Shattered Magic

[Kiran]

"Shaede!" Aurora blurted out. Now she remembered who he was! But... what was an Epsilon? It must be some kind of rank, but wasn't Shaede beta? Although, this was far, far away from the Wicked pack, so maybe they had different ranks here? But what were the North and South packs? "But... you're a beta." said Aurora, confused. Shaede continued, asking her what pack she was in. "I-I don't have a pack. Not anymore... I was a member of the Wicked... but... What happened? Why aren't you there? What's the North and South packs?" Questions spilled from Aurora's mouth. A few seconds ago, she could hardly speak, but now she couldn't stop asking questions. Everything seemed weird, strange, and different here. And why wasn't Shaede with the rest of the Wicked?

[LadyNatasha]

~Shaede~

"Shaede!"

 

She spoke as though she knew him, and Shaede frowned. She wasn't from the North pack....

 

"But... you're a beta." And suddenly Shaede remembered. He hadn't been digging deep enough into his long past to find out who this young one was, but now he knew where to look. He looked carefully at Aurora's face, trying to remember who she might have been. Memories came flooding back.

 

"I-I don't have a pack. Not anymore... I was a member of the Wicked... but... What happened? Why aren't you there? What's the North and South packs?"

 

A sad look came over Shaede's face. They were near the base of the mountain now, and Shaede glanced at it as though looking through it, far away towards a home he no longer had. "The Wicked... they are no more. Something happened, and it split up our pack, our pack and the... the Blessed pack. Both packs were split up and no one I've met can remember why. I don't know where the other members of that pack are, I actually haven't met any of them in years..." Shaede looked carefully at Aurora, going even further into his past, to his earliest Beta days, to find the source of her memory in his mind.

 

"The North pack and the South pack, they are the largest packs and almost the only packs that exist now, and they are not enemies like we were with the Blessed. They are allies and from what I hear they've merged. Ah, but I do miss my old pack now that you brought it up! Oh, the good ol' days, romping through those dead forests... sorry, I didn't mean to outtalk you there..." he paused, the glanced at Aurora. Suddenly his eyes lit up and a look of surprise came over his face.

 

"Arolia!" He exclaimed.

"I can't believe it!" Shaede's tail wagged in delighted surprise as he suddenly recognized the sister of the two Warrior Brothers, Ronan and Roshan, the brothers that wouldn't be separated. This was their sister, who had disappeared shortly after their mother went crazy. Or maybe it was their father; Shaede couldn't remember, but he didn't care. He remembered the sad look Arolia always wore on her face, the jealousy the pup had carried when she felt excluded... Shaede had spent weeks searching for her, but he was barely Beta when she had disappeared and he hadn't dared cross the river to search for her. He has been certain she was either dead or a member of the Blessed... but here she was! And she remembered him, and the Wicked pack!

 

"What in the world are you doing out here by yourself?"

[Kiran]

"The Wicked... they are no more. Something happened, and it split up our pack, our pack and the... the Blessed pack. Both packs were split up and no one I've met can remember why. I don't know where the other members of that pack are, I actually haven't met any of them in years..."

Aurora's face fell as Shaede spoke, although she was still burning with questions. The Wicked pack had split up...? Even though she had left the Wicked years ago, she was still shocked and sad to find out that they were gone. But how could that happen? The Wicked couldn't have been destroyed by the Blessed, could they? But the Blessed had been split up too... unless the packs had destroyed each other...? That still wouldn't explain why no one could remember anything about the packs splitting up. And... Shaede hadn't met anyone from the Blessed or Wicked in years? She had been secretly hoping that he would know where her brothers were. he hoped they weren't dead, but still, even if they were alive, there was no chance of her finding them, although she had found Shaede...

 

"The North pack and the South pack, they are the largest packs and almost the only packs that exist now, and they are not enemies like we were with the Blessed. They are allies and from what I hear they've merged. Ah, but I do miss my old pack now that you brought it up! Oh, the good ol' days, romping through those dead forests... sorry, I didn't mean to outtalk you there..."

Allies? Aurora hadn't ever heard of two pack being allies, only enemies, although the only packs she had ever really heard of were the Blessed and the Wicked, and they only fought because... she couldn't even remember. It had been big, but she couldn't remember what it was. Something important.

 

"Arolia! I can't believe it!"

Oh! So that's what her name had been before running away! The fact that she had forgotten her own name just made her feel stupider. She could remember that Shaede had been a beta, but she couldn't remember her own name or what the thing that the Blessed and the Wicked had been fighting about. She couldn't think of how to explain to Shaede that she had forgotten her own name, so she just told him the truth. "Uh... well... I kinda forgot my own name and started to call myself Aurora,"(( )) she said sheepishly.

 

"What in the world are you doing out here by yourself?"

"Well... Uh... it's a long story, so here is the short version. I sorta ran away, then I crossed the Blessed territory, then I lived in the mountains for years, then I got lonely and left the mountains and then I ended up here," Aurora finished. It sounded stupid, even to her, but she didn't want to go into detail about why she left or anything. Most of her shock at meeting another wolf for the first time in years had worn off, but she was still shy, and she had forgotten some parts of it.

[hazeh]

A quiet reserve had fallen over Dayhl, and she listened to Ronan while gazing off into the distance, as if lost in thought, though her young brow was slightly furrowed and there was a steely glint to her bright golden eyes. He spoke of her and Vheni as if he had known them, and even claimed so much that they were, indeed, the she-wolves from his past. Dayhl looked up at him finally, squarely in the eyes, but her expression was so vague and dark there was no telling what exactly she was feeling in response to his proclamations. If anything, there appeared to be a glint of scorn in her eyes.

 

Though Dayhl very much did not like the rain either, she was slow to react to his suggestion. Or at least, it seemed that way, for she did not answer either Ronan nor Vheni for a long moment. It was only when a different wolf approached, whom she watched from the corner of her eyes, that she turned fully around to face the dens, and consequently the new pup. He appeared to be her own age, if perhaps slightly younger. She was also pleased to find that she bested him in size, though she didn't know whether this was due to her abnormally long legs or his youth. Or a combination of both. However, she soon became less preoccupied with sizing the fellow up when a very peculiar sensation took her attention. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and it left a metallic taste, as if the acidic levels in her saliva had suddenly decreased. Though this was strange, it was not particularly alarming, and she passed it off without so much as noticing it had anything to do with the male yearling's arrival.

 

His rather bland and disinterested greeting left a none too impressed Dayhl to regard him with slanted eyes. She didn't like his attitude, and for some reason she felt a little flustered with him around. This, however, was not presented anywhere on her being, and instead her dark coat bristled at his tone of voice. At yet for some reason, her eyes would not leave his face. He looked absolutely nothing like Shaede, but those red eyes- they mystified her. She blinked softly before glancing towards the other wolves in their small group, confused over the curiosity and interest she felt over him. As her eyes settled over Vheni, she wondered what the other female yearling thought. She seemed interested in playing with him, something Dayhl hadn't thought of to do. She had been too preoccupied with thoughts of past lives to remember that playing was a normal thing to do with those their own age. Of course, Vheni was probably the only other wolf Dayhl really "played" with much, given her tendency to be overtly rough and brutal.

 

She had opened her mouth to answer, but before she could so much as a sound of her agreement for shelter, the burly sand-wolf suddenly rushed past Dayhl and jumped onto the new kid. She stared at them, open-jawed, before blinking and gazing to Vheni as her mouth closed again. Ronan began saying things Dayhl didn't understand at all; something about a brother? Was this new guy some other wolf Ronan knew in his past life? All those wild theories made less sense the more she heard about them. In fact, after a while, her gaze sharpened to a glare and her ears folded back with annoyance. "He's probably just crazy," she muttered, loud enough for Vheni to hear if she so much as wanted to listen, but the statement was mostly to ease the confusion that still clouded her head. Of course, there was the issue of Ronan knowing Shaede's name, but... Shade seemed like it might have been a common name. It was probably just a coincidence.

 

Dayhl snorted softly as Lucifer's tall figure shot between Ronan and the male pup, but slightly dipped her head out of instinct at the she-wolf's sharp, rich growl as it dominated the air around them in its elegant, yet threatening notes.

A brief flash of surprise caught in Lucifer's cobalt eyes. She hadn't been expecting such casual talk from the Beta; like always, she was under the impression that unless called upon for duty, the higher ranked wolves had not much of a need for her. There was a trickle of warmth from Ava's attempt at conversation, and ever so faintly a small, pleased smile presented itself on her chalk-while muzzle. "Of course not, my lady," she answered gently, perking her ears slightly with a hint of more interest than normal. There was a faint pause as she tilted her muzzle to the side to glance at the loner and the two female pups before returning her dark eyes to Ava's face once more. "I am doing well, thank you for asking. I am...curious, as to what will be happening with our packs now." The smile faded for a moment at the thought of what had occurred earlier that day; first the marriage proposal between the two Alphas, which she still wasn't sure she supported, and then the spontaneous arrival of two wolves who both knew each other and Pax and Oksana. It was certainly mysterious, and extremely interesting.

 

The voices of the group behind them distracted her slightly and she flipped an ear in their direction, out of duty to remain a protector to the young ones. The Kido male seemed trustworthy enough, and in fact she found his ideas and speech to be interesting and captivating, though she did her best to remain aloof and off to the side. Lucifer had never been much of a very social wolf, although she enjoyed moments with individuals such as Ava. "How are you faring, Ava?" She studied the Beta's face for a moment, and then added, "Had there been anything troubling to yo-" The sharp whine of a young voice immediately had Lucifer on her paws. A soldier, she was, and everything abnormal caught her attention, especially something as suspicious as that. She turned swiftly to see Ronan atop a young male she did not recognize, and the pup looked either totally shocked or panicked, or both. A dangerous growl started in her throat, and instantly she cleared the distance between herself and Ronan with a few graceful bounds. Teeth bared, she dipped down and forced herself over Rhoshan's body and between Ronan's chest, paws splayed and gripping the soil like a mother protecting her child.

 

As she found more room available, Lucifer thrust her face directly into Ronan's, now more or less in front of Rhoshan than on top of him. "Step away," she commanded, her voice low in tone but firm in its volume, and even then the rolling, feminine accent was too its fullest, enforcing the motherly-like portrayal she had unconsciously created about herself.

(If it's okay, I'm going to double post with Talcore and Polaris in the next one.)

Edited December 9, 2011 by Shiny Hazard Sign

[hazeh]

It was now that he felt the rain soaking completely through his fur and feathers, seizing his bones in an icy, tense grip. The muscles of his wings were becoming sluggish from the cold and from overuse (as he had flown quite the distance in the past few days), and the speed and ferocity in which he drove the herd of horses was spending more energy than he really had. His wings stretched out, losing the powerful beats in which had kept him propelled after the equines, and left him to glide instead on exhausted muscles. Blinking through the rain, he was able to spy a dark shape veering towards the horses. Noting other hunters behind this one, he was glad to have found relief for his efforts. With a deep sigh, the winged wolf dropped lower behind the herd, until his long, drenched legs found the earth again. He pursued the horses a little while longer on foot, but even then he found himself falling far behind them, unable to put forth the effort any longer.

 

Finally, Talcore stopped. He contemplated flopping over in the mud-streaming grasses, but he knew that wasn't a very practical idea. Instead, he rested standing up, wings hanging from his sides and resting on the earth beside him. He panted heavily, flicking his tongue whenever the water splashed against it. Although he was quite cold at this point, and could have used a good furnace- the thought brought him images of Firefly, and consequently a pretty she-wolf's face whom he refused to name- he was glad to have a steadily available water source. Only when he began shivering from the wind and rain did Talcore fold his wings against his sides again and start forward.

 

He moved slowly over the hills, noting that the horses and the hunting party had gone quite a ways during the time he took to rest. He would be of no more use today, and hopefully he would be able to make it back to the packlands without getting seriously lost. He didn't doubt he could have made it back on a full supply of energy, but staying the night in the open grasses did not appeal to him, especially with the weather that wrought shivers and chills through his otherwise sturdy figure.

He was walking down the side of a gently-sloping hill, his muzzle pointed downwards in his weariness, when he noticed two wolves conversing with one another off to the side. He hoped they were part of the pack and might escort him back, so that he wouldn't have gotten lost for the night- but upon approaching, saw that they were heavily engaged in their speech and likely wouldn't have taken well to his intrusion. He was a loner, after all, and one that had made quite the...entrance upon arriving. He stopped a few yards away, mulling over the decision to turn around and try to best the storm himself, or wait until they had stopped and noticed him.

However, before he was able to come to either conclusion, he found his eyes drawn to the male in particular. No name came to mind, but the markings and the face were rather alarmingly familiar. He could not place a memory that matched the image of the male, but the description rung too many bells to ignore. Cautiously, Talcore moved closer, though his tired physique still showed through the warrior-like facade. "Excuse me, Sir," Talcore called, halting again about eight feet from the duo. "Did you mention something called the Blessed pack?" His amber eyes searched Shaede's face with a deep, almost hungry interest, though his expression was grim and stony.

The wind moved softly through Lar's pelt, ruffing the dark tips and parting the golden fur to reveal the layer of cream beneath. He could smell the rain long before it fell, but he was content to sit inside the old, hollowed-out log and watch the other with his bright yellow eyes. The newcomers he was especially intrigued with, and kept his keen vision focused on them as long as they stayed within his range. The winged one flew off before too long, but Polaris busied himself with the sand-one. A few pups appeared to take to him and fancied his stories, but Polaris was too far away to make out the older male's words. Not that he really cared to know; the golden wolf found the body to tell far more than speech ever could. He could tell simply from the loner's and that of the female yearlings that there was some special connection between the three that the rest of the pack's population had yet to be notified of. This Polaris found slightly more interesting, but he kept his observations to himself. Like usual.

 

Before long, something happened and the loner male jumped at one of the yearlings, one that Polaris didn't know very well. He didn't really know anyone that well, for that matter. And he didn't mind it. It was when the solitary she-wolf Lucifer darted forward to intervene that Polaris shuffled backwards in the log and emerged hind-quarters first from the other end. He didn't want the others to find his hiding spot, it was a special location for him to sit and think and be away from the others when he had nothing else to do. He glanced around the area a few times, ignoring the fat drops of rain that splattered onto his forehead. In the dim, grey light cast by the thick haze of clouds, the rainbow-hued stone glowed ever so softly with an internal light, like that of a faint star during the night.

 

As the other wolves in the pack busied themselves, Polaris walked slowly along the edge of the group, keeping to the side and away from the other wolves. His muzzle was purposely held low, his body moving fluidly, and his eyes constantly trained on one thing or anything to avoid looking at someone directly. When he felt safe enough from the others that he could settle into a different spot and observe again, he watched Ackecheta leave the camp to go find someone else. The hunting party had left already and nothing had been asked of him, though he was certain not many would turn to him for assistance. Most wolves forgot he was even there.

 

Quietly, Polaris settled his golden muzzle on his paws, enjoying the soft drum of the rain as it hit his thick fur. It would take a while for the water to seep all the way through to his skin, since his coat was rather dense, and the chill did not bother him. He liked how the earth smelled when it was wet and how the air smelled fresh and pure. It was a time that he could sit back and relish nature's beauty without worry that many of the other wolves would ruin it for him; he was glad most of the others took cover upon the first signs of the storm.

Edited December 9, 2011 by Shiny Hazard Sign

[LoveLost]

Quince looked around trying to find what was going on when he heard unfamiliar steps. He turned in a moments notice, his overly long legs almost making him trip. It was still more embarassing than anything to trip over legs that weren't as wise as your mind was, but at least he made due most of the time. When he realized that the wolf had the scent of the North Pack, he calmed a little bit then looked back at the pile of bodies.

 

"I wouldn't do this kind of thing....I can't really. My energy kills not knocks out. As to the new wolves, yes there are. Old ones too. They seem really wise and are actually being rather helpful. And yes. That blasted idiot did get demoted to the lowest level I could give him without stripping him from the pack." He said thoroughly irritated by the wolf but he stopped and his ears tilted forward as his head did to the side.

 

"What?" he questioned as he heard Jin start laughing and then Xylia in turn. What was going on here?

 

Xylia had taken a moment to orient herself as she was on top of Char who had tried to come between her and Jin at the last moment while she had been about to attack Jin. When she heard Jin's muffled jokes, she started to laugh and as he continued she started to laugh even harder causing tears to jump into her eyes at the mirth. She jumped off of Char and then did her best to help/pull Char off of Jin as she laughed, her wings were slightly mussed as she laughed but then realized the questioning growl coming from Quince. She turned to him and tried to answer, bust started to laugh again. It was mainly tension relief, but what Jin had said really was funny to her.

[LadyNatasha]

~Shaede~

 

"Uh... well... I kinda forgot my own name and started to call myself Aurora."

 

Shaede didn't seem surprised; he simply nodded. When he had been by himself his name had been so unused he had almost forgotten about it for a while. Good old days...

 

"Well... Uh... it's a long story, so here is the short version. I sorta ran away, then I crossed the Blessed territory, then I lived in the mountains for years, then I got lonely and left the mountains and then I ended up here."

 

Shaede nodded slowly, attempting to absorb the quickly given information. It didn't seem Arolia was too fond of it, so he didn't ask her further about it. "Hmm. Well, I'm glad to see your alive. Honestly, it's good to know that our pack didn't just disappear; for a while I thought I was living in a whole different universe, not seeing any of you!" Shaede had been so busy talking to Aurora he didn't even notice the winged wolf approach until he spoke.

 

"Excuse me, Sir," the sturdy voice called. Shaede turned to look curiously upon the newcomer. He was a white wolf with blue and white wings, and although Shaede had never seen him before he immediately knew he had heard stories of such a wolf, many years ago. Some elder, some old female had told stories...

 

"Did you mention something called the Blessed pack?" Shaede's fur would have raised slightly if it wasn't for the rain. Since joining the North pack he had been very careful not to mention the Blessed or Wicked unless an Alpha requested information--the only reason he had spoken with Aurora about it was because she brought it up first. Shaede took a moment to yawn as he thought, and he stayed near to Aurora as though protectively.

 

"I most certainly did," he said, the friendliness gone from his voice. Stories, yes, but the old wolf hadn't been happy to tell her story...

 

"Why ask?" His voice was calm but his eyes were determined; something about the winged wolf before him made him unhappy, reminded him of something awful he had planned and carried out in the past... something, but what?

[sapphiredragon73]

Vheni

 

Vheni smiled at the slightly blurry image of the newcomer as he nodded to her, her tail wagging lightly. At least he wasn't as grumpy as he looked. That would have been no fun. Then her sight suddenly returned to normal as the pup sighed, like nothing had occured.That's strange... Vheni looked at the wolf for the first time with her normal sight, that is, normal for her, anyway. Now she could see every minuscule detail about him, not that they mattered right now. Vheni looked at Dahyl, meeting her gaze for a short heartbeat before turning her attention back to the new pup, who had begun to answer, when he was cut off by none other than Ronan. What is with this wolf? Is he crazy?

 

Vheni stiffened in surprise, flattening her ears, as Ronan attacked the pup, who was less than half his size. The pup was quickly pinned, but Ronan didn't seem aggressive. Instead, he was talking something about a brother... But the thing that really caught her attention was when Ronan called this wolf Roshan. Vheni frowned. So it is Roshan? Or is this another one of the wolves that had supposedly come from Ronan's past? But then, Roshan was from Ronan's past, though Vheni found it impossible to remember what connection the past Roshan had had to Ronan. How many wolves, then, are there that are from this guy's past? And how is it possible that we're so young? Vheni looked at Dahyl as the she-wolf muttered something that sounded like "He's crazy."

 

Although, although it seemed like the best explanation for this strange sand-wolf's actions, Vheni had a strange feeling that there was something else behind this random outburst, a strange connection. She glanced at Dahyl, who seemed equally confused. Vheni turned her head back to the skirmish as the pup whimpered lightly, and wasn't surprised at all when Lucifer flashed between Ronan and "Roshan." She smirked, holding back a sarcastic laugh as Lucifer snarled at the sand-wolf. This was what he got for attacking a defenseless pup less than half his size, who... now also happened to be covered in splatters of sand.

 

Vheni found the sight of this red-eyed pup covered in muddy sand ridiculously funny, and she let out a laugh, one of the very few true ones that she had ever let out in her life, a high, tinkling laugh, before snapping her mouth shut. What was with her today? Ronan's crazy attitude was rubbing off onto her as well! She watched Lucifer shield the pup from Ronan, growling at the older wolf. At least this is mildly interesting, Vheni thought as she watched the three wolves, her tail tip twitching in anticipation of the action.

[Rakashua]

Ronan

 

"No. Not at all. L-last I knew, I didn't have any siblings."

 

Rationally Ronan knew that this had to be the case, just like the others... Roshan couldn't have known him, not really... But his mind was less than rational at the moment, and those words coming from his brother's young mouth... cut him deeper than and tooth or fang ever could He felt numb at first, not really feeling much of anything... and then suddenly there was someone else, separating him from Roshan.

 

For Lucifer's sake, it was a very very good thing that Ronan was soaking wet, as was the sand he usually kept about him, because his gut reaction would have been to knock her senseless and away from his brother. His sand was almot completely gone at this point though, what little remained as a thin layer under his wet fur, protected from the water, became rock hard at the intrusion of Lucifer, but otherwise he completely ignored her altogether. No one mattered, no one, no pack, no rules, not life or death, what mattered was he had found his brother... and he had to make him realize that!

 

"We grew up together, our father tried to kill you, I saved your life. Your mother hated both of us because she thought we didn't have powers. Then one day we found out you could nullify the powers of other wolves and you thought she loved you, but she was only using you and I showed you this. Because of the time I spent around you as a pup I'm immune to your power if it weren't raining I could create a legion of sand demons just for you to train with like we did in secret for all those years before I revealed that I too had a power a gift of sand. We were inseparable, you had a dream, a plan, and I existed to make that become reality."

 

Ronan took a few quick breaths, still ignoring Lucifer, the younger wolf did not intimidate him, even if she had some hidden ability, he was the only one besides his brother present who could use such a skill, and on even ground with no abilities in play at all, his sheer strength and size put him at a large advantage over most wolves.

 

"You have the ability to nullify other wolves' powers without even trying, it's an aura you project, I can feel it. I know you are my brother, and I know you can't remember anything, I have a huge gap in my memory too, but you have to remember something, I know you can't have forgotten me completely..." Ronan's eyes bored into his brother's pleading with him to recall something, something from his past that Ronan had quickly described must have sparked memories in side him, not even whatever had made him young again could have completely wiped Ronan out of his mind, the two of them had been inseparable, Ronan knew nothing could make him forget his brother... nothing.

 

 

(((will post as Jin later)))

[LadyNatasha]

~Rhoshan~

 

There was a flash of white, and Rhoshan found himself free of the older male's paws for just long enough for him to scramble to his feet and see that the flash of white was some random white delicate looking female who was now growling in the face of the familiar male. Rhoshan found himself sitting and staring, really unable to react otherwise. The male looked desperate and was ignoring the white female.

 

"We grew up together, our father tried to kill you, I saved your life. Your mother hated both of us because she thought we didn't have powers. Then one day we found out you could nullify the powers of other wolves and you thought she loved you, but she was only using you and I showed you this..."

 

Rhoshan's mind was quick, quick enough to often get him into trouble and make him miss important details but now it worked to help him immediately compare everything Ronan was saying to what Rhoshan had lived. He had grown up alone, his father was already dead, his mother had loved him dearly and he had shirked her so she left... none was accurate but the mention of powers. Rhoshan was shocked at the mention of his own powers and surprised that the wolf knew he had powers.

 

"Because of the time I spent around you as a pup I'm immune to your power if it weren't raining I could create a legion of sand demons just for you to train with like we did in secret for all those years before I revealed that I too had a power a gift of sand. We were inseparable, you had a dream, a plan, and I existed to make that become reality."

 

A dream. A plan. It all sounded familiar. Rhoshan had never had a dream or a plan, but yet seeing this wolf and hearing him made it seem real. Immune to my power? Legion of sand de--sand demons! Like the sand wolves I build on the shores! But--how could he know I train on those? A gift of sand... I knew a wolf like that once, didn't I? But... no, I couldn't have... Staring into the eyes of this wolf who claimed to be his brother, Rhoshan felt a sense of warmth and familiarity that normally at this point would have been placed with sheer disbelief at the insanity of the wolf before him. If he hadn't felt some sort of connection to Ronan, he would have been gone by now, leaving the white female to handle the situation.

 

"You have the ability to nullify other wolves' powers without even trying, it's an aura you project, I can feel it. I know you are my brother, and I know you can't remember anything, I have a huge gap in my memory too, but you have to remember something, I know you can't have forgotten me completely..."

My memory is gone? Messed up? Rhoshan didn't want to believe it, but he did. Immediately hundreds of ways he could have lost his memory came to mind, and he wondered just how serious this wolf was. He was really serious according to his eyes, which were staring right into Rhoshan's soul.

 

His last bit of resistance against the madness he felt inside left, and he blurted it out; "Well if I'm not crazy you're Ronan I guess, right?" The words were more pathetic than Rhoshan had intended them to be, but he was still in shock somewhat. His tail was low now as he sensed the white female had great authority, but he peered past her at Ronan cautiously. He cast a quick glance at Vheni and Dayhl as well, wondering if they thought he was crazy too.

[hazeh]

 

Having been so blatantly ignored, her warning growl immediately increased to a guttural snarl that echoed loudly around the area, her lips peeled back to flash ivory fangs. This was no ordinary challenge by a commoner; like Royalty, Lucifer stood guarded, brilliant white fur bristled and her dark-blue eyes ablaze. He had overstepped his boundaries as a guest in their home, and she would not stand for insolence should he so seek to continue his stay. Though she was only third in rank to an Alpha, her stance and her voice were easily mistakable for one.

 

"This wolf grew up here, in our lands, far from you," she interjected, firmly planting herself in front of Ronan to block his view of Rhoshan, and moved with him if he so tried to gaze around her. She had no fear of him, that much was certain, and she most definitely was not pleased that he attempted to brush her off so lightly. She knew Quince would have been just as protective of the pups, no matter which pack they hailed from, and it was firmly set in her mind that either Alpha would have reacted in a similar manner. Had they not, Lucifer would have most definitely lost respect for them. No one barged into their home and took advantage of their young ones without explaining themselves first.

 

Though Kido- or Ronan, or whatever his name was- was a rather large wolf, she matched him nearly as equal in height, if only lacking by two inches at most. She was willowy in figure while he had massive bulk, but a soldier did not place bets on physical prowess. She gave another warning growl that fluctuated in volume, a threat if he did not so much as answer her first. What she thought would have been a respectable wolf had turned into a rude, bad-mannered brute right before her eyes.

 

Rhoshan's words did not do much to soothe the angry princess, but she cast him a brief glance to search his young face. There was something in his gaze that told her of a spark in his mind, but she did not care for if the loner's words were true or not. Either way, there were major discrepancies in his story, and Lucifer did not stand for such behavior and delusions, especially towards the younger lot of their pack. If she somehow managed to find a mate in her years of living, there was no doubt she would make out to be a good mother.

 

"You are not in any position to run around claiming things about our pack members," she snapped, "Regardless of who you think they are. They are apart of our family now and if you have any hope of staying here, you would do well to go about yourself with dignity and rationality. Now, stand back, Ronan, or your time with this yearling is ending. Now."

 

[Rakashua]

Ronan

 

Ronan... he had said his name, he did remember... at least as much as the others, that meant there was hope. Ronan could tell him everything... well everything he remembered at least. But this was also a new wolf, with a new life, a fake life it seemed to Ronan but to Roshan... it must have seemed real. Memories of two lives, how odd.

 

For the first time it seemed to register in Ronan's mind that Lucifer was there, not because she had moved in front of him, for he had seemed to stare right through her, but because she had said his name, knocking him out of his pondering. He had no memory of anything else she had said, but it was obvious enough why she was here, he had overreacted, well... in her opinion.

 

"Tell me something Lucifer," he said smiling, still starring at her as though through her, "if you had spent two years searching for someone you lost that meant everything to you, and suddenly you found that person, what would you do? I'm sure even your serene manners would be tossed out in light of the elation of finding your lost one, especially if he was your brother."

 

Believing that to have been explanation enough, he went back to talking to Roshan.

 

"Yes, that is my name, and I wish I could explain it all to you, why you have now lived two different lives, and have memories from both. You're not crazy, at least not any more than I am, or Veni here or Dael, or Oksana, Pax, Talcore... they're all here. While it seems Pax, Oksana, myself and Talcore have lost two years of our lives and memory... it seems that you and the others have lived a new life, for the same amount of time, about two years. I can no more deny that you are my brother than I can say you're a rabbit. But..." Ronan sighed and sat down. "I realize it's not the same for you as it is for me. I've been looking for you for two years... and all this time you've merely known me as a fleeting memory that you can never quite put your paws down on."

 

 

Ronan's eyes took a far off look. "I remember fighting alongside you. We were unstoppable as a team. Your power made me untouchable, and mine made you flawless. I remember the taste of your blood when I would lick your wounds. I know so much about you... but I don't know what happened, that seperated us... and why you and the others became young again. But that's something for Talcore to worry about, all I care about is the fact that you're here, now, with me, and I'll do anything to keep that."

[Packgoater]

Ackecheta's ears flicked in amusement as he heard Kiv was demoted as low as the brat could get. He kind of felt bad for him, in a way, but he wasn't sure all that he could do about it. He was about to respond when suddenly laughter erupted from beside him. His ears pinned to the back of his head and he jumped, wide-eyed, to a crouch where he turned to face the laughter with an amusing amount of caution. When he saw it was Jin and Xylia he relaxed his muscles, but his ears remained pulled back. His eyes shifting for a moment, he quickly strided into his normal position, his ears now tilted slightly downwards, embarrassed.

 

"I... You both surprised me, that's all," he mumbled, moving forwards, his ears now swiveling to the front as he looked with curiosity at them. What on earth had happened here? He had been looking for Char and he found her, but not in the way he had expected. And now it was just even more odd, with the addition of Xylia and Jin, both of whom were laughing uproariously after being silent and almost dead-looking a moment before. His blue eyes now lifted to the sky and he sighed, flicking his tail absent-mindedly, hoping he hadn't embarrassed himself too much this time. Fliking his ears slighly back, he surmised it already sounded like Quince was tired of him, which wasn't a good sign. He really didn't want to get on the other leader's bad side, not with the pack merged. He didn't want to end up a Kiv, did he? No, that would be humiliating, especially when he was high up and being an Omega would be such a huge demotion. No, he definitely needed to stay on Quince's good side.

[Rakashua]

Jin

 

Jin managed to regain his feet and a few scraps of seriousness and turned to Quince, managing to keep a nearly straight face.

 

"Sorry about that, we had a slight... power malfunction, and it ended rather comically." He nodded, "on the bright side we've come up with a few new ways to make the lives of both packs easier..." Jin nudged Xylia to let her know that they should vacate the area and let Char talk to Quince.

 

"I'm sure you and Char have a lot to talk about so... we'll just be going." He turned and gave Char a Good Luck! wink as he began to scamper away. Jin was both happy and sad for Char. She was his best friend besides Xylia and as much as he wished she could just find true love and a mate... she was alpha and had responsibilities that superseded such fantasies. But he was very proud of her for what she was determined to do. She was an excellent Alpha, because she had the one characteristic that could not be learned. She cared for the pack, the rest of being an alpha she would learn over time. And Quince... he wasn't bad, Jin could see the two of them happy together. "Ackecheta, come with us, you're actually part of the plan if you're not busy."

 

There, that should leave Quince and Char alone for a bit... He already had a few wolves in mind to talk to right off the bat. Ackecheta was actually one of them, they also needed to find Lucifer and let her know, and then start picking out responsible wolves: some for trials to make them Betas, some simply to report to them and help them be in more than one place at any given time. It was time these packs started getting along and solid leadership was the key to that.

[LoveLost]

Xylia looked at Jin as if there was some sort of conspiracy that she wasn't part of then realized what they had spoken about. "Oh yeah!" she whispered mainly to herself then allowed herself to be herded by her mate. Before she walked off though, she stopped beside Char and licked her cheek in a friendly way before she walked off. "You are a great Alpha Char....I wouldn't have it any other way." she whispered before walking after Jin and making sure that Akecheta was following.

 

It was strange to think that Char may or may not be mated sometime soon or afterwords or when, pfffff. She didn't care but she hoped that they would be able to resolve everything that they needed to before the packs decided to change their minds and usurp their Alphas. She doubted that the higher ranking wolves would do that, but you never could be too sure.

 

"Come ooooon, We need to go get things done and Akie you are going to be a part of it whether or not you like it." she said with a slight joking tone as she ruffled her feathers then flattened them several times before she sat down with a huff and nibbled at her feathers until they were all laying down perfectly. It took her longer than she wanted, but at least they were all the way that she wanted them to be. Her golden eyes took in the sight around her and realized that the wolves had killed plenty to add to the feeding pile and by now with everyone awake, she was sure that this mornings reserves were probably gone.

 

 

 

Quince was still more confused than ever as he tried to remember what Jin's power was. Not many really did, but he assumed it had to do with connecting their minds to one another and as Jin had said, it had gone wrong for a time. He watched with a funny, confused face as he watched the other three wolves walk off together and found himself laughing. "What in the world is going on today?" he said in slight exasperation. But before he allowed himself to get caught up in what was going on, he sat down, his legs poking up beside him like they would a pup and his head tilted to the side curiously.

 

"Soooo, what did all of you figure out? I am all ears." His statement couldn't be more true. Instead of his ears being proportional to his head, they looked more like the size of a German Shepherds. He was glad though that he had been able to figure that over the next two years, possibly this year, he would finally even out in size, height, weight, looks, all of that would finally STOP being so freakin weird!

[Dr. Paine]

"Jin and Xylia wish to train others- Gammas and particularly good Epsilons- to become observers. If I heard my nursery stories right, it's much like how it used to operate," Char said with a slight laugh. "The Alpha pair, with a dozen or so high subordinates who report to them. I have already agreed to this, but I would like to ensure you don't mind, in case you happened to have a different idea. But the three of us agreed, we're spread out too thin. We need more eyes on the pack."

 

Char shivered slightly as the rain soaked her pelt. She hadn't seen what others brought in, but... well, the pack would have to live with it. "I must bring the hunt to an end, we won't be able to get anything else out of it. We can continue this on the way back," she said, bowing her head to Quince before trotting a few paces away, letting out a long howl, calling all straggling hunters to return to the dens.

[hazeh]

 

As Kido finally turned his attention- or so it appeared, his gaze was too distant for her tastes- back to her to finally answer, the tall white female narrowed her eyes again, obviously not amused with his response. What had happened to that intelligent mind of his she thought she had witnessed back with the alphas? Was he truly so easily blinded? The princess snorted, recoiling her head away from him finally, finding it in distaste to have her muzzle so close to his in her anger; the touch of his breath on her nose felt odd, and it was obvious that he showed no respect towards her as his superior. Though Lucifer was never much of a holier-than-thou type of wolf, his disrespect truly struck a chord.

 

Her dark eyes met his evenly, slanted with annoyance at seeing how he did not meet it as he should have. "Perhaps that is so, Ronan, but unlike you, I would have kept my wits about me and realized that this isn't the open grassland you're standing in. You decided to stay as our guest on our territory, and out of no where you tackle one of our own- not to mention a young one!- to the ground with no explanation. Have you no ability to think of your actions? Had I been anyone else, you could have very well been prevented from seeing this boy ever again!" Her voice had grown from a cool, low growl, to a sharp hiss at its ending point. But, as she finished, the ridge of bristled fur along her elegant spine began to smooth out again. A moment later and she appeared to regain her composure, and soon enough the wolf stood with her same, lady-like carriage, observing Ronan with disappointment and still a hint of slight irritation.

 

She didn't like his story. There was absolutely no way any of those pups could have ever been a part of such a fantastical delusion as the one he continued to spout. Most of all, Lucifer knew Dayhl had nothing to do with it- Luce had been there since the pup's birth, for goodness' sake!- and the more he talked, the more she had a suspicion that perhaps he was weaving those stories with some sort of power of his. Delving into the minds of the pups to bring about memories or dreams, to make him convincing? Lucifer didn't doubt a wolf could harness that power. She was skeptical of the idea, however, given she had seen him utilize the sand as if it were a second body. And yet, she wondered, if there were wolves out there that possessed more than one power. This Ronan- or Kido, or whoever he was- and the winged wolf spoke as though they were from a completely different world. And Lucifer resented the idea that he might have posed any kind of threat to her pups- well, the packs'- without a believable explanation and reasoning.

 

Still, at the same time, she couldn't deny that the young wolf Rhoshan was enthralled with the story. It appeared Dayhl and Vheni had been as well, though one look at Dayhl told Lucifer that the dark yearling was no longer entertained by the fabrications.

Lucifer took a step back, angling herself away from Ronan so that she stood perpendicular to the brothers. She glanced between them, her gaze hardening whenever it traveled to the older wolf. "I will give you until the Alphas return to speak with him. When they get back, they can decide what to do with you. As for now, Dayhl, Vheni-" She turned and called their names, her cobalt eyes landing on their young faces respectively, "-Come with me. I have jobs for you two." The white wolf's long legs strode her a few feet away from the "brothers" before she suddenly paused and looked once more over her shoulder to state flatly, "And you're wrong, Ronan. These three aren't even past a year in age yet." Of course, given his behavior, she expected him to either not care or not hear her at all. Typical.

 

Dayhl glanced at Vheni a few times as Ronan spoke. Now it was getting just down right insane, and she wondered if any of this was actually true at all, or if Ronan just believed it so much it had rubbed off on all of them. She didn't know how powers worked all that much, but she was starting to really get a weird feeling about the entire thing. "This is lame," she said suddenly, sitting back in the wet soil with a scowl, not caring that her hind quarters got dirty. "I'd rather be out learning how to fight and kills things than sit here in the rain listening to some weirdo ramble on." Water can now almost completely saturated her dark face, turning it from a burnt shade of mahogany to a deep black.

 

When Lucifer spoke up again, Dayhl immediately rose to her feet. She would be glad to be going with the white female; while Ronan's speech had excited her at first, now it made her feel strange, out of place, and alien. She didn't like it. Snorting softly, she made her way after the tall she-wolf, wondering where exactly Holo might have been.

 

(I'll post as Talcore later.)

Edited December 10, 2011 by Shiny Hazard Sign

[sapphiredragon73]

Vheni

 

Vheni watched Ronan and "Roshan" talk back and forth, completely ignoring the beta that was standing between them. Is that even allowed? It's not respectful, for all I know, Vheni thought with a small frown. She glanced at Dahyl, meeting her gaze before turning back to Ronan, who was currently confronting Lucifer. First telling them crazy stories, then challenging the Beta? Vheni was slowly starting to lose respect for this sand-wolf. Maybe he really is crazy...

 

But one little part of her knew that wasn't true. This... Ronan had a story behind his words, a story that was peeking out from cover bit by bit, the pieces fitting together one little bit by piece. And if that pup was Roshan, and he did have the power to nullify, that would explain perfectly well how she was unable to see when he came close. But I can see perfectly fine now... Did "Roshan" let me see? Confused, and her feelings jumbled, Vheni looked back at Lucifer and Roshan and Ronan. One part of her wanted to believe it. The logical part protested, and a third, smaller part said she didn't want to believe, said that she wanted to be the best warrior of the pack, not a crazy outcast that had strange visions of the past... that apparently was one of the wolves from the past.

 

The fluffy fur along Vheni's spine rippled once as all her emotions came boiling up, then she took a few deep breaths, and the hair that had risen settled back down smoothly again. After all, Lucifer was here. She would solve it. Adults always did. Looking closely at the beta, Vheni could see the creases in her muzzle, and she could tell that Lucifer didn't trust Ronan at all. Does that mean I shouldn't trust him either?

 

Vheni flinched when her name was called, but quickly gathered her composure. After all, a warrior must never be distracted or frightened of such small matters. Almost glad to get away from this, which was now starting to give her a headache, Vheni stood up and stretched. "Bye," she murmured to Roshan with a fleeting, hesitant smile and a quick wag of her tail. Then she followed Lucifer, shaking her head in small jerks to get rid of the pressing pain in her head.

Edited December 11, 2011 by sapphiredragon73

[LoveLost]

Quince chuckled. They had been like that for some time. Pax was one of his best Warriors and liked to keep the young paired with the old. For that reason he made sure to keep Pax and an older warrior as governers over all of the warriors and their apprentices. He did the same with Oksana as a Huntress and Lucifer as a Scout. However he often thought that Lucifer overstepped her boundaries. She wasn't a Beta and she took things into her own hands. It was the one thing that he felt uncomfortable with but he couldn't dispute her abilities in the scouting field. When it came to beta's though, he only had one because there wasn't another wolf in the world that could compare to Ava and her genius.

 

"I approve of course. We have been doing the same that you have suggested ever since I can remember. I thought the same was of your pack, but then again, the old Alpha and Alphess and I didn't share information like we probably should have." Quince made a reassuring sound that was halfway between a grunt and a playful growl. "Don't be discouraged Char. You are young and you are also new to this political, social, and mental game known as being an Alpha." He nodded when she let out a strong howl. it was good to have a developed howl that could be heard for miles around and did the same adding in his own dip and rise to he tones to make sure that his own hunters knew that it was time to come into the dens.

 

"You seem to have something else on your mind Char, but I think we should get back to the dens first before we both freeze to death." he said with a smile now that he was sure that she was okay. With that, he took of at a speedy clip but made sure that he and Char were neck and neck the entire time. It wouldn't take them that long before they were to reach the cavern for the Alpha's and once they did, he stopped in the center and shook the rain out of his long coat. For a moment, he looked liked an oversized rabbit but then his fur calmed down. "Now, what is on your mind?"

[Kiran]

Ink streaked across the ground, getting closer to the horses with every step. She glanced upward, just a tiny tilt of her head, to see if the winged wolf, Talcore, was still there. Her icy eyes saw nothing but dark, empty sky, but that was to be expected. The winged wolf had to be tired of all of the flying he had done already today, especially with the storm raging around. Even she was starting to get tired, but she could keep going, just a little farther... She glanced backwards to see who was following her. Two hunters were streaking behind her, one catching up to her and passing her. They would be able to catch a horses preferably a fat mare. Ink and the other wolves got close enough to the panicked horses that they could snap at their heels. Ink slowed down a bit, enough that she wouldn't accidentally get hit in the head by a hoof, closed her eyes and concentrated.

 

Instantly two long, snake-like tendrils of darkness formed beside Ink, streaking through the air beside her like two black snakes. She opened her eyes, and concentrated on wrapping them around a fat mare's legs. The first one shot at the mare's back legs and missed before fading into nothingness, but the second one succeeded in wrapping around one of the mare's back legs. The mare tumbled to the ground, and struggled to move her broken ankle out of the hold of the shadows that held it there. She whinnied in pain and panic, still trying to get away, but a few hunters finished it off. The shadow around it's leg vanished as Ink caught up to the rest of the hunters.

 

It was then that they heard the alpha's howls, loud, low, calling howls that told them it was time to come back to the dens. Ink looked at the horse and shivered. It would take them far too long to drag the horse, and that would get it all muddy, anyway. She created a platform out of shadows, about an inch off the ground, just large enough to the horse. "Come on," she said with a grunt as she latched her teeth onto the horse and started to pull it onto the platform. "Help me pull this." She and the other two hunters strained and pulled on the horse, and finally dragged it onto the platform. It would take some energy to drag the platform and keep it solid, but it would be impossible to drag it. She and the other hunters set off at a trot, the platform with the horse's body floating silently behind them.

 

When they reached the camp, the two hunters that had helped Ink left to their dens to get out of the rain. Ink carried the horse on its' shadows platform over to the food pile, where she dissolved the platform. There horse fell to the ground with a thump as the shadows faded away. Ink tore off a small piece of meat off the flank of the horse and started to walk back to her den to go have a nap, out of the rain and wind. She shivered as the rain lashed against her pelt as she carried the lump of meat too her den. She crawled into it, a small cave dug into the ground. She shook, noting the small amount of water on the bottom of her den. She flopped down onto the ground, chewing on her piece of meat before drifting off to sleep.

[Dr. Paine]

"Aside from the fact that this hunt could have gone fantastically better?" Char growled, flopping down on the tattered moss that lined part of the cave floor (priority number one once the storm was done: restock on moss) "During that... whatever it is Jin did, we had a discussion. And... well, it's for the best that we go through with his suggestion," she said, looking at Quince.

 

"We are both mateless, and our packs are still trying to figure out who they should follow. If we want real unity, then I feel it is best that you and I become mates," she finally said, trying to keep her voice as formal as possible. "There will be no question as to who is in charge, and loyalty will no longer be split- we will simply be like any other Alpha pair."

[crypticsoul]

| Tanis |

 

Even with the proximity of the two packs, one eight-year-old female had managed to keep herself secluded from them. Even though they hunted in her woods (for she did consider them her woods now), she had remained elusive and unknown, watching them from a distance. Before, she had watched for a familiar face to pop up among them, the flash of a muzzle she recognized, or to catch the scent of a wolf from her past, but none had come. Two years she'd waited, watched, but no one had come. She had thought about giving up, leaving and finding another place to live, but something inside her refused to let it go. A spark of hope deep inside her chest that could not be doused by any flood of despair or sorrow. She was simply not a quitter and leaving now would be quitting. If she was going to find a wolf from her past, it was going to happen here.

 

So she had stayed, here in these woods of the two packs, and lived her life from day to day. She slept beneath the gnarled roots of an old, ancient oak, having dug herself a good sized den (though she never expected to have anyone to share it with, not now). She hunted, almost heavy day, so she never went hungry. Not that she would ever have a problem with starvation, no, for she was a great huntress. That was her greatest pride, her hunting skill, and she had sharpened her abilities to a razor point over the years. She could catch anything in these woods, anything she wanted but nothing compared to hunting with a pack. You see, despite her years of solitude, this she-wolf was meant to be in a pack, to be with other wolves. She was simply a social being, who craved contact with others that she loved and cared for, but these years had starved her of that, so her once vibrant spirit had become dulled and cold. Eyes, once bright as the sun, had dulled to a dark, rich gold, and her coat had darkened too. The huntress' pelt was riddled with blacks, browns and dark reds, giving her perfect camouflage on the dark, forest floor. She was long and lean, built for speed and agility, but she had toned her muscles over the years, giving her a slender strength under her beautiful pelt.

 

When the rain had come today, she had holed up in her den, not wishing to brave the harsh cold today. When your heart was as cold as the wind, it was hard to motivate yourself to leave your den. She would just stay here all day and go out tomorrow, when the sun had come again. That had been her plan, anyway, until the wind had brought with it a new, intriguing scent. Strong and warm, it had caught her attention instantly and the huntress lifted her head to take a deeper breath. Yes! There it was a again. So unknown, so new...and yet, so familiar. It stirred something inside her, reminded her of a night she'd spent beside the male she missed more than anyone....oh but that had been ages ago. It couldn't be....

 

But the scent was so pleasing to her nose! It simply begged to be followed and something, something inside of her willed her out of her den and into the rain. She instantly shivered but the huntress' mind was built for tracking. Even with the cold rain, she could follow this scent for miles. So, the dark huntress turned her nose to the wind and let her legs carry her through the trees. She weaved and jumped, never missing a step, her heart beating faster with every second. At times, the scent would fade, and she would have a moment of panic that it might be gone, but it always came back to her. It always came back....

 

What felt like hours later, she began to slow, graceful strides bringing her down the slope of a small hill. The smell was strongest here. Whatever it was, it was close now. The huntress felt a sudden twinge of fear. What if it wasn't that she thought? During the run here, the hope had burst free inside of her and she had convinced herself it was him. It simply had to be but now...now that she was so close, she couldn't stand the possibility that it wasn't. What if she came face to face with the owner of this scent and...it was not him? The fear paralyzed her and she stopped, frozen, until voices pricked her ears and made her turn her head. Voices....the first two only spiked a curious buzzing her head, a I might've heard those before feeling but nothing special. That was until a third voice joined them.

 

The third voice....she knew that voice. She knew that voice! Steadily, she made her way closer, graceful footsteps never making a sound, until the three wolves were in sight. Her eyes never wondered to the other two and instead remained locked on the rain-battered winged wolf. The other wolves could've jumped up on their hind legs and starting dancing a jig and she would not have noticed. No, all her attention, all her energy was on this white male. The body, the pelt, the wings....the face. It was all familiar. All so terribly the same. Older, of course but it was him. She had found him.

 

She knew he could not see her, though, and she remained hidden in the thick bushes. She would wait and listen, see if he revealed his name. She had to hear his name.

 

Talcore....

 

[ i'll post as Ava and Pax when I get home from work! :] ]

Edited December 11, 2011 by crypticsoul

[Packgoater]

Ackecheta dipped his head to Char before following the other wolves. His ears flicked forward with interest as they mentioned him being a part of their plans. He had a deep respect for the two wolves and looked up to them greatly. The orange-tan wolf's eyes showed pleasure, though mild, at being included. His tail flicked as his sister watched him from afar, as if telling her, "Not now, I'm grown up. I have business to do." In the back of his mind he was aware that she was slightly hurt, and as he looked back, she was walking away, slowly, her head down, ears back, shoulders rigid. Ackecheta shook his head slightly, trying to tell himself that she would get over it, that it was for the best not to tell her. To walk away. They weren't usually far apart, but even when they were they never kept secrets and they always included each other. It wasn't such a big deal, right, leaving her behind? She was just being a wuss, that was all. His sister would get over it and everything would be fine.

 

I hope she's not mad at me. I'll be lucky if I can escape her dejected looks, sad whimpers and mournful howls that will follow me to my dreams at night. If she's somehow understanding it'd be a miracle, he thought, ears slightly tilting down and back with guilt, his head dropping a bit lower. But it's all for the best. She'll be proud of me when she sees that I've become something bigger, when I help my pack in a plan -a plan that will lead to certain success. She'll get over it, and I've got to learn how to keep things from her sometime. Anyways, it's not like she's my mate. I've got to give her the boot, show her that I'm really an adult and that she shouldn't act around me like she does now. Ugh, I sound like a pup. Why should I care what she thinks? She's just my littermate. She'll see how things are in the real world, and then everything will be just fine, Ackecheta decided, nodding his head to himself just slightly. That was right, it'd all be okay. Everything would work out okay, he was sure.

[crypticsoul]

| Ava |

 

Ava had been positively, well, delighted when Lucifer had agreed to talk to her. She knew it had been a long shot, since the she-wolf rarely took part in anything casual, so she was glad she had accepted her invitation. She shifted her back paws nervously but kept her steady gaze on Lucifer, ears perked forward so she would hear every word.

 

Lucifer spoke about the packs coming together and Ava thought about her answer for a moment, realizing, even in casual conversation, her answer should not be biased. She really thought it was a good idea and, even through she was fiercely devoted to Quince, she was warming up to Char. As long as she reminded herself every now and again that Char was new at this.

 

Ava had been about to answer when Luce answered her second question, which Ava remembered she had asked. She was glad to hear the other she-wolf was doing well, it made her happy to hear that, for she wouldn't want anything to trouble the graceful female. When Luce started to ask how she was, her question was interrupted by a sharp whine of a pup. Lucifer out moved her but Ava was quick to follow. Kido, that sand wolf from earlier, had all but tackled one of the male pups from the den. Ava was about to step in but...Lucifer was handling it quite well. Ava absently wondered what kind of Beta Lucifer would make...hm.

 

And that was when Kido, er, Ronan? started talking and Ava lost all track of the conversation. Sure, she knew Ki-Ronan was old but she hadn't thought him senile too. However, when Ronan blatantly disrespected Lucifer, Ava released a low, angry growl that reminded him she was here. He may think himself all that, but around here, she was still Beta. He wouldn't speak to the white-she wolf that way while she was in ear-shot. Again, though, Lucifer handled it perfectly. Ava glanced down at little Roshan, wondering if he were believing any of this. His young mind was surely impressionable enough but this was a far-fetched story. Then again...Ronan had come from somewhere.

 

She was about to propose everyone wait until the Alphas arrived but Lucifer beat her to it. Huh, she was good at this. Sure, she was out of line and Ava should be reprimanding her for it but...she couldn't quite make herself. She even found herself nodding at Lucifer's offer, turning her head to watch her go with Dayhl and Vheni. Perhaps she would go after them but she paused and looked back at Ronan.

 

Siblings...., she thought, looking between the pair. Brothers. Ava thought of her own brother, how estranged they'd become, how awkward their conversations and...it hurt her. She didn't know if Ronan spoke the truth or not, if he were crazy or sane of mind, but... "I hope what you say is true but I stand by Lucifer. You have until Quince returns and I will be informing him of this. Talk for now," she said, not waiting for any answer before walking after Lucifer and the pups. "Lucifer," she called, now walking beside the she-wolf. "That was great. You handled that perfectly,"

 

| Pax |

 

Pax had long since jumped from his tree, taking to hunting the squirrels from the ground and then chasing them up a tree. Much easier. He hadn't run into Oksana yet but, with rain coming, he was half looking for her and half looking for squirrels. When the rain actually started to fall, hard and heavy, Pax gave up on the squirrels. He knew Oksana. She would be out here until she found a rabbit but in this storm...

 

"Oksana!" he howled, shaking the water from his eyes as he ran through the forest. Where was she? This rain was freezing and it wasn't slowing, if anything, it was coming down harder than before. Pax was a warrior and he didn't not panic but, when it came to Oksana, he was known to be a little...overzealous.

 

"Oksana!" he called again, pausing and sniff the air. Faint...but he could make out her scent. The rain was washing it away and he didn't have the nose of a hunter. While he had her scent in his nose, Pax took to running again, powerful legs carrying him quickly through the trees.

Edited December 11, 2011 by crypticsoul

[Rakashua]

Ronan nodded at Lucifer as she left, "I appreciate your understanding." He replied, watching her go for a moment before he turned back to his brother... who wasn't really his anymore.

 

"Roshan, I'm sorry for barging in on your new life here. I knew when I first saw you that you wouldn't remember me, not like I remember you. You... seem happy here, and... that's all I've ever wanted for you." He paused, not wanting to say what he was saying, but at the same time, saying it felt like lifting a huge burden off of his chest.

 

"I... I'll give you some time to think about it, I need to clear my own head first." He walked over to the male and gave him an affectionate lick on the muzzle, even though he knew that his brother had never liked that in the past and probably still felt the same way. "Try to stay out of trouble ok?"

 

Ronan turned and ran off. try to stay out of trouble... really? That's the best I could come up with... he sighed, darting through the rain as he ran along. He had seen most of the camp, and most camps were the same... which meant... yep there were the dens. He trotted through the area, avoiding eye contact. He'd already been promised a den for the night, he's just pick the one furthest away that no one was using, there...

 

He placed his head inside, scenting for a moment to make sure it wasn't anyone's den, and finding that it wasn't he quickly made his way in and shook off a few times to rid himself of the water. He lay down, resting his head on his paws, trying to think. It was so much harder without the voices of his sand demons to speak for him.

 

I'll avoid him... for now... if he wants to know about me, about us... he will come to me, I know him that well, at least I used to. And after this infernal rain lets up I have some apologizing to do... he sighed, he was not looking forward to apologizing to Lucifer, or anyone else, everyone here seemed so on edge, so up tight. What did they have to worry about? It wasn't like they were at war with a rival pack all the time, geez, why couldn't they loosen up a bit. They all reminded him of Talcore, which he found very annoying.

 

 

JIN

 

Jin loped alongside Xylia as the rain got worse. Inside he smiled, it seemed that fate had finally caught on to the idea that he could use some sleep...

 

"Akecheta, head back to the dens, we can't get anything done in rain like this, I'll find you later."

 

He turned to Xylia and grinned hugely at her, "I've never been more happy to experience a thunderstorm." He said, still speaking loudly to be heard above the wind and the rain. It was really starting to get nasty by the time he'd made his way with her over to their den. He stood in the entrance and shook, trying to get all the water off of himself before he made his way to the back of the den.

 

It had been a while since the two of them had even been in the den at the same time, so hectic had been their schedule of late. He lay down in her direction with a pleased smile.

 

"Has anyone ever told you that you look so cute with your wings when the rest of you is soaked all the way through?" he asked, trying to keep a semi-straight face.