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 Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 10:02 pm
 Ciarán was uncertain why he had hung back when the others had trundled away, weary and determined (as always) to improve before their next lesson. Even though they were so young, the circle of well-packed dirt in a corner of the pack territory had been many times stained with young blood, bits of fur and all other sorts. The male had thought nothing of this tribute to the earth, the sacrifice they had already begun giving to their Lord and leader Chernabog. That was life, and with no other to observe he had thought nothing of the tiring lessons that came as regularly to him as the sun rising and falling, the constant battle for everything among his brothers and sisters.
But still, even after their instructor had left and lead them home to collapse or sleep or practice on one another he had stayed. As dark as he was it was not incredibly difficult to do so, and no precautions were necessary other than insuring that his bright markings were covered or hidden. But now the pup stood alone in the circle, marveling at how large it was when not crowded by tumbling bodies. How ghostlike it seemed when it was empty.
Ciarán would have enjoyed the silence had he been more accustomed to it.
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Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 3:29 pm
Where Ciarán would have enjoyed the silence, Verdigris reveled in it.
The "runt" of the litter, as he was so often called, enjoyed what ever silence he could possibly find. "Runt" was really not quite the word for him, because he actually did have a fairly strong build. The problem came in the fact that he was slightly smaller than his siblings and tended to behave meekly, seeking silence and solitude wherever he could possibly find it.
This would be his reason for lingering after the lessons, hanging on the fringes of the circle that he had struggled to fight as ferociously as possible in.
The only noises that seemed to fill the night were the chirping of distant insects and frogs.
It was perfect.
He didn't even notice that his darker, larger brother had hung back at this particular time, as it wasn't the first that Verdigris tried to worm his way away and "escape" for some alone time.
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Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 11:11 pm
An ear twitched with the sudden realization that brought him out of his reverie with a sudden body stiffening. The male was not alone here. But had it been one of his other siblings he knew he would have already been tackled, his father would've cuffed and scolded for his inattentive nature. Dreamers and loungers were no better than traitors in The Reign. The pack was a body, each wolf a part. To have one lag was to cripple its paw or deafen it's ear. He needed to work to be worthy of even a digit, and that required vigilance.
As golden eyes dilated to adjust to the darkness his shiny black nose twitched with a familiar smell and his head swiveled to meet it.
Verdigris.
Ciarán had no personal qualms with his younger brother, for if anything he would be irritated for the fact that he didn't know him well enough to have had troubles. Even though Ciar was to be bent into a warrior's mold did not mean he didn't still have the throbbing curiosity of a crow that his mother had told them in stories. Knowledge was power to those who knew how to use it correctly. And power was something useful to the pup.
He cleared his throat against the background orchestra of wildlife. "You didn't leave, runt?" To Ciar, who had never felt the sting of a mean nickname, 'runt' was just calling his brother by what he was. Even the girls were larger than him at this point, and showed a ferocity for their work that he had heard (enviously) their instructors compliment. It was like a call to arms. To grow up. To bulk up.
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Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 11:20 pm
Verdigris hadn't noticed that his brother hung back, as well.
Not until he cleared his throat and made himself noticed. The smaller pup cursed his carelessness at being spotted and felt quite irritated with himself, but he couldn't back off now. Not when he knew well enough what happened to the weak and insolent within his own pack. It was just the way life was, really, and it was what he had grown with, but that did not make him more accustom to it and less nervous over his own future.
"Of course not. I like it out here at night." His response was blunt and his fur bristled at the unfortunate nickname that he had been saddled with, given his slightly smaller stature.
He cast his silver gaze towards the darker pup, picking out his white patterns against the darkness.
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Posted: Fri May 14, 2010 9:36 pm
"It does not seem to like you too well in return."
It would have been close to impossible to see his private smile in the dark, but the tone showed through in his voice. Ciaran found it amusing, anyhow. He himself was white-patterned, but it seemed like nothing compared to Verdigris. Ivory in both face and leg, with no easy way to hide it, his younger brother stuck out like a dove among a flock of ravens. Not to say that his other littermates were not of colour, but out here it seemed even more prominent.
He kept still to the shadows, facing his brother with grinning eyes. Then his head cocked, his eyes narrowing just slightly. He had formed a theory in his little mind. Perhaps that was why he was still small? All the elders had told him, in response to why they slept, it was to grow and become strong. If Verdigris had stayed out and watched the night...
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:21 am
Verdigris had to hold his tongue to keep from snapping at his larger brother. Perhaps, one day, he would grow into his paws and be as large as his siblings. Or, perhaps he wouldn't. Either way, he was certain he would find one way or another to fit in, even if it killed him. Right now was not, however, the time to make enemies. He would need to forge bonds, to build protection...
But at the same time, he wished to not appear to be the weakest link.
"Perhaps the night doesn't, brother... But I shall make up for that one day, er, night rather. I will learn to make it like me."
It seemed almost humorous, such a statement coming from the smallest pup, the one least likely to become a brute, but there was a determination in his tone, one that he hoped would help him be stronger in the future.
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Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:58 am
An ear twitched in thought of this.
"If you have to learn to appease it you'll never get anywhere. It is not the warrior's way to submit to such things." Ciar quote dutifully, though it was more of a paraphrase of a lesson than much else. But it would be his shy brother to think in such a way.
Though it did intrigue him how he thought he would do it. The male didn't know himself, having never been able to converse with the night(he didn't believe it as a person, anyhow) and if he did he wouldn't be giving advice.
It was all wolves for themselves, and a weaker link only made competition easier. But at the same time, he felt an amusement hanging around the other pup. Ciar refused to believe it was because they were family. All wolves for themselves.
"Why do you like the night so much?" He questioned, the top of his ears softly rustling the leaves of the bush he sat under.
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Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 11:11 pm
His ears flicked back and annoyance was written across his features, if only because he wasn't exactly in the mood for a lecture. He firmly believed, despite his small size, that he would be able to accomplish anything he set his young heart to. He... Just had to make the rest of his body catch up, that was all. It would take time, but he was adamant about it. He would be worthy one day, in some way, shape, or form. Perhaps he could prove himself with his mind, if not his body. But his future was completely up in the air and he was keen to understand that. He was the smallest and did not want to end up like the pack's slaves.
Not at all.
He had to try as hard as he could to not be an embarrassment to his lines.
"Because it is quiet." His first response was blunt as he regarded his brother with a silver, sideways glance. "It is darker... A refreshing change to the day. I can think in the night. There isn't much time for thinking in the day, just doing. Being strong in the body isn't everything, you know. It's important, but it isn't everything. The mind needs to be quick, too."
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 11:44 pm
"But without a strong body where does the mind live?"
He tossed right back, without hesitation. A body was like a den. Built strong and large it could withstand anything against it. And inside a wolf could lay relatively safe from any harms and to keep to itself. The King and Queen's dens were large and made of rock. Likewise they were both imposing figures in the pup's mind, the same level of currently unachievable authority as his parents and teachers. Yet he knew his parents bowed under him, a social system he had yet to understand.
Ciar waited in silence. Not because his brother enjoyed it quiet, because he only sought to appease those he looked up to, but he as well enjoyed the quiet. Somewhere a frog croaked, and his ear twitched softly in reply.
In fact, the pup realized he quite agreed with most of what his brother had said. But argument for the sake of argument was fine with him, especially if he won at it.
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