Larksong Grotto Creeping in my soul
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Ooc — Eoran
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#1
Joining 
Lonely in her depths she had an erring feeling, a nagging to her instincts and a momentarily weak crave from within her chest. Taught from childhood that the absence of others was the way of life, that solitude was a blessing and she certainly agreed – so why did she feel a drag? Why did she climb the mountains of ice during summer time with nothing but scent luring her in and now hunger slowly tearing to her stomach?

Stupidity had to be it. Maybe she had finally lost her mind and was going crazy, maybe someone was leading her there and she was slowly leaving behind common sense without seeing who pulled the strings, or maybe she was just an idiot. She had never considered herself as such, but it seemed rather fitting for her travels up north. Little food, not much prey and even less edible berries to live off – it upset her stomach anyway. Her dark tail was pushed down and her ears on a low drop toward her skull.
 
There was a sound and whisper inside of her, a string slowly attached within that was pulling her forward – she had followed a scent of something unknown to her, and instincts had immediately pulled her toward this scent. She first feared it to be a male and mating season was the calling, until logic told her off, it was no season for mating. She scraped the snow as she tried to find the scent again and this time she realized what it was.
 
A pack.
 
She stiffened and her ears twitched in different directions. She huffed and scowled. This was a survival instinct, so she was not an idiot. She knew she had trouble living and fending herself on her own the world was harsh and the darkness that swept across all lands would also shroud her heart to darkness and leave her blind. She knew why her instincts had lead her here. It was only natural for any wolf to seek a pack of their own, especially a female of her age, it was quite unnatural for one to live alone for so long. She turned around, ready to abandon this scent and the instinct within.
 
The string tightened and held her in place. You have to. She groaned. Why in god’s name did she have to? Oh right. To survive. She took another step away from the pack borders and the string suspended and pulled so it hurt in her chest. She gritted her teeth, tried to break free from the pull, she squinted her eyes with her heart racing as if she had been on a hunt (or on the run from danger, was a more fitting description). The string did not break or falter in strength.
 
She gave in.
 
Fine
 
She sighed and turned around and sat by the bush which had been marked by a pack. She felt humiliated to give up on this life of hers, but the satisfaction of her instinct told her that this was the way to survive.
 
I don’t have to enjoy it though...
 
No chance in hell that she would ever enjoy to run errands for someone else.
Hope is for presidents and dreams are for people who are sleeping
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Ooc — Ryan
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#2
Apologies on the wait!

Though his responsibility to his children took the front seat in Hiram's day to day routine, the Cardinal still had a long list of duties to fulfill as leader of the grotto. The borders needed to be tended to and marked where need be. And so, he set out in the morning from his grotto while his daughters were in the throes of sleep for some much needed peace and quiet. He needed this. Though he loved both of his girls tremendously, if he had to listen to another of Laurel's tantrums, Hiram honestly felt he might truly go crazy...

As if he hadn't already.

He breathed deeply, allowing his eyes to shut as he blindly ambled along the border. Even in the height of summer, the crisp mountain air of the taiga remained comfortably mild. He opened his eyes and looked to the sun, burning brightly in the sky, and gave thanks for what he had. For what the Lord had given him. All was well.

Bringing his gaze back down to the horizon, Hiram spotted a figure in the distance. He stopped and watched from a distance. She made no move into his territory, however, she lingered close. Too close for Hiram to remain comfortable. With tail raised, he descended the ridge and approached. Chuffing, the Cardinal invited -- no, implored the stranger to speak.
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Ooc — Eoran
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#3
She considered leaving, turn around and run but it had already proved fruitless to attempt such nonsense. Maybe it indeed was time for her to move into a pack, survive and thrive. Tiny, small in figure and a bit on the skinny side, she had to admit that she did not look as good as she ought to. She did not spend much time grooming herself, never caught interest in it, her fur was therefore wild and sticking to the sides where it wanted to. Her orange eyes were searching for sign of life and they would soon find it.
 
The wolf was clearly patrolling, he walked too securely and confident in himself to not belong to this pack, he too seemed searching. When not busy staring himself blind into the sun that is. She huffed and a new scowl embraced the folds of her face and she rose to her feet. Though she had come here and she had wanted to be found her nerves were tingling on the edge of her fur. She felt ready to jump, to run off scarce to the newcomer and it took much unyielding battle inside of her to keep her ground.
 
When the other one saw her his tail went high and her fur immediately prickled and rose run run run run runrunrunrun RUN! No. Keep still, do not flee, he could see her as a challenge if he did or an intruder. She almost trembled, yet she was not fearful and so her fur was standing on high. Her legs were stretched and ready for any kind of reaction he might have. He made clear sign for her to speak he wanted her to take initiate. She stared at him with what could have been considered a very rude stare with the scowl still on her face. Her brows lowered toward her eyes and the scowl was not getting prettier at this point. She knew she was already doing sort of poorly of making good impressions.
 
Shit.
 
”Erh.” She kept starting at him, uncertain what to speak to him, something about like  what her name was and what she wanted was probably a really good idea right? Tell him she did not intrude, that she sought a pack? Do I want a pack? This again? She should have decided that some time ago shouldn’t she? Before the other one came, before getting too close on the border. ”Er I – I have never done this before.” What part Slate? Live in a pack? Make a fool out of yourself? Talked to other people for the last year and a half? Yea all of that really. She suddenly realized how exhausting it was to talk to people, how tiring it was to use her voice for talking. She grunted slightly.
 
”Instinct. I mean. Wait.” She tried to take a deep breath but it came in a small snap of air and she realized she just looked like a pissy bitch at the moment. If she didn’t want to get the kick to the gate she had to make this right. COME ON!
 
”I felt something – leading me. Here. To this. Erhm Pack. I have never been in a pack before, never lived with other wolves. Instinct pulled me here I guess. I need a pack to survive.” She didn’t like to lie a whole lot, she had never heard of this place and didn’t want to get in at any cost, but she knew about surviving. That she wanted.
Hope is for presidents and dreams are for people who are sleeping
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Ooc — Ryan
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#4
Had Hiram not been softened by the grace of Lord and His purifying light -- he would have turned the stranger away at the first sign of disrespect. Her stare struck him so. His eyes narrowed and he stared her down in return, but he did not turn her away. The Daystar brought those who sought a home and purpose to the border. To turn one away would be to deny the will of God.

So, he let her speak.

First, she stumbled over her words and the Cardinal was tempted to tell her to simply get on with it. Instead, he remained silent and waited for her to finish. "Not instinct," he corrected, his hard expression turning soft with a smile. "You have been drawn here, yes -- but it has been the call of the Daystar that you follow." Did she hear Him? Did she know His power? Sure, a wolf needed a pack to survive -- but within the light of Raas, the wolves of the grotto thrived. 

"I am the Cardinal, Hiarm," he introduced. "And you?"
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Ooc — Eoran
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#5
She could see the impatience in his eyes when she stumbled on her words and she hated herself for it. Slate was in no way a weak person or struck by idiocy, but she had not spoken to another living being for very long. She should have prepared herself before his arrival or she could have risked getting shunned away. She had little to no idea that it was mostly the expression on her face that made matters worse, but not being properly socialized made this unknown territory. She simply didn’t know any better. She was not illiterate, she was properly raised, but it was new to her to express herself to others or even react and empathize to others.
 
This was going to be very painful for her and likely for the black one as well. ” Not instinct, You have been drawn here, yes -- but it has been the call of the Daystar that you follow.” She was not especially good at hiding her face or thoughts and she gave him a look – a look that very obviously had doubt, but even more so a question of whatever or not the man was right in the fucking brain. Her ears folded slightly backward and she shifted nervously with her shoulders. Maybe she – misunderstood? Did not know the meaning? Was this some sort of test or code for something? ”Don’t know what that is.” Honestly, she really didn’t.
 
"I am the Cardinal, Hiarm, And you?” This she could deal with though and the expression returned to a mild scowl (this was indeed a flaw of hers, sooner or later this cardinal would realize that the scowl was almost permanent of this one’s face). ”Slate – That would be my name. No fancy title, Mr. cardinal.” Hint of sarcasm spewed from her lips and she attempted to hold her tongue but that was not going well. She should not have said that should she? Nah – likely not. At this point she would find no one anywhere would she? Might as well say whatever now.
 
”Was it a joke? The eh star thing? It seems like a joke. I don’t get jokes.. I get – logic. The earth and how that works.” She stood a little silently and realized she might be able to salvage this recruit if she could turn things in her favor ”I’ve lived off the land my entire life. Plants, the earth, that I know of, this I am good at. Even if I screw up in talking to others. That I am not good at. I was once told I look like a bitch – and that’s okay. I will be a bitch if that means I won’t believe in anyone I meet or their fairytales. I believe in what I know.” And stand by what I know, she swished her tail lightly and lowered her head to take a look at this cardinal, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. ”So tell me what I should know Mr. cardinal – for so far I might believe you will gain more out of this arrangement than I.” Bold, dangerous words. She knew but did not hold it.
Hope is for presidents and dreams are for people who are sleeping
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Ooc — Ryan
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#6
Of course, she was ignorant of the Sun God as all were who arrived on the border. Her heart, however, had obviously been hardened against Him. The Heartless One had claim over her soul, it was clear to see. She went on and Hiram hoped that her soul could somehow be saved, but as he continued to listen -- his hopes were dashed against the rocks.

Fairytails.

His gaze hardened with anger. He needed hear no more. "You speak blasphemy against our God and you expect to make your home here?" As, fucking, if. The Cardinal only had two more words for her, and they were as follows: a clear and decisive, "Get out."