She'd expected him to leave as quickly as he'd arrived after she'd spoken, after all she deserved as much. She was an adult now, it was up to her to deal with the consequences of her actions, but why was it so hard. Feeling the tears begin to gather once more, Talim quickly ducked her head and closed her eyes tight. She was fine, she was alright with this. Sh-she wouldn't miss Raphael. No.. Shaking her head lightly in response to his words, Talim opened her mouth to respond that it wasn't his fault, that responsibility laid on her shoulders alone. Yet her throat felt tight, and her words just wouldn't rise. Drawing in a shaky breath, she opened her eyes to glance up at him, her small, false smile playing on her muzzle as her eyes welled with unshed tears. "She.. Probably needs-you." Her voice was barely a whisper after he'd agreed to her earlier statement that he should go. It was for the best that he went back, she would be fine on her own. She could disappear into the forest, maybe find her way home to her mother.. At least she hoped. Yet with each thought she felt a knot tie tighter in her stomach and the urge to curl into herself and hide. Gods what was she going to do? Ears pressing back as he growled out a word, Talim felt a wash of confusion flood her as she found herself slightly relieved?
Peering up at him as he spoke, Talim's body shook lightly with her breaths. "I.." She began, but quickly fell silent as he continued. He wasn't going to leave? Confusing playing in her swimming gaze, she felt her ears lift at his words before pressing back into her soft fur. Everything he said seemed to ring in her mind, followed by a feeling a dread for her future in the forest. Lifting her nose when he approached, the young wolf finally felt her tears spill over and a shaky sob to leave her. "I don't know what to do." She admitted quietly. "I don't regret what I said.. At least I don't think I do." Turning her head from him, she felt her heart racing in her chest as she tried to voice her fears. Yet it was like if she did, then everything will have been true. "I turned from him but.." Voice breaking lightly as she clenched her eyes shut, her body shaking once again. "But he's all I've ever known. He was in every sense my dad. Where do I go from here?" Tail curling tightly around her small form, Talim choked back another sob and shook her head. "What if I've lost all connection to my pack and old life now? I.. I don't want to be alone." Opening her eyes to stare at the blades of grass at her paws she admitted in a hushed whisper. "I'm scared..."
Stalkerchick
Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 1:35 pm
He kept watching her, very closely, for all the good it did him. If things went sour, he knew he didn't have the charisma to deal with it. As an afterthoguht, he, too, had wondered why he was still standing, talking to the young she-wolf. Whatever part of him that Zack and Ashy had melted had happened slowly and over such a time that he didn't notice the softening of his heart. As a result, he had no way to hone the abilities to play to this new part of him, even if he wasn't yet sure how to feel about his new-found sociability and kindness. He watched as the gears ground in Talim's head - probably with a flurry of thoughts she denied herself, or desperately wanted to believe. He didn't reply to her comment of Ashy needing him - but he did take note of the fact that the words were jumpy. Gods, don't cry...please don't cry... he begged her awkwardly, inside his head as he glanced away from her form. But he caught a different feeling in the air, which made him glance back at her just at the moment of her peaking ears. A second later they flattened again, which was to be expected. But they had, decidedly, lifted a bit. Had he been able to do that? There was no way Squall could be a comfort to anyone, he reminded himself, moodily. But at the same time...The thought that he could make a difference caused a feeling of pride to well up in his chest, and his gaze became yet softer as he looked at Talim, attentive.
Crap! She was crying again. He had jumped a bit with the overflow of tears, the fur along his pack prickling in anticipation and a bit of panic, which he beat and fought back down with the calm, stoic focus of anger he had been so accustomed to using to his advantage. Had his approach pushed her over the edge? He felt his ears tug back, ever-so-slightly. But he listened, without judgement. Without movement, without really saying anything for a long time, just letting her speak her fears. He didn't follow her head as she moved it, merely nodded, as she affirmed what she had felt about telling her father off. When she trailed off, he glanced at her with probing eyes, urging her to continue. With anyone else, a few years earlier, he would have replied that at least she had had someone. He would have been bitter, depreciating, judgmental. Self-pitying. But not now.
Her tail had curled, and before he knew what he was doing, Squall rose to his paws, slowly, and sat next to her, curling his tail around her form protectively. He had been about to stammer, struggling for some sort of advice, or comfort, almost frantically, when she voiced more fears as she battled her sobs. Her connection to her old life - well, wasn't the past already in the past? Unthinkingly, when she expressed her unwillingness to be alone, "I won't let that happen." burst from his jowls. It didn't sound like his voice. It sounded softer. And then her whisper floated up to his ears, and he had no idea what he could do.
He laid down next to her, setting his head on top of hers in a protective gesture, as he sat silently for a moment, waiting for the words to come to him. "You.." he started, the deep tenor of his voice back. He shook his head lightly, but roughly, and thought better of the words. "It's true that your old life is behind you." If Squall had a fault, and he had many, it was that he was brutally honest with no sugar-coating. But perhaps she needed the reminder. "So you make a new one. Things cannot be as they were." He thought for a moment. "That's what I did." He remained in his protective stance as he spoke to her, but made it certain that it wasn't suffocating and that she could easily break away from him. "When I found Zack. I was alone. I was afraid, though I'd never have admitted it." He raised his head a bit, to look into Talim's lean features, "You're a lot braver than I am for admitting something like that." his eyes glimmered with sincerity - and something else, but Squall couldn't place his finger on it. It wasn't quite envy; more positive than that. He replaced his head, "And he took me in, so I didn't have to be alone. Gave me a second shot at life, gave me a pack." This was becoming all about him. "And..." And what? He was grasping for the right words for a long time, the pressure of knowing he had to say something pressed heavily at his brain, or else she might think he would not reply. "So you learn new things, new ways of life to know." Smooth, Squall. "A way of life with my pack. With Ashy, and Zack, and me. And you won't ever be alone - Ashy, at least, will make certain of that much," he said, teasing the small puppy in her absence.
He stirred a bit, peering down at her from the end of his muzzle. He added in a somber, lost tone, "If....if you want." He was surprised by how quiet the words were.
Her gaze lowered at his stood, preparing herself for his inevitable departure. Already the woods began to feel overbearing, like the trees were looking down on her knowing she was alone. Heartbeat picking up as a seed of panic rooted itself in her chest, Talim knew the stories of what happened to a wolf without a pack. Clenching her eyes closed, she turned to hide her face once more, only to stiffen as she felt the gentle, almost familiar touch of another. Yet the voice was not the same. He'd stayed? She almost couldn't believe it. Her tears gathered at his words, her body shaking though the sobs from before were left in the shadows as the tears fell silent.
Feeling his head fall gently on top of hers, Talim let out a soft, shaky sigh as she felt the panic ebb slightly in her heart. She wanted to turn into him, hide her face in the comfort of another. Hide away the world in the embrace of someone who cared, but she stayed, side pressed against side, her head resting on a paw. His words were frightening but the message clear. She was alone, she couldn't go back.. But, but she didn't have to be either. With another shaky sigh, Talim slowly stilled her shaking. "How..." Her voice was hushed and quiet as she began, though it quickly fell off into silence as the scenes of the evening played in her mind. Poor Ashy had looked so sad, and her father. "How can the forgive me for what's been done?" Emotion slowly fell away, she felt oddly drained, and quite cold.
Sad smile crossed her muzzle as she finally turned to press her cheek into fur of his chest, her eyes peering off into the tree-line half lidded. "After all, he'll come back, you know. He always finds me again somehow." A sigh and she closed her eyes to hide in her personal darkness. She felt so drained. "I'll only bring eventual confrontation to the pack and Ashy.. Poor Ashy." A tear, and she quickly continued, yet her voice shook. "She doesn't deserve that again.."
Stalkerchick
Haven't RPed her in so long I lost grasp of her character
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:27 pm
The she-wolf had calmed. Squall felt his muscles relax more when the young wolf's tears had ebbed. Though, little did he know, the battle against her sorrow was far from over. More, she took his brutal honesty in stride. Maybe Squall wasn't so awful as he'd liked to pretend. His tail continued to curl around her form, and Squall hoped that the firmness of his well-worked muscles would be enough to still her shaking. Eventually, her shaking did subside.
Squall had no idea what he was doing. He'd only ever comforted the pup, before, and while Ashy did feel things strongly and passionately, she could change her mind about how she was feeling with the whistle of the wind. Heck, he couldn't even console himself, when he first arrived. How could things be any different for him now? He almost didn't catch Talim's question, as she trailed off into silence. When she asked her question, Squall didn't have an answer. He never understood forgiveness. "What's that? What's been done?" he started, the tone in Squall's voice made it clear he was being rhetorical. "A young she-wolf bravely stood up to all she'd ever known, for the sake of her friend? The same girl who stood by her guardian," he was careful not to use the word 'father', "out of loyalty to family." he paused for a moment to calm his pace, which he was fearing had become a little flustered, gentle as his voice was still held. "Someone who wouldn't sacrifice what she believed in for any reason stood up for what she believes. Yeah, I can't think of anything more unforgivable than that." his gruff voice made it hard to tell that he was complimenting her. This was the only way Squall had ever had to comfort people. At least he didn't tell her how stupid she was being, as he'd done with others in the past. But she wasn't being stupid. She was being afraid - and lonely. "I wouldn't be sitting here with you if there was something to forgive." he ended simply, rocking his head further on top of hers, and exposing more of his quite thick fur.
She didn't know it - and he had no desire to tell her - but Squall was the toughest to crack in the little family. If he didn't begrudge her - and he certainly didn't, no one else would, either. He felt her shift, lifting his head a bit to free her if she desired. To his surprise, she had turned into him. He brought his head back down, extending his neck to give her a larger surface area and slightly drape his head around hers protectively.
"And what would you do, if he did?" Squall found himself genuinely curious, "And you weren't with us?" That felt pushy, so he added, "You have a choice." He listened more to her musings, and replied to confrontation without skipping a beat, "Tal, we have literally had confrontation stalking us for a very, very long time. We all got our baggage - but carrying it together makes it easier." What was he saying? Who had he become? Though he guessed he was right. He had shifted a bit, to raise his paw and put it on the other side of her body - as though he could hold her together through her shaking. "She's a tough kid. That pup's moods change more than the wind. You really should see her when she's happy..."
Why was Squall trying so hard to convince this she-wolf to stay with them? It was important to Ashy to have a friend, obviously. And he sure didn't want her to be lost and abandoned for as long as he was. But sneaking in a one-liner about her friend felt overboard for him. He was determined - as he always was - though he still wasn't sure why.
Sesshy552
That's ok! I lost Squall a little here, too. This isn't the time to be slacking off, Squally!
It was strange, the exhaustion that hung heavily on her body and mind, mixed with the heavy warmth of his body calmed her more than she could have ever imagined. Something that was greatly welcomed while he spoke of things she’d rather not think of. At least not now. Letting out a heavy sigh, she opened her eyes to cast a quick glance up at him while he tried to quiet her own worry. He was right, what would she do if Raphie found her when she was alone? If they could, her ears would have pressed further back into her fur. She wasn’t sure.
“I..” She began, though a pause cut through her voice when he shifted, settling a leg around her shoulders. A quiet sigh left her as she shifted her own weight to lean into his side while he spoke of Ashy. The words both causing her heart to calm though her sadness weighed heavily on her when she was forced to wonder how a pup could be so strong in the face of such.. Her eyes closed as she forced her mind off that train of thought. She didn’t want to think her Raphie was evil, cruel. Yet the truth of what happened today had already placed the seed of doubt in her guardian.
So a few moments after they’d fell into silence, Talim gave a light nod before a small smile crossed her muzzle. Though she didn’t exactly feel happy, maybe it was relief? Either way she didn’t question it. She wasn’t sure what to say, or if she should really say anything. He’d said so much that she’d needed to think about. Either way she turned her head to finally hide her face in his neck, but not without thanking him.
Her voice was quiet when she eventually spoke up, the steady shake her tone had for the last few minutes finally subsiding. “I’m glad she’s going to be okay, I don’t think I’d be able to forgive myself if she wasn’t.” The image of Ashy’s fearful face as Raphael bared down on her with his cruel words would stay in her mind, something she hoped would be gone from Ashy’s long before it left her. “You really think they wouldn’t mind me hanging around? Ah.. At least until I find another place for me. I don’t want to be a burden.”
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2016 5:37 pm
As Squall settled himself more, his paw firmly on the flank opposite the one pressing against him, he felt some of his calmness and breath returning. Crisis averted - or at least addressed. He could still feel the distraught emotions through the form at his side - but they were tamed, or at least muted. In a situation like this, that was all he could really have hoped for.
He continued to shift with her weight; to better support it as well as offer it up to her as comfort. He nuzzled the top of her head as her muzzle came to hide within his thick, soft fur. This was something Squall could do with surprising ease; comfort through body language. Ashy certainly crawled all over him regularly.
"You care about the kid a lot. Ashy truly considers you a friend; she'd be delighted to have you. And anyone who cares for the kid is always welcome in our company." Squall stated simply, as though it were no big deal. It was astounding, really. Squall truly could be himself, and comfortable with who we was, around Talim. His gruff honesty was met in stride, even in a situation where everything was falling apart. At her comment about being a burden, Squall barked one of his rare laughs - a short tone, harsh with the suddenness and unfamiliarity.
"In this pack of misfits," for that's really what Ashy's entire little family was, himself included, "nobody is a burden." He paused thoughtfully for a moment. "Although...when you're ready...if you are that intent on findin' a way of your own..." and suddenly that lump was in Squall's throat again. He cleared it, hoping it was casually. All that resulted in his a voice barely above a whisper as he noted, "I could go with you.." Clearing his throat again, "I mean, I am a great bodyguard." he couldn't help the ruffle of his chest fur as he puffed up proudly with the words.
After a moment of silence longer, his voice dropped to a quiet tenor, as though he were lost in thought. "You really are something, Talim. You just had your world shattered, and here you are worrying about me and mine." He sighed, snorting a little as he did so. "I've been dropping that reality on you, and here it's calmed you down." he huffed another laugh through his nose, twitching his head as though to shake it, though a grin spread over his jowls. "You really are something..." he trailed off, staying draped over her form all the while.
His words caused her heart to leap into her throat and an unknown emotion to settle in her chest. Brows knitting together, she pulled away from his comforting embrace, something she almost regretted when the cool air sent a chill through her. Yet still she forced herself to sit up, her tired eyes studying his expression as if she was trying to find some underlying meaning to his words.
“You would really do that?” Her tone was laced with momentary excitement, though it was restrained considerably. She wasn’t sure if the burst of energy was because she had the chance of simply not being alone, or because she would be with him. For some reason she believed it was the second. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to take you from your pack.” Her voice was losing it’s vigor as she quickly glanced away. She was back-peddling, she knew it but she couldn’t seem to help it. She should just say thank you, accept the offer while it was still presented but the more she thought on it the more she seemed to panic internally.
Eventually she managed to stammer out a soft. “T-thank you.” To which she quickly covered by standing and shaking out her fur to try and kick the chill that clung to her small frame. “You have been quite helpful, Squall. We should probably go make sure Ashy is okay, I’m sure she could do with your comfort.”
As she spoke, she couldn’t seem to keep still, whether it was pawing lightly at the ground or shifting her weight from one side to the other. Truthfully she didn’t want to head back, something that was almost too easy to read off of her. The idea of facing Ashy and Zack, even if they may not hold anything against her scared her to no end. “I might try and find some water first, I’m suddenly feeling very parched.” She forced her ears to lift and offered him a small smile, an attempt to try and come off like everything was fine and she wasn’t going to bolt. “I’ll meet you back there? I’m really thankful once again, I never expected anyone to come after me. For what it means, I’m glad it was you.”
Stalkerchick
Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 2:41 pm
Surprised by the sudden movement, Squall pulled his paw up to let her escape the embrace. A wash of cold air replaced her form. A bit stunned, he blinked at her a couple times when he sat up, turning his head toward the ground, ears turning back just slightly in what he'd never admit was a pout.
As she spoke, he turned his muzzle back towards her to listen. He turned his gaze to the ground again in thought. Ashy and Zack had given him everything; they were his pack but....
Despite that, Squall had always been the aloof loner. Somewhere, he always knew that he never belonged with them permanently. They had made him who he was today, but...He needed to branch off again. He hoped Zack knew it too. He opened his mouth to speak again, when she squeaked in appreciation. "Y...You're welcome." he responded softly, surprising himself by his falter. "I'm glad I could help." just then, a cool fall breeze passed through the clearing, running chilled fingers through his fur. He stood up and shifted a bit, shaking out his neck fur as he turned to face her.
"I think she'd like to see you, more." Squall stated simply. Ashy loved her Uncle, but friends were more special to her. "She's probably afraid she's never going to see you again." A weird expression filtered across his jowls. Man, he was going to miss the kid...maybe he'd come back to see her every so often...He and Talim. He shifted , ears flicking. He sat back down to scratch them briefly, shaking out his neck fur again.
He may have been a loner, but the thought of traveling with Talim, despite his pretense of being a bodyguard, made his fur tingle. He could tell she was stalling. He wasn't ready to part with her, either. He was enjoying these moments too much. "There's a stream nearby, I could show you." he stood again, lifting a paw as though to make to leave, tipping his head and ear in that direction.
Her next words stunned and shocked him, and his gentlemanly smile and puffed out chest froze as though he'd just seen a ghost. She was glad it was him that came after her? He cleared his throat. The words reached his ears before he knew he was saying them, "The pleasure was mine." his ears twitched again, and his eyes got a little wide before narrowing again. Once again he cleared his throat, turning his head away, then back at her. "So...about that water..." he pawed the ground a couple times, swishing his tail, giving her a grin of askance.
Ashy crawled on her belly in the reeds surrounding the river, tail high and swishing as she enjoyed the hunt, sticking out like a red sore thumb. A dragonfly was on a rock sticking out of the low end of the river, cutting the water that ran over the top of it. Unbeknownst to her, her Fa stood atop the steep hill overlooking the river, watching his little girl, who had thought she snuck away from him. She waggled her rump, poising a forepaw in front of her, ready to pounce.
The falter in his proud demeanor caused a small, true smile to touch her maw, a first after the days events. He’d come off as a put together, almost untouchable sort, and even in his kindness things felt carefully thought out. It made knowing she could catch him off guard was a nice and welcome thought. He seemed more reachable now. Yet even in this revelation, her heart beat quick in her chest and she shifted her weight from paw to paw. He’d easily negated her quick escape by inviting himself along.
“Really, I wouldn’t want to trouble you..” She began, her voice soft and not quite holding it’s false ring of truth it had earlier. What was she doing? The idea of facing the world alone frightened her greatly, and after having someone offer to aid her time and again, she continued to deny him. Drawing in a soft breath, she held it for a moment before letting it out, the breath trembling softly. “Actually.” Lifting her gaze from it’s prior spot on the ground by her paws, she glances over his form, eventually settling on his face as she offered him a small tail wag of her own.
“I’d be thankful if you showed me that stream.” It was weird, completely ignoring her body’s call to run from the area, and even as her legs demanded for her to stay still, Talim pushed forward a few steps before turning to angle her body a bit towards him and waiting. Even after every thing that happened she was surprised when the chill that clung so heavily to her body began to lift. The dread of what would come of her future seemed a little lighter, and she felt a small flame of hope light in her heart. She didn’t want to run from him, as much as her mind caused her words to stammer and body to tremble gently, her heart wanted to curl into his side and hide from the world. The small she-wolf went to speak, her jaws parting slightly before she quickly closed it when the right words wouldn’t seem to come. Perhaps in time she could sort out her feelings. For now she allowed herself to reach out and gently nose his shoulder, and swished her tail twice. “After you.”
Stalkerchick
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 7:42 pm
Sesshy552
The change in Talim at his stammer did not go unnoticed to Squall. That was the first time her smile had truly touched her eyes. Involuntarily, a smirk sprang to his maw, as he looked deeply at her with knowing eyes. Catching himself and swiftly clearing his throat, he looked away - his smirk fading to a pleased smile.
"Talim..." he started, voice with an empty tone as she was about to reject him again. Just as he was about to express his pleasure in accompanying her, she spoke up again, a decisive tenor taking hold in her voice. His eyes shone with unabashed interest as hers came to rest on his countenance, a gentle, handsome smile resting on his jowls - subtle, but seemingly out of place - and certainly out of practice.
"It would be my pleasure." a warm, deep rumble came from his throat as he strode forward alongside her, tail held just higher than his back. As he passed, he drew his head towards the ground so that in case she cast her gaze to the ground again, she would see him instead. He locked his piercing blue eyes with hers, and his lip curled to reveal a toothy grin for the slightest of moments - disappearing as soon as it had appeared as he returned his gaze forward, raising his head and smoothly playing it off as sniffing the ground. Was that a gentle sway in his tail he felt as he passed her? He made sure to curve his tail enough that it brushed her chin when he walked past, encouraging her to follow him, sultry as the he intended the motion to be.
He continued walking by her proudly, expecting her to keep pace beside him. However, when he felt a cold nose on his shoulder, his skin twitched in a shudder, and he forgot to lift the next paw up to step forward. His paw that just landed skipped across the ground a little bit to catch himself - tail lowering slightly in surprise. He paused, angling his warmer-than-normal-feeling face away from hers for a brief moment, then she spoke again. His ears swiveled to catch the sweet, soft sound, though it was right next to him. "Heh," he chortled, "Yeah.." he gave a slight grin, swishing his tail a couple times. Resting his eyes on her face for a brief moment - just enough to tip his head in the direction - he looked forward again and began walking, this time much more easily and at a slower pace.
He made sure to walk more slowly - he wanted every minute with this girl beside him that he could get. His heart felt warm, and whole - an altogether strange feeling to him. Even if they walked in silence, Squall took care to walk at an easy pace, more of a stroll. For the first time, he felt like he truly belonged with another. His ears pulled back at the thought, confused. He was silent as he walked, sorting out his own emotions - but not blocking her out either, truly enjoying just her company. Despite his shifts in countenance, his tail swayed gently as he walked, flank as close to hers as she seemed comfortable with.
