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+--- Thread: Dragoncrest Cliffs the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold (/showthread.php?tid=20566)
the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Antumbra - February 12, 2017
@Tirgatao. Back dated a little.
Since the days of Wildfire’s heat, Thuringwethil has tried to keep a happy face around the supposed mother-to-be. It makes her happy and she’s calmed down her emotions and she starts to feel like there is little to worry about between them and she can now focus on the rest of them. She’d been selfish to take so much time away from her own wolves and where they are meant to be that she feels lost. The commanders have been quiet in her dreams and she knows it is not because they have become complacent with her decisions.
Where is the uproar?
It is that night a dream comes, ugly and dark, and she wakes with a sharp breath. She looks to her left to see Wildfire sleeping but the sun is peaking from the east. The ocean seems dark with the hint of dawn. There is a calm she can’t explain but it isn’t enough to settle her. She shifts her weight to stand and leave her mate’s side. A few wolves still sleeps in the cavern after most of the weather has begun to lighten so she picks her way through them until she’s emerged out near the lake that is filled with chunks of ice all around the bank.
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Tirgatao - February 15, 2017
Deep in the throes of a wonderful dream, Tirgatao slumbers on as Thuringwethil struggles with her own nightmare. She dreams of soft spring grass, birdsong, and the warmth of the sun against her skin. She passes faces of those she knows, and those she once knew. Romps with the pups soon to bless Drageda, and those long grown. But something nudges her awake, and she slowly withdraws from her dreamworld to the darkness of the cave. She blinks. A soft click of claws upon the stone draws her attention and she twists an ear towards the noise, her muzzle and gaze following a beat later.
A shadow slips from the main cavern and into a tunnel leading to the main territory. A cursitory glance towards Wildfire reveals the figure to be Heda. Tirgatao hesitates—a sense of deja vu floods her mind, but she uncurls herself and rises up upon four sturdy limbs. The svelte woman descends from her outcrop with the barest whisper of air and sets off in pursuit of the Commander, a mix of concern and duty lending a faint trace of urgency to her step.
Tirgatao emerges near the lake and it takes only a second for her to see the Commander a short distance away. She flattens her ears and calls out, not wanting to invite herself. "Heda, is everything alright?"
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Antumbra - February 18, 2017
The sky is barely lit as she hovers the banks of the lake. She does not get too far before she comes to a stop and looks out on the calm surface. The wind has subsided for the morning and the lake does not move. She finds herself focused on it so much that she does not notice the approach of Tirgatao until she speaks. Thuringwethil flinches when she hears the voice but she steels herself with a breath and when she turns her head, she’s hopeful the distance is far enough that it will go unnoticed. Her ears swivel on her head and she squares her shoulders, shifting so that she can face the woman. With a beckon of her nose, she calls her forward so that she may approach if she so wishes.
She does not answer the question right away as her jaw sets, teeth grinding. The woman’s timing does not go without notice, nor the mimic of their last meeting and it is for that she does not lash out for being too nosy. Their goal is mutual and Thuringwethil’s hopes of their future remains in tact when she does finally speak.
“I am just a little unsettled,” she explains albeit vague. Even though Tirgatao has a future planned within Drageda, she has to know she can trust her for the things that is required. It will take time to build their work hand in hand but if the time is spent, she will be rewarded with a complete council. “We have weakened with Tanja returning to Trigeda. I would not have sent off Gyda and Gavriel if I had seen this.” If I had listened.
She knows her strengths, and Dio’s, and Eske’s is ever going. The new boys from Trigeda have not yet seen to it to settle in but their hope is still prosperous. Their weakness may only be temporary but now that the winter has broken, perhaps she will send someone to Trigeda for warriors—or perhaps Tanja will mention it and some will come on their own—but the worry still lingers in the back of her mind.
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Tirgatao - February 18, 2017
As Thuringwethil had hoped, Tirgatao did not catch the twitch of muscle upon hearing her voice. They were too far apart, and it was too dark out to pick up on Heda's subtle physical reactions, nor her expressions. The light of dawn barely kissed the far horizon, and the skies above them were still dismal gray-blue hue. She did, however, take note of the invitation (as it was a rather broad gesture) and closed the distance between them with a few long strides. The pale woman came to rest beside the dusky she-wolf though her ears remain firmly set against her neck as she takes in the hard line of her jaw and refracting glint of her gaze.
She was completely silent as she waited for Heda to decide if her question, and Tirgatao herself, is worthy of an answer. When she does, it lacks detail, though the tone suggests a further depth to the problem than the Shouna had anticipated. She knows how unusual it is for Thuringwethil to be unsettled; disturbing the heart and mind of their Heda was a feat not often observed, at least by those who lived to tell about it. She was once again reminded of Seageda, and frowned at the memory.
Tirgatao lashed her tongue across her inky lips as she ruminated over the information. Her immediate thought was to return to Trigeda and ask for volunteers to join them in Drageda. She was certain many would—she was more certain that more would join if she called upon the favors she'd banked over the years in exchange for her skills in mediating various interpersonal problems. But the problem was deeper than that. It required unquestionable loyalty, and the forethought to remain a permanent fixture in Drageda, not a temporary one.
"Should we send someone? Myself? I could talk to Tanja, or..." she trailed off and sucked in a breath. The clan was not failing, but it needed bolsturing. "Trigeda will listen to me. I will make sure of it." I will do anything for you, Heda.
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Antumbra - February 20, 2017
Just pretend Thur is speaking trigedasleng because I'm too lazy.
Tirgatao is quick to offer suggestions and she watches her work through the information as it gives her a good chance to roll them around. Sending someone to Trigeda will lessen their numbers even more and should both Portia and Wildfire be carrying, she cannot put them at risk. She shakes her head a few seconds later. She cannot do much about Tanja, he'll accept in time. Or he won't. Either way, he still abided and he would be happier with the others.
"No," she decides, shaking her head. "We will wait. We are not crippled."
Thuringwethil doesn't think they'd they actually get to a point of weakness that they cannot defend themselves against the natural world and their enemies are minor—she'd feel relief knowing Larksong is gone entirely—but there is still a significant worry. Enough to speak up about it, at least. Heda closes her eyes for a moment and points her nose back over the lake in reflection. It has been so long since she'd had an advisor that the feeling causes a swelling in her chest. Just talking to someone that understands is enough and Tanja's absence is easily felt.
"We are strong. We always will be. We've adapted over generations, you know that," she says though she does not have to give Tirgatao a history lesson. If anything, it should be the other way around. "We will tighten border control. We'll train. The outside world doesn't need to know our weakness."
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Tirgatao - February 20, 2017
Same, haha. The translation website is sometimes ridiculously slow. Holy fuck have a novel, apparently.
Tirgatao, similarly, doesn't feel as if Drageda was in a place so desperate that required them to request aid from Trigeda. A twinge of shame spears her heart for not immediately attempting to soothe Thuringwethil's woes in the way she was trained for. The sacrifice of her personal comfort was something she was willing to make if it solved the problem, but there was little Trigeda could do for them now. Willing pilgrims were of a stronger stock than those coerced into upholding a bargan. She had faith that those who were loyal to Heda would find their way here eventually, just as she, Arlo and his brother had. She only hoped that Drageda would outlast time itself.
The quiet moment passed, and Heda continued. She waited, listening with cupped ears and an open mind as the Commander poured out her heart (or what little she felt comfortable revealing). But it meant something that they are here at all. Tir knew she could have easily been dismissed upon announcing herself to Heda and she is simultaneously emboldened and humbled by the current situation. She did not allow herself to be swept up in awe like a child and instead devoted herself entirely to observing, listening, and discerning.
She flattened her ears at the gentle admonishment and nodded. "Yes, Heda." A second passed before she gathered up the courage to take a risk and speak her mind once more. "With both Wildfire and Portia heavy with pups, that leaves only Dio, Eske, Hush, and myself as proven to you. Arlo and Melchior are close to completing their training, but they are both young. The others two I know only by their faces."
She inhaled and looked away over the glassy surface of the lake. "Do you think enacting a temporary ban on any trips beyond the immediate territories would benefit us? At least until Wildfire and Portia are back to strength, and the pups are old enough to eat solid food. I only suggest this because I worry about the unseen dangers out there. Accidents happen and, at the risk of sounding callous, we can't afford to lose anyone. Not that it is acceptable under normal circumstances, of course." Tirgatao was not an uncaring woman and it reflected in the glassy glint of her eyes she observed the water, her mouth set in a hard line. She hoped she didn't come across as too ruthless, but she was excellent at playing devil's advocate. If no one was to reach out to Trigeda until further notice, why should they be allowed to wander the far reaches of the Teekons when they were needed at home?
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Antumbra - February 21, 2017
Thuringwethil is more than happy to hear Tirgatao speak positively of Drageda in a way the others could not. She mentions the wolves that have proven themselves and those out of commission and even those on the up and coming. We’ll get there. Even the wolves she mentions that she does not know, Thuringwethil is aware of, and while they still have much to prove, she has hopes—at least for one of them—but for now she leaves those unproven on the back burner.
Tirgatao offers a suggestion, a ban on traveling far beyond the borders of Drageda. Wildfire had disappeared several weeks ago without warning, to which she’d been unhappy about, but the matter stays sealed behind her lips.
“None of us really leave, or go far, from our home, and if they do there is a guard with them,” she explains. Granted, they are short a few guards with Gavriel and Tanja gone but the two boys in training can hold their own. And Dio is more than capable. When Emaleth had gone to visit her sister, insisting not to have a guard because she knew her way, Thuringwethil had felt sour and when the girl never returned, she knew a mistake had been made. “I would like to scout a little further south sometime, if you’d like to go with me. There has been mention of a few packs further south of here and I’d like to know how far. And I'd like to go before Portia and Wildfire are too far along.”
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Tirgatao - February 21, 2017
Though her idea was shot down, Tirgatao was happy to have the room to voice it at all in Heda's considerations. She was relieved to hear that the clan hardly found reason to leave their home, and only did so under the protection of an escort. There was no way of knowing that Wildfire had run off, nor that Emaleth did not return from her venture for both occurances happened before or congruently to her arrival in the Teekons. So it went unmentioned by Heda and not questioned by Tirgatao. Again, she felt a quiver of worry echo faintly in her heart, and wished across the fathoms to Trigeda that Tanja or Gavriel would send more willing clansmen their way.
However, Thuringwethil made mention of a scouting mission that drew Tirgatao from the whirlpool of her thoughts. She blinked away the fog, and shifted her gaze towards Heda with a twisting quirk of her brow. She considered this, and her previous discussion with Wildfire—the Bandrona had extended an offer of assistance and to share her own knowledge of the Teekons without requesting anything in return. Tirgatao wondered: had the pair discussed the idea between themselves, or was this just a coincidence? Either way, she was grateful to be trusted especially when Wildfire herself was far more suited to the task.
The pale gray woman nodded and set her ears back to rest in a more neutral position as she swung her muzzle around to fully regard the impressive Commander with a smile, "Yes, Heda." She replied in her usual formality. "I'll be ready when you call. Has there been any sign of trouble from any of them?"
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Antumbra - February 21, 2017
While Thuringwethil will often take a guard instead of a companion for the trip, she’d rather leave them to tend to the borders of their home. She’s more than capable of taking care of herself and if anything, Tirgatao will serve as back up. Most of their wolves are trained to protect themselves and others even if it isn’t their main pursuit and she has no doubt the woman can hold her own. She’d go alone if she hadn’t encouraged everyone to take someone with them should they travel and after confessing it to her companion it would be foolish of her to do so.
“When we settled here after the mountain shook, there were a few wolves that were getting a little nosy. I haven’t seen or heard from them sense and I am merely curious to know where they are,” she explains. They hadn’t really given her any trouble other than the perversion of the scrappy male she’d seen but the female had been ready to get away. “And an outsider I took in went south along the shore to see her sister but she has not returned. The weather could have taken her by surprise and she stayed to be safe but she hasn’t returned since it calmed down.” She doesn’t know if she’ll find the girl wherever they go but it’s worth a shot.
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Tirgatao - February 21, 2017
If Heda was to ask her now, she would admit that it did make her a little nervous to know that they would be responsible for their own protection out in the Wilds, but it also excited her. She'd spent the majority of her life in a group, shielded by those far more dedicated to the warrior trade than she, as she moved from place to place. Certainly, she bore not qualms about felling her own enemies when it came down to it, and she was whipsmart in a fight. Her mind was sharp and, though she was smaller than the average Trigeda warrior, she knew how to find and exploit a weakness by simply observing.
The news of the missing outsider concerned her, though, and she blinked. Her ears twitched back a tick and she frowned. Her initial thought was that she'd simply found her sister's home more suitable than Drageda, mostly because she didn't really want to think of the gruesome alternative. "When I came down from the northeast, I did not come across any packs aside from the mountain you once claimed. There were old markers in a tiny hovel to the east of here, but no signs of life." She revealed, hoping it might assuage Heda's concerns. "I hope any packs we do find are far from here. I don't like being crowded." Tirgatao was, oddly enough, alluding to Seageda.
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Antumbra - February 24, 2017
Want to wrap it up? ;)
Tirgatao speaks of her travels prior to the cliffs and she nods, listening. The only other pack on the area had been the grotto wolves and she'd easily lost interest after their home had been ripped from them. Their distance apart is still the same, as far as she can tell, but there's a big enough barrier and they have little idea of their location so she doesn't worry as much. Nor does she think they'd be able to take them, even in their compromised state. Still, she nods, but finds nothing else to say on the matter. Instead, she shifts her attention elsewhere with a point of her nose and beckon to follow. "I'm going to do rounds," she explains with an indifferent shrug as she looks over her shoulder. "Company?"
RE: the world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold - Tirgatao - February 24, 2017
Tirgatao, despite her profession, was glad for the change of subject. She knew Heda heard her, and would likely ruminate on it, but it was not something they needed to discuss between them. At least not yet. If they found anything in the south, or came across any information that would indicate a group anywhere near their corner of the world, then they would have reason to talk. Instead, Tir shook out her pelt and set off after the Commander. "Gladly." She remarked, flashing a smile, and together they departed the lake into the early morning mist.