The alphess, once out of sight of Vorilye, retreated steadily toward her own pack lands, eager to set paw on what was rightfully hers. Akihra was not planning to return to Acerbus any time soon; Vorilye's words had been enough to chill her to the bone. She needed to get Kallik out of here, and soon, if she intended to keep her pack in tact. Last she had seen the femme, she had been holed up near the hot springs. Yet when the peppered female found where the mother and her pups had nestled up previously, they were nowhere in sight. It must have taken Kallik quite some time to move the pups, especially if she did not have assistance.
With a sigh, Akihra glanced behind her. While she assumed that at least one of the brutes intended to follow her back to the Haishin lands, she could not assume anything. They were not tied to her in any way, even if she had done them a great service in provided an alibi for their presence in the claimed territory. With how he reacted, Akihra did not want to see the defensive side of Vorilye.
A yawn filled the femme's maw as she exposed her canines, settling on her haunches to wait for her "guests." Scout and Sariya were likely around here somewhere, and she would be eager to introduce the new wolves to Kamari should they decide to stick around. Do not be too hasty. There is no guarantee that they intend to have anything to do with us, especially after that display, she reminded herself tersely.
Now came the waiting game. Akihra would have to locate Kallik and quickly. The last thing that the alphess wanted was for Vorilye to come after her; she and the remainder of the pack, including her only daughter, would be caught in the cross fire. Hadn't she taken the steps to warn the female that she would not allow her pack to suffer because of this? Vorilye was a tad deranged, and Akihra did not want to mess with him. It was a matter of her pack's security, and she would stop at nothing to protect her daughter.
Surely the femme would understand.
Last Edit: Mar 22, 2012 20:25:21 GMT -5 by Deleted
The air had been thick with the tension of danger until Tyrion had found he clear of the borders that surrounded the large male’s pack lands. Inwardly he scolded himself for being so dimwitted, he knew better than to try at trickery with a pack. The pack he’d intended to seek out, to spy on until he knew better of their temperament and purpose, had been a wrong step. Perhaps he should have took the look of their foreboding territory as a sign but his father had always taught him that some of the richest hearts were in most frightening looking beasts so he’d reserved judgment until he’d met that cruel brute who’d threatened them all. His fur bristled with anger at the thought of that female coming to harm, eyes narrowing haughtily as a great snort shot from his lungs shading the air for a moment.
He had to follow at a slowed pace, his body travel worn and tired. Soon he could no longer see the female in front of him. At first he’d tried to urge himself forward but to no avail and now he stood in a corpse of trees, panting heavily as he tried to regain strength enough. His head tilted back, finding her scent on the air and then her prints in the snows. The high pitched call of a crow caused him to jump, and he glanced up to see the carrion birds gather in the trees above. A grim expression took over his gaunt face as he met the beady black eyes of the birds and he snarled defiantly toward them, baring his teeth in the face of death.
He was sure that was why they were here. Mocking him as his strength began to fail him. Death was following at his heals. When he moved off they did not follow, only squawked cruelly after him as they vanished behind the maze of twisting trees. It took a bit for him to catch up to the female and when he did he hung back from her, his breath heavy. When he’d caught his breath, sitting in the snow with his paws spread wide in front of him, he looked to her, careful not to meet her gaze in respect for her dominance.
“Thank you for your kindness.” He said after some time, clearing his throat after the words left him. “I fear I’d be dead if not for you. For that I am in your debt and it is my family’s words that we always repay our debts. I am not much to look at now but if ever I should regain my strength…if ever there is something you need done, you may call on me.” He said solemnly. His ears perked, eyes searching the area with a look of worry. “Did our friend wander?” he asked, glancing about.
For a moment, Tyrion felt fear for the other male and began to find himself thinking dark thoughts. Had the wolves of Descai got him? Picked him off while they wandered back? He shivered slightly at the thought before banishing it. No…he’d not found any wolf scent other than the three of theirs since they’d began walking.
The less spunky of the two brutes had successfully followed Akihra back to the pack's hot springs, yet the other brute seemed to have wandered. With a terse sigh, she addressed the male. "I am not sure... Perhaps he will catch up with us. I don't believe we've done formal introductions, however. I am Akihra, alphess of Haishin. And you are?"
Akihra smiled gently at the brute. While he mentioned being indebted to her, it could equally be seen the other way. The two could have sold her out to Vorilye, forcing her to face him alone while they escaped unscathed. Either way, they had benefited each other, and she felt that they were equal in the scheme of things. While the conversation had not gone as she had planned, the femme was happy to be back safe in Kamari. This was where she felt comfortable, where her family was deeply rooted, and where she had at least some form of protection within the boundaries. I wonder if Scout has stuck around with Sariya, she pondered absently, her head cocked sideways as she awaited the brute's reply.
"Kamari is much more beautiful than it used to be... Not five years ago, this water was toxic," she breathed airily, not really talking to anyone. It was amazing how far the lands had come in a short period of time; from what Zethrox had described in one of their many conversations, Kamari had healed dramatically since the departure of the dreaded humans. They had wrecked the territory, leaving it virtually uninhabitable for all those years. If there had not been any repair, he never would have been able to take over Haishin, and Akihra herself would likely not be here. There was so much that had changed in the past year, and Akihra did not regret any of it.
((OOC: Okay, so really sucky post. I'm really sorry about this taking so long. Lucan deleted that character and is remaking a new one so I guess it's just us for now. Hopefully my muse will pick up.))
Tyrion's amber eyes studied the female yet another time, seeming curious of standing weakness and watching her face for expressions. He was slightly distrustful of others and for a moment weighed the goods and bads of offering her the truth of who he was. The female had proven herself friend though and if Celebrus was known to her, he was offering her his bounty if she were treacherous enough to take it.
"Well met, your grace. I am Tyrion, son of Chatan who hails from the pack Celebrus though I admit my departure of the pack was not in peace." he said, shifting on his boney haunches. "A tyrant had taken place of alpha using unnatural means to keep his seat. My family chose to leave and we are now named traitors. I've traveled long though and for the most part I do not think Celebrus follows so I was hoping to settle in a new pack, m'lady." He inwardly winced at how long winded he must sound yet he felt it fair she know if she was as he hoped, considering him for a recruit.
"I know I am not much to look at now..." he paused to gesture with a skinny paw at his tattered body. "But with a packs help I could grow strong again, and I was at one time a warrior." he said softly. "And with the courage you've shown and the compassion, I would be more than happy to use my skills in protecting your pack, as you did for me." he added. By the way he spoke to her, it seemed the pack he hailed from was more formal than not. He spoke to her as if an underling, bowing his head with humility and keeping his eyes on her muzzle instead of meeting her gaze.
Akihra watched the brute with much curiosity, though she was supposed to hold herself poised and authoritative. She was intrigued by this brute, and she found herself willing him to stay; after all, he had proven himself to be a strong-hearted wolf, and that was enough to earn the alphess's trust. He introduced himself as Tyrion. He is much more formal than any wolf I have ever met, she mused silently. Perhaps growing up as a loner contributed to her lack of etiquette or poise that this brute evidently possessed.
The femme was interested in his honesty; most wolves would not admit to a less than desirable exit from a previous pack, though in her experience not many wolves left their pack on good terms. Akihra had had the option to live in Haishin because of blood ties, but she was well aware that most packs were formed solely of families; the alpha pair and their offspring. It made Haishin different from the "stereotypical" pack, and that pleased her. She had never been one to conform, anyways. "Tyrion, you are more than welcome to stay with Haishin if you would so choose," she informed him gently, her eyes glimmering with mostly masked excitement. There was still obvious youth in the femme, as she was never quite neutral about the acceptance of a new pack mate. Since the fall of Haishin into almost oblivion, any newcomers were an absolute joy to the female.
"Now, we're going to need to go find Kallik soon," she murmured under her breath. Akihra eyed the brute once more; he had overheard the entire conversation between herself and Vorilye, so there was not much that she could do to hide that from him. In fact, she was a bit unnerved by the idea that Vorilye could storm into Haishin's territory at any moment and demand her back now that he knew where she resided. Her judgment had been clouded, and now she needed to fix the damage before it could spread any further.
Akihra would not turn the pups out of the pack, but Kallik was going to need to confront Vorilye before the situation got any worse...
((OOC: Also I forgot to mention, you need to bold your speech in your posts (: pretty please!))
The young male seemed to brighten as she accepted his offer, tail giving a little sway before he dragged his gaze from her to study the scenery. He starred at the steaming water before he looked back to her as she mentioned Kallik, his tail bristling for a moment. "That monster we left behind, I presume she is in much danger with him?" He inquired, hesitating for a moment as he wondered if it were better to curb his tongue before he forced himself to speak despite worries that he was asking questions when he was not welcome to the answers.
"Pardons if I am prying, my lady, but Kallik is Descai's omega correct? And if you tell true...the mother of his cubs. That male, Vor..." he paused, trying to recall the male's name before he shook his head. "He would destroy your pack. I saw how upset you looked when he boasted such so I take it to mean that perhaps he has greater numbers or a stronger force. If this is true than you mean to abandon hopes of helping her?" His hard gaze softened. "Being a leader is hard and I can tell you'd wish to care for this female. I am sorry that your duty must come before honor. If there is any way you could use me in this problem, I am happy to help." he said solemnly.
He flicked his tongue out nervously, wondering if he'd spoke too much or if he could have misread her. He studied the female for a time, his skinny body quivering as he lifted onto all fours, seeming ready to set out should she move. His stomach gave an embarrasing snarl as he shifted his weight and he looked up at her with a nervous smile but never a complaint at the hunger gnawing savagely at his belly was spoken.
Words:: 312 Muse:: Still a little rusty. OOC:: All bolded. :3
The temperature had dropped drastically since the great timber brute had started his journey east. It smelled like a storm was on its way to greet him. A cold breeze ruffled the thick fur of the brute, causing him to shudder involuntarily. He didn't mind the cold. It was the wind that always got to him.
Zodiac lifted his head, sniffing the air. He'd been searching for the alpha of the land for nearly an hour. But with his sense of direction, he basically just kept going in circles. He didn't show it on his face, but he was irritated with himself. The task of finding the femme whose scent filled the lands shouldn't be so time consuming. With an irritable growl, the brute headed off again.
Even if he had wanted to, the brute couldn't walk quietly. His paws were quite massive, and even at a crawling pace, he would have startled the birds in the trees or even that small hare that darted upon seeing him. He was just too big. He tripped over risen roots--partially buried by a dusting of snow--and managed to keep himself on all fours. He glared at the now-uncovered root before delicately stepping over it.
The brute let out a deep sigh, watching the condensation rise into the air before disappearing. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a proper meal. Then again, he couldn't really remember anything from before he woke up that morning. Yet another characteristic about himself that he couldn't stand.
Up ahead, Zodiac picked up on voices. They were speaking rather softly, but not quiet enough where he couldn't hear what was being said. The voices were talking about another wolf....Two by the sounds of it. The more he listened, the more he seemed to realize that something dramatic was happening. Another male that would destroy a pack? All because of his pups? Had the alpha of this pack pupnapped them and, by the sounds of it, their mother? Zodiac let out a low growl. That is a terrible thing to do!
He closed the distance between himself and the two voices, appearing much more threatening than he actually was. Two wolves were sitting together, talking quietly about the issue at paw. Almost immediately, Zodiac forgot what he had stormed over for. In front of him were two strangers. He wanted to meet them. With a friendly wag of his tail, he smiled, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth.
"Hello!" The black female's scent caught up to the brute and he looked at her with a start. "You're the alpha?" He quickly adjusted his posture, trying to make himself look smaller. "Th-Then I beg pardon for intruding."
For all he knew, the pair could have been discussing something top secret. He could have just sealed his fate! With a whimper, the brute began shaking, slowly slinking back the way he'd come. "I beg your pardon," he whimpered repeatedly, glancing over his shoulder. Two against one were not odds he liked.
words:: 500 tags::Akihra, Tyrion mood:: briefly angry. now, simply paranoid ooc:: I suppose you could call this guy "Lucan 2.0". I probably should have deleted that post up there, but didn't think about it until afterwards.
No more sensible words had ever been heard by Akihra, except by the mouth of Zethrox before he had descended into madness. Tyrion definitely appeared to have a level head about him, and for that the alphess was grateful. She could not in good conscience put him, Sariya, Avonlea, and potentially Scout in danger by refusing to turn over Descai's omega. She had been foolish enough to harbor the femme, and now she would be smart enough to prevent the eradication of her pack. The duty of an alpha could often be tough, but it did not seem like a difficult decision to Akihra. She had never fully accepted Kallik into her pack, apart from offering to protect her through her pregnancy. But the pups were here, and she was no longer under any obligation to keep Kallik from her pack.
It was undeniable that the brute had fathered the pups, particularly after seeing the spitting images of the twins in their father. Vorilye was practically cloned into the two boys; it was an uncanny resemblance. Akihra would have to be blind not to see it. Yet even to her face, the brute had denied fathering the litter. It seemed that he was so set in his denial that anything apart from seeing the young ones would not satisfy his defiance. But she knew Kallik would not allow the pups anywhere near Vorilye, particularly after his last display.
The femme sighed. Nothing about this situation was simple. "Tyrion, if you would be so kind as to accompany me. I know that this must be handled problem immediately before things get early. I agree with you completely - Vorilye was not happy, and I know for a fact his numbers are greater than our's," she admitted grimly. She did not want to head off the Descai pack anyways. Most of the wolves there were either heartless or crazy, and she was not sure which was a worse enemy. Either way, they were at a disadvantage.
"We need to go find Kallik."
Suddenly, another wolf burst through to them, startling the alphess enough to raise her hackles. With a snarl, she whirled to face the unfamiliar brute, fangs bared readily. Akihra would not hesitate to defend herself against this intruder. Yet as soon as he appeared, the brute wagged his tail and shrunk down to a more submissive posture. Akihra's confusion was beyond evident, particularly since this wolf had gone from seemingly aggressive to submissive in the flash of an eye.
"If you think rushing in here like that was a good idea, you were wrong," Akihra snappy sourly, thoroughly irritated by this brute's rude intrusion. "What are you doing in my territory, brute?"
Before he could speak further on the matter at hand, the other male made himself known. His jaws pulled closed and a hard stare was made at the male, hackles lifting and tail bristling. His amber eyes became narrow slits as he studied the beast. His heart dropped at the strength that obvious in the brute's physique. It was yet another reminder, a cruel mockery of his own current weakness. He was skin and bones, barely able to walk without shaking like a new born fawn. It made him feel useless, on top of the pain that starvation had granted him. He knew that he was in no shape to protect the female if things should come to that but the expression on his face said that he'd put himself before her anyhow. Honor granted a short lifespan.
His dread ebbed away as he studied the male, realizing that he wasn't making any threats. Bitter amusement seemed to dance in his eyes as he realized that the poor fool had simply come to them at the worst possible time. Skinny legs pulled the weight of his body to stand beside Akhira, his own posture assertive but not so much as Akhira to signify his own rank in the natural hierarchy.
"You'd do well to answer the lady quickly." He said, voice cold and low, sensing Akihra's agitation. His nostrils flared, taking the males scent in as he tried to figure out if it carried traces of Descai's brutish alpha. When he could find none, he felt a little more at ease. It could be worse... He thought to himself with some relief.
He wouldn't put it past that Descai male to grow impatient and send for the female now. He hadn't seemed like the most level headed male after all and Tyrion thought the idea of taking Akihra's pack apart had been a pleasant one to the male. Either way he'd seemed to relish in the thought that he was strong enough to put the burr of fear into Akihra and her two consorts. His mind went back to Lucan before he banished it with a shiver.
Words:: 312 Muse:: Still a little rusty. OOC:: N/A.
It was clear that the strangers were not too keen on the brute's intrusion. The black femme had whirled around, snarling like there was no tomorrow. That alone caused the brute to back up more, yelping in fright as he smacked into a tree. He leapt to the side, eyeing the terrifying tree while still facing the obviously dominant female.
She snapped at him, demanding to know answers. Why was he here? Now that was a good question. Zodiac picked his brain, trying to remember why he'd come this way. As he was thinking, the other brute rose to his feet, taking his place beside the female. He as well demanded answers from Zodiac. This only caused the brute to panic. He was never good at thinking, let alone when he was pressured.
He looked around, hoping that something would trigger his thought process. Nothing. With a long whine, he turned back to the pair, dipping his head down.
"I'm not sure," he said quickly. He looked around again, more frantic this time, trying to find something, anything that could get him out of this. Should I lie? he thought, eyeing the pair once more. He dismissed the thought with a shake of his big head. If thinking was hard for him, lying was practically impossible.
The truth it is. The brute sat on his haunches and took a deep breath. "I think I'm lost. I think I was headed north....No wait, that doesn't sound right....Wait! I was headed east...But why?" He gave a puzzled look to the pair, as if they had said something strange to him. With another shake of the head, he continued. "I've been here for a while now....I think I was searching for you," he added, with a nod towards the black femme, "but I don't know why...."
He once again dipped his head, hoping that his honesty would earn him some points. He couldn't help that he was driven by pure impulse when it came to his actions. Another long whine slipped out of his throat. If only he could remember why he was here! It had to be a good reason. He was sure of it!
The brute continued to babble, and Akihra did the only thing she could muster at the moment. She stared.
The alphess was not certain if the brute was out of his mind, was trying to cover his tracks, or what was going on. Regardless, he had trespassed into her territory; right now the femme was increasingly suspicious of strangers. Who knows who Vorilye could send after Kallik, particularly after that conversation? He did not seem overly open to negotiation, and the femme was not wanting to press her luck with the alpha. She needed to find Kallik and put all these suspicions to rest. Then she could breath easy once more, at least until Vorilye found something else to blame Haishin for, and then they would likely be in conflict once more.
"Brute, you best tell me your name and why you are here. I am not exactly in the best of moods, and intruding without notice of your arrival is not a good way to make a first impression," the alphess warned him, her lip still curled back in a snarl. She would be cautious until he gave her a reason to trust him, and right now he was not doing a very good job. In fact, Akihra had half the mind to run him out of the territory. How could she truly know that he was not attempting to infiltrate her pack? Great, now I'm as paranoid as Vorilye, she thought bitterly, but the large brute had thoroughly intimidated her.
Akihra shot a thankful gaze over to Tyrion who had instantaneously backed her up on her behavior. She was grateful to have a brute who, while he was not in his best condition at the moment, seemed genuinely intent on protecting the pack. He would make an excellent member of the pack in full health, and she would try her hardest to nurture him until this was the case. A smile replaced her snarl for a fraction of a second before she refixated her gaze on the strange eastern timber wolf. He was still rather youth, though he seemed to be around her age, which made the femme feel slightly more at ease. Perhaps it was just an act of foolishness that had brought him here, and he would learn.
Regardless, the alphess would not stand down until this brute explained himself and his intentions. They were in tough times right now, and Akihra would not put her pack, or her daughter, in harms way because of yet another foolish decision.
Tyrion grimaced as the male spoke, eyes no longer narrowed, only studying the confused wolf that stood before them. He began to wonder if the brute had a touch of madness. He'd seen it before in an old she-wolf, Tidia, that had once been a source of great wisdom in his old pack. Her mind had withered as her body did in age and she'd lasted only till the following spring once she began to show the signs of dementia. Pity touched his heart for a moment as he stared at the male, wondering if he too was a creature of insanity before he took note of the fear that had swept over the male. How many cravens could one meet in a single day. He stopped himself from sighing with frustration as he realized that the male was perhaps not crazy but simply one who lost his wits under pressure.
He returned her wisp of a smile as he noticed Akihra's look. He gave a simple nod at her gratitude, his eyes appearing warm for a moment before his face regained the harsh commanding overtones as it had before, gaze fixed on the trespasser. The male had the worst time possible. Nothing is ever easy... He thought to himself grudgingly. He felt the pull as Akihra did to get down to business, to set things on track with Kallik. His eyes passed from his alpha female to the shuddering male before them, calculating different strategies to get this going but he found none. Akihra seemed to hold firm in her aggression and so he could not stand down with his own yet it seemed it only put this frail minded creature in a thoughtless panic.
He cursed himself inwardly before he spoke, his voice growing gentle but firm. "I know this lady is not without honor. If you prove your intentions to be pure and you show respect, you will not be harmed. We all have enemies slinking in the shadows, we simply must be stern in order to drive them out. Think quickly, brute, it cannot be so hard to know the reason you've sought this female out." He said, hoping it would encourage the male to find his barrings. He was more agitated than fearful of the male now.
Things were growing uglier by the second. The dark female's mood did not improve the slightest, telling Zodiac that his helplessness would gain him no bonus points. Her further warning caused the brute to let out a long whine, dipping his head as he cowered away from her. He looked to the other brute, hoping he might back him up--for what reasons, Zodiac himself wasn't even sure--but he won no assistance from him either. The other brute didn't seem nearly as angry as the female, but his words were strong enough to make Zodiac yelp.
Pathetically, the great brute lay down, whimpering and whining all the while. He lay his head right on the ground, placing both paws on the bridge of his nose.
"I wanna go home," he whimpered, clamping his eyes shut. Over and over he repeated this phrase, each time his whining grew more pathetic. "I wanna go home!"
All of a sudden, Zodiac lifted his head. He opened his eyes, staring straight ahead at nothing in particular, his ears perked as though listening to something. But he was no longer in the realm of reality. His words had triggered a distant memory, one he didn't even realize he had. He was playing with three other wolves; young, like himself at the time. He was the only male among the cubs and he was clearly the most dominant. The other pups licked and nuzzled him, all wanting to play with him at once. But an adult had appeared on the fringes of his sight. It was his father. An alpha wolf.
Just as quickly as it had appeared, the memory faded, leaving Zodiac blinking to regain his surroundings. He knew, somehow, that he was an alpha's son. If he were to inherit this pack someday--though he had no idea where the pack was or if it even existed--he couldn't be cowering in the presence of another wolf. With a grace that he wasn't aware he had, the brute rose from the ground. He lifted his head to a more dominant position, though not high enough to offend the female. "I am Zodiac," he said in a confident tone. He dipped his head in a slight greeting. "I still am not sure why I have wandered into your lands. The knowledge evades me." He turned to the side and scowled, shaking his head before he turned back. "May I ask for refuge, just until I figure it out? A few days maybe?"
words:: Four-Eleven tags::Akihra, Tyrion mood:: panicky, then suddenly confident ooc:: Gah...My muse has been shot to pieces for the past couple days. Sorry it took so darn long.....
The condition of the brute did not change. In fact, with each passing second his behavior was increasingly stranger. Akihra was not sure whether to be amused or horrified by the brute's swinging moods and shoddy memory. How could one forget walking into a strange pack's territory and then waltzing up to the alphess without so much as a care in the world? She grunted in frustration, unable to decipher the situation. On one hand, this Zodiac did not seem to be a threat to the pack, but Akihra had been proved wrong in the past.
A sigh escaped the femme's lips. "I am Akihra, the alphess of Haishin. I suppose so long as you do not cause any trouble and stay the hell away from my daughter you can stay here," she emphasized her displeasure toward the brute going anywhere near the young femme. Though she was nearly full-grown, the mother wolf's protective instincts had not yet waned. Sariya would be subject to her mother's watchful eye until the youngster grew the strength to tell her to stop. It was one of the more controlling attribute's of the femme's behavior. She was already taking a chance allowing Scout to remain near the young eastern timber wolf. She would potentially allow Tyrion near her, though not without another wolf present. I'm turning into a brooding old geezer, she thought, exasperated.
The femme's mismatched eyes leveled to those of Zodiac. His sudden confidence was a bit unnerving, but the femme did not waiver in her dominant behavior. "Zodiac, I hope you can figure out whatever is going on," she spoke honestly, "because if this behavior continues, I will not feel safe with you near my pack, and I will have to ask you to leave." Akihra would not budge on this; the moment that Zodiac created a threat toward her pack, he would be driven out. In the same way Kallik was now presenting a threat, she would take care of the situation. Zethrox had kept Haishin safe for this long, and she would not break the tradition.
"Tyrion, we need to go," she urged the brute softly, glancing back at the newest "temporary" resident. "Zodiac, I would prefer you come with me. I do not know whether I should have you wandering the territory without someone in the pack right now, particularly if you are having memory lapses." She was not spiteful or angry in her words, merely cautious. Additionally, if there was something wrong with Zodiac, she could hopefully protect the pack from him and possibly him from himself. It was a win-win situation.
The alphess lowered her snout to the ground, inhaling deeply as she picked up the last scent trail Kallik left. It would not be difficult to locate her with how familiar the eastern timber female had become with Kamari. With a gentle trot, Akihra gestured with her head for the two brutes to follow.
