New Beginnings [Sirius]
Dove stepped forward, paws sinking into supple, fresh soil. The mangroves surrounding were old enough that they were meters high, crafting a canopy that filtered the sunlight as it laid into the land with unforgiving heat. The climate was almost tropical, and had he not encountered it before, the heat would have been stifling as his fur absorbed not only the heat but the humidity as well. He padded forward, a silent silhouette among the shadows as he studied the new surroundings that would likely become his home. It'd been a long journey, though, and he still didn't feel as though far was far enough. There was some niggling feeling that had wormed its way into his heart, and he felt the urge, the drive to continue until he'd reached the end. The end of what, he couldn't say; perhaps, the edge of the world would suffice.
He shook himself, his fur stirred by a light wind that swept through the mangroves, and they shook as though it were a cold one rather than the lush warmth that caused him to pant lightly. New land, new rules, he thought to himself. Be that as it may, new land also meant new threats. And as he'd been here for approximately -- he glanced at what was visible of the sky through the canopy -- a few hours, at best, he should likely pay better attention to his surroundings rather than such introspection.
He studied the forest around him. Even with his gargantuan height, the mangroves still towered above him, their roots massive in their growth. There were areas, small as they were, beneath them that could shelter smaller animals than himself. There was simple foliage and herbs among them, if he were seeing correctly. He glanced behind him, to the flatlands he'd entered the massive forest from. He'd spotted a few veritable areas where he might successfully dry herbs, as his mother's healer had taught him, but he'd have to test to be sure the land and climate were truly dry enough for it.
He shifted paws as hunger made itself known with a low but audible rumble in his belly, and it occurred to him that he'd forgone hunting, or doing so rarely, in his drive to put good distance between himself and his birthplace pushed him further and further from his mother's deathbed. Lavender eyes scanned the clearing for a source that might satisfy the current need.
Time/Place: Midday; Lover's Mangrove, near the edge of the forest closest to the water.
Notes: Observing the newly found area, introspection, deciding he's hungry and ready for a hunt.
Sirius
High Councilor
Master Fighter (240)
Master Hunter (275)
Bloodletter
11 Years
Male
51
Seadragoness
It was a brilliant day, that tipped from lovely to overbearing as the heat hammered down upon the world. It almost made him regret his choice to pace through the territories near his pack. He kept a habit of exploring the uninhabited lands that ranged further afield then his own. He kept himself apprised of the scents of predators, loners, and travelling pack wolves that occasionally passed through. He wasn’t a wolf that liked to be caught unawares.
He ducked under the large sweeping canopy of the mangroves, the soil damp and cool beneath his toes. He could not hear the sound of Bast stalking the trees to his right, but he knew the snow leopard was out there. He had trained her well to trail him, silent, and unseen support. Marshal he caught the occasional glimpse of as the Vulture, larger than most companions, wheeled through the sky above.
He crossed the trail a rogue had left in the earth, walking over it, before circling back and giving it another sniff. Fresh, fresher than most scents he passed over here. Likely the wolf had been here recently, and was likely still in the area. Considering how often his children scampered over his borders to explore, he decided to investigate. He approached cautiously, slowing his steps and stalking silently over the roots of the ancient trees, until at last he spotted the black, star-brushed wolf just as the strangers stomach growled, the sound just barely audible to his perked ears as the giant Warlord stepped into view.
He stood there, silent in his contemplation. All the prey had either scampered off to hide away or fled the area completely. He was lowering his snout to begin his hunt when
a whisper of sound caught his ear. Both audits pricked forward to better catch the sound as he brought his head back up and turned to face the wolf who'd found him. The wolf's pelt was as dark as his own, but there were . . . notable differences. Dove took in the wolf's markings and simply blinked when his own lavender eyes spotted tucks peeking from beneath their lips. Dove tilted his head, the spot between his eyes puckering as a frown graced his own dark visage. He'd never seen such wild markings, let alone such large teeth.
The wolf would have been banished as a monster in the kingdom.
He studiously ignored that thought before banishing it with violent abandon. They have no bearing here. And they never would; he would make sure of it.
"Hello," he greeted, eyes meeting the other wolf's briefly before slinking back to the nature surrounding. He jerked them back to the other's gaze, the conditioning of avoiding the gaze of those ranked above him taking hold for but a moment. Never again, he'd promised himself, and he had to remember to hold himself to that. New land, new rules. A land in which no one determined his worth but Dove himself.
He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.
Time/Place: Midday; Lover's Mangrove, near the edge of the forest closest to the water.
Notes: Dove turned to see Sirius after he revealed himself. He is in the middle of a possibly noticeable conflict between old habits amidst attempting to create new ones.
Sirius
High Councilor
Master Fighter (240)
Master Hunter (275)
Bloodletter
11 Years
Male
51
Seadragoness
It would be a shame, however, to mar that star glossed coat. Asla who loved the stars, might be interested in meeting a wolf such as this.
The wolf met his eyes again, and the pulled his gaze away, lasting only a moment, before lifting them again. Sirius was intrigued at the strange nature of this man. Was he intimidated, offended? Or some other array of emotion. "Hello." The Warlord echoed back, stifling his smile a little so not to cause further alarm. "What brings you so close to my neck of the woods?" It was a stretch of the truth, his Armada was more then one land over.
The other man's thoughts unbeknownst to him, Dove shifted his paws, ignoring the yawning hunger in his belly that only seemed to expand once he'd noted it. His tail swayed behind him, brushing the tips of the unpicked grass beneath him. The grin that spread across the man's maw was enough to alarm Dove, although he didn't let it show. Nothing good ever came when his brother's grinned in such a way, their almost daily need to prove him lesser like a monster in its own right. He wondered, briefly, who they'd gotten such a beast from -- his father, who pushed all of his children to prove their worth, or was it something they'd been born with?
Deep in thought as he awaited the wolf's response, he pawed lightly at the soil until the smell of it, freshly churned, flowed into his nose. It smelled fertile, and as he took note of this and how it would aid in the herbs he preferred, the wolf spoke. Dove's twilight visage fell into a frown again. "Are these lands not unclaimed?" he asked, loud enough that the words would reach him. How unfortunate, he thought. "I hadn't scented a marker belying a claim," he said aloud. He kept his voice light, so as to keep any inflection in it that could be mistaken as a challenge; but if there was another way the creatures of this land claimed a territory as their own, this would be pertinent information to have.
Fully mistaking the man's words as an outright claim to the land, Dove gave him a shallow bow of his dome. "I do apologize if I've overstepped. I was unaware this home belonged to another at this time."
He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.
Time/Place: Midday; Lover's Mangrove, near the edge of the forest, closest to the water.
Notes: Dove has mistaken Sirius' words as a claim to Lover's Mangrove.
Sirius
High Councilor
Master Fighter (240)
Master Hunter (275)
Bloodletter
11 Years
Male
51
Seadragoness
He didnt have to hurt the wolf, but the stranger didnt have to know that. He stalked a little closer, and caught the eyes of his leopard companion in the foliage across from his prey. She watched him wearily, ready to have his back, but disappointed in him. Marshal came in closer as well. There was no pity in the dark gaze of his vulture, as he swooped downwards through the branches and landed heavily on the Warlords back. Seer grunted, but otherwise did not acknowledge the dark plumed scavenger.
He stalked just a little closer.
"And what would you do, prey tell me, if I told you this land was mine and I did not suffer an intruder upon it?" He asked, voice a low, rumbling growl. Feline like claws digging into the earth as he eyed the poor, hapless stranger, who acted like prey.
The other seemed to consider something as Dove waited for him to speak. The wind coiled through the trees, the white noise to his thoughts. West, South, or North? he considered as he contemplated where to go next. He opened his mouth, perhaps to question what the closest unclaimed territory was, when he noticed the gleam in the other wolf's eyes as he stalked forward, briefly paying attention to something -- someone? -- off to the side of him.
Dove halted the swaying of his tail as his jaws snapped shut, watching as the man stalked forward. A bird of some sort landed upon his back, like an omen with sickness and death on its coattails, and the wolf spoke. His heart skipped uneasily, but Dove met his icy gaze squarely, convinced now, that the grin previous had been more than a reminder of his older brothers. One and the same, it seems, he decided, concluding that whatever beast plagued his brothers and machinated their plots also hung on the shoulders of the man before him. His brow sank low in consternation, but he stood his ground, refusing to back away as he was confronted with what he firmly believed to be an attitude not dissimilar to his siblings.
Never again, he'd decided, clearly stiff and uncomfortable as the man prowled closer. "I suppose," he began, "that would depend on what you would allow." Bitterness crept onto his tongue. To be in the control of another was the be weak, and though he was quiet and unambitious, Dove was not weak, and he was not timid. To have made a misstep so early in his journey chaffed in a way he couldn't describe.
He could turn to leave, but if the man or whomever or whatever he'd glanced at would give chase, then that would be pointless, he surmised. His eyes fell again to the strange creature that perched upon his back. Not to mention that wings travel faster than paws. If he were actually intent on keeping Dove here rather than chasing him out, Dove supposed there was nothing he could do at this very moment. That didn't, however, keep his body from tensing, imperceptibly. His ears were pricked forward, all thoughts of the new land he'd entered gone as he attempted to decide what would happen here.
His gaze met the man's, frown still in place, nearly defiantly so. Protecting himself was not an uncommon expectation to Dove on this lone journey. Though, what he knew of battle was gleaned from the hefty defeats he'd suffered from his brothers as his father never thought him enough of a proper representative to send him to the front lines of war or to allow him to be trained.
He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.
Time/Place: Midday; Lover's Mangrove, near the edge of the forest closest to the water.
Notes: Dove has noticed that there may be someone or something off to the side, as that is where Sirius glanced. He's noticed Sirius' other companion as he landed on his back. Dove is still under the impression that Lover's Mangrove is a claimed territory and responded with this belief in mind.
Sirius
High Councilor
Master Fighter (240)
Master Hunter (275)
Bloodletter
11 Years
Male
51
Seadragoness
"My terratory touches the borders of the land one more over" he explained, his stance relaxing a touch. Bast came out of hiding then, now that the man was not a threat or a toy. Her expression was definitely disapproving whenever she looked to Sirius, but if the stranger would catch her eye she would offer him a smile and a slight wag of her tail. She was definitely the friendliest of the three. "I'm Sirius, this is Bast and Marshal" he said, nodding his head at each in turn.
It was moments before there was a change, and Dove, utterly convinced that this would somehow end in bloodshed, grew only more tense as he waited. And then, between one breath and the next, one blink and the following, the facade simply . . . vanished. He blinked then, as the man sighed and spoke. "I--" He came up short, tension flowing out of body quickly and suddenly as he watched a feline prowl from the undergrowth and offer him a smile. His frown deepened; not one of consternation this time but one of confusion. He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the man, deciding whether or not to believe his words. It was clear that he liked to play games.
"I am . . . Dove," he returned, hesitation and confusion in his voice. It was clear that he was unsure, and his eyes strayed to Sirius' dark paws as he considered not only their interaction thus far but his next words. "If these lands are not yours, why would you feign a claim that is clearly absent?" he asked finally. He head tilted as he danced apprehensively on midnight paws, the hunger in his gut coming back full force with the tension that previously suppressed it gone. A mind game, perhaps? He understood mind games and the power they could hold. What he did not understand is why a stranger felt the need to wage them.
He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.
Time/Place: Midday; Lover's Mangrove, near the edge of the forest closest to the water.
Notes: Dove is confused.
Sirius
High Councilor
Master Fighter (240)
Master Hunter (275)
Bloodletter
11 Years
Male
51
Seadragoness
"It always pays to know what a stranger might do if they did stumble across your home, which lies not far from here" and he had learned that this Dove was neither a coward, nor a threat. Remembering the rumbling of the mans stomach, he would continue. "Would like some company on a hunt, to make up for giving you a fright?" Even if frightening him had been rather fun. He was trying not to be that wolf anymore. His Zee, his sweet beloved Zee, how she would scold him so. He missed her anger, her teeth, her fury. The couple had been comfortable and compliant for a while. Maybe he should ruffle her feathers, just to see if she could still take him in a fight. If she remembered the training he had given her.
Dove watched and listened, clear discomfort in his stance. His ears swiveled, pinning to his dome for but a moment before perking again. His apprehension was clear at the quick change of subjects, the sudden shift in the temperature of the interaction. The predator, he could deal with as it was familiar in a way that he was loath to admit; he knew what to expect with that particular brand. A friendly face with words not unkind, however . . . was unfamiliar and therefore nearly unwelcome. Were he not curious about what it might be like to be looked upon as an equal rather than scraps, that is.
Still, he took a hesitant step back, uncomfortable with the near immediate reversal of their scene as he attempted to regain some semblance of his own control back. He realized that his reactions may have seemed near obtuse -- forward and unmoving when challenged, yet hesitant and unsure when welcomed. Yet, he knew he'd have to wade through years of mental trauma to deal with that, and that was not a journey for the present. He was aware of the differences within him and what had caused them, yet he was uncertain how exactly he'd go about dealing with it.
So when the man offered a welcome diversion, Dove nodded a fraction, and his stomach agreed in kind. "Perhaps," he said, quietly and almost to himself as he gazed at the ground a bit to the man's side, "a distraction is what is needed." He picked up a paw to shuffle again, but placed it firmly on the ground when he noticed. It was his tell, his mother once told him, that quick shuffle that seemed as though Dove were attempting to resettle the weight on his shoulders. He said nothing and kept himself drawn to his full height, though one could see the anxiety in his gaze if they knew to look for it. With near visible effort, he brought his gaze to rest heavily upon the man. "Sirius, Bast, Marshal -- may we have a fruitful hunt."
He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.
Time/Place: Midday; Lover's Mangrove, near the edge of the forest closest to the water,
Notes: Dove is concerned.
Sirius
High Councilor
Master Fighter (240)
Master Hunter (275)
Bloodletter
11 Years
Male
51
Seadragoness