Sea Lion Shores Not all those who wander are lost
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Ooc — Hela
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#1
All Welcome 
It was Brynn's favorite time of the day. The time right before sunrise when most of the world was still asleep and there was a certain peaceful quiet. This particular morning, she found herself meandering down a beach, listening to the rhythmic sound of the water moving up the shore and then back down and feeling the cool ocean breeze move gently through her thick coat. Brynn could smell the interesting scent of ocean water. This water did not smell bad, but it it also did not smell like water should would like to drink. 

This place was more peaceful than any other place Brynn had come across. In all of her wanderings, she had never been on a beach before. She felt like she could spend hours here just lost in her thoughts. After all, that was her favorite thing to do. Now she had found a perfect spot for it. 

So, Brynn continued her trek down the beach, taking in all of the scents, sounds, and feelings.
: 0/10  : 2/5
Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear, and I can't help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer.
what would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark?
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#2
The marauder was fond of trekking down the stretch of beach in search of stray sea lions who had meandered inland for some fun. The shores had been quiet for a short while, offering him very little in regard to humor or pleasure, but that day held the breath of spring with the sea breeze. He had ventured out of his home in search of passersby who might entertain his need for companionship – at least for a while. The pallid young Captain strolled at a leisurely pace.
 
Not long after, he caught sight of an unfamiliar shape. Interest piqued, he picked up his speed some until he could confirm that the wanderer was not one of his own. The scents that mingled with her coat seemed to come from faraway places, and Smokestep found himself drawn toward her with a crooked grin and a sharp glint in his dual-toned gaze. After a moment, he chuffed a greeting and flagged his tail for the stranger. “Ahoy,” the young pirate called, his voice carrying down the shore. To echo the word, a single sea lion barked in response before bouncing its way back into the water and disappearing.
calling to join them the wretched and joyful
shaking the wings of their terrible youths
freshly disowned in some frozen devotion
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#3
Brynn, had paused briefly to look towards the sea. How far did it go? It was interesting and mysterious. She heard the sounds of someone approaching before she heard his greeting. She turned at the sound. ears pricked but with otherwise neutral body language. She was also alerted to a strange sound in the distance made by an animal she had never seen or smelled before. She would have to explore that later.

She didn't usually engage with stranger as she had become wary of the intentions of others during her last year as a lone wolf. She was curious, though, and this place seemed to calm her and allow her to think past her anxieties. She took a second to assess his appearance. He was tall and had had such an interesting coat color. His body language did not give off any aggression or bad intentions. She was intrigued by this wolf. Enough to to respond to his greeting with a reserved, "Hello," before becoming silent and watchful. Waiting to see what else he would say.
: 0/10  : 2/5
Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear, and I can't help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer.
what would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark?
340 Posts
Ooc — Cactus
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#4
The female returned his greeting with neutral posture and tones. Smokestep allowed the expression on his features to crinkle some, into a half smirk that drew up the right half of his face. The young Captain did not scent a pack on her, but her coat carried the scents of travel and faraway places. Were he not so attached to the sea, the boy would have liked to have lived his life as a vagabond. The idea of venturing to some distant land had always been an inspiring one. The ocean and her cruel temptations was far too deep in the marrow of his bones for him to venture far. It was the prospect of a tale that drew him to her, and so he leaned against that, hoping she would spark at the prospect of good company.
 
“Fancied a stroll on the beach, aye?” he inquired with a chuckle. The pirate flagged his tail once more and allowed for a bit of space between them. He wasn’t interested in spooking the ladies before he had a chance to persuade them with his charms. The yearling had thought highly enough of himself to believe that anyone who participated in enjoyable conversation with him was more fortunate for it. He looked at her expectantly, and while he may have been coming on strongly, seemed to have good intentions.  
calling to join them the wretched and joyful
shaking the wings of their terrible youths
freshly disowned in some frozen devotion
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#5
Seeing the other wolf's smirk, Brynn relaxed her posture a little. He couldn't be too bad if seeing a strange wolf brought a smirk to his face. His words and the sound of his chuckle peaked her interest, as well. She slowly took a few steps towards him and replied. "I found myself here a little bit ago and have not been able to leave just yet." She paused, offering him a shy smile before continuing, "There's something about this place that intrigues me." 

Brynn couldn't be sure if he was from here, but his scent was similar to the scent of the ocean. She liked it. She tilted her head a little before asking, "Are you from around here?"
: 0/10  : 2/5
Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear, and I can't help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer.
what would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark?
340 Posts
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#6
The temptation of the ocean and the shore was something that the young pirate could always relate to. No matter where he was, he felt the pull of the waves against the beating of his own heart. Smokestep was born and bred of the salty waters; he was made of the darkness that rolled beneath the swell. The timidity of the female was not missed, but the pale young Captain took a step back to allow her room to breathe. “She is a fine sight to behold,” he agreed with her solemnly; there was a tone of reverence in his voice when he spoke of the ocean.
 
The woman inquired if he was from around those parts, and the young pirate cast her a crooked grin and nodded his head twice. “Aye, lass – was born just in that thar bay, but got moved away, an’ I’ve come back to make it me home again,” he answered her in as few words as he could manage. Smokestep was certain that she wouldn’t have wanted his entire life story, so he hoped to keep things simple. Formalities had always been a challenging aspect of meeting people, he’d realized.
 
“An’ yerself?”
calling to join them the wretched and joyful
shaking the wings of their terrible youths
freshly disowned in some frozen devotion
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#7
Brynn smiled at his response that he had made his way back to the place he had been born. She envied him that, as she would probably never be able to return to her birth place. She had no idea what was happening there now and had no desire to relive the terrible memories of her past. 

"I've traveled from a place far from here," Brynn offered in response to his question. "I've been on my own for a long time," She added quietly. She had spent the last year of her life as lone wolf wandering and trying to stay alive. She was beginning to long for a life with more purpose, though. 

"I'm Brynn by the way," She added with a smile.
: 0/10  : 2/5
Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear, and I can't help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer.
what would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark?
340 Posts
Ooc — Cactus
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#8
The girl shared a story of her travels, mentioning that she had not seen her home in some time. Smokestep had always admired the life of a vagabond but knew that he would never have suited it. He was a testy fellow the further inland he got, and though he had not spent a great deal of time away from the sea, he knew that it didn’t last forever. It was fortunate that he had been able to claim the bay that his father had held when he’d been born. It was fortunate that he had a slice of the ocean to call his own, and the strength of the Ironsea crew at his back. The young pirate felt as though he could not be stopped, so it was difficult for him to imagine what it must have been like for her to travel so long on her own. Even when he had trekked from Warsaw to the Ironsea claim, he had always had Sandpiper at his side.
 
“Pleasure to meet ye, Brynn,” the pale marauder offered with a bow of his head and a dramatic wag of his tail. The sea dog lifted his skull and met her with a spark in the red of his optic before he offered his own calling. “Me name’s Smokestep.” Of course, the young Captain was fond of finding stray young women and charming his way into a conversation with them. He cast her an inquisitive glance, as though a thought had just struck him. “Will ye always be a roamer? Have ye thought o’ settlin’ down?”
calling to join them the wretched and joyful
shaking the wings of their terrible youths
freshly disowned in some frozen devotion
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Ooc — Hela
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#9
Brynn thought about his question for a minute. Roaming was pretty much all she knew at this point. The thought of settling down had crossed her mind, but was she ready for that? Belonging to a pack again would mean a little more safety that the lone wolf life, although she had many anxieties about the the commitment it brought. She had only had to worry about herself for so long, and she wasn't sure if she knew how to do anything else. She figured, for right now unless something or someone really changed her mind, she would probably continue her wandering. She knew she wouldn't be on her own forever, but for right now, that's where she felt most comfortable. 

She gave Smokestep a small smile and answered, "I think eventually, I'll settle down. But for right now, roaming is the life for me. It's what I'm used to, I guess." Plus, she still had more of this new place to explore. She did think this new wolf seemed pretty nice, though, which had not been her previous experience with unknown wolves.
: 0/10  : 2/5
Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear, and I can't help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer.
what would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark?
340 Posts
Ooc — Cactus
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#10
“Oi, aye… I see wot yer at, eh?” he encouraged with a swift nod. “Yer out to see wot the world has in store fer ye, aye? There’s plenty o’ time, miss, ye ought to roam as far as ye can, that way ye ain’t got nothin’ to miss out on.”
 
In his mind, Smokestep could see all of the things that he had done wrong when he had set out to claim the bay and forge his own pack. He regretted the time he could have taken to stop and smell the roses, as they said. There was a hint of envy within his breast, when he imagined what it would have been like to not feel the same attachment to such silly things. Worse was the thought that he had pulled his sister along for the trouble that he had caused. The boy was certain he would never have been able to repay her for putting up with so much.
 
“Say, how many places have ye been? If ye’ve done this yer whole life…”
calling to join them the wretched and joyful
shaking the wings of their terrible youths
freshly disowned in some frozen devotion
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Ooc — Hela
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#11
For clarification, this is happening before Brynn's recent joining of Easthollow. :)




Brynn had every intention of exploring this land before settling down. But she wondered why he made a point to give her this advice. She tilted her head a little and asked, "Is that what you did before you made your way back home?" She thought maybe he was speaking from experience. 

At his next question, Brynn's face fell a little. She wasn't sure where she had been. Most of the time she was just trying to put distance between her and the danger that had taken over the place she used to call home; she never really stopped to pay attention to where she was. Even months after the incident, she never felt like she was far enough away. It took her a little while to get over her trauma-driven fears to be able to think more clearly about her future. Even today, she still carried the psychological scars from that day; she was just better at hiding them and living her life now. She wasn't really sure how to answer his question without offering too much on a topic she didn't want to discuss, but she finally replied, "I can't really say for sure. I know it's been quite a few places, because I've been moving around for about a year now. I must admit, I wasn't really paying attention to where I was for most of that time." 
: 0/10  : 2/5
Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear, and I can't help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer.
what would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark?
340 Posts
Ooc — Cactus
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#12
The girl asked if Smokestep had actually practiced what he was preaching. He recoiled a little bit and looked at her with a set of blinking eyes before a grin split his features and he chuckled. “O’ course that’s wot I did. Ye can’t settle down til ye know wot ye want from life, aye?” he laughed boisterously at her and then shook his head, as though she had asked him a rhetorical question instead of a genuine one. He’d answered it still, and he was feeling pretty confident in what he’d said to hold his own against the girl. She seemed soft enough that she wouldn’t bite too hard if he were to play with words off and on.
 
Then, the girl brought up what she’d done for most of her travels. She didn’t seem as though she had wanted to settle down right away. Smokestep found that a little odd because he couldn’t imagine life without the support of a pack behind him. No matter where he’d been, the pirate had always had a crew. His father had taught him that the strength of the pack was a good reference for the strength in a man. Perhaps women didn’t worry as much about all of that nonsense, but Smokestep had only ever wanted to be strong. “Well, I’d say that’s a shame, but ye seem happy enough. Wot do ye look fer in an ideal pack? Wots yer dream home like?” he asked her, wanting genuinely to know the answer. It was different for everyone.  
calling to join them the wretched and joyful
shaking the wings of their terrible youths
freshly disowned in some frozen devotion
246 Posts
Ooc — Hela
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#13
Briefly surprised by the laughter that followed his answer, Brynn frowned. She wasn't sure she liked his response. It seemed...rude? She lifted an eyebrow and asked, "You learn any manners while you were out exploring?" Her question was meant mostly to tease him, as she didn't take offense easily.

When he asked his next question, she thought for a long moment. She had no clue what her ideal pack was like, or her dream home for that matter. She mostly just wanted to feel safe and have a purpose; a pack seemed the best way to achieve that goal. A pensive smile crossed her face and she answered, "I suppose I just want a place that is safe and offers me purpose." She really didn't have more of an answer for him, as she hadn't really thought much about what she wanted in life lately. Until recently, her main goal had been to stay alive. Being here offered the promise of a life that was more than just surviving.
: 0/10  : 2/5
Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear, and I can't help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer.