the seer

ALRIC THE LIGHTEYE 47 | SKINWALKER blindness is yet another sight. the future holds many things for many creatures, but one thing is certain; we are restless. so it was foretold by the goddess asena, and so it shall come to be. [x]

[mironlymir]

a chilly morning | alric & miron

[mironlymir]

Miron nodded in understanding as they stood and watched the distant mermaids, holding his tongue from commenting on what he assumed was a tender subject. He could not begin to fathom what he might say that would not end up as an insult towards the skinwalker. Experienced in pointless loss himself, he felt actions would be more respectful than words.

He also was allied to neither skinwalker or mermaid and felt it was not his place to take sides. Cruel was nature and sometimes nature came in the form of a tempting siren of the river.

The elder creature was quick to meet the skinwalker’s gaze, holding no particular qualms towards the distant mermaids that required of him a constant guard. A soft laugh escaped him and his hand once again gave away a timid nature in the pressing of fingers to his neck, rubbing into the sunkissed skin. 

"I find the latter to be true, my friend. I fear my dreams are becoming as polluted as this forest," He said softly between them, only the quiet ambiance of the forest a threat to his hushed tone. The fauns lips pressed together as agitation woke to greet him, roused by his return to his ever-present worry. "But it seems I am the only restless one of my community. The young do not yet fathom how dire a time we live and I’ve met opposition against any action I suggest we take."

Sucking in a deep breath of the chilly morning air, he closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. Miron’s jaw remained set, however, as he opened them once more to the skinwalker.

"What worries your pack, Alric? I don’t suppose the same that trouble mine?"

[alric-lighteye]

Alric glanced over to his company as he laughed, silently watching the faun rub his neck in a rather sheepish manner. Temporarily forgetting the mermaids lying several yards away, Alric focused on what the elder faun was saying. Polluted dreams - now that was certainly something Alric could relate to. He studied the faun's features, wondering what he had dreamed. What he had seen.

"The dreams and forests are not all that is being polluted," Alric said quietly, noticing the agitated shift that the faun had taken. "Truly? None have noticed?" It seemed strange to Alric, how blind some of the other godly creatures were. Despite their roots in the gods, they never could see what was laid out plainly before them. "Much as our young," Alric mused, thinking of the foundlings that did little more than try to learn their skills and play with each other. "Even some of the older pack members are like that." Alric couldn't stand the ignorance. He was grateful for Amira, for her belief. If the pack had an ignorant Alpha as well - Alric did not wish to think on it.

"The humans, what else?" Alric mused with a shake of his head. He absently crossed his arms, dropping his gaze and focusing on the tufts of fur peeking over his shoulders from his warm pelt. "They're growing bold, and the pack isn't taking kindly to it." Nor would they ever. The wolves never seemed to hold much regard for the humans with their stubby nails and their scripture. They were just as the Siklas were - forever stuck with a useless body. At least, that was how many of the pack members saw it. While Alric would always choose the wolves, he tried to be a bit more objective - after all, the Siklas were still a part of the pack, even in their misfortune. "And you? What troubles you awake late at night, Miron?"

[akintheboarman]

Through the Forest || Alric & Akin

Akin knelt by the small stream of water trickling through the woods. Cupping his hands into it, he splashed the cool water across his face a few times before taking a drink. The snows had melted and the the trees were beginning to turn green again, a sign that Spring had finally arrived.

For Akin, Spring didn’t mean much at all besides better hunting. The fauns lived for the Spring and he knew that the Black Forest and village would soon be erupting in the yearly festivals to mark the coming season. There was a time when Akin would’ve been more excited, when he would’ve stolen a linen shirt from the clothing line of a villager and wore it to cover his tattoos, blend in, and participate in all of the displays.

But this year, Akin planned to trek to the mountains with his clan. He had no real plan, no real reason why he wanted to skip the festivities. He would be missing out on a spectacular feast, fresh-brewed ale, and tits - so many beautiful tits of females whose inhibitions had been loosened by the arrival of the new season. Despite all of the promises the coming season held, Akin still wanted no part of it.

He appreciated the small amount of time he had away from his clan. He felt a great deal of loyalty to both of his clansmen, but neither of them were Rhor. And despite being surrounded by his clan, Akin never felt more alone than when he led the two other boarmen through the countryside of Braemar.

While contemplating his thoughts, Akin remained crouched, his hand absently ducking in and out of the water as he stared ahead. But when he heard the crunch of the leaves behind him, he quickly whirled around, wielding his hatchet. 

"Don’t you know not to sneak up on others?" Akin asked pointedly at the intruder, frown on his lips as he put his hatchet back into his belt loop.

[alric-lighteye]

Alric's day comprised of nuisances upon nuisances. Foundlings that insisted on being far too rambunctious for their own good, spats between wolves over this and that. It was typical life within the pack, but Alric grew weary of it today. So, he had slunk away from the pack once he'd deemed that they would not be at each others' throats. Alric had shifted into his wolf form as soon as he'd gone, breathing a sigh of relief as the subtle sounds of nature surrounded him and put him at ease.

The wolf trotted through the brush with no particular destination in mind. For he did not fear the creatures in the forest, nor was he hunting, so there was no true reason for him to be silent. His ears were perked as he moved through the brush, though. They served as a way to make up for his blind spot. Though Alric had no intention of being attacked, nor any reason to fear an attack, it was always best to be somewhat wary of the forest - especially when it was so quiet.

His wanderings led him to a small brook, but the wolf gave the water a rather large berth, not wanting to step foot in it even though it wasn't extremely deep. It would've gone up just above his paws, but Alric didn't trust it. Besides, he could hear something up ahead, and while he'd intended on coming out here to be alone, as he often did, he was intrigued. It smelled of the boarmen that roamed the mountains, and he couldn't help but wonder what one would be doing so far into the forest.

The wolf held no fear as he moved closer to the form that was bent by the water, though his tail lifted and his head lowered as he inspected the situation with caution. He couldn't identify this one or tell which clan he paid homage to. So caught up in his own thoughts, Alric took a step without looking - causing the leaves beneath his paws to rustle just enough to catch the creature's attention. He stepped out from the shadows at the boarman's affront, his lone eye regarding the man. Alric simply stared at him a long moment, and once he'd deemed that he was in no danger he shifted and became his human self once more.

"Not particularly," he answered airily, offering a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. He looked at the hatchet calmly, his dark eye flickering back up to the boarman's face. "Though I wouldn't call what I was doing sneaking." Alric wondered if he had met this boarman before - if he had, the name was escaping him. "What clan are you from?" he asked, figuring that would be the best way to deduce what he desired to know.

[meropaironside-deactivated20140]

Loose Ends || Alric & Meropa

[meropaironside-deactivated20140]

The thrill of the chase and being chased burned and enlivened her senses. Her heart thumped erratically against her chest as her quick, but long strides propelled her forward at a near neck breaking speed.  The cool winter air bit bitterly against her vision, her eyes watering slightly in retaliation. Like a moth to a flame, she pursued the light, forcing the muscles of her hind legs to push harder. She didn’t need to look behind her to know Alric was gaining on her heels. After all, her true intent was to not drive him away as much as she still wanted retribution for her missed snack. With Asena’s will nearly engulfing both their forms in darkness, she knew there would be an opulence of game to be had and blood to be shed.

Anticipating the sudden impact, she shifted in her stance slightly, preventing the force from the crash to knock her off her feet. She growled, deep and menacing, the sound palpable as the light hum of the crickets began to greet their ears with their night song. Pressing her paws firmly into the ground, her nails dug into the earth, the leaves crunching helplessly beneath her might. She responded in kind of his gesture, her teeth bearing slightly as she made a snap for his chest. The bite wasn’t meant to inflict damage, but to serve as an impish warning. She knew he didn’t need to tame down who she was with him, it was not in her nature to be meek and she wordlessly respected that Alric could handle her ferocity.

Had she the ability to roll her eyes in this moment, she would have, but instead chose to stay close for just a moment, the frenzy and heat from their run radiating off the other in droves as the waves of satisfaction washed over the she-wolf. He seemed to have this unspoken calming effect around her, even whilst she was truly one with her animal. It was a much-needed respite from the never-ending vigilance of the bloodlust that always lied dormant within her, but never quite receded. She closed her eyes for just a moment, igniting her other senses into action as the wind bristled softly against her fur. She could hear the steady beat of Alric’s heart, strong and incessant in its drumming. She would yearn for this sound during her sleepless nights, like a lullaby lulling the beast back into slumber.

Snapped out of her reverie, she turned towards her mate as he began to move towards a clearing they had often visited together. While it might have been more of a challenge to seek prey elsewhere, this particular location was mostly isolated, far enough to not be disturbed by the boarmen and yards away from any water where mermaids might dwell. She preferred not to be bothered by any other creatures tonight considering the moments alone with Alric had become scare as of light. Asena have mercy on any being dim-witted enough to fumble in to their path on this eve, she had neither the time nor the patience to be civil on an empty stomach or really under any condition.

As expected, the clearing was buzzing with creatures of the night, prey and predator intermingling in the dance of survival Meropa knew and had memorized, the scars of her triumphs and failures marked upon her figure like ink to a page, each telling a tale of their own. There was a seeming spark in the night with the thought of conquest on the forefront of their minds. It electrified their surroundings, spurring on the predator within. While she normally had no qualms about seeking larger prey on her own, finding anything smaller than herself worthless save for a quick bite, she knew the haul would be much more delectable with Alric at her side. 

[alric-lighteye]

As they ventured to the clearing, Alric didn't have to turn his head and try to see which side Meropa was on, for he already knew. She took up his left naturally, almost as though it were a protective habit. She had done it as long as Alric could remember. When the she-wolf was around, his blind spot never went unguarded for very long. It was an unspoken thing between them, as were many things. Alric did not question why she did it, because he felt no need to draw attention. It was just natural, the way they stood together, and her half completed his.

His ears flickered to attention as they came upon the clearing. Already he could make out the sounds of wildlife. Young doe bringing their offspring to graze, fox chasing mice through the fields. Alric even caught the scent of a few pheasants that had bedded down for the eve. But that was not what interested him. His body tensed and his head turned toward the east, further into the forest. Alric's eye stung and he growled lowly, the sight of the large buck coming to him as a sudden rush. Just as quickly as it had come the feeling vanished, leaving no traces as the night settled over them once more. The animals in the clearing hadn't noticed the company, and Alric turned his head to Meropa and then turned towards the east.

The buck was alone when they happened upon it, making it a perfect target. It was large, and its antlers proved that it would be a formidable opponent - but Alric had never seen a wolf fight as fiercely as his mate. He slid around to the buck's flank, another one of the unspoken things. She typically went for the throat - after all, Alric knew her bloodlust would be quelled once she'd done the killing. Once the blood poured into her mouth and the living thing struggled beneath her jaws, fighting to draw its last breaths until it stilled and she had proven herself a worthy opponent. The law of nature was a cruel one, but tonight Alric knew it was the buck's turn to meet his end. Asena had shown him.

Though Alric wanted to tip his head back and sing the hunting song, he refrained. The buck was powerful, every bit of his body was thick with muscle. Alric would not risk getting injured, for he was no longer a pup. He knew better. Instead, he turned his attention to his mate, able to spot her from his position among the bushes. Alric could feel her hunger; for it was the same gnawing that had grown in his belly, the type that would only be stayed with death. The forest seemed to fall silent suddenly as the two hunters readied themselves, causing the stag to lift his great head. He looked about him, his ears flickering to the left and right. Alric's body was wired tightly, his head low into a crouch as he waited - and as soon as the buck lowered its head, he sprang.

The large animal gave a jump of fright and tried to turn as Alric latched his jaws onto the animal's hide, bleating as teeth tore through flesh and blood reddened the buck's tawny hide. Alric's claws tore at its sides as he held on, and with the buck's head turned it gave Meropa ample opportunity to tear the muscles in his throat.

[mironlymir]

a chilly morning | alric & miron

[mironlymir]

"Alric," Miron spoke with a touch of warm familiarity. He’d met and outlived many generations of skinwalkers in the near eight centuries he’d been alive and had forgotten just as many faces. If he didn’t hold the fauns to such a higher esteem than the other goldy creatures, or even had friends among those other groups, then he might have certainly felt some sort of shame. 

Time was a crafty, unfair beast and while it didn’t take from him physically, it often sampled from his memory.

But Alric? That was not a face one forgot so easily.

The faun nodded in understanding after the skinwalker reassured him of his goodwill, but continued to remain standing. 

He was not blind to the lingering traces of blood on the other creature nor the pungent, coppery scent that hung off the man. Yet, as offended as he wanted to be given the kinship he shared with the hunted doe, he respected the laws of nature and it’s cycle.

And so he remained silent. 

Instead, he met Alric’s smile after a moment of hesitation, somewhat embarrassed to have reacted so sternly to the other’s arrival. The older creature laughed softly as raked back his red hair and scratched behind one of his antlers.

"I suppose no part of the river is calm enough for you kind," He suggested with just the smallest hint of jest in his tone. From where they stood he could see a pair of mermaids sunning themselves on the other side of the lake but was certain that no others were near enough to pose a threat.

[alric-lighteye]

Alric held a sort of respect for the faun. After all, he had lived for countless years. There was much to be learned from a creature of that age. Alric brought his hand to his mouth and wiped a bit of residual blood from the corner of his lip, knowing that the faun may not necessarily appreciate the hunt. But he was a faun, and Alric a wolf - the unsaid discrepancy was one more than an age old, Alric knew. 

"Never for very long," Alric agreed, following the faun's gaze to study the mermaids. Alric still mistrusted them, and would only speak to Adelaide if it was a necessity to have a conversation with the women of the river. "I can scarcely remember how many foundlings we've lost to their games." Alric was never sure which creature was to blame in those instances. Was it the pup's fault for being so ignorant, or the mermaid for doing a natural thing? Alric was almost inclined to think that the foundlings were in the wrong, but the loyalty he held to his pack would never allow him to soundly settle the issue.

"You rise very early," Alric observed, his eyes still focused on the mermaids. Finally he forced his gaze away, turning his attention back to Miron. "Or are you as restless as the members of my pack?" Alric met the faun's gaze, his lone eye trying to discern if that was indeed the matter at hand. None of the godly creatures seemed to be able to stay at peace for very long any more. Alric couldn't help but wonder how much longer a peace could last. The humans were growing bolder, and Alric already knew that there were some who wanted to see them disposed of.

For the most part, Alric wanted the faun's take on the matter. Miron had lived long enough that certainly he would have some wisdom on it. Alric could feel the wolves growing restless with each passing day - and it was only a matter of time before some catalyst threw them into hasty action. Alric glanced back towards the river, having to turn his head to do so. The mermaids were still there, they hadn't moved - and the water remained placid. 

[meropaironside-deactivated20140]

Loose Ends || Open

[meropaironside-deactivated20140]

She hesitated, stopping halfway through her enraged stride when the gray wolf had made his presence known. There he was, the source of her misfortune and her frustration, furry and entertained by his own triumph. She stared down at him as he wagged his tail in mockery, her arms instinctively crossing over her chest firmly. Her gaze remained rigid, glaring holes into his form as he shifted into, his height now dwarfing her own. She should have noticed Alric, sensed that he was following her, but she was far too consumed by her thoughts, the need for the hunt making all other thoughts secondary by juxtaposition. 

She silently cursed herself for her complacency, all too aware of what the consequences could have been had she been faced with an enemy instead of friend. Though, in this moment, the two terms felt synonymous as she fleetingly entertained the idea in her head of how satisfying it would be to snap Alric’s neck in two. How many times she wanted to literally rip that smirk off his face, then perhaps he would not be so inclined to be amused as he is right now. This was a game she knew well and one that she had become accustomed too, even if it usually ended with her fury having to find another means of an outlet. It was within Alric’s nature to poke the bear, so to speak, and given that he was the only living survivor who has ever done so and was allowed his head, spoke volumes to the depths of Meropa’s devotion.

Her bloodlust was still looming inside her, the recent loss radiated deep into the pit of her stomach as she glared holes in to the skinwalker before her. “Yes, that is a shame.” She replied coolly, not willing to allow Alric the pleasure of his small victory. She slowly started to circle around him, predatory, arms rigidly crossed, but her eyes remained steady on the features of his face. “I suppose I’ll have to find a replacement.” She continued, until she was directly behind him. “Too bad you can’t keep up, I might have been in the mood to share.” She smiled ever so slightly, glad that he was unable to see her own amusement. Without warning, she shoved Alric none too gently before shifting swiftly and taking off into the opposite direction. If he wanted to play games, he was going to have to catch her first. 

The sun’s rays were bleeding into the darkening sky as the midnight hues threatened to engulf the pair in darkness. It meant Asena would be watching over them, her light guiding their paths to where the prey lied dormant, in wait of their inevitable demise. The colors whirled together in their battle for dominance, the day waning in its hold as the clouds ebbed its retreat along, pushing the sun into obscurity. The snow reflected this shift as the effervescent orange hues of day melted into the deep blue ones. The wolf inside her rejoiced in the transition as her pace sped up rapidly, trying to outrun the blackness that was soon to consume the forest. 

[alric-lighteye]

Her anger was tangible, and it caused a wry sort of smile to tug at Alric's lips. He had been warned by others ages ago that his mate had been born with a snarl upon her lips, but Alric had never paid much attention to it. The fire in her soul was often visible in her eyes, and he enjoyed watching the flames brighten each time her temper was roused. While Alric did cheat somewhat, as he knew that she would never take her teeth to his throat - perhaps his belly, or his paw - they both knew he would never stop testing her. Alric enjoyed this game of wolf and doe far too much for that. She brought out the yearling in him; she made him remember what it was like to feel as young as he had when he'd first started courting her. Or trying to, be as it may.

Alric was completely relaxed as she circled around him, the predatory gleam in her eyes scarcely disconcerting. Alric glanced back over his shoulder, able to see the edge of her body but little else. Though eyesight did not matter for the moment - he could smell her quite clearly. Her scent was always so distinct to him, that sometimes even when she shifted he could see it as clear as something directly in front of him. "Can't keep up?" Alric echoed, turning his head this time and giving her an incredulous look. That was his weak spot, after all - his pride. He knew what he excelled in, and running most certainly was one of those things. After all, he had never been big or brawny enough to be the strongest. "My dear, you have made a grave error."

He smiled as she shoved him and then took off, but he had been expecting it. Alric turned on his heel and ran after her, jumping over a small brook and shifting at that exact moment, the wolf leaping forward and bounding after its mate. She raced with the dying light and he with the shadows, and Alric knew that eventually the daylight would be forced to succumb to Asena's will. For she would bring the night and the moon, and together Alric would enjoy her goodwill with the she-wolf that was just a few strides ahead. Alric pushed his muscles to move faster as the dark shadows began to creep closer to his mate. Not wanting to be outdone, Alric put a force of his energy into a leap, colliding with Meropa as the darkness overtook the light.

Alric nudged his muzzle to hers and nipped at her furred ear in an affectionately playful gesture, knowing she was more than like to respond with something a bit more fierce. He paused and straightened his tail, wagging it slowly and tilting his head to give her a look that clearly said he'd caught her. The wolf within rejoiced a moment in the nearness to its mate, the warm body so close at hand. Though they were never this affectionate around the other members of the pack, Alric liked these moments with her. Quiet moments they were allowed alone. Moments he didn't have to watch the pack closely, or tell his stories to the young foundlings.

Alric's ears perked and he turned his head, looking to the spot where the moon would be rising soon enough. It wouldn't be full tonight, but the light would guide them nonetheless. Besides, his eye and ears would guide him to the prey. Superior senses were one of the perks that came with his pelt, and there was no better way to hunt than in the dark of night with Meropa by his side. His fur brushed against hers and soon enough he'd started to trot off towards a familiar clearing that all sorts of creatures tended to visit to graze during the night.

[alric-lighteye]

Daybreak || Open

[navieoftheforest-deactivated201]

     ”My mother would not agree with you,” she said sadly, watching as he took the bow. Her eyes flickered between the wolf’s face and back to her poorly crafted tool, the shame settling in to roost in her chest. She knew that it wasn’t good, but it was really the best that she could manage with what she was given. She was no good when it came to close kills, and thinking that she’d have to take something down, one day, with teeth and claws, petrified her. Such an unsettling future lay ahead for her, she clung to her bow more desperately, coupled with her sense of adventure. If she could go off and explore on her own, then maybe she wouldn’t have to resort to such savage methods of survival. The way a wolf hunted was exotically beautiful, but so far distanced from her skills that it was completely foreign, despite being a foundling. The chasm of difference between her and the rest of her kin seemed to grow day by day, and she’d found nothing, at least not yet, that could remedy such a feeling. “I have to hide my bow in the trunk of a tree before I return to her. I’m sure if she saw it, she’d burn it.”

     Her spirits a bit sunken, she could only muster enough attention to nod at him when he finally spoke, not even having noticed the silence that had lingered. Blinking slowly, she recalled what he’d said, something about his father and forced a small smile, if only to suggest that she was paying attention and not lost in her own thoughts, “Did your father make the blade himself? Or, was it given to him as well?” Her voice was softer now, almost discouraged, as she could only think of her mother’s anger when she would find the bow. She was already so disappointed in Navie, it was apparent since she made no efforts to hide it. But her mother had troubles of her own. Nearly blind, the she-wolf had difficulty hunting, and depended greatly on the rabbits that Navie managed to wrangle, as well as whatever the other wolves brought back from their hunts to share amongst the camp. She didn’t venture out anymore and would scold Navie when she could smell the sunlight on her skin. Her mother was a shell of a wolf, and she knew full well that she could not learn from this woman. It was impossible. 

     Catching his tone, Navie shrugged her shoulders slowly, gripping the bow tightly in her lap. Fingers wrapping around it’s wooden body, she chose her words carefully, “They say…. They say that you can see the future. But, that isn’t possible, is it?” She knew full well that there was some sort of magic that intertwined all living things in their world. Or else, how would it have been possible for her to turn into a wolf once she received her pelt. It was a magic, from which she was born, and magic that would take her in death. She was skeptical about Asena and whether she even truly existed, but the idea of her carried on the wind and slept in the roots of the trees. She lived within them through the stories that they were told, and in their howls. On some level, she believed, but thinking that Alric could see the future was almost unbelievable. 

[alric-lighteye]

"Many would not agree," Alric said simply. He held no special place in his heart for humans, but their tools were a necessity for the foundlings to learn how to be strong. Hunting was crucial for survival, and if they grew without a stomach for it, it could ruin them. "If you truly wish to better your hunting skills, you should become more involved with the pack." He had noticed the young foundling always hanging back. Initially, Alric had thought it was merely because she feared him or had no interest in stories, but now after hearing her speak he realized that something was far more problematic. "You will belong here some day," he added, "once you receive your pelt."

Though he noticed the shift in Navie, Alric made no mention of it for the time. Instead he looked down at the dagger, pulling it out of its sheath and turning the blade carefully. It was made out of bone, not steel - but it was sharp, and as long as it was kept that way, it would not break. "It was passed down. I was told it was from one of the first skinwalkers." Though whether or not there was truth to that Alric was still unsure. Magic and wonder surrounded their lives, and yet Alric could still not help but be skeptic on occasion. His Papa was known for elaborate stories, after all. Alric's lips twitched into a hint of a smile as he recalled it, but he soon sheathed the dagger and the neutral expression returned back to his face.

"Is it impossible?" Alric prompted. He said no more and instead allowed the question to linger, watching the foundling's face. His intentions were to help her try and broaden her own knowledge of the world, as he often did with the other foundlings. Passing on traditions and knowledge was important to Alric, almost as important as hunting and learning what it truly meant to be a skinwalker. Alric brought his fingers up, absently touching the scarred eye. It was aching dully, a sign that surely meant some news would be coming. He paused as he stared at her a long moment, his eye settling on the bow. "Hide it in the crevice near the ground. Not in the tree," Alric advised, then got to his feet and started to walk back towards the camp, the pain beginning to subside. He paused, looking back at her over his shoulder. "You will thank me."

[mendelsohnben]

[mironlymir]

a chilly morning | open

A gasp left the faun’s lips as the spring chilled water hit his face and shocked whatever lethargic haziness lingered from his uneasy sleep.  Raising a shaky hand to his sun-kissed face, Miron brushed away any clinging droplets from his eyes and smoothed back strands of wet hair that pressed to his forehead. Although wakefulness was beginning to take him, the nightmares that had catapulted from his home in the grove to the edge of the Caer continued to plague his thoughts.

Leaning over the edge of the water from the sediment rock bed on which he knelt, the faun looked at his rippling reflection, distorting and twisting with each wave that crashed against the rock bed’s side.

 He tried to focus on the unmarred skin of his face but instead saw flashes of metal that tore into himself and his brethren in his haunting nightmare. Instead of the ginger locks of his hair, he instead saw and smelled the pungent, red fire he’d imagined jumping between the trees and taking the grove with it. And in the flickering whites of the eyes that stared back at him from the water, he saw the last drops of blood spill from the fauns and take with them the great, white stag.

Lithe fingers plunging into the water, he created ripples of his own that distorted his reflection and scattered his thoughts. Miron knew when he was overreacting and any action or fear endorsed from a dream alone was foolhardy.

But, even so, these dreams came far too often and brushed far too close to a potential reality, making it hard not to constantly worry.

Forming a bowl with his hands, he once against cupped water and brought it to his lips, drinking deeply. As he splashed watered remained into his face once more in a second attempt to clear his thoughts, a nearby sound has his shoulders tensing and eyes shooting wide.

Staggering quickly to his feet, Miron craned his neck and looked over the lake and surrounding tree lines, his fear quickly hiding behind a stern wariness.

 “If you’re hiding I assure you that I’m the last creature you might fear,” He spoke softly, albeit a strong, wary edge to his tone. 

[alric-lighteye]

A pain that had wormed its way into his eye had left Alric unable to sleep, so he'd spent much of the night out wandering through the forest. The wolf spent his night listening to the rustling of limbs and the soft hooting of owls - but that was how he preferred it. He'd begun tracking a deer along the Thuane River, keeping a careful distance for a long while. The soft pads of his paws sank into the mud near the riverbank, and on occasion Alric would turn his head and eye the river, an uncertainty gripping him low in his belly. The waters were calm as they ever got, but still it made the wolf uneasy to be so near to it.

As the morning fog had begun to settle in, Alric progressed closer to the young doe. He crept close and waited in the shadows, his fur blending easily with the mist that drifted off the river. Alric watched the doe guzzle down water, occasionally lifting her head and flicking her ears about to listen for trouble. But he did not dare spring yet. Though his muscles were tight and he'd begun to salivate with the prospect of a meal, he was far too wary to allow himself so near to the river. He lowered his head and tensed as the doe finally turned away, beginning to climb back up towards the forest.

Within seconds he was on her, his powerful jaws closing around the frightened doe's throat. Alric growled and bit hard, piercing through the muscle and tissue. The doe bleated as she struggled, stumbling and eventually falling beneath his power. Alric let go only when he was sure that the doe had given up, and as the night turned to day, he fed on her steaming carcass, indulging in the warm organs hidden within her soft belly. Hunting alone was often so much better - he was able to enjoy his meal, not have to worry about pups coming to scrap over what little meat was on the deer's bones, or the males fighting over the biggest portion of the doe's flank. It was a nice reprieve, and Alric took his time to finish.

After, he continued along the bank and paused as he reached the Caer, his ears flickering to attention as his eye settled on the form of one of the fauns. Not sensing danger in the slightest, Alric continued his way down toward the water. He had intentions of washing the blood from his muzzle and his pelt, and the Caer was, in his opinion, the safest place to do that. The water was mostly still here, as it was a large lagoon off the Thuane. Alric padded down, pausing only briefly as the faun's attention was roused and he called out. The wolf turned his head and stared at the faun, his ears up and his tail straight in a brief warning.

Knowing he was in no danger at the moment, Alric splashed into the water, pawing at his muzzle to get the grime and blood from his face. Once he'd finished he shifted back, stepping out of the water and glancing over his shoulder out of a paranoid habit. "I did not mean to startle you," Alric said, turning his attention to the faun as his feet hit the soft earth. "I was merely looking for a calmer part of the river." Alric inspected the faun, his eyes lingering for a moment on his antlers. Alric thought a moment, a slight smile pulling at his lips as he recognized the faun. "Miron," Alric acknowledged with a nod.

[alric-lighteye]

Daybreak || Open

[navieoftheforest-deactivated201]

     Navie tilted her head, a bit of shame befalling her features, despite her best efforts to disengage such feelings. It wasn’t good for her to be so embarrassed about never having asked for help. She had her reasons, but just the way he said it made her worry that perhaps, she’d been wrong in her methods. “I don’t think they’d like it if I asked,” she confessed, “My mother, she says I’m not to use the bow, that it’s disrespectful to use a human weapon.” She lifted her shoulders as she spoke, as if to say she didn’t really know why she hadn’t asked, and that this was the best excuse that she could come up with. Really, she was afraid they’d take it from her. Even if she was scolded, if one of the older wolves took her bow, she would not find her self so forgiving. 

     Pressing her lips together hard, she stared at him for a moment. She couldn’t see how, family or not, someone would give up the company of a mermaid for their family. All the other foundlings did was bicker and fight with one another. And the eldest of the pack would yell and tell old stories that made no sense. Being around a mermaid seemed like it would be much more fun. Even being around humans could have been more enjoyable. She could remember the first time she met Jacob, showing him through the trees and enjoying his longwinded stories about his life in his village. Even if sometimes, his stories were dull, it wasn’t the pack, so it was so much more interesting. 

      Her mouth slipped open as he talked about Asena, gazing to him in wonderment. She hung on his every word, feeling herself imaging the she-wolf, bold and powerful in her stance and just as beautiful as she was deadly. She knew that there may have been some lie in his words, it was only natural to think so. No wolf was as tall as a tree; or it just seemed completely impossible to her young, unlearned mine, to think such things. Her eyes followed him as he took a seat next to her. Turning her body, she swung her leg over the side of the log so she sat straddling to face him, her entire body leaning into his words with sudden, excited interest. “What did she give you? Was it a knife? Or maybe she made you stronger?”

[alric-lighteye]

Alric understood the dilemma she faced. He recalled it well, being stuck in the in-between. Not a man and not yet a wolf; learning how to hunt without claws and without the use of weapons. It was impossible, so most foundlings had to use what weapons they could craft. "Disrespectful once you get your pelt, perhaps," Alric said after a pause, "but foundlings do not have claws and teeth." He pointed to her tiny nails. "And how would you hunt with those?" Alric reached over and picked up the bow, inspecting it curiously. It really was rather crude - there were rough marks along it. It certainly wasn't as smooth or fine as a hunter's, that much he knew.

He glanced up from his inspection as she shifted and looked suddenly interested in what he had to tell her. Alric's eyebrow arched at the plethora of questions that spewed from her lips, and for a while he said nothing. He simply regarded the bow again, absently turning it and feeling the weight in his hands. "No, the dagger I carry was from my Father," Alric said simply, handing the foundling her bow back. "He made it my task to pass it on to my future foundling." Alric's lone eye searched Navie's gaze, and he couldn't help but wonder if she would believe him.

"And why would I tell you what gift she gave me?" he asked, tilting his head and giving her a pointed look. "You barely believed in the goddess herself - who is it to say that you would believe the gift she gave me?" Alric's eye narrowed as he scrutinized her. If she had heard of him before, then she must have heard the stories and the myths that surrounded the eye. Alric paid no mind to what the pack members said about the mystery that surrounded his eye. They could see what they so desired. "What have they told you? The other foundlings. I'm sure they have their own stories, do they not?" 

[alric-lighteye]

Daybreak || Open

[navieoftheforest-deactivated201]

      She frowned deeply, her fingers balling into fists at her side. She’d done the best she cold with what she’d been given. Even if he didn’t mean to insult her work, he certainly had. Biting her tongue, she thought better of arguing with him. He’d most certainly win, being older and wiser. “I… I don’t know how to make it better,” she admitted, her cheeks flushing under the pressure of the words, stomach fluttering angrily at such an easy submission. But it was the truth, and she knew it. She may have been naive at times, this she knew, but she was far from stupid, and her stubbornness only went so far before she got tired of feeling that way. 

     ”If she is your friend,” she started, her eyes looking at him a bit brighter now, more curious, “Why are you not with her? It has to be better than the camp. It smells so bad sometimes. Being with the mermaids is nicer, isn’t it?” If only they didn’t primarily live in the water, then she would have gone to find one long ago. If she fell in, she was not so sure she could pull herself out. Her heart could not take the pain of being drowned by a mermaid, or near to one and not being saved. She really wanted to see the best in the other godly creatures, despite the things that she’d heard as she grew older, but maybe it was useless to deny the nature of a creature she’d never met purely to preserve her own opinions on the matter. 

     Her brow knitted gently at his words, suddenly feeling like a scolded pup. If she were to tell him what she really thought of Asena, and the other old gods, he was sure to strike her for speaking so ill. So, she held her words, keeping them tucked away in her heart and replaced them with more competent ones, “If you met her, then what did she say to you? Is she as beautiful as they stories say?” She cocked her head a bit, her hands pulling her quiver and bow from her back, setting them gently on the ground. Finding a seat on a log, making sure to keep away from the area that was molded and eaten by insects, she sat on a sturdier part, her fingernails digging into the wood, nervous of his answer. 

[alric-lighteye]

It was easy to see that this foundling was quite stubborn. It reminded him of his mate in a way. She didn't seem to like to be outfoxed, or at least that was how Alric was interpreting it. But there again, very few people did well with humiliation or embarrassment. "Why have you not asked one of the elders to show you?" Alric suggested. "The older wolves are there so you may learn, no matter how independent you are." Alric fell silent once more, wondering if he was talking too much. After all, he had come out here to enjoy the gentle lapping of the water. He hadn't intended to speak with one of the foundlings and tell her stories at such a strange time in the morning.

Alric was drawn from his thoughts as Navie piped up again. His eyebrow rose slightly as she mentioned the smell. Alric barely noticed the strange smells that associated itself with their pack - for he was so old, he had certainly smelled worse. "It is not when they decide they have had enough of your company," Alric said simply. He wondered where she had gotten her ideas about the mermaids. Surely not from a wolf - as far as Alric knew, many of the pack detested the mermaids simply because they enjoyed drowning the foundlings. "I belong with my family. They are more important to me than my river friend."

By the way she was acting, Alric knew that she doubted. The foundlings had never seen Asena, though - and he could not blame her for being young and unable to understand the greater pieces of the world. Alric watched her settle on the log, wondering if the foundling realized she'd just submitted herself to his storytelling. For one that had seemed so keen to avoid it, she'd certainly allowed herself to be drawn in this time. "She is more beautiful than the stories," Alric murmured, recalling the She-Wolf's fine appearance. "She is tall as a tree and as black as night - but it is her eyes that are the most interesting. For they are as bright as the moon, and you can see its reflection there even on the darkest of nights." 

As he thought of what Asena had told him, Alric's eye briefly flitted to the foundling's bow, recalling when he had been at such an age. His thoughts drifted to the hunt that had cost him his eye. Alric licked his parched lips and got to his feet, walking to the edge of the water and crouching. He scooped up a gulp with dirty hands and drank, wiping his mouth and straightening. "She told me that I was foolish in my bravery," Alric said, his voice reflecting how lost he was in the memory, "and that she would heal the eye I had ruined." Alric turned and sat beside Navie on the rotten part of the log, motioning to the scar. "And so she gave me a gift."

[wolveswolves]

[meropaironside-deactivated20140]

Loose Ends || Open

The icicles that had formed over the cooler winter months were just beginning to melt as droplets of water fell into the softening snow below. Their dripping was barely audible as the wind whipped through the towering pine trees. Sunken in paw prints that once laid bare in the snow, blended together as their forms became more indistinct. While these seemingly inconsequential events would be subtle to an outsider, they were the signs of a changing tide to the dwellers of the black forest; symbols they had come to heed and revere for their arrival meant fresh starts and new game to be hunted.

Wasting no time, the she-wolf’s padded paws grounded into the slicken forest floor as the wind bellowed past her ears. Her fur wildly frayed in retaliation. The fallen leaves of a season’s passing crunched beneath her steady sprint until she reached the precipice of a small clearing. The sunlight filtered through the branches, casting an elaborate design across the ground. As if Asena herself were granting her approval, a single beam casted over a lone diminutive gray fox. She could hear its heartbeat, its steady placated thump like a lullaby, beckoning her to come closer and have a little taste. It’s ears twitched, scanning the area for any threats. Staring down at the fox, her gaze was rapacious, as the animal continued languidly trudging about the clearing.  She could make her move now, leap from her perch just a few feet above and have him within her jaw’s grasp in just a couple of mere seconds, but that would be too accommodating and simple, and above all, it would be dreadfully merciful. No, she wanted to have a little fun with her food first.

Tentatively, she stayed to the edges of the clearing, sifting between the trees, completely shrouded in their shadows. The fox remained aloof as it dug its paw into the ground, clawing at a worm. There was a warmth pooling in the center of the huntress’ gut as it ebbed its away into her lungs, then her heart and into her eyes and ears. All at once, the desire to tear, to destroy, to inflict pain, manifested in every physical fiber of her being, spurring her on.  She took a step forward, and then another as the fox froze still, but had not made an attempt to flee just quite yet. She could taste its fear as its neck whirled back and forth quickly, searching for a source, but finding none amongst the shade.

Not a moment too soon, an ephemeral ‘snap’ echoed a few yards away signifying the splitting of a twig. It was subtle, but just enough to the fox to take alarm as it scurried out of the clearing and in to the protective darkness in between the pines. A low, guttural noise vibrated in the wolf’s abdomen as it left in throat in a menacing growl. A string of curses left her lips as she shifted back into her human form, her hands instinctively balling into fists, digging her nails into the calloused flesh. Stomping, unceremoniously towards the source of the noise, she had every intention of demonstrating just how unforgivable it was to interrupt a wolf’s hunt.

[alric-lighteye]

Alric had watched his mate venture away from the pack, and he knew by the way her shoulders were tense that she had plans to hunt. His mate had subtle cues like that - small gestures and words that allowed Alric to know where she was going and what she would do. It was helpful at times, especially when it came to her temper. Meropa had a terrible temper when roused, and Alric knew it well. He’d quarreled with her enough over the years to know better by now, yet occasionally he would find himself on the receiving end of the aggressions. He did not mind it, though. After all, it was a part of her nature, and the occasional spat did keep their time together far more interesting.

Deciding to amuse himself, the wolf looked about him and got to his feet, tiptoeing after her. He changed once he was out of sight of the other skinwalkers. After all, this was a game he played with her only - and he knew that he was likely the only one that could get away with it. Alric shook himself, his grey fur blending with some of the residual snow and the shadows cast by the trees. He caught her scent easily enough, carefully padding after her. Alric knew that it could be dangerous - that he could end up on the wrong side of Meropa’s temper and those sharp teeth of hers. But he did not fear her, not after so many years of knowing her.

Alric laid in the bushes and watched his mate hunt the tiny fox. His tongue lolled out and he licked his chops, a bloodlust temporarily coming over him. The tiny fox's heartbeat was quick, its veins were bursting with its life-blood that would readily spill beneath the crunch of his jaws. Briefly, Alric entertained the thought of simply joining his mate in a hunt - but she would like that even less. Meropa never did seem to enjoy sharing her food, especially not from such a small meal. If it was a doe or a buck, Alric would have considered it more thoroughly. Nevertheless, he kept watch on his mate with his good eye, occasionally eyeing the fox to see whether or not it had noticed the company nearby.

Her muscles were bunching and her tail was twitching, another one of the small signs that he knew meant she was preparing herself to spring. If he wanted to act, Alric knew it would have to be now - and so, he shifted in the brush, cracking a twig and rustling beneath the undergrowth to startle the poor creature that would've been Meropa's lunch. He watched with mirth as the fox took off, a wolfish grin appearing on his countenance as he heard his mate’s low growl of disapproval and hate. So temperamental. As she came stomping out in her human form, Alric darted out in front of her, his tail wagging and the amusement evident in his eye. He crouched and growled at her, wagging his tail in a mocking gesture - he’d just cost her her meal, and he damn well knew it, too. 

He turned back easily, taller than her on two legs. Alric looked down at her, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I noticed that you seem to have lost your lunch. Shame.” The way he hinted at a playful attitude was something only Meropa would ever be privy to. Alric was never this way with the pack - but he trusted her, and was as familiar with her as the pelt he wore, so only she could see the other side he refused to let others be aware of.

[alric-lighteye]

Daybreak || Open

[navieoftheforest-deactivated201]

     ”I only hunt rabbits,” she said sharply, her fingers twitching in annoyance with Alric, suddenly finding herself a bit angered just by his presence. He’d insulted her bow, which she’d spent many days working on, trying to perfect to the best of her ability. “It doesn’t have to be the best bow, as long as it is my bow,” she informed him, her voice slipping a bit towards the end, wondering if he could even relate to feeling so sentimental about something he’d created. He must have gotten his pelt a long, long time ago. He wouldn’t have had to use anything but his teeth and snarl to get his prey to submit. 

     She flinched as he moved before her, animating the story with such ease. Her entire body tense, she watched the blade as he pressed it closer to her stomach, her body shifting away slightly, suddenly fully aware of the danger of being alone with him in the woods. Even if he was part of the pack, someone wise that all the others seemed to look up to, he could easily kill her or hurt her for being out there alone, and no one would be the wiser. Her “mother” would, of course, but she often lost track of Navie at all hours of the day, so it could easily be said that she’d slipped into a ravine and gotten trapped. Her jaw tense, she watched as the end of the blade hovered horizontal to her eye, her vision splitting over the tip and peering at him over both sides of the pointed tip. 

     ”I like the real story better,” she said slowly, watching as he sheathed the blade, suddenly wishing that she had something so fine to wield herself. “I don’t think a mermaid would do that sort of thing. They’re far to beautiful to be so cold,” she said honestly. In her naive little mind, mermaids were sweet and majestic creatures. She’d never met one, and felt that she’d never like to, only because of her fear of the water, but she hated that he branded them so harshly. “Have you ever even met a mermaid?”

     Her brow furrowing as he finished the story, she felt her throat grow tight, trapping her words. She didn’t think it possible. The old gods were of myth. How could this man, this one-eyed man, have possibly met Asena. She frowned, shaking her hair, her unruly curls tumbling this way and that in the motion, “I don’t believe you,” she countered flatly, no tolerance for his lies in her tone. He’d already told her such a horrible, false story, she didn’t think that there was anyway this one could be true either. 

[alric-lighteye]

The foundling seemed offended with his words, but Alric paid no mind to that. He knew that often the things he said angered some - but the pup would have to learn, and it would better that he try to teach her than the animals of the forest. "I did not say your bow was the worst I had seen," Alric said patiently, "but I merely suggested it was not the best." The truth left a bitter taste in the mouth of the young wolves - in everyone. But Alric wasn't the type to cut corners and try to lace it with false sensitivities. They were useless with the pack.

He saw her eyeing his dagger, and Alric considered something a moment as he in turn studied her bow. It would be soon that she would need to learn to wield the heavier ones if she was to learn at all. Perhaps something could be crafted for the foundling. She could learn to hunt more than just rabbits. Alric never considered a rabbit much of a meal, but on this subject he held his tongue. Hunting creatures for food needed to be encouraged in whatever form it came, regardless of how the foundlings approached it.

"I have a friend who is a mermaid," Alric said simply. "We often meet and talk. She saved me from the river when I was just a foundling." Or half of one, anyway. He'd abandoned his pelt. "They are beautiful, yes. But there is danger in such beauty. Do not underestimate them, or you will learn what it truly means to drink from the river." Alric did not want Navie to take the mermaids lightly. It was a mistake that too many of the foundlings often made, and with their protectors away, some ended up taking their last breaths by a mermaid's hand. Alric may owe his life to Adelaide, but he would forever harbor a deep mistrust of the creatures.

"I did not expect you to." And he didn't. She would not understand what it was to hunt with Asena - to truly become one with the pack. Alric was old enough that he still remembered it. The feeling of the hunt. Scenting for does and bucks, tearing into their soft bellies as their Mother looked on with pride. "But it is the truth. I would never speak a lie of our Mother." Alric's tone got more firm the more he spoke of it. That was something he could not tolerate. When people badmouthed their goddess it angered him greatly. She had given him such a gift, and in return, Alric did his best to honor her and punish those that did not. 

[alric-lighteye]

Daybreak || Open

[navieoftheforest-deactivated201]

     She couldn’t help but feel as if he might be mocking her. She could easily find any place interesting, if there was something of interest do there. Even if the flowers were blooming, or if the air smelled like rain, she could find it interesting. But then again, how was he to know that. She’d never spoken to the man, no directly at least. So, she shrugged, taking an instinctive step back as soon as he stepped free of his perch. She couldn’t help it. She was small for her age, but fast, and keeping distance was her best advantage, this she knew. Not that she’d ever been in a proper fight outside of scrapping with the others her age in the pack. “It’s interesting enough,” she countered, her voice flat, hoping this would be enough to deter him from coming closer. 

     But, he still stepped towards her. Her eyes watched his one eye, and the scarred skin where the other one used to be. She could feel her heart beat rising again, a stiff pulse that seemed to ripple and resonate down to her bare toes. He was a terrifying man in appearance and in demeanor, but she was the brave Navie. She had no reason to fear any other creature, not even a superior wolf. “N-No!” she snapped at his words, finding offense that he’d even address her with the word ‘stupid’. “I am brave…” she said, her voice threatening to recede a bit as she spoke to him, “I know these woods, these trees… I’ve been the furthest into the woods, out of all the others,” she nodded, biting her tongue hard. He knew her secret. It wouldn’t be hard for him to figure out the other things that she did, even around camp; the small pranks and long, late night walks. 

     Swallowing slowly. she averted her gave for a moment, trying to compose herself as he came nearer, only far enough away that if she tried to run, he could easily grab her. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, he was one of the pack, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be suspicious of him. She nodded when he questioned her name, her eyes deciding to gaze upon anything else but him. Letting her gaze land on a bush, she watched it intently, as if it had a face, “I like the bow. It’s hard to hunt with, but it’s fun to use,” she admitted, “I… I saw a human, a long time ago— I think he was lost. But, he hunted deer with a bow…” She was saying too much and her heart was throbbing, her mind screaming at her, telling her to silence her tongue before she got herself into even more trouble. 

     Deciding to stand her ground, she took a step back, putting a little more space between them, trying to assert herself. Pursing her lips, she turned her eyes to stare at him, unflinching even under the discomfort that came from looking at his the wound of a missing eye. “What happened to it?” she asked, nodding her head to suggest that she was talking about his eye. “Some of the boys told me that you fought a boarman, and he cut it out with the tip of his axe… And another boy said that you fell from a cliff, deep in the mountains, and you lost it this way…” she sighed softly, trying to talk over her heart as it finally settled in her ears, beating faster than it should have been, “So, which was it?”

[alric-lighteye]

The fear she felt as he neared was obvious. Rightly so. Alric knew that his appearance frightened many of the foundlings. That the scar intrigued and terrified them, and that his personality did little to help the stories they told of him. But Alric was a patient wolf, and though he did enjoy playing mind games, he would never harm one of the young ones. “The furthest?” he whispered, adding an impressed air to his tone, “How brave you must be.” The words were clearly taunting, but that was his nature. Besides, the foundling was too cocky. She would injure herself one day, much as he had, if she were not more careful.

"Humans hunt with bows, yes," he said, not allowing scorn into his tone, "but their bows are crafted by skilled men. Yours has no center. A bite to the wood would snap it in two." He did not criticize to be rude. It was his job to give the foundlings lessons, and so Alric did. "You will hunt no deer with a bow that weak." 

Alric gave her a vaguely amused look as she recounted her stories of how he’d lost his eye. Was that really what the other pups said? Rumors did spread like wildfire between the foundlings, it seemed. “It was neither of those,” Alric said nonchalantly, his dark eye hinting at the amusement he’d felt listening to her words. But then the emotion was gone. “I lost it after a fight with a mermaid,” Alric lied, crouching down and jabbing out with his knife, the tip of the blade stopping inches from the foundling’s soft belly, “she took her claw and ripped me from hip to collarbone, and then - ” Alric moved the knife again, raising it to her eye level, “Then she jabbed out my eye and ate it.” 

The old wolf put the knife away and leaned back, then snorted and shook his head. “That is the story you will tell,” he informed her simply, “when your other foundling friends ask.” He shifted, adjusting the warm pelt around his shoulders and subconsciously tightening his grip on it, the old scent of his Father surrounding him. “But the truth? It is boring, I fear. I lost it in a hunting accident - a buck gouged out my eye after I failed to judge my distance properly.” The wolf fell silent and then regarded her a moment, trying to gauge how his words had impacted her.

“But that was not the interesting part,” he added after a bout of silence. Alric paused, wanting to wait until she got impatient before he could continue. “The interesting part was after - I felt pain. A pain like I had never felt before. And then it all fell silent - and I saw our Mother. Asena.” Alric wondered what she would think of that. Not many of the young ones knew the story, and even the elderly he’d spoken to never seemed to fully believe that she had actually come to him and graced him with his new sight. But Alric did not mind what they believed. Fools often believed whatever they desired. 

[alric-lighteye]

Daybreak || Open

[navieoftheforest-deactivated201]

     Navie tended to rise and sleep with the sun, so the brightness, as it barely peaked over the trees went unnoticed on this day. The air smelled cool, so she made sure to wrap a fur around her before she left her “Mother”. Slipping into the chill that waited, she tugged the fur around her a bit tighter, letting her face sink into the warmth just enough that only her eyes were visible. It was all she needed, really, was to see where she was going. Barefoot, as usual, her toes wiggled before she moved forward, quick eager steps taking her toward into the trees. 

     She was going to hunt rabbits today, and work on her shooting. She still wasn’t quick enough and sometimes, he fingers started to ache if she drew the bow to fast. Last week, the bow string had snapped back, free of the bow completely and cut her cheek. There was no pain and she more frustrated that the string was not holding in place as it should have. Of course, it was a bow she’d made herself, and was not particularly impressive in its creation. It did the job, normally, so she’d never had any complaints. After it was repaired, she testing it out on the trees at the edge of the camp, finding that it wasn’t tight enough, so the arrows simply flopped to the ground, not even attempting to make their mark. So, she went at it again and finally, she’d fixed it enough that when she pulled back, the string did not snap and the arrow heads dug into the flesh of the three enough to hold it in place. 

     Jumping over a fallen log, she started to hum to herself softly; no tune in particular. Lips pressed together and puckered into a soft ‘o’, she let out a whistle at the end of her composition, feet pressing against the cold faces of the rocks as she passed over them. The chill propelled her forward, made it easier for her to keep going. She only stopped when she heard a noise. Limbs going tight and crouching as long to the ground as her body would allowed, she looked through a few curls that had fallen into her sight, just in time to see Alric pass. 

     She’d seen the older wolf in camp, but made no efforts in coming near to him. With his one eye and expressionless face, he all together terrified her. Even when he told the other foundlings stories after supper, she hung back, going to work on sharpening her hunting blade or something else, as long as it kept her out of his sight. She was more afraid that she’d anger him, but she was still so curious about him. The other young ones had told him their own versions of the story about his eye, but she did not know what really happened. She’d always been too afraid to ask. 

     Sucking in a breath, she waited until he was ahead and slipped from the brush, staying low, to follow him along. Once he stopped, taking up perch on a large boulder, she stopped as well, her heart thumping wildly in her ears at how close she was. Thinking she was going unnoticed, she smiled softly, pushing the curls back again, only to have the silence broken by his stern voice calling out, undoubtedly, to her. BIting down hard on her lip, she paused in her movements, dreading the idea of being scolded, but eventually slunk from her hiding place in one quick movement. Head low, she stood to the side of a tree, her hand resting on it to steady herself. “I didn’t mean to,” she said unsurely, “I just— You looked as if you might be going somewhere interesting,” she speculated, unsure if he’d even believe her words. 

[alric-lighteye]

The first thing he noticed was the mop of hair - it was anything but tame. Still, the foundling looked to be calmer in nature than some of the others. Alric squinted, placing her without much difficulty. She was one that had been horrible with her teeth - though Alric knew not if she had grown fiercer. He did not judge, however. He'd been there - he had been the pup that had not wanted to bite and had wanted to learn scripture instead. It was a rare thing, but eventually he'd found a balance - and of course, so would she. 

Alric studied the young wolf with his eye, noting the shy way with which she stood near the tree. Though he had never confronted her, she had not escaped his notice. She was never one to sit with the other foundlings and pups as he told his stories, though it made no difference to Alric. Perhaps she was simply shy by nature - or she feared him. He turned his head a fraction so he could observe her better, a habit that was as natural to him now as taking a breath. "Interesting?" he echoed, getting to his feet and hopping down off the boulder. "And is it?" Alric pressed, slowly walking over to the young wolf. He wanted to get a better look at her.

His interest turned briefly to the lack of her pelt. So, she certainly was still one of the foundlings, then. Alric stopped just before her, his dark eye fixated on her face. "You must be very brave," he mused, "or very stupid to be wandering the forest alone." Not that it was anything out of the ordinary. Most of the foundlings wandered off by themselves - but few ever stopped to consider what price they may pay should they happen upon one of the river maids. Alric turned his back on her and ventured back over to his boulder, sinking back down. Alric glanced up at her and stared, making a motion with his fingers for her to come closer. 

"Your name is Navie," Alric said simply, and though it was a question, he did not pose it as such. They lapsed into another silence, and the older wolf began to feel a dull ache in his eye. He shifted, bringing his hand up to touch the skin lightly, the scar evident beneath his fingertips. He lowered his hand back down and rested his forearm to his knee, leaning forward to focus back on the foundling. His eyes settled on the crudely crafted bow slung across her back. "Hunting with human tools?" The inquiry was flat and there wasn't judgment in his tone, but he knew that there was a chance she could take it as a chiding.

Alric knew that some of the others looked down on human tools - in fact, he was one of the few skinwalkers that had bothered trying to study written word. He could understand a few words on the page, but as he never found humans particularly favorable, Alric gave up long ago. He preferred hunting as a wolf to using crude tools like bows and arrows. The only thing he ever carried on him was a dagger that had been fashioned by his Father, something that Alric never failed to keep sharp. It stayed tucked in a buckskin sheath that was strapped to his leg, and while he could use a bow and knew how to make it strike true, he never saw much value in the tools - especially not when teeth and claws were factored in. Though the foundlings were an exception, honing the senses were an important part of being a wolf as well.

[alric-lighteye]

Daybreak || Open

It was his eye that roused him from slumber. It was a dull ache, but the crow had woken him - cawed to him in his sleep and stirred him from his dreams. He left the warmth of the furs that made up his bedding, leaving his mate to go out for a stroll. The pain had faded from his eye, and he had his fur to keep him warm. Besides, barely any of the other members of the pack would be awake at this hour. Alric was often one of the earliest to rise and the latest to bed. Sleep was never something he had been fond of, and now his dreams were the last place he wanted to be.

The woods were quiet so early in the morning, which was precisely why Alric favored this time above all others. He could sit in peace by the stream - but never very close, as he was still wary of the water - and allow his thoughts to wander uninterrupted. The water was calm for now, and the earth was cool as the heat of the day had not yet warmed it. The sun was just beginning to come up, and soon Alric knew the others would begin to stir. The pups would demand attention, the pack would begin their own little routine. It was daily life, and yet Alric could feel a shift within them. Something was coming.

He felt a cool breeze but paid it no mind, only shifting slightly beneath the fur warm against his back. The cold had never bothered him, but Alric was beginning to feel the sharp bite more as he aged - and it did concern him. Weakness was not something he easily tolerated, and now that he could feel the age beginning to try and seep its way into his bones, he was resisting with as much force as he could. It wouldn't do to have some of the young wolves thinking he was weak - unfit to help rule the pack. Alric wasn't stupid. He could see that some of them had begun to think it. His eye had showed him the truth as well.

The grizzled man tipped his head back and sighed, his breath visible as it warmed the chilly air. His eye wasn't hurting much today, which was a good sign - perhaps all would be quiet. More often as of late it would ache for days, and when he finally had the visions they would feel incredibly long, almost like the stories that he told some of the young wolves after their suppers. But then they would be gone and only flashes would remain in his memory. Bits and pieces, nothing sure to go off - and Alric knew better than to force the memories. No, he had to sit and wait for them to come to him instead.

The silence was disturbed as a flock of birds flew up from the undergrowth, and Alric's head snapped over in towards the east. "It will do you no good to hide," he warned lowly, not bothering to get off the boulder he'd perched himself upon. Alric fell silent, as he often did. Idle chatter was of no real importance to him. A gust of wind brought the smell over to him, but he did not feel threatened in the slightest. Though why anyone else would be awake at this hour was a mystery to him, for now Alric decided not to question it. "Why have you followed me here? I came to find peace, not to be disturbed by you."

[godssof-old-blog]

Accepted- Alric the Lighteye

Congratulations Shelby, on being accepted as Alric the Lighteye! Please set up your character blog and send in the URL within 24 hours. Please also make sure that you following the member’s checklist and that you’re tracking all of the update tags!

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