Drooping Willows mouse. mine.

Sköll Archer

his royal highness

July 9th; Afternoon; Overcast; 57° F/14° C

If @Morganna had been able to get away with such a feat then, surely, Sköll should have been able to also. Having escaped his siblings' companionship, a skill he had recently procured and mastered to an art, the young prince stealthily continued his task of looking for the weird flash of white he thought he had spotted in the grass not far from the den. The large black ears atop his head rotated this way and that, his now silver-tinted eyes scouring plant and dirt alike while his nose noisily sniffed at the ground. Three things were for sure: this thing was small, it smelled weeeeeeeirdddd, and the boy definitely wanted to catch it so that he could show it off in front of Morganna and Asriel's faces.

It had taken some time but Sköll soon realized where this small thing was taking him - over the invisible lines that divided his mother's territory. A furtive glance over each of his shoulders convinced him it was perfectly fine to continue his tracking mission. He lowered himself into the grass, watching and waiting before he saw it. A stark white field mouse just small enough to fit between his paws, but... the thing was... he had never even seen a mouse before, let alone knew what it was called.

As the boy scampered forward, he opened his jowls while the albino rodent panicked and tried to find a suitable hiding place in a nearby willow tree. It darted underneath the sheer, green curtain-like branches and Sköll dove in after it, his teeth clicking as he bumped his nose into one of the gnarled roots. All sorts of growls and whimpers emitted from him as he managed to corner the creature inside a shallow knot hole. Determination had his paws scratching at the tree bark; one swipe, two swipes, and the red-eyed mouse came flying from the willow's side. Had nature been kinder, Sköll's new plaything would have been born with a more typical pelt pattern, but as it was, it fell to the ground and the focused cub skipped forward to pin its tail beneath a fore paw. @Elettra had often told him to not play with his food, but the boy had yet to realize his prey was a toy and a snack all in one.

The poor thing was picked up and tossed in the air. When it tried to scurry away again, the princeling successfully captured it again and tossed it into the air once more, just to see it flail its small arms and whip its tail about in a circular fashion. The albino mouse made toy, although disoriented, attempted again to make a run for it; its durable skeleton thoroughly surviving the cub's game of airborne antics. As it headed back towards the territory markers Sköll had surpassed, the boy followed, making a very long leap that landed him right on top of his target.

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(This post was last modified: Jul 10, 2013, 02:22 AM by Skoll.)

i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

His journey had led him here, further east. Perhaps a bit north, if he was guessing correctly. Chulyin was no tracker. A follower, yes, but he needed a scent, and a strong one at that, to follow anything. He knew his directions, north, south, east, west, and the like, but most of his travelling was based in guesswork. Thankfully, the man knew what lay behind him, which would prevent any mishaps. He had a good brain in his head, but it simply did not excel in the art of tracking. The earth beneath his paws was damp, although the lagoon was far behind him now, and there was a chill in the air. The weather seemed to have gotten a bit cooler since he'd left the water's edge and he found that odd, but merely assumed it was a result of his northern movement.

Elegant willow trees rose above him, each holding a secret. Not that he wouldn't be able to smell anyone hiding within the hanging branches as he passed by. A scent in the distance, though steadily incoming, caught his attention. He could not identify it, but made a note of it. Certainly it would be important. His ears lifted curiously, though his face did not betray this, as he heard the sounds of youth a few trees away. There was a shuffling of grass and the sounds of squeaking. It drove the man forward, if not for the possibility of a child, but for a meal. Of course, he would not be taking a meal from the child, if that's what was happening, but perhaps if the child happened to release it. Chulyin was no cruel man, but any child was likely to have a mother and a pack behind them, and therefore plenty of food. Perhaps he could share it with the youth, finding himself rather frustrated that he'd actually thought of taking a meal from a child, no matter how well fed they might have been.

Though still fatigued, Chulyin held himself proudly as he usually did. His nose was first through the hanging limbs, then his eyes and he caught a glimpse of the pup as he chased after his meal. There was that scent again, chasing after the boy. Turning out of the willow, Chulyin moved around it, padding a bit faster after the boy until he was in view again. He seemed to be in hot pursuit of the rodent, and the knight made a slight arc, intending to catch the rodent before the boy did. He worried that neither of them would end up with a meal if he left the child to his own devices. Lowering his body just slightly, he moved into a lope, and let out a low sort of woof to the child, wondering if the boy would understand Chulyin's intentions. Probably not. This was no game to the elder man, however, but a true hunt. Unfortunately for Chulyin, the child would probably not see it that way. <b style="color:#a51919">

Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention

Sköll Archer

his royal highness

The mouse wriggled from between his paws and the boy effortlessly planted his paw over it back and shoulders to make it stay put. A low barked called for his attention and Sköll's fur rose apprehensively, thinking that Guiness or Kasai or Angier had finally caught up to him. Busted. Initially his ears flattened at the sight of the man, but as he came to realize that the dark figure close by was not his mother or any of the males in the pack, the two triangles made themselves a prominent feature atop his head again. The field mouse squeaked as it started to get frustrated; its red beady eyes still fearfully staring up at him.

Attention diverted, the dark prince let out a loud bark that made his head bob up and his two front paws temporarily lift from the ground. The mouse ventured to get away but the cub hastily snatched up the rodent by its tail, leaving its ears, whiskers, and limbs to flail about as he dropped into a sort of play bow that wordlessly invited the man to join him. His short black tail flailed about in the air above him, and an eager growl let this newcomer audibly know that he was certainly welcome to play. He opened his mouth to say something - the customary greeting of "Hullo!" that @Skana and {Angier} had taught him to use - and the field mouse dropped back down into the grass. Without even thinking he tore his eyes away and started after the ivory-furred creature.

If it had been quick before, it was undoubtedly quicker now and it was headed straight for the stranger. Sköll sprinted after it, even as it began to close in on the space beneath the swarthy man. Only once he had become a mere yard away from the rogue did the Willow Ridge heir stop and raise both of his inky brows. The man looked just like him up close! He had the same black fur that was highlighted with just a tad of silver when the sun had briefly shone over the willows, but his eyes... his eyes were almost like Asriel's. The concept of the mouse had been weird but this fellow was downright strange.

If Sköll had been given the concept of a family - that a proper one had both a "Mama" and a "Papa" among any number of children - he probably would have connected a few dots and called the man his father. But, since he hadn't, he settled on the next best thing when it came to inviting the brute into a conversation. His eyes searched for the white-furred creature but found that it was nowhere to be seen. This bloke was probably hiding it... "Dat mine," he declared, his gray eyes lifting to meet the stranger's. To make sure the brute understood what he had just said, he repeated his proclamation in a louder voice, "DAT MIIIIIIIINE!"

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i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

The dark-coated man watch with dull interest as the boy caught up with his meal and Chulyin immediately stopped his movements. He straightened up, ears forward, meeting the boy's eyes as his presence was noted. Had he been mistaken for a parental figure, perhaps? But the boy seemed smart, and his ears rose again. His brightly colored eyes shot down to the child's paws as the mouse uttered in protest, and his insides gave their own low grumble. With the pup no longer in motion, Chulyin could get a good look at him. He was no expert on children, though he had been around them. He could tell this one was young. This led Chulyin to wonder if he'd unintentionally passed over pack borders, or perhaps this child had parents that had no pack to call home. A sad life.

A bark louder than his own caused Chulyin's ears to flip back, his dark brows coming together in discomfort. He took a tentative step forward, though he feared any angry guardians that might leap from the wispy trees. He meant the child no harm, it was not in his nature. If anything, he would desire to get the child home, wherever home was, before someone who would intend harm came along. He watched the child's display, though his expression remained unchanged: uninterested. The pup wanted to play, but Chulyin hadn't played for some three years, if not more. He noticed a flash of teeth and his eyes widened a bit. The grass rustled quietly and he watched with faint amusement as the mouse made its way towards him.

He very nearly smiled as he quickly lunged forward, dropping a massive paw upon the white mouse. It squeaked once upon impact, and he could feel it wriggling between his toes. Black brows rose once with finality, impressed by his luck, and then his eyes dropped towards the child, now charging at him. Chulyin was stuck to the spot, especially if he wanted to keep this mouse. He figured since the child had done a relatively good job at holding on to it, he might as well get to kill it. Well, if Chulyin didn't unintentionally squash it first. He tried to keep his weight settled upon it, just so. Once again, their eyes met, and Chulyin tipped his head curiously as the boy twice cried out that the mouse was his. <b style="color:#a51919">"Then why is it in my posession?" He asked, head still tipped. The man seemed quite on the verge of showing some signs of happy amusement, but he kept it easily under wraps. <b style="color:#a51919">"Why are you not hunting tiny rodents at home? You could easily be mistaken for this mouse if some hungry rogue were to find you." His voice was fraught with serious tones, and there was a warmth in his eyes. Though he had no ties to this boy, he felt a certain care for most youth, even foolish ones. <b style="color:#a51919">

Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention

Sköll Archer

his royal highness

As soon as Sköll closed his mouth the rogue countered him with a question that started turning the cogs in his head. The cub frowned. Any adult in their right sort of mind would have given the prince of Willow Ridge the mouse regardless of whether or not it was in his paws-ess-shun or not. No one ever dared to deny Elettra's second-born, or any of her children, anything... More questions came but luckily the boy was well-equipped with answers this time, even if the man's last statement kinda threw him for a spin. What did he mean he could have been mistaken for a mouse?

The two pointy eye-teeth poked down from his upper lip as he grimaced while making sense of the words that had been said. "But-I'm-a-woofffff," he orated, the air escaping through his teeth and lips dragging out the word that defined him. His pupils dropped back down to the ground near the stranger's feet and he spotted the pink, whip-like tail that had belonged to his - what had he called it? - maowse? "An'... An' dat mine."

He blinked quietly, his train of thought circling until he realized that he hadn't answered the other questioned that had been asked. "Um..." he started. "Um-um... I live o'er dere." He pointed with his muzzle towards the invisible scent markers at his back. His tail grew still as he lowered into another bow, glad he didn't have to worry about losing his new toy for a second time. He gave a closed-mouth grin as he abruptly remembered why he had approached in the first place. Lifting a paw and daringly reaching out to tap the paw that kept the mouse pinned beneath it, he gave a rare snicker. "Maowse?" he tried to pronounce the new word, his tone curling up in the middle of it. "My maowse."

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i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

A perfect example of Chulyin's inexperience with children. He could not speak in a language that they understood. The boy failed to comprehend the subtleties of adult words. His comparison to a mouse, perhaps even what a mouse was, although that was obvious enough now. But the man had little patience to alter his manner of speaking to make it easier for the boy to understand. It was one thing to ensure the child's safety, but another thing completely to succumb to the child's needs. The exception, of course, being the rodent, but that was only because the child had found it first. His tongue passed over dry jowls as the boy went on, clearly not comprehending the larger man's meaning.

He felt the mouse squirm beneath his paw, desperately trying to escape this hell that the wolves had thrown it into. Tossed about and trod upon. Though Chulyin's mind wasn't on the displeasures of the mouse at all, but rather the boy's fixation upon it. The boy tipped his head back, indicating the line of his home. Chulyin inhaled, catching the strong scent again. So that must've been a packland, for the child smelled the same as the nearly overpowering scent. His golden eyes lingered upon the invisible boundary for a long moment, his stomach clenching with not hunger, but nerves. He hadn't realized that it had been so close, and now he was standing here, with a child that was likely heavily doted upon and adored by whoever ruled over those lands. When it came to children, Chulyin knew that parents and guardians tended to act first and ask questions later. He'd done that once.

Startled by the sudden rap upon his paw, he shifted in such a way that freed the rodent, and it darted off again, back towards the willow. <b style="color:#a51919">"Go and get your maowse, then." Chulyin spoke, amusement threatening to seep into the words again as he mimicked the child's speech. It was a bit odd, being nervous and annoyed and amused all at once. Of course, he feared being attacked by the parents of the child whom he was only trying to ensure the safety of. And the actions of the child managed to both annoy and amuse him all at once. The regal, knightly man had a fatherly side, longing care over children that were his own, though his position in life had never given him the opportunity. Fatherhood, love...It took too much time, it was a distraction. <b style="color:#a51919">

Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention

"Sköll." The single word, the name, which snapped from the dark woman's lips was as equally dark with a certain venom. A tone in which the child, colored in the image of herself, would surely know meant he had seriously and in every manner, fucked up. Her jaws clicked in warning, both to the child and the fellow which lay close to him: to the child that he was surely going to be punished for this further should he not move his butt back where he belonged and to the wolf, to not make any sudden movements upon her acknowledged arrival. Though she was protective, she was weary and out right angry, had the loner been seeking directly to do harm to her son he would have more then likely already tried. "You best move as fast as your legs can carry you to the den." Her demand lay clear as her jaws snapped the air to get her child moving, clearly in trouble for having strayed beyond the limits of their pack's territory, despite how little he had gotten.
Elettra's eyes, a pale grey hue glinting with silver quality, remained focused upon the very large, black and golden eyed stranger before her. Elettra's own approach was slow, moving with long strong limbs from the cover of the willow forestry, the long hanging vines brushing at her back as she made her approach. "All three have such independent, daring spirits..." She mentions on behalf of her children, surely whilst she turned her attention to watch Skoll skitter back to where he belonged if he knew what was good for him. "...Not at all like their father." A small chuff, a comment made more to herself then anything else, but one she could not keep at bay as the thought crossed her mind. Though some had tail-tell signs of their father, none seemed to have gained any personality or body language traits from their missing parent. Lucky enough for Elettra Archer, that they will grow into their name and lack the inability for responsibility, leadership and strength.

Sköll Archer

his royal highness

"Go and get your maowse, then." The stranger had said and, just like that, a simple motion of his paw allowed their stark white victim to go free. Sköll's eyes barely lifted to look up at the man and as soon as he noticed the field mouse attempting to make a run for it, he was off again with a startled and surprised "Oh!" Without any further regard to the tall, dark brute, the prince was off , and he successfully managed to recapture the unfortunate little thing. Once he managed to place a large paw over the creature's shoulder blades and back like he had before he failed to realize just what he had done. As his head swung back to gaze back at the fool who had released his subject, the force and weight of his playful maneuver had killed the mouse.

Unable to come up with the more appropriate response that should have been something like a snappy and articulated "Yeah, you better stay away from my mouse. This is mine. Get your own!", the childish declaration that left his mouth was a resounding "NO!" as though he was actually scolding his companion for letting the creature get away. His lips parted to yell out again but a more familiar voice pierced his ears, curtly vocalizing his name, "Sköll." Like before, his ears lowered and he swung about to look at her as his tail continually wagged. His paw came up as he turned to fully gaze at her infuriated facial expression, but before he could even skedaddle back to her side and well over the boundaries of their home, he remembered that removing his paw meant that his maowse would go free yet again. His focus went sharply to the space where his forepaw had been and was surprised that the rodent as still there. He gave it a quick nod of praise for its obedience then proceeded to snatch it up in his jaws and heed his mother's commands.

Any average child would have recognized the tension of the present circumstances, but for a youth such as the second-born prince of Willow Ridge, the boy was barely fazed... He knew he had accidentally gone over his mother's markers but it had been for a very, very good reason. With a gait suggestive of a happy skip, Sköll found his way to Elettra's side. The tail at his back had never ceased its wagging and as she continued to address the stranger, he sat down and anxiously watched with his plaything dangling from his mouth by its tail. He wanted her to come back so that he could show her what he had caught all by his-self...

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(This post was last modified: Jul 10, 2013, 08:58 PM by Skoll.)

i'm a dreamer, i'm a man

i'm doing whatever i can to make the bad things go away

He watched quietly as the child took off after the mouse again. The poor thing probably would not be much longer for this world. If it didn't die from the physical abuse, it certainly would die from sheer shock and mental torture. Chulyin wondered if he should be impressed with the child's "hunting" ability, but could only figure that, at this point, the mouse was merely staggering, and probably wouldn't be too much trouble to catch. His tail swayed across the grass as he was sat back upon his haunches, perfectly fine with keeping an eye on the boy. He wasn't much trouble and hadn't proven to be too chatty. Chulyin considered hoisting him up and putting him back where he belonged once he'd had his fun with the rodent, and it felt as though that time was well on his way.

Unless, of course, mother showed up first. His ears pinned back, not unlike the boy's, at the voice that rang out by the borders. His head turned, hackles raised, initially in defense as he could have thought the being a threat, then out of caution when it occurred to him that Skoll's mother had shown up, and she was clearly displeased with the boy. The child hardly seemed to sense the tension in the air, though Chulyin certainly felt it. He didn't move from his spot, though he did rise to all fours on the off chance he had to make a swift getaway. He would have liked a chance to explain himself to the woman so that, perhaps, he would not be seen as some pup snatcher. Chulyin quietly sized the woman up, mostly out of curiosity. She seemed a powerful sort, and looked quite similar to him, though her eyes shone silver, rather than gold. The mother of the child, he assumed that she led the pack, whatever it was called, that laid on the other side of heavily scented borders, would likely be strong, if she was to be a leader. He supposed an intellectual could lead a pack, but in time, physical strength would always trump smarts.

He hadn't noticed the scolding he'd gotten from the child, though it would have confused him anyway, and from his standing position, he bowed his head, and let his tail fall slowly to his legs. The woman spoke, though he was slightly distracted by the joyful way the child scampered over the borders, towards his mother. Chulyin wondered if the words were really aimed at him anyway. <b style="color:#a51919">"My apologies. I meant no harm to your child." His voice was kept low, as was his body. <b style="color:#a51919">"I only hoped to ensure that no poor fate befell him and intended to send him back over your borders once he'd had his fun" Thinking about it now, it would have been more wise to encourage the child home sooner, rather than later. But though the situation was tense, Chulyin felt no threat upon his life, which he supposed was better than possibly having to physically move the child past the borders and leaving his scent for them to question. Not to mention the word of a child, who had seemed a bit upset with him. <b style="color:#a51919">

Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention

Though irritation bloomed within the mother when he child did not follow a direct order after being told to go to the den, Elettra's hairs along her back kept at ease and she breathed in deep, offering only a low growl to her son as he directly made way towards her and settled down at her side with his catch. Though he was one of her pack-mates, he was not one of her foot soldiers, her subordinates under her command. He was but a child, her child, more precisely and so the mother would have to take the time to correct him further for his error later. He did already seemed the more chaotic and less likely to directly listen to her commands then the rest, though each seemed to hold an obvious defiance in lure for freedom and excitement.
Her eyes flickered to her son then, painted in coloration which resembled exactly her own - blacks and dark grays, marred in flecks of silvery hues and golden undertone and eyes which burned eerie and pale. Though now, his eyes resembled more like ice with still hint of blue color and she looks to the mouse within his jaws with interest. Had he caught it all his own and if so, how? Likely this man had helped the child in the effort which could only bring Elettra to further thought he was no threat. Then again, the Archer woman was bred of warriors, not scholars. A trick could be in the mist she had no figured and so for the time being remained ready and weary.
Elettra Archer was secretly thankful this male had been here. He kept he boy from wondering too far off, into open land where other rogues could have been a threat to him or more so predators without any hesitation for killing wolf children. Without a Lead male, Semananti leaving them one wolf less within the pack, and plenty of guards at the Main Den site watching for the influx of foxes in the area, much had been taken away from their border patrol units. Her body remained close to her son, straddling the borderline of her home. Her stance was high and proud, as the tail which waved like a banner behind her backside. She takes note of the man's low voice and even lower stance. Had he ill intention this would not be the position he would hold or would have fled in fear at the mother's approach. All this she took into consideration as he spoke. "I haven't the doubt. Had you wished harm, it would have come more swiftly before a parent's arrival. Besides..." She pauses, shifting in her placement to move beyond her territories edge and from her pup's side, who would hopefully remain within the 'safety line'. "I'm sure you've no intention of an entire pack amongst it's allies hunting you down." A small warning on her part, that the pack of Willow Ridge was not to be trifled with, along with the two other packs which ruled the western region of Relic Lore at her side. As allies, they were friends and partners when needed and the Leaders within the ranks held enough attachment and owed her well enough for her efforts to deny her hand in a fight if she needed it. "My name is Elettra Archer, Leader to this pack, Willow Ridge." She offered him then silence, a time for introduction and further reply to their conversation. He could leave now, if he so wished it, for Elettra had no business with a rogue lest the rogue wished to be this no further.