Finally Home (Theoktony, Open.)

[lidarose]

I hoped no one would see me. Blood splatter was decorating my fur, particularly my muzzle, and I could feel the twigs sticking out of my fur. Mud covered the bottoms of my paws, refusing to be rinsed off by the water I swam across to get here. Such is how one looks after completing a particularly difficult mission. I laughed quietly to myself. It was me versus a group of bandits. I was outnumbered, and outmatched when it came to brute strength, but still, I killed them all without getting so much as a scratch. However, I was still wary from the traveling, so I plopped down. I'd clean up in just a minute...

My eyes closed, but I was always a light sleeper, and as soon as I heard footsteps, my ears twitched. I didn't move or speak otherwise, for if this thing was going to harm me, it was best they think I was completely unaware of their presence. That would give me the upper hand. I waited tensely for whatever was moving to reveal itself, preparing my spells in my mind as I did. I would not allow myself to be caught with my pants down, so to speak. Was this creature a friend or foe?

[ADVOKATE | katie]

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[atrb=background,http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6205/jythrakpsb.png] theoktony often allocated his time in specific areas of inu according to each significant epoch within the cycling day. it made the king easily reachable if one were to tune in with this unfailing schedule. as now, when the hours of night stradled the lines of early and late and flirted with aurora, theo could be found meandering the shores of the priority island. it was here that he cast his thoughts out to sea to be thrown by the waves. precious few hours these were, a salty fresh breath in the chaotic mind of the utopian baron. it wasn't often that the peace was broken. many an isolated family was put to rest or up to their own inventions of time spenders, moments of theoktony's being unneeded. tonight, circumstances changed. tonight, something slipped from the waves to soak inu sand. she came like rain, the softest dripping alerting his ears as her limbs like gusts of wind shifted the silt under them. it would have been instinct for theoktony to cloak himself, to suck the sound from the air and scope the situation. however, the scent struck him quicker, a familiar thing with muck stuck to it. a warrior coming home from the front. "assassin," the white paladin called out, lifting himself from the sands to track a path toward the woman. "what did you erase?"

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[lidarose]

Upon hearing Theo's voice, I rolled over and stood up, then bowed to him respectfully. Of course, he hadn't quite made it to me yet, but I knew which direction he was coming from, and therefore I managed a bow toward him.
"Mi lord Theo, I apologize for the condition in which you see me. I have not had time to properly groom before your arrival here," I said, looking at my paws. Then, I looked up, but still kept my bow. "I have 'erased' the bandits that have been stealing from us for nearly a fortnight. It was actually quite boring. Nothing you need to trouble yourself with. Unfortunately, all the food they had stolen was long gone by the time I arrived." I looked at my paws again. The mere fact that I didn't catch up in time to salvage what they stole was disgraceful to me. I should have been faster than that! However, I looked back at Theo and tensed.

"Is there anything else you need me to do, Mi lord, while I am up and about?" I asked. If he said 'yes', I would forget about my tiredness and do exactly what he wanted me to. It was the assassin's way.

[ADVOKATE | katie]

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[atrb=background,http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6205/jythrakpsb.png] theoktony's casual steps brought him slowly over the crest of sand, the lethargy of his momentum unceasing even in the face of this interesting arrival. he knew her, of course. he had assigned her to the rank she now shouldered, put his faith in her to protect his home from worldly threats. but her return triggered no memory of assigned mission, thus sparking the curiosity. she commented on her appearance, a simple thing that was only informative and never insulting. he cared little if she was clean or not. surely, he didn't expect her to put looks before rest. for this, theoktony shook his head to dismiss her apology. his paws hit the sand a few feet in front of her and there they ceased their movement. he reclined, and listened to her explanation. bandits? ah, so that was where that bickering had sourced from. theoktony remembered troubles of missing meals that had upset families and caused some distrust. to hear that the shortage had come of intruders put a sense of guilt in the luminary's heart. a fortnight, she had said; weeks and he had not taken the proper action nor recognized the threat. a miserable failure on his behalf. but here this warrior had carried her loyalties across the waters to singlehandedly cure the ails. a smile broke across his maw. "you have done excellent service. quite the initiative you have, picking up my slack. go on and take a rest, perspica. you've done more than enough." yes, he was grateful, and it showed. perhaps it was her assignment, but there was always recognition for those that put heart into their actions in inu.

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[lidarose]

"Mi lord, with respect, I have not done anywhere near enough," I responded. "I should have headed after them sooner, however, I instead stayed by your side in case there were any missions you needed me to do. Killing them was easy, but doing it in a timely manner, therein the challenge lied." I started to lick my paws, hoping to get the mud off them. Some of it did, but it was nowhere near enough to look remotely presentable. I hated this. If I was going to be in the company of my employer, I should at least look respectable. However, I didn't vocalize my thoughts on my appearance. Instead, I met Theo's eyes again.

"Now that I am back, it is my duty to either protect you or go where you need me to," I added. "I would be loathe to sleep a situation if I am needed." Of course, I really did want to rest, but sleep hardly ever found me in the first place. A few stretches and I would be good to go. I always was. "How has life been treating you in my absence, Mi lord? Nobody's been giving you any trouble, I hope."

[ADVOKATE | katie]

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[atrb=background,http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6205/jythrakpsb.png] theoktony considered her objection. however the angle was manipulated, it was unavoidable that response time had been much too slow for any shareholder to feel comfortable. ergo, theoktony could only agree. they had both fallen short. "we both have changes to make then, it seems," he answered. theoktony would have to become more attentive, more active in pursuing problems rather than dismissive as he had been. it seemed to be an effective solution to his young mind to teach the pack to forgive disruptions rather than cut to the root of them. in all his ironic optimism, he had forgotten to factor in malicious actions. with all her voice, she consistently pledged her allegiance. he felt as though she were misguided. leaders were regenerated over generations; it was the whole of the pack that needed safeguarding, that absolutely could not be allowed to fall apart. a resolve was building within theoktony. "your service to me is embodied in all your actions directed for the well-being of this pack. you know how i am;" theoktony let slip a wry smile, "i keep to the safest of shadows. there's little danger for me to be protected against. and it's only been the same in your absence." theoktony reached forth his front paws, stretching from the length of his back to his pink toes. "i almost envy your work, perspica. what's it like, beyond the islands?"

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[lidarose]

"So it is for now, Mi lord, but you never know who will want you dead," I said. I would tell him I was growing quite weary of Creed, and that I had a suspicion that, while he hasn't acted now, he probably will soon, but any assassin worth her salt wouldn't make such accusations without hard evidence, and that I lacked. Still, I was sure Theo's life would be in danger soon. I couldn't shake that suspicion.

"The well-being of the pack constitutes making sure you stay alive and safe," I continued with a flick of my tail. "As for my work, there is nothing to be envious of." I smiled slightly. "I travel a lot, but I never have time to take in the sights. My mission is more important than exploring. Having said that, there are some really beautiful places I've come across, as well as some real ugly ones. I don't meet any wolves besides the ones I erase, but I do observe them from a distance. Usually, what the wolf looks like ties in with his or her surroundings. If the place is beautiful, they are relaxed, basking in the beauty of the land. If the place is ugly, they seem more tense, waiting for something to attack them. This home is the best one I've been to. The other places are either too lax or too uptight. Not a lot of middle-ground."

[ADVOKATE | katie]

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[atrb=background,http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6205/jythrakpsb.png] the content of thoughts were, of course, not obvious in the slight, but they still left tracks across her face, cluing theoktony in to a worry within her mind. if she would have turned those suspicions vocal, he might have dismissed her. to reiterate, the boy's mind was rather innocent. he had little suspicion for any of his followers, and especially did not fear creed. he had paw-picked his auxiliary, putting trust into the other's determination and strength of will. never would he consider that the same attributes could push creed to act against him. likewise, no other threats could surface in theoktony's mind. it was far too peaceful within the islands, the mocking words of outside countries too distant to properly stick. still the issue wouldn't be turned to argument. perspica was a firm believer in her strictly-framed sense of duty, that was the most obvious thing about her. theoktony would be in the wrong to try and shake her from that. instead, he listened contentedly to her description of what could be found outside of his home. "you're right, the pressures would make the position undesirable. and i can't say i have an aptitude for harming others. but either environment--undesirable or not, i would love to witness. do the creatures vary much, other than being relaxed or tensed?"

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[lidarose]

"Well, the aviary creatures seem to vary quite a bit," I replied. "For example, there is a forest by the Waru lands that contains lots of owls. The Kuki Lands, at the top of the mountain, have eagles, sparrows, hawks, even a couple vultures. For special wolves, they offer to travel with them as their companions. I've never asked them to join me, but I've had to travel up there once. A serial killer of wolves thought it fit to hide up there, and eat all the birds in sight. They were actually relieved when I killed him, even helped me out a little." I smiled at the memory. "Those birds are truly terrific, but life up there is very hard." My face fell. "Anyway, the Gurando lands have nothing special for birds. Pretty much the same we'd find around here. But the alpha is a bit..." I trailed off, trying to come up with a way to put it without sounding too harsh. "...Quirky." Yeah. That was probably too nice. "And then there are the lands no wolf is supposed to go to, like the Twilight Woods and Illusion Wasteland. Those places...are frightening to the ordinary wolf. However, some of those wishing to hide from me will go to either of those places." I shook my head. "In fact, the bandits I just erased were heading to the Twilight Woods, in hopes of me not catching them, and serving justice." I shrugged. "Even though I notice all these things about the lands, all I can dwell on is my target. I can think about these locations afterward, but it is unprofessional to think about them for too long. The more you dwell on past locations and missions, the less you can focus on the present." I flicked my tail again. "Hopefully, this description satisfies you, Mi lord?"

[ADVOKATE | katie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,540,true] [atrb=bgcolor,#E4ECF9] theoktony gave each word equal attention. the descriptions enthralled him, no matter the detail. each phoneme was precious, necessary to sate his curious ears. the young monarch had never as much as seen a shoreline that did not belong to the inu. he wished to have perspica's eyes. to feel foreign dirt under his claws. to expand his mind with the experiences of a traveler. perhaps it would even aid him in his goals of perfecting the society here in inu. solving his ignorance to things just as bandits, he would become equipped with knowledge to safeguard and promote growth. a beautiful solution to every evident hurdle that lay before his pack. if only he had the courage to face his fears and cross over. here again, the onus lay with theoktony. it wasn't a fatal drawback by any means, but how he wished this plan could be enacted, and be successful in result. "wonderful, perspica. though i'm sure no words could replace experience." he looked thoughtful for a moment, his coral-colored eyes slipping off of the girl to scan the sea surrounding them. just the thought of diving into the rolling waves sent a hateful shiver through his body. "how long is the swim to the nearest shore?"

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[lidarose]

"Indeed, words cannot capture it," I said. "However, words are the best you will get, regrettably, Mi lord. If you were to travel to another pack's territory, they would have free reign to do with you as they please, no matter your ranking here." Did I feel bad for having to say that? Yes. Did I show it? No. Then the alpha asked me how long of a swim it was to the nearest shore. "I don't normally keep count, Mi lord. For me, I've swam from here to the Waru lands, which are nearest to us, in five minutes. It is quite the distance, and I'm experienced with it. On my first try, though, it took me a good half-hour, rough estimate." I tended not to dwell on memories, but, of course, talking with my alpha always managed to bring one up.

I received my first mission: to assassinate a noble from the Gurando Pack. To get there, I had to swim all the way to the Waru lands, then travel on foot to Gurando Tower. The swim itself was so tiring, so exhausting, that I collapsed as soon as I arrived. I was lucky, very lucky, that the Waru wolf who saw me was their healer, the kind one. She took care of me as I rested, then sent me on my way. As soon as I arrived at the tower, well...That was when complications arose. My first mission wasn't a clean sweep like my latest ones have been. That noble did not go down easily. I managed to kill him, but I was pretty banged up. That kind healer of the Waru healed me afterward. I have secretly hoped to run into her since then, but I never could seem to. Another hope of mine was that she would never be my target.

"Perhaps one day, I'll swim you across to one of our other islands, Mi lord. They are considerably closer, and it wouldn't be much trouble for me," I added. "If, of course, that is what you desire." He may not swim himself, but I could probably ferry him across on my back. Carrying him wouldn't be a problem at all. No skin off my bones, as the saying goes.

[ADVOKATE | katie]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,540,true] [atrb=bgcolor,#E4ECF9] her initial words in response to his desires were spoken as though he would never be able to set foot on the mainland. he did not blame perspica for the things she thought she must utter, however he disagreed whole-heartedly. there had to be a way he could cross those waters, someday. it was mostly phobia that stood in his way. a traumatic experience within his childhood resulted in his persistent fear of water above his legs. in his own time, he would overcome his own hurdles and pursue adventure on the foreign terrains. as for safety issues, those were easily dismissed. just as with creed and intruders, theoktony was naive to the harms that he could meet with outside of the islands. he was aware of inu's reputation, yes, and it bothered him little. in fact, theoktony liked to think that if/when a mainland wolf came into contact with a creature of inu descent, they would realize that their prejudice was baseless. there had to be a level of respect, of empathy, that remained in the world... right? five minutes, with experience? well, that he certainly didn't have. half an hour for a wolf who knew how to swim... it would probably put him at about an hour, if he could make it at all. but an hour of struggle was worth what lay beyond the opposing horizon, theoktony was sure of it. as perspica delved into memories of the past, theoktony imagined the future. he envisioned crossing those hated waters, of running into wolves of different tribes, of being welcomed, of filling his head with knowledge and his heart with valuable experiences and the kinship of many foreign faces. she broke this wonderful daydream with an appealing offer. though theoktony would typically enjoy having his hand held in such a way, the possibility it granted him was too good to let pride refuse it. "i would love that," he replied, eagerness tinging intonations in his smooth vocals. "thank you. of course, that would be a great favor. i will surely repay you with a gift equal."

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[lidarose]

I couldn't help but smile at my alpha's words.
"Whenever you wish me to do it, just tell me. Right now, I'm not sure I have the energy, but I'll gain it back posthaste," I explained. "As for repaying me, you don't need to worry about it. Your smile is payment enough." I stretched out a little, in the hopes of limbering up. If Theo told me he wanted to go right then, I'd be ready. It may not have been my express duty to ferry my alpha across the water, but I have sworn to serve him. In my mind, it wasn't assassinating or eliminating wolves, which was my job, but it was still serving my master, and in that, I wouldn't fail. Was there more to my offer than that? ...No. Definitely not. If there was any more to it than that, then I would be a fool, a ridiculous fool, and that I was not.

"Anything else I may do, you need only ask," I added, stretching even more. I could feel my tensed muscles relaxing, though ready to be used. I may have said it before, but I don't think I did in those words. "After all, I am always happy to serve my alpha." Happy, huh? That emotion was quite foreign to me. I was used to thinking and not letting myself feel. Of course, right after I uttered those words, my tail started wagging. Was I...happy? I wasn't sure. Was I attaching myself to my alpha? I hoped not. My tail stopped wagging and I finished my stretches. I wasn't refreshed enough to head out right that moment from them, at least, not optimally. My swimming would be a little clumsy, though I could still make it to any island while carrying Theo, I hoped.