Blackfeather Woods duma key

aw but maybe @Nemesis? <3

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so it had come to pass that vuk had left larksong behind, and come to blackfeather woods with her mate and her son. their joining had been tumultous, but the woman found within her that she had strength, and the feeling of new hope. shy as she was, vuk did not immediately seek out her new packmates, but set about familiarizing herself with the milieu in which she intended to live. she wended her way between the dark trees and discovered a cache, but took nothing from it.
the memory of the dark woman's eyes boring into her figure had remained with vuk, and she knew not why it shook her so. 
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The nights had been cold and lonely without his brother there to keep him company. Yet Cicero knew this time would come to pass, like it had before. Their relations were tumultous, like a hurricane. While Damien's secrets vexed Cicero, he did not obsess over them for he did not think he could ever claim Damien to himself. He did not think that he would want that the other way round, either, for Cicero was not sure if love could be confined within one wolf (even if Damien, so far, was the only one he had held so dear a love for so far).

The fragile patchwork flower that had recently joined their pack — Seff's mother — intrigued him too. He wondered what would drive a wolf to choose so passionately for her child's happiness, even if the place did not seem to fit her much. Cicero found her near a cache that day, and thought it luck that he should run into her just as he thought of her. He approached through the dark woods, his mismatched eyes and the whites of his fur starkly standing out from their surroundings. He chuffed to announce his presence, his expression and demeanour neutral, his appearance a ghostly one considering his thin frame with bones poking out and sunken eyes.

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had vuk known she drew the interest of the two powerful wolves who had granted herself and her family entry in the past days, she would have quailed beneath the enormity of it. as it was, the patchwork woman knew nothing of this, and busied herself with considering what and how she would hunt in the gloomy wood. this was a dark place, she had come to know, and not only in the physical sense. there was an eeriness among some of the wolves that both frightened and drew vuk -- she wished to know more about it. in time, she supposed.
the tyro's breath drew in quickly at the sound of a wolf nearby -- her ears laid back against her skull as her hackles danced with fear along her shoulders. cicero. he was one such creature she did not understand, and vuk thought wildly for a moment that she had summoned him. the little wolfess crept close in deference. "c-cicero," vuk stammered, unsure of what else she might say.[/tr][/td][/table]

Despite the fact that he did not request her to, her body language spoke volumes to the respect that she offered. It intrigued him to see her so similar to him in appearance, yet so different in demeanour. It would take some things for her to become happy here, Cicero guessed, but perhaps it was simply a period of getting used to her new home.

"Vuk," he returned, a playful note to his voice that he had not shown her before. "How are the Woods treating Vuk, so far?" He turned more serious then, again, for it was a serious question. He hoped that their conversation might end on a more philosophical and casual note, but her body language betrayed that moment was not yet now.

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vuk hoped that the submission writ into her features would tell the man she wanted to belong here in the woods, though she was an ignorant and helpless babe among their darker milieu. when cicero spoke again, his voice was lighter, though he addressed her in an odd manner. vuk did not dwell on this -- she straightened and gave a tentative wave of her plume behind her slim hips.

"i am w-well," she murmured softly. "i ... h-have b-been l-looking f-for w-ways t-to earn m-my k-keep," the patterned girl revealed, casting her leader a questioning look and wondering if he had any roles for her to play.[/tr][/td][/table]

He grimaced when she revealed that she had been looking to earn her keep. Considering Nemesis had been there to greet them, Cicero guessed that the meek female intended her words and considered what might happen to her should she not prove her worth. She then looked at him as though he would give her a task, but that was not the way that Cicero worked. He did not respond visibly, no more than a smile tugging at the frays of his lips.

"What sort of things does Vuk enjoy to do?" he queried while he thoughtfully licked the inside of his teeth. "For fun?" It probably worked best to work from one's hobbies when it came to one's fortes within a pack. Cicero would help, but he would not put forward a direct command. He was only a leader because Damien wished it so and needed him; not because he wanted to be.

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she was becoming accustomed to cicero, more quickly than she had thought — of course vuk knew nothing of the demon that lurked beneath the odd man's hide — and gave a quick little smile as she attempted to think of what it was she did for diversion. of course, the woman was both disappointed and unsurprised to find that she did little for fun, and shook her scarred muzzle ruefully. "q-quiet w-walks. i l-like to l-listen to w-wolves t-talking a-among t-themselves; i k-keep to m-myself. b-because i am n-not n-noticeable, i c-can l-listen whenever i w-want." it was a poor answer, but an answer all the same. vuk wanted to ask cicero what he found interesting, but decided the question would be too invasive, and was not sure she wished to hear the answer.[/tr][/td][/table]

Cicero listened as she opened up, somewhat. He thought that the things one did for fun could often be useful when determining one's worth. He instantly picked up some positive notes that he thought could help further the pack, were she to use them in the right ways.

"Genuinely listening to others is a quality many lack," Cicero shared; he knew this from experience. Most wolves were only listening to find a way to spew their own experiences and stories, not to help the other. "And listening unnoticed, or appearing weak, it can be useful when information needs to be extracted. Others will be more trusting, or may not think Vuk would do anything wrong with the information they share when she is present."

Yes, when properly applicated Cicero actually thought Vuk had some good qualities. He did not intend to insult her when he called her weak; he knew all about appearing weak, even though his weakness was of the physical type rather than the... well, all the types. He did not think Vuk weak at all, as a matter of fact.

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she gave a wry smile at his words, and nodded. it was not a choice of hers to remain so silent — her impediment made it nigh unto impossible to speak more than a handful of words at one time, but the malady had made vuk rather introspective and particularly observant. she noted that whle cicero mentioned weakness, he did not speak of it in an ill manner, but rather as an adorning feature.
vuk frowned as she pondered this, before letting her features smooth. "i am w-weak b-but s-strong?" the woman whispered softly. it was a concept she had not heard before, and she found she was thankful to cicero for it.[/tr][/td][/table]

It seemed to bring the woman some degree of pleasure to know that she was not just weak, but that her weakness could be pertained as a strength in the right company. He nodded and said: "In a way." Yet he feared that not all saw it his way. He did not think that Nemesis or Damien would think Vuk strong. As for his brother, he knew it to be almost true, but Nemesis... She was so much like his brother in so many ways at times he forgot that she was her own person and so in this matter he was want to assume her thoughts were the same. That she would see Vuk as a tool were she to discover the power she held, but like a useless waste of space until then, likely.

He shared; "Damien and Nemesis may not feel in the same way until they see result. Most wolves here that hold respect are strong in.. different ways." It had always been that way, since Cicero could remember, at least... Ever since Meldresi had passed away. Burke, though not as much a beast as those who ruled now, had been strong too and had believed in the law of the strongest.

Yet at times, a flower needed some water to grow and to blossom, and it did not hold the strength to prove itself before because it did not yet know that it would bloom so beautifully without the aide of the water. Cicero saw Vuk as such a flower, but perhaps it was because he himself was not blessed with great strength that made him see her way and her use most of all.

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vuk nodded with a wry grin. "i h-have noticed." she was not like the other wolves of blackfeather, not even cicero, despite his difference even from nemesis. the tyro was a pale bastion of weakness in her own mind when it came to comparing herself to her packmates, but it was comforting to know that cicero did not think the same of her. his inner assessment would have caused a blush to color her cheek, but as it was, vuk was blissfully unaware of such.
"h-have y-you l-lived h-here your w-whole l-life?" vuk inquired in her halting speech. she was quite interested in her companion now, his manner of speaking, the wisdom he had imparted to her — maybe cicero would tell her more of himself.[/tr][/td][/table]

He was not adverse to telling more of himself, enjoying interaction and banter both. Not every conversation needed to be a deep philosophical one. He guessed there might yet be opportunity for such in the future with Vuk.

As for her question, he nodded. "Yes. Cicero was born here, brought into this world by Meldresi..." He looked at Vuk to see if the name struck any sort of chord, if she knew his mother at all, then added with a wry grin; "And kept here these years by Damien." For it was his brother that created the anchor for Cicero here at Blackfeather Woods and in this world as a whole. His words sounded perhaps more negative than intended; Cicero was grateful for Damien, even if he was unsure his love would ever be answered.

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the names cicero spoke did not strike a chord in vuk, save for damien, who she knew had been the leader of the woods. she cupped her ears forward, for it seemed the odd male had more to say. if he would speak, vuk would gladly listen. "w-will you t-tell m-me about t-them? i w-would l-like to l-learn, c-cicero," the tyro murmured respectfully, fixing her eyes on some approved point near the man's chin, as not to challenge him. 
however, some part of vuk believed that he would not take it as such, though she did not wish to test this suspicion.[/tr][/td][/table]

Vuk seemed interested in his stories, though Cicero could not help but wonder if she was genuinely so or if she was already putting what he had told her to good use, deciphering some of his character so that perhaps some day he could use it against her. It was a good thing that Cicero did not care for such frivolities, he did not care if anyone would hold anything he had done against him or think anything of him. He was not ashamed of who he was; there was little that could shame him, and to this date the only thing that did shame him was the beast that lurked beneath the surface and what the white wolf, Alexander, it so turned out, had done to him that day.

So after a short, thoughtful pause, Cicero said, "Meldresi is Cicero's mother. She came here to create a pack and raised her children alone. She was balanced, in a way, showing her ambition and judgement, yet also knowing what reaction a situation required. Yet she was old and passed away." It was the way of life, and he felt nothing as he spoke the words. He loved his mother dearly, but her death had changed nothing about his love for her. To Cicero, she was as much part of this forest and his world as she had been alive. He did not long to speak with her in the same way his siblings did; perhaps because he felt as though he could speak to her any time he wished to, but did not hold such longings. It was strange to speak of Meldresi, for he rarely if ever breached this subject with Potema and Damien.

"Damien is..." He paused, thoughtful, a grimace on his face that betrayed the complexity of his relations with his brother. "Damien is arrogant, vain and rash. He thinks he makes all the right decisions yet, much like Nemesis, he is blind-sided to his faults. The only difference between the two is that Damien would listen to his advisors and close ones." Cicero had always thought Nemesis a liability. He rued the day that Damien and Nemesis would face off against one another, for things would get heated then. But Damien had his siblings, and what side would Kove choose then? Cicero did not really know. He grinned as he realised what he had said, adding, "Well, maybe not the only difference." Cicero licked his lips and he was not sure what drove him to share the next bit of information. Perhaps it was when he spoke to the quiet wolf and he had thought that telling everybody about himself and Damien might make his brother less ashamed. Potema already knew. And what would Vuk do? He realised even as he spoke that this was exactly her strength — what would Vuk do? — because nobody would expect her to do anything, which gave her the opportunity to do everything and gather important information.

But he did not value his own information so much, and perhaps a part of him also longed for a certain closeness to another being that could only be ascertained by sharing your own secrets. "Damien is what has kept Cicero in these woods for many times. It is a love stronger than just brothers." He did not think that she had known they were brothers, for they looked nothing alike, but it mattered not, as she would have found out sooner or later. Why else would the mighty Damien keep such a weakened wreckage such as himself within his highest of ranks, as one of his advisors? Their bond was complicated, perhaps, but there was enough love to go around and it felt right to share it with Vuk, for as far as Cicero was concerned, it may as well be known by everyone — he felt none of the shame and confusion his brother held.

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in truth, vuk would never use what cicero had taught her against him; she had not even had time to ponder it. it was with true interest that she settled herself to listen to his words, her expression open and attentive. the names spilled before her and, without faces to put to them, vuk created colors, tones, and forms for them. fair meldresi, mother of cicero. it was clear that the man spoke of the woman who had passed with more than a son's fondness; he had respected her as his ruler as well.
and then there was damien. vuk had never known the man before nemesis had taken his throne. but she felt as if she knew him in part, through cicero's description. the woman gleaned that nemesis, damien, and the odd man were siblings, though her interest was piqued to know that the brothers shared a deeper bond.
it occurred to vuk to ask the nature of this, but the she-wolf decided she did not wish to know. "if d-damien l-leaves, w-will y-you f-follow?"[/tr][/td][/table]

It was a heavy question that she put upon his shoulders, and it took Cicero a moment to answer it. Perhaps because he did not know the answer himself, or perhaps because he knew it only too well. Damien was Cicero's anchor and where would he be without his brother? But there was also the Beast, and Cicero was not sure if following Damien would lead to anywhere. If he were to leave out of free will, perhaps, but he did not think if Damien disappeared it would be useful to go and look for him, if he could be anywhere. Yet... He could not deny he likely would.

"Ah, perhaps. If Cicero could, he would follow Damien to the ends of the earth. It would depend upon the situation and where Cicero is needed. Our sister Potema is expecting, and someone must keep Nemesis in check." He smiled, though there was a sadness to his smile. It was part out of duty to his sister that Cicero felt he must stay here, or rather, to her unborn children. He did not trust Nemesis, truly, never really had, and felt that with him gone, Potema and her children might not be able to continue living here safely, if not for perhaps Kove. He licked his lips as he stared thoughtfully ahead, wondering about many things.

fading this <3

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she noticed how he paused, and her ears folded back to think she had caused such. but the man spoke again, and she realized he had been pondering his answer with a certain sort of meticulous care. vuk decided she liked cicero then, no matter how odd another might find him. 
so it came to pass that the woods were ruled by the siblings, and the tyro gave a nod to this. it was their way — it seemed to bring them to thrive, and for that she could find no issue with it. "y-you have a h-hard r-role," she murmured quietly, smiling wanly at the man.
a glance to the sky told vuk that she must return now to her son and to terich. unfurling herself, vuk dipped her head to cicero "i h-have t-to g-go, b-but i w-will s-see you ag-gain." with that, vuk turned to move toward her den, not knowing how intrinsic cicero would be to her life in the days to come.[/tr][/td][/table]