@Aella why doesnt the flipping tagging system work1!
A rip sounded from the steady thrum of sea, flesh parting and the suckling smack of teeth against tissue as Caiaphas expertly masticated the skin of a bloated seal.
She worked with tidy efficiency; her teeth clipping with expert ease as she peeled the sodden skin from the skull and rounded the eyes backwards -- exposing socket and eye tissue, red viscera raw and alarming.
A black pile lay aside her, dark blood blotted and spread across the cold sand -- the scavenged organs, valuable bones -- all offerings soon to be cast to the Mother. She bent to her work and suspected and saw no one save for the corpse she was currently disfiguring.
Sharply, Caiaphas wrenched a persistent rib bone from the spinal column, a small smile elicited as the quick noise resonated and the bone rang between her teeth cuspate and girdled with voluptuous intestine.
Her self satisfaction was interrupted as she saw a figure wading the water. She hunkered down into the seal and watched fervishly, her blood-rimmed and sinew-lined muzzle flecked with viscera in a gruesome mask of blood. Her violent yellow eyes focused on the agouti in the most startling of predatory manners.
Eventually she pulled herself from the corpse and strode casually towards the female, her tail hung proudly over her backside and her gore-flecked face uplifted in provisional pride. She stopped just at the water and stared at the female, her posture clearly bordering on territorial as she waited for the female to explain exactly why the flip she was so close to the Sister's sanctuary.
caiaphas: -.- dis pretty bich
She half expected her presence to be imposing - while physically she was not large she was quite grimacing -- and as the female pulled out of the water all sleek and attractive Caiaphas felt a mild pang of murderous jealousy.
She bristled tremendously as the female rushed towards her, her spine arched and her fur flaring in affront. She backpedaled with a hiss and scathingly unleashed an unsettled growl -- her snout wrinkled and her lips lifted in surprise. She didn't care if they were best friends - no one approached her and violated her space so carelessly.
It took Caiaphas a minute to get over this affront, and she eyed the female crossly. "Dead." She said with a deadpan expression, hoping the female would believe her but knowing she likely wouldn't.
Had Aella told Caiaphas she believed Caiaphas was being rude for protecting her personal space (or any other wolf for that matter) Caiaphas would have laughed at such an indolent statement. Wolves by nature were territorial and not trusting of strangers, and Caiaphas balefully rejoined Aella's threatening display with a stifled, insistently defensive display of her own.
When Aella commanded Caiaphas, the coywolf met her with a blank stare, unmoving. Her expression was flush with both derision and incredulity and for a moment Caiaphas thought to correct her: she was not anything but a lone wolf and a Johnny-Come-Lately, and if she believed for a minute Caiaphas would take anything she said at face value (and further more, potentially insult the secretive integrity of her pack by bringing a stranger in their midst) she was sorely mistaken. As far as Caiaphas knew, there was only herself, Aktaie and Psamathe remaining - and while Caiaphas was not one to crow of her accomplishments, she had done a great deal more than Aella to keep the Nereides band together. Caiaphas knew, innately, how easy it was to manipulate a stranger -- and she did not move.
"I will not be commanded." She insisted with a firmy correctional tone, her tail held just as high and her posture unyielding. With a roll of she shoulders she turned and went back to the seal, though she kept the female fully within her vision and never once turned her back from her. Unless Aella was willin to reconcile and recognize above all she was a a stranger to Caiaphas and this would be treated accordingly until Aktaie said otherwise, it was clear Caiaphas was not going to budge. She would be happy to call upon Aktaie, but stonily she refused to bring a wolf into their camp when the Sisters themselves demanded privacy and secrecy. Caiaphas was willing to face the punishment for her "insubordinance" to Aella -- she was not willing to sacrifice the pack's whereabouts to a complete stranger.
Caiaphas, however much smaller than the female, was not about to let herself be shoved aside by the stranger's impudent insistence. It occurred to Caiaphas that if this female was truly a Nereides she would have understood Caiaphas' reluctance in being open -- the pack was, as a whole, rather hermetic in their culture -- and entirely reserved with strangers.
This made Caiaphas feel uneasy -- moreso than the possibility of being wrong made her feel uneasy. She did not allow Aella to step aside of her -- she followed the warrior's motions with catlike steps of her own and for a moment it looked as if the two were partaking in some stiff, tension-ridden tandem. Whatever Aella did, Caiaphas would use her body and stand directly in front of her as a barricade.
"Stand back," She ordered with a growl, her lips lifted and narrow muzzle wrinkled in hasty displeasure. "If you were truly a Sister, you would both understand and respect my decision to consider meeting Aktaie first and then bringing her to you." Her body language remained unchanged -- if Aella moved, Caiaphas would fluidly mimic her in the attempts to frustrate any further progress into Ankyra's territory.
Coldly, she waited -- whether in defiance or safeguarding, it was not apparent. Caiaphas had no problem obeying orders from her known superiors -- she was not about to sacrifice the seclusion of the Nereides by bending like some supple willow to the demand of an outsider.
Their seclusion was of utmost importance, at least for now when their claim upon the Sound was tenuous. Their numbers would need to swell once again before the matriarch felt secure enough to reach out tendrils to lure in more sisters and consorts. Junior was still a sore spot, and a risk that the priestess had entirely miscalculated — that told her very certainly they were no longer in Themiscrya. Of all their outside recruits, Caiaphas had been the most loyal; certainly more active in guarding the Sound than any others, and had proven herself time and time again.
When a cry lifted over the cliffs, a voice familiar that asked for her presence specifically, Aktaie moved fluidly to greet it. There were few of them left, now, and if the voice belonged to the wolf she thought it did... well, it appeared that their luck was improving. She broke through the bramble that hid the cliffside, coming upon Caiaphas and the not-quite stranger. She assessed the situation quickly, then moved to stand next to the dark female, touching shoulders in an attempt to pull the tension away. "It is alright, Caiaphas," she murmured, "we are safe."
To the other, Aktaie commented, "You have found us." Her tone was neutral, and perhaps not the warm greeting the Adept expected, but the Priestess had come into a tense situation; and Caiaphas, who had been her loyal second for some time now, had the bulk of Aktaie's trust at the moment.
Quote: Hopping in. Mind?
The snow pelted sea nymph daintily tip toed down the sandy banks of the beach, sticking by the prefect balance of measurement between the soft leaping of the waves, and the crumbly reflecting sand, her Ying and her Yang at the comforting touches of the sweet Mother she and so many of the fellow Nereides held dear.
Leukothea had been meditating, her silent gait moving in unison with the tides, until she had heard the commotion of snarling bickering kin. And amongst the snarls and bickers, the young ivory recognized a voice that triggered her missing a step in her balanced and even stride.
Aella.
At this, the fae took off, her pale legs caring her as fast as they could, though it wasn't fast enough for her. Soon, she slowed her pace, loping in the mist if the two arguing wolves, and their great Priestess.
"Good tidings, all. "
Turning to Aktaiê, the snow embellished girl murmured softly with a dip of her slim crown.
"Hello, Priestess, " she politely spoke.
Then she turned her to sister, speaking more fondly to the warm coated girl.
"Aella, sweet sister, I have missed you so."
not at all!!! :) since we are trying to tie up old threads and get AS rolling, this can be my last post if you guys want. i dont mind continug if you guys want to though
Caiaphas waited then, unsure -- the tension between them thick and palpable. Aella's orders, once again, fell to the side like crushed leaves -- it was Caiaphas' opinion that Aella had no more sway over her than she did the sea, and Caiaphas was not moving. She was reluctant to turn now and fetch Aktaie -- and since Aella had only howled just moments before, Caiaphas elected to stand and wait until the sea nymph came.
She was prepared to wait all day, so be it -- and while she was much smaller than the Adept at the very least she could present a small obstruction until reinforcements arrive. But it was apparent she needn't wait long before the comforting presence of Aktaie graced them -- Caiaphas practically withered from her stalwart resolve when Aktaie touched her. She stepped back immediately so that Aktaie would have plenty of room to greet the stranger.
She hung behind then, somewhat broodingly, though her expression changed when another wolf approached. She watched and observed Aktaie mutely, and would mirror whatever reaction Aktaie had to the stranger -- she was more than willing to intercept the wolf should the need arise. But for now, she would garner distance between them -- at least until the reunion was over.
omg I can't believe how bad this post is, sorry :(
I promise I'll get better with time :(
Aella's growls ceased when her snout lowered from her call for Akatie, there was no need to keep the tension growing, for it was alreadt thick as blood between them. Aella simply stared at the hybrid with a cold glare. She too was willing to wait all day if it meant she would finally see Akatie, she would wait all night if it meant she and Thea would finally find home beside the sirens, so not a muscle of her well toned body moved until the priestess arived , graceful and authoritarian.
"Akatie" she barked with ease as she bowed to recognize her superiority. The long nights and days that passed since their departure from Themiscyra weren't difficult for the Amazon, who was used to matters of the kind, but Leukothea, the young dove had been Aella's treasure during their long journey, so her eyes filled with joy when she stepped into the scene with the priestess present. "We found you." she said after nudging at her bloodsister in a hug-like manner.
"Akatie", she started in a more serious tone, ignoring the presence of the hybrid behind the priestess, "We came here following you, I couldn't resist the temptation. I hope there's still space for us with you..." with that she concluded. Akatie knew that Aella was a committed sister and warrior, and Thea was a nymph in progress, things that she would need to make a safe claim here in the Teekon Wilds.
since this thread is old, I am going to go ahead and fade/archive it if that is okay with everyone :)
Caiaphas fell quickly to the background, observing in cold silence the interaction between her leader and the two supposed Sisters. The ire in her stance had subsided, but her blood still pounded with affront. She swallowed stiffly and listened with a tilted ear as Aktaie received them, marking with great care how the powerful Matriarch diplomatically settled the situation.
The two Sisters conversed with the leader for some time, and Caiaphas, sensing she was no longer needed, pivoted to turn back towards the homeland. Aktaie's lack of defensiveness suggested she knew them well and Caiaphas felt comfortable leaving the able wolf alone. With one last parting glance she turned towards the grotto, soon fading into the rolling fog coughed forth by the pounding ocean.
