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 Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 1:49 pm
 It had been quite some time since Orithia had been able to thoroughly stretch her legs and run about. Her recent fight with Enyo had left her injured and while the wounds had healed a great deal the scars were still there to speak of what had happened. Well her scars had healed, but she wasn't certain about her sisters. Enyo had not been physically injured per se, but her pride had been damaged by losing the fight and then being ordered to become Orithia's personal guard, which was an idea even Orithia herself was getting used to. Fact was, she didn't like the idea of her sister watching over her, as it left her open for any future attacks. Would Enyo be so foolish to try again? Perhaps, but Orithia kept her guard up at all times and tried to avoid her sister as much as possible - something that Enyo seemed to be grateful for.
Today she had decided to get some fresh air, separate herself from the pack and take the time to think on some things - mainly her future. She had been sworn in as second Alpha, though her mother was the one everyone went to for now, Orithia filled in when Penthesilea was absent. But there was so much responsibility set upon her. Responsibility she could handle, she had been groomed since birth to fulfill this role, but even her mother took breaks from the pack now and then to get away from it all, especially under stressful times. So that is what she was doing today. And the best place to get away from the pack was to go and visit their southern allies, where life seemed so much simpler at times. Padding towards the border Orithia kept an eye out for whomever was out doing patrols today.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:07 pm
 Apollo had found boarder patrols to be one of his more favorite duties and had taken to doing them every few days - it just so happened that today was one of those days and the teen was ambling along humming a bright tune when a familiar scent wafted in his direction - the scent came from somewhat outside the boarders but Apollo merely altered his path to meet her.
He doubted his father would be thrilled to find him paling around with the Princess of the northern pack - but well what were the odds of him coming along - it wasn't like he was going to join the pack and Orithia had never tried to treat him as anything lesser...Apollo rather liked her, she was different from the girls his age at home. "Orithia?" He called out ahead - he hadn't spotted her yet but he was sure she was close by.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:16 pm
Orithia recognized that voice instantly. He had been the one to greet her last time she had wandered down this way, though as she recalled it hadn't started out all that well due to a misunderstanding about Alcinoe, but since the bear hadn't come this time there was no need to worry about such things. Adjusting her course slightly Orithia padded forward to meet him. "Apollo." She said as he came into view. "I didn't expect to see you out here." That was a partial truth, she had figured that at some point she would run into one of the wolves from the pack but hadn't imagined it would be him. She was pleasantly surprised by this.
Bringing her paws to a stop, she gave him a quick glance. He had grown a bit more since the last time she had seen him and while she would likely never admit it she though his coloring was quite handsome.
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 2:36 pm
Stopping only a few feet from the other wolf he gave her a grin "Well...in the list of pack duties that need tending to, boarder patrol is one of my favorites" He admitted "It's rather peaceful out here away from the others from time to time" Sure he loved his family but it was a rather large family and it was almost guaranteed that at some point in the day one of his brothers of one of Merrill's girls would have some sort of dramatic emergency that ...wasn't really an emergency at all but more of an annoyance.
"But I could say likewise to you - I wasn't expecting to run across you today either" He told her, or at least his grandmother hadn't told him to be on the lookout for visitors from the north - and she normally did if they knew someone was coming. Now that the pleasantries were out of the way Apollo inspected Orithia more closely - she looked different, sure she'd grown but that wasn't what stuck out...no it was a nasty looking recently healed wound on her shoulder that caught his attention. "Who did that to you?" He demanded after a few moments of gaping at it "It was that bear wasn't it? Merrill alway told me bears couldn't be trusted!"
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 2:57 pm
Orithia let a small smile cross her maw. "Yes I can understand that. Getting away from the others in ones pack can be a rare treat at times." It was incredibly difficult for her to get away, as there were generally duties, training or other things holding her there. Today she had slipped away, for a short time at least. Especially with Enyo as her guard now the more chances she had to get away the better.
Was...he showing concern for her safety? How odd. Glancing at her shoulder and then back to Apollo she shook her hear. "It was not the bear." She told him a bit angrily. "Alcinoe would never hurt me." And then she paused for a moment, and as much as she hated to admit the truth she had to. "It was my sister. I was challenged by her to a fight to the death for my title." Perhaps she said it a bit too nonchalantly but really it was in the past so why worry about such things. She also probably should have pointed out right then that she did not kill her sister, but Orithia was curious to see if he would assume she would do such a thing.
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:21 am
Apollo arched a brow slightly at the bear comment, he was pretty sure had the right of it on that and bears simply shouldn't be trusted - but it wasn't worth starting an argument with Orithia over it if the bear hadn't hurt her. He was however somewhat appalled by what had really happened - sure hi brothers were annoying but he couldn't ever imagine fighting one of them...to the death. That was...absurd, wrong.
"Thats...thats horrible, my brothers are a pain in the neck but at least I don't have to worry about them trying to kill me for position in the pack" He told her with a sympathetic look - he assumed it would have been hard for her to deal with the betrayal of a sibling. "Did you wound her terribly? I assume you won...though pardon me for saying so you don't seem the type to..kill you sibling" He told her honestly.
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 7:53 am
"That's just the way things are up there." She reminded him with a bit of a shrug. "Enyo has always been jealous about being second born, she feels robbed of the heir title by someone who is weak and non-deserving of it." Or at least that's what Enyo says, no one else in the pack had questioned Orithia's rank - yet. Letting out a sigh Orithia flopped onto her haunches. "Yes I won, though I came out of the fight in worse shape than Enyo." She glanced off into the trees, suddenly not wanting to maintain eye contact with him.
" I almost killed her. My jaws locked around her throat and I seriously considered it. It was a fight to the death after all and so I had the obligation to kill her. But she is my blood sister and I couldn't do it. So I decided to let her live, so that she could feel the shame every day of being defeated by one who was weaker." Slowly her eyes returned to look upon Apollo again. Part of her did wonder if she made the right choice, Enyo would likely try something again in the future and she would not be able to afford such mercy should it happen again. Orithia wonders if she should mention Enyo's second punishment, which had been suggested by her father and accepted by her mother. No, best to keep that detail secret for now even if according to pack code she must always be truthful.
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 12:16 pm
Apollo really couldn't understand how she could be so glib about the ways of her pack - sibling killing sibling was something that would bring horror to the face of every wolf in YMCA...even he thought to his mothers face, though she'd likely try to hide it. "Still..." He said with a slight shake of his head - normal or not for her it wasn't something he could easily grasp, there didn't seem to be much point in following through on his statement however - as Orithia herself had already said..thats just the way things were where she came from.
And he redeemed herself slightly when she confirmed that she hadn't killed her sister - though Apollo wasn't sure if her reasoning for doing so was entirely ethical either and he shifted his paws slightly. "Well..I think it's good that you didn't, even if it was a fight to the death and a tradition in your pack..I don't think I could live with myself if I killed one of my brothers. I think it would change me somehow inside and I rather like who I am.' He paused and then gave her a steady look "I rather like who you are too"
Something still bothered him though and after only a few moments of hesitation he decided to go ahead and voice it "Your sister...will she always be shamed? Forever? Or can she redeem herself in some fashion if she chooses to change her ways?" Living in shame forever seemed like a horribly depressing thing to him - even if she had done something wrong, both his father and his grandmother had long told him that wolves deserved second chances, they could change..become better wolves then they had been before. HIs grandfather was trying to - Adonai had come to cultivate some sort of relationship with his daughter...and part of Apollo wished that she would give him more of a chance because at the moment it looked like she was trying to drive him off even before he himself had a chance at a relationship with him. Of course that situation was neither here nor there...Orithias had merely bought it to mind.
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 12:56 pm
Still what? She thought, but whatever Apollo had perhaps originally planned to say he changed his mind on. She knew things were very different here from her own pack and certain traditions would be hard to understand and accept. Such was the way of life.
"It is easy to say that you could never kill a sibling, but when placed in a situation like that sometimes you are forced to make decisions you otherwise wouldn't. It's a kill or be killed type of world at times there. I don't think I could ever kill one of my sisters in a normal case, but if Enyo ever tried again I may be forced to do so. It comes down to her life or mine." Perhaps that would help him better accept the situation she had been in and why she had done what she had. A bit of a smile crossed her maw just then at Apollo's words, did he just say he liked who she was? "I'm glad to hear that."
"That all depends on Enyo. A Sister living in shame is a rare thing in our pack. She should have been banished after being granted the chance to live, but mother decided to keep her in the pack for now, though she will not tolerate any more negative actions from her. Perhaps with time she can redeem herself with the right actions, work hard to regain her place and her pride as well. If she chooses to continue down her current path then she won't be in the pack for long." Of course that also meant she wouldn't be alive for long either, if mothers threat meant anything. "I do hope she changes, not having a good relationship with my sister has always been tough, I get along well with my other siblings but they also have always accepted the fate placed upon them by their respective birth order." Any of them could have been first born, but Enyo was the only one who thought the order had ended up wrong.
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:27 am
Apollo easily could have argued that he would never be placed into such a situation here and therefore felt rather safe in saying that he would never kill one of his siblings - but he was afraid that saying so would simply make him look naive and sheltered to her eyes. He din't think he was...but their home lives were different that he could easily see how she would draw that conclusion anyways. Instead he merely replied "I suppose in such a situation I can see how it might be necessary." Which was the truth and o he didn't feel ashamed in uttering it.
"Why wasn't she banished?" He questioned, not that he agreed with banishment as a punishment but he supposed it was better then dying and the reasoning behind this Enyo being spared such a punishment piqued his curiosity a little bit. "Do you think she will change?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:53 am
"Well she wasn't banished because mother accepted the mercy I had given her and extended it to allow her to stay within the pack." It seemed like a good idea at the time, and Orithia really hoped that Enyo would learn from this experience and change for the better. For if she didn't then there would be one less sister among them and that was a sad idea even if she knew Enyo hated her. Giving her shoulders a bit of a shrug Orithia shook her head. "I don't know, I honestly don't know. I'm hopeful that she will. Perhaps this is the exact situation that is needed to make her change her ways."
Glancing off into the trees Orithia appreciated the quietness of it hear. Back home there was always something going on, training, lessons, hunting, it was never a dull moment. But sometimes it was nice to get away and have the chance to relax. Returning her gaze to Apollo she smiled softly. "But enough about me. What have you been up to lately?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:18 am
Apollo nodded sagely at her remarks - even though the ideas Orithia seemed to accept as second nature still boggled his mind none the less he was hopeful her sister would change as well "I hop he change too - for your sake and hers" He told her with a smile. "I don't want to be wondering if the next time I see you your going to have another scar from her forever you know"He said with a laugh.
"Not much to be honest - mothers busy getting my adopted sister ready to leave for your pack...grandmothers busy trying to help Casimir and his boys settle in, Camille is driving Tantalus nuts because she's come to the concluion that he's her one true love...it's all pretty normal really" He told her with a laugh "I'm afraid our pack isn't nearly so eventful as yours"
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:33 am
Ears perked forward just a bit. There he was showing concern for her safety again, it was actually kind of nice to know that someone from outside of her pack cared. "Don't worry, I can hold my own in a fight." Small and not as strong as the others she may be, but Orithia knew how to use her size to her advantage. "It's nice to know you care." She said and then glanced off for a moment feeling oddly embarrassed about saying that. He was a male, she shouldn't be chatting with him as if they were equal and yet something about talking with Apollo felt right. It vaguely reminded her of what her mother and father had...and that thought nearly made her blush.
"I'm sure Terreis will be glad to see Guinevere join the Sisters." She would have said more but she remembered her mother saying a few times that Terreis' favoritism of the adopted girl was a bit of a sore spot for the boys. Mention of Casimir allowed her to quickly get off the subject of Guinevere and his mother. "How are they adjusting? I think mother mentioned she would be coming to see them soon to see how they were settling in here." She smiled a bit at his next words. "Tantalus is your brother right? And Camille is..." She paused in thought for a moment, mother had made sure she knew who was who in this pack. "Is the daughter of your beta Merrill. They seem like an odd combination. Our pack isn't always so eventful, we do have quiet times as well...as rare as those are."
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 9:54 am
"Of course" He allowed her after a quick glance over her body -she was smaller, smaller then he and all of his brothers and no doubt smaller then her sisters as well but she had that wiry sort of strength that Merrill always said was just as good a bulk when used correctly and Apollo doubted very much that Orithias mother would ever allow her to grow up without knowing how to make things work to her advantage - the amazon queen was much to smart for that. "And of course I care - as Grandmother tells it caring for one another is what keeps us from resembling savage beasts and I think she has the right of it, imagine how terrible life would be if no - one ever cared for another's well being" He stated, quite forgetting that many of the slaves in Antianeira might well live just such a life, but then even if he had recalled such a fact he would have said it anyways - he was Apollo and the truth was the truth.
"She is, Father's not - he fears she'll come to hate him because he's male' He confessed to Orithia with an honest shrug - Apollo wasn't sure if it were true, oh he'd heard the stories from some of the others and truly some of the sisters seemed cruel but Orithia wasn't and she was the Princess, surely she was a better example of her pack then the cruel ones. "I think they are doing well - Grandmother gave them a nice large den which Casimir seems to think is far more then he deserves but the pups are happy and playful" He toldher with a nod as she named the others in his pack properly "they are an odd couple but I think father secretly hopes it works out anyways - both he and grandmother would love to join the families together" He told her with a slight rolling of his eyes, they were hopeless romantics sometimes his family.
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Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:03 pm
Orithia let a small smile cross her maw. "Not all wolves have the luxury of having others care for them, be it a pack, a traveling companion, a friend or something else. It's a fact of life, though to be honest I think some are fine with that, they don't care for others and therefore have no need to have others care for them." She had always had someone around to care for her, because she had been sick as a pup and secondly because she was heir to the pack. There was almost always a pair of eyes on her, most of those caring for her safety, though there were a few that thought otherwise. "Of course, there is also the opposite of the spectrum. Those who are constantly surrounded by those who care for them to the point that they feel smothered by the attention. No matter what they do or say they cannot slip free from their caring companions." Whether Apollo figured she was talking about herself or not that was to be determined. In truth she did feel smothered at times, only because she had little freedom from all those eyes and ears, but such was the life of a Princess.
"It's possible." Orithia said mimicking his shrug. One could never be certain when and where another Varia would pop up, yet she doubted that Guinevere would fall into that. "Unbridled hatred of males is more a thing of a past, I don't believe your sister will come to hate your father or you and your brothers. If she does, it would be a rare case indeed. Your mother has a hidden soft side for certain males and I believe your sister will also show such a trait." As he spoke of Casimir's pups Orithia nodded. "I'm glad to head they are adjusting well enough." She laughed lightly. "It would certainly make things interesting if they did become an actual couple."
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