Come What May (Joining)

[Mythril]

The ocean had long since washed that feces matted coat clean, had taken the urine stains away. Tossing her about until she had been washed up onto the shores of Anikira, an island that had been abandoned by man. Prehaps here she would find freedom, a safe haven, a home. But those thoughts had yet to enter her drug dampen mind. Even now as she sat trembling in the shallow waves, sides heaving with each body wracking hack she attempted to break free from the lingering effects. The mind numbing grogginess that threatened to once again pull her back into the comfort of darkness, the darkness that had been her companion for weeks if not months. A mental release that her body had been denied. Still she knew instinctively that slipping back into that darkness here could mean her life, and as meager as it may have seemed so some she was the last reminder of a pack that had been utterly destroyed. The memories of her lost family deserved more then an urge to just give up.

So gathering her strength, pulling from reserves that even she had not known she held, Mythril would push to her paws, a slight wabble accompanied by a side step or two that nearly sent her sprawling once again. Lips would curl back to reveal the pearl kissed tips of those fangs while that jaw clenched a snarl of determination echoed faintly as she steeled her limbs to stand steady. It was pure will power that cleaned all expression from that sleek ghostly visage. Twin soldiers, one torn in half, perched atop a distinctive lupine cranium flickered, listening. The only sounds that came were the gentle break of water upon the land, the dance of the wind and it sang across the terrain before her.

Pain, both physical and mental were a constant companion. Even the water drenched coat could not hide the scars that span from just under her elbow, up across the snowy expanse of her left shoulder and throat. Even that left ear held the scars of her past, shredded down the middle. But it wasn't the old familiar ache of that twisted flesh calling for her attention, no it was the still queasy complaints of that stomach. The remains of the tranq filled meat slowly vanished with each pass of the waves, reminding her that it it had been far to long since she had eaten a true meal. And yet in her current weaken state she knew even scavaging was far beyond her reach.

Sides heave as those ears droop in a brief moment of defeat, but even that wasn't enough to keep her indomitable spirit down for long. On shaky limbs the snow white female moved forward aimlessly. With no knowledge of the land in which she found herself she held no real goal only a tiny hope she refused to recognize.

How long she walked in that half aware daze, she could not say. It wasn't until an unfortunate meeting of her snout against the hard unrelenting trunk of a tree did she shake the fog from her brain. With a start the pale yellow of that unblinking gaze twisted to the left, then the right, scanning the wooded land she found herself within. The faint scent of wolves tickled the sensitive nares of that black tipped muzzle, waking her even more. That snow kissed pelt long since dried now gleamed in the dappled sunlight setting the black frosted tips aglow. Much like the name the humans had called her she appeared in that single moment to be "Ghost". It was a name she embodied but not the name she would answer to. Still despite the danger, the uncertainty that filled her heart the female put her muzzle to the skies and announced her presence. For better or worse it was she who stepped across the boundaries of a land occupied by unknown wolves, and it would be she who would pay whatever price they may demand. And so she waited, statue still, poised with pride.

Words: 680
Muse: Decent
Tags: Open/Othala Pack
Notes: None

[Kiva]

It had been a couple of weeks now since Kiva and her daughter Sasha had made the dangerous and tedious swim from their old pack’s territory in Vorosa to the new land they now called home which was known as the Oriens. It had been a couple of weeks since they met the two strangers who had gone out of their way to make sure the females were safe. Eidus had gone a hunt to find food for the strangers so that they could eat when they woke up and Rain had been the one to actually go up to them and wake them up. It had been a couple of weeks since the talk of starting their own pack with Kiva as the alpha had started and now the day had to come to make that happen. Looking back, she couldn’t believe how far they had come in the past weeks but even more so, she couldn’t believe how far she personally had come over the past year. To go from losing her pack, her children, killing her brother to put him out of his mercy, and swimming to Anikira to find safety to becoming a hunter of a pack that cared little about females and all about producing males who were strong enough to conquer and be victorious to finally having a chance at starting another pack, made it feel like she was in a dream, waiting to be woken up.

She was on her way to the beach to send out the call that would be the start of Othala and would let everyone know that she now owned the lands she walked on when she suddenly froze, fear running through her. The howl was not one she recognized from her past pack but who was to say they hadn’t recruited new members since she left and that it was one of those members that they sent to punish her for her treason. But, instead of running away, she walked cautiously toward the source of the call. She moved quietly and slowly, her ears perked to catch any sounds in case the caller wasn’t alone. Once she saw the female she stopped several feet away and looked over her. She didn’t look like someone Kairos would send as she was covered in scars and looked almost lost. However, she knew better than to under estimate her old alpha. ”Who are you and what brought you here?” she asked. Though her tone was cautious, it was far from harsh.

[Mythril]

The snow white female stood in silence after her call, ears at attention listening for even the slightest sign of movement. Thousands of thoughts race in circles within that mine, a thousand possible out comes, and few ended well for her. Still she stood in, a statue of ice and shadow, frozen in silence as she waited. The drugs had since released her from their seductive grasp, leaving her completely aware.

She knew without a doubt that she was in no shape to fight for her life, though the thickness of her coat hid somewhat the poor state of her physical condition. It by no means shielded it completely. Sunken flanks from lack of food, hallowed features gave a sharp view of that lines the skull made. Nevermind the angry rumble her stomach would occasionally release, much to her shame. Still despite that the females head was lifted high as the pale gleam of her eyes scanned for movement. The torn left ear flickered back, then forward mimicking the movements of its fellow. Not as signs of dominance or her current mood, no it was a simple movement of listening.

The sound of paws touching upon the earth would begin to emerge, seperating itself from the common twitters and whispers a wooded place and the creatures within would create. A shift in weight would bring the female around so that she would face the general direction the pawsteps came from. Sides heave in a heavy but silent sigh. So it would begin. Still she only detected a lone wolf's approach, prehaps there was a hope.

Soon enough a single wolf appeared, a lone silver female. The sight of a blue half moon beside her eye briefly started the primarily white female, the dusting of black barely visible in the dappled sunlight. Soldiers train themselves forward, that tail gave a faint slow wag before returning to the statue like stillness she was known for, as the lady's words reached for her. That head jerked up slightly, as if startled before dropping to its previous position, jaws parting to allow the graveled unused voice to break free.

"I am.. called.. Mythril.. the ocean.. brought me from the.. remains of a human.. tanker."

It was obvious by the broken halting words that this wolf was not accustom to speaking. Nor did she seem at ease either despite the relaxed appearance she held in her unmoving state.

Words: 407
Muse: Decent
Tags: Open/Othala Pack
Notes: None

[Kiva]

Despite the defensive and cautious nature Kiva had originally had upon first meeting the snowy female, her nature quickly turned to warm and welcoming as she realized the she wolf was most definitely not from Kairos. The story she gave Kiva in response to her question had her ears perking with interest and her head tilting in curiosity. Like Kiva, she was not a native to Anikira but, unlike Kiva, she dealt with humans in her past. That left her wondering how social she would prove to be and how much wolf nature she knew. It was possible she was raised with dogs and had never even seen a wolf before. Still, Kiva would not turn her away.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Mythril,” she told her kindly. “I am Kiva, alpha of Othala,” she introduced herself with a polite bow. Waiting only a second for her to process what was going on, Kiva continued to talk. “May I interest you in the chance to join us among our ranks? We are a peaceful pack, one that works to align themselves with nature. We work for and aim to please the gods in all that we do. We have a ceremony or gathering every month on the full moon, each one being different from the rest but having its own significant meaning and purpose. We believe in divinity and in scrying, though any wolf who claims to be blessed with that gift must prove it thrice before they can be moved into the appropriate rank. We respect our elders, giving wolves over six their own special rank and we also believe in spirits, both good and bad,” as she explained the workings of her pack to her, she could only hope that she would take her up on the offer. She would hate to leave a wolf who had been through such a rough past without a pack and a family.

[Mythril]

Mythril was silent all through the females explination and urgings to join her pack. The cool distance in that pale yellowed gaze remained unwavering yellowed locked on the white female. Join a pack....? It was a concept that Mythril had given up long ago, after all her birth pack was was ripped to death. And those within the human compound shunned what they assumed was a damaged wolf, simply because of the scars that riddled the left side of her frame. She would reluctantly admit that the first year was full of pain and physical healing as well relearning how to move naturally. It had been a difficult task. One she had nearly given up on several times, but her parents had not raised a quitter. Though her soul had shriveled, and her heart had blacked from the loss she still pressed forward. A seperate presence from the rest of the rehabilitated wolves of the compound, even the zoos she had been transfered to.

No, she did not think a pack was a wise path for her to tread, outwardly at least. In the two years since the attack she had learned much in the way of medicinal herbs and had often been sought out in secret for healing. Stoll being in a pack took a certain amount of heart, of caring. Some defined it as loyalty, as power. But it all boiled down to teamwork, trusting the mate next to you not to fail. And she had a side full of scars and a dead pack as proof that she could not handle that trust.

Still it wouldn't be polite, or wise, to outright refuse. She did not have the strength at the moment to defend herself, nor the knowledge of this land in which to survive. So with an infinite patience she observed the apparent alpha of this territory until the female had finished speaking before allowing that coarse voice to slip free once more. "I don't know..anything about this place, about this life. May I have....time to consider?"

Mythril fully expected the white wolf with the strange blue mark over her eye to refuse the request and drive her from the territory. Because of this her mind already drifted forward contemplating her next move.

Words: 382
Muse:
Tags: Open/Othala Pack
Notes: None

[Kiva]

There had yet to be a wolf who had come into Othala’s territory that the silver colored Aesir did not want to join or had turned away. This female was no different. From the start she seemed to have a likeable nature that Kiva knew would fit well within the boundaries of her pack. She was thankful when she sat quietly and listened to her explain the workings of her pack and after she was done she sat back on haunches and waited for her to come up with an answer. It was clear to see she was examining and weighing all the choices and Kiva could only hope that her answer was the one she wanted to hear. The answer that she got however, was neither one of disappointment or one of excitement. She had asked for permission to stick around for a while in order to have some time to come to a decision. It was not an immediate no, and the silver wolf was thankful for that. But, it was also not a yes and for that Kiva was worried. Should she let someone into her pack, allow them to learn their ways, only to have them leave? What if they went and told others and word got back to her old pack? These were all thoughts that ran through her head. “Yes,” she answered her as she reached a decision over what she should do. “I will give you a week to stay and learn about Othala before asking for your decision,” she nodded. If a week still left her unsure, then Othala was probably not the pack for her and Kiva would send her on her way. “Feel free to make yourself at home, we will treat you as if you were one of our own,” she nodded before looking over her shoulder. “Now I must go and check on the rest on the pack,” she told her before turning and walking off to go make her daily rounds. Notes: Figured we could go ahead and end this here so we can start her leaving thread.