The aging alpha's paws dragged across the earth, his sheer exhaustion starting to set in. It seemed like years had passed since he had last rested, and it was about time that he got a break. Zethrox breathed heavily. The chills of winter were beginning to settle over Anikira, and he was ready for the chance to wait out a blistering storm in the dens. Maybe then, this constant headache would leave him, and his only plague would be the troubles of his pack. But that would be far too simple. Instead, he would continue to push himself beyond his limits, and the years would weigh heavily on his back until everything caved in around him.
Zeth's breath grew ragged, and he coughed a sickly cough. He exhaled once more, approaching the springs with a sigh of relieve. The brute stepped into the warm waters. The warmth calmed his aching bones - a temporary relief to the strain of every day life. He was about ready to walk away from all of this. But first, he would need a successor. Even worse was his desire to sleep; he continued to fight that away as the warm water urged him otherwise. Slowly, he gave in, allowing dreams to consume his body as the warm liquid swished around his body...
A dark shadow of a creature darted across the horizon, unwilling to show its face. Zethrox watched cautiously, his eyes following the figure with much grace. Its eyes stared deep into his, glowing yellow. It was then that he paused; the look was a familiar one. Out of the shadows appeared Ardemu, but he looked a little different. The look in his eyes was not a savage one, but one similar to his father's. It was a wise, age-learned gaze, one that he could have only dreamed to see in his murderer of a son's eyes. How he wished this had been how it was...
Zethrox sighed. It was somewhat of a pleasant dream, but why did he dare to fight with the reality of what was before him? He had no family, and he was dying slowly. Age was starting to catch up to him, and he had nowhere to run. There was only a matter of time before the inevitable would happen.
Catnip, Angelica, Echinacea, and Ivy. Those are going to be hard. Maybe if I wrap them in ferns? Revan, her mouth full of Blue Lobelia leaves, loped through the rocky hills. She was being very careful not to crush the leaves, as that would render them useless. They needed to be whole and undamaged in order to keep. Most of the herbs that she was pretty sure she'd need, those that would keep, at any rate, she had already gathered. The only ones left were those that grew only in other claimed lands and those that were especially toxic if handled incorrectly. Having gotten permission, the black female had claimed a small cave not far from the main Dens for use as a still room. It was now hers, and semi-off-limits to everyone else. She had cleaned it of debris and it now contained the cache of herbs that had taken the better part of a month to put together. They were carefully sorted - some would have very nasty effects combined wrong. She slept there most nights as well, not minding the solitude, and the scent of herbs now hung around her almost constantly. It seemed that her personal scent now had the spice of herbs incorporated in. In truth, she liked that.
The mineral scent of the hot springs drifted through the damp air. Revan caught Zethrox's scent nearby as well. She frowned. There was pain in his scent. It was subtle, but there nonetheless. Altering her course, Revan decided to go and see if she could help. She crested a hill and slowed down, approaching the spring at a walk. Zethrox stood in the warm waters, facing away from her. He seemed to be focused on something far away.
Revan's ears twitched in distress as she heard her Alpha's horrid cough. That's not good, she thought. While Revan knew herbs and their uses, she wasn't good with illnesses yet. Of course, that had a lot to do with the fact that, up until joining the Haishin pack, the only person she'd had to care for was herself, and she'd rarely gotten sick.
Gently setting her burden down, Revan spoke. "Zethrox?" she called out softly. "Are you alright?"
A voice filled Zethrox's ears. It was peculiar that he did not scent the femme before her voice trickled through his mind, but alas, he was not exactly in his prime any more. "I'm fine, Revan," he spoke calmly. He actually felt horrid, but he was not going to admit that to the femme. He remained lying down in the waters, fearing that he would become sick quickly if he were to rise. The temperatures were dropping, and it would be just his luck to grow ill when his pack needed him. Besides, what was Revan doing here? Sure, he had not told them not to follow, but he had not anticipated that any of the wolves would end up here. It was his private time, the first change at it that he had in a long time. Now, it was spoiled.
Zeth's ears fell back. It was not that he did not care for his pack. No, it was merely that he was tired. He grew cranky when he felt poorly, so it was in his best interest to separate himself from the others until he were feeling better. "It's only a slight cough. I believe it may just be the result of the weather changing. After all, the most terrible of sounds may turn out to be music to your ears," he spoke with a smile. Even in his down days, he managed to sound like a proverb. Maybe that was just one of the things that came with old age. He would not give it up for the world, though. It was amusing to him, some of the thoughts that ran through his head.
Maybe it's time for me to step down, though. But who else is there that I would trust with the pack? he thought with a huff, his breath rising in a smoky cloud. Revan was still here, and he did not want to be rude by ignoring her. "What is it that you are searching for, Revan?" he inquired kindly, coughing once again. This time, it was a more regular cough. Perhaps he just needed the warm air to clear his sinuses. That may well have been the problem all along. Or maybe I am toying with my own mind. I will never know.
It was weird; his mind was running a thousand steps a minute, but he simply felt tired. His very brief nap had been jolted, so he did not believe that it would be best to try once more. No, he would speak with Revan for now. And then, perhaps the old Zethrox would decide to make an appearance.
Revan's ears twitched again. Zethrox's body language screamed exhaustion and pain, and his words made no sense to her. How could his cough be music? Giving herself a mental shake, she pondered the Alpha's question. "I've almost got the last of the herbs gathered," she reported finally. "I only need the ones that are hard to handle, and the ones that grow in the other territories. I don't know how to get those - I don't want to trespass and get the pack in trouble. Do you have any ideas?"
The black femme curled her tail around and settled it over her paws. She stared down at her reflection in the water. The scars that her father had left were almost completely hidden by her heavy winter coat, but they still ached sometimes. She carried a heavy past, she realized. Not as heavy as some, but heavy, nonetheless. The physical marks of it were there if you knew how to find them, but the emotional scars were more visible. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she looked back up at Zethrox. "I have some Blue Lobelia leaves, if you want something for your cough," she suggested. The steam rising from the pool was making her a bit drowsy, and she yawned.
{Okay, this post is super-short, but I'm falling sleep myself, so I'm going to take a nap.}
The tender paw steps of a young female danced across the terra. Without a sound, Akihra darted across Kamari, the scent full in her nostrils. She was not far from the alpha, and she needed to see him; now. The search had continued since she was but a young pup, and it was finally here. She would face the great Ardemu, and she would ask all the questions she had, regardless of what he thought was best for her young ears. Bold and determined, she crossed the border from the freelands into the claimed pack land. It would be foolish for any wolf to try stopping her. At this point there was little anyone could do. Kira had her sights set, and she would not take no for an answer.
The sizzle of the hot springs met the femme with the slightest of smiles. Her body language was passive, but she felt her muscles tense as she strolled closer. She could see two wolves, one in the water and one on the shore. Once she was within earshot, she paused, hearing the femme's words.
"I only need the ones that are hard to handle, and the ones that grow in the other territories. I don't know how to get those - I don't want to trespass and get the pack in trouble. Do you have any ideas?"
Akihra smirked. "I have an idea for you. Leave, now," she demanded, her eyes flaring up, daring the femme to challenge her. She was taller than the femme, even if she was younger. It would be foolish for Revan to turn against her, especially because she was a skilled fighter. After all, her upbringing had required it. "Go, find your herbs. I must speak to Zethrox here." This time, her demand was a lot calmer, but it sounded much more dangerous. She was not going to wait around for the tundra wolf much longer. Her gold and silver eyes stared down the femme's green ones, waiting for her retreat. Every creature is instilled with the fight or flight instinct. I do not expect this one to fight, but if she does, I can take her, she analyzed.
The peppered female smiled sweetly, shooing the wolf away with a flick of her head. She would not wait much longer. She had far too many questions for the brute in the water that she had only briefly glanced upon. She took a moment to look at him and nearly gasped. Like her father, there was little resemblence between her and him. But at the same time, she knew there was something she would need to learn from this brute. She could feel it, like a sickly sinking in her stomach. This was going to be an interesting day, indeed. Especially as soon as Tehrin and Torrah caught up with her. Tehrin would be most displeased that she was left behind. But she had better things to attend do, did she not?
Revan's eyebrows rose at the interruption. This was interesting. She looked the other over before allowing their eyes to meet and holding the other's gaze steadily. This femme, a bit younger than her, seemed eager for a fight. Revan did not want to fight, but she would not flee, not here on territory that was her home now. If Zethrox told her to go, that was different."And why should I obey you?" she returned calmly, neither retreating nor challenging, simply holding her ground. "What right do you have to order me away?" Revan knew that had she made such a demand to another on the wolf's home territory, she would have been seriously injured, if not killed. Again, this wolf seemed eager to fight.
{Users, I'm out of it. I can't seem to squeeze any more creativity out of my brain.}
Another voice joined with the wolves' as an unfamiliar femme approached the spring. His first instinct was to growl at the intruder, and it would be a lie if he did not begin to act on that thought. However, he was perplexed. What wolf in its right mind would waltz onto a pack land and order away a member of the residing pack? None of them. So either this femme is insane, or she knows something that I don't, he thought anxiously. With a little more strain than normal, the brute rose to his paws and strode from the water, shaking the droplets from his coat in disarray.
"She asked you a question, young one. What right is it of yours to order away a member of my pack on our territory?" Zethrox spoke sharply. He knew that the odds were against the femme; he may be old, but he was not completely useless. And yet, he felt that she was aware of this. Something weird was going on here, and he wanted to know what.
Zethrox glanced over at Revan. He did not believe this newcomer was a threat, but he was more than a little miffed that a loner would have the nerve to not only trespass on his territory, but to directly approach the alpha in the presence of yet another pack member without so much as a show of submission. There was the off chance that she had never been taught the etiquette of the packs; most behavior that she had exhibited would most likely have gotten her killed on any other pack's lands. But he would not strike out prematurely, especially when he was not feeling the greatest. The last thing he needed to do was traumatize his health for a stupid reason. He had more sense than to do that.
Zethrox smiled grimly. "You best start talking, young one. It is not wise to wander onto a pack's lands, and acting the way you just did would likely get you killed anywhere else. I have half the mind to chase you out of here." He was irked. But curiosity was still nagging in the back of the old brute's mind.
The black femme simply would not listen to her. Akihra snorted softly. "Why should you obey me?" she asked back quietly. Her tail swished back and forth light, showing her bit of irritation as she rose to her full height. "Perhaps there are several reasons, a couple of which I think that you will not believe. I would feel more comfortable speaking with the alpha about these matters, without an unfamiliar face present," she danced around the actual topic at hand. Her ability to twist words was uncanny; she was fairly capable of handling this situation, but what she would not give for a little bit of back up to scare the femme. It would not be in her best interest to intimidate a member of Zethrox's pack, however. She was here for answers, not to cause problems.
Akihra's eyes fell on the alpha brute once more. She could tell within an instant from him rising that something was wrong. Perhaps it was his body language, maybe a little bit of her intuition. But something here was not as it should be. "My good sir, you should sit. You do not look as if you are in the best of health," she politely offered. Although her entrance had been rude, she had not been raised a savage. Besides, she had every right to take to these lands whenever she felt. It was her right.
Revan's second question penetrated her ears, and they fell back in distaste. "Perhaps I would like a moment alone to discuss some pressing matters," she bit back, keeping all but a little bit of the edge out of her voice. It had been a long time since she had interacted with anyone besides her brother and sister, so it was only natural that she would take offense to the femme's words. Revan was simply a concerned member of Zethrox's pack, and although she respected that, she did not feel comfortable with the femme in her presence as she spoke to the eastern timber brute. She wanted to ask some questions, and she was not sure Zeth would even want Revan around when she started asking what was on her mind.
As Zethrox addressed her with a bit of a sharp tongue, she bowed her head. "My apologies, sir. I know it was not the most polite way to enter your territory and that such actions would not be tolerated under normal circumstances. But you see, the conditions of my visit are not exactly the most... becoming," she chose her words carefully. She did not want to sound threatening. Akihra was not concerned about her's or Torrah's intent. However, she never knew what was going through Tehrin's head, and she knew well enough to cover her paw tracks if she were going to go behind her sister's back. Such behavior would be severely punished if it were to be discovered. I cannot let that happen. Tehrin can't know that I came here before her, or she will be most angry. Her and Torrah are the only ones I have in the world. And Zeth here, but he does not even know we exist, now does he? she thought bitterly.
"I would very much appreciate a chance to explain myself."
Revan looked at the other femme speculatively, analyzing her movements. Ah, I see, she thought. She has not dealt with those she does not know. A wry smile threatened to make its way onto her lips, but she did not show it. In a way, much like me, but she does not travel alone, at least not normally. Interesting. I wonder why she is alone now. Getting to her feet, she scooped up her burden and walked around to the other side of the spring. Dropping the leaves once more, she calmly laid down, dropping her head on her paws. "I do not take offense, Zethrox," she assured. "I can see her reasoning, although she could do with a bit of lessening in tact." She turned her attention to the new femme again. "My name is Revan," she said amicably. "And yours?" Quite deliberately, she ignored the other's demand that she leave.
As she waited for the female's reaction, Revan's emerald eyes flicked over Zethrox and her ears fell back in worry. The other was right, Zethrox was not well. Unfortunately, Revan had no idea what to do about it. She knew it was her duty to help others in the pack, especially the alpha, but she had no clue how to help him. One thing she did know; she was not going to leave Zethrox alone with this newcomer, not unless he said otherwise. There was genuine concern for Zethrox in the other's voice and posture, which was curious, so Revan filed it away for later. Settling her head on her paws once more, she waited. The next moves belonged to Zethrox and the other femme.
The young eastern timber femme eyeballed the other female with an uneasy look. Why would she not just leave? Akihra had never had to deal with any wolves like this before; if they did not obey, Akihra and Tehrin would simply put them in their place. This was a new situation. She knew well enough that Zethrox would not stand for her attacking one of the members of his pack without reason, so she opted to avoid that pattern of response. Instead, she tried her best to ignore the femme. Maybe, if she pretended Revan was not there for long enough, she would simply go away.
Akihra learned soon enough that that would not be the case. Instead, Revan directed a question at her, purposely initiating conversation. Why does she care what my name is? My business is not with her, she thought, slightly irked that this unfamiliar wolf actually seemed interested in who she was. Sure, she had pranced into the middle of her's and Zethrox's conversation, but could she not understand that her business was only with the alpha? I wish these pack wolves were not so damn curious. It is none of her business who I am, she thought impatiently. Normally, Kira would not act in such a petty manner, but she was limited on time before her brother and sister would appear. The last thing she needed was the two of them prancing in as well and ruining everything for her.
"Akihra."
Her response was short and to the point. She did nothing to encourage further conversation with the black-furred female. It was bothersome to have to deal with her, but she was half-tempted to press forward with what she needed to say with Revan present. She just did not want an audience for this; it sounded shady, but all she wanted was a chance to speak with the alpha brute. "Is it too much to ask for the chance to speak with Zethrox without you here?" she asked softly, her eyes not meeting Revan's. She did not want to seem as if she were being rude, because that was not her intentions.
Complications were attracted to Akihra today. "The strongest of words are best spoken without a great audience. For if they intend to have any power at all, they must be appealed to the individual, not the masses," she explained cryptically. It was a curse sometimes. She had a strong feeling that Revan would not understand what she meant, though she was fairly certain Zethrox would. It was simply how she functioned; Tehrin would get rather upset about it sometimes, because it was easy for her to confuse her sister that way. But at the same time, it made it quite obvious that she was wise beyond her years. She was truly an interesting wolf, if one took the time to get to know her.
Why was this femme so interested in speaking with him? Zethrox tilted his head to the side in curiosity. He noted that Revan would not leave like the femme had asked, but part of him wanted to send her away just to see what this wolf was so eager to speak to him about. Because of the circumstances... What is that supposed to mean? he pondered, eyes focused on the wolf. She had not shown any signs of being a threat, so he was a lot more likely to concede than if she had rushed in with claws outstretched. He still was not certain about her, and she she did not seem willing to make conversation with Revan. He was busy psychoanalyzing the femme; he decided to take a back seat for the moment and try to figure her out.
"The strongest of words are best spoken without a great audience. For if they intend to have any power at all, they must be appealed to the individual, not the masses."
The young female's words startled the alpha brute. She sounded as if she were speaking from his wisdom rather than the viewpoint of a young wolf. She could not be more than two years old, if that. So how was is that she could manipulate her words in such a way? Zethrox had not even picked up the habit until he had fled the rogue band. It was a peculiar occurance, and it caused him to take interest in the femme. "What is it that you seek?" he asked abruptly.
Zethrox glanced over at Revan. If Akihra continued to refuse to speak with her here, he would be forced to ask her to leave. He felt slightly more comfortable with her here, but he also had to make sacrifices for the safety of his pack. If that meant leaving him alone here with this random female, then so be it. But if Akihra decided to get violent, the last thing he wanted was Revan to be dragged into the center of the conflict. It was his nature to avoid fighting at all costs; now, he would just have to try steering this situation in his favor.
Revan's eyes narrowed fractionally, her gaze flicking between her alpha and the newcomer Akihra. Something tickled at the back of her mind, something important. When Akihra spoke, understanding hit Revan like a bolt of lightening. It was all she could do not to lurch to her feet in shock. She clamped down on the whimper of surprise that threatened to escape her.
Should she leave? She had learned some of Zethrox's past, and knew that leaving him with family might not be a good idea. However, Akihra did not seem to constitute as a threat, in fact, she seemed quite the opposite - genuinely concerned about his welfare. Revan sighed heavily and got to her feet. "Alright," she said quietly, stretching and yawning. "With your permission, Zethrox; I will leave for now." The black femme stared up at the heavy cloud cover. It would rain soon, but it didn't smell like thunder. That was good; Revan hated thunderstorms. Would she ever get over her fear of them? It didn't matter, she would go on regardless. Giving her heavy coat a shake, she spoke again. "I don't want to interfere in....family matters."
Picking up her leaves, Revan loped to over to a large fern. Carefully, she ripped off several fronds. Dropping most of the Blue Lobelia leaves onto a frond, she folded it into a neat little packet. "Zethrox, you should chew this. Chew it but don't swallow it." She pushed a leaf towards the alpha. "It will help with your cough." Nodding toward Akihra, she picked up the fern packet and the other leaves. "It's nice to meet you, Akihra," she said, her voice somewhat muffled by the leaves in her mouth. "I hope we have the chance to speak again." She looked over at Zethrox. "I'll be nearby," she told him. "If you need me, just howl." She leaped over a rock, vanishing from sight.
At last, Revan took the hint that she wished to speak with Zethrox alone. However, one of her comments struck her to the soul. I am not a common mutt. I am the flesh and blood of a great line of wolves, and it would be best if I were spoken to as such, she thought, irked by the female. But Akihra would not let Revan get under her fur. She turned to Zethrox, her mismatched eyes peering into his eyes, hoping that he would understand exactly what she had to say.
She took a deep breath. "Before I say anything else, I would like to honestly apologize for intruding on your territory. Maybe what I have to say will shed some light on the situation." How would he take the news? She felt sure from his reaction to her appearance that he did not know about them. How would her grandfather feel about the daughter of Ardemu? Tehrin had always idolized their father, but she could not help but question everything that had happened. There was no way that the alpha brute in front of her was the monster that her sister had painted him to be. He seemed to genuine and, for a lack of better words, old to be much of a threat to any of them.
Perhaps it was time for formal introductions.
"Hello, Zethrox. I am not sure I have had the chance to truly introduce myself to you. I am Akihra, your granddaughter," she explained, her eyes cooling as she dipped her head slightly to the older brute. She had hoped that this meeting would be under better circumstances, but she did not trust Tehrin in the least. Actually, it was completely the opposite. She was easily influenced into following her sister, but that did not mean she agreed with the behavior. She simply was too foolish to walk away from her family, especially her brother and sister that had raised her. She felt indebted to them.
Akihra looked up at the older eastern timber wolf. "I have some questions for you, if you would be willing to answer them for me," she spoke softly, hoping that he would not be angered by her announcement. It would be wise for him to know as much as he could about herself and her siblings in case things were to turn ugly down the road.
Last Edit: Jan 22, 2011 19:56:59 GMT -5 by Deleted
Zethrox watched with thick emotion in his eyes as Revan strode away. He did not figure that she would be far; the femme had a knack for finding herself in situations that would reveal much more information than he was comfortable relinquishing. But he could not turn this female away, not when she so boldly sought to speak with him. She was young, and he would listen and, hopefully, figure out just what was so important. Revan's words confused him, though. She is not intervening in any family matters. My pack is the closest thing I have to a family, he thought sullenly, watching Revan as she pushed the leafy plant toward him.
With a nod, the brute scooped the herb into his mouth and chewed slowly, the bitter taste instantly striking him. He fought against the urge to shudder with distaste, as it was not becoming to show weakness in front of those he did not fully trust. As Akihra began to speak, Zethrox diverted his attention back to her, hoping that she would shed some light on what she had been so hesitant to speak of in front of Revan. "Your apologies are accepted, although I would be careful acting in such a way in the future. Not all alphas will be as lenient with you, and it would be wise not to try seeing which ones will and which ones won't," he warned with a stern gaze. The femme did not seem threatening, just misguided into believing the world was safer than it actually was. However, what caught the brute off guard was what she had to say next.
"Hello, Zethrox. I am not sure I have had the chance to truly introduce myself to you. I am Akihra, your granddaughter."
[/i]
Zethrox's jaw dropped. There was absolutely no way. Ardemu had never been able to stay around a femme long enough without either killing her or tossing her aside like a toy. Even so, he never let them live long enough to conceive pups, he thought desperately. Was there any chance one of his other children had survived? That would be the most likely explanation for this situation.
"Who are your parents? I mean, your father, your mother? How are you related to me?" he quipped, much sharper than he had intended. Akihra was still a young female, and he did not speak to ladies in such a way. But Zethrox was in quite a state of shock, and all rules of etiquette flew out the door when those words had left her mouth. There must be some mistake. I have no heirs, and I have no one. This is just some foolish youngster trying to mess with the emotions of an old alpha, he thought cynically. He would not let this femme throw him for a loop.
"I would rather you answered my question first, and then you may ask me what you wish," he responded curtly, letting the sharpness trickle from his voice as quickly as it had appeared. He would not diminish his role as an alpha or tarnish his reputation for fairness simply because he had not been prepared for this. Perhaps Revan had seen something that he had not? Zethrox was thoroughly confused, and perhaps this young wolf had some of the answers for him. She came looking for answers, yet she had just opened up an entire container of questions for herself in the process.
I hate gathering Ivy, Revan thought to herself. Unfortunately, both Legacy and Apollo are going to need regular doses. Although how I'm going to get Legacy to take them is a good question. Oh well, that's neither here nor there. The black tundra was carefully scraping the long vines from the underside of an overhang. The oak tree's roots had knocked loose some rocks, allowing a small indentation to be revealed in the ledge below. The Ivy had taken advantage of the damp air around the hot springs and the shade of the hollow, and its growth exploded. While most of her attention was focused on the surprisingly dangerous task of gathering the leafy vine, her ears were focused on the conversation taking place between Akihra and Zethrox. The hollow was not too far away from the spring where she'd left the alpha, and voices carried easily around here.
Revan was not ashamed to be eavesdropping, not on this conversation. What she would learn here would be important later on, she knew it. Revan watched and listened as often as she could. Not that she ever showed how much information she learned. Whether others overestimated or underestimated her, she could use it. Only Zethrox knew her full story. He had taken her aside one day and asked her why her gaze was always so intense, no matter what she was watching. Their eyes had met and something inside her had been deeply touched by his calm and steady gaze. She had slumped, broken down, and told her whole story. Why did she watch everything? Because she couldn't afford to miss anything.
Pulling her mind back to the present, Revan scrutinized the pile of plants at her feet. Three Ivy packets should do it. The proper doses are so small that this should be enough to last the winter. I hope. Now came the most dangerous part. Very gingerly, Revan began to cut the vines into manageable pieces with her teeth. She had to be totally focused - one mistake could send her into a narcotic-induced haze that would last for hours. Finally, she finished the task and could relax. Wrapping the Ivy in the fern fronds, she made three neat packets. From the direction of the spring, Zethrox's shocked voice floated over to her. Stretching and yawning again, Revan lay down, resting her back against the wall. Dropping her head onto her paws, she closed her eyes and pricked her ears. She was just as curios about Akihra's answers to Zethrox's questions as he was, though for slightly different reasons.
