|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 11:42 pm
 It was great to finally be a part of a pack. Kumoichi had never felt more useful in her life and it was the best feeling ever. For so long she had wandered alone, only meeting a rare dragon and quickly moving along afterward. Being with so many others and actually being accepted-well, to a degree anyways-made her truly happy. The fact that her dark pelt was frowned upon didn't matter because the pack had managed to look beyond that and accept her, even giving her a high-ranking position. Just knowing she had a purpose, one that involved protecting others, was all she needed to be content.
But, for now she was off duty and this was a time to clear her mind. So she found herself seated in the middle of the forest, staring up at the leafless branches above her. The femme took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, concentrating on all sounds around her; the wind, the other creatures, even the trees. Nothing was more calming than meditating on the world around her. It helped to reset her view on everything and allowed her to take a much more objective approach to whatever matters were at hand, leaving all emotions and beliefs behind.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 11:53 pm
 Annie sat on a rock in the middle of the forest, staring in the direction of the pack's border but not really seeing anything. She had failed, was failing. Where were her parents? Not here, that was for sure. And it hurt, hurt more than she could say. They had left her, both of them.
And then she had done the same.
That was the worst. Acknowledging she had left her sister, left her grandparents. Left the only family she had. And it didn't matter that she'd found a new "family." No, that just made it worse. She was just as bad than her parents, worse even. Scarcely knowing what she was doing, she starting to howl, a low mournful choked sound with all of her pain and frustration wrapped in. Where was her momma, where was her dad? Where was her sister, her long-lost brother, her aunt and uncle and grandparents? Where was her family!
|
|
|
|
|
|
moineau bavarde Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:17 am
Kumoichi had finally reached that point where thinking ceased and there was only white noise filling her mind when Annie's mournful howl reached her. She was instantly snapped out of her meditation and turned in the direction the call came from, "How sad..." Slowly she stood to all fours and turned her whole body towards the sound, an almost knowing expression on her usually stoic face. With a deep, slow sigh she started a trot over to Annie, not yet aware that it was a fellow pack member crying out.
As she came nearer she slowed, taking careful, almost silent steps and using the trees for cover. As far as she knew this was a wounded beast who would attack on sight. Peering around a tree, very close to Annie now, she saw that this was not true and that the sorrowful tone was from a dragon, and one she had seen around the pack grounds at that. Emerging from behind the tree she lowered her head in greeting to the pack member, "Greetings, is everything alright here?" She looked the other over, noticing that there weren't any wounds or anything that seemed to be of concern. So what could that haunting sound have been for?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:27 am
Annie snapped her mouth shut and stared woodenly straight ahead after the other spoke. She didn't jump; she was in too much pain to be properly startled.
"I'm fine," she lied. Go away, she added to herself, and that started her crying all over again. Everybody left, they always left. She started to sob, small choked sounds, and bit back another howl. What a mess! She was making a mess of everything, she always did. "Just leave me alone," she bawled, and turned and buried her head in the other dragons shoulder. She didn't know who it was, nor did she care. She needed to cry on somebody, and just about anyone would do. Just as long as they didn't leave her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
moineau bavarde Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:38 am
Completely taken back by the female's rather opposing statements and actions, Kunoichi wasn't exactly sure how to react to the other suddenly leaning on her. Silently, as she always seemed to be, she put a paw against Annie's shoulder and wondered. What could make a dragon so sad and, clearly, confused? She herself had never really felt a sorrow from loneliness since for much of her life it was all she knew. The fact that this dragon was in a pack didn't help her to even consider that as the reason. However, she knew this female was distressed and Kunoichi felt it was her duty to try and help the other in whatever way she could. At the moment she felt as if she should say something, though it was really against her nature and she doubted she would say the right words, "Come now, you're alright."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:51 am
They were the right words. Just about any words were. "No it's not," Annie bawled, and slipped off the rock and fell on Kunoichi. She slipped down against the dragon, completely limp, and continued to cry, just letting it all out. "My dad left me and then my mom left me and I never met my brother and nobody loves meeeee," she said, not caring in the least that she was talking to a total stranger. "And my sister! I left my sister all alone and my grandparents and I never met my uncle and I never met my aunt and my family is all broken and it's all. my. fault."
|
|
|
|
|
|
moineau bavarde Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 1:06 am
Kunoichi nearly fell over as Annie went limp, quickly catching herself and the mournful dragon as well, holding her up as she wept. All that objectivity she usually obtained from meditation was gone, Annie's pain overtaking her like an ominous wave. She hated seeing others in pain, physical or emotional, and all she could think about was finding some way to make her feel better, "We can't all have perfectly families. All we can do is make the best of what we have. I'm sure your parents left you for a reason they felt was necessary, just as you left you sister and grandparents for one reason or another. And someone must care for you, you are in a pack after all."
Somehow she was diluted into believing that being in a pack meant that at least some members of that pack liked you. She at least believed that someone from Westfall liked her, though she probably couldn't name one if she were asked. Surely someone had to like Annie as well, especially since her coat wasn't dark like her own.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:10 pm
"But I left to find my parents, and now I've faiiiiiled," Annie wailed, "they aren't in this pack and now I'm stuck here and I like it and and and -"
She hiccuped and stopped, finally realizing she was crying like a baby to a complete stranger. Well, not complete, a pack mate, but still... "Oh. Um. I'm Annie," she said weakly, "I don't think we've met?" She blushed furiously, although it was impossible to tell thanks to her red fur.
|
|
|
|
|
|
moineau bavarde Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:34 pm
She wanted to tell the other that perhaps she was never meant to find her parents. Perhaps she was meant to leave her family behind and start a new one in Westfall. Those were words that would put her mind at ease. But Kunoichi knew her thinking was a bit different from others, most wouldn't be content to accept that it was the hand fate dealt them. Thankfully she didn't have to say anything at all on the matter, Annie had seemed to calm just a bit on her own. Carefully, she let go of her, making sure she was stable enough to stand on her own again, then gave a subtle nod as the other introduced herself, "I'm pleased to properly meet you, Annie. My name is Kunoichi." Aside from her induction into the pack, Annie was the first dragon in Westfall she had actually given her name to. That was a strange thing for the dark female to think on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:54 pm
Annie rubbed her face with a paw. "I'm so sorry for crying on you like that, Kuno... Kuno... Kunoichi was it? Mind if I just call you Kuno?" She did her best to smile, although she was still as upset and mixed up as ever. Her feelings were just buried once more, and replaced with determination. She would find them, she would find them both! After all, wasn't that why she'd taken on the role of a hunter? To have an excuse to explore and truly learn the lay of the land?
But she'd never meant to stay here for so long, and more and more she found she was starting to fit in and belong. She'd enjoyed having young ones about while the princesses had grown, truly she had. The only thing the pack was really missing was males. Just a couple eligible bachelors, what did it take?
|
|
|
|
|
|
moineau bavarde Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:08 pm
"Kuno is fine." This wasn't the first time another had trouble with her name. In fact, she really would have been surprised if Annie didn't have trouble with it. After a few times she had learned to just go with it, besides what was a name other than a simple label? She tried to offer a reassuring smile but it was mostly empty. Showing emotion wasn't something she was an expert at, "There's nothing to apologize for. We all have emotions that some times become stronger than we are. It can't be helped." She really hoped that he words would provide some kind of comfort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:20 pm
Annie gave the other a strange look. Just moments before Annie had been sobbing and wailing, and it didn't faze the other at all? Not even the least bit? She couldn't help but wonder if the other dragon didn't understand or simply didn't care. Probably the latter. Best to change the subject, no doubt.
"Have you been with the pack long?" she asked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
moineau bavarde Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:44 pm
Kunoichi was a bit surprised at how quickly Annie seemed to recover from her break down. Since she doubted this was because he problem wasn't as bad as Annie made it out to be, she assumed it was because the other dragon had gained control over her feelings and suppressed them. Unlike some, she saw this as an admirable trait. It took a lot of strength to push down such strong emotions and Annie had earned some points for that.
"No, not long. I've only been a member of the pack for a couple months. And you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:50 pm
"Since before the princesses were born," Annie said with some pride. "I got to baby sit them a little. They were so cute as young ones! But now the pack has no more young..." she sighed. Babies would be such a nice distraction.
"Where you ever part of a pack before?" Annie asked curiously. "This is my first."
|
|
|
|
|
|
moineau bavarde Vice Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 6:34 pm
She was a bit jealous of Annie, she had arrived in the pack after the princesses were already hatched and grown a bit. Kunoichi had never been around newborns but she had always wanted to witness a hatching for her own eyes. But surely she would have her day and maybe they would be her own eggs, "This is also my first pack. I had been traveling on my own for quite a while before I came here to Westfall."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
