Safe Return [Taurus, Exodus etc]

[mikko]

The journey through the sandstorm had been tough; even for Mikko. Sandstorms were never a good thing, and although she was used tothem, she;d had to walk slower in order to get directions to this 'mine' that Taurus had spoken of. Soon the sandstorm had gotten worse, and Mikko had very nearly forced Taurus to take shelter, but thankfully they had managed to reach the destination needed, and in good time. Because as soon as they did, the storm got even worse, and Mikko knew from experience that no wolf could survive a storm like that.

Looking down at the pup in Taurus' jaw, Mikko couldn't help but think of her own poor dead pups. Although this pup was nothing like them, the innocence in his eyes, and his fresh scent seemed to bring all the memories back. Oh how Mikko missed them, they didn't need to die, maybe leaving her family pack had been a bad thing. Life was so much simpler then. Her life had almost seemed perfect and everything worked out in a good way. But since leaving, everything had gone down hill, and now she was in a strange place, with strange wolves, wondering what on earth was going to happen.

This was not a good day.

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[athaza]

The moment they entered the dens Taurus immediately dropped the pup – as gently as he could – and shook his pelt heavy with sand. The male couldn't restrain himself from coughing while his body demanded air. Throughout their journey his heart had been thumping hard, yet this slight fear hadn't been visible on his face. The day he started showing fear or was just overly nice, would be the day that the wolf had totally lost it. Nonetheless, he had been worried throughout the whole ordeal and would kiss the mines floors if it wouldn't make him look pathetic. As sand sprinkled to the ground, he finally stopped his fit he took a seat and let in a few peaceful breathes. “It's nice to finally be able to breath air instead of sand.” he growled irritably, a frown on his muzzle. Worst of all, when they made the journey here he couldn't exactly breath through his mouth.

Maybe that was a good thing that the pup's scruff got in the way of air. After all, everything around them was in a whirlwind of sand. Being forbidden the temptation to gulp in large gasps of that yellow grain might have been beneficial. Instead his nose had to go through the torture. Sneezing, his nose was cleared of any sand that might have been stuck to his passage. He felt like a sick old man. Coughing, body aching, and sneezing as if he were ill. He didn't want to go back out there. Not even if a potential lone wolf was out there. The white toned wolf knew that it be his death, to be buried alive, if he even dared to leave the mine.

Luckily Mikko had been with him, otherwise the trip would have been impossible. She had very good senses and was surprisingly rather calm. He had his own mask of calm, but deep down he hadn't enjoyed the experience. If he had been alone with the pup he hated to think about how the two of them might have turned out. That would definitely be a ugly sight for Exodus to find after this storm. The wolf would have shivered, but held it back because Mikko was still around. Weakness was not an option for the male. Especially in front of a female and a possible subordinate.

Thinking about Exodus, the male let his amber eyes trail around the mine. “Exodus?” he asked, frowning deeper upon realizing the den was very much deserted. “He must have found other shelter.” Unlike before, Taurus didn't have any worry to hide. The male seemed pretty confident that the large black brute was alright. The beta wouldn't be surprised if the wolf could go through hurricanes, hail storms, and even through the likes of men unharmed. Of course, the big question was if the alpha could go through him unharmed? That little plot would be thought deeper later in time. Taurus knew his motivation for getting these new members, playing nice with the higher up, and getting his way into the high hierarchy. Too bad there were other little problems like missing members, alphess' kidnappings, unsuspected storms, and the ruling of lands to deal with. When the dust settled, he would make his move.

Turning his attention back on the pup and Mikko he got up and walked towards them. Tilting his head he asked with some concern, “Are you two alright?” The concern on his face wasn't false, like it usually was. Even though the male hated to say it, he was somewhat in Mikko's debt for the next few weeks. Or at least, until he repayed her. The idea bothered him a bit, but he had his morals to stand by. He believed in an eye-for-an-eye. At the same time, he believed if you scratched his back, he would scratch yours. “That was one hell of a trip.”

[mikko]

As Taurus placed the pup down, Mikko felt a sense of peace. They'd made it, and they were all alive. But she was worried for Taurus, he wouldn't have been able to breath properly during their journey here, and he didn't have mch protection against such storms. The pup was probably ill too, after all, he'd never come across a sand storm. Mikko was okay as far as her skills went, but it was still dangerous even for her to travel in sand storms, and even she'd gotten affected.

Watching as Taurus coughed, Mikko felt a sharp tickle in her throat, she needed to cough as well, but she wouldn't allow herself to. She was a desert wolf, she couldn't show that she was effected by the storm aswell. What would she look like if she did? She wouldn't let herself appear weak of foolish. But her body was screaming for it, so much that her body was shaking. Finally, she began coughing, trying to regain the air that she'd lost. It tortured her inside, but if she didn't cough, she would have done a lot more harm to herself.

"Your lucky that sand storms aren't regular here. Where I come from we had it at least twice a month." Mikko had grown up with sand storms, to her it was natural. But she'd always been taught to find shelter as quickly as possible, and that when she did she'd have to wait for the storm to die. But tere had been a few times, like this, when she'd ad to face the storm. And she truelly wished she hadn't. She might have appeared brave and wise in doing so, but she had been worried the whole time. But she'd had to stay calm and brave, if she'd been worried, then that would have affected those she was helping, and Mikko would never do that.

Sniffing the den whe was in, Mikko couldn't help but snort. It was a strange smell, there was a tiny hint of a human scent, but it was mostly dominated by scents of other wolves. But thi so called 'mine' was worrying her. She didn't want to have anything to do with humans, they only brought pain and destruction, all animals knew that. So why had Taurus sent them here? It appeared to be part of the pack lands... but why associate with humans? Surely it held too much danger, what if the humans returned? What would Taurus and this 'Exodus' he spoke of do?

Lying on the ground, Mikko closed her eyes and beathed heavily, she'd gotten quite a bit of sand in her body, and she knew that she'd probably feel ill and tired for a few days, but at least she had somewhere to rest, and the kindness of other wolves. Most wolves laughed at her appearance, but Taurus hadn't, and she was very warmed by that feeling; the feeling of acceptance.

As Taurus addressed her and the pup, Mikko opened one eye and looked at Taurus. Again he was showing such kindness towards her. It was a wonderful feeling, and Mikko couldn't help but smile. "I'm fine Taurus, but how about you? Are you alright?"

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[abyss]

The black fae, her maw filled with four medium-sized glimmering trout, weaseled her way into the mines, slipping along the tunnels lined with aged lanterns and wooden beams with ease. With her stomach filled, she was much more agreeable and less on edge. Her auds strained to pick up voices from within her cavernous home, and she traced them further down until the two wolves came into view.

Spying the two sandy wolves almost made Abyss giggle, but she restrained herself. She dropped the food nearby, gesturing to it lightly and offering, "If you guys would like some fish, I brought a few for the pack." She did not recognize what kind of wolf this new, strange female was; how could someone that smelled somewhat like her species differ so much? She had to admit, though, the stripes along the femme's back were pretty cool. "Hi, I'm Abyss," she introduced herself to the new femme with as much of a smile as anyone in the pack had ever seen. She was new to this whole family thing, so mustering up such a friendly greeting was somewhat of a task for her. She allowed her body language to relax, feeling semi-comfortable in the company of her peers. It would be some time until she was fully comfortable around others, but this was such a step forward for her.

"Where are Exodus and the others?" she inquired of Taurus. She knew the brute was highly respected by the alpha, so she was fairly confident if anyone knew the answer, it would be him. She had been dazed for a while, and the sudden content from a full stomach had brought her full circle. It had been such a long time since she had been allowed to eat her fill, and definitely a strange situation to be... happy.

[athaza]

Sands storms regularly? That sounded like a hastle. He'd move himself if there was constant danger around his home. Definitely not a place to raise pups, and more importantly a pack. It was like keeping your pack around human territory, with constant knowledge that they roamed around killing your kin. Too risky, at least in Taurus's opinion. “Well at least life never gets boring,” he joked, hoping a little humor would lighten the life threatening mood they had just been through. After those words he tried to hold back a frown. Odd. He wasn't used to be... well at least attempting to be funny. These wolves were beginning to rub off on him. If he wanted to achieve anything he had to remain unattached to them as that could be his greatest weakness.

While she asked if he was alright he nodded, letting his dark eyes move around the cave. He senses were picking up another person in the area, but he had yet identified it. The males hairs rose at first, before recognizing the scent and beginning to relax. What would he have done anyway if it was a foe? They were both trapped in a cave, it wasn't like he'd be able to chase the attacker out nor defeat him easily with Mikko and the pup still here. Head tilted as he watched the female, a little surprised how she was acting. From his prior knowledge of her body language – as Taurus was always anaylzing the other wolves – she had bee quite passive. It appeared liked she was gaining a little more confidence and definitely was being helpful. He gently smiled back looking straight at her as he asnwered. “Truthfully, I don't know. I thought he'd be in the cave, but I guess he found other shelter. When the storm dies down a little more I'll scout out for him.”

He could have always lied and appeared more in control, but he was sure Abyss would have been smart enough to see through that simple charade. It wasn't a big deal that the Alpha was missing. The other subordinate had seen the male and knew he couldn't be taken down easily by a bunch of speckles. Attention then went towards the food, nodding his head towards Mikko to go ahead. The meal only reminded him of the incident in the forest, making his muscles tense. That had been a very humilating event. His body wasn't fully satisfied by the weasel the she-wolf had kindly brought him, but he wouldn't want to go through another blood-lust fit. Instead he'd wait. That's always what Taurus seemed to be doing: playing the waiting game.

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[abyss]

Abyss noticed the tenseness in the beta brute's body as she approached. It was obvious that he wasn't expecting any other wolves to appear while such a storm was in process, but she needed shelter just like any other wolf. She nodded slowly as he explained that Exodus was not here. In fact, he did not know where the alpha was. This did not surprise Abyss; after all, Exodus had seemed a very aloof and "do it my own way" type wolf, not one that would plan out everything he would do. She would expect this sort of behavior from him.

The brute mentioned searching for the alpha after the storm died down, and she absentmindedly nodded her head. She was rather distracted; nothing quite came to mind, and it was the pure emptiness that seemed to puzzle her the most. Taurus was a strange brute. The good kind of strange, but strange nonetheless. These wolves were teaching Abby something different about life. She had never known anything differently than the horror that brutes reaped, and now she was living side by side with them.... In a family. A smile, something that was not common for the lost femme, crossed her maw, a twinkle of hope in her brown orbs. Perhaps she was not a lost cause after all. She had been able to adapt a little bit. Heck, she had caught enough fish to feed herself and brought some extras back as well! The security, if nothing else, was bringing out a side of the femme never seen before.

Although she was of age, Abyss still had much to learn. The basic fundamentals for pack life, which she was learning step by step through the dealings within Salen, as well as hunting large game and especially her social skills. Just talking with these wolves was a stretch for the femme, but she would try her best to make conversation, stepping further and further out of her comfort zone.

"So, I haven't really had a chance to talk with anyone from the pack," she started slowly, looking at Taurus with an obvious shyness in her voice. "Were you born here? Or were you brought here by the sea, like so many others seem to have come from?" It was a legitimate question. She, although very reserved, wished so much to know of what was out across the great waters. She had never gotten the chance to see for herself, having been born and raised by the humans at a young age here on Anikira. Was there really more out there than what she had known all her life?

[athaza]

The smile that had balanced on his maw shattered when Abyss asked what would seem to be a simple question. His past wasn't a great source of small talk. Some had stories of good times with brothers and sisters, periods where they made their father's proud, or childhood romances that still made them blush. Taurus had none of those. He had no sisters, his father was dead a year after his birth, and no female had ever dared to touch him. He had been the omega of his pack after the death of his father and had been more abused than loved. Head swayed to the side looking at the cavern walls as small glimpses of his past colored his vision. Blood, fire, and dead bodies. He could still smell the ash and his legs began to ache where they were scarred by bites of other wolves.

Thoughts like his past caused his fur to stand up, knowing that's where he learned the truth. You couldn't trust anyone. The only one that guaranteed not to betray you was yourself. Taking a deep breath he focused back on Abyss, knowing he had to answer. He wouldn't tell her the truth because the truth was too morbid. He'd only tell her what she wanted to hear. “No, I was born on these lands. It's unfortunate that I've never had the chance to see the lands beyond the sea.” he said with a crooked smile and shrug, to illustrate how much he would have loved to experience the lands outside Anikira but surely never would. “My pack lived deep within Anikira, where we hoped to be less disturbed. Were you born here?”

Taking the focus off himself would be preferred. He knew his statement could cause a row more of questions. Where was his pack? Why wasn't he with them? That type of interrogation he could only await for Exodus to ask. The male had quickly pushed him up in the ranks, but he was sure the male would like to know more about it. After all, they needed to work together. Taurus himself would like to know more about the closed-up male to figure out how his mind worked. Was he a defender? Was he a fighter? Would he begin a battle that might demand a few casualties? Something told him, under that dark menacing persona, the big wolf was a teddy bear. He would prefer the life of his members rather than their death. Taurus predicted, as he usually did, that the male wouldn't stand sacrifices.

Talking about battle... what happened with that emergency call before? He hadn't heard anymore noise from the Zahir pack since their plea to help them save there Alphess. This caused Taurus to frown again in thought. “Abyss have you heard anymore howls from outside the lands? The storm is distracting, but I feel like it's hiding how quiet the lands have been. It sort of... disturbing.” He had a problem picking the last word in his comment, but he did find something that seemed suitable. Disturbing. It definitely made him nervous that there wasn't joyful barks and howls that they had successfully saved their Alpha and killed the criminal. He needed to talk to Exodus, soon. This issue could deeply affect the Salen if they weren't careful about their next few moves over the weeks. Their pack, weak from losing members and this storm, didn't need a battle right now while they cleaned their wounds.

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[abyss]

Listening silently, Abyss nodded gently with the brute's words. So he was born here as well. It seemed strange to the femme that she had never run into him in the past, but it was a big continent. There were likely many wolves she had never met, so she wasn't too concerned about that fact. "I was born here," she affirmed, "up in Kamari, to be exact." She did not plan to elaborate on her history, as she had the feeling that most wolves here would know what that meant. Laboratory. Testing. The horrors of the human world. It had taken some time before she was even comfortable mentioning the name of the place, and hardly any force on this planet could convince her to go back there, humans or not.

She could tell that he had meant for that statement to avert her attention. She would not press the matter with him as long as he left her alone about her past. It had always troubled her, and bringing it up when she had finally begun to open up to others would be a catastrophe.

As Taurus continued to talk about the howls that had come from the Zahir wolves, Abyss's ears pricked suddenly. "You know, you're right," she realized slowly. What had happened to those wolves? It had been quite some time since that howl... As far as she knew, none of the Salen wolves had gone to help them. Hopefully, the wolves from some of the lands' other packs had assisted them. But there was the nagging feeling that something was wrong. She would find out soon.

"Taurus, I'm heading out. I'll be back in a while, and I'll be careful," she explained with the slightest hint of a smile. She wished to explore a bit while she still had some strength from the food within her. She had ventured most of the area, but some of the far southern lands remained untouched by her wandering brown orbs. With this thought in mind, the femme snaked her way back out from the dens and headed off towards I'queyer to venture the lands of the loners.

[silver]

Gruffly, Exodus huffed and sopped to lay down for a moment. Crise was not heavy, but after hauling her around for a good while, the weight of gravity combined into the mix could get even the strongest of brute a good run for his money. A small puddle lay beside his form and Exodus greedily drank up its murky, sandy water without care for the taste or texture. After a short rest, the alpha resumed his stance upon his four paws and started forward once again. Only twice before had he bothered to stop. Once was to readjust Crise who seemed to have begun to slip off his back. A slight and cooled breeze tugged at the two wolves fur. Pausing to take in the coolness, Exodus now stood upon a lower ledge of the cliffs. Looking out of his land, his silver orbs held a sense of pride. Though he was not the best of Alphas, nor did he have a very large pack yet, he couldn’t help but to feel lucky that he found such a good place to live. Though I imagine better dens would be better. These, as far as I can see, are a bit unsafe. I should explore them better when I have the chance. If I ever get the chance at this rate. If it’s not unfinished hunting plans, it’s fainting femmes. A rough sigh left the lips of the black brute before he replaced the straight face with a small smile and continued on his way once more.

Slipping on a pit of sand, Exodus almost toppled over losing his fragile cargo. Snarling, he pulled back and righted himself and glared at the ground before him. The affect of the sand storm from earlier had not yet given up its grips on the land. Sighing and readjusting Crise for the third time, Exodus trekked on. Soon, he found the certain hole he was looking for. Peering inside, he heard the voices of a couple and could smell scents both known and unknown. Abyss’ scent stood out most as she had come and went. Did she leave as well or was she only going out for a moment?

“I’m back, everyone.” Exodus said, his deep voice echoing down the many tunnels of the mine. “I apologize for not being here at your return; however, I had other matters to take care of.” Stepping in, the dark brute found a comfortable spot to lay Crise and gingerly did so. Relieved of the weight, he flexed his muscles and stretched. “I shall return in a moment. Crise,” Exodus gestured to the femme with his massive head, “and I went hunting, but she was knocked out. Don’t bother coming to offer a paw. The deer’s small enough for one to drag.”

With that said, Exodus left once more to retrieve the meat he had left behind.

---

Stepping through the entrance way once more, Exodus unburdened his back. “Feel free to eat.” He mentioned and stretched such as he did when Crise was finally off his back. Laying down for a moment, the black brute eyed who all was here and who was not. As his orbs lay upon Taurus, the brute gave a nod. “Hello, Taurus. I see you brought back a friend.” Rising to his paws once more, Exodus padded closer to Mikko and gave a nod with his massive head. “Welcome. My name is Exodus, as I hope you’ve heard from this brute here.” Gesturing back to Taurus, the alpha gave him a small playful smirk. The brute had been ‘working’ since meeting Crise. When was there going to be a bit of play time.

For the first time, Exodus realized the small pup that was here as well. Blinking, he tilted his head. Licking his lips, he turned back to Mikko. “Were you interested in joining the pack?” Sitting back and hoping he didn’t seem rude, Exodus vigorously attacked a flea that had bitten his neck. Turning back to the pup, he asked the same thing, if he would like to join the pack. While the idea of having a pup in the pack was a bit uncomfortable for Exodus to think about, he knew it would be a nice and joy filled thing. Pups were happy-go-lucky fur balls. A blessing he had never been able to have.

“I trust all has gone well? Oh, Taurus, did Abyss leave for got or did she only go out to stretch her legs?” The black one asked the white. Falling silent, Exodus padded over to Crise and checked to see if she were awake yet while still keeping his ears open for the words of the others.

[crise]

Darkness. Darkness clouded everything. It consumed her vision. It stuffed her ears. It congested her nose. She tasted nothing in the shallow breaths she took, breaths barely deep enough to keep her alive. And, her body did not register the constant shifting of her form. The darkness controlled her. It striped her of her senses, threatened her life, and left her in the care of an alpha whose land she'd tresspassed on. And yet, the Mexican femora had welcomed the darkness with pleasure. She had wanted to forget. She had wanted to let herself get lost in the empty void of unconsciousness. She had needed the escape her dissabilities often unintentionally provided.

Crise had no way of registering what was happening to her body. She didn't feel her jaw loosen as she finally released her grip on the deer. She didn't feel her weight picked up and shuffled about as Exodus settled her on his back. She did not notice the several falls she'd taken as the black brute lost his hold on her, falls that may or may not leave her bruised as time progressed. She didn't feel the thud as her body hit the ground one final time, being laid to rest safely in a pack's den until she awoke from her silent nightmare. She did not have access to the various scents of the wolves lurking within the mine, and she could not register a single one of the voices that buzzed around her. The funny thing was, once she woke up and her senses were asulted with all the new sights, sounds, and smells, she would be just as in the dark as she was at that moment. That little hunting stunt she'd pulled had worked like a charm. Her memory was whiped blank, a clean slate.

Voices continued to buzz around her as conversations were held. Crise took no notice. The darkness wasn't quite ready to let her go yet. It held onto her mind like the hand of death, refusing to let her out of the deep slumber. Her sides rose and fell with shallow, even breaths. That was truely the only indication that she was all right. It was unknown how long she would be unconscious. It could be possibly only a few minutes longer. Or, it could be days before she woke up again. Hopefully she wouldn't worry the pack she'd intruded upon too much. Maybe when she finally did wake up she would remember to apologize. Of course, the chances of that happening were slim. Crise had successfully erased her memory. Exodus and his pack would be in for a real treat when she finally awoke and couldn't remember her own name. For now, however, the darkness continued to consume her.

[mikko]

As another wolf joined them, Mikko eyes the fish with hungrey eyes. Fish wasn't something she really enjoyed eating, but she was hungry and low on energy. She would eat disgusting bitter berries at a time like this. Sniffing the food she felt her stomach growl and she smiled with embarassment. "Thank you" Taking a fish, she took it to one side and began to rip it apart, satisfying her hunger, even if it was only a small catch.

As the stranger introduced herself, Mikko looked up from her devoured fish and her tail wagged ever so slightly. "Pleasure to meet you Abyss. I'm Mikko" Looking down and the fish, she suddenly felt repulsed, she really diliked fish, and it was only now that she remembered how much. So although it was rude, Mikko pushed the fish to one side with her nose and got up. Her parents ahd always tried to make her eat more fish, but the taste just didn't satisfy her. Maybe it was because she was a desert wolf, and such prey was rare.

Laughing at Taurus' statement, Mikko nodded and a small sigh escaped her lips. She could picture it now in her mind's eye. Her and her brother Misi, side by side, watching the sand rush passed them as they huddled up to their parents. It had always been exciting, but also frightening, you never really knew what was going to happen. "Fuma" Whining quietly, Mikko remembered one of the pack members, they had all been caught in a sand storm, and unfortunatly Fuma hadn't made it to safety in time.

The mention of the wolf Exodus brought Mikko out of her memories. She was now very eager to meet this wolf. He sounded rather nice, and everyone seemed to be worried about him. Mikko knew already that he was the Alpha, but she felt proud to be within a pack that seemed to respect their Alpha so much. And although Mikko wasn't enterily sure, she was considering staying, who cared about finding the desert lands of Anikira? She felt at home here.

"I was born far from Anikira lands." Mikko said almost a little proudly. "Though not brought across water, I did travel many miles through mountains and deserts to come here." Mikko had been born in the southern lands, and dangerous paths of mountains seperated the two lands. "I was born in desert lands, but our pack borders stretched out to a small forest area." Mikko didn't bother to elaborate anymore, the Anikira wolves probably didn't care about her home land, they seemed to be busy with talk of other packs.

When Abyss announced she was leaving, Mikko turned to stop her, but it was too late, the foolish wolf had already gone. A great sense of sadness filld Mikko, and the memories of Fuma came flooding back. "She is a fool" She whispered quietly. "She has no idea of the dangers she's put herself in." Padding to the side of the mine, Mikko looked at the young pup and sighed. She wondered where his mother was, such a young pup shouldn't have been on his own. She was tempted to go over and see if he was okay, but she knew that making such a connection would only bring her pain. This was not her pup, and he couldn't replace them either.

A scent then caught Mikko's nose, and a deep voice seemed to echo through the mines. Turning her head, she saw a black wolf with a very strange but unique marking on his head. But she wasn't going to say anything about it, wolves found her markings strange, it would not be fair to see this wolf as others saw her. Looking at the other wolf, Mikko wondered what had happened. And she felt the need to do something to help, she'd learned a thing or two about medicines, but she wasn't overly experienced, she was in fact, still learning. Going up to the wolf, she sniffed her and nudged her with her nose gently. I wonder what happened.

As the wolf returned once more, Mikko looked at the venison carcus and nervously stepped towards it. Although she had been given permission to eat it, she knew that she wasn't part of the pack, and that taking the first bite would be rude. But it seemed no one else was going yet, and Mikko was too hungry to wait. The fish had hardly done anything, and it was like poison to her body, she needed something good to take away the taste and to feed her rumbling belly.

As she tore into the carcuss, the blood dripped down her maw and she was suddenly gripped with a lust to devour the carcus to bits, but she held herself back. She didn't wish to show her ugly side, although it was a natural thing, Mikko didn't want anyone to think her strange. After all, she looked so gentle, she didn't want anyone to see her as some sort of monster. As the wolf adressed her, Mikko realised that this wolf was probably 'Exodus'. Who else would be inviting her to join the pack? "I am not sure yet sir." Mikko replied, tearing herself away from her meal. "I have come a long way, and I am unsure where to call my home."

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[ooc: OMG 936 words!]

[athaza]

Brown eyes narrowed once seeing Abyss leave, but he didn't make a move to object. She was too far on her way and he couldn't think of a good enough excuse for her not to go. Their was food now for the group, the sand storm was dying down, and their was no Alpha present to command them. Hearing Mikko's comment he frowned further, agreeing with her. It wasn't wise to travel alone, especially after speaking about the rogues running wild all over the place. He was about to his turn his attention on to his own thoughts when another thing the she-wolf said caught his interest. Fuma? He had to keep that name in mind. It appeared to make the she-wolf weak, depressed. If he needed an advantage later, this name could be his key to pulling at a few heart strings.

When the Alpha made his entrance, he lowered his head in greeting and respect. His eyes became perplexed only for a second when he noticed the female on Exodus' back. Well, he should be used to surprises by now. It wasn't like since he came to these lands that everything exactly moved routinely. Volcano eruptions, murderers, sand storms. The white male could adjust to everything, but it wasn't like he saw this day-to-day in his last pack. When Exodus made his quick exit, Taurus turned his attention to the female. Taking a few steps towards the female he took in a small sniff, wondering if she was alright. They had lost all the potential shaman after this incident with Athabasca. Hopefully this female could pull through on her own.

The smell of blood is what alerted Taurus of the black brute's return. He blocked out the scent almost immediately and tried to divert his eyes from the carcass. Unlike Mikko, he had lost his control long ago. Since having to... well let's just say make unfortunate sacrifices, he never could take hold of his blood lust. That also reminded the male what this unique looking she-wolf had witnessed in the forest. If she spilled that to Exodus he wouldn't be surprised if the higher male demoted him. Who could trust a uncontrollable animal? He managed to let a smile return on his face when the Alpha smirked at him, letting those memories fade.

While the black one greeted Mikko, he sat down and patiently watching the two. Even though he'd love a break, he doubted he'd have the chance anytime soon. Too much to do and so little time. “I'm not positive, sir. She just said she was 'heading out'. I'm sure she just needs a little breather from the sandstorm.” he said with a small shrug. He knew that he was suppose to have a better idea on where the pack wolves were. They couldn't all just trot off and do as they pleased. Then the pack would be more like a group of loners, wouldn't it? Not long after he added, somewhat wanting to focus on something more important, “Exodus, may I speak to you in private?” He would have simply stated 'we have a problem', but he didn't want the others to worry. Their was an injured female, a newcomer to Anikira, and a pup. They had enough on their plate right now.

[silver]

Silently, the moments ticked by as Exodus watched the odd furred female before him rip into the deer meat. Taking a moment for himself to stretch and yawn, Exodus licked his dark muzzle and looked around the mine. Getting to his paws and sniffing around while peering into the darkness of the tunnels, the brute wondered what was down them. “I really ought to check them out. There could be something dangerous down there and I don’t even know it.” He grunted and shook out his pelt. A load of dust and sand flew up into the air and settled around the dark wolf. Trotting over to the unconscious female, Exodus stared down at her for the longest moment. His silver optics took in her form and he mentally assessed what problems she may have. He was by no means a shaman, but he could tell what a bruise and gashes were. To his knowledge, there was nothing serious. Maybe a scrape here from a thorn he passed while carrying her or a bruise there from where she had slid of his black lined back.

"I am not sure yet sir. I have come a long way, and I am unsure where to call my home."

[/b]

Looking up and turning to the Thylacine female, Exodus focused his sometimes unsettling gaze upon her once more. “Ah. I know the feeling.” He murmured hoping to ‘get down on her level’. Like many of the inhabitants of Anikira, they had all had time to themselves when they simply wondered the land looking for a new home. Their emotions differ from canine to canine. Some were confident, others scared, shy, worried. So many emotions could pass through one’s mine at the mere thought of one, simple subject. “Well, until you’re well rested, feel free to stay here. Perhaps seeing how we work together here in this slightly disheveled pack will help make up your mind. You could always go and look at the other lands. I find it’s always best to know all your choices before deciding.”

By calling the pack disheveled, Exodus did not think down upon the members. It was more of a remind to himself that he needed to work harder to get things organized and set right. It was hard to get things set at the moment, it seemed. Things in the world were happening too fast or too slow or not even at all. Chaos seemed to be wreaking havoc on the land of Anikira in these present times. Time would help to smooth out the wrinkles of the pack, but everyone would have to bear with one another and how things currently stood if they expected to make it through these times.

“Ah, your name, if you will, femme?” Inquired the marked alpha with a soft look.

Turning to hear the short report from the white brute, Exodus looked down at the ground to a moment in thought. “Yes, I imagine it wasn’t nice being cooped up in these mines while the sandstorm blew through. Ah, Taurus, I would like to thank you for what you’ve done thus far. I believe I made the right choice when I promoted you.” These lyrics to Taurus had been said in a quieter, hushed voice.

Hearing that the other needed to speak to him in private, Exodus blinked and nodded. “Yes, follow me. Excuse us, femme.” He said gently as he padded down one of the dark tunnels. After he deemed the distance far enough, the black wolf turned and sat with his fluff of a tail covering his large paws. “Yes, Taurus? What is this matter that is so important that it must be only passed between ourselves?” Would this soon to come news bring even more chaos in the lives of these wolves. Ah, that could be the only explanation. So what is it this time?

(Right, is that pup still here anymore? If not... there's not really a point to mention it anymore. XD)[/blockquote]

[athaza]

Following the other male deeper into the mines, a frown formed at how Exodus seemed so oblivious. That wouldn't do. Or maybe it was wrong for him to assume that the male didn't know anything about the recent events. Exodus had been running around for awhile, who knows if he had heard and just forgot. There was always the chance that he thought whatever was happening wouldn't affect the Salen. If that was it then Taurus and him didn't share the same views. “Sir, I haven't heard anything since the last distress call from the Zahir. It worries me that there hasn't been any celebration of their victory nor that these rogues have been killed.” The frown was still plastered on the male's serious expression. “I didn't want to worry the newcomers, but I think we have a big problem. If some wolves have managed to harm the Zahir, then it's only a matter of time before they affect us.”

It was unsettling, more so that Exodus was unaware. Glancing down the tunnel to where the other wolves resided, he felt the need to tell the Alpha to collect his little members. If these wanderers took down a whole pack, then the Salen would have a major problem. “I don't think we should do anything drastic, at the moment, but I think it would be important for someone to go to the desert lands to confirm my thoughts.” he began, returning his gaze back to the other male, “Then go to the other alphas lands to see how he's doing. If there turns out to be a threat, I believe it's important to make sure we're on good grounds with the male in case... well, we need help.”

He hated making it sound like the Salen was weak, but it would be foolish to not take precautions. Their pack consisted of him, Exodus, Abyss, and maybe the fallen female and Mikko. They were tough, yet if these wolves were cold-blooded killers... they might need back up. Having a form of alliance would be extremely helpful. Whoever this scout that ran off was, he or she should probably also check out Kamari, as there had been more noise than usual recently. “If you like, Exodus, I could do it personally.” He'd volunteer, almost a little nervous that any other wolf would screw it up if they had the job. Taurus had a certain format and an idea that he didn't want to be shattered by a Salen member that said the wrong words and got on an Alphas bad side. Plus, he had Beta status. He wouldn't be immediately chased away or torn apart.

With that said, this would also give the white male a chance to see the other competition on Anikira. Yes, the wolf was always plotting. The Salen's welfare was his priority – as much as it digusted him for caring so much – but the little side note of his own personal gain was a nice touch. Standing up straight and alert, he waited eagerly for the other male's input.

(( lol. Yeah, I guess you could ignore the pup now. ))

[crise]

Darkness clogged every sense of the Mexican female. It clouded her vision, plugged up her hearing, deterred her sence of smell, left her mouth without words or taste, and disoriented her body to the point that she knew not what type of terrain she lay in. Her mind was a blank slate, utterly void of all thought, memory, and dream. The form of the multiled hued Crise that lay limply within the Salen dens, chest rising and falling with shallow breaths, was completely empty on the inside. She had no sense of location, no sense of those around her, and definately no sense of self.

It seemed like her soul swam forever in the inky black void, failing to find any light. She knew there was a beacon of hope hidden someplace within the shadows, waiting to lure her back into the land of the living. It just didn't want to be found right away. Or maybe Crise didn't want to find it just yet. For once she had willingly thrown herself into the darkness, something rare. Usually her blackouts were accidental and unintentional. This time she had purposely sought out an escape.

Eventually the light did begin to permeat her dulled senses. The distant sound of voices poked at her ears and her eyes stung as her lids fluttered open and closed, struggling to adjust to the light. A quiet moan rumbled from her throat as her paws scraped at the ground, trying to force herself into a standing position. It took a few minutes, but finally Crise managed to adjust and pull herself into a sloppy sitting position. Her eyes wandered around the dimly lit cave, taking in the odd looking female before her and the two brutes conversing quietly in the distance.

"Where am I?" she mumbled, racking her brain for any clue. The only things she was really aware of were that she was in a very unfamiliar place surrounded by strangers and that her head ached slightly. The harder she tried to think the worse teh headache became, so after several seconds she gave up. As it had been in the darkness, Crise's mind was still a blank slate. She knew nothing about herself, not even able to recall her own name.

Tilting her head to one side, it suddenly clicked that she wasn't alone in what appeared to be an old mine. There were at least three others present. Maybe one of them could grant her the information she seeked. A joyous smile decorated her maw at that revelation and her tail wagged slightly with excitement. Quickly she got to her feet, nearly falling over in the process for moving so fast. She was still a bit groggy and thus her coordination was off. As soon as she stabled herself she gave her pelt a quick shake, trying to not only dislodge any debris that may have been stuck in her feather soft coat but also trying to shake away the remaining weariness that stung all the way to her bones.

When she was finally satisfied, Crise took a few cautious steps to make sure she could walk without fail. She forgot she was in the presence of others as she slowly began to rediscover certain traits she posessed. It wasn't long before she was trotting in a tight circle, eyes trained on her tail as she attempted to catch it in her mouth. She was inches away from success when she tripped over her own paws and fell, giggling, to the hard ground. She lay there laughing for several long seconds before she finally reregistered that there were others presence. With a sheepish smile on her face she pushed herself back into a sitting position. Her head tilted curiously to one side as she eyed the stripped femme several feet away from her. "Hiya!"