A flit in the shadow

[nightblood]

"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."

NightBlood braced herself as Mortil went into a meditative state to awaken Umbra, her mate's attacker. An ear fliped backward to show her uneasiness, but, other than that, she was silent.

"So! What a fun little gathering we have here. Isn't this delicious. Little Albireo has found himself some friends. How charming."

Albireo? Apparently a nickname for Mortil. The comment did not otherwise interest the sentry.

"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."

"What would you be doing otherwise?" Blood blurted in annoyance. The seemingly cold-hearted part of Mortil was living up to his rumored personality. Though his lack of remorse did not come as a surprise, it was none-the-less aggitating.

"As I told Mortil, we are not so different. We Dravirians..." she twisted her head to view Archer for a moment before turning back to Umbra, "and others like us... have a dual personality, another mind. You are currently conversing with the trained mind of NightBlood, the 'killer' side, if you will. I am Blood. I no longer fight with Night. Although we do have our differences, we have at least one thing in common- and that is that we both care for this body's cousin, ShadeBlood, ... and Archer."

NightBlood glaced at Archer for a moment, letting it sink in that, yes, she had just said openly that she cared for him, which would ultimatly be translated as she loved him. ShadeBlood, had he been around, would probably be looking around frantically, expecting the world to implode on itself.

Blood looked back to Umbra once again. "I want to ask you if you have ever cared for anything... other than killing."

[Blackfeathr]

Soft flakes of snow began to fall once again, attempting to cover the tracks and blemishes on the ground with another blanket of white.

Mordecai breathed deeply in the cold, and exhaled a warm haze through his nose, relaxing his muscles. He was amoung strangers, he realized. They seemed to share a similar past, having their unbridled souls be governed by the killer within. Mordecai was nothing like that... he was just... Mordecai. Plain and simple. He came from a pack with a strong loyal bond, and decided to venture out on his own. Nothing earth-shattering had forced him down this path. He chose it. And he would make the most of it.

His icey blue eyes snapped open at the sound of Umbra's unctuously smooth voice.

"So! What a fun little gathering we have here. Isn't this delicious. Little Albireo has found himself some friends. How charming.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."

It felt like acid was being poured in his ears... that suave voice... so cleverly disguised... he hated it. He hated every limerick, every syllable Mortil's other half said. It was enough to make the hairs on his neck stand on end.
A slow, low growl erupted in his throat and he was too late to stop it. His eyes shown nothing, he just stared blankly at Umbra. When he realized what he was doing, he quickly stifled it and cleared his throat.

Looking away, he cursed himself inwardly for it, frown cutting deep lines in his muzzle.

[archer]

There words, more words, and then actions.

"You insult the memory of my father", "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.""I think it's safe to say I failed him miserably."

Archer nodded respectfully, after all, they were now allies. He saw the Sepia female's reaction to the words and gave her a soft smile.

"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."

Archer tucked his tail against himself, trying to block out more of the cold as it seemed to build against them. He also thjought about what Nightblood had just said. It sounded as though she had just defended. For that, he wrapped a paw around her and gently hugged, a silent thanks.

"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."

Archer jerked his head toward the ash gra wolf upon his mate's words and could not help but wonder the answer to that question. Yes, Umbra had shone to have some control of Mortil, and likewise, but was it possible that instead of the blood thirsty being Umbra was, that Mortil also shared the same blood lust as the two trained fighters, Archer and Blood? He got his answer a moment later.

"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."

Archer felt the tension in the air and straightened up, realizing his hold on the female at his side. His eyes closed as he controlled the urge to form a fighting stance, more out of habit that out of fear. When he opened them, it was clear he was controlling whatever laid behind that cover of strength. His brown eyes were glazed over with a bloody red tint. It was Archer and Arrow working together for once.

"So! What a fun little gathering we have here. Isn't this delicious. Little Albireo has found himself some friends. How charming. "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.

Archer shuddered at the laugh, his lips twitchign as he tried not to growl. He had been warned that this beast was dangerous, but on many occassion, they had faught sie by side as allies; however, he was not about to relax and furthermore, he was very cautiuos of Umbra. He knew too well what a wolf could do without control of his fighting side. He listened as his mate spoke and pawed the ground in annoyance at the other's rather heartless tatic at addressing others.

What would you be doing otherwise?"

He could here her fustration and looked at her for a moment, a comforting glance between lovers. He nodded and gave her permission to go on.

"As I told Mortil, we are not so different. We Dravirians..." "and others like us... have a dual personality, another mind. You are currently conversing with the trained mind of NightBlood, the 'killer' side, if you will. I am Blood. I no longer fight with Night. Although we do have our differences, we have at least one thing in common- and that is that we both care for this body's cousin, ShadeBlood, ... and Archer."

He wagged his tail and, then allowed Archer to control him for a moment. "Durochen, a fighter's hell, was the same. Everyone was taught to kill or be killed, die or fight to live. Either way, I too have a trained mind. You are currently speaking with Archer, the counterpart of Arrow. Blood, as you well know, my mother is the only one that still calls by that name. We are truly not so different from you and however different you think we might be, consider this. We are all raised in packs were fighting and fighters were the norm, we all have some sort of death in our background, and we all know the pain of battle." He closed his eyes and slumped against Blood for a moment, allowing Arrow, so to speak, to regain control.

At that same moment, he looked at Nightblood and smiled sweetly. "I would never say otherwise, love. I do indeed love you as well" They both had just admitted to loving one another, very happy and probally smiling. They had been through much together, and thus, enforcing a deep and respected bond between the two wolves.

"I want to ask you if you have ever cared for anything... other than killing."

He nodded, and was about to speak when a growl eruppted and he looked at Mordecai. Without thinking, he put himself between the two, his eyes glaring daggaers not at Umbra, but the other, Mordecai. Archer spoke, his voice deadly and very threatening, promising retribution. That bloody red had returned, bleeding into his sight and making everything seem red. "Packmates do not attack their pack mates. Control yourself or be forced to. Let me be the first to tell you a fight won't dare back down and disgrace himself in the presence of those he respects. I should tell you also I have seem Umbra at his full blown state, and there is no mercy for foolishness there!" He, satisfied by the other's now silenct state walked back over to Nightblood and sat down. To anyone other than the three, it would not have made since what he said, but it would to them. It was clearly a warning not to make any of them angry.

[Electus]

"What would you be doing otherwise?"

Umbra snorted, tilting his head. "Well, I could be sleeping, while Albireo talks his head off with you people. Pleasantries bore me."

"As I told Mortil, we are not so different. We Dravirians...and others like us... have a dual personality, another mind. You are currently conversing with the trained mind of NightBlood, the 'killer' side, if you will. I am Blood. I no longer fight with Night. Although we do have our differences, we have at least one thing in common- and that is that we both care for this body's cousin, ShadeBlood, ... and Archer."

Umbra grinned. He had thought so; they thought he was a trained part of Mortil's mind, a part of him, a personality. He laughed. "Very fascinating, I'm sure. Possibly a different audience would be enthralled by it. But as Albireo has surely told you, I am no trained personality. I am more than a personality. As long as I am awake, you are talking to practically a different wolf. A little bloodline trait of Albireo's father, as I again am sure he divulged. He is no great secret-keeper when it comes to what he thinks are things to be hated."

"I want to ask you if you have ever cared for anything... other than killing."

Umbra grinned like a vampire, his frame shaking. He soon erupted into hysterical bouts of laughter, his mouth wide open in glee. His eye flashed as he gasped in a gulp of air and calmed himself almost immediately. The action was rather disturbing, as if he was forcing himself to laugh and then cutting it off.

"Come now...what else is there if there is not the thrill of the kill? No. I do not care for anything, anything at all." Umbra's expression then grew very serious, and he spoke again. "No, I am content with bloodshed and death. But there is one thing, one very special thing that I value. Albireo's life. To protect it, I would slaughter whole armies, come what will. For if that was gone, I obviously would be gone as well. His old pack threatened my - our - existence. So I massacred. Two-hundred and fifty skulls worth. Ha!" He grinned again, eye glinting. "There, question answered. I bid you a good night, while it still lasts. With the last bark of a laugh, Umbra closed his eye, and he soon opened it again. The feral look was gone, to be replaced with Mortil's calm demeanor.

"Well? I'm sure whatever he said was not amusing."

[Bandersnatch]

"So! What a fun little gathering we have here. Isn't this delicious. Little Albireo has found himself some friends. How charming."[/color]

That chill again! Worse than the harshest winter winds. The dusty-brown wolfess ruffled her coat, drawing her shoulders up as she half-listened to the words.
This… wolf? Wolves? Certainly had a lot of names.

The words, from almost all there, passed by her ears… too many words. She was a listener, certainly, but there was only so much one could listen to. More cruel voices… and yet they were softened. Interesting, and yet the sepia she-wolf found her mind drifting off, pale eyes watching darkened skies. The stars overhead still shined, but the first purple hues of morning skies were starting to gather around the horizon.
The atmosphere was easy enough to read, though. Tension, oh yes, but in it there was a certain understanding. An understanding she did not share. Her puppyhood had at times it’s own harshness – nothing less was expected from these lands – occasional loneliness, but she had come to care deeply for the territory and its inhabitants. She had had little to fight.

Mordecai’s growl bought her back to Earth, whilst also earning from her a sympathetic gaze. She had some idea of the story behind their ‘history’, and thusly was firm in the belief that she understood his worry.

"Packmates do not attack their pack mates. Control yourself or be forced to. Let me be the first to tell you a fight won't dare back down and disgrace himself in the presence of those he respects. I should tell you also I have seem Umbra at his full blown state, and there is no mercy for foolishness there!"[/color]

Crow’s ears pulled back as she pouted at Archer in that motherly reprimanding way. Mordecai’s body language told that he was aware that he was in the wrong. The sparrow-marked wolf had meant it, and there was little to blame him of for those thoughts, but not for the world to hear. There was no need for a verbal beating. His words had not fazed her, knowing little of the power that Umbra held.
But any thoughts of her physically planting herself beside Mordecai in his defense were quickly dismissed.
It was then that Umbra’s reply came forth. His laughter made her fur stand and her muscles tense, and his words… it was hard to believe. Slaughter your own pack? Part from thought and part being unable to meet psychotic golden eyes, Crow stared at her feet. What would she do in such a situation? She would die for Arnlan, there was no question. How was it that a pack could come to threaten one of its own? As she hadn’t witnessed such a feat and as such it was something she couldn’t imagine.

"Well? I'm sure whatever he said was not amusing."[/b][/color]

She flashed Mortil a weak glance, but her attention was quickly turned uncertainly away. Not amusing… that was certainly putting it lightly.
To have the knowledge that you had the weight of such slaughter on your back... Again, it was a horror she could not imagine.

[Blackfeathr]

((Okay since ARCHER MESSED THIS ALL UP [just playin, love ya buddy] where am I at now in this sequence of RPing?))

[nightblood]

NightBlood watched as Archer stepped between the Irish and Umbra. In her view, the sparrow wolf had indeed put himself in danger by growling at the gray. However, she felt that Umbra wold probably not care at the moment and that, if she was wrong about that, Mortil could take over if he got out of hand. Archer was simply being overly cautious. She gave him a questioning look as he walked back over to her and sat down. Would he be the same way with their future pups? She'd be surprised if he wasn't. He'd probably be a bit more protective. It was at this point when she began to wonder about that, but the Sentry quickly pulled herself out of her thoughts. It wasn't wise to wander into a different subject when they were in the presence of one such as Umbra.

"Well? I'm sure whatever he said was not amusing."

Blood pulled her ears back and and lowered her muzzle.

"My appologies. I was under the impression that he could be tamed."

~Oh, you bastard, let me talk.~

"He will be a danger to Arnlan should you lose control of him. He seems to be protective of the body you share, so as long as no member poses a threat to you, I believe we will all be fine. But you should find a way to tame him anyway. How have you been keeping him under control thus far?"

She paused to let him speak before letting another thought enter her mind. She had no clue who she was in the company of.

"May I have your names?" she asked, turning to the sepia and sparrow wolves.

[Bandersnatch]

(I'd say it's your turn to post, BF, maybe? Then Archer again? :S)

[nightblood]

{{Assumed post order: KNB, BF, Archer, BV, Bander. O.o }}

[Electus]

(( Let's roll with it. ))

[Blackfeathr]

((Sorry for the slowness... I should be able to post tonight.))

[Blackfeathr]

"Packmates do not attack their pack mates. Control yourself or be forced to. Let me be the first to tell you a fight won't dare back down and disgrace himself in the presence of those he respects. I should tell you also I have seem Umbra at his full blown state, and there is no mercy for foolishness there!"

Mordecai did not look at Archer to challenge, or Umbra to acknowledge. He did not look at the ground to pacify. He looked straight ahead and away, narrowing his eyes until all warmth left them, leaving his eyes as chips of ice in cold and lonely waters.
"I should tell you my only meeting with Umbra was unpleasant. You should know. You were there." He said in a monotone, dangerously quiet. His cold, icy eyes flashed to Archers, lined in red, for only a second, and then averted away.
Surely Archer remembered the last time he had seen Mordecai, he and Umbra had a duel and Archer was badly hurt in the process. Memories like that don't fade too fast. A lot had happened since then, apparently.
"I didn't know until now you all have an... alliance."

He looked to his side and saw his earth-toned friend, clearly in disagreement with Archer's statements. At least Mordecai wasn't alone. Some warmth returned to Mordecai's silent eyes and his taut shoulders loosened. There was something about this small sepia wolfess that Mordecai liked. Hindered by silence but confident all the same. Even if he would go a lifetime without knowing her name, he would always enjoy meeting her in his travels in Arnlan.
His wandering thoughts etched a warm smile on his face while looking at her. Coming back to himself he realized what his expression must be. Startled, he cleared his throat and looked away, a deadpan expression on his face. And in the tension of things now, this was the definition of awkward.

[nightblood]

{{Let's summarize this up. Tell what you want your character to say or do, that way we can get on with more RPs. Skip Archer. The deal is wait 3 days for someone to post. We've waited for a few weeks. BV's turn.}}

[Blackfeathr]

((huh?))

[nightblood]

{{Just basically 'tell what information you wanted your character to give out'- was my initial thought... I dunno. I was frustrated when I typed that. ^^;

I just feel that we need to wrap this thread up.}}