Thrill of the Chase [Airila]

[Toiro]

So… It was winter. The temperature had changed dramatically, and the snow was no longer restricted to the higher peaks of the Tia’deli, the first snowstorm of the year having recently swept across Shyia. It had morphed their world into something almost unrecognisable; the land seemed so different under a blanket of snow, and it didn’t help that the features of the mountains often changed because of the frequent avalanches. The only signs of life in the frozen territory were faint scents on the breeze, and even these vanished after each new snowfall.

It was much more difficult to find food during the colder months, but he hoped that Airila would make it through fit and healthy. Which reminded him, he’d been planning to have a hunt for quite some time now. He believed that it would be very beneficial; it would gain them some much-needed food, and would also allow the wolves to socialise and work together as a team. This was nearly their last chance to catch some larger prey before it all disappeared for the winter, and he was determined not to miss it. The alpha already had the perfect target in mind; a surprisingly fat moose he’d spotted not too long ago, and although he’d been avoiding it so as not to frighten it away he knew it must be somewhere around here.

The male padded leisurely through the sparse forest as he made his way down towards the beach, cold snow crunching softly beneath his paws. The weather really wasn’t all that bad considering the season. Sure, the sky was overcast, and a chilly wind was blowing through the trees, but it was not too cold and most of the wolves here had thick fur anyway.

Toiro finally emerged onto the sandy shore, and his attention was immediately on the ocean, wary as he was of the choppy grey mass of water. But he was aware that his paranoia was irrational, and at least being this close to sea level meant the temperature down here was warmer than most other places in the territory.

The large grey came to a halt a fair distance from the treeline, then threw back his head and howled, calling out to the members of Airila to join him. He wasn’t sure how many of them could actually hunt, but he hoped that there would be a decent turnout. Anyway, those who had little hunting experience could be used to drive the prey towards the rest of them, as that part didn’t require a lot of skill. The grey wolf’s summoning call eventually trailed off, and he seated himself upon the sand to wait for the others to arrive.



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[atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img231/6431/cherietablem.png] A huntress's job was never done, especially when she was the pack's only hunter. Airila was growing by leaps and bounds and yet, despite all the new members coming in none of them seem suited to her profession. Airila was a pack of warriors. Now, from what the young Apennine knew of warriors it was that they required hardy meals to keep up their strength. Unfortunately, unless they were all hunting on there own there was no way her net yield was feeding everyone. Frequent trips to the woods, the beach, and sometimes even the mountains brought in a nice collection of rodents and small mammals. When the weather was warmer she'd been able to get a few birds as well. But now... The snow was thick (an obstacle she had become used to while living in Caurus) and made finding the smaller animals much harder. Like stoats, for instance. They were a creature she knew she could find in winter and they didn't taste all that bad. Problem was, they liked to turn white to blend in with the snow which made finding them pretty difficult. She had managed to catch two, having dug out a burrow, when the cal of Toiro rang crystal clear through the air. She wasn't all that far off from where he'd stood, her paws carrying her closer and closer to the sea with every passing sniff. Of late she had been wondering if it would be worth it to try and catch some fish, but with the waters so cold she just hadn't had the courage to try. Ah well, whatever. Her alpha was calling. Flinging one of the white furred stoats over her neck, she picked the other up in her jaws and eagerly trotted forth to see what it was he wanted. Cherie was apparently the first to arrive, tail wagging merrily as she emerged from the cavern. There was a happy bounce in her step as she padded up to Toiro, dropping both kills at his paws and dipping her head as respectfully as she could manage. "Bonjour, Alpha sir," she chirped, stealing a peek up at him with bright orange eyes. At first first she was going to leave the greeting at that but... it had been so long since she'd actually seen Toiro or had the chance to hold audience with him. And she had been wanting to get his permission to call a hunt for a while now (Huxleyi had agreed that it would be best for her to ask the alpha). Without thinking she launched into eager speech, hoping that maybe Toiro would appreciate her enthusiasm. "Toiro, sir. I've been meaning to ask you. I mean, I was thinking. I know we haven't really spoken much since I joined and all but..." Okay, this was harder than she thought. Cherie wasn't accustomed to directly speaking with an alpha. On top of that, though she knew Toiro was a good brute she was still unsure of where she stood with him. Much of the conditioning of her old pack still dictated her behavior. "I've been wanting to get a hunting party together but I know that we don't really have any other hunters but me. I try my best to keep the prey pile full but it's hard without help and I was hoping that maybe we, we could... hunt together? Maybe? With some of the others?" Maybe she should have listened to Toiro's howl beyond the fact that he was summoning everyone. Ah well. It couldn't hurt to ask, could it?

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Huxleyi had been on yet another border patrol, skirting through the trees along the invisible line laid down by Toiro. Today the edgelands were quiet, and there was so sign of foreign wolves, something which had come as a relief for the beta male. There were so many new wolves in the pack - some of which he had yet to meet - and he worried about keeping them all fit and healthy. He also was unaware of the skills of most of the others. He knew Toiro excelled in all areas, Aludra was a shaman, Cherie was an apex hunter, and Castien and Spirit were fierce fighters. But what about all the others Huxleyi could smell? Would they be useful? He felt he had been shirking responsibilities by not going immediately to meet them, but there was such a vast area to cover along the border of Airila that his time was often consumed with patrols.

He also didn't have many other duties at that present time - Cherie seemed to have hunting down, and they were not under threat of attack, and until recently there had been no warriors to help train. Huxleyi was certain he could be of some use to Castien when it came time to train some of the newer members as warriors. The large male was indeed skilled at fighting, though it was something Huxleyi wasn't entirely proud of.

The grey and tawny wolf was pulled from his thoughts as a summons came drifting through the lofty, bare trees. Toiro was calling from the beach, requesting the presence of all the Airila wolves. A pack meeting perhaps? Or had Cherie found Toiro and organized a pack-hunt? The latter idea was very appealing to the brute as he wanted to see what the pack was capable of as a team. Changing direction, large white paws crunched through the snow, sinking nearly to the elbow as he walked along. Gaining momentum he managed to break into an easy run, but did not want to break a sweat for the cold, and in case a hunt was indeed on the agenda.

It didn't take long for Huxleyi to reach the edge of the forest, the smell of the frigid ocean permeating his nasal passages with force as he broke the treeline. Slowing he gazed down the beach, spotting two bodies that he easily recognized. Toiro was there, and Cherie seemed to be speaking to him - Huxleyi could hear her voice, but not make out what she was saying. Tail wagging he trotted down towards them, the crashing waves tumbling at the shore, the grey water undoubtedly a freezing four degrees Celsius. Coming up beside Toiro he dipped his mug to the alpha and pressed his nose into the males shoulder gently, nudging him in greeting. He smiled at Cherie, his tail wagging behind him - his inability to stand on ceremony around those he considered friends quite obvious. "Hello Toiro, Cherie." He kept his words short, as he did not want to interrupt the conversation already in progress.

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[atrb=background,http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/6300/alumid.png] Her ivory paws played so lightly against the snow, somehow the female kept herself afloat in the increased amount of snow near the water. Of course she was not actually sinking, but her small frame certainly sunk quite away if she bounded forward with enough force. The frigid weather felt comforting to the femme, she belonged in Shyia. These lands and the wolves within the borders all felt welcoming to the shaman. Even within her wildest dreams she had never imagined to be living such an idealistic life. For the first time ever, the female felt genuinely happy. Quickly the female proceeded forcing herself forward, turning around every so often to cast a look back at the brute following her. 'I hope the others don't think he is a threat or something,' a soft sigh found itself dissipating into the air. Aludra was quite sure that the brute had not heard it though or would have excused the sound as her breathing. It could not be avoided that the shaman was a bit nervous, if the others hated Zephyr it would lower their view on her. She ran the risk of severe demotion if she screwed up something majorly. The thought of this had hardly crossed her mind until she was already rushing towards the three canine silhouettes along the beach. She felt confident that they had noticed her approaching scent by now and an accompanying one of the foreigner. Hopefully they wouldn't be on guard when she arrived with him, Airila had quite the influx of loners lately. The others would understand, Aludra was fairly certain of that. Her piercing eyes drew her crania back to glance at Zephyr once more and she offered up a slight smile. It was her silent attempt to reassure the brute that everything would go smoothly. Paws slowed their quiet drumming against the compacted snow, vibrancy radiating from the delighted shaman's features. "Greetings," she nearly whispered to the gathering of three that had assembled thus far. Typically her greeting would have been more; however, she was extending Cherie an opportunity to finish whatever conversation she was having with Toiro. Her pupils dilated as they landed upon the Alpha's figure, mind flashed with memories of the nights they had spent getting to know each other. Their words had been few, but that did not change the radiating sensation the shaman received from the aura surrounding the alpha. 'Does he feel it too?' the question had been burning holes so deeply within her brain over the past month. It took nearly all the control that the shaman had not to just spew the words from her mouth. Rather she waited until her Apennine friend had finished speaking. Quietly she walked closer to the other female and offered her a friendly nuzzle, "Hello again dear friend." Then her attention turned to the two brutes before her and she lowered her crania deep to them. "And greetings to you Lord Toiro and Sir Huxleyi." As her head pulled itself back up to its' typical resting place between her shoulders, Aludra cast a green gaze towards the Alpha. She craved to know what was on his mind, 'I wonder if I can have a word with him alone after this.' She hoped that he had been able to tell that she wished to speak with him later. For now, there were many more important things on hand. First and foremost was the Arctic brute that had followed her onto the beach. "This is Zephyr, he says he is a skilled fighter and wishes to call Airila his home." Her words were spoken slightly awkwardly as the female was not certain exactly what to say. It seemed that at the worst possible time her mind simply would fail her. "He has been very respectful," she added nervously. Stress was etching itself into her brain, it was tired of fighting over what to think about. Part of it wished to think about the Alpha and proceed living in a day-dream; yet, the other part knew what needed her attention. Zephyr and the pack were the most important things right now. Her tail still waggled even though it now was hanging lower between her haunches. Pack gatherings always made Aludra nervous, they were social interactions with more than one other individual. Now there were really only two or so wolves that the shaman felt completely comfortable around, Toiro and Cherie. But that did not mean that her conversational skills were flawless for those two. Simply enough, she deemed most of her words not worth saying and would trip over every tongue-tied syllable that she wished to pronounce. 'It is better to be the quiet one sometimes,' she cast a hesitant look at her three pack-mates, wondering what was on their mind.

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[atrb=background,http://tinyurl.com/c93wrh9] The snow beneath large, alabaster paws was trigger for pleasant memories of days as a pup. Though he had spent a short amount of time in Alaska, Amyntas could remember vividly the days among the humans. They had been so kind to him when he was very young. But they were such fickle creatures, humans. Years of loyalty was swept away in the blink of an eye. Amyn let out a deep sigh, watching the condensation of his breath rise to the heavens. If he had never gone after those rogues that day... If he had just followed his father’s orders... But he did go after those rogues, and he didn’t follow his father’s orders. So now, here he was, nearing six, following after the cheery femme Aludra to meet his new pack. The instant the femme had heard her alpha’s call, she immediately perked up, growing all excited. At first, Amyn thought it might have been simply because she could introduce him to the others. He was, after all, part of the Airila pack. Aludra had accepted him, much to his surprise, just before the call rang through the territory. Said femme was bounding ahead of him, moving so quickly through the snow that she sunk every now and again. It brought a smile to Amyn’s maw. At the same time, however, he had to fight the urge to frown. This had happened once before. With Kallik. She had found him trespassing, wishing to merely pass through the terra without being caught. Yet, just as before, his skills of stealth were lacking, and he was caught. What was it with him? Every time he saw a femme, his plans to lead a bachelor life were hindered, and he found himself getting dragged around by the tail. Naomi had led him to Anikira. Kallik had brought him into Descai. And here he was following Aludra, part of the Airila pack. He was stuck in the same old rut, digging himself a deep grave. If he wasn’t careful, he would lead Aludra to hers as well. Then again, he mused, smiling lightly, she seems far more interested in the alpha than in me. Amyn wasn’t complaining in the least. Aludra would be much safer under the protection of the alpha brute than under himself. Not only did his past seem to recur often, he also had his blackouts. The last thing he wanted was to regain consciousness to find himself covered in her blood. A shudder traveled down Amyn’s spine. Amyn continued along behind Aludra, the only sound coming from the light crunch of the snow beneath his paws. She glanced back now and again, most likely to make sure he hadn’t run off. Each time, he sent her a small smile, nodding his head. He didn’t know the terra as well as she did, and she had insisted he follow. By the tail... As the scents of other wolves filled his nostrils, the alabaster brute paused, hesitating. He could do this. He’d done it once before, and this pack was far more welcoming than Descai could ever be. As if on some sort of cue, Aludra glanced back to him, giving him a reassuring smile. It melted Amyn’s heart, and he found himself walking towards her again. Once upon the gathered wolves, Amyn kept at a short distance. He knew better than to just waltz in on a pack meeting such as this when he had yet to be introduced. His eyes darted to each member in turn, trying to get a feel of each persona. The alpha brute was easy to pick out, and not just by scent. He sat proudly before his subordinates with an air of leadership. Unlike the Descai’s alpha, the Airila alpha had a warmth about him that put Amyn at ease right away. The other brute of the group seemed to hold himself with just a slightly less amount of pride as the alpha. Amyn assumed he had rank of some sort, perhaps a warrior? And the only other femme was soon joined by Aludra, receiving a calm greeting. When the name Zephyr popped up, Amyn flinched automatically. That was supposed to be his name now! He couldn’t go around wincing every time it came into the conversation! As he tried to calm his mind, Aludra praised him, speaking in a nervous tone. If she hadn’t been so far away, Amyn might have pressed himself against her to put her at ease. But that would have been inappropriate, especially with the alpha present. Miss Aludra isn’t Kallik. The arctic brute chanted that a few times in his head before bringing his gaze to the group before him. He looked straight at the alpha for a brief moment before casting his gaze down, dipping his head low in greeting. “It is good to meet you all.” words:: Eight-Hundred and Twenty-Seven muse:: WAS great... tags:: Airila ooc:: This post was so much better the first time around ;-;

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Oh, how she had longed to be back in this territory once again. How long had she been here again? How long had it been since she'd even joined the pack? It had indeed been a while, a long while since her first steps into the territory. She remembered her first day clearly, remembered meeting Kastiel and then Toiro on top of that. When she had gone, she had missed this place so badly. It had tugged horribly at her heartstrings, being so far away from the lands that she so loved as well as the pack. It hurt her worse knowing wolves she had once called family were threatening the lives of those very things she loved, and it was the only reason she hadn't come back so quickly. It had taken her some time to get out to the cliffs and kill off her own father. While it had made her ache on the inside, having lost her parents to her own jaws, returning home had made everything so much better. It was almost like it was something to be healed over.

Spirit had not hesitated in leaving what she had been doing, escaping from the bore of patrolling the borders for the third time that day. Perhaps a pack meeting was something of a good thing for her, as it would help her stretch out her bored and achy limbs. Not that she didn't mind patrolling the borders so much, and she supposed she could be hunting instead, but when one had seen the same shrub several times in the same time period, it did become rather dull. Her Alpha's call was like music to her ears, relieving her from a duty she had long since finished. Her limbs were too restless to remain in the dens, though, and she wasn't so intent to sit around and do nothing. Considering her recent return to the pack, she certainly wanted to prove everything that she still deserved to remain here, even though she had been welcomed back so warmly. Of course, it was ultimately Toiro's call whether she were to stay or not, but she would have respected his decision either way.

Her paws pounded rather harshly against the forest floor, sweeping out the ground from beneath her feet as she ran so quickly to reach her packmates. It seemed she had been farther from them than she had been able to calculate, and several others had made it there before she had. The massive female could see and smell Toiro as well as Huxleyi, the new beta she had become acquainted with. Nowhere did she see Castien, which was a pity, as she was hoping to get to see him again. Perhaps she would soon. Her old friend had been injured by a cougar attack, which had earned him the very rank she used to have: Lead Warrior. Castien was a deserving male and it no way was she angry or sad by the loss of the rank. After all, she was the one who had left, and she had expected a rather derogatory rank upon her return for leaving. She was glad he had earned that rank and looked forward to working alongside him. She just prayed it was sooner rather than later.

Spirit approached the group with a grin on her maw, slowing her speed so she wouldn't run into anyone. With a happy yip, she nudged Toiro's shoulder gladly, then to Huxleyi in turn. "Greetings, my friends." She glanced to the two females with her piercing golden eyes, giving them each a respectful nod. She did not know them by name, but assumed one of them could be Aludra, one of the wolves Huxleyi had asked if she had known. She did not. Currently, Toiro and Huxleyi and Castien were the only ones that she did know. She paced to the other side of the beta, sitting down and curling her tail around her paws. Her black fur soaked in the sunlight of the day, warming her considerably. If it weren't for the importance of the matter at hand, she would be quite tempted to take herself a nap. Her gaze was trained on the male one of the females was introducing, named Zephyr, she heard. She cast the male a bright smile, "A pleasure to meet you, Zephyr." She was interested in the different abilities the male had, of how he'd be useful to them, but she would let Toiro do that. It was his job, not hers. In the meanwhile, she continued to cast her gaze back and forth, searching for anyone else that would join them.

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[Toiro]

Cherie was the first to arrive, forever cheerful and filled with energy as she approached. He noticed that she’d already caught something today – a couple of stoats by the looks of it. She really was a brilliant hunter, and he felt so fortunate to have her as part of the pack. He didn’t know how Airila would have survived so well without her.

“Hello Cherie,” he replied happily to her greeting.”It’s good to see you again.”

The orange-eyed she wolf seemed to want to speak to him about something so he waited patiently as she stumbled over her words, apparently nervous to be speaking with her alpha. Toiro hoped that his rank didn’t scare her; he knew that he might seem a little intimidating, but there was nothing to fear from the gentle giant and he would like to get to know his packmate. He grinned at hearing her request and his tail thumped once or twice on the sand behind him. It appeared that she’d had the same idea as he’d had. “I think you’ll find your wish granted. I saw a moose around here a little while ago, so I decided it would be a good time to get the pack together for a hunt. They should be coming shortly.”

They definitely needed this hunt to bulk up the prey pile, and if the moose he’d seen wasn’t still here they would have to hope that there were some deer around. Toiro couldn’t let Cherie keep up her pace forever; even though she still seemed to have plenty of energy he suspected she would keep going until she completely exhausted herself, and they certainly couldn’t have that. Her health was just as important as anyone else’s, and that meant that all of Airila needed to help.

“Ah, look, here’s Huxleyi already.” Toiro’s tail wagged behind him as he greeted his beta with a dip of the head. He hadn’t talked to the smaller grey since Spirit had rejoined, and was very glad to see him. There were a couple of things that he wanted to talk to Huxleyi about, but they weren’t of high importance and now was not the time. Maybe later, then, when things had settled down a little.

It wasn’t long before the others arrived; the next being Airila’s shaman. “Aludra.” He couldn’t conceal his smile as the beautiful white femme came into view, but he noticed that there was a strange wolf trailing behind her. Who was that? He hadn’t heard any loner calls in the territory today, but he supposed that Aludra could have come across him whilst travelling in Caurus or Tiayr for herbs. It was strange, but he felt slightly odd seeing her with another male… Protective, almost, although the brute would have attacked her earlier if that was his intention. Luckily another wolf emerged from the forest before his thoughts were too distracted, and he resolved to put his personal thoughts about the shaman away for later. “Hello, Spirit.” His old warrior cheerfully nudged his shoulder in welcome and then moved to take a place beside Huxleyi. Toiro’s grey eyes shifted back towards Aludra as she began to speak again, this time explaining who the male she’d brought with her was.

She introduced him as Zephyr (Toiro didn’t notice Amyntas flinch at the name), and said that he was a skilled fighter who wished to join. “A fighter?” Toiro’s full attention finally turned towards the white brute. Although he was quite a bit shorter than the alpha he was large, and looked strong. Aludra would not have brought someone here who she didn’t think would fit in with the rest of them, and he trusted her judgement, so the alpha’s tail wagged lightly as he offered a welcoming smile to the male. “Would you like to be a warrior for the pack?” Airila seemed to have a fair number of fighters to protect them now... he knew that Castien and Spirit were both good warriors and Huxleyi had mentioned having skill in that area too.

Toiro noticed that the white male was still hanging back a bit from the rest of them – perhaps he was a little shy – so the grey wolf flicked his tail to let Zephyr know it was okay to come closer. After all, he was part of Airila now, and he needed to get to know the wolves he would be living with.

Which meant that introductions were needed. “Welcome to Airila, Zephyr. My name is Toiro. This is Huxleyi, our beta. Spirit is a warrior – Castien is lead warrior but he isn’t here because of an injury. Cherie is currently our only hunter, and Aludra you know already.” He nodded at each wolf in turn, going fairly slowly to give Zephyr a chance to take in all the names. But it wasn’t only for Zephyr’s benefit that he was doing this; he was aware that some of the others, Spirit in particular, might not have had the chance to get to know the rest of the pack and their ranks yet.

Toiro looked around at his packmates again after introducing them all. Five wolves, all of them his family. Castien was still recovering from the cougar attack so was unfortunately unable to attend, and Averice was too young for a serious hunt, but there were definitely enough of them here to make a decent sized hunting party.

So, back to what they were there for. The large alpha cleared his throat. “Now that everybody’s here, I think we should begin. As we all know, it’s winter, and food has been scarce in Shyia. Cherie has been doing a fantastic job providing food for the pack,” here he nodded his appreciation to his hunter, “but we need to catch some large prey if we are to keep our bellies full for much longer. So we are going hunting.” He paused, in case anybody wanted to pull out, then spoke again.

“I would like Cherie to lead us today, so everybody is to follow her orders.” For a while now Toiro had been considering her for the position of lead huntress, but realised that he hadn’t really had a chance to see her ability. The alpha had no doubt about her skill at hunting small prey, but he hadn’t seen her hunt in a group before, and he wanted to see how well she coped with leadership. He hoped that she could handle it – this hunt needed to succeed so it was a lot of pressure to put on her, especially since she didn’t know the abilities of a lot of these wolves. Well, at least she wouldn’t be alone. Even though he wasn’t near Cherie’s standards, Toiro had a decent amount of experience in hunting and could help her if she needed it.



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[atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img231/6431/cherietablem.png] The alpha's kind greeting warmed her heart in a way that made her feel important. Cherie wasn't used to the attention of the higher ranks. Within her birth pack she had been considered nothing more than average. That wasn't to say she wasn't good at what she did or was lacking in leadership experience. It simply kept her confined to the company of the other hunters. Within the smaller group she had become somewhat of a prize but her actions were never enough to gain her any sort of favor beyond her own position. She had never been trusted to run this large of a hunting party in the past either though she'd participated in many. Though a challenge, the young femme was determined to prove herself. "You really mean it?" Perhaps her disbelief was childish as was her enthusiasm. She couldn't help it though. Hyperactive and excitable, Cherie's life had been sheltered enough that she still held many characteristics of a child. She'd never really grown up and found her own independence. A bit gullible, it was easy to pull the wool over her eyes. And it had been so long since she'd experienced the thrill of a group hunt that she couldn't help squirming with joy. Her tail rose not out of disrespect but from sheer joy at the idea, waving back and forth so rapidly that it was almost becoming a blur. Her paws too seemed unable to hold herself steady as they itched to run, to chase, to hunt! The only thing holding her back from launching forward and slathering her alpha with excited, thankful nuzzles and kisses was the fear of being punished for such unladylike behavior. Well, there was that and the fact that the arrival of the others was drawing her attention. "Bonjour Huxi, sir," she chirped, tails continuing to sway with excited greeting. She returned the gentle caress of Aludra as well, channeling some of the energy that had been directed towards the alpha into her best friend instead. Beyond that there were two strangers, a female the others all seemed to know and a male that had approached with the Arctic femme. Orange gaze roved over each wolf in turn, a joyous nod of her head and wagging tail the greeting given to each. So energetic was she that she didn't even realize she'd been turning in a circle to look at them all until she wobbled a bit and nearly tripped over her own feet. Letting out a melodic laugh, she shook out her fur and pranced a bit, listening intently to introductions. "Hullo everyone!" And then Toiro praised her again. Cherie yipped happily at the comment, tail wagging so much her butt wiggled as well. He'd called her work fantastic. Fantastic. It was rare she received such complements, especially from one so high in the ranks. The alpha liked the work she was doing and it made her heart soar. And then, just as she thought she couldn't get any more excited, she was informed that she'd be leading them. The Apennine nearly hyperventilated from being gifted such an honor. She had been waiting for this chance to prove herself, to make herself truly useful. Her body was visibly shaking with her excitement and no longer could she stand still. And this time she couldn't keep herself from rushing forward to head butt Toiro gently, rubbing her head against his chest in gratitude. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, sir! I promise I won't let you down!" Of course, a few minutes later she realized just what sort of position she'd put herself into. Here she was supposed to be the one leading the hunt and she was acting more like child with every passing minute. Backing herself away from the alpha, her tail immediately dropped to a more submissive postion (though it still twitched with pleasure). Paws shuffled from side to side, shifting her weight, and if it wasn't for the brown fur that covered her body there was no doubt they'd all be able to see her blush. She'd just gone and made herself a fool. Thankfully, Cherie's enthusiasm managed to quickly get the better of her. It took mere minutes to compose herself once she realized that everyone wasn't necessarily staring at her like she'd just committed some sort of crime. Her tail picked up its steady sway and her head and ears lifted with confidence. She was to lead this hunt and damnit she would make it be successful if it killed her. Sniffing the air, it wasn't long before she picked up on the faint trail of moose the alpha had pointed out to her before. They were still in the area, lurking within the woods and clueless about the huntress's calculating mind. Once again she turned in a circle though this time the action was more deliberate. She was sizing up her pack mates, combining their physical attributes with the information Toiro had been so kind to share. Two warriors, a clumsy shaman, and an alpha and beta who were both strong looking brutes and most likely well rounded in their skills. A few more minutes of thought and she had her plan. "Alright, I've got it!" she yipped happily, tail swaying as she gave a decisive nod. Everything about her radiated confidence. This would work; she would be worthy of the praise Toiro had just given her. "Toiro helped me confirm that there are moose in the area, so that's going to be our target. Aludra, I want you to be the one to spook the prey, get it running. Then you can hang back and tend to anyone who might get hurt. Next we'll need some drivers to give chase. Toiro sir, Huxleyi, that's where you'll both come in. You'll herd it towards our muscle, Spirit and Zehpyr, who will box it in and go on the attack. Then I'll come in and make the kill." Another decisive nod as she replayed her instructions in her head, making sure she hadn't missed anything. "Be mindful of the hooves and antlers, if they still have any. Moose are smarter than they look. Once I point out the target, everyone can fall into place." Cherie spoke with confidence and determination. Though her tail still wiggled, there was a marked change in her behavior. She was more serious now, brain having switched over to work mode. For the first time the pack would be seeing the business end of the Apennine female. It was almost strange, the way she could actually compose herself and the presence of leadership she held. "If everyone's ready, we'll head for the woods."

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[Deleted]

The pack was quick to assemble, mostly familiar faces, but some were new to him. Huxleyi smiled as Aludra arrived, and gave her a nod as she greeted them. "Hello Aludra," He paused as she introduced the male that Had been following her. This was the one wolf present whom Huxleyi did not recognize. He trusted Aludra's judgement, though as the male seemed to recoil at his own name he beame curious. However, now was not the time for twenty questions, and Zephyr's greeting seemed pleasant enough. Perhaps the brute was just cold. "It's nice to meet you Zephyr." He stated and gave a little nod, though his attention was quickly taken up by the arrival of Spirit.

His tail waved a bit as she arrived, coming to stand with the little group. Huxleyi had instant respect for female as her loyalty seemed to know no bounds in regards to Airila. He admired this quality immensely and was happy to be working with her now. "Good afternoon, Spirit." He stated, smiling slightly at the dark she wolf.

Toiro then did introductions, and granted Zephyr the role of Warrior - good, they could use a more structured fighting force. Then again, they could use more regular hunters as well. The alpha then began the order of the day, naming Cherie the leader for their expidition and it was clear to the beta that this thrilled the small she-wolf. He couldn't help but let his tail wag at her excitement, a smile crossing his lips. She gave her orders with surety and the plan seemed quite straight forward and put together. He would work with Toiro to herd the moose like a sheep, right into their pack mates laying in wait. He nodded his understanding to Cherie, his face becoming more focused and serious.

His hunger had grown quite notably, and he could feel the aches of anticipation in his belly at the thought of food. He was excited to share a meal with his pack, and to get to know them all a bit better. At that moment he knew Toiro and Cherie the best, and considered them his friends by now. He was happy to have friends again, something he didn't think was truly possible. Perhaps his down and out attitude was being washed away, leaving room for something new and promising.

Golden eyes flashed excitedly as he shuffled his forepaws in the snow, his gaze fixed on Cherie as she waited for the others to confirm their roles. He couldn't help but smile again at her, and gave the she-wolf a little encouraging nudge in the shoulder. He knew she would do well on this day.

Words: 460
Muse: I thought it was there...
Notes: merrrrr.

[Deleted]

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[atrb=background,http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/6300/alumid.png] The female could not mask the grin forming over her own features as the Alpha spoke her name. Certainly, just knowing that she had his attention for a moment warmed her heart. A slight wiggle of her tail began and there was little that the Arctic could have done to stop it. Once her mind became cheery and got the best of her then there was nothing she could do. It took all of her might to distance herself from such personal thoughts, 'this is a pack meeting, pay attention!' The shaman doubted that she would be of much help, but then again she could run and be silent. That was about all they would need her to do, 'hopefully Toiro stays out of my mind long enough for me to be of some assistance.' The thought had been playful within her mind and nearly made her smile grow wider. Her crania swung shyly towards the ground in order to hide the smile. However, the smile did not stay perched upon her features for long. An unknown female soon bounded into the territory and offered up a cheerful nudge towards Toiro and then Huxleyi. A pang of jealousy soon found its way throughout the lithe Arctic's body. It only made sense that others would be fond of him, after all he was glorious. A whimper tried to escape her words; however, she stifled it and attempted to shove such pained thoughts from her mind. It failed to work, despite her attempts - they did not disappear. There was little that she could do in order to completely rid the twinge of hurt that had fallen upon her heart. 'It was nothing, don't be silly,' Aludra did not know how to deal in social situations well enough to realize that Spirit's actions were simply out of friendliness towards her Alpha. Slowly the ivory female nodded her head at the Alpha's words and then directed her attention towards her dear friend. Cherie too ran off to nuzzle Toiro out of thanks for the task he had given to her. It was then that Aludra managed to push the negativity from her mind, there was simply no reason to worry. After some logical calculations the female established that everyone was simply being cheerful. At least she hoped that was it. Either way, with the stressor being removed she permitted herself to waggle her tail and smile at the joy that was simply radiating off of Cherie. The Apennine seemed to believe herself to be acting a fool and shuffled back away from Toiro; the ivory female nearly giggled. By now everyone knew about the extreme happiness that lived within the huntress' heart, her excitement was a typical response. If anything it made Aludra feel a bit more playful herself when she was around Cherie. Nervously the female nodded her head, all she had to do was spook the prey and then hang back. 'Hopefully I don't screw this up for everyone,' the thought nearly made the shaman ill. It could not be that hard to simply get it running, she needed to have faith within herself. At least a little bit, sometimes. She turned herself in preparation to follow Cherie, hoping that everyone else was satisfied with their positions within the hunt as well. Aludra assumed that they were, and truly wished to perform well for the sake of getting Cherie the promotion. The Apennine femme deserved to be promoted, she had been slaving away to aid Airila all winter. A soft smile was passed to her friend, and with that Aludra prepared for them to begin.

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[atrb=background,http://tinyurl.com/c93wrh9] The moment Aludra introduced him, Amyntas should have expected the attention he received. Each of the wolves present offered him a greeting, causing him to squirm just a little. This pack was so different from Descai, where he had to tread carefully and watch his back. They were actually welcoming here. And not once did the alpha brute question his arrival. He trusted the shaman’s instincts apparently. The Descai beta had nearly torn his throat out for being in the pack’s terra, and yet he was trusted here. His heart gave a painful thump in his chest. That guilt didn’t remain in focus for long as the alpha brute began to show an interest in his skills. A fighter... Well, yes, he was adequate in terms of fighting, but did he really want to risk it? “I am a capable fighter, Alpha, but I would rather not be a warrior,” he said honestly, dipping his head slightly. “It would be...ill-advised to put me in such a position.” He had no doubt confusion would rise from his confession, but there were too many present to go into much detail. It was better if they assumed he was dangerous or that something was wrong with him. Better to jump to conclusions than to know the truth... The alpha brute gave Amyn a sign to join the group, but the arctic brute was hesitant. While he was certain none of them would jump up and attack him, he didn’t feel entirely comfortable with such a large group. Even during his fleeting time in Descai, he had never been in a group so large. Not since back home... Still, he took a few steps forward, sitting tall on his haunches a short distance away. There was no dominance in his stance; he had played the sentry role for so long that he naturally sat so he could see everything. He didn’t even notice how tall he was sitting. At each name, Amyn nodded to the wolf in question. The pack seemed well-organized, far more so than Descai had ever come on. The arctic brute let out a quiet sigh. Was this how it was going to be forever? Would he always make comparisons between Airila, his new pack, and Descai, the old? He didn’t want that... He wanted to start fresh, to forget about what had happened during that short time. He needed to stop living in the past and move forward. His thoughts were swept away as Toiro cleared his throat. Amyn listened intently to the alpha’s words, nodding his head now and again as an icy chill ran down his spine. Winter. The worst time for a pack, given the scarcity of food. How could he have been so foolish? An extra mouth to feed... Just what the pack needed. Yet maybe this was his chance to prove himself. Just because he was built like a warrior didn’t mean he couldn’t hunt with the best of them. And if there was only one hunter in the pack... Amyn’s eyes rested on Cherie as the alpha gave her the spotlight. With all of them assembled, it was likely the hunt would be successful. But how often could the pack group up like this? Would it not be easier to have another hunter to lend a paw? For the first time in a long time, Amyn felt a fire in his heart. This was it; the path to his future. He hung on to Cherie’s every word, waiting for her instructions for him. He didn’t particularly care for being called ‘muscle’, but he would live with it. He was built like a warrior after all... Amyn nodded in understanding at his orders, glancing briefly at Spirit. She certainly looked capable of taking on a full grown moose. He himself had never come across such a creature before, but how hard could it be? words:: Six-Hundred and Sixty-Four muse:: Good tags:: Airila ooc::

[Deleted]

tell my mother, tell
my father i've done the best i can to make them realize this is my life

SPIRIT

Spirit was ecstatic to have been given the opportunity to return to the pack and be given the position she had first started in. Yes, it had been a shame that her Lead Warrior position had been given to Castien, but she could not be happier that he was the recipient. This group of wolves, though most she was rather unacquainted with, were her family and she would have been happy to even be let in as an omega if that was what it had taken. She supposed it hadn't, though. Toiro respected her enough to put her back in a position where she could fight and defend the pack members that needed it. It made her glad in every form. She loved these creatures more than anything else in the world, more than the pack and family she'd once had. They offered her a home and loyal friendship. It was better than former conditions, and there was nothing more in that moment that she wanted to do than spend time with them. A pack hunt seemed perfectly fitting for the situation. Her eyes flicked to Cherie, the hunter of the group, again not anyone she had met, but someone she was willing to befriend.

The tundra femme shifted slightly in her place beside Huxleyi, golden eyes dancing from one form to another, her attention particularly taken by new arrival. There were plenty of light colored wolves in the pack; she could at least keep them straight through scent. As she took in his physique, her mind immediately placed him under the warrior rank, because he seemed fit enough for such a position. When he denied it, she became befuddled. Ill-advised? She could not see how such a thing would be possible, but she supposed the joining members had the option to reject the position the alpha offered them. It was just odd to her, though she did not outwardly question the motive behind it. Instead she turned to Huxleyi and returned the grin brightly. "Afternoon, Huxleyi. Ready to take down dinner?"

Her ears flicked slightly as Toiro began speaking, hanging on every word that her friend directed at them. This was truly exciting, seizing the opportunity to hunt with the wolves she called family, even if she did not know all of them. It was a shame that Castien could not be with them, but she was sure he would be back on his feet and taking down moose with them in no time at all. The male was strong and capable, and she had little doubt in her mind that he would make a full recovery. As the thought and name crossed her mind, she made a mental note to be sure to visit him when this was all said and done and when she had the time. She had not seen him since their last encounter, and she believed she had left a bad impression on him, but she had been a tad grumpy at the time, having been attacked by a bear. Whent he tone of the voice changed, she redirected her attention to Cherie, paying close attention to the directions she was giving.

Spirit felt the smile tug at her lips. Muscle. She hadn't been referred as such at one point in time, but it seemed as though that would be a more common term for someone like her. She was certainly not small for a female and had been mistaken as a male once or twice just based on her girth. She was fully capable of taking down full grown deer on her own, with some effort, but moose were another story. They were slightly larger in height, but mostly in their weight and their antlers probably hurt a hell of a lot more. However, as she glanced at Zephyr, whom was staring at her, she figured they would be fine. She returned her gaze to Cherie and gave a nod. She murmured to herself, "I have no doubt this will go well. That moose won't see us coming." She had an image of herself barreling into the thing's side, but there was a slight cringe on her face as the moose suddenly turned into a tree. She didn't feel like replaying the few times she'd ended up under the oaks.


"spirit speaking" - #F4F4F4
"spirit thinking"
"others speaking"
END HERE

WORD COUNT: 725 | TAGGED: Airila
NOTES: i'm so sorry this took so long, please don't eat me

i'm not angry, i'm just saying
that sometimes goodbye is a second chance

[Toiro]

The new fellow, Zephyr, seemed a little tense to the alpha, although he supposed that could just be the natural response of a stranger introduced to a tightly knit group. Maybe the big male was simply shy, like the alpha himself had been several years back. But no, that didn’t seem to be the only explanation, judging by his reply to Toiro’s offer.

“Oh.” The four year old paused, frankly surprised by the male’s rejection of a proper rank in the pack. He couldn’t see how it would be unwise to put someone who was good at fighting in a warrior position… but he wasn’t the kind to force someone to do something they didn’t like, and this was entirely Zephyr’s choice. “Oh well, that’s fine then... You may remain as a subordinate until you’ve decided which path is best for you.” They weren’t desperate for warriors anyway; Huxleyi, Castien and Spirit were all good fighters and no wars would be starting anytime soon (fingers crossed). If the arctic wanted to try out hunting instead, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have another hunter around in the pack, or, if he was interested in herbs, the position of Aludra’s apprentice was still open. Zephyr’s possible future rank didn’t matter right now though; the brute didn’t really come across to Toiro as being someone who would be lazy and drag the pack down if he didn’t have a duty spelt out for him, so he needn’t worry about it, at least not yet.

Right now there was a hunt to concentrate on, an important one at that. If Cherie could prove herself here she could become Airila’s first lead hunter ever, plus a healthy moose would provide them all with a large meal to feast on. Toiro watched with a grin on his face as his huntress bounced up and down on the spot at the news that she was going to be leading this hunt, barely able to contain her intense excitement. After a moment Cherie looked as if she were slightly embarrassed to be showing so much emotion, but the alpha was pleased by it; he liked to know that he made his family happy. In any case, she got to work fairly quickly, and began sizing up the wolves who would be under her command. He was pleased with how effectively and inclusively she sorted each wolf’s job out, giving them all some way to contribute. Everyone seemed to be comfortable about what they were supposed to do, and nobody raised any objections, so when she asked if they were ready he nodded confirmation. “Lead the way, Cherie.”

The alpha waited for her to start them moving, then followed along behind as they headed away from the beach and into the woods, tail wagging behind him. A quick glance was given to Aludra as they walked, along with an encouraging smile; he believed in her, just as much as any other wolf present (although, it was also partly just another excuse to catch another glance at the beautiful femme he had developed feelings for).

Everything was perfect in this moment; the alpha was full of optimism today, buoyed up by Cherie’s confidence and the wolves moving steadily together around him. Yes, Airila was unstoppable when working as a team, and this hunt of theirs would succeed. He was proud to be their alpha.



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