No I In Team (Thanatos/Open)

[Kiva]

Though Kiva had been thinking about the idea of getting Othala allies for a while, this would be the first pack she would go to and ask about the possibility. To say that she was nervous and anxious would be an understatement. There was the possibility that every pack she would go to, including this one, could be allies with Kairos and could turn her in. But, that was a fear she would simply have to face. She knew it was only a matter of time until Kairos came after her and she also knew that Othala by itself did not stand a chance against them yet. So, there safest bet was to get as many allies as possible so that should they be attack, they would have help and more numbers.

As she walked into the first pack’s territory, she kept her ears perked for any sounds of movement and her eyes sweeping from side to side. The last thing she needed was for a wolf to think she was intruding. She didn’t want to start any drama. The part of land she found herself had hill after hill and she wondered if it made as good of a hunting ground as she thought it could. Once she got far enough in, she stopped at the top of one of one of the hills and let out a loud howl, one that should have been able to be heard from all parts of the pack’s territory.

Each second she waited after her call drew to a close was like torture. Her nerves were outrageously strong and she swallowed hard before taking a deep breath. She needed to stay calm and collected if she wanted this to be a smooth and easy meeting. She sat on her haunches and looked around, hoping to see someone show up soon.


Thanatos

[Thanatos]

The hills were Thanatos's favorite place ever since he first laid eyes upon it. He had always loved the atmosphere here; the place was filled with life and beauty, and the hypnotizing grass that always danced with the winds were his favorite. He loved this place, and he always looked forward to being here and cherished every moment he could in this place. The sunsets and sun rises were his favorite things, and during the nights the starry skies filled his heart with peace and wonder. However, there was something about this place that made Thanatos feel alienated for a while with the outside world. He had been so overwhelmed with the beauty of his lands that he had forgotten there were other packs around Eden that could be friends or foes. He remembered that Eden was not alone, in both the spiritual sense and in the physical sense, and the thread of an invasion was something that hadn't crossed his mind in the least bit. Feeling a surge of worry enter his system, he sat down and tried to calm his rapidly beating heart.

He had heard stories about an enormous pack in Anikira, called Kairos. It was powerful, great in numbers and its leader was strong and an enormous being. Tales of giant wolves had reached his ears, but he had no idea if he could believe them. His brother was big, but he had no clue if these wolves were as big as they described them. But Thanatos remained calm, since he knew that Elohim wouldn't desert them in any time of need. He had no need to fear any giant, because he knew that Elohim was with him. A sigh of relief escaped from his lungs as a smile formed in his lips. However, he heard a howl, not too far away, that made him go on full alert mode. He stood up and listened closely, and once he turned back he saw the distant figure of a silver wolf, standing up in a hill. 

Thanatos marched towards the figure as his heart beat began to increase again. Hoping that this wolf was of no threat, he reached them and discovered they were actually a female. She had a crescent moon marking on her face, of a beautiful blue color; her eyes were equally as breathtaking, and it made Thanatos remain quiet for a few seconds. The color blue meant many things, such as wisdom, intuition, confidence and ease of mind; he really hoped that any of these attributes applied to the wolf in front of him. "May Elohim bless you, stranger," he spoke as he stood from a few feet away from her, "I am Thanatos, Eden's Haimovi. Better known as Alpha. What brings you to our lands?" He smiled softly and managed to keep a relaxed body position, letting her know that he was not going to attack or do anything bad to her. 

Kiva

[Kiva]

As the silver colored female waited atop a small rolling hill for the alpha to appear, she wondered what these lands would look like in the spring. If they were green and pretty in the spring, she knew they just had to be a pretty sight. She could see a pack gathering within the hills, the alpha standing on top as his pack gathered below. She could see pups running and tumbling through the grass, rolling down the hills as they played with one another. She sighed quietly as she waited, hoping the alpha of this pack would be alright with an alliance between their pack and hers. She would love to see them coming together and enjoying each other's company.

As Kiva watched the alpha appear in the distance and walk over to her, her ears perked and she stood to meet him, keeping her posture relaxed so that he would know she meant no harm. He was a multihued brown wolf and looked to be somewhere around her age, maybe just a little younger. She could tell he meant little to no harm and the greeting he offered her made her smile in gratitude. It was nice to see another pack that believed in a god, or gods, as much as her own pack did. "May the gods bless you and your pack as well kind sir," she replied with a nod. "It is a pleasure to meet you Thanatos," she said pleasantly before bowing in greeting, "I am Kiva, Aesir, or alphess, of Othala and I have come seeking an alliance between your pack and mine," she explained she lifted her head back up to watch him.

"You see, I have kept my pack under the radar up until now so that we could get off the ground and get things going but now that we have a steady pack and a few members I am hoping to reach out to those around us and offer any resources we may have in exchange for an alliance," she started with a nod, "We are a peaceful pack and work to align ourselves with nature and the gods. We treat both genders equally, our elders are held with much respect, and all wolves have chances of moving up in rank and bettering themselves. We believe in divinity and scrying, or being gifted with ability to see key parts of the future. We believe in spirits both good and bad and the fact that every living being has a soul that may wander these lands after the body dies. We have a ceremony every moon cycle with each one holding a specific meaning. We are still small right now, with about nine members or so but I hope to see our numbers grow in time," as she trailed off and fell quiet, she hoped the other wolf liked what she heard. "We have claimed the Oriens, so we are just on the other side of the mountains," she said looking back over her shoulder at the monumental rock statues that stood tall and proud in the distance.

[Thanatos]

The wind blew, making the Haimovi's fur move softly as he listened to the other Alphaess speak. Thanatos dipped his head gracefully when she blessed him and his pack. She mentioned that her name was Kiva, the Aesir or Alpha of the pack known as Othala, and she seeked to form an alliance with Eden. Thanatos listened to her carefully, and began to notice that their views were similar but not the same. After the Alphaess finished her speech about Othala's beliefs, Thanatos pondered for a few moments and remained quiet. Eden was monotheistic, and Othala seemed to be polytheistic or more spiritual than anything else. For a moment, Thanatos considered the benefits of this alliance, and the risks. Would they confuse his members into thinking Elohim didn't exist? If so, it would render Eden's purpose senseless and useless. Some things were at risk, but the benefits outweighed the risks. In the end, they were really similar... so Thanatos couldn't object, really.

Thanatos looked at Kiva, and with a gentle voice he spoke to her. "I would gladly love to form an alliance with you, Aesir Kiva," he smiled and wagged his tail softly, "although we have to discuss certain things. Before I continue, I'll give you a few details of Eden's beliefs as well. Eden believes in a deity, called Elohim, and we worship Him since we believe He created us. We are a very tight-knit family, since we believe we are all Elohim's Children. He gives this pack purpose. However, I think that in terms of beliefs we won't have a problem, since we are somewhat similar," he smiled and continued, "In terms of benefits to our packs, if you want, we can offer your pack access to our lands to hunt whenever you need them, herb supplies, and protection in case a war ever comes into play. We will also not attack any Othala member that may cross our lands in any given moment." Thanatos smiled and stood quiet, hoping that the offer was indeed a good one in the Aesir's eyes.

Kiva

[Kiva]

The longer Kiva waited for an answer from the male sitting in front of her, the more nervous she became. She needed the alliance, her pack did, and she was certain his could benefit from it too. But, would he see that? Was his thought process the same as hers? Or, would he tell her to leave and never return again? Her tail twitched nervously back and forth as she waited and she tried to distract herself with other thoughts. Wondering what her daughter, Sasha, was up to and how she was sure she would love this place. She could see her darting from one hill to the next, keeping herself entertained all day.

Finally, the alpha spoke and his words caused the silver wolf’s ears to perk in excitement. She took a deep breath to stop herself from getting overly excited and responded in as much of a calm voice as she could muster. “Thank you, Thanatos, I am very happy to hear that,” she bowed her head respectfully, unable to hide the smile that formed across her muzzle. She listened with interest as he spoke of the beliefs his pack had, noting how similar they really were. The only difference she really picked up on was that while Othala believed in many gods and goddesses, Eden only believed in one. However, she didn’t see how that would cause any issues and so, did not worry about it. She listened again carefully as he went on to speak about the benefits that would come with their alliance, each one boosting her spirits higher. “The same goes for all the wolves that call Eden their home. Any time hunting grounds, supplies, back up, or just a change of scenery is wanted for a day, Othala’s doors are open. All I ask is, of course, that any wolf announces their presence so that my pack may know they are friendly and the same goes for any Othala wolf crossing into Eden’s territory,” after that she paused for a moment waiting for him to consider all that was said. “If we both agree then I think it’s safe Othala and Eden are both allies,” she nodded with a grateful smile.

[Thanatos]

The scarred Haimovi looked at the silver she-wolf as her eyes brightened when he mentioned his opinion about the alliance. Maybe she was nervous or insecure about the whole situation, and he was more than happy to let her know that she had no reason to be afraid of. Smiling, he heard intently, listening to every word that the female spoke to him. This had been a great achievement today and he would have to inform everyone about it. They would never attack an Othala wolf, and the Othala wolves would not attack Eden wolves, and they both had to announce their presence as they entered each other's packlands. Thanatos nodded, agreeing completely to her notions and desires.

"I agree wholeheartedly, Aesir Kiva. Consider us allies from this day forward," he said smiling before continuing, "and I am pleased to welcome you and your pack to our lands whenever you desire. Whenever times of peril come upon your lands, do not hesitate to call for us for help. We'll be there with supplies and warriors, or with whatever you need in that moment." Thanatos felt a warm sensation overwhelm him as the thought of other packs joining Othala and Eden in harmony passed through his mind. Standing still, he hoped for the best out of this encounter, and he prayed for her, blessing her quietly before saying his goodbyes. "It has been an honor to meet you, Aesir Kiva. May Elohim bless you today, tomorrow and always." He couldn't wait to tell Nova and Kiara about what had happened today--he had high hopes for the pack, and now, for this alliance. As he made his way back into the mainlands, he looked up to the heavens, thanking Elohim for the new experience he had today.

Kiva