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+--- Thread: Emberflame Ridge schneemusik (/showthread.php?tid=32236)
schneemusik - Mahler - January 16, 2019
for @Mali
he caught the lamed sheep upon the ridge, dispatching it after a quick run and heavy snap of his ironwrought jaws. it had cost him a day of tracking; the wintercold skies had begun to darken as evening fell. yet it was well-worth the journey that mahler had made from diaspora, for he would fill his belly and carry back all he was able to his packmates.
he looked toward elysium pensively; the last time he had been there, a boy had shouted and showed no respect to his leaders. mahler thought of the maplewood, how the pack had weakened and finally fallen. they had taken into their fold the losing wolves, and he could not respect their weakness, both in that regard and how they had allowed the child to act so.
but the faces of the sea-wolf and her sable counterpart came to mind — as he fell to eating, he wondered if they would survive the stretch of winter to come.
he looked toward elysium pensively; the last time he had been there, a boy had shouted and showed no respect to his leaders. mahler thought of the maplewood, how the pack had weakened and finally fallen. they had taken into their fold the losing wolves, and he could not respect their weakness, both in that regard and how they had allowed the child to act so.
but the faces of the sea-wolf and her sable counterpart came to mind — as he fell to eating, he wondered if they would survive the stretch of winter to come.
RE: schneemusik - Mal - January 18, 2019
Mali had been out exploring again. Once he crossed the border for the first time since his arrival, it no longer kept him bound. His quest was to find a new place for himself and his sister to live -- and Delight too, he guessed, but given that they'd pretty much been abandoned for the majority of their lives, in spirit though not in actuality, Mali didn't think his father would want to come. Either way, he hadn't gone far enough to find another pack yet, and after his encounter with Aries, he'd been better at avoiding any other adults that came his way. None of them listened, none of them even tried to pretend to respect him.
Unsurprisingly, being ignored meant that he wasn't at all a good hunter, and though he was always sure to gorge himself on whatever was in the caches before setting out, the return trips usually left him a little bit hungry unless he got obscenely lucky. Mali had been hoping this was one of those times and had followed the scent of blood to a kill. Except there was a wolf there too when it entered his vision. Yeah, Mali wasn't great at tracking either, so had just followed the most primary and interesting scent on the wind. He froze, gears in his head turning before he recognized that as the guy from the borders. Yeah, if he hadn't been spotted it was probably best to just keep going and not wasting his time with one of Seabreeze's zombies. The speckled youth started to turn and walk away.
RE: schneemusik - Mahler - January 19, 2019
unluckily for mali, mahler lifted his head at that moment and spotted in the distance the woefully familiar form of the lanky boy from elysium. irritation sparked in his heart, and he rose. the child did not belong to him, nor was he one of mahler's wolves, but his behavior had permanently rankled the man.
and so he moved toward mali with a hunter's proud stalk, guard hairs flaring and plume flung high. this was not disapora, not his land, but the arrogance of the child sat poised like a bitter taste upon his tongue. talk, he told himself, nothing more, but the insult to his latent authority coursed through mahler.
he could be, after all, quite stubborn himself.
and so he moved toward mali with a hunter's proud stalk, guard hairs flaring and plume flung high. this was not disapora, not his land, but the arrogance of the child sat poised like a bitter taste upon his tongue. talk, he told himself, nothing more, but the insult to his latent authority coursed through mahler.
he could be, after all, quite stubborn himself.
RE: schneemusik - Mal - January 19, 2019
Mali was getting kind of mixed messages. Why bother even getting up if he was already leaving? Was this guy just wanting to be a jerk? He wasn't gonna put it beyond him, but at least that meant he had a had start for getting away. His ears tipped back but he wasn't going to grovel while leaving, just seeing his fluffy butt heading away should be good enough, right?
I'm already leaving, what more do you want,he half-whined. Like really, just leave him alone! He wasn't even gonna try taking food or anything, it just wasn't worth it.
He tried to put a small copse between them like a wall, repeatedly looking back to see if he was still being followed -- or chased, or something.
RE: schneemusik - Mahler - January 24, 2019
mahler wanted the respect he had been denied on the borders, and here was his chance to take it. that the boy was leaving was not enough; his very presence was a burr in the gargoyle's paw. and so he gave chase, breaking into a gentle lope that carried him through the trees.
there was not true ill-intent behind mahler's actions. he did not wish to hurt mali, for maiming children was not a pastime belonging to him. but it seemed truthful that the boy knew nothing of dominance, and mahler wanted, at least, that lesson for himself.
there was not true ill-intent behind mahler's actions. he did not wish to hurt mali, for maiming children was not a pastime belonging to him. but it seemed truthful that the boy knew nothing of dominance, and mahler wanted, at least, that lesson for himself.
RE: schneemusik - Mal - January 30, 2019
Oh man, he was actually being chased, wasn't he? Certainly looked that way, so he sped up to try to keep ahead as his mind started racing. He didn't know if Mahler knew these lands better than him (probably did, he was just some punk wandering around for kicks), but Mali had pretty much forgotten every little hidey-hole he'd spotted as soon as his brain said he might be in danger. Great survival skills, this one.
But he had to do something! So he opted for what seemed like the most logical thing -- or what would of been the most logical thing had he still been somewhat younger and not just an adult-sized gangle-beast -- he veered sharply towards a snow-covered bush and crashed through its lower branches. Or tried to. It turned out, this bush was a good deal denser than appearances lead him to believe, and the snow hid the tangled mess of branches that were developed beyond mere twigs. Mali wasn't necessarily stuck, but he definitely was going to have a hard time moving through and he wasn't sure he wanted to back out, so he tried to shove himself forward anyway, to not great results. He had to try and pretzel himself under one branch and over another and somehow unhook his leg from a third, and it was probably just going to get worse. Maybe it would be too annoying to follow him and he could just wait Mahler out.
it was also not particularly stealthy.
RE: schneemusik - Mahler - January 31, 2019
the child fled, and the gargoyle would have given chase, had not mali thrown himself into a shrubbery and gotten caught between the winter-hardened branches. the grim expression left mahler, swiftly replaced by humour, and he approached with the light of it in his gaze.
"vell, vell, vell," he clucked mockingly at the cherub, most of whom was visible through the bush's grasp. mahler would not follow mali into the uncomfortable place; he would wait until the child had emerged, or until he was bored. in the interim, however: "so brave you vere, shouting at vomen last i saw you. and now, here you are, hooked like a rabbit."
"vell, vell, vell," he clucked mockingly at the cherub, most of whom was visible through the bush's grasp. mahler would not follow mali into the uncomfortable place; he would wait until the child had emerged, or until he was bored. in the interim, however: "so brave you vere, shouting at vomen last i saw you. and now, here you are, hooked like a rabbit."
RE: schneemusik - Mal - February 01, 2019
Mali would never be accused of trusting adults, even if he almost was one. He bared his teeth, growling defensively as he still tried to push deeper into the branches, trying to worm his way around by feel so he could try to stare down Mahler.
You're chasing me. For no reason. Probably want to kill me and leave me in a ditch so they'll like you for getting rid of their problem.Because he hadn't been believed. Again. It was always those stupid women that for some bizarre reason got benefit of the doubt, no matter who it was. The truth didn't even seem to matter, just whether or not some dainty women said it was reality. His father had even seemed to have given up on them. Mali and his sister were almost entirely neglected at this point, about all they were given was a bleak right to maybe exist -- as long as they didn't trample on preferred toes.
RE: schneemusik - Mahler - February 02, 2019
mahler listened, stonefaced, and then let out his breath in a rush. "not for no reason, junge." his lilac stare hardened — to be accused of attempted murder was one thing, to be accused of it on the behalf of a weak pack was another.
"i do not care about the vomen. i have my own volves to tend vithout needing to kill runavay children," the gargyole rumbled balefully. charcoal ears swept forward. "if you are so miserable, vhy not leave elysium?"
"i do not care about the vomen. i have my own volves to tend vithout needing to kill runavay children," the gargyole rumbled balefully. charcoal ears swept forward. "if you are so miserable, vhy not leave elysium?"
RE: schneemusik - Mal - February 02, 2019
Riiiight.Yeah, he totally had a reason. Totally. He was under their spell, so it was probably all a lie. Probably insulting him too with whatever that unfamiliar word was. The brush creaked and shuffled a bit as he backed into a more sturdy branch, stuck for a moment. Mali had stopped growling since he wasn't being actively chomped on, but he still was ready to use his own teeth if status changed.
'Cause I gotta find a place for both me and my sister first. And maybe dad too.But he seemed really unsure about that last addition, as he was beginning to think it was more and more likely that their only remaining parent didn't care if they existed any more either. It sure seemed like it to Mali. The stupid women and their kids were apparently more important to Delight than his own neglected brood.
They're trapping us there. They just ignore us so we aren't strong enough to leave -- they want everyone to stay forever. At least until they decide to toss us out because we're not their dumb babies and then we get to die or something.Which probably wasn't true unless he kept up his mouthing off, but creeping around trying to avoid the other wolves his age and raiding his own pack's caches because he couldn't do anything else with any reliability wasn't exactly a way to live. Mali assumed his sister's condition was caused by her being too afraid to go "steal" as much as he did, it wasn't like he knew any better. Honestly, another pack probably wouldn't want him anyway, but he hadn't thought that far.
RE: schneemusik - Mahler - February 07, 2019
the longer the boy spoke, the more confused mahler became. it translated to frustration, and then a cold silence as he attempted to piece together the convoluted sense of family that mali had revealed. "your father should be leading you and your sister. vhy has he not intervened on your behalf against the ones who lead elysium?'
first they were trapped, and then they were in danger of being thrown out. it seemed that the grown wolves in mali's life had infantilized him to such a degree he did not know he was no suckling. "you are not a child. if you vant to leave, then go. if your father vill not lead, then take your sister and depart."
lilac eyes narrowed; mahler lifted his chin. "i vould take you to disapora, if you vanted to go. but there is no tolerance of the vay you behaved toward those in charge. however," the gargoyle went on, "there you vould not be a child. free to come and go as you please, so long as you hunt vith us and keep the land safe."
a bold offer, and not one he suspected the boy would take, but mahler felt that he must make it all the same.
first they were trapped, and then they were in danger of being thrown out. it seemed that the grown wolves in mali's life had infantilized him to such a degree he did not know he was no suckling. "you are not a child. if you vant to leave, then go. if your father vill not lead, then take your sister and depart."
lilac eyes narrowed; mahler lifted his chin. "i vould take you to disapora, if you vanted to go. but there is no tolerance of the vay you behaved toward those in charge. however," the gargoyle went on, "there you vould not be a child. free to come and go as you please, so long as you hunt vith us and keep the land safe."
a bold offer, and not one he suspected the boy would take, but mahler felt that he must make it all the same.
RE: schneemusik - Mal - February 09, 2019
Apparently Mali was bad at explaining the position they were actually in here, but considering he'd probably done the wolf equivalent of being kept out of school after elementary, that was probably part of it too.
No, no you don't get it. After they moved the pack and it was just theirs everyone just ignored us. We have to figure out everything on our own now since then. I'm not good enough to hunt for both of us -- some monster shows up we're just gonna get eaten. And our own pack doesn't want us, doesn't like us, so why would anyone else?Okay, his sister might have a different perspective, but he was definitely just left alone because of his attitude and that had only made things worse in some kind of weird feedback loop. So in the end he hated most of them, but he liked being alive. He'd live on their pity until he could do otherwise or was forced to before he was ready.
And I dunno why he won't do anything.And that was a sour point. Delight had become one of them.
Once those stupid women showed up everything started going bad and now it's just worse and worse and worse and now he's a zombie too or something.It was said with almost a snarl. But he wasn't gonna leave the damn bush.
RE: schneemusik - Mahler - February 12, 2019
mali's situation was dire, though his life was not in danger. his father was weak, not willing to protect his offspring against whatever the leadership wished. the boy had thus assumed the mantle donned by the head of one's family, much too young, and become embittered in the process. inasfar as mahler could see, the young wolves had been relegated to the fringes of the pack.
he did not think mali had a year to his age, yet, but stranger things had happened. the gargoyle affixed the boy with a baleful eye, a gaze that softened as he thought upon the young wolf's predicament. "you are too young to hunt alone, yes. but you are not protected vhere you are. your abilities are irrelevant if you are not among volves who vill protect you until you are old enough to find your own vay."
mahler paused. "you can make your own vay, the both of you. or you can leave and start anew elsevhere. only foolish leaders vould turn avay two potential assets to their pack."
he did not think mali had a year to his age, yet, but stranger things had happened. the gargoyle affixed the boy with a baleful eye, a gaze that softened as he thought upon the young wolf's predicament. "you are too young to hunt alone, yes. but you are not protected vhere you are. your abilities are irrelevant if you are not among volves who vill protect you until you are old enough to find your own vay."
mahler paused. "you can make your own vay, the both of you. or you can leave and start anew elsevhere. only foolish leaders vould turn avay two potential assets to their pack."
RE: schneemusik - Mal - February 16, 2019
Mali stopped trying to turn into a bush. It almost sounded like Mahler had actually listened to him... Which was kind of weird. Mali was pretty used to just being dismissed as some combination of liar and just some child not worth paying attention to. He dipped his head to try and get a better look at Mahler, to try to figure out if he was just saying random things to make Mali comfortable to trick him into coming out so he could chop him up into tiny bits and hide him in the walls or if by some freak chance Mahler actually kind of meant what he said. To say Mali had trust issues would be understatement of the century.
Either way, it had given him something to think about, apparently, because he was quieter both in volume and amount of words.
But how'm I supposed to know that you or anyone else isn't just gonna be worse? Before it's too late or something.He didn't want to risk Brilliance, and Mahler had gone and chased him into a bush so that wasn't exactly a ton of points in his favor, even if the bush thing was Mali's idea.
RE: schneemusik - Mahler - February 18, 2019
the boy seemed to have lost a goodly bit of his fear, and mahler felt a glissade of regret for having chased mali as he did. but perhaps they would not have come to this point, had he not forced their meeting. therefore, the gargoyle would not hold enmity against himself for it.
"that is for you to decide. trust is not freely given. it is earned. make the ones you follow next earn your respect, mali," mahler intoned, standing to his feet and glancing over his shoulder to the nearby distance, where a flock of eager ravens had descended to pick gleefully over the sheep's carcass.
"i vill leave that for you. and for your sister," mahler added, jerking his head toward the kill. if mali had nothing to add, the shadowpriest would begin his trudge into the shivering pines along the ridge, moving in the direction of diaspora.
"that is for you to decide. trust is not freely given. it is earned. make the ones you follow next earn your respect, mali," mahler intoned, standing to his feet and glancing over his shoulder to the nearby distance, where a flock of eager ravens had descended to pick gleefully over the sheep's carcass.
"i vill leave that for you. and for your sister," mahler added, jerking his head toward the kill. if mali had nothing to add, the shadowpriest would begin his trudge into the shivering pines along the ridge, moving in the direction of diaspora.
RE: schneemusik - Mal - February 18, 2019
He didn't know what to think, now. Somehow Mahler had somehow confused the whole thing in Mali's mind. He wasn't sure he was trapped. But at the same time, wasn't he still? But then what did he do...? Ugh--- anyway, it seemed like Mahler was now leaving. Okay. Maybe that was good. He needed to think.
He wasn't expecting to be allowed to keep the kill, though -- hell, he'd forgotten about it entirely in his initial panic.
Uh. Thanks.He waited a moment for Mahler to start heading off before he finally got out of the bush and shook out his fur. He was cautious approaching the kill at first, just in case he doubled back, but once he didn't, he rushed the birds and started the awkward process of trying to drag the sheep all the way back home. He had a lot to tell @Brilliance.