A flit in the shadow

[nightblood]

-Whoa, hello!-

Blood was not used to being around so many at once. Not unless it was during a war.

"We do seem to run into each other often, don't we? We haven't had time to properly talk. Well, I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. It just so happens there'd be more witnesses to this tale than I thought."

NightBlood sat down on the spot, ready to hear Mortil's story. Ears were on high alert in case someone else thundered through.

"I'll get around to it, but I must know..." He looked seriously at the two, and also at the irish wolf. "Do...do the alphas know about...Umbra?"

She turned to the Irish wolf. She remembered him from the fight. She had told him to alert the Alphas about Umbra. According to Blood's side of her mind, he'd better damn well HOPE the Alphas knew...

Night was aware of Blood's stirrings as she rumbled in her mind at the Irish wolf. She leaned on Archer's shoulder. The warmth of his body soothed Blood mildly, but that didn't keep her from being aware of the Irish, the mute, and Mortil. There was a story to be heard. And she would hear it too.

[Blackfeathr]

He smiled warmly as the mute wolfess caught his gaze. She touched her nose to his cheek and his icy eyes seemed to melt at the fact that he was perhaps, amoung friends.

As Mortilitas Umbra began to talk, though, uneasiness rose within him. As he spoke his last sentence "I'll get around to it, but I must know... Do... do the alphas know about... Umbra?" he looked dead at him.

Wait... was I supposed to go to the Alpha?

The way that everyone seemed to be behaving now... no fights breaking out...
A lot had happened in Mordecai's absence.
What was going on?

"I... well, I told Karolek." Mordecai said. "You must trust me to hear me out though. The last time I saw you, you had nearly killed Archer. I thought you were dangerous. I didnt know what to do. So Karolek, he knows, and he wants to meet you."

[Electus]

Mortil shrugged at the Irish wolf's response. He figured that they knew anyways, seeing as they were the alphas. He'd deal with that when the time came, and no sooner. He would not offer excuses, only facts. That was the kind of wolf he was. The ash-grey wolf sat down again, tilting his head as he liked to do when talking. He looked for all the world like a curious pup, wondering how birds could fly.

"Oh well. It can't be helped. Such as it is, I have Umbra under a more rigid control, so unpleasantness can be avoided. Now...I was born in the winter, one and half years ago. I am nearing on my second year...young, perhaps, but I hate it. You all know of Umbra. He is no bloodlust, no fighting side. He is...a part of me. You could say that we are sharing a body. It is a trait in my family, on my father's side. It skips every...oh, ten generations or so. It just so happens that I was the unlucky one."

Mortil began to talk about his old pack, the Kumori Shikon, shadow fangs, and how he had aspired to be one of their best warriors, like his father. He spoke animatedly, almost enthusiastically about his father. It was obvious that he respected him greatly. He talked glowingly of his mother, a hunter, and how she supported his decision. He talked more grimly of his seeming talent, his ability to grasp his training easier, with less difficulty. He spoke in a near whisper of the day he was taken over by Umbra, of how he killed his father. He spoke in a deadpan voice of how the pack, determined to stop Umbra, killed his mother, and tried to kill him.

Mortil paused in his narration, hesitating to reveal the last part. It was a lot to take in, he knew, but he had to keep going. But he stopped abruptly nonetheless, to let the others absorb the information and ask questions, if they wished.

[Bandersnatch]

"...The last time I saw you, you had nearly killed Archer...."[/color]

Nearly killed? Crow's ears flattened against her ruff. That was a detail Mordecai had neglected to specify. She tilted her head to the dark pair (noting subconciously the way they leant togeather). And yet here was Archer, standing calmly before his attacker. A lot had obviously happened - a lot was required, after all, to gain back trust from a level such as that.
She had certianly missed a lot whilst she had bundled herself up in the center of the territory - even more in the absence before it.

Her attention flitted back to the ash-grey wolf, and again he spoke.
"...Such as it is, I have Umbra under a more rigid control, so unpleasantness can be avoided..."[/color]
Yes. From the way he'd baught this other side forth then pushed it back it certianly seemed that way.

Crow listened quietly, grimly, to the whole story. She could not bring herself herself to watch Mortil as he spoke, something so private and painful from a wolf she'd only just met. Instead she spent her time staring at her own forepaws. How did this bode for Arnlan? What was Mortil's future to be? Yet, if the one he had apparently almost killed could trust him enough for 'pleasentries' such as this informal meeting, she couldn't find herself doing anything but the same.

Crow glanced around quickly at each individual wolf's face, watching for their reactions.

Had she known the details of this split-self before she certianly wouldn't have been amused.

[nightblood]

"I... well, I told Karolek."

NightBlood smiled at the news. Good. Mortil's 'issues' (so to speak) were to be known. But she soon found out that there was more to Mortilisa Umbra than just his split personality. Blood cursed herself silently. This should have been made known weeks ago. Perhaps then, the anger and fear would be gone.

Night smiled as Mortil spoke of his father. NightBlood had always felt the same for her father, even though he ended up beinf the cause of the pack's destress in the end. She still loved him. That was all there was to it.

Her ears folded at the news that Umbra had killed Mortil's father. She let out a growl, disgusted. To kill one's family... awful... Even more awful for the pack to kill his mother. Blood spat at the ground. Death was always met by more death. It was how it always had been, but she was growing sick of it.

At the pause, Blood awoke, asking permission to take over. Night gave the killer a quizical look.

~Why?~
-I have a question I want answered.-
~...Be briefe.~
-You know I'm not one to beat around the bush. I'd rather kill the rabbit and get it over with.-

Night 'stepped aside' and let Blood take control for a moment. Blood raised her head from Archer's shoulder and glared at Mortil, good eye glowing red-hot.

"Umbra... has he... Has he ever cared at all? About anthing? Besides killing?"

~Now why in the world would that matter?~
-If he has cared, he has a heart. He can be tamed. Made safe for the pack.-
~...Like you...~
-Like me...-

[Blackfeathr]

((archers turn, my turn, or Vs turn?))

[Lazy NB]

{{Archie's ^^}}

[archer]

A respected nod, a greeting in turn. Archer nodded as well.

"Hello, NightBlood, Archer.

He nodded back, dipping his head appreciatively. Archer scanned the area, seeing as there where two others, five in all. He was used to larger crowds, and in his mind, crowds meant fights and in turn, fights meant danger or pain, but here in Arnlan, it was warm and safe, well safe. Archer shivering and had to resist the urge to just sit on his mate and become warmer.

"We do seem to run into each other often, don't we? We haven't had time to properly talk. Well, I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. It just so happens there'd be more witnesses to this tale than I thought. I'll get around to it, but I must know..."

Ah yes, matters had to be attended to an a promise is a promise, despite how easily it can be broken; furthermore, a wolf is as only good as his word. If you cannot trust him or her with that, what can you? He was brought out of his mussings as a head toched his shoulder and he snuggled in closer to her, tail wrapping around her as they shared warmth. Soon, he had stopped shivering, speaking of cold, did he just hear Mortil say he was born in the Winter?

Oh well. It can't be helped. Such as it is, I have Umbra under a more rigid control, so unpleasantness can be avoided. Now...I was born in the winter, one and half years ago. I am nearing on my second year...young, perhaps, but I hate it. You all know of Umbra. He is no bloodlust, no fighting side. He is...a part of me. You could say that we are sharing a body. It is a trait in my family, on my father's side. It skips every...oh, ten generations or so. It just so happens that I was the unlucky one."

Like Archer, he was the same. They bore so many commo0n characteristic it was almost weird. Archer said nothing, but watched with interest. He did not say anything, listening closely as he told his tale, everything finally coming forth in a single moment. He had to bit back a graps and a boiling hatred as he said he killed him whole pack. Archer would have never forgiven himself if he would have done that, something that made them different. Instead, he pressed slightly against Nightblood to show his disapproval. It was a well known fact that Archer was attachted to Arnlan and the others within it, thus, a sense of loyalty larger and more powerful.

Unlike Mortil and Nightblood, however, Archer felt little love for his brother, rather, being raised by his Master and mother, veiwed each as a parent, somehow in his mind. Archer heard his mate asked a question and cocked his head to the right. "Its kind of strange how four trained and able fighters from different places, different times, have come together in Arnlan. What's more, the training was nearly identical." He stated rather matter-of-factly.

[Blackfeathr]

The great sparrow-dappled wolf shifted slightly as Mortilitas Umbra spoke of his story. There was a stab of pain wrought through him when he heard Mortilitas Umbra speak of his family being killed. Mordecai himself never witnessed his family being killed, but he himself killed a pack member for being disloyal to the pack. He was die-hard, end of story.
For the most part, Mordecai was unable to relate to Mortilitas. It seemed that their lives were on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. He wished he could have some input, to say something to help or to carry along the conversation, but he just couldnt, so he stayed silent.


((sucky, sucky post... but I am so tired D:))

[Electus]

"Its kind of strange how four trained and able fighters from different places, different times, have come together in Arnlan. What's more, the training was nearly identical."

Mortil flattened his ears immediately, Archer's comment wounding him to the quick. Images of his father flashed wildly in his mind, and he fought to control his anger. Yes, in many ways, he was like Archer, and vice versa. But his father did not raise him to be a cold-blooded killer!

"You insult the memory of my father", Mortil growled quietly, his single eye gleaming. "I must ask you to refrain from doing so again. My father did not train me to be a cold-blooded murderer, but an honorable warrior." He laughed pitilessly and bitterly at himself. "I think it's safe to say I failed him miserably."

"Umbra... has he... Has he ever cared at all? About anthing? Besides killing?"

Mortil barked out a manic laugh, almost gasping for breath. "Anything else? Of course not. He lives for combat. He lives for death. Why do you think I hate him so? It is but sheer will that I restrain him."

[Bandersnatch]

Crow's ears flattened against her skull and her muscles tensed as Mortil's voice raised.
Being trained to slaughter others, regardless of intention, always seemed odd to her. She didn't understand - she had neither the personality, bulk or training to be a warrior. Her character was much too kindly to share how lightly others seemed to take murder at times. Protect the pack, sure, but to have a life dedicated to the training of taking the lives of others?

"Umbra... has he... Has he ever cared at all? About anthing? Besides killing?"[/color]
"Anything else? Of course not. He lives for combat. He lives for death. Why do you think I hate him so? It is but sheer will that I restrain him."[/color]

The sepia wolfess glanced worriedly at the ash-grey male as he coupled his words with such a maniacal laugh. To have such a creature inside you... she shuddered. In her opinion, this conversation had certianly taken her turn for the worst.


[AKA Skip!]

[nightblood]

"You insult the memory of my father", Mortil growled quietly, his single eye gleaming. "I must ask you to refrain from doing so again. My father did not train me to be a cold-blooded murderer, but an honorable warrior." He laughed pitilessly and bitterly at himself. "I think it's safe to say I failed him miserably."

NightBlood answered with a low snarl. "My father meant well for me. He trained me so I wouldn't have to stand aside and let others, particularly males, walk all over me when I took his place as Alpha. He ended up being the reason my pack was in it's tearany, but in no way does that mean he didn't care about me. Think of others before you speak, Mortil. We are still similar in many ways."

She paused before asking her question, realizing that she had just defended Archer in a way. After voicing her inquiry, the gray male burst out laughing, which made NightBlood growl a little more.

"Anything else? Of course not. He lives for combat. He lives for death. Why do you think I hate him so? It is but sheer will that I restrain him."

"You did not seem to restrain him much when I was trapped under the earth. I wish for Umbra to answer, if you will allow him to do so."

That said, she quelled her growls and streched her forelegs out before her, laying down. If this turned out to be a long-winded decision, she was not going to spend the entire time on her bad leg.

[archer]

(Give my about thirty minutes, I should come up with somefink)

[Electus]

(( For the sake of time, I'll go ahead and post. Archer, post whenever, I'll just edit this when you do. ))

"You did not seem to restrain him much when I was trapped under the earth. I wish for Umbra to answer, if you will allow him to do so."

Mortil's eye locked on NightBlood's for a brief moment, his mouth set in a thin line. He seemed to think for the briefest of moments, then he spoke.

"I do not think it is wise...but very well. For you, Nightblood, and you all that are here. I will let Umbra speak his case for himself. But know this. I know not his mood, nor do I oft do. It will be your own responsibility to guard against him if I cannot, and also to kill me if he for some reason loses control. Now...patience. I will wake him."

The ash-grey wolf closed his eye, exhaling deeply, and letting out a long breath. He seemed to go into a trance, and he grinned suddenly, his eye still closed. His mouth moved, but there was no sound, as if he was mouthing words. Finally, an insane cackled burst forth from his muzzle.

Umbra had come.

"So! What a fun little gathering we have here. Isn't this delicious. Little Albireo has found himself some friends. How charming. He laughed cruelly with a toss of his head, looking at Nightblood. "You! Nightblood. You said you had questions for me, or so Albireo says. What are they? Come now, the night grows old, and I have not the time.

[Bandersnatch]

((Skip me for now to move this ahead, will edit this post when I get home from work))