For The First Time In Forever (open)

[Kiara]

The young pup stalked the rabbit as quietly as she could. It had been a few days since she was so kindly offered the leftovers of Nyx and her stomach was once more begging for food. Since she had yet to find Than and Kuruk again, she knew she needed to learn to hunt and kill for herself and this one the first animal she had seen that was small enough for her to conquer on her own, or she hoped, but also large enough to actually fill her up. There were few places to hide in the desert, especially with it being winter, so she knew she would have to rely on her legs more than anything else which didn’t exactly ease her mind. As she stalked down behind one of the few bushes around, she judged the distance between her and the oblivious rabbit to be maybe eight feet and figured she would only have a second or two, if she was lucky, before the animal would realize she was there and would take off. She would have to be quick.
Kiara took one last calming breath before sprinting out from the cover of her hiding place and toward her prey who quickly took off running. She kept her small frame moving as quickly as she could and though she was able to close in just a little, she knew she would have to out run the other by lasting longer than it. She kept on its heels and though she started panting, she refused to give in. Her stomach growled hungrily and she snarled at the smaller prey ahead of her. This would be a successful kill. It took maybe fifteen minutes of constant running, but finally the rabbit started to tire. Having noticed this, Kiara put all of her remaining strength into quickening her pace and wasted no time catching up to it. It took no more than another five minutes before the pup was on top of her prey, bringing it down with one pounce. She sunk her tiny teeth into its neck and shook her head furiously. After she had killed it, she tore into it, snarling as she ate as if it had been months before her last meal. By the time she was full, there was hardly anything left of it. But for the first time in a long time, she felt truly full and she wished extremely so that Than and Kuruk were there to see what she had done.

[Thanatos]

After coming back from trying to find vacant pack territories, the massive Mackenzie had returned to their temporary home in the desert. His legs were tired and weary, and his thoughts were suddenly changing from Tala to Kiara. Not so long ago, the pup suddenly vanished from their sight to never be found again. Thanatos gained a soft spot for her, since he could understand the horrors of being an orphan at such a young age. If it wasn't for Kuruk, he wouldn't be here today. However, all their attempts to find her proved futile, and Thanatos was increasingly worried for the little one. Her purple eyes and small frame were not easily mistaken, so he decided to search around for her as he slowly made his way back home. Occasionally, he found himself shouting her name in hopes of seeing her tiny body run to him for safety. That is, of course, if she wasn't dea--no. Maybe she wasn't dead! Maybe she was a strong girl that managed to survive all along. Thanatos couldn't loose hope now. Using all of his senses, he began to sniff the ground and continued shouting her name. 

About ten minutes had passed in this endeavor before his ears picked up some sound in the distance. Running to his right, he saw a small pup chasing a rabbit. Tilting his head, he began to squint his eyes and tried to focus more on the scene. After five minutes, the pup finally caught the rabbit and began to eat it all up desperately. Thanatos decided to walk up to it to investigate if this pup was Kiara. Her scent hit him first, and he recognized it quickly. "Nice job, Kiara!" he said enthusiastically, wagging his tail when he saw that the pup had made its first successful kill and when he saw that she was still alive. She was awfully skinny, and very malnourished, so she needed help. He decided to show her to Nova so she could take care of her and know her. His mind began to wonder about Kuruk, though--just... where was he? He had been absent for a couple of weeks, and he was beginning to worry. Kuruk was always disappearing and reappearing, but it was usually for days, not weeks. He began to worry, and he promised himself that he would look around for him as well. 


ooc: Kiara

[Kiara]

From the time she had first gotten separated from them, all the young pup had wished for and dreamed of was being found by Kuruk and Thanatos yet again. She was unsure how it was she came to be separated and even if she tried to figure it out, she never could. For days she had tried looking for them but her tries failed every time. Eventually, with an increasingly hungry stomach, she found herself move away from the area which she had last seen them and further into the desert. After she had left the she wolf who allowed her to finish her kill, something that still managed to surprise the pup, she knew that she needed to learn how to hunt on her own. The memory of her parents was fading quicker and quicker so she knew she would probably never find them again, she didn’t know if or when the two males would stumble upon her, and she doubted seriously that she would a meet another wolf who would so willingly allow her to take their food. If she didn’t learn to hunt and feed herself, then she knew that sooner or later she would die of starvation and in her case, it would more than likely be sooner, not later.

When she first eyed the rabbit, she knew it was the right size to fill her growling stomach but she doubted her abilities when it came to actually catching it. But, keeping the white wolf’s advice in her mind, she went for it, determined to stay confident and focused. Even though it took a few minutes, she couldn’t believe her eyes when she felt herself sink her teeth into its neck. It was like she was watching herself from someone else’s point of view. When she finally snapped back into reality, depression sunk in as she realized that Kuruk and Than weren’t there to witness her first successful hunt. She whimpered softly before hunger took control of her mind again and she lay down to eat her kill.

She was no more than a few bites when she heard a voice that she instantly recognized. Her eyes grew wide in excitement as she jumped up, her tail shaking so hard that it shook her entire frame. She quickly rushed over to the other male and nuzzled him, moving excitedly around him and stopped under him between his front legs. “Thanatos! I knew you’d find me I knew it I knew it I knew it!” She barked and yipped, getting tongue tied over her own words. She couldn’t remember the last time she was this excited or the last time she felt truly happy.”Did you see me hunt? I didn’t think I could do it but I did, I really did! I stayed confident and I did it I killed it on my own!”

[Thanatos]

“Thanatos! I knew you’d find me I knew it I knew it I knew it! Did you see me hunt? I didn’t think I could do it but I did, I really did! I stayed confident and I did it I killed it on my own!” Thanatos laughed and nuzzled the Thanatos laughed and nuzzled the pup, smiling and feeling prouder than ever. "I saw! You were amazing! I'm very proud of you, Kiara!" he spoke with delight and happiness tied in with his words. He was really proud of the young pup, and his pride could be seen clearly in his eyes. Nuzzling the pup, he saw that she was not finished eating yet. "Hey, finish your kill, I can wait." Thanatos smiled and sat down next to the purple-eyed whelp, smiling like he had never smiled before. 

Something about Kiara made her so familiar--and it was the fact that she was going through the same things that he went through. After witnessing the death of her mother and his father's suicide, he was left alone in this world to fend for himself. His steps were feeble and wary, and he remembered that he was about to faint when Kuruk found him. He was young and even if he was able to hunt, he was still starving. His brother took him in, and helped him all the way. There were many reasons Thanatos held Kuruk high in a pedestal, and one of them was how grateful he was towards him. He knew that his brother was not perfect, and that sometimes he didn't understand his line of thought, but he had grown up to respect it. Thanatos, lost in his thoughts, looked at Kiara with tender eyes, seeing his reflection on her purple irises; in there, he saw the same confusion, fear and hope that was always with him when he was a pup. But he knew that she would never be without him again. He would never leave her alone, and he would always protect her, at all costs.

ooc: Kiara

[Kiara]

Little did the young pup know just how much it would mean to her to hear Thanatos or Kuruk say they were proud of her until it was said by Than. She smiled softly, almost shyly, up at him, her neon purple eyes glowing from the admiration. It was the first time she had heard someone say they were proud of her since before she became separated from her parents and it gave her a nostalgic like feeling. She knew then that she wanted to continue hunting and practicing so that she could be the best huntress she could be and make both Thanatos and Kuruk proud of her.

Even though she had forgotten about her kill, no longer preoccupied with thoughts of hunger, she nodded obediently. She didn’t want to finish it since she was worried he would leave and she would rather be playing with him but she also knew better than to argue. She quickly went to work eating what was left of the destroyed rabbit and between every bite, she would look up to make sure Thanatos was still there. She paused half way through to let what she had just inhaled to settle in her stomach before she continued; eating what was left faster than the first part.

Once she was finished, she growled and pounced on Thanatos in a playful tackle. “I got you,” she laughed as she nipped at his ear and scruff. It was the first time she had truly played since she got lost and it felt amazing to feel like a puppy again. Finally, she jumped off his back, landing in front of him and crouching down, her tail wagging happily. “I bet you can’t catch me,” She barked teasingly as she turned and ran away from him, looking back over his shoulder to make sure he was following.

[Thanatos]

Thanatos smiled as he saw Kiara eat the rabbit. He knew how emaciated she was, and that she needed to eat something quickly. He was thankful because she hunted that rabbit, and he knew that she was going to be a great hunter, since she hunted an animal that is known for being quick. Still smiling, he felt her tiny body crash against his body, making him fall down and lay on his side on response. He smiled as he felt her gnawing on his ear, and it made him chuckle softly. Then, as quickly as it happened, she darted off running, teasing him to follow. "Oh, how ever will I catch you!" he exclaimed as he lifted himself off the ground, "You're too fast! Woe is me, woe is me!" he laughed, and in a quick leap and a few steps he was already in front of the diminutive pup with his butt lifted up high. Wagging his tail and acting like a pup himself, he smirked and expressed pure mischief and delight. "Caught you, speedy." 


Returning his body to natural position, he looked around, hoping that neither Kuruk or Nova had seen him like this. Thanatos looked again at the pup and made a soft sigh. "Well, lady Kiara, we should go home now. It's getting late," smiling and lowering his head to meet Kiara's mesmerizing purple ones, he whispered softly to her. "Now, you listen here, young lady. I will never leave you alone and that is a promise; however, I do hope that you never leave my side again. I don't want anything bad happening to you, cuddle bug. Okay?" Thanatos spoke in such a way that seemed fatherly to those who listened to him, and he felt like that, too. His heart began to feel something foreign--something strange and pleasant, and he enjoyed it--and it was a feeling of protectiveness. He would always watch over Kiara and protect her always, and he would love her as his own. 

ooc: Kiara

[Kiara]

For the first time in forever, she was puppy, full of life and no stresses. Her stomach was full, its growls hushed. Her tail wagged back and forth quicker than it had in at least a month and high pitch yips of excitement came from her panting muzzle. Her neon purple eyes were glowing and dancing with fun and excitement and as the sun hit her just right, it was clear to see that the reddish hues of an adult maned wolf were starting to grow in and replace the dark colors of puppy hood and because of Thanatos and Kuruk, she had a secure future where she could be a puppy and no longer worry about being on her own.

She laughed as she ran as fast as she could, smirking at the older wolf’s comments. She tried to stay ahead of him but it was no more than a few seconds before he had not only caught up to her but had surpassed her. He crouched down in front of her as she skidded to a stop, and wagged himself as if he himself were a pup. It made her smile and chuckle and she yipped at him playfully. “Only because I let you,” she laughed though she knew for the time being he could still run faster than her.

She watched as he stood and straightened himself, once again looking like the strong adult wolf he was and he spoke, Kiara perked her ears in a shy curiosity. “Home?” she asked unsure of where he was talking about. She had gotten separated from them when they first met before they could show them where they stayed so as far as she knew, they had no home. She was both anxious and excited to see where her new home would be. When he told her to listen, she straightened up and perked her ears listening closely to what he said. “Yes Thanatos, I won’t leave your side,” she nodded. However, although she would try not to wander off so much, she knew adventure was her life and that she was bound to wander off again.

[Thanatos]

Thanatos's tail kept wagging while he was in the presence of the small pup. She had that spark of youth and life that ignited something in Thanatos's heart--happiness. Energy. Excitement. It was something that seemed foreign to him somehow, but he felt his heart overwhelm with joy and bliss for a while. He felt, for he first time in forever, happy because he had found someone he cared for alive and surviving. Everything about this little girl was proving to be only beneficial, and he even had high hopes and plans for her future. He knew that she would be a very loved member of their family, and he knew that no matter what happened, he would always be faithful to her and he would never leave her side. He knew that she would be special to him, and she was proving herself to be a unique pup filled with beautiful qualities. Smiling, Thanatos laughed at the pup's happy, funny antics, and made a soft sigh. "Home?" She said with a curious tone in her voice; Thanatos smiled and nodded. "Yes, home. It's not permanent, though, but we've been staying there for a while. I want you to meet Miss Nova. She'll help you get back into shape quickly."

Smiling, he felt his heart warm up by her response. He loved how she said his name, all happy and content like a normal pup. Winking at the whelp, he replied with a soft nod. "That's my girl," he smiled and wagged his tail again, "now, let's go. It's getting late. Walk in front of me so I don't lose sight of you, I'll tell you where to go!" Thanatos pointed to the north, redirecting their steps to go to Aughghar River. Standing still, he motioned the pup to walk in front of him, just to make sure that she wouldn't disappear again. 

Kiara <3