literature

[DotW] Looking for Faces

Deviation Actions

Published: Mar 20, 2018

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Literature Text

He had been basking in the sun, enjoying the warmth on his pelt. The seasons were changing, he could feel it in his bones. While the weather remained pleasant most of autumn, he knew winter’s winds were stalking through the forests. The Eir would enjoy the warmth while it lasted, worrying that this winter might be a particularly difficult one. But then again, that was always a worry. One that reoccured each year, regardless of what he felt in his bones. Shaking his head in amusement, the silver wolf let his gaze travel across the mainden. The wolves here had become familiar, as if he had walked amongst them all his life. His pups were playing at the edge of the clearing, entertained by a pretty stone he had brought for them. Well, the girls were, at least. Arum just seemed to be glowering, as he usually did. A frown crossed his maw as he observed them from his perch, still perturbed by the boy’s peculiar behavior. Such a strange little thing, he was.

A violent shake scattered dried leaves from her thick fur. Perhaps napping for a few hours had been a mistake: she'd woken almost covered in fallen leaves. Not that she'd really minded; in fact it had quite amused her to lift her head and watch them flutter aside. Now she had risen and stretched, sending away most of what had been left clinging. Venus was not normally particular about the state of her fur - it was often messy and adorned with burrs, especially her neck and tail.

With a loud yawn, she stalked forwards, casting a look around as she stepped further into the den's open area. Gentle and familiar noises met her ears; soft conversation, childish laughter, quiet pawsteps. Her chest swelled with content. A place to belong. Venus ambled a few paces forwards, then noticed a grey figure sitting not far from her path. She recognized him as the Eir, though she'd not really spoken directly before. Well, that needed to change!

Venus trotted closer, tail waving jovially behind her. "Aye, Lord Eir..uh, L-lord Kotori!" The dark female greeted awkwardly, bobbing her head respectfully and giving a sheepish smile.

The approach of another drew him from his vigil over his children, and he turned to see a she-wolf—Venus, was it?

He returned her greeting with a warm smile, though he shook his head in gentle rejection of the formality.

”Kotori suits me just fine,” he laughed in good humor. ”All these titles make it difficult to level with another, don’t you think?” The silver wolf had never gotten quite use to the respect and admiration his presence evoked in others since becoming the pack’s Eir. It was strange, and admittedly, a bit uncomfortable.

”In Havir, I was but a priest. Destined to serve both my packmates and our Gods. Spiritual servitude, but servitude nonetheless.” He smiled and turned his gaze to the horizon. It swept across the sunlit clearing, silver depths bathed in the affection.

”That is all I intend to do now as Eir. Though I now prefer to serve nature rather than vengeful Gods.” He added with a slight twitch of his maw. He had since turned his back on the Havirian faith. He still believed in the deities, but he would not worship such violent beings.

”But what of you, my dear?” He quickly turned to meet the newcomer’s gaze once more. ”You are Venus, yes? An old friend of Loki, if I heard true.” Curiosity glimmered in his eyes as he peered up at her.

”Please, sit with me if it suits you. I’d love to hear all about it.” His eyes closed as a wide grin spread across his maw. He shifted his position to allow more room for her if she chose to grace him with her company.

Her smile widened slightly, ears lifting to the sound of his warm tone. A quiet chuckle escaped her own maw, and she bobbed her head jovially with agreement. Venus had always known titles to be of respect and importance; every pack she'd been through had used some sort of additional calling. It was mostly the variation that awed her; having to learn a new set of terms for each group.

Her interest piqued at the mention of Havir. The fallen pack was no mystery to her in its existence, as many of the Valerians had hailed from its destroyed lands. However, Venus was no expert on its culture in any sense, and so the Eir's words fed her eager mind. She was curious of these Gods he spoke of. She herself had been raised with the belief in two spirits, the earth and sky respectively. They were gods in the minds of her birth pack, and herself still, though she was not particularly religious.

Vengeful? She tilted her head slightly, a question bubbling in her throat. His expression didn't falter aside from a subtle twitch in his jaw, and Venus forced the thought away. Perhaps it was touchy. She was not here to pry or bother.

"I am, yes," She chuckled again, amused by how that tidbit had spread. Stepping forwards on light paws, she accepted his offer with another nod. "There's not too much to say on it, I admit." A light roll of her shoulders accented her comment. "I met Loki a few years back, both of us traveling as loners, he with his brother Cody."

"Many months we walked the lands, til a snowstorm separated me from the brothers. I was guided here to Vale when I ran into Cody, by sheer luck, not too long ago." Venus thumped her tail gently against the ground.

”Not much to say?” He asked her, raising a brow. ”A friend from our esteemed Astir’s past must certainly be the talk of the den.” He teased, wagging his tail in good humor. ”It is good you have found each other… I take it this… Cody … is not one for pack life?” He had not missed the mention of Loki’s brother. Kotori had not heard much about him, but then again, he and Loki had not talked about their families much.

”He would be welcome here, I am sure.” He let out a yawn, stretching his forepaws out before him. ”Even with all these wolves to call family, I imagine having blood-kin is comforting.” The Eir murmured, gaze drifting back to where the pups had been playing. He would never understand the complicated bonds of blood relatives. His own have been gone for far too long now. And he could not see himself loving Lilly’s children anymore than he did now—even if he was their trueborn father.

”So.” He turned his attention back to his companion. ”What do you think of Vale?” The Eir asked her, curiosity shining in his slate-colored gaze. It was his duty to ensure that all his packmates were happy and healthy—especially newcomers who were still settling in.

Her tail curled nearly against her dark paws, brushing aside the leaves. Her head tipped to one side as the silvery male prompted her reply, and then she quirked a brow. A subtle flush rose beneath her cheeks, though she dismissed his words with a playful scoff. Though she did subconsciously wonder how much gossip that had stirred up. Blinking orange eyes, she nodded again as he went on. "Apparently not. He travels with a she-wolf called Vaiyalhi, though, so he's not by his lonesome." She added, thinking with some amusement how similarly gruff the two had been.

Venus bobbed her head once more, her gaze following his. Ah, his children. The sight of them made her smile again; sheer joy expressed in their tumbling motions. Briefly she wondered why the darker pup sat still, but didn't dwell on it for long. Pups were strange beings, after all.

She licked her jaws and met the Eir's gaze as he spoke again. Both ears pivoted upwards with warm interest. "Oh, it's delightful!" Venus puffed, her tail giving a soft flick. "I can't say I've been the new face in a pack before, so I'm not sure how it should go, but I've felt nicely welcomed." She couldn't count the time she'd spent with that small group, as she hadn't been there for more than a week - not permanent in any way.

"Perhaps knowing Loki has made the acclamation a bit smoother, though." She added with a slight grin.

"Vaiyalhi..." He repeated the name with a furrow brow. It sounded so familiar... He was certain he had heard the name before. Oh yes! "OH! I know her!" He exclaimed happily, tail wagging two and fro, kicking up dust as it did so. "Of course it was a long time ago, I would be surprised if she remembered..." He brought a paw, expression quiet and thoughtful.

"Anywho--" He quickly waved away his personal pondering to return his attention to Venus. "I helped her out one time when I was a loner myself--before I joined Havir." He smiled, reminiscing. Those were hard times, to be sure, but there were some fond memories. "It's good to hear that she has someone, though. It gets mighty lonely as a loner, as I am sure you know."

The Eir was happy to hear that the newcomer was treated well. After all, he would be very disappointed to hear otherwise. "Oh, yes, I am sure." Kotori smiled when she suggested that her familiarity with their Astir could account for her treatment. "The Valerians are the... cynical sort." He told her, eyes twinkling. "Past experiences have taught them to be weary of strangers, and the Havirian influence only encourages the behavior, I'm afraid." The Eir's previous pack had been more reclusive than Vale. And not just because of their location deep within the mountains. No, the religious wolves had made a point to stick to their own, hiding away in their mountains, unwilling to socialize with the sinners below. It was one of the few things Kotori was not too keen on, but alas, such ways were a thing of the past.

Dark ears flapped up again, a brief look of surprise crossing her features. The world was always smaller than one first thought, it seemed. Little connections, here and there, linking two strangers together. It was truly fascinating to think about, if even a little difficult, for numbers had never been a strong suit for the brown she-wolf. The possibilities, in their endless nature, were what astounded her, and she left it at that.

Venus nodded, her expression warm and a smile still gracing her features. The very word for those with no pack was what defined their lives, in most cases. Perhaps pairs of wolves or trios even weren't quite loners, in the truest definition. She furrowed her brows thoughtfully, but shook away the desire to brood on it now. It wouldn't do to zone out in the middle of a conversation. Firstly, that would be plain rude. She twitched her nose in a final sort of way, softening her features as she focused on the healer again.

"So I've heard." She commented, not unkindly. It didn't surprise her, and she had noticed it too, even if it had not been directed her way or purposeful at all. Her first few days had been awkward, but that was expected. She was a stranger to them, and they to her. She would have been more surprised had they welcomed her with exuberant delight and affection. Venus cast a glance sideways, eyeing what she could see of the peaceful camp. "But I can't say I blame them, and I respect their wariness in whole." She added, and returned deep orange eyes to Kotori.

"I think... it makes being accepted all the more worthwhile."

He gave a chuckle at her final remark. ”Does it now?” He rose a brow and laughed again. ”I was writhing in agony until they fully accepted me.” Kotori remarked.

”Of course, nearly everyone was very kind and accommodating when the other refugees and I first arrived. Some of us, myself included, came to them injured.” He gave a slight nod towards his scarred leg. ”But when I became Eir, however, that was when the long wait began.” His short ears wiggled with amusement. Even his dearest friend, Lily started out resenting him.

”It was a ludicrous idea, I would imagine.” He quickly added to defend his packmates’ reservations. ”A stranger being given such a role. I’d like to think I’ve become more than just a stranger since then.” Kotori mused in a thoughtful voice. He gazed fondly at his packmates as they went about their day in then clearing.

She couldn't help but grin at his reaction, orange eyes glittering with humor. The picture of him nervous and new, avoiding eyes and trying to fit in best he could, made her chuckle softly as well. She bobbed her head as he went on, another image flashing through her mind: forlorn travelers seeking a home, a pack that rose from its dark ages with their arrival. Venus cast her eyes briefly towards his injured limb, expression softening.

One ear twitched thoughtfully. His title must have been given surprisingly early. She wondered why Astir Faust had done so... but he must have had a reason. And certainly, Kotori made a wonderful Eir. Things had turned out very well. Venus smiled again, slowly dipping her head. "Oh, definitely, you have. I see no difference from the rest of the pack - though I suppose my view is a little obvious." She admitted.

She turned her head to eye the different colored pelts here and there, wolves she would soon know by sight and scent. Already she could name some, and the feeling of such brought her a rush of contentment. "Belonging somewhere... that is something I could never take for granted."

His eyes returned to the she-wolf beside him.

“I appreciate it regardless.” He told, blinking gratefully. He let out a yawn and stretched his forelegs, drinking in the sunlight as it warmed his silver pelt. The refugee was content and happy. That was all he could ever ask for.

“No. It certainly is not.” Kotori agreed with her. Vale was his home. His family. He would be forever thankful for the chance he was given to live among them and serve.