[claiming, open] sweet comfort

[Deleted]

By far, he found the waters resting in rivers and streams were far less horrid than the waters of the ocean. The gentle gurgle of the suds in the river as it tumbled helplessly over the rocks in an endless race were calming to his audits. It was not too deep, despite the width it held, seeming to go on for a ways across before it reached its other bank. It was a nice thing, though, to see that not all rivers were completely raging and maddened liquids, frothing at the edges and reaching for any passersby with needy fingers. Those rivers wanted to drag anyone they could into their depths, test them to see if they were at all capable of surviving its wrath. Someone as large as he would have no problem in doing so, but he had not always been as large as he was now. Merely two years ago he had been tossed around by the furious seas like one of the toys he'd played with at the zoo he was born in. But that was the ocean. Still, much had changed.

Steven had arrived on the island after the ocean had thrown him in circles for countless days, his paws flailing to keep his head above the water, swallowing the salty liquid in massive gulps as he attempted to breathe in air. He remembered seeing the land and then everything crowded his vision, turning it black. He had woken not on the beach as he had expected, though he had not even thought he would be capable to wake at all, but to a group of wolves that had begun to call themselves an army. There had been several of them, though none of the males were so kind to him. Nor were the females, but that was due to his incredibly small size for a grey wolf. Something in his body had not worked correctly in times past that made him that way. It had only been after training with Irzkine and Peggy that he had grown so much. He didn't know what Irzkine had done, perhaps it had been the disgusting herbs he had made him eat it in his meals, but it seemed to have done the trick. The training made it better as well.

The massive grey huffed within his head as he pulled out of his reverie, resting low within the ferns that obscured his white pelt from the creature he was stalking. It was a pretty large doe, by which he meant it was full. Considering the time of year it was, it was a rather lucky catch. The creature had been quite swift, though, but he had at least managed to corral it down here. She seemed to be exhausted at this point, which gave him an advantage, but her hoof was also caught in some stones. While he did not enjoy hunting a creature that stood such little chance when they were practically laid out in front of him, he could not settle the rumbling in his belly by merely sitting there and staring at her. With small movements, he pushed himself forwards through the ferns, making little noise as possible. His lips curled over his gums, teeth parting to a point where he would be prepared to lock them around the beast's neck.

Steven's growl came out low before he bounded steadily across the distance that was left between them, covering it in so few strides and so quickly that the deer had very little time to react to the fact he was coming right at her. He enveloped her shoulders with his large arms, snapping his jaw closed around the delicate skin of her jugular in one swift movement. The doe had little time to scream as the blood cascaded from her throat, stripping the life out of her. The fur around his muzzle was stained with blood, the pelt around his legs drenched with water. He barreled the doe onto the opposite bank, where he kept his grip and his distance from her legs until every muscle went limp. He released the dead deer and gave a howl in triumph. While he didn't often enjoy killing truly defenseless creatures, he did enjoy the adrenaline it gave him and the joy of the victory. The grey wolf turned to the water and dunked his snout into it, washing the blood from it, even though it would merely be stained again when he began to eat.

[Deleted]

His black fur along his spine prickled s the scent of another canine that seemed to be within a short distance intruded his thoughts. Fury had slept a few feet from the entrance of the cave he had sought shelter in the night before. At the time, the large brute had believed Aleru was a small cavern that he would have the opportunity to reside in for the night and then continue with his journey . However, as he explored the earthy region further this morning, he had come to the realization that it was some sort of complex of many rooms that could easily fit an entire pack of wolves. He had nearly chuckled when he had concluded that multiple wolves would definitely have the room - and prey - to make the cavern their permanent home. He had considered forming a pack upon this continent which he had learned was referred to as Anikira just two days ago as he had been wandering through Nyjoro Hills. Truthfully, Fury had always wanted to be an Alpha of a magnificent pack, but now that he was on an entirely different land mass than his former pack, Gantotoas, he may actually be able to fulfill the wild dream. His goal was to come upon a place to call home, whether it be within an already established pack or unclaimed lands that may suit his standards to create his own. Much to his surprise, Aleru was just what he had been looking for.

Fury released a sigh from his muzzle, and began to walk towards the origin of the wolf smell. During his explorations, he had not uncovered any trace of wolves prior to this one. It puzzled the Arctic brute to think of why no other canines had ever used the cavern as a home or simply temporary protection from precipitation. The underground area even had small prey that was plentiful enough to support at least eight full sized wolves year round. As a fast moving river as well as a decently sized brute came into view, blood began to pump through Fury's veins. He had not come across many wolves on Anikira thus far, and he was not sure how this one would react or even what he planned on saying to the brute. The Arctic brute did not own these lands, but neither did the oddly colored Grey canine. Fury decided this meant that the two brutes would be somewhat on the same page with one another, so no major disputes should occur. However, things don't always go as they are planned to, so the black male remained on guard.

He proceeded towards the other male who he could now see had a fairly large doe in his possession. When he was about twenty feet away, he halted himself as not to intrude the opposite wolf's personal space. He claimed a confident, yet approachable, stance with his head and tail high in the air without acting obnoxious. The brute cleared his throat and then began to speak. "Greetings, stranger. I see that Aleru has treated you well." His voice was strong, but it had a friendly enough undertone. His facial features gleamed with pride and his tail offered the snowy colored brute a small wiggle. He did not want to rub the canine the wrong way, but he also wanted to prove that he was no cowardly wolf. He would put up a hard fight if this slightly larger brute felt the need to challenge him, which would be plain stupid. Then he added, "My name is Fury. What brings you to this underground cavern?" He held a firm, level tone within his voice that rarely was missing while he spoke to any wolf. The brute did not wish to anger this stranger, he was simply curious. Had the white wolf spent the whole night within Aleru and Fury had been ignorant enough to leave his scent unnoticed? It was possible.

As the large Arctic brute awaited any sort of response to slip from his maw, he closer examined the Grey Wolf. His pelt was in fact entirely white, which befuddled Fury a bit. He had never in his life come across a Grey brute with a pure white coat. Although, you don't come across a black Arctic male every day either. What caught Fury's attention the most was this brute's vivid blue orbs. They stood out like two blue stones among a vast expanse of pure white snow. It was not surprising that the brute was slightly larger than himself, not that Fury was a dwarf or anything of those sorts. The Grey canine's kill was clearly fresh, and the smell of crimson blood flooded his nostrils. His mouth began to water and the male's own hunger took over his brain. The brute was not starving, but he was definitely reminded that he could use a quick meal sooner rather than later.

[Deleted]

It had been some time since he'd been a part of a pack, and this point in time, he found little reason to keep track of how long it had been exactly. In his lifetime, there had been the different positions he had been thrown into and he was now nothing less than a warrior. He'd gone from Omega to Beta to Alpha in the short life he had lived, though the former was certainly nothing he intended on returning to. He had despised that position with a fiery passion, though had said nothing of his displeasure and had never made any move to change that rank in his old pack. Had it even been a pack at the time? He wasn't even a wild-born wolf. He had been born in the confines of the Bronx Zoo in New York, America, so one would think him a weak and pathetic creature in pack hierarchy. That had been true for some time until he'd been bought by some stranger to mate with a bunch of females for the new owner's purpose. Part of him was glad he had been thrown from the boat, lost at sea until he had come upon the shores of Anikira. Granted, Irzkine's training procedures had put him through hell, he couldn't complain. He was better, faster, and stronger, because it hadn't killed him, because he had long since survived.

Steven had caught the opposing scent on the wind, but there was no harm in the atmosphere, other than the damage he had caused to the deer now laying lifelessly at his feet. The blood was filling his sinuses, the tang of copper and iron upon his tongue; a pleasant taste, but not one he needed at the moment. He attempted to identify the stranger's smell possibly as someone he could know, perhaps from a nearby pack. He had traveled up and down Anikira time and time again, searching desperately for a place to call home, not only for himself, but for Peggy as well. Oh, he missed her greatly, every though of her no matter how small making his heart twinge with a certain pain that wouldn't be soothed until she was present in his life once again. He had always been terrified of trying to court a female, though with the lovely brown female, it had come to happen for whatever reason. Sad to say, big as he was, he had fallen head over heels.

The massive Grey shook the water droplets that had clung to his fur, scattering them about in a slight cascade. Though he had not spent all night here, it was quite a nice territory, one he wouldn't mind living in. Honestly, he had not scented any pack on his way in, but there was the chance he could have missed something, considering his occupation with the doe he had taken down. He did not back down in his position, but had no intention of trying to be the overly dominant one. If he was attacked, he would handle it, but he wanted no such thing. "Afternoon, sir. I must say that it has done so quite well, though the doe does not reside from this land." He had chased the creature quite some ways until he had reached this place, by no means having any ill-intention to intrude. Fury? An interesting name, but he was one to talk. He'd gone by several names, and even now tucked away his birth name in a safe place, no longer considering it his own. "I go by Captain, sir." "Sir" was something most found rather repetitive, but he also called all women "ma'am". It was more of a respect thing than anything else, and he wouldn't call them by something else unless they asked him to.

Steven felt his paws shift on the pebbles, pressing and moving them about in the muddy ground. What was he doing here? Well, hunting, obviously. "The hunting, I suppose. I chased the doe here. I didn't intend to intrude, but I wouldn't mind sticking around for a while, sir." He only said such because he had grown tired of trying to find a place for himself to stay. He had gone by the pack lands time and time again with nothing enough to offer him. He had found no decent reason to stay in any of the lands he had gone through. It exasperated him, and perhaps what he needed was something else, something different. "You can have half the kill if it would recompense for my stay, sir. I'm just having a hard time finding a pack to fall into. Perhaps I need a break myself." He probably did. All the walking was starting to kill him anyways. A nap would be nice.

[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Deleted]

Fury had been seeking a permanent settlement for much too long now. He was capable of surviving just fine on his own, but the nomadic lifestyle simply didn’t suit him well. His brain could barely remember the night his limp body had finally reached the continent of Anikira. His muscles had been rubbery and tired from paddling through the ocean for hours on end until his paws finally made contact with solid ground once more. All he could recall was taking shelter beneath a shadowing tree’s leafy branches as the sky had opened up into a torrential downpour. Though, despite the overall protection received by the tree, fat water droplets had still managed to find a way to smack his drenched pelt throughout the unpleasant night. Since then, Fury had come quite far both in the physical sense and mentally. Physically, he had traveled through many loner lands as well as pack lands before reaching his current destination. Additionally, his mindset had modified itself entirely. Now, he was certain he would form a pack one day. All he needed was someone to help get it up and running…

The white male standing before him was strong and capable, and also acted quite polite and somewhat old fashioned when he spoke by using the word ‘sir’ a few times. It wasn’t totally foreign to the Arctic canine, but it was sort of eerie. Fury did not cling to the thought for long, though, he needed to focus on the entirety of the situation rather than the way in which the other brute spoke his words. With a curt not, he responded to him with a confident voice. This wolf had not proven himself as a threat thus far, but he wanted it to be clear that he would stand his ground while having no intention of harming the white male. "I suppose that makes some sense. So far, I have only been aware of cave-dwelling prey, though there is plenty of them running around." With a pause for emphasis, the brute finished his speech with, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain." The name was awkward on Fury's tongue. It almost felt as if he was speaking to a wolf superior to him by using the term 'captain' to refer to him. Although, Fury wasn't the most common name either so he had no reason to judge.

A moment later, Captain had mentioned that he would not mind remaining in Aleru for a while. What a coincidence. This brute certainly appeared as if he was fit to begin a pack with, but was it too much to ask for one day? With a slight smile peeking at the edges of his muzzle, and the tip of his tail wiggling a bit, Fury decided to hint at his dream of forming a pack. "Intruding would not be possible as I have yet to claim these lands. I have been thinking of the possibility of forming a pack within Aleru. What is your opinion on this? I'm not sure if the caverns is too odd of a territory for a pack to reside in." But, the Arctic's mind was already made up. Aleru was perfect. It would suit a pack's needs with food and water supply, and it was well sheltered from neighboring packs if they decided to attack. This near stranger's opinion was not going to cause his stubborn mind to budge, he just wished to throw the thought of a pack out there.

Fury's audits wiggled in disbelief at the sound of the canine's offer of food. "Is he serious?" He couldn't stop the thought to surface in his brain. He did not need to offer up his kill in return for the permission to stay. He didn't even own the land, for god's sake! With a firm tone, he denied the proposal. "Keep your kill, son, but thank you for the offer. If I were to form a pack here, you would be the exact type of wolf I would assign a Beta position to." Another hint. This wolf was certainly getting better and better as time went on. 'Polite, strong, and reasonable? What else could an Alpha ask for?' Shock filled the brute's skull. He was already referring to himself as an Alpha, that was a good sign. He waited patiently for the brute to confirm his thoughts, hoping he would agree to begin a pack together. It would make it much easier to start out with two canines rather than by himself.

((ooc: So, this isn't the best I've done since my post was deleted halfway through and I had to start over. >.< Well, I'd thought I'd get right to the point of starting the pack on this one lol^^))

[Deleted]

Perhaps the day would come that he would be able to find himself a suitable enough home in order to settle down properly, but part of him refused to do that without Peggy's presence. He wondered from day to day how she had been, what had happened to her, and if she had indeed ever made it to Irzkine's family to tell them of his fate. Maybe she could not find them and had searched for them, and something horrible had occurred. He battled with himself in order to keep his mind from believing such things. She would return to him eventually, he just needed to be patient, just as she had been with him through arduous hours of training during god awful hours in the morning. Irzkine had always told him that patience was a virtue, and arrogance was not a uniquely American trait, but he seemed to play the part of it well. He had grown considerably in those times, used his weaknesses and strengths to his advantage. Peggy would come back; he had to have faith.

Steven was a soldier and certain habits never seemed to die as hard as he wanted them to. "Sir" and "ma'am" were terms that had stuck with him his entire life, not just through the soldier phase of things. Manners were something his mother had been overly adamant about him using when she had been alive, addressing everyone with such a term unless he intended to overthrow them in some form or another. Considering how small he had been before he had been taken from the Bronx Zoo, they were terms used basically to keep him out of trouble. He lifted his muzzle and nodded it off in the direction that he had come from, "There is a deer herd close to the border this time of year, though they tend to stick about in the other territory. I chased it out from there." It was how he ended up out here. Originally, he'd had no intention to end up in another territory, but the female beast had put up quite a fight. "A pleasure as well, sir."

The brute glanced about, odd blue eyes taking in the entrance to the cave the male spoke of from here. It was not far, but he could not think of any wrong reason as to how it would be hard for anyone to live there. It was an ideal lands, especially for wolves with specific skill sets. It was easy to defend, because there would be many that would not know how navigate the lands as well as the wolves that lived within it. There was plenty of room for many wolves to live, feed, drink. Pups would be safe in a den and easily defended. It was ideal. "Easy to defend, and it seems the land would provide for wolves to eat and drink from. It's a unique territory to live in, which means the inhabitants have every advantage in knowing the good and the bad parts of the area, whereas intruders would not. A pack would thrive here." If done right, that is. Wolves would also have a hard time adjusting to it, learning the area themselves. However, if it were a new pack, few would challenge it off the bat and it would have such time.

Offering his kill was merely out of his politeness. Even in all of his pack structures, Steven had made sure others had been able to eat before himself. Large as he was, he had the stamina and strength to take down another deer if he wished it in order to eat. Those incapable of hunting so well needed the food just as much, perhaps more. Females especially always ate before he did. That was how he worked. "Then at least take some out of my courtesy. It's the least I can do, and I will not be able to consume an entire deer on my own, sir." The offer hung in the air for a moment, finding himself almost incapable of processing the words the male had just said to him. Though, it made sense. Two wolves made things easier to start a pack than one. Besides, there was still the issue of finding a beta. Almost hesitantly, the words came out of his own maw. "Is that an offer, sir?" He wanted to be sure before he made assumptions.

[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Deleted]

The days were becoming stretched out and dull to Fury, and he desperately needed order to be brought back into his currently free form lifestyle. Nothing overly notable had occurred since his father had given him the heartbreaking news that he would be forced out of his life long home. The island that he had made home out of, Gantotas, was about half the size of Anikira and showed much less potential than here, but the brute had family there that he loved and cared for. He needed to make them proud during his time atop this continent and the only way he thought he could achieve this is by forming a pack. A pack that would go down in history one day for having the very best strategies and strong trust between each of its members. This pack would reside in Aleru, nobody would ever change that. The Arctic male had fallen in love with the eerie feel of living beneath another's home. He was not completely sure what type of wolves nested in the Oriens and Kamari, but he was fairly certain that they were home to two other packs. That would not be a problem, in Fury's mind, because his pack would beagle to defend Aleru from any who wished to take it.

The large white colored wolf that he was encountering was abnormally polite and seemed to be quite fond of using the word 'sir,' which was often nestled into his sentences. It didn't bother the opposite colored brute at all to be addressed this way, but he found it somewhat odd that he used the word so much. When he spoke of the deer herd that usually wanders in the area at this time of year, the brute made a mental note of the fact. He would have to learn these details now so he could take advantage of the knowledge when it was needed. He nodded thoughtfully to show that he appreciated him sharing this useful information with him.

He believed that Captain put much thought and consideration into his response about whether or not Aleru was a suitable home for a group of wolves. This was good, he didn't just spit out a three word answer that would not ease the black male's mind one bit. This canine's explanation was bursting with more and more reasons to further confirm his thoughts about forming a pack within the underground territory. "Thank you for sharing your opinion, I really do hope what you say will be true for my pack. I was thinking of the name Ultoris. Does that ring any bell in your mind that would make you think negatively of it?" this time, he truly did want the other brute's opinion so he could make the final judgement call on the name. The brute had considered many names during his travels through the vast land of Anikira, and Ultoris seemed to fit his needs like a puzzle piece fitting into the final space of a puzzle. He just couldn't be sure what other generations of wolves would think of the name.

The Arctic male listened as the Grey Wolf insisted he took some of his kill as a token of his courtesy. He smiled politely and gave a nod before thanking him verbally. "Thank you, Captain. I will definitely find a way to repay you for the meal." He was not overly hungry this morning, but a few bites of deer certainly wouldn't hurt him. He stepped forward to the carcass that lay bloodied in front of the other male and ripped off a chunk that was certainly not so much it would aggravate him before returning to his original station a few feet away. Maybe the amount could bother the brute, but only if the white male had severe territorial issues. Fury finished off the meat in less than ten medium sized bites and turned towards his visitor once more.

Was it an offer? Of course it was, Captain was seemingly the perfect choice to be the Beta of his pack. With an amused smile across his muzzle, he confirmed that indeed it was an offer. "Of course, son, I would not mention something like that without being serious. Are you willing to accept the position?" He gazed curiously over towards the blue eyed canine, wanting to know if he was interested or not. Wishing to no longer delay the start of his much anticipated claiming howl, he decided he would give some time for the canine to think it through some and allow his options to sink in. "I will leave you here for a moment to make your decision. I will be closer to the entrance officially claiming Aleru as my own, but I will return to you shortly." He nodded to the brute and walked at a brisk pace towards the entrance of the territory. He did not want to keep him waiting any longer than he absolutely had to.

Confidence and pride welled up within the oddly colored Arctic canine as he reached his destination. 'This is it. Aleru will be mine in a matter of minutes.' He was not nervous at all, but he did feel a slight twinge of worry that the entire project would fail and he would never lead the legendary pack he had always dreamed of. Without further hesitation, he threw his large head back and let out his song. The sound was clear and strong, and it would be heard by all creatures within a large proximity of where he stood. "Attention bystanders, Aleru now belongs to the Ultoris pack. Gather if you wish to find a home filled with glory and a feeling of importance in this world." His audits picked up the sound of a slight echo of his booming call originating from deeper within the caverns, he would have to get used to that as he would with many other things that come with the package of a unique home such as Aleru. He abandoned the spot of his howl back to where Captain stood, assuming any wolf smart enough to want to join the pack would be able to walk another few hundred feet following the scent of meat and wolves. He gazed over to the white wolf as if nothing had occurred, but on the inside he was beaming with excitement and pride. "Have you made your decision, Captain?" He needed an answer.

ooc :: You can go ahead and change the tag to [claiming, open] now. When he made his call I just assumed that Captain would agree with the name of Ultoris, but it's fine if you don't want him to agree lol. Fury would have named it that anyway.

[Deleted]

i don't want to kill anyone
i just don't like bullies, i don't care where they're from

CAPTAIN

If someone wanted his honest opinion, he would give it to them. Unless he actually intended to, he would never beat around the bush, because most people didn't care for anything to be sugar coated. Doing so would only prolong the pain and the wonder and the confusion of things. The male wanted and answer, so he gave it to him without a second thought. He had taken the moment to think the question over, though. Granted, one of the first questions in his head had to do with why the male wanted to know from him, but he moved past it. Clearly, he had the opportunity to start a pack and help to shape it. Would this be perfect for Margaret? He didn't know, but it was worth a try, and he prayed she would be happy with whatever he felt was right. "The name is fitting, a different title for a different land. It clicks well with the terrain." It rolled off the tongue easily too.

Steven didn't want to waste anything on the doe. Often times, he would merely catch something for himself only just so he could be fed and keep his energy up as it was needed. He never usually hunted a large animal unless he intended to stay in the same area. His original intention had not been to come directly to this place, but it seemed luck was on his side with that one and the doe led him to this spot, where he now had an opportunity to join and shape a pack of wolves. He would do whatever possible to keep such a pack from turning into what he had formerly seen. "Keep yourself from turning into a tyrant, and I think we'll be even." His eyes flickered with the slight emotion of disappointment. Patton had not done so well in his eyes and he did not intend to see anyone else turn into the male. He tore a small part for himself, intending to leave the rest for the members that would probably make an appearance once a call was sent out.

The brute wasn't so sure if he was willing to accept the position, but he was glad Fury was going to give him the chance to think about it, to mull over his options. He watched the male recede to make the call with his glimmering blue eyes and immediately switched to his thoughts, where he could ponder the possibilities. It seemed he only had a few minutes. Honestly, he did not know if Margaret would come back to him as much as he wished for her to. Fury had a good heart, that much he could tell even by looking at him and watching his movements. While Captain was modest in everything and tried not to impose, he felt the need to be here, as though the land were calling to him. He breathed carefully as he sat back on his haunches, praying out that Margaret would accept the decision that he was about to make. This could even help him find her, but would better put his mind at rest and give him time to physically recuperate from all the traveling.

Steven's ears flicked at the sound of the call and his heart pounded in his chest, making up his mind for him. That was it, he would accept the position and assist in the shaping of the pack. As soon as the black male returned, he was tempted to leap off his feet and immediately accept the position, but he held his cool and waited for him to say something. When he did speak to him, he could barely hide the breath that came shuddering from his lungs. It had been some time since he had done this, and the last time had ended in disaster. He prayed to the high heavens that this would not end the same way, that he could make a better difference here than he had managed to do in the last pack he had been in, where his decisions had resulted in many deaths. "Yes, sir, I have made my decision. I will accept the position of beta with my head held high." Every part of him wanted to do better in this than he had done with anything else.


"captain speaking" - #4074A8
"captain thinking"
"others speaking"
END HERE

WORD COUNT: 733 | TAGGED: ultoris
NOTES: sha la laaaa

because the strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power
but a weak man knows the value of strength and knows compassion

[Severus]

So much had happened since he had left the cave that he called his home for a year. He had traveled all the way to an area that was home to a volcano that was known as Pievunt-An. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the area was claimed by a pack called Tassos. His trek had gone well up until he reached that area, for when he entered, he tripped over a small boulder. Severus hadn’t been paying attention to the footing, which he ended up regretting. It wasn’t a simple trip that he could regain his balance and continue on. No, this was a trip that caused injuries and it did just that to him. The seemingly simple trip had resulted in a gash on his front right leg and a possible sprain. He had immediately regretted leaving the safety of the cave, but lucky for him, a wolf was in the area. That wolf wasn’t just any wolf; it was Rasalas who is the alpha of Tassos. He came to his aide and offered to help Severus even after he had been somewhat hostile toward the alpha. Once he had calmed down, Rasalas assisted him and took him to his pack lands and delivered him to Scout who was the shaman.

Severus had spent an entire week in Tassos’s lands. The members had shown him hospitality, especially Rasalas. Severus had never met a wolf like Rasalas, and he surprisingly took a liking to the alpha. Severus never dreamed that he would develop a relationship with another wolf because of his past, yet he found himself developing one with the alpha. Throughout his stay, his mentality of others had begun to change drastically. Before, Severus believed that there was not a good wolf out there. Of course his view was a bit biased because his mother had been a sweet heart, but his memories were plagued with his devil of a father. But now that he had been exposed to other wolves, he now knew that not all were bad. He still kept his guard up though, for even though he had a change of heart about the overall good in others, he still wouldn’t dare to trust any of them. Well, except for Rasalas, for something within Severus couldn’t help but to trust the alpha.

After his week was up, the brute said his farewells to the Tassos pack and thanked all of them for their kindness and hospitality. Scout had done an outstanding job with taking care of his wound that it was just about completely healed. With a small smile on his maw, he left the safety of the pack’s lands and continued his trek to wherever he would end up. From the lands he headed in whatever direction he felt like, which ended up being north. With a small but hardly noticeable limp, he trekked through the sandy terrain until he reached the volcano. The sound of rushing water caught his attention and he carefully made his way to the source of it, being sure to not make the same mistake he had just a week earlier. The source of the rushing water turned out to be a raging river. Severus would dare not cross it but he couldn’t help but to settle by the river and try to catch a fish. He stood completely still on the river’s edge as his brown orbs glued themself to the water. He had been there for an hour at the least, and many fish had passed, but he was always too slow when he went for the catch. Severus began to grow irritated from being unable to catch a fish and from the dull pain that was beginning to form in his injured leg. After studying to schools of fish, he struck when the third one came in and caught a small fish. Feeling weak from his lack of activity the last week, Severus decided that the small fish would do. He carefully laid himself on the ground and began to devour the fish. Not being overly familiar with the place, Severus wanted to go right back to traveling until he could find a safe place to sleep, but exhaustion got the best of him so he ended up sleeping in the same spot that he had been eating.

Severus awoke the next day to sunny skies and a pelt covered in sand. He got up gingerly and shook his pelt to remove the grainy substance for it. The view of the river made the brute remember that it was not safe to cross, so he would have to find another way around. He made his way back up the way he had come originally which was from Acerbus. Being already somewhat familiar with what lay north of the Acerbus, he decided to head east and ended up in Kamari. Upon entering Kamari, a strong scent crept its way up into the Tundra brute’s nostrils. Recalling what Rasalas had said about markings, Severus immediately realized that he was in another packs territory. Not wanting to cause any trouble, he passed through the place as fast as his leg would allow him until he got to the Chamoru Plains of I’queyer. Once in the plains, Severus slowed his pace once he realized that there was no longer a territorial mark. Not having the best sense of direction, he kept heading east until the Kinath greeted him. Scanning the mountains, he realized that he was in no shape to climb over them. Severus was about to turn back around when he noticed a cave opening by the edge of the mountain. Having lived in a cave for a year, he had grown to be attracted to him. It was still day time, but night would be coming soon, so Severus made a promise to himself that this would only be for the night and that he would continue on once it was morning. As he approached the entrance, a voice rang in his audits. The voice seemed to belong to a male who was claiming this land, which happened to be called Aleru, for his pack called Ultoris. “Gather if you wish to find a home filled with glory and a feeling of importance in this world." Being who he was, Severus wanted to just turn around and find somewhere else to reside before night fall, but the alpha’s words caught his interests. This was unlike Severus, and he was well aware of it, but he contributed this to his stay with the Tassos pack since it had seemed to have softened him up some.

Severus cautiously entered the cave and was greeted by a slick surface. He had to quickly regain his balance so that he wouldn’t injure himself again. Once he was steadied, he continued to slowly walk down the path of the cave. As he continued on, he realized that the cave was much bigger than he though, and the path just kept on going. Soon his brown orbs were greeted with the view of two wolves around a small water source. They were both males, one being black, and the other being white. “I am Severus. I heard a call about a pack called Ultoris and it caught my attention,” he said. Severus didn’t know anything about these two wolves, so he put his guard up but in a nonthreatening way. He had a little more faith in others now, but he didn’t dare take the chance to make himself an open target, no matter how much faith he had in others.


Words: 1,267
Muse Apparently pretty good.
Tags: Fury and Captain
OOC: Since Chaika is on an absence I asked her what she wanted us to do, and she said to skip her turn and I believe to have Captain accept Severus. I will clarify that with Chaika here soon, though.

[Deleted]

Fury was essentially pleased by the way things were turning out on this day. Aleru had provided him with a sincere sense of safety, and allowed the brute to rest rather peacefully within the cave system itself. The first few hours of morning had been spent exploring every inch of the mysterious place, nostrils absorbing each individual smell and eyes taking in every sight there was to see. The experience was actually somewhat rejuvenating to the Arctic male, he had never before found himself beneath the ground, and every second he spent there was like an adventure. Then, of course, he had run into the large white canine who was called Captain. From what Fury had seen so far, this oddly colored Grey wolf was exactly the type of male he would want to call his Beta. He was genuinely looking forward to the future of his pack working alongside the brute to create a wondrous group of wolves that could achieve many extraordinary things together. That was, only if Captain accepted his offer.

The canine’s first impression continued when Fury observed that yet again he had taken his question into what seemed to be deep consideration before sharing his thoughts. Thoughtfully, the night colored male nodded and thanked the other canine for his assistance, ”That does make a nice connection, doesn’t it. I thank you for contributing your opinion, I think Ultoris will fit just fine.” It was incredibly exciting that in a matter of hours, minutes maybe, the Arctic brute would be the alpha of Ultoris, a pack which would live in Aleru. The first few years of Fury’s life had been spent watching his father’s success from a far, but now it was finally time for the male to redeem himself. He would lead a pack with a much more interesting purpose than building up armies and sending them off to die at war. Ultoris would be a refuge for those with high levels of talent, special abilities, or simply pure strength. However, those that wish to join must not be selfish or full of themselves. That would definitely prove to be a true challenge, not all capable wolves were as desirable as the one he had just met.

Audits flicked in disbelief at Captain’s next words. ’Does he truly believe that I will develop into a tyrant?’ A small sting struck the brute’s soul, but he was fairly certain that the snow colored canine was not making assumptions at all. Maybe he was just warning him. Whichever was true, the brute needed to make it clear that he believed in equality and fairness and would not act as some wolves did when they had that kind of power. ”Captain, I assure you that I will not use my power oppressively, but rather use it to increase the quality of life of my pack. Nothing more, nothing less.” He desperately wanted to get his point across, for he hoped that the two of them could form a strong friendship if and when the Grey male decided to take the position of Beta. Surprisingly, Fury came to the realization just recently that he had never had a true friend. He had his sisters and mother, and maybe even his father, but they were on a totally different land mass now. Anikira was a chance for the brute to start fresh, and he wanted to do it right.

The experience of claiming Aleru as his own was truly empowering, but not in an unhealthy way. The feeling of throwing his head back and pouring his heart and soul into a call that would surge through the surrounding area, notifying and animals within who the caverns belonged to. As the canine returned to Captain, expecting either a rejection or accepting of his previous offer to the male, he felt like a whole new wolf. Adrenaline and anticipation rushed through his muscles, adding a sense of determination to every step he took. A large smile stretched across Fury's maw in reaction to Captains words. "I believe you have chosen wisely. For now, you will have the authority to accept members into the pack without me being present." The canine parted his lips to continue speaking, but a sudden scent of wolf entered his nose and froze his talking. In a slightly lower voice now, he added, "We will discuss all other business at a later time. I think we have a visitor." He pointed his snout in the direction of the apparent origin of the smell, hoping that the other male would catch on.

As if right on cue, a silvery-grey and black male appeared from around the corner and approached the pair. Fury's stance shifted into a more appropriate stance showing dominance but also a hint of friendliness. "Hello Severus. I am Fury, the alpha of Ultoris, and this is my Beta, Captain." His voice was proud and clear, not wanting to come off as a weak and undeserving leader in front of a potential pack member. "I'm happy to hear that you are interested in my pack, but I must ask you one question; what do you have to offer us?" Dead weight was not the ideal outcome of luring new members into the cave. The black brute wanted a group of wolves who could pull their own weight as well as provide to the pack in some way or another. Unlike some alphas on the continent, Fury was not afraid to turn a wolf down if they did not possess some form of talent or strength.

[Deleted]

Widow walked with a sense of purpose, she had a good sense of direction so doing a little exploring of the island seemed to suit her well. She decided to stay away from any packs that seemed to be all over the place but did like to hear the howls in the distance. Her large audits always twitching from side to side as she took in the land's sounds, her black nose taking in deep breaths to find with each new terrain came many different sorts of smells along with prey. She was amazed at how peaceful it seemed here. She hadn't really encountered many others on her little explorations, but she knew it wouldn't be long before she came across a loner or stray wolf from a pack.

Her stilt-like legs had kept her high off the ground and gave her a good view of what lay ahead of her. The prey was plenty in the unclaimed lands and she had no trouble keeping herself fed. It had been a month since she had arrived on the shores of Anikira, having swam from a continent the animals had called Africa. She loved seeing new animals and sights, but none seemed to have the homey feel she seemed to be looking for. So with a flick of her tail she set off into the ocean and swam for many days until she came upon the shores of Anikira.

After a few days of resting and filling up her hungry stomach with a mix of fruits and even a little meat, she started her way around this new place. She followed wherever her paws took her and didn't mind at all. She didn't mind being alone, her 'parents' had certainly taught her how to survive as a loner back when they were still alive. Sometimes she could still remember the taste of their blood while other times she pictured the faces and howls of her old pack-mates as they were finally defeated by packs that had joined together to take them down.

Her month of solitude was finally starting to get to her as one night she let out one of her roar-barks, that her breed was famous for, only to hear the sounds of the land around her but no reply to her barks. She decided it was time to seek out some semi-permanent shelter and maybe start looking for a pack to join. She had full intentions of joining a pack that would take her in, but also one that she felt comfortable with. She wasn't so desperate as to just join any pack. No she had her own set of standards that she saw needed to be met before she would join.

She started to follow a river, catching fish when she felt hungry enough and quenching her thirst. She also looked for fruits to eat since they were the main part of her diet. She laid in a hollow of a tree for a night before setting off again in the morning to continue her journey.

After a while she came upon a large cavern that the river seemed to run through. Curious, she settled herself into the calm rush of the river and swam her way through. Her ears straining to hear some other sound besides the dripping of water from the cavern's ceiling, finally picked up voices echoeing off the sides of the tunnel that seemed almost never ending until finally it opened up and she swam over to the shore, walking out carefully to avoid sharp rocks.

Her silvery eyes adjusted to the more lightened cavern and came upon 3 figures. As she stepped closer, she could make out the outlines of 3 males. She cocked her head to the side, wondering if they had noticed her yet, but decided to go ahead and approach even if they hadn't. Her guard didn't appear to be up, but only she knew that it was truly up, ready for anything.

"Hello, boys." she called out as if she was greeting them like old friends, her demeanor and body language friendly.

[Deleted]

i don't want to kill anyone
i just don't like bullies, i don't care where they're from

CAPTAIN

Captain had been through enough to know that even what he could see as a good soul could be just as easily corruptible. While he didn't doubt Fury had good intentions, as the structural idea of the pack seemed lovely, some part of him also feared that the male would end up corrupted. He had seen it before and it had led to the death of so many wolves he had once known. He had promised that he would do anything in his power to prevent such a thing from happening again. His odd blue eyes searched the male's face carefully, watching every twitching movement within them when he spoke and allowed emotions to be expressed on his face. At his words, he was sure to give a small smile, being sure to nod enough. "Fair enough. I'm simply wary, sir. I apologize if I caused any offense." He did want to apologize over it, because he did want this pack and he did want the friends.

The massive grey was not so eager to move from where he was, even with the new scent on the wind approaching them. It seemed the call Fury had sent out was already attracting other wolves. That was good. That was very good, and his eyes welcomed the sight of the third male to join the party. He was certainly of enormous girth, that was for sure, and a small smile came to his face. With such large wolves, the pack was well on its way to being well protected and well provided for. His ears twitched as he listened to Fury speak to the male. "Pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm sure we would enjoy your company within our ranks." That was all he would say. He did need to tell them what he would be good for in these ranks, but just from sight alone he could already think of a thing or two.

Captain's mind reeled. Just in the expanse of a single day, so much was happening, but from what he was seeing now just confirmed to him that there were wolves out there who really did need and want a home. Within minutes of the call being made, there was another wolf joining their ranks, and he wouldn't be surprised if another one appeared here soon at some point. Part of him truly wished for many wolves to appear this day or in the few days that were to follow, help the pack to grow. Even six or seven wolves would be just fine for him, because he knew there were not strength in numbers. That had been a lesson he learned a long while ago, from mistakes and good choices. That war had not been a pointless thing meant for nothing. It had given him advice for things and otherwise. He had learned and he certainly, for some time, would not forget.

Like many old times, his posture straightened in the presence of a female. It was just an old habit, being sure he appeared presentable and respectable towards the femmes. He respected them for many reasons, even if many of them weren't quite up to snuff with the strength of male fighters. Females were strong in their own way and he had been raised with enough sense to show that respect outwardly to them. When the willowy female greeted them in such a friendly manner, his posture straightened in a respectful manner. "Hello, ma'am. Welcome to Ultoris grounds. May I ask your business?" His tone was not threatening or unwelcoming in any way, attempting to keep a neutral feel about it, even with the small smile on his face. He did not want to make her feel unwelcome.


"captain speaking" - #4074A8
"captain thinking"
"others speaking"
END HERE

WORD COUNT: 000 | TAGGED: name
NOTES: I apologize for the wait you guys, it's not as long as I'd like it to be.

because the strong man who has known power all his life may lose respect for that power
but a weak man knows the value of strength and knows compassion

[Deleted]

As he examined the Tundra brute more carefully, Fury was able to assume that the stranger that had appeared at the mouth of the cave after he called had potential. He had been polite enough so far, and he didn't seem to have any ill feelings towards either Captain or himself. The silvery black male's build was strong and sturdy, which led the newly appointed alpha to believe that he would be well suited for a warrior position, but he did not want to jump to any conclusions so soon. He would give the canine a chance to answer his interrogation regarding his skills and assets before making any decisions. With so many high quality positions up for grabs, there was not a doubt in the ashen colored male's mind that this brute would fit in just fine somewhere among the ranks of Ultoris.

It felt strange to hold ownership of a pack of wolves, even if there only happened to be two official pack members so far. It was almost as if he was following in his father's paw steps. Fury shook his head to relieve himself of the dreaded thought. Sure, his father had been a successful alpha, but the path that he planned to take with Ultoris was much different from that of his father's pack. The brute did not wish for war to be the main focal point of his pack, but rather, he longed to produce a group of wolves who could work alongside each other to improve the quality of life of the pack as a whole. As his Beta had mentioned earlier, evolving into a tyrant was not an ideal outcome. For this reason, the Arctic canine looked forward to forming a close bond with each and every one of his pack members, so some kind of trust could tie the group together.

Just as he had began to think that the large load of excitement had basically wrapped itself up for the day, another unfamiliar scent tickled his nose. A pleasant smile rested itself upon his muzzle as his brownish orbs caught sight of a slender Maned femme approaching them. Her casual greeting took the male by surprise, but her posture seemed friendly enough. Audits wiggled as Fury listened to Captain's more formal response, and he decided to simply dip his large head respectfully to the femme and allow his new friend to do the talking. He was curious about how the white brute would handle the situation, and he wanted to be sure that he could rely on him with the duties of accepting - and possibly rejecting - new members.

A certain amount of trust needed to be formed between Fury and his newly appointed Beta, seeing as the two had literally met each other not an hour earlier. Although the white colored brute seemed trustworthy enough so far, he knew that sometimes first impressions could be deceiving. For all he knew, Captain could be some kind of murderous lunatic, though this was a bit of an exaggeration, and the Arctic brute needed to be sure that he truly knew the canines he placed his own personal trust in. He had little doubt in the fact that the large Grey male would turn out to be a marvelous Beta, as well as a marvelous friend. Fury just hoped that've wasn't mistaken about this.

tags :: Severus Captain @widow
notes :: again, sorry for the wait and the awful post. <3