Swiftcurrent Creek gratitude's got a short half-life, clarice

okay for plot and timeline's sake i'm gonna set this before the lecter/clarice thread, and also before the lecter/jinx thread <3 steph to post first plz

“”

Though they had traveled far, they were not weary. The pale pair had sustained themselves upon the dark energy of their God, and thrummed with it as they passed through valley and across mountain. The shaman was torn, tattered, a study in misery and agonies, but he felt not a touch of either as he faced into the lashing winds.

They were at a precipice, and he sought to guard her from the scents upon the nearby foliage, though at length he relented; he could keep the gossamer madwoman from nothing. And it was a familiar fragrance; he coupled it with the remembrance of brine, and knew.

“ Lethe,” the shaman murmured, torn ears cupped forward for the sounds of savage wolves. He had known her, yes, but she had not known him, and the humour of their clashes curved his lips momentarily.

But she was of Shearwater, and he had not scented Jinx, or any of of the scattered Bon Dye. If he was to be truthful, however, Lecter had not searched for them, for failing in such a quest would have shattered his heart; searching but never finding the Kesuk. And so, setting himself, Lecter tipped back his crown and let a dirge flow into the cold air, summoning Lethe.

Clarice was content in following the madman for now. And so when he deigned that they would join another pack again, she was accepting of it. Clarice would not remember the woman whose name he had muttered, but the femininity of the name delighted her. Clarice did not think it in her to follow any man other than Sos Himself; her father was her companion, but not her superior.
xxxxxxShe lingered beside him, and as he called, she lifted her head to voice that she was a presence here as well; he was not alone in his desire to join. But her call ended swiftly as she listened: yes. Hmn.

Sos and Atka had distanced themselves from her since the moment they had encouraged her steps upon the land she now claimed as her own. It was unnerving, and while the early morning dawn had swept light upon her honeyed form as she hunched over a pool of water that had tricked to stillness from the branches of the creek, she had seen nothing within its depths. Hours she would stare, her aqua eyes unmoving as she emptied her mind, words slipping past her lips of her devotion and the need for answers; why was she here now?

Pulling back, the Alpha cursed the winter as her eyes roved the terrain about her -- the herbs she so desired to collect slept beneath the blanket of snow, and given her travels, she had left her old findings behind.

She could not dwell on this matter for long, and with a sneer of her tainted black lips, the woman was only pulled from her frustrated thoughts by the summoning of two voices -- one so achingly familiar that she had heard it even many times in her sleep. Lecter.

She lifted herself then -- shaking her pelt from her disappointment, and without hesitance she loped to the borders she now called her own. It would take her the better of an hour, and as she came upon the two, her gaze was met with ivory tinged with crimson -- lethal and vibrant. She held herself proudly as she prowled closer to the pair, her eyes flashing with somethi9ng privy to amusement and weariness. "What brings the Shaman to my doorstep?" Her tone was lilting in turn, her eyes flickering to study the she-wolf that rested beside him -- the same silken pelt, bathed in blood of numerous creatures. She had lost track of Lecter and what his life had contained, but the similarities between the two were undeniable: he had sired at least one child

“”

At length, she glided into view, as much a honey-cloaked succubus now as she had been before. He did not deny her beauty, which had only intensified since last they spoke, and dipped his head in brief respect of her new position. “ Lethe,” Lecter grunted. “ I see Atka has blessed you.”

He knew not how the Mother had worked in Lethe's existence, nor did he care about the workings of Atka. But he was admiring of the land that the White Bear had seen fit to grant Lethe.

There was little of their former animosity in this conversation; he did not sense it from her. “ My daughter, Clarice,” he muttered, though he did not attempt to veil the pride he had vested in the silken little witch. “ We have traveled far; we seek succor in a place of familiarity.”

But she was of Shearwater, and he had not scented Jinx, or any of of the scattered Bon Dye. If he was to be truthful, however, Lecter had not searched for them, for failing in such a quest would have shattered his heart; searching but never finding the Kesuk. And so, setting himself, Lecter tipped back his crown and let a dirge flow into the cold air, summoning Lethe.

Y'guys can skip me for the next couple of rounds, Ill be in class :3

She was silent as he introduced her, reunited. Clarice seemed not-at-all there, but her attentions were wholly dedicated to Lethe. W a t c h. The mention of Atka caused her inattention to change, her head turned and she heeded Lethe wholly, her eyes rolling over the pretty figure of the woman. She averted her gaze once more, distracted by whisperings, mutterings...

His voice washed over her -- her name slipped from his tongue with less malice that had once acquainted it so long ago. She had been but a yearling in Shearwater Bay's rising -- a student beneath the teachings of Koios, and oh so fascinated by the medicine man who had lived in solitude among the shores and away from the pack. How many times had she attempted to taunt him with seduction? The natural sway of her hips, the coy purr of her voice as she had attempted to devour him with her own lust -- a promise that one day, upon her heat, he would then not be able to resist her.

She had not been with the Bay come the time, and Lecter, as she had envisioned, had certainly not taken her virginity. Even had she been within the ranks of the Bay, she knew he would not have caved to her desires -- it was just as well then that they, as well as her ego, had been sated elsewhere.

"I try to appease both of my gods," she spoke silkily, the faux confidence in her vocals wavering only slightly as she bit down to her tongue, refraining from speaking of her concern -- the copper scent filling her nostrils almost instantly. She shifted her weight then, her petite frame drawing in a stance of regality as her muzzle tipped to the side, her eyes dancing upon the delicate features of the girl he introduced as Clarice. "You are welcome to my home Lecter as any of my first family would be," she offered, her eyes shifting back to him as curiosity once more struck her -- their last meeting had rose nothing in her but bitterness, now seemingly washed away. "But you should know that Jinx has claimed lands by the shore here. She will not accept that you have chosen this as your home." If what the ivory witch had stated was true, what would give her claim over the Shaman?

“”

Lethe spoke, but Lecter heard only the beloved name that dropped from her curved lips. Jinx. And she had reclaimed lands. Icewater eyes flickered momentarily to Clarice, but she was lost in the hummingbird world of her flitting thoughts, and so he returned his attention to Lethe.

He scented the hesitant cut of her tongue, and wondered at it, but only momentarily. “ I will deal with that when the time comes. For now, I accept your offer, Lethe, and I thank you.” A rueful look uplifted the corners of his mouth. “ You and I never did see through the same eyes, but perhaps we shall now.”

Lecter had not admitted it to himself yet, had not pondered the possibility, but perhaps he was angered with Jinx, for leaving Bon Dye shortly after its conception — for leaving him. Nares flared from his silent annoyance at his own heart's yearning, but he kept its existence silent, and glanced again at his daughter. “ Have you anything to add?”

Exit Lethe. Wanted to get you guys in the ranks and not hold you back witih a joining thread. <3

It was a foreign aspect, the civility between them as the conversation progressed. Her eyes would drift to Clarice every so often, noting the mumbling insanity of the girl, but saying nothing. She was of Shearwater Bay blood, and that in itself would give her Lethe’s patience and attentiveness. Lecter rumbled once more – words that seemed to fall on the same line as her thoughts, though her humor did not quite reach her eyes. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” she rumbled in return.

His question to his daughter went unanswered seemingly, and with a nod, Lethe took a pace back, moving away from the blood washed wolves. “I will leave you settle to your new home then,” she offered, her eyes sweeping over them once more before turning. She was unsettled in his presence for the moment – the memories of the Bay flooding over her like a wound to the heart, and once more the worry that her gods had abandoned her. With a flick of her tail, the she-wolf moved away from them, making her way to the center of the territory as she would attempt to appease her nerves.