failure is painful and lying is fun
finding goth bird + dickin' around in the palace
It wasn't uncommon for the young wraith to venture from the shrine, to wander through the fringes of habitation throughout the territories that made up the Ashen pack lands. He'd left after dawn prayers, making the trek along the well worn paths that led towards the coastline. He favoured the familiar ranges around the shrine, and this time around he was interested in visiting the palace. Thus far, mother hadn't taken them to visit often enough, and he wanted to familiarize himself with the heart of the empire. By the time he hit Nephilim island, he was warming up despite the breeze that carried the crisp aroma of impending snow. He was more used to the cold than most youngsters from past generations, unaware of the lushness that might accompany the changes in seasons. Mismatched paws alighted delicately on the terra, ever-lengthening limbs stretching for seemingly miles with each absentminded stride. He was lucky to have caught the land bridge when the tide was only just beginning to climb back up the edges of the sand. Before he knew it, he'd crossed over onto Inu island. The pressing closeness of the jungle and the dark stone from which it sprung was welcome, and made him feel all the more secure. Rustling from high above alerted him to an unknown observer, and he craned his neck in search of them. It was only a small monkey, peering down at him for a moment with massive yellow eyes before it scurried to a new foraging site. He huffed softly through his nostrils, dismissing the primate as he continued his walk. Approaching the path leading up the palace, he caught the growing musk of his relatives emanating from ahead, and the aroma of incense. Perhaps it was a gift from his mother, or the strange man that his aunt was mated to crafted his own blend? Attention was diverted by the odd muttering of a voice that struck him as distinctly unfamiliar in more ways than one. In fact, he didn't recognize the language at all, upon further inspection. Creeping through the foliage at the side of the path, two-toned gaze nearly skipped over the ebon form foraging in the dirt beneath a scraggly fruit tree. The harsh, extended winter had taken its toll on the plants across the continent, and the jungle was no exception. Dark eyes caught his observation almost immediately, and the beady gaze of the strange bird locked onto him. "Fuck off, wolf." the odd, grating nature of the vocals persisted, and marked the bird as the source of the earlier muttering. "No thank you," the godling replied simply, taking a step closer to better examine the latest object of curiosity. He wasn't entirely sure what "fuck off" meant, but he was fairly certain it wasn't an outright threat. "I don't think I've ever seen your kind before, where did you learn to speak?" he admired the brilliant crimson patches of feathers across the bird's wings and stomach. He wasn't certain he'd ever seen a wolf with the same shade of red. Some of the Shogun's relatives, spotted from afar, came close. "I've lived here far longer than you have, pup. I've heard enough of your kind to know your tongue." the bird retorted irritably, sidestepping to match his advance and keep the larger predator at a safe distance. "Now run along and leave me in peace." Violet eyes drifted to note the disturbed earth around the base of the tree, scratched free of the areas between the thick roots. "What are you looking for?" he asked instead, taking yet another half step closer to get a better view. "I don't think this tree's roots are very tasty." the boy remarked with a frown. Several animals ate roots and tubers, he knew. Some varieties even made tasty seasonings or additions to a meal, if one was feeling fancy. He'd seen Obi making use of plants for his own meals in various ways. "Foolish pup, I want whatever fruits this stupid tree might have dropped. My usual fodder has been sparse, thanks to the cold." the parrot croaked, wickedly hooked beak clacking in warning at the young wolf. "Oh, well maybe the palace has some fruits you can eat." he frowned at the parrot, and wandered back the way he'd come. Magenta marked pelage slipping into the foliage with ease, he paused when he didn't hear any sign of the bird following. He glanced back, and flicked his tail lightly in invitation to the onyx parrot. "Come on, I was going there anyways." he said, and began walking. Long legs kept a slow pace, unsure as to whether the bird would opt to fly alongside, or walk with its odd hopping gait the rest of the way. "Have you got a name? Mine's Pontifex." he said, noticing the dark shape swooping towards him before it alighted on his narrow back, talons sinking into the skin of his spine without tearing too deeply into his skin. She scoffed and preened the bright plumage of her chest. "Of course I have a name, foolish pup." As they drew closer to the yawning maw of the palace's cavernous entrance, she wondered if she should have followed the lanky young wolf. "Hallux." she muttered as the darkness gave way quickly to the soft light of torches. Pontifex was quite delighted to have intention driving his little adventure into the palace, though he didn't show it outwardly. The naturally somber boy rarely broke into an outright smile outside the safety of his family hearth, and now was no exception. Instead, lightness of step and a quiver in his growing musculature were all that betrayed his excitement. He followed the hard packed earth deeper into the winding cave system, doing his best to ensure he stuck with routes that were well worn and commonly used. The dark youth had no interest in wandering into someone's private quarters, and being forced to explain himself to whoever was inside, followed by his disappointed mother later on. Claws clicking on the hard ground, he shortened his stride and kept his weight more on his pawpads to minimize the noise of his movement. Inky nostrils flared, searching for the sickly sweet scent of preserved fruit, or the musky smell of dried meats that might lead to the food stores. "speech" |
