Cool Water's Soothing Touch

[revan]

Revan sneezed. Her paws were stirring up dust as she padded lightly through the trees at the very edge of the Xayar forest at the foothills of the Tia-deli mountains. The black femme kept to the shadows, trying to keep out of the sun. Black fur attracted heat, she was sure of this, and having a coat suited more to an arctic wolf than a tundra was no help. "I hate heat," she grumbled aloud.

The sun would be setting in a few hours, and for that, Revan was glad. Even in summer, the nights were relatively cool, and Revan appreciated that. Coming to the entrance of a tunnel, the femme stopped for a moment. The scent of clean water drifted from the tunnel mouth. Deciding that this cave would be a good place to wait until the cooler time of night came around, Revan ventured inside. The tunnel was narrow, but not too much so, and Revan could walk easily, without having to crouch or crawl. The blue-grey stone of the walls was nice and cool and Revan stopped for a moment to lean against one of them, allowing the stone to cool her overheated fur and flesh. As she was in no hurry, she simply lay there for a moment, before continuing on.

Finally Revan came to the end of the tunnel and stopped, staring around in amazement. The tunnel widened out into a huge cavern. In the very center of the cave was a large pool. The cave was lit by a soft blue-green light, though Revan could not see the source for such a thing. Approaching the pool, Revan looked down into cool blue depths, her reflection staring calmly back at her. She pondered how deep the pool was; the water was clear and clean so she could see a long way down.

Wandering around the pool's edge, Revan came to a point, at the very back of the cavern, where the shore of the pool was a shallow ledge that gradually grew deeper, the further out it went. Smiling slightly, the black femme made her way slowly into the water, reveling in the feel of cool water against her skin and fur.

Revan was very startled when she stepped off the ledge into deep water. Surfacing with a splutter, she carefully made her way back to firmer footing. "That went well," she observed with a slight smile.

[mirela]

Growing tired of the band's antics, Mirela had snuck away as quickly and quietly as possible, passing into the neighboring lands as she did so. I wonder if this place is hiding a pack within its boundaries... maybe I could entice some nice, strong males into joining the band. Considering that all of the Gaziche's males were complete lunatics, the band was in desperate need of some new, fresh members. Once they were done with their current mission, there was no doubt that they'd be having some extra ones around. Sighing, the female leader paused for a moment, sniffing the ground. There was a fairly fresh scent of female in the area, and it was growing stronger. Well, if she couldn't round up a decent male, what about a female? Besides, Acarapi had been complaining that there weren't enough ladies around for him to play with. It would rude of her to not fulfill his wishes. Smirking to herself, Mirela continued onwards, never once thinking of stopping to rest. She had a mission, and she was determined to fulfill it.

Convincing the female to join should be a piece of cake. All it took was a few choice words and wolves would literally throw themselves at Mirela's heels, just begging to be accepted into "the life of adventure and travel". And if the gypsie life wasn't for them? Well, they had no choice but to stay, otherwise they would recieve more than just a harsh reprimand. Besides, this was her chance to prove to Dreidoj that she actually was good for something. "That bastard has never given me the respect I deserve. Won't he be surprised when I bring him a brand-new, fresh member!" Mirela cackled, nearing the entrance to the underground water source of Lerelm. Stepping inside the entrance, the Grey female made her way downwards, weaving through the passages silently. A sniff of the air, layered with moisture and the strong scent of a passing bitch, told her that she was headed in the right direction. Soon, the underground lake came into Mirela's field of vision, and she sighed with relief. She'd found the end of the scent trail, yet the female was nowhere in sight. Oh well. Maybe she'd kill time with a quick dip while she was at it.

Before Mirela could take so much as a single step forward, however, a black female came into view. Assuming that she was the one who had passed through here a short time ago, the Gaziche alphess sat back on her haunches and watched as the female stared around in amazement before walking to the water's edge and looking down into the depths. Sliding into the water with a sigh, the wolfess suddenly went down a bit deeper than she had meant to, resulting in a fit of coughing and spluttering as the female desperately tried to regain her footing. Mirela let a wide smirk come to her maw as she watched the black wolf stumble onto shore, using all her self-control to keep a loud laugh from bubbling out of her vocals. For now, she'd just sit and observe to see how things went. If the time was right, she'd show herself and see if the female was worthy enough to become a member. For now, however, Mirela was like a silent shadow- always watching, never speaking. Or at least never daring to speak until she was certain that it was the right time to do so.

"That went well...."

As the female muttered to herself, Mirela chose that moment to emerge from the shadows, grinning broadly as her tinkling, bell-like voice rang out into the air. "Come now, everyone makes mistakes. I've made my fair share of them myself." Like mating with Dreidoj, for example. The day that he would show Mirela any sort of respect was the day that the Grey female would curl up and die a slow and painful death. Sitting down onto her haunches, Mirela cocked her head slightly, surveying the female intently. "My calling is Mirela. Now that you're here, you might as well give me yours, hmm?" she muttered, her eyes sparkling. If her voice didn't have the female totally entranced from the first syllable, the Gaziche alphess had no idea what else would do the trick. Then again, Mirela had yet to find a wolf that didn't fall right at her heels at the very sound of her voice.

[revan]

Revan looked around in surprise at the new voice. It seemed that she was not as alone here as she had thought. Lying down on the shallow shelf, Revan cast her vivid eyes around to look at the newcomer. The other femme - Mirela, she said her name was - had stepped out of the shadows and had surprised Revan, a difficult feat to accomplish. Revan listened to Mirela's voice for a moment, watching as the grey female surveyed her with a somewhat acquisitive expression. It seemed as if the femme was trying to cast a spell with her light bell-like voice. 'Well, if this one thinks to entrance me, she will have to do better than a pretty voice,' Revan thought, not letting her smile show.

With a perceptiveness bordering on the supernatural, especially in the area of the emotions of others, it was nearly impossible to fool Revan, let alone lie to her. She could know what another was feeling, almost before they felt it. To her, it was obvious that Mirela wanted something from her, though what it was, she could not say. However, all the femme has asked was her name, and she saw no reason not to answer. "Hello, Mirela," she said, her own soft voice matching the beauty of the other's, though her's was more reminiscent of wind chimes or wood flutes as opposed to bells. Even though both spoke softly, their voices echoed around the cavern. "If by calling, you mean name; mine is Revan."

Revan's movement in the water caused ripples of blue light to flicker over the cave walls, and the soft sounds echoed throughout the cave.

[ichigo]

Ichigo yawned and sat down next to a fairly-large rock. The Tundra was tired from her long walk to Shyia. She lifted her gaze and saw two other wolves having a conversation. One that looked to be a grey wolf spoke,
"My calling is Mirela. Now that you're here, you might as well give me yours, hmm?" the wolf muttered
The other, the same breed as Ichigo, spoke
"If by calling, you mean name; mine is Revan."

Ichigo found this to be the proper time to introduce herself as well. She walked over to them well lyrics escaped her mouth,
"Hello," pausing, she sat down.
"My name would be Ichigo. Pleasure to meet you Revan, Mirela The she-wolf nodded to both wolves and lifted her dainty paw up to her muzzle so she could lick it clean. It was already pretty much clean but had a few bits of mud stuck to the bottom and Ichigo didn't like that all to much.
She continued to clean herself quickly, moving on to the next paw and working her way down to the tip of her tail. Ichigo being dirty was like cows flying; it just doesn't happen.

When she was done cleaning herself, the femme smiled the best she could manage and looked at the two wolves that stood before her.

Hmph. I don't feel like meeting new people today. I'm in a BAD mood
Bad moods where really bad moods when it came down to the petite little tundra. The slightest bit of anger in her is like living hell for her. But no one really knew about her anger; no no. It was just a fake plastered smile on the outside that would tell everyone she was in a happy-go-lucky mood. So there she stood with a big grin on her face. She licked her paw once more before she sat down .

[mirela]

"Hello, Mirela.... if by calling, you mean name; mine is Revan."

The other female, who Mirela now knew was called Revan, seemed rather surprised by her sudden appearance, but she was quickly able to gather herself together and offer a slight response to the Gaziche alphess's question. Ugh, Revan? What a boring name. Sounds like some sort of plant. Mirela thought, still managing to keep up her happy and cheerful atmosphere as she thought this. "Revan, hmm? What a pretty name. Makes mine seem quite dull, if you ask me..." the Grey female lied skillfully, allowing the female in question a dazzling smile. That was how Mirela worked with any wolf she ran into- lure them in, then snap the trap before they even had a single doubt as to what they were doing. "So, what brings you to Lerelm on such a fine, albeit miserably warm, day?" Mirela spoke, still keeping up the warm, friendly attitude with Revan as she mentally coached herself on what she was doing. All it would take was a little persuasion, plus the mentioning of the fact that she was an alphess was bound to reel Revan right into her grasp. However, Mirela was getting the strangest feeling that they weren't alone in the underground caverns. Turning, she saw a black female, apparently some sort of tundra breed, walking over to them, soft lyrics escaping her maw as she did so.

"Hello... my name would be Ichigo. Pleasure to meet you Revan, Mirela."

Shaking her head, Mirela stood up, happiness and joy being the only emotions in her eyes as she walked closer to Ichigo. Two more potential members? This must be my lucky day! she chuckled mentally, speaking out as soon as the thought vanished. "Make yourself right at home, Ichigo. Your presence will be welcomed, I assure you..." That was true, another wolf's presence would certainly be rewarding to Mirela. Watching as Ichigo sat down and began to clean the dirt off of her rather vigorously, the alphess female raised an eyebrow at her strange habits. Yes, Ichigo seemed a bit vain, and Revan really didn't seem like the brightest bulb on the tree, but who was she to complain? Besides, Dreidoj would be the one to decide whether or not the two would be enrolled into the band. Personally, Mirela was currently voting for Revan. She seemed like a bright young wolf who was eager to please, so she'd fit right into the band. Anything would be better than Rhyanne. Mirela found the young female rather difficult to decipher, and at times she amazed the Gaziche alphess with her cunning. But Rhyanne was rather disobedient at times. Perhaps she needed another female around to teach her a lesson or two.

Deciding that now would be the best time to speak up, Mirela spoke once more, letting her words choose themselves. "Revan, Ichigo, I have to tell you something... I am an alphess, of the Gaziche pack... and we are in need of new members..." Well, granted, Gaziche was big enough already, but still... "We roam from place to place, having adventures of all sorts... and best of all, everyone works together. There is no wolf that is greater than one below it, we are a family pack, we stick together.." That was sure to lure the females in. Glancing down a faraway passage, Mirela spoke up. "Come, we can discuss this while walking. If you would follow me..." she said, sprinting off down the passage, speaking behind her as she did so. "But before you even think about joining us, you need to pass a test of some sort. A test that will show your bravery and strength..." Mirela said, glancing back at the two females as she awaited their reply to her challenge. Little did they know just what exactly she had in store for them...

[revan]

Revan's green eyes narrowed fractionally as she caught the lie, but she showed no other reaction. Again, she saw no harm in answering Mirela's question. "Miserably warm is right," she said. "I was exploring Shyia and figured Lerelm was a good place to wait for the forest to cool down after nightfall."

Revan had heard Ichigo's approach, but had waited for the other to show herself before reacting. She nodded her head in greeting to the other tundra female. "Hello Ichigo, it's nice to meet you as well." Turning her attention back to Mirela, the black femme listened to the other's speech. She smiled slightly. Ahh.... she thought. So that's what she wants.

"Well, Mirela," Revan began, acknowledging the other's rank with a respectful nod, "I'm afraid must disappoint you. Had your offer come to me a few months ago, I might have accepted, but as it is, I belong to a pack already and I am quite content with my position." The femme smiled inwardly as she thought fondly of the Haishin pack. Zethrox's kind leadership, Terror's playful antics, even Legacy's cool grace. Not to mention the pack members she had not met yet. As one who favored solitude more often than not, Revan had not managed to meet most of her pack-mates yet. She padded out of the water and shook herself vigorously. Then she crossed the distance to where Mirela waited in three large bounds. "I cannot speak for Ichigo, however, and I would be happy to meet the rest of your pack. After all, Shyia is unclaimed and I have nothing else of importance to attend to." A graceful shrug.

[mirela]

"Miserably warm is right... I was exploring Shyia and figured Lerelm was a good place to wait for the forest to cool down after nightfall."

Mirela simply nodded a bit in response to this, though she was still bewildered at Revan's sudden eye-narrowing. How the hell had she been able to catch her little lie? It was almost like the female was... reading her mind or something. As ridiculous as the idea sounded, Mirela knew that she'd have to watch her back around Revan from now on. Evidently the female wasn't as dim-witted as she'd originally thought, which might make her a good adition to the band. With her cunning and charm, the Gaziche alphess was sure that she'd fit right in with the rest of the band. She didn't care so much about Ichigo at the moment- the female hadn't done anything other than sitting there like a statue to make Mirela change her mind about her. Bah! Ichigo? Sounds like "hell" in some language. Plus, she's very quiet... she doesn't look like she'd be much good at following orders... the young alphess shrugged before turning back to Revan, waiting anxiously to hear the answer to her inquiry. However, Revan seemed more interested in greeting Ichigo to the underground caverns than anything, and it took all of Mirela's will to bite back a harsh growl as the females introduced themselves to each other.

"Hello Ichigo, it's nice to meet you as well...."

Rolling her eyes, Mirela waited at the tunnel entrance for Revan to get up and answer her already. The Gaziche alphess wasn't really known for being the most patient of wolves- she would rather have everything come to her right away, rather than sitting around waiting for it. Besides, if Revan and Ichigo said yes to her offer, this could be her chance to show Dreidoj that she could actually be useful. She was getting rather sick of him always treating her like she never amounted to anything, so maybe this was her chance to redeem herself. Finally, she would get some respect. Finally, she would be seen as useful in her mate's eyes. However, that dream withered a bit when Ichigo silently stood up, shook her head, and departed from the way she'd come, muttering to herself all the way. Mirela shook her head at that, but she knew there was nothing she could do to change Ichigo's mind. If she didn't want to join, she didn't, and that was that. Though her reaction had left the alphess more than a bit disappointed, she wisely covered it up and turned back to Revan in time to see her nod in respect before speaking softly.

"Well, Mirela, I'm afraid I must disappoint you. Had your offer come to me a few months ago, I might have accepted, but as it is, I belong to a pack already and I am quite content with my position."

The dream died a silent death, impaled upon the rocky crags in Mirela's mind.With a sigh, she stood, nodding to Revan. "I can understand your decision, but don't you get tired of always staying in one place? Surely you wish you could move around and have some freedom? We are a nomadic pack, you see. We don't have a homebase.." Well, that wasn't really true- they had already established a home base in Tiayr- but still, the more exciting she made the pack seem, the more likely Revan was to join. However, the look in Revan's eyes told Mirela that she was dead serious, and the Gaziche alphess let a small sigh come from her maw as she slowly came to the realization that she was beaten. "Well, then so be it. You seem like you would have great potential, Revan... but if you are a part of a pack, I can understand why you wouldn't want to leave them. Though, if you should ever change your mind, don't hesitate to let me know." she said, her head and ears drooping a bit as she made her way back to the cavern, intending to follow it to its end where she could get out of this blasted cave. However, Revan's next words put a spark of hope into her for a moment.

"I cannot speak for Ichigo, however, and I would be happy to meet the rest of your pack. After all, Shyia is unclaimed and I have nothing else of importance to attend to."

Turning back, Mirela smiled, her eyes twinkling suggestively as she spoke one last time. "Well, I think that you should be getting back to your pack, Revan... but don't despair. You shall meet my pack in due time... goodbye, female, until we meet again." With that, Mirela turned, stepping into the cavern. For a moment, she decided against leaving, but then firmly shook her head and started forward. If all Revan was going to do was refuse her attempts to seduce her over and over, then Mirela didn't even know why she was still wasting her time with the female. Besides, she really needed to get back to the pack, to hear if they were indeed going to that "soul sucker" place after all. With a wide smirk, she managed to reach the exit to the tunnel and make her way to the entrance, and as she emerged from Lerelm and started to trot away, she allowed a small chuckle to escape her maw. Oh yes, Revan would meet her pack again. And when that day came, every single wolf on the face of Anikira had better be prepared for the arrival of the Gaziche.

[revan]

Revan listened to Mirela's farewell and watched the strange alphess vanish into the trees. Something was off about that female, and her words sent a chill down the black's spine. In all her travels, she had never heard of the Gaziche pack. Travelers? she thought. Something's not right... Revan's ears went back as she stared into the night. A desire to follow the other welled up in her, but she fought it. It wasn't her place and she would probably get into trouble. Flicking her ears around to catch the sounds of the night, she decided it was cool enough to start the journey back to Kamari.

Soft paws carried Revan soundlessly through the forest. She sped up her pace and changed direction, deciding to cut across and run along the Acerbus/Caurus border, instead of taking her usual winding route through Caurus and stopping for a rest in one of the Niall Caverns. Something told her that she should get this information to Zethrox as soon as possible. An ill wind was blowing. And she could pick up some Sassafras root on the way. Stopping at the edge of the trees, Revan took a deep breath before moving on carefully. Acerbus was the territory of the Salen pack, and Revan knew better than to trespass. Stopping near a Sassafras tree that stood directly on the border, Revan dug a hole on the Caurus side. Ripping out a good size root, the black female loped away. Taking the piece of root wouldn't hurt the plant, and the juice from it would help if any were injured when she got back. Herbs - collecting and determining the various uses of them - were Revan's passion. She hoped that when Zethrox assigned her a rank, she would be able to continue her working with the plants of her home.

Exit Revan