Broken Antler Fen That's just is
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Ooc — aerinne
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#1
Limit Two 
The spring had come and gone, as had the summer. Draper had remained just south of Broken Antler Fen, although he still lacked what he truly desired: a family. Coyotes had passed through, but none of them stuck around. Why, he wondered, was his own species so wishy-washy? Was he wishy-washy, too? It stumped him, and he traveled north today, back into the fen to scout it out once more. He'd had no real reason to leave it, and where he'd gone had only been a little ways away.

He was following the trail of a rabbit now, feet picking over the underbrush. It was unlikely that he would actually catch anything, but persistence was key. Coyotes were known for their scavenging skills, although Draper had always done his part to dispel the negative connotations his type had. After the trail he went, bushy tail bobbing behind him.
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416 Posts
Ooc — Iris
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#2
Charles decided to explore a little today, and he stumbled upon the fen. It wasn't the fen itself that interested him though, but the scent of a rabbit. He didn't have much trust that he would catch it (he'd learned a thing or two from some of the older wolves in Easthollow, but in general the wasn't very good at hunting), but it was worth a shot. The Glen didn't have many caches yet and he was hungry.

Instead of finding the rabbit, after following the trail for a short while Charles ran into someone else instead. A wolf, he thought, and one that looked remarkably like himself, except more so. He looked surprised, because he had never seen a coyote in his life. In surprise, Charles forgot all about the rabbit and explained: You look like me, but a lot more! He meant the large ears and sharp features, of course, which he had inherited from the coywolf father he didn't know even (had) existed.
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Ooc — aerinne
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#3
Draper paused when he heard the other’s voice. A wolf, he thought at first, but he appeared to have plenty of coyote blood in him as well. Mixing of the two wasn’t unheard of, although Draper had never been around one of them before. Curious.

And you like me, Draper replied. This was, perhaps, the most relaxed he’d been around somebody who wasn’t exactly a coyote. Is your mother like us? he asked. If not, it must be on his father’s side.
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416 Posts
Ooc — Iris
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Charles wasn't easily impressed, but he was kinda impressed by the fact that he and this apparent total stranger shared some similar features that he had never seen on anyone else. Cool, he couldn't help but remark. Charles did not know anything about biology, honestly, other than that males and females sometimes got together and did sex (whatever that even was), so he had no idea that his coyote features came from somewhere down in his family tree.

Hence, the question surprised him. My mother? He tried his hardest to forget about her, really, and he didn't like when he was confronted with the fact that yes, she still existed. No. She's pretty normal. Even the shade of her fur was different than his, though his brother was coloured somewhat similarly, sort of like a blend between Charles and mother. Why? What does that matter? Charles sounded like he thought it was a pretty dumb question.
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Ooc — aerinne
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#5
Ah, then it must have been the lad's father. He couldn't have been one of Draper's, considering Draper had never boned anyone at all, let alone a wolf. Your father is like us too, I reckon, Draper replied. It wasn't very common for coyotes to hang around after they'd had their fun with female wolves, which would explain why this one had never met his father. How the brown son's parents had ended up together, Draper could only guess, but he wasn't about to go on doing that when it wouldn't do anybody any good.

My name's Draper Featherwind. And yours? Perhaps this would be his way of avoiding conflict with packs. Well, at least one of them. If there were mixed-blood coyotes in these parts, it might do Draper some good to stick around. He had never really considered shacking up with a wolf, but then again, how picky was he really? Coyotes didn't seem to fancy him enough to stick around.
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Ooc — Iris
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The other wolf went on to say that his father must be like them; well, that's where he was wrong, because Charles didn't actually have a father. Before Charles could contest this fact the other introduced himself as Draper Featherwind. A pretty elaborate name; nothing like his own. 'm Charles, he answered to that.

You're wrong, also. I don't have a father. Why did wolves think they could fill in details about his life that weren't true at all? He went on to ask, What pack are you in? because he couldn't decipher anything he recognised from the other male's scent.
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Ooc — aerinne
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#7
So his mother had lied to him. Peculiar, but not terribly surprising. Perhaps she felt shame for what she had done, or maybe the other wolves had shamed her. Never once did it occur to Draper that the actions that had led to Charles had not been consensual. And why would it occur to him? Draper would never dream of doing something so despicable.

I am not, Draper replied, I have been on my own for some time. And you? he asked. The boy did smell strongly of other wolves, and considering his youthful appearance (and ignorance in the way children were made), Draper assumed he would need to be surrounded by others who would keep him safe. Where they were now, Draper could only guess.
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Ooc — Iris
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The other had been on his own for some time, and Charles nodded. He already thought that the stranger didn't smell a lot like other wolves. Funny. Charles couldn't imagine being all alone out there, really; though in part, this was also because he was not very good at surviving alone. He was bad at hunting and relied largely on packs' resources, not really contributing enough to fully support himself -- at least when it came to food and hunting.

He nodded in response. Yeah. It's down in Firefly Glen. Charles vaguely gestured in its direction. He wondered then, Are you looking for a pack? He knew very little about coyotes -- so little, in fact, that he did not know they existed or were not wolves -- but he found it curious that someone who seemed sociable enough would live on their own. And maybe it would be nice to have another prodigiously eared wolf around.
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Ooc — aerinne
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#9
Draper nearly choked on his own tongue when Charles asked if he was looking for a pack. You really haven't met a coyote before, have you? That much was blatantly obvious, but Draper couldn't help but say it out loud. Considering the kid's father wasn't around, and he was the coyote of his parents, Draper didn't think there was much chance that this Firefly Glen place would enjoy having a full-blown coyote around.

He half wanted to pretend to be interested in joining the place, but he had a good feeling that would only get him killed. And honestly, that wasn't on his agenda in the near future. I am, but I don't think your pack would like me, he replied plainly.
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Ooc — Iris
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Charles blinked when his question was answered by another question. What? he responded initially, unsure what Draper even meant at all. You're not a -- coy-ote. He struggled a bit with remember and then pronouncing the word. You're a wolf. He looked like Charles, after all, even though he was a little bit more... prodigious.

It surprised Charles even further that he thought the pack would not like them. Why? he added to his previous statement, because he didn't understand at all.
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Ooc — aerinne
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#11
Charles rejected Draper's quite clear coyote-ness, and he couldn't help but wonder what his mother had told him. I most certainly am a coyote, and I'm sure all your pack mates would agree with me. Wolves and coyotes just... don't get along most of the time. We're competitors. That made him wonder how Charles got along with his pack. Then again, his mother probably protected him from the worst of it, based on their current conversation.

I gotta scram, kid. Maybe I'll swing back through this way in a little while... and after you've told all your friends you met a big bad coyote who didn't try and eat your face. He didn't wait around to hear any of Charles's last words. The longer he stuck around, the more likely it was this kid's guardians would show up and assume the worst. Draper wanted to avoid that kind of confrontation.

He bolted, zipping his way north.

Last from me! They'll have to meet again soon. <3
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416 Posts
Ooc — Iris
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#12
yes! thanks for this educational thread ;)

Charles couldn't really believe his ears. He still didn't really believe Draper, honestly. Was this just another person trying to tell him ghost stories? Nobody had really treated him differently for who he was, he didn't think. Charles didn't contest the information though, instead he just blinked owlishly and he accepted what Draper had said.

Bye, Charles said when Draper said he had to go but that maybe he'd swing back around here. He wondered if, according to Draper's theory, if there were any coyote-only packs too if they were competitors with wolves, and if so, why had he never seen one? And which of the two should Charles then really be in? But before he could ask Draper had already left. Oh, Charles said, mostly to himself, while he tried to process what he had just heard. Then he started to make his way back to the Glen again.