#lone wolf: ( thread )

[aamusedly]

@meadowlarksabove from THE DEVIL.

So the Devil walks into a dentist's office.

Of course not an ordinary dentist's office-- he was connected enough to know that from the start. And despite the now substantial crack in one of his capped molars, he was there for a slightly more enjoyable experience.

Slightly. He'd dealt with this dentist ages ago in passing, back when he was part of something bigger. Honestly, the man had creeped him out. but the Devil respected the a consistent business, at least, and Gabban had the market cornered.

Through the doors. Was this a waiting room?

Hood up to lazily hide his horns, tail curled under the bottom of his coat, the Devil announced himself with a clearing of his throat. "Piss poor magazine selection you have out there," he began. "What if I get bored while waiting for my friend's cavity fill?"

[fragmented-tales]

Cont.d from here @tenebriism ;;

What an interesting reaction, the deity hadn't expected such a... nervous? response. Perhaps gifting those you CARE for a portion of your hunt was no longer part of the proper etiquette.

He was being thanked, and had been invited inside for a meal? " Mh. If you WISH to have me, " he nods slightly. He'll have to duck most likely.

[wildwoof]

You wake up to see this peaceful face asleep soundly beside you.

[phntasmgoria-moved]

3/???

[just-a-ghost00]

Crush series - How to manifest further connection with them?

Deck used : threads of fate oracle

Group 1 - Connect to heart, The Explorer, Soul work, Compassion

This is very simple but also very sweet. Your guides suggest you to be more vocal about how you feel for this person. "Shout it from the rooftops, litterally" lmao I guess if you're the shy type that would be a difficult thing to do but that's the whole point. Your guides want you to battle with your fears and get out of your comfort zone. Being more gentle with yourself is another thing you can do. They're saying "your crush will enjoy that you are taking care of yourself because as much as they love the attention you give them, they value the attention you give yourself more". Awww. Your crush/person of interest wants to see you happy and thriving above anything else. When you do things that you like, when you travel, when you take care of yourself or are not afraid to show your vulnerable side, all of this will bring them closer to you. Especially for those of you that have them on your social media. They are watching everything you do. Though they don't interact, they see everything. When you post about them, it makes them happy. When you post about your passions and hobbies, it makes them happy. When you write about how sad you are because of what's going on in the world, not only are they happy that you find the courage to express what troubles you but they are also in awe and extremely proud of you. Show the extent of your love for life, for people, lay your heart bare, be your authentic self. The more you do that, the stronger they will be drawn to you. Also I'm picking up on make up and body image. If for instance you always wore make up on your selfies, they want to see your bare face. If you didn't like to show your body they will feel happy that you are more confident to do so with them. Of course, you should only do what you feel comfortable with. There's no pressure put on you to do these things. But I hope you get that metaphorical idea of shedding layers. They suggest you to let your guards down, leave masks behind and show your true nature. Be natural is what they mean.

Group 2 - Boundaries, Transmute, Compassion, Play

If group 1's reading was about being transparent and showing their true self, in your case spirit advises you to keep a part of mystery. Your crush will enjoy someone who is secretive, doesn't lay their private life bare for everyone to see. They will appreciate someone that has strong boundaries, that respects and loves themselves enough to cut people that are being disrespectful off. You are advised to do things for your own happiness and satisfaction, regardless of what people may think. Your crush will appreciate someone that is a bit of a lone wolf, that isn't afraid to be alone and face their shadows. They will appreciate someone that is honest and owns up to their mistakes. Someone that isn't disdainful but that won't lick people's boots either. If you show signs of being independent, having your own mind about certain subjects, if you are rather reserved and only let in people that you trust, your crush is likely to highly respect and admire you. They like a person that is a little hard to get. Similarly to group 1, you are encouraged to be more gentle with yourself and allow yourself times of pleasure because you deserve them. Let's say that your crush meets you in town because you're getting a haircut they would think "wow this person takes good care of themselves". Or if they meet you at the gym doing your own thing, they would be impressed, even more so if that is something they also do. They would appreciate to know that you have common interests, things that you can bond over. I'm also suddenly thinking of activities like arcade games, laser games and such. If this person knew that you were doing such things they would be happy because then they'd know 'oh this is someone I can have fun with, they aren't scared of trying new things'.

Group 3 - The Pillar, Underworld, Paradox, Ask body

Do things that are unconventional, daring, that would make this person puzzled or intrigued. Also, group 3 is usually my witchy group lmao So for those of you that have psychic abilities, you are encouraged to use those to your advantage lmao Careful though, we're not talking about spells here. We're talking about using your skills to understand this person better. We're talking about asking your spirit guides and allies to act in your favor. You are also encouraged to focus on your career and achievements. To take on opportunities that will make you the next hot topic. You're encouraged to increase your notoriety, broaden your audience. I will use a specific example that may only speak to some of you. If you're a tarot reader, consider doing a type of readings that would draw a different type of audience like celebrity crush readings. Or instead of using Tumblr, try using a different platform like Insta or Tiktok. This will give you visibility and your crush may end up hearing about you on social media. For some reason that seems important. For others I'm actually getting that you should be helping the one helping your crush gain notoriety, supporting them behind the scenes. (That sounds familiar lmao)

[aamusedly]

@galaeus for THE DEVIL.

Echo Galaeus was a name he hadn't heard in quite a long time. Not since before he'd lost the Chimera-- a change in career direction, he'd told himself. Devil had since gone to ground, snipped the last ties he had, and restarted from the ground up.

It was a move that few in his line of work would have considered tenable, at least not with one's pride in-tact. He really ought to have picked up and started again in a new city, a place with a throne ripe for the taking. But... he didn't much want a throne anymore. Besides, the Devil loved New York, and it loved him right back. The merc business changed with the tides, and only four years and a couple misplaced bullets later nobody even remembered the Chimera under his leadership. Good for sweeping it under the rug.

Though it begged the question how Echo found him again. Even with her SHIELD affiliations, it would've been a tough find. But she'd always been gutsy, and he did have ads for those who knew how to look.

Hiding a guy with horns and a tail would never be fully possible. He'd made peace with that one.

And made peace with the fact that his old haunt for collecting business wasn't in the cards anymore: the classic East Village cocktail lounge was now a South Brooklyn dive bar, offering filthy well liquor and scuzzy draft beers to the sad old men that watched Jeopardy in silence.

Devil at least had his own little corner in back and around the corner when he stopped by to do business-- marked by a dart board pinned with a photograph of Margaret Thatcher, googly eyes and all. The Devil was lounging in his booth with two shots of whiskey and a tall can of beer on the table in front of him, his tail dancing listlessly at his side.

He looked no older than the last time Echo had seen him, not by a single day. The only sign was of change was his hair now grown out to tuck behind his ears, a scruff of a beard, and a new scar cutting a neat line down the right side of his lips. Those lips, of course, turned up in a grin that reflected in bright amber eyes.

"Holy shit," he beamed, "would you look who it is. Do mine eyes deceive me?"

[syrupgirl]

Sully men and the language they love in

+incl Neteyam, Lo’ak and Jake <3

NETEYAM

Quality time & acts of service

๑༄ ‧₊˚ This guy just wants to be helpful and be able to be with you whenever he has spare the time. I think being so close to his siblings made him love spending quality time with people he loves so that definitely translates into his relationship with you

⤷“Neteyam, where are you going?” Neytiri questioned, placing down the basket she attempted to weave.

“yn is going to help me with my free diving, maybe even teach me how to hunt.” He sounded giddy and was clearly ready to go. His mother smiled and looked down at her lap.

“Alright, do not get into any trouble.” Neteyam nodded frantically and without another second he took off towards the shore.

-

“Surely it cannot be that different than what Tsireya has been teaching us.”

The two of you bobbed up and down in the water, letting the waves gently jostle you while you taught Neteyam.

“You are right, not too different. But hunting under the water asks you to be able to move your breath around your body in a different way that just free diving.” You explained.

The distance between you closed and you placed a hand on Neteyam’s chest.

“Imagine the breath you take flowing all throughout your body.” His chest slowly expanded and deflated under your palm. “Like…Rain trickling from leaf to leaf, like wind weaving itself through the trees.”

Neteyam’s snorted and you whined, “Come one, you almost had it!”

He continued to laugh and brought a hand up to his face.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry. It’s just…The way you explained it. I could tell you were really trying to explain it in a way that you thought I would get.”

Heat crept up to your face and you looked away, a little embarrassed.

“I thought it might help you..,”

Neteyam’s laughing died down and he took your hand in his under the water, feeling a little bad.

“It did, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I think it is adorable you are trying to…customise your teachings for me.” He brought your hand up to his chest again and took a deep breath.

“Now, tell me what to do again.”

LO’AK

Gift giving & physical touch

๑༄ ‧₊˚ I don’t know about you, but I can totally imagine Lo’ak bringing you things he finds pretty or things he thinks you will find pretty. It might just be me over exaggerating that lone wolf, not-like-other-guys quality about him but in my head, he’s quirky like that

⤷”Lo’ak? Lo’ak!” You called. He was just next to you…Where could he have wondered off to? Leaping over a small creek, you continued to scan the foliage around you maybe to catch a glimpse of him.

The ground was moist beneath you noticed as you sat down, opting to wait for Lo’ak to turn up again like he always did. Your eyes drifted shut and you let yourself away with the gently breeze that combed and wove itself through the tall trees and colourful bushes. So caught up in the environment around you, you didn’t notice the sneaking footsteps behind you.

Lo’ak crept up behind you, a colourful flower in between his fingers. While sneaking through the thicket, he had noticed it and was immediately entranced by it’s delicate petals and long stamen. After sayings a quick prayer to Eywa in exchange for this beautiful gift, he plucked it and made his way back to you.

Now right behind you, he gently picked up the long braid that protected your tsaheylu and wove the stem through the intricately woven hair. You gasped and turned around suddenly, your hair slapping Lo’ak right across the face and he sputtered.

“Oh, Lo’ak! You scared me!” You gasped and punched him pathetically in the arm. He laughed and came to sit next to you.

“There was a flower, a pretty one. I thought you might like it.” He gently picked up the large plait and showed where he had woven the flower through. A smile settled across your lips.

“Thank you, Lo’ak, it’s beautiful.”

Lo’ak said nothing just smiled bashfully and shuffled a bit closer to you, threading his fingers through yours.

JAKE

Words of affirmation & physical touch

๑༄ ‧₊˚ Over the years, the world has worn on Jake. He’s a father and he will stop at nothing to protect his family. He worries, worries, worries CONSTANTLY, so the days where he can let the weight slip from his shoulders and just gather you in his embrace and shower you in gooey loving words feel all the more sweet to him.

⤷“Whose kids are those?” Jake sighed as he fell down next to you. “Not mine, that’s for sure. I was never that hyper as a kid.”

A laugh bubbles up from your stomach as you adjusted Tuk on your chest.

“Are you sure? Maybe they don’t mirror your childhood, but they do remind me of when you first arrived here. All clumsy and eager in your new body.” He laughed at that and wrapped his arm around you.

The sound of the boys in the river playing not far away washes over the two of you both. After a while, you remove Tuktirey from your breast and up to your shoulder to clear her airway of bubbles.

Jake’s eyes lingered on you and his youngest and smiled. He brought a hand up to gently pat her back and Tuk responded with a gurgle. He took her from your arms and lay the baby across his chest, then pulled you closer by the arm around your shoulders.

You nestled yourself into his side and lifted a finger up to stroke your baby’s cheek. She cooed and you both smiled.

“I don’t say it enough but,” you turned your head up to look at your mate, “thank you.”

“For what?”

“For everything. For them-” he looked to the direction of his other children who were still occupied in the stream “-for her-” now looking at Tuk “-Everything. I don’t know where I would be today without you.”

No words were needed after that. As a tear rolled down your cheek, you closed your eyes and rest.

[bees-bees-fear]

Also all the Lucerni propaganda all over the place, with Dorian (or Mae?) IMMEDIATELY becoming the Archon post game. It's on The Outs.

"Why isn't there any slavery in [the slums]"

One wonders

[wildwoof]

@chibskimuses x CONT

A slight twitch to his eye in annoyance, yet he's more pulled into the fact of Ritsu bringing that up all of a sudden. "The hell with that! I haven't been tied up in a long ass time, ya dumbass! Plus, it was not entirely in public! Where the hell did ya hear that info from anyways?! The time ya put me on a leash for ya giggles doesn't count either! I'm not goin' through that again just for ya also!" He never said anything about public humiliation! He'd rather been praised by others when up on stage and be known for his accomplishments as a rocker than humiliated in public!

Whatever kind of shit these brothers were into, he's not about to constantly give into their weird desires.

Expression upon Koga's features speaks in volumes to the will to get the older to open up. Honestly, why do they all have to be so cryptic? It's fucking annoying! Though, he's not much better in hindsight. Admitting his own feelings proves to be just as anxious; he'd rather just come off as scary or rough than embarrassed by himself. Hands on hips, he waited.

Yet, he's thrown for a small loop when Ritsu softens up toward him. Their words hardly helping the case in the slightest bit. His shoulders tense upward as a bright flush crosses his cheekbones. Cutiesi wot... no he absolutely cannot repeat the words!

"With my what?! You didn't exactly bite me in an easily concealable location either, Ritchii! Don't go puttin' all the blame on me here! Ya bit me first, so if you did have practice, why ya wastin' your time bitin' me?! It seemed far more like ya wanted to mess with me than gettin' ready to go to practice! Honestly, Ritchii!"

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

hi! just saw your recent fenrys post and was inspired! i was wondering if you’d be willing to do another fenrys x reader with the prompt “i was so worried. it was killing me not being able to reach out and touch you.” ? where maybe they met a few years before the war and ended up finding out they were mates but agreed to keep distance to keep each other safe? and the readers part of aelins crew and they reunite?

Little light

To the furthest parts of himself, Fenrys had to push you. Dimming all the memories you two shared. All the love he felt. Sniffing out the smallest of embers of your bond. He won’t lose you. Won’t hold your dead body. Won’t let you meet the end Rowan's mate had met. You were no one to him. You meant nothing. He didn’t think of you. He didn’t breathe for you.

While this couldn’t be further away from the truth. It felt as if someone was burning him alive. Ripping him to pieces. There were moments when he would stop, bending over as he growled in agony. “Be okay”, he would mutter under his breath, “Please be okay, my little light”. Pulling himself back up as he slowly bled inside. Slowly became a shell of himself.

When the war broke out all Fenrys wanted was to go find you instead of joining his brothers on the battlefield. That inner battle he faced seemed never-ending. He knew that he owed it to his cadre, to be there, to support them, to fight alongside them, but his heart was finally free to go to you. “I want to hold it against you”, Rowan had stated one night, “now that you told me, I can ask you to stay”. It was the side of Rowan with Aelin's thar had sent the floodgates open that had made Fenrys finally admit that he wasn’t a young and wild boy still chasing his dreams. He was a mated man. He was with someone, not just a lonely soul, still searching for its purpose. “Let’s have that meeting first”, Fenrys clapped Rowen on the shoulder, “Then I will make my choice”.

The truth was that he felt guilty, about bringing the war to your doorstep. So part of him screamed to fight, to kill every single leach, and then return to you. Because you deserved calmness, you deserved a safe world and Fenrys wanted to give that to you.

It’s the scent that flooded him even before the wooden door creaked open. As if someone had pushed his head underwater, as the last seven minutes of his life flashed in front of his eyes. In walked Aelin and then… “No”, Fenrys breathed, “No”. Your eyes snapped to him as a gasp filled your lungs. “Fen…”, you muttered. “My light”, he crocked out, killing the distance between you two in a couple of steps. Eager hands searched all over your body. As if you weren’t here. As if you were a blip of his imagination.

“My wolf”, you choked out, wrapping your arms around his neck as you pressed into him. “You’re here… you’re here”, he cried quietly, wrapping his arms around you. He let go now. Tearing through the walls he had built. Reaching out to you through his heart. Trying to fight for that desperate fluttering thread.

“I was so worried”, he breathed, cupping your face in his hands, “it was killing me not being able to reach out and touch you”. You smiled up at him through your teary eyes, “I was looking for you ever since you left”, you admitted, leaning your forehead against his. “You found me, my light”, he muttered, “Mother herself brought you back to me”.

[lokittystuckinatree]

Happy Pride losers, I’m ready to be clowned but my dumb ass is now convinced Rogue is the Master…

Rogue and Renegade have eerily similar meanings under the right circumstance.

To rebel against an organized group. To go rogue.

An endearingly naughty person

Koschei, our second fave Renegade Time Lord

Apparently they were also called a Rogue Time Lord? I am not making this up.

Although Maestro is Master in Italian and look how that turned out

“Lord” interesting.

Red and Blue. The master and 13 were red and blue coded respectively. Have they switched, Symbolically?

Rogue was looking at the Doctor rather nefariously, even once they were buddies. Just go through some of the scenes again. It’s harder than you’d think to tell if he’s trying to seem seductive or evil

The entire premise of this ep seems to be “things are not as they seem; people are not as they appear” which is a Master staple

The Master has been haunting the fuck out of the narrative lately.

Here’s my thread on just how much

When I saw the first trailer, I instinctively thought “ballroom dance guy” was gonna be the new Master

The inside of Rogue’s (familiarly messy) ship has controls eerily similar to the configuration of a TARDIS.

Rogue is obviously a time traveler if he has that space ship and knows DnD (Rogue + Time + Lord. Oh?)

DnD might be a dead giveaway

Was Rogue’s name being inspired by DnD necessary to include? Cute thing the writers wanted to put in, or clue?

Why would Rogue know what DnD was but not know what cosplay or improv was?

The Master has been taken prisoner by the Toymaker, infamous for his love of? Games. You know who also has a running theme of “winning” and “losing”? The Master

In DnD you play as a character and rely on skill and chance to survive within the confines of a structured storytelling game. Bending the rules is often involved. The Master tried that against the Toymaker and failed.

DnD players will often have little tiny figurines of their characters. Remind you of anything?

the Master is a dnd rogue archetype. Trickster, lone wolf, shapeshifter.

If the Doctor is symbolically trapped in a TV show, is the Master trapped in a game? If the Toymaker is the DM, is he going rogue against the Toymaker?

The Master is infamous for their disguises and “cosplays” and has catfished the Doctor before.

Rogue is almost suspiciously too much the Doctor’s type. He’s like the love child of River Song and Jack Harkness. He is exactly the type of character the Master would create to lure and seduce the Doctor.

He and the Doctor just…get each other. It’s like they’ve known each other for much longer than a few hours. They’re too cushy (haha)

Rogue threatened to kill the Doctor, and then imprisoned him in a nice little cage. Familiar?

He tried to make the Doctor kill Ruby, who we all know is just Clara 2.0. Familiar?

He knows too much and too little

He knew the party was attended by alien birb people but only knew about one alien birb? And did he reaaaally think Doc was an alien bird?

The Dancing. They knew they wanted there to be a dance party before they even settled on a time period setting for the episode. Enough said.

The ring was…interesting

That’s a lot of commitment, even if only a promise ring. Something tells me he intended it as an engagement ring though

Someone tried to write a book in the 80s where 5 and Ainley were ex spouses, but it was shot down

Just an unrelated detail, but a ring on the pinky is a gay thing

Mirroring. Thoschei do that. A lot.

“You!” “No, you!” “no, you!”

The way they danced

The scene where they kept turning on and off the music

Speaking of music…Bad Guy by Billie Eilish? Too on the nose? Can’t get you out of my head? Poker face?

You remember that lady’s hand that picked up the Master in his widdle toof? Hand of the Rani?

This episode was written by two women. The Master would literally be in women’s hands

I remember watching Sacha Dhawan’s Spy Master for the first time and going…darn, he reminds me so much of Avengers era Loki. Kate Herron directed season 1 of the Loki Series and had a lot of creative control. Would it really be surprising if RTD (confirmed Loki fan) went to her for the Master after Sacha?

Didn’t Russell say he’s leaving the Master for “other writers?”

“The Master is parked” did he happen to park a Tardis disguised as an everyday spaceship???

In an interview, Kate said she and Briony designed Rogue to be the Doctor’s “equal”

References

“When I see him, I’ll know” and he is drawn to Rogue like a magnet.

“Travel with me” who must you be to want the Doctor to be your companion instead of vice verse

“We can argue across the stars”

“I’m in your head” + “can’t get you out of my head” + the Master being referenced multiple times in almost every episode since PoTD

“I’m trigger happy” feels really fucking intentional

He said “find me.” If he is the Master, the person he lost was the Doctor, (notice he said “them” and not “her” or “him?”) and the Master and Doctor always find each other.

Scream of the Shalka? And didn’t the Master fall through the floor like 40 times in Curse of Fatal Death? Richard E Grant was the Doctor in both of those.

For more, @bugeater77 and friends have this lovely thread

Guys CHECK MY REBLOG, RTD posted something wild.

[savingthrcw]

It was nice of him to give her an easy way out, to tell her she didn't need to explain herself to him, but truthfully Nami wasn't sure she'd have known how to vent anyway. Not even with Zoro, who was possibly the person who knew her best.

She let a few moments pass in silence, thinking of her mother's hugs - three days ago, it had been the anniversary of her death - and how in their last day they had pretty much been in the middle of a fight. She didn't remember her last hug. She didn't remember how to ask for a hug, she had barely been able to beg for help once. "I forgot how to be... human like that, I think... It's been just..." Too long. Most of her life by now. Conning and robbing, then adding treasure to her mother's grave, always alone. "How did you learn the hard way? You are Luffy's brother." It was easier to focus on that after saying already far too much; he was his brother, and if Luffy had grown up to be like that, their upbringing must have been touchy-feely and dream-themed.

"You know that's not what I meant." He said gently, gaze never leaving her even as he moved to lean against the railing with his hip, arms moving to cross over his chest. The placement is intentional so she knew he wasn't about to try to embrace her.

It had been easy to spot. How she'd gotten quieter over the past few days and was inclined to snap or come close to losing her patience. What ever it was that had caused this sudden tip, it was the kind of brewing problem that could cause more harm then good. Particularly when you were stuck at sea with your crew on a ship with nowhere to run. He'd seen what out lashes could do to a crew and how the others were starting to give her space.

"Look, I'm not saying you have to talk to me or anything, but your wrong about the hugs. Everyone needs them, even if its every once in a while. We're human Nami, not stone." Shifting his gaze out to sea he added more softly. "Trust me, I learned that one the hard way."

[asterain]

okay so we have vic ethanol who seems to be just a lone wolf gangster, whos friends with kingskin and emperor penguin running their gang things who rivals with saint patron who has greg stocks and is working loosely with jennifer drips who has connections to the government with the dave dude that usha (as g13) called who works for the government who hates jack manhattan, who is being targeted by the government, the gangs and maybe saint patron???

this connection thread can make a blanket

[childotkw]

Self-rec time! What are your favorite five fics that you've written and why? After replying to this ask, feel free pass on to five other writers to spread the love. 💗

Oh god, this is like picking a favourite child 😅😅 but I'll rank them from most to least

1. Consuming Shadows

This was my first big story back, after I stopped writing for about six years. I was just testing the waters, having fun, and I wanted to play around with a ship I had only really just started consuming content for. It very quickly reignited my passion for writing, and it's blown up in such a way that I had never anticipated. I love the plot, I love the characters, I love Hadrian's progression from snarky but emotionally distant figure to a genuinely warm and loving friend, I love how well I managed to keep the threads of storylines and foreshadowing together, and I love the slow development of Hadrian and Tom's relationship in a way that's believable and does them both justice. The fact that so many people have resonated with it over the years has really left a mark on me, and I'll never forget all the things this story gave me.

2. you belong to me (i belong to you)

This one really was just my 'haha this is for the lolz' story. It was never meant to be popular or as big as it is. I was just fumbling around, wanting to write a cool time travel story, and then I came up with the Twist and it was no longer a joke 😂 I love the dynamics in it, I love Harry's general vibe, I love Orion and his chaos gremlin schtick. I'm still amazed that I came up with the plot twist (like, seriously, I don't think I can ever replicate that). And the fact that this story grew so popular and that so many people have enjoyed what started as my funny lil project overwhelms me in the best way.

3. The Lone Wolf Dies (But The Pack Survives)

In a lot of ways, this was a love letter to Regulus. I'd never really given him much thought as a character, but I fell in love with my interpretation of him. He's incredibly complex, and the future potential of the story really makes me excited.

4. ruination

Again, it's more the potential of this story that makes me love it. I wasn't super comfortable writing for asoiaf, and the fandom makes me...uneasy in a lot of ways. But I greatly enjoy all the ways this story could go. Lucerys intrigues me, and my interpretation of his character is especially fun to think about. I want to explore the slow but fundamental shift in a character, something that leads to them becoming almost unrecognisable. I love fantasy, and getting to play around in such an immersive world makes me giddy.

5. i don't owe you my forgiveness

It's only one chapter at the moment, but I really really really love the concept of soulmate rejection and the bitterness that is sown by Tom's hasty actions. The inherent power imbalance - originally in Tom's favour and then very dangerously in Harry's - is one dynamic I can't wait to sink my teeth into.

[kayawolfhorse]

The changes were as gradual as gaining new extremities overnight could be.

First came the ears, tufted in fur the same brown as Pearl’s hair, pricked upright upon her head. The morning they appeared, Pearl’s waking thought was how much louder the birds’ chirping tune seemed to be, how she was able to pinpoint exactly where they perched, along the roof of her tower and in the boughs of the highest treetops below. She tried not to think about the whispered remarks made behind her retreating back she could hear all the clearer now.

The tail appeared next, and Pearl almost crushed it rolling out of bed. Though it was often hidden by the drape of her scarlet cloak, Pearl liked her new tail, and petting the long, coarse fur soon became as natural to her as idly playing with the strands of hair that fell loose around her face.

On the third day, Pearl awoke with a bleeding mouth, pierced by long, pointed canines she wasn’t used to having. Those took the longest to adjust to, weeks of bruises along her bottom lip as Pearl learned how to hold herself, how to rest, in harmony with her new traits. The teeth felt most natural bared in a snarl. Their sharpness didn’t quite fit into her soft, human mouth. Pearl made it work.

The other differences weren’t as initially noticeable. At night, Pearl’s vision seemed sharper, and with the moon shining above her, she could see just as clearly as she could during the day. When running together, Tilly didn’t have to slow her stride to keep pace with Pearl, and leaping over a fallen trunk or puddle hardly became a feat at all.

Pearl’s favorite change of them all was her newfound ability to howl.

She’d always responded to Tilly’s call in kind, but Pearl’s vocal cords could only mimic so much. Now, between them, under a clear night sky filled with more stars than Pearl had ever seen, they created a choir, two voices pitched to sound like ten.

Pearl had howled to an empty, half-built tower the night Tilly lost her first life, before she’d found her way back to Pearl.

Perhaps it was her new wolfishness, perhaps they were the desires Pearl hadn’t allowed herself to feel, that made the pangs of loneliness worse.

She had Tilly! She’d always have Tilly, Pearl would make sure of it. Her beloved wolf was her true soulbound, the tail and the ears and the teeth said as much. Tilly protected her and Pearl defended her fiercely in kind. Pearl wouldn’t be alone ever again. It was fine. Pearl was fine.

In the quietest cracks of the day, between the time the moon set and dawn colored the sky, Pearl admitted to herself that she wasn’t fine.

The yearning ached in her chest, next to the invisible spool of thread that connected Pearl to a partner who never wanted her. She’d never be invited to the fireside circle, accepted into the band of safety and trust the other pairs had found in each other, in their alliances, however unsteady those tended to be in a place like this. At least there was ground to shake beneath their feet, purchase Pearl had never felt so high up in her tower.

Even with Tilly at her side, Pearl was a lone wolf, and she knew, like every abandoned dog did, how badly she longed for a pack.

—

An excerpt from a piece I’m never going to finish, but liked enough to toss onto Tumblr away. Reblogs do more than likes and all that