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+--- Thread: Boartusk Heights fear cuts deeper than swords (/showthread.php?tid=45470)
fear cuts deeper than swords - Jupiter - December 03, 2020
The cold had fallen upon the Teekon wilds already, washing the lands in a blanket of frigid air that hardened the earth and left frost to touch everything by morning. The journey from the south had taken the wolf many days, but she had emerged on the edges of the wilds with a determined expression. Her coat was thick, already preparing for snowfall. Jupiter could not help but to feel surprised that snow had not already found its way to the wilds’ territories and the packs that rested within.
Stepping along the jagged stone with less care and precision than she should have been using, it was a small miracle that the large fighter did not lose her footing and tumble down a few dozen feet. The path that cut along the heights was narrow, but Jupiter had watched the boars risk it and only a few had fallen to break their legs and subsequently be eaten by her. If anything, that area was king on her rumbling stomach. Her many days of journeying had left her with a strong desire to eat more.
Taking a precarious leap from one edge of the rock to another, Jupiter felt her hind paw slip from the stone and she lurched forward to save herself from losing balance. This was enough to save her and she turned her head back to look at the gap she had cleared with pride.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - RIP Fury - December 04, 2020
The Saints of the Dying Light appearing to be nuisances as per usual XP, hello! :>
As per the norm, Nyra was patrolling the bowl that made the valley below, and the mountains that defined the edges of the places her pack called home.
And now, she was up here.
Watching, quietly, soundlessly. A ghost, save for the inferno that made her eyes.
As the lone she-wolf hopped and trapsed along the rocks, Nyra shadowed from a distance at first, though ominously getting closer, like those old jump-scare youtube videos from back in the day.
When Jupiter --who Nyra did not know her name, yet-- looked back to see the near-death experience she just dodged, upon turning to face forward again, Nyra would be right there.
Extremely too close for comfort, dry-ice burning eyes blazing.
"Greetings, stranger." The Harbinger said smoothly, swaying her raised tail a couple times, "I hate to interrupt your journey," No, she didn't. In her mind it was justified, "But you happen to be on the edge of my pack's territory."
At first and till now, her demeanor was poised and all too ready to yeet Jupiter down the mountain to her death, but...something internal seemed to make the mammoth woman lighten up a bit.
Perhaps Nyra remembered when she too was a loner, a long time ago by now, even though it hadn't been a year yet, or even two.
"You look hungry. Perhaps two wolves can make better chances for a meal than just one, no?" Nyra canted her head slightly to the side with a warmer smile, "Maybe afterwards you can join us, if you're up to it." She added, more or less inquiring the loner about joining the ranks of the Saints.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - Jupiter - December 04, 2020
The warrior had ventured high enough that she had not anticipated being halted by another wolf. Jupiter drew her crown upward and regarded the stranger with a crooked smile and a pleasant but curious glow in the silver light of her eyes. Her ears cupped so that she could listen to the individual speak about how the young fighter had ventured a bit too close to the claimed territory of another pack. To this, the burly she-wolf laughed jovially, throwing her head back to the heavens and letting the sound of her chuckle ring out into the crisp air around them. Yes, she had ventured close to the claim… but she had not crossed close to where the freshest of their markings were. Jupiter had one path in mind: moving over the heights and to the east.
“I would not say no to sharing a meal with a fellow mountain climber,” she said with a small nod.
As for joining the ranks of the pack that this beast so carefully guarded, Jupiter wasn’t certain that pledging herself that early on was wise. She wondered for only a moment if the offer had been cast to her because the numbers were needed in their hold. Canting her head ever so slightly to the left, the fighter took a cautious step toward the other. “What are the beliefs of your pack?”
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - RIP Fury - December 04, 2020
As the fellow she-wolf took a careful step closer, Nyra made no movements to attack or otherwise be aggressive, instead shuffling over a bit to try and make room for them both while she answered; "Beliefs? If you mean spiritual beliefs, there are none specific to the Saints. Though, we do welcome those with religious views. As for other beliefs, we believe every wolf has skill, and whether that skill is combat, spying, healing, or otherwise, those skills will be put to use." Unsure if the fellow gladiator woman was worried about religion or anything else, this was the answer the snowy behemoth gave.
"My name is Nyra, by the way. I am the Harbinger of my pack. Second in command to my Grandmaster and Overseer. We are, I suppose it would be safe to say...military based?"
Keeping an ear cupped to Jupiter, Nyra began to scan the rocky slopes for a choice boar they could take down.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - Jupiter - December 05, 2020
Religion hadn’t entirely been what the warrior had meant when she’d asked about the beliefs of Nyra’s pack, but it was good to know that there wasn’t some greater spiritual guide that ushered them through life. Though she was still young, Jupiter had found that those types of strong-faith individuals could lead to conflict. As the other wolf went on to say that her pack was more military in its style and structure, Jupiter canted her head a bit. She was interested to know more about the pack and its foundation. She figured that it was a good sign to find this wolf guarding her home with such resolve. It suggested that she was willing to do anything to keep it safe.
“I’d like to know more about your pack if you’d share that information with me while we search for food?”
Jupiter thought that it was a good place to start. She could get to know this Nyra a little better and determine if the pale woman’s pack was something worth taking stock in. After she’d issued this offer, the silver-eyed fighter realized that she hadn’t returned any sort of name to the white wolf’s introduction. She had no interest in being rude to her company. “I’m Jupiter, by the way. It’s nice to meet you, Nyra.” A smile swept across her features and brought life to her face.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - RIP Fury - December 05, 2020
At Jupiter's request, as Nyra now knew her name, she offered a willing nod as they scouted for a meal. It was nice to meet someone new, especially who at least seemed glad for the company, though by now the Harbinger knew a bit better than to underestimate others.
"The Saints of the Dying Light are, as I mentioned, a military-based pack. But despite the training and the discipline...there's a strong barbaric streak. We have few allies, many enemies, and though we are loyal to the allies we have, having more enemies than allies isn't always a good thing." She paused in her words, a distant sadness of sorts to her gaze, "My Grandmaster is named Kynareth Deagon. He is...the more bloodthirsty out of the two that make up our leadership tier. Derg is the Overseer, a direct equal in command to the Grandmaster. And...Derg, admittedly seems to be more...level headed I suppose is the right word? Willing to talk before fight." Not that Kynareth wasn't also level headed and the works, but...
"Kynareth is similar to Derg in that way despite his bloodthirst."
Nyra was genuinely telling the truth as she knew it to be, but directing her gaze to Jupiter, if Jupiter could read the emotions in another's gaze, she might be able to see that what Nyra hadn't said is that the Saints are willing to kill and cause chaos wherever and either whoever they see fit, to prove a point. After all...they did kill Aya.
"You deserve to know exactly what you'd be getting into." The Harbinger sighed, "We have kild others before. Not always in self defense. I've only been part of this pack since late summer, but since we relocated to the Strath, I have helped kill an innocent once."
There was some conflicting shame in her gaze as she admitted these things. Shame in herself.
"All this said, I will tell you more, as little as it might be, if you want me to. Other than that, if the Saints sound like a good fit for you, then once we've finished hunting I will escort you to our claim. If not, no hard feelings. There are other packs around that might suit you better if mine is a no go."
Regardless of Jupiter's answers or reactions, as long as she didn't try to kill Nyra, the behemoth would still lend her aid to a hunt unless her fellow warrior expressed the desire to continue alone.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - Jupiter - December 15, 2020
The burly woman listened as Nyra offered information on her pack and their purpose in those lands. It sounded as though they were a rather rough crowd who had made a few enemies out of the locals. Even though she wasn’t likely to admit it to the woman beside her, Jupiter knew that she would probably not throw her name into their ranks. As much as she enjoyed a good fight, she wasn’t eager to cause problems where there weren’t any to begin with. The young girl was something of a solver; she’d throw her weight around to fix something, but she wouldn’t use her strength to start wars.
“Sounds like your pack has made a name for itself, eh?” she offered conversationally, flagging her tail behind her with a small smile toward the pale woman. Knowing that there was a large difference between what a pack was and what their end goals were, the large she-wolf eyed her companion from the edge of her silver gaze and tilted her head curiously toward the other.
“What are your goals then? For the future of your members?”
This would speak leagues more for Nyra’s pack than anything she’d offered up to that point. Knowing that their leader was a man who preferred the barbaric tendencies, Jupiter wondered if he was the type of figure who took what he wanted and dealt with the repercussions of his actions at another time. She’d found that men were surprisingly confident in that regard and was curious to know if this Deagon was cut from the same cloth.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - RIP Fury - December 15, 2020
Nyra nodded at Jupiter's first words, pausing hesitantly, uncertainty laced across her saddening features as she spoke again "I...don't know." She sighed in defeat, looking toward the Strath down below across the valley "There is a pack far to the East that I'm pretty sure we will be fighting against sometime within the next year. Theirs is about the size of the Saints last I knew, but...I personally think it'd be best for us to lie low much longer than I think Kynareth will tolerate."
Nyra was obviously conflicted somehow.
"The future of the Saints is uncertain. Especially given the packs who don't like us. But..." She looked back to the Strath again, "I want better for them. Most of our numbers haven't done as many bad things as our Grandmaster. If I had the confidence in myself...I would challenge him. Or even try to form my own pack..." She exhaled sharply.
Nyra knew her answer wasn't exactly direct or even blunt, but as she looked to Jupiter again, deep within her dry-ice burning gaze she wanted her fellow warrior to find a better home.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - Jupiter - December 16, 2020
The reaction from the pale woman was genuine enough; Jupiter watched as her questions sparked some thoughts that troubled the other figure. This hadn’t been her initial intention, but it seemed as though the warrior Nyra was concerned with the future of her members, as well as the violent tendencies of their leader. The news that they anticipated conflict with another group settled strangely in the burly girl’s stomach. There was a thirst to prove herself, of course, but she still understood the difference between fighting for a cause that mattered to her and one that she was obligated to fight.
“Why don’t you? Create your own pack, that is…”
Jupiter asked of her companion, glancing toward the snowy cloak of the other woman. She didn’t think it was wise to encourage her to challenge the current leader, knowing that this would likely strike conflict in the hearts of the members. It made sense that the white wanderer should want to create a home for herself that she found pride in. For Jupiter, it was important to know one’s purpose and drive. She did not think herself so arrogant as to presume that she knew Nyra’s, but she had a feeling that the white warrior had greater aspirations for herself and her clan.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - RIP Fury - December 16, 2020
"Because if I were to take charge and make a home for others as well as myself, I would want it to succeed, and...at this current point in time, I believe I have much to learn before I can effectively lead my own pack." Nyra looked at Jupiter again, briefly locking eyes with her to show a long-buried genuineness, as well as a well-masked sadness.
"The war with this other group, Ursus, is mostly my fault...I feel. I rubbed the leaders' fur the wrong way when we met as allies, then some time later, I went to go see if I could do anything after they had some issues with a neighboring clan. The Bear Alpha's son, I tried to apologize to for disrespecting his mom, and he tried to attack me. The kid was...maybe four months old. Disrespectful little thing, perhaps. But not necessarily worthy of me throwing him as far as I could. I don't know if he lived, but I do know regardless of if he's alive, Ursus wants my head. I also know Kynareth promptly told them to get fucked when they demanded my life in exchange for their allyship when that exact alliance hadn't blossomed enough for them to earn my Grandmaster's respect, or so he says. If nothing else, I feel like I owe him for protecting me..."
Nyra slanted her ears back, looking back down into the valley with solemn thought
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - Jupiter - December 16, 2020
Ah, so it was a bit more complicated than had initially been conveyed. There were some obligations to the barbaric leader. It seemed that he had spared her life or had saved her from a fate that she did not deserve. As the burly young she-wolf listened to Nyra retell her portion of the tale, she wondered what would have inspired an adult to throw a child. Jupiter couldn’t really think of anything that a pup could do to her that would warrant such a reaction, but she also assumed that there were certain culture pieces that she was not familiar with. After all, Nyra had explained that her pack was a rather rough group of individuals. It should not have surprised her that their actions would fall along the barbaric lines.
“Well, I mean he might have spared you a fight but that doesn’t mean the rest of your life belongs to him, you know? You have every right to make a home for yourself that you can be proud of!” Jupiter remarked to the snowy beast, hoping that this would spark some inspiration in the other. She was not interested in uprooting the lives of strangers, but she wanted to know that her fellow fighters were pledging their fangs to a worthy cause.
“I do think that we learn only as much as we want to,” the burly she-wolf added with a thoughtful nod. “That we can choose to make any experience one that can teach us something new, you know? You just have to change your mindset.” Jupiter was willing to get knocked down a thousand times, so long as she could stand up having learned something new. If Nyra wished to make a home she could take pride in, she would learn what she needed along the way to that goal.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - RIP Fury - December 16, 2020
As they walked, Nyra listened to Jupiter's response, ears flicking in thought occasionally as the greyfur spoke.
"I admit, it is definitely something to consider further. I suppose I am also afraid my efforts would fail." The palefur admitted, reverting her golden gaze again to look for a boar along the razored slopes "I want to be able to keep the promise to my members that I make. But...I suppose I won't know unless I try." Nyra smiled at Jupiter, a gesture of gratitude.
"Supposing I do form my own clan in these Wilds, do you know of anyone who might be interested, if and when that time comes?" She twinged inwardly a bit, a silent self-smack for a bold question such as that
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - Jupiter - December 22, 2020
Yes, there was a lot of uncertainty in the prospect of branching out and trying to make something entirely new. The dappled fighter was certain that she would have been able to understand the hesitation that Nyra felt if she had been asked to take on the same role. As far as she could tell, it seemed that the pale beast wanted nothing more than to uphold her honor and to fight for what she believed was right. If this was what directed her path, there was nothing to fear.
“I’m sure you could find interest! You seem like you have a good idea of what you want already. That’s a great place to start, don’t you think?” Jupiter encouraged easily, hoping that she could help make some kind of difference to Nyra. She did not want to pressure her to build her own pack, but Jupiter felt like it was important for the white wolf to know that she had options out there. There would be others who would be interested in joining and pledging themselves to her cause, no doubt.
“I’d even help you, if you would teach me some of what you know about battle and fighting,” Jupiter then went on to say.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - RIP Fury - December 24, 2020
Listening to Jupiter, Nyra nodded to her fellow warrior's words at first, then perked her ears as the greyfur offered to help, in exchange for combat experience.
"I will teach you what I know, if you want to stick around these parts or return later, if exploration is currently more your style. As for aid, that would be greatly appreciated, especially once I do feel ready to lead others." The Harbinger responded with a grateful smile.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - Jupiter - January 07, 2021
“It sounds like we have a deal, Nyra,” Jupiter remarked to the pale woman with a wide and crooked smile. She did not need to conceal her eagerness to learn; she had traveled from her home and was ready to shape herself into the best warrior in the world. She was not afraid to learn from anyone and she did not fear her own lack of knowledge. It would drive her forward, or so she reminded herself every time she felt the creeping sensation of being overwhelmed.
With a glance toward her fellow fighter, Jupiter offered a curious tilt of her head and asked, “would you tell me more about what you’d like for your home? The types of wolves you’d want in your ranks and the customs you would share?” She felt like it was a good place to start. This would give her grounds for anyone else she might meet out in the wilds who was seeking a place to start fresh.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - RIP Fury - January 09, 2021
"Agreed" Nyra concluded with a smile
As they walked add Jupiter inquired more, the Harbinger paused to think.
"I would want loyal wolves, ones willing to defend and protect our home, possibly even die fighting." She answered with seriousness.
"As for customs, none I carry. I was born in a cult with two other sisters and I'd prefer to leave all that behind as much as I can."
It pained her to talk about, but she was honest in her words.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - Jupiter - January 14, 2021
It was rather unfortunate that Nyra would bring up her history regarding the cult and then proceed to say that she wished not to dwell on it. Jupiter was immediately intrigued by the premise of what her past might have looked like and what she had experienced, but she knew it would have been rude to ask following the pale warrior’s comment. The positive in her message was that she did not carry any real difficult standards with her. She wanted only those who would devote themselves to the pack and give themselves to protect it. Many others sought the same thing in their members, so Jupiter couldn’t see how Nyra would struggle when that time came.
“Well, that’s alright. I don’t think you’ll have a hard time finding loyal wolves as long as you give them something worth being loyal to, you know? It’s fair to ask someone to lay down their life, provided you give them a good reason to be risking it in the first place,” Jupiter let slip with a sly smile. She was certain that the pale warrior knew well enough, most wolves would not fight for nothing. Some were capable of weaving words that convinced their followers or inspired their members. Some demonstrated great strength and sought to strengthen those beneath them.
Jupiter glanced toward the pale she-wolf and wondered how she might lead those beneath her.
RE: fear cuts deeper than swords - RIP Fury - January 15, 2021
If she was truthful with herself and stopped to think about it, Nyra still had much to learn before she could lead a pack. Especially without a steadfast cause to stand for.
"I would do my best to lead with a fiery inspiration. A firmness not held with cruelty, but with the desire to make the best wolves out of my followers. Only to be hard when necessary, and not needlessly." The Harbinger responded, assuming Jupiter was wondering though not knowing she was right.
She thought of Kynareth as she spoke.
He had been a decent leader to her so far, and truthfully he was her only reference to go off of. There was no other pack had she spent nearly as much time with.