i'm the lonelier version of you

He wasn't sure how long he'd been walking. By now, it had easily been two days since his brother had left him. Tiresias had been warned not to try to follow his crippled brother, and for Tyberius' sake, he'd just let him go. What use was there in fighting someone who clearly detested the very sight of you? Tiresias didn't feel used, just tired. Lonely too; he'd never spent more than an hour away from his only living relative and now he was faced with never seeing Tyberius again. Tyberius had gone off the deep end recently, fighting tooth and nail to do things that Tiresias wasn't sure he was ready to do... things that he wasn't capable of doing. Tiresias had never let his brother attempt these things and the knowledge weighed on him. That was a major reason why the two had gone their own ways, but surely not the only one. I'd already lost Mother. I wasn't losing Tyberius too, he thought, justifying his actions.



Tiresias shook the thoughts from his mind. Tyberius was long gone, and it was no longer Tiresias' responsibility to take care of him. He was a grown wolf now and (hopefully) could provide for himself like he thought he could. If he succumbed to the bitter cold near the Amenti pack lands, why should Tiresias care? The scarred wolf shut his eyes to the mental image of his brother's lifeless body lying in the snow. He is no longer my problem, he tried to reassure himself. There was still a nagging thought in the back of his mind, He was your brother, your best friend, and you leave him to die?



Tiresias wasn't exactly sure where he was in Alacritis, but it didn't matter to him anymore. Before, he was concerned with keeping out of the various pack's lands, but now he wasn't quite so careful. He'd only done so to spare Tyberius. If he'd ended up on someone else's lands, all they'd have to do would be to tell him to leave and he'd be more than happy to oblige. His orange eyes snapped open and he continued walking. The body of water in front of him was more than enough to persuade his thirsty throat to stop and quench itself. His dark-furred paws brought him to the edge of the water, and he lowered his head, relieving the thirst the cold air had brought him.



Satisfied, he sat on his haunches, giving the scenery around him a bit more attention. Tiresias caught his reflection in the water and just as quickly averted his eyes. For months after the attack, he found it difficult to even lay eyes on himself, disgusted by what he saw. He was used to it now, but he still tended to avoid his image whenever possible.

tag: Natsu ? notes ? credit for lineart: akreon

thanks stark

(Since it's so far away from Natsu's new home, I'll set it where he hasn't gone to Valhalla yet.)

Natsu had already caught a rather rare large rabbit, since the winter months were here he knew things would be harsh. The male had grown up a rogue, so he knew perfectly well what it was life, here was nothing compared to the far north in which he grew up until now in the search of Valhalla. He was a happy go lucky male, who wore his heart on his sleeve easily. Sometimes it gave some relief, though Natsu could get angry and that was one thing you didn't want to do to the male. He was small, but the three year old was capable of taking down a dear with only his brother at his side. The cream colored wolf held the rabbit in his teeth as his bright blue eyes looked up from his spot at the river. There was another male, sitting there staring at himself in the water. He looked to be a bit troubled, maybe he was hungry? The cream colored wolf flicked his black tipped tail, the white patch on his left eye marking him as a twin to his other brother who was probably already in his new pack of choice.

Natsu approached in a slow manner, and gave a smile before setting the rabbit down next to him. "You look like some female just rejected your love confession." He tried to joke as he sat on his haunches dipping his head. "If you'd like, you can take half the rabbit, seems like you need a load off your mind." He grinned. Natsu was more kind than any wolf could be, unless ill will got in the way. Sometimes he was dumb, and couldn't tell the good from the bad in the first place. Yet, he was thankful for those he was to meet, and those he already had met. A new wolf, was a potential friend, or a potential rival. So why not, get along sometimes. He knew of the ill fated world, but he blindly left it alone until someone touched on his stubborn temper of his.

i'm the lonelier version of you

Tiresias hadn't seen the other wolf approaching but he had heard him. He turned to face the male, who seemed about the same age as he was. The wolf seemed friendly enough and even though Tiresias wasn't normally very talkative, he could use some company.



The light-colored male called attention to his sullenness and although Tiresias didn't smile, his amusement was clear in the snort he gave. His love life was non-existent, simply because of the lack of females in the area he'd come from. "Yeah, something like that," he replied, his eyes losing a bit of their amused sparkle. "Family ties, obligations, the like." He was surprised that he'd offered that much information to a stranger but the other wolf was so kind that he would have been rude not to.



It was strange, being offered a meal he hadn't worked for. Tiresias didn't know how to accept the gift from a total stranger, but he would do the best he could with what he knew and hope it went over with good graces. "If you're offering, I'd be grateful," he said. Realizing that his reply was rather short and blunt, he continued, adding a bit more to the conversation. He'd seem ill-mannered if he left it at that, and that was the last thing he wanted. "Eat your fill, I'll take the rest." It was only fair, it was the other's kill and he'd be wrong to take it away.



This is more than I usually talk in a day! he thought. He wasn't much of a talker to begin with, and after days of being in complete solitude, he felt like he was chattering away. Your name, Tiresias. Don't stand there looking simple, introduce yourself, a voice in his head reminded, and he was shocked that he had forgotten. Maybe it was the surprise of the encounter he hadn't expected to have.



"Name's Tiresias. Yourself?"

tag: Natsu ? notes: I should have looked more closely! lol Thanks! ? credit for lineart: akreon

thanks stark

A new friend already, in these lands, Natsu hoped he would run into him again. Usually he didn't worry about the future and focused on the now for himself, but sometimes dreaming was the best medicine for him. The world was a troubling place, but if you tried to make the most out of it, you could be happy. That was how Natsu saw it, and expected it to be. Natsu calmed himself down a bit, sometimes a more gentle approach was needed. Though he was more cheerful it was unfair to be overly cheerful when one was being troubled by something. Natsu may have been a complete stranger, but he had made a new friend. Natsu began to dig into the food with no remorse. As he listened to what the male had to say. Family problems, he knew how that felt. He and his brother had separated when they arrived at Alacritis, but he couldn't help but feel worried about his small brother. He raised his head when he finished half the rabbit. He was full, he knew how to survive and only eat when he needed to.

"Aye, my name's Natsu. I feel ya on the family part." He licked his muzzle that was slightly stained with blood. His blue eyes flickering with interest with his new friends problems. "Is it a sibling that's bothering you?" Natsu asked with a flick of his ears. He then laughed a little a bit, "Ahhh sorry sorry, I didn't mean to impose, you don't have to answer." He apologized. Knowing how annoying he could be when he wanted to know something so that he could help another. That was just how Natsu was. He really was a bit thick headed, unless he was angry.

i'm the lonelier version of you

Feeling that it would be impolite for him to watch the other wolf eat, Tiresias glanced at him when he spoke, then averted his gaze. Natsu. Tiresias committed it to memory, hoping not to forget the male's name. He was at ease with the male and was happy for his company, since he didn't have anyone else. Natsu seemed kind and grateful, unlike his bastard of a brother, who owed Tiresias his very life. For a moment, Tiresias wondered what it would be like to have a normal brother, then pushed the thought out of his mind. Best not to think of that now. Natsu almost looked interested with what Tiresias had to say, which wasn't something he was used to.



The other wolf apologized for probing, and Tiresias shook his head in response. "No, it's quite all right. Yes, it's a sibling, my only living brother. We stayed together after the attack, and just recently split up." He sighed. It felt to him that he'd spoken too much, but he had one more thing to say. "He left somewhere in the North. With only three legs, I'm afraid he won't survive the winter. Not my problem." There was a bit more force on the last sentence than he'd intended as he tried to convince himself it was so.



Feeling that his answer would suffice, he fell silent. Talking was not his strong suit, but he didn't think that his acquaintance would mind it.

tag: Natsu ? notes ? credit for lineart: akreon

thanks stark

Natsu watched the other wolf closely, he almost seemed like him, except he didn't hate his brother for leaving. Sometimes, one's choices could not be influenced by the outside world. They had to build up enough strength on their own. "I almost have the same problem, guess I wouldn't call it a problem though." Natsu said with a smile stretched across his face. He lowered his head for a moment, three legs, well his brother was only 29 inches tall. The runt of the family in which Natsu had looked after him since he was born. Yet now he went off to join Tortuga, he wondered if he had been successful and was alright. "My brother has always been small, but he insisted on following me when I left home. He was always getting in trouble with other rogue groups he has this thing where he wants to be worth something to someone even if it means doing whatever they say. When we arrived at Alacritis, he left to Tortuga. While I suggested against it, he went off on his own. I still worry about him, but if I spend my time letting it hang over my mind, he will never learn to become strong himself." Natsu said with a large sigh. He looked up and chuckled a little bit turning to his new friend.

"So even if you think your brother can't handle himself, maybe he'll surprise you, and instead of a mild mannered fight you can see him again on good terms. You'd be surprised what pride can do to a wolf and make them stronger. If you believe I'm sure good things will come to you. You are not an ill mannered man, so I believe that you and your brother will be great friends int he future if you come by each other." Natsu gave slight nods. That was the jist of it, miracles did happen after all. The lost prince would not be surprised if a miracle beheld him someday. He wanted to create his own legend in Valhalla. Be the greatest warrior there ever was. He hoped that his new friend wasn't taking all of this the wrong way.

i'm the lonelier version of you

Tiresias listened silently to Natsu's story, strikingly like his own. Perhaps all brothers were like that, ungrateful and ready to leave at the drop of a hat. He'd never know how his other brother would have reacted, the one born without a pulse, and hoped that the situation would have been different. Tyberius needed Tiresias... Tiresias was sure of it. How could a three-legged skeleton, fresh to the world, know anything about keeping himself alive? It was true that Tyberius was a different wolf now, with his lies and general hatred of the world, but Tiresias still pained for him. He could never forgive himself if word of Tyberius' death ever reached him; he was the physically stronger brother, it was his job to protect, wasn't it? Natsu didn't seem at all sad about his own brother's departure, but maybe his moral compass wasn't overbearing like Tiresias' was.



Natsu attempted to comfort him, and Tiresias was accepting it, for what it was worth. If Natsu knew his cold-hearted brother, maybe he'd have spoken differently. A meeting between the two would not bode well, even with Tiresias as even-tempered as he was. Tyberius was too far gone from what his scarred brother knew, and only problems would arise. There was little to no chance of Tyberius ever changing, in Tiresias' eyes. His crippled brother would become worse, surely. "You are an optimistic wolf, I must say. Tyberius has changed much, lying to entertain himself; however, you could be right. Things may be different with time." His tail wagged gently at the thought of a reunion between himself and the brother he was once so close to. Even if it was only a thought, it gave him a bit of strength.



"Thank you, Natsu. Enough about me, and more about yourself," Tiresias said with a hint of a grin. This wolf was bringing out more of his lively side, and his end of the conversation was becoming easier.

tag: Natsu ? notes ? credit for lineart: akreon

thanks stark

Natsu really was only happy because he saw no reason to be upset, because being upset would make others upset. Sometimes it did him some good to help others, it made him happy when wolves took his advice seriously and had a way with their lives to the point where they could enjoy it. While Natsu had serious problems of his own he often would brush them off and continue on, as if nothing bad had happened. Because he wanted to be a legend, one of those wolves in all those stories his mother had told him. The lost prince had no desire to lead, but he indeed wanted to be worth something to everyone. Since everyone had their own views, so did he, and he took a more happy route. Because he felt that it was the right way to handle things, with the kindness of manners. Natsu gave a small chuckle, well Tiresias could do as he pleased Natsu was not going to judge him. "There's not much interesting about me honestly." He scratched behind his ear when he thought about it.

"I came to Ala in hopes of joining Valhalla, My great aunt lived there so if she had any kids I probably have family there. While I'm still worried about my brother, he's not the....greatest wolf in the world. I grew up with my mother teaching me how to be a kingdom prince since our heritage is part of a kingdom pack that disbanded with my grandmother. She had this weird thought that I'd make the kingdom thrive again but I refused and left with Dragneel." Natsu said with a sigh. Kingdoms and heritage, how his blood was noble. It meant nothing to him here since he was going to Valhalla, but at the time it meant a lot to his mother.

i'm the lonelier version of you

He was liking Natsu more and more by the minute, possibly because no one put this much effort into talking to him on a regular basis. His mother had, but she was required to make conversation with her son, wasn't she? A pang of sadness struck him, his heart aching with her absence. If Claudia had survived, she would have ensured that the brothers would have remained friendly, Tiresias was sure of it.



The wolf before him had been training to be a prince? For a moment, Tiresias thought he'd heard wrong. He was standing before royalty? A prince was capable of being so kind to a stranger? He'd heard of Valhalla, although he wasn't sure of its location. Perhaps it was nearby. He made a mental note to visit the pack sometime, even if he ended up settling with another. Natsu had shown him too much kindness for him to forget completely.



"And you said you weren't interesting," Tiresias said with the hint of a smile, although his new friend didn't seem quite as amused. Instead, he sounded tired, sighing at the end of his sentence. Maybe being a prince isn't such a good thing, he thought, recalling the fact that Natsu had denied the position and left the pack, along with the brother he'd spoken of earlier. Tiresias almost wanted to ask more about Dragneel, the illusive Tortugan, but decided against it. Mentioning the brother would simply remind him of his own and would probably flood him with images of a frozen Tyberius in the snow. It would ruin the perfectly good time he was having here without him.



Tiresias' stomach began to growl, and he realized he'd forgotten his half of the rabbit. He wouldn't say anything. It would make him uncomfortable and he'd feel rude. The dark wolf wagged his tail at Natsu instead, filling the silence with his movements.

tag: Natsu ? notes ? credit for lineart: akreon

thanks stark

Natsu looked at Tiresias, and laughed a little bit. He really was not interesting though, in the back of his mind that was what he said all the time. He wanted to become interesting, with his idol Cairo, he wanted to create a legend children would listen to in the future. He wanted to create a magnificent story of battle and strife, where he would be a hero. Though he didn't mind just living in one either. That was his dream and his goal. Many didn't have anything to live for, but most times Natsu could give them a reason. To move on, and create a story of their own that will blow the minds of others. When the other wolf's stomach growled, he had forgotten about the rabbit as well too caught up in the conversation. While looking at the kill that was no longer fresh, he thought for a moment. Looking at the birds cornered around the other side of the falls. Natsu hopped up and went after the birds quickly, as one of the larger one's lagged behind. He use the muscle power in his back legs to jump as high as he could and grab the bird by the legs. Tugging it back his teeth clamped on the skull and the bird died quickly. Happy with his catch Natsu returned to his new friend and offered the bird. "Sorry about the rabbit, I caught you a bird to make up for it. You can't just go hungry it wouldn't be right." The boy said muffled as he set the bird down. Grabbing the rabbit carcass and throwing it out, some scavenger wolves would eat it, or other animals. Yet, Natsu knew himself, there was nothing better than freshly caught food. "Take it as a gift." Natsu smiled wagging his tail back and forth. Speech,

i'm the lonelier version of you

Tiresias found himself thinking that perhaps his friend had read his mind when the bird was dropped at his feet. Or maybe his stomach had grumbled its displeasure at the missed meal. Either way, he dipped his head in thanks, his teeth tearing at the bird's still warm meat. "Thank you, friend." In his hunger, he finished the meal rather quickly. He ran his teeth over his glistening teeth before continuing. "Unfortunately, I have to keep moving forward. I feel as if a pack will do me well, and I am off to find that perfect fit. Farewell, Natsu, in hopes that we meet again."



ooc. sorry for the short post!

tag: Natsu ? notes ? credit for lineart: akreon

thanks stark