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+--- Thread: Sun Mote Copse twilight (/showthread.php?tid=40677)
twilight - Eljay - April 07, 2020
tags are for reference so y'all know what's going on with Eljay :)
Eljay hadn't gone to see @Niamh or her children since she had given birth. He had found out about it through the grapevine. It was the proverbial last straw.
He knew that they usually did not want him there when they gave birth. He knew it because his mother was the only one that he had ever been present at birth for. All the others -- Raven, Towhee, Niamh, even Wiffle, even though that was mostly an accident -- they hadn't even asked for him after their birth. Maybe it was that fact that made this the catalyst. Maybe it was because it reminded him of his mother, of his sweet mommy, of how gentle and nice she had always been to him in stark contrast to how tough and badass she had been towards the rest of the world. He was reminded of it because she would have wanted him to help. Maybe not even for herself or her health, he realised only that day -- a thing that didn't help his mental state any -- but for him. Because he needed it.
Was he ever really any help?
Many times Eljay had come near Niamh and @Phox and the pups but every time he turned around.
He wasn't needed. Had he ever been needed?
He knew that @Wraen would tell him that he was, but wasn't that just because she was nice? Wraen had been his friend for a year and she had always been nice. Sometimes harsh, but only when it was needed; but otherwise always nice and helpful. He was so grateful that she'd picked up the helm of Wiffle's pack when she had, that she had believed in his words that they should stay in the Copse when the others wanted to leave.
After that, he only visited @Towhee and Meerkat when she asked for him. His attentiveness became colder and more methodical and calculated, with less to none of his usualy emotion. He was no longer overbearing and fussy like he had been at first after Finley and Elwood's deaths. If anything, one could say he was quite the opposite, as the many daggers that twisted in his heart made him feel number and number and number and --
He would answer any questions and he would check up on Meerkat. He would even watch Meerkat if Towhee asked him to, and in those moments he was probably most himself; talking to Meerkat and making funny faces and sometimes even laughing or smiling when she did something funny or she enjoyed a funny face he did.
But then he returned home to the rendezvous site and was starkly reminded of how his son had left because he had failed and of @Weejay's absence and he cried and cried and cried until he felt that he had nothing left inside of him. Hollow like the spaces his parents had left behind in the hearts of the many wolves of the Firebirds.
Where he had been the overbearing big brother to @Penn and @Avery, making sure they were fed and talking to them and sharing memories of mommy and daddy with them, from the day that Niamh's pups were born he seemed to be suddenly gone from their lives, too. It was as if he was a pile of rocks that had simply crumpled under its own weight. As if he had thought for a brief moment that he could do this thing and simply put up a brave face and continue but then he found out that he was Eljay and that the only thing he could do was be a bother.
Any trips @Maia might've had planned he cancelled his own contribution to -- to look after the pups, he said, was needed as a midwife, but he ended up not looking after very many pups and not being very needed as a midwife. Most days he spent just laying and staring into nothingness once his tears ran out, unaware of the day or the time or anything.
And that was where he was today.
RE: twilight - RIP Bronco - April 07, 2020
After some consideration...Bronco decided that his best chances of getting the right information might come from an unlikely source. Meek, unassuming and quiet, Eljay didn't strike Bronco as being the sort to know exactly how to woo ladies, but he was the only adult male in the pack that Bronco knew relatively well...And this wasn't something he was ready to ask his new step-father about. That left Pippin, someone Bronco didn't really know, and Eljay. As his eldest cousin, he was the top choice. Plus, he felt that he could talk to Eljay, and not worry about him tattling to his younger siblings...God forbid if Penn found out that Bronco was asking Eljay for advice.
So he sought the male out, calling out to him when he caught sight of him in the distance. He looked like he was just relaxing- which encouraged Bronco, who was glad he didn't seem to be interrupting anything. He wasn't the best at picking up on visual cues, and didn't notice the sullen look in Eljay's eyes, and approached him with a mock charge, as though he intended to bowl Eljay over- before he pulled up short, and chuckled, flopping down onto the ground next to Eljay casually and bumping his cousin's grey shoulder with his nose.
Of couse, Bronco knew that Eljay's recent losses would make him a bit sensitive, and he'd noticed that in the days following Elwood and Finley's death that Eljay had fretted over everyone for a bit- and that now, he had backed off. But all he wanted to do was bring a bit of positive energy with him, and look to him for advice that might take his mind off things.
"Heyo Eljay, I got...I got some questions. An' I figure you're prolly the best wolf to ask them to. You got a minute?" Though it was implied that Bronco was still likely going to ask, given the fact he'd made himself at home next to his cousin.
RE: twilight - Eljay - April 10, 2020
The voice broke through the solitude like a hammer smashing icicles off the side of the roof. They would crash to the ground and then they were broken forever, nothing as it was before. The time that had once been stopped slowly started to tick again as Eljay's ears lifted and he heard Bronco's voice. He knew Bronco, of course, had seen the boy grow up and as puppysitter he'd taught him some things -- though not as many as the children in years before he had his own plus the grief of losing his mate to worry about -- but to see him drop by came as a surprise to the caretaker nonetheless.
Sure,Eljay said as he turned towards Bronco, though he remained laying on the floor. Dulled emerald eyes sought out Bronco's face as he waited for what the boy would ask of him, while he wondered what anyone could possibly need him for.
RE: twilight - RIP Bronco - April 10, 2020
The sullen look in Eljay's eyes was noticed, but Bronco was set on in the very least, causing a distraction. He was premitted to stay, and to ask his questions, so he sprawled out on the ground, propping his chest and head up, but allowing his hind legs to stretch out to one side. "Cool, thanks." He said. He thought for a moment, before he ended up just shrugging.
"So, a couple of things," He warned Eljay, just so he knew that Bronco, like his mother, liked to talk a fair amount and had a habit of getting a bit long-winded. But as long as he gave a warning, that made it alright, right? "I guess the first thing I wanna know, is sort of like...I dunno. How long does it take for pups to grow up?" He asked. "Like...What happens when they're like...A month old? Or a couple months old, or whatever?" He asked, continuing to clarify what he was actually looking for. "I just sorta wanna know what to expect as they grow." He said. He didn't want to bother his mother while she was busy with the kids, and Towhee as well was super invested in all the young ones, so he felt Eljay was probably the next best wolf to ask.
RE: twilight - Eljay - May 01, 2020
Honestly, Eljay didn't feel at all like helping Bronco out, and he also doubted he actually could help Bronco out. But he knew he couldn't let down the youth, and so he turned his attention to him. He wanted to ask a couple of things which seemed like a lot already, but Eljay's ears turned forward and he listened, even though his eyes indicated that he wasn't all there.
How long does it take for pups to grow up was a pretty complex question and Eljay sighed under his breath as he tried to figure out where even to start. Bronco elaborated meanwhile with some more details.
Right. Uhm. The first month they are really tiny and stay in the den. When they're a month they will get outside of the den more and you could play with them a bit. I guess they start talking when they're...It was kinda hard to remember really, because time was so weird and fluid when you were a parent. Eljay paused a moment as he thought.
I think two months. That's also kinda when they're moved to the rendezvous site so the whole pack can help raise them.Eljay looked at Bronco to see if his words hit home and then to see if he had any other questions.
RE: twilight - RIP Bronco - May 09, 2020
For someone who was a master of their trade, Bronco'd expected him to show a bit more engagement with the topic when he was asked to share his knowledge. It made Bronco sad and disappointed to see how little Eljay wanted to participate in the conversation- and made him realize that he probably wasn't doing a very good job of distracting Eljay from his loss. Still, he thought he could try a bit more- and keep Eljay talking for just a bit longer, if he could, so then at least he could say that he'd tried. And he was learning a bit, even though getting answers was trying to pry water from a stone.
"Two months...So like...When can they hunt, and stuff?" He asked. "An' like...Girls like guys who can take care of kids, right?" He asked, forming a segue into his next topic.
RE: twilight - Eljay - May 13, 2020
Eljay felt a little overwhelmed with having to explain things, feeling a bit put on the spot and forced into a position his subconscious definitely didn't want to be. He wanted to just lay here and forget he existed, crawl away and hide from the world untill everything stopped hurting. He didn't want to be asked things and explain things. He didn't want to be reminded of how poorly a job he was doing being the pack's anything, let alone the one who knew all about puppy stuff.
It didn't deter Bronco from asking him more things though, which at least gave him a tiny bit of confidence that he wasn't doing a totally shit job at answering the questions.
Learning to hunt takes really long and it's a gradual process. When they start going outside you can help them by playing with them, and helping them hunt small stuff like insects or sticks or a small wounded animal at first.
At Bronco's next question, Eljay blinked, clearly caught off-guard.
I..He thought about himself, and thought No. Not really, no. But maybe they would like guys who were both cool and could take care of kids? Wait, how did he get here? Was Bronco really asking him for.. relationship advice?
Is there someone you like?asked Eljay, his words careful because he didn't want to step on any toes here by figuring out what this question was really about.
I think it differs a lot per girl, so uhm, that's why I wondered if it was any specific girl you were talking about.
RE: twilight - RIP Bronco - May 21, 2020
Bronco's expression brightened when Eljay mentioned bringing something half-alive back to the kids. An old memory came back to him in a flash- seeing his father coming back to the densite with a wounded but still living rabbit in his mouth for him and Nellie. It was a memory that hadn't occurred to him before, and he was warmed by the fact that his brain could even pull forth those once-forgotten times, and remind him of what his father looked and acted like. He smiled. He could do the same for the kids- he was, after all, training to be a hunter himself- so he felt positive he could contribute to their training as well.
"I think Ma said she used to try an' catch magpies an' pull their feathers out to keep 'em from being able to fly away," He said, referring to a story he'd been told when he'd been younger. "I don't remember her letting us play with them, though." He said. After all- it had been an experiment that Niamh'd coined in order to keep food for Quixote and Raven's kids- and that certainly wasn't yesterday.
He was secretly pleased when Eljay showed a bit of an interest in the topic of girls. He'd have thought that Eljay might actually be more interested in talking about puppysitting, but it seemed like he was wrong...But that he had, at least, stumbled upon something that did perk him up a bit. Bronco smiled and winked. "well, you could say that," He said. "I been catchin' a couple eyes, I think, an' I wanna know what I can do to like...Keep 'em lookin' my way," He said. He definitely wanted to be able to show off a pretty girlfriend as soon as he was able to do so. "So like...What're some fail-proof ways to charm someone?" He asked.
RE: twilight - Eljay - June 05, 2020
I.. What?Eljay said, blinking, a little confused that Niamh would really hurt birds like that.
Why did she do it..? I.. I mostly meant they should learn from finding animals that are already wounded. I think it's wrong to wound and hurt animals ourselves just so our children can learn.Eljay didn't often express his opinion like this, but this was where he clearly had an opinion. He didn't sound angry at Niamh; mostly just taken aback, as if it didn't fit the image he had of her at all.
Then, as Bronco went on to say that he had caught a couple of eyes, Eljay wondered still who it might be. Someone in the pack..? Or.. outside?
Oh?he asked curiously. Bronco still asked for something general, which Eljay felt didn't exist.
Well, you can't just charm anyone with like.. a one thing. There's no thing that works for everyone. I think it's about making a personal connection. Can I -- Is it anyone in the pack..?he wondered, clearly curious.
I mean -- it differs per erm, girl, what they like. What is the girl like that you're interested in?He decided to make his question broader; it was weird imagining it was anyone in the pack, really, because Eljay knew most of those for a long time and he couldn't think of anyone Bronco's age and whatnot. So maybe it was someone else that Eljay likely didn't know.
RE: twilight - RIP Bronco - June 09, 2020
Bronco merely shrugged when questioned about the magpies. He vaguely remembered being presented with the injured birds so that he could hunt them down, but not much more than that. And it wasn't the only thing Niamh had brought home for him to hunt down that she'd caught and maimed, for the purpose of giving him a bit of a leg-up on the prey. He thought it was actually an efficient way to introduce kids to hunting, as most prey animals were too fast and agile for a puppy to catch. The caretaker seemed abjectly opposed to Niamh's methods, but Bronco couldn't really blame him. He had a good conscience, after all, and while he differentiated between harming wolves vs killing and eating prey, he would agree that torture was nevertheless torture, and being injured and then chased down and slowly killed by clumsy, inexperienced hunters was not a painless or fair way to die.
He chose, then, to withhold the tidbit that he'd been told about Elwood helping Niamh de-feather and collect birds for the Quixote-Raven kids to catch. He sensed that that wasn't something Eljay would want to hear, so he kept that part to himself.
Fortunately, girls were easier to talk about- and Eljay actually seemed interested in the topic. He fished openly for information about them, without being pushy or nosey...But he was definitely curious. He grinned and shrugged his shoulders, almost innocently. "I prolly shouldn't say," He teased. "But say like...Say they take an interest in like...Scouting, or hunting, or like...Plants and stuff. What would you do to like...charm each of them?" He asked.
RE: twilight - Eljay - June 10, 2020
The subject of the tortured birds was quickly put to rest and they continued on a different branch, on the girl subject. Eljay felt very out of his depth, because he had only had one mate in his life and it had both been short-lived and very sudden. He'd never woo'd anyone and he'd never had girls interested in him (that he knew of), so it was hard to get into where Bronco was coming from.
Eljay could get behind Bronco not wanting to share, because obviously it was a sensitive subject. Even he, with little to no experience with girls, could tell that.
Scouting, hunting, and plants -- that seemed like a lot of things, honestly, but that was when Eljay still thought it was one girl. He blinked when Bronco mentioned 'charm each of them', and it was evident from the look on his face he was taken aback by this.
Oh.. Oh, so... There's more girls? Well, uhm, I guess you should figure out which of them you like, first. Get to know them better, and realise which one you might actually really like, romantically? And then you could, uhm, charm, that one.Eljay smiled, hoping that his advice got through to Bronco a bit. He just felt it was fairest to only 'charm' the girl that he actually wanted, not keeping all of them on the hook.
RE: twilight - RIP Bronco - June 16, 2020
Bronco grinned, pleased to see that Eljay was surprised by the fact that he had a few options. He was proud of it- he'd managed to in the very least befriend a few very pretty wolves, which therefore meant that the door was open for more, right? Friendship was just the beginning, or so he thought. The concept of a 'friendzone' was something that Bronco still had no idea existed.
But Eljay seemed to think it would be best to woo just one of them, and Bronco felt a bit discouraged. "Well...Why can't I sort of give it a shot with all of them?" He asked. "I mean- I don't wanna like...I wouldn't end up hurting their feelings, if we're just like...Getting to know each other better," He said. "I can just be a better friend, an' then pick one, right?" He asked, oblivious to the fact that he couldn't necessarily control how invested his chosen potential girlfriends might get.
RE: twilight - Eljay - June 26, 2020
Bronco seemed to think that he should get to know all of them, which, the way he said it now, sounded a lot better than what he had said before. Eljay didn't think it was fair to try and woo different girls at once, but he did think that it was good to get to know girls. Making friends was always good, even if not all of them might end up prospect lovers.
After mulling this over in his mind for a moment, Eljay said,
Yeah, I -- I guess that's right. It's a good idea to make friends, too.Eljay smiled, deciding that it was alright to help Bronco with this. A moment later he realised he was probably the worst wolf in the pack to advise young Bronco, considering he had only had a mate once and he hadn't really courted her as such, he'd just fallen in love with her and she was the one to take initiative after.
I think it helps to do things together. So if she likes hunting, you could suggest going hunting together, and if she likes plants, uh.. You could ask her to teach you something about plants, or suggest looking for plants together. You know, uhm, show an interest in who she is as a person and show you have things in common. I mean -- if that's -- if you do like those things, of course. If they don't interest you then you should probably try to find something that does interest you both.
RE: twilight - RIP Bronco - July 01, 2020
Bronco sat quiet and thoughtful as Eljay offered his advice. And while he wasn't particularly interested in some trades, he figured at least he'd be interested in learning about it from someone who caught his fancy. There was something marvellous about how someone could light up when talking about one of their passions; and even if he wasn't interested in the information he was being given, he could still appreciate the joy he was bringing the other wolf.
"Hmm. Cool." He said, a bit abrupt, but genuine nonetheless. He stood then, and shook his pelt out. "Well, I think I'm gonna hike the borders a bit. Thanks for the talk, Eljay," He said, offering his cousin a soft smile, and a gentle wave of his tail.