Wolf RPG

it was jealousy which drove her to seek the islands again. she could not stop thinking of mireille, of sobo. her heart ached whenever she did.

they had always been so distractible, both of them. when coraline had dedicated herself to the sea, they had allowed their attention to wander. to strangers. to each other. so why had they been given this gift, and not her? what made them so damn special?

she would find out soon. mercifully, she found the sandbar that led to the islands uncovered, dark with saltwater but bare. and so she strode forward into the unknown, none at her side save the sea itself.

A scent he didn't know reached him on the salty breeze and made him tense. It was not often that strangers found their way here. This place was sacred and he did not intend to allow a stranger to taint it. 

The demon found the girl had just arrived from the bridge, and he wondered if she had come here intentionally. 

He walked over and blocked her from going anywhere else, his cold, calculating gaze resting on her face. Why are you here? he asked, his voice dark and promising violence should her answer not be something he deemed acceptable.

a boy met her at the shore. his voice was cold and the way he held himself seemed to promise violence, but coraline was not scared. mireille had been safe here. she would be too.

i be here to see de listener. she saved my sister an' helped her get home, the boy's eyes reminded her of erzulie. coraline dipped her head a little shyly, suddenly curious about him. who was he? what role did he play here? what was he to the mysterious wolf who had cared for mireille?

Her answer stayed his fangs for now. He knew of the girl Blackwater had helped, and for now, he assumed this one was telling the truth.

But he wouldn't just bring her to the listener. He could likely answer any of her questions. What do you need from the listener, he asked. I am Tulok, the speaker, he told her. I will decide if you can see her.

He watched her still, no expression on his face. The fact that she did not cower from him was impressive. He wondered if she should be a druid.

denied. tulok's rejection was not outright, but coraline sensed it behind his words. instead she was given his title and his attention. her mouth tightened slightly at the realization. she felt she was being toyed with. nonetheless, she kept herself level.

i be coraline, of sapphique. my brot'er said a dream helped him find my sister. when we were here, de listener said she summoned him, even as she said it, coraline knew this could not be all there was to her brother's miraculous find. there had to be something more to it. something to do with the sea, she felt, and jealousy burned sour and bright in her heart.i want to know how dis can be true.

So the unnamed god had summoned her here. It was indirectly, but it didn't change the truth. He thought then that he had been called here for a purpose. 

She wanted to know how a dream had called her brother to the listener. Tulok could answer this and more for Coraline, but only if she pledged herself to the unnamed god. 

His probing gaze never left her face. I can answer this for you, he told her. But only if you are a druid of Blackwater; an acolyte to our beliefs. He carefully watched her expression. I know many things, but I can only speak them to those who have proven themselves.

He wondered how desperate she was to know this information. Would she pledge herself to the unnamed god?

coraline knew first a brief taste of success, followed swiftly by bitter disappointment. the druids guarded their secrets as closely as sapphique guarded theirs. perhaps more. the speaker demanded her loyalty in exchange for the knowledge she sought. coraline wanted to scoff, but she did not.

instead, she considered his words. she would not be far from sapphique, living here. she could visit her mothers, her sisters. her brothers, too, of course.

but how could she trust these strange, secretive wolves? did she truly wish to know their ways, their secrets?

coraline could only imagine terrible, frightening things ahead. somehow, the thought intrigued more than it repulsed.

i... i be needin' some time. to t'ink about dis. an' i want to talk to de listener, she would not consider tulok's offer otherwise. she needed to meet this strange wolf, to finally hear the full truth of what had happened. mireille and sobo would never tell her.

She needed time, and he could be patient, even though something about her drew him. He thought maybe it was because she was meant to be here, but he wasn't sure. So time he would give her. He could also try to give her an audience with the listener, though he wasn't sure Coraline would get anymore answers from her. 

Very well; I will await your decision, he told her. And I will call for @The Listener so you can ask her for answers. I cannot promise she will give them to you, though. Secretly, he hoped she wouldn't, that way the girl would have to seriously consider his offer. The demon lifted his head and released a howl for his listener, then he waited silently, but expectantly.

summons from her speaker drew the prophet to the outskirts of the druids' grove, where the bridge of souls connected their holy islands to the mainland. she found him in a guardian's stance, barring the way to their holy land. a visitor stood before him. the listener recognized her as one of the trio she had welcomed to her islands when mireille was returned to sapphique.

you are mireille's sister, the listener spoke at length. she could not be sure of it, but if she was wrong the girl would speak. if not, the listener would continue, this time speaking to tulok. tell me her name and why she has come here.