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 Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 8:57 pm
Today was another day of freedom for the slate pup, which he was glad to have considering life on a leash wasn't nearly as fun as being as free as a teoteo soaring through the sky. Jak had slipped away from the safety of his home and was wandering the streets of the settlement, unsupervised yet again. Andi was at school and her father was busy in the stables, no doubt looking over his own mokai and too busy to watch his daughter's, so getting away wasn't all that difficult. No one else in the house really cared about him all that much anyhow, except maybe their cull would-be watchdog who was sleeping at the time of his escape.
Smirking at the memory, Jak went on with his little walk, again sticking to the buildings and occasionally ducking into an alley to avoid the two-leggers. It wouldn't do to get caught and sent to the nursery now. Andi would stick him on the leash again when she came to get him, and he'd go back to being miserable.
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:23 pm
The large black Mokai perused through the alleyways, snaking amongst the shadows as he strayed from the streets. Surely he would have stuck out like a sore thumb as being a feral but perhaps the only trait which could easily have mistaken him for a domestic was the scarf that was worn around his neck. In Huntingdon it was a common practice, more or less, to collar each domesticated Mokai although here were few Mokai who were adorned with things such as chains or other articles of clothing which clearly stated who they belonged to. So it seemed only right that a scarf could easily justify ownership in place of a collar. Oh the cleverness of Keegan! Cellen was starting to understand as to why such an odd thing was not only meaningful but could help curtail him from sticky situations.
A confidence stroked him as he walked from out of the shadows and surfaced into the daylight. The warm sunlight that rained upon his form was pleasant, inviting, and only fueled his mentality with the unshakable presence that emanated the body language that he belonged here. Hell, he had every right to be here on account that he was here for Keegan.
Crossing into an adjacent alleyway, the feral Mokai flared his nostrils slightly. There was a scent that caught his attention--something more than just the dank, rancid odor of spoiled food and filth. Cellen's ocher eyes surveyed the surroundings until something stirred up ahead. What was it or, rather, who was it? He didn't have a damn clue.
Intrigued, he meandered closer ever so casually.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 6:24 am
Eventually the pup wandered into a particular alley where he caught the glint of something kind of shiny from one of the bins, thus distracting young Jak from basically everything else around him. Not that he was too keen on digging through any garbage, but, with any luck, he wouldn't have to and he could grab whatever-it-was without too much trouble. As he sauntered up closer to where the shiny thing was supposed to be, he squinted his eyes and tried to locate it so he could devise a strategy that didn't end with him in a garbage bin. It'd be a dead giveaway that he got out if he went home with the stench of last week's meat and cheese following after him.
Aha! There, sitting quietly at the top of one of the bags, was a shiny little ball. Jak wagged his tail at the find, feeling a smile slowly spread across his maw. Now to figure out how to get to it. He traced a possible path to his new precious with his eyes. From where he was, he could easily jump on one of the bags at the bottom of the pile and just reach for the ball with a paw. It would land safely on one of the lower trash bags and he could jump back down and grab it without getting too dirty. Solid, solid plan. With his mind made up and a plan of action in mind, the pup started taking a few steps back to ready himself.
One, two, thr-- he felt his rump hit something soft, so Jak scrunched his brows together and glanced back. His gaze met something black, green, and furry.. a leg? He moved his eyes upward to the owner of the leg's face and found he had just run into a very... very large mokai. And he froze.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:33 am
Ocher eyes curiously peered down towards the small pint-sized pup as it haphazardly hadn't expected him, let alone anything else, to be looming behind him. Cellen arched a single brow upwards while the corner of his mouth pulled into a cheeky grin. His posture was loose, fluid and bore no stiffness; malicious intent was void. Truthfully, he was curious. This was especially true due to the scent of this pup being reminiscent of something--someone, rather. The feral inhaled deeply, letting the aroma cling onto his olfactory receptors, wafting along the wings of hos nostrils, before he gently exhaled. Strange, there were two scents that melded together which e recognized which meant---
Damn. He'd have to address that later by finding the 'source'. Those cheeky blighters.
There was a strange bewilderment as to how, even why, a young Mokai pup would be freely roaming around Huntingdon. Granted, the two-leggers here were not the savvy sort when it came to undertaking ownership of another living life. Hell, he had even see two-leggers do the unthinkable to their own kind as well as within their own packs. Humans were a roulette, a dicey game of chance; one could never foretell how it would all unfold in the end. Individuals who were aligned with the positive forces could revert into someone who was jaded, ruthless, and sinister just as those with darkened pasts and antagonistic mentalities could see the 'light' concerning their ways.
Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.
But, even in the slew of the mishaps and tragedies, there were humans, even creatures, whose heart nearly consumed their entire chest---relentless souls whose sole mission was to enrich, enlighten and inspire others to go forth and conquer.
Regaining focus as the cogs of his mind tossed other ideas and questions along the wakes of his mind, Cellen flicked his ears forward. "What's a pup doin' out in the alleyways? Wandering around I take it---escaped from off your leash?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:23 pm
It seemed like an eternity between the time he accidentally ran into the strange mokai and him finally speaking, but when he did his words were more along the lines of an oncoming reprimand than a threat. Which was a relief for the slate pup, and he managed to relax just a bit and turn around so he was properly facing whoever-it-was.
To his second question, Jak shook no and replied, "I wasn't on a leash." He decided not to answer the first question since the other had already answered it for him, so he fell silent for a little while to get a proper look at the larger male.
From his perspective, looking up at such a large mokai, he seemed almost like a deity come down to grace the pup with his presence. The horns, fangs, and claws gave him such an imposing, intimidating look, yet the scarf made look less so, but in a good way. The tattoos were green and vibrant against his dark fur, and covered his basically his entire body as far as he could tell. Within the confines of the settlement, the young pup had yet to see any other mokai that looked like this, and he inadvertently spoke the first word that came to mind.
"Awesome..."
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:16 pm
The silence fell between them didn't bear an awkward sensation nor bear an unsettling edge---rather, Cellen found a hint of amusement to it. His head turned with a minute tilt as his eyes narrowed curiously, perhaps even attempting to decrypt the small pup that stood at his paws. A grin tugged at the corner of his maw, broadening as a chuckle rumbled from the depths of his chest. Admittedly, there was a likeness that he saw reflected by the ashen-white pup which reminded the feral of someone; himself. Reckless, rebellious, and relentless---this pup bore a spirit which was commendable, one that was unbridled and free. As Cellens' own ocher orbs met those of the pups, he could see his own self projected within the youngsters countenance. There was a feeling of kinship that seemed to entice the feral fighter to build a bond with this hell of a kid.
"You're left to walk around the place like you own it all day?" He sat back on his haunches, drinking in the very idea. "Bangarang," Cellen awed. He was slightly envious, no doubt.
The methodical concoctions of his mind were brewing with a potent serum--perhaps he could gain a deeper insight into Huntingdon by being escorted with the guidance of this awestruck youngster. The heart of the Settlement had changed and, with it, there were new threats and secrets which pulsated unknowingly throughout its network of life sustaining, cultural veins. There were new weaknesses to expose.
"Awesome? Nah, not even close," his laughter was accompanied by a thrumming rumble--voice rugged yet bore a smoothness like velvet to its ebb and flow. "I never could manage to slip out from under the watch of my parents when I was your age. You're hell of a lot awesome then I was."
And that was the damn truth. Goddamn, where were his manners?
"Name's Cellen---I often wander around here so if you ever need anything just come looking for me. I'm not that hard to find---I stick out amongst the crowd with all of this."
The feral fighter gestured to his furs detailed array of tribal decoration which mirrored the vitality and zeal of the heart of the island forests and up towards his crest of curving horns that adorned his head. He was, quite frankly, unmistakable. There was yet to be a Mokai who had allowed themselves to be subject to the extensive process of allowing oneself to become the open canvas of an artist. Unlike most markings, Cellen's array of vast, unique markings told a story; they conveyed an epic struggle and his individual plight of harnessing his feral instincts and reawakening what had laid dormant inside of him for far too long.
And his journey had only just begun.
"So--" glancing down to the tags that hung from the pup's tag, Cellen squinted slightly before loosening the name from off his tongue, "Jak, what do you do for fun while you have the whole day to yourself?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:36 am
The pup gave a broad grin as he seemed to gain the large mokai's approval. He didn't walk around as if he owned the place, no -- in fact, he had to skirt the sidelines of all the buildings in order to avoid detection and being sent back to that nursery he really didn't like, what with its terrible food and basically no one but cute, clueless, still-pudgy pups for company -- but he did love being off his leash and just enjoying his bit of freedom. Looking at Cellen now, he wished he had enough freedom to get that much paint put on him, as well as grow a pair of wicked horns and an awesome ridgeback, but for now he was willing to take what he could get.
"Well," the pup started to say, but then paused to think more about how to reply. He decided not to comment on the other's compliments, wanting to play it cool. "All of that makes you look pretty awesome, so I'll stand by it all the same." Jak smirked at that, and took another look at Cellen's tribal paint, wishing rather badly to get a bit on his own fur as well. Maybe Andi would let him if he behaved a bit better...
"Jak," he then replied to his introduction, though Cellen already knew on account of his name tag having it engraved in nice, block capitals. "Nothing really; not much to do around here except walk around, maybe chase a teoteo or two. Sometimes I find things like that," and he pointed at the shiny marble that had nearly slipped to the back of his mind, "so I can show it around or maybe bury it some place."
... Well that sounded pretty boring. Jak furrowed his brows together, a bit disappointed in his summation of his usual activities. Was he any less awesome now?
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 2:18 pm
A rumbling chuckle rose from Cellen's chest. He smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe but there's no reason you can't look this awesome either. The concoction of paint and potions seems to bring around a hell of a surprise--sometimes you don't know what you'll end up looking like; it's all up to chance."
There was an aspect of the needle injections that the Elders offered that was somewhat unnerving. The fact that you didn't have a damn clue as to how you would look, let alone a say on how the potion would react, was a risky game of roulette. But that was just the ever present element of surprise, wasn't it? It also seemed to become caught between a limbo of too many potions and just enough to give a simple, elegant feel without contorting ones appearance to look like a cookie-cutter replica of another Mokai---but that was a topic of its own.
His ears perked forward, attentively. "Well that's sure as hell better than doing nothing, right? C'mon-- messin' with teoteo's is a damn good way to spend an afternoon. But scaring a whole herd of Tia---now that will get your adrenaline rushing and throw you into the thrill of the chase." Likewise, as Jak drew attention toward the marble, Cellen glanced towards it.
"Haven't seen one of those before," he commented, pursing his lips slightly. "You seem to have a knack for finding stuff, huh? You're a hell of a treasure hunter."
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 4:12 pm
Needles? He needed to get poked by needles to look that good? Jak thought about that for a while, and pictures himself with a bunch of huge needles gunning for him while he ran down a narrow alleyway, only to crash into a garbage that suddenly came out of nowhere and the needles all suddenly pause and aim straight for his exposed rear end, and then...
Jak shook his head and snapped out of his mini-nightmare, a bit shaken up but mostly alright. He hoped he didn't look as freaked out as he felt about getting pricked by a bunch of needles. If that was the price to look that awesome, he could probably wait until he was older, maybe an adolescent.. or an adult. There wasn't any rush anyhow. As Cellen commented on his day-to-day activities, Jak re-gathered himself and smiled when the larger male complimented him on his treasure hunting skills.
"Thanks! I've got more of a knack escaping my leash actually," he said, smirking and puffing up just a bit before adding, "but yeah, I find these sorts of things sometimes." Glancing at the marble, he furrowed his brows. "It's kinda hard to get to though, without landing myself in one of those bags or bins..."
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Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:24 pm
He was amused as well as intrigued, to say the least. For a pup so young to have a knowledgeable approach on how to escape his leash was far beyond impressive; it was honorable. A rumbling chuckle emitted from out of the feral's chest as he pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I may need to ask you for pointers on how to escape from a leash if I ever face a situation that calls for it. Hell, you sound like you can get yourself out of any harness that a human would put you in."
It was unknown whether or not such a skill would ever be put to use but knowing how to combat a possible situation such as that would only be another trick he could utilize. Life was unpredictable but amongst the time one had which was calm it was only best to prepare for whatever lay in wait to strike. It was better to stay one step ahead rather than to wait--better to act than to be acted upon.
Looking to where Jak spoke of, Cellen focused upon the large bins and bags that laid against the side of the building. "That does seem like a bugger to have to go through," he remarked. "But I know a place where you can add to you collection without the hassle. I"ll have to show you it sometime--I think you'd like it. There's a whole hell of a lot of trinkets and whatchamacal it's there that's free to scavenge. Going there is a damn adventure and a half but it's worth it; I"d be happy to show you around."
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Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 4:13 am
Maybe escaping a leash wasn't the best way to put it, considering he didn't escape from the it so much as sneak away before it got put on him. Unless Cellen asked for specifics though, the pup figured he could get away with the little detail for the time being. Until that time, though, he thought it might be a good idea to start practicing just in case he gets put on it while sleeping or something. There couldn't possibly be anything worse than waking up on a leash; at least, nothing he could think of just yet. He was still young, and had plenty to discover and learn about the world around him, good and bad alike.
His ears perked slightly when the large, tattooed mokai mentioned this secret treasure cove. It piqued his interest, to say the least, and his tail started wagging at the idea of going to such a place. Dozens of trinkets and shiny things he could claim as his precious, free for the taking? Oh, there was no way he'd pass on a trip to wherever that is. "Really?" he asked, little marble already forgotten. "I'd love to go!"
The pup smiled broadly, not even thinking about the "adventure and a half" part of Cellen's remark. "You'd really take me, Cellen?" The name was foreign on his tongue, but it was difficult to say. "You really would?" Jak went on, the eagerness in his voice clear as day. He wanted to go; boy, did he want to go.
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Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 8:06 am
As excitement was painted onto Jak's face, Cellen laughed. He nodded, "Damn right. I'd be happy to take you there, Jak. Maybe then you could show me the best method to find bangin' trinkets or how to tell what's treasure and trash." He genuinely wanted to know, truth be told, An idea had lingered into the back of his mind concerning the possibility of Jak helping him find something special for his mate---a special object which he could take back to her as a present. Reisx was anything but ordinary and the feral female seemed to adore the more unusual things. Perhaps this would be something which would help lift her spirits.
He gently placed a paw on Jak's shoulder and looked him straight into the eyes. A smile broadened across his maw. "Hell yeah. It'd be an honor to take you. You can have first pick of anything out there--I'll take you if you promise to show me how to find things."
It was a simple request with no prerequisites or demands. He wanted to know since--well, Jak seemed to be a master of such an art. But, still, the deal felt a little uneven. He pursed his lips thoughtfully.
"I'll also teach you something you want to learn, just to make it fair," he added. "What do you say?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:22 pm
This guy truly was awesome, the pup thought, and he nodded enthusiastically when Cellen made the proposition. It was a small price for showing him to a load of treasure and teaching him something - probably anything - he wanted to learn. It was more than fair, and so without giving it any more thought Jake replied, "Deal!"
He was more than excited about it really, but after calming down a bit he realized that it was unlikely he would be able to go anywhere with Cellen today. It was only a few hours until he was due back home, and if it was true that the place was hard to get to the pup assumed that would mean a whole day's worth of time. Deflating slightly when this fact dawned on him, he glanced back at the marble and sighed.
"I think I'll settle for the marble for now," the pup grumbled. "Can't go anywhere far 'cause I need to get home soon. I'll teach you another time, yeah?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:20 pm
Admittedly, Cellen was starting to grow fond of the pup. There was a part of Jak which reminded him so much of himself; that voracious appetite for adventure alongside the relentless need to test boundaries. He couldn't help but grin as his proposal had been snagged barely after he had tossed it out as an option. "Fan-freaking-tastic," the feral exclaimed. He was truly stoked and looked forward to the onset of a new adventure alongside what he hoped to be a constant, young die-hard adventurist.
As much as he would be gung-ho for a rendezvous with adventure now, he had to ensure that his mate was safe and meet up with her. Like all couples, there were days where both of them had their own agenda to thumb through yet there was a pending desire to check in with her---to make sure that she wasn't entangled within any unfavorable circumstances.
Hell, it was just his protective streak. Although when it concerned his mate he was as ruthless and unforgiving as a feral could be.
Cellen gave a confident nod of his head. "I look forward to it, Jak. I'll keep my eye out for you tomorrow---meet me at the entrance to Huntingdon; I'll be waiting for you."
Rising up to his paws, the feral pivoted around and began to immerse himself back into the shadows. A grin still latched itself across his maw. For a brief moment, the feral fighter looked back and gave a dip of his head. A low chuckle rumbled from his throat.
"Until then, take it easy, kiddo."
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