From the sea [Open]

[Deleted]

Huxleyi had washed up on shore the previous night, the icy water leaving him soaked through and shivering. What had possessed him to swim across the ocean, he couldn't really say. Perhaps he had no concern for his own personal well-being, but what he could confirm was that he was cold, despite the sun.

Nose pointed upwards, Huxleyi sat in the sand basking in the sun trying to rewarm his body. He was entirely conspicuous against the blonde beach, black and grey markings standing out clearly, not to mention the wind coming off the beach would blow his scent inland. If there were other wolves here, they likely would notice his presence without fail.

Did he care? Not really, he wasn't worried about confrontation, verbal or physical. He was at least semi-confident in his skills to fend off an unprovoked attack, though he didn't expect one. In truth his being there was entirely by chance - he could have floated on by the land mass without ever having noticed it, thus drowning at sea.

Heaving a sigh he set to some slight grooming, the tang of ocean salt strong on his tongue. In truth no amount of personal bathing would do to get the salt entirely out of his fur - he would need a real bath. Once satisfied that he appeared less matted and sticky, he turned his gaze to the sea, yellow eyes trying to see through the navy expanse of water. He couldn't even see where he had come from - good riddance.

[Toiro]

He hadn’t been here in years – not since the night of that terrible storm which had taken away his beloved. He supposed it was because he'd been afraid of seeing her body, perhaps because he didn’t want to face the truth. But in his heart he knew she was dead, and had known it for a very long time. If she was still alive she would have found him by now.

Oh, how he ached to see those cheerful sparkling blue eyes just one more time! He hadn't been depressed over her death as he had been with Nikia's but he missed her sorely and his heart yearned to see her again. Although, he didn’t really know how he would feel if she did return. It had been such a long time and he had changed since he’d last seen her. He had become an alpha, and this pack was his now.

Anyway, he couldn’t avoid the caverns forever and it was a nice day today. The sun was shining, and it warmed his pelt as he moved through the sparse forest towards the beach. He didn’t really know what he would do when he reached the caves; whether he would have the strength to enter the place where he’d last seen the beautiful white she wolf.

But it seemed that today he wouldn't have to go to the caverns; his head slowly lifted as his nose picked up a scent on the breeze. It wasn’t one he recognised so that meant there was a loner in their territory. A spark of delight flared in his chest and he quickened his pace. It would be refreshing to have somebody to talk to; Castien was still in the dens recovering from his injuries and he hadn’t seen any of the Isata wolves since he’d made that alliance with them. And where were the others? So many of his members had left him. Kastiel, Spirit, Valmai, Bear, Haze, Dusk, Duchess, Aurora, Najira, Agaliha, and Isis Nakia… They were all gone. Some had been killed, some had been forced to leave by unfortunate circumstances, and some had simply drifted away. Toiro shook his head firmly, dispelling the memories from his mind. He would refuse to dwell on the past. This was now, and he had a loner to greet.

The wolf soon came into sight – a dark shape against the pale golden sands. Toiro paused for a second at the edge of the trees before he stepped out onto the beach and padded over to the stranger. “Hello?” He asked, almost curiously. “Who are you?” It wasn’t his usual greeting, but he supposed that these weren’t usual times for the pack. He was sure they would survive it though; he was utterly loyal to the pack and would fight for it until his dying breath.

The large grey wolf’s posture was strong, but not dominant as one would probably expect from the alpha. He hadn’t really been feeling like much of an alpha lately and he didn’t want to make the guy feel threatened. He just wanted to have a nice chat, and see whether the loner was interested in joining without the pressure of knowing the alpha was present.

Besides, the sea was putting him off a bit. He tried not to look at that huge expanse of water stretching out in front of him, but he was still aware of its presence. It seemed pretty calm at the moment, but to him it was still threatening; a sleeping beast. He knew that on a stormy day the water could go right up to the treeline and could flood the Issimor Caverns, which was why he’d moved the den site from here to Lerelm. Deep water had been a phobia of his for nearly as long as he could remember.



((OOC: Wow, didn't expect it to be that long..)).

[Deleted]

Huxleyi seemed dazed as he continued his staring contest with the sea - he hadn't even noticed the appearance of the wolf at the tree line. He did, however, hear his padding footsteps through the sand behind him. Ears twitching he shook his head, salt-sticky fur clinging into points around his neck, and turned to face the male that spoke to him now.

"I'm Huxleyi." He stated very simply, lowering his ears and seating himself once more. These actions were entirely natural to him in the face of an unknown wolf, one he supposed was a ranked wolf in the pack that owned the land he had trespassed upon. "I apologize for my unannounced arrival, but the storms washed me in last night." He cast a glance to the sea and shivered - still unfathomable that he had survived such a trek.

He studied the male before him now, wondering of the ideals of this pack wolf. What was it like here? Huxleyi had never truly known normal pack life in his adult life, only oppression and violence and death. He was tired of those things, and perhaps had secretly hoped the ocean would have taken him away from those things. If it had, he was surprised that death had no been the escape. Did he want to die? Most likely not, but the thought had crossed his mind - it would be cowardice, and Huxleyi was no coward.

Maybe this would be the place to seek his future, one of quiet peace, of real kinship with other wolves. But could those things truly exist with no strings attached? Could he be free of binds and tyrany while following the rule of another? He wasn't sure anymore. Huxleyi used to believe a leader could be just and fair, but life had taught him otherwise. Was the male before him any different?

[Toiro]

The loner must have been a little distracted to not have noticed Toiro until he was quite close, but his focus seemed to have returned to the present now. The other wolf turned to face him and then sat down again.

Toiro didn’t see the point of standing if they were going to be here for a while, and because it seemed the other wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon, he sat down too, with his back to the forest so that he could keep an eye on the sea without looking paranoid.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Huxleyi.” Toiro inclined his head in greeting. He realised that those formal words he recited so often really were true. He was glad to see a new face, even if the loner did decide that he only wanted to pass through.

He’d noticed that the other wolf seemed a little damp, so when he said he’d been washed up during the night, it made sense. Still, he was sure that there would have been time to make a howl announcing his presence. Perhaps Huxleyi had needed some time by himself to get his mind around the strangeness of being in a new land. Yes, that was totally understandable to the big grey wolf. It was lucky, however, that Huxleyi had been washed up on this part of the island – a little further along the coast and he might have been food for the Descai pack. Toiro didn’t really like being so close to those insane wolves, but since he most definitely would not be leaving this area he supposed that the only thing they could do about it was to make sure the borders stayed strong.

“That’s alright.”

Toiro had never been very good at conversations with strangers; he was far more relaxed with wolves once he’d got to know them. Really, the problem was that he was afraid of being judged, and as an alpha it was especially important not to seem weak. His mind searched for something to talk about. He had never told anyone his past, not even Keyara, and was pretty sure that a stranger wouldn’t like him trying to peer into his history, so that option was out.

“May I ask, do you have any plans for the future? If you are new to this continent perhaps I could answer any questions you might have?”

The large grey wolf was always happy to help out. He was also curious to discover the other aspects of this wolf's personality, whether he was proud or whether he was a wanderer. He seemed polite, at least, which was a quality Toiro was pleased to find.

A strange thought occurred to him then. Was that the problem? Was he too desperate for new members to really consider whether their personalities were suited to the pack? Hm… no… he didn’t think that was quite true. He could never regret the time he’d spent with Kastiel or Spirit, even though they had been forced to leave in search of Kastiel’s sister. And Castien was a good wolf; a strong and loyal warrior. But it would be good to get to know a wolf’s basic skills and personality before offering them a place in the pack.



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[Deleted]

The future? Huxleyi really hadn't given his own future much thought these days. He was more concerned with his past, and how much that was weighing on him. It seemed to haunt his footsteps, glowering at him from the shadows of yesterday. His face reflected this momentary voyage to the past, glossy pain present in his eyes for but a second as he thought of the death that loomed over his shoulder.

"To be honest I haven't thought about the future, at least not my own." He gave a little huff and straightened himself, refocusing. "However, I have no where to call home, and if winter is on the way, as it was in the place I have travelled from, I have little hope of surviving on my own in a foreign land." He gave a little laugh and lifted his gaze to meet the other wolf's for just a moment, "I'm mostly pleased that there is even one other wolf here, and not some strange species unknown to me. Familiarity is a comfort."

He shuffled his forepaws in the sand, thinking suddenly of his sister. She would have loved to run on a beach, to see the ocean. This was all new to him, and he had no one to share it with. "You wouldn't happen to be looking for kinsmen, would you?" His question was blurted and seemed to arise from a sudden blast of courage and loneliness.

Internally Huxleyi wasn't sure if he should regret that quick action, or be relieved he'd managed to spit it out. He didn't even know if this wolf was an alpha, or if he was even part of a pack, or even his name! How presumptuous.

[Toiro]

When Toiro asked Huxleyi about what his plans were for the future, the other’s eyes became distant and clouded with memories for a moment. Was that pain reflected there? The grey wolf averted his eyes, not wanting to pry if this wolf had had a painful history. When Huxleyi spoke he seemed to have gotten over whatever it was, and had focused back on their conversation. It was good that this wolf wasn’t dwelling too much on the past – something that Toiro himself struggled with a lot.

The large grey wolf nodded as Huxleyi continued. “Yes, winter is coming in these lands too...” He spoke almost sadly, as he knew he would have to work hard to provide enough food for himself and Castien. If only the Isata pack had accepted his offer of combining. Oh, look, there I go again, he berated himself. Luckily Toiro had managed to stop himself before he zoned out, so didn’t miss the other wolf’s words, which he was very glad of as he believed it was the pinnacle of rudeness not to listen to others if they were talking.

He’d never thought about what he would have done if he’d been the only wolf on the island. The alpha had been lucky enough to wash up on Anikira with another wolf, but he could see that it would be strange being totally alone on a new continent.
The sudden question surprised him, but it was a pleasant surprise.

“As a matter of fact, yes… lately it has been a bit lonely in these parts. Are you looking for a pack to join?”

The tip of Toiro’s tail thumped softly on the sand behind him. He would be glad of a new member. From what he could see, this wolf was respectable and smart; he didn’t seem aggressive, but wasn’t weak either. Overall, a wolf that most alphas would love to have in their pack.


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[Deleted]

So winter was on its way. Was it similar here, with snow and wind and cold? Huxleyi suspected it was, and that singular wolves would struggle for survival. He could abide no more struggling, he was weakened as it was - and lonely if he was entirely honest with himself, which he wasn't. As with many, Huxleyi was still trying to convince himself that he could be independent, and that distance from others - at least emotionally - was best for everyone. But he did crave contact, the bond that came with being in a pack, even if he tried to suppress it.

As soon as the question came from the grey male, his tail wagging, Huxleyi felt a welling in his chest. Was this going to lead to an offer to join this wolf's pack? Should he be excited, or scared? He had no idea, and maybe his immediate surprise was evident when he shifted his body, glancing downwards before looking back at the wolf and replying.

"I think I am." He stated, nodding a bit and feeling strange comfort washing over him at the thought of company and teamwork. "I have spent much time alone, and have lost many - love made me weak." He was suddenly entirely open and honest, not wanting to gain entry by lying or hiding what he had experienced. "I'm certain my skills could be useful, though I fear attachment will again weigh on my judgements."

"Look at you Huxleyi, selling yourself to this wolf - all the while trying to give him reasons to say no." His internal thoughts mocked him a bit, and it was entirely called for. He seemed to contradict himself in his speech to this wolf showing oth good and bad qualities, and most certainly a sense of self-doubt and absent self-confidence.

He sighed and shook his head. "I'm rambling. Forgive me. I do want to join a pack. I'm skilled in combat and a fair hunter. I value loyalty and disdain tyrany."

In that sentence he had summed himself up plainly, and to the most basic terms of his personality and existence.

[Toiro]

Huxleyi seemed a little surprised by his question but replied that he was indeed looking for a home. It seemed that this wolf had a troubled past, and if that trouble had been to do with a pack, he might find it difficult to join one again. But perhaps he could find a fresh start here.

“Well then, Huxleyi, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Toiro, and I am the alpha of the pack that resides in these lands. We are called Airila, although to tell the truth it is only myself and the lead warrior at this point.”

He hoped that it wouldn’t put the wolf off, knowing that the pack was so small, but Toiro felt the need to be honest, especially after keeping to himself the fact that he was the alpha.

It was good that this wolf was telling him the weaker points of his personality instead of hiding them; he seemed to be an honest wolf, which was always a good thing.

Toiro didn’t quite agree that love made wolves weak, but then again, he wasn’t the strongest wolf on Anikira so what could he say? He most definitely didn’t consider himself a tyrant, and believed that aggression was unnecessary in maintaining order. Loyalty was the key thing, and Toiro was glad to find that Huxleyi thought that too.

And this wolf should have met Keyara if he thought he was rambling. Now she was a real rambler! Toiro smiled fondly at the memories of the bubbly she wolf, but quickly pushed them out of his mind before they made him sad.

“I would love to welcome you into the pack if you would like a home with us here” Toiro spoke quietly, but with sincerity. “Is there any particular position that you would like, or are you content to remain as a subordinate until you find something that suits you?”


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[Deleted]

So this pack was small. Huxleyi felt relieved at this fact, it meant that he wouldn't be surrounded by strangers. If he only had two wolves to get to know, he could learn about them quickly. And it meant any further additions to the pack would stand out to him. Most of all, it reminded him of the tight knit pack of his childhood, and that gave him comfort, and a little bit of hope for his own future.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Toiro." He stated and dipped his head to the alpha respectfully, though not in an overly formal way. He felt that this wolf wouldn't appreciate grovel king or ridiculous displays of subordination.

As Toiro invited him to join Airila, Huxleyi couldn't suppress the thinking of his tail against the sand. He smiled at the other male, "I've spent the majority of my adult life as a warrior, though of the violent, killing variety. I'm not proud of this brutality, but it is where my strength lies. Now I fancy myself a protector, and maybe one day a leader." He stated as Toiro asked him of the position he would like to assume. "I would aspire to being a Beta one day, but I will leave it to your judgement as to where I belong."

He couldn't stop his small smile, and felt a warmth growing inside his chest. Maybe this is where his life was going to turn around. The horizon looked bright, even with the cold season looming.

((I wasn't sure if I could ask to be Beta, but it's my favorite position in a wolf pack. And for once I have a character that might fit it.))

[Toiro]

No wolf had ever asked him for such a high position before. Huxleyi didn’t actually flat out say that he wanted the beta position – which Toiro would have considered rude – but it was clear that that was where he thought his skills would be best put to use. He didn’t like having wolves in positions that didn’t bring out the best of their abilities, and the beta spot was open.

The alpha hesitated. Could he replace Kastiel so soon? What if they grey brute came back and found that his position had been taken by a wolf who had only just joined? But no... Kastiel was gone. Toiro couldn’t let his memories stop the pack from moving forwards. The past was behind him now, and Airila needed a fresh new start. But still, what about Castien? He seemed to be perfectly happy with the Lead Warrior position but what if he had hoped to become Beta one day? Toiro would hate to disappoint him or create jealousy within the pack. Well… there could be two betas, couldn’t there? And there was always the option of demotion if he decided that this wolf wasn’t suited to the job.

The beta position was a very high position in the pack, and it held a lot of responsibility. He needed his beta to be someone who could stand by him and help the pack whatever the cost. Could Huxleyi be that wolf? Although the two had only just met, Toiro could see that he was a strong respectable wolf with a good head on his shoulders. He was a warrior too, and Toiro probably would have appointed him lead warrior if the position had been taken already. What if he moved Castien to beta and Huxleyi to lead warrior? But no… they needed a fit and active beta and currently Castien was neither of those, stuck as he was in the dens with that injury.

Toiro watched Huxleyi with his steely grey eyes, contemplating. Would this wolf truly be loyal? Or would he, like all the others, just disappear? The large grey alpha took a deep breath, before releasing it slowly. His decision would affect the entire pack, and it was a lot of trust to place in a wolf he’d only known for a short while.

“If you truly feel that your abilities would best be suited to the beta position, I will give you the chance to prove yourself.”



((OOC: Just letting you know that as a beta Huxleyi is allowed to accept new members into the pack. Also, just a reminder that the word minimum of the site is 300.))

[Deleted]

Toiro seemed to think over his decision for an eternity, Huxleyi full of anticipation at the Alpha’s decision. He wondered then if he had been bold, mentioning so plainly his want for a leading role. At this junction in his life he needed to prove himself, to show what he was worth to the world; that he was more than a drone warrior.

Then Toiro spoke, giving him the role of Beta, or at least a chance to show him that he could function in such a role. Huxleyi was speechless. The fur on the back of his neck bristled suddenly with excitement, black tipped hairs quivering. Then they flattened almost instantly again, and he lowered his ears in respect. ”Thank you for this opportunity, it is more than I could ever have hoped for.” He rose and slowly approached the other wolf, nudging him gently on the underside of his muzzle again in thanks and out of loyalty and trust. He would prove he could lead and be a role model for future pack members and generations.

He thought back then to all those in powerful ranks he had served – they had been ruthless. There had never been kindness or affection, only merciless punishment when a task was performed incorrectly, or if you were weak. Huxleyi hoped he would never be this way, that he would be just and inspire loyalty in the pack through his own actions towards Toiro. He would set an example, one of diplomacy and fairness. He would never put anyone down for mistakes or short comings, instead they would work together to fix the wrong, and promote what was right.

He hoped his ideals would work well in his sudden new role. In that moment he felt both big and small all at once. He was standing on the shoulders of giants, but was still a small minnow in a giant ocean of ancient fishes. Was he biting off more than he could chew? He certainly hoped not. Surely he would make errors, but he hoped to learn from them to improve himself.

Shifting, Huxleyi managed a smile despite his bewilderment. ”You said there was one other, the lead warrior? Where can I find him? I would like to be acquainted with everyone who calls Airila home.” He would also need a bath as his fur was still rather sticky from the sea salt and he wouldn’t want to appear scruffy. He knew full well now that his actions reflected the choices of the Alpha, of Toiro, and anything he did that was frowned upon would communicate badly.

He glanced at the forest behind Toiro, it looked so welcoming now, rather than foreign and eerie. It was his home, and he would be welcomed there. A wash of warm feelings crept along his spine, it had been so long since he had had kinship. He watched a light breeze ripple across the jade foliage, their boughs reaching ever upwards, despite the coming of the cold.

[Toiro]

Toiro watched the other wolf for his reaction to his new position. Huxleyi seemed eager to fill the role, but also managed to calm himself down enough not to look over-excited, both of which were good things in Toiro’s eyes. It was good to see that he was still respectful, so hopefully that meant he wasn’t the type to show off his position by pushing others around. Aggression was not welcome in Airila.

Toiro let the other wolf nudge him under the muzzle, accepting the thanks. He was starting to feel good about the decision already. A new beta would help the pack to start afresh, and Toiro was confident that he had two brave and loyal wolves to stand by his side as they built Airila together. Airila’s future would be great; he was sure of it. But little steps at a time, he reminded himself. First they had to get to know each other, to really increase the trust between them. His new beta seemed to have the same idea, asking whether he could be taken to meet the lead warrior.

“Ah, unfortunately Castien was seriously injured in a cougar attack a while ago and he’s currently resting in the dens. So he is unlikely to be awake enough to hold a decent conversation if we visit him. I believe it’s better that we just leave him to rest… Perhaps I could show you around the territory instead? Or would you rather explore it by yourself?”

He didn’t say it because he would have seemed rude, but perhaps Lerelm would be a good place to go. There was an underground pool at the end of a tunnel leading off the other caverns (which were used as dens by the Airila wolves), and that would be a good place for this wolf to get his fur a little cleaner. It didn’t look too bad actually, but Toiro knew that the salt must be uncomfortable in the other wolf’s fur. Even though it had been years since he’d even touched the sea he still remembered the feeling.




.((OOC: Castien is frozen at the moment so that’s why they can’t meet. Also this thread takes place before Aludra was accepted, so Toiro can’t suggest going to meet her but if you want to do a thread with her after this that would be fine.))

[Deleted]

Huxleyi let his ears swivel back at the mention of the injured wolf, "That is indeed unfortunate, I hope the prognosis is good." He stated and then pondered on Toiro's suggestions. "I believe your guidance would be of the most benefit to me now. I would like to learn as much as I can of the land from the one who knows it best." He gave a smile to the alpha and looked off towards the trees.

Where would they go next? He had no idea of the terrain here, nor of what the rest of the continent would be like. He hoped for variance as it forced a wider skill set for survival. Well-rounded wolves were often the most useful.

"Perhaps first we could go to a water source? I'm still salt-logged from the ocean, and a refreshing drink sounds nice." It was unlikely he would have trouble finding a fresh-water source, but he would prefer a tour from his superior, and perhaps to get to know him better. If he was going to turn over a new leaf, maybe forming a bond with Toiro - both as his Beta and kinsmen - would be the best course of action. Huxleyi would need to work on being more open, and willing to share, but this was something he was willing to try.

The sun was still shining overhead, but with the coming evening perhaps he could convince Toiro to join him in a hunt. Partaking in team-based activities always helped form ties – especially if you were successful at the task set down. He would suggest this later, as it was too early in the day for a hunt to be practical when it was only the two of them. He wondered what kind of prey lived here. Were they similar to what he knew? Rabbits, deer, pheasants, fish? These were the prey species he knew – some were favored more than others, but usually were more difficult to catch. It was unlikely that they would choose to hunt any large game until their numbers grew, and this was a little disappointing to think about; a nice young doe was always a delicious meal.

His stomach gave a small grumble as he shook the thoughts of food from his mind and turned back to Toiro. Huxleyi rose slowly, awaiting direction, or further suggestion.