Whitestone Monadnock Dark horse

Back dated to the 28th. For @Cyril

This was it, Lenae was going to try and be social. She wanted this more than anything, to belong and feel like this was her home. But merely wanting it wasn't enough to make the process any easier.The thought alone-of having all eyes on her- was enough to send a shiver down her spine as a familiar queasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. What if she screwed up? What if, for all of her efforts, her fellow pack mates ended up hating her? What if they thought she was a mooch, just here to take advantage of their kindness?

Awful awful awful.

It wasn't like that, she wasn't like that, but if someone spat such accusations at her she knew she wouldn't be able to deny it, to argue otherwise. In a sense, she felt as though she deserved their-nonexistent- scorn. That all of this was too good to be true and they'd run her off, out these lands any day now.

Her expression was tight, pained, as she followed the goat path to the summit of the monadnock. She had to at least try, right? At least then they'd know she was making an effort, that their kindness was not in vain. She felt so exposed out in the open like this, with nothing between her and the edge of this giant rock. Slowly, as though she was creeping up on some unsuspecting rabbit, she approached the side and peered down the ledge. Wasn't this oh so familiar? A steep drop and a scary weight on her shoulders, a tenseness in her muscles as though she feared someone would shove her off and watch her fall.

Crack, crunch and she'd bleed to death on those rocks. Like that stranger had, atop that hill.

Lenae frowned and backed up slowly till she was several feet away from the edge. She wasn't a bird nor an angel, so there was no use in trying to fly. Her ears pressed flat to her skull as she glanced around the communal space, she appeared to be alone good. No one had witnessed her stupid little...relapse? She wasn't sure what to call it, or even how to refer to her dark thoughts and impulses. All she knew, was that they were bad things, shameful and that she should know better, do better.

At least she was alone, no one could see how stupid she really was, Or at least that was what she assumed,  she hadn't even thought about checking to see if anyone was in the den. Stupid girl.

(This post was last modified: Jul 01, 2017, 06:40 PM by Lenae.)

As much as the little Kael enjoyed exploring the crevices of the monadnock he was also fond of the rare solitude he received when both his parents were out on patrols. The abandoned coyote den was rather spacious in the absence of Piety and Wraith, which meant Cyril was able to sprawl across the dirt floor with all four of his stubby legs suspended above him. He relished the limited silence he was given; embracing every second he had to himself. The den provided comfort and safety from the rocky terrain of the monadnock and was a quiet place he could retreat to when his adventures made him drowsy.

Or it was quiet when intruders did not stray too close to the mouth of the den.

When he first heard the scuffle of paws outside his sanctuary Cyril flopped over to his stomach, his ears pinned forward as his brows narrowed in curiosity. He had not been expecting his parents back so soon… His nostrils flared eagerly as he lifted his nose, trying to match the scent to the names and faces he was familiar with. But this was a new scent—one that he had detected on his parents in the last few days. But he was not acquainted with this wolf. His curiosity only increased as he scrambled forward to close the distance between himself and the entrance of his den.

A small female stood near the den appearing frazzled. He noted the distance between herself and the cliff but did not say anything, as the cliffs were something that he was still getting used to as well.

Truthfully the boy was a little upset with her appearance, for she had disrupted his solitude, but he kept his frustration to himself. He also could have disappeared back into the den, leaving the female to her devices, but his curiosity was far too great. So, instead, he offered her a soft chirp in greeting, his baby blues focused on her tawny frame.

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

Lenae was aware of the Whitestone Prince, but she hadn't met him yet and nor was she really in a rush to do so. She used to love puppies-or at least the idea of them-but now like everything else in this world they were a dangerous, almost scary possibility. Spring had been harrowing, but luckily she had escaped more or less unscathed. She couldn't help but imagine what her life would be like if she hadn't been as fortunate, if her little body hadn't rejected their advances in the way that counted.

All those months alone had been hard enough and that was without being pregnant.

She turned at the cheep and to her surprise there stood the dark prince of the rock. For a long moment she stood there, like a deer in headlights, as he stared her down with a bright and intelligent gaze,  despite his age. What was she supposed to say? Hello? Sorry? Lenae felt a pang of guilt as she belatedly realised that she had probably woken him up, that if it hadn't been for her annoying presence he would still be sound asleep in the depths of the communal den.

Her ears flicked back as a frown tugged at her lips. Standing here like an old stump wasn't getting her anywhere, was it? At the very least she could try and be nice. What harm could it do?

"Hey." She greeted, her voice soft and yet stronger than her usual shaky warbling."Sorry if I woke you. My name is L-" she clamped down on her tongue so hard she feared she'd bite the tip off. That was close. She had to be more careful. It wasn't like it really mattered but this was a pretence she wanted to continue.

It was foolish, she knew that, living a lie was always a bad idea and yet the notion of taking her sister's name, of pretending to be her made her feel stronger, more secure. As long as no one ever found out, surely it would be okay, right? Right?

"Everly, I'm new around here. Still getting used to the place, I guess." She shrugged, wondering how familiar he was with his home.

(This post was last modified: Jul 05, 2017, 05:45 PM by Lenae.)

The stranger appeared startled by his presence and the two unknowingly engaged in a staring contest. She did not seem pleased to see him, but neither was he. Just as easily as he had materialized from the den Cyril could have slipped inside and ended the encounter. However, his curiosity was far greater than his desire to be alone. Who was this wolf and why was she so dishevelled? The rock was all he knew; the cliffs and abundance of sudden drops did not phase him. With each day that passed the little Kael was growing more familiar with Whitestone and, thanks to his parents, he was quickly learning his boundaries.

His ears twitched as she spoke. She had begun to introduce herself when she stopped, abruptly, her lips meeting after the L sound rolled off her tongue. As his brows pinched together she continued, sharing a name with him that did not match the first sound she made. Everly. The boy gave a sloppy shrug in response before sharing his own name. “C’ril.” His head fell to the side as he continued to observe her, his expression growing serious as a frown tugged at his lips. “Why ‘ere?” He asked with youthful innocence, his eyes bright as they widened with curiosity. The smudge was too young to understand personal boundaries so, to him, the question was harmless. 

Why was she here? Now that was an astute question, one she'd never thought of answering. At face value it seemed simple, the sort that took no effort to respond to. But this question was heavy, like a massive weight baring down onto her shoulders. She was here because she needed help. Because she was scared and alone.  Admitting all of that aloud was too much for her to bare, besides it hardly seemed appropriate given her company.

Perhaps she was overthinking it, maybe he just meant here, as in the summit of the monadnock.

"Your Mum and Dad asked me to come live with them, so here I am." As much as she was dumbing it down, it wasn't because she thought he was stupid. It was merely the truth. "Thought I'd so something different today and come up here. I haven't been this high up in a long time. Feels a little weird."

She looked down at her paws, as though she thought the stone would crumble beneath her. But it didn't, it held strong and unwavering, as though nothing could ever tear down this rocky fortress. Not even the wrath of heaven...Not that she really believed in it anymore, these days it just seemed like a pretty story.

"I bet no one knows this place as well as you do. Have you found any good hiding places?"

She hoped he didn't mind her asking, he was clearly a shrewd boy so the last thing she wanted was for him to think she was digging her nose into his business. At the same time, she didn't want to coddle him or treat him like a fool because he was small.  She could remember how angry Askan used to get, how he'd squint scathing looks in the direction of anyone who used a baby voice when speaking to him. He never changed...Lenae couldn't help but wonder what he was like now. Was he still as grumpy? Oh she hoped so.

His lips fell into a soft pout as she spoke, the words tumbling off her tongue to form an answer for him. His parents had asked her to live here, with them—with everyone? How odd. He would have to seek out his parents later them and bombard them with questions, as he was not quite sure how this whole joining process worked. All he knew was that one day she wasn’t here and now she was. It was strange but there was nothing he could do about it. Unless he reeeeeaally did not like her… then he was sure he could persuade mother to kick her off the rock. “Like ‘igh,” he responded with another shrug and a raised brow. High was good. If he wandered close enough to the edge he could see everything. From the tundra directly below them to the mountains, the trees, and the fields surrounding them. And one day he would see it all up close!!!!

Hopefully soon. There was only so many rocks he could look before growing bored of the same scenery.

The stranger’s next question painted a crooked grin across his dark maw; denim eyes glistening with mischief as he gave an excited nod. He knew all the best places to hide—especially when his parents were looking for him and he thought it was funny to evade their calls. But he was not sure if he was willing to share them with the tawny female. “Yayaya,” he answered excitedly as he bounded to his paws, his nose leaning forward in her direction as he peered at her with one wide eye, the other falling into a soft squint.

“Y’good?”

Translation: can I trust you because I don’t, but I might want to. I haven’t decided yet.

Just because his parents liked him didn’t mean he had to. But he was curious as to whether he could trust the timid sparrow. Despite her uncertainty with heights she did not seem completely useless. Perhaps she was a worthy addition to the monadnock after all.

He liked it here? Oh she was glad and honestly, relieved. As a pup she had been told countless stories about naive little wolves who had wanderlust and in leaving home, the place where they belonged, they'd gotten into all sorts of trouble. As an adult she knew it was merely a ploy to stop Lenae and her siblings in check and more importantly to keep them safe. Not only that, but she now understood why her clan mates had kept a close eye on them. The world was dangerous and it was an adults duty to defend and care for the young.

She had hoped he would be enthusiastic, willing to show her all sorts of nooks and crannies, but she hadn't expected this level of excitement! It was infectious, she couldn't help but laugh and bounce along.

And then he paused and Lenae tilted her head in a display of adorable confusion.

Was she good? Now wasn't that a loaded question. Her knee jerk reaction was to say no she wasn't, not anymore. Not after what they had done to her. But she couldn't say that, not to this little boy. So instead she nodded so fast her vision blurred a little around the edges.

"Mmm hmm. I won't tell a soul, swear on my life." And as silly as it would no doubt seem to an outsider, she meant it. Selwyns were wolves of their words, after all.This was important to Cyril, so it was important to her. If he didn't want anyone else to know about this then they wouldn't. It was as simple as that. Nothing more and nothing less.

(This post was last modified: Jul 14, 2017, 09:25 PM by Lenae.)

If he had been a few months older it might have taken more words to convince Cyril that she was indeed trustworthy, but his excitement clouded his judgement, and the promise that rolled off her tongue was enough for him. He was still wary, for the tawny female was still a stranger to him and Whitestone.

His navy pools narrowed as he studied her sincere expression, the corners of his mouth falling into a soft frown. After a pregnant pause he nodded solemnly as he hummed in approval. He would not show her the best hidden spots yet—not until he was actually sure he could trust her. The Kael was beginning to learn that words only went so far. It was actions and gestures that spoke volumes.

His excited grin returned, clumsily collapsing against his dark lips. He padded forward, motioning for the girl to follow him with a flick of his nose. Cyril was not sure what he was going to show her first, but he knew that his paws would decide for him. So far he had a good impression of the sparrow, which meant he was willing to show her a few of his favourite spots. There were some that he would keep to himself, for they were for him to escape to when he was not able to leave the rock. He wasn’t sure he would ever show anyone those spots.

The boy remained quiet as he padded forward, expertly maneuvering over the rocks at a leisurely pace. Occasionally his gaze would sweep behind him to ensure that Everly was still following, and would flash her a crooked grin as they continued forward. 

Lenae hoped that would be enough, that he would trust her. And to her relief it seemed as though it was, that he was willing to show her one of his secret spots. She knew it meant a lot, that in his eyes she was an adult and that she hadn't yet gotten to know him. But this had to  be a good start, right? Surely if it wasn't he would have said no, would have shooed her off or called on his parents to sort her out.

Traversing the rocks with graceful ease, Lenae trailed along obediently. Taking care to stick close to Cyril but at the same time not be up in his personal space. She couldn't help but wonder where he was taking her, what tiny nook did he have in store? Was it scenic? Light or dark? Maybe she was being childish, but she couldn't help but revel in the thrum of excitement that coursed through her veins. Wasn't this something new? No one had ever trusted her like this before, especially not a little pup.

He turned to her with a cheeky grin and Lenny couldn't help but giggle in response.

She felt so naughty, or better yet like they were a couple of adventurers venturing into the unknown. What would they discover, treasure or maybe a big scary monster? Ah...Lenae didn't like that idea. Not that she believed in monsters, if anything she was far more afraid of men. They were the real threat, after all.

"Maybe you could use your hiding places to store special things, things you don't want to share. My brother used to do that, had all sorts of cool stuff, like this big shiny rock...I wonder what happened to it." She trailed off, a frown pulling at her lips.