[Balder]

Speech:#99cc66

The night was dark; it was a time for monsters.

But morning would always find itself fast approaching like a knight on a white steed to scare away all that was frightening and full of terror. It would come every day, just the same; a bright sun stretching out over the land and waking up all that lived within the safety of their homes. Of course, that was always pleasant and wonderful, unless you were considered the monster.

It was a hard life for the hellbear as he thundered through the forest, watching sadly as the small woodland creatures took off for safety as he approached them. A weight dropped in to his chest and stomach as the large creature lumbered his way along, the feelings of uncertainty and depression hitting him hard. There was something about Balder that made him stand out from the rest of his clan; a simple defect that left his family reeling. You see, when Balder was born, he was not born looking ursine. No, in fact young child appeared to have more canine features about him than he did bear. His skull had been slightly deformed from those of his siblings, and even as he grew the clan would whisper words about what omen his birth may have brought upon them. It was a sad childhood, to say the least. And so without warning they kicked him out- left him to fend for himself in the wilds of a place that he did not know. Life beyond the fringe and the hellion lairs was a world that Balder was not prepared for. It was darker than normal, and it was scarier than what he had grown up knowing. That wasn't to say that he was angry for his families disapproving nature; no it humbled him to know that even though he was not wanted within his family, they allowed him to live rather than kill him for being what he was: an abomination.

So he walked. And walked. Balder found himself embracing his life and freedoms, enjoying it all as much as he could while the sun was up. He would stop here and there, sniffing flowers and picking them before wandering on to a different patch and continuing. He'd tangle some in his thick fur around his neck and wear them as an accessory when he felt like good days were coming for him. When he didn't feel good, he'd remove them and press them in to the mud in the hopes that perhaps he could preserve some of the dying beauty that clung to the flora of wherever he happened to be.

Today though, the large male found himself sitting in the early morning sunlight, basking in its warmth as he looked around the flower covered field that he'd happened to have stumbled upon. He gave a soft huff as he looked down to all the flowers and gave the smallest of smiles before falling face first in to them and rolling around. The night had not been so scary this time, and though Balder couldn't quite put a finger on it- he was certain today was going to be a great day, even if it meant rolling in a field of flowers.

And if the night is burning

I will cover my eyes

For if the dark returns then

My brothers will die

[Charley]

K y r a,

Oh don't you dare look back, Just keep your eyes on me
I said you're holding back, She said shut up and dance with me

actions - “speech” - thoughts

Kyra lifted her head into the sunlight, pressing into the warmth like a comfortable lover. She could sit and bask all day if she could but she knew she had a job to do, and she enjoyed it. After smacking her lips and giving her brilliant red fur a thorough shake she made her way to the border to relieve the guard on duty.

They mentioned an odd smell of bear nearby and to be alert. She asked them to stay on duty while she went to check it out then, She can relieve them after she pinpointed the bear. She didn't want a bear too close to the borders incase it crossed them. They already had a resident youngster they had a tumble with in the territory. She was willing to leave it alone as long as it left them alone. A new bear though wouldn't know those guidelines and she wasn't keen on a bear clan setting down roots anywhere close anytime soon.

She set off in the direction the guard nodded to and tried to follow her nose.

She heard him before she smelled him, and it wasn't the strongest musk of bear either under the mask of flowers. This "bear" hadn't been around others of its kind too recently. She followed the sound, then the smell, to a clearing of flowers just beyond the border. Her lip curled cautiously, ready to snarl a warning if he got too close but what she saw wasn't what she expected.

Rolling around in the meadow, petals and leaves and whole flowers getting stuck in a wolf like tale and lion like mane. He was hunched with broad shoulders and forelegs and narrow wolflike hips and legs. He sort of smelled like bear but this gargantuan creature honestly looked more like wolf than bear to her. Maybe it was one those weird Fringe Monsters.

She was standing in the shadows watching him, her head comically cocked to the side like a pup trying to understand a new concept. What would he do if she stepped out into the sunlight? Was he a danger? Something made her think perhaps this guy wasn't as much of a danger to the pack as most bears. She knew how to hold her own as well, and had help only a few leaps away.

She took a step forward, her bright red fur catching the sunlight and looking as if her fur was a glowing fire. She narrowed her eyes at him testing to see his reaction. His size was intimidating, but she didn't seem to care, she had her pack and family to protect and he was incredibly close to them.

"Having fun?" She asked dryly.

ooc Not sure if she's pregnant/before/ or after her pups so I was just vague XD

Photo © Cedric Verstraete / coding © vixxie's codes / lyrics © Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon

[Balder]

Speech:#99cc66

"Having fun?"

His silent fun and relaxation had suddenly become disrupted as a voice cut through the otherwise silent world around him. The giant bear sat up instantly, his ears pulled back and eyes wide as he stared at the small red fireball that had addressed him. With a mane covered in flowers, Balder blinked and looked around to see if perhaps the wolf had addressed someone else. When it was clear that she hadn't, the boy stood up on all fours and backed up a step.

"Sorry," came the deep baritone voice of the bear as he looked down at the damage he had done to the field. He didn't mean to destroy someone else's property....it just sort of....happened. He looked from the crushed spots in the field to Kyra, then back to the flowers, then back to Kyra once more. Was she angry? She didn't seem angry. The hellbear couldn't determine what exactly the situation was, or if he was even trespassing; the overwhelming scent of a hundred different flowers just sitting in his nose as he looked at everything with a panicked look.

"Flowers...are...good," he finally said after what was an extremely long pause between them. He wasn't sure what to do, and deep down in his gut something told him to run. To run and hide in a nearby mountain until the scary red lady was gone, but something in him kept him planted. Perhaps it was just the fear that she would call out to her friends and have them gang up on him. Perhaps it was just the general fear of being found out. Perhaps he worried that she saw him as a threat instead of what he actually was- a scared creature with nowhere to go.

Balder allowed the silence to creep on them once more as he shifted from large paw to large paw, ears perking then lowering against his mane. What was the protocol? What...how...what should he do?

And if the night is burning

I will cover my eyes

For if the dark returns then

My brothers will die

[Charley]

K y r a,

Oh don't you dare look back, Just keep your eyes on me
I said you're holding back, She said shut up and dance with me

actions - “speech” - thoughts

Kyra slightly swayed her nose to the other shoulder in confusion and blinked, then again cocked to the other side trying to determine exactly what this... Bear wolf... was up to...

He said very little, and gave off nervous but... gentle vibes. Her features softened as she grew more curious, she ducked her head against the light and took a smooth step forward.

"I think... Flowers are good too." She said, the dryness had dropped and a more motherly tone was settling in. He really didn't seem to be a threat and he was a damn good actor if this was some kind of ploy, but she doubted it. She looked at him sideways, then took another step forward trying to get a really good sniff of him.

"You have a one... on your nose..." She said gently trying to get just a little closer, "Shhh... It's ok, here... let me..." She hushed gently, and reached up with her nose, standing on her hinds, to lift the flower away from his face, bold as you please, and reached up with her paw to brush off another that was about to fall into his eye.

"There." She said taking a step back and giving him one of those looks a mother would give her handsome son, "Now, what are you doing so close to Nardir? What's your name?" She asked with more warmth than before, sitting down and looking up at him. She assumed he was a gentle giant with the way he was behaving, something about him made her much softer, like she didn't really want to chase him away. Maybe it was her mothering hormones in effect, maybe it was just the vibe he gave off.

ooc

Photo © Cedric Verstraete / coding © vixxie's codes / lyrics © Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon

[Balder]

Speech:#99cc66

"I think... Flowers are good too."

Balder froze in place at the softer sounding female, his head tilting a bit as his fight or flight reflexes began to dim under her sudden kindness. Was she trying to be friendly? The bear sniffed the air a moment before taking another step back and settling down on his stomach, his ears pinned to the back of his large mane. Uncertainty plagued the boy as he watched her approach slowly, wiping flowers away from his face. He winced reflexively, but her soothing voice came through once more as she fixed the assortment of flowers that clung to his thick fur.

"You have a one... on your nose..." she'd said. If she was paying enough attention, she could have probably heard his heart pounding so loudly in his chest that his entire body shook from the residual thumps. But he stilled as he watched her, body slowly relaxing as she continued to speak to him.

"There. Now, what are you doing so close to Nardir? What's your name?"

Balder's beady eyes blinked several times before looking up in to her own gaze. She seemed...comforting...like a mother tending to a child. It made him feel...more at ease with the world. Slowly, he rose from the ground to a sit, gaze now descending on the much smaller wolf. His long tail began to thump behind him.

"I am...Balder," he said after a long pause in between her sentence and his; his name trickling off the end of his tongue in a foreign way. It had been so long since he'd had the opportunity to address and introduce himself. He felt a slow drive of hope rise in his stomach; his entire body warming up to the idea of this little red wolf below him. Yes, he decided- he would tell her why he was here.

"I am looking...for home. Here."

It was the most anyone had gotten out of him ever, and the large hellbear was proud to have spoken so much in one sitting. He gave Kyra a confused smile, hoping that she could understand his meaning. He really didn't want to have to explain it again.

And if the night is burning

I will cover my eyes

For if the dark returns then

My brothers will die

[Charley]

K y r a,

Oh don't you dare look back, Just keep your eyes on me
I said you're holding back, She said shut up and dance with me

---

She perked her ears and gave him an encouraging smile as he introduced himself, giving him plenty of silence to fill, just like her father would. Balder. His voice was underused for sure, poor thing, she wondered what his life had been like. Not bear not wolf, did he have parents of either somehow?

He was looking for a home... here. She looked around, assuming this very spot, the little meadow full of flowers. She stood and looked back at the pack lands, the border nearby. With such a gentle beast he could be chased away if his size didn't chase it away first. No... That simply will not do. She'll bring him in and they could keep him safe. Who knows how much he had been alone and wandering as it was. Nardir was home to many, they had plenty of room for a gentle wolfbear like him, covered in flowers.

She looked back at him and smiled, a bright playful light in her eyes, she wondered about Mercury's reaction.

"I'm Kyra. Come. I'll bring you home with me." She said using her head to beckon him to follow her. She lightly pranced ahead of him, looking back every now and then to ensure he was following. She brought him across the border and into Nardir.

"I'll take you to see Mercury or Kastra. We're heading to the Castle." She said as she lead him. She did not think that on her first week back on duty she'd be leading a bear in as a new member.

ooc: There we go timeline sorted, She's back on duty in the spring, so after kids are born.

Photo © Cedric Verstraete / coding © vixxie's codes / lyrics © Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon

[Balder]

Speech:#99cc66

"I'm Kyra. Come. I'll bring you home with me. I'll take you to see Mercury or Kastra. We're heading to the Castle."

The large hellbear watched as she began to walk away, introducing herself and taking him further in to the pack lands. He walked behind her, his own pace slower than hers with a wider gait, but he couldn't help but find himself taking in every little thing that he could. His nose was lifted to the sky as he'd inhale and breathe in the fresh scents that made up Nardir. The bear gave a grunt as he'd pause a moment and investigate a tree or a burrow, but would return to plodding behind Kyra moments after he'd stopped.

As they rounded a corner, the hellbear found his large head swinging up and looking out in to the distance. Tiny eyes squinted as he saw a figure off in the distance, his fur bristling as anxiety began to take hold of him. Balder froze in place, ears pinning back against his large mane.

"Kyra," he called out in a low, gruff tone. There was danger ahead- she had to know that there was someone in the distance. He didn't know who it was, but the tiny figure off in the distance was busy doing something- it would be easy now to give her the warning so they could flee from the approaching stranger.

Balder merely grunted as he nodded his head in the direction of the figure, his large body lowering down to the ground. He might have been big, but he was no fighter. So instead, he would wait for her word, or for the stranger to see them and approach.

And if the night is burning

I will cover my eyes

For if the dark returns then

My brothers will die

[Kastra]

    There had been one root that he had commonly been tripping over every time he walked this path. At first he thought that eventually he’d just remember there was a root there that trips him up all the time, or that maybe it would tear or wear down eventually as his foot caught on it. Now he stood, looking at this root that was brave enough to be tripping up Kastra, the Prince of these lands. It was insulting to him. No one had seen him trip before, he was rather sure, but it still damaged his ego everytime he stumbled. The prince peered at it; there was not enough above ground to be able to pull it up by his teeth, but if he dug around it some more. Yes, that would work.


    The Prince began to dig with strategy, going under the room the best he could, trying not to unearth too much on the sides. From what he could tell, this was no sort of herb, but he also was not a healer. The boy wrapped his teeth around the root, tugging back much like a dog. His body pulled backwards awkwardly, back and forth, back and forth. It almost felt like he could feel his teeth bend to the root’s will, his bones wanting to pop out of joint. But with one final tug, the Prince was tossed back, tripping on his feet as he fell onto his ass. The root was firmly in his mouth, teeth dug deep into its flesh.

    It would have been nice if he had been paying attention, though. As Kastra looked around, he spotted Kyra, now in his head small Kyra, as a giant figure walked with her. And oh boy. Kastra couldn’t take his eyes away. He had traveled a good few times in his life, but he had never seen such a creature. He was so...big. And the mane he had, it made Kastra’s ears go hot. Awkwardly he worked the root out of his teeth, spitting it to the ground. “Hi, Kyra. Who’s this?” There was a small hint of eagerness in his voice, but he hoped his Princely charm would cover it up, or maybe that he was just excited for a new member of Nardir.

[Kyra]

K y r a,

Oh don't you dare look back, Just keep your eyes on me
I said you're holding back, She said shut up and dance with me

---

Kyra would pause and watch him sniff things before leading him on ward. He was probably just acquainting himself with the lands. She wondered if he would be interested in the healing arts like her father and so many others. She kind of wished there were more warriors around.

Just then she heard him call her name with some gentle alarm, and she looked back as she started to crouch down. She pricked her ears and she swiveled her gaze around trying to to find what he spotted. He was much taller than her so maybe he saw someone up ahead. With the way he had been frightened of herself maybe he saw a pack member. She continued to walk on, but a little more wary, until she finally spotted Kastra.

"Oh! It's Kastra!" She said calling over her shoulder and beckoning him forward.

“Hi, Kyra. Who’s this?” The prince asked... a little awestruck? I mean Balder was kind of awe inducing.

"Heya, I found him near the border, rolling around in some flowers. He's really sweet and is looking for a home, thought he might like it here. Balder, this is The Prince Kastra. Prince Kastra meet Balder." Kyra said sitting down. She found one of the royals, no sense in heading in further to Mercury when Kastra was perfectly capable of making the executive decision to keep moving with the acceptance. She was also trying to use formalities a bit more after her stumble with around Moyra.

How was @Moyra doing anyway?

ooc:

Photo © Cedric Verstraete / coding © vixxie's codes / lyrics © Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon

[Balder]

Speech:#99cc66

"Oh! It's Kastra!"


“Hi, Kyra. Who’s this?”


"Heya, I found him near the border, rolling around in some flowers. He's really sweet and is looking for a home, thought he might like it here. Balder, this is The Prince Kastra. Prince Kastra meet Balder."


Balder watched as the two began to exchange conversation, his ears lowering as he felt suddenly embarrassed for being worried over nothing. The hell bear lowered his entire body to the ground, his large eyes looking at Kyra and then Kastra. A prince, hmm? Balder had never met one of those, but it sounded important.

"Im sorry," was all the large boy could muster as he looked at them both sadly. Though his tone was sad, there was more fear than actual sadness as he lay on the ground, looking at them both. He wished he could say more, tell them more and open up more about how he felt bad for destroying their flowers, and for assuming this prince to be some sort of threat. He wished he could just, apologize for everything that he was now putting the pair through- even though they both seemed to be generally excited and happy with how the situation was going. Balder felt his entire body go cold as the realization that this wolf could be the one to accept or deny him a place of safety and refuge. As the thought hit him he rose to all four and dipped his head low to the ground. That was respectful, right?

When he lifted his head, his eyes darted from Kyra to Kastra, front limbs shifting his weight from side to side. A beast of few words, he needed to express his intents and also...his meaning in one swoop. Large brows furrowed as he tried to put on the most serious face he could; his heart pounding in his chest. He only had one shot at this...better make it work.

"It is...pretty," he finally rumbled as he looked at the pair, nodding. Yes, he was off to a good start. Eyes darted from both of them to Kastra as he spoke again. This was his defining moment to shine and show that he really meant that he wanted to be here.

"Here. It is pretty. Like you."

And if the night is burning

I will cover my eyes

For if the dark returns then

My brothers will die

[Kastra]

    If a wolf could blush, Kastra would be red. Maybe it was still the lack of seeing many others besides the packmates she had been raised around, or maybe it was just how giant this stranger was, but it was somehow alluring to the prince. For some reason his mind didn’t seem to know the word ‘romance’ or ‘crush’ or any other form of love towards someone else. But still, there was the soft skip in his heart and the twirling in his brain. It was Kyra that brought him back to earth. "Heya, I found him near the border, rolling around in some flowers. He's really sweet and is looking for a home, thought he might like it here. Balder, this is The Prince Kastra. Prince Kastra meet Balder." The name felt tough, big, just like the name holder.

    As he looked at Balder, the giant seemed to crouch lower, almost sad looking. ”I’m sorry.” Gruff, but with a hint of fear. The Prince opened his mouth, trying to say something, then awkwardly opened and closed it some more. “No no, you’re fine.” His words were quick, obvious confusion and nervousness to them. Sure, he had been working with Mercury to be a good top of the line leader, but being put into her job for the first time felt weird, and he was doing a rather awkward job at it. Maybe later on he’d tell his aunt about it, and she’d laugh and tell him some funny story. He sure hoped so.

    ”It is...pretty.” Balder said softly, and Kastra cocked his head to the side. ”Here. It is pretty. Like you.” Kastra quickly turned to Kyra, mouthing the words “me?” with confusion and almost some kind of concern or fear. Maybe it was directed at Kyra, and the beast just happened to look at them both, maybe more at Kastra, without meaning to. There was an obvious nervousness, or maybe even excitement, to the prince now. “Nardir?” He tried to say with some confidence, as if changing the subject. “Do you wanna join us? You look like you could be useful.” Kastra, of course, didn’t know that Balder wasn’t much of a fighter, and had skills in other areas, but it was probably obvious that he meant the use of size and toughness versus mindful skills.  

[Kyra]

K y r a,

Oh don't you dare look back, Just keep your eyes on me
I said you're holding back, She said shut up and dance with me

---

Kyra sat patiently, as she watched the conversation unfold. She thought as she looked over both of them that she wished her little screaming maniacal terrors who had barely just opened their eyes a week ago may one day be as gentle as either of these two.

She blinked at Kastra as he exchanged a look with her when he said that "it" was beautiful like him. Her own way of saying, See? Gentle. I like him. without interrupting.

“Do you wanna join us? You look like you could be useful.”

She turned back to Balder to see his response. If only she could be this patient with Silvi and Kalli. She had to keep reminding herself they were only babies when they squalled for milk, but thankfully they could go longer periods without her.

"You'd be a good fit to patrol the borders with me, but it's up to what you feel like you can do. We have lots of options." She suggested. Maybe he'd be a good hunter, or even a crafter. Maybe he had a good eye for groundskeeping and could keep Buckshot company, especially with his comment about the land being pretty.

ooc:

Photo © Cedric Verstraete / coding © vixxie's codes / lyrics © Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon