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+--- Thread: Blacktail Deer Plateau he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who (/showthread.php?tid=39383)
he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Erzulie - February 04, 2020
no sign of the dispersed trio.
ying had not gone with her treacherous sisters.
anigan was silent.
in many ways, erzulie questioned the rightness of the scene she had engendered in their land, but decided it was far too late for regrets. time now to tighten their ranks, their own loyalties, to rusalka. to one another.
a cunning thought; the beta descended a stone plinth and wended into the snowy pines, crooning for @Nieve and @Harps.
ying had not gone with her treacherous sisters.
anigan was silent.
in many ways, erzulie questioned the rightness of the scene she had engendered in their land, but decided it was far too late for regrets. time now to tighten their ranks, their own loyalties, to rusalka. to one another.
a cunning thought; the beta descended a stone plinth and wended into the snowy pines, crooning for @Nieve and @Harps.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Harps - February 04, 2020
She barely left her new den, the recent altercation having quite effectively spoiled her excitement over joining Rusalka. Harps didn't want to live in a place where everyone fought all the time. That's exactly what she'd escaped! There was a small opening near the rear of the burrow, leading further underground. She could disappear if she wanted.
But though Harps was inexperienced with pack etiquette, simply vanishing without a word seemed not only discourteous but downright dangerous. What if they tracked her down and punished her for disloyalty? She felt stuck, not sure what to do with herself, dread and resentment growing inside her in equal measure.
Then came a summons. Harps emerged from her den, uncertain of the call's origin. Was that Erzulie? Biting her lower lip, the yearling loped across the plateau, her suspicions confirmed when she found herself crossing paths with the Beta. Harps immediately stopped and lowered herself, heart hammering in her chest, worried that the woman who had welcomed her had somehow gotten wind of her perfidious thoughts.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Nieve - February 04, 2020
Nieve, too, kept her distance from the more volatile members of her family, but for different reasons than Harps. She knew the history of Rusalka was steeped in conflict, but she'd never realized how bad it felt until she was face-to-face with it, first when Ying challenged her and refused to show respect even when she lost, and then again when watching Rosalyn and Erzulie asserting their ranks. Hopeful to maintain a low profile in case the sisters returned, or in case her family disapproved of her inaction that day, Nieve made herself scarce.
But she didn't leave the territory, and so she had no trouble hearing Erzulie's summons. There was nothing in the tone to suggest Nieve was about to be scolded, so she made haste to where her dam was walking in the trees, only to find Harps already there. Her heart went out to the newcomer, especially when Nieve saw her stooped before Erzulie as if she feared she would be next on the list. No doubt this wasn't what the yearling had signed up for when she joined this pack.
Nieve lifted her blues eyes to her mother and nervously bit her lips. Obviously this wasn't about the other day or Harps probably wouldn't be here, but what then, was it about?
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Erzulie - February 04, 2020
harps arrived first. erzulie was both satisfied and dismayed with the deference shown to her. it reflected a new respect for the rank she had flaunted over the sisters; it glinted with her new status as chaotic, unpredictable.
nieve next, not as reticent, but she saw the caution in her daughter as well. this perturbed erzulie; her mismatched eyes lingered upon the girl somewhat longer before she swept them both with an aloof gaze.
"rusalka be needin' scouts," the harlot said. "bot' of you have traveled before. nieve," and here she turned her focus to the daughter borne between herself and rosalyn, "remember de pack in de flatlan'? ira, was her name. a herd departed here four days ago, an' i believe dey intend to drop fawns in de hunting groun's between us and kaistleoki."
her gaze was firm; it included harps now. "leave de en' of de week. scout dem; find where dey have settled for de spring."
nieve next, not as reticent, but she saw the caution in her daughter as well. this perturbed erzulie; her mismatched eyes lingered upon the girl somewhat longer before she swept them both with an aloof gaze.
"rusalka be needin' scouts," the harlot said. "bot' of you have traveled before. nieve," and here she turned her focus to the daughter borne between herself and rosalyn, "remember de pack in de flatlan'? ira, was her name. a herd departed here four days ago, an' i believe dey intend to drop fawns in de hunting groun's between us and kaistleoki."
her gaze was firm; it included harps now. "leave de en' of de week. scout dem; find where dey have settled for de spring."
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Harps - February 05, 2020
Although Erzulie gave no indications of suspicion, the words that left her mouth dismayed Harps even more. She had been so grateful to have a home, to never have to wander again. Now the Beta not only asked but demanded she go out and scout. The yearling felt a little like retching as Erzulie unknowingly and single-handedly destroyed each of her high hopes about what pack life would mean for her. All Harps desired was the peace, quiet and rest she had never known.
She was so naive. Harps was too distraught to come up with a response. She just stood there, a mantra springing up in her head: I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Nieve - February 15, 2020
Ordinarily, the prospect of being sent on a job would have Nieve giddy with the desire to prove herself, but there was a bite to Erzulie's words that she wasn't used to, a hard set to her gaze that wasn't typical. Like Harps, all of this filled Nieve with dread. She assumed, mostly from her mother's newfound aloofness coupled with her own recent anxiety, that this was some kind of punishment for hanging back instead of helping to drive the sisters out the other day. A test of her own loyalty, perhaps?
Yes, maman,she acknowledged in a mumble. Her gaze flickered to Harps, awaiting a response from the other youth before she would take her leave to prepare herself to leave... presumably with the fangs of some unknown failure nipping hard on her heels.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Erzulie - February 16, 2020
neither of the young women seemed particularly elated at the order erzulie had passed down. her eyes roamed first upon the silent harps, then her retiring daughter. had the incident with the sisters affected rusalka in that many ways? it occurred again to the beta that they had been incorrect in their assements, that they had rushed down to carry out a bidding that was not altogether their own.
the harlot swept her eyes between the younger females a moment longer and then settled, tongue tamed of orders for the moment. "you do not want to go?" came the dry honey of her gentle inquiry, shifting upon her haunches to regard the others more closely.
the harlot swept her eyes between the younger females a moment longer and then settled, tongue tamed of orders for the moment. "you do not want to go?" came the dry honey of her gentle inquiry, shifting upon her haunches to regard the others more closely.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Harps - February 17, 2020
Nieve beside her mumbled something that sounded like, "Yes, mama." Harps didn't even glance at her, nor really apprehend the relationship between the two, currently too swept up in her mental overload. I can't do this. Only when Erzulie spoke again, her voice direct but gentle, did the yearling glance upward, feeling a real bolt of fear as her reaction was questioned.
Should she swallow her own desires and just do what Erzulie asked? (Could she even manage that...?) Or should she be honest with the Beta? Harps's face looked decidedly stricken for several beats as she tried to decide. She looked over at Nieve, wishing she would speak up first, but eventually she knew she had to say something for herself.
"I'm sorry, I want to help the pack, I just didn't think I'd have to leave the plateau," Harps confessed in a rush, "I'll do what you ask but..." She hesitated, then decided honesty was the best policy. "No, I don't want to go." The young she-wolf cringed even as the words left her lips and she second-guessed her frankness. She crouched in preparation, conditioned to expect a rebuke no matter what she did or said, thanks to Spur.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Nieve - February 18, 2020
Nieve was glad that Harps spoke up first. Anxiety was beginning to swirl in her chest, tightening around her lungs and squeezing the air out of them. She'd never had reason to doubt her mother before, or fear her decrees, but something changed about Erzulie the moment she donned the mantle of Beta. At least, it seemed that way to Nieve, who never knew her mother's ferocity from before. She was harsher. Colder. Sharper of tongue and teeth both.
Nieve feared most of all that this was a test of her own loyalty and resolve, and that answering the wrong way would incite her mother against her the same way she'd been incited against Ying and her sisters, but for different reasons. She feared her hesitation to jump into the fray the way Reyes did, her preference for peaceful negotiation over the flash of fangs, was a source of disappointment. She feared no matter how loyal she was to the pack, she would be considered lesser if she did not behave as they did, and she was not capable of it.
I'll do it!she hastily cried, lest that was the only right answer to Erzulie's question.
Just...She fidgeted a moment, avoiding her dam's eyes, trying to come up with an excuse other than "please don't kick me out of the pack".
It might be dangerous. What if they're out there looking for revenge?She chewed the inside of her cheek for a second, glancing over at Harps as if hoping to find support there, then added,
I don't think it's smart for the pack to split up after... that.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Erzulie - February 21, 2020
harps answered honestly, and then nieve gave her reply. it was the latter that set the edge of worry brewing hotly in her gut. erzulie was not immune to the way that rusalka had drawn into itself with tension, and how she must finally admit that she had begun it, and she must dispel it.
moreover, she did not enjoy the way the young she-wolves seemed to cower, seemed eager to placate. a grimness settled about her mouth, but her eyes only softened with a brief guilt.
"nieve," erzulie began gently, though her gaze swept to harps as well, "i did not t'ink dat you have never seen me in such a way." the harlot paused, considering her next words carefully. "before you were born, rusalka was a place of chaos. we had leader after leader, one after de ot'er, who saw only a way to advance for dere own means, not our good. we survived only out of loyalty to one ano'ter, and to whoever was leader."
"i do not t'ink de sisters will be back. dat was part of why i acted as i did. it is my belief dat dey were only using rusalka until dey could leave us in de sprin'. and dey are loyal not to us, not to rusalka. only to one anot'er."
a low sigh. "we are not a place of war. we have always been a place where de stronges' of us can make a contribution to our history. but i will not be used. i will not let rusalka be used. if dere is a faction among us who is not loyal to aningan, and to de pack itself, we will not survive. in t'ose times, a message must be sent."
she lifted her chin. "i will not ask you to leave," erzulie declared, her gaze searching the both of them. "trips made widout want are not trips dat will be informative." a musing; what would she do with nieve in the interim?
it did not matter. what she had said was more necessary than sending the young pair off into the wilds.
moreover, she did not enjoy the way the young she-wolves seemed to cower, seemed eager to placate. a grimness settled about her mouth, but her eyes only softened with a brief guilt.
"nieve," erzulie began gently, though her gaze swept to harps as well, "i did not t'ink dat you have never seen me in such a way." the harlot paused, considering her next words carefully. "before you were born, rusalka was a place of chaos. we had leader after leader, one after de ot'er, who saw only a way to advance for dere own means, not our good. we survived only out of loyalty to one ano'ter, and to whoever was leader."
"i do not t'ink de sisters will be back. dat was part of why i acted as i did. it is my belief dat dey were only using rusalka until dey could leave us in de sprin'. and dey are loyal not to us, not to rusalka. only to one anot'er."
a low sigh. "we are not a place of war. we have always been a place where de stronges' of us can make a contribution to our history. but i will not be used. i will not let rusalka be used. if dere is a faction among us who is not loyal to aningan, and to de pack itself, we will not survive. in t'ose times, a message must be sent."
she lifted her chin. "i will not ask you to leave," erzulie declared, her gaze searching the both of them. "trips made widout want are not trips dat will be informative." a musing; what would she do with nieve in the interim?
it did not matter. what she had said was more necessary than sending the young pair off into the wilds.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Harps - February 24, 2020
What must Erzulie think of her? She must seem so uncooperative, perhaps even cowardly. Surely the leader would have a lot to say in the face of what probably came across as stubbornness. But first Nieve spoke, citing the dangers of splitting away from the pack and leaving the plateau. Only after she'd finished did the Beta take a turn to address the yearlings' concerns.
Rather than fly off the handle, as Spur surely would've, Erzulie spoke in firm but gentle tones. She began by referencing Rusalka's turbulent past, then addressed Nieve's specific point about the recently exiled trio. She told them that Rusalka wasn't meant to be a place of such strife and it seemed she refused to splinter it further by insisting upon the task.
Harps was practically frantic to let Erzulie know, "I'm loyal. I want to serve the pack. I would just feel better if I didn't have to leave the safety of the plateau." She cringed a little as she repeated this, though she glanced at Nieve. Their reasoning differed, though the other girl made a solid point. "That's all. Please, give me a task close to home. Give me all the tasks. I'd love to pitch in," Harps finished earnestly.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Nieve - March 02, 2020
Erzulie was likely doing her level best to explain the situation, but the more she spoke, the more questions Nieve had. This was just an issue that would need to be explained from a different perspective for her to be able to see it the way they did. Erzulie spoke of the triplets as if they'd been using Rusalka, but Nieve thought all three were contributors. They'd contributed more to the pack than some of the other wolves who'd called Rusalka home over her year of life... including all of her siblings, considering their youth and various absences.
Was it, then, impossible to allow any wolf into their midst who didn't swear absolute fealty? Even Nieve, who was loyal to a fault to the pack in spite of misgivings past, present and future, knew that sometimes, things changed. Suppose she one day found a path that would eventually lead her away from home. Would she be ousted for using Rusalka in the interim? Many of her thoughts were coloured unfairly by the swirling anxiety in her stomach, and most of those thoughts were unfair to her mothers, but they consumed her.
She could understand wanting to remove the disloyal from the ranks, but where did that leave those who came and went with the winds? Their loyalty was not in question. Why the sisters', then? Unlike Harps, Nieve didn't feel a need to verbally acknowledge that she was loyal—as the only one of all her siblings who had never strayed, she hoped it was self evident, though she was beginning to wonder if that wasn't enough—but she did say,
I'll do whatever you need me to here. I just don't think it's safe to leave right now.She couldn't comment on anything else. She felt like she might vomit if she tried.
Erzulie didn't think the sisters would be back, but based on Ying's behaviour toward her, Nieve thought vengeance was something they wouldn't hesitate to seize if given the opportunity.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Erzulie - March 05, 2020
in truth, erzulie was secretly glad that both harps and nieve had spoken upwards against her edict. it bode well for their communcations in the future. but what of her upcoming season? the beta's eyes were warm; she nodded between the two. ying and her sisters were why she had intended to send her daughter away from the coast, but perhaps it was not necessary to send them all.
"very well. i need a long guard upon de far edge of the territory," she indicated. the plateau was not large; it would take no time to reach the boundaries for a patrol. "i need a cache in dat area." she glanced between them both, deciding it was an acceptable compromise.
"very well. i need a long guard upon de far edge of the territory," she indicated. the plateau was not large; it would take no time to reach the boundaries for a patrol. "i need a cache in dat area." she glanced between them both, deciding it was an acceptable compromise.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Harps - March 06, 2020
When both young women made it clear they wanted work that would keep them close to home, Erzulie accepted their terms and gave them new directives. Harps surged into motion, already eager to do as her leader bid her, though she caught herself and paused to regard Nieve briefly and then turn her attention to Erzulie.
"Yes, ma'am, I'm—we're—on it," the yearling said softly but vehemently. She tossed Nieve another glance, then bowed her head to Erzulie and then moved away, hopefully with her peer in tow, to get to work.
RE: he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who - Nieve - March 11, 2020
Leave it to us,said Nieve, sparing Erzulie only a brief flitting glance before prancing forward to catch up with Harps. Time to work. She wanted to put the tension, uncertainty and anxiety of the last ten-or-so minutes behind her and even tried to crack a weak joke or two as she set off with Harps, eager to start the task that was set forth for them.