Post by Locutus Ferox on Jul 6, 2011 5:00:07 GMT -5
The wolf's head canted to the side, and his face gained a look of curiosity. It wasn't the shock of being caught off guard, or perhaps being truly surprised. This look was far more disconcerting. The look on his face was almost....pity? Those deep red eyes drilled through the reaper baring a most surreal sense of sympathy for the creature he now faced.
"Regret? Mistakes? What are these things you speak of? Do you truly believe any of us regret what we've done? That we tried to hide our actions from the world? That we truly did not wish you to know our actions? Do people honestly believe we made mistakes in our actions? Have we ever tried to make amends for it? People point an accusatory finger at us without first reflecting on themselves. It is the natural way of things. People, not just humans, often refuse to see themselves at fault. We were not the only ones to turn our backs. You misunderstand us entirely."
The wolf lifted himself out of his sitting position and began to walk around again. As he did his head would tilt this way and that as if thinking. The wolf slowly circled the reaper as he examined her.
"You do not need me to do anything to prove my power. You know what I am capable of. Whether you think it incredible or insignificant is of no consequence. Yet... You stand there and openly attack our integrity. You're fishing in the wrong lake. It's not boldness or courage. It's not strength of arms or body. It's a blind stab in the dark. You rashly guessed that I would not make an example of you for your words against me. You assumed I would be more practical. Luck. That's all it is. You manged to guess correctly."
He let her chew on that as he stepped a short distance away. He closed his eyes, letting his senses extend through the area. It had been a long time, but that of course was relatively speaking. What was long for a god after all. After a moment he would look over his shoulder at the reaper. He had to admire her persistence, but he wondered if she had expected an open attack such as that during her own assault. She had played a frontal piece, likely not her only ace, but he met it instead of dodging.
"That is an intriguing question you ask Tamreta. Can my nature provide insight? Insight into what? One must remember where such items came from and where they went. It was not by accident after all. But still you ask. Can it provide insight? Can one feel a prick when one is stabbed by a thorn? Can one see a person when they enter their field of vision? Can one smell a pie under their nose? Taste what's in their mouth? Hear a bird singing into their ear? As you might expect. It is child's play for any of us. But I think what this boils down to is your other question. Would I be willing to tell you what element you face?"
He waited for a while, pausing to let the silence creep back into the area, letting Tamreta collect her thoughts. After letting her think of her response he begins to speak once again."I suppose I have my own question for you. And do not take this as my answer, but.... Why should I tell you? Would that not defeat the point of said element? How better to test the mettle of those who seek an object than to catch them unprepared?"
If she had been more impulsive, Tamreta would have crowed in triumph. Even though the wolf's reply was extremely agressive in nature it was still essentially a defense. A damn fine one, but a clear defense all the same. He did well by circling her with those pitying eyes. Anyone less trained than her would have broken down in nerves at the added threat from the god. To her it just made the game more thrilling, and gave her information on how far she could push.
She let herself relax a little. Her gamble had worked out nicely despite a few unexpected flourishes of his. But that was the mark of an opponent. It was near impossible to fully predict what they would do next. Meeting an an agressive frontal strike head on? Brilliant.
"I apologize if I caused you any insult, that was not my intent. Sometimes I am merely too frank, and I thank you for your understanding. It was by slip of mind that I forgot to mention the role of the other beings in those wars. Reapers, in particular, several times had crucial roles in the conflicts. We have also not been as active as others in searching out and neutralizing the objects. That is a shortcoming I have long been uneasy about."
With a tiny sigh, she turned her gaze away from the wolf to stare at the swelling moon. She lost itself in its soft glow as she contemplated everything that had thus been said, speculated what would come next. In the silence her mind strayed unbidden to other subjects. To her it seemed that time stopped for just the briefest of moments. It was only seconds, though, and the howl of a coyote brought her back.
"We are the same," she said softly. "Both of us hide our true shapes while our personalities remain strong, become more pronounced because of this in fact."
She smiled at the wolf. "Whether or not you tell me what I face, I will still go after it. I am fully prepared to deal with the unknown mysteries surrounding the object. If you choose to test me, I can promise you I will seek you out again when I have conquered the challenge. This may be a wanted experience for you; to disappear then have me appear before you victorious. However, if you did provide me with some information I would owe you in return. And a reaper's favor is not gained easily, as you should well know."
Now the decision passed to him. Whatever the wolf did next would determine how this part of the game would end.
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jul 9, 2011 1:21:22 GMT -5
The wolf's frame subtly jostled up and down as it began to chuckle yet again. His head turned off in the direction of that disturbance. Memories of distant times were brought up once more in the deity's head. He remembered those days as if they were just yesterday. Good memories and bad alike. However, there was little in the way of regret. Things they did may have been for the better, they may have been for the worse, but actions later regretted always haunted you. Still, there were certain events, certain things they had all done he was sure, things they would have done differently. He was no different. However instead of bringing in somber pain, they brought an amusing chuckle to him inwardly, not the same as the one he let loose for Tamreta to hear.
"You think I don't know what you're trying, Tamreta? You think I am blind to your tactics? Do not place me in with the likes of those you have dealt with. I assure you that if you do, you will lose more than you can afford."The wolf suddenly shifted gears at the drop of a nonexistent hat."Reapers are but one of the many different creatures involved. Usually they were employed by the likes of Forgery and Antoinette. Others of us used our own agents. Were creatures, wilderness. A couple examples. Some however.... employed what would now be called.... mercenary tactics? Instead of putting their own followers on the front lines, they bade other things to do it for them." The wolf's gaze shifted yet again, almost rolling his eyes in a sense. "They made promises they didn't always keep, but such was the time. The blame game could be cast around quite freely. However, I believe we are above that, yes?"
The wolf looked back forward and let out an audible sigh. The reaper proved to be a rather interesting opponent. Sturdy and well paced, she threw punches with heavy force, but she still was quick to the draw. Something that perhaps would prove to be her downfall. His ears then twitched as she spoke again. "Hiding our shapes?" That was certainly an interesting claim for sure.
"Do we hide our shapes? Could it be that this is not my true form? Possibly I suppose, depending on how one looks at it. However, I appear in this form because it suits me. It displays traits one would find within. But then, what are shapes? What is it a person really looks like? Are they not their own looking glass? A gateway into their own soul? One's form often dictates who they are, or sometimes what they hide, what they carry. So tell me Tamreta, why do you hide your "Form"? What is it that you shy away from? Or is it possibly... you shy away from yourself?"
He tilted his head as it turned back to look at Tamreta, this time the pity was left out of it. He seemed to once more be sizing her up, as if evaluating her. Could she truly be ready? "Heh," his inner thoughts rang out in his head. "She's bold... but is she ready?" It was an amusing irony, the situation that he found the reaper in. It certainly wasn't intentional, least on his part anyway. On the other hand, it seemed little more than coincidence. Here in this barren, near lifeless land, in front of this reaper faced a most interesting challenge. A challenge of life of all things. He couldn't help but smirk. "So this is how it ends?"
"The element you face...."He paused, perhaps for dramatic effect, though regardless the effect was reached."The element you face is life itself. A challenge where you will find your physical abilities useless. The true answer in this case will come from within."He gave a faint inward wince at how cliche it all sounded, but that was how it had to be. The ball was now rocketing over into her court.
So he had noticed her shift in tactics. She had rather thought he might. Like he had said himself, he was not like those she had dealt with before. No. That was wrong, too. The wolf had an startling resemblance to one of the ancient reapers she had known back home. Old enough that even the Elders held him in great respect. He had also debated in much the same way as the wolf; wily, using her own words against her, and always switching tactics to keep her off guard. There was another similarity the two shared that made her smile.
"Yes, if we were to play the blame game we would be here until the both of us turned to dust, eventually arguing whether it was the oak or the elm that caused all wars," she said teasingly. Afterwards her tone became serious once more. "What has been, is. Nothing can change that, and to tell the truth, it is better that way. Sometimes the course of fate is determined by one mistake that will lead to better times for all."
She was stunned when the wolf started speaking about shapes. The questions he asked were like the ones she herself had asked back when she was still young. It was uncanny hearing her words coming from the mouth of a god, but his last question...This wolf was using the same multi-pronged lightning strikes he had been. That last prong had struck very close, and now Tamreta was completely focused.
"No matter how honest one is with themselves or others, there will always be something that their form will hide. The frail body of an old man will hide that he was once a man that put terror in the hearts of any who fought him. Only the light in his eyes as he tells his stories shows what he was. Still others will change appearances to protect that which they hold dear. They are the same as they once were, but that change hides the form they were given at birth. It is not that they wish to hide what they have. It is a neccesity to survive. That is why I hide my form, to protect others from that they do not understand and to protect myself from an early death, but I have never hidden who I am. Can you say the same about yourself?"
She stared at him hard, not quite glaring as that would have taken a great deal of effort to do, and she was not willing to be that generous at the moment. The thought made her slightly amused. 'Just like a child,' she thought. But it was the wolf's explanation of what she would face that made her laugh aloud.
"You sounded rather like one of those fortune cookies just now," she pointed out. "Still, you have indeed told me what I need to know, and my word holds true. I owe you. Feel free to call in that favor if ever you need it." She nodded towards the corpse she had been feeding on before their conversation had begun, and smirked. "For now, I will continue with my feeding. You are free to watch if you wish."
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jul 13, 2011 21:00:40 GMT -5
At length the wolf chuckled at those words. How true they were. Things had happened and the world had formed as it is. There are things that would drive even a deity mad if they had ever dreamed of trying to change what had been done. However, most of them realized it had been done. He could think of one example. Sometimes staying silent was just as bad as making that mistake. But, time would tell what the result of that choice would bring. The thought made him smile.
"Even if we could go back and change things. Would we? What is a life full of regrets but a constant torturing misery? If one truly regretted their actions that much, one would think they'd have made wiser decisions to begin with... or that they never learned from their mistake." It was then that the wolf gave Tamreta an inquiring look, as if he perhaps debated on whether or not Tamreta spoke from her own experience. His eyes gleamed with amusement as he played his own gamble. After all, what fun would it be if he read her mind?"Did you learn from yours Tamreta?"
The wolf then turned his head as a faint rumble crept into the area, almost without notice. Far on the horizon faint flickers of light denoted the edge of a rolling thunderstorm. It was quite a sizable one. Though given it's heading it would miss them by miles. Still the raging turmoil of those rain...and hail, filled clouds brought more amusement to the wolf, an irony for the topic at hand. Shapes.....
"There are always telling signs Tamreta. The old man bears scars. He carries himself in a way that shows both the physical ones, and the emotional ones he carries. In some ways, an attempt to hide your form to protect and hide secrets, is the very thing that gives it away. Only too few people pay attention to these signs. I look at you and I see an interesting bit of history. It is not just of survival either. But curiously Tamreta....."The wolf looks at the reaper as if gazing upon something within her that no one else can see."Never hidden who you are? Not....once?"He would give a soft chuckle at that.
"As for me I have.... shall I say I have never denied what I am. I have never made statements or motions to the contrary. However, that is to say... I have never denied people what they want to believe. I haven't done anything to aid that belief mind you, but I have never done anything to artificially shatter it. Either they came to realize in the end or they didn't. I gave them all they needed to know to figure it out. Whether they did or not was their own doing. The ability to see through it all and find the truth. That is something to value and cherish."
The wolf rolled his eyes as she related his telling to a fortune cookie. Though the fact stood it was still amusing, the odds of the reaper getting this particular challenge. "I suppose it does. And I'll be sure to remember Tamreta... as for....I think I will pass on the offer... I think I will go back where I was and watch the coming storm till you finish."
Another little prick. No more than that that would be caused by a needle, but even a needle could draw blood. Tamreta had never bled before, never felt what it was like to watch something so precious leave her body. Could gods bleed? Would they even notice if they did? Did they ever agonize over a choice that ended up changing everything they believed in? Changed themselves?
She knew they could gamble. That was what the wolf's question about mistakes was. A chance to learn something that she would normally not willingly tell. "Choices are meant to be made only once in a lifetime. Even if we are later confronted with a similar problem farther on, it will never be the same. Who we are is determined by every choice, every mistake, we make. Regretting those mistakes so much that it drives one to change the past...those people will likely never change nor try to better themselves. Those that can learn from their mistakes grow stronger and wiser. They are the ones that can look back and regret, but know that those mistakes made them what they are."
She followed his gaze towards the show of lightning against the gathering clouds. A breeze brought with it the smell of rain from the storm, and she smiled sadly. How ironic that the wolf ask these questions with a storm approaching so close to where they stood. About mistakes and shapes...despite the knowledge that he was not delving into her mind, she could not help a small bit of suspicion. It was a game after all, and the one who had the most information usually won.
Choosing to ignore his question, Tamreta knelt beside the skeleton once more and began to feed. She was as careful as she had been with the first bone, always leaving a tiny morsel of dead energy dwelling inside the bones. Until she reached the ribs. She glanced silently over at the wolf, and thought. Yes. A demonstration to answer the question he had found so amusing would do very nicely.
"You have asked me if I have learned from my mistakes," she started out, her voice barely above a whisper in the night. "You also asked me if I have ever hidden who I was. The answer to the first is yes. The latter is much more difficult to explain. Like you have said before, sometimes people will believe what they wish. Sometimes that is at the cost of blinding themselves to what exists outside of their narrow window of sight."
Keeping eye contact with the wolf, she broke off a rib and bit down on it. This time, however, she drained all the energy it held. In her gloved hands it disinigrated. All that was left was a pile of dust which she held out to the god. "Acting like a monster would, reducing a fresh corpse into a dust on the wind while his little girl watched because I went hungry too long. That was the one time my true self failed to show. The one time I "hid" myself if you would prefer."
Her piece said, she continued to feed in silence using her careful way, placing the bones back when she was finished.
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jul 17, 2011 23:41:23 GMT -5
A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, nearly turning night into day despite the immense distance from the storm. Darkness and silence ensued, and were they lesser beings, it might have been total, complete darkness. However, he had no doubt that she could see almost as well as he could. However the secondary effect seem complete. For even as a god it became deathly quiet. The sound of the wind had died off. All the animals had sought shelter from the storm, and all was still. It was almost as if, for a short eternity, the everything in the world, except for them, had stopped. Time seemed to lose all meaning.
Finally that peace was shattered by a tremendous sonic boom as superheated air expanded beyond it's measure. The ground shook violently as the unusually large burst of thunder blanketed the area in it's awe inspiring sound. Again, the supernatural beings would avoid the worst of it's effects, not being slightly deafened temporarily as most normal beings would. After the rolling thunder passed through the sound of wind and rain followed. The wind was louder than the rain as the storm was still quite a ways off, but the wind front had reached them, blowing dust into the air. Life had returned.
In that brief moment Locutus had turned his gaze on the reaper, staying equally silent as if the sensory shattering event was enough to say it all. In that silence he gazed at her with those glowing, deep red, piercing eyes, seeming to peer through her. Though still he did not gaze into her mind, for that wouldn't be much of a challenge, but it seemed as if his gaze could pierce her very soul. To many this period would seem like an eternity, as if decades, even centuries had past by. Finally after the thunder died down he chuckled in the darkness.
"An act of desperation, Tamreta. You did what you felt you had to do. Is that...truly hiding the truth? Or is it showing it? Could it not be that the little girl saw what you were truly capable of if you were pushed to your limits? Would you not do the same if pressed into the same circumstances, or even further? If you were locked away, tortured, starved, deprived? What is done in those moments, when backed deep into a corner.... It shows what one is willing to do when all else fails. Some would say that it is the true you..."
"That being said, as you and I have both stated, the way you carry it with you.... The way you word it at least. Sounds to me as if you reflect on it with some....disagreement. It is always easy to point out the flaws of others, and to give advice to correct it. Such things can be thrown around lightly. However, it is a bit harder to apply it to one's self. Possibly due to the nature in which one sees themselves. Often times the problem is diluted within their mind. They don't see it being there because they can't focus on the whole picture. It seems to me that while you don't appear to let it drag you down, you haven't quite let it go....."
With that the wolf offered a shrug and turned his head back to the storm, which had turned into something of a light show. Little flashes of lightning and faint, far off carried through the air. Nothing quite like the one before, but still visible and audible all the same.
This was becoming a bare bones match he saw. Expert move after expert move. If allowed to continue they would eventually be down to the kings. And that was a match that could go on forever. But it showed she was quite capable. She knew how defend as well as block. He had been amused when he stopped her assault prematurely. Not everyone was quite sane enough to chance an assault with an assault. But that was why it worked. It hadn't been a game winner, but like countless battles in the past, a stalled assault cripples the line. It takes time to reorganize and repair, though that itself was possible, as she had proven. That was why he kept pressing. Like the allies had done with the axis only some sixty seventy tears ago. He pressed against the stalled advance. Now twas her turn yet again.
Last Edit: Jul 17, 2011 23:42:34 GMT -5 by Locutus Ferox
It always amazed her, no matter how many years passed, that simple events could somehow become so much more. A lost hat bringing two people together, one rude remark sparking years of hatred...what could have been a casual meeting between a god and a reaper blossoming into a battle of words neither had expected. The 'dark and stormy night' bit was a nice touch, though writer's had worn it out long ago. If it had started to rain right over them it would have completed the effect.
Would have made it harder to rebury the body in the mud, though. Tamreta almost smiled at the thought as she pushed dirt back into the grave, afterwards patting the surface until it was firmly in place. The occupant deserved to spend the rest of their days comfortably in their final resting place without being disturbed a second time. Like a little girl did not deserve to watch her father eaten before her eyes, and left with nothing she could truly put to rest.
She laughed then, a sound without happiness nor sarcastic feelings. It was one of sadness and just a hint of dull amusent. Her eyes met the wolf's quite easily. Even if she had not been able to see well in the dark, the glowing orbs would have been impossible to miss. "It is difficult to come to terms with a side of ourselves we do not usually see. Some prefer to water down that feeling so they will not have to deal with it. Me, I would hope that I could someday walk with that self side by side and not fear its coming. Until that day I will not be able to put that memory to rest. That mistake will be with me 'til the day I die, as are all of them."
"What you said about that time of desperation, that some would say it is my true self...I have to disagree. It is true that if pushed into a similar situation my instinct would urge me to repeat my actions, but what I learned from that last act would keep that from happening. My nature would compel me to make sure no one would again witness that kind of feeding frenzy. You see, that is what our sense of self is. Instinct for survival is what we resort to when pushed beyond our limits. It is not who we are. Kind, honest men may steal if the need arises, but they will also share their plunder with those in a similar plight. That is their true nature. So it is with us all."
Another brilliant bolt of lightning lit the sky, though not so bright as the one before. She smiled as she watched it flash across the horizon. Unpredictable it was, and she had missed it growing up in her rainforest with no clear view of the sky. The first time she had seen those streaks of light in the sky she had been awestruck, gazing in rapture at the heavens. The memory was as clear as if she were still standing out in that storm.
"Would you like to come with me?" she asked. It may have been only her, but in her mind she could see the hand that came to shake the board on which they played. A sudden surge unexpected by both sides. Like a lightning strike. Tamreta smiled to herself. Might as well go all the way. "I believe the locals on our way would be very surprised if a mysterious Brazilian woman came their way with a giant wolf. A new legend for you, and memory for me." During her talk, she had shifted into her preferred guise of a woman with chestnut skin and dark hair. her voice had also changed to have a heavy Portuguese accent.
She smiled at the wolf with her new face. "What do you say?"
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jul 24, 2011 22:57:28 GMT -5
The storm rumbled off into the distance. She reminded him ever so much of someone he used to know. Someone he had looked after for a long time. He found it amusing that he was here, not only speaking, but debating with her. Just as he had all those years ago. The wolf shook his head and chuckled at the thought. The coming storm seemed somewhat peaceful at this distance. One couldn't tell from here that the raging storm packed a ferocious wind and was pounding those under it with unyielding force.
"The difficulty lies in the fact people don't accept what they're capable of. They don't want to believe they could be pushed to stealing, begging.... murdering. It's just something they won't accept. It's part of the "not me" state of mine. People don't think bad things can happen to them."The wolf stated plainly as he kept his eye on the storm. It grew and grew, but it's path would take it far from here.
"As for what you said... is that not part of how they are? Some people, no matter how far pushed, will never break. They will die before they give in. That is their way. Some have a breaking point yes. But that's just it. People will react differently at their breaking point. Different people will steal if the time comes. However, what they do after... there in lies another difference. Some people will steal and will simply try to pretend it didn't happen. They won't acknowledge that they had reached that dark point. Others will steal and simply not care. "I stole so what? You would too." Others will feel guilty. They will try to make amends. Whether it be through paying back the deed, or trying to help others to make up for it. Even still, a select few will enter a depression. They will realize what they have done and despair.... the ultimate despair sometimes costing their lives. They feel they did something so horrible that they don't deserve to live."
"That is what separates one person from another. What they'll do if pushed to the point with which they break or die, and how they'll handle it. Some will resent what they did, others will not. How is that not who they are?"The deity tilted his head as he looked back up at Tamreta a moment.
When she shifted he chuckled softly inwardly. He thought about commenting how much more attractive she was now, given her change in appearance, but he didn't want to be mean now did he?"I'm sure it'll add a fine touch. Strange tribal woman spotted with wolf. Not exactly native rounds these parts.... However, I think I will join you. Might be amusing to see what you try."With that he padded over to the disguised reaper."Lead on."
Tamreta laughed at the wolf's easy acceptance of her proposal. To be truthful, she had not believed he would turn down the offer, but gods were unpredictable. Some probably preferred to sit around the Other Realm and play poker to a trip with a reaper. She was glad he had accepted, though. The wolf was an excellent debate partner and would keep the days from becoming too hum-drum. Nothing worse than boredom to cause the mind to stray away from more important matters.
She smiled down at him. "Yes, I do believe it will be most amusing," she replied lightly. "It is also better to gather more information. Locals tend to be closed off with strangers, but once an interesting character comes along inquiring about strange happenings, jaws tend to loosen. A wolf will cause more curiousity as well. There is simply one problem...I have not thought of a name for my wolf yet. For some reason I do not think you would enjoy being called Fido."
Mirth twinkled in her grey eyes as she led the way out of the decrepit graveyard and out into the open desert. This time, though, there was no intimidating aura surrounding her. The animals that had been silent before began to make noise once more. A much more peaceful feeling compared to silence broken only by wind and thunder. Maybe it was time to end what other noise had gone on as well.
"For the sake of a quick conclusion to this chapter of our debate, I will refrain from pressing the argument that reactions to actions done by instinct in difficult times, how they handle it, is determined by the self they have molded from experiences and personality...the true self, as I have argued. But let us leave that topic to be continued at another time. I do not admit defeat, just a temporary truce where the both of us may relax before the work begins. Besides, I doubt either of us will be able to hear once we reach my truck. The engine does not take well to this desert heat and sand."
Post by Locutus Ferox on Aug 4, 2011 19:35:08 GMT -5
Locutus had time to spare, so he decided to go along with the woman, for now. It was an easy choice really. The place she was headed held and interest to him, thus he would follow along for now. Besides, how could he pass up a chance to trade wits with this sharp, and bold reaper. She knew who he was but didn't back down. Bold....and perhaps a little foolish, but entertaining.
His gaze flattened as she spoke. Perhaps she was prodding at him again with her words, but he wasn't about to let it get to him. Which was well enough for the both of them, as if he had the reaper might not have liked the results. Locutus always thought humans had some of thee worst names for animals under their care EVER. "Fido?" Who came up with such demeaning names anyway? "Getting a little bit ahead of yourself aren't you?"The wolf looked up to Tamreta and perked her brow."Who ever said I was your wolf hmmmm? I do rather believe I belong to myself last time I checked."
Then came the "Truce". That brought a chuckle out of the old wolf. "A truce huh? I do believe the last being to attempt a truce with me was a lot higher in the social hierarchy than you are. A deity even. But then, I suppose I could let this slide for now."The wolf shook his head, the amusement clear in his voice. The mention of the truck however caused him to cringe, especially when she mentioned it's intolerance of heat and sand. He just imagined how many fumes it would emit. It wasn't a pleasant thought."I do hope it is a short trip...."
Tamreta grinned slyly at the wolf's rejection to his name. From the start she had not been serious about the name, but, as he had no doubt figured out, she enjoyed giving him prods like that to see how he would react. Already she had gathered a sizable amount of data on the god. Now if only she could find a notebook not yet full of writing so she could record it. Very few even among reapers had the pleasure of meeting a god face to face, and a detailed documentative would be almost as well received by the Elders as news that the mysterious object had been suppressed.
"Of course you belong to yourself, I would never presume to own a god. The 'my' I used was more along the lines of a state of knowing, similar 'my friend' or 'my companion, as compared to ownership of 'my truck. You would agree that constantly calling you 'that wolf' among people would cause quite a bit of confusion for the poor humans. 'My wolf' is just to help them process it more easily." She glanced at him sidelong and grinned. "And since Fido is already out, how about Locust? Red Eyes? Or do you have any suggestions on a name you would prefer to be called?"
A lot higher in the social hierarchy? Tamreta shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "It is not the status of the individual that matters, but the worth they prove themselves to have." By this time they had reached a gully with brush scattered here and there along its sides. The reaper slid down into it, coming to rest beside a pale green pick up truck. It was an older model, but that was why she loved it so. It had been with her through many travels, and had never yet given out on her. Patting old truck fondly, she held open the driver's side door for the wolf to jump in. "I am afraid the back seat is full of clutter, so you will have to sit up front with me. And do not worry, my baby may sputter and groan a bit in the desert, but she does not fume enough to mention anything. You will have thirty miles to get used to her, though."
Post by Locutus Ferox on Aug 6, 2011 14:37:33 GMT -5
The wolf smirked to himself as he walked along side the reaper. It was a smirk twisted with the slightest trace of bitterness as the thought traced through his mind. On one hand it was a bit of entertainment, this little venture with the reaper. On the other hand it was cutting a bit too close to that. Already they had crossed swords and battled wit. Locutus, however, was slowly letting out the rope. Just enough of it for the reaper to hang herself with if she wasn't careful.
The deity had known from the start. It didn't require any particular talent to pick up on it. Hells, even a mortal could pick it out if they kept themselves self aware. The reaper was trying to get a bead on the deity. She had taken notes of his mannerisms and his habits. She had prodded and poked at him to garner reactions, testing his tolerance, testing his personality. Testing thin air. That was the truth of it. He was well aware the ploy in and of itself would tell something about it if the reaper ever became the wiser, but for now, he would let her walk on that opaque glass plain that hid the bottomless chasm beneath. That glass plain had been braced around the edges. It was only when one was too far out onto that deadly field that they would become aware of their fatal mistake.
"Ferox will work. I doubt anyone would make a stir over something so vague."The wolf ignored her other remarks, things about ownership and semantics. He knew she had been trying to jab at him again, and he gave a little. In turn he would get a little. That was how the information war worked. Locust... Did she think he would be truly bothered by the attempted slight. Ooooh that raised an entertaining thought indeed. He could certainly become... or even summon a swarm of the often hated creatures... Unfortunately it would probably do a number on that pickup.
"It is not just their worth but also the power and value behind their words. Truly what vantage could a deity gain from sparing one reaper? The last truce was held in interest of not creating a conflict that might have left us both at a disadvantage. But then again... eh eh eh... I have no reason to push the topic further...Yet."The wolf looked over at her casually as she opened the door "For him". In the next instant he was in the pickup and she was left staring at empty air. It hadn't been a leap more as a sudden dislocation to that passenger seat. He looked over at Tamreta and tilted his head."Coming?"
He seemed tense. That was the what Tamreta thought as she climbed up into the driver's seat and put the keys into the ignition. The old pick up started with a cough and a bang before it began to roll on out of the gully and started across the roadless desert. Why a god would be tense around her, the reaper did not know, but she was used to walking on the razor's edge and this feeling she had was coming awfully close to that. It could not be that she was gathering information. She was already well aware that the moods, attitudes, and forms the gods took were in a constant flux. She knew that her writings on this particular experience with the god of nature would not be a guide book for others to use. All it was was a record that something had happened, and no matter how airy it might be the information she gathered about the wolf would be as detailed as she could make it. So was the curse of seeking knowledge.
"Ferox." She tasted the way it sounded on her tongue. Latin. The root of many modern languages. It fit him. "So the wolf is fierce, wild. It would seem a good name for your guise. I doubt that many outside of...certain circles would recognize the name for what it truly means. Though, and please forgive me if this offends, but why that name? With so many other options, why did you choose to accept that name? Also," she looked away from the rough terrain long enough to look him seriously in the eye, "I would appreciate the straight truth."
The engine growled as the truck crossed a particularily rough track of land. The reaper quickly turned her full attention to the vehicle. She shifted down into a lower gear to give it more power, all the while whispering gentle encouragement to it. The wolf's little jab at her was forgotten as she urged the old truck along. One bone-jarring bump later and then the desert smoothed out. Both Tamreta and the truck sighed in relief at being able to get through, and the reaper smiled when she saw a tiny light in the distance. The town's watch light. They were still far out, but at least she would not have to worry about the terrain much any more. Which meant that she had time to worry about other matters.
"I apologize, but would you mind checking on my stuff in the back. The notebooks I am not too worried about. The boxes, however, hold some peices that may have been jostled by that last bump. Could you stabalize them so they won't break? They may not be much, but their value lies in their worth to me." She laughed quietly. Here was a god, and she was asking him to check on her baubles like a normal being. An amusing thought really, especially when she thought about what the Elders would think of what they would call 'such a bold request.'
Post by Locutus Ferox on Aug 8, 2011 3:53:26 GMT -5
The wolf's ears twitched at the sound of that vehicle starting up, but he didn't bother looking towards the source of the sound. Having a vehicle of his own, he was well aware of the mechanics of gasoline driven vehicles and how they operated. He looked over to Tamreta and tilted his head to the side.[/O] "Remind me to show you my car sometime."
"Why that name....." Locutus paused and closed his eyes."I would have thought it would have made sense. Locutus is both a name, and a Latin phrase. Which came first however, well, you tell me?"The wolf chuckled, posing the question to Tamreta before continuing. "Locutus Enim Ferox. It's Latin. Funnily enough I've had the name a lot longer than the language has been around. However, it wasn't in Latin at the time. It means speaker of the wilds. Which is... as you can imagine, what I was and what I still am. I speak for Nature. I am it's embodied will. "
"I'm also surprised, that studying history as well as you do, you did not find my name equally fitting. I am a speaker in general as well. I give words of wisdom and advice to all who would listen, and even some who don't, whether or not they want to. I debate philosophy and I determine integrity. Now I know that's written about somewhere in text."He gave another chuckle before looking forward.
Suddenly the vehicle tossed about, though the wolf seemed mostly motionless. That was fairly unsurprising given the array of his power, but never-the-less it was a tad awkward given the shake of the rest of the vehicle. The wolf watched as Tamreta whispered to her truck, drawing a smirk from the wolf. It was not unlike a rider and his horse, an amusing thought to the deity.
Then came a request that made Locutus's brows perk. She had actually asked him to do such a mundane task. The wolf took a mental tally. The reaper was up to three. Eventually he would start ticking down, that was when the reaper would have to worry. He looked over his shoulder at the back seat. Suddenly vines started to grow out, wrapping around the objects and securing them in place as they anchored themselves to any hard object, be it seat edge, seatbelt or otherwise. They would not actually burrow into the vehicle at all, rather wrapping themselves around to simply secure the cargo in it's place. "Looks secure,"was all the wolf said before looking back forward.
