Looking For A Brighter Future

Ciaran wasn’t a big boy, not by a long shot. He made it just over five feet and roughly nine inches tall, which sometimes makes himself compare to his peers and usually concluding he probably would get his ass kicked if he wasn’t to be a Wereling. Just his luck.  Also considering the fact he’s not a regular eater, causing most people to shoot a disapproving glance his way, adds up to his very slender built. At first he tended to be bothered by those depreciating looks he received. He’d lie on his bed at night after night with that same train of thought playing like an old cassette tape over and over again in his mind. Yet in the present day, he stopped worrying about the little things. The course he had been wanting to follow for a time,  finally was given a chance by him. He found the courage to leave his seemingly safe environment and go look for people like him. And so he did after darkness overlaid nature and almost everything else went quiet- except for the young wolf and his direct surroundings.

A few hours later, a little before midnight, Ciaran made his way to a forest, wearing a pair of sneakers and some bluish shorts which went perfectly along with his white blouse. Although, that’s what he convinced himself off earlier. These particular woods, he was about to set foot in, wasn’t exactly your everyday kind of forest. This one had something special to it, if he were to believe the rumors among the local wolf population. Rumor had it, a pack was settled somewhere between the large amount of the trees, plants and wild animals. As his first footsteps got stained in the dirt, a distinct scent or rather scents, lingered around his nostrils. Well this odor he was quite familiar with indeed. Suddenly his inner wolf awoke somehow as it asked him a question. ‘Where are you going?’ He mentioned excitedly. ‘Somewhere safe, believe me’ Ciaran whispered under his breath, not wanting to disturb the environment. Despite his efforts to make his voice sound secure and his answer certain, it didn’t really work out like he aimed for it to. A soft sigh passed his cracked lips as he marched on through the mix of plant roots, bushes and bugs. He moved as silently as he could and minutes passed by without making a single really plangent movement, it wasn’t until the quietness was rudely interrupted by a loud ripping sound. His greyish eyes distinctively averted to his blouse and he noticed it got stuck behind a sharply edged branch. Great. Highly annoyed, he tore his shirt apart even more. Didn’t like it anyway, the boy thought as he continued his journey while gripping the blouse tightly in his hand. There he wandered through the wilderness, a half-naked pup searching for a brighter future in the middle of the night.

The Alphess had been relaxing on the poolside deck, lazily enjoying the rays of the sun that had no effect on her. Large sunglasses were slid to cover her eyes while she relaxed. The waves of the water would nip at her toes, though she just lay there and sipped her glass of lemonade. It had been a long day for her, nothing but organizing new design ideas and arguments with illogical customers. She had been doing well so far, though her concentrations were on her pack as well. There had been some newcomers, but she had only met one at the borders so far. Some of the newer members were some that she was ecstatic to meet. Others didn’t bring so much excitement. Teimhnin stood and walked back into the castle when she was finished with all the relaxation. She went up to her spacious room and put on a simple t-shirt/shorts combo a pair of tennis shoes that were rather comfortable for a hike. Border patrols were a thing she took deadly serious, but she wanted to separate herself from the lower ranks in her pack. She straighter her back and carried herself in dominance, If she was going to be looking for new members, why not be professional in playing the part?

The scent came to her nose after she had gotten a good fifteen minutes into her patrolling. It was very faint, but it had been there. She hoped that they hadn’t come as a wolf, but it they had by her command they'd have to shift back. Teimhnin walked a little faster and pushed through the brush until she both smelled and saw who she was looking for. Thankfully this wereling looked human. Teimhnin walked over to him and stood directly in front of him. She looked at the wereling male and let her wolf fangs extend until they poked her bottom lip. After making sure that he saw them, she immediately retracted them and looked at the male. “Welcome to the Venantium borders. I’m Alphess Teimhnin, and who might you be?”

(Just making the posts short to get you accepted!)

Agitation was the main feature he possessed after repeatedly brushing away branches and leafs which sometimes brought thorns with them. A sudden distinct scent hit his nose, and as he lifted his head to take a look at the individual, she stood strikingly close. Only a few feet separated him from the person which he identified as a woman. Ciaran stopped immediately in his tracks, seeing as her fangs grew dangerously shorty after. He averted his gaze from her shyly, to the soil ground beneath his feet. The woman’s attitude had a remarkable effect on him.

She meant business, listening to her going straight to the point of asking his name. So this is Teimhnin, the Alphess of the renowned Venantium pack.. He felt kind of threatened and relieved at the same time. For one, she appeared out of nowhere and radiated dominance. Yet he was also glad to meet her, after all this is what he’d been searching for so long. ‘Go talk to her you dummy.. She might even think you’re a mute if you keep this up’ His inner wolf chuckled. The young wolf was used to being laughed at or made fun off, but he couldn’t stand his other side giving him lip. ‘Shut it.. I will..’ Ciaran reassured him.

He inhaled deeply and apparently gained the courage the face the Alphess.
‘Thank you miss, I’m Ciaran, Ciaran O’Connell..it’s uuhm.. a pleasure to be meeting you, Alphess’ He was scarcely proud of himself, considering he didn’t stutter once. Usually he’d have to repeat himself, which he absolutely hated to do. Especially in these kind of situations he had the tendency to stutter. ‘I reckon you must be wondering what I’m doing here.. at this time of day.. in your territory..’ Ciaran grew slightly more comfortable as he clutched the ripped shirt tightly in his hand. Not to be seen or looked at as a sign of anger, but more as a sign of nervousness or restlessness, if you will. ‘You see, I’ve been wandering for a long time now.. and I’d like to have security, something I can rely on whenever things do not go as I planned for them.. I haven’t experienced either security or safety since I left my home some time ago, I figured a pack might be the answer..’ A hint of desperation got through his voice when he spoke. As he found himself silent again, he additionally eyed the Alphess’s feet again.

(Okay^^)

The familiar warmth the Alphess radiated was not lost upon the newcomer. Her ruby lips turned up in a smile as if they were already family and he was a very welcome guest upon her doorstep. He was young, very young in opposed to her ancient age. She couldn’t quite pick what caught her eye about him until he spoke his name, the answer fluttering towards her like a butterfly landing on her shoulder. “O’Connell, eh? A fellow Irish or Scottish man I presume? I’m sure I knew your ancestors at some point because the name does ring a few bells” The Alphess laughed softly and nodded at his next words. “I presumed as much dear and it is no trouble to me whatsoever. Really, it is my job to be there for the pack. Seeing that you do desire no ill will to me or my pack I see no issues in taking you in as one of our own. We’ll be very glad to carry another among our ranks, for I am already overjoyed. But..” Taking a step closer to the boy, she lifted his chin with a finger so he was looking into mirror-like gaze. Her chrome hues radiated her confidence and air of dominance as she spoke. “Do not look upon your peers with such submission. It is we, the members of the pack, that demand to speak and to be heard young one. If you want an ounce of respect you will look people in the eye, tilt up your chin, and raise your voice until even the world will stop simply to watch you. That is what we do here and, if you are to become a man, I expect no different from you.” With that, the Alphess turned on her heel and gestured for him to follow her to the castle.

She wove her way through the nature, going with it instead of against it as a natural path came forth. The castle loomed above her and Ciaran, glistening like metal in the sunlight though it was nothing more than brick. Without intimidation she walked up the steps and pushes open the door, presenting Ciaran with the foyer. “Feel free to do as you wish here within reason. No hanging from the chandeliers and whatnot, though you might see a few doing just that. I am not going to give you a tour because I expect you to socialize with the pack mates here and explore. Also, I have some business to attend to in my office so I shall be off to do that. Since you are so young you shall be an Apprentice until you can become a stronger Warrior. That is why I did not ask you your skills for you will learn them here and, eventually, the Academy. As for now claim a room and get settled. Oh, and don’t forget to have fun.” With a small wink the Alphess twirled and was gone just as easily as she arrived.