Bleeding is a luxury [aw]

[Ilyich]

Ive paid the piper,
I've stayed my course,
Lived chomping at the bit.
With only blood, sweat, and tears to adhere to

His steps where quite, almost silent in the black of the night. He wondered quietly what it looked like about him. Silence it would seem ruled the night. No breeze rustled the grass, no whisper of air to brush away the heat of the night. Silence, and then the sound of bugs. His dark snout lifted towards them, snuffling quietly at their intentions. Cicadas whimpering int he lofty tree tops. Daiade's silver tipped ears arched towards them. A length of leather cord hung around his neck, the night making the itch of it rather uncomfortable. But then he could not remove it. The humans had so graciously given it to him...

A line of scars winked under one silver eye, the moonlight whispered off of them as he turned his head. He had sensed movement, his twitching ears twisting away from the music of the bugs to the sounds of approaching paw steps. Her fur whispered against the muscles so powerful underneath. My younger sister padded slowly towards me. Even a blind wolf could see the way she relaxed as she walked into the ring of touching distance. Her breath whispered in soft indulgence out of her lungs. It drifted between her teeth in a rivulet of sound. And he simply watched.

For a blind man he watched an awful lot. His silver eyes darted across his half sister's body and took in carefully what they sensed rather then saw. Carska seemed more relaxed then usual. The ridge that never seem to fall away from her shoulders had shivered down back against her skin. As he had thought, she seemed calmer then usual.

The Alphess spoke softly, reaching forward to give her slightly smaller elder brother a hearty shove. "Hello, Daiade. How are you, dear brother?" The black male smiled softly up at Carska's beautiful muzzle. At least he had been told his sister was a lovely creature. He growled proudly up at the female. "Well, thank you for you're concern Carska. I am glad to see my younger sister so at ease" Carska gave a grunt of understanding. Her shoulders rolled happily. She enjoyed her brother's company. He was much like Bidziil in his calming personality, and she appreciated his good humor very much.

Daiade lifted his sightless eyes to smile at Carska, the she-wolf seemed to have such a tough time taming her emotions. He was very very glad to see her calming herself for once.

Give 'til there's nothing left,
Value in every breath,
You need to realize that bleeding is a luxury.

[Miki]

Dalila

Not even the missing sun could wipe away the heat of the day. Yes, the temperture had dropped a few degrees, but it was still terribly hot. I panted quietly as I padded through the forest.

I cast a glance behind me, glad to see no signs of anyone else. I was escaping home for a little while, getting away from all the lusty males. I was well aware of the fact that I was an attractive female, and I did flaunt at times. But that didn't mean all the time, like most of the males in the pack thought. They wanted to flirt, I was in no mood to. Had Vin been in camp, they would've left me alone, but my father was on duty.

Now I wandered, even leaving the pack's territory - not that it was big to begin with. The heat wasn't letting up, even with the complete darkness of night. But I was enjoying my walk and solitude. I was under the umbrella of trees, and felt a slight frustration I couldn't see the stars. Deciding I'd like to see them, I turned my course, heading towards a clearing I had passed through a few times.

With each step I became more and more grateful to be alone, and nearly sighed with relief. As I thought on it longer though, a deep, buried truth unearthed itself. I didn't like to be alone. Sure, everyone had their moments when they needed solitude, but overall I was a social creature. And though at times I appreciated the attention I got at home, I wanted my attention from only one Folami. One special male who'd love me for more than my looks. Oh, how I longed for someone like that...

A twig broke underfoot, snapping loudly and disturbing the silence along with my thoughts. I could be so lost in them I'd forget what I was doing. Usually I was stealthy about my movements, graceful enough to move about without thinking about it. Instinctively, I froze, but for what? As far as I knew, I was completely alone and in no danger.

Stone-still I began to observe the world around me, the one I had been oblivious to seconds before. And then I heard voices. They carried my accent, and I knew they were of my kind. Relieved, I silently padded towards the sounds. If they were more lusty males, I'd turn around without alerting them of my presence. If it was someone else, some other ladies, maybe I'd stay and talk. With an amusing thought, I wondered if it could even be my own father, and perhaps Bidziil, the two were never far apart.

When I was close enough to see though, it was not who I expected. Brother and sister, Carska and Daiade stood talking in the moonlight. I paused, freezing besides for the slow, shallow breaths I took. I hadn't planned what to do had I run into them. They seemed relaxed and affectionate towards one other at the moment, and I didn't want to interrupt. But the sudden longing for company tugged at my heart, and it took all my self-control to keep my feet from moving forward. Without knowing what to do, I stayed where I was - either until I was noticed or I caved in to my desires.

[Ilyich]

His ears swivled in amuesment as he blinked at his sister. The gray wolf glowed silver in the moon light,and Daiade just grinned at her. They were only half siblings, adn yet had clung together far closer than any of their pure siblings. There was somthing about their opossing persoanlities that drew them so closely together. Like magnets. The pessamist and the optomist drew together because they needed the other to see the world proparly. Daide's ears twitched as he thought, watching his sister sniff happily at the night air. something had happened and he would find out. The little bugger had been avoiding answering his questions, but she wouldn't avaid him for long.

Then a sound, soft ad far off echoed in his ears. The man stiffened, silver eyes flaring as if if he opened them wide enough he could suddenly see. Carska twitched besde him, her long snout twisting to stare at him. Jaws parting just a bit obviously about to ask, Carska decided better of it her teeth snapping together. Black fur lifting ere so slightly, the male let his ears take in everything. Bieng blind he had had to find better ways to navigate the world. His sences where slightly elivated because of it.Black socked limbs twitching under her, his sister shuffled uncomfotably. She disliked this, as much as she adored him she hated his abilities. Carska was an enviouse creature, and didn't like to be upstaged.

Blinking Daiade ignored her, until the sonds of soft pawsteps whispered into his inner ear, and Carska's stiff position relaxed. She stood, or at least he assumed she did, not bieng able to see her move- rather he senced he shift in the air as she steped back to her paws. Turning his head about on his shoulders the man stared unseeingly at the fae he could now smell standing just inside the ring of trees. Dalila? Wonder what she's doing out here. Carska was giving hte other female an odd look, he could sense his sisters refound tension in the twitch of her snapping tendons. Rolling his sightlesseyes, the male stood,and with eay accuracy slapped a paw across his sisters snout.

The alpess lept back with a cry of shcok, though the snarl many would have expected didn't come. She knew he was only trying to keep her in a state of emotional sanity. And so she sat back, signaled by the brush grass against her thick pelt. Daiade then turned his snout to where he could hear breathing. "Hello there" he spoke brightly, as was his fasion. "Dalila, why do you stand there as if we want to eat you? Come, come!" he motioned with his snout to the grass along side the pair. Carska snorted. He never managed to stay seriouse outside of patrol. Even then he seemed to have perfected turning the world into one giant game. He could be seriouse, when the time called for it, but now was not the time. And here was not the place.

The black male sat back on his haunches, turning his sacred cheek away from the fae so as to glance at his sister. Silver eyes taking in the world with their blind beauty. Personaly he believed being blind was far better then being anything else. Than again Daiade wasn't exactly known for being normal either.

[Miki]

Dalila

I watched with interest as the siblings interacted. Though no words were spoken, I felt as if I was missing an entire conversation. Especially when Daiade suddenly whacked Carska across the face. The alphess let out a surprised cry, but she did nothing to defend herself. She didn't even fight back. I blinked in surprise, and I with new revelation understood how much the fea loved her brother. This information I tucked away, wondering idly if it would ever come to use. I felt surprise towards myself at that thought and guilt quickly washed over me. I was usually defending myself, and juicy tidbits like that I saved for blackmail. But these guys were on my side, I shouldn't have reason to fight them. I chided myself for thinking like that.

Up to now I had thought I'd been under the radar, but Daiade suddenly turned his massive head towards me. His eyes locked on me, and I felt an uneasy sensation, like the blind male could actually see me. And here I was thinking I was so sneaky. "Dalila, why do you stand there as if we want to eat you? Come, come!"

[/i]

I swallowed my anxiety and pushed through the brush into view - well, at least Carska's. I padded up to the pair and nodded to the alphess, trying not to make direct eye contact. It was no secret that I had flirted with her mate, on more than one occassion. Not that I was interested in Bidziil, I had my reasons, but Carska didn't know that. I turned my head to nod at Daiade, but realizing he couldn't see, I had a quick internal panic about how to greet him. I smiled as I took a seat, and then felt like smacking myself, he couldn't see that either.

I wanted to grimace, wince, cause myself some sort of pain. I felt like an idiot, and for some reason my nerves were on high tonight. I was usually at ease with my fellow Folami, but for some reason tonight, not with this sibling pair. Maybe the combination of an alphess and a blind creature was too much for me to handle at once. But I'd do my best, if that was the case.

"Hello," I finally spoke, surprising myself with my normal, suavy voice. "How are you tonight?" I asked, to no one in particular, just whoever cared to answer.[/size][/blockquote]

[Ilyich]

He watched in silent amusment as she came forth. Carska seated beside him did little other then snort. Aparently the new fae had done somthing the alphess disagreed with. Blinking his wide silver eyes Daiade turned to stare at her for a long moment. Accepting the slight curl of air that seemed to be Dalila nodding, he prepared to continue on with his warm greating. The folami were his friends, his siblings. He would treat them all as such. Carska growled softly as thier fellow varg sat, and he snorted at her. No need, simply no need. Rolling his blind eyes Daiade twisted to look back at Dalila.

"How are you, tonight?" he piped happily, silver tipped ears twisting forwards. Tilting his crown slihgtly to avert his direct stare the man chuckled softly, noticing the tension fluttering from the girls twitching body. Carska seated beside him said nothing, and he would have placed his thraot on the line to say she was glaring directly into the huntress' eyes. Flicking his tail Daiade let out a small sigh, ignored by his sister he decided it best just to annoy her into leaving. "Now, now! I do not believe we have had much of a chanse to speak with one another?" he spoke in swift whitling tones. Like a hyper active english man. It created an odd lull about him, but did little to hide the childish humor in his blind gaze.

An almost automatic yawn curled into his ears. Carska's bored expression lit in his mind and unable to help himself he grinned at it. "Tired, sister? You have worked so hard! I can finish your patrol you know...?" Her answer came imediatly, and many a folami had described her 'ill eat you' face, so he could guess what kind of look she was giving him. The gray female drew herself up to her full height, shoulders rolling and snorted. Nose twisted up in the night the alphess turned to look into the wind. "I will finish my own patrol" And with that her limbs began to move. Brush rustled and twisted until her scent had travled far off into the forest.

flicking his tail the boy shruged. Whatever you say sister, what ever you say...

[Miki]

Dalila

I was on edge with Carska around. I held no personal grudge against her, though I had an inkling she had one for me. I had meant nothing serious by flirting with Bidziil occassionally. It was always just to get what I want. Bidziil was the last thing I wanted, but as alpha he was the one who could provide.

The alphess just snorted, and though it made me bubble with anger, I was relieved she didn't have a few saucy words to say to me. I was in no mood to be fiesty right now, but Carska speaking directly to me would raise my fiery side.

Daiade was talking cheerily, and slowly my eyes traveled back to his face. 'Not much of a chance to speak with one another...?' True, I knew Daiade just from being in the same pack as him, but I had never really talked to him personally, more just for business. I supposed the male was glad to just have leisure company, and for once I was glad for that, too. Besides for the stiff Carska nearby. She yawned, as if bored and I narrowed my eyes. If Daiade were my brother I'd be a lot more polite around his company...

But Daiade seem unscathed, happily offering to finish his sister's patrol. The alphess seemed offended, and with a few parting words took off. It was my time to snort.

"I wonder what's her problem." I knew exactly what it was. Me, of course. I meant the question to be rhetorical, and didn't really want to hear what Daiade thought. I wondered if he knew the problem was me.

"I could do without the heat," I commented, referring back to the male's question of how I was. Ah, the weather, what an easy yet awkward conversation topic. Oh well, we'd get past that. Hopefully.

[Ilyich]

He answered the fae with a swift unthought phrase. "Hindered emotion" he was sure of it. Carska had told him that Bidziil was more then just her partner- and he knew how strongly Carska felt ehr emotions. The alphess could be considered clingy, she was so terrified of loosing. So fearful of emotional pain. Blinking with a sudden seriouse air the man flick his ears. "The alphess" he continued on , returning to his sing song voice. "-has never been one for hiding things. It makes her twitchy."

'Twitchy' he says... Silver eyes round with his own silent amusment Daiade turned back to the female besdie him. Blinking warmly he wondered over Dalila's last statment. Heat? Oh the air, she ment the weather. Yes, the heat was horrid. He had to agree- rather be romping in the snow then stumbling through this opressive heat. "I'll have to agree with that one" he chuckled, though his ears flicked back against his skull. "The hotter it gets the harder it is for me to keep my face out of the trees" Shooting an embarssied glance at his feet, he offered a sheepish grin. "My nose gets all caught up in it." And here he was off rambling yet again.

But did his rambling matter? He was having fun. Lifting his sightless eyes to were he could hear breathing Daiade let a slightly more teasing smile pull across his features. "But the weather, my friend?" he snickered, crown tilting slightly. What an amusing topic to start up on. Like they were a couple of elders musing about the 'good old days'. Laughing at himself the boy let one of his now pircked ears slip to the side, its hanging triangle catching the buzzing of an insect off to the right. " I apologize for Car's- ahem- Carska's behavior, by the way." he went on, wondering what his sister would do if she ever found out that stupid nickname spewed from his mouth in the ear shot of another. "She's worrying over something I havn't picked out of that damn mind yet- oh! Sorry" He had shifted onto his own fears as he spoke and the cuss had come out despite himself.

Personally he blaimed Carska.

[Miki]

Dalila

I scowled when Daiade apologized for his sister. I knew he cared for her, but really? "She can apologize for herself, it's not like she's under your control." I said, doing my best to hide the annoyance in my voice.

"How do you put up with her?" I asked, it slipping before I realized how rude I had sounded. My ears flattened in embarrassment, but I said nothing to excuse myself. Daiade could probably sense the shame rolling off me. If anything, I deserved to be asked how my father could put up with me.

I suppose it could be just the loyalty you have for your kin, but still. Just thinking of sibling pairs in the pack, I knew not all of them got along. Think of Alaois and Evangaline. Okay, so their relationship was complete enemies. But even with siblings that did get along, none were as close as Daiade's and Carska's, and to me, they were complete opposites. So why all the devotion?

[Ilyich]

He shrugged, large black shoulders fluffing up slightly in anger. This girl didn't know his sister, she hadn't listened to Carska's fearful whispers. He knew his dear friends darkest secrets, and accepted them. Their bond was one forged by fire and cooled by tears, one that he doubted Dalila herself had ever found. Her warm scent whispered with shame, and the sickly sweet smell of it made him sneeze. Shame is a disgusting smell, its sweat like rolls echoing up his nostrils. Shaking his head once in weak attempt to rid himself of her shame, the man refocused his silver gaze on the giver of the smell.

She wanted to know why, or how. Her body scent little shudders into the ground that made his paws twitch. Blinking slowly the male wondered if he could even answer Dalila's question. "She is my sister" he stated first, simplest and easiest. He was sure it would not be enough for his fellow, but if the she-wolf wanted answers then by Skoll she could wait! Thinking for a moment he went on slowly. "We have walked on flames together, drowned those flames in our tears. Carska and I fought and loved and cried together. She is far more then my sibling, she is my comrade." Nodding slowly, pleased with himself, Daiade flicked his silver orbitals away from Dalila before cursing them back over her face.

Carska is my sister, my blood and my tears. Let Dalila believe what ever she wished. Letting his normal grin twist across the serious look on his face Daiade grinned. Becoming his childish goofy self once again the man hid. Because that's all the playfulness had ever been- a mask. A way to survive when there was nothing else to be. "She's the one that must put up with me" he laughed, tongue rolling free of his jaws.