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 Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:09 pm
But then someone asked if she was feeling well today, that she seemed just a little 'off'.
And she crumbled. And now here she was trodding her own self-worn paths through the grass and forest along the territory lines of Akiiki Chibale. Mastilan didn't understand herself. Or perhaps, she did but would not simply listen to herself when the time for making decisions came. Whatever it was, she knew it made her seem spineless. That she would be so afraid to come under scrutiny that she would literally grovel at someone's paws or push off false compliments till her head spun and her dignity was a long-lost friend. Whatever it was, it made her want to scream. But she would have to do that on her own time. She was far too busy patrolling the pack's borders for something so self-indulgent and rude.
She wasn't some sort of beast.
The thought brought a queer expression to her face, the freckle-like spots around her mouth crinkling as she wrinkled her nose in a way akin to smelling something bad. She stopped her paws, hesitating in one spot and swaying ever so slightly, like a roller-coaster at the top of a hill. Mastilan thought of the encounter with her mother, an incident so long ago yet so raw-rubbed fresh in her mind. It brought back old wounds, themselves enough that the female was certain they would never scar over. But there was time enough to think while walking, and if possible Mastilan would've flushed with guilt and embarrassment to realize herself just standing there, surrounded by the trees and fores that made up most of the Akiiki Chibale land, and so she started off again on her route.
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Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:58 pm
A large, tattered male limped through the trees, his maw stained with the blood of a small kill. It hadn't be much, nothing more than something to satiate the gnawing pain that had come from his stomach. He stopped and took a step backwards as he nearly came too close to a tree, his torn ear flickering. With only one good eye he had trouble at times perceiving the true distance of his environment. He sighed shaking his head and sat down, looking up the the sky. The stump that served a part of a leg splayed out slightly. It was no battle scar, though when he had been younger he had wished it was, but now he merely wondered why he had been born this way. As a pup he had been treated the same as his other siblings by his parents, they expected nothing less of him than what the others could do and with time he proved he was just as able as the rest of them.
He looked down at the portioned section of his half-leg and thumbed it a little and shrugged to himself. He looked a mess, he always looked a mess. He looked as though he were blind with his pale eyes, but only one was truly useless to him; ruined by a band of Lynx thirsty for revenge on him for taking the lives of one of their own. His torn ear from the run in with an old feral female who has surprised him on his blind side when he had mistaken passed through was she considered to be her land. Since his younger days Akinobu had grown in wisdom, seeking to learn the ways of the stars, believing with all of his being that they held the key to the truth and meaning of live itself. He found himself to be a mediator of sorts, no longer the cocky fool he had once been, he knew all too well of his frail nature as a mortal wolf walking over the every changing and aging earth that held strong beneath his paws, far older than he could ever imagine.
"So much and yet so little..." he muttered under his breath.
He looked up again and scented the air, he smelled other wolves, many other wolves. He was close to a pack lands and he hoped that they would possibly be gracious enough to allow a battered male like himself rest within their borders for a small while until he needed to move on again, searching out new patterns in the night sky, when the moon would once again call to him to press onward toward enlightenment.
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Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 7:09 pm
She only stopped once on her route, to sniff at and then reapply a scent marker on a larger oak near the river. Akkiki Chibale territory was full of them, all seeming to run different directions. Wolves were never without thirst and her uncle Butterfinger even made a life out of catching them. The female hadn't really the taste for fish, it was too slippery to eat and it's pale, shimmery colours reminded her too much of her own family.
But of course she didn't refuse it. It was a gift, a treat that her uncle gave to the pack alongside what all else he did. Who would she be to refuse something allowed to her?
Though she never let her mind wander too far, though she was hardly focused on the business before her. It was scarce that a wolf would just simply show up expecting asylum or acceptance into the pack, especially on her patrol. In a way the female was thankful for it, because it was it was work enough to keep busy and her family well of her, and not so much or so little she could be accused of slacking. Unlike some wolves she knew... But it wasn't her place it judge. It wasn't her place to do much. She just kept her nose to the dirt and like the rest just tried to live life, whatever that meant anyway.
Her head snapped up much like a deer's did when the scent and sound of another in the area were brought to her on the wind. There were several members in Akiiki Chibale, but none of them smelled like that. "Hello? Is somebody out there?" Best to reassure herself of something before racing blindly to meet it. But she didn't herself need a response, picking up her gate to a quick lope and moving along the border lines to where she had heard the noises from.
What she found took her a moment to assess. Colours and patterns that belonged in the night sky, like a chunk of it was torn and molded into a wolf shape. With nary a twitch of her black nose she could smell the blood on him, and she it clear streaked with silver on his muzzle. But that could be easily explained, what couldn't was the lack of appendage he had.
"How badly are you hurt?" Mastilan called to the seated wolf, who, she thought personally seemed just too calm in his state. "We have a healer in the pack who can help you! Can you stand up?" Fidgeting from paw-to-paw in place, unsure of the procedure with which to receive such a stranger she watched him, brows furrowed in concern.
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Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 7:26 pm
A breeze brought on the scent of the female to Akinobu, and his nose twitched with the unfamiliar smell. But he still didn't move from his place, but rather sat relaxed, enjoying his moment of pause, allowing his weary legs the break the needed, he contemplated taking a roll in the grass, what little was there and stretching out his back a little. His torn ear twitched as rustling reached him, but it was faint and was growing louder. Tilting his head he looking in the direction of the sound with curiosity twinging his mind. A strange scent, rustling, it was likely he could very well be about to encounter another wolf. Aware that he was just outside of the packs boundary he didn't worry himself too much, but instinctively his muscles did tense faintly, ready if a dare between fight or flight was needed.
With the called out Aki straighten his head and sat up straighter and was about to raise his voice when the female burst into sight and went into frantic questioning, going on about a healer. "No, I'm fine..." he said slowly, confused at first, completely oblivious as to why she would be asking him such an absurd question. Then it hit him when she asked his he could stand.
"Well of course I can stand." he chuckled and heaved himself up and lifted his tail, wagging it and little and turned himself in a circle to prove he was perfectly capable of movement. "See, I have complete mobility. A slight limp, but there's not much I can do about that now is there." he laughed again despite himself and smiled slightly up at the female, hoping to ease her apparent anxiety that was gripping her.
"I wouldn't worry yourself..." he shook his head and wriggled his stump of a leg. "I have always been like this." he shrugged, hoping to get his explanation out quickly, knowing the question would be asked eventually as it were.
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:38 pm
"Oh....Well, you're certain then." As he wiggled his stump about to show her, Mastilan found herself a little uneasy in the stomach having never seen a three-legged wolf before. It just was a thing that wasn't ever fathomed. Though she had stopped her near-panicked prancing, the expression on her face was one that she had seen on her Aunt Alas' more than once: maternal concern.
She tried to keep from asking too many questions when she met with others, refused to peer too closely and too deep into their lives. Though she was curious about how it came to be, 'always been like this' was enough of an answer. The female, though doubted that he would be able to explain it to the depths she sought, wanted to know why it had always been. Moranna was born sick and weak, bless her soul wherever she now rested, but why? Why more than a cursed coat and a lack of complete family? What did her sister do to deserve such a handicap? But, like her this wolf seemed to accept it as normal, even so much so to laugh and smile when questioned.
Didn't mean she had to, however.
"You're at the border of Akiiki Chibale lands now." She remembered quickly, a slight haste to her voice as she told him. "Is there something I can help you with?" It wasn't her place to both alienate and interrupt some stranger if he had business with Alas or Crunch. Though if they were expecting someone, would it not have been prudent to tell everyone on guard? Namely, her? They had their reasons, and events weren't always scheduled, she supposed. It would've been nice to know if that was the case.
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:43 pm
Bowing his head in a nod, "Yes, I am quite fine, merely worn from my journey." he said lifting his head back up to look at the large femme. "I am Akinobu, a lonely, wanderer searching out the meaning on life through the guidance of the night stars." he said looking up to the sky and lifting his tail. Though the sun shone over head, it would only be a few hours before the sun sank below the horizon awakening the glittering stars of the night sky and the smiling crescent moon that grew larger with each night until she reached her full maturity only to shrink back into nothingless and begin the process over again. It was something had had paid close attention to for years.
The pictures in the sky that the stars formed when one looked at them long enough, the stories he had begun to believe some of them told, those of the story tellers from his youth.
The Akiiki Chibale land? He had never heard of them, but it was also rare that he dared to truly go so close to a packs lands. The most interaction he received was with his game or the rare passing wolf like himself. He shook his head at her question. "Unless you would accept the company of a cripple as myself, indulging me in some brief company." he said bowing his head again. It was nice to speak with another again, it had been quite some time since he had seen another wolf. "We wolves are not solitary creatures, we long to be part of packs and around others. Though I wander, I do so alone, company is very welcome at every chance." he spoke while making the briefest of eye contact.
He never made contact for long, no longer than was necessary than to show his honesty. Keeping contact could be thought to raise the anger in another, something he wished to avoid, confrontation was never something he enjoyed. Aki was one who sought peace wherever he went and with whomever he came across.
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:52 pm
'Guidance of the night stars'? It seemed quite the folly to her, though she said nothing but gave a queer glance to the stranger as he raised his head in devotion to the sky. Briefly Mastilan wondered whether the traveler himself was blind. A look above her and through the patches of trees showed to the female only a day's sky. Night did not come on a watched, accurate schedule, it just happened. What good would be looking for stars now, at this time in the afternoon?
Mastilan found herself a little uncomfortable coming so suddenly into a position of power, though it was hardly her nature to turn anyone away. "Of course." With a stiff nod, the female took a step away, opening her body position to allow him into the pack-lands themself should he choose to come closer. The strange male had gained her trust enough for that courtesy at least.
A thought struck her as she watched him for a second, and nearly kicked herself for forgetting it. "Forgive my manners!" She implored quickly, ducking her head at her own foolishness. "My name is Mastilan, I am a gamma under Crunch and Libenalas. The alphas." The female quickly added, glancing up at Akinobu. If he was to be hanging around for a while, it would be best to show she wasn't too out of place.
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:13 pm
A smile again spread over the starry males maw. "Thank you, I greatly appreciate this." he said smoothly as he made his way forward but bowing his head in respect and thanks. His steps showed very little limp, after years of dealing with his disability. "I am sorry if my missing appendage bothers you in any way. I have grown to the point where I often forget that I am any different." he shook his head with a small chuckle. Any other he had crossed questioned his missing leg, but it had never once bothered him to plainly tell them he had always been this way, never having know what it was like to have all four legs.
"Mastilan, I shall remember that. I give my thanks to you and you're pack for this welcome so far. No so many would allow one such as myself near their lands." he said. He could easily see others looking at him as though diseased and not wanting him around for the sake of such a thing catching on. But Aki considered himself as normal as any other wolf. Despite his limitations he was even to his own amazement at times that he was able to make it on his own as well as he did. "I shall be sure to thank your Alphas as well for such kindness." he said sitting before the Mastilan, his leaf strewn ligaments looking as though fall leaves truly did fall through his pelt during a dark, starry autumn night, his tail wrapping over where his missing leg should be, looking at though his side were set aflame.
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:34 am
Had he caught her staring? Oh no.
"No! Of course not. Don't think yourself any bother. It's just not often we see..." Cripples? Unfortunates? She shivered inwardly as the darker part of her mind thought Freaks. "wolves of your circumstance." As if asking forgiveness her tail beat out a plaintive rhythm on her hindquarters as she looked towards him. Getting past his defect, the male seemed strong and healthy than some wolves she had seen to wander through the pack lands looking for safety or comfort.
As Akinobu sat the female once more cursed her own muddled head and missed manners, subconsciously circling about on the cold ground before seating herself across from the male. Even as his covered his missing leg the female wasn't sure if it made it any less distracting. The fiery red and orange of his tail was enough to outshine even his mercury-coloured eyes as well as (she only knew that they were markings since she'd taken a closer look) the leaves swirling about his legs.
But there she was again, catching herself just gawking at him. "If you do not mind the intrusion," Mastilan started, looking up to the male as opposed to the canvas that was his intricate pelt. "Where are you wandering to, exactly?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:17 am
Burst out in laughter Akinobu shook his head. "There is no need for you to be careful with your words. Feel free to speak your mind. Cripple, Dysfunctional, Freak?" he continued to chuckle. He had well grown passed the sensitivity of words used to describe his difference. He found it worth a laugh when someone, anyone attempted to be gentle with their words in order to not hurt his feelings. "Don't worry yourself, this is just the way I am, just as you are the way you are. There is no need to pick and choose your words when I've already heard everything that could ever describe my difference." he shrugged with a slight grin spread across his maw.
He continued to chuckle to himself inwardly. In times like these it merely amused him when wolves acted as she did and it did just the same when others stared at him slack-jawed and wide-eyed when they realized he could do damn near everything they could and just as well. He was just different, and in truth, he liked it. He could laugh at himself, his difference, he could have been much worse of and he knew it. A missing leg due to birth defect was nothing compared to what problems he could have had, he considered himself lucky.
At her question he looked passed her, though not really he was seeing inside of his mind rather. "No where in particular in truth. Wandering for the sake of wander until something calls me to stay." he shrugged. He had no better way to explain himself, when he felt the need to settle down he would, but that calling had not come to him yet.
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:59 pm
The female was a little more than uncomfortable at his laughter, his lack of caring at what she said(or rather had thought). Either he'd never experienced the power behind such words or never fully understood them. Disgusting...worthless. A memory from her childhood floundered its way to the top of her mind in all it's sharp, hateful clarity that made her gaze turn cold for a moment. She's sick. She was ill. She didn't know any better. Whatever consolation Mastilan had been fed, told, or persuaded into were still only small anchors on a whipping ship. They pulled the memory down, kept it weighted, but with a storm she was sure they would rip away and become useless.
As he began to speak once more she turned her attention upwards, almost blushing with her spaced attitude today. Luckily she hadn't missed anything he had said. Or at least...she hadn't thought. "But...." Mastilan started, pausing to think more clearly of what she would say. "What would call to you?" No food, no family with him or sense of orientation as one would have within a pack. "Wandering seems a fruitless venture. If you cannot find it within a time, it just may not exist. How would you deal with that?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 7:26 am
His eyes glazed off as the thought about the question, it was a good question he admitted to himself. but even he didn't truly know the answer, so how could he explain that to another without seeming as though he were insane. He lowered his head slightly and licked his maw before he spoke.
"In all truth, I don't know..I'll know it when it calls." he said simply wagging his tail. Oh but wandering was in no way to him a sort of fruitless venture. The many things he had seen and learned, wandering the edges of two-legger confines, watching the changing movements of the stars and moon, the seasons changing and the rolling oceans and glittering lakes he had seen. He wouldn't give up those memories for anything.
"No, never could wandering be fruitless unless you were truly searching for one thing and one thing alone and ignored the beauty of the world around you. I have seen so many things, the beauty and sorrow of destruction and rebirth of the world from the ashes. The oceans and mountains, the changing of the seasons which each new place that I visit." he spoke almost in rapture, smiling as he did so. The memories were dear to him, holding a special place in his heart. The things he had seen he hoped to share with whomever would listen and maybe even someday a family of his own and a pack that would hang on his every word.
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 11:39 pm
Curious she had watched him answer, light blue eyes watching his face as he went through the motions of thinking. Everyone did it, and sometimes, just briefly, Mastilan wondered whether how they prepared themselves to talk belied /what/ they were going to say.
His answer was anticlimactic, and it showed in her facial response. The female had never had a thought in her mind past pup-hood of traveling, and even then it had only been to get herself and her siblings away from their mother. She wasn't certain she would know how to survive away from a structured pack, where everyone had their jobs and she knew her place within it. If everything else fell about her, she would still have that.
"Where have you been to, Mr. Akinobu? What have you enjoyed most?" Soon enough she looked more like a curious pup than anything else, and extending her head towards him enhanced the image. A niggling spot at the back of her mind scolded her for forgetting her job to talk shop with a stranger. What if someone came and saw? What would she do to assuage them?
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:44 am
A soft smile spread over his smokey maw, oh what a wonderful questions, but so many answers he could give to the femme. The northern lights of the far north were a shimmering ribbon of colors filled the sky? The great frozen waterfalls of the north, looking at though they were frozen in time. The great sea of the west, the soft sand beneath his paws, the water stretching out farther than the eye could ever begin to comprehend. The two-legger settlements filled with the people, their tamed 'dogs' running at their heels and playing with the young ones. Too many places, so many memories, how to choose?
"I believe, I have seen too many places to just choose one.." he chuckled lightly, his pale eye glittering with the memories just drifting through his minds eye. "But, with the many places I have been the things I have seen...the beauty, the destruction, the rebirth of it all, I never cease to be amazed as I wander. From what the arctic wolves call the aurora borealis the great northern light, a great massive river it seems in the sky made of light, shimmering with the colors of the world, with reds and blues and purples and faint tinges of green and yellow, waving like a banner over your head, lighting the world around you in it's mysterious glow. That I believe must be one of the most amazing things I have ever seen." he sighed closing his eyes to see it again, the great beauty of it as he stood nearly chest deep in thick snow, his breath rising in tendrils above his head. It was a memory he wished to hold onto until his dying day.
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