Rain Rain Go Away (Open)

[Anima]

Cold freezing rain pelted the ground soaking the land within a matter of minutes. A loud howling wind was also making itself known, making it hard to walk in straight line or really even move forward at all. Lightening was crackling through the clouds above and thunder was rolling through the heavens. It wasn’t weather that any creature wanted to be out in and yet there she was, a lone white she wolf lost out in the freezing cold. She hadn’t been in these lands long enough to know where everything was and so, she wasn’t sure what direction to go to find shelter. She kept her head down, trying to stop the rain from getting in her eyes and though she was whimpering, nothing could be heard above the storm. Her stomach felt like it was in knots as her pups moved but still she had to keep moving.

She had just about given up finding any shelter when suddenly, the outline of something came into view of in the distance. Slowly, she made her way forward until she could make out what it was that she had seen. To her relief, it looked to be a cavern and though she wasn’t sure if it was empty or not, she made her way over to the entrance and crawled inside. Once out of the storm, she collapsed, laying her head on her paws. Trying to move through the powerful wind, especially while pregnant, had taken every ounce of her strength and there was nothing more she wanted than to curl up with her mate and sleep. But, she had no idea where he was and she could only pray that he was out of the storm and safe. As for her, she curled up in a ball, shaking from the cold, and prepared herself to spend the night alone.

[Hannibal]

Deep within the cavern were two bodies, curled up against each other to combat the incredible cold of the territory. Hannibal and Graham had not been present at the expansion of Airila, but he had kept an ear out and learned second-hand that Arche had lead the pack into the bitter harshness of the northern ice. It was a bold move, but the pack had been expanding in size, and would do so again in the spring--several females were now pregnant, and though the land was unforgiving, it would behoove the wolves to have more area to roam. The Shia was not a large place, after all.

The rough-coated wolf stretched himself out after a while, causing his wild dog companion to whimper and shiver--albeit dramatically--in the absence of the extra heat. Graham was not built for such weather, but he managed with the help of his companion, as the two would not separate. "We can begin to head back, if you like," Hannibal said to his friend, lifting his head from the packed ground to peer at the dog with questioning eyes. A swift but sincere tail wag, coupled with a smile, were his answer, and the wolf nodded, lifting himself to his feet and struggling not to trip over Graham as he darted underneath him.

"You're going to make me--" Hanni paused, twitching an ear toward the somewhat distant entrance of the cave as the softest of whines came to him, indicating the arrival of a second creature. He also realized that the din he had been ignoring was in fact the storm outside, whipping harsh winds and scattering the loose snow about. With a soft sigh the large male began toward the mouth of the cave, careful to make soft but obvious noise in order to not frighten whomever it was who had just entered the cavern.

"Hello?" he called quietly, turning an icy corner to see a white female laying on the ground, hardly out of the wind and nearly at the very entrance of the shelter. She was clearly exhausted, and the reason was obvious--her belly was swollen with pups, and it was a long way from the Shia to Cryothia. Why on earth had she taken the trek? "It's much warmer in the back of the cave. You must be freezing," he added, stopping his approach and laying down upon his chest so as not to seem threatening or imposing to the poor mother.

Graham hovered behind him, his tall legs all touching a part of Hanni as they looked at her silently for a moment. The dog then 'woofed' very softly, again wagging his tail behind him, and crept forward until he was level with Hannibal's head, though his own neck craned out as he sniffed the air heavily to get a good scent. "I'm Hannibal, and this is Graham. We were just about to head back to the Shia, but it appears the storm has not lessened. I hope you don't mind sharing the shelter."

Words || 524
Tags || Anima
Notes || Hey Luna, hope you don't mind that I popped Hanni in here! He needs some love.

[Anima]

The white she wolf had been so focused on the storm and just getting out of it that she had failed to check if anyone else was in the cavern that she had claimed as a temporary den. As she had gotten inside she collapsed and started focusing on warming up, not paying attention to any lingering scents and just assuming that she was alone. It was because of that assumption that she startled when she heard footsteps coming towards her. Instantly, the fur on her back stood on end, her ears pinning as her lips curled to show her deadly teeth. A defensive snarl rumbled from the pit of her chest as she stared at the darkness. Normally, the huntress would have reacted much friendlier but, her only thought was on keeping her pups safe, especially with the absence of her mate.

As the wolf whose footsteps she had heard came into view, she relaxed slightly as she could tell from his posture and words that he meant no harm. However, the fur on her back remained on end, showing that she was still ready to defend her pups if she needed to. “Freezing would be an understatement,” she said with a soft growl, “It is brutal out there.” As she finished talking, she looked over at the tunnel that lead to the back to the cave. She would have loved to move to a warmer area but, she knew that she had no strength to get up. Despite her common sense, she found herself trying to get to her feet but, as she stood her legs began to shake with exhaustion and ultimately, she had to lay back down, knowing she wouldn’t be able to take more than a few steps.

Having been so focused on the wolf, Anima hadn’t even noticed his companion. It wasn’t until he barked that her eyes shot over to him, her stomach growling in hunger as her hunting instincts kicked in. However, she could tell that the creature was no ordinary Wild Dog but was instead a companion so, she would keep her hunger at bay and wait until after the storm to try to hunt down more food. “It is a pleasure to meet you both,” she nodded before introducing herself, “I’m Anima, one of our hunters and mate to Jadir.” As the wolf mentioned heading back to the pack’s home land, she found herself shaking her head, “I wouldn’t recommend trying that until this storm is over, and I don’t mind at all. I would much rather have some company than be alone all night,” she nodded. She had never been one for being alone but she also knew that if something happened, there was only so much she could do on her own while carrying pups.

[Hannibal]

Though he had stopped at quite a distance, Hannibal could clearly see the raised lip and hackles that indicated his intrusion to be unwelcome. He was not surprised, for a female so swollen with pups was bound to be not only tired but extremely protective of the lives growing within her. Even when she calmed, Hanni kept himself where he was, careful not to appear threatening or imposing in case she decided he were a threat. "I'm sorry to have frightened you. I mean no harm, truly," he said, though it appeared she was beginning to relax even before he spoke.

When she struggled to rise to her feet and was clearly weak, Hannibal fought the urge to step forward and help support her. His yellow eyes filled with pity as she collapsed again, and Graham next to him whined softly, feeling just as sorry for the female. It must be difficult, carrying so much extra weight, let alone giving birth to them after a few long months. "It truly is brutal. Are you protected enough where you are? If not, I could help you deeper into the cavern. Or lay between you and the entrance, to better shield you," he offered kindly, wondering how she would respond to both offers. Typically strangers were no so eager to accept help, and regardless he would either help her or not. No harm would occur to his feelings if she denied his help completely.

Anima, she introduced herself as, before going on to say she was Jadir's mate. Hannibal had done very little training with the other Airila warriors thus far, preferring to do so by himself, but the two had met and were familiar to each other. Did the other warrior know that his mate had come so far, in such terrible weather? Why had he not aided her? "Where is Jadir? Should he not be here to protect you?" Hanni asked out of curiosity, unsure if his question would be considered rude or not. Graham was backing up to stand behind the wolf, then, as Anima eyed him as though he were a meal. Hannibal was unconcerned; even if she could have attacked, he could stop her just as easily as any other wolf. The dog was safe.

"I would love to keep you company. Leaving before this storm lets up doesn't seem like an option Graham would like, and I'm not sure I can leave you here by yourself now that we've met," he added rather awkwardly, meaning that he could not abandon a pack mate but not knowing exactly how it had come out.

Words || 449
Tags || Anima
Notes || omg do NOT EAT GRAHAM WHAT D:

[Anima]

The white female had already begun to relax once she saw that the other’s posture was not at all threatening. But even still, his words were very much welcomed and aided in calming her nerves more. “I apologize for being so defensive. I usually do not startle so easily but with these new instincts, and my mate being away from my side, my nerves are a lot higher than normal. I also failed to catch your scent in my attempt to get out of the storm so I thought I was alone,” she apologized with a soft frown. She could only hope he would know she didn’t mean anything by it and would forgive her.

It was then that she tried to fail, her efforts quickly failing. Silently she fussed at herself for ever leaving Jadir’s side but it was too late to go back to him and fix that mistake. Instead, she would simply have to wait it out to the best of her ability. When the male spoke up, her ears perked up with interest. “Either would be greatly appreciated but to avoid you getting rained on, I think it’d be better to try and move to the back of the cave,” she nodded. Even though she didn’t want to move, she could never lay there and watch the freezing cold rain soak the poor male in his efforts to help him.

The next question he asked had her ears pinning in worry. “I am unsure where he is at the moment to be honest. I went off to go hunt and this storm hit before I could return to his side,” she said with a frown. She really did wish she knew where he was and that he was safe but she knew she needed to focus on herself for the time being. So, in an attempt to distract herself, she tried once more to get up and walking, her legs shaking as she did so.

[Hannibal]

While she apologized, Hannibal smiled lightly, shaking his head as she finished. "No need to apologize, Anima. It's only natural for the typical wolf to be defensive, and you've got much more on your plate than the typical wolf. Besides, it's hard to offend me," he added lightly, reminding himself that he was starting to realize how he was mentally different from others. It was helpful in come cases, especially ones where he and Anima were, but harmful in others--there would be times when his inability to understand social cues would backfire, and he would be the one offending another. For now, it seemed things were fine.

When she invited him to follow through with his offer to help her to the back of the cave, Hannibal nodded again, glancing down at Graham and back at the white female. "We would be happy to help," he said, though the dog seemed taken aback when he was volunteered alongside his companion, brown eyes widening in fear of approaching a female who looked at him like he was a meal. But Hanni knew it would be fine, and he could convince Graham to help him at least in getting Anima to her feet. As she spoke of not knowing where Jadir was, Hannibal's face fell slightly, and he bit back his comment before it left his lips. No sense in voicing his displeasure in Jadir leaving Anima to hunt while she was so clearly uncomfortable, and in no state to go hunting.

"Well, let's get you up and out of the worst of this, and then we can make a plan for heading back home when the storm clears," Hannibal said instead, nudging Graham forward with his nose. The dog took tentative, slow steps forward and his wolf-friend followed, going to one side of Anima as Graham went to the other. "Ready?" he asked her as she began to rise herself, before he pushed his head up under her elbow, the painted dog following suit until they had succeeded in lifting her part of the way up. When there was space beneath her swollen belly, Hannibal very gently moved himself back and further under her, until she had made it all the way up. Graham set his small body almost fully underneath the female, in case she was too weak to stay up herself.

"Let us know if you need a rest, yes?" Hannibal said, looking sideways at Anima as he stood touching her side, their fur mingling as he waited for her to begin forward. The sooner they got out of the front of the cave, the sooner she could lie back down.

Words || 459
Tags || Anima
Notes || Hope you're okay with how I did that, if you aren't I can alter it a bit!

[Anima]

The smile that came from the other wolf as she apologized instantly made her feel better and less like a jerk. “That might be true, but it still stands that I am not at all usually like that so thank you for your kindness and your ability to forgive,” she smiled up at him softly. She knew a lot of wolves wouldn’t be willing to help her after she blatantly threatened them and she was extremely thankful he was not one of them. So far, Hannibal seemed to be a really friendly male and the white she wolf was looking forward to a hopeful friendship with him.

Though she nodded at the words he had to say next, she couldn’t help but frown as well. She had already made up her mind that this new land would be where she remained until her pups were old enough to make the trek back to the mainland. This was the land where her depression was kept at bay and she knew that would most definitely be beneficiary when it came time for her to deliver and begin her new life as a mother. If she was constantly depressed, she would never be the mother her pups deserved. She would never be the mother that Kiva had been to her.

“I will,” she nodded again when they mentioned her telling them if she needed a break. But, she was determined to make it to the back of the cave without stopping. She already felt like she looked weak enough to the male, she was determined not to make herself look even more so. With that determination, she kept moving at a slow but steady pace, using both males to help support her. Only after she was at the back of the cave did she allow herself to lay back down before looking up with a grateful smile, “Thank you both for helping me,” she thanked them before asking, “Will you stay back here and keep me company?” with a tilt of her head. She knew sooner or later she would have to tell them that she would not be making the trek home with them but for the moment, she chose later.

[Hannibal]

The white female was kind, thought Hannibal as the trio slowly and surely moved to the back of the cave, Anima doing her part to stay up though Graham struggled slightly beneath her. It was his miniscule size compared to her bulk that was the problem, but he bore part of her weight with only a twisted expression, determined to get away from her as quickly as possible when the companions were done helping her. Hannibal eased the female into a soft place and smile as Graham darted away and she laid down comfortably, seeming tired but for good reason.

"It was no problem, truly," he responded easily to her, shaking his head with a small smile as the painted dog slid up beside him, pressing his multi-hued coat against Hannibal's lighter fur. A quick look beside him showed his friend no more worse for the wear after the short walk, and his muzzle tapped the top of Graham's head gently in a familiar and comfortable gesture. The dog replied with a light nip of the underside of Hanni's jaw before settling his curious eyes back upon the white wolf.

Hannibal sat himself down and then settled completely on the ground, indicating that he indeed would be staying here with the pregnant female. "This land is sparse, but there are dangers aplenty. I couldn't leave you here defenseless," he said kindly, before frowning lightly as understanding clicked. She was not entirely helpless, clearly, but she was not in top form either. "Not that you are a sitting duck," he added awkwardly, letting his ears fall slightly to the side as he wondered if he was only being more insulting.

Moving on from the comment, he spoke again as though it had never happened. "How long have you been in Airila, and with Jadir? I've been meaning to get to know my pack mates for some time but training has been more time-consuming than I thought," he said, very little curiosity in his tone. These were questions he knew were okay to ask, and generally expected, but he did not care much about either. It was simply a way to pass the time, which he had learned was something most wolves did without so much trouble. Graham remained standing beside him, still uneasy in the presence of Anima.

Words || 402
Tags || Anima
Notes || n/a

[Anima]

Anima couldn’t help but frown slightly as she felt the dog struggling beneath her. Already, her kind was heavier than his own, but she also had the added weight of her pups making it even harder on him. Trying to make it as easy for him as she could, she leaned against Hannibal, trying to put the majority of her weight on him. Once they were at the back of cave, she waited patiently for Graham to move from beneath her before laying back down. Once she was off of her feet, she was quick to thank them for helping her and smiled with a slight nod as she was told it was really no problem.

The she wolf smiled as the other laid down next to her, showing her that he wouldn’t leave her alone. Though she was unsure of how he would react, she laid her head down beside him, nuzzling into the fur on his side, his warmth being a welcomed feeling after laying in the cold entrance. She couldn’t help but laugh softly as he spoke of the dangers the land had to offer and then quickly tried to make it sound as if he wasn’t trying to offend her. “Easy Hannibal,” she chuckled quietly, “I know what you were trying to say and I appreciate your willingness to look out for me,” she nodded with sincerity.

Her ears perked at his next question though she was quick to respond, “I joined almost two years ago,” she nodded not mentioning the double life she lived during the majority of that time. “As for how long I’ve been with Jadir, we’ve been friends since I joined but it was only maybe a month ago that we became mates,” she told him with a loving smile as she thought of her mate. As she finished talking she looked up at Graham, frowning at his uneasiness. “How did the two of you meet?” she asked with curiosity, hoping he wouldn’t mind the question.

[Hannibal]

Hannibal watched Anima settle and smiled softly, pleased that she felt much better after the short walk. Perhaps getting up and moving around on occasion was good for her? The clueless male knew absolutely nothing about the process of pup-bearing, but he knew that keeping active was helpful in a myriad of situations. Why would that be any different? "It's my job to help all of Airila when they need it. If you were to have help getting up every so often, do you think it would make you stronger despite the pull on you?" he asked curiously, though if she had never been a mother before, she would know just as little as he did.

"I imagine you're glad to have found him, Jadir. He seems to be a good wolf," Hannibal added kindly, meaning it. The wolf made a mental note to seek the male out and speak with him when he returned home, in an effort to know his pack members better. Socially awkward or not, there was no reason for him not to know everything he could about those he was protecting, and serving with. Internally he scolded himself for not doing so sooner; after all, how could he protect them if he hardly knew them?

Anima then asked how he and Graham had met, which made the painted dog wag his short tail behind him, mouth falling open in a bit of a grin. The young creature loved to hear the story, for it was with all his heart that he cared about the wolf who had spared him, allowed him to follow behind him as a kit. Hannibal, too, liked to tell the story, though he left many details out--they simply didn't seem important to him.

"Graham could easily have been my lunch," he joked, nipping the dog on one of his rounded ears before continuing. "He was just a baby, curled up on the path I was taking. I looked at him, stepped over, and kept walking. But he was, apparently, determined to follow me, and so I let him. He stayed behind me for a while, but when I started allowing him to eat my prey he got bolder, and soon he was walking proudly next to me as though he had always belonged there."

Fond eyes turned to the creature he spoke of, and he ran his tongue gently along the top of Graham's muzzle. "He also learned to detect when I am going to have a seizure," he added as an afterthought, despite that being the biggest reason for him to keep the dog around. "He warns me when the signs start to show, and I can find a safe place to, ahh... fall and twitch, essentially. It's something I've dealt with since I was a pup."

Words || 484
Tags || Anima
Notes || Sorry I feel like this one was bad. D:

[Anima]

It was in her time of weakness that the white she wolf felt herself wanting, or needing, her mother more than ever before. Kiva had always been an amazining mother, always there for her pups, always willing to go the extra mile. She knew when, how, and what to teach them and also how to discipline each individual one. Everything always seemed to come so natural to her as a mother, even during the months leading up to and during labor. It was as if it was her calling in life, as if it was the sole purpose she had been put on the earth. The white wolf had always watched her with admiration and wondered if things would be as easy for her. But, now that she was in the state that she was in, she started to doubt herself, wishing she had her mother there to tell her what to do.

“I guess you are right; we all do help one another. But still, I appreciate it,” she nodded meaningfully. Pack duty or not, it was still nice to know their wolves around willing to go out of their way to help one another. When he mentioned her getting up every now and then, she couldn’t help but tilt her head. It was an idea she had not thought of as she had been so reluctant to get up in the first place. But, the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Whenever she or her siblings had been sick or injured her mother would always tell them to ease into things, to slowly work on getting their strength back rather than running out full speed. “I’m not sure, to be honest, but I suppose it might. I don’t think it would do any damage anyways,” she told him with a slight shrug. She would be surprised if she could become any worse off than she already was.

When her mate was mentioned, she couldn’t help but to smile fondly. “Yes, after my past…” she trailed off for a minute with a depressed sigh before shaking her head and continuing, “After my past, it was extremely nice to find someone who I knew would be there for me, would help me through things, and who wouldn’t leave my side.” Even though Jadir himself didn’t know of her past, both of the incident and of her double life, he still helped her without realizing it and that was part of what made her love him as much as she did.

The she wolf listened with interest as the male spoke of his own past, specifically how he came to be companions with the wild dog. It was an interesting for sure, one that showed the kindness Anima had already seen in the male. Few wolves would have left such an easy kill behind, much less let him follow them around and yet, Hannibal had. However, she couldn’t help but to frown as he mentioned having seizures. Though she had never experienced a wolf, or anything for that matter, having one, she could remember her mother briefly telling her what they were in one of her lessons. “You suffer from seizures?” she asked curiously, hoping he didn’t take offense to it, “Is there anything that can be done to help?”

[Hannibal]

Hannibal chose not to respond to her first comment, having reached the end of his desire to keep talking in circles. It was something a lot of wolves did--thanking each other over and over, saying the same words with the same smile plastered on their faces. It was one of the weirdest particulars he had found in Airila, but he could easily sidestep the formalities and move on without anyone caring. After all, he had become known as the awkward wolf who said strange things and left others unsaid, it would be expected of him to move along most likely.

Anima went on to begin talking about her past, a subject that was clearly sore to her--she mentioned it vaguely, then moved on, and Hanni took that to mean she was not going to say much. That, of course, was fine with him; the burly wolf didn't say much of his own past, either, and so he didn't mind at all if others were also unwilling to talk about their past. It didn't matter, not even a bit; what was important was the present, which Hannibal and Graham both made an effort to focus on. As a result, when the storm outside began to subside, both of them were acutely aware of it; while Graham was ready to go and even rose to his feet in preparation, Hanni remained where he was when a question was posed.

"Yes, I've dealt with my seizures since I was young," he said with a small smile, one that might had been a little sad. "As far as I know, there isn't anything to be done about them, but I haven't tried much. They don't hurt me, and so far I've never had one at a truly inopportune time. It's only a matter of time, I suppose, but for now I've chosen not to worry about it." A genuine smile spread across his face then, for he truly was optimistic despite his disability.

A sharp bark from Graham got his attention, and Hannibal turned to look at the painted dog, then the front of the cave where he was pointing with his nose. It appeared as though the storm were nearly over, and with a nod at his companion, Hannibal lifted his dusty-hued coat from the ground, shaking out his pelt before turning back to Anima. "I do believe now would be the best time to get going, if we'd like to make it back to the Shyia before the storm worsens again," he said simply, nodding down at her. "Would you like some help up?"

Words || 454
Tags || Anima
Notes || He doesn't know she isn't going with them, but he won't push it. So if you wanna reply and then I'll do one more, that works for me and we can call it good. (:

[Anima]

Though Anima mentioned her past, she was careful not to give out any details. While the first four years of her life had been amazing and everything she could have ever wished for, everything else up to the present was very far from. It had been harsh, painful, and downright hell. She still didn’t know how she had made it through everything, both physically and mentally. The only thing that kept her going besides the fading hope of someday finding some of her family still alive was that her mother had always said everything happened for a reason. She had never doubted Kiva and she wasn’t about to start.

As the male wolf spoke of his seizures, Anima couldn’t help but whimper softly, almost inaudibly. She couldn’t help but feel bad for him but at the same time, she wondered why he had never made an effort to see if something could help him or not. Even if they didn’t happen during times that would be considered inconvenient, she couldn’t imagine wanting to tolerate him. Surely some herb or combination of plants and food would help him, even if it was just lessening the degree of the seizure. But, she decided not to say anything about it. After all, who was she to tell him what to do. Instead, she simply went with, “I’m sorry you have to go through that, if there’s anything I can ever do, please let me know.”

The bark that came from the dog had her ears pinning in defense before she realized it wasn’t a bark of aggression. As she followed his eyes back to the opening of the cave, she relaxed when she saw that the storm was begging to pass. That meant she could try to go on one last hunt before she had to settle down and depend on her mate. When Hannibal spoke up, Anima’s ears perked before she shook her head. “No thank you,” she shook her head when he offered to help her before going on to explain, “I have decided it is here that I want to give birth. But, I look forward to seeing you again when my pups are old enough to travel back.” With that she gave them a friendly smile before laying her head back on her paws and closing her eyes. A good long nap was in order.