+- Ruins of Wildwood (https://relic-lore.net)
+-- Forum: Library (https://relic-lore.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=23)
+--- Forum: Game Archives (https://relic-lore.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+---- Forum: Relic Lore VIII (https://relic-lore.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=175)
+---- Thread: Windsong Fjord [BWP] start with misdemeanours (/showthread.php?tid=18107)
[BWP] start with misdemeanours - Vaken - Jul 20, 2018
@Lauraceae
[dohtml]
So much for staying close to the border. Vaken hadn’t meant to drift so far north, but the coyotes had chased him from wild cherry orchard, to secluded springs and now he was here, aimlessly drifting. He knew he would have to get back to Sahalie and Kino, he didn’t like to be too far from Arcus either, but he was a loner.
He would come and go as he pleased, just to make sure the couple was okay and didn’t need immediate help. Maybe he’d try and hunt them something on his way back. Flicking a stone with his front paw, the yearling took a rest. He sat and panted in the cold morning air and let himself truly relax. He was feeling better, less angry and stressed out. He wasn’t exactly happy though.
He had been following the water, refusing to stray too far away. He had not travelled this far north since entering relic lore, and it was bizarre to him. While he wanted to lose himself in his surroundings, the heat was getting to him. He wasn’t going to climb up the mountain hills, to wander off, just to get thirsty and lost.
RE: start with misdemeanours - Lauraceae - Jul 20, 2018
What now?
Laurel had plenty of options now, but had decided to choose nothing over something. It felt cheat-y, but the young boy didn't feel like he was ready for any of it. Join Willow Ridge with Ravenna and Adeltra? Actually find Sahalie and get some answers? He loudly let out a sigh of frustration, charging forward, purposeless.
He had headed north again. It was a trek he'd taken earlier in the year, shortly after he'd found his father dead and rotting in the melting snow. As a pup, he'd often asked the grumpy old man why north, of all places. But his father had hated him, so rarely answered his questions and was quick to scare him away with teeth or a glare. But now, he sort of understood. It didn't matter if it was north, or south, east, west. It was just... not here. Laurel felt the need to run away strongly, but also realized that here would be no better than anywhere else.
Having come down the mountain, Laurel followed the sound of water. His tongue lolled out and when he saw it, he made a mad dash for the water. He drank and drank, happy that the water was just as cool and refreshing as it looked. His scraggly tail wagged behind him and he even dunked his head in for a moment, lifting out and shaking the water everywhere.
But then he opened his eyes and saw Vaken walking along the water, towards him. Was the world out to get him? It always was feeling like a strange and powerful entity, probably hanging out in Florida, was pushing him towards the wolves he sought out to avoid. The boy scowled in disgust at the approaching yearling. "What the fuck."
Re: - Spirit of Wildwood - Jul 20, 2018
You encounter three coyotes marking a nearby tree.
RE: start with misdemeanours - Vaken - Jul 20, 2018
OOC: I ignored the coyotes a lil bit so feel free to have Laurel acknowledge them whenever
[dohtml]
“I could ask you the same question.” Vaken stayed painfully still, lowering his head. There wasn’t a drop of lightheartedness in his voice, but he wasn’t instigating a fight. He was emotionally hollowed out. He did not care, or at least he was pretending not to. Keeping his face straight and unreadable, he looked back towards the water, ignoring the boy completely.
What did he have to say? Certainly not sorry, or hello, or how are you. What could he say? He took a slow sip from the water, glancing at his reflection with an empty glare. It seemed like fate kept bringing them together, for whatever reason. Vaken could almost see the boy when he closed his eyes. His scent was so familiar now.
He drank slowly, purposely prolonging it so that his attention was taken. Refusing to make eye contact, the yearling looked straight ahead at the mountain. He wasn’t uncomfortable, or threatened by Laurel. He was a little unhappy and uncertain on what to do. He didn’t want to fight him again. He had proven his dominance. So what was there left to do? “You’re healing well,” he stated coldly.
RE: start with misdemeanours - Lauraceae - Jul 20, 2018
His teeth ground together as Vaken just waltzed up and got a drink of water. Of course these weren't particularly unusual things — Laurel himself was dripping wet from a good head-dunking, and it was hot, and the water was nice. But who was he?! To just stand there, emotionless, cold, just like his sister had. Anger bubbled in his chest as he thought of his sister and of their meeting, how she had been as cruel and heartless and unfeeling as Vaken was being right then. He wanted to punch the other out of frustration, but Laurel didn't have any arms or hands to make a fist, as he was a wolf. Biting felt a little bit too drastic, so he settled with a good, hard stare.
The next words out of Vaken's mouth didn't really matter. He could have said anything. He could have reminded him about the hot weather, or told him something strange and off of the wall. Lauraceae did not hear it. His mind was spinning as he clenched his jaw, tighter and tighter. He felt like he was going to explode right then, but of course he was facing the whole classic is a wolf and not a bomb situation.
Laurel stormed forward, paws angrily stomping in the dirt as he did. He stood tall, his tail high. It didn't matter that Vaken had beat him before, because he'd fight the other yearling again. And again if he had to. He didn't care if he lost — did he? He thought about it for a moment and then decided it didn't matter. He'd lost plenty of times before, adding another notch on the metaphorical belt didn't matter.
Out of frustration, he nipped Vaken's cheek and shoved him as hard as he could. He had more words to say this time. "What the fuck is your problem?"
RE: [BWP] start with misdemeanours - Vaken - Jul 20, 2018
scuffle 2/3
[dohtml]
The shove was all Vaken needed to get hotheaded. When teeth grazed his neck, the small wolf let out a vicious growl and snapped his teeth, turning his head to bite the wolf right back. He landed his attack on Laurel’s chin, not breaking skin, but pinching. When he pulled back, he had a few strands of the wolf’s hair stuck to his bottom lip. He spat them out, then stepped forward again, shoving his weight back into the other wolf.
He reclaimed his position by the water and let out a gruff hiss. “I have a few of them,” he snarled, finally making eye contact. “This is one of them,” he gestured at the space between them with his snout. He took a few deep breaths, desperate to calm down. He remembered Ferrieran, how upset he had felt about attacking his friend. Was this wolf a friend?
“I don’t know your name. I don’t know anything about you and yet,” he took a deep exhale, stomping his front paw in annoyance. He broke eye contact and returned his attention back to the water. Slowly, he dropped his tail too. He wasn’t going to drop to the floor and expose his stomach, or lick the wolf’s throat in submission, but he didn’t want to fight again. It didn’t help the situation last time. If they fought about it in the future, that was fine to Vaken, but not right now. “What do you want from me?”
RE: [BWP] start with misdemeanours - Lauraceae - Jul 20, 2018
Laurel let out a snarl of protest as Vaken pinched at his cheek. He returned the gesture, his tail still high and fur bristling. When the other yearling charged at him, Laur planted his paws firmly in the ground as he braced for impact. He grunted when they did, and shoved Vaken once again. He then took a step back, angrily snapping at the air.
He had expected to be met with fangs again, but instead the darker boy stopped and actually began to talk. Laurel did not settle, glaring at Vaken. Looking at the space between them, he didn't particularly understand what it meant, but Vaken continued to talk and he was able to clue himself in. Broken eye contact a lowered tail made Laurel realize that.. he'd won? He was quiet for a moment, trying to sort through his feelings. It was a victory, but it didn't particularly feel like one. It wasn't as terrible as losing, but it wasn't great either.
What did he want from a wolf whose name he didn't even know?
Laurel could think to say nothing more than the truth. "I don't know." Another pause as he tried to gather his words. He wasn't used to trying to not only sort out his wants, but also say them out loud. His tongue felt heavy and it was too hot and another version of him wanted to just run away and not bother with any of this. "You just —" he closed his mouth and clenched his jaw so hard that it hurt. "Have you seen yourself?" he suddenly asked. "Because you look like you're doing alright. And I have a-a-a fight the scrawny boy with too many scars sign floating about my head! Let's just shove him in the dirt because we know he clearly needs to be put in his place," he still didn't know where his place was, except maybe at the bottom.
Laurel did not want to be at the bottom, not any more than he wanted to be different.
"I thought," he spat the words, "I could team up with someone who has their shit together because I apparently don't."
RE: [BWP] start with misdemeanours - Vaken - Jul 20, 2018
OOC: Vaken is making reference to Shallow's Edge and @Reyes
[dohtml]
Taking another sip of water, the yearling let Laurel’s words float around in his head. He licked the bottom of his jaw and made an uncertain face, lowering his eyebrows and pouting. “Okay,” he said firmly. “Let’s just say- theoretically- I help you out. What do you want?”
He relaxed his body and eased the muscles in his face. His words came out more aggressive than he meant them, but he didn’t try and correct it. “You want a pack? I’ve met a few. My recommendation? Go east from here, cross the water,” he pointed across the mountain with his nose. “Then go south. Shouldn’t take you more than three days. Find the waterfalls and you find a pack border. Big alpha there, monster of a wolf. Nearly took on a pack of coyotes himself. You’ll be smart to team up with that. ”
He sighed and softened his stare. His words were short, but not forceful. He wasn’t trying to be mean, but he still didn’t know exactly what was being expected of him. “I’ve been surviving off the kindness of strangers. It isn’t easy. I’m not doing great, but I’m not ready to join a pack,” he admitted, shrugging his shoulders. “You want to stick around with me? Sure. We can do that, but I’m not any protection.”
RE: [BWP] start with misdemeanours - Lauraceae - Jul 20, 2018
Did he look stupid? Maybe. "Don't you think that if I wanted to join a pack, then I would have already joined a pack?" he snapped. "I've been up and down Relic Lore, and out of it, and back. I know where the packs are," well, he knew where some of the packs were. Oak Tree Bend to the east, Fallen Tree Cove on the mountain, Willow Ridge southwest of there. They had all been good packs (well, maybe not Oak Tree Bend), but Laurel hadn't felt attached to any of them. Would he ever feel attached to any pack?
"I don't—" he sighed, defeated. "I don't want protection." Laurel was getting awfully good at listing the things that he didn't want. If he could somehow, someway take that skill and make it the opposite, the two yearlings could possibly get along.
Instead, though, they were forced to live in an awkward state of a friend, but also not really. The two had been butting heads for almost a whole month now. It was the most complicated relationship Laurel had ever had, but (perhaps unfortunately?) it was also the onlt constant one he'd had thus far. His relationship with his foster mother had been shattered, he'd failed to make a connection with Alastor, Ravenna and Adeltra had been nice and all, but still he found himself pushing the mere idea of them away. He was clenching his jaw again, watching Vaken and wishing he could say what he wanted to say, but without the whole, sounding weak and pathetic to his... rival? Whatever he was.
Was it really so bad to just want a friend?
"Forget it," he finally said. Maybe Vaken wasn't smart enough to understand the concept of friendship. It might just be a weird, sometimes butting heads but sometimes not thing they'd have going on between them.
Lauraceae looked at the water, feeling more uncertain than he had when he'd started the day off. Great. "You ever find what you were looking for south?"
RE: [BWP] start with misdemeanours - Vaken - Jul 20, 2018
OOC: short post is very short
[dohtml]
Things were starting to get a little easier for Vaken to understand- kind of. The wolf didn’t want a pack, but wanted help. Not protection, but company. Clicking his tongue, the yearling narrowed his eyes in concentration before opening them again. “Hm? South?” He took a quick millisecond to think. “I’ve been staying near the pack border with a family. I like to head back there and check on them, make sure the pup is doing well.”
He took an inhale through his nose and quickly growled. “I think we’re getting company,” he warned. The smell of coyote was getting closer. Grunting in frustration, the small wolf stepped closer to the other wolf and sniffed again. “We should move. I’m not in the mood to fight.”