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 Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 5:40 pm
 Zarathustra had been through a very confusing time in his young life, but he was taking it in stride.
He was still just a child, and his memories were fuzzy and blurred, as vague as the vision of a pup who has not year weaned. But if he strained his mind, he could just make out odd memories, half-formed images of color and sound. The touch of a mother, the warmth of siblings.
But those things were gone now, and there was no point in lingering over the thoughts. He had a new family now: Rorret, the wolf who had brought him here, who called him Little Brother. And the other brothers. Those he knew by name, like that friendly storytellier Xiuhtl or the laughing huntmaster Firdaws. And those he knew only by glances and reputation, the living shadows that flitted throughout the swamps and marshes and rocky land of Shadowclan territory.
And now that he was growing older -- old enough to wander from the dens, at least, old enough to stand on four paws without clumsiness -- he was old enough to make the acquaintance of those shadows. And so he set out to do precisely that.
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 7:00 pm
Itzal growled softly to himself as he padded along. For one who was so used to being alone constantly, he was growing rather curious about the new pups he had heard so much about. Word had finally traveled far enough that the silver wolf finally caught wind of the news. Light blue eyes pierced through the shadows of the night as the male headed in the direction of the dens where the pups were kept.
Questions buzzed through his mind as he approached. Would these pups be able to prove their worth? Were his brothers raising them to be an asset to the group as a whole? Wrinkling his muzzle in disgust, Itzal half way doubted it. These pups would grow up to be nothing more than a couple of traitors or vagabonds, unless he had something to say about it.
As he grew closer to the dens, Itzal caught a scent of someone new in the territory he shared with his brothers and his hackles stood on end. Who dared enter the territory?! Quietly, Itzal moved along the shadows towards the scent. The closer he drew, the strong the scent grew. Where were his brothers? Why weren't they on full alert? Itzal took this opportunity to prove that he could provide the pack with the protection they needed.
As he peered around a tree, Itzal noticed a pup. Was this one of the few pups that he had yet to meet or was this a random pup wandering around? Before he dared attack the pup, Itzal would find out. A low growl escaped the male as a warning to the pup. "Who are you?" The older wolf asked in a slightly harsh tone. If this pup were not part of the brotherhood and told the world about his little adventure, there was no telling what or who might show up soon after... Itzal wouldn't chance it.
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 7:10 pm
A pair of gleaming yellow eyes rolled upward to gaze at the cloaked wolf, thoughtfully. "Zarathustra," he said, simply, in response to the older wolf's question. It was rather a large name for such a small pup, but his tongue did not stumble over it.
"Big Brothers Elapse and Satoru were away, so I went exploring."
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 7:19 pm
It was obvious in Itzal's posture that he was not used to being around the pups. He mostly assisted with hunting and protecting the pack grounds, which was easy to tell by the male's muscling. Slowly, he lowered his head to take a closer look at the pup who called himself 'Zarathustra'. An interesting name, he supposed, but it meant very little at the moment. When he spoke of his big brother, Itzal's piercing eyes seemed to become only slightly more gentle appearing than before.
Without the watchful eyes of an elder, this pup was likely to get himself killed if he dared leave the pack grounds. Since he was a little brother, Itzal decided to take on the responsibility of ensuring that the pup did not in fact get himself killed. But... what should he do with the pup? Return him to the den? Or perhaps teach the pup a few lessons. "Listen kid...erm... little brother. You need to keep your eyes open at all times. There's no telling what is lurking and just waiting for a snack such as yourself." It was a harsh reality, but Itzal had seen many pups come and go due to lack of being careful. He didn't want to see this one fall into the same hands of fate that those pups did.
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 7:31 pm
He tilted his head.
He'd heard some vague whimperings about such things, from the older pups -- pups who had been older when they were taken, who had more memories of their lives and families. One of the brothers -- Zarath believed his name his name was Soren -- cried about it in his sleep.
Zarath had no nightmares, as he had not been torn from his family. He had not been forced to eat his family members as the first step of his indoctrination.
But still, he knew of such things. "Lessers are eaten. They're unworthy," he said, finally. There was something very odd about the way he handled himself, the way he spoke -- as though something very old lived behind those golden eyes.
Those eyes flicked up then, to meet Itzal's icy blue ones. "But not us. We are the monsters in the night, right Big Brother?"
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 7:51 pm
He watched the pup closely. It was strange how the pup carried himself with such pride and certainty. The pup was almost too cocky for Itzal to put up with... but only almost. Slowly, Itzal surveyed the land, insuring there were no threats as the two wolves remained in one spot like sitting ducks. His tail remained relaxed while listening to the words of the pup.
How could a pup that was just taken from his family be so... calm about such things? Perhaps he wasn't as unlucky as the others. That would explain a lot. Just because he hadn't had to kill off his siblings didn't mean he was any less of a brother than the others.
Unworthy. Little did the pup know there was a strong meaning behind the word. Unworthy of what? Some had different ideas of what was worthy and wasn't. That was what their God dictated. he decided which wolves were worthy of their pack and which were to be chased off or sentenced to death.
At the pup's final question, Itzal's icy blue eyes focused on the pup and although he couldn't see it, a grin slowly crept onto the older wolf's maw. "Yes, little brother. The monsters of the night, the shadows of pups nightmares. We are the strong and the worthy."
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 8:05 pm
He nodded slowly, and a hint of tension left his face and eyes. It hadn't been immediately visible until it dissipated, but he had carried some uneasiness there -- anticipation, hope that he had said the right thing. Behind those unnervingly old eyes and his placid expression was a pup who was both intelligent and eager to please.
"But I should be careful anyway," he said, in a tone that was almost but not quite a question. "Because I haven't proved myself yet."
"Don't worry your head about it too much, Little Brother." The words slid easily out of the shadows before the wolf became visible, but his gray pelt slithered from the shadows shortly after. "There are many other little ones out there to be eaten, who are far tastier morsels than you."
The wolf was an omega, a pup-thief -- so much was obvious from his garb -- but he did not slink about bowing and scraping as some did. He lifted mismatched eyes to gaze between the pup and Itzal. "I hope the little one is not bothering you, sir."
Sir, He thought, playing the old word game in his head, the game that had kept him company when he himself had been all alone as a child, indoctrinated into these ranks. He had long since stopped himself from playing aloud, but he could not halt the words from forming chains in his mind. Surprise. Prize. Yes, the pup certainly was a prize...the others just needed time to see it for themselves.
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 8:25 pm
He smelled the approaching wolf before seeing him and immediately, Itzal put a paw in front of the body of the pup. Before he could show any sign of aggression, he heard the words 'little brother' and immediately moved back to a more laid back position. Then he saw the gray wolf and an emotionless gaze seized his features once more.
Finally, an omega to watch over the pup had shown up. Just in time for Itzal to feel more comfortable around the young one. His icy gaze lowered to the pup as realized what the pup had said. He hadn't proved himself yet... what a shame. "There is plenty of time for you to prove yourself." Although his words were reassuring, his tone was still as militant and harsh as ever.
When the other wolf spoke, Itzal felt one ear twitch in his direction, while the other continued to listen closely to any noises made in the bushes or trees surrounding the group. The other wolf was more reassuring, buttering up the child and making him weak minded. Itzal snarled slightly. "But you still must remain on your toes. There may be tastier pups out there, but if you are alone then you are the tastiest one for a hunter."
His cold stare now focused on the omega. Although most members of different packs looked down on the omega, Itzal knew they were important for this pack's future generations. And now as Itzal focused on this one omega, he noticed similarities between the pup and this one. The markings below the eyes were very similar, but that could very well be a common marking.
After a moment of staring between the two, Itzal finally spoke up, directing his words to the Omega. "No...the little one isn't bothering me at all. In fact, it is nice to be able to converse with the young ones."
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 8:42 pm
Zarath glanced up at Rorret as he entered, then allowed the words of each elder male to roll through his mind. Everything seemed equally true, and holding these seemingly conflicting ideas in his mind seemed to lead to profound realizations: Weak wolves were killed and eaten by strong wolves, but even a monster could be prey if someone stronger happened upon him. That seemed important to remember. He filed it away for future use.
He considered speaking up to clarify this point, but fell silent instead and allowed his eyes to scan the area. Adults were talking. Besides, the darting of the older wolf's cautious gaze had not gone past the pup's notice, and it seemed something he should learn to emulate.
"Glad to hear it," Rorret said, and rolled through his mental rolodex, trying to decide if he knew this wolf. He ultimately decided that he did not, and debated a moment whether that was something he should admit.
"The eye markings," Rorret said, at length, noticing the way Itzal's eyes looked between the two. "A gift from our mother." His voice, as he spoke this sentence, was dripping with contempt.
"Many of the initiates call me brother, but in this case the title is particularly apt. I found this fellow, abandoned as I once was. My only regret is I have yet to find the crazy b***h to bring her to a fitting end."
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 9:00 pm
Itzal noticed the pup glancing around and he took a moment to survey the area as well. Slowly, he looked back down the pup when he noticed a nonthreatening shadow darting around in the shadows. "Tell me what you see, little brother." The wolf said simply, taking this moment to test the pup and maybe even teach him a little. This pup seemed eager to learn and Itzal was a willing instructor if given the opportunity.
When he noticed the pup's eyes light up as though he wanted to say something, but he did not speak, Itzal couldn't help but sigh a little. One day, he hoped, this pup would speak up without hesitation. Hopefully when the pup was a gamma or perhaps even something more...
His ears quickly swiveled towards the other adult wolf and his eyes soon followed. The male explained the eye markings without Itzal even quizzing him over them. A gift from a female... the silver male's icy stare shifted as he quirked a brow. Disgusting. However, Itzal was not one to judge his brothers in such a horrible way. He was there to protect them and the pack no matter what. "It is a shame you couldn't have found the worthless being. Hopefully her days are numbered." His words were cold and flat as he spoke of the vial female that had birthed the two males sitting before him.
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 9:24 pm
"I'm sure she will be," Rorret said, with a certain distant bitterness in his eyes and voice.
Zarath's ear flicked toward the pup-thief. He remembered his mother, vaguely. He did not recall her having such eye markings. But perhaps his memory was faulty. He was, after all, just a pup, and memories have a way of changing, just as lies, when told often enough, start to become true.
But never mind that now. It was no concern of his. He had been asked a question.
"I see..." don't say trees "Trees."
His nose wrinkled. That was an obvious answer. There were trees everywhere, in this part of the marsh. Further away, near the meeting places, the trees grew thinner. His ears folded back as he tried to think better.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 10:02 am
Itzal had almost lost interest in the older wolf as he now focused on the pup that needed further training.
An icy stare focused on the pup's confused expression, which Itzal noted but didn't question about. Perhaps there was more to this story that the older wolf spoke of, but Itzal did not find it his place to doubt his brother. He was no witch hunter. Especially since this was the only brother Itzal had run into recently in the area.
When the pup spoke up at last, Itzal's posture returned to its usual, militant like stance. His cold stare honed in on the pup as he said one simple word: Trees. That wasn't a good enough answer for the cloaked wolf who snarled before shaking his head sharply.
While maintaining his rigid posture, Itzal slowly lowered his head down to the pup's level. Nodding in the direction he previously saw the small shadow, he coached the pup, "Look for movement in the shadows and for areas where the shadows are darker than normal, brother." If he could train this pup to look out for prey or potential danger now, then there was no telling how successful the pup could become with practice on his own. Quickly, Itzal scanned the area and waited for a proper response from the pup.
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Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:10 am
Zarath's ears flattened, head ducking with the silent reprimand of his elder's snarl. Damn his nerves! He wouldn't make that mistake a second time.
Narrowing his golden eyes, the pup gazed once more into the trees, watching as the light and darkness played against each other. Here, the dappling of light as it filtered through the leaves above. There, deeper darkness, light blocked by thick brush. "There...there's a hole under that bush," he said, tentatively, but gaining confidence as he spoke. He stepped toward it, nostrils flaring.
And, indeed, there was. A burrow dug into the ground, the sometimes-home of the Brotherhood's itinerant fox and spy, Jasper.
"The light is coming from that direction," he added, walking now toward the patch of shadows, looking up at the sky and then back at the ground. "These trees here are blocking it, but not completely. That's why it's gray here." He hopped into a patch of dappled light. "But black over here." He hopped sideways, into a deeper shadow, where he was largely hidden. "Because these bushes here are blocking the rest." Testing his hypothesis, he took a few branches of bush in his mouth and tugged them aside, opening up a small shaft of silvery light that cut through the shadows where he now stood. Happy to be ignored, the omega fell back into the shadows himself, dropping into a half-crouch as he watched the pup's eager problem-solving. Rorret was proud. The pup had a long way to go, to be sure, but he showed promise. More than that, he seemed to genuinely relish the act of solving problems -- puzzling them out, taking them apart, examining their workings. It was an impulse that they shared.
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