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Belladonna

Skill:

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The sun was setting through the mountain crags and cracks, a colorful display of life amongst the heavens.

Their journey had been long, tedious, drawn out, and the woman was tired...

By the time they reached the mountains she was exhausted and sore, her limbs screamed at her for they hadn't taken much time to rest in between their steps and Ivan ached from the nips and bites she received along the way.

She bled from small spots under her fur, her paws were nearly bleeding and oh so tender, and her nose was frozen...

Biting her lip they climbs high peaks to reach the place where many gathered and Ivan swept her peachy optics across everyone. Taking in their sights, their smells, how everyone seemed to be in such high spirits. She stayed near Ka, though kept her distance from his body it made her physically ill to touch him, and eventually strayed a little ways from her captor to peruse the gathering and hopefully find her way away from her master for a minute to find some peace.

Everyone was drinking and being merry while she was fearing for her life...

Could she find some peace here among different mountains?

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All things considered, Bella was a boisterous, growing girl. One of energy and pride and a knack—no, love—for adventure. She loved her home tucked within the mountains and saddled beside the whispering trees of a misty forest. But the North? With its high-reaching peaks of stone, its colorful sky draped in the most vibrant colors of a withering sunset, and the air that felt as raw and crisp as she had ever tasted before…well, she wondered if she liked it even more.

Her tail remained high, flagged, as she pranced through the snow and ice and took the lead among all those who walked behind.

The Northfall wolves smelled funny, their scents mingled with the sharpness of snow. But Bella paid it little mind as she explored the area with as much gusto and passion as a growing detective. She wanted to know all, learn all, and inevitably see all. Besides, one could never be too sure what information would be helpful to collect.

Yet, in her rounds, she could not help but notice the Saint’s wolf who remained timid despite the excitement that cheered around her.

That was no good.

Some would even mutter that one of theirs was showing weakness.

Ambling forward with a hop to her step, Bella decided to take it upon herself to fix that frown and turn it upside down.

Hey! She called out as her hops cut the distance, You! She didn’t know her name.

Truthfully, Bella knew very little names of those she was supposed to know.

It all felt like useless clutter in her brain.

Why does your face look like that? She asked outright as her steps came to a quiet stop before the older woman. With a head tilted, she stared, blinked and gawked.

The woman looked sad, and being sad was not okay.

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Belladonna

Skill:

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Heer mind swirled with the thoughts of everything that was happening when they were ripped away by a voice that targeted her. Immediately the girl winced and shied away in fear, not knowing her immediate fate.

When Ivan noticed it was a young girl she relaxed a bit and smiled timidly towards her. She looked a lot like the leader that had brought them here, Jaxxon, and she wondered if they were related. Why hello there... Ivan gentle spoke, her tones soft and delicate. The girl questioned the look upon her face and Ivan felt her smile fall again.

Oh... Oh its nothing... She tried to brush off with a forced smile, this one seeming out of place on her maw, her eyes shining a different tune.

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Her tail slithered into an even wag behind her as green eyes grew wide along the woman’s timid features. Her smile was as faltering as the moon that hid behind the sweep of clouds. Bella’s head cocked to one, a narrowed stare now encroaching on her baby-like features as she crinkled her maw at the other woman.

Was this woman a liar?

I don’t believe you, She uttered out next before dropping her body to a seat, her spine immediately tingling with the spike of cold.

This is a party, lady, She spelled out, a paaaarrrrttttyyy.

At least, Bella thought so.

She had heard rumblings about some celebration, though she hadn’t truly been listening when the older wolves uttered the purpose of their trip.

Selective hearing at its finest. Bella was here for the adventure, nothing more and nothing less.

You smile at parties, if you didn’t know. She said matter-of-factly. So, why aren’t you really smiling?

Was the woman sick? If so, maybe she shouldn't have come to the party at all.

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Belladonna

Skill:

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The puppy spouted many words at her then finally asked why she really wasn't smiling... Ivan had to come up with a reason to tell her that didn't involve Kidnapping...

Hmm..

I... She stuttered before turning to try to find the girls mother and turning back to the child with a look of concern crossing her face. Oh I... I am upset with... with my... She stopped and took a deep breath before blowing it out with her words. My mate... The words tasted vile in her mouth, upon her tongue and leaving her lips. It tasted like spoiled fruit and dirt... Like spoiled milk and rotten meat...

Oh gods she felt sick...

Her stomach dropped and a pit appeared, swallowing her heart whole and consuming her soul, she felt cold suddenly and began to shiver...

Her mate...

Yuck...

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A narrowed gaze slithered across her expression as Bella observed the other woman. Her stuttering words were held with a breath of uncertainty as Bella’s mind attempted to wrap around the logic that surely evaded her.

She was upset, the woman explained, and Bella could find no reason in her own mind why that mattered when they were at a party.

She was upset with her mate, the woman clarified, and Bella really did not understand.

Her mind flashed to the relationship her father and mother held and how her mother would soften him when her father got big, mean, and scary. Softer platitudes of hushed agreements and whispered apologies always seemed to do the trick.

Have you said you’re sorry? She asked blatantly with a tilt of her head. And then, after a pause, she dug deeper: Did you do anything wrong to anger him?

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Belladonna

Skill:

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No I... He's just... He gets angry easy... She replied, hoping that she understood these words, I have said I'm sorry... She added glancing away from the pup in a shy expression. How was she to explain this to this little girl?

Are you having fun at the party? Ivan asked, trying to change the subject as she glanced back at the babe and smiled a little, this time it was more real and blushing. More of an expression of her true character.

She really wasn't sure how to explain anything to this little girl so she hoped the babe would take the bait and possibly come up with a better conversation topic then why Te Kā was angry...

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Her stare continued to bore holes into the other woman as if she held the fire that could brand another’s soul. Searching, prodding, digging—Bella was a glutton for information and knowledge. Although she knew little of the world around her, of how families operated in a picture-perfect world, the woman’s words left a chasm of confusion within her excavating mind.

Her father always got angry—but that was no excuse—that was merely the way of the world, was it not?

The woman said she had already apologized, but had she offered her mate platitudes of encouragement? Had she offered him whispered promises of the things he would enjoy?

The child’s mouth opened to ask such questions but abruptly fell shut at the mention of the party.

Rightttt, they were at a party—in her own excavation of knowledge, she had completely forgotten about the celebration that resumed around them.

Her ears perked in assumed excitement, and that tiny, growing body of hers all but leaped to her paws in a wiggle. Oh yes! she exclaimed as her green gaze searched to a place behind her—where the jostling of mingling bodies resumed. There are many fun smells here, Bella explained, her mind catapulting to everything she enjoyed, I smelled something delicious earlier but could not find it—OH— and the scrappy spars are fun, just like we have at home.

It felt like home but better, somehow.

Do you think we’ll stay here long? She asked the older woman, positive that she would at least have the answers she sought. I don’t want to leave. She cemented with a wag of her tail.

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Belladonna

Skill:

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She listened to the other child babble on and giggled at her excitement with everything going on around them. Yes it is fun isn't it...? Even though I feel like I'm suffocating... Perhaps we will stay for a while but... Eventually we will have to leave... we have people back home do we not...? She questioned, knowing it was rhetorical.

She didn't have anybody back home, but she knew there were others in the pack that had others back home... And she knew that once they got home there would be things in store for her...And she didn't know what they would be...

I certainly hope we can stay for a while... She told the girl, hoping they could... For she feared for her safety when they returned, holding back a shudder through her frame.

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