Strength (Malachi)

[Deleted]

As the sun began to rise to the east, light paws padded silently through lush grass, flattening the blades for only a second before they sprang up again. Though the wolf's weight was improving lately, he still was not bulky enough to permanently crush the well-fed grass. Thanks to Rita, however, he at least was no longer going hungry, which Auron was eternally grateful for. Who would have thought a tiny Ethiopian female would be the one to teach him how to hunt properly? It boggled his mind.

The rushing sound of swiftly-moving water came to his ears long before his eyes caught sight of the impressive river, half a mile wide and speedily making its way downhill. The edges of the water were hidden by a slight 'cliff' that was only about a foot tall, but effectively prevented him from accessing the water. Auron frowned as he approached, thirst gripping him though he had no way of quenching it from where he was. It would be far too dangerous to attempt to reach the water from here, and so the male sighed heavily and began again, moving parallel to the water and keeping a safe distance from the edge.

A short time later, he reached an area where a family of beavers had stopped up part of the river, though their dam did not reach all the way across. Luckily, the grey male only desired a drink, rather than to cross the water, and so he moved easily over the the small corner of water where the dam had effectively created a tiny, slow-moving current that could easily be lapped at with a tongue. Auron did just that, sating his thirst without a care. These lands, he had noticed, were claimed by no one, and thus he was in no danger of being chased out by any pack wolves. He supposed there were always other predators about, including loners like himself, but he tended not to worry about those things these days. His last two wolfish encounters had been rather pleasant, and he was warming to the idea of making friends.

Having conquered his bodily need, Auron moved away from the river once more, his feet carrying him strongly to a patch of brush just outside the forest that surrounded the river on both sides. Muscles had begun to flesh out beneath his skin at last, since he began eating more than once a month, and the increase in energy was a welcome consequence as well. The three-year-old male felt nearly as good these days as he had before his original pack had overhunted their lands; back when food was in abundance and every wolf had a cache hidden somewhere in the woods. Life had been good for him for the first year, truly, and though he did not miss his family, he often missed meals. Or he had, until recently. Now that things were easier, he no longer felt any pull toward his past. Sure, he would have liked a constant companionship simply to avoid boredom, but it wasn't so bad to live on his own.

Shaking his head to clear it, the male settled himself down against a bush, the soft leaves brushing against his fur as he laid beneath them. It was as much shelter from the coming sun as it would be camouflage, though any creature with half a brain would see his dark coat against the bright green grass. He had not sniffed anything predatory so far, though, and he was not about to sleep; Auron was simply hoping to listen to the river and watch the sun rise.

Words || 612
Tags || Malachi
Notes || Hope this works for you, dear.< 3

[Malachi]

Well he managed to avoid wolves for the greater part of the spring and now that summer has shown her face, he hoped he would have just as much luck with this season. Having spotted what he thought was his sister and brother had sent him in a near constant state of manic energy. Moving swiftly here and there, not really noting what was going of around him. It was exhausting once the manic seized and he was allowed to sleep, something else denied him for quite some time. 

Heavy paws squished into the mud lining the riverbank as he sought refuge from the heat of the summer tide, eventhough it was early and the sun had yet to show her face, he felt supremely warm. Finally finding a shallow spot to dip himself in and let the cool water seep through his pelt. He stayed there for a little while, but the wolf named Malachi was not one to really stick around a place for long. Lifting himself out of the relaxing liquid, he marched on, letting the sun dry him out along the way. He didn't bother to shake off the excess much so it still dripped down his sides and off his belly and tail.

Solitude. Safety. At least in his mind. He knew there were some benefit to numbers but he never allowed himself the luxury of being near others long enough to experience it again. His family paid the price of his company...no one else should suffer because of him. 

He was so lost in thought, he didn't realize the figure of another being so close to him. The stormy eyes male had his mind a thousand miles away and walked close to the bushes lining the river, their roots drinking from the waters beneath the surface he stood upon. 

@auron
OOC: Here ya go! ^^

[Deleted]

As he lay there silently, watching the sun come up over the horizon across the raging river, Auron sighed softly, content. For the first time in his life, he was fed; he had what he considered a friend; and he felt no fear, no anxiety, nothing but bliss. Life, at last, was as good as it had been when he was just a pup, and he was perfectly happy to stay as he was. Or so he was trying to convince himself, anyway. Content was not the best there was, he knew, and it would not take much to direct himself to the nearest pack; there were at least two in the territories he had been roaming about, though this land was claimed by no one.

It was hard, though, for him to think of joining another pack. That would require much more socialization than he was used to, as well as a whole bunch of stress he had just spent the last week getting rid of. Why pile on more with a formal introduction, interactions with alphas, getting to know an entire pack? What job would he do, what service could he even provide? He had been a loner longer than he had belonged to a pack, and besides, a real home would only tie him down and prevent further travel. He wasn't sure he was ready to stop seeing new places.

A sound came to his ears, the sound of feet upon grass, and Auron twisted his neck around while simultaneously sitting up, looking around his bushy haven to spy another wolf, lightly colored and seemingly unaware that anyone else existed in this world. Cocking his head to the side, the darker wolf contemplated calling out to him versus going back to his hiding place; unless this male was headed directly for this exact spot, he might avoid being seen altogether. It was the desire for alone time that brought these thoughts to mind, instead of the fear that had motivated him previously.

Deciding against rudeness, Auron sighed again--this time in an exasperated sort of way--and cleared his throat loudly enough for the other to hear. Without waiting for a response, he made eye contact and spoke. "Hello there, stranger. You appear to be covered in mud." The observation had been made shortly after he said hello, and he only mentioned it because he was unsure of what else to say. "I'm sorry to pop up out of nowhere. I was watching the sun rise. My name is Auron," he added hastily, in case the male were curious.

Words || 438
Tags || Malachi
Notes || Kinda short but I hope it's good!

[Malachi]

The voice startled him to say the least. Instinctively on the defense as his hackles momentarily rose and a snarl almost escaped his throat, warning intruders to stay away from him. But his logic caught up him quickly. What intruders? I'm on free land and stupid enough to not pay attention. Smoothing his marbled pelt, he bowed his head as his father and uncle taught him to do when meeting someone new. It was a short movement of his head, more choppy than smooth and elegant. He was certainly out of practice with manners. But what did manners really achieve? Nothing. 

Guilt caused him to sigh lightly. That wasn't fair to his elders. He was taught to be a gentleman and acted like a rogue instead. Such dishonor to his family, his dear mother would be hurt to see her little boy so far distanced from what he was. But there was nothing for it now. Time was cruel and he learned to toughen in response.

Sizing up the stranger with a quick glance of his stormy eyes, Malachi decided no harm was meant towards him. But the thoughts of a fighter registered than he outweighed this stranger considerably which usually meant Malachi had more strength but this stranger may be quick due to his lithe build. Shaking his head, trying to shed strategies of such scuffles and instead pay attention to what was being said to him.

Watching the sun rise.....what a peaceful occupation. When was the last time Malachi did that? He couldn't even remember. No doubt it was when he was with his family since he could easily picture Kayi being very excited to watch such a show. He was probably brought along with her at onetime or another to watch it with her. 

"Malachi, sir. Forgive me rudeness earlier. Social events are not my strong suit." Slipping back into his gentlemanly training all the while feeling severely out of place with his words. He had hardened so much in many ways but he couldn't ignore the traits instilled in him during his youth. By the look of things, he was younger than this Auron by a year or two, which meant he should be spoken with respect. 

Shifting his weight, at a loss of what to do next, Malachi let his eyes flicker to the approaching dawn. Should he walk away and leave this brute in peace? He did know if he should or try to converse further. Such confusing spots he got himself in.....

@auron
OOC: He is a confused guy

[Deleted]

Auron observed this young male with similar coat and eyes to himself, immediately intrigued by him. He was barely older than Auron had been when he left home, it seemed, though it was hard to tell through the harsh response he got immediately. Resisting the urge to respond in kind, the darker male sat quietly, letting the stranger go through the motions and tensing his muscles imperceptibly. It was seconds before the other male relaxed, however, and Auron nodded his thanks and calmed himself as well.

Malachi was this wolf's name, and he appeared to be very polite, calling Auron 'sir' as though he deserved some respect. The male responded with a blank look initially, taken aback by the display. "Pleasure to meet you, Malachi. You can call me Auron," he responded after a beat or two, dipping his head very gently to show that he was grateful for the respect, though he was not sure he deserved it. Auron had never been a wolf who expected things to go a certain way, or to be treated as though he were dominant in any way, though Rita seemed to think some days that he was ranked above her.

Did he exude some confidence that he was unaware of? Did he posture himself as an alpha without realizing it? That couldn't be; at this very moment, he was simply sitting normally, his head high but his tail flat out behind him and his eyes soft, facial features relaxed. He had been born high in the pack, sure, but had learned nothing of the ways of highly-ranked wolves, nor had he ever been treated as though he were the alpha pair's son; this abundance of respect was making his head spin. Clearing his thoughts, Auron settled himself back down onto the ground in a display of relaxation and companionship toward this new wolf.

"If you'd like, I would be happy to share my space with you," he said into the silence, his forelegs stretched out in front of him and his paws flexing slightly. "Watching the sun is something I've liked since I was little, thought I couldn't tell you why. It's... impressive, I guess." It was strange to speak so openly to a new wolf, but Auron had been eager to try new things lately; after meeting Rikez and then Rita, he was coming to understand his world and this land better, and he was starting to realize that a life alone was not the ideal life for a wolf.

Words || 433
Tags || Malachi
Notes || Sorry it's late and short and BLAH I'm awful forgive me.

[Malachi]

Now that he had a name to go with the face, Malachi felt only a tiny bit more relaxed. This Auron seemed gentle now but Malachi knew that could easily change. He didn't want a fight but was simply ready to need to act. 

What was he supposed to do now? He had to curse his fragile knowledge of social events. Yes, he was taught better but some of those things just got buried in the background. Silence reigned over the mottled male as he struggled to come up with something substantial to say. Oh, he should have just pretended he was deaf and kept walking.

Then there was the invitation to sit and watch the sun rise. He tilted his head at the offer. It was a simple gesture but Malachi honestly didn't know what to do. "I suppose I could stay." Even as he accepted the offer, his mind was reeling on how to back out of it and disappear.

Despite his desperate desire to be alone, he apparently needed interaction with others. Seating himself far enough to let himself react if this was a trap but he didn't want Auron to think that Malachi believed him to be toxic to be near.

"My sister loved to watch these.” He said quietly, thinking aloud more than stating a fact. He wondered how she would react of her little brother actually took time to watch something she adored so much. He missed her. Perhaps he should go see her. Was that possible?

"Are you settled here or passing through?" A sad attempt to converse but it was out there now. Might as well ride it out and see what happens.


@auron

[Deleted]

Auron saw the confusion behind Malachi's eyes as he debated whether or not to join his fellow wolf. The older male did not blame him; happening upon a stranger was one thing, but sitting comfortably with them to watch the sunrise was probably not what most loners imagined would happen. Being as socially inept as his counterpart, Auron felt it was okay to be a little more friendly than he normally would. It raised his spirits to be kind to others, as he had learned recently, and this wolf seemed already to be much nicer than Rikez, so where was the harm?

After some deliberation, Malachi sat down a respectable and safe distance away, conveying that while he was not one hundred perfect comfortable, he was willing to be near the older wolf and lower his guard slightly. That meant a lot to Auron; it meant that he was approachable and outwardly less threatening that he could be, if a stranger was willing to do something silly like watch the sunrise with him. Since this wolf was trusting him not to attack, Auron wouldn't--though he had never been one to strive for conflict in the first place. Perhaps with his renewed strength gained from hunting, he would fight rather than turn tail, but he would not be the one to start anything.

Malachi spoke quietly of his sister, and Auron's ears perked and twisted to hear better, his head staying where it was. The words were soft and loving, and seemed to be more of a thought than a comment, and so the male let them hang without responding. He had no insight as to the nature of this stranger's relationship with his sister, and had no siblings around to speak of himself, so any words on the subject would be uninformed and potentially hurtful, depending on why Malachi was no longer with this sister he spoke briefly of.

As crimson and golden light began to spill through the leaves of the trees and over the grass, a question was voiced, this one directly aimed at Auron, with the other awaiting a response. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, squinting his eyes to shield them from the brightness that had broken the horizon. Warmth spread with the light, and gray eyes closed completely as it did, the dark wolf basking in the glow of the morning as though he had forgotten about his company.

"I am, for now, settled here. I have met few wolves, and no pack, though I know there is one nearby," he responded in a satisfied tone, not bothering to open his eyes again, trusting his companion not to lash out and attack. Movement would be heard and Auron would have time to respond, should animosity spring, but he was not expecting it outright, only considering it a possibility. "I've been alone for so long... I'm not sure I could adjust to pack life. Though I am finding the company of wolves to be much more pleasant than I remember." A smile and a one-eyed glance followed his last comment, to show his comfortability with Malachi as well as put him more at ease.

"You seem to be a loner yourself," he added, turning his head back and closing his single eye again as more and more sunlight covered the pair. "Have you been here long? Met anybody? There are a few kind wolves running around here, at least."

Words || 591
Tags || Malachi
Notes || Boop beep

[Malachi]

A static cling crept through Malachi as he remained seated next to the slightly darker male. He attributed it to his lack of social skills as he didn't seem in any imminent danger. 
 
Watching the sunrise was oddly calming to the tense male but he was quite surprised to see the eyes closed of his new acquaintance. That showed either trust or stupidity, although Malachi wouldn't judge this male as stupid. He stated he was a loner and to survive by yourself took skill and brains. This was just odd for younger wolf.

But then he saw a smile and one eyes open, causing him to tilt his head in a sort of muted wonder. Aurik seemed different from most the stormy eyed male had met but Malachi couldn't quite name why. 

"Yes I've been on my own for longer than I care to admit. Never part of a pack...just family....I've met very few wolves since. Generally it turned out alright." He kept his voice level as he could when speaking of his family although he could hear the slighter tightness in his baritone of a voice. But his mask was trained into a careless expression.

"Wolves I've met I have yet to see again." He stated simply, not that he ever really sought any of them out. Except for one, Saphira. She knew how to knock him of balance and loosen up, he still wasn't sure if it was good or bad, but she intrigued him. 

Aurik seemed to be trying to make Malachi more at ease, something he inwardly appreciated but parts of his persona tugged at him to not trust, don't fall into the trap that might be set for him. Endless battles with himself, at times it was exhausting, infuriating but it was his lot in life now. 

"What purpose do you find in life? As loner it can be harder to find self-worth for some."

@auron

[Deleted]

This male is curious, Auron thought silently, his eyes still close. In a literal way and another way. He asks many questions and says plenty, but vaguely, and he never expands on his words. Perhaps he is as awkward as I can be. A warmth spread through him at the thought of finding another wolf who knew as little about communicating and being social as he did; perhaps they would become friends who sat in silence together instead of wasting breath on silly words. Or perhaps Auron would join a pack and Malachi would not, and he would become another part of the past.

Letting his eyes open slightly, the darker wolf stared across the river with constricted pupils, taking in as little of the bright light as possible while the sun continued to rise, slowly but surely, higher into the sky. Malachi had asked another question, and he contemplated his answer for a moment. As of this moment, the elder male had no purpose in life, beyond living it. He had no interest in starting a family, felt no urgent need to be of service; he was simply doing what he could to survive. "I suppose my purpose in life right now is to find a purpose," he said mysteriously, grinning sideways at his companion. "I'll find a pack and settled down here, maybe. Or I'll keep wandering until I find a place I belong, or die on the road."

The thought of death had never disturbed him, even when he was malnourished and struggling to make his way through. Auron always knew he would die when he was supposed to, and since he hadn't yet, he considered it a blessing. If he were facing his death, perhaps he would have some level of fear bubble to the surface--after all, when Rikez had come from nowhere with a bloody maw and murderous grin, he had been stratled--but he did not live as though death were following him. Perhaps that was the product of his young age.

"Do you struggle to find a purpose?" Auron asked after a brief pause, turning away from the sun and facing the other wolf, shifting his paws slightly to become more comfortable. "Or have you found your peace in your travels as well?"

Words || 396
Tags || Malachi
Notes || Woop there it is.

[Malachi]

Brightening light and a warm summer day were doing their job at drying out the younger male from his earlier dip. Shaking out his fur a little to keep it from sticking to him and return to its usual fluffiness. 

There was an uncertain aspect being around this male, like there was no judgement or feeling of being pried open about his past. Something he appreciated. And the fact Auron was without purpose as well was intriguing. He seemed perfectly ok with what life threw at him while he searched for what suited him. Malachi was admittedly more unsatisfied with the fate he had and lost with knowing what he wanted. 

"I have no purpose." He stated simply. "Not sure what I'm looking for." Was it a pack, family or just being left alone for life? He didn't know. He told himself that solitude was what was best but it felt empty. But then again being around others couldn't be the answer since he was awkward and had no idea how to meld into social situations.

"Inner peace isn't really an option anymore either." Was he saying to much? Usually he was good at silence but now he felt he was conveying to much about himself. Hearing about others was easier then speaking of himself. Was Auron going to ask why? He would find out soon enough. 

Right now with this male was rather like his time with his siblings growing up. He was just as lost with them as he was with anyone but it's more comfortable. They understood his odd mannerisms and just took him as he was despite his awkward self. But now he couldn't spend time with them, watching their antics from a little ways away. Times have changed drastically.


@auron

[Deleted]

An admission of restlessness came from his companion, which made Auron frown lightly. It was a strange thing, for a lone wolf to have no confidence in himself, to have no purpose and not intend to find one. "Do you find yourself yearning for anything? Hoping to stumble across... something, someday? Or do you just walk through life?" the older wolf asked, concern evident in his voice. He had only just met this wolf, but something about his lonely life resonated with Auron, and he felt the absurd need to be of comfort.

Malachi went on to reveal, mysteriously, that inner peace was... not an option anymore? Why not? What had happened in his life that he would never find peace with himself? Sadness touching his eyes, Auron turned and observed the other wolf silently, watching his face and features for any sign of a hidden fear, guilt, or pain. Nothing was evident in his outward appearance, though, which left the other male stumped.

It's none of my business, said his inner common sense, urging him to get up and leave. You don't need to help him and he isn't going to ask. Just politely leave him to his sad life and get on with yours. Though his mouth opened to speak, Auron simply could not be so rude; he wasn't about to excuse himself because this Malachi was strange. The whole point in wandering around on neutral territory was to meet others, or else he would have moved on. Both wolves clearly wanted to be social in some capacity, and even if it made him uncomfortable, Auron would oblige.

"Have you ever tried to find it? Inner peace, I mean," he asked after a beat, cocking his head to the side and continuing to watch his fellow wolf. "I haven't... but I don't know that I need peace. I think I just need a job, someday. Something to call my own, you know? Not even a family, or a pack, just... something to occupy my time." A rolling shrug followed his words, and Auron turned away at last, contemplating his own words as though Malachi had spoken them instead.

Was that all he needed? A hobby? If it were that easy, he would have found total peace with Rita. They had a hobby--hunting--and he had her company to boot, but it had not calmed the small but persistent ache in his heart, the one his pushed to the back of his mind in an attempt to quash it. The part of him that was a pack wolf yearned to come forward, it seemed, but he was not ready for it.

Words || 459
Tags || Malachi
Notes || Do we want to figure out a place for this to go? Or plot something? I'm all for dialogue exclusively but the replies will be short each time unfortunately. xD

[Malachi]

 "I'd say that walking through life is all I have.” Why was everything getting so personal? It was strange and incredibly awkward. He didn't want this to turn into a sob story of his life and Auron seemed to have his own troubles. 

"Yearn? Of course. I yearn for purpose and serenity but it seems that is not really an option for me. So all I got is to be a cranky hunter/fighter shuffling through life and ruining everyone's day." He drawled on as he mind yelled at him to just shut up and never talk again. 

Finally he stopped and glanced at Auron in apology. "See just like that. Sorry." Clearing his throat, "So you...what do you do to manage life?" 

This was probably the longest deep conversation he ever had. Having been on his own since he was a pup, Malachi wondered what was really supposed to be done with life. Yeah some joined packs and had families, but he was to young to think of love...or so he thought. Pack life seemed to organized for someone who grew up in chaos.

What was left? Trudge alone. Hunt when he was Hungary and sleep when he was tired and start over. 

So there they were, two males in similar situations so it seemed and trying to help each other although they did not seem to want to admit it to themselves. Made for awkward times. However, if this could help them grow than maybe it would be worth it.


@auron
OOC: well I'd like for Malachi to get something like a kick in the pants to stop feeling sorry for himself.  Maybe not meanly but Mal needs to get out of his rut.

[Deleted]

As his companion continued to speak, Auron continued to frown, a combination of pity and something else fueling it. Not quite anger, but perhaps frustration crept onto his face as he listened to Malachi, an extremely young wolf with his whole life ahead of him who didn't seem to know it. He could have anything he wanted, really, if he just would get the thought planted in his mind.

"Malachi, what happened in your life to make you so cynical?" the elder wolf started, turning his eyes away from his companion to look out across the river again. His mixture of strange feelings was turning his face sour, and he didn't want Malachi to assume it was anger directed at him. "You're jjust past your childhood. You have nothing but time and opportunities before you. This land is plentiful, and the packs that surround this area are, from what I can tell, kind and accepting. Your future could be better than your past, if you were willing to try and change your life."

Auron's tone had turned passionate and heated by the end of the last statement, and he turned his steely grey eyes upon Malachi once more, a new intensity in his gaze. His words had changed his own mind, even if they didn't mean anything to his companion, and with a small smile he stood on all fours, "I must apologize, Malachi. Not for what I've said, but for what I plan to do now. I have to do something with my life, give back to others. i hope you can find a way to do the same before it gets worse for you."

Turning away, the grey male began to trot away, headed southbound along the river and past Malachi. When he turned and looked back, it was not to speak, but only to nod at his companion. Perhaps they would be friends someday, and perhaps not; but Malachi's dark place had kept Auron out of his own, and for that he was grateful.

Words || 350
Tags || Malachi
Notes || Hope this isn't too abrupt, that's just how it all flowed for me. Maybe one more reply from you and we can wrap this up and potentially revisit these two later?

[Malachi]

He didn't know what he expected from Auron once his soliloquy was finished. Probably sympathy since that all he ever got whenever the subject of his life came around. Imagine his surprise when then complete opposite came from his companions mouths. 

Stormy eyes widened slightly in surprise but he didn't answer the question as he felt it was rather rhetorical. The words seemed innocent enough but the tone spoke much more. What right did Auron have to be mad at him? He knew nothing! 

As annoyance quickly grew within the strong fighter, somehow his logical side made him stop and listen further. Auron wasn't passing judgement....he was trying to help. 

The silver mottled male stood dumbfounded for a few minutes. No one ever dared speak words like that to him before. Yet as Auron spoke, his figure morphed momentarily into Kismet in Malachi's mind. He could hear his fathers voice reach out to him as if he was still a tiny pup and a lesson was being taught strictly for his own good even if it wasn't what he wanted to hear.

The dawning of the idea that he wasn't hopeless made Malachi cemented where he stood. Not at first realizing that his companion moved to leave, his mind was certainly shaken and his senses dulled. Finally when he managed to come back to reality he saw the darker male looking back at him. Perhaps he was mistaken but the younger male swore he saw a spark in the grey eyes gazing into his. Maybe it was his imagination or maybe that spark meant a new beginning for both of them.

He watched Auron leave and even stared after him when his form was no longer visible. Who knew in a little time span and an acceptance to watch the sunrise with a complete stranger would actually make a difference in life. It was up to him now, he knew that. No one could change things for him. Wallowing in self pity only closes doors that may eventually cease opening.

Time to make things a little better.

@auron
OOC:: Whoo! Thanks!!!