.t.h.i.n.k.{TWICE} [Sanceul]

[Sivoncé™]

(( hee hee hee xD I like this thread )

Relief exhaled like in a vat of wind from Damien's lungs. Thank somebody holy THAT'S over! Sanceul didn't comment much, which somehow didn't surprise him. She could be prickly....but she wasn't spiteful on purpose. Well, at least he was pretty sure they'd gotten past that barrier after running into a few brawls where they ended up on the same side. "Eh...yeah. I do have a way with my word choice, don't I?" he laughed, the sound coming much easier now. Hey, that actually wasn't so terrible. I spewed some guts, but I think I'll be able to retain something that resembles a scrap of dignity....though, that was only the first round....I don't know how big that scrap of mine is.... He watched with a smile as she flipped the stone -- truth for her, too.

"Alllll right then.....hmmmm....." he thought hard about the questions he could ask her -- he had a few he wanted to ask, but none that seemed to go along with the mood of the game. He contemplated a moment longer, then a grinned wider. "All right then, Miss Sanceul. Why are you a loner and not a pack wolf? And I mean you specifically. I know why loners don't join packs but....yeah." His asking was awkward, but this didn't seem to bother him now. He listened intently.

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Mildly surprised but not about to show it, Sanceul simply raised a brow at his question. Hmm, I was expecting something more personal. Oh well, who’s complaining? But after that tree stunt, I’m definitely getting you back good next time… hehe, you can count on it, buddy.
Lifting her muzzle, she closed her eyes, contemplating whether she even knew the answer herself. Finally deciding on a fuzzy outline of an answer (one, she instantly decided, that did not involve mention of Morgan), Sanceul cleared her throat and began to speak.
“Well, I suppose it’s for a few reasons. When I was little, I was…” she flickered her eyes about the clearing, trying to locate the right word, “…an orphan. My soon-to-be foster father found me and took me in. He was a Healer, but many called him a ‘gypsy’. He had somewhat unorthodox beliefs… you know, different perspective on life and the afterlife. He believed in magical forces and superstitious things—considered unconventional by many a packwolf. I guess he sort of brainwashed me with his customs as a kid, but I didn’t really mind. And now that I’m older, I still think that mindset never really left me… kind of makes me hesitate to join a pack with a packwolf’s way of thinking, with the things he told me when I was young.
“We traveled a lot, though. Part of his beliefs and such—a free spirit is a healthy one, he told me. Probably good for me—I was plenty energetic. Did us both good to never dwell in one place for very long. Never got it out of my blood, either. Guess that’s the main reason. I can’t stay… never settle. Just keep on moving. You can’t do that as a packwolf… and besides, I know there are some appealing qualities and all, but seriously—how can anyone live like that? Squeezing into a single den. One or two others, sure… but an entire pack? That’s crazy. Plus, imagine all the ‘sharing is caring’ lectures… makes me sick just thinking about it.”
Realizing with a prick of embarrassment that she had spoken more than she had intended, Sanceul quickly shut her jaws, mumbling incomprehensible mumbles under her breath before adding an awkward, “Erm… your turn.”

[Sivoncé™]

Damien tilted his head as he listened, attentive to her every word, finding it oddly fascinating. His "childhood" in Hellfire, based solely on a packwolf's stories, involved little of other beliefs. He'd been taught rough ideas of what Blood Mist ceremonialism involved, but never details. Never anything that deviated from the lines of the packs. Probably because Redfang was tired of getting her tale scorched and wanted out of Hellfire any way possible. The idea of other thinkings....of other sorts of wolves, different than just loners, different than the packs.....Secret Fang mentioned the mountains, and every wolf knows the mountainers have always lived differently....but these aren't mountainers. Privately he wanted to ask her more about it -- what was it like, being a gypsy or healer -- whichever one was not offensive? Did she still practice, or was it something you don't really have to do much with? He held his tongue, letting her finish, smiling briefly at the "sharing is caring" comment.
"Oh, but Sanceul, don't you know....sharing is caring!" he snickered, rolling his eyes, then taking a paw to roll the stone. The curved side faced up, and Damien swallowed, a bit fearful now.
"Er...dare."

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Exhaling sharply with the relief, Sanceul noted that Damien failed to assault her with a flurry of questions. Good for me! she decided somewhat cheerfully. Relaxing when the pressure of attention shifted onto Damien, she rolled her eyes at his comment, but refocused her interest on the stone. A broad line distorted its smooth surface, and Sanceul inclined her muzzle in thought.
He made me climb a freaking tree, it has to be good… but what would match up? What would make him squirm more than anything else—oh god, I have an idea… but, do I dare? No, I couldn’t possibly… but still… eh, if he gets dare again, I’ll say it. But until then…
“I dare you to…” Her eyes roamed about the clearing until they settled on the turquoise beauty of the stream. “Hmmm… I dare you to catch a fish!” she announced, a wide grin returning to her features. “C’mon… you can’t tell me you’re all about fighting and saving the injured. Let’s see some of those fishing skills!”

[Sivoncé™]

Fish? She wants me to catch a freakin' fish? ....for real? A sly smile creased his maw, a clever gleam crept into his eyes. Well, she wasn't specific to what kind of fish...
"Hm, let me see here, where could I find a fish....oh look, there's one!" He grabbed her scruff, gently, and tugged lightly. "ISHHY!!" he murmured, fur disabling proper speech. He snickered humorously, then let go of her scruff, spitting out hair, and pawing at his tongue to rid himself of it. "What do you say, Miss Fish? Does it count?" He smiled good naturedly at her, knowing full well it didn't. "All right, all right, let's do this thing...." He gave himself a rough shake, rolling his shoulders, as if preparing himself for the task ahead. Here goes nothing....
He bent over the river, glad for his lack of shadow here. It was very dark now, so at least he didn't have to worrow about that impairing his fishing abilities....not that he had any fishing abilities. He hunched over the water, paw slightly raised, and waited. Moments ticked by slowly, nothing seemed to happen. He nearly fell into a lull, but then prodded himself into wakefulness once more. He eyes the rippling waters with intense distaste. This has got to be the most boring thing---
SPLASH!
A fish lept up from the cool river, his paw flung out instinctively, but not to catch it -- to bat at it. The fish was flung behind him, flung towards Sanceul. Damien, meanwhile, lost his balance on the bank, and flung himself headfirst into the cold stream. "GAHHH!"
Sploosh.
He bobbed to the surface a few seconds later, spitting out water like a fountain, and kicking out for the bank. "I think that's game over..." he murmured through clattering teeth. The water was icy cool, no yet heated by hot summer days and nights. Dang, I hate Spring!

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Her grin dwindled as Damien crept toward her, appearing to have different intentions. She instinctively retreated a step when he made his advances, and she blinked in surprise when Damien had gripped her by the scruff. Rolling her eyes in response to his words, she muttered, “Uh-huh, yep. You caught me. I’m a regular trout… at last, you know my secret.”
Smirking a little when he released her, she shook herself, and cast a glance in his direction. Apparently, Damien didn’t require an answer, and he set out to catch an actual fish without confirmation. As he waited on the shore, Sanceul looked on. She rasped her tongue over her fur once or twice, finding it strange to have another wolf’s scent on her fur. Then, at last, a splash sounded from the waves—and Sanceul could not stop laughing.
The fish soared and landed near her paws—an expert swipe, as far as Sanceul was concerned. But when Damien slipped into the waves in the same motion, amused giggling exploded from Sanceul’s maw. She was practically on the ground as Damien dragged himself from the depths, her smile as wide as ever.
After he spoke, Sanceul responded, her speech broken by involuntary snickering. “What? Stop now? But look at all the fun we’re having—hahaha!” And you called me a fish!
She kicked the stone anyway, too riddled with joy to be nervous on the roll. Even when it landed with the blank side up—she hated ‘truth’—she turned to face Damien again and continued to laugh at his expense.
“What, is the water that bad?” she teased. “Besides, you caught the fish, so now we have a snack. Be happy!” At her last statement, she reached past the rock and hooked the fish with her claws, dragging it in front of them. “Here: take half for your ‘efforts’.” And you better not freeze solid or something—I’d rather not have to warm you up. That’d be just awkward…

[Sivoncé™]

( LOL "and I'd rather not have to warm you up, that'd just be awkward" I love Sanceul )

Damien rolled his eyes at her laughter, offering a good-natured smile, but not really finding it in him to have a heaving laugh over himself --- his laughing muscles ached with cold when he chuckled. He dragged himself out of the chilly waters and shivered, pelt hanging like thick dark curtains around him. Water dripped down in little drizzles from the ends of his fur. "I was serious, ya know. Hm....tell you what: we eat, find some place to hole up, and then we play until we fall asleep like drunken molerats. Sound peachy?" He sniffed the fish daintily, never having eaten anything with aquatic flavor. He tilted his head at the petrified creature, wincing a bit at it's wide-eyed, glassy stare. "Ya know, these things are really really ugly. I thought I needed a makeover but....sheesh! Well, bon apetit!" He sliced the fish in half with a long dark claw, eyes wide as mysterious substances flecked his paws. "Ugh....fish guts. Futs!" He splashed his paw in the river, then turned back, eyeing Sanceul. "You're lucky it wasn't dare, or I would dare you to try this first. Ah, well. Hm....okay! Sanceul, since you inquired about my 'romantic history', I'll ask you about yours. Have you ever loved a wolf?" He grinned playfully at her, bending down to take a cautious bite of fish.

[.Rabid Lycan.]

“Mmm-hmm, agreed,” Sanceul decided, curling her now-dry tail in front of her. “I think I noticed another tree hollow when I was coming here. We could probably rest in there. Sound okay to you?” She sliced into the flesh of the fish, having eaten them before and knowing how to avoid soaking herself in ‘futs’—she chuckled at Damien’s exclamation—and took a small bite.
“Have you ever loved a wolf?”
Choking on her food, Sanceul turned her head and coughed and sputtered until she was able to breathe comfortably. Now, there was very little that disturbed Sanceul, with all that had happened in her life. Sure, her past was a touchy issue, but the main subjects that she avoided basically summarized themselves around Morgan and her emotions. And by emotions, love would be the main factor.
“M-me? Love!? I, uh… erm, ugh…”
Well, yeah, SURE I asked ya about your love life, but that doesn’t give you the right to ask about mine! Gah, you’re serious?? Aw, c’mon… what kind of a wolf are ya? Don’t ask that kind of question… at least, not around me… erg, is there a rule that you can’t ask the same type of question to the other wolf?? There should be!!
Even as Sanceul went insane in her mind, she knew that she’d eventually be forced to piece together an answer. If there was an answer. Should’ve agreed to ‘game over’ while I had the chance…
“I, uh… no, I don’t think so,” she managed, staring far too intently at her piece of fish to pass as normal. “Gah, I mean… erm… when I was younger, I was too obsessive” about Morgan she added silently, “to seek love… and now that I’m older, I’m, er… too ‘prickly’ for anyone to take interest in me long enough for me to, uh, develop feelings for them… y’know, I mean, I’ve met some wolves, but then they leave and, well, you never hear from them again. The only ones that ever try and, uh, stick around are the bad ones, and I’d rather be blind and deaf before I have another one of that kind hanging around…”
Wow. My sentence fluency fails. Sanceul shuffled her paws before reaching down and nibbling on her slice of fish, suddenly not so hungry. “Erm… why don’t we go ahead and walk over to that hollow I mentioned, shall we?” Without waiting for an answer, she abandoned her meal, picked up the stone in her jaws, and headed in the direction of the tree she had passed.

((I had so much fun writing this post XD hooray for awkwardness! ))

[Sivoncé™]

Damien attempted to keep eating, but her reaction was so unexpected, comical, and a bit surprising all at once, he stopped before he took another bite. Not that fish is all that great or anything, but geeze! And I thought I had skeletons in my closet....what's so freakin' bad about love? Okay, yeah, she obviously has had issues with relationships in the past, but not everything works out! Dang, some asshole must've messed her up or something, 'broke her heart' or something like that. Still....get back on the horse when it knocks you off!
He didn't say anything or even offer a jest or joking comment on her remarks of love. Instead, he merely followed, no longer hungry, a bit dazed. I don't really understand...but I suppose I really don't know Sanceul all that well. She's probably had a rough time of it, I've just been too self-absorbed to see it....dang, now I fell like an asshole....ah, well, I know not to talk about that anymore....
"Er...sorry," he woofed oddly, feeling the need to break the silence. "Sorry if that was...er...too personal or something..."

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Hearing the sound of Damien’s footfalls (indicating that he had fallen into step behind her), Sanceul exhaled a sigh and paused in her flight, dropping the stone at her paws for a moment. Hey, Sanceul, you idiot—it’s just a question. Stop stuttering and crap!
“…it’s fine. Nothing wrong with asking,” Sanceul woofed, her voice far steadier this time around. She half-turned toward Damien, opening her maw as she did so. “Look. You asked a question, you get a reply. Here’s a straight answer: no, I’ve never loved someone. The closest I got was the father-daughter love for my foster father, and he was, well… he was murdered a while back, so that was the end of that. Really, I mean, look at me. I don’t do well with socializing. At all. I mean, forget love! I don’t know anyone except my enemies! I mean, except you, of course. You’re kinda the only friend I’ve got…”
She stiffened, eyeing Damien strangely for a moment. Perhaps because she was surprised that she had called him a friend. Perhaps because she was surprised that she even had a friend at all.
Finished with her say, Sanceul lapsed into uncomfortable quiet. And there, amidst the turmoil of emotions, the awkward silence somehow triggered a snicker. Typical Sanceul fashion: fall back on sarcasm, and pretend nothing’s wrong.
“Wow. I pretty much ruined the mood of the game, haven’t I? Oops. Ah well, c’mon. You’re probably freezing your tail off from the water… and I’d rather not have to tie it back on if it actually falls off. It’ll be warmer inside…”
Taking the stone in her jaws, Sanceul led the last couple of yards to the hollow, and quickly ducked inside. It would be a somewhat tight fit, but nothing they couldn’t cope with, she was sure. As she entered, she dropped the rock and pressed against one of the walls of the den to make more room for Damien. She almost asked him to ask all the questions he wanted, just to get everything out at once… but didn’t. That would be messing up the rules of the game she thought with an unseen smile.

((me thinks Sanceul has more mood swings than a pregnant person XDXD))

[Sivoncé™]

Damien found himself perplexed by what -- seemingly -- was the end of Sanceul's little babble. Well, in all fairness, I had my own babble after she asked about Secret Fang....maybe less fragmented and more fast slurred speech, but everyone does things differently, I suppose.

Settling into the hollow relieved him greatly -- there was warmth in the walls of the dusty den and the tight space. He was used to tight fits by now. I wonder if it would feel weird to have a den alone? Most of the time I'm bunking with Sanceul. I guess it would be a little lonely. Chillier.

He flipped the stone with a nudge from his forepaw, landing, once more, on the grooved side of the stone. This game isn't very nice to me...ah, well, at least there's little revenge from my digging deepness. Can't interrogate me or anything. "All right then....dare. What'll it be? Nothing with water, I hope?"

[.Rabid Lycan.]

Settling with her ivory pelt hugging the wall beside her, Sanceul shifted until she was facing opposite Damien, with what little room between them used to flip the stone. Her brow knitted when she saw the results, her stomach tightening slightly. She was hoping for truth. That way, she could get revenge by asking a more prying question. And, more importantly, she could skip out on the dare she had planned out the last time he had rolled.
You told yourself you would dare him if he rolled dare again one section of her brain argued. Here it is!
Well, yeah, but I was betting that he wouldn’t!
Too bad. Just say it, you wimp!
…urg, fine. Not like I have anything to lose anyway… besides, it’ll be worth it to see the look on his face. Hahaha. Best way to make him squirm. Ultimate vengeance for his questions. Not to mention that there’s not much else to do in here. We’re in a tree, for Lupus’ sake! What else could there possibly be to dare!?
“Nope, no water at all, don’t you worry… oh, and by the way, I might as well tell you: if you refuse to do a dare, you will be shamed for all eternity. Just warning you.” Get ready to be teased forever, buddy! Narrowing her eyes, Sanceul assumed a more serious expression and tone of voice. “I dare you to give me a goodnight kiss.” She had to bite down on her tongue to keep from laughing at the absurdity of the command, and she struggled to maintain her somber façade.

-----------------------

Somewhere, in OOC Village, Regulus jumps up and shouts “I KNEW IT!”

((I did some weird dares before—hell, I dressed up in a kid’s Batman costume and ran down the street—but this was the one dare I could never bring myself to do… god be with ya, Damien! ))

[Sivoncé™]

Whaaa? Whaaaaa?!?!
The nerve synapses in Damien's brain were on repeat like skipping records, unable to process what Sanceul had just proposed. He opened his mouth to speak, but then realized he didn't know what to say. There were no positive or negative attributes to this news -- news that he would be kissing Sanceul, since he, of course, couldn't live under her cloutings of shame. It seems a strange dare, since she'd just been so stingy over her love life....
"Er......whatever floats your boat?" He murmured eventually, eyes wide, still perplexed. Ugh. Really? Really--
Before his brain remembered how to work right, he padded forward and closed the small gap between them. Eyes studying her skeptically, still waiting for the 'JUST KIDDING' or 'HA! GOTCHYA!', he leaned slowly forward....
and then realized he didnt know what the heck he was doing...and then he let go of realization.
It was quick, but soft, containing something he was fully prepared to deny as soon as he turned away.
Not crushing for Sanceul. Nope, what are you talking about? I'm just a little huxster, that's all. Get dared to do things like this all the time.
He pulled away abruptly and sat in his former place in an attempt to collect what was left of his dignity.

(...second wolven 'kiss' in history, the first being Rhain and Lupus )

[.Rabid Lycan.]

((this thread is priceless XDXD))

Sanceul found herself on a crossroads. On one paw, she would have to endure (she refused to imagine that she could enjoy it) a kiss. A sign of affection. Sanceul did not have a very good relationship with affection. And, on the other paw, she got to watch Damien squirm. To this extent, she was practically holding in one of those wild, maniacal “witch laughs” when she saw the expression on his face.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Then, he spoke, and began to move toward her. At this moment, Sanceul felt the glee of watching him suffer replaced with a nervous knot in her gut. Dear Lupus, he’s actually going to do this…
She nearly began acting out the motions of pulling away—mostly out of reflex—but she was cut short when Damien had situated his person directly in front of her. Besides, where would there be to pull away to? It was already a tight enough space already!
Then, it happened. A soft, gentle touch. Although she was too proud to admit it, Sanceul felt a sliver of emotion—she couldn’t quite determine what it was—creep up her spine when he touched her. …erm… And then the sensation was relieved, and she watched Damien return to his corner of the den.
Heat radiated from beneath her coat, and she lowered her head to the ground in an attempt to reduce the burning. For once, she couldn’t muster up a sarcastic remark. Nothing came to mind.
Then, finally—after a few minutes of silence—Sanceul grumbled a barely audible word under her breath. “Nice.” No sarcasm, just ‘nice’. Then, giving no indication that she had spoken, she nudged the stone with her nose. It rolled a few inches forward, and the marked side stared up at them. Dare.
Suddenly not comfortable meeting Damien’s gaze, Sanceul stared at the rock, wondering what could possible compete with the previous dare.

[Sivoncé™]

Damien watched the stone, hoping desperately for truth -- he had a good one for truth, a follow-up to Sanceul's crafty daring. Fat worked against him -- the grooved side appeared yet again. Sighing, he laid his head down to rest on his front paws, and he curcled his damp body together, yawning widely as he did so. "I think we both know there's not really much I could say to top that unless we spontaneously become perverted. I don't see that happening any time in the near future, or, ya know, any time at all, so I think that brings us to a close, Sanceul. Does that mean you win?" he smiled at the last part, not at all bothered by his inability to come up with somethin better, but rather content that they'd engaged in the series of embarresing events. It was worth it -- that's the best time I've had since.....well, ever. That's the best time I've ever had. Wow. Well, really, Sanceul's one of the best friends I've ever had. I've never really had a close friend before.....from the sounds of it, after her foster father, she didn't have one either.
Well, that makes two of us...