Howl to Me III: Blood & Crystals

[MyaMouse]

Umbria sighed, the dust stirring from her sudden sharp exhale. She got up, shook herself off, dust and crushed rock-bits flying off her coat, and pushed at the top boulder with all of her strength. If she was lucky, the rocks on top weren't very heavy, and she could escape with only a few broken bones. She groaned, exasperated and exhausted, and tried to shove the boulder with goliath strength she did not have. She heard rumbling outside, and yelped, pulling her feet under her and curled up as a few rocks tumbled down outside. She wouldn't be able to push it down herself.

 

Would she resort to yelling for help?

Would anyone help a loner, traitor, and invader?

Could anyone help her?

[HomeForFlowers]

Hawke

 

Seeing Ylva's amused smile was enough for Hawke to push his dreary thoughts into the recesses of his mind. He cracked a wild grin and lifted his chin ever so slightly as he sauntered through the forest with his two companions. He was fully aware of just how dire the situation was as terror still plagued Hawke's mind relentlessly, but he was also acutely mindful of the horror weaving through everyone else's minds. As a Delta who primarily took care of pups and helped raised them, Hawke had little expertise when it came to mending broken bones or sorting through various herbs whose names, shape, texture, and coloring he had to memorize. He was an expert in making people crack a smile; he was the one to make someone giggle when the threats were hanging in the air. He was there to boost morale and teach lessons of morality to pups who would, in turn, grow up with the lessons buried into their mind. If there was one thing Hawke could do, it was distract someone from the current situation, whether he made them laugh or simply annoyed them with horrid jokes. Such an ability, which Hawke found some pride in, seemed somewhat obsolete when Ylva, the Gamma, and he reached Pierce and her hunting party.

 

The debate between Pierce and Symaro reached Hawke's ears before he and the other two reached party. His eyes immediately went to Pierce's injury which caused the corners of his lips to twitch ever so slightly. His gaze wandered across Symaro, who seemed to be walking awkwardly, Pierce's hunters, who held an assortment of injuries with most being minor, the Deltas, and the lone female collapsed on the ground, who Hawke could barely recognize with her face so tattered in blood. He stayed quiet as he watched the discussion between the Alpha and her Beta, offering only a kind smile as Ylva began to interject and place herself in the conversation. Silently, Hawke wondered how Symaro reached the Alpha before Ylva, Illia, and Hawke did. He must have ran off to find her as soon as the earthquake settled if not before then. It was good to see that a Beta that was so loyal to the Alpha though it was a little troubling that he was having a hard time standing down. The smug expression that appeared on Ylva's visage caused Hawke's grin to widen. His ears flicked forward attentively as Ylva introduced Illia and him.

"I see the earthquake has left everyone just fine and dandy," Hawke remarked humorously before turning his attention back to the alpha. Hawke stared wordlessly as Ylva offered to help carry Vienna, before crouching down and lifting the female onto their back. Licking his lips, Hawke quietly marched behind Ylva, least they accidentally dropped Vienna as they began to walk towards the camp.

 

Suddenly, Ylva stopped dead in their tracks. Their body became completely still as they stared out into open space with their sightless eyes. Hawke let out a soft, curious bark as tilted his head to the side in concern. It only took moments for Ylva to move again, but their tail was now between their legs and their voice was shaky. Hawke pondered if he should inquire what had happened and if Ylva needed assistance, but such a thought was soon shut down as Ylva mentioned the Life Crystal. The world seemed to go still with only the gentle breeze bringing any motion or sound into the world. Hawke stared at Ylva incredulously, his mouth gaping in shock. Before he could process what the oracle had spoken, and much before he could come up with a witty joke, Pierce, who had become unnaturally quiet with her electricity quelled, spun around snarling viciously. Vivid purple electricity leaped off her body, nearly scorching the side of Hawke's pelt. Her order to take Vienna back to camp was received with no hesitation.

 

"Understood," Hawke replied with all signs of the goofy smile on his face prior to Ylva's message gone. He trudged over to where Ylva was and carefully began to pull Vienna off of their back and onto his. He let out a huff as he felt the new sudden weight on his back. Withholding a distressed groan, Hawke glanced over back to Symaro who Pierce had ordered back to the camp. Chances were that the Beta would most likely not want to return to the camp even if Pierce had ordered him, especially since the news of the Life Crystal had been brought up. Hawke didn't want to burden the Beta, but he also didn't want him to go off and chase Pierce who had sprinted off into the woods moments after she gave her orders.

"Symaro, can you help me with her?" Hawke asked as he attempted to readjust Vienna into a more suitable position on her back. The end of her hind legs where dragging on the ground and, with the stress that was building up in his mind, Hawke was not sure he could completely control his powers. The last thing he wanted to do was bring Vienna back to camp in a block of solid ice.

"I need some help carrying Vienna," Hawke said, cringing slightly as the female's front leg banged into his head. "Could you help carry her hind legs while we head back to camp or something akin to that? I don't want her falling off because I tripped over some tricky rock."

[Avialae]

The ground seemed to fly beneath Uriel as he raced down through the forest towards the meadow farther south, the other wolves in his patrol close behind him. He'd volunteered for the patrol shift early that morning; he tried to make sure he had the task at least once every few days, even if he was busy with something else, since he didn't trust most of the other Gammas to be diligent in their duty to maintain the pack's borders since the Cursed had been fairly quiet for a while. It seemed that very few of his fellow Hallowed truly took their duty to protect the Life Crystal seriously, and were content to slack off to make things easier for themselves as long as they weren't in the presence of an obvious threat. Even the higher-ups didn't seem to be as proactive in dealing with the Cursed as they should be. It was honestly kind of sad.

 

Out of nowhere, the ground started rumbling, and dirt and rocks began sliding down the nearby canyon walls as the ground started shaking. In the distance, Uriel could hear the sound of trees collapsing. The surrounding wolves fled from the debris, and Uriel himself was forced to dance around to avoid being hit by some fair-sized rocks.

 

Then, just as suddenly as it all had started, it was over. Not seeing the other patrol members, Uriel howled to summon them, flashing the light reflecting against his bright white fur to make him easier for them to see. Soon they rejoined him. One of the Gammas and the Delta, like him, seemed unhurt by the ordeal except for some bruises and scrapes, but the second Gamma was seriously favoring one of his hind legs. "Sorry," he told Uriel a bit shamefacedly when he saw that the white wolf had noticed his injury.

 

Uriel gave an irritated sigh and told the Delta, "Put a poultice on that fellow's leg or something and then we'll head back. It's likely that they felt this at camp as well and they'll need everyone to check in, and then to help out restore order." Not finishing the patrol irked him, but he knew that when a crisis arose, providing assistance to base was their first duty. Hopefully the Cursed had been affected by this too, and would be too shaken up to take advantage of the situation.

 

Uriel's ears pricked as he heard the rustle of loose dirt and rock start up again. For a second he thought the earthquake might have triggered a landslide, but the fact that the rumbling wasn't very loud and seemed to only be occurring in a localized area dissuaded him from that notion. Turning towards the canyon wall, he could see that small rocks were being shaken loose in one place but nowhere else. Had a Hallowed wolf taken shelter here for the night? No, it was most likely a lone wolf with no pack. They were right on the border so they might not technically be trespassing, but even so Uriel didn't like the idea of a lone wolf having their den right near the edge of Hallowed territory. He supposed he couldn't just leave whoever it was there like that, though. If nothing else, the wolves he was with might be upset that he just left someone alone to die, even though he had no obligation to aid anyone who wasn't a pack member.

 

"Actually, do you think you can start back on your own? There may be someone else in need of assistance," he told the injured Gamma. When the Delta moved to follow him Uriel harshly barked, "Stay. If we do find someone they may need your services as well," and then headed over to the pertinent area of the wall. "Hello? Are you in need of assistance?" he called out, trying to be loud enough so that he would be heard through the thick barrier of rock but not so that he was shouting. There was no response at first, and Uriel hoped he hadn't been mistaken about thinking someone was there. "Is there anyone there? We mean you no harm," he tried again, trying to reassure whoever might be there that they wouldn't be punished. After all, since they hadn't crossed the border there was no need to.

[Moonbeam22]

{{First post, here goes!}}

 

Anaya stared apathetically at her slightly distorted reflection. The water was still cold from winter, but all around her, springtime's characterist were becoming more and more evident. However, the she-wolf had yet to come across suitable prey to catch since she had set out that morning. She had been roaming stealthily about since daybreak, but every other living creature she had seen was either pregnant or accompanied by young. Anaya knew better than to kill a she with young. Not only did she personally find it cruel, but it would be impractical to hunt something that was going to bring more prey later on. She now sat at the foot of the Northern Mountains in hopes of finding a group of mountain goats with single females.

 

The disappointed huntress was just about to up and leave when the scraping of hooves caught her attention. She immediately summoned from within herself energy, and her coat became translucent and faded. Within moments of vanishing, a dozen or so goats clamored down the mountainside toward the pool of water Anaya had been resting by. Talk about timing, she thought to herself, as she carefully masked her scent. Her paws would make no sound on the smooth rock, so she spared silencing them with her powers.

 

Okay, think. If you go after one that's too big, or has big horns, you might get hurt. Find one that's well-fed, but not too bulky... There! She doesn't have a calf, and one of her horns is broken off! Anaya moved around the pool of water, keeping her steps as light and subtle as possible without drawing upon her powers. She leapt softly onto a boulder just above her target and waited. She didn't move even the smallest muscle in her body as she waited until the goat turned it's back to her. Then she jumped. Not a sloppy leap, no. She aimed directly at the back of the goat's neck, driving both forepaws downward on the neck, and her hindpaws into the goats hips to knock it down. The huntress simultaneously let out a bloodcurdling snarl, startling the other goats and causing them to scatter.

 

Success. The weight of her hindpaws forced the goat to it's knees, and her forepaws pinned it's head to the ground and stunned the animal. She then lifted her "ghost mode" and unmasked her scent, and latched onto the goat's throat. After a few short moments in her grip, the goat died, and Anaya began the trek back to camp.

[MyaMouse]

Umbria ran into the rocks when a voice sounded behind them.

"Hello? Hello! I need help," she called. Her pupils had shrunk so she could see the darkened cave easier, so she could tell that she was lucky the whole cave didn't cave in. Cracks spiraled and branched off all over the ceiling, and a simple touch could bring the cave down on her. "It's really unstable in here..." She reported. She was afraid anyone who helped her would see her food, be it Hallowed (they would think she stole, even though she did), Cursed (They would try to take it), or neither, so she hid her rabbit in a niche behind a rock, and pushed against the rocks blocking the outside. She had an idea, though. Using up what little power she had, she cloaked the wolf, enabling him to see her, for just a minute. "Can you see me now?" She asked, then her powers faltered and she had to stop. She needed a full moon to regenerate her powers... The last one was too cloudy to help much.

 

((*groans*))

Edited May 15, 2015 by MyaMouse

[LegendOfKorraFan]

Cave lifted his dusty muzzle to the sound of shifting stone. Tiny pebbles began to trickle down the boulder, and skip along the den floor until it hit the wolf. Waves of confusion crashed against the shore of his mind until he snapped back to reality, realizing that there were wolves pushing on the other side of the rock trying to get him out. Feelings of both relief and frustration swirled in his mind: thank the Sun somebody heard him and came to help, but why did it take them so long? Cave, with his natural affinity for hunting, was an important member of the pack, one of the best at that.

 

Truth be told, Cave knew he was over reacting. Maybe it was all the stress from the earthquake that was making him act all dramatic; maybe it was all the dusty air circulating in his body, causing him to be disoriented. In all honesty however, what made Cave so nervous was the thought that he was expendable, and that nobody even really needed him. For a short time after the death of his parents, no wolf gave him the time of day. One day in particular as a pup, he was ambushed by a vulture while he wandered outside of the primary pack grounds. If it wasn't for one of the delta's (who passed away long ago) who was out and about already, Cave would have died, and nobody would have noticed.

 

"A-At least they came for me...", he thought to himself.

 

Cave gave his filthy head a shake and focused on the task at hand- getting the out of here. As if he had flicked a switch in his the back of his brain, the wolf's body transitioned from a rusty orange/brown to a shiny metallic silver. His white teeth reflected what little light was seeping through the top cracks where the entrance was sealed off. Cave dug his iron feet into the ground, then pushed off of them with immense force, sending his body into the base of the rock wall. He did this repeatedly until it began to give way. The Gamma took a few heavy steps backwards, and shouted to the wolves opposite of himself.

 

"Back away from the boulder! It's about to give way!", he barked.

 

((Sorry if this is just painful to read. It's been too long since I wrote last, and I'm just getting back into it; bare with me please))

Edited May 15, 2015 by LegendOfKorraFan

[ValidEmotions]

Ylva

 

The group had stopped moving and Ylva's ears swiveled, picking up the sounds that remained. When Pierce snarled with aggression, electricity striking against the ground, the blind Delta cowered, body low to the forest floor as they attempted to vanish from sight. The Alpha barked out her orders, sending Symaro and Hawke on their way to the camp with Vienna. They felt Hawke ease the unconscious Gamma's body off of their's, Pierce's order for them to follow her clear.

 

With the extra weight removed, Ylva turned and hurried to follow their Alpha, stumbling along the way as xe attempted to keep up. Dare they protest Pierce's speed? No. In the female's anger, Ylva was not certain of how she would respond and the Delta didn't want to have that wrath turned on them.

 

"Al-Alpha P-Pierce! What do you intend to do?" they called, struggling to focus on her movements ahead as well as perceiving their surroundings as quickly as possible. Their paws struck roots, bushes, and stones making their rushed travel painful and riddled with the common stumble or fall.

[Avialae]

Uriel thought he heard a faint voice from inside the blocked cave entrance, but before he could respond to it the world around him suddenly disappeared. Not only had he suddenly become shrouded in darkness, but he could suddenly see a female wolf inside the blocked-off cave, where the wall of rubble should prevent him from being able to see. Uriel was so disoriented that he lost balance and stumbled over the ground beneath him, nearly losing his footing and falling over because he couldn't see that either. "Can you see me now?" the strange wolf asked.

 

And then with no warning, the darkness disappeared, and Uriel was standing right outside the blocked cave mouth again, blinking at the sudden brightness. He wasn't sure what had just happened, but at least he did know now that there was a wolf trapped inside the cave after all. "I saw you," he barked, irritation about what had just happened making his voice harsh. "Don't do that again, though. It's very disconcerting. I have some others with me; we'll try to dig you out." As his nod the uninjured Gamma and Delta came forward, clearly still hesitant about approaching the temperamental wolf after his confusing disappearance, and the three of them began to clear away the loose dirt and rubble surrounding the hole. Before long, they had managed to move away everything that could be moved away easily, and even though there were still a few large rocks blocking out most of the cave entrance there was definitely a small opening now, that looked like it might be wide enough for a wolf to squeeze through, although it would definitely be a tight fit. "There, we've managed to open a path. Do you think you can fit through?" Uriel called to the strange wolf, causing the light around the opening to brighten so that hopefully they would see it. He then backed up a little, contemplating what to do if the wolf trapped inside couldn't get out. He could try blasting at the larger rocks, but he wasn't really sure if he could destroy rocks that big, and he didn't want to waste a charge. Maybe if they dug under them, he'd be able to push some of them away from the cave. Yes, it would probably be better if they tried that first.

[Moonbeam22]

Anaya stood, rigid as a statue as the earth trembled beneath her. Every muscle in her body had tensed up in fear, and she silently expected an end. However, the earthquake was over almost as quickly as it had begun. She could hear boulders tumbling down the mountain side, despite the distance she had put between herself and when she killed the goat. Oh my- where are the others? Has anyone been hurt? Did the Crystal cause this ir something...? she thought worriedly. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she picked up the goat caracass and continued towards the Hallowed camp as quickly as she could.

 

She had never experienced an earthquake before, and she had no idea where they came from, but she knew they were bad, and she knew that a fellow packmate could very well be trapped, wounded, or even dead. As she approached camp, she mentally braced herself for the worst. After dropping off her kill, Anaya called out, "Is everyone okay?!"

Edited May 17, 2015 by Moonbeam22

[TehUltimateMage]

Spitfire

 

That fool! A growl rumbled in Spitfire's throat as Tenebris rushed back to help Venemus, risking her own life in the process as the rocks began to tumble from the cliffside. Of all the times to be helpful...! Regardless of what she herself thought of her Beta, Spitfire felt her paws move on their own and carrying her towards the duo. Her fur prickled with adrenaline and began to glow red as she pushed the limits of her speed. She should be glad that they were in a pickle, but at the same time... Betas were still Betas and worth saving, as part of orders or not.

 

Too late. The rockslide buried the grey wolf just as he looked up to see what was going on. The black wolf was spared by the wrath of the land, but began digging for her friend once the rocks seemed to have settled down. Spitfire scratched her claws frantically in the dirt as well, hoping to reach the Beta's body before he suffocated under the weight of the landslide. She barely registered Valerius closing his eyes and sniffing around the dirt pile.

 

"Here!" the Delta barked, tail raised straight up like a flag. He began to dig, and with some help they uncovered a limp form caught under the larger rocks. With a snarl, Spitfire lunged and slammed herself against the rock pinning Venemus to the ground. When it failed to budge, she did it again with embers falling out of her mouth, too stubborn to be defeated by a mere stone, even if the stone was at least the size of a wolf and a half. It hadn't occurred to her that it might have been easier to move with some assistance from the other two wolves on the scene, nor had the fact that their Beta wasn't breathing. Valerius gave a quick examination of the poison wolf, but it was quite obvious that he couldn't have survived having his ribcage crushed. "He's dead," the stout Delta proclaimed, hesitant with his words. "Tenebris, help me and Spitfire move the rock trapping him. We'll need to drag his body back to camp."

[Brotato]

Whatever had caused such a violent outburst from their alpha must have been disastrous, figured Symaro as he watched the scene unfold before him, silent and confused. He didn't even have time to protest against Pierce straining her leg and worsening her injury. The words were there, but he felt they would go unheard, so he saved himself the effort, and hoped that he wouldn't have to resort to stitching once he saw Pierce again. It was still a new practice to him, and with the earthquake having ripped their camp asunder, odds were his already limited supply of needles hadn't survived the tremors. In addition to which, it was an agonizing procedure, and the beta highly doubted Pierce would agree to being sedated later on after all this chaos.

 

Huh, wha? -he muttered, Hawke's voice barely registering over the screaming voices of concern in his mind. I uhm... -he paused, looking down at his still injured ankle. carrying anything would be difficult for him, but that wasn't what bothered him. There was so much that needed to be done now. He had to get back to camp, salvage what was left of his stash of herbs and medicinal equipment, prepare some numbing brew for the injured so that they may rest painlessly and peacefully, concoct Pierce's first batch of anti-toxin so that she doesn't get ill from his improvised bandaging, survey the injured, consult with the other deltas and so on and so fourth...

 

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

 

Having aided Gould out of his rocky tomb, Solla sighed in relief and helped him up on his feet.

She'd done well enough for herself, and once she was certain she hadn't forgotten anything, gestured to start moving back to camp. They didn't move very fast, but caught up with the rest, just as Pierce darted off. "What's going on? Why aren't you at camp yet? Where's our alpha?"

 

Glancing towards his assistant of the day, Symaro paused briefly before looking back towards Hawke.

I'm sorry, I must get back to camp now. With Ylva gone, those deltas are going to need all the help they can get. Besides, it was made clear to me that I'm not in the best of shapes. -he shot Solla with a piercing glance.

 

"You really aren't, you know..." -she retorted, mildly agitated at her beta's stubbornness.

 

I'll move on up ahead, Solla, you help Hawke carry Vienna back. I'll have her treatment ready soon, hopefully. -he replied firmly, excused himself with a nod, and padded towards camp.

 

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

 

"We can't just drag her there. Here, this should be a lot simpler."

Moving over to Vienna, Solla gently re-positioned her, then moved beneath her so that she was slung sideways across Solla's back. Carrying an entire wolf all the way back to camp would have proved a wee bit too difficult, so the delta carefully lifted Vienna's front half and rested it across Hawke's back, while baring the weight of her rear half across her own. Side-by-side with Hawke, both sharing the weight of their fallen comrade across their backs, Solla figured this would be the most efficient way to transport her.

 

Glancing between Gould and Hawke, she simply stated: "Let's get going."

 

((Stomach pains intensifying. I'm on some bad meds, so I might seem a bit loopy in my posts.

I'm thinking of entering Solla as a legitimate character.))

Edited May 18, 2015 by Brotato

[ValidEmotions]

Ulra

 

Ulra's body shook, a front paw faintly slipping forward, as they pushed against the stone. Loose gravel shifted as the stone groaned. Repeated tremors vibrated through the boulder and the Alpha paused only briefly, soon hearing Cave's shout from within. The wolves at the base of the stone hurried away as the boulder shifted, causing Ulra to stagger. Glancing at Lark, they leapt off the boulder and came to a halt at a safe distance.

 

As the den was exposed, revealing the damage it took around the entrance, Ulra spied Cave's metallic body within. "Cave, are you alright?" they asked before turning their head to look back over their shoulder. "Nytol, check Cave for any injuries. Everyone else, get back to your primary duties," Ulra instructed, catching sight of two wolves entering the camp. Sawyer and Misting. They had been on Spitfire's patrol.

 

Frowning, the Alpha approached them. "Where is the rest of your patrol?"

 

"Misting ran when the earthquake happened and Spitfire had me follow her back. She and Valerius were on Tenebris' trail when we left," Sawyer informed, tail low. Beside him, Misting shifted on her paws nervously.

 

"Sawyer, take another wolf with you. Retrieve Spitfire, Valerius, and the Betas. Tenebris likely found Venemus as Spitfire found her. Be prompt. Misting? Help the others with repairing the camp," Ulra stated, receiving nods in response. Sawyer called for an older Gamma before rushing back out and Misting hurried towards the debris covering some of the dens.

 

~~~~

 

It was, perhaps, several minutes before Sawyer and the other Gamma, Lorn, found Spitfire and Valerius. Tenebris was with them as all three worked at dirt and stones that had piled in front of something. "Spitfire! What's happened?" Lorn inquired, moving to stand beside Valerius.

 

"A rockslide killed Venemus," the Delta replied quietly, ears back. "We're trying to free his body," she added, glancing at Spitfire.

 

Lorn and Sawyer exchanged glances before looking at Spitfire and Tenebris. "What will you have us to do help, then?"

[Brotato]

Listening attentively, Torque had a little trouble believing that it was all that bad. After all, the Cursed were an entire pack, and such meager resources couldn't possibly sustain them all, could they? Then again, she was speaking from experience, and had no reason to deceive him. If their situation was indeed so dire, then it was no wonder that they wanted out. But then again, if food was all that they wanted, then why were they banished in the first place? The Hallowed grounds had more then enough food for all of them, right? Perhaps Pierce had her reasons, that only she and her Betas were aware of... or rather, that's what Torque hoped. He certainly didn't want to believe they were kept there to starve just for being unpleasant somehow.

 

Reading her skepticism, Torque grinned lightly. You'd be surprised just how influential the right words at the right time can be. Wars can be won or lost before they even start that way. As for the food issue, if that is indeed the case, then I will speak with Pierce once more. No doubt she will agree to sharing some of the Hallowed's large food reserves, if it means stopping unwanted bloodshed. All he could do was hope that Pierce would agree to it, but he had a sneaking suspicion that she would refuse, seeing as the Hallowed already perceived him as a shady character.

 

Well, if they're trying to take Hallowed territory, I doubt Pierce would be too happy about that. More pressure between the packs, just what we need. -he remarked sarcastically and sighed. Having been in the Gammas' den, he knew all too well that the Hallowed were not to be toyed with. They had plenty of able warriors, most of which had powers capable of fast and efficient killing.

 

Once they reached the lake, Torque noted it's altered state. No doubt the earthquake had caused cracks and fissures at the bottom, causing the water level to lower. It would be a while before the land mends itself from the damage caused by the quake, and all the changes to the terrain were concerning. No doubt the herds would be taking different paths now too.

 

Find out what it looks like? -he arced an eyebrow. Beneath the surface? Torque wasn't the best swimmer, yet somehow, he too felt like it may be worth checking out, at least. Torn between his fear of drowning, and curiosity, he sighed and nodded. Sure. Okay. -he stated reluctantly, hopeful that they wouldn't have to swim for too long.

 

((Bump. ))

[Avialae]

"I'm well aware of the power of words," Corax told Torque wryly. Although she wasn't the most eloquent of wolves, when she did speak her blunt, bordering on harsh way of phrasing things often had a significant effect on other wolves back when she was a Cursed pack member - though Corax wasn't always very good at predicting whether what she said would calm things or stir them up further. "However, I doubt many in the Cursed pack would give much weight to the words of an outsider, especially one who used to be with the Hallowed pack. You'll have to work long and hard to earn their trust." Corax couldn't blame the Cursed wolves for their suspicious attitude. When resources were as scarce as they were in Cursed territory, it paid to be cautious, since something going wrong could have disastrous consequences. When Torque mentioned getting his Alpha to share food stores, Corax merely snorted softly. She remembered Torque calling himself an outcast and that he'd said earlier that he'd been turned down when he'd tried to rejoin the Hallowed wolves, and doubted his words would have much weight there. Not to mention that she was fairly sure that if the Hallowed intended to share their food, they would have done it already. It wasn't like the harsh conditions of the Cursed lands was a secret, after all. The Hallowed wolves had to know that the Cursed wolves were hungry and desperate. In a way it was a shame. If handled correctly, giving food or sharing territory might be the first step for peace between the two packs. Of course, it could also backfire horribly.

 

"Believe me, everyone knows the Hallowed won't be too happy if the Cursed try to take territory from them, but as far as they're concerned, they don't have any other options. They desperately need food, and seizing land with better hunting grounds is the easiest way for them to get a larger supply of it. Many wolves there are willing to risk the anger of the Hallowed for that sake." Corax hoped Torque would not bring up the Hallowed donating food again. She was willing to drop the subject, but if Torque kept insisting that course of action she would have to tell him the flaws in his plan, and she doubted his reaction would be pleasant.

 

When Torque agreed to her idea, Corax gave him a wolfy grin. "Great!" she told him, and promptly ran off along the exposed lake bed, keeping the new boundary of the lake firmly on one side. If the two of them kept following the shore, they should have a fairly good idea what the shape of the lake was right now. The muddy ground kept her from going too fast, but that was fine, as Corax wanted to be able to study closely exactly what had changed. As they neared the boundary between Cursed and Hallowed territory, however, the exposed lake bed seemed to recede, and once again Corax and Torque were walking on grassy meadow. Apparently, the water level hadn't been affected as much this far south. And yet, Corax could still see the reflective glint of the sun shining on water in the distance, even though the lake should start narrowing into the Southern river soon. Corax could feel excitement rush through her. Something had changed here as well. She knew it.

[HomeForFlowers]

Hawke

 

"Hm?"

Turning his head around, Hawke watched silently as Symaro and Solla began to banter quietly. He noted that both Pierce and Ylva were no longer in sight. At least the group wouldn't have to accidentally find themselves between Pierce and her wrath. Ylva's vision was definitely intriguing, but Hawke knew better than to try and inquire about it while the Alpha had sparks dancing on her pelt. Knowing Ylva, Hawke had no doubt that their vision was the real deal. If anyone else had claimed to suddenly feel that something was wrong with the life crystal, Hawke would have called them out. The Oracle was no imposter. If they claimed to feel something wrong with the Life Crystal, than it was most wise to heed their warning. Turning his attention back to Solla, who had stepped forward to reposition Vienna, Hawke stood still as she adjusted the female on his back. It took some time for Solla to get Vienna in position. Hawke began to fidget uncomfortably as he waited for Sienna to get her fallen companion's rear sprawled against her back. Once Vienna was fully adjusted, Hawke offered a sly grin to his female packmate.

"Well aren't we just a stunning display?" He commented, marveling at the oddity of their new found appearance. "You don't think we'll scare the daylights out of any poor pups, do you? It probably wouldn't be so great for my job if all of the pups ran away screaming whenever they saw me, now would it?" Amused by his own humor, Hawke dipped his head as Solla beckoned them onward, taking his first few steps back towards the camp.

 

----

 

It wasn't until they were halfway back to camp did Hawke realize just how out of shape he was. Sure, he could run around with pups until all of their energy was spent, but for goodness sake, Sienna was heavy. How was he expected to carry such a heavy weight all the way back to camp. Twice, Hawke nearly stopped to call for a break because his back was killing him, but he endured. He greatly wished that his packmates didn't she just how much he was struggling to hold Vienna up. As soon as they reached camp, Hawke hurried on over to where the healers usually worked and gently lowered Vienna down. Hawke let out a sigh of relief and flashed Solla a grateful smile before turning around to examine the camp. The earthquake hadn't completely decimated the camp, but it wasn't exactly in great condition.There would have to be repairs of course and there was no use standing around doing nothing.

"Uh, no one would happen need me to go gather some herbs or something, would ya?" Hawke asked to no one in particular as he worriedly glanced down at Vienna's wretched condition. He worked with pups, not adults, but that didn't make him completely useless. If someone gave him some directions and a description of what something looked like, he could go out and fetch it. After all, he had to do something to help.

[LegendOfKorraFan]

The Gamma hunter nudged away the wolf looking him over and looked over to Ulra.

"Ulra, how devastating was the earthquake? Is anyone hurt? Are you alright?.

Cave padded towards the alpha, his lengthy rust-coloured legs making long strides. He looked behind him and saw but a sliver of the carnage the Earth had caused; Dens had caved in, leaving many trapped as Cave was, few lay dead crushed from falling debris from above. He looked to the ground and muttered to himself angrily.

Unfamiliar with the concept of tectonic plate disruption, the free wolf could only think of one explanation as to what may or may not have caused such destruction- the Life Crystal.

Cave looked back up to Ulra with confusion. "You don't think the Life Crystal had anything to do with the earthquake, do you? What if the Hallowed are up to something? What do you plan on doing?".

Grave thoughts darted in and out of his brain, fogging his mind with the worst of thoughts. "I'm going to go around the camp and help any of our pack in need, maybe try and organize any scattered wolves that may have run off during the earthquake. After I'll go on a brief hunt, as we're low on food. With all the damage done to the Cursed camp, we'll need more food than ever to feed the wounded and such."

The Gamma bowed his head to the alpha, then darted off into the heart of the camp without as much as waiting for Ulra to reply to his bombardment of questions.

[ValidEmotions]

Ulra

 

They frowned as Cave approached, asking several questions with little time to answer. "No. I do not believe the Life Crystal, or the Hallowed, had anything to do with what happened to the land. It seems like a normal earthquake to me," they responded first, shaking their head. "I've given my orders already," Ulra stated, the hint of a growl entering their voice. Had Cave not been paying attention? Was Cave not seeing the activity around him?

 

He sprinted away before the Alpha could direct him elsewhere and their tail flicked in agitation. "Ambrose! Go with Cave. Make sure he doesn't injure himself in his haste," Ulra called, glancing at the young wolf before walking away.

 

Ambrose

 

Lifting his ears at the sound of his name, he nodded at Ulra's words and hurried to catch up to Cave. "Cave! Wait up! Ulra wants me to come with you!" he shouted, skidding to a halt at his pack mate's side, tail wagging. "Let's go hunting! Everything's covered here! There's more than enough paws to do clean up and make sure no one's hurt!" he explained, grinning.

 

Shaking out his fur, he briefly scraped his nails across the ground, shifting loose dirt and pebbles. "I wonder what the territory looks like now! Imagine all of the prey running around, terrified! It should be easy to get a decent hunt this time!"

[Brotato]

Somehow, Torque wasn't sure he was getting his intentions across clearly enough. Corax was unfamiliar with his predicament, after all. There was a course of action, a plan for everything, after all. Sure, some goals took some time to reach, but even the most hardened of characters could be turned with the right words, or so thought Torque. Deciding to drop this subject, as it'd been dragging on for quite awhile, he focused on simply enjoying his time spent with someone he could look in the face without feeling judged. It was nice, it felt like home, but not the cold and uncomfortable mess that was now the Hallowed camp for him, but a place of peace and comfort, even if they were out in the middle of nowhere.

 

Although it was outwardly apparent how the lake had shifted in its boundaries, Torque didn't see it as so interesting a thing to behold. To him it was water and mud. Still, he kept that apathy in check so as to not show it.

Sure is different now. No doubt the lake bed has changed to accommodate these new shorelines. -he commented, already feeling a bit uneasy at the prospect of just meandering into Cursed territory like a pair of clueless pups. Torque was usually so careful and stealthy about his movement, but he pushed this fear aside and simply kept going. Perhaps Corax was leading up to something with her fascination with the lake. Who knew...

 

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

 

Giving Hawke a strange look, Solla decided not to dig into his awkward attempt at humor.

The group proceeded towards camp, and were there quite quickly, given the fact that they were carrying a fully grown wolf with them. Solla could feel Hawke giving into his fatigued state along the way, and couldn't help but admire his resilience. Having worked as a delta, Solla was accustomed to being whined and complained to about even the most trivial of pains, so working with someone who knew how to bottle those petty complaints up was refreshing.

 

Once Vienna was off their backs, Solla nodded in response to Hawke, then looked around carefully. The camp was a bigger mess then before she'd left. The wolves were scared, confused, and some of them were hurt. Already working on the injured, the Deltas were hard-pressed in their duties due to lack of materials, which wasn't surprising, given Symaro's orders now to let anyone into the already half-collapsed deltas' den. The place looked as if it was ready to cave in at any moment, and if those rocks fell on anyone, they would have casualties to deal with.

 

Symaro was nowhere to be seen, no doubt in the Betas'den, preparing some sort of concoction. Those usually took a while to make, so Solla figured it would be best not to bother him. He was usually so jumpy while working, too. It seemed like everyone was doing their thing to get the camp back on track, so Solla quietly slinked towards where the other deltas were working, and offered her assistance, getting lost in the hustle of examining and treating the various patients as best she could.

 

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

 

Having made it to camp in advance, Symaro was already working on preparing the various brews and the special antitoxin for Pierce. Thankfully, he was right about the Betas' den having thicker outer and inner walling, and aside from a few cracks here and there, there was no damage. Curiously enough, none of his herbs were missing, despite the fact that he'd told Ylva to inform the deltas that they could take what they needed from his stash. Had she forgotten to mention it? In any event, the stash would more than suffice for making the necessary concoctions, and there was barely enough water left.

 

Having pooled several bowls into one larger wooden bowl, the Beta figured a stronger, more concentrated pain suppressant was called for. He added the necessary ingredients while listing them in his mind, careful not to mess it up. Vienna's treatment, however, was elementary. He'd already finished it due to its simplicity, and it was waiting to be delivered. Symaro, however, had no idea that Vienna and company had arrived, too absorbed by his efforts to finish his work.

 

Pierce's antitoxin would be the biggest hurdle, as it demanded a multitude of herbs combined in just the right way, mixed and left to boil. When heat was involved, Symaro would use a rare and rather volatile moss that released vast amounts of heat when mixed with water, but he was in short supply. He had just enough for one batch of antitoxin, and would need to gather more for Pierce's second dose, due tomorrow.

 

Feeling better after a while under the effect of his own healing spell, the Beta could almost feel his rib merging back into one whole, but considering his hectic schedule, it was happening too slowly for comfort. He pressed on with his work, hoping for the best.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Brotato

[Avialae]

Corax did not press matters when Torque dropped the subject of trying to influence the Cursed pack. It was probably for the best, as the other wolf did not seem to be acknowledging at all that his self-imposed task was likely to be extremely difficult. It wasn't that she necessarily thought that trying to influence the Cursed wolves was a bad idea, just that Torque was hardly in a good position to do it. To Corax this should be obvious to anyone, yet Torque seemed incapable of admitting this basic fact.

 

As the two of them crossed the marked ground denoting the border between Cursed and Hallowed territory, Corax slowed down a bit and began to pay more attention to her surroundings, her ears pricked up in order to catch any stray sound. While she was fairly certain that they would not encounter any Cursed wolves due to the chaos the earthquake had likely caused them, especially since she had spent far less time in Cursed territory since striking out on her own, due partially to the fact that her old pack would probably not go easy on someone who had willingly left their ranks if they encountered her and partially that there was simply not much for her to gain from venturing into the barren lands. Yet even if their paths did cross with a Cursed patrol or hunting party, Corax was fairly certain she could avoid them. She could sense heat from a far enough distance away that she was fairly sure she would notice any nearby wolves before they noticed her, and be able to avoid getting caught by them, especially in a land so devoid of life. She had managed to avoid being detected several times using this very method in Hallowed territory, in fact. And if Torque did not listen when she told him to run . . . well, he wanted to join the Cursed pack, after all. He could hopefully get himself out of danger if he said he had entered their territory because he wanted to join them.

 

Torque was not aware of her thoughts, however, and he appeared somewhat nervous to be travelling in Cursed territory. "Don't worry," Corax called to him. "The Cursed wolves are more than likely busy taking care of the injured and making sure everyone in the pack is accounted for. Any wolves that made it this far out this early are heading back in to reassure the leaders that they're safe. We shouldn't have to worry about anyone coming across us."

 

Before they had travelled much further, Corax began to see what she was hoping for. It had been obvious enough that the lake's shape had changed earlier, but from where Corax had been before she had been unable to tell if the lake had simply gotten deeper in the middle or if the bed had actually been expanded somewhere else. Now Corax finally had her answer, as they were nearly far south enough for the lake to empty out into the river but there was still a wide expanse of water in front of them, which definitely should not be the case according to the geography that Corax remembered. They were no longer walking on muddy lakebed, either, but the pebbly earth and patches of bushes and grass that could still be found this far north. Looking out at the waterline, it was possible to see the odd patch of greenery sticking out above the surface of the water, signs that only just recently this area had been but dry land. The still surface stretched out in front of them as far as the eye could see, showing no signs of changing into the rapidly flowing river that ran through the Cursed territory anytime soon. This was wonderful news as far as Corax was concerned. Ever since she was young she'd known that water meant life. Where there was water there was vegetation and where there was vegetation there was prey. Even if Cursed territory was not well-suited to growing things, things would have to improve for the Cursed pack now that their territory had more water, at least compared to what they had been. The dynamic between the Cursed and the Hallowed pack couldn't help but change with this development, and Corax couldn't help but find that interesting, even if she had no desire to take a direct part in it. "Well, it looks like you picked a good time to join the ranks of the Cursed, Torque," Corax said, turning back to look at the other wolf, "since it seems they have half the lake now."

[MyaMouse]

((Nope. Nope, nope nope nope, screw it, screw it screw it screw it screw it screw it, I'm posting, I don't care how terrible it'll come out, I'm doing it))

 

Tenebris had summoned her bubble, the burns having more effect on her as her adrenaline wore off, and she began shakily digging with the others. The burns were minor but still hurt like hell--almost like a very bad sunburn, edging on second-degree but not that bad.

"He's dead," Valerius stated.

No , Tenebris wanted to retort, but kept her mouth shut for the time being.

 

The three pushed on the rock, trying to free Venemus. Soon Sawyer and Lorn came, and Tenebris growled quietly. She didn't need 5 wolves trying to take down a single rock. "AW, FORGET IT!" She took a deep breath and solidifyed her bubble, the only open gasious space around her and a small spot at the back so she could breathe, using it and all her weight to push on the rock. The combined strength of Tenebris, Valerius, and Spitfire, as well as the bubble which was like a rock in itself, pushed the boulder off her friend. She turned her bubble back to gas and collapsed into a sore heap of darkness. "Ugh..." Slowly she picked herself up. "It would be awesome if you guys could carry Venemus back to camp..." She winced at her burns. They weren't as major as she had thought, especially during this time of day, but they still hurt like freaking hell. "It would be awesome if you guys could help carry Venemus back to camp, but Spitfire, Valerius and I can do it," she replied.

 

Umbria winced. "Sorry, sorry!" She had forgotten that she needed him to help her, and for that, he needed to see the rocks, and so she acted without thinking, again. She approached the crack. "I can try," she responded. Umbria nosed the crack. It was just a sliver of light, in the dark cave. Desperate to get outside, she nosed the crack and dislodged a few pebbles, which clattered to the ground. It was just big enough for her head out at least... She pushed on through, twisting her head in an attempt to at least get it out... Yes! Fresh air! With her muzzle out, she motored her back legs and pushed a little farther. It was a squeeze, but her head was finally outside! Now the hard part...​ She thought. She pushed one forepaw out through the crack, then the next. Then she pushed harder with her rear legs. Her shoulder blades squished together and her chest tightened up as she let out a bunch of air to try and get through; yet the crack kept compressing down onto her. She held her breath and kept pushing, but she couldn't quite do it. Backing up was easier than going forward, and she squeezed out of the crack a bit to breathe. Then, she took another huge breath and pushed back through. It became tighter, and tighter... she couldn't make it... she couldn't... ​I can't breathe! It's too cramped! I'm going to get stuck and never get out!!... No... focus Umbria! You can get out of this!​ She paused to let out her breath to try and shrink further, and kept pushing, trying to ignore the panicked thoughts fluttering around in her head like butterflies. Her legs were aching from the lack of oxygen. Her chest was getting squeezed as though a giant wolf had clamped down on it. She scrambled forward with her paws, pushed, pushed... YES!! Umbria fell muzzle-forward onto the ground. Fresh air! Light! Finally! Gleefully squeezing the rest of the way out, Umbria jumped about in a circle, so glad to be free; even though she had been in the crack for mere moments, it was such a relief to be out of it! Realizing what she was doing, she stopped, ears flattened against her head in embarrasment. "Thank you so much," she said to Uriel.

Edited May 30, 2015 by MyaMouse

[hazeh]

PIERCE

 

With her leg injured, the Hallowed Alpha wasn't quite the appearance of grace as she trampled through the forest, though she didn't appear very interested in retaining elegance while scrambling toward her objective. The sparks rocketed off her body in all directions, lighting on nearby woody branches or leaves for a moment before dying into black scorch marks or soft hisses of dying embers. Her breath came hard and quick, and several times she stumbled over a rock or log in her haste. She barely even heard Ylva behind her, though as time dragged on, Pierce eventually began to slow until she was nearly hip-to-hip with the oracle; the sparks long died down into faint pulses of light.

 

"I don't know," she panted, scanning the foliage for signs of other life forms. The closer they drew to the Life Crystal's cavern, the less woodland animals she could see. Pierce noticed the lack of activity immediately and shuddered. Her parents never prepared her for something like this. It was always lectures on the Crystal and its importance, but never what to do in the case of an emergency. Pierce doubted her parents would even know what to do in her place, but panic still seized her-- in fact, the idea that the late alphas would be at loss terrified her even further. What would Zeus do? Was it even an emergency? Was the Oracle right-- did the Crystal cause the earthquake? Was it in danger? Why didn't anyone prepare her for something like this?

 

Pierce took a deep breath and kept running. Soon, a familiar clearing loomed into view, and the Alpha burst into the small opening of lush grass and sunlight. The clearing was on the slant of a hill, and atop the hill was a large boulder with claw marks gouged deep into the sides. Pierce slowed to a stop and gazed at the stone; beneath it, an opening into the earth gaped black and ominous. A long second passed before she tentatively approached the opening. It was high enough to fit a tall wolf, and perhaps wide enough for two to enter pressed side by side. Pierce stopped again just as she placed a paw on the cold soil in the darkness of the tunnel; she stared into the black depths, a chill prickling under her thick fur. Something was wrong. The other times she had stood in that very spot, gazing into the bowels of the earth that held Nature's greatest treasure, the rush of life and love filled her like the buzz of happy honeybees. It had hummed through her being like warm music. And now, standing there, she felt nothing but a gnawing sense of dread and cold, barren emptiness.

 

"Stay here," Pierce whispered, and slowly she advanced into the darkness until it swallowed her completely.

 

She didn't remember the tunnel being so dark before. Though it ran a winding path into the ground, under the mountains, there had always been a gentle beacon to guide her through. Now she found herself walking into the earthy walls and blundering at the smallest misstep. Though her energy reserves were dangerously low, she exerted just enough to allow lightning to flicker off the walls of the cavern and illuminate the maw of the tunnel ahead of her. Within minutes, the tunnel suddenly widened immensely, and Pierce found herself standing at the edge of a massive open room. Only, instead of how she remembered it pulsating with dazzling, iridescent light, the cave was vacant and hollow. The deafening silence terrified her. With a whine, she quickly turned around and fled back down the tunnel.

 

By the time Pierce jumped from the opening of the tunnel to where her oracle hopefully still stood, the cut across her leg was bleeding freely again. She dragged herself several yards away from the tunnel and stood shaking in disbelief. That was impossible. She hadn't ordered anyone to move the Crystal; who would have had that kind of power, anyway? All they were capable of was changing the entrance of the tunnel, not the actual location of the Crystal itself. The emptiness of the Crystal's cavern was shattering, and she grappled with the news with short breaths and sparks twitching from her pelt. When finally it appeared the Alpha had regained control of herself somewhat, she slowly gazed up at Ylva, horror and shock twisting her pained expression. "It's gone," she said, her voice low and oddly calm. "The Crystal is just...gone."

[hazeh]

| NEW EVENT |

 

WHAT: An inexplicable fog rolls through the entirety of the Cursed territory. It is thick, white-gray in color, and smells occasionally and faintly like rotting flesh. It cannot be cleared by any means, and only allows a visible clearance of four to five feet in front of a wolf. It seems to trickle in from the forest and the top of the mountain; the only escape is Hallowed territory or deep into caves. It does not cause pain or death, though because it is so thick it may temporarily require heavy breathing to become accustomed to it. Wolves inside of Cursed territory may glimpse the shape of a dark wolf standing in the fog, but it disappears without notice and cannot be traced.

 

WHEN: The fog appears the moment Pierce (Hallowed Alpha) discovers the mystery of the Life Crystal. It does not go away.

 

WHERE: Cursed territory only. Hallowed wolves may see the fog, but it does not cross the border of the two packs.

 

WHO: Cursed wolves, and anything else on Cursed territory. However, only Cursed wolves can see the dark-wolf mirage/phantom.

 

 

[Avialae]

"You're welcome," Uriel said to the freed wolf, grateful that she seemed to have finally calmed down. Even if she was relieved to be out of the cave, that was no reason for to act in such an undignified manner. She was hardly a pup, after all.

 

As he had thought, it did not appear that this wolf was a member of the Hallowed pack. While the ranks of the Hallowed were large enough that it was difficult to recognize each member at first sight, the stranger should have least appeared somewhat familiar to Uriel if she was a member, and she did not. She didn't have the scent of the Cursed about her, at least, so that was good. Keeping this fact in mind, he subtly moved so that his body was blocking the wolf from entering Hallowed territory. "You should be on your way back home now. There's certainly no reason for you to do otherwise." The sternness in his voice was only a hint short of a threat. Even if she had been in danger before, that was no reason to forget the rules about keeping trespassers out of Hallowed territory, or so Uriel thought. "Unless you intended to appeal to the Alpha and try to join the Hallowed . . . ?"

[Brotato]

I'm not planning to join them, I'm just going to... -he froze in place and stared, wide-eyed as a massive wall of smog-like material rolled over right towards them, as though it were an avalanche of death. It moved so quickly that it was upon them before he could even figure out how to react. The moment that putrid gaseous material entered his lungs, he felt like retching in disgust. The stench of decay wasn't overwhelming, but shocking nonetheless. After a short, but violent cough, he tried to call to Corax, but all that escaped him was a muffled gurgle. Thankfully, she wasn't far enough for him to lose her in the fog, so he nudged her and gestured for her to follow. They had to get to higher ground, and that meant heading back towards Hallowed territory, away from the lake.

 

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

 

After a long and arduous session of mincing, grinding, mixing and what not, Symaro breathed a sigh of relief, as the last of his planned brews took on their expected colour, smell and also likely their flavour. Gently tugging the largest bowl of pain suppressant out into the light in front of the Beta's den, which sometimes doubled as a doctor's office ever since Symaro's appointment, likely to his fellow beta's disapproval, the white wolf couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Not just the injured, or Pierce's disregard for her own health, but something else. Something he could subtly sense somehow, yet couldn't exactly place. Pushing it aside as a bug from all the pressure, the beta walked back inside to stash the other two brews where they would be safe from dust or pebbles falling in. Covering up the bowls in which they were contained with some large leafs, he nudged them gently towards the corner, where they would hopefully be safe.

 

That done, he went back outside to find Solla, and inform the others that he'd prepared something to help them cope with their injuries. It didn't take long to spread the word, and wolf after wolf soon lined up to take a sip or two from the now quickly emptying bowl of pain suppressant outside the betas' den. Solla seemed relieved by the prospect of not having to deal with the constant whining of the injured. When she and Symaro spoke, the first thing on both their minds was, ofcourse, Pierce's well-being. Tempted as he was to find his alpha and ensure her safety as best he could, Symaro figured it best to not push unnecessarily. After all, he didn't even know where Pierce had even gone, and had no way of tracking her down this time. All the two could do was hope that tomorrow, it would be a brighter, and calmer day, with no casualties from the wanton chaos that took place over the latest short span of time.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Brotato

[MyaMouse]

"Oh! I think you misunderstand who I am," Umbria replied. "I have no home. Well, that kinda was my home. I kinda... Left Cursed... I might try to become Hallowed soon, though." She shifted nervously. "Do you know my daughter? Gale? I remember her being in Hallowed. I hope she's okay, traitorous or not..."

 

But then she turned, and saw a large fog descending upon the Cursed territory.

"What the heck is this?! I have to... No, I can't go back to them..." Her expression was pained with ambivalence as she stepped forward, only to come back again.

 

((Ay, Haze, does seeing the shadow thing count for Umbria, since she used to be part of Cursed?

Also, would light filter through? Because if not I might exploit this to use Tene's full extent of power although her burns might get in the way but eeeeeeh))