Posted October 28, 2011 "As long as they listen and aren't disruptive, I don't mind them staying," Char said, glancing at Xylia. She gave her Beta a sympathetic look, she had been looking forward to hunting just as much as anyone else. She brightened slightly as she heard Oksana's pleading, it sounded so very... sincere. Like it was some sort of long-lost family that had finally returned. "I believe Quince, Ava, Jin, Xylia and I will have to discuss that later," Char said, nodding at Oksana. "They may have made a... disruptive entrance, but that seems to be it so far. "Now, if there is nothing further to discuss, I believe I should gather up some others and finally get this hunt underway. Quince, will you be joining us or staying here to keep an eye on our newcomers?" she asked in a crisp tone. Share this post Link to post
Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) Quince laughed in his normal deep laugh that he had. It had always been a kind laugh but today, it was also happy that Oksana and Pax had found some long lost friends. "It seems that you have been found agian Oksana....and I see no reason why they cannot if they are friends of yours." He said and then something popped into his head. "However, young one, if anything does happen and they do something wrong in the pack after we have studied the situation, then you will find what they have done on your heads." he said. His words were not angry, or hostile, but rather they were kind and gentle and meant merely as a warning to Oksana and he knew from her honest nature, that it was hard for her to tell a lie. Using that as his impetus for allowing the two loners in, how could things go wrong? "As to forever, like Char said, we will have to discuss that, but for now I think there is a hunt to be done." he said and glanced at Xylia who had merely bowed apologetically and flew off to the clearing as she called together wolves from both packs that way they would have plenty. "And I will come Char. I believe that Jin will be able to see if anything happens, and I am sure that there are plenty of our best Gammas here to protect everyone if anything should happen." he stated then looked proudly at Dayhl. "I see that her powers have grown." he muttered as he sniffed the weeds in front of him. "You are getting stronger and stronger each day Dahyl." he said before licking the top of her head and looking at the new comers. "If you wish, the hunt is open to you as well." He then walked on and made his way to the center of the clearing while watching with a bemused face at the rousing antics that Xylia put on. Edited October 28, 2011 by LoveLost Share this post Link to post
Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) |Pax| Pax had listened with interest but he didn't say anything else, instead just glancing between Ronan and Talcore. Oksana had expressed enough excitement before the both of them and such outwardly displays of affection weren't typical of him, at least not to anything but Oksana. Pax wanted to believe that the older wolf had looked for them, that he had searched as he earnestly as he said, and he did but...some part of him laughed at the idea. They were two, lost, pack-less pups so it wasn't like they got around. Once Pax had found them a decent place to sleep, they had stayed put, so how could Talcore had not found them? No, he shouldn't be thinking that way. If Talcore, and Ronan, said they had searched, then they had searched, simple as that. Pax wouldn't think of it further, for it didn't matter now, and let himself finally be happy that the two had returned. If anything, it made Oksana exceptionally happy. When Dayhl, the little black pup, shoved her way between Oksana and Talcore, Pax found himself suppressing a growl of annoyance. Could no one control these pups around here? How dare she interrupt their reunion but, when Oksana didn't seemed bother by it and fact looked a little amused, Pax let his tense muscles relax. He'd been about to walk over and snatch the pup by the scruff himself. She shouldn't even had been out here, he thought to himself, rolling his eyes. When she moved onto Ronan, he lost interest in her and turned his attention back to his mate, who by now was making her way over to him. It wasn't that he didn't like Dayhl, she was a tolerable pup at best, she just reminded him too much of a she-wolf from his past and he didn't like that, so he usually just ignored her. When Oksana licked his ear, he shook his head before nipping back at hers but that was as far as he went. He did flick his tail at her, though, as he swiveled an ear to listen to Ronan's sand copy. He listened only for information purposes, to fill in any gapes that were left in his memory, but he took non of it to heart. Pax didn't care about the past, he didn't want it to come back, for their life was good here and he feared that too much interfere from the past would ruin it. Old friends showing up would be alright, even enjoyable, but if they started bringing back the same old problems, Pax was not going to be happy. He wouldn't hesitate taking Oksana away from it, either. "Could they? I promise they're safe. Oh Quince, could they stay forever? I could keep an eye on them and teach them how the pack works, me and Pax, and I just know they could be helpful! Please?" Pax smiled a bit at Oksana's pleas and he looked at Quince, nodding his head slightly to let the Alpha know that he agreed and would make sure a disturbance such as this wasn't caused again. When Char accepted them, Pax showed her his thanks before looking to Quince. The Alpha gave his answer and Pax nodded, accepting responsibility for them. With that done, he was ready to leave. He wanted to do something, as this situation was becoming quite static, and he suddenly nudged Oksana's cheek with his nose, a clear sign that he was ready to go. |Ava| Ava ducked her head at Quince's glare, her way of apologizing for her out of rank speaking but she still listened intently. She glanced at Pax and Oksana, curious as to why they would lie about their history. Oh well, it was not her place to ask and she wouldn't let it bother her. She turned to look at Char, appreciating the new Alpha's smart words. She really did like her, which surprised her, given how loyal she was to Quince. When he finally answered Oksana, she listened quietly. His answered seemed fair in her mind and she nodded, smiling a bit at the young pair. That should satisfy them, she thought, and she was about to ask what Quince needed of her but found him already gone. She watched him interact with Dayhl for a moment before turning to face the problem of her brother. She sighed, he was still here and she had an inkling that he needed something. Oh, but should she ask him? It was her duty...with that in mind, she walked over, remaining very formal and to the point. "Holtan," she greeted him politely, sitting in front of him and somewhat avoiding looking into his eyes. She finally met his gaze, though. "Is there something you needed to speak with our Alpha about? I'd be happy to relay your concerns or problems to him," she told him, as she would any other wolf. Edited October 29, 2011 by crypticsoul Share this post Link to post
Posted October 29, 2011 ((Ahah! someone finally did it! Cryptic you spelled "Dayhl" as "Dael!" lol sorry I knew it would be hard to get used too)) "Dayhl has not killed anyone," Lucifer said after a moment, swishing her tail a single time against her chalky flanks. At the summon, the yearling crept slowly forwards, as if now more alert to Kido's presence and power. "She is a year old and was born and raised here, so it would be impossible for her to be anything of the wolf you have described to us." Ronan recovered himself, shooting a wilting glance at his demon who had spoken about him... on its own... they were so bothersome sometimes... and the fact that I control them completely yet find myself arguing with them constantly... and being called "old" does that mean I'm insane? Oh well, guess I'll make the most of it if it does. "I'm... sorry for my reaction and did not mean it as an accusation, if you... Lucifer," he tested the name on his tongue, this would be something he had to memorize after all, "had known the Dael I knew... you would understand the reason for my caution, she is the only one I ever... respected out of fear of her power." And suddenly the young pup was talking again, and looking up at him as if he were some sort of god, which he had gotten a lot in the desert... and ignored it... but coming from her... he immediately felt even more foolish for asserting such a possibility. Even so the resemblance was... uncanny, especially the eyes... And then suddenly she was gone, and rushing back, a plant in her teeth. Ronan stared as it wilted in her mouth. Similarity in looks and the same power, but... a new wolf... I don't believe in coincidence that strongly. This IS Dael... but... she's also not the Dael I knew. She is Dayhl, and there is no such thing as fate! It was in that moment that Ronan swore to himself that he would spend as much time mentoring... Dayhl, as odd as that sounded in his mind, as he possibly could. Teach her what he knew, everything he had learned. An apprentice of sorts, eventually. Of course that would mean he would have to start... taking lessons in manners from Talcore... had he been a younger and prouder wolf the idea would have sickened him, but now... There were things more important than petty pride to worry about. "No," he lied, but didn't show it. "Nothing like that, not really, but that's an amazing ability! I'm sure you'll grow up to be a strong and beautiful warrior, so long as you listen to your elders and train hard that is." He gave her a fond smile and nodded approvingly. The sand demon watched with a smirk and then turned back to Quince and Char. "He promises to improve on his knowledge of pack life once more and learn to follow your traditions and laws, so long as he is allowed to stay here in peace and be allowed to help out in situations where his powers would come in handy. He will accept any other restrictions you and your tradition will impose on this situation. And WE..." the sand demon referred to them in plural with a regal bow, "humbly apologize for our rough and few manners. Good hunting." And the sand wolf vanished, flying through the air and attaching itself now to Ronan again like metal drawn to a magnet. "Well, seeing as I'm new here, and need supervising, and the others are occupied..." he glanced at Lucifer and then back to Dayhl to whom he was speaking. "Would you be interested in giving me a tour of the camp so I can get familiar with things before it starts getting wet out here..." He turned back to Lucifer, "if none of your rules or traditions object to this." Jin gave Xylia a passionate lick and a shove towards Char, sensing her eagerness bursting from her aura. He was surprised she was still able to sit still! "Go hunt something big, apparently I'm going..." he yawned again as he whispered to her, "to be up babysitting for a while... I'll need some fresh meet to keep me awake. Have fun!" he urged her, knowing how much she enjoyed hunting. Then he turned his attention back to Char and Quince nodding in acceptance of their judgement. "I'll remain close enough to watch them both until you return. Be careful," he gave them all a worried look, it was a hunt that got the last alpha killed and he was not interested in losing a loved one in the same manner. Xylia teased him for being too worried, and he didn't doubt her ability, but accidents happen, so he worried anyways, and tried to hide it as best he could. "I'll be awaiting your return and I think you'll find the entire pack running more smoothly in a week or so, count on it." he winked, planning on employing his and Xylia's plan as soon as he could get started. He would bring Ava in on the plan when everyone was back from the hunt, he was sure she'd be thrilled at the idea of less work and more organization as well. With a respectful bow and a final swish of his tail across his mate's face, he turned and moved over to Lucifer, arriving right after Ronan finished speaking. "You can hunt if you like Lu," he nodded at her, no longer sore about the disrespect earlier. She was smart, and though odd he did appreciate her advice and ideas... she merely had a very untactful way of stating them. "I'll keep them both in my sight at all times." he glanced at Ronan and gave him a warning show of his teeth, "Be aware loner, I can see you in every way other than the way you see me, your thoughts are hidden from me but your soul is not, I will be keeping close track of you and your sand from now on. Trust..." "is not given, it is earned. Must be proven over time. Is a two way river. Won't come easy." Ronan nodded, "I know all too well, you have my full cooperation, I'll withdraw my other sand creations and leave their kill for your hunters to find." Jin nodded and turned to Talcore and Oksana and spoke again. "In the sky, in a cave, where no light shines or under the brightest sun, my gaze will watch you. I can see more than any-wolf, and less as well. Keep this in mind, and don't violate the trust that Oksana has placed in you, I will make you regret it." Ronan turned to Lucifer to see if she would be accompanying the hunt or himself and Dayhl, or something else entirely. Share this post Link to post
Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) Xylia was practically running around in circles around the other wolves as they gathered. There was at least half of each pack ready to go and Xylia was about to jump in the air as her nature started to kick in. Jinshu had told her to hurry and even had the audacity to flip his tail in her face after licking her more passionately than he usually did... and in front of other people! She had smiled though at the sheer flirtation of her mate and actually nipped at his tail before she flitted off to gather the packs, although she was still slightly embarrassed. Her movements started to develop into sleek, and smooth hunter/warrior movements; precise, deadly. She looked at the wolves near her and decided to go on ahead with a part of the group to look for something to kill. Xylia had to take down something soon or else she would have to go dive into the river to cool herself off. When they did take off, Xylia was ahead of them, her wings folded tightly against her back and spikes hidden for the time being. This was going to be a good hunt, she could feel it. Char had even suggested taking down a horse or two and maybe they could catch some small prey for the older pups to chew on for they would be easier for their young teeth. Her feet began to move faster beneath her as she smelled the fresh blood from a recent kill and guessed that it was one of the sand demons, for the scent pervaded everything around them so she ran past the smell leaving a few of the others to take care of it. With quick steps, Xylia was standing at the edge of the horse territory and just as Char had predicted, there were several of the large beasts out and the wind was blowing in the wolves favor. Today would be a good hunt. Edited October 29, 2011 by LoveLost Share this post Link to post
Posted October 29, 2011 Char chuckled softly as she watched Xylia head off, and a piece of her wished to do the same. But, alas, this was her hunt and she was responsible for making sure everyone was in their place. She scrambled onto a rather large rock jutting out of the ground, taking a commanding stance as she called out over the general chatter of the pack. "Whoever has agreed to join the hunt, please step forward! Kido, Talcore, as Quince invited you, you are both welcome to join. If you're looking for a permanent place in the pack, I highly suggest you come, this will probably be the last chance we have to evaluate you for a few days. "Our main target are the horses, but I highly encourage going after small prey as well. We need to stock up, as I don't foresee another good hunting day for some time, and we don't want to let anyone go hungry." With that, she stood silent and still, watching the others assemble. With any luck, they'd be out and about soon, and back before the rain had gotten too bad- at this point, she had given up on staying dry during things. ----------------------------------- A small bird fluttered over the rocks, searching for any morsel of food it could come across before the sky let loose with its downpour. It didn't notice anything odd about its surroundings, though every now and again it would pause, cocking its head back and forth as if something were amiss. However, no matter where it looked, nothing threatening stood out, so it went about its business. Not more than two feet away from the bird sat a sleek white wolf, his eyes trained on the creature with a ferocious intensity. The bird gave a sudden start before simply falling to one side, and was immediately snatched up by the wolf. Doug proudly wagged his tail as he began to strip the feathers from the bird, pausing now and again to look for Shadow. It wasn't exactly a large meal, but... well, if Shadow was hungry, he would get the bird. As far as Doug was concerned, his companion held a higher rank, and he was happy to follow along- it certainly beat being alone. Share this post Link to post
Posted October 29, 2011 Kiv yawned again. Sure, having two random wolves show up out of nowhere, one having wings and the other being a bit...odd...was exciting, and the fact that they seemed to have some connection with Oksana or Dayhl was even more astounding, but it certainly did not take long for Kiv to become bored again. He had an attention span the length of a blade of grass, and he always looked for someone new to annoy. He groaned and lay down. "Char, I really can't be bothered to go hunt." he started. "But I just knoooow that you want me to go and look after the new wolves, riiiiight?" he grinned and got back up, each one of his joints cracking as he did so. "I mean, you're not just going to let both of them out there with such a small amount of wolves to supervise, are you?" Kiv slowly trotted to Char until he was right up next to her. Perhaps too close for comfort. "Who knows, maybe one of the new-wolves could be a good influence on me?" He paused before he snickered. "Or I could just be a bad influence on them..." he whirled around and flicked his tail in front of her face. ~ "Dooouuug? Doug! Ughh..." Shadow's head poked up high, searching for the scrawny little wolf. He often thought that they weren't too different. Well, they were both small...and fast...and "weak". Even if Shadow did not know much about Doug, he assumed that he was treated like he was, way back when Dael and Roshan would play tricks on him. It was strange, Shadow still could not remember what had happened to them. All he knew was that there was always tension about something. Then...then...something happened...and then everything was different... "There you are." Shadow muttered. "What are you doing?" he walked up to his side, his dark hide contrasting with Doug's, though dirty, white hide. "Oh." Shadow stopped as he saw Doug's claws rip along the dead bird's feathers. The sight of blood made him feel slightly queasy, but he put a paw on Doug's head and ruffled the fur on his skull. "Well done." he smiled. Share this post Link to post
Posted October 29, 2011 And there went the last straw. Quince growled angrily at Kiv and suddenly he was on top of the wolf and growling in his face, saliva dripping from his mouth onto the other wolf. "You have tested my patience far enough today KIV!" he shouted at the other wolf and backed off of him. "You would do well going and joining with the Omegas." he said his determination clear. Kiv was about to be kicked out of the pack if he didn't act right soon enough. "I'm tired of dealing with you." His tail was held high in the air and his long legs made him stand taller than most and with his mane fluffed out, it made him look rather large. His position was between Char and Kiv because he knew that the Alphess would be harder on the wolf than he... and he didn't want bloodshed caused by one of his own wolves. It was odd for Kiv to be so much like this, but he reminded Quince of a sly spider in the old puppy tales that they heard. It tried to lure everyone into it's trap by seeming sly and purposeful in everything that it did. However, Quince was fed up with this and now the choice had been made. Kiv would spend his time with the Omega's until he showed more respect and boundaries. As Quince waited for Kiv to leave, he bared his teeth and still growled at him not even looking away from the other wolf for a second. If Kiv dared to look him in the eye, he would have the sheer joy of ripping up that little ball of fluf without any problems...possibly with Char's help. Share this post Link to post
Posted October 29, 2011 ~Oksana~ Oksana nodded eagerly when Quince suggested any trouble caused by Talcore or Ronan would come on her and Pax's heads. She was extremely certain that neither wolf would cause any 'trouble,' and she gave a confident little yip to signify that. She smiled as Ronan asked Luce for a tour and she watched as Talcore joined the hunt. The skies were darkening, and Oksana knew rain would soon come and all prey would take cover. Suddenly Oksana felt a nudge from Pax, and she immediately answered him with a lick on his chin; it was time to get going! Then, with one excited bark, Oksana began running towards the little wooded area of the mountains, about half a mile east from their current location. She loved being with Pax in the woods; despite his strong build, he was incredibly agile when it came to climbing trees and leaping from tree to tree. Oksana loved running and dashing through the trees below him as he ran overhead. Often they would spot some sort of startled prey such as a squirrel or rabbit, and they'd both wildly chase it until one of them caught it. Usually Oksana caught the rabbits and Pax caught the squirrels, because most squirrels didn't think there'd be a wolf waiting for them in the trees! Oksana raced eagerly across the flat and dusty mountain-plains, excited to get away from the main pack for the day. It would just be her and Pax alone, and by the time the storm hit they'd probably be at a part of the mountain with good cover. Oksana honestly didn't mind being stuck away from the main pack during the storm, as long as Pax was there too. Maybe I'll go hunt something, just for Pax and me. Yeah, when we get to the forest I'll tell him I'll be right back with a surprise, then I'll go bark at some big bird! Oh, if only there were pheasants here! Pheasant was Oksana's favorite food. It was what the kind wolf Tanis had caught her when she was a pup, on two occasions... her and Pax got to eat it, and then once another wolf... but Oksana couldn't quite remember who that other wolf was. It made her sad to think about for some reason, and so she pushed the thoughts aside and remembered the first time she saw a pheasant. She giggled as she ran, wondering how big her eyes must have been when she saw the juicy bird. Oksana gave Pax a sly side-glance and shifted her path to intercept his, playfully attempting to bump her body against his as they ran. ((assuming Pax joined the run, of course. :3 I can edit if for any reason he didn't)) ~~~~~~~~~ |Holtan| As Holtan was about to turn and leave, he suddenly noticed his sister approaching. Uh oh, he thought to himself. It wasn't an 'uh oh, she's gonna yell at me' or an 'uh oh, I did something wrong.' It was an 'uh oh, sat here a moment too long...' Holtan wasn't used to... well, interacting with his sister. Since she had become Beta she had become very much more mature and able to handle herself than before, but Holtan had a hard time reading her emotions and just didn't know how to act around her. Should he act formal? Brotherly? Sorry? Helpful? As usual, Holtan did nothing but sit and glance to the side. "Holtan." Holtan gave a slight nod as a return of the greeting. There was a moment of silence before Holtan finally forced himself to look into Ava's eyes, right as she turned to meet his gaze. "Is there something you needed to speak with our Alpha about? I'd be happy to relay your concerns or problems to him." The words were all too familiar and almost hurt, but Holtan didn't take them to heart. After all, what could he expect from her? An enthusiastic greeting? He would have been highly alarmed if she had greeted him enthusiastically, so he simply accepted her automatic greeting and twitched his tail out of habit, still forcing himself not to gaze off to the right. "No... er, no thank you. I was just standing by, in case either of the loners became violent... but I see that's all sorted out, so I'll be going." Holtan turned away more quickly than he had intended and began to trot towards the pup dens, busying himself with thoughts of how he was going to teach the North pups a storm drill. He couldn't bear to talk about healing in front of Ava, not after he had failed her as he had. And even to that day, he still couldn't remove poison or the damage it caused. He didn't know why, but he figured it was his punishment for slacking off in his earlier years. He had been given every opportunity to succeed, but he had failed out of laziness. Still, he didn't feel complete guilt; a small part of him was still unhappy with Ava because she hadn't just blamed him. She had blamed his sister and mother too. It would have been different if she had only singled out him for the blaming and silent punishment, but she had abandoned her duties to her whole family. Holtan threw the thoughts aside immediately. He had to let go, and he was certain he was only blaming Ava because he himself had failed. He just didn't like to face it, and so he didn't. He began rehearsing what he would say to the North pups about staying safe in storms, dodging debris, staying out of the wind currents... Share this post Link to post
Posted October 29, 2011 (of course he's there, Lady! :3) |Pax| Pax barked a laugh at her and bumped his hip into hers but not hard enough to knock her over, of course. Finally! In all honesty, Pax enjoyed being out here with Oksana much more than being around the rest of the pack. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate having a pack, or a place to call home, it was just this was how he'd grown up. This felt most familiar to him-racing her through the trees, the two of them huddled again against the chill of night or outrunning a storm. This is where he felt most at home. When they reached the woods, Pax took no time showing off why most wolves called him a spider. With a powerful push from his hind legs, he was up the trunk of an old, steady oak. His sticky paws helped him higher and higher until he found a branch to support his weight. That was the thing about now, he thought, he was a lot heavier than he had been in his puppy days. Now he had to pay a lot more attention where he jumped, so as to not hit a weak branch and fall straight back down to the forest floor. He stood their for a brief moment, looking down at his mate, a challenging grin curving over his teeth. "I bet I can catch a squirrel before you get a rabbit, 'Sana," he said, flicking his tail eagerly. He knew she might have a bit more luck, as the squirrels were likely tucked away in their homes already, but he'd still take her on. Without warning, he jumped from the branch and was off, calling back to her. "Come on then, 'Sana! You're not gonna let me beat you, are you?!" This was the best, Ah, he hoped they got caught out here! The thought of being curled up in a small cave with her, the storm raging outside, and her warm fur pressed against his was enough to get his tail wagging. And he'd bite off the ear of anyone who even thought of interrupting that! -- |Ava| Ava watched her brother before sighing slightly to herself. He had been here for a reason, she could tell that about him, but had refused to tell her. Something personal, she thought as she turned away. She liked to pretend she didn't care but it did bother her a bit that she still didn't speak much to her family. Ah well, problems for another time. With Quince gone, she assumed, she looked for something to do. She'd already spoke to everyone about the storm, so that was done, and she'd been with the warriors this morning, so also done. She looked around and decided she'd just go talk to someone. Maybe Lucifer was still around.. With that in mind, she started in search of the snow-white she-wolf. Maybe she was still over there with that sand-wolf and Dayhl. Yes, she should look there first. When she finally spotted the she-wolf, she paused, calling out to her first. "Lucifer!" she started, not wanting to just walk up to her, in case she was busy. Share this post Link to post
Posted October 29, 2011 ((hmm... how to intro?)) Artemis Artemis opened her eyes, and her pupils contracted as the bright light flashed into them. Having just finished trying to remember the names of the herbs and different plants that she used for healing, Artemis had been sitting in the same position for quite a while now. She yawned and stretched, her skinny body elongating for a few seconds before she relaxed. She looked around the camp, her eyes resting on different things for no more than a fraction of a second before they moved on. There was one thing, however, that managed to catch and hold her attention, and that was the group of wolves huddled together. She could make out wolves that she did not yet know. Increasing her sense of smell, Artemis drew in a long breath. As far as she could tell, none of the new wolves had injuries, and that she was grateful for. No wolf deserved to be hurt... but sometimes, it was necessary. Or so she told herself. Not entirely convinced, Artemis watched the group from a distance, then turned around and started grooming herself, quickly getting rid of the dust that clung to her gray fur and giving it the healthy sheen that it normally displayed. Artemis sighed quietly. It was but another day of injuries and sicknesses to be treated and tended to. She enjoyed her job, but it would have been much better if no one was injured or sick, and therefore no one felt the pain and anger. She stiffened momentarily at the smell of blood, then relaxed as she realized it was only prey, not a wolf. So many bad things, Artemis thought, and so little time to fix them... She shook her pelt, ruffling the fur slightly. There was nothing to do for the time being, anyway. She would go gather plants that she would need. A storm was coming, and with storms came sickness and injury. Better be safe than sorry. With a quick dip of her head to the assembled wolves, Artemis trotted out of the camp to look for the many scattered plants that she would use later. Share this post Link to post
Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) Talcore's ruby-orange eyes shifted from Oksana to Pax as he studied the dark warrior. The facial expression appeared all too familiar, as if Talcore were looking in at a reflection of himself in his younger years. The blank, emotionally-void guise almost made his heart sink; he remembered the exuberant, bubbly young pup that never seemed to run out of energy and was more than excited to learn the ways of the warrior. Well, it seemed now that Pax had reached his goal. And from the way he looked and acted around Oksana, Talcore had the impression he gained much more than warriorship. The winged wolf's gaze lingered on the pair for a long moment before he turned and regarded Quince with a dip of his muzzle. "I understand as well," he stated, "Though I assure you, any action of mine in your pack is out of good intentions." Now that he had been reunited with Pax and Oksana, and even Ronan, Talcore felt the age-old fatherliness rising up like the tide and reawakening his protective urges. He would give his best to see to the safety of the pack, if these Alphas would so allow it- though it was likely he would start as an Omega, if they so decided to let him stay, he would prove to them how his well-aged skills would benefit their families. As the Alphas spoke of the hunt, his ears flickered faintly. He acknowledged the invitation with a brief inclination of his head, though he was a bit hesitant to accept it. Ronan appeared to decline in favor of waltzing the camp grounds with the odd pup who reminded him too much of his life in the Blessed. They were painful memories that constantly sparked reminders that he had lost Tanis, before he was even able to ask...ask her... Talcore swallowed quietly and blinked before furrowing his brow in attempt to distract his thoughts from the image of Tanis's fading face. He took one last look at Ronan before trailing after Char as she perched on the ledge of a rock. Once she had finished her speech, he cleared his throat softly and said in calm tone, "I appreciate the offer, though I must warn you, I'm not exactly hunting material. I fear I may get in the way of a group hunt, so if it is alright with you, I would prefer to catch the smaller game." In the mountains, Talcore often had trouble hunting by foot, as his wings were cumbersome in the tight trunks, and he was never all that agile on land. Even if he wasn't clumsy, it was still apparent that his hunting skills weren't exactly up to par as trained Hunters. Still, dropping down from something in the air was much easier for him, and as long as it was small enough to snatch up in his jaws, it was as good as dead. Though I suppose if she really wants me to participate in the group, I could cut the throat of a horse with my wings, he thought, but the idea suddenly brought a small frown to his face, as if there were a memory of him preforming such an action in his past. Had he killed someone before like that? He couldn't remember. He watched as Oksana and Pax took off, and could help but find a small smile at his muzzle at the sight of them. Never in his life had he expected them to survive. After such a long time of searching, he finally convinced himself that some other predator had found the defenseless pups in their sleep and taken advantage of an easy meal. The belief had set him in great bouts of depression for several years, and it was only until recently that he was able to conquer such emotions and leave the jail of the mountain range. And low and behold, he just happened to run into those crazy pups days later. Quince's voice caused Talcore to turn sharply, the feathers along his backside rising like the fur on his neck. Trouble? He stared at the wolf that Quince was standing over. Talcore hadn't taken much notice of him except for the occasional childish remark, but he was surprised that the Alpha was using such violent means of handling the situation. A moment later, however, Talcore's fur and feathers slicked back, and the alert expression melted back into the cool, collected disposition. It appeared that Kiv character was a rather annoying boy; Talcore would be sure not to bother with him anytime in the near future. The winged warrior stepped back from Char and the others, his wise gaze scanning the terrain for a good stretch of land to take off from. There was a good piece of grass yards from where they stood, and so with a gentle nod towards each respective Alpha, Talcore unhinged his grand wings and pushed himself into a brisk trot. Quickly, his legs increased in fervor until he was sprinting across the grassland, wings slowly widening their span. Though the sunlight was weak, the metallic blue feathers glimmered faintly across his backside as the muscles woven through his shoulders began to move the wings in fluid pumping motions. With a great push of his powerful hing legs, the wind caught beneath the sleek feathers and Talcore soared higher into the air. The entire process appeared as motionless as any wolf simply jumping over a fallen log or boulder, and as he glided outwards towards their destination, the practiced ease in which he carried himself was obvious towards his long experience in flight. Dayhl blinked in surprise at Quince's praise and the lick she received across her forehead. She made an odd face, as if trying to decide whether or not to be humiliated by his touch or proud that she had impressed him. Either way, she snorted quietly and nodded her head at him, trying to appear dignified despite his babying. A dark scowl clouded the yearling's face at Ronan's response. But he just said she could kill plants like I just did! She growled inwardly, annoyed that she hadn't achieved what the she-wolf in his story had. She wanted to know more about this wolf that shared her name, more about her powers and her accomplishments. She felt so drawn to the story that even with the others starting off on the hunt, she remained standing stubbornly in front of Ronan, the brown and decaying plant sitting at her paws. A disgusted look came over her young face. "Warrior! Who wants to be a warrior? I'm a huntress, not a warrior!" She growled, swishing her tail with agitation. She was glaring hotly at Ronan for even suggesting that she could take up that job, but upon feeling Lucifer's great paw descend on her shoulders, Dayhl lowered herself in submission and grumbled, "Only weaklings become warriors." She glanced back at the white wolf, however, and sank a little further at the dark eyes gazing back at her. She wrinkled her nose at Kido's "beautiful" comment though; what did she care about being pretty? As long as she was strong and powerful, Dayhl couldn't care less about her appearance! She would leave being pretty up to Holo and Lucifer and Ink and all the other females who looked much more attractive than Dayhl was certain she would ever be. When Lucifer lifted her paw again, Dayhl jumped up and trotted over to the side, close to where Jin was standing. "When can I go hunt?" She asked loudly, promptly sitting her rear end in the dirt and staring up at the Beta with big, determined eyes. She had been born during the time that the two packs were merged, thus she had no problem whatsoever approaching either Betas or either Alpha with equal consideration. Of course, being a little rebellious and feisty, it appeared at times that she considered no one (but Holo) above her, but she was easily put in her place by those she respected. Lucifer watched Kido carefully, but faintly nodded at his explanation. If there had indeed been such a wolf in his past, she supposed he would have reason to caution. Had she been in the same situation, she likely would have reacted the same to such undeniable coincidences. "Very well," the princess answered placidly. It was when Dayhl brought the plant back that she broke her gaze from Kido's face to watch the weed wither and darken in the yearling's jaws. This occurrence was oddly similar to the one Kido had just described to her, and so with his rejection, her eyes swiveled back up to him with curiosity and suspicion. Lucifer didn't further comment on it, however, since Dayhl's outburst was rather distracting, and she took it upon herself to see to the pup's discipline. She placed a paw on Dayhl's shoulders and the young wolf immediately crouched low in submission, though Luce could still see the fire of defiance in her eyes when she looked back. What a strange child, Lucifer thought. Isn't she nearly an adult now? It was almost as if Dayhl was stuck between becoming an adult and staying a pup; many of her actions so far were rather childish for someone her age, even if Lucifer was used to such behavior from Dayhl. The white wolf looked up to Jin as he approached and she nodded. "I would join if I would be of any use," she responded lightly, and even if she wore no smile, there was still a presence of humor in her voice. "I might as well come with you, keep Dayhl in line until I can find Holo." At the sound of her friend's name, Dayhl visibly perked. Lucifer watched as the pup then sped over to Jin, and the white wolf shook her head with a faint smile. She listened to the Beta's warning for the loners; she mused over the appearance of his eyes then, wondering what exactly this exponential sight truly entailed. A moment later, the princess's ears twitched at the sound of her name sang in the voice of a female. She turned gracefully and found Ava looking towards her. One ear turned towards the Beta, the other twisted towards the group of wolves she stood by. "Yes, Ava?" Lucifer answered, poised and ready for whatever it was the Beta requested of her. Edit; Cryptic you ninja you x) Edited October 29, 2011 by Shiny Hazard Sign Share this post Link to post
Posted October 30, 2011 A yelp escaped Kiv as he was pounced on by a blur of a wolf. "You have tested my patience far enough today KIV!" It was Quince, his eyes were full of rage and he was drooling all over him, like he wanted to swallow Kiv whole. "You would do well going and joining with the Omegas. I'm tired of dealing with you." For a second, Kiv felt shocked and his eyes sank back in horror. "You..." Was all he could manage with the stunned expression stuck on his face. He had always been warned about being demoted, but he never thought anyone would actually do it. At least I've found the boundary. He slowly got up, avoiding looking at Quince's piercing eyes, and just stood there, shaking slightly. It took him a while before he could begin to think clearly. "Fine. Whatever." he shot a quick look at Char before his eyes flickered and stooped to the ground. It would be hard for him to climb back up to the rank he was, since he had to not be annoying. And that was a hard thing for him to do. "What do you want me to do, then?" he asked, the childish, mocking tone now sucked out of his voice. Maybe if he could prove that he was not all bad, he could get back to his hunter position faster. Share this post Link to post
Posted October 30, 2011 Jin watched Talcore take flight, his thoughts immediately interrupted by Dayhl running up to him and sitting promptly in front of him, asking her question loud enough that he... and everyone around him... could hear it quite clearly. Even so, Jin couldn't help but smile at Dayhl, she was still a pup... even though by age she would soon be an adult and have to make that transition. "So you want to go hunting mmm?" He placed a paw on her head and ruffled her fur. "I'm sure you'll make an excellent hunter Dayhl, but today a storm is coming and the hunters will have to be quick and take down a lot of meat, they don't have time to bring you today." Jin placed his paw back on the ground and moved to whisper in Dayhl's ear. "But, if you believe you're ready, I'll ask Xylia to take you through the hunter's trials. If you pass... then I'll ask Char to bring you with on the next hunt." Jin stepped back and smiled at her. "For now I believe one of our guests has asked to be show about the camp by you. It would be rude to say no." Jin gave her a look the way a father might warn his daughter that he's dropping a hint. "If you want to prove you can hunt, then you have to prove you're responsible first mm?" Ronan watched Dayhl bound away from him to talk to the Beta, Jin something. A frown worked its way across his face. A hunter? Why... why does she always want to be a hunter. He sighed, hoping against hope that her powers wouldn't include poisoning every bit of food she bit into. Even if they didn't yet... they might one day. Oh well... He'd just avoid eating what she killed in the future. She was definitely different from the Dael he knew, how different he had yet to determine. He shook his head at her energy and how quickly she spoke... It made him feel old once more. But if she wanted to be a hunter... that was fine, he could help in that area too. He'd been forced to learn to hunt over the last two years, although being in a desert made things that much easier... it was still a learning curve he wasn't interested in repeating. The hardest bit had been before he left for the desert, while he was searching for the others. There was more than one day he'd gone hungry, an unpleasant experience to say the least. His mind was still trying to work on how exactly this could be Dael, and yet not Dael but Dayhl. And he almost forgot where he was and created a few sand demons to talk it through with. That would have to wait for later. Speaking of which however.... The five he had out hunting before came back, dragging the deer behind them. He had them bring it over and set it near him and turned to Lucifer, to ask what to do with it, but she appeared to be talking with someone else. That left... the beta. He trotted over as Jin finished speaking. "Apologies for interrupting, but that," he motioned over his shoulder at the five panting sand demons around the large buck. "Is the deer I hunted while I was talking to your Alphas... where would you like it?" Jin turned from Dayhl and glanced at Kido, "kill pile." He answered but he said it while looking at Dayhl, "why don't you start your tour there Dayhl?" Share this post Link to post
Posted October 30, 2011 Xylia could smell the horses long before she heard them. Their sweet earthy smell was like heaven to her and their meat was by far even better. She had to admit that it was a bit tough, but just hte thought of chasing...killing...maiming and finally death put her on the edge of a blood frenzy. Just the sight of those four-legged mammals frolicking in the distance was enough to make her pace back and forth while waiting for the rest of the small team she had brought to get there. When they did arrive, they stayed back from Xylia who was a sklled huntress and would have already smelled them before they had even stepped a foot on the rock that she was standing on. After taking one last wiff of the air, Xylia turned around and faced them with a hungry grin on her face. "I can smell some sort of deer over to the right of the plains and if you look hard, you can see it as well. You lot go after them and I'll take a horse." "Xylia, you can't carry it back yourself." "Oh I know that..." she said and then winked at them before allowing Jin to feel her pleasure in hunting. Xylia crouched down low and took off high into the sky to survey the horses. In the distance she could see Talcore in the air as well, but didn't dare to make a sound to him since she wanted to keep the horses surprised for as long as she could. Her wings tilted and shifted to keep her aligned with her target that she had chosen. Said target was a large, over-weight mare whom Xylia had been watching for a long time. Her colt was already a yearling and she was a fighter for she had fought off several loners. This was Xylia's choice. With a snicker, Xylia folded her wings behind her and plummeted down to the earth but the mare sidestepped her and turned her legs on the winged wolf. Her back legs flailed out to catch Xylia in some way, but the smarter wolf had used the opening to dive underneath the fat horses stomach and tear a large piece off of her. The mare squealed in terror as she didn't know how the wolf had gotten under there and was about to take off, but Xylia beat her to the chase and used the spikes along her wings to rake along the mares legs. When she was out from underneath the mare, the other horses started to pitch in including the stallion. Xylia had a hard time escaping a few of the hooves and knew that she was going to feel bruised tomorrow. Her wings propelled her along the ground until she was able to gain some distance for another attack. The horses had now circled around the older mare as she trembled in pain and agony; such a lovely sight to the hunting crazed Xylia. A fold of her wings and she plummeted again, but this time she placed her landing perfectly and crashed into the mare's back, breaking it with the uneven impact. Xylia's wings went up over her head and body and solidified to protect her from the onslaught of horses as they tried to get her off, but she moved quickly around to the mare's neck and looked at her for a moment. "Why me?" the mare asked in obvious animal-speak. "Because I'm hungry." Xylia growled with a dangerous smile. The growl grew louder until Xylia scratched the mares legs away and pinned them to the ground with spikes as well and bit deeply into the horses jugular vein. The mare squealed and tried to get up as she felt her life force slowly draining from her but she couldn't for her back was broken. By this time, the other horses had given up on the mare and now ran away with her saddened son and Xylia released the shield that she held on her back and fluffed them out to let the mare see her as she died. Just the taste of the mare's blood and to still feel her struggling satisfied Xylia's intense hunting nature. But even as the mare finally stopped struggling, Xylia for some reason, was not satisified with this one hunt. The mare was dead now but Xylia's heart was still racing and her limbs trembled with the anticipation of another kill, however she knew she couldn't until this one was taken care of. With a resounding howl, Xylia called out to Speedy who came to her in a flash and saw the kill. Her merely nodded then looked at her as he noticed that she still wasn't done killing. Something was off with her and he decided that he should tell her mate. But before he did, he made sure to tell her to stay and let her wings dissolve again. ((NPC Speedy)) Speedy dashed back into the pack and sent off around five to six wolves to take care of the mare's corpse then set about looking for Jinjekkai. It was at least another minute until he found him looking fondly at Dayhl and speaking ot her about hunting. "Sir! Sir!" he said quickly as was his normal way of speaking. With Speedy, EVERYTHING HAD to be FAST! Even in eating he was done before the fastest eaters. "There's something up with Beta Xylia. She's not done killing which is odd especially after killing a large mare. Thought you might want to know!" he said and disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared. He knew that the other wolves needed help in fighting and having more pack members to help them pull in the kills. Share this post Link to post
Posted November 3, 2011 (edited) ((urgh... I got whatever Dr. Paine had, so I've been sick past few days. Catching up on RPs now)) ~Oksana~ Oksana giggled as Pax returned the hip-bump, making her re-chart where to put her paws with the next step. She sped up a bit, glad to be free of the main pack but still feeling emotional from seeing Talcore. She could hardly believe he was back and... oh! I forgot to tell him that Pax and I are mates! Oh no, he would have been so happy to know. He probably just thinks we're good buddies. Which we are, ha! I can't wait to see his expression when I tell him! The moment they reached the edge of the woods, Oksana skidded to a halt and looked up, tail wagging. This was her favorite part; watching Pax maneuver into the trees. When he was a pup she had thought it impressive for him to make it up small trees in three bounds, but now the large warrior could make it up giant oaks with two leaps. He ran up the tree as though he was running on the ground, his powerful legs carrying him effortlessly and quickly up a large oak. When he was up, she immediately recognized his playful grin and she returned it, tail wagging furiously in anticipation of his challenge. "I bet I can catch a squirrel before you get a rabbit, 'Sana." Oksana slapped the ground with her front paws and swayed her rump in mock challenge. It was unfair, of course; the squirrels would be hiding in the trees while the rabbits would probably be waiting until the last moment to move in, giving Oksana an advantage, but Oksana didn't doubt Pax's abilities at all. Suddenly Pax took off, and Oksana was only a moment behind him. "Come on then, 'Sana! You're not gonna let me beat you, are you?!" "Ha! Not today, I'm not!" Oksana raced ahead, quickly catching up with her warrior mate. They ran like that for about five seconds before she split off, dashing suddenly to the left to playfully lose sight of her mate. It was something she had done once as a pup, when she had decided Pax was showing off too much. She had simply disappeared, thinking they'd play hide-n-seek. Well, she had certainly been surprised at how quickly Pax had gone into 'warrior-search mode' when she had done that, even as a pup, and so she hadn't done it again until they were settled into the South Pack. But now Pax knew it was a game, and Oksana was certain he'd continue searching the high grounds for squirrels while she could go down the mountain a ways and look for rabbit holes. ~~~~ ((if this weather control is alright...)) A light rain began to fall about two minutes later. Oksana was probably half a mile at the most from Pax, though she couldn't be sure because she had been hunting silently and hadn't heard from him. That was good, she decided; that meant he hadn't found a squirrel yet. She really did want to win this time. It wasn't that competition was important to her, but it just 'felt like' it was her turn to win. Maybe I should look somewhere new today, she thought to herself. Yeah... I haven't looked down to the North-East, and I see some trees down there. I bet there's a bunch of rabbits! Oksana traveled for four more minutes to reach a small tree. She was now at least two and a half miles away from the main camp, and the drizzling rain had steadied its pace. Her fur wasn't all that long, but it was tight and kept the rain out nicely. Unfortunately the rain was washing away the scents of the land, and Oksana had to slow her pace to continue scenting. The good thing was that the rain hid most of her sound, so as long as she could hide her body... ...Suddenly Oksana stopped, freezing in a half-crouched position. She smelled something, something familiar but not good. Then she heard it. To my right! Oksana slowly turned her head to the right, following the noise until she saw the source. Her jaw dropped slightly; it was a Grizzly Bear, a big one... and it had spotted her. Oksana stayed still for a moment more, hoping the big thing would leave. Instead it let out a bellow and faced her, snapping its jaws threateningly. Apparently it didn't like wolves. A moment later, it charged. Oksana leapt to her feet and began to try to arc around it. She wasn't about to run away from the bear, oh no! After all, she knew that if things got too bad she could just scream and the bear would have no more sense than a newborn pup. But she didn't want to scream; she wanted to scare it off the fair way, if possible. But the bear was fast, and Oksana knew that alone she didn't stand much of a chance of scaring it off... -- Edited November 7, 2011 by LadyNatasha Share this post Link to post
Posted November 3, 2011 Artemis Artemis trotted along her familiar path, drinking in the scents of the plants, searching for the ones that she would especially need for things such as coughs, and occasionally the worse colds in weather like this. Artemis quickly found a few herbs and started working on picking them carefully. She would only need enough to cure a few wolves. The rest of the herbs she would leave alone so that they could grow. There needed to be enough for the next season as well. Artemis gathered the leaves she needed and picked them up in her mouth, the fuzz on the leaves tickling her tongue. She trotted along, sniffing for more plants. She found clumps of plants here and there, and those she gathered until her mouth would not fit anymore without damaging the precious herbs. At that point, Artemis turned her footsteps back toward camp, quickening her pace as rain started falling. Picked herbs would rot in the rain unless she stored them properly, either in a den or underground. Artemis loped back to camp, her fur sodden with raindrops. She shook her head, scattering droplets, and trotted over to her usual storage place in a corner of the camp, where crisscrossed branches would not let the water fall through. She had fortified these with vines and twigs and such, so that the water could not get through at all to her precious stores of herbs and plants. These were her main tools that she used to heal, after all. Artemis stacked her new collection of herbs into neat piles, making sure that the water on her fur did not get onto the plants. After she was sure that everything was in order, Artemis carefully backed out of her store of herbs and walked away, looking at the activities of the camp. She sat down and settled to grooming herself, her ears twitching. Share this post Link to post
Posted November 3, 2011 The yearling huffed in annoyance when Beta Jin ruffled her fur, but she made no comment on it. Instead, she watched him and listened with attentive eyes and ears. She almost growled at his explanation as to why she couldn't participate today- She could catch just as much meat as anyone else! But she kept this comment to herself, knowing that rain would soon be on its way, and she absolutely hated the rain. She never went swimming and hardly ever came out of the dens during the wet seasons, unless it was to train somewhere relatively dry. Most wolves didn't quite understand this, but Dayhl was normally ever seen near a water source whenever she was thirsty. It was simply some innate desire to avoid the water that fueled this strange behavior of hers- most other pups loved to splash around in the puddles, while she sank into the dry, concealing shadows and watched with glowering eyes. Her ears perked eagerly when he leaned closer to whisper to her, and unconsciously her tag wagged in excitement. Dayhl liked the Xylia pretty well, though it most likely had to do with the she-wolf's wings than the actual wolf herself. It was as if something about the wings reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite place it. This new Talcore wolf was also giving her a headache with the urge to remember something, but Kido was by far the worst. She shot the sand-wolf a suspicious, oddly intuitive glare before nodding briskly at Beta Jin. "Yeah, I guess," she answered, obviously none too thrilled to be dubbed a tour guide. However, the reluctance swiftly vanished as she stood to her paws again and secured Ronan once more with a hard stare. She was still going to pester him with questions whenever she got the chance. "This way to the kill pile," she announced, brandishing her tail above her back and striding purposefully towards the dwindling mound of flesh brought it a few days prior. She wondered if it would be alright to take some- after all, they were just going on a hunt, right? This food was old, though still edible. With a small shrug, she snatched out the flank of a large rabbit and settled herself into the dust and gnaw the meat off the bone. It only took a few minutes to clean the morsels away and suck the marrow from the bone shell, and when she was done, Dayhl delightedly snapped the tiny things in her jaw. Many times other wolves would find her playing or collecting bones; but not even Dayhl really knew why she did this, or why it reminded her of something she couldn't quite place. Either way, she enjoyed the comfort the bones brought her. She glanced back at Ronan for a minute. "Where else do you want to go? There's the sleeping dens, the nursery, the announcement rock, and the training area," she stated nonchalantly, licking at the bone fragments in her paws. Then, wasting no more time, she got to her paws and rounded on him, sticking her nose in his face again. "How did you know that other Dael again? Where was she from? Did she have a mate? Was she the Alpha? She should have been the Alpha. Did she kill lots of wolves?" There was an odd glimmer in her eyes at the last question, and coincidentally enough, another voice sounded back where Beta Jin was standing. She turned and noticed Speedy running his mouth before dashing off again. Something about Xylia and killing? A wicked gleam flashed across her eyes and a small smile curved at her muzzle. Like many other things, the adults were always unsure of why killing and slaughter interested the young wolf so much. The wind moaned under his wings, and the sharp smell of fresh water filled his nose as the cold, biting air stung at his face and lungs. Moisture again collected in his fur and drenched him a darker shade of silver, but the glossy sheen of the blue feathers was unmistakable. He didn't mind it so much; the mountains had always been cold and damp, and after years of hiding alone, he'd grown accustomed to the icy winds and storms. His wings pumped smoothly at his sides every once in a while, spread out to allow him to glide across the sky like a silent killer. He saw other wolves dashing quickly across the lands below, although they were mere dark specks against the ground from his high altitude. The only one he could really pick out was the blacked winged wolf, whose shape was distorted in his vision from the bulky mass of feathers at her sides. He followed the group of wolves through the clouds, banking to the sides to avoid the turbulence that undulated with the storm. Slowly he allowed himself to drift closer to the earth. Whereupon he saw Xylia going for the kill of a large horse, surrounded by the beasts' comrades, he noted how she worked by herself and left her to it. He doubted she would appreciate interference from another wolf, much less one she knew naught of. Instead, he twisted sharply in mid-air like a spiraling arrow and swooped out over the open grasslands. It wasn't long before he spotted the dirt-colored hide of a rabbit amongst the tall grass stalks. For this moment he was grateful for the storm, as he blended in nicely with the gray sky. Wings curled around his frame and he shot downwards like a blue-streaked bullet, aimed for the ground several yards from where the rabbit sat nibbling on the grass blades. Upon hearing the sound of his wings catching a gust of wind, the animal jerked in surprise and leapt up to disappear into the grass- only to be expertly caught in Talcore's jaws before its paws even touched the ground again. In one fluid motion the wolf tossed his head sharply to the side, and the great speed of his descent aided in the powerful whip of the rabbit's body and the neck snapped cleanly from the momentum. Talcore's wings beat rapidly as he reached down to the earth with his paws. Close by, he heard the dying scream of the mare and lifted his nose in the direction he had last seen Xylia. Snorting softly through his nostrils, the older warrior trotted back towards the Beta female, the dead rabbit hanging from his jaws. When he saw her again, the first thing he noticed was her odd posture. The horse was dead under her paws, and he regarded the kill with a respectable nod. He came to a halt a few feet away from her and dropped the carcass onto the ground, and studied her a few moments before clearing his throat softly and asking in his deep, gruff voice, "Are you alright, miss?" Share this post Link to post
Posted November 4, 2011 (edited) Char growled softly, her ears going back when she heard the mare's shrieks. 'Idiot!' she thought. Had Xylia really forgotten how to hunt horses? Split two or three from the band, then take them down, one didn't simply rush in for a single kill! Now, they'd be lucky if they could catch anything else before returning to camp, a startled herd of horses and rain were enough to drive most other prey far out of reach. Once Char caught sight of Xylia she darted forward, fur bristling despite the rain having slicked it down a little bit. "What were you thinking?!" she snapped "You scared the entire herd away! It doesn't matter how fat this one is, it's not going to be enough to feed us until the weather's cleared! Next time you run off ahead, stick to small game, don't go after anything larger than yourself until Quince or myself are present!" It was only after she had ranted that Char noticed something was... off. Xylia was trembling, and it hadn't been yet been wet or cold enough for it to be from the weather. No, it seemed like something different, but she couldn't place just what. "H-hey. Xy, you okay?" she asked, the harshness fading from her voice. --------------------- "Thanks!" Doug said, his tongue lolling from the side of his mouth as he backed slightly away from Shadow. He was only slightly annoyed at being treated like a pup who'd just made his first kill, but it was outweighed by the sheer delight that came with someone actually praising him. Doug stood up, dipping his head to Shadow and nudging the bird forward. "You can have it, if you want. I'm not that hungry," he said, his tail giving a few short wags. Okay, so it wasn't entirely true, Doug was actually rather in the mood for a meal. But the bird was only big enough for one. So the offer had to be made.[/isize] Edited November 4, 2011 by Dr. Paine Share this post Link to post
Posted November 4, 2011 Quince looked harshly at Kiv making sure that he was going to listen. "You can go with Dayhl. I am sure that if you do anything wrong, the older wolf can handle you easily." he stated before looking where Char had run off to after hearing a horse scream. She was right about the mare scaring off the others and he was frustrated as well. But something was off as they ran towards Xylia and he decided to allow her to go and followed the scent that he himself had caught. When he finally arrived, he found what he had smelled....a bear. But what was frightening about it was that Oksana was trying to get away from the beast. He circled in behind the bear allowing Oksana to draw the attention of the bear waiting to get close enough to the bear to place a single paw on him... Xylia was still shaking when Talcore flew up. The spikes in her wings were flung outwards makeing sure that no one came near. "I'm fine." she stated her voice somewhat shaky as she looked towards the horses that had gone over the hill. As Char came up, Xylia began to growl. Usually Char didn't critique the way she hunted, but today was one of those days where Char decided to critique and be angry all day long and Xylia wasn't going to let that end her hunting spree. "Like I said earlier," she said turning her slightly dilated eyes towards Char "I'm fine." to be honest though, Xylia was having trouble not hunting right now. Her frustrations with sudden appearance with the visitors, her lack of time with Jinjekkai, and the knowledge that things were going on with packs that she couldn't help all added on to this hunting rage. Share this post Link to post
Posted November 6, 2011 Kiv's eyelids lowered a little in annoyance. "Fff--" he glanced at Quince before continuing. "--fffantastic." I guess she isn't too bad... he thought to himself. Though he never really had spent a whole lot of time with her. Come to think of it, he didn't really spend a lot of time with one particular wolf, he more...well...tried to annoy everyone evenly. Still...he had to prove that he could be 'nice', or at least try not to annoy someone for a little while. He flicked his tail and turned around to head toward the dark wolf. As he neared her, he noticed that she seemed to be caught up in some curious fit, bombarding the newcomer with questions. Kiv sighed and swallowed his pride. He stood up straighter, wagged his tail, put on a grotesque-looking smile and opened his eyes wider. "H-Hey Dayhl..." He tried to speak with enthusiasm, with happiness, but it ended up sounding strange, maybe he was trying too hard. He eased it back a bit and came up next to her. He gave a laugh, not his mocking laugh, but one that sounded like amusement. "Don't ask too many questions, you'll overwhelm the poor guy!" He wagged his tail. "So what are we doing? Showing him around?" Kiv felt stupid, like he was acting like someone who got over-excited by everything...but at least he wasn't being his normal, annoying self...right? ~ Shadow eyed the bird before him, then looked to the wolf. The wagging tail, the bright eyes... "Nah, you have it. You worked for it." he murmured. He looked to the sky and noticed that the weather was going to turn very sour very soon. They had to find a cave or some sort of shelter as soon as they could. "Come on." he gestured with his head as he began to trot to higher ground, where he could search for somewhere to hide. He looked back at Doug and began to think to himself. It was strange for him to be in the position he was in. He hesitated before he spoke. "Doug..." he looked away momentarily before continuing. "Look, why are you--why do you--" he paused, trying to compose himself. "How come you see me as 'higher up' than you? I was a pushover...I still probably am...so why are you following me?" his words were spoken with a harsh tone, but he knew they had some sort of truth to them. Share this post Link to post
Posted November 7, 2011 |Holtan} Holtan didn't actually go and teach the North pups anything about storms. It had started to rain and most of them were already sleeping anyways, so he had decided to make one more round about camp before heading in to practice his healing. At his level, practicing healing could be a pain--especially if no one was injured. When that was the case he usually ended up asking a warrior to cut their paw on a rock or slam their shoulder into a wall. At the moment he was practicing taking half a wound. It was difficult as his body naturally tried to take entire wounds and he preferred doing that as well, but he knew he had to learn to take only half a wound in case a wolf had a long-term-fatal injury. If he was to take such a great injury, he'd end up dead. However, if he was to take half the injury, both he and the injured wolf would likely survive. Just then Holtan spotted Artemis, another healer who used herbs a lot. He had always been fascinated with the way she handled plants--so careful, and so well trained. He enjoyed working with her and learning from her, since what she did could sometimes even cure poisons. He saw that Artemis was grooming herself, but he had some questions for her and couldn't help but approach. He politely dipped his head and smiled when he neared her. "Good day, Artemis. How are you faring?" ~~~~~~~ ~Oksana~ Oksana had been about to race a half-circle around the bear in an attempt to startle it. She was excited, knowing very well with what ease she could take down the creature if she needed to. So far, she hadn't met a single creature that was resistant to her howls... well, except for deaf creatures. If an animal managed to fully plug its ears it was still effected by her howls, but somehow deaf creatures were different. The bear let out an annoyed roar, attempting to scare Oksana. Oksana wagged her tail fiercely, preparing for the right moment to perform a half-circle run. Wait till I tell Pax about this, ha! I'm still okay for the moment! I wonder how long it'll be until it decides to really get at me... "Come on you big old bear, is that all you--" Oksana stopped, startled at the sight of another wolf. She quickly recognized Quince and wondered what the Alpha was doing so far from camp. Had he smelled the bear, or had he been looking for her? She caught the look in his eye and realized he thought she was in trouble, unable to escape it. She gave him a smile and was especially impressed with his ability to sneak around the bear. Then she turned back to the beast, which was just rising to let out another ROAR! "Yeah yeah, I can roar louder than that!" Oksana saw that Quince was nearing the bear, almost close enough to touch it... but she had other plans. Suddenly and with much enthusiasm Oksana let out a giggle, tucked her tail and raced away from the bear. The bear leapt forwards into a lope and began to increase pace... ~...if Quince didn't already manage to somehow stop it, that is Oksana's eyes were wide with excitement and she ran fast. "EEEEEE!" She shrieked as she ran. She didn't use her power, but her voice was high pitched with excitement. ~If the bear was stopped/scared off somehow, Oksana turns her straight running into running in circles. ~If the bear is still going, so is Oksana! Share this post Link to post
Posted November 7, 2011 (edited) Jin turned to speedy, a wolf that Xylia often hunted with, smart, respectful, and one of the few that had seen Xylia go into a hunting rage before. He nodded to him and quickly swung around until he found Xylia with his vision... he races in her direction. It was obvious to him, her aura displayed her rage, frustration, lack of control, he knew every fade and whisp of her aura by heart, and this was both familiar and brought him a lot of sadness. He knew it was his fault in part. As her mate he provided a lot of stability and love to her, it was something she needed, and without that, and all the other stressful things that were happening... this really shouldn't have surprised him. Jin approached in time to hear what Char said and how Xylia responded. He had the same problem that she did, he merely dealt with it differently. He too felt disconnected and incredibly stressed... but stress did weird things to him, it made him work harder, to the point that he would go without sleep and food and eventually run himself ragged and end up collapsing, it was how he coped, and it was no batter than her situation. That fact brought to his mind that he hadn't slept in over a day and couldn't remember if he'd eaten anything recently. Jin turned and growled viciously at Talcore, "fly away," he stared at him threateningly with his cloudy white eyes. He felt bad, he could tell that Talcore was sincere in his desire to help, but this was a private issue, and Jin would keep it that way for Xylia's sake. Char already knew of course, they were good friends, all three of them. Apart from her and Speedy though... no one else really understood it. Jin doubted that Char understood it either, she couldn't know it like he did, but he knew she cared for Xylia too and that was enough for him. "I'll handle this... please..." his eyes pleaded with Char. As much for his sake as Xylia's really... he'd put this off far too long. There hadn't been time... but now it was needed immediately. He didn't wait for a response or slow from his running pace, he merely leapt at Xylia and as the two of them grew closer, his body went limp as their aura's touched, as did hers, and the two of them collapsed in a jumbled heap. ((I asked LL already)) Jinjekkai found himself in a familiar place, nowhere... at least for a moment, and then he was back, where he had been, and his body crashed into Xylia as everyone else froze in place, only the two of them were moving. As their bodies collided the transfer opened up completely and he was suddenly flooded with her emotions, and she with his, unfortunately they were both filled with frustration on the surface, and from experience he knew, somewhere in the back of his mind where he was still thinking clearly, that these would be suffocated in time as the deeper emotions began to surface, but at the moment all he knew was how frustrated he was with everything that was happening! He rolled to the side, ignoring the frozen Char and Talcore who would have no idea what was going on anyway. His body was still lying on top of Xylia from when he had made contact, and until he broke it.... they would remain motionless there. But his aura was fully active and it moved as he did. He shook his scruff and growled, mostly at himself, pawing madly at the dirt as he tried to ignore the frustration, all of the lack of respect, the new responsibility of being Beta, the stress of living up to the expectation of others, his own perfectionism that kept him constantly doubting himself, and more than anything his frustration that he wasn't a better mate to Xylia boiled over the top and flooded the area. RONAN Ronan loped off after Dayhl all the way to the kill pile. Following her lead he also took a whole rabbit from the pile and began to devour it voraciously. His time in the desert had taught him the value of food, and eating it quickly, unfortunately it had erased whatever manners he had once had when it came to eating, it had also erased his previous vain care for what the food tasted like, or what parts were better to eat. As it was, he consumed almost the entire rabbit in a matter of one minute, leaving only the fur and entrails behind. He turned back to Dayhl, watching her finish before she was up again, giving him that look... a look that once had been enough to strike actual fear in him but was now... oddly amusing, perhaps even cute on the younger pup's face. "Yes I knew her as well as anyone I suppose. We were in the same pack but no she wasn't the alpha. She did fight for the position once however, and would have won, but she decided she didn't want to be in charge of everyone. That's the way she was, brilliant, deadly, but also very focused. She never wanted to be in charge of anything, and kept to herself, but she manipulated others into getting what she wanted, mostly without their noticing, that's how smart she was." He didn't repeat the information because he thought it was healthy for Dahyl to know it, but something told him it wasn't fair to hide it from this carbon copy of his former nemesis. Besides, repeating it helped him remember things as well, something he tried to do all the time but always found an impassable wall he could never see through... not clearly at least. "She didn't have a mate, though the Beta, Shadae, a wolf with the power to manipulate bones, was obviously in love with her. I think she may have been too, but she never would have admitted it and chose to show it by avoiding him." Ronan shrugged, "she was an excellent hunter, but... she did kill many wolves, even from our own pack. She was dangerous, and I respected her and knew enough to avoid getting on her bad side." Ronan watched the younger Dayhl to see how she would take the information. He almost hoped it would spark a memory for her, even though considering the circumstances that should be impossible.... but as far as he was concerned he was already used to dealing with the impossible in reality. Edited November 7, 2011 by Rakashua Share this post Link to post
Posted November 7, 2011 Xylia snarled as Jin approached only for a moment before noticing that it was her mate, but it didn't help the emotions that coursed through her body which kept her eyes dilated and her wings arched around her. When he got closer, her growling subsided but when he touched her she almost shrunk back until she realized what he had done. There were only a few moments that they had taken to use his ability and the first time they did, was a time that they used to share their love. Now she could only think of her sheer frustration. Xylia's maw was open in a large, angry growl that seemed to make her feathers shake. Her anger towards Jin for not taking care of himself and her anger towards herself for not taking care of her mate as she should have was a large overtone to everything. Anger with the way that the pack was reacting to Char, didn't help anything. The newcomers, the pups...wait...the pups? The largest undertone was her frustration and complete sadness of dealing with pups. The emotion itself was highly confusing because it mixed with anger and happiness at playing with the pups and teaching them. Her confusion at her own emotions showed as she looked up from the ground and glared at Jin. She wanted to blame him for everything...she wanted to blame him for becoming a Beta. It made her so mad that they hadn't any time for one another, let alone enough time to keep themselves looking proper instead of scragly and tired like they did now. She wanted to blame him for it all! However, in the back of her mind, she blamed herself for not showing more attraction to him earlier; maybe he would have asked her to be his mate earlier, allowing them more stability in their relationship. Whatever it was, she didn't care. She was mad, frustrated, angry, sad, unhappy, all of the negative words there were, she had them and she was indulging in them. It was a few more seconds of her emotions pouring out and pulsing all around them when she felt the added frustration and anger from Jinjekkai. This added emotion placed even more guilt and anger on her which finally pushed her past her breaking point and she lunged at Jin her wings around her, aiming for his chest and neck. Share this post Link to post
Recommended Posts