Shattered Magic

[crypticsoul]

| Ava |

 

Ava nodded at Lucifer, silently congratulating her on a job well done. Yes, she stated just what Ava was thinking and Quince would not be able to deny either of there points. She didn't think he would, though, no, Quince always took what she said to heart and she knew he would do the same with Lucifer. When he grumbled to himself, Ava didn't try to hide a small snicker but she did look away innocently, tail swishing across the den floor. As she listened to Quince, Ava nodded every now and again, just absently saving his words to memory when he brought up pups.

 

Wait, what? She blinked and stared at him, surprise quite evident in her honey brown eyes. Had she and Lucifer not just told him of the importance of making the packs believe their Alphas were in a true, mated relationship and not just a political facade? Now he was talking of throwing pups into the mix? Was that to help make it more believable? "Oh, sure, they must be a mated pair of there are pups!" That's just what they'll think, she thought to herself but she didn't voice this opinion out loud. No, she'd speak privately to Lucifer about that later...and then perhaps bring it up with Quince. She supposed that decision could have come from the expected pressure of the Elders. They were certainly going to demand pups if the two became mated...but that was just absurd! Ava could support their mating choice but she was quite apprehensive about bringing pups into the equation yet. She glanced at Lucifer, wondering what she thought of that idea.

 

"You will be a wonderful father someday," she assured him, her mind having picked up on his insecurities about the role. Though, I prefer it be later rather than sooner, she thought to herself, shaking her head slightly. Of course, Ava knew Quince felt that way already but she had always thought he'd make a good father if the time had come. "I hear it's one of those things that just comes naturally, at least, that's what the nursery wolves keep telling me about motherhood. Do you know they still go on about that? Meddling gossipers, the lot of'em." she muttered to herself before looking to Lucifer, letting her know she had nothing else to say and the white she-wolf could speak up if she wished.

Edited December 16, 2011 by crypticsoul

[hazeh]

In the drum of the rain against his body and wings, he could hear her voice seeping into the air and moved as close as his body would physically allow. He buried his muzzle into her neck scruff and inhaled deeply, eyes closed, holding her as tightly to himself for as long as possible. She was speaking and he was nodding, not caring what it was she asked of him. Now that he knew she was alive, that she was here, he didn't give a damn whatever else happened. He had let her slip from him once before- he had been too quiet, too reserved, and he had waited too long for this moment that everything had fallen apart. He wasn't sure what had happened, though he could faintly recall some sort of fighting. Something terrible. And during that, he had lost her, somehow.

 

The fatigue in his muscles eventually caught up to him, and his wings grew slack and fell towards the ground, shaking in muscle spasms. He gave himself a small shake, though, and forced the feathered appendages to return to his sides, even if they had trouble keeping against him and not drooping to the muddy soil. Even still, his dripping, soaking face lifted and he met her eyes with a swell of dazed joy. "Of course, Tanis, of course," he murmured. There was a brief thought towards another wolf- nay, two others- that he felt would be important to mention, to not leave behind... but with Tanis's appearance, and her begging to bring him to her home, the thoughts of the young-pups-turned-adults were pushed aside for later. Later, he would tell Tanis later.

 

For now, he just wanted to be with her.

He grunted softly and stepped up beside her, his big paws squishing the mud up between his toes. "Lead the way," he said, leaning his cheek against hers and sighing quietly.

 

Lucifer followed the conversation carefully, methodically, dark eyes slanted slightly as she thought. She didn't exactly want to try and sway either Alpha from the decision they had already come to, but, perhaps there was a way to get things moving smoothly before they announced it and had to deal with the shortcomings. Occasionally, the white she-wolf would glance out of the corner of her eyes towards Ava, grazing the other Beta with sharp, calculating eyes that both admired and studied Ava simultaneously. Then, when she glanced back to Quince with longer, more obvious gazes, she looked to him with a deep, internal examination. The mention of pups did not bring about a noticeable reaction out of her, though she blinked out of surprise. Of course, if they really did plan to carry this through, she could only expect that it would be a goal of theirs in the future... However, this only strengthened Lucifer's skepticism. Though she had never been familiar with her parents before they died (for it was assumed her mother had perished), she was grateful to be brought about by parents that represented a loving, bonding relationship. What would innocent young beings feel, once they grew older, that they had been a political ploy to unite the packs? Not wrought of love and adoration for a new family?

 

Lucifer suddenly thought of the two other Betas, Jin and Xylia. She remembered seeing earlier the great bond the two possessed. Had she been jealous? Of course, who wouldn't have been? Lucifer had been widely impressed of the love the two had shared, and even if she was a rather emotionless, solitary wolf herself, she still secretly envied such ties to another soul. She endlessly wondered what the sensation was like, to be in love; and even if she knew it would never happen for her, as she was quite convinced there was none that would put up with her odd behavior, she could not help it from emerging like a demon in her dreams to haunt her.

Perhaps Char and Quince ought to take a lesson from those two, Lucifer thought, sweeping her wispy tail around her hind quarters as Ava spoke. If anyone knew the intricate workings of love, it would be them. Advice on pups and the like would probably be better given by those who were ready to experience it themselves. Her cobalt eyes switched to Ava again. Did Ava have a mate? Lucifer didn't remember such things, but then, she knew some wolves tended to go about their personal lives on a more secret level.

 

Deciding to discard the thought for now, as she would only be going in circles until she actually sat down and asked Ava herself, Lucifer returned her thoughts to the present conversation and lightly nodded at Quince's invitation to speak. "Being a parent isn't something you can really prepare for," she added quietly, gesturing towards Ava faintly as she chimed into the other Beta's statements. "You'll find out, if and when you become one." Though Lucifer had motherly qualities she couldn't deny, she knew next to nothing about being a mother herself. It would have to come with experience, something she was certain she'd never get a chance at, unless there happened to be an orphaned pup somewhere in need of a parent. Perhaps then Lucifer might step in, but on the other hand, there were perfectly capable nursery wolves who knew more about that sort of thing than Lucifer did. Perhaps she ought to just stick to supervising the yearlings.

 

"Quince," Lucifer said after a moment, rolling her shoulders in a very brief display of relaxation, "Instead of outright announcing yours and Char's decision to mate, might I suggest a bit of a warming period before then? The two of you should start to stand as one authority figure instead of two separate Alphas. As it is, you and Char still act as your own single entities instead of together, and I feel that could be a big factor when it comes to the packs being unable to merge socially. If they see that you and Char are making decisions together, and are always together, that might make the transition into becoming a mated pair a bit more believable and easier for everyone else to accept." Speaking of Char, where was the other Alpha? Lucifer was certain this should have been more of a meeting for all of them, including the other Betas.

[crypticsoul]

| Tanis |

 

Tanis smiled and returned the affectionate gesture, nuzzling her cheek against his. How many days had she waited? Had he been here this whole time? Somewhere in these woods and she had never noticed him? No, that was impossible. He must have been somewhere else...but where? Where had he been this whole time?

 

"Okay," she murmured and, keeping her body close to his, her tail flickering to brush against his, led him through the woods. Every other wolf in that clearing had been forgotten, lost to the rain, and Tanis wasn't really aware that she'd forgotten them. Had they really been there before? What had Talcore been talking to them about? Something...something she remembered...but nothing mattered nothing.

 

Nothing but him.

 

"Careful, it's get slippery here," she whispered to him, being every so gentle with him, as if he might vanish from her sight if she spoke too loudly. In the beginning, she had seen in him everywhere-in the morning fog, in the ripples of the pond, and in her dreams but every time she had acknowledged him, called out to him, he had disappeared. That could not happen this time, not when he was so close. She could hear the steady drum of his heart and that somehow assured her, promised her, that he was real. She guided him through the woods, moving ahead of him every now and again when the path became too narrow, and finally stopped before the gnarled oak tree that had for so long been her home.

 

"It always stays dry inside, the roots never let the rain through. Come, let's get you warmed up," she said, rubbing her head under his chin and along his neck before slipping into her den, curling up near the back. Her golden eyes watched him through the dimness, never straying from his face, flashes of a previous night flickering through her mind. She'd been so nervous then, pressed against him and afraid to move, her mind racing with jittery thoughts. She was calmer now, to say the least, her tail gently sweeping across the ground as she waited for him.

[LoveLost]

Quince's electric blue eyes shifted to Ava when she started to speak to him about being a father. With a chuckle he realized yet again, that sometimes he didn't hide his feelings all that well which was sure to be annoying to both of his Beta's. A gentle smirk was on his face as Ava spoke about him being a great father. "Thanks Ava." came his deep voiced response.

 

His laugh rang through the cave when he heard Ava talk about the nursery wolves. It was something that would always be trye. The nursery wolves would always be gossiping old males and females. That was one thing that would never change for they had been the same way when he was but a pup. It was interesting though to see how things didn't change all that often between the things that were set in life like nursery wolves, hunters, scouts and so on and so forth.

 

He was surprised though when Lucifer spoke up as well. Her wisdom was something that he really did envy at times but that was why he had two Beta's. There were things that he would never have thought of or even considered. Lucifer and Ava would be able to look at things from a different point of view that broadened his own hroizon. It was something that he wouldn't trade for a whole herd of horses to keep his pack fed. Without their advice, he might as well give up being Alpha because he would have made a horrible mistake; such as the one that Lucifer pointed out.

 

"Thank you for pointing that out Lucifer...I would not have thought of that." Quince looked Lucifer in the eye still wondering as to the reason of the dark hue. "That will be something that I will have to tell her. I'm sorry that she isn't here, she is rather exhausted. It seems that she hasn't ben sleeping well and since she can't eat much, I am sure it also efects her stamina." he said with a somewhat concerned tone. At the moment, he wondered if Char was alright while she was resting during the rain.

[hazeh]

 

Talcore hefted himself along after her, grunting softly if he had to strain any to follow after his lost friend. At her warnings, he would slow and carefully step into the giant globs of mud in their way, trying not to slip and possibly injure himself or her in the process. He couldn't afford to harm Tanis any more than he was sure he had already done. There was some dark memory looming in the back of his mind, and it stirred a peculiar dread in his heart. He was afraid of this memory, for it held sadness and pain and a darkness he did not understand. Had Talcore been receptive to this memory, which had thankfully been blocked by a supernatural force, he would have seen himself plummeting to his death in order to save the she-wolf standing next to him.

 

They entered woods and Talcore put forth the effort to keep his wings clinging to his sides to avoid getting ensnared on a bush, or worse, tripping his dear Tanis. As the leaves above their heads grew thicker and thankfully held off some of the rain, he gave himself a few shakes to lessen the water that filled his coat. He didn't want to get Tanis's home all muddy, now! What a terrible house guest he must be. When they arrived at the large tree, a spacious den carved beneath its fat roots, Talcore stood at the entrance for a moment, watching as she ducked inside and curled up toward the back. He gazed at her and her new home for a long time, and then her den, as if comparing what he saw to the old, muddled memories that surfaced in his head. He remembered his own den, a small hole scooped from a boulder. That was a mere pup's playpen compared to this, which was large enough to fit the both of them. And it was dry, something Talcore appreciated much.

 

Before stepping inside, the winged warrior gave himself a vigorous shake, lifting out his wings so that the moisture would drip from his feathers as well. When he finished, the tips of his fur had gathered together in hundreds of tiny pointed tips, but at least he was no longer soaking as he had been. Smiling thankfully, Talcore wiggled into the space below the tree, eager to press himself against the dark-red she-wolf. When he had settled, Talcore had wormed his way up behind Tanis, a forepaw draped over her shoulders and a hind leg over her back. He clutched her to his chest with his paws and fiercely nuzzled her neck and cheeks, though he was careful not to put so much pressure as to make her uncomfortable.

 

"Tanis," he murmured, closing his eyes, breathing her scent and rubbing his muzzle against the back of her ear. "Tanis, Tanis." So long he had though she had vanished from the living world. In truth, he had spent the first two weeks of waking from that terrible event searching only for her. When it became apparent that she was no longer around, he begrudgingly searched for the youngsters, though he did so just as frantically. Weeks of searching darkened and hardened his heart, and led him to eventually abandon Araelia to live in the mountains in seclusion. He wasn't able to bear the thought of travelling back down to his old home lands, lest he come across the degraded remains of a lost loved one. Like Tanis. And on the other side, in this new land with these new wolves, he feared life itself. He had been afraid of returning to normalcy, for it would remind him far too much of his days as a warrior under Zeus. His days running after Tanis clumsily because she was a runner and he aimlessly flopped around like a pup because he was more comfortable in the air. Those days were too painful for him to relive through, or worse, to try and put behind him. Thus he had lived in limbo, neither revisiting his old memories or attempting to discard them.

 

But now, now that he had summoned the strength to traverse the skies and inspect this new land, he had found not only one old friend, but several- the very wolves he had spent his loneliness looking for and pining after. Even Ronan! Talcore had been glad to see Ronan more than he had ever thought. He still remembered their first encounter vividly, but now it only managed to bring a smile to his silver muzzle.

 

"Tanis," Talcore said again. This time he pronounced her name with far more conviction and purpose than before, and he rolled back a little so that she would be able to tilt her head enough to look back at him, if she so wished to do so. He studied her pretty face in the dim light of the tree den, his smile now waned into a content, warm glow. His rough voice had somewhat retained its old music, though he sounded older, gruffer, like the old man he was getting to be. Even if he wasn't truly a senior, there was evidence that soon enough he would be getting to that point. "Tanis. I want us to be a family." He had said the words as casually and calmly as if he had stated the weather was bland. And yet, the determination in his eyes, the underlying current in his voice, was impossible to miss. It had been something he had thought about ever since the day he had woken to find them all missing. He thought over how he and Tanis could have raised Pax and Oksana together, as a family, and eventually maybe even had a litter of their own. Seeing the two youngsters now grown, and even mated!, brought back the surge of hope and yearning that he had once before battered down out of shyness and duty. But now he had nothing to restrain him from wanting it. And now that she was here, that she was real and cuddled up in his paws, he wanted nothing more than to start one that very moment.

 

He sat up slightly, a paw still across her side. "Please, Tanis. Us, together, with children..." His voice suddenly trailed off, as if on the verge of breaking or choking off, but there were no more tears in his eyes. He had stopped crying a long time ago, even if the emotions still swelled in his chest.

 

He fell quietly and regarded her kindly with his amber-gold eyes, waiting for her answer. This time he did not fear it. He did not fear the concept of being with her or having pups with her. After all, it was either her or nothing at all. He had nothing else to live for anymore.

 

Edited December 26, 2011 by Shiny Hazard Sign

[LadyNatasha]

~Oksana~

 

"You don't have to thank me." Oksana thumped her tail once in satisfaction and sighed contently as Pax curled around her and cleaned her face. Almost immediately she felt a strong warmth returning to her body, generated from Pax's body. It was perfect; everything was perfect, just how it was. He was perfect and the den was perfect and the weather was perfect... everything. Then something interesting happened; Pax said exactly what she was thinking, though it was just a passing thought.

 

"I wonder what's bringing everyone back. What is it about this place?" Oksana was silent for a while, mulling over the question. It was true; the joining of the packs had been a very sudden decision it seemed, with less than a month of of forewarning and even quicker joining. Almost everyone seemed fine with it on the outside, but something was just strange about how it was all working out. Two Alphas of separate packs, trying to lead separately a single pack? And trying to get rid of any anxiety and mistrust the member might feel towards the opposite pack? It wasn't a big concern for Oksana; so long as she could hunt and be with Pax she was very happy. Thunder cracked the skies and the rumbling made Oksana smile. She shuffled close to Pax and gazed silently outside, loving the feeling of his head over hers. Eventually she closed her eyes, and pleasant dreams began to dance within her mind.

 

~~~~

~Shaede~

 

The pup suddenly looked shockingly familiar--her gaze became a hard glare with a seething background, and her body tensed. She was quite beautiful for a yearling (which Shaede assumed she was), larger than her age... but how did he know? Maybe she was just older, yet her shapely build and majestic size didn't make Shaede think she was older. It seemed natural. Then suddenly she was circling him, and Shaede felt some sort of satisfaction. No, he didn't have any romantic inclination towards the pup, but already he felt she was the kind of wolf he wouldn't mind being around... which was strange, because if she had been a male or a very small pup Shaede would have thought her just being silly and pretending to be all ferocious. But not this pup; no, this pup was different. She was fascinating, intelligent... Shaede was extremely interested in her.

 

Then he saw her scowl, and suddenly she seemed frighteningly familiar. The smile faded from his face and was replaced by a puzzled look. Familiar... very familiar... images of a dead white wolf with its parts scattered along a beach suddenly entered Shaede's mind, and a name came with them; Dael. The pup reminded him of Dael--no, she didn't just remind him. It was more than that... her coloring was just like Dael's but without the unique markings. It was too much of a coincidence, the eyes were the same...

 

A rush of jealousy suddenly spread through Shaede as the pup stopped in front of him. Could this be... no, Dael's dead. She had two pups, but neither looked like this... they were ours... she didn't have any other mate, and she wouldn't have! This can't be--by the stars, it smells like her! Or does it? What?

"Why don't you tell me?" Shaede blinked, taking a moment to remember he had asked her a question. She was growling now, a very familiar growl, and her stance... she was-- fighting Verin! Shaede had to choke as to not gasp aloud. "Shade." Now his jaw dropped, his eyes staring in awe at the pup. No, it was impossible. This was a pup, not the deadly female he knew. Yet... that voice...

 

How could she know my name? Did something happen to her? Is this really her? Yes, some wolf used their powers to make her young again! This is her, it has to be! Shaede's tail wagged once in the rain and he smiled a very tired, very old smile. "Howabout... Dael?" He said, forcing himself to not ask any questions yet. What if she hated him after all these years? She remembered him somehow...

 

His mind began to strategize and organize every possible reason things were the way they were, just as he had done years ago when planning the Great Event that had broken up the Wicked and Blessed packs forever, sending their members away from each other. His mind began to guess what could have actually happened to Dael, if this was Dael, and how she might react to him now... and the pups! Were they alive? No questions yet... Shaede vaguely realized that it was now he and Dael--Talcore and Tanis were gone, and Vheni and Arolia were at least ten feet away.

[hazeh]

 

Her bright eyes, the pinpoints of burning gold through the curtain of rain, watched in guarded fascination and growing satisfaction as the expression undulated across the old male's face. Ah, so, she had hit a sensitive spot, it seemed, by simply mentioning his name. Now she could not mistake it for anything; the emotions in his tired, weathered face might have been concealed enough for others, but they were exactly what Dayhl had been looking- and hoping- to see. And the moment she saw them, a flicker of contentment flared in her young heart.

 

Even still, her exterior display remained serious and resentful. When his tail began to wag, her eyes dipped down and then back again as if surveying him with partial disgust. It was only when he spoke her name- or, what she hoped was her name, not someone else's- there was a sudden pain in her chest as her heart contracted and fluttered. But what if he mistook her for that other Dael? She clenched her teeth a little tighter, but the thought was soon overcast by the sheer delight of hearing her name come from his mouth. After a long moment of staring him in the eye, her tail ever so slowly began to move, picking up speed until it was steadily wagging at a satisfied pace.

 

"I guess it is you, then," she said simply, ears pricking forward. The dark intensity began to melt away, even though she still stood a little rigid and wary of the older wolf she stood in front of. She turned her head slightly and observed him through the corner of one eye, as if unsure of what else to say or do. "Yes, my name is Dayhl," she added after a brief moment, turning her eyes to Vheni to gaze into the other yearling's eyes. If only she had had telepathy at that moment, there was so much she would tell her! Later, she knew, Dayhl would likely clam up again and speak nothing of what she thought of Shaede and the visits he had in her dreams, or how jealous she was of the other Dael that Ronan had spoke of.

 

Now that she had recovered from her initial shock of Shaede's existence, she noticed the other she-wolf standing with them. Her eyes shifted towards the unfamiliar face with piqued interest, and after a moment of thorough study, her gaze narrowed a bit as she tried to figure out if she knew the wolf or not. Nothing was familiar at all, in contrast to her initial reaction to the old male. "Do I know you too?" She asked, taking a step back from Shaede to move closer to Vheni. Now that the mysterious she-wolf they'd come across had gone off with Talcore (and they were acting quite strange in Dayhl's opinion), she felt considerably more vulnerable. Of course, she would never show that to Shaede and his strange friend- she twitched slightly as she thought that perhaps the wolf as his mate interest- and she suddenly found herself wishing Lucifer or Ava or Holo was there too.

 

[crypticsoul]

| Tanis |

 

Safe in the shelter of her den, Tanis returned his affectionate gestures without reserve. She licked his muzzle, rubbed his neck and snuggled as far under him as she could manage. With his every breath, she felt his warm body press against her, reinforcing the fact that he was truly here. Her tail swished steadily behind her, betraying her happiness and relief. Not that she was trying to hide it, no, there was no way to hide what she felt inside. To have him here, in the home she had made, swelled her heart with euphoric joy. He was here! There last night together seemed so far away, yet so vivid in her mind, that it confused her. Was she just reliving that night in a dream? As she had done so many nights before?

 

No, that could not be. His smell was too strong, his voice too clear, and the touch of his body too warm. This could not be a dream. It was real, it had to be. A desperate whine escaped her throat and she wiggled around, pressing her cheek against his. She felt his breath, heard his steady heart beat, and it scared her. If this were real...then he could be taken away again. In her dreams, no one could steal him away but now, now he was here and...no, why think that? Why think beyond this moment? They were here, together, so why think beyond that?

 

Tanis. Every time he spoke her name, it made her heart skip a beat and she wagged her tail. He could not speak another thing to her aside from her name and she would be content, forever lost in his husky, rough voice. She needed this male beside her, more than anything. When he mentioned being a family, as casually as mentioning the weather, she nodded instantly. Yes! A family! The two of them together, here in her den, for the rest of her their lives. Tanis could not imagine a better future. It was something, even in her darkest hours, she had wished to share with him. When he shifted and sat up, she moved with him but laid her head across his paws and sighed contently. She had thought that answer enough but, oh, what was this?

 

Pups...? She blinked and lifted her head, craning her neck around to look at him. She had not misunderstood him, she couldn't have, so why did she feel so surprised? Talcore...wanted to have pups? Not just them as a family but a litter of pups to join them! Their own litter...Of course, Tanis had imagined having pups with him, almost all the time, embarrassingly enough to say but to hear him say he wanted them with her...well, it was surprising! Though, she wasn't sure why.

 

It was as if her heart wanted to yes, a thousand times over but her head told her no. Something, what was it that kept her from agreeing instantly? The plea in his voice, the way his words broke off, as if he may cry if there were tears left, it broke her heart. Talcore, this male she loved, had suffered just as she had. He had been lost too, without anyone, separated from his friends and...from her. Why was she so selfish? Thinking only she had gone through the past two years, lost and alone, when here he had carried that burden too? And now he was here, asking her to give him the one thing they so both desired, and she could not answer him easily.

 

Truth be told, it scared her. Bringing pups into this world, now, after what they'd been through. What if, whatever it was, happened again? She could not bear the thought of their pups ever being separated from them or suffering through what they had. Why, the mere thought of Pax and Oksana nearly sent her into tears every time they crossed her mind. To think of her own pups, her little ones with Talcore, left to die alone like Pax and Oksana? No, she couldn't bear it!

 

She turned her hear around to face him, studying his handsome face. Though his features had aged, she could see the Talcore she remembered in those amber eyes, eyes that stared steadily back at her. Talcore was strong, even in his weakness, he had always been strong and, surely, he would not let any harm come to their pups. She would protect them with her life and she knew, with her very being, that Talcore would do the same. She could easily provide food for them and, despite their recent hard times, they would both be good parents. What did the world outside matter? They had each other and they had love to give to any little ones they may have. That was enough.

 

She wiggled out from beneath him a bit, so that she could rub her cheek against his once more. This time, though, it was slower, more gentle and with an unreserved intimacy that would only share with him. She rubbed her head under his muzzle, right along his neck. "I want us to be a family, too," she whispered, knowing he would hear her quiet words. She closed her eyes and listened to the drum of his heart. They had been denied this before, so why should her fear get the best of her? She would not mention to him now, that would only spoil this, her silly worries that no longer applied. What harm could befall any precious pups they may have? Talcore would not allow it. He would protect them. She would protect them. She finally realized how long she had kept him waiting for a true answer.

 

"Yes, together, with our children. You will be a wonderful father," she murmured, licking his cheek and sliding fully back up against him. "Can you imagine what our little ones will be like?" she asked him, smiling up at him now. Her eyes told him everything, even the worries she held back, but that had always been true about her. Still, there was a loving eagerness in her smile that clearly told him she wished for pups too. Why, they should start their family tonight! She told herself that would be best. Once they were here, once she could touch and see them, once she could protect them, Tanis knew her worries would be settled. "I hope one has wings like you. I always envied how you could fly."

 

Pups! Tanis could not believe they were going to have a litter! At their age! Oh, but she supposed that did not really matter. What a silly thing to even think! She almost laughed at herself. She twisted her head a watched him, a smile tugging at her muzzle.

[sapphiredragon73]

Vheni

 

Vheni watched the goings-on with mild interest, not bothering to step in in any of the wolves' conversations. Tanis and Talcore seemed to be sharing something that she could not understand, but for once she did not feel curious at their business. There could be millions of different reasons for their strange behavior, yet Vheni did not feel so inclined to even find out one of them. The strange hatred that she had felt a few minutes was long gone, but she still did not care for them as much as she cared for Dahyl or even this strange new wolf called Shaede and his companion.

 

Vheni was not surprised nor did she react when Tanis and Talcore left, and neither was she very sad to see them go. Rather, she focused more on Dahyl and Shaede, who were having a rather interesting confrontation. Dahyl seemed to suddenly hate the old wolf, but also suddenly seemed to know him. But if my dreams are true, like they suddenly seem to be, then they would know each other... Vheni realized. She continued watching the pair, observing Dahyl's agressive movements, her sudden maturity... It was so strange...

 

What was stranger, however, was when Shaede said Dahyl's name as well, looked at her with a familiarity, and Dahyl's mood suddenly changed from moody distrust to slightly wary playfulness, and the dark yearling even started to wag her tail. She met Dahyl's gaze and the meaningfulness behind the yearling's gaze took Vheni by shock. Dahyl seemed to be trying to tell Vheni something, and Vheni so wished to do the same to her friend, to tell her about her dreams, to tell her that she also knew Shaede.

 

But she couldn't, and Vheni was left alone again with her disturbed thoughts as Dahyl turned back to Shaede, and the she-wolf that was with him. Vheni turned too, to this she-wolf, inspecting her. She felt like she knew this wolf, but Vheni had never seen this wolf, not even in her dreams, and so she decided that she did not know her. Vheni then noticed Dahyl's movement, a subtle one at that, but she saw her friend take a step in her direction.

 

Vheni darted toward Dahyl's side and stopped, facing the strange wolves full-on for the first time, side by side with her friend. Now they were together and could count on each other.

[Khallayne]

(Bump!)

[Kiran]

Aurora almost turned back into water as another wolf flew down from the sky, but stopped herself. She didn't need to hide anymore. She had wanted to be found, now she was, and she could just go back into hiding. She wasn't a coward, at least not anymore. Before she had been stupid, but she had also been tired of being a low rank in the Wicked pack, tired of being stuck alone with her mother, tired of not having s single friend in the pack... She had been happy to leave, but stupid. How could she have lived in solitude for so long? She had been tired of being friendless, so she went somewhere where she didn't even have anyone to talk to. She was tired of having a low rank, so she went to a place where she had no rank at all. Some points of her life had improved, like the fact that if she caught something, she could eat it without having to worry about anyone else eating most of it. Maybe if she had lived in the Blessed pack things would have been different. Maybe she would have never left, or maybe there would have been different problems. She filtered out Shaede and the winged wolf's conversion, only picking up his name and something about the Blessed pack... Wait. The Blessed pack? She started to listen to their conversation again, while being slightly furious with herself that she had been ignoring more information. She had lived most of her life alone without a scrap of news about her old pack, and now she chose to think, while she could be listening? She still didn't say anything, only listening to the remainder of their conversation.

 

Suddenly, at least to Aurora, there was a new voice, and three she-wolves appeared from the trees. Aurora felt herself turn into water, and drops of her flew in all directions. It all flew back to the main blob, which hovered a few inches over the ground. This time, however, Aurora didn't immediately transform back into her normal self. Instead she observed with interest. Talcore and one of the she-wolves, the oldest, ran away together, after making it obvious that they knew each other. Aurora turned back into a wolf a few seconds after they left. It wasn't that she didn't like them or anything. It was more because she didn't really know them, and five wolves at once was too much. The two she-wolves left were both little more than pups, and Aurora subconsciously felt like she knew them. She didn't think it, it was more of a vague recognition that she felt rather then thought, so faint she couldn't even know whether to be afraid or happy. Seeing that Shaede and the dark brown wolf were talking, she turned her attention to the lighter one. "What's your name?" she asked the lighter one. "I-I think... I don't know... if I know you..." her voice trailed off. She wasn't shy, no, she just wasn't used to talking much, at least not to other wolves. Talking to herself and her water demons wasn't difficult.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Backup77

[sapphiredragon73]

Vheni

 

Vheni flinched in shock as one of the wolves suddenly disappeared, turning into... a blob of water? The water splashed out away from where the wolf had been standing and rushed toward Vheni. She flinched again, thinking this was an attack, and that perhaps the water contained poison, but before it touched her fur, the water rushed back to form a large main blob that hung above the ground. Forgetting her manners, Vheni stared in confusion at the water, her jaw hanging, which had been a wolf just seconds before. As two of the wolves left, the water shifted, and Vheni saw the water change back into the wolf it had once been. Vheni snapped her mouth shut, but continued to stare at the wolf in case she posed a threat to her or Dahyl. Her muscles stayed tense.

 

The she-wolf spoke and and a strange feeling ran through Vheni, a feeling of recognition... but there was no way that she could know this wolf! She had never met this wolf before, never... Unless Ronan's story was true, but that was outrageous... But then what were these dreams, and how did she know these strange wolves, how did they know her? But she had never even seen this wolf in her dreams, anyway!

 

Vheni listened to the she-wolf, her thoughts muddled. "Name? My name..." She murmured, unable to think straight, for a heartbeat, then her mind focused again. "Oh, sorry. My name is Vheni... You... what? I don't think I know you..."

 

Even as she said the words, Vheni knew it was a complete lie. She knew this wolf from somewhere, although she had never met this wolf before. She was sure her eyes betrayed her uncertainty, and she blinked, doing her best to show no expression, which she happened to be quite good at, until she was caught unawares. She looked at the wolf suspiciously. How did this wolf know her as well? She shook her head in confusion. "What's your name?"