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+--- Thread: Dawnlark Plains You'll never be what is in your heart (/showthread.php?tid=66247)
You'll never be what is in your heart - Speckletooth - August 29, 2025
Though the stranger at the rise had provided Speckletooth with directions, he was no good at following them. He had never been blessed with the inherent sense of direction most seemed to have, try as he might. Had the conversation gone better, maybe he would have gone back to ask for further help.
Safe to say, he was on his own. Speckletooth had landed himself in the plains with not even one muddy spot in sight; in fact this was no place for a swamp. The ground was hard like what he knew way up north, grass grew well enough to support ungulates, but it didn't matter to a wolf who couldn't catch them. The thought of such a hunt hurt his head, though it did sound nice to be able to sink his teeth into an elk once more.
Pushing out a breath through his aimless trot, Speckletooth thought back. He had been out on the big hunt back home once. He came home with a tooth chipped, a guaranteed concussion, and an empty stomach. Chasing the elk had been fun until he found out he had to bite, which would have been quite alright had it not resulted in his first good trample. The rest of the party took down the elk, but they hadn't let Speckletooth touch even a morsel of that carcass.
He had promised himself that he would do better the next time, but pa' never took him to hunt the elk again. It was too bad, but Speckletooth wasn't one to let his feelings stay hurt.
Laying, he chased off the nerves by rolling in the dew soaked grass. No sense on reflecting now, it was a waste!
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Veteran - September 03, 2025
If Veteran tried very hard, he could almost catch the scent of winter on the wind. Or it could have just been wishful thinking.
It seemed there was another soul out this morning, basking in the almost-autumn weather. Veteran approached the rolling stranger at brisk trot.
He stopped short when he realized who it was. Ah, spirits take him-- not Speckletooth again?! Veteran silently assessed whether he was prepared to face Speckletooth's particular brand of insanity. Unfortunately, he was already too close to silently slink away and hope to disappear without notice.
Steeling himself with a good-natured smile, he cleared his throat to gain the other male's attention.
"Morning, Speckletooth," he drawled out casually. "I've been meaning to ask you more about ah, the swamp, if you have the time." He knew he would probably kick himself for opening this can of worms, but oh well. In for a penny, in for a pound...
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Speckletooth - September 03, 2025
A familiar voice called out, prompting Speckletooth to scramble back up to his feet. Veteran!
Well, ain't this a ser-prise!He called, paws trotting forward for a proper sniff-fueled greeting. Speckletooth had thought Veteran his friend, and this was enough to confirm it for him - but when he was asked about the swamp, well his eyes just about lit up.
You really wan' to hear me talk about the swamps?He asked, tail wagga-wagging behind him. Not even his own family wanted to listen to him talk about it - and it was incredibly hard to make that clear to Speckletooth. Though, despite his supposed reservations he didn't wait for a response.
The swamps are where wolves live. Shouldn' yew know that?Though it took a tik of a clock before he spoke once more.
Maybe not. The wolves here are real strange, I can't find a single one livin' the right way.
Speckletooth didn't quite understand why they would live anywhere else, but it wasn't the fault of the Teekon wolves if they weren't raised right.
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Veteran - September 03, 2025
Tail wagging, Veteran submitted to the ritual sniffing and took a few sniffs himself. Smelled like Speckletooth had also been hanging around the Taiga the last few days.
You really wan' to hear me talk about the swamps?
"Sure do," Veteran assured him. And he even kind of meant it. Something about Speckletooth's genuine enthusiasm was endearing him to Veteran. Slowly but surely.
The swamps are where wolves live. Shouldn' yew know that?
"I.. suppose I should," Veteran allowed, indulging his conversation partner.
Speckletooth went on to confide in Veteran how strange he found the wolves of Teekon, and Veteran nodded sagely, holding inside his amusement at the sheer absurdity of Speckletooth insisting it was everyone else who was strange.
After a short, contemplative moment, Veteran took a long breath in and spoke.
"You sound like you're searching for like-minded wolves, Speckletooth. Somewhere to.. to well, belong." Perhaps Veteran was projecting a little bit, but he just had a feeling that Speckletooth was like him- that he wanted something more than the loner life.
"..Can I ask you something personal? Did you belong, when you were in the swamp? Like.. did you fit in?" Veteran was dying to know if Speckletooth's oddness was because he was a swamp wolf, or if it was in addition to being a swamp wolf.
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Speckletooth - September 03, 2025
Once his rambling passed and Veteran asked his questions, it took only a moment for Speckletooth's metaphorical light to be grabbed, shook until it was dim, and then tossed into a deep dark hole of hungry rats. For all his hard-headed moments, he knew that he wasn't everyone's piece of the intestine.. he just liked to believe that if he kept up the good attitude, they would change their mind. He wasn't weird, just different; that was what mama said.
Well.. yer not wrong. I ain't so good on my own, never been on my own.He admitted. The wolves back home always stayed close together, even to Speckletooth. You didn't let your young die in the bog, you waited until they were mature enough to kick out - and Speckletooth had always been accident prone.
I've been trying to find a swamp, so I can live back with my own cul-chore y'know? But I ain't so good with directions.
He wasn't sure how to respond to Veteran's question, his momentary silence made that clear.
I think I fit in. We all did the same cer-o-monies, ate the same food.. and I had my family.Wasn't that enough to belong?
My Pa' told me to leave, but when I get real good and I can contribute real good he'll let me come back.Pa' had never said that, but Speckletooth was long convinced of it. He missed the bog. His Ma' was probably still there waiting for him, and for all the nips and chases through the forest he missed his brothers and how they teased him.
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Veteran - September 11, 2025
Veteran was definitely starting to understand Speckletooth a little better. He wasn't really that different from so many other lone wolves out there, desperate to revive the way of life they were taught in their childhood. Veteran's own stepfather had been the same sort of wolf, introducing an unfamiliar religion, rituals, and a strange tongue that he and his mother had tried their best to adopt.
Perhaps Veteran had misstepped in asking Speckletooth a question that required so much introspection. He could sense he had made the other wolf uncomfortable. When Speckletooth finished off with his pitiable statement, Veteran nodded.
"My dad led a pack too, when I was little. We lived right up there." He nodded northward, toward the shimmering glacier in the distance. The packlands were deserted now. He had checked. "I know what that's like. Needing to impress a father."
He continued, his gaze fixed on the glacier. "What if, when you go back home, everyone is gone?" He swallowed thickly and turned to Speckletooth. "After years and years of wandering around, getting better and better.. you get back to the swamp, and everyone has left. What if you look really hard, but you can't find another swamp, or another pack with your culture? What will you do?"
Really, the question was.. what should Veteran do?
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Speckletooth - September 11, 2025
Speckletooth listened with a surprising amount of intent as Veteran spoke, looking out to the glacier. He had never seen such a thing before, he had never seen much of anything outside the swamp until recent weeks.
He never considered that if he were to return home, it might be empty. Speckletooth couldn't imagine that his family would go anywhere else, but he knew from elders stories of old wars that packs came and went all the time.
Well..He clicked his tongue. What would he do.
I guess I would find somewhere else to go, somewhere I'd be treated real nice, with friends I could get along with real good. A family I could make myself.That sounded real nice to him.
I'm not all cut out to be a leader - but you can probably tell, not all that many look like me!He snickered, some of that light trickling back in.
But, I'm a real loyal dog. That's what my pack always told me.
He liked to follow, that was the easiest way - that was how he made sure nobody could ever keep him down.
What about you, Veteran? Where do you think you'll go?
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Veteran - September 26, 2025
Veteran listened as Speckletooth described his ideal home, and he had to agree.. it didn't sound half-bad. The trick was finding a place with people like that, of course. From what he had seen so far, Teekon was far more empty of wolves than it had been when he was a child.
Speckletooth went on to talk about leadership, and Veteran's ears perked up. The swamp wolf's self-depreciating humor elicited a knowing half-smile from Veteran. Speckletooth was sharper than he let on, and definitely more introspective than Veteran would have thought.
"Leadership isn't about being a pretty face," he assured the other man. His thoughts turned briefly to his own facial scar. "It's about having a vision. And I think you have that. You seem to know exactly what you want." Veteran wished he had that kind of clarity himself.
Speckletooth asked the exact question that was on Veteran's own mind-- what was next for him?
"The glacier.. it's deserted, but otherwise exactly how I left it. And yet, I'm not sure if it's home any more." Duskfire Glacier hadn't changed, but Veteran had. "I suppose now, I'll follow your advice and work on finding some wolves who are-" How had Speckletooth put it exactly? "-living the right way. I'm not a loner at heart either."
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Speckletooth - September 28, 2025
Speckletooth furrowed a brow, the expression over-the-top as he could manage.
What? You don't think my face is purrty?Just teasing, of course. Whether Veteran he was as ugly as a burst ballsack or a fine old mare wasn't much of a worry to Speckletooth, though he wasn't so sure why the black wolf seemed to think he was ugly in any sense of the word.
I think you'd make a real good leader, Veteran.His tail waved behind him, offering it up with his usual grin.
Yer a real good listener, ain't that what a leader should do?Nobody had sat and talked to him like this before, at least not with any of Veteran's intelligent conversation topics.
Well, it seemed like both of them were set then. Veteran would go looking for his people, and Speckletooth would do the same. He supposed that meant they would be parting ways.
Thank for being a good friend, Veteran.
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Veteran - October 04, 2025
Veteran's grin broadened as Speckletooth feigned offense at his words. He didn't say anything more on that subject, reluctant to dig that hole any deeper even though Speckletooth certainly seemed to be a good sport about it all.
Speckletooth went onto compliment Veteran, and he wagged his tail in appreciation. Leadership was something he had yearned for as a child, particularly among brothers and sisters who all seemed eager to become their father's heir. It was not something he had considered in a long while though. Could he really put together a pack from scratch? He wouldn't even know how to start.
"Sure. It's definitely a quality I would appreciate in a leader." Veteran wondered if Speckletooth's Pa had been a good listener.
Speckletooth's gratitude was unexpected. Were they really friends? Veteran supposed they were. He found himself surprisingly pleased with the development. "I'm glad to be your friend." He meant it.
"Out of respect to our friendship, will you do me a favor? When you do find your home base, send me a howl. I'd like to know that you're doing well." There was no guarantee that they would be within howling distance of each other when they both managed to settle down, but on the off-chance they were, Veteran would take comfort in knowing Speckletooth was happy.
RE: You'll never be what is in your heart - Speckletooth - October 04, 2025
He smiled further at Veteran's request.
You have my word.He promised.
With a final goodbye, Speckletooth turned southwards and went on his way. There was new lands to see, more wolves to meet. Yet, he felt confident that he would see Veteran again sooner or later.