Post by nightfall on Sept 28, 2007 22:17:48 GMT -5
Characters:
Nightfall - adult male wolf
Skylar - adult neuter dog
Old Chestnut Tree
==============================================
With its creaking boughs and gnarled roots, this ancient chestnut tree is truly a great behemoth - centuries old and always in leaf, verdant and green, as if nourished by a hidden spring. It serves as a landmark at the heart of the deepening forest where creatures large and small can gather and hold counsel on what seems to be neutral soil.
No animals make their homes among the chestnut tree's twisted branches. There's just something a touch too disconcerting about its shape - crooked and bent, but subtle in its quiet malevolence.
===================================
Strange. There is a different feel to this place. Entirely different. Something... wholly unusual. And overall, quite unpleasant. Then, perhaps, it's perfectly suited to such an unpleasant animal as Nightfall. A loud grunt echoes out from the gray wolf's throat as he pushes himself along the ground slowly, his paws careful to slide along the grass steadily as his nose flares up quickly and continuously. Long gray ears point up into the sky and twitch readily as they search continually for any source to intensify upon. Nothing. Well, almost nothing. Nothing of significance, anyway.
Lying on his belly, a dog that looks almost as far from a mutt as dogs can be is chewing on a stick that has fallen from the massive tree nearby, gnawing almost frantically on the chestnuts still attached to the twig as though they were his only source of food for the past week. Many creatures have skittered, crawled, slinked, and darted by in the time he's been sitting here, and he has shown very little caution as to who might be watching him - though most of those passersby have quickly evaded the strange-smelling dog out of fear for the unknown, anyway.
Chomping. He catches it now. The young wolf snaps his head downwards suddenly as that sound ripples into his long ears. "Who is there?" the wolf calls out loudly as he gives off a small growl. His head snaps around quickly, his pale eyes plopping from side to side as his nose gives another ripple. There *is* a smell. And not one that he would have ever expected. How strange. His ears turn down towards the dog and he gives his nostrils yet another stiff. "You. You smell like none I have ever met before."
Skylar glances up at the voice, staring at the wolf for a moment before answering: "Well, perhaps that's because you've not met me before, have you?" He sniffs back in return, continuing to peer at the other canid. "I don't believe I've smelled you before, either. Haven't seen much of your kind, regardless."
"Don't play coy with me," Nightfall's voice is quick to snap as he gives his jaws a sharp bite. "What are you, some kind of rodent?" the wolf asks with a snort of his nostrils as he walks around slowly, his nostrils pointed straight towards this... monstrosity as his ears flicker towards him. "Or something created by these foul creatures I have smelt of before? Regardless, I haven't seen any of whatever you are." Needless to say, the young gray wolf speaks rather condescendingly as he keeps his senses focused onto him... her... it.
"Nay, I am neither coy nor a coyote nor a rat, good sir. I am a dog," Skylar merrily replies, the stick temporarily forgotten between his forepaws. It honestly doesn't intend to sound cheeky, but it often takes people quite literally for their word, and speaking in near riddles isn't likely to help. "Or, perhaps, a wolf created of Man, yes. That might be more fitting in this situation with my newly-found acquaintance."
Another snort pounds from the wolf's nostrils. This dog is already annoying. "A dog. You're nothing like the other dogs I met," the gray wolf says with a long flick of his wide ears. "What are you?" he says with another sniff as he circles around it slowly, his tail whipping from side to side lightly as he spreads his own scent across the air. "What abomination are you?"
"Surely you've not met every dog in the world, though? Perhaps there is someone like me - and perhaps not. Surely we are all different creatures - and yet, somehow, aren't we all the same?" Skylar muses aloud. "Abomination, sir? I know not of what you speak. I am merely a dog, nothing more, nothing less. Though I suppose something less. Perhaps, though, my uniqueness evens it all out in the end anyway."
What a wordy dog. He just keeps yipping on and on and on and on. And on. He, or she, or whatever. It's making his head hurt. Somewhat strangely by human custom, but entirely normal by canine custom, Nightfall suddenly leans in and takes a fierce sniff of the dog's backside. He pulls back with a loud snort, bits of mucus splattering out with it as he curls back his eyes distastefully. "You are merely a dog, and nothing more. And MEREly that, I see," the wolf says with a loud scoff as he turns and walks around the rest of the way from the dog.
The sniff doesn't bother or surprise Skylar in the slightest - it's quite familiar with the customs of his kind. Especially given its unique property, or lack thereof, while out in the natural world. "Yes, see, you've got it now, sir!" It answers happily, tail wagging as though truly enthused that the wolf has realized it is exactly as it said it was.
Nightfall wrinkles his nostrils as that terribly sunny voice ripples into his ears. "I've never quite met someone so incredibly ecstatic to have been entirely emasculated," the wolf responds back with dry sarcasm rippling over into his voice, his muzzle curling back with a small snarl as he sniffs the air again. "Do tell me if you would so desire for any other appendages removed. Such as your mouth. I will gladly comply."
Skylar's simply never known any different, having been neutered young. "It's not so bad, really. I don't really see what I'm missing. Well, I suppose I do know what I'm missing, but I digress. It's not disturbed me terribly yet." The saluki's ears prick forward at the wolf's other comments, and he shakes his head with a chuckle. "No, no, I believe I've lost enough. Better than some who've lost their eyes, or ears, or limbs, or various other parts that would be much more upsetting than my loss, I do believe."
The wolf remains wholly and completely silent upon the dog's words, and his ears simply give several annoyed wisps into the air. He opens his muzzle to say something, but then he swiftly shuts it once again. Every muscle in his body is holding himself back from swiping at out this annoying and insolent abberation, and his empty eyes flop back towards it once again as his nostrils give a small sniff. "Pity. You lost what is so important, and shall never again regain. You are nothing to me, even less than a dog." The gray wolf gives a soft huff and turns back to push his paws along the grass carefully.
"I'm terribly sorry you don't like me, good sir. Wish I hadn't upset you doing whatever it is that upset you," Skylar replies remorsefully, bending over to pick up his stick once again, resuming his chewing. If the wolf cared to leave now, he wouldn't attempt to stop him.
Liking is hardly the issue. BEARing is much more so. The wolf gives a little snort as his nose sniffs the air again, his ears curling at the sound of the dog picking up his chewing-stick. "Hmph. It is quite alright. There are few I can bear. Your overwhelming peppiness being a serious downside to me."
"Very well then, sir. Farewell," Skylar replies simply, returning to the stick after responding to the stranger wolf.
Nightfall - adult male wolf
Skylar - adult neuter dog
Old Chestnut Tree
==============================================
With its creaking boughs and gnarled roots, this ancient chestnut tree is truly a great behemoth - centuries old and always in leaf, verdant and green, as if nourished by a hidden spring. It serves as a landmark at the heart of the deepening forest where creatures large and small can gather and hold counsel on what seems to be neutral soil.
No animals make their homes among the chestnut tree's twisted branches. There's just something a touch too disconcerting about its shape - crooked and bent, but subtle in its quiet malevolence.
===================================
Strange. There is a different feel to this place. Entirely different. Something... wholly unusual. And overall, quite unpleasant. Then, perhaps, it's perfectly suited to such an unpleasant animal as Nightfall. A loud grunt echoes out from the gray wolf's throat as he pushes himself along the ground slowly, his paws careful to slide along the grass steadily as his nose flares up quickly and continuously. Long gray ears point up into the sky and twitch readily as they search continually for any source to intensify upon. Nothing. Well, almost nothing. Nothing of significance, anyway.
Lying on his belly, a dog that looks almost as far from a mutt as dogs can be is chewing on a stick that has fallen from the massive tree nearby, gnawing almost frantically on the chestnuts still attached to the twig as though they were his only source of food for the past week. Many creatures have skittered, crawled, slinked, and darted by in the time he's been sitting here, and he has shown very little caution as to who might be watching him - though most of those passersby have quickly evaded the strange-smelling dog out of fear for the unknown, anyway.
Chomping. He catches it now. The young wolf snaps his head downwards suddenly as that sound ripples into his long ears. "Who is there?" the wolf calls out loudly as he gives off a small growl. His head snaps around quickly, his pale eyes plopping from side to side as his nose gives another ripple. There *is* a smell. And not one that he would have ever expected. How strange. His ears turn down towards the dog and he gives his nostrils yet another stiff. "You. You smell like none I have ever met before."
Skylar glances up at the voice, staring at the wolf for a moment before answering: "Well, perhaps that's because you've not met me before, have you?" He sniffs back in return, continuing to peer at the other canid. "I don't believe I've smelled you before, either. Haven't seen much of your kind, regardless."
"Don't play coy with me," Nightfall's voice is quick to snap as he gives his jaws a sharp bite. "What are you, some kind of rodent?" the wolf asks with a snort of his nostrils as he walks around slowly, his nostrils pointed straight towards this... monstrosity as his ears flicker towards him. "Or something created by these foul creatures I have smelt of before? Regardless, I haven't seen any of whatever you are." Needless to say, the young gray wolf speaks rather condescendingly as he keeps his senses focused onto him... her... it.
"Nay, I am neither coy nor a coyote nor a rat, good sir. I am a dog," Skylar merrily replies, the stick temporarily forgotten between his forepaws. It honestly doesn't intend to sound cheeky, but it often takes people quite literally for their word, and speaking in near riddles isn't likely to help. "Or, perhaps, a wolf created of Man, yes. That might be more fitting in this situation with my newly-found acquaintance."
Another snort pounds from the wolf's nostrils. This dog is already annoying. "A dog. You're nothing like the other dogs I met," the gray wolf says with a long flick of his wide ears. "What are you?" he says with another sniff as he circles around it slowly, his tail whipping from side to side lightly as he spreads his own scent across the air. "What abomination are you?"
"Surely you've not met every dog in the world, though? Perhaps there is someone like me - and perhaps not. Surely we are all different creatures - and yet, somehow, aren't we all the same?" Skylar muses aloud. "Abomination, sir? I know not of what you speak. I am merely a dog, nothing more, nothing less. Though I suppose something less. Perhaps, though, my uniqueness evens it all out in the end anyway."
What a wordy dog. He just keeps yipping on and on and on and on. And on. He, or she, or whatever. It's making his head hurt. Somewhat strangely by human custom, but entirely normal by canine custom, Nightfall suddenly leans in and takes a fierce sniff of the dog's backside. He pulls back with a loud snort, bits of mucus splattering out with it as he curls back his eyes distastefully. "You are merely a dog, and nothing more. And MEREly that, I see," the wolf says with a loud scoff as he turns and walks around the rest of the way from the dog.
The sniff doesn't bother or surprise Skylar in the slightest - it's quite familiar with the customs of his kind. Especially given its unique property, or lack thereof, while out in the natural world. "Yes, see, you've got it now, sir!" It answers happily, tail wagging as though truly enthused that the wolf has realized it is exactly as it said it was.
Nightfall wrinkles his nostrils as that terribly sunny voice ripples into his ears. "I've never quite met someone so incredibly ecstatic to have been entirely emasculated," the wolf responds back with dry sarcasm rippling over into his voice, his muzzle curling back with a small snarl as he sniffs the air again. "Do tell me if you would so desire for any other appendages removed. Such as your mouth. I will gladly comply."
Skylar's simply never known any different, having been neutered young. "It's not so bad, really. I don't really see what I'm missing. Well, I suppose I do know what I'm missing, but I digress. It's not disturbed me terribly yet." The saluki's ears prick forward at the wolf's other comments, and he shakes his head with a chuckle. "No, no, I believe I've lost enough. Better than some who've lost their eyes, or ears, or limbs, or various other parts that would be much more upsetting than my loss, I do believe."
The wolf remains wholly and completely silent upon the dog's words, and his ears simply give several annoyed wisps into the air. He opens his muzzle to say something, but then he swiftly shuts it once again. Every muscle in his body is holding himself back from swiping at out this annoying and insolent abberation, and his empty eyes flop back towards it once again as his nostrils give a small sniff. "Pity. You lost what is so important, and shall never again regain. You are nothing to me, even less than a dog." The gray wolf gives a soft huff and turns back to push his paws along the grass carefully.
"I'm terribly sorry you don't like me, good sir. Wish I hadn't upset you doing whatever it is that upset you," Skylar replies remorsefully, bending over to pick up his stick once again, resuming his chewing. If the wolf cared to leave now, he wouldn't attempt to stop him.
Liking is hardly the issue. BEARing is much more so. The wolf gives a little snort as his nose sniffs the air again, his ears curling at the sound of the dog picking up his chewing-stick. "Hmph. It is quite alright. There are few I can bear. Your overwhelming peppiness being a serious downside to me."
"Very well then, sir. Farewell," Skylar replies simply, returning to the stick after responding to the stranger wolf.