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 Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 8:10 pm
She had stayed with him because the runt had made her feel useful again, she had hunted for him, cared for him like a mother she supposed. She had never been a mother, except in a figurative way to her pack. She hadn't been a good mother though, failing to protect them. She had failed her sister as well by sending her away. She had known after a mere few days that the pup wasn't leading her to any of her beloved jewels. Still she had stayed with him, traveling with the young mute and half blind runt because...well who knew why? Still he was grown now and she was deeply ashamed because she knew he didn't need her anymore. If anything she needed him, his new talents for finding others, for speaking if only in mind.
"Adam" She barked his name harshly, she had always spoken to him such, except in those moments when she believed him asleep and made her voice soft and tender. He was dark and tainted, he would have been driven away from her pack lest he darken others and destroy their chances at bright purity in the next life. She knew she should not have associated with him so long, but loneliness was a hard thing to bear when one had never felt it before.
"You haven't found a damn one of my jewels! They need me! I've helped you in every endeavor, now it's time for you to be of SOME use to me!" She knew the words were hurtful, but she had to lash out at someone for her pain, her humiliation, her anger and hopelessness. If she never found her missing pack members she could never have the revenge she desired above all other things.
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 8:27 am
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Thankfully for Kalama, Adam had grown terribly patient with age, from the pup that would have scowled at her efforts to the goofy adult that withstood even her harshest word with a wincing smile. Maybe it was the mostly developed seer powers now that allowed him glimpses of the source of her bitterness that made him so understanding. After all, he had once been as such, lost with no family, guilty that maybe he could have done something more for his mother and siblings if he just wasn't with disabilities . . . Even Kalama's jibes about his colors had all but become playful criticisms to him - even though sometimes he did wonder how it was he looked like to her now. He could still see his reflection in water, sure, but that was nothing like the real deal. Maybe after helping Kalama, he could find Venda again - maybe now that he was truly becoming a seer he could help her pain? She was the only wolf he knew so far who could let him see wha the really did look like.
But first, work! Adam was well aware that he owed Kalama for all her efforts in raising him; the only thing that had stopped him before was that he wasn't sure if his powers had developed enough to work to their advantage. But now was as good a time as any, he figured, since he was an adult and had some better control over it. So he nodded to the red femme with a slight tail wag and closed his eyes to shut the colors out of his vision. 'Yes, ma'm! One sec, lemme see . . . I think to find someone, you need to remember them for me so I can see what they look like and then track them from there. Or you could just tell me their names and about what they look like, either way,' he added hastily, not wanting to invade the privacy of her mind if it could be avoided. Kalama could be a scary thing enough physically, what with him being a runtish adult; imagining what her mind was like was even scarier if possible.
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 7:53 pm
She might have given him thanks, or told him how proud she was of all his work to come so far. She might have shared the whole story with him, or even invited him to see it for himself. Yet she held back, she was afraid...afraid because she actually had come to care for Adam. He had been a constant for her since her whole world had shattered and as much as she wanted to scorn him for so many imperfections in her heart she knew it would hurt when they parted ways. Yet she knew they would indeed need to part ways once she collected her pack again, the jewels would never accept such a dark and strange mottled creature.
She flicked her attention back on his words and gave a stiff nod, "Lite Brite, he was my finest warrior, and one of the brightest. He'll be the best to find first, I'm sure he survived...he was a survivor." She pictured him in her mind the pink eyes, the blinding yellow fur with streaks of white. She could still picture the way he ran across the lush green meadow, the way he patrolled his body low to the ground as if his colors wouldn't give him away for a mile. She hoped that once she had lite brite by her side the rest would be easier to find. Perhaps her warrior would even know where the others were, or already be united with them. Her hopes were high, all riding on the ability to gather her beloved pack members together.
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Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 11:29 am
'Lite Brite,' Adam echoed with a slight nod, focusing solely on her description of him. If nothing else, it was a talent of his to be so one-tack minded sometimes; sure, it at times made him denser than the hardest rock, but when it came to setting his eyes on something, at the least he could be counted on getting it done one way or another. Adam felt as if he was reliving the memory himself at points while he took in the warrior's image, and when he felt heh ad gathered sufficient information to scout him out, he left Kalama's mind and spread his consciousness out and away.
There were . .. ah, two squirrels chittering about how best to go about gathering food for a summer festival they were going to have with the rest of the hollow. A fox bartering with one of his kin. Several birds later down heading to the lake for a bath. Many, many insects crawling from the woodwork - literally! A hawk enjoying the breeze lifting him up on a warm draft. Arina wondering about something he didn't glimpse much at. Hmm, maybe Mora was around somewhere . . . A snake hiding in the shade to cool down. A herd of deer off to the west just chilling -
- HeywaitArina! There was something on her mind that resonated with his search, so Adam paused and retraced his mental steps. Aha! He spotted . . . Was that Lite Brite? He seemed to fit the description, and since the male was at the forefront of Arina's mind, she must be talking with him. He was . . . her father? Huh! There were also two other females with them according Arina, one so brown she was almost black at points, the other lime green and other odd colors with black streaks. A family! Adam grinned a little at the find: so he'd help KAlama and get to visit his friend and her family!
'Found!' he announced happily, letting his eyes open. "He's about half an hour away from here, in a den I think. There're other wolves with him too. I think they're his family.' He looked to Kalama for some praise at his quick work.
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Posted: Wed May 19, 2010 5:23 pm
She waited patiently uncertain still exactly how Adam had come into his talents, she had simply lost track of him one evening and when he had come back to her she had been furiously worried. Worried but then shocked and glad to find he could speak into her mind and gain a better grasp of sights and sounds and who knew what else. She had thought he would leave then find his own way, but thankfully he had stayed. They both knew that he didn't really 'need' her but he still pretended too, and she was grateful for the excuse.
'Found' He exclaimed and she perked up with a smile, one of few such expressions. "Adam your brilliant!" She moved to lick his cheek happily and nuzzle him as if she had never uttered her cruelties before. Of course she had never denied him physical affection, it was always her words that bit.
Family...family the word echoed in her mind, he must have found the others! Her precious jewels were probably all gathered in one place. No doubt Lite Brite had found them and they were all worried and waiting for her. Well she was coming now! they would be a real pack again soon, and once they all recovered they would have their revenge. "Lets Go!" She barked sharply and nodded for him to lead as badly as she wished to, she needed him to guide the way.
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Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 8:17 am
Yay!! Mamma Kalama - the secret name Adam used - was really happy! And she even licked his cheek which, since adolescence, he found he really liked: well, any girl licking his cheek for that matter. It gave him a nice sensation in his stomach, and for it to be from the usually sharp alpha made it all the warmer and fuzzier. And she called him brilliant! Tail wagging furiously, Adam bobbed his head in agreement. 'It's, um . . . aha! This way,' he announced, turning a bit to face the east, and immediately began in a lope. He didn't have the fear that Kalama wouldn't be able to keep up; frankly, as a small adult, his strides weren't long to begin with. And a lope for someone like Adam, who could only rely on limited "sight", was also slower than normal.
Still, he was full of enthusiasm and energy. Not only was he helping Kalama, but he also would be able to see his old friend! The day couldn't get better.
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Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 9:30 pm
She was able to match his pace easily her body still honed and trained in a warriors ways. The red on her coat had declared that training for her at birth. Had she been blue her legs would be a strong swimmers. Green she would have probably learned to move with the stealth of a grass-strider. Purple and her tongue might have been softer towards Adam since she had found him as a small pup. Yet it was red and red had declared her a warrior-hunter, just as yellow marked lite-brite as a bodyguard and pack patroller. She was thrilled at the incoming experience, already she could imagine the joy of the reunion. Best of all, Adam had seen family, and that meant the reunion would be undoubtedly more joyful as the survivors all reunited.
Her mind wandered over who it might be, which of her pack had also managed to stay alive. The pups she prayed had stayed hidden and safe, who else? Perhaps some of the water wolves had taken to the lake and managed to escape or been spared? Her heart clenched in sadness for all those lost, but at the same time she was elated to discover who had not perished. As much as she wanted to she didn't rush Adam, she allowed him to set the pace.
"I've waited a long time for this...thank you Adam, you don't know what it means for me to finally regather my pack." She knew they were probably the most generous words she had ever freely given him. He deserved some kindness now that the end was here, now that she would have to sever ties from him.
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Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 4:22 pm
'No problem!' Adam chirped happily, feeling lighter than he had in a while. Not that the boy had felt opressed in the least, no, Kalama was no slave driver truly - even if her attitude usually suggested that he was as much a tool as he was another wolf to keep her company. But seeing her so openly elated fueled his steps so that even in silence the land was eaten beneath them. Arina! Ah, God was smiling on him. Maybe she had grown up already too. He wondered at her state; the glimpse at her mind told him that she was just fine, but he had to see with his own two eyes.
Or, well, you got the idea.
At length Adam's strides grew more eager, tongue lolling as he grinned and looked to the red blur of the alpha beside him. 'Up ahead!' he announced, faced forward, and pushed himself into a bound. Here if he had a voice, he would have barked or yipped with glee, so he did the next closest thing: he found Arina's mind again and spoke into it. 'Heeeeeeeey~! Lookie to your left! Tell your dad I'm bringing an old friend and be ready!'
Yeah, sure, it wasn't a lot of notice, but heck!
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Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 8:43 am
The family was much too crowded for two daughters, and she didn't want to be the one to leave...
'Heeeeeeeey~! Lookie to your left! Tell your dad I'm bringing an old friend and be ready!'
Her head turned so fast at the familiar voice that it would have given anyone whiplash, but at the moment she didn't mind. "Adam!" She barked, fumbling to her feet in the pliable bed before flashing a bright grin to where she had heard him 'call' from. The metal hoops on her foreleg made a soft tinkling sound as she loped over towards the den, sticking her face in.
"Papa! Papa? Adam's here and he's got a friend!" Not that, in her excitement she remembered she had never told her parents about her encounter with the strange-pelted wolf. Oh well, they'd find out soon enough, eh?
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:50 pm
 Perhaps unfortunately for the tamer-colored daughter, it was her mother, and not her father, who heard her calling. And it was perhaps unfortunate for the mother, that this daughter should think first of calling for the brilliant yellow male.
These thoughts did not even pass through Amaury's subconscious as she heard her daughter yell; a life of willing near-isolation meant she thought little about the inner workings of other wolves psyches. All she knew was that her daughter was shouting that not one, but two wolves were approaching their hidden home.
"Who's here?" she asked, climbing out of the cool loam den into the sun, her eyes flashing a bright gold -- and not with excitement at meeting Arina's friends. "Why are they coming here?" She lifted her nose to scent the wind. Surely Arina hadn't invited them.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 12:20 am
Her eyes widened slightly as not the bright pink but golden eyes of her mother showed in the dark of the den-space. "Oh." It was a breathy sound, but pulling herself back from the den's mouth to make room for Amaury to slide past she forgot her embarrassment.
"Adam, mama. And he's bringing an old friend and he said to be ready!"
Arina's patient parroting of what her long-lost companion had said belied a tone of annoyance for her missing it (the obvious) the first time, but her wildly thrashing tail was enough to show there was no real anger. With each impatient paw-step her hoops tinged against each other, though she didn't leave her mother's side to greet her.
But it was tempting. Super tempting. But her mom didn't like people too much, so she had to make sure she was okay.
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Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 9:06 pm
Amaury squinted into the tall grass that surrounded their den. She could just see four ears bobbing up and down, and a bright red tail tip of someone who thought much too highly of herself. And, on the breeze, the scent of wolf.
If Shagufta didn't appear -- and she wasn't always home recently, which Amaury didn't mind too much, as there was nothing wrong with being a wandering wolf -- that would make five, assuming Lite-Brite managed to get out of the den. Five wasn't... too bad. And they, they being her family, weren't outnumbered.
So maybe it would be okay. After all, if she'd refused to never speak to another wolf she would not have found Lite-Brite, and didn't Arina deserve someone too?
Oh don't let that be what this Adam is. I'm too young for my children to have romances. She wasn't, really, that young. But her puppies had grown up so quickly she wasn't sure where the year had gone.
"Okay," she said slowly. She would not panic. "Ready for what, then?" He had better not be expecting anything more than a cordial hello. Amaury drew the line at feeding and housing guests. That was too much like a pack.
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Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 7:08 pm
Lite Brite yawned and lifted his head, he blinked once before moving to his feet curiously. From the back of their cavernous den he slipped out and moved beside his mate. His bright pink eyes were still slightly dulled by sleeps grasp but he tilted his head and nuzzled his mate.
"Ready for what? Whats going on?" He murmured his voice slowly loosing it's sleepy tone as his ears pricked and he looked at his daughter. Shagufta wasn't about, but he had become familiar with his daughters absence. He wasn't happy about it, but he couldn't smother his girls either. He knew Amaury needed her space as well and he had learned to respect it though it was hard for him not to worry, not to want to watch, and protect.
"Arina? Whos that?" His eyes narrowed on the incoming figures and then he took a startled step back confused as his memory sparked.
Kalama shoved past Adam when she saw a bright figure suddenly appear. She ran towards the den gleefully but her pace slowed as she noticed Lite Brite was flanked by two females. One was the color of mud, not a hint of vivid color touched her fur. The other was dirt colored as well, but her paws and tail, and a bit of her face more tiny slashes and dips of greens and yellows and pinks. The eyes, it was the eyes that made Kalama stop in her tracks and stare with open animosity. This was Lite-Brite's child, his child with that muddy colored female, a stain so filthy she had no words for it.
How could this have happened? Why would Lite-Brite associate with these dark filthy souls? She looked back for a moment at Adam and felt her stomach roll. For a moment she thought she would be sick, was this punishment? Had she stayed so long near Adam that she was tainted? Had her weakness reflected itself on her beautiful pack, was that why Lite Brite had tainted his own blood?
She stood there unable to move herself forward or tear herself away, she could only stare, her eyes haunted, her mouth half open. She had never imagined this moment like this, it was supposed to be a riot of beautiful colors, a moment of happiness and redemption.
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Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:40 pm
Adam didn't seem to mind being shoved past. After all, didn't Mama Kalama deserve some happiness? Of course, in his eagerness to please, he had forgotten to mention in his findings that apparently Lit-Brite had a really muddy-colored kid, something that for sure would have gotten her so angry . . . Not that her finding out now was exactly ideal. Uh-oh . . . An angry Mama Kalama would not make a happy day. Nervously smiling, he followed after and trotted right up to Arina and her parents, a little in front of the startled alpha.
'Ahem. Um. Hiya!' Adam greeted them with a few tail wags, specifically the older adults. 'Juuuust in case, I'm Adam, and this is Kalama. She knows Lit-Brite and wanted to know where he was, so I helped her out. How's it been?'
All like this was an easy-peasy meet and greet! He wanted deeply to go and play catch up with Arina (for instance, where'd she get that nifty pink thing?), but first things first! He had to somewhat squint at her mother, though, she appeared so dark in his vision. Dad definitely had no problems: heck, he was almost a little sun compare to the rest of his family! Although a name kept coming up to his mind as it was fueled by the minor musings of the family. Didn't Arina mention having a sister? Huh . . . maybe she was out hunting or something.
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Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 5:32 pm
Though her old friend should have been her first choice to race over and greet, as the pair came over the rise she found her eyes flitting between both Adam AND his friend. Friend. She was his friend, and she was practically a natural extension of Adam (sadly enough theirs had been the longest encounter she'd had in a very long time, but such was life), so why wouldn't she want to run to him?
But his friend. A mingled tingle of envy, shyness and excitement shot through her all at once. She was like something she'd never seen! For a moment Arina fancied herself covered in fox pelts just to mimic the alpha's crimson shade. And those eyes! Not the lushest grass shoots achieved that colour! In comparison her own pelt seemed dark and mossy. The female certainly held herself no way like Arina had ever seen her own parents, and there was the nagging feeling the red wolf was in charge of all of this. Ridiculous, because they'd never met, but she was something special indeed.
And then she realized she was staring. Not Arina herself, she was obviously aware of her own jealous gawk, but the fact that when she reached the wolf's eyes....she met them. The female almost started in embarrassment, and was half-way to meet the pair when she realized it wasn't a nice way to be stared at. Not like Shagufta, with her fluorescent pelt and the way she'd seen even birds staring and beginning to primp their own feathers. But a bad way. As she halted, mouth open and a smile stretched ready to babble on hellos and how-are-yous and her own script on becoming this fox-furred female's best friend, the rings jingled on her foot and brought her back to reality. She broke the female's gaze, shamefully (because she certainly hadn't stared that way before), and looked back to her own parents with a slight anxiety. Was there something on her face? Her head? Her tail? Her neck?
Yet she had a sneaking suspicion what it was, though for her own insecurities rather than Kalama's image of ideal reunion. She knew she wasn't dirty, she kept her coat clean and neat to the point of compulsiveness. It wasn't one of her parents because she'd been staring at her when she stopped. The look on her father's face made her brow furrow slightly, only emphasized by Adam's half-heard words.
How did her father know her?
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