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 Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:39 pm
For Momo it had been a rather long night. She was rather tired from all the events of the last two weeks, and as was the norm for her she reached the end of her rope and needed to rest. She'd curled up at the base of a tree to catch a quick nap that spanned into a long sleeping spell, and was only now rising from that rest. With a great yawn she greeted the night, whining softly as she glanced around.
"Darn it... I didn't mean to sleep this long. Everything's bound to be asleep by now."
A soft snort through her nostrils and a desperate wag of her tail, as if to signal anyone about that she wanted company. Maybe she shouldn't have chased down that last herd after all.
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:39 pm
Risktaker, as he often did, had run out in front of the traveling pack. As much as he loved their company, the idea of returning to their old lands, with all their new knowledge, was invigorating. This coming from the spirit who had at first felt The Way was not one he could bend to entirely. Yet he had come to know himself better in these travels, and through that he had grown. He knew now that he didn’t have to change, that he had been following the ideals of this pack for most of his life. Today: it was all he had ever delighted in, where life was born and thrilled in, until it faded to memory, unchangeable. A building block of character, as all experiences became.
That had always been his idea: to live his life for the experiences, to take the risks that had earned his name in order to build himself into an ever evolving creature, one that constantly strove to better himself while never losing the understanding and insight into his own character that made him strong and, maybe more importantly, likable. He was a sweetheart, and a dare devil. A playful pup-at-heart, and a hardened hunter. Fiercely loyal, and openly loving. This journey had taught him all that, and more. He couldn’t wait to see how the pack they had left behind had changed in their absence, and to teach them all the things he had come to know.
Trotting leisurely, he spotted a creature up ahead. He slowed, tail and ears perked up, but continued on toward it without any sign of trepidation or confrontation. He was old and strong enough to protect himself, if he had to. He just wasn’t immediately struck with the idea that he had to. And being suave was easier for him. Grinning, he barked a greeting.
“Hello, there! A nice evening we’ve got ourselves tonight, huh?” the expression on his face carried into his voice, making his offhanded comment seem more genial than simply spoken out of obligation. He was in a good mood. Why not spread that around a bit?
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:40 pm
Momo was surprised that someone else actually did show up. She hadn't been expecting that, hoping for it but not expecting. Her ears perked and her paws pushed her front end off the ground for a moment with an excited bounce and yip. Hah! Someone was obviously listening to her wants right then!
"Nice enough now that I've got some company. I overslept and I thought for sure I'd be stuck alone and bored all night. Who are you?"
Meanwhile, her tail never ceased it's excited wagging. Even when a darker figure laced with gold and white showed up behind him.
"... Or, I guess, who are you guys? Plural."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:42 pm
The rest of the pack was traveling along as well as they could, but Risktaker got ahead of them. Truthkeeper had taken it upon herself to go get her mate, asking the others to stop to rest. It wasn't that she feared he couldn't care for himself but it wasn't good to put oneself apart from the pack. If an attack came it might take every able body that they had, or there was the time that might be lost trying to fetch back wandering members. When on the move, away from the packlands or on a group hunt it was a bit..... troublesome.
She sighed softly as she finally caught up to him, along with another female, a rogue, if she had to guess. That discussion would have to wait, it seemed, and she slowed to a pause beside her mate just in time to hear the question, but opted to let Risktaker handle the verbal address since he had clearly initiated contact. Instead she gave her lovemate a questioning glance as if to softly ask "Whose this?".
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:44 pm
Risktaker grinned, a lop-sided and cocky expression that was unmistakable, even in the darkness of the settling night. He certainly liked it when others got excited to see him, considering how exciting it was just being him. As conceited as that thought was, he couldn’t help but wag his tail and laugh inside his head, eyes bright as he stretched his paws out in front of him in a mixture of playfulness and some kind of strange bow. He nodded his head to highlight the latter part of the sentiment, then straightened up and turned his head toward the approaching wild dog.
Smiling fondly at his lifemate, the vivacious male nodded at her welcomingly before turning back to the stranger. “I’m Risktaker, and this is my lifemate, Truthkeeper. Our pack is behind us. I guess you’re in for a lot of good luck, if you’re looking for company. There are a few of us, and we walk at night. The best kind of company to over sleep and find yourself in, I think.” He grinned again, ears perked forward. Eyes back on his beloved, he smiled in a plaintive, though feigned, way. He knew she didn’t like it when he got too far ahead, though he felt he did a good job of keeping the pack within ear shot, and his smile was aimed to disarm her and beg her silent forgiveness.
“And I haven’t yet been introduced to our knew acquaintance,” he said, standing next to Truthkeeper and nuzzling her out of natural habit and inclination, “though, she’s appaaaarently an over sleeper. Tsk.” His eyes flashed as he looked back at the stranger, one eye brow arched teasingly.
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:46 pm
Momo giggled, amused by the antics the other wild dog displayed. Not since Safi had she met someone so even remotely playful, and it was a breath of fresh air to be reminded that she wasn't alone in this.
"I'm Momo, those are interesting names... Are you part of one of those traveling packs?" Not unlike the Hamaji had been before the temporary disband.
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 4:47 pm
Truthkeeper caught one glimpse of Risktaker's smile and sighed, knowing she didn't have it in her to remain upset, if she ever actually had been, but she'd still need to speak to him about it. She rubbed her head back against his neck with a soft, brief whine, looking to the rogue with a quick lick of her chops.
"Oversleeping, hm? Well, Dreamer might be interested to know he's not the only one with that habit, too bad he didn't come along with us, but then I suppose he'd be asleep the whole time himself, hm, lovemate?" She smiled, leaning lightly against him. "It's nice to meet you, Momo, and at the moment we are, at least."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:15 pm
Risktaker’s body instinctively moved closer to hers, as if ruled by magnetic impulse, as he felt her leaning lightly against him. Tail wagging he laughed and nodded, “yeah, that wouldn’t be a good habit to have on a trip. Guess we know why he stayed, anyway. Though, he missed out on a lot.”
Turning his eyes back to Momo, he nodded his head at her greeting, puffing out his chest at his mate's words and deciding to elaborate just a little bit. It was a story he was eager to share, “we’re part of a pack of wild dogs that live in the night. Truthkeeper and I set out on a little journey, for knowledge and experiences, but we’re on our way back now. I’m a little excited to see how the others are. But it’s a pleasure to meet you, Momo! Are you alone out here? I don’t suppose someone up and left you while you were sleeping, huh?”
He smiled, sniffing at the air. It didn’t seem like there were others, outside of the pack behind them, around this area. He had been joking, anyway, so he wasn’t entirely sure why he was checking. Just in case, he supposed. Blinking, he drew a breath once he was done tasting the air with his nose.
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:17 pm
"Huh, a pack that lives in the night? Now I've heard almost everything, and I've been the source of plenty of stuff I've heard." Momo blinked, head canting quickly to one side in a purely canine gesture. "Sounds interesting though."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:55 pm
Truth just smiled up towards her mate at the feeling of his chest puffing up so proudly. It always amazed her how much he'd learned about himself, it just showed in the way he carried himself, had so much energy now (Even more than before). She was excited too, to return to the pack, but in exuberance he certainly had her beat.
"It's certainly different from the things we've seen out here. I never realized how much."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:56 pm
"No, I'm alone, I've been traveling alone since my pack took a temporary disband, but it's not exactly the kind of life I'm interested in leading. Traveling around is fine, but I only do it because it's dull otherwise." Momo snorted softly. "No packs around here or anything to join. I don't suppose... you guys are taking people in...?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 6:02 pm
Risktaker grinned, baring his teeth in a way that might have been intimidating, if not for the acutely kind light that danced in his eyes. He nodded, looked to his life mate to check, then continued nodding as he turned his head back to Momo. As far as he knew, they were always open to new members. It was how he had come to the pack, and the reason why he had developed such love for it. It was a good place, better than all the places he had wandered to on his own, because it was more than just a collection of dogs: it was a family.
“My lifemate is daughter to the blood of nine chiefs, our leader, Shadowpaw. We are returning to them now, and I don’t see you wouldn’t be welcome. We picked up quite a few new members in our travels, and I’ve gotta say, I am a big fan of new faces to get used to, and new stories to learn.” He nodded. If he were a cat he might have purred, though he simply stayed with the classic way their kind showed their excitement. His tail wagged furiously, even kicking up a small cloud of dust behind him.
“You might have to adjust your internal clock a bit, but we are a good family. I mean, I like us, anyway,” he laughed and shook his head, his ears flopping to side to side before perking straight back up, “so I might be a bit bias, but I think that’s a good thing.”
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 6:51 pm
"You're welcome to come with us." Truth confirmed with a smaller, calmer smile, as if to balance out the extremely excited one of her mate's. She just chuckled as he babbled a bit, straightening without breaking contact. "I'm sure you'd like it with our pack, but even if you don't, you'd be free to go again, Momo."
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 6:52 pm
"You don't say? Well, okay. I'll check it out." Momo grinned, mirroring Risk's excited wagging with some of her own. "Lead the way!"
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 7:02 pm
“Glad to have you!” Risktaker laughed, nuzzling his lifemate again before moving over to Momo and walking around her, looking her over. He wagged his tail and, because of the distance, whapped her a couple of times before he got back to his position in front of her. He nodded his head low and then looked up at her with a grin in his eyes, though now his face, at least, was calmer. “you’re joining us on the tail end of our journey back. You’ll like our home, it’s a great place.”
He looked back at Truthkeeper, then beyond to where he knew the pack was resting. Padding in that direction, he looked back over his shoulder and indicated with his head that he should be followed.
“How about you introduce yourself to the pack? And then we’ll get underway again. Can’t waste the night! It’s still young, but there’s some ground to cover yet. Besides, I bet they’re all restless and wondering what happened to us. They’ll like it that we brought them a new face to come to know.” He let his tongue lull out of his mouth for a moment, content to watch his beloved and this new member for a moment, thinking about what it all meant. Things were constantly changing, for better or worse, and all he could do was step into and embrace these changes, and see where they led him. Though he knew nothing but today, he couldn’t help but think there was something big waiting in the tomorrow.
Tail high, he turned away with a laugh and very nearly cantered his way back to the waiting pack.
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