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 Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:19 pm
Domovoi sighed a breath of relief, though he continued to be wary of the pair of strangers - names or not, wolves outside of packs could not be trusted as easily as Delusion took it to be. Having wandered for almost all of his life with - he hurt to even think her name- Lemon Lime, Domo was quite aware of the fact that food was a precious and not always guarenteed resource, but this couldn't garner enough pity in him to risk associating with them further.
"A pleasure, my lady," the omega greeted the queen with a deep bow of his head before turningh is gaze back to Delusion. "Princess, we really should continue forward and take advantage of the growing daylight. Must we give him food? Why not point him in the correct direction and move along?" It was no fault or responsibility of theirs to tend to a stray wolf who couldn't even take care of himself. Ah, Domo admired his princess's love for even the common wolves, but this was just too much. They could not stop every time someone asked for food!
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:37 pm
Kai was a generally patient wolf. Indeed, in his time he had been rather well-liked by many of his inferiors in the pack, precisely due to his refusal of abusing his power -- his status had embarrassed him, more than anything. He could also count on one paw the number of times he had been truly driven to anger...but now, his patience, tethered to his pride, was wearing thin.
"I am not helpless," he said, a bit irritably -- it was the hunger, he reminded himself, he was grumpy and childish because he was hungry, nothing else. He shot a dirty look at the befeathered queen, and then returned his gaze to the oddly-marked master-and-servant duo, sensing that he had found exploitable softness in the purple femme. With a heavy sigh -- not having wanted to make excuses but finding it impossible now -- he explained: "I am," he stopped, corrected himself firmly, "...was...I was the prince of the Kapu'Moana pack, that dwell in the secret and sacred lands of the cost." As he spoke, he drew himself up taller, by degrees, and his expression was a bit firmer. "So if I am not as skilled in the art of survival as many, it is because until recently it was not necessary, as we had hunters who worked to provide the pack with sustenance." He glanced sidelong at Penthesilea, and, on a limb, added, "As I am sure you do as well, Queen."
After a moment's hesitation, he added -- in a tone slightly more desperate than his small speech -- "Also...we mostly ate fish."
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:51 pm
With her attention still focused for the most part on the female, as she was her only equal - or at least close to it - among those gathered Penthesilea spoke again. "I am searching for my pack sisters, there is a small chance they have traveled this far after the war stopped." Though she may be looking at a princess with a lowly servant Penthesilea couldn't help but be a bit disappointed by the females insistence of helping the blue male find food. Could she not see that the male was just trying to use her weakness to get him way. No, obviously she didn't see that, but at least her servant - male or not - seemed quite insistent to not help, good.
"Perhaps you should listen to your servant Princess. Daylight is not something to waste upon someone who cannot take care of themselves." Her eyes stared coldly at the blue male, and when she noticed his dirty look at her a growl rumbled in her throat. Disrespectful male, why she ought to ripe out his throat for that.
With her eyes trained on the blue male, now for a moment ignoring the other two, the Queen spoke once more. "In my pack everyone helps with hunting, including Queens and Princesses. We do not let rank get in the way of such important activities." Her anger was starting to show, Penthesilea hated males, so very much and this one was just reinforcing her resolve towards living lives without males. Turning her head she looked back upon the princess but remained quiet for now.
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:24 pm
Delu listened to Domo's advice with a slight sigh - they really should be moving along it was true, but she couldn't just leave the blue male to starve either - It seemed she was stuck between a rock and a hard place, the pleading male on one side, the Queen and Domo on the other. Ah but the males words did help a slight bit "He is also a royal wolf...perhaps not of my bloodline - and not of Queen Penthesilea's culture..but a royal none the less and leaving him to starve might cause a terrible grievance" She told Domo seriously "We already have one kingdom displeased with us...we cannot chance the anger of another" she pointed out with a slight stamp of her paw as she chewed over a suitable solution.
"We shall let him trail along with us for a time,to the nearest river where certainly he shall prey he is capable of hunting. That way we are neither leaving him to starve nor loosing daylight hours" She concluded in a pleased tone "And if he does not agree or cannot keep up then he will fend for himself, let it not be said that we did not offer aid to those in need as Royal wolves should"
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:44 pm
. . . Royalty. He had just insulted royalty. A pox on himself! Gods, his tongue betrayed him quicker than his mind could reign it in! Penthesilea might have backed his opinion, but it was Delusion's word that was final for him. Domovoi immediately looked contrite towards the blue fellow, ears docked and tail tucked as he bowed his head. "Forgive me, sire! I did not mean to sound insulting a-at the least. The princess and I are merely on a journey that is . . . somewhat time constrained, and it calls for a critical eye upon those we encounter." Who knew when or if another spy would attempt to cause them harm? "If the princess says as such, I will follow her word. I am Domovoi, your highnesses," he continued, addressing both the blue male and the queen, "Lady Delusion's humble servant and bodyguard."
Huh . . . so it seemed that even royalty could wander and be alive. Though who would have thought that three could be gathered by coincidence! Domo felt quite honored to be in their presences and kept his head low in reverence. Oh, how he had to minimize himself as such; why did he have to be so big in size?
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 1:55 pm
If Kai could have blushed, he would have been a lovely shade of purple just now. "Just call me Kai, please," he said, to Domovoi, and smiled; it was a genuine smile, and his eyes gleamed with kindness. "I appreciate it -- a river would suit me fine, and I would not dare to impose on your kindness further."
Although...curiosity lit up behind his eyes and he cocked his head, intrigued by something Domo had said. "My lady Delusion," he said, and meant no irony in his use of a title, "...are you in danger, then, as your servant suggests?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:55 pm
"If it would please you, your highness, I would like to join you on your journey to the river. I can keep on eye on the Prince to make sure he stays in line." Her eyes roamed over to the blue male for a moment before returning to her equal, the Princess. "From there I will part ways with you and continue my search for my sisters."
She looked over at the servant Domo for a moment, it was so satisfying to see such a large wolf being so submissive to a female, princess or not. Yes, she would need to make an offer to the princess once they reached the river and ditched the unworthy blue prince - if he truly was a prince, Penthesilea somewhat doubted he truly was.
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 3:45 pm
Delusion hadn't expected a fight from Domo, once she decreed something he rarely argued - well unless he thought her in danger of course, but that was his job. She beamed at the black wolf pleased at his show of respect and good nature while in the company of other royals. She nodded her head at Kai when he agreed to her terms...but his question caught her off guard. "Ah...well yes we were recently set upon by a spy, I believe him to work for the beast that dethroned my family before my birth. I had been making brief excursions to seek help in over throwing him while I was young" Though in truth she had only spoken to a tiny few, though Delusion did not seem to see this distinction "He must of caught wind of it somehow - and now that he has found me I must leave these lands and find a more secure place to raise my army and seek him out" She told told the wolf deciding to be honest with him.
Penthesilea's request also caught her off guard - he had not expected the Queen to offer such a thing, but once offered how could she possibly refused and it would be nice to spend time in the company of those she did not have to hide her true identity from. "Of course Your majesty. I would be most honored" she told the feathered wolf, before sweeping her gaze over the others "Shall we go then?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 4:28 pm
Domovoi blinked at Kailani's words. "Just Kai"? There wasn't any possible way he could dare do such a thing: be informal with royalty? Unheard of! It was just rude to consider a lowly wolf such as himself to be high enough tcall these wolves friends - though Delusion was a strange sort of exception in that they had already gone through several things together. He liked to think they were the closest thing to friends a bodyguard and a princess could be: confidants, perhaps. Certainly he couldn't think the same for the blue wolf, of course, and thus the omega ignored as politely as he could the comment about names.
Odder was thinking that princes and princesses could even have the gene to be embarassed, but this Kai wolf was proving him wrong quickly. "Yes, my lady," Domo intoned to Delusion with a nod. "I believe we wandered by a river earlier and that it was leaning towards the east. Perhaps a ten minutes' walk away if we're quick." And oh, how he hoped this was so. The sooner they could move as a group of two and not four, the better it would be for them. The last thing they needed was to involve more royal-blooded wolves in this fight; quite the opposite of Delusion's thinking.
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:17 pm
"Yes...I should like that very much," Kai said, ignoring Penitheslea's aspersion's on his character, and his relief was evident; he shifted his weight from paw to paw in anticipation, as he mulled over Delusion's words. "You are a brave one," he said, in response to her tale, "And noble." There was a certain undercurrent of awe in his voice; he had certainly never heard of anyone in his pack going on such a grandiose adventure. Things were certainly more interesting on the outside, and that filled him with hope. "I hope that you are able to remain safe, then...and that my intrusion has not hindered you in any way."
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:52 pm
Standing Penthesilea glanced at the blue male. "You heard the Princess, let's get moving." Her voice was commanding and she could care less if he was a prince or not. Princes didn't exist in her pack because no male deserved such a high ranking, even Glacier, the pup she took in would never have a high rank in her pack. That was the way it had been since the pack creation maybe years ago and it would remain that way forever.
Penthesilea began to walk, though she would keep her attention on the Prince - not that he deserved the attention, no, she wanted to make sure he didn't overstep his boundaries. He was taking Delusions politeness and using it against her, and unfortunately the Princess was too nice to notice that - it was quite tragic, she had one male tightly under her paw but couldn't see that this new male was using her.
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:02 pm
"Wonderful thinking Domo" She praised him, pleased that they all tarted forward so quickly - Domo was right after all and they really ought to be moving while the day was still day.She did however have a slight huff at Kai's words "I am merely doing what others in my family should be doing - but are not" She told firmly "But your arrival has done little - it has hardly lowed us at all really and so you need not worry in that regard" She told him in a kinder voice.
"Perhaps you shall tell me of your respective packs?" She asked the two royals with her - somewhat eagar to hear of them, after all her time amongst the commoners she worried that perhaps she had lost out on refining a proper courtly manner - though she did try.
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:53 pm
Ah, and that conversation would take at least the length of the walk, which in a sense pleased Domovoi and in another sense made him all the more wary. If they made too much noise, it would attract unwanted attention, but at the same time their individual stories intrigued him. After all, wandering nobles just weren't common; look at their own history even! Though if Delusion continued to divulge too much information, he might have to grow a spine and remind her that to grow attached would not be helpful to them . . .
But the servant kept his counsel and made motions for them to follow after him, not liking it at all to be at the front when he had been for days now at least at his princess's side or just behind her. He couldn't watch her back like this! Domovoi kept them at a brisk pace, a sure sign that he was anxious to get going when they could, though his ears remained erect in case they did decide to chat.
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:59 pm
Kai hustled to keep pace with Domo, not overly eager to be left trailing behind; the feathered queen still made him exceedingly nervous. He glanced around as they walked, taking in the scenery, intrigued -- it may only be two day's walk from his homeland, but it was the furthest he had ever been from home and that made it immediately alien and fascinating.
"I have no pack, anymore," he said, fearing that perhaps admitting this -- again -- would risk losing him what little foothold he had with these wolves, but feeling that it was best to be honest about these things. There was no shame in his choice, he had to remember that. "I chose to leave, because it was...stifling," he said, tentatively. "But I think they'll be fine without me. I have younger brothers that will happily take the...honor."
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 4:45 pm
Penthesilea kept up the pace easily, staying right on the blue males tail, almost hoping he would falter so that she may yell at him - or more depending on her mood. It was clear to her that the male didn't really trust her, which suited Penthesilea just fine. She didn't trust him either and likely never would - though she didn't plan on ever running into him after today. His explanation of his old pack made Penthesilea wonder even more if he truly was a prince. Even if he did give up his pack, why avoid talking about it when the princess had clearly shown interest in it. Well that left more opportunity for her to explain the glory that was Antianeira.
"My pack is not like any other," she began, eyes on Delusion but senses still open towards the blue male. "We are not ruled by males like many others. We form a strong sisterhood on which we live. Together we hunt, train and care for each other. We are warriors for the most part. And we do not need males to care for us - they are merely the dirt that lies beneath our paws." Her eyes moved to Kai for a moment, a look of distrust and hate in them before looking back at the princess. "Our pack is based on truth, deep-rooted traditions and a female's individual strength. We live for each other, not ourselves." Speaking those words lightened Penthesilea's heart, it was the cornerstone upon which the pack was built and she hoped the princess could find some strength within it.
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