take the plunge [open to anyone]

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The land of Xisyn was swathed in a thick blanket of fog. It was the same in all directions, no matter where you looked, and visibility was truly poor. Alyan had intended to hunt today, but the murky haze made it extremely difficult to seek out game. He glanced up at the sky, feeling a cold wind ruffle the fur of his back, and wondered if it would rain once more. It had drizzled off and on throughout the week, more than enough to quench the thirst of this normally-dry desert territory. Now he was getting rather tired of this depressing weather, and missed the sun's warmth. It was okay, though. It gave him a lot of time alone to think, which he'd been needing to do lately.

He hadn't seen Vixen since the pack gathering, and he rather missed her. But he knew that she was safe and content among her pack, which seemed to be going through a revival. Alyan was glad of that, for Vixen's sake, because he knew she had already been part of too many ill-fated packs. She had run away from this one, abandoning what she considered a "sinking ship", because she couldn't bear the familiar grief a third time. It had taken a lot of courage for her to come back, and against all odds, her pack was beginning to thrive again. Ryala, it had been called, but before Alyan had left, he'd heard the Alpha proclaim that this pack was to be renamed Tassos. Well, from the looks of it, Tassos had many members now, and was recovering well from the death of the first Alpha. The current leader, Rasalas, seemed to be doing fine with the additional weight of leadership upon his shoulders. From Alyan's explorations of Xisyn that led him northwest, he was able to gather that a volcano had erupted in the homeland of Tassos, and that the pack was recuperating here until the Occasus was safe to live in once more. Why he had remained here himself, he wasn't so sure.

Rasalas had treated him with benevolence, and Alyan assumed that he had a few days' grace to rest before courtesy demanded that he leave. He couldn't find it in him to abandon Vixen just yet, even though she was among her packmates once more. And maybe there was something else too. An idea had formed in his mind after leaving the pack meeting, one that made him bristle and question himself fiercely, but wouldn't back down. What if he requested to join Tassos? He could barely bring himself to acknowledge the idea, but the truth was that he could not return to I'queyer and simply go on living the way he used to. Not after meeting Vixen and realizing how unhappy he was in general.

But he'd been a loner his entire life. He still panicked at the prospect of conversation with other wolves, and he wasn't sure if he could adopt the team-player mindset that would allow him to put the pack first. His life had always been about him: his own needs, his own wants, his grief and his joy and what made him content. It hadn't been much of a shift to include Vixen as well in that list, but an entire pack? A huge one too, by the looks of things. How could he cope with having so many more wolves to care about and get along with? Would he be able to adapt? A small whine escaped the Mexican wolf as he flattened his ears in distress, unhappy with the turmoil within his head. He'd never wanted to join a pack. He'd had all the companionship he wanted in his friend Sadron and his mother Raina, but time eventually took them both from him. Now he had Vixen's friendship, and this time he was the one that had to leave, but he just couldn't do it. Alyan wasn't sure how much Vixen cared for him, but he certainly felt a lot of affection for her, maybe too much. Many times he had gathered his resolve, turned towards the direction of I'queyer, and commanded his paws to move, but each step had been agony. And more than once, he had stood on the banks of the river that divided the two regions, after forcing himself that far, trying to persuade himself to get in. It wasn't fear of the water that kept him onshore.

Alyan was a thinker and a worrier by nature, and he chewed at his thoughts like a bone that had long been stripped of all meat. He veered from one thought to the next, going back and forth as he debated requesting an audience with the Alpha. Eventually though, Alyan began to realize that he already knew what he wanted; he was only dithering, trying to persuade himself to go back to what was familiar and usual. Aloneness wasn't what he needed anymore. He wanted to try it Vixen's way. Maybe she had it right. He was missing something, all by himself in the wilderness. She hadn't said that to him, but his thoughts had come to that conclusion based on what he'd heard from her.

The Mexican wolf made his decision and closed his eyes, flinging his head back as a spasm worked its way down his throat. A long howl rang out over the land, beckoning to anyone that cared to answer, be it Alpha or subordinate. As the sound tapered away and he closed his jaws shut, his eyes opened again and he glanced at his surroundings, realizing wryly that he hadn't picked the best time to call another towards him. Heavy mist still weighed down the air around him, as he knew it did over the rest of Xisyn. Figuring that he had time to wait, he settled himself down on the ground, placing his stately head on his paws. His eyes stared ahead of him, willing someone to come for him out of the mysterious depths of the fog.

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[atrb=background,http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1830/rasmid.png] The brute had been scouting out the lands of Xisyn the past several days. His body had regained some of it's former strength and the Alpha needed to discover if there were any dangers here. Pievunt-An had been cleverly disguised, if anything the volcano had been a place of extreme comfort for all of the canines. Now it was a demon. 'At least none were severely wounded,' a shudder raced up the Alpha's spine at the mere thought. He never would have been able to forgive himself if one of them had been killed. The red brute shook his body quickly, ridding himself of any worried thoughts that were tainting his mind. Right now he did not need to overwhelm himself, the pack was safe and (so far) Xisyn seemed to be a comfortable place for them to stay. Rasalas was unsure how long it would take for The Occasus to heal, or if it ever even would. The red brute had meandered up that way several times in an attempt to analyze it's habitability. Thus far, Tassos would not be able to survive on merely that chunk of land. There was little prey, if any, that he had seen upon his journey. Additionally, the place was so hazed over with smoke and ash that even the river tasted a bit off. 'It will heal,' the Alpha tried to ensure himself of that, he desperately wanted his family to be able to return to their original home. The back of his mind told him that either expansion or residing within Xisyn would be necessary. Regardless of what he wanted to do, the brute needed to take his family into consideration and do what was best for them. Paws carried the muscular canine throughout the boulders, fog settling thick around himself. It was almost eerie how things looked so different with the cloudy haze surrounding them. There was an element to the fog that nearly made him feel unsafe. For a moment, Rasalas debated turning around and heading back towards the cavern he had been sleeping within. The brute would do no such thing; if there was going to be something dangerous - it would reveal itself at a time like this. Golden eyes raked through the fog, attempting to take in every inch of detail about the lands. The howling from another brute nearly startled Rasalas out of his skin. Instinctively his body jumped and hackles began to raise, lips curled up into a violent grimace. "Damn it," he growled to himself. The howl was nothing particularly unusual, simply a howl. He had heard millions of them before, if anything this one was more comforting than some. The Alpha turned himself and began trotting in the direction from which the call had came. It was a strain for his golden orbs to pull the silhouette of the other canine from the haze. The brute nearly walked past the loner, but at the last moment noticed him. "Greetings," his tone was rather polite, much to his own surprise. When the words first left his muzzle, Rasalas had not noticed that it was Vixen's friend. After a moment, a look of recognition passed over the red canine's features. "How have you been doing? Is Xisyn being kind to you as well?" The Alpha had yet to determine if Tassos was staying here permanently or if it was simply an extended stay. Had his mind been made up, Alyan may not have received such a friendly greeting. It did help the loner's case that he was acquainted with Vixen, Rasalas had a soft spot for the female. She was one of the original members of Ryala, even if the gatherer did not know - her Alpha had been worried sick. He had been unaware of Aries' disappearance while he was searching for his sisters. When he returned back to the pack, there was only himself and Scout left. It was a tragic and heartbreaking day for Rasalas. For once, he had believed things were becoming stable once more. They simply had fallen apart. Once again things were beginning to change, this time for the better. He had been Alpha for nearly three months now and had managed to rebuild and better the pack that Aries had started. Truly he was the cause for Ryala to ever exist, his words convinced the female to form a haven within the desert. A smile peeked upon his lips, this had been his from the very beginning. It was becoming more of his pack every day. Now there were only the three of them that remembered Aries' betrayal. The fact was comforting to Rasalas, at least Tassos would not bare the old Alpha's bad name and reputation. All of them would be bettered.

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Alyan still wasn't convinced that he'd made the right decision, but he was very willing to go with it and see where it took him. Look what happened with Vixen. He'd very nearly run from her when they first met, and if he'd given in to that desire to flee, he would never have known her. He probably wouldn't have left I'queyer either, at least not until enough years had passed for him to become mentally insane from loneliness. His confidence was bolstered by the fact that no one had interrogated or attacked him for intruding on the pack meeting - in fact, Rasalas had even politely greeted him and asked him his name. It had been Alyan who showed disrespect by fleeing without answering the Alpha's question. His nerve had failed him once he saw that Vixen had been safely re-delivered back into the hands of her pack, and he'd bolted from the scene. Even so, he was beginning to learn to trust his instincts. Each decision he made that put him out of his comfort zone had ended well, and he recognized that these uncharacteristic choices were good for him. His encounters with other wolves had been positive ones, at least in his mind. He hadn't behaved particularly well, but he was learning, and his confidence was growing. At the pack meeting, there'd been too many strangers for him to deal with, and so he'd retreated back into his safe place, which was isolation. He probably wouldn't react that way if it was just one or two other wolves, but he'd never seen so many strangers in his life, and it had terrified him. Enough time had passed for him to feel embarrassed about the way he'd acted at the pack meeting, and he wondered if Rasalas would even want him if there was room in Tassos.

He hadn't officially met the Alpha; he knew the red wolf's name from Vixen, who had mentioned him more than a few times during their journey through Xisyn. It was getting to the point where he felt a pang of jealousy every time Rasalas' name had been brought up, though he couldn't have explained why. Why should he feel jealous? It made no sense. Alyan's thoughts were quickly diverted as his sensitive ears picked out the soft padding of velvet paws on sand. His head shot up, triangular ears tilting forwards in the direction of the noise.Yellow eyes combed the weighty expanse of mist that obscured his vision, seeking the shape of the approaching canine. The wolf's form slowly appeared, pushing through the fog like some spectral being. Alyan tensed, wondering if he'd been seen. Don't chicken out now. You did howl. He held himself still, not acknowledging the stranger, silence being the best he could manage for the moment. It was hard to tell if the other wolf had seen him, but he was making a beeline for the Mexican wolf. Alyan's dark nose twitched as he took in the stranger's scent, and was surprised to discover that it was Rasalas! He'd been willing to speak to anybody about joining Tassos, but the Alpha himself had come to answer. It made sense, after all; who better to greet loners than one who had the power to induct them into the pack?

Rasalas greeted Alyan with courtesy, then seemed to look closer and recognize him. His tone was slightly warmer when he spoke once more, inquiring after Alyan's health. The Mexican wolf had pulled himself to his feet when Rasalas approached, and now he inclined his head towards the Alpha. "Hello," he responded, pleased to hear the note of genuine friendliness in his voice. "Xisyn is unlike any other land I've ever known, but it has certainly been kind to me. Except for this," he added, wrinkling his nose as he indicated the fog. "I would have liked to hunt today, but unless I happen to trip over a desert rat that didn't hear me coming, I doubt I'd find anything." An amused smile wound its way onto his features; now he was attempting weak jokes. He was a little bit hungry, but he could certainly wait a day or two before he would absolutely need to find prey. He was used to the abundance of small animals that populated I'queyer, and hunting here required a different strategy, since most small creatures hid during the daylight hours. "Um, I don't think I properly introduced myself when we first ... met." His ears tilted back with embarrassment as he remembered his emotional, instinct-ridden appearance to the Tassos pack. "My name is Alyan. I'm from I'queyer, and large as it is, I haven't known many wolves. So I apologize if I ... well, when I saw so many wolves that I didn't know, I just freaked out. I'd like to learn how to deal with that, and if there's any space available in your pack, could I join? I wouldn't be dead weight or anything, I can look after myself." He finally succeeded in muzzling himself, flicking his ears forward once more towards Rasalas. One thing he was beginning to learn about himself was that he had a tendency to babble when he felt insecure, and even he, with his poor social skills, knew that he'd said more than enough. Hopefully Rasalas could look past that and see the heart within. Otherwise, he'd be packing his bags to head back to I'queyer, an idea that he truly did not relish.

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[atrb=background,http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1830/rasmid.png] Rasalas was becoming more confident in Xisyn's ability to provide for the pack. Even Alyan seemed to be doing well here, the Alpha had been slightly concerned about him rushing away from the other wolves. The red brute had been around others for the majority of his life, isolation was something that only happened when he needed to calm himself down. Otherwise it seemed that he was always meeting with a pack member or running into a loner, neither of which he minded in the slightest. Rather, the brute prayed that this would not stop. The last event he wanted was to be alone once more. The small bouts of time where he had no one were the worst. It was then that Rasalas' inner demons were at their strongest, after all there was no one to harm. The thought alone was enough to bring a bit of a shiver to his organs, he needed these other wolves more than they needed him. His eyes sent their golden gaze away from Alyan in order to peer through the fog for a moment. The haze had caught the Alpha off guard slightly, it felt like an impending doom as it settled around them. Instinctively his guard had went up when he awoke. By now there was a bit of calmness that had etched into his bones, Alyan's company was quite welcome. The brute was actually rather happy to cross paths with this wolf, especially on a more personal level. The pack meeting had been an overwhelming experience for everyone involved. Their home had just been destroyed and many were wounded. His mind had torn itself into a million directions as he struggled to keep track of everything going on around him. That had not been how all the members were supposed to meet. The brute nodded his head in agreement to the other brute's remark. This weather definitely put a hindrance on plans for the day. Even within the company of another, Rasalas was still slightly unsettled about the entire ordeal. "The weather makes Xisyn a bit unwelcoming," a slight laugh parted ways from the red one. If the fog was the only threat that Xisyn carried, then Rasalas would be satisfied. The last thing he needed to worry about was another disaster that would disturb his family. They deserved a nice, long opportunity to recoup from the hellfire. These lands would not be shaking any of them up for quite awhile, Rasalas was struggling to remain confident in that thought. He desperately hoped that for once he was right to believe that Tassos held some security here. Audits erected themselves more, if possible, at the mention of hunting. 'A skilled hunter?' Currently Tassos only had one huntress and that was Aowyn. That femme was quite darling, but she could not provide for the pack on her own. More wolves needed to be assigned as hunters, eventually there would need to be a lead. That rank would be filled in time, but for now hunters were necessary. "It is a pleasure to formally meet you, Alyan. I am called Rasalas," the Alpha nodded his head in a polite greeting. Silence overcame him while his entirety absorbed the Mexican brute's words. It sounded as if he was apologizing for his actions, which was appreciated yet not necessary in Rasalas' opinion. This canine vacated because he had felt uncomfortable, that was easy enough for almost any creature to comprehend. "I do not blame you for leaving the meeting, I probably would have done the same if I was in your position. Large groups of strangers tend to be a bit intimidating," the Alpha's smile grew and once more he emitted a chuckle. His statement was quite true, Rasalas always felt paranoid when several creatures that he did not know were together. His tail wiggled a few times behind him, "There is definitely enough room for you within our ranks. Are you a skilled hunter?" the brute could not resist inquiring. Alyan's answer would determine what rank he would start out at. If the brute preferred fighting, Rasalas would easily grant him a warrior position. That seemed to be the one area that their family was lacking, but so far that did not seem necessary. The mere thought of adding a second official hunter to their ranks brought the brute to want to bark with happiness. Despite feeling that way internally, he would not be showing such expressions of happiness. The Alpha did not want to be viewed as childish. His head cocked to one side, interested to hear what Alyan had to say.

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Sadron had always dreamed of forming his own pack. Alyan was content to follow in the wake of his friend's busy plans, letting Sadron's excitement fuel his own. And when an untimely demise took Sadron from the realm of the living, Alyan gave up on the hope of ever joining a pack. It just didn't seem like a very appealing option anymore, now that he was all alone. He was the passive one, the loyal sidekick who didn't mind being out of the spotlight. Sadron was very much a leader, who always pushed things and made some foolish choices. Hunting prey too big for him was one of those unwise decisions, but Alyan took on all of the blame for himself. Friends are supposed to look out for each other right? Alyan was convinced that if he'd been there to back Sadron up, his buddy would not have been in a position where the deer could have kicked him. At the very least, he could have talked the other wolf out of it. But Sadron was barely a year old, foolhardy and overconfident, and youth has a tendency to make you feel like you can accomplish anything. By the time Alyan found his friend, Sadron was past hope, but he did his best to look after him, bringing the ailing wolf food and water that he refused to touch. When his friend finally died, Alyan didn't know what to do with himself. Without someone to talk to during the grieving process, his mind clutched to all of the negative things he should have done, and he came to believe that it was his fault that Sadron died. And he vowed to never allow anyone close again, because he couldn't go through the heartbreak of watching another friend die.

But then he met Vixen. He never intended to befriend her, but he hadn't counted on how lonely his heart really was, how starved he felt for social interaction. And she understood what it was like for him, to be socially awkward around other wolves. She was a pack wolf, and yet she was interesting, she was courageous, and she was determined to keep pushing on no matter how hard things became for her. She'd watched two packs fall apart and lost many friends, while Alyan went to pieces over the death of one. Her story had challenged him greatly, challenged him enough to make him step outside of his comfort zone and offer to go with her to search for her pack. He hadn't even dreamed of requesting to join Tassos - while in his heart he knew he'd eventually need to say goodbye to her, he had always been able to distract himself with other things. And now, his decision was made. Nothing awaited him as a loner anymore. I'queyer was a graveyard full of memories for him, and he was eager to embrace a new life in a community. And though he trembled at the thought of meeting many more wolves, and having to adapt to social customs, and being subject to the authority of a higher creature, he was very sure that he'd made the right choice. Besides, Rasalas didn't seem like such a bad Alpha. In fact, he made very pleasant company, and Alyan felt that if he could submit himself to anyone, it would be Rasalas. And Vixen had nothing bad to say about him throughout the entirety of the trip through Xisyn.

The other red wolf's ears came forward, and his expression seemed to sharpen as something new took his interest. Alyan cringed inwardly; what did he say? But Rasalas wasn't angry. He returned Alyan's greeting, confirming his name beyond all doubt, and went on to reassure Alyan that his actions at the pack meeting were understandable. Alyan listened and felt quite relieved to hear that he wasn't the only one who could be insanely awkward around strangers. The Alpha's lighthearted mood was infectious, and Alyan allowed himself a laugh as well, feeling ... oddly comfortable with this entire situation. He was becoming accustomed to conversation again. Though unsocialized, Alyan was perfectly literate - he just needed to remember that he was capable of having conversations with other wolves. At Rasalas' comment about Tassos having room for him, his ears perked up, and he couldn't stop a canine grin from spreading across his face. He listened to the Alpha's question about his hunting abilities, and didn't really know how to answer. How did you compare your hunting ability to those you've never seen before? "I think I could be considered one ... I've hunted for myself since my mother taught me how, and between my friend and me, I was the better hunter. I tend to catch prey more often than I lose it," he replied hesitantly. "Do you need hunters? I'd be happy to do some extra hunting for the rest of the pack." His tail wagged once or twice in emphasis. He was encouraged by the positive reaction Rasalas had to his request to join Tassos, and if he was fair to himself, he would have probably offered to be a hunter anyway, since he didn't really have any other skills. Previously he believed that hunting was a basic skill all wolves knew how to do, but after speaking with Vixen and learning more about packs, he found that some members specialized in different roles. As impossible as it was to believe, some wolves did not know how to hunt, or weren't very good at it, so they depended on others to provide them with game. Since he didn't know how to fight or work with plants, it made sense for him to utilize a skill he'd honed since he was young. Could Tassos be in need of some hunters?

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[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/7417/rasscroll.png) center bottom no-repeat; width: 500px; height: 575px; padding: 0px;] The brute was pleased to see that Alyan was responding so optimistically to his words. Truly having another understand your plight made life significantly easier, at least the Alpha brute believed so. After all, one was less desolate inside when there were others who comprehended the inner agonies. This was not a life or death scenario, merely a conversation regarding social anxiety; however, it could be utilized in other scenarios. The red brute wagged his tail once more, a delightful response to the other's satisfaction. It would be grand to have another canine within Tassos, another creature to learn and share experiences with. Not like Rasalas had really done so with the others; yet, in his mind he idolized the community as somewhat close knit. Perhaps he was wrong, the brute would admit that the odds of that were high, but without some trace of a positive attitude he would be worn to nothing by now. The small bursts of optimism were the driving force for Rasalas and he hoped there were more within his future. Amber eyes lightly rested upon the other brute, auds listening closely to the words parting ways with his muzzle. The Alpha's mind rolled with thoughts of the others; however, a part of his brain still attended to the newest Tassos member. In a strange way Alyan had almost been considered a member since Vixen had brought him to the pack meeting. As the Alpha, Rasalas had been prepared to chase him off; yet, a part of him had been reluctant to do so. In near hopes that perhaps they would have another canine amongst them. Now of all times they had room to accept others. Especially others that held distinctive skills, like Alyan had spoken of. A pack hunt would need to occur soon, then more than just Aowyn could hold such a rank. It would be one more thing that he would not have I worry himself with. The others were beginning to have more assigned tasks and duties, soon everything would be coming together perfectly. Then he could announce his claim upon Xisyn. It would belong to them, Tassos would be free to roam between the two warm territories - it would ensure they had food and space to roam. However, they lacked warriors and that was one of Rasalas' major concerns. After all, they may need to defend themselves from whatever lay across the water bridge. It could truly prove to be dangerous, some unknown demons could be coming for them. The thought made a foreign darkness swell inside of him, perhaps something terrible would happen. With a pleasant smile, the brute forced such evil from his mind. Now was not a time to concern himself with all the possible trials that they could face. Tassos was full of strong wolves, they would not perish. The red canine felt certain that they would thrive here - even if he was forcing such encouraging concepts into his mind. Slowly he nodded his crania, showing his satisfaction towards Alyan's words. "You are now the newest hunter within Tassos, welcome to the family." The pace of his tail quickened slightly, Rasalas could not deny that he was proud. Everyone had come such a long way and the future would lay bright before them, right? Well, perhaps his would remain dismal and gray but as long as theirs was bettered in the process, then he could be happy. For a moment his golden gaze darted upwards, wondering what sort of sky lay beyond the thick haze shrouding them. Life was a mystery in such a manner. "I do believe that I will be calling a pack hunt soon, it will be easier to take down larger prey. Others should be joining us as well." The brute paused for a moment, a strange thought caressing his mind. 'Is he more than friends with Lady Vixen?' He opted not to pry, truthfully it was nothing he wished to involve himself in at the moment. It would make sense as to why the other brute longed to stay. One day he would like to find a mate, one that longed to share his company as much as he desired theirs. It was a thought that always resurrected the loneliness within his heart. Aries may have been his only hope for a future, but she had abandoned not only him but the family as well. The rage he held for her would never dissipate, Rasalas could never even consider abandoning Tassos. They were his family and it was his responsibility to protect them until death, even if such shortness of breath came sooner than he expected. The cycle of life would continue. His only wish was that he would not die alone. words:: Eight hundred muse:: Decent tags:: Alyan ooc:: D'aw lonely Ras