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+--- Thread: Bramblepoint cranky curmudgeon (/showthread.php?tid=21428)
cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - April 12, 2017
The brambles were growing tiresome to the wide-set brute, so much so that they forced him to the external borders of the forest. Though he usually did not allow himself to be succumbed by such feelings, there was something about his thoughts that drove him to fall to his emotions. The idea of moving their band laid heavily on his mind and though he had discussed this with Rian, he had yet to talk to @Cypress about it. He did not want to worry his brother, especially if he was liking it in the forest, but, he felt that it needed to be said for the sake of his on sanity.
Tipping his head back, the self-tilted leader of the band lifted his head to the skies as he called to request his brother's presence with him. Lowering his head once his request had been issued, Rannoch sat, facing away from the territory and towards Big Salmon Lake as he waited for his brother's presence.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - April 12, 2017
A low, guttural rumble jerked free of its clenched jaw prison as Cypress broke through a veritable mantle of thorns, his wild, tousled fur responding pretty much the way you’d expect it to: badly.
It snagged. It snarled. He hated this place.
By the time he reached his brother, the yellow-eyed eidolon was practically seething — but despite his increasingly feral mannerisms, he always had time and self control to spare when it came to Rannoch, Rian, and Alya. “Noch,” he greeted, the growl tucked safely behind the syllable that proved to Cypress more than anyone else that there was still some semblance of civility behind that sinister mask. “Everything okay?”
It snagged. It snarled. He hated this place.
By the time he reached his brother, the yellow-eyed eidolon was practically seething — but despite his increasingly feral mannerisms, he always had time and self control to spare when it came to Rannoch, Rian, and Alya. “Noch,” he greeted, the growl tucked safely behind the syllable that proved to Cypress more than anyone else that there was still some semblance of civility behind that sinister mask. “Everything okay?”
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - April 12, 2017
The soft timbre of his sibling's voice, void of any frustrations and thus leaving Rannoch blissfully unaware, alerted him of Cypress' arrival. Turning to the shadow with shimmering aquamarine eyes, Rannoch smiled. "Yes," he answered smoothly, despite the sudden wave of unease that settled across the tender flesh of his beating heart. "Come take a seat; there's something I'd like to discuss with you, brother." He left it at that for now, waiting for his sibling to settle.
Rannoch kept his eyes as Cypress moved to seat himself, keeping his posture tight as he observed. Instinct had worked it's wonders onto the beefy Frostfur, controlling Rannoch's every movement and interaction without a single thought towards doing so. For the most part, this had been well received, but, this wasn't to say that there hadn't been any struggles. Like everything else in his short life, Rannoch knew that battles would follow.
"I wanted to talk to you about this place," he began, regarding the territory with a half-hearted shrug in its general direction. "I don't think that we belong here and I want to move us somewhere else-- somewhere that doesn't hurt," and somewhere where we belong-- the voice of his bleeding heart remained on the tip of his tongue, knowing this was not the time to indulge in such affections.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - April 12, 2017
It was automatic for Cypress to settle in beside Rannoch, and if he felt a flicker of annoyance at the affected way his littermate bade him to “come take a seat, brother,” he didn’t show it. Rannoch’s formal phrasing was…odd. The raven wasn’t so sure he liked “brother” in place of “Cy” — but he didn’t question it beyond a wry twist of one tall, sharp ear. Instinctively responding to the gunmetal male’s stiffened posture, Cypress bumped the bridge of his muzzle lightly against the underside of his brother’s muzzle and lay down beside him, angular obsidian shoulder brushing companionably against a sturdy silver foreleg. He faced away from his sibling out of deference rather than avoidance, his powerful jaws cracking with a wide yawn as he attempted to relieve some of the tension in the air. The eidolon was starting to get it now, and he broke the silence following Rannoch’s words with his thoughts on the matter: “You know I’ll stand by you, right?”
Cypress shifted his hips and shoulders to face Rannoch, glancing quizzically up at his littermate with calm sulphureous eyes that bore no ill will or challenge. “I never wanted what paw wanted — what I think you want,” he elaborated. “I knew — I always knew — that it was going to be you, Noch. That’s how I wanted it, anyway.” Significantly, he rose to his full height and sought to clasp the argent male’s chin gently between his teeth, tongue laving the sharp angle of Rannoch’s jaw. “I support you — and Rian,” he clarified, “and I’ll go wherever you want to go. I’m just happy it’s going to be away from here.” With a faint shadow of his old childish joy, “Fuckin’ thorns,” the gargoyle muttered dismally.
A little hesitantly, Cypress licked his lips. “The new wolves, though,” he hedged, not really sure what he was asking or why he was bringing them up. Finding himself at a loss, the raven shook his head. “Hell,” he sighed. “I don’t know, Noch. I’ll get used to them.” He would. He’d liked it a lot better when it was just the three of them, Rannoch, Rian, and Cypress against the rest of the world, but he’d adapt.
Cypress shifted his hips and shoulders to face Rannoch, glancing quizzically up at his littermate with calm sulphureous eyes that bore no ill will or challenge. “I never wanted what paw wanted — what I think you want,” he elaborated. “I knew — I always knew — that it was going to be you, Noch. That’s how I wanted it, anyway.” Significantly, he rose to his full height and sought to clasp the argent male’s chin gently between his teeth, tongue laving the sharp angle of Rannoch’s jaw. “I support you — and Rian,” he clarified, “and I’ll go wherever you want to go. I’m just happy it’s going to be away from here.” With a faint shadow of his old childish joy, “Fuckin’ thorns,” the gargoyle muttered dismally.
A little hesitantly, Cypress licked his lips. “The new wolves, though,” he hedged, not really sure what he was asking or why he was bringing them up. Finding himself at a loss, the raven shook his head. “Hell,” he sighed. “I don’t know, Noch. I’ll get used to them.” He would. He’d liked it a lot better when it was just the three of them, Rannoch, Rian, and Cypress against the rest of the world, but he’d adapt.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - April 12, 2017
Rannoch had always looked up to Scimitar, knowing that it was in their father's paw steps that he wanted to follow. Through the series of unfortunate events that had marked his childhood, Rannoch had been tossed about to every stretch of the territory's map, making it difficult for him to find his footing in his goals in aspiration. Now that he was back in the Teekons, Rannoch saw this as an opportunity to reestablish his ambitions.
He felt a flutter in his heart at Cypress' mind unraveled to reveal his thinking about everything that had ensued. Rannoch was thankful for this and to show his appreciation, he drew his tongue over his sibling's raven-tinted crown once Cypress had pulled from his chin. His affections paused momentarily at the mention of Rian and Rannoch eyes grew hard at the thought. Though Rian was a valuable member of their troupe, there was something within him that felt threatened by his jade-eyed relative. Dominance had caused the pair to butt heads, but Rannoch hoped that he could find a way to silence these struggles for the sake and betterment of the pack."It is what I want, Cy," he admitted after a pause, breaking his formal facade for their sake of their conversing. "I've never wanted anything more in my life, and I think we've both somehow known what was going to happen." He blinked, his mentality shifting to hit each point that Cypress had brought up. He would not bring up the matter with Rian, knowing it was a matter to settle between his cousin and himself.
"We'll journey North," he decided suddenly, jumping to the next topic eagerly. "We'll scout the lands, separate in our searches." Though the idea of how they would go about looking for their new home had been conceived a few days prior, this had been the first time that he had voiced it. "But at night we'll sleep in a common area." The light of that thought faded as he concluded on the point about the newest members. Drawing his snout to Cypress' cheek, Rannoch nudged his sibling. "I understand," he said, withdrawing from the silky fur. "But they're all good wolves," at least from what Rannoch had seen, "and they have all skills that can help us survive." They had been lucky in their findings, but, Rannoch could understand where the discomfort was coming from.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - April 12, 2017
Rannoch accepted Cypress’ fealty with a mixture of what the eidolon perceived to be relief and gratitude. There were heavier forces driving the secondborn Frostfur now, and these forces would breed higher levels of stress hormone in Rannoch — and perhaps in Rian — for the rest of their lives. Easing that stress was where Cypress found his purpose, and his tail thumped heartily at the return of his old nickname — his true nickname. Although the argent prince stiffened at mention of Rian, Cypress did not make any move to backpedal on his words. It was obvious to all three of them that the true clash for leadership would be between Rian and Rannoch. It was also obvious, maybe moreso to Cypress than the two contenders, that they would find a way to work it out while keeping their family unit intact.
“Fair enough,” the raven replied to his brother’s plan, bobbing his head agreeably. He was just happy they were leaving the brambles and briars behind — hopefully far behind. “Let’s hope our next spot has less thorns,” he quipped. He returned to the subject at hand with a hefty sigh. “I just don’t want these new wolves to get to be more important to you and Rian than I am,” he confessed, betraying his deepest insecurity. “I don’t have whatever you guys’ve got — unless I’m around them.” He blew out a shaky breath. “Please tell me,” he joked weakly, “you’re in the market for friends, not brothers.”
“Fair enough,” the raven replied to his brother’s plan, bobbing his head agreeably. He was just happy they were leaving the brambles and briars behind — hopefully far behind. “Let’s hope our next spot has less thorns,” he quipped. He returned to the subject at hand with a hefty sigh. “I just don’t want these new wolves to get to be more important to you and Rian than I am,” he confessed, betraying his deepest insecurity. “I don’t have whatever you guys’ve got — unless I’m around them.” He blew out a shaky breath. “Please tell me,” he joked weakly, “you’re in the market for friends, not brothers.”
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - April 12, 2017
Cypress accepted Rannoch's plan, and to this, the argent furred man's smile grew at this, pleased that his plan already had support. Now, it was a matter of getting the others on board to the scheme. Though he couldn't foresee that anybody would disagree, there was still a cloud of doubt in the back of his mind that this would happen. "Yeah, no thorns," he agreed in a wave of humor, his voice teasing as he looked to the sulphuric gleam in his brother's eyes, his sparkling as he decided that their territory would be void of such imperfections.
The subject matter shifted, and as it did, Cypress' insecurities spilled from his lips. In reaction to the words, Rannoch's ears flattened to the top of his crown, and he dipped his muzzle under's Cypress', all while beginning his reply with a hushed, "Cy." He bumped his muzzle to his brother's hoping that Cypress would look up as a reaction of his affections. "You know you can never be replaced, right?" These words were spoken as Rannoch withdrew his muzzle and pulled his head back so that he could watch Cypress' face. "You're my brother and nothing will ever change that." A smile lined the words, and he fell silent, waiting for Cypress' reaction.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - April 12, 2017
Caught off guard by his brother’s candid reassurance, Cypress had to clear his throat a few times before he could manage a reply. “Sometimes I forget,” he admitted in a small, embarrassed undertone. “Oh, not about being brothers — ” he would never forget something that important “ — but, well.” He didn’t finish his statement; he didn’t have to. His sulphureous gaze lifted tentatively to meet Rannoch’s, desperately needing the intimacy of eye contact to combat the worst of his fears. After a long, searching look, the eidolon slicked his elongated ears back against his crown and settled more closely against his littermate. “Nothing seemed right when we were apart,” he murmured. “I used to worry that leaving the forest meant leaving mama and paw, but now I’m starting to think they’d be proud of what we’re doing here.”
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - April 12, 2017
Cypress' clarification caused Rannoch to re-trace his thoughts, singling back on the concerns his brother had expressed just a moment ago. Finding that his words hadn't necessarily been the best to soothe his brother. He ducked his head momentarily, embarrassed by the mixup. "Well, yeah," he began, his train of thought derailed as he attempted to regain his standing in the conversation. "But, like, nobody will even come close to being my brother," not even Rian, he wanted to add, "Cy, you're the best brother that I could have ever asked for-- I'm not looking to get other brothers. You're my brother." He smiled, his eyes holding Cypress' gaze fondly. Rannoch did not feel off-put by his brother's stare, as the metal-brushed man knew that it was not out of disrespect, but, rather, out of the heat of their moment. Had Rannoch thought otherwise, he would have quickly put his brother into his place.
Rannoch shifted at what Cypress said next, nodding easily to Cypress' thought. "Yeah, I think they would be, too." He agreed. "Honestly, from what you've said, it doesn't even seem like it's their forest anymore and it feels so... wrong." Scimitar and Eshe were the right claimers to the throne of the evergreens, and this is why Rannoch refused to return. He did not want to see a world in Neverwinter that lacked his parents, and despite how much he had grown, he assumed he would never be prepared to face such a reality. "I think that doing what we're doing is kind of honoring what they did when they made Neverwinter," he added after a pause, his expression thoughtful. Though he had never gotten the origin story of their birth pack, Rannoch assumed that they hadn't been members of the forest-based pack for their lives. "It's like we're going to make our own Neverwinter."
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - April 12, 2017
The tightness in Cypress’ chest and throat melted away, and with its release came a weak-limbed, watery-eyed sensation that he quietly, steadily set aside. “Thanks,” he said with feeling. “That means a lot to me — and you know I feel the same way, right?” His brow furrowed as he strove to find the right words to give Rannoch the same feeling of validation and belonging. “Rian’s our brother now — that was an idea I had, to make a new family out of the ashes we left behind — but he’ll never replace you in my life.” Unabashedly and affectionately, Cypress nibbled at the thicker fur that bordered Rannoch’s cheek where it met the strong angle of his jaw. A laugh burst softly from the eidolon, ridding his sinister mien of its harsh lines and forbidding planes. “You’re just like paw,” he said fondly, the bitterness of melancholic nostalgia dipping the observation down at the final syllable. “I used to be jealous about that. Now I’m just — ” He paused, gathering his thoughts. “Guess I’m happy about it,” he confessed. “Happy and proud.” Cypress was not the emotive, expressive creature he had perhaps been shaping up to be before tragedy struck his life, but the smile that tugged at the rightmost corner of his mouth was genuine.
“Make our own Neverwinter,” he mused, that expression of muted contentment still softening the severity of his visage. “If we settle anywhere — like, really settle — we should try to find a place we can easily defend. We should probably practice hunting before then, too. Where would you want to go, Noch? If you could go anywhere.”
“Make our own Neverwinter,” he mused, that expression of muted contentment still softening the severity of his visage. “If we settle anywhere — like, really settle — we should try to find a place we can easily defend. We should probably practice hunting before then, too. Where would you want to go, Noch? If you could go anywhere.”
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - April 12, 2017
Relief was the understatement for how Rannoch felt in the moment of Cypress' admittance. Though Rannoch would never admit it outright, he had felt jealous when Rian had been referred to as "brother." Cypress was his brother, and, frankly, Rannoch didn't want to share him. With time, allowing said feelings to stew, came eventual acceptance to the point in which Rannoch referred to their cousin like a brother, too. But with Cypress' perspective, Rannoch suddenly felt differently about the situation. Something inside of his wide-set chest exhaled, and Rannoch felt suddenly lighter than he had in months. "Cy..." he trailed, his eyes wide with affection as he looked to his raven-haired sibling. "That means the world to me." This statement came from the depth of his tender heart as he felt a sense of togetherness with his sibling that had not been felt in many months.
What followed next brought a splash of tears to his turquoise eyes, and he fell silent, unsure of what to say to followed that up. "D-Do you really mean that?" Came his soft-spoken rhetoric, unable to come up with anything more than that. Pulling his face to his brother's nape, Rannoch rested there for a moment as he embraced the moment. He could have stayed there forever if he could have, but, Rannoch knew that he needed to pull away and continue their conversation. "I love you, Cy." Rannoch knew he would never grow tired to expressing this.
Nodding to everything that came next, Rannoch smiled at all of the possibilities that tumbled so easily out of his sibling's mouth. There was one point that struck out to him, and he replied to that eagerly: "We should learn better!" He was tempted to bring up Tryp, but, he kept it silence for keeping the subject matter to just them. "If I could go anywhere?" He pondered this briefly, unsure just what he would be looking for. "I like your idea of a place we can easily defend," he began thoughtfully. "I'd go to an open field so we can see everything!" After all, the forest was good at hiding both pack member and stranger alike. "And I think that I want some kind of water, too-- maybe a lake or something!" He blinked, turning the focus back to Cypress. "What about you? What do you want to look for?" After all, their expedition wasn't just about Rannoch-- it was about everybody in the pack.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - April 13, 2017
“Yeah,” Cypress answered with characteristic straightforwardness, “I mean it. I love you, too, Noch.” He turned his head when Rannoch leaned in, nosing companionably at the argent fur of his brother’s nape. For a long moment, Cypress was quiet as he digested the turquoise-eyed wolf’s suggestions. “Water would be good,” he agreed. “Water means prey.” The eidolon didn’t have a particularly strong opinion about terrain, but, “Can we go to see the ocean together?” he questioned. “You and me — and Rian, if he wants to go. I never got to see it. I’ve never been further north than the field…” “The field” referred to Scimitar and Eshe’s resting place, and to be honest, Cypress didn’t want to talk about them anymore. His feelings on the matter were still too tender. He set the rest of his sentence aside, elaborating, “We can go after we’ve settled or something; I just want to see it someday.”
Lean, angular shoulders shifted in a shrug. “As long as you and Rian are there, the place isn’t important,” the raven said, tacking on a bit hastily: “and as long as there are less thorns than here.”
Lean, angular shoulders shifted in a shrug. “As long as you and Rian are there, the place isn’t important,” the raven said, tacking on a bit hastily: “and as long as there are less thorns than here.”
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - April 13, 2017
Cypress voiced the progression that Rannoch had made when deciding what he wanted in a territory. Bobbing his head to his, Rannoch agreed wholeheartedly, knowing that prey was of the utmost importance to their survival. The subject matter shifted with Cypress thoughts, and soon a request came to fruition. Even with his kidnapping, it wasn't the sea that Rannoch had feared; it was the Leviathan that was to be wary of. "I'll make sure you see the ocean," he promised with a wag of his tail. Rannoch knew the way to lead him without treading in the dark monster's realm. "I know the way, too," he elaborated, confident that he would be able to get them both to the coast.
At what Cypress said next, Rannoch smile and nodded in agreement. "We'll find our Neverwinter." he pledged, confident in his words. After all, Rannoch had seen so many unclaimed territories and his trek outside of the valley. He was sure that they'd be able to find something that suited all of their needs.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - April 14, 2017
For just a fraction of a moment, Cypress remembered.
“I’ll make sure you see the ocean,” Rannoch said, and just like that, Cypress felt about two feet smaller and a handful of months cleaner. “Thanks,” he said softly, and maybe a little of that old light shone in his lantern yellow eyes, and maybe his lopsided grin lacked its sardonic edge and softened into a genuine smile. The consternation he felt was purely subconscious — is it really possible? is there really happiness left in me? is this a real feeling or something my mind tricked me into? — but it betrayed itself in the way he mislabeled giddiness and excitement for dizziness and miasma. “Could be I’m sick,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head to clear it, his forbidding visage wreathed in a smile that felt unnatural and ill-fitting.
To Noch, he said simply, “I trust you,” and then he got to all fours, stretching his spine with a delicious series of pops. It didn’t make any sense to the eidolon on a logical level, but he felt light and airy and free — he felt like what he thought laughter might feel like, if laughter could have feelings of its own. It was probably some kind of weird indigestion that he’d end up paying for later, but he couldn’t remember eating anything out of the ordinary — and it occurred to him that he didn’t care what this was or why he felt it.
He just wanted to give in to it.
“I’ll make sure you see the ocean,” Rannoch said, and just like that, Cypress felt about two feet smaller and a handful of months cleaner. “Thanks,” he said softly, and maybe a little of that old light shone in his lantern yellow eyes, and maybe his lopsided grin lacked its sardonic edge and softened into a genuine smile. The consternation he felt was purely subconscious — is it really possible? is there really happiness left in me? is this a real feeling or something my mind tricked me into? — but it betrayed itself in the way he mislabeled giddiness and excitement for dizziness and miasma. “Could be I’m sick,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head to clear it, his forbidding visage wreathed in a smile that felt unnatural and ill-fitting.
To Noch, he said simply, “I trust you,” and then he got to all fours, stretching his spine with a delicious series of pops. It didn’t make any sense to the eidolon on a logical level, but he felt light and airy and free — he felt like what he thought laughter might feel like, if laughter could have feelings of its own. It was probably some kind of weird indigestion that he’d end up paying for later, but he couldn’t remember eating anything out of the ordinary — and it occurred to him that he didn’t care what this was or why he felt it.
He just wanted to give in to it.
![[Image: eHOxvyU.gif]](http://i.imgur.com/eHOxvyU.gif)
Simultaneously jerking his head up and slapping his forelegs against the earth, Cypress barked at his littermate and swept fluidly to the side, trying to engage the argent-furred male in play.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - April 14, 2017
Cypress underwent what appeared to be a broad spectrum of emotions in a little amount of time and Rannoch watched his sibling carefully, noticing every twist and turn of his dark-scaled sibling's facade. Even with the months that had separated the boys, it seemed as though Rannoch was still able to read every minuscule movement. These changes were most likely unnoticeable to the naked eye, little twitches setting the sea of Cypress' facial canvas into motion, but to Noch, they were so much more.
Something within Cypress seemed to bring him to his paws and curiously, with a gentle light of his pale brows, Rannoch mirrored his sibling and stood. He licked his chops as a sense of anticipation began to settle in the depths of his breast, and in silence he waited, not knowing what to expect from Cypress.
But then, what seemed to be out of nowhere, it happened, and Rannoch couldn't have been happier for what had been done.
His expression brightened considerably to the slapping of his sibling's forelegs upon the ground, and he felt something stir within him. Not sure whether or not it was relief or his happiness, Rannoch did not question the light and rather fell for it, allowing it to overcome him quickly. It was as if Cypress' happiness was infectious and Rannoch succumbed to it easily, happy for a reprieve from the dark subject matter they had just endured.
Prancing towards his brother with the elegance of a showhorse, Rannoch neared his brother, his tail whipping happily and whines slipping freely from his maw. Once alongside Cypress, Rannoch looked to his brother like he did when they were younger-- when they were void of the heaviness that had been the experience of their upbringing. Bumping shoulders with Cypress, Rannoch quickly sidestepped and turned so that he was facing Cypress, his eyes shining as he slipped effortlessly into a bow.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - May 04, 2017
♥
Cypress feinted, snaking out his narrow skull to snap his jaws harmlessly, aiming for the ends of Rannoch’s fur near the crest of one burly grayscale shoulder. Elongated ears splayed almost comically as he lifted his lips, snout wrinkling and dipping low as he uttered a harsh, guttural snarl — but Rannoch knew the raven better than any other wolf; he would surely see the faint smile that tilted up the rightmost corner of his mouth. Though Cypress knew better now, he chose an amateurish technique, eager to tussle with his brother as they had when they were young. He swung his hips around and attempted to draw parallel to his brother, body-checking him, easily letting his nape within reach of Rannoch’s jaws as he attempted to gnaw lovingly at his younger littermate’s opposite foreleg.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - May 08, 2017
The interaction between the brothers was swiftly causing him to be overcome by nostalgia. Investing in such feelings willingly, Rannoch reclined as he crouched, keeping an eye on Cypress as he moved. Rannoch's tail whipped happily as an opportunity presented itself, and he grasped it quickly, reaching out with a playful growl to grab at his brother's nape. It was with this pull that Cypress latched on to his forelimb and gnawed and in reaction to this, Rannoch attempted to wiggle his limb to gently shake his sibling off.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - May 14, 2017
Grinning wolfishly, which makes sense, because he’s a wolf, Cypress let go of Rannoch’s foreleg. There was no rancor in the growls and snarls that drummed harmlessly from his maw as he whipped his hips around and briefly leaned his weight up and into his brother’s gaping jaws — and then he went abruptly limp in Rannoch’s grasp, aiming to give the turquoise-eyed boy a minor case of whiplash so he’d let go.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - May 15, 2017
Cypress had achieved just as he had intended. Rannoch was easily shaken off at the first indication of whiplash. With a playful growl, he stumbled back a step or so to distance himself from Cypress so that he could formulate his next move the keep the momentum of their game going. Once space had been granted, Rannoch slid his torso to the ground and wriggled his rear, looking to the lantern-eyed sibling with a rough grin, as if challenging the other to come and get him.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - May 16, 2017
Knowing that he was probably going to get bludgeoned in some way, Cypress reared up, settling his weight on his powerful haunches and spreading his forelegs wide. He hopped like a meerkat, jaws gaping wide, and bounded forward, going right according to his brother’s plan. He knew that Rannoch would expect such a direct “attack” from him and didn’t try to change things up, half-hoping that things would escalate to a game of wrestling or chase. In his youth, these games had become almost painful to him. His smaller stature and lighter musculature had gotten him beat repeatedly by his bruiser of a brother. Now, though, they were both adults who had the confidence to know their own strengths and weaknesses, and Cypress had missed this kind of closeness. His onyx-etched tail whisked good-naturedly as he unleashed a volley of barks and a threatening growl, rushing his brother head on.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - May 17, 2017
The way in which Cypress advanced pulled the Alpha back to a time in which they had been more innocent. Such realizations in the correlation allowed him to quickly succumb to the sensation and set aside all that had been on his mind. As a child, Rannoch and Cypress had always been headstrong in their playful pursuits and this instance, though months later, showed no difference. Ducking his head as his brother shimmied forward, Rannoch charged, hoping to plow his brother right in the gut and carry him off of his hind paws. If successful, Rannoch would work to do as he always did in their games: pin Cypress to the floor.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - May 20, 2017
Rannoch charged like a star quarterback, his head and shoulder plowing into Cypress’ sternum and abdomen and knocking him clear off his feet. It prompted a hefty “oof!” from the raven as all of the air rushed from his lungs — and it was fortunate he hadn’t eaten recently, because the move could’ve easily doubled as the lupine version of the Heimlich maneuver. He didn’t struggle when Rannoch swept in to pin him. He merely lay there on his back, tongue lolling joyously from the scarred left corner of his mouth, and the way it hid the heavy scarring there lent Cypress the illusion of being a happy, healthy, unsullied young wolf just goofing around with his brother. It would be hard for any bystander to equate this wolf with the wolf who had lingered at Moonspear’s borders in the dead of winter and promised a dark-furred, blue-eyed girl he wouldn’t love her. Feeling almost giddy, he turned his head to try to gnaw lovingly at the forearm that pinned him, then shoved with all four paws in a halfhearted attempt to try to knock Rannoch free.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - May 24, 2017
Reverting to his childhood tendencies, and with Cypress placed firmly underneath, the aspiring Alpha reached to grab his brother's ear. Once the blue-eyed man's teeth held tenderly on the cartilage, he tugged gently on what laid in his mouth, a faint growl, albeit playful, accompanying his efforts as he gummed gently in content. Interrupting his chewing was a halfhearted kick that was delivered to his gut, and as a result of the this, Rannoch let go as his breath escaped him. Recovering as he toddled backward, Rannoch lingered once he was just behind his brother, inviting him to get him as he dipped into a bow.
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Cypress - May 27, 2017
Closing this one up! ♥
SEE YOU IN THE VALE, MY BROTHER
SEE YOU IN THE VALE, MY BROTHER
“Gross, Noch,” Cypress complained good-naturedly as saliva dripped down into his ear canal. He shook his head vigorously to stave off the slimy sensation, then whipped around and dropped into a playful bow himself, snapping harmlessly at the air in front of the turquoise-eyed male’s nose.
A sense of time passing seemed to sober up both of the brothers; they’d have to return to the others in a minute. Glancing around for one last game, Cypress gave a roguish half-grin, tongue lolling as he stretched. “Race you to the treeline,” he challenged. “No head starts or tricks.” He judged that the distance would be short enough that Noch’d be able to give him a “fair fight” so to speak — the burly male had a respectable sprint at short distances that could rival Cypress’ own. “Ready…set…go!”
A sense of time passing seemed to sober up both of the brothers; they’d have to return to the others in a minute. Glancing around for one last game, Cypress gave a roguish half-grin, tongue lolling as he stretched. “Race you to the treeline,” he challenged. “No head starts or tricks.” He judged that the distance would be short enough that Noch’d be able to give him a “fair fight” so to speak — the burly male had a respectable sprint at short distances that could rival Cypress’ own. “Ready…set…go!”
RE: cranky curmudgeon - Rannoch’s Ghost - May 29, 2017
Met with both a mirrored pose and a challenge, Rannoch rose with a quirked brow as a smile spread across his jowls. He was always up for a good challenge, and he knew if anyone were to provide a challenge it would be Cypress. Nodding, Rannoch agreed to the terms that had been laid out, seeing that they were fair. Though Cypress had the advantage with speed, the Alpha would do his best to bring the heat.
He had positioned himself alongside Cypress, poised to strike once the countdown occurred. In unison, the men pounced at Cypress' proclamation of the race, giving it their best as they sought the nearby treeline. By the time that they both cleared the finish line, it was evident that Cypress won and in his loss, Rannoch rose to the occasion to bump shoulders with his raven-haired sibling. "Let's get going back," murmured Rannoch once he pulled away from his brother, realizing just how late had gotten since they had begun playing. With that, the brothers made their way back to where the others had settled and Rannoch, as happy as ever, felt rejuvenated by their quick excursion. It was good to play with Cypress as they had as children and Rannoch were glad that they were back in each other's lives.