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j - out of style - Normandy - March 14, 2015
A light rain had begun to feel sometime in the night, though Normandy had sought shelter within a large log, the insides rotten out of it. The ceiling of it was crumbling in places, chunks of dirt and strands of moss twining in the wild tendrils of his silver and obsidian based coat. It had been a bit of a tight squeeze where his height had proved to be a bit of a challenge but the svelte man had managed to wedge himself into it, drawing comfort from the rich scent of earth, made crisp and pungent by the rain that pattered lazily upon it. It was a rich aroma that he associated with home for his mother had lived in a den whose mouth was inside a hollowed out log. A concubine of the Alpha Male she had never been able to physically stay with him, but every now and then Nevermore would come to them and stay though it was not often, nor a particularly long visit. There was no secret as to whom his father was, but he was a bastard son and though the pack was largely accepting (though they lacked a choice?) of Nevermore's concubines and bastard children Normandy had always felt the sharp sting of stares and spider whispers upon the wind.
He was one in a long line of them, and not fawned over as Nevermore's “legit” children, but Nevermore had favored his mother and this allowed Normandy the singular privilege of bearing the sire name 'DeMonte': Nevermore's own. Normandy hadn't understood the hype, nor the jealousy of the other bastards whom had, after that moment, proceeded to follow him around, unofficially making him the “Bastard Prince”. It wasn't exactly the most affectionate thing the pack could have called him but it had, unfortunately, stuck.
The grieving Bastard Prince could not stay in the Forest, though, and no matter how affectionate the pack had been towards him, Nevermore's favored bastard, they had turned against him at his mother's death. Without the Alpha's favorite concubine to step between, to act as his buffer between them and him, the kittens had morphed into vicious lions and he had found himself thrown in their den, the source of their hunger, so to speak. The earthen aroma, spiced by moss and rotten log reminded him of his mother and eased him into a restless slumber. Restless had been better than none at all and he had been moving, eager to rid himself of those who sought to end him.
It was with naivety that he did not understand why he was such a massive threat to them, but he was unable to come up with any further explanation for their abrupt and malicious behavior towards him at the death of Berlin. Even his half siblings, the fellow bastards had turned against him. It was with some reluctance that Normandy had writhed himself out of his tight squeeze of a shelter when the sun had begun to rise into the horizon, it's muted light cutting through the shadows borne of the dark of night. He had to keep moving. His situation was not so dire as to label him as desperate but he, true to his species, craved companionship in some form or another and he had never realized how alone he was until they all had went turncoat and he suffered through the harsh reality of things: he was utterly alone in the world and it worked a certain sour distaste of melancholy within him; of biting loneliness that he did not know what to do with, only that he needed to remedy it.
It was this that ignited his curiosity as he first entered the Wilds, his travels taking him close to pack territory. The scent markers were pugnent, undeniably strong, giving Normandy the impression that the pack was newer, for there lingered no old, nor stale scents. He had paused to investigate them, mentally counting their numbers from the scents he could discern before they began to blend into one scent, the unique scent that would become the pack's scent. The pack scent he had used to bear had been washed off of him, scrubbed off by the relentless beating of the sea's waves, determined to erase his scent trial to those whom would pursue him. They had aimed to kill, after all. The Bastard Prince was a threat to them, and thus he was a “kill on sight” target, lest he muss up their perfect and per-determined hierarchy.
The scent of the sea was all but gone from his wild, wind and log mussed fur, the warm aroma of earth and moss clinging to him now. He did not know if the Forest wolves would follow him this far, weeks away from their home, but he was not willing to play the dare-devil. Chartreuse gaze took in the beauty of it, this unnamed and claimed place, captivated by it. The spell was broken as a particularly fat rain drop splattered on his leathery, black nose and the cool kiss of it jerked him out of it, a soft shake given to dispel the water from his dampening fur. He drew in a breath, senses ambushed by their scent again, still new and foreign to him before he tipped his head back and let out a howl, alerting them to his presence ...and his interest.
RE: j - out of style - Scarlett - March 14, 2015
Scarlett realized that being an alpha was quite a lot of work, but she did like it. Especially because she could spend all the time she wanted with Kove. Her head was resting on Kove's back after another meal. Naps while having your tummy full with food were one of the best naps. Her nose buried in his fur. The female was in love with the fact that their scents were mixing into a new scent. She scented of Kove and he scented of her. Scarlett wasn't overly dominant but somehow it really satisfied her that her boyfriend scented of her. Her eyes blinked open as a howl echoed through the valley. The boulder path with its steep walls almost functioned as a horn, amplifying the howling sound into their valley. "Someone knocking on our door! How exciting!," Scarlett instantly bubbled and sat up. Before she stood on all fours she had a good yawn and a stretch.
"Let's go together," Scarlett barked softly to her partner. Scarlett howled back in response to let the stranger know they were coming to meet face to face. It wouldn't be polite to let someone waiting. They still had to travel up the boulder path to meet this individual. Scarlett started a trot towards the direction of stranger. It didn't take too long for her to arrive and face the one with the silver and obsidian based coat. "You called? I'm Scarlett." Scarlett let Kove do his own introduction, he was a grown man after all. "We are the alpha pair of Bearclaw Valley," she introduced, feeling surprisingly powerful.
RE: j - out of style - Kove - March 14, 2015
The White King was loving time spent with his lover, and the time in the pack. It was nice, especially when they were so close to one another. For awhile, they had laid together, side-by-side with her head resting on his back, and he sticking as close to her as he could. It was a comfortable situation, but seemed to be ended sooner than he would have liked for it to. A howl broke through the air, loud and new. The voice caused Scarlett to rise up from her spot, and he followed suit soon after. He stretched his body out the best he could in the den and shook out any loose dirt from his pale coat. “It is pretty exciting, huh?” he said, giving her a smile. Kove was still relatively use to those who went to Blackfeather, and so there was no way he would have not gone with her. Even if she hadn't suggested it, he would have followed after to keep her safe. The man gave a nod of his head and trotted beside her, listening as she howled back to their company.
It wasn't long before he was able to catch the scent of the new wolf, and made haste through the boulder path in order to set his gaze on him. Making his way through the path had become much easier than it had originally been, which he was thankful for. Once he was able to see the other male, Kove's demeanor changed from being laid back, as he was with Scarlett, to alert, as he was when he acted on his Warden duties. He waited until the albino had introduced herself before repeating the gesture himself. “And I am Kove,” he informed the other, keeping his copper gaze on the stranger. The pale being needed to protect his lover, after all, as well as the land they had recently claimed.
RE: j - out of style - Normandy - March 14, 2015
As luck would have it Normandy was not kept waiting long. Though he had never ventured out with the intent of joining anywhere before, he knew from his lessons that being punctual upon the borders was a good sign; besides being the polite in general. In a mind set that was strictly personal he would not have joined a pack that kept him waiting, nor would he live under the rule of an Alpha who did not have time to spare for curious loners. It was the female that he saw first, though her equally as pallid companion was not far behind. Her introduction was the first to come, followed by the unnecessary but understood introduction of their ranks. They did not stand with the intent of lording themselves over him, but there was dominance in the set of their respective shoulders and this was something that Normandy easily noticed. Nevermore's wife had lorded herself over him more times than Normandy cared to admit and he had no love for leaders that did nothing but throw their power around and highly abused it. The “Bastard Prince” did not think either of these wolves had any need to do that to him, but he could not help his initial weariness, regardless. He lowered his position slightly, to acknowledge their rank, but he kept himself neutral because he was not (yet?) apart of their pack and therefore should not have expected to roll and expose his belly.
Nothing aside from her initial question breached the silence between them, which was unusual, Normandy thought. Typically, a series of drilling questions followed without any break to allow him to get in a word edgewise. Although, that was how the Wardens of the Forest handled potential joiners: with an interrogation. If the answers did not suit Nevermore's taste then they were chased off. Nevermore was a strict man, and strange to boot, but Normandy supposed his status as bastard son gave him some leeway to claim such things about the male.
“I'm Normandy DeMonte,” He wasn't sure that Nevermore's sire name would even mean anything but he was used to giving it, anyway. Genesys had been the name Nevermore had given him upon his birth, but Berlin had always hated it. She kept it because his word was law, but in tradition of her family she had affectionately called him “Normandy” in stead. Would he have been a legitimate child he might have went by Genesys but he wasn't and thus he did not. “I was simply wondering if, perhaps, you might have space for me in your pack?” It was never that easy and Normandy did not expect to be given something without giving something in return. Surely, they would ask about skills, but as opposed to barreling on into it he decided to let them do their jobs and ask what they desired to know themselves without taking the leap and assuming.
RE: j - out of style - Scarlett - March 14, 2015
She had seen Malachi interview Raphael at the Duskfire boarders. She wondered how those two were doing. She would let Kove ask the more manly questions. Like if he could fight or other things. Scarlett was more interested in the fact why the male had left his previous home. It could tell a great deal of information about someone. "If you don't mind me asking, Why is it that you left your previous home?," Scarlett asked. If the male got exiled, not that one might tell that, it could mean trouble. That made Scarlett wonder if she was trouble. She had been kicked out by her last pack. Then she thought of the fact that Tuwawi basically called her too weak to be in her pack. Well, that could be a bad thing, being too weak, only the female had been wrong Scarlett had not been weak. Look at her now!
RE: j - out of style - Kove - March 14, 2015
Such interactions with a new face were not a new thing for the pale man. At home, his grandfather had worked to teach him well, and then in Blackfeather he'd acted as a Warden. The only difference this time was that he was one of the ones who decided the fate of the wolf before them. He had a say it what would become of him, if he would be permitted to join, of if they would have to turn him away. It was a new thing, but not something he held an intention to take advantage of. So far, the other man came off as being a good guy, which would work to his favor in his mind. He let Scarlett inform the other about whether they had spots left or not, and searched his mind to see if his surname was familiar. When he came up empty handed, he returned his attention to what was happening outside of his mind. By then, the first question had been asked. Inside, he was smiling and beaming at his lover, but on the outside he kept his expression neutral.
Kove was curious about the reasoning for his leaving, too, but also had other questions. He would get to his strengths and such soon, but the first thing that came to mind was loyalty. If one was not loyal, then it didn't matter if they were strong or not. Without loyalty, what was the point of joining a pack? “Are your intentions to stay with us temporarily, or do you plan to actually be loyal to the pack?” the ghost inquired. Once before, he had asked a similar question, and had been met with a wonderful answer. He could only hope that the new face wasn't just some squatter looking for a quick meal and rest. They weren't a hotel, after all—not that any of them even knew what the heck a hotel was.
RE: j - out of style - Normandy - March 15, 2015
Normandy's ears cupped forth when the pallid woman, Scarlett as she had introduced herself as, spoke that they did have a few spots left. Whether they were actively seeking to fill them or not was unknown but the bastard prince did not worry too much in regards to it. It concerned him, to a degree for if they were not seeking to fill the open slots they had available within their pack then he would find himself continuing his journey elsewhere; even so he might be turned away on something else, entirely. Nothing was certain — a life lesson he had had the displeasure of learning the hard way. Chartreuse eyes focused upon Scarlett's paws not sure where else to look, but knowing that regardless he did not wish to come across as challenging when he wasn't. His ears swiveled back, slicking back to rest at half mast atop his skull when she inquired as to why he'd left his last pack. It was a question that he had never understood, personally. Why did a past matter? It wasn't the actions of the past that defined them but the actions that they chose in the present. Though this feeling, Normandy realized, could have likely been borne of the insecurity he felt. As it was, he did have something to hide, as much as he wished he didn't. He did not think Nevermore cared enough to send his lackeys all the way here, so far from the Forest but they had chased him a good distance of the way. Was being far enough away enough? Or would it never end until he ceased to draw breath?
He wanted to be honest, and yet he also did not wish to be. It was a terrible thing this, being caught between a rock and a hard place, dithering with nothing short of uncertain trepidation. Still, Normandy knew that honesty was the best policy, whether it ended up forcing him to search elsewhere for a home. Steeling his shoulders, the svelte DeMonte drew in a deep, nearly regretful breath and let it out in a sigh that brought with it little relief. “My family...history is imperative to the reasons behind it but the short of it is I was perceived as a threat and chased from my home,” Over something as stupid, and in reality as meaningless as whose blood he shared. “I do not know if they would follow me all the way here, it depends I suppose.” He wished desperately he could have given something better. Less dramatic. Anything, even nothing short of boredom or branching out would have been better than the potential looming threat.
Silence made Normandy restless, readily fidgeting until Scarlett's partner, also pallid as the woman before him, spoke, inquiring as to Normandy's loyalty. “I don't know if it helps but I would have stayed in my birth pack for the rest of my life if I had not been turned against.” He would not forfeit his life for no reason at all. As far as Normandy was concerned he had done nothing wrong and absolutely nothing to deserve “punishment”. Existing was out of his control. In theory, if Nevermore could have been faithful to his wife as opposed to hording women to be his concubines then he would have never existed at all. The blame did not lay in the children that came from these “affairs” but in the Alpha Male himself. “If I am comfortable and if I can trust the wolves within, I will have no reason to leave.” He concluded, chartreuse eyes going to Kove as he spoke to him.
RE: j - out of style - Scarlett - March 15, 2015
To her the male sounded trustworthy even though he was kicked out. It sounded a bit familiar to her own story. Her tail wagged in a friendly matter. Also his answer that he would be loyal if he could trust the wolves in his own home, seemed like a very manageable reasoning. No empty promises. The male was honest enough to admit that. Scarlett thought she would spend the rest of her life at DFG, but she didn't it had been quite the shock for her. Now of course, she was far happier than she was before. "It seems to me you've got your heart in the right place. I do need to tell you that if you consider living her. We do have a bear in this valley. He isn't vile or aggressive, but we want to point out you will be needing to live in peace with this bear. Do you have anything against bears?"
RE: j - out of style - Kove - March 16, 2015
Had the interaction with the loner happened before he'd met Scarlett, the Inuit probably would have turned him away the second he mentioned being seen as a threat and chased from his pack. Before, anyone like that weren't good news, and had never been wolves he'd want to associate with. His judgment was changed, however, as the albino had suffered a similar fate. She'd been kicked from the Glacier for simply speaking her mind and, basically, having an opinion of her own. Their intentions were not to be so closed minded and blind, so Kove overlooked that. If the male had wished to stay within his birth pack before they'd chased him away, then, surely, he was no true threat. Just someone forced into a bad situation, for reasons he must not have felt comfortable with sharing. His head bobbed faintly, just enough to show he was considering what the other had said, though his eyes slid over to his companion when her voice sounded. It was a good thing she'd mentioned Arthur, as he had forgotten about doing so. Leaving out such information most likely would have ended rather badly if the bear and the wolf ever crossed paths.
Speaking of other animals, though, brought the foxes to mind. He had said he would not attack them as long as they did not turn into the thieves he believed all foxes to be, but didn't see such information as important enough to pass on. He hadn't even seen the foxes, so whether they truly lived within the valley or not was something unknown to him. Kove wished to disregard the vulpines entirely, but found he was unable to. With an inward sigh, he spoke once again. “There are foxes around somewhere, too,” he said a bit grudgingly, clearly not overly thrilled about the idea of sharing a home with thieves. “It would probably be best to leave them be, unless they are trying to steal something.” The pale wolf's conditions for not eating the foxes had been that, by not doing so, they would need to repay the wolves by not stealing. Any and all acts of such a crime were punishable by becoming one of the wolves' next meals.
With the knowledge of the other animals sharing their home having been given, Kove's mind was brought back to asking questions. Even the smallest thing could effect an outcome, but so far, he found the stranger to be decent. “I'm sure you've been awaiting the more common questions, so I'll get right to them,” he stated, already looking forward to hearing the answers to his currently unasked questions. “What are your strengths, as well as your weaknesses? What would you be able to bring to the pack if you were welcomed in?” More basic than common, but still the same when the big picture was looked upon.
RE: j - out of style - Normandy - March 20, 2015
Normandy's inhibitions to tell them that he was the “Bastard Prince” and had been chased out because he'd been perceived, laughably, as a threat (likely because Nevermore had favored him and his mother) were nothing personal, and in the end the tangible need to be honest with them had won out against his trepidation. He did not wish these wolves to perceive him as a threat, also. He had no intentions of usurping, and no want to claim something that was not his by any measure. His ambitions were much simpler than command and control. Silver ears contentedly rested at half mast atop his skull as Scarlett admitted her surprise that he'd been able to find them for the simple fact of seclusion. He could not, truthfully, tell her how he'd found it simply that he had. It was not a long shot to claim that he had more or less gotten lost, having never been to these lands before. They were foreign and alien to him and when he had caught the scent of this particular pack he knew now, he had followed it like Hansel and Gretel had intended to follow their trail of bread crumbs.
It was nothing short of an impulse. Whether his impulse would allow him to find a home here or not he could not yet know or tell.
“No I have nothing against bears,” Nothing but perhaps a logical want to give them their respective space but he would not be aggressive towards the creature lest he was first met with aggression. Normandy's attention, however, was claimed by Kove as the pallid man spoke, asking the questions that Normandy had been initially expecting. The questions in and of themselves were presented easily, but Normandy found himself struggling with his responses as the potential answers took turns swimming around his mind. “I can hunt but it wasn't something I'd ever considered pursuing as a trade,” He paused to lick his lips once. “I had been given many lessons at the discretion and command of my ex-Alpha and mother. I am well versed in the duties of a Warden though I prefer a diplomatic approach with violence as only a last resort.” In truth, Normandy was not a lover of violence. It was unavoidable, of course, but diplomacy had been taught to be the favored option. Usually, many would be willing to talk it out, or at the least negotiate so that neither party had to become injured or drawn into a blood bath. This was not always so, Nevermore had always warned, and Normandy had taken the inky DeMonte's word.
“My father... was a diplomat first and foremost and I think I could do well at being a Counselor, but perhaps that is not for me to judge,” Meaning if they accepted him and if he could prove his skills in that aspect that, regardless, the ultimatum would be theirs. “As for my weaknesses, my main would be that I can't swim.” Or rather he could swim, but however, held an inherent and deeply rooted fear of deep water. Of course, theoretically, he could drown in any level of water, even the shallow ends but he did not consider that too often (for obvious reasons). “I am sometimes impatient, and if it is something that I cannot pick up right away then I will give up on it.” Admitting that particular flaw in his character was not something he did so readily, and it was spoken in nothing short of a good act of faith. He had many more, of course, but it was the one that held the potential to effect his life within any pack and thus chosen as the one of more importance above the others. After that, the svelte DeMonte fell silent, inquisitive as to if more questions would follow, or if they had heard enough to pass his judgement.
RE: j - out of style - Scarlett - March 21, 2015
Scarlett was not a good interrogator and she probably never would be. The red eyed female would shelter probably most wolves that had a great sob story. She would probably leave the introdutions to Kove since he seemed very good at them. She would never have thought of such questions. Pride swelled in her chest because her boyfriend was so good at these things. Her tail swayed. Scarlett placed her focus on the one that wanted to join their pack. She was pleased to hear that Arthur would have no one to bother him. Scarlett sat down next to kove as the two talked, she observed Normandy. Scarlett was good at observing since her past made her to. Her parents weren't the kindest around nor was her family. To Scarlett's luck she had found the most wonderful boyfriend.
"Well the river is rather shallow and lazy but the pool by the waterfall is deep, make sure to stay clear from that water then. It is all the way in the point of the bearclaw valley as it is easy to avoid." For Scarlett it was pretty final. This male seemed to fit with their pack and they did had some spaces left. Scarlett smiled with kind as she always did. It took a great deal to upset and anger this female. She was pleased with the fact that the male could tell his weaknesses that showed a great deal of strength.
RE: j - out of style - Kove - March 22, 2015
Kove made sure to listen closely as his questions were answered. He didn't want to risk missing out on something that could be more important than the other information, especially if such a thing made the idea of the man's joining to be a bad thing. Luckily, nothing like that seemed to come. The answers were given as he'd expected them to be, and he believed Normandy to be answering correctly. Whether he chose to leave information concerning his family out or not was not a huge deal to the ghost. Had it been would have probably turned him into a hypocrite, as he hadn't even told the one he loved much about his blood ties, if anything at all. A name was simply a name, and while it connected you to many that were there to care for you, their ranks actions shouldn't effect the life of another looking to start anew. He'd done his best to not allow his thoughts to show through as expressions, but at the mention of not being able to swim well (and because he'd come to an answer), the Inuit man couldn't help but let a small smile slip onto his face. Perhaps, someday, he would try to tackle the other man's fear head-on, and teach him to not fear the deep waters. If a wolf who saw flailing about as elegant swimming could be fearless when it came to entering the water, then, surely, the younger male could be as well.
Humorous thoughts and images aside, Kove glanced at his partner and let his gaze linger for a second, then looked back to his soon-to-be pack mate. “Though I hope you will work on sticking to things rather than giving up, I do not believe you would be a bad addition to the pack,” he started, offering him a welcoming smile. “I like your idea of using a peaceful approach, and would enjoy seeing it in action sometime. That being said, if Scarlett agrees with me, than you are welcomed into Bearclaw Valley.” There was no doubt in the ghost's mind as to whether he'd done right or not, because he was certain he had. He saw no major downside to allowing the other male entrance into the valley and pack, and actually looked forward to working along side him as a Warden. It had been rare for diplomacy to be used against trespassers in the pack he grew up in, and completely nonexistent in Blackfeather. It would be a new approach to things, and Kove was curious as to how effective it really was. He awaited to hear Scarlett voice her thoughts, though he believed he knew what her answer would be already.
RE: j - out of style - Normandy - March 28, 2015
To have to openly admit that he literally couldn't swim to save his life, Normandy found that it was nothing short of embarrassing. His fear of water that went deeper than what he would consider shallow was, perhaps, irrational but he could not make him shake the terror that gripped him each time that he tried, regardless. Chartreuse eyes went to Scarlett when she spoke that the river itself was rather shallow and moved at a leisurely pace which would thus give him some small peace of mind, and then was kind enough to tell him which area to avoid. Normandy offered Kove a stiff nod when the Alpha Male explained that he hoped that Normandy would find the patience within him to stick to something if he could not pick it up right away and keep to it. Normandy couldn't ascertain that he would be able to tame his impatience so easily, but in all fairness, he had never tried prior. It was easy to give into the frustration of not picking something up with the natural ease in which he was able to pick up other things and thus, it was easy to give up and move onto something else. Something that, hopefully, he would be able to stick with and have a natural talent for.
“Thank you.” Normandy murmured graciously, though he supposed, it was not a full fledged acceptance until Scarlett chimed in her stay. Nevertheless, he had one point towards a 'welcome' and that was more than he'd had half an hour ago. It was, at least, a step in the right direction he believed.
RE: j - out of style - Scarlett - March 28, 2015
Scarlett studied the male and stood by her boyfriend. Her tail rose a bit when Kove pointed out it was up to her to make the call. There was only one thing they both hadn't asked from the male and that was submission the male could talk about how his fear was water or how he was the bastard prince but that didn't mean anything if he wasn't going to show true submission to the alpha pair. "Once you show utter submission to the both of us you can call yourself a member of Bearclaw Valley," Scarlett spoke. "You will accept us as your leaders."
Scarlett might all fun and games but certain aspected need to be told. Scarlett didn't want a wolf that wouldn't listen and wreck havoc. She should have done that with Shiba to make things very clear. Her and Kove might even start a family soon and she couldn't have any distrustful wolves close to them.
RE: j - out of style - Kove - March 29, 2015
The pale man had expected Scarlett to agree to the other male's welcoming right away, but that was not the case. What she said had caught him off guard, but he understood the reasoning behind it. It was easy for Kove to just assume submission would be given, as in both his birth pack and Blackfeather, there were punishments for disobedience. He'd not bothered with requesting such a thing right off the bat due to such assumptions, but could understand why the albino would want reassurance. From what he'd been told, those of her birth place treated her more like a prisoner than they did an actual pack member, and then the Glacier had kicked her out without so much as a single wolf jumping to her defense. To add on to that, there had been the incident with Shiba, and though it'd been resolved, having it happen again would not be a good thing.
Still, he found the part of utter submission to be a bit extreme, even though he didn't voice such thoughts. If Scarlett deemed it necessary, then he would back her up with it. He'd do anything for her, as it currently stood. So, he stood beside her, but kept his posture neutral. Kove wouldn't ask for total submission right away. He would wait until such a thing grew and developed, just as trust would. Only then would he actually show his acceptance to obedience, since only then would he know that it was truthful and without habit.