|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 7:18 pm
 Balios was, in truth, feeling a bit lonely.
Apollo and Corinth had been gone for awhile, now, and his attempt to go down and visit had been cut sadly short by his uncle. Balios hadn't really believed that he was in any danger...but, then, he wasn't in much position to argue with his uncle. At least the Queen had sent him back without too much incident. He'd thought Corinth was going to die of embarrassment, though, and that was unfortunate. It had never been Balios's intention to embarrass his brother...he just wanted to see what the allure of the world was.
Sighing, the mottled wolf made his way through the pack lands, feeling restless. Two brothers gone, and Tantalus as good as gone. Sure, he still had Iolaus, and his cousins, and the girls...but somehow none of it felt like quite enough. He was starting to feel that no matter how many wolves he surrounded himself with, he would always feel lonely, and he didn't know where that loneliness was coming from or why.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:47 pm
 Balios was not the only restless one that morning. A certain shadowy femme was getting a little edgy. Certainly, the YMCA was a unique pack. She had never seen its like before. However, she had already gathered many stories and spent a pleasant few weeks in their territory. While the vacation had been lovely and entertaining, she had not even intended to stay there as long as she had. It was time to move on. Gather more stories. See something new. Perhaps a visit to that sister pack she had heard so much about. Yes, it was time to go. Of course, she probably ought to at least let someone know she was leaving. Wouldn’t want them to worry, now. Ruby eyes scanned the area, looking for someone to say “fare thee well” to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:08 pm
Balios's ear flicked, catching the sound of another, and he shifted his attention toward the approaching wolf. He smiled as the grey female came into his view. She had gotten plenty of stories in her time here, but Balios still felt that he could have heard more of hers.
Then again, with an insatiable curiosity like his own, Balios would always feel that way.
"Everything all right?" He asked, amiably, approaching her. His tail wagged slightly as a smile crept up his maw.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:31 pm
"As well as may be," she assured. It would figure that she would have to run into this male, of all wolves. Of a certainty, she did not hate him, or hold any special dislike for him. In fact, she could appreciate his curiosity and thirst for knowledge, as it rivaled even hers. Well, perhaps he was not quite as voracious as she, but she could appreciate a kindred spirit nonetheless. However, he was also perhaps the only wolf in the history of her existence to annoy her to the point of losing her temper.
Fate, perhaps? Well, no matter. "I am getting ready to move on. Thought I would let someone know."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:55 pm
"Ah," he said, looking a little crestfallen. "So soon?"
His eyes, hidden behind the dark mask, were oddly soulful. His father's same eyemask always made Derecho look angry -- but then, Derecho usually was angry. On Balios, it simply served to highlight his large brown eyes, these windows to his oddly transparent soul.
He was rather tired of being abandoned. And that's what it was, no matter what his brothers said. Abandonment. Even Guinevere had gone.
"I hope your stay was amenable to your needs," he said, then, politely. His mother had once snapped at him for being too polite, but he hadn't taken it to heart. As far as he was concerned, there was no such thing. "Where do you plan to go next?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:09 pm
My, but he looked so sad. Poor thing. She knew of his puppy-crush on her, of course. However, her departure could not have caused such a reaction in him, surely?
"Soon, you say? I would hardly call this soon. I have spent more time here than in any other single place on my journey thus far.
"It has been quite interesting. I believe I will visit your sister pack. The things I have heard interest me. It will surely be an instructive stay."
Should she try to cheer him up? Hmm...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:24 pm
His tail still wagged, slowly, but there was a slightly crumpled look about him as she said that. Antianeira, of course. That's where everybody else who abandoned him always ended up. He had freshly-born nieces and nephews in the pack and he hadn't met them! He wouldn't get the chance to, either, until Apollo decided to bring them up for a visit. If he even did.
It was so frustrating!
"Well. I suppose you have lots more stories to bring back to your pack. When do you return, anyway?"
Was that a flicker of concern in her emotionless ruby eyes? Nah...he must have imagined that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:34 pm
"Who knows?" she said whimsically. "I will get there when my paws bring me there. I am in no hurry."
Why rush? After all, this might be her only chance to see the outside world. Fire gods only knew if she would ever get the chance to explore the world again, after her journey was over. The Kazkar was important to the pack. She was not allowed to risk herself needlessly and chance losing all of that precious knowledge forever. Hmm...she might have to do something about that. Two keepers of the lore, perhaps? She would bring it up to the queen upon her return. But that was a matter for another time.
"What's gnawing on your tail, anyway? Moodiness does not become you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:53 pm
He jerked, surprised that she had noticed. He was an open book, but he wasn't always cognizant of the fact. He shrugged, smiling a little crookedly. "Just feeling a bit sorry for myself, actually. I tried to visit my brothers but it....didn't go very well."
He pouted, an expression that made it quite clear that he may be full-grown, but he was still very much a pup in some ways. "Apollo had pups, and I don't know when I'll get to meet them. And I want to know if Corinth is doing alright. And if Guinevere is settling in okay. I hope they don't make her work too much in the sun...it hurts her, you know. Because she's albino."
For a moment, he had forgotten that he was talking aloud, and to a relative stranger. He remembered, and shut up quickly, looking at his paws. He hadn't minded the idea of his family being in Antianeira...until he realized he couldn't just saunter over and say hello any time he wanted.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 11:00 pm
"Oh?" she purred. For herself, Senka did not see the draw of family, especially not one so large as the one he was describing. However, she knew enough to realize that it was something many wolves prized. Balios did not seem to be an exception.
"You have no interest in joining them over there, then?" she wondered. Surely there was a reason they were not together. What would that be? She had heard of the restrictions that the other pack placed on its males. Perhaps that had something to do with it.
"And they do not want to come here?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 11:21 pm
He shook his head. "I don't want to be a slave," he said. "I mean...if it's what they want, and they're happy, I wouldn't dare criticize them. My uncle Iosef loves it. He's visited a few times, and he's always....well, he likes it."
His face clouded. he had seen a different side of Iosef this last time -- the slave without a female nearby -- and he had been troubled by what he saw, but he couldn't quite put a paw to it.
"I tried to stay for a little while, to see what the pack was like, and get an idea of how slaves should act. I was going to behave just like Uncle Iosef, just to see what it was all about. But he....forced me to go home. Said it wasn't something I should be playing at, and it was dangerous, and I didn't belong."
His nose wrinkled. If it was dangerous, all the more reason he wanted to keep a careful eye on his brothers!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 11:45 pm
"Hmm...it does not sound like a life I would enjoy, either. I do not understand how anyone could."
His words only confirmed some of her suspicions. This Antianeira did not seem like a place that she would feel at home in. Certainly, both her pack and these females were warriors, and her pack was even matriarchal, to a degree, but slavery? She really could not understand it. Of a certainty, she would have to see it for herself before she could even attempt to, though, she somehow doubted that she would be able to comprehend it even then.
"What else did he say?" She could not help but wonder. If the males over there were slaves, how freely would the speak of their lives to a female? Even one who did not belong to their pack? It might be best to learn what she could away from the pack, first, before she attempted to confront the locals, male and female, on their ways.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 11:55 pm
"Not very much," he admitted, still looking somewhat shyly at his paws. He'd warned him about his aunt Varia, actually, which had seemed strange to him. He knew his mother didn't really care about him -- much -- so he didn't expect much from her sister. But everybody said Varia was as likely to kill him as not. Even Anatto said that, and Anatto had been a little baby when he was taken from his mother.
Granted, his mother had also left him and his brothers alone to die when they were born and had to be nursed alongside Iosef's children, so maybe Anatto knew what he was talking about all too well.
"Say," he said, looking up, his eyes sparkling with sudden interest. "You're going up there, right? Can you check up on...on everybody? For me? And tell them I said hi?" And there it went again -- his tail, waving like a banner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:03 am
Her? Play messenger? She nearly laughed at the thought. However, she reconsidered. Having such a recommendation of trust from one of their male relatives might get her a little farther than she would otherwise get on her own with their defenses. Yes. Perhaps such a thing would be beneficial to her, as well.
"I have no plans of coming back this way," she warned. "However, I could inquire after them. Convey your regards. Make sure they are well, perhaps."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:17 am
"That's alright. I don't expect you to be running back and forth or anything. Just...you know. Look out for them." He still looked very off-put about the whole business. Of course, he could have asked his mother...but that was just an invitation for trouble, really. Even if she had warmed to them slightly since that night in the storm, they weren't exactly on friendly terms, and probably never will be.
"Well. Anyway. Enough about me," he said, with as much cheerfulness as he could muster. He would miss having her around. Entertaining guests was so much fun! Especially when the guests did some entertaining of their own. "I hope you get more good stories. Maybe...maybe sometime, I'll do some traveling of my own. It seems very exciting."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
