Honestly, not only would it be no problem to lead him about to the pack lands, but it would give her something of a mission to do, a little more purpose then the aimless wonderings she had taken so far. It would mean, also, that she got to remain in the presence of another wolf for longer. Gave her sanity something of a pull from where it had been slipping – with only herself to keep her company, it was a slippery slope for a creature made to run in packs.
That would be helpful; perhaps I will find the black-pelted fraulein (??) much sooner then I had hoped
That word, it was stalking her now in his sentences, placed seemingly at random as through to taunt her. She herself had been referred to as it, and now this wolf, a friend or lover of his was being referred to with this word as well. It held some significance in the term of friend, surely, or simply his manner of addressing another, like the use of ‘Miss’ for example. With these words, he would jump down from his bolder and stalk at ease towards her. he did not approach too closely to her, as through respecting her personal space or reluctant to alarm her. Sapphire still held the confidence that she could hold her own – she didn’t go looking for fights, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know how to battle. Maybe he himself had a fairly large personal space bubble all to himself. What ever his reasoning was, Sapphire respected it, and with a nod of her head she turned and begun to move at a light, easy pace forward. “To the packs it is then” She would murmur to him – in encouragement for him to follow. Which also left it up to him if he was to match pace with her or walk a few steps behind.
They walked in silence, the beat of her paws seemed quieter to her now, less dominant with the sound of his own also pattering against the earth. The truth was, Sapphire had not walked with a brother wolf for a long time now, the sound was nearing the point of being alien to her, but not so far gone to not be a comfort. And nor was there silence an uncomfortable one – they where both the type to respect it, to have no wish to pry or comment on and on about unimportant happenings in the world around them simply to make conversation. No, it seemed they where both happy to walk in silence where ever it was that Sapphire was leading them.
They walked for a little while, she already had something akin to an idea of where she was going. She hadn’t actually reached the borders of this pack before, but considering the pact she had braved the mountain peaks to another pack, only to be greeted by no other wolves and eventually find her way down again, she knew there was little point in leading him that way. Instead she would take a chance at a new pack she had scented out but never really explored in the hopes that they would find pack members willing to give this brute a helping hand. She truly hoped she was not leading him on a wild goose chase, she wanted him to succeed in his mission at finding his friend. Her path skirted around a forest, close to the mountain peaks she had braved once before. The forest itself seemed vast enough, but in time – with the sun moving slowly, gracefully through the sky, the forest finally melted away behind them. The scent of a pack was strong now, everywhere she turned her nose she caught the perfume of other wolves – they had arrived. Looking up at the sky, she knew that sunlight would only last a few more hours, enough so maybe to get a few answers from the wolves here. If this turned out to be fruitless, then Sapphire would lead the brute in another direction, towards a different pack.
She would turn towards said brute now, a light smile on her face and nodded her head, an indication for him to howl out to the pack. She felt no need to point out the obvious, to state ‘they had arrived’ or indicate that this was pack lands, the scent was give-away enough for that.
Last Edit: Jul 15, 2011 18:58:43 GMT -5 by sapphire
As the two wolves trekked across the unfamiliar land, Ulrich kept his umber-hued eyes on a constant scan of the surroundings. The place was surprisingly diverse, he realized. In his travels of the world he had encountered all kinds of landscapes and climates, and most of them seemed to be present here. In the far distance on either end of the horizon he could see, more clearly now, mountains whose peaks had yet to fully thaw from winter’s icy breath. At one flank was a dense forest, and at their other, hills that rolled and cliffs that cut the land into beautifully jagged shapes. A river could be seen as well, snaking comfortably across the green earth. It was as if he had entered upon some holy Eden; the place was an entire world on its own, seemingly untouched and pure, in the midst of a vast sea of tainted Earth. It was as if the rest of the world no longer existed. The notion was poignant and Ulrich desired to think of it no more, for if the rest of the world no longer existed, then his homeland, the Schwarzwald, was gone as well—and it was already so far out of his reach.
So he directed his attention back to the femme after what seemed like—and most likely was—hours of travel. Sapphire had stopped walking and turned to him, smiling, urging him to take the next step. Ulrich stepped forward, sniffing out the pack a bit more deeply than he had been on their way here. It was a strong mingling of many unfamiliar scents; a rather large pack, by the standards that Ulrich could remember. Of course there were no rigid standards for wolf packs, as they seemed to form, dissipate, wax, and wane as much and often as they pleased. Each was unique.
Ulrich raised his mighty head once more and howled, reaching out to the pack though there was a deep stirring of reluctance within him. The very idea of calling the attention of a pack, not to mention a large one, would have seemed incredibly foolish to him if he were not doing so for such a purpose as he was. Indeed, he had done many incredibly foolish things for the sake of this mission.
[We shall have Koli join in for the next post, if he wishes.]
It was late and by now most of the pack was probably in the dens drifting off to blissful sleep; he was unsure where they all were as he had been in his own little corner away from them all. It wasn't that he was being purposely anti-social; not more then he usually was it was just he had been resting earlier by himself and had become fond of the little spot he had chosen and had decided to return to it later on in the day. It was far enough away from the entrance to allow there to be a little bit of warmth but wide enough that a gentle breeze would cool him down when it got too hot; the spot in his opinion was perfect and he made a mental note to claim this space for his own use from now on. He was sure no one would try and take it from him but if needs be he would talk to Zethrox... after all he was the lead hunter, surely that meant he could have a few privileges? And having his own spot in the crevice wasn't asking a lot of his alpha or his fellow pack members; in fact it seemed rather reasonable to him.
Yawning the black wolf turned onto his back and wiggled back and forth as he tried to get comfortable and sooth an itch that had formed on his shoulder blade. He had been unable to get himself to sleep for a while and he was beginning to grow restless. Sleep had never really been an easy thing for him; growing up he had learned that sleeping could get you killed and that you had to be alert at all times. Of course over his years as an adult and in the foreign land he now called home he had learned that this wasn't always the case. But his father's lessons were so far rooted into him that he found it difficult to relax and it would often take him a long time to get any sleep; but it had improved somewhat over the years but for some reason he just couldn't get comfortable enough and found his mind racing with thoughts. It seemed that fate had decided that he wouldn't be getting a good sleep tonight.
Annoyed and feeling a little grouchy he expressed his unhappiness with a low rumble of a growl and decided to go stretch his legs thinking that perhaps a good walk would tire him out. And perhaps whilst he was out he would go for a little hunt, he wasn't that hungry but a hunt would certainly tire him out and it would be good to have a full belly. Stepping out of the pack's den he shook his body to shake out any excess dust from his fur and set out having no destination in mind. He would go wherever his feet took him which was oddly out of character for him, he liked to plan things and rarely did things on the spur of the moment. There were moments when he did; like when he had left Salen after hearing that pack lands were being claimed but that was only to fulfil what he had longed believed was his destiny; he'd had little choice in believing that after having his father beat it into him and ultimately he had failed. There were times when he still felt he should be Alpha and where he was angry and jealous of Zethrox for taking that from him but he knew deep down that Zethrox was right for Haishin. He hadn't been a good Alpha and had been consumed by anger and revenge and it had ended up destroying everything around him. But now he felt he was finally getting some light in his life and perhaps one day he would be ready and have the right mindset to be a good alpha.
A howl broke through his train of thought and Koli's ear went forward as he tried to identify where the sound had come from. Quickly locating where it was he turned himself around and headed east towards the border; he was curious to see who was calling out this late at night and yet rather pleased that the wolf had not simply wondered in. It was rare that wolves in these parts acted with such....respect and it was oddly satisfying despite the lateness of the hour to hear a wolf respect the pack's borders and rules. It wasn't long before he reached them and he slipped into the moonlight allowing the two stranger wolves the grace of seeing him. So often he found that his dark pelt blended with the night air that he could often surprise those he came across; it certainly had its uses but this wasn't one of those moments. "Welcome to Haishin, is there something I can help you with?"
Sapphire’s eyes where intent upon the wolf before her. Even as the days light began to waver, washing into gentle golden glows of a sunset she could see him clearly. Her own eyes, reflecting with the wolf’s night vision in an eerie glow, watched him step forward. His graceful, strong steps almost spoke superiority, but there was no vanity in his expression as his head was thrown upwards, towards the moon, which was sneaking its way into a sky still full with the sun. In moments his thick vowels where rolling across the back of a stirring wind. Watching this strong, silent wolf stand there now and wait, Sapphire could only wonder. What power did this other wolf hold over him? Just how far had he travelled, and how did he know which way to turn in a world as vast as this one. How far would he go to find this wolf. Was she a relation, a love, or was it something more sinister in the purpose behind his quest. Sapphire had not taken the moment to ask, but she knew in her heart she would not even attempt to pry it from this silent wolf. She did not know him very well, what he was capable of and what he was not – she could only imagine star-crossed lovers finding each others paths once more.
A shame Sapphire was not a romantic, she did not believe in love in first sight, or moving mountains for ‘The One’ but she could respect his strength, and understand that when he wanted something there was very little that could stop him from reaching his goal. What ever his purpose was – he would succeed, not because the fates where with him, or whatever daft idealism others chose to believe in. no, if he made this quest – it was the strength in his own two paws, and the determination inside of him that got him there. Maybe that was why Sapphire was feeling like a moth to a flame about this brute, she did not want him to walk away now. There was little more she could do for him and she understood that. Once he reached the packs and found a wolf that knew more then she did – Sapphire would become expandable. Enough of the may’s in what the future would hold. She tore her gaze from Ulrich and turned it instead towards the pack lands where she had lead him, wondering if his strong tones would catch the ears of another wolf.
Even as she watched, a black brute would appear from the falling shadows of the coming night - shadows not nearly as dark as his coat was. His steps steady, and his destination clear. When he spoke, his voice rung out, polite and courteous to the two wolves who had called the attention of the pack. “Greetings, wolf of Haishin, thank you for coming” Sapphire murmured softly, taking one step forward so that she stood beside Ulrich – well she was here, his mission was her own, and she would help him until he wanted her help no more.
(Ooc: Ulrich, you write beautifully)
Last Edit: Jul 15, 2011 18:57:58 GMT -5 by sapphire
Ulrich’s large ears were angled forward and he listened, contemplative in the silence that faded in as his faint echo of his howl dissipated into the hills. It wasn’t long before he heard the distant paw steps and then caught the scent of the approaching brute. He couldn’t detect any sort of hostility in the air, which slackened the tension on his conscience a great deal. As for the femme at his side, he detected little or nothing from her either—which was good. Ulrich mused to himself that most rogues understood the value placed on keeping mostly to themselves, even in social situations such as this; it was something that most loners, or at least those whom he had come across, had in common: the ability to stand together but remain separated on a certain mental level. Wasn’t that what set them apart from pack-dwellers of their kind?
The deep brown eyes, glowing oddly in the half-moonlight, settled on the black-pelted brute who had emerged from the near-darkness. Ulrich watched him patiently as the polite exchange of words was made.
“Greetings.
Ich have come here seeking somevon. Ze last Ich had heard of her vas zat she came to zis island. Ich vas hoping zat somevon vould recognize ze name—does Azzabasca sound familiar to you?
Her pelt ist black like yours, und her eyes are like ze ice in deepest Vinter.”
Ulrich spoke with a clear firmness in his voice, his brow furrowed as his eyes maintained a stern contact with the black wolf across the way. The determination in his words was apparent, though deep within he resented the fact that he already had, and probably would continue to, repeat a similar speech many more times before he would be able to find Athabasca. It was always the same, no matter where he went: he was searching for someone, he was looking for this black-pelted she-wolf, he was seeking the one named Athabasca who had haunted his dreams ever since he had vowed to find her, all those years ago. And now he was coming so close to his goal. With every time he repeated the questions, they became all the more self-assured and confident. By now he was so certain he would find her, he almost believed he would see her stalking in the shadows beyond at any moment.
However a deep-seated doubt had been tugging at his guts since the very beginning of the expedition—it was a nagging premonition that he chose to disregard, for the most part, on behalf of his ever-increasing morale. It was the notion that he was not coming close to finding her, but that he was nearing the end of his quest only to find out what had become of her.
The sun was starting to descend and the moon was already opening its eye to the world around them, soon it would be dark even if the stars were out and Koli would be in his comfort zone. Darkness had always overruled his life; it had been his destiny even before he was born and he had come to accept the fact that it was impossible for him to escape it. He had once feared and resented the cloud of shadow that overhung him and in some ways he still did; but there was an odd sense of comfort in his shadows, they kept him safe and as long as he stayed in the shadows he could never be hurt again by letting people get close to him.
Before he had come to Anikira things hadn't been so bad; true he had been ruled by his hate and anger but at least his heart had been safe. And then he had discovered Salen and had met the beautiful Athabasca and everything had changed, he had felt a warmth in his heart like no other and had felt a sense of protection over her, something he had never experienced towards anyone else. He would have given anything for her, even his very own breath and she had broken his heart; since then things had never been the same. He was more distrusting and no matter how much he felt attracted to femmes he found himself alone in the world. He was cursed, anyone who dared to love him and that he dared to care for back would either wind up dead or would leave him heartbroken, so he had decided to allow his shadows to overwhelm him and to give him safety. Never again would he allow himself to feel like that, his pain only lead to anger and he wouldn't allow his poison to destroy the pack.
So to find himself faced with two new wolves one being female and one being male he felt like retreating into his ever growing darkness, but he couldn't, he had a duty to perform and Zethrox wouldn't be pleased to discover that he had been neglecting his duties; especially when the wolves had been kind enough to announce themselves before entering the pack lands. But he soon found himself wishing he had turned away from them as a name soon came to his ears and echoed within his mind. Athabasca. The pronunciation was different but it was defiantly her name, he hadn't heard or spoken her name in so long and he felt anger and bitterness twisting away in his gut down to his very inner being. How dare this stranger mention her name, how dare he speak her name with such familiarity and ask him about her. He felt his throat tighten and he began to feel as if he was choking, he only thought of her from time to time but somehow hearing her name brought it all back; the betrayal, the hurt, discovering she was dead, lying beside her cold body, the time they had met and how cold she had been towards him and how that had turned to affection. Everything, the good and bad raced around his mind and a growl escaped his lips as he tried to shake the image back into the furthest cave in his mind.
"What do you want with her? Why have you come here asking me about her." Koli whined as he felt himself overcome with the pain and anger at hearing her name and he looked at the ground as he attempted to push the emotions back. "Why?"
Sapphire knew little of love. There where those who where willing to love her – her adopted father, his friend (she could never quite form the words ‘her’ in regards to friends) but she had never accepted it. All she knew was the example her mother had left behind for her. She what had happened, heard it whispers, before and after she was of a ‘ready’ age to know the story. But she also saw it, in there eyes, the pity and the shame – that little twinge of relief she saw in her pairs – that it was her life Sea and Hawk had ruined, not their own. She knew love, but she had never experienced, never sought after it, and had never accepted it. She had wondered if this trip the brute had taken was down to love, she just had imagined it would come in the form it had. She did not know the journey he had taken was a selfish quest to repay a favour a kind wolf had given him. That he did not know this wolf, as she did not know him.
How was either of them, herself or Ulrich to know that in speaking her name they would be twisting the heart of the wolf before him. there it was, his love, that bitter twist in his eyes, the anger that wafted off him like a stream burnt by sunlight. The love he was missing, what had been taken from him. Here he was, another perfect example why one should never love, never give away that piece of them that could not be restored, replaced, returned. What one did not know however, did not mean it was hidden. A growl slipped through the throat of the wolf before them. She could hear the pain, the sweet bitter note it held in that short moment it lived, that growl. He knew the name, and recognised it. What it meant to him, Sapphire was unsure.
They where tearing him apart, a stranger, they where trudging through muddy waters and memories that had been shovel into the darkness, hidden and buried where they could hurt no more. They where ripping apart his hiding spot and letting out his pain, to seek into his heart. Or maybe not so melodramatic, but it was still there, as he attempted to push into the side, the pain he did not want them to see. “Who was she to you?” She whispered, words that where not even meant for him, words she had not meant to speak. This was not her quest after all, and she did not hold the answers either wolf wanted. She was just a messenger, an observer for the grief delivered in the past, the one shown and felt now, and most likely the grief yet to come.
Last Edit: Jul 15, 2011 18:57:12 GMT -5 by sapphire
The reaction was far more than he had expected. But was that a good…?
The other wolf had turned his eyes downward, doing more to reveal his anguish than to conceal it. Ulrich’s face remained unchanged as he gauged the stranger’s unexpected reaction, noting the way his voice seemed to crack under some unbearable internal pressure—a pungent combination of misery and anger in his words, each one like a cutting shard of… … Hope?
To Ulrich, it was something of the sort, though minute enough to leave his doubts intact. After a slight pause, Ulrich’s brow raised in a stern, knowing manner—not smug or expectant, but… prompting. As if oblivious to the other wolf’s pain he would continue on with his purpose.
“So you do know her.
…
Vere can I find her?” ‘…Dead or alive?’
The deep, heavily accented voice was smooth and subtle in comparison to the other’s; there was no hint of emotion beyond the self-assuredness and unsympathetic confidence, nothing to break down the wall that was his inherent nature in order to conceal his true feelings. If anything, Ulrich might have seemed cold and unfeeling—but it wasn’t meant to be offensive. His attitude had been an unobtrusive one from the start.
To his left, the white femme had whispered something. Ulrich turned his head slightly to glance at her in his peripherals, though his eyes chiefly attended the stranger wolf who he had been addressing, out of caution and/or respect for conversation. Her question had no ready answer. His mouth opened just slightly, as if about to speak, but then closed again in apparent hesitation. The story and his reasons for seeking her would take more than a sentence or two to reveal to her, and so he would not—for now.
“Complicated,” was the reply, a near-silent murmur that barely stirred his lips to utter, meant only for her ears while attempting to not appear as if they were mumbling to each other about the other wolf. Because that was typically off-putting.
((OOC: I'm hoping you won't mind if I stick Zeth in here? If not, I can delete the post lol))
The greying alpha departed from the dens, his head swimming from all the interaction in such a tight space. Zethrox had never known himself to be claustrophobic, but there had been far too much action for him to handle at the present moment. He was wondering where his grandchildren were, if they had departed Kamari once and for all. Maybe it was just wishful thinking that they would stick around with him, and he had be deluding himself into thinking they would actually want to be a family. As he neared the edge of Kamari, the conversation of a group of wolves filled his ears. He was curious; what were these wolves doing on his packlands, and why had he not heard of their arrival?
Maybe he was getting too old for this. Zethrox shook his head bitterly; the issues were starting to weigh heavier on his mind. But for now, he was intrigued as to the situation developing on the edge of his territory. As he drew closer, he recognized Koli's scent among the three, and that found him relaxing a bit more. The black brute knew how to handle himself, as he had previously been the alpha here. That did not still his questions about the two foreigners, though.
He could sense Koli's distress. His voice sounded forlorn, bothered by whatever the two foreign wolves were speaking to him. Zethrox did not know whether it would be beneficial for him to intrude. For the moment, he remained a little distance back, so as to allow the wolves to notice his presence before arriving. True, he was the alpha and had every right to invade the conversation, but he attempted to be respectful to his pack mates. Whatever they were discussing seemed important, and Koli had not requested his presence thusfar. He only entered the conversation halfway, and these were the words spoken by the accent-ridden brute.
“So you do know her… Vere can I find her?”
Zethrox looked at Koli, intrigued. His mind flashed back to a conversation the pair had a long time ago...
"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."
He thought the request strange at the time; he knew Koli had a past, but what had followed surprised Zethrox even more.
"I soon came to Anikira, but was unable to find a home, my anger and hatred rubbed most wolves the wrong way, and I'm lucky to be alive. I returned to mypack and visited my Shawman, in hopes that she might help me. She helped me find a way of controlling my anger, and I once again left to return to Anikira. It wasn't long till I was in the pack lands of Acerbus. There I stayed with the Salen for a while, and created a close bond with a she-wolf Athabasca. Afraid of hurting her and determined to complete my goal in life, I left Salen and came here. I fought off many wolves and became the Alpha, and was surprised when I saw Athabasca had left to join me. When a rogue came to attack and claim my title, I was shocked to see that Athabasca had left me. Once again I became the demon of my former self, and I was in that anger that I joined an alliance with Ardemu and asked for him to find Athabasca, and bring her to me so that I could kill her."
"I loved her so much, but I hated her for what she had done to me, for the pain she had caused me. Slowly my pack grew but I saw nothing of Ardemu. Deciding to seek out Athabasca myself, I left my Beta Tailise, who I had grown affections for in charge. I searched Anikira for weeks, until finally I found Athabasca. She was dying and in those moments, I could bring myself to kill her. She died at my side and I wondered back here, in pain and anger at what I had done. She had died from wounds which I only presume were from the Knaves. When I returned the lands were no longer mine, and Tailise was nowehere to be seen."
"I was frustrated at loosing my lands, but the pain of Athabasca's death made me accept it. I have lost my fighting spirit, but the anger and hatred still loom within me, I have come to fear myself and what I might do in it's name."
It had been a long time ago, but Zethrox remembered. Could this be the "she" that these wolves were seeking? Koli had never mentioned another female, and the look in his eyes seemed to coincide with the alpha's conclusions. He had only once before known that look; it was the one he himself had worn when he realized he had lost Rixes, and there was nothing he could do about it. He knew it was time for his appearance.
As the alpha drew closer, Zethrox dipped his crown in greeting. "My name is Zethrox, and I am the alpha of these lands. I see you have introduced yourselves to Koli, here. Might I inquire why my pack member seems to be unsettled by your presence?" he asked, a sharp edge in his voice.
Last Edit: Jun 16, 2011 11:04:47 GMT -5 by sapphire
Even though he had tried his best to forget her face and to move on there was always something that made her image...her voice stick. He had hoped that he had been able to move past all of this and be able to no longer feel haunted by Athabasca. And now some stranger had come along and was trying to find her...was he an old mate? A family member or maybe someone who wished her harm? Well whatever his reason it was wasted, Athabasca was dead and no amount of hope or wishing would bring her back and it was all his fault. Even though it had been many months...maybe even a year since he had stuck the bargain which had unravelled his world he still remembered his words clearly as if he had just spoken them.
'There is a wolf that has caused me much harm, I wish you to bring them to me. This is one wolf I wish to kill myself.... The wolf in question is called Athabasca. She is a black wolf, she'll most likely have a scar on her side. She has caused me great pain, make sure that she is brought here alive. I wish to get my revenge by myself.'
He had been so foolish, so ruled by his emotions that he had sent some of the most brutal wolves in Anikira track her down. At the time the thought of her being attacked and dragged back to him had been a satisfying thought, even more so with the thought of torturing her himself and tearing out her throat. Even now there were times when he still felt like that, what she had done had hurt him and had scarred him deeply. He had been without love for a long time and had found hope of finding it within her. They had not gotten off to the best of starts, she had even said that she didn't care if he died. But when she herself had faced the doors of death and when he had let down the barriers set around his heart and had cared for her the two had bonded and become close.
'I swear it, I swear by my very life, you're not going to die..... I won't allow it.'
Back then he would have done anything to ensure her safety and if she were still alive he couldn't say if that would still be the case. Sure she had hurt him but he was no better, if she was still alive guilt would be enough to make him turn from her and leave her behind, hate was still within his heart but his pain masked that. All these combinations would ensure that he wouldn't be able to protect her any more, he hadn't even been able to save her in her last moments. He had been there in her last moments and he had done little to seek her forgiveness or apologise for his own actions. He was unsure how she had injured herself or how she had come to the strange little island but he had feared that his own actions in saving the Knaves were the cause. And no matter what the two had said in those last moments it wasn't enough to undo what he had done.
'I realized there was nothing for me in the Salen, and that you are the only friend I've got......I thought maybe- I could stick around with you?'
He noticed he had been silent for a while and had yet to answer any of their questions, his mind had been too settled and drawn to the past. He was unsure how to answer the femmes question... who was she? A friend.... a former love or an enemy? All of them applied but surely there was a better way to describe who she was, after all he doubted that they would understand how she was all three to him, it was rather complicated after all. "She was someone I knew." It was brief and hardly explained a lot but he didn't want to go into detail about their relationship and he hoped the wolves would have enough respect to not push him any further on the matter. The scent of a familiar pack member caught Koli's nose and he turned his head slightly to look at his Alpha. He was grateful for Zethrox's concern especially given the situation was a tender one and something he had shared with Zethrox before in the past. "I-I'm fine Zethrox... they are merely enquiring after Athabasca." He didn't believe his own words, he was far from fine and he was sure Zethrox knew that as well as he did.
Turning to the male who had first enquired about Athabasca and had asked where she was. "I don't know where she is. " He answered quietly, after she had died he had left her where she was and he couldn't remember the location. He had stumbled upon it purely by accident and he didn't believe he would be able to find it again, not without help anyway and he wasn't really in a state where he would want to go. "Why are you here? You have failed to answer why you are seeking her." It was probably best to say that Athabasca was dead, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words and he wanted to know why she was being sought out. Usually he liked to deal with these matters by himself, it was a part of his nature but he was happy that Zethrox had joined them, he would be able to say what he couldn't.
Sapphire had let her question slip free, and Ulrich had opened his mouth as through to reply to her. He closed it after a moment, his hesitation telling her it was a long story – or a hard one to tell. It seemed to be the latter, or maybe it could still be both as he opened his mouth again and a single word rolled out. One word that seemed to tell her it wasn’t a story for her to know. Or if he was to tell it to her, it would be in trust, and they just hadn’t known each other all that long. Complicated He informed her, and she knew better then to pry any further then that. As it was her intention had never been to ask in the first place, it had slipped unbidden through her guard, simply by the reaction the other wolf had given to Ulrich. The surprise, the anger, the resentment at hearing a name it seemed he knew all to well. It was clear that this she-wolf was important, to both these wolves. Not just to Ulrich, it seemed. For despite the pain that had rolled off the pack wolf, Ulrich had pressed on, eager to know his answer. He seemed almost indifferent to the suffering he had placed the other wolf under – simply by mentioning the name. Sapphire couldn’t judge her friend for pressing on however. She was under the impression that he had travelled long and hard to hear the news that this wolf had to tell. In knowing this it wasn’t surprising that he pushed on, encouraged this wolf to give the story.
As Ulrich had turned to her and answer her question the best way he could for the moment, another wolf had moved through the pack lands towards them. She wondered who he was, another stranger walking these unfamiliar pack lands, but in truth the answer was before her with the authority in the way he held himself, and walked across his lands. He introduced himself soon enough, giving his name as Zethrox, informing them that he was the leader of this land. That meant the ground that stood before them he ruled over – they had been polite enough not to trespass, and call for the attention of another wolf. It seemed this Koli was not the only one too answer. It seemed a strange fluke however that he was the first, and he seemed to hold the answers. Also, the fact that the second was the one to rule the land? Well... that wasn’t to surprising, of course he was likely to answer any calls. Sapphire lowered her head politely to the other, before raising it again. She need not be submissive to this wolf – she was a rogue and was under no authority. All the same, she stood before his land, and her friend had called the attention of one of his words, and it was best to be polite. There was accusation in the Alpha’s tone however, and she flicked her gaze quickly from pack-member, to Alpha, and back again. It was true, there enquires had upset Koli, but she had already submitted herself to the fact that it was necessary. Would the Alpha share that view?
When at last Koli’s words slipped free, they did little to satisfy the curiosity Sapphire had begun to feel. She had wanted to put herself into this, to help Ulrich find this she-wolf that he sought. She had asked little to no questions, she had only wanted a mission, no attachments to it. Yet here and now, hearing the anguish in this wolf, she knew he had lost something dear to him. This wolf had left her mark on these two, in some way. For good or for bad, if she even lived this day, it was clear that she was remembered. Sapphire had become so sure of herself – that this wolf must have died, so his next words came as a shock to her I don’t know where she is. it was stupid for Sapphire to have jumped to conclusions anyway, but she hadn’t been able to help it. Did that mean she was someone he lost emotionally? Like an ex lover of some kind. Not just ‘someone he knew’ enough. She would make no more speculations, but her curiosity... if he allowed it; she wanted to help Ulrich get the full story. It was clear Koli was reluctant to tell them everything. “So she lives, then? Was that prying? Especially since it was clear Koli did not want to expand on the tiny, droplets of information he had given them now. Not nearly enough to draw a story, especially for Sapphire who didn’t even have the information Ulrich did on this wolf.
Last Edit: Jul 10, 2011 17:22:50 GMT -5 by sapphire
Ulrich’s eyes were locked on the Alpha as he strode into view; a sudden unease pushing through from the very back of his mind, stemming from memories… of certain events in his past that had led him to be wary in such situations. His amber gaze darkened and he avoided looking into the Alpha’s eyes, greeting him merely with a humble downward dip of his head. The situation was quickly becoming more complicated, more discomforting than Ulrich was ready for, but he showed no sign of it, maintaining his secure and stern demeanor.
”Ich intended no disrespect in coming here, Herr* Zethrox. Ich vas looking for someone… und thought your pack member might be able to help. It is apparent zat he knows… ”
His low voice would trail off as the other wolf spoke again, insistent, his distress more than obvious by now. Ulrich sighed deeply—a tired, resigned sound, for he was in no mood to tell his story to these strangers. But in order to get the answer he sought, and to avoid conflict with this pack, he would have to.
Following Sapphire’s brief inquiry, there was a moment of pause in which the large grey wolf seemed to collect himself and his thoughts, his stern amber gaze focusing on the ground in front of him… then up at the sky, and then back to the black wolf—to answer his question. He might as well start from the beginning…
”Many years ago, Ich vas helped by an old volf by ze name of Tanaga. To zis volf Ich owed my life—und ven he died, Ich made a vow to him. In our time together he told me many stories, but mostly stories of his old pack—he vas ze Alpha—and of his granddaughter, Athabasca, who had run avay from home in a delusion of despair. She vas insane, you see—und she came here, to zis place. For ze rest of zere lives until zey were lost, captured by ze humans, or died on ze journey, Tanaga’s pack searched for ze she-wolf, but never made it far enough. Tanaga himself, ze only one left, vas too old to make ze final stretch of his quest; und so before he died, Ich promised him zat Ich would find her and tell her vat had become of her family. ”
Ulrich paused, a bitter taste in his mouth, his eyes still locked on the black wolf’s.
”Ich have been making zis journey for many years now. Ich have come a long vay und Ich am at long last very close to reaching ze end… So if you know anyzing about her—anyzing at all—please, tell me.”
Although Zethrox would not let the emotion reflect in his facial expressions, he was quite unnerved right now. This pair of wolves had placed himself and Koli in an interesting situation. As alpha, it was his duty to protect the members of his pack. But did that mean he was responsible for attempting to protect from emotional harm as well? The brute knew how torn up the former alpha had been. In one swoop, Koli had lost Athabasca and his pack. Now, there were wolves snooping around, digging into his past that the brute knew Koli had tried so desperately to put behind him. It looked as if he would never truly be able to escape his past.
But that's the truth with everything, is it not? My past still haunts me, and as much as I try not to let it control me, at times it still does. The brute could recognize his own flaws, and that was one of the many reasons he had not yet lost control of his pack. Zethrox was a strong leader, despite all of his flaws.
That brought him back to Sapphire and Ulrich. The two wolves were causing his pack member a great amount of distress. Would he be the one to clean up this mess, or would Koli want to do it himself? The alpha shot a questioning look to the charcoal brute. The look in his eyes was conflicted; hopefully, the brute would understand what he was deliberating. If the brute did not speak up soon, then Zethrox would do his best to clean up the situation with the least hurt feelings possible.
But in the end, regardless of what he did, someone was going to end up hurt. There was no way to avoid the inevitable. Zethrox merely took a step back and surveyed the two foreigners. They had obviously been searching for quite some time, especially after what the german wolf stated. Where the femme played into this situation, he was not sure. But he did not feel any uneasiness about them; in fact, he was quite at ease in their presence. They had not wandered here with malicious intent. That much, the wolf felt comfortable assuming.
As unthreatening as the two seemed, the brute was not confident enough in his intuition to let his guard down. Thusfar, he had remained in a rigidly dominant stance, his legs stiff and his tail curled back toward his body. His ears were perked and searching for any disturbances in the area. While there were two Haishin wolves and two foreigners, Zethrox was fairly sure they would not risk anything dangerous, as this was the border of claimed territory. His numbers had grown immensely recently, and there were wolves roaming all over Kamari that aligned themselves with the Haishin Pack.
Whatever came from this, Zethrox knew someone would end up in emotional pain. His goal right now was to avoid any physical pain to accompany that.
((OOC: I didn't have a lot of muse for him, sorry. Rare occurance.))
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