Panic had swept through the russet alpha like a flame, he was forced to flee from the Occasus - and he had no others with him. It was not like he left them with no warning, he had been sending howls into the clouded air persistently as he fled south. The great rumbling of the earth had made his paws uneasy beneath his figurine, but his muscular figure had managed to carry him down away into the Boulders of Tohyz. Perhaps this was not quite the safest place for himself to stop, but he was in no immediate threat at the moment. Ash clung to the normally vibrant hues upon his pelt, making him feel disgustingly dirty. A rapid pace set forth upon the rocks, his figure shaking with anxiety. What was he to do if no one else showed up? 'That's a silly thought, you know that others will be here.'
Golden optics observed the ashen filled sky, watching flakes of it fall down to kiss the stones beneath him. The once beautiful land seemed now to die, it was as if all beauty had disappeared. The only thing that Rasalas had for sure right now was himself. For a moment he thought he had heard the calls of another, but perhaps that was all in his mind. Maybe as he raced from the Occasus there had been no one else calling out to figure out where to go. Even before completely leaving, the brute had called out - summoning them all to Xisyn if they could make it. This was the closest territory and it held no other pack, they could safely reside here for a week or two until it was safe for them to return back to their own home.
Once more the brute just had to call for his pack, had it not been an eternity since his weary bones had managed to escape. Averting his head upward, the brute began his song, "All within the Occasus - head South to Xisyn! It is safer here. I will be waiting for all within Ryala to meet me." It was not the most fluent or graceful of calls, but the alpha was certain that if any others heard it that they would get the point. He repeated the call once more before silencing his vocals, all the brute had hoped would be that one of them had heard it. The world seemed to be silencing itself again, and everything began to feel eerie and desolate. 'Something else is happening,' but the brute could not figure out what it was. Perhaps the eruption was placing too much shock for his poor body to handle, that could be the answer.
His pacing was cut short only a few moments later, an opportunity arose that would allow him a comfortable place to sit. One of the boulders was wedged slightly higher than the others, and the top side seemed rather flat. It certainly was not the most comfortable of spots, but it allowed him to seat himself high up in the air - where Ryala members may be able to find him easier. He flopped onto his rump rather ungracefully, worry and exhaustion sweeping over his silhouette. He acknowledged that if the pack had died, then he would be alone once more. It was an unsettling concept to imagine all of them dead. There was a spark of hope growing, perhaps Vixen would be down here and she could be reunited with Ryala. That would be grand indeed, it had been sometime since he had seen the small female.
A dry breeze ruffled up some of the brute's fur and attempted to steal bits of ash away from him. It seemed nearly comforting to have something caressing him ever so lightly in a time of such distress. Would everything actually be okay? Rasalas did not know, maybe this was the end. This could be the time where everything fell apart once again and he would have to wander back in his old, lonesome footsteps. 'Knock it off,' he snarled to himself, 'Give them more time.' It was true, not all of them were pacing about the borders like he was. There had just been too many canines living within the Occasus and disrespecting Ryala. As an alpha it was his job to convince them to join, or to drag them out.
Once more a depressed breath passed through his lips. He was undecided if he should call out once more, or if his voice should remain still. Rasalas had not been in Xisyn in quite some time, he was nervous about bringing his pack here so suddenly - but there was not much of a choice. This was the nearest spot for them to flee too, and if any loners wished to give them issues then they would have to die. Rasalas was not going to permit any of his family to suffer any more than they already had, this was going to be an additional trial that they didn't need to suffer from. Auds remained erect, waiting for the stepping or call from another.
Scout's long, lean legs carried him as quickly as he could go. Something was very, very wrong. He heard Rasalas's calls over and over again but unfortunately, he couldn't catch his breath quick enough to send anything back to his alpha. He was gasping to try to send some kind of a call to let Rasalas know that he was coming, that he hadn't left him. The earth beneath his feet was shaking and rumbling like nothing Scout had ever experienced before. It was quite frightening. Scout's ears were pulled back against his head so he would be more aerodynamic while running. The earthquake made sand flow around everywhere. Scout could barely see, he had to rely on on what little he could smell through the sand and what little he could hear from keeping his ears down.
There was another call, this time it was a bit longer and with more of a meaning behind it than the others. It wasn't the best sounding call Scout had ever heard but that was expected when one's home was being destroyed. But it also sounded like Rasalas had stopped moving. Now, he was no longer running behind him but running to him. It will be much easier to catch up now. Scout thought to himself. Rasalas was younger than himself by a year or so but a year's difference in wolf years could mean quite a bit. Scout's joints had been hurting him recently. It wasn't a terrible pain but it was certainly a difference between this year and last year. He had been noticing that it was more difficult to get up off of the ground now than it had been. But now was not the time to think of such things. He had to concentrate on getting to Xisyn.
The thought of Vixen had flowed through his mind. Where was she? Was she coming? Could she make it through the sand? Had she fallen through the earth and it's shaking? Scout thought about turning around and looking for her but, he couldn't. He knew that it would be certain death if he went back there to look for her. There were black ashes falling around him now. The volcano was erupting. Vixen wasn't a puppy although her smaller size would suggest it. She would make it. Scout half told himself and half hoped. He would never be able to forgive himself if she didn't survive this.
When Scout finally arrived, Rasalas looked quite depressed and tired. Scout could tell by the body language that his alpha had been giving off from on the rock. Scout was so close. So close to safety. As he crossed the boarder between the Occasus and Xisyn, he already felt a little better but he couldn't be completely relieved until all of the members of Ryala were here with them.
Scout approached Rasalas quickly and shook all of the sand out of his completely sand covered coat. He then sat his rump down on the rock and then slid down from a sitting position into a laying down position. He was exhausted form running that long. Scout used to live to run in his younger days but it was beginning to get more difficult as he aged. He huffed and puffed and gasped for the air that he breathed. He was happy to not have to breathe sand anymore. The clean-ish air was a blessing. Of course there was still ash everywhere from the volcano but at least it wasn't sand. Scout turned his head to look up at Rasalas and smiled his crooked grin.
She had never run so quickly before her four years of life, never had to pump her legs so hard to dig into the sand to escape something so terrible. Her paws scrambled about in the sifting grains that wrestled with her in a desperate attempt to get her to slip up, to force her to fall over and become unable to continue. It chased her, though. The ash, the brightly glowing liquid rolling down the belching mountain and across the sands seemed to gain on her faster than she would have liked. They weren't. It was her mind generating the fear that made her believe it was. The molten lava was not gaining, but the ash was much faster as it raced across the pack territory through the air. It clung to her coat, made it difficult to see, and it ached horribly to breathe. Her throat felt scratched and she hacked as she ran, but nothing seemed to be capable of getting rid of the nasty feeling. Not even the water when she jumped into it and swallowed mouthfuls around the snake clamped in her jaws.
Aowyn had been so close, it felt like. She was minding her own business, hunting as she often occupied herself with doing in the pack territory. It was the least she could do for the wolves that were giving her a home. Granted, rabbits and snakes were the only things that she could catch well in particular. Anything larger than that was out of the question, considering her size. She had been the runt of the litter, but did what she could for her new pack mates. She had hardly expected the volcano to erupt when it did. She had snapped the neck of rattler in her mouth and then she had heard that horrible noise. An explosion, cracking earth, and the rumbling that generally signified an earthquake. She had wished it to be an earthquake. She had experienced those before and knew what she was doing during that type of event. This, however, was something she had never seen. With the snake gripped in her jaw from shock, she just ran.
The river was behind her now, the dry sands sticking to her fur along with the ash, matting as it was knocked around in the wind while she bolted. She stumbled over her paws when the sands started giving way to grass. Had she howled? Had she responded? She had heard the call, but her voice wouldn't come to her. Her jaw was clenched so tightly that the muscles were beginning to ache, but the ash in the air seemed to escape away from her as she went on. She couldn't smell it much anymore, wasn't breathing it in. There were scents she was running on top of. She smelled Rasalas and another male, one she didn't know, but definitely Ryala. She felt blind, her eyes watering horrible from the ashes still cutting into them. It felt as though sharp shards of something had sliced them up, made them produce tears just so she couldn't see. Everything was a bit of a blur. She followed the smells instead, the scents of her packmates. But there were only two. Where were the rest?
Aowyn tripped on one of the rocks, making her stop and calm herself down. Her breaths came in ragged wheezes as she attempted to control the coughing that didn't want to leave her alone. She blinked a few times and gained her vision back, the blurriness disappearing. Her lungs themselves seemed to be hurting and her heart continued it's erratically beating pace, threatening to burst from her chest and spill its contents on the ground in front of her. She looked about twice the size she normally was, her fur sticking out in every direction possible. She looked as though she had been struck by small amounts of lightning enough to up her size. She stumbled over the rocks, relieved to find Rasalas and the stranger she smelled sitting there, waiting for the pack to arrive. Her fur didn't go down, despite her relief and relaxation all of a sudden. She wandered near them and dropped the snake, flopping down. She laid there, attempting to stop her wheezing and coughing, and to calm her heart. She watched and waited with them in her usual silence.
Age hardened paws pounded against the earth as Anubis fled for is life. While this route had become familiar to the Iranian male over the years, this time it was different. He did not want to leave the desert. He was fearful that Isis had not made it out yet. Sure, Anubis had overheard Rasalas's cry as he bolted south; apparently, he and the alpha had a similar thought train. However, he had not yet seen his sister, and that concerned him. He had to go back. He had to make sure that Isis was safe!
Yet something stopped the male. Maybe it was the logic that she was likely still with the alpha that brought the brute to a halt as he contemplated heading back north into the desert once more. Surely she had enough sense to heed the call of their alpha and flee with the rest of the pack? Amun stared at his companion, as if to challenge his sanity, as Anubis stopped, glancing back and forth between the sands and the canyon before him. ”Anubis, you cannot be seriously considering returning. The lava will burn you alive, my friend,” the jackal attempted to speak reason to his friend. While Amun often seemed as if he did not care, truth be told he held a special spot in his heart for the Iranian male. After all, Anubis had saved his life. Perhaps this was Amun’s chance to save Anubis’s. The brute’s eyes bore into Amun. “But what about Isis?” he inquired frantically, fearing that he may lose his sister yet again.
”She has survived this long, Anubis. I’m sure she has enough self-preservation not to run toward the boiling hot lava, unless she has a death wish,” Amun snorted in disgust, the thought of the Iranian female causing him much discomfort. He had never cared for her, particularly when she believed herself to be superior to him when the alphas had perished. He answered to nobody, not even Anubis, and particularly not Isis. She was not his master, and he would make sure she knew it until the day she died. He does have a point, the male thought, finally deciding that it would be in his and Amun’s best interest if he regrouped with the pack.
Anubis still had not met anyone other than Calandra and Rasalas. How would he know a loner in Xisyn from a member of Ryala? He would simply have to meet up with Rasalas and hope for the best. His alpha would not let anything happen to them, right? The male trekked forward, following the scent trail of his alpha deep into the canyon. He finally found the male, along with two other wolves, in the Boulders of Tohyz. Anubis and Osiris had often hunted among the huge stones, so is was more than home to him. However, the male felt a pit in his stomach when he realized who was conveniently absent. No…. NO!
“Where is she, Rasalas?! Where is Isis?” he screamed, nearly on the verge of tears as he raced toward his alpha, panic racing through his body as he slumped in defeat a mere yard from the larger red male. “I can’t lose her. I have to go back for her!” he cried in defiance, unable to control the rush of protectiveness he felt toward the female. He had just gotten her back. How could he possibly lose her again?
Heart beats threatened to leap from his chest, to rip open his flesh and let him bleed to death. This fear was of a new breed for the alpha. Never had he experienced the skies raining death and fire. The scent of hell had never captured his nostrils until now, and it had been seeping from the volcano. His volcano had caused their family such turmoil. The brute shivered slightly, his figure was not accepting of such anxiety pulsating throughout it. This was very different than when Ryala had nearly dissipated. More fright was clasped inside of him, the red one did not want anyone to be hurt. Mind tossed itself against the protective walls of his skull, 'are they all okay?' It was the same situation as with the brute's younger sisters. Not knowing was the worst part. Were they alive or were they dead?
His tongue lolled from the brute's mouth as he panted, attempting to regain some sort of composure. Senses were highly alert, and quickly he picked up on another's arrival before they were seen. 'Someone heard,' the brute only managed to drag himself to his feet once Scout was significantly closer. A swell of joy overcame the brute, once more his dearest friend had not let him down. Ryala's shaman was safe. 'He can help anyone who is hurt,' the brute's grin was more genuine than most had ever seen before. His closest companion was safe and could save the lives of others, should anyone be hurt. "It is always a pleasure to see you, Scout." The alpha's words were slightly hoarse from inhaling ash. His tail waggled behind him, exploiting his happiness.
And then another figurine decided to grace his presence. The beautiful femme he had seen in the glittering moonlight before. Now she appeared quite different than before. Her fur was standing absolutely on end as she rushed towards the rock that he had opted to reside upon. His features held concern for the femme, did she get hurt? Rasalas sent a studious gaze over the female attempting to ensure that there were no visible wounds upon her, his gaze then did the same to Scout. Both appeared to be in fairly decent health for the situation that had just exposed itself. "Are you two alright?" he shivered slightly as the words seemed nearly straining to escape from his lips. He was worried about the others. Where were they? Had Isis been separated from them? Would Vixen ever return? Calandra? The others? There were so many options for failure, like where the old red female had vanished too. It seemed that Polaris had disappeared just like Aries and Kyra, why had he ever counted on her.
Two more soon joined the small gathering, Anubis and the sweet jackal. Frantic words slapped the alpha across the face, 'Isis,' the female's name hung in his mind like a ghastly cloud of smoke. Although the femme had been quite rough around the edges, Rasalas had been able to respect her for such actions. It was strange how she brought about others to listen to her commands. Now she was gone. The brute held tight to the remnants of his composure, they needed a leader. "I am certain she is alright," Rasalas brought himself a few paces closer to the frantic brute. "I saw her not long before the volcano erupted, she may have been farther North than us." His voice held strong despite the way his insides were quivering. He was thankful that their gathering held five now; the alpha was surprised that he included Amun in the count.
"We will have to stay in Xisyn for at least a week, until the lava has cooled. Then I will begin ensuring that the Occasus is safe." Rasalas half-announced his plan to the gathering of canines. Upon the completion of Ryala's direction, the brute realized that few of these canines even knew each other. "I shall do some brief introductions I suppose," the brute let out a slight chuckle. It was strange how rapidly the pack had grown that many of them did not know each other. His head dipped towards Scout; however, the alpha made close eye contact with the shaman. A glitter was evident that he figured Scout would understand, 'there are more of us friend. We are not alone.' The red one had to struggle in order to prevent a smile from slipping over his muzzle.
"This is Scout, he is the pack shaman. Should anyone have suffered from any wounds, he is who should be found." The brute turned towards Anubis and Amun. "Anubis and Amun," his head dipped towards them, "And Aowyn." A gaze lingered upon the female for a moment, Rasalas did hope that she was okay. The passing moments were increasing the amount of worry inside of himself. It felt like an eternity had passed, and still there were only a few of them here. "Is everyone alright?" The brute figured the next step was ensuring that no one was physically harmed as of now.
The idea was rolling around the back of his skull to risk his own health to search the Occasus for the others. 'Wait at least a few days before taking that trip,' it was tough to resist the urge to rush back and search for the others. What if they were hurt? Rasalas worried that he had not heard their calls - for help. The others could have been crying out for him, but the volcanic roars had deafened his auds to their terror.
Thank-you. It's always a pleasure to see you as well. Scout said in return to his friend. Rasalas had become Scout's closest friend over the coarse of these last few months. He could tell that his friend had been inhaling the ash by the way that his voice had sounded but that was nothing too serious. Some relaxation and some water would fix that. Scout's tail also wagged lightly behind him. He was always happy to see his friend but his mind was preoccupied with the other members who had not arrived yet like Vixen and Polaris.
Shortly after he had arrived, a female came stumbling in. She looked like she was red, like Rasalas. Her breathing sounded horrible and her eyes looked like they had been watering but that was probably just from the sand and the ash and the wind. His eyes had been watering from the run as well. Her fur also looked like a mess. It was sticking every which way in clumps of messy, matted fur. Where had this female been? Had seen been rolling around in the mud or something? It looked similar. Perhaps she had crossed the river to get here.
The female looked utterly exhausted. He couldn't blame her. If he had been as far as before the river, he would have still been running. She had dropped a snake down on one of the rocks. It was a rattler snake that would have given Scout quite the scare of it's neck weren't obviously broken. She must have been hunting. Perhaps she was a hunter for the pack that he hadn't met yet? Or maybe she was a loner that had run here for safety? She didn't smell a lot like the pack but that might have just been from all the sand and water. Either way, it wasn't his place to ask her if she was pack or not. Hello. Scout greeted the new red female. He never missed an opportunity to make a new friend. Besides, he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. He knew that she didn't know him so he wanted to assure her that he was a friendly wolf and nothing to by shy or nervous around.
Rasalas then spoke, asking them if they were okay. I'm alright. He said. He looked to the new red female to here her answer. She looked alright to him other than her fur being a mess. Her breathing sounded...uncomfortable though like it may have been hurting her the way that she breathed. But he wouldn't know that until she said that it hurt. Besides, he didn't think he had any knowledge of and herb that helped with breathing. If it did hurt, all she would need to do was sit down and take deep breaths.
Just then, two more had joined them. An Iranian male and a jackal. Scout was pleasantly surprised to have another Iranian in existence. He hadn't met another Iranian his entire life here. Other than his original pack who must have all died off. But frantic words from the Iranian hardly gave him time to enjoy the fact that he wasn't the only one left. Something about a wolf named Isis? The use of Rasalas' name made him believe that this new Iranian was a member here. After further listening, Scout learned that Isis was his sister who hadn't arrived here yet. Scout thought that this new male needed to relax. He had only just arrived. Scout was sure that his sister would make it here shortly. Rasalas said that he had seen his sister shortly before all of this madness and that she should be here soon.
Rasalas then said that they would have to stay here for a week and then he would go and make sure that the Occasus was safe. Scout wasn't thrilled with staying here particularly. He liked his home in the sands but his home was being destroyed and this was the only way he would live. After that, Rasalas said that he would be doing some introductions. He also made close eye-contact with him. Scout had gotten so close to the alpha that he was able to guess what he may have meant. His alpha was happy that there were more wolves here and he was as well. They were no longer alone. His prediction had been correct in that the numbers here would be growing. Indeed, my friend. Scout's eyes said back. Scout was bad at not smiling though so a smile found it's way on his face.
Rasalas had introduced him first as the Shaman of the pack. He remained laying down because it hurt his joints to move from a laying position to a sitting position and only wanted to do it when it was necessary. But he did dip his head to each of the wolves sitting here in greeting. The alpha's gaze then went to the Iranian and the jackal as did Scout's. He had said that there names were Anibus and Amun. Then, the attention turned to the red female. Her name was Aowyn. Pleasure to meet you all though I do wish that it were under better circumstances. Scout said to them all. It was a sad attempt to try and lighten the mood a little but he knew that it wouldn't lighten until all of the members had returned. He knew that his own mood wouldn't lighten until Vixen had arrived. He didn't want to think about them being hurt somewhere. He had to believe that they were all on there way and not laying in the sand by themselves, calling for help. Scout shuttered a bit inside as he pushed the thought out of his head.
Aowyn wasn't necessarily harmed. More or less she was scared out of her own skin, especially with such an unexpected event taking place. The sound still roared in her ears, deafening her to an extent as she tried to shake the horrible sounds away. Never before had she been so grateful for her quick feet, even though she had stumbled upon the rocks and her one ankle ached fairly bad. She didn't want to worry about it or allow anyone else to worry either, assuming it was nothing more than twisted or even lightly sprained. Well, it could have been broken, but she would have to wait for the adrenaline in her veins to wear off before she could even decide the level of pain. Her slight limp could be seen as she made her way to one of the stones where she could lay and rest, calm her heart and her breathing as she wheezed and hacked occasionally. The snake laid at her paws and she stared at it, debating in eating it or not. Someone else could need it more.
She didn't want to lay down, despite the quivering pain in her muscles. They ached because of the sudden power and speed she had demanded out of them. Flight or fight response didn't matter here, considering there was no way it could be fought. The lava would most definitely kill anyone it touched. If anyone did manage to survive an encounter with the extremely hot stuff, they would probably end up severely burned and nearly unrecognizable. Her fur tingled at the thought of such things happening, and tried to shove the unpleasant thoughts from her mind, setting her aching paw onto the ground to test the pain there. She retracted it almost immediately with a bit of a hiss. It certainly hurt, especially with the adrenaline wearing off. It couldn't be a mere twist, but more or less a sprain, as she would despise it for being broken. She wouldn't be capable of hunting, running, walking, etc as she would like.
Honestly, her fur was the last thing on her mind, despite the disgusting manner it was composed in. It lowered itself back to its normal position, resting upon her body as it normally did. It was still clumped awkwardly and covered in ash. It was still wet, as well. The dirt and ash had gathered in awkward spots. She licked at them, but pulled her muzzle away with a look of disgust. It didn't taste too good, to be honest, so she'd leave it be for now. She looked up at the male who had come to greet her. It was the other scent she had been running over, but she couldn't say she even knew him. "H-Hello..." It would be better for her to start making friends in the pack, otherwise she'd find herself quite lonely. She honestly didn't want that and she didn't want to be a stranger to these wolves. They were family now, technically, if she could get that thought hammered into her head. She wanted them to be family.
Aowyn's breathing was still ragged, her coughing appearing here and there in painful fits. It did hurt, badly, perhaps as much as her paw. It was subsiding, though, so perhaps it wasn't as bad as she had originally believed it to be. It would have to be something that would go away with time. Her breathing didn't hurt as much as it slowed and gained a more normal pace. She was just frazzled, horribly so. The last time she'd been this way was when she had been thrown into the ocean, and the time before when her father had attacked her. Rasalas's question pulled her from her reverie. "O-Oh." Her voice was hoarse and cracked-sounding, but she tried to clear it. "I'm all r-right. J-Just a s-sore throat...and an-ankle." She didn't want to worry them soundlessly, or even be hounded if she didn't say a word. She offered a small laugh as though to at least ease the tension she already felt, "And f-filthy."
The red femme lifted her behind and shifted it, turning and laying slightly on her side. Her muscles were still taught and ached slightly. They were quivering, her paws and ears trembling ever-so-slightly. Her yellow-grey eyes snapped up to the two others entering the area. One was definitely a wolf, but she wasn't too sure what the other was. It was definitely canine, probably a jackal or something. She didn't know an Isis, but the male seemed concerned over her well-being. Sister? Yes, that would make sense as to why the male would be so frazzled over the fact that she was nowhere to be found. Her ears flattened with worry at the thought of the female. Well, any other wolf, really. It was concerning that there were only this many wolves that had shown up so far. She prayed everyone else was all right, prayed they would also make an appearance soon. The pack was small, but it was strong, from what she could tell.
Aowyn listened to Rasalas as he spoke. Considering the circumstances, she wouldn't mind remaining here for at least a week, but she wondered if it would even take longer than that. The stuff seemed fairly intent on covering the whole place, not quite so much as halting to consider them. She wished it'd cool quickly so they could return. Her ears perked up, coughing slightly, listening to the introductions. So, the male that had greeted her was the Shaman. She nodded to him, thankful he had been kind enough to greet her. Her gaze flickered down for a moment when she was introduced to the pack, but she dipped her head to the others out of the respect she held for them. Her breathing was slowly getting back to normal, but her paw did ache from twisting in the rock that had tripped her. She fell quiet again, trying to remain more or less out of everyone's way. She was quite concerned for the others, though. She waited, alert, attempting to sense anyone else's arrival.
Oceanic orbs were the size of pinpricks, showing more white than anything else. Paws slammed against the ground as fast as they could, a sharp pain shooting up the right front whenever it came in contact with the sand. Heart pounded dangerously fast inside heaving ribs, each drawn breath more painful than the last. Yet Riptide didn’t slow. Something was dreadfully wrong; end of the world wrong. The gurgling mountain had finally blown, hot lava spilling out over its rim. The sands were far hotter than usual, and any living foliage was immediately burnt to a crisp. The air was filled with choking smoke, and the scent of charred earth.
Riptide had been sleeping when it all went down. He awoke to the shrill sound of Aveline’s screech, jumping to his feet in a flash. He hadn’t even had time to call out to her before fleeing for his life. As he fled, he thought he heard the Ryala alpha calling to his pack, but he couldn’t be sure. Everything was happening so fast. There was no time to stop and listen, to stop and catch his breath. He had to run. He had to live. His thoughts swarmed, trying to keep up with the turn of events. The volcano had been acting up for some time, but he never thought it would actually blow. He thought it would just gurgle for a while before simmering down. And where was Aveline? The smoke was too thick for him to see, and his fear was that Aveline had been unable to escape the endless blackness. She could have breathed it in, killing herself... She might very well be dead.
The Ethiopian shook his head rigorously, nearly stumbling over loose rocks as he did so. Don’t think like that!“Aveline couldn’t have died!” His shaking voice reverberated around him, off the rocks of the sinkhole. He had passed into Xisyn, and it seemed that the volcano’s effects had yet to reach this part of the continent. And if it did... Riptide shuddered. He was in a giant sinkhole, and it would likely fill to the brim with lava, burning him alive. The Ethiopian growled at himself. “Knock it off, coward!” It just seemed that with the world coming to an end, he definitely wouldn’t survive, and his imagination was bringing to mind all of the most awful deaths he could muster up.
As he ventured further into Xisyn, Riptide finally succumbed to the pain in his paw. He stumbled several times, nearly bashing his skull on large rocks more than once. If only Aveline were here... The brute lifted his crown to the sky, calling out for his companion. Auds flicked forward, backward, all directions, listening for her screech. Nothing. Oceanic orbs scanned the dark skies above him, searching frantically for the black kite. Nothing. Gritting his teeth, the Ethiopian male continued forward, hobbling on three legs. His right front paw was basically useless; he couldn’t even drag it on the ground without it throbbing painfully. But he struggled through the pain.
Up ahead, he swore he heard voices. Had the Ryala pack fled here? Riptide slowed to a halt. Would it be alright for him to join them? They weren’t in the pack’s lands any more, so it wouldn’t be a problem, right? And he was sort of part of the pack. Rasalas had accepted him, but he hadn’t gone to the dens to meet the others. It shouldn’t be a problem, he deduced. Still, his steps were slow. Cautious. Frightened. When the pack came into view, Riptide couldn’t bring himself to say a word, to step any closer than the distance he already was. There were four others, besides Rasalas, resting before him. Four others... They might not trust him as Rasalas had. And Riptide hadn’t met a single one of them. His eyes scanned over each form, trying to read what each was thinking. And then his eyes fell upon...
“Aveline!”
Forgetting all about his pain and fear, Riptide bolted forward. The kite was perched on a rock near Rasalas, looking ruffled but unharmed. She turned towards Riptide as he came up to her, and gave him a sharp look. “Well it took you long enough, wolf!” Despite her harsh words, there was definite relief in her voice. “Are you hurt?” Riptide asked, nudging her gently with his nose. “I called for you, but you didn’t come!” Aveline ran her beak affectionately along his ear. “My feathers...” She said nothing more, spreading her wings instead. Most of her feathers were singed to the point of being completely useless. “Oh, Aveline...” It pained him to see his companion grounded, but he was so relieved that she was alright otherwise. He nuzzled her gently, tears rolling down his cheeks. Neither one of them said anything else.
words:: Eight-Hundred and Twenty-Two muse:: Great tags::Ryala ooc:: It isn't officially official, but Riptide is technically part of Ryala at this point XD
'Not again! Not again, not again, not again!' This lone thought repeated over and over in the Iranian's head as she struggled to find her footing. Pievunt-An was erupting for the second time. Well, it was the second time in her rather short span of life. Once before she had been driven by her desertous home by the bellows of ash and smoke, a river of lava nipping at her paws as she'd run fast as she could into I'queyer. That first experience was still ingrained so so deeply on her mind, burned into her memory. As such, she couldn't believe she'd missed the signs.
Hunting. She'd been out hunting when the black smoke rose like an ominous cloud. From her low place on the ground she could not so easily hear the bubble of fresh lava, but she'd known it had to be there. Such an angry creature always spewed the contents of his stomach when the black smoke rose into the air. She should have known. She should have warned the others. Cursing her own idiocy, she'd bolted for the dens, sending out a cry of panic. The volcano was erupting!
But her course had been poorly chosen. In her haste to find her pack mates she had tossed aside any regard for her own life. She should have known running towards the dens was a mistake. She should have known making a beeline for the volcano was the wrong decision. Still she'd pressed on, heart beating in her chest and raising up another desperate call. Anubis. She had to save Anubis.
An impassable wall of lava halted her path before she could make it half way. Isis skidded to a stop in the soft sands, eyes widening in fear as the molten mass creeped over her path. She was cut off. By now the others were either trapped or had managed to make their way out. But her... Isis backpedaled, nearly tripping over her own paws in her attempt to get away. The lava was closing in on her, driving her back, cutting off escape to the freer lands. Quick thinking, she knew she only had one choice. She had to go back the way she came.
The Iranian chanced course with quick step, paws flying over earth in their desperate need for escape. By now black ash was thick in the air, making it difficult to breathe. The river, she had to get to the river. If only she could make it to the water source she would be in the clear. But she was so close to the source of destruction, fiery earth closing in all around her. 'Just a little farther...' There!
The snaking curve of the Aughgar was a sight for sore eyes, literally. Pushing herself harder, it was mere minutes before her paws left the banks in a powerful leap. Next thing the tiny Iranian knew she was floating down the river, riding out the current as best as her tired body would let her. Paws paddled rapidly, trying not to swim but to simply keep her head above the water. Several times she tumbled under, chocking on the crystal blue liquid. But now was not her time to die! She would not let her life be taken by the volcano. Isis had survived such a trial once and was determined to overcome it again.
And then she blacked out. How long she was in the river she did not know. She'd swallowed too much water, body jostled too much by the streams. Her muscles ached and she was sorely bruised. But, her plight had not been in vain. The swift running river had served its purpose well enough, dumping her body in the shallows of the Turxos Creek. She laid upon the rocky shore for quite sometime, head pounding and the ringing in her ears something awful. Eventually she came to though, coughing up an awful amount of water from her lungs and blinking blearily against the sun. When finally she settled, she was in awe. "I'm alive..."
Her voice sounded awful, hoarse, choked with water and ash. But she had a voice. She could breathe. She was alive. Migraine pulsing, the little Iranian knew she could not stop yet. She had to find the others. She had to find Anubis and that stupid jackal. A howl went up and she forced herself towards it. Though the voice was unfamiliar, she didn't care. It was a wolf, another wolf, someone who might have answers as to the whereabouts of Ryala. Maybe it was stupid to answer the cries of a desperate Ethiopian, but she had to find someone, anyone. Better to die at the paw of another wolf than the wrath of a volcano in her mind. At fight, at least, was admirable; death from running away was not.
But what Isis found as she dragged her half-drowned body through the many boulders had taken her breath away. There was Anubis and Amun, Rasalas too. A few others had gathered as well: the Ethiopian she'd heard reuniting with the bird and a red female, as well as another Iranian like herself. At first she thought the stranger might be Osirus come to find them. But, no... She knew her family far to well to truly confuse him with a new pack mate. Stumbling forward, she coughed again before collapsing in the middle of the gathering, unable to finish her walk straight towards Anubis. Her body would have no more. No matter how hard she tried to get back up, she just did not have the strength. Finally she settled her eyes on the one nearest to her heart, hoping he would understand that she was alright. Tired, she was simply tired, and with time she would be able to heal. "I don't know why that volcano's so hell bent on trying to kill me." A smile curved up her lips for a brief moment. Then, once again she slipped into unconsciousness.
ooc: alright, she's not dead. poor dear's just exhausted. woo for 1017 word post. x.x
A young red she wolf limped her way across the field of scattered boulders, wincing in pain every time her right hind leg slipped on one of the rocks. Xisyn was certainly not a place for the disabled, but it wasn’t really her fault that they’d wound up here. Vixen and Alyan had crossed a river a while back, which she had believed would bring them into the Occasus, but it appeared they’d crossed the wrong one as the desert was nowhere in sight; there was just a maze of boulders which the two wolves had quickly got lost in. So now they were trying to find their way out, whether to the desert or back to the river, Vixen didn’t care anymore. She just wanted out.
Their journey so far hadn’t been bad – in fact, it had been rather pleasant. The scenery in I’queyer really was pretty, if one took the time to admire it. Alyan made a decent travelling companion, and she was grateful for his presence, as she knew that the journey would have been much lonelier without him. The loner had become her friend, and she would be sorry when they eventually had to part ways.
A sharp pain shooting up her leg snapped her out of her thoughts and she hissed, extremely annoyed at the uneven terrain. Her paw had slipped down between two large stones, and even once she had freed it it still throbbed painfully. But the femme stubbornly ignored it and carried on her agonisingly slow search through the boulder-field.
Suddenly distant panicked howling reached her ears and she turned her head towards the source of the noise, curious. That one had almost sounded like Rasalas… Or was she just imagining things? No, there it was again. It was definitely the alpha’s call, and if she strained her ears she could make out some of the words. It sounded as if the pack was moving to Xisyn for some reason, although Vixen couldn’t guess why. From her position down in the sinkhole, surrounded by high walls of rock, she couldn’t see the great plumes of thick black smoke rising from the volcano, nor the lava raining mercilessly down upon the earth.
“Alyan?” Vixen called out to the surrounding area “I… I think that’s them. My pack”. She didn’t know where exactly her friend was at the moment, but he was capable of looking after himself and she was sure he would have called out to her if there was anything wrong or if he found a way out. She waited a few moments for an reply, but eventually couldn’t make herself hold back any longer and set off in the direction of the caller.
It wasn’t far to where the pack had gathered but the journey was slow and difficult. By the time she arrived she was out of breath, and stopped for a bit of a rest in the shade of a boulder as she tried to figure out what was happening. Six wolves and what looked like some kind of jackal, and was that a bird there too? Vixen was shocked to see so many strange wolves – the only ones she recognised were Rasalas and Scout. How much had Ryala changed while she’d been away? It had certainly gained a lot of new members. A sudden thought struck her, lightning through her heart. Would they even want her anymore? She had assumed that they would be overjoyed to see her again; she thought they needed her, but apparently she was wrong. They had found replacements for her, and those were probably far more useful than the runt with the twisted leg could ever be.
But she couldn’t turn back now – Alyan would think her a coward and she had nowhere else to go. She needed a pack to survive, and would accept even the omega position if they gave it to her. So Vixen emerged from behind her rock, body language submissive and silver eyes cast to the ground. She tried not to make a scene, quietly skirting the gathering of wolves until she was at the base of the rock that Rasalas was lying on. It crossed her mind that she very much didn’t want Alyan to see her in such a pitiful state. It was bad enough that Scout was here, and if she was accepted back into Ryala these wolves would be her packmates. She didn’t dare to even look at them, for fear that they were staring at her.
Tears glistened in the young female’s eyes, barely held back, and she was extremely frightened of what the large male would say to her. “I… I have returned, my lord. I’m sorry… I was scared, and I thought Ryala was falling apart. I’ve been through two packs already and I couldn’t stand seeing the end of a third…” Aware that she was making excuses now she trailed off, and her white-tipped tail tucked itself even further between her legs as her fox-like ears flattened to her skull. Normally she wouldn’t be able to stand acting the way she was in front of a crowd, but she felt that she deserved it for her earlier cowardice. Guilt coursed through her – she hadn’t thought that Rasalas was fit to be the next alpha and had deserted him when he needed support, only to come crawling back begging for forgiveness. “I’m sorry, sir, and I will submit to whatever punishment you desire.” Her words were not falsely spoken at all; she meant it with every fibre of her being and if he didn’t punish her she would probably punish herself. The femme had committed a great sin against her alpha, and would do anything in her power to make up for it.
The last few weeks had been quite enjoyable for the young Mexican wolf. He'd been used to the feeling of loneliness for so long that having a companion did wonders for his mental wellbeing. At first, he'd been afraid of what Vixen would expect from him, but she too was used to solitude. They respected each other's space and need for silence, making no demands upon each other. Alyan had assumed that he would be hunting for the both of them, but was surprised by how entirely able Vixen was to provide for herself, at least when she was able to run for her prey. Her company and quiet companionship made him realize that he'd been living a shadow of a life, all alone with the constant, bitter taste of guilt in his mouth. He hadn't forgotten about his deceased friend, nor the superstition he'd attached to it, but Vixen's story had got him thinking. Maybe he had overreacted. Maybe he wasn't cursed to live alone forever, a self-made pariah of the I'queyer plains. Either way, he'd managed to shove most of the painful feelings under the bed for now. It was enough simply to focus on the journey ahead, and watch the change in scenery as they progressed towards Xisyn.
He bobbed and weaved over the minefield of stones that littered the land around them, disliking the fact that he could not move freely. Some of the stones were small and sharp, and they bruised his paws when he carelessly stepped on one. But despite this, he and Vixen were steadily moving forward. Occasionally he would glance around to see where Vixen had got to, or search for her with both ears and nose if he couldn't see her. The two of them tended to travel separately, each preferring to find their own path rather than move closely together. He was concerned for her, knowing that her leg would be troubling her in a place like this. But he also knew that she would be too stubborn to admit to any difficulty, so he resisted the urge to ask her if she wanted to rest. They could communicate well enough, and always stayed within hearing range of each other. If Vixen felt like she needed to slow down or stop, she would find a way to tell him.
Not long ago, he and Vixen had felt strange tremors in the ground, preceded by a mighty roar the likes of which he'd never heard before. It came from the west - the direction they were heading towards - and Alyan hoped that they would not run into the monster that had made the terrifying noise. They were slowly traversing the sinkhole, but Alyan felt claustrophobic within the bowl-like depression, with walls on all sides of him. He was used to the openness of the plains, of being able to see long distances all around him. It frustrated him to have his senses impeded in such a way, and he was eager to move on from the sinkhole as quickly as possible. They probably weren't far from The Occasus now.
The reddish wolf froze comically in mid-stride, with one paw lifted, as an unfamiliar howl rang through the air. His expressive brown eyes were wide, horror again flooding through him as he listened to the stranger's call. It was the same tug of panic that tried to make him flee from Vixen before he dared to speak with her; he wrestled with this now, his fear of the unknown. You big baby, he growled at himself. Don't do this again. Vixen might need you. He placed his forepaw back down again, one ear twitching sideways as Vixen's voice called his name. He swung his head in her direction and made his way towards where he'd heard her voice emanate from. Eventually she came into view, moving with hurried purpose, and he lagged behind her, deliberately scuffing a rock or two so that she would hear him and know he was following. The Mexican wolf was nervous, the anxiety trying to rise in him like bile, but he focused on keeping Vixen in sight, and this helped him to focus on the present and not what lay ahead.
It took a fair amount of time, but the journey was slow and difficult. Alyan kept up as best he could, leaping from the larger rocks and trying to avoid wearying himself on the smaller ones. Even with her disabled leg, Vixen was moving at a good pace, and he was hard-pressed to keep her in sight. Finally, he was able to catch up to her, once she chose to stop and catch her breath. He came up alongside her, flopping to the ground to pant for a short while, but she seemed too preoccupied to want conversation. He left her alone, knowing that she did not expect him to offer any comfort or jokes to lighten the situation. Besides, there was more than enough going on to keep his eyes busy.
Alyan was sure that he'd never seen so many wolves in his life. At least six were gathered here, and they all were in some state of panic or shock. His fearful gaze trailed over each wolf, noting the different forms and colors amongst them. In his two years of life, Alyan had only known three wolves, and the third wolf stood beside him now. He had buried his childhood friend, grown up alone, and believed himself undeserving of any sort of social life. And now he was faced with meeting these emotionally damaged strangers, who could react negatively towards him if he did or said anything socially wrong. The desire to flee was again pulling at him, but he clenched his paws and remained where he was. You could run now. You only wanted to see Vixen safely home. Well, this is her pack, isn't it? These wolves can look after her now. They never need to know you were here. But he wasn't ready to say goodbye. This wasn't how he'd wanted things to turn out. In the back of his mind, he'd always known that the day would come when he and Vixen would part ways, but he'd always managed to push such ideas away; the journey had always been the focus, and he'd always been able to content himself with the mantra of, we're not there yet. But now they had reached their destination, much sooner than either of them had expected, and Alyan found himself reluctant to leave. What would he go home to? He lived like a homeless man, on public property, in silence day after day after another monotonous day. Vixen had brought change and joy to his life, and much to his chagrin, he considered her to be a friend. She understood what it was like to lose things you held dear, and he felt a kinship with her that could not be easily forgotten.
Without a word, Vixen moved out from beside the boulder. Alyan pulled himself to his feet and observed as she made her way around some of the pack members, heading for one large male who seemed to be in charge. The Mexican wolf leaned forward so that he was on the tips of his toes, then fell backwards again, one hind leg creeping to take a step back. His mind was an agony of indecision, as his instincts and wants clashed against each other. Grunting, he lay down again and covered his nose with his paws; then he pulled himself into a sitting position, his breath heaving in and out as panic took hold of him again. Don't leave me! Mournful eyes watched as Vixen crouched passively before the Alpha leader, cringing as she pleaded his mercy. A whine escaped him, then suddenly he was moving forward, without being aware of giving his legs the command to do so. Head and tail low, he haltingly ran over the rocky ground, hesitating often, giving the rest of the wolves a large berth of space. He circled around so as to be closer to Vixen, but a good ten feet of space separated them, and he did not feel comfortable enough to come any closer. Alyan had arrived in time to hear the last few sentences Vixen uttered, and he stood in the posture of indecision, wanting fiercely to protect her but wary of incurring the wrath of the pack. He did not know if he could stand by and watch her being physically punished, but he also knew little about pack workings, and didn't want to make anything worse for her.
A strange desire to bare his teeth and growl at the Alpha came over him, but he reined it in. Instead he stayed where he was, his body tensely held in a half-crouch, ears flattened with suspicion. It was likely that he was making a good first impression on nobody here, but it was Vixen he cared about, and if she was going to be re-inducted into the pack with a beating, he would be ready to defend her.
When Rasalas had expressed his concerns at the size of his pack, he surely could not have been referring to this mottled crew. There were individuals crawling out of the woodworks. It seemed that the longer Anubis and Amun stood debating whether or not to go after Isis, the more wolves appeared. Introductions were passed about, and then yet another wolf appeared. This one, with bright reddish fur and piercing blue eyes, seemed to peer directly into the Iranian male's soul. He felt plain in comparison to the remainder of the pack. He was nothing special. He was a nobody, and they were all more important than him. Surely it must be so, or he would have met some of them by now, no?
While the male internally debated with himself, a familiar scent rushed into his nose before he actually turned and saw her. The name slipped past his lips in relief as he whirled about, racing toward Isis with an ungodly haste. Nothing had been more important to him than finding his sister alive. She was the sole reason he was here and alive, and she deserved to be worshiped for the rest of her life for the gift she had given Anubis. While Osiris never seemed to care for their sister, Anubis relished the leadership she offered. Here, in this group of unfamiliars, he was more than happy to show his excitement at the return of his sister. He almost completely ignored the pack as he watched Isis collapse to the ground. His heart stuttered angrily as he gaped without the slightest clue what to do. Physically, she looked fine. So what was the problem?
"Scout," Anubis called weakly to the male, hoping that the wolf he had just been introduced to as the pack's Shaman would have some insight to helping his sister. "Is there anything you can do for her?" Perhaps it was a useless plea, but he would have jumped the canyon to save his sister. The least he could do was inquire with the pack's healer as to the condition of his beloved sister. He knew without a doubt that she would grow bitter with him when she awoke to find herself being checked by a medicine wolf, but Anubis would much rather be safe than sorry.
With a set of curiously black eyes, Amun watched as yet another pair of wolves appeared. He paced angrily, frustrated by the sheer number of wolves that the eruption in the desert seemed to ferret out. This had been his home, and they were all intruders. Amun was not happy with these wolves; in fact, had he not been in the company of Anubis, it was likely that he would already be dead. To make matters worse, one of the newer wolves brought a meal along with him. Amun's mouth watered anxiously as he watched the bird rustle its feathers; it would not be a large meal, but any food was better than no food. He was hungry, and that would be the easiest target here...
Anubis was feeling the tension arise between his companion and the remainder of the company. It was not a surprise to the small male that he would grow anxious in such a large company. With a stern look and a dip of his head, Anubis dismissed the jackal who retorted with a short yip of thanks. The black-tipped wolf watched as Amun darted off deep into Xisyn, far away from the pack gathering that had caused him so much discomfort. Perhaps Rasalas would be irritated with the male dismissing his jackal, but it was a better alternative than watching Amun lash out at the closest wolf. Despite his small size, Amun could quite easily take down and kill any of the wolves here. Amun was by far the best protection that Anubis could ever hope for, but he did not want the negativity of the wolf killer following Amun and haunting Anubis as well. Things would be better this way.
The small female that had danced up with a larger male was intriguing to Anubis. She seemed unsure of herself, much like Anubis, and it was comforting to see that he was not the only one who held himself in a state of limbo. Maybe in time he would lose the feeling of shakiness and insecurity that he felt, but for now, he would simply humble himself before his almighty alpha and hope to reap the benefits of pack life once more.
The Alpha grinned at the four canines before him. Certainly it was nice to see a few familiar faces, especially with such terror raining down upon their home. His mind was attempting to get ahead of itself; already the brute was struggling to figure out what to do in order to ensure Ryala's safe return back to the Occasus. 'Focus on gathering the pack together, we need to find those that haven't turned up,' the thought brought a concerned noise to the brink of spilling; yet, it slipped back into his throat once more. Scout's comment about wishing the 'pack meeting' of sorts was occurring under better circumstances nearly made Rasalas chuckle. At the very least it brought about a smile upon his lips; although, it was not the most emotional and warm action he had ever performed. He longed to comfort the pack, to ensure them that safety would be attained - yet he could not guarantee anything to them. 'If it has to be this way, then we will stay here,' the thought irritated the red brute slightly. They all would need somewhere to live and Xisyn would be better than nowhere. At least within his mind it would.
Ideally he could travel back to the Occasus in a week and examine the lands, attempt to weed out any loners that decided the lava ridden lands were safe for them. At least then they could have their original home back and everyone would be just as safe. Although some border patrols would have to be established. Ranks needed to be given soon. 'Once we have a body count on who all is staying, then I can begin to assign ranks,' the thought excited Rasalas. It had been such a long time since he had been able to relax. The past several months had been devoured with persistent border patrol and hunting. Protecting a large territory such as the Occasus was a struggle, to say the least; yet, it was more rewarding than the brute had initially imagined. His orbs passed across Scout, Anubis and Aowyn. Even if only the four of them survived - the Alpha was certain they could make it. After all, him and Scout had survived essentially on their own.
Golden gaze danced over Aowyn as she spoke of the filth around her. It was true they were all dirty. The Alpha normally cared about his appearance; however, today had been a different story. The brute had hardly acknowledged the mass amount of ash clinging to his own russet body. He was quite disgusted when he looked down at himself and realized that he appeared about as disgusting as she claimed to feel. "Once we establish how many of us are alive and well, then we can work on cleaning up." The brute glanced over the four before him once more, attempting to search out any previously disguised wounds. If anything he figured they would be visible after all of them had cleaned up, then Scout could examine those who needed it.
Auds perked and the Alpha distanced his gaze from those immediately before him. In the distance another canine silhouette came into view. Instantly the wolf's tail began twitching happily, there were more survivors. The thought excited him greatly and proved to be enough of a distraction that he did not even notice Aveline behind him. A jump nearly shook his muscular frame, but his body was too weary to make an actual sudden movement due to a bit of fear. "Good to see you Riptide and Aveline," he gave them a gentle grin. Rasalas assumed that calling all the members by name would at least somewhat acquaint them with each other. Hopefully enough so that the pack could actually become a family, so that all of them could form strong bonds with each other. He prayed such a dream was not impossible. Before the brute could proceed forward with any sort of explanation or introductions a familiar scent caught his nostrils.
'She is alive,' the alpha would have shot Anubis a look claiming that everything would be alright, but the poor femme came into view. Exhaustion was clearly evident upon her frame and even within her words the femme seemed to have inhaled quite a bit of muck from the explosion. The Alpha moved himself forward instantly towards the Iranian that had just entered the terrain, "Isis!" Her second statement fell upon the red brute's deaf ears, the look upon her features had told him exactly what he needed to know. The female was not going to be able to stand for much longer. He managed to get close enough the femme to catch her collapsing figure. Certainly it was not the most coordinated movement; yet, the Alpha attempted to lay the femme down gently upon the ground. Breathing had grown quicker within Rasalas' body, for a moment he felt as if he too was going to wind up unconscious on the ground.
Slowly he moved himself back to the warm rock he had previously jumped from. "Scout," his voice was quiet as the brute reclined himself to his haunches, struggling to catch his breath again. The gaze he cast at the shaman should have told the brute exactly what was on the Alpha's mind, 'Can you help her?' The Alpha knew a decent amount about foliage and aiding those in need, but he was in absolutely no health to do much running about right now. In truth, none of them were. They all needed their rest, 'hopefully he can help from here.' A body shaking cough tortured his frame, and the brute spat out a large wad of ash that had wedged itself into his lungs. An annoyed snarl escaped his maw as the brute cast it a rather hateful glance. That volcano surely cast out some nasty tasting shit, no wonder it had been so angry.
The intensity did not stop there. Much to Rasalas' surprise there were more canines that were wandering in. These ones he did not smell as his body was simply growing far too exhausted for the brute to be truly paying attention anymore. He hoped that the mass of wolf bodies would lure in any others that could be left straggling about. There were several canines that had yet to turn up, and truthfully the Alpha was quite worried about them. The last thing he wanted was to find them scorched to death back within the Occasus. It would rip him apart inside to have to rid the lands of their charred corpses. Sadly, Rasalas did not notice Vixen until she began speaking to him.
At first the Alpha was quite positive that he too was drifting away into unconsciousness, it had been months since he had seen Vixen. He had believed that she either vanished with Aries and several of the others or passed on. a glimmer of joy radiated throughout Rasalas' orbs, 'she is actually alive.' His tired tail could not resist wiggling happily at the return of one of the original Ryala members. At least two of his original pack mates had stayed with them. Now, alongside them stood many new members that were eager to rebuild their lives as well. They were not alone anymore, truthfully the three originals were blessed. None of them seemed harmed from the exterior and now they were all reunited. "Vixen," a faint smile lingered on the weary alpha's features, but there was no doubting the happiness within his words. "I was so worried that you had died," the brute panted lightly attempting to keep himself conscious.
His crania shook itself, 'wake the fuck up.' A slight grunt escaped the Alpha's maw; yet, he seemed significantly more aware of his surroundings. Even still, it was a struggle for him to grasp that Vixen was truly standing before himself and Scout once more. "That is over now, you're safe here to resume your training beneath Scout if that is what you'd still like to do." The brute's words were only harsh sounding due to the hoarse tone his voice had taken on, they were spoken with as much kindness as could be heard. Tears were glistening within Vixen's eyes, and it broke Rasalas' heart, certainly he knew that force may eventually have to be used on a member - but not on Vixen. She had reason for what she had done, he was guilty of considering the same thing. It was done with now; that was why Rasalas desperately wanted to rename Ryala. The slate needed to be wiped clean, everyone needed a fresh start.
It took Rasalas several minutes before the brute behind Vixen became visible within his narrowed sight. A confused sound escaped his vocal cords and he cocked his head to the side instinctively, attempting to make sure that the brute hadn't tried to speak with him. The Alpha did not wish to blatantly ignore any of the canines surrounding him, they all needed attention from anyone with medical knowledge to ensure they were fit. 'I need sleep before I can be of any use in that area,' the brute knew he could not even help himself without any of the pleasant dream world. Soon enough it would be dancing before his eyes, he would wait another few minutes to ensure that everything was going well and then direct others away.
His golden eyes studied the only foreigner to him, "Greetings, Sir. I am Rasalas, what do you call yourself?" His tone was not as harsh towards Alyan as it would have been had he wandered into the Occasus by himself. Rasalas was simply too weary to fight right now, honestly he was okay with not showing the utmost authority. It was the sad truth coming from his utter exhaustion, 'I am on the verge of being upon the ground like Isis.' His claws scratched at the surface of the rock beneath him in an attempt to continue blood flow throughout his body and hold him aware of his surroundings. Pins and needles began pecking at his legs and paws, they stung with a mild annoyance of discomfort. They reminded him that he was awake, which the brute needed currently. Paying attention was important, there were a couple wolves that still would need special attention of the Alpha. He could not neglect them, none of these canines deserved to be ignored. Especially not after the torment they had all just experienced. Even Xisyn had tasted the bitter ashen rain storms and the flaming hell balls being thrust from the heavens. His volcano was an asshole.
Rasalas tugged his orbs away from Alyan to watch Anubis dismiss Amun to rush off. 'Probably for the best,' the wolf attempted to chuckle, but made a half gagged sound instead. It was pleasing to the Alpha, so many survivors that had returned to be with Ryala. Even the irritating jackal was alive and well, which the brute was surprisingly happy about. He never figured that he would be happy to see that smart mouthed dog, but in truth all of the others were making him happy. For a moment his swinging gaze landed on Aveline, he would need to ensure that she was safe until her feathers grew back in. Assuming Riptide decided to stay, both of them would have a safe place to rest up. The pack needed healing and hopefully the next few weeks would be able to offer that to them. Alongside gaining their strength, Rasalas hoped that maybe a few bonds would be formed with their new pack mates. 'I hope there are not any fights,' the thought of struggling to break up a fight bothered the Alpha greatly.
For now he remained stiff and stoic upon the rock, holding his posture to the best of his ability. Exhaustion tugged upon his ears, encouraging him to give into the welcoming temptation; yet, he remained strong. There were a few more things to be accomplished before he could manage to grant himself permission to sleep.
Calandra had been arguing once more with Trout - her decision to join Ryala still not sitting well with him - when suddenly the maned wolf had found herself nearly at the center of catastrophe. She had been nearing the edge of the lush vegetation that grew around the volcano, heading back towards the sands. Trout was nagging her, pointing out flaws in Rasalas, and making grand assumptions about the short comings of the pack members - none of whom Calandra had actually met. She was angry with her friend, and it made her ignorant to the goings on around her. She had not noticed the increase in out flowing black smoke and ash from Pievunt-An until it was falling all around her. The hot flakes singed her fur, then the earth began to quake beneath her feet. The jarring motion knocked her sideways roughly, and she toppled over. Russet nose met the ground hard and the wind was knocked from her sharply, Trout was at her side suddenly yelling for her to get up.
"Calandra! Get up now! The mountain is erupting!" The black wolf's words were fuzzy in her ears, and she struggled to regain herself, legs sprawled beneath her. Moving her head slowly side to side, Calandra lifted herself upright, legs shaking. She turned to look behind her at the summit of the volcano: hot lava was gushing from the gaping wound at the peak. The newly forming rivers tumbling down the slopes towards her. Would she be able to outrun it? She had to try! Just as she took a few steps forwards the sounding of a massive explosion boomed and mountain-shrapnel came hurtling through the sky. "Holy shit! Run Trout!" Jolting forwards the two began to run off, tiny burning pebbles of lava scorched Calandra, burning through her fur directly to her skin along her rump and flanks. Letting out painful yelps, the rusty female could not stop, these small burning pin pricks were nothing compared to the excruciating pain that the lava flows would bring.
But Calandra was not fast enough.
A blast of ash enveloped her escaping form, the hot air burning her nose and lungs. Her eyes wrenched closed, and she blindly ran forward. Charging onwards she was certain that she would never make it away from the eruption. "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'M GONNA FUCKING DIE!!!" She screamed hoarsely as she ran, more hot ash and small lava flecks nipped at her viciously. Her legs were burning from sudden exertion, and Calandra could no longer see or hear Trout. Had he gotten lost? Could ghosts die from smoke inhalation? Calandra surely could and she knew it, and she could feel it now. She couldn't see or smell, her lungs were burning, and her ears were ringing.
When at last Calandra broke away from the clouds of ash she was exhausted, but pushed herself until she was far enough away to not become re-consumed by it. Once far enough away she collapsed, hacking and coughing into her paws. Her eyes were still clenched, and when at last she opened them the blood on her paws sent her mind reeling. She was still going to die! Struggling to rise once more her ads perked at the sound of Rasalas calling from Xisyn. Thank the gods... If she could make it there she might stand a chance. Trudging forwards she walked towards the sound of her new Alpha. She had just joined this little pack and already she was nearing her end... At least she had found somewhere to call home before that time.
Swaying dangerously atop her lofty legs, their gang lines exaggerating her fatigued movement, her bloody coughs spattering the sand as she trekked along. Head hung low, tail burnt black, a blistering hole shot through her right ear oozed blood too, patches of fur burnt too, a section on her right hip completely bare of hair, a blistering wound taking its place. Black dipped paws, caked in grey ash, suddenly hit a different terrain and she had reached Xisyn, and the location of Rasalas was not far. She could not smell the alpha, or any other wolves - her nares were still faring with burning pain - but she knew she would find them. She stumbled down into the valley and soon her eyes landed on the group of wolves who had gathered in this place of safety. Dragging her feet, she tripped and collapsed hard, her chin banging into the ground as her legs buckled beneath her belly. Hacking more blood and wheezing against the ash in her lungs, Calandra choked out a gravelly bark, "Help!"
OOC: This takes place after Cal's thread with Rasalas where she decides to stay and join Ryala. Technically she is part of the pack.
Ryala had grown, like Scout had expected although he didn't expect it to get this big, this quickly. It was nice to have a bigger support group and it put some ease in the Shaman's mind.
Aowyn looked like she was calming down some which was a good sign. Stress can cause lots of issues for wolves. She moved across some of the rocks and her limp was evident. Scout knew that she must have been in pain. It was good that she was going to lay down so she didn't have the pressure on her leg or her foot or whatever was hurting her. Also, it would calm her heartbeat and get her breathing normally. Scout was a social wolf but he did have some odd habits like watching wolves for a minute or two and observing them. This happened especially when he noticed something wrong with them. She she-wolf said "hello" and Scout nodded to her politely. She stuttered through her words a little. He wasn't sure if it was a speech impediment or if it was from fear of the lava. The wolf coughed in little bouts that sounded painful. Scout's heart felt a sharp pain whenever she coughed. He felt badly for her. She couldn't walk and she could barely breath and her coughing sounded horrible. She then spoke of her sore-throat which was evident and then her ankle. Her throat should start feeling better after she gets some water but her ankle would need tending to. She must have been running on it, hurt it and continued running which could have caused even more damage. Your ankle hurts? What kind of a pain is it? Is it sharp, dull and numbing, aching? Scout automatically went into Shaman mode. Knowing the kind of pain would help him with dosages. Shit. My herbs are the dens. No way I'm going back there. I'll have to look for some. The one time Scout left his herbs in the dens is the one day that the volcano explodes. He would have to run fast and get something from a near-by territory.
Then, Scout heard a call from a wolf he hadn't met yet. It didn't sound as if it were help though. The wolf was looking for a companion? Scout hoped that the wolf got here safely and knew better than to turn around and look for whoever it was. Then, a an Ethiopian wolf appeared. His front paw looked..damaged. He couldn't tell if it was actually hurt from the distance that Scout was at but it didn't look comfortable. Perhaps the wolf was just holding it funny. The wolf didn't speak until a bird appeared. The bird landed next to Rasalas and the wolf exclaimed her name. Aveline. The Ethiopian bolted forward to the bird. She was ruffled looking but she didn't appear hurt. The bird spoke sharply to the wolf but her voice sounded relieved nonetheless. The wolf asked her if she was alright and she said that her feathers were bothering her. She spread them out and her feathers looked like she may not be able to fly anymore. It pained him, without even knowing her, that she probably wouldn't be able to fly.
Another wolf appeared. Another Iranian. Scout guessed that it was Isis, the wolf that Anibus had been talking about. They looked similar enough despite her half-drowned appearance. She coughed and collapsed in front of the group. Scout stood up finally from his laying down position from utter shock of the wolf's condition. She must have been through so much. She opened her eyes for a moment and looked at Anibus. She said something about the volcano trying to kill her before going back into unconsciousness. Scout was worried about her condition. But with her not conscious, he couldn't ask her. Anubis asked if there was anything he could do for her and Rasalas did as well just not in so many words. He walked over to the unconscious wolf and put his ear near her mouth to hear her breathing. It sounded as if she had run a long, long way but there wasn't any sign of there being a deadly amount of water in her lungs. He then looked over her body to check for any broken bones. He didn't see anything obvious. He put a very light amount of pressure on her ribs to see if any of them had been cracked or broken. Her ribs seemed to be in order. He felt a bit odd checking her over without her permission but he would rather have her angry with him than dead. She had been walking or, dragging herself earlier which meant that her back must not have been injured. He looked back at her brother. She is very tired but she doesn't have any life threatening injuries or water in her lungs. After she awakes I can do a more thorough examination. Scout was confident in his diagnosis. He didn't find anything wrong with her. If she was in pain, she would have to tell him when she awoke and he could get her something.
Then Vixen arrived. Scout was filled with joy that she was still alive. He rushed over to her and nuzzled her. He could see the fear and the tears in her eyes as she spoke to Rasalas. He hoped that Rasalas wouldn't punish her for leaving. She only had feared that the pack was dying. A Mexican wolf had came at about the same time. He wondered if the two had been traveling together.
Rasalas had also been worried about Vixen and said that her leaving was all behind them and she could continue training under him. Rasalas was good alpha. Scout knew that he had never intended to be an alpha but he was still a good one. Rasalas then addressed the new Mexican male. Scout was interested to meet all of these knew wolves more closely. They were his new family after all.
