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Post by Meds on Jun 3, 2018 11:47:47 GMT -5
Manaaki;Autumn. Manaaki's birth-season. A changing of the leaves, a final goodbye to the warm and easy days of summer. Autumn itself wasn't difficult, as there were plenty of deer in rut and looking for mates—but sometimes it was hard to bid the simple days goodbye. The days where a wolf could walk out of its den and catch a rabbit for breakfast. But he didn't mind it. Although autumn hinted at winter just beyond, Manaaki found it a very peaceful time. It wasn't, really, with everybody trying to eat enough to last them through the cold months... but that had never bothered him. He liked the smells, the earth heated from summer suns and now composting with autumn moisture. He liked the long days that got shorter bit by bit, eventually leading to early nights warm and snug in a den. But most of all he loved the colours; oranges, reds, yellows—so rich, so full. He sighed, taking it all in. It was early in the season, so a lot of the leaves were still green. As he passed through them, Manaaki's seemingly drab-grey coat caught on branches here and there and flashed the bright silver hidden underneath. He and Kanga's coats were the same, in that they appeared normal and even boring when motionless, but as soon as the fur was stirred, the brightest of colours were revealed. But today was not about autumn, nor about Kanga, nor about anything else like that. It was about Amora, and a conversation Manaaki had been meaning to have with her. Just what did they mean to each other, truly? On their last meeting (which Amora had left, abruptly and unexplained), Amora had informed Manaaki that she saw him as a friend—a good friend. But she had gone about it in a very business-like manner before rushing off. If Manaaki had been a different wolf, he would have said that the way she had left that interaction had hurt, slightly. But he had too much Kanga within him to admit that. The silver-giant strode through the trees, searching out the Betess of his pack. Kanga was more active within the valley—meeting more wolves, interacting with others more often—but that didn't mean Manaaki didn't have interests of his own. Just because he often chose to be alone rather than in public didn't change that. He turned his big head left to right, trying not to trample any late-summer growth under his weight as he moved. The Ashwood Grove was pretty sheltered, but could often provide a nice safe place for young trees to grow. If wolves the size of Manaaki or Kanga made a habit of crushing all young trees, the Grove would never repopulate itself. He reached the end of a particularly tightly-knit group of trees, and halted on the roots of one of the large ones. He sat, his long tail draping over the end and waving slowly with the rhythm of the trees, flashing silver in turn. He had met Amora here before on a number of occasions... perhaps today would be another such instance. Fierfly
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Post by Fierfly on Jun 12, 2018 16:22:48 GMT -5
Amora:
Autumn was hellishly beautiful to the young botanist. Like all other beasts she recognized the beauty of the changing colors. The temperature cooled to a warm, nostalgic atmosphere and a chill breeze now and again that made her thickening winter coat feel snug and in turn made her feel secure and contented. The nights were growing longer and clearer - the thick, muggy sedative in the summer air dying for the cool, clear, crispness in autumn in winter that seemed to bring the stars closer - almost near enough for one to reach them. Colors changing, the earth going into her yearly spell of sleep to be awakened by the magic kiss from Spring in a few long, sparse moons' time. But it was more than that for her, it was the plant life dying.
Having gotten her power at such a young age, the lifeblood of plants and other growing, green things seemed to flow through her own. Autumn seemed nearly a mournful time to her, watching her floral mates pass on into the next realm, going asleep and letting go, allowing the change to overtake them.
There was one key difference between the betess and her earthen fellows - they accepted, even graciously embraced their required change.
Amora was a bit balkier than that.
Change, letting go - it would be good for her, she knew that she needed it. She really hadn't had time to be a child, she'd been pushed into this position of playing the adult so early, and she'd clung to it so fiercely, so determined not to cave...well, what of it? Now that time of innocence was gone - Life owed her a debt and she'd come to collect what was due. Ah, but that involved her letting go. No! Maybe it was a tad paranoid of her, but she liked to be in control - she liked anticipating everything, calling the shots, playing the winning card. To let go, and to trust her vulnerabilities to someone...she wasn't sure how she'd feel about that. Love had always been so nearly a foreign concept to her. Who to talk to about it? Her mother? White Magic forbid! Their relationship was delicate enough, and matters of the heart and males were something else entirely - no need to wreck the careful mending that had begun. Epsilon? Equally ludicrous, he was at least as inexperienced as she - perhaps even more so, and a male to boot, he wouldn't understand all the intricacies of her heart going pitter-patter and all the other key feelings that males all seemed to dub "silly" (though she had to agree that they were a bit that). Tear? ...Not a bad idea, probably her best option really. Tear had fallen in love, raised a family...and she could trust the gammess with such a hypothetical situation. Mothers were well-practiced secret-keepers and still raising her youngest close to home, Tear had room for a few secrets more.
But oh to let go at all and trust another with even this hypothetical situation of her vulnerabilities! It wasn't right. She wasn't ready. Of course for any relationship to work, she'd have to give a little, and she did need a relationship - a bond or familiarity with someone. The loner who could "relate" to the twins had been proof enough of that. If a wayward, prickly little beast like that could relate to those massive, unified creatures, then Amora was definitely missing something in her life.
Besides, didn't her name mean "to love"?
Well, maybe it was time to give it a shot.
A familiar scent drifted to her nose and she stopped, stilling her ruff before it could prickle and before she began to behave like an absolute fool. She pushed up a smile that was much more confident than she felt and she called out across the maze of tightly knit saplings, huddled together for their winter sleep. "Hello Manaaki,"
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Post by Meds on Jun 12, 2018 23:03:04 GMT -5
Manaaki;
A very familiar three-legged padding sound greeted Manaaki's ears. In a way unbefitting of the large beast, he felt his breathing catch. He didn't turn around, for whoever it was was coming up from behind. He stayed still, gazing at the leaves turning, some falling with the breeze, and so on. Then, gently, slowly, hesitantly, the footsteps stopped. Amora...
She greeted him, and the silver-giant could almost feel his eyes twinkle as she said his name. Oh, to turn around now would be a great mistake. One glimpse at the glimmer there and she would know all. Kanga being able to all but read his mind was enough, thank you. Instead, he regained his composure after only a short second, and turned. His tail hadn't wagged, and the glimmer was now replaced with a much more familiar glint. "Amora," His voice was just as deep as his brothers, thank you very much—with a slight difference. Whereas Kanga's voice was deep, proud, and gruff, Manaaki's was more calm. As if laced within his words was not a growl, but a whisper. It was like comparing a thunderclap to an endless lake in the middle of the night. Both deep, both heavy—both very different. "I thought I may find you here."
He well remembered their last meeting, where he had been about to tell her just how he (might) have felt, only to have her run off. In the back of his mind, he kept a firm understanding that Amora was business first, and personality later. It wasn't his favourite quality in the wolves he had met; and yet, somehow, nor was it the worst. He couldn't say that he loved her. No, their relationship had only ever been casual. Far too casual for that. They had only just 'signed the contract', as she had made it seem, on being good friends. Close friends. But Manaaki could say that he could see himself loving her, and that was saying something. His twin had had such a hard life, that Manaaki had only ever seen the two of them together, never letting anybody else in.
Oh, Kanga had had his share of females—even Manaaki had, on occasion; they were rather charming wolves. But the oldest twin had never considered that there might be a second wolf in the world that he could see himself growing close with. But this was what the conversation was for, after all. He couldn't just jump right out and say it. There was nothing to say, really. There was no relationship to plot a course for, there was no recent flirtations to pull assumptions from. No, if he was being honest, he had missed her, and wanted to catch up.
"I hope you've been well since winter," He, of course, was speaking of when her mother had fallen through the ice and been saved by the skin of her teeth. Manaaki's grey fur flashed silver as he smiled very softly. None of this was coming quite as smoothly as he had anticipated. But that was another thing. Often times, with Amora, his actions didn't require thought. They just... were. "I've missed you." Such a phrase could mean many things, but his brown-ringed eyes of silver locked onto her own gaze, his small smile remaining.
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Post by Fierfly on Jun 13, 2018 11:18:14 GMT -5
Amora:
Chin in, chest out, nerves steeled, lips loosened, march! Manaaki was still just any wolf. She didn't know that he would ever feel quite the same way about her that she thought she had the potential to feel for him (and already to some degree felt an inclination towards). For now, this was just a casual conversation between friends - good friends. Maybe not best friends, but she did trust Manaaki with the pack - with the future of beasts, of lives yet unborn - which was indeed a precious, heavy thing to entrust to anybody, especially with her tendency to close herself off from the rest of the world, but Amora did have a bit of slack between herself and this burden - she could cut the cord (not that she ever would). Entrusting the pack to a wolf was one thing, but entrusting herself to them...
That was something else entirely.
He'd thought he might have found her there. "Oh really?" a playful quirk of the eyebrows. "You're pegging down my habits and routines now? You know, scouts typically patrol along the outside of the border." it was off. Not up to her usual par, but this sort of sharp wit and elusive banter was her defense mechanism. Yeah, she was kind of nervous, so sue her! No, don't let the nervousness show. Deep breath in, this was just a chat with Manaaki - big, lax, intriguing, reliable Manaaki. Nothing at all to be nervous about.
He hadn't seen her since winter - he flashed his friendly, more symmetrical version of Kanga's crooked jab at a grin. Winter, she thought back - ah yes, when Blaise had fallen through the ice. When she'd sacrificed her prosthetic leg. Now she was going to have six legs - three attatched, one in the ruins, one in the depths of Kai Lake and the new prosthetic she'd have to reconstruct sometime. Maybe it was time to seek out Epsilon and ask him to cut her another sapling - he had been the one to give the order to get a line through - no, she supposed it hadn't really been his fault the only lines she'd been able to reach had been the ones making up her harness, but his ice was certainly effective at cutting the saplings down and it would take a good deal of effort for her to carve out the details and to form a harness after it was cut down to size. Hrm...maybe it was still out there. Could she just send him out to the lake to retrieve it...
"I've missed you."
That jerked her out of the reflection. He'd missed her? Really? No, she wasn't going to reply like that, it sounded naive and childish - she needed something more tactful. "So have I - sorry, I've been busy. It's been a while since I've used three-paw drive," she shrugged to move her stump, "Speed and mileage aren't as good,"
Lame, off-color, convoluted. Idiot!
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Post by Meds on Jun 13, 2018 22:37:41 GMT -5
Manaaki;
With the ease that he had remembered so fondly, Amora quickly fell into the slight, friendly jabbing they often used. Manaaki well-remembered how she had fashioned a duck out of her leg and claimed that it looked like him, with uncanny resemblance. Manaaki, at that moment, had retorted that his own beak was much longer. The memory caused the light and even smile to widen slightly against his massive canines. He shrugged easily, a flash of silver, as she finished. "Kanga will argue that I'm no quicker than a snail in honey..." He looked down in mock-sheepishness, but flicked his eyes upward to catch her gaze again. "But contrary to popular belief, I am rather quick. You see, Betess Amora, I am not shirking my duties. Merely finished for the day." A light, gentle, warming chuckling brewed in the back of his throat.
Words that he had thought before trickled into his brain once more. They were spoken in the language of he and Kanga's birth pack, of course—the language that coloured all their words of the Valley's tongue in such an accent—but they were still heavy with meaning. He didn't exactly equate them to Amora... but they were so similar, after all, that it was no surprise they came back to Manaaki's head. ...Aroha.
She seemed lost in thought for a moment after that, but when his last words escaped his lips, her eyes popped slightly. Manaaki allowed the smile to slide off his lips, showing more tact than his brother had ever dreamed of, and waited for her reply. Ahh, so she had missed him too. Manaaki blinked slowly, the smile returning. He smiled quite a lot when in her company, it would seem. "You make three-legged drive look easier than I ever could have imagined." She really did. She made it look good, even. But Manaaki paused, and for a moment a shadow of Kanga's roguish grin flashed on his lips. "But do you know what makes even your functioning-while-lacking-a-leg look like pup's play?" He straightened to his full height, looking for all the world like a wolf who was truly about to divulge something important. "Kanga's functioning-while-lacking-a-brain."
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Post by Fierfly on Jun 14, 2018 15:45:43 GMT -5
Amora:
Maybe it wasn't as off-her-par as she thought - the betess relaxed. Manaaki played it sheepish for a minute, before letting his eyes crawl back up to her face and the smile molded his lips in that pleasing turn up that seemed to elevate his level of charm: he was finished for the day - who was to tell him what to do in his free time? If it included scoping her habits and haunts.
She didn't know what she'd been so nervous about - it was indeed just Manaaki, sharp-witted, quick and clever: an intellectual equal, and a friend.
"A scout may rise and retire with the sun, but a beta's work is never done," she gave a mock sigh of despair, but grinned, tossing her head airily. In truth, she loved her position, it was a daunting task to be sure - but as Manaaki was saying, so was her moving about on only three legs. Amora was made of sterner stuff than that - she enjoyed a good challenge. She'd been little more than a pup when she'd trekked to the mountain and had appealed to Sheba, she'd crafted a prosthetic leg - something she'd never even heard of being done before, and had succeeded at both. Her rank was the same to her, a challenge for her to grapple with and rise above, accomplished and victorious.
Her jab about little time and lower speed with the loss of her leg was met with another grin. She made three-paw-drive look easy - well, to be fair she had quite a bit of practice with it. Ah, but what made even that accomplishment look small was Kanga's ability to function without a brain! A throaty, cheerful laugh. "Now let's be fair, I'm sure Kanga still has a brain, but the size and construction may be in question yet." Nothing against Kanga - but he was more impulsive, louder. He was a living joke, knew it, and didn't mind being a bit late to the punchline. Just in case- "Mine may be too, going this long without my prosthetic, I'm not sure I remember how I built the first one. I've been meaning to find another sapling to mold it out of. You're a scout, maybe you could help me look."
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Post by Meds on Jun 14, 2018 22:50:09 GMT -5
Manaaki;
Something about what he said, or perhaps the way he reacted to her, caused Amora to visibly relax. This put Manaaki more at ease as well, for meetings after a long time away, no matter who the wolves were, could feel awkward and tense in those first moments. But now, wonderfully, everything seemed back in stride. She poked gentle fun at him, hinting that a Beta had much more work to do than a Scout. Manaaki blinked his brow-ringed silver eyes and chuckled deeply once more. In theory, of course she was correct. In practice... well, Manaaki wasn't quite so positive. It wasn't inactivity that wore the paths down around the borders of the pack, that was for sure. As she made the joke, however, she tossed her head playfully and gave a dramatic sigh. Whatever Manaaki had been thinking a second ago, it was now lost. His eyes followed the movement of her head as she relaxed, playing with him—or getting very near to it, in any case. She was very beautiful...
He wiped the star-struck look from his eyes just in time (hopefully), for at that moment she looked back and laughed at his joke on Kanga. To her credit, she joined in the joke. Manaaki nodded his head side to side, a movement that both brothers did equally. "A fair assumption. I may even wager that it may have started out decidedly normal... but something must have shifted along the way." His snout wrinkled in the fun, an out-of-place and yet charming expression on such a broad and powerful face. Amora then continued to say that her own mind might be in a bit of jeopardy as well, having been so long without a leg. Manaaki's eyes traced her three-legged form, noting how much stronger the muscles in her right side were after having to compensate for so long. He blinked slowly and thoughtfully. "A Scout's work is never done," He agreed as she said that perhaps he could help her, sounding for all the world like he hadn't just copied what she had already said. "I would take the task on diligently, my Betess—for there would be no higher honour for this Scout than to find you a new leg-stick." His face remained passive, calm, stone-like—but inside he was grinning as broadly as Kanga. "If you do indeed trust my judgement with such an initiative." He bowed his head as he said the last words, but peeked at her through a half-closed eye.
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Post by Fierfly on Jun 15, 2018 15:33:35 GMT -5
Amora:
Manaaki's eyes gleamed and his snout wrinkled in an almost pup-like gesture of amusement. Surely out of place on the giant, and yet it suited him all at the same time. True, true, his brain was still there, and had likely started out well enough, but some turn must have been taken along the way. Contributing her own lack-a-brain incident, he gave his own dramatization of his work - now it was the Scouts that never retired. Oh really? Had he not just said that he had finished for the day and was most thoroughly enjoying his time off. His eyes slit to half their normal size and he very solemnly agreed to help her find - wait - what was that???
"A new leg stick?" she repeated, "Leg stick?? Oh I think not good Scout, I am getting a new tree to craft my leg from, not a mere twig or stick - a sapling thank you very much, and you'll do well to remember it." she tipped her head and raised her eyebrows ridiculously high to let him know that she was teasing. Still - she would need more than a twig to function as a new leg - a twig wouldn't support her weight no matter what her botany did to it. There were some limits to the magic. ...Like basic laws of physics and common sense.
"We're looking for a younger tree - no sense in cutting down one of the few mature ones we've got left. It needs to be sturdy, but flexible, and slimmer if you can, an aspen or poplar would work best." it was mostly for functionality, but admittedly, Amora did have some pride and vanity, and it all went against walking around with a fat, stump of a leg and she didn't want to take the time to shave it down to the desired size if it was big. Where had she located the first one? Ah, yes, opposite Epsilon's den, or thereabouts. She turned in the general direction and eyed the group. They'd grown a bit, they would have lost some of their flexibility, maybe not there. Hrmmm, just a year or two younger would do the trick. When she found a few she'd like, then she'd get picky about it, in the meantime, she strolled about the grove, looking for one that would suit her needs. "Give a bark if you find a good one," she murmured absentmindedly, leaving Manaaki to his devices.
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Post by Meds on Jun 16, 2018 9:51:13 GMT -5
Manaaki;
The expression on her face when she registered 'leg stick' was entirely laughable. Manaaki held a straight face, for it was a very serious topic of conversation—but barely. He cleared his throat slightly as she started speaking again; however, he found his interest actually peaked when she went into detail about just what she would need for her prosthetic. His head tilted slightly, and one ear flicked silver for a moment as he envisioned what she was saying. Alright... so she eneded a strong, supple, young tree. Manaaki straightened, his head moving slowly around them. Most of the older trees in the Ashwood Grove were burned out and charred with black, but that meant there was plenty of space, room, and light for young and healthy trees to grow. He recalled somewhere in the back of his mind that charcoal was full of nutrients for young trees.
He didn't fully grasp what she meant by cutting one down—but he suspected he could probably just get it loose with his weight, much like Kanga did the first time he had ever met her (back when the joke about the leash first started circulating). He gave a deep nod, standing to his full height and moving toward her. He looked down when he was close, allowing a soft smile to touch his features. "I won't let you down, my Betess." It was mostly a joke... but Manaaki knew that although the two of them were laughing and throwing playful insults back and forth—it really was a big deal. Whichever tree he picked, no doubt she could bend it or reinforce it or anything that suited her, but the picking and the finding, he imagined, wouldn't be left to just anybody. She was still the Betess, and the daughter of the Alphess to boot. The chance to fulfill such personal tasks for her didn't come free or often. Manaaki turned his big head and sauntered away. The main clearing in the grove had young trees, but most all had been picked dry by foragers, or rubbed raw from bucks shedding their summer velvet. No, he would have to go deeper.
It was some time before he found an area that seemed good, but he had traveled far. Manaaki was not a slow animal. One quick glance showed him there were plenty of young saplings to choose from, and he had a good feeling that he would find the exact one. What had she said... aspen or poplar? Eyes ringed in the colour of his brother scanned the area. Quickly, Manaaki was able to locate a growth of white-barked trees. Aspens. Their leaves were brilliantly yellow in the autumn air, but he wasn't looking for just any yellow-leafed, white-barked tree. He was looking for the tree. After much trial and error, Manaaki came upon the one. It was short, young still of course, but as thick as some of it's considerably larger siblings. He pressed against it with a heavy paw, and was delighted to find that though the root network moaned under the pressure, the trunk itself bent ever so slightly. Supple—good. A bit of flex would ensure that it would not break under severe pressure (Botany aside).
Manaaki stood tall, and clamped his teeth around the thinner, upper part of the young tree. Amora wouldn't use the pieces higher up, so a few teeth marks would do no harm. He began backing up, listening as the roots groaned again. If the tree broke as he uprooted it, then it wasn't the proper tree. But fortunately, it didn't. With less effort than probably should have been allowed, Manaaki twisted in such a way, that the young tree was eventually torn from the ground, roots, dirt, and all.
"How's this?" He knew she had asked him to bark if he found one, but he had gone so far that she wouldn't have heard, anyway. He didn't speak again, but as he dropped the tree and root network at her feet, he smiled to himself.
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Post by Fierfly on Jun 16, 2018 10:17:38 GMT -5
Amora:
Too young...too slim...Amora's dark, amethyst eyes scanned the grove intently as she wandered from cluster to cluster. She noted the stump that had once been the original and felt a sad little twinge. All the hours of work that had gone into that prosthetic seemed wasted now as she plodded along again on just three legs. Of course it hadn't been, but a tree had died apparently in vain now - its trunk now somewhere resting likely at the bottom of Kai Lake. Good grief, this losing legs thing had better not turn into a habit, or else she'd use up the grove and it wouldn't woods anymore at all!
Still, old trunk now was entwined with ivy and the remains of summer flowers that had made their home in the trunk - the life hadn't gone to waste, it had simply moved on in the cycle of living and dying that put her so ill-at-ease when a plant was involved. She walked over and pressed her forehead to the trunk, listening intently - peaceful slumber instead of silent death. Maybe this letting go thing wasn't so bad after all.
She wandered between several more clusters of the young aspens growing together in groups, like flocks of small songbirds in winter, always flitting around and landing together, never alone. She pressed her forehead to several more to listen, she'd push them, sniff them, find something else she wanted in her new leg or regretfully dismiss a sapling she felt still needed to grow or simply didn't have the heart to cut down. She really hadn't been paying attention to what Manaaki had been doing, so imagine her surprise when he trotted up to her and lay a young sapling down at her feet, most of its roots still attached and the soil still clinging to them.
Amora's eyes had never grown so large, so fast in her life.
"Ahhh," she hemmed for a moment. Omigosh, omigosh, there it was, there was a tree who let go a little too far. Oh my gosh. No! Chill! Yes, Manaaki was huge! Of course he could uproot one, Blaise had been furious with them when they first came into the pack for knocking down half the border! Really it was impressive, and the young tree hadn't snapped off at the trunk at all? It was certainly durable...okay then.
"Well," she observed flatly, "It looks like you found a sapling alright." and she couldn't help but smile. Her pale pink nose carefully trailed along the center of the trunk, then she briefly pressed her forehead to the trunk. Abrupt shock - yes, she didn't blame it, being torn out of the ground so unceremoniously, but it was not without a good cause. Her eyes slid over to study the roots without moving her head. She could replant them, or at least re-purpose them like the smaller plants had the other trunk - it was the least she could do - the forest was helping her, she could at least help the forest.
"Well, you know a good tree when you see one." she conceded, straightening up. "I couldn't have chosen better myself." well - she had once, the sapling she'd cut down the previous year, but who cared? This was a close runner-up and it was already rooted (sorry tree), now she just needed to trim it down. Hrm, let Manaaki do it too? No, something like this took precision.
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Post by Meds on Jun 16, 2018 19:04:38 GMT -5
Manaaki;
In a moment that was horribly Kanga-like, Manaaki had entirely blanked on the fact that Amora was a powerful Botanist. A Botanist! His eyes widened at the realization. Oops. It was so unlike him to be careless like that. He supposed she did ask him to cut one down... but was uprooting one worse, somehow? He had absolutely no idea. "It didn't... It doesn't... hurt—when I pulled it up, does it?" He couldn't figure out how to properly frame the question without seeming naive; however, in a way, he was. He didn't know the sound's the trees whispered in the night. He hadn't heard their thoughts on the level that Amora could.
He cleared his throat, and tried to focus on the fact that she said it was good, and that he had done well. He exhaled slightly, relieved that she didn't appear to be in any sort of great pain. That would have been the ultimate embarrassment. She inspected it, then seemed to come up satisfied. Manaaki's eyes squinted slightly as he smiled, pleased at least that he had found something that lived up to her standards.
"Now... what?" He ducked his head, which actually made him come more to head-level with Amora. "I'm terribly sorry. I'm afraid I really don't know the ins and outs of what you're doing." But whatever it was, his eyes were locked on her. Something about her being in her element... He didn't know. But it was mesmerizing. His normally smooth voice hitched slightly as he spoke.
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Post by Fierfly on Jun 21, 2018 14:40:51 GMT -5
Amora:
Hrmmm...call Epsilon over and have him cut it down for her again? And then what when he was done? Dismiss him like he was just some servant? Nah, Epsilon was too much a friend for that...
But he did owe her a favor if she remembered correctly.
Nevermind that he'd literally saved her mother's life, that had been duty to the pack, not favor-worthy. No, that was much too huge a thing to demean as a favor. He was standoffish now anyway, he could do whatever he wanted, join them, wander away, whatever suited his fancy. Now how long would she...
"It didn't... It doesn't... hurt—when I pulled it up, does it?"
Her sleek, raven head came back up and her bottomless purple eyes met his light silver ones. Why - on any other wolf the expression on his face now might have been sheepish. No! It was sheepish! Manaaki ever looking caught off-guard was something she'd not thought could really happen - at least, not easily. "No," she assured him quickly, "It doesn't hurt - I don't think they register pain the same way we do, it's just, well, I guess the closest would be surprise, but it's relatively unscathed, definitely sturdy enough, and it's about the right thickness, I might be able to tweak it if I really want."
He relaxed a tad and dipped his head closer to her level - wow...he really was so much bigger than her. The ears could have fit both of hers inside and had plenty of room to spare, the forehead, the jaw...when she stopped to look at it for a minute it really was a handsomely built jaw-
Nope. Nope, getting back on topic now. He really didn't know where to go from here. "Now, we call a carpenter," she explained, tipped back her head, and called out for an old friend. A favor was owed.
Epsilon:
It was such a lazy, dull, quiet day. A time of dying, a time where you could literally feel the time passing - slipping away from you. He'd used to go out and wander when he felt this restless and useless and bored, he'd lost his traveler's itch. He didn't care about going out to see new things anymore, forget a new adventure just over the next rise, he didn't care for anymore adventures. His life had slowed to this detestable crawl - and he'd become a giant lump of fur taking up space in this glorious forest of cooling air and change, and progression. Everything was moving - however slowly - but him.
To stay, or to go? Maybe his time was up in Secluded Sunrise. He'd given a good two years to the pack, maybe it was time to call it quits - maybe he'd always been meant to be a loner and pack life had been a mistake.
That was a lot of maybes.
And he wasn't sure which way the scales were supposed to tip.
No, stick it out - that's what he'd be raised to do, he'd keep on doing it, but he was tired, maybe -
Maybe he should stop with all those maybes.
One more day, one more year, what was the difference. He'd joined this pack, he'd stick to it for a while longer...
The white ears went up and his freckled face came off his paws. A call for him. It wasn't loud - whoever it was wasn't far, it was an invitation - no, a request, a female's voice.
Amora's.
He'd almost forgotten what a wonderful thrill it was to run, to barrel through the grove, aflame with golds and scarlets drawing out the green and lifeblood of the forest. Waking it once more before putting it to sleep. Legs pumping, claws grasping at the earth and tearing up turf. There was no need to run really - she was going to think he was crazy: mad like a march hare, but he needed it, he needed the stretch - the change of pace.
There! A flash of bright pink and inky black - and silver? He turned - nearly on a dime and projected a trail of ice and slid down the dip down to them. Scents flew to his nares and he inhaled sharp and fast - Amora...and someone else he knew - cool, collected, silver - Manaaki!
The trail ended and he jumped of. "Hey Manaaki," he dipped his head, "Botanist Amora - you called?"
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Post by Meds on Jun 22, 2018 10:48:51 GMT -5
Manaaki;
Such a question as whether or not trees felt pain seemed to surprise her—almost strike her as funny, in fact. In any case her eyes flashed and she took a good few seconds before replying. Manaaki supposed that in any other situation it would have been a near-ridiculous question. But just as he knew what it was like to stand a head and shoulders above most everyone else, so did she know about nature and the ways of all things green. He could well-recall the first time he had met her and seen her gift first-hand. She explained as best she could, and Manaaki nodded slowly. A deep hum grew from out of his chest as he tried to workout understanding. It was probably a rather difficult thing to articulate as well. How did he explain the bond he and Kanga shared to somebody that had never had any litter mates? Yes, it would indeed be hard.
A cool, calm expression settled over his face as he felt Amora’s eyes tracing his features. A slight distance was created there when he looked, and he felt a small leap in his stomach. Well, he had come here to ask her and get it all out in the open, hadn’t he? He took a slow, deliberate breath, taking his time as he always did—but then froze mid-way to forming a sentence. Amora gave a quick explanation, and seconds after had lifted her head and let her voice call out to the forest. A deep, near-feral rumbling came out of Manaaki’s throat when she howled. It wasn’t frightening—more gentle, protective... hungry... He didn’t mean for the sound to escape him, but something about her call made him feel all those things and more in that moment. He wanted her, and he wanted her to know.
But he forced himself back to the present just in time it would seem, for mere-moments after she had howled, a great thundering sounded from the bushes. Whoever it was was coming fast. For a moment, the pace made Manaaki think of his brother—but no, those paw falls and the weight behind them weren’t quite right to be Kanga. And then it was Epsilon. Not out of breath for all of his flight to them from wherever he had been—but just as casual and collected as ever. Manaaki had forgotten how much he liked Epsilon.
As Epsilon greeted them, Manaaki let the built up energy and all the feelings he has felt seconds ago go, in the quietest and calmest exhale he could muster. He gave his head the barest of shakes to get hold of himself again, then gave a smooth, fleeting smile. ”Epsilon,” His voice did not sound strained, even with how he had been feeling seconds before. He was as Manaaki as ever. He turned smoothly, taking Amora in once more. ”A carpenter, you say?”
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Post by Fierfly on Jun 26, 2018 13:10:14 GMT -5
Amora:
Not long after she let up her call, the earth began to shake and the massive steel-colored male barreled into the grove - projecting onto a trail of ice, leaping thereon and sliding down in determined and energetic style toward the duo. He hopped off again - in a very Kanga-like display she thought - and greeted Manaaki, then turned and asked about her request as though this was no unusual happening. Did these giants know no other way to make an entrance? Well - she supposed Manaaki's were quiet enough when he wanted them to be - but still, it was an entrance nonetheless.
"Yes," she nodded, "A carpenter," to the newcomer, "Epsilon, last I checked you owed me a favor and a leg," she arched an eyebrow imperiously. "Don't start - I don't want to hear it, I know Kai Lake was beyond your control, but that doesn't change the fact that my fifth leg is probably at the bottom now and I can't get to it - may as well make another one, and you're going to help me do it."
Epsilon:
Amora firstly turned and explained to Manaaki that his comment about a carpenter was correct and she then reminded him none-too-gently that he owed her a favor and that he was basically the one most at fault for her prosthetic being at the bottom of Kai Lake. It wasn't said meanly, but in that no-uncertain-terms way she had that was blunt and direct and could pierce a tender conscience quite nicely. She didn't exactly blame him for it, but he owed her a favor and this was what came to mind. He was not objected to clearing his debts - and he was bored anyway, this would not be a difficult task. ...Amora had started last time looking for a tree - did she have one picked out already? It wasn't until then that he noticed the one just behind her - roots and all lying on its trunk. What the-? To Manaaki "You got recruited too, eh?" he gave his own fleeting smile and sighed, "Very well Betess, if you'll kindly stretch out your forelegs along the section you would prefer to be your new appendage, I can measure and we can start cutting it down for you."
Amora:
Epsilon took her superfluous explanation and high and mighty play attitude in his patient way and he agreed to do the large cutting for her. She beamed and smirked at Manaaki - just as she'd said, Epsilon could indeed be a carpenter when given the right incentive. He asked her to stretch out so he could measure properly and she did as she was told, feeling a slight wave of self-consciousness when her stub fell so short of her full limb and nestling it closer to the shelter of the up-rooted tree. So Epsilon needed to see how short it was to measure correctly, he didn't have to stare at it like he had their first encounter. "Remember to cut it a little long so I have some slack in the ankle," she reminded him, "It's easier to manipulate if I have a little slack." What was she so worried about? Epsilon was competent enough. She clamped her maw shut.
Epsilon:
Amora did as he asked - laid down and stretched out so he could see how long to make the cut. He slashed a gouge in the trunk near where he stub ended and where her paw reached on her good leg with his sharp, black claws and studied it critically - add another nose or so at the bottom for the wrist...he could hollow the top a bit for her stub to rest for a snugger fit... he wedged his claws in the slashes he'd made again and began to use his ice, carefully pushing it through the layers of wood and fiber out to the other side, severing the desired portion of the trunk from the rest of the tree and getting the raw, first shape of the prosthetic into the light.
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Post by Meds on Jun 26, 2018 22:33:04 GMT -5
Manaaki;
Some playful banter, a fleeting word directed his way, and then they set to work. Manaaki, it seemed, was no longer needed, so he stayed quiet and in the background, as suited him best. His eyes followed both wolf's movements, watching as Amora stretched out her legs, noticing the slight wince in her face as she did so. Pain? No, he doubted it. It was well-healed... no, her eyes flashed his way for a bare moment—a small pinch appeared in her cheek as if she was biting it. Ah, embarrassment? Perhaps shame? Nonsense. She was beautiful.
Then Epsilon lived up to the title Amora had given him, and began working his ice through the trunk of the tree in one of the most interesting displays Manaaki had ever seen. His head tilted despite himself, the silver flashing underneath and the brown in his eyes sparking in interest. He well remembered Epsilon saving Kanga's stupid life, for what it was, but he seemed in better control now. Mind you, the event in the amphitheater had been rushed and rather chaotic, and this was mellow and focused—but still. It was very interesting to watch. As Epsilon worked it through, Manaaki took a few heavy-but-silent steps forward and leaned close. If he held his breath, he could hear the wood beginning to crack from within as the ice thickened. He nodded slowly, his brow lifting in appreciation. Very impressive. A carpenter indeed.
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