Rookie Sensation [Othello]

[Ὀδύσσεια♐]

Lanze

It was with quick paws and a loping stride that the youth possessed to traverse the lands. He liked to think that he was quite the explorer, braving the horizon with squared shoulders and a raised tail. Nothing could stop him and he feared no one. Really, though, the youth hadn't even crossed the borders. Ever. Standing there on the edge and gazing out at the world that looked so very much like where he was standing, he imagined there be the monsters from his night terrors that he told nobody of. That he would brave them when he was bigger and stronger. That he would outgrow his brother soon enough now and be a striking brute that all other brutes feared and the lasses swooned over. Yes, that was the great destiny that awaited him on the other side.

Maybe he would come back and face it tomorrow.

Turning to meander the edge, safe by some invisible wall that kept adventurous half-year-olds from frolicking off and doing something really stupid, Lanze walked along with a lazy stride that was not a sight for sore eyes. He was of mixed blood that hadn't done much wonders for him thus far. His legs were too long, his torso a little on the thin side and his his head looking just a little odd on his shoulders. Or maybe he was just going through that awkward stage all pups went through and eventually grew out of. Either way, his stride was harsh and he nearly tripped in a gopher hole on more than one occasion.

"Five little speckled frogs, sat on a speckled log" Lanze hummed upon settling in to the thick plumes of grass at his paws. "Eating the most delicious bugs," he snapped at a bumble bee buzzing around a lupin, "one jumped into the pool, where it was nice and cool." With swiveling ears he focused in on the relative silence that enveloped him as his words drifted off on the breeze. A twitch of the nose caught the distant scents of the pack as he lowered his head to outstretched paws. Only the rustle of the green blades splayed out around his red and brown frame was there to greet him and all of a sudden he felt that gut-clenching sensation of utter aloneness.

(OOC: Maybe she sneaks up on him. Or she drifts past at a distance and he goes after. Or something.)

[Dakki]

Othello

After her run in with a very fine male alpha, she had been more careful to watch the boarders. She was also more curious about the lives of the organized packs. She had once been a sklavin, but she had escaped that life. It was too dangerous, too hard keep up her masks around all those wolves. So she shook the idea of going back, but that did not scoff her curiosity about the way they ran and the members within. Today she was skirting the boarder of a rather lush pack, the lands greener than she had seen for quite some time. The evidence of the fire was starting to vanish, the forest doing its job. Some places seemed to be even more beautiful than before, something pretty coming out of something so very destructive.

Unaware of a little body resting in the grass, Othello walked just along the other side of the border, her cinnamon coat glittering in the midday sun. Her chocolate eyes scanned the area, keeping an eye out for any members of this pack. She couldn't quite remember the name of it, although she had heard of the leaders of this pack. A lovely, tough pair of wolves they were. Snorting, she walked just on the other side of the scent markers, almost brushing up against the invisible wall. She giggled softly, feeling in a rather playful mood today. There was no one around, and the sun was high. She was warm, and happy. No masks, she was herself right now. While that could be quite dangerous, she didn't much care right now. That was very unlike her, not caring; but as was marching around without hiding her true self.

Flopping to her side beside the boarder, she ran her legs across the soft grass, her eyes watching for any pack members marching up and taking a bite of her pretty fur. But they couldn't harm her, she was right on the edge of their little wall. Humming to herself, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the sun on her flank. She actually allowed herself to relax a little bit, but her ears still swiveled 'round her head to pick up any little sounds that she heard. The feeling of being alone danced across her face, feeling joy for the first time in a long time. Silence. Peace. Sunlight. All was good in the mind of Othello. Well, besides being crazy.

Words | 410[/color]
Music | Decoy - Paramore
Muse | High[/color]
Notes | Like the contrast? ^^[/size]

[Ὀδύσσεια♐]

Lanze

It was the glisten of a cinnamon hued coat in his periphial vision that captured Lanze's attention. He peered through the forest of meadow that enveloped his being in a curious manner before lurching to his feet in a swift motion to better spot the passerby. She lay many yards off in her own bed of grass and Lanze could not help the excitement that overcame him at the sight. Perhaps he should have retained some amount of caution towards this stranger, but "curiosity killed Lanze", as everyone would always say.

Moving forward with a bounce to an overzelious strut, Lanze halted along the invisible border, paws itching to pass it but not yet bold enough. The stranger was still a good many strides away, but certainly within earshot. Overcome with the urge to come off as a strong and fearsome indevidual not to be trifled with, Lanze planted his legs like pillars and raised his hackles. "Come to challenge my rule, have you?" Taunted the youth, baring white teeth at her. If anything, he looked far more rediculous than he did threatening. His footwork was all wrong and he still had a few inches to grow before being full-sized. Not only that, but he was one of the lowest of low ranks in Irrsin. She didn't know the latter, though.

Raising his head and tail up with a surge of bravery, he took one step over the border and halted, as if waiting to see if anything would strike him down. Nothing happened, and so he took another, and another, until he was all the way past. This small act that would probably seem trivial to others surged his pride, and he attempted to capture the female with a dazzling gaze. The unknown she-wolf was definitely a striking individual. "Don't worry, I can play nice. Especially for pretty things like you," said Lanze, as if it might actually impress the other.

(OOC: Dear lord Lanze...)

[Dakki]

Othello

Slight movement caught the lazy wolf's gaze, causing her head her gaze up at the small lupine who was standing a few feet away, gazing at her. She closed her eyes again, pretending not to see the pup. He was tall, and lanky, so maybe about a year or so old. This little one posed no threat to her, so she went on relaxing. It was too nice of a day to give it up from a view of a tiny wolf. Huffing softly, she flipped her body over and showed him her back. He wouldn't cross that wall that protected him, she had heard that pack mothers frighten their little ones into not crossing the border.

All was fine and dandy until the little snot spoke up, his words confusing her. Contorting her neck so that she was twisting her head back to gaze at him, her chocolate brown eyes took in the little one. He was standing tall, trying to show off for her. But why? What could this little squirt want with her? Clearly she was not here to challenge him, and very clearly he was not the alpha of these parts. But, she might as well humor him. "Me, challenge you? Now why would I want to fight one as strong as yourself?" Turning once again, she rolled so that her belly was resting in the soft grass. Her deep brown eyes took the mini wolf in, smiling softly. He was a pretty cute tiny, trying to be all brave and stand up to her. Looking at his paws, she tilted her head. He just wouldn't cross that line, would he? He was baring his teeth at her, and she just shook her head and smiled back. Silly youth.

She watched with mild curiosity as he rose his head and tail, bravely taking one step over that boundary. He froze, seeming to gaze around like some wolf was going to barrel him down and hold him there for simply toeing over the border. She chuckled under her breath when pride coursed through the younger one. She couldn't quite remember what it was like at his age, she hard blocked that part of her memory out. The teasing, the hiding. Shaking her head to rid those thoughts, she stayed on her belly as he approached her. The next thing that shocked her was the smile that the pup then flashed her way, that of a male trying to catch the attention of a passing female. The surprise made her blink several times, trying to focus once more when he spoke. Pretty thing? She knew that she was a very handsome being, but from a tiny wolf? That in fact was the very shocking thing to her. Was this little one already a womanizer? Blinking harshly and shaking her head, she focused even harder on the being. "Well, I must be a lucky wolf then." She said softly, still trying to humor the 'mighty alpha' pup. "Why then, are you sparing me, even though I have not crossed your wall into your territory." she said softly, a faint smile upon her lips.

The cinnamon wolf did not rise from her position on her belly, just looked up at the pup. She was teasing him, trying to pull a little something more from this one. "By the way, tiny alpha, my name is Othello. May I ask what yours is?"

Words | 570[/color]
Music | ---
Muse | High[/color]
Notes | Ramble. ><[/size]

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» A D L E R

<sub>With the mid-day sun beating warmth onto his grey back, Adler ambled unyielding through the grasses of his home. His stride was long as he trotted, a length not unlike his straggly, unfitting legs, and he moved without the real purpose of a grown wolf, instead pacing back and forth as he followed a scent wildly across the hillside. He'd been at the trail for a few minutes now, interested in it's direction for the sheer sake of being interested. To him alone it was pungent and fresh on the ground, a scent he'd known for as long as he could remember. It was sweet field grasses and warm Irrsin sun, tussles in the dust outside the dens and catching fireflies between teeth at night. It was the unmistakeable scent of his brother, Lanze.

Having been woken up that morning by a claw poke and Lanze's hurried (yet hushed, since the rest of the pack was still asleep) expressions of claiming and adventures, Adler had simply fallen back asleep, absentminded about his brother's whereabouts. And when he had finally woken up, Lanze had been gone and the trail left as a challenge. It had been time to test his skills. Adler, so far, had made it a good portion of the way without too many mistakes; he'd only been lead off course twice, once being due to Lanze climbing a log and the trail being lost in the process of a jump. But now, there seemed to be yet another impasse. The scent had simply disappeared.

Adler, in all honesty, was quite lost. The smell was fading faster than a rabbit from his young claws, and the pup whined loudly as he glanced around himself. He'd for sure be in trouble whenever Kasimira or Tortuga found him. Wandering off like the adventurer his brother was... If they found him. Adler's ears splayed backwards as he considered his position of uncertainty and wildly scanned the horizon around him. There was no one but himself out here. Not even the birds were with sound, instead holed up in some tree notch or remaining silent on a branch. But there might be other wolves lurking near by, wolves with sharp barks and even sharper teeth... The young mind raced along with thoughts of frightening shadows slipping around him, unseen in the midday sun. What if... What if they'd already gotten Lanze and that's why the scent ended so abruptly?!? Adler told himself he should bare his teeth, maybe look bigger than he did currently to scare his imaginary tormentors off. He should defend himself, make a move like Lanze would. Stillness enveloped the meadow for a few minutes. When Adler finally forced himself to decide on a move, the oldest pup simply squatted down ever so hesitantly in the meadow grass, his spine rippling uncomfortably as the anxiety fell off of him in waves.

"Don't worry, I can play nice. Especially for pretty things like you,"

To the already nervous wolfpup, the words were like the shattering of ice. The grey body flinched obviously at the noise and instinctively the paws moved back, the body hunching lower to the earth as if becoming invisible was possible with a more grounded perspective. In all the commotion and churning, thrumming of his heart, Adler had missed connecting the voice to his brother.

"Well, I must be a lucky wolf then. Why then, are you sparing me, even though I have not crossed your wall into your territory?"

It was chatter. Adler's ears just barely dared to prick themselves towards the conversation slowly, his body unsure of whether to be ready to bolt if need be, or to inch forward to hear the exchange better.

"By the way, tiny alpha, my name is Othello. May I ask what yours is?"

Othello. It was an interesting name choice, and certainly didn't belong to anyone in Irrsin (or anyone he'd ever met, since they were one in the same). And 'tiny alpha'? Adler tipped his head to the side, turning the phrase over in his mind. He'd never heard anyone brave enough--or rather stupid enough--to refer to Tortuga or Kasimira as 'tiny'. In all actuality, they were decent for their size, with Tortuga being the largest wolf in Irrsin. And Kasimira wouldn't ever let any wolf get away with calling her such a derogatory name, as he knew well enough from observing Zy's interactions with the black female.

From the sound, Adler knew the pair of voices he heard was only tail-lengths in front of him. The treeline was just within sight as well. Baring himself with a few deep breaths and a self-aware blink, Adler cautiously slunk forward. He wouldn't--couldn't-reveal himself. Not until he knew who the strangers were or where Lanze had vanished off to. For now, he would wait a few seconds longer...</sub>