mobile and it's really diffcult to do coding and stuff anyway.
Yes, Uncle Iroh is the best uncle. Definently pro-Iroh.
I haven't watched Doctor Who in years (stopped just before Capladi's doctor was retired), but I think I vegually remember that episode.
Also I have no idea what the calendar would look like, so I just kinda put the idea of being at least over 300 days out there.)
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 9, 2020 1:12:13 GMT -5
{ mossecho Sorry again for the wait! Also, pardon my gratuitous (I really enjoy this word, if you can't tell) use of cowboy accent and slang. I literally just put it through a generator because it was so funny to me (go big or go home), but I wont do it for all the posts. I had far too much fun coming up with dialogue, though I'm still not entirely happy with it. Mostly I just wanted it to be like:
Alex: Ah, yes, other vampires. Finally, someone I know how to interact with. Dear me, I do hope Lilah does not offend them with her strange mannerism. She uses contractions. Honestly, some species are so odd.
*sees Antler Coven member riding up*
Alex: Good evening, I am Alexander Rojas Lo-
Antler Coven Member: WELL HOWDY THAR PARDNER
Alex: *whiplashed from culture shock*
I think it took it way too far and made them comically Southern and "yee-haw," but that was kind of my intention. Feel free to change it though, I was just having way too much fun making it as exaggerated as possible We could also say the first guy just has an especially strong accent too.
I too said "screw science" and threw horse genetics out the window (kind of).
Since Avani is camping out with Lucrecia, maybe we could end up having Lilah and Alex stay with the Antler Coven overnight? Maybe cause they say the last ferry of the night already left. That way some of the other characters can get caught up.
Also, I have completely spiraled down a rabbit hole of Weird Western, dark country, and Western gothic aesthetics. I had no clue this was even a thing, but I am loving it.
Also also, yes, I made Lilah's special chosen one birthmark basically be inspired by the picture I found, don't judge me too harshly it just looks cool
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Post by Amber on Jun 9, 2020 1:50:52 GMT -5
(Don't mind me, just gonna add some links to fuel your country thing. Blood on My Name
Grave Digger
The River
Devil's Got You Beat
Wicked Bones
In Hell I'll Have Good Company
Broken Cowboy
Rex Marksley
Automatonic Electronic Harmonics
Last one isn't exactly western, but has always given me a western feel. Also please don't judge me too harshly based on some of my choices in music, haha.) |
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 9, 2020 2:04:50 GMT -5
{ Amber You're the greatest lol
I actually did stumble across some of those. Don't worry about your taste in music, I'm sure it's great, and I know my taste is a little eclectic so ya know }
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Post by Amber on Jun 9, 2020 2:12:56 GMT -5
(Ah cool! I literally stumbled across all these artists randomly over the past couple of years, The Dead South my most recent discovery and Steam Powered Giraffe my oldest.)
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Post by mossecho on Jun 9, 2020 2:38:46 GMT -5
[[ general: lol, my taste is all over the place, so I really don't mind (:
Amber: I loved Capaldi's Doctor so much... I miss him. ): ]]
Lucrecia fell backwards onto her back, watching the night sky dim and the stars emerge. It was so peaceful. She smiled, listening to Avani's calming voice and the rhythmic bubbling of the passing water. The rock was hard, yes, but Lucrecia stil felt strangely comforted. She could feel the fire's warmth spread across the side of her body closest to its flames. The other side was colder, but Lucrecia was still warm overall and undoubtedly happy.
"If there are twins, then the first twin gets the day before and the second gets the day after. So if they were born on the tenth day, the younger twin would get the name of the previous day and the older one would get the next day's name. It's complicated, I know, but it works out. It's a small community, so honestly we don't run into that problem often," Lucrecia explained. It was a weird system, yes, but to her the concept of coming up with names individually for each child was strange. What happened if everyone liked the same name? Did everyone get it then? What happened if the parents regretted their choice?
Lucrecia rolled over onto her stomach so she could face Avani. She pressed her chin onto her hands, staring at the angel. She smiled as Avani spoke, fascinated by how the world was created by song. That was such a beautiful idea. Lucrecia had always been told it was the Great Mother who created everything, but she supposed that every culture had its creation myth. Avani's sounded very pretty.
It was only a few moments after Avani started speaking that Lucrecia spoke. "The world was created by song? That's really cool! We don't really have anything to do with music. I mean, we have songs, but we don't use them very much. Funny, just since we all shift into various songbirds, but whatever. Could you tell me about that story? Do you sing it? It sounds really pretty! I'd love to hear it!"
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 9, 2020 2:43:21 GMT -5
{ Amber After listening to all of them, I think my faves are Grave Digger and The River, but they were all so neat!
I think the only songs I'd heard previously, which was just tonight because I specifically sought out this kind of stuff, were some of the Dark Country album songs. }
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Post by mossecho on Jun 9, 2020 3:26:28 GMT -5
[[ Starchaser : CONTRACTIONS. how dare she
I'd be happy with having them stay with the Antlers overnight! More yee-haw vampires is always a good thing. (:
Sorry about this short and unpolished mess xP ]]
Alex was just... shocked. Out of all the ways he had expected this interaction to go, that was not it. He had to keep himself from having a visible reaction to Buck's accent. It was completely devoid of, well, anything that Alex was used to. He spoke so casually and freely, in a way that was quick and impulsive and clearly unplanned. Buck was a vampire, yes, but there was nothing about him to indicate that beside the fangs.
Alex just stood there and let Buck and Lilah do all the talking. He felt like an absolute idiot. He knew that they would have a different culture, but Alex did not realize just how different it would be. They came from entirely different worlds and Alex just could not process it.
As Buck turned around, Alex was still standing exactly where he had been. He had not even moved to cross the border, he was just... still. Shocked. Once again he was happy he had the sunglasses on, at least that kept the others from seeing the saucers that were Alex's eyes. Get yourself together. He's a vampire, not a ghost.
"Ehm, yes. Indeed..." Alex trailed off. He followed Buck, watching the distant tents become bigger and take on more shape as they approached. There were perhaps ten, a decent number given the naturally small sizes of covens. Each was made out of a cow hide of some sort, decorated with symbols and the distinctive red-and-white rope this coven was associated with.
Alex clutched the bouquet closer to his chest. He leaned over to Lilah and made a vague gesture with his hand towards her potential gift. "It is a generous offering. Vampires value home. Something that protects that is precious."
It was a bit harder to justify a bouquet of flowers. It was not a practical gift, no, but it was customary. Flowers were heavily associated with survival and good fortune. The moss was a symbol of Alex's homeland and bestowed some status onto whoever possessed it. It was a signal of one's status, of their valuable association with the ancient. It was valuable.
At least, it was valuable back home. It was valuable to forest dwellers. I hope it is to them too.
[[ Geezus I'm sorry about this post... ugh. I might edit in the morning, but if you see this before I've made any changes, feel free to respond as is. ]]
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 9, 2020 3:48:59 GMT -5
{ mossecho The heathen.
Sounds good then
No worries, if you want to edit in the morning I'll just wait. It's fine if you don't up editing it either though. I'll probably have a far more coherent response then anyways. I'm just impressed you actually got through my post. It is not my finest moment, my brain just went "hee hee cowboy vampire all aboard the yee haw train" and lost all rationality.
My one kind of coherent thought was that because the Antlers Coven is young (well, by vampire standards) and moves around so frequently that they're a lot more familiar and comfortable with outsiders than most covens. You kind of already mentioned that earlier, but hence why Buck (which came from a cowboy name generator, but his last name is Romanian) calls Lilah a Mage and actually acknowledges the other species have names other than "humans."
That's also kind of where the scent thing came from, because you mentioned that was vampires' main sense. So I figured that's the way vampires would most easily distinguish between similar-looking species and know how to properly address them and help them feel more welcome. At least for the Antlers Coven who actually calls the species by their names. Not that it would matter for most Infernals because their species tend to look very distinct, but yeah, definitely some of the other Families since Shifters, Elementals, and Mages all basically just look human. }
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Post by Amber on Jun 9, 2020 14:01:38 GMT -5
"Ah, very interesting. It does sound a bit complicated, but I zink it makes sense. I'm sure being from a small village helps as well, so no one has to vorry about running out of names. Angels don't do zat, but we still have somezing special about our names. Ven ve're born, ve're given our first name and surname as decided by our parents or voever takes care of us. At nine, ve choose our true name. Ve only share it vith an Orcal vo records it and keeps ze records magically sealed away. Only zey know it unless we share it qith ozers. Ze more ze name is uttered ze less powerful it becomes," Avani paused for a moment, hoping she wasn't losing Lucrecia with her explanation. "A true name has a few purposes. One is to vard off creatures vo may try to hurt you by using your name. It supposedly confuses zem or stops zem because it's not your full name. Ze Oracles are also directly tied to Yarah. If only ze Orcal knows, it helps her get to know us individually. Zere are ozer reasons to have a true name, but I don't vant to bore you." Lucrecia rolled onto her stomach to face the angel better. After Avani losses over the angel creation myth, her Shifter companion perked up at the idea. The angel smiled lightly. "Ja, zat's vat zey say. I vould love to tell you a story. Most tales vere passed down zrough song. Any zat vere spoken vould soon have a song to accompany it. All angels can sing. Many believe it may have somezing to do vith ze first language of ze angels and how it's said to be quite song like. Anyvay, I've spoken enough, it's fair you finally get to hear the story." Avani thought the words and melody over for a moment. She wanted to get it perfect for Lucrecia. "It is said ze vorld was created in song and light. Zat before Yarah and ze fallen gods formed ze land, zere vas only a soundless darkness. Silence gone and shadows balk
A new age of song begins
Sky and earth bound and form the fields of life
Peace falls upon the land they made as the years pass
The world has grown, but shadows still lurk beyond the light
Famine and chill plague the gods' beloved fields
Shadows grow and a world war-driven becomes all they know
Promises made become broken as darkness befalls the land
The gods decide to fight for what they created
They know all will be lost without them
Two armies meet in battle to preserve light and song
Dusk comes and bathes the world in darkness as it starts
Hours pass, lives are lost, blood is spilt, death tinges the air
When morning comes and reveals the carnage, all that remained was the sun
The other gods fell, but the world was safe again." Avani finished the tale softly. Her voice was strong, but sweet. A little haunting, but gentle. She had a beautiful voice and wasn't even the best among the angels. She smiled at Lucrecia. "Vat did you zink?" (Yeah, I really enjoyed his Dcotor too. The reply took longer than I intended simply because I was trying to figure out what to type for the poem/song thing. But I'm glad that's over. Starchaser Yeah Grave Digger and The River are easily two of my favorite songs. It's a nice blend of country-spunding music and rock.) |
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Post by mossecho on Jun 9, 2020 20:23:27 GMT -5
[[ Starchaser : IU give up. I've tried to edit it and... yeah. sorry, just go ahead and respond. It can be short, just I don't have a lot of time today
That said, but yeah, I agree that the Antlers would be more familiar to outsiders. Their terminology would be different towards them as well. They're also probably easier to understand, just given that they don't observe the same level of formality.
Anyhow, Amber , here's my response for Lucrecia! ]]
The whole "true name" thing was very interesting for Lucrecia. Strange, how different their naming customs were. Lucrecia was happy with her name. She loved the sound of l's and c's and the rhythm of her name, the way it rolled off the tongue with sharp spikes and gentle tones. Lucrecia had no idea what she would choose for her true name. It seemed like so much of a burden. Still, there were a lot of options out there. Anika, Cayetana, Maralina, Ekaterina. Lucrecia really liked names that ended in a.
Lucrecia rolled onto her back again as she listened to Avani's song. It was beautiful, no other words for it. Lucrecia had served a few angels last year at the tea shop, but she saw more of them on Thursdays. That was open mic night. Angels always had very pretty voices. It was a relief, hearing an angel after someone squeaky and inexperienced. Still, this was even better. The combination of Avani's voice, the gentle water, and the soft glow of both the stars and flames was... so, so nice. Lucrecia smiled, the expression imprinted on her face. She was not even listening to the story anymore, not really. She just took in how peaceful this all was.
Once the song was finished, Lucrecia rolled back over. She waited a few moments, a wide grin painted across her face. "That's really pretty!" she declared merrily. "I love your voice, it's very nice."
Lucrecia rolled back onto her back, chuckling a bit at how she kept going back and forth. She pulled her hair down by her shoulders and stared back up at the inky sky. After a few moments, Lucrecia found herself wanting to ask more questions. "What are you going to do once you get to Sanctum? I mean, you are going there because you had some dreams. Did those dreams tell you what to do once you're there?"
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 9, 2020 22:14:09 GMT -5
{ mossecho I was already working on this when I saw your post, so don't worry about it. Sorry this took so long though, there was a really big storm here earlier and I was kind of having trouble with the site. Sorry its kind of short and boring, I'm just meh. I was working on a lot of worldbuilding type stuff earlier. Also, sorry if the terrain doesn't really match your thoughts, feel free to adjust it. I just keep picturing a drier region, at least in certain parts they travel, since the coven is nomadic.
As is Starchaser custom, the dialogue is very weak and bland and not at all immersive.
Anyways, now that I'm not sleep-deprived and completely out of my mind stupid, I'm gonna go back and edit the old post. Just for my own comfort, cause it's bothering me, nothing that will have to change what you said. Make it less of a joke and more of the actual story. Just... yeah. I'm sorry.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2020 0:34:59 GMT -5
Starchaser Bro, when I read your original post, that was the first thing I thought of. The Lion King 2 just little bloodier and gnarlier and It seemed a lot like it and I'm chill if you want to make him adopted. He's your character to do with what you want; it doesn't matter to Clarisse how tragic his backstory is. XD Honestly, if you wanted to do the orphaned pup at the border or maybe he was stolen away from a pack that was raided. Perhaps, he was the son of another alpha and the Audra's couldn't have anymore kids so it was sort of necessary for them in a way. His adoptive dad saw that he looked like him enough to pass and his adoptive mom (if she's still alive at this point) convinced him to take the kid instead of killing him.
That looks great! I think that makes a lot of sense structure wise and for shifter society!
So Rafe is an Old Norse name that means "counsel of the wolf". I was trying to find a name that fit the god without making it too fantasy and unbelievable so when I found that, I was really pleased with how it rolled off my tongue when I said it. Like you mentioned, I thought it felt very "shifter" so that is what stuck! I like it so I'm happy that you do too!
I think it fits him! I means if you want to change it, don't let me stop you. XD A form would be great, but don't rush! )
 Clarisse Alinsky  “The sun watches what I do, but the moon knows all my secrets.” - J M Wonderland ✶ ⤐ ☾ ⬷ ✶
In the few minutes that it took the male to change and leave Rafe's side, Clarisse had gone through the five stages of grief. Denial for the fact that her mother had threatened to kick her rump out of the pack for going against direct orders. Anger that she had even considered exiling her own daughter for something as innocent as saving a life. A second round of anger when her father had said nothing to the threats and allowed her mother to make such cruel warnings. Bargaining not for herself, but for the male that had just escaped one hell to seemingly enter another.
"I'm telling you that I might exile you for your insolence and yet, you still insist that the traitor be treated like another more than what he is?! Clarisse Alinsky, it's time that you get your priorities straight! You should be thinking of your family, not some random dog on the side of the road!"
Dog. It was one of the nastiest slurs in the werewolf community. Even worse than mutt. At least a mutt was half werewolf, but a dog was something else entirely. Not werewolf enough to be considered blessed by Rafe and those that shifted into such a weak version of their precious god were considered the lowest of the lows.
The depression started after that. Clarisse would never forget the way her mother had gasped when she spoke, "We're in a war, Irene. I am thinking about my family when I choose to protect those weaker than us... Do you think of your family when you threaten to banish your only daughter? The pack would be destabilized. If you want to mark me and send me on my way, do it. I know I'm the screw up of the pack, the one that likes to wonder and would be happier roaming the world. Just don't regret your decision later."
Her father had stepped in then, his eyes hard and yet troubled. Myrek put his hands up as he sighed and deescalated the situation, "No one is getting banished, Clarisse. Nothing has been done to warrant such a severe punishment. You're mother is just upset right now; you went against a direct order, darling. You can't do that. You just can't, Clarisse. You should have waited to speak with upsprivately."
"Oh yeah. I'm so sorry, I'll just wait until you build a private viewing area for the public killing next time." She threw up her hands and ran them through her hair. "What do you people want from me?! You tell me to start taking an interest in pack law and order, you don't like the fact that I don't participate in my 'duties' as heir to the Alinsky Fortune. So, I start doing just that and you threaten to exile me!"
Her mother's gaze hesitated, but she set her jaw, "We want you to take responsibly for what is yours, Clarisse."
Clarisse felt the anger return again, but mostly acceptance at the stubbornness of her mother. Nothing she said was going to change her mind. So she scoffed and shrugged, "Rafe help me because it's like nothing I say goes through. I have been doing everything you want for years and Rafe himself can testify that I still am. That dog that I picked up from the side of the road is a life. He was on our land which makes him my responsibly. If you won't do your duty to him, then I will. Let anything he does be on my hands... How's that for responsibly, Mama?" She turned then only to hear her father ask where she was going. "To clean his wounds."
The fifth stage lingered the longest as she walked back through the mostly silent group of werewolves. None dared to lift their gazes as she approached the cover wagon with her head held high. There was no doubt that everyone had heard the fight or her gutsy proclamation of taking responsibility for him and his actions. Gosh, I hope he hasn't come to kill us all. That would be really bad. Doubt the great consul would let me past the Wheat Fields to where everyone would be waiting...
Clarisse groaned when she came around the back of the wagon to see if he was ready, "Are you dre -"
His form was more malnourished that even his wolf revealed to her, but it wasn't Zane's thin (though not sickly she noted) arms or the bruises that peppered his skin like slung paint on a canvas. No it was the fact that he was attractive. He honestly looked like he needed three square meals a day and a bed roll and he would be the dashing loner from the stories Devon had told when they were just adolescents. Clari lingered for a second before she dropped her eyes and grabbed his arm to drag him into the wagon.
Once inside, she scooted towards the front and banged on the hard wood, "Redis!" His startled whine was a good conformation that he had been listening. "When Mama and Papa start back up, just keep up. The wound might take a minute to dress. If you need to switch, talk to Fyn. Emmett's still sour from earlier."
With that, she turned to Zane with an easy smile as if all hell hadn't broken loose just three minutes prior. Crossing her arms as she examined her new patient, she made a few mental notes then went to grab the medical supplies. She sat down in front of him once the bandages, gauze, and pain relief was firmly in her lap. "Ok, I think I'm going to get your shoulder first. You might need to take your shirt off so I can see the extent of the damage and what hasn't healed up yet."
If left alone, the wound would close up within a day due to the Belua magic coursing through their veins. It did something to their bodies when used, healing from the inside and providing untold strength that no other Family possessed. Zane would have a nasty scar, but he would be ok in the end. Really, her job was the keep him as comfortable as possible and prevent the wound from infecting before the Belua could heal the male's body for him.
The sound of the tape ripping echoed in the shade spot and she was just about to bark at him to hurry when the wagon jerked into motion. Clari sighed again as she readjusted, but tried to look cheerful as she gestured to his arm, "Come on. It's only half a days trip to the ferry from this point so you'll want to be looking your best when we cross into Sanctum."
She almost cursed when she said it out loud. Sanctum, oh how could I forget about Sanctum! Clarisse did curse then and looked at the male like he could give her all the answers to every problem in her life.
What am I going to do with you when I'm suppose to be saving the world?
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Post by Amber on Jun 10, 2020 2:34:58 GMT -5
As she sang, Lucrecia's smile widened. She seemed to hang onto every verse with a deep interest. Once the song came to a finish, the Shifter complimented her. Avani smiled lightly as her wings slightly drew in close to her. "Zank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it." Quiet settled between them. The crackling of the fire offered a comforting warmth aganist a small breeze while the stream still bubbled joyfully nearby. The only other sounds that filled the night was the rhythmic chirping of crickets and the occasional hoot of an owl. Lucrecia's voice cut through the quiet that had settled between them. She asked about the dreams and her plans once she reached Sanctum.
The angel sighed. She had no idea what she was going to do yet. She never even came up with anything beyond journeying there. Avani gave herself a minute to think it over before answering. "I don't know jet, honestly. Ze dreams didn't tell me much. All I know for sure is zere are others like me vo've probably been having dreams as vell. I suppose I have to find zem and meet zem, but ze problem is I have no idea vere to start looking..." The woman trailed off, unsure of what exactly she was going to do. After a moment, she looked towards Lucrecia again. She frowned slightly watching her lay on the bare rock. Pulling her belongings closer, she gestered to two items.
"Do you vant to use my bedroll or cloak tonight?" Avani questioned. She didn't need both and would happily spare one or the other for Lucrecia. "I don't mind at all. It's a bit chilly and I vouldn't vant you to get cold."
(Not my best reply, but I hope it's enough for you to work with, Moss.)
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 10, 2020 14:49:24 GMT -5
{ @shootforthestars Sorry for the delay. I started working on this last night and just couldn't satisfactorily finish it. I still don't like it, but that's show business babes.
I just can't get me enough tragedy for my characters. Oh, you thought you were going to be happy now that you've had a long journey filled with pain but also learning? SIKE
I do like you explanation better though, so I think that's what I'll go with for him. I already had a dead older brother for him, so it works out nicely. Also, his mom is dead now too, of course. I couldn't very well let him have any good family still living. She didn't die until he was older though.
Great! I really need to start organizing all of our worldbuilding and ideas.
Ooo, the meaning makes it even better. Old Norse is such a perfect language for shifter society too, especially werewolves.
I'll definitely try to get the form up today, but basically he's tall, dark, and brooding. Because that's one of the only male characters I ever write }
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2020 23:50:45 GMT -5
Starchaser It's not a problem!
Yeah, I completely understand that. XD Lots of times, I have to think back and make sure that my ideas are actually ideas from my one head and not from something I watched. But a tragic backstory is always good and I like it so, hey. I'm down.
I thought the Old Norse fit well too!)
Clarisse Alinsky “The sun watches what I do, but the moon knows all my secrets.” - J M Wonderland ✶ ⤐ ☾ ⬷ ✶
As Redis's shirt was peeled off and placed beside Zane, Clarisse prepared the bindings for his wound, estimating the amount needed to wrap his shoulder and arm completely. The wound was far bigger than she had expected, but not so much that she gawked when she saw it. Emmett's jaws must have wrapped around Zane's entire shoulder because the punctures were front to back. Thankfully, it looked more superficial than anything with no bone exposed. Just torn muscle that would heal in time; more scars for the collection.
More ripping and tearing was followed by her scooting even closer to him to get a good angle to address the full state of the wound. Even in human flesh, her nose twitched with the smell of fresh blood and the strange in between state before an infection. The female reached past him to the grab the bottle of disinfectant that had rolled when the wagon jerked. With a shake of the bottle, she popped the cap and squeezed the foul smelling liquid onto a cotton ball.
"This might sting." Her voice was muffled around medical tape. Clarisse didn't give him a moment to object before she started. Her work took her attention away, but it didn't keep her from looking up at him from long lashes. She discarded the cotton ball, now soaked through with blood and dirt and small pieces of torn muscle, before going in for another round. "You're welcome. We might be brutes, but we aren't without our morals. Tensions are just really high right now and you happened to pick the wrong pack on the very wrong day."
When she was satisfied with the cleanness of the wound, Clarisse began to apply the salve Gladys had given her before they left. It had worked wonders for her wounds before and she hoped that it would prevent the wound was scarring as much as possible before the Belua could kill any infection. The packing and wrapping began after that and she smiled at his concerns.
"No, it wasn't your wisest choice in the world, but saving your sorry butt wasn't my best idea either." Her voice upturned teasingly and she chuckled. "Not when Mama threatened to exile me for it. I'll be fine though. I've done worse."
Her long arms wrapped around his waist as she adjusted the positioning of the bandages, not wanting them to be too tight or loose. She would rather them rub the side of chest then cut off his circulation and him be an armless dead guy. Clarisse, almost embracing him as she finalized it, breathed against his neck in satisfaction when she taped the bandage to hold the bindings. She pulled back to survey her work and reached out once more to brush her fingers against the bandages across his chest muscles.
"Are those too tight? It looks like they might be. I can loosen them if you want me to."Now that she was done with his shoulder, she leaned over to check him for other injuries, nose delicately twitching. She debated asking him to point out anymore injuries as chewed on her lip, but had the decency to look surprised that she hadn't introduced herself. "Oh sorry! Name's Clarisse. Gosh, yeah. I'm such a bad host, huh? Not introducing myself, almost getting you killed, having violent outbursts... It's been a weird week."
Not bothering to scoot back from him, Clarisse fell onto her back with a giant groan. She placed her hands on her stomach as she looked up at the cotton fabric covering the wagon. Light shafted through the little holes in the homemade covering. She closed her eyes briefly before she forced herself to smile.
"Everything's fine. I mean it's not fine, but it will be. Life has just rammed me through like a caribou's antler this past week and I think I'm going insane." The smile dropped as groaned in frustration and ran her hands through her buttery hair. "Rafe, I need a drink. Something stiff."
Nothing had gone the way that she expected lately. First the dreams had started and not stopped. Evaric had visited her twice more since she left with her parents. He had been more and more aggressive with the idea of her finding the other four and saving the world. Of course, she had told him that she was working on it, that she was going as fast as she could. Yet, last night he had seemed troubled by the idea that she had been traveling her family. When she asked him why it was an issue, he had simply looked at her and said.
Because everyone you bring, you must eventually leave behind.
Clarisse had woken up confused and slightly afraid at his vague and troublesome answer. And now that Zane had come into the picture, she was even more worried that she had somehow doomed her family, her pack, Rafe, the entire world. The uncertainty was new thing for her; she was so used to making a confident decision and sticking to it. She tried to live her life without regrets.
The Alinsky daughter just wasn't sure how much longer she could keep doing that without getting someone seriously hurt.
So she sat up and looked him in the eye, "But enough about how my life is super complicated. Let's talk about you. Any pain or any more pressing wounds that haven't healed?" When she tilted her head, her hair flopped over like a wave of sunshine and she smiled at him like she hadn't just been lamenting her life.
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 11, 2020 0:18:42 GMT -5
{ @shootforthestars Ugh. I've been trying to write something up for a while now and... I just can't. Idk why, but I haven't been feeling very motivated the past few days. I'll for sure get something up tomorrow though, hopefully along with the form.
Also, very considerate of my characters to never turn out the way I want them to. They just take on a life of their own and ignore the personalities I specifically came up with for them. Very rude. Don't like it. }
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Post by mossecho on Jun 11, 2020 3:39:19 GMT -5
[[ Okay y'all, I'm back. And about to go to sleep, but I might as well get this post out as I run through my spotify playlist and badly sing along to every song
Also, I included both Alex and Lucrecia in this post because... idk. pressing "reply" for two different posts is too much work?¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Starchaser: Thanks so much for your understanding (and believe me, your dialogue is a-okay *supportive hugs*).
Amber: No problem! (: mind if we timeskip to the morning? ]]
It smelled like a barn. At least, it smelled like what Alex imagined a barn to be like. It smelled rich, the way soil smelled after rainfall. The horses were far away, but Alex could smell the traces of the creatures on the vampires. As they approached the coven and its tents, Alex raised his chin. It was almost overexaggerated, a completely unnecessary gesture. Alex lowered his chin a bit, but not by a lot.
Alex let the bouquet fall to his side. He did not need to clutch it to his chest. He was from the Antier Coven. He needed to act like it. Alex's expression turned to stone as the crowd of vampires turned to look at the newcomers. He kept his head facing forward, watching them out of his peripheral vision. Alex wanted to look at them directly, but he could not bring himself to do so. Don't speak unless spoken to, he repeated to himself. That was something of a mantra back home. Alex was always either too young or too low-class. This was one of the few times that he was in control, where he had more status, but Alex was still trapped. He could not look.
Still, he could smell the horses on them. Each one smelled strongly of an individual horse, the traces of which horse belonged to which vampire. Even the youngest among them The close intermingling of smells, the mix of one vampire's scent with their loved ones. With family, with friends. That was... unusual. It was hard, in a way, to tell whose scent was whose. Back home, everyone was very individual. It was easy to identify someone by their smell. Here, it was all so intermingled. Shared. Alex glanced down at the ground at that thought.
The new voice snapped Alex out of his thoughts. She was older than most of the others (Alex could smell the years), but her smile was warm and welcoming. Alex immediately bowed his head towards her, a quick acknowledgement of her superior age. He stayed silent as she guided them towards the fire. Alex sat down near Lilah, although a few inches farther from the fire. He did not understand the point of the fire. Isn't it dangerous? Alex scanned the group, from the younger vampires to the elders. Or, at least, this coven's equivalent of elders. They were still so young. Alex's gaze ended at Lilah. Oh, of course. The fire isn't for them, it's for her.
When Eva returned with the bottles, Alex traded his bouquet for the bottle. He slowly opened it and held it up to his nose, using his spare hand to waft the air towards himself. It, like the rest of the coven, smelled rich. Not in a good or bad way, just... different. It smelled like the land, from the grass to the campfire. Alex took a tentative sip.
He tried not to grimace, instead opting for a small forced smile. He did not screw the cap back on, but he kept the bottle in his lap and did not take another sip. Alex did a quick check on his posture (spine straight, shoulders back, head high). He needed to represent his coven well. There was a reputation to uphold.
When Eva asked their names, Alex tried to reply first. Unfortunately, Lilah got there before he did. No, no, that's wrong, he chided in his head. It was not annoying, but it was a breach in custom. The higher-ranking individual always speaks last, that is their prerogative. Alex blinked, glancing down at the blood-filled bottle in his lap. There were all these rules he needed to obey, that he needed to obey, and Lilah just walked all over them. This coven just walked all over them. Alex took a deep breath. Don't worry about this, it's not a big deal. You're fine, you're doing fine.
"I am Alexander Rojas Lopez of the Antier Coven," Alex gestured to the bouquet. "By the river Derramar in the Sinresol Valley. Thank you very much for inviting us into your home, I truly appreciate it."
Alex bowed his head again. You shouldn't have done that. Alex had, admittedly, done relatively well up until that point. He had waited for the correct moment to speak, introduced himself well, exchanged a proper gift. He had used the right form of address (the one meant for multiple people of a noticeably lower status than oneself) yet still remained polite and respectful. Then he screwed it up by bowing his head. How contradictory was that? To elders, yes, it is fine, but to those of his age?
Even if Alex accepted that slip up, there was still the expressions of the vampires around them. There were furrowed eyebrows, widened eyes, tilted heads. Then there were the amused smiles and the suppressed chuckles. You idiot! Alex stared at the unattractive bottle in his hands. How, how in the world did he not see the signs.
Alex waited to let Lilah speak first. Clearly he was not the better one to interact with them. Alex kept his gaze on the bottle, one hand tightening around the metal exterior. He felt the material shift beneath his fingertips, slight indentations forming. Alex loosened his grip and looked back up, hoping no one had notice. He hated the stares aimed in their direction. They burned.
Lilah stopped speaking and an awkward pause ensued. Alex turned his head towards her, finding a desperate expression facing him. What? Oh. Alex smiled politely, setting his bottle aside. He was, admittedly, not at all sure what to say. It sounded ridiculous once he thought about it. The Antlers Coven seemed... openminded, yes, but it was still a ridiculous story now that Alex thought about it.
"There was a wendigo in our territory, back by the mountains. I am not sure if you have encountered such creatures before. They are not local to my homeland, so I certainly had not. They prey off of magic. This one in particular was intent on consuming Lilah's magic, so it attacked her. I happened to be in the area and thought she needed help," Alex paused. No, that was not right. "Ehm, turns out she didn't need it. I did. She killed the beast. Because she is traveling to the Sanctum but is unfamiliar with the territory, I thought it best that I accompany her. At the very least, I could express my thanks."
Alex refocused his gaze back onto the fire. The crackling blaze was oddly relaxing, given that they were practically instant killers. The red and orange flames entranced Alex, grounding him in the moment while also removing him from the scene. It was something to look at other than confused and amused faces.
Lucrecia closed her eyes, listening to Avani's voice. Lucrecia had always been a morning personâheh, early bird gets the worm and all thatâso whenever it got dark, she struggled to keep her eyes open. Her eyelids were already becoming to feel heavy, so Lucrecia just let herself close them and try and find a comfortable spot on the rock. For all that Lucrecia got tired quickly, it also took her forever to find a comfortable sleeping position. Sleeping on the bare ground did not help much.
When Avani sighed, Lucrecia opened her eyes and propped herself up on her elbows. She suppressed a yawn, not wanting to interrupt the angel or admit to how tired she had suddenly become. She paused for a few moments after Avani finished speaking. For once in her life, Lucrecia was at a loss as to what to say. She had always had a purpose in life, a destination. Go to the Sanctum. Go back home. Go back to the Sanctum. Go back home. There had never been much uncertainty about it. Yet Avani... Avani had no certainty. She was just traveling, no destination in sight.
"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out when you get there," Lucrecia tried to sound convincing. Her voice had almost deflated, abandoned by the hope and enthusiasm that had once occupied its inflection. "Everyone always does, eventually. The Sanctum may be a place for government officials and really important people, but there are also many wanderers. Many of them come to the shop. But they always find their way in the end. I'm sure you will too."
Lucrecia beamed. It was true, everyone always found where they were supposed to go. Infused with her optimism once more, Lucrecia sat a bit higher. Her smile only widened when Avani offered her the choice of a bedroll or a cloak.
"The cloak please. Thank you!" Lucrecia took the coat, arranging it around her so the outer part touched the ground and not the soft lining. She laid back, suddenly more comfortable. There were still a few adjustments she needed to make, but it was much better than just bare rock. Lucrecia pulled the heavy fabric around her, for once happy about her tiny height. The fabric surrounded her entirely, a cocoon of warmth in the cooling night.
Lucrecia closed her eyes again. "I owe you. When we get to the Sanctum, you can have as much tea as you want. Whatever flavor too," she smiled into the darkness. "If I may"â Lucrecia yawned â"why are you traveling alone? Tea should always be shared. Travel should be too."
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2020 13:08:27 GMT -5
{ @shootforthestars Ugh. I've been trying to write something up for a while now and... I just can't. Idk why, but I haven't been feeling very motivated the past few days. I'll for sure get something up tomorrow though, hopefully along with the form.
Also, very considerate of my characters to never turn out the way I want them to. They just take on a life of their own and ignore the personalities I specifically came up with for them. Very rude. Don't like it. } If my reply is hard to write for, I can rewrite it. I completely understand that sometimes I don’t give enough to go off or create enough opportunities for the other characters. I just get going and I forget I need to write with another character in mind. Let me know and I’ll be happy to rewrite it! Oh I know!! Clarisse is already a bit different than I thought her to be in my head but I don’t particularly mind it yet. XD I like Zane right now if it’s any consolation. ) |
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Post by Amber on Jun 11, 2020 13:11:53 GMT -5
(I have a dentist's appointment at 2, so I'll post and finish my reply after that.)
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 11, 2020 13:22:23 GMT -5
{ @shootforthestars It's not you at all, your response was fine, I just haven't been particularly happy with any of my posts lately. I guess it's just one of those times *shrug*
That's good at least, haha. I once had a story where one of the love interests was going to turn out to be allied with the other side... but... they said no. So I had to make them mind-controlled by the enemy and have to get murdered by their love interest's protege. As you do. }
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 11, 2020 18:12:18 GMT -5
{ @shootforthestars Here it is. Not my best work, and kinda short, but oh well. }
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Post by Amber on Jun 11, 2020 19:07:59 GMT -5
The angel's gaze flickered towards her friend as she offered words of encouragement. Avani grinned lightly, appreciating her sentiment. "Zanks. Viz my dreams guiding me to Sanctum, ze ozers vould surely have at least a similar expierence." Avani hoped for as much at least. It made sense that the others, whoever they were, would receive the same instructions as her. The angelic woman who visited her, though still nameless to Avani, told her she would meet the others in Sanctum. Of course, there was the matter at figuring out just who they were. The angel didn't dwell on it much as Lucrecia answered her.
With another smile, Avani handed Lucrecia her large cloak. The Shifter fiddled around with it, trying to adjust it to better fit her. The garment was even a little big on Avani, so the other woma was practically swimming in it. Eventually, Lucrecia managed to get comfortable as she wrapped herself up in the cloak. She began to talk about tea for a moment, before questioning the angel. Of course she would ask why she travled alone. When people travled, it was usually with at least one more person or an entire group. Angles especially often traveled together as they were a very social Family.
"I couldn't tell my family about ze dreams. Zey vould've stopped me from trying to go to Sanctum. Anyone vould have. So I left zem a note and headed to zere a few days back. Zere's nothing more to say as here ve are now," Avani explained. Although Lucrecia listened, it was clear she wasn't going to last much longer. The Shifter was obviously getting tired. She could barely keep her eyes open or stop herself from yawning.
"Get some sleep. I'll take ze first vatch tonight and tomorrov, ve can finish our journey to Sanctum."
(Kinda short, so sorry about that. Anyway, I'm fine with a morning timeskip, though I wouldn't want to get too ahead of the others. Maybe if everyone wants, we can do a timeskip to everyone arriving in the Sanctum/Sanctum and go from there? It seems where're all close to wrapping up anyway.)
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Post by mossecho on Jun 11, 2020 19:53:19 GMT -5
[[ Amber: We could timeskip to when our characters arrive there. I think Alex and Lilah will take a bit more time (just they're still awake and meeting people), and honestly idk where the werewolves are right now. That said, I'd be fine if we timeskip to Avani and Lu's arrival in the Sanctum. At the very least we could waste time exploring the historical district and describing our characters drinking hella tea xD
So anyhow, in this post I timeskipped to the morning, but we could just have one or two posts of them walking to the Sanctum and then they get there?
Also, wishywashy on lucid dreams here, whatevs ]]
Lucrecia smiled. "Thanks," she half-yawned. "See you in the morning."
She rolled over, a smile painted across her face. It slowly disappeared as Lucrecia fell further and further into her dreams. Soon she was completely immersed in her dream. Lucrecia often had lucid dreams and this time was no exception. She awoke on a street, familiar and homey. Smiling, Lucrecia walked into the tea shop a few storefronts down. Her uncle's, of course. It was empty, as if it had just closed. That was Lucrecia's favorite time: when the store closed, all the customers left, and she could just enjoy herself and a cup of tea.
Lucrecia brewed herself the perfect cup of a black breakfast tea. She could not understand the growing popularity of tea bags. Loose leaf tea often took longer, yes, but the result was just so much better.
The shifter jumped up onto the clean countertop, smiling at how her uncle was not around to yell at her about sanitation. Well, of course he wouldn't be there. This was her dream, a world without health and safety surprise inspections. Lucrecia smiled and picked up the tea, taking a sip without even having to check to make sure it was the perfect temperature. This was her dream, of course it was.
The shifter closed her eyes, happy. She took another sip of the tea. Lucrecia loved how it felt, hot flavor filling her stomach. It was warming and comforting and just plain great. Lucrecia's smile began to fall as she felt the tea start to become colder. I'm waking u—
Lucrecia jolted awake. She looked at Avani who had somehow moved farther away in the night. Lucrecia frowned, the soft grass below her shifting as she moved to stand. Oh. Avani hadn't moved, Lucrecia had. Well, that made sense. Lucrecia tended to move around while asleep. Thank goodness she rolled left and not right into the water.
The shifter got up and folded up Avani's cloak. She was precise about this sort of thing, given her experience with tablecloths and fancy napkin arrangements. Lucrecia picked up the folded cloak, a surprisingly heavy thing, and wandered over to the angel. She nudged her a bit. "Wake up!" Lucrecia whisper-shouted. "It's the morning Avi! Can I call you Avi? I'm calling you Avi. Anyways Avi, it's the morning, you should wake up. We can probably make it there by noon if we start soon!"
[[ okay, confession: i pretty much only use teabags. ]]
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 11, 2020 23:24:56 GMT -5
{ mossecho Sorry this took so long and that it's kind of a directionless mess. I haven't been feeling very inspired lately, so my posts aren't great.
Anyways, I set it up so we could do a time skip to keep up with the others. Figured you could have Alex get up to some vampire shenanigans with the Antlers if you like.
Oops, almost forgot my post joke.
Vampires: *have thousands-year-old traditions and strict hierarchies that have served them well for millenium*
Lilah: I'm about to end this man's whole career. }
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Post by Amber on Jun 12, 2020 2:15:46 GMT -5
With her final words spoken, Lucrecia drifted off to sleep leaving Avani to herself. She was right, she would figure it out even with the full moon time limit the nameless angel gave her. Besides, the others must've known about it as well. At least Avani assumed as much, otherwise she wasn't sure what she'd do. Vat if ze ozers ignored zeir dreams? Vat if zey don't come? Vat vill I do zen? The thoughts began to gnaw at the back of her head. What was she supposed to do if it came that? The angel quietly sighed and tried to clear her mind. She focused on her surrondings instead. The rhythmic chirping of crickets and babbling of the stream helped calmed the angel. A cool night breeze fluttered through the small clearing. It didn't bother the angel, she was used to the cold. Enjoyed the cold even. She sat on her bedroll for comfort and let the soothing noises of the area relax her.
Time passed. Maybe it was a few minutes or closer to a few hours. Avani wasn't sure as she was beginning to lose track of time. The firelight was starting to dim as the night went on. Slowly, Avani could feel her eyelids began to grow heavy. Eventually, it became too much. Sleep took Avani in an instant.
The clearing was replaced by a shadowy field. Tall grass was scattered with a few trees that soon clustered together to form a forest. Mountains loomed all around, circling the field. She didn't know what the land was called, but recognized it in an instant, though she wouldn't be able to describe it clearly by morning.
"Avani, it's good to see you again." The soft voice of a woman greeted her. Of course. She was tall- though not as tall as Avani was -with an elegant build. She had dark skim with curly, stark black hair. Her wings matched and both were contrasted by a long, flowing white dress. It was almost like into a feather void where no light to pierce through. It was her angel guide of course. The woman had shown up only a month prior along with the odd dreams. Avani smiled and dipped her head respectfully in greeting.
"Guide, it's good to see you again as vell," the young woman hummed. The angel studied the other woman for a moment and let her wings fidget around. After a moment Avani sighed. Guide, as she han come to call her, tilted her head slightly and watched her for a moment. It was much like a mother watches her child. Finally, the angel opened her mouth. "Am I close to finding ze ozers? Can you even ansver zat?"
The angel smiled lightly and gave out a soft a laugh. "I owe you answers, don't I child?" The woman mused. "Avani, it's about time you understand the point of these dreams and the purpose of my visits. You've followed my words this far unquestioningly and I admire that about you. Most would've turned away or scoffed at such things, but you've embraced them. My name is Ziv Caelum and I'm your ancestor. You're father's line is descended from me, which makes you my granddaughter of sorts." Ziv paused to let the angel react to the news. Avani froze and watched the woman wide-eyed for a moment.
"I'm a...I'm a Caelum?! How is zat possible? Vat happened and vy don't ve go by zat name anymore? How can I be Caelum? Ze Roshan's aren't special in zat kind of vay."
"As you know child, our family is legendary. Everyone assumes we died ages ago when that simply didn't happen. Before you there was Roshan Caelum in your place. She was supposed to bring hope and save everything before you. She failed. With her failure the few remaining members faded into obscurity and out of the public eye. They took on her name as they began their new lives in peace. Because of Roshan's failure, it's now up to you to complete what we all started for the sake of all the Families. I know it's a lot to throw at you at once, but I hope some of your questions have been answered."
Avani let the information sink in. So she was descendant from the Caelums. That's why she had the dreams. That's why she had a part to play in the prophecy. That's why she had to meet up with the others, wherever they were. She drew in a breath and offered a small smile to the woman. "I zink zat helps some. I still don't know-"
Avani's words were cut off as she felt herself suddenly being jolted. Wordlessly, Ziv gave a small nod before fadining away in a breeze. As she was drawn back into the waking world, images flashed before her again. There were faces. A young woman with raven-black hair was quickly replaced by a man around the same age. She could see more faces, though they equally came and went. A golden-orange stone, similar to a piece of turiquiose, was wrapped around a silver chain on a near formless figure. Avani tried to focus on it all, but she simply couldn't. No matter how close she tried to get, she simply couldn't see anything clearly.
Avani awoke with a gasp to the sound of Lucrecia calling her name. Her dream was already fading from her mind as the Shifter talked. She rubbed her eyes as she sat up and stretched. With a smile, she nodded along with the other woman.
"Sure, I like ze sound of Avi. Anyway, zat sounds like a plan. I have a little food left if you vant some. Ve can share as ve finish ze last stretch of our trip," the angel offered. Slowly she got up from her bedroll before taking it and the cloak to store away in her bag. Once everything was packed up, the angel looked towards Lucrecia.
"You ready, Lu?"
(That works for me.
Honestly, I wasn't entierly sure where I was going with the dream thing, but I did one for Avani. So yeah.)
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2020 19:39:48 GMT -5
Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry for the disappearance. I had a wedding this weekend for my friend and had very little time! I’ll work on replies in a sec!)
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Post by Starchaser on Jun 14, 2020 19:41:32 GMT -5
{ No worries, take your time } |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2020 21:37:19 GMT -5
Starchaser Don't be so hard on yourself! Your replies are fine.
Oh naturally. Murder is the only option for a runaway character. XD I've never had them go off the rails that much, but I don't mind much if they create themselves. It's fun to be surprised by their actions some times. Writing is fascinating to me because things happen and I didn't even know it was going to happen, you know?)
Clarisse Alinsky “The sun watches what I do, but the moon knows all my secrets.” - J M Wonderland ✶ ⤐ ☾ ⬷ ✶
Even some of the center packs are in turmoil.
Clarisse snorted in amusement at his statement. Yeah, tell me about it. Even First Pack, for all their resources and control of the area, was experiencing firsthand the dangers of a world gone to dung. They might not be in the worst position of all the shifters especially when one considered those that choose not to use their blessings to shift into Rafe's form. They had lived on the fringe with many migrating packs living towards the western plains and forests; it was an endlessly hard life for those that lived in the northeast of the territory. The mountains were full of natural hardships as well as wild Wendigos.
When she was young, the guilt of living so privileged compared to those outside of her pack had bothered her everyday. That's life, Clarisse. It isn't fair. We could do everything for them and someone, somewhere would still suffer in comparison, her mother would say. Over time, Clari's understanding deepened on the issue and so did her compassion. First Pack did what they could (albeit not nearly enough in her mind), but they couldn't hold up the whole world. It frustrated her to no end and yet, what could she do when she had little influence over the pack that she called home?
Sure, she was the daughter of the Alinsky Alphas, but that meant little if they didn't hand the pack over to her when she took a mate. And that wasn't happening anytime soon... not because she didn't want to take a mate, but because life was too short to be confined to one place for too long. It was something she had struggled with for years and while she would never want to leave her family behind, Clarisse wanted to see the world and go beyond the magical borders.
Clarisse wanted more than the responsibilities of her pack.
Besides, she had two brothers back home that could be contenders in the future. Only ten, the twins had been an unexpected blessings to two Alpha's that had struggled with having pups for years. She had been a miracle herself so when Iric and Kaleb joined their small family, the whole pack had rejoiced. Inseparable and perfect and smart beyond their years, they were just as much trouble as her when they wanted to be. One of them would be a wonderful leader if she ended up exiled or betrayed by her own family.
The though made her smile bitterly, but she decided not to dwell on it. Clarisse smiled with a shrug, "We have our own problems, but it's no ones fault. Everything has just gone to the Arfen lately, you know? The border packs aren't alone in the unrest though First Pack understands and recognizing that they have it much worse than us by far. I know it doesn't seem like it, but we try to stem the hurt, to... clamp off the bleeding for those packs as best we can..."
She folded her legs in a cross beneath her as she looked at his pale face, accented by the inky blackness of his uneven hair. He must have been in Rafe's embrace for far too long if he was that pale when Spring was rapidly returning to the land. Clarisse looked down, the old feelings of inadequacy rising up like a bad meal.
"It's not enough though. It's never going to be enough, unfortunately. My parents do their best, but we have to protect our own first. Our pack is the largest of all the packs; there are so many to protect within our borders that sometimes they forget that anyone else exists. I know that sucks to hear, but it's an unfortunate truth."
She played with the tassle that bound the bottom of her pants. Clarisse paused and then looked up with a smile. "But hey, you made it. You aren't the first and you won't be the last if I have anything to say about it. There are lots of us here that want to change the state of those around us. Most think that we're all dirty, greedy monsters that sit around all day eating caribou and killing those that dare to cross us. Your sorry butt should be grateful that those rumors are all lies." Her eyes sparkled as she smirked at the male. "Most of them anyway."
Getting up from where she stood to stagger over to where the supplies had come from originally, Clarisse stuck out her lip as she thought about the question. It was obvious that he had avoided her question so she kept the knowing smile off her face. She haphazardly threw the supplies back in their containers, "I've been once when I was little so I don't remember that much of it. Mama had some business to handle and Papa thought it would be a good experience for me, apparently. Not that I remember any of it. They've been back since then, but I always stayed behind to take care of the twins and to 'stimulate running a pack by myself'."
She turned around, four fingers wagging up and down sarcastically, and rolled her eyes. Closing one bag and opening another, Clari pulled out two jugs of water. She sat back down next to him with a sigh and handed one to him, "Here. It's water. You just missed midday hunt so you'll have to wait for anything substantial until we bed down tonight, but I can get you some dried meat if you're hungry."
Zane looked in need of a good meal, but there was only so much dried meat and water could do for a hungry werewolf. Personally, the girl was notorious for tearing through supplies quicker than an army of locusts so if he was anything like her, Zane would be ravenous.
"I take it you've never been to Sanctum then? We can experience it together then."
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Goodnight!)
