Haunted Wood I am a boy of authentic self esteem
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Ooc — Jay
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#1
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He wasn't taken seriously. He had noticed this quite often. The adults tossed him around and paid him no mind because of his age and his size, the children didn't pay him mind because he so far, had no luck in beating their butts. It had been this way his whole life, except for the moment that Vengeance took him in and gave him the Alpha spot. There was a stranger around though, a child that he had never met. Orochi was his nemesis since the beginning, Hela wasn't his enemy, not at the moment though he felt he would be her rival soon enough if he didnt find a way to assert himself and get better at fighting soon. This new stranger was the only one that he had yet to scope out, get a feel for, and try to intimidate into acknowledging he was Vengeance's first pick. He had no reason to be discreet, he felt that everyone knew how he was, where he saw himself and wanted to be and so he howled for @Clay standing with tail raised as he waited for the boy.
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A call.
Distant.

Clay was reluctant to answer, to even see who called for him. So far everyone in this place had vexxed him, thrown him about like he was a piece of trash. The wolves in the pit, that girl. He was not ignorant to the stares he got from others wandering about, the look in their eyes as he steered past on light feet. On egg shells.

He didn't answer it. He only followed it, head bowed low and tail tucked under his body in anxiety. It was only when he came upon a boy that he relaxed, his shivering stopping and posture adjusting. The boy looked around his same age, perhaps a little younger, perhaps older. He was a bit taller than Clay, and had a bit more muscle than the scrawny, feminine-looking newcomer, but something about him was still eerie. He held the same air that others did.

Clays features remained tight, however; His large eyes stared at the other pup, mouth drawn in a relaxed line that looked a bit more like frowning than smiling, and (now crooked) tail drooped low. He faced the male head on, not saying a word. Only watching with curiousity.
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For a moment he wasn't sure that the pup approaching was the one he called. The kid was pretty, he looked like a girl but it took one whiff to know he was a boy. Valour studied him, circling around and inspecting the feminine looking boy. He didn't seem hostile at all, in fact he seemed wary of Valour and finally he circled back around to look the kid in the eyes. "Who are you and who brought you in?" he asked bluntly, not bothering to be civil. He stood up taller, feeling confident enough that he could overpower the boy if he needed to. 

I'm so sorry for the crappy post, it was rushed for the moment.
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No need to be sorry, it happens! Don't feel pressured to do long replies just because mine are, I like writing! :p

Clay stood ramrod, tencing one again as the boy arroached, circling him. But he refused to let him out of his sight. Clay tipped his head, looking behind his shoulder and following Valour with a bright olive stare. His tag wagged slightly in good manor, maybe thinking that the boy was friendly.

Until the words fell from his lips.

Clay stopped his wagging, and when the boy stood straight, he attempted to mirror the same. Holding his stare through furrowed brows and a frown. The boy wanted to size him up? Dominate him? Not a chance. Clay puffed out his chest, and tilted his chin up slightly just to be on the same level. "It's rude to not offer your name when asking others," he said as if reminding the boy. "But that's alright. I'm clay, the warlord—Vengeance brought me here."
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His lips curled slightly as the boy squared up, a wave of anger surging as he almost sprang there and then. Then the boy spoke, condescendingly stating he was being rude but giving his name anyway and saying it was alright. Valour snorted and rolled his eyes, about to respond when the boy said that Vengeance had brought him here. He frowned, unable to contain the wounded expression and looking away for a moment as he struggled to grasp at what that meant for him. His mentor had chosen another to bring back, did that mean he was replaced? "He's mine. My mentor. I don't care what you want or why you're here but don't think for a second you're better than me" his voice started out strong and then wavered, becoming almost desperate as he tried to hold onto the confidence he had felt moments before. "My name is Valour and I'll be next to him one day" he stated scowling and staring the boy down again. Frantically he scanned Clay over, unable to figure out why he had been chosen. Was it because he was pretty? The boy definitely wasn't hard on the eyes but he didn't think an adult would want anything to do with a pup in the ways adults were with each other. Sex, that was what Vengeance had called it. "What do you want?" he asked curiously settling down onto his hindquarters.
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Clay flicked his ears back as the boy frowned and got defensive. He wondered why that was. Had what he said upset the boy? Vengeance had never spoken much to him, he , in-fact, left him to his own devices when he got there. Clay had run away to hide after that, sticking to himself. Truth was, he was scared of the warlord, of his stench and his greusome display of blood coating his pelt.

"I don't," he paused, licking his lips. "— want to be better than anyone..." he replied, voice almost a whisper as he looked down at his feet, his posture folding inward. His cheek fur fell as he did, obscuring his face. Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought about the memory of Vengeance finding him, of how weak and dispicable he looked. Clay blinked, shaking his head as he willed the tears to stop. He didn't need this Valour to see him crying. "I ran away from home, and begged Him to bring me back with him. Now im... here," he continued.

"I just don't want to be weak anymore. But i'm sure you'll be next to him one day, as well." He looked up at Valour as he said that, meeting his gaze once again as the boy sat. It relaxed clay, seeing the pup sit down and no longer stand over him.

Clay yawned, lowering the front half of him downwards to lay on the dirt while slowly crawling forward, paws outstretched. He batted lightly at the air infront of the boy, attempting to make the whole conversation lighter. He hadn't played with anyone in a long while, perhaps the boy would like to? Clay rolled on his back as he did so, smiling up at Valour.
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Omfg I love this child. Clay is pure.

"I don't....want to be better than anyone"

Valour froze, ears shifting and head cocking to the side as he tried to figure out what the heck he was supposed to say to that. This kid, Clay, he had no idea where he was did he? This was a place where everyone had some sort of evil plan, where fang and claw were sometimes weaker than brain and wit. He frowned, brows drawn in confusion opening his maw to say something before the boy explained that he had begged to come here and apparently been granted his wish. "You begg-" he froze, the last bit of what Clay said sinking in. His tail wagged and he smiled, expression softening as his chest puffed out with pride "Really? Yeah, see, finally someone sees the potential" it hadn't taken much for Clay to rise up in Valour's approval. His smile faltered as the paw rose and came toward him, causing him to flinch back instinctively lips curling over his fangs as he drew into a defensive stance only to peer at Clay and see he had lowered himself down and was on his back trying to play. His tail swayed behind him as he hesitated, unsure what to do. He had never played before, not here, not in the Keep, he had never really had any friends either. Lifting a paw he quickly jabbed at Clay's snout, trying not to make it as hard as he would if he was going to smack someone.
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Clay froze once more as the boy flinched and bared his fangs, however it seemed to be because of the surprise than anger. Had Valour never played before? Clay tipped his head, his cheek falling flat on the earth, causing the skin and his ear to bend awkwardly under the weight. "You're odd." He breathed, almost a laugh as his tail wagged.

He continued to paw absentmindedly at the boy, knocking his paw away with little swipes. However, one got through, and his snout was roughly touched. the pressure tickled his nose a little, causing him to sneeze and become embarssed at the action. His fur rose, and he shook his head once more to get rid of the heat. "Do you want to be my friend?" he offered, tail wagging. 

Clay hadn't made a friend yet. He never really had friends up until this point. His siblings and him did play, but he was always called 'a stick in the mud.' and eventually was given up on. His brother, West, was way too rough for him. And his sister Leta was so frail, he was afraid to play with her after The Witch attack. And Newt? Well he never really talked to him.
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He almost took offense to being called odd but it was the soft laugh, the way that the words held no tone of insult that had him snort and give a half smile "Maybe I am" he said and resumed his pawing, finally landing on that tapped Clay on the nose and caused him to sneeze. He began to laugh his tail wagging behind him as he slid down onto his belly just as Clay asked if he wanted to be friends. A really uncomfortable tug squeezed his heart and he lifted wide eyes to the boy, ears perked with surprise "Really?" he asked softly and then cleared his throat, plastering a grin across his face "I mean yeah, of course. I've got your back, we can train to be strong together" he said trying not to show how really, truly happy he was that someone wanted to be his friend.
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"...of course. I've got your back,..."

Clay perked his ears at that and smiled brightly, his grin stretching across his face to show his teeth and puff his cheeks out. He was so glad that Valour said yes! His first friend! "I'll have your back too, Valour." he exclaimed.

Clay wondered what that meant, 'got your back', would he protect him? Clay wasn't sure if he could protect Valour, after all— the pup was bigger than him. Clay hadn't really hit his growth spurt yet, and he wondered once more. Would he ever? Would he be small forever?

His eyes drifted to Valour as he thought, but once he saw the Nightwalker look away, the dusty grey boy sprung upwards and tossed his weight into the larger pup, sending them spiraling about and causing dirt and dust the lift up around them. Clay laughed as he did so, his light, airy tone echoing around them as he began to tussle with Valour. It was easy for him with the element of surprise, and soon Clay found himself standing lightly utop of Valour, tail wagging and paws placed firmly on the boy's chest. "Pinned you!" He giggled.
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Ooc — Jay
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The boy's reply had him freeze, eyes going wide as a hint of warmth, a feeling he had lost early on while watching his father die and Phex be despairingly slow at learning to adapt to the fact she'd be alone with them afterward. He turned with a soft smile to thank him but was taken by surprise when he saw the boy was already basically smacking into him. "Hey-" he shouted and then gasped, scrabbling around panicking as they tumbled before laying panting and scowling grumpily into Clay's bright and sunny face. He slowly softened and lunged up, nipping his friend upon the nose sharply before laughing and laying back with a smug look "Get off me pretty boy, If we weren't friends I'd change that" but the tone was playfully sarcastic and surprisingly affectionate his tail tapping languidly behind him to show that he meant no offense and trusted the boy not to feel the need to try to escape.
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Clay won, and it seemed Valour had accepted that. Good! He stared down at the pup curiously, yanking his head back at any nips aimed his way, however, he refused to budge utop his newly acquired soft-throne. He kept still, poised and cracked a smirk.

That was until Valour decided to open his big fat mouth and call him pretty. It took the ex-eastholian back, and Clay clamped his jaw shut and swiveled his ears back as he wrinkled his nose. 'Pretty?' Pretty was only for ladies. Ones that had clean fur and were graceful. That smelled nice and were nice. Ones he used to frequently see back home. It was odd that the boy would call him pretty. Did Clay look like a lady?

He didn't grace Valour with a verbal answer, instead, he batted softly and at the boy's forehead before sitting down. Right ontop of his friend. But gravity had other opinions and his weight slowly pulled him down to the side, off of Valour. "You couldn't change it if you tried!" He boasted, voice still soft. He turned his head for extra effect, his nose pointed away and up to the sky, eyes closed. 
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He froze as something he said clearly struck Clay the wrong way. His ears fell back and his tail curled against his legs as he struggled to figure out what it was so he could fix it, horrified at the idea of losing his first friend so soon. It was quite sudden when Clay sat down. On him. He grunted and squirmed awkwardly, blinking slowly at him in an alarmed fashion as his tail wagged in a timid and uncertain way against his belly. He paused mouth open as Clay declared he couldn't do anything, being all dramatic and turning his head toward the sky. Valour's brow furrowed confused and he groaned, shoving up at the leaner boy and twisting toward the side that Clay leaned off of causing him so squeeze out from the pin. He jumped up and went to pounce on Clay in earnest, his tail raised high and waving in a playful way. "Bet I can pin you!" he shouted eyes gleaming mischievously as he pretended to be angry.
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Clay knew Valour was going to pounce, he could hear it in the paw steps and felt the shift of weight at his side. However, he didn't feel the need to dodge, so he let the weight flung into him and he let himself be pulled to the side with a tiny huff through his nose. "Oh noooo~" he whined in a fake tone before giggling again and tussling with the boy some more (which consisted of him mostly just pawing at the boy in the face and chest).

"bet I can pin you!"

Clays eyed widened once again. Of course valour was going to bet. The new Nightwalker was beginning to notice that strength and power were what made up a lot of Valours attitude. He was boastful and cared about being the best. Clay thought about it, mulling his new friend's personality over in his head before nodding. Nodding to himself, that is. If he wanted to be friends with Valour and make him happy he would have to play his part. "I bet you can too," he only agreed before slipping out of the tangle of limbs and standing up to shake his pelt off.

"But lets save that for another day! Im too tired right now to give you a proper fight," he replied, staring at Valour and still smiling. Now would be the time to dismiss himself from his friends presence, but as Clay turned to leave he stopped mid-step, his head lowering. Where.. would he go? He was still a stranger to Nightwalkers, and very afraid of everyone else.

"Hey Valour," he called "Would my presence bother you? I... don't feel comfortable around the others yet."
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The sensation of play brought out something unguarded and for once he relaxed. As they tussled his nips and movements were confident and strong but they held no true force or harm. He was smiling, even as Clay pulled away not arguing with him but agreeing. It was confusing for the testosterone fueled child, everything had been a struggle for attention and recognition for so long that this simple agreement and understanding...it was hard to believe. He wagged slowly smile slowly fading as he looked at Clay, unsure what to say but ears sliding back as he nodded "Yeah, okay. That's cool" he said not wanting to seem unhappy that his new friend needed rest yet frowning fully, ears going back as Clay began to leave feeling disappointed. He had just began to turn to leave when he saw Clay pause and followed suit, eyes searching for a clue to hint at why. When Clay asked if he would mind him hanging around he felt a burst of happiness and grinned, tail wagging before he dropped his gaze and shook his head, toning it down and putting a mask back on of calm. He wasn't the best at it yet, as his tail still wagged and a smile tugged the corners of his mouth "No, it's okay. You wanna come see my den?" he asked, wanting to show him the deer skull he had been given. 


We can fade here if you want!
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