Assault Plan [Main Room]

[zethrox]

The alpha brute, his body tired from wandering all across the territory, finally spied the crevice. He grinned childishly, darting a handful yards in a half dozen stretches before slipping down the stone, grateful for some shelter from the heat. The cloud cover helped some, but he still wished to escape the warmth of the sun. Zethrox sighed happily, pleased that he could have even a few moments of peace before the remainder of the pack, plus Coeus, the newest addition, joined him. It was strange that none of the wolves had headed here yet as he had asked, but right now he would not ask questions.

Zethrox curled his tail around his paws, laying down to wait patiently. They would need to discuss strategy before they pressed forward with any of their plans. It would also be a good opportunity to assign some of his charges with ranks; that way, they would all feel worthwhile. That, and he needed them for particular positions. Without organization, there is no such thing as sanity, he thought with a smile, his ears twitching delicately with the slight breeze through the crevice. It was pleasing here; even the faint trickles of water from deep in the tunnels was calming. Maybe he would take time to explore later, but for now there was work to be done. I'll have to send someone to each of the packs. Perhaps Apollo can head to Zahir, as he is more suited to the climate there than the rest of the pack. I can visit Salen, as it is the closest to our territory, and I believe Dewet can take Aldgar. That way, we won't all be all over the continent. With Zhen, Coeus, Koli, and Krever remaining here, the territory will not be left unprotected. The arrangement made sense, and if the wolves he had selected did not wish to go, there were others that would be just as willing to step up to the opportunity. I bet most of them have not seen much of the continent, he thought; the only reason he had seen much outside of Kamari was because of his younger days. With nothing else to do but wander, he had familiarized himself with the lands before they had all been claimed. After all, the rogue band had decimated the previous packs that reigned Acerbus, the Occasus, and the Oriens, and at the time, Kamari had not been inhabitable. It seemed as if history would make a full circle if they were not careful.

The moments of calm that Zethrox was allowed had brought him more wisdom and foresight. There would be a lot for them to accomplish in a short amount of time, but the alpha brute was assured that everything would work out in the end. Fate did not bring me here for no reason. If things were not meant to be, then I would not have made it this far. Everything in the brute's life had led to his destruction, yet he lived on. If it were not fate, then what else could it be?

Planning is key. Perhaps the others will have some sort of strategy for our assault. Zethrox had not thought far enough ahead to reach this stage. They would need to tear the knaves apart; if they were not all killed, they would at least need to remove their leader. Ardemu was the prime target; without him, Zethrox figured the remainder of his minions would be quite confused. The brute had never seemed like one to encourage competition. Most of his followers would be half-wits that he had collected along the way, built for strength but lacking in the common sense. There was much for them to learn before they could correctly assess the situation, but how would they gather the knowledge?

[requiem]

ooc: because i don't feel like forcing you into yet another extra thread. ;p

Come morning light, Requiem had awoken upon Ina'mos Island alone. Eudoxia had taken flight, probably still unnerved by the last day's events, and had left the poor brute disheveled and confused. Not wishing to remain utterly alone on the small island off Anikira's coast and hoping that maybe he would once again cross paths with his only friend, the brute had dared to venture back into the salty waters. The swim from the Ina'mos had been relatively easy, the sea calm and forgiving after the horrors of the other night. His journey had been made in silence.

Pausing only in the free lands to hunt, the large Arctic brute had satisfied his stomach with a young fawn. He'd then continued to wander, not paying much heed to where he pawsteps were talking him. So long as he was on his own, he would be alright. There was really only one wolf whose company he enjoyed, and she was nowhere to be found. As such, his subconscious had decided on its own that it was a good idea for Req to revisit his past.

He felt more than saw the territory he'd wandered into and as his lone eye took the time to actually observe the details, Requiem couldn't supress the shudder than ran down his spine. His frame paced along the the thin border line that seperated Kamari from I'queyer, the metal of his right leg unintentionally crushing new plant life. Boryz had changed drastically since the last time he'd been there. Like him, the land had begun to heal.

Hesitating a moment, Requiem debated trekking further into the land. The humans had done so much damage here, to both the lands and his kind. Was it worth the pain of old memories to see how Nature had retaken its revenge? Probably not, for at that moment the wind picked up and changed its course. With it came the fresh scent of others, canine like himself and yet so very different. The great white beast was a loner, only recently allowing himself to open up to the company of others. The scents he'd caught were those of a pack, a family, a collection of others who called this land home. Another shiver than down his spine, though this one was more from fear than remembrance.

What should he do? Should he run? Should he hide? What if they found him and called him tresspasser? Was he even really a tresspasser? Requiem still stood at the border, frozen in place as he stared down the lands that had delt him both death and rebirth. On one hand, he was quite curious to what had become of the humans' dwellings. On the other, he was unsure if he would be able to confront an entire pack. There was a good chance these wolves were not friendly, especially if they made their home in such a wretched land.

Taking a deep breath, the brute finally decided on a course of action. There was a first time for everything. It was now or never that he face his demons. Eudoxia had showed him that not all wolves were horrible. It was time to put that theory to the test. If worst came to worst he could always run. For the imposing figure, fighting was never an option. Tilting his head back, he let out a long, wavering cry that did not conceal all of his fear. "Forgive my intrusion. When last I was in these lands they were uninhabitable still. I wish only to pass through and see how much they have healed. I seek no trouble." And with that, he stood silently and waited for any sort of response. Hopefully it would be a favorable one, for he was unsure he could handle anything but.

[koli]

It hadn't taken Koli long to lead the remainder of the pack to the Crevice, though he had been gone from his.. no, Zethrox's lands for a while when he'd searched for Athabasca, the layout of Kamari was still fresh in his mind, he didn't think it would ever leave him memory, not unless some unfortunate accident were to happen to him which would remove all his memories. For a while, he wondered what that would be like, to forget everything. It seemed rather appealing to the wolf, almost as if that would be a better way of freeing himself from his cage then death would. That way he could start afresh and wouldn't have to worry about all the things he'd done, and the pain he felt. He could be free and no longer be plagued by shadows. But would such a life really be good? Would having his memories fade away truely benefit him? Or would it only curse him more then he was already cursed?

Growling, Koli reached the Crevice and turned to the other pack members. "I'm not Zethrox, so I can't order you about, however, I do advise you not to go too deeply into the Crevice. As the previous alpha, I know much about these lands. Man created this place, and I'm not totally sure if there are any dangers deep within this place. So my advice would be to stay in sight, and if you must explore, go in a group." Turning away, Koli sniffed the ground, trying to find Zethrox's scent, he had to talk to the new alpha, to offer his services, and to explain more about these lands and why he'd named it Haishin. He didn't want Zethrox to feel obliged to follow the name he had chosen, after all, he doubted that such a name would be wanted by the new alpha. The name Haishin had been personal to Koli, Zethrox didn't deserve to have such a name for his lands.

Following the scent, he began making his way towards where Zethrox was. Koli hoped Zethrox would allow him to help, he wanted to make up for what he had done. Maybe he could go to Salen for him, after all, he had once, even if it had been a short time, been a part of the pack. And he often wondered how Taurus and Exodus was, and at least if he went there, he could seek their forgivness for what he had done, for running away and taking Athabasca with him, though he had been unaware of it at the time. He hoped Zethrox would allow him this one thing, after all, Koli knew it was only wise to allign the packs against Ardemu, and as the one who had started it, he wanted to do all he could to make ammends. And Zethrox was needed here, he was the alpha, he shouldn't have to travel all that way when there were other more able wolves. And if something happened to Zethrox whilst visiting other packs, then Haishin would fall.

Picking up another scent, Koli growled as he spotted another wolf near Zethrox, was this a Knave come to find Koli but seeing Zethrox instead? The wolf certainly looked like a Knave type. Growling, Koli slowly made his way towards the wolf, he would protect his alpha no matter what. "Why are you here?" He growled pulling up next to Zethrox. "If you wish to harm our alpha, you will have to get through me first."

[/size]

[dewet]

(OOC: Hope it's alright if I jump in here.)

Dewet padded along after Koli and the others, keeping slightly to the back of the caravan, but still close enough to the front that she could see where they were going. Of course, Dewet had a pretty vague image of where they were going in her mind... to the dens like Koli had been ordered, the home of her new pack. Dewet felt tears form in her eyes at that statement, and she tried her best to keep the salty drops from sliding down her face. Funny, how the Mexican female could keep her cool in the gravest of situations, but when it came to joining a pack, she started bawling like a baby without its mother.

The Haishin pack... my new home. Hah, it seems like only yesterday I was still living with my mother and my dim-witted brothers, but look at me now. I'm a pack member! The thought sent more tears swelling up, and only the fact that they had arrived at the caverns stopped them from gushing out. She stopped as Koli informed them that these caverns could be dangerous, to not go far, and if they simply had to explore, they should stay together as a group. Dewet only half paid attention to him. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. the side that was listening thought.

Just because he's the former alpha doesn't mean that he has any authority over us whatsoever. But the other half gazed around at the beauty of the caverns, gasping in awe. They couldn't have picked a better den site. that side thought. I mean, just look at this! It's beautiful. And it's a good shelter from the sun. Dewet thought, panting slightly as she did so. It was in the higher eighties or the lower nineties outside, no matter which one it was, even though Dewet was suited to hot temperatures, she was glad to get out of the sun for more than two seconds at a time.

Plus, she was positively exhausted from the trip up. Well, I've managed to get myself into a pack, whether I like it or not. Now, to get some rest. The Mexican female circled on her feet several times before laying down on the cavern floor, her tail curled tightly around her body, her head laid on her paws. Eventually, Dewet allowed her eyelids to drift shut as she made a weak attempt at falling asleep. Dewet wasn't going to be able to dose off for long, however. Just as Dewet was about to fall into a deep sleep, a loud howl sliced across the land once more.

Instantly, Dewet's eyes snapped open, her whole body contorting into a sort of writhing dance as she struggled to get to her feet. All of her senses screamed Intruder!, and Dewet was immediately on red alert as she dashed outside again. The first thing that she saw was Koli snarling at a large, multi-colored male wolf. Dewet skidded to a halt right in her tracks. What if this was a Knave wolf, coming to destroy the pack? Dewet's mind jumped back to her helpless mother, writhing in the grass of the field, her blood staining the ground like scarlet rain drops, her former pack's alpha smirking in triumph.

But wait. This wolf didn't look like he was terrified.That wasn't how a Knave wolf was supposed to look. A Knave wolf carried itself with fearlessness and pride, but it was the wrong kind of pride. They didn't follow after people and ask to be a part of packs. In that moment, Dewet decided that this wolf was harmless, and that she'd better intervene before things got out of control. She walked to the side of Koli, fur brushing against his side so he could acknowledge her presence. "Keep your teeth in, will you, Koli? I think it's pretty obvious that he means no harm." Dewet said with the slightest hint of sarcasm in her voice.

She then turned to the new wolf, who was harmless, that much was certain, but the Mexican female still wanted to know why he was here. "Why have you come here, stranger?" she said, in a slighty sterner tone of voice than she had used with Koli. She wanted to know who this brute was and what he was doing here, and why he had interrupted her from her prolonged nap and forced her back out into the sorching heat again.

(OOC again: Ugh, this is definitely not the best post that I've ever made with Dewet. I could have done way better if I just had more muse.)

[erebus]

The heat of his particular terra was new to Coeus and as such it was hard keeping up with the alpha without having to stop for a moment or two to rest himself and get used to the harsh heat that slammed down on any and every wolf that came through these lands. Coeus had never been in such barren, dry lands before, especially not in such a heated part of the year. If he wasn't so determined to help Zethrox then he might have turned tail then when he felt the heat pressing down on his fur and scorching the edges until they were burning to the touch. His limp didn't help things either since it put more on his three other legs that were already tired from walking so far on little food and only enough water to suffice for the moment. Maybe he was just being a bit of a baby, but at least he didn't complain of the heat as he traveled with Zethrox.

Somewhere along the way he had fell behind the much more powerful male until Coeus could hardly see his outline, but that didn't deter him. He figured Zethrox probably had pack business to take care of. However, this left Coeus wandering more or less alone with the scents of the new area filling his nose. He was curious to wander around even in this heat, figuring out the layout and just what managed to live in such a desolate part of the Kamari lands. Did any life live around here? Could any life live in these parts other than wolves, obviously? Inwardly he shrugged, keeping his nose twitching and catching scents--mainly Zethrox's so he'd know he was headed in the right direction--as he walked, that ever-present need to know clouding his mind.

Luckily for Coeus it didn't take long for him to make to the crevice of rocks and dirt that no doubt was used for a den area. If the looks of it weren't enough to allot him to know that, then the heavy scent of other wolves and voices drifting from deep within did.

Limping his way to the opening Coeus peeped in to see three wolves he didn't know alongside Zethrox who appeared to be resting. From what he could tell there was one of them that the others didn't know either. The tension from one black brute was easy to catch even from his place at the mouth of the crevice, but Coeus tried not to let that make him turn tail. Zethrox had admitted him into the pack and even if he wasn't used to pack life Coeus did know well that the alpha's word was law and you either followed it or left the pack. That was something his parents had let him in time and time again when he would express the wants to join a pack.

"Sorry I took so long, Zethrox." Coeus apologized softly, but not timidly, as he inched his way into the crevice, tail tucked in a non-threatening gesture towards the other three he didn't know yet. Seeing that some things appeared to need to be straightened out he moved around in the surprisingly spacious area of the makeshift den and seated himself a little ways from the other wolves, seeking to observe them. This was his first glimpse at true pack life and he wanted to be out of the way so he could watch it unfold. Maybe they wouldn't pay him too much mind, if any at all.

Coeus let his mouth stay open in an undignified panting gesture while he let himself get cooled off from the unforgiving heat just outside of this cool, safe crevice. Maybe he would stay here for awhile and just let himself cool down. Hopefully no one would wish for him to leave. This heat would certainly take some getting used to for the Eastern Timber brute, but even so he tried not to show just how affected by it he was, and laid down on his left side, still panting but eyes wide and curious as they fell on what he knew were his companions. His short leg curled up against his body a little, Coeus hoping the position would draw less attention to it. Hopefully these wolves were like Zethrox in that they didn't particularly mind such a problem.

[zethrox]

((OOC: Couple quick things. First of, Makle - multi-hued = multi-colored. Requiem is pure white. XD And Requeim isn't standing in the dens you guys. Nali just didn't want to force me into another thread lol. Just a lil FYI ^^))

Zethrox remained peaceful as wolves started to stream into the dens. He resisted the urge to scoff as Koli warned about the crevice; he had wandered deep into the dangerous tunnels long before the brute had been born. There was not much hidden from the elder on the continent, that was for sure. What he had not expected from the pack members, however, was their hostility towards the cry from a brute at the border. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, careful to reign in his irritation. "My friends, the brute would not have bothered to howl if he had ill intentions," he chided them gently. The brute let out a short howl, informing the loner that he could enter the terra and seek them out. He kept it short, as the tunnels echoed with his voice, and he did not wish to hurt anyone's ears. There was much to be discussed, and although he wished to wait for the remainder of the pack, they would need to work quickly.

"As much as I hate to rush into this, I have already worked out a few details as to our plans," Zethrox started out, looking from one wolf's face to the next. Coeus was already clued in to the situation, so he felt no need to repeat his lengthy story. "We are going to need one wolf to visit each of the other packs, to let them know what we agreed here." He looked at the wolves; only one of his selected ambassadors was present. He would leave those details for the tail of the discussion. "But right now, we need to figure out exactly what our plans are." He did not bother to rise from his comfortable position. His voice carried enough authority that there was no need for dominant posture as well. Years of experience had naturally brought about this method of speech. The bulk of the time, he toned it down, but now there was no need to. He had the power.

Zethrox glanced at Koli briefly. The brute seemed eager enough for a fight, but he was slightly concerned that he would be too eager. If Koli rushed into a commotion without any prior plans, it would be all chaos. There would have to be a reason for him to keep the large black brute at the back, to give him time to contemplate his actions first. The alpha was very good at judging character, and he would use this to his advantage while strategizing. Dewet was willing enough, but she was a young one. Yet another wolf to remain at the rear of the conflict. As for himself, he planned to lead the assault. It would be best for the oldest, most experienced fighter to take the helm; following close behind, he hoped for Coeus and Apollo to pick up some of the slack. From what he had seen of the two, although they were young, they had level heads. Coeus was wise beyond his years, which led Zethrox to believe he had been exposed to situations such as this in the past, while Apollo simply had a feeling about him that was trustworthy.

"Now, I want to wait for the rest of the pack to arrive before I make any definite plans with you all. However, there are a few things we can work out now. First, we do not know how many Ardemu has under his control. And as much as I wish to have this information, it is too dangerous to send anyone out looking. Scouting parties are out of the question, so we must gather as much support as possible in order to be completely secure. If that means dragging every pack wolf on the continent in, then so be it, that is what we'll do," he stated firmly. He would not let his pack be the sole casualties. They would be fighting for the safety of the whole continent, and so it was only fitting that every pack chime in what they could.

"Our numbers are being bolstered every day. Right now, our pack is at seven, including myself. Even if we could reign the support of three wolves from each of the other packs, that would place us at a total of sixteen, more than enough to deal with whatever forces Ardemu has collected." He could not imagine that his son had assembled more than that. If he had, then there was much more trouble than they could ever imagine.

Zethrox paused for a few moments, then continued with his speech. There would be time for input later. Right now, it was time for them to sit and listen. "Now, I have not known you all long enough to know of your experiences. It would be best if you could explain your pasts, so I can gather a better understanding of your fighting expertise and possibly what your weaknesses may be. If you do not wish to do so, I will not force this upon you. It is merely voluntary." The more he could learn about these wolves, the better he could understand them. Zethrox knew from experience that it was easier to work with familiar faces than with shadowy figures. The more connected he was to their lives, the less likely they were to make mistakes. They all know my past, it is only fitting I learn their backgrounds as well.

[requiem]

Requiem stood patiently, awaiting an answer to his simple inquery. Either he would be welcome or not. If the latter, he would once again disapear into loner lands, left to his own devices. If the former, however, the Arctic brute would have to face his fears. Though he'd made one friend in the entirety of his complicated life, he was still highly weary of all others. Everyone was a threat until proven otherwise, even the smallest and sweetest of wolves. And if someone made an advance of a threatening nature, chances were the brute would bolt faster than a gazelle running from a lion. Though Requiem was easily a more intimidating force based on appearance alone, he was a total pacifist and never raised a paw against another of his kind.

When the answering call finally came, the white brute closed his one good eye swallowed uncomfortably. Okay, so he'd been invited in. Maybe this pack was friendly and would let him be on his merry way. He only desired to revisit some old memories and reflect on the decisions that had brought him so far in life. It was time for personal growth, especially with a war brewing. Though he would not physically participate, knowing that there was indeed a force out there willing to fight for justice would maybe alter his perception of his own kind. With the exception of Eduoxia, all Requiem had known were killers. It was time he learned otherwise.

Taking a few deep breaths to steady himself, the one-eyed male cautiously began his discent into Haishin territory. Judging by the distance of the call, for his hearing was still quite good despite his other shortcomings, Requiem knew that he would not have far to travel. Unfortunately, he had not counted on the cold welcome he would be receiving. Had the alpha allowed him entrance only so that his pack could rip the misfortunate Arctic apart? It was bad enough his winter-conditioned body had to endure such arid heat. Must the others force him into a fit of panic as well?

Metal glinted in the sunlight as he paused midstep, mechanical leg raised as a large black brute snarled at his approach. A quiet whimper immediately fell from his maw, his body aching to curl itself into a small ball. Maybe if he shrunk in size, he would not be seen and thus get left alone. Hostility was not what he had counted on upon his approach, and his lone eye clearly showed fear. Such harsh accusiations the young male made, for Req had stated he wanted no trouble. In fact, trouble was the last thing he wanted. Daring to venture into packlands was challenging enough for him. He did not need the added stress of having all his doubts reinforced. The only difference the black brute had from the wolves of his past was that he was untainted by human hands.

And then a female came tearing out of the crevice, her initial anger forcing the male to take several steps back. 'This was a mistake...' Requiem's mind reeled with fear, even as the femme's reaction morphed. Though she did not act in a manner to be described as kind, for her behaviour was dominant and her tone untrusting, it was somewhat better than the raw anger. What further unnerved the brute, however, was the fact that both of these wolves were acting like alpha when it had been a distinct thrid voice that had called him. 'Definately a mistake...'
What sort of deranged pack had he stumbled upon? Then again, given the lands they were in it was somewhat fitting. A tainted land called for tainted wolves.

Swallowing the lump building in his throat, he forced his body to take a few shaking steps forward. He would not let these strangers intimidate him when they were not the ones he was seeking approval from. Of course, it was too late for that. His body was shaking with fear as he made his way forward, tail hanging low and head drooped even lower. His stormy eye was trained on the ground, refusing to meet the faces of the alpha's henchmen as he sought out the voice of the one who'd called him.

Requiem stood in the mouth of the densite, peering in at the other two wolves that seemed to make up this pack. The younger of the two seemed quite calm, and his presence was reassuring. The older brute was who he'd assumed was the alpha, based on the fading voice he'd caught upon his entrance. Though the brute had not caught any of the old one's speech, the tone of voice matched that of the one that had summomed him. As such, the Arctic brute approached with head down, robotic limb clanging slightly against the hard, earthen floor.

His voice barely a whisper as he spoke, his words slightly shakey. "I am called Requiem, and thank you for your welcome. Though your companions leave much to be desired... I hope I have not come at an inconvenient time. These lands, your home, hold more memories for me than I'd care to remember. I only wish to see how much they've changed." His auds were pinned to his skull as he slowly raised his lone eye to get a better look at the brute he was addressing. He could feel the gazes of the pack boring into him, silently questioning and disecting his appearance. If permission was granted, maybe he would answer questions later. For now he simply sought approval as he fought back the urge to sob.

[erebus]

Coeus's attention had been immediately caught the moment Zethrox had started talking of plans. This was what he had came for. To help the alpha brute in any way that he could. Ears perked he listened intently to everything that Zethrox spoke of, gathering all the information the brute seemed to know already and processing it in his mind. It was hard suppressing the want to speak up that he would go to another pack and seek help if need be, but he was quick to notice how Zethrox only wished to let them know why they were here waiting rather than actually discuss plans at this point. They had to wait on the others before they could fully discuss what they were going to do. It was only fair, and definitely helped them in the long run to not have to repeat plans whereas something may be left out.

Considering they didn't know how long they were going to have to wait, Coeus let himself stay laying down with his head resting on the hard rock and soil beside his right paw. The coolness of the den had finally seeped into him and therefore he was no longer panting; something he was grateful for. Now his breathing was deep and even and so it allowed his mind to be the same. He felt at ease here despite the first thoughts these wolves might not take to him so kindly. So far none had shown any ill will and Coeus could only hope it remained as such.

Heaving a deep sigh of contentment, Coeus let his eyes fall on the mouth of the crevice. Moments ago Zethrox had called out to a brute at the border who wished to merely pass through without trouble. It wasn't such an odd request, he guessed, since the packs were virtually connected at borders in most places and in order to get where you were going you had to pass through one or more to do just that. That was a knowledge Coeus had learned on his journey to these lands, and one that he kept close to him so that he might remember the trouble he had caused in merely trying to get through lands to get to the other side.

Explaining their pasts would have to wait seeing as this brute was heading towards the den, or so it sounded like. There was an odd sound about him that Coeus had never heard before. It happened whenever his front right paw hit the ground, though Coeus was sure there was nothing different about that leg. At least not at first glance when the male peeped inside the crevice. Ears perked and orbs followed the movement of the new brute as he entered the crevice bit by bit, surely a little nervous. Coeus didn't blame him. He would be just as nervous if that none too nice set of words from Koli's maw had been directed at him. Even thought curious about the sound Coeus tried to offer a bit of reassurance in his gaze as he looked to the new male, known as Requiem. The poor brute's voice was shaky even with his nervousness, or so it seemed.

Coeus knew it was up to the alpha only to speak with this newcomer, so as much as he wanted to calm him with words the young brute decided against it and instead brought his gaze down to the leg that had been making the odd noise whenever it would hit the earth. Now that he could see it up close he could tell there was something very different about it. Something that neither he not any of the others in the pack could relate to. But what was it? His mind was swirling with thoughts and possibilities. Did this come from the humans or had he been born this way? Was there another possible cause of it that he wasn't seeing? It took everything in Coeus's power to not ask about it and be rude.

Lifting his head from the earth before, Coeus let his eyes drift more over this shaky brute. What caused him to be so fearful of other wolves? Golden-green eyes settled on every inch of this male, studying him and trying to see if he could guess a cause, but that was only because that was a sort of game to him and had been since he was a pup. Though he was eager to see if this male might be staying awhile and be willing to tell his tale. The young Eastern Timber brute was hoping so and he let his curiosity and wondering be known easily through the expression dancing in his eyes, even if it wasn't all too prying.

[dewet]

Dewet relaxed her muscles a bit, it was obvious that this multi-colored brute posed no threat, but she was still on the defensive side. If this wolf decided to attack, there would be no stopping Dewet from intervening. Even though she was young and had only turned two a few months ago, she had fighting skills that well surpassed her age. Just try, brute. Just try. Dewet thought, gritting her teeth angrily. She'd already lost someone that she cared about to a deranged alpha. She was not about to lose these wolves to deranged rogues.

The new wolf curled up inside of the caverns, his leg sticking out awkwardly from his body. Dewet assumed that he had a leg injury of some sort, but she wouldn't pester the newcomer about it for the time-being. It really wasn't in Dewet's nature to prod people about personal matters. She had plenty of time to find out about the different histories of the wolves here. Speaking of the wolves here, it had occurred to Dewet, without warning, that besides Koli and herself, none of their little caravan had appeared yet. What's taking those furballs so long? Dewet thought as she peered down the slope.

The Mexican female certainly hoped that the group had come upon no mishaps on their trip up. She had just joined this pack, for crying out- she didn't want anything bad to happen to them! Dewet was just about to leap down the slope to look for them when yet another wolf's voice snapped her out of her thought process. Yelping loudly, Dewet spun around to face a large, white, and heavily-furred male wolf. Dewet growled and sprang to block the male's way, this one certainly seemed like Knave type.

If he wants anything here, he'll have to get past me. Dewet mentally snarled. Her orbs darted all over the body of this wolf, taking in his physical stats and mentally noting how hard it would be to take him down. He was fairly large, but if she darted under his legs and gave one of them a quick nip, she bet that she could... suddenly, Dewet noticed something odd. Had she caught a glint of metal from one of the brute's legs? Her orbs drifted downward. Sure enough, there it was again... that hard, glinty surface, leering at her. Great. First I join a pack that you can hardly call normal, and now I'm dealing with a wolf that's part cyborg. Dewet thought.

But as the wolf explained himself, Dewet relaxed her posture, but still kept on alert in case the new wolf decided to do anything funny. The brute certainly looked strong enough to be allied with the Knaves, so Dewet wasn't going to trust him, or believe anything that he said until he was gone. Just try to attack any one of us, and I'll rip your filthy insides... The young Mexican female was once again snapped out of her thought process by Zethrox's voice ringing across the caverns. He wanted to know all about their histories? Dewet swallowed slowly. She had thought that once she joined a pack, she could forget about those horrible memories. She had been wrong.

But nevertheless, Dewet stood up, clearing her throat. "I suppose that I should tell my history first, shouldn't I? Since no one else is willing to yet, I figure I might as well break this ice." The female glanced around, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to tell. She sat back on her haunches, letting a small frown find its way onto her features. "My history... let's see, where to begin? Well..." Dewet hesitated once more before finally summoning up enough courage to continue. "My mother was a pack omega that had been kicked out of her former pack just for being pregnant. I and my two brothers were born in a fox burrow that she dug out herself."

Dewet sighed, remembering her humble beginnings. But that wasn't where the heartache of her story had started. "We lived together for... oh, I forget how many months it was, but my mother taught us all there is to know about life, including fighting skills. I still remember a few of them." The Mexican female knew that she was beginning to brag, so she kept herself from demonstrating the moves she knew as she continued. "Then, just when I thought that nothing could go wrong, out of nowhere comes our former alpha. We were playing together, my brothers and I, and he came out right there and asked us to lead him to Mother."

Dewet sighed again, remembering how willingly she had led the deranged alpha to his target. "I led him and his followers to Mother- how could I refuse? I was a foolish little pup... admit it, we're all foolish as pups in one way or another..." Dewet knew that she was beginning to falter, but she carried on. "They spoke quietly to each other. I wasn't really listening to that much of what was said, but the next thing I knew, he had Mother by the throat. A few seconds later, she was dead. And I realized that I had led him right to the person that he wanted to destroy."

Dewet was now shaking, the spasms wracking her frail body. She felt as if she was breaking in two just by telling of her past. Why, oh why, had she offered to tell her history first? "And then, he asked us to join him. I yelled that I would... never join a killer... and ran away. I wandered all over the land where I was born, and then I heard about Anikira. It sounded very much like a place where I could start over, where I could forget about these memories..." The female shook her head. I should have known better. she mentally snapped.

"So, I went to a place that the up-walkers call the... "shipyards". It is where the humans have "boats", big metal things that they can control surprisingly well. I avoided all of this, I only had one goal, and I was going to reach it." Dewet's voice was more confident now, and she sat up, regaining her posture as she continued. "I dove into the surf and began to paddle out to sea. There where endless exspanses of water there, and many times I thought I would drown, but I finally summoned up enough strength to continue on." Dewet remembered the many pounding waves that had tried to drive her back, and how she had fought against nature's force itself.

"Then I washed up here... I can't really remember that much after that, except that I found you, Zethrox. But I have learned much of the pack lands here, and I would be more than happy to go to once, if you wish. I think that my best bet would be to go to either the Salen or Aldgar lands." Dewet said, speaking the sole truth. "And as for my fighting skills and weaknesses, I have many fighting skills because of my mother, but I wish to not be on the front-lines of the violence. And I used to greatly distrust alphas of any sort, but I have gotten over that. My weaknesses now have yet to be discovered."

Dewet bowed her head slightly. "That is all." she said quietly before settling back into her comfortable position on the cave floor, waiting for any orders and waiting for the other pack members to come up and share their histories. Perhaps she could even find out why the chocolate female was so bitter towards other wolves. Perhaps.

[krever]

Krever followed the small batch of wolves, unwillingly at first, but the brown fae had her own plan. While following Koli and Dewet, Krever pondered her escape, not only that, she was planning how to leave the pack. 'The old coot couldn't possibly win in a fight against me...' Krever thought. She wasn't experienced in fighting, and she figured Zethrox was. And she couldn't attack him out of the blue, he had pack members who actually liked him and wanted to join his pack.

Padding her way across the wasteland, keeping her distance from the two wolves she was following. The only wolf that hadn't followed yet was the strange striped wolf that threatened to kill Fohn. Krever hoped that Zhen wouldn't come too, it was her fault for everything that has happened. From what the chocolate femme saw, there was company at the den site. A large white wolf, and a brown hued wolf. Her eyes narrowed as she made her entrance, bronze eyes scanning the area and the wolves inhabiting it. The only voice she heard was Dewet, as she babbled on about her past. Krever gave an annoyed growl then lowered her body to the ground. Grinding her teeth as the Mexican fae continued to talk, she wondered if any of these wolves here were actually listening to her.

When Dewet's story was finished, Krever gave a long groan, "About freakin' time. Can't you just keep it short and simple?" Krever snapped, eyes glaring at the brown eyes of Dewet, then grunted and turned her head away and closed her eyes. 'Bunch of lunatics...' Krever sighed, resting her head on her paws as she watched the group of wolves. Staring at the white brute, the sun reflecting off his metal-like leg and glaring into her eyes. Krever muttered to herself, then turned her attention to the other new brute. He seemed and acted like a new pack member, another enemy in her eyes.

[zhen]

She had taken her sweet time to come over yes, but did that matter much? Not much to anyone, she was part of the pack though and would have to keep that in mind. She had to listen to what rules were set out by the one who knew who, or rather, what she is. So now she was on her way up the hill towards the group of gathered wolves. Another was in their midst, he was large for sure, but she didn't care about size. After all, Zhen was far from being huge, but she packed a bite. That bite had been saved for Fohn though and had not been able to be used.

When she was closer, then she caught one of the female's ending her story. The long groan hit her ears and Zhen froze, her lips curling as she heard words pour out from Krever's stupid dark green mouth. The striped female was on very rocky turf with this bitch female and the female had just made it worse. With her rounded ears pulled back and tail low to the ground, she advanced on Krever. Zhen no longer cared about the others around, she was going to give this twit a piece of her mind and not be quiet about it.

"No one asked you to speak omega if you thought she spoke to much." She snarled the rank of the female before she jumped at her. Teeth snapped at the laying female's neck and her body would hit Krever full force unless somehow the female was able to move before she hit, but Zhen couldn't jump to high or long. "Lets see how strong you are without your foul green pest!" Zhen had dropped the world around her and was only focused on attacking, her teeth grabbing at whatever was there and tearing at it, shaking her head as violently as she could. Krever had stepped on Zhen's last nerve with her stupid comments and even worse her bird that was now dead.

[koli]

[OOC: sorry for the delay, been busy]

As he growled at the wolf out of sight, not wishing any harm to come to Zethrox, Koli felt someone brush against him. Turning his head to snap, he stopped himself when he saw Dewet. He didn't want to harm a fellow pack member, and the action had caught him by surprise, but he was glad that he had been able to stop himself before anything too serious had happened. Putting his head down, he did as she had asked, he didn't enjoy taking orders, it wasn't something he was used to, least not from a wolf who hadn't yet shown to be a higher rank. He saw no reason to obey someone on the same level as him, but he decided to listen anyway, there would be no use in fighting amongst the pack, they had to stick together.

Although he hadn't appreciated Dewet's sarcasm, he kept his mouth shut, he had already thought of a good comeback, but rather then voicing it, he kept it to himself. He didn't wish there to be any bitterness or anger between the two, sooner or later the Knaves would come, and they had to stick together as a team in order to rid Anikira of the Knaves threats. If the pack wasn't strong, then they had little hope of survival. As Zethrox spoke, Koli sighed and nodded. "Forgive me Zethrox, sometimes I cannot help myself, I fear my father's teachings run too strongly within me." Lying down, Koli put his head on his paws, he tried so hard to prove himself, to be good, and yet he couldn't escape the cruel past that had made him into a cold hearted brute. He had tried to rid himself of anger, and be understanding and gentle, but he just couldn't do it.

Listening to Zethrox closely, Koli brought up his head at the news that they needed a wolf to visit each pack lands. Maybe this would be an oppurtune time to ask if he might help by visiting Salen. He wished to see Exodus and Taurus again, in fact, he needed to see Taurus. The white wolf had helped him out a lot, and Koli hoped that in seeing him again, the wolf would give him advice in how to rid himself of this anger and pain he was feeling. It would be more then productive for him to go, and he hoped Zethrox would understand and grant him this wish. "Sir, if it is not too bold to ask, may I ask your permission to go to Salen. I was with them once, only for a short time, but I know some of the pack members. It may help in getting them to allign with us, and there are some wolves I feel I must speak with." As Koli spoke, he flattened his ears, shoing submission to Zethrox, he didn't want to appear that he was trying to run the pack, that job belonged to Zethrox now. But if he didn't ask now, he might not get to go, and it was only sensible to seek the alpha's permission.

Koli had thought of trying to seek the Knaves out and join them as a spy for Haishin. He would play the double agent, the Knaves would believe that he was spying for them and helping out their cause, when in actual fact, Koli would be loyal to Haishin, taking back information to Zethrox whenever he could. But Zethrox was right, it would be too risky. If Ardemu found out, all hell would break loose, and Koli didn't want to endanger the pack. But there was another reason Koli now thought the plan was too dangerous. Koli lingered between the path of good and a path of destruction and evil. If he joined Ardemu, even as a spy, the ways of the Knaves might have drwn him in, and he would have ended up as cold and bloodthirsty as them. Such a thought frightened Koli, he didn't want to end up like that.

Koli began to wonder how many Ardemu had on his side, he knew that there were at least two or three, from what Koli had gathered when Ardemu had approached him. But even though Koli hated to think that any wolf would want to follow Ardemu, it was possible that he had a good pack of followers. Just like Ardemu had spun a tale to convince Koli to join, it was possible he promised many a thing to other wolves. It was possible that he could have a good ten wolves, maybe even more. "Sir, when Ardemu approached me, I was aware of the fact he had at least three, including himself." Koli said, thinking it wise to share the information. "Ardemu may have a good number, he uses persuasion and promises to lure wolves into following him. He seems to look for people's weaknesses and desires and use it against them." Pausing, Koli looked around the Crevice at the other wolves. "I fear we may be outnumbered."

He'd said what we needed to say, for now anyway. He still wished to discuss other things with Zethrox, but not in the company of others. But he could be patient... at times. And he was happy to wait until he and Zethrox were alone, if that meant waiting a few days, then so be it. It wasn't vitally important, Koli just wished to pass on the meaning of the name, in hope that Zethrox might see that such a name didn't suit. Koli didn't mind if Zethrox decided to keep the name, but he felt it only fair to let Zethrox know. As Zethrox requested the pack toshare their past, Koli felt his throat tighten and he whined quietly and put his head on the floor. He was ashamed of his past, and didn't feel ready to share it. He had already shared some of his past before Zethrox had left to greet the newcomer, but to share the rest? It seemed too impossible.

As the newcomer approached, Koli felt guilty as Requiem spoke, he hadn't meant to be so harsh. Well, he had, but he had only done it to protect Zethrox and the pack. If it wasn't for the threat of Knaves, Koli knew, or at least hoped that he would be a bit more leaneant. Looking over at the white wolf, Koli noticed the stange silver colour in his leg. "I am sorry Requiem, I only hope you can forgive my approach to you. These are dark times, and I feared you might have been a Knave." Koli's voice was a lot softer with the wolf, he hoped that Requiem would forgive him, he truely felt bad for his cold nature. That wasn't to say that Koli trusted him, but he was going to turn the other cheek, just this once.

Koli was surprised when Dewet began to speak of her past. He hadn't expected anyone to reveal anything. He knew that everyone trusted Zethrox, but a person's past was a precious thing, and it took courage to speak about it. As Dewet continued, Koli found a new admiration for the femme, she was truely a brave wolf, and he found it easier to speak his own. He would only appear a coward if he didn't. And it wouldn't be fair to Zethrox or Dewet, they had both spoken about their past, and he had only shared half of it. It was only right that when Dewet finished, he should continue his story, though he had a lot of things he was ashamed about, revealing it would give him some closure, and it would help everyone to understand him better. "Dewet, I am truely sorry for your loss." He whispered when she had finished. He too had lost his mother, in front of his very eyes, and had been blamed for it, he himself blamed his actions, for if he had been brave and tried to save her, she'd probably still be alive.

As the chocolate wolf Krever spoke, Koli's lips curled to show his teeth, he was about to attack and snap at the omega wolf when he noticed Zhen, the strange stripped wolf go for Krever's throat. Jumping up in surprise, he barked at the two, hoping to stop what was happening. Though he felt the same anger as Zhen for Krever's attitude, he didn't wish to see her dead, if Krever died, they'd be a pack member down, and that could seriously effect the outcome against Ardemu and his Knaves.

[/size]

[dewet]

(Hope it's okay if I post again, I don't want to have to respond to twelve different posts.)

Dewet bowed her head, avoiding everyone's gaze. Why had she revealed her whole history to them? Were they going to use this as an advantage over her? Were they going to turn away from her, never speak to her again? Dewet certainly hoped not, she'd went through so much to get here... At least she appeared to have broken up the tension between Koli and the other white male, as the former alpha was now making a pretty good attempt at making an apology.

And then, all hell broke lose. The chocolate female omega had arrived, snapping at Dewet about keeping it short and simple. The Mexican female was about to spring at the female and tear her limb from limb, when she reminded herself, yet again, that this was a packmate. Calm. Calm. Dewet mentally instructed herself. "Ah, my dear female, if I left it short and simple, I would leave you guessing, wouldn't I?" Dewet said, smiling sweetly at the female, but deep down thinking how sick, how bi-polar this female was.

Then, an odd striped female that Dewet had not noticed came up also, and with a few snarled words, lauched herself at the rude omega. Dewet wrinkled her nose in confusion. Green pest? What on earth is this female talking about? Dewet thought, but shrugged it off and watched as the two females battled it out. I can't help but feel sorry for the chocolate female, but really, she brought it upon herself. With that kind of attitude, I'm surprised that she was even allowed into the pack with open arms!

As Koli whispered to her how sorry he was for her loss, Dewet turned to him and flashed a genuine grin in his direction. "Thank you, Koli." Dewet said, bowing her head to what could have been her alpha at this moment, but instead was forced to stay well away from the alpha position. Maybe there is some good in this brute after all. the Mexican female thought. She still doubted him for allying with the Knaves, but now she could see that Koli could be trusted, for the moment, at least.

As Koli barked at the females to knock it off, Dewet thought that she should intervene too. Head rasing, teeth bared, she snarled meancingly. "Will you both just knock it off!?" she growled quietly. "Look at you two! Bickering like children! Is this really necessary? We have enough trouble with the Knaves as it is. We don't need packmates fighting to strengthen it." Dewet amazed herself at her own ferocity. She had never been the beta type, but here she was acting like one.

"You, chocolate female... I highly suggest that you keep your comments to yourself in the future." the Mexican snarled. "You were taught a lesson today, and in my opinion, you deserve it! If I were you, I'd hold my arrogant tongue, to stop it from getting ripped out!" Dewet snarled, looking very much like the beta type. She then turned to the other female, her tone a bit softer then it had been with the omega female. "Thank you for making her regret her words, but really, there was no need to do it in such a drastic way."

Suddenly realizing what she had done, Dewet tucked her tail between her legs. Why had she acted in such a superior way, why had she not left that job to Zethrox? "I... I'm sorry." she said, once again avoiding everyone's gaze. "I really am..." Turning swiftly on her heels, Dewet skittered to the back of the cavern. She needed a quick nap, and when she woke up, maybe she'd be back in her homeland of Mexico, away from bi-polar omegas and strange striped wolves.

[erebus]

((OOC: Wanted to wait until Zethrox posted again, but Coeus isn't important enough right now to hinder his post, I believe. XD))

---

Then tension in the room was thick as could easily be told by all who entered. It seemed as though everyone was on edge and that everyone other than Zethrox, this newcomer, and himself had uttered some sort of a warning growl, becoming defensive on the part of themselves and their territory. Was all this trouble really as bad as these wolves made it out to be? Or was it just their natures that made them so defensive? Coeus had never seen before how wolves would turn on just about anyone they didn't know, but he guessed all the trouble with Ardemu had set everyone on edge about newcomers into the lands. At least he hadn't had a bad reception when he'd entered the crevice.

Golden-hued eyes looked to Dewet when she began her tale. Instantly Coeus was hooked and interested in everything the femme had to say. Hearing how desolate and pained Dewet was and how she must have felt back then Coeus immediately felt bad for her. "It wasn't your fault... You didn't know." He found himself saying it before he could control his mouth, but it wasn't like he minded saying it. Coeus was known for having a soft heart and wanting to comfort others when he was able to. "Don't blame yourself for that alpha's wrongdoing."

Truthfully Coeus didn't think he could possibly fathom how bad the Mexican femme had felt. Compared to her his life had been a cakewalk, even with his limp and lack of strength. He'd had both of his parents the entire time he had been growing up, as well as his siblings, and he hadn't been forced to leave with the death of one of them. In his heart was great sympathy for those who had lost their's, and he would never turn away any who needed comfort for it, even if he couldn't fully understand the pain they carried.

Shifting around just a bit to where his short leg laid partially over his normal one his eyes cast around from Dewet, to Requiem, then to Koli and to the two fighting femmes, one of whom appeared to be the Omega and the other who appeared to be a rather odd-looking wolf. Coeus had never seen another wolf like her before and despite her small size he was a bit intimidated by the ferocity she showed against the Omega, as well as the short temper she appeared to sport. Was she even a wolf? He couldn't recall his father or mother ever having talked about wolves with appearances like that. The stripes on the lower back, the short fur and stature, oddly shaped face... she didn't look wolf at all, but Coeus was not about to jeopardize himself in asking about her. She seemed tense enough as it was.

The femme that the odd wolf attacked didn't seem all that different in personality except Coeus got the vibe she was rather bitter by nature. Probably what landed her the Omega position. It was a passing thought that was quickly changed when he saw Dewet heading for the pair, trying to get them both to quite fighting and arguing. Coeus's eyes widened as he saw the display and how quick to change moods she was. It was a little disconcerting, but he didn't let it affect his judgment of her. Her tale had more than explained a reasoning for her moods to switch so quickly.

As much as Coeus had wanted to tune in and listen to Koli's words about Ardemu and the Knaves he had following him, his attention was set solely on the three femmes closer to the mouth of the crevice. This didn't mean he didn't catch what he said, but his attention wasn't focused in the least on it. For that to be pointed out to him he probably would have been sheepish and apologized in the formal way he was known to, but since he didn't quite catch that his gaze was on someone other than who it needed to be he didn't think a thing about it. Just kept his eyes on the femmes until it seemed like Dewet felt regret for her actions. Again, he couldn't quite place what triggered her mood swings. Maybe I'll see in time.

Even though it seemed like peace was what Dewet was seeking, Coeus couldn't just leave her to feel bad alone. Smiling softly, and in what he also hoped was a comforting way, he stood up and limped his way to her side, keeping his tail low, and short leg raised as always, as he sat down a small distance from her. "Don't be so frightened. It's alright to lose your temper every once in awhile." Since he couldn't comfort the new brute who seemed so skittish and afraid of being in the presence of all of them then maybe he could do something to alleviate Dewet's fear and sadness.

[krever]

(OOC: Minor PPing, if it isn't alright with you Donkey I can fix it.)

"No one asked you to speak omega if you thought she spoke to much... Lets see how strong you are without your foul green pest!"

Krever heard that familiar voice, the sound got louder as the smell finally reached her nostrils. 'Zhen...' The rat was the only one that call Fohn green, heck, Zhen even called Krever green at one point. Her eyes jerked in the direction of the small striped wolf as she went pummeling into the chocolate female's side. Knocking her back with such force, and razor sharp teeth ripping on the skin on Krever's upper right shoulder. "Get the HELL OFF OF ME!" Krever shouted, growling in pain as the iron smell of blood began to fill the air.

There wasn't much the brown fae could do, in the position she was in it was nearly impossible to bite back. So instead, she tried to get her back limbs from under Zhen and push her off, snarling and snapping at the striped canine's face. Krever had done nothing to deserve this attack, that, and Zhen just happened to come out of nowhere and at the wrong time. If anything, it should have been Dewet attacking her. The pain of Zhen's fangs in her shoulder was enough to drive Krever off the edge, lifting her hinds upward in a kicking force, throwing the much smaller wolf far from where Krever laid.

Lips curling over her pearly canines while hissing snarls and snaps of the jaws collided. Krever stood to her quads and padded her way over to Zhen, ready for payback. "Will you both just knock it off!?" Krever heard Dewet's cry, but ignored it as she continued to babble on. The chocolate Mackenzie jerked her head back, facing Dewet. Her snarl glued on her face, bronze eyes wide with fury as her shoulder continued to ooze dark crimson that stained her brown fur with blackness. "Shut the f*ck up Dewet before I do it FOR you." Krever threatened, her voice searing with acid and anger.

Her gaze focused back on Zhen, eyes glaring menacingly at the rat as her claws kneaded into the soil below. "Omega or not, I don't freakin' care. I was forced into this group only because I was trying to help my best friend. I was going to avenge his death, like any of you would for your best friend." Krever spoke deeply and slowly turning her gaze towards Zethrox. "Wolves like you have no hearts, I may be a bitchy omega, but if your best friend died you'd be f*cking ass hurt as well." Licking her black lips as she stepped towards Zhen, a slight limp in her right leg from her shoulder injury.

"Zhen. This is completely your fault I am in this situation right now." Krever's muscles began to twitch, tail and head raised to their fullest height as she hovered over the small striped wolf. "If I were you, I'd suggest you leave right away. Because if you don't... I will kill you." She quickly glanced at Zethrox, an omega acting this way was sure to lead to her own death. 'I can outrun him, he is just a bag of dust.' Krever glared, eyes glowing intensely with death written all over them as she stared at Zhen. Her ears focusing on any sign of footsteps that might come towards her. Krever wasn't going to be treated with disrespect. She wouldn't allow it.