|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:44 am
The wolfess broke from the trees and into a meadow. Summer blooms dotted the long grass swaying in the wind. Another wolf might have thought the sight was beautiful. Never, however, was dismayed over the fact she had lost her tree cover. Still, she continued on. Perhaps she would find something interesting in the field or on the other side. She was supposed to be on a scouting mission of some kind, so she should at least make an effort to find something, though getting away from the pack was her main goal.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:12 am
 A sort of muted despair was what he carried these days, dragging his paws one after the another, day after day. Servitude was not in Adrieal's good health, wearing healing scars still about his muzzle, flank, and underbelly that stung with every movement; worse was the fact that the scowl permanently painted upon his face was beginning to match his souring attitude. Now it only it would stop the stuttering . . .
Adrieal had managed a small break while the pack was out hunting, though barely making himself camoflauged as he did so; there was no experience for it after all. He neared the southern borders of the Reign of Terror with a deep sigh, not able to enjoy the sun like he used to anymore. Food was what he needed, even a long-rotting carcass was something he could swallow down at this point . . . a strange scent reached him, fiddling with his memory, and he pickedh is head up slightly with some confusion.
It took 'Dri some time to rememer his geography: Agual Azul was literally nestled right next to the goblin king's, and that was where he had met that brooding girl in his puphood . . . Funny that it had been so long since he had seen her. "Stupid h-hawk . . ." Adrieal grumbled with the recollection, finding his paws were trying to go after that familiar scent, if only to see how she was now, after so long. Why bother? was the thougbt in mind, but he had nothing better to do after all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:52 am
There wasn't too much of anything in this field, outside of flowers and grass and... more flowers. She sniffed one, inhaling a fair bit of pollen that made her sneeze so violently that her eyes watered. Stupid flowers. Squishing the offending blossom under her paw with a strange glee, it was then that she thought she heard something that wasn't the sound of the wind. Pricking her single ear, she listened hard, but the grass rustling was all she heard. Wonderful, was she hearing things now?
Nevermore sat down in the grass and reached up with a blue tip paw to scratch behind her stump of a left ear. When she was young, she used to think a sparrow was following her, appearing at inopportune moments. But now she realized that the sparrow was a hallucination created by the broken mind she had inherited from her mother. It was there now, circling a few feet above her, waiting for it's moment to swoop down when the time was most inconvenient. Oh, now she was thinking about it like it was a real animal. Grumbling, Never forced herself to think of something else, like she tended to do when hiding her thoughts from her father.
Where was she? Emerald eyes glanced around casually. Something in the distance? Never's eyes snapped back to the approaching form. Oh great, had she wandered too close to someone's pack border? She hadn't been paying much attention. Ah well, maybe she deserved it. Nevermore lay down the grass and closed her eyes. There was no way she could fight off a bigger wolf. Maybe they'd be quick and snap her neck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:05 am
He approached with caution, trying to put a name to the face he saw. Or more like the body really, since it looked like he was coming up from both behind and a little to the side of the young adult. Yes, he remembered the dull red, those strange blue swirls . . . But the ear was missing! He remembered now, from that eagle . . . or hawk . . . or whatever it was exactly?
For a moment, Adrieal felt her eyes upon him. But then, strangely, she simply closed them back up and laid there. Aah, but the name was coming back, slowly, until he whispered, "Nevermore?" Like if he were heard, one of the lords or ladies from his pack would as soon just swipe him back away. He dared a step forward towards her, cocking his head. 'Dri wasn't quite sure if he could really call the femme a friend, but surviving an encounter with the raptor did form some sort of a bond between them. Sorta.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:49 pm
The pain that she expected didn't come, though she knew that she would have been seen by now, unless the stranger had been blind. There were harsh words either, just a silence broken up by the wind and the padding of traveling paws. So the stranger was coming this way at a normal pace, instead of running to attack. Perhaps she'd come across a friendly pack border? Somehow she doubted her luck was that good.
Nevermore didn't stir until a whisper carried to her ear. It almost sounded like someone speaking her name, forming it into a question. She could have been just imagining it, or worse still, hallucinating it. Still, it encouraged her to look up. The wolf she took in with her emerald eyes was immediately familiar. A pale green, marked by black on the forelegs and up to his shoulder, and down his back, with the most shocking white mask and serious expression. Yes, Nevermore had met this wolf before, during a night she would never forget.
Remaining where she lay, but with her eyes on him, Never began to smirk. She was still has small as ever, but by the looks of Adrieal's scars, and his caution, she guessed she didn't have to worry about being attacked, at least for the moment. "Well well, look at you. It's been a while, hasn't it Adrieal?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 2:03 pm
The initial response was to scoff, minimized to a soft snort. "As if you're any better," Adrieal replied, taking her comment to be negative - which was what he did to others more often now. The smirk didn't help. "Or worse. You already looked kinda bad when I last saw you." Life in Reign of Terror didn't help his health, yet somehow Nevermore looked more sickly than he did. Or maybe it was the torn ear.
He figured any sort of reunion might take a little, so 'Dri took the time to settle on his haunches, ignoring his growling stomach. The first few days of little or no food had absolutely killed him, definitely adding more of a sour attitude to the usually frightened wolf. That, and having a fickle little "angel" hopping around playing favorites, saying he wasn't handsome among other insults . . . Adrieal had never been conscious of his appearance, but Gabrielle could certainly hit sore spots that made him actually self-conscious.
"So let me guess: crazies lifestyle not working out for you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:21 am
Surprise wasn't an emotion Nevermore felt very often. Her green eyes, usually narrowed in suspicion or dislike, grew wide. She hadn't known Adrieal very long when they were pups, but she still didn't expect the negativity that she got from him now. Never couldn't help but wonder what had happened to him. If the scars and wounds in his coat were any indication, it could not have been good.
"I guess not," she spat out eventually, grasping at the first words her mind conjured up. That was the problem with assuming others would act the way she expected. If they acted differently Nevermore tended to freeze up. She shook her head and mouthed the bracelet on her foreleg, a trinket she had acquired in her adolescence. A trinket decorated with sparrow feathers. Her eyes flicked skywards for a mere moment before settling back on 'Dri.
Never's expression turned into a frown. What a wonderful pair they made; one with a painted on scowl, while the other's features seemed permanently stuck that way. She decided to take 'Dri's words as an insult, but she didn't argue. After all, she believed she looks no better than pond scum. "Speaking of crazy, what happened to you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:04 pm
"Friggen' Reign of Terror happened to me," came the bitter reply. He had to pause and look around, ears swivelling nervously as though merely mentioning the name would bring on him one of the lords or ladies, or that purple b***h's kids. Damn new reflex he was starting to develop was what it was . . . It was also so pitiful, but what could he do about it? Whine?
"Slave now apparantly," Adrieal went on to say with a quick look around his shoudler, voice lowered. "Been one for a while. Some masked wolf caught me when I was on my way to a pack with someone and dragged me all the way here. You didn't mention you had another psychopath pack by yours!" As if it was Nevermore's fault he was in this mess, or for that eagle-hawk-whatever way back when. "Now I'm stuck b-barely living in that place being someone's punching bag!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:16 pm
So he had ended up in Reign of Terror. What a shame. At least that explained his wounds and his less than pleasant demeanor. He seemed on edge, which confirmed Nevermore's suspicion that she was indeed near a pack border. And now she knew which one as well.
Nevermore listened patiently until he was bold enough to blame her for his predicament. Her! This made Never jump straight to her paws with a growl, hackles standing straight up. But even that didn't make her look all that intimidating. "Don't you dare blame me for your problems," she snarled, her voice low. Then her expression changed, a look of pain replacing the snarl. "Dammit Adrieal, how was I supposed to know? We were pups!"
The femme felt torn. Maybe she should have invited her to Agua Azul, instead of sending him away. At the very least she should have stayed put and maybe they wouldn't have met the eagle. Never knew she couldn't undo the past, but that didn't stop her from wondering. Adrieal had been the closest thing she had to a friend as a pup. Something about that fact made her feel guilty.
It was odd she felt bad for someone else and not just herself. Of course, she wasn't the type to admit it. She quickly composed herself and glared at him. "So what do you want me to do about it? Lick your wounds for you? Sure as hell can't change what happened."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 3:24 pm
Stuck still on blaming her despite his old guilty conscious nipping at him not to, Adrieal clicked his tongue and huffed. He had no-one in the pack to talk to - hah, a slave having a confidant! what a silly thought - and that feathered "angel" could hardly constitue as anything beyond a hormonal cellkeeper who didn't like him as much as Kerai because he wasn't "handsome" enough. Whatever. But it meant that he hadn't been able to vent in any form about his woes, and thus 'Dri had seized his chance with finding Never again to dredge out those pent up feelings.
But the fact that even for a brief moment Nevermore wore something besides bitterness or sarcasm made him pause. No, the fact that she seemed pained was what got him, even if she reverted right back to snapping at him. That really got the guilt-trip talking inside, but curse him if he didn't try to close it shut; it still managed to slip out regardless, and with another huff, this time softer, Adrieal said, "Yeah, gu-guess you're right. Still sucks." He picked at a rock idly; the boy still refused to apologize and switched topics to something equally cheery. "Never did find my family, by the way. They all just went poof. Figured they probably d-died or something."
Better than thinking they had left him alone purposefully.
"So, um . . ." Adreial searched around for something else to talk about besides their collective misery. "Ever find that stupid bird again? I feel like hunting."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:22 am
Nevermore embraced the change of subject openly, seeming to relax a little, though she was never relaxed. Never, never relaxed. She shook her head to clear it. Not the time to let her thoughts dissolve into what she called her personal mantra. Maybe she was more mad than she knew.
"Yeah, it still sucks," Nevermore agreed, more just to say something final about the matter than anything. For a moment there was an awkward silence, and Nevermore began gnawing at her bracelet again. It was a really bad habit but she never bit down hard enough to damage it. Heh, never.
None too soon did 'Dri start speaking again, this time about his family. Certainly not a cheerful subject. Still standing, Never moved her shoulders in the canine equivalent of a shrug. "They're probably just far away. Think you're dead, yeah. Besides, family is overrated. They think you should be a certain way and refuse to acknowledge if you are any different." Never shrugged again, and looked distant. Her brother had recently had pups, and though she could hardly stand his presence, his pups seemed... normal. Only time could tell if that was really the case. Sometimes she wondered if she should get to know them a little better. Maybe she'd even like them. The thoughts of her nieces and nephews stopped her from saying anything more about family.
"As for the bird..." Nevermore's eyes glinted strangely. "No, I did not. But if I did, I wouldn't kill it. No, I'd just tear one of those stupid feathery wings right out of it's socket, and let the bird know what it's like to be hindered by something." Though she could still hear perfectly fine, the missing ear made it hard for her to pinpoint sounds when she was hunting. One good ear wasn't quite enough when prey tended to scurry around a lot, unless that prey happened to be very stupid.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:11 am
The very idea of slowly decapitating the troublesome bird made him return Nevermore's suggestion with a dark grin. Somehow, violence eased the pain; if he had to be treated worse than dirt in the pack, well, the least he could do is continue the cycle with some other pitiful, graceless animal. Of course Never would propose deabilitating it rather than killing, poor thing without an ear and all. Mmm, he had to wonder if it was still around . . .
Yet a voice in the back of Adrieal's head made him pause, that same cursed voice that always broke thrugh when eh thought of diong something impulsive. What was it called again? If the Goblin King finds out you've snuck away from the packlands, you'll be dead meat . . .
Oh right: Conscience. "M'already dead meat anyway," the slave muttered to himself.
You'll be deader meat, then. Or worse than dead. The idea did make Adireal somewhat more antsy, and again he cast a pallid glance over his shoulder at some unknown tracker. "Bad enough I'm over here though," 'Dri grudgingly admitted in a louder tone to her. "If I take too many more pawsteps out, someone will find me. Someone always does. But damn it if that idea isn't delicious . . ." He chest rumbled with annoyance at the conflict between his proverbial neck o nthe line versus the bloodlust in his heart. "How long has it been anyway since we saw that stupid thing? Months? Bet it's moved on too, or dead. Everything always ends up dying . . ."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:13 am
Watching his expression, Never wagged the tip of her tail a little. She wasn't a violent wolf and usually avoided causing unnecessary pain, even when she was lucky enough to have caught some sort of little prey animal. But Nevermore held grudges long and deep. She wasn't opposed to hurting something if it had hurt her first... She laughed a little, though it wasn't a particularly happy sound.
Never's sparrow alighted on Adrieal's head and squawked so loudly that Nevermore feared that even Adrieal would notice it. She swallowed nervously and forced herself to look everywhere but there, cursing the damn thing. It stayed there even when he turned his head.
"Well..." She started slowly, getting to her paws again and returning to the subject at hand. "Maybe you should go back. No need to get yourself in trouble because of me. It's been so long the bird's probably far away by now. Nice thing about having wings I guess. If you don't like it somewhere, you can just fly away..." The sparrow demonstrated by leaping off Adrieal's head. Never went quiet for a moment, then shook her own head. "Yeah, everything dies. But today let's keep on living. Go back, Adrieal."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:59 pm
"Mmmmmmmf." It was a smart idea, yes, but he couldn't help but express his distaste nonetheless. Adrieal had grasped the idea of hunting somethign of his own for once like a lifeline, and now with a few words Nevermore had quickly killed the plan. Heh. Plan's dead too, now, huh? The wry thought reached his expression, souring his smile. "Guess you're right . . . God. Was looking forward to it too."
He didn't seem to notice Never's odd behaviors, the way for a moment she seemed ot stare at the top of her head distastefully before glancing about every other place else . . . Well okay, for a moment he did notice. Kinda hard not to, being all self-conscious. What, was his face really that ugly? 'Dri snorted quietly, his tail flicking with a touch of anxiety of returning to Reign of Terror. "Maybe . . . Maybe next time?" he suggested half-heartedly. "If there /is/ a next time. I kinda hope so. It'd be nice to have wings . . ." Then they could both escape the dreaful monotony and just fly wherever. Damn birds. "So, um . . . I promise I won't die if you promise the same, all right?" Adrieal looked her square in the eye when he said this. "Last thing I need is someone who actually gives a little bit of a rat's butt about me to go off and leave me alone."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:57 am
"Yeah, someday. Get away from this place and find somewhere far away." For some reason the thought of running off with Adrieal was appealing, but then she remembered his slavery and the difficulty he would have trying to get away, if he even managed to get away alive. Then there were her own bonds to her natal pack, if she liked it or not. "You know, if we can," she tried to say positively, but it came out rather flat.
Then Never looked at him seriously. "I promise..." she started quietly, then her voice strengthened and determination entered her emerald eyes. "I promise to keep living. And on top of that, I promise to come visit sometime, no matter what it takes. God knows there's a lack of decent folk in this world. We've got to stick together." Though it was odd that she felt this way. Normally she avoided company at all costs. But Adrieal's company didn't make her want to hide in a hole somewhere.
She looked at the sun, which had sunk quite a ways since she last looked. "I've kept you much too long. Should be off..." Her sparrow was already flying back towards the packlands. "You better keep your promise Adrieal." With that she turned and padded back the way she came. She didn't know when she would return, but she would sooner or later. After all, she never broke a promise.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
