My Compass Rose | Tonjes

[Cezar Stark]

ooc| first post with Cez and his new table from Grace! <3 Blue eyes peered up from a canopy of undergrowth, trying to see where the sun was. After a few moments of nervous deliberation he came to the conclusion that it was setting, and he was in trouble. The temperature had been dropping steadily since they'd left Carna territory, and now it felt almost below freezing. Cezar had to choke back the whine rising in his throat for fear of getting caught--he wasn't exactly clear on which Retro group's territory he was currently lost, and didn't want to attract any unwanted attention. He always got the names mixed up, and the fact that he would definitely not make back to the Carna before nightfall didn't help clear his thoughts any. His shoulder ached relentlessly and he had to choke back another whine as a sharp pain jolted through his body when he shifted his weight slightly, to shake the snow from settling on his black fur. He cussed himself inwardly for being so stupid, Costin's sharp voice barking orders in his head. Get up, walk! Don't be so stupid, Cezar! Ignore the pain and march your ass home before I come kick it all the way back to the Carna! The voice comforted him, even if he knew it was just his imagination. The presence of his brother still gave him some comfort, even if it was only in thought. He wished his brother was here, but he was likely still chasing down the elk that their hunting party had been tracking for a couple days. The elk that they'd been chasing when Cezar had seen Costin give him the signal, and moved in to attack the weakening creature. But as he leaped forward and sunk his fangs into the elk's hindquarters, attempting to scrabble a hold with his blunted claws, his grip loosened and he fell straight against the elk's bucking legs. A sharp hoof slammed into his shoulder and he tumbled to the ground. He'd woken up a few minutes later to see the shadowy figure of his brother and the two Carna with him fading into the edges of the forest, leaving him behind. He'd started to limp after them, but the pain in his shoulder was too intense just then, and he'd ended up huddled under a bush of some sort, trying to keep out of the wind and snow. And so here he sat a couple hours later, desperately hoping his comrades would turn around and fetch him. But as time grew long and the shadows deeper, Cezar knew he had to find somewhere warmer to spend the night, or start walking. He got to his paws, trying to stretch out the muscles that had grown stiff after hours of sitting and waiting, and slowly peeked out from his safe haven of undergrowth and tried to figure out which way to go; the hunting party's scent and trail was probably long covered by the fresh fall of wet snow, and Cezar was left clueless as to which way to start walking.

[Tonjes]

ooc |sorries it took so long! The blanket was a prize find, especially when you were practically homeless. Hestia had made sure that Tonjes knew the importance of blankets and warmth, and now the girl often stole blankets or scraps of cloth in order to make her thicket warmer for the winter. It was a good plan, and a good idea, though she had to certainly be careful in order to keep her growing nest from being discovered. So it was, under Hestia's instruction that Tonjes never took the same route home twice. When she was finished with the other woman for the day, she would bound off into fading afternoon sun, happy to spend the night in her thicket even though sometimes a fear of being left behind did creep into her thoughts. Today, her prize had been securely tied around her furry neck, somewhat like a makeshift cape, the plaid blanket trailing off to the side pitifully. It would be pretty wet by the time she got back to her thicket, yet Tonj didn't seem to notice nor care. Her paws sunk deep into the snow, well past her ankles and yet she was less timid than she had been a few weeks ago. Falling under Hess' leadership, the wolf had been keeping well fed, and her confidence had swelled thought it was still easily controlled. No doubt the other rogue would keep her in check so not to lose her hunting dog. She limped through the cold snow, large flurries falling down from the heavens and covering her trail quite convincingly. She knew the ins and outs of the Bellator thickets like the back of her paws, and yet still she did not anticipate her blanket becoming entangled in a patch of briars. She came to a sudden and complete halt, turned around by the briars. Her ears folded downward, confused and uncertain, pulling with her head. She growled under her breath when it did not budge, not even an inch. Tonjes threw her weight into the struggled, until with a horrible ripping sound, the blanket came apart, sending the young wolf tumbling down the snow covered hill. She gave a great yelp, the tumble doing quite the damage to her already injured hip, staggering to her feet with a hurt whine only to find that she was in complete and utter darkness. She took a painful step forward, stepping on the blanket and only making matters worse, until it became an all out wrestling match under the confounded thing, complete with tiny snarls and snaps at the fabric. She just couldn't figure out that it was her own blasted feet making things worse for her, her mind too focused on the fear she felt from being in the darkness.

[Cezar Stark]

ooc| sorry it's so late ;^; and kind crappy, it has been a while since I posted Cez ^^; The black wolf cast one last wary glance around his sacred little hedge before timidly stepping out into the snow. He could see the drifts around him had only gotten deeper; he only got a few steps before a clamor of noise rang out from the slope above him. Cezar stopped instantly, muzzle swinging up as he sniffed the air and tried to determine what was coming his way--and fast. He could hear snarls and yelps and the snap of branches as whatever it was tumbled down the slight hill and landed in a heap a few yards away from him. Cezar balked, the fur on his hackles and down his spine prickled, standing on their tips. He'd been taught that trick, to try to make yourself look bigger than whatever was threatening you. It usually worked on wildlife, not so much other Shifters. Nevertheless Cezar clung to the scatterbrained attempt at a "plan" (if you could call it that) to sand his ground and get a better look at the strange creature that had just tumbled down the hill. It'd gotten to its paws, struggling viciously with a blanket. Cezar almost laughed, but thought better of it--there could be anything under that blanket...using it as a disguise to trick him. Costin and Misha used to do that to him when he was younger, so he had learned never to trust something that seemed perfectly innocent. There was nothing innocent about the world, especially in this place. Cezar knew that he was downwind from it, because its scent was cloying his nostrils, thick and strong. It was a feminine scent, with the musk of fear. And it was a wolf, just like him--that he could tell from the sounds, not just the smell. Cezar smiled to himself, thinking how proud his Papa would be of him, and Costin...how proud they would be. He would show them that he could make it on his own, even if it was for a few days. Plucking this new found thread of courage, Cezar advanced upon the lump of fur, brambles and cloth slowly, black fur still standing on end. He padded slowly closer until he was toe to toe with the strange she-wolf who had ended up on the snowy ground again, seemingly exhausted from her battle. Curiosity overwhelmed Cezar, and a strange sense of relief began to flood over him as her scent grew stronger in his nostrils. There was something so comforting about the smell of women; soft, yet powerful. Warm and inviting. He stared hard at the edge of the blanket before his desire to see what was underneath took over. He lowered his head and front body until his chest was pressed into the snow, his rump high in the air, tail wagging stiffly. He nuzzled his nose under the cloth until he could see a pair of bright eyes staring back at him. Cezar let out a low whine, attempting to show that he didn't mean any harm. The last thing he wanted was a fight in this cold, strange place with a strange she-wolf who smelled just lovely, especially tucked under the warmth of the blanket. She reminded him of home, in fact. He let out another soft whine, then nudged forward gently, just touching the tip of her nose with his.

[Tonjes]

She was tired from fighting the blanket already, the cold seeping into her bad leg until it was too stiff to move. She whined, her breath creating a warm little bubble beneath the blanket. Her ears were folded by the light weight of the blanket and it muffled her hearing just a bit, making her unaware of the dark figure approaching her through the snow. It wasn't until something nosed its way under her blanket that she was even aware that she was not alone. Her heart pounded, her whole body freezing in place. A Thunderfeet? She held her breath, as the muzzle slipped closer, until she could see a pair of eyes, their cold noses bumping together. It whined at her, a sound that was familiar, and she echoed it; realizing that it was the same kind of thing as she was. Not that she completely understood what she was. She pushed forward, their noses pushing together until her head had completely forced his to retreat and she was out in the open air again. In truth, Tonjes looked a little afraid, but not as afraid as she would have been without Hestia's guidance. Reddish ears folded back, her body language clearly reading submissive as she slinked to the side, only to have her paws step on the blanket it again and make her stop. Her tail gave the slightest waver, testing the waters to see if he would be very receptive of her friendship. She lowered her head again, taking a small step towards the stranger rather than stumbling over herself in fear to get away from him. It was different to see something so similar to her own shape, and her fluffed tail gave another short wave. It seemed to say Ummmmmmmm....are you...nice?, but then again he hadn't done anything to harm her. And to Tonjes, he'd actually helped her out by sticking his nose beneath the blanket. She stretched her jowls, using the language that should have come naturally to her, her accent a little heavy on the shifter tongue. "Ello?" She said, her voice accented just a smidge with her natural Hungarian accent. It wasn't as heavy though as it would have been in plain English however.

[Cezar Stark]

Cezar didn't quite know what to expect, though his tail gave a wag when she whined back and pressed her nose against his. It was a pleasant thing, not to have a stranger trying to trip your throat out on first sight. The dome had become that way ever since Costin had dragged him into the Carna. When they smelled him, they thought he was out to kill and tried to kill him first instead. But the she-wolf didn't seem to mind, and Cezar's tail was wagging happily as the red wolf pushed him backwards and out from under the blanket. He backed up a couple extra steps to give her space, though admittedly he'd liked the warmth of her being so close. He'd always been one for close contact--Costin said it was a sign of weakness. So Cezar inhaled a deep breath, lungs burning slightly from the bite of the cold winter air and waited for her to do something. He wasn't quite sure what to do, but instinctively he lowered his ears and head in submission to her, tail stopping its wagging and tucking slightly between his legs. He was surprised when her actions mirrored his own, so much so that his ears cocked up and he tilted his head to the side in confusion. He was supposed to be the one who did that, not the other wolf. When she wagged her tail, he returned it and took a couple steps closer after she did. His eyes were focused intently on her paws or tail, trying to avoid the challenge of direct eye contact. The moment she spoke his eyes flicked up to hers, ears pricked and head tilted to the side. It was a strange sound, her voice. It was tinged with a familiar accent, and he took another hesitant step closer. "Ello," he replied after a moment, unintentionally mimicking the way she spoke. With his head still cocked to the side, he gave his tail another hopeful wag. "I am Cezar. Who are you?" ooc| I'msorryittooksolong ;^; and that it is so pequeno

[Tonjes]

She was alarmed when he spoke back, perhaps not really expecting him to be able to. Speech was still a strange and untrusted thing though her Hestia was slowly changing that opinion. Words could be nice and she liked it when Hestia would speak softly, her pitch a little higher than normal. It sounded good, it sounded…happy and Tonjes was willing to do most anything to hear that pleasing pitch. Tonjes stood still on her feet, the blanket having twisted all around her, but at least it was no longer dark. Her eyes swept over his dark form, finding that he wasn’t threatening at least in posture. Seezaaar She pronounced in her mind, rolling over in her mind. Was that what they all were? He looked similar to him, so was she a Seezaaar too? The question was powerful, as she watched him wag his tail too. No, no…she was a Tonjes. She picked up a paw, her red form leaning forward as if she were going to come closer but she hesitated, her head still quite low and her ears pinned back though now they were flickering forward every so often. She put her foot down again, drawing it back. ”Tonjes.” She offered back. ”I am Tonjes.” She sat down suddenly, tilting her head at the other figure. ”What is a Seezaar?” She asked, her curiosity piqued. ”Seezar is not a Thunderfeet…and is not a Zeebruhh (Zebra). So what is a Seezaaar?” She asked, speaking quite rapidly as she was quite curious about this whole idea of being a Seezaaar herself. She shook her head, getting rid of some of the snow that had fallen on her ears. She perhaps would not stay long with this Seezaaar, as she was cold and Hestia had sent her home. She was unaware how unhappy that this would make her Hestia, but she could not contain her curiosity. She had unwittingly reached a milestone, not fleeing from this stranger in utter terror.

[Cezar Stark]

Cezar wasn't sure he liked the way she was looking at him, with a startling intensity. He wasn't sure if it was just curiosity or if that look in her pretty eyes was to bore into his skull and read his thoughts. It creeped him out, and he wasn't sure if it was the cold that sent a shiver down his spine or that look. He didn't like being put under scrutiny, especially not by strangers. He eked out his life in the shadow of his brother, more than content to let him call the shots. No one asked him questions when he was standing behind Costin. But he kept having to remind himself that Costin wasn't here, and this she-wolf was asking him the questions. It made him uncomfortable, but it was also exciting...conflictingly so. She was a comforting presence, her scent delicate and warm and sweet. But that stare. He did his best to return it, though part of him still didn't want to make direct eye contact. She seemed more like a wolf than a person and responded more towards body language than actual language. And though she did have somewhat of a people smell, he couldn't discern if she was like him a, what did the science men call it, Shifter. Some Carna had said that there were things in the wild lands, things like Shifters but animals first; it made Cezar think twice about whether he wanted to hunt in the forests. What if he was killing a person? But Costin said it was lies and make believe, so here he was. Lost in the forest. When the she-wolf finally spoke it almost made Cezar jump out of his skin; he managed to contain it to a flinch. He realized with a huff that he'd gotten distracted. Addle brained Cezar, at it again. He could almost feel Costin's slap on the back of his head for not paying attention. But she, Tonjes apparently, had asked him a question. "Tonjes," he said, trying out the name. It was nice, he liked it. What is a Seezaar? He wasn't sure what she meant by that. And what the hell was a Thunderfeet? Some kind of gang? He knew what Zebra was, he thought, those donkeys with the stripes. He saw a picture of one, once, and maybe he thought eaten a shank once that Costin had brought back. But what was he? He lowered himself onto his haunches, thinking hard. He parted his maw as if to speak, but thought better of it. He was a person, or so he thought. Science people called him Shifter. He was a wolf. A brother. "I am a Stark," he said slowly, deciding it was the right answer and inclining his muzzle with a surge of pride. "That is my family name. For generations we have ruled the forests of Romania," he leaned forward in excitement, suddenly caught up in the memories from home. "We are here now in this place, just me and my brother. But we are together at least. Do you have a family name, Tonjes?" ooc| baaaalls