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 Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:40 am
Aspen sat under a tree, it seemed lucky to still be standing inside the academy walls as there were few scattered about but this one seemed the must wild as if despite the strict pruning and cutting it received it refused to look decorated as the other trees did. In his hands was a book on wolves and their habits, he hoped soon he would be able to go up in level and get a partner while leaving the walls around him; however instead of reading the book he was leaning against the tree staring at the wall with a thoughtful expression. It had been six years now, six years since he had been out of the academy’s walls. He at times wondered, what the world outside was like now and just how large the town had grown since he had last seen it.
As a student he never left the academy’s walls, not until he left with his partner at his side well and ready to fight as his blood demanded of him. It was cold out, something he tried to ignore despite the small shivers his body made despite his dislike of them. He could not afford to be in bed with a cold, whenever he was outside it was under the shade of a tree or at night at times even early morning when the harshness of the sun was still dull; shrouded by the night’s thick blanket. However during winter the sun was not often harsh but welcoming to escape the cold. Glancing at his book he sighed, many a time he had read it but still he seemed not closer to bonding.
He was ready; he trained till his hands bled and his feet made not a sound on the ground much as his bonded would sound like. It was still not enough and day by day he began to feel a little trapped, day by day he assumed many around him would start feeling the same as their bonding time grew closer. He felt that his blood called like a siren to the world beyond every wall where he could feel the wind from all around him with nothing obstructing it at all. He closed his eye then, setting the book across his stomach as he moved and laid down on the blanket over the snow, aware he should not fall asleep else risk still a sun burn as the snow could make the sun worse at times, reflecting like the water in a lake would.
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:52 am
Was that Aspen sitting under the tree? Cassius squinted across the open ground between him and the lounging young man, and decided that yes, it was. The pale-haired Recruit was one of the few who'd been here even longer than he had, and they were only a few months apart in age, but Cass didn't know him well at all. Tucking a strand of unruly blond hair back behind his ear, he frowned at the sky. It was bright today; probably why Aspen had chosen the shady spot for his reading. Cass supposed he could have been doing something similarly useful himself, but it wasn't as if there were any books left in the Academy library that he read already. Instead, he was procrastinating, returning very slowly from a morning class. But it looked like he'd just found something better to do.
The blue-eyed boy smiled faintly to himself and crossed the grass towards his fellow Recruit. Aspen looked to be dozing, eyes closed and unaware. Perfect opportunity.
Moving as softly as he knew how, Cassius came up in front of the older boy and stood there grinning, hands on his hips. "Hello."
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:14 am
Aspen had not heard anyone approach, perhaps the thoughts of his mind were loud enough for him not to hear the footsteps but the sudden voice broke him out of them and without training would have caused him to jump; lucky enough for him he did have training and he refrained from jumping or jolting by the sudden noise. Instead Aspen frowned and opened his bright green eyes to stare up at who had spoken; it did him little good as he did not know this person. He took no interest in the people around him, many would drop out or others would use him as a stepping stone tossing friendship aside as soon as they were given the slightest cause.
Still however there was something of this person that cause him to sort of recall a spoken word, something about a kind fellow that girls giggled and whispered about. A male with pale hair like his own but darkened skin, with a much warmer personality. Yes Casey was it, something like that; but one of the girls had spotted him before and said quiet loudly they were like fire and ice. Still he never trusted the word of mouth or even ink, eyes and self knowledge was the only thing to follow. He blinked a minute before his mind registered the fact he should be verbally replying to this person not just staring at him like a creep; not that he indeed being referred to as such.
“Hello, and shall I ask what it is you are doing interrupting someone’s thoughts?” It was not meant to be rude, he generally wanted to know what the other male was doing out here since from the look of the sun most would have classes at the moment; that did include him but he could easily make up for missed work in a later date.
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:22 am
Cassius' grin faded slightly. "I'm sorry; I can leave you alone if you want," he said automatically. "I just thought I'd say hello. We've never really spoken. I'm Cassius Virtanen," he added, holding out his hand to shake.
It seemed Aspen was as standoffish as he'd heard. Not precisely rude, and only a little cold, but odd. He had stared for a while before replying, and his phrasing seemed hostile. Cass sighed inwardly, but kept his face in a friendly expression. He hoped the other Recruit wasn't the sort to look for a fight. He wasn't in the mood for an argument today, and it would get both of them in trouble. That was always bad.
He had always tried to keep his head down, and so far was doing quite well. There weren't so many recruits that he didn't know them all by face and almost all by name, but from the look on Aspen's face he managed to escape his notice. Actually, the dark-skinned boy was beginning to regret that. Not being noticed was never going to get him promoted to apprentice.
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:41 am
Aspen’s eye flickered to the others grin as it lessened, had he said something wrong; perhaps he had. He was not to good at expressing things to people, after all his life was pretty straight forward in his mind; learn to fight and then apply it in the real world, to him this place was just a small resting spot before everything started. His eyes had quickly returned to those of blue not wanting to be rude, no matter if they were the same rank because someday this person may very well rise above him; he would see to it that it did not last long. Setting the book aside on the blanket he stood up and carefully accepted the other male’s outstretched hand. “Aspen Bard; it’s a pleasure to meet you as I’m now sure I have heard of you.”
He would believe nothing of what he had heard from others, only a fool believed rumors and whispers. “You do not have to leave, if you so wish you may sit down since by now class has started and it does no good to enter late.” Many teachers if you entered late would scold you for a good few minutes before kicking you from the classrooms, better to just not show face. He released the hand after a small shake before sitting himself down on the blanket again, this time making enough room for Cassius. The blanket was just as white as the snow and though cotton on top it was a sort of leather on the bottom, good for sitting on wet objects since the blanket did not get wet easily.
“What kind of wolf are you looking to be bonded with?” A safe topic, everyone at this school liked wolves else they wouldn’t be here, well a few would try and come for glory but they were always soon weeded out and dismissed from the school as was anyone who seemed not to be serious about it; still if he recalled Cassius was one year younger than him.
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:21 pm
"You've heard of me?" Cassius laughed, mildly amused and intrigued by that revelation. "I didn't think I was that interesting."
He sat down next to Aspen after shaking his hand, stretching his long legs out on the blanket. He didn't actually have a class at that time, or he would have been there, but he wondered if Aspen did and was skipping it for some reason. That would be interesting - but possibly not something he should associate with. There was no harm in chatting for a while though.
"What kind of wolf?" Cass repeated, thinking. "I suppose... smart, tough, independent - that would be good." He wasn't sure whether he'd prefer to have a wolf who was like him, who was happy following orders and not standing out, or if he'd rather bond with a more outgoing and forceful type, perhaps to complement himself. A certain amount of self-sufficiency, though, would be essential. "I'm not sure really," was all he said out loud, "What about you?" This could be an interesting insight into the older boy.
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:43 pm
Aspen nodded slowly, he knew he came off slow as it took him awhile to reply to things, but he was careful and weighed everything he said t anyone even if he would one day been a two year old he would do well to watch what he said to even them. Caution, something he was good at but not by choice. He would rather jump into things and ram through everything, but instead he had to weave his way carefully or he might get caught on something and become stuck or worse; fall. “Yes, girls tend to prattle on about you being ‘kind’” His voice took on a disliking tone as he said kind, to him it was unneeded until he actually met someone whom he knew would not be one of those people to use him; only then would he show he had kindness and only to them. “Everyone is interesting; if you do not watch them they will get a lead on you.” He said it in a straight and matter of fact way, to serious really.
He listened to what Cassius said carefully, tough; really that would be what most wanted in a wolf and independent, smart was a given and he had never heard of a wolf who did not have brains in at least one form. ‘How could he not be sure?’ He wondered, staring at the other with no real expression and not blinking often enough. ‘What kind of wolf for me huh.’ He already knew what wolf he was looking for, and he had his reasons and would keep those to himself. “I want a runt, an omega one that shies away from the other wolves and would be willing to stick close to me; I would not mind if they were not the smartest as I could help them always.” His tone to matched his blank expressions, he knew deep inside that he had lived the fighter life to long and started too young. He wanted his wolf to be like this because just like him they would become stronger and lift their head looking everyone straight in the eyes unfazed.
A runt was never picked when bonding came, because they were always smaller and weaker than most; they often got the blame for many things and soon came to be in the omega position but to Aspen that didn’t matter. An omega could be strong as the alpha, but they just did not listen to orders and ignored everyone. This was the wolf he wanted, one who would be willing to always stay with him and give him their all just as much as he would give them; he wanted a wolf that was apart from me.
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:26 am
"Ohh..." Cassius said, considering, as he laid back on the blanket. A runt, an underdog? That made Aspen either caring or controlling; he couldn't decide which. He was bemused by the choice of Omega. Since it wasn't an official position, there was no real way to choose it. He wondered if Aspen just liked to disobey rules and didn't care about being looked down on. He was certainly an odd one, with his monotone and blank eyes.
Clearly a good one to get gossip from, though. Cassius hadn't been aware he was considered kind, and he was quite pleased with that. Smiling to himself, the young man looked up at the sky and yawned. "Well, that's fair enough I suppose," he said at last. "There's always going to be one in a litter who isn't as strong, and it's good for them all to bond. I wouldn't mind having a runt either, since they could always get stronger."
He whistled a snatch of tune that had just popped into his head, a song he'd heard when he'd last been out in the city. That had been over a week ago, and he was itching to get out again. The confinement of the Academy was too much for him; unlike most of the other Recruits, he had no family to visit and thus no reason to leave. With a sigh, Cass sat up, pushing his hair back from his face. It was at a really awkward length - not long enough to tie back, but long enough to get in the way... "I should maybe go soon... I'm supposed to run an errand for one of Wolfrider's whose wolf is pregnant, since she doesn't want to leave her."
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Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:34 pm
(I'm ashamed to say when you Pm'ed me I got confused and spent my time looking for the role play you were talking about before I remembered this one. sweatdrop )
Aspen knew from the tone he was confused, his teachers looked at him like he had lost his mind but he knew what he wanted and he would get it no matter what someone else thought about it. He glanced to his book wondering what in it could do him some good; really they should get new books as he was sure he had read every single one of the by now, at least the ones he was allowed or could sneak out. His breath cured out in front of him and he was reminded how cold it was today, perhaps it would have been wiser to stay inside but then he never was one to care what someone else thought to be clever.
“Of course they can, if they don’t they will die simple as that. Strong stay strong but become lazy, the weak get stronger and keep climbing afraid they will again get weak if they stop.” He gave a small shrug, likely the only real sing he had somebody reaction to things in a conversation besides staring at someone. He did not like the word fair, it should never be used for children it just made growing up all that harder when they realized the world wasn’t fair. “Not all of them will bond, some will be too strong of willed to want to bond or others to scared, and they die.” He had no sympathy but he knew he should since he was talking about small pups here.
The whistle made him look at the other recruit wandering what it was he wanted from all this talking; it wasn’t like he was great company. The mention of a pregnant wolf caught his attention; he hoped it would be a big litter and a good one that the captains would think to try and bond some of them. He knew how to handle a gun, he could shoot it and knew how to hold it then he did have a lift from his father with that but of course they had been fake. “What errand could you be running that would cause you to miss classes?” Yes he had a curios nature though many a time he held it in check but boredom could drive anyone to seek something to fill that blank time. The wolf he would be sore to leave as well, he would hate to think what would happen if something happened and he wasn’t there.
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