temporary new normals

The nights had been lonely. It had been a good while since he'd been near anyone - the last wolf he was with, he'd been grasped for one blissful night and then, set off on his journey the next day. He never thought life would be like this. Lonely one second and then forced into another's arms the next. He'd expected it to be much different. Like, come out and there is danger at every turn, conquer it, be a hero, then return to a place to settle down. He'd never saved anyone though - no one that stayed. He'd only gotten others in trouble, running into the heat of battle, knowing what death smelt and felt like. He knew what the cost of life was now. Alexei still had nightmares about that one faithful day, trapped in a rogue female's grip - his life slipping away from him, and then being saved by a hellhound. It all feels so far, out of touch, but when he's knee-deep in sleep, he can't tell the difference of now and then. The red man's journey continued, no matter, each morning, even if he got a late start. It was good for him, to sleep in, most nights, he just walked through them, not even realizing, stuck in a daydream. Which, was common for him. He slept decent the night before he found civilization in the middle of what he thought was going to be a dead-end, the edge of another world. But, there's something, large maples that litter through the soft, green presence of grass. He hadn't had nightmares, he'd slept until the pitter-patter of rain awoke him. But here, now, the rain as stopped as he stepped forth through the border that connected him to the outside, into the inside of this new venture. The wind brushes his cheek, letting a scent roll over him that seemed foreign. Wolves, civilization, no more endless wandering. At least, if this place wasn't completely ruled in insanity or bound rules. Either way, he was tired. He was really tired of wandering. He needed a new place to settle, to take his time in. He could feel himself growing weary of each day of traveling - it'd gotten old a few months ago. His paws were cracked and dark circles deepened underneath his eyes. He could use a few month's worth of sleep and food. His shoulders slacken, hunched over as he treads the land in between him and his next meal. His ribs shown, ever so slightly. He'd been living off what he could, using his knack for fishing in rivers and lakes, but never close to the ocean that also rolled in his head in the middle of the night. A rustling in the distance made him stand aware, he knew he'd run into someone sooner or later. Salt water stains the air around him, a scent that nearly almost followed him. he probably smells like outsider to whomever might be here with him, so he stands in the alert position he's in, just to let them know he's aware that they're there, and to let them approach him first. “Speak and be heard."

STOCK ➤Kati H. on Dawnthieves ART ➤Amphi

baelfire

baelfire often made his way to the mainlands in search of something to do in his spare time. he longed for duty and purpose, but yet he had nothing. he inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring as a foreign scent caught his attention. oh? he had to wonder, just who this was. he had never smelled them before and so clearly, he should confront them. were they new to the kingdom or perhaps just one of the many citizens he'd never met? he'd just have to find out. it was better than the alternative, which was doing nothing.

so he headed towards the scent, winding and weaving along the paths until he spotted a colorful figure in the distance. his vision was slightly blurry, but he could make out the large figure of another wolf. as he neared, he noted the scent was male and definitely not of this land. a newcomer??

his heart thumped in his chest, moreso with excitement than fear... but also a little fear. he licked his lips and pressed forward, his head low and his ears tilted back to convey that he was wary. he was not hidden and if the man looked this way he would easily spot baelfire. hello he said after he got close enough to the stranger.

@Echo

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There is a pounding in his chest that he can feel throughout his whole body, his ribs feeling tighter than ever. He'd met those that had been nice but also those that hadn't wanted him around. He's careful, attentive to the world around him with his ears perked in the air, eyes swiveling but body stiffened in the current stance. It's better to let the strangers come to him, for more than one reason, if they charge him, he can move out of the way with his thinner; tinier body. The red man was born the runt of his litter, but could still hold his own if he needed to. His siblings were much bigger, built more like his father than his mother; and then there was him, built slim like her. It gave those around him an appeal, as if he was more female than male. Alexei found the movement in the brush and his head tilted to look over a stark white male, but not all of him is put together like Lex. The man is missing an eye, a scar raked over where the lost eye was. Lexi's lips form into a straight line, still standing in his place. He didn't seem too aggressive, but then again, nothing was ever certain, and he, was always careful. The man's voice echoed through the small area they were in, tall trees catching them in a blanketed green land. The stranger offered him a greeting and Alexei dipped his head back towards him, “Hello." He repeats, taking a breath as he allowed himself to turn to the male, looking from side to side, and then squinting as he looked behind the white male. There doesn't seem to be anyone else with him - this wasn't an ambush, but just a fellow wanderer, or native to the land. “Do you mind telling me where I am?" He inquired, clearing his throat of the shake in his voice. New ventures always overwhelmed him, all new wolves to meet, to be deceived by or loved by, but none of it mattered. As far as Alexei knew, everything faded. Everyone faded. Nothing ever stayed the same, but for now, all he can think is of getting a good night's sleep and some food to settle his rumbling stomach. “Speak and be heard."

STOCK ➤Kati H. on Dawnthieves ART ➤Amphi

@Baelfire

baelfire

the stranger wasn’t immediately aggressive, so that was a good sign. baelfire’s eats twitched when he asked him such a simple question... it seemed like such a strange thing to ask. then again, he had never left Rionnach. so to think of anything beyond it was foreign.

”the crownlands of rionnach.” he stated simply— then he decided to add a little more detail. ”specifically castle stuart, if the mainlands.”

baelfire looked the man over, his green eye bright with curiosity.

i’m baelfire, who are you and where are you from? i’ve never left rionnach so i don’t know much beyond the crownlands.” was there anything even worth it out there? he wondered... but not too much. this was his home and he had no plans to leave it, despite the current turmoil his country faced. he was loyal to the crown, like his father before him and his father before him. things would right themselves soon enough, he just had to trust the King knew what he was doing.

@Colburn

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He waited to be heard, stuck in place and held captive by the need for information, to know this new place by name. Nervous anxiety runs through his bones, even if the other man doesn't show any signs of wanting to hurt him - it's a normal feeling he has, the assumption that life is always out to get him, no matter the cause. He wondered when he became this way, afraid of what the world had to offer most of the time. It must have been sometime after Moira, after the great divide between he and his family. Maybe it was after the black smoke dissipated into the sky and finally he could breathe once more. It's unclear of when it happened, but he can pinpoint it to somewhere around there. Weary even of those who he called his pack-mates and neighbors... Before he can get lost in the thoughts of each of their names and faces, the man in front of him anchors him in the vast sea that his mind creates. 'The crownlands of Rionnach.' Crownlands once more. Alexei took a look around, purple eyes taking all the sights in, each tree that separated until a path became clear, to a weird shaped... mountain? It was more defined than any mountain he had ever seen, he stares at it, squinting before he turns back to the other - eyes shifting over his shoulder every few minutes to try to decipher what that was. He feared he'd been quiet for too long, “Rionnach, okay. Thank you." He dipped his head for a moment in appreciation, paws shuffling, a nervous tick he had since childhood. When his head lifts, he looked back to the man, who was starting to introduce himself. Alexei gave a weak smile at the thought of where he was from, afar from it now and unable to return. It's apparent to the red man that the other was a native, he'd never left the crown-lands, never seen what was out there. Though, there isn't much close beyond this place, there's a whole other world.. worlds. Alexei had been through a few, traversing through homelands of many. “My name is Alexei Veteris.. I'm from Agrid.. It's, uhm, far from here." An ocean away. He remembers every step back to the ocean, but nothing beyond there, no matter how much he threw himself at the waves, he'd never be taken back, and he'd never let the sea have him once more. “There is a lot beyond here, but, probably nothing better than what is here." He'd wished someone had told him that when he was younger, even if the man in front of him is older - it's good advice for any wandering soul. A home that is comfortable, is a home they might want to stay in, for the sake of their own heart. Alexei missed his family more than he could imagine, but stuck with his heart, he'd wished for an adventure, and in a way, he'd gotten more than what he bargained for, but what he wished for when he was merely a child. Who knew fate could be so powerful in a cruel and unknowing way. “Speak and be heard."

STOCK ➤Kati H. on Dawnthieves ART ➤Amphi

@Baelfire

baelfire

baelfire nodded at his appreciation, glad that so far the outlander seemed friendly enough— if not a tad confused and lost.

his ears twitched as he was given a name and told that he was from somewhere far away. baelfire wondered how he had gotten her and thought about how hard it might be to travel far, especially alone. then alexei said something that struck him as odd. he seemed to want to warn baelfire off of exploring, in a way, and he couldn’t help but wonder just what was out there and what this place alexei spoke of was like.

in his heart, however, he knew he would never leave his home. what reason did he have to?

baelfire couldn’t imagine any scenario where he’d have to leave. the thought of giving up his home, his friends, everything... was frightening. so as odd as the subtle warning was, he accepted it. there might be many great things out there but what he had here was just as wonderful. his mug flickered to one wolf momentarily before he refocused he gaze upon alexei.

well... since you’re new here i could show you around or something? i don’t know what you’re... interested in, but i can help as much as possible. if you want, of course.

he had no clue of alexeis hopes and dream, his ambitions; they were strangers after all.

@Alexei

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The outside was vast, and lonely. Adventures were something that had been the goal of every aspiring teenager within the commune that he grew up in. It had been a lot of their parents way of getting together and founding it. Adventure was greatly encouraged, and if they came back, that was okay too. Though it was common thought if you came back, you hadn't found yourself a grand enough adventure. Well, his parents would have been proud of him. Though he took his time as a child for granted, even if he'd stayed longer than most his siblings - they also all came back, whether it was forever or to depart again, he was unsure. But it had been around that time that he had left, needing to see what was out there. Out here. Alexei took a deep breath of the air that was tainted by salt, there must have been an ocean near by. But it's also encapsulated by a freshness. A new beginning. The red man looked back to the native who was in front of him, giving a small smile in wake of the wisdom that he had given him. Well, wisdom to him and a warning to the other. Before much longer, Baelfire spoke, making Alexei's ears twitch to the sound of his voice, tuning into him. A warm little fire ignited in the man's chest, so the wolves around here were somewhat nice. That seemed like a good sign. It shows slightly on his face, lips curved up at the ends a little. Though he is still wary of the land around him, of other strangers. But, he could use a guide. He could use someone who knew what they were doing around here. A friend, even. “If you could show me around.. I'm not quite used... to here yet." The towerish mountains behind Baelfire seemed so odd. And he'd never heard of a castle. He would probably need a good bit of help around here, espically if he planned on staying here. Which, he needed somewhere to just take a break. Whether it turned into a place he stayed once more, he didn't know. If it felt right, then he would stay. “How big.. is this place?" Alexei asked, he'd been in big lands before. Ones that went on for miles and took up what he thought could be a whole existence of wolves, but every time he kept going, there was always more. More that couldn't be conquered all the time, the world was too vast. In many ways. He was just wondering how much there was to see, if there was any hot spots that he might find a way to avoid, as he wasn't much of a extrovert. He needed his own peace; cabin away in the woods so he could be a recluse. With friends who would come out with him every once and awhile. “Speak and be heard."

STOCK ➤Kati H. on Dawnthieves ART ➤Amphi

@Baelfire

baelfire

of course, he said. if anyone could show him around it was baelfire, he knew most places in rionnach well thanks to all the patrols his father had taken him on. it's big, not even i have seen it all and i've lived here all my life he admitted. i'm from edinburgh, would you like to start there? he asked, tilting his head. it's not too far from here, maybe a half-days walk north. he said. it was the place he knew best; the place he loved most. showing it to alexei seemed like a good place to start.

is there any place in particular you're looking for? any wolf? he asked as he turned to head north. maybe he was here for a particular reason or maybe he was just leaving his old life behind. baelfire didn't know how anyone could do that, he had never been able to leave despite what had happened to him so long ago. sometimes it seemed like just a horrible dream and other times it seemed like it had happened just yesterday. his stomach curled and he shook the thoughts from his mind, focusing on his new acquaintance was a much easier task than thinking of the past.

@Alexei

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There is a certain relief that washed over Alexei when the man assured that he could show the newbie around. Even though, Baelfire had asked; it might just have been a reflex, but it seemed that he was genuine about his offer. Alexei let his shoulders wane a little from their tightened, and stressed figure. After all, being a new land brought new worries upon him - even if it's freeing in a way to be finding a place to stay - a place to rest without consequence. There's other things that lurk that he knows he does not know of yet. He wondered if Baelfire would tell him a lot about this place, the ups and downs, or rather if they would just make small talk about the world around them. It's odd, to Alexei, that this place is big - big enough that even a man who'd grown up here hadn't seen it all. Agrid had been enough all to see in one day. It wasn't much, there wasn't too much that they could defend - even though defending was merely marking the outside of the territory, they'd never had problems with outsiders. They were pretty far from anything. But then, when he'd had his first adventure across the ocean, the place he'd found, had also been big. The world was way larger than Alexei had ever really expected it to be. There was so much to it, the curves of the mountains to the deepest valleys. Places that weren't even fathomable by the young, unexplored brain of a child. Places that he used to dream about, but had come true. Bael had offered a place, Lex's ears lifted and he gave a nod. Edinburgh. “That'd be great." Maybe that would be the place he stuck around, it would be something that would be close to a man as kind as Baelfire. A half a day's walk seemed like nothing to the travels that he'd been used to, so he nodded. “That doesn't sound too bad." He was getting more comfortable with speaking, as he began to realize that he wouldn't really be forced to - Bael covered the gaps where Alexei was usually quiet. It seemed they would be on their way, Alexei following in pace almost right beside the other; on his good side. Bael's question caught him a little off guard, but not enough to shake him of the talking spell. “No, not really searching for any place or.. anyone." That might have been the case a while ago, but he'd found so much more on his journey. The search of adventure, what he'd really been on the search for. A place where he could start out on his own. There had been many places in between, but none really suited him. He was unsure of this life would suit him either, but surely he'd find out. “I've been traveling for awhile, just trying to find a place to settle, I suppose." Maybe he could make a life here, he could at least try. What more did he have to lose or gain? Wandering aimlessly was tiring him out more than he could articulate. If left to his own devices, he might sleep for a month and then actually come out to the society that had been build here, but first, he'd need a few good night's of sleep. He kept walking, ready to begin whatever this life might have for him. “Speak and be heard."

STOCK ➤Kati H. on Dawnthieves ART ➤Amphi

@Baelfire; exit?

baelfire

well then we should head out, he said, the corners of his lips curving into a smile. he would then motion for alexei to follow him to his favorite place in rionnach: edinburgh.

his home.

it was the one place he knew best and the one place he thought would be easy enough to settle in, at least for a short time. the prairies were endless, but bountiful and it was truly beautiful. he was sure alexei would appreciate it. so, i don't know what you're interested in but there are a few guilds here in the kingdom... i'm going to be joining the army soon enough. or trying to anyway. there is also the college of eòlas and of course the commonwealth... and, well... the thieves guild. but you're no thief, are you? he said, now grinning.

he didn't peg alexei for the sort, but hey... he had been surprised before!

as he walked towards edinburgh, he talked of the guilds and the recent political strife that had been affecting his country. he hoped that these tales would not send alexei running for the hills but wouldn't blame him if they did. he was hopeful that this might be the beginning of a friendship. he really didn't have that many friends outside sorcha and her family so the thought was nice.

exit

@Alexei

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