Howl to Me III: Blood & Crystals

[Avialae]

Corax relaxed significantly upon realizing that the strange wolf was most likely a loner as well, instead of a member of the Hallowed pack that might try to drive her off of their territory. She felt much more confident now that she knew the two of them were on equal footing. "That's good. I saw you come out of the forest, so I thought something might have fallen on you." There was a sudden loud crack as a tree that had been weakened but had managed to resist falling over during the quake succumbed to the pull of gravity and hit the ground.

 

"So you were originally part of the Hallowed pack, then?" Corax asked when the other wolf expanded on his origins, mild curiosity in her tone but nothing else. It made sense, since she didn't recognize him from the Cursed ranks, though he could have been born to loner parents. In any case, it didn't really matter to her where he'd come from, as Corax preferred to judge individuals by their actions. She just wanted to make sure that was what he was saying, since his statement left some room for interpretation.

 

"I was lucky to have been in the open field at the time, and lucky that the ground didn't open up beneath me," Corax told the other wolf, shifting her gaze significantly to one of the newly-formed rifts in the ground as she spoke. "It's nice to meet you, Torque. I'm Corax."

[MyaMouse]

((very bad time for an intro I know but mmmmmmm... :/ ))

 

Gale had heard the earthquake and ran, leaving all she had gathered in the forest. She rarely stayed with the camp, but now she knew she had to help anyone who had gotten hurt. Symaro ran past her, and she could hear his labored breathing, could see his limp gait as they trotted in the direction that the hunting party.... Had gone. She ran after the Beta, who was already a good distance in front of her since she took so long to register what had happened. She got there as Solla ran off, and Gale quickened her pace to see an unconsious Vienna and a bloody Pierce. A shocked expression covered the blonde wolf's face.

 

"Oh, geez, oh geez oh geez... Symaro, you're hurt, why aren't you at the camp with Ylva?"

 

((Very bad with difficult situations

Also I hasn't been sleeping very well the last few days, my mind hurts))

[Brotato]

Likewise. It seems fortune smiles on us both. I was near the riverbank when it all happened.

It was relatively tranquil. -he paused to look around at the violent ways the terrain had indeed changed near them- Er, well... compared to this, anyway.

While idle banter was more then welcome for the once friendless loner, Torque couldn't help but keep obsessing over his task.

Yet in some way, he felt compelled to perhaps stay a while, and spend time with his new acquaintance.

She seemed sensible enough, at the very least... Well, I worry the most for the Cursed and Hallowed, though given they both have deltas, I'm certain they're already dealing with it. So, are you headed somewhere?

Edited April 28, 2015 by Brotato

[TotallyDrow]

A roar louder then the howl he had just let loose broke through the air, its sudden interruption giving Fenrir no chance to react to what he had just caused. The ground shook beneath them, as the trees around danced to the orchestra that echoed through the valley. "What.. Whats happening?" he asked, confused. Before he could get a response, a large force pushed up against his side, followed by a howl of pain. Baron had charged at the young wolf, not in an attack but as an act of getting the young wolf out of the path of a falling tree. In doing so, his front right paw got caught; twisting his ankle and eliciting a soft howl of discomfort.

 

With the earthquake finally over, Fenrir pulled himself up; looking around at the devastation before him before focusing on Baron who had fallen onto his side. "B..baron... are.. are you alright?" he inquired, looking at the fallen wolf.

 

"Dam it boy. I said I'm fine. The alpha gave you an order, now be an adult and see it through!" barked the injured Baron, gritting his teeth in the process. Had he not twisted his ankle, he would have joined the young hunter but alas in his current state he would only slow him down, instead he resigned himself to the situation, howling towards the direction of Pierce and the others to signal that he was alright.

 

Fenrir rushed through the forest, small bursts of sound being shot from the bottom of his paws thrusting him forward; closer to the camp. Dark thoughts began to invade his head as he rushed through the forest, its cold silence giving easy access to the darkness that sought to plague the young hunter. From the moment his howl ended, he knew he had made a mistake; sure he had stopped the Stag, but in doing so he had also inflicted harm on his fellow packmates and more importantly on his Alpha; his act alone could be seen as treason by the other wolves and therefore warrant punishment, or worse. Fenrir closed his eyes tighly and shook his head, eager to get rid of those ill thoughts. He had only one job right now and that was to get help.

Re-invigored,he pushed himself harder, his muscles at its limits as he closed in on the pack. Even now he could hear the faint shrills of panic as the pack tried to regain order. Too enthralled in his duty and with adrenaline coursing through his body, he failed to notice the tell tale signs of fatigue beginning to wear in.

 

Bursting through into the open camp he came to a skidding halt. "Symaro!, Tobias!" he shouted, his face contorted into one of panic. "Whe..where are the Beta's?" His breathing was heavy as his body shook with each breath. A wolf approached, leading him towards the otherside of the camp where Symaro and Ylva were; unaware that Symaro had already left the camp and heading towards their location.

 

"Whe..wheres Symaro?" barked Fenrir, the other wolf shaking his head, not knowing the situation. Time of the essence, Fenrir approached Ylva."The others... we need...we need to help them!" his sentence interrupted by each heavy breath he took. "P.. Pierce and the others... they.. they got hurt... " his voice full of worry. "It's.. its my fault.. if I didn't.. If I didn't howl.. then they could've.. they could've reacted faster... they.. they wouldnt.." Fenrirs vision began to fade, his legs buckling beneath him as he fell to his knees and eventually onto his side. The adrenaline was beginning to go, as fatigue eagerly took its vice like grip on his body which was unable to withstand the assault.

 

"North... 3 clicks" he muttered before he blacked out.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Several wolves approached the glowing light, in the process clearing the fallen branches and leaves that currently coated it. Satisfied that nothing would rain upon the two pups, Aegis ended the flow of energy and ceased the barrier. "Take them to the Delta's! I want them looked over for any injuries" ordered the Gamma, "... and make sure they are rewarded for their bravery" he finished, winking at the two pups as they followed the other wolf. Aegis strode forward and surveyed the area before him. Chaos. Wolves were frantically running about, Dens were destroyed and confusion was rife.

 

"Wheres our Alpha? Has her safety been confirmed" he questioned. Unaware of the hunting party. "I see... and Symaro or Tobias, how about our Beta's?" he inquired. "Lead me to him then, hurry now". had he the authority, Aegis would have organized a search party for his Alpha and the hunting party as soon as possible, however that was not the procedure. Arriving at the area, Symaro was nowhere to be seen; only Ylva and a young wolf panting heavily as he spoke.

 

Having overheard most of Fenrir's labored talk, Aegis stepped forward. "Where are our Beta's? Do they know about this?!?" inquired Aegis, anger present now in his voice. "... and for pete's sake... someone treat this wolf... "

[Avialae]

Corax noted that Torque didn't answer her question about his origins, but decided to let it go for now. It wasn't as if she was eager to volunteer the information that she was originally from the Cursed pack, after all. Perhaps it was better this way, at least for now. If the two of them knew for sure where each other was from then it was possible tensions would rise, and this wolf seemed to be pleasant enough company, at least from what little she could tell so far.

 

"I would feel better knowing that both packs had managed to avoid major casualties," Corax admitted to Torque, "but whatever the case is, it's not like we can do anything about it."

 

Corax perked her ears forward slightly when Torque asked where she was headed. Was he offering to accompany her? She didn't mind the company, especially since he could help considerably if they to ran into trouble - not that it was very likely that they would in the aftermath of this event, but it never hurt to take precautions. "Well, before everything happened, I was really just enjoying the warm weather in the area, but right now I'm interested in scouting around to see how the terrain might have changed. I doubt we'll be bothered that much, since both packs will likely be kept busy trying to get things back in order for a while." Corax glanced briefly at the open land south of the two of them, then turned her gaze back to Torque, her lips curling upwards in a faint smile. "Care to join me?"

[ValidEmotions]

Ylva

 

Scowling, Ylva said nothing in response to Symaro's orders but yielded a single nod. As the Beta left with Solla, other Deltas began to gather and, once they were all there, names were listed off. "Good. Everyone's here," they started. Before any more could be said, noise erupted at the edge of the camp as the source rushed in.

 

"Whe..wheres Symaro?" The voice was loud with distress and carried across the camp, drawing closer to the Deltas. "The others... we need...we need to help them!" Fenrir was practically barking in Ylva's ear now, making them wince and fold their ears back against their head.

 

Frowning, the blind wolf shook their head. "Hush, Fenrir. Panicking will not help anyone. Symaro and I have already discussed the likelihood of the misfortune that could have happened to Alpha Pierce's patrol. The bloody fool's on his way with Solla to help them. I will be following shortly with another Delta," xe replied, jumping slightly when xe heard his body collapse with unconsciousness.

 

A sigh escaped their rubbery lips as Aegis approached, bellowing out commands and demanding answers as if he were in charge. "Where are our Beta's? Do they know about this? ... and for pete's sake... someone treat this wolf... "

 

"I just told Fenrir where Symaro went. The Betas are very much aware of the situation. It's rather hard to miss, actually," Ylva quipped back at Aegis, an exasperated expression upon their furred face. "If you'll stop yelling as if you've any lick of authority, I can finish getting the Deltas sorted and sent about their duties," the oracle stated.

 

Focusing on the wolves gathered around xem, xir tail swept against the ground briefly. "I'll take one with me to find Symaro, Solla, and the rest of the Alpha's patrol. Someone else will need to help Fenrir with any of his wounds and give him herbs to help sooth him. Two more will focus on the pups that need help while the rest will see to any Gammas. If any Deltas are injured, help them as well. I suggest giving everyone soothing herbs. More can be gathered as needed." Deltas began to move away as ordered, one remaining at Ylva's side and a second moving towards Fenrir.

 

"Fenrir said the Alpha's group was North. Aegis, if you wish to come along, you can. But I will not have you shouting your muzzle off all the way there," Ylva remarked, already rising to their paws and starting towards the North, out of camp.

[hazeh]

PIERCE

 

Pierce's heart was hammering as the seconds ticked by. Vienna was alive, thank the heavens, but there was no saying if that was only a matter of time and luck before she made a turn for the worst. The Alpha inched closer, driven by her instinct to care for her pack mate, but restrained from physical contact with all of her self-control. Cold guilt bubbled through her and clenched at her heart.

 

When Symaro appeared, Pierce looked up at him with dull eyes the shade of a wilted orchid. She struggled for a moment to stand, and limped to her feet as her Beta approached. Her hind leg had a nasty wound from the stag's antlers that stretched from her mid-thigh down the side of her knee; it oozed blood, and ached like hell. Pierce shifted her weight and grunted when pain pulsed through her side.

 

"Nonsense, I'm fine. It'll scar but I'll live. Find Gould," she demanded, staring down at Vienna with a mixture of fear and worry. When the beta drew closer to the silver wolf, Pierce looked away. "He's trapped around here somewhere, might be injured. How bad is it at camp? Is anyone hurt? Is everyone alright?" The breathlessness to her voice suggested of her pained concern for her pack, but also of her reluctance to acknowledge the cause of Vienna's unconsciousness. Finally, once the others seemed out of earshot, Pierce lowered her head and whined. The lightning on her pelt was barely visible now, with only an occasional streak of faint light a reminder of the power that had shocked the silver hunter.

 

"During the quake, the stag went wild," she started softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She fought to keep herself from trembling. "We were tossed around like stones. I tried to get her out of the way, but..." Pierce glanced back at her bleeding leg and continued in a thick voice, "When it struck me in the face, I reacted without thinking. She was too close. I didn't mean..." Her voice trailed off, a heavy sigh of defeat concluding her explanation. If there was anything that truly spoke of her inability to be a leader, it was most definitely this. How could she go on lecturing young Fenrir about the importance of using powers safely around pack members when she had just electrocuted a valued hunter a mere minute later? It wasn't as though she could blame it on the earthquake-- what kind of leader would she be if she was incapable of handling herself in cases of emergencies and high stress? If Vienna died, Pierce was certain her career as Alpha would be over. She couldn't trust herself with the position at that point.

 

As Gale raced into the clearing, Pierce backed away from Vienna, mindful of the bloody mess that was her face and leg. She would have to find some water to dunk her head in to get the blood off, as it was unlikely there would be any wolf willing to wash her muzzle and risk the chance of ending up as Vienna did. She blinked rapidly as blood trickled over her eyes, and gave herself another shake. "Symaro, if you are hurt, why are you here? Get back to camp where you can rest," Pierce said, frowning at her beta. In her haste to tend to her hunters, she had not realized what a state he was in before Gale spoke up. "You're no good to me injured. Solla or Gale can help us, but you need to take care of yourself before you can help anyone else. Did you bring any Gammas with you, at least?"

[Brotato]

I'd like that. -he replied, wondering exactly where it was that Corax was planning to take him.

If her gestural indication was to be relied upon, it looked like she was to head down south, not quite towards Cursed territory, but close enough not to sidetrack Torque. Of all the times for him to find some company that didn't have a stick shoved up their unmentionables over his past transactions, Torque thought it a cruel irony to happen directly after a catastrophe. Still, he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Corax, for all her strangeness, was at least good company, perhaps even a friend at some point.

 

What a strange and eventful day this was turning out to be. While he was still concerned for his ex-brothers and sisters, Torque couldn't get this persistent thought out of his head, that perhaps this conflict was somehow profitable. No one paid the loners any mind, for they were all too busy fighting their war. Certainly, the Hallowed's cause was just, but to Torque, it seemed as if living on his own opened more doors then it closed. Perhaps some day he would find a way to abuse his position, but for now, he had his priorities, as for the moment, he was in good company, and she needn't be kept waiting either.

 

As they set off, Torque thought it best to just get the air cleared and be honest about himself.

My relationship with the Hallowed is complicated, as I said. I was born a member, but I had difficulty controlling myself as a pup. My actions, involuntary or not, angered a lot of my peers, and my elders. After a while of being persecuted, I abandoned that life for the lonesome trail of the eternal wanderer. It's been a while, and even after I just recently tried to rejoin them, I was reminded that past grievances don't fade so easily. I got shafted twice the moment I showed my face there. I suppose it's better this way anyway, I've never been one for being bossed around. -he explained while they walked, looked at Corax and arced an eyebrow. How about you? How'd you end up on your own?

 

=====================

Gale, please. I'm very busy. -he said, trying not to sound impatient, he shot Gale with a quick glance to see if she needed any medical aid, before turning his attention back to where it was needed most.

 

Listening closely to Pierce's words while looking Vienna over, Symaro got a pretty good idea of just what had befallen them. He searched for signs of internal bleeding, bone fractures, a concussion, sprained joints and torn muscles, but Vienna had fared far better then Pierce it would seem. The electric shock would have been indeed enough to end her life, would it have reached her heart, but it seemed as if luck was on their side, as Vienna's heart rate was steady. Looking away from her to reassure Pierce that Vienna's condition wasn't as bad as all that, Symaro's eyes widened in horror when he spotted the blood pooling around Pierce's leg. She claimed to be fine, but at the rate she was losing blood, she wouldn't even last a trip back to camp!

 

Good grief! Don't move! Don't speak! Don't do anything, just breathe deeply and try to keep it together! -he instructed Pierce, immediately got up and hastily started looking around for something amongst the trees and bushes, until he disappeared from view, only to reappear one minute later, with what looked like a very thin vine between his jaws. Stepping back next to Pierce, Symaro gently nudged her down to lie on her side with her injured leg on the other. This will sting... -he spoke through clenched teeth as he worked to get the surprisingly stretchy and resilient rope-like plant tightly fastened against Pierce's wound- ...it's Wispvine. It's mildly toxic and causes nausea, but it's a good antiseptic. -he explained, trying to think of what else to say. He always considered the old "You're going to be fine" line more harmful then reassuring, as it's something any Delta would say, no matter how bad an injury they were treating.

 

Half-way through the process, Solla returned, with three of the berries Symaro had asked for, and a bizarre looking spud-like root. Dropping them on the ground beside him, she made a pained expression when she spotted Pierce's leg, and the state it was in. "Sir, the materials... I also found a helix tuber."

 

A wh.. oh! Yes! Excellent. -Symaro exclaimed, immediately picked up one of the berries, and crushed it between his jaws, letting the liquids inside flow out and drip onto Pierce's leg injury. Relief wafted over Symaro as he watched the bleeding subside, little by little as the treatment took its effect. The berry nectar reacted by forming a light protective crusty cover where blood was present, sealing away the worst of the injury, and stopping the bleeding, while also protecting from contamination. No doubt the process was unpleasant, and Pierce would be feeling nauseous as a result of the toxins the berry contained, but those were dwarfed by the consequences of simply doing nothing.

 

Solla, we have a missing wolf. Gould, if you know them. Yes? Good. Please, search for them while I tend to the wounded. -he asked his assistant once Pierce's wound had been put under control. Using his claw-less paw and spike, Symaro tied a rough knot where the two ends of the vine met and tugged at it lightly to make sure it wouldn't just slip off if Pierce moved. Mumbling under his breath, he placed the all-too familiar restorative charm upon the affected area, and breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted the familiar barely visible faint green mist escaping the edges of the makeshift bandage. It was working...

 

Looking back towards Vienna, he checked her breathing and vitals once more, to his relief finding that they were still the same. She was simply unconscious.

Okay, Pierce. We can talk now. Vienna is okay. She's just unconscious. -he sighed- The situation in camp is chaotic. I left Ylva in charge of the deltas while they take care of the wounded. Once things are stabilized there, they will come here. No one is critically injured from what I could tell. -he leaned down to examine the wound on her face. While it wasn't as severe as her leg, it looked quite painful, and the blood was still coming out steadily. It needed to be cleaned somehow, but there was no way Symaro was going to use pyreberries on her face, nor did he have the proper utilities to make a proper bandage for it either. The lack of a water basin only made things even more difficult, which left him with the most primitive approach.

 

Starting around the eyes and working towards the wound itself, Symaro gently licked the blood away, taking care not to lap right at the cut and cause Pierce any more pain then she was already in. The tingling of the electricity arcing off of her was ever-present throughout his work, though at her weakened state, it hardly hurt, and elicited no more then a few minor flinches from Symaro. He wanted to reassure her of his own health, since she had brought up his injuries, but for now, he left that topic un-discussed. Pierce would simply have to understand his initiative at her own pace.

 

Meanwhile, Solla was sniffing around and checking each nook and cranny for the lost team member. She could smell him, and suspected he may have fallen somewhere out of sight, but had nothing else to go on...

Edited May 1, 2015 by Brotato

[TehUltimateMage]

Spitfire

 

Spitfire had a much easier time recruiting wolves than her brother did. Many of them would rather deal with her temper over his fluctuating moods, and some, who had pretended to sleep during Cobalt's rounds, flicked their ears at the she-wolf's approach. Spitfire surveyed the bodies with a lingering sense of contempt, as if unsatisfied with the mangy and pathetic look of the pack as a whole. There were some tireless workers she could count on if the situation need be, and yet others wouldn't budge unless a threat was nipping at their tails or a famine tearing at their stomachs. She was no Alpha; she couldn't command absolute respect. And that annoyed her enough to make her fur prickle.

 

Rather than wait for volunteers, Spitfire made her picks herself from the wolves who were shaking themselves awake after her idiot brother had left the scene. She figured she would give the usual candidates an opportunity to rest, since the patrol -- and retrieving the betas -- were tasks she was confident she could do without any assistance. She barked out the first names that came to mind. "Sawyer, Misting..." She needed a Delta, right? "...And Valerius." That last one's squinty eyes and stupid pleased expression was nearly as irritating as Cobalt's lopsided grin. "Dawn patrol," Spitfire snapped. "We're checking for any faults in the border and dragging the betas back.

 

The the black and white mottled wolf gave a long stretch, as if deciding whether or not to follow along despite Spitfire's direct orders. Spitfire tilted her ears back without even bothering to turn around. "Any day now, Misting." Young blood was always so insolent, she mused silently, ignoring the fact that she herself as more than just a handful during her first year as a Gamma.

 

The tawny wolf, Sawyer, made a step to retrieve Misting, but Spitfire stopped him with her tail. "Let her get wailed on by the Alpha when we come back. Not my fault if she misses any fun." Flanked by a Hunter and Delta, she wouldn't suffer too many losses if the Warrior-in-training decided to stay in camp. But predictably, the smaller white and black wolf hurried to follow them once they were on their way out.

 

Tenebris' scent was still fresh. The Beta surely was in no state of urgency when she left camp, having perhaps not taken off as fast as she could've. Though, maybe Ulra could have sent her out with a partner since that young wolf was so keen on acting helpless due to her crippling abilities. For a split moment, Spitfire wondered if they should scout for Tenebris first. Eh, she would be fine. And if she wasn't, it didn't matter to Spitfire that much anyway. She veered off the scent trail, prompting a quizzical look from Sawyer following on her right flank.

 

The group ran through the Cursed brush, the lands devoid of greenery that Spitfire would have burned to the ground if they didn't look scorched to the bone already. The ground was tough and frozen under her paws, with sparse yellow grasses clumped in small patches. The thin blanket of frost melted in the places where she set foot, although their fast pace meant that she wouldn't need to worry about her paws getting muddy from standing in one place too long. Nearing the closest edge of the Hallowed border, Spitfire couldn't help but leer at the growing greenery on their side of the land. The moment they would have the chance to spring an attack for territory, she would set their home on fire.

 

The Hallowed markers were fading, but were still a disgusting reminder that they wanted to keep Cursed wolves out of their lands. It would be a matter of time before they were renewed, and being caught in a scuffle at the moment would not be an ideal situation.

 

It was mostly the same as they followed the fringe of the Cursed territory, with some weaker spots she made Valerius note in case they found a lapse in the border. It was only when the wind brought her Tenebris' scent again -- a reminder to do her job -- during one of their stops to regroup that Spitfire deemed it ready to make a detour to wrap up some unfinished business.

 

She should have payed more attention to how Misting had her tail tucked in anxiety, instead of silencing the younger wolf. The ground began to rumble, at first imperceptibly, but then trembled throughout the land, tossing down rock formations and even splitting the earth in places. Panicked and frightened the black and white wolf accelerated, pulling ahead of the Spitfire and the two others and racing her way back in the direction of the safety of the camp -- if the camp was safe, but the Warrior doubted that it would be unaffected by the quake.

 

"Wait!" Spitfire shouted, with not much result. She motioned with her snout for Sawyer to follow her, and the tawny wolf nodded before bolting after the she-wolf.

 

Spitfire would normally have let Tenebris fend off these rocks on her own, but today these were part of the Alpha's orders, she decided. The tables had turned. With a Delta with her -- even if he was more of a pup-rearing Delta rather than a medicine wolf -- perhaps she stood more of a chance if something did happen.

 

She smelled and spotted Tenebris and Venemus dawdling, and rushed towards them at full tilt with Valerius trailing a little behind. There were falling rocks around this area, dislodged by the quake. "Watch out above!" She howled, hoping her warning would reach them before she did.

 

((Let me know if I missed anything on my end. Misting and Sawyer should be arriving in camp around this time, knowing where to find Spitfire and the trail towards Tenebris. They are both NPC and free to control.))

 

[MrSpyro]

After the earthquake subsided, Verdant crept back into the clearing. It seemed like some wolves were hurt, but Verdant wasn't a Delta, so he couldn't tell. He just hoped that the Deltas had everything under control. Either way, it was probably a good idea to lend a paw and help out if they didn't. Verdant headed towards the center of the clearing, and asked, to nobody in particular, Uh, is there anything I could help with?"

[MyaMouse]

((Maaaaaage.........!!!))

 

Tenebris~

 

The black wolf dispelled her bubble, leaving her weaker, but able to sprint towards Spitfire with ease. But it didn't seem like Venemus heard Spitfire's warning, or didn't believe it. Once at a safe area hidden in the brush, she called out a warning to Venemus. He didn't hear her... She ran to him, gambling with her life for his, and this bet was all or nothing. She was close to him, yelling to run, when the rocks were loud enough to hear, and he turned, starting to move to Tenebris.

 

But he was too late.

 

Tenebris ran from the rocks but Venemus wasn't fast enough, and she saw him get trapped, either crushed or would be soon. She called to Spitfire, ignoring the scalding burns on her skin, and began to try and dig out her friend from the rubble.

 

((JESUS CHRIST WHY DID I HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME WITH THIS))

[Avialae]

Corax listened to Torque explain himself as she loped along the meadow, headed south. She had no desire to head into the forest right now, since not only would they likely find their way impeded by fallen trees in an area where there would already have been less space to move freely, but because it was also plain to see even from here, close to the treeline, that the holes that had opened up in the fields were larger and more numerous to the south, meaning that the terrain had likely undergone greater changes further in that direction.

 

She was slightly surprised to hear Torque admit that he'd been born into the Hallowed pack after he'd seemed to evade the question earlier, and listened intently as he described his life inside it, as Corax knew very little of what life in that place was like. She had heard stories from other Cursed wolves, but knew better than to give them much weight, as most of them were designed to scare young wolves and came from those who had no more experience with the Hallowed than herself. That being said, Corax didn't think much of the Hallowed wolves if things had really gone as Torque said, if his elders had simply allowed his situation to continue as it was, and provided nothing but scorn and anger until Torque found it necessary to flee the pack. It would have been one thing if it was because of an isolated incident, since those could be hard to prevent with a wolf that had yet to gain full control of their abilities, but Torque made it sound like he'd been having problems for some time and yet the older wolves had been content to leave matters as they were. Of course, there was also the possibility that not everything had gone as Torque had claimed. She didn't think he was lying, exactly, but there was the possibility that he was spinning things to put himself in a better light. Well, she had no way to learn about the other side of the incident, so she'd give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

 

"I can't say that I think much of your old pack members if they just allowed all that to go on," Corax told Torque, shaking her head at the thought. "Whether you were having problems controlling yourself or if you were just acting out, you should have been separated from others until you were able to get yourself under control. Allowing you to remain where you could cause more harm suggests that not only did no one care about you, but also the ones that you were hurting." Corax gave a short snort of disgust at the thought of adult wolves behaving so irresponsibly. Then, as Torque described attempting to rejoin the Hallowed pack and the fallout of that event, Corax softened slightly. Torque might have left it unclear whether what had happened to him was due to genuine difficulty or simply a mischievous temperament, but it was clear that the treatment that Torque had received at the paws of his brethren had hurt him. "Not that I'm trying to suggest you were acting out," she added, not wanting to compound his hurt feelings any further.

 

"Actually, I was born into the Cursed pack," Corax said when Torque asked her, a little hesitant about admitting that fact to an ex-Hallowed pack member, especially one who had tried to rejoin their ranks only recently, but feeling that it was only fair to be honest with him now that he'd told her about his origins. "The wolves there don't really make for pleasant company, though. Having to struggle day by day to find enough food to survive on with only their grudge against the Hallowed wolves to give them a sense of purpose leaves most of them bitter and prone to lash out. I never saw the sense of waging a war when it's already hard enough to survive and I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, so when the opportunity arose I decided to strike out on my own. I've never had cause to regret it, either."

[Brotato]

Listening quietly to Corax's word, Torque cared not for her or anyone's sympathy on the matter.

The past was best left behind him, so far as he was concerned. It simply wasn't relevant any more.

He'd started a new life, long ago, and was shown clearly that returning to his old one once more was not an option.

By the sounds of things, it looked like Corax had done much the same, though with less personal tragedy involved.

It was funny, listening to her judge both the Hallowed and the Cursed, and at the same time she had a point.

Both camps had a stick up their arse in some way, be that from hunger, or entitlement. It was silly...

 

Figures. I got chased off for disturbing the peace, and you for the lack thereof. -he scoffed- This war... I wish that bloody Crystal would just disappear into thin air. Maybe then there can be peace, but probably not. They'd find something else to fight over, won't they? -he elaborated, melancholy ringing through his words. In hindsight, the only reason the two packs were divided was because of the Life Crystal. The Cursed wanted it, the Hallowed didn't want to surrender it, that disagreement lead to the bitter rivalry that's been going on for a while now, and in the end, no one would really win. Torque had never even seen the damned thing, nor did he know of it's exact purpose. All he knew was that it was somehow vaguely tied to his abilities, giving him mixed feelings about the whole situation.

 

I'm glad you were honest with me. -he smiled lightly, appreciative for knowing Corax's origins. She had every reason to keep her past a secret after Torque had let on he was ex-Hallowed, yet she didn't. The past is in the past, what matters is the here and now, and right now we're both stuck between a rock and a hard place. -he paused for a moment, wondering if it was wise to tell Corax of his plan to keep the two packs from tearing at each other's giblets. In the end, he settled for a vague description of his actual goal. I was actually headed towards Cursed territory before meeting you. I'm a very good sneak, and was hoping to maybe keep an eye on things, pull a few strings, tickle a few ears here and there, if you will, to help ease the tensions and maybe delay or prevent an outright war. I have the bad feeling that if it ever comes to that, we'll be the ones getting boned the hardest for picking neither side. -he shook his head in dismay, already picturing the veritable slaughter that an outright war might entail.

Edited May 1, 2015 by Brotato

[LegendOfKorraFan]

"I need to get out of here; my pack needs me!", the Gamma shouted.

 

Cave could only imagine what sort of damage the earthquake had done to both his pack and their camp. With the entrance to his den blocked off by a massive boulder however, getting to his fellow Cursed seemed like an impossible task. Although, Cave was no ordinary Cursed. His will and resolve were much stronger than that of the usual wolves seen skulking withing their desolate territory.

The orange-brown wolf began to turn a metallic colour as his body transitioned from flesh to iron. When the transformation had completed, Cave immediately bolted forward, forcing his metal head into the natural barrier. The shock from the impact sent ripples through his metal skin, all the way to the tip of his tail. His body was also sent backwards from the recoil. Shards of stone were sent flying, whizzing through the air like flies, bouncing off the walls every which way.

 

"If I'm stuck in here any longer, and there's another earthquake, who knows what will happen...".

 

Small cracks lay etched into the stone, and into Cave's head. His skull slowly began to retake it's shape, and with that, another barrage of attacks were delivered to the rock wall. The Gamma was determined to get as quickly as possible, no matter what it took.

 

"Hello? Can anybody hear me?", he cried out.

 

The wolf was unaware of how thick the stone was however, as his calls for help only came through as muffled whispers, inaudible to those not pressed against the titan that stand before him.

Cave's body reverted back to his usual, fur-covered self. His orange pelt now coated with a thick layer of dust and debris, and his brown eyes now red from agitation. Cave laid down next to the rock and sighed heavily, his nose twitching suddenly as flecks of dirt fell from the ceiling.

 

"If nobody comes looking for me, they'll be sorry when if I ever get out", he mumbled under his breath.

[hazeh]

PIERCE

 

The Hallowed Alpha blinked at Symaro. "Keep it together?" she questioned, her voice rough as the beta nudged her onto her uninjured hip. She grunted softly and cringed when a spark of lightning snapped off her fur at the white wolf's touch, but he seemed undeterred. "I'm fine Symaro--" Pierce clenched her teeth as the vine wrapped around her leg, and remained silent when Solla returned with the berries and Symaro proceeded to leak the juice all over Pierce's wound. It stung, as he mentioned, and she gave a short growl of discomfort. Nausea twisted in her stomach, and for a moment she was certain she was going to retch into the dirt. Fortunately, the knots eventually subsided, leaving Pierce with a dull ache. She waited until Symaro appeared to be finished before sitting up again to listen.

 

Relief flooded her purple eyes at Vienna's prognosis. "That's good," she murmured, mostly to herself. Perhaps she would keep her position for another day. However, at the mention of camp, Pierce's gaze became sharp again. "Is Tobias keeping everything under control?" she inquired, glancing over at the Deltas that had come to help. Pierce cast a warm smile at Gale and the others, nodding toward them out of appreciation. "I need to get back there quickly. I can't have wolves running amok and out of control. Gale, would you might helping drag the deer back? I'm afraid I won't be of much use for it, but we should get food to everyone as soon as we can." She paused and glanced around for a moment, seeking out Solla. "I believe he's--" a firm bark cut her off, and the tip of Gould's snout suddenly appeared at the edge of a large trench.

 

"I'm here," he coughed, before slipping back down into the opening.

 

Pierce surveyed the area again. "Baron, help Solla get Gould out of there. See if he can walk on his own. Symaro, I need you to..." Pierce faded off abruptly as the beta's tongue ran over her muzzle, catching her off guard. Surprise glittered in her eyes, followed by a flicker of guilt when her electricity stung at his mouth. Pierce wasn't certain of the last time she had received such pleasant treatment from another wolf, at least physically-- the soft crack of lightning reminded her exactly why-- and she found herself enjoying the momentary closeness. It was nice.

 

She waited a few more moments before pulling away. Even if her lightning was at its minimal charge, given her state, she wasn't going to let him practically torture himself with shocks just to clean her face. "Thank you," she said, her voice soft. "I...I appreciate your help." She cleared her throat for a second and then staggered back onto her feet. Wound or no, she had to get back to her pack. "Someone needs to help Vienna," she said, looking between the wolves around her. They were definitely in need of some others, especially if Gould was unable to move on his own. Pierce began to hobble forward the best she could, determined to make it back to camp.

 

--

 

LARK

 

It had been the voice of a young hunter that quipped at Cobalt when he sauntered through to find another wolf to join the hunting patrol. She was small, and easily overlooked, and luckily enough for her the white Gamma's dark eyes hadn't spied her in the middle of the others, coated in a thin layer of snow. She shook off the frost with a single shake, and slowly stretched out the mottled brown wings that had kept her warm through the night. After what had happened three moons ago, she would never trust Cobalt enough to go on a hunt or patrol with him. That crazy wolf could do all of that on his own, as far as Lark was concerned.

 

The brown female rose to her feet, keeping a cautious eye on Cobalt as he walked away. The large scar that etched a bald line across the left portion of her face and ended at the rather severe tear in her left her was tell-tale enough of her previous encounters with Cobalt. He was not a wolf to be trusted, least of all with their Alpha. Lark looked to their leader for a moment, wondering what might have been going through their head that would have possessed them to seek out Cobalt as a hunting partner. Lark was fairly certain the wind-wolf wouldn't harm their Alpha, but there was no saying what he might have done to anyone else in the party.

 

With a snort, Lark padded away from the throng of wolves still laying about on the ground. Early spring might as well have been dead winter for all the difference it made on Cursed territory. It was still cold, so cold that the wings pressed to her sides ached to the bone from the chill that invaded her feathers and fur. Flying was not pleasant in such weather, but she detested letting anyone else know of her struggle. Lark intended to make good on the promise she made to Ulra when she was promoted to Gamma only a moon ago; whining about the cold was not the way to go about it.

 

She had taken all of three steps when the earth beneath her paws began to tremble. Startled, she flexed her claws into the dirt and stared at the ground. The tremble quickly escalated into a tumultuous roar, and Lark sprang away from the mountainside where the rocks were cascading downwards. A few wild stones struck her face, and she flinched, but otherwise she seemed to have missed the worst of the landslide's fury. Just to be sure, however, Lark launched herself upward and gave a few powerful strokes of her wide wings to carry her lithe body up into the air, away from the barrage of earth and rock. Many of the dens looked to have caved in, and Lark glided closer, seeking out any wolves that might have been caught in the rockslide. Ulra was digging with fervor at a particular spot and Lark landed on the heap of dirt with little sound. "Is someone in there?" Lark questioned, clawing at the earth with her long nails as quickly as her small limbs would allow. She struck something solid, and paused momentarily to investigate. A massive boulder lay beneath the crumbled dirt, blocking any sort of passage to and from whatever was beyond. Her wings opened upward, allowing Lark to keep her balance as she heaved, but the stone did not budge. A faint sound caught her attention and she stilled herself again to listen. Something reverberated through her paws, and it took her a moment to realize that whatever-- or whoever-- was behind the rock was repeatedly ramming into it. Lark tilted her head slightly. "Where's Skitt? He's got power to move or break this thing," she said, glancing up at Ulra in hopes that the Alpha would agree.

[HomeForFlowers]

Hawke

 

Amusement flickered in Hawke's eyes as he glanced down at Lya who was propped up on her hind legs and resting her front paws against the Delta's chest.

"A seeking game with riddles?" Hawke softly chuckled as he cocked his head to the side in curiosity. "Well, I see no reason why we shouldn't-" Hawke never got to finish his sentence. The ground suddenly began to vibrate, gently at first, but it soon began to shake violently. Hawke let out a howl of surprise as his legs buckled underneath him. He gasped several shaky breaths as cries of horror filled the camp around him. There were wolves shrieking in terror as panicked seized them, causing them to run around aimlessly. A few others yelled for everyone to take cover and some even stood in place, completely petrified. The urge to instinct take over and sprint out of the camp was great, but Hawke was clear-headed enough to remember he had a duty to do.

 

The male's thoughts turned to the frightened pup beneath him. He could see fear dancing in her eyes as the earth creaked below. It didn't matter if Hawke wanted to run off like most of the other wolves had, he had a job to do and he wouldn't just abandon an innocent pup to save his own skin. Shaking away the hesitant thoughts that clouded his mind, he lowered his head and grasped Lya's scruff firmly between his teeth. He could feel her trembling as he lifted her from the ground. He dearly wished he could say to soothe her nerves, but with the earth bellowing loudly and his jaw clasped shut, he could not speak to her. Averting his gaze from the ground, Hawke's eyes began to frantically glance to and fro as he tried searched for higher ground. He pivoted to the left, spraying dirt into the air, before bounding away. Loud creaking filled the air as Hawke turned his gaze to a nearby tree which was beginning to collapse. Hie ears sprang up as he heard the splintering of wood followed by the great tree falling downward with an ominous screech, casting a shadow upon the Delta. He skidded his paws against the ground, flailing around madly before rushing away from the tree falling towards the center of the camp. He felt air brush past him as the tree colliding with the rumbling ground, sending leaves, sticks, and dirt to spray across the camp. Hawke's chest began to heave as he momentarily paused to stare at the fallen tree with his eyes wide with surprise. The tree was cutting through the middle of the camp. That would surely cause problems later on; just how would they remove the tree from the camp?

 

Shaking his head, Hawke leaped away from the tree and began to head off towards the edge of the camp. The earthquake began to subside, allowing Hawke to get a better grip on the ground. He slowed his retreat to a simply jog, turning his head around to glance around at the camp and its inhabitants. The destruction was horrendous but it wasn't exactly minor either. The tree was still problematic and the ground was covered in cracks and crevasses. Those who had fled were beginning to slowly pour back into the camp, mumbling in discontent. A gray she-wolf in particular caught Hawke's attention. She was a sleek Delta with a set of bright green eyes. It took a moment for Hawke to recognize her, but, when he did, his tail began wagging. He wanted to call her name, but her daughter's scruff was still in Hawke's mouth. Instead, he padded over towards her, ears perked up. Her gaze turned towards him and her eyes widened as he dipped his head respectfully in her direction.

"Hawke!" she exclaimed as he she looked him over frantically. "I..." Hawke bowed his head and gently placed Lya on the ground. He withheld a hiss of shock as he spotted flecks of frost drizzled over the pup's back. How could he forget about the consequences about holding an object in his mouth too long? Thankfully, the mother was too busy rasping her tongue over her pup to notice.

"You didn't think I would just leave her out there, did you, Nimuru?" Hawke inquired casually as tried to make himself appear calm and collected despite the fact that he was quite the opposite. The corners of Nimuru's lips twitched as she looked up at the male before her.

"Thank you, Hawke," she whispered softly before bowing her head, grabbing her pup by her scruff, and walking off into safety. Hawke watched the two leave with a lopsided grin on his face.

 

"Are you a Delta?"

"Hm?" Hawke spun around as he caught sight of a young wolf who was shifting his paws uncomfortably. Hawke gave the young wolf a quizzically look, tilting his head to the side in the process. "That I would be, why do you ask?" The younger wolf nervously licked his lips and averted his gaze.

"Um, Delta Ylva has called for all the Deltas to meet up with them," they said shakily. "I-I need to go tell the others. Ylva is over yonder." The other male pointed in the direction in which a small group of Deltas was gathering before dipping his head and sprinting off to find another Delta. Hawke's nostrils flared as he snorted softly before turning his head away from the messenger and towards the where Ylva and the other Deltas had gathered. Hawke marched up to the growing mass with several more Deltas before Ylva began their speech. One by one, they began to specify what needed to be done. After each issue was addressed, Deltas would begin to break away from the group and run off to do whatever was required of them. It didn't take long for the rest of the Deltas to be whisked away from the group, leaving Hawke to sit by Ylva's side.

"An oracle and a pup in an adult's body are off to save the Alpha? How scandalous!" Hawke said as he followed Ylva who was heading into the woods. "Well aren't we just a lovely team. Well, that Gamma might be coming along as well but you get my point. Earthquake happens in the morning, people run around like terrified rabbits, and the Alpha could have possibly gotten skewered on a stag's antler. Exciting day, is it not?"

Edited May 10, 2015 by Doctortear

[Brotato]

You can't sit there with a gushing bloody wound and tell me you're fine, Pierce. Forgive my skepticism, but I can't allow it to stay that way. -Symaro spoke warmly, after backing away from Pierce's face. Her injury there was still dribbling a little bit of blood, but at least it was somewhat clean now. The matter of Tobias' actions in camp was a mystery, as Symaro had only enough time to see his fellow Beta momentarily. I'm sure Tobias is doing his best. He usually does. -he reassured Pierce, nonetheless.

 

Wiping away the bit of blood left on his nose, the white beta made a mental note to administer some antitoxins to Pierce in the evening, so as to counteract her wound treatment. Her eagerness to return to camp was understandable, and though it was likely smartest to let the leg rest for a while so that the spell Symaro had cast could do it's thing, objections seemed unnecessary. What mattered was that the bleeding had been stopped, and the wound was highly unlikely to get infected.

 

Take it easy on that leg, then. -the beta warned, then turned towards Solla, who was busy assisting Gould out of his earthy trap. Solla, assist our alpha back to camp, if you would. I wouldn't be able to do much if, heavens forbid, she gets attacked on her way back.

"Sir, with all due respect, you're still wounded. I'll help the others here while the other deltas arrive, you go back and rest up. I think that would be best." -she spoke firmly, then returned her attention to Gould, who was visibly struggling to escape his predicament.

 

I'm fine, Solla. -he scowled lightly, unwilling to be sent away from the injured.

Looking at Symaro with a piercing glare, Solla retorted "You can't sit there barely breathing and wheezing like a worn out chew toy and tell me you're fine, sir. Forgive my skepticism, but I can't allow that to stay that way. Please, go back to camp, I'll hold out here, other deltas are coming anyway, I'll be fine."

The two exchanged angry glares, before Symaro sighed lightly. What nerve that delta had, really!

There are wispvines to your right, further in. Find another helix tuber if you can. I'll meet you back at camp. Don't disappoint me.

It wasn't like Symaro to simply entrust the injured to an underling like so, but an argument was the last thing he wanted right now, and Pierce's previous demand for him to return to camp was still ringing in his ears. Trailing off after Pierce, he couldn't shake the bad feeling in his gut that Solla was going to mess up.

 

Not wasting any more time, Solla returned to gently helping Gould out of his rocky tomb.

Though she didn't smell any blood, Gould's pained expression and barely audible whimpering told her everything she needed to know.

 

((I don't want to soak up every injured wolf with Symaro, Narvix, you wanna hop in and help me here? ))

Edited May 2, 2015 by Brotato

[TotallyDrow]

Aegis snarled at the blind wolf, their comment about authority striking a chord within him; especially when they spoke as if they were superior to him. As far as ranks were concerned, the Gamma's and the Delta's were of equal standing; regardless of their position as the oracle. Taking a deep breath, Aegis returned to his usual demeanor, knowing full well that this was not the time to bicker among eachother.

 

With Symaro and Ylva seemingly in control of locating and aiding the hunting Party as well as the Alpha, Aegis opted to stay within camp. He was still concerned about the lack of news regarding their Beta Tobias and with key figures already out of the camp their needed to be someone in control; atleast until the Alpha or either of the Beta's appeared. Another concern was in regards to the issue of security. Needless to say, the camp was vulnerable at this moment in time and with no knowledge about the condition of the cursed clan's condition Aegis could not help but have this niggling feeling of worry.

 

"Ill Stay" responded Aegis, "Someone needs to keep control until Pierce and Symaro returns or until Tobias is found" paused Aegis, "We have already had one disaster, we don't need a second. brought about by confusion and panic" he finished.

 

Aegis motioned towards two lower ranked Gamma's that had brought an aging wolf to the delta's. "Spread the word, our priority is to retrieve and recover every one in the camp; Several dens have collapsed and there could still be fellow wolves trapped inside, also have Grendel scout the area from Talon's rock for any potential threats" Aegis took a breath, "Lastly if there is any news on Tobias, i would like to be informed. We cant afford to have both our Beta's as well as our Alpha out of camp for too long... " With a nod, the two wolves raced off.

 

Aegis glanced at Ylva, before leaving; heading towards a group of wolves furiously digging at some rubble near the entrace of a collapsed den.

[ValidEmotions]

Ulra

 

Hearing the sound of wings beating and a solid mass landing on the dirt and stones above, Ulra glanced up as Lark asked her question. "Yes. I wasn't fast enough to prevent someone from getting buried," they replied softly. "Your help is greatly appreciated, Lark."

 

Dirt and small stones gave way to a solid barrier, the boulder being the main cause of the den being blockaded. Again, Lark spoke up, inquiring about Skitt's whereabouts. "He should be here in camp unless he decided to go after Spitfire's patrol with a Delta," the Alpha responded, glancing over their shoulder to examine the rest of the pack. A sigh parted their rubbery lips and Ulra shook their head. "There isn't time to wait. The wolf inside could be grievously injured."

 

With a little difficulty, Ulra climbed up to the top beside Lark, slightly unsteady without the advantage of wings. The markings along their body seemed to boil, oily liquid congealing once more and flowing in tendrils to fill the crease between the stone and the top of the den. "On my ready...," they started. "Push!" The tendrils solidified and the Alpha grunted from effort. They pushed with their front paws, hind legs supporting them against the stone wall.

 

As they pushed, the tendrils thickened, attempting to reshape themselves into a kind of wedge. With a bark, Ulra beckoned for the aid of other members. A few hurried over and found somewhere they could push against, causing the boulder to tremble. Ulra's body quivered from the strain and they growled in frustration, more tendrils splitting off from the original set. These ones began to stab at the stone repeatedly, trying to find a crack or some weak point that could send the whole thing crumbling.

 

"If someone...," they groaned. "Could find Skitt... Bring him here."

 

Lycaonia

 

Lya's tail had been waging, all the while that she and Hawke spoke. Yet, the moment his thought was interrupted, was when the ground began to tremble and Lya's tail stopped moving in eagerness. The force of the earthquake knocked her off her feet and she cried out in fright. Slinking to hide beneath Hawke, she whimpered ceaselessly. "What's happening!" she shouted, receiving no response beyond being picked up by the scruff. Instinctively, she curled her body into as small of a ball as gravity would allow, tail tucked firmly against her belly.

 

Then Hawke was moving, a splintering sound breaking through the air. Spying the falling tree as it cast a looming shadow upon them, Lycaonia shrieked and shut her eyes tightly. By mistake, a wave of excited energy rushed outward, colliding with the energies given off by any wolves within range. Her protector darted just out of harm's way as the tree crashed into the ground, her wriggling form likely not making things any easier.

 

She was crying loudly now as the land seemed to calm and Hawke located Nimuru. Lya opened her eyes again when her paws touched dirt, a cold nose touching her muzzle as one of her mothers quickly nuzzled her in reassurance. "Mommy!" She buried herself against the Delta's fur, only becoming aware of Hawke's departure once he was already with the other Deltas. Only sniffling now, Lya started to turn and hurry after the male but Nimuru grabbed her scruff, effectively preventing her from running off.

 

"You can't go with Hawke this time, sweetie. We need to find Daddy and Mama, first." Pausing, Lya soon nodded and quickly followed Nimuru.

 

[[Ylva is incoming. Just had to split this up so it wasn't a text wall |D

 

Drow, incase you aren't noticing in the OOC, Tobias never left the camp so I've been assuming that he's been working "behind the scenes" in the camp.

Also, your text color is spelt "turquoise". ]]

[ValidEmotions]

Ylva

 

Turning to Hawke as he remained by xir side, Ylva tilted their head at Aegis's words. "Very well. We'll take a different Gamma then. The help might be needed," they remarked. "And, last I heard just before the earthquake, Tobias is still inside the camp." However, if Aegis wanted to keep acting like he was the oldest Gamma around and in charge, they would let Tobias correct him. After all, the oracle already warned him.

 

With a shrug and a tail wave for a different Gamma to follow, Ylva cracked a grin at Hawke's humorous remark. "I would agree. It has been rather exciting. Too bad I can only hear the terrified expressions and not see them," the wolf teased, xir words light to indicate no ill-will.

 

Unfortunately, the trio couldn't move too quickly as Ylva only had their perception field to register anything within each paw step. Though, despite a few stumbles, the blind Delta was determined not to allow such a thing to slow them further and, within due time, the trio began to hear Pierce's patrol and Symaro's expedition.

 

"I'm fine Symaro--"

 

"That's a relief," Ylva stated quickly. "Though it doesn't sound wholly true." The conversation between Symaro and Pierce continued briefly before the Alph inquired about Tobias. "I would say so but, Aegis continues to think he has the freedom to take the position," xe remarked, sitting back on their haunches.

 

"I've brought Hawke and Illia with me. What would you have us do, Alpha?" they inquired. A smug expression flickered across their face as their ears twitched, listening to Symaro bicker with Solla and be firmly reminded of his own physical condition. While xe could respect rank, it was still a lovely thing to hear the Beta be put in his place and sent back to camp.

 

"Someone needs to help Vienna."

 

"I can carry her back to camp," Ylva offered, already moving forward where xe could sense the unconscious female. Stooping down, it took some time, effort, and awkwardness before the wolf managed to get Vienna mostly on their back. Unfortunately, the female's hind legs would drag a little in the dirt but, minor scrapes and bruises could easily be dealt with.

 

They started moving, following behind Pierce and Symaro. Now that time was not so much of the essence, Ylva focused more on listening to their movements in an attempt to better gauge their surroundings. It wouldn't do to trip over a root and have Vienna spilt across the forest floor now, would it?

 

A cascade of sound, like twinkling bells, filled their ears. It was faint, as if from distance, but distinct. A vibration charged through Ylva’s body and xir step faltered, a brief gasp leaving their muzzle. There was no image, but the sense of something deep clawed at their chest. Their paws continued to vibrate, as if the ground was trembling once more beneath them. The ringing in their ears continued and turned into a low hum.

 

As if something had moved into Ylva’s perception field, the oracle felt the proximity of a large object, some sort of oddly shaped stone. Somehow, the stone was pulsating, vibrating the section of their perceptive range that it filled.

 

And then, everything was gone. The sound, the sensations… Ylva was thrown back into the noise and pushing presence of their fellow pack members and the surrounding forest. Frightened and uncertain, the blind Delta swallowed hard, tail low and almost curled between their legs.

 

”Alpha Pierce…,” Their voice was a whisper, trailing off with their insecurity. They couldn’t be certain of their supposed vision. However, they were certain of this one thing… They cleared their throat and tried again, ”Alpha. This… this earthquake,” Ylva began, ears folding back in worry. ”I don’t believe it is as we think it is. I feel - no, I know - that it was unnatural, that the Life Crystal is involved….”

 

[[This vision was OK'd by Shiny.]]

Edited May 2, 2015 by Narvix

[Avialae]

"Well, in my case, I wasn't exactly chased off," Corax told Torque a bit wryly, flicking an ear slightly as she did so. When Torque then mentioned the Life Crystal, she let out an irritated sigh. "They're not even really fighting over it now, or at least the Cursed aren't. They hate the Hallowed, yes, but because it was them who drove them into poor territory where every day is a struggle to survive, and for causing loved ones to lose their lives in skirmishes. If the Cursed have any plans concerning the Crystal, I never heard of them." Although she severely doubted that there were any among the Cursed pack who even schemed to take back the Life Crystal in secret, Corax supposed she couldn't completely rule the possibility out. Even so, she had hardly ever heard her old packmates even mention the Crystal at all when Corax was still a member, and only then as the source of their troubles or as an extension of the Hallowed pack.

 

"I completely agree, however not all wolves feel that way, and I didn't want to accidentally hurt your feelings," Corax told Torque, grateful that he hadn't taken offense. She didn't have much company these days, and while she generally didn't mind being alone, being able to talk to someone else once in a while was actually kind of nice. A rock and a hard place, though? Were they really trapped that way? The two packs had never taken much interest in loners before, and Corax had seen no indication that that would change. Still, assuming that the packs would never bring their conflict to her doorstep, as Corax had been doing up until now, might be a little naive. She would have to try to keep an eye out for trouble in the future. "And you're welcome."

 

Corax raised a brow a bit skeptically when Torque mentioned his plans to infiltrate the Cursed pack to try to derail conflict. "You're certainly free to try, but I don't think you've got much of a chance as long as prey remains so scarce. Even if somehow that situation gets remedied, you're probably in for an uphill battle." Corax was just glad that she had put all of that foolishness behind her, and she could say that it was no longer her problem. "Hey, do you know if the Hallowed really are trying to change the environment of their territory to make it harder to get to the Crystal?" she asked Torque suddenly. "I ask because if it's true, maybe the Cursed could do something along those lines to make their land more hospitable. Not that they really seem interested in doing that." She'd brought up the idea once or twice when she was still a pack member, but no one had been interested. Even if it was possible, it would take far too long, and their were more productive things the pack could be doing with their limited energy, or so the other Cursed wolves had thought.

 

Ahead of her, Corax finally saw the sparkling line in the distance that indicated they were nearing the lake in the southern part of Hallowed territory. It was really a beautiful day out, sunny, bright, and warm. The only thing marring it were the large crevices and rifts in the terrain around them, which seemed to be growing larger and more numerous as they neared the water line.

 

OOC: I don't know if the Cursed pack is supposed to know about the Hallowed plans to change their territory to make it impossible to get to the Life Crystal, but I figure it would be okay for Corax to have heard rumors, if not while in the Cursed pack, at least since she became a loner.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Avialae

[MyaMouse]

((*groans in frustration* SO MUCH HAPPENED

I'm so sorry I got distracted I'm rarely away for more than a day at most and look at all I missed))

 

Gale nodded. Even though the blonde she-wolf wasn't very good with heavy things she was able to pick up her part of the deer(?) and she hoped she could carry it.

 

((*grumbles at lack of inspiration for blonde Delta*))

 

Umbria heard the earthquake and ran into her den. Rocks covered it eventually, leaving her in complete darkness with dirty air and a rabbit in her paws. She wouldn't be able to move the rock on her own... But there was no one to help her. She pushed up against it with all her strength, but the rocks didn't budge. And even if they did they would probably crush her. She would just have to wait until someone found her, or starve...

[hazeh]

PIERCE

 

Relief melted through her veins and Pierce smiled at the Deltas that had appeared. She was forever grateful to have her pack members looking out for each other, and as she limped through the forest, she even allowed herself a little optimism of her own usefulness. Technically, being injured didn't give her a great deal of worth at the moment, but with Symaro and the other Deltas, Pierce was certain that she would be on the mend quickly.

 

Pierce was so absorbed in her thoughts of repairing the chaos at camp, she nearly missed the Delta's hushed voice as they called out her name. She paused and tilted an ear back at Ylva, but continued to stagger forward.

It wasn't until Ylva spoke of the Life Crystal that Pierce stopped dead in her tracks.

 

An unnatural stillness descended on the Alpha. The silence that followed was heavy, verging on eerie, and any wolf might have concluded she had become stone with how rigid her body stood. Even her lightning had faded from her fur, barely visible, as if she had lost it altogether. Internally, Pierce's breath felt as though it had been knocked from her lungs by the force of Ylva's whisper. Her eyes glassed over, distant, and nearly glowing with fear.

 

Without warning, Pierce whirled around, a dark snarl twisted at her muzzle. Purple electricity sparked with untamed fury across her body, jumping and flickering with such intensity that the nearby brush was scored with burn marks. A savage growl rumbled in her throat like thunder; white fangs were bared under curled lips, and the mane of fur around her neck bristled with crackling energy. Enraged, Pierce was an absolute nightmare.

 

Luckily, none of the wolves in the vicinity drew the brunt of her wrath. "Hawke, take Vienna. Symaro, get them back to camp immediately," she snarled fiercely, and a tongue of lightning blazed out from her side to scorch a tree trunk. Her burning gaze switched to the blind oracle. "You're coming with me, Ylva."

 

Despite her injury, Pierce lunged into the trees, faltering only slightly from the pain that shot up her leg. The desperation that ran cold through her blood was masked only by the sudden anger that had surfaced out of her fear, and she held onto the anger for the energy that it supplied her. Weakened as she was, Pierce would need as much energy as she could muster in order to reach the Life Crystal as quickly as possible.

 

And who knew what they would find once they arrived there.

 

(I want to give everyone a chance to get back to camp before I post again, just fyi)

[Brotato]

Well, what I meant was that we were both given our reasons to want to just up and leave, right? Surely we didn't just up and leave for giggle, right? -Torque elaborated, recalling both their reasons for abandoning their packs. It was a strange thing to hear that the Cursed weren't trying to get at the Life Crystal, especially from someone ex-Cursed. Torque didn't ignore the possibility that they were being brainwashed back at the Hallowed camp, but there was always the possibility that Corax didn't know of her old alpha's true intentions. Perhaps they had both been played, somehow. I would understand their desire for vengeance, as the conditions under which they live are indeed quite abysmal. I've never really seen the land they're now restricted to, but I've heard stories. It's bad, isn't it? -he arced an eyebrow, already picturing that barren veritable barren wasteland the Cursed might have been exiled to.

 

I'm no stranger to tough situations. -he remarked after she voiced her skepticism towards his intentions to derail any future conflicts. Hunger is a good way to motivate one to do bad things, but there are stronger things. If I can latch onto any of those when I speak to the one in charge of the Cursed, all it would take is the right words, and such a conflict could be avoided. -he paused to consider what he'd just said. It was a dangerous venture to just go and lie to the alpha of an entire enemy pack, but seeing as he felt positively boned if a war broke out and he remained neutral, he didn't have much choice.

 

At the mention of the Hallowed's supposed plan to alter the terrains and prevent the Cursed from ever reaching the Life Crystal, Torque gave his new friend a confused look;I'm an outcast, Corax. Such things would likely only reach the ears of Pierce's betas, and none other. I'm sorry, I can't say for sure, nor do I know where you heard of such a thing either.

 

((I'm a little hung over this morning. Forgive the short post, I'll post for Symaro after Narvix posts for Ylva this time. ))

Edited May 5, 2015 by Brotato

[Avialae]

Corax nodded in acknowledgement as Torque explained what he meant. She meant no insult to the other wolf, but the fact that she'd left as a consequence of her own decision was important to her. She didn't see any point in trying to emphasize that further, though, so she let the matter drop.

 

"It's pretty bad. The land is covered in snow half the year, and turns into desert the other half. We lived mainly on birds, mice, and things of that sort. Occasionally we'll see a jackrabbit or fox, but those are the largest animals native to the area besides us." Corax's words were without rancor, but she nevertheless avoided mentioning the numerous forays the Cursed made into Hallowed territory for extra food in case Torque had any lingering attachment to the area. Granted, they were both trespassing on Hallowed territory now, but there was no sense in complicating things unnecessarily. If he was really intent on joining the Cursed pack, of course, he'd find out eventually, but Corax was content to leave that discovery to its proper time.

 

Corax glanced back to Torque skeptically when he described changing the mind of the Cursed Alpha. Didn't he know that one of the most important jobs of an alpha wolf was providing food for their pack? Maybe he didn't at that - food was so abundant in Hallowed territory, maybe the wolves there just took the job of finding it for granted. "Of course there are other things to motivate wolves than food, but having enough of it will always be a concern, at least in Cursed territory. I mean no insult, but I think you are greatly oversimplifying the matter, although I'll be the first to admit that I have no idea what Ulra might be planning." Corax's old alpha was another individual who tended to be tight-lipped when it came to giving out information, at least when it came to the regular Gammas of the pack.

 

When Corax's repetition of the rumors she'd heard concerning the Hallowed wolves and their territory met only blank confusion, the wolf shrugged her shoulders slightly and replied, "Stories, that's all, told by wolves who went inside Hallowed territory only to find that the scenery there had changed from what it had been before. But it cannot be argued that the environment does change, and it's certainly possible that wolves could change it. If their side of the valley was made more fertile, life would become much easier for the Cursed, if nothing else. Unfortunately, they're too focused on gaining Hallowed territory as a solution to their troubles to see that."

 

They were nearing the lake now, close enough for Corax to see that the water level was now much lower than it had been earlier that very morning when she'd stopped on the way in to get a drink. "Well, that's interesting," she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to Torque, and darted forward, eager to investigate the muddy ground that had been laid bare by the receding water. It wasn't hard to guess what had likely happened, with the numerous open spaces that had opened up in the ground all around them. "Looks like the lake just took a new shape," she called out to Torque. "Want to be the first to find out what it looks like now?" Corax's tail wagged slightly at the prospect of gaining the new information, a rarity for her.