The grotto seemed a whole new world with all the information he had now. Some herbs he found were in abundance compared to those in the wood, and vice versa. He ran through everything Potema has taught him over and over until it was near impossible to forget. The final promise he had made to her, to never forget. Herbs, now, he could focus on. Religion, Mephala, Raas-far to disorienting for right now.
So he focus on herbs. Plants. Poisons. His family has smothered him in affection, he had in return done the same, but now he slipped away to explore the territory he once new, occasionally sniffing at a herb of plant, eyes catching a particularly dangerous one from time to time but making to move to investigate.
Alone, with his thoughts, slowly he wandered.
So he focus on herbs. Plants. Poisons. His family has smothered him in affection, he had in return done the same, but now he slipped away to explore the territory he once new, occasionally sniffing at a herb of plant, eyes catching a particularly dangerous one from time to time but making to move to investigate.
Alone, with his thoughts, slowly he wandered.
at first, indra had avoided the new wolf. even though they were close in age. even though he was a new family member.
she didn't care. or at least, she wanted to believe she didn't care. deep down, she did a little. she had to steel herself, she had to show reek that she wasn't some thing to be thrown away by his new family. she had to show him she was strong, not vulnerable. in a way, she wanted to believe she was unaffected by casmir's words and reek's subsequent new brood -- but both had sunk deeper into her heart than any claw ever could.
she had seen the youth pass by the hollowed log she had been hiding in. at first, she hid from him - she shrank into the bark and watched as he walked by. she couldn't tell if he was looking for something, or someone, but his way of going seemed almost aimless. her brow furrowed and she pulled herself from the log and made straight for him. "do you even know where you're walking?" she suddenly blurted, her tone sharp and accusatory.
she was surprised and taken aback by the vitriol of her words; she didn't know it, but her pent-up frustrations dammed for so long had suddenly erupted, and seff was the unlucky scapegoat. it was too late for her to take back the harshness of her tone, or the coldness of her scowl -- so instead, she owned the sudden outburst and leveled a haughty glare in his direction.
she didn't care. or at least, she wanted to believe she didn't care. deep down, she did a little. she had to steel herself, she had to show reek that she wasn't some thing to be thrown away by his new family. she had to show him she was strong, not vulnerable. in a way, she wanted to believe she was unaffected by casmir's words and reek's subsequent new brood -- but both had sunk deeper into her heart than any claw ever could.
she had seen the youth pass by the hollowed log she had been hiding in. at first, she hid from him - she shrank into the bark and watched as he walked by. she couldn't tell if he was looking for something, or someone, but his way of going seemed almost aimless. her brow furrowed and she pulled herself from the log and made straight for him. "do you even know where you're walking?" she suddenly blurted, her tone sharp and accusatory.
she was surprised and taken aback by the vitriol of her words; she didn't know it, but her pent-up frustrations dammed for so long had suddenly erupted, and seff was the unlucky scapegoat. it was too late for her to take back the harshness of her tone, or the coldness of her scowl -- so instead, she owned the sudden outburst and leveled a haughty glare in his direction.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
October 30, 2016, 10:25 AM
she burst toward him so suddenly, her fiery pelt such an intrusion on the faded, yellowed nature of the landscape, that the boy was completely caught off guard. when she spat toward him words laced with venom, he steped back a moment, in his shock adopting for a moment his mother's stutter. "I-I...of course." he finally managed to say, saphire gaze beholding the other still with shock.
he had no memory of her. How and why was she here? her haughty gaze made him uneasy, and the thought crossed his mind that he should leave. but he frowned upon the thought, for the denziens of the wood would never have thought to back down from such a thing, would they? and some part of him was of their nature, now, so he fired back a sharp retort. "I'm looking for herbs. Poisons, too." he told her matter of factly, putting emphasis on the word poisons.
he was being useful. Potema had a big store of herbs and poisons that did all kinds of things, their healing and killing power something he held in awe. he wanted that too, that mastery of plants and the knowledge his mentor had. no other trade had interested him as of yet, and though it could be nothing but a phase, his ravenous hunger for more knowledge on plants and herbs and such had the potential to make a lasting impact on the boy. plants, were cool.
he had no memory of her. How and why was she here? her haughty gaze made him uneasy, and the thought crossed his mind that he should leave. but he frowned upon the thought, for the denziens of the wood would never have thought to back down from such a thing, would they? and some part of him was of their nature, now, so he fired back a sharp retort. "I'm looking for herbs. Poisons, too." he told her matter of factly, putting emphasis on the word poisons.
he was being useful. Potema had a big store of herbs and poisons that did all kinds of things, their healing and killing power something he held in awe. he wanted that too, that mastery of plants and the knowledge his mentor had. no other trade had interested him as of yet, and though it could be nothing but a phase, his ravenous hunger for more knowledge on plants and herbs and such had the potential to make a lasting impact on the boy. plants, were cool.
October 30, 2016, 02:48 PM
perhaps if it had not been such a tumultuous time in indra's life, their meeting would not have taken such a turn. as it was, indra was disheveled -- unseated -- and as she stared down the face of the wolf she had surprised she had an epiphany:
this is what laurel felt like, wasn't it?
she didn't want to feel mousy anymore. she didn't want to feel bad, or sorry, or sad. all of the sudden all of her frustrations were given a vessel in which to escape; saena leaving them, reek tricking them to come to the grotto, saena returning and not taking them home. the frustration snaked through her, ugly and red -- they had wanted her to pick between two things she loved;
they had wanted her to go without.
"poison?" she repeated, a batlike ear swept forward as she looked to him with a squint of disbelief. suddenly, a thought unkind trickled from her resentful heart. "show me." she demanded, knowing exactly what she wanted to do with whatever poison he found.
this is what laurel felt like, wasn't it?
she didn't want to feel mousy anymore. she didn't want to feel bad, or sorry, or sad. all of the sudden all of her frustrations were given a vessel in which to escape; saena leaving them, reek tricking them to come to the grotto, saena returning and not taking them home. the frustration snaked through her, ugly and red -- they had wanted her to pick between two things she loved;
they had wanted her to go without.
"poison?" she repeated, a batlike ear swept forward as she looked to him with a squint of disbelief. suddenly, a thought unkind trickled from her resentful heart. "show me." she demanded, knowing exactly what she wanted to do with whatever poison he found.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
October 30, 2016, 04:39 PM
a challenge. it was so he interperated her clipped words, disbelief. he'd show her, he thought firmly, tail flicking as he beconed her to follow him. he had little idea of how the girl truly felt, or the tumultous thoughts. should he, he would have refused to show her, very likely. but she boy knew none of Indra, nor her sister, nor Saena and Creek wolves and Reek. she was simply a challenging girl perhaps interested in what he knew, and he sought to impress her with his knowledge.
he turned, retracing his steps, until he stood before the very plant he had been discussing with Cicero one day. Sure, it looked rather dry and small, perhaps not as potent, but Seff felt she didn't need to know that. leaves, thick and green, grew close together, small, long dead, pale wispy flowers remained here and there. "Jimson weed. It's really poisonous." he told her matter of factly, determined to pass the challenge he saw in her words. "It makes you hallucinate; see things that arent there. and if you eat to much, you really hurt then you die." he told her, expression turning serious a moment as he recalled the conversation with Cicero many weeks ago. he looked at the girl with something like wariness, not completely sure of who she was or where she had come from but taking an interest in her all the same. "Who're you?" he asked a little while after finishing, curiousity evident on his face. perhaps she would be more civil now that he'd shown her something interesting.
he turned, retracing his steps, until he stood before the very plant he had been discussing with Cicero one day. Sure, it looked rather dry and small, perhaps not as potent, but Seff felt she didn't need to know that. leaves, thick and green, grew close together, small, long dead, pale wispy flowers remained here and there. "Jimson weed. It's really poisonous." he told her matter of factly, determined to pass the challenge he saw in her words. "It makes you hallucinate; see things that arent there. and if you eat to much, you really hurt then you die." he told her, expression turning serious a moment as he recalled the conversation with Cicero many weeks ago. he looked at the girl with something like wariness, not completely sure of who she was or where she had come from but taking an interest in her all the same. "Who're you?" he asked a little while after finishing, curiousity evident on his face. perhaps she would be more civil now that he'd shown her something interesting.
indra was floored -- no, speechless -- that her commanding attitude was aquiesced. now she fully understood why laurel was so bossy - it was rewarding.
exceedingly so.
she followed him silently, a dark scowl still writ across her features. when they came to a plant she peered delicately at its' leaves, its stem - what made it poisonous? how did it work?
and more importantly, how did one collect it without getting themselves hurt?
she nodded affirmatively, the scowl turning into a self-important leer. "good. grab that, i need it." she swept her rope-like tail upward, hoping he would buy into her guise and oblige her 'request'. his inquiry caused her guise to momentarily slip. who was she? it had been so long since someone asked her, and right now, she hardly knew.
"i'm indra. reek.. hiram's daughter." she admitted, though not without a faint tinge of disappointment. "who're you?" she shifted her petite frame upward, trying to incorporate a semblance of importance into her posture. after all, she was the alpha's daughter.
exceedingly so.
she followed him silently, a dark scowl still writ across her features. when they came to a plant she peered delicately at its' leaves, its stem - what made it poisonous? how did it work?
and more importantly, how did one collect it without getting themselves hurt?
she nodded affirmatively, the scowl turning into a self-important leer. "good. grab that, i need it." she swept her rope-like tail upward, hoping he would buy into her guise and oblige her 'request'. his inquiry caused her guise to momentarily slip. who was she? it had been so long since someone asked her, and right now, she hardly knew.
"i'm indra. reek.. hiram's daughter." she admitted, though not without a faint tinge of disappointment. "who're you?" she shifted her petite frame upward, trying to incorporate a semblance of importance into her posture. after all, she was the alpha's daughter.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
Reek's daughter. she wanted the plant. Seff stared at her a moment, confused. was she slow? he tried again, slower in case she hadn't gotten it the first time. "It's poisonous. deadly." he stared at her a moment later. perhaps her bosyness, coupled with his initial shock, had worked. but he was not about to grab her some jimson weed simply because she asked for it. coupled with the fact that he didn't exactly know how to gather such a weed safely, he was more than a little put off by the prospect.
"are you really Reek's...daughter? " He asked with disbelief in his voice. Reek hadn't had a daughter last time he had seen the leader, months ago.
which begged the question...what else had he missed? he peered at the girl, wondering what on earth she wanted with poisons, and where she had even come from in the first place.
"I'm Seff. " he offered in turn, still perhaps a litter wary of the girl.
"are you really Reek's...daughter? " He asked with disbelief in his voice. Reek hadn't had a daughter last time he had seen the leader, months ago.
which begged the question...what else had he missed? he peered at the girl, wondering what on earth she wanted with poisons, and where she had even come from in the first place.
"I'm Seff. " he offered in turn, still perhaps a litter wary of the girl.
November 01, 2016, 06:21 PM
he reiterated that it was poisonous. indra huffed as if indignant; uh, duh it was poisonous! she knew that, that's why she wanted him to pick it up.
his incredulity was not overlooked; she puffed her chest slightly as he mentioned reek's real name. he wasn't really hiram.. not to indra. he was either papa, or reek -- the boogeyman that the adults of her earliest moments had depicted as foul and evil.
"i am." she answered, trying her best to mimic an air of importance. seff didn't need to know that reek had replaced her and laurel with a newer model. "when did you get here seff? and why?" she couldn't fathom why anyone would want to come to the grotto -- not when she had tried so hard to escape it.
his incredulity was not overlooked; she puffed her chest slightly as he mentioned reek's real name. he wasn't really hiram.. not to indra. he was either papa, or reek -- the boogeyman that the adults of her earliest moments had depicted as foul and evil.
"i am." she answered, trying her best to mimic an air of importance. seff didn't need to know that reek had replaced her and laurel with a newer model. "when did you get here seff? and why?" she couldn't fathom why anyone would want to come to the grotto -- not when she had tried so hard to escape it.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
November 01, 2016, 08:05 PM
she had a prescence that could not be ignored, bossy and bold and direct. he had absolutely no memory of her, and when she asked of how, exactly, he had gotten here, he looked at her almost questioningly a moment. if she truly was Reek's daughter, why hadn't she been here before? she could not have grown up so quickly in his absence, could she? no, absolutely not. he still questioned her claims a moment longer before deciding not to dwell on it and moving to the question she posed.
"I came back a few weeks ago. From Blackfeather, it was called. I got lost when I was little, ended up there, and now I've come back." he told her matter of factly, plant ignored for now. he had in no way forgotten of it, yet he was in no hurry to return to the subject. he was in no mind to pick the plant for the bossy girl like some dumb servant; as he had been to Xan weeks ago. he was quick to dismiss the thought, neither willing to dwell on that, either.
"I came back a few weeks ago. From Blackfeather, it was called. I got lost when I was little, ended up there, and now I've come back." he told her matter of factly, plant ignored for now. he had in no way forgotten of it, yet he was in no hurry to return to the subject. he was in no mind to pick the plant for the bossy girl like some dumb servant; as he had been to Xan weeks ago. he was quick to dismiss the thought, neither willing to dwell on that, either.
November 02, 2016, 11:47 AM
Indra felt her gaze stray back to the weeds; as she waited for Seff to explain himself she was compelled to inch closer and study the plant. His explanation shed no further light on her confusion: how had he survived? What was Blackfeather Woods? Who taught him so much about plants? How did he get back here?
these questions burned to be spoken; to be answered -- but Indra could only utter them one by one. She settled for the question that bothered her the most: "how do you know about poisonous plants? Why do you need one?"
these questions burned to be spoken; to be answered -- but Indra could only utter them one by one. She settled for the question that bothered her the most: "how do you know about poisonous plants? Why do you need one?"
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
November 03, 2016, 04:24 PM
to his words she asked but more questions, her gaze travelling back to the Jimson weed as he sought to ignore it. she asked next of his knowledge, to which the answer was simply. "When I lived in Blackfeather, someone mentored me. She taught me about herbs, ones that heal and help, and poisons that hurt and kill." he told her. few fewer on poisons then herbs, but they had interested him so much he remembered them well.
to her second question, he replied too with a question of his own. "Why do you want it?" why she wanted such a plant was beyond him, and he wasn't entirely willing to give it over to her without any thought. not at all, in fact.
to her second question, he replied too with a question of his own. "Why do you want it?" why she wanted such a plant was beyond him, and he wasn't entirely willing to give it over to her without any thought. not at all, in fact.
November 03, 2016, 06:00 PM
indra listened to the short narrative with both her long ears pressed forth; it appeared he had a mentor to teach him such things. she felt a pang of jealousy for a moment - reek hadn't taught her anything. the closest she had to a mentor was shreya, and shreya was gone!
the momentary wallow of self-pity was shortlived as seff's next question caused her to give pause, scrambling for an answer. she didn't want to be honest and tell him why - that was dangerous -- but she didn't want to lie either.
"for safe-keeping." she answered lamely, her eyes averted. she had never been a liar, and it showed plainly by the sudden shiftiness of her eyes.
the momentary wallow of self-pity was shortlived as seff's next question caused her to give pause, scrambling for an answer. she didn't want to be honest and tell him why - that was dangerous -- but she didn't want to lie either.
"for safe-keeping." she answered lamely, her eyes averted. she had never been a liar, and it showed plainly by the sudden shiftiness of her eyes.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
November 20, 2016, 07:55 PM
liar.
that was easily deduced by her lame excuse, the shifting of her gaze and her obvious nervousness. he watched her, unsure of what to say, exactly, in response to the blatant dishonesty. "It's fine where it is." he told her, and his mind begun to wander to why someone could possibley request a poisonous plant with such vigor.
his gaze turned to the plant, torn. it had no uses save for ill-fated ones, and she certainly didn't want it as decoration or something stupid like that. he knew nothing of her, nor of her intentions, but he decided then he didn't want to get mixed up in this. "Please just leave it. gotta go." He said hastily, making a quick, awkward farewell as he glanced at her, hoped she wouldn't do anything stupid, and provided she did make any move to stop him made an uneasy exit.
that was easily deduced by her lame excuse, the shifting of her gaze and her obvious nervousness. he watched her, unsure of what to say, exactly, in response to the blatant dishonesty. "It's fine where it is." he told her, and his mind begun to wander to why someone could possibley request a poisonous plant with such vigor.
his gaze turned to the plant, torn. it had no uses save for ill-fated ones, and she certainly didn't want it as decoration or something stupid like that. he knew nothing of her, nor of her intentions, but he decided then he didn't want to get mixed up in this. "Please just leave it. gotta go." He said hastily, making a quick, awkward farewell as he glanced at her, hoped she wouldn't do anything stupid, and provided she did make any move to stop him made an uneasy exit.
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