Shadow and Soul [Atheoth family]

[Balthazar]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]It was very early in the morning, and Balthazar had been awake for quite some time, laying quietly and complacently at his sister’s side.

From the moment his eyes had opened, he’d wanted to wake his mother, though he had resisted the urge. She was busy, he knew, and tired; he would have likely been chastised for waking her before the sun had even risen. So he’d remained nuzzled into her side, eyes wide and searching as he glanced around the cavern that he’d come to know as home. It was terribly boring, and so when at last the sounds of birds chirping outside of the caverns reached his auds, the pup craned his head, reaching out to poke his sister’s slumbering form with his nose.

”Cimeries,” he whispered, the fondness for his much smaller sibling evident in his voice. ”Get up. I’m bored.” After continuing to poke and prod her until he was certain that she could not have slept through his pestering, Bal shot a wide grin in her direction before turning his attention to Roka.

”Mother.” The word came easily from Bal, though he knew already that Roka was not truly his mother. He still vividly remembered the day several moons ago when his father had come to visit them, and while hurdling over the massive brute’s legs repeatedly, something had occurred to Bal. ”Father,” he had asked, ”Why are your eyes blue, and Mother’s eyes brown, but Cimerie’s are orange?” It had been an innocent question full of curiosity, but the reply his father had given him was anything but. And so it had been from a young age that Bal and his sister had learned of their true mother, whose name their father did not even know. She was dead, Father had told them, and yet Balthazar had been oddly undisturbed by this fact. He did not remember his true mother; instead he only remembered Roka, and so he’d continued to call her his mother, even as he’d mulled over the idea of death as it had first been presented to him by his father.

”Mother,” he repeated again, rising to place his front paws against his mother’s side, supporting himself with her body as he leaned forward to nudge her cheek with his nose. ”We’re awake now. Maybe we can do something fun today?” The excitement was evident in his tone as his multi-hued gaze fell upon his sister again, his tail wagging in encouragement. Balthazar liked the warmth and safety that the dens offered, but it had grown terribly boring, and his older siblings had been allowed to go outside months ago. They were much older than him, he knew, but this was something that his young mind discarded. It was only fair, he thought, that he be allowed to go outside, too. Flashing his most endearing smile at his mother, he flopped back onto his bottom, awaiting her response with wide, adoring eyes.


Words: 491
Tags: Roka + Cimeries
Muse: Good!
Notes: WOW HE’S SO SWEET, too bad he’s gonna be freaking insane. ;-;

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[Cimeries]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]Lorem dolor, consectetur ipsum.

She was surrounded. Figures of all shapes and sizes hovered in circles and spun around her as if attempting to somehow throw her off balance. There seemed to be no beginning and no end to any of them. Left and right, up and down, was there a floor or ceiling in this place? Darkness filled her eyes, head, and heart as she moved forward, somehow not at all phased by the mysterious beings that followed her. They always followed her. But there was a light. A tiny speck that grew slowly with each step she took. And yet, the further she moved, the further away the light seemed to be. Ignore the light, it will only destroy you, child. The voice was familiar and feminine, but sounded haggard and worn with an age that the pup did not possess. But instantly, she obeyed. Her head turned, moving her path away from the light and back towards the darkness. This was where she was meant to be, where she would always remain. Her paws carried her with more confidence now, but just as the speck was beginning to fade away behind her, the whole world crumbled.

She was jolted awake by the prodding of her brother's nose, an act that immediately received a sharp snap from her jaws in reaction. ”Get up. I’m bored.” He was always bored here. She really could not blame him, though, it was an extremely dull place to live one's life. But instead of latching onto logical reason and agreeing with her brother's words and actions, she instead fell immediately into one of her fits. She had been enjoying that dream. She had been with the ones that had always been by her side, the way her mother never would be and the way her father could never dream of. Bal would always be there, but this creature that their father had latched them onto for their survival could never be her true family. But she was forced back into reality - which was always a particularly relative term when it came to the little monochromatic pup - and she was not happy about it. The tiny little female could not do much damage, but that did not keep her from launching herself at their adoptive mother and bouncing back and forth between her and Bal in a rage that never seemed to be even remotely controllable.

Sometimes her fits were her only source of entertainment in here. They had been locked in this stupid cave since they had been brought here, and even their half-siblings had been allowed out of the dark, cold walls. But so far, they were still prisoners. She snarled and grabbed onto any piece of fur or flesh she could reach with her sharp puppy teeth, but she could no longer tell if the target was her mother or her brother. No, all she could see was red now, with her tiny paws flinging her in all directions and her mind telling her that she was wrecking an enormous amount of havoc on the world. In reality, she was likely just annoying them, but in her own mind she was a demon and was tearing the world to pieces. Come back to us. They wanted her to return to her dream, she wanted to return to it, but there was no going back now. "I can't. They did this to me." She said out loud, yelling at the wall as if there was another creature standing there looking back at her. She does not love you like we do. She knew this, she had always known this. The scarred wolf that called herself their mother would never truly care about her. "I want to go back!" By now she was panting heavily, exhausted from her tantrum, but that did not stop her yet. She squirmed an struggled to continue fighting, but she could only go on for so long.

Words: 656
Tags: Balthazar, Roka
Muse: Medium
Notes: Yup, already batshit crazy.

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[Roka]

It seemed as if the scarred femme couldn't get any peace. She had gone from one litter to the next, her older pups now beginning to make their own way into the world as adults. These new pups of hers were just old enough to make their first trek into the outside world. The last remnants of sleep had begun to recede when she felt her adopted daughter sink into one of her rages. When Sabaoth had brought them to her months ago she had taken them as her own. There had been no hesitance on her part when she had been presented with their tiny bodies. No blame for the deeds of her mate when he had raped their birth mother. All she had known then was that they were orphaned, just like she had been. Her heart had gone out to them, making a promise to herself that they would grow up with a mother who would always care for them. From their earliest points of consciousness they had both presented as different. Balthazar was better at appearing normal than Cimeries was. Her mind seemed halfway between reality and some fantasy. As if something pulled her mind deeper and deeper into the abyss. The prospect of being awakened by her brother seemed to have pushed her over the edge and her fit was like nothing Roka had seen. Out of all of her children Taranis had been the only one to turn out less than sane. His deadly curiosity was mild compared to her new children. It made Roka wonder if madness was something that was tied to their coloring, for all of the rest of her pups were normal. Only the ones that possessed black and white markings turned out to be strange in the head.

Roka was at a loss for how to help her daughter control her rage so she simply left the little female to drain herself. Her bites and attempts to attack her were annoying t most, but Roka knew that if she grew up with this habit she could do damage. With as much effort to be gentle as she could muster she tried to push the little female away from her. Better she find an inanimate object rather than attack her brother. Roka stood up before leaning down to run a rough tongue over both of her pups. Balthazar accepted the fact that she wasn't his real mother more than Cimeries did, but Roka couldn't fault her for it. Roka wasn't her mother and nothing she did or said could change that. All she could do was try her best to raise them up to adulthood. After that it was up to them if they considered her family or not. She would always be there for them if they needed it, but she could never force them to accept her.

"What would you like to do today? You two are old enough to go outside if you would like, we can do some exploring." Roka figured she could manage keeping her good eye on two pups. Besides she was also getting tired of the cramped dens. The air was stale within them and she was ready to see the sunlight again. Roka ignored Cimeries as she seemed to scream a the thin air. It wasn't her first outburst and it would undoubtedly be her last. It was possible that their birth mother's efforts to rid herself of the litter had caused them brain damage, but it didn't matter. They were still her children. She stretched out trying to rid herself of the stiffness that had settled into her limbs. She had been within the caverns more than she liked and now was the chance for some adventure. She had been reluctant to take her last litter from the den's but for some reason this go around seemed far less daunting. Having already raised four pups it was easier she supposed. They could go anywhere they wanted as long as she was with them. She would keep them safe and they would get a taste of the island that was their home. Soon enough they would be old enough to explore all on their own.

Balthazar Cimeries

[Balthazar]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]So intent had Balthazar been upon gazing lovingly, almost reverently, at his mother that the young male had not anticipated his much smaller sister plowing into his side, her jaws snapping almost manically as she bounced back and forth between he and Roka. Though she was not heavy, her size almost laughable in comparison to his own already, Bal flopped back onto his bottom dramatically, toppling over onto his side as wide multi-hued eyes gazed up at his sister with great interest. Her fits of rage were not new to him, and had never truly phased Balthazar. Her teeth were certainly sharp, nipping at his flesh with enough force to draw his attention, but there was little more she could do, and so Balthazar’s maw stretched into an indulgent grin as he watched her fondly, as if she were performing cute tricks instead of spazzing out right before his very eyes.

He was brought out of his silent liberality by Roka, who shifted and stood as she pushed Cimeries away. A moment later she was leaning down to lick him, and Balthazar’s grin widened, pleased by her attention despite the weakening hurricane that was Cimeries. As his mother spoke, Balthazar visibly brightened further if possible, giving him the look of a crazed badger as he scrambled back to his oversized paws, tail wagging wildly behind him. Outside! They were really going to leave this dark, dank, wretched place, and there was nothing in that moment that could have dampened his spirits.

”Oh yes, Mother, that would be wonderful,” he said, his gaze at last turning to Cimeries, who seemed to be screaming angrily at a patch of moss upon the walls. Without a care for her rage, Balthazar bounded over to her, practically barreling into her as he came to a tottering halt. He’d grown so swiftly lately that he often found that his body was much bigger than he’d expected, making him clumsy in his youth. As at last he was stable, Bal reached down with his muzzle, tucking Cimeries against his little chest, seeming to take no notice at all of her razor sharp teeth. ”Come now, Cim, Mother is going to take us outside if you are good.” His voice was overly indulgent, that of one babying a tantrum-throwing youth – and though it was truly what he was doing, Balthazar was unaware of this. He truly meant to comfort his sister, to lovingly implore that she behave so that they might finally catch a glimpse of sunlight.

Reaching out, he affectionately licked the fur of her muzzle before turning and loping to the entrance of the cave, where he paused to look over his shoulder at Roka, his smile stretching wide as he waited with growing anticipation for her to escort them to the outside world.


Words: 469
Tags: Roka + Cimeries
Muse: Good~
Notes: Writing his posts crack me up xD

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[Cimeries]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]Lorem dolor, consectetur.

Listen to your brother. He's the only one that loves you as much as we do. Balthazar had moved to her side, even as Roka pushed her away. Her larger sibling was much more powerful than her, much stronger, and much more capable of calming her down. In fact, even at this young age, he had proven that he was the only one capable of calming her down. The similar looking pup moved himself to her side, pressing his chest up against her smaller form and nearly knocking her over. But instead of pinning her down or hurting her, he lowered his chin and tucked her tightly against his chest. He coddled her, he held her. She shivered and trembled with rage for a few more moments, but soon she began to actually register what he was saying. ”Come now, Cim, Mother is going to take us outside if you are good.” It was always her fault, wasn't it? Although she had been tiring out, a small growl rumbled in her tiny throat. She was always ruining things for him, she messed everything up. They don't want you here. She frowned as the voices told her what she was already thinking. "But he loves me." She said, staring at the floor and leaning heavily into her brother's chest.

But there really was no time to waste talking to them. No, Balthazar had already moved away from her and towards the entrance. He was far too eager to get outside, and because Cimeries did not want to be left alone in the den with just Roka, she bounded after him. Although they were growing quickly, she had yet to grow properly into her tiny paws. She stumbled and tripped until she reached her brother, who was large enough for her to crawl underneath him and lay between his front paws as she looked out at the outside world. She felt safe here, tucked beneath her brother and staring out at the wondrous expanse that was the continent of Anikira. They were on the small island of the Ina'mos, of course, but it all looked so large and overwhelming to the tiny pup. It's not safe out there. She shook her head as they told her to return to the safety of the den. "Bal will protect me." She said, lifting her head to nuzzle into the soft fur of her brother's chest.

He would always protect her. They would understand that soon. It was something that she had known from birth. They had a connection, Bal and her. They would always be connected, even when they were not together. She shook her head and lifted herself slightly to cuddle into his fluffy belly fur. They would always be together, she would make sure of it. He was hers, and no one would take him away from her, not even their father or adoptive mother. They only had each other in this world, and she would not let him be taken away from her. She might have been small, but that did not mean she was not strong. She did not want to explore right now, but Bal did, and she wanted to be with him. If he explored, so would she. Where he went, she went. There was no question or confusion about it. He was her world, and nothing would ever change that.

Words: 563
Tags: Balthazar, Roka
Muse: Low
Notes: n/a

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[Roka]

Roka had noticed the bond that between Cimeries and Balthazar was unusually strong. It took no time at all for the young male to sooth his sister, something that not even her adoptive mother could manage. All Roka could to was weather the storm. As soon as the lights seemed to return to little Cim's eyes she seemed ready to join Bal in his attempt to flee the dens. Roka knew how cramped and drab the dens could be when the pups had nowhere else to go. There was much adventure to be had once they found the light. Roka placed one foot in front of the other trying to let the pups keep a distance in front of her. She didn't want them getting to far from her sight, but at the same time she wanted hem to enjoy their freedom. When they finally reached the opening to the cave Roka took in a deep breath of fresh air. The dens were so stale compared to the open breeze that the water seemed to bring. It was a little warmer than it had been in many days, making it a perfect day for them to be outside. The sun blazed bright through the canopy of trees above them, creating a cascade of light and shadow on the ground. There were birds singing their little spring songs, despite the fact that it was much too early for them to be emerging. Roka watched the little younglings in front of her, trying to gauge their reaction to the light. She remembered how mesmerized her first litter had been, but these pups were nothing like Bal and Cim.

Roka figured that Balthazar would be intent on exploring, and his little shadow of a sister would be intent to follow him. She always seemed most content when in his company. "You can explore a little bit, but make sure you can see me at all times." With that warning stated she leaned down to lay in the shade. There was no point trying to chase them about and fret over them. She wasn't as nervous as she had been the first go around. Raising pups was no longer something that she considered to be terrifying. Today would be their day to spend doing things the way they wished, without mom getting in the way. Besides she figured their own imagination would keep them well enough occupied without her help. It had been a long few weeks tending Bal and Cim so she was happy to get some time to just relax and rest up. There had been no break between her older pups leaving and Sabaoth bringing her these two. It meant that her body was worn out and so was her mind. She would never admit it, however. Being a mother was something that she took pride in and so she would run herself ragged in order to provide for her pups. "Be careful and Balthazar, watch out for your sister." Roka was sure that they would be just fine, especially since they would be within her line of sight, but she wanted to be able to give them their independence. Besides Balthazar would thrive on the opportunity to prove that he could take care of Cimeries all on his own.

Balthazar Cimeries

[Balthazar]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]Pleased when at last his mother and sister began to follow in his wake, Balthazar bounded along through the cavern, tiny nails scrabbling at the rock as he paused briefly at the mouth of the cave, pausing to look over his should. Cimeries was not far behind, tucking herself underneath him, but still he waited for their mother, his tiny tail wagging. At last she appeared, having caught up with her rambunctious duo, and out into the world he tumbled, pausing long enough to glance around with dual-toned eyes, taking in the new sights and smells. A moment later he felt Cimeries once more as she brushed against his chest, uttering a soft, ”Bal will protect me.” He smiled then, seemingly oblivious to the fact that no one had ever stated that he wouldn’t – at least no one that he could hear. ”That’s right, Cim,” he said, his voice strangely serious for one so very young, as if he were pledging his young life to her. ”I will kill anyone who tries to hurt you.”

A genuine grin followed his words, the small male entirely unaware of how very odd his threat was for one still so juvenile. He had never killed before, of course, not even prey – the hunters always brought them food while Mother Roka could not go fetch it, but the young male had dreamed about it, eagerly anticipating the first time he would watch the light leave the eyes of whatever prey he hunted. He would be big one day, his father had promised, and it was something that Balthazar happily awaited.

But more pressing now was his mother’s voice, warning them to be careful, and imploring Balthazar to look after Cimeries. ”I will, Mother,” he said solemnly, before nudging Cimeries and trotting further out into the clearing. While another pup might have been fascinated by the vivid shade of the sky, or the feel of the earth beneath their paw, Balthazar found all of it terribly dull. Instead his gaze searched restlessly until at last it fell upon something scuttling across the earth, some kind of strange ebony creature that he was swift to pounce upon. He watched with amusement at the indignant creature dangled from his jaws, pausing to show it to Cimeries before bounding over to Roka, dropping the strange, ugly thing at her feet. Stopping it from escaping with one of his large paws, which he placed gently upon the creature’s back, he asked, ”Mother, what is this?”


Words: 416
Tags: Cimeries + Roka
Muse: Excellent~
Notes: It's a beetle xD

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[Cimeries]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]Lorem dolor, consectetur. ipsum

Even for such a young wolf, Cim knew she was lucky. She was not only part of the strongest pack on Anikira, but she was also related to Balthazar. He was her brother, her counterpart, her soul mate. It did not matter that they were related by blood, their bond was even stronger than that. She crouched beneath him - a feat that was simple to achieve because of their obvious size difference - and stared out at the world, ears twitching slightly upward as her brother spoke to her, responding to the words she had given to the voices. ”That’s right, Cim,” She looked up at him, red-orange eyes blinking slowly in adoration as he spoke, ”I will kill anyone who tries to hurt you.” And she believed him. She would never believe anything so much in her life. He was her protector, her guardian, her brother. There was no one else that she needed. At least no one outside of herself.

It was only a matter of moments before the sound of their Mother's voice was calling out to Bal, urging him to watch over his sister, though Cim knew that there was no way he would get out of her sight. Then again, only seconds later he was bounding off in the direction of the first moving object he had seen, pouncing on it and carrying it proudly back to Roka in his jaws. The little female sat where she had been standing beneath him, watching him bound after the creature and then return to their mother. But there was no excitement or interest in her eyes. She seemed like a tiny ghost as she sat there, watching the two other wolves interact as if they were mere spirits in a world that she did not belong to. She did not belong here, she knew it, but she could never explain that to them. Bal might understand, but never fully, never like the others.

The others. They were in her head, creatures of her own imagination and insanity that danced about within her mind and whispered to her almost constantly. The wind, it will blow you away. Her eyes moved to the side, scanning slowly up the trunk of the nearest tree, her tiny size making it more ominous as she leaned back slightly as if it were about to fall on top of her. The trees, they will crush you. She shivered slightly, pushing herself to her feet and moving away from the enormous unmoving monster. "No they won't." She said stubbornly, but carefully tucked herself beneath her brother once more just in case.

Words: 438
Tags: Roka, Balthazar
Muse: High
Notes: n/a

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[Roka]

Roka watched on as her two little pups seemed to discover everything that was around them. Balthazar was the instigator obviously interested in little about the sky or the trees, his focus upon the little creatures that surrounded him. Cimeries seemed to lack any interest in anything besides remaining close to her brother. The bond between them only seemed to grow and while their behavior seemed odd, it only made Roka hope that life would be a little easier to shoulder between the two of them. Their lot had been unfair in life almost as if they were being punished for their father's sins. The fact that they had each other would help to weather the storm. As Balthazar went in search of something moving about at his feet, Cimeries was wedging herself as close to him as she could. Her youngest son had accepted Roka with as much ease as could be expected from the little pup, but Cimeries was stubborn refusing to be content as one of Roka's. Instead she kept herself apart from everyone but her brother. Roka wished that the little femme would accept at least some of the affection that she offered, for the tundra knew first hand the hurt that came from being motherless. The doubt and lack of parenting had not one Roka justice until she had reached adulthood, but then again Roka had no siblings to rely on. She could have rejected the pups, sending them away from her sight, but that would send them to the clutches of some other female. A place where she couldn't at least try to heal some of the hurt the loss of a mother had caused.

Her musings were interrupted when her son returned to her to plop an insect of some kind before her. Obviously fascinated by the bug that seemed just the right size for his first catch. She would have to take them out on a hunt of some sort and let them try to catch the little rodents that seemed to inhabit the island. Not only would they be more fun to catch, but they would allow the pups to hunt down their own first meal. Nothing was more satisfying than the first catch. "That is a beetle." She was glad he hadn't brought her one of the stinky ones that sprayed in the face. Those were the worst things to find. Roka was glad that he was curious about the creatures around him for he would have to learn all that he could before heading off to his own Agoge. They were so young, but Roka supposed that they were as ready as they were ever going to get to have some fun. "Come along now, I think we should go find something to eat." They would no doubt be completely weaned in the next few weeks and so some meat would not hurt them. Besides she doubted milk tasted as good in comparison. "You can each try to catch something of your own before we head back to the dens."

Balthazar Cimeries

[Balthazar]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]A beetle. Balthazar mouthed the word silently as he stared down at the little bug, watching with open amusement as the creature continued to try to free itself from his grasp. It was pathetic, really, and Balthazar could not imagine ever being so small and pitiful and helpless as the glistening black insect that flailed beneath his paw, so easily caught beneath a single toe. Even as Cimeries darted over to wedge herself beneath Balthazar’s chest – a feat easily accomplished by his diminutive sister – Balthazar continued to study the little beetle after pausing long enough to bump the top of Cim’s head affectionately. It was strangely satisfying to slowly increase the pressure of his foot until the beetle’s squirming became frantic but difficult for the creature to continue, and Balthazar very well might have crushed it just to see how it felt had his mother not risen at that moment, interrupting his thoughts with her voice.

”We’re going hunting? Really?” The prospect was so exciting that he immediately lifted his paw, dismissing the beetle without so much as a glance. Killing his own food would be much more exciting that squashing a bug, and though he knew he and his sister would not be able to take down anything large or particularly dangerous yet, Balthazar felt his pulse quicken in excitement as he stumbled over Cimeries, having grown so used to her hiding beneath him that he’d forgotten she was there. ”Come on, Cim,” he said, completely disregarding the fact that half the time his sister spoke only to the creatures that others could not see. ”We get to hunt!”

He loped off after Roka, though he was careful to keep an eye on his sister as he went, always stopping and waiting patiently if he thought he was getting too far ahead of her. He would not let her out of his sights – not now, not ever. She was the dearest and most precious thing to him already, and thought of anyone hurting her filled his adolescent body with scarcely understood rage, making his lips peel away from his teeth in a tiny snarl. His mother would likely think he was just as odd as Cim was if she saw him, for there was technically nothing for him to be snarling at yet besides his own train of thought; but maybe she would think he was just excited for the hunt.

And he was. Thoughts of it made the smile return to his face as he trailed Roka, his little tail wagging back and forth furiously. ”Mother, what do we get to hunt?” He asked. Already he was dreaming up images of creatures – though truly he did not have much to go off of, considering he had never been out of the caverns before, and therefore had never seen any prey. After a moment he added, ”And will they be safe? For Cim to hunt?” He cast another glance towards his sister, his two-toned orbs flickering with a hint of worry.


Words: 502
Tags: Cimeries + Roka
Muse: Good!
Notes: n/a

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[Cimeries]

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With absolutely no interest in the tiny creature that Bal had captured, Cim let herself rest lightly between his paws as her orange eyes wandered aimlessly across the landscape around them. It truly was beautiful, but she was never capable of focusing long enough to actually enjoy it. No, instead she was much too busy paying attention to her brother and the voices. However, as she laid there silently while Roka spoke to her brother, her orange eyes caught the sight of something hovering slightly over the ground in the distance. From what she could tell, it looked like a wolf, but she could practically see right through it. So, as Roka pushed herself to her feet and Bal tripped over her tiny body, she followed suit. But, instead of bounding off after her brother and mother the entire way, as they headed away from the den, she slowly veered off to the side and towards the shadowy figure in the trees.

"Who are you?" She asked, her voice soft and curious as she finally realized that the voices in her head were silent. Why did they not aid here? Were they ignoring her? But then she heard it, the same sound she had heard in her mind since the day she was born. "I have no name, but I have been with you for quite some time now, Cimeries." The way the ghost's words echoed in her head made her shake it slowly back and forth as if she were trying to free her muzzle of some insect that had landed upon it. "But I've never seen you before." She said, sitting down where she had been standing and nearly forgetting about her brother and adoptive mother completely. Surely they had gone on without her, right?

However, the moment her rear touched the ground, the figure disappeared. "Wait! Come back!" she called, pushing herself up onto her feet and leaping forward as if she could grab the ghost and pull it back into her reality. But she was left alone, standing in the middle of the trees panting and whining softly. "We will never leave you." The voice was in her mind again, making her turn her head left and right in an attempt to locate the source of the sound. With another small whine, though, she realized that she could not see the wolf any longer. He was hidden from her, and there was no way for her to find him again. With a frown and her tail tucked between her legs, she turned in the direction that she had originally come from. He said she was never alone, but she could not help but feel even more abandoned than she ever had before, even with the tiniest slice of comfort that the voice within her mind had provided her.

Words: 474
Tags: Roka, Balthazar
Muse: High
Notes: n/a

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[Roka]

It took no prodding from Roka to the two pups moving in the direction that she moved in. Balthazar sounded as if his excitement was to make him explode. Cimeries on the other hand continued to whisper to her imaginary friends. Roka didn't know if the little female had something she saw in her mind or if she just talked to herself to fill the silence. Either way the little creature had been strange since she had been able to talk, Balthazar as well but he wasn't as obvious. He could conceal his insanity well enough, but he said things that a normal pups would never say. Roka had tried to raise the pups out of her oddities, but she eventually accepted that they were a part of them. They didn't change and so she had to adapt to deal with the strange little beasts. Despite their odd behavior they had wriggled their way into her heart and now they were as much her pups as her previous litter. There would be some rodents of some kind t the little pups could sink their teeth into. While she knew that Balthazar was leaping at the prospect of hunting, Cimeries seemed less than impressed.

That was the way of it for as long as she had known the little female. Her brother seemed to be the only thing on this earth that she cared about, almost as if there was something else going on in her brain. Something other than the musings of a little pup. Continuing on Roka led them further from the des than she had planned to, but there was no prey to be found near the dens. She didn't stop until she found the little burrows that signaled she had found the right place. There would be plenty of little critters deep within the tunnels that were just the right size for the pups to bring down on their own. "Come along now. There are plenty of little rodents in these burrows. If you are quick enough and quiet enough you might just catch one." Even though the pups were so very small she hoped that they would be able to make their own kill. She wanted them to excel as much as they could, as if being physically strong would expel any mental illness they seemed to have.

Cimeries Balthazar

[Balthazar]

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[attr="class","pltxt"]While Balthazar had been careful to keep a close eye on Cimeries, in his excitement and the smattering of questions he peppered Roka with, he’d somehow lost sight of her. He realized it as he glanced back once more, a smile already forming upon his muzzle, prepared to see her slinking along behind…only to be faced with the realization that she was not there. He came to a screeching halt, his heart beginning to race, his smile transforming into a fierce little snarl as wordlessly he turned, bounding back in the direction he’d come from. While she wasn’t truly very far, partially concealed behind a cluster of trees, the distance felt like miles, and he was practically panting with his fury as he at last stumbled upon her.

And then the anger melted away when he confirmed that she was, in fact, alone. No one had stolen her away, as he’d begun to think, and he bounded over to her, worriedly looking her over. ”Cimeries,” he said crossly – though already he was fighting a smile at the sight of her – ”You can’t just go getting lost like that. You have to stay with me, so I can protect you. Come on.” Padding behind her, he leaned down to close his jaws over the scruff of her neck like he’d seen Roka do. It was not quite as easy for him to carry Cimeries, and was likely only accomplished due to their considerable size difference even at a young age. Still, Balthazar stumbled along with her dangling from his jaws, his gait clumsy but determined as he carried her back to where Roka was waiting.

Plopping her down in the leaves, he was careful to remain at her side, suspicious that she might disappear again. As Roka spoke his gaze shifted to the burrows, though he could still see Cimeries in his peripheral. Rodents, his mother had called the things in the little holes, and as quietly as he could manage he slid down on his belly, his muzzle positioned carefully over one of the holes as he waited. And just when he was beginning to grow tired of sitting so very still, a quiet snuffling came from within the depths of the burrow.

Balthazar’s eyes lit up, though he did not move, his tongue partially poking out from beneath his teeth as he stared intently. A flicker of movement drew his eye as the furry brown head of a small, strange creature poked out of the hole. Immediately it spotted him, and it moved to retreat, just as Balthazar lunged. His excitement propelled him forward, muscles trembling as he snapped at the hole, only to have his jaws close on thin air as he hit the ground with a quiet oomph.


Words: 461
Tags: Roka + Cimeries
Muse: Good
Notes: If this tags you guys again, sorry xD I just realized I didn't use his sibling table the first time I posted it so I edited it in.

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[Cimeries]

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Just like that, her entire fantasy world shattered with the arrival of her brother. She turned to blink at him as he spoke, tilting her head and staring up at him like she could see right through him. "I wasn't lost." She said, blinking a few more times and shaking her head slowly. "They were watching me." She added, looking back over and motioning with her nose to the spot where the ghost had been hovering only moments ago. But she had no more time to discuss the issue further, for Bal had moved behind her and was now picking her up by the scruff of her neck. She had no desire to argue with him, though, so as he lifted her from the ground, she let her front and back legs curl up to tuck against her chest and belly to help him more easily carry her off of the ground and back to their mother.

Roka did not seem at all concerned with her disappearance, nor did Cim care if she mattered at all to the adult female or not. In fact, the thought did not even cross her mind as she let herself focus on her brother once more. She could tell that Bal was watching her out of the corner of his eye as he hunted, but she found that she had absolutely no interest in catching one of the rodents. Even still, as the tiny creature poked it's head out of the hole, she could not help but jump to her feet when Bal pounced. Perhaps it was because the creature was smaller than her and well within her grasp. She could actually devour this thing. It was smaller than her, weaker than her, and that was not something she came across every day. Finally, she tore herself away from her brother's side and settled down directly in front of one of the other burrow holes. Not that way, on the other side where they can't see you. She blinked at the hole, tilting her head as if the sound had come from within it.

But, as always, she listened immediately. Carefully picking herself up, she danced around to the other side of the hole where there was a small clump of grass falling slightly over the entrance. Then she crouched, paws tucked beneath her body and tail wagging furiously behind her. But then there was movement. Just wait, my dear. She blinked, surprised by the masculine voice that filled her senses. But she forced herself to focus on the hole, orange eyes blinking slowly as the tiny creature poked it's head out. Her muscles tensed, and just before she was about to throw herself forward, she heard it again. Wait. She nearly pouted at the words, but her body automatically listened. Then it happened. The mouse pushed itself out of the burrow, climbing halfway from the hole before it finally began to turn. Now! She pounced, paws aimed directly at the little creature and surprising her when they hit their target. The tiny creature squealed, squirming beneath her paws and flailing as she lowered her head to pick it up by the tail.

It continued to squeal and struggle as she lifted her head, swinging it back and forth playfully in her jaws and smiling as the movement only caused the mouse to cry out louder. Then she turned, carrying the creature in her jaws towards Roka. She was not intentionally seeking any praise or anything from the adult female, but she had automatically sought it out without even knowing. In fact, when she came to a stop in front of the enormous adult, she plopped herself down in a sitting position and swayed her head from side to side to show Roka how the tiny creature struggled and squealed and begged for it's life. You did well, my dear. I am so proud of you. If she did not know any better, she would have thought the voice had come from the female wolf in front of her. But no, this voice was once again male, the one that she had seen in the forest before, she was sure of it.

Words: 698
Tags: Roka, Balthazar
Muse: High
Notes: n/a

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[Roka]

It had taken Balthazar only a moment to realize that his sister had been missing. Taking off like a bat out of hell he rushed to find her among the trees. Roka hadn't been worried about the little female, knowing that she had her own way of doing things. After months of watching these two pups grow Roka was still confused about their unusual behavior. One moment they seemed like normal little pups and then other moments one would say something that left her puzzled. Cimeries was constantly taking to whomever it was she saw or heard in her mind, but Balthazar came across normal. Then in an instant he would say something much to adult or violent for a little pup to understand. Most of the time his outbursts were in the defense of his sister. The only thing in this world that upset him was if something happened to Cimeries.

Watching the little pup carry his sister back from wherever she had wandered off to was an amusing sight. Even though he was so much larger than her they were still just pups and it seemed an awkward task for her son. He managed as best he could though and plopped her down before checking her over. He was a very devoted brother and took care of Cimeries better than even Roka could. There was no sense in her offering comfort when the two both seemed to thrive on the closeness of each other. Once Balthazar was satisfied that Cimeries was unharmed he had turned much of his attention to the task of hunting. Whatever critters lay in hiding under there feet would be the perfect size for them to make their first kills. It would be a hard task for each to catch the mice since they were quick little beasts, but it would be good for them. The confidence that catching their own meals would give them was enough to make this venture worth it.

Balthazar was the first to step up to try, his body tense and poised for the kill. When the mouse surfaced he was just a hair too slow and the mouse evaded him. His effort had caused him to fall over so Roka leaned down to nudge him to his feet. "It is alright Bal. Try again. You will get it." As soon as she finished those words of encouragement she lifted her eyes to watch as Cimeries caught the mouse on her first try. Roka's eyebrows furrowed together as she watched the little creature hang from her daughter's mouth. As if caught up in the moment, Cimeries brought her catch over to Roka, shaking it furiously in her little jaws. Never in her life had the mother seen a youth learn so quickly, for the skill that Cimeries had just shown was far above what a pup should have. Smiling down at the tiny creature she licked behind her ear. "Very good Cimeries. That was an excellent catch. Now the best part about hunting is that you get a tasty snack after you catch the critter." The fact that Cimeries had brought her mouse to Roka made her hope that perhaps there was some softening in the femme. The monochromatic pup never sought out comfort or approval from Roka, not even before she had learned she wasn't really her mother. It was like she instinctively drew away from anyone who was not Balthazar. "Go on Bal you can catch one just like your sister did."

Balthazar Cimeries