breathing in sulfur;; [open]

[Deleted]

TAG WORDS: 878 NOTES: NOTES

The sun was setting. More importantly, a storm was brewing. Iskierka had only made landfall days ago, and for the longest time, she had camped out alongside the river. She hadn’t exactly meant to wind up here, but she knew very little of the strange continent she’d found only fourteen moons ago. Regardless of this, she wasn’t stupid. She knew what the early signs of a thunderstorm were, and she knew that in the middle of the sprawling sand, she’d be a walking target for lightning strikes. She’d seen wolves struck down in the sand where they stood before, had seen wildfires rip apart the sparse shrubbery. She’d seen the weak weeded out, the ones too stubborn to hide decimated. She had no intentions of becoming like them, so she ran. Her muscles burned as she went, streaking across the sand as the temperature dropped. Nearer and nearer the volcano loomed, and she felt a stirring of excitement in her belly. She’d heard the volcano here was no longer active, but there was still some thrill in fleeing from an approaching storm straight into the belly of the fiery mountain. She was scared of nothing, and no challenge gave her pause; she’d intended to visit the volcano the moment she’d learned of it. It was only convenience now that drove her towards it, under the assumption that she might find warmth and shelter from the cooling temperature and the approaching rain. Her auburn-gold pelt was a shade brighter in the sunlight as it reached the lowest point before beginning to sink beyond the horizon, sending rays of light across the sand. The ebony clouds had not yet reached the neon orb. The sand was beginning to firm just slightly beneath her feet, and she was thrown into the shadow of the crags. She could have almost sworn that the ground was warm beneath her paws; she doubted herself for only a moment. With each step that she took towards the dark rock, the warmer the air grew. She had to search for only a moment before her deep yellow eyes found what she’d been looking for: a cave, the opening a bit narrow but surely deeper within. This information, along with the location of the volcano itself, had been volunteered to her by a particularly batty old fae who she’d bumped into near the river. It was certainly the only useful information her jabbering produced, she thought with a snort as she cast a quick look over her shoulder. The sun was sinking quickly now, nearly out of sight; shadows loomed behind her like cobwebs. She ducked into the cave. The heat was enough to make her suck in a deep breath. It was nearly sweltering, but Iskierka reminded herself that this was what she needed. Deserts were so cold at night, and if the storm did happen to pass overheard, it would only get colder. Panting softly, she took a moment to scent the area. Nothing immediately reached her besides a queer smell that was faintly metallic, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, nothing skittered or crept. The cave was a rough oval shape, large enough for a small pack to cram inside of, and towards the back was a tunnel that sloped downwards. Perhaps after she had rested she might journey into the dark depths to see how far she could go before the heat was too stifling for her to breathe, and then she would be on her way to find a new challenge to overcome. A dull rumbling deep beneath the earth pulled her out of her thoughts. She stopped for a moment, head tilted and ears pricked, but silence settled and stretched on. Satisfied that gushing lava didn’t seem to be an imminent threat, Iskierka sighed softly and settled herself against the bumpy rock adjacent to the caves opening. Warmth radiated along her flank and she hummed, laying her head on her lightly scarred paws. They would be considered an imperfection to a more delicate she-wolf, but Iskierka counted them proudly, as well as the small knot of scar tissue that rested hidden beneath the fur on her left shoulder – invisible unless one brushed her side or ran their muzzle along her flank. Not, of course, that anyone would. Iskierka had not taken a lover at all, despite the urgings that had come with each heat cycle. She had no true interest in mating for love – What a silly thing to even consider! – and would gladly mate out of duty to do so or simply because it pleased her, but she didn’t wish to cart a few bundles of whining, squirming pups with her if she became pregnant. If she were ever able to find a stable pack, she would gladly populate their ranks with strong offspring, so long as it did not interfere with her duties. Until then, however, she ignored her desires and focused instead on her own endeavors. In the far distance, thunder rolled. Shifting to adjust her weight and then settling once more, Iskierka allowed her thoughts to wander. She could only hope that nothing would disturb her here should she finally sleep, and in the morning, she would emerge unscathed and ready to sate her hunger.

Forged by LUCI OF ADOXOGRAPHY

[Deleted]

It was getting late, the sun was making its slow journey to the horizon as the clouds gradually began to roll in. She had spent a lot of her time at the Ina'mos, and although when she had originally ventured there it had been unclaimed, it was now the territory of the Kairos pack and their alpha, Goliath. Although the abnormally large female had every intention of joining the powerful - and growing - pack, she by no means wanted to get on anyone's bad side. At least not yet. She knew that her plans were unlikely to be received with excitement and eagerness when she approached the alpha of the pack, but that would not stop her from trying. She knew better than to get her hopes up, though. Sure, she was stubborn as hell and skilled enough to deserve the position of Warrior in Kairos, but she also knew that the pack's morals and ideals basically forbid it.

Her large paws carried her slowly, the wind and the clouds not at all worrying her pace as she moved along the sands and towards the mountain that the stories had claimed to be a dormant volcano. She personally knew little about the large geographical feature, though that did not ebb her ever-growing curiosity. She liked to consider herself level headed and logical, but there were times when her interest in the unknown - at least unknown to her - overtook her better judgement. She knew that her current location would prove to be rather cold and difficult once the darkness surrounded her, plus, the rain and cloud-promised storm would not make her any more comfortable. And yet, her pace remained slow and relaxed, her paws spreading carefully over the sand as they carried her closer and closer to the mountainside ahead of her.

Maybe she could find some sort of shelter up there, and though there was a forest in the opposite direction - about the same distance - her curiosity got the better of her. Her ears perked atop her head for a moment as a cool breeze ruffled her fur, nose twitching back and forth slowly as the wind blew down the mountainside and into her face. The clouds were coming, their threat growing and growing as she moved, and yet even as the darkness surrounded her and the rain began to gradually fall, she continued moving forward. Sure, she had no idea where her paws were taking her, but even as the precipitation soaked her fur and made it cling to her sides, there was no rush in her movements. She climbed the slope carefully, the rocky terrain beneath her paws slippery and dangerous as she moved further and further upwards.

The area surrounding her was now completely dark, rain pouring and clouds only gathering more and more over head. Her ears pinned backwards, tail low and swaying back and forth in order to keep her balance as she traveled. Sure, she was rather unhappy with her current situation, but her annoyance was not allowed to turn into anger or even frustration for the time being. It was all her fault that she was in this situation, and although she disliked the rain and the cold, she had been well aware of it before it had hit her. The lightning that was now beginning to strike around her, however, was not something she would so easily accept. Her pace now quickened, carrying her upwards and towards what appeared to be a small crevice, at least that was what it looked like in her narrowed vision through the rain.

She growled softly as she flinched, a strike a bit too close for comfort that hurried her along even more as she neared the opening in the mountain. It was her only hope of shelter right now, and even though there was a chance that it was already occupied - by a creature more forward thinking than herself - she really had no other option. She frowned slightly, shaking her head and carefully pausing outside for a moment before inhaling deeply and attempting to squeeze her way inside. The entrance was a bit uncomfortably tight for her size, but she managed well enough, that is, until she was hit with warmth, and the scent of another wolf. She stopped abruptly, sheltered from the storm by the entrance and caught between the weather and the stranger in front of her. "Oh, I'm sorry, I got myself stuck in the storm and this was the only shelter I could find. I did not mean to intrude." She said, slowly and carefully taking a couple steps back and hoping that there were other shelters like this one nearby.

Words: 779
Tags: @iskierka
Notes: Sorry, this was absolutely horrible.

[Deleted]

TAG: @xena1 WORDS: 691 NOTES: A little rushed, tried to get it done before my laptop died. Hope it's not too bad!

Warm and comfortable as she was, it was almost too easy for Iskierka to drift off. She snoozed lightly, not quite asleep yet not fully awake, flitting somewhere between dreams and reality. She always had been a very light sleeper, but this was different; she was in unfamiliar territory in the midst of a storm, and the bothersome thunder rolled on and on in the distance. Occasionally lighting would strike just outside of the cave, illuminating the dark space with a blinding light that left Iskierka momentarily dazed and not in the least amused. Scowling, she turned her face away from the opening of the cave, ears pricked forward in the event that someone might try to intrude. Perhaps it would pass in a few hours, and she could finally snag a few hours of sleep, if she were lucky… The muted thudding of paws on rock reached her ears first, and Iskierka’s head jerked up. Narrowing her deep yellow eyes, she scrabbled to her feet as a hulking shape shoved its way into the cave, wet and dripping; a wolf she saw when her eyes had adjusted, distinctly female by her scent, which wasn’t particularly appealing with the soggy pelt. But she supposed it couldn’t be helped; it was raining now, and with the lightening seeming to strike nearer and nearer, the she-wolf had likely ducked into the nearest shelter she could find. She was only a few inches taller than Iskierka, but her weight was impressively greater, hidden beneath thick mottled fur. "Oh, I'm sorry, I got myself stuck in the storm and this was the only shelter I could find. I did not mean to intrude." The female had spotted her, then, and was in the process of backing away from the cave. Had she offered a snarky word or hinted even slightly at a threat, Iskierka would have been quick to react, but the she-wolf was attempting to leave instead. With her sizing substantially larger than Iskierka’s due to the weight, the red wolf mix couldn’t possibly understand why she had made no attempt to take the shelter for herself, or even to suggest that they share. Although she never would have admitted it, Iskierka was thankful for the lack of aggression. She did not particularly feel like brawling with the larger females in such close confines, although she never would have backed down from a challenge had one been offered. "No, that’s quite alright,” she said, before the female could retreat into the awful weather. Stiff with caution, Iskierka warred with herself for a moment, but then a bolt of lightning struck seemingly just outside of the cavern, and she could not fathom sending the stranger back out into danger so brazenly. ”You can stay, if you’d like. I won’t bite if you don’t.” This was offered with a devilish smirk, and she scooted further back to take a seat on her haunches, giving the female ample room. It had been some time since Iskierka had encountered another wolf without it being on unfriendly terms; her temperament often got her into trouble, and there were many times when she’d had to fight other loners for her food. It had become irritating in a way, almost to the point of making Iskierka consider finding a more permanent home. Her father had liked to insist that she would never be fit for pack life, but more than anything it was a challenge that still rang in her ears. She would prove that she could, one day. Shaking herself from her deeper thoughts, Iskierka took a brief moment to study the larger wolf, wondering if she would stay. It was risky business to trust a complete stranger, no matter how temporary that trust might be, but perhaps the female was confident enough in her abilities to take care of herself. Better than the weak, sniveling creates that begged on their bellies for what they wanted; Iskierka could barely contain a snort at the thought of them. ”I’m Iskierka,” she ventured, her voice formal yet slightly weary as she waited for an introduction from the stranger, if one was offered.

Forged by LUCI OF ADOXOGRAPHY

[Deleted]

Lightning struck much too close to the cave for comfort, and though the tall female wanted nothing more than to push forward and force her way into the the cave without permission, she continued to back out towards the awful weather. She was not sure what she would do about her situation, but she knew that - at least for now - she was not interested in making any enemies. Especially since she would need all the friends she could get once she finally spoke with the Kairos leader about her desired rank. It was only when her tail returned to the cold soaking rain that the other female spoke, extending an invitation for her to stay. She stopped almost instantly, easily rethinking her direction and moving back into the safety of the already occupied den. She sighed softly and offered a gracious smile, fighting the urge to shake the moisture from her coat and soak the entire den.

"Thank you, Iskierka. I'm Xena." She said, nodding in acknowledgement as she offered her own name and accepted that of the other. Now, although she was confident and sure enough of herself, she had never really been known as a chatterbox. She preferred to keep to herself mostly, but there were occasional times that she could be encouraged to spend some time speaking. "Are you part of a pack in Anikira?" She asked, although she already knew the answer. No, she had not memorized all of the pack scents of the large island, but this wolf smelled like a loner, just like she did. Then again, Xena had at least some of Kairos' scent on her fur, from her meeting with Datura not too long before. Her head tilted curiously at the thought of the other female, wondering what had brought her to this part of the island. She herself had not wanted to wander too far from the Kairos territory, though she was taking her sweet time in seeking acceptance from the pack's leader.

She knew that the morals and ideals of the pack were not in her favor, but that was not going to stop her from what she wanted to do. She had the skills, the build, and the confidence of a warrior, and she had every intention of using them all for Kairos. She was stubborn, and although she was female, she would not back down until she succeeded. For now, though, she finally let herself relax, sitting down in the cave and turning her head to begin licking her fur dry - or as dry as possible. The rain tasted sour as she lapped it off of her thick fur, and though she was large enough for the work to take nearly all night, there was anything but exhaustion on her face. Sure, she would need sleep eventually, but even though the female before her had invited her in from the cold, she still had little reason to trust her.

Finally she let herself lay down slowly, paws crossing in front of her as she continued her slow and relaxed grooming. All the while, however, she kept her eyes and ears trained carefully on the female in front of her. Her dark face was but a shadow in the absence of light in the cave, and although her eyes had easily adjusted, the other wolf's lighter face was much easier for her to pick out in the dark. Her yellow eyes glowed with each lightning strike outside, and though the first few made her tail twitch uncomfortably, it was clear after a while that she had grown accustomed to the sound and flash of light. For now she seemed comfortable, and though sleep tugged anxiously on the edge of her consciousness, she kept herself wide awake and alert. There was no trusting a stranger, and though Iskierka had been nothing but welcoming, she still had not gained the future Kairos Warrior's trust.

Words: 653
Tags: @iskierka
Notes: Sorry this is so short and took so long, life has been pretty crazy lately.

[Deleted]

TAG: @xena1 WORDS: 539 NOTES: Sorry it's so awful, lost the first draft when my computer crashed ):

The deep, booming bass of thunder was deafening, echoing through Iskierka’s skull as she pricked her ears, straining to catch the words that came from the she-wolf. Narrowly she caught the tail end of an introduction, and she mulled over it in the silence that followed. Xena. She waited until the flash of lightening, inevitable yet no less irksome, had faded before nodding her head just a fraction. As Xena contended herself with settling into the cave, Iskierka watched her absently, one ear tilted towards the opening of the cave. She’d been careless, allowing someone to surprise her where she lay nestled in the cave. Not, of course, that she had a high chance of hearing anyone’s approach over the damned thunder. Regardless, she was fortunate that Xena didn’t seem to be spoiling for a fight. She wanted nothing more than to settle down and be dry until the weather passed; quarreling was the last thing on her mind. "Are you part of a pack in Anikira?" Glancing up, Iskierka shook her head, dismissing the notion. ”No. Not yet.” She’d heard whispers and tidbits of the packs, passing rumors that had vaguely caught her attention. Kairos had piqued her interest more than any of the others, for the alpha had made himself known quickly and effectively. Goliath, they called him. So far, Iskierka had avoided him like the plague, although her trip had brought her closer to his territory than ever. It was as if she was being drawn to Kairos, no matter how many times she told herself that she would bide her time and wait. Now, with mating season approaching quicker and quicker, she was rethinking her decisions. She needed the protection that a pack would offer, as spending her days fighting off pushy brutes didn’t sound very appealing. She told herself that was why she’d ventured so close, anyways. Really it was the intrigue that drew her, the longing to be a part of something powerful, something strong. But to admit all of that to a stranger would be odd, so she settled for a simpler version. ”I’ve considered finding a place to call home, however. I’d certainly be of more use to a pack than I am to myself, wandering on my own.” She snorted with amusement, laying her head on her paws as she gazed curiously at Xena. While it seemed as if she was loner, there was a scent that mingled with her own, older now but still present. Perhaps a rogue wolf she’d encountered, or maybe Iskierka was wrong, and Xena wasn’t a loner at all. ”And you? You give me the impression of a loner, because I don’t see a pack wolf seeking shelter in unclaimed territory during a storm…but your scent says otherwise.” In truth, Xena was the first wolf that Iskierka had encountered in some time, and she was more docile than usual due to her lack of socialization. It won’t last long. She was restless by nature, and horribly intolerant of those who irritated her. So far, Xena hadn’t, and she didn’t seem likely to. She was quieter than most, lacking the boisterous and bawdy mouth that most wolves flaunted lately. It was a stark and pleasant relief.

Forged by LUCI OF ADOXOGRAPHY

[Deleted]

The tall female stretched slowly, arching her back slightly and yawning softly. She was tired, irritated by the storm, and still soaking wet. Sure, she had tried to clean herself as much as possible, but the moisture she had accumulated from the weather outside had proved too difficult for her to manage. Her ears perked slightly as the other female spoke, though she did not feel inclined to respond right away. Instead she shifted back and forth, doing her best to make herself comfortable in the pathetic excuse for shelter that she now found herself sharing with the stranger that laid out in front of her. It took her a few moments to grow comfortable enough to settle in and cross her paws lightly in front of her, and as she finally grew still, her eyes returned to the other female's form.

"I have not yet joined a pack, though Kairos would be my first choice."

She said, leaning back slightly and exhaling slowly. It was clear she was relaxing, and though she had every intention of leaving the cramped space as soon as possible, there was no reason to be tense and anxious right now. Iskierka was not going to harm her, not that she would give the other female the chance. Xena had been born a warrior, and by default, she behaved always in an alert and capable way. It was difficult to surprise her, and even harder to keep her down. She was determined to succeed, and determined to join Kairos as a warrior, regardless of her gender.

However, even the seasons seemed to be turning against her. Not only did she want to join Kairos as a warrior - a thing unheard of so far - but it was also mating season, or at least close to it. She knew the pack to be inclined to introduce females to their ranks for the purpose of breeding and breeding alone, therefore one could easily see her predicament. She would be seeking acceptance into the pack and aiming for a rank as a warrior while fending off the males left and right. She doubted she could be taken seriously with all of the hormones flying about like they would be. She sighed softly, shaking her head and slowly lowering it to her paws. She would succeed one way or another, no matter how long it would take. For now, though, she was stuck here in this den with a female she had just met.

The other wolf gave her no idea of what pack she wished to join, though Xena really held little interest in her choice. It mattered little to her future, after all. No female within Kairos's ranks could help her reach her goal, regardless of their stature or ability. She would have to succeed on her own, regardless of how hard the task would be. She knew little of Goliath, but she leaned heavily on the hope that he would at least be reasonable and think logically. She was capable enough, and she would prove herself useful to him in the future. She might approach his pack as a lone female, but she would eventually climb her way up to Warrior status, even if it killed her to get there.

Words: 543
Tags: @iskierka
Notes: Sorry this took so long and is so terrible. The holidays have been crazy and I fell behind in my online courses a bit. I'm pretty much caught up, so I should be more active from now on.

[Kiara]

Usually, the pup enjoyed the nightime as it gave her a chance to sneak away unseen from her parents and go exploring. She also loved to watch the moon and think of all the stories she had been told as a child. However, that night was different. It was a storming mess and the young wolf was nothing short of terrified. The wind howled and screamed blowing the trees this way and that. Lightning lit up the night like broad daylight and the thunder boomed and shook the ground beneath her tiny paws. The rain came down in heavy sheets making it impossible to see anything. Kiara was soaked making it even easier to see all her bones in her malnourished state and she tried desperately to call for help but her voice was easily drowned out.

She had been moving for at least an hour with no luck in terms of finding shelter but that all changed with a crack of lightning and an incredibly loud crack of thunder. She took off running, trembling as she did, and ran not only straight into a small cave but straight into a brown colored wolf. She quickly backed up, even more afraid, and backed into yet another darker colored wolf. She jumped, startled, and cowered back into a corner. " I I I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, p please don't be mad" Her teeth chattered as she apologized and her neon purple eyes, full of fear, shone in the dark. She waited quietly for one or both of the wolves to attack her for intruding. She tried to make herself look as small and innocent as she could, suddenly wishing it was Kuruk and Than she had ran into. A small whimper escaped her frame but other than that, she remained silent.