Just Another Sentimental Aside [Kujo]

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"I'm getting too old for this shit." The words rolled clumsily off of his tongue, obscured by harsh panting and his laziness in general for properly pronouncing most of his words. They were heavy words, anyway, weighed down by tiredness and the blatant need for rest. So it felt good to verbalize the feelings that had been haunting him ever since he foolishly dove into the ocean in a crazed search for some forgotten island that might've not even existed.

He had been desperate, after all. He had been absolutely starving for a change of scenery, of life. So at the first sign of his wishes possibly being answered, he had made a mad dash for it. Even if it mean did diving into the wonderfully terrifying unknown that was the ocean. Because he didn't care too much whether or not he lived. Or at least he tried not to care too much about matters of life and death, because it was so in his nature to stubbornly cling to life with all he had, whether he liked it or not.

At least this time his instincts had seemed right, and he didn't end up staring death in the face as he foolishly believed that that had ever been a good idea. Sure, he might've came pretty close to it a few times, with his head being forced under the ocean's surface far too many times and for too long for comfort, but this brash idea actually had a seemingly decent turn out. But it was still too early for him to make a good decision based on what he had discovered so far.

For one thing, though, the island he had heard about was definitely real and not some cruel joke made to lure desperate beings like himself to their watery graves. Whether or not it was a paradise, he had yet to decide. It had a whole lot of land he had never walked on before, full of new sights and sounds that he had no clue as to what they exactly were. And, it had other living things on it, which was a nice little bonus. He had even caught a few glimpses of animals that he wouldn't mind talking to and/or eating, earlier. So far, things were looking good for him.

His only complaint was that he was too tired and out of his element way out here, in the middle of nowhere and hopefully far away from his homelands. But that was just one of the many downsides to him getting on in age, and being a total fool in his childhood. He still was an utter idiot, but at least he wasn't a helpless one that got his face kicked in everyday at his own undoing. That much he learned.

And hell, he had even led his very own pack that he had inherited, of all things. It might've been ran into the ground and caused much of his once loyal follows to bay for his blood, but that had to count for something, right?

With a heavy sigh escaping him, he stopped his mindless wandering. Everything in his scrawny little body hurt, and his head was pounding like crazy. It was too cold for his thinning fur, his paws hurt, and the list could go on, really. And all he damn wanted was a quick rest, some food, and maybe a little bit of company.

"I really am getting too old for all of this bullshit." He muttered darkly to himself once more. He really didn't feel all that bitter about his old age and gradually fading health, but seeing the circumstances, he felt himself worthy of a few moments of self-pity and over-exaggerated annoyance at the world. And he let it soak in for a few fleeting seconds, grumbling intelligible things to himself beneath his harsh breathing before finally sucking it up.

With another sigh, one that was more weary and broken, he settled himself down upon his bony haunches. It felt good to be off his sore paws and stiff legs, even if it was for a little while.

The air was cool and hinted towards the likely bitter winter that was approaching, but all he focused on was the fact that it was fresh and strong in his nostrils. On it was carried the distinct, strong scent of pack markings but he stubbornly ignored that too in favour of feigning ignorance. He wasn't doing anything wrong anyway, and he was obviously older, with his greying black coat and sickly-thin frame. He hoped that was enough and they didn't attack and chase him off without a fair warning.

With that in mind, he let himself sprawl lazily out on the cold ground. Everything inside of him was screaming for rest, for a moment of peace and silence, and who was he to deny himself such a basic necessity? He was only just some over-tired, old fool who was trying to take a nap on foreign territory. Nothing to raise an eye at.

He laid his head across his paws, shuffled to get into a more comfortable position, and settled into the solid terrain, utterly shameless in his trespassing and reveal of obvious weaknesses. "To hell with it." He mumbled tiredly as his eyes fluttered shut.

Words: 907 Tagged: Kujo
Notes: reply whenever you can manage c:

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 An angelic wolf walked through Xayar Forest, contemplating the day that surrounded him. It was cold indeed, but his thick fur prevented him from being too chilly. His ears were moving to all directions, and his senses were fully heightened as he walked. The nature around him was beautiful and perfect, and one thing he always admired about nature was its changes. It was amazing how the leaves were green, then filled with flowers, then of beautiful shades of orange and finally, the leaves fell out, only to be reborn again. Life was a perfect cycle that he deeply admired and cherished, and he would always be grateful for that. His paws began to get chilly due to the cold ground, but he ignored it. He was walking around the forest in his daily alone time, observing everything, and nothing would change that.

A scent--of a male--entered his nostrils, interrupting his thoughts abruptly. A sense of fear and distress entered his body as it slowly began to shake and tremble. However, he quickly shook away those thoughts, remembering that Jadir or Toiro would never back down like that and they would never show fear to any stranger. Maybe they could manage the situation better than him. He quickly turned his body away from the stranger's scent, but something stopped him. What if he was the only wolf nearby? What if he could do something about it? He hesitated for a brief moment until he made a low growl of disgust at himself for being a coward, ending in him walking to the source of the scent.

After walking for a few minutes, the scent grew much stronger. His pace was steady until he saw that the owner of the scent was a black, older wolf. He appeared to be sleeping peacefully. It was strange, however. It was a rare occurrence to see a wolf enter a pack's borders to just... sleep? There was something odd about this wolf, and his senses were screaming at him to leave. However, his body stood still, and only brought him closer to the stranger. Sniffing from afar, he began to look around to see if he was alone or with a group. From what he could tell, he was alone. Kujo's ears perked and his head moved to all directions before sitting down, still nervous and uneasy, hoping for the stranger's best reaction. He didn't trust him at all, and something inside of himself made him keep a close eye on him. He stood still in his sitting position, waiting until he woke up so he could ask him about his intentions of being in his father's territories. Taking a deep breath, he stood still and made a little prayer that this ebony wolf did not mean trouble.

@crux Sorry for the wait ;w; been having lots of problems but i'm back <3 

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His moment of peace and silence, unfortunately, did not last long.

It seemed to have been only seconds before his attempt at slumber was being interrupted. The faintest thud of footfalls, rustling foliage, and the distinct scent of another wolf all brought his senses to life. And all followed with complete silence. Maybe he heard the barest hints of whoever was there taking a sharp breath, and faintly felt their gaze boring holes into his body. But, at the same time, it could all be a dream. Just something his imagination whipped up, and combined with his tiredness, was messing with his head.

The idea soothed his tensed body, making him want to melt back into the little cozy spot he found on the forest floor. And he nearly did. Until a certain thought sent everything inside of him racing. His hackles raised uncertainly, and his body tensed once more.

What if it was the Alpha? One of those nice wolves that wasn't all about pack land and barriers. Or an inexperienced one who had yet to exactly get all of it figured out. Either way, he was probably screwed. With a sharp intake of breath, he opened his eyes.

"Shit." The word came from his mouth blunt and heavy, breaking whatever silence there had been with all the power of an angry rumble of thunder in a seemingly quiet night. Because right in front of him, there indeed was a wolf. They couldn't have been much older than a year old with their fluffy white coat and darting green eyes, but that didn't mean they weren't an Alpha or someone of importance. And they had found him while he decided to take a nap on their pack territory.

Whelp. He was once known as a wolf that did many stupid things everyday, but this was by far one of the more idiotic things he had ever done. But he wasn't a complete loss yet.

Struggling some, he rose to a sitting position. All of his joints popped and cracked loudly and slightly painfully, but he ignored it all in favor of fixing his first impression on the pup. He forced his tense posture to relax and smooth out, and he tried to hold himself very loosely. Slap on a poor attempt at a sly smirk on his face, and he was good to go.

He was the perfect image of a wolf stuck between submission, neutrality, and trying to not look like a complete moron. And he liked to think that he pulled it off nicely. Now if he could get the right words out...

"Uh." Perfect. "Sorry for intruding?" The words came out tight lipped and awkward, hanging heavily in the air between them. There had been so many more things to say rather then that, but oh well. What had been done was done. And now, he could try to calm himself done some and not have a heart attack.

Words: 493 Tagged: Kujo
Notes: ----

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"Uh. Sorry for intruding?"

Kujo's eyes hardened a little bit when the male spoke to him. Just... what were his intentions? Kujo's heart beat began to rise in an unhealthy way as the faded black wolf rose to a sitting position. He could tell he was full of days, and the way his bones cracked audibly showed a sign of aging. Kujo's ears were fully perked, and even if his body tried to maintain some sort of wary caution, his instincts were screaming at him for him to run away. However, he tried to remain calm, trying to act like his father or his brother would. Lifting his body a little bit, he opened his mouth to speak in a stern and intimidating way, yet trying to not sound offensive. "What are you doing here in the lands of my father, the Alpha of Airila?" His attempt and sounding intimidating was somewhat good, but he didn't want to sound menacing. Just a little bit assertive and defensive of his home, even if this male could do serious harm to him if he wanted. And also, he was alone right now, so he was in a vulnerable state right now. As time passed, Kujo's ears drifted backwards, showing unconscious signs of fear and nervousness.  

Kujo's eyes scanned the male. His body was somewhat thin, and his bones cracked loudly often. He was filled with grey and white hairs, and his yellow eyes seemed tired for some reason. Kujo looked around discreetly again to see if he was with anyone, but he could not find anyone else, so his mind relaxed a little bit again. Shifting his weight between his legs, he remained standing still, looking at the male carefully for any signs of sudden aggression.

@crux Sorry for the wait ;w;

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Everything inside of him crumbled as the wolf's once nervous and oddly patient body language changed to something even more nervous and suddenly forward and dominating. Their words, however, was what sent everything about him spiraling.

The change of tone startled him, as he hadn't expected the young wolf to speak so boldly to him while their entire outer disposition was one of fear and nerves. It made his stomach churn and proceeded to throw off his hastily done attempt at being calm and collected.

His attempt at smooth confidence collapsed into itself, leaving him deflated and openly anxiety ridden. He pulled his ears back, lowered his head, and stared at the wolf's paws. All akin to a pup that had just gotten shamed for their foolish actions.

The only good thing he was getting from the wolf's words was that the they weren't actually the Alpha, which pleased something inside of him. A wolf as young as they didn't deserve the stresses of leading a pack. He knew from experience.

And he also now knew the name of the pack. Airila. The word was foreign in his mind, but still pleasant and exciting to think of. Maybe something good would come out of his stupidity.

But he had to focus on the task at hand. What had the pup just asked him? What were his intentions? Their guess was as good as his, but that wouldn't be the smartest thing to say. The kid looked like he was going to explode from fear, and not giving straight answers would probably do nothing to ease their burden.

He straightened his posture ever so slightly, and for possible bonus points he carefully angled his head up to talk to the wolf head on. But he dared not to make eye contact quite yet, instead focusing on a spot just below the kid's eyes. Respect was a key thing here, and although he had never really mastered that part of being a good wolf, it was never too late to try.

Clearing his throat he spoke, voice cracking loudly as he did so. "I..." The syllable came out rough and broken as he realized he was at an utter lost about what to say to them. Struggling to try to make pleasant conversation that wouldn't get his own stupid self killed, he forced himself to continue with the sentence. Tripping and stumbling through his words and sentences as he did so.

"I, uh, mean no harm." First sentence good, he felt that he was already clearing up his shady introduction to the young wolf. Now to just get a bit further... "And I, um, come in peace." That was just redundant, he thought, but carefully talked around it none the less. He just had to explain his innocent, slightly eccentric intentions and hopefully he would be off the hook.

"As for my intentions..." The words came to an abrupt halt as his brain's whirring intensified. What was he doing? Was he really going to join this pack? The pack he knew nothing about. But time was running out, and his pausing to think would be doing nothing but more harm to his soiled first impression.

"Ah, my intentions in the lands of your father's pack, is to, uh... join." It came out more like a question than a statement, and he mentally kicked himself for his own lack of confidence and general confusion. But he did it. He had successfully explained and cleared himself to the little wolf without having a blood vessel burst or collapsing from stress. And it felt pretty damn good, he thought. But that wasn't the end of this encounter. He had yet to get a positive response from the wolf, and had to meet the Alpha himself.

Forcing a grin, he continued to sink even more into himself. All while he prayed that this wasn't the end of his social life, and maybe even his life in general.

Words: 674 Tagged: Kujo
Notes: do you think that after this thread, we could move onto one with Kujo introducing Crux to Toiro? I've yet to ask about it, but it would seem interesting c:

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Kujo's ears perked at the insecurity of the male before him. Maybe he did not mean harm at all? He seemed to be very nervous just like he was, and for a moment, all that Kujo could do in the moment was soften his eyes a little bit. If he kept his guard up, he would drive away a new member of the pack. And, why would he distrust him completely? Again, he seemed like a nervous wreck just like he was a few minutes ago. Shifting his weight, Kujo looked at the male softly as he stated his intentions. He just wanted to join. The snowy male beat himself up mentally for being so harsh on the male, but it was justified. He was alone out there, with no signs of his family, so, a random stranger would not be trusted so easily. Kujo's eyes softened even more and his once rigid, nervous posture eased to one a little bit more welcoming still cautious and weary. 

"First of all, I'm very sorry for presenting myself in such a way. I was alone, and you came out of nowhere, so... I got scared. Please excuse my lack of manners." Kujo spoke and a little bit of embarrassment came sliding through his speech. He continued shortly after.  "However, in that case, I can introduce you to my dad. We always welcome new members." Kujo smiled and approached the male carefully by advancing two steps and sat down on the cold floor. "My name is Kujo. What is yours?" Kujo gave a soft smirk, waiting in curiosity for the reveal of the stranger's identity. He wondered when would his siblings or father appear, because even if he had the situation under some control, he still was a pup, and he still needed some guidance and reassurance. Occasionally looking behind the male in signs of any pack member, he sighed and focused again on the wolf in front of him.

@crux Yeah, sure! That's no problem at all. I am sorry for the wait, as always. </3

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It seemed that the emotional roller coaster he was on was finally stabilizing itself. For they went from a nervous wreck trying hard to ignore fight-and-flight instincts to something more friendly and welcoming. They were softening up and were finally giving himself some time to breathe and think. And the stupid emotions of nervousness and distrust still faintly lingered, but it seemed that they were no longer as volatile now and didn't borderline aggressiveness. That much he could be thankful for, he thought. As it seemed that the end wasn't as close as he thought it was, moments ago. Back when he was drowning and flailing in his own feelings of anxiety and all-consuming fear at what could happen.

Their response to his blatant fear helped, however. The apology left him smiling and gently wagging his tail in mild joy. He might have believed that words of sorry and ones that begged for forgiveness were futile when he was involved because everything was bound to be his fault, but it still warmed his heart. And their shamefaced words of honesty went unnoticed by him. Whether or not they believed themselves to have been too harsh made no difference to him.

Besides, he had once been young and unsure about the bigger world. And he was sure that his own response in a similar situation would have been highly familiar. Except perhaps more aggressive and blunt, as he had been full of that charming arrogance and intense anxiety he had proudly carried when he was younger.

Either way, he could honestly admire the pup for being so brave and level-headed. The two of them might have been complete strangers with serious issues about meeting new people, but he couldn't help but adore them already. So he only nodded along as they continued to speak, their soft voice carrying on into his attentively held ears.

They seemed as if he was someone he could get close to. It was their next sentence, however, that put him back on edge. As the idea of meeting the kid's father, the Alpha himself, made him uneasy and full of the need to just bolt as fast and as soon as possible. He didn't do well with authority and other figures that required a great deal of respect and polite behaviour. It was his weak spot, his Achilles heel.

Yet the need for real conversation and socialization was too strong to pass up all because of some deep-rooted fears. So he reanimated himself, made sure that his posture was once again open and lively. And thankfully, they didn't expand much more on the topic of him meeting their father. A little comment about how friendly they were, and finally, a proper introduction.

The chance to get involved into some idle chatter was an opportunity he leaped for. That was something he could manage. Something he could do while remaining calm and pleasant to others with minimal mistakes. Besides, the pup was nice, And you don't get nice, timid little kids from some cruel pack with harsh leaders. The world didn't work that way, right? He swallowed his fears again, and broke into speaking.

"Name's Crux." The words rolled smoothly off his tongue, oiled and practiced from many uses. As he introduced himself to them, he stood and took a small step towards them. His head was politely outstretched in greeting as he took the time to get acquainted with their own unique odour. The light smell was taken to his memory for future use. And he also blatantly gave them a close once-over, yellow eyes taking in the smaller details. Such as the overpowering youth of them that radiated from their every pore, and the fact that their eyes were actually a lovely shade of dark green.

"So, Kujo," He spoke, dragging his attention back to the task at hand. Like how their name was foreign, yet remained light and pleasant to the taste. And how he found himself believing it was something he could grow fond of saying.

"How's that dad of yours?" What he had chosen to continue on with was odd, he could definitely tell that much. It was bound to throw them for a loop, but his attention was already fading. Moving to other topics that interested him and were loosely tied to the one at hand.

Like how it had been far too long since he had lost gotten a chance to enjoy the little things pack life offered. Things like good meals that you had to work for. And that had been marked with lively conversation, crude jokes, and loud laughter. The smaller details that he had once looked over and was now hungry and desperate for. It had all been to long, honestly. The mere idea that he was getting a chance to get to reunite with them was one that sent his mind racing and body buzzing with excitement. And it could be his, if he just played his cards right and didn't make a complete ass of himself.

So he took another step forward, his gaze distant and mind faraway as he did so. He was getting lost among warm, fuzzy thoughts and didn't think twice about his actions and how they could be taken as threatening or intimidating. "Wouldn't want to spend too much time as a trespasser, eh?" He said, voice slightly hollow but still kind and friendly.

Everything that was going through his head left him feeling overjoyed and antsy for more. It made his tail wag without care, ears perk up, and eyes shimmer and shine with glossy excitement. Even a lazy grin appeared on his face, full of kind warmth and the barest hints of insanity with the sheer width of it.

It seemed the romanticized future he always wanted wasn't so distant after all. That the life he always dreamed of ever since he was young and realized being Alpha wasn't what it was chalked up to was indeed plausible.

Words: 1003 Tagged: Kujo
Notes: somehow managed to take a... uh, weird, turn with this

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Kujo's face lightened when he saw how the older male relaxed visibly when he apologized. The atmosphere surrounding them began to transform from a hostile environment to a welcoming aura. Kujo began to feel more relaxed, even if he was about to run away a few minutes ago. He then thought...how intimidating he must have looked! This wolf's face, posture and expression had changed completely! For a moment Kujo felt surprised at himself, but he shook off the thoughts immediately afterwards. He didn't want to be intimidating all the time and unapproachable, only when necessary, just like his father. His dad was usually quiet and very welcoming, but he knows that his father must've been intimidating in more than one occasion.

Kujo's eyes perked at the name of the stranger, which was Crux. "Nice to meet you, Crux." The male then began to ask about his father, which made him made a small smile when he was about to talk. "My father's alright. I haven't seen him this morning, though. But he's a strong wolf. He must be fine," he said with a smile on his face. The wolf quickly said that he didn't want to be a trespasser for too long, and he actually agreed with his statement. "True," he said, "I should introduce you to my father, Toiro. Trust me... you'll love it here." Kujo smiled and began to move his body to where the pack was resting.  "Come with me." Kujo said as he began to walk, motioning Crux to accompany him and introduce him to his father. Stopping in his tracks, he looked behind him to wait for the older black wolf. For some reason, he knew that they would get along pretty well--but only time would tell...

@crux What do you mean a weird turn? I didn't find any weirdness at all? xD

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He mind was still in a faraway place as the kid answered his questions, their light voice practically being music to his attentive ears. Yet he could only bob his head lazily along as they spoke, a grin spreading out across his face as he did so.

Because the description they gave of their father and the pack was a pleasant one. One that was marked with obvious adoration and love. And it pleased his heart to know that the pack wasn't as all bad as he had thought moments ago. They had at least one good pup in it that seemed to love their father very much, and what more could you look for in a pack.

Speaking of Kujo's father, what had they said his name was again? Torio, he had to remind himself silently. Toiro was the name of Airla's Alpha, and the name of someone who just so happened to also be the father of Kujo. And it was honestly a lot to remember in such a short amount of time.

But he had learned so much about the pack he wished to join, and now had a few names and a single face to put to it. Things were going better than he ever could have hoped things to going.

He finally dragged his attention back to what Kujo had said. Had they called to him? They seemed to have for he believed that he had just heard them calling to follow, and they were motioning for him to come with closer inspection.

Without any hesitation, he padded along towards them.

"Lead the way." The sentence rolled off his tongue in a jaunty little rhythm, the words bouncing along as he closed the distance between him and his new-found friend and now future pack member.

Things really were looking up for him, and he couldn't help but be amazed at the fact. Because gone were the seemingly endless days of boredom and loneliness. They were now just memories of the past, little bundles of depressing history that would soon be forgotten. And in their place would grow new memories of friendship and exciting experiences. He would no longer be constantly on edge and afraid of the pack that had brayed loudly for his blood.

He had a new one, now. Or he at least hoped he did. For he had yet to meet the real Alpha himself and gain true acceptance among the pack's ranks. Just because he might have made a good first appearance on the kid, that sure as hell didn't mean he would just be magically adored and love by all in the pack. And knowing how it was to be young and rebellious, it probably meant that the pack was more likely to hate him then to love him.

It scared the ever-loving shit out of him. It made him want to turn tail and run. But things had gone so well, and they all sounded so nice.

So he fought hard to renew the grin on his face, making sure to wipe the nervous fear off his face. He refused to ruin such a wonderful moment because of some self-confidence issues he should have gotten over years ago.

He would do just fine, he repeated to himself. And even if he didn't, he would live. Surely he could survive a few moments of heart-stopping rejection and possible exile from pack territory. And there were obviously more packs on this island. Right?

With new-found vigor, he followed Kujo deeper into the lands the wolf called home. This time, his efforts were only slightly tainted with signs of nervousness and intense fear. Because things would be just fine.

Words: 616
Notes: completed