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Feb 9, 2012 2:30:17 GMT -5
Post by Dakki on Feb 9, 2012 2:30:17 GMT -5
As night crept up across the lands, a single being roamed the lands. She brushed past the dew covered bushes, shivering as the liquid soaked into her skin. Even though is was now spring, winter still had her claws in the earth. The wolf's head lifted, gazing into the endless sea of stars. She sent a silent prayer to Turpa, praying to the Goddess that spring would send her father away. Echo longed for the warm spring nights where sleep would easily find her, instead of soaking through her medium length hair and right into her skin. She shuddered at the thought of it, her fur doubling in size as it stood on end to warm her up. Sleep was never her friend on these cold nights.
Echo's pale blue eyes scanned across the horizon, all traces of the sun gone. The moon stood high in sky as she paused, her eyes roaming the place that she now called her home. A huff of breath turned to mist in front of her, her rump connecting with the land. She had never thought that she would have a place to call home, but here she was. Only yesterday she had come here and has been presented to her new Alpha, and met another Sklavin like her. Her Mistress was a different one indeed, treated her much better than her last master had. She flinched at the memory, but refused to let it haunt her at the moment. Echo would never be able to fully get rid of the experience, no it would certainly be with her forever. But from what she could tell, no one would harm her here. She felt safe, a feeling that had not made itself known for quite some time.
Wrapping her wiry tail around her paws, Echo looked into the sky as she went over her encounter with the other wolves. Her mind lingered on what Beck had told her. "Don't hide yourself. Not for anyone," he had told her. What did he mean by that? Was it because she was constantly trying to hide her scar? Or was it the fact that she rarely talked because of her stutter? Whatever the cause, they still rattled around in her head. Beck had never said much to her, but he seemed to be a caring wolf. Maybe he was right, maybe she should stop trying to hide what had happened to her. It was rare that wolves would ask her where it came from, because of her position it was often assumed. Sighing, she realized that she didn't really have much to hide at all. She use to be so strong, so wise. What was hindering her now? No one but herself...
With the realization dawning on her, she knew that it was her who had given herself a stutter. She was so afraid, still scared to this day that speaking was hard. She could most likely train herself out of it. It wouldn't be easy, that was for sure. It had been just about a year since the stutter had started, it would be a hard curse to break. She was strong, she had a tough heart beneath all those layers of hurt. Echo was still the female she was born as, just hiding behind walls. She was afraid of getting hurt again, but who was here to hurt her? In these lands there was no one, no one! She was free; as free as a Sklavin could be. Maybe it was time to stop lingering in the past, and take some steps towards the future...
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[P:110]
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Feb 9, 2012 18:52:01 GMT -5
Post by Maya on Feb 9, 2012 18:52:01 GMT -5
Vernado Do you recognize the face in the [ m i r r o r ] looking back at you?[/center] The silence was all too familiar to the creature who roamed freely upon lands that were not his own. This odd companion stalked him, wore him down, and reminded him that what he was seeing had been tainted with impure ideals to control and dominate a wolf. His morals conflicted with others and he did nothing to disguise it, and although he wasn’t an easy wolf to read, one thing was clear; he would never bow down to what everyone else believed was correct and stifle his opinions. He was angry with the world but angrier at himself. He had let his former pack down, and their eyes filled with wonder and hope that he could bring them to freedom were taunting him. He knew those eyes of hope had turned to eyes that scorned him but Vernado made a silent vow to himself, he would come back.
He had no sense of direction at this point as his thoughts passed within his mind at a frantic pace. He had to come up with a plan that would not backfire on him but he knew it would be a while before he figured out one. Massive paws struck the earth beneath his form in silence and nothing gave away his position. His past had sculpted him into a fine mold, a mold in which had instructed him to be stealthy, refined, and murderous. Vernado had been brainwashed and told that everything that lived and breathed was out to get him and the only way to ensure his life was to kill anything that crossed his path. His name had been doused in the blood of those he slaughtered, innocent bystanders who got caught in the melee of his wrath and rage. He had made a magnificent change and had done so well for himself but up until now he couldn’t hate himself any more than he did back then.
Frustrated, Vernado remained silent, forcing all thoughts back to their cells to no longer provoke him. He wanted peace and had found it in this slice of land. He froze, a single paw dangling in mid-air as he took a moment to survey the land that dipped and rolled before him. Trees accumulated here but weren’t as thick as Regnen’s forest. Sienna colored eyes took in the view, and took note that he had now found himself a trespasser in Durkell territory. He snorted, watching as the vapor parted from his nostrils and dipped into the air, twisting and twirling into intricate patterns. Soon his eyes dropped as the vapor diminished into the atmosphere, still frozen upon the horizon line as though he had been cast in stone.
The gray scaled male debated on what to do now, on whether he should double back and trek out of the lands as silently as he came and without a trace or progress further to test his failing luck. He decided not to press the odds as everything lately seemed to not be in his favor. He pivoted on his paws, redirecting himself on the fastest way out of the lands before some snarling alpha spat in his face. He had neither the patience nor the ability to deal with a raging wolf that would bark out demands and jump to conclusions. He huffed to himself, eyes darting in out of the shadows until they passed over a figure. Without missing a moment, his eyes quickly averted back onto the figure below, spotting its head turned upwards, gazing at the sky.
Vernado was grateful that he was behind this wolf but instead of sticking by his former decision to leave, he approached with curiosity rolling in his stomach. Eyes remained upon the distant shadow until he paused under the cover of a tree. The scar riddled wolf wondered if this act of impulse would turn against him but there was one way to find out. With controlled movements, Vernado moved closer until he was five feet behind her. Deep baritone vocals rung out into the crisp air and on the gentle breeze carried a simple word, ”Evening.”
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Feb 9, 2012 21:18:12 GMT -5
Post by Dakki on Feb 9, 2012 21:18:12 GMT -5
It was growing colder and colder, causing the femme to shiver delicately. Her red coat was built for hotter weather, not the dampness that she was getting in this sparse forest. Her limbs felt as if they were soaking in the moister and it was settling in her joints. She felt stiff all over, making her stand and slowly shake her limbs out. She longed to go for a run under the gaze of the moon, but did not. She was afraid to leave this lands now, afraid of what was beyond them. She knew that there were large males that would quickly turn and give her a new scar. She trusted no one, didn't allow herself to. What if they hurt her like she had been hurt before? She couldn't take it... she would break into pieces. It would completely shatter her soul.
Echo's pale blue eyes searched the sky's as if the answer to everything lay in those pinpricks of light. Maybe they did, but it was something that she would never know. She liked to pretend that her three pups lay among the stars, looking down on their mother. A single drop of crystal liquid dripped down her cheek, her eyes closing. Maybe they were watching her with pride, looking on as she tried to get better. She could feel them, and knew that they were there. They would always be there. She was wrong again, she didn't have to forget about her past. No, she simply had to forgive and move on. There was nothing she could have done to stop that, and she had to accept that. She sniffled, when a voice sounded from behind her.
The red female yelped and quickly turned around, dropping into a submissive pose. He had been creeping up on her deaf side, she didn't hear his approach. "W-wh-who ar-are y-y-y-ou?" she asked, her stutter even worse with the fear coursing through her veins. What he going to take her away from her home already? She had just got here! A whine slipped past her clenched teeth, her ears flat against her skull. This was it then, wasn't it. All that freedom she felt... and it only lasted a day, not even. It was just her luck. Echo dropped closer to the ground, her eyes not daring to meet his. He was a big male, and could easily over power the weaker female. While she was not strong, she was agile. She could make a dash for it...
Cowering close to the earth, her eyes once more went towards the sky. She sent up a silent prayer to her pups to whatever gods were listening to her. 'Please save me...'
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[P:110]
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Feb 9, 2012 21:44:32 GMT -5
Post by Maya on Feb 9, 2012 21:44:32 GMT -5
Vernado Do you recognize the face in the [ m i r r o r ] looking back at you?[/center] Vernado was hopeful that perhaps she wouldn’t be so afraid but who was he kidding? He had approached with no sound made and was now behind her and relatively close. There was a little part of him that hoped she had already detected him but habits that he had gathered from years ago gave him experience that rattled others to the bone. He tried his best to appear friendly but that did very little to assure himself. He was a solemn male, revealing emotions showed he was vulnerable or so he had been told. He exhaled gently, watching with hidden curiosity until a flicker of disappointment flashed across his visage. ’Oh, crap.’ The words flared across his mind as her immediate reaction to his voice was nothing but fear; the exact opposite of what he wanted.
”Please, miss, I intend you no harm,” he spoke to her in calm tones, trying to soothe her quaking body. He watched her then as she flopped onto the ground, cowering with fear and Vernado gave a sigh to himself. When would he stop with the unexpected arrivals and just tromp around to make himself known? He felt guilty and as her trembling and stuttering words entered the air, there was a visible change to his face. His eyes softened and the ice that had steeled his gaze melting and revealing worry that he had triggered something within her in which he never meant to stir up. He was nervous then, practically stiff as his ears swiveled cautiously. He inhaled and shrugged his shoulders, reclining upon his haunches with an almost hesitant look about him. ”Vernado, miss,” he answered her but part of him wanted to admit that he didn’t exactly know who he was. He had once been the brave Vernado that would delve into situations head first with a clear head to sift through the chaos but now he was unsure of whom he was. Never the less, he didn’t need to shove that bit of information onto this female’s shoulders, especially when she was still hunkered close to the ground.
He took a step back, head lowering from its normal point of being held high to show that he meant no harm; he just wanted to talk. He hoped that she’d understand and even if it meant for him to sit yards away and for them to shout back and forth, he’d do it. He was a selfless male and if that counted as a weakness then so be it. Vernado’s tail hung behind him, yet another sign that he was a docile male. He cleared his throat, shifting his weight as each paw shifted backwards to put more space between them. ”Please, miss,” Vernado pleaded, “I wanted nothing more than to talk with someone.” His voice was laced with words spoken in a genuine way, he was being honest to the core, but he knew some males stole females for whatever their twisted minds could conjure up.
Vernado paused and sat down on the earth, gazing respectively at the female. ”What is your name,” he inquired, hoping that she’d understand he was here for nothing more than a good conversation or some company. His ears shifted, still on high alert as they picked up on any sound that was created nearby but his attention was directed upon this female, wondering if she would calm down at any time.
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Feb 10, 2012 0:03:39 GMT -5
Post by Dakki on Feb 10, 2012 0:03:39 GMT -5
The female simply did not know what to do with herself. Her pale blue eyes were wide with fear, to the point of almost popping out of her head. She whined again, softly as she quivered like a leaf in the wind. Her earlier coldness was doubled as her fear grew. He was a large male with a blank expression on her face, reminding her much of Nirco. She shook her head, not allowing herself to compare these two brutes to one another. She knew Nirco almost as well as she knew herself, but she knew nothing of this male. She waited for him to say something, her eyes cast downwards.
”Please, miss, I intend you no harm.”
His calm voice was beginning to ebb away at her fears, and slowly she met his eyes. It was still such a strange thing for her, to look in another's eyes. Quickly they darted away, but she wasn't shaking anymore. She was rather stunned by the fact that he called her miss. For a wolf of her position to be addressed as so was unheard of. Either he was mocking her, or just purely insane. Still she did not speak, unsure of what even needed to be said. She needed to calm her fluttering heart, that was the first thing she needed to do. Slowly her ears perked, telling the male that she was calming down slightly. No more shaking, and ears listening. Still she did not speak, and did not bring herself up from the submissive crouch. She listened for further words, and allowed herself another glance at the male. He had backed up a few paces and had lowered his own head. He said his name, and slowly she stood up. She was unsure, tentative, and it showed in her movements. When she stood at full height, without meeting his eyes she dipped her head in a shaky greeting. Still no words pasted her lips, she was afraid that her stutter would make him angry.
Echo allowed her rump to connect with the ground, her tail tip swishing in unease. He was making no move for her, so maybe he was okay. Her pale eyes once again flashed around his frame, taking him in. Maybe... no! She couldn't just trust him like that! She met his eyes, hers very wary and closed off. There was no way that she was going to let this Vernado get past her walls. "P-p-pleas-ure M-m-mast-ster V-v-vernado," she barked, the addition of master letting him know of her position. That is, if he had not guessed it already. Her ears flickered as she eyes roamed the sleeping forest around them. Her gaze was calculating, if he made any move for her she knew where to run.
When he told her that he simply wanted to talk, she felt her eyes roll slightly. As if. A male did not wander into claimed lands with the intention to 'just talk'. Her eyes grew suspicious as she cast her gaze towards the male, only flickering over his form before returning to her paws. She shuffled her feet slightly. She was so confused... Her emotions were battling with what she heard, his voice was so genuine. Then he asked for her name, and she was silent for so long. "E-e-echo m'l-lord," she whispered. Why was he here?
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[P:110]
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Feb 11, 2012 12:43:33 GMT -5
Post by Maya on Feb 11, 2012 12:43:33 GMT -5
Vernado Do you recognize the face in the [ m i r r o r ] looking back at you?[/center] Vernado’s gaze remained steady upon the female as she cowered in his presence. Did he really look that frightening? His mind was frantic as he tried to piece together a way to make her feel comfortable, that was all he wanted. The distance between them was still great, even more so than when he first arrived. He snorted in a withdrawn way before he slunk to the ground in what would seem to be the most vulnerable act he’s done to this day. His ears went back slightly and his tail tucked itself between his legs. His muscles rolled and rippled beneath his coat as he shifted his weight to be properly distributed on each leg. He appeared to look like a hulking mound of a rock in this crouched position or a predator stalking its prey. He seemed to mirror Echo’s actions for his body slightly trembled before his intention was made clear. With an effortless motion, Vernado rolled onto his back, belly shown and jugular exposed. This mere gesture of submission seemed to be on a large scale but Vernado earnestly meant no harm and to him, actions spoke louder than words.
He was a dominor but ranking had nothing to do with anything as he believed all wolves were equal despite it all. He gazed at her, sienna colored eyes revealing nothing but obtained her reflection as he stared at her with an almost blank face. The curiosity was rolling beneath the surface, watching her quaking body as best he could through the greenery that was beginning to sprout and welcome back spring. Slowly the tremors in her body stilled though Vernado wasn’t quite sure if she was entirely comfortable with his presence. He remained belly up, refusing to move for he did not want to startle her with any sudden movements. He hated the fact that he scared her beyond her wits but this was a learning moment for him, something he would store away for quite some time.
He watched the flaming red coated female to shift into a seated position and his tail gave a brief wag before the action halted. He had hardly ever found reason to wag his tail. It felt foreign and out of place so he attempted to disguise it in hopes that she hadn’t picked up on it. He remained frozen, head turned in her direction so he could gauge her reaction carefully. Finally the silence between them had been broken by her voice as she answered him. ”… M-m-mast-ster V-v-vernado.” Immediately his head shot up as he turned into an upright position, he regarded the term ‘Master’ with a look of complete disgust. His face scrunched up and he shook his head firmly, words spilling over through his mouth before he had the chance to stop them. ”Just call me Vernado; master makes my skin crawl.” He gave a shudder, a momentary movement of his body as it rolled through him. He hadn’t necessarily picked up the fact that she was a slave, but even so, it didn’t matter to the monstrosity of a wolf. A wolf was a wolf no matter their rank, that was all that did matter to him.
Vernado’s stiff and regal stature made him hold himself in a certain way with his chest out, head gazing straight ahead, and those scars seemed to glorify him. He looked like a battle worn solider who came back from the front lines to re-immerse himself into civilization. He observed her openly and watched with hidden amusement as her eyes rolled at his explanation of what he had come here for. ”I suppose I deserve that,” he uttered, letting his shoulders roll in a lazy shrug. It was a moment he had to wait until she decided to disclose her name, accompanied by yet another formality that inspired another look of disgust. ”The pleasure’s all mine, Miss Echo,” he said, head dipping slightly to regard her with respect. ”If I may be so bold to ask this of you, why are you wandering out here at night?” His inquiry was carefully picked and although he spoke in what seemed to be in an old fashioned way, he was merely curious, and what better way to soothe his inquiring mind than to get answers straight from her mouth?
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Feb 11, 2012 13:16:20 GMT -5
Post by Dakki on Feb 11, 2012 13:16:20 GMT -5
Echo remained in her crouched position, shaking even harder with effort to maintain this position. Her eyes scanned the male, careful to not meet his eyes. When he moved, she turned to ice. He was dropping into a crouch, but it was unlike hers. His muscles rolled and bunched, she almost hollered out to her pack to come and save her, but fear stilled her vocal cords. Air whispered out of her lungs as she stood stone still, eyes squeezing shut. Then, thud. The female flinched, thinking he had jumped right over her. She willed one eye to crack open, and what she saw made her gasp quietly in shock. That male was on his back, showing her his belly and throat. She shook a few more times, unsure if this was a cruel joke or if he was being serious. Then she stopped her movement, and slowly stood to her full height, which wasn't much on this wolf. She sat then, almost too weak to stand on all four paws. As he remained on her belly, she was unsure of what to do. So slowly, ever so slightly, she cracked open her maw to speak.
When she said master, he jumped up from the ground, causing Echo to scramble back a few paces. When she saw that look on his face though, she relaxed and returned to her original spot. Finding her seat again, she tilted her head slightly. So he didn't like the word master? What a strange wolf he was! Any brute would bask in the light that the title brought, but he made a twisted face and told her that it made his skin crawl. She nodded her head, confusion colouring her eyes. What was this male all about? "O-okay," was all she managed to say. Frankly she couldn't regain a hold on her mind, it was shattered by Vernado's confusing antics. Another shiver passed through her body, and she had to bite her lip to quiet the giggle that tried to push past them. Only a thin sound was available for his ears to pick up, and she wondered if he would even hear it at all. She couldn't help it, the faces that he was making were quite comical.
Echo's laugh broke through when he puffed out his chest, his scars glimmering in the moonlight. He must think that he was so big and strong because of his scars. She thought of her own scar, a half circle that ran from her left ear, around her cheek and to her muzzle. She was not stronger because of it, nor did she go around flaunting it. It was not a battle wound she was proud of, it was one that carried the reminder of her dead babies. A harsh shutter contrasted her earlier laugh, mixed emotions swirling in her pale blue eyes. "Sc-cars are n-n-not bea-autiful th-th-ings," she whispered, not even realizing that the words had left her mouth. She shook her head slightly, scattering the thoughts of her past and focusing on Vernado.
He offered her some whispered words to her rude eye roll, and she shrugged her shoulders along with him. The mirrored movement was smaller for her, she did not have the bulk to make it quite as noticeable. Still suspicion made itself known in her eyes as she met his, squinting slightly as she studied him. What did he want? Another scrunched up look coloured his face when she said 'm'lord', and her shoulders rolled in another shrug. It wasn't something she could help, it had literally been beaten into her. He asked her why she was out tonight, and a very unladylike snort broke the silence after his words. "M-my m-m-mast-er li-v-ves h-h-here an-nd m-m-my p-p-pac-ck. I sh-should as-sk y-you wh-hy y-y-y-ou are h-h-here, on cl-claimed te-t-ter-itory. I c-c-came o-ut h-h-here t-t-to th-th-ink."
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[P:110]
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Feb 13, 2012 18:25:51 GMT -5
Post by Maya on Feb 13, 2012 18:25:51 GMT -5
Vernado Do you recognize the face in the [ m i r r o r ] looking back at you?[/center] "Sc-cars are n-n-not bea-autiful th-th-ings."
The wonderful sound of Echo’s laughter was like a distant memory as the words, clipped and nasty, spilled from her mouth without hesitation. There was a fleeting moment that Vernado wondered if he had said something to offend her that related to scars. He quickly replayed back their conversation and it was made clear he had not tripped up and stated anything of the sort. He tossed her a calm look that regarded her carefully, mind whirring as he wondered as to how he could respond to it. It was a random statement, something that caught him off guard but it wasn’t made evidently clear that it had. The mechanics within his mind began to churn up, chugging through the selection of varying words before he settled for a rather blunt response. ”I never said anything along the lines of such a thing, Miss Echo,” he spoke cautiously, fearing that she’d twist his words into another meaning or take them in the wrong way. His eyes took on a rather confused look, clouding and hardening with concentration as he still strained to further explain himself.
”My scars defined who I once was and I am burdened with that reminder; however, I do not let them define me as much today. They’re dreaded memories but somehow fall into place with my life here and now,” Vernado said gently, offering up a very vague glimpse that would only create him to be even more mysterious than he was. He was never one for words and he was amazed he was willingly conversing and adding to the conversation rather than just listening to someone. He felt awkward and unsure of himself. He was confused and unaware of where their polite exchange was going that he was debating on leaving. He did not wish to bear his soul and life story to someone he hardly knew who would undoubtedly pass judgment on him. He was a different Vernado but the habits from his past were ingrained into him and impossible to release. He didn’t expect Echo to entirely get what he meant but part of him hoped that she would no longer question it any further and leave it as it was. He offered a crooked smile that seemed out of place on his face for it had been a while since he’d last smile but this gesture was one to ensure that Vernado was neither comfortable with his scars nor uncomfortable with them; he just accepted and moved on.
He felt like he was making a fool out of himself but instead of taking the easy way out and thanking her for the small conversation and departing, he was rooted stubbornly to the spot. Vernado shifted his weight, a sign that he felt like he was under interrogation. He knew it was an innocent thing to do for he was trespassing but in all honesty, he wanted to get to know the female as much as she would permit him to. At this point in time, it seemed she was more than willing to shut him out. In his stiff, seated position, Vernado barely moved now. The only movement made visible was the very faint rise and fall of his chest. His tail flicked and rested on his large paws, shielding them as he focused on the female. He wondered what she had endured that had made her this way. What had she gone through that made her react in the ways she did? Vernado wanted to know and wished he did.
Vernado was oblivious that the silence between them had arisen and that he was openly studying her. What made her tick? What made Echo who she was today? He blinked, eyes flickering to the side a moment as he forced himself to stop gawking at her. He a befuddling idiot but he gave an apologetic look if he made her uncomfortable with his steady gaze that had barely left her face. He did take note of the scar and was curious as to how it came to be but did not voice it. He had his own fair share of scars and their stories were stored in his mind, confined and boarded up and yet, so desperate to be known. Sienna colored eyes drifted away from her, gazing into the shadows that loomed around them before Echo spoke and averted his eyes to return to her face. He exhaled lightly and nodded, accepting the fact that it was only reasonable he tell her. ”Honestly, I don’t sleep much for personal reasons, so I wander around and let my mind toss whatever nonsense it so pleases. Somewhere along the way I lost all sense of direction and found myself here and saw you walking around alone.” This time around there wasn’t any sort of answer that barely dodged the question and it was an earnest one at that.
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