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+--- Thread: Ankyra Sound i mean like a goddamn marching band (/showthread.php?tid=29713)
i mean like a goddamn marching band - Lily - September 19, 2018
It was more beautiful than she could have ever dreamed.
The blackbird stood on the beach, having picked her way through the sequoias, down the cliffs. The wind buffeted her pelt; salt stung her eyes. Despite the discomfort, she couldn't stop looking. Every wave was perfect. Everything about it was perfect.
The emotion of finally being by the sea, added onto her lingering grief for Eris' death, overwhelmed her suddenly, and Lily began to cry, staring straight ahead, tears streaming through the soft fur of her cheek. She wept, heaving sobs, a strange mix of joy and sorrow, exuberance and fear. It was all too much. She felt comforted here. . .yet more alone than she ever had before.
Her journey had begun. It wasn't without a purpose. There was the pressing need to find the wolves of the Sanctuary a new home. But beyond that. . .she needed to rediscover herself. Find the girl that had been lost, somewhere along the way.
This was a perfect first step.
The blackbird stood on the beach, having picked her way through the sequoias, down the cliffs. The wind buffeted her pelt; salt stung her eyes. Despite the discomfort, she couldn't stop looking. Every wave was perfect. Everything about it was perfect.
The emotion of finally being by the sea, added onto her lingering grief for Eris' death, overwhelmed her suddenly, and Lily began to cry, staring straight ahead, tears streaming through the soft fur of her cheek. She wept, heaving sobs, a strange mix of joy and sorrow, exuberance and fear. It was all too much. She felt comforted here. . .yet more alone than she ever had before.
Her journey had begun. It wasn't without a purpose. There was the pressing need to find the wolves of the Sanctuary a new home. But beyond that. . .she needed to rediscover herself. Find the girl that had been lost, somewhere along the way.
This was a perfect first step.
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Helix - September 19, 2018
Their first order of business turns out to be that of recruitment. Easy enough. Helix finds herself a decent judge of character, the ability to spot a warrior when she sees one, and surely other skills just as useful they may need in the impending months of cold weather. The further south they are from Trigeda, she doesn’t expect such harshness, but they have many small mouths to feed—more than she thinks they can afford (how lucky to have lost one with Thuringwethil and another disappearing)—so she moves with purpose.
After checking the borders, she moves south into the sound. She’s met a number here already as it and as a scent tickles her nose late in the morning, she follows. Not expecting to pick up every wolf she runs into, she can at least get a feel for what to expect, and once he woman comes into view, Helix makes a path for her. Before she sees the saddened and worry worn expression, she offers a gentle chuff when close enough to gauge the stranger.
After checking the borders, she moves south into the sound. She’s met a number here already as it and as a scent tickles her nose late in the morning, she follows. Not expecting to pick up every wolf she runs into, she can at least get a feel for what to expect, and once he woman comes into view, Helix makes a path for her. Before she sees the saddened and worry worn expression, she offers a gentle chuff when close enough to gauge the stranger.
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Lily - September 22, 2018
So wrapped up in her emotions and the sight of the sea, Lily didn't even notice the stranger's approach until the chuff reached her ears. She jumped slightly and turned around, trying to blink the tears from her eyes. She was too used to the peace of the Sanctuary--she ought to be more on-guard, out here.
Because this woman was big. Big, and built strong. She could tear the blackbird limb from limb, if she wanted. She looked friendly enough, but. . . Lily cocked her head in question, loath to stop looking at the ocean.
"Erm, hello," she said, a little nervously. "Am I. . .I'm not trespassing on your land or anything, am I?"
Because this woman was big. Big, and built strong. She could tear the blackbird limb from limb, if she wanted. She looked friendly enough, but. . . Lily cocked her head in question, loath to stop looking at the ocean.
"Erm, hello," she said, a little nervously. "Am I. . .I'm not trespassing on your land or anything, am I?"
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Helix - September 23, 2018
Helix slows to a stop when she startles the woman. Knowing better than to get too close now, regardless of their size difference, she holds back. The stranger is close to Drageda territory but they are neutral territory nonetheless. All she can do it that moment is simply warn her without acting and proving their aggression.
“No,” she states rather plainly, though her gaze hardens. Her head swings back and she points with her nose at the cliffs that silhouette their background. Home. “You are not from around here,” she observes. Helix is new to the area but the coast she knows, regardless of where she is. Born of the sea and lived for years, before she’d been forced out, and perhaps the only thing that keeps her sane in a pack that does not feel yet home.
“No,” she states rather plainly, though her gaze hardens. Her head swings back and she points with her nose at the cliffs that silhouette their background. Home. “You are not from around here,” she observes. Helix is new to the area but the coast she knows, regardless of where she is. Born of the sea and lived for years, before she’d been forced out, and perhaps the only thing that keeps her sane in a pack that does not feel yet home.
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Lily - September 23, 2018
Her eyes widened slightly at the inclination of the woman's head, pointed toward the cliffs. So not trespassing, but close. Too close for comfort, anyway. She swallowed, feeling a churning in her stomach that hadn't been there since the sickness. The moment passed quickly enough, and soon the other was inquiring as to where she came from. Not a question. A statement.
"No, I'm from the north," Lily responded, lifting her chin and gazing in the direction she'd come for a beat or two. She returned her gaze to the woman. "I'm Lily. I'm looking for a friend, and perhaps another place for my pack to stay." Lily didn't go into the gory details just yet. If she really wanted to know, she would ask.
"No, I'm from the north," Lily responded, lifting her chin and gazing in the direction she'd come for a beat or two. She returned her gaze to the woman. "I'm Lily. I'm looking for a friend, and perhaps another place for my pack to stay." Lily didn't go into the gory details just yet. If she really wanted to know, she would ask.
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Helix - September 23, 2018
The woman realizes her mistake in getting too close but Helix feels no need to reprimand. She possesses no threat at the time and Helix finds herself slowly relaxing. On some subconscious level, she is always on guard in some form and it varies greatly depending on her situation. Lily from the North offers little for her to react to, having admitted freely what she’s doing in these parts and dragon wolf nods once.
“If you tell me about your friend I will be happy to keep it in mind, but as far as your pack goes I suggest you keep looking, Lily from the North,” she informs easily, setting her shoulders a beat later. “I am Helix from Drageda.”
“If you tell me about your friend I will be happy to keep it in mind, but as far as your pack goes I suggest you keep looking, Lily from the North,” she informs easily, setting her shoulders a beat later. “I am Helix from Drageda.”
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Lily - September 23, 2018
She figured as much after learning how close another pack was, but Lily couldn't help but be disappointed. Ah, well. The sea was vast and the coast long; there must be many such places like this, right? She would find her paradise soon. It would just take time. And as for the other thing. . .
"Nice to meet you," Lily said, kindly albeit a little hastily. "My friend's name is Dirge. He's got brown and gray fur with black points, and beautiful gold eyes." She resisted a swoon at the thought, holding steady.
She tilted her head, feeling a little foolish. "I've never heard of your pack before," she admitted sheepishly. First Morningside, now this? She seemed to be ignorant of all the surrounding bands of wolves. "What's it like in Drageda?"
"Nice to meet you," Lily said, kindly albeit a little hastily. "My friend's name is Dirge. He's got brown and gray fur with black points, and beautiful gold eyes." She resisted a swoon at the thought, holding steady.
She tilted her head, feeling a little foolish. "I've never heard of your pack before," she admitted sheepishly. First Morningside, now this? She seemed to be ignorant of all the surrounding bands of wolves. "What's it like in Drageda?"
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Helix - September 23, 2018
Lily speaks of her friend, his name, what he looks like, and she tucks it away for later as it does not match anyone she has met. There’s a lot of estrogen this high on the coast that a male would be noted with ease and the way she spoke of him indicates something else there, at least on one end. A curious glint from her gaze is all that is offered before the usual stony, hardened expression returns.
“We are not much different than other packs,” she says with an idle shrug. They have their ways, but that is not for Lily from the North to know. “But there are many of us, not just on the cliffs.”
“We are not much different than other packs,” she says with an idle shrug. They have their ways, but that is not for Lily from the North to know. “But there are many of us, not just on the cliffs.”
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Lily - September 23, 2018
Okay, so she wasn't exactly the most open of books. Lily could deal with it. She was surprised to hear they were more spread out--just how many were there? And were they friendly? She wasn't really keen on the idea of a dozen wolves or more around here, all hostile. Then again, this woman seemed fine so far, if closed off. . .
"Good to know," Lily responded casually. She smiled. "We're pretty much all in one spot right now, but we're looking for somewhere better. Bracken Sanctuary, we're called. Dunno if you've heard of us." She kept mum on the cats and illness for now; if it came up organically, it came up. It just wasn't the sort of thing you blabbed to a complete stranger, you know?
"Anyway, I came down the coast looking for a home and a friend, but really, I just needed to get away for a while," she admitted, a small sigh in her voice.
"Good to know," Lily responded casually. She smiled. "We're pretty much all in one spot right now, but we're looking for somewhere better. Bracken Sanctuary, we're called. Dunno if you've heard of us." She kept mum on the cats and illness for now; if it came up organically, it came up. It just wasn't the sort of thing you blabbed to a complete stranger, you know?
"Anyway, I came down the coast looking for a home and a friend, but really, I just needed to get away for a while," she admitted, a small sigh in her voice.
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Helix - September 23, 2018
What little information Helix is willing to offer, Lily seems to accept. Whether or not it was because she knows she won’t open up, or she’s just satisfied with the answer, the other doesn’t let on and speaks of her home. There is very little she knows about the surrounding packs and the only one she’s been informed about is Morningside but what has her attention the most is sanctuary. Brows beat together before she has a chance to sort her confusion, as if the concept of an actual sanctuary is foreign to her. No, you simply don’t trust outsiders.
“I have not heard of it,” she says, resisting her curiosity. “I am somewhat new to this area. I only know there is a place called Mornigside. Do you know where that is?” she questions. Blixen doesn’t seem too sure where they’re located but perhaps she passed them by on the way here, if she’s already this close.
“I have not heard of it,” she says, resisting her curiosity. “I am somewhat new to this area. I only know there is a place called Mornigside. Do you know where that is?” she questions. Blixen doesn’t seem too sure where they’re located but perhaps she passed them by on the way here, if she’s already this close.
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Lily - September 25, 2018
She laughed despite herself, thinking of the conversation she'd had with Khali, at the onset of the sickness. "I do, actually," Lily said, the giggle still in her voice. "Well. . .not exactly. I mean, I've heard of them. They're our neighbors, which means they can't be too far away. Inland, probably." She felt a little bad for being of next to no help.
Then again, maybe this was the opportunity she needed to visit Morningside, ask around for Khali's sister. . .
"Any packs near here that I should be aware of, besides your Drageda?" Lily asked, tilting her head gently to one side. Maybe Dirge had joined one of them. Maybe Dirge was one of them--but surely Helix would have said something, if he were? Unless he was hiding. . .
Get a grip, Lily.
Then again, maybe this was the opportunity she needed to visit Morningside, ask around for Khali's sister. . .
"Any packs near here that I should be aware of, besides your Drageda?" Lily asked, tilting her head gently to one side. Maybe Dirge had joined one of them. Maybe Dirge was one of them--but surely Helix would have said something, if he were? Unless he was hiding. . .
Get a grip, Lily.
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Helix - September 26, 2018
Lily announces she knows where they are. Good. It’ll make it easier to find them but as she continues to speak, she doesn’t seem to know much at all. Brows knit together as she watches her sort through the information and her face falls only slightly with disappointment. Helix is silent a few seconds, uncertain what to do with what she’s given. “Where do you live?” she decides to ask, settling for some kind of lead.
“None to my knowledge,” she answers with a shrug. Morningside is all she’s been informed about and she’s hardly traveled beyond the borders and what she has is no more than one terrain over. “What are you running from?”
“None to my knowledge,” she answers with a shrug. Morningside is all she’s been informed about and she’s hardly traveled beyond the borders and what she has is no more than one terrain over. “What are you running from?”
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Lily - September 26, 2018
"North," she repeated, staring blankly, then realizing that Helix probably wanted to clarify. "Oh--erm, at the edge of a thick forest. A boulder, split in two; we call it Broken Boulder. A few days' journey northeast from here." She hoped that was specific enough for the formidable wolf. Turns out, that question was the easy one. The one that followed was much more difficult to answer.
Her eyes clouded with sadness. "A sickness," she murmured. "I'm not sick. Not anymore," she added hastily, trying to reassure Helix that she was no walking plague. "It came with a gang of cats that settled in our territory, and took the life of one of our own. The place is a mess. We just can't stay there any longer." Surely she'd understand, right?
Her eyes clouded with sadness. "A sickness," she murmured. "I'm not sick. Not anymore," she added hastily, trying to reassure Helix that she was no walking plague. "It came with a gang of cats that settled in our territory, and took the life of one of our own. The place is a mess. We just can't stay there any longer." Surely she'd understand, right?
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Helix - September 26, 2018
“Do you know where Sleeping Dragon is?” she questions, thinking about the forest she’d come through to get there. She had to have passed the pack, skirting their borders along the way. It hadn’t been memorable enough to stick in her memory, much more concerned with the strange wolf they’d stumbled across. If Lily knows where they are in relation to their former home, they may be able to search for their nearest neighbors after all.
Lily speaks of what she’s running from and it surprises her, if not outright stuns her. Helix takes a step back automatically, even with the reassurance she has passed by the sickness already. What if there’s something lingering, making the connection all the way to the coast? She notes to wash before returning to Drageda, shedding anything she may or may not have encountered with this stranger. The story is a strange one and she doesn’t know what to do with it. “Did you kill the cats?” she questions though, she agrees, “you should move.” Who knows what those things are actually carrying? Hopefully they’ve been taken care of through all this.
Lily speaks of what she’s running from and it surprises her, if not outright stuns her. Helix takes a step back automatically, even with the reassurance she has passed by the sickness already. What if there’s something lingering, making the connection all the way to the coast? She notes to wash before returning to Drageda, shedding anything she may or may not have encountered with this stranger. The story is a strange one and she doesn’t know what to do with it. “Did you kill the cats?” she questions though, she agrees, “you should move.” Who knows what those things are actually carrying? Hopefully they’ve been taken care of through all this.
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Lily - September 28, 2018
The name gave her a pause, and she went to shake her head, only to realize that the expression wasn't quite accurate. "I don't. . .know what that is," she admitted, sheepish. "A mountain? A river?" It sounded formidable, whatever it was.
Now, the next query had her head shaking. "They all died from the illness or fled," Lily said, with a shiver of revulsion. She was sure the smell of cat piss would be in her nostrils for as long as she lived; she couldn't shake it. Did she still smell? This mildly horrifying thought crossed her mind, and she resisted the urge to bend her chin to her chest and inhale.
"There's no other choice," she agreed. "We just need somewhere safe, and big enough to support children. We have many."
Now, the next query had her head shaking. "They all died from the illness or fled," Lily said, with a shiver of revulsion. She was sure the smell of cat piss would be in her nostrils for as long as she lived; she couldn't shake it. Did she still smell? This mildly horrifying thought crossed her mind, and she resisted the urge to bend her chin to her chest and inhale.
"There's no other choice," she agreed. "We just need somewhere safe, and big enough to support children. We have many."
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Helix - September 30, 2018
“A mountain, further inland,” she tells her. “There’s a geyser field on the east of it, I think,” she adds, trying to remember. She hadn’t spent a lot of time there with Ajatar and Denali but it’s the only real landmark she has to go by.
The information about the cats leaves her curious. The sickness killed them, or they left in the threat of wolves, but it is still not a satisfying answer. If it kills the cats, spread to the wolves, where does that leave them? Helix resists the urge to put another step between her and Lily but instead watches for sudden movements and signs of sickness. The new companion has a wet noise and no drainage from her eyes, her voice isn’t riddled with the sickly rasp, and she doesn’t seem weak or fatigued. Helix isn’t much of a healer but she’s seen enough in her lifetime to know what sickness looks like.
“I do not know the teekon well enough to help you in that regard,” she confesses with a bit of a shrug. She has no interest of going out of her way for someone she doesn’t know and a pack that has no relation with Drageda. “But I wish you luck.”
The information about the cats leaves her curious. The sickness killed them, or they left in the threat of wolves, but it is still not a satisfying answer. If it kills the cats, spread to the wolves, where does that leave them? Helix resists the urge to put another step between her and Lily but instead watches for sudden movements and signs of sickness. The new companion has a wet noise and no drainage from her eyes, her voice isn’t riddled with the sickly rasp, and she doesn’t seem weak or fatigued. Helix isn’t much of a healer but she’s seen enough in her lifetime to know what sickness looks like.
“I do not know the teekon well enough to help you in that regard,” she confesses with a bit of a shrug. She has no interest of going out of her way for someone she doesn’t know and a pack that has no relation with Drageda. “But I wish you luck.”
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Lily - September 30, 2018
Geyser. . . "You mean like steam? Like a volcano?" she asked, still relatively clueless. "Because there's one like that just south of our territory." She thought of Ioa, then, and cringed slightly; she wanted nothing more than to forget the sight of her lifeless body, but there it was, burned forever into her brain. That was Sleeping Dragon, then?
Lily nodded, understanding. Despite living here for a time, she, too, was fairly ignorant of the land. With practice, she would improve, but things had just been so chaotic-- "Thank you," she answered, shutting down the excuses in her head. "I hope I was able to help, as well." Probably not, but whatever. It was just good to talk to someone.
Lily nodded, understanding. Despite living here for a time, she, too, was fairly ignorant of the land. With practice, she would improve, but things had just been so chaotic-- "Thank you," she answered, shutting down the excuses in her head. "I hope I was able to help, as well." Probably not, but whatever. It was just good to talk to someone.
RE: i mean like a goddamn marching band - Helix - October 02, 2018
“Sure,” she says, though she doesn’t know for certain if they’re talking about the same thing but she hopes for their sake they are. “It is where Drageda used to live many seasons ago,” she adds. She’d already admitted to her newness and obvious unfamiliarity of the land. If they’d chosen a volcano to live on, she is surprised they’d lasted long at all. The history is vague with time and she can’t speak firsthand.
After a moment, it is obvious Lily needs her space. Helix nods her head and takes a step back. Usually she may wait until the other is gone but she may need the ocean seascape a little longer and, instead, takes her leave back to the cliffs.
After a moment, it is obvious Lily needs her space. Helix nods her head and takes a step back. Usually she may wait until the other is gone but she may need the ocean seascape a little longer and, instead, takes her leave back to the cliffs.