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 Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:16 am
The morning dawned much like many others, rising on the forest with a slow grace. The first golden rays raced past the bare branches to reach the snow beneath. Through an effect much like a single candle illuminating a room of mirrors, the light reflected off of the snow and cast the landscape into brilliant radiance. Rustles in the branches and near-silent crunching of snow signaled the waking of the creatures of the forest. They chittered at one another, and the birds rose in song. It was time to forage for another day of life.
Through the bustle of activity strode an elegant white doe. She walked as though she were the queen of that forest. Yet it was not arrogance that her gait bespoke; rather, it was a quiet confidence. A self-assurance born of experience. The scar that blinded one eye told of her trials, but she bore them with grace. She was a truly noble creature to behold.
Upon her back sat a man with an equally noble bearing, though he looked as different from her as shadow from brilliance. Clad in fine, dark clothes, with his coal black hair tied back in a stylish horsetail, his pale skin was the only part of him that bore any resemblance to her. He was sharp angles and a grim countenance. The bow and quiver strapped to his back lie quiet. The falconer's glove on his arm was empty, but every so often a particular flutter of dark and light feathers could be seen amongst the branches.
Thomas was not in the most pleasant of moods, but he hoped that a little contemplation - or hunt - in the forest would sooth him.
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Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 4:37 pm
Why purchase what you could procure for yourself? While Stephen made decent money as a blacksmith, he wasn't one to squander; he preferred to hunt and gather his own food, saving his money for items - food or otherwise - he couldn't as easily pluck from the ground or kill and skin himself.
Which placed him, with Fallon at his side, in the forest that morning. He'd run out of meat the other day, and thus decided a hunt for pheasant, boar or rabbit was in need - he'd long ago stopped eating deer, as it was unnerving, now that he lived with a guardian. His breath fogged out in front of him, boots crunching softly through the fallen snow. Fallon strolled carelessly beside him, gaze sliding from branch to bird to rock, and Stephen cast him frequent, side long glares, silently warning the buck. If Fallon was known for anything, it was for his habit of darting off without warning, leaving Stephen to rush after the buck.
The morning had been silent, and right as Stephen was contemplating a return trip home, the subtle sound of footfalls caught his attention. Stephen froze, tensing as he strained to listen. Four legged - a boar, perhaps? Slowly, he unholstered his pistol, and stepped around the thick tree to meet...
The last thing he had been expecting. "You have got to be kidding me."
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Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 7:25 pm
If Stephen thought he was being stealthy, Sigyn could have disabused him of the notion. Perhaps a less canny creature would not have understood that there was a human nearby, but she was no lesser being. Though there was no wind to speak of to carry his scent to her, the little noises he was making betrayed him - the quiet brush of cloth against bark, the rustle of boot-heel against leaf. As such, she had just enough time to warn her Chosen that another human was near before Stephen revealed himself.
Though Thomas said not a word, his sentiments mirrored the other man's exactly. Out of everyone in the world, he would never have expected to see this man here. He tensed briefly. A sudden assault of memories bombarded him, all centering on one thing: Victoria. More to the point, the way the worthless, low-born swine had first insisted on befriending Thomas's sister, and then failed to protect her while Thomas himself had been away.
His lip curled in a sneer. "As eloquent as ever, Montgomery."
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:20 am
Stephen grimaced, staring up at the man seated atop the white doe. Fallon, curious by the presence of another guardian - he was not often presented the chance to associate with others of his kind - set his gaze on Sigyn with interest, tempted to approach. But while Fallon finally caved and took a step closer, Stephen remained rooted, arms rising to fold across his chest. He and Thomas had never gotten along, but they shared one common interest - Victoria. A young woman who'd insisted upon friendship, and Stephen had found her companionship to precious to refuse. But she'd died, nearly a year ago now, and Thomas had never forgiven him...Hell, Stephen couldn't even forgive himself, though he knew he couldn't fairly blame himself.
Obviously, her passing had only further strained the tension between the men. Stephen had never even imagined he might ever see Thomas again - they didn't exactly share the same social circle - so to meet now in the woods...It was unsettling.
Stephen snorted at the insult, body tense, guard up. He didn't want to get into it with Thomas now...But he doubted their meeting would end smoothly. With that in mind - and assuming fate had something to do with their run in - he took the opportunity to reiterate what he'd been trying to convince Thomas - and himself - of. "It wasn't my fault, you know. You can't keep blaming me." Stephen could have also taken the chance to assure Thomas it wasn't his fault either...but Stephen wasn't feel so kind.
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:11 am
Sigyn was more interested in the tension rising between her human and this unexpected man than in making new acquaintances. After all, she had taken it upon herself to sooth Thomas's grief and rage where she could, though she suspected that it would be impossible here. There was too much bitterness between them. Regardless, she had her manners. She watched the buck's approach out of her good eye and would not be adverse to saying hello should he so desire.
Though she was surely on both of their minds as soon as they had laid eyes on each other, Thomas had not been expecting the other man to have the gall to bring up Tori so abruptly. He supposed he should not have been surprised. Stephen was not one for beating around the bush...and apparently he lacked all semblance of tact.
His sneer turned into a snarl. "How dare you speak of her to me!"
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 1:37 pm
Stephen's jaw clenched, eyes hard. He'd expected the response, but admittedly, had foolish hoped for...Well, now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure what he'd hoped for. Reconciliation? He was a fool.
He almost regretted opening Pandora's box, now reminded of Thomas's stubbornness and resolve to hate him, but it was not a box that would so easily be shut. The only thing left to do was to weather the storm. That was his initial thought, but of course, not what he conveyed once he opened his mouth. "How dare I?!" Ya, screw helping matters. He was angry. "You're her brother. You're the one who left!" Stephen dropped his arms, hands curling to clench tightly at his sides. He was fed up with the blame and the guilt; he didn't need it from Thomas. And if he'd previously thought to take this chance to mend a small part of their relationship, that resolve was now long dead.
Fallon had meant to step closer in greeting, but the sudden flare of his chosen's rage kept him rooted. Were he able, the guardian would have sighed exasperatedly; humans were ridiculous, riling themselves up over trivial matters. Forlornly, Fallon gazed from Sigyn to the forest, not at all interested in the explosive exchange, but compelled to remain at his chosen's side.
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Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:03 pm
His jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. How he felt that every day. But Thomas would not admit the depth of his guilt and self-loathing to this man. Not to him. "More the fool, me, to think that three grown men were enough to replace me for a few short days," he spat. As though his brother and father had ever paid her enough mind to be trusted with her well being. As though the smith were competent enough to be able to look after her for even a short period of time. Sigyn shifted beneath him, and Thomas though it best to leave her out of this. It was not for her to get dragged into this sort of matter. He dismounted, though the act brought him that much closer to Stephen, the bitterly hated reminder of days past. "Obviously, her trust in you was as misplaced as I always thought it to be."
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Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 12:22 pm
Stephen clenched his jaw, body ridged. They would never stop blaming one another, would they? Thomas would always insist that Stephen could have saved her in his absence, and Stephen would forever retaliate. A vicious cycle they were doomed to repeat.
But knowledge wouldn't stop him from engaging. He stepped forward to meet Thomas as he slid from Sigyn's back, and raised his hands to shove the other man. "I. Wasn't. THERE." He growled through his teeth, and then his voice rose to dangerous heights. "You were there when she died, and all you did was WATCH!" He knew he was in the wrong, especially putting his hands on the other man as he had, knew he was losing it. But he couldn't stand to hear it anymore. He couldn't bear to hear that he had failed Victoria, to think she might blame him too.
A sharp squeal cut through the forest, a thundering of hooves against the packed earth signaling the approach of a large animal. Stephen ignored both, practically oblivious to everything outside of Thomas, but Fallon glanced around anxiously, pawing at the ground. He moved forward to n** at Stephen's shoulder, ready to drag his human away if it came to it.
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Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 8:56 pm
Stephen's shove pushed him back a step and shifted the nature of his temper. Words were one thing, but the idea of this escalating into a physical fight was feeling more and more appealing. It was those last few words that really tipped him over the edge, though.
With a roar, Thomas threw a vicious punch at the other man's face in an act of blind fury. "Don't speak as though you were there! Don't pretend you know anything about what happened!"
Sigyn was more interested in keeping her senses trained on the oncoming threat than interfering with Thomas, though his ferocious anger resonating in her mind was a little distracting.
"You're right. You weren't there! You didn't face the Wolf, so don't act like you have any high ground to stand on!"
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