Fallen [Tempest]

[Deleted]

The sunlight broke though the verdant canopy above, sneaking past the tree tops to warm the silver wolf’s dense coat. It never seemed to grow cold in the jungle. The she-wolf knew that autumn had come as she watched the sun slumping closer to the earth each time it rose in the east. The longest night would come soon, but here, there was no snow. It felt… unnatural in a way, somehow wrong. The thought of winter made her cringe, for it carried the promise of trouble – the breeding season was a nightmare come to life, something Athena had given in to once, but never again. She was staying close to the border for the day, searching in vain for the family she had lost. Her orange eyes were lifeless. Having no emotions was better than the alternative, but it was so hard to fight against. Athena had shed enough tears lately, in inescapable sorrow each time reality sprang. Everything was falling apart.

One year had passed since the founding of Valyn. Athena had been there from the start, one of the female-dominated pack’s original members. Willingly, she had followed Valeria into the jungle, giving up her freedom. Before, she had refused to join a pack. They were limiting, she had been taught, and besides, they all had ambitions and ideals that did not pertain to or interest Athena in the slightest. But life had been altered beyond repair following the bear attack that left her still limping, though over a year had passed since her leg had been mauled. If not for her extensive knowledge of plants, wisdom passed on by an elder long dead, she would have succumbed to her injuries. It had nearly taken her life, and no one had cared – until she met Valeria. Still, Athena drew breath, though each day was torturous. The promise Valeria had offered, of a life of honor and respect for their gender, of protection, had seemed an obvious choice to make.

Her life had been easier then, with a pack for protection and a new home. Becoming a mother hadn’t been part of the plan, but the fates decided nearly a year ago that she would birth a litter with a male she hadn’t seen before, and, thankfully, she hadn’t seen him since the tempestuous night that led to her pregnancy. She still felt shame when she thought about him, his faded, ugly yellow eyes, bright in the stormy night.

And now… Now, Willow was gone, and Lethe had taken her leave, along with a few of the pups born during spring, who were now no longer pups. Some of the pups had died tragically. Athena’s only son, a pup who had never been given a name of his own, was long since dead, as far as she knew. But the girls were special to Athena, her daughters each cherished for their own unique qualities. Willow’s gentle spirit, her loving name, and her dwarfism put her at a distinct disadvantage in a vicious, cruel world. Athena was certain that Willow would not simply leave – Then where had she vanished to? Lethe, however, had departed on her own volition. Athena wanted desperately to believe that Lethe would eventually find Willow, bring her home to Kal’dyne, where the girls would return to their small family… But a nagging voice in her head insisted:

They are never coming back.

The thought was always there, always lurking in the back of her mind. Maybe this was retribution for what had happened to the boy pup. She hadn’t made much of an effort to locate him when he wandered away, still so young. Instinct told her to care, but she had not mourned his loss. Losing the Boy didn’t feel like losing a part of herself, a part of her soul, the way she felt now, in spite of every effort to fight it.

They are never coming back, and it is your fault.

A quavering sob escaped her lips, unexpected, but the feelings threatened to drown her. Guilt, sadness, regret, and she deserved each one. She froze suddenly, realizing that someone else was close by. Reining in her emotions, she didn’t want them to see her weak, so she had avoided the rest of the pack. Her façade had returned to nothing, vague and distant, as her ember-hued orbs searched the vicinity.

words: 747

tag: @santhenatempest

[Deleted]

It had seemed like forever since Tempest had seen her sisters - feisty Lethe and wise Willow. Although she was not as close as they had been, they still welcomed her warmly and were kind and great company for her puphood. Apart from them, Tempest lacked many close friends. Athena, the runt's mother, also seemed to have drifted away, both physically and mentally. The female who looked so much like Tempest seemed distant whenever Tempest caught a glimpse of her, and that was not very often.

Tempest had been looking after herself without much trouble, but she did feel rather estranged at times. Valyn seemed to be quieter and calmer, but the tranquility was not comforting. The young wolf longed for a companion; meeting Octavia seemed so long ago, and rumours had spread that the bipolar she-wolf had perished anyway. It seemed that the only wolf left to talk to was her distanced mother, Athena. A familiar scent meandered towards Tempest's scent glands, and she followed the trail.

Had the pack been as it was a few months ago, she might have heard some wolves talking or playing, seen some pups skidding around the area, smelled a group of friends gathering, felt the ground tremble as nearby Furies chased their next meal, but all was silent. The taciturn fae traipsed forward, weaving around oaks and ducking under low branches towards the origin of the scent, because what else was there to do? All else was gone.

The world seemed so desolate, so lonely, so isolated. The realisation of how alone Tempest was had never really hit her since she was too busy thinking of other things - maybe she would be pondering something philosophical, or considering how to best catch a bird in flight. But now that she thought of it, maybe it was time to leave her natal pack in search of her siblings or even just to explore the world. Her heart yearned for adventure and discovery, but her family had almost restricted her in a way. She had stayed for her family, but now there was barely a family to stay for. Barely even a friend. Barely even a pack.

Finally, a silver pelt so analogous to Tempest's own came into view. Following the pale sheet of fur was a set of amber oculi, just ever so slightly lighter than the smaller femme's own. The expression on Athena's face was obscure and bordering on secretive, and if one looked into her eyes then there was almost some hidden emotion behind them. Her coat was ruffled and messy, ungroomed from... Something. What had happened to her?

"Athena," Tempest breathed, adjusting her position to face the older she-wolf. "It's me, Tempest. What... What happened?"

This was an Athena that Tempest did not know; this wolf was an inconnu, perhaps even an imposter. So much had changed since the shorter bitch had moved her den. The Athena standing before her was not her mother. No; she was a replacement. Athena was gone. Tempest's mother would not do this.

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Words: 527
Muse: Okay
Tags: @athena
Notes: Sorry about the shortness!

[Deleted]

She seemed genuinely surprised when her look-alike daughter found her there, caught in a moment of weakness that she had tried so carefully to conceal. She had wanted her daughters to see her as strong, a worthy mother – but Athena knew in that moment that she had failed all of her pups miserably. ”Athena.” She repeated the name – her moniker, one that she did not deserve. Now, even her remaining child could no longer bring herself to call her Mother. ”Do you know…” She began to talk, her expression adopting a strange look – she was grinning, ivory canines glinting in the scant jungle sunlight, orange orbs wide. She looked maniacal. Perhaps madness had finally taken its hold. ”Do you know what my real name was? The name my own mother gave to me? She never named me. I was better off dead. She told me so herself.” The irony was not lost on Athena – that she had not given her only son a name of his own before he disappeared without a trace, never to be found again. Athena would have been shocked to know that he had survived, and most surprisingly of all, he had been adopted into Kairos, a pack so feared and despised by Athena.

”Dirt. I was nothing more than dirt. She left me on purpose. I know it was on purpose. Someone else named me, but she didn’t know the wolf I would become. They took her away from me. Life always takes away.  Don't ever forget that.  And I never hurt anyone until I had to.” Her veiled reference alluded to her past and those who had been killed by the shy she-wolf. Athena had never shared her history with her offspring… Or with anyone else, for that matter. It was too shameful. Athena thought she had grown into someone better, someone smarter, like her namesake, but now she was certain… She was the same pest that her mother had seen in her, and nothing more. She would never be anything more than a bother, a waste of space and air.

Her voice was growing more shrill as she continued, rambling words parting her maw before Tempest had a chance to interrupt. ”I never hurt you or your sisters, or even the Boy. I did the best I knew how to do. Can’t you see it?” Finally, her focus turned to the silvery runt. Her maniacal expression was replaced by one of utter panic, her voice growing shrill with each syllable she uttered. ”I gave you a name. You’re Tempest. It’s a nice name, isn’t it? I always thought it was a nice name, even if you’re more of a gentle breeze than a storm. You could never hurt anyone like I did. You're too good. I don’t know how, but you’re a good girl. You wouldn't leave your mother all alone, would you?”


words: 519
tag: @santhenatempest
ooc: Uh oh, she’s losing it!

[Deleted]

As soon as the orange-eyed she-wolf stopped talking, her elder started.

”Do you know what my real name was? The name my own mother gave to me? She never named me. I was better off dead. She told me so herself.”

Athena was born without a name? Like The Boy? Tempest had thought that only boys were raised nameless.

”Dirt. I was nothing more than dirt. She left me on purpose. I know it was on purpose. Someone else named me, but she didn’t know the wolf I would become. They took her away from me. Life always takes away. Don't ever forget that. And I never hurt anyone until I had to.”

It took a few moments for the words to sink in. Life always takes away. What does she mean? And what does she mean by hurting someone? Athena couldn't harm anyone. She's a healer. Tempest attempted to reply to her estranged family member when the older fae continued with her rambling. She was talking about how she never mistreated her pups, and although Tempest agreed that Athena had been a generally good mother, excusing her ignorance of The Boy, she had no chance to reply.

”I gave you a name. You’re Tempest. It’s a nice name, isn’t it? I always thought it was a nice name, even if you’re more of a gentle breeze than a storm. You could never hurt anyone like I did. You're too good. I don’t know how, but you’re a good girl. You wouldn't leave your mother all alone, would you?”

Tempest did not know how to respond, so she let her mouth take control. "Er, yes, Tempest is a lovely name. I like it. I wouldn't leave you alone, I guess..." The femme paused to think of her plans to leave in search of her siblings. She would stay if Athena wanted it, but Tempest felt so useless otherwise - as if she was just letting her siblings go without an utter or glance. "I could never hurt someone? I don't know. Maybe I could-I mean, er..." Tempest was unsure of what to say to her maniacally rambling parent. "If you don't mind me asking, Athena, how did you hurt someone? You're a healer, right? Aren't healers supposed to, well, heal? Not hurt?" The adolescent's inner curiosity shone again, asking questions that might have been inappropriate to ask, but she could not help it. She just wanted answers, and there was nothing inherently wrong with that, right?

It was so intriguing that Tempest felt that she knew this 'mother' when really she did not know her at all. There were so many secrets out there, so many answers... I guess that I just saw her as... As a mother. My mother. Not a wolf with her own history and life. Just someone to care for me and my siblings. There is far more to her than that, though, now that I see her like this. The silver-furred Vessel had come to Athena for answers, but she had received more questions and hardly and answer at all. Could she no longer rely on Athena? Was she now just a mindless lunatic who needed help and support herself, rather than helping and supporting others? It scared Tempest, for although she had been alone for a long time now, she did not realise how well and truly isolated from moral support and friends and family she had been until that moment when she thought about her maternal parent's predicament. The wolf who so strongly resembled her mother was now well and truly alone, yet here she was, right next to company.

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Words: 667
Muse: Good
Tags: @athena

[Deleted]

Dirt clung to the female’s silvery pelt, her frame now thin and unhealthy. She shuffled uncomfortably on her paws, which trembled subtly with every moment. Athena wasn’t the confident, capable wolf she had been before, in the days when she was free. Before the pack life, before pups, when she remained whole, her life was traveling and surviving – difficult, but invigorating. But Tempest knew nothing about what had come before. The coming winter would be Athena’s fourth. She had endured so much for one lifetime, atrocities she had hoped to shield her daughters from. One by one, the outside was claiming each of them. It was too heavy a burden to bear. How much could the merciless world strip away from one wolf?

"Er, yes, Tempest is a lovely name. I like it. I wouldn't leave you alone, I guess..." and Athena’s focus crawled away from Tempest as she spoke. "I could never hurt someone? I don't know. Maybe I could-I mean, er..." Tempest seemed so uncertain of herself – a trait that, unknowingly, Athena had fostered within the runt. She saw so much of herself in her final remaining child. Too much. It would not do Tempest any favors in the future to remain so. "If you don't mind me asking, Athena, how did you hurt someone? You're a healer, right? Aren't healers supposed to, well, heal? Not hurt?" She said it again – Athena – and it was salt on a gaping wound. Her daughter spoke haltingly, daring to ask questions that Athena had never anticipated answering. The darkness of the past was unavoidable. The darkness had bred Athena, crafting her to be the she-wolf she was today – unwell.

The weary healer stared, unblinking, at a clump of dead weeds that grew between Athena and her daughter. There was no longer any reason to keep the truth tucked carefully away, though Athena’s mind was a far cry from reasonable now. ”After my mother left me, a new wolf took me in. She was good to me. They killed her, though. They thought she had cursed them, but it was I.”  She was a curse. No longer able or willing to meet her daughter’s gaze, her delicate frame seemed to shrink as she continued. ”I was given to a brute as a prize. But I wouldn’t take him. I was too young. No older than you are. I had to get away. No one else could save me, so I did it. It was kill or be killed, and I’m still here.”

It was an important lesson for any young wolf to learn – You can never truly know someone, the darkness hiding beneath. Athena realized now that she hadn’t prepared any of her offspring for the terror that waited beyond Valyn. Her head shook slowly as if she were disagreeing with an unspoken voice. Her eyes traveled back to her daughter’s, a darker orange hue than her own. Tempest was pretty – too pretty for a world of savages. Anikira had been nothing less to Athena.

words: 537

tag: @santhenatempest

ooc: oh no, my other table is broken! :[

[Deleted]

Warm, understanding oculi observed Athena, taking in her ragged appearance. Her legs shook slightly as if they were to crumple at any given moment; in an act of concern, Tempest stepped closer to her unstable parent and supported her rugged side, despite being smaller than her elder. No matter how distanced they would inevitably become, Tempest would always hold some feeling for her family. Besides, Athena was all that she had. The frail female that so closely resembled Tempest was in no way a good guardian, but when one was desperate, anything even remotely decent was a blessing.

As the two silver she-wolves pressed together, the larger of the duo began telling her story, which started with a neglecting, bordering on abusive, mother. Athena was left to die as a pup in loner lands, according to her.

”After my mother left me, a new wolf took me in. She was good to me. They killed her, though. They thought she had cursed them, but it was I."

Athena's unusual wording tripped Tempest, however the younger fae deciphered that Athena was taken into a new pack after being abandoned by her own mother. The adoptive mother was killed by the pack. But no matter how she mused over it, Tempest could not figure out the last sentence. Before the pale-furred femme could ask, her maternal forerunner continued.

”I was given to a brute as a prize. But I wouldn’t take him. I was too young. No older than you are."

Tempest shuddered at the thought of herself being forcefully taken by a male. No wonder Athena felt such disdain towards males if they had mistreated her so in the past.

"I had to get away. No one else could save me, so I did it. It was kill or be killed, and I’m still here.”

So that was it. Her progenitor had killed some brute who had tried to mount her. It brought an unexpected bout of relief to Athena's daughter knowing that at least it was out of self-defense, and not of some sinister whim.

"What choice did you have?" croaked Tempest quietly. It was a rhetorical question. "What choice did you have?" she repeated, but this time louder. "It was self-defense, Athena. I don't blame you for it." What more could she say? It was true that Tempest did not blame Athena for murder, but neither did she think that the bitch who had birthed her was noble. Athena was somewhere in between.

To comfort her distraught parent, Tempest gave Athena a brief lick of the ears, hoping that it would suffice. Tempest could not decide on her opinion of her mother; she did neglect her son, and now was neglecting her final remaining daughter, but did she know any better? Had her dark past affected the seemingly pretty, innocent façade of today? And, more importantly, would Tempest be going down the same path? She had lost her siblings, and now her mother was growing ever isolated from her daughter. Maybe this would run in the family. Tempest did look an awful lot like her predecessor.

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Words: 551
Muse: Good
Tags: @athena

[Deleted]

"What choice did you have?" Her daughter’s warmth and a gentle voice snapped Athena back to attention, though she still felt very far away, despite the fact that the two were touching. "What choice did you have? It was self-defense, Athena. I don't blame you for it." She nodded, too tired to point out that still, Tempest would not call her mother. She didn’t deserve the title, after all. No mother abandoned her children, or allowed them to vanish. Tempest fell silent, and Athena continued, manic. ”I lived as a loner for a long time after that. I would have stayed alone, if not for my leg. A bear attacked me, and a wolf left me to die. He was Valeria’s brother. It’s funny. Looked just the same.” She hadn’t seen her alpha in many weeks, nor had she seen any of her children – in part because the boys terrified Athena. ”And Valeria – Have you seen her pups? They don’t look like her. They look like someone else, from Kairos,” she said ominously. Valeria’s male offspring were enormous, drastically taller than most of the other members of the pack. The boys were huge and powerful.

Athena had only ever met one wolf who rivaled their size in her lifetime. A shiver rippled along her spine, a cold chill seizing her at the thoughts that ruminated within her skull. The resemblance between them was uncanny, but the idea that her alpha would mate with an unholy brute like him was beyond comprehension. But the identity of her litter’s sire remained a mystery. If Valeria knew the male’s name, she was not inclined to share it with her followers. Athena still had nightmares about the brute who had terrorized her months before – the cold, cruel eyes, as pale as the azure sky on a cloudless day, and the dark markings that decorated the massive beast’s pelt. She would remember those eyes until her dying day. She could never forget the size of the wolf, the fear that had overwhelmed her senses, leaving her speechless. He had offered his name, one that had become infamous in the months since her encounter with the Monster: Goliath.

The silver femme, coat dull and body quivering beyond her control, was still shaking when she felt her daughter’s soft touch. It was meant to be comforting, but Athena recoiled, eyes wide and wild. ”You don’t know what’s out there, Tempest. There are monsters beyond our borders. Hungry monsters and giants.” It sounded like the psychotic ramblings of someone sick, but Athena was certain of little else. She had survived before, but she wasn’t strong as she once was. And Tempest… Tempest had no clue of the terrors beyond the safety of Valyn. It seemed inevitable that Tempest would be dragged down by the weight of the world before long. The thought was crushing to the frantic mother. Tempest would be ruined, just as Athena had been tarnished.

She had been strong for so long, but every part of Athena seemed to crumble away in that instant. A frightened cry escaped as she stumbled backward – she was a curse, even to her own family. She had known all along. The faint sound of crunching leaves caught Athena’s heightened awareness. Her gaze moved frantically between Tempest and the space surrounding them, as if she was expecting someone else to appear there. The empty space was nearly as terrifying as the alternative. She said nothing further as she turned away from her beloved daughter, who appeared as little more than a phantom in her deluded mind. She had nowhere else to go but further from the heart of the jungle, but Athena could not stand in one place any longer, vulnerable and weak. She had to keep moving to avoid her own doom.

words: 666
tag: @santhenatempest
ooc: boo now neither table works! anyway, I thought Athena would run off now since she's in a bad state. >.<