Plot · Rules · Joining RP Guide · Wiki

[Dawali Amara]

I've forgotten what plot we initially had, but puppies nonetheless? Word count: 425 One red-furred foot landed ahead of the other as Dawali moved swiftly in the direction of Tayui's den. He was ashamed of himself, really, for not having visited her before. She'd had pups, even, and it should be his responsibility to look out for her and pop by because he was a sub-leader of this pack. He was her friend too, which made it all the more pressing. Yet he had waited until now, for unknown reasons. Perhaps it was the same old awkwardness as always, or perhaps something else. He would find out, but truth to be told he had been thinking about this for a while, and looking forward to it too. It didn't really matter, but if she was disappointed in his lack of presence, then it was fully justified. He didn't think she wouldn't let him see her, though, as he doubted she would let something like this cut so deep. Although, with some women one would never know. As he halfway jumped over a root in his way, Gvihita soared past him in the direction he was headed. Another mystery, that bird. Upon meeting Tayui, before she joined the tribe, the eagle had made her form solid enough to be seen by the femme - something that was rare by spirit guides, and even rarer for Gvihita. The only other ones that had seen her was one of his daughters, and perhaps Mischka had done so before she died. He had not known Gvihita then, but she had been present, and the dying femme had mumbled something about an eagle. Gvihita refused to enlighten him on the subject, and as his name meant 'eagle', he didn't quite know. The female bird was eager, it seemed, to reach Tayui, and whether it was because of the possibility of a display of his awkwardness, or something else, he didn't know, but in any way you could see it, she was acting strange. Finally reaching his destination, Dawali halted at a polite distance outside. She might not appreciate it if he just entered as if he lived there himself. Some were open with their sleeping-places, and some were not. Then again, she might not be home, and if she wasn't he would have to track her down. Hopefully the grumpy bird whose mood was so lifted could help with that should it be needed. Calling out her name so she could know he was there, if she was here, he waited politely, like a man should, outside. Tauyi? It's Dawali, are you home?

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

Bwee! I found myself a table Sara made me a while ago! :D Also, Dawali is incredibly adorable. c: And I totally forget our plot as well, so let's just wing it!

500+

---

The puppies had been rolling around in the den, kicking around the furs that lined the floor and diving into the dirt that lay beneath. For some reason, the puppies seemed to love playing in the dirt. Although they found it enjoyable, it made things difficult for Tayui considering she was the one to be cleaning up. She sighed and rolled her eyes, beyond the point of reprimanding them. She knew she could only win so many battles, and if she wasn't careful, her nagging would become useless. She would simply have to accustom herself to having to compete with four others to get things done. It was always a struggle, it seemed, to get anything done now. There was always someone who was hungry, someone who was pulling someone else's tail, and someone who was covered in who knows what. She was fairly certain Claudius had rolled around in some moss hidden under the snow. Tayui had spent half an hour picking it out, wishing it were warmer so she could just throw him in a river wash him clean.

But no matter what, it was enjoyable. She loved her children and loved that she was free from being bound to another. She wasn't sure if she would have liked to raise them with a mate, and was unsure if she should try to find one, even. They deserved to grow up with a father, but at the same time, she did not wanto find someone she (and all the puppies) could not live with. This was her life and she was content with it. It just meant she could be as greedy as she wanted, for she did not have to share the puppies with anyone else except her friends.

Tayui glanced up at the sound of a shout, cocking her head to one side to try and hear better. "Shh," she whispered to the puppies, smiling slightly as they quieted. The puppies looked at Tayui quizzically as Dawali introduced himself, and Tayui called back out, “I am! I'll be out in a moment,” she replied. The puppies stared at her, each one of them confused in varying degrees. Attila looked a little angry, Claudius looked to be shivering as if he was afraid, and Noir and Oceane seemed to think it was a little funny. “Shall we go meet Dawali?” she asked them, smiling quietly. She received shouts of agreement, and to this, nodded her head. “Alright,” she said, and then started out.

Tayui emerged from the den, closely followed by three puppies. She glanced back in to the den to see Claudius hovering by the entrance. “It’s alright, Claudius. This is Dawali Amara. He’s a good friend of mine, and a sub-leader of the tribe, Aniwaya.” Claudius inched out slowly and Tayui saw Attila begin to raise his paw, as if to do something devious. She frowned at Attila, who put his paw down and let Claudius pass so he could sit with his sisters. Tayui turned to Dawali, smiling widely. “It’s so good to see you! How are you doing?” She had not spent much time far from her den recently, and was wondering if there was anything she had missed that she should otherwise be aware of.

[Dawali Amara]

Eh, rambling. Blame an awesome dinner? If only it had been quality rambling, but it isn't, sorry for that. My manthing is distracting me muchmuch. Word count: 668 The bird had settled herself on his shoulders now, after having flown around the entrance of Tayui's den in a flurry of feathers for a moment or two, yet now it seemed as if she had let the sugar rush - or whatever it was - go. Her claws dug into his flesh as usual, although they would leave no marks and the pressure of them could not be seen by others. She was more impatient than him, however, as he was also ridden by the possibility of being met with a scolding. The last thing he had wanted was to offend her, but pregnancies and giving birth and all of it made him slightly uncomfortable; it was female ground, despite his standing as the only priest (thus the so-far highest ranked person with medical skills) in the pack. As the femme came out, however, all his worries were blown away - both those of her scorn, and those of the possibility of unhealthy pups. The white-colored femme smiled at him broadly and quickly exclaimed the joy she felt at seeing him again. Before she came to that, however, she had to halt and call on one of the pups - apparently named Claudius - who shyly lingered in the mouth of the den. As he moved closer to the others (there were four pups, and they looked healthy enough! Though, perhaps, a little too old for it being the first time Dawali saw them, he was supposed to be Tayui's friend, after all!), another one seemed up to mischief, but with a stern look from his mother he put the thought away and behaved himself. They were truly well-behaved, so far, at least. Soon they would probably be old enough to start defying their mother, and as they were two girls and two boys, secrets would most likely flourish in time. At some point every pup wanted to shake off the dependence on their parent, or parents - it was just how things worked. Aiyanna had done so not long before they arrived here, months before their final settling, and Dawali himself had no idea where the young girl was. Asha was more mature and stuck around to let her old papa know where she was, although she too did not serve him every intelligence about her doings. It was natural - he spent his life creating hers and making sure her entry to life was a smooth as possible, and then he was cut off - loose, free to again present young ones to the world. This, though, would probably never happen again, but one never knew. All these thoughts, and thoughts about Brooklyn, the little white-pelted niece of Ember he had met along the borders with her mum, ran through his mind as he looked at the pups. It only took moments, but it was enough for the male to see that they were healthy and well - one thing he had worried about having heard nothing about them. As soon as Tayui was finished speaking he looked up at her again, smiling and welcoming her enthusiasm. It was a relief to see her so healthy and well, and happy to see him despite the delay. I'm very well! And more so now that I know that you and the young ones are ok. He smiled, and this time - unlike the last time they had met - he was not so awkward. Gvihita's stare was fixed on the pups, and being an eagle it seemed as if she looked at them in the same manner she looked at prey, although Dawali knew better. Her face was always expressionless, neutral - one would have to judge her from her voice and behavior. No, she was simply interested, keenly, keeping her eyes steady at their forms. What he should make of it he didn't know, and would ask her later - a questio which she would not answer, in all probability. So what are their names?

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

Tayui saw Dawali's arrival was mirrored by that of his spirit guide, who was perched on his shoulder (and looking quite proud of this). Tayui chuckled quietly, wondering why she had not noticed the majestic bird until now -- certainly, the creature had been present before. Now that she thought about it, each time Tayui had met Dawali, she had seen -- out of the corner of her eye -- the eagle hovering nearby. She paused for a moment, curious to see if her children could also see his spirit guide, but none of them said anything about it, so she assumed they could not. After all, if they could see the bird, they would certainly enquire about it -- that Tayui knew for sure.

Tayui nodded at her friend's words, smiling quietly as he spoke. I'm very well! And more so now that I know that you and the young ones are ok. Again, Tayui nodded, as she too was glad each one of her puppies was in such good health. It was everything she could have imagined, and more. Perhaps he was a closet romantic at heart. Perhaps she had read too many human romance novels. Perhaps she was enjoying herself so much she didn't even care.

It didn't matter. She was surrounded by those she loved -- her puppies, Dawali, and so many others.

"This one--" she began, but was abruptly cut off by Attila. He stepped forward and introduced himself with a mock salute, stumbling from the momentum. "AHM ATTILA!" he shouted, grinning from beneath a pile of snow. He burrowed deeper into the snow, then jumped back out, shouting a garbled mixture of "hello"'s and "whatcha doin'?"s to his fellow puppies. "Thass Osheeyam, thass Clawdyus, and thass Nwar. Clawdyuss iss smelly!" he declared, then leapt for the snow once more. Tayui frowned and glanced over at Claudius, glad he had not been paying attention. She didn't want him to cry again -- he was easily upset, especially by Attila. "Attila, that wasn't very nice," she admonished, frowning. "Ohkayy, ah sorree, you's nuh smelly, okay," he said to Claudius. Claudius frowned, wondering what was going on, then shook his head. He didn't want to know.

Tayui laughed, shaking her head. "This is Attila," she said, scooting the boy over with a push of her paw so he was sitting next to her. "This is Noir," she continued, "Ocèane... and Claudius."

[Dawali Amara]

I love puppieeessss Word count: 480 A smile was quickly spread on Dawali's face as Tayui's attempt at introducing the children was cut short. It seemed they wanted to do it themselves, something which was far more entertaining for Dawali. He missed children, and was very glad the pack now had some of them. A few young ones had been with them when they had arrived here, but they had either gone off somewhere (perhaps on their journey), or they might have gone back to help. He did not know, no-one had told him anyways. A proud little boy jumped forward into the conversation ostentatiously, whilst happily playing with the snow. After a little break of some more shuffling of the white material, more names came spilling out of the boy, along with a little rudeness directed at his litter-brother. Dawali still smiled, and was looking at this lad who so craved his attention, and once he mentioned his brother in such a negative way, he arched his eyebrow slightly - but his smile only broadened. Tayui quickly looked back at the other boy, but he seemed to have his mind on other things and had not noticed. A quick reprimand followed, and the young boy with the ostentatious personality quickly threw an apology into the air. Dawali chuckled, and Tayui gave him her children's names again, this time without any speech errors. The names were exotic to Dawali's eyes; none of them were alike anything any tribesmember would have named them. But with new lands came new customs and new names, he supposed. He did not mind, it was a contribution in itself, really. His yellow eyes looked at the children in turn, before he spoke to them. Hello children. My name is Dawali, I'm a friend of your mother! He smiled, knowing quite well they probably wouldn't be able to keep their focus on him at all (small children had an attention span the size of a moth), thus not remember him either. He looked up to their mother again, and spoke - this time to her. I had intended to come before, but I was uncertain.. some women don't like contact right after the birth. But you are o.k. it seems. Is there anything you need? Gvihita's keen eyes penetrated the female in front of him, and he glanced up to her uncertainly. What was it with her lately? Was it the new lands, the pups, Tayui? He'd never know, probably. Such a strange being, she was. But she seemed to have a keen interest in this family, for some reason, and she probably had her reasons for not sharing the reason with him. The bird was so.. happy. She had always been cranky. It was beyond Dawali's wits to understand. The glance lasted a mere second before his eyes were back on Tayui, lingering there as he waited for her response.

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

In Soviet Russia, puppies love you!

He did well with them. Tayui could see the kindness in his eyes, and for a moment, she wondered if he had children. Had, currently; or had, previously. Or perhaps he simply knew how to speak to them. How to smile and nod and help they understand that, no, rocks were not for eating (among other things). For some reason, some of the puppies had taken to chewing on rocks and almost ingested one. Although they had only been playing around with the rocks, trying to put them around with their paws and noses, for some reason Claudius had began to chew on the stones he'd found, which resulted in a short talk on why stones were not good to eat.

"Hi Dwaree!" shouted Noir, accompanied by Ocèane. Claudius mumbled the name quietly to himself, trying to figure out how to say it (and best his sisters), but remained silent. Attila sang Dawali's name out, overjoyed to have a new word to play with. Tayui laughed. They were all adorable.

This time, Dawali addressed Tayui specifically, and for a moment she was about to shake her head, no, but paused. She would appreciate some help, and Dawali was certainly reliable. "I have to stay with them a lot, so it's hard for me to hunt with the pack. They also need more food than our pack hunts provide -- smaller portions, but not so interspersed. I'd appreciate it if you could drop a rabbit or... some sort of small game you can catch yourself by the den every so often," she noted. "I don't want to trouble you, but at the same time, I dread leaving them unattended in the den..." she continued, then frowned. She tilted her head down to where the puppies were sitting, standing, and -- in Claudius's case -- rolling about in the snow. "You may go play in the clearing here. Don't go too far away, stay close," she said, adding the last bit. The puppies cheered and set off to explore the area around the den, with Claudius tagging behind his sister's and Attila leading the group into the woods nearby. She could hear their shouts as they explored, remaining near to the den, but far enough so they felt they had their own freedom.

[Dawali Amara]

xD Word count: 429 His greeting did go down well, and the children responded with first a girl choir shouting his name, and Attila playing with the word. Claudius seemed to be a quiet little boy, having some sort of natural shyness about him. The red wolf male was always astonished at how much personality a small child could show, even at a very young age. Often, though, the personality they had as a child was not the same as they had at a later stage, but it didn't change the fact that they were highly individual even at such a young age. It was fascinating. Tayui was honest in her response to him, and Dawali was glad. He didn't appreciate it when people were overly modest, and said no to something they might need. In those cases it felt as if they disrespected his offer for assistance, as if they thought he offered simply because he felt like he had to, but didn't really want to. It was folly, and anyone who turned down an offer of help from Dawali, when they did need one really, had failed at understanding his personality. It was some sort of a mild insult, although it was their problem in the end. Tayui did not misunderstand, however, and quickly revealed that she did have some need for assistance. As sub-leader he felt the responsibility for her, and as her friend he did as well, and would naturally help her out. There was no question about it. I understand that - I know how it feels. It was more than true, and when Aiyanna had been young enough he too had relied on help from the other members, especially family. Although for him it had been easier; he'd only had one child, and he could hunt with a bow. Being able to kill the prey from a distance made it easier to bring the child along, maybe in a little pouch on the back or something. It had sorted itself nicely. I have some fish back at my place as well which I was thinking to have later in the week, I can drop them off if you want. Smiling, he looked to the children as Tay gave them leave to play in the clearing nearby, their eager squeals as they set off as fast as their little paws could carry them tearing in his ears, but pleasantly. The two of them were alone now, and perhaps Dawali could muster the strength to ask about another thing that was on his mind; their father and his whereabouts.

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

Tayui was nearly five years old. In a few months, summer would arrive, and with it, the time of her birth. Although she did not know the exact date -- very few creatures did, she suspected -- she did know she had been born when spring became summer, the time when the cold and wet growth gave way. Five years it had been. For nearly four of these, she had been used to being independent -- first, living in Jaded Shadows, too afraid to meet anyone new, and then as she climbed the ranks, still finding it difficult to interact with others. After a year on Ashen Mountain, she had begun to open up and befriend those of her pack. But she had still relied on herself -- her paws, teeth, claws -- everything she used to move, to breathe, to live. It was all her. And now she had four others to look after and could not afford the frivolity of independence. She would accept any help she could get, for she knew she would need it. Already, the children looked like they were going to be a handful!

"In that case, I would very much appreciate it, and I'm sure the puppies would, too! They're always hungry," she noted with a quiet chuckle. "Not for a lot of food -- just... hungry. You were a father at some point...? Do you remember all of this? The craziness that is... having them. All of them," she reflected, smiling softly. Each and every one of her puppies was beautiful.

[Dawali Amara]

Poor Dawali, so awkward, lol Word count: 512 The female stated facts that Dawali knew as truths. Those kids might feel hunger for food, that was fair enough, but they also hungered for your attention, for your life, your things, everything you had, and you had no choice but to give in. Becoming a parent meant that selfishness would have to stand aside, because your life wasn't all about you anymore. Now it was all about someone else, and then - if there was time when the little furballs were sleeping - it could be all about you. Until the sun rose, at least. Dawali chuckled as she spoke, remembering and agreeing with her words. She asked whether he was a father, and his mind flew to Asha, whose presence had been as much as nonexistent for the most part, so far. Dawali knew she was here somewhere, but it didn't seem like she was interacting with the tribe members a lot. In any way, Tayui obviously had missed the point about their relation. Smiling, he turned his head to glance tot he clearing where the children were, and replied. Hehe, yeah I remember. But it's a long time ago now, and I only had one at a time. His head turned back to look at the light-pelted female in front of him. I guess that was both fortunate and unfortunate. He hadn't wished for the other pups to die, of course, but when he had taken care of Aiyanna and all the sick at once, it had been pretty hectic. It had been a blessing, then, in a way. Again his head turned in the direction of the playing pups, and his face grew more serious. He didn't like the situation he was putting himself in, and he hoped very much that Tayui would not be upset. He doubted she would be, even if it was a touchy subject, but there was always the risk.. what did he know? Mustering some strength for a second or two whilst glancing back, he looked to the female again and presented her with his real errand today. Yellow eyes shifted and his toes would not stop dancing as he spoke, quietly, and feeling quite nervous, although one could not tell by the voice. Please don't be offended by this but... who is the father? Maintaining his gaze on her he felt the need to give some explanation to why he was asking this information of her. He only meant well, honestly. You see.. it's not custom for a female to have to be alone with the pups, unless she is a widow, and.. well... Of course no one can deny you being here, and no one will think any less of you, and I'm not saying anything like that, but if there is one alive he should.. step up to the responsibility, perhaps? His words were clumsy, his sentences poor, but sincerely he hoped she would understand it as an act of goodwill. He meant only to offer his help to a good friend, even though the way there might be bumpy.

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

Tayui nodded quietly as Dawali spoke, content to hear his story, and wishing she could hear more. She wondered why he referred to his daughter as one he had -- was she dead? Gone? Estranged? Tayui did not wish to ruin the conversation or make Dawali feel uncomfortable, so she remained silent. There was a slight lull in the conversation, but soon enough, Dawali was speaking again. He leaned in closer as he began to speak, wondering why his voice had suddenly become softer. She tilted her head, frowning slightly as she listened. The father? Ah, yes. The father. Or lack of one. He was not their father. He was more like a kindly donor who happened to contribute to her cause. But he was not a father. Ember was more of a father to these children then Haku could ever be, and Ember was not even male. But it mattered not to her. They did not require a male to be connected to them by blood to be called their father. She had Pilot and Dawali, both of which would make much better role models than Haku ever could.

"Then I shall be a widow. Their father may as well be dead. He does not even know they exist, and I would prefer for it to remain as such." She paused. Dawali had the right to know who it had been. She had not told anyone yet, but she knew she would have to tell Dawali. He was one of the leaders, afterall. He had a right to know -- for the safety of the tribe as a whole. She was not being selfish; she just wanted to keep them safe. No, it was not selfishness, but pride. All a warrior had after they were stripped of their armour was their pride. Until that time, she had her puppies, her life, her love. But deep within, she still had her pride. "Haku Soul, of Dahlia de Mai," she stated.

[Dawali Amara]

Word count: 341 The worry that had been in the white-furred chest of the male evaporated as Tayui remained calm, and not angry with him. He did not want to impose on her personal life, but it was pack business, and thus his business. Yellow eyes studied her intently as she then decided she would be a widow, clearly not wanting the children's father in their lives. When she stated he did not know of them, and that she preferred it that way, his brows were raised in temporary surprise, but after a little thinking they were lowered again. After all, she would know, right? If he was "suitable" as a father. If he wasn't, then it could be for the better to leave him out of it. Had she wished it so, Dawali would have approached this Haku Soul and told him where his duties lay, but that was Tayui's business, and not his own. And she had now stated that she did not want him to know, so it was settled. His mind was curious, however, and if nothing else he wished to know why she had decided that he would not be the father of the family. He respected her wish, however, and would not do anything with Haku Soul. The pack or him would never know, and if it ever got out it would be from his lips. I see. Dawali nodded again, that polite gesture of respect. Sometimes used as a greeting, sometimes as a gracious sign of consensus, and sometimes, like these, as a way of showing his friend that he respected her. The pack name rang in his ears. The female, Firefly Sadira, had been from there, had she not? He thought he remembered approximately where their borders were as well, from her directions. Dahlia de Mai.. they are to the north somewhere, are they not? I think I met a woman from that pack earlier this year.. Firefly Sadira? Tayui would have more knowledge on these lands than he did, she'd lived here longer, after all.

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

Tayui inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement of Dawali's question. "Somewhere," she echoed. She had not visited the pack lands -- she never had a reason to venture so far from Shadowed Sun when she had been leader, and she had only passed by on her trek through 'Souls. After the Dahlian war, named after the pack itself, she did not have much of an interest in visiting the lands themselves. It did not feel right, not after she had pledged, as a leader at the time, to remain neutral in the war. Even though the war was over, she preferred to respect the pack's boundaries and refused to impede on them for the sake of asking questions.

The real reason she refused to tell her children of the existence of their father was because of who he was. He was a monster. And in some, strange perverted way, Tayui was still hoping Gabriel would murder him. For the crimes he had committed. He was a war criminal. He had murdered an Inferni coyote and her child, then strung them up in the trees to 'dry'. But it had been revenge. Revenge, for Haku's sister had lost her puppies due to an attack by a coyote, which was the catalyst of the war. And by then, it was war. Not long after, Haku struck again, perhaps taking more lives with him. Perhaps he raped another. Tayui did not know. All she knew was that he was a vile beast and her children would never, ever know who he was. They deserved better. Much better.

I think I met a woman from that pack earlier this year.. Firefly Sadira? Tayui paused, then nodded. Yes, that name sounded familiar. Ember had mentioned her before. "Ember's sister," Tayui replied, nodding her head once. "Their mother... I believe her name is Iskata. And if it is, then she is the leader of Phoenix Valley, to the north-east." A pause, and: "I remember hearing of Iskata and Phoenix before the fire. I think another of Ember's siblings is around here, too."

[Dawali Amara]

crap post >_< His ears jerked in several directions as the male thought, listening to the female's words. By now any possibility of her turning on him, angry, had evaporated from his mind - it seemed Tayui trusted him enough with this, and also knew him well enough to see his true intention. It was a comfort, and he was glad that she decided to share the information with him. The weave of information she was giving him now, however, forced his wheels to turn. Some moments passed by before conscience returned to his eyes, back from the depths of the mind. The two yellow orbs looked onto the eyes of Tayui, one red and one blue. What a strange family, with roots in every pack around here, it seems. It was a complicated net of family relations which Dawali could no fully understand. If they were all related, why did they not gather in one tribe or pack? It was custom by the AniWaya too gather families in the same tribes. Should one child marry and move to another tribe it would take the name of the family it moved to, and although it was still reckoned as a member of the old family, it now belonged to the new. Thus this spread out family tree, he did not understand. Giving it some thought, Dawali dismissed both Haku and the duties he had, and should stand up to. If he did not know of this litter, and Tayui wished it to remain so, he could do nothing. Ah well, I will leave it altogether. Nevertheless I hope you perhaps try to find some male influence for the children, especially for the boys? Learning to hunt and the like is quite different in AniWaya than the packs around here.

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

Tayui jerked her head quickly, the motion something halfway between a nod and a shrug. Dawali pointed out the obvious, and for that, Tayui had to restrain a chuckle. Everyone around here had ties to someone else. Everyone was family, so there was no way for all of them to all join in one pack. And it was the differences between these families -- be it within or outside -- that created different packs. The de le Poer and Lykoi families had a strong hold on Inferni, but for a long time, the de le Poer's had been little more than an afterthought. Now, many of the two families had become intertwined. Tayui knew of a few others in Inferni with different names -- frightening names, that of murder and Destruction -- but could not recall them completely. "More than you could imagine," Tayui reflected. "Ember Phoenix was named after Ember Agaric, my adoptive daughter, and the child of two of my best friends. I know of the rest of her family through Ember - her brother Kansas, who I believe is in Crimson Dreams, her sister Firefly in Dahlia, and two other siblings, but... I don't know where they ended up. These lands... they have the ability to claim you. Luperci up and disappear all the time. It would be romantic if it weren't so alarming," she noted dryly. She glanced over to where her puppies were, suddenly anxious. But they were still there. She exhaled, relieved. No one would steal them away from her.

Tayui glanced back at Dawali as he began to speak once more. She titled her head slightly, frowning. "How is it different? Do we not all work together to fell our prey and feast upon it? Or do you hunt in some other formation?" She frowned. How else could one take down a creature as large as a caribou? She had never done it on her own, and had only managed to take down a weak, sick fawn once. But opportunities like that rarely presented themselves. They needed the strength of the entire tribe to take down a caribou, did they not?

[Dawali Amara]

Word Count: 394 Dawali shook his head as he listened to all the names that came pouring out of Tayui. The whole concept was strange to him, and this tale was so absurd to him, to have such a family system, that he was both amused and puzzled by it. Tayui soon said that people went missing all the time, and Dawali's attitude changed from amused to grave. It was no laughing matter to have one's family members disappear not even knowing whether they were alive or dead. The tribe had had its share of runaway young females or males, seeking love, honor or war, and for some any excuse was good enough. Some disappeared of different reasons, and where crime was the source it was hard to do anything about it if one couldn't track down those responsible. In lands such as these it would be increasingly had, with spread out families not loyal to one pack, but several. Secrecy was unavoidable in such situations. The almost-fresh mother frowned at his words, and suddenly there was a certain warmth in the palms of his hands making him want to rub them dry on his thighs. He didn't do this, however, but he did fidget absently with his belt-pouch as he for a moment tried to both read the female and decide what would be the proper response. He hoped she did not feel as if he was saying that her own parenting wasn't good enough - because he would never imply such a thing. He had never been stupid enough to deliberately offend someone, least of all someone female. Hesitating, Dawali spoke uncertainly, curling his eyebrows into a worried mask without knowing. Well it's just... I mean we don't hunt on four legs, at least not all of us.. But of course they could if they wanted to! But they should be given the opportunity to learn this, or at least I think so... Pausing, Dawali's yellow eyes looked at Tayui, nervous, before he continued, now relaxing the brows as he was soon done speaking. It's.. eh, it's tribe tradition and everything. His face burnt, but his red pelt saved him now as it had done always. Attempting to calm himself he tried to not let his anxiety be visible, but he had no idea if he succeeded. Why, oh why was he so nervous always?

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

Dawali's answer was unexpected; she had never heard of hunting in one's Optime form, especially not as a pack. Intrigued, she raised her eyebrows -- then frowned, trying to figure out how that might work. Were luperci not fastest in their Secui forms? And more used to their Lupus forms? She knew of a travelling gypsy band-turned-pack that had utilized their Optime form more than the creatures native to Nova Scotia, but still found the idea strange. Although she shifted regularly, choosing a form based on the task she would complete, she was uncertain of how hunting in one's Optime form could be beneficial. They could not run quickly and their balance was reduced. Comparatively, her Secui form was much larger than her Lupus form; her mass increased dramatically and her muscle mass increased. But her Optime form had always seemed so... weak. Better for reading and writing, not... hunting and killing. Her musculature was not as pronounced and she felt as though it was too "dainty" for lack of a better word. As such, Dawali's answer perplexed her, for she could not figure out how hunting in their Optime form could offer any benefits.

"How do you do that? I could understand hunting in our Secui form, which I regularly do, since you have the added strength and speed, but... how could you hope to be successful in a hunt in your Optime form?" She tilted her head, frowning slightly. She was not unpleased or annoyed at Dawali's answer; just curious. She had no idea how this tribe worked, and she felt as though Dawali was spending a great deal of time (re)educating her on how life worked. The traditions and customs of the tribe were so different here; it would take some getting used to. At the same time, it had been many seasons since she had been a pack member. Perhaps she was just allowing her pride to get in the way. She no longer led a pack; she was a member, like everyone else, no matter what she had done before. Even if she had spoken to Gabriel, he would not regard her now as he had then. She had been a leader, someone whose opinion was not taken lightly. Now? She was a mother of four with no father to speak of in a pack where child-rearing was to be done by a unit of two. Her pride had gotten in the way. She understood now. She had told Dawali Haku was dead (which, to Tayui, he was), but had not considered... No. What had she not considered? She understood the impact it would have on her children. But she had not ever considered what it would do to her. Again, she frowned. "Would you be willing to teach my children on I how... you do this?" A compromise. Her pride would have to wait.

[Dawali Amara]

For some reason I had a lot of words in me for this post O_O Sorry for the length Word Count: 612 The white face before him changed as she tried to cope with the idea of hunting on two legs. The words that then came out of her mouth quickly revealed her opinion on the subject - that it wouldn't be effective enough to match four-legged hunting. This was, in a way true. On four legs you had more agility, better balance, better instincts, so to speak, to move regarding your prey - and panicking prey could easily be an agility test for anyone. This was why they'd invented their weapons, to make it possible to use the horses for transporting the meals afterward, to make it possible to do this, and other tasks such as skinning or tending the meat, without having to shift to this an that form for every purpose. It was more convenient and energy-saving to stay in one form at all times, especially when all other tasks required a certain form. This was why those from these lands hunted on four legs - they had not tasted the alternative, to have a life that was based completely on the two-legged form. That was the form that was natural to the AniWayans, perhaps with the exception of the freshly joined members, Tayui among them. His hands moved as he spoke, not fiddling with his pouch anymore. He was feeling slightly more relaxed now, as the female had not become angry at his words. She seemed puzzled instead. We've invented weapons, tools and techniques to serve us. But there is always room for one in the four-legged form among the others wielding hunting tools, as someone to - in a sense - herd the prey in the right direction, is as useful as any of the other tasks performed. It was true, and he had practiced it himself with Leland only weeks before, when they'd successfully taken down a young wapiti doe with him on four legs, and Dawali on the bow. Although, the spear was probably more effective, in a sense. It was like a large arrow, but with shorter range. Perhaps one of these fine little fur ball would prove skilled in that style of hunting - one wouldn't know until one had tried. Frowning, the female - the friend - asked him whether he would teach her family. Dawali's head tilted barely visibly to the side and back again as he was mildly surprised at this - did she think it was the privilege of few? In the circle of friends and family that AniWaya formed, it was only natural that everyone shared to everyone their pools of knowledge. And Dawali himself knew very little on techniques to do .. well anything, on four legs, except run and walk. He'd tried fishing once, but that had been an extreme failure. You and they are as entitled to learning everything you may wish to learn from us - as any other member, new or old. Many of us "old" AniWayans have extremely lacking knowledge on how to hunt in the four-legged form. I'm sure both sides would benefit if we exchanged knowledge! His two first fingers on each hand moved on each side of his head as he spoke the word "old", making it clear that he did not mean it in the literal sense of the word - even though he did truly feel as if he was amongst the oldies of the tribe. After completing his sentence, Dawali smiled to his friend, now relaxed again. He would slowly realize, perhaps, that this woman was not the kind that got very easily red with anger. She certainly did seem like calmness itself compared to some women he'd known.

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

A few more replies and we'll be good? (: I'd like to end this with Dawali finishing up his explanation and Tayui not thinking he is completely barmy!

Ah. Her first response was something of vague understanding, but she still found the concept of hunting on two legs slightly mystifying. Although she had since honed her ability to move about on two legs, it did not mean she was proficient enough to hunt. But she did not understand the need to invent tools to hunt with when one's four legs were as good of a tool as any. Luperci were slower on two legs, so why waste time with such tools?

Dawali regarded her curiously in reply to her second question, and for this, she felt as though she owed him a curious look in return. She remained alert as the male spoke, wondering why he thought her question strange enough to warrant such an expression (a frown, no less!). His reply was respectful enough, and this made Tayui wonder if her question had some sort of silent, disrespectful undertones. She paused for a moment, re-evaluating her question. No, it had not; it had been simple and straightforward -- and polite, if anything. She felt a little chaffed, not at Dawali, but her own lack of knowledge. This pack had customs and traditions so deeply different from her past ones that she was uncertain if she would -- at any point in time -- step on a land mine and never lift her foot.

"I'm afraid I don't yet understand the benefits to this -- this two-legged hunting -- but I would be willing to learn and listen. Eager, of course. The concept is so... foreign to me -- excuse the adjective -- that I have yet to figure this out. What sort of tools do you use? How do they benefit you? How do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Of hunting on four legs, I mean. Did you never learn to hunt on four legs?" The entire situation perplexed and confused her, and she was fairly certain Dawali did not intend for this to happen, but still felt completely alienated. It was different. Not too different -- just different.

[Dawali Amara]

Yeah that sounds good! This thread has been one of my favorites :D Word Count: 452 Dawali listened as his friend seemed to struggle slightly with putting into words what she felt. Broken or unfinished sentences tumbled around each other, although Dawali was not new to this situation. Many had been married into the tribe, and every time, if they came from a "four-legged lifestyle" as he liked to call it, they struggled to understand these new concepts. What was new to Dawali, however, was that now he was a sub-leader, and it was his responsibility to make sure that every tribesmember got the answers they wanted. Another thing that was new was the idea that four-legged hunting would be better than two-legged hunting. He'd been brought up in this lifestyle, and on two legs he was at his strongest, most confident. His life situation, in that sense, was vastly different from Tayui's. So different that it was unlikely either of them could comprehend the distance between them. Still, Dawali considered her questions while trying to imagine that he had been brought up on four legs. Only a few thoughts came to mind when searching for explanations, as he could not compare one thing he knew with something he did not know. I have never hunted on four legs. In fact, I only take that form if I am going to travel far without a horse. The male shrugged as he admitted his flawed knowledge on the subject of four-legged life. He was not perfect, and there were a million things he didn't know anything about. I was hoping, perhaps, that I could one day learn from any of you guys, who've joined since we came here. It can be useful to know these things, one never know when it can come in handy. Smiling, Dawali paused while considering what else Tayui had said. Advantages versus disadvantages, she had said. As for our traditional way of hunting, it's very different, of course. Mostly it is the art of damaging the prey from a distance. I guess that way it is safer than running alongside dangerous wapiti hooves - they have a very powerful kick. Using a device that shoots knife-like weapons called arrows, we kill them from afar. Usually though, we have a few members also trying to chase and scare them in the right direction, on four legs. So, like I said, there is room for both. His hands moved in natural patterns, not consciously moved by Dawali, but an automatic action. The red-furred face with white markings had a mild expression now, as the male was doing his best to give some answers that were comprehensible. Certainly, if he had been the one introduced to four-legged life, he'd be as confused as she was now.

Awesome sexy table and avatar by Kat! :D

[Tayui Aston]

There were so many differences between them. That was her first and most immediate thought as Dawali spoke, elaborating on his habits and personal customs. Did all of the pack members walk about on two legs and travel long distances on horses? It seemed as though they did -- for, if Dawali's previous words were any indication, Aniwayans seemed to spend more time on two feet than anything else. Tayui chuckled, nodding slowly as Dawali spoke. She wanted to know more about the pack, more about how all of this worked, but did not want to take away from what Dawali needed to do. He was busy, most certainly. But at the same time, she wanted to continue talking like this for days. She wanted to know why they did everything they did, the reasons, the why, and soon, the how. Tayui had never seen a horse. It seemed like a silly thing, but she had never been in a pack that kept them and never saw them lingering in packs that did have them.

Again, Tayui found herself nodding as the male spoke, eyes shining as she absorbed all of the information. "You will have to show me, then," Tayui replied with a nod. "We will have to trade knowledge soon, yes," she affirmed with a warm smile.

And then -- the feeling of silent security descended upon her. As she sat beside Dawali, she could see her children playing off in the distance. She could hear them, too, shouting and whooping as they ran in every direction. She glanced from Dawali to her children, then back again. They were still young. Very young. For a moment, she wondered if she had let them wander too far. But then she saw them once more, rolling around in the snow in the clearing. She smiled, shaking her head. They were beautiful.