The Sentinels there's a black crow sitting across from me
stormblessed
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#1
All Welcome 

It hadn't taken very long before he found himself deep in the heart of the sentinels. Ford knew that the forest had been decimated in the fire, but it felt almost bitter to have confirmed that it happened. Something in him had hoped that they would have arrived and the trees would have regrown to their same might and looming presence.

It didn't matter anyway; he belonged to the water.

The stories she had told about the ancient wood had been mystical to him, especially as a child. It had not taken until his maturing that he realized how foolish the premise was. Magic had never been presented to him, so he did not know that it could truly exist. Still, he knew the sacredness of their witchcraft to be astounding. Ford had always been bold, but he had never been stupid enough to speak ill of his mother's beliefs. If not for her sadness, for his father's wrath.

The inkhound paused in his trek across scorched earth. His crown was lifted and he peered upward, imagining for a moment that the wood was back to its prime. It would have had to have been something stunning.
Call me Mr. Rattlebone
Holy Ghost who haunts your home
They don't know you like I know you
Call me Mr. Rattlebone
I am the driver, I am the shadow, and I am the hearse
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#2
there was a gentle crunch underfoot as dalia walked through the ashen forest. whether it was from the cold weather or the charred ground, dalia was unsure-- perhaps a combination of both. she didn't think it mattered much, there was no prey here for her to scare off anyhow. 

the only stories of magic that dalia had ever heard were stories of healing. portia did not believe in any magicks, and dalia had never heard dio mention such things. if there were any magicks in this forest, dalia could not sense them. but it was hard to sense much of anything in this rubble. 

she spotted him, he blended in so well with the blackened territory-- unlike dalia, who stuck out like the moon in the night. she watched him curiously for a moment, as he looked like he was pondering something, not daring to interrupt him.
trigedasleng will be in blue.
stormblessed
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#3
It was the crunch beneath her paws that had alerted him to the presence of someone else. The wind did not favor him in that moment, so her scent was lost on him. The titan swiveled a single ear backwards to catch anything that might be said, but found that there was nothing but silence that met him. He thought back to the thought of spirits and felt the hairs along his neck and shoulders rise upward. Something within him prevented him from turning to look where she stood.

The ground felt cold beneath his paws, forcing a stiffness to him. It did not take much, but he had transformed himself into a looming wraith. When he could not stand to continue looking away, Ford swung his muzzle around and pointed it at... her.

Dalia stood there in the blackened wood with a watchful eye on him. Ford found it almost funny that she had found him first, but he knew he had been distracted. It was difficult in the forest. He thought because of the way his mother had spoken of it. It wasn't the same with the bay; the bay was his attachment. He wondered if there would come a time that he would share his obsession for it with his own children.

“You know you shouldn't sneak up on people. Someone might think you were up to something.”
Call me Mr. Rattlebone
Holy Ghost who haunts your home
They don't know you like I know you
Call me Mr. Rattlebone
I am the driver, I am the shadow, and I am the hearse
settling their restless wings
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#4
he turned, his gaze locked onto her and his expression as looming as ever. but it relaxed, still stoic, as he recognized her. she wondered what he was thinking. 

"maybe i am," dalia said, her head canting gently to one side. but what a boldfaced lie-- if dalia was ever up to something it would be something as gentle and predictable as she was. she studied him curiously to see what he might say to that, thinking. inwardly, she wondered how he and his brothers could be so different.
trigedasleng will be in blue.
stormblessed
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#5
The girl seemed to play back to him, suggesting that she might have been up to trouble. It was challenging for Ford to believe that someone as kind as her would have anything to do with the word. In this, he could not help himself from releasing a breathy laugh of sorts. He shook his head and then turned himself around so that he might face her properly.

“This would probably be the place for it,” he ventured, glancing upward and around them. The wraith was certain that there was something beyond what they were able to see. It was a feeling that sat around his gut. Like instincts, but not the same.
Call me Mr. Rattlebone
Holy Ghost who haunts your home
They don't know you like I know you
Call me Mr. Rattlebone
I am the driver, I am the shadow, and I am the hearse
settling their restless wings
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#6
he chuckled, but it was not nearly as lively as velen and rannveig's laughs. either way, it brought a sheepish smile to dalia's muzzle, which dipped towards her chest playfully. but the moment was dead as soon as it had been born, falling away as ford looked up towards the trees, and so dalia's face fell stoic and her head leveled to look at him again. 

"there is hope for the forest," she said gently, her ears angling towards the dark male.
trigedasleng will be in blue.
stormblessed
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#7
Her words were optimistic. He couldn't have said that he was surprised by the uplifting tone. The young girl had seemed to find a sense of peace in her mindset. It wasn't for him to change – not yet. Still, the titan felt as though he was made to be the voice of reason for that kind of spoken word. The mismatched colors of his eyes rested on her face as she lowered her muzzle. He followed the curves of her and then halted in his study.

“Perhaps you're right, but I do not know that I will see it in my lifetime,” the warhound admitted to her with a careful expression on his face. Ford spoke half in truth and half out of the need to express that he did not have doubts for the woodland that his mother had called home. Whether or not he believed in magic or ancient spirits, the wild sea wolf knew that trees would grow again and bring new life with them.
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#8
ford did not seem so sure. dalia merely gazed away from him, humming softly as she considered his comment. she supposed it just didn't hold the same sentiment to her as it did others, and so perhaps any hopeless optimism was uncalled for in his eyes. but dalia was, at it always seemed, optimistic. 

"at least you have the coast," she said in a gentle return, her tail flicking at the thought of their soon to be home, "and your family."
trigedasleng will be in blue.
stormblessed
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#9
No, her optimism was not entirely appreciated by the straight-forward Mayfair-Cairn. He could not see how hope for the forest would matter if it was something he would never get to witness. If it grew back and flourished after he had gone, he would have never known. That was a rational thought, and though it was not one that was filled with the same optimistic approach as the sentiment shared by Dalia, it made sense to the great swarthy titan.

“I do,” he agreed with her with a ghostly smile on his dark lips.

Ford would always have the ocean. He knew that just as well as anything. Even if the bay was destroyed by some act of the great spirits who guarded it, he knew that he would have been able to find a home beside the sea anywhere else. Though he had a strong affinity for the bay that his father had claimed before him, it would not destroy him to see it gone.

“As do you, now.”
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#10
warmth found her cheeks. as do you. oo, how romantic. dalia might've swooned, had portia not taught her such good composure in situations like this. she was proud of herself, at least, that it wasn't 'easier said than done', because it was one thing to know how to properly handle a comment such as this, and another to actually handle it. 

her chin tipped up gently, ears pricking up. "and i thank you for it," she returned as gently and as filled with gratitude as she could. she meant it, too, she couldn't think of a better crew to stumble upon than the mysterious ford and his rag-tag family. and saucy, dalia really loved saucy. 

"your family is a lot of fun," she added in a soft purl, her tail wagging a few times at her hocks. her eyes glimmered, and she said, "velen and rannveig are forces to be reckoned with." and they were.
trigedasleng will be in blue.
stormblessed
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#11
The girl thanked him. Ford placed a gentle smile on his face that seemed to curl the edges of his features and crinkle near to his empty eyes. Then, the brute bowed his head and nodded once to the young lady. She had done well to exist beside them as long as she had. Even better, she had been able to endure the tiresome Rannveig and the pompous Velen without losing her head. It was more than he had expected of her, and the great seawolf had found that – in spite of himself – he was pleased that she had remained.

“There's no need to thank me. You've proven yourself, so far.”

It was true, after all. The words he used weren't twisted or exaggerated to appeal to her. Ford was genuinely impressed that she had found a place among the Mayfair-Cairn wolves, and she was proving to be more capable with each passing day.

When Dalia mentioned Rannveig and Velen, the warhound latched his sights on her with interest. It was rare that young ladies were able to recognize such traits in his brothers. The warhound seemed to regard her with a knowing expression. “It is good that you were able to catch on to that,” he remarked with a wild smirk. The seawolf wondered what she would say about him. What did Dalia have to say about Ford when he did not linger nearby?
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#12
dalia watched him curiously. his expressions were friendly enough, genuine enough that she believed him without a second thought. her crown tipped forwards again at his comment. she wasn't sure how she'd proved herself but... fair enough. dalia would not argue if that's what she thought. it warmed her to know she was being useful-- that she was wanted. she wasn't just important because portia was important. she was important because... well, she was important.

her head cocked to one side. "do others not recognize that?" she asked him, wondering if she had really struck gold with her evaluation of them-- she thought that in was pretty surface level. their personalities were both so big-- how could someone not see that about them? about all of the mayfair-cairns?

if anyone asked what dalia thought of ford, her answer would be just as he appeared. mysterious, calm, collected-- charming, maybe, but in such a dark way. she knew there was more to him, but she hadn't gotten there yet. she wondered if she ever would.
trigedasleng will be in blue.
stormblessed
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#13
At her inquiry, the great wraith created a chuckle that rumbled in the back of his throat. There was a knowing glint in the sharp dual-color of his gaze. The girl might have thought that it was an obvious realization, knowing that the other boys were forces to be reckoned with, but it was rare that anyone would have come to that conclusion so swiftly. Most were too enamored by the easy charm of Rannveig or the sharp wit of Velen to think what kind of trouble they could cause. Ford was more pleased that she had managed it on her own.

“Mmm, let's just say that their charm is a good mask,” he offered her, tipping his muzzle in the girl's direction with a swift wink of his dark optic. He had seen the wrath of both, and he knew that they were as different as they appeared, and vastly different from him. Still, he would never wish to test the fury of a Mayfair-Cairn; he knew the destruction that it could cause and all that would fall after it. He only hoped that Dalia would learn the same thing.

As if the thought had come to him suddenly, the skeletal brute fixed her with a hard stare. His eyes worked against her features, boring into her with as much will as he had in his spirit. Ford had been told that his stare carried dark magicks; he was a persuader of even the most obstinate stones. “Do you miss your family?” the great warhound inquired carefully. The baritone of his voice lingered in the air with the tail end of his question, and he wondered if it would be too much to ask of her.
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#14
their charm is a good mask. dalia wondered what that meant. it sounded like ford was implying they were capable of dark things, but dalia hadn't meant that at all. well, perhaps she had meant that, subconsciously. velen and rannveig seemed hardworking and passionate. dalia hadn't doubted they'd do whatever it took to keep their friends and families safe-- perhaps that did mean something darker than she'd meant.

perhaps she was simply overanalyzing ford's words. he seemed to have that effect on her. 

she stayed quiet, not responding to his comment, merely thinking over it. but before she could even think of something to respond with, she felt his gaze upon her, and blinked to focus on his own features. his gaze bore into her, with such intensity that she could've melted before him. or perhaps she would've turned to stone. she had to catch herself from holding her breath, feeling hot beneath his gaze. she answered him, without missing a beat.

"i do," she said simply, her seafoam gaze glued to his, her ears pushed forwards.
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stormblessed
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#15
Still driven by emotion, he was not surprised to hear her swift response to his question. For a moment, it caused the titan to wonder if there would ever be a time when he would miss his own blood; if they should travel too far away from him and leave him on his own. Certainly, he would have liked to think that there was a shred of humanity within him that would miss the idiotic grin that adorned Rannveig's mug, but he was not certain that he could say such a thing with confidence. Even in the time that he had spent with his mother, learning her skills and being taught the touch of magic, Ford was not sure that he even missed her. As much as he would have liked to feel sorry for that, he couldn't. It was as though he wasn't capable.

“You know, we could go and visit them,” he offered her.

It was in that moment that he paid very close attention to how the girl might react. She had only spoken lovingly of her family, but there had been no talk of ever going to see them. Ford had found this an oddity. To love required care and necessary time given. If Dalia intended to spend all of her time in the bay with the Mayfair-Cairn clan, the titan could only think that something had caused her to severe the ties she once felt with her own bloodline. Either way, the brute was very intent to catch signs of a reaction from the young girl; he wondered what kind of thoughts haunted her and what the premise of seeing her family would rile within her.
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#16
dalia shook her head, her gaze only able to break away from his only as emotion swept over her. it was guilt-- maybe-- disappointment. sadness, certainly. "we cannot," she replied gently. she had told velen of this predicament, and he hadn't seemed to fully understand why. it, of course, made sense to dalia, who had grown up with the concept of a branwoda, and treason in it's simplest form.

"drageda is strict. to leave is to excommunicate yourself," she told him softly, ears falling towards her crown, gaze raising up to meet his again. "i can never go back." she would visit surrounding territories one day. maybe she would run into dacio or opalia or sequoia or dio. she knew that portia would never leave the territory, but maybe even her mother would be there. 

she wondered what they'd say to her. if they'd ask her back, or chase her off. perhaps in her wildest fantasy, they would catch up and speak highly of their own lives, and then part ways until they saw each other again. was that naive? dalia felt naive thinking that, but she couldn't help it.

her lips curved slightly upwards, ears raising a bit. "i am happy here," she assured him. she was.
trigedasleng will be in blue.
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#17
Drageda.

That was one step closer than he had ever been. Family had been brought up numerous times, but she had not yet told him where she hailed from. The name was stored in the back of his mind, filed away for a separate day when he could bring it back and use it to his advantage. Though he thought that a strict pack was the least of their worries. His own father had run a tighter ship than that, and word was that his half-brother had hunted down those who would abandon their pledge and murder them. He was not the type to forgive abandonment, either.

“Giving yourself to a pack is important. It's not to be taken lightly.”

The tone of his voice was stern, but not harsh. It seemed that he was hoping to convey that he understood where she was coming from, but expected that she would not repeat her transgression a second time. She seemed to think that happiness was all that mattered when deciding on where she would claim her loyalties rested, but he wanted to know if she would remain even when that happiness found itself to be fleeting. What would she do when things were not entirely upbeat and easygoing? Would she leave them too?

There was a furrowing of his brow – his eyes remained emotionless – but he creased his features downward into a pensive frown. There was a single breath that seemed to fall from his dark lips. His muzzle dipped downward and he cupped his lengthy ears forward with heightened curiosity.

“And what will you do if you find you are not happy?”
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#18
dalia noted his tone cautiously. it felt like a threat, but it was not worded as such. dalia did not know how to take it, did not know how to respond. so she didn't, she simply gave him a gentle nod of understanding. she'd pledged herself here, to these waters. and here she would stay.

to his question, the ocean's pearl tilted her head gently, her gaze resting upon ford with curiosity, and the tiniest bit of concern. what a strange question to ask, dalia felt. 

"my birth and my parents pledged my allegiance to drageda for me," she told him, her brow creasing slightly, "i did not break any word there by leaving." her response may not have directly answered his question, but her answer was written in it. she had chosen this path herself. this was her own allegiance, not someone elses. she could not break her own word.
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#19
His story was similar. The pride he felt was because of all that had been forced down his throat by his father; he was a Mayfair-Cairn, and that was something that he would never be able to shed. Perhaps, in this, Ford found a sense of respect for the young girl. She had taken what her parents had created for her and she had pushed it aside to create something of her own. There was something powerful about grasping one's own image of the future and molding it into what she wanted instead of what was wanted for her. Still, he fretted over the idea that there was something in her that was so compelled by happiness that she would abandon all that she knew only for an emotion that was fleeting.

“Loyalty is important to us... to all of us,” he explained to her with a small nod. It was; this wasn't an exaggeration of their feelings. Ford knew that both of his brothers and his sisters were ruled by their need to remain loyal to each other. Even he, with all of his detachments and the weight of his hollow soul... he could not escape the pride that had been instilled inside of him by the dark Leviathan himself. Instead, he had used it to move forward with his own plans. Better yet, he had done so in a way that had made him a warhound and one who had been touched by the storm.

Knowing that she would find discomfort in their exchange, the wraith of the water created a charming smirk on his dark lips. “We all trust you,” he tried to console her softly. That was a lot of pressure, he reminded himself inwardly. It would do them well to see how she would handle it. There was some stretching of his words, though. There was not a soul on that earth that was capable of pulling trust from the great titan. He said the word out of mimicry, but he did not know what it truly meant. His seemingly genuine pull was a dangerous weapon.
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#20
he spoke again about loyalty, and dalia found herself now feeling sorry for him. whatever he'd said earlier, she realized, had been out of insecurity. his need for trust and loyalty and for her to stay must have been something physiological-- must've been deep-rooted self-doubt or insecurity. she wondered what it was. who it was. had someone hurt him? abandoned him? was it a girl? 

she didn't ask. 

her head merely dipped once, a smile pressed to her lips as he shot her a charming look. it did not go unappreciated by the girl-- who held a lot of insecurity herself. to be needed felt good, even if it came from a bad place. "i will not let you down," she replied softly, gaze raising to meet his own, intense stare.
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stormblessed
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#21
If the wild seabound titan had known what was playing through the young girl's mind, he might have been proud of himself for having created such an untrue picture of himself to her. It was challenging to appear as the opposite of what he was, what he was capable of. There were many times that he felt the urges crawling up inside of him like wild little creatures, clawing to escape. He had done well to smother them; he had done well to paint himself in the kind of light that she saw him in.

As it was, Ford could not read the mind of the young girl. She promised that she would not let him down, and he nodded his head thoughtfully at such a statement. “I didn't expect that you would,” he told her with a light shrug of his broad shoulders. “I just wanted you to understand how we were made to think.” That was all of them that he spoke for. Loyalty was as important as one's contribution to the pack and how it functioned. Without it, there was no desire to perform.

“Why don't we go see if we can catch some fish?” the warhound inquired with a slight tilting of his crown. The sound of the ocean water beating against the shore was calling to him.
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#22
unable to find anymore words, he seemed to understand what she'd said, dalia merely leaned forwards to touch his shoulder lightly with her nose. it was meant to be comforting and reassuring, but she was unsure how it'd come across. velen and saucy always seemed more tangible, ford did not seem that way. but she meant the same thing by it. 

and then offered to fish, and the girl nodded calmly, still with no words. she could stand a hunt, and fishing always came more naturally to her than real hunting did. she waited for him to set off, and then she would follow after him.
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#23
The soft touch of her nose to his shoulder should have calmed the storms inside of him, but he only allowed his features to reflect such a feeling. The skeletal hound turned his head toward her and offered a gentle smile, cupping his ears forward. The tip of his tail wagged in appreciation, but he made sure not to allow the moment to last long. Ford was always hyper-aware of just what he was doing, and the message that it would give off if he allowed it to continue.

Taking the lead, the titan moved through the ashen wood and toward their bay. His pace was slow and leisurely, but only because he demanded it of himself. The two would spend some time fishing and would bask in what was left of the sun while their coats dried. Once the sun set, the warhound would have been left to stare up into the heavens and peer at the stars and moon that floated overhead.

It was simple. If he were anyone else, it would have made him happy.