Cedarwood Forest Pieces

For the wonderful @Nineva Pardon if I'm a bit rusty, getting used to the lad.
Feel free to set Nin loose on him, make my boy squirm plz. 

Even now- weeks if not months after he'd lost them- his toes still hurt.

Auntie Raina had explained it to him, said he might experience something called 'phantom limb' but even so Elias couldn't help but think it strange. After all, how could something hurt if it wasn't even there anymore? That wasn't to say he was in agony, if anything it was like itch he couldn't satisfy. That no matter how much he licked and nosed at his feet it still remained, like an unwelcome guest at a party.

Still, he supposed it could be a whole lot worse. He knew that he was lucky he could even walk at all, that an awkward limp was a generous price to pay. Even if-more often than not- it felt like his sacrifice hadn't amounted to much in the end.He'd tried, given it his all, bled and suffered but even then it hadn't been enough, had it? Nothing he ever did was enough. He thought that recruiting @Thuban would help speed up the search, that the more noses they had on the ground the better. But in the chaos of it all he hadn't stopped to think, hadn't realised that-

Elias teetered to a stop and closed his eyes as a sigh passed from his open lips. Wow, that was more than a little dramatic. Totally not Elias' style. He was okay, he was fine and so was Thuban. Or at least that's the impression he got from that guy he'd spoken to, what's his name?  White guy, made Elias smile, liked to talk? Lee something? Lerio? Leorio, that's it!

The point was Elias' hadn't come here on a whim, this was a rescue mission! He'd find Thuban, bring him back home and then maybe together they could continue the good fight, bring back those who'd gotten lost and restore the Selwyn Clan to it's former glory. Yeah! When he put it like that it sounded easy, a task that he was more than qualified to handle....Or so he hoped.

(This post was last modified: Nov 13, 2017, 02:35 AM by Elias.)

Nineva had wanted to leave this place behind sooner, but the trees held her in like bars. She slithered amongst them, torturing herself with their emptiness, letting the ice within her build up slowly. Perhaps that was what wanted, need, was to be frigid titanium before she re-entered the world outside of this graveyard. If so, this self-induced isolation was working. She fed on her own anger, became more like her father than she would ever know.

To break this false peace was an awkward man wandering with an unbalanced gait. Just that small weakness alone was a spark that ignited the volatile gases within her. Worthless, her thoughts hissed. Would she ever meet a wolf that lived up to the potential of their nature? Don't judge so quickly, another piece of her whispered back. Hurtful thoughts of Duckweed and Tomen threatened to surface, and she pushed them down aggressively. She would test him, then.

Lips lifting with a snarl, she glissade from the gloom with hackles raised and crown lowered menacingly. As if stalking prey she confront the man with no words, only threatening body language. All for a reaction.

(This post was last modified: Nov 13, 2017, 06:03 AM by Nineva.)

Elias hadn't been expecting company, nor did he see any reason for the stranger to be so mad. As far as he was aware, he hadn't stepped on anyone's toes-heh- nor had he said or done anything to elicit such an aggressive reaction. Had he known that his gait insulted her...well, he couldn't really help that, now could he? Aside from turning back time there was very little he could do about it, and if it really bothered her, or anyone else for the matter, then they could just walk away!

He didn't want to fight. He might have been built for it, but that's not who he was. Not now and not ever, even after all those things he'd done.

So rather than rising to the bait as most would have, Elias merely frowned in confusion. He tilted his head as he observed the silver lady draw ever closer, hackles raised and her mismatched eyes glaring him down as though he was the devil himself. He desperately wanted to diffuse the mounting tension, hell he was even willing to dance around on his back legs if that would make her happy. But he doubted it'd be so easy. After all, when was anything that easy?

"Um. Hi there!"He greeted as his tail and butt wiggled in earnest. He smiled and his eyes crinkled around the edges. See? He was no threat at all, he was just a giant bear, who didn't want to eat or sit on anyone."I hope I didn't startle you ma'am, there's no need to uh-"

How should he word it? Elias didn't want to offend her further, but then again was it an offence to point out the obvious? He licked his lips and ducked his head reverently. He was a good boy, everyone had always said so, so maybe he could make her see it too?

"My name's Elias. You can call me Elly if you want."He told her, glancing up to meet her cold gaze

(This post was last modified: Nov 13, 2017, 06:33 PM by Elias.)

He backed down, effectively cowed by her display. Perhaps for his credit, the man didn't outright run, however. Instead, a voice that was still cheery despite the tension between them emitted from his jaws, and Nineva's ears flicked back as her eyes narrowed with skepticism. The rest of her posture, however, was released of its aggression. She stood tall, perhaps imposing still given her massive size inherited from her father, but without a hint of intent tucked within all that muscle.

She heard him out, as he made clear his innocence and introduced himself. Her mind attempted to reach back into the past and find a likeness for the man before him, but she stopped herself from this habit. Allowed his presence to make its own, unique impression upon her mind. She took in his size and bulk, wondered who he was before whatever injury had taken away pieces of his paws. Perhaps he'd even been unlucky enough to be born that way, never able to know the full potential of the physical prowess he possessed.

So he hobbled and he was far too nice, but she had to wonder if he could at all make up for those flaws.

"Nineva," she returned.

"Why are you alone, Elly?"

Nineva. That was such a nice name, strong and powerful,yet unmistakably feminine. He was about to compliment it, her, when she continued. To his obvious dismay, her tone and gaze were just as razor sharp as before, if not more so. It seemed as though his attempt to befriend her was unsuccessful, that he hadn't even scratched the surface, let alone melted her frosty exterior.

Out of all the questions she could have asked, Elias hasn't seen that one coming. It took him a moment or so to process it, to tumble the words around in his head before slotting them back together. Why was he alone?

The shock was evident on his face. His brows knitted together as his lips twisted down into a frown. Elias, ever the open book. Being friendly was never a chore for him, but Nineva was certainly making it difficult. The truth sat at on the tip of his tongue, wriggling and waiting for release, but for once he was hesitant and held it back with gritted teeth. What if she didn't approve of his response? Or worse yet, what if she thought he was lying?

Elias struggled with many demons ,some literal and others figurative. But to his credit-in most circumstances- he handled them with dignity and decorum, just as his uncle had taught him. There was no use in kicking up a fuss, demanding that she be nice to him, after all where would that get him? In trouble most likely, Nineva was clearly the sort who didn't tolerate tomfoolery. So instead, Elias smiled again and planted his rump onto the snowy ground.

"It's a bit of a long story ma'a-Nineva. Shoot, sorry."His ears flicked to rest upon his skull as he huffed, frustrated and more than a little embarrassed. He pulled in a deep breath and straightened himself up to meet her gaze once more."I'm looking for a friend-family, really.Considering he wasn't a real Selwyn that wasn't entirely true, but it had never stopped him from calling his clan mates family before and it sure as heck wasn't gonna stop him now.

"He's a Selwyn, like me."He told her, hoping she would recognise the name."His name is Thuban. Brown coat, yellow eyes. It would make my day if you've seen him, I'd be in your debt. Truly."

(This post was last modified: Nov 17, 2017, 11:21 PM by Elias.)

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

For reasons yet to be known to her, he was taking quite his time in answering, looking shook up even by the words. Yet it wasn't as though he'd been triggered; it almost looked to Nineva as though he truly hadn't considered himself as 'alone.' Or perhaps he was simply shocked with her demeanor and the way she had posed the question. A brow raised over one of her still-narrowed eyes, adding a hefty appearance of skepticism to her features as she waited with thin patience for him to clear up the questions that his silence was piling onto her mind.

The explanation was nearly as convoluted as he'd lead her to believe, at least not to her ears. Whatever reasons for this Thuban to be missing were inconsequential to her. There was always some misfortune or excuse that drove wolves away. She had to wonder who was hurting back home from the compounded absences that Elias' search had created.

None of it was familiar, names nor physical description. It reminded her a bit of Pip's troublesome mate, but as far as she knew the man had been chased far off a long time ago and the information would be all but useless to him now. It wasn't like he could get anything out of the mute seawolf left behind, wherever she was now.

"I haven't," she answered simply. "Can't he find his own way home?"

Now she was projecting, but it was all she knew, and Nineva had nothing to lose in badgering the man.

"Oh."Was all Elias could say to her admission.

Where was he? Had his lead led him astray? Was that Leorio guy messing with him? Surely not...He seemed so happy to help, but then again that could have easily been a mask, a pretence to get Elias off his back so he could return his attention to his...lady friends. God he hoped not, what would he do then?

Elias supposed that technically Thuban could find his way back but...If he could then wouldn't he have returned before Elias had left? Maybe she was right, maybe he was barking up the wrong tree. Auntie Raina had told him not to go, insisted that she needed him there that it wasn't worth his time. Had she been right all along? Elias pressed his lips into a thin line. He adored his Aunt with all he had, but heck she was wrong about Thuban, he was worth the time and effort! He might not have lived with them before but every Selwyn mattered. If anything has happened to him...then it's on me.

No one was left behind.

"I suppose he could but..."Even now he struggled to think of an argument, anything to dispute her point."I sent him away, it's my fault he got lost in the first place. I have to find him, to tell him I'm sorry and to bring him back home...You see the thing is he was pretty new around those parts. We're not family family but he wanted to help us anyway and there isn't enough good people in this world, we've got to help out those who are left...You know?He trailed off, hoping to God and all his angles that she'd understand where he was coming from. Or at the very least she wouldn't eat his face for his insolence.

"There aren't any good wolves left in the world," she answered his passionate, lengthy reply. That old anger threatened to bubble up, as part of her wanted to make this naive fool see the true face of the world he lived in. To shove his face in the snow and ice and shout at him that the empty chill he felt was the inside of every wolf's heart. What good would that do, though? The believer could continue hurting himself. At least now, he was alone in doing so instead of dragging others with him.

She supposed though, in some far fetched way, they had the same goal in mind. Only, while he surely thought that everyone just needed a bit of faith and some pats on the head, Nineva was convinced that the only way to make a pack of decency would be to guide stray wolves back into the light of lawfulness with a firm, strict paw.

"I think if your friend wanted to be home with you, then that's where he would be. I'll keep an eye out, though," a mirthless, inside joke, "and tell him you're all the way out here sniffing around for him if we meet."

Elias frowned. That wasn't true, it couldn't be. Perhaps there were more bad than good, but that didn't make them any less real or important. Many of them were a lost cause, evil, twisted and wicked beyond words but...Elias like to think there was something worth saving in at least some of them. The world might have made them just as bitter and angry, like Nineva, but he knew there was still a light inside of her. Probably, hopefully?

Of course there was, she offered to pass on the word. A bad wolf wouldn't do that, they'd just scoff and laugh and....do bad stuff.

Nineva made a fair point...it hurt a little to hear it but it was a valid one all the same. Elias was convinced Thuban had gotten lost but Nineva, like his aunt, wasn't so sure. Thuban just didn't seem like the sort of guy to run away when things got tough, he was good and nice and seemed more than willing to help. He was as real as the snow beneath Elias' paws, nothing fake or bad about him.

Opting to ignore her little poke-he wanted to avoid all traces of confrontation- Elias offered her yet another beaming smile. His eyes weren't the colour of the sun but that didn't stop him from being as bright."I'd really appreciate that, Nineva....Is that a nice way of telling me to go? Because I totally can, if you want."In all honesty he didn't want to leave but....if he was unwelcome then he could take a hint.