vritra
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[M:70]
That One Girl
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Post by vritra on Nov 6, 2012 20:12:36 GMT -5
Aeron sniffed the air, confirming that indeed there was a pack ruling over these lands. He’d heard interesting things about the Caisteal: they would take in the weak and disabled, the hungry and abandoned. It had been his father’s dying wish to see his son accepted into a pack… And where better than to try his luck in a pack that accepted everyone, including the offspring of a forbidden mating?
He slowly passed the marking barriers, trying to appear as non-threatening as a large wolf could manage. Aeron wanted to avoid being seen as a trespasser; even though he knew that the Caisteal accepted many varieties of wolves, past experience would not allow him to drop his guard. Large paws slowly crept forward, eyes keeping a lookout for anyone sent to meet him. His presence had surely already been noted… Now he just need wait and see if in fact the Caisteal were as generous as he’d heard.
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Post by Lady Cattenborough on Nov 6, 2012 20:28:19 GMT -5
Of a spring morning, the Caisteal alpha could usually be found…well, sleeping. Whilst only seven, the old wolf had seen a lot of awful things, and done a lot of them, too. His bones were tired and sore. This morning, however, rather than basking on his favourite rock near the old badger den they had sheltered in for the winter, the Big Yan was seeking.
He could smell another wolf. The winter had been very harsh, and the few old wolves had since died. It had just been him an Elsa since the depths of the season, and it would be nice to see the pack thriving again.
Approaching the edge of the defined territory, he spotted the other. A tawny-ish sort of lad, on the larger side – from an initial impression, a strong, healthy lad, and things were looking good again for the small pack.
As his trot slowed, Big Yan spoke up.
“Guid mornin’, stranger!” He sounded rather jovial. He always sounded rather jovial, even through his accent that made the wolf sound like he'd had rocks for breakfast. He stopped a few feet away from the other wolf. “Welcome tae th’ Caisteal lands. I am th’ alpha, I am cawed th’ Big Yan.” He was always bad at this part. “What is yer, ah, business?” He didn’t want to sound aggressive, so compensated by wagging his tail from side to side.
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vritra
New Member
[M:70]
That One Girl
Posts: 29
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Post by vritra on Nov 6, 2012 20:42:38 GMT -5
Aeron stopped mid step as soon as he spotted the other wolf. He was large, but that was to be expected. From what he could tell from the scent markings all around him, this was the Caisteal alpha. The previous winter had been harsh on everyone, and no pack was left as an exception. They had probably lost a few members, usually the young and inexperienced or the old. If they were truly unlucky, then even the strong would fall to the icy grip of winter.
For now, the alpha looked calm and not at all threatened by Aeron’s presence. He was old, but still fit enough to be the alpha. It never even crossed Aeron’s mind to attack him; he was not looking to be the leader of an entire pack… Just a helping hand if he could. He wanted to make his father proud and honor his dying wish. Big Yan, as he soon learned was the alpha’s name, stopped a few feet away, looking happy to see the stranger. Aeron respected the distance already established and slowly wagged his tail behind him.
“My name’s Aeron… I come from… Well, nowhere really.” He cracked a toothy smile, relaxing around the jolly sounding fellow. “I heard about your pack… I’d like to join if I can. I’m strong, the winter saw to that. I can run. I can hunt. I’ll do what is necessary to protect the pack.”
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Post by Lady Cattenborough on Nov 6, 2012 21:00:40 GMT -5
Well, the lad was forward. That was a good thing.
“Weel,” Big Yan sat down, as his hips ached. It was too early. “Tis just I and me bonnie lass, Elsa, left. Th’ winter took th’ auld anes, I am afraid. Bu’ ye are welcome, sae lang as ye act properly. We daena take disrespect, lad. Nor dae we take violence, nor fightin’. I am an auld wouf, Mr Aeron, and I would appreciate ye humoured me as lang as I am still in ane piece.”
If one wasn’t listening closely, it would be hard to understand him. Luckily, he tended to speak somewhat slowly.
Equally as slowly, Big Yan got back up again. He was suddenly regretting sitting down in the first place. “We are in need o’ big lads like ye. Ha’ ye skills in organisin’ hunters? Elsa does awrigh’ on her ane, bu’ she daena speak, sae canno’ give ye commands. She follows ‘em pretty awrigh’, though.” Turning, he started trotting across the wet ground back towards the densite.
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vritra
New Member
[M:70]
That One Girl
Posts: 29
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Post by vritra on Nov 6, 2012 21:33:19 GMT -5
It seemed he was accepted… Why else would an alpha begin to list the rules of his pack? Aeron listened attentively, knowing that now was the moment where he needed to prove himself. Had he been born into his pack, then perhaps minor misconduct would be tolerated or not punished as harshly, but because he was coming in an as outsider, then he needed to make sure that he gave a good impression to remain in the pack. Big Yan was a fair wolf so far, he thought, and he eagerly followed after the other, keeping a step or two behind out of respect.
“So then the pack has been whittled down to two?” That was a shame… But it would mean that there was a better chance of earning his keep here and impressing Big Yan. “I have never been in charge of a hunting group before, Sir… I’ve only ever known my father as hunting partner. But I know how to bring down prey, and he was a good teacher… I’d like to think that quality rubbed off on me.”
This was interesting… A pack with only two wolves… Well, now three. Big Yan, a female named Elsa, and Aeron. Perhaps rebuilding the pack would help prove his worth?
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Post by Lady Cattenborough on Nov 6, 2012 21:50:42 GMT -5
“Tis the way o’ it, me lad. We ha’ nivver been aw too big, bu’ mostly auld lads. They didnae survive th’ cauld.” There were still a few piles of snow under trees and such, as it occasionally still fell on cold nights. It was less like snow now, more like…mush.
“Well, yer leadin’ ‘em now. S’awrigh, Elsa does wha’ she’s told, an’ daesna complain.” He shouldn’t think so. His daughter was completely mute. Well, near-completely. She occasionally made a puppyish whining noise.
As the old, grey wolf, with his battle scars and his tattered ear and his broken tooth, made his way into pack lands, he felt a little…better. What had started as a grim season had at least turned out to be not so bad after all.
“Sae tell me, lad.” Big Yan said as he continued to trot, his injured back leg starting to ache. He lifted it off the ground, continuing to hobble on only three. “Where did ye cam frae?”
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vritra
New Member
[M:70]
That One Girl
Posts: 29
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Post by vritra on Nov 6, 2012 22:02:43 GMT -5
The ground was still cold but it was getting warner. The sun shined each day, slowly melting the snow and ice from the trees and fields. It would make hunting easier. The breeding season was also starting, but it was far from Aeron’s mind. If Elsa was in fact the only female, then Big Yan would perhaps want her for himself… Unless they were related. In desperate times when numbers were low, some packs would resort to incest, but it was rare and usually frowned upon, sometimes considered a crime.
“I’ll be happy to lead, Sir.” Aeron noticed Big Yan’s limp, probably a scar from battle. He was old and still alpha; he must still have some fight in him to control his territory. “Nowhere, Sir. My mother was let go from her pack,” Aeron hated the word outcast. “And my father… He was the reason for it. We moved constantly; never had a home.” He paused for a moment, a grim smile forming on his lips. “He died not long ago… He wanted… better for me. Better than the life of a bachelor male, that is.”
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Post by Lady Cattenborough on Nov 6, 2012 22:36:29 GMT -5
Big Yan suddenly felt nostalgic. He remembered being a bachelor male, running about like a mad thing, and the shame of his mother, with his brothers. Things were different, back home. There were humans, for one.
“Oh, it isnae tha’ bad.” He said, looking back over at this new wolf. “Weel, wasnae fer me. I had me brothers, an’ tha’ was eneuch, fer a while. I am frae Scotia. Scotland, lad. Far up north, was oor hame.” He offered a grin, lopsided due to his chipped canine. “Bu’ there’s nae shame in bein’ a naewhere lad, lad.”
They were approaching a small hill beside a cliff, which had been visible from the border. It was riddled with disused badger dens; the cliff itself had a few small caverns in it. There were large, broad, dark rocks laying in the early sun.
“She’s aroond here somewhere…” He muttered, before calling out. “Elsa! We go’ a new lad. Where ha’ ye gotten tae?”
From a cavern in the cliff, a brown, patchy, pointy head poked out. The young female, who was around two, trotted out towards them, her wiry tail wagging behind her. She had long, gangly legs and oddly large ears, and was very small. Her fur was…well, fuzzy, and ridiculous, like a newborn duck. She was very scruffy, with patches of blacks, browns, reds and greys, a white chest and a battered up front-left leg. Elsa’s eyes were large and dull grey in colour. Her face was rather scarred up, like her father’s.
“Ah.” Big Yan said happily. “Elsa, thi’ is yer new kin. His name is Aeron. Lad, thi’ is Elsa, me dochter. She’s a bit shy sae, she migh’ spend ‘er time – er, doin’ tha’.”
The young wolf was trying to hide behind her father, ears back and looking concerned.
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vritra
New Member
[M:70]
That One Girl
Posts: 29
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Post by vritra on Nov 6, 2012 22:56:30 GMT -5
Scotland… Aeron’s parents never told him where he came from, nor where his mother’s former pack called home. He knew that he must have had family still there; his mother’s family, perhaps even her siblings or cousins… But he’d never met them and considering how easily they turned her away when they discovered her pregnancy, Aeron was not sure if he ever wanted to meet them.
The densite was large, but it looked like a home. Most of it seemed unused, but when a pack only had three wolves in it, that was the price you paid. Big Yan called for Elsa, the tiny female answering his call silently. She indeed said nothing, and Aeron wondered why. Even her father, as he quickly learned Big Yan and Elsa were related, didn’t seem to know, but it would be rude to question it now. Perhaps later he would ask. For now, though, he tried to smile for her, noting the way she was hiding behind her large father as if he were a shield.
“Morning, Elsa… I’m Aeron. Happy to meet you.” He wagged his tail, cocking his head and trying to let her know that he wouldn’t hurt her. She wasn’t the most beautiful female he’d ever seen, but there was something about her… Perhaps it was the pain he saw so clearly etched in her face that made Aeron want to befriend her. She and her father had a past, it was true…
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Post by Lady Cattenborough on Nov 6, 2012 23:16:21 GMT -5
Elsa seemed to be trying to completely hide in the long hairs on her father’s flank. She was a rather plain young wolf, but camouflage with her big, dark grey father did not work out so well with her brown and speckled coat. Nonetheless, a good dose of the side of her face was disappearing into her father’s guard hairs, and she stared out at the stranger.
“Ah…” Big Yan said. “Daena fash yersel’ wi’ her. She’ll warm up tae ye.” He pulled away to jump up onto the large rocks in the sun, leaving Elsa to scamper for cover behind them. “Bu’ mak yerself at hame, Aeron. Ye are plenty safe noo’. Perhaps, in the efternuin, we shall gae an’ show you about th’ land. Tis a bonnie place.” The old wolf laid himself out on his rock, head on his paws. “Daena let me detain ye.”
Those were words he’d learned from his father. His father had never meant them as I’m going to have a nana nap now, though. Usually, it was a phrase of contempt. Big Yan never sounded angry, though.
[ooc: aaaand that wraps up this thread! Feel free to post again if you like, let me know if you'd like to make a thread of him being shown around and I'll do that.]
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