Post by Pavane on Jul 11, 2012 18:56:09 GMT -5
Ikuna, Alpha of Ute, and Althaea
---Waterfall Pool---
The clouds have grown heavy overhead, bringing the dusk a few hours early as Ikuna returns from the grasslands. When he left, his expression was hopeful; now, he seems... tired. Worn, though his legs still move briskly enough. A wolf returning from an unsuccesful hunt, and it's true he carries no prey in his jaws - though that was never the aim, not of this hunt. He pauses, within sight of the waterfall, casting his gaze at the torrent of water, raising up his eyes to the top of it and staring for a long moment before lowering them again to look nearer to the surface - to look for the wolves of what has both always been, and newly is, his pack.
Being back at the fall has kinda been a bummer, but if Althaea wants to do good by the pack she's got to be patent and let things come to her. At her usual spot at the pool, the young she-wolf leans against a judding rock passively looking at the fading lights that dance the waters. The roar of the falls, the perfect reason to not hear her uncles approach from the grasslands, is enough to keep her attention right where it is until the lights fade. When they do her eyes fade with them, closing, allowing the rest of her sences to warn her of anyone or thing else.
There's one, at least. Ikuna's gaze settles on Althaea in the half-light, and he lets out a slow sigh. Since she seems lost in thought, he allows himself the luxury of a moment before he approaches. A deep breath, drawn in and let out slowly. She was part of the argument he had. Of all his arguments, these past few days. So. It's time to hear what this young Ute-wolf has to say for herself. After his moment's pause, he pads toward her. His position is one of self-enforced calm; crooked tail level, ears relaxed. Tension beneath the surface, yes... but it's at least mostly hidden. "Hey, Althaea," he says once he's near enough to be heard over the roar of the falls.
Nothing seemed to be the predominant thing in the area so far; everyone was either asleep or had wondered off someplace. As the wind changes direction, Althaea's eyes are opened by a scent she'd say she's missed. Shifting her gaze to meet the wolf to which the scent belongs to, her head bobs in nod, pushing herself up from the rock. "Hello, uncle." She was really unsure if she was glad to see him or not, though the smile on her face proves otherwise. After a moment she looks away. "Sorry I haven't been here." Straight to the point it seems assuming those here would like to know where she's been.
Ikuna nods his head at Althaea's greeting in return, and when she looks away, he studies her for a few moments longer. "Are you?" he asks softly. "Or were you happier where you were?" That's a question on his mind. Perhaps he wouldn't be so blunt, usually - but it has been a long, stressful few days, and Ikuna's patience does have its limits. Besides, he puts a value on honesty, even when he is not so worn that he can't manage to play the dance of politeness, and so he asks the question outright. Not in a threatening tone, nor even a superior one. Just a question, though some of the weariness sneaks into his voice.
Whatever excuse Althaea may have for her absence is one of meaning but she does not voice her opinion on the matter. She doubted anyone of Ute would understand or even agree. "You doubt me." And why should she blame him for doing so; she's done nothing to prove otherwise. "Ute is my home. I should be here for it." Her side advantures away from the pack are just that- adventures. Ones she enjoyed and would most certainly do again but she must make time for her family aswell. Turning back to her uncle she half smiles. "I am happiest with family, when its not broken." Ute is torn, being outside it makes it easy to put worries behind. "So are you." She's seen it with her own eyes. "Though sometimes, things that are new to us are what we really need." An escape from it all, but will he see it that way.
Being here for Ute. Ikuna's muzzle twists in a brief grimace, though he cannot know Althaea's thoughts - ones in which she places herself away from Ute, never to be understood or agreed with by them even as she claims it to be her home. No, his grimace is for his own thoughts; for the justification he has given himself for why he is here, now. Why he has taken those actions, said those words, that have broken Ute. Yes, broken; for his family is broken, and to some degree, greater or lesser, it is his own fault. He turns his head away at Althaea's smile, gazing out over the water. "We're going to be traveling soon," he says. "Going to a new territory."
As she speaks of new things being needed, its the mention of traveling to new territory that she nods to. Finding a new home was something new, something they all needed. Being here was causeing unwanted grief, their actions restricted to that of guests. Ute no longer needed to be a guest, it needed to become owners and so she nods once more to the idea. Watching her uncle turn from her and to the waters Althaea stands. "Do we know where?" Or were they simply going to wonder till a place opened up to them? "There anything I should do?" She said she's be here for the pack now.. this seems like a decent place to start.
Oh, Ikuna has already asked someone to find a place, but he doesn't look at Althaea as he answers. "We will." After that, his gaze turns on his niece again. Something she should do? "Yes. You can tell me about our guests. Brutal, Grim... your father made them our guests here. If they are guests in our new territory will be my choice. I will speak to them myself... but first, I want to hear what you think."
His choice.. but wasn't that the alpha's decision- unless. Keeping that possiblity in mind she looks rather taken back by the question. What does she know about Brutal and Grim. Well thats a rather complicated answer. Looking from her uncle 'Thaea is quiet as she gathers her thoughts. The things she's learned about the brother's is well.. hard to put to words. "I've really only spent time with Brutal, but if you want my opinion on Grim- I dont like him. He's arrogant and afraid." Afraid of losing his brother and while Althaea does not know this, she believes Grim would do anything to keep his brother by his side and only his. Complete opposite those two are however, and clearly she's choosen the right wolf to throw interest upon, in her opinion. "Brutal is nothing like his brother, despite what you may of heard." In all truth she barely knew what was spoken of the brothers just that they were unliked. "He's a wolf of reason though I think it really depends on who you are that determines his actions. I dont see him wanting to cause trouble." Sadly she can not say the same for his brother. "My time spent with him has been a good one. He's kept me safe, gave advice, even brought me back home a few times." The young she-wolf seemed happy just talking about him, rambling on about the good things. "If it were up to me, he's the wolf I'd put trust on, not his brother." Very little could be said about Grim; the absentee brother whos only recently shown his face to her. "If I were to ask, I'm sure Brutal would leave his brother behind." No one here liked him anyway.
A less tired Ikuna might have started with that change in the pack structure, but then - he's barely processed it himself. Besides, Skahla found the time to tell it to Ahiga, clearly; it's reasonable to presume he'd have done the same for his own daughter. Regardless, Ikuna listens now to his niece's opinions, his gaze on her for the further details of expression to go with her tone of voice. The discussion of Grim, disclaimers and all, gets a nod. There's nothing unexpected there. As for Brutal... ah, Brutal is the stickier issue, in this pair of wolves. Ikuna already knew that, but now he hears it confirmed. "Sometimes, our wants have little to do with what happens." Oh, how he's discovered that, lately! "Brutal /has/ caused trouble." His attempts to dominate the pack early on; his assault, however unintentional, on Hadir. The secrecy of his times with Althaea, if not the times themselves, and the way he kept himself apart from the rest of the pack, leaving them to wonder at him and be pestered by his brother. "Still. So have we all, in our time." A slight tilt of his head, a wry twitch of his lips as he looks to Althaea, as he thinks on his own past.
"Then we must live with what happens." She speaks. No one has to like what happens they just have to live with it. Althaea would not live by this concept herself, but what is, is, and theres often nothing you can do about it. First she is gleeful but hearing her uncle's words cause her ears to droop in a kind of disappointed mannerism. "I know that he has. He's spoken of them a few times, even the one with my brother." An event she's forgiven him on only due to the fact that Hadir's life has been easy and practically handed to him. She huffs at the very thought of him- in the end she loves him though. Its hard to hate your family despite the things they've done. "Are you to condemn him just for that though." Her words soft, spoken in his uncle's silence. "We've all done our fair share and in the end were forgiven. Should he not be treated the same? Should he not be forgiven aswell?" She stands there looking at her uncle wandering.
Ikuna flicks an ear, turning his head further as Althaea leaps to Brutal's defense. So eager. Does she like him so well, this giant, hulking wolf? To jump to his defense at the mere mention of his deeds - ones Ikuna has already admitted are common to others. Perhaps if Althaea'd been more around the pack, this past moon, she'd have seen Ikuna be the one to counsel patience. To counsel second chances. To say... but look where that got him. He defended Brutal for Althaea, and it lost him Ahiga and Tala. He raises the concerns with Brutal - and Althaea turns defensive. It seems being alpha involves making nobody happy, least of all himself. "In the end. Do you know how that end is reached, Althaea?" His gaze on her is steady as he answers his own question. "By contrition, and by trying to do better. Forgiveness is not a rainstorm. It is a waterfall. You don't get wet unless you come to stand beneath it." He lifts up his head, as the waterfall thunders nearby. "He has a chance; the same as any of us. What he does with it... is up to him."
Althaea's brows furrow at her uncle's words. He speaks differently but his words are all the same. He doesn't trust or like Brutal anymore than he does Grim and would rather have his friends back than benefit the pack with someone who very possibly could be an asset. Does she know how that end is reached, she could take a good guess and likely come out wrong but thats what makes life interesting; not knowing the outcome. Then living with whatever that outcome may be. A sigh escapes the young female as she turns away taking a few steps to the side. "You are no better than he is." Grim she means. "Your afraid to lose what matters most to you and you'll do what you can to retain it." She head shakes. "Trying to do better... how is any of this trying to do better. We've done nothing but yell at one another over petty differences." She doesn't even look at Ikuna when she says this, eyes near wet from the possiblity of losing what she too holds dear- a friend.
Now it is that Ikuna rises, and so do his hackles despite his best attempts. He doesn't come any closer to Althaea, just stands there. His voice is low. No shouting, not here. Not now. Not when he hurts so much inside. "I have already lost it. Tala is gone. So is Ahiga. Gone, Althaea. Because of your Brutal. I have lost my friends for defending him. What more would you have me give up? Would you have him be alpha instead of me? Then go! I will not stop you. If there are others who feel the same, let them go, or let them stay among Cerulean. When the last moon of summer rises full, I am going to a new territory. If I go alone, so be it. I couldn't make my sister stay with me. I can't make you."
On the inside Althaea grins- grins big. Though outside was a totally different story. She listened to her uncle like a news cast that meant life or death, though she did not look at him. She felt sorry that he had to lose so much even though nothing has happened yet to make them leave. Brutal or Grim weren't part of the pack but guests.. and as much as she would love for that to be different for one of them its not. Unlike Ikuna, Althaea was prepared to let Brutal go if it came down to it. Heartbreak was no stranger to her and she'd welcome it again if she had to. "I never asked you to defend him." This said her head dips. "I'm sorry, uncle. I really am." Her tone is low, a hint of pain within it. Closing her eyes tight to his last words a tear runs down her muzzle. "If that is what you want." If her leaving would make things right again, bring back Tala and Ahiga, rid the pack of Brutal and Grim- she'll do it. It is now that she looks at her uncle, tears in her eyes; nothing is said to him though before just standing and slowly moving away. "Must be hard picking up the pieces once you've torn them apart." Her words mumbled, the young wolf doesn't make it far, stopping at the edge of the waterfall's clearing and dropping to her haunches facing away.
So this is to all be Ikuna's fault, then? He stares, for a long moment. His muzzle opens - more rejoinders. More fighting. But what good has that ever done him? No matter what he tries to say, he's the bad guy. He's the one that makes the adolescent cry. Ikuna closes his muzzle again, and at Althaea's parting shot, he turns to stalk away into the darkness of the night. Congrats on your first day as alpha, Ikuna!
---Waterfall Pool---
The clouds have grown heavy overhead, bringing the dusk a few hours early as Ikuna returns from the grasslands. When he left, his expression was hopeful; now, he seems... tired. Worn, though his legs still move briskly enough. A wolf returning from an unsuccesful hunt, and it's true he carries no prey in his jaws - though that was never the aim, not of this hunt. He pauses, within sight of the waterfall, casting his gaze at the torrent of water, raising up his eyes to the top of it and staring for a long moment before lowering them again to look nearer to the surface - to look for the wolves of what has both always been, and newly is, his pack.
Being back at the fall has kinda been a bummer, but if Althaea wants to do good by the pack she's got to be patent and let things come to her. At her usual spot at the pool, the young she-wolf leans against a judding rock passively looking at the fading lights that dance the waters. The roar of the falls, the perfect reason to not hear her uncles approach from the grasslands, is enough to keep her attention right where it is until the lights fade. When they do her eyes fade with them, closing, allowing the rest of her sences to warn her of anyone or thing else.
There's one, at least. Ikuna's gaze settles on Althaea in the half-light, and he lets out a slow sigh. Since she seems lost in thought, he allows himself the luxury of a moment before he approaches. A deep breath, drawn in and let out slowly. She was part of the argument he had. Of all his arguments, these past few days. So. It's time to hear what this young Ute-wolf has to say for herself. After his moment's pause, he pads toward her. His position is one of self-enforced calm; crooked tail level, ears relaxed. Tension beneath the surface, yes... but it's at least mostly hidden. "Hey, Althaea," he says once he's near enough to be heard over the roar of the falls.
Nothing seemed to be the predominant thing in the area so far; everyone was either asleep or had wondered off someplace. As the wind changes direction, Althaea's eyes are opened by a scent she'd say she's missed. Shifting her gaze to meet the wolf to which the scent belongs to, her head bobs in nod, pushing herself up from the rock. "Hello, uncle." She was really unsure if she was glad to see him or not, though the smile on her face proves otherwise. After a moment she looks away. "Sorry I haven't been here." Straight to the point it seems assuming those here would like to know where she's been.
Ikuna nods his head at Althaea's greeting in return, and when she looks away, he studies her for a few moments longer. "Are you?" he asks softly. "Or were you happier where you were?" That's a question on his mind. Perhaps he wouldn't be so blunt, usually - but it has been a long, stressful few days, and Ikuna's patience does have its limits. Besides, he puts a value on honesty, even when he is not so worn that he can't manage to play the dance of politeness, and so he asks the question outright. Not in a threatening tone, nor even a superior one. Just a question, though some of the weariness sneaks into his voice.
Whatever excuse Althaea may have for her absence is one of meaning but she does not voice her opinion on the matter. She doubted anyone of Ute would understand or even agree. "You doubt me." And why should she blame him for doing so; she's done nothing to prove otherwise. "Ute is my home. I should be here for it." Her side advantures away from the pack are just that- adventures. Ones she enjoyed and would most certainly do again but she must make time for her family aswell. Turning back to her uncle she half smiles. "I am happiest with family, when its not broken." Ute is torn, being outside it makes it easy to put worries behind. "So are you." She's seen it with her own eyes. "Though sometimes, things that are new to us are what we really need." An escape from it all, but will he see it that way.
Being here for Ute. Ikuna's muzzle twists in a brief grimace, though he cannot know Althaea's thoughts - ones in which she places herself away from Ute, never to be understood or agreed with by them even as she claims it to be her home. No, his grimace is for his own thoughts; for the justification he has given himself for why he is here, now. Why he has taken those actions, said those words, that have broken Ute. Yes, broken; for his family is broken, and to some degree, greater or lesser, it is his own fault. He turns his head away at Althaea's smile, gazing out over the water. "We're going to be traveling soon," he says. "Going to a new territory."
As she speaks of new things being needed, its the mention of traveling to new territory that she nods to. Finding a new home was something new, something they all needed. Being here was causeing unwanted grief, their actions restricted to that of guests. Ute no longer needed to be a guest, it needed to become owners and so she nods once more to the idea. Watching her uncle turn from her and to the waters Althaea stands. "Do we know where?" Or were they simply going to wonder till a place opened up to them? "There anything I should do?" She said she's be here for the pack now.. this seems like a decent place to start.
Oh, Ikuna has already asked someone to find a place, but he doesn't look at Althaea as he answers. "We will." After that, his gaze turns on his niece again. Something she should do? "Yes. You can tell me about our guests. Brutal, Grim... your father made them our guests here. If they are guests in our new territory will be my choice. I will speak to them myself... but first, I want to hear what you think."
His choice.. but wasn't that the alpha's decision- unless. Keeping that possiblity in mind she looks rather taken back by the question. What does she know about Brutal and Grim. Well thats a rather complicated answer. Looking from her uncle 'Thaea is quiet as she gathers her thoughts. The things she's learned about the brother's is well.. hard to put to words. "I've really only spent time with Brutal, but if you want my opinion on Grim- I dont like him. He's arrogant and afraid." Afraid of losing his brother and while Althaea does not know this, she believes Grim would do anything to keep his brother by his side and only his. Complete opposite those two are however, and clearly she's choosen the right wolf to throw interest upon, in her opinion. "Brutal is nothing like his brother, despite what you may of heard." In all truth she barely knew what was spoken of the brothers just that they were unliked. "He's a wolf of reason though I think it really depends on who you are that determines his actions. I dont see him wanting to cause trouble." Sadly she can not say the same for his brother. "My time spent with him has been a good one. He's kept me safe, gave advice, even brought me back home a few times." The young she-wolf seemed happy just talking about him, rambling on about the good things. "If it were up to me, he's the wolf I'd put trust on, not his brother." Very little could be said about Grim; the absentee brother whos only recently shown his face to her. "If I were to ask, I'm sure Brutal would leave his brother behind." No one here liked him anyway.
A less tired Ikuna might have started with that change in the pack structure, but then - he's barely processed it himself. Besides, Skahla found the time to tell it to Ahiga, clearly; it's reasonable to presume he'd have done the same for his own daughter. Regardless, Ikuna listens now to his niece's opinions, his gaze on her for the further details of expression to go with her tone of voice. The discussion of Grim, disclaimers and all, gets a nod. There's nothing unexpected there. As for Brutal... ah, Brutal is the stickier issue, in this pair of wolves. Ikuna already knew that, but now he hears it confirmed. "Sometimes, our wants have little to do with what happens." Oh, how he's discovered that, lately! "Brutal /has/ caused trouble." His attempts to dominate the pack early on; his assault, however unintentional, on Hadir. The secrecy of his times with Althaea, if not the times themselves, and the way he kept himself apart from the rest of the pack, leaving them to wonder at him and be pestered by his brother. "Still. So have we all, in our time." A slight tilt of his head, a wry twitch of his lips as he looks to Althaea, as he thinks on his own past.
"Then we must live with what happens." She speaks. No one has to like what happens they just have to live with it. Althaea would not live by this concept herself, but what is, is, and theres often nothing you can do about it. First she is gleeful but hearing her uncle's words cause her ears to droop in a kind of disappointed mannerism. "I know that he has. He's spoken of them a few times, even the one with my brother." An event she's forgiven him on only due to the fact that Hadir's life has been easy and practically handed to him. She huffs at the very thought of him- in the end she loves him though. Its hard to hate your family despite the things they've done. "Are you to condemn him just for that though." Her words soft, spoken in his uncle's silence. "We've all done our fair share and in the end were forgiven. Should he not be treated the same? Should he not be forgiven aswell?" She stands there looking at her uncle wandering.
Ikuna flicks an ear, turning his head further as Althaea leaps to Brutal's defense. So eager. Does she like him so well, this giant, hulking wolf? To jump to his defense at the mere mention of his deeds - ones Ikuna has already admitted are common to others. Perhaps if Althaea'd been more around the pack, this past moon, she'd have seen Ikuna be the one to counsel patience. To counsel second chances. To say... but look where that got him. He defended Brutal for Althaea, and it lost him Ahiga and Tala. He raises the concerns with Brutal - and Althaea turns defensive. It seems being alpha involves making nobody happy, least of all himself. "In the end. Do you know how that end is reached, Althaea?" His gaze on her is steady as he answers his own question. "By contrition, and by trying to do better. Forgiveness is not a rainstorm. It is a waterfall. You don't get wet unless you come to stand beneath it." He lifts up his head, as the waterfall thunders nearby. "He has a chance; the same as any of us. What he does with it... is up to him."
Althaea's brows furrow at her uncle's words. He speaks differently but his words are all the same. He doesn't trust or like Brutal anymore than he does Grim and would rather have his friends back than benefit the pack with someone who very possibly could be an asset. Does she know how that end is reached, she could take a good guess and likely come out wrong but thats what makes life interesting; not knowing the outcome. Then living with whatever that outcome may be. A sigh escapes the young female as she turns away taking a few steps to the side. "You are no better than he is." Grim she means. "Your afraid to lose what matters most to you and you'll do what you can to retain it." She head shakes. "Trying to do better... how is any of this trying to do better. We've done nothing but yell at one another over petty differences." She doesn't even look at Ikuna when she says this, eyes near wet from the possiblity of losing what she too holds dear- a friend.
Now it is that Ikuna rises, and so do his hackles despite his best attempts. He doesn't come any closer to Althaea, just stands there. His voice is low. No shouting, not here. Not now. Not when he hurts so much inside. "I have already lost it. Tala is gone. So is Ahiga. Gone, Althaea. Because of your Brutal. I have lost my friends for defending him. What more would you have me give up? Would you have him be alpha instead of me? Then go! I will not stop you. If there are others who feel the same, let them go, or let them stay among Cerulean. When the last moon of summer rises full, I am going to a new territory. If I go alone, so be it. I couldn't make my sister stay with me. I can't make you."
On the inside Althaea grins- grins big. Though outside was a totally different story. She listened to her uncle like a news cast that meant life or death, though she did not look at him. She felt sorry that he had to lose so much even though nothing has happened yet to make them leave. Brutal or Grim weren't part of the pack but guests.. and as much as she would love for that to be different for one of them its not. Unlike Ikuna, Althaea was prepared to let Brutal go if it came down to it. Heartbreak was no stranger to her and she'd welcome it again if she had to. "I never asked you to defend him." This said her head dips. "I'm sorry, uncle. I really am." Her tone is low, a hint of pain within it. Closing her eyes tight to his last words a tear runs down her muzzle. "If that is what you want." If her leaving would make things right again, bring back Tala and Ahiga, rid the pack of Brutal and Grim- she'll do it. It is now that she looks at her uncle, tears in her eyes; nothing is said to him though before just standing and slowly moving away. "Must be hard picking up the pieces once you've torn them apart." Her words mumbled, the young wolf doesn't make it far, stopping at the edge of the waterfall's clearing and dropping to her haunches facing away.
So this is to all be Ikuna's fault, then? He stares, for a long moment. His muzzle opens - more rejoinders. More fighting. But what good has that ever done him? No matter what he tries to say, he's the bad guy. He's the one that makes the adolescent cry. Ikuna closes his muzzle again, and at Althaea's parting shot, he turns to stalk away into the darkness of the night. Congrats on your first day as alpha, Ikuna!