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 Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:57 pm
Isobel truly enjoyed being busy. She liked having multiple things running through her mind and the simple rush of trying to accomplish, strange and semi-stressful as it was; at least then she didn't remember to worry about other things. There was word of a storyteller amongst their ranks these days, someone she had been mildly interested in until recently, when a stranger appeared on the borders with a partiular goal in mind.
He was searching for someone, and she wanted to help. While she wasn't so simple-minded as to believe that escorting him through the territory would avoid the dangers of being a male amongst warrior Sisters, she did figure that she might find this storyteller and make the inquiries for him. A gray wolf, with red eyes... had the storyteller met someone like this in her travels? Isobel certainly hoped so, because that was all she and the big purple male had to go on.
It only now occured to her that she hadn't even learned his name, much less the red-eyed wolf's name. But she figured being as chromatically distinctive as he had made his target out to be would suffice.
She still had several other duties to do simltaneously, however, and finding time to meet this storyteller was becoming difficult. In a brief respite from training Isobel had taken to winding about the territory, sniffing here and finding unfamiliar scents there. She had to be close.
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:21 pm
 The shadow-coated female in question was currently lounging on a nice, large, flat rock next to the river, sunning herself like a cat as she contemplated her next move. She had spoken to some of the males - the slaves, much though she detested that word - and had learned a fair few useful and juicy things that would doubtless help her inquiries to other members of the pack. She had also stumbled upon a particularly controversial tidbit. If the male went through with it, Senka had no doubt that things would be getting very interesting around this pack very soon. But that was neither here nor there. No. What she needed was a plan. A way to corner some of these warriors. They were always training, or so it seemed. She was not certain that even the Drugo trained this much at home...well, maybe him, but surely not the Druga. Perhaps she would have to join in one of their sessions to get them to talk. Gods of fire knew she was out of practice, and after her encounter with Kaeerah, she was certainly of the opinion that it would be wise to get back into practice...soon. Her sharp ears caught some quiet noise, clearly out of place in the forest and she turned to see who was near. Perhaps her luck was with her once more and she would not have to hunt down a warrior?
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:37 pm
Was it so strange that everyone seemed to be drawn to the river? As though it had some sort of spiritual pull toward whomever came near it, and wished them to stay without giving much of a reason beyond being a peaceful place in a hectic world... but then, who needed more reason than that?
As she had found the plum wolf by the river, so it seemed she would find the storyteller. She knew almost immediately that this was who she was seeking, as no other wolf in the pack had fur quite so dark - nearly black, though still comparatively more gray. Her ears perked and driving on forward she picked up her pace to a brisk little trot, purposefully letting her paws shuffle leaves and grass so as not to seem a sneaky little threat to the stranger. The tip of her sooty black tail wagged genially as she approached boldly, feeling safe within the confines of her pack and willing to meet this wolf as an equal. But...
Hadn't they met, briefly, when Isobel was younger? There was something familiar in her face, but on the only day she'd left Antianeira she'd been far too concerned trying to avoid confrontation between her brother and their cousins to really take notice.
But now, she saw. The storyteller's eyes were red. She lit up brightly, but still very politely managed to say, "Hello to you, stranger! I do hope the morning has found you in good spirits - I have been looking for you!"
Nevermind how cryptic that might have sounded.
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:13 pm
Such a cheerful little thing. How odd, in this stoic warrior clan. How unique. Well. There was nothing wrong with that. Still...yes. This female looked to be related to Chimera. My, how ironic that was. If their personalities were switched, they might be happier wolves.
How lucky for her, though, that it was indeed a warrior. Saved her the trouble of cornering one. Whatever vague notions of playing with the stranger were set aside momentarily when she spoke. Senka's crimson eyes lit with interest. This little warrior had come seeking her, specifically. How interesting. What did she want with the stranger in her pack?
"Well enough," she replied cordially. "What is it I can do for you, warrior?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:24 am
Isobel smiled, so very thrilled to find the storyteller in an amicable mood; what a relief her cordial manners were, almost gentle in comparison to how the Sisters could speak to one another. The Sisters were never cruel, but could be very clipped in their speech, especially if they were caught in a moment when they were busy with other duties. Still, she was blessedly right to the point. "Oh, it isn't so much what you could do for me," she replied, realizing now that she wasn't quite sure what it was she should say. "I've been asked by a wolf from beyond the borders to aid in the search of a red-eyed wolf with gray fur, at the request of a stranger he met on his travels. And... I'm afraid that's all I have to offer on the way of information, sadly."
She felt a little sheepish, now knowing that she really didn't know what she was doing. Or who she was speaking to. She certainly didn't have any useful names to drop, in hopes that the storyteller might recognize any of them. "I guess I know very little, in retrospect. But it was a large wolf who told me he came across a female in search of a wolf fitting that description... so perhaps you can do something for me. Would you be willing to meet this wolf, and maybe hear his side a little better?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 1:05 pm
The request of a stranger on behalf of a stranger on behalf of a stranger. My, how word traveled. Such altruistic wolves they were, to go to so much trouble for strangers. Still, Senka's interest was piqued. Who would be searching for her? Or at least, someone like her? Someone whose story she had collected in the past? Or someone who took offense to something she had done? Well, perhaps not the last. She might anger people at times, but surely not enough to have to hunt her down.
Maybe it was someone from the pack? Though, she would be hard pressed to come up with any reason for them to come looking for her. Her quest was not to be interrupted, especially not by a Polum'ya wolf. Hmm...
"A large stranger, you say? Looking for someone like me on behalf of another stranger?"
Put that way, it sounded more than suspicious, however she saw no reason not to meet with this wolf. It could prove entertaining. However, that did not mean that she could not ask for something in return. Especially since this particular stranger seemed to think it would be some great favor.
Senka's tail twitched.
"Tell me, warrior. Would you be willing to give me a tale or two? I am collecting them, you see." The shadowy female showed no inclination to leave the spot. At least, not until she had either a story or the promise of one. Well, more than that of the large stranger at the border.
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:12 pm
Isobel tilted her head, hearing exactly the sort of response she had been expecting - something of curiosity, mixed with incredulity at the size of this tagback search... "When you put it that way, it does sound a bit sketchy. But I believe the search is honest and without evil intentions."
As she listened to the storyteller's request, however, she frowned. She knew the goals of a storyteller, obviously, but didn't think herself so interesting as to be able to tell a worthwhile story. She eased onto her haunches, and chewed her lip a bit. "I'm not sure what sort of tale I could give, but I would gladly - if you could direct me toward something in particular that you'd like to hear," she replied softly, knowing the trade was fair. A story for an audience.
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:06 pm
Ah. I seemed she would be getting her story sooner rather than later. Better and better. Now, what to ask for? There was so much she wanted to know. What could this warrior offer her? She did not seem to think she knew anything of value, but Senka knew better. People often knew more than they realized, and rarely recognized the true worth of what they knew.
"If we are to have a proper conversation, I might first ask for your name," she said. "I am Senka."
Now, which one...
"As for what I am looking for, well, there are many things. Old legends about your pack, perhaps. Or newer ones about great warriors or alphas. Even something so simple as the daily exploits of one such as yourself, or the interactions of family and how you deal with your male relations. I must admit, the justification of males being considered unworthy puzzles me."
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:26 pm
Isobel nodded astutely as the storyteller - Senka - listed out her requests, ears ticking back briefly at the mention of family. The things she did were hardly very interesting on their own, as her days were usually ruled by harsh training and the occasional hunt - but her family, her brothers, her father, her cousins -
She cleared her throat softly, and tried to piece the words together in a way that would make Antianeira doctrines make sense to someone who most likely came from a slaveless pack. "My name," she carefully began, "is Isobel, daughter of Seraphin the nanny and Iosef, Antianeira's most loyal servant. It does not surprise me that you would think we subjugate our males, and that you might find interest in that sort of conversation, so I believe I will start with that. Hopefully I can clear up a few things. Yes, it is true that males are considered below the female influence, but I can assure you, most of the Sisters do not find them unworthy - in fact, it is almost painful to hear that. It certainly isn't the case at all."
She paused, then shook her head. "The males of our pack are indispensable, every bit as important as the Sisters in that they take care of the tasks that we have no time to do ourselves. Wolves such as my father keep order and cleanliness in our lands, so that we can focus all of our efforts into training and keeping our borders strong. It can be said that some of them truly enjoy their work..."
And equally easily said that there were many more who didn't. It was like a dirty secret, a scab that she felt the need to cover so that Senka wouldn't be able to pick it away and uncover the flaws underneath. It was true; her father and her cousin, Corinth, embraced their jobs with as much fervor as any of the sisters did their training. She hadn't lied. But she felt as though she wasn't telling the entire truth, afraid that if she spoke too freely that her own secrets might be revealed.
She thought briefly of Chimera, and in a quiet, self-disbelieving voice, she added, "If any of our males feel they cannot keep up with their tasks or this lifestyle, then they are free to leave. Our Queen has said this herself. But there might be Sisters who disagree - it is a very sensitive issue for some of them, I think."
There was a certain Varia-monster that came to mind as she spoke, whom she was certain might chase down a defecting male and tear him to pieces - which was a frightening thought, and one she tried to swallow down.
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 4:34 pm
What pretty words she used to describe her pack and their kept males. However, Senka did not miss the stipulation that Isobel placed on her statement. Some of the males enjoyed their work. Some, then, must not be very fond of their lives. Of course, she already knew that.
"That sounds very sensible," she said. "Each to their own duty. However, why is the division by gender, I wonder. Do you not think males capable of being strong warriors?"
She gave the other female a pointed look. "Your males. Do you really think they are free to leave? With their place in the pack, which of them would be skilled enough to survive outside of the pack? How many would even think it possible?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:21 pm
Isobel wasn't so sure she could counter those sorts of inquiries, but she knew she had to find some sort of answer. Because it was the way things were done - that's what she had been told. That in other packs, things were much different, and often backwards.
"I have been told times before that beyond our pack are others who would have the females follow the every beck and call of their male superiors. That females are supposed to be the weaker sex, only capable of bearing pups and fixing up dens. Somewhere in our history I am certain that Sisters came together and realized this was terribly unfair, and in an act I could only call revenge, they flipped the roles. They had something to prove, and now because of the way our young are raised, it seems that the males are becoming weaker, and more timid, whereas our females can only become stronger and stronger. There are males among our numbers who would never be able to survive on their own, not because of a lack of strength, but rather by the weakness in their character. Servitude is all they've known."
Senka's second question, however, was one bordering on dangerous; what Isobel felt was not important in lieu of pack rules, and her beliefs were mutinous at best. And yet she did not like the way Senka spoke of Antianeira, with the same concerns that she herself felt. In a moment of both frustration and bitterness that fleetingly raised the fur of her scruff, she growled, "But no, I'll be honest with you. Completely honest. No, I don't think they're free to leave if they wish. Even those who could brave a new life in the world beyond would only be allowed to do so at the Queen's discretion... and there are those who would pretend to let them go by, only to chase them down themselves."
She tried to regain her composure, but once lost, she could only feel herself becoming more inclined to speak her mind. When would she ever get this chance again? "Do not let the Sisters know that I feel this way, please," she said sternly - not quite asking, though she did at least remember to be polite - "but if we do not teach our males even the most basic of fighting skills, then what sort of chance do they stand if they're caught in a dangerous situation without a Sister nearby? What if one of my brothers happened to be along the border by a wolf of malicious intent? Nevermind how they'd survive outside pack boundaries - they would be nothing more than a stand of ferns to be torn aside even in a place where they should be safe. Not to mention those among ourselves who have developed such feverish hatred for all malekind, and feel the need to take it out on even our most harmless servants..."
Surprising, how quickly one's mood could change. But it felt good to vent, even if she felt the need to check her surroundings as thoroughly as possible; she was spitting fire that could possibly burn her, if it was caught by anyone other than Senka.
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:53 pm
Fascinating. Here was one who did not agree with the doctrines of Antianeira. One who was not a male. No. Here was a sister, a warrior who was uneasy with at least some of the rules of her pack. Yes. Change could happen here. A wondrous change, if only a few key wolves moved just so. What a sight that would be. Seeing such a thing with her own two eyes. Watching it unfold. A pity that she was not liable to be here long enough to see this idea come to fruition.
Perhaps it would not be radical change, but it would certainly be progress in the right direction. Yes. This pack could change for the better.
"Do not worry, Isobel," she assured. "I have no desire to cause trouble for anyone I meet here. I can be discreet."
She gave the other female a long, considering gaze.
"I cannot help but notice that even in your self-defense you admit that it is how they are raised, not how they are born, that dictates how your pups will turn out. You condition your males to be weak and your females to be strong. While it is true that I have come across some packs where males dominate, it is equally true that my pack treats them as equals. We are ruled by a queen, but she has a king by her side. Our warriors are both male and female, and they are equally fierce. Is this such a terrible thing?"
She flicked her tail casually.
"It seems to me that such inequality only breeds anger and resentment and violence. Abuse of authority, perhaps. Helplessness."
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:05 pm
Isobel puzzled a moment over the ideals of equality, wondering if she might ever be able to see such a thing for herself. But it sounded far too good to be real, or permanent, or even very effective - because surely, there must have been some sort of system worked out, so that those smaller jobs were done? so even if the genders were equal, the strength of a wolf would always dictate where they fit in according to caste. She was learning much more from this storyteller than she thought she would, and while it thrilled her to know that there were places where her brother might fit in, it also frightened her a bit; without knowing one's place, how did they keep the peace? Then again, by pressing a paw on the backs of those weaker than yourself, wouldn't that cause chaos as well? She was troubled, yet optimistic, and overwhelmed by just the idea that two of opposite genders might hold such high positions together... it was such a foreign concept, but one she was determined to like.
"You say such nice things about your birthpack," she murmured, "and perhaps you are right. Perhaps by treating our young qually, we might prove that males can be as invaluable as our females. But it isn't an idea that many Sisters would willingly embrace, if only because tradition and stubbornness rule their lives. It is a common belief that males will try to rise up and force us back down into the poorer ranks if we do not fight first. I believe we live in the midst of a dangerous cycle, and I'm not sure how we'll pull out if it."
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:58 pm
Senka gave Isobel a knowing smile.
"Tradition has that effect on the less flexible or imaginative of us. However, I suppose that your situation is a little more delicate than most. Living at such an extreme, it would be difficult to back off onto more equal ground. Where does it stop? How far is far enough? Still, I believe some concessions could be made to combat the inequality in your pack, and I doubt your males would rebel to such a degree as that."
She shrugged. "But as an outsider, it is not my place to make any changes."
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 8:10 pm
Isobel almost wished that Senka had that sort of influence, to be able to get the Sisters to see that maybe a little change would be good for everyone involved. She herself just couldn't display that sort of authority, hardly influential enough to have that sort of effect on how things were done - it was in that aspect that Isobel felt weak, as helpless as the cause she felt would never take hold so long as Antianeira existed. "I don't know who to answer those questions, I'm afraid. And I know even less when it comes to introducing those sorts of ideas to the Sisters... but maybe one day we'll see some change. Even if it is only a little."
Those sorts of thoughts were good, and hopeful. Not overflowing with promise, but still possible if enough were done about them...
Maybe I should think on these matters a little more seriously, and with more interest into the possible future. You've given me quite a lot to think about! But if any changes are to be made, they will be subtle and might take generations to effect anyone's lifestyles. In any case... perhaps we should see to that massive purple fellow who's been looking for you, and talk more on the way?"
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