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 Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:38 pm
 For a while there, he was feeling quite nervous about introducing his boys to his prodigal daughter. Cas was not, by nature, nervous, but whenever Varia's long shadow found a way to creep into the corners of his life, he found it was a struggle not to slip into that old way of thinking - what can I do, and where do I hide?
It had passed, though. It had passed and left him with his pride, with a love that astounded him with its sudden onrush and its earnestness, already a match for the love he felt for his sons, and unsullied by countless incidents of obnoxious behavior on everyone's part. He loved her, and they would love her, because this was their sister, and he was their dad, and they had to obey him on this one, damn it! His tail frisked upwards uncharacteristically as he experienced his little power rush. The two of them had toured some of the territory all too happily by their lonesome, but they were coming up on the bit of land where everyone congregated, a place he knew he'd have a good chance of spying at least one of his boys. He kept a keen eye out for Vercinix, bright, loud Django and sneaking Anatto, wearing a seldom-used expression of stern authority. Where were those guys?
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Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 11:34 pm
 Anatto, for his part, was -- as one could expect -- hiding in the shade of some bushes. His dappled pelt served as good camouflage in the fall or winter, but during the spring he found it much harder to become invisible, so he had to work much harder to skulk around.
Not that he really needed to do all this skulking, of course. But it was fun. He enjoyed listening to people when they didn't think anyone was around to hear. Also, he really enjoyed using the information he gathered that way later. Not in a nasty way, of course. Never in a nasty way.
Through such skulking, for example, he had learned that his sister (a ridiculous thought, he didn't have a sister, much as he didn't have a mother) had come to visit his father, and through deduction he gathered that meant he would need to come meet her. Well enough, then.
He waited as long as he could, though. He wouldn't be the first to rush out and greet them. Django probably would, he thought -- saunter up to them like he owned the world, which he seemed to think he did. Unless Vercinix beat him to it, obedient Vercinix always trying to out-behave the others, as though that were a feat.
His bright copper-colored eyes caught his father, and then darted behind him, intensely curious to catch a glimpse at his sister.
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:45 pm
 Following along behind her father Chilapa took in the surrounding area. She had yet to see any signs of her brothers, or any other member of this pack for that matter. The lax feeling here was both welcoming and a bit unsettling. How could those living here be so relaxed? The only wolf she had seen so far was her father who had been doing a very relaxed patrol when they had run into each other. Things are different here, she reminded herself, much different. Upon coming to a stop Chilapa let her eyes gaze about once more. Where was this welcoming committee of friends and family that her father had mentioned? It truly seemed strange to be in the center of the pack lands but to see no one around, had this been back north they would have encountered various wolves every step of the way.
An odd tingle ran down her spine, it was that feeling one got when they were being watched. Her keen eyes swept over the bushes, she had been trained since she was extremely young to spot dangers and opponents. At first her eyes moved over the place that her brother was hidden in without registering him. But then she looked over the bushes again, her eyes settling on the spot that Anatto was hidden. Though she couldn't exactly see him, her training told her that was where he was hidden. "I do believe I'm being watched." She idly commented to her father though her eyes remained on the bush and the wolf it concealed.
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:37 pm
Cas had been sniffing, trying to suss out the whereabouts of his boys, but he followed Chilapa's gaze and shortly spotted Anatto - rather like a hunter of wild mushrooms, Cas had developed a fine skill for making out the pattern of his dappled son's coat out in the brush. He broke out into a grin, giving his mane a little shake, got nervous and calmed down again. "That's Anatto," he told his daughter quietly, and then spoke up. "Anatto, come here for a second! Somebody's come from Antianeira for a visit."
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 1:32 am
"Somebody from Antianeira?" He asked -- no, drawled -- as he slid away from the underbrush. He gave himself a shake and stared appraisingly at his sister, noting the similarities in their pelts. No orange on her, though. But she was undeniably her father's daughter. "Ah. That's a relief, that it's just somebody."
His eyes glimmered playfully as he settled to his haunches. He looked up at his dad, assessed his father's nerves, the way he held himself, the stiffness in his posture. He was nervous, but not afraid. Nervous, maybe, from shame. He was afraid of being embarrassed.
Well, that was unfortunate, because he almost certainly would be.
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 2:10 pm
 Vercinix had heard a silly rumor - that his sister was visiting from their northern allies. Clearly whoever told him the rumor was just trying to joke around with him. He knew he had a sister, father had occasionally spoke of her as did Queen Penthesilea when she visited. But really he doubted his sister would ever actually visit them. In his mind his sister was like his mother, far too deep in the ways of Antianeira to even acknowledge his presence or that of his brothers. So after hearing that joke of a rumor Varcinix had taken his sweet time returning to the dens. He wouldn't rush forward just to watch the others laugh at him for falling into their little trap. Nope, not at all.
So when he did reach the den to see his father and Anatto he huffed a bit. See no visiting sister. But then as he got closer he saw her, and needless to say his jaw dropped a bit. Well what do you know they weren't joking. Much as he would like to have believed this was just some random female talking to his family Vercinix couldn't help but see the similarities between her and father. No doubt she was his daughter and therefore his sister. He padded forward and gave them a sheepish look, next time someone says something that sounded like a joke he would certainly believe it.Brow quirked a bit. Just somebody? Was he so blind to not recognize the family resemblance of was this the typical male stupidity that her mother preached about. Well Chilapa didn't come here to look down upon her brothers, so she was forced to ignore those thoughts. Things were different here and clearly Anatto had though it was quite alright to speak to her in such a way. She could understand why mother disliked this pack, but that hatred did not pass on to her daughter, and so Chilapa just looked upon this as a learning experience. "That's right." She said with a nod, deciding to play along with Anatto's little game. "Just somebody."
She would have said more but another male appeared just then. It only took a quick glance for her to realize it was another of her brothers. Easy to identify enough, he had a mix of coloring and pattern that could only be gotten from her father and mother. But what stood out the most was the small mane of hair that ran along his neck, much like father had. She eyed him for a moment, he was staring at her with a look of disbelief, clearly he hadn't expected her to be here. "You must be either Django or Vercinix." Father had mentioned names earlier but not what her brothers looked like so she was left guessing until either her brother or father clarified.
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Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 10:48 pm
Alright -- he'd admit it. It was Anatto that had both discovered and spread the rumor about Chilapa. After all, it helped to occasionally cry wolf when there was in fact a wolf present. Lended credibility. Made others -- like, say, Vercinix -- more likely to stumble into something later.
He smirked as Vercinix approached and observed the sheepish quality of his smile, and made a quiet note that the fruit was ripe for the picking.
His eyes flicked back to Chilapa and he regarded her with a composed, deadpan look. She thought he was an idiot. He could tell -- it gleamed in her eyes. It wasn't necessarily a cruel thought, but it was there. She honestly thought he didn't notice who she was.
Clearly, females...or at least Antianeira females...didn't know what sarcasm was. Oh, how fun!
"Yes," he agreed, solemnly when Chilapa made her guess. "That's Vercinix. He's just somebody, too."
Here in a moment his father would probably give him that look, and he would be guilted into behaving himself. Anatto was well-acquainted with guilt, though he'd never let his father know that.
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Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 6:03 pm
Yes, there it was: cold yellow eyes pressed into Anatto, his father's face hard and humorless. Though he might be a pushover in all other realms of his life, Casimir had taken well to the dark stare. All things considered, though, Anatto wasn't toeing the line too liberally so far; Chilapa was clearly unaccustomed to the veiled snarking his son was so proficient at, but he had backed off of her, at least for the moment. His tail wagged as Vercinix made his way over, and he wondered if news of his daughter's visit was going around the pack. "None of you are just somebody," he clucked. "Boys, I'd like you to meet your sister." Cas looked a little expectant, but mostly nervous. "Have either of you seen Django?" The answer didn't matter too much - if they hadn't, they would soon. Cas's third son was hoving in on them, crackling with malevolent energy like a one-wolf thunderstorm. If he'd been pressed, an explanation of the anger that flared in him at hearing his sister was here would have come out clumsy; he knew that his mother was a monster, was all, and that she was his mother's.
But of course, he was too. It was becoming more and more apparent as he grew: his father was large, but Django had his mother's bones, broad and intimidating. He was growing faster than he could eat, and seemed to get gaunter and more sharply angled with every passing day. He shouldered his way toward them all, a slight snarl growing on his lips: she looked more like their father than any of them, even Vercinix. And she was just sitting there, all prim and poised, as if she had a right to be here. Ten yards away he stopped and glowered at them all in turn, saving his milquetoast father for last.With his coloring and his attitude, Django was usually hard to miss. Cas spotted him and smiled humorlessly, gearing himself up to weather the storm. "And there he is. Django! Come meet your sister."
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:40 pm
As her eyes moved from a shocked looking Vercinix back to Anatto she smiled a bit. And then as her father pointed out that none of them were just somebody's she shook her head. "No, actually he's right. We're all just somebody." At least they were until they did something that would make them less of a somebody and more of an actual wolf. A small part of her was amused by all of this, her father had warned her that others might not welcome her so easily so it wasn't a shock to see them act this way. Of course it also occurred to her that when her father introduced her he failed to mention her name.
"I am Chilapa." She said as her third brother made him appearance. This one, Django, seemed to be built much like mother. He had her same large and muscled frame. She was not nearly as built as her mother, taking on a mix of both of her parents body types. Noting the snarl on his lips Chilapa's fur stood on end. Visiting guest or not, even though she was family she found herself offended by her brother. The 'somebody' comments of Anatto she could shrug off easily but outright hatred upon first meeting, she was not used to that and would not accept it either.
Vercinix found himself a place to sit not far from where his sister was and proceeded to watch what was happening. There was an interesting back and forth going on between her and Anatto. His father was being his usual self when any of his brothers were misbehaving, trying to look stern but they all knew beneath the act he was too soft to really do much. He nodded as Chilapa and then Anatto said his name. Yup, he was Vercinix, nothing special there. He might have said something but then Django made him presence know.
Immediately Vercinix snapped his mouth shut and looked over at his brother. Of all of them Django would certainly be the least welcoming an the least willing to accept Chilapa. He himself really didn't care, he couldn't deny they were related, one look said that, and considering they were all the same age it was obvious they were from the same litter. So really why make a big scene out of it? His ears flattened for a moment as he watched Django and then eyed his sister who didn't seem all too happy about the way he had made his entrance.
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:47 am
Anatto's brows raised, slightly, but he remained silent. Come meet his sister? That was ridiculous, he didn't have a sister. Oh, sure, his father may have a daughter, but that wasn't quite the same thing.
He would have pointed this out but thought better of it. Django was about to steal the show, and Anatto didn't mind getting out of the a*****e spotlight. Indeed, he liked staying out of spotlights of all kinds.
"Well. Now we all know each other's names," he said cheerfully. His eyes flicked between his father, Django, and Chilapa, waiting for the elephant in the room to make itself known.
This was awkward. Even if Anatto didn't have issues with emotion, thiw would still be unbearably awkward.
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Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:23 pm
Django seemed to inflate as he grew near them, his head rearing ever so slightly back with each step he took. There was a dangerous smolder not far from the surface of his dark eyes - just give me a reason, that look begged, come spoil for a fight. He had seen Chilapa bristle and locked onto her reaction, and his baleful saunter almost looked like it was turning into an attack, when--
"Django, stop it." Cas had that look again, the puffed chest and furrowed brow and cold, pinning stare that was so at odds with the majority of his demeanor. He had stepped forward, as if to intervene between his children, although his look was one of huffy disapproval more than anything. He watched his bony son snap out of it, the killer concentration startled from his face to be replaced with resentment, a more suitable look for adolescence. "I know you weren't about to pick a fight with a wolf you've never even met," he growled, his ire raising sharply, but only shortly. He cast a glance at his other sons, but couldn't manage to look to Chilapa for the moment, taxed as he was by this feat of mediation ahead of him.
Though he hardly seemed cowed in the complete sense of the word, Django had accepted the correction in part. His eyes, too, refused to go too near his sister, although the feeling there was more one of disgust than discomfort. He stared flatly, malevolently, at Anatto instead. Let's hear you quip, smartass.
Once he was sure that Django had been defused, Cas allowed himself a little sigh, a feminine little flick of his head. "As I was saying. Chilapa came down from Antianeira just to meet us. I've been filling her in about the differences between our packs."
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Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:44 pm
Vercinix looked between his sister and Django. There could very well be a fight breaking out if they continued this way. Part of him hoped it would happen just so Chilapa could beat Django down and put him in his place. But at the same time he didn't like the idea of siblings fighting either. Then father stepped between them, and he had an odd look on his face. Casimir wasn't the best at playing disciplinarian but at this moment he could see that father meant business, he did not want to see his children fight either. After a few tense moments Django seemed to back down and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.
"Sure is different here." He finally said after father explained things a bit. He didn't exactly remember his time in Antianeira, but what tidbits he did he knew it was very different from here.
Chilapa's eyes stayed on Django even as their father stepped between them. It was hard not to react to such a display. So much for family bonds, there was little here of that. She watched as Casimir subdued his son, though she could still see some fight left in Django's eyes, and then swept her gaze over her brothers. A small part of her said she may have made a mistake in coming here, that they would never accept her, but then they never would if she stayed up north for her entire life. At least she was willing to try and if it became apparent that none would accept her then she would leave it at that, at least she had had the chance to meet her father and know that he had been glad to see her.
"I did not come here to start a fight." She finally said after a long pause. "I merely wished to finally meet the rest of my family." Chilapa knew her words would not sway them to like her, but she would not let them think she had come here to simply start something that would destroy their relationships before they even started.
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Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 4:16 pm
Anatto's eyes moved languidly from his father to his brother, and back again. He met Django's stare with a diffident, nearly bored expression, and remained silent. Anatto didn't quip on command. And he wasn't afraid of his brother, although he probably should have been. Django had a lot of anger in him looking for an outlet, and every soften that outlet was him -- but, as with most things, Anatto shrugged it off.
He looked back to his father and sighed. This was probably going to give his dad ulcers, or nightmares, or both. He could see it in his eyes, Casimir was ready to adore her. Had his dad really not thought this through, or was it just hopefulness, blind patient optimism that moved with all the finesse of an earthquake?
He glanced back at Vercinix, waiting for him to make a move, and when he didn't he looked at Chilapa. He wished Balios were here. If Balios were here, someone else could play diplomat and smooth things over. He wouldn't do a very good job of it, necessarily...but he'd do it, and then Anatto wouldn't have to.
This whole tension thing was unbearable.
"So, ah. We're not really used to people coming by from up north without there being important business. You're all kept very busy, is what I understand," he said, in a genuine attempt at making conversation. "....You're not pregnant, are you?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 6:29 pm
Frustrated by his brother's diffidence, Django moved on to glower off into the distance, resentment going in him at a slow boil; he didn't want his sister on his territory, and even more so he did not want to be forced into conversation with her. The things his father thought he could get away with sometimes were just, unbelievable. To pass the time, he occupied himself with thoughts of girls, and fighting, a more lively occupation than listening to the drivel that was falling out of everyone's mouth. Why gather everybody up if all there was to say was inane, useless small-talk?
Anatto, however, was never really one for the inane. His question burrowed right into Django's ear, and filled him with such a black and sudden rage that it was all he could do not to run off snarling. It had felt like a vicious bite, like someone was tearing into him. Teeth gritted and bared, he snarled silently at the ground.
Cas might have had more time to henpeck Anatto if he had not been so startled and concerned by Django's reaction. He felt a little sick - intuition murmured that this had something to do with the upbringing his sons had suffered, and that laid the blame at his door. But...Django seemed to be managing himself adequately enough, and that brought him back to Anatto. "Don't be cute, Natt." Irritation, laced with cowing guilt. "If you'd never met more than half your family and knew they only lived a day away, wouldn't you want to meet them?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:53 pm
Vercinix watched Django in silence. He could understand his brother anger towards the females of the north but he was kind of blown aback at how he wouldn't even give his sister a chance. Vercinix was partially willing to give Chilapa a chance but also didn't hold out too much hope...even if she didn't seem so bad at this very moment it was hard to trust a Sister from the northern pack. He had been about to say something when Anatto beat him to it. Of course what Anatto said was not at all what Vercinix had wanted to say. Still, his brothers somewhat bold question made Vercinix's eye grow a bit wide and yet he also had a stifle a laugh.
Chilapa was trying her best not to get frustrated with Django's anger towards him. Though clearly if she ever came down to visit again she would be sure to avoid him at all costs. Certainly there would be nothing she could do to change his opinion of her and some things were just best left alone. Her attention turned to Anatto and just as she went to explain why she had come...though she was certain it was already clear that she had simply wanted to meet the rest of her family...he had to go and ask a crazy question like that.
Jaw went slack for a moment before she regained herself. "As a matter of fact I am not." She told him firmly. Besides she was still a bit young to be pregnant and hadn't even ever given such a thing a thought until now, and now she was kind of appalled to think about it. Such a life even would certainly interrupt her goals of becoming a royal adviser and also put a stop to training and that would only incite her mothers rage. "I did not come on business of the pack nor did I come here to announce some life changing thing. I simply wished to see what the rest of my family was like."
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