|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:54 pm
 What was worth the varieties of his pelt when it meant disablements, horrid luck, and an empty stomach? Not that Adam had a clue of what he looked like beyond vague gradients, stripes, and the occasional spots on his tail - all in grayscale to his darkened eyes, pitch-black and nearly useless to him. Mute! Mute and incapable of calling for his family, for his warm mother's warm flank, unknown siblings pressed against him on both sides, and who knew who else surrounding them? But now, by now choice of his own, through no explanation he could conjure, he was alone.
And he was hungry. There was a term for mute, half-blind, isolated pups: dead meat walking.
Adam's only luck so far was that he was old enough to at least try and hunt for himself, but for the most part he had been fending on the scraps of others who were kind enough to give a glance. Several indeed had tried to adopt him, but he had been very stubborn against the pity action; that, and they had been mainly natural colored wolves he could barely see as it was. He didn't like the smell of them anyway. ah, the second so-called blessings of his other impairments: strangely heightened hearing and smelling. Sometimes he wondered if there had been a seer of shaman in his bloodline, because at times the pup was absolutely certain he could regard a wolf's character merely by listening to their voice or smelling them. Too crazy . . .
But at least they could help him hunt. It was dusk by the time Adam roussed himself from within the hole he had dug for himself under thick tree roots for safety. Darkness was easiest for him to hunt by, since the backdrop was usually darker than the animal. Of course if he happened to try and hunt something black-colored, well . . . out of luck. He poked his nose through to make sure nothing was near, and then crept out, shook some of the dirt from his fur, and opened his eyes.
The expanse was a warm gray, descending quickly into blackness. Trees that bent slightly with the wind appeared as smears on the canvas of his vision, flickering like shadows with their movement before melding back into the inky plain. Adam was determined not to go hungry today, having failed the day before as well in catching a meal, and yet nothing seemed about to track. He lifted his head and began to sniff as the wind came.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 4:22 pm
Kalama had wandered endlessly, far from her original home her bright jewel green eyes had taken in sight after sight. She had often paused to gaze at her reflection her lips raising in a silent snarl. She had the fire red of her mother splashed over her, the beautiful snow white of her father...but her legs...they had darkened with age. The idea that she had failed her pack, that she was being punished by the higher powers was always with her. A monster had violated her, and now her fur was darkening to show others that she was no longer pure. She wondered if her beloved sister was turning lighter? If the browns had faded away leaving her a beautiful autumn orange, a huntress through and through.
She jerked away from the water with an angry snarl finally ripping free from her throat. With a powerful leap she was across the water running, but she could never run far or fast enough to escape the past. How many still lived? Did they search for her too? She remembered the beautiful coats, brilliant greens and yellows, oranges and hues or purple or red. If only she could go back...fix things, make them the way they were supposed to be. The tall alpha paused her nose twitching and she looked hopefully about, the sound was small perhaps a pup? Her eyes searched for brightness equal or brighter then her own. Her eyes narrowed and she snorted in familiar disappointment, a dark pup was ahead.
Still, she supposed she would have to at least ask the runt if he had spotted any brighter wolves. She wondered idly where the pups parents were, but that wasn't her concern, her concern was for her pack, the pups who needed her most.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 4:48 pm
Pawsteps were like thudding, mute booms in his eardrums with such a silence in the dusk, the vibrations felt through his limbs. He paused and froze like ice, the absolute stillness from too much practice - too much fear in the past, anxiety doubled for his life since there was no-one to watch over him now. Pawsteps . . . Adam analyzed the sounds:
Behind. Wearied. Heavy - adult's. Casual - not hidden. Therefore, simply walking. But walking towards him. The wind blew from behind as well, carrying the scent; he inhaled deeply: there seemed to be the scent of bitterness there, like rotten plants left in the human's gardens he sometimes sniffed. Something vaguely like smoke as well, or perhaps it was only dust carried from many travels. As good as his nose was, it could confuse things.
Regardless, he was being approached, and he had the luck of not having the ability to blend in. Adam had to assume he had been seen and turned towards the sound, blackened eyes finding it a tad hard to make out the outline of the wolf against what was supposed to be a reddish sky. What allowed him reference to the thing's head were two bright orbs of what he thought was green; rather bright green at that. But what did it want with him? Out of instinct the pup tried to make himself look bigger, huffing air into his chest and standing as straight as he could on tiny limbs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:28 am
Kalama found it hard not to smirk as the pup puffed himself up, did he really think to try and intimidate her? Well at least he had spirit, even if he was a dark ugly mottled thing...her nose wrinkled slightly. She did find something pretty in the patterns, but she was so used to the pack mindset that she dismissed it.
"Calm little one, I have no quarrel with you unless you align yourself with my enemies. I seek only others of my pack, lost, alone, and scattered, have you seen any bright wolves? Wolves who's colors match the grass, the sky, and the sun?"
She wondered again where the pups parents were, perhaps the adults would be a better source of information. Her emerald eyes met his obsidian ones and she frowned slightly, his gaze was so very dark. For a moment she was painfully reminded of the past, she sat back and took a deep breath. "Or perhaps I could speak to your parents?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:56 pm
Somehow, he knew that the gaze fell a little heavily upon him. Weary like the paws, too, and perhaps . . . he was always quick to say that looks were somewhat scornful or piteous most of the time when he was involved, so Adam tried his best not to pass the same judgment with this one. Yet at the same time, this case might very well be right. He was quite indignant that the older one’s tone almost chided him for trying to act tough and snorted, ears tilted back a tad. What else was he supposed to do after all, stand still like a helpless newborn and hope he wouldn’t get snapped up by some starved wolf?
Hmph . . . Parents? Hah. The pup shook his head slightly, still a little wary of the other wolf. This was a tad confusing, as his system for wolves with questions would be to somehow convey to them to ask only one at a time; unfortunately, he might have accidentally answered both with his singular gesture, even though he had in fact seen a few strangely colored wolves before from a distance. Hmm . . .
Might as well try. Adam opened his mouth and tried to speak a word, but all that came out was hot air and perhaps something like a soft, strangled gurgle. Almost like a very soft and half-hearted scream. He quickly shut his mouth with bitter embarrassment and looked away into the gray-black gradiant sky – more towards darker gray now, he realized. Night would soon be upon them. His stomach growled imperiously, and he scowled down at its timing. Would the older one take this as a sign of weakness as well?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:09 pm
Her head tilted then the sound was vaguely familiar, the sound of one who could not speak. Her nose wrinkled with distaste, just her luck to find a pup who couldn't even answer her questions. She glanced around again and her nose wriggled slightly. Odd...he was alone, all alone, like her...but no she was full grown and capable of protecting herself. Though...she had failed to protect her pack, the bitter thought battered against her mind.
She growled softly. "Can't speak, and no parents..." She bent her head down closer and frowned at the soft grumble his stomach made.
"Hungry too I suppose? Come on, I'll get you some food, and then you'll figure out a way to give me some answers, fair trade." She turned and walked away either confident the pup would follow or uncaring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:56 am
God, but she said it as though it was his fault he was hungry! . . . Well all right, maybe so. But that also wasn’t his fault at the same time! God! A few bitter thoughts scrawled across his mind as Adam followed at her heels, finding that the darker it was, the more easily he could see this one’s pelt. Right now, it was set at a sort of dusky reddish-brown, growing brighter the more he tilted his head up; still, the two specks of bright green were a good enough guide.
Least she was nice enough to give him food. Though how was he supposed to convey to her that he needed one question only at a time to answer for the communication to be effective? Hopefully this one was smart enough to think about that on her own . . . Adults were intelligent, right? His stomach growled again, softer and more hopeful. The Warmth ‘s– Mother’s – voice rang in his ears: “Always show respect for kindness, for one day the kindness will be returned in respect.” Her and her strange phrases . . . But the adult was being all bitter about him for no reason! he argued. And still it left him the same answer as always from the memories of his mother. God . . . As a compromise, he briefly nudged his head against her thigh with a slight nod, and then went on as though the action hadn’t occurred, nostrils flared and mouth open to take in scents, ears tilted about for the breaking of branches, or –
The crackle of leaves, eventually, for a minute second. There was a slight breeze about to play with the trees, yes, but this one sound was entirely different from the wind’s work. Adam frowned a tad and prodded at the wolf’s leg (a tad of the stomach to be exact, his aim was off) to make her pause, turned immediately towards the sound. It didn’t sound very heavy, otherwise the crackling would have been louder. Something light, like a squirrel or a bird, he thought; not filled with much of a meal. Flighty while on its own seach for grub.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 10:22 pm
The nudge against her leg made her pause, she looked down at the pup and for a moment warmth filled her chest. She remembered the bright balls of fur born to the pack not even a few days before the attack. Had they survived? Were they somewhere alone now too? She hoped some stranger had found them and helped them, cared for them, loved them. Was this pup any different for his dark coat?
Her ears perked then and she felt the nudge and nodded. "Squirrel...but maybe a rabbit warren...stay here." She didn't mean for her voice to sound so harsh but the last words she had spoken to her pack had been the yelling of orders, snarls of battle, and then the fight with the monster, and since then...the endless search. Her voice now had lost it's once kind inflections.
She slipped into the forest and felt her lips raise above her fangs, she disliked the forest, she who was used to the wide open meadow. Still she knew how to listen and feel for a rabbit warren. In no time she returned to pup two fat rabbits dangling from her jaws and a tiny one resting on her tongue. She dropped them all infront of the pup. "Well...eat up..." She stood then watching for a moment before looking around, hopeful for a bright flash of color.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:01 pm
Adam stared at her for a moment - more like stared at the feast before him. Never had he seen someone hunt as quickly as this one did, not even Mother could compare. Poor thing was always tired keeping after six pups . . . And then the delicious scent of the hares washed out whatever other thoughts he had and, with a gleeful, quiet exhuberance he nipped the nearest and largest of the two adult hares and went on devouring it ravenously.
Nearly choking a few times didn't stop the boy from really going at his meal, though, and with time he had to pause to take a breath, stomach full but the pangs of hunger still an echo in his memory. The hare was about two-thirds finished, and he nudged it protectively behind his paws - just in case the other wolf had funny ideas. Funny how even when grateful, instinctive habits could rule him.
Darker still it grew, and it was becoming easier to see her in his vision. The reddish brown stayed for the most part, but at last Adam was able to begin picking out white instead of gray, red instead of just more rust, even a little orange if his eyes didn't decieve him. More colorful than he first thought. Perhaps that was how all impressions worked; maybe first ones weren't always right . . . Feeling that the food had to be repayed now, the pup sat up and gave her an expectant stare, inclinging his head as if silently telling her that he could answer any question she wanted to give him. But how to tell her that he had indeed once spotted very bright colored wolves?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:57 am
Kalama had to hold back a small smirk as the pup went at the food, no doubt he had been hungry. She felt another surge of pain, she would want the colorful pups of her pack taken care of. She would not deny this dark mottled pup care simply because of his coat...once he was old enough he could go his own way.
"Good hmm?" She almost laughed at the way he pulled the meat close, as if he could stop her from taking it if she had any inclination to do so. Still it meant he had spirit, and that was good enough for now. Maybe she needed a fresh perspective.
"So, it's clear now, you have no parents. Have you seen any bright wolves though?" She looked at the pup hope in her eyes, all she needed was to find one for her spirits to be renewed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:33 pm
Ah thank God, a simple yes or no! So the adult did have other smarts besides being a quick and efficient hunter. Thus Adam bobbed his head numerous times in response when he noted the glint of light in those already bright green eyes, hope something he was familiar with; he had seen many different wolves when alone before, those that happened to stick out easy to identify against a bland background. Of course, most he didn't go off to associate with, but that wasn't what the question was about, now was it?
Only now did Adam remember that this one had mentioned packs earlier. Maybe that would expplain how even though the pawsteps he had heard were weary, the wolf beforeh im still held a dignified air about her. So he was sitting and dining maybe with . . . an alpha? Is that was Mother said they were called? With that realization, the pup bowed his head reverently for a few moments, then licked his lips and went on to clear the last of the hare's meat. The more he ate, the sleepier he felt, and in a loner's desperation he was forcing himself to trust this female even before he knew her name. Well, if he got killed overnight, least it'd be with a full stomach!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:47 pm
Kalama felt herself tremor with excitement at the pups nodding and she smiled brightly. At last a hint of something! She knew she shouldn't let herself get too excited, after all many wolves were bright, not all had been jewels. She blinked as the pup blinked and realized he must be tired.
Tired...yes she was tired as well. She sighed down at the pup.
"Well I'm Kalama...but I doubt it matters much to you seeing as you can't call for me. If you do need me, whap your tail on the ground hard five times...I'll know then. I suppose you need a name though...runt. Runt will have to do for now, listen..you..your...well how would you like..."
Hmmm this was hard, she tilted her head. "Come with me? We'll travel together? I'll help you, and you help me?" Simple enough, the pup could give his yay or nay.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:06 pm
Hmm, sounded right enough. A deal like that was something better than he could possibly imagine from any wolf. But . . . When this adult, this Kalama said the code would be five thumps of his tail, Adam shook his head and instead hit his paw lightly upon the ground three times. It was easier, shorter, and quicker to do than anything with his tail for the little one. Plus, three was a lucky number for him: like the Holy Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Was God watching him now, sending him this beacon of hope as a sign? But the lighthouse was a bit worn at the edges herself . . .
Still, Adam could hear the smile in Kalama's voice and that was enoug hto blunt most of the indignity he felt about being called" runt". It was beginning to grow late anyway, so he wasn't sure if she would be able to read his lips as well in the coming darkness. Runt it was. Nodding to Kalama at the last question, the pup began to dig a little hole to bury the finished carcass, doing his best to show no exhaustion in his limbs. He had almost turned nocturnal in his paranoia to stay alive and the least he coudl do was set a watch, no?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:35 pm
"Alright then, a triple paw hit it is runt. We'll make a team you and I..." She trailed off and blinked laughing softly as he dug. "Don't bother runt, those scraps won't taste half as good come morning, leave them to the scavangers. We'll get you something more filling at dawn." He grinned and leaned down gently picking him up by the scruff and carrying him.
She moved towards a small open cavern and set him down. "Don't worry, I won't haul you around like that...I just thought speed was a bit prudent considering how tired we probably both are." She dipped her muzzle in a soft apology with a small smile flicking at her lips. It made her eyes brighter, this newfound hope, and she felt strange with things like smiles and laughter finally a part of her life again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:37 pm
Good girl for agreeing! Guess first impressions weren't the best after all indeed; probably imagined all those thigns about being looked down upon, not uncommon for the tightly-wound little pup. Adam was still pretty reluctant to leave his meal behind, though, quite sure that even if it was stale come morning he would be more than ready to gobble the rest of the meat up. But he didn't fight once Kalama plucked him from the ground, hanging there limply and tilting his head this way and that to watch as the shadows of trees rushed past them. He yawned once or twice on the short journey.
Upon arriving at the stone den, the pup was hit with a deep sense of familiarity. Caves were safe. Caves were usually dry. Caves, like Home. Home, where Mother and him and the others were . . . It seemed like such a long time ago, even thoug hit had truly only been a month, maybe a month and a half ago since the fire. Adam instantly relaxed ocne they were inside, black eyes gleaming in the darkness as he nestled to Kalama's side, yawning. A fully belly and no need to stay up? God was answering his prayers at last . . .
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
