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+--- Thread: Stone Circle that's a feeling you'll get over overnight (/showthread.php?tid=44471)
that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - Kincaid - October 23, 2020
No place really felt like home anymore. Kincaid had been on the move for too long, and hadn't given himself much time to set down roots before trotting off into the storm to chase after the supposed portent — and probable huckster. If he were any kind of man, he thought, he would have gone to find Eleuthera before anything else, but even if he hadn't been able to find the mysterious prophet from before, he felt he had to heed her warnings.
Was relieved, almost, to heed them. After all, what had he been thinking? A guy like him, and a girl like Eleuthera? It didn't make any kind of sense, and she deserved better than to waste her time on a dusty old dog like him.
So he came to the borders of Easthollow, a little thinner and a little more ragged than he'd been when he left. Again, he carried a gift in his mouth — a beaver, this time, its open stomach cavity half-filled with trinkets from the beach. Useless things like seashells and smooth rocks, but things he was almost sorry to give up all the same. He hoped that this would mean something to the leader, even if some small part of him was ashamed at this attempt to buy favor and forgiveness. Valette, he thought, deserved far better from him.
The beaver was set down at his paws, and he stepped back from it to relinquish ownership before howling for @Valette. Then, he waited, tail and ears drooping in weariness and deference both.
RE: that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - Merrit - October 23, 2020
The call had lifted quite pointed for Valette, but Merrit reached the firebrand first. Sharp eyes scrutinized the bedraggled man even from a long ways off. He looked alone, not followed by the same deranged fanfare that had accompanied the man who had called for his sister, yet this did little to lower the raven's guard.
Neither did the prize the foreigner bore before him. Merrit gave the beaver a once over -- noticed the glint of light against the precious stones and shells. A seafarer? He'd met one before, a man who spoke of kin who coveted, collected, and carried treasures. Pirates, he had called them, and himself.
"What brings you to Easthollow?" he asked when in a comfortable range. His accent lilted despite his reservations, lightened his words with a friendly, if not curious edge. His eyes still stared like daggers.
RE: that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - Kincaid - October 23, 2020
Of course, even as he berated himself for trying to escape his crimes, Kin couldn't help feeling a little annoyed when it was not Valette to greet him, but a perfect stranger. While the male was still a ways off, he recognized the irony of these feelings, and tried his best to let them go before they could spoil the interaction.
By the time Merritt reached him, he'd lowered himself almost to the ground in a respectful bow, his ginger tail whisking in polite greeting..
I, uh,he picked himself up just enough to hold conversation, and to show Merritt his face even as he refrained from looking the larger wolf in the eye.
I used to live here, in a fashion. Valette accepted me, and then I spent more time outta the territory than in, 'til we come to right now — me bein' gone for months, you not knowin' my name, face, or scent.
This was not funny, but he gave a soft, self-deprecating huff of laughter.
It's Kincaid, by the by. And I jus' come — well. To apologize, I suppose. To Valette.Not to Easthollow as a whole; he didn't feel he'd wronged them particularly, being that he'd hunted his own meals and hadn't broken any hearts. It was just that Valette had given him a chance, and he'd squandered it.
RE: that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - Kallik - October 24, 2020
The borders were not a place he ever found himself visiting. The last time he had ventured too close to the edge of Easthollow, it had turned into a mess. There was a stranger there, uninvited, and burned into the silver boy's memory were feelings of terror, confusion, and disappointment; so, he had steered clear of them since that day.
He wasn't even sure how he had found himself near the border today; he had learned the territory fairly well by now, if only to know where he felt safe and where he didn't—he never wanted to be caught alone in a place he didn't. So to suddenly find himself here, with voices in the distance and the scent of a stranger on the breeze had Kallik freezing in place. His heart slammed against his ribs and he felt like he couldn't breath. He couldn't move for a few long moments until he managed to calm his breathing enough that he could think clearly again. He wasn't alone—a packmate was here too; it was one he didn't know very well, but he was familiar enough.
So Kallik quietly moved forward, taking slow, hesitant steps until he stopped a short distance behind Merrit. From there, he could see and hear what was going on but could also bolt if things got scary. His curious but wary gaze moved between the stranger and his packmate, but the boy said nothing.
RE: that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - RIP Valette - October 26, 2020
Valette had to come from far before she reached the border Kincaid was located. When she arrived she realized she was not the only one. Merrit had been there first. It felt nice to have such vigilant members helping out. Valette approached with a light trot. She was unaware of Kallik as she approached from a different direction. The female dipped her head in greeting to the red male. "Kincaid," she greeted and nodded to Merrit to let him know he was speaking the truth. She did know this male.
She was curious to what his apology would be about. She did always like the drive and honesty of the male. He had left them though, so how reliable did that make him in the future. The thing was, they did need more members. "Good to see you alive and well," she returned, although he was a bit skinnier than last time.
RE: that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - Merrit - October 26, 2020
The man's display of forthright respect subdued the raven, enough, at least, to trust the stranger at his word. And wasn't his a familiar story? Merrit wondered how many other like-minded strangers had phased through Easthollow in the time of his absence. Their pack had always been so focused on family: this was their greatest strength. Yet hearing Kincaid, he heard the voice of one who might've been an asset to them in taking their family further, who might've stayed if he'd had the incentive to live here in more ways than 'just a sense'...
Their greatest strength was their focus on family. Perhaps this was their greatest fault as well.
"Well, lucky for you, my mother is a reasonable woman," Merrit remarked, just as he heard Valette's voice call out behind him. She seemed amiable when she greeted Kincaid, and Merrit met her nod with a blink of understanding. It was then he caught sight of another in the corner of his eye. One of Nanook's brood, whose name he couldn't yet place. Part of him stung with the urge to corral him back to the densite, somewhere safe - but Kincaid wasn't a threat, he reminded himself. And Merrit turned away.
"Indeed," he said, in agreement Valette, "yet if I might be so bold to ask," he didn't wait for permission, "what about the world was so enrapturing, that even when you were part of our family, you spent so much time outside of us?" He wanted more than an apology; he wished for reasons, because if so few strangers stuck around, then that had to mean they were doing something wrong.
"Or did you ever feel a part of us at all?"
RE: that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - Kincaid - October 26, 2020
The arrival of the boy did not go unnoticed by Kincaid, who placed him mainly by his scent rather than by sight. He shuffled back a step, as if to show he wanted nothing to do with any of the packs young, and then Valette was strolling toward them, every bit the woman she had been last time Kin showed his crooked whiskers here.
Ma'am,he said in respectful acknowledgement, obviously chagrined to face her once more. This only worsened when Merrit spoke up, asking just the question Kin had no desire to answer. Not in company, anyhow.
Well, sirhe said with another soft laugh,
I don't know if I gave myself half a chance to belong. I met some folk who were havin' troubles with some fellas called themselves the Saints, except they ain't none, to hear folk tell it. I stuck by them a while, just to see things through. And then...Here, his ears flew back in embarrassed contrition.
There was a fortune teller, see? I know I'm a fool t'believe in that sort of horseshit — pardon, ma'am — but she knew things about me — or it seemed that way — and told me t'meet her at the next full moon t'hear the rest, only she weren't there. So I went lookin'. Got turned around in all that rain. Took the long way 'round once it stopped.
He turned his face away for a moment, just to give himself a moment to fight down the shame.
Anyway. I thank you for takin' a chance on a fool old wanderer. I don’t expect forgiveness, but I hope you'll take this as a token from me, and we can part as squared up as that makes us.
He was speaking mostly to Valette, and wished he could do so without an audience — but he was not too proud to say these things in front of Merrit, or in front of the nameless youth.
RE: that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - RIP Valette - October 29, 2020
Valette dipped her head when Kincaid called her M'am. Valette listened to his excuse, because it sounded like one. She listened quietly to the man, letting him finish talking. He apologized, had the dignity to do so. She had worse wolves come back without a reason and expect to come back. He even brought a gift. She eyed at Merrit to see his reaction.
"I appreciate that you returned and gave me a honest answer," she returned to Kincaid. He had always been honest to her, also about the reason why he joined. She took his gift and dipped her head in thanks. "Do you want to come back to live in Easthollow?," she asked. "I think you have a lot of dignity coming back here,' she added.
RE: that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - Kallik - October 30, 2020
His entire demeanor changed as Valette arrived. His tail wagged softly in the grass, and he watched her with apparent interest. He was too unsure to join her at first, instead staying back where he was as the adults continued to talk. He could hear what they were saying, but he didn't really process any of it. No one seemed upset or overly tense, and so he figured there must not be a reason to be quite so scared.
As Valette spoke again, her voice gave him the courage to stand up and trot slowly over to her. He was almost too big to hide under her now, but that didn't stop him from trying. As he settled down below where she stood his head rested just under her chest, his ear pushed down as he squeezed into the familiar spot. His bright green gaze watched the stranger with hesitant interest as he waited for the three of them to continue their conversation as if it was totally normal for him to be there.
RE: that's a feeling you'll get over overnight - Merrit - November 01, 2020
Oh my word Kallik is so cute!!
Merrit listened, and he processed. The Saints, these were new to him. First Ursus, and now them? He hoped Hydra had done a better job at driving the scourge from her neck of the woods. He decided he would have to pay her a visit again, once Greyback returned from his own journey west.
In everything, Kincaid simply seemed like a simple man. In his vernacular, in his trust, in his understanding of decisions and consequence. But, he thought, as his pensive gaze watched the ruddy man and turned to the beaver he had laid before Valette, he seemed an honest man, and upright in his zeal, and these days Merrit found those were both things that were lacking in so many wolves.
Merrit felt Valette's eyes search him with a side-long glance; he flicked his ear in acknowledgement and continued to appraise Kincaid, not at all surprised by his mother's invitation to the man. She was forgiving, and in this instance, he was willing to extend the offer too. When mother had finished, he spoke in simple agreement, "Aye, and I think so too," now to see if his dignity was humble enough to accept their second chance.