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 Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:42 am
Vera tilted her head in consideration. She was a very bright pup, and was excited by these continuous challenges of logic that Brook presented her, as her family rarely indulged in such philosophical matters.
"I suppose I don't know," she admitted honestly, pondering as she spoke. "But when I'm alone in the forest, it seems as though everything is meant just for me."
She felt slightly ashamed. It sounded like a selfish thing to say. She didn't know how to explain it any better, but she attempted anyway.
"It feels like I'm the only wolf in the world when I'm in the forest, like I can have whatever I want, do whatever a wolf could do."
Her attempt at explaining the freedom she felt in solitude was slightly better this time, but still a far cry from the feelings she wished to express. As eloquent as Vera was for her age, she still had trouble putting words to some of the things she felt. It frustrated her beyond reason. She already felt misunderstood and isolated. If she couldn't explain her feelings when somebody actually wanted to listen, then she would be more alone than ever.
"I know I'm confusing," she admitted reluctantly. It was hard for her. She had never admitted her insecurities and fears to another wolf. Her siblings wouldn't understand. Malexxi might, but her oldest sister had enough to worry about without the fears of another whining pup.
Vera drifted into silence without explanation, her eyes seeing far into the distance as she tried not to think about the sad things.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:58 pm
Brook had to keep himself from wincing at the mental image. Everything is just meant for me. That too was wrong. The forest wasn't like a big playground. It didn't keep any safe qualities of a mother's den, but more a dizzying labyrinth. When you crossed those boundaries into unknown land it wasn't like the stories said, full of exploration and wonder.
"The woods aren't safe."
His tone the most serious he could have made it, the pup stated it as not an opinion to be discussed but a proven fact. The forest was dangerous. Trees, though in the bright of day provided a healthy shade for the pups grew to towering heights when one was alone. Bushes were no longer hiding places for tag but places for things to hide. Not monsters. There were no monsters, the pup was old enough to know there were no real boogeymen or spectres. But other things. Things much worse, that really did eat, and stink and bite and scare. He didn't understand that such things did not happen to normal pups, with families that kept them safe from the things that lived there and prodded them to explore.
"Am-Am I?" Pulling himself quickly from the depths of his memories, Brook latched onto her with a concentrated gaze, anything to keep them away. She was confusing to him, but in his eyes it was not a reason to be so timid because of it. It wasn't her fault, as it wasn't his. It was just a fact. But if she -Vera, he reminded himself- was thought odd by him, it was surely an equal confusion, right?
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 6:14 pm
"Not safe?"
Vera considered this, surprised at the serious quality of the other pup's voice. She was sheltered, far more than she realized. Pythaeon was a close-knit pack, despite the chaos that had occurred before her birth. The only animals allowed in the vicinity of the pack territory were prey animals, and certainly nothing that would be able to harm a pup.
She did remember Malexxi's warning not to stray beyond the pack's territory. In fact, Malexxi didn't like for her to go anywhere alone. The latter was torture, though, for a pup who couldn't stand the constant chatter and rough play that went on near the den.
She suddenly felt less confident, and took note of the lengthening shadows that meant the sun was leaving. The forest behind her seemed strange and new, the normally familiar sounds taking on an almost sinister quality.
When she heard Brook speak again, she came crashing back to reality, with some relief.
"You are confusing," she admitted candidly. "But I like you. You're interesting."
She hesitated, but continued.
"It's getting late. The shadows are long. Where do you live?"
When it came to it, she was more confident of her own ability to find her way safely home than she was that Brook could. He seemed like he had already found trouble before, and while Vera remained relatively unscathed by life, Brook had clearly experienced things beyond her realm of comprehension.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 6:28 pm
The pup shook his head towards her, brows knitted lightly at her surprise. How could someone be out here and not already know? She didn't seem to be alone, no, he could smell several others on her fur. Or running. No, she just seemed....surprised. The male gave a small, awkward smile in return to her. "Y-You too." It was true. She was confusing, and still seemed completely wrong, but nice. Brook liked her.
He glanced around and gave a small startle. She was right. As attentive as he usually was, especially out here, he hadn't been keeping track of time. The trees began to double with looming shadows and the sky a bit darker. He didn't understand how long the conversation could've taken.
"Sanctity Pack." Brook recited diligently, feeling just a little bit better that he was able to tell her without stumbling over it. He'd practiced. "It's..." With a glance behind him the pup tried to retrace his steps in his mind, and after a short pause pointed his muzzle in the right direction.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:09 pm
"I...should probably go back soon," Vera said reluctantly. She had enjoyed meeting Brook so much, and now she would have to go spend the night back with her family. It wasn't that she disliked them, but it was so much nicer to be out here in the wild, with Brook.
"Will you be alright going back alone to Sancti- Sanctily Pack?" She stumbled over the unfamiliar word. Brook never ceased to surprise her. It was rare that other pups knew words that Vera did not. She wasn't sure what the word even meant, but then, she had just as hard a time with her own pack name.
She turned and faced the direction her own pack lands lay. It wasn't terribly far, but she would have to hurry to return before dark, else Malexxi would have her tail over it. She couldn't count the times she'd been scolded for her wandering.
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Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:35 pm
While she spoke, Brook listened with open ears, though his bright blue eyes took to being like fish, darting back and forth every so often at a scent of wind or possible rustle or other noise. As she stumbled over his pack name he glanced back with full attention, first in awe and second in a feeling of slight frustration. He knew how embarrassing it was to not understand the words, shameful even, and was sympathetic to that. But Sanctity! Other than this pack [and previously, his family] he knew of nearly nothing in the world. It was like a foreigner mispronouncing a diety or important family member. You understood how they could do that, and shouldn't hold it against them, but could not help feeling that they were being rude.
"Sanc-ti-y. An' yes." The male replied bluntly, making sure this time to enunciate the name correctly, and doing so with a certain amount of revere. He didn't mirror her question, because he figured it would just be a foolish query. He knew that she would be fine going home, why, she was the one who asked in the first place. Adults asked all the time whether he would be 'fine' or 'okay' or 'could handle' something, but found him belligerent and disrespectful if he inquired the same of them, no matter how harmless.
A moment of silence passed between them and the pup stood, shaking his short fur lightly as though having expected dust to settle while he had sat. "I'm leaving." He wavered in his spot for a moment, dredging through his young sieve of a mind for a proper greeting for the occasion. The leaving of two persons. He was frazzled. A proper answer never came. Taking it only then to be an incident where no such nicety applied, Brook turned and started away at a reasonable pace.
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Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:12 pm
"Oh. Okay."
Vera was startled at his abrupt departure, but then, perhaps that was how it should be. After all, she never truly left her siblings, they merely left one another and reconvened at the den later. She felt a strange loneliness watching Brook turn and go.
She then did something that surprised even her. Spurred by the sad feeling as the other pup left, she shouted out, "I hope I see you again."
She couldn't tell if he had heard her or not, but she hoped he had. Brook was interesting, and nice, and smart. Meeting him had been a refreshing break from the usual chaos at home.
Falling back into her usual quiet, self-contained persona, Vera also turned, and began padding home. While she had originally envisioned telling her family of the fascinating stranger, she now felt strangely private about this memory. She had never before experienced a desire to keep secrets, but meeting Brook had been something special.
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